Scarlet

5. Gloom

The next time Gouenji sat basking in the moonlight, his eyes were fixed at his door anticipating Kira's arrival. She had kept a lukewarm demeanor towards him days after the incident and he didn't know what to make of it. Now the conclusion depended on whether she would continue their regular meetings the same way or not.

He kept waiting for a while but eventually, his hope began waning and turned into gloominess.

Suddenly, she emerged out of the dark hallway and stood at the doorstep. Her expression still hadn't softened but Gouenji was happy that she at least showed up. He smiled and his eyes were once again brimming with hope. However, Kira didn't smile but walked in, pulled out the chair, and sat down on it, all without a word and maintaining her gaze on him.

"I was hoping you would come." He said after waiting for her to begin and she didn't.

"I wasn't sure if I wanted to so I went to the library instead and by chance I came across an old book about vampires. " She then brought forth the book and handed it to him, "Reading it made me realize that you are not to fault for your behaviour the other day."

Gouenji took it from her and studied the cover with wonder. "I didn't know we had this." He remarked in wonder. He began casually turning its pages as he asked her questions about it,

"Did you finish it?"

"Almost. "

"Does it say something about how to be around humans?"

"Not per se. That's to say there is no quick solution to this because it's not really a problem. What you did is in line with who you are." She stated matter-of-factly.

"So we wouldn't have a problem if you weren't human. " He commented and grinned mischievously to try to lighten the mood.

Kira raised her hand dismissively, "Don't bring that up again. It's out of the question." she answered promptly, making his grin disappear as quickly as it had appeared.

Having discussed this, she got up and made her way out.

"You're forgetting this." He extended the book towards her, "you said you still haven't finished it."

"You're the one who needs to read it more than me." She replied and then walked away.

...

The following day, in the afternoon , Kira took her sketchbook and drawing equipment and made her way towards the garden. As she was about to walk out Gouenji suddenly stopped her, startling her once again.

"Stop doing that!" She exclaimed as she gasped and then tried to catch her breath.

"I just want to let you know I did read the book. And I will learn a way to be around you and not lose control. "

"That's good. " She said plainly and would have walked past him but he caught her wrist.

"Are you still upset with me? Why won't you talk to me the way you used to?" He asked in a gloomy voice.

Kira then faced him, " I am not angry with you but you have to understand it will take me some time to make sense of everything. You cannot expect me to be alright with it all in a moment." She explained plainly and tried to walk away again.

"I understand but..." He moved after her and tried to reason more.

"Let me go now. " She got out of his hold and opened the front door and walked out.

But the next moment she had rushed back in as she heard Gouenji scream and cover his eyes as he fell down on the floor.

"Kira!! Close the door!!" He screamed as Kira witnessed a burn wound form on his hand and his cheek from the sunlight.

Kira dropped everything in her hand and quickly came back in and closed the door. She got down on the floor to check on him as he tossed and turned in pain. Seeing him that way she got scared and began crying.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't realise the sunlight would strike you. I am so sorry." She spoke in a distorted voice.

In the meantime, Mr. Watanabe came running to the scene and helped an almost unconscious Gouenji get up and reach his room as Kira followed them closely behind. As soon as Mr. Watanabe lay him down on his bed, he lost consciousness entirely. Seeing this, Kira began crying with a new fervour.

"Do not worry. Vampire wounds heal much quicker than those of humans. He should be alright by nighttime. " He paused, "But he might become weak in the process. He would need blood to heal faster and regain his strength. " He then looked at Kira with purposeful eyes and added, "The fresher the better. "

Kira had now stopped crying and was listening to him with attention. She understood what he was trying to hint at. She silently pondered over his proposition for a while after he left. She was trying to think of how she would go about doing that without having to change herself in the process.

Finally, when she reached a conclusion she wasted no time further and sprung to action. She brought the letter opener from the library and set it over her palm. She found herself hesitating a little at first but when she reminded herself why she was doing it she felt courage rise up in her and without looking, she made the cut across her palm in one quick motion.

She gasped in pain and slowly opened her tightly shut eyes to look at it. The gash was across her palm from one side to another and blood dripped effortlessly down her palm forming droplets that then fell on the floor.

She instantly approached Gouenji and extended her hand over his mouth. A few thick drops landed on his pursed lips. She stepped back and eagerly waited for something to happen. A moment later, his lips quivered a little and then he opened his mouth and licked his lips.

The next moment, he sat up at once as if jolting out of deep sleep. Kira jumped back, startled by the unexpected movement, and almost knocked over an hourglass. She quickly bandaged her wound so as to not let the scent of her blood spread more.

Gouenji turned to her in surprise. As Kira stared back at him with the same wonder, she could witness his hand healing and the big gash on his cheek closing up rapidly. She was stunned at the sight and she continued to stare , struck dumb.

"Kira? What did you give me?" He asked but then his eyes darted at the bandage on her hand and he understood.

"Did you...? Did you give me your own blood?" He wanted to hear it from her because he was having a hard time believing she did that.

"I heard it will help you heal faster. " She answered quietly.

"You didn't have to. I would have healed anyway. "

"Yes, yes I did. It was all my carelessness that hurt you so I had to do something to make you heal faster. I had to make it right. " She seemed on the verge of crying again.

"But your hand won't heal as fast as mine. " He reasoned as he looked with concern at the amount of bandage on her hand indicating it was a big wound.

"It's alright. I knew that. I don't mind. " She answered quietly again.

After her answer, she glanced up at him and found him looking at her with a gloomy, helpless expression.

"I wish I could hold you right now. But you know what would happen, especially now that you have a bleeding wound on your hand. " He replied. He then fell back on the pillow and sighed, " you should go now. " He had to say it despite wanting her to be with him because he knew that it was only about time that the fulfillment he had had from those few drops of blood would wear off.

"Again, I'm sorry. " Kira concluded and left without another word.