NAPE - 15

While Bibi was eating her pudding, Doyoon, who had been casually observing her, narrowed his eyes. Bibi’s hand holding the spoon was much redder and more swollen than usual, as if it had been burned.

“You got burned.”

Quickly realizing this, Doyoon took out a first-aid kit from under the display cabinet and brought over burn ointment and aloe vera gel. Bibi had just finished her pudding. As Doyoon approached, she eyed him warily with slightly sharp eyes.

“Let me treat that.”

Doyoon held out the burn ointment, gesturing for her to give him her hand. It was the first time he had tried to make physical contact with her other than when taking her blood.

“It’ll get better soon anyway.”

Bibi said in a low voice. A vampire’s healing ability was exceptionally fast. This little burn would disappear as if nothing had happened within a few hours.

“It might heal, but it hurts, doesn’t it?”

That was true… but why bother treating it if it would heal anyway? It wasn’t severe, just a little hot. Ah, it wasn’t a little, it stung quite a bit. If she could, she wanted to get a bowl of water and soak it all day long. Still, it wasn’t unbearable.

Besides, it wasn’t like he was going to drink her blood, so unnecessary contact with a hunter… felt unpleasant.

“Think about it. Except for our first meeting, have I ever hurt you?”

“…….”

“If you don’t give me your hand… I won’t give you blood again.”

Doyoon was the type of person who found threats easier than persuasion. He coaxed her with a voice that wasn’t particularly forceful. Honestly, this was him being quite lenient. Did she even realize it?

Mentioning blood, Bibi reluctantly held out her hand. Doyoon didn’t miss the opportunity and quickly grabbed her hand. Ignoring her flinch, he squeezed some ointment onto the back of her hand and gently spread it.

Bibi stared at Doyoon, her hand still outstretched. Her usually languid and indifferent eyes were now very serious. His touch was rough rather than gentle, but there was no malice in it.

“How is it?”

He asked confidently after spreading aloe vera gel as well. Bibi looked at her now-cool hand with wonder.

Come to think of it, Doyoon was the first person to care about her injuries like this. It was ironic. A hunter was treating her. When she thought about it, he really hadn’t hurt her. On the contrary, he was helping her maintain a healthy body.

Okay, let’s admit it objectively. Vampire hunter Kwon Doyoon wasn’t a bad person to her. Unlike other masters, he didn’t starve her, hit her, or neglect her. On the contrary, he fed her and treated her wounds. It would be nice if this person… became her new master.

“It feels… okay.”

Her thoughts kept drifting in strange directions. In the past, she wouldn’t have dared to dream of a master not approved by the trainer… was it because of his blood that she had recently tasted, or because her body had changed?

Bibi had many things she wanted to ask Doyoon. Since she couldn’t have a long conversation with a hunter, she barely swallowed her curiosity. However, she couldn’t stop the questions and confusion that welled up in her chest from overflowing.

“Doyoon.”

And so, Bibi called the name of the man who had become a turning point in her life. His eyes, which had widened momentarily, continued to gaze at Bibi before softening into a smile. His crescent-moon-shaped eyes were pleasant to look at. Doyoon had the most exquisite and beautiful appearance of any master she had ever met, enough to make her stare blankly.

“You’re finally calling my name.”

Seeing that smile, an old memory flashed vividly in her mind.

It was a memory from when she was born. Amidst the thick smell of blood filling the air, she felt the strong beating of a heart. Someone’s warm embrace, ornate patterns, and joyful laughter passed by her in succession.

Bibi remembered for the first time that there was someone who had given birth to her. Back then, she wasn’t a hunting dog. Strangely, her heart ached. A lot.

________________________________________

In the middle of the night, Bibi silently crossed the living room, her footsteps muffled. At the end of the living room was a small room where Kwon Doyoon was sleeping.

It was the first time he had slept in this house. He must have decided that he couldn’t leave her alone because of the microwave explosion. Bibi had tried to sleep in her usual bed, but she couldn’t easily fall asleep, feeling conscious of his presence in the house.

The hunter’s presence was immense. Even though he was in a room far away, it completely filled her mind, preventing her from sleeping. While she believed he wouldn’t harm her, she was uneasy about whether it was okay to be this unguarded. Bibi decided to see him sleeping to confirm that he was just an ordinary human.

Creak—

As she opened the door, a small noise came from the hinges. Kwon Doyoon’s unique, fresh scent wafted into her nose. She reflexively swallowed the saliva that had gathered in her mouth, holding it back. An intruder had entered, yet the figure buried in the bed showed no signs of noticing.

Bibi held her breath and approached the sleeping hunter without making a sound. She could hear his even breathing, and saw Doyoon sleeping soundly, oblivious to the world. Moonlight streaming through the window illuminated him. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem threatening when he was asleep.

His collarbone was clearly visible because his clothes had slipped off to one side. The smooth surface of his skin glowed faintly like porcelain. Bibi’s mouth watered. She desperately resisted the urge to lick him from top to bottom with her tongue and then sink her fangs into his neck.

Come to think of it, one of the masters she had served long ago had told her Greek and Roman myths. The moon goddess Selene had fallen in love with the handsome youth Endymion and made him remain in that state forever. Bibi, lacking imagination, couldn’t picture a human appearance beautiful enough to be preserved as a specimen.

Only now, after decades had passed, could she finally understand.

Looking at that face, the questions she had barely swallowed earlier resurfaced.

‘Why are you keeping me?’

‘What’s your reason for wanting to be a master, and why don’t you order me to do anything while claiming to be one?’

‘Why do you, a hunter, give me blood?’

‘What does it mean to you whether I’m a pureblood or not?’

‘Who exactly are you?’

Wanting to have a proper conversation with a hunter. It was a dangerous thing. But wouldn’t the trainer understand? This was a special situation, after all.

Bibi was trapped, and the trainer’s influence couldn’t reach this place. When they reunited later, if she just kept her mouth shut… the trainer wouldn’t know anything. Ah, these were really bad thoughts.

Bibi sighed and her shoulders slumped. Now that she had confirmed Kwon Doyoon was asleep, she should go back to her room.

“Where are you going?”

As she turned around, a languid, sleepy voice spoke. Startled, Bibi jumped up.

“You can keep looking at my face.”

Was he awake? She glanced back. Doyoon was slowly raising his upper body, as if just waking up. He yawned widely.

“Isn’t that… too unguarded for a hunter?”

“You’re just one, after all.”

Bibi’s pride was hurt by Doyoon’s nonchalant attitude. Even if he was a hunter with a gun, to be this careless! Was she really that unthreatening? Generally speaking, wasn’t she the predator here? Forget it. It was too late to argue about that now… she had already shown him too many pathetic sides of herself.

Bibi took a step closer to Doyoon, who was adjusting his pillow to go back to sleep.

“Hey. I want to go outside.”

“It’s about time you wanted to go out.”

Doyoon nodded casually.

“Will you let me?”

“Hmm… let’s go out with a leash on, just in case you attack humans.”

Bibi frowned at his immediate mention of using a leash. He hadn’t even been accepted as a master yet, and he was already taking liberties.

“I’m not going out to hunt.”

“Then?”

“I want to go… find the woman who gave birth to me.”

Perhaps influenced by the old memory that had surfaced earlier, Bibi felt longing, sadness, and sorrow. And she developed a desire to know more about herself.

Doyoon looked surprised. He probably hadn’t imagined a personal story would come up.

“Are you sure? You’re quite a loyal hunting dog, aren’t you?”

Bibi shrugged at Doyoon’s question. This wasn’t strictly against the principles of a hunting dog. The trainer had only taught her to serve, worship, and obey. There were no instructions on what to do when she had a personal desire, so it should be okay.

“What exactly is your old memory like?”

“…….”

Bibi remained silent. There was no reason to tell him every little detail. Doyoon seemed to have expected this and gave up. He fell into thought for a moment. His drowsiness had completely vanished.

“Should I find her for you? The woman who gave birth to you.”

He, who had been deep in thought, made a surprising offer.

“...Huh, how?”

“It’s easy. I just need to check the genealogy of pureblood vampire families. The association has comprehensive data that combines the family trees and histories of 60 families.”

Something like that… existed? Bibi blinked. She was learning for the first time about the existence of pureblood vampire families and the data about them. Curiosity about the vampire society arose within her.