Chapter 5
After calling Zeth to his mansion, Noir handed him a cheque and told him to give it to Stella's family so they could renovate their old restaurant.
Zeth chuckled and looked at Noir with a teasing smile.
Noir glared at him.
"What are you looking at?"
"I just don't recognize you anymore," Zeth said, still smiling. "I'm proud of you. You've really changed." He patted Noir's back and walked out of the mansion, laughing to himself.
Noir watched him leave, confused and annoyed.
"What is he talking about…?"
That Night
When midnight approached, Noir climbed the stairs to the terrace and stood under the moonlight. As the clock struck twelve, his body shifted into his werewolf form.
Noir could only transform at exactly midnight—never during sunlight. Because of that, he could not work or appear outside during late hours. This limitation had been placed on him long ago, during a time when he had been overwhelmed by life and wanted to escape everything.
The clan stopped him, furious and disappointed, and imposed this curse: he would only transform in darkness, never again in the light.
It had been years, yet the curse still weighed heavily on him.
He growled at the sky, frustrated.
Why couldn't they have just made me human? Why leave me trapped like this…?
A flood of memories washed over him. He remembered his first punishment—walking on stinging stones with bare feet for a hundred years—after falling in love with a human despite being forbidden to. And finally, his last punishment: transforming only at midnight.
Standing beneath the moon, Noir released a long, lonely howl.
The mansion behind him was silent and dark. Even birds avoided the area. People in town whispered rumors, calling it the house of a beast. No one dared enter, and many were curious about what he was hiding.
But Noir hid nothing. He simply feared being seen in his monstrous form and chose a life of isolation.
The Next Morning
The sunrise arrived, and Noir returned to his human appearance. He immediately closed the curtains to shut out the bright light. His mansion remained dim and quiet.
In the bathroom, he studied his reflection. His long, wild hair had grown overnight again. With a sigh, he trimmed and styled it. It grew endlessly, no matter what he did.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Noir wasn't expecting visitors. Probably Zeth, he thought as he walked downstairs.
But as he reached the door, it swung open from the outside. Daylight hit his face, and he shielded himself with his hand.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to open—"
His words halted. His eyes froze.
Standing there was Stella.
"I'm Stella," she said politely. "You're Noir, right?"
"Yes," he replied, trying to regain composure. "What are you doing here?"
She searched inside her bag, pulled out the cheque, and placed it into his palm.
"Thank you, sir. I really appreciate this, but my family and I can handle things ourselves. Our restaurant isn't a charity project."
As she continued speaking, Noir cut in.
"Wait. Do you really think I care about that old restaurant? I was just doing you a favor."
She raised a brow. "Are you arguing with me? Listen, sir. I'm not trying to be rude. I'm just saying I can handle things on my own. I'll work hard and fix the restaurant myself. I appreciate the offer, but you don't have to be gentle with me."
"You're crazy," Noir muttered. "Do you know how much that cheque is worth? You could help your family—and build a mansion with that money."
Zeth suddenly appeared.
"It's fifty billion dollars," he said calmly as he gently placed the cheque back into Stella's hand. "Please take it."
She crumpled the paper and dropped it to the floor.
"Thank you for your generosity," she said firmly. "But I'll take my leave."
Zeth tried stopping her, but Noir raised a hand.
"Let her go."
He told Zeth to pick up the cheque and leave. Then he closed the door, darkness swallowing the room. His expression hardened with anger and irritation.
Later…
Stella returned home. Her grandmother was busy working in the restaurant, so she went straight to her small bedroom. She placed her bag on the bed, looked at a family photo, and gently picked it up.
"Mom… Dad… I miss you."
Tears slid down her cheeks and dropped onto the frame.
After a moment, she placed the photo in herwardrobe. As she opened it, she spotted the umbrella Noir had given her on the rainy day.
She smiled softly at the memory… but her smile faded as she remembered everything that had happened at Noir's mansion. His sharp words, his strange behavior—it all left her feeling unsettled.