NAPE - 42

Bibi clenched her fists and stood up abruptly. Doyoon’s face flickered before her eyes. The thought of not being able to see him anymore tore at her heart.

It was strange. She had never felt like this when parting with a master before… Why did Doyoon feel so much more special? Thinking of him made the inside of her chest soften and relax, and an impatient longing to be closer to him arose.

She had only thought it was the craving for blood… but it seemed a deeper emotion lived within her.

“Oh my, you’re alone today?”

An unexpected voice came from behind her. Lost in thought, Bibi slowly turned around. Her former master, Choi Haejin, was standing there. She was leaning against the library entrance, and her attire was quite different from what Bibi had seen before.

Clack, clack.

Wearing a leather jacket and high-heeled boots, she approached. Her makeup was heavier than usual today. She had said she was cleaning. Why such a flashy outfit? It was almost… similar to how she looked when she was Bibi’s master.

“Where did Professor Kwon go?”

Choi Haejin looked around. Bibi wore a slightly wary expression. She didn’t like that Choi Haejin remembered Doyoon.

“Oh my, you can make expressions like that too?”

Choi Haejin burst into laughter. Bibi flinched as if she had been caught stealing and rubbed her face with her palm. Anyway, why was Choi Haejin here? Could she have come to see her? Why?

“Sit down. I have something to tell you.”

“…….”

“I said sit down.”

Choi Haejin grabbed Bibi’s shoulder and pressed down, even though it wasn’t with much force. Bibi’s legs gave out, and she sat down on the chair. Her body stiffened as if invisible restraints were binding her from all sides.

Instinct, or rather, learning, was truly terrifying. Even though Choi Haejin was no longer her master, Bibi was this helpless.

“Professor Kwon must be treating you well? You look much better.”

Choi Haejin smiled sweetly at Bibi. Her unique gaze, looking down at something insignificant, pierced like a dagger. Bibi shrank down like an ant. She fidgeted with her fingers and avoided her gaze. This place was so uncomfortable.

Talking to a former master went against the rules. And aside from the rules… she simply disliked this situation. It felt like going back to the past. Like she had become her hunting dog again. It was a strange thing. Being a hunting dog, yet disliking the feeling of being one.

“Your master is a peculiar person. Letting his hunting dog roam around everywhere.”

Choi Haejin took out a lighter from her pocket. As she lit it to light a cigarette, she gave a playful smile and flicked the flame once in front of Bibi’s eyes.

Bibi widened her eyes in terror. Seeing this, Choi Haejin chuckled, then lit her cigarette and blew smoke in Bibi’s face. Bibi coughed repeatedly at the acrid smell.

“Sorry. That was a bit harsh. It just reminded me of the old days. We used to play like this often, remember?”

Of course, she remembered. She remembered every single moment she had spent with her master. Unlike most vampires, Choi Haejin liked fire. When she had many thoughts, she would sit by the window and click her lighter, sometimes playing pranks to scare Bibi.

“Where do you usually hunt? Professor Kwon, your master has refined tastes… I don’t think he’d eat just anyone. The fact that he was a vampire is quite surprising. I wouldn’t have known if you weren’t by his side. You stand out so much that it ironically prevents suspicion.”

Bibi lowered her eyes and didn’t react. But she couldn’t erase her displeasure. It was quite irritating that Choi Haejin referred to Doyoon as ‘master’. It felt like she was insulting him. Doyoon detested the idea of being a master. It was unbearable to her that someone would see him as one.

Bibi gave Choi Haejin a look that meant she was mistaken, but of course, she didn’t understand. It was frustrating, she realized anew, to live without speaking.

“You’ve been coming to school every day lately. With that red-haired guy.”

So she had seen her with Namwon. Just now, at the door, saying ‘you’re alone today’ made sense. She must have been watching her for the past few days.

“Anyway, aren’t you curious why I came to see you?”

She wasn’t curious. Choi Haejin was a person from the past, and their relationship was over. She didn’t want to be involved with her for even a minute longer. It wasn’t just because of the hunting dog’s rule of not engaging with former masters; she simply disliked her.

“Bibi, I want to continue to get along well with you in the future.”

At the unexpected words, Bibi momentarily opened her mouth. She blinked and looked up at her. Choi Haejin wore a slightly shy expression.

“We got along pretty well, didn’t we?”

Got along well? Had they? Bibi recalled the time she spent with Choi Haejin.

“Disgusting, put it properly in a wine glass. Don’t make it obvious it’s blood! Ah, you spilled it there! You stupid mutt. Can’t you even do that right?”

“What are you looking at? Are you looking down on me too? Should I just burn you with this lighter? Your wounds heal anyway. Why is your hair so long again? Come here. I’m going to cut it off!”

“Did it hurt a lot? I’ll be good to you now. Okay, first go inside your cage. Stay in there and don’t make a sound.”

She was no different from other masters. She laughed when she was in a good mood and hit her when she was in a bad one. It was always like that, so Bibi didn’t think of it as particularly bad. However… there was a reason why Choi Haejin felt a bit more special. One day, for no reason, she had locked Bibi in her cage and left.

Bibi hated being left alone in the dark more than anything, so just thinking about that time made her shudder.

“You know, I drink blood really well now. I’ve tried it myself several times at clubs.”

“…….”

“But I’ve come to want to drink more blood. Not just a little bit on the street, but to properly hunt humans and drink my fill. I need you for that.”

Choi Haejin revealed the purpose of her approach. She needed a hunting dog who would commit crimes for her so she could drink blood. Bibi felt her heart grow cold.

“I’ll get permission from the trainer, so come to me first. I know how to contact him. Actually, I received a reply the day before yesterday. Let’s meet up and coordinate again. How about it?”

Choi Haejin mentioned the trainer. Bibi’s breath caught momentarily. Usually, when a new master was found, the trainer would narrow down suitable candidates and then select from them. It was impossible for a master to contact the trainer whenever they wanted. But she knew how to contact him. What was going on?

“You look curious?”

For the first time, Choi Haejin met Bibi’s gaze.

“Actually, after abandoning you… I kept living nearby and kept a close watch on you. Do you think my heart was at ease? It kept bothering me. Dozens of times a day, I wondered whether I should go back to you.”

Seeing her with a genuinely remorseful expression, Bibi felt perplexed and chewed on the inside of her cheek. It felt as if she was supposed to understand her and be moved. The one who abandoned her might have suffered from sentimental feelings, but the one who was left behind had to writhe in agony.

“While I was restless and unable to do anything, the trainer came to pick you up. I blankly watched, and without realizing it, I ran up and spoke to him, and he left me an email address. He said he’d give me a chance, telling me to contact him again later.”

New information made Bibi’s head throb. It was all full of things she couldn’t understand. A master who abandoned her and suffered from guilt, a trainer who gave her another chance. She felt an inexplicable sense of betrayal towards the trainer, even more so than towards the master who had abandoned her.

He had said he was dedicating everything to her. He had said she would be safe by his side… Giving another chance to the master who abandoned her. It was unbelievable. What on earth was he thinking?

“So, come with me. I’ll explain everything to Professor Kwon.”

“…….”

“Huh?”

Choi Haejin lifted Bibi’s chin and gently stroked it. Goosebumps rose on Bibi’s skin. Bibi quietly shook her head.

“You’re not going?”

“…….”

“Even if the trainer gave permission?”

Choi Haejin whispered, grinding her teeth. The hand that had been caressing her chin suddenly tightened its grip. At the painful pressure, Bibi gasped and looked up at her. Her fierce eyes claimed ownership of Bibi.

“A hunting dog daring to refuse its master… You wouldn’t have anything to say even if you were shot dead. It’s because you’re wearing clothes like this that you don’t know your place. Does Professor Kwon feed you well? Or… does he do other things too? Well, he’s someone you can mess with without getting hurt. He must be fun to play with. I’m curious. What kind of games does he play?”

“Ugh….”

“Uh-uh, you shouldn’t make noise. Your manners have gotten so bad. I’ll have to properly train you when I take you.”

Choi Haejin’s other hand grabbed Bibi’s hair and pulled it back. Bibi gasped, and her jaw dropped open involuntarily. She could clearly shake her off forcefully. But the subservience she had learned since childhood was ingrained in her body, making her unable to move.

“Just nod. Say you’ll come with me now.”

“…….”

“What are you doing? I said nod!”