I Wished for Non-Face-to-Face Lectures

Early evening with the resounding caw of crows.

At that time when the sun rested on the horizon creating a beautiful sunset, I forcibly raised my stiff body.

“…Ah.”

Checking my phone with drowsy eyes, the date was March 17th.

Thinking that the day had finally arrived after all, I sprawled back onto the bed.

“I don’t want to go to work.”

After muttering quietly and looking up at the ceiling dyed with darkness, mixed emotions began to cross my mind.

What kind of wealth and glory was my past self seeking when looking so diligently for a job I could do?

Couldn’t I have looked for it more leisurely? I had enough money left in my account anyway.

“And I still have mountains of novels I haven’t read yet.”

The soft and cozy sensation provided by the thick blanket.

As I was savoring that comfortable feeling that made me not want to move, soon the door opened and an uninvited guest arrived.

“Hey, wake up. It’s about time to go to work.”

“Ugh, I don’t wanna go to work…”

“If you don’t get up, I’ll dip you in flowing water?”

“…I’ll get up, okay.”

Always such an impatient bastard.

How long does he think it takes to prepare for work, causing such a fuss?

I made a sulky face as if protesting against his tyranny, but what came back were silver chopsticks and a cross.

At this rate, it seemed like I’d reach enlightenment faster than getting to work, so I obediently started preparing.

“Hmm, I wonder if this is enough?”

Thanks to Jaehyuk waking me up early, I was able to prepare for work quite leisurely.

I took a half-bath, did some light makeup while looking at selfies as Hye-eun had taught me.

After finishing preparations, I had about an hour left.

There was no harm in going early, so I put on my clothes and left the apartment, and he followed me, saying he’d go with me.

“Let’s go together, dude. Won’t you be lonely going alone?”

“No, I’d rather go alone? What would we do together except argue?”

Though it was a bit rude to Jaehyuk, I much preferred moving alone than going to work with him.

The reason was that enjoying community posts or reading novels was more fun than bickering.

Wouldn’t it be better to go in a slightly better mood on a path I didn’t want to take anyway?

I answered with a shrug, but Jaehyuk finally approached me and started grumbling.

“If you go alone, you’ll have trouble with people again, and then you’ll come back home and complain. I’d like to stop hearing those complaints.”

“Just honestly say you’re worried, you jerk. Do you have to say it in such a roundabout way?”

“…Worried about what, I’m busy worrying about my own future, dude.”

Perhaps hit on a sore spot, he averted his gaze and tried to gloss over it.

At his dishonest appearance, I grinned and quietly put away my phone.

“Hah, by the way, I wonder what tasks I’ll be given first? They won’t put a vampire who doesn’t even know the basics of cocktails at the bar… they’ll probably start me with miscellaneous tasks, right?”

“That’s usually how it starts. You’ll serve on the floor, memorizing cocktail names and appearances, and once you’re somewhat familiar, you’ll work as an assistant bartender.”

“Hmm… then ten days wouldn’t be nearly enough, right? Wouldn’t it take at least a month?”

“For the you I know, ten days would be sufficient. I think you’ll adapt in an instant and be shaking a shaker in front of customers.”

…He seems to be overestimating me too much, no matter how I look at it.

As I muttered inwardly and sighed, Jaehyuk tilted his head and continued speaking.

“By the way… it’s really strange.”

“What is?”

“The fact that you show no signs of worry on your first day at work, and for a job you’ve never done before.”

A look as if he was seeing a strange species.

To this, I slowly opened my mouth, recalling the jobs I had done during my freshman year of college.

“Because there’s nothing particularly to worry about? I also have experience doing similar work.”

The profession of bartender is, after all, a type of food service industry.

If you delve deeply, there would certainly be distinctive characteristics unique to that profession… but I’m still in a position where I have to learn the job and do miscellaneous tasks, right?

So there’s nothing to worry about at all.

As he said, I just have to… serve, clean, wash dishes, just such simple tasks.

Though dealing with difficult customers would be much more challenging in this job.

“I just hope customers don’t bring strange objects. Like silver chopsticks, or whole garlic, you know, those things.”

Though no sane person would carry such things around, honestly, it’s hard to tell.

The world is going crazy, wouldn’t there be at least one such mentally disturbed person?

“Now that I think about it, I’m a bit worried.”

“…Surely there wouldn’t be such customers? Plus, with the Special Alien Species Law in place now, they can’t act recklessly anymore, right?”

“I guess so?”

As we chatted, we suddenly arrived at my new workplace.

I took a deep breath and slowly opened the door.

Please.

Let nothing unusual happen.

“Jiwoo? I heard you have a lot of part-time job experience, is that right?”

“Not a lot, but I have worked in restaurants and cafes before.”

“Then… before you get used to the job, help out with other tasks first. Ah, right. Can you do dishes? I heard vampires can’t touch flowing water.”

“Rubber gloves make it okay. I just need to avoid direct contact.”

The tasks I was given immediately upon first arriving at the cocktail bar were not much different from what I had expected.

Taking orders from customers.

Serving cocktails.

Cleaning up after customers leave and helping with the dishes—such miscellaneous tasks.

Perhaps because the store had opened after a long time, unlike when I visited as a customer, the place was bustling, but.

Maybe because I had done it many times before, or perhaps because as a vampire I had unlimited stamina at night, the work wasn’t difficult.

The fact that there were almost no difficult customers also helped.

If there was one challenging aspect, it would be…

“Welcome to Midnight~ How many people are in your party?”

“T-two people!”

“Please sit this way. What would you like to order?”

“W-Wild Flower and Zombie, please. B-but…”

“Yes?”

“Could I possibly get your number? I’ve never done this before, but…”

“I’m sorry, customer. I already have someone.”

“Ah…”

Perhaps this is why customers keep asking for my number at all times?

If you ask whether the reason for rejection is too extreme… I have quite a lot to say about this.

At first, I just politely declined, but some customers were really persistent.

It was impossible to get rid of them with ordinary words, so I had no choice but to play my trump card by saying I had a partner…

Only then did they give up and leave the bar. So from then on, I’ve been using that excuse to block any attempts at flirting from the beginning.

“…If I were a man, this wouldn’t happen.”

If at least my gender hadn’t changed, couldn’t I have enjoyed the happy feeling?

Instead of a dark man, being hit on by women as radiant as flowers… that would probably be one of the most exciting things ever.

“But reality is a sewer.”

As I was cleaning a table with a gloomy expression after a customer had left, I heard a familiar voice from beside me.

Turning my head to look in the direction of the sound, there sat the brown-haired fox beastman I had seen before.

“Oh my, it’s been a while? Have you been well?”

“Thanks to you. You look even better than before, customer.”

“Hoho, I squeezed out a lot… no, no, my husband took good care of me last night.”

“…You must have a very good relationship.”

Feeling like the conversation might get a bit longer.

When I looked at the boss with a gaze asking if it was okay to chat, the boss nodded, perhaps meaning I could take a short break.

So during this brief but welcome break time.

After finishing what I was organizing, I immediately began to chat with the fox beastman customer.

“By the way… unlike last time when we were customer to customer, this time it’s customer to employee? Do you find working at the bar difficult?”

“Not really, I haven’t done any complicated tasks yet, so there aren’t any particular difficulties. If anything, male customers tend to be a bit mischievous.”

“Pufu, you’re so positive. Most people lose their fantasy about being a bartender during the miscellaneous tasks and quit.”

“That’s because I didn’t start this job based on fantasies. I’m also not in a position to choose a profession based on fantasies.”

Being busy just trying to survive, what fantasies?

As I smiled bitterly, the fox beastman customer made a sympathetic expression and extended her luscious, fluffy tail to me.

Then, with a benevolent smile, she seduced me in a gentle voice while stroking her tail.

“You look quite depressed, want to touch it? You seemed to like it a lot last time.”

“…”

A large, fluffy tail that stimulated desire as it swayed.

I unconsciously reached out my hand at that bewitching movement, but soon shook my head vigorously to shake off the desire.

The saying that foxes are animals that bewitch people really exists for a reason.

Barely escaping from the thrilling sensation, I looked toward where the boss was and opened my mouth.

“I can’t slack off on my first day at work. Actually, even talking with a customer like this makes me feel really self-conscious.”

“Oh my, if it’s your first day, it can’t be helped. Hoho, then next time…”

The fox beastman downed the remaining cocktail in her glass in one go and slowly got up from her seat.

I was grateful for her encouragement before leaving, but soon that feeling of gratitude turned into hatred.

Because.

“Ugh, that customer is fine otherwise, but every time she comes and goes, the fur really… how many are there?”

“Ah.”

I’m suddenly about to count the number of hairs scattered on the floor.

I was gritting my teeth and trying to ignore it because of this… Boss, I really hate you.

“Hic…”

Brown fox fur that looks like it would exceed 100 pieces at a glance.

Desperately suppressing my rising counting compulsion, I silently began to collect the fox fur into my pocket.

Next time we meet.

I will definitely put a plastic bag over that bewitching tail.