Episode 21
Gamal gradually got excited and tightened her arms around Doyoung. Then Doyoung slightly parted his lips and spoke.
“I told you not to get so worked up.”
If Gamal hugged him too tightly in her excitement, it would be like a human surviving a bear’s playful swipe only by sheer luck.
“Sorry…”
Gamal mumbled. Doyoung moved to kiss her again… but then lowered his head and sighed as if his kingdom had crumbled.
“There, there.”
Without another word, he went to the bed and lay down facing away.
“Doyoung, are you okay?”
Gamal approached from behind and asked. Doyoung seemed unusually listless—the most deflated she’d ever seen him.
“I’m fine.”
He answered without turning around.
Well. Being treated like a living Buddha was tolerable. Having an adult son despite being an unmarried bachelor was something he could grudgingly accept. But this reality—the fact that his interactions with Gamal were limited—was harder to swallow.
He was a man. A young, vigorous man.
And every night, faint sounds drifted from afar. Tora seemed to be putting his vampire stamina to… unconventional use. With no dangerous beasts on the island, there was little else to expend that energy on—but listening to him pleasure some woman (lately that Aki) each night while lying in the same bed as Gamal…
If Doyoung were a medieval inquisitor, he’d devise torture by forcing someone to gaze at a breathtaking beauty without touching her. He knew better than anyone how cruel that would be.
Suddenly, Gamal hugged him from behind.
“You’re warm.”
Miraculously, the tension drained from his body. It felt like a demon exorcised by a monk’s roar—his desires scattering in an instant.
Doyoung reconsidered.
Maybe the belief that love required physicality was just bias. Perhaps the pinnacle of love was platonic…
He abruptly turned to face her.
“Sorry, but I’m no Johannes.”
To hell with lofty spiritual connections.
(Though that was fictional, of course.)
“Huh? No, you’re not.”
Gamal took his words literally, her confusion plain. Doyoung felt absurd for expecting more from someone like her.
She glanced sideways and added:
“You’re good at this.”
Doyoung stared. “Been with many women?”
Before he could respond, she continued: “I’ve been with many men too.”
“You?” Doyoung raised an eyebrow.
“I’m old.”
Meaning she’d had the time.
Propping his chin on his elbow, Doyoung asked with feigned casualness: “How many?”
“Too many to count.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie. Physical comfort had been the quickest remedy for loneliness while in hiding. But that wasn’t why the number eluded her—three millennia blurred memories into scattered dots along a timeline. And that was before this island.
“Actually, I have a child.”
Gamal’s eyes widened. “What?”
Doyoung tilted his head. “We both lied once. Now we’re even.”
“How’d you know I lied?”
“So it wasn’t a lie?”
Creak—
The bed protested as Doyoung rose. Gamal instinctively straightened her legs, caught off guard.
He leaned over her, casting a shadow that made her heart race. The dim firelight, hushed breaths, and his radiating heat created an intimacy as secretive as night whispers.
Doyoung’s eyes…
They reminded her of a vampire’s—but hungrier than any bloodthirsty creature.
“Well?” she managed, recalling he’d spoken.
He tangled his hand in her hair, pulling her face close.
“Good,” his whisper brushed her ear. “The more experienced one can teach.”
“Matti.”
Tora’s hand shook her awake. Gamal blinked groggily as he cooed: “Morning.”
Doyoung’s side of the bed lay empty. “Where is he?”
“Outside. Typical soldier—won’t skip morning drills.”
Gamal flushed, last night’s memories surfacing. Doyoung must’ve earned a degree in that sort of thing.
“Why so red?” Tora teased.
“Nothing!”
She nearly bolted outside like a child on Christmas morning, but turned back: “Do I look pretty?”
Tora blinked, then laughed. “Yes.”
Gamal scurried out. In the sun-washed village, Doyoung sat twisting rope.
“Awake?” he asked without looking up.
She sidled closer. “What’re you doing?”
“Tora taught me.” His glance flickered to her face. “Wipe your sleep dust.”
“Tora!” she hissed, scrubbing her eyes.
The vampire chuckled and retreated. Doyoung watched them before remarking:
“You’re close with your clientes.”
“Aren’t we supposed to be?”
“Some clientes even marry their patronesses.”
“I raised Tora and Lato from age five.”
“What happened to their parents?”
"Tora and Lato's Mati abandoned the twins. In the forest."
Doyoung paused and looked at Gaymal. But Gaymal spoke calmly without any particular expression.
"Twins are bad luck."
Among primitive tribes, many considered twins ominous, and Satadi seemed to be one of them. But...
'Twins...?'
He felt like remembering something else, but at that moment, Tora called from under the distant pavilion.
"Time to eat."
Doyoung turned around, tidied his seat, and stood up.
"Let's go."
"Yeah."
Gaymal followed happily. As they walked, Doyoung glanced at Gaymal and asked,
"Didn’t you wash?"
"I’ll wash after eating."
"You’re disgusting."
Gaymal looked shocked, as if he’d heard something outrageous.
"I’m not disgusting!"
He then ran off to the well. Doyoung went ahead and sat down. Tora, who was setting the table, asked,
"Tawa, are you going to keep wearing those clothes?"
Doyoung was still in his military uniform.
"I told you not to call me Tawa. And this is my last shred of dignity as a civilized man."
"They’ll soon be too tattered to wear anyway."
"Leave me alone."
Tora licked sauce off his thumb and said,
"How symbolic. When your last shred of civilized dignity falls apart and you finally strip it off, you’ll gain a new identity as a tribesman."
Doyoung chuckled.
"Unnecessarily poetic."
Tora laughed while holding wooden bowls, dressed today again in what outsiders would consider overly revealing attire.
"I have many books at home if you’d like to borrow some. I’ve been collecting them steadily."
Then Doyoung noticed something unintentionally as Tora sat with legs spread.
"Are those panties you’re wearing?"
Indeed. Beneath the cloth wrapped around Tora’s waist were black drawers. Come to think of it, during fights, he’d been too distracted to notice, but even when kicking, he hadn’t seen anything obscene between those legs.
Tora said nonchalantly,
"Outside-world panties are amazing. Once you put on these stretchy ones, you can’t take them off."
"Why on earth are you dressed like that?"
When Doyoung asked, genuinely exasperated, Tora winked.
"An expression of identity."
Doyoung rolled his eyes. This guy’s clear eccentric streak proved he wasn’t Gaymal’s Patroness for nothing.
Just then, Gaymal came and sat beside Doyoung. Tora handed him a bowl and teased,
"Mati doesn’t even sit next to me anymore."
"Huh?"
Gaymal glanced between them, then scooted his hips to settle between Doyoung and Tora.
"In the middle. Exactly in the middle."
Tora burst out laughing.
"Ah, isn’t our Mati just adorable?"
Gaymal’s face puckered.
"Stop mocking me."
Doyoung had met many vampires, but he’d never seen a Patroness-Clientes relationship like this.
For reference, a "Patroness" referred to the vampire who provided blood.
Though Patronesses and Clienteles were inseparable, their non-blood bond often evolved into romantic relationships. But here, since Gaymal had raised Tora—and the twin—their bond felt truly familial.
If Tora harbored even a hint of romantic feeling for Gaymal, it would have shown in his words. Yet Tora treated Gaymal like a mix of mother and sister.
It was clear Tora would never forgive anyone who harmed Gaymal. From what Doyoung had seen, he certainly had the power to back that up.
"Is Mati upset? Here, take this to calm down."
Tora held out an unknown green vegetable to Gaymal, who shook his head.
"I hate this."
Tora grinned mischievously.
"I know. That’s why I’m giving it to you."
"Tora’s mean."
As Gaymal recoiled, Tora laughed heartily.
Despite having someone like this around, Doyoung couldn’t grasp the depth of loneliness and fear rooted in Gaymal’s bones.
Just then, Gaymal pointed at Doyoung.
"Give it to Doyoung."
Doyoung was appalled.
"Why give me something you hate?"
Nevertheless, he took the vegetable from Tora and ate it. After all, as long as there was no poison—or rather, since his robust stomach could digest even weak poisons—he wasn’t picky.
Tora nodded as if realizing something.
"Ah, so that’s why."
"Why what?"
Doyoung asked.
"The reason Mati fell for you, Major. You seem mean but are actually kind. You’ve quietly got that dangerous charm, Major."
"I’m starting to hate you."
Doyoung grimaced, but Tora beamed.
"Impossible. No one dislikes me."
Doyoung rolled his eyes. Strange as he was, he didn’t truly hate Tora. The guy was oddly hard to resent.
Gaymal chimed in.
"Yeah. Everyone likes Tora."
"I like Mati too."
The two smiled at each other. Doyoung’s head began to throb.
"Now we’re doing family love? Keep it moderate."
