* * *
Today was unlucky. A4 paper got jammed in the copier, and it happened right at quitting time. Surim looked enviously at Lee Myeongho leaving work, then started fixing the copier again.
After struggling and groaning for a while, Surim restored the copier to its original state, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and turned around.
‘It’s Song Hanyeong.’
Song Hanyeong, who hadn’t left work yet, was sitting at his desk lost in thought. No wonder he didn’t come over to talk even though quitting time had passed—it seemed he was so absorbed in his worries that he didn’t even realize it was time to leave.
Surim stealthily approached Song Hanyeong.
“Manager-nim, aren’t you leaving work?”
“Ah, Surim-ssi.”
Song Hanyeong raised his head from looking at a black paper with fold marks. There was nothing written on the top of the black paper except a full moon drawn on it.
“Do you have some kind of worry?”
“…Does it show?”
“Yes, it’s totally obvious.”
Song Hanyeong smiled faintly and nodded.
“I was invited to a banquet, but I don’t want to go.”
“A banquet?”
“It’s an event where my kin gather.”
Surim’s eyes sparkled with interest. Since Song Hanyeong never talked about those people first, he wanted to listen when he had the chance. Surim pulled over a chair and sat down.
“Are you curious?”
“Yes, extremely. What do you do at the banquet?”
“Have conversations, drink blood, and have sex.”
“…What? Th-that’s a lie.”
“Yes, it’s a lie.”
It was a tone where you could tell immediately that saying it was a lie was itself a lie. Surim glared and picked up the black paper on the desk. Another phrase was written on the back.
[Partner Required]
It was understandable to bring a partner to the banquet and drink blood. But to have sex there too? That meant doing it where people could see.
Shocked by the promiscuous culture for only a moment, a thought crossed his mind. Song Hanyeong was invited to such a banquet and would go? Then that meant he would ‘feed’ there. Song Hanyeong said he could only drink the blood of vegetarians, but since it was a banquet, couldn’t they have prepared vegetarians there?
“Is it a banquet you don’t have to go to?”
“No. I have to go.”
Heat rose to his head at the thought of Song Hanyeong biting someone else and touching someone else’s body. Surim said impulsively.
“Th-then I want to go too.”
“Jin Surim-ssi is going?”
“If you’re going to feed there anyway, you need me. Right?”
“Do you understand what you’re saying right now?”
Deeply sunken eyes sharply stared at Surim. Surim swallowed his dry saliva from tension and clenched his fists tightly.
“I understand.”
“No, Jin Surim-ssi doesn’t understand.”
Song Hanyeong chuckled mockingly and grabbed Surim’s neck. Surim’s slender neck was completely trapped in Song Hanyeong’s large hand. His neck wasn’t being choked, but something threatening could be felt.
“Jin Surim-ssi participating in the banquet as my partner means you have to wear a necklace here that marks you as mine.”
“A necklace…?”
“That’s right. Do you still want to go?”
It wasn’t simply asking about whether to wear a necklace or not. It was about what treatment a human who has to wear a necklace with the owner’s name written on it receives in there.
“What’s so wrong with wearing a necklace? I’ll wear it.”
“Right now you’re being so reckless…”
“As long as no one else drinks my blood, I’m fine.”
“…Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously.”
Song Hanyeong, who had been staring intently at Surim for a moment, took out a small box from the drawer. When he opened the box, a thin necklace with a red gem pendant came out.
“Stay still.”
Song Hanyeong got up from his seat and put the necklace on Surim’s neck. A cool sensation wrapped around his neck. He felt strange. This proves he’s Song Hanyeong’s possession?
Surim, who had been awkwardly touching the necklace chain, asked.
“But what do we do there? You’re not going to feed on me where everyone can see, right?”
“You’re asking that now?”
“I trust Manager-nim…”
“Well. I’m not that trustworthy of a person.”
He wasn’t really planning to eat in front of people, was he? Anxious, Surim grabbed Song Hanyeong’s arm and clung to him.
“Feed when no one’s around. You can drink a lot. Okay?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“Ah, Manager-nim-.”
* * *
The place called the tea room came out after driving for quite a while to the suburbs. Since we were going up the mountain, I thought we might have taken the wrong road, but a large hanok with a long wall appeared halfway up the mountain.
It was exactly like a well-made large cafe. However, it was quieter and had a more serene atmosphere, and the difference was that large people in black suits were guarding the entrance.
The guards, who only let the car ahead pass after showing the invitation through the window and having some conversation, opened the way just by seeing Song Hanyeong’s face when he appeared. Seeing that scene, Surim thought Song Hanyeong might be quite a famous person in that world.
After parking the car, Song Hanyeong turned to Surim.
“There are two rules to follow. First, don’t separate from me. Second, don’t carelessly accept and eat what others offer. Understand?”
“Yes. But why about food?”
“Because there are things mixed in that would be troublesome if Surim-ssi ate them.”
“Troublesome things?”
Song Hanyeong reached out his hand to Surim, who was lightly brushing it off, wondering if meat was mixed in. The hand that passed by his neck dug between his shirt collar and rubbed the flesh inside.
“Hik…”
“For instance, things like aphrodisiacs.”
Surim, his face turning red, nodded frantically. Only then did Song Hanyeong withdraw his hand and get out of the car. Though pouting his lips in dissatisfaction, Surim obediently followed him and stood beside him.
“But you said this necklace is a mark that I’m yours. Then do I have to act like a slave?”
“…That’s not necessary.”
Surim grinned widely at Song Hanyeong, who had a dumbfounded expression. Playing around made him feel less tense.
“It’s a place with many promiscuous bastards. I’ll be there continuously, but if by chance you’re alone and someone approaches, show them the necklace.”
“Yes, Master!”
“……”
Surim, who answered confidently, only realized his mistake after meeting Song Hanyeong’s eyes filled with disbelief.
“No, Mana, Manager-nim!”
“…Be careful not to lose the necklace.”
“I understand…”
Song Hanyeong only got out of the car after giving thorough instructions. Surim, who got out of the car following him, was surprised by the strong scent of pine needles and looked around. One pine tree was planted by each wall, and the branches were thick as if they had been grown for quite a long time.
A beautiful hanok building stood in the middle of a wide lawn. It was a building that seemed to have been newly made by remodeling an old hanok, but somehow it felt overwhelming.
“Surim-ssi.”
“Yes.”
Surim, who had been blankly observing the scenery, ran to Song Hanyeong’s voice. Then Song Hanyeong embraced his shoulder. It looked almost like he was held in his arms.
“Are you uncomfortable?”
“N-no. It’s not uncomfortable but…”
Surim’s cheeks were turning bright red. Song Hanyeong led him into the building.
As soon as they entered the lobby, a thunderous silence descended. Few people stared blatantly, but everyone was conscious of their presence. Song Hanyeong must have known that, but he didn’t care and walked inside.
With each step taken from the lobby to the inside, the surroundings became surprisingly darker. There were sounds of ice melting and shaking in glasses, carbonation popping, something being picked up with a fork, and mixed in between were sounds of wet membranes touching.
Surim walked looking only ahead, tensely on edge.
Only after sitting on the sofa seat located in the deepest part did the tension leave his stiff waist. Surim leaned back deeply into the sofa and looked around.
“Wow…”
The sofa was arranged in a circle to block outside views to some extent, but even so, if you wanted to see, you could see plenty. And already people could be seen clinging closely here and there. There were people sitting on laps, or sitting facing each other on thighs kissing.
Where his gaze unconsciously turned at the sound of clinking glasses was a person he’d seen a lot on TV. He sat with his legs crossed in glamorous attire, pouring alcohol until it overflowed in the glass and laughing loudly. The woman across from him raised the corner of her mouth and admired him.
Surim, who had been watching that scene in a daze, quickly turned his gaze away when he made eye contact with the woman.
In the dim lighting and unidentified smoke, people laughed, chatted, and drank alcohol. And though not clearly visible, there must be those drinking blood inside here too. Being in this unfamiliar scene, Surim somehow felt like shrinking. It felt like he had come to a place he shouldn’t have.
‘I guess I shouldn’t have said I’d come.’
Surim regretted it belatedly. He had insisted on going because his head got hot at the story of Song Hanyeong participating in the banquet with someone, but now that he came, the stimulation was too strong.
He’d never even been to a club in college…!
“Shh. It’s okay.”
While he couldn’t gather his wits with his eyes spinning, Song Hanyeong ordered a drink for him. It was peach iced tea.
Surim glared at Song Hanyeong in disbelief, then pulled over the whiskey placed in front of him.
“I know how to drink too.”
“It would be troublesome if you got drunk in a place like this.”
Song Hanyeong switched the positions of the whiskey and iced tea again. Surim was dissatisfied but thought what he said was right, so he decided to just obediently drink the iced tea.
