This is a Foul (3)

When I was drinking last night, I thought I was just overindulging a little.

But now, as I clutched my throbbing head and let out a low groan, I naturally began to resent the “me” of yesterday. To think I’d keep tilting the glass just because I got caught up in the mood, knowing full well I had to work the next day.

“…Whew.”

I tried to pull myself together by facing the cool morning air, but the migraine showed no signs of subsiding, making me knit my brows.

“…Get it together, Yeon Ha-neul.”

Getting into the Deputy Team Leader’s car in this state was out of the question. I tried to straighten up from the wall I was leaning against, only to be forced back by another wave of pain.

“…….”

This was all Gi-seok’s fault.

While preparing dinner after parting with Kim Se-hyun, and even throughout our drinks, he kept pestering me about who that man was. I ended up drinking more just to dodge his questions. He even went as far as to ask if it was actually Kim Se-hyun.

“I couldn’t exactly tell him it was him.”

Although Kim Se-hyun’s face had been revealed to the media, I had no intention of confirming it. I slumped my shoulders, recalling yesterday’s conversation where I tirelessly changed the subject, telling Gi-seok there was no way it was him despite his insistence on the resemblance.

“Sigh.”

The only thing coming out of me was sighs, mostly due to those ‘Hyung’ related articles. If it hadn’t been for that ‘Hyung’ story, I wouldn’t have suffered like this. I wiped my face—which surely felt like sandpaper by now—and looked around.

Ruminating was one thing, but right now, it was more beneficial to use that energy to look as decent as possible. While trying to force my rock-bottom condition upward, the streetlight caught my eye.

“Oh?”

Come to think of it, when I ran into Kim Se-hyun last night, something was lying under that streetlight. I looked around to see if it was still there, but it was nowhere to be found, so I quickly gave up.

There were elderly neighbors who cleaned the alleys as a chore every morning and evening. They probably cleared it away. It had looked like a fairly large object, so I was curious about what it was, but it seemed the chance to find out was gone. I let out a sigh of regret just as I heard the familiar sound of a car engine.

“Ahem, ahem!”

As expected, it was the Deputy Team Leader’s car. Once the car stopped in front of me, I cleared my throat a few more times and got into the passenger seat.

“Good morning, Deputy Team Leader.”

“…Did you drink?”

I had only said one greeting, yet he guessed it perfectly. I had tried my best not to show it, but the fact that I was caught instantly made my lips twitch. Sensing my silence was odd, the Deputy Team Leader glanced over, scanned my face, and gave an awkward laugh. My face heated up from the embarrassment.

“You seem to have washed up thoroughly, but there’s still a bit of a scent.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Going to work smelling of alcohol was a lapse in etiquette. After apologizing, I asked for permission to open the window, and seeing him open his side too, I quickly buckled my seatbelt.

“Had a drink with that friend on leave?”

“We had a lot to catch up on, so I ended up having a bit much.”

“Well, some days are like that. Let’s stop at a convenience store on the way so you can get a hangover drink.”

“Yes.”

I had showered, but the churning in my stomach hadn’t settled. Since I needed a hangover cure more than ever, I nodded immediately. As the car started moving, a cool breeze flowed in through the window.

Was it because of the morning air, or was my mind still foggy from the alcohol? The wind seemed to clear my head and settle my stomach slightly. Still, I remained slumped in the seat until we reached a nearby convenience store. The moment the car stopped, I got out and headed inside.

I bought a hangover drink along with a warm honey-citron tea from the heated cabinet. I downed the hangover drink first. Finally, I felt like I could breathe. Returning to the car, I handed the tea to the Deputy Team Leader.

“Deputy Team Leader, please have this.”

“I’ll enjoy it.”

He gave a small smile as he took the tea. I smiled back, but as he closed the windows to enter the main road, I stared blankly out at the view.

“…….”

The drink didn’t fix me instantly, but the act of doing something to stop the nausea made me feel much more comfortable. Inside the car, which was crawling through traffic, I practiced mind control to soothe my stomach. By the time we pulled into the office parking lot, I managed to find some strength in my body.

“You look much better than when we started.”

I had worried about motion sickness, but luckily, my stomach held up. I rubbed my midsection and nodded.

“Yes, I think I’m okay now.”

“Still, just in case, you should rest this morning. There’s not much to do anyway, so everyone will understand.”

“Thank you.”

As he said, the team would understand, but I didn’t plan on resting all day. I vowed to get to work as soon as my condition improved. However, upon arriving at the office, I found Officer Park already at his desk, which was unusual.

“Good morning, Officer Park.”

“Oh, good mor—… What’s with your face?”

“He said he overdid it with the drinks,” the Deputy Team Leader answered for me.

“Overdid it?”

Officer Park couldn’t hide his surprise. Scratching my cheek awkwardly, I explained the reason to him.

“…The friend who called yesterday is on reward leave. We had a drink.”

“Wow, you only drink with your friend? You should have a drink with us too! We need to schedule a team dinner!”

I expected a lecture about the smell of alcohol, but instead, he brought up a team dinner. I let a small smile slip.

“Yes, I’d love to attend.”

Come to think of it, we hadn’t had a single team dinner since I joined, so I assumed they just didn’t do them. A dinner when we were still strangers would have been awkward, but it was different now. Perhaps it would bring us even closer.

“Good morning!”

“Good morning.”

“Huh? Why does our Chick look so haggard?”

“That is….”

Once again, the news of my overindulgence was shared. Just like Officer Park, the new arrivals insisted we should all have a drink together, and I confirmed my intent to join.

“What? With us?”

“Actually, I just made a dinner promise with the Chick!”

“Ooh, really?”

“…Haha.”

The topic of a team dinner had been mentioned briefly before, but I hadn’t realized their desire for it was this strong. Even the Team Leader, who was the last to arrive, showed the same reaction. I could only let out a hollow laugh before the Team Leader made an unexpected proposal.

“We’re having a dinner, right?”

Since it wasn’t something to refuse, I agreed immediately, and the Team Leader raised his voice as if he’d been waiting for this.

“Since the Chick said he’ll come, everyone clear your schedules for this Friday!”

“Whoa, are we finally having a team dinner?”

“Yeah. He gave the okay, so we have to!”

“…….”

It sounded as if there would have been no dinner at all without my consent. I blinked at the Team Leader, then straightened my posture as he announced the start of the morning meeting.

“Well, it’s the same as always. Do your best in your assigned tasks! And if you go out on field duty to a dungeon, don’t forget to be careful.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Especially Officer Han, you’ve been on field duty a lot lately, right? The more tired you are, the easier it is to be careless, which leads to big accidents. Look out for yourself! If it’s too much, just dump it on those Association guys.”

“Understood.”

“Then, that’s all for today’s meeting. Rest up until we get news of a dungeon.”

“Yes, sir.”

The Team Leader looked at each member one by one, finally telling me to rest. It was the most welcome news ever. I nodded and was about to slump back into my chair. Or rather, I tried to.

“Hyung!”

The office door swung open, and Kim Se-hyun rushed in. He dragged a chair over to my side and sat down. I stared at him blankly, then noticed his familiar clothes.

“…Did you not go home yesterday?”

Kim Se-hyun, who usually showed up in a different suit every single day, was wearing the exact same one as yesterday. It was very noticeable. Recalling our encounter in that unexpected place last night, I watched as his eyes darted around.

“…….”

Normally, he would have responded with some nonsense by now, but he was strangely quiet. I remained silent too until he finally spoke.

“Hyung.”

“Yes.”

“Should I make you some honey water?”

“…Do I smell that bad?”

If even Kim Se-hyun was saying this, it meant the smell of alcohol was truly terrible. Flustered, I sniffed myself here and there, but I couldn’t smell anything specific. Ah, maybe it was coming from my breath. I quickly clamped my mouth shut.

“Well, there’s a bit of a smell, but your complexion just looks really bad.”

“…….”

“No, you don’t need to shut your mouth like that! I told you, it’s only a little! It’s not noticeable! It’s just because I’m the world’s strongest hunter that I can smell it!”

To believe only the world’s strongest hunter could smell it was impossible, given that the entire team had already noticed. I narrowed my eyes at him. Kim Se-hyun, who was shifting his gaze while insisting it didn’t smell that much, offered honey water again, but I shook my head.

“I’m okay, I had a hangover drink.”

With a little time, my condition would improve. I gave him a small smile of gratitude. Kim Se-hyun stared at me intently, then let out a sigh of relief. What was that about? As I blinked at him, an excuse followed.

“Well, I’m just glad you look okay, Hyung.”

“Yes.”

“I mean it!”

“…Okay, thank you.”

Seeing him act like this reminded me of the Kim Se-hyun I saw last night. I wondered what was up, but I just nodded along, continuing to nod as he repeated several more times that I looked “okay.”