DMWP V2C3 – Part 11

The meeting was set for early evening.

Considering the nature of the occasion, Heeseong put some effort into his appearance before heading out. Yoon Chi-young’s demeanor was somewhat more subdued than usual, but he still attentively took care of Heeseong since morning, holding his hand as they left the annex together.

The meeting place was located on the outskirts of the werewolf territory, a beautiful spot next to a pretty pond. Now that he had actually arrived, Heeseong felt nervous, but fortunately it started snowing. Wagging his tail, he walked along the pebbled path, finding some comfort in the snowfall, as he had always loved snow.

The beastmen gathered for this meeting were all formidable individuals.

Seated at the table were the Watcher, Heeseong, the Clan Leader, Yang Hye-chan, and Yoon Chi-young’s mother. The dining table was extremely large and packed with high-end Korean cuisine. However, even the sight of plump shrimp couldn’t stimulate Heeseong’s appetite due to the palpable tension in the air.

‘This feels more like a confrontation than a meeting.’

Heeseong glanced around surreptitiously. The Clan Leader and Watcher, seated across from each other, were exchanging icy glares, while Yang Hye-chan still couldn’t even meet Yoon Chi-young’s eyes and was just glowering at some spot on the table.

Then, with a nonchalant expression, Yoon Geon-young made a backhanded compliment.

“Seeing you like this, I can tell you suit being with a puppy quite well.”

“Same to you, sis. I didn’t realize you two had already exchanged engagement rings. Looks nice, since I played the role of go-between.”

Though their conversation seemed ordinary, their eyes told a different story. Yoon Geon-young’s gray eyes were consistently cold, and while Yoon Chi-young wore a smile, his gray eyes were frigid.

Thankfully, Yoon Chi-young’s mother, seated in the middle, took the lead in the meeting. Beautiful and benevolent, she treated Heeseong comfortably without prejudice despite him being of a different race.

“This is the first time a beastman of a different race has attended an occasion like this. Please eat comfortably.”

“Th-thank you.”

Heeseong replied with difficulty as he picked up his fork and knife. Unable to feign coyness or cuteness due to his personality, his expression was somewhat stiff, but the atmosphere wasn’t bad. Inwardly, Heeseong felt fortunate that he had learned basic table manners while working at the casino. Otherwise, with his tendency to let his thoughts show through his actions, he might have appeared awkward from the very act of eating.

Feeling slightly more at ease, Heeseong did his best to support Yoon Chi-young as he wished, showing that they were head over heels for each other.

“Have some meat.”

Heeseong cut the steak and placed it on Yoon Chi-young’s plate. His actions were quite awkward. Heeseong was used to being served, so offering food to Yoon Chi-young was a first. Moreover, Heeseong wasn’t good at such insincere acts of affection. Well aware of this, Yoon Chi-young, who had been seated the whole time, cracked a genuine smile for the first time.

Then, gazing at Heeseong with adoring eyes that could melt him, he shamelessly said,

“Feed me. Like you always do.”

‘…Fucking hell.’

Cursing inwardly, Heeseong glared at him with displeasure and shock in his eyes. He was asking if Yoon Chi-young was serious. However, Yoon Chi-young just stared at Heeseong brazenly as if asking what the problem was.

“…Here.”

In the end, Heeseong stabbed the meat with a fork, wanting to stab Yoon Chi-young instead, and fed him. The high-quality steak, overflowing with juices, entered Yoon Chi-young’s mouth. As he chewed, he gazed at Heeseong with affectionate eyes. If not for Heeseong averting his gaze with a dumbfounded and disgusted look, they would have seemed the epitome of a loving couple.

Deceived by the scene, Yoon Chi-young’s mother remarked with satisfaction,

“You two seem to have a good relationship.”

“Ah, that’s… yes.”

“The meeting date was set rather quickly, but do you have any other family to introduce to us?”

“……”

At the casual question, Heeseong’s black pupils froze. Family. For Heeseong, it was a word that made his heart feel like it would crumble just hearing it.

Fortunately, Yoon Chi-young answered for him. It was a brutal reply.

“You’ve probably already met them…”

This time, Yoon Chi-young’s gaze turned to Yang Hye-chan. The moment their gray eyes met, Yang Hye-chan’s face turned ashen as he lowered his gaze. The ends of his blond hair trembled pitifully. His previous arrogant attitude, to the point of being splashed with strawberry juice by Heeseong, was nowhere to be found.

Unconcerned, Yoon Chi-young continued,

“The person who raised our puppy for 5 years.”

“What are you talking about…?”

This time, Yang Hye-chan appeared to have steeled himself, retorting to Yoon Chi-young’s words. However, to Heeseong, he still couldn’t hide his fear of Yoon Chi-young. Perhaps his injury was also throbbing, as he clumsily dropped the chopsticks he had been holding in his right hand. In the end, the Clan Leader sitting next to him directly assisted with his meal.

Finding the scene quite amusing, Yoon Chi-young leaned back in his chair and asked,

“Does our young master enjoy gambling?”

Feeling it as contempt, Yang Hye-chan narrowed his eyes fiercely.

“I don’t enjoy such filthy games.”

This time, Yang Hye-chan didn’t tremble while looking at Yoon Chi-young. Considering the rumors of Yoon Chi-young’s fondness for gambling, it seemed he said it to disparage him.

However, as expected, Yoon Chi-young had a different intention.

“Then what pleasant conversation did you have with Park Geon-tae?”

“I didn’t have any conversation with him.”

“Ah…”

Before the answer could continue, Yoon Chi-young tightly grasped Heeseong’s hand under the table. His large hand was warm, but Yoon Chi-young was slyly smiling as he pressured Yang Hye-chan.

“How do you know the casino’s floor manager well enough to say you didn’t have any conversation first…?”

‘This guy’s personality, seriously…’

Listening to the conversation, Heeseong felt things had come to a head. He was surprised that Yoon Chi-young was pressuring Yang Hye-chan without any regard for the situation. Similarly, Yang Hye-chan’s eyes visibly trembled, showing his agitation.

Though surprised, Heeseong fiercely glared at Yang Hye-chan out of resentment.

As expected, Yang Hye-chan was connected to Park Geon-tae. Indeed. Their encounter with Yang Hye-chan and the casino’s dogs at the hospital that day was absolutely not a coincidence, and Park Geon-tae wouldn’t have missed the Clan Leader’s offer. Heeseong was sick and tired of their despicable games.

“Yoon Chi-young.”

At that moment, the Clan Leader intervened in the conversation. She was still looking at Yoon Chi-young with cold eyes. However, Yoon Chi-young simply gazed directly at his sister with a relaxed smile. A heavy tension hung between the siblings. Even their mother couldn’t figure out how to intervene and was fidgeting anxiously.

Belatedly, Yoon Geon-young spoke as usual,

“I didn’t expect you, who used to be absorbed in gambling, to bring a partner to an occasion like this.”

“Right. I didn’t know either.”

Yoon Chi-young elegantly sipped from his glass as he replied. Inwardly, Heeseong felt relieved that he seemed to consistently maintain the upper hand in the conversation. Feeling at ease, Heeseong was freely glaring at Yang Hye-chan as if on guard. He even had rough thoughts of directly retaliating against Yang Hye-chan once the meeting was over.

But then, Yoon Geon-young’s next words caused Yoon Chi-young to show agitation for the first time.

“Father would have been so happy to see you personally bring a puppy as your partner.”

“……”

In an instant, Yoon Chi-young’s face hardened.

It was a different expression from his usual smile fading. His lack of expression felt eerily unfamiliar, more spine-chilling than if he had openly expressed anger.

‘Why is he acting like this…?’

Heeseong examined under the table. Something was strange. Yoon Chi-young’s hand, holding Heeseong’s, was exerting excessive force. His eye shape, usually soft, was fiercely raised and glaring as if he would kill his opponent. However, to Heeseong, he looked so precarious, as if he might crumble at any moment.

Belatedly, Yoon Chi-young spoke while gazing at his sister,

“…Right. Father would have been thrilled.”

Yoon Chi-young spoke as if sighing, catching his rough breath. Holding a glass in the opposite hand, he laughed like a sigh after a long while. The remaining red wine in the glass was creating fine ripples.

“He’s the kind of person who would congratulate me for becoming a Watcher even if I engaged in cannibalism.”

‘What…?’

Heeseong’s eyes widened. Yoon Chi-young’s words didn’t make sense to him. A father who would congratulate him for becoming a Watcher even if he engaged in cannibalism. He couldn’t even fathom what kind of life Yoon Chi-young had lived.

However, he couldn’t dwell on such thoughts for long. Sensing a change, Heeseong urgently called out to him.

“Yoon Chi-young?”

Yoon Chi-young seemed to be losing control of his emotions and reverting to his half-beast state. His fangs clattered as they emerged, and the glint in his gray eyes was spine-chilling. With veins bulging in his neck, he growled with each breath, resembling a wild beast. Moreover, unable to control his strength, even the glass he was holding shattered.

Clang!

“Chi-young!”

“Hey, you…!”

His mother and Heeseong rose from their seats in surprise. However, seeing Yoon Chi-young in his half-beast state, his mother couldn’t thoughtlessly approach him. Only Heeseong hurriedly took the broken glass from his hand and examined the wound. Fortunately, the glass shards had only grazed the calluses on his palm, so it wasn’t bleeding heavily, but blood was seeping from various spots, looking dangerous.

“Is there a first-aid kit? Someone, hurry and…!”

Heeseong called out urgently and looked around. However, he couldn’t finish his words at the abnormal sight.

Including the staff, everyone had distanced themselves and was just fearfully looking at Yoon Chi-young. Only the Clan Leader remained seated, expressionlessly gazing at her brother, and Heeseong was the only one who stayed by his side.

“Come here, let’s go and get you treated.”

In the end, Heeseong forcibly took Yoon Chi-young and left the scene. The staff was too afraid to approach, so Heeseong received the first-aid kit and treated him directly.

Even then, Yoon Chi-young was painfully exhaling rough breaths. Seeing that sight, Heeseong felt upset and heartbroken. Just like long ago when his mother cried because he was sick.

***

“If you’re angry, you should have thrown the glass instead. Why did you break it in your hand…?”

Heeseong spoke as if reproaching him. However, despite his words, his face beneath his drooping ears was full of concern.

No one helped, so Heeseong was tending to Yoon Chi-young’s hand. Meanwhile, Yoon Chi-young had his nose buried in Heeseong’s shoulder, evening out his rough breaths. Perhaps because his pheromones hadn’t stabilized yet, his body couldn’t endure the severe emotional agitation. If he received any more shocks here, he might have even gone into pheromone shock.

However, Heeseong wasn’t afraid of him. He just felt sorry for Yoon Chi-young, who was desperately leaning on him. Seeing how his family treated Yoon Chi-young, Heeseong thought he understood why Yoon Chi-young had given his whole heart and relied on him, a mere one-day puppy.

Then, rubbing his heated forehead against Heeseong’s shoulder, Yoon Chi-young spoke,

“Puppy… Are you worried about me?”

“Of course I’d be worried, wouldn’t I?”

Heeseong retorted. However, Yoon Chi-young laughed faintly as if he liked it. Beads of cold sweat glistened on his forehead, but fortunately, he seemed to have calmed down a bit now that he was alone with Heeseong.

Still, worried about him, Heeseong carefully suggested,

“Do you want to just go back to your original form…? Will you be able to return to your right mind?”

“I could probably do that… But why go back?”

Yoon Chi-young took off the coat he was wearing, as if his body was hot, and draped it over Heeseong. His breath, rough from the rising fever, and his reddened lips looked particularly seductive. Though he must have been struggling, he spoke in a flattering tone, caressing Heeseong’s waist,

“You can calm me down with your body.”

“…You’re injured, and that’s what you’re saying now?”

Heeseong scolded him and finished applying medicine to his hand. Fortunately, the wound wasn’t deep, but Yoon Chi-young’s consistent cuteness when he was like this was resentful. If he was in pain, Heeseong wished he would honestly say so, rather than trying to lighten the mood. It made him feel even more sorry for Yoon Chi-young.

For now, Heeseong stood up to stabilize him. He had to find a place where Yoon Chi-young would feel even a bit more comfortable.

“…Let’s go back to the annex for now. Come here.”

Fortunately, Yoon Chi-young obediently followed Heeseong. It was early evening, and the sun was still setting, so it was a bit bright outside. Feeling relieved, Heeseong walked along the snowy path with Yoon Chi-young.

Behind them, Yoon Chi-young looked back, his eyes glinting coldly. At the end of his gaze was precisely the main building where the Clan Leader resided.

Yoon Chi-young stared at the window with the light on for a long time, and when Heeseong spoke to him, he acted as he usually did. He didn’t want to show aggression in front of his puppy.

***