Chapter 6.4
Chapter 6.4
I take responsibility the next day for the drunkard!6
Patent #99999
Hangover Relief Drink
777 a.m.
He inadvertently extended his hand, then clenched his fist, and put it back alongside his body. But then his hand reached out again. So he had to put it back by his body. His hands violated his brain’s commands, as if they were independent organisms.
After several battles, Sangwoo’s right hand won over the brain and opened the refrigerator.
The owner of the shop was looking at the ‘777 a.m.,’ and then told Sangwoo: “Did you drink yesterday? I just have a feeling. After seeing your expression last time, it’s been bothering me, so just take it.”
Sangwoo somehow got a free hangover relieving drink. But what would he use this for? When Sangwoo was about to tell her that he’d rather pay for it with money, the shop owner had already returned to the counter.
Sangwoo left the shop and walked along the path while drinking the canned coffee Jaeyoung had given him in the morning. He threw the can in the second trash can in front of the College of Natural Sciences and headed towards the library. After checking out a new book he had requested, he sat down.
As he opened his bag, he saw a canned drink among the major subjects textbooks. Sangwoo neatly put the books he needed on his desk and grabbed the ‘777 a.m.’ to examine it.
‘I take responsibility the next day for the drunkard!’
As soon as he saw the word drunkard, he was reminded of Jaeyoung, who was unable to walk steadily.7 He tried to recall what another drunkard looked like, but he couldn’t think of anyone at all. So instead, he tried to imagine a bottle of alcohol or a whale, but once an image was stuck in his head, it was too powerful.
Sangwoo, who had been sitting still for a while, jumped up at some point and picked up the drink. Then, he quickly walked down the stairs and crossed the lobby.
Sangwoo enjoyed solving problems. Even if it wasn’t his problem, it could be solved if the product claims written on the can were true: this brand had a patent for relieving hangovers. That was all.
Actually, it was a rather careless thought. Jaeyoung might have already gotten something to drink. The drink might not be as good as its catchphrase. Jaeyoung might have already gone home.
Sangwoo walked purposefully, deep in thought. He didn’t know where Jaeyoung was, so he was just going to leave it at the theater department. If he did that, he’d have done his best. Sangwoo didn’t have any other obligation than that.
Sangwoo stopped walking while on his way to the institute. Someone had caught his eye in the distance. His features weren’t distinguishable at that distance, but Sangwoo could tell that he was laughing while pulling a face. He saw the gesture of his hand moving in the air several times. The angle of his bent legs weren’t like anybody else’s. The green coat he had removed was sprawled out on the ground.
Jaeyoung was sitting down, occupying an entire bench for himself. A girl with a blond bob-cut stood in front of him with her arms folded. Even if he didn’t look well, he looked much better than he had in class. When he touched his stomach while acting as if he were in agony, the girl burst out laughing. When he said something, the girl punched his arm with her first. Laugh, laugh, laugh. The guy and the girl’s faces were filled with laughter.
Sangwoo completely turned around and walked in the other direction. He just moved his feet thoughtlessly. By the time he came to his senses, he was already in front of the futsal field that was under construction. The worker who had said strange things to him the other day was now working. Sangwoo strode towards him. The man in the safety helmet looked surprised.
“Student! What are you doing here at this time?”
“What one earth are you talking about?”
Sangwoo handed him the drink he was carrying.
“Drink this.”
“Huh? What’s this? … I stopped drinking.”
“Anyway, drink.”
Sangwoo returned to the library right away. He had kept wasting his time lately, but he had never wasted this much time before. His heart was pounding with guilt for spending time so inefficiently.
Sangwoo was looking for a pencil case in his bag when his cell phone screen, previously put on mute, flashed.
There was a rare message.
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Freeloader3: sangwooillleavefirsttoday
13:27
Freeloader3: evenifyouresadholditin
13:27
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Footnotes
6. This is the slogan or catchphrase of this hangover relief drink.
7. The Korean word for ‘drunkard’ is 술고래, which literally means ‘alcohol’ (술) and ‘whale’ (고래). This is because a drunkard can drink as much as a whale.