Disclaimer: This chapter has physical violence and sexual abuse.
Nor so diabolik and nor so lovers
Chapter 7: Yuzu
I grew up on the city outskirts, in a forest similar to the one that surrounds the manor. My family and I had a small house far off and secluded from civilization, contrary to the Sakamaki.
As a child, I used to walk in the woods, read tons of books, and play with my dolls since I didn't have any siblings and I didn't go to school. My mother is a teacher, so she raised me from a young age while my father went to work day and night. Sometimes he disappeared for weeks.
I was only ten years old when one day he simply didn't come back. In the end, I never knew what he did for a living.
A few years passed before my mother met someone else. We didn't know about my father's whereabouts, so she moved on and forgot about the past. I never blamed her for that. The guy she fell in love with had an affluent life in the city, and he met her during the summer he camped near our house. It didn't take us long to move with him, leaving our simple life in the woods behind.
By fourteen, I went to school for the very first time. Most of the kids in middle school had defined groups, and I felt like I just didn't fit in. They didn't exclude me, but I had no friends because I differed from the rest, so I only talked to people when I needed to.
So it had been until this year, the senior year.
As always, at the beginning of the semester, the class had to decide who our representatives would be. No one wanted to. When the professor asked, everyone went silent.
I wasn't paying attention until some girl I barely knew suggested I delegate.
"I think Katō will do a good job!" she exclaimed, raising one hand. Her desk was behind mine, so I turned to see her in bewilderment.
She was Tomoka Hayashi, the star of the athleticism club and very popular among the girls.
Since nobody opposed the idea—and since I was really confused to do it myself—I ended up being the class delegate. I had to stand in front of everyone; it was so embarrassing! I'm sure many of them didn't even remember my name. However, a guy offered himself to be a delegate as well. His name was Kousuke Sugiura. The most remarkable thing about him was his grades, he was always at the top!
After Sugiura and I introduced ourselves as the new class delegates, I looked for Hayashi to give me an explanation.
"Hey" I called her in the hallway when the class ended.
"Ah? What's up, Katō?" she asked carefreely. She wore her ginger hair tied in a ponytail and her hazel eyes looked full of energy. She was a lot taller than me.
"Why did you do that? I didn't want to be a delegate." I protested.
"You didn't? It's just that you look like the bossy type of girl." she answered with a mischievous smile.
"Ah?"
"In class you are silent, but I know you actually have a forceful personality." My jaw dropped. How could she say that if she didn't even know me? Insane! "I think you'll do great." She added later, raising both hands to her nape. "Besides, Sugiura is trustworthy, and he will help you. Believe me, I've known him since elementary school."
After that strange conversation, she walked away to gather with her friend group, leaving me with great uncertainty.
Everything has changed for me since then. Because of my new charge, I had to interact constantly with my classmates and professors and work side by side with Sugiura. And indeed, he was an exemplary student: he helped me a lot adapting to the delegate role and studied with me after classes when we had no time left to take care of the exams.
Conversely, Tomoka Hayashi spoke to me every day. Sometimes she talked nonsense and sent me notes from her desk. Other times, she asked for help with school affairs, which only the delegate could attend. She was a very enthusiastic girl, and despite my first impression, she had no prejudices against me. Naturally, she became my first friend.
Months went by and the school festival was around the corner, so Sugiura and I had a lot of work. One time, we had to stay up late in the classroom. We were all alone when he said to me:
"Katō, can I ask you a question?" As usual, Sugiura was sitting at the desk in front of me. I was filling the forms that they commissioned us.
"Sure, what's going on?" I answered without looking at him.
Sugiura gulped.
"Is there anyone you like?" he asked shyly.
"Eh?" Just then I looked up, and I noticed he blushed up to his ears and with his eyes fixed on the paperwork. "No, there's no one."
He clenched his fist on the table's surface.
"Tell me, Kato, you…" he spoke with difficulty as he raised his face to me. "Would you date me?"
His declaration dawned on me like a cold shower. I didn't see it coming. It took me a while to assimilate, but I ended up rejecting him.
When I arrived home at night, I called Tomoka to tell her what happened. She sounded just as surprised as me.
"Was he very affected?" she asked me after a pause.
"Sugiura?" I confirmed, surprised she asked about him. "Yes, a bit."
"So… Why did you reject him?" she babbled on the other side of the line. Listening to her so nervous was unusual.
"Why? I don't feel prepared to have a boyfriend. That 's it."
"But… If you felt prepared, what kind of guy would you like to be with, Yuzu?"
"I don't know, I've never considered it before." I confessed. "Do you think I should have accepted?"
"I mean, Sugiura is a good guy! He is kind… and tender." Tomoka was a mess. I didn't understand her attitude. "You surely hurt his feelings."
"Tomoka, why are you so worried about him?"
"I'm not worried about him!"
After that conversation, she tried to act like nothing was wrong at school. But I knew something wasn't right. The charm of her smile was long gone, leaving behind forced attempts of what once was. On the other hand, the tension between Sugiura and me became clear, and we had to spend a lot of time together for the school festival organization, so we pretended as if nothing happened. It was better that way.
The day the festival started, I saw Tomoka and Sugiura talking near the gym from the classroom window. She looked deeply affected and ran away from him when their conversation ended. I wanted to go after her, chase her if I needed to, but a teacher called me for help at the moment.
That was the last time I saw her.
Tomoka stopped going to school. Because she played a key role in many sports competitions, her absence didn't go unnoticed and attracted a lot of attention among the students. All I did was text her every day or call her to know how she was, but I received no answer. I also asked Sugiura if he knew something:
"Don't worry, it must be a cold. I bet she will come back when the festival ends." he assured me. We still had a lot of work to do, so he returned his eyes to the paperwork without paying me more attention.
"I saw you talking the other day." I confessed. He stopped writing but didn't look at me. "If you know something, anything, I beg you to tell me."
Sugiura sighed before smiling at me.
"Nothing important. You'll see she's fine."
But I knew it wasn't like that. Tomoka hated to be alone. She loved talking to her friends and if she was having a bad time, she would never ignore me for so long. No matter how much I thought about it, I had a bad feeling about all that. But I didn't insist, if Sugiura was hiding something he clearly wouldn't tell me.
Tomoka still didn't show up for another week, so I intercepted her friend group from the athleticism club after their practice to find out what was going on:
"Don't fool yourself, Katō." One of them told me contemptuously. "You know better than anyone that all this is your fault."
"My fault? What do you mean?"
"Stop playing the victim! Tomoka told us everything!" another one added. "It's better if you stay out."
"No, seriously… I don't understand what you mean."
"You knew Tomoka was in love with Sugiura!" the third jumped, very upset. "How could you?!"
"What? Tomoka… with Sugiura?" Just then, I realized the reason behind my friend's reaction during that call. "Of course, it makes sense." I thought, however, the girls didn't give me a break.
"You are a whore, Kato! If it weren't for her, you wouldn't be a class delegate!"
"Tomoka supported you, and you betrayed her! You lied so you could sneak out with the guy she has loved since elementary school!"
"Wait a minute!" I pleaded when I saw myself surrounded by the three of them. "I'm not dating Sugiura! Damn it, I didn't even know Tomoka was in love with him!"
"You're not fooling anyone, liar!"
"Why did Tomoka come up with that conclusion?" I asked myself, touching my chin. The situation was really confusing. "Maybe… because of Sugiura?"
"That's right. Tomoka told us everything. She talked with Sugiura and he told her the truth you withhold."
"Sugiura told her we are dating? So…" Tomoka felt rejected by her childhood love and betrayed by her friend. I concluded, seeing the full picture. "What a misunderstanding." I sighed "Okay, I need to talk to her. Do any of you know where she lives?"
"Ha! As if we were going to tell you!"
"Sure, but that won't stop me from finding it." I turned my back on them and ran away, heading inside the establishment.
Tomoka's friends seemed stunned, but I didn't stay to continue listening to their insults. I had to clarify the situation as soon as possible.
On my way to the staff room, I ran into Sugiura. I considered asking for an explanation or asking directly if what the girls said was true, but I preferred to ignore it. I don't need to keep wasting my time with all of you. Tomoka needs me.
Once I arrived, I asked our headteacher for Tomoka's home phone number. Since I was a delegate, he entrusted me with the record book, and it didn't take long to make the call.
"Hello?" a man with a deep voice answered the phone.
"Uh… good morning!" I said nervously. "I'm Yuzuki Katō, a friend of Tomoka. Is she at home?"
"Oh, Miss Yuzuki? I've heard about you." he commented calmly. "Nice to meet you, my name is Tougo Sakamaki, I'm Tomoka's uncle."
"Uncle? I don't remember she mentioned living with her uncle…"
"She used to live with my dear sister and her family. Tomoka is staying at my place because of a little emotional crisis, so I have temporarily assumed her custody." That surprised me a lot. Tomoka wasn't only really hurt to go to school, but to leave her house as well?
This can't stay like this.
"I need to talk to her. Would that be possible?" I asked, using the most convincing tone that I could.
"My niece asked to not receive any phone calls, but lately she's got me deeply concerned…" Mr. Sakamaki sounded thoughtful. After a while, he asked me: "What if you come and stay for a few days, miss Yuzuki? I'm sure Tomoka will be happy to see you."
"Do you think so? Wouldn't it be better if we asked her first?"
"If I ask, she will probably refuse." I kept silent. Thinking about it, he might be right. "By the urgency of your tone of voice, I can tell you have something really important to discuss with my niece. That is why I want you to come. I will help you with anything you need."
"Yes… I think a big misunderstanding is hurting Tomoka." I confessed in distress. "As her friend, it is my responsibility to explain the true nature of things."
"Oh, isn't the youth something lovely?"
On Friday, Mr. Sakamaki sent a limousine to pick me up after school. I followed his instructions of carrying a large suitcase in case I needed to stay a whole week. He warned me that Tomoka was being quite susceptible and making her listen wouldn't be easy. My mother and her boyfriend were aware of everything, so once I said goodbye to them, I got in the car and decided I'll do anything for my friend.
When the driver left me at the front of the Sakamaki manor, it stunned me because of how immense it was. I stayed speechless on my way to the entrance. I've never seen such luxury in one place. A butler assisted me with my suitcase before the doors opened automatically, but there was no one.
"Hello? Mr. Sakamaki? Yuzuki Katō here." I announced when the doors closed behind my back. "I came here to talk with Tomoka."
No answer. I took a few steps inside the elegant hallway when two guys appeared from nowhere.
"Well, that was quick…" one of them commented.
"What do we have here?" the other hummed.
"Ah!" I panic, turning around to face the mysterious young men staring at me. "I mean, nice to meet you! Sorry for the intrusion. I'm looking for my friend, Tomoka. Do you know where she is?" A little nervous, I corrected myself immediately. They remained silent, examining me from head to toe, focusing on my legs, waist, and my bust. I gulped. "Are you related to her or something like that?"
"Damn it, the last one was hot…" Ayato said. "But she is ugly and flat, disappointing!"
"That 's rude, Ayato! He he." Laito replied mocking.
"What…?!" I felt the blood pumping straight to my face. "You have no right to treat me like this!"
"I treat you however I like, u-gly!" the redhead yelled back at me.
I was about to retort when I felt someone's breathing on my nape.
"This smell…" I heard a nearby whisper.
"Ah!" I jumped again, turning to him. "Where did you come from?"
"Yuzu." the third one said. He was a lad shorter than the previous two, who only surpassed me by a few inches. He had lilac hair and big eye bags. "You are Yuzu, right?"
"Yes, I am. Who are you?" I replied, trying to calm down. I thought Mr. Sakamaki notified him about my arrival.
"You don't remember me? How mean you are." he added without blinking. His wide-open eyes were disturbing.
"I've been waiting for you all this time. Look, even Teddy is tired of waiting." Upon saying this, he showed me the adorable plush bear in his arms.
"Teddy? Hey!" The boy pulled my arm abruptly to shorten the distance between us.
He wrapped his arm around my waist and smiled in a way that freaked me out. He had fangs, and his expression looked extremely twisted.
"But it doesn't matter, now you're here we have all the time in the world…" Kanato continued, reinforcing that strange embrace.
"Re… respect my space!" I shouted, pushing him away. "What the hell is wrong with all of you?! I'm just here because of my friend!"
"Ayato, Laito… don't you dare to touch her." He ignored my outburst, warning them instead. "She belongs to me."
"Hum, being selfish isn't nice, Kanato." Laito hummed.
"With a girl like that, I will pass." Ayato said.
I did not understand a single thing about what was happening. Were they really Tomoka's relatives? Why did they act so strange?
"Listen… I don't know what this is all about, but I need to find my friend." I announced, walking away from the strange threesome and continuing my way through the manor.
"I know where she is." the shorter one said suddenly. When I looked at him, he showed me his haunting smile again. "I'll take you with her… with one condition."
"W… what condition?"
"Do I really have to wear this ridiculous dress?" I asked by seeing my reflection with discomfort.
We were at Kanato's bedroom, who led me there to give me a very expensive-looking Victorian-style white dress. It was knee-length, and it was full of ruffles, ribbons, pearls and other fine details. The girls from school would have called it Lolita style or something similar. Neither Ayato nor Laito joined us. We leave them behind at the entrance.
I did not understand why Kanato asked me for such a condition to see Tomoka, but he was so intimidating that I preferred to obey. And there I was, looking at my figure in a large rococo style mirror which reflected me from head to toe.
"This brings back memories…" he commented, appearing right behind me and leaning his face on my shoulder.
"You look like an authentic doll, Yuzu."
"Oh, do you think so?"
"Yes, the most beautiful I've ever seen."
"Thank… you? I guess." I blushed, trying to ignore how close we were.
Kanato started fiddling with my hair curls and whispered in my ear:
"Do you like it? I made it specially for you. You've always liked these dresses, right?"
"When I was a kid, my parents used to dress me like this but, I think it doesn't fit me anymore…" I replied nervously, trying to keep my gaze fixed on my reflection. So I wouldn't have to look at those threatening eyes.
"Not at all! You look fantastic!" he assured, raising a hand to grab my chin. "I really want to kiss you, Yuzu…"
"Hold your horses, boy!" I exclaimed, flushed. "I don't even know your name and you want to kiss me?!"
To my bewilderment, he just smiled.
"Kanato," he said. "Remember that well."
"Kanato…" I repeated, surprised. Something echoed in me then: That name… "You and I… we know each other?"
He didn't answer. His eyes looked at me longingly, as if that was truly an expected reunion. And if so, I didn't get to remember him, despite how familiar his name was to me. Even now, I find it a mystery.
"Yuzu, I asked the old man so many times to bring you to the manor. I had lost any hope… but here you are."
Kanato spoke delightedly as he spread his arms to the sides. "I've created the best doll collection for you."
"Why would you do that? You're strange…" I commented. Even if we met before, there was no reason in giving me such a present, right?
His smile widened.
"When you see it, I'll take you with your friend. I promise."
I sighed. When I find you, Tomoka will definitely have to explain what the heck is going on with your maternal family.
"All right, but this is the last thing I'll do." I declared, "I'm tired of this game."
The place Kanato took me to exceeded my expectations. It was a very dark and gloomy subterranean compartment filled with wax women, dressed in beautiful wedding dresses and flowers. We walked together towards the center of the room, I was still dressed in the outfit he gave me, as for him, he had a creepy smile plastered on his face.
"This place…" I mumbled in shock.
"Do you like it? This is where I keep the beautiful dolls that I've made" Kanato explained, looking at the figures with fascination before turning back to me. "Now they are all yours, Yuzu."
"Why would I want something like this?" Kanato must be crazy if he thought I wanted to have any of those women in my room! They were beautiful, but looking at them made me feel strangely uneasy.
However, my answer didn't seem to please the boy, who's grim gaze lowered before yelling at me:
"You must accept this present, it took me a long time to do so! How can you not see it?!" Suddenly, his voice was rising more and more, turning into a scream full of hysteria. This sudden change in his attitude scared me a lot, so I just shrugged and remained silent, expectant. Kanato took a deep breath and spoke again, this time calmer, but maintaining the same crestfallen position: "This is... my apology for that day..."
"That day…?" I repeated, not understanding.
The next thing that happened was quite confusing. In less than a blink of an eye, he appeared right in front of me and kissed me on the lips. It took me a while to react, but my first impulse was to slap him hard.
Something inside of me knew that wasn't a good idea, but I couldn't stop myself. Silence remained between us after the blow.
"Why do you insist on rejecting me?" Kanato mumbled. After a little pause, he turned to me with tears in his eyes, outraged: "You… You promised you will marry me!"
"What?" I was totally baffled. He raised a hand to his slapped cheek, which was slightly red.
"These brides... couldn't take your place..." he continued using a soft tone, however, his trembling body and his contracted pupils were a sign of danger. "Not even your friend could..."
"What are you…?!"
I wanted to ask for explanations. I didn't understand what he was talking about and hearing him mention Tomoka made me mad. But my question was left unfinished because I felt a stab in the stomach. The pain was late in coming, so I realized what had just happened until I slowly lowered my gaze.
"You are the only bride destined for me, Yuzu," Kanato said, still holding the blade against me. Now he was smiling. Without resisting it any longer, I fell to my knees. The knife came out of me. Already on the ground, I put a hand up to my torn stomach, starting to understand that all the blood that stained my vision was mine. "I almost forgot it. I promised to take you with her. "
Kanato's comment seemed insignificant to me at the time despite being the reason I went in the first place. He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me across the floor without expecting me to get up as if I were already a bloody corpse.
"Look, Yuzu. Here is your friend, " He said after a long time. Weak but hopeful, I looked up.
"It can't... it can't be... " I mused when I saw from the bottom up the beautiful figure of a wax doll whose face I knew perfectly. "To... Tomoka..."
My vision blurred then. I didn't know if it was because of the horror I felt or because of the tears that had been flowing from my eyes.
"Unfortunately, Ayato was the one who killed her, but I had the pleasure of taking out her eyes and making her part of my collection" Kanato revealed calmly like he was talking about something as ordinary as the weather... "Do you like it, Yuzu? You can come to see her whenever you want, after all, she is your dear friend and my present for you." He kept smiling. And despite everything, I still had not quite assimilated that Tomoka was dead and that soon I would be too. Kanato squatted next to me, glaring at me as I cried inconsolably on the floor. "Ah, does your stomach hurt? Don't worry, Reiji made a special lotion for these cases." He took out a strange little bottle from his pocket. "With this, no matter what I do to you, you will not die. Aren't you happy? "
Having said that, Kanato pounced on me. I struggled to push him away, but I was so weak and dejected that it was impossible for me to do anything. I was lying in the middle of that gloomy scene, with those dolls that were once human... Just as Tomoka had been. The previously white dress was totally ruined and my life hung by a thread, all I could do was stare up at the ceiling and wait for the worst.
Kanato placed himself on top of me and kissed me again, to then look for my neck and pierce his fangs in it. All I saw around me was blood. All I felt was pain.
And that fascinated the vampire
"Your blood smell is driving me crazy..." he whispered, this time using an oddly sweet tone. "I want more, Yuzu... Give me more!" Without warning, he thrust the edge of his blade into me again, this time into my chest.
Surely all I did was cry and scream, I don't remember it quite well. Either way, Kanato didn't stop. He stabbed me multiple times along my body, laughing like an unhinged. And when he noticed that I was about to fall unconscious, he applied Reiji's lotion to heal me. The effect was immediate, to my relief and dismay. In this way, even the most critical moments seemed irrelevant to him. You can imagine that with the power to reverse what was done, the torture only increased, to the point where I only wanted to die for once and end my suffering.
"Ah... the expression on your face is wonderful... Show me more..." He sighed, enthusiastic.
We had been doing the same for hours. I think there was no part of my body that he did not hurt, either with the knife or his fangs.
But still, he wanted more.
I was too dissociated from reality to understand what he was doing, but I was still able to mumble:
"W-what are you…?" As I looked down, I assimilated that my skirt was up. And I froze upon seeing his naked phallus pointing at me. When did we get to that? "No, please no..."
"I want to twist you completely and make this terrifying expression just for me... " Kanato whispered with his cheeks flushed and his eyes completely injected in madness.
"When your body remembers me, your nightmares will only talk about me..."
And he wasn't wrong.
He forcibly entered my body, extracting from the depths of my soul a dying scream and a disconsolate cry. I tirelessly begged him to stop but the only thing he did was laugh.
At some point in that endless torture, I woke up alone lying in the middle of the wax doll room. I didn't know if Kanato just got bored of me or if he was thinking about coming back, but I wasn't going to stay to find out. My sanity was barely enough to understand that Tomoka had been murdered by a vampire —a creature that until then I believed non-existent — and that the same fate awaited me.
I dressed with the remains of the ruined dress and trudged through the subway, with a healthy body but a bleeding crotch, sensitive to each one of those horrible memories.
In the middle of a dark corridor that seemed to lead to the dungeons, I came across an unknown guy. He was lazily leaning against the wall.
"He… help me… please…" I pleaded with a thin voice, approaching him slowly. "I need to get out of here..."
Silence.
"You are the new sacrifice of the Sakamaki manor." he said without flicking his disinterested expression at all. "There is no way you can escape."
"Please!" I insisted, throwing myself at him and grabbing onto his clothes desperately. "Please... I'll do anything... Take my blood, my body... Take whatever you want, but..." My voice cracked, preventing me from continuing. My tears flowed again. "Please save me from that guy!"
He snorted. From his expression, it could tell that he didn't care in the least about my situation.
"Do you want me to protect you from Kanato?" He corroborated. "That sounds annoying..."
"If Shu doesn't want to, can I be the one who takes the offer?" Another voice was heard, interrupting the conversation.
The young man and I turned around. A few steps from us, Laito was smiling suggestively at us, in a very different way than the first time we met.
If I couldn't get out of there, I would use any of them to get away from Kanato. That's what I've decided. Innocently, thinking that no one could be as evil as him.
I heard Shu sigh.
"Whatever you do, the result will be the same" he warned me before disappearing, leaving me at the mercy of Laito.
"So that's what happened... Kanato-kun must really like you! He doesn't usually do that kind of thing right off the bat."The vampire in the fedora said after hearing the story between his brother and me. "Why does he like you so much? It causes me some curiosity ~ "
We were together in his bedroom. I was lying on his bed with the blankets up to my ears and he was sitting next to me. If you ask me what was the first impression I had of Laito, then I would have to say that I thought he was an absolute idiot and surely all he wanted from me was sex. And that was a good thing.
(Idiots are easy to manipulate, right?)
"About our deal... Can you give me some time?" I asked, turning my back. "My body still hurts..."
"Poor little thing ~ " he hummed without taking me too seriously. "Okay, but don't make me wait too long pretty bitch ~"
That nickname gave me a tic in my eye. Slowly, I turned my body towards him and found that he was lying comfortably on the bed, looking at me.
"I have a name, you know?"
"You offered your own body to anyone to survive, isn't that something only a bitch would do?" he excused himself with a smile. "But don't worry, that makes you even more interesting~"
Without warning, he reached a hand out to my face, which he gently stroked despite my obvious discomfort. And after all, it felt like a rather intimate gesture. I blushed.
"W…what are you doing?"
"You've had a rough time, right?" Why was he suddenly talking in such a sweet tone? Even his sharp expression seemed to have softened. "I want to spoil you~"
"Please stay away" I asked without pushing him away. "I'll do what you want when I recover, but now..."
"Do not worry. I just want to lick your wounds."
I shuddered. His loving tone and his strange way of seducing me, made me understand that he wasn't an easy idiot to manipulate.
That night, Laito kissed every inch of my body. And although I had just met him, it was strangely comforting. I knew he was taking advantage of my vulnerability, but still, his gestures made me feel so protected that at some point I cried all my bottled feelings in his lap. He just caressed my hair and kissed my tears. His lips became the comfort I needed so badly; His hugs and sweet caresses seemed to say: "Relax, you are not alone."
In this way, he spent several days taking care of me until I finally agreed to let him "lick" one of my biggest wounds. My sex.
I was scared, it still hurt, but the blood from my crotch and its fluids fascinated Laito, who drank from me until he was fed up. In the end, an unknown pleasure flooded me over and over again, prompting me to seek his mouth and his body. I wanted to cleanse the existence of Kanato from me and feel the warmth of my savior, fill myself with him if possible. I was hurt and desperate.
The first time we did it I had no idea about anything, I just let myself be carried away by him and the overwhelming feeling that came over me. I needed him. And I also needed to use him to protect myself. I had no choice.
After a few days of maintaining that routine, my body began to react to him with simple movements such as a lick or a brief kiss. It was then that Laito decided to drink my blood. It seemed like he had been preparing me for the moment because he looked thirsty and eager. We did it a couple of times before he pierced his fangs into my neck. I resisted, pulled his hair, and screamed as loud as I could. The stabbing pain reminded me of Kanato's fangs, the edge of his knife going through me... However, the sensation ended up mixing with the pleasure I felt, causing a great ambivalence in my skin that made everything more bearable.
Laito ended up knowing my body better than I did. And I tried to please him the best I could, learning from him and the instructions he gave me. Mixing pain and pleasure ended up becoming an everyday thing, until now.
"Wow... you had it very difficult. I'm so sorry." Kim said with sorrow once Yuzu finished the story. There was a silence between the two of them before the girl dared to speak again: "Yuzu, I understand that Kanato is oddly obsessed with you and you need to protect yourself from him, but I must ask you to please be careful with Laito."
"You don't need to tell me. I know" the aforementioned accepted without looking at her.
"I do not mean only the things that he could do... I mean your heart."
"Ah?" Yuzu was surprised at Kim's statement. "Oh! You won't believe in the nonsense he said earlier, will you? There's no way I'm falling in love with a guy like him!" she assured, apparently unconcerned. "I admit he's kind of lovely sometimes... and he's good in bed... but his personality sucks! I'm not that masochistic!"
"But Yuzu... you were crying" Kim spoke again, staying serious. "I know you were worried about me, but... before too, when you saw him with another girl."
"I-I wasn't crying that time..."
"Yuzu, I've only known Subaru for a few days and all I do is think about him. I know that I don't like him or anything like that, but he has been the person who has accompanied and protected me the most through all this confusion" she confessed, visibly worried for her. "Instead, you have not only been living with Laito for a month, but you're also sleeping with him. It wouldn't be strange if you started to feel something…"
"Dependence" a male voice suddenly interrupted. "Humans are very prone to feeling it."
"Who said that?!" Kim exclaimed, staring with terror into the darkness that surrounded them beyond the dungeon.
"That voice…" Yuzu recognized as she got up to approach the bars of the cell, confirming that they weren't alone. "Shu! How long have you been there?"
The vampire was lying on the floor, leaning against the wall next to them and still staying out of the cell. Upon hearing Yuzu, he slightly stretched to say:
"Ah, are you worried that I heard your boring story? Don't worry, I fell asleep in the school part."
A bit fearful, Kim also leaned out to see through the bars.
"Was he the one who found you after Kanato's incident?" she asked, realizing that he was the vampire with the least presence of all.
"Yeah, technically it's his fault I'm involved with Laito" Yuzu stated, pointing at Shu with a thumb.
The vampire snorted, somewhat amused.
"Would you rather be involved with me?" he asked, keeping his eyes closed and his lazy attitude.
"If you were trustworthy, absolutely!" Yuzu confessed, putting both hands on her waist.
Shu didn't seem to expect this answer, because his smile disappeared.
"How annoying..." he muttered reluctantly, getting to his feet to walk slowly away. Somehow he must hide the strange feeling he was having.
"You see? They are all the same!" Yuzu said. "Whether Laito or not, the possibilities weren't much different.
"I think you're right..." Kim admitted, watching Shu's back disappear into the gloom. After hearing all that story, she could understand Yuzu's comments better than ever, and that vague but remaining feeling about the albino who saved her: "Subaru is not... like them."
"What are you doing here?" Reiji intercepted Shu at the entrance to the dungeons.
"I'm just passing through," the elder answered, shrugging. The tension between them accompanied the silence. Shu just walked past next to Reiji with disinterest, while the other remained straight and with his sharp gaze fixed to the front. Contrary to expectations, Shu stopped before leaving: "That woman named Kim... Who is she really?"
"I suggest that you stay away from her."
Shu smiled.
"Wow, I thought you liked mature and refined women..."
"It's nothing like that," Reiji interrupted. "Having her in the manor might suppose a danger for everyone..."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
From this chapter on, the fanfic will have two translators: eightbloom and Kim Ookami, in case you noticed the wording is kinda different.
Thank you very much Anika Zarin and guests for the reviews!