episode_0118

Jisoo stares blankly at the sight before her.

The cake that was supposed to be eaten together was spread out on the table.

And the culprit behind this mess is…

“That, that…”

My cheeks were swollen shut and I looked at my sister with a puzzled expression.

A handful of cake slices.

Even the cream that was all over her lips.

Anyone can see that he was caught red-handed.

“I was just trying to get a taste, but…”

I couldn’t stand the sweet smell coming from the bread.

I licked the back of my hand in despair.

Then my older sister approached me carefully.

And without saying anything, he just hugged me warmly.

A fragrant fruity scent wafts from my sister.

I just held her, afraid that the cream on my hands might touch her.

“I’m sorry… I don’t think the medicine has taken effect yet.”

“It’s okay. It’s just a cake…”

My sister looked down at me warmly.

Seeing the brass eyes up close made me feel strange.

“She’s cute, like a little sister.”

The strange feeling disappeared with one word from my sister.

younger sister…?

I wanted to somehow show the mature Do-Hyeon from his days…

It makes me feel so bad to be treated like a pet.

My older sister, who didn’t know how I felt, reached out to wipe the cream off my cheek.

I turned my head away, not wanting to allow that touch.

“I’ll clean it myself…”

This theory won’t work.

I don’t want to show my sister this girly side of me.

I jumped up from my seat.

And then I walk leisurely to the veranda.

“Where are you going?”

“I only ate the cake, so it was gritty.”

I tried to lower my voice and spoke calmly.

From now on, I’ll only show you my adult side.

In a way, this body is also an adult in its own right.

I opened the box in the corner of the veranda.

Inside it…

Before I stormed the lab, I had prepared some potions for emergency use.

Among them, there were some that could not be used because they had no killing power or debuffs.

I took the potion and returned to the living room.

“Let’s have a drink.”

“Uh… I’m fine, but Siho, are you okay with it now?”

“What’s my status?”

I asked, sniffling.

Then my older sister glances at my fox ears.

“You’re a fox.”

“No…!”

Her firm words made my face burn.

I say this confidently, opening the potion.

“This is just an ear, but the body is that of a fully functioning adult?”

Fox ears flap from side to side.

Then Jisoo opened her eyes sheepishly, as if she didn’t trust him at all.

“Okay-.”

“Really…”

I poured another potion elegantly into a glass.

The golden liquid is gently poured into a clear glass.

Then the fragrant scent of almonds fills the whole house.

Rating: ★★★★★

Effect: Instantly restore 50% of your Stamina. Permanently increase your Will by 5.

Information: An extreme Old Fashioned created after much thought during the heyday of Siho. It is very expensive because it uses ‘Johnnie Walker King George’ whiskey.

“Wow… What on earth is this scent? It’s so delicious…”

“One of my masterpieces.”

I confidently handed the glass to her.

“Now, shake the glass like this and drink it.”

I shook the golden wine with an elegant hand gesture.

Then my older sister also started to imitate my movements while fidgeting.

“How is it, the scent is getting stronger? This is swirling.”

“Ah…”

“Mixing oxygen and alcohol maximizes the flavor and makes the taste richer…. Richness…”

My older sister snickered as she watched me chattering away to myself.

It’s like looking at a fox with its nose up high, pretending to be present.

I was upset by that sight, so I drank my glass heartily.

Because it is made into a potion, the alcohol content has been reduced by about 20 degrees, so it has a smooth finish.

“Ugh-.”

He frowned like an old man.

At this point, I guess I’m a bit of a manly man?

“How are you, are you okay?”

“Hmm-.”

My older sister also followed me and sipped her glass.

With a slightly suspicious look in his eyes.

but.

Up until now, I’ve only been getting 1-2 star victory reports, so it’s quite suspicious.

but.

This Old Fashioned is something I made with my skills at the time, which were highly praised even at the Academy Awards.

“…”

My sister pursed her smooth lips.

Soon her expression brightened, all doubt disappearing.

“Wow… This is really delicious.”

“Is this the best thing I’ve ever had in my life?”

I closed my eyes and enjoyed her compliments.

Yeah, I had a time when I was the best bartender ever.

“Sweet almond scent to a subtle fruity taste. Various flavors blended into one.”

Her golden eyes sparkle.

Indeed, as expected from a self-proclaimed heavy drinker, his taste evaluation is also detailed.

“I made this before I lost my ability.”

“Ability…?”

“To be exact, before I was caught by Rep. Park and ended up like this.”

“Ah…”

My sister’s expression soon turns sour at the fact that I’m ruined because of her.

She put down the Old Fashioned she was drinking with relish and placed both hands on her knees.

“I’m sorry. I was trying to save you…”

“It’s okay, since you’ve already lost your bartender license when you’ve been poisoned anyway.”

I tried to comfort her while drinking the potion.

It was something I chose myself in the first place.

All I had to do was forget everything and just live happily with Anna and the enemy.

The moment I saw my sister trapped in the glass case, I was shaken.

“Like now, I’m happy to have lost everything and get another chance to bartend.”

But, despite my words, my older sister couldn’t shake off her feelings of guilt.

Her eyes are shaking.

My sister went back to the look in her eyes from the past, when they had partied together.

And asks:

In a sorrowful voice.

“Why did you go to such lengths to rescue me?”

“Yes…?”

Her question made the drunkenness that had been building up disappear.

I just blankly look at my sister.

When I couldn’t answer, my sister pressed her face closer to me.

And then he asks with a very sad expression.

“Is it related to Dohyun?”

“…”

“Siho, you said you’d tell me anything if I escaped.”

“…”

“Please tell me now…”

My sister’s breath became so close.

Smooth skin and brown hair.

I turned my head away and kept my mouth shut.

I don’t know.

What on earth should I say now?

I only thought about saving her, I didn’t think about revealing to my older sister that I was Do-hyeon.

What on earth should I do…

「—.」

The moment I opened my mouth somehow.

The sound of the front door opening can be heard from the hallway.

“Okay, just a moment…”

Thanks to that, I was able to postpone my answer for a moment.

Who is it…?

Only the landlady and I know the door lock of our house…

While hesitating for a moment.

Someone takes off their clanking shoes and leisurely walks into the living room.

Shiny black hair.

A mature perfume smell.

Even her long body is the complete opposite of mine.

The enemy glances at me with his suit jacket slung over his shoulder.

I was pierced by those eyes and immediately got up.

And he hurried over and took her jacket.

“What, how did you get my house number?”

“Somehow it happened.”

Her red eyes stare down at me.

Soon the woman was caressing my crown with her hand mischievously.

The fox’s ears twitched back and forth.

Thanks to that, I got dizzy too.

“Cute.”

Her face was a little redder than usual.

Did you drink alcohol?

This is a big deal.

A drunk enemy is really scary…!

“What, you made a cake to celebrate your escape?”

She glances down at the dog-legged statue with half-open eyes.

I muttered while looking at the enemy’s expression.

“Ugh…”

Long fingers touch my round cheek.

Soon she absentmindedly wiped the cream off of me.

Taste the cream on your fingers.

The enemy half-closed his eyes, perhaps because he liked the taste.

“What were you two talking about?”

“Just… an old story.”

Then the enemy glances at his older sister.

Even though we’ve been on rescue missions together, it seems like my older sister still feels awkward with the enemy.

She folds her hands politely and looks at the ranker.

Well… Rankers aren’t the type of people that are easy to approach.

The enemy sat comfortably on the living room floor as if it were his own home.

And he asks me with his arms crossed.

“That’s an old story… Does that mean you’ve known each other for a long time?”

My spine feels chilled by the persistent questions I receive.

What should I do… This is going to get really complicated if I try to explain it.

As if responding to the enemy’s question, Sister Jisoo also looks up at me earnestly.

The enemy looks down at Jisoo with indifferent red eyes.

Jisoo swallowed hard, feeling nervous at those eyes.

“Actually, I…”

Two choices are swirling around in my head like crazy.

I have to choose one of them.

One is to reveal all the facts and humbly accept their reactions.

The other one is to hide all of this and suffer alone for the rest of their lives.

The whole living room becomes quiet.

And after much thought, I finally opened my mouth.

“I’m Do-Hyeon oppa’s younger sister.”

“…”

In the end, I lied again.

I wanted to twist my lips, hating the lies that came out without me knowing.

“I see…”

Now, as if all the puzzle pieces had finally fallen into place, my sister smiled bitterly.

However, compared to her, the enemy’s expression is mysterious.

“Who is Dohyun?”

The red eyes of the ranker glared at me as if they were going to pierce me.

He lowered his head and muttered to avoid the scary gaze.

“You are my real brother…”

“I heard Dohyun had a younger sister before, and it was you.”

My sister extended her trembling hand to me.

Soon her soft hands caress my cheek.

However, the enemy was still looking at the figure with a mysterious look in his eyes.

As if he knew something.

“…”

Why, why are you doing that…

I’ve never told my family history to my enemy, so he probably doesn’t know.

“…”

The enemy stood up for a moment.

“I’ll go have a smoke.”

She walked leisurely to the veranda.

I look at his back anxiously.

One thing I’ve noticed from hanging out with the enemy all along is that she has a habit of smoking whenever something complicated happens.

I wonder if you really had such a ‘headache’ after hearing my answer.

I also quickly got up from the floor.

And I followed her with anxious steps.

“Red death…”

She stands absentmindedly on the railing in a white shirt.

Her white skin and decadent eyes are so beautiful.

I stared intently into those eyes.

“Why did you come out when it’s cold? I’ll go in soon.”

She quickly dusted off the cigarette ash.

And as if to be considerate of me, he put out his cigarette, which was not even half-lit, by pressing it down.

“No, just…”

“Is there anything that bothers you among what I said?”

She hit my nail on the head.

He pursed his lips and rubbed his long canines with his tongue.

“Your only biological family is your older sister.”

“I knew it…”

“Looking at how he’s hiding it by lying, it seems like he and that girl named Jisoo have a complicated past.”

My heart is pounding.

Maybe the enemy already knows everything except my last secret, which is Do-hyeon.

If she knew I was a man…

Will you still love me like this then?

You might hate it, saying it’s disgusting like 09.

I looked up at her with a gloomy face.

Surely the enemy will ask me about my dark secret.

but.

The red eyes of the enemy I met neither forced the truth upon me nor questioned my lies.

He just looked at me with a worried look in his eyes.

“It’s okay, when you feel better, just tell me.”

“No matter what you were, now you’re just a cute little bartender.”

The enemy stroked the tip of my nose with his finger.

The pungent smell of cigarette smoke almost made me sneeze.

“…”

“What, are you touched by now?”

The Ilsim executive chuckled and tickled the tip of my chin.

Then, I, who hated being treated like an animal, turned my head violently.

“No, my eyes were just burning from the smell of cigarettes.”

“Pretending to be strong.”

The enemy took off the slippers he was wearing.

And then he opened the veranda door and said.

“Let’s go, Sihoya.”

“Yeah…”

I followed her back with lighter steps.

Posthumous name.

Yeah, I’m not Do-hyun now.

He’s just a regular bartender named Siho.