AZUSA ran down the hallway after leaving Tsukiharu and Youta. She hectically entered the classroom to snatch her bag and left just as quickly. Classmates tried talking to her, but Azusa didn’t have it in her to deal with them.
Kouya is going to die!
Her heart thumped loudly against her chest. Of course, Kouya’s death was only a possibility stemming from the worst-case scenario. She didn’t believe he was at the precipice of the worst-case scenario yet, but she hated the idea there was even a possibility of him dying. She thoroughly comprehended the situation, but still couldn’t stop the panic forcing her to race ahead.
She ran full-speed through the school gate. Someone yanked on the back of her shirt. Her shirt collar pulled up to her throat, choking her.
“Where are you going? Don’t you have afternoon classes?”
“K-Kouya?” Azusa looked over her shoulder to find Kouya standing there with his hand on her shirt, his usual exasperated expression plastered on his face. But the instant he registered the look on her face, his face rapidly stiffened until all expression was removed from it.
“Kouya?”
“Was it Tsukiharu?” he growled.
“Pardon?”
“Who did this to you?” Kouya gently ran his thumb under Azusa’s eye. She didn’t realize she had been crying until she saw the water droplets on his hand when he pulled it away. She rubbed at her eyes with the corner of her shirt and tried smiling at him, but Kouya’s low growl of a voice dropped several more tones. “What did he do to you?”
“What?”
“He did something to you, didn’t he?”
“No, I’m okay! It’s okay, Kouya!”
“He said something to you on the rooftop, didn’t he? Is that the cause of your tears?”
“I can’t deny he is partly at fault when you put it that way, but this has nothing to do with Tsukiharu—”
“Are you protecting him?”
“No! I am not! Kouya, your face is scaring me! If I had to say the reason, it’s you, Kouya, so we’re good! Nothing has been done to me nor did I do anything!”
“….I’m the cause? Did I do something to you?” Relieved, Kouya’s expression softened a little. His eyebrows still knitted into a confused scowl, but at the very least his expression of, “I’m going to kill you-know-who the moment you give the word,” had disappeared. Azusa could breathe freely knowing he wasn’t going to go on a rampage now.
“Let’s go home first,” she suggested.
“What about your afternoon classes?”
“I decided to ditch them today! And use the time to chat with you instead!”
“…Is that so?” Kouya nodded, not quite catching onto what was going on.
Azusa grabbed his arm and pulled him home with her.
✦ ✦ ✦
HOW did this happen? Kouya couldn’t help the deluge of thoughts accosting him. He sighed as he looked at the girl straddling his stomach. She ran a box cutter along her wrist.
“Please decide whether you prefer me to force my blood on you or if you are going to take a drink for yourself.”
“……”
They were in Kouya’s room, on the floor; it happened as soon as they walked through the door.
“I apologize for pushing you on the ground. But you would normally never fall over if I tackled you, right? Doesn’t the fact you fell over prove your need of blood?”
“…It’s none of your concern.”
“In other words, you need more blood?”
“I’m fine.”
Kouya’s response was clear affirmation he needed more blood. But his attitude screamed he didn’t want her help, which enraged Azusa.
“What part of you is fine, hm? I heard all about how you will die if you go on without enough blood! So basically, you're headed toward an early grave at this rate!” she shouted.
“I’m still fine. I’ll think more about what to do if it gets worse than this. For now, get off me.”
“Still? What do you mean STILL?! In other words, you are admitting you might possibly die in the future! I will not move! Not until you promise to drink my blood! Now, please make your decision! Shall I slice my wrist open and force my blood down your throat or will you man up and drink from me on your own? If your body is still refusing to drink blood, I will force it down until you can’t throw it up. Please let me know if you need that kind of assistance!”
Kouya sighed loud enough for Azusa to hear. His red eyes seemed to waver as he looked up at her.
“I don’t understand your desperation.”
“I don’t want you to die, obviously!”
“…I was able to make do until now. It should take care of itself eventually.”
“There is a chance you won’t push through it this time!”
“Even if that were to happen, it has nothing to do with you. You can just switch over to Ichi as your contractor.”
“It does have something to do with me! I will be sad if you die, Kouya! I will cry! My eyes will turn bright-red with all the tears! Did you know rabbit eyes are red because they cried a lot from being lonely?”
“……” Kouya stared at Azusa in wide-eyed surprise. He chuckled wryly and muttered, “You never change,” under his breath.
“Will you be lonely if I die?” he asked loud enough for her to hear.
“Of course I will be lonely and sad if the person I love dies! Ah, um, by love I mean I love you as a person I know!” Azusa suddenly turned bright-red and tried denying her own statement.
Kouya started chuckling. He hid his mouth with his hand, but he couldn’t hide his dimples and the mirth in his eyes. Azusa angrily pounded on his chest.
“Kouya!”
“Sorry, sorry. Is that why you were crying?” Kouya apologized like he didn’t really mean it, and asked her with a much gentler tone than before.
“That is definitely one of the reasons, but I’m mortified you won’t rely on me when you are in such a bad state… You are always saving me, but I haven’t been able to return the favor even once yet. Moreover, I am the reason you are this desperately in need of blood, right? You may have just contracted with me to keep tabs on me, but we did contract, and yet you won’t rely on me when things are critical. I started thinking I really am useless...”
“You were thinking all that?” he asked in surprise. She nodded slowly. Kouya gently stroked her cheek to pacify her pouting. Tears welled up in her eyes. She rubbed at the large teardrops with her sleeve.
“Your eyes will swell if you rub them too much,” Kouya advised, grabbing her arm. His eyes met her offended glare, drawing a half-smile out of him.
“Sorry.”
“You should be!”
“I really am sorry.”
“We wouldn’t need the police if apologies solved all problems!”
“Forgive me.”
“I will not!”
“What must I do for you to forgive me?” Kouya asked.
Azusa pursed her lips further, as if to say, “You still don’t get it?” There was nothing scary about being glared at with puffy eyes, but Kouya bit his tongue to keep from saying what would likely further incite her wrath and waited for her to speak instead.
“…I want you to rely on me more,” her voice dropped to a carrying whisper as she turned her face away from him. He put both his hands on her face and turned it back toward him.
“Will you let me have your blood?”
“Wrong.”
“…Please let me have a drink?”
“What am I—some bartender you don’t know?”
“Let me drink your blood.”
“…Okay, go ahead,” Azusa said with a happy smile. Her infectious smile got a smile out of Kouya too.
“Put the box cutter away. I’ll drink it my way.”
“You can drink on your own?” Azusa asked with concern. The fact his past trauma kept him from drinking blood most of his life concerned her. Contrary to her worry, he roughly ruffled the hair on her head with a content smile.
“Curiously enough, I think I’m okay when it comes to you. Well, I’ll figure out what to do if it turns out not to work.”
“Is it okay to approach such a vital task so carelessly?”
“I’ll make do. Come here.” Kouya reached both hands out to Azusa and gestured like he was waiting for her to come into his arms.
In other words, he’s inviting me into his embrace? For me to come to him? Azusa turned tomato-red at the thought of entering into the embrace of a vampire.
“I believe doing that will end with us in an awkward embrace! I’m heavy! I gained weight recently!”
“No worries. Your weight is nothing to me. Aren’t you coming?”
“Aren’t you acting kind of strange, Kouya? Were you the type to say stuff like that?”
“Good question. I’m quite surprised myself…. You won’t come to me then?”
“You said it again! Impossible! Not happening! I will die from embarrassment!”
“Shall we do it in reverse then?”
The room flipped over. By the time she realized it, Azusa was looking up at the ceiling. A pair of ruby-red eyes were right in front of her face. It was too late by the time she comprehended the position she was in—his lips were already on her neck. She grabbed a handful of his shirt and squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of the impact. Sensing her fear, he whispered sweetly in her ear.
“Want to stop? You’re scared, aren’t you?”
She slowly opened her eyes to be met with his glowing eyes and half-smile. He gently stroked her head with his right hand as he caressed her back with his left.
“You were scared the last time too. Want to save it for another time? Nothing bad will happen to me anytime soon.”
He was referring to when Azusa accidentally fell asleep in his room. He had pushed her down on the couch like this then too. Only now remembering, her already deeply flushed cheeks grew even hotter. She vigorously shook her head.
“I’m not scared! I’m embarrassed is all! Also, I just hate the pain… I will be fine, so please continue!”
“Want to bite down on me then? I can’t do anything for your embarrassment, but won’t this help alleviate the pain a little?” Kouya suggested, pointing to his neck. And then he buried his face in her neck.
“Bite me if it hurts, okay?” he whispered next to her ear. His voice was followed by the sound of flesh being pierced.