Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Juni
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“Our savior, that’s why.”
Rato spoke and gave a slight nod.
“See you later.”
“Yes, take care.”
After the exchange, Rato turned and left without any lingering attachment.
Even with the same face, their vibes were so different. lost in that thought, Jain watched Rato walk away.
But suddenly, Tora grabbed her face and turned it toward him.
“Where are you looking?”
The sudden closeness startled her for a moment, but Jain pretended to be unfazed as she pushed Tora away.
“They have the same face anyway. Doesn’t matter which one I look at…”
“My face?”
Tora cut her off.
“No matter what, you’re looking at it thinking of my face. Right?”
Jain was at a loss for words. She had looked at Rato’s face purely because it was identical to Tora’s. Her gaze had just gotten stuck there without thinking.
“What are you talking about.”
But Jain reflexively denied it and walked off. Strangely, Tora didn’t follow. It nagged at her, but she kept walking anyway.
***
She stepped outside, but Tora was nowhere to be seen.
“He’s gone?”
Captain Tao, who had followed her out for a smoke, remarked.
The rumors had spread everywhere, so Captain Tao knew full well that Tora liked Jain. It was hard to imagine anyone who didn’t.
“Must’ve gone to the bathroom.”
These days, Tora waiting for her had become so routine that the idea of him not waiting never even crossed her mind.
“Have a smoke. You’re shortening your already short lifespan by smoking something even vampires avoid. Is that the plan?”
Jain said it offhandedly as she walked away. Behind her, Captain Tao muttered in bewilderment.
“Why the attitude?”
Jain kept walking down the street.
She had long since confirmed that she loved Tora.
Who didn’t know this resistance was pointless?
It was so ironic. She had never loved anyone like this before, but now that she did, she couldn’t follow her heart. Or maybe that was exactly why she couldn’t.
The streetlights scattered their glow into the night.
She let out a sigh. Even now, she missed Tora.
She didn’t doubt Tora’s sincerity in this moment. But if he didn’t accept her, she would wear down bit by bit.
And with Tora, there were plenty of women who would run a thousand miles for him. If he met a decent one among them, he’d fall in love.
Jain paused.
But what if it wasn’t a decent woman?
Tora had a naive side despite appearances, so there was no guarantee that the woman he fell for wouldn’t hurt him.
And if she did hurt him…
He was the man who hadn’t overcome the wounds from Nika in three hundred years.
She couldn’t tell if her urge to protect this vampire—who could probably take down a bear barehanded—was just occupational hazard.
***
“Tora.”
Jain said in disbelief. Tora was sitting on the swing in the playground near her townhouse.
So that’s where he’d gone…
“What are you doing here?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
And he just stayed there.
Jain watched him for a moment, then turned to leave. It was late evening, and he wasn’t the type to get jumped by thugs wandering outside.
But she didn’t hear Tora following.
Jain sighed. There was no way she could just leave him like that. Even if he weren’t Tora, just an acquaintance.
“Let’s go home.”
Tora looked up at her from where he stood in front of her, his face like that of an abandoned child.
“I’ve been thinking.”
With that, he suddenly let go of the swing chain he’d been holding with one hand and stood up. Naturally, being much taller, he loomed over her.
“Jain must have her own circumstances too, so I shouldn’t force my feelings on her.”
Strangely, the abandoned child look was gone—maybe an illusion from looking up at him.
“Just once. If Jain truly doesn’t care about me at all.”
As he said it, Tora leaned in. Jain hesitated. She wasn’t one to be intimidated, so she couldn’t understand why she was reacting this way.
“What… why…”
“Just admit it. You like me.”
Jain furrowed her brow.
“When will that arrogance go away—the idea that every woman in the world likes you…”
“Even if not every woman likes me, Jain does. Because you like me as a person, not just my face.”
“You’re delusional. It’s the face I like.”
She said it to deny him, but Tora laughed.
“Finally admitting it. You like me.”
Jain panicked but tried to smooth it over.
“I mean, just the face…”
“Anyway.”
With that, Tora took her hand. Before she could pull away, he kissed the back of it. The touch of his lips left Jain frozen in shock.
Tora looked straight at her and whispered.
“I love you. More than I ever thought possible. It’s amazing.”
She was crumbling, helplessly.
Like a mud wall melting away in a downpour. The walls in her heart became so blurred she wasn’t even sure they’d existed.
“I know I might not deserve it, but give me one chance. A chance to love you.”
Jain was silent for a long while before asking.
“You’re prepared for this, right?”
Before Tora could respond, she added.
“Cheat on me, and you’ll get shot.”
“No, I’m not.”
Tora shook his head.
“That won’t happen.”
Jain was incredulous.
“Acting all high and mighty.”
Tora smiled faintly.
“Nothing in my life has ever felt this certain.”
It would be a lie to say the fear wasn’t there—losing Nika like that, and even if he loved someone new, she might love Rato or another man more.
He was confident by nature, so he didn’t dwell on it, but the thoughts crept in occasionally.
But with Jain, that fear was strangely absent.
Because he was certain she truly knew him—Tora Satadi—the man beneath this facial shell.
Even now, facing her straightforward gaze that peered deep into his eyes rather than just his face, any such worries melted away.
***
Hand in hand, they walked to her place. No real conversation passed between them, but emotions flowed through their clasped hands.
At her door, Jain turned and asked.
“It’s late. How are you getting back?”
“What, you think I can’t walk home on two legs?”
“Don’t go picking fights with thugs on the way.”
“Don’t worry. I don’t do anything that draws unnecessary attention.”
Jain looked at him with eyes noticeably deeper, more intense.
“Take care.”
“Sleep well.”
Tora turned and left. It had been ages since he’d met a woman and not slept with her on the first encounter. But he felt happier than ever.
***
“So, Jain…”
Tora was excitedly talking when he looked ahead and asked in a dissatisfied tone.
“What’s with the reaction?”
Doyoung, sitting across from him, rubbed his eyes.
“Tora, it’s 6 a.m.”
The three of them sat at the kitchen table, with Gamal openly asleep next to Doyoung. Tora sipped the tea he’d brewed himself and said.
“On the island, everyone’s up by 6. They stay up all night doing other stuff, so of course they can’t get their act together.”
“Is this the God of Love speaking right now?”
Doyoung, sleep-deprived, was even more cynical than usual. Tora set his empty teacup in the sink and shook his head.
“True love has nothing to do with the body.”
As Tora walked away, Doyoung muttered as if he’d been smacked on the back of the head.
“He’s lost it, hasn’t he?”
Gamal, now awake, muttered too.
“Seems like it.”
***
Tora entered the house. Today, Rato was sitting in the living room. Still doing nothing special. He looked at Tora as he came in and asked.
“Where’ve you been?”
“Oh, Martine.”
In the old days, Rato was the one he’d chatter to endlessly about like this. But lately, Rato had been unusually quiet. Lost in thought constantly.
Rato had been through a lot, and even Tora—who lived life on his own terms—didn’t have the heart to blab about dates with women to him.
So he was leaving Rato alone until he came to him on his own.
Tora started toward his room but turned back.
“Rato. You okay?”
“What?”
Rato sounded like he didn’t even understand the question. Tora got straight to the point.
“You got played too.”
“Like a total fool.”
“Rato.”
When Tora called his name, Rato shook his head as if to say not to worry.
“Don’t worry. I’m not just wallowing in self-loathing. I just need some time.”
Tora knew better than anyone that pushing Rato—who had such a clear sense of his world—would get him nowhere. So he just said.
“If you need help, say the word. Anytime. Got it?”
Rato smiled.
“Of course, Siji.”
***
“You still haven’t done anything?”
Doyoung, brewing coffee, asked again in disbelief at what he’d just heard.
It had been two weeks since Tora and Jain started dating. And neither had pressing matters, so they seemed to meet pretty often.
Tora, sitting at the table, rubbed the back of his neck.
“I’m nervous. Don’t know what to do.”
Doyoung leaned against the sink, coffee in hand, arms crossed. He looked deeply intrigued.
He hadn’t known Tora that long, but when it came to women, the guy was godlike, as he claimed.
Yet here was Tora, looking like a teenager agonizing over how to hold hands with his first girlfriend.
“And there’s that thing from before that’s kinda weighing on me… Never imagined it’d turn out like this with Jain.”
“Life’s always exciting because you never know what’s around the corner, son.”
Tora looked exasperated.
“I thought it was natural when you called me Ta, but ‘son’ feels weird.”
Doyoung shrugged. Tora let out a long breath.
“But I’m happy. Feels like this is good enough as is.”
“Love, huh.”
“Seems like it.”
Just then, Gamal walked into the kitchen.
“Tora only talks to Doyoung these days.”
Even as he said it, he showed zero interest in Tora’s story, wrapping his arms around Doyoung’s waist.
“We’re going to Chloe’s today. That okay?”
“Go ahead.”
After finishing his business, Gamal left the kitchen. Watching him go, Tora asked.
“Marti doing okay lately?”
“What?”
“Just wondering if anything’s up.”
Doyoung glanced in the direction Gamal had gone.
“He polished off three jars of jelly yesterday, for one.”
Then Doyoung asked.
“Why? Something bothering you?”
“No. If anything, I’m bothered by how unbothered he seems. After what happened.”
He pointed to the scar on Doyoung’s neck.
Doyoung set his coffee mug down in the sink.
“That’s what I wanted to talk about too.”