The Vampire's Night
Everyone probably has experienced waking up startled in their sleep at some point.
Whether forgetting important meetings or appointments, or suddenly remembering forgotten tasks.
Seowoo was exactly that right now.
"Haek!"
Seowoo woke up startled.
Five minutes of sleep turned into five hours.
Even so, sleeping as a vampire was no different from having one's guts spill out.
Two years ago, I didn't expect to see the day I first became a vampire again in a dream.
It was an unpleasant experience after all.
Many people suffer from muscle pain after exercise.
So, let the body swell until it's about to burst.
New blood is out of the question, and the pain is worse than even a claw scratch.
"Huu..."
Expanded the senses enlarged dozens of times normally.
Checked if there was any sign of intrusion.
Confirmed the room looked exactly the same as when he fell asleep.
After securing safety, could handle the solidified blood or waste on the floor.
What if it's a sealed room without windows?
There's a small exhaust fan on the ceiling, but basically only simple ventilation.
The blood smell remains thick even if you spill blood and blame it on accidentally spilling a blood pack.
Originally, vampires rarely come to the dorms themselves.
Vampires have a laid-back corner, and if it's not personal business or work, they don't care much about the humans in the lab.
Just not installing surveillance cameras in the assistants' dorms is proof enough.
Of course, this laxity stems from their confidence.
Even if the livestock flies and roars, they can't escape the palm of Buddha's hand.
"Where shall I look."
The selection of personnel in the livestock pen is complete.
No special calls came during sleep, so from now on is his own time.
Surprisingly, the concept of work-life balance was in place, so except for respect as a person, he received quite high salary.
It exceeded passing scores in the workplace.
Officially, he's on rest as a wounded person, so he can't go out.
The 'vampire transformation' with unclear duration also helped.
A few days ago, he planned to read books brought to the central library 'Vivian' in Nectar for research purposes.
Page turned.
"Regarding Aptitude Blood..."
The purpose of vampires is to find blood that will be the base for the 'Gene Modification Plan'.
In the past, among the rare constitutions that existed only in pairs, the most special one.
Different from dividing blood through 'procreative vampirism' to create thralls or kin and turning from human to vampire.
Unlike the method of receiving power branches and reconstructing the body in exchange for subordinating mind and body to the master.
It's a person with adaptability and high sensitivity to accept the power of vampires while still human.
Extremely rare, so few samples, little content, but according to them, all described as living a life dotted with vampire desires and ending it.
"Again, it's the marmot line."
So precious, why not extract and store the blood.
That it hasn't remained until now means it's already been lost long ago, obvious.
In modern times, it's just injecting serum mixed to artificially increase success rate.
From past cases, the trigger for vampire transformation was expected to be oral intake of blood.
Success rate might be higher now.
But then what.
Since success rate is low anyway, it all fails.
Seowoo could only say sorry and it's unfortunate.
Knock.
The sound of opening and closing doors from the next room.
Unlike usual, with extremely developed senses, could pinpoint the source of sound.
Is Suyeon back?
Seowoo was about to knock on the wall to signal, but stopped.
No, maybe not her.
According to Lucia's words, she heard there was someone trying to escape from another lab.
So, two cases.
First, Suyeon herself finished work and came back.
Currently, the best she can hope for.
Second, Lucia's words were bluff, and the plan was discovered.
Friend, escape, and his own safety threatened.
The worst scenario.
The secret of Aptitude Blood discovered in the experiment ending, blood, body fluids, even skin.
Any part experimented on without leaving, ending life.
Maybe can't even see the end of life as a vampire.
The thought gave goosebumps.
Seowoo ignored the chill rising from his spine, focused on hearing.
Swoosh swoosh.
Sound of clothes falling.
"Why does my chest look bigger than before? Ah, shoulder pain."
"..."
Contrary to the heavy fear, the first words heard were absurd.
"Huu, what a shitty world. Who will take me out of here."
Words anyone in Nectar as human could sympathize with.
Chik.
Clack!
Behind the timid complaints, the sound of canned drink fizzing.
Then, throat swallowing without restraint.
Gulp gulp!
"Cruh~ After work, canned beer? This is Yasji."
Suyeon's rice is about 5 years.
More than 2 years than Seowoo, enough time to melt into Nectar.
Her position in the department she was in charge of was quite solid.
So, could enjoy some luxury and indulgence, light drinking was part of it.
"Should I talk to her or not..."
Seowoo, eavesdropping on what was like invading privacy, fell into thought.
For a working adult, it's not right to talk about work after work.
Like a work chat after hours?
As in social life.
In the human world, thinking it's extension of work, muttering curses not to be heard, but no one easily refuses.
But here is Nectar.
Decided to make it a bit more restful and signal.
But soon realized it was a misjudgment...
"Huu! I want to go home...! I don't want to be here!! Kk..."
Sound of pouring a few more beers, then drunkenly drinking alone.
"Yaa! Yoon Seowoo! Are you listening!! What the hell is this? Noona is suffering like her guts are coming out!! She's sucking honey while wagging tail at the director??! Ha... life..."
Although drunk, Suyeon had reason to shout loudly.
Because shifts were different from other departments, like staggered work times, so naturally, she thought Seowoo wasn't in the next room.
"Sueup..."
No, even if rumors of being favored circulated, wagging tail at the director.
If she got stomped by Lucia's head, it would go down her throat.
Thought of knocking on the wall hard, but stopped.
Conscious of invading privacy.
"If you're there, answer~."
Knock knock.
Suyeon, unlike her rough words, timidly knocked on the wall.
Perhaps because the gap in words was cute.
Seowoo's eyes sparkled with mischief.
Knock!
"Hiik?!"
Seowoo approaching the bed and knocking hard on the wall, and Suyeon startled, almost simultaneous.
"Pup."
Because the reaction was too real, like a kid caught eating junk food secretly.
His laughter echoed from beyond the wall.
"I, I, I, is it there...?"
Unexpectedly, mouth trembling contrary to the words.
"I'm going home~ I don't want to be here~."
"Yaa!! Yoon Seowoo!!"
Suyeon, unable to endure the mockery, shot a lion's roar.
Suyeon with face red like roasted chestnuts didn't need a mirror.
Because face flushed, sudden body temperature rise felt.
"No, but is this heard? Did you put your ear to the wall?"
"Eh? Ah, um... something like that...?"
Suyeon wondered.
The wall was thick, couldn't hear properly.
What is this hesitant response.
"Haeek."
Meanwhile, Seowoo with mouth wide open startled.
Focusing on mocking, almost forgot that senses were amplified.
Why would secret be secret?
The moment number of people knowing increases, secret is no longer secret.
No one would realize, but better not to be suspected.
"Hmm... but today, did you get a day off?"
"Ah, no, that's not it..."
When explaining what happened today, worry came from Suyeon's mouth.
"How are you alive...?"
"Thanks to the blood Lucia gave?"
"Wow? Lucia? You? This is completely a vampire lapdog? Are you going to push me too?"
"Ah, mistake, mistake. You know it's a habit. Let's not do this among us pros~."
"Huu... Real, this noona took care of me."
"How many months early born, making a fuss."
"You come out right now."
"Ah! Ah! Sorry, it's hard on the patient."
Seowoo, even though Suyeon not visible, waved hands and feet, chattering.
Then, after a beat, a moment of quiet.
And what broke the quiet was her laughter.
"Kukuk."
"Huhu."
"Kkak."
"Haha."
Separated by thick wall, Seowoo and Suyeon laughed for a long time.
The sound of laughing like children, evidence that humanity was not abandoned.
Feeling vaguely that without relieving stress this way, couldn't bear it without going crazy.
"Haa..."
Reality hits.
Laughing and chatting is good, but looking at the ceiling of the dorm again, facing reality.
Grabbing the mind eroding from pain and oppression.
Not easy.
"Ah, right. Suyeon, did you hear that?"
"Someone trying to escape from another research building?"
"Again, you know."
Somehow obvious.
"Yeah, I was going to talk about that. Perfect timing."
"...Something went wrong on our side too?"
"Just as I said."
Suyeon's words didn't stray far from expectations.
Surprisingly, many people tried to escape en masse.
Unusually, caused backlash from vampires, had to be careful for a while.
"So, what was the answer at that time?"
Suyeon's sharp voice demanded the answer she had postponed.
"Ah, yes. I'll go with you too. If there's something needed, I can help."
"Should have come out like that from the beginning."
"Sorry I couldn't answer immediately."
"Hng, okay! This is fast for you."
Although she lightly accepted, from her position, it was enough to burn her throat.
She extended hand in courage when she herself was in danger, but didn't reject the choice.
He could have had bad intentions and pushed her away.
So, Seowoo thought he had to apologize properly.
"If there's a necessary request next time, I'll listen. This is sincere."
"...I got it."
"Good."
Feeling relieved of the burden in heart, a bit lighter.
"Then, for now, plan itself is on hold. Um~ Shall we see each other's faces a bit?"
"Now...?"
"Yeah, we have to see each other anyway, what's wrong?"
"Um... that's a bit now..."
"What~ If it's a request, I thought you'd do anything."
"Ugh, stomach suddenly..."
"Shut up."
Mind lightened, but no way.
"Damn."
Couldn't deceive a woman's intuition after all.
"Huu. I was a fool to trust you."
Reversing the words just said was embarrassing enough.
But couldn't show the vampire appearance.
"Why do you know... They don't like to stick together among humans. So, be careful."
In Nectar, there's such a saying.
The more precious, the farther.
The closer, the more harsh.
Like this, the word spread secretly among survivors was from experience.
Vampires knew that even though they looked down on humans, when they gathered and colluded, it became troublesome, so they didn't ignore.
There were cases where they killed on purpose if seeing unnecessary friendship or pampering like parents and children.
The lab was less of that brutality, but the essence was the same.
Moreover, it was better not to know each other's faces.
The thought that preparing for the worst never changes.
"Hmm... I got it. If you say that much, I have no choice."
"Since we can see faces plenty after escape. Let's take precautions for safety."
The answer didn't come, perhaps a bit discouraged.
"One or two hours, I guess."
The hungry stomach rumbled.
"Eh..."
Just as trying to get up from bed, body swayed.
Knock.
Senses that had been sensitive returned to normal.
The vision dyed red regained original color.
From the body that was so sturdy, felt strength leaving.
"Kuk..."
As always, big power has a price.
On the body hardening like stone, muscle pain like being beaten all over came.
No blood spilled, but really couldn't even move a finger.
The gap was so vast that it was a form of filling the unfillable part with physical rebound while enduring vampire power as human body.
"Uet... Maybe stay like this a little..."
Seowoo who had the rebound phenomenon, had to spend time on the floor adapting body.
And after some time passed.
Someone knocked on the door.