WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ My Platinum-Blonde Childhood Friend Is Too Pretty ◈

Chapter 80: 31. Elli's Cute Drunk Habit

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From late December up until now, our house and Elli's house had been bustling every single day.

After our apartment was decided on, the two families had been going out together on weekends, and once the new year rolled in, the cleaning and moving preparations had taken over.

When you live in a place for a long time, useless things inevitably pile up. With Elli and me moving out, we took the opportunity to clear all of it out.

"These are the toys the kids used to play with all the time when they were little..."

"Just throw them out. They're already twenty, both of them."

"But still... Do-yoon used to sit beside Elli with this doll propped up next to her, drawing with this big grin on his face, it was so adorable..."

"Your daughter couldn't even last ten minutes before dragging him off to the Playground, so..."

"Oh my, did she really~?"

"She did. And my son just happily trotted after the girl like a little puppy."

They laughed and reminisced over old memories as they worked.

That said, our rooms weren't completely emptied out. Since we weren't leaving for good, they kept everything except what was being thrown away, so we could come back whenever we wanted.

On moving day itself.

The essential furniture had been ordered new, and everything else we were bringing amounted to clothes, my computer, and personal bags we could carry ourselves.

So instead of hiring movers, we just loaded it all into the car. The new place wasn't far from where we'd always lived, anyway.

We all arrived at the apartment early in the morning, and Mom and Auntie immediately rolled up their sleeves and started cleaning every corner.

The landlord had called someone in two days ago for a professional clean, but that didn't stop them from going over it again.

In the meantime, I hauled boxes in and unpacked them, and Elli organized everything neatly.

"Lee Do-yoon, don't touch that box."

"This one? Why?"

"My underwear is in it."

"...Oh. Right, I'll just carry it to the room then."

"Put it in. And take yours in with it. I'm sorting the clothes myself, so you can go somewhere else now."

"Sure."

I held back the less-than-thoughtful remarks, things like, we're going to see everything eventually anyway, or, why is it fine for you to see my stuff but not the other way around.

It was a small thing.

In the end, I was going to see every part of Elli anyway.

"Excuse me! Is this the residence of customer Lee Do-yoon?"

"Oh, yes! It is!"

"Where would you like the bed installed?"

"One moment! Elli!"

The furniture we'd ordered started arriving one by one from lunchtime onward, and each piece was placed exactly where Elli wanted it.

The bedroom got a large queen-size bed first, and beside it went my computer desk and Elli's vanity table.

The built-in wardrobe already in the room handled the basics like underwear and everyday clothes, and the second room was set up with a standing garment rack to use as a walk-in closet.

Finally, we put a three-seater modern sofa in the living room, big enough for either of us to stretch out on.

"That's pretty much everything, right?"

"The big things, more or less."

And that was that.

It was a fully furnished place to begin with, so most things were already there, and smaller items like shelves we'd decided to buy later as the need came up.

The furniture arrived on schedule, the delivery crew handled the installation, and the things we'd brought ourselves weren't much to begin with. As far as moves go, it was an easy one.

"I'm exhausted..."

Somehow it still wore me out more than expected. I hadn't slept well the night before, too worked up about today, and I think being so wound up mentally had drained me faster.

Normally a rush of adrenaline would have carried me through, but I'd been buzzing with excitement for days, and my body was starting to give out.

"Is there anything left to do? I can help."

"...No. Let's go shopping first. You still have the list, right?"

"In my phone notes. Should we go now?"

"If we want to set the table for dinner tonight, we have to. We don't have a single dish in this place."

"Ah, right."

"Get your coat on. Let's go."

I put on my jacket at her word and let the adults know on our way out.

"We're going to run some errands, we'll be back."

"You're going now? Should we go grocery shopping too?"

"Let's leave the dads here to wait for deliveries and go on our own. I'll drive."

"Sure, then. You two relax with Mark. We'll be back."

"Honey, you know what drinks to get, right?"

"Of course. I'm definitely sharing a drink with my son tonight!"

Mom and Auntie got up to do the grocery run.

Today was our first official day living together, a day worth celebrating. But it wasn't the day Elli and I would share our first time. The nights leading up to the move had been too hectic, so we'd put that off. Tonight, we'd planned to have our very first drink together as a family gathering.

A housewarming toast, in a sense.

"Have fun shopping~"

"Don't buy anything unnecessary. Just what's on the list."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Mom, drive safe."

"I'll be careful~"

We stepped outside. Mom and Auntie drove off to the large supermarket down the road, while Elli and I walked toward the nearby Daiso.

Holding Elli's hand, walking through a neighborhood that was close to home but still felt slightly unfamiliar, I felt strangely unsettled.

Even though it was all starting today, none of it felt quite real.

That I was actually going to live with this pretty girlfriend holding my hand right now.

"......"

"......"

Elli kept sneaking glances at me too, a quietly giddy look on her face.

Like two people at the very start of something new.

We'd been kissing every day for ages, and here we were acting like this. It made me want to laugh.

I swallowed the laugh down.

-squeeze

I let go of her hand and pulled her by the waist instead.

"Elli."

"...What."

"I can buy the Eevee mood lamp today, right?"

"Hmph. Fine. But that's it. If you try to buy anything else weird..."

"If I do?"

"Separate rooms."

"Absolutely not. I won't fuss."

"And who said you could just drop my hand like that. Want to die?"

"I wanted to hold your waist... is that not okay?"

"It's not. I'm linking arms, so let go."

I moved my hand away from her waist. Honestly I had wanted to do it, but walking with an arm around her waist was a little awkward. We shifted back to linking arms and strolled on, talking as we went.

"I'm excited about the drinks tonight. We've really never had a single sip before. I didn't even touch alcohol on the school trip."

"If you turn out to be a bad drunk, I'm cutting you off from now on. Just so you know."

"If my drunk behavior is bad, tell me. I don't want to embarrass myself in public either."

"Fine."

"......"

"......"

"Oh, right. The bed is really something. The new blanket is so soft and fluffy, it's great."

"...Sleep is important."

"It is. Hey, do you remember?"

"What."

"When we went to the sea two years ago."

"What about it."

"Now I get to hold you and sleep like that every night. I'm so happy."

"...............Hey."

"Yeah?"

"You packed that, right?"

"That? What's that?"

"Want to die?"

"I'm kidding. Of course I packed it."

"...Hmph."

"......"

"......"

"Elli."

"Now what."

"Tomorrow. I can't wait."

"...Shut up and walk faster."

"Okay. Let's go."

* * *

We came back with everything we'd listed from the Daiso and the other shops nearby.

Essentials like dishes, yes, but also things like matching slippers, matching toothbrush cups, a shower towel set of two that we'd only be using as one.

The kind of items that announced, loud and clear, that this was a couple's first home together.

Seeing those things, Mark and Mom grew unexpectedly somber. They said it felt like losing a daughter and a son.

Anyway. We put everything away, and then helped prep the food that Mom and Auntie Ye-rin had brought back. Elli pitched in too, and together they made a spread of side dishes to go with drinks. Everyone gathered around the small living room table.

Moving night.

Our first drinks, mine and Elli's, were finally about to begin.

"Hold the glass with both hands to receive it, and when you drink, turn your body away from the eldest person at the table... that's right."

Dad walked us through the drinking etiquette. Elli and I turned slightly to the side and looked down at the clear soju in our glasses.

And then.

-gulp!

"...Ugh, it's bitter..."

"......"

"Hehe, look at both their faces scrunching up. It's bad, isn't it?"

"What do you expect? Son! If soju is too rough, do you want to switch to beer with mom?"

The burning slide of alcohol down the throat made both our faces twist at the same time.

Honestly, it didn't taste good at all. But something about the act of drinking itself, the feeling of having become adults, made it nice.

Elli seemed to feel roughly the same, because she was already holding her glass out again.

As if asking for another.

"Oh my~ You're sticking with soju? Then let me pour this time~"

"Do-yoon, beer for you?"

"No. Soju for me too. Even if I switch later, I should at least have the one you're pouring first."

"...Now that's my son! Did you see how good this kid is?!"

"I did, I did~ But Do-yoon~, you'll have one from your mother-in-law too, right?"

"Of course."

I got my first glass from Dad, and Elli got hers from Mark.

Then for the second round, we each received one from Mom and Auntie Ye-rin.

-gulp

"......"

"Elli, are you okay?"

"...Fine. It's manageable."

"Really?"

"The first one was rough, but that one wasn't bad. Unc... Father. Could I have another?"

"Of course my daughter-in-law wants another, of course she gets one. Here!"

"Thank you."

"Hmm. Then for Do-yoon's next one, I'll..."

"Me first~ Son-in-law, here's one from me~"

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

-gulp

Third glass.

Honestly, from the first one right through to this one, none of them had tasted good to me. I just liked the light warmth spreading through me, and the mood of everyone being happy together.

But Elli was different. While the first glass had been a struggle, she was genuinely savoring the third one.

By the time we'd gone past three.

"Do-yoon, this last one's my turn."

"Thank you~"

"And this mother-in-law's glass is for you, dear."

"Yes."

Four rounds in, and three bottles of soju were already empty. Probably because the adults had been keeping pace with us, one glass at a time.

We'd been drinking at a pretty steady clip, but I didn't feel particularly drunk.

Maybe I'm not a lightweight after all.

"Want to try beer next~?"

"It's got to taste better than soju."

"Who knows~? Though it's true most people find beer more to their liking than soju~"

"...I'll have some. Pour me a glass."

After soju we passed around beer, and after that, Mark had brought a bottle of wine separately, so we got to taste that too.

Going through them one by one, I found wine and beer suited me more, but Elli had a strange preference for soju.

Everyone laughed and kept refilling her glass as she cycled back around to soju again.

Even if she got a little drunk, that was part of the point tonight. This gathering had been set up partly to see how each of us held our liquor.

"Do-yoon getting into university... well, results aren't out yet, but seriously, congratulations again on the CSAT. Auntie has always thought of you as her own son, you know..."

"You're my mother-in-law. In a way, that does make me your son."

"Oh, that's true, isn't it? Do-yoon is my son, right?"

"He is not! Who decided that! He's my son!"

"Just give me five percent~"

"Not even one percent!"

"Do-yoon. I think of you as my son too. Keep taking care of Elli. You're family."

"I will."

"Of course, of course. Do-yoon is a son over there, and Elli is our daughter too. Isn't that right?"

The families had always been loud whenever they got together, but with alcohol in the mix it was a whole different level. A warmer, louder, more wonderful chaos.

Before, I'd always just sat beside them and listened while they talked like this. Now I was drinking alongside them and joining in, and something about that felt strangely moving.

Happy, and a little surreal, and a whole mix of other things all at once.

Elli had to be feeling something similar. I glanced over at her.

"Hic."

Oh.

Hiccups?

"Wait, Elli, your face..."

"...Wha."

"I mean..."

When had her face gotten that red?

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