episode_0013

Given his serious response, it was evident that he wasn’t taking my words lightly this time.

He proceeded to explain in detail about the job of a bartender. As expected, it wasn’t as simple a profession as one might think.

I decided to visit the bar on Sunday to observe and then make a decision about whether I should learn the trade.

Even if it didn’t suit my aptitude, I had thought of giving it a try, but if it didn’t fit well, I might have to look for another path.

Before entering the military, I had tried almost every part-time job, so there wasn’t much I couldn’t do.

You never know, there might be something critical in areas I’m unaware of that could affect me adversely.

After our mutual consultation came to an end, Jaehyuk and I sat in silence for a while, finishing up the remaining side dishes.

Now, what should I say next? I feel like I’ve covered most topics already.

Unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, as I absentmindedly stirred the leftover residue in my glass with a chopstick, he finally broke the silence as if struck by a sudden thought.

“Oh, by the way, I heard Hyeun also became a half-blood. Do you have any pictures of her?”

“Why, planning to date her if she’s pretty?”

“Are you crazy? She’s not my type. I prefer someone with a fuller, modest figure over those with small, vulgar chests.”

“Hey, Hyeun might feel offended hearing that; she said you were a tsundere and despised you.”

The saying that there are no friendships between men and women is a lie.

As we chuckled and ate the side dishes, he kept pestering me to show him the picture.

“Anyway, show it to me once. If you do, I’ll treat you exceptionally well on Sunday.”

“I don’t want to be treated; I just want to observe the scene on Sunday.”

“Oh, stop dodging. Okay?”

“Hmm…”

Finding amusement in teasing him further due to his frustration, I wanted to continue, but dealing with his stubbornness in our living situation would only complicate matters.

After teasing him a few more times, I showed Jaehyuk one of the photos taken with Hyeun in the city.

Then…

“…Is this Hyeun?”

“Yes, isn’t she exactly your type? Full-bodied, graceful physique with a relaxed vibe… Wait, hey, you’re drooling, you crazy guy!”

“Oh, uh, what?”

He stared at Hyeun, drool dripping down, making a disgusted face.

Yuck, gross.

I started throwing the roll of tissue paper on the table at him, trying to snap him out of it.

“Get yourself together, you crazy guy. No matter how appealing she may be, do you have to drool like that?”

“I-I wasn’t drooling! And what’s with the appeal, you brat! Even if she looks like that on the outside, what’s inside is a loose woman!”

“I didn’t say it was her mouth, but her body that’s honest?”

“…!”

Pointing at the tent being pitched below, he immediately grabbed a nearby blanket and covered his legs.

Truly a dishonest guy.

No wonder he can’t get a girlfriend.

As I looked at him with a scornful gaze, he coughed a few times and changed the subject.

“By the way, has Jung Hyun still not contacted you? The regular meeting is the day after tomorrow, why is it so quiet?”

“…I’m starting to worry too. It’s not like him to be completely silent. What if something happened?”

“Why not send him a message now? Maybe he’ll reply today.”

“Sigh, I don’t have high hopes…”

Would sending a text to someone who hadn’t been in touch for nearly ten days make any difference?

Without expecting much, I sent a message, but surprisingly, the number “1,” which had been visible for the past ten days, disappeared for the first time.

“…Hey, did he read the message?”

“What?”

“Just now, the ‘1’ disappeared. Wait a moment.”

Despite trying to calm my surprised heart and pressing for answers, Jung Hyun left only a message promising to explain at the regular meeting before disappearing once again.

…What on earth could have happened to him over the past ten days?

Though the desire to ask burned within, curiosity was forcibly suppressed.

If he really wanted to talk about it during the regular meeting, there must be a good reason for it.

“Well, I’m just glad you’re alive. I thought you might have gone missing for real.”

“Yeah… By the way, he wouldn’t have turned into a different species, right? Since we lost contact after the species mutation incident, it seems possible.”

“Hmm, if he did change, what kind of species do you think he would have turned into? He’s such a kind and pure guy… Maybe a spirit after all?”

“I don’t know about that, but I hope he didn’t turn into a damn parasite species like you. Seriously, what sins did you commit in your past life to become such a parasitic species?”

“I have no idea, fuck.”

Suddenly, the guy struck a nerve.

Growling fiercely, I glared at him, but he just chuckled and took out the silver chopsticks he had put away in the drawer.

“What can you even do?”

“…”

“Besides growling and whimpering, what else can you do? You can’t even drool properly because of the garlic smell. You damn vampire.”

The guy, with a specialized etiquette injector for vampires in hand, teased me with a smirk.

Fuming with anger, I vowed to myself.

You will bite me back someday.

You son of a bitch.

—–

The day after a not-so-great drinking session.

It seemed true that bad things come all at once, as another trial awaited me when I woke up.

HelloMs 10:47 AM

You have a new message. “Botany Assignment – Guidelines for Collecting and Describing Specimens of Deciduous and Coniferous Trees”

“…What the hell is this.”

After years away due to military service, receiving an assignment felt strange.

However, this assignment was peculiar from the start.

Collect a certain number of deciduous and coniferous trees, dry them well to prevent decay, and submit their scientific names and characteristics.

With the deadline until the end of the semester, this was definitely not going to be an easy task.

Feeling like procrastinating might lead to trouble, I checked the assignment notice, grabbed a pair of scissors and an envelope, and headed to school.

“Nothing much has changed here either.”

The school I visited for the first time since the semester started showed little difference.

If anything, there were fewer people wandering around campus due to online classes.

Amidst many changes, the familiarity of things unchanged wasn’t unwelcome.

Enjoying the comfort brought by the tranquility, I began strolling down the street, clearing my mind for a moment.

“Nice. No one smelling of garlic, and no one to care about what I do.”

Feeling like a regular person again.

I wanted to savor that long-lost feeling a bit more, but the surge of energy in my body didn’t allow it.

“Sigh, I hate to admit it. Really.”

Gazing at the chilly moonlight, I lamented.

Why couldn’t they just return me to my original form?

Give it to someone who would appreciate it; why give it to someone who doesn’t want it?

While everyday life remained mundane yet repetitive, I never once complained.

Because that life was good, the stability and peacefulness of it made me so happy.

But now…

“Will I truly be happier than before?”

After questioning myself, I vigorously shook my head.

“No, what good does it do to think negatively now? I need to find a way to be happy somehow.”

There’s nothing that changes by complaining to the sky.

Of course, fervently wishing like last time might bring about some change. But I didn’t want any more confusion.

Just as wishing for online classes resulted in a large-scale species mutation event, who knows how wishes might come true through some insane means.

“Forget the past and live in the present, thinking about the future is what those who live should do.”

Ghosts living buried in the past cannot unearth hidden happiness in the future.

I threw my melancholic feelings into the chilly air, feeling a weight lift off my heart, and resumed walking.

“By the way, why did it have to be a vampire of all things?”

A question arose as I walked.

I alternated between looking at the scissors in my hand and the tree in the distance.

Actually, considering my major, shouldn’t I have become an elf instead? Where are all those nature-loving folks?

Isn’t it rather odd that I’m not an elf when I’m learning about nature and how to handle it?

Of course, there was a quite plausible hypothesis.

A recent theory suggested that crossbreed variations are influenced by their usual behaviors and desires.

Though I wanted to deny it, the likelihood of that theory being correct seemed quite high.

Reading the comments on the article with that hypothesis, it seemed like everyone agreed, unlike with other theories.

If that hypothesis is true, where exactly is the influence coming from?

I never had any desire to drink blood or to become a woman, for that matter.

“My head hurts.”

Perhaps due to using my brain too much after a long time, my mind started screaming for relief under the sudden overload.

With a long sigh, I approached a nearby tree to finally work on my assignment.

“Is this one called… a fir tree?”

Gazing up at the tall tree absentmindedly, I reached out with my arm, but unfortunately, the scissors couldn’t reach the leaves.

If I were still a man, with my superior height, I would have definitely reached.

As I keenly felt the reality of being a woman again, a good idea suddenly struck me.

“Why not just break off a suitable branch and choose the best one from there?”

Simple is best.

I tried to snap off a branch of appropriate thickness, but I overlooked one crucial fact.

The strength of a vampire at night is far greater than one can imagine.

Snap!

“Huh?”

I exerted force playfully, only to easily break the thick branch.

Stunned by the sight of the empty broken end, I quickly grabbed any branch and stuffed it into a bag.

No one will notice… right?

Well then.

Dohmhwangcha…!