Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 88

Chapter 88

“I saw it. The hwando.”

What kind of thoughts did Si-woo have as he looked at the hwando lying on the floor of the dressing room? She couldn’t even begin to imagine.

“I thought there must be some story that hasn’t been recorded in history.”

“Changwon-gun is alive.”

Si-woo stated firmly.

“How do you know that?”

“Because I do.”

Ha-yeon fell silent. It seemed there was some evidence, but she knew Si-woo wouldn’t reveal what it was.

“Not only because I am the client of your father, but also because I am not someone you should get close to.”

With that, Si-woo stood up.

“I’ll see you off.”

* * *

“Everyone has their own sense of justice.”

Ah-eun looked at Tauga with indifferent eyes.

“There’s no way to say which is more correct. But I think this: The justice of the oppressed cannot coexist with the justice of the oppressors.”

After exhaling the last puff of smoke, she stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray.

“‘He didn’t personally plunder the city.’ That’s a convenient excuse.”

She said this and stood up.

“That said, I don’t intend to impose my sense of justice on you, Colonel. So please don’t impose your sense of justice on me either. We can just live as we have for the past three hundred years.”

Then Emily passed by Tauga and went inside.

“I’ll go ahead.”

Tauga looked at Ah-eun’s departing figure but said nothing. He only had a contemplative look on his face.

* * *

During the drive home, there was no conversation. Ha-yeon just stared out the window. The colorful neon lights from outside slid chaotically across the face that resembled the hunter who once came to hunt Si-woo.

Si-woo stopped the car in front of Ha-yeon’s house and spoke.

“Go inside.”

Ha-yeon got out of the car without saying a word, looking slightly angry.

No, she turned around again before getting out.

The story Si-woo had told spun chaotically in her head. She didn’t quite know what to think, but one thing was clear.

Ha-yeon grabbed Si-woo’s collar and pulled him up to her face.

“Do you know what kind of look you’re giving me?”

Her burning eyes looked directly at Si-woo, reflecting him.

She emitted a horrifically sweet scent. It wasn’t just the smell of blood under the skin but a fragrance emitted by the soul that captivated him.

“If you didn’t intend to go all the way, you shouldn’t have looked at me like that.”

With that, Ha-yeon released his collar as if throwing him off and walked away from the car. Si-woo watched her retreating figure before turning his gaze back to the steering wheel.

He knew how greedy her eyes must have looked, even without saying a word.

He didn’t think Ha-yeon would easily change her mind once she made a decision, but he believed she might reconsider once she understood what kind of person he was.

He couldn’t even protect the woman he loved, but was there anything more disappointing than having infected someone like Changwon-gun in his blind rage?

Above all, he would put Ha-yeon in danger.

If it were just a simple danger, he could have used all means and methods to protect her. However, the cycle of hatred and vengeance built up over six hundred years was not something easily broken, even for him.

Meanwhile, Ha-yeon passed through the door leading to the building and climbed the stairs. The old building made creaking noises on the stairs.

Just as she was about to open her door, the door of the neighboring apartment suddenly opened, and a familiar face appeared.

“Your boyfriend?”

It was Joo-hwan.

“What…?”

Ha-yeon quickly checked to confirm it was indeed her house and sneered at Joo-hwan, who had come from the neighboring apartment.

“Should I just report you for stalking now?”

But Joo-hwan remained calm.

“I’ve been living here for three years. I saw you coming and going next door, so I tried to talk to you at school, but you didn’t seem to notice.”

Then Joo-hwan glanced out the corridor window. Si-woo’s car was just departing.

“Your boyfriend drives quite a nice car. He must be rich.”

“Mind your own business.”

Ha-yeon said coldly and went into her house. She threw off her jacket and went to the kitchen, pouring whiskey into a glass.

Ha-yeon’s mother used to say that her taste in alcohol was more like that of a middle-aged man than her father’s, but beer was too light and wine was too sweet for her.

However, she was bothered by the wall adjoining the neighboring apartment.

To think they lived next door… It felt unpleasant, but if Joo-hwan had been living there before she moved in, it wasn’t suspicious.

* * *

“Isn’t it a dangerous relationship?”

Joo-hwan came out as if he had been waiting for the right moment and asked, opening the door.

“You seem a bit sensitive about your boyfriend.”

Ha-yeon confirmed the sound of her door locking and turned around.

“What dangerous relationship?”

Joo-hwan looked intrigued.

“It seems there is something dangerous after all.”

Putting aside the fact that Si-woo was a six-hundred-year-old vampire if it meant he was the client of her father, it could lead to problems if her father found out, but that was none of Joo-hwan’s concern.

Ha-yeon replied with a blank expression.

“If you keep pestering me like this, you’ll be in more danger than any of the dangers that might befall me.”

Joo-hwan responded with interest.

“Did you forget I’m a Luax?”

“Oh, right. Have a good immortality.”

With that, Ha-yeon descended the stairs. Joo-hwan followed her. When Ha-yeon stopped midway down the stairs and raised her eyebrows to look back, Joo-hwan shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m going to school too.”

Ha-yeon rolled her eyes and continued down the stairs.

* * *

While sitting in the library conference room working on an assignment, Ha-yeon heard the sound of the door opening. Since it was a room she had rented alone, she was puzzled and looked back. It was Joo-hwan who entered. Ha-yeon was already getting a headache and was about to speak.

“Seriously, stalking…”

“McLaren P5 LM.”

Joo-hwan interrupted and sat down across from her. A hologram of a familiar car appeared in mid-air.

“Not many people in Seoul drive this. Among them is the CEO of ISLE Group, Selena. Do you know her? She’s a stunning lady, almost tempting enough to want to try it out.”

This time, a photo of Selena from an interview with a famous economic magazine appeared. Joo-hwan shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair.

“It’s a pity that she’s actually a man.”

Ha-yeon raised her eyebrows. She wanted to set that damn car on fire. The situation had become extremely annoying.

No, the car wasn’t to blame. Especially not a cool car like that.

“What do you want?”

Joo-hwan leaned forward, resting his arms on the table.

“ISLE is like a divine workplace for Luax. Can you introduce me?”

Ha-yeon, feeling that there was no point in continuing the conversation, turned her attention to her textbook.

“If you think I have any influence over their decisions, you’re very mistaken.”

Dealing with this wall was hard enough without adding another one. But Joo-hwan continued.

“That’s not what I want either. But just knowing someone in ISLE is impressive, and if that person is the CEO, then I have to get an introduction, even if it means blackmailing you.”

Only then did Ha-yeon look at Joo-hwan with interest.

“What would you use for blackmail?”

Joo-hwan realized that this pretty lady seemed to enjoy taking risks. That aspect was intriguing, so Joo-hwan smiled.

“If I had something like that, I would have already used it.”

She needs to move. Ha-yeon decided that it was going to be too troublesome. Meanwhile, Joo-hwan asked.

“So, what time does your lecture end?”

Ha-yeon looked at Joo-hwan with an expression of disbelief.

“Do you think the ISLE’s CEO is like a snack bar owner? That you can just drop by and meet?”

Then Joo-hwan suddenly stood up and sat down next to Ha-yeon. Ha-yeon flinched and tried to push him away, but Joo-hwan, being a Luax, was quicker to place his hand on her shoulder. He then raised his arm and took a photo and said.

“Okay, send it. I’ll put a bet on seeing the CEO today.”

Ha-yeon raised one eyebrow.

* * *

Si-woo looked at the transmitted photo with a puzzled expression. In the photo, Ha-yeon had an expression as if she had just seen something dreadful on the man’s lap. Meanwhile, the man’s hand was resting on Ha-yeon’s shoulder.

“CEO?”

When the executive director next to him called him out with a puzzled tone, he realized that the senior executives were seated on either side.

Si-woo placed his hand on the table and stood up.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Feeling the eyes following him, he paid no mind and stepped outside, telling the AI:

“Call Miss Ha-yeon.”

The dial tone began.

* * *

Ha-yeon watched the phone ring as if by magic. Joo-hwan, with a triumphant smile, gestured for her to answer. Ha-yeon, though displeased, answered the call.

“Hello?”

[What is this photo about?]

“It’s a prank by the senior.”

[Senior?]

Si-woo asked as if he didn’t know such a person existed.

“Yeah.”

As Ha-yeon answered, Si-woo remained silent. At that moment, Joo-hwan pointed to himself. It seemed like he was asking her to talk about him. Although Ha-yeon felt a bit put off by the apparent command, she spoke anyway.

“The senior wants to get an introduction to you.”

[Really?]

“He’s interested in working at ISLE.”

[Is he from the same department?]

“Yeah.”

Since it was a top-tier university, it wasn’t far-fetched for someone to want to work at ISLE.

However, Si-woo was silent again for a moment. Ha-yeon thought, ‘As expected.’ She figured it wouldn’t be easy to meet with him just by trying like this. So she spoke up again.

“If you don’t have time…”

[That’s fine.]

At that moment, Si-woo spoke. Ha-yeon raised her eyebrows. Recently, even if she asked to meet, it was always met with a ‘Busy, let’s meet another time.’ But now it was so easy?

[What time does your lecture end?]

“4 o’clock.”

[Come by by 5 o’clock.]

“Okay.”

Then Si-woo hung up the phone. Joo-hwan, knowing the outcome, still asked with a smile.

“How was it?”

‘Unexpectedly useful,’ Ha-yeon thought and picked up the jacket draped over the chair back as she stood up.

“Good. Then be at the ISLE main gate by 4:30.”

“Huh? Aren’t you coming from school anyway?”

Joo-hwan asked innocently. Ha-yeon looked at him as if he had said something incredibly stupid.

“Do I have to come pick you up?”

With that, she left the room. Watching her retreating figure, Joo-hwan rested his chin on his hand and muttered with a smile.

“She’s a b*tch.”