Chapter 37: The Housekeeper Saw It All

Daein and Seol-Ah planned to drink with Seol-Yoon until she got tipsy to figure out her alcohol tolerance.

The reason they opted for cheap soju over the premium whiskey stored at home was simple: they assumed the type of alcohol Seol-Yoon would commonly encounter at university parties would be similar to soju.

However, there was one thing they overlooked.

Drinking a lot doesn’t necessarily make you a better drinker.

Alcohol tolerance isn’t something you can train for.

The ability to remain unaffected by alcohol or avoid blackouts is more a matter of natural talent.

And with Seol-Yoon’s newly improved health, her liver was no ordinary one.

Still, before they could notice that something was odd, Daein and Seol-Ah were already drunk, oblivious to the fact that their youngest was perfectly fine.

The drinking session continued.

They wouldn’t stop until they figured out Seol-Yoon’s alcohol limits.

“Ma’am, can we have another bottle of soju?”

“I’m sorry, sir. We’ve run out of the ones we had. Should I go out and buy more?”

“No, no, we have plenty of alcohol in the house!”

The six bottles of soju they had prepared were already gone.

Daein walked over to the whiskey cabinet and carefully took out a high-end bottle he had been saving for a special occasion.

To him, the first time drinking with his adorable youngest daughter was a special occasion.

He even brought out tasting glasses optimized for enjoying the aroma of whiskey.

For seasoned whiskey lovers, this would have been an appalling sight.

Switching to expensive whiskey after getting drunk on soju? How would you even appreciate the aroma properly?

But Daein, already intoxicated, didn’t think about such things.

He only wanted to continue the drinking session.

“Drinking should be taught by adults. I must protect Seol-Yoon. The world is full of wolves. She needs to know that.”

It was quite a comedic scene.

The “teachers” who intended to educate their student were the ones staggering, while the “student” remained perfectly sober.

Yet neither Daein nor Seol-Ah realized this.

“I’m not acting weird because I want to! No one understands me! Hic!”

“Our family needs to stay healthy and avoid getting sick. Your mom isn’t a bad person; she just had a really hard time. Hic!”

“They’re both so similar when they’re drunk. They must have a lot they want to say.”

Both were clumsy people who could only express their true feelings when drunk.

After about two bottles of soju and four glasses of whiskey, the two were completely out of it.

Meanwhile, Seol-Yoon remained sober, her liver breaking down alcohol faster than she could get drunk.

“They’re both so cute.”

The truth was, Seol-Yoon already knew her own alcohol tolerance.

She had secretly tested it before.

She would drink two shots of soju, wait five minutes, and jot down how she felt in a notebook. Then she would repeat the process, methodically recording her observations.

Her conclusion: she had no limit.

She could drink soju endlessly without getting drunk.

Her liver was too efficient, breaking down alcohol as quickly as she consumed it.

Occasionally, stronger spirits above 40% ABV might make her feel slightly tipsy for a moment, but the effect would quickly fade.

Becoming fully intoxicated was practically impossible unless she consumed a lethal dose of alcohol, which could kill her.

It was ironic.

The person with the highest alcohol tolerance was also the one most at risk of alcohol poisoning.

“I should help bring this family closer together.”

Seol-Yoon leaned toward Seol-Ah and whispered, “Unnie, it’s okay to lean on Dad. You’re his daughter, so it’s okay to act like a kid sometimes.”

“Nooo, I can’t. If I do that, Mom won’t like me anymore.”

“Mom’s different. Dad’s been waiting for you to lean on him. Come on, go show him some love.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. It’s called being filial.”

The word “filial” struck a chord with Seol-Ah.

She hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

Seol-Yoon gently helped her staggering sister into their father’s arms.

“Huh?”

“Unnie says she’s been feeling really lonely. She’d like you to hold her and pat her back.”

Daein’s alcohol-clouded eyes widened as he processed the words.

My Seol-Ah! She must have felt so lonely after moving out!

“Seol-Ah, I love you! Please forgive this clumsy father who struggles to express his feelings! I’m so sorry!”

He hugged her tightly and began patting her back repeatedly.

“Really? Even though I don’t work, don’t go to school, and don’t do anything? You don’t hate me?”

“Of course not! You’re my daughter! You can do whatever you want, even if it’s nothing at all!”

“Hwaaah!”

In the past, Seol-Yoon had hugged and comforted Seol-Ah many times.

But every time, Seol-Ah would dart away like a skittish cat.

Her pride wouldn’t let her fully rely on her “younger sister.”

Yet here she was, comfortably leaning on their father, the only adult she felt she could rely on.

“If I had been a brother instead of a sister, would she have leaned on me too?”

It was a heartwarming scene, though slightly embarrassing to witness.

Seol-Yoon caught the housekeeper’s gaze and quickly put a finger to her lips.

“Shh! Let’s just keep this moment as a memory. If we bring it up later, they’ll feel awkward.”

The housekeeper nodded with a smile.

“Dad, if you’re tired, who do you lean on? There’s no one older than you! Hwaaah! Dad, you’re so pitiful!”

Seol-Ah had realized something.

Adults weren’t invincible. They also got tired and needed someone to lean on.

She could lean on her father, but who could he lean on?

“Don’t worry about me. Seeing you two smile gives me all the strength I need.”

“Stop pretending! That’s not true!”

Seol-Ah continued.

No matter how hard it was, she had always pretended to be fine.

That pretense had twisted everything.

She had fooled her mother into believing her eldest child was invincible.

The price of always pretending to be okay was high.

When her mask eventually broke, her mother couldn’t handle the truth.

Her denial and guilt drove her to avoid facing the situation altogether.

Now, her absence at the dinner table was a glaring reminder of the unresolved issues within the family.

“Healthy, happy daughters like you are all I need to stay strong,” Daein said with a warm smile.

“Liar. You’re crying because you’re sad, aren’t you?”

“No, these are happy tears.”

“Then Unnie should hug Dad this time,” Seol-Yoon suggested.

She looked at her sister.

“Family isn’t embarrassing. It’s okay for daughters to hug their dads.”

Hesitantly, Seol-Ah nodded.

And so, she hugged her father.

Moments later, she felt Seol-Yoon wrap her arms around both of them, turning the hug into a family sandwich.

“Huh?”

“It’s okay for you to hug your little sister too. We’re family.”

“…I guess so.”

“Yeah, exactly.”

For once, Seol-Ah didn’t pull away. She let herself be held.

The housekeeper, witnessing the scene, turned red from secondhand embarrassment.

Why am I the one feeling embarrassed here?

What a heartwarming family… except for one missing piece.

The family still had a lot to resolve.

“…I should have stopped drinking sooner,” Seol-Ah muttered the next morning.

Her face burned with shame as memories of the night before flooded back.

“Did I really cling to Dad and cry? What was I thinking?”

She groaned, wishing she could erase the memories by banging her head against the wall.

“This is so embarrassing!”