Scarlet

17. Wasted

Kira's first letter arrived ten days after her departure. Mr Watanabe fetched the letter from the town post office and discreetly brought it back to the mansion.

As soon as the letter was put in Gouenji's hand he immediately tore open the envelope and snatched the letter out of it. In a moment he had read the entire letter. The letter was of an average length but he had read it all in a second with his vampiric speed.

He now realised that he had been hasty. He should have savoured every sentence, every detail. He sat down on the couch regretfully. He read it again and this time slowly. Yet, once he was done he felt like the letter was too short. It wasn't, but he just had been missing Kira so much, it appeared so to him. She could have written ten pages and he still would have felt like it was too short.

Over the course of the next few days, he read the letter many times. Whenever the thought of Kira sprang up in his mind, he took the letter out and read it. He had crafted a well thought out response on the first day itself of receiving it and had already sent it.

That letter remained of great importance and attention until the second one arrived. And then that one became his most prized possession. And then the third one, and the fourth one and so on.

Twelve letters were sent and received over the course of six months. And all of those were kept away safely.

Gouenji hoped that Kira might return now. It had been long enough to travel to one's heart's content. At least that was his opinion. Of course, he neither knew nor cared for the things that were out there that could attract a traveller's attention.

...

One evening he stepped down from his room and entered the main hall. Mr Watanabe presented him with his scarlet beverage and picking it up from the tray, he made his way towards the sofa.

But suddenly, the glass slipped from his hold and shattered on the floor. Mr Watanabe turned and found him stumbling forward and falling on his knees. He looked as if he was having a heart attack even though it was impossible.

Mr Watanabe immediately rushed to him and tried to help him up. He was very confused about what was happening to him. A vampire never encountered any such emergencies no matter what. They were indestructible.

"Ki...ra!" He spoke through great difficulty as he stared ahead with wide eyes, "Her...life...is in...danger. "He finally managed to complete his sentence, "I...can...see...it."

With that, he fell on the floor and slowly his eyes closed.

Now Mr Watanabe understood what was happening. He had heard of it but had always believed it to be a rumour amongst vampires. Gouenji and Kira's lives were intertwined with each other on account of her voluntarily feeding him her blood. Now if she died, he died with her.

Mr Watanabe was stunned to see it all. He had also remembered by now that he was the one who had suggested her to do so. He had never thought it would result in this. Now he understood why she continued to live at the mansion without any trouble and never tried to leave.

He couldn't just watch Gouenji die. He scrambled to find any way to save him. But he could not think anything. He didn't know where Kira was either so that he could rescue her. He was extremely distressed now.

Nonetheless, he shifted Gouenji to his room in hopes that through some miracle he would eventually wake up. Up until that point, he didn't even know that the thing he had just witnessed was real so now he was anticipating anything at all even if it didn't make any rhyme or reason.

Gouenji's eyes were still closed. He was laying peacefully on his bed. There was no movement in him at all, even the ones that should have continued even in an unconscious state.

Mr Watanabe's eyes were fixed at him waiting for something to happen. He was holding his breath too. If Gouenji was in this state, he didn't even want to think what Kira's state was at the moment. He wondered what happened to her that put her life in danger or may have even snatched it from her altogether by now.

Despite feeling bad for her at the moment, he actually did not like her all that much. She always chased him around making demands and asking questions, interrupting his work. And also, whenever she was there, his chores were increased. He had to cook, something he hadn't done in centuries but now because of her he had to. She did praise his food but that didn't make his job easy.

Gouenji insisted that her presence brought life to the mansion but Mr Watanabe could not understand what was so bad before. He liked the stillness and the lack of commotion.

Ever since she stepped foot in the mansion, she and Gouenji were constantly causing trouble for each other. He had never seen tensions run so high in that mansion before.

And that's what humans did, they always did. Wherever they step foot they brought along with them this mess of emotions that were too complex for anyone to understand and all the more vexing for anyone. They themselves didn't know what to do about them, they just brought it along with them and plagued anyone with it who came in contact with them.

They had had a good few centuries in that mansion, living a toned down, neutral life. And now all of a sudden, Gouenji was running around controlling his vampiric abilities, writing letters,

and now....fighting death.

Mr Watanabe shook his head as if giving his conclusion to all of his thoughts. It was a shame, he thought, a life wasted away for love. 

A/N: It's not looking good for Gouenji and Kira. Do you think they will make it? Also, do you agree with Mr Watanabe's opinion?