“Teacher. Is it the beer playing tricks on my eyes, or is a Ghost trying to flirt with me.”
“...Oh. My. God. It’s Candy Bloom!”
“Th-that doesn’t answer my concerns!”
Martial Kim had to rub his eyes multiple times before he could trust in what he was seeing.
Standing right next to him was a lady in white. A coil of satin cloth of the highest value hugging the curves of her body (how envious). A curtain gloss of natural curls hanging down her bare shoulders and the valley of her spine. Rouge danced upon on her full lips as graceful as a ballet. And the icing on the cake was this expensive wide brim hat holding cloth roses.
A mysterious beauty so alluring, every eyes were set upon her – be it male or female. And that body of hers, the perfect incarnation of the Golden Ratio.
That Bust (Cat call)
Those Waists (Cat caaaaall)
Them Hips (CAAAAAT CAAAAAALL! HELLO NURSE!)
“...Teacher, is this woman your lover? Why are you staring at her as if she was an oasis in a dry desert?”
“What? N-no! Ssssh! She’s celebrity! An actress! Granted she’s not A-Class, but she’s reaaaaally good in the movies and television drama I watch. This woman is the living personification of femme fatale!”
“...Femme what?”
“Later, Kim! Ssssh! She’s talking. You have no idea how much I love hearing her voice on screen! Quiet quiet!”
--- Teacher, I didn’t say anything!
The woman in white, this Candy Bloom, would make side glances at the two investigators. A touch of amusement lifting up the corner of her lips. The moment she and Martial Kim made eye contact, she blessed him with a wink and secret kiss gesture.
It was to die for.
--- Why am I feeling shivers climbing up my spine?
Martial Kim had all sorts of emotions mixed up in his stomach, so he tried to drown it out with a casual sip of his beer.
...Speaking of mixing up.
Miss Candy Bloom was thirsty. Without words or even a hand wave, she acquired the attention of the bartender by tapping the hardcover of her lipstick onto the table – like the gavel of a judge.
“Bartender. Delight me with a Caesar Martini.”
...A wot?
“Oh come now,” Candy Bloom maintained the facade of a refined beauty, but there was spite gliding in her voice. “Does your establishment not have raving reviews? Don’t tell me, a pub like this can’t make such a simple drink?...Hah. Not on the menu you say? Then it seems clear how far this pub can survive in this world.”
--- Can’t expect anything less from an experienced actress. With only a few words, a shift of her body and tone, and she can command her audience to obey her ever whim... I pity the fool who has the gall to marry such woman, let along be silly enough to fall for such a mountain flower above the clouds.
“Teacher. You’re drooling.”
“What? No! No! I-it’s the celery sticks. Full of water you know!”
“That’s a carrot your nibbling.”
Candy Bloom seemed to have used a fisherman’s approach against the bartender. A little pull, slack, pull, slack, puuuuulll, slack—And waited for the opportune moment to convince him with a hum in her voice.
“That’s better. I am glad we can come to an arrangement,” Candy Bloom felt a bit bored, so she entertained herself by stealing a fresh cherry from the top of another man’s drink. “You might want to write this down, might do you some good...Readyyyy?”
The way the woman in white said those words sent chills racing up and down Martial Kim’s spine. So he used his internal meditation skills to try and block her out...or to avoid any human reaction to such a bombshell—er jade skinned beauty. He was a genteel martial scholar, after all. He should not think of such vile bombshells—er temptations!
“2 oz of infused vodka, 1 oz Clamato juice; 1/2 oz dry vermouth, 2 dashes of hot sauce, 3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, paint the rim with celery salt, smoked paprika, and garnish with bacon strips – crispy.”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Martial Kim did a double take – mentally.
“Teacher. This woman, is she ordering a drink, or a full course dinner?”
“No, no. She’s ordering something to drink. Very good taste, I might say.”
“...You put sauce and food, in your wine!? D-did the people here mix it into our beers!?”
Prof. Stone nearly spat his drink out, “What!? N-no! Tha-that’s completely different! She’s ordering a cocktail! It usually involves mixing liquors and spirits, along with a touch of other flavours – fruits and vegetables – to spice up the taste you know. You should try some one day!”
“You say that, but the thought of mixing Oyster Sauce inside of a Peace Blossom Rich Wine is making my stomach do flips only a Bodhisattva could pull off!”
After a few trial and errors, Candy Bloom finally got her drink. To be honest, it didn’t look as good as anyone would expect, neither was it that terrible. As for the taste, was it really good? Well, no one will know as Candy Bloom took her drink to sit in a booth – in private. Every now and then she would sip her drink and enjoy the music and atmosphere, never once making an ugly face.
Mostly because she knew a lot of eyes were on her, appreciating...God’s work on her body—er visage.
“Teacher.” Martial Kim can’t help but eye the woman, not like the others with temptation in their eyes, “Is this woman drunk before she stepped in? To order such an outlandish drink?”
Prof. Stone ordered a second round of beer, “Ha. You say that, but she was practically reciting a whole cook book down to the exact order and measurements.. Even corrected the bartender a few times. Sounds sober to me.”
“Still...sauce and food INSIDE your drink!?”
“Wait till you try a Screwdriver. You’ll never go back to a regular drink.”
“Teacher. Isn’t that a tool we found in the workshop where the Drain Victim died.”
“...Way to kill the mood Kim. I wish Keekee was here...Speaking of which. Has she called back?”
Good question. Martial Kim fumbled for his phone and he did his best to check. After a few pointers, he was able to check how to UNDERSTAND how call history works.
Prof. Stone hummed, “Strange. It’s already 10:15 PM and not a peep from her... Kim. Are you sure you didn’t say anything to piss her off before?”
Martial Kim surrendered, even when he did nothing wrong, “Of course not! I’ve been busy with the Burn Victim case, I never had a chance to properly speak to her at all!”
“There! That’s the problem! You put career ahead of your girl! You’re definitely going to become single, Kim! Mark my word!”
“Teacher, please! I...I need a moment. To wash my face. The beer.”
“Hey! Hey come back here you coward! Don’t use the bathroom as an excuse to walk away from me! Kiiiiiim!.......Hah. Silly boy.”
Prof. Stone shook his head and downed his beer. Since he was alone, and Candy Bloom wasn’t looking, he released a short burp. Man, he really needed that, after a long day work.
“...Cute kids, both of them...Wish I was young and in love...sigh.”
Ring Ring. Ring Ring. Ring Ring. Ring Ring. Ring Ring.
Prof. Stone knew a phone was ringing under all the loud pub music and cheering soccer / football fans. He also knew it wasn’t his phone. The reason why he ignored the ringtone, was because Martial Kim left his phone on the table next to him.
It kept shaking, singing, and vibrating. Every time. Non stop.
The name Keekee glowing on the screen. Ah, how cute. Seems she set up a double selfie of herself and Martial Kim as the caller ID image.
“Pffftt. Kim looks like he got punched by a horse.......I shouldn’t pick it up. His privacy...But damn it, talk about bad timing.” Prof. Stone kept glancing at the bathroom alley. The second he would see his protege he would flag him down. But he started to wonder if the young master got lost within those simple 10 steps. “Screw it—Hyello? Keekee? You got out messages? Are you free right now?”
[........]
“Keekee? Hello? You there?”
[...Are you Kim?]
Oh? A man’s voice? Prof. Stone thought it came from the speakers in the pub, whoever the hell was using the open mic night, or even the bartender mumbling about Caesar Martini. After eliminating all those external factors, he plugged his other ear to listen carefully.
“Who is this? What have you done to Keekee?”
[Hey pal. I’m the one asking the questions here. Are you the one named Kim?]
“...Wait a minute. I know that voice...Officer McNabb. Is that you? I-it’s me, Stone from forensics! We met a few months back.”
[Stone?...Oh yeaaaah. Back in the mountains, the Belt Rapist case. You work with Fraulein’s team.]
“Yeah! That’s it! Now, officer. The phone you’re using belongs to a friend of mine. Where is the owner? Is she in trouble? Arrested or—”
[Tip of the iceberg.]
The more the forensic chemist listened to the officer on the phone, the more the word ‘worse’ was written on his face. He wasted no time to end the call and bolted into the men’s bathroom. Literally kicked the door open to scream.
“KIM! KEEKEE IS IN TROUBLE! GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE SINK, LET’S GO!”
And it was only tonight did he realize – just how damn fast the young master can run when he’s 100% serious.
“KIM! MY CAR IS THAT WAY, DON’T FLY OFF THE ROOF!”
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