episode_0076

“Are you awake?”

As I opened my eyes, feeling a sharp pain near my temple, I was met with a vampire looking concerned.

Surveying my surroundings immediately due to an unknown unease, I realized that I had briefly lost consciousness.

“…What on earth happened?”

Trying to recall by grasping my head, there was little coming back to me.

The only thing left was the memory of me recklessly confronting a gray silhouette.

Wanting to know what happened during my fainting spell, I questioned Jiu, but he just mumbled that nothing had happened.

…If nothing happened, then why does my temple hurt?

I remember there was nothing around to hit my temple on when I collapsed.

Seeing his guarded expression, I knew something had happened, but I didn’t want to argue just to uncover it.

Shaking my head once, I agreed to Jiu’s suggestion to return to the campsite.

However…

“…When will this stop, seriously.”

Did a hole open in the sky?

The raindrops, falling one by one, suddenly turned into a fierce downpour tormenting us.

“…Ah.”

We should have run back to the campsite before the rain got worse, but what kind of vampire was Jiu again?

Wasn’t he from that cursed species that couldn’t cross running water unless they drank human blood?

Soon enough, Jiu became truly incapacitated as he had said, and I had no choice but to carry him back to the mansion.

It was fortunate that the downpour started right after we left the mansion.

If the heavy rain had started while we were in such an awkward position, it would have been quite troublesome.

At least until the rain stopped or until Hye-eun arrived, we were stuck in an impossible situation.

Drenched in the rain, resembling drowned rats, Jiu and I began waiting for the rain to cease.

“…Can they be contacted? Judging by how it’s pouring, it doesn’t seem like it’ll stop soon.”

“It’s a dead zone. Looks like we’ll have to wait for them to come first.”

“Sigh, it’ll probably take at least an hour. Ugh… We came here for healing, and look at this mess.”

“Don’t complain too much. Did you expect anything different from them?”

For a healing trip, besides the ramen the vampire next to me cooked, it felt like there was no healing at all.

Frowning due to my troubled mind, Jiu patted my back to comfort me.

…Yes, Jiu is right. Blaming others for this situation is quite amusing.

By now, Hye-eun must be pacing back and forth, unable to make up her mind, right?

Imagining the angelic figure contemplating a solution with a puzzled face brought a smile to my lips involuntarily.

Feeling slightly better, I took a deep breath, and Jiu looked at me with a worried expression.

“Um, are you feeling okay? You look really cold.”

“I’m more worried about you. Are you okay?”

“Haha, vampires are basically corpses if you take away their resilience, right? Don’t worry about me; I don’t catch colds.”

Chuckling softly, the vampire grinned before gazing blankly at the sky again.

Seemingly not done laughing, he playfully teased while lifting the corners of his mouth and then leaned his head against the wall.

Leaning my damp hair against the dusty wall, it would soon become bothersome when I went back to wash.

Wouldn’t it be better for him to lean on me rather than the wall?

My shoulder is cleaner than the wall, and it’s warm when you lean on it.

Though filled with selfishness, logically, there was no issue with the argument.

After pondering, I stopped erasing and bluntly conveyed my thoughts so he wouldn’t suspect.

“Hey, don’t lean there. You’d be bothered washing later. Besides, you already look like a beggar; getting covered in dust will make it worse…”

“Well, you do have a point. But listen…”

He squinted, speaking in a reluctant tone.

“Isn’t the painting a bit off? And even if I don’t mind, wouldn’t you dislike it? You were terrified last time we joked around.”

“…That was then, this is now. Oh well, forget it. If you don’t like it, just lean on the wall.”

“No, if you’re considerate, there’s no reason not to. So, I won’t decline.”

Chuckling, the vampire loaded his weight onto my right shoulder.

After a peculiar groan, he pretended to sniff and threw a scary joke.

“But doing this is making me hungry. Can’t I just take a sip?”

“No. I told you, you have to wait at least two months. How is what you’re doing any different from killing the goose that lays the golden eggs?”

“Well, true… But I keep salivating. It’s wrong, but…”

Gasping for air, his eagerness to drink my blood felt quite indecent.

Was it because of the proximity?

The faint lavender scent wafting from Jiu’s hair momentarily distracted me from the chilly midnight temperature.

Wouldn’t giving just one sip be okay?

No, knowing how one sip could escalate, should I just offer it?

Still, if I give my blood now, I could gain significant points, right?

Of course, significant points could be gained. However, enduring another week of pleading and whining was something to consider.

Experiencing that again…

I can’t live like that.

Yeah, it’s a shame.

I’ll give blood once it’s replenished.

After vacillating, my flushed face cooled slightly.

A sense of regained rationality.

It would have been fortunate if it ended there, but unfortunately, nature was relentlessly cruel.

“…It’s getting cold now.”

The chilly night wind kept stealing my body heat like a thief.

Staying still like this would surely result in catching a cold tomorrow.

I rummaged through the hideout in hopes of finding something to wear, but sadly, only useless furniture and odds and ends existed here.

This is really bad.

Can’t heal properly, and suffering seems inevitable.

“Sigh.”

As I sighed in melancholy, the creature watching me pitifully cautiously spoke up.

“…Feeling very cold?”

“It’s still bearable, but it might get dangerous if I stay longer.”

“Really? Then…”

Jiu hesitated briefly before speaking with a determined expression.

“I’ll tell you in advance, there’s something I want to do from now on. Don’t act weird about it. I’m genuinely concerned about you.”

“Don’t beat around the bush. What is it?”

“Uhm, would you mind if we hugged for a bit? You know! Like when people huddle together to avoid hypothermia in emergencies! It might help… Ahh…!”

He must have felt embarrassed even after saying it, turning around and screaming in terror.

His appearance was so adorable that I quietly approached, embraced him from behind, and whispered, “Ah…?”

As I pulled him close, Jiwoo, like a malfunctioning paper doll, stopped moving.

Seemingly trying to understand the situation, his eyes darted around restlessly.

I just hugged him as he asked, so what could possibly be the problem?

With a mischievous smile, I softly murmured into his ear, “Indeed, holding you like this seems to be quite helpful.”

Though uttered out of desire, the effect surpassed my expectations by far.

Beyond maintaining body warmth, my chilled body was slowly warming up.

The reason can be roughly guessed.

It’s not just about appearances; it’s more about the sensuous touch of the soft body.

“This… seems like it might have caused trouble in a different sense.”

I had always been determined not to lose Jiwoo.

However, after experiencing such ecstasy, my thoughts had changed.

I must hold onto him.

Even if it means sacrificing my lifeblood, I want to be with him.

An insidious obsession painting over a heart that was once as blank as a white canvas.

In an instant, a wicked thought crossed my mind.

…Why not just confess now?

Failure seemed out of the question.

As long as there is a notion of owing, he would accept my confession thinking he must repay the debt.

By tying him down with a leash named “debt” and ensuring it can never be undone.

Could I keep this beautiful vampire by my side for a lifetime?

A creeping, sticky possessiveness.

But as soon as I saw Jiwoo, with his flushed face, frantically protesting, that repulsive thought vanished cleanly from my mind.

“Hey, can you let go for a moment!? This is too sudden!”

Despite shouting, Jiwoo didn’t thrash around, perhaps worried about injuring me.

…To have such thoughts against someone so kind, I feel disgusted with myself.

Guilt overlaying obsession.

Feeling sorry, I tried to release my arms.

“…What, I came because I was worried, and here you two are having a good time? Should I come back later?”

Of all times.

Incredibly.

Just as I was about to let go, an angel bathed in halo light appeared before us.

And then.

“Aaaahhhhhhh!!!!!”

The faint scream of the vampire.

Echoed throughout the mountains.