episode_0047

“Sigh… Thank you again today, bartender unnie. Please take care until next time~”

“Yes, have a safe trip, customer. Will you be visiting us again?”

“Hehe, of course. Ahh… I think I can sleep well tonight…”

A working woman who let out all the accumulated dissatisfaction in her mind, then stepped forward to the cocktail bar with a relieved expression.

As I cleaned up the spot where the regular customer had just left, curiosity bubbling up inside me, I called over my colleague bartender.

“Juyeon.”

“Yes, unnie! Do you need anything?”

“No, I just got curious about something.”

“What is it?”

Upon hearing my question, Juyeon’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

Ignoring the slightly uncomfortable gaze, I voiced the question that had been on my mind.

“Why do customers, whether male or female, call me ‘nunim’ or ‘unnie’? Even though I feel much younger than my age…”

Feeling a bit disheartened due to our cocktail prices being higher than other places, most of our customers are not students but working professionals.

Judging by the melancholic aura they exude every time they enter the shop, it seemed like our customers were at least in their mid-twenties.

Even if I stopped any passerby and asked, they would likely say they were older than me.

I couldn’t understand why these people addressed me as ‘nunim’ or ‘unnie.’

“What should I say… Maybe it’s like being teased by a close older brother or sister?”

“Older brother or sister?”

“Oh, my mistake. Close older brother or sister. Anyway, I don’t understand why they do that.”

With a puzzled look on my face, Juyeon chuckled briefly and provided me with an answer.

“Well… perhaps you give off a somewhat mature vibe? You exude elegance and maturity, so people might naturally use such titles for you.”

“…Even though I feel like a nobody?”

“Hehe, that’s just my opinion. How could I know what others think?”

“Fair enough.”

Though I got an answer, the mystery remained unsolved.

Just as I was feeling frustrated by the unresolved sensation, a vampire patron I had been expecting finally entered the bar and took a seat in front of me.

I thought it would take about an hour, but it ended up being three hours before he arrived at the cocktail bar.

Apologizing for being late, he handed me the menu and I cautiously asked him a question.

“You took longer than expected. Did something happen during that short time?”

“I apologize. The master wanted to come here. I sweated bullets trying to dissuade him.”

“…Was he underage?”

“Yes. He has caused a lot of trouble already; we can’t afford more trouble here, can we?”

Answering in a gentle tone, he flashed a faint smile, perused the menu, and soon made his choice, ordering a Vodka Martini.

“I want to enjoy something I used to drink a lot when I was young. A Vodka Martini, please.”

“Shaken or stirred? Or maybe blended?”

“Haha, a Vodka Martini should definitely be shaken, right? Please shake it for me.”

Receiving his light-hearted joke with a chuckle, I slowly prepared the cocktail ingredients and began questioning him about things that piqued my curiosity.

“By the way, your Korean is very fluent for a customer. Have you lived in Korea before?”

“My wife was Korean. I fell in love at first sight when I visited, but I couldn’t convey my feelings, so I stubbornly learned the language.”

“You were quite the romantic.”

“I’ve heard that a lot. Hehe…”

Perhaps old memories were resurfacing in his mind.

With a wistful expression, Nosinsa picked up a bun that was served as an appetizer and momentarily gazed into the air.

It was inevitable not to disrupt the memory of that brilliant and beautiful moment.

Stepping back to allow the guest to savor the nostalgia, I made a cocktail.

In a shaker, I poured half an ounce of dry vermouth into half an ounce of vodka.

After adding ice and shaking until it cooled, I strained the cocktail into a cocktail glass.

Although it was a simple recipe that could be made in no time, I waited for Nosinsa to emerge from his memories before handing him the cocktail.

“Here is your ordered Vodka Martini. Please enjoy it at your leisure.”

“…I can’t remember how long it’s been since I had a drink. Well then, here goes nothing.”

Gulp.

Nosinsa brought the cocktail glass close to his lips, took a careful sip, savored the taste with an impassive face, and soon smiled with satisfaction.

“Oh… I never expected to have such an excellent Vodka Martini in such a remote place. It’s one of the best I’ve ever had.”

“I’m glad you like it. I was worried it might not suit your taste.”

“Haha, you should have more confidence. You seem to lack confidence compared to your skills.”

“Do I? Haha…”

Whether the compliment was empty or not, Nosinsa took another sip, then looked at me with crimson eyes, indicating he was ready to converse.

I returned the cocktail ingredients and shaker to their original places, then cautiously asked Nosinsa, “What brings you to Korea? Normally, you wouldn’t set foot in such a hellish environment willingly.”

“…The situation is a bit complicated. Hmm, I’m not sure where to start.”

“Take your time. We have plenty of time for cocktails and conversation.”

It might have been challenging to wait if it were a busy day, but fortunately, the cocktail bar was quieter and more relaxed than usual. I had already obtained permission from my other bartender colleagues, including Jaehyuk, so waiting was not a problem.

The empty bun plate of Nosinsa caught my attention. I filled the plate with buns and awaited his next words. Soon, Nosinsa slowly began his story.

“To put it briefly, the owner and I came here for two reasons.”

“One was to meet other kin, and the other was to conquer the world starting from this small country.”

“But you see…”

Rubbing his temples, the elder hesitated before speaking further.

I chuckled at his words, knowing the answer just by hearing about world domination and seeing his worried face.

Even though the old man persistently tried to explain reality, the child probably wouldn’t give up on his fantasy until the end.

Thinking of the vampire girl covered in dirt and sobbing, I opened my mouth with a bitter smile.

“You’re a fool, a very stubborn fool at that.”

“Don’t they say fools and geniuses are naturally stubborn? Even though I resisted so much, hmm…”

“So, what about that messy sight I saw earlier?”

“Due to hunger, I agreed with someone to bite them… Hmm, it’s horrifying just to think about it, so let’s leave it at that.”

“I see.”

…Doesn’t the smell of garlic wafting over within a 3-meter radius make you think, ‘Oh, this is dangerous’?

How foolish can that ‘owner’ vampire girl be?

I couldn’t understand how the splendid Nosinsa could assist such a foolish vampire girl, so I asked him with a quizzical look.

“Can you tell me how you ended up becoming a family member?”

“There isn’t any special reason. They were a kid from the next door whom I used to visit often, treating them kindly as usual, but then…”

“Oh my…”

“Haha, you don’t have to pity me. No matter what… it’s better than dying alone in solitude.”

Taking another sip of the alcohol in his cup, Nosinsa chuckled and continued speaking.

“But, the young lady is quite remarkable too. Living so nonchalantly in such a dangerous environment.”

“They say that if you steadily inject small amounts of poison like garlic juice, you build immunity, right? It’s about adaptation, you know.”

Living with a Korean who has garlic juice flowing instead of blood, practically being exposed to garlic almost 24 hours a day.

Living in such extreme conditions, wouldn’t it be strange not to develop immunity?

I looked at Nosinsa, furrowing my brows, then mischievously chuckled and made a joke.

“If you were to stay in Korea for two months, even you might end up like me. How about staying a bit longer this time?”

“I’ll pass. I’m not a masochistic pervert seeking pleasure in pain.”

…Well, it must be quite painful.

Feeling like every breath brings in pungent smoke instead of fresh air, who would want that anyway?

The joke fell flat, leading to a heavy silence settling in.

I wanted to dispel this awkward atmosphere as soon as possible, but unfortunately, things kept getting worse against my wishes.

“Oops, my hand slipped!”

Due to a mistake by the owner showing off his bartending skills in front of guests, a sharp piece of ice flew out and landed precisely between Nosinsa and me.

“…”

“…”

Elderly gentleman? Even if you stare holes through it, it won’t disappear.

I’m just like the vampires in your household.

…Thankfully, the ice incident was swiftly handled by the apologetic owner seeking forgiveness.

The silence that had settled between Nosinsa, the vampire guest, and me seemed reluctant to leave.

Perhaps, by now, the elderly gentleman might be thinking the same as me.

Vampires are indeed a cursed species.