NAPE - 24

With slow footsteps and a soft click, the door opened. Doyoon, who had been scanning the empty air, lowered his gaze. He saw Bibi crouching down with the first aid kit and chuckled.

“What are you doing here?”

Doyoon crouched down, meeting her gaze. Bibi quickly held out the first aid kit.

“Do you think this will do now? You were the one who was so busy doing laundry last night.”

At his playful teasing, Bibi became sullen. She racked her brain for what to say, but Doyoon chuckled once more.

“Anyway, thanks.”

“Um, can I stay next to you too?”

Bibi mustered her courage and asked.

“Hmm... alright.”

Doyoon, who had been pondering, casually got up and gestured towards the inside of the room. Afraid he might change his mind, Bibi quickly slipped through the doorway. Doyoon slowly lay back down on the bed.

Bibi knelt at the end of the bed, blankly staring at him with his eyes closed. Seeing the lifelessness in his skin, he looked similar to how she felt when she was hungry and thirsty. It was really difficult and painful then. Regret washed over her once more. Ah, she remembered what she wanted to say.

“I’m sorry.”

At the sudden apology, Doyoon opened his eyes. He was sensitive because his body wasn’t its usual self, but seeing Bibi’s expression made him let out a soft laugh. It was such a contrast to when they first met. The vampire who had been so insistent on pushing him away was now crawling onto the bed to apologize. The more he knew her, the more amusing she became.

“You don’t have to apologize. I also wasn’t firm enough in pushing you away.”

“I’ll give you my blood instead.”

At the unexpected words, Doyoon doubted his ears. He raised one eyebrow, wondering what he had heard. Bibi moved closer to Doyoon on her knees.

“Drink it, Doyoon.”

Kwon Doyoon was human. A hunter, at that. He shouldn’t be feeling thirst. Nevertheless, Bibi was certain he was feeling the same pain as her. As a hunting dog, she couldn’t just watch her owner suffer. There was only one thing Bibi could offer.

“My blood.”

The smile disappeared from Doyoon’s lips at Bibi’s serious expression. His languid eyes widened in surprise, then an unreadable light flickered within them. A small wrinkle formed between his brows. Bibi grew anxious.

“Is it because I’m not your type? But... it won’t be bad if you do this.”

Bibi recalled Namwon’s words, tilted her head back, and hurriedly began to unbutton her shirt. The moment her collarbone and chest were revealed, a large hand grabbed Bibi’s and urgently stopped her. Startled, she looked at Doyoon. His expression was frighteningly blank. His black, cold eyes were difficult to read, just like when they first met.

“Has... this happened before?”

Doyoon asked in a low voice.

“Happened before?”

“Have you offered your blood and your body... like this before?”

Watching Doyoon grow colder little by little, Bibi lowered her eyes and recalled the past.

“There were owners who drank my blood, but no owner wanted my body. They said I was thin and dirty... that I wasn’t interesting. This is the first time I’ve offered myself willingly like this.”

Doyoon looked at Bibi. Bibi’s cheeks were flushed like peach blossoms, she had gained a healthy amount of weight, and her eyes sparkled with life. She looked good. Beautiful, even. It was the complete opposite of when they first met.

He remembered when he had found Bibi in the cage. She was so thin, nothing but skin and bones. Her skeletal form was as gaunt as a tree withered and died in a drought, and she was very small. Her eyes were sunken, making her look like a wandering spirit from the underworld, not a person.

“There was an owner who drank your blood?”

“Yeah.”

Seeing Bibi nod so naturally, an unpleasant lump formed in his chest.

“Even when you were in that state when we first met?”

“Yeah.”

The more Bibi answered, the more Doyoon’s eyes and the corners of his mouth grew cold. She didn’t know why, but it was definitely because of her. She was now certain that Doyoon wouldn’t harm her, yet a baseless fear crept in. What had angered him? Was he angry that she had tried to give him her blood?

“I’m a hunting dog. I... because I’m a hunting dog... it’s natural for a hunting dog to offer its blood and body to its owner.”

Bibi stammered, explaining what the trainer had taught her. She tried to convince him that what she was doing wasn’t bad, but natural.

“Those wretched bastards...”

Doyoon, who had been wearing a grim expression, let out a frustrated sigh and cursed. He couldn’t accept it easily at all. Not only did they make a child who was nothing but bones hunt, but they also sucked her blood? It didn’t make sense according to common sense. It was clearly exploitation.

Perhaps it was fortunate that they hadn’t laid a hand on her body. But if she had felt countless instances of starvation to get to that state... could he really consider that fortunate?

Bibi had barely eaten human food and had survived by drinking only blood. Vampires could live by drinking only blood, but if they didn’t receive proper nutrients, they would get sick and weak. Doyoon belatedly pieced together what he had overlooked. How Bibi, raised as a hunting dog, had lived.

She found human food unfamiliar and disliked being alone. She also showed a sensitive reaction to violence. Furthermore, she considered being confined in a cage and offering her body and blood entirely to her owner as natural.

This was brainwashing through abuse. A firm brainwashing created by repeating thorough training and ego destruction from a young age. That perverted bastard of a trainer had raised a young girl as a guard dog.

“Bibi.”

Doyoon suddenly ran his fingers through his hair irritably and sat up. He then personally buttoned up Bibi’s shirt. Bibi froze slightly, unsure of what to do. When her owner was angry, she was supposed to bring him a human or offer her own blood, but Doyoon wanted neither. She was completely at a loss for what to do.

“Before being a hunting dog, you’re a vampire.”

“......”

“Not a human, but an intelligent being. An animal that thinks and uses language. A noble pureblood, at that.”

“......”

“Do you understand?”

“...Yeah.”

Bibi nodded stiffly.

“No one can demand your blood and flesh. Not in the past, and not ever in the future.”

She wanted to argue, but she couldn’t because of Doyoon’s expression and the cold sweat on his forehead. However, Bibi felt as if a fundamental belief and philosophy that firmly constituted her inner self had been forcibly contradicted.

As a sliver of doubt pierced the laws and precepts she had absolutely adhered to, different thoughts kept trying to surface. This feeling wasn’t new.

She had often felt it when she came to Seoul and was certain that the trainer didn’t know her whereabouts, and while drinking Doyoon’s blood and living with him. Back then, the doubt itself felt like a dirty and evil corruption, so she had tried to ignore it, but gradually, she couldn’t stop different thoughts from arising.

If the identity she believed in as a hunting dog crumbled and she lost the precepts given by the trainer, what would remain in its place? Bibi became afraid of realizing. She disliked being swallowed by confusion. So she clung more desperately to the beliefs she held.

As the night deepened, Doyoon’s physical condition visibly worsened. The more he sweated profusely, the lower his body temperature became. His parted lips were colorless, and faint groans occasionally escaped him.

His pale appearance, like a corpse that had just died, made Bibi’s heart sink. His complexion was so lifeless. It must be because she had sucked too much blood.

There were times when her owners would get this sick. They would sweat for no reason, their cheeks would become pale, and their body temperature would drop. It was all a phenomenon caused by thirst. Of course, Doyoon was human, but... she was certain it was a symptom of thirst. Bibi trusted her instincts.

Moving stealthily so as not to wake Namwon, who had fallen asleep on the sofa, she opened the refrigerator door. The blood packs that were always packed tightly were nowhere to be seen today. Ah, a few days ago, Doyoon had said that blood also had an expiration date and had thrown them all away. Hmm... what should she do? How could she provide him with blood?

The easiest and quickest way was for Doyoon to drink Bibi’s blood. But earlier, he had refused with anger. That reaction was the first she had seen in the two months they had lived together. Would he eat Namwon if she threw him over? That big, plump human would probably have good-tasting blood.

But... Doyoon would refuse. Given his nature, he probably wouldn’t drink the blood of someone he knew. The remaining option was... to deliciously prepare another human and throw them to him?

Bibi stared at the scenery outside the window. The city, heavily shrouded in darkness, was driving away the night with artificial lights. Humans were always active, day or night. For prey to walk around so carelessly at night, not even hiding... it was incredibly grateful from a predator’s perspective.

She had also diligently watched television for the past while, and while watching Doyoon and Namwon come and go, she had secretly learned how to open the front door. She hadn’t tried it, being accustomed to a comfortable life, but today was the day to try. Bibi calmly went to the front door and carefully pressed the door lock’s password.

Beep beep beep.

The lock was lightly disengaged. As she turned the doorknob, the cold outside air rushed in. Bibi liked winter. When the chilling air touched her skin, adrenaline surged, making her body even more invigorated.

Bibi resumed her hunt without hesitation. She was the mistress of the cold night. The cool winter night welcomed her with joy.