ALL the students across campus gathered on the rooftop in a tumult of noise. Some students were excited about the sudden upset to their normal routine, while others were apprehensive about what was about to happen. Among them, Azusa sat at the best spot to see the entire campus with her face buried in her knees over the tragic end that was to come. Kii stood beside her, concerned about her behavior. Yuu, who was always with Kii, went home early after her little fainting incident when she met Kouya before school.
“What’s wrong, Azusa? You look down,” Kii said looking across the campus from the rooftop. She sat beside Azusa.
A depressed Azusa showed no signs of responding or lifting her face even when others spoke to her. Kii sighed at her friend and scooted closer to her as she continued to talk even though she didn’t answer back.
“I wonder what’s going on today. Why did we have to evacuate to the rooftop? Do you know what’s up, Azusa?”
“……”
“So you do know. Does it have something to do with your partner? Is something about to start?”
“……”
“A.ZU.SA! Stop being depressed and say something.” Kii head-butted Azusa. She still didn’t react. Kii gave up and stretched, popping her back. She looked at the campus again and jumped.
“Ah! Hey, isn’t that Kouya?”
Azusa’s head snapped up and she dropped her gaze on the campus. The others had yet to notice Kouya hiding in the shadow of a large tree waiting for Youta. She sharply sucked in her breath.
“Did something happen with your partner?”
“Not exactly,” Azusa answered for the first time.
“I see,” Kii said. “Why are you here if you guys aren’t fighting?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Your partner is about to do something, right? Is it okay for you to stay here?”
“I can’t do anything even if I go. I’m a normal human, you know?”
“Did Kouya tell you that?”
“……”
Azusa was at a loss for words. The fact was, he didn’t tell her that. Even if she went with him, she had neither the power to kill Youta in Kouya’s place nor the power to do something about Youta. Within the scope of human girls, she was confident she was stronger than most, but it was a different matter altogether when it came to vampires. She couldn’t even begin to compare herself to their innate strength.
She was powerless. Helplessly and hopelessly powerless.
“Then isn’t it the same whether you’re with us or not, Azusa?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, isn’t that basically how it is? Logically speaking, staying here to talk to me and watching over things from the sidelines with us won’t help you save anyone. Is it the same to you whether you were here or not?”
“That’s—”
“That’s not how it is, right? I know that.” Azusa was physically older than Kii, but Kii slowly pat her on the head like she was comforting a younger sister. “You might not understand how things work here because you were raised in a human city, but a ‘contractor’ is like a ‘partner’ to us. Whether you develop a romantic relationship or not, you share your lot in life. Which is why you would never establish a contract with someone you don’t get along with. And even if you did, it’d be a contract in name only.”
“……”
“The truth is, should one side of the contract fall to F rank, the other side is responsible for removing them. But there are many people who become romantically involved, and even for those who don’t, contract partners develop an emotional attachment to each other. There will always be those who can’t kill their partner. The one who takes over for them is the Akaoni…Kouya.
“That’s why I was honestly amazed when I first learned you were Kouya’s contract partner. It’s not like he wanted to take on the role, it’s one we forced on him—and when I think you are bearing that burden by his side, I’m awestruck. It would be too heavy and painful for me to shoulder. I would surely be crushed by it.”
“……”
“But, looking at you now, you simply didn’t know what you were getting into, huh? You knew nothing of the weight and anguish that comes with becoming a vampire’s contractor… If that’s true, give up while you can. Even if you continue your contract with him, you better quit calling yourself his contractor. You can’t stand by Kouya’s side as you are, Azusa.”
Azusa gasped, clenched her fists, and bit down on her lower lip. She was mortified. Mortified by her inability to counter what was said and by the way Kii’s words were said out of consideration for her. Everything she said was true. As things stood, she could never stand beside him. She had to change—change from her powerless self.
“Do you think I can still make it in time?”
“…You can probably make it if you hurry,” Kii smiled wryly at the newly determined light in Azusa’s eyes when she lifted her face from her knees. She hadn’t intended to stir her up so much, but it appeared her words were more motivating than she imagined.
“Kii, thanks! I’m going to him!”
“Okay… Wait, whaat?! What’re you doing, Azusa?”
“I need to take the fastest route to him!” Azusa exclaimed, climbing over the fence separating the rooftop from the ledge. She safely climbed down the other side of the fence while listening to the teachers’ panicked voices behind her.
No way. She can’t be! No way she would do that! Thought everyone present.
But Azusa flashed her usual grin and shouted to Kouya hiding in shadows, “KOUYA! I’m coming! Please catch me!”
Azusa’s eyes locked onto Kouya’s outrageously surprised face. She dove off the rooftop ledge.