A Concentrated Extract, "Just One Cup"

    Amidst the raucous revelry of a party where only the socialites truly let loose, Minsoo struggled to suppress the surge of excitement bubbling beneath his mask.

    Boobs here... boobs there... Thanks to the guy next to me, I finally get to experience a real drinking party.

    Because of his title as a passive skill user, he was deprived of many experiences during his character education. One wrong move, and they treated him like a ticking time bomb, fearing he might lose control and go berserk.

    The Fat Boy incident was brought up endlessly, and their constant pleading was impossible to ignore. But now, things were different. Having flawlessly completed his character education and entered Victory Academy, the barriers blocking him had essentially disappeared.

    Of course, that bastard Baek Taeyang''s interference caused plenty of setbacks... But it''s fine... I''m an indomitable hero.

    Minsoo nodded to himself as he handed a drink to the woman in front of him.

    "They say you pour as much as you love, right?"

    "Oh... haha... yes, that''s right..."

    Her name was Minjung, wasn''t it?

    The similarity in their names was, to Minsoo, undeniable proof that they were meant to be together. Or so he deluded himself.

    In this vast place, to meet and share a drink with a woman named Minjung by chance? This has to be a sign from the heavens that we’re destined to be lovers.

    Minsoo poured the drink into Minjung''s glass until it overflowed with what he fancied was love.

    "Eek! What are you doing?! The drink overflowed... my hand is wet!"

    "Oops... That’s because it’s overflowing with my love, haha!"

    According to PureDiaryAuthor, wit, humor, a bit of charm, and a deadly wink should be irresistible. If that advice were accurate, she should have been head over heels from the start. But she''s not easy.

    As much as I, Minsoo, became an indomitable hero by name, she’s using the alias Minjung, meaning she’s on that level too? Hehe...

    A competitive spark ignited within Minsoo.

    The snacks and drinks are running out, so it’s time to step up my game.

    Clap Clap—

    Determined to see things through to the end tonight, Minsoo clapped his hands and called the waiter.@@@@

    I need to keep showing my cool side and conquer her before making any real moves.

    Lost in his delusions, Minsoo never bothered to glance at Minjung''s expression. His only concern was cementing his status as the top dog through sheer style and charm.

    "Waiter, bring out the most expensive snack and the most expensive drink here."

    "Uh... sir? Sorry, but all the food and drinks provided here at the Noble''s gathering are free, so you''ll need to specify the exact name."

    "Oh..."

    This is a bit tricky. The most expensive drink must be whiskey, right? Isn''t that how it goes in the movies, with fruit on the side?

    Minsoo looked at Taeok with a desperate, almost pathetic, plea for assistance.

    "So, I asked him, ‘Are you okay?'' And guess what he said?"

    "What? What did he say, oppa? Tell me, I''m really curious!"

    Meanwhile, Taeok was completely ignoring Minsoo, laughing and chatting with the woman across from him.

    Here I am, agonizing over what food to order for us, and he''s off having the time of his life... It''s infuriating...

    I can''t wait to see how guilty he''ll feel once he finds out who I really am. I even planned to honor him with a follow-back on InSpace, out of the bond we were forging over drinks. R??α?N?BE?s?

    "What? Oh, hang on a sec."

    "Oh... okay, take your time."

    Minjung shot a few glances at her friend before fixing her gaze on her phone. Being patient and understanding was a gentleman''s duty, so Minsoo sat quietly.

    Meanwhile, Taeok was playing a drinking game with the woman next to him, even spicing it up with some suggestive jokes. The woman, who had been sitting across from him, had now moved to sit right beside him.

    She''s really rubbing her chest on him... Pathetic... While Minjung is busy on her phone, probably working or something... Taeok, you idiot, you have no taste.

    All Minsoo could do was sit there, his head swiveling like a meerkat''s. Then, the long-awaited snacks finally arrived when he least expected it.

    "We''ve brought the drinks and snacks you requested. Enjoy your time."

    "Yes, of course... But, hey, Waiter?"

    "Yes, what can I do for you?"

    Just as Minsoo was about to thank the waiter, he felt a twinge of annoyance.

    "Is... this... ‘carpe?'' thing too little?"

    "Do you mean the canape?s? We''ll bring more right away. Just a moment."

    "Yes, please do."

    For two people, isn''t this snack basically a crumb? Even if they brought a dozen, we''d barely get five or six each. Sure, it looks good, but bringing so little, even if it''s free, is just cheap.

    How''s that for bluntness? What do you think, Minjung?

    Minsoo looked at Minjung with a smug expression.

    With this kind of appeal, she should be opening up any moment now, right?

    But instead of what he expected, Minjung said something completely different. "Hmm...? Um... Hero, was it? This isn''t your first drinking party, right?"

    "What? Haha... I''m quite the drinker... I don''t know why you''d think otherwise, but maybe we could play a game to prove it? Something like ‘Mountain Over Mountain''..."

    "Mountain Over Mountain...?"

    "Yes, yes, Mountain Over Mountain..."

    One of the most optimized drinking games for physical contact. Players chant ‘Mountain Over Mountain'' while making triangle shapes with their arms, and incorporating rhythmic movements. Each round, the physical contact intensifies. For instance, if the first player touches someone''s thigh while chanting, the next player has to rub it.

    The perfect game for men and women to get closer!

    Minsoo had thoroughly researched this game, learning how to start with light touches and escalate them without making the other person uncomfortable.

    "Why would I play that with you, Hero...? I don''t want to."

    "Oh... um... okay."

    The atmosphere froze. Minsoo was visibly flustered.

    I was told that if I played it this way, the woman in front of me would be in bed before she even realized it...

    As his carefully laid plans crumbled one by one, Minsoo decided to pull out his trump card.

    "But, um... Eugene and Minjung, how about your sex fantasies?"

    A move to draw everyone''s attention, including the woman clinging to Taeok. This will surely turn the tables.

    To Minsoo''s surprise, what followed was him getting punched and knocked out by Baek Taeyang later.