𝑻𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐇𝐔𝐒𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

'•.¸¸.•´´¯'••._.• . •._.••'¯´´•.¸¸.•'

Following Nagito Komaeda throughout the crowded ballroom of gothic victorian guests and dancers. To the right corners of the grand room were mysteriously dressed musicians dressed in black velvet and wore mascarade masks, but their sharp red gazes never left the stringed instruments in their hands that played ghostly sounds echoing throughout the dancefloor that centered in the middle of the room; the edges stood friends and acquaintances quietly chatting in low tones in their secretive conversations.

Then Shuichi's yellow eyes caught sight of Munakata talking to a few others. They seemed just as intensely focused on their conversation as everyone else, but Shuichi barely got a look at him before passerbys got between his view and the white-headed vampire Lord.

"Master Kamukura!"

Nagito paused and bowed, and that's when Shuichi also stopped in his tracks of tagging along behind Nagito to look up at the man he was bowing at. Nagito's master– Kamukura– certainly had the same high level of intimidation as Munakata, but he sent shivers up Shuichi's spine that were unexplainedable; he had long black hair that almost reached his feet, his red eyes glowing underneath those thick raven-colored locks. He was tall, his black suit and tie clean, neat, and perfected his perfect, yet terrifying appearance.

Kamukura didn't even speak. He merely stared up and down the two who came up to him before looking back at Nagito.

"Amami is here. This is his newest bride, Kaede Akamatsu," Nagito lifted from his bow and gestured towards Shuichi who tensed up a bit when both the vampire and thrall payed notice to him. "She was interested in meeting you."

Kamukura gave Shuichi one last glance, then began to walk towards him, making Shuichi's heart start to race, but Izuru Kamukura simply walked right past Shuichi without a word or second glance.

"Wow. I think you really made a fine first impression, Miss Akamatsu," Nagito commented with a smile, totally in awe of the vampire walking away and getting lost into the crowd, his eyes never leaving the tall dark figure until he couldn't see him anymore.

"Y-yeah.. If you say so.." Shuichi sighed to himself, letting go of his chest he hadn't realized he was clutching onto until now.

After that, Nagito and Shuichi were about to walk back to find Rantaro when Shuichi noticed Munakata off to the distance, by himself and leaving the ballroom down some sort of dark corridor off to the side.

Shuichi paused. Should be risk following him? Alone at that..

"I... What would Kaede do...?"

Shuichi thought long and hard about it in that second, but Kaede always took risks. She was even risking her life to be in Shuichi's place if he hadn't stepped in. She would do anything in her power to help others, and so should Shuichi. If he could find out the reason behind the ancient tradition of the vampire's bride and more about Rantaro, then maybe.. maybe Shuichi could save more lives from being sent as offerings in the future.

"Erm, Komaeda. I'm going to- um.." he glanced to the side. Munakata was out of sight. If he was going to do this, he needed to go now ! "I'm going to the w-washroom. I'll be back-" Shuichi lamely excused, already turning away and his feet started to move before his brain could make him change his own mind.

"W-Wait ! Miss Akamatsu...!" Nagito tried to stop the bride from running away, but it was too late. Shuichi was already out of sight.

Believe Shuichi when he said snooping around and following people wasn't a common habit he ever had. But he wouldn't be walking down this almost completely dark hallway, following a bloodthirsty vampire if Shuichi wasn't sure there was a chance he could figure out the secret behind the tradition and find some sort of way to finally put an end to it.

"C'mon... You're not scared of the dark anyway.." Shuichi murmured to himself, trying to get his hands to stop trembling. "Just.. Just scared of what's in it..." he added a little quieter to himself, his left hand stayed against the wall so he wouldn't get lost, while his right hand kept reached out to try and feel for some sort of... well... anything. Though touching Munukata in the dark didn't sound exactly pleasant .

* creeeeeak *

The sound of a floorboard creaking made Shuichi pause. Did he do that? He stopped walking to make sure. And it was silent for a minute, but when Shuichi heard that sound again, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

* creeeeak *

Shuichi immediately spun around, taking a step back as he did. "Who's there ..!?" He tried to call out, but his voice was barely above a whisper and when he stepped back, be bumped into something or someone—

"Rantaro Amami's bride: Kaede Akamatsu..." Kyosuke stated lowly, his hands grabbing both of Shuichi's shoulders and suddenly pinning him against the wall

"Ah-" Shuichi felt some throbbing pain in his back and head, but when he looked up and saw Kyosuke looking down at him with those glowing red eyes , it was like he was under a trance, and he couldn't look away. His entire body froze like it was trapped in eyes, his heart stopped, he was in the vampire's trance.

"That is... what Amami referred to you, isn't it?" Kyosuke asked, and before Shuichi could even process the question, his mouth moved on it's own.

"Yes."

Shuichi went pale as a sheet. That wasn't him! He.. he didn't mean to say anything.. right ? Why was his talking on his own !?

"And.. are you Kaede Akamatsu," Kyosuke retracted one of his hands from the other's shoulders and pinched Shuichi's chin, tilting his head higher back. "Rantaro Amami's vampire bride?"

Shuichi's eyes began to tear up; both from Munakata clawing his sharp nails into his shoulder and from his breaking his chin he was pinching it so tightly. But.. Shuichi couldn't answer that. He couldn't reveal the truth ! If he did. . .

"I.."

"Stop! Don't say it!"

"..am.."

"I'm so sorry.. Kaede..."

" .. not."

'•.¸¸.•´´¯'••._.• . •._.••'¯´´•.¸¸.•'