Top Secret

1. Heartless Man

“100 days anniversary?”

Jaeyoon asked back.

“It’s finally the weekend and my parents went away on a trip too, so the house is empty.”

Yoonjae smiled brightly, saying wasn’t this a good opportunity. Because their names combined as Jaeyoonjae, they were nicknamed Autoreverse. They’d been good friends since a long time ago, so long they couldn’t even remember. Their strong relationship extended from elementary and middle school to even high school, where they were in the same class for the full three years.

“But I can’t drink.”

“Dude, it’s about the atmosphere. I obviously know you can’t drink, you think I’d force you? Jinwook, Yongsu, and even Donghyun will come.”

The last day of hope for people taking the exams, 100 days before the CSAT. The meaning of playing while drinking alcohol was to start afresh once more with new determination. That was the only significance to getting drunk. There was no better break for those taking exams and living each day stuck in the dullness of preparing for the tests. Since Yoonjae lived right next door, he didn’t have to get permission from his parents, and Jaeyoon, who was tempted by the prospect of being freed from the constant schedule of going to school, then the library, and returning home, readily nodded. Just like his father, who abstained from drinking because he had no enzymes that break down alcohol in his body, Jaeyoon also couldn’t drink and passed out after 2 cans of beer, but as Yoonjae had said, it was all about the atmosphere.

“The membership fee is 20 000 won.”1

Even if you say you’re not drinking, you still have to pay the same price. But 20 000 won! When he saw Jaeyoon’s surprised reaction as if he was thinking ‘are you going to bathe in the alcohol?’, Yoonjae said with a grin.

“I also called some girls.”

“Eh?”

“Jihye is also bringing her friends this time, so try not to count your chickens.”2

No wonder the membership fee was so high, there was another purpose. The lively and cute Jihye was Yoonjae’s girlfriend, whom he had been dating since last winter. Even the reserved Jaeyoon was quite comfortable with Jihye; it was all thanks to Jihye’s outgoing personality.

“What examinees.”

But at that time, Jaeyoon, who was scratching his face in embarrassment and didn’t look like he hated the idea, couldn’t feel the dark energy that would be cast over his future.

With the help of Youngsoo’s older brother, a box of soju3 was bought. Everyone was excited by this triumph; only Jaeyoon looked at the enormous amount of bottles on the table and fell into a state of disarray, not knowing if he would be able to get through the night safely. It’s unknown if it’s people that drink alcohol or if it’s the alcohol that drinks people, but what was certain was that these guys would be drinking it all even if they had to stay up the whole night. Since girls would be present, they wouldn’t drink until they passed out, right? Jaeyoon struggled to contain his rising anxiety and placed the Coke that he’d be drinking among the soju bottles. While he was picking the snack bags from the plastic bags and putting them on the table, Jinwook, who was cleaning the living room and bustling around next to him, clicked his tongue and ran into the kitchen, bringing out some pretty plates.

“You can just rip it open and eat from it, what’s the fuss about?”

“Don’t talk about things you don’t understand. Girls like this kind of stuff. Dude, this is why you don’t have a girlfriend.”

Immediately counterattacking Youngsoo’s rebuke, Jinwook ripped open the snack bag.

“Did you see the math teach’s face today? He was going around like crazy catching the kids.”

“He couldn’t have even imagined we’d be doing something like this at home.”

On one side, Donghyun and Yoonjae giggled as they were tidying the floor.

“When will the girls come?”

“It’s almost time. They’ll meet and come together.”

“Is Yoonjae’s girlfriend that pretty?”

Envious, Youngsoo asked Jaeyoon secretly.

“Her heart is prettier.”

When Jaeyoon answered with a smile, Youngsoo rolled on the floor and rubbed his arms hard.

“Wow~ Ha Jaeyoon, I can’t believe you’d do such a goosebumps-inducing attack!! If somebody heard this, they’d think it was your girlfriend.”

“Shut up, asshole. As fitting of Autoreverse.”

“Then again, you’ve been stuck to each other like gum since the first year. If that dude Yoonjae didn’t have a girlfriend, I’d think you two were dating.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

The Yoonjae who had only been listening cut in.

“What about it, it’s the trend recently!”

A trend is still just a trend. Jaeyoon, who never even dreamed his friend would look at him like that, also glared at Youngsoo as if he was speaking nonsense.

“Then do as you please, why stick yourself into Jaeyoon’s businesses?”

“You know, it’s a problem starting from me being a visual4.”

“It’s good that you know.”

Just then the doorbell rang.

“Seems like they’re here.”

Without even checking the intercom, Yoonjae immediately opened the front door. Both Youngsoo, who was rolling on the floor, and Jinwook, who was emptying the snack bag onto the plate, ran to the mirror as if they had made an appointment and groomed their faces. After they got the desired outcome, the moment when everyone paid attention to the front door, filled with expectation…

“What’s with these guys?”

A low, deep voice was heard. Naturally expecting the girls’ clear voices, their eyes popped open at the appearance of a man with a big build filling up the front door.

“I see you’re going nuts.”

As soon as he entered, he looked over at the table covered with alcohol and snacks5 and spat out as if they were pathetic. He clicked his tongue as he looked up and down at the boys that were standing like waiters lined up at a restaurant.

“Hyung6….”

As soon as the word “hyung” came out of Yoonjae’s mouth, everyone went into a state of extreme tension and looked at the mysterious man once again. Everyone knew that the sole person the only son, Yoonjae, called hyung was his cousin, Sieon. Ever since he was a kid, every teacher who saw Yoonjae looked at him in surprise, ‘You are Sieon’s cousin?’ – Yoonjae was famous at school for being his cousin, they weren’t even brothers – Yoonjae was treated as special not just by most seniors, but also by the ones in the broadcasting department, who were famous for being fussy. As soon he met the eyes of Sieon’s who was looking around the house, Jaeyoon felt like a frog before a snake7. Sharp gaze. Sieon was a man who could emit such an aura.

“You’ve been annoying, so I came to see you for a bit, and you’re doing such stupid things?”

“Did you call mom?”

“You’ve set it well.”

Ignoring Yoonjae’s words, Sieon sat in the middle of the table set up in the living room and suddenly opened a bottle of soju.

“What’re you doing still standing? Sit down, everyone.”

“Hyung!”

“You must have set it up for drinking, no?”

No other words were needed. It was worse than the rumours; seeing his presence first-hand and reading the room, everyone sat in line. The third-year high school students squatting in front of Sieon were very nervous, wondering what he was about to do. Those rumours of his, that he is second to none, that he’d broken the school gate on the day of the entrance ceremony, and that he leaves a pool of blood wherever he walks with a single fist were full of exaggerations…. However, no one had the courage to ask the person himself if it was true. Naturally, they couldn’t tell him the set table was prepared for other guests.

“Why is hyung getting in our business?”

Of course, the only one who could stop him was Yoonjae. Everyone sent Yoonjae energy full of fighting spirit.

“It’s our 100 days anniversary. I’m sure hyung did it, too.”

“How could I have done something like this? It’s only the ones who waste their brains that care about these things.”

With his cynical words, he chugged down a shot in one breath. And another shot. Jaeyoon looked at the glass shot that had been emptied out in an instant with surprise. He quietly worried if it were okay to drink it like one would water. But that had been useless worrying on Jaeyoon’s part, who couldn’t drink. Looking at Sieon who had emptied a bottle of soju in a flash by himself, they obviously needed to interfere. Everyone looked at each other and began exchanging wary looks.

“What are you doing, not drinking? Isn’t that why you’ve bought so much?”

If they didn’t drink, it seemed like he’d kill them in a moment. If they couldn’t bring themselves to get their hands on the glass shot, if they didn’t drink, their lives would be in danger… Just looking at each other with cowardice, in the midst of hesitation, Youngsoo suddenly raised his hand.

“Excuse me, hyung-nim8!”

When Youngsoo unexpectedly came forward, everyone stared at him, and Youngsoo tapped his chest once as if to say to leave it to him.

“Hyung-nim, don’t you want to bet with us?”

One of Sieon’s eyebrows rose.

“Uwa~ Just pour it.”

“Yes, let’s drink today and die tomorrow.”

“I’ve even gone to the hair salon because of today.”

“Guys….”

In an instant, empty bottles rolled on the floor. As he looked pityingly at his friends who were just drinking from the bottles and hadn’t even touched the snacks that had been prepared with effort, Jaeyoon finished them one by one. However, the atmosphere that had already been destroyed couldn’t be restored anymore. It was because of Sieon, who had gone up to the 2nd floor, the man who turned the atmosphere from a road to 100 days to that of a devastated homeless person. Naturally, Jaeyoon’s gaze rose to the ceiling.

Shortly after his arrival, Jihye had showed up with her friends. But the innocent female high school students, who were as beautiful as first-class models, fell in love at a glance, completely ignoring the hearts of the poor lambs who had been eagerly looking forward to their arrival. They were only infatuated with Sieon. It was also because half of the boys were reeking of alcohol and staggering. The boys who had asked to celebrate the 100 days anniversary together couldn’t possibly have looked nice, being already dead drunk9.

Youngsoo’s proposed bet was to solve problems. The penalty was to drink one shot of soju if you couldn’t answer the other person’s problem. If the opponent got it right, the one who asked had to drink. The biggest advantage of test-takers was their ability to memorize; in less than a year, they had to stuff a plethora of knowledge into their heads. It also had the side effect of forgetting everything once they were done with the test. It came from the nifty trick of it being absolutely advantageous to them seeing the precedent of the older brothers who forgot everything once they entered college. In addition, everyone was in favour of Youngsoo’s proposal because their side had the advantage of more heads. If your ulterior motive is to sit and suppress our affection, we can just make you drunk and clean you up to the next room. 

Contrary to expectations, however, Youngsoo’s treacherous scheme of never getting knocked out first and not even letting him catch a glimpse of the girls’ backs helplessly collapsed. Whether it was the fruits of Korean’s learning by rote10 or not, Sieon was able to answer each of the questions. Thanks to that, the examinees who had to consecutively take one shots from the early stage were beginning to feel a sense of defeat. It wasn’t only the boys who were getting drenched in defeat.

“Oppa,11 can I call you oppa?”

“You’re already calling me that, what bullshit! Would you commit murder, then beg for forgiveness?”

First, elimination.

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

“Why? Are you gonna claim to be a woman with that face of yours?”

Second, frustration.

“Oppa, what is your name?”

At the third question mixed with nasal cute12 sounds, the soju bottles were suddenly smashed with a clank. At the sight of the shattered soju bottles and Sieon’s hands flowing with blood, screams erupted from here and there. As soon as someone’s white handkerchief approached Sieon’s hands, which were wet with a dark scarlet color, everyone who stumbled upon his glaring eyes turned to stone. That’s exactly what Medusa’s eyes would look like if they were real.

“Oppa, your hands….”

“Shut up.”

“Eh?”

“Get out of here before I stuff that into your beak13.”

“!!!-“

“Gasp!”

“……!!”

Yoojae gestured to Jihye to leave. His brain hurt. Yoonjae felt that his relationship with his girlfriend would end right here if he was to leave it as is. Jihye also sighed and raised her friend that was sitting next to her. In the chilly living room, after the girls left, just five guys sat around and stared breathlessly at the wild beast who was in a bloodbath.

“Excuse me, treatment….”

Jaeyoon managed to open his mouth with difficulty. Yoonjae got up with a sigh and went into the master bedroom. When the first aid kit was brought, the man who was silently emptying his fifth bottle of soju, wrapped the bandage with a practiced skill, without even the slightest tremor. Easily bandaging himself with only one hand and even tying a strong knot, he held out his glass again.

“Who’s next?”

TN:

1) 20 000 won – about 20USD/15EUR

2) try not to count your chickens – It’s literally eggplants in the Korean lol. It’s a negative statement to mean that someone should not depend on something hoped for until he or she knows for certain that it will happen.

3) soju – A traditional Korean clear, colorless distilled alcoholic beverage.

4) visual – handsome

5) snacks – Korean is  ‘안주’, which is snack/appetizer usually served to alcohol.

6) hyung – A word used by males to adress another male older than them who they are close to, literally means ‘older brother’.

7) like a frog before a snake – A metaphor to being seized with fear or to be frozen.

8) hyung-nim – Same as ‘hyung’ but more respectful, ‘nim’ would literaly mean ‘sir/madam’.

9) dead drunk = Gondre mandre (곤드레만드레) – A state where you aren’t of sound mind or in which you can’t keep yourself steady due to being dead drunk or asleep. Fun fact: It’s also the name of a famous Korean trot song by Park Hyun Bin.

Park Hyun Bin – Gondre Mandre MV

10) learning by rote – cramming

11) oppa – Same as ‘hyung’ but it’s used exclusively by females.

12) cute = aegyo (애교) – cute display of affection often espressed including but not limite to through a cute/baby voice, facial expressions, and gestures. For visualiation two videos below, both are legendary moments ^^

Aegyo by SHINee’s Onew (male version)

Aegyo by SNSD’s Sunny, Yoona and Sooyoung (female version)

13) beak – mouth

Welcome our new editor/proofreader defiant.potato! (Still looking for TLC if you’re interested ^^)

Sorry it took sooooooooo long (my keyboard died on me so the posting had to be postponed by a few days, too, sorry again!), but we’ll try to update weekly from now on, if not then bi-weekly~ The day isn’t set but it’ll probably be on the weekends, give or take a day or two. (I’m very bad to keeping to a schedule and since I don’t wanna leave you hanging, just know that it’ll be (bi-)weekly. ^^ And the chapters will probably be cut into 3 or 4 parts.)