“I am not the least bit afraid of you, Kouya.”
A piece of me was relieved to hear her say that. I should be used to being the source of fear, envy, and other spiteful feelings, yet I felt some of the burden lifted from my heart at her words.
It’s almost as if I wanted her to deny it…
I tore into myself like a spoiled child trying to get someone to acknowledge me. It wasn’t my intention to do that, but it was the end result of what I did. I was comforted by this innocent girl I’ve known since she was four.
“Is that so?” I’m peeved by my inability to say anything sensible at a time like this, but she smiled at me anyway.
“My mother was killed by my older brother. I lost control and ended up killing my brother.”
The words were out my mouth before I realized it, regardless of the fact I had no intention whatsoever of bringing it up. Her eyes rounded with surprise for a moment, before her expression shifted to something softer and she nodded.
“I see.”
It’s then I realized I wanted someone to listen to me. She gave her full attention to the words I spoke with a detached air. My story is a brutal one, yet the more the words flowed from me the more I felt a gradual cleansing of the filth caked onto my heart over the years.
✦ ✦ ✦
Normal POV
“MY mother was killed by my older brother. I lost control and ended up killing my brother.”
“I see.” Azusa could only nod after hearing Kouya’s indifferent confession.
“My older brother and I had different mothers and were two years apart. A two-year difference is practically the same age for vampires with long lifespans. We got along considerably well. Our mothers were on terrible terms, but we would occasionally meet up in secret to hang out.
“My brother changed once he turned fifteen. It’s not a well-known fact, but for generations the Red Coven’s Patriarch would take on a name corresponding to the color red. Father received the name ‘Akashi’, meaning red earth, from the prior Patriarch. The Patriarch’s birth name changes the day he is chosen to become the Patriarch. My brother found out when he turned fifteen.”
“Is any name fine as long as it corresponds to something red in color? Like would hibiscus work?” Azusa was embarrassed hibiscus was the only red that came to mind.
Kouya sighed in disbelief, “…No one would take the Patriarch seriously with a facetious name like Hibiscus. Besides, hibiscus flowers are white and yellow as well, you know?”
“True. I’m sorry.” Azusa hung her head in self-reproof for interrupting him.
“As for how the names work...the ideogram for scarlet, dark red, crimson, rose madder, and vermilion are generally combined with another kanji for a name, since they are the easiest to work with. Of course, names with the kanji for red are also possible.”
“Then the ‘kou’ part of your name that comes from the kanji for crimson works too, right?! Ah, but you’re supposed to have the name changed to contain red after you become the Patriarch, right?” Azusa laughed. She meant it as joke. However—
“…Good guess. It was unofficially decided I would be the next Patriarch from the moment I was born with red eyes like our ancestors. Vampires are all about power—the top is determined by the strongest among us.”
“No way! You’re the next Patriarch—”
“Not anymore… My older brother went insane and killed my mother when he found out—I lost control and killed him. I was only thirteen and hadn’t awoken as a vampire yet, but my right hand went straight through his heart.”
“……”
“I awakened as a vampire sometime after that, but every time I had the urge to drink blood, the death of my mother and brother hindered me. I’m completely used to not drinking blood now,” Kouya smiled.
It was the first time she had seen him smile. It was a strained smile, as if he had given up on everything. Azusa couldn’t find the words to say to him when faced with such sorrow and loss.
Noticing her reaction, Kouya altered his tone, “Vampires fundamentally awaken around twenty. You can’t tell them apart from normal humans until then. Once they hit twenty, we can determine who will remain human and who will awaken as a vampire. In general, children born between two vampires will become a vampire. Although there are exceptions depending on how strong the parents’ vampiric bloodline is. Those with strong vampiric blood are placed in a ranking from A to E.”
“From A to E? Does that mean the Fs are—”
“Yeah, it’s the rank for those who awakened as a vampire, but lose their mind. It refers to those who lose all sense of self. We categorize them as F rank and the majority become a threat to be disposed of.”
“…How sad,” Azusa mumbled without thinking.
Suddenly, it hit her that Kouya was the one disposing of the Fs. She feared her comment may have offended him. She timidly peered at his face.
“It is,” he muttered with his usual lack of expression.
They walked home with nothing else to say to each other.
Azusa worried about who would become her primary bodyguard. She came to the arbitrary conclusion it would be Ichi, considering how Kouya didn’t seem to like her very much—at least in her opinion. Akashi would likely permit the change if Kouya convinced him Azusa feared him.
✦ ✦ ✦
KOUYA doesn’t seem to enjoy himself at all when he talks to me, Azusa thought as she crawled into bed. My big plan to go out and get to know him better turned in to me acting on my curiosity and digging up his past all day. This is the worst thing that could have happened.
“My mother was killed by my older brother. And I lost control of myself and killed my brother.”
Azusa felt they had grown a little closer after Kouya willingly told her about his past.
Her eyelids grew heavy. As her consciousness slowly faded into the embrace of sleep, she hoped it would be Kouya who came to her room the next morning.
But the next day—
“Good morning, Azusa. I will be your bodyguard today!”
“Ah…okay. Thanks, Ichi.”
A cheerful Ichi appeared at Azusa’s door after she finished changing.