Chapter 1.1

Chapter 1.1

Note: Conversations in English are inside brackets [ ] and conversations spoken in Korean are in quotes ” “.

September 9, 1995.

It was a Saturday night when the unbearable, sweltering heat of midsummer finally began to cool down.

The Western bar in Itaewon, ‘Cactus,’ was bustling with young people seeking exotic vibes, soldiers on leave from the Yongsan military base, and foreign tourists.

The interior, a mix of Western-style decor and New York tourist souvenirs, was chaotically arranged, but nobody seemed to mind. The smell of greasy potato fries, tangy pickles, and moist beer hops mingled with cigarette smoke merged hazily under the ceiling.

People were speaking loudly in different languages, and breathless laughter filled the air. The loud clatter of pool balls and the cheers of dart throwing seemed to burst out of the speakers.

Amidst the cacophony, the summer anthem played TLC’s ‘Waterfalls,’ as if echoing promises made on street corners and cafes throughout the summer, accompanied by the popping of popcorn in butter. Suddenly, the noisy chatter came to an abrupt halt.

A counter attendant, wearing a Mexican-style vest with an English name tag and a cowboy hat hanging loosely around his neck, hurriedly turned off the CD player. As the music ceased, raw noise immediately filled the space.

Miran, twirling a slender straw in her Midori Sour, looked around excitedly. Tiny bubbles swirled in the refreshing melon-flavored cocktail.

“The CD player’s acting up again,” she remarked.

“But at least CDs last longer than cassettes,” Jieun retorted, sipping her cocktail, ‘Se!x on the Beach.’ She nodded towards the adjacent table.

“Miran C, No need to go elsewhere. Take your pick between the two.”

“Sis, Americans are something else. People who should be making movies in Hollywood are here serving military duty in Korea.”

“That’s what I’m saying. If you’re going to do it, might as well do it with a handsome guy like that.”

“…Can I really do that? You know I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“What’s there to be afraid of? Have confidence! You’re beautiful, tall, and have a killer body. Who wouldn’t want a queen like you? But more importantly, which one suits your style better?”

Miran glanced briefly at the adjacent table, partially hiding her face behind the menu.

“Well, if I had to choose… Brown hair? His face is like ‘Maverick,’ but his build is more like ‘Tristan.’ The problem is… the vibe is more like ‘Lestat’ from the vampires. One wrong word, and he might just suck your blood.”

She made a gesture of slitting her throat with her finger, then stuck her tongue out as if licking her lips.

On the other hand, Andre de la Fayette, known as the brown-haired vampire, raised his thick eyebrows slightly and took a sip of his American blue-collar beer disguised as a premium beer in Korea. With the music gone, the conversation from the adjacent table invaded his space without filter.

The blue-haired girl sitting next to Andre pointed diagonally with her index and middle fingers, which held a cigarette.

“Well, what about the blond guy sitting next to you? He’s like ‘River,’ a handsome man, tall and assertive like ‘Keanu.’ Compared to brown hair, blond hair looks nicer.”

“Well… but doesn’t he look slightly naive, like ‘Superboy Andrew’? He’s not my type.”

Andre gulped down the bear, which almost burst out from his mouth. When he covered his mouth with his fist and coughed, emitting a short laugh, the blond-haired superboy, Jared Hamilton, frowned at him.

[Captain Lafayette, are you really laughing right now? The last time I saw you laugh was in 1987 when the Black Knights beat the Midshipmen 17-3 in football. What’s making you laugh all of a sudden? It gives me the creeps.]

[Because the girl sitting next to you said you look stupid. I agree with her, Captain Hamilton.]

[What?]

When Jared turned his head towards the adjacent table, the two girls hurriedly pulled up the menu to cover their faces. Jared looked at them alternately with suspicious glances, then looked at Andre and waved his index finger.

[If you think you can play childish pranks because I don’t understand Korean, you’re mistaken. When was the last time you had a girlfriend? What does a blockhead like you know? Women prefer handsome and humorous men like me over artificial humans like you.]