Chapter 2


It was early evening when she finally regained consciousness. What sounded like the whoosh of a bird in flight had awakened her then quickly faded away. Golden eyes opened and took in their surroundings. Her head hurt, and she was famished. She felt like she hadn't eaten in days. A memory of pain flashed and her delicate hand flew to her neck. It must have been a nightmare. She thought, then finally realized that this was not her bed or, her room or, her apartment. She quickly sat up and felt her long raven tresses fall to her waist. She grabbed a lock of hair in disbelief and tugged at it. "What happened? My hair..." She whispered before she heard a knock on the door.

"Kyoko-chan..." He whispered before he entered.

She glanced down at the white, silk nightgown she was wearing and quickly covered herself in the soft, blue sheets. "Who... Who's there?" That voice... It's familiar. She answered in a worried voice.

"Umm... It's me, Corn." He answered nervously.

Her eyes went wide. "Corn?" She answered in disbelief as she watched the tall dark man with the green eyes enter the room. "M..My fairy prince?" She asked innocently in awe.

Ren chuckled then nodded. "Sorry Kyoko-chan... I'm not a fairy, and I'm not a prince."

Another harsh reality. She she didn't know why she had that particular thought as she watched the tall young man approach the bedside and give her a glass filled with the sweetest smelling, most delicious drink she had ever encountered. She drank it greedily and licked her plump lips. She startled as her tongue ran over the sharp delicate fangs in her mouth. "Wh... What happened to me?" She asked with worry.

He sat on the bed next to her and trained his eyes on the carpet, then sighed. "I'm sorry Kyoko-chan... I... I found you last night... In the alley at Fuji TV." He took in a deep breath. "You... You were hurt. Hurt pretty badly. I had to do it. I had to help you." He explained.

"What do you mean?" She asked with apprehension as she observed him.

He looked up at her. "I found you in the alley with your throat cut." He told her quickly.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "How... how am I here?"

He sighed heavily. "I had to turn you to save you. You were dying."

"Turn me?" Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Kyoko-chan... You're a vampire now." He told her in a serious tone.

Her eyes widened. "I'm a vampire? But... But. Are you..."

He nodded. "It happened when I was 16. When I first came to Tokyo by myself."

Her small hand reached up tentatively. "But..." She ran her fingers gently through his hair and quickly retracted her hand. "You... You don't look 16. You look older."

He smirked and shook his head. "You don't either." He reached into a drawer in the nightstand and pulled out a small hand mirror that Jelly left behind, then gave it to her. "It's all part of the change." He explained as she stared in awe of her new look.

Her pale cheeks flushed as she realized how she was dressed. "Corn?... Where am I and where are my clothes?" She asked nervously.

He smiled. "You're in my apartment... A friend of mine cleaned you up and dressed you last night. Don't worry, she's like family." He quickly explained to ease her embarrassment. "I had my manager go to the address on your ID and pick up your belongings. Your key was in your pocket."

She gasped. "Corn! The stone you gave me!"

He chuckled, leaned to the nightstand and placed it gently in her hands. "It's safe."

She let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

He smiled. "I didn't think you would still have it."

She blushed again. "I... It was very special. You... Do you want it back?"

"No! It's yours now." He replied hastily.

"Thank you." She told him quietly with eyes downcast.

He cleared his throat. She is just too cute. "Um... Ms. Woods and my boss will be arriving soon. They would like to meet you. Ah... She left you some fresh clothing. I put everything in that closet and the bathroom is over there with fresh towels if you'd like to freshen up and change."

She nodded silently, still reeling from her new situation.

"If you want, when you're done... we can talk more. I'll answer any questions the best I can." He offered as he arose from the bed and started to exit. "I'll get you more of... you know. You're probably still hungry."

She nodded and her mouth watered at the thought of the dark liquid. She felt a little dizzy when it finally hit her, what she had been consuming. "Thank you Corn..."

"You're welcome Kyoko-chan." He told her as he took the empty glass and left her to her thoughts.


He had nowhere to go. It was all his fault. He selfishly brought her with him and she paid the ultimate price for his mistake. There was no way he could ever face his parents or, her mother. They all knew what had happened a little over 24 hours ago. He had no choice. He had to give the police all of her information so that they could get her medical records. The only thing they had to identify her by was her DNA and blood that had pooled in that alley hours ago.

His mother and shockingly her mother, fully placed the blame on him and they had every right to. His father refused to speak to him; Kyoko was like a daughter to them and he failed in protecting his little sister, his father's own words. The striking conclusion that they had never intended to marry him to her was thrust into his face, she was their daughter. Their perfect little girl. They had set up a college fund for her, with the money her mother sent to them and had fully intended to send her for her business degree when she graduated high school so that she could fully run the ryokan. He had taken that away from her.

Unbeknownst to him she had several suitors that she would have been allowed to date once she reached the age of 18. Many of them very serious and most of them, the male friends he had left behind. He was now seeing with crystal clarity the many lives he had destroyed with his selfishness and arrogance. The only thing he had left now was his music, and that really didn't seem too appealing at the moment. He just couldn't put his heart in it.

He sat there, at the dining room table in Aki Shoko's apartment with a tear-stained music sheet laying before him. "I can't do this anymore." He whispered in pain.

Aki closed her eyes in sympathy and took a deep breath. "Sho... You need to write it down. I will help you heal." She told him gently, knowing how music always helped musicians work through their emotions. "I promise."

He cradled his head on the table in his arms and sobbed quietly. "I can't do it Shoko-san. It's my fault she's dead. If I hadn't said those things to her, she'd still be here. If I hadn't brought her with me..."

She pulled a seat next to him and began rubbing his back. "There's no way you could have known, Sho." She pulled him into her arms and let him mourn the death of his Kyoko-chan. "I'm so sorry Sho."

It would be many weeks until he began writing music or, performing again. It would be longer than that before he could control the pain and guilt.