The door opened, and there he was. Laying on the bed, in the same position as always. I don't get to visit him often enough. I feel so sorry for him, all alone in here most of the time. His hand broken that way. Why him, of all people? Why did it have to be the one who had the most invested in his hand? The worst part for me is that there's nothing I can do to help him.

I step forward, calling his name softly. He turns and smiles at me, keeping his eyes closed. He turns back to the window and speaks to me, asking me to do something. "Hitomi, could you close the curtains please? The sun is too bright."

Bowing politely, I step around his bed and draw the curtains shut. "Is that better?"

"Yes, thank you." I haven't seen him in months. I came here wanting to tell him how I felt, but I don't think I can go through with it. He opened his eyes and looked up at me. "Thank you... Hitomi."

I think I blushed. Stop it, Hitomi. No blushing. And say something for the love of all that's lovable. "Do you... want to listen to some music?" Sayaka brings him music all the time. That's a good idea, right?

He smiled, or rather didn't stop smiling. "Actually, come to think of it... had you asked me that just yesterday I might have declined. Listening to music just... used to remind me of what I would never have again. Sayaka... she would bring in rare pieces for us to listen to together. To be honest, I was afraid I was going to snap at her about it if this kept up."

Oh... poor Sayaka. I think I can sympathize. "Well, then would you like some tea?" He made a face. Does he not like tea? I thought he did.

"Well, see, like I said, that was yesterday. I would like to listen to some music now. I think everything is going to be alright. And no, I don't think I could take some tea right now."

So no tea, but we're going to listen to music together. And he's happy, so that's good. We decided on one of the recordings Sayaka got for him, a beautiful rendition of Ave Maria performed on a solo violin. I had to lean in close to him so we could share the earphones. I was already blushing from being so close, but then I noticed he was watching me.

Then he spoke. "Hitomi... you look like an angel." I could feel my face warm with color. His eyes just burrowed into mine, sparkling red... were they always that color? He reached up around my neck and pulled me closer, and I should have known something was wrong. "Let's be devils together."

He pulled me in, biting into my neck. I tried to scream, but his hand clamped over my mouth. I felt blood running down my neck. Suddenly, he pushed me away again. I staggered back, holding my hand to my neck. Oh my God, he bit me! I can't believe he... his face is covered in my blood. He looks like a monster now. Why... why did it have to be him?

I fell to my knees, then onto my face. I blacked out.

When I woke up again, our positions had been reversed. He was standing over me, smiling down at me with those horrible red eyes. He had cleaned his face up at least, but I couldn't look at him without seeing that image of him covered in my own blood. How could he do this? Why would he do this to me?

He held up a small mirror. What does he want me to see? Has he mutilated me too now? I don't want to see this. I don't... I'm... still me. My reflection... my neck is fine. There's no blood. Even the wound is gone. Did it never actually happen? Was it just some horrible dream? No. No it wasn't a dream. His eyes are still that awful red color, and... oh no. No. No no no no no. My eyes! My eyes are that dreadful color too! They're red! He has done something to me!

He handed me the mirror, then turned and walked away. It was an awful sight, but I couldn't stop staring at my reflection. I looked like some kind of fiend because of those... those damn eyes. I wanted to gouge them out. I don't want to be like him. Whatever changed his eyes made him act this way, and now he's infected me with it too.

He walked back to the bed, carrying a tray with two teacups on it. He set it down on a small table beside the bed and handed one of the cups to me. "Here. You'll feel better after you drink this."

The drink was a thick red liquid, and I doubted it was tea. It smelled coppery, but strangely that made me want to drink it. I sipped politely from the cup, hoping that maybe by some stretch of the imagination I could believe that this would make my eyes go back to normal. It was sticky going down my throat, but I managed it.

Then it hit me, and I dropped the cup. I started coughing trying to force the liquid out of my body. I didn't want to drink it. I couldn't. It was horrid. He was serving me blood! What's come over him?

"Hitomi, don't make a mess." He placed the spilled cup back on the tray and started cleaning up the blood. "And don't waste the drink. You need your strength."

"Why..." I cleared my throat, still trying to maintain some semblance of decency. "Why are you doing this? What did you do to me?"

He just looked up at me innocently, smiling. "I had to bring you with me. I didn't want to be alone and... well... you're perfect company. We're vampires now, Hitomi. We'll live forever, and we can spend eternity together."

Vampires? What? Why? How? Is that even possible? ...my eyes have changed. Maybe he's right. His hand looks healed too now. I don't want to drink people's blood, but we are in a hospital. What he's offering me probably just came from a bag. I can't do this. Or can I? But I shouldn't. Should I? No, I won't.

Will I?

I will. "Yes, Kyousuke. Let's be together."