Chapter 36 : Sex on the Beach
“Oh…”
As He-nuel followed Park Soo-jung up to the rooftop, he couldn’t help but let out a little sound of appreciation. The whole rooftop had been turned into a garden, and the vibe was really nice.
City lights sparkled beyond the railing, and people were chatting happily, enjoying the view as they sipped their drinks.
“Do you like it?”
“I would’ve regretted it if I didn’t come.”
“I’m glad to hear that. The more you all enjoy yourselves, the more it makes all the hard work our team put in worth it. So, please, have a great time!”
“Will do.”
Both nodded in agreement, appreciating Park Soo-jung’s enthusiasm. It was clear how passionate she was about her job.
‘She’s really impressive.’
On the way up, I’d heard that she was about our age. Yet here she was, already a team leader at a big company.
An elite among elites. Plus, she was a huge fan of Kang Bada, so getting to know her better seemed like a good idea.
“So, what would you like to order?”
While he was collecting his thoughts, they reached a cocktail bar set up on one side of the rooftop. Kang Bada shook her head, unsure of what to pick.
“I’m not really familiar with this.”
“Would you like me to recommend something?”
“Yes, please.”
“And you, writer?”
“I’ll have a ‘Black Russian.’”
His quick order made both of them look at him, a bit surprised. Park Soo-jung, in particular, raised an eyebrow with interest and asked,
“Do you go to cocktail bars often?”
“No, I just worked at a bar briefly during college to help out a senior.”
“Oh, so you could probably make some drinks yourself?”
“Only the simpler ones.”
“Hmm.”
When he shrugged, Park Soo-jung nodded, thinking for a moment before smiling.
“Then maybe you could recommend a cocktail for the princess?”
“There’s really no need…”
“Oh, come on. Honestly, I only know the drinks I usually have, so it’s better to go with an expert’s choice in times like these.”
“I’m not an expert, though.”
With a gentle push from Park Soo-jung and Kang Bada looking at him curiously, Ha-neul reluctantly took the lead.
“How about something simple like a ‘Screwdriver’?”
“Isn’t that a bit strong?”
“Then maybe a ‘Junebug’…?”
“Isn’t that too sweet for her taste?”
What’s happening?
Every time he suggested something, Park Soo-jung immediately had a counter. From the way she talked, it was clear she knew a lot about this stuff.
Given how she’d been acting so far, it didn’t seem like she was trying to trip me up. Even now, she was looking at him with a ‘You know what I mean, right?’ kind of look.
“How about that one? I can’t remember the name, but it starts with an S and it’s really popular.”
“…Are you talking about ‘Sex on the Beach’?”
“Yes! That’s it! Sex on the Beach!”
“Hmm, that’s not a bad choice.”
Sex on the Beach.
The full name of the cocktail is as bold as it sounds, but people often shorten it to avoid being too direct.
Due to its catchy name, this drink has remained popular, and its fruity, refreshing, and sweet taste makes it a good pick for beginners.
“That sounds great.”
“Then could you handle the order, Mr. Author? I’ll go with the princess to grab some snacks. Oh, and get a mojito for me, too.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Kang Bada was quickly led away by Park Soo-jung, who seemed to have a talent for getting things done. Ha-neul could just barely hear Bada, half-jokingly, saying, “Please don’t call me princess,” but it didn’t seem like Park Soo-jung was going to drop the nickname anytime soon.
“I’d like a Black Russian, a mojito, and a Sex on the Beach, please.”
“Got it.”
After placing the order with the bartender, I took a moment to take in the scene. Various authors were gathered in small groups, chatting. They all had name tags, so it wasn’t too hard to figure out who was who. Some of the big-name authors, who had seemed so out of reach not long ago, were here too.
“Hey there, Bookworm.”
Just then, a familiar voice called out to Ha-neul.
It was Hot Soni, the writer who had given the congratulatory speech earlier. A few other authors who had been part of the awards ceremony were standing with him.
“Congrats on winning the grand prize. We’ve all been trying to find a good time to say hello, so we ended up coming over together.”
“Oh, I should have introduced myself first…”
“No worries, we’re all just fans of your work.”
The authors looked at me with warm smiles, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“It’s an honor. As it happens, I’ve read all of your works too.”
“Oh, come on, there are so many of us here…”
“You’re the author of *The Crazy Chaebol Who Makes Money Well*, right? I found it really interesting, especially the main character’s dissociative identity disorder.”
“You’ve read my work?”
“Of course.”
He had always been a big reader, but he also made it a point to read the top-ranked works to keep up with trends. Since today’s event was a gathering of authors, he made sure to read everything that had been nominated.
“What about me?”
“Do you know my work too?”
“You wrote *The Boozehound of the Sacheon Family*, right? And you wrote *Madman on the Mound*, and you wrote..…”
As he started naming their works, the authors looked genuinely surprised. By the time he had named all the works of those present, they were chuckling in amazement.
“You actually read all of those…”
“Your level of dedication is incredible.”
“The grand prize winner really does stand out.”
Ha-neul felt a sense of accomplishment from my preparation. Thanks to that, the atmosphere became more relaxed, and they enjoyed a pleasant conversation for a while.
“Oh, looks like we should be heading out now.”
“Already?”
“I’ve had the feeling someone’s been watching me for a while now.”
“Hm?”
When he glanced back, he noticed Kang Bada stealing glances at him from a short distance away, while Park Soo-jung was openly smiling in his direction. He instantly understood what she meant about feeling eyes on the back of his head. Even though Park Soo-jung hadn’t said a word, it felt like his ears were buzzing with noise.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“Let’s get a drink together next time.”
“I’d love that.”
He exchanged numbers with the other writers, and after mentioning that he’d be in touch, Hot Soni led the group away.
As if she had been waiting for this moment, Park Soo-jung quickly approached, bringing Kang Bada along with her.
“Sorry, I wasn’t really paying attention.”
“It’s okay. It was a great chance to talk with other writers. I’m the one who feels like I might’ve interrupted.”
They both quickly brushed off each other’s apologies, but Park Soo-jung, who had been watching them closely, suddenly jumped in.
“You two are dating, right?”
“Y-Yes, we are!”
Caught off guard by Park Soo-jung’s intense gaze, Kang Bada quickly linked arms with him. The feeling of her arm against his made him close his eyes for a moment, feeling almost overwhelmed, like he had just glimpsed the secrets of the universe.
“…Ha-neul-ssi?”
Kang Bada looked at him, confused, while Park Soo-jung, realizing why he had frozen, quietly stifled a laugh.
“Yeah, I think I get it now.”
“Huh?”
“Here, these are the cocktails we ordered earlier. The ice has melted a bit, but the taste should still be fine.”
“Oh, thank you!”
As Kang Bada let go of him, the moment that had felt like it lasted forever finally ended. He swallowed his disappointment and took the cocktail. His throat was dry, so he immediately took a sip, and the strong coffee aroma mixed with the bitterness of vodka snapped him back to his senses.
“You should try yours too, princess.”
“Hmm… It’s good! I thought it would be really bitter because of the vodka.”
“Right?”
As soon as Park Soo-jung saw Kang Bada take a sip, she let out a low chuckle. Her expression was so mischievous, it was like something straight out of a cartoon villain.
Kang Bada tilted her head, puzzled. Then, Park Soo-jung glanced at him and whispered something into Kang Bada’s ear.
“W-What!?”
Whatever it was made Kang Bada gasp in surprise. Park Soo-jung quickly covered her mouth.
“Shh.”
“Is that really true?”
“Believe it or not. Anyway, the third wheel will be on her way now!”
With that, Park Soo-jung raised a fist in a playful gesture of encouragement toward Kang Bada before quickly disappearing.
Still confused, he stared blankly after her, then turned to Kang Bada.
“What did you two talk about?”
“N-Nothing important.”
“That lie was way too obvious.”
“Ugh…”
Kang Bada was starting to feel the alcohol, shaking her head from side to side. Whether she just couldn’t handle her drinks well or it all hit her at once, her face had turned a deep shade of red.
“Are you okay, Bada-ssi?”
“Y-Yes!”
Yeah, not convincing at all.
He wasn’t sure what Park Soo-jung had told her, but judging by the situation, it was definitely something teasing.
“Do you want to sit down for a bit?”
“…There are too many people over there.”
“Hmm.”
As he scanned the area for a quieter spot, Kang Bada gently tugged on his sleeve. When he turned to look at her, she had her head down and was pointing to a corner of the rooftop.
It was a bit away from the main party, and sure enough, no one was around.
“Can you walk?”
“I’m not drunk!”
“…Right.”
Uh-huh, your speech says otherwise.
He held back the words that almost slipped out. If he said them, she’d probably get upset. Best to just go along with her for now.
“Okay, let’s head over there.”
Kang Bada nodded slightly, still holding onto his sleeve.
* * *
“Let’s sit here.”
Kim Ha-neul and Kang Bada made their way to a secluded corner. There was a wooden bench there, almost like a small resting spot, and they sat down, leaving a bit of space between them.
“So, what did the team leader say?”
“M-Maybe I forgot…”
“If it’s something you don’t want to talk about, that’s okay.”
“It’s not that, but…”
Kang Bada waved her hand, flustered. She didn’t want to lie to Kim Ha-neul, but she was too embarrassed to repeat what Park Soo-jung had said.
– The cocktail you’re holding is called ‘Sex on the Beach.’
– What kind of name is that…!?
– It’s different, right? This drink has a special meaning. When a guy orders it and a girl accepts it, it means they want to kiss.
– W-What!?
– Since the author used to be a bartender, I’m sure he knows what it means. Hehe.
The moment she heard those words, the alcohol hit her hard, and her head started spinning, unsure of how to take it all in.
‘Ha-neul wants to kiss me!?’
Since then, she hadn’t been able to make eye contact with him. Whenever she looked at Kim Ha-neul, all she could see were his lips, and her mind went blank.
“Wait here for a second. I’ll get you some water.”
Without a word, Kang Bada grabbed his sleeve, silently pleading with him not to go. Kim Ha-neul scratched his head and sat back down.
“…”
“…”
An awkward silence hung in the air, and Kang Bada glanced at the drink in her hand. It was still half full.
She wanted to ask him if he really meant that he wanted to kiss her. But asking that would be like confessing her own feelings.
‘I can’t do this sober!’
Whether it was kissing Kim Ha-neul or asking about the cocktail’s meaning, she needed more liquid courage.
*Gulp, gulp!*
Making up her mind, Kang Bada downed the rest of her drink in one go.
