Chapter Text
When you live in an underground vampire city, your thoughts can sometimes become pessimistic.
And as Akane woke up that day, with sleep still grasping tight to her, not even her blurry, tired vision could hide the persisting fact that hid deep in the edge of her mind.
Another day in hell has begun.
But she could choose whether she would focus on the brimstone or the flames today.
And the lesser evil of today was the elaborate plan she had created that involved distracting Mika and Yuu extensively.
Of course, the problem was that she had to leave the house first.
Pushing herself forward, Akane left Ako to roll around on the floor, her heart beating as she looked at the rest of her family sleeping.
Ako was sleeping right beside her, and Taichi was further away, his snores floating up from the corner of the wall.
But her main targets, Chihiro, Kouta, and Fumie?
Gone.
Akane smiled at the empty gaps where their body would usually lay. Phase one of her plan was in action. Now, all she had to do was tiptoe out from the bedroom and meet up with the other kids without emitting a single sound.
She could do this.
Shifting all her weight on her arms, Akane lifted her body up from the floor. Each movement was slow and precise, calculated even, with absolute certainty that not a single wooden panel would creak.
As soon as she was up on her feet, Akane began the hard part: walking across the room.
Her first few steps were muted, with enough fortune on her side that even with her weight, her movements were silent.
Her hands were gripping on the staircases when she heard a clear voice tear apart the tension that had been carefully constructed.
“Where the hell are you going?”
Akane turned around, well aware of her failure hovering over her.
But maybe she could still salvage her plan.
“Oh, Yuu, I didn’t know you were awake.” Akane made sure there was a happy smile on her face.
Though, she couldn’t lie and say her smile was steady as the black-haired boy continued to glare at her.
“Bullshit. Where are you going?”
She was losing this battle, but she won’t give up without a fight.
“And why do you need to know? I didn't know you were the boss of this household.”
“Well, I am!”
Akane snorted at the audacity of it all.
Even though Yuu tried to come off as threatening, it wasn’t convincing as the boy’s arms and legs were currently wrapped around Mika’s sleeping body.
It was as if Yuu was a koala, and Mika was an excellent Eucalyptus tree.
Yuu’s cheeks were puffed up as he laid his head on Mika’s chest. “No one is allowed to leave this house without going through me!”
At this, Akane let out a quiet breath of relief. Yuu must not have known about the other kids sneaking out, or else he would have been throwing a worse tantrum.
But now, she had to absolutely make sure that he didn’t notice the others’ absences, or it will ruin everything.
“I’m just taking a quiet walk around the apartment. Aren’t I allowed to do that?”
“No!”
Akane stomped her feet. “What is wrong with you?!”
Ever since Yuu went out to find Mika, he had been excessively clingy. Mika, obviously, suffered the brunt of it, but the other orphans also had to deal with him hovering over their shoulders.
She tried to pry the truth out of him, but it was like trying to move a mountain. Yuu refused to budge.
Which only made his overprotectiveness more annoying.
“Yuu, you can’t keep me trapped in here! I’m going out.” Akane argued.
“No way, I’ll stop you!” And as Akane feared, Yuu started to climb out of the embrace.
She had to think fast before he saw that the others were gone!
But before she could come up with an excuse, a pale hand suddenly shot into the air, pulling Yuu back into Mika’s arms.
“Hey! What’s going on—“
“Yuu-chan, it’s too early to be making so much noise. Go back to sleep.” Mika didn’t bother to open his eyes, choosing to drag the boy back into their previous position.
“But she can’t leave!” Yuu protested, but his cries started to die down as Mika rolled around, ensuring that Yuu’s body was on top of his.
“Shush . . . Akane can do what she wants . . . Go back to sleep . . .” And just like that, Mika was back to snoring, with Yuu’s head rising up and down following his chest.
Even without sunlight, Akane could see the blossom of red permeated into Yuu’s cheeks.
“ . . . I guess you can go, but only for ten minutes. After that, I’ll start chasing after you!”
If Akane hadn’t made such an important plan that took almost a week for her to prepare, she would have kicked Yuu at that moment, overwhelmed with the jealousy and envy of him snuggling into her crush’s arms.
But she had to convince herself that she would have more opportunities to chase after the blonde later.
As she trudged out of the house, she forced herself to continue walking in the cold air, her mood worsening as the vicious wind bit into her skin.
She had told the others to meet up at the pavilion right in the middle of town, where it was easy to notice any peeping eyes.
But she hadn’t accounted for the fact that she would be the first one to arrive at their meeting spot.
She also didn’t account for the weather either, which was currently kicking her ass.
“You guys should hurry up! Seriously!” Her warm breath contrasted with the chilly air. Even though she was talking to the unwilling breeze, she still made sure her voice was loud enough to echo throughout the pavilion.
With no child in sight, she exhaled and pinched the bridge of her nose.
It looked like she would be waiting for a while.
“I’m ready, Akane.”
“Ohmygosh!” Akane jumped out of her skin, only to calm down when she realized it was just Fumie, who was still looking at her with disinterested brown eyes.
“Ah, you scared me, Fumie. You shouldn’t sneak up on me!” Akane started to giggle, but it slowly died off as Fumie continued to stare at her with those harsh eyes.
Fumie was always so intense, the energy that surrounded her was almost parasitic.
But still, the girl was doing her a favour, so she’ll at least try to make small talk.
“ . . . So, where are all the others? We don’t have that much time, you know?”
Right as she spoke, Chihiro rushed in, her breath harsh as she stumbled to a stop.
“ . . . I’m here, Akane!” Even Akane can see how fogged her glasses were.
The girl was quite literally running in blind.
“Alright,” Akane sighed. “That’s two out of three. I’m starting to lose hope that Kouta will come by.”
“Wait! Don’t start without me!”
Before Akane can turn around, a hard figure slammed into her, pushing her onto the ground.
As she coughed out dirt and rocks, she could hear the vague apologies spilling out of Kouta’s lips.
“Ah! I’m sorry, Akane! I lost track of time and I was running so fast, I thought I would stop myself on time!”
“It’s okay, Kouta . . . I’m not mad.” Akane waved him off.
She was actually pretty pissed off, but it wouldn’t do the boy any good to say that.
Especially with what they were about to do.
“Since everybody is here, I can explain the plan for today. Everyone is ready, right?”
Nobody bothered to answer her question as Fumie was too busy staring at her, Chihiro was too busy trying to clean her glasses, and Kouta was too busy picking up all the stuff that fell out of his bag from the collision.
Akane pursed her lips as she looked at the trio. This looked like a disaster waiting to happen.
“Can’t you guys at least pretend to be interested?”
“Don’t worry, we got this. I explore this town all the time. I know it like it’s the back of my head. Whatever you want us to get, I’m on it.” Kouta answered, resting his arms behind his head.
Akane raised a single brow. “But you haven’t been to the treasuries.”
That managed to arouse Fumie, her eyes widening from its unimpressed state.
“You said that we weren’t allowed to go to the treasuries.”
“Yeah!” Chihiro piped up. “It’s at the 2nd level, isn’t it? All the vampire patrols will be surrounding the place.”
“Usually, but guess who got the schedule for the patrol guards?” Akane waved the paper in their faces, a cheeky smile pasted on her face.
“That’s the actual schedule?! Let me see!”
Kouta reached to grab the paper, but Akane lifted her hand up, making sure he couldn’t snatch it away.
“Nuh-uh! You’re not getting this until I know you’re serious about this!”
“Then, what do you want us to do?” Fumie asked, her gaze still off-putting.
“You guys are just checking the place out. Mika said that the vampires are keeping food in the treasuries and I want to make sure that’s true. I also want to make sure this schedule is real too.” Akane folded her arms.
“But then,” Chihiro’s voice was timid, “How are we supposed to find all of that out if we can’t get too close?”
Akane eyed the boy next to her. “I bet Kouta, the expert explorer, has the answer to that.”
“Hell yeah, I do!” Kouta pumped his fist. But surprisingly, he asked his next question more calmly. “But why didn’t Mika and Yuu just do it? They’re the ones that came up with the plan, right?”
Akane chewed on her lip, darting her eyes to the side.
This was one question she wasn’t willing to answer.
If she told the kids why they weren’t involved, they might decide to abandon the whole project altogether.
Because the truth was, this was all an elaborate scheme to win Mika’s affections.
As Yuu had been consuming the blond’s time and affections, she knew she had to do something drastic to draw his eyes towards her.
If the kids could verify the schedule, then she could go down to the treasuries later and haul up enough food to last them for weeks.
Then, she would make such an amazing dinner that Mika would have to notice her! He wouldn’t help but compliment her bravery and cooking skills and beauty!
It was the perfect plan, and while all the other kids are out checking the schedule, she can focus better on competing with Yuu for Mika’s attention.
After all, with fewer kids to take care of, it meant more energy focused on being cute and adorable.
Akane could barely resist squealing; her plan was so amazing!
But she was sure that the other kids would not agree if she phrased it like that.
“Mika and Yuu are planning to go,” Akane’s smile was fake and chipper. “But they have done some much for us, I thought it would be nice if you guys helped them out instead. If we check out the area, that would make it safer when they actually go to the treasuries.”
Akane had no plans of letting Mika or Yuu near that area. Once the three kids had checked the place out, she would make some excuse up to the boys and go there herself.
“The treasuries sound so spooky,” Chihiro admitted. “But if it will help the family, I’ll go and do my best.”
“It sounds more fun to me! Finally, someplace new to check out!” Kouta was ecstatic, eyes gleaming at the thought of a new adventure.
Unlike the rest of her family, Fumie merely nodded.
“Okay, so look here,” Akane brought the kids closer, her finger slowly running down the map as she showed the different entrances and exits of the 2nd level.
It was almost exciting to her; she was the one coming up with the big ideas and plans instead of the older boys.
“So, you guys will enter the 2nd level through this tunnel. It’s pretty wide, and since it is higher than the rest of that section, you guys would have a clear view of the area.” Akane explained.
“Cool. That means we can see all the bloodsuckers easily, right?” Kouta asked.
“Yes, but don’t forget that they have better eyesight than us.” Akane reminded him. “Always stay on your feet. If you stop for a moment, that’s a chance for a vampire to snatch you up.”
“This seems really dangerous. Are you sure you want me to do this, Akane?” Chihiro shivered.
She was all up for helping her family, but this was out of her comfort zone. She wasn’t an adventurer like Kouta, or wise like Fumie.
Her talent lied in academics. She was smart, and she spent half of her time reading and studying.
That wasn’t exactly the type of person you would choose for a surveillance mission.
“Chihiro, if you don’t want to do this, you don’t have to. I know this type of stuff is scary, and you’re really young.” Akane's eyes were soft, and her arms were loose as if she anticipated a hug from the girl.
And Chihiro wanted to do that. She wanted to run into Akane’s arms and cry about the mean vampires that would try to kill them.
But as her eyes glanced over to Fumie, she couldn’t help but reject those wishes.
Unlike her, Fumie was completely calm, her eyes half-lidded yet so serious.
Fumie was only a few months younger than her, but her maturity was leap years away from hers.
It was a mix of admiration and envy, to become such an unshakeable person, that made Chihiro swallow her fears.
“No . . . I’ll do it.” Chihiro straightened her back, trying to imitate the steel spine she didn't have. “I want to help out.”
But she felt comforted when Akane gave her a hug anyway.
“You’re such a sweetie, Chi-chi. This means a lot to me.”
“If it means we can get better food, then I’ll go to the treasuries every day,” Kouta added.
But that only led Akane to narrow her eyes at the boy. “Food, food, food! Is that all you can think about?!”
But even with the threat of Akane’s wrath, Kouta was still cool as ever. “What else am I supposed to think about? Thinking about food is a lot better than being boy crazy like you.”
“I’M NOT BOY CRAZY!”
“Can we start going now? I want to make it back before curfew.” Fumie interrupted Akane’s tirade, as the girl gripped Kouta’s collar.
“ . . . Of course.” With a pleasant smile, Akane released the boy from her grip, watching as Kouta fell straight to the ground. “And don’t forget to take the back entrances. Remember that this is supposed to be a surprise for Mika and Yuu, so you can’t let them see you.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. We got it.” Kouta waved her off.
Before Akane could take the time to yell at him again, Chihiro grabbed Kouta’s and Fumie’s hands, dragging them as she set off to their mission.
“Bye, Akane! We’ll try our best!”
Chihiro watched as Akane waved them goodbye, the smile on her face growing fainter as the distance between them grew.
“This is so exhilarating. I’ve never been on such a big adventure before. What if we see vampires? Or what if some ghosts are hiding in the treasuries? I mean, ghosts don’t exist, but what if they do?” Chihiro rambled by Fumie’s side, with each step she took filled with energy.
“Just calm down, Chihiro. This isn’t such a big deal. We’re just checking the treasuries out.” Kouta replied.
But he froze in his steps as Chihiro quickly got in his face. “This isn’t a big deal for you, but I haven’t gone anywhere except for the library. So, it’s a huge deal for me!”
“Okay, Okay.” Kouta put his hands up. “I got it. You never left the library before, and this is your first ever adventure.”
“Now, I never said that—“
“Guys, we’re going to reach the 2nd level soon.” Fumie interrupted, her voice soft yet still unyielding. “So finish up your conversation because once we get there, we can’t say a word.”
Chihiro and Kouta’s mouths snapped shut with that statement, and together, the trio followed the paved street down to the 2nd level.
But while Kouta’s eyes were taking in the surroundings, all Chihiro could focus on was the stillness that Fumie exhibited.
It reminded her of the first time she had arrived at the orphanage. That was when she had met Fumie.
Of course, Mika had happily welcomed her into the family with open arms, but at school, it was different, as the rest of her family members were in different classes.
With her mousy demeanor and nerdy deposition, she was the prime candidate to be isolated.
Outcasted.
‘Othered’.
She couldn’t make a single friend, and she had to spend most of her lunch break eating in the classroom, with no one but her books by her side.
It didn’t take long for a target to form on her back.
“Uck!” Chihiro puttered as toilet water dropped from the top of her black bangs to her round baby chin.
“Look who has the potty mouth now? That’s what you get for snitching on me.” While the existence of her bully was the source of her nightmares at that age, time and perpetual chaos had scraped at the memory, until she couldn’t even recall his face.
But right then, as she was left alone to cry in that bathroom, she felt the emotion that many spent years penning poetry and crooning ballads about.
Loneliness.
It ached. It ate away at her conviction until all she could do was crumble beside the toilet seat.
“Why doesn't anyone like me?” She asked the empty air.
But somehow, she got a response anyway.
Breaking up the sounds of her muffled whimpers, a knock on the bathroom stall rang in the air.
“. . . Hello?”
Chihiro didn’t recognize the voice, but she wasn’t willing to take the risk of getting bullied twice in one day.
Holding her body as still as possible, Chihiro clamped her mouth shut, hoping to become as inconspicuous as the wind itself.
But the hope dwindled as the voice continued to speak.
“I know you’re in there. I could see your feet on the floor.”
Then, there was no hope for her. She might as well suck it up and pray that whatever fate that was waiting for her wasn’t as painful as being dunked in the toilet.
With her hands shaking from hesitation, Chihiro hooked her fingers through the lock, letting the stall screech open.
But right behind the door wasn’t a nameless bully, but a little girl in a bright blue uniform, with her long brown hair swimming over her shoulders.
“Aw, I came too late.” Even though her voice leaked sympathy, there was nothing in her expression that showed it.
Her dark umber eyes stared at her like she knew every single thing she was hiding. There was neither pain nor comfort in those eyes.
But the girl brought her hand out anyway.
“Well, I’ll try and clean you up. That is what family do.”
“ . . . Family?” Chihiro’s eyes were as bright as the stars.
“My name is Fumie.” Said girl was now holding onto her, lifting her up from such a pitiable state. “What’s yours?”
“My name . . . You’re asking for my name?” Chihiro could barely hear her own voice, but the little girl shifted closer to her, her hand covering her own.
Nobody had asked for her name since she had been there.
As soon as the teacher introduced her, her name became irrelevant, lost to the indifference of the other kids.
“Yeah, what’s your name?” But this girl was different. Her gaze wasn’t hateful or fake.
It was just . . . there, completely focused on her.
“ . . . It’s Chihiro.” And just like that, she found herself holding onto her hand.
It was warm.
Her hand was warm . . .
“Chihiro! Are you paying attention?”
And suddenly, Chihiro was brought out of her reverie as Kouta shook her arm.
“Sorry! I got lost in thought. What’s going on?”
“Shhh!” Kouta brought a finger to his lips. “We’re right at the entrance of the tunnel that’ll lead us straight to the 2nd level. We can’t make any sudden noises.”
Chihiro tilted her head, looking ahead to peer at the large, stone-cut tunnel that towered over them.
The size was dispiriting enough, and the deep-seated darkness that coated the entrance only pushed her heart further into despair.
“Are we really going in there?” She couldn’t help but ask.
“Of course. Any other path would make it easy for the patrols to catch us.” Kouta explained.
Fumie dug through her pockets, bringing out a cylindrical object.
“Akane gave us five candles to navigate the section with. I could light up the first one, so we don’t have to go through the tunnel blind.”
But Kouta shook his head.
“I don’t think we will meet any vampires right at the tunnel. Since the whole 2nd level is completely dark, we’re better off saving the candles.”
Chihiro gulped at the thought of roaming in the dark, but she recognized there was no other option.
If she wanted to be like the heroes in her book, she had to press forward, no matter the obstacle.
Still, the thought didn't stop the surprise she felt when Fumie intertwined her hand within hers.
“I don’t like the dark either, but we can get through it together.” As usual, there wasn’t a trace of fear on her face.
But Fumie wasn’t one for empty gestures, so her feelings had to be genuine.
Chihiro felt her spirits rise. “Of course!”
But before she could offer her hand to Kouta, the boy had already run off into the darkness, his voice echoing as he yelled “See you guys at the end!”
Chihiro couldn’t help but sigh. It seems Kouta was more used to this type of stuff than both of them.
But at the end of the day, he’ll be waiting for them, and she can’t disappoint him.
Taking a deep breath, Chihiro walked in the darkness with Fumie on her side, ready for anything that came in their paths.
It only took a few seconds of walking for the light from the adjacent lampposts to be snuffed out, surrounding them in an impermeable shadow.
Chihiro had no idea how Yuu could have gone looking for Mika in this darkness. She could close her eyes and open them and she wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in vision.
It was only Fumie’s hand that was an anchor to her environment.
It was the only thing that allowed her to recognize this as reality, and not some twisted nightmare she was lucid in.
After a few moments of walking, Chihiro felt her body bump into something solid.
“Oh no! Fumie, did you feel that?!”
“Chill, Chi. It’s just me.” Chihiro could feel Kouta’s Hans on her arm, slowing down the rapid way her heart slammed against her chest.
“Kouta, you scared me. I thought you were a guard.”
“If I was, you would have been caught right there! You’re kinda loud.”
Fumie’s voice, while quiet, was filled with iron. “You say that, yet you continue to talk.”
Chihiro could feel the air shake as Kouta waved his hands around. “You’re right! Here, just hold my hand, and we can all go to the treasuries together.”
With that, both girls followed Kouta’s lead as he walked through the dark shroud surrounding them.
Chihiro understood that Kouta was merely following the map that Akane had shown them, but it still astounded her how confident he was in his memory.
He was precise in his turns, never a second too late from colliding into the walls.
She almost felt like complimenting him, but she wasn’t willing to put herself in the path of Fumie’s ire.
As Kouta’s pace started to slow, she noticed how the dark shapes in her vision had morphed from the tall and imposing blocks into uniform darkness.
The landscape must have flattened out.
Plus, she was starting to feel the change in altitude, her stomach becoming lighter.
The only explanation was that they were getting close to the treasuries.
By now, Kouta was walking slow enough that his feet padded against the smooth ground without a single noise ringing out.
Fumie and Chihiro weren’t as skilled, but they followed the boy’s footsteps, slowing their stride down until their movements were muted.
Soon enough, Kouta’s hand suddenly shifted, as if he was in a lower position.
A second later, Chihiro felt herself moving downwards, following a rough set of stairs that descended into further darkness.
It was cruel to the mind, and for Kouta’s sake, Chihiro was glad that she and Fumie had accompanied him.
Their movements echoed in a way reminiscent of a cave.
With each thump that resounded in the darkness, the more Chihiro was convinced that they were heading further underground.
“Fumie, I think we should light one of those candles.” Kouta’s voice was low and cautious.
For a brief second, Chihiro could feel Fumie’s hand pull away from hers, and she started to panic.
But before it could become worse, the darkness was suddenly eased as Fumie lit the candle up, dousing the cave in a soft glow.
“This must be the entrance to the treasuries.” Chihiro’s mind was in awe as she looked around the widened mouth of the cave.
“This is why none of the vampires were worried about any kids coming in here. It’s way too dark.” Kouta exclaimed, relaxing enough to slump down on the rough cavern floors.
“Hey, look at this. It looks like there are some carvings on the wall.” Fumie ran her fingers through the rocky surface, feeling the carved symbols and arrows that adorned it.
“You think it’s for the vampires?” Kouta wondered.
But Fumie shook her head. “Their vision is good enough to see in the dark. Why would they need to carve into the walls?”
Chihiro bit her lip, thinking of any possible answers to that question. “Then maybe it was made by humans?”
“But no one has been to the treasuries. The whole town would have known about it.”
“Someone could be good at keeping quiet.” Chihiro followed the unorthodox shape chiseled into the cave walls.
“Thinking about this makes my head hurt,” Kouta complained as he rose up from the ground.
“Then, let's focus on what we came for: making sure that the schedule was correct,” Fumie swept her arms around the cave. As the flames on the candle shook with each whirl, none of the shadows creeping around revealed anything suspicious.
With this, Fumie folded her arms. “There are no guards. The schedule is correct. Let’s go.”
“Wait!” Chihiro called out.
At the sound of her voice, Fumie paused in her steps, her head tilted as if she was waiting for Chihiro’s explanation.
But the impulsiveness that made her call Fumie’s name wasn’t strong enough to make her enunciate the reason for it.
She already knew that Fumie would think it was a bad idea.
So she should just keep quiet, right?
“I know this seems stupid, but what if, we go inside the treasuries?”
Chihiro was never good at listening to herself.
Fumie quirked a single eyebrow at her. “Why would we do that?”
What could she say to her?
That she wanted to help Akane more? That she was sick of staying in the same old room in their house, reading the same old books while the other kids were risking their lives? That she felt like she could do anything while she had Fumie by her side, so she might as well?
Everything except the first reason sounded illogical and idiotic. It was further proof that she should just swallow the idea down in her throat.
Why was she trying to become the hero?
But something in her wouldn’t let sleeping dogs lie. “Akane is relying on us to help her! We can’t just let her down.”
“If we go deeper inside, we can check out all the stuff that might be in there! Maybe we can even bring some for the house.”
“Akane told us that we’re only checking the entrance out. Only the entrance.” Fumie emphasized.
Yet, Kouta was eager to interrupt. “But Chi’s right. What if there’s nothing inside there? Then everyone’s time would be wasted. We have to go inside!”
“You just want to go because you’re bored!” Fumie’s voice was accusatory.
“More like it’s because I’m hungry. We hadn’t had a good supper in weeks. Why should we wait another night if we can change that today?”
“ . . . You really do think with your stomach, Kouta.”
“Despite that,” Chihiro argued, “I still think we should go inside there. We made it this far, why should we still be afraid?”
Fumie stomped over to the girl, her glare intense. “We made it this far because of luck. Let’s not push it.”
“But that’s more of a reason we should go. This might be the most luck we’re gonna get. Let’s use it to our advantage and grab some stuff!”
Sensing the tension rising, Kouta walked over to Fumie, putting his hand on her shoulder.
“Fumie, why don’t you just go back home then? You can tell Akane that the patrolling schedule is right. Chihiro and I will haul some food out of here while you’re doing that.”
But Fumie shook him off. “Splitting up is an even worse idea. I’m not leaving you two alone here!”
“Then you’ll have to stay with us.” Chihiro made her mind. “Because Kouta and I aren’t leaving.”
For the first time today, Fumie actually started to look angry. “I can’t believe you guys! We don’t have time for this! We need to get out before we get caught by the—“
“Wait, do you guys hear that?” Kouta interrupted.
Chihiro wasn’t sure what Kouta was talking about until she heard it herself.
The faint, rhythmic tapping echoing throughout the caves.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.
It grew louder, like a footstep, edging closer to the entrance of the caves.
Footsteps . . . That kind of noise could only be made with boots.
With that realization, Chihiro’s blood ran cold.
None of the orphans have boots.
Chihiro’s declaration was cold and quiet. “Vampire.”
Kouta’s head swiveled around. “There’s no way! The schedule said that they weren’t coming for the next twenty minutes!”
“None of us have been keeping track of the time!” Fumie rebutted.
“What do we do?! What do we do?! What do we do?! What do we do?! What do we—“
“Chi, calm down!” Kouta grabbed the girl’s shoulders. “We’ll just have to go deeper into the caves. Maybe there is another tunnel we can use instead.”
“Then stop standing around and let’s find it!” With a harsh shove, Chihiro sunk into the coalescing darkness.
“Fumie, wait! The candle! The guard is going to know that we’re here!”
But Kouta ran by her side, his head shaking. “It’s too late now, we just have to find an exit from some other tunnel.
As all three orphans ran through the tunnels, their mind was slowly overwhelmed by the ever constant footsteps haunting their movements.
Chihiro could feel her heart start to burn in her chest. With each second, the blood in her legs began to replace itself with lead. Her breathing became harsh, her mouth started to dry, and her eyes began to water as she flailed through the dark tunnels.
She wasn’t as athletic as the others, preferring to spend her time studying.
But at that moment, when she felt death brushing its gruesome fingers on her back, she cursed every second she spent on those books.
Because in the end, it didn’t save her.
In the end, it only led to her demise.
As Chihiro started to slow, Fumie turned around, a curse leaving her lips.
“Kouta, Chi-chi, let’s hide in there! We’re not going to outrun them.”
Kouta nodded his head, not willing to speak. On the other hand, Chihiro could only nod, as there was no air left in her cracked lungs.
Dragging Chihiro forward, Fumie and Kouta slid down an opening, steering away from the smooth path to take a detour.
Thinking quick, Fumie pushed both of them against the walls, covering both of their mouths with her hands.
Chihiro was a second from tearing her hand off, from breathing in that precious gulp of air, when those haunting footsteps suddenly echoed in front of them.
Without any candles, it was impossible to see the monster strolling about.
She could only depend on those footsteps as they thudded right beside their hiding spot.
But, as if the universe strived to prove her wrong, the footsteps suddenly stopped.
Even though Fumie was muffling her breathing, she couldn’t slow the way her heart was pounding against her body.
Her eyes glistened with a fright that only a prey would experience.
She was the rabbit, trembling and shaking in its little burrow, waiting for its demise at the claws of the wolf.
Every second that her heart crashed against her ribcage, it rang out like a siren summoning her executioner.
She was going to die.
The footsteps were gone.
She was going to die.
The footsteps were gone.
She was about to die.
The footsteps . . . came back?
Chihiro could only blink away the tears, listening as the sounds of heavy boots slapping against the rocky floor slowly faded into silence.
“I think . . . he’s gone.” Fumie finally spoke up after the several minutes they spent in silence.
“Fumie, light up another candle. Maybe there is a way out of this ditch.” Kouta sighed, his heart finally slowing from its racing pace.
Within seconds, the cave was lit in a warm glow, illuminating their surroundings. As Fumie moved the candle around, she started to notice the bleakness in their situation.
“That’s where we entered this ditch from, right? It looks way higher than I thought it was.” Kouta peered up at the small opening at the very top of the cavern.
It didn’t take a genius to notice it. “The walls are too steep to climb back up there! We’re stuck!”
Chihiro groaned as she banged her head against the wall.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
She should have just listened to Fumie instead.
Before she could slam her forehead against the wall a fifth time, Fumie’s hand intercepted her path.
“. . . What are you doing?”
“I’m thinking of how stupid my plan was, and how I should have just listened to you as always.” Chihiro lamented.
But Fumie pulled her shoulder gently, steering her away from the walls.
“If we had gone with my plan, we would have been caught earlier by that bloodsucker. Your plan was kind of stupid, but it did save our lives.”
“It’s not a stupid plan if it saved our lives,” Kouta responded as he relaxed on the cavern floors.
“But now we’re stuck here!” Chihiro yelled as she glared at the two. “What if we can’t find a way out, and no one ever finds us?”
“We’ll get out eventually. What we need to worry about is coming back before curfew. I don’t want to get in trouble with Akane.” Fumie responded.
“If that’s the case,” Kouta jumped to his feet, his mouth stretched in a huge yawn as he shook his arms and legs. “Then we’ll just have to keep moving.”
“Should we really do that? What if we get lost?”
“We’re already lost.”
“What if we get more lost? At least if we stay here, we can wait for Akane and the others to rescue us.”
“Nah,” Kouta shook his head. “That’s too boring. You guys can stay here. But I’m going to check this place out.”
Chihiro watched as Kouta’s back gradually disappeared into the darkness.
On her other side, Fumie was facing the wall, her facade as stony as the walls they were enclosed in.
“Fumie, aren’t you going to go after Kouta?” Chihiro asked.
But the girl refused to break her gaze with the wall.
“It’s not my job to handle idiots.”
Chihiro watched as Fumie’s gaze continued to fixate on the walls, her eyes refusing to deviate from their target.
Meanwhile, Kouta’s footsteps were starting to fade out.
She felt caught in the middle, battling between the idealism and rationalism of both of her family.
Chihiro knew that staying still was the best option if they wanted to be rescued; every single book on safety has informed her of that fact.
But the part of her that wasn’t just cold facts resented such an idea.
Sitting around, waiting for someone to rescue them; those strategies were for damsels in distress that never had the agency to think for themselves.
Only a fool would go exploring in the enemy’s territory, a voice whispered to her.
Only a coward would stay rooted in the enemy’s territory, another voice argued.
Was she a fool or a coward?
“Fumie, is it really a good idea to stay here? I mean, even if the rest of our family comes here to find us, how will they know where to look for us?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Even as Fumie was sitting down, she still managed to look down on her. “That 1st candle I lit is still burning in the cave. All they have to do is follow the light, and they would find the ditch here.”
“But what about the vampire?”
Fumie’s eyes darkened until they were the same color as the shadows dancing around them. “They can’t reach us down here, and they won’t bother wasting their time to try. Our bodies could rot, and they would care more about the stench than anything.”
It was times like this, when that undercurrent of darkness hid behind Fumie’s voice, that Chihiro wondered if she really knew the girl.
But she didn’t want to stay there, not while she suffocated under the plumes of hatred that Fumie exuded.
Chihiro straightened her back. “Fumie, I’m going to follow Kouta. You can stay here.”
“Okay,” Fumie waved her off. “Have fun.”
“Alright,” Chihiro took one step backward, her voice wobbly. “I’m leaving now.”
“I heard the first time.”
“I’m going, going, going . . .”
“That’s nice.”
“I’m serious, Fumie. Soon, you’re not going to hear my voice, because I’ll be gone.”
“That’s how distance works.”
“. . .”
“Fumie!”
Chihiro ran back to Fumie’s side, latching her hands onto the girl’s shoulders.
“Fumie, you can’t just stay here! Come on! Stop being stubborn.”
“You’re the one who can’t make up their mind. I’m just trying to follow Akane’s instructions.” Fumie pointed out.
“I know!” Chihiro’s voice racketed off the walls, the pitch high enough that Fumie couldn’t help but rub her ears. “I know. I’m being really indecisive right now. But I know that we should stick together. So please can you just follow Kouta so we can find another tunnel?”
“Chi-chi . . .”
“Pretty please? For me?”
“Ugh,” Fumie rolled her eyes so hard it went into the back of her skull. “Fine! But I’m leaving a candle here so we won’t lose our place.”
“That’s great! Come on, let’s go before we lose sight of him.” Chihiro grabbed Fumie’s arm, pulling her down the tunnel she saw Kouta wander through.
As the light faded from their sight, Chihiro slowed their pace, listening to the sound of Kouta’s mutters.
“. . . . steps . . . indentations . . . tracks . . .”
“We’re catching up to Kouta, I think.” Chihiro emptied her thoughts out into the air, not particularly sure that Fumie would answer.
But then, far out in the edge of her vision, she caught the long tendrils of darkness scurrying away from the horizon.
“Is that—I can’t believe him!”
And just like that, Fumie grabbed Chihiro’s wrist, dashing off deeper into the cave.
As they got closer, the phenomenon revealed itself to the girls.
Light.
Fumie skidded as she caught up to Kouta, controlling her momentum enough to stop within an inch of the boy, pointing a crooked finger at the candle in his hands.
“You swiped a candle from me.” There was no question in Fumie’s voice.
“It’s not like you were going to use it. If I’m going to find the treasuries, I’m going to need some light.” Kouta argued.
Chihiro stood in place as she watched the two glare at each other. She knew that she should stop them, but it was like she was stuck as a spectator, watching as her family fought with bitter words and sharp voices.
“You wouldn’t need light if you had just stayed back at that ditch and waited for the others.”
“Sorry if I don’t think waiting until we’re old and ugly is such a good idea.”
“You’re so irritating! I’m trying to think of a way of getting out of here, but all you want to do is explore.” Frustration flared in her voice.
Kouta ground his teeth.“You always think you’re better than everyone. I’m trying to help us out too! We’re already in danger, so we should gather some food in the process so no one else would have to suffer through this again!”
“Guys, come on. We should just get going.”
But like the smoke from a flame, Chihiro’s pleads dissolved into the wind.
“If you had listened to me in the first place, we would be halfway home by now. Aren’t you the older one? Why can’t you act like it?!”
“I am acting like it! If I’m the older one, shouldn’t you listen to me?! You never listen to anyone!”
“Because no one ever listens to me!”
Chihiro couldn’t take it anymore. “Stop arguing!”
She flew right in the middle of the two, flailing her arms to separate them.
“Ouch!”
“The candle!”
In all of Chihiro’s flailing, her hand flew against Kouta’s, knocking the candle into the wall.
With the crack of the light, the cave returned to its state of darkness.
“It’s not broken, is it?” There was a hint of worry in Fumie’s voice.
“Worse,” Kouta sighed. “It smashed into pieces.”
They could only hear the scratching of dirt and rocks as Kouta picked off the pieces of wax off from the floor.
“ . . . But candles shouldn’t break like that . . .” Chihiro could barely breathe from the guilt pressing down on her chest.
“They aren’t good ones, just like all the rest of the junk in this city!” Kouta flung the remains back at the wall, the crumbling of wax echoing throughout the cave.
“How many candles do we have left, Fumie?” Chihiro’s whisper only added to the tension thickening in the air.
“Two left.”
“Okay,” Kouta refused to let his voice shake. “Okay. We already lost enough time arguing. Let’s just keep going.”
“Fumie?” Chihiro glanced around the girl, but she couldn’t see those expressionless eyes. She couldn’t tell whether she was happy, or sad, or angry. Only her voice held the truth behind her emotions.
But Fumie had turned her back on them, her voice silent.
“Fumie,” Kouta was pleading now. “Fumie, come on. I’m listening to you now.”
“ . . . This is a dumb plan. But we can’t go back to the ditch without a candle lit anyway.” Fumie sighed.
“Okay, then how about this! We’ll take Kouta’s lead and grab some stuff from the treasuries. Once we’ve got everything we could possibly carry, we’ll go back to the ditch and wait for the patrol guard to leave. I think that’s a good compromise.” Chihiro wrung her hands, desperately hoping her suggestion would break the tension still brewing.
“I’m fine with that. Fumie, are you on board?”
Fumie didn’t bother to reply. Instead, she stepped closer to Kouta, grabbing his hand to drop one of the candles into his palm.
“Lead the way, Kouta.”
And just like that, the candle was lit up, though Chihiro could have sworn Kouta’s smile was brighter.
It was dark.
It was not the usual darkness where a candle would relieve such an issue; he could feel how the shadows left imprints on his skin.
He stood up from the dingy blanket laid across the floor, reaching for the cursed weapon stashed in his holster.
Gone.
As he patted himself down, he realized that he was stripped of all his weapons, left in a state of vulnerability that would make him easy pickings for a horseman.
But despair was not an option. After all, he is a soldier of JIDA.
Despite his lack of weapons, it seemed like whoever owned this house was hospitable.
A quick glance at his surroundings showed that the house has existed for at least a decade. The wallpaper was dated, only found in old interior design magazines.
Besides, it was cracked and discolored, suggesting its deterioration.
With a second glance, he could confirm that the rest of the furniture was in that state as well.
It seems he had been sleeping in the common room of this house. He could see the brown table that would be in the center of the room had been pushed aside to the wall.
The floors, while tiled, cracked with each step from his military boots.
The soldier laid a gloved finger on the rim of the table, surprised to see the brown smudge on the fabric.
Despite this table being moved for his stay, it had already started to accumulate dust.
This observance would only be seen if the apartment was situated in desert terrain.
But as he breathed in the cold air, he knew that there was too much moisture for that to be the case.
Staying in the living room wouldn’t yield any answers, so he stalked through the hallway, his eyes following the panels on the walls.
As he started to approach the door that would lead to the entrance, his eyes focused on the small body lying against it.
A further look revealed that it was a young child, their breaths harsh as they leaned against the door for support.
He was never good at calming children down, but as there were no other adults around, he decided he would have to do it anyway.
“Hey, are you alright?” His voice was gruff and held none of the calming aura that his training videos had called for.
Despite that, his voice was enough to bring life into the child’s eyes.
“You’re alive?! I tho-thought you wouldn’t make it. All of the vampires said that there were no humans left, so I-I didn’t have that much hope—“
He put a strong hand down on her shoulder, interrupting her ramble. “The vampires lied, kid. There are plenty of humans around, and they’re still fighting.”
But the young child shook her head. “But I saw it! I saw all the dead bodies and the fires! How can anyone survive that?!”
The soldier sighed as he stood up from his squat, his eyes half-lidded as he looked around the room.
“This place is pretty empty, isn’t it? You guys have to have a pen or paper, somewhere, right?”
As he started to scour through the cupboards nearby, he heard the child unleash a dreadful cough filled with phlegm and disease.
“You know, it’s common courtesy to cover your mouth before you cough. Don’t want the rest of it getting what you have.”
“Don’t ignore my questions! How did all the humans survive?” Her voice was rougher than it should be, indicating disuse.
As he glanced at the irate child, he noticed her cheekbones protruding out and the rips and tears on her unorthodox uniform.
Judging from how she could easily move, it was less from disease and more from malnutrition, although if she didn’t get food soon, she would be suffering from both ailments.
As he eyed a book hiding deep inside the cupboard, he rifled through the pages. “Did you know that cockroaches could survive a nuclear blast?”
“So? We’re not cockroaches.”
The smirk on the soldier’s lips was filled with hubris. “You’re right. We’re nastier.”
As he started to rip a blank page from the books, he was surprised to see the girl had enough energy to protest his actions.
“What are you doing?! You can’t destroy that!”
“Calm down, kid. I’m just taking a blank page. But if you want to stay in this dump, you can complain all you want.”
The rage burning through her flesh dissipated as she started to digest his words. “If I want to stay? What are you saying?”
After ransacking a nearby desk, the soldier’s face was considerably lighter as he twirled a pen in his hand. “I’m saying that I’m getting every child stuck in this hole out of here. It’ll take some reconnaissance, that’s for sure, but with enough time and information, the army will be able to take over Sanguinem.”
“Wait, how did you know where we were? I never mentioned it.”
“The uniform was a big clue. But anyone can see that you haven’t gotten a good meal despite the large apartment you’re living in. If you were being held hostage by human forces, they would be prioritizing food over shelter.”
As the soldier took a deep breath, he could sense the artificial stench in the atmosphere. Despite the underground conditions, the bloodsuckers must have manipulated their air until it was almost a perfect copy of the outside world.
It was disgusting, that they paid attention to the atmospheric ratios to such a ridiculous extent, all while the children they were feeding off lived in empty homes.
He could only grit his teeth at the injustice of it all.
“Hey kid,” He snapped a few times in front of her face, eliciting a scowl. “What’s your name?”
Not even the bitterness laced in her voice could hide the fact that her scowl looked more like a pout. “Choi.”
Choi. It wasn’t a Japanese name, so she had to be foreign. Most likely, Korean.
The soldier raised a single eyebrow. “Is that a first name?”
“No, and you’re not going to get one!”
The soldier couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re a funny kid. Is that how you treat the guy that is trying to save you?”
As the child started to blubber around, he took in a deep breath, relaxing on the tiled floors.
“It doesn’t matter to me, you can call me Arai. I could ask for you to address me with respect but I don’t think you’re capable of it.”
At this point, the girl was definitely pouting, her face red with indignation. “You’re not getting any respect from me. It’s not like you gave me your first name!”
Arai straightened the paper, shaking the pen hard enough for black, blotchy ink to leak out. “Yep, and you’re not going to get one either.”
“You can’t use my own words!”
In a few seconds, he had already filled half of the page with meaningless pleasantries and greetings. “I didn’t know there was a word police.”
“This is a waste of time! You can have fun writing! I’m going to take a nap!” With that, the girl stomped out of the room, her footsteps echoing in the house.
In the back corners of his mind, he registered that the apartment was too huge for only one girl to reside in it, but that was another issue he could tackle.
Right now, he had to find a way to deliver this letter without any of the vampires in the city noticing.
As he wrote the finishing touches to the report, he held it to the faint light coming out from the window.
He still remembered the conversation like it was yesterday.
The sun had just set, warming the city of Shibuya with a soft orange glow.
His patrol guard shift had ended, and he was focused on recuperating from his injuries.
The shock of seeing the lieutenant commander at his dormitory almost killed him.
“I see it was an easy day for you, Arai.” The lieutenant had locked the door immediately after he came in.
With those lavender eyes narrowed, he systematically swiped at the corners of his room with his palm.
“Don’t mind me. Just trying to make sure our conversation is private.” Right between the lieutenant’s fingers were four electronic bugs.
He hadn’t even thought there were listening devices rigged in his room.
Without hesitation, the lieutenant crunched them into little pieces, watching as wires and mechanical bits fell to the floor.
Immediately, Arai stood up straight. “Whatever mission you have for me, sir, I’m ready for it.”
“How are you sure I have a mission for you? Maybe I just wanted to talk about the weather.” The lieutenant pulled up a chair with ease.
“As soon as you came in, you locked the door.” Arai pointed out. “And you didn’t hesitate to destroy the listening bugs that the army must have set up. We have also never spoken personally, so to address me with so much familiarity must indicate your intent to either to punish me or to assign me.”
“Oh?” The lieutenant leaned in with a smile. “And how did you know I wasn’t punishing you?”
That smile was infectious, and Arai could feel the edges of his lips turning as well. “You wouldn’t have needed to lock the door. Public punishment is a great deterrent to bad behavior.”
“If even a tenth of my soldiers were as smart as you, we would have won the war.” The lieutenant leaned back, his eyes focused on the white ceiling.
Arai fidgeted with his white gloves, pulling them so slightly that his fingers could wriggle in the space left in the fabric. “I was trained by a good man, after all.”
“My father.”
“Yes, sir. My condolences.”
The lieutenant waved him off. “It’s been years since that happened.”
“Even so, sir. Such a loss in this world should be mourned for as long as the sun shines bright.”
“As long as the sun shines bright, huh?” There was a wistful tone to the lieutenant’s voice, something he couldn’t quite decipher.
But in a second, the atmosphere darkened as the lieutenant sat straight and narrowed his focus on him.
“You’re right that I have a mission for you. It will be one of the most difficult missions in your life. There is a high chance you won’t make it out alive. Even with that, it will take you years to complete this mission. You’ll be alone and may never see your friends or family again.”
“I accept.”
The lieutenant blinked, then narrowed his eyes as he gave him a wry smile. “You haven’t even heard the rest of the details. Are you suicidal, soldier?”
Arai slipped his gloves back on. “No, but I already know that I’m the best man for this mission. If this mission is risky, then you need a man that is good enough to do the job, but mediocre enough that he can easily be replaced.”
“Good but mediocre? Some people would say that is a paradox.” The lieutenant leaned forward, interest evident in his face.
“Maybe,” Arai admitted. “But in this situation, it fits. I’m older than most soldiers, so I have experience. But my skill with cursed weapons is poor enough that I’m relegated to patrol duty. That fits the category for ‘expendable’.”
Even as he was confident in his analysis, the lieutenant still stared him down, with an intensity that made the older man uneasy.
“Very well. You’ll be going on your mission in the upcoming weeks. Prepare however you need to.” The lieutenant sighed as he started to stand.
Arai tilted his head in confusion. “There isn’t a mission folder?”
The lieutenant opened the door, his hand still holding tight to the handle. “This mission is atypical. You’ll get more details once the mission has started. Be sure to contact me as soon as it commenced. I’ll be the only military personnel you’ll address.”
Arai watched as the lieutenant closed the door to his dormitory, lavender eyes still hovering over him.
He hadn’t understood the secrecy shrouding the mission at that moment, but as he stood there now, clutching the report of the underground vampire kingdom, he realized its necessity.
Whatever the lieutenant had him do, he would accomplish it no matter what. Even if death was certain.
But for now, he’ll explore the city. His first priority was getting in contact with the lieutenant, and not even the ever-present darkness could stop him.
As he dusted off his black pants, examining the layout of the apartment, he recalled the explicit command the lieutenant had given him.
“I’ll be the only military personnel you’ll address.”
He could do that.
After all, he was only loyal to the Ichinose family.