"Why did you get expelled? You should have taken a few more gap years and thought about it afterward."

"I've thought plenty. I chose to get expelled because my answer wouldn't change no matter how much more I think."

"Easy for you to say. Were you always this kind of character? The Han Maru I know would never get expelled."

"People are bound to change."

"You're right, you do look like you've changed, I mean, you're here drinking with just me when you said you'll never drink without girls."

His friend who came out on his last vacation from military service sighed and took a swig.

"Should I get expelled too?"

"If you want to, sure."

"What if half of me wants to and half of me doesn't?"

"Then think about it after you get discharged. Everyone's like that during their last days of military service. You think that you'll be earnest at everything you do once you get discharged, but when it actually arrives, you feel complicated. You finally feel like you're no longer a kid."

"It's really weird coming from you."

Maru poured some soju into his friend's glass. After staring at the glass, his friend waved his hand in denial, saying that he felt like he would vomit if he drank anymore.

"But hey, you know there's a bad rumor about you, right?"

"Rumor?"

"You don't...