I Have Returned, but I Cannot Lay down My Gun

Chapter 199 – Soft Yoo Jin

“Finally, the Asian preliminary round is over. We’ve really been running non-stop.”

“Technically, it was yesterday. If you include the duo and squad matches, there’s still about a month left. Although, that’s not really our concern…”

“That’s true. Anyway, time really flies.”

Clink.

Monday, 1 a.m., somewhere in the esports stadium. The clear sound of two glasses, tinged with crimson hues, clinking in the air resonated. The liquid inside quivered slightly, then soon was sucked into the lips of the two people sitting opposite each other.

On the sleek, albeit small table, next to the subtly placed wine glasses, were numerous appetizers and several bottles of wine. Various appetizers like cheese, ham, chocolate, canapés, and gambas awaited to be delicately chewed.

While the refreshing scent of wine filled the room, the two of us – Yoo Jin and I – were engaged in a conversation.

“Wow! Drink! Drink! Drink!”

“…The next room is a mess.”

“Come to think of it, it was the same when Yoo Jin and I were there too… Do they have iron livers or something? If we hadn’t left early, we might have passed out.”

“Right.”

Sip.

Even as the liquor slid down my throat, my gaze involuntarily drifted to the other side. Through the glass, Yoo Jin, with her sharp yet innocent features, was gulping down the drink with movements that didn’t quite match her delicate appearance.

I wasn’t much of a drinker, nor did I particularly enjoy spirits – honestly, I didn’t have many opportunities to indulge – but the person in front of me was acting as if it was her first time ever drinking.

Even in her slightly tipsy state.

What does this mean? As hinted earlier, we had already successfully completed the preliminary round, had a group dinner with around 30 people, including drinks, and now were at the second round of drinks.

Considering her current appearance, I could say she was quite consistent.

“Yoo Jin, your face is really red.”

“…I told you, my face turns red quickly.”

“Is that because you’re a superhuman?”

“….”

Shake, shake.

She shook her head in an uncharacteristically timid manner. I was about to react, but she spoke up a beat earlier.

“I think I’m just weak with alcohol.”

“It seems so. How many drinks did you have earlier, three or four? That’s about half a bottle of soju, right? And your face turns that red?”

“…Stop making me repeat myself.”

True. Neither of us truly knew our bodies well. I just let it go, not wanting to sour the mood by pressing further.

Based on her previous behavior… I’m not sure if she’s really that weak. If she was, she’d probably be quietly asleep by now, yet she’s still sipping while claiming to be weak.

However, what can I say? She seemed to become gentler the more she drank.

At least, that’s how she appeared to me.

‘Come to think of it, do I have any drunken habits…?’

People often said I looked like someone who’d savor wine and fine appetizers while watching the night view, but I was also a perfectly normal person born in Korea. While I wasn’t closely tied to alcohol, I couldn’t say I had no experience with it.

Reflecting on my memories, I might not be strong, but I never heard anyone say I was weak either. In fact, I often felt like the last one standing at occasional drinking parties, though I couldn’t be sure.

However, I did hear that I tend to talk a lot when drunk. Maybe that’s my habit.

Anyway, the appetizers were good, and the wine was quite nice, so instead of the usual strong taste of alcohol, I savored its aroma and acidity more – it simply went down more smoothly.

Yoo Jin also agreed the wine was good, so she continued sipping, pondering if she could handle more.

“Yoo Jin, you get quiet when you drink.”

“Is that so? I don’t really know.”

“You seem a bit dazed.”

Certainly, the usual confident and charismatic look was completely gone.

Her sharp eyes had softened, and instead of the strict and serious expressions she often wore, her face now showed a naive, innocent look – although I didn’t know much about her life, if she had lived a normal life, she might look like this.

…What am I saying? Drinking makes me sentimental for no reason.

“You look better when you loosen up, instead of always looking so stern. Live a bit more relaxed.”

“I do live pretty relaxed…”

“How is that a relaxed life? Enjoying happiness your age, drinking with friends… Wait, you are doing that now.”

“Dummy.”

“Ouch…”

But come to think of it, Yoo Jin had never been this relaxed around me. I pretended to sip my wine, meeting her gaze through the glass. With alcohol in her system, she seemed almost gentle and kind.

It was a stark contrast to her usual crazy antics, justified by her skills, which often left us laughing and bewildered.

I thought I was drunk, but seeing her like this sobered me up. I might end up going to bed sober tonight.

Meanwhile, Yoo Jin’s pace was picking up.

Despite claiming to be weak, she seemed quite sturdy… Maybe she says she’s weak because she forgets everything after a drink or two?

The truth was disappearing into the darkness. Only I would know it tonight.

It was time to engage her in conversation to slow her pace.

“Yoo Jin, don’t you have any interesting stories? Or something you’ve wanted to say, any future plans… Honestly, with this much alcohol, we could talk till dawn.”

“Uh… I’m not really an interesting person.”

“If every story were interesting, you’d be a comedian. No, not even a comedian. Just, anything you want to talk about?”

“Well…”

A brief silence.

I had a feeling more alcohol might be needed, so I proposed another toast and spoke first.

“By the way, Yoo Jin. I heard from Harmony. You showed her how you make a heart with your tail? Is that really possible?”

“…Oh dear. Well, it is possible.”

“Can you show-”

Of course, before I could even finish asking, she grumbled a bit – about why people were so fascinated with her tail – and moved it.

Under the ceiling light, the beautifully shimmering scales wriggled, then drew a loose heart in the air. So that’s what it was. Thinking it was an expression of affection unique to her, I wondered if Yoo Jin would ever date someone.

It didn’t seem likely…

“Do you want to see more? I’m getting tired…”

“Huh?”

Our gazes met.

Her slightly averted eyes were tinged with red, whether from alcohol or embarrassment. I smiled softly, telling her it was enough, and she relaxed her tail.

Then she spoke again.

“I only show this to people who have been following me diligently.”

“…Just say you’re embarrassed.”

What can I say?

There’s something about witnessing a usually stern person showing a softer side that makes the observer more flustered.

Her subtle shift in demeanor continued as she started talking more.

“Obviously, you can’t tell anyone I’ve shown this. It’s for people within my circle only.”

“Oh, such an honor. In that case, can I touch your tail?”

“You’re leaking desires.”

“Oh, must be the alcohol.”

Yet, something landed on my thigh.

Yoo Jin, with a curious and mixed expression, asked.

“…Do you really like this? Everyone says they do, but I don’t get why everyone loves tails so much.”

“Oh, well. It’s because they feel good. They’re pretty too. Soft, squishy, bouncy… Plus, we don’t have them, so we’re curious… Though now that I think about it, I sound like a pervert.”

“Is that what you usually think?”

“…I only thought about Yoo Jin’s tail…”

“Good grief.”

Anyway, with alcohol flowing, we started talking about everything we wanted to say, even the things we’d kept inside.

Though there were still topics we shouldn’t touch, I figured she’d tell me eventually. And even if she didn’t, it didn’t matter.

I swallowed another mouthful of the crimson liquid.

Wine and dawn were flowing down my throat together.

How much time had passed?

“…Ugh…”

“Oh, Yoo Jin, go to bed…!”

Groooan.

I couldn’t tell if she was weak or not with alcohol, but Yoo Jin, who had her face buried in the table and was sleeping peacefully, was gently coaxed awake. Despite the smell of alcohol, a soft aroma wafted from her. It smelled like shampoo or something.

With her weighing over 200kg, shoulder support was out of the question. After about 10 minutes of effort, she finally stood up and staggered a few steps before sitting on the bed a few meters away.

I handed her a glass of water, and she drank it, still half out of it.

I sat down next to her on the bed and asked,

“…Can you sleep properly now?”

All I could hear was her soft breathing. Just to be sure, I gently moved her so that her head rested on the pillow, and she immediately fell asleep without any further movement. Whether this was unfortunate or fortunate, Yoo Jin didn’t seem to have any particular drunken habits.

Since we’d cleaned up the table towards the end, there wasn’t much to tidy up. I decided to wash up quickly and go to bed, checking the time. Yoo Jin was still tossing and turning on the bed.

It was around 3 a.m. when everything finally ended.

Time to sleep.

Thud.

“…Huh?”

And whoosh.

Just as I was about to stand up, an overwhelming force I couldn’t resist pulled me onto the bed. What the heck? I wondered, feeling the various sensations over my body.

Soft, smooth, pleasant scent…?

“Yoo, Yoo Jin…?”

A soft sensation from my back.

A tail carefully wrapped around not just my legs but also my waist.

And an alabaster arm emerging from behind my upper body.

Even if I wanted to deny it, I couldn’t.

‘…I’ve become a hugging pillow!?’

Yoo Jin, who had turned on her side, had turned me into her hugging pillow.

But more than that, why was her body so… voluminous? The breath and indescribable marshmallow-like sensation against my back made me snap awake. Yet sleep was quickly overcoming me. Anyway, resistance was futile, and I’d done too much today.

As the tail wrapped around my body slowly unwrapped, it gently rested in front of me. Hugging it like a pillow felt oddly comforting. The ceiling lights automatically turned off, and the room was enveloped in darkness.

Me using Yoo Jin’s tail as a hugging pillow, and Yoo Jin using me as her hugging pillow.

It was certainly a strange sight.

‘I will definitely tease her about this later….’

With that thought, my consciousness faded.

It had been a very long day.

-[Aurora: Senior Officer Owens]

-[Aurora: Take a look at this]

-[Aurora: https://www.yourspace.com/watch?v=Mis7qskheqq]

Saturday morning at 7:30.

A message immediately popped up in front of Owens’ eyes as he woke up. The link, shared just 10 minutes earlier, was from Logan Blemis. Considering the time difference, it would be about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday in Korea. The video had been uploaded around 5 a.m. US time.

Anyway, it was from a former team member, and the thumbnail showed Yoo Jin holding a mic, so there was no reason not to watch it. The video itself was short, about 30 seconds.

The title was Yoo Jin’s Unexpected Secret.

Still a bit groggy, he watched the video.

Hearing the first sound of the day, he soon let out a chuckle.

“There’s always a reason people don’t share certain things.”

Of course, regardless of who she was with now, she probably hadn’t mentioned it specifically.

Still, it wasn’t like she was causing trouble when drunk – but for personal privacy, it was better to keep quiet.

His whole body felt a bit sore.

As a timely call came in, he answered.

“You’re thinking the same thing, aren’t you, Senior Officer?”

“Must I say it myself?”

“Ha ha, that answer is enough.”

Even Laura, a superhuman herself, had mentioned feeling creaky when Yoo Jin’s tail wrapped around her while she was drunk… maybe it was too early to think like this.

Owens hoped Yoo Jin would control her strength well.

Unconsciously letting out a small laugh, he added something as if he had remembered.

“When we meet later, I should ask if she did anything strange while drunk. Just say I asked.”

“Huh? You’ll get killed by Yoo Jin, Senior Officer…Senior Officer? Why aren’t you answering? Damn it, where did you go!”

“Ha ha, it’s not like I’m going to the finals.”

“Damn you! Ugh-”

Click.

Owens ignored the barrage of unpleasant text messages that continued even after the call ended.

It was a refreshing day in many ways.