Thank you everyone for the reviews in the past chapter! I'm really humbled and delighted, and it's so nice to hear everyone's thoughts.

As usual, do leave a review if you'll like ^^ I hope you'll enjoy this one as well!


If this were a dream, he would never want to wake up.

It was the perfect situation, the best he's ever been in…in forever. To be alone and far away from everyone else, to just be with the girl he liked and whom seemed to like him back too, was more than he could ever ask for. In fact, these past few weeks have transitioned so smoothly that he even wonders if it's too good to be true.

But when Yui turned her head around and gave him the warmest of smiles, he knew it was real. Pulling her into his arms, her back against his chest, Subaru then buries his face into her neck, breathing in the scent that he knows belongs to her.

He listens to her laugh. Man, does he love it when she does that.

They were both on the bed. Yui was just reading, while Subaru tried to, sorta, since she insisted that 'reading can be fun sometimes'. But he's not much of a book reader. He just keeps getting distracted, after all.

"How's the book?" she asked. Of course she'll ask. She seemed to genuinely want to know if The Great Gatsby was to his liking.

"Uhh," he paused, furrowing his brows, "I don't know. How do you even like this stuff?"

"When there isn't much to do, you try to keep yourself occupied best you can. Also, The Great Gatsby is really quite good. I first picked it up at our school library."

"Huh," Subaru shrugs in disbelief.

"My favourite part about it is just how passionate the rich Gatsby is towards Daisy, even when she belongs to someone else. His love for her was real and true, although every bit of her was just a beautiful daydream."

Subaru stared down at the book in his hands, his fingers grazing over its slightly tattered cover. He could barely get past the first chapter without spacing out more than a few times, but then he thought about Yui's words.

Just a beautiful daydream.

His eyes landed on Yui next, who has already gone back to her own read, and he wonders: What would happen once Ayato comes knocking? What would he do if she's able to recall things about him after all?

He hopes, selfishly, deep on the inside, that his own beautiful daydream never ends.


"Yes. He comes here often."

"How often?"

"Twice a week? Do you need something too maybe, Mr Sakamaki?"

The light-haired vampire smiled up at him, as her hands signaled to the items on sale at the cash register. She looked like she couldn't be anything older than 17, but she is a vampire, and it's hard to tell. She could've had a potion, for all he knew. Ayato waved her off, before turning his back to leave the grocery store.

He'd been asking non-stop all around town, if anyone had seen his younger half-brother. It hasn't been easy tracking down the places that Subaru would go to, but turns out, it wasn't as hard as he thought either. In fact, it only took him about a few days. Besides Subaru being been seen frequenting this place, he'd also been seen at a bakery and florist not far from here too. One thing that was plain as day – the stuff he bought meant he wasn't living on his own.

When he found that out, he was also able to narrow down places he could be coming from. Better yet, he found some of those demons that provided carriage transport, and a few of them recognised Subaru.

There were some things about being a Sakamaki. When your father is the greatest vampire lord around, everyone would somehow figure out who and what you are, and that also means traces.

"Take me to where you picked him up from."

It didn't take much to bribe these lowly monstrous beings either. As Ayato watched the scenery get more and more serene, with fewer and farther houses in between, he wonders where Subaru has got Yui holed up.

Before long, the carriage pulled up. "Here, Mr Sakamaki," the demon hissed.

Ayato got off. It was so deserted, just a lot of green to be seen and flowers blooming. It didn't look like much.

And then he saw it, in a distance. A tiny little cottage, one that could easily be missed if you just sped past or didn't keep your eyes peeled. It was lit, which means, whoever's living there is home.

That's gotta be it.

He zipped across, and in the blink of an eye, ended up standing right in front of it. Somehow, it struck him to peek in through the windows first, just in case he made some kind of mistake, so he did just that.

And there she was, looking every bit as alive as he'd expected.

"Chichinashi," he whispered, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips.

But then, someone else was walking right up to her. She broke out laughing when he came close, wrapping his arms around her waist, and what happened next killed him on the inside.


"You're thinking about something. What is it?"

He was by the bedside window, just gazing out into the vast open. Yui looked up at Subaru, who clearly had something on his mind that he wasn't voicing out. He met her eyes, and seemed to be considering if he should say it or not.

"Come on," Yui laughed, "I won't bite."

"Funny how you're saying that to a vampire."

Subaru gave a small smile, which made her heart skip a beat. "I was just thinking about what would happen, if you got back your memories." He avoided eye contact with her instantly.

The atmosphere seemed to turn heavy for a second, but this conversation between them wasn't new. Yui had known all along the things that haunted Subaru; his distancing himself away from others and his finding it difficult to voice his feelings easily. Nowadays, this Ayato issue became one of the things that bugged him as well.

"Subaru," she held his name there in the air till he looked her way, "Nothing's going to happen. I'll still be here." She placed a hand gently above his, and he took it slowly, intertwining their fingers.

Subaru nodded, and Yui hoped what she said helped. She was certain that things happened for a reason. And the fact that she's here right now with Subaru spoke volumes to her.

"It's really pretty outside," Yui noticed, as she looked out. It was so serene and quiet. "I could stay here forever."

"You could," Subaru replied.

"Then what about school?"

"We could study other things together."

Yui laughed, as Subaru put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. It caught her by surprise when he leaned in for a kiss, and she could feel her heart beat faster.

"Subaru…," Yui moaned, her fingers gripping at his shirt.

Subaru kept the smirk on his face, but it didn't last for long when his expression turned all serious suddenly.

"Shh," his voice dropped low. "There's someone outside."

Yui could feel all the hairs on her skin stand, and her entire body turns rigid. She knew Subaru wasn't bluffing. Who could it be outside?

In a flash, Subaru was already by the door, and the lights were all turned out. Yui stayed glued on her spot.

He was cautious with every move he took. He knew whoever it is – is still outside, and he could feel it. But the cottage was at the most secluded area around, with hardly any wild monsters or creatures that passed, and it doesn't exactly look the best on the outside either. It didn't make sense why anyone would sneak around.

Unable to take the suspense any longer, he opened a slight inch of the door, carefully. The moment he did that, the door was slammed open by the threat, and whatever it was had caught Subaru by surprise. The creature had grabbed him and hurled him with great strength across the room, his back smashing into the wall.

He could hear Yui scream his name, and his eyes immediately shot open and he sprang back up, albeit with a bit of struggle. The lights came back on, and Subaru's heart sunk when he saw whom it was.

"…Ayato!"

"You fucking bastard!" Ayato had the silver-haired vampire by the collar, his rage boiling through every part of his body. He was livid. The fact that Subaru dared to even lay a hand on what belonged to him was unacceptable and repugnant. He wasn't about to actually do it, but he couldn't be more tempted to kill someone now.

Subaru was shocked, but he didn't retaliate with hostility.

"How did you find this place?" he coughed.

"I combed the entire town, asshole. How dare you- laying your hand on what's mine!"

"She doesn't belong to you."

"You fucking piece of-," Ayato snarled, his fists landing heavy punches in his brother's gut, to the point where he threw up blood. He was so pissed off he was ready to murder him right there and then, until he felt Yui's fingers clawing his back, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.

"Stop! Please don't," she pleaded.

At the sight of her, still well and safe and in one piece brought unexplainable relief to Ayato, for some odd reason. He hadn't realised it before, until he saw her face up close, but he had genuinely been worried.

"Yui, listen, just let me take care of this. This asshole wasn't supposed to take you away in the first place!"

He turned his attention back to Subaru, ready to tear him apart, when Yui asked. "You're Ayato, right?"

He wondered if he heard it wrong. Letting go of Subaru instantly, as though the shock had caused him to lose all strength, he turned to face her.

"Chichinashi-."

Yui furrowed her eyebrows. "Is that supposed to refer to me?"

She almost let out a scream when Ayato approached her, his stare burning into her very person. "How- what-" He seemed to be at a lost for words.

Subaru cut in from behind, groaning, "She's been this way ever since the attack at the mansion. None of us knows what happened."

Ayato couldn't budge from his spot, as he took everything in. So it was true, whatever Laito said. Yui had lost her memories. She couldn't recognise him, couldn't remember what happened and that was…insane. After all, the way she looked, the way she talked, none of it has changed. How should anything be any different from the past?

But when he recalled the way Subaru had his arms around her just a while ago, he couldn't stand it. He just couldn't.

He turned around, grabbed Subaru and slammed him against the wall, ignoring Yui's screams.

"What did you do to her!" he yelled, wearing the face of a madman.

"I didn't do-," Subaru only opened his mouth to begin to speak, but 3 words in and Ayato had already punched him across the face. It caused him to splutter more blood.

"Stop it!" Yui screamed, but Ayato simply ignored her.

"You fucking touched her. I had my back turned for a second, and I know you did something. Now tell me what happened!" He slammed Subaru against the wall for a second time.

"We don't know why she can't remember," Subaru coughed, "But…but, I-I have feelings for her. For a while now."

Outraged, Ayato yelled and threw Subaru halfway across the room, where he smashed right into the cupboard, going limp. He could hear Yui scream again, and it broke him when the first person she ran towards wasn't him. Instead, it was Subaru.

"Subaru, oh god," she cried. His face looked horrible, and he was bleeding and moaning in pain. Yui tried to stay strong, and struggled to help him up onto the bed. At the very least, she thanked God he wasn't knocked out, but there were blood and bruises everywhere.

Ayato watched, but the more he did, the more he felt lost. Why did Yui lose her memories again? Since when did they begin living together and since when did Subaru start having feelings for her?

Most of all, he didn't understand – why him? Why did all these things have to happen to just him?

Yui was obviously concerned for Subaru. She practically ignored Ayato as she rushed past him to get a clean cloth and water from the sink, and then back again to the bed, where she started to tend to him.

"Please," he heard her sniff, "Please just go."

It didn't seem like he was going to get any answers tonight anyway. He hated to leave them both alone in the same house, but after the mess he just made, he knew he couldn't stay.

"Yui, I-," he opened his mouth to say.

"Haven't you done enough?" she twisted her head around to stare at him hard. He had never seen her this way.

He swallowed, "I'll come back." Then he turned heel to go.

Ayato closed the door behind him, and then peeked back into the house for a final time before he left, swearing under his breath to be back first thing tomorrow. Yui didn't even care to look over her shoulder anymore. She seemed concerned, but none of her concern was for him. Things weren't supposed to be like this. She was supposed to be happy to see him back and recovered. Nothing was supposed to be this way.

To continue standing there seemed like an poor idea, so Ayato retreated back to town, to find a motel or something to just lay his back on for the night.

As though with Yui's pained expression in his mind, he could even sleep.


"Ah, fuck," Subaru hissed, as Yui dabbed at his wounds.

"It hurts?"

He nodded once, and Yui lightened her touch. She cleaned at his wounds carefully, soaking the cloth into the water to rinse it, and repeated again. Some wounds didn't look too bad – just smaller cuts that Subaru claims will be healed in a day or two – but most of them looked horrible. His back especially, had taken the most damage. He was now sleeping on his stomach, propped up on a pillow so that Yui could clean him up, but it hurt her to see all the damage that was done to him.

"I can't believe he did this to you," Yui mumbled, "He's vile."

"You were once, ouch- together with him."

"That sounds impossible."

"You were."

Yui could understand the shock Ayato had to go through. It wasn't something she understood herself, and neither did Subaru, so they couldn't provide any answers, but for Ayato to act all barbaric and for him to hurt Subaru, all those actions were uncalled for. She couldn't believe how she could have fallen in love with someone like that.

"Ok, turn over. Careful now," she warned, after she was done with his back. Subaru groaned as he slowly lifted himself up and over, with Yui's help.

"Isn't there some sort of medicine I can get?"

"'S fine. Vampires heal quickly."

"This might sting a bit," she said, as she dabbed at his face. Subaru flinched and looked away, but he didn't complain. After a while, his eyes shifted to look at her.

He'd admit, that it felt good that Yui was by his side. She didn't just back away (although he preferred she do that, lest she got injured); instead, she's here, worrying over him, and caring for him.

Whatever may happen in the future, she's worth it.

When Yui lifted her hand to clean the blood smeared across his face one more time, suddenly, Subaru gripped her hand. It got her attention.

"What is it? Did I hurt you again?"

"No," he said, "I just- …thank you."

Yui's expression softened, and then she leaned down to lay her face gently against his chest. There might not be a heartbeat, but in the way he was always there for her, she wanted to do the same for him too.

"I was so scared," she confessed.

"Sorry."

"I don't want anything bad to ever happen to you."

"Mm."

She looked up at him, and without thinking, she leaned in to kiss him, a kiss he eagerly returned. As much as she might have been with Ayato in the past, the only person she wants to be with now is none other than Subaru. She was sure, that even if her memories were suddenly returned, these feelings couldn't possibly change.

She was certain, that nothing, not even her memories of Ayato, could ever separate them.