Rashanin blamed the alcohol. Though it was the alcohol’s fault as he said, I didn’t want to be criticized by the one who caused it.
“In Korea, there’s a saying that even a dog isn’t bothered while eating.”
“Aren’t you being too conscious of me?”
Rashanin laughed out loud, seeming amused. After what happened last night, it would be stranger not to be conscious of him.
“No matter what, last night won’t disappear. Unhyuk.”
The hand about to lift the coffee cup hesitated. As Rashanin said, last night won’t disappear. Unless I erase it from my memory.
I gathered courage, raised my head, and looked at Rashanin.
“Can’t we pretend it didn’t happen?”
“As if it didn’t happen?”
“Or as I mentioned earlier, how about changing to another agent?”
“Do you dislike me that much?”
Even as he asked that, Rashanin smiled subtly. He seemed convinced that I didn’t dislike him. Right, I didn’t dislike him. But I disliked him for demanding something troublesome of me.
“I dislike you constantly forcing me. I shouldn’t get close to a client in this way.”
“How sensible. But if you’re uncomfortable, we can consider it as if it didn’t happen.”
“……?”
“I can just seduce you again anyway. I quite like you. You can refuse if you dislike it. But you like me too. Don’t you?”
I didn’t know whether to call this overflowing confidence or arrogance. Though what he said was true, it was still frustrating that I couldn’t stop my face from turning red at his words saying he liked me. I don’t know why I can’t be shameless.
“The world is full of beautiful women.”
Instead of asking why me, I pointed out that there were many better beauties than me in the world. If the accomplished man before me wanted, he could spend a pleasant night with a young lady as beautiful as a flower. I couldn’t understand with my head why he liked me and tried to seduce me.
“Why? Am I not beautiful? Though it’s bragging, isn’t this a face that could receive praise for being beautiful anywhere?”
“No, that’s not it, I mean I’m not beautiful.”
I corrected Rashanin’s words, which completely misunderstood what I said. Of course, he was handsome enough to receive praise for being beautiful a hundred times over. And while I wasn’t ugly, I wasn’t as accomplished as Rashanin either. Why did he like me? As if hearing my silent cry, Rashanin burst into laughter.
“You’re attractive enough too.”
Something caught in my chest, making me cough and pat my chest. Still, Rashanin only laughed.
“Your face turns red then pale, it’s amusing.”
“Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not teasing, I’m sincere. You don’t know your own charm well. You can have confidence. I wouldn’t have seduced you otherwise.”
I don’t know how far this vampire intends to go. Beyond getting goosebumps, even my ears burned.
“You’re too rigid and stiff. You should know how to enjoy yourself.”
“You know this is troublesome, don’t you?”
“I know. A man, official duty, and besides there are many watching eyes.”
“Why are you doing this when you know?”
Just to enjoy it, the risk was too great. If caught by superiors, not only would I be fired, but it could be a problem that could bury me socially. Everything I’d built up until now would collapse in one blow.
“Isn’t it fine if we don’t get caught?”
“……”
I lost even the energy to respond to such a clear answer.
“It’s been a very long time since I wanted something, and thus felt motivated. So won’t you help me?”
I kept feeling like I was being drawn into Rashanin’s pace. Thinking further conversation would be useless, I politely requested him to leave.
“Won’t you help me eat properly by leaving, Mr. Rashanin?”
“Fine. I’ll leave, so eat comfortably.”
Rashanin, who had only been smiling, got up from his seat and entered his room. The moment I confirmed the door closed, I wiped my burning face with my hand. What makes that damn vampire so confident?
I didn’t think Rashanin would grant my request anyway. My lifeline was the Department Head. I planned to cling to the Department Head with tears and snot flowing, saying I couldn’t do it because the noble vampire kept hitting on me, a man, asking to be replaced.
With my mind working like that, I picked up the half-cold coffee cup.
*
Your mental state is screwed up. Did you oversleep even when you were in the military? You’re the type who’d sleep sprawled out even during a war. It was good for one’s mental health to let the predictable and trite nagging of a workplace superior go in one ear and out the other. Of course, I had made enough mistakes to deserve the nagging.
If there was one thing Department Head Kim Cheol-jin was strict about despite being generally lenient in many ways, it was breaking appointment times. No matter how much Rashanin had twisted my nose with alcohol, the Department Head couldn’t tolerate me sleeping sprawled out until noon, and he went on nagging with a ghostly face for quite a while.
I admit my mistake. However, even if I was in the wrong, it wasn’t intentional, so when the nagging repeats, one ends up feeling unfairly treated. No, I really was treated unfairly. Half the reason I overslept in the morning was Rashanin’s fault, yet only I had to listen to the nagging—it was unfair. On top of that, I couldn’t even confess the full story of what happened because I felt wronged, which made it even more unfair.
Fortunately, it seemed nothing too dangerous was caught on the surveillance team’s footage, as the Department Head didn’t grill me on what I had done.
Only after hanging my head low and enduring all of the Department Head’s nagging was I able to make my report. Department Head Kim Cheol-jin also agreed that Rashanin didn’t have a separate purpose for coming to Korea. Boredom was a disease that could kill not only people but vampires as well. Still, given Rashanin’s position, the order to continue monitoring him to prevent any rash behavior remained unchanged.
Just before I bowed and left, I mustered up the courage at the last moment and tattled that Rashanin kept making sexual advances.
“Even if it’s work, I can’t do this. Please replace me with someone else.”
The Department Head looks surprised at my plea to be replaced with someone else.
“Is he gay?”
“It seems so. There isn’t a shadow of a woman around him, is there.”
“True… So he’s making advances on you?”
“Yes. And the way he offered me drinks yesterday… Can’t you do something about it?”
I put on an appropriate acting performance of struggling. The Department Head wrinkles his face. He clicks his tongue saying “Well, this is…”, but doesn’t say he’ll replace me with another agent. It was a bad sign.
“Department Head. I really can’t do this.”
“You’re getting hazard pay.”
“Is that the same as this?”
“Even if he makes advances, you can just push him away. You did it before.”
Not knowing how serious the situation was, the Department Head spoke carelessly. I had received a proposal from a male vampire before. Of course, I rejected it without any major issues. But Rashanin persistently and passionately provokes people without caring even when told no. Plus, he was about a hundred times more handsome and charming.
“Department Head, just imagine it yourself. Would you like it if that damn vampire made advances saying he likes you?”
With a “go ahead and try” mentality, I gave an outrageous example. The Department Head seems to dislike it too, as he wrinkles his face even more than before.
“I understand how you feel, but you know the request came from above. If they say no, it’s no.”
“What about a business trip, or at the very least, sick leave? I’m prepared to break a leg.”
When I was young, I broke my leg once, and it was painful, inconvenient, and troublesome beyond measure. Still, if it meant getting away from Rashanin, I didn’t care either way.
“Put that kind of determination into doing your job properly.”
“Department Head.”
“Don’t think about breaking a perfectly fine leg, just reject him well.”
Does that work according to my will? When he’s making advances in earnest. When saying no doesn’t work. I held back from shouting and drooped my shoulders, making a pitiful expression. The Department Head was weak to this sort of thing, so it was sure to work.
“I’m begging you. I really can’t live like this. Please?”
“Fine. I’ll look into it, so stop and go on out.”
The Department Head waved his hand as if shooing away something bothersome. Having failed to achieve my objective, I left the Department Head’s office with my shoulders still drooping.
Despite it being well past quitting time, quite a few agents were sitting at their desks waiting for me. It was the first time I was stopping by the office since taking on Rashanin’s guide work, and since a big incident had blown up on Friday, everyone seemed to have a lot of curiosity.
Did you two really fight hitting each other? They say it was terrifying. I saw the footage but couldn’t tell how you were moving. I heard you got hurt, are you okay? Is it okay to be discharged already? Our youngest, you almost became a bachelor ghost. But that lady was really beautiful, how was she in person? Is she really the Grand Duke of Saxony’s daughter? How much did you drink that you couldn’t get up in the morning?
I was giving appropriate answers to the pouring questions when I had to leave because the Department Head yelled asking if we weren’t going home. There were many offers to have dinner together, but I declined saying a VIP was waiting and promised next time.
On my way out of the office, Deputy Manager Choi Ji-sook, who accompanied me, said I looked much better after changing clothes.
