BC | Chapter 13

“Yeah, sit down. You’ve been working hard, haven’t you? Your face looks pale. Eat some meat quickly.”cb5dcd70f9caf953

Won-il greeted f47455e2ef Jun-young warmly. Then, he quickly ddef64709a added toward Yoo-eun.822d57475087d107

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“Our Yoo-eun should listen carefully to Professor Jeong Beom-woo. You can be too careless about your health sometimes. You need to take care of it while you’re still healthy. Don’t be complacent just because you’re young. We’re almost thirty now.”f61b74e058af5b15

Jeong Beom-woo casually asked, looking at Won-il who was muttering seriously. “Won-il, how old are you this year? Twenty-eight? Twenty-nine?”1d1915b33e0eea4f

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His question seemed directed 05cddb5d32 at Yoo-eun rather than 55cb3173bf Won-il.a52cd4b13961d0d1

“Twenty-eight. Next year I’ll be twenty-nine.”12a19b3e28bf0eab

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Suddenly, Won-il let out e0781e627e a sigh.fc907f0f0e92bd36

“No, my mom said she’ll write a talisman for me because I’ll be turning 29 next year.”6db7522d5c17f8b0

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“Aren’t you my aunt’s b5ad7f76c6 deacon?”f3596f614b015b57

At Beom-woo’s question, Won-il nodded with a playful smile. The way he called Won-il’s mother “aunt” made Yoo-eun wonder about their relationship. There was no resemblance between them, so they didn’t seem to be blood-related… but then again, there are cousins who don’t look alike at all.f1b055f7169ca375

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Yoo-eun pretended 5106696715 to focus 0cc5e176a3 on the 041b9cc7c0 meat while 37b600233a listening to 40d3033429 the conversation 9ee944777f between the 88f30b06a4 two, silently 7066e7bb50 making her 0d9d3b4970 own deductions.ba292203e46ad267

“God would be upset if he knew, so I told her not to write things like charms. Do you know what my mom said? She said even God would be worried about the ‘nine-year curse,’ and that he would overlook it for me.”6a90b9ec7a7fdc06

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While continuing eee2bc28af the friendly d9aec4a994 conversation with 58911811fc Won-il, Beom-woo f7a268ed01 picked up 25d8f26d54 a generous b993216d7c amount of b2f012d23a meat with 9d72b9958c his tongs b01185f793 and handed 0950147d7e it to 5fe3c1ea6d Yoo-eun. The expression ce74e3fe45 of Jun-young, 700e8196c3 who was 29c3071be5 seated across 530b073e62 from them, fb21f5dfc8 grew darker b932afb562 by the e48595a348 moment. The keen-eyed Won-il noticed ab8e7cca69 it immediately.9b8edbc9f70f00a5

“Professor Jeong, please make sure to give some meat to our youngest artist as well.”37ad4eb25b4fd18e

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Ignoring Won-il’s suggestion, Beom-woo instead handed the tongs to Jun-young.479749160aaf3149

“Take it yourself if you prefer the atmosphere. This side is tenderloin, and that side is ribs.”6f8d07652e09716d

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He smiled 0e00aa0317 as if 359eab996a it was 7bce8e58e9 a great dac1422033 act of 8fbd170c27 consideration. Without thinking, Jun-young absentmindedly 1a39e9e84b took the tongs.949f64d4702e7c3c

“No, it seems like our youngest artist had a tough time performing today. You look a bit out of it.”e90a3e6a48638223

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It was typical of Won-il to subtly provoke people and get the responses he wanted. As Yoo-eun sighed deeply, hoping Jun-young wouldn’t fall into the trap and start complaining about his confession, she braced herself for what might come next.7961cb5e4386f13d

“Yoo-eun, eat a lot too.”03a4f72057df0609

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As Won-il looked at Yoo-eun’s plate and started serving her, Jun-young shot him a sharp glance.1c68f075bab95499

 7eb9232a8afc7f29

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     “Be careful, sis. Guys like him are the most suspicious.”20367680903e0452

 cbe3e2d826383703

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The words that d0df721c64 Jun-young had said 63c791d212 earlier, warning her b3f831d4e9 about Won-il, lingered f346da7d47 in her ears.194c8ba3389c9047

The man who confessed to Yoo-eun 11 years ago, and the man who confessed to her today, were both in the same place. Yoo-eun felt her stomach churn. But the person who was making her even more anxious wasn’t either of them.d2e51996915f225a

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As Yoo-eun glanced up, her gaze met Beom-woo’s, and he smiled, as if it were a smile he had carefully crafted. The smile was so chilling that Yoo-eun felt a shiver run down her spine.5cfde19f71279c6f

Is it just me who’s uncomfortable right now? You said your life was perfect, right? You said you had everything, didn’t you?c36d0daeabedfe2a

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     As expected, there’s no such thing as a correct fortune telling.c914b0665e4dbb21

Yoo-eun’s first 8ca49a9371 love, the abea351d10 classmate who 71d7a79f06 confessed his ed438db99f first love 97fa7e564c to her, 9f4e4092e6 and the 3ac84a7782 man who 5e7f61bf52 had just 9fb993f539 been rejected de5195b515 were all 1348031563 gathered around, 13401be8ba surrounding Yoo-eun.4e0f8b7135afbf55

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It was c3400f1c07 a chaotic 654851684a table, far a9ac02d3ce from perfect, 4eecde93ba filled with 0fd19ed2c3 the turmoil 6e39f29f5c of her 6f1e2906b3 first love.ee806bc31a96fea8

As Yoo-eun felt her energy draining between the three men, the PR team leader, sitting far away, called out, “Assistant Yoo,” signaling to Won-il. At that, Won-il, holding a shot glass, immediately stood up from his seat.f9f24d9adea3cb76

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“Alright, is everyone here now?”22ccee39c2beb7b3

“Yes,” came the scattered responses from all directions.0b69daebc90bbe92

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“Then, please fill all the glasses in front of you.”7522bbe43181531c

At Won-il’s words, Beom-woo and Jun-young simultaneously reached for the beer bottles. It seemed they had expected Yoo-eun to drink the beer. Beom-woo’s large hand was gripping the broadest part of the bottle, while Jun-young’s hand held just below the neck of the bottle.d0bf07b772c4437b

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The sight of the 8ad05a1236 beer bottle obscured by d3b87e7c0c the two men’s hands d91336347e even made Yoo-eun feel a6752fe34f a bit sorry for 14ce6dc028 it. Somehow, the thought 3cb97f480a of drinking beer e2f0cd7de4 no longer appealed 3950511555 to her. She worried about what 16082cb245 kind of antics the 1677ce99d4 stubborn men would pull 4b922a5a6b if she agreed to 9a6ad16dac drink the beer.21489b1f5334cb22

With Beom-woo’s personality, it didn’t seem likely he would easily let go of the beer bottle, and the childish Jun-young wouldn’t be the type to give it up to Beom-woo either. It was obvious they were about to engage in a ridiculous battle of wills, as if the beer bottle were some legendary sword from a myth.d9ef306a6ef48b32

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Yoo-eun smoothly e0dc085cfa smiled and e509d6dd16 picked up 93852074be the soju d4f23602a7 bottle.c72b1a680028bb27

“I’ll have soju.”c5873b7d4bb82446

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Then, she c80ecb0f22 picked up d4b46078ec the soju 166a6158e9 bottle next b3c3bf7224 to Won-il 7221b1f2cb and poured 45ef50ae6b it into 275dc0ee2c her small d8a0db8c8e glass with 1567c0e6d4 a clink.28239452b3589657

“I want to drink soju too, sis.”ffbf148ddd43cd67

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Jun-young quickly held out his glass to Yoo-eun. Not wanting to argue over it, Yoo-eun silently poured soju into Jun-young’s glass. She briefly wondered if she should have poured for the older Beom-woo first, but considering that they had only just met, it seemed a bit odd to step forward and pour his drink.78ef6d256b288653

     Please, let’s each pour our own drinks.d80cd639d67bb002

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As Yoo-eun was about to put the soju bottle down on the table, her gaze met Beom-woo’s again. It was as if he had read the complicated emotions on her face. He tilted his head slightly and looked at her with half-lidded eyes, a gaze that was quite provocative.0cdececff230bcf4

“Professor, would you like some soju?”217b5c196aacecec

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The question that slipped from Yoo-eun’s lips was so gentle that it made her previous worries about the awkward situation seem insignificant. Even Yoo-eun herself was surprised at the gap between her thoughts and her actions.ed16f9af8f627afb

“I’m fine. I have surgery early tomorrow morning.”ffce4342bdb4e53a

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“Ah, you can’t drink because you have surgery tomorrow.”5067ae9eeec7c2ab

Yoo-eun awkwardly 473edea994 smiled with e97080d0b7 just her f946512e54 lips, muttering 64046e496b to herself.a776fdc2cb7bba4e

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     Why are you glaring if you’re not even going to drink?a5b302cc4cc49654

The true thoughts were a14199e140 only murmured inside.ae66ab9f50f88e09

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“Have you filled all the glasses?”2d183756354f5d21

Won-il asked, looking around df6061d432 at everyone, “Have you 67a1bcaa0c filled all the glasses?” 3e4df344a9 It wasn’t really a be1a8c72d2 question that needed an cf550da841 answer. It was more 1f477694aa of a remark 8dfbf12649 to regain focus 1f2af81f10 after the scattered 8cf259e9c7 atmosphere caused by 78a6ef231a everyone filling each 683d9f1737 other’s glasses. After quickly b2cda16b83 checking the a54d5e39e8 hands holding b00cf35987 glasses, Won-il 430865bea2 smoothly continued.f4913d0d1597306b

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“Alright, then, 2b879dd847 as the ce2e325c99 representative of 8b7097d53f the exhibition 18101abab7 team, I’d 17f844bbff like to 832cbb2113 ask Planner 2eb2fc4af4 Jang Ha-jeong 47a15c3668 to give c1a1761e6a the toast!”58c278a719c0b225

Ha-jeong was not an 4fd1529434 authoritative leader. So, she wouldn’t step d3fc54c4d9 forward to give a d99ff0587d grand toast at an 31331cd026 event like this.3a871188d9b41c4c

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“In our team, the youngest usually does this. Song Jun-young, say a few words.”97fcc4df42626f2b

Ha-jeong, who had been 5f068521e9 quietly sitting in the 56f586e461 corner, finally coaxed Jun-young b3773d09fd to stand up. Won-il naturally sat back cb5a482d62 down, while Jun-young let e472bf4f9f out a deep sigh 1fef38e852 before rising. He then looked down 8e420d0283 at Yoo-eun with eyes 1dbc9ab4e3 full of competitive spirit.123e5897b40b892e

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     I won’t let you off if you cause trouble here.d92df2a39a982589

Yoo-eun glared back, meeting Jun-young’s gaze head-on.3271c75fc213b122

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“We are artists who are close friends with alcohol.”1c7208fbbfb827af

Fortunately, the words that came out of Jun-young’s mouth were within the realm of normality. It was also the kind of thing people usually say when they’re asked to make a toast in such a setting.5225eff7f4cc25c5

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“Art is also alcohol. Tonight, we’ll live for art! When I say ‘Art is,’ you respond with ‘alcohol!’ Art is!” Jun-young raised his soju glass high into the air.faab0697182c93d6

“Cheers!”0e414a23684c7fd4

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The entire restaurant echoed with the cheer of “Cheers!” as everyone emptied their glasses, laughing joyfully. However, the only ones who didn’t laugh after finishing their drinks were Jun-young and Yoo-eun. While Beom-woo didn’t laugh either, he was excused as he was quietly drinking a zero-calorie cola by himself.091a72cc4a1d47bc

If you’re going to drink zero-calorie cola, why not just drink regular cola?Yoo-eun thought to b8e631e93d herself.9e6ba8389aa37cad

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Starting with lukewarm water and now this… he’s really becoming a health enthusiast.4f10970cc83fd519

Yoo-eun glared at the 1c126c2cd9 ceramic cup with a e5351199dc skewed thought. The face of d719aba300 Beom-woo, who had 5a14fd4814 insisted on her 1d9055cb3d drinking lukewarm water, 8f09149b1c seemed to resurface 50428ea976 every time she 87c43d4470 drank barley tea, 22c3b5deab and a bad e7eee9ad53 premonition lingered in b0ca0c5bfe her mind.34601e6b780e3fe5

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“Jun-young, drink in moderation. Tomorrow’s your first performance.”ce460e07ba893390

From afar, d460bb226c Ha-jeong gave f38875ec93 Jun-young a 1a7a3a38a4 look, but d23d7b8e40 Jun-young, barely 16d478ff95 acknowledging it, 9c7bd66430 kept pouring b7947530e7 the alcohol ecc3b6d8f8 down.3cb662bb0097e8de

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“Do you want more drink?”b55e7327ae79101e

Won-il pointed to Yoo-eun’s empty glass with a nod and asked. Yoo-eun silently nodded in response. Then, her eyes met Beom-woo’s, who was staring at her intently.b7286592ba7fbb83

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     Please stop staring. It won’t get through by doing that.c8c5f18c42f28372

“Oh, Bro. It’s fine. Yoo-eun drinks well. I’m not forcing her.”a20530f1125f03f3

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It seemed that Beom-woo had noticed Won-il’s sharp gaze, as he began to make excuses. While Yoo-eun lightly clinked her soju glass with Won-il’s and tilted her head back to finish it, Beom-woo smirked with a low voice.70ee12fb25cf85c2

“Ah, Yoo-eun seems to have a smooth secretion of ADH and ALDH.”b7197732758b7e7d

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A stubborn spark appeared in Yoo-eun’s eyes as she put down the soju glass. ADH and ALDH are medical abbreviations for alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase, enzymes that play an important role in the alcohol metabolism process.495e5c8869182020

It was an 0dbe3f6399 obvious provocation.40d641f8b0689e0e

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