「Does watching others eat fill your stomach when you’re not eating yourself?」
「I apologize.」
I apologized immediately because I had been staring rudely.
「It’s fine. More than that, as an extension of our earlier conversation, are you also interested in why I came to Korea?」
Rashanin, who brought up the topic again, didn’t seem to have an ordinary persistent personality. I had nothing else to say, and I was also genuinely curious, so I spoke honestly.
「It would be a lie if I said no.」
「Do you think it’s not for tourism?」
「If it were me, I would have gone to Japan or China. And if tourism was the purpose, but you’re not going to famous places and instead spending time on the streets, it’s worth suspecting your intentions.」
「Oh? You know that I’ve been spending time on the streets. Did you tail me?」
「I received reports. From the residents of the night that I’m in charge of.」
According to the Director, it seemed they had tailed him and Rashanin seemed to know that fact, but since it had nothing to do with me, I pretended not to know.
「Ah. I did see them a few times.」
「So what’s the reason you came to Korea?」
I asked straightforwardly, meaning don’t beat around the bush.
「Tourism is correct. More precisely, vacation.」
「Va…cation? Korea is hard to see as a vacation spot. For a vacation, wouldn’t countries like Switzerland or Italy be better?」
「There’s strong territorialism there.」
Europe had many old vampires, and they still had a strong sense of territory. It would be difficult for someone like Rashanin, who was around VN level, to visit territories ruled by other vampires for vacation purposes, let alone a nobody.
So he chose Korea. I got the answer, but I couldn’t take it at face value, and it wasn’t just because of conspiracy theorist Seong-jin’s influence.
Looking into Rashanin’s clean purple eyes, I sighed inwardly.
「Then how are you planning to spend your time? If vacation is the purpose, wouldn’t somewhere more secluded than Seoul be good too?」
「Could you say that again?」
「I asked how you’re planning to spend your time.」
「Your pronunciation isn’t very good. You’ll need to practice a lot.」
My face heated up because of Rashanin pointing out my bad pronunciation with a calm expression. Damn it. You’re worse for demanding native pronunciation from a Korean. It’s enough if you can understand. I opened my mouth while swallowing the curses flowing out in streams.
「Shouldn’t you only think such things in your mind?」
「Don’t think about character issues, think of it as me being kind to you. You were able to reconsider your abilities.」
That’s why I’m saying you shouldn’t express such thoughts out loud. I held back the urge to shout. To say such hateful words with that clean face. That’s why you look even more detestable.
「I’m asking for the third time if there’s anywhere you want to go. Rashanin-ssi.」
It felt like I’d lose if I got angry here. So I deliberately pointed out in a gentle tone that I was asking the same thing three times.
「There’s nowhere I particularly want to go.」
「You called me as a guide, didn’t you?」
If he really called me just to have dinner, I was prepared to write a written apology and, like commonly shown in dramas, splash the wine I was drinking on his handsome face.
「Rather than a guide, it would be more correct to say I need a human.」
「I don’t quite understand what you mean.」
「I need a living human.」
What Rashanin’s words meant flashed through my mind. A vampire wanting a living human.
Just as I was about to get goosebumps, Rashanin burst into pleasant laughter.
「Don’t get ahead of yourself. It’s fine that you have a good head, but you’re rushing too much toward negative thoughts.」
「It’s an occupational habit.」
I couldn’t help that my answering voice trembled slightly because I was too surprised.
「I understand.」
「Don’t just understand, I’d appreciate it if you’d explain why you need one so I don’t misunderstand.」
「Breathing, moving, talking, I need that.」
Rashanin’s pleasant-sounding voice echoed emptily. A living human who breathes, moves, and talks. I felt strangely peculiar. Most of all, it was even more so because unlike the content of his words, Rashanin wore an indifferent expression.
「Dogs are loyal, but they can’t be a conversation partner like you.」
The peculiar feeling shattered completely. Better than a dog.
「It’s hard to take that as a compliment.」
「It is a compliment. There are almost no conversation partners as excellent as you.」
Rashanin seemed sincere, but I was a bit bewildered. I had never heard that I was good at talking. Even in my own opinion, I wasn’t eloquent and was rather direct.
I sighed and glared at the scallop dish the waiter was setting. While we talked, soup and bread with foie gras on top and fish dishes came out one after another. The taste was decent enough. But the portions came out small, and because I was focused on the conversation, I often couldn’t tell if the food was going into my mouth or my nose.
I stabbed my fork deep into the white scallop and put it in my mouth. The chewy yet soft texture and sweet taste were exquisite.
「Then when does the work start?」
「Tomorrow. You can decide the place and time as you like. However, I don’t like moving to multiple places in one day. It’s fine to sit in one place for a long time, so priority should be on places where I can see many people.」
Rashanin stated the conditions smoothly as if he had thought about it beforehand. I had conditions too.
「Then I’ll set the schedule and coordinate with Rashanin-ssi.」
「Good.」
「However, the daily schedule must end at 6 o’clock. And I rest on weekends unless there’s something special.」
「Of course you should rest on weekends, but why 6 o’clock?」
「I have to leave work. My normal working hours are from 9 AM to 6 PM.」
I deliberately spoke firmly. After negotiations with Department Head Kim Cheol-jin, I decided to receive hazard pay and even travel expenses, but I still had no desire to work overtime.
Once swept up by Rashanin, it was obvious I wouldn’t be able to rest even past 6 o’clock like today.
「Commuting. That would be troublesome.」
「Yes.」
I deliberately didn’t mention that the goshiwon and the hotel were closer than expected. Rashanin tilted his head briefly, then grinned.
「I have a good idea. How about commuting from this place?」
「…?!」
「If we get a separate room. No, there’s one guest room, so it would be better to use that. Of course we’ll respect privacy, and I’ll bear all the costs, so don’t worry.」
It was a good idea, but I absolutely didn’t want to do that. I hurriedly shook my head.
「That’s not possible.」
「Why?」
「It’s official business. Please understand.」
「I told you before, I’m not used to being rejected.」
Rashanin showed a threatening smile. When I rejected his dinner invitation last Saturday too, the man had said the same thing. And he put pressure on the Russian embassy to designate me as a guide and arranged this meeting.
Even if I rejected it now saying it was impossible because of official business, if the man pulled strings, it was only a matter of time before orders came down from above.
「Those who are wondering what I’m doing here would welcome this proposal very gladly, wouldn’t they? Isn’t that so?」
A sigh came out naturally. Damn it, what’s so persistent about him really.
「You’re being tyrannical.」
「That’s my personality. I won’t force you. I’ll just coerce you.」
「How is this not forcing? Weren’t you the one who designated me as a guide, Rashanin-ssi?」
Coercing but not forcing. Where is there such nonsense? Besides, how is this not forcing? With my surging feelings, I pointed out each thing. Then Rashanin laughed out loud pleasantly.
「I did designate you. But I clearly conveyed that they should ask your opinion. That you could refuse if you didn’t like it. Of course this time will be the same.」
「Do you… think I have a choice in this?」
「It’s not my situation, is it?」
Rashanin, who said it wasn’t his situation, deliciously ate the pink sherbet the waiter brought. I didn’t feel like eating.
Though we had only met three times, I could tell he wasn’t a man who would lie. He certainly would have said it was okay to refuse. But if the other party was a Korean civil servant, those words wouldn’t work. Seeing him say that so openly while knowing that, his personality must really be bad.
I was firmly on guard not to be fooled by his smiling face, but it turned out I had been properly bitten by a mad dog.
「I’ll do as you wish. Since I need to gather my things, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.」
Rashanin nodded saying good. I was so upset I downed my wine. I had thought about it many times, but since meeting this man, things had been getting strangely twisted.
Additionally, emotional consumption was severe in strange ways. I was worried whether I could even guide him well like this, or if we’d just fight all the time.
