Convenience Store Worker From Another World Chapter 104

Episode 104. Chihuahua in a Pure Meeting (3)

“Where do I live…?”

I asked back on purpose, so I could choose what to say.

Where I live. It’s a 5-minute walk, and it’s just an ordinary road with a small park and trees along the way, but it’s on a different level. The only way to get there and back is this convenience store.

It was a secret that had been kept for a month, and it was a question that had never been answered by anyone except the store manager. I had to lie.

I’m doing it, but what are you talking about? It’s not a very good place. It’s far? Or-

“Oh.”

“oh.”

The intoxication has set in. I feel dizzy and feverish. If I were to take my temperature right now, it would be just over 38 degrees. That’s just a guess.

I instinctively lifted the cup and quenched my thirst. After emptying half of the remaining capacity, I looked at Miss Elena, who was constantly fanning her neck with her hand. I asked her anyway.

“… Was that a side effect just now? Did you feel it too, Miss Elena?”

“Yes. I, Mr. Chan. Sorry to ask, but could you…?”

“Don’t be sorry. I was going to lie.”

The moment I confessed, I felt the drunkenness and dizziness that had been rushing in disappear. We looked at each other for a few seconds, feeling sane again.

It felt a little awkward. I asked to clear things up.

“Come to think of it, I’ve heard about side effects, but I haven’t heard about what happens when the side effects are completely resolved.”

“Uh… So, you mean when the medicine is finished?”

“Yes. Now, thanks to the side effects, you know that I was lying. Once the side effects are gone, how will you know that I was lying…?”

“Oh. I didn’t tell you that. Well, how did you find out?”

The side effects I just felt aren’t, strictly speaking, side effects. The medicine just worked too well.

“When you have feelings of love for each other, there are many changes in your body, right? Your heart beats, you sweat, you stutter, your mouth gets dry—”

The side effects mentioned earlier are some of those symptoms that were intentionally caused. The reason is… For example, let’s say you realize that you’re both lying. Would you both feel good?

It won’t be good. You might become awkward with each other or get angry. If it gets worse, you might fight and break up.

The potion’s efficacy is said to prevent this from happening, by inducing intoxication or dizziness. It manipulates the body’s reactions to induce a state of mutual attraction. It’s like the placebo effect.

“The medicine isn’t fully finished yet, so I don’t feel any favor―”

“A bit of a cold.”

“That’s right. It’s become like a bad cold.”

After he finished speaking, there was silence again. It became more awkward.

It’s not that I had nothing to say, but I deliberately didn’t say anything. It was because I could tell that Miss Elena was going to say something. I waited for a dozen seconds but there was no answer, so I was about to open my mouth when Miss Elena hurriedly asked.

“That. That lie. How much of a lie is that in Chan-i’s mind? On a scale of 1 to 10.”

“Why is that… Ah. The bigger the lie, the stronger the side effects? You have to record it?

“Yes. We adjust the dosage of the supplement according to that figure.”

I get it. In this case, lowering the number would only make you more drunk.

“It’s 10. Without any hesitation, 10.”

“… It’s tall… .”

“I’ll skip the reason. It’s a precious secret to me.”

I confessed honestly that I would hide it. Maybe it was because I didn’t lie, but I didn’t feel drunk. When I looked at her after confessing, it seemed like she was trying to say something.

“Thank you, Chan-i. And, I…”

“You can speak comfortably. Is there anything else I should say?”

“No! That’s not it. Wait a minute. The records first!”

Miss Elena grabbed the tablet PC in a hurry and started typing something on the screen. As soon as she finished typing, she put the PC down with a loud thud and apologized.

“I’m sorry. I asked a strange question… .”

“It’s not a strange question. It’s just strange that I keep this a secret.”

“But… I thought you were having a hard time…”

“If you really feel that way, let me satisfy my curiosity. Why did you ask where I live?”

I’m asking because I’m genuinely curious. She’s definitely not the kind of succubus who would think of asking around the house to find out about her wealth. She’s so pure and kind that it’s frustrating.

But aside from that, nothing really comes to mind. It can’t be just because I want to come here once, right? It’s not like we have a golden calf at home…

“Why? Um, it’s just a really trivial reason… .”

“Why are you so flustered over such a trivial matter?”

“That’s why… If Mr. Chan-i lives nearby! We’ll have a lot in common— Hehe.”

According to this logic, all 15 million people in Seoul would become neighbors?

It didn’t sound like an honest answer. The potion must have thought so too, because as soon as Elena finished speaking, she poured alcohol all over my body.

“Hi, actually, that’s not it. A cup of tea at Chan-i’s house—”

The potion says this is also a lie. My nose, which had been numb, is numb again, and when this overlaps, the intoxication seems to double.

“Wow, I won’t be able to look at the mainstream corner for a while.”

“Huh. There’s a reason. There’s a reason… There’s really nothing…”

Elena’s speech returned to a familiar tone. Twice when we first met, and once when she came to me drunk after drinking heavily. It seems she was intoxicated by the side effects.

“Just, Hibap. I wanted to go. I really liked the way Chan-i listened to the story…”

“Ugh… .”

“It’s nice and comfortable… When I get off work and Chan-i gets off work and goes to Chan-i’s house… We can talk all night long…”

“I can still stay up all night. I’m the guy who works the night shift.”

“No. No. That won’t do. There has to be a feature beer… and nachos… .”

Just like the first time, he was muttering as if he was drunk and complaining, and his face was flushed with his lips sticking out. Isn’t this dangerous if I leave it alone? I’m starting to worry about my liver too.

“I’ve been thinking about that for the past few days… Chan-i…”

This is a voice telling me to listen. I looked at it and my body stopped.

Miss Elena’s posture was such that she had raised her head, which had been bowed down, and was now looking up at me.

She was holding her knees with both hands, her hands were glistening with sweat, and her emerald eyes were between her slightly flowing bangs.

“Do you… not like… doing that with me…?”

“… … .”

“Hipp.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. This is dangerous.

Reflexively, he reached out and grabbed Elena’s arms.

“oh.”

“I don’t hate it. I don’t hate it.”

The eyes that had been open came back. It seemed like my constitution was doing its job well. I pulled out two sheets of tissue from the tissue box on the table and handed them to him before continuing.

“Wipe away your tears and think about each other while you drink, Miss Elena.”

“Huh? Tears? Alcohol?”

He took a deep breath as if he had suddenly realized something after being dumbfounded.

“Mr. Chan, did I mention alcohol? Just now?”

“He said he wanted to come over to my house and buy me a pitcher of beer and some nachos. Just now.”

“Huh? Ugh, I wasn’t going to say anything!”

“He said that he had been thinking about it for the past few days― and he even asked me if I didn’t want to play with him―”

“Stop. Stop it… .”

No. I just felt my life was in danger. I was in danger. I.

“I haven’t answered you yet, and I cut you off midway because you seemed unwell due to the side effects.”

“… Ah, yes. The side effects do vary by race… Thank you, Chan-i.”

“What’s the point of thanking me? I’m an expert.”

After finishing speaking, there was a moment of silence. Miss Elena, who had been watching me, secretly picked up her tablet PC and began to scribble down the things I had said, like ‘you said these things’.

I glanced at it secretly and saw that the lie level was 10.

After finishing writing and placing the PC on the table, Elena straightened her posture and asked me.

“I wrote it all down… Mr. Chan. Over there.”

“So what’s the answer, that’s what you’re trying to ask.”

“…yes.”

He bows his head but doesn’t deny it. Since he’s already brought it up, he must think that it’s best to at least hear an answer. He answers right away.

“It’s hard. Right now.”

“Now?”

“I’m sorry for answering vaguely, but yes. I’ll be honest with you.”

I want to come over to my house to play. I’m okay with that. I like to stay home and drink all night. It’s just that there’s no one in my world who’ll drink with me…

But now it’s the opposite. There’s a succubus who wants to drink with me, but I don’t have a place to drink. I don’t have a home. Thinking about it, I don’t know what kind of crazy situation this is.

“If things are difficult right now, then I…”

“later?”

“Yes. Later.”

Well, in a situation where all sorts of strange things happen every day, how can I be certain about what will happen in the future?

“I’ll think about it. Positively.”

Home. I need to think about it. Positively.

“yes.”

Miss Elena gave a short answer. Even though I hadn’t given her a definite answer, she seemed grateful that I was even thinking about it. That’s, really…

“Then next time, uh… .”

“Let’s take a break. I feel like I’ve downed three bottles of soju right now.”

“Oh, yes.”

After agreeing with each other, they were silent.

It’s true that I felt like I had downed three bottles of soju. However, if I had a high alcohol tolerance, I would have drank about six bottles. It means that I had no intention of stopping.

But I still have a term… No, sir, what should I say? Normally? What was that?

Just do as you always have. I know it in my head. I even made a promise. But now, after the conversation just now, I can’t believe how I managed to keep that promise.

You wanted to talk to me all night. You’ve been thinking about that for days. You were worried that I might hate it, and you just asked me with tears in your eyes.

I couldn’t give a definite answer to that. I’m sorry now that I said “later.” I don’t know why I, who’s not even a person who’s ever lived in this world, am comfortable, and I should be sorry about that. I should have said that I was comfortable as well.

It’s too late to answer now. But isn’t it right to throw out the topic first? I’m the older person and I should be the one who can rely on her. Feeling lost, I looked at Miss Elena and our eyes met.

“I….”

“yes?”

“No, that’s not it. I’m sorry.”

I feel like I have to say something, but I can’t bring myself to say it. I know because I feel the same way right now. I shake my head and take another sip of coffee, my throat burning.

Should I ask what else you are sorry about? No. I feel thirsty because I saw you drinking coffee. I tried to drink it, but the ice melted and the coffee was watery. What is the difference between it and water?

After drinking, I looked outside the shop window. It’s so hard to even pretend to love, so how on earth do people live in love?

I really don’t know how to start this conversation.

“What the f*ck.”

Miss Elena was startled, and this time I was startled too. I looked back, shaking my body, and saw the Chihuahua about to slap a shotgun on the laptop keyboard. Judging from the expression on her face, I think her anger level is about 9.

“Seriously, it’s even more frustrating because the little things are blocked.”

“Hey, is what you’re doing not going well right now?”

“Why are you curious about that, you idiot?”

No, I said it as if you were listening… .

I don’t know. I waited for a while, thinking that if I got a little cussing, my mind would clear a bit, but then the Chihuahua slammed the laptop shut and turned towards us.

And then he suddenly asked me this.

“You guys, how on earth did you end up in that mess at a convenience store?”