“UH, Azusa, are you joking?” The more assertive of the two girls, Kii, asked with a wary tone.
Azusa shook her head and took another step closer to the girls, pulling Kouya along with her. Yuu, the peppier one, took a step back as Azusa tried to close the distance between them.
“Eek!”
“Hey, quit this nonsense.”
“Ah!”
Annoyed, Kouya pulled his arm out of Azusa’s death-grip, sighed, and took several steps back from the girls.
“What good comes from scaring them?”
“But don’t you hate being a source of fear for no reason? Did you know you have become an urban legend used to frighten children by saying you will show up at their bedside if they don’t go to sleep when they are told? Are you okay with going down in history like that? As some kind of boogeyman?”
“You’re putting me on par with the Boogeyman? I’m not inconvenienced by the way they view me. You don’t need to let it bother you.”
“It does bother me! I’m deeply troubled by it! You are a boogeyman! The Boogeyman! I had to laugh at that one, you know? The boys in my class were gossiping about how you can blow away mountains. Wait, can you possibly blow mountains away at your full-strength?”
“As if I could! What fairytale monster are you confusing me with? Anyway, you should just ignore the rumors and gossip. They’ll go away on their own.”
“They aren’t going away on their own, which is why the rumors are bringing about more exaggerated rumors! I understand how much of a pain it is to deal with them, but you should seriously consider fixing your image! Let’s start by having you proactively come into the public eye so people can see you aren’t just the creature hiding in their closet waiting to peel the flesh off them!”
“Do you realize the brutality of your plan? I’ll get the brunt of the blow, but there will definitely be harm done to those who see me too! I don’t get the point of bringing about such mayhem!”
“Don’t jump to conclusions! My thought is that there will be people who understand. You are a great guy, Kouya! You get 100 points for kindness! Look, I will protect you, Kouya, so let’s go into the public eye together!”
“I’m happy hearing how highly you view me, but I firmly refuse to do it. Besides, I’d get it if I was protecting you, but why do I have to be protected by you—”
“AH! You think I can’t do anything, don’t you?! I’ve got enough spunk to take on anyone who dares to slander you, Kouya!”
“I know! I more than understand you have enough spunk to do that and then some! So I’m begging you, don’t do it!”
“Haha!” Kii’s laughter interrupted the banter between them. Azusa and Kouya turned to look at her. “Sorry! Sorry! I was just completely taken by surprise! Azusa, let me ask you one more time: is this man really the one they call Akaoni?”
“What? Yes, he is. But I don’t like that title very much.”
“Okay, then I’ll call him Kouya too. Um, is that all right with you?”
“…You can call me what you like,” Kouya responded, uncertain of how to assess the situation. Kii’s smile brightened with relief.
“Um, I understand now that Kouya isn’t as scary as the rumors make him out to be. He really is a normal person, huh? I heard his eyes were naturally red, but…are they hidden behind color contacts?” Kii asked.
“Yup. He seems to wear color contacts whenever he picks me up and drops me off. You should have him show you his eyes sometime! They are beautiful, like rubies!” Azusa exclaimed.
“Nah, I’m fully confident I’ll faint on the spot, so I’ll just take your word for it. You might not get it, Azusa, but vampires are fairly sensitive to a power difference pecking order. It’s possible I’ll pass out if I see his red eyes up close and personal. Apparently, it won’t have the same effect from a distance.”
“Really? I didn’t know that,” Azusa nodded understandingly. Kouya poked her from behind. She turned toward him to see what was up, only for her eyes to fall on what he was pointing at.
“Oh no! Yuu!”
Her other classmate had collapsed on the ground, foaming at the mouth. Azusa quickly ran over to her. Kii shrugged beside Kouya, showing no sign of going to help Yuu.
“Tell her I’m sorry for scaring her when she wakes up,” Kouya said to her.
“Why don’t you tell her yourself? I’m sure that is what Azusa would want you to do.”
“I doubt she can hold a conversation with me. Besides, it’s not my intention to senselessly scare people.”
“Well, yeah. I guess Yuu needs a little more time.”
“I’ll leave her to you then.”
“Sure thing. But, while it will take some time, I believe she will come to understand you aren’t as scary as the rumors say, Kouya. That applies to both Yuu and the others. Why don’t you just quietly let Azusa protect you?”
“……”
“Sorry,” Yuu apologized to the scowling Kouya and ran over to help Azusa get Yuu on her back. “Azusa, let Kouya escort you the rest of the way to school! I’m heading straight for the school nurse’s office with Yuu!”
“Will you be okay alone?”
“I’m fine! See you later!” Kii stood up with Yuu on her back and proceeded toward school with amusement.
“Don’t want divine punishment for standing in the way of true love,” Kii whispered quiet enough for no one to hear, grinning from ear to ear.
✦ ✦ ✦
“I thought Kii would understand.”
“The other one fainted though. We’re at the school.”
“We need to take every challenge in stride! Thank you very much.”
Kouya and Azusa stopped in front of the school gate. No one was around, but people would be coming soon enough.
“Will you be here for me after school too?”
“Yeah.”
“I look forward to it then! See you later!”
“Azusa!” Kouya grabbed Azusa’s hand before she could leave for the school building. His expression was a weird mix of apprehension and irritation. She stopped and cocked her head at Kouya.
“Don’t do what you did today again. Don’t openly talk about me at school either. You probably can’t hide your connection to me because word of the contract has spread, but do your best to hide your opinion of me.”
“…I don’t want to.”
“Just do what I say.”
“Don’t! Want! To!”
“I’m worried about you.”
“I know you are. You are very kind after all. Did you know I’m surprisingly resilient? I will be fine!” Azusa smiled, easily pulling her hand from his and disappearing into the school.