Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Junny
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"What are you?"
Doyoung asked sharply. Gamal, having caught her breath but still pale from the shock, said,
"I like it here."
"Don't lie. If you just didn't want anyone finding out you live here, there'd be no reason to freak out like that over the airplane."
At the pointed remark, Gamal fell silent.
"Yeah. You weren't planning on telling me anyway."
Doyoung was starting to get fed up and stood up. He grabbed the tree and managed to rise fairly easily.
"Majo..."
As she tried to stand and follow, Gamal suddenly staggered and fell. Doyoung stopped on his way, sighed, and turned back to ask,
"What's wrong?"
"It's nothing."
She forced her head up with a smile, but her face was so pallid it almost shimmered coldly. Doyoung furrowed his brow.
"'It's nothing' my foot."
Gamal hesitated, then confessed.
"I'm dizzy..."
"You're dizzy?"
Gamal nodded faintly.
"Sit here."
Doyoung helped her sit under the tree's shade. Gamal leaned her head back against the trunk.
Her already pale skin looked an even ghastlier blue. It wasn't just from the shock. And Doyoung thought he knew the reason.
"It's the flowers, isn't it?"
Gamal nodded, eyes closed.
Just as he thought. Eating the flowers raw didn't do much. They quenched thirst to some degree, but only when processed into phlox could they serve as a blood substitute.
"I've been eating a lot of flowers. But I still get dizzy sometimes."
Gamal slowly opened her eyes. A slick sheen passed through her irises, where the wrinkles stood out strikingly. Doyoung felt that sensation again.
A chilling stiffness, like staring into a snake's eyes.
"Blood tastes good."
Gamal murmured lowly, staring at him without blinking.
"But when I drink it, this starts pounding."
She pressed hard on her own chest.
"Blood..."
The word jogged a forgotten memory as she stared fixedly at Doyoung's nape. More precisely, at the vein pulsing vigorously with blood.
Doyoung didn't move. He knew any sudden motion might provoke an attack. Tension flowed to his fingertips.
Suddenly, Gamal shook her head as if shaking off an impulse. She blinked, realizing what she'd just done.
"Uh..."
Doyoung leaned on his crutch and stood.
"Rest up."
He left her there, stumbling to her feet behind him, and walked away. Glancing back, he saw Gamal watching him with a lost expression, unsure what to do.
Her pale face looked especially pitiable.
***
"Major, eat this."
Gamal held out a roasted taro. Doyoung, midway through his meal, looked up.
"I'm good."
Gamal shook her head.
"No. You eat it, Major. I'm full."
"I know your appetite—you could polish off a whole cow right here if I left you alone. Just eat it."
Doyoung cut her off like a patriarchal husband and went back to eating. Gamal hesitated, then popped the taro into her own mouth.
Or tried to—Doyoung held out his bowl and said,
"Give it here."
Gamal quickly placed the roasted taro in his bowl. Doyoung stared at it and muttered,
"Who'd have thought a day would come when taro tastes good."
He then popped one into his mouth and chewed boldly.
After finishing his meal and tidying up, he said,
"Let's head in."
"Okay. Need help?"
Gamal asked promptly. Doyoung glanced at her and replied,
"Yeah."
Gamal supported him. Doyoung now familiarly draped his arm over her shoulder and stood.
Even for just helping him up, she put her all into it, like someone handling a nuclear centrifuge.
She must have been dwelling on what happened earlier. Watching her, Doyoung wondered if she was sweet or just naïvely vampiric, then muttered offhandedly,
"Weird one."
"Huh?"
Gamal looked up at him.
"Nothing."
They entered the log cabin and lay down.
"Night."
"Major."
He turned at her soft call. She seemed about to say something but swallowed it and just said goodnight.
"Sleep well."
"You too."
Doyoung turned away. Then he added,
"Don't sweat it. I'm not either."
The subject was omitted, but Gamal seemed to understand. He felt her gaze on his back, then she murmured softly,
"Thanks."
Doyoung fell asleep. He woke briefly sometime later to the now-familiar warmth at his back. Gamal was sleeping pressed against him again.
'How's a clingy one like this living alone?'
He thought drowsily. Then suddenly, a small hand slyly slid over his side. Sleep vanished instantly.
'This cheeky little...?'
Doyoung was floored. How close did they have to be for her to grope him in his sleep?
Swoosh...
Her palm trailed from his chest to his abdomen. Doyoung flinched. It was quite bold.
He couldn't admit it. That her touch felt good...
He was about to say something when—
"Major."
Sensing he was awake, Gamal whispered. Then she murmured lowly,
"You smell so good, Major..."
A chill ran down his spine. Though her face was hidden, killing intent emanated from her.
It felt like a tiger embracing him. He wanted to shove her off and get up, but her arms held him fast.
Suddenly, Gamal bolted upright. She'd snapped out of it. Doyoung finally turned to see her face pale for an entirely different reason.
"S-Sorry."
Then Gamal shot out of bed before he could grab her.
"Gamal!"
Doyoung called, but she was already gone beyond the wide-open door.
***
Gamal didn't return that night.
Doyoung crutched his way outside. The sunlit clearing was quiet, and no sign of Gamal. Without her help, he couldn't go far on this leg.
So he sat on the beach with one of the cabin's books. Noon came and went with no Gamal.
At some point, Doyoung looked up from his book. Emerald waves lapped gently at a beach straight out of a perfect vacation ad.
"Gamal."
He said suddenly.
"I'm hungry."
The bushes rustled. After a moment, Gamal emerged, looking like she'd committed high treason.
Even without Luas-level sensitivity, sensing eyes watching from the bushes like some sinister lurker was hard to miss.
Doyoung nodded to the spot beside him.
"Sit."
Gamal shuffled over and sat. Doyoung said casually,
"No need for that face. It's your nature—you can't help it."
Her expression turned shocked, as if he'd slapped her.
"You're the first to say it like that... Major."
"I'm used to vampires."
He was past viewing them through colored glasses.
Doyoung had accepted that vampires needed blood, just like dogs eat dog food and cats eat cat food.
Legally, bloodsucking was banned, but he no longer had special feelings about the fact itself.
Gamal had dark circles under her eyes.
She probably hadn't slept well, but vampires didn't falter from one sleepless night—it proved flowers weren't enough nutrition. She already looked a bit gaunt, like someone with poor eating habits.
Doyoung asked,
"Flowers aren't enough, are they?"
"No, I..."
"Just answering factually."
His calm tone made Gamal nod slightly.
"Sometimes when it's too much, I drink animal blood. But the smell..."
So she hadn't said to just go outside and drink phlox. Gamal wanted to stay on this island, and even knowing phlox worked, it was meaningless when she was surviving on repulsive animal blood.
Doyoung watched her a while, then asked,
"Do you want blood?"
Gamal couldn't answer.
"I want meat."
Doyoung said abruptly. Gamal's eyes widened.
"Huh?"
When he didn't reply, she pointed behind her hesitantly.
"Um... catch some for you?"
The woman offering to hunt because he craved meat was pretty appealing, so Doyoung chuckled and said,
"You can't help craving meat. My body wants it."
Only then did Gamal get it.
"But I don't want to drink from you, Major. You're my friend."
Her red eyes glistened. She bit her lip to hold back tears.
"But I crave it. I hate that."
"You need it."
Doyoung said quietly.
Gamal clamped her mouth shut, unable to reply. As she started to—
"No, I..."
Doyoung raised a hand.
"I'm not saying drink your fill. Just enough nutrition to not die. My leg's like this—if you keel over, I'm in trouble too."
"But... aren't you scared? What if I can't stop..."
Doyoung shrugged.
"If you overdo it, I'll smash your head with a rock."
Not the politest offer, but Gamal, incredulous that a human was volunteering blood, murmured,
"Thanks."
"Friends, right?"
His tone was gruff, but Gamal realized he saw her as a friend too.
'My chest feels weird.'
It felt like a tiny person rampaging inside her heart, bouncing wildly.
"Just promise. Never drink without my permission."
Gamal shook her head vigorously.
"Never."
Doyoung pointed behind her.
"Get that."
"That?"
Gamal turned. He was pointing at a fist-sized rock in the sand.
"The rock?"
"I said I'd hit you if you lose it."
"Oh, right."
Gamal nodded as if it were obvious, fetched the rock, and sat blankly in front of him. With Doyoung silent, she ventured cautiously,
"So...?"
"Yeah."
Doyoung nodded indifferently.
Gamal crawled forward on her knees toward him.