I Have a Fiancee in a Parallel World

41 – SoMac (Sound of Beer Cans Opening)

*Sound*

*Sound*

“…”

In the bustling academy area, there was a run-down chicken restaurant with a faded sign. Jihun, Sooyoung, and Sujung sat at a table, where an astonishing variety of appetizers were spread out, so much that it was a wonder the table didn’t collapse under the weight.

“Drink up!! Hey, Kang Jihun, why aren’t you drinking?”

As if trying to demolish the already shabby chicken restaurant, Sujung scolded Jihun, who picked up the shot glass he had just placed down and brought it to his lips.

“That’s right!! On a day like today, we can’t skip the drinks!”

“How do you even know that…?”

“Take it, take it! We three will drink all the alcohol here today!”

“Why is this one so excited…”

When Jihun asked Sujung about her overly enthusiastic behavior, she simply shrugged her shoulders and smiled happily.

“Hurry and drink, quickly!”

“Why did you bring this terrible stuff… Let alone this, even cheap rice wine would be better than this.”

Jihun felt increasingly uncomfortable with the unpleasant smell of alcohol that filled his mouth with every sip he took from his shot glass.

In the martial world, he had enjoyed drinking quite a bit. Among all the things that people gave him as gifts from various regions, the one thing he didn’t reject was alcohol.

He was proud of having tried all the famous liquors from every region.

He was like a bottomless pit for alcohol, never worrying about hangovers.

But the first sip of alcohol he had in the modern world wasn’t the kind of liquor he had enjoyed before. He had tried it a few times before crossing over to the martial world, and it had never tasted good to him.

Soju

The drink that he put back in his mouth after coming back tasted just as awful as it did ten years ago.

Furthermore, Jihun had already tasted plenty of good drinks.

Being human… you can go from eating something tasteless to eating something delicious. No, in that case, you would feel even more amazed by the taste.

But… what if you have been eating only delicious things for ten years and then you suddenly put something terribly tasteless in your mouth?

It would be a much greater struggle for Jihun, who had already pampered his taste buds with all kinds of high-quality liquor, than for the Jihun who didn’t know the taste of alcohol in the past.

A diluted soju with no deep aroma or distinctive smoothness.

“Come on, have some more.”

“No, it doesn’t taste good…”

“Oh really? Then it won’t do… It can’t be okay for our Jihun to not enjoy it. Boss!! Can we have some draft beer, please!!”

Had he already gotten drunk after just a few glasses?

Saejeong’s face that was adorned with a pleased expression.

Her lively voice was continuously brightening up the atmosphere of the drinking party.

Chug chug chug

Gulp gulp gulp

In no time, Saejeong, with a serious look on her face, was doing her best to make the perfect mixture of soju and beer.

“Alright. Come on, everyone, let’s have one more – cheers!”

“Cheers!”

“…cheers”

Jihun raised his glass to make a toast, unable to resist her, and drank the alcohol.

“Hmm? Well… It’s actually… not bad compared to just soju…”

Seeing Jihun somewhat enjoying it, Saejeong became even more delighted and immediately started making another mixture of soju and beer.

“She only sent us Class 8… Maybe I should have argued a bit more…”

“No!!! Jihun, thanks to you, I’m going to Class 8. If it weren’t for you… I would never…”

Whether it was because her emotions were piqued or not, tears were welling up in Sooyoung’s eyes.

“hehehe! You’re making another girl cry on a good day, you bastard! Come on, everyone, stop talking and drink these!”

“What am I…”

Feeling unjust, Jihun accepted the soju and beer mixture that Saejeong handed him once again.

The more he drank, the more his intoxication increased…

It became a more and more enjoyable drink.

“So, now Jihun is taking the same class and training with Sojeong? It’s Class 2, right?”

“Well… um…”

Ignoring Jihun’s hesitant response, Soyeong continues.

“If it’s Class 2… Wow, it’s really sinking in now. Jihun and Sojeong, you two are so amazing… I envy you.”

Why did those envious words slip out as she glanced at her drink? Was it the alcohol? Soyeong felt oddly discontented all of a sudden.

Despite being upgraded from Class 11 to Class 8, the fact that she was no longer in the same class as Jihun now tormented her. It had been less than a month, but they had grown so close while taking quarterly evaluations together.

“Now… it’ll be hard to see Jihun’s face… Sigh.”

Soyeong, sipping on the soju beside her instead of beer, continued to sigh.

While picking at his fried chicken leg and occasionally sipping his beer, Jihun casually drops a remark.

“Huh? Why? We’re in the same academy, so what’s the big deal? Just call me, and if you’re bored eating alone.”

Then, without bothering to transfer the snail noodles to his plate, he devours them in one bite.

“What?!?”

“What?!?”

“…?”

Chewing his mouthful of food, Jihun looks strangely at the shocked Soyeong and Sojeong.

“Did… did you have a cellphone?”

“Jihun… a cellphone… you have one?”

What’s going on now?

No matter how peculiar Jihun might be, with almost no social interaction, and spending ten years in a parallel world, he was undoubtedly a modern person.

Due to the two women’s overwhelming surprise at the mere fact that he had a cellphone, Jihun takes out his phone from his pocket, wounded in his pride.

“Well… I actually have a cellphone… Sojeong, take a look at this. The battery is detachable.”

“What kind of model is this, anyway…”

This time, they are astonished for different reasons.

That’s when it happened.

Jihun’s phone vibrates.

[Yoon Jinhee]

*Bzz*

Seeing that name appear on the screen, Sojeong’s expression is immediately creased.

“Hello.”

Jihoon takes the phone and answers the call.

– Oh? Jihoon!! Your number hasn’t changed! Just in case, I called.

“Oh right. You knew my number?”

– What’s that… Of course, we used to talk frequently!

“Is that so? “

Jihoon, who doesn’t remember Jinhee from ten years ago, responds.

– Oh… By the way, congratulations on winning the second round today… It was really amazing. You must have secured your spot in the top class, right?!

“Oh, thank you.”

– What are you doing now? If nothing’s going on, let’s celebrate with a drink! I know a great place…

“Hey! I’m already stuffed! Who do you think you are, calling me? Just leave me alone.”

Beep beep beep

The call ends abruptly with a sharp voice.

Jinhee immediately realizes that the person who has been hanging around with Jihoon lately is Sojeong.

“Why does he keep lingering around her? Is it because of her persuasive skills or something? I don’t like it.”

“Why can’t you handle them? Are you feeling frustrated?”

“I just don’t want to see them together. It’s annoying. And you, just dig into the chicken!”

Sojeong confidently pours alcohol into Jihoon’s mouth as she puts a seasoned chicken leg in his mouth.

“Chicken leg… This is the third one… Is it okay?”

Jihoon enjoys the chicken, savoring every bite, while cautiously looking around.

Meanwhile, Sojeong and Su-yeong take Jihoon’s old smartphone and start playing with it, checking their own phones.

“Wow… It’s so slow. Is this even scrollable?”

“But it can still make calls, right? Su-yeong, try calling me.”

“Okay, I got it! Just wait a second.”

Ignoring Jihoon completely, the two of them continue playing with his phone, having fun.

***

Hunter Gong Jin-soo, a 12-year veteran combatant from the large-scale guild Guardian, has been a professor specialized in Academy 2nd Class for 4 years.

When he was first offered the position as an Academy professor, he didn’t particularly like the fact that it was for the 2nd Class.

Of course, he doesn’t consider himself to be among the top hunters in Class A, but his long career and constantly honed hunter abilities are unmatched by anyone.

However, after guiding the freshmen of Academy 2nd Class for the first semester, he realizes.

The fact that all the talented hunters who had received all the talents in the world were here.

If it was the level of a 2nd class student, it was a level where he could immediately make a difference in the Guardian Guild’s Gate Subjugation Team where he belonged.

Only now did he vaguely understand why all the guilds were obsessed with and attached to the top-class students at the Academy.

“The new guy assigned this time moved up to the 2nd class directly through Chairman Choi’s recommendation from the 11th class, right? I’m already looking forward to what kind of monster he will be.”

His steps towards the Academy were lighter than usual.

Finding a new talent and guiding him suited him well.

If he had continued to serve as a combatant in the Guardian, he would never have known this kind of joy.

Gong Jin-su was literally a teacher’s disposition.

Suddenly, he arrived at the auditorium and looked around at the students.

But for some reason, he didn’t see any new faces within his sight.

“Kang… Ji-hoon? Where is the new student Kang Ji-hoon who was assigned? It’s the first day of reassignment… I hope he’s not late…”

Whoosh.

The professor’s brilliant student.

Han So-jeong, who had a high sense of learning and never missed being in the top ranks of the 2nd class, was raising her hand.

“Hmm… So-jeong Han, is there something you want to say?”

“Ji-hoon… The new student Kang Ji-hoon said he has something urgent to take care of, so he went somewhere… Professor.”

What’s this nonsense?

On the first day of reassignment. Is it more important to leave your seat than to greet others?

“What? Where did he go? I’ve heard where, but?”

“To the 1st class…”

“What?”

“He said he went to the 1st class training ground… Professor.”

The 1st class training ground…

Why did he go there? Especially on the first day of reassignment?

By the way, Professor Gong Jin-su, who had heard a sound coming from the direction of the 1st class training ground on the way, wondered if there was some kind of construction going on.