After twenty minutes, all the glass bottles are empty.
"Is it summer already?" She stands up, wobbly on her feet. There are two of everything in front of her eyes. But it's too hot and she needs something to cool down. So she puts her head in the ice maker. "But why am I putting my head inside the ice maker?"
"Seol-ah?"
She steps back in a hurry. Namgung Yeon-Sik is right in front of her, holding a jar of water.
"Professor," She hiccups, "I was checking whether the ice maker was working properly."
"I see." Namgung Yeon-Sik eyes the empty soju bottles on the floor. "You were also checking out other things."
"That" -- She points at the glass bottle, realizing what it is, and she hiccups again -- "I didn't drink that."
He stares at her. Chang Seol licks her lips and says, "I was thirsty, Professor."
"Is that so?" He tilts his head. "Water bottles must be invisible in your eyes."
"I am sorry." She licks her lips. "I don't feel good, Professor."
"HURRAY!!!" Bong-Su's loud voice breaks the heavy silence. "Hyung, bring some Soju. We must celebrate."
"Go to your room." Namgung Yeon-Sik gives her a smile that doesn't meet his eyes. "Take some rest."
She gives him a little nod and staggers on her feet, bumping to the kitchen counter, a pillar, and a human being on her way.
"What the hell!" Sin Jeong-Hyuk grabs her by her shoulder. "Why are you drunk again?"
"She didn't see the water bottles." Namgung Yeon-Sik tells him, heading toward the living room with a bottle of whiskey in his right hand while carrying three glasses upside down on his left fingers. "Thank the lord that she didn't see the bottle of whiskey either."
"You…" Sin Jeong-Hyuk is at a loss for words. Why is something happening when he's not looking at her? "You were supposed to get me some water."
"I took a day off because of you." Namgung Yeon-Sik takes a seat and pours himself a glass. "At most, I can pour you a glass of whiskey to appease the pain."
"Whiskey is wonderful with chicken feet." Boo Bong-Su taps his fingers on his phone screen. "And some pizza?"
"Order anything you like." Namgung Yeon-Sik takes a sip of his whiskey. "Don't forget fish sticks."
Sin Jeong-Hyuk exhales and looks down at the little chicken trying to push him with her head.
"Wall smells good." She rubs her face on his chest. "Wall feels good."
"Thank your ancestors." He wraps his left arm around her waist and carries her upstairs. His right shoulder hurts a little. However, it's dangerous to leave this little chicken wandering in the house full of men in this state. "I don't know why I do this."
"Wall!" She smacks his butt again and again, giggling. "Wall, Wall, Wall!"
"Stop doing that," Sin Jeong-Hyuk yells at her, hurrying toward her room. "Don't touch that place."
Chang Seol coils her arms around his waist, moving her face toward his waist as she slips her hand in his trousers, grabbing his butt. "This wall moves on its own."
"Damn!" Sin Jeong-Hyuk kicks the door open and rushes inside before he tosses her on her bed. "Stay there."
"Wall!" The corners of her lips turn down. Her round eyes become misty as she continues to whine, "Wall, Cold Wall…"
"I have been called an asshole before." Sin Jeong-Hyuk puts his hands on his hips. The place where she touched him -- his left butt cheek to be exact -- feels like it's been pinched with a hot iron. Damn! This girl pinched him at that place. How dare she! "I wasn't as offended as I am right now. You aren't allowed to get drunk from this day on."
The chicken couldn't care less. She takes off her shirt, revealing her bare porcelain shoulder and baby pink bra. He turns around and covers his face, taking deep breaths.
"Fuck!" He lets out a curse and runs out of the room in a hurry. After a moment, he realizes that she might jump out of the window in her drunken state.
"Why do I do this?" He closes his eyes and goes back inside. "Chicken, are you wearing clothes?"
"Wall, I can't take it off." She whimpers, struggling with the hook of her bra. "I want to play in the snow."
"You…" He closes his mouth when he sees her in only undergarments. "Chicken, why do you forget that I am a man?"
"You are a wall." She tells him, annoyed, "Help me get rid of this. I am too hot."
"Just a kid, just a kid." Chanting, he strides toward the window and pulls up the torn rope. She might unlock the window later. So he locks it before tying the handles together, not noticing what is happening behind him.
"I am learning a new skill." He grumbles, "How to tie the damn window with a dislocated shoulder?"
And why is he doing this? If he doesn't do this, she might be jumping out of the window to play in the snow -- in only her lingerie.
He becomes still when she wraps her arms around his waist again and coos, "Wall, my cold wall."
Sin Jeong-Hyuk swallows. "Chicken, let go of me."
She sniffs him. "Wall is both warm and cold."
"Why are you sniffing my butt?" He grabs her wrist and uncoils her left arm. When he turns around, he finds her sitting on her knees -- without any piece of clothing.
Inside the baggy clothes, she's been hiding a skin as smooth and fair as a pearl, urging him to touch her.
With her petal-like rosy lips slightly parted, she is watching him with intoxicated dark eyes, burning with heat. Her long dark tresses sway over her perky mounds.
His gaze moves downward, wanting to see more. Just then, she lunges forward and puts her face on his crotch.
"Smells good…" She murmurs. "Wall, hot."
Damn! Damn! DAMN!
His mental alarms start ringing. Before she could break the string of rationality further, he pushes her away and rushes out of the room. She outstretches her arm. "Wall!"
Sin Jeong-Hyuk keeps shaking his head as if he's trying to shake away the dangerous thoughts. He locks the door from outside and takes a deep breath.
"It's a kid." He closes his eyes. "A kid. There's nothing seductive about her. She's my goddaughter. If she wasn't a kid, she wouldn't be like this. Shit! Alcohol should be kept out of kids' reach."
Covering his eyes, he heads to his right until he slams against a real wall.