I N N O C E N C E (Shu Sakamaki)

Chapter 9

Manami snapped out of her thoughts as Kanato's dissatisfied face looked at her sitting figure.

"You fainted out of nowhere." He explained, his eyebrows furrowed. "Manami, you got me and Teddy extremely worried."

She looked up at the squatting boy, as the memories which washed over her, were now gone like the wind.

"Please excuse me for my rudeness."

Kanato looked at the girl's same emotionless expression, which irritated him so much, yet, he didn't know why. Without another word, he placed a hand on top of her head, looking away.

"I heard humans like intimate contact." Kanato said, his expression bored. "I don't like my prey looking so devastated for something which isn't me."

"You don't have to comfort me... I'm not upset."

"Shut up," he said, his voice like a child's, "I decide what I want to do with you."

"I will take that as you asking for it."

"What are you-"

She grabbed his hand and pulled him down to sit beside her, plopping his head down on top of her knees, acting as a pillow.

"Relax." She said, as the tension from his body dissipates as she stroked his hair.

"Don't order me around, you lousy mortal!"

"Incredible..." She hummed, her eyebrows slightly raised but her lips in a thin line. "Vampires have indeed got the lucky genes. Your hair is unbearably silky."

Kanato listened obediently, even though he didn't know why.

"These dolls," she almost whispered, looking around herself, "they are human brides from before, right?"

Kanato nodded in response.

"I see." Manami looked down at the boy which laid in her lap. "I always found your hair to be quite unique in comparison to your brothers. Its tint is like nothing I'd ever seen."

"They resemble my mother's." He proudly said as Manami scoffed mockingly.

"I bet you are really happy about that."

"I killed my mother." He said, watching her face in anticipation of shock or fear, but she only looked at him with the same expression as always.

"I did too." She responded, stroking his hair.

"I burned her."

"I stabbed her." Manami shot back. "I wonder, which one of us is better."

"Why did you stab your mother?" Kanato asked, a grin on his face. "Was she also neglecting you?"

"She was simply crazy." Manami responded, refusing to remember that day. "How about you, if you don't mind me asking, that is?"

"Ayato, Laito and I all killed our mother." His face was serious, as he looked to the side. "I loved her so much that I decided that it's better if she is dead. I really am a loving son."

"You are." Manami answered, looking up. "If you ended your mother's prolonged suffering, then you sure have done something good."

She said that, but her eyes stayed a tad bit closed for longer than usual.

Kanato's mind went berserk at her statement, as the flashbacks of his mother and all the moment he spent with her, came rushing back. Indeed, he thought to himself, I did end her suffering.

"My mother used to love my singing." He said, twirling Manami's hair on his finger. "She said it aroused her."

"Is that so?" She nodded in response. "Your mother sounds like a one interesting woman, but I don't doubt that you have a beautiful singing voice. Like a songbird."