episode_0073

The sweltering heat of midsummer filled the air on the way home, drenched in sweat.

Upon arriving at his studio apartment, he quickly turned on the air conditioner, took a fast shower, and found Jaehyuk setting up the delivered chicken on the table.

Instead of the usual canned beer, Jaehyuk had laid out the ingredients to make a Moscow Mule on the table and swiftly went to wash up before heading into the bathroom.

About 7 minutes passed like this. The guy who quickly showered and emerged in no time sat in front of the table in his underwear.

“Phew… I feel like I can finally breathe now. Up until last summer, I could manage, but why is this summer so tough?”

“…It’s hot and humid, that’s why. But isn’t the temperature relatively low right now? Won’t it be real hell after the monsoon season ends?”

As Jaehyuk expressed shock at the lower temperature than expected after checking the weather online, the guy stared at his phone screen in disbelief for a while, then sighed and began mixing the Moscow Mule.

“Should I add a cinnamon stick? Oh, wait, you don’t like cinnamon, right?”

“Nah, not a fan. Leave it out.”

“Okay.”

With a simple cocktail recipe, the Moscow Mule was quickly prepared.

I accepted the glass he handed me, raised a toast, and slowly sipped the cocktail along with crispy chicken.

“Mmm…”

The fantastic texture made of crunchy fried coating and moist chicken meat.

In the harmonious blend of flavors that couldn’t possibly tire the palate, I voraciously indulged in the late-night snack.

Ending a tough day with such delicious food, how could one not feel happy?

Eating heartily and happily, the feeling of fullness gradually crept in.

Leaning back in my chair after eating chicken, enjoying a moment of lethargy, Jaehyuk, who had emptied his glass, spoke up.

“By the way, we’re going on a trip in three or four days.”

“Is that so?”

“Did Hye-eun contact you? At least she should tell us where we’re going, right? Why isn’t she saying anything?”

After hearing him, I checked the group chat.

There was indeed no information about the destination.

…What’s going on with Yi Hye-eun?

Even if they were a race with fewer constraints like orcs, impromptu trips for vampires were akin to extreme sports where one risks their life.

As a vampire whose goal is to live long and thin, I quickly started typing in the group chat.

[So, where are we going?]

[Just a heads up, absolutely no beach or valley trips]

[If we’re camping, we need to pick a place with decent facilities]

[And please, for the love of all that’s good, let’s book accommodation in advance]

[I don’t want unnecessary hassle…]_5:57 AM

After posting the message, I savored the seasoned chicken for a moment, and soon enough, my phone vibrated.

…Already getting a reply?

Isn’t Hye-eun usually a late riser since she goes to bed in the early hours?

With doubts in mind, I checked the group chat, only to find a response from Jung-hyun instead of Hye-eun.

Still, did this cursed woman Hye-eun even tell her boyfriend about the travel plans?

Jung-hyun briefly explained the destination and the plan.

[Seems like Hye-eun forgot to mention it…]

[For now, what’s been roughly decided is]

[https://glamping.com/…]

[We’re planning to glamp there for 2 nights and 3 days]

[As you can see when you click the link]

[Just bring clothes and your wallet, that’s all you need]

[If there’s anything you don’t like, let us know in advance]

[If not, we can always go with Plan B]_6:01 AM

Upon checking the link, the facilities seemed decent overall.

With plenty of things to do, it didn’t seem like we would get bored. So, I nodded and asked Jaehyuk for his opinion.

“What do you think?”

“About what, glamping?”

“Yeah, doesn’t it look pretty nice? It seems like it would be fun to barbecue and chat lightly while enjoying ourselves.”

Unlike us nocturnal creatures, those diurnal beings might not have much time to hang out together.

Wouldn’t just having some leisurely time together be enjoyable enough?

As we emptied our copper cups and waited for a response, the guy who had finished eating the chicken quietly spoke up.

“If I can relax and rest well, I’d be satisfied. I agree.”

Was it because of the refreshing air in the pleasant indoors and the satisfaction from eating delicious food?

He voiced his agreement in a rather gentle tone, roughly tidied up his spot due to fatigue, and headed straight for the bed.

“Toothbrushing?”

“Oh, right. Thanks. Almost forgot.”

Pointing out the forgotten item, Jaehyuk got up again, expressed gratitude, and went to the bathroom.

Watching him brush his teeth with a tired expression, I slowly started to tidy up the table.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

How hectic will this trip be after four years?

And how much fun will it be?

Anticipating the trip with only three days left, I finished another busy day as usual.

—–

“Phew… Vacation starts tomorrow? Where should we go… Is it in four days? Everyone did well, enjoy your vacation and come back refreshed. If you return looking exhausted, I’ll really let you rest forever, got it?”

“Yes, boss!”

After an uneventful and smooth day passed, just one day until the trip… No, just about 12 hours away.

Returning home to my studio apartment after work, we, dragging our tired bodies, calmly began packing.

According to Junghyun and Hyeeun, we only needed to pack some clothes and wallets, but still, isn’t it a long-awaited trip?

Hoping for a slightly more enjoyable journey, Jaehyuk and I pondered earnestly on what items to bring.

“We’ve packed clothes and underwear… Should we bring sunscreen? Or would you just give me a sip?”

“Just bring the sunscreen. My condition has just returned to normal now; what’s with just a sip.”

“Well, then, nothing we can do. Let’s put the sunscreen in the cooler… What else should we bring? How about some alcohol for camping?”

“Enjoying cocktails by the campfire doesn’t sound bad, right? Let’s just bring ingredients for mojitos. I drank Moscow Mule three days ago, so I don’t feel like having it now.”

“Okay, rum, mint, lime. And bring some soda… Hmm.”

Making every preparation for a high-quality trip.

Deciding that we had done everything necessary, we lay down on the floor to rest.

“Jaehyuk.”

“What?”

“They’re probably just coming along physically, right?”

“Well, Hyeeun will probably just show up without any plans… But Junghyun might be different, don’t you think?”

“Does he have that kind of flexibility? Well, considering four years ago, he might bring something.”

Of course, they might be useless items, but still.

Chuckling softly, I slowly got up.

Looking at the reservation details in the group chat, I spoke with a mischievous tone.

“By the way, leaving a tent that can accommodate four people and splitting into pairs… Doesn’t that seem too obvious?”

“Leave them be; maybe they just want to have a good time together. They’ve only been dating for a month now; how enjoyable could flirting be?”

“Well, they say the early stages of a relationship are the most fun. Oh, suddenly, I feel like teasing them. How about playing a truth game and messing around?”

“Try to handle the aftermath if possible. But I’m not particularly keen on recommending it.”

“…Tch, as long as it’s not a perfect reversal of roles, I can mock without worry.”

It’s tough to win against the angelic race even if you drink human blood.

Moreover, when that angel is a Korean who can be considered the nemesis of vampires, how could one possibly win?

At least with my immunity to garlic and crosses, there’s a slight chance of winning. Most vampires can’t even stand a chance against me without making a fuss, right?

They say there’s no other race as irrational as them, right? And Hye-eun, how did she become an angel for real?

The hypothesis that racial mutations occur in response to human desires has solidified as the current consensus, but I simply couldn’t accept that theory.

I can somewhat understand that there is a certain degree of causality.

In the stories of the different races I’ve encountered so far, I could definitely find reasons why they would become that race.

But.

What about me?

If it was in response to desire, why did I become a vampire?

And why couldn’t I maintain my original gender and ended up becoming a woman?

No matter how many times I rethink it, the racial mutation remains a mystery.

Even if I were to forcibly come up with reasons for the former, I could somewhat accept it.

However, no matter what reason is put forward for the latter, I couldn’t accept it.

“…No matter how you look at it, it just seems random.”

If I had truly responded to the desires of the mutant, I would have become a different race, not a vampire.

Perhaps an orc striving for power through endless training.

Or maybe a dragon seeking a peaceful life despite having anger management issues.

There wouldn’t have been the awkward situation of changing genders.

The more I think about it, the more I fall into a labyrinthine topic.

Not wanting to feel a headache before an enjoyable journey,

I cleared the puzzle that came to mind and lay down on the bed to get some sleep.

“I don’t know, it’ll be revealed someday.”

For now, let’s just think about the trip tomorrow.

After calming my excited heart,

I slowly began to lose consciousness.