[Tomorrow X Together Yeonjun/ Yeonjun Soobin] Red Nest

[Yeonsup] Red Comrade, Episode 4

The moment Younjun's cool breath drew close enough to brush his lips, Soobin closed his eyes and turned his head away fiercely.

Even if he was nothing more than a failure of the Hunter family, he didn't want to become the predator's gentle toy and be utterly broken.

He could feel the tension gather in Younjun's jawline.

For a moment, a languid flash of anger seemed to pass through Younjun's eyes, then the grip around his wrist slowly loosened.

"...You should know when to stop if you're going to keep pushing back and still be cute."

Younjun gave a snort of laughter and stood up from his seat.

As if nothing had happened, he lightly licked the red trace from his fingertip, then returned with a composed expression.

Soobin hurriedly pulled up his loosened shirt collar and caught his breath.

Then it happened.

Boom—!

The entire mansion shook violently, and a heavy tremor rang out.

The crystal ornaments on the chandelier hanging from the ceiling rattled sharply as they swayed madly, and from beyond the hall came bizarre screams and the sound of something breaking.

"Wh-what...!"

Soobin cried out in alarm and got up from the bed.

Younjun's brow furrowed at once.

Gone was the languid, unhurried attitude he had shown toward Soobin the night before; a cold, chilling aura befitting the ruler of the night poured from his whole body.

Crash!

From the wall outside the door and down the hallway, two low-level vampires with red eyes were blasted out as it crumbled apart.

Their necks were already bent in strange directions.

"We're being invaded, Lord Younjun!"

The mansion's butler shouted from the hallway, drenched in blood.

"It's the rebel faction from Sector 3! Once rumors spread that Lord Younjun had brought a human Hunter into the mansion, they claimed he'd broken the rules, led a bunch of low-levels here, smashed through the barrier, and forced their way in!"

Soobin's heart sank.

The fact that his very existence had shattered the balance of this mansion and become an excuse for the intrusion made the tip of his fingers turn cold.

"How dare they go on a rampage in my mansion."

Younjun murmured in a low voice. The overwhelming mana in his tone seemed to freeze the air in the room. Without hesitation, Younjun moved to step out into the hallway, then suddenly turned his head and looked at Soobin, trembling beside the bed.

"Stay here. I'll lock the door again..."

"Aaaagh!"

Before Younjun could even finish speaking, three low-level vampires with grotesque forms and blood-red saliva dribbling from their mouths rushed into the room over the broken wall.

Their fangs reeked of unrefined blood, and their gazes instantly locked onto Soobin, the only human in the room.

"A human... A human tainted with the scent of pure-blooded blood...!"

With a grotesque howl, one of the low-level vampires lunged fiercely at Soobin.

"Soobin!"

Younjun's eyes flashed crimson in an instant.

Moving so fast he left no afterimage behind, Younjun blocked Soobin's front and broke the low-level vampire's neck on the spot.Crunch—With that sound, the monster turned to ash and scattered into the air.

But the remaining two vampires simultaneously lunged at Younjun's left and right sides.

No matter how pure-blooded he was at the top of the hierarchy, the distance was too close to protect Soobin standing behind him and fight without any weapon.

One of the sharp claws sliced deeply across Younjun's shoulder.

Slash!

Younjun's dark navy robe tore as dark red blood burst out.

"Younjun!"

Soobin shouted before he realized it.

Vampires were humanity's enemy. If Younjun died, he could be freed from captivity and escape. But the fact that Younjun had been wounded while shielding him shook Soobin's mind hard.

I have to run. No, but...!

Though his body had been cast away by the family as a disgrace, hunter's blood still flowed in Soobin's veins.

Soobin's gaze fell on the decorative silver candlestick lying on the floor.

Even if his body was dull and his reflexes were sluggish, the basic training of a hunter had been carved into his bones.

Soobin shook off his hesitation and grabbed the heavy silver candlestick. Then he thrust it with all his strength toward the heart of the last low-level vampire charging into Younjun's blind spot.

Thud—!

With a scream as vampire flesh touched silver and burned away, it turned to smoke.

Soobin's hand trembled, but he did not let go of his grip on the candlestick.

After Younjun easily finished off the remaining one, he slowly turned around.

Soobin stood there gasping, clutching the silver candlestick.

The eyes of the boy once called a failure of the Hunter family shone sharper than ever.

Even though he was short of breath and shaking with fear, Soobin had protected Younjun's back.

Younjun, still bleeding from the shoulder, stared at Soobin as if spellbound and let out a low laugh.

"...Ha."

In the room thick with the stench of blood and ash, Younjun approached Soobin while clutching his shoulder wound.

Then he gently wrapped around the candlestick Soobin was holding, and rested his own forehead against Soobin's.

"You really are... always surprising me, Choi Soobin."

Younjun's bloodied red eyes now flickered not with a predator's desire, but with an unfathomable, strange sense of connection.