Akaoni contract with a v.., p.22
Akaoni: Contract with a Vampire, page 22
“Wait.”
“Huh?” Tsukiharu responded less-than-eloquently when Subaru told him to wait just as he turned to leave.
“Let’s call a truce.”
“Subaru?” Ichi grabbed Subaru’s arm with a questioning look. Subaru silently put his hand on Ichi’s and kept his eyes locked on Tsukiharu.
“I want a truce with you. And if possible, I want to share information.”
“What are you going on about?”
“I don’t like you and could never come to like you after what you did. But, if the third power you mentioned really exists, the more people we have fighting on our side the better.”
“Hmm. You’re going to believe what I told you?”
“It doesn’t seem like there would be much benefit for you to lie to us about this stuff. Anyway, this is something I just decided arbitrarily—are the rest of you okay with this?”
Ichi nodded as if she had no other choice, Kouya shrugged with a look of disgust, and Azusa gave a firm nod.
“Obviously, we won’t drop our guard around you, but we will refrain from acting hostile toward you as well. Things will go smoothly if you think before you act too.”
“I guess I’m okay with that.”
Youta returned to the table just as Tsukiharu reluctantly agreed; he must have actually been waiting for the perfect timing.
“I take it you are finished?”
Azusa could no longer see his smile as angelic—sly fox.
Chapter 50: Proof of Ownership
CONTRARY to the earlier tension, Azusa now enjoyed a peaceful tea time. Only she and Youta sat at the table, eating the cheesecake she made with relish. The rest of their party members were having a secret strategy meeting in one of the empty rooms inside Youta’s manor. Recalling how Tsukiharu went along with them even though he didn’t really want to, made Azusa earnestly hope they could all get along someday.
The way they met was beyond terrible, but the Tsukiharu she interacted with as a classmate was genuinely kind, friendly, and someone who got carried away easily. Continuing to ignore him required great mental anguish on her part. Lately, ignoring him made her feel like a bully. She hated herself for it every day.
She had no intention of suddenly becoming best friends with him, but she had more than enough confidence to treat him like a normal classmate now.
“By the way, Azusa, what happened to your neck? Did you hurt it?” Youta asked, pointing to the gauze covering a portion of her neck. The gauze was large enough to cover the palm of someone’s hand. A high-collared shirt hid it, but apparently it still caught Youta’s eye.
Azusa turned slightly red at his question and avoided meeting his eyes. “I know it’s the norm for you vampires, which means there’s no point in hiding it, but I find it kind of embarrassing, so I hid it for now… Kouya seems to have forgotten to erase the marks.”
“Marks?”
“Marks.”
“What? You mean bite marks?”
“Ah, yes.”
Azusa tilted her head at Youta’s frozen look of disbelief. Azusa remembered hearing on multiple occasions that the act of drinking blood was neither embarrassing nor anything noteworthy. If that was true, why did Youta’s face gradually turn a deeper shade of red?
“Youta?”
“I have no idea where to start, but I have just come to understand how taciturn my brother is. Please allow me to apologize on his behalf as his younger brother. I’m sorry.”
“What for?”
“I knew Kouya hasn’t drunk any blood for a long time, but you would think he would at least keep to the rules. What the heck is he doing making his younger brother apologize for something like this? The worst part is that I know he did it entirely on purpose. I’m ashamed he did it knowing you absolutely wouldn’t understand the meaning behind it. And since when did he become capable of drinking blood again?”
“Um? Don’t all vampires do this? It’s nothing shameful or embarrassing, right?” Azusa became flustered by Youta’s perplexing reaction. Drinking blood wasn’t an embarrassing act among vampires—it was their method of eating. With that fact in mind, she couldn’t understand the reason behind his reddening face.
“Azusa.”
“Yes?”
“It’s true the act of drinking blood is nothing especially embarrassing or worth writing home about. The problem at hand is the fact he left the bite marks.”
“Is there a problem with the bite marks?”
“Leaving bite marks is a so-called proof of ownership. It’s like telling other vampires, ‘this is my prey, keep your hands off.’ Oh my gosh, what the heck am I saying?! I don’t want to say stuff like this aloud!”
“Proof of…ownership?”
“It’s not an official stamp of ownership, but more like an unspoken understanding? It’s got the same meaning as a hickey might among humans.”
“A h-h-hi-hick-hickeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!” Azusa shouted, turning tomato-red.
Youta quickly jumped in to ease the blow, “Yeah. But Kouya hasn’t drunk blood in a long time. Maybe he just happened to forget to erase the marks this time!”
There’s a ninety-nine percent chance he did it on purpose though. Youta kept his thoughts to himself.
“Y-You think so? You surprised me! I better get Kouya to erase it for me then!”
“You should.”
She believed me.
Youta’s expression gradually grew more exasperated as he watched Azusa fan her flushed face. He wasn’t exasperated at Azusa who sat across from him, but his absent brother.
He recognized his older brother put a wall between himself and everyone else—no matter whom they were. He may have been on considerably better talking terms with him now compared to when they first met, but not once did he think he had ever gotten past that wall to get a glimpse of his heart. To think he would someday see a piece of who his brother really was in this way.
Youta looked at the spot where the marks lay hidden beneath the gauze and thought how much she must matter to Kouya. At the same time, he was exasperated at how Kouya was trying to keep his affections hidden from her. Why didn’t he even consider trying to make things work? From what he had seen of their interactions, it was evident Azusa wasn’t appalled by him, yet he made the extravagant choice of refusing to grab hold of the feelings that were just in reach.
And here I am frantically trying to grab a hold of feelings my hands can never reach. Ichi’s dignified and elegant form crossed Youta’s mind. No matter how much I care for her, it’s always that Subaru guy who gets to stand by her side. I only invited Ichi to the party today, but he tagged along without seeking my permission first. How many times did I consider sending him away today? But if I did, she would leave too. And this is why I always end up agreeing to let him be around. Youta shook his head to shake off the bad thoughts before they depressed him further.
He turned to face Azusa again, only to find her happily stuffing her face with cake. Apparently, she internally labeled the proof of evidence as something Kouya innocently forgot to erase.
“Say, Azusa, would you mind letting me take a look at the marks?”
“Hm? Sure, but I don’t think it will be particularly interesting?” Azusa undid her collar and removed the gauze without any hesitation. Youta froze for the second time.
He slammed his right hand against his reddening face and groaned, “My brother is an idiot.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Kouya probably just forgot. Maybe it’s best for you to wait for it to heal naturally? Also, even if you get him to erase the marks, you should leave the gauze on for a while.”
“What? Why?”
“…Why, you ask? …Because it’s a two-tiered trap?”
“Huh?”
“Never mind! At any rate, you better keep the gauze on for about a week. Even if he erases the marks! Please!”
“O-Okay?” Azusa reluctantly agreed, bringing Youta immense relief.
Youta thought back to what he saw while she covered the marks. Beneath the gauze were two holes in line with the fang marks left by sucking her blood. Under the fang marks was a distinctly red, swollen mark—a real hickey. Even if Azusa asked Kouya to heal the marks, he would most likely heal only the fang marks and leave the hickey there for all to see. From what Youta could judge, someone with little to no experience with men like Azusa wouldn’t be able to determine the red swelling as a hickey. And Kouya knew that.
Youta was saddened by the fact Kouya badly wanted to leave proof she was his, yet wouldn’t say anything about his feelings to her. It was almost as if he had given up from the start.
Chapter 51: Subaru
Subaru’s POV
WE entered into a sudden truce with that Tsukiharu brat. It was actually only a verbal agreement added to our promise to share valuable information, meaning we won’t be letting down our guard around him. The truce allowed me to focus on completing my work for the Shiranui Family and finally drop by the mansion Azusa lives in. I hadn’t dropped by the mansion since the day Ichi found Azusa sleeping in Kouya’s room. It felt like forever since I last stopped by.
I went first thing in the morning, because I wanted to see Ichi as soon as possible. I arrived at 5:30 a.m. I unlocked the entrance and slowly opened the door. I assumed no one would be up this early, but my expectations were betrayed in the best way.
There she stood in the hallway seen from the lounge I had entered. Her quick gait sent her usually tightly tied back hair swaying. I’m always captivated by how she keeps her posture perfect to the T, even in the wee hours of the morning.
Now that I had her in my sights, I couldn’t let her go without greeting her, “Hitoka!”
She turned, her tight ponytail fluttering behind her with the movement.
Are those eggs in her hand? And why is she wearing an apron?
“Subaru? How many times, may I ask, have I requested you not to call me by my real name?”
“My bad. But it looks like it’s just us here right now. No problem in saying it now, right? You look cute today too,” I complimented with a grin.
“There is no hope for you,” my beloved returned with a laugh.
She’s cute. She is always so mature, which makes her youthful smile all the more tantalizing.
“While I may be cute, you will lose your chance at love if you continue to use those lines on your younger sister.”
I deeply resented the fact she is my younger sister by adoption.
I, Subaru Shiranui, am in love with Hitoka Shiranui.
And I have been since the day it was decided the Shiranui Family would take me in…
“You’re up early today, Ichi. Or are you always up at this time?” I asked to change the topic from who I love—I didn’t want to lie to her about it. The eggs she held caught my curiosity.
“I guess I am. Lately, I have been making breakfast with Azusa, which has me getting up around this time every morning.”
“You are cooking?”
“Don’t be rude, Subaru. You just thought I cannot cook, didn’t you? Not that you are wrong, but I believe I have become decent at it recently. Azusa is a good teacher.”
“Cool. I bet you will make a great wife someday. Would you be willing to cook me breakfast sometime?”
“For you, Subaru, I would cook anytime. Oh, would you like to eat with us today? I believe we can still add extra for more people at this stage,” Ichi happily suggested.
“I would love to,” I accepted with a grin.
Ichi nodded merrily and turned on her heel toward the kitchen. I followed her from behind.
Ichi is cute in an apron too, I casually thought, just as that scene suddenly unfolded before my eyes.
My best friend opened his mouth and made a cute, “Aah,” sound as he was fed.
My brain stopped working at the absurd scene I was witnessing. On the other side of the open kitchen door, Azusa was feeding Kou. You know, the act where couples lovingly feed each other? Their case was a one-sided feeding, not feeding each other, but my eyes met with Kou’s as he bent down to take a bite of some freshly baked sweet Azusa was holding.
Did he just nibble on her fingertip?
“A very good morning to you,” the shock got me greeting them like we were in some 1920’s period piece.
“You’re here?” is all Kou said with his trademark lack of expression. I could read the unspoken question of, “Why do you look so surprised?” from his pose.
“Azusa!” Ichi, having a hard time stomaching the situation, jumped in to chide Azusa, “Is that not the dessert meant to be eaten after breakfast? We will run out before we even get a chance to eat it like we did last time because you continue giving it to Kouya!”
“Don’t worry! I’ve been making extra just for Kouya lately!”
“You have been? As for you, Kouya, either quit snacking on our food before it is ready and help out, or go somewhere with Subaru!” she demanded in a foul mood.
She said they ran out before, which probably means this keeps happening… My thoughts were interrupted again because I spotted Kou quietly whispering in Azusa’s ear.
“Does tonight work for you?”
Whoa, that’s far enough!
Azusa bashfully nodded.
What the heck happened between them? Something had to have happened! I just know it! What should I do if they crossed the proverbial line?! Not that there’s anything to be done about it, but still!
I grabbed Kou’s collar when he came my way at Ichi’s insistence. I didn’t want to get into a brawl with him or anything like that, but I had to take action after what I had witnessed.
“I have something to discuss with you.”
“Huh?”
“Let’s go to my room. It’s good to have a chat like the best friends we are.”
“Chat about what? You can just say it here.”
“I don’t think this is a very good spot to talk about it!”
I yanked Kou by the collar, leaving him no other choice but to be dragged into my room. I got him to sit on the couch, a skeptical scowl on his face.
I lowered my voice and cut to the chase, “What happened?”
“What are you talking about? Explain so I can understand what’s going on here.”
“Did something happen between you and Azusa?”
“……”
“……”
“…Nothing happened.”
“Say so immediately then! You’re a lost cause as a liar! What the heck was that earlier? I thought I was daydreaming when I saw you being lovingly fed! And what was with that whole, ‘does tonight work for you?’ line? What’re you planning on doing with her tonight? Don’t tell me you’ve crossed that line!”
“There’s nothing for you to worry about.”
“I’ll believe you! I can believe you, right?! It’s true I jokingly asked if you were in love with her before, but it’s okay for me to believe you have no such feelings for her, yeah?!”
“…I don’t.”
“Then don’t pause before you answer! How terrible of a liar can you be?”
My shoulders shook with heavy breathing and I collapsed back into the couch.
I get the feeling I’ve picked up on the situation here. In other words, it’s that—something like love. I knew it, was all I could think.
I had a hunch this would happen sooner or later. I want nothing more than for them to find happiness together. My best friend is skilled at letting go of happiness. It would be a very happy moment for me if he tried to become happy—if he desired to find happiness.
“So? What was your little whisper about?”
“……”
“If you don’t answer me, I’ll seriously take it as you’re going into her room to make love!”
“……”
“Anybody home?” I quipped at his silence.
“…I’m getting blood.”
“Huh?”
“Like I said, I’m getting blood from her,” Kou snapped.
I finally understood what was going on. The first words out of my mouth were, “Glad to hear it.”
Some years after we became friends I asked him, “Why don’t you drink blood?”
Kou forced a bitter smile as he said, “I can’t drink blood.” After he said that, he told me a bit about his past. At the end of his story, he smiled and said, “After enduring the regular impulses to drink for years, the thirst stopped altogether.”
He was shortening his own life. I could instinctively tell. A vampire refusing to drink blood is no different from a human committing suicide by refusing to eat and drink.
He was stronger and more feared than anyone else, yet he was chiseling away at his lifespan that should have been longer than most. He had accepted his fate. He once told me with a smile, “I don’t mind dying sooner.”
Kou hadn’t let go of his life yet, but he wasn’t attached to it either. I punched him more than once for the way he wasted his life. No matter how much I yelled and punched him, his stance never changed.
“It’s inevitable because I can’t get the blood down.”
How many times has he frustrated me by brushing everything under the rug with that one line?
The first thought that came to mind when I heard he drank Azusa’s blood during the fight with Tsukiharu was to make her his contractor. Of course, I always thought she should contract with someone to make the task of guarding her easier, but Kou was never on my list. However, things changed once he actually drank her blood. I planted the idea in her head, resulting in a contract between them. But Kou still chose not to drink her blood.
I honestly gave up for real this time. I couldn’t force it on him.
Kou’s life must have been miserable enough for him to never get attached to living.
And then this happened on the precipice of me giving up for good.
I couldn’t stop myself from punching him in the head. I hit him the same way he always hits me.
“Ow,” he groaned with a disgruntled look.
“Good for you,” I said.
“…Yeah,” he said with a slight nod.
I ruffled the hair on his head. And then it hit me.
