Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 98

Chapter 98

“It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve had a drink with Selena.”

Lately, Ha-yeon had been calling him by his real name so often that the name ‘Selena’ started to feel unfamiliar. But then, Si-woo realized, to Alex, he was still Selena.

“That’s true. The last time we drank together was about 15 years ago.”

Si-woo said as he headed toward the home bar.

“What would you like?”

“Whiskey sounds good.”

Their shared preference for whiskey made Si-woo think about how father and daughter shared similar tastes. Things he hadn’t noticed when seeing Alex or Ha-yeon separately were now hitting him with fresh clarity. Si-woo poured whiskey into a glass and handed it to Alex, then poured one for himself before sitting next to Alex at the bar. Alex took a sip and spoke.

“Fifteen years flew by in the blink of an eye.”

“Yes, 15 years pass by before you even realize it.”

After that, Alex quietly drank his whiskey for a moment. Si-woo noticed his normally stoic patron seemed to be deep in thought and asked.

“Is something on your mind?”

Alex looked at him as if just snapping out of his thoughts and spoke.

“It seems Ha-yeon has a boyfriend.”

Si-woo almost choked but managed to keep a calm expression as he asked.

“Why do you think so?”

“I feel some distance between us. She’s always had her own world, but this time it feels different… as if she’s hiding something. I haven’t looked into it secretly because, well, privacy matters.”

Alex tipped back his glass. Watching his indifferent profile, Si-woo thought Alex wasn’t fishing for information. It didn’t seem like Alex was testing him, which didn’t suit his patron’s personality anyway. Still, Si-woo could feel sweat forming on his back.

‘I need to be more careful.’

Si-woo had planned to reveal his relationship with Ha-yeon soon, but even he needed more time to prepare himself for that conversation.

Just then, Alex chuckled, as if something amusing had crossed his mind.

“Ha-yeon is so sensitive about people snooping around her, as you know. Just like Selena.”

Remembering how furious Ha-yeon got in the past when someone did a background check on her, Si-woo let out a small laugh.

“Yes, she certainly is.”

“When I look back, the thousand years I lived before Ha-yeon were just a blur, but since she was born, there isn’t a single day that doesn’t vividly stand out in my memory.”

Alex mumbled this while staring down at his whiskey.

“Watching her grow every day made me feel like I was human again. I was a monk when I was human, so I never expected to have a child, but after Ha-yeon was born, it’s as if I can barely remember how I lived in the thousand years before her.”

Alex spoke with a rare, gentle smile. He took another sip of whiskey and continued.

“When she was younger, she wouldn’t get off my lap. But now, it’s as if sitting on my lap would be the worst thing in the world. It’s a bit sad.”

Si-woo couldn’t bring himself to tell Alex that, in fact, Ha-yeon still sat on his lap sometimes these days.

Alex let out a long sigh and looked at Si-woo.

“I guess this is just a father’s usual complaint, but you’re the only one I can talk to about it, Selena.”

Si-woo smiled slightly at that.

“It’s quite humanizing to hear that even you have typical fatherly concerns.”

What was even more surprising was that watching Alex, who resembled Ha-yeon, made Si-woo miss Ha-yeon even more. Especially when Alex had that contemplative look or when his profile showed a certain familiar line—those moments reminded Si-woo of Ha-yeon and filled him with a sense of longing.

He couldn’t remember when he’d fallen this deeply for one woman. It was so long ago that the memories had blurred, and he wondered if it had ever been this way with Eop-ji.

At that moment, as if realizing something, Alex looked Si-woo up and down, taking in his knit sweater and casual pants.

“Come to think of it, it’s been a while since I’ve seen you in your male form.”

Since Ha-yeon was coming, it was only natural for Si-woo to be in his male form, but, of course, he couldn’t explain that. So, Si-woo simply smiled.

Fortunately, Alex didn’t seem to notice anything suspicious, so he asked casually.

“Isn’t it time to stop cross-dressing?”

“I’ve been in this appearance for so long that facing the world with my real face has become frightening.”

Si-woo replied, looking straight at Alex.

“But now, I think it’s time to break out of my shell.”

Alex gave a faint smile.

“That’s a good change.”

Si-woo knew he would have the chance to explain soon that it was all thanks to Ha-yeon. After some ordinary conversation over drinks, Alex stood up.

“I’ll be off now. Thanks for the drinks. It was nice to talk after so long.”

Si-woo stood to see him out.

“I enjoyed it too. Please visit more often.”

Alex left, and Si-woo turned back toward the home bar. He sat on a stool, staring at the empty glass when the sound of the front door opening caught his attention. Ha-yeon walked in, wearing a leather jacket and a scarf dotted with light raindrops, suggesting it was raining outside.

Si-woo stood up and asked.

“Where have you been?”

She had arrived much later than expected, and since she came up right after Alex left, it seemed like she had been waiting somewhere, aware that her father had come. Ha-yeon took off her scarf and answered.

“At a nearby café. Why did my father suddenly visit?”

Si-woo walked up to her and rested his hand on the bar beside her.

“He was wondering if his daughter might have a boyfriend.”

Ha-yeon glanced up at Si-woo without much reaction.

“If my father says something, will you give up?”

“I wouldn’t, if it were possible. But the moment he finds out, I probably wouldn’t be alive anymore.”

Aside from his determination to have a proper conversation with Alex, Si-woo wasn’t exaggerating.

“My father isn’t that violent.”

Ha-yeon said, though Si-woo only shrugged lightly. He brushed some of the raindrops from her hair and replied.

“When it comes to children, sometimes a whole new side of a person comes out—even one they didn’t know existed.”

“You talk like you’ve had children.”

“There are some things you can know without experiencing them firsthand.”

He said, running his hand through her hair.

“Especially when it’s a daughter as beautiful as you.”

Ha-yeon seemed pleased by his words. She took a step closer, wrapped her arms around his waist, and looked up at him with an adorably expectant expression.

It was the look that asked for a kiss. And when Ha-yeon looked at him like that, Si-woo always felt like he was melting from his toes up. He cupped her face and kissed her.

After a moment, he pulled back slightly and asked.

“Shall we go to the room?”

“Yeah.”

Ha-yeon replied, her voice a little breathless.

But just then, Si-woo noticed a shadow move across the liquor bottles on the shelf behind them. Something seemed to be flying through the air toward them…

There was no time to react. Si-woo immediately pulled Ha-yeon into his arms, using his body to shield her.

CRASH!

A deafening sound filled the room as something smashed through the glass like a missile, sending shards flying everywhere.

With the air rushing in like a windstorm in a depressurized airplane, Si-woo barely managed to glance over his shoulder. Alex was slowly rising from where the window had shattered, the storm of air whirling around him. His shoes crunched on the broken glass as he stood, his red eyes gleaming ominously like the glass fragments still swirling in the air.

“Chu Si-woo.”

Alex’s voice, low and calm, sounded like that of the Grim Reaper, and the longsword in his hand shimmered with an eerie blue light.

“Do not expect any excuse to be accepted.”

Even if Si-woo had some grand, universal justification, it wouldn’t matter now. He quickly pushed Ha-yeon aside to get her out of harm’s way and grabbed a tray from the bar.

“Father…!”

Ha-yeon started to shout, but her words were cut off as Alex swung his sword, the blade slicing through the air. Si-woo barely managed to block the blow with the tray just in time.

Si-woo narrowly deflected the sword, allowing it to glide over the tray’s surface before redirecting it at a sharp angle. The blade, capable of slicing through a tank in one strike, screeched with a metallic whine as it changed course. But in an instant, Alex swung upward again, and despite the tray’s high-tech material, it was split in half like paper. Alex was more serious than Si-woo had ever seen him, even when facing the fiercest enemies.

Si-woo quickly grabbed a nearby stool and used it to parry the incoming thrust, briefly halting Alex’s movements.

“Captain, I expected you to be angry, but please, just one word…”

Alex’s eyes flashed with cold intensity.

“I told you not to expect any excuses.”

Clink.

Alex spun the sword in his hand, effortlessly slicing through the stool’s metal frame as if it were soft cake. Si-woo flung the remains of the stool and disappeared.

“Father! Please, just listen—!”

Ha-yeon, caught between both sides, cried out in frustration, knowing she couldn’t openly take either side. But Alex ignored her entirely. He too vanished, only for a loud crash to follow as the reinforced glass bathroom door was shredded. Si-woo, standing right next to the gaping hole, swallowed hard.

Both vanished again. This time, the refrigerator split in two as if it had exploded, its contents spilling out in half. Liquids overflowed, the sofa flew across the room, and walls were torn apart.

BAM! CRASH!

A thunderous metallic sound echoed through the air, and the two reappeared in the middle of the living room. Si-woo was holding off Alex’s sword with what looked like a twisted metal rod from who knew where.

Alex’s eyes gleamed with cold sharpness.

“You’re still just as slippery as ever.”

“When you came to capture me, you said I was as slippery as a snake.”

Si-woo replied, trying to sound calm. But the moment seemed to ignite something in Alex, his eyes suddenly flaring with murderous intent.

“I won’t be holding back this time, so you’d better fight at full strength.”

Just then, the door burst open, and a fully armed security team stormed in.

“Stop—!”

But as they took in the scene before them, the team hesitated, utterly confused.

“Captain?”

Seeing that the intruder was none other than Alex, the security team’s faces filled with uncertainty. Although Alex didn’t visit Seoul often, every one of them recognized him as a VVIP. But Alex paid them no mind, striking at Si-woo once more as another boom echoed through the room, and the two combatants vanished again. The security team remained frozen in bewilderment.

“What are you doing? Save him already!”

Ha-yeon yelled, unable to contain her frustration.

“Who… are we saving?”

Ha-yeon couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“Of course, you need to save Si-woo! He would never attack my father!”

“Si-woo…?”

Ha-yeon was dumbfounded.

“You don’t even know the name of the person you’re protecting?”

Her voice roared like a lion’s. She knew that Si-woo could only defend himself minimally since he couldn’t afford to harm Alex. Meanwhile, Alex fought like he intended to tear the entire building in half.

“Captain, please, just for a moment—”

Si-woo attempted to speak again, but Alex, not missing a beat, grabbed a fistful of the knit sweater Si-woo was wearing and twisted it, locking Si-woo in place. At that moment, there was no escape.

Alex’s sword thrust forward, piercing directly through Si-woo’s abdomen.

“…!”

Ha-yeon’s eyes widened in shock as she watched the blade sink into Si-woo.