Chapter 6. Lick It (2)

Translator: Lili

She then casually handed him some packaged food she’d brought in from outside.

“At least eat something first.”

“…”

Naturally cautious, Eunchan didn’t budge an inch. Nabi wasn’t surprised; it was common for her prey to freeze up like this. If he’d eagerly accepted the food, that would’ve startled her more.

Anyway, she wasn’t planning on killing him immediately. Today she’d just stopped by for greetings, and she now decided to leave, thinking it would be better for the man. For some reason, people trapped in this bunker seemed even more uneasy when Nabi stayed around.

“Well… I’ll see you again next time.”

Awkwardly bidding him farewell, Nabi shuffled backward and closed the door. Eunchan continued staring after her until she vanished from sight.

Shortly after, the old lamp began flickering weakly before abruptly extinguishing itself.

His terrible fear of the dark resurfaced.

When Nabi visited the basement bunker again about seven hours later, Eunchan was sobbing.

The concrete room, which had originally been messy, was now in utter chaos. The outdoor lamp lay broken and toppled on the ground for some reason, and the packaged food she’d left behind had been thrown and spilled everywhere. Eunchan had vomited as well. The man responsible for this disorder was curled into a corner, tears streaming silently down his face.

‘Why is he crying…?’

Nabi had witnessed such scenes many times before. Logically, she understood—but emotionally, empathy remained difficult. Nabi herself had never cried once in her life.

Nevertheless, she decided to comfort him first.

As her hand touched Eunchan’s shoulder in the darkness, he screamed in fright, jumping up instantly.

“Who’s there?”

His voice was cracked and raw, startling Nabi. She calmly explained herself.

“I came back.”

“…”

His eyes were sunken and hollow, obviously from intense crying. Clearly, he’d had a harrowing experience overnight. But even tear-streaked and exhausted, his handsome face held a strangely tragic and poetic beauty. Nabi felt somewhat dumbfounded at how attractive he still looked.

Briefly, Nabi contemplated killing him quickly while he still had plenty of meat on him, but reconsidered and instead extended another package of food she’d brought along.

“Eat something. Why didn’t you eat last time?”

“…Ah.”

“Huh?”

“I couldn’t see.”

‘Couldn’t see…?’

Nabi slowly understood what he meant.

“Oh… The lights went out.”

It was at this point Eunchan finally realized that this woman could see perfectly without any light whatsoever. For her, the presence or absence of light didn’t even seem relevant. It was beyond strange.

Nabi tapped on the lighting equipment again, and a dim glow flickered to life. Seeing this, Eunchan covered his face with his palms, breaking down into quiet tears again. Watching this perfectly handsome man sobbing like a child stirred in Nabi a strong sense of responsibility to comfort him.

Unfortunately, she’d never successfully comforted a crying person before. Deciding it would be best to leave again, she mumbled awkwardly, setting down the food.

“I’ll come back again next time.”

Eunchan urgently grabbed Nabi’s ankle.

“Hm?”

“Don’t go.”

Sweating profusely from anxiety, Eunchan desperately clung to Nabi’s ankle. If Nabi had been a normal human, his panicked grip would have surely fractured her ankle bone. But Eunchan, frantic, wasn’t even aware he was gripping her so strongly.

Thankfully, Nabi was Nabi—so she felt no pain. Curious, she tilted her head.

“Why?”

“P-please… don’t leave me here alone.”

“Do you want me to bring you a friend?”

‘A what…?’

Eunchan’s instincts were animal-like. When he’d first locked eyes with Nabi, he’d immediately tried to flee, though unsuccessfully. Now, he didn’t know exactly what Nabi meant by ‘friend,’ but his instincts screamed that whatever it was, it was absolutely terrifying. Frightened, he shook his head desperately.

“N-no, no, please don’t do that.”

“No, really. I have a few ready.”

“Please, don’t!”

Eunchan hugged Nabi’s leg tightly, clinging to her desperately. He had no idea what horrifying beings these ‘friends’ might be, especially since Nabi referred to them as ‘things’ rather than people. Desperately, with tears welling in his eyes, he looked up at her pleadingly.

“You stay here with me.”

Right now, Eunchan needed someone—anyone. Even though this woman was a serial killer, somehow, she didn’t seem too bad. At least, she didn’t seem intent on harming him immediately.

Nabi considered it for a moment, then sighed softly and crouched down next to him.

“All right. But I can’t stay with you all day.”

Treating Eunchan like a pet, Nabi reached out and gently ruffled his hair.