NAPE - 126

Side Story 37

Numerous unforgettable faces came to mind. While she was at Namwon’s house, Doyoon must have found all her former owners and brought them to this house.

Bibi recalled the fragments of wine glasses and golf clubs scattered on the floor, and the long trail of blood. The scene that must have unfolded in this house last night was vividly painted in her mind.

At first, Doyoon must have calmly welcomed her former owners as guests, then at some point, felt rage and beat them with a golf club. Their fierce resistance would have been short-lived, as the terrified hybrid vampires crawled on the floor, frantically trying to escape. Doyoon, like herding rabbits, slowly drove them into the room... and finished them off.

“Sorry. I couldn’t control my anger. I ended up taking away your chance for revenge.”

Doyoon showed a genuinely apologetic expression as he approached and embraced Bibi. In his broad, comfortable embrace, Bibi felt a very strong fence protecting her.

“I’m okay, Doyoon.”

In truth, Bibi wasn’t the type to harbor great hatred for anything. She no longer felt any emotions towards her former owners. Her revenge had already ended with the elimination of the trainer. Now, feeling anger towards them was a waste of time and not worth it. If they were alive, she didn’t want to encounter them again, and if they were dead, it was a relief. But Doyoon seemed different.

“I regret it. I should have made them suffer more. Tens of times more than what you endured...”

The lingering trace of anger was in his voice. Generally, he was a cold type. When eliminating someone, his movements were clean, without excess, and emotionless. Yet, Doyoon was regretting not inflicting more pain on Bibi’s former owners. Bibi caught her breath, trying to suppress her surging emotions.

“It’s okay. It’s all over now. I’m okay now. Really...”

Doyoon’s arm strength became crushing. Bibi was happy. Seeing him get angry on her behalf made her spontaneously feel love.

If the moments of being left alone to rot in that pitch-black darkness after losing her mother, the years of being brainwashed under the trainer, all the painful and unhappy times, were all for the purpose of meeting him... Bibi felt she could endure it again. She would endure it again, longing for this very moment.

She whispered words of love into Doyoon’s ear. With a proud expression, Doyoon also responded. Seeing Bibi’s earlobe redden, he pressed his lips to hers again.

The move was decided.

No matter how much they cleaned, the unpleasant feeling wouldn’t go away. Bibi insisted that the bloodstains and ash of her former owners must have contaminated the house. Doyoon seriously agreed. He said he was already tired of the house he was living in anyway and arranged for another residence.

The new house they were moving to was also in a super-tall building. More luxurious and extravagant, the house had very high ceilings and even a private swimming pool.

Doyoon decided to remodel the house to suit a vampire’s characteristics (rumor had it he was installing a 3-meter cat tree), and suggested they go on a vacation during the approximately two-week construction period. He had recently bought an uninhabited island in the Atlantic and said now was the perfect time to go and enjoy it.

Originally, only the two of them were going, but on the day they were leaving, Namwon, who had somehow gotten wind of it, barged in with Lau Yuan, so all four of them ended up going. Doyoon was quite annoyed by the interruption. But Bibi preferred being with others over being alone, and she didn’t strongly object, wanting to cheer up the dispirited Lau Yuan.

Lau Yuan had been dejected for the past few days. The reason was his Korean father. Namwon had managed to track down Lau Yuan’s father, and they went to meet him, but alas, he had another family: a Korean wife and even a Korean son.

Moreover, the son looked at least thirteen years old, even if conservatively estimated. This meant that Lau Yuan’s deceased mother would suddenly become a mistress. Lau Yuan, who quietly restrained Namwon from immediately barging in and breaking things, went into his room and didn’t come out for a while.

Bibi felt sorry for his situation and wanted to be a comforting friend, if not family. She decided to personally take care of him and help him adapt to life in Korea.

“You’re going to take care of him? You’ll do great, I’m sure.” Namwon scoffed at her resolve, and fortunately, Doyoon had no particular objections. He felt a moderate amount of sympathy for Lau Yuan’s situation and was moderately indifferent. As long as he wasn’t bothered, he was generally easygoing.

The island in the middle of the Atlantic was very hot, but it was much better without the unpleasant humidity of Thailand. The four of them sat on the beach connected to the villa. A cool breeze emanated from the parasol, making it very refreshing. Everyone ate their fill of fruit and juice and admired the emerald sea.

Lau Yuan was somewhat accustomed to such scenery as he had lived in the Philippines, but it was Bibi’s first time seeing such a clear and beautiful sea. With a paradise she had only seen in pictures unfolding before her eyes, it was hard to tell if this moment was a dream or reality. She couldn’t take her eyes off the sparkling grains of sand, the white clouds, the seagulls, and the vast horizon.

“Indeed. It’s been quite hectic since we brought you from the container. Dealing with the trainer, getting your driver’s license, going to Thailand to find the factory, rescuing Lord Schauer in London... This is the first time you’ve played without any worries. Almost the first time in your life?”

Namwon let out a hearty laugh, looking at Bibi.

“It’ll be peaceful for a while. All the Vampire Economic Alliance members who targeted us are now confined in coffins in the Elder Council’s basement.”

Doyoon, sitting under the parasol, nodded and said. Wearing sunglasses and a white shirt, he looked splendid, like a wealthy man from Southern Italy. His pupils shone amber, and the surface of his hair shimmered golden. The way he skillfully cut the fruit in his hand exuded elegance.

“Lee Namwon, you cut some too. You’re eating the most.” Doyoon gestured to the pile of mangoes, getting annoyed. The purpose of this vacation was privacy, so they had minimal staff, meaning they had to do the small things themselves.

Cutting fruit was no big deal, but with one person cutting and three people eating, it was slow. Moreover, Lee Namwon would inhale whatever he cut, whether it was watermelon or mango, like an elephant, so there was no joy in seeing the plates pile up.

“Senior, I can’t cut fruit.” Namwon said curtly, being annoying.

“What do you mean, you can’t? Want to die?”

“Give it to me.” Namwon took the knife and began to cut the mango, as if to show off. But it was quite a sight. Aside from cutting the peel as thick as a coconut, the soft mango was crushed in his large hand, oozing juice.

“Ugh... I don’t want to eat it. It’ll be salty.” Lau Yuan grimaced.

“Hahaha. I’m still not good at controlling my strength.”

“That’s enough. Just keep eating.”

“Okay. I’ll eat well.”

Doyoon took the knife from Namwon, adjusted his posture, and continued cutting fruit. This was not the vacation scene he had envisioned. His main goal was to enjoy paradise like primal humans, not caring what happened outside the island. Well, he couldn’t help it. There would be many more opportunities.

“Oh, Sister’s going for a swim.”

As Bibi, who had been admiring the beach, stood up and headed towards the sea, the three stopped their movements and intently watched her back. Bibi took off her shoes and cautiously dipped only her toes into the water, as if checking the temperature. Seemingly pleased with the temperature, she jumped once and then plunged deeper into the water.

“Does Sister swim well?”

“She knows how to float. Look, she’s dog-paddling.”

Bibi had never learned to swim. She could float somehow, but she couldn’t properly swim. She barely kept her head above water, floating and vigorously flailing her limbs. There was no right way to swim, and dog-paddling wasn’t bad, but it had the disadvantage of consuming a lot of energy.

“Cute...”

Doyoon, watching Bibi dog-paddle, lowered his head and chuckled, his shoulders shaking. As a sun-like smile appeared on his face, Namwon and Lau Yuan simultaneously sent him shocked glances. Ignoring them, Doyoon stuffed a cut mango into Lau Yuan’s mouth, took off his shirt, and headed for the sea.

Doyoon taught Bibi how to swim. Bibi was generally good at physical activities. She quickly reached a level where she could propel herself forward by kicking her legs and flailing her arms in the water. Doyoon, satisfied with her progress, returned to the sunbed, grimacing at the stronger sunlight. He dried himself under the cool parasol and took a nap.

Bibi, excited by the emerald sea, played continuously without rest. She challenged Lau Yuan and Namwon to diving contests, caught fish, and diligently collected seashells.

“Hey, don’t go too deep. You’ll drown, you know?”

“I won’t die anyway.”

“Don’t you know Robinson Crusoe?”

“Oh, I know him!”

“Who is he?”

“An animal?”

Bibi ignored Namwon’s sneer and headed further into the sea, deeper and deeper. The deeper the water, the more strange marine creatures she saw. Bibi wanted to see pretty starfish, white corals, and fish like Nemo.

“Oh...!”

The water was clear, and the bottom was perfectly visible, and it didn’t seem very deep, but at some point, she felt her body suddenly sink. Gulp, salty water rushed into her mouth. Her eyes squeezed shut from the sting, Bibi frantically thrashed towards the surface. However, her tense body was too heavy. Bibi sank further down like a rock. Fear suddenly gripped her. Was she going to be stuck alone in the deep sea like this?

Fear surged along with the pain of not being able to breathe.

Splash!

Then, something grabbed Bibi by the neck and pulled her forcefully upwards. Bibi coughed, spitting out seawater, and instinctively flailed her arms, trying to grab something. Something hard and rock-like willingly let itself be grasped. Feeling both their bodies floating stably, Bibi finally stopped struggling and opened her eyes.

“Be careful. You might get water in your lungs. Don’t you know organ damage heals slowly?”

Bibi looked at Doyoon, who had pulled her out, with curious eyes. Even though Bibi, who had fallen into the water, had frantically grabbed and struggled, Doyoon was unfazed. He had clearly been sleeping on the sunbed, so had he come all the way here just by hearing her small gasp in that short time? His physical abilities, as well as his crisis detection skills, were astonishing.

Come to think of it... this wasn’t the first time. Whenever Bibi associated with others or focused on something, Doyoon always observed. He didn’t actively intervene; he would seem indifferent, bored, and slightly distant, either sleeping or engrossed in other tasks.

Then, whenever a very small, trivial incident occurred (like Bibi accidentally dropping a cup), he would somehow appear beside her and prevent danger. Just like now.

“Why did you come this deep?”

“Curiosity. To see what the deep parts look like. And there are more fish here.”

“Hmm... Then...”

Doyoon briefly placed Bibi on a rock and went to the boat docked at the pier, bringing a life vest, snorkeling gear, and flippers. He meticulously helped Bibi put them on and then led her back into the sea. Bibi held Doyoon’s hand and explored the deeper ocean.

It was truly fun to splash her flippers, following Doyoon as he expertly cut through the blue water. Thanks to the life vest, her body floated stably, allowing her to put her head underwater and fully explore. She saw Nemo, as well as corals, sea urchins, clams, and starfish.

As Bibi reached out her hands as if she wanted something, Doyoon miraculously understood and went down to retrieve a starfish for her. Bibi’s eyes sparkled as they held the starfish. To think there was a star-shaped creature in this ocean! It was truly wondrous and amazing.

It looked beautiful in the water and beautiful when held up to the sunlight. She gripped the starfish tightly with both hands and excitedly flailed her flippers.

A pleasant laugh escaped Doyoon. He went down again and brought up a white coral. The coral looked like grains of rice, but it was hard and sharp like stone. Bibi tightly held the coral in one hand. She liked it and wanted to decorate her new house with it.

Doyoon found amusement in watching Bibi’s reactions. Before long, Bibi’s hands were full of marine creatures he had brought her.

“You’re like Bonobono.”

“Bonobono?”

“It’s... an otter or a sea otter.”

Bibi pushed all of Doyoon’s hair back from his face, which was floating on the surface of the water. With his handsome forehead fully revealed, his gaze seemed even more intense.

“Doyoon, have you ever done it in the sea?”

“The sea?”

His eyes widened, and he chuckled, shaking his head. Bibi’s mood brightened. She had secretly been bothered by Doyoon’s past lovers, but he actually hadn’t done many things. A brilliant idea sparked in her mind.

“Later, when Namwon and Lau Yuan are asleep, let’s do it in the sea.”

“......”

Doyoon’s pupils dilated.

“You don’t want to?”

“No... Ah... Is this what they call the reward of raising someone...?” he mumbled with an expression of unreserved admiration. Now, Bibi was filled with his traces. It was understandable to the point that God created humans and loved them so much that he even gave up his own son. Until he found Bibi in the cage, he had never imagined things would turn out like this.

Despite meeting countless people, Doyoon had never felt such emotions until now. Therefore, his feelings for Bibi were fate and a choice. On the other hand, Bibi’s love for him was largely due to luck.

It was a stroke of heaven’s luck that he found Bibi before anyone else. If she had fallen into someone else’s hands, the innocent Bibi would have opened her heart to someone else, not him.

Doyoon rubbed his chest with his hand. So, it was possible to like and love someone this much. If the whole world were submerged in a great flood, and he were to sink, submerged up to his head, and never breathe again... he could, without hesitation, squeeze out the oxygen remaining in his lungs and give it to her.

“Oh, a wave is coming. It looks a little big. What should we do?”

Bibi gazed at the surging water at the far end with docile eyes.

“In times like this, you dive. It’s actually safer underwater. Oh, you’re wearing a vest, so you’ll be fine anyway.”

“I want to do it myself.”

Without a word, Doyoon took off Bibi’s life vest. He held Bibi’s waist tightly and took a deep breath. Bibi also mirrored him, greatly expanding her chest. The two then dove into the cold sea.

Holding onto Doyoon, Bibi looked up at the waves passing over them underwater. The sunlight-bathed water shimmered like a net. When there are waves, it’s actually safer underwater...

Feeling short of breath, Bibi looked at Doyoon underwater. She playfully poked his cheeks, which were puffed out with air. Doyoon turned his head towards Bibi. He pressed his warm lips to hers and exhaled the oxygen he had held.

Bibi closed her eyes and, without resistance, drank the breath he offered. Past events flashed before her eyes like a kaleidoscope: the darkness and loneliness that seemed endless, the days of abuse from her former owner, the trainer’s death, the hound factory she saw in Thailand, and the Court of Interrogation. The fact that she was able to overcome such difficult experiences alone was thanks to meeting this man by chance in a cage.

Kwon Doyoon, my vampire.

Perhaps Doyoon might dismiss her love for him as a stroke of luck, a product of chance. But Doyoon should know. In the end, Bibi broke her vows with the trainer, whom she had sworn to be with for life, and betrayed her former owner, eating the forbidden fruit he offered. That was her own choice, not forced by anyone else.

With their lips pressed together, Bibi swore:

That she would love him forever, the one who breathed new life into her.

<The End>