Out of all the contacts I received, why did I have to pick a guy like this.
Since I was the one who called him out, it didn’t seem polite to sigh openly, so I just seethed internally.
In the first place, the other guy was the one who threw manners out the window by recommending a host bar job to someone he’d just met today, but whatever.
“That doesn’t really suit me.”
“Ah, have you done it before?”
The man’s eyes narrowed a bit more.
Why would he interpret it that way? He seemed like the type who heard only what he wanted to hear. I’d never see this bastard again after today, but I didn’t want to be misunderstood for no reason.
I’d let all sorts of rumors circulate wildly at the Center because it was annoying to deal with them, and hadn’t those rumors solidified as if they were fact?
No matter how recklessly I was living with a set death date, I’d rather go through the hassle of correcting things than remain in that bastard’s memory as a host bar player. Even the dead have something like honor.
“No. I’m just not good at catering to others. And I’m not desperate for money.”
Even as Yoon Kihyun muttered words to correct the host bar manager’s misunderstanding, he found himself pathetic. It was because his petty pride—saying he wasn’t desperate for money when he’d set a death date precisely because he had no money—felt shabby.
But thinking about it, it wasn’t entirely wrong either. Should I say it was half right, half wrong?
I was going to die anyway, so having a bit more money now wouldn’t change much. It would just mean more money to blow through in a day, making things more annoying.
“Our bar’s guys make decent money, you know. Hmm…”
The man discreetly looked Yoon Kihyun over. His face was undeniably a rare A-grade, and looking closely at what he was wearing, while the designs weren’t flashy, they were all luxury brands.
Ah, did I pick the wrong person?
His mouth tasted bitter, but he felt lingering regret. Various types of people worked at his bar.
There were employees living rock-bottom lives, and plenty of guys from wealthy families who’d gone astray and drifted into the entertainment industry.
“I really think Kihyun-ssi would become our bar’s ace. It’s a shame, really.”
“Is that so?”
Yoon Kihyun smiled crookedly, then suddenly became curious.
Just how much do they make for him to be this confident with someone he just met?
After downing his drink, he asked the man, who still had his chin propped up, how much they made. The man leaned forward as if revealing some great secret and whispered in his ear.
“Oh.”
“Not bad, right?”
Not bad my ass. He was surprised it was worse than expected. A host bar ace’s earnings were less than the monthly salary Yoon Kihyun received for working like a dog at the Center.
While thinking that guides weren’t classified as a high-income profession for nothing, he also wondered how other people managed treatment costs that he couldn’t handle even with such a salary.
Even with insurance, rare and incurable diseases wouldn’t be covered by such insurance…
“Of course, without nominations it’s better to do package loading and unloading. But Kihyun-ssi, you’ve got this going for you.”
The man made cheap gestures pointing at his face.
Is this a compliment or an insult…? Should I be happy that I have a face that could work even in a host bar?
Yoon Kihyun pondered slightly as he buried his lips in his glass. It was absurd that he was hearing this from someone he’d called out just to drink with in the first place.
“Anyway, you have plenty of time to think, so contact me if you’re curious.”
When Yoon Kihyun’s silence seemed like it would drag on, the man smiled with his eyes and subtly created distance. Watching him arbitrarily take the bottle and fill the empty glass with an indifferent expression, Yoon Kihyun sneered internally.
‘I don’t have time, you bastard. I’m going to die at the end of the month, what host bar?’
It was just a profession he’d never thought about before that popped up and made him curious, but he didn’t want to do that kind of work while drinking.
Though he didn’t know much about it, to be among the higher earners at a host bar, unwholesome activities would obviously be essential, and he wasn’t inclined toward that either.
Besides, was there any medication treatment in the world that could coexist with alcohol consumption? At least as far as Yoon Kihyun knew, there wasn’t.
‘This is killing the taste of alcohol, just leave already.’
Yoon Kihyun leaned back against the backrest indifferently. At the gesture that clearly showed his interest had cooled, the man made a few more comments about trivial topics before standing up, saying it seemed like something came up at the bar and he had to go.
Still seeming regretful, he babbled that he’d wait for Yoon Kihyun’s contact until then.
‘Contact my ass. As if I’ll contact you again.’
Yoon Kihyun scowled and started drinking in earnest.
After continuing to drink heavily for a while, when he suddenly came to his senses, a man was sitting next to Yoon Kihyun. He was a guy who looked obviously young.
‘Who was he again? Ah, the table-sharer.’
Fumbling through his tipsy memories, he was the guy who’d come asking if it was okay to share tables since drinking alone was boring.
He’d accepted since drinking alone wasn’t fun either, and he vaguely remembered talking about various things and drinking until now.
“Wow, it’s so fascinating that Kihyun-ssi is a guide.”
Did I blab even that much? Anyway, once alcohol got in, my mouth got loose—big problem.
It seemed that since deciding to live recklessly after setting a death date, even his mouth had become freewheeling. Kihyun exhaled softly and picked up a snack to eat.
“I quit now.”
“You told me that earlier.”
Ah, did I? Yoon Kihyun nodded and chuckled. He felt embarrassed and a bit awkward, having apparently spilled more than he thought.
“Um… do you want to move somewhere and have another drink with me?”
The man suggested as if testing the waters. Based on the face that looked quite decent even in the dim bar lighting and the memories that surfaced sporadically, the conversation had been fairly enjoyable.
He was also a much better companion compared to that bastard who’d been spouting host bar player suggestions.
When Kihyun showed signs of briefly considering it, the man shrugged his shoulders slightly and tossed out another option.
“Or we could go somewhere else, I’m good with that too.”
Look at this?
Yoon Kihyun glanced at the man who was giving off fresh-faced vibes. When their eyes met, the way he smiled suggestively made it obvious he had other intentions.
“Do you want to sleep with me?”
“Ah, is it that obvious?”
The man awkwardly brushed his cheek with his hand. The face that looked like a college freshman at best seemed a bit cute. By the way, how old did he say he was?
“How old did you say you were?”
At Yoon Kihyun’s question, the man smiled brightly and answered.
“I’m twenty-five. Kihyun-ssi is twenty-eight, right?”
“I even told you my age. I’m a bit drunk right now…”
“I drank a lot too, so it’s fine. What does it matter?”
Kihyun downed the water on the table to sober up even a little. Perhaps because he’d drunk more than expected, his memories were spotty. That was quite unpleasant.
When he’d emptied the entire cup, the guy sitting next to him lifted the water bottle as if asking if he wanted another glass.
His throat felt parched, so when he nodded, the glass quickly filled. It was when Yoon Kihyun put his lips to it and took several gulps.
“…I don’t know how this will sound, but honestly I’ve wanted to try it with a guide.”
So that was his interest after all. Yoon Kihyun emptied the water glass in his hand in one go, then glanced at the man.
The eyelids lowered slightly while pretending to be shy looked somewhat detestable. The more he kept looking, the more annoying the face became.
“Are you an esper?”
“No. It’s not that, but someone said it’s good to do it with a guide.”
Doesn’t he know that excessive honesty becomes rudeness? Seeing how he carelessly threw out words, he was definitely young—a young punk.
Yoon Kihyun recalled the face of the bastard who blabbered whatever suited him, similar to the stranger he’d first met today, then shook his head vigorously.
“If you’re not even an esper, you won’t be able to tell if you do it with me, you know?”
“Why not? You never know. And Kihyun-ssi, no, even if Kihyun-hyung isn’t a guide, I’m fine with it.”
When the guy who didn’t catch the subtle rejection sneakily corrected his form of address from Kihyun-ssi to Kihyun-hyung, he couldn’t tell if his head was heating up or if the alcohol was kicking in.
‘Is this bastard maybe a player sent by that host bar guy from earlier?’
Otherwise, how else would he run into nothing but weird bastards like this all day today?
“You’re pretty young but quite cheeky, Jaemin-ssi.”
“It’s not Jaemin, it’s Jaeseo. Hyung.”
“Ah. Well, anyway.”
“So what do you think, hyung?”
It seemed like he was the type who’d only understand a direct rejection, so when Yoon Kihyun shook his head and waved his hand dismissively, it happened.
“Wow, who do we have here?”
A familiar voice came from behind. Was there a voice he’d feel familiar with in this city?
Yoon Kihyun reflexively turned his head.
Even in the dim bar lighting, he stood out—a handsome man with a sinister gaze beneath prominently protruding brow bones. Yoon Kihyun knew who that face belonged to.
‘Ah, fuck. What the hell?’
Yoon Kihyun’s face crumpled. Of all times, he had to run into someone he didn’t want to see again.
Whether Yoon Kihyun was scowling in dismay or not, the man who’d strode right up to him planted his hand on the table and leaned his upper body forward.
It was to get a proper look at his face. The scent of cologne wafting over had a faint smell of disinfectant mixed in.
“It is you. Team Leader Yoon.”
The bastard who confirmed Yoon Kihyun’s face pulled up the corners of his mouth.
“Thanks to you, did you enjoy running around like a little bitch?”
Jung Sijun was smiling as if he was about to raise hell any moment.
