episode_0053

It had been a few days since Lina left.

Siho could hear about her through text messages.

Lina bombarded him with emoticons, boasting about her disciple’s progress.

From 0 wins and 8 losses to 2 wins and 10 losses in sparring matches.

The bartender chuckled as he read the message.

“Well, getting 20% better at YeongPro is quite an improvement.”

Siho placed his phone on the counter.

He wiped the sticky table and glanced at the clock.

4:40 PM.

Only 20 minutes left until the store opened.

Jiwuk went to the mart to buy some ingredients.

The bartender enjoyed the quiet of the empty store.

Being alone in the spacious bar felt peculiar.

Just yesterday, Anna and Jeksag were here, and Lina came at night, so it felt a bit lonely now.

“It feels strange being alone…”

Come to think of it, Anna, who used to monitor his medication, didn’t show up today.

Maybe because the treatment period ended…

But cutting off contact abruptly feels a bit disappointing.

Siho pursed his lips, staring at the store entrance.

Children’s voices could be heard from afar.

The bartender listened intently since it was rare for minors to visit the bar.

The door opened.

Two familiar girls entered the hallway of the store.

The bartender remembered them.

One was the daughter of the store owner, and the other was Lina’s disciple.

“Unni-!”

Sehee energetically waved her hand first.

The bartender’s heart softened as he looked at her face, which had been dry before.

The bright energy of the young girl was a great strength even for the expressionless bartender.

However, Se-ah standing beside her still had a timid expression.

Despite improving academically, her introverted nature seemed hard to overcome.

Oh well, that’s just how she is.

Regardless of her personality, Se-ah was a charming girl.

She was still young and talented, so she had a bright future ahead of her.

“Hey, long time no see, girls.”

The bartender smiled with narrowed eyes.

Upon seeing the smile, Se-ah’s lips twitched.

Leaning against Sehee, she muttered softly.

“Hello, Unni…”

“Se-ah, why are you hiding like that? Come in quickly.”

Siho gestured to her.

Sehee also nudged her from the side.

“Yeah. You were singing to come see Unni, but now you’re acting shy?”

When Sehee asked loudly, Se-ah lowered her head as if embarrassed.

Then she quietly scolded her friend who came along.

“Why did you have to say that…”

“Hahaha, see? That’s how she is.”

Siho went outside with a joyful heart.

Approaching Se-ah, he noticed that she had grown taller in his absence, almost reaching his eye level.

He gently ruffled her hair.

As her tangled locks unraveled, the girl’s red eyes sparkled.

“You should come more often. I missed you.”

As the bartender spoke softly, Se-ah’s nose turned red.

In a reminiscent tone, she apologized.

“I’m sorry. I’ll come every week from now on. No, every day!”

“Hey, you live in a dorm. How will you come here every day?”

Sehee poked Se-ah’s side.

Siho chuckled at Se-ah’s reaction.

“It’s okay. Just come by to brighten my day once in a while.”

Saying this, Siho headed towards the fridge outside the counter.

Before he knew it, a fresh pack of milk was in her hands.

“Take a seat. Even though you’re all grown up now, one drink won’t hurt, right?”

“Yes. I’ll have what I always do-.”

Sehee confidently interjected, snapping her fingers.

To hear such words from someone who disliked alcohol.

Se-ah murmured to herself as if lost in thought.

“Unni’s cocktails…”

Se-ah seemed somewhat melancholic all of a sudden.

Even though her skills had improved and she had become more confident in fights, it seemed her personality remained unchanged.

The bartender forced a smile as he prepared the cocktail.

For the girls soon to become adults, the first impression must be a good one.

With that mindset, Siho approaches bartending.

She prepares a chilled On the Rocks glass.

Pouring clear and transparent ice.

Adding 1 ounce (30ml) of sweet Kahlua on its smooth surface.

2 and a half ounces (75ml) of nutty milk.

Finishing with half an ounce (15ml) of whipped cream.

Rating: ★★★★☆(Flawless)

Effect: Immediately removes 50% of the consumer’s abnormal state.

Information: A collaboration of Kahlua Milk and whipped cream. Reduced the milk slightly and added rich-tasting cream.

Lately, Siho has been trying things beyond the recipe. It looks good.

“I’ll serve you a Kahlua Milk.”

The bartender solemnly placed the glass on the table.

The two girls stared blankly at her.

“Wow, Unni. Something seems very different from before.”

Sehee speaks first.

Seah nods silently in agreement with her words.

“Huh? Changed, what do you mean?”

I wondered if she was trying to say something again about her body.

Siho coughed deliberately, neatly folding the apron clinging to her belly.

“My gestures are more elegant than before, and the cocktails are prettier.”

The bartender breathed a sigh of relief at Sehee’s praise.

Any praise like that is always welcome.

“Oh, wait a moment.”

The bartender almost forgot something important because of the guest’s compliment.

She quickly grabbed the powder container next to the cutting board and hurried outside the counter.

Then she gently held Seah’s hand that was holding the glass.

“Uh, Unni. Why are you doing this?”

Seah stutters in surprise.

To the broken girl, Siho smiles and says playfully.

“Can I have your glass for a moment?”

Siho carefully sprinkled cocoa powder on Seah’s glass.

The powdery chocolate dust lightly settled on the white cream.

“Unni – that’s too much!”

“Yes.”

The bartender generously sprinkled powder on Sehee’s glass as well.

Meanwhile, Seah, as if the power had been cut off, was staring blankly into space.

Siho looked at the two girls drinking their cocktails with their chin resting on their hands.

They enjoyed the smooth taste while licking the cream off their lips.

Before they knew it, only ice was left in the glasses.

Then Sehee, as if something had come to mind, spoke up.

“Oh, right. The professor asked me to give you this.”

Sehee patted Seah’s shoulder.

At that, Seah, who had cream on her face, barely woke up.

“Huh…?”

Siho picked up a tissue looking at the girl.

Then she slowly reached out her hand towards her face.

Seah calmly closed her eyes at that touch.

But no matter how long she waited, she couldn’t feel the touch on her lips.

Instead, only the bartender’s voice could be heard.

“Seah?”

At that call, the girl opened her eyes.

The bartender, with a charming face, smiled and handed her a tissue.

“Here’s a tissue.”

“Yes, thank you…”

She took the tissue shyly and roughly wiped her lips.

Her expression showed confusion at the situation being different from what she expected.

But the bartender had no way of knowing her feelings.

Seah tried to compose herself and handed Siho an envelope.

It was a luxurious envelope sealed with a candle.

“Professor Lina asked me to give this to you.”

“Lina?”

Siho tilted her head, taking the envelope.

She pondered how to open the envelope due to its luxurious finish.

Eventually, she calmly split the envelope with a knife lying on the counter.

Soon, the bartender’s eyes widened at the invitation inside the envelope.

You are invited as a lecturer at Hunter Academy.

The duration is one day, and the class content is ‘Mental Management of Hunter Trainees.’

Please feel free to prepare the class content.

Please attend the academy and provide students with valuable teachings.

Referrer: Lina Kim. Approver: Academy Vice Principal, Lee Tae-hyun.

“Hey, guys… What’s going on here?”

Shiho asks the students with a bewildered expression on her face.

Her hand holding the paper trembles.

“What’s up? Professor Lina invited your sister as a short-term instructor.”

Sehee shrugs nonchalantly.

Seah nods vigorously.

“Sorry, but I’m registered as incompetent from the start, and I’m not in a position to teach anyone.”

The bartender sighs deeply and places the proposal on the counter.

Upon this, Sehee reassures by clapping her hands.

“It’s precisely because you’re incompetent! Thanks to your sister, recent supplementary class students have greatly improved their grades.”

Especially Seah shouts while tightly gripping both hands.

In a louder voice than anyone else.

“That’s right, of course, we’re still far behind the elite class-. But we’ve improved quite a bit.”

Sehee smirks arrogantly.

“Other professors asked Professor Lina for the secret to improving grades. So, there must be something about mentioning your sister, right?”

“Other professors also want to hear directly about your sister’s mental management techniques.”

The bartender’s eyes tremble beneath.

This means that when Shiho opens a lecture, many academy instructors participate in the class.

“Absolutely not. Absolutely not!”

What an embarrassing situation.

Shiho shakes her head as if crazy.

“Oh- what does it matter? Even before, I was incompetent, and a person who became a Ranker through physical training has been invited.”

Sehee casually nods as if it’s nothing.

“That person is a Ranker! I’m just a bartender!”

Shiho crosses her hands to make an X gesture.

Upon this, Seah looks disappointed again as if regretful.

“Think about it once. There’s still time. But still, being invited to the academy-.”

At Sehee’s casual suggestion, the bartender hesitates and sits down on the counter chair.

An academy…

Just visiting was a wish, but teaching there?

Unthinkable.

Completely unthinkable.

“—.”

Amidst her turmoil, the sound of the shop entrance opening is heard.

It’s Jiwuk.

He walks leisurely to the counter with a brown paper bag filled with ingredients.

Although incompetent, his tall figure and face catch the eye.

“Already got customers?”

The chef asks in a husky voice.

“No. They’re friends with Sehee from the academy.”

“Oh, Sehee-. Long time no see.”

Jiwuk and the girl greet each other warmly.

At the sudden appearance of a male staff member, Seah fixes her gaze on him.

Jiwuk seems oblivious to her gaze and gazes at the table.

There were two empty glass cups there.

“Wow, can you give out drinks for free like this?”

“He’s the boss’s son. Even the seniors always sneakily steal whiskey and drink-.”

Shiho nudges Jiwuk’s shoulder.

The chef chuckles and places the ingredients he brought on the counter.

“Just kidding- if you’re friends with our Sehee, it’s free anytime.”

Seah stares blankly at the two senior colleagues.

Soon she mutters to herself.

“Senior… Senior…”

Not hearing her voice, the two staff members laugh and tidy up the ingredients.

In the process, their hands touch, and shoulders bump.

Seah’s eyes twitch.

Her once-faded red hair gradually comes back to mind.

“Excuse me…”

The girl calls out to the two in a dark tone.

Both the bartender and the chef turn their heads towards the girl.

And simultaneously say,

“Huh?”

At their perfect harmony, Seah’s pupils blaze red.

The pyrokinetic asks them,

“What’s the relationship between you two?”