Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Junni
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“Humans are weak. They die so quickly.”
Gamal muttered in a sorrowful tone.
“No.”
But Do-young spoke up, leaving Gamal puzzled as he looked at him.
“No?”
“Your human body is tougher than you think. Wanna see? Check this out.”
Do-young rolled up his T-shirt sleeve like an old-timer bragging about his glory days in battle, revealing the scar on his forearm.
“This one’s from a bullet grazing me. And this from shrapnel flying off a bomb.”
He pointed below his ear and then lifted his T-shirt to show the long scar along his side.
“And this was the worst—got stabbed with a knife. I must’ve lost a full bucket of blood. Thought I was done for…”
Do-young trailed off. Gamal had touched the scar.
“It’s a big wound. Did it hurt?”
Her fingertips felt cool. Do-young pulled his T-shirt back down and said,
“It’s fine now.”
What an odd one. The wound was just a faint mark now, yet she looked at it like fresh blood was gushing out, as if she were the one in pain…
So far, Do-young knew four female vampires.
Gamal, his former teammate Yeon-ha who was younger, a staff sergeant from another base he’d met during a joint op in the past, and finally, Rachel.
Setting aside Yeon-ha, who’d enlisted in MCTC right after turning vampire and gone through training, that hellish Amazon-like staff sergeant and Rachel embodied the typical image of female vampires. But Gamal? She seemed more like a vampire infected by a human virus…
Lost in that thought, Do-young asked incredulously,
“What are you doing?”
Gamal was groping his stomach like it was hers. She looked up at him and made a wavy motion with her hand.
“It’s all bumpy like this.”
Meaning rugged, apparently. Do-young brushed her hand away and said,
“It’s called a six-pack.”
What a sloppy girl. Groping a strange guy like that.
“I don’t have one.”
With that, she childishly lifted her own shirt to show her belly. There was a hint of abs, but definitely not enough for washboard territory.
Gamal stared at Do-young and said,
“It’s amazing. You’re different from me, Major.”
“What’s…”
Do-young started to speak, then suddenly realized something.
“You mean that’s what you’ve been calling ‘amazing’ this whole time?”
Gamal nodded.
“We’re different.”
“Of course. I’m human, you’re a vampire.”
“No, more than that…”
Gamal wanted to say something but didn’t know how to put it. Do-young had a rough idea, though.
Even if she’d been married, with her husband dying on their wedding night, she probably hadn’t consummated it. And if she’d come to this uninhabited island “a very long time ago,” she likely didn’t have much experience.
“There were guys among the people who came here.”
“There were. But they weren’t like you, Major.”
Then, with her red eyes fixed on him, she murmured,
“No one looked like you, Major.”
Do-young rested his elbows on his knees and propped his chin.
“You’re unexpectedly into looks, huh.”
Gamal tilted her head.
“Into looks? Like, shining bright?”
“Means you like handsome guys.”
“Are you handsome, Major?”
“Not for me to say, but yeah, something like that.”
Gamal stared at him intently, as if judging the truth of his words.
“Seems like it.”
Do-young chuckled. Normally, people would call it obnoxious or show distaste for the arrogance, but her straightforward honesty was so very Gamal.
So very Gamal? How long had he even known her?
Do-young was baffled. It was ridiculous how he was talking like he’d known her forever. Especially with all her suspicious traits…
That’s when their eyes met—hers, watching him.
Gamal’s eyes were strange. They should’ve looked ominous, those vivid red irises, but the large, round, glossy pupils gave off the vibe of a newborn baby.
If she’d truly been born when she claimed and seen enough to corrupt Adam and Eve before the fruit of knowledge with those eyes, yet here she was, still pure.
Add in the curiosity of a teenage girl. About him.
And under a starry night sky, even the most hard-boiled heart would stir.
Neither noticed it, but they couldn’t tear their gazes away. The soft night breeze brushed Gamal’s hair.
Rustle.
A sudden noise. Do-young whipped around.
“What’s wrong?”
Gamal asked. Do-young carefully scanned the dark, silent forest and asked,
“Didn’t you hear that?”
“Hear what?”
If a vampire like Gamal hadn’t heard it, he’d probably imagined it…
Gamal added as if it just occurred to her,
“There’s an animal.”
Guess it was just wildlife.
Anyway, Do-young watched the still darkness a moment longer, then turned back to Gamal. She waited with a confused look.
Uninhabited island. Night. Young man and woman. The perfect setup to get swept up in the mood.
Do-young said,
“Bedtime.”
“Okay.”
Gamal’s earlier sentimental expression vanished, replaced by her usual puppy mode, panting eagerly at her master’s command.
Gamal helped Do-young up. They went into the log cabin, laid out their bedding, and lay down.
“Hey, Major.”
Gamal called softly. Do-young turned. She said,
“Thanks. For being strong. You won’t die, Major.”
Do-young was floored.
“Who are you to decide life and death? I’m not dying.”
“Okay.”
Gamal smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. Do-young turned away.
In a world where vampires and humans married all the time, it wasn’t weird. But this was different. Whatever her story living alone here, he had people to get back to.
Still listed as MIA—Missing in Action—his parents probably hadn’t heard yet. Good news, but if it dragged on, MCTC would call off the search soon. He needed to find a way off pronto.
Do-young glanced at Gamal, who was excitedly spreading out the blankets. Their eyes met, and she smiled.
Yeah. Before anything irreversible happened.
***
‘The problem’s my leg.’
Do-young thought.
If his leg weren’t busted, he could scout the island for escape routes. Instead, he was leashed like a dog, stuck sitting in the shady spot by the shore that’d become his designated seat, just spacing out.
Gamal sat beside him, demurely knitting a carpet with her crochet hook—another tool she’d whittled from wood herself. All the crafts in the log cabin were her handiwork.
Living alone, it wasn’t easy not to pick up skills, but Gamal knew a ton: building houses, making stoves, cooking over campfires, crafting tools… She was on track to build a whole civilization solo.
If Do-young had washed up alone, he’d have his hands full, but Gamal had the system set up, and with his leg like this, she handled nearly everything.
Come to think of it, he felt like some freeloading husband.
Watching her, a conversation popped into his head.
“Where’d vampires come from? Who knows. Tons of theories… The most convincing? One word: aliens.”
He’d probably burst out laughing.
“Don’t laugh. Sounds like the craziest story ever, right? But think about it—humans getting infected and turning into eternal bloodsuckers? Doesn’t make sense.”
She’d wagged her finger in his face like showing off.
“Doesn’t feel like an Earth story, does it?”
Okay, it didn’t sound totally absurd, but Do-young, no big SF fan, couldn’t help laughing.
“So the ‘X Virus’ that turns humans into vampires came from space?”
“Way back. Like, Earth’s early days with erupting volcanoes and shifting plates. First vampires were probably infected by that X Virus. And they went extinct like dinosaurs.”
“Aliens, huh.”
Do-young muttered.
He’d laughed it off then, but looking at Gamal, it held some water. Claiming to be three thousand three hundred years old with that personality, playing Robinson Crusoe on this island for god-knows-why.
“Why?”
Gamal asked, noticing his stare.
“You’re good at this.”
Meant as casual praise, but Gamal twisted away slightly and mumbled,
“Don’t look. It’s not done yet.”
Do-young swallowed a sigh. On top of everything, this vampire was needlessly cute.
Washing up on an island with a Spetsnaz buzzcut bro would suck more, but both were hell on the heart.
Gamal focused back on her carpet.
Whirr…
Then it came—a low rumble from the sky.
Do-young looked up.
A plane. And it was definitely heading their way.
Naturally, Gamal was staring too. Her hearing was way sharper.
‘Could be Legion.’
Do-young thought. But it’d been over a week since he’d jumped overboard. No reason for them to keep planes searching for a mere major.
So the approaching drone was likely a rescue team, intentionally or coincidentally passing overhead.
Decision made in a flash, Do-young forgot his leg and braced his hands to stand.
That’s when Gamal looked at him. Fear spread across her face like bursting paint.
No time to react. Gamal tackled him. Like a third baseman sliding to the bag, she grabbed him and slid them both into the bushes.
“What the…”
Do-young tried to speak, but she clamped a hand over his mouth and pinned him with her body.
The plane noise passed overhead and faded.
Gamal stayed tense until it was far enough, then relaxed. He felt her rigid body go soft against his.
Only then did she have a moment to look down at Do-young, pinned beneath her. The loose end of the carpet she’d been using as cover draped down, casting shade.
They were close.
Do-young reached out. His hand brushed her lightly swaying hair, then gripped her rounded shoulder like a caress.
He hooked her leg in a wrestling move and flipped her aside.
“Heavy!”
Had he mentioned? Vampires weighed way more than humans. Different muscle density.
That boulder of a body crushing him—her weight squeezed his chest, choking his breath. Thought he’d turn into flatbread.
“Ugh.”
Pushing with his leg sent pain shooting through, drawing an involuntary groan. Gamal flipped off him like a hotteok on a griddle and checked his leg.
“You okay?”
“What the hell was that?”
Do-young snapped.