After some time, the quartet, whose gazes had met Seonyeong's and whose memories were now restored, stared blankly into space. As months of memories, held back by a dam, surged forth in a raging torrent, chaos reigned in their minds for a moment.
Time passed, and Oh Laeya was the first to regain consciousness, whispering with a look of complete confusion:
— Unbelievable...
So Raon also absently stroked his chin. He looked at Seonyeong with a completely different gaze than before. In his eyes, there was awe before an unknown entity and something akin to reverence.
— First of all... I express my gratitude to you.
It was unclear whether he was thanking him for restoring their memory or for Seonyeong becoming their comrade again. Probably both.
After the memory restoration, So Raon seemed to feel the weight of Seonyeong's presence. Naturally, the others felt the same. Meanwhile, the difference is colossal between merely hearing from others that one's memories have been adjusted and experiencing it firsthand.
Yi Hun still maintained his silence but was stunned that he had previously felt ordinary human affection for Seonyeong. Oh Laeya was shocked that her arrogant mind had failed to detect the trick all this time. And Lo Dan, catching Jihwan's eye, desperately tried to declare something like: "I don't like Yi Hun!"
Seonyeong asked them:
— How are you? Is everything okay?
The tense So Raon answered first:
— At first, it feels like watching a newsreel, but with time, the realization that these were your own experiences sets in. Still, there is a certain dissonance. It's like meeting your alter ego...
— Oh, really? Honestly, for me too, this is the first time dealing with the restoration of erased memories.
In response to Seonyeong's words, everyone looked at him in surprise. He shrugged and added:
— In my life, there hasn't been a need to restore anyone's memory.
— ...
— Anyway, since I've decided to join forces with you, I want there to be no misunderstandings between us.
— ...Thank you.
Kang Jihwan replied on behalf of everyone. He slightly bowed his head, his face bearing the expression of a man admitting his fault.
A moment later, So Raon asked seriously:
— ...Do you think Im Jintae's abilities are similar to yours? Even though he is an artificial vampire.
— Hmm, it seems you haven't encountered him personally.
— That's right.
Seonyeong, recalling Matteo, replied:
— ...I can't say. It doesn't affect me, so I'm not sure. But Matteo seems to have already finished brainwashing all his subordinates even without hypnosis. Does he resemble a cult leader more than a corporate executive? In such a situation, even a minor power is enough for effective mind manipulation.
Seonyeong unhesitatingly recalled the woman who cut herself with a knife. The atmosphere became even heavier.
Seonyeong glanced at them, then pulled a weighty object from the secret pocket of his jacket and placed it on the surface of the table.
— In any case, this is why I mistook Matteo for Im Jintae.
— ...!
It was the diamond-inlaid flip phone familiar to everyone present.
— This?
— I received this thing personally from Matteo on the second day in Mariah. Now that you all remember that I was at that Mariah casino, do you understand what I'm talking about?
The people slowly nodded. In the heads of the four, scenes flashed like a series of frames: how they substituted Seonyeong's identity, how they drove him to Mariah and made him change clothes multiple times, how they attached hidden cameras to him.
Lo Dan, eyes gleaming, raised his hand.
— This device... may I examine it?
— Yes.
As soon as he got permission, Lo Dan grabbed the phone and began turning it over. With an unusually serious expression, he said:
— Externally, it looks absolutely identical. We need to charge it first and check if the same messages that we received are coming to this one.
Seonyeong nodded, as if saying, "Please, take care of this."
— Yes. Please compare. He claimed he called and texted me personally several times. Did you receive any like that?
Everyone's eyes widened in surprise. So Raon replied with an awkward expression:
— We received nothing at all...
Meanwhile, Yi Hun silently brought a charger. With a beeping sound, Seonyeong's phone began to charge. And then, one after another, persistent notifications rang out: "Ding-dong, ding-dong." Apparently, all the messages received over the past few months notified themselves at once.
The six rose from their seats, huddled together, and began reading the messages on the phone. Even for Seonyeong, this was the first time seeing messages from Matteo. "This is Matteo. Are you settling in well?" "You've probably noticed, but this is exactly the same pass as the one you received for first place. But it's a little special. Because you can stay in contact with me through it." "I am the brain of Neura Labs." "I want to meet you. Let's talk." "Others are not like us. I want to merge with you into a single whole."
— ...
Silence fell.
And then Yi Hun, who hadn't uttered a word until then, frowned and expressed the general mood:
— ...Psychopath.
There were other messages—disgusting texts hidden behind a mask of flirtation. At the numerous explicit advances, Oh Laeya involuntarily shuddered and whispered with disgust:
— Ugh...
Seonyeong himself looked at the still-sparkling old phone with an expression of profound loathing, then raised his head and addressed the five:
— This is what I got thanks to the trip to Mariah—a personal stalker.
— ...I apologize.
So Raon apologized with a grim look. Meanwhile, Jihwan looked as if he was ready to smash the device right there.
They checked the phone belonging to Jihwan's group again, but they only received dry, businesslike messages. Everything boiled down to them seeking a time and place for future negotiations.
Seonyeong, placing the two phones side by side, said:
— Could the vampire from Neura Labs, who handed me this phone worth hundreds of millions of won, calling it a "pass," and indiscriminately sent such messages... be anyone other than Im Jintae?
This time, the eyes of So Raon and the other four quickly darted back and forth. It seemed they wordlessly came to a certain consensus.
So Raon folded his hands for a moment, lowered his head, then looked at both Jihwan and Seonyeong and spoke with a serious face:
— I'll be frank. We assumed that the true Im Jintae was likely in a comatose state, and his name was appropriated by some successor. Although now we have learned for the first time that it is Matteo.
— Why did you come to that conclusion?
— ...We also infiltrated quite a few people into Neura Labs, and for some time, Im Jintae's behavior began to change suspiciously. There was still evidence within the company of rare meetings with Im Jintae, but about seven years ago, such talk completely ceased. And then, six years ago, rumors spread that Im Jintae had gained youth. But because his appearance had changed too much, some began to say that he had transmigrated into a different body.
— ...Is that even possible?
Seonyeong looked at him as if he had heard something incredible. Then So Raon answered with a grim face:
— We couldn't completely disregard this, as Im Jintae was indeed conducting physical enhancement experiments on Jihwan with exactly that goal.
Upon hearing the answer, Seonyeong immediately fell silent. Embarrassed, he stealthily looked away, but Kang Jihwan himself seemed to already know about it and didn't look surprised.
— ...So at first, we thought that this monstrous experiment might have been successful. They said that at the time, Im Jintae's epidermis was continuously shedding, and no matter how much blood he drank, his body wouldn't regenerate.
An expression of disgust appeared on Seonyeong's face.
— So... you want to say that Im Jintae transmigrated into Matteo's body? But how? Even for a ghoul, this is incredible. Or did they, what, exchange consciousness?
Seonyeong's expression looked like he was about to vomit. It seemed absurd to him, but as he said it, he felt an ominous premonition that Neura Labs, conducting inhuman experiments, was quite capable of such monstrous things.
A chill ran down his skin, but fortunately, So Raon shook his head.
— We were also very confused because of this, but in the end, we concluded that they are two different people.
Seonyeong asked with worry in his voice:
— Do you have any evidence to be sure? If Im Jintae seized Matteo's body, then no matter what DNA tests you do, they will show Matteo.
So Raon smiled and replied:
— Because their behavior is too different. Since the appearance of the young chairman Im Jintae six years ago, the most striking example of strange behavior was the sudden launch of gambling tournaments in Mariah. This was confirmed by Chairman Lee Kangeun.
— ...!
Now, recalling, Matteo had previously claimed to Seonyeong that he was the one who conceived the gambling scheme for Neura Labs. Oh Laeya continued the explanation:
— I heard from my father. Im Jintae wanted to appear like a philanthropist on the outside, so he conducted all his experiments in the deepest secrecy. In fact, this guy bought and sold children from orphanages for experiments, but at the same time, he made colossal donations outwardly. To make it harder for others to suspect him. He used vampire blood only in cosmetics and medicines, but never said anything related to himself.
Oh Laeya's gaze sharpened for a moment. — But when they held gambling events in Mariah under the company's name...
— Ah...
At that moment, Seonyeong understood what she meant. Luxurious advertising aimed at the wealthy, a large-scale event renting an entire casino, and diamond phones called "immortality," generously distributed from first to fifth place...
— That's the equivalent of publicly announcing the existence of vampires.
That's why Seonyeong originally thought Im Jintae was completely insane. Oh Laeya nodded.
— Exactly. But thanks to this, external forces naturally had loopholes to penetrate inside. It used to be very difficult to plant a spy. Such actions... are not like the calculating and cunning Im Jintae.
Listening to the explanation, Seonyeong's expression also became thoughtful.
— Exactly. Then why is Matteo acting so loudly?
This time, So Raon answered again:
— ...There must have been some event that forced him to act this way. Perhaps he had an urgent need for large funds. Maybe something happened inside the company that couldn't be handled by previous methods.
— Do you think it's Im Jintae's death?
— Perhaps. And the reason why the successor needs money... it's highly likely to be for Im Jintae's resurrection.
Here, Lo Dan intervened in the conversation:
— But, hyungnims (older brothers), as I said, I think it's something else. If he's been the ruler for six years already, would he want to bring back the previous king? You said this Matteo... resembles a cult leader.
Silence reigned for a moment. Seonyeong, who had been deep in thought, replied:
— If Matteo was... something like Im Jintae's son, then it's possible.
— Son? Do they look alike?
At this, Jihwan immediately answered:
— Not at all. This guy looks completely different from Im Jintae or his relatives we've seen in photos.
Seonyeong shook his head.
— No, not blood ties... I'm talking about the case where Im Jintae bit Matteo and turned him into a vampire. If one is reborn in this way, the one who performed the bite takes on the role of a parent. Since he gave birth to a new creature, an undeniable attachment and tenderness arise.
The expressions on the faces of the other four, including Jihwan, became strange. After all, this was practically the first time they were hearing about "real vampires" from a "real vampire." After a moment, breaking the silence, Lo Dan said:
— Oh... Then such a connection really could exist.
— But the fact that Im Jintae's skin was shedding means that he himself wasn't perfect... I wonder if he could have produced something like that? Ultimately, in the current situation, all our reasoning is just hypotheses.
Seonyeong sighed heavily. As the conversation went on, he felt more and more dejected. He muttered involuntarily:
— Maybe it would have been better to kill him then, even at the cost of excessive effort...
Here, So Raon weakly smiled and shook his head.
— No. You showed restraint. Even if you had killed him there, we would have simply become murderers, and we wouldn't have uncovered a single truly important truth. Our revenge is important... but ultimately, the main goal is to save people. That's what we all agree on.
Hearing this, Seonyeong involuntarily looked at Jihwan. He nodded in agreement.
— That's right. At first, I thought eliminating a single Im Jintae was enough... but I realized it's not that simple. To prevent people like me from appearing again, we need to uproot Neura Labs. And for that...
Jihwan's gaze darkened.
— We can't act like we did with Song Hyeonmin.
Song Hyeonmin was the orphanage director who sold Jihwan as a child. Seonyeong was suddenly filled with pity, and under the table, he firmly squeezed his hand. If it weren't for that guy, perhaps Kang Jihwan would have grown up a little happier and become a kind, outgoing person...
The others once again couldn't get used to the atmosphere surrounding the two and coughed unnecessarily, averting their gazes.
Then So Raon, with a somewhat determined expression, said to Seonyeong:
— Thank you for such significant support. We are greatly indebted.
— It's nothing. In the end, my grievance was with Kang Jihwan, and you just got dragged into it.
So Raon hesitated for a moment, then replied:
— It's late... How about you and Jihwan stay the night, and we discuss the remaining questions in the morning?
Looking at the clock, he saw it was already past five. The sun would soon rise. Seonyeong pondered for a moment, then nodded.
— Fine, agreed.
Hearing this, Jihwan's face noticeably brightened. He nodded energetically and said:
— Excellent idea.
Then he immediately firmly addressed the others:
— Did you hear that? Everyone out.
Due to such an abrupt change in behavior, as if flipping a switch, the other four looked utterly bewildered. But then Lo Dan raised his hand with a beaming face.
— Ah, can I talk a little more with the hyung-ghoul? I'm so curious about how exactly you erase and restore memories.
Jihwan stared at Lo Dan with a terrifying gaze. At once, the other three silently grabbed Lo Dan by the collar and dragged him away. The room instantly became quiet.
Seonyeong snorted and laughed.
— I like him like that. At first, it was irritating, but now, it seems almost funny.
Jihwan silently looked at Seonyeong, then suddenly hugged him tightly.
— Oh!
He was squeezed in an embrace, like in the vise of a huge beast. Seonyeong, trapped in the unmoving embrace, barely managed to wave one hand and slap Jihwan on the waist.
— I can't breathe!
But Jihwan only slightly loosened his grip, not letting go of Seonyeong. This sight was amusing, like he was throwing a childish tantrum. Was it because he called Lo Dan funny? Seonyeong chuckled and whispered in Jihwan's ear.
Instantly, Jihwan's body trembled, and Seonyeong, in a playful mood, deliberately whispered softly:
— ...Jealous.
And a few seconds later, Seonyeong was suddenly pulled off the chair.
— ...!?
Because Jihwan, wrapped around his waist, stood up with him. Seonyeong suddenly found himself in his firm embrace, looking up at Jihwan.
— What... what's going on?
Jihwan's face was slightly flushed. Beneath the expression of extreme embarrassment, his pupils were slightly wet. Furthermore, the lower part of his body, which was pressed against him...
— Ah.
Seonyeong was inwardly flustered. It was a half-joking provocation; he hadn't expected it to have such an effect.
Jihwan, also visibly embarrassed by the changes in his own body, stood stunned for a while, and then, trying to maintain his composure, said to Seonyeong:
— ...Thank you. You must have been shocked, suddenly meeting the others.
Due to the intense embarrassment, his voice cracked. Seonyeong almost snorted with laughter. But, strangely, Jihwan's embarrassed voice, trying to pretend nothing was happening, excited Seonyeong even more. Seonyeong involuntarily swallowed and replied:
— ...Of course I was shocked. I thought you were trying to forcibly reconcile me with your friends.
— Impossible.
And at that moment. Jihwan, sensing the conflict in Seonyeong's eyes, slowly lowered his hand and began stroking his lower back. His large, hot palm slipped under Seonyeong's T-shirt, traced his cool back, and his fingertips ran along his spine. A movement, as if asking for permission. Seonyeong instinctively flinched, and Jihwan pulled him even closer.
Even from this minor touch, Seonyeong's vision blurred. Jihwan pressed himself against him more boldly. Following Seonyeong's gaze, he turned his head and touched his lips to the tip of his nose. The atmosphere instantly transformed.
— Will you... come back tomorrow? It seems that guy will keep visiting 'Vermilion'.
The simplest question sounded languid.
— In any case, I was planning to... close the establishment.
Seonyeong's answer also slowed down. He was uncomfortable with the feeling that his joke had boomeranged, and he involuntarily turned his face away. He felt ashamed under Jihwan's persistent, pursuing gaze.
In the end, after a few seconds, Jihwan's lips successfully landed on Seonyeong's. Jihwan, like a cub, gently nibbled only on Seonyeong's lower lip. Each time, his hot breath seeped into Seonyeong's mouth.
— I know you can handle that guy alone, but couldn't you just stay here for my sake? I worry so much.
At some point, both of Jihwan's palms, which had been sliding up Seonyeong's back, crept up his ribs and settled on his bare chest. Because of this, the top of Seonyeong's shirt rode up to his neck. His flat chest was slightly painfully squeezed on both sides in Jihwan's palms. Jihwan, having licked Seonyeong's lips like candy, suddenly bent his knees and began running his tongue over the exposed pink nipples that appeared from under the clothing. Simultaneously, he fondled the other nipple, gently twisting it with his thumb and forefinger. Seonyeong writhed from the tickle.
— Hah...!
The moment the sharp sensations struck Seonyeong's brain, Jihwan naturally raised his hands and pulled the T-shirt up. The instant the clothes fell to the floor with a thud, Jihwan, who had been fiercely sucking one of Seonyeong's breasts, raised his head and devoured his mouth. It was a kiss as if he wanted to consume him.
A moment later, with a wet sound, their swollen lips parted. Seonyeong also slipped his hand under Jihwan's clothes. Now Seonyeong's eyes, fully aroused, glittered and burned.
— ...Let's see what you do.
The room filled with heavy, broken moans. On the short path to the bed, like a trail of Hansel and Gretel's breadcrumbs, Jihwan's and Seonyeong's garments lay scattered everywhere.
Seonyeong climbed onto Jihwan's body and moved his hips to his own pleasure. Leaning on Jihwan's broad chest, he repeatedly lowered himself onto his firmly erect shaft, tensing his leg muscles. With Seonyeong's every up-and-down movement, accompanied by wet squelching sounds, Jihwan's powerful rod penetrated deep, expanding him from within.
— Ah, a-ah!
From the continuous excessive stimulation, he couldn't close his lips, and saliva ran down the corners of his mouth. From below, hot hands grabbed his pelvis and, as if pushing a mortar's pestle, thrust his hips upward in rhythm with Seonyeong's movements.
Everything between his legs was wet and sticky, as if a flood had occurred. The result of using an entire jar of lubricant and opening a new one. When Seonyeong, who continued to move as if his hips would tear apart, suddenly convulsed inside, Jihwan groaned in a choked manner and wrinkled his forehead. Simultaneously, Seonyeong, reaching his peak, collapsed weakly forward. For the second time already. Then Jihwan hugged him tightly. Their bodies were slick with sweat. Seonyeong muttered:
— Your friends... are they aware that we do this?
— Do you have the presence of mind for jokes, Ryu Seonyeong?
Jihwan, still holding Seonyeong tightly, rolled halfway over, changing their positions. Then, pinning Seonyeong down, he mercilessly drove his shaft into his tight depths. From such suffocating, furious thrusts, Seonyeong began to moan again.
— Hm, a-ah!
Seonyeong's whole body was covered in marks. They were all traces of Jihwan's bites and strong hands.
— Do you want others to know? Does that turn you on?
Seonyeong, crushed between the mattress and Jihwan, couldn't move and could only spread his thighs as wide as Jihwan wished. His long legs, finding no support, helplessly dangled in the air.
— Slower... Ah!
The shaft, mercilessly entering the forbidden depths, caused a sensation as if his body were being pierced through. It was unclear what made him so aroused. But the more Jihwan got aroused, the more Seonyeong got turned on — there was nothing he could do about it. Instead of the ceiling, he saw Jihwan's face with a furrowed brow.
But then the member, which had been entering straight before, struck at an angle, as if hitting the inner wall of his abdomen.
— A-argh!
Instantly, Seonyeong screamed loudly. This sound burst out when Jihwan accidentally pressed on Seonyeong's stomach.
— Hm?
Jihwan pressed on the thin skin below the navel to check, and Seonyeong trembled again. His pupils rolled back slightly. Jihwan looked down at him, contemplating something. When Seonyeong recovered, he covered his lower abdomen and desperately shouted:
— Don't-don't push!
— Got it.
But immediately after, Jihwan gathered both of Seonyeong's wrists above his head and twisted him with one hand.
— Hey, wait... Hiiiik!
And then he began to move back and forth uncontrollably. Of course, with his other hand, he didn't forget to exert pressure on Seonyeong's abdominal area.
— Ah, a-ah! Hmm-m! Ah. Not... necessary!
Seonyeong bit his lip hard to avoid screaming too loudly. Jihwan silently watched this, and then brought his wrist to his mouth for him to bite. It was sudden.
— ...?!
Without giving Seonyeong time to be surprised, Jihwan began driving his member into him again.
— ...!
The straight and thick object hammered into Seonyeong's insides. Pleasure, being excessive, became violence. Since his hands, clamped above his head, couldn't move an inch, Seonyeong could only fully receive Jihwan's thrusts. "U-u-uh, hmm-m, m-m!" His legs, dangling in the air, found no support, and stars flashed before his eyes. The hard member, precisely hitting the most sensitive spots, drove Seonyeong insane.
— M-m-m-m!
It was inevitable that he would sink his teeth into Jihwan's hand. But in his excessive arousal, he subconsciously let out his fangs. Instantly, something tart and sweet spread in his mouth. He even caught the scent as he inhaled. Seonyeong's eyes widened in shock.
— Ah... no!
He hastily tried to tear Jihwan's hand away, which was covering his mouth. But his weak attempts to break free couldn't stop Jihwan, who was fiercely driving into him. Yet Jihwan seemed not at all bothered that Seonyeong was biting his hand. No, rather, he looked as if he himself desired it.
He looked down at Seonyeong with a gentle gaze, devoid of any hint of pain, and smiled.
— It's alright. Drink. I want you to drink.
Seonyeong's eyes, full of protest, widened. But there was no way to stop the blood flowing into his mouth. He wanted to say "don't," but every time he flinched, his throat, against his will, swallowed the liquid pooled in his mouth.
The fresh blood, pouring in amidst the excessive pleasure, was like a drug. Along with a powerful blow that struck his brain, Seonyeong's gaze blurred. At that very moment, Jihwan abruptly drove his body into him, and a waterfall of white stars scattered before Seonyeong's eyes.
— Hiiiik!?
— You were restraining yourself even though you wanted to drink that woman's blood. Mine probably tastes better. Drink.
— ...!
— Drink it for me. Huh? It's alright. I'm yours.
Jihwan, putting his hand into his mouth and whispering "I'm yours," seemed slightly insane. He even kneaded his own hand to make it easier for Seonyeong to drink the blood.
Jihwan's fragrant, fresh blood poured uncontrollably into Seonyeong. Now nothing bound his hands, but he couldn't move. In the end, when Seonyeong's mouth was filled with Jihwan's blood, his pupils completely lost focus. His expression was similar to what happens during the highest orgasm.
Soon, Seonyeong, half out of his mind, grabbed Jihwan's arm with both hands and began greedily clinging to it, like an infant drinking nectar. Sharp fangs bit deeper into Jihwan's arm. He laughed contentedly.
— Good boy.
Seonyeong's eyes flashed red. At this time, Jihwan forcefully tossed his hips up, and Seonyeong let out a blissful moan. Now Seonyeong simultaneously wanted to consume Jihwan, subdue him, and be subdued himself. These were exactly the same feelings Jihwan was experiencing. He muttered:
— I will give you even more pleasure. Only I can do this to you. Others cannot.
Jihwan looked at Seonyeong's body. The marks he left with bites and scratches would disappear soon anyway. After all, a vampire's regenerative ability is excellent. But what Seonyeong left on him was different. Jihwan quietly whispered:
— Leave such marks only on me.
He recalled Matteo, smirking smugly in "Vermilion." Although he had said the cool phrase to Seonyeong then: "The main thing is to save people," it was still unpleasant to the very end that he failed to eliminate that pale-faced bastard.
— ...So that no one else dares to even look in your direction.
It was a monstrous jealousy, demanding to desire only him. The predatory night dragged on.