Scarlet

9. Ecstasy

The following morning Gouenji triumphantly presented himself in front of Kira. He looked happy and content as he sat down as usual while she had her breakfast.

"I have to admit, you continually amaze me with your bravery. " He took her hand and kissed her bandaged finger, "Ever since the day you first came here."

"You won't ever hurt me, of this I'm sure. " She answered with a smile.

"You have more faith in me than I in myself. " He said.

"After your show of control last night I don't think you have anything to doubt yourself for." She assured him.

"So it's safe to say we can put it past us. Now, what do you want next?" He said matter-of-factly.

Kira didn't respond immediately and continued to eat for a while. Although she did seem to think about something, Gouenji wasn't sure if she was thinking about the response or just mentally praising her meal.

He had noticed how much she enjoyed her meals. She was often found chasing Mr. Watanabe around the mansion asking him about the various things he could cook. Sometimes she would ask for some specific things and let him know what she wanted to eat in the future.

"Today's breakfast is especially exquisite. " She finally remarked and Gouenji found out that the latter was true.

"I asked you something." He reminded her eagerly.

"And I am answering you." Kira then answered seriously, "Given my love for food, how do you expect me to leave this forever and live off of... " She scrunched up her nose in disgust, "human blood?"

"I can't change that." Gouenji answered plainly.

"Of course not! I am not asking you to change. " Kira clarified, " But this time you will convince me to change. Prove to me that I won't be missing this huge part of my human life that is so important to me. " She concluded.

Gouenji stared at her blankly for a few moments, processing everything. The task only appeared simple on the surface and he was not one to underestimate it and be fooled.

"I should have anticipated this. " He muttered under his breath.

"I'll look forward to what you have to say. " Kira commented as she got up and left him thinking.

...

Gouenji kept thinking for days about how to explain it to Kira. This was something that was so fundamentally exclusive to vampires he didn't know what kind of analogy to explain it with. He certainly couldn't make her taste it, not that it would matter. It would have no effect on her other than make her sick. This time he was really at his wits' end. But he had no choice but to say something. He didn't want to give up now.

Finally, one day he decided to begin anyway. He waited until lunch, Kira liked lunchtime a lot, it was her favourite meal. She had insisted on one of her favourite dishes and was now excitedly waiting for it to be served.

He waited until she had the plate in front of her and was ready to take her first bite when he suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Enjoying your lunch?" He tried to sound casual even though he had no idea where he was going with it.

"Don't startle me like this!" Kira let out a big gasp as she instinctively leaned back in her chair.

"Oh, this you're scared of. " Gouenji commented sarcastically as he took a seat beside her.

"If you're here to begin your speech today then can you wait until after lunch?" She said.

"Is that good? Do you love it?" Gouenji asked again.

"I would if you let me begin eating. " Kira retorted. She then took her first bite and sighed happily.

"Is this your favourite?" Gouenji asked again.

"Hmm..." Kira wondered for a while and then answered, "One of the top ones, yes. "

"So, how happy are you to have it?" He asked again.

"A lot."

"So you get it!"

"Get what?"

"When you're a vampire you feel the same but with blood. " He concluded and looked at her hopefully.

"If I love my food so much why would I give it up?" Kira remarked.

Gouenji didn't have anything more to say. He kept thinking quietly for a while, completely engrossed in it.

"You do realise you've just made the opposite of your point, don't you?" Kira added on.

"Yes, yes I see that. " He replied promptly, still in thought. He pondered on how to salvage the situation but eventually got up annoyedly and left.

He returned again in the evening when Kira was having her evening tea in front of the fireplace again.

"See, it's not just about the nourishment, " He began without a preamble expecting Kira to catch up, "It's a strong bond. It's enough to make one ecstatic. I want you to understand it so you know what's in question here." He glanced at her, "Are you following?"

Kira had stopped drinking the tea and was staring at him. She promptly nodded to show that she was.

"Alright, let me try to translate it for you. Picture something that brings out strong emotions in you. What is it? Food, art?" He continued.

"Both are strong contenders." Kira answered.

"How do they make you feel?"

"Happy, I suppose. I enjoy them a lot. " She replied.

"How happy? Would you say 'ecstatic'?" He got his hopes up thinking he would finally get through to her.

"No, I would not. " She said thoughtfully , " It's not that these things aren't enjoyable but it's hard to move me. " She said matter-of-factly.

"Humans rarely experience the extremes. " Gouenji commented disappointedly, " Their life is mundane. "

"There is no argument there," Kira replied casually as she sipped her tea.

Gouenji kept thinking about how to convey his point to Kira. He tried to raise the topic several times but all ended in failure.

"Think of the happiest moment of your life. " He began.

"I don't know. I can't think of any." She replied nonchalantly.

"What? That saddens me. " He looked at her gently.

"Don't worry, I only mean that I have been on the move so long I barely remember life before that."

"Is there anything at all that moves you? Nothing you have craved so strongly and then felt a rush of delight when you've acquired it?"

"My life has been pretty straightforward..." She remarked thoughtfully "until I came to this mansion and met you. " She added sarcastically.

This remark caught Gouenji's attention as his mind was now racing with a new idea. This was his only hope and he needed for it to work.

"I've got it!" He exclaimed as Kira stared at him with curiosity. He got up and left. Kira thought he was going to demonstrate something and she eagerly waited for him.

But he never returned to her.