Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 101

Chapter 101

“In short, a mutation occurred that normally doesn’t happen during the transmission of the virus.”

Ha-yeon was momentarily unsure how to react to the unexpected revelation. What she had thought was just a special ability turned out to be a mutation.

“Then…”

She trailed off and inadvertently shut her mouth. It seemed that Si-woo understood the unspoken words and nodded.

“Yes, we are mutants.”

A mutated vampire. That was the true nature of the Chun family bloodline.

The wound Ah-eun inflicted on Changwon-gun, who had pretended to lose his memory six hundred years ago, was fatal. Even while Changwon-gun was in a dazed state, he had pulled out all his organs and severed them in several places.

However, a wound that would normally take days to heal for a regular vampire was almost completely healed by the time Si-woo returned to the cave, unable to chase after Changwon-gun.

Ha-yeon slowly scanned Si-woo. Si-woo waited with quiet eyes for her to speak.

“Are you… okay? Your body?”

“There are no other issues except for the fact that wounds heal quickly.”

After saying this, Si-woo briefly changed the subject.

“Currently, it is known that there are no mutants among vampires. It’s not that there are none, but most do not survive long. For example, they might be unable to convert blood into energy or be unusually sensitive to light.”

“So, does that mean your bloodline’s mutation aids in survival, allowing you to last until now?”

Si-woo nodded.

“That’s right.”

Ha-yeon, trying to digest the newly acquired information, suddenly seemed to connect a thought.

“Wait, does that mean Changwon-gun also has healing abilities…?”

She trailed off, realizing the terrifying possibility. Si-woo’s eyes darkened.

“Yes, he would be alive.”

Now Ha-yeon understood why Si-woo was so sure that Changwon-gun was still alive. With such extraordinary healing abilities, even if he wanted to die, he probably couldn’t easily.

“That’s also why I was able to be so active at one point.”

Thinking back, Si-woo had just become a vampire, and Ah-eun was not in a position to teach him anything in particular as a patron. Yet, the reason he was able to overwhelm numerous vampires was due to this ‘unique constitution.’

Ha-yeon placed her palm on Si-woo’s chest.

“I’m glad. That you have such a body.”

Si-woo took her hand and pressed his lips gently against it.

“Isn’t it disgusting?”

“I thought I was the only one different.”

Ha-yeon murmured.

“Not human, not vampire. What does it mean to be a two-eyed person in a one-eyed village?”

Then Ha-yeon looked at Si-woo with a slightly pained expression, as if holding back rising emotions.

“But you’re ‘strange’ too. Like me…”

With what seemed like a sigh of relief, Si-woo embraced Ha-yeon. Ha-yeon returned the embrace.

* * *

The two sat on a bench, looking at the ginkgo tree. Then Ha-yeon spoke.

“I don’t get tired of looking at it. Nature is amazing.”

Si-woo bent down and picked up a ginkgo fruit from the ground.

“Actually, I wanted to come here with you to see the ginkgo tree…”

He rolled the fruit in his hand and continued.

“When I was human, there was a superstition. If you picked up ginkgo fruit in the fall and shared it with a partner around Gyeongchip, on March 5th, it was believed that you would never part.”

Suddenly, Ha-yeon took the fruit from his hand without saying a word.

“Don’t forget Gyeongchip.”

Then, as if telling him to pick up another fruit, she gestured towards the ground. Si-woo smiled and picked up another fruit.

Ha-yeon looked at the fruit in her hand and asked.

“After becoming a vampire… didn’t you visit your parents?”

The question seemed to bring up many thoughts for Si-woo, who looked at the tree.

“I couldn’t forgive my parents.”

He eventually said quietly.

“They were only trying to protect their son. But because they decided to act that way, they missed the chance to give Changwon-gun his just punishment.”

He added.

“Of course, even if I had personally revealed Eop-ji’s identity, it’s possible that Changwon-gun would not have been punished.”

Given the circumstances, this seemed likely. From the historical records alone, it was evident that King Seongjong, at that time, had no intention of punishing Changwon-gun.

“But that’s a matter for others, and my parents should have done the right thing. And they would have known what the right thing was.”

Then Si-woo gave a wry smile.

“But I did visit them.”

After all, they were his parents.

As he spoke, Si-woo looked at the fruit in his hand, but it seemed like he was looking beyond the fruit to the memories associated with it.

“It was after my parents had passed away. I don’t know if it was because they couldn’t find the missing me or if they fell ill due to guilt over their wrongdoings, but after my father died, my mother soon followed.”

Ha-yeon could tell that Si-woo regretted not visiting his parents earlier. Even if he felt resentment or blame, he should have faced them.

“But not being able to be with my parents in their final moments… compared to the fear Eop-ji must have felt, it’s a trivial matter.”

Si-woo’s grip tightened on the fruit in his hand.

“Eop-ji was said to have been killed after being slashed in the face and neck. Her head was crushed to the point where it was barely recognizable when her body was thrown from the city walls… Thinking about how scared she must have been makes me wake up in the night, trembling.”

He murmured as if recalling that time.

“And while Eop-ji was being murdered, I was completely unaware, preoccupied with how to persuade my parents. Eop-ji was already gone.”

Looking at the ginkgo leaves piled on the ground like snow, he whispered with a tone full of pain.

“She was lying on the cold ground… already cold and lifeless.”

Some ginkgo leaves fluttered down like snowflakes.

Si-woo exhaled deeply.

“Eop-ji was only eighteen.”

By the standards of that time, she was very young even if considered an adult.

“When I think about what Eop-ji went through while I was sitting comfortably in a warm room, it feels like I would suffocate or have my chest burst.”

Ha-yeon wasn’t sure how to comfort him, especially regarding this matter, and felt it was difficult to speak.

“When I went to rescue the kidnapped young lady, I thought of Eop-ji.”

Ha-yeon looked at him in surprise at the unexpected revelation.

“I didn’t visit the young lady who went to Africa… that was a big reason. I didn’t think I could protect anyone.”

It seemed that the kidnapping incident had left its scars not only on Ha-yeon but also on Si-woo. It had triggered a kind of PTSD.

Ha-yeon gently stroked Si-woo’s face with her hand. His red eyes, though still sad, held a softer light, possibly due to her affection.

A few days ago, Ivan had told her.

“Si-woo, at his worst, hated looking at his own face and even burned it.”

Ha-yeon was shocked.

“His face?”

Ivan nodded and, recalling it, seemed a bit pale as if a chill ran down his spine.

“He healed quickly because of his regeneration abilities.”

Even the pain of self-inflicted burns seemed inconsequential compared to the anguish he felt.

Ha-yeon spoke.

“It must have been terrifying, painful, and horrible, but I don’t wish for you to suffer. Not even if I were in your place.”

“I don’t deserve to be loved by Eop-ji or the young lady.”

“That’s something we decide, not you.”

Ha-yeon said firmly, pulling Si-woo’s arm to make him look at her.

“Si-woo, you did your best. There’s nothing we can do about what happens despite that. Not accepting this is also arrogance.”

Ha-yeon stated resolutely.

“You’ve suffered enough. It’s time to stop.”

Reflecting on it, it was rare for people to be infected in ordinary, mundane situations. Even Ivan, who was infected by a mere accident, had a relatively smooth experience after the infection, despite the unfavorable circumstances.

Especially, their clan felt like a collection of massive tragedies. But because of these tragedies, they met and became family. Thus, they were able to survive through any tragedy.

* * *

When Ha-yeon woke up in the morning, she found Si-woo watching her from the side.

“You’re awake?”

Ha-yeon threw herself into his arms and said.

“My boyfriend is really handsome.”

Si-woo smiled and kissed her.

“Shall we have breakfast?”

When they went outside, there were boxes stacked by the door. It looked as if they were moving, and Ha-yeon asked.

“What are those boxes?”

“Women’s clothes and belongings.”

Ha-yeon looked at him with surprise.

“Throwing them away?”

“Yes. I think it’s time to stop pretending.”

But Ha-yeon made a face that showed dissatisfaction and remained silent. Si-woo, puzzled, asked.

“Why the long face?”

He thought Ha-yeon would be pleased that he was giving up cross-dressing, but she looked as if she had bitten into an unripe fruit and was displeased.

“Well, thinking about you walking around with that face…”

Si-woo chuckled.

“Who would even look at a man who keeps cross-dressing?”

Ha-yeon wrapped her arms around Si-woo’s neck.

“That’s exactly what you don’t understand.”

* * *

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped out. As he walked down the hallway, familiar faces passed by, but no one greeted him. They glanced at him, but their looks seemed more curious about the stranger rather than recognizing him.

When he entered the office, the two secretaries at their desks stood up.

“Welcome. Do you have an appointment?”

Si-woo smiled slightly, wondering if they didn’t recognize him.

“Isn’t it unlikely?”

The secretaries hesitated and looked at him. This voice…

With his short, neatly cut hair and his suit that looked like it belonged to a fashion model, the secretaries momentarily thought he might be Selena’s sibling, but then realized that their CEO’s relatives couldn’t be alive.

The secretaries’ faces widened in shock or astonishment, and they exclaimed in surprise.

“CEO?!”