Chapter 66
Chapter 66
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 66
Chapter Title: Jealousy
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Doyoung looked up at the sign.
He passed through the automatic door and entered the shop.
It had a monochrome modern interior, spotlessly clean. A massive Picasso bull series painting dominated one entire wall, making a strong impression.
‘Blood smell.’
It was more pleasant than expected, but the ink smell was overpowering the scent of blood.
Hearing the bell, a flashy woman in black clothes emerged from the back.
Her hair was rainbow-colored, and she wore blue colored contacts. Her sleeveless top revealed arms covered in tattoos of every color imaginable.
Her makeup was heavy and bold, but it all suited her—she was quite a beauty.
The tattoo artist scanned Doyoung up and down and got straight to the point.
“Where do you want it?”
She seemed to know this wasn’t just curiosity or a casual visit.
Without a word, Doyoung pulled down the collar of his polo shirt. The tattoo artist stared in stunned silence for a moment before snapping back to reality.
“That’s... one hell of a scar.”
Doyoung’s body had never borne so much as a single tattoo. Some of his colleagues loved covering themselves in ink more than a blank canvas, but he’d never had the time or the interest.
Still, no matter how he thought about it, covering this scar was the only option.
“Have a seat.”
Tattoo artist Rita nodded toward the tattoo chair.
“Any specific image you’re after?”
Doyoung sent her the image.
“Intriguing.”
Rita glanced at it and spoke. She prepped her tools, slipped on black latex gloves, and asked,
“Had your throat slit or something?”
Without giving him a chance to reply, she added,
“Not that it’d kill you. Vampires can’t survive decapitation either.”
Doyoung looked at Rita. Even in this world, ordinary people rarely crossed paths with vampires, yet she didn’t seem the least bit scared knowing what he was.
Of course, as a technician skilled enough to tattoo vampires—whose skin required special techniques—she must see them all the time.
“You spotted the vampire right away.”
“I can tell just by touching the skin.”
Rita said as she inspected the scar.
“Luis skin is... like an elastic material, you know?”
She pressed down firmly on his skin.
“Feels like carving into soft stone. Tattooing a vampire makes me feel like a shaman painting on the Altamira cave walls.”
He didn’t bother mentioning the theory that the Altamira cave animals weren’t ritualistic. It wouldn’t matter to her.
Rita grinned.
“Human skin ages and sags, but my work on vampire skin lasts forever.”
Doyoung nodded toward the outside.
“That’s why the shop name?”
“Exactly.”
Then Rita picked up the tattoo needle.
“Vampires usually knock out big pieces in one go unless it’s huge. You can handle it?”
“Let’s start.”
Doyoung didn’t mince words.
Rita laughed.
“Vampires are tough—that’s what I like about them.”
***
Rita wiped away the blood with a cloth and said,
“Avoid showers for about a day.”
Doyoung checked the mirror.
It wasn’t just covering the scar; she’d followed its shape with delicate artwork, making it look like it was planned that way from the start.
No one would ever guess there was a scar underneath.
“Great work.”
“Retouch is free for life.”
Doyoung turned at Rita’s words, hoping it was a joke.
“For life?”
“Drink with me?”
Rita cut straight to it.
Back in the day, he might’ve liked her bold approach. The flashy style with her own flair, the cool personality.
“I don’t drink.”
He used to have a beer or two years ago, but as he aged, even the slightest buzz became harder to shake, so he quit.
He’d had a few at a party recently after a long time, but Rita didn’t need to know that.
“Water’s fine.”
Rita said.
“I never hit on clients like this, but you’re too good to pass up.”
“Why do you think I got this tattoo?”
Rita stared at Doyoung and let out a long sigh.
“Girlfriend troubles, huh.”
Since she seemed to get it, Doyoung didn’t reply.
“Sweet guy under that tough exterior. Thought you were a bad boy.”
He simply stood and asked,
“Can I go now?”
He grabbed his jacket from the rack and put it on. Rita didn’t stand to see him out like a salon attendant. She just sat there, arms draped over the chair, and said,
“If you change your mind, call me. You have my number.”
Doyoung turned at the door before leaving the shop.
“I won’t.”
Rita muttered,
“What a shame.”
***
Doyoung entered the house. Laughter came from inside.
In the kitchen, three of them sat around the table.
“Doyoung, you’re back?”
Gamal turned and asked.
“You’re back?”
Tora, at the same table, asked. Rato, beside him, gave a slight nod. Doyoung gazed at the scene with mixed feelings.
He knew these three—especially the Patronesses and Clientesses—got along unusually well, but seeing his woman flanked by handsome twins wasn’t exactly pleasant.
It was tolerable with just Tora, but with both, it felt like he’d left Gamal in the wrong place.
Scrape.
Gamal suddenly shoved her chair back and stood.
“Doyoung, why do you smell like blood? Are you hurt?”
Hard to believe, but Gamal’s face paled. Before Doyoung could answer, Tora sipped his tea and asked,
“Did it go well?”
Gamal looked at Tora, then back at Doyoung. She examined the tattoo on his neck.
The black tattoo encircling his neck looked like geometric patterns at a glance, but it was shaped like a Sattadier. Just like the ones on Tora and Rato’s bodies.
And Gamal realized why Doyoung—who’d forgotten about his own neck—had gone and gotten a tattoo.
Gamal looked worriedly at the tattoo and asked,
“Tattoo... hurt?”
Doyoung leaned toward Gamal and said,
“It does. Lick it.”
Tora said as he passed behind them,
“Tattoos are wounds too. Licking’ll make it worse.”
Doyoung shot a cold glance over his shoulder.
“Beat it.”
“I’m going. Matty, bye.”
“Tora, Rato, see ya.”
Gamal waved to the twins heading for the door. Tora waved back, Rato just nodded slightly, and they left. Doyoung watched them and asked,
“You okay with that Rato guy?”
Tora was an open book, like peering into a shop window, but Rato still kept his distance. He was polite enough, but quiet, and it was hard to tell what he thought of Doyoung.
At his age, worrying if his giant stepson—who was centuries older—accepted him...
But no answer came; Gamal was sniffing him all over.
“What’re you doing?”
Doyoung asked, half-amused. Gamal wrinkled her brow.
“You smell like a woman.”
Doyoung let out an “Ah.”
Perfume, probably. Rita’s style matched her strong scent.
“The tattoo artist was a woman.”
“Tattooing is sacred. Can’t be a woman doing it.”
“What’s this ancient artifact talk... oh, right, you are an ancient artifact.”
Doyoung caught himself mid-sentence. Then Gamal said,
“Go to a man next time.”
Doyoung stared at her. This cute little vampire...
“Jealous?”
Gamal shook her head and repeated,
“You smell like a woman.”
“She’s good.”
He pushed to see her reaction. Gamal’s face soured. She whipped her hair and stormed upstairs to her room.
“You like women.”
Doyoung followed and said from the doorway,
“I do.”
Gamal bristled instantly. Doyoung timed it perfectly and added,
“Otherwise, I couldn’t like you.”
“Lame wordplay.”
Gamal shot him a glare.
A glare—that was a new look, refreshing.
Then Gamal tried to brush past, pretending to ignore him. Watching her, Doyoung said,
“Playing hard to get now?”
“Not playing.”
Gamal snapped like a tiger whose growl was mistaken for a kitten’s purr.
Doyoung’s heart ached at the sight—like a cat fluffing up—but he kept a straight face. He grabbed her wrist.
“I told you to say what’s on your mind.”
“Don’t regret it.”
Her defiant tone was adorable too.
Believing her fangs were terrifying, Gamal grabbed him and kissed him fiercely. It was almost a headbutt, but the most aggressive she’d been yet.
“You’re mine, Doyoung.”
At some point, Doyoung flinched and lifted his head.
“No biting.”
But Gamal bit harder.
Doyoung couldn’t help but laugh.
***
“So how’d you raise those two?”
Lying side by side, Doyoung asked.
“They were five when they came to the forest. Both covered up what needed covering.”
“Covering...”
He nearly pictured something grim. They were kids then, but their towering builds now made it hard to imagine them small.
Gamal continued.
“They acted all grown up. Helped me a lot. Raising Tora and Rato kept me from being lonely. They got married and moved to the village. I was lonely.”
Her gaze on the ceiling deepened with wistful emotion.
“When Nika died... I regretted marrying them off. Rato became a vampire because of me. Tora too.”
Doyoung was about to object—she was blaming herself over something weird again—when
“But.”
Gamal added first.
“I was a little glad when Rato and Tora became vampires. I know, bad thought.”
She mumbled,
“After that, Rato and Tora didn’t leave. I wanted to die for a while. But they kept me alive.”
Doyoung reflected on his jealousy toward the pair. He’d known it, but the twins meant more than sons to Gamal. They were the driving force for enduring a life without purpose.
Gamal surviving three thousand years without freedom came first from optimism about a free future, and second from the bonds that found her along the way.
In that sense, Doyoung owed Tora and Rato. They’d kept her alive until now.
Gamal turned to Doyoung and smiled.
“They’re all grown up now. I’m happy.”
“Just grown, huh.”
Doyoung said cynically.
Despite those thoughts, his personality wouldn’t let him say something heartwarming.