DrinkyL C6

Chapter 6

Not that Baek Seolgu wanted to jump into hands-on experience right away, but staring at the huge monitor in front of him, he wore an awkward expression. Ban Dayeong had taken Seolgu to a sandwich shop near the hospital. Like many places nowadays, this shop took all orders through a kiosk.

From the moment they arrived, Seolgu was herded up to the kiosk, but Ban Dayeong stood like a wall behind him, leaving him helpless and unsure, his feet shuffling in place.

“What are you doing? Try ordering.”

“Y-yes…?”

For someone who had never in his life eaten a proper sandwich, the mission Ban Dayeong handed him was not difficult—it was close to impossible.

Seolgu felt cold sweat running down his back as he raised his finger, trying to follow the others and tap the screen. After he pressed “Order,” images of various sandwiches popped up, as if waiting to be chosen. Seolgu pushed the first one, thinking the best would be up front.

“Whoa.”

He felt embarrassed at how easy it was compared to the nerves he’d worked up.

So ordering from a kiosk isn’t so hard? he thought, feeling a brief surge of pride before immediately hitting a massive obstacle.

Choose your bread? He had to pick a bread type!

What he thought he’d selected wasn’t a sandwich but a sample to build from…?

With a confused look, Seolgu stared at about five different breads. Explanations of each were written underneath, but knowing none of the words, he couldn’t even imagine what taste the bread might have.

His finger wandered anxiously over the screen. If bread was this hard to choose, Seolgu doubted he’d place an order today at all.

Watching Seolgu’s ashen face, Ban Dayeong tilted his head.

Does he really not know? Maybe it’s true elves only eat grass up in the mountains.

Though he’d partly brought Seolgu here out of mischief, seeing him flounder so badly irritated Ban Dayeong.

“Hit wheat.”

Unable to stand it, Ban Dayeong chose for him. Seolgu followed the advice, pressing the wheat bread icon.

Thanks to Ban Dayeong, he got past bread and breathed a little easier.

But then, as if to tease him, the cheese selection screen popped up immediately, with three types to choose from.

“Cheese…”

Cheese was something he’d never eaten. The only cheese Seolgu knew was orange, square cheddar slices, so picking a cheese, each with an unfamiliar shape, was a tremendous challenge.

“Is it hard even to pick one of three?”

Ban Dayeong whispered into Seolgu’s ear with a voice low and lazy. The tickling made Seolgu’s shoulder flinch, and his finger accidentally pressed somewhere, moving to the next screen. In fact, Seolgu had no idea what he’d picked.

“Uh, uh…!”

Faced with the vegetable selection, Seolgu let out a silly gasp. At least he knew all the veggies—lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion. But with so many favorites, having to pick just one made him deeply regretful.

Believing he had to pick only one, Seolgu nervously hesitated, overwhelmed by the biggest dilemma he’d had in a while.

“Excuse me!”

Someone behind tapped his shoulder. Startled, Seolgu turned quickly.

“How long does it take to place an order? Can’t you see the line behind you?”

With a sharp voice and a dissatisfied look, a woman and her friends glared at Seolgu. Wearing a hospital gown and still not managing to order, Seolgu’s dawdling made them question his mental state.

Only then did Seolgu notice the long line behind him and the uncomfortable expressions. He quickly apologized and hit lettuce. At the sauce screen, not knowing what anything was, he just randomly pressed one.

Ban Dayeong gave Seolgu no help, annoyed or not. Even when Seolgu was hit with everyone’s dagger-like stares, he simply stood back and waited.

Only at checkout did people realize Ban Dayeong was with Seolgu, and their eyes widened. To think he was with such a fiercely handsome man—were they about to be scolded for pressing him to hurry? Everyone had the same thought.

But Ban Dayeong said nothing at all—he finished paying and led Seolgu to a table.

……

Holding a sandwich with only lettuce inside, Seolgu wore a sorrowful expression. Living in modern society turned out to be tougher than he’d expected.

Ban Dayeong watched Seolgu’s slumped shoulders and felt a strange dissatisfaction.

This idiot got scolded, so why was he the one feeling bad? Wasn’t he usually annoyed at how slow Seolgu was? Yet, when others glared at Seolgu, a fire seemed to rise inside. He left him to deal on his own, but if anyone had said more, even he wasn’t sure what he’d have done.

Ban Dayeong gently stroked Seolgu’s hair, calming his anger.

That, at least, seemed to lift some of Seolgu’s gloom.

“Eat.”

At these words, Seolgu nodded, unwrapped the sandwich, and took a bite. It was a simple sandwich—just chicken breast, shredded cheese, lettuce, and ranch sauce.

“…Whoa!”

For Seolgu, whose only condiments had been sugar, salt, gochujang, and doenjang, mayonnaise and sour cream were explosively intense.

So this flavor exists?

His eyes brimmed with awe after just one bite; thinking about finishing it already made him feel sad.

Ban Dayeong, watching Seolgu’s changing expression up close, raised a corner of his mouth and dropped a sharp comment.

“What’s with the face? You made it. Even if it tastes bad, you have to finish it.”

Seolgu shuddered but then, realizing Ban Dayeong was misreading him, shook his head fiercely.

“No, that’s not it!”

“No, that’s not it?”

Again mimicking Seolgu, Ban Dayeong pointed his chin as if to say “go ahead.”

“It’s so delicious. But thinking it’ll be gone soon is just… it’s a shame. Thank you. It’s really good.”

As Seolgu bowed and thanked him, Ban Dayeong just kept his mouth open. He was so dumbfounded, he didn’t even know how to reply.

“…You think that’s good?”

“Yes! It’s good! Want some?”

Seolgu spoke as if he might immediately split his sandwich. Of course, it was just talk; his gaze screamed how desperately he wanted to keep it for himself.

Just as Ban Dayeong was about to refuse, seeing Seolgu clutch the sandwich and tremble changed his mind.

“Sure. Give me some.”

On hearing Ban Dayeong’s positive answer, Seolgu quickly fixed his expression. Without this person—no, this vampire—he’d never even have tasted a sandwich. So he shouldn’t be stingy, but why did parting with half sting inside?

Screwing his eyes shut, Seolgu divided the sandwich in half, hesitated, then offered the smaller piece to Ban Dayeong. It was the most selfish he could muster. Enchanted by ranch sauce, he quietly ignored the twinge of conscience.

“Ahem.”

Seeing the obvious trick of keeping the larger half, Ban Dayeong faked a cough and chuckled.

“Thanks for the food.”

“Enjoy.”

Smiling with his eyes, Ban Dayeong bit into the sandwich.

Tastes awful.

He barely resisted spitting it out.

“Good, isn’t it?”

Seolgu watched with sure-thing eyes. Ban Dayeong set the rest on the tray and shook his head.

“Not at all.”

At the abrupt answer, Seolgu looked stunned, then seemed to realize something.

“Oh, vampires must not like things that aren’t blood.”

With that conclusion, Seolgu seemed comforted. Ban Dayeong’s brow furrowed as he watched.

If people saw this, they’d think vampires survive on blood alone.

Contrary to popular imagination, vampires eat food like everyone else and enjoy fine cuisine. They just need blood to survive. But instead of explaining all this, Ban Dayeong simply pushed his half of the sandwich back to Seolgu’s side.

Ecstatic to have his sandwich whole again, Seolgu looked the happiest in the world.

“Then, since you’re hungry, I guess we should go home so you can eat blood? I’ll finish quickly.”

Determined not to inconvenience him, Seolgu munched through the sandwich like a warrior, still glancing up now and then in concern for Ban Dayeong’s next meal.

It was just like a mouse worried for the cat, or the tiger, that could eat him.

Ban Dayeong again found himself speechless at Seolgu’s thoughtfulness.