How many times in life does a car stop while spewing smoke on a rainy highway? And with a handsome vampire in the back who laughed saying ‘the car must be quite old’ and enjoyed it. It was the perfect moment for the quote about wanting to hide in a mouse hole if there was one.
I called the insurance company to tow the broken-down car, caught a ride from the highway patrol that came in the meantime to exit the toll gate, and wished and wished to disappear like smoke while calling a taxi. Even if luck was bad, it couldn’t be this bad.
I mentally sighed recalling what had happened over the past 1 hour and 45 minutes. Then I glanced at Rashanin sitting on the luxury suite sofa. Fortunately, nothing happened while coming to the hotel in the taxi, and I was able to safely meet the Russian Embassy staff and Information Department’s Park Jeongho sunbae.
I let out a sigh of relief and looked at Rashanin and the people standing next to him. The appearance of the man sitting in the chair listening to reports was like the composition of an arrogant monarch and his subordinates.
An arrogant monarch.
As I slowly pondered the meaning inwardly, a bitter smile came out. Rather than arrogant, he was a person of power whose inside you couldn’t know.
Regarding the series of incidents that happened today, rather than getting angry or protesting, he actually enjoyed it.
‘It’s amazing how things go wrong like this.’
While avoiding the rain in the patrol office waiting for the taxi, Rashanin smiled and said something. It was my inferiority complex that made the words of the man whose raindrops on his hair looked like sparkling jewels sound like reproach.
Still, I pretended to be fine and bowed my head to apologize.
‘I’m sorry.’
‘It’s not something you should be sorry about. It’s not something you intended, and it’s just an unlucky day where unfortunate things happen consecutively. These days happen in life. Don’t you think?’
‘I can only be grateful that you understand.’
‘You, don’t people say you have a poker face?’
‘Pardon?’
I didn’t know what Rashanin was thinking, but I was sincerely grateful because he said these things could happen, so I was relieved. But the response I got was asking if I had a poker face. Unable to grasp his intent, I looked at Rashanin, and he burst into laughter.
‘See, even now. At a time like this, you should make a surprised expression asking what I’m talking about.’
‘…I cannot be rude to a VIP.’
‘So it’s official business.’
‘Yes.’
‘Still, isn’t it too much to only have a painted-on smile and an expressionless face? Even if you’re on guard. In this situation, you should show a more human reaction.’
For a moment, I was at a loss for words. As Rashanin said, I was being wary of and keeping my distance from him. Facing this vampire of great status whom I was seeing for the first time today, trying hard not to lose my composure was all I could do. But being pointed out for not showing human reactions didn’t feel good.
However, the reality was that I still couldn’t show bad feelings.
‘I’m sufficiently flustered. And my expressionless face is naturally like that, so I ask for your understanding.’
Things going wrong aside, I strangely felt caught by Rashanin, so I spoke as professionally as possible, but with a smile.
‘Not showing emotions outwardly, should I call it a talent?’
The word talent sounded unpleasant because my mood was twisted. Rashanin was smiling like a good person, but his purple eyes were continuously searching. As if gauging where and how I could be useful. Because it wasn’t a very pleasant feeling, I also observed him out of spite.
Rashanin was sitting in a patrol office chair and I was standing next to him. He looked up at me, and I looked down at him as we looked at each other.
Though we’d been together for over an hour, we’d never made eye contact at such close distance. Rashanin’s eyes were transparent purple mixed with light gray. His eyelashes were the same golden color as his hair. The harmony of purple and gold was fantastic.
Though it’s a childish expression, he was beautiful as if holding jewels. If I hadn’t been on guard from the start, if he hadn’t energized the surroundings saying he was looking forward to what would happen, I might have lost my wits for a moment.
How strange.
I shook my head to shake off that unfamiliar sensation from that time. I could acknowledge that he was a being with a special atmosphere, so handsome he was beyond handsome, enough to steal my gaze in an instant. However, seeing how he casually said things that got on people’s nerves unlike his good-person smile, his personality was clearly quite bad. Nevertheless, I found myself staring as if entranced.
Just as I was pondering the correlation between attractiveness level and favorability, Park Jeongho sunbae who came from the Information Department instead of Choi Seong-jin called me.
“Rashanin-ssi. Please take a look at the documents this person has brought. In Korea, we provide blood to distinguished guests visiting our country.”
At sunbae’s gesture, I pulled out the documents from my bag and held them out to Rashanin. The documents written in English contained a more detailed explanation of what Park Jeongho sunbae had just said. Vampires needed to drink blood regularly, but in Korea, there was no blood market where blood could be obtained.
To prevent vampires from other countries from obtaining blood through illicit means or attacking ordinary people, there was a service that provided blood free of charge.
As Rashanin, who had been carefully examining the documents, raised his head, our eyes met at close range. He was beautiful as expected, but this time I didn’t let my guard down.
“The Bureau does this kind of thing too?”
“Yes. That’s correct.”
I don’t know about other countries, but in Korea, this is done. It was because management was that good.
I thought he might be disappointed, but Rashanin just nodded without saying much and pushed the documents back toward me.
“I’m moved by your country’s consideration, but I won’t accept gifts I don’t need.”
“Pardon?”
At the same time as his words about not accepting the gift, countless thoughts crossed through my mind. How long can a vampire last without drinking blood? Where is he planning to get blood? Surely he’s not going to attack people, right?
It was inevitable that I imagined the worst-case scenario because of my job. As I felt the blood draining from my face, Rashanin chuckled as if reading my thoughts.
“You’re finally making a flustered expression.”
This human… No, this vampire is mocking me. Separate from my concerns, I was momentarily irritated by the man’s tone.
“I’ve tested before to see how long I can last without drinking blood, so don’t worry too much. Since this is an official visit, nothing unseemly will happen.”
“Then… what will you do?”
“No comment. It’s an external secret I can’t tell you law enforcers.”
It meant he would do something illegal to prevent anything unseemly from happening. I looked at Rashanin, who was laughing incredulously. I could clearly see the snake slithering over the wall, but if I touched it, it was obvious a commotion would arise, so I had to pretend not to see it.
It’s all good, and while working there are quite a few things you have to turn a blind eye to, but still, looking at the man’s face as he smiled gently with the corners of his eyes folded, I felt displeased. It was like the sensation of a fishing hook shallowly embedded in one side of my chest bothering me.
I’ve dealt with people with worse speech than Rashanin, but I’d never felt this bad—no, this strange before. Something felt really off, but this wasn’t the situation to nitpick about this and that. I sighed inwardly and glanced at Park Jeongho sunbae standing next to me. Sunbae, whose face had been pale the whole time, seemed to have nothing particular to say.
“Then it seems everything for today is finished. If you happen to need blood, you can contact this number.”
I held out my business card with the intention of wrapping up. Rashanin, who received the card, looked back and forth between the card and my face once, then smiled.
“Today was very impressive. I’ll look forward to whether the same strange coincidence as today will happen the next time we meet.”
“I’d like to pass on bad coincidences repeating. Then, I hope you have a pleasant time in Korea.”
It was still a nerve-grating remark, but I considered it a light joke from Rashanin and smoothly deflected it. After greeting him along with Park Jeongho sunbae, I left the guest room and walked down the corridor without saying much, then took the elevator. Only then did a sigh of relief come out. At the same time, Park Jeongho sunbae also let out a sigh.
“Ha, I really broke out in a cold sweat. There’s a reason they call him VN, VN.”
“Sunbae-nim?”
“Are you okay, Unhyuk-ssi? When our eyes met, I really got goosebumps all over.”
Park Jeongho sunbae’s voice as he spoke exaggeratedly trembled faintly, and his face was also stiff. He was my senior by 4 years and was famous for being aggressive and bold. That sunbae was afraid.
I’m not particularly dense either, so I did feel the man’s overwhelming atmosphere. Still, I didn’t think it was scary.
Rather, what kept bothering me was the man’s words and actions. It’s fine that he had no consideration for the other person or that he openly sneered. But something… The sensation fluttering chaotically in my head wasn’t easily grasped. I couldn’t catch a clue as to what was hidden behind that face smiling like a good person. It definitely wasn’t a good feeling.
After continuing my thoughts that far, I boldly stopped judging him. I wouldn’t see him again anyway, and even if I did, it wasn’t my concern.
After catching my breath for a moment, I lightly replied to sunbae who was waiting for an answer.
“I got goosebumps because he was too handsome. When he came out of the departure gate, I wondered if he was some model.”
“He is handsome. It’s like light is radiating from behind his head. But he doesn’t seem as prickly as he looks. I thought he’d say something.”
“He seems understanding, but still, you never know. If he smiles like that and then sends a letter of protest later, it’s the end.”
Sunbae said surely not, but the future was unknown to anyone.
that means you’re special~~