Ch.132Miho 3

“Excuse me, Gumiho-nim!”

“M-me…?”

I’ve been held up by customers dozens of times while serving.

This time, it’s a girl who looks like a high school student calling me.

She’s beautifully dressed in a pink hanbok.

The girl suggests shyly with her head bowed low.

“Could you take a picture with me…?”

“Ah… well…”

I glance over at Madam.

She responds with a bright smile and an OK sign.

“Alright. How would you like to take it?”

“Like this!”

The girl presses herself close to me and holds out her phone.

Our faces appear suddenly in the selfie camera.

Then she mutters as if impressed by something.

“Wow, your face is really small…”

I’m puzzled by the girl’s suddenly deflated expression after asking to take a photo together.

For her sake, I narrow my eyes and whisper.

“You’re pretty too, miss.”

“—!”

At those words, the girl’s face turns bright red.

“Ah, just a moment…”

She mumbles, covering her face with both hands.

With her head bowed low, I couldn’t help but feel flustered.

What’s going on…

Did I do something wrong?

“Can I post this on Instagram…?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you!”

The girl bows politely with an excited voice.

Thanks to that, her jeogori lifts up, revealing the white t-shirt she’s wearing underneath.

#International Village Ilhwa Bar, Gumiho spotted.

Perhaps because of the photo with the high school girl.

Afterward, several high school girls who saw it on Instagram came and requested selfies with me.

“You’re so cute!”

“How did you make your ears like that? They look like they’re actually moving!”

“Can I contact you separately, unnie?”

Guests dressed in elegant hanboks.

Even tourists in casual and provocative outfits.

I received attention from all the women.

How nice would it have been if I’d gotten this much attention when I was a man.

Instead, receiving it after becoming a woman feels somehow strange.

“Thank you….”

“The ears are from an illness. They say it’ll get better soon with medication.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t give out my contact information…”

In contrast, the men silently watch me from their pavilions.

Of course, occasionally some overweight men would approach me with expensive cameras requesting photos.

But they only took pictures and didn’t stay to eat at the restaurant.

Male customers showed interest in me only when I approached their pavilions.

When I casually approached, they would turn their heads away to avoid me.

If our eyes happened to meet, they would bow their heads shyly in greeting.

And occasionally, I would only hear exclamations like “Wow…”

Is my appearance that intimidating…

It seems the aesthetic standards for men and women are different.

Suddenly, Madam called me over to the wooden porch.

She tried to whisper into my human ear, but gradually shifted direction toward my fox ear.

“From now on, stop serving tables.”

“What…? Then what should I do?”

“Just walk around the restaurant and wait. When the target arrives, take his order directly.”

Why do I need to do that specifically?

Jisoo noona is much prettier and cheerful…

“Alright.”

I agreed obediently for now.

And I leisurely walked between the courtyard and pavilions, enjoying the night air.

Whenever I made eye contact with customers, they would sputter their drinks and look dazed.

Having nothing particular to say, I simply gave them a gentle smile.

As time passed like that…

It was already 9 PM.

Time for tourists to head back.

At that hour, someone entered through the main gate of Ilhwa Bar.

At that moment,

The expressions of the bar staff began to change subtly.

Could it be…?

Sure enough, Madam gives me a signal.

The target has appeared.

He really came?

I thought he wouldn’t come since he usually stays in Hikata, Japan!

He must have changed his route because of what happened earlier today.

I quickly exchange glances with Jisoo noona.

As Madam ordered, I would take his order.

Noona left her position to contact Anna and Jeoksa.

I smoothed out my white hanbok that clung to my body.

Then, clearing my throat, I headed toward the pavilion where the target was seated.

Fortunately, his seat was illuminated by moonlight, making his face clearly visible.

Thanks to that, I could properly confirm the target’s face.

Since he wasn’t wearing sunglasses, I was certain.

Curly hair, appearing to be in his early thirties.

He’s Park Shin-ae’s pill distributor.

I stared down at him as he sat.

He gazed blankly at my figure illuminated by moonlight.

“Aren’t you… taking my order?”

The guy soon collected himself and asked me.

But his gaze was still directed at my body silhouette through my white hanbok in the moonlight.

“Yes… What would you like to have, my lord?”

I spoke softly in a historical drama tone as I had been taught.

Then I carefully sat down beside him with grace.

“Give me something clean.”

He asks in a drawling voice, as if he’s already had a drink.

This place is probably his second or third stop of the night.

This is troublesome…

Instead of “something light,” he needs to stay for a long, sticky time.

I look at Madam with a confused expression.

She signals for me to keep him here by any means necessary, even if I have to act cute.

I’m not talented at that sort of thing…

What should I do… Damn. I should have had experience with this kind of thing…!

I modestly placed my hand on my chest.

And clearing my throat, I pointed to the menu.

“After coming all this way, it would be a shame to leave so soon…”

I gazed up at him intently.

My bangs fluttered in the night air.

Brushing my hair to the side, I spoke in a low voice.

This highlighted my vertically elongated eyes even more.

“Won’t you stay longer with this humble servant?”

“…”

He swallowed hard.

Then he stared at my perked fox ears.

Taking advantage of his distraction, I wrote down sticky alcohol and thick meat dishes on the menu.

The ones that would take the longest to prepare…

“Please wait a moment. I’ll just deliver the order and come back.”

I calmly stood up and walked toward the bar.

But I accidentally dropped the historical drama tone.

My heart sank at the realization that I had failed to maintain the concept.

I quickly turned the corner and caught my breath.

“Haah…”

“How did it go?”

Jisoo noona, who was hiding behind the corner, asks urgently.

I clench my fists with an excited expression.

“I ordered food that takes a long time to prepare..!”

“Good job! The two of them will be here soon, so hang in there a little longer. You’re better at this than we thought!”

“I know! Maybe I should switch careers and become an actress!”

Excited, we held hands and shook them enthusiastically.

Then, suddenly aware of how close our faces were, I awkwardly let go.

“W-well, I’ll go back and keep him company.”

I’ve gained some confidence.

This is easier than I thought!

“Yes, just hold out a little longer!”

I composed my expression again.

And holding the hem of my skirt to avoid tripping, I modestly climbed back to the pavilion.

“The food will be ready soon, my lord.”

“I see.”

“Let me keep you company in the meantime.”

I immediately sat down beside him.

My long skirt gently brushed against his thigh.

“I haven’t seen you before. Is this your first time at Ilhwa?”

“First time…”

He looks at me with narrowed eyes.

What’s this… Did I say something wrong?

“You must be new here, young lady.”

“Pardon…?”

“This is my third visit here.”

I’m screwed.

A mistake right from the start!

“Ahaha… Yes, I haven’t been working here long…”

“It’s okay. I usually hide my face when I come here too.”

He chuckled and took a sip of soju.

I quickly refilled his glass to hide my embarrassment.

“Besides, the staff here don’t usually pour drinks like this.”

“Ahahahaha…. I see! I forgot because I’m new, my lord…”

I should have just kept my mouth shut!

Everything I do is making things worse!

“Except when they have a personal interest in a customer…”

“What…?”

Suddenly the target looks at me with a suggestive gaze.

He soon leaned in close to me and whispered.

“Are you interested in me?”

This is ridiculous.

Even though I was in my late twenties in my previous life, Siho is only 22 now.

And he’s asking if I’m interested in him? A guy who clearly looks well over thirty?

Interested?

But… I have no choice.

I’m the one who made this risky move to keep him here.

I’ll just have to deal with it myself…

I clutched my skirt tightly.

Then with half-closed eyes, I spoke in a plaintive voice.

“Interest… such words so suddenly are difficult, my lord…”

I fidgeted with my jeogori and bowed my head shyly.

The man snorted arrogantly, as if this sort of thing happened often.

“Really… This is why I can’t go to bars in peace…”

He loosened his shoulders with a reddened face.

Fortunately, he seems to have fallen for my act.

But…

The real challenge begins now.

“Well then…”

The guy suddenly stood up.

And he made a gesture as if to leave the pavilion.

“W-wait… my lord. Where are you going?”

“I’m feeling dizzy… Just going for a walk.”

He said indifferently while putting on his shoes sloppily.

No, he’s not just leaving, is he?

“L-let’s go together. I was also wanting some fresh air.”

The guy paused at my response.

Then he grinned lewdly and said.

“Fine, come along then.”

The target drags his shoes as he heads out the main gate.

I follow him closely while secretly looking back.

I exchange signals with Madam through eye contact.

While I walk around with him, Anna and Jeoksa will come to catch him.

“Ah, this feels nice. The night air…”

The guy strolled through the folk village like an old man, leisurely with his hands behind his back.

But unlike him, I’m only feeling anxious.

Walking quietly behind him with great tension.

He headed toward a secluded bamboo forest.

Diligently following him, we soon reached a dead end.

Then…

“Miss, how long did you say you’ve been working at the restaurant?”

“Um… one week, my lord.”

“One week…”

He slowly turned around to look at me.

The man’s appearance wasn’t much different from when I first saw him.

But…

Somehow the atmosphere had become eerily heavy.

I feel like I’ve felt this before…

As if to confirm that feeling, the man speaks.

“You’re not really an employee of the bar, are you?”

“What..? I am an employee. Look, I’m even wearing a hanbok…!”

I lost my historical drama tone due to panic.

But the man smiled as if such speech patterns no longer mattered.

“Ilhwa Bar has rules.”

“Pouring drinks for customers can happen.”

“Breaking character can happen too.”

He gradually approaches me.

Frightened, I begin to back away slowly.

However…

Soon, hunters I’ve never seen before start rushing in through the path I came from.

They definitely didn’t look friendly.

“But they never, ever follow customers outside.”

The target pulled out a vicious dagger.

At that, the hunters also raised their sharp weapons in unison.

“Now, would you tell me who you are? Why you approached me.”

The man’s blade gradually moves closer to my neck.

I closed my eyes tightly, trembling.

Why did I get involved?

I should have just stayed in the penthouse when Jeoksa tried to stop me…

I regret it so much.

I leaned against the wall, seemingly resigned to the approaching blade.

But…

The knife that was coming toward my neck suddenly stopped.

Thanks to that, I half-opened my eyes to assess the situation.

“…!”

As I understand the situation before me, the corners of my mouth turn up.

Then I shouted loudly.

“Jeoksa…! Anna!”

Jeoksa in a black kimono with red flowers painted on it.

Anna in a tight black silk dress.

The two of them grabbed the target’s arms on either side.

And they said firmly in unison.

“You shouldn’t touch what belongs to others.”