INM 2 Part 4

Even as I told myself this, I couldn’t help but remember the blue-eyed student. Brian’s next words made me lean forward involuntarily. 

“I asked the staff about the guy you were with at the time of the incident.” 

“No way, you already started an investigation?” 

“Yes. You were in that place a few times, right? Some of the staff remembered you.” 

In such a dimly lit dining bar, there were actually people who remembered me! 

“This is great. I have to get back.” 

Brian’s mouth twitched into a brief smile at my words. Then he quickly regained his composure and continued.

“The staff said that while you were drinking alone, this guy approached you. He was wearing a cap, so they couldn’t really see his hair color, but it was probably dark blond to dark brown. He was a pretty big guy in a dark t-shirt and wasn’t very friendly.” 

“Wait, did that turn into a story about you?” 

As soon as I interrupted, Brian narrowed his eyes and pinched my nose. 

“Listen seriously. They estimated his height to be around 190 centimeters and his age to be in his twenties or early thirties. Just to be sure, do you know anyone like that?”

“I have a childhood friend named Brian…”

“Oh, so that’s the guy who dyed his hair blonde for one night and grew about six inches… Be serious, you idiot.”

“Even if you say that…”

I ran through the names of people I knew in my head, trying to match them to the description. “It’s a pretty common description. There are tons of guys that fit that description… Like him, for example.”

I pointed at an acquaintance of an acquaintance, and the man caught my eye and smiled, more at Brian than at me.

When Brian looked at the man, the man’s face flushed, just like Alexandra’s had when he first walked into the bar.

I had a feeling, but his attraction has become even stronger since three years ago. What kind of magnetic field does this guy have around him?

I raised my glass to my lips with a feeling of annoyance. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the man fidgeting as if he was about to come over to us. But before he could make up his mind, Brian turned to me and grabbed the glass out of my hand.

“No, he is thinner than what I heard.”

“You mean the guy is more muscular than him? He’s in really good shape.”

I sighed and looked down at the glass in his hand.

“That means we can narrow down the possibilities. Should I ask if he’s had a drink with me recently?”

I thought this would be the quickest way, but Brian immediately shook his head at my suggestion.

“No, just list all the possible candidates. That’s all you need to do for now.”

“Hmm, well, if you say so.”

“But I doubt it’s anyone you know.”

Brian reached for his Macallan, then clenched his fist as if changing his mind.

“Hey, you. You really don’t remember anything from that night?”

My eyes wandered from Brian’s clenched fist to his own. The serious blue-gray of his eyes, even more intense than his deep voice, made me hesitate.

“Perhaps my situation is more serious than I thought?”

“…”

“Okay, I get it. But it’s just so weird that I don’t remember being with anyone at the bar. I was so tired, I guess. I felt drunk a lot faster than usual.”

“Go on.”

Prompted by Brian’s words, I turned my thoughts back to that night.

After lunch with Alan that day, I drove to Fairfield to do a final check on the work that had been dragging on for so long. After a few simple adjustments, I was finally free of the long-term project and quickly jumped into the usual dining bar.

It was about seven in the evening.

Even though they were a valued customer, it was hard to spend so much time just for a few minor adjustments and a final check.

“I didn’t want to limit myself to legal alcohol, so I took the train to Fairfield. I quickly finished my first gin fizz, and while snacking on oysters and nuts, I ordered a second. And then… wait?”

I stopped there.

My heart skipped a beat in a way I didn’t like, taking my breath away.

“Two drinks…”

I muttered, realizing that something was definitely wrong.

My memory was already hazy by the middle of my second drink.

Was I tired from work? Of course, there was the possibility that I felt worse than I thought, but still…

Brian, who had been staring at me intently, took a sip of his whiskey and urged me in a low voice.

“What’s the matter? Spit it out.”

“Well, Brian. Maybe I got drunk a lot sooner than I thought.”

“So?”

“I’m saying my memory suddenly got fuzzy in the middle of my second drink.”

Brian’s face hardened visibly. He glanced around, silently waving away the stares with his blue-gray eyes.

“What were you drinking?”

“A mojito.”

“It’s not like the alcohol is too low.”

“Even so, it’s not enough to make me lose my memory. I could still drive.”

Brian looked at me as if he wanted to say something more, then shook his head and kept asking questions.

“How long does it usually take for the alcohol to affect you?”

“With a mojito, about four drinks. I can handle a little more beer. Even then I’m not really drunk.

“Did you leave the second glass?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

I stared blankly, unable to comprehend the meaning of his question. With an unwavering serious expression, he slowly added.

“Did you leave your seat with your drink on the table?” 

“No… oh, yes! How did you know? Was it you all along?”

“Be serious, Luke.”

His voice sharpened slightly, as if admonishing me.

“I’m asking if there’s any chance something slipped into your glass.”

“Something was put in?”

When I finally realized the meaning of his question, I dropped my jaw in shock.

“Wait, you mean spiking? That actually happen in real life?”

“Yes, it does. Is your wallet okay?”

“My card!”

I quickly looked into my card case and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that all my cards were there as they should be. At the same time, I felt a little embarrassed for having such a paranoid victim complex.

“Hey, Brian. Is spiking drinks a common thing?”

“I’m not sure what you mean by “common”, but it’s probably more common than you think.”

“Maybe this isn’t one of those cases.”

Surprised at the possibility of being the victim of a crime, I muttered.

“Maybe I just got drunk really fast and they were just looking out for me.”

The more I say it out loud, the more I start to believe it myself. It feels more realistic to think that I just got wasted after two drinks than to think that someone slipped something into my drink.

But it seemed Brian didn’t agree with my opinion.

With a troubled expression, he crossed his arms and, once again, took on the role of a detective, bombarding me with questions.

“What do you think, Luke? Do you have any idea why someone would do that to you?”

“No way! There’s no reason for anyone to do that.” I shook my head vigorously in response to the former cop’s question. “If someone wanted to slip something into a drink, the purpose would be…”

“Theft or rape.”

I paused for a moment, taken aback by the ominousness of his words, and then continued.

“At such an early hour? If I were the perpetrator, I wouldn’t choose that time or that place.”

“I agree. That’s pretty sharp for you.”

The man narrowed his eyes, making a rude remark with a hint of impressed.

“In other words, if someone really did slip something into your drink, they may have been targeting you all along.”

“I’m starting to think this whole thing is a wild goose chase. Can’t we just say that I was really tired?”

I wanted to change the subject right away.

Seeing me look down, unable to bear the situation, Brian sighed and relaxed his strong shoulders.

“Well, either way, we’ll know for sure when we find that person and question them.”

“Yeah, I guess so. This is getting out of hand. I was just trying to prove my alibi.”

“I know… Here, have a drink. I’m sorry I scared you.”

“Who’s scared of what?”

Although I protested with a pout, by the time my gin and tonic was empty, I had to admit that, as he said, I was at least a little shocked at the possibility of being involved in a crime. Trying to hide it, I quickly downed the rest of the alcohol.

Just a few days ago, my friend Alan was murdered while living a normal college life. Perhaps crime is something that lurks just below the surface, right next to us. It’s just that we’re unaware of its existence, casually walking a fine line. Brian, on the other hand, has lived his life staring at the other side of that line.

I looked up to steal a glance at my childhood friend. Maybe I don’t know him as well as I think I do. This realization shook me more than I expected.

“But Brian, this is just a feeling I have…”

I blurted out the thought that had suddenly crossed my mind, trying to shake off the unexpected realization.

“Somehow… I don’t have a bad impression of him, you know? I mean, I don’t remember much about him, but still.”

The man snorted at my words.

“Hm, even though you said you didn’t remember much about him.” 

“I know I did! I said that!”

“So? What’s your basis for that? It can’t just be a hunch, can it?”

“Well, it’s just…”

I racked my brain desperately to counter Brian’s sarcasm.

“He drove me home and didn’t make a move on me, then he just disappeared.”

“Maybe you just weren’t his type when he saw you in the light. Or maybe he was just there to steal.”

I couldn’t argue with that because I hadn’t checked if anything was missing from my house.

Seeing my silence, Brian continued.

“In any case, don’t wander around alone for a while. Be wary of any men who approach you. Got it?”

“Wait, Brian. But that guy… you know, he was really gentle when he carried me!”

The man narrowed his eyes with the utmost expressionlessness. Feeling a little guilty about that expression, I somehow continued.

“I remember bits and pieces of the time I was being driven home. Even though my memory is hazy, I can still feel the gentle touch of his hands on my body. And… I think he kept encouraging me.”

“Luke.”

“I must have been drunk and complaining about a lot of things, I don’t remember the details. But he said some nice things to me. So…”

“Luke, listen carefully.” 

Cutting me off, the man let out a low growl and grabbed my collar. His eyes, deep and piercing, met mine from a kissing distance, and I swallowed my words along with my breath.

“I don’t care about your hazy memories. If you want me to believe your story, then remember that night clearly! Until then, no matter what anyone says, be on your guard. Stay home as much as possible and don’t let your guard down!”

In front of me was a pair of gray-blue, steel-gray eyes, gleaming in the dim light of the bar. And then there was a strong, masculine jawline and serious, yet sexy lip… damn it, don’t dangle something like that in front of me. It was worse than dangling a carrot in front of a horse.

As I tried desperately to stare back into his eyes, my body began to heat up without my permission, my chest bounced up and down, and my core felt loose. I couldn’t believe my reaction. Jesus, what do I think I’ve been doing for three years, trying to get rid of this guy?