Hunter, Thank You For Your Blood Donation!

Si-wol was afraid of him. There could be various reasons for it, but perhaps the biggest reason was that he was a hunter himself.

Because of that, Si-wol always watched him, fearful and reacting even to his slightest movements. So, when Si-wol would retreat like this and then cautiously approach, as if mocking Ian’s thoughts that he would always avoid him, Ian couldn’t figure out how to ease the confusion he felt each time he witnessed Si-wol’s behavior. Ian simply stared at him in silence. Just like now.

“……”

In his fear, Si-wol barely held onto the tip of his pinky finger, and Ian couldn’t understand why the pulsation from that small area felt inexplicably painful. The palpitations of Si-wol’s fingers were so intense that it trembled.

‘This guy… does he have arrhythmia or something?’

As he quietly felt the irregular beating of Si-wol’s heart, that thought crossed his mind. However, he soon realized that it was a misconception. The reason for the irregular heartbeat sound was because his and Si-wol’s heartbeats were intertwined.

‘What on earth…’

Ian’s narrowed eyes scanned Si-wol’s profile, who was facing off against the ghost in the monitor with a determined expression. Since Si-wol had held onto Ian’s finger, he no longer startled during the game. And Ian, for once, did not pull his finger away.

‘Lee Si-wol.’

Ian felt that Si-wol’s existence was shaking the foundation of his beliefs. Every aspect that defined him was so different from the vampire Ian wanted to kill, causing him more and more concern.

‘…How should I handle this vampire who is unlike a vampire?’

Ian was a ‘being’ tasked with protecting ‘humans.’ And vampires, to Ian, were always pure evil that needed to be eliminated to protect the humans. That was his calling, and that’s why he had always killed vampires without a second thought, as they harmed humans.

However, Si-wol had not harmed humans. It was evident from the deliberate way he called his fans, who were willing participants, to donate blood. This cowardly half-vampire didn’t even have the courage to harm humans. He was diligent, expressive like a human with rich facial expressions and emotions, and he even approached the hunter first.

Being so different from the existence that had been classified as a vampire all along, Si-wol became more and more of a dilemma for Ian as time went on. In a few weeks, he would undoubtedly have to kill him… That was his calling and his belief… But could he really bring himself to kill Si-wol, who even held onto the tip of his finger as a glimmer of hope? Was it right to treat him that way?

‘This is driving me crazy…’

Ian forcefully pushed aside the thoughts swirling in his mind. Then, he pulled his finger free from Si-wol’s grasp. Si-wol briefly looked at him with a disappointed expression, but Ian pretended not to notice and turned his head away.

He couldn’t bear to think more about Si-wol, as it would lead him to an unreachable conclusion.

‘All mosquitoes are the same. There’s no such thing as exceptions.’

If he acknowledged that Si-wol was different from the typical vampire, it would shatter the beliefs he had upheld until now. He couldn’t deny everything he had done. However, why did his chest ache so sharply, and why did he recall the gaze Si-wol had directed at him, as if he had been hurt?

‘Enough. I’ll just use him and discard him for my goals if needed.’

To ensure that Si-wol wouldn’t run away out of unnecessary fear, he would pretend to treat him well on the surface. That’s how he would use him and eliminate him.

‘But not yet. Not yet…’

With that in mind, Ian tried to gather his thoughts as Si-wol continued to face off against the ghost in the game. Each time Si-wol flinched, Ian grappled with the decision of whether he should extend his finger to Si-wol, who had looked at him with a hint of sadness just moments ago, until his stream ended.

 *** 

It was Sunday, a day where he had no idea how the week had passed. It was noon on a weekend, but it was not like any ordinary day. It was a day when he was going to have a joint broadcast with the viewers, and not only that, it was a day when he’ll invite a different vampire as a guest for the broadcast.

Si-wol’s cat-like round eyes eagerly followed the movements of the person in front of him, vigorously chasing after their back as they moved around. Whether he visited the kitchen or paced around the room, Si-wol closely observed and tracked Ian’s every move. Then, as Ian was coming out of the room with a coat in hand, their eyes met.

“If you have something to say, just say it without hesitating. If you can’t say it, then don’t stare at me as if you have something to say.”

Ian finally spoke up.

In truth, Si-wol had something to say to him all morning. However, he couldn’t find the right timing to say it. As a result, he had been sitting on the living room sofa, his eyes darting around without being able to make a move.

“Ian-ssi, when… are you leaving?”

It was the first question out of the many questions that Si-wol had been pondering all morning. And as soon as he asked, Ian’s brows furrowed as he unbuttoned his shirt cuffs.

Was he struggling just to ask that one thing?

That’s what he thought.

“Now.”

“Uh… then… when will you come back? You mentioned around eleven, but… specifically, what time exactly at eleven?”

“…..”

The anxious expression on Si-wol’s face seemed suspicious. Ian stopped buttoning his cuffs and stepped closer to Si-wol.

Si-wol, sitting on the small sofa with his knees pulled up, looked even smaller. As Ian leaned down to look at him, his neck felt stiff, so he reached out his hand. He grabbed his chin with one hand, and Si-wol’s pale, delicate face followed. Now, Ian could clearly see his finely crafted features.

As he stared at his face, he finally spoke.

“Why do you need to know the exact time I leave and come back? Are you planning something? Are you suddenly thinking about running away?”

Si-wol responded to his question with a pensive expression.

“N-No, I would never… have such thoughts!”

Si-wol’s face turned pale, and he frantically shook his head, gripping onto the edge of his coat. It seemed that he was desperate to deny any thoughts like that, fearing that even a hint of such thoughts would trigger Ian’s anger.

In truth, Ian hadn’t thought that his absence would lead Si-wol to escape. This timid vampire didn’t have the audacity for that. Ian knew that, and that’s why he was truly preparing to leave. 

However, Ian was curious about what his departure meant to Si-wol.

“Lee Si-wol.”

“Yes?”

“You haven’t forgotten what I taught you this morning, right?”

“Yes…”

“What did I tell you to do if I go outside the door?”

Si-wol, shrinking back slightly from the sofa, answered in a tone as if being disciplined.

“Don’t get off the sofa… and wait.”

“Until when?”

“Until the guest arrives.”

“And then?”

“Broadcast with the guest and the viewers supporting blood donation…”

“And?”

“Hand over the guest to Ian-ssi.”

As Si-wol diligently answered according to his instructions, Ian raised one corner of his lips.

“That’s right. You know it well, so why are you so anxious? Hm?”

“Ah…”

Si-wol blinked rapidly in surprise at Ian’s words. He wondered how Ian knew what he was feeling when he hadn’t shown it.

He was wearing his emotions on his sleeve and face. It’s hard to believe that someone could be so oblivious. Surely, there were more things he wanted to say, but Si-wol stubbornly kept his mouth shut, appealing only with pitiful eyes.

‘…Should I get angry?’

There were various ways to draw out Si-wol’s true feelings. If Ian threatened and forced him like he did when they first met, the timid Si-wol would spill his inner thoughts without hesitation. However, behind those actions, there would always be consequences to follow.

‘If I intimidate him here, he’ll definitely shrink even more than he is now.’

  Hello, everyone! It's Eica here~ Thank you for taking the time to read my translations.I apologize for being absent for a rea~lly long time and for the future sporadic updates. My classes and busy schedule have made it difficult for me to translate at a faster pace.Despite my shortcomings in translating, I hope each and every one of you will have a great time reading this.If you come across any mistakes, feel free to comment below or reach out to me on Discord.You can support me on Ko-fi, and I would appreciate it if you could rate this on NU. I value your feedback, and even though I may not respond, please know that I read and eagerly anticipate each and every comment.Once again, thank you, everyone! Happy reading!