Hunter, Thank You For Your Blood Donation!

?”

Returning from reminiscing, Yi-eon couldn’t suppress a smile as he pondered whether Si-wol’s charm was innate or cultivated through broadcasting. The scale slightly tipped towards the former.

Meanwhile, Si-wol sat awkwardly on the couch alone at home, looking around his surroundings.

“It’s just one person who left, but why does it feel so empty? This used to be where I lived by myself…”

His unexpected roommate, who had taken over his apartment unannounced, was now gone. Although Yi-eon had merely stepped out, strangely enough, the place felt deserted without him. Si-wol pondered the reason for this sensation but couldn’t come up with a satisfactory answer. 

The closest guess he could muster… was perhaps due to the absence of someone he engaged in daily conversations with. Without Yi-eon’s usual sarcastic remarks whenever Si-wol muttered under his breath, the silence seemed deafening. Despite Si-wol explaining that frequent self-talk was a quirk stemming from his profession, Yi-eon often suspected if there might be something mentally off about him.

“No. If he were here, he’d tease me with some gibberish nonsense.”

Si-wol could almost hear Yi-eon’s voice despite it being just his imagination. He hastily scanned the area but was met only by silence and chilly air. His cheeks flushed red.

“…S-Seriously! A cuckoo? Seriously? You’re calling me a cuckoo when I’ve lived for centuries as a vampire? And wasn’t it you who brushed me off as a mere insect before, just like some pesky mosquito?”

Despite sounding disgruntled, there was a hint of fondness in Si-wol’s tone. Although he didn’t explicitly express it, it seemed clear that he preferred not being treated like an insect anymore.

“You didn’t even tell me where you were going…! Do you think telling me not to worry would actually stop me from worrying? Anyway, I don’t like that human.” Si-wol pouted and grumbled incessantly.

With Yi-eon gone, he should have been relieved since his mere presence drained his energy, but instead, he wore a constant scowl on his face. Unaware of how he appeared, he repeatedly pounded his chest as if trying to dislodge something stuck in his throat.

“…He couldn’t have just left without saying goodbye, could he?”

Si-wol glared at the tightly shut front door, almost willing it to reveal what lay beyond. This was his chance to escape confinement in his home, yet all he could fret about was whether Yi-eon had abandoned him forever.

“W-Wait. What did I just say?” Realizing what had slipped out of his mouth, he quickly backtracked and tried to explain away his slipup. “No… Y-You know, it’s only natural for me to feel uneasy about this situation. What if the other vampires are hostile towards me? What if they realize I’m offering tributes to the hunters, ruin the whole broadcast, and start attacking me?”

Thus, Si-wol convinced himself to wait until Yi-eon returned.

“

… Still, this is an opportunity…”

Si-wol was fully aware that this was his one chance to escape from Yi-eon now that no one was watching him.

However, he showed no signs of getting off the couch, as if someone had glued him there. Whether it was due to lack of courage or simply not wanting to flee, Si-wol couldn’t tell. Despite trying to convince himself that it was the former, the latter haunted him.

“Right. Well, I guess I do have two more chances to escape anyway…”

This time, it might be better to quietly observe how things unfold. Knowledge is power, and devising a well-thought-out escape plan after assessing the situation would be wiser than fleeing without any strategy.

Si-wol muttered the order of events to himself, making sure he didn’t miss anything. 

“When the other vampires and viewers arrive, first, I act natural and continue with the broadcast…  Then, if I remember correctly, Yi-eon-

said he’d look for the right moment to start the hunt.” 

Despite going over the plan multiple times, it still felt disjointed and didn’t easily stick in his mind. Naturally, Si-wol was fearful of how the other vampire might react if their scheme were exposed. He had been restless and trembling since morning, unable to hide his mounting anxiety. Yet, he remained oblivious to how Yi-eon perceived him during this turmoil.

“…How did he know I was feeling uneasy?” Si-wol muttered as he wiggled his toes, recalling the gentle caress on his cheek and around his eyes moments earlier.

Yi-eon’s hands, calloused from labor yet surprisingly soft when stroking Si-wol’s face, left him curious about the intention behind those comforting touches.

Si-wol instinctively touched his own face, tracing where Yi-eon had caressed him earlier.

“It’s not quite right. It felt more like…” He murmured softly with a faint smile as he recalled the comforting sensation. Thinking of Yi-eon helped ease his anxiety.

As per Yi-eon’s prediction, Si-wol was safe for the day since another vampire would die in his place. 

Si-wol believed his current peace of mind was all thanks to that other vampire. Unaware of the true source of the smile gracing his lips, he sat obediently as Yi-eon instructed, waiting for his guests to arrive.

“Hello everyone! It’s your weekend vampire─, Si-wol!”

Si-wol smiled brightly as he greeted his viewers upon turning on the broadcast.

≫ Hi there~

≫ Hey!

≫ Vampi-

, your outfit today is so pretty~~~~♥

≫ *drum roll* Tada, I’m here~

≫ Cherry-

is next to you!

≫ Cheha~ (Hi Cherry lol)

≫ Wow! Cherry-

, it’s been a while~

The audience playfully acknowledged the blood donor sitting beside Si-wol. In response, a viewer with the nickname “Cherry” shyly waved his hand.

“So, I got summoned by Vampi-

today to extract my blood…?

. Although it’s nice helping Vampi-

farm, being treated like a mere blood bag isn’t easy—”

The viewer suddenly stopped waving and dramatically recounted Si-wol’s misdeeds while pretending to cry. Caught off guard, Si-wol vehemently protested.

“C-Cherry-

! No, what are you doing?! You can’t say stuff like that to the viewers! We promised to keep it a secret, remember? What if they think I’m some kind of evil vampire now?”

≫ Poor Cherry-

… Of all people to be caught by, it had to be Vampi-

…

≫ Vampi-

, you’re too much, seriously