Chapter 177

It was the first time I saw such a happy face, so I raised my hand and hugged her.

Because I couldn’t bear not holding her at this moment.

Si-ho, who was in my arms, leaned her head against my chest.

Thump-thump—

Si-ho’s heartbeat echoed clearly through my body.

The problem was that the same sound was coming from my side too.

Looking at Si-ho in my arms, memories of our time together flashed through my mind.

From the day we first met, when she was blunt, to the day she sent her mother away and became an adult.

In a way, I had liked Si-ho since the day we first met.

A soft scent wafted from Si-ho.

I wished this moment would last forever.

And it seemed Si-ho felt the same.

We stayed like that for a while before slowly pulling away from each other.

“Shall we go?”

“Okay.”

I held Si-ho’s hand as we moved.

It was too cold to stay here forever.

A motel.

Was it because it was our first time coming to a place like this together?

I unconsciously let out a cough.

Luckily, there was a room available.

Was it good luck? Someone had canceled their reservation.

“Let me check your ID.”

At that moment, the motel owner looked at Si-ho and said that.

Seeing the suspicious look in his eyes, Si-ho quickly pulled out her ID and showed it to him.

The motel owner checked the ID, glanced at the clock, and nodded.

Then he gave me a strange look.

His eyes seemed to accuse me of seducing such a girl, and it kept stabbing at my heart.

“Here is your card key.”

After that, Si-ho, excited, took the card key instead of me, and we went up the elevator.

Even at that moment, I felt awkward speaking, so we silently entered room 405.

“Wow.”

Si-ho exclaimed and walked into the motel room.

She looked around the room curiously and smiled brightly at me.

“Manager, this is my first time in a motel room.”

I hadn’t been to one often either.

Only once when the neighbors were too noisy due to construction.

Meanwhile, Si-ho sat gently on the wide bed.

Perhaps because Si-ho was so light, only the blanket was slightly pressed down.

Si-ho, sitting demurely on the motel bed, looked up at me and smiled.

And this was Si-ho, who had just become an adult today.

We had been alone together before, like on the deserted island, but this felt completely different.

“Manager.”

When Si-ho called me, I flinched.

It felt like looking at Si-ho now was committing a sin.

“I want to drink alcohol.”

Then I remembered I had decided to teach Si-ho about alcohol today.

I quickly shook off those thoughts and brought a table to place the alcohol on.

I had bought some snacks as side dishes, but I also ordered chicken through a delivery app.

“What should I try first?”

Seeing Si-ho looking at the alcohol with interest, I naturally smiled.

I thought everything would be curious to Si-ho, who had just become an adult.

Here, it was right to properly teach her as an adult.

“Alcohol tastes bitter if you eat something sweet first. So, try soju first.”

I said that and lightly twisted the soju bottle before opening it.

Soju was a love-hate drink for me.

I had once invested all my part-time earnings into Bitcoin because of it.

I poured a glass of soju into a paper cup and handed it to Si-ho.

Of course, I poured myself one too, and Si-ho carefully lifted the cup with both hands.

Si-ho’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the soju.

She might have tasted it once out of curiosity as a minor, but it seemed Si-ho had never done that.

Her cuteness kept making me want to laugh.

“Cheers.”

“Cheers.”

When I toasted, Si-ho hurriedly followed with a “Cheers.”

As I took a light sip, Si-ho also gulped down a glass.

At that moment, Si-ho’s eyes widened.

“Cough, cough.”

Soon, coughing sounds followed as Si-ho covered her mouth and slightly frowned.

Yeah, everyone reacts like that the first time.

“It’s bitter. Is soju this bitter?”

“What taste were you expecting?”

“I thought it would be sweeter. Adults always say soju is sweet. Ugh.”

“That’s how it is. I don’t know why, but one day, you’ll feel the sweetness.”

“How can this become sweet?”

Seeing Si-ho unable to adapt to the taste, I handed her a potato chip.

Si-ho opened her mouth, took the chip, chewed it, and sighed.

“Si-ho, maybe alcohol doesn’t suit you.”

“Just from trying soju?”

I laughed for a while at Si-ho’s reaction and then poured her a beer.

Even though Si-ho had just said alcohol didn’t suit her, she seemed interested in the beer and held the glass I gave her.

“Try it. It’s lighter than soju.”

“Okay.”

Si-ho listened and took a sip of the beer.

After swallowing the beer, Si-ho slowly put the glass down.

Then she tilted her head.

“What does this taste like?”

Guess it didn’t taste good.

“It’s beer. How is it? Better than soju?”

“Less bitter, but still bitter.”

Si-ho put the beer down with a dissatisfied expression.

The alcohol didn’t meet her expectations.

Then, maybe it’s time to try something tasty.

I poured her a glass of a cocktail.

“Try this.”

When I handed her the glass, Si-ho looked at the pink glowing drink.

“The color is pretty.”

“It’s sweet. You’ll like it.”

Si-ho hesitated because of the soju and beer earlier but soon gulped down the cocktail.

Then she opened her eyes wide and finished the glass.

Si-ho, licking the moisture from her lips, looked at me with admiration.

“Manager, it’s sweet!”

“Right?”

“Alcohol is delicious.”

I was glad she liked it.

After that, I let Si-ho try various drinks.

From makgeolli and fruit wine to whiskey and vodka.

Si-ho frowned at some and enjoyed others.

Gradually, after trying various drinks, I started feeling a bit tipsy.

I was quite a heavy drinker, but teaching Si-ho made me drink more than usual.

At that moment, when I looked up, Si-ho had pulled a chair next to me and leaned her head on my arm.

Her face was flushed from drinking, and she was breathing softly.

“Man… Manager.”

With a faltering voice, Si-ho looked up at me.

Her pretty face, with a hint of drunkenness, had a clumsy smile.

“Si-ho, are you drunk?”

“Si-ho is not drunk at all.”

Surprisingly, her pronunciation was clear.

Even though she looked like this, Si-ho was also a hunter.

She could handle drunkenness if she wanted, but since it was her first time drinking, it wasn’t easy.

“Manager, do you like Si-ho?”

Si-ho asked me in a coquettish voice.

Smiling at the question, I stroked her head and answered.

“Yes, I like you.”

I had already said it once.

Saying it twice wasn’t hard, and Si-ho’s eyes widened before she suddenly got up.

Then she climbed onto my lap.

Startled, I looked at Si-ho, who cupped my cheeks with both hands.

“Si-ho likes you too. Manager, I like you. I like you.”

Si-ho said that and then kissed me before pulling away.

Seeing her with wide eyes, Si-ho smiled drunkenly.

“Manager kissed me first earlier, so this time Si-ho did it.”

Hearing that and seeing Si-ho’s cute smile, I felt something I couldn’t resist.

I had been holding back while watching Si-ho act coquettishly as she drank.

But this time, it felt like my reason snapped, and I pulled Si-ho close, tilting her chin.

Our lips met again.

Si-ho was surprised but soon closed her eyes and kissed me back.

Perhaps because of the alcohol, her breath felt hotter than before.

Our tongues intertwined in the breath between us.

Though the kiss started suddenly, I slowly wrapped my arms around Si-ho’s waist and held the back of her head.

Si-ho wrapped her arms around my neck and began to entwine her tongue with mine.

Our breaths mixed, and only the sound of our breathing filled the room.

After a while of kissing, Si-ho, who ran out of breath first, slowly pulled away.

With a long line of saliva, Si-ho looked at me with unfocused eyes and smiled softly.

“Manager, are you drunk?”

Who’s asking whom?

I slowly got up, holding Si-ho’s waist.

Perhaps because Si-ho was so small and light, I lifted her easily.

It looked just like the princess carry often seen in movies.

“…Prince.”

Si-ho called me with completely unfocused eyes.

Si-ho, who always dreamed of a prince from fairy tales.

I don’t know if I’m the prince she deserves, but one thing was clear at this moment.

I like Si-ho, and Si-ho likes me.

That was enough for us.

I gently laid Si-ho down on the bed.

Then Si-ho, sitting on the bed, cupped my cheek and kissed me.

“Si-ho, shall I undress you?”

Si-ho whispered cautiously, and I felt my reason snap.