A/N: Now it will all come to light. [insert maniacal laughter here]

Special Thanks: Reviewes and loyal reviewers! Also, Firey Chronicles for a peer promotion (check out her PoT fics as well- vampires and angels!), and Asami-chan for being a wonderful, hard-working beta.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but Kin.

Warnings: Vampirism, death, BL (not quite hardcore sex scene in this chapter; more of a roundabout description)

Pairings: Thrill, Golden, Endurance, Imperial...

Chapter 10

"You always said it's going to be ok, ok

I only ever really wanted to be with you

I only wanted someone to play, play, play, play

When I pull the wings off of the fly

The fly never wonders why I did it."

- "The Fly" by Dave Matthews

Kin's eyes snapped open despite the still and quiet air of the night. He was long used to solitude when he slept - who would dare come near the demon during the witching time of night? - and had developed an innate ability to sense whenever people were near. It was not the light sound of footsteps that had disturbed him, for even as he strained his ears he heard nothing. Maybe that was what had alerted him: the sound of nothing. No creatures skittering around in the dark or hums of nocturnal bugs that created a cacophony outside his measly home.

Kin sat up, shoulders hunched with tension. He was optimistic, perhaps, and naive in some senses - but he was not a fool. It had crossed his mind many times, the extent to which the villagers could go - perhaps even to kill him in the dead of night? No attempts had happened so far but the possibility had never left him. In this life, in this world, survival was of the essence and not even a fool would be blind to the villagers' hostility.

With pale fingers curled around the hilt of a sharpened bone-knife, Kin crouched in his shelter, eyes keen on his surroundings and any noise from outside. He purposely made himself calm down, relying mostly on basic instinct to get him through if a fight was necessary; he wasn't strong but he was agile. If a confrontation was inevitable, he just hoped he could fight back long enough to escape.

"Kin?"

The soft, low murmur would have been incomprehensible if the bugs dared peep, but in the dead silence it was as clear as a shout to the golden-eyed boy. Kin felt tension flood from his muscles with a relieved sigh and he hid his knife amongst his belongings before he crawled out of his home with a sort of embarrassed relief. He was relieved it was no would-be murderer outside his home but embarrassed that the other had seen what Kin called "home."

Syuusuke smiled at him, standing perfectly lit in the moonlight.

"Sorry for coming so late," Syuusuke apologized, leading the younger boy towards the forest. He didn't give the pathetic living place a second glance. "I wanted to see you."

Kin tried to fight down the blush and ended up averting his eyes down to the ground. No matter how he looked at it, the statement came off as more than friendly, and affection - especially of that sort - was not something he was used to. Never in his life had anyone ever had a crush on him and with the events of his life, he couldn't really develop fond feelings for anyone else either.

"I-It's fine, Syuusuke-san. I don't mind; I wasn't very sleepy anyway," Kin stammered out.

Syuusuke made a tsk'ing noise. "I told you, Kin; you can call me 'Syuusuke'." When Kin looked ready to refute that, the brunette gracefully continued on, "It would make me very happy if you did, Kin."

Kin's rebellious mouth snapped shut and he was inwardly glad for the darkness; it must hide his vivid blush very well. Syuusuke lead him back all the way to their camp, which was noticeably devoid of any life. Even the fire was out but it looked recent; the glowing ember of the burnt wood created a warm but eerie effect.

"The others are out hunting," Syuusuke explained genially. "I already finished before I came to see you."

Syuusuke ushered him inside his own shelter, letting the tent flap close behind him. He started up a small fire, for the light and probably also for Kin's benefit; Syuusuke might not be able to feel the chill of the night air but Kin felt it like a second skin. He gladly accepted the warmth of the fire, standing a bit awkwardly between it and the entryway. Syuusuke sat atop his cot, which was lined with the skins and furs of animals and looking sinfully comfy.

The smiling brunette patted the spot next to him and Kin stepped over, taking a seat shyly. There was wide but not impolite gap between them - which Syuusuke fluidly closed, making Kin's face color. The younger boy stiffened but did not pull back, allowing Syuusuke to run pale, cool fingers down his arm in a conspicuously intimate fashion.

"Kin," Syuusuke murmured and the boy didn't think that he was imagining the purr behind the words, "What do you feel when you're with me?"

Kin's breath hitched and he felt like he was going to cough out fire from all the heat coursing through his body. His mind was a little numb, as well as disorganized, and it took a moment before he fully processed the question.

"F-Funny."

Syuusuke's smile widened, and - though it seemed impossible - he came a little closer to the other. "Funny how, Kin?" There was a definite purr to the name.

"I feel a little shaky, and my stomach acts up," Kin admitted demurely, golden eyes slightly wide at how close Syuusuke was - they were definitely touching at this point. "I get all hot, too, and I..." He trailed off, averting his eyes away, "I notice you. A lot more than the others."

A deep chuckle was his reply. "Look at me, Kin."

Kin did.

Soft lips met his and Kin melted.

Kin knew they suspected something. Their eyes followed him as he treaded through the village, a rare occurrence nowadays. He was hardly ever seen by the other villagers anymore, taking off into the forest just as dawn breaks and returning home well past when the sun sets. However hatefully they regarded his presence, they were always conscious of him and knew he had not been around lately.

People fear what they do not know.

Kin makes sure to wear the rags he owns out through the village rather than his tunic; he cannot let them see it. They must never know about the others in the forest, must never realize Kin has people that he loves now. Kin will not let Syuusuke and the others go, nor will he let the villagers treat them the way they had Kano - or worse, kill them.

He has gotten used to not hurting anymore. He has gotten used to warmth, to smiling and to playing and eating his fill. He rarely goes back to his home nowadays, preferring to curl up in Syuusuke's arms or manage the fire for when the others come back from their hunt. He has gotten used to his odd hours - sleeping partly in the day and partly at night.

Kin is now used to happiness.

He was making a rare trip into the village this morning; Sadaharu had mentioned wanting to collect some Grungeherb but none grew in the forest. They were a type of plant that grew near the village marketplace, plentiful and useful. None of the others knew this so Kin vowed to get some and give them a pleasant surprise; apparently the herb was good for medicinal salves.

He had already plucked some at this point, carefully setting it away in his animal skin bag, hurriedly retreating back towards his home and the forest. He knows he will be safe when he reaches the edge of the great gathering of trees but his heart thumps wildly when he realizes a few of the village men trail after him. They were discreet and unhurried, fully capable of keeping up with the golden-eyed boy with their long strides.

Kin broaches the edge of the village and breaks into a full-out run, fleeing past his house without a second glance. Their footsteps hammer against the ground compared to Kin's light footwork - years of running and escaping have shaped him into an agile youth - but still, he did not have the greatest claim on distance between them, and it is when the edge of the forest is too far away to discern that a hand lunges, yanking Kin back by the collar of his shirt.

He is thrown to the ground but he scrambles backwards, eyes trained on the three men before him. They were older than Kunimitsu and twice his size, muscles built from labor and hearty meals. Kin recognizes them easily as the most violent of the villagers, often the ones beating on him for any little reason. They had always inspired fear in Kin and it was no different now; he has no desire to feel pain.

"Where the hell did you think you were going?"

The question was punctuated with a hard kick, which Kin attempted to block, sending pain ricocheting through his body as a foot collided with his forearms. The village man was far stronger than him and more experienced in fighting - Kin already knew that.

Kin waited for the second kick, curled in a defensive little ball, but it never came. He waited a moment but all he could make out was strange, gurgled breath, followed by the sound of a few heavy things landing on the ground.

A cold hand gently prodded his arm, which was starting to turn a dark shade.

"Kin," Syuusuke's voice penetrated and slowly, the boy uncurled himself. Syuusuke wrapped him in his arms protectively and Kin saw the three men lay dead on the ground, all with their throats slit. The others were there as well but none pay any attention to the corpses. Worry mingles with concern on their faces and they have their eyes on Kunimitsu in hopes he'll know what to do.

The taller boy frowned before glancing around, as if to confirm that they were alone. "Is there any way we can make this look like an accident?" The question was supposedly directed to the entire group but it is Sadaharu that hazel eyes rest on. The taller boy shakes his head and Eiji bites his bottom lip nervously.

"They'll know we're here!" the redhead whined, stamping his foot on the ground. "We're going to have to move again!"

Sadaharu examined the corpses before turning back to Kunimitsu. "Bandits are hardly uncommon in forests like these. If we place them near the only path leading through the woods and divest them of their goods...that should be enough to distract them. It is, however, imperative that we move on to a different area. I believe we have overstayed our welcome."

Syuusuke ran a soothing hand through Kin's hair. "Bruise them a bit more as well. They looked like to be the type to put up a fight," he dusted a dry kiss to Kin's forehead. "They should pay for daring to touch my Kin, as well."

Eiji and Momo were quick to agree, managing to land a few good kicks on the bodies. Kin turned away from the sight, burying his face into Syuusuke's chest. He hardly harbored any goodwill to the three dead villagers but to desecrate a corpse like it was nothing but a rock to hit around... It was not in his nature. It seemed far too cruel; whatever the men had planned to do to him, they only hurt his forearms - death hardly seemed like an appropriate punishment. Who was he to judge, however? If his friends believed it was right, Kin would go with them, no questions asked.

Syuusuke lead him away; noticeably, none of the others followed. They arrived back at the camp, the sun set high in the air - food was left unattended over the fire, still looking as delicious as always. Kin's hunger was gone, however, and he let Syuusuke guide him into his shelter without a second thought.

As the fair-haired boy pulled out the familiar salve, Kin obediently rolled up the sleeves of his ragged shirt, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu. His mind wandered back to what Sadaharu had said and a little pit of despair nestled among his insides.

"Where will you go?" Kin asked quietly, managing to keep a steady voice despite the turmoil within. It is a sickly thing, this dependence he had attached to them; if they left him behind, he knew he would not last. Either he would be driven insane or into death; a person of his too pure character was not meant for this world. It was too, too easy to break.

Syuusuke expertly bandaged up the limb - gently, so unlike the harsh treatment of Kano - before ghosting his fingertips over Kin's cheek, giving the other boy a gentle smile. "It is 'where will we go', Kin," he corrected, smile brightening as Kin looked up at him with an expression of hope. The boy was far too cute for words.

"We won't leave you here, Kin. We've been talking about it for awhile now and we've mostly agreed over the best course of action," Sapphire eyes met gold and pale, cold hands gripped warm ones. "Kin, how do you feel about being Turned? About becoming one of us?"

Slowly, tentatively, heartbreakingly, Kin smiled with absolute joy.

"It's beautiful, Syuusuke," he commented and his lover stepped forward to trap him in his arms. He leant forward to pillow his head on Kin's collarbone, a move that was quickly becoming habit for Syuusuke.

"It won't be long now, love," Syuusuke murmured, pressing a chaste kiss to the side of Kin's neck. "After sunset, remember to come straight here and don't eat anything. Kunimitsu and the others are already getting everything ready."

Kin laughed happily, throwing his arms around Syuusuke's waist. "Yes, don't worry, I'll come straight here! After I'm Turned, we're leaving this place, right?" Syuusuke nodded and Kin half-turned his head to regard their surroundings with a reminiscent look.

He had been in this place all his life. Every bitter memory, every sweet one; it took place in this forest and its surrounding areas. The passage of time had been so cruel to him, had taken so many things away, had put him through such hell. But now- now! Now he would be stronger, capable of protecting himself, capable of protecting the ones he loved. Best of all, he was getting away from this place, going with people who loved him.

It had taken years and it had been a bitter struggle all the way up to this point, but finally...he had a family.

Syuusuke wandered near the entrance but didn't urge Kin to go inside; it seemed he understood the sentiment. He leaned forward, one pale hand snagging the stem of a flower that bloomed near the front of the domain. It was simple but pretty: plentiful, white petals, the center stained the color of the sun. He meandered back over to Kin, lightly trailing the flowered bud down Kin's cheek.

"It matches your eyes," Syuusuke stated by way of explanation. Kin knew the flower - tsubaki. It was his mother's favorite. He took it out of Syuusuke's grasp and the older boy took it as an invitation to drag Kin back into his embrace.

"I'm sorry it isn't as sturdy as we would have liked, but it only needs to be standing for one night," Syuusuke murmured, his hands wandering and tugging the boy closer to his body. "I'll be the one to Turn you, love. Don't worry," he grinned seductively, almost feral, "I'll make it enjoyable."

Kin laughed, a blush dusting his features, winding his arms around the other's neck. "Should I look forward to it?"

Sapphire eyes gleamed. "Most earnestly."

Syuusuke leaned down and kissed him.

Kin set out near sundown, unsure if he would be able to navigate in the pitch-black of night and not willing to chance it. He had carefully avoided the villagers all day; it had been three days since the three dead villagers had been found and just like Sadaharu predicted, most of the villagers believed it to be the work of bandits.

Most, but not all.

A mix of the most superstitious and the most jaded eyed him as he humbled past, going straight to his hut and not coming out until he was sure the stares were long gone. He didn't know if they had any inkling of the truth so he kept a wary eye out as he left his hut, making sure that none followed him this time. He wore the tunic Kaoru had fastened for him and stuffed some other garments also woven for him into a bag to bring along. He was told to bring only his most necessary belongings, which was only the clothes the others gave him and it was a pitifully light load.

Accordingly, after he was Turned, they were supposed to immediately set out. He wasn't too sure on the specifics - something about how he had to be bitten and drained - but he was sure the others knew what they were doing. He trusted them to lead him through a successful transition; they had all turned out fine, hadn't they?

He was both nervous and excited as he approached the door to the house. The sun had set some moments ago and he was inwardly amused - and likely experiencing an adrenaline high - as he realized he was just on time. Timidly, he pushed past the flap and entered the house; the floor was nothing but the dirt on the ground and the inside was as large as any of the other shelters. The only surface was the thick, furred bedding that was pushed slightly to the side, wide and large enough for two people.

The purpose made him blush and avert his eyes.

"This is like a ceremony, isn't it?" Syuusuke mused from behind him, startling the poor boy, prompting him to lurch forward. The older boy laughed, catching Kin's thin wrist and pulling him towards him in an embrace.

Kin looked down, embarrassed to meet his love's eyes. "Wh-Where are the others...?"

Syuusuke hummed noncommittally. "They won't be around. Kaoru, Syuuichirou, Takashi, and Sadaharu left early; we'll meet up with them at Tokage Pass. Kunimitsu, Eiji, and Momoshiro are still at camp - they'll be here to provide some - sustenance." Kin knew he was referring to the blood.

Syuusuke maneuvered him over to the bedding, gently pushing him down. Kin's heartbeat sped up and he was sure the other could hear it, if the devilish smile now on Syuusuke's face was any indication.

"H-How does this work again?" Kin squeaked, as Syuusuke ever-so-casually settled himself on top of the smaller body.

Syuusuke cocked his head and Kin knew he was not imagining the golden flecks in those sapphire eyes. "First, I'm going to make love to you," he stated matter-of-factly, and Kin was positive that was not part of the actual Turning process but found his throat suddenly too dry to make a comment.

"Then, I'm going to bite you," he tapped the right side of Kin's neck, "Right here. It will feel good, don't worry," Syuusuke consoled, even though Kin was hardly frightened. "Then, I'm going to give you some of my blood to drink. That completes the transformation."

Kin could say nothing as his mouth was suddenly occupied with Syuusuke's. He was already quite dazed with the heated kiss, so when Syuusuke's hand started wandering, it was definitely into unfamiliar territory. Kin easily found himself sensitive to each and every touch. He didn't know where to put his hands but Syuusuke easily guided him along, moving parts when necessary and leading him into more comfortable positions. He thoroughly drowned Kin in the pleasure so that coherent thought was a distant memory, everything a blur and mesh of sweat, skin, and mouths. Kin's heart was beating frantically, hands threading through fair-colored hair as humid breath trailed all over his body.

"Shh..." Syuusuke kissed away the tears that slid down Kin's cheek, the golden eyes clamped shut as he slid carefully into the younger boy. "I love you, Kin."

Kin's breath hitched, hands gripping the bedding, fingers curled in tight fists. Syuusuke gently unwound one to clasp their hands together and as Kin arched, he leant forward and bit into the soft flesh of his neck as he rode out the last tides of his pleasure. With a breathless, silent scream, Kin went over the edge as well.

Kin hurt, most definitely, but he was also incredibly warm and his entire body felt relaxed. Tingles of pleasure ran along his skin, especially with the sensation of Syuusuke's mouth still attached to his throat. He felt light-headed, as if cotton had been pulled over his mind, and distinctly sluggish; eventually, the warmth started to flee and he felt the cold creepings of death take him piece by piece.

Dying was a strange feeling. A mix of warmth and cold, yet no dredge of panic was discernable among the chaos of his mind. Was it because he knew he wouldn't actually die? Was that why he didn't feel particularly alarmed?

He pulled together enough strength to lift his arm, trailing it across Syuusuke's bare back, up to wind his fingers through the honey-colored strands of hair. Syuusuke made no acknowledgement other than to pull Kin a little closer to him - as if they weren't as close as possible already - and Kin was forced to let his hand remain still, too tired to keep it up.

Syuusuke pulled away, his lips stained red, some blood smeared across his mouth. He wiped away the traces with a negligent hand and golden eyes slowly ebbed away into familiar sapphire, the fangs retreating back to normal human length. He looked out of breath; he had forgotten how much work it was to drain a human. They usually fed from small animals; with large animals, like humans, they had to be careful not to over-indulge. He just had to make sure enough blood was drained as to actually kill the other.

Syuusuke body's grey steadily warm, likely from Kin's taken blood, but the awful chill never left Kin's body. It iced over his insides and his throat could not form sounds. His eyes were half-lidded and he was very tired and sore, as pain throbbed through his entire body. Were the transformations always this painful? He wanted to cry, it hurt so much, but tears would require energy his dying body could not spare.

"Does it hurt?"

Syuusuke was sitting up now, watching Kin with curious eyes. Kin could feel blood continue to ooze from the wound in his throat; he could do nothing but stare back at his lover with bright eyes. It was getting harder to stay focused but now the alarms in his body re-awakened. The tone in that voice - he didn't recognize it, and that scared him.

Syuusuke stood, pulling on his clothes with a disinterested air. Kin couldn't turn his head, move nothing but his eyes. They followed the outline of Syuusuke's back. There was familiarity in the sensation; had he not seen Kano's back during their time together in neglect? Kano could not face him - not the source of his pain, his shame, his misfortune.

Syuusuke looked at him.

Kin wished he could close his eyes.

The flap to the hut was pushed aside and Momoshiro glanced around the place, momentarily pausing on Kin's sprawled form before landing on Syuusuke. A small grin erupted on his lips and it was then Kin fully realized what was happening.

And it hurt, more than anything else he had ever experienced.

Kin was naive; he had never learned his lesson. He was always too trusting, too eager to believe in others. He could never see their vices, their hidden motives and he could never understand cruelty, despite how heavily it was laid on him.

But he had been so tired-

"Syuusuke! Are you done?"

Eiji bounded in, giving Kin a casual glance before latching onto Syuusuke's arm with a pout. "If you're done, we should leave, or the others will start heading back! Come on, come on, or Syuuichirou will scold me again!"

Syuusuke let his eyes wander over his handiwork before turning away, the others following suit. Kin could see the outline of Kunimitsu's body near the entrance, where he merely gifted the others with a stern look as if urging them to hurry along. He carried a torch in his left hand.

-so lonely-

Don't leave me.

Kin couldn't speak. Kin couldn't see.

When the flap closed, when the noises grew silent; it was then that flames licked at the walls and smoke filled the air.

-and so foolish.

Then, quietly and alone, Kin died.

"Sir? Are you alright?"

Ryoma came back to himself as a hand gently touched his shoulder, but the feel of hands on him made him jump and he fell on his butt with wide, startled eyes. Ryoma looked up into the concerned face of the tour guide, a few curious onlookers standing around her. With a muttered, hurried apology, he stood back up, furiously rubbing his face dry.

"I'm sorry, excuse me." he doled out in English, darting past the befuddled people and straight towards the exit.

He didn't want to be near those goddamn flowers any longer; it was like they were some sort of symbol of tragedy. For Kin, they had showed up in the instances of death in his life: his parents and then his own.

He had not been expecting anything like that. That cruelty - it was nothing like the senpai he knew now. Not the senpai who clung so fastidiously to justice and goodwill; they weren't capable of such horrible things. It was nothing like them!

"Do you notice how children break things?"

Momo knew. Momo was there.

A small grin erupted on his lips-

Ryoma ground his teeth together, his nerves already shot to hell and his mind ticking with pain. Kin and he, they were nothing alike - for a reason. The primal instinct in any creature is survival; wouldn't the soul recognize that its first personality - Kin - was not one that would be able to survive? So Ryoma, Ryoma had to be different.

He had to be arrogant-

Kin curled in on himself, hugging his knees to his chest.

He had to be aggressive-

Who was he to judge, however? If his friends believed it was right, Kin would go with them, no questions asked.

He had to be cold-

"I love you, Kin."

Ryoma made it to the entrance before he threw up. He had eaten barely anything ever since he started his personal quest so the expelling was swift but painful. He wiped the spit off his lips with the back of his sleeve, golden eyes tied to the ground with invisible string. His mind was racing back, fitting the clues together so that everything - every piece - fit into the grotesque, horrible picture.

"Can I hurt something?"

"Why are you like this?" Kaidoh had demanded.

"Can I kill something?"

"This will just settle everything!" Kikumaru had explained.

"Does it hurt?"

Ryoma wanted to close his eyes but couldn't. They burned with pressure.

"Does it hurt?"

Yes.

Ryoma shook off the hands that tried to help him up, dashing down the sidewalk towards the bus bay blindly. The benches were empty but he sat down on the far edge of the last one, shoulders hunched and head bent. His long fingers gripped the edge white-knuckled and his teeth were ground tightly together as he forcefully choked back the embarrassing need to cry.

Kin was dead; tears wouldn't help that now.

Only his murderers remained.

"Syuusuke."

Fuji refused to turn around, sitting at the edge of the porch, eyes trained on the brightening sky. It was near sunrise now and the rays of light were beginning to breach the horizon; already half the sky had melted into the blue of day. He could see no stars but that didn't stop Fuji from looking.

Tezuka stood next to him now, looking down at him with a steely glint in his eyes. His shirt was mottled with blood, making him look downright frightening. Fuji, however, was used to the scary things in the dark. Sapphire eyes trailed over to Tezuka slowly, almost condescending in their pace. The captain's eyes narrowed at the subtle challenge but he kept his anger in check; anger never worked on Syuusuke.

"That was too much."

Syuusuke turned his gaze elsewhere; such blatant disinterest in his eyes, it was almost insulting. Tezuka's lips turned down so that he almost scowled. His house was overrun with the other Regulars so he had had to send his human family out to Kyoto for at least a month.

The first thing you learn when you are a vampire is how to feed.

Kikumaru was currently deep asleep, wounds healed and scars melting away into nothing, but knowledge dictated that he would still feel the pain for at least a few more days. Oishi sat vigilantly by his boyfriend's side, partly irate about his lover's condition and on the verge of tears knowing it had come for a good reason. No one got between Ryoma and Syuusuke - Kaidoh, resting upstairs, was proof enough of that. Inui had come down last night, wanting to know what had happened; he had walked in on Oishi and Tezuka carrying Kikumaru's bloody, mutilated body to the couch. Kawamura and Momo hovered around them, the former dabbing at the injuries with a wet cloth and the latter glancing surreptitiously at the door. It was understandable; Tezuka himself wanted to check on the other victim as well.

"He Bit him, Kunimitsu." was all Syuusuke had explained, face dangerously blank as a bloodied knife dangled from his fingers.

The second thing you learn when you are a vampire is how to kill.

Tezuka couldn't pretend to know what was going on through his friend's head. Emotions and past experiences got in the way of his objective mind; it was difficult, thinking of Ryoma without imagining his part in Kin's murder. The guilt and regret from his involvement had followed him for the rest of his life.

He had regretted nothing then,of course. In his eyes, the village boy had been nothing more than a stray animal, weak and starved for affection. He didn't much care if Syuusuke wanted to keep it and he had proved useful at times but he was expendable.

The third thing you learn when you are a vampire is that life is very, very precious.

They had not known that then. They had been so careless, so enthralled with their own power that they had neglected their own humanity. At first, they had been able to justify killing people; the villagers who had exiled them, the bandits that had attacked them - it was self-defense, they had claimed. A creature's first instinct is survival and they did just that: survive.

So how did they justify Kin?

They couldn't. Not from the beginning, not to now; the loss of that precious life had been done without regard for the flame they were extinguishing. It was pure, terrible, unadulterated murder.

Tezuka did not agree with Kikumaru's method. A forced Turning was not the answer but even he could understand the thoughts behind the actions. Ryoma, under any circumstances, must never be killed. Not like Kin. He didn't know if they sought to atone for their past evils or if Ryoma had really become that precious to them, all on his own.

"He's not Kin," Tezuka murmured, staring up at the sky as well.

Fuji shifted slightly, standing up as his cellphone sung out a jingle. He passed by Tezuka, pulling the piece of technology out from his pockets as he did so.

"I know."

Fuji turned away and walked into the house, his soft voice murmuring a low greeting into his phone.

Tezuka's eyes were drawn to the only star that shone in the sky before it was also consumed by the harsh, unforgiving sunlight.

END...Chapter 10.

A/N: Killing Kin was a lot harder than I expected. I had to rewrite that scene at least five times and I even hesitated at first to carry out with it. This entire fic, though, was spawned from the idea of the Regulars (being the stupid, newly-turned vampires they are) killing Ryoma's incarnation and Ryoma finding out about it. I did modify it, though; instead of all the Regulars, I just did Fuji, Tezuka, Momo, Kikumaru, and Inui. The others had no idea.

Cultural Notes:

"tsubaki"- Japanese word for camellia

Matsue Castle- Yes, it does exist. Right where it is in the story.

Herbs used during Kin's time ("mugroot" and the like)- made up or ripped off from Harvest Moon.

Addressing the Reviewers:

FourEyedWanderer: "It just worried me for awhile that Fuji could be the bad guy."

...Sorry.

ObsidianEbony: "Does the flower petal plucking represent anything?"

No, it just serves as the countdown to flashback!land, and apparently also displays Ryoma's lack of regard for the law and his inherent desire to destroy public property. XD