𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐄 𝐌𝐄

𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

Somewhere through the night, a figure darted silently across the rooftops, his movements swift and graceful, shadow trailing like a ghost behind him. He paused when he reached a familiar alleyway, the very one where he had first encountered the white-haired male. The memory of that moment was etched deeply in his mind. Back then, the male had been completely unaware of his presence, standing by a coffin, staring at it with an almost unsettling fascination.

In all the years he had walked the earth, he'd never come across a human quite like him. There was something unique about the boy—something mysterious. Perhaps it was the peculiar star-shaped scar that adorned his left eye, a mark that seemed to pulse with a significance the man couldn't quite place. The thought made him sigh.

Suddenly, his heightened senses alerted him to a presence encroaching on his territory.

"Come out, Road. I know you're there," he called out, his voice steady.

A light giggle echoed through the alleyway, followed by a figure emerging from the shadows. A girl with a mischievous grin, her eyes gleaming with an unsettling playfulness. She twirled a lock of her dark hair, her movements unhurried and deliberate as she approached.

"Tyki, Tyki, always so sharp," Road Kamelot teased, her voice a lilting melody in the night. "You never let me have any fun, do you?"

She glided closer, her gaze flickering briefly toward the spot where Allen had once stood, then back to Tyki. "So, what brings you back here? Missing your little human already?"

Tyki narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable. "That's none of your concern, Road."

She pouted mockingly, crossing her arms. "Oh, but it is interesting, isn't it? That scar on his face... the way he looked at your coffin." She paused, her smile widening. "I don't think he's just some ordinary human. Don't you feel it too? He's special."

Tyki's jaw tightened. He had been thinking the same thing, but hearing it from Road only made him more uneasy.

"You're meddling again," he said coolly, stepping forward. "What do you want?"

Road's laughter rang out like bells, echoing off the walls of the alley. "Oh, Tyki, I'm not meddling. I'm just curious. You seem interested in him, and that's rare for you. I just wonder what kind of game you're playing this time."

Tyki's golden eyes flickered with annoyance, but he didn't answer. Instead, he turned away, his gaze once again falling on the spot where Allen had stood.

"Stay out of this, Road," he warned, his voice low and dangerous. "Whatever's going on with that boy—it's my business."

Road tilted her head, her smile never faltering. "We'll see, dear Tyki. We'll see..." She took a step back, her form fading into the shadows once more.

"Just don't get too attached," her voice echoed one last time before disappearing into the night.

"..." Tyki stood still, his fists clenched at his sides. Road's words echoed relentlessly in his mind, gnawing at him in a way he hadn't expected. Don't get too attached.

The truth was, he already had. He couldn't deny it, not to himself. That white-haired boy, with his mysterious scar and strange fascination, had drawn him in like no one else ever had. There was something about Allen that unsettled him, made him feel... vulnerable. And that frustrated him to no end.

Why him? Tyki thought, teeth grinding together. He had lived for centuries and seen countless humans come and go, yet this one was different. He couldn't get the image of Allen's innocent gaze out of his head—the way he had stood there, unafraid of the coffin, unafraid of him.

His fists tightened as the weight of his predicament bore down on him. He was a vampire, bound by a life of cold detachment and shadows. Attachment was dangerous. It weakened him, and worse, it made him vulnerable.

"Damn it..." he muttered under his breath.

He hated being in this bind, hated the way his thoughts kept drifting back to Allen. It was a weakness he couldn't afford, especially not with Road watching so closely, waiting for him to slip.

With a deep breath, Tyki released his clenched fists and turned away from the alley. He needed to get his head straight, to remember who he was. He couldn't let himself get tangled up in feelings—especially not for a human. Yet, no matter how much he tried to push the thoughts away, he knew it was already too late.

———

Meanwhile, a certain girl skipped cheerfully through the dimly lit hallways, her footsteps echoing lightly against the cold stone floor. A mischievous grin stretched across her face as she reached a large, ominous door. Without hesitation, she shoved it open with a bang.

"I'm back~" Road sang, her voice dripping with glee.

"Welcome back, Road," came the smooth, deep voice from the shadows. The figure who spoke sat elegantly at the far end of the room, shrouded in darkness except for the faint glint of his round spectacles reflecting the dim light. His appearance was as unnerving as ever—an impossibly tall man with an almost grotesque air of playfulness. His lips were perpetually curved in a grin that was as unsettling and infectious, with his pale, skeletal frame seeming too frail to hold the immense power he commanded. He wore a black flamboyant coat adorned with intricate gold patterns, and his wide-brimmed hat only added to his eerie presence. This was the Earl Millennium, the twisted leader of their kind, and his aura filled the room with an almost suffocating sense of dread and amusement.

"I did what you asked me to do. And for the record, it hurts me seeing Tyki like that," Road said, her voice now tinged with sadness as she crossed her arms, her playful grin fading slightly.

The Earl simply chuckled, though there was no humour in his voice. "Ah, my dear Road, some things must be done for the greater plan. Tyki will understand... eventually."

Before Road could respond, another figure entered the room—a man with striking red hair and a solemn expression. His long coat swayed slightly as he moved, and the faint scent of tobacco lingered around him. He was known to many as Cross Marian, a man whose presence alone commanded respect and fear.

"It's for the best," Cross said quietly, his voice heavy with resignation. "Those two should never have crossed paths in the first place."

Road's eyes narrowed slightly, and her usual playful demeanour returned as she tilted her head toward Cross. "Or is it that you don't want them to follow the same path you did, hmm? Am I right, Cross?"

The red-haired man tensed, his jaw tightening at Road's words. There was no retort, no witty comeback. He merely stood there, silent, the weight of her accusation hanging in the air like a dark cloud. Road smirked, knowing she had hit a nerve.

"Well, whatever it is," she said, twirling a strand of her hair, "you can't stop fate."