Irin’s fingers rested on the door handle.
She was about to open it when a familiar voice came from behind her.
"Hello! Aunt Mei."
Irin stopped.
A second later, she heard Yemir approaching.
He had returned without making much noise.
"Aunt?" a woman outside repeated with amusement.
Irin slowly lowered her hand.
Yemir reached the entrance and looked toward the woman standing outside.
The woman gave him a long look.
"Yemir, don’t call me Aunt."
Yemir blinked.
"Why?"
"Because I’m not that old."
She stepped closer and leaned toward his ear.
"I got married when I was only nineteen."
Yemir stared at her.
She straightened and placed one hand on her waist.
"I’m thirty-two now."
Then she lifted her chin proudly.
"Look at me. Do I look old?"
Yemir coughed into his fist.
"I... wasn’t saying anything."
Aunt Mei laughed.
"Good."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small invitation card.
"I came because my younger sister is getting married. You have to come."
She handed the card to him.
"And don’t forget to bring Irin too."
Yemir accepted it.
"Sure."
Aunt Mei adjusted her hair and turned away.
"See you later."
She took a few steps before turning back.
"And stop calling me Aunt."
Yemir gave an awkward smile.
"I’ll try."
She walked away, still fixing her hair.
Yemir closed the door and turned around.
Irin was standing just behind him.
She took a small step forward.
Her foot suddenly landed on the room spray that had fallen near the entrance.
"Ah..."
Her balance slipped.
Irin instinctively reached forward.
"Irin!"
Yemir caught her before she could fall.
One arm steadied her around the waist while his other hand caught her arm.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Irin’s face was only inches away from his.
Her veil had slipped slightly, leaving her eyes uncovered.
Yemir froze.
He had seen Irin many times before, but never like this.
Her eyes were open.
He stared for a second longer than he meant to.
Irin noticed his silence.
"Y-Yemir...?"
He quickly looked away.
"Are you okay?"
Irin nodded slowly.
"Y-Yes."
Neither of them moved immediately.
Then Irin quietly said,
"Y-You can let go now."
Yemir realized he was still holding her.
He immediately released her and stepped back.
"Sorry."
Irin lowered her head slightly. Her face grew warm, and her breathing quickened slightly.
"It’s okay."
After a brief silence, Irin smiled awkwardly.
"S-She sounds energetic."
"She is."
Irin lowered her head slightly.
Then her fingers tightened around the handle of her cane.
"Yemir."
"Hmm?"
"I think I shouldn’t stay here like this."
Yemir’s expression changed.
"What do you mean?"
"I’ve already stayed here for several days. You have your own life. Your college, your friends..."
She paused.
"And I’m taking up space in your home."
Yemir leaned against the wall.
"You can leave whenever you want."
Irin turned toward him.
"But..."
"Find a place first."
She didn’t answer.
Yemir continued, "Once you find a room you can afford, you can move there. Until then, stay here."
Irin lowered her face.
"I don’t want to trouble you."
"You aren’t."
"How can you say that so easily?"
"Because if you were troubling me, I’d tell you."
Irin was silent.
The apartment was quiet for a few seconds.
Then she nodded.
"You’re right."
Yemir smiled.
"Good. Then stop worrying about it."
Irin gave a small smile.
Maybe he’s right.
She had spent so much time worrying about becoming a burden that she had forgotten something simple.
Someone had offered her a place to stay.
And for once, she didn’t have to fight for every small thing alone.
Yemir went into the kitchen.
Irin heard the sound of utensils moving.
"What are you doing?"
"Cooking."
"Cooking?"
"Yes."
Irin followed the sound.
Yemir had already placed a pan on the stove.
There were eggs, lentils, potatoes and a few vegetables on the counter.
"I’ll make eggs, dal, fried potatoes and some mashed vegetables."
Irin smiled.
"You can cook all that?"
Yemir looked at her.
"I only know simple cooking."
"That’s what I was wondering."
"What?"
"What were you doing in here all this time?"
Yemir laughed.
"I was preparing food."
Irin touched the edge of the table.
"You could have told me. I could have helped."
Yemir looked at her.
"Helped?"
"Yes."
"You think I don’t consider you capable?"
Irin paused.
"No. That’s not what I meant."
Yemir shook his head.
"Don’t say that."
He returned to the stove.
"I know you can help. I just wanted to make something for you."
Irin stood quietly.
The smell of fried potatoes slowly filled the kitchen.
Yemir placed the eggs on a plate, served the dal and added the mashed vegetables.
He carried everything to the table.
"Sit."
Irin found the chair with her cane and sat down.
Yemir sat opposite her.
"Let’s eat."
Irin picked up a little rice and mixed it with dal.
She tasted it.
Her expression changed.
"How is it?"
"It’s good."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Yemir smiled.
"Then eat."
They continued.
Irin tried the fried potatoes.
"These are good too."
Yemir looked pleased.
"I told you."
Irin smiled.
After a few more bites, she lowered her voice.
"Yemir."
"Hmm?"
"I owe you an apology."
He looked at her.
"For what?"
"The bread."
Yemir immediately knew what she meant.
"The salt?"
Irin nodded.
"I thought you did it intentionally."
Yemir laughed.
"I didn’t."
"I know that now."
She lowered her head.
"I’m sorry."
"It’s fine."
"I should have asked you before assuming."
Yemir picked up another piece of potato.
"Forget it."
Irin smiled.
"Okay."
For a while, neither of them said much.
The food was simple.
The apartment was small.
But the table felt different from before.
Two plates.
Two people.
A normal meal.
After finishing, they cleaned the dishes and went to their separate rooms.
Yemir closed his bedroom door.
He changed clothes and lay down.
The Dracula comic he had been reading earlier rested beside his pillow.
He picked it up.
Then his eyes became heavy.
The comic slipped from his hand.
Yemir fell asleep.
He was standing somewhere he didn’t recognize.
Everything around him was blurred.
He couldn’t see the woman’s face.
Only her outline.
She was holding him close.
Protecting him from something behind them.
A man stood several steps away.
His face was hidden.
He held out a piece of paper.
"Take it."
Yemir looked at the paper.
"What is this?"
"Put your fingerprint here."
The woman beside him remained silent.
Yemir looked at her.
"Who are you?"
She didn’t answer.
The man pushed the paper closer.
"Just sign it."
Yemir’s hand moved toward the page.
The woman took his finger.
Something sharp touched his fingertip.
A small sting.
A single drop marked the paper.
The moment his fingerprint touched it, a strange pressure disappeared from his chest.
Yemir looked down.
A metal rod that had been pressing against his chest was suddenly gone.
He looked at the man.
The man’s face remained unclear.
Then came a strange smile.
A ridiculous smile.
Yemir stepped backward.
"Who are you?"
The woman suddenly moved in front of him.
A sharp object struck her.
She staggered.
"NO!"
Yemir screamed.
He woke up.
His body jerked upright.
His room was dark.
He looked around wildly.
The ceiling.
The walls.
His bed.
Everything was back to normal.
Yemir touched his chest.
Nothing.
His breathing was uneven.
"What was that ...?"
He looked down.
His Dracula comic lay open on his chest.
He picked it up slowly.
The page showed Dracula staring into the darkness.
Yemir stared at the drawing.
That strange smile from the dream remained in his mind.
Who was that woman ?
He closed the comic.
He couldn’t sleep anymore.
The next morning, Officer Nelson sat across from several men connected to the Hevix operation.
They were being questioned one by one.
Inspector Goffy stood beside Nelson.
His large stomach moved as he walked toward the table.
"Sir..."
Nelson looked at him.
"What?"
"Should I give them an electric shock?"
Nelson slowly turned his head.
Goffy immediately coughed.
"Actually..."
He adjusted his uniform.
"I think I’ll make you some coffee instead."
Nelson stared at him.
Goffy smiled awkwardly.
"Coffee is better."
Nelson ignored him.
He turned toward the suspects.
One of them kept his head lowered.
Nelson walked over.
"Look at me."
The man didn’t respond.
Nelson grabbed his hair and lifted his face.
"You were there that night."
The man swallowed.
"I don’t know anything."
Nelson pulled a chair closer and sat down.
"You were connected to Hevix."
"I wasn’t involved."
"You were."
Nelson placed a photograph on the table.
The ruins of the Hevix Vortex.
Then another.
The damaged facility.
Then another.
A symbol.
Z.
The man’s expression changed.
Nelson saw it.
"You know that symbol."
The man looked away.
"Tell me what happened."
"I don’t know."
Nelson leaned closer.
"Who was there that night?"
The man stayed quiet.
Nelson waited.
Then he asked the question that had been sitting in the case file since the beginning.
"Did you see Unknown Z?"
The man’s fingers trembled.
Goffy noticed.
Nelson noticed too.
"Describe him."
The man swallowed.
"He..."
"Take your time."
"He had red eyes."
Goffy looked at Nelson.
Nelson remained focused on the suspect.
"What else?"
The man closed his eyes.
"I heard something before I saw him."
"What?"
"Bats."
Nelson’s expression changed slightly.
"Bats?"
"Yes."
The man’s voice became quieter.
"Then he appeared."
"Where?"
"Above us."
"On the roof?"
"I don’t know."
The man shook his head.
"It happened too fast."
Nelson placed both hands on the table.
"Try again."
The man looked up.
"I saw his eyes first."
"Red?"
"Yes."
"Anything else?"
The suspect hesitated.
"His teeth..."
Goffy stepped closer.
"What about them?"
The man looked terrified.
"They weren’t normal."
Nelson stared at him.
"What did he do?"
The man swallowed.
"He came after us."
"How?"
"I don’t know."
"Think."
The man looked toward the floor.
"He moved..."
He struggled to explain.
"Like he was already there."
Nelson exchanged a glance with Goffy.
Then he turned back.
"Did he say anything?"
The man nodded.
"Yes."
"What?"
The suspect looked at Nelson.
"He said..."
His voice shook.
"’Your sins have been judged.’"
Nelson leaned back.
Goffy scratched his chin.
"Sir..."
Nelson raised one hand.
"Let him continue."
The suspect looked down.
"Then everything went dark."
Nelson’s eyes remained fixed on him.
"One more question."
The man looked up.
"Did Unknown Z kill anyone?"
The suspect hesitated.
"I don’t know."
Nelson frowned.
"You don’t know?"
"I only know that when I woke up..."
The man pointed toward his own hand.
"There was a Z."
Nelson looked at the photograph on the table.
The same letter appeared in several old reports.
One symbol.
One pattern.
One unknown man.
Nelson slowly gathered the papers.
"Take him back."
Goffy stepped forward.
"Yes, sir."
The suspect was taken away.
Nelson remained seated.
He looked at the photographs again.
Unknown Z.
The Hevix Vortex.
The strange blood traces.
And now the red eyes.
Something connected them .
He just didn’t know what .
Goffy returned with a cup of coffee.
"Sir."
Nelson took it.
"Thanks."
Goffy smiled.
"See? No electric shock needed."
Nelson gave him a tired look.
Goffy immediately stopped smiling.
Nelson turned back toward the case file.
The investigation had only begun.