NAPE - 18

“Uh… well… please continue talking.”

Doyoon tilted the camera lens upward, just in case the situation became visible.

- Anyway, about rescheduling our next luncheon… how does the 10th sound? Because that day is… uh, excuse me… Count?

“Ah, yes. I’m listening.”

Doyoon replied absentmindedly, his mind preoccupied with a series of escalating questions.

What on earth is she doing? Does she want to come into this room? Is it because I’m here?

He couldn’t take his eyes off the bizarre flexibility show Bibi was putting on. He was amazed that a creature with the same form as a human could be that flexible. At the same time, he found himself involuntarily cheering her on.

Yeah, inhale a little more and push your body forward. Your chest keeps getting stuck. You’re small, but surprisingly… large.

Ah, but thankfully, her body was flexible enough, so she managed to get her upper body through. All that was left was her hips.

However, Bibi was now completely drained of energy. She must have used too much strength on her upper body, as she looked slightly exhausted. Ah, and that bookcase… why did it become so slanted?

- Ugh, be careful, Count! It looks like the bookcase is falling over because of the earthquake!

At the same time as the man’s shout, the unbalanced bookcase tilted forward. It was directly above Bibi, who was crawling out diagonally.

Thump!

The bookcase fell with a heavy thud, right above her head. Heavy books tumbled down towards the floor. Bibi squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the heavy impact on her head. But contrary to her expectations, she felt no impact on her skull.

It was thanks to Doyoon, who had stretched out his arm like a shield to protect Bibi’s head. Bibi opened her mouth in surprise.

A small scratch ran across Doyoon’s forehead, as if he had been grazed by the corner of a book. Bibi’s heart sank. Her foolish actions had injured her master!

“Useless thing.”

The trainer’s voice echoed in Bibi’s head. She deserved the insult. Shame, frustration, and fear crept over her body. What punishment would she receive? Bibi, lying prostrate on the floor, was too frightened to move. She had to apologize quickly… that way, she might get hit fewer times and ease his anger even a little…

“Pfft.”

A sound of suppressed laughter burst out in the room. Bibi looked at Doyoon, quite bewildered. The person whose important conversation had been interrupted, whose bookcase had collapsed, and whose face had been scratched because of her, was laughing. And with a very pleased expression.

“I really didn’t expect this to happen. You’re really funny.”

“The computer… it’s broken.”

Bibi confessed her misdeed, worried that he, who was shaking with laughter, had lost his mind.

“I see. It is broken.”

Doyoon composed his laughter and looked around the messy room.

“Pay for it.”

Bibi was wondering how she should compensate him, but she nodded her head vigorously first.

“Just kidding. I was planning to do that anyway. You did it for me.”

He looked quite cheerful. Bibi, seeing this side of him for the first time, forgot her mistake and became dazed.

“Bibi, let’s talk for a bit.”

Doyoon, having stopped laughing, swept back his disheveled hair. Feeling the need to talk to Bibi, he gestured towards the living room with his chin.

The two sat facing each other at the dining table. A fragrant tea was placed on the table. When Doyoon asked if she preferred sweet or sour, Bibi shrugged to indicate she didn’t mind either, and he brought out this tea.

Bibi, seeing nuts floating in the tea, instinctively stuck out her tongue to taste it, but yelped and jumped back because it was too hot. She really hated hot things.

“Bibi. You don’t have to follow me around the house that much.”

Doyoon said, stirring Bibi’s tea with a teaspoon.

“That’s my job.”

“Ah, honestly, it’s a bit annoying. You trailing after me.”

“If you don’t like it, tie me up or lock me away like the other masters did. Cover my eyes too.”

Bibi was still steeped in shame. To hide her flushed cheeks, she let her curly hair fall forward and lowered her gaze as she replied calmly.

“...Hmm. If I do that, I’ll look like a pervert.”

Doyoon made a disgusted face.

“Then there’s nothing I can do.”

“How about spending your time autonomously?”

“Autonomously?”

Bibi frowned. Confusion washed over her. What on earth did spending time autonomously mean? A hunting dog could do nothing but hunt humans or protect its master.

“Yeah. Spend it doing whatever you want. There’s that unemployed protagonist on TV, right? Like that. Oh, do you want to learn how to do online shopping? I have quite a bit of money. Buy whatever you want. Order whatever you want to eat.”

Doyoon, who had taken out a gold card from his pocket, paused at Bibi’s expression. She looked as confused as if she had heard a foreign language.

Bibi’s identity as a hunting dog was firm. The word ‘freedom’ didn’t exist in her mind. For someone who had lived as a hunting dog, the master was everything. The only choices were to cling to the master or be confined. It would take a very long time for her to realize this on her own.

Doyoon didn’t try to force a new concept on her. There was no need to go that far.

“Do whatever you feel comfortable with. Then.”

Even so, all she did was follow him around the house. Honestly, anyone else would have been fed up and kicked her out already. But Bibi was… a small, harmless vampire. Doyoon couldn’t be cold to anything harmless and cute.

“I… I have something I’m curious about regarding Doyoon.”

Mustering her courage, Bibi leaned forward. Would he really answer everything she asked?

“What is it?”

“Why did you decide to become my master?”

“Hmm….”

Doyoon inhaled slightly.

“Because I want you to remain as a hunting dog, Bibi. Since the person who can influence you is the master, I simply chose that position.”

He spoke honestly, without hiding anything.

“That’s the optimal form for us to get along well. I don’t particularly want to overhaul your thoughts and values. It’s inefficient.”

“...So, Doyoon doesn’t really need a hunting dog?”

“Right. I just judged that it would be more efficient for me to adapt to you than to try and persuade you.”

Doyoon explained slowly, without any inflection. Contrary to her expectations, he was honest. Bibi paused to organize her thoughts.

“Does that mean… you want me by your side as Bibi herself? Is that right?”

“That’s right.”

He raised his eyebrows as if impressed and nodded. It was the first time someone wanted Bibi herself, not as a hunting dog. She couldn’t understand it.

“Why? Why on earth?”

“Because you’re a pureblood.”

“…….”

“You’re a noble pureblood vampire, Bibi.”

Doyoon whispered, leaning in with a captivating face. Bibi narrowed her eyes. A noble pureblood vampire… it felt quite awkward and unbelievable to have such an epithet attached to her. Bibi stared straight into Doyoon’s eyes. There was not a hint of falsehood in his ice-cold, black eyes.

“Let me be honest. I need you, who has lived as a ‘hunting dog.’ At the same time, I hope that as a pureblood, you will lend a hand in what I plan to do in the future. Let’s do some business together. In the form of a deal.”

Kwon Doyoon was a vampire hunter who gave blood to a hunting dog and became its master, even keeping it a secret from the association. Why would he need a pureblood so badly? Her curiosity grew endlessly. To ask all of it would require a very long conversation.

No. To grasp this entire situation… there was something essential she needed to know.

“Kwon Doyoon. Who exactly are you?”

Bibi asked a question that cut through everything.

“Sorry. I can’t answer that right now.”

Doyoon, who had seemed ready to answer anything, shook his head for the first time and wore an ambiguous expression.

“…….”

“It’s because I don’t completely trust you either.”

The reason he couldn’t answer was also honest. Her ribs felt slightly sore at those words. It was a bit shocking that her master didn’t trust her. When Bibi didn’t ask any further questions, Doyoon got up from his chair.

“You watch TV often, right? Learn from there. How to live like a human. You did learn how to read though. Good job. Figure out the rest on your own. Whether you act like a hunting dog or whatever.”

He was heading to the bedroom when he paused and turned back.

“Oh, right, so you’ll keep watching me while I sleep?”

Bibi sipped her cold tea, looking as if she was asking why he was asking something so obvious.

***

Doyoon, who had stayed home all weekend, left the house on Monday morning for a seminar and a visit to the Hunter Association. Unlike before, he felt slightly uneasy. The thought of leaving Bibi alone all day made him uncomfortable. He had told Bibi various safety precautions… but he worried about her setting another fire and getting burned, or getting crushed by the bookcase.

He knew that as a vampire, she wouldn’t get hurt, but he didn’t want to see that small girl struggling alone. He had even considered installing a home camera. But he couldn’t watch the video all day while he was out.

It would be better to call someone. Someone who knew Bibi’s identity and Doyoon’s internal affairs well.