episode_0063

After the calamity-like presence had passed through, the cocktail bar remained eerily quiet.

There were only a few customers left, engaging in brief conversations with the bartenders before making their exit.

Feeling an inexplicable pressure from the silence, they used work as an excuse to leave the cocktail bar.

Despite it being a time when there should have been many customers, only the bartenders remained at the cocktail bar.

“…It’s unusual for peak hours to be this quiet. Maybe the elves are intimidating.”

“Phew, if they cause trouble, it’s always on a grand scale. Honestly, I think it’s a miracle they retreated quietly this time. Their faces… oh, how terrifying.”

Just the thought made the owner dizzy, as they wiped glasses with a nod.

Letting out a long sigh of relief, the owner suddenly seemed to remember something, flashing a mischievous smile and teasing me.

“By the way, truly impressive, Mamang. Your performance is solid. Taming even those clueless elves.”

“…What kind of strange nickname is that? Where did that come from?”

“The customers started calling you that. They say you’re like a caring mother, offering advice in a warm voice. If you have any complaints, take it up with them, hahaha!”

“Sigh…”

Just for doing my assigned tasks properly, why was I given such a nickname?

Determined to find and condemn the customer who called me Mamang, I finished washing dishes and took a break.

As I was about to head back to my place after finishing up, despite the short time working, I felt drained from dealing with the elf and trudged down the street.

Jaehyuk quietly handed me an energy drink, breaking the silence.

“You’ve worked hard. Have this to boost your energy. You’ll need to study soon.”

“Oh, how thoughtful of you? Wait, didn’t Yeonji ask you to give this to me like she did with the hair tie last time? You’re not usually this considerate.”

“Whether I do or don’t, just drink it, punk!”

“Come on, man! Why are you getting all defensive over this? I feel like someone’s being a bit grumpy.”

One of the riskiest actions in the world, giving and then taking away.

I quickly opened the cap, chugged it down, emptied the contents in no time, and thanked him as I felt the returning vitality.

“Phew, thanks to that, I feel alive again. I was so tired I felt like I was going to die before drinking it.”

“If you’re feeling better, that’s good. At least I won’t see a sick chicken anymore.”

“Haha, but I’ll still have to see you for a few more days, right? Since I haven’t studied, I’ll have to cram…”

The overwhelming amount of lecture materials that made one’s mind go blank just by thinking about it.

With the darkness looming ahead, I quickly filled my mind with other thoughts.

Yes, let’s focus on something else!

No need to stress about going back to the apartment right now.

Thinking about light, positive, or interesting things, I resumed walking.

And then, suddenly, a question arose in my mind.

If I were not a vampire but belonged to another species, how would I be living now?

And if I had transformed into a race like an elf, one that causes a lot of trouble for others, what would my relationships with people be like?

I wondered, would Jaehyuk still have helped me like this even if I had turned into such a troublesome race?

Out of curiosity, I cautiously threw a question at Jaehyuk, who was yawning widely.

“I have something I’m curious about. Can you answer?”

“What is it?”

“Let’s say, hypothetically, if I had become a race like an elf or a specter, one that causes a lot of trouble for others, do you think you would have helped me? It’s a random question, but I suddenly became curious.”

Asking with a tilted head, Jaehyuk paused for a moment, closing his eyes as if considering his response.

After a brief contemplation, he opened his eyes and jokingly replied first in a playful tone.

“Well, leaving vampires aside, aren’t they also quite a handful when it comes to causing trouble? Or perhaps even worse? I read in international news that in foreign countries, they treat vampires as the upper class.”

“…”

“Ah, look at your expression. Just kidding. I wouldn’t mind eating a person… Oh, right. They are a species that actually eats people, right? Anyway.”

Perhaps intimidated by my fierce gaze, Jaehyuk soon spoke seriously.

“Well, I think I would have helped you regardless of what kind of race you were. I’m not a heartless person… Even though I can’t say that with a clear conscience, you know that I definitely repay kindness.”

“Indeed, you’ve helped me more than once. Hey, I remember high school. How many accidents did you…”

“Noisy. Anyway, I think I would have roughly done that. Even if I couldn’t see a solution and gave up after a few months, I would have helped you with all my effort and sincerity during those months. Probably.”

Was he embarrassed by his own words?

After finishing speaking, Jaehyuk avoided eye contact, coughing awkwardly.

How many people in the world would refrain from teasing a friend squirming in embarrassment?

Naturally, I approached the guy who was grinning mischievously and, with a sly smile, asked another question.

“So, how am I now?”

“…What do you mean?”

“You said if you couldn’t see a solution, you would give up after a few months. In your opinion, am I at that level where you would give up?”

“…”

Instead of answering, Jaehyuk looked at me with a puzzled expression.

After hesitating for a moment, he briefly replied, “No,” and then quickly moved away from me as if fleeing.

“That’s a relief.”

I had been worried that I had caused too much trouble while living together.

A sense of relief began to alleviate my anxiety.

I gently raised the corners of my mouth and started following him quickly.

“Hey, wait up!”

Going alone like that might result in facing severe consequences from the unpredictable supernatural being, just like yesterday.

That was the only reason.

—–

[Let’s conclude today’s lesson with this. Well done, everyone.]

“Ugh…”

It had been two hours since I returned to my room and started cramming.

There is a limit to running continuously without rest, so I quietly walked out of the room to take a short break.

“…No matter how many times I watch lecture materials and recorded lectures, they’re always boring.”

Studying at double speed, but thanks to solid retention, there was some progress in the cramming.

However, everything comes with a price, and I ended up gaining knowledge but also extreme fatigue.

“Sigh…”

It had only been a day since Jaehyuk had fed on blood, and on top of that, I had downed a can of monster he offered.

Why were my eyes so heavy and my mind so foggy?

“Would taking some vitamins make me feel a bit better?”

The blood I drank might have been insufficient, so with that thought in mind, I took out a pack of raw liver from the fridge and began to eat it slowly.

Though it had a stimulating and somewhat cloying taste, the raw liver was somewhat palatable.

However, was it because I had experienced an overwhelmingly delightful taste just yesterday that the current raw liver only felt corrupt and filthy?

“…Tastes awful.”

I left about half of the raw liver uneaten.

Feeling utterly dissatisfied, my gaze naturally shifted towards Jaehyuk lying on the bed.

Gulp –

The warm and blissful memory of my first bloodsucking.

As I reminisced about that peculiar sensation, saliva began to accumulate in my mouth.

I want to pierce those fair skin with my fangs.

I want to savor the warm yet viscous blood flowing from that hole.

And then, disgustingly…

“Ugh…!”

To quell the sudden surge of bloodsucking impulse, I quickly put the raw liver into my mouth.

…This must be how drug addicts feel.

I realized I shouldn’t know this.

As the bitter taste spread in my mouth, my appetite gradually subsided.

Rinsing my mouth with a sweet drink, I weakly leaned against the wall.

“Damn, what am I supposed to do if my friend looks delicious…”

Developing a garlic aversion seemed like a good thing.

Well, it actually was.

The nauseating yet pungent aroma unique to garlic that permeated everywhere.

At least I wouldn’t have to endure that anymore.

But.

“I never expected this to happen, seriously.”

It was completely unexpected for my friend to appear as a tasty prey.

While I had heard that removing poison turns pufferfish into a tasty ingredient… I never thought humans would be the target for vampires.

“…There must be a way.”

If I rush in without thinking, I might end up losing my precious blood source… no, my friend.

I vowed to find a solution before the end of the semester, even if it meant enduring until then.

There was an easy way to end our cohabitation, but unfortunately, that wasn’t an option.

Still.

I hadn’t found a solution for the upcoming monsoon season starting from the last day of classes.

Buzz –

Snap – !

“This damn woman is trying to eat something I can’t even stomach.”

Whether it was summer or not, mosquitoes had started buzzing around.

I went back to cramming, taking care of these pesky creatures eyeing someone else’s meal.

What I can’t eat, you can’t either.

Of course, I won’t share even if you could.