The next night, Yu found himself sitting with his knees against his chest in the outhouse, waiting. He had been there since dusk, hoping and praying the soldiers patrolling wouldn't notice him hiding in the abandoned toilet. He held the small key he used to unlock the door up to eye level. Mika had quickly stuck it in Yu's pocket before he had left the last night. That kid, who sounded so desperate to meet again, sure was taking his time. He shoved the key into his pocket, buried his head in between his legs and thought back to last night.

Yu had run as fast as he could back to Ada and the others. He had been both scolded and praised for pulling off something so risky, but in the end, the children were fed and that was all that mattered. When the adults asked for the details of what happened that night, he deliberately left out meeting Mika. Honestly, he didn't trust anyone enough to tell them about it and what he'd been contemplating. Yu especially hadn't informed anyone about his secret rendezvous tonight. Yes, they were like family to him but, that was precisely why he hadn't told them. Letting them worry about him and putting them in danger was something he could never forgive himself for. And thus, he kept his distance with his true feelings and thoughts.

His head jerked up when he heard the creaking sound of the door open. A head full of blonde hair peeked in.

"I'm glad you're here! I didn't think you'd actually come!" Mika said as he shut the door behind him.

"Shhhh! Do you WANT someone to find us?"

Mika rubbed his neck in embarrassment. "Sorry."

Yu rolled his eyes. They both sat next to each other in silence for a while before Yu decided that he needed some answers, and he needed them now.

"Why are you here? In this camp, I mean."

"I was transferred here. The other camp I was staying at was attacked."

"Attacked? Attacked by who?"

"Who do you think? The organizations fighting against VAMPire." Mika huffed.

"VAMPire. As in VAMP Empire. I see." Yu hesitated on asking further about such a delicate subject. He knew Mika probably didn't want to delve into painful memories. He advanced with a softer tone. "I'm sorry you had to go through something like that. It must have been awful."

"It was." Mika looked down at the floor.

The blue-eyed boy sitting next to him wasn't the happy-go-lucky person he had thought him to be. He was just as down to earth and hurt as everyone else. Yu mentally slapped himself for thinking otherwise.

"Since it wasn't safe for me to stay there, they moved me to this camp. Where my father is." Mika continued. "How did you end up here?"

Yu was taken aback by the sudden shift in topic but, he thought it was only fair to share his piece as well.

"My mother was killed in a VAMPire raid. The few that they didn't kill in my hometown were sent here." Yu could feel the air get heavy as those words left his lips. They had both been through some rough and emotionally challenging things. He really hated himself for looking down on Mika when they first met.

"You must really despise and curse them for doing those horrible things to you."

Yu was caught off guard by the slightly morbid statement. "Well, of course I won't forgive them but, saying it like that is a little..."

A little? A little what? Disturbing? That's what the mood in the air started feeling like anyways. Yu glanced over at Mika only to see his face painted in sorrow and grief. He pushed his overwhelming urge to cry down as far as he could and placed a hand on Mikaela's shoulder. It wasn't much but, he thought a little comfort would help ease the pain.

"Yu, do you like me?" Asked the blonde.

"Yeah. I do. Even though we just met yesterday, I feel like we really understand one another."

Mika smiled a little. "I think so too."

With the weird tension starting to fade, Yu felt like asking anymore questions would just ruin the moment. "Hey, it's about time I headed back." He stretched his arms, indicating that they had been there for quite a while.

"Sigh. I really wish you didn't have to leave." Mika said with little more bounce in his voice than before.

Yu giggled. "You sound like some of the kids whenever I leave to get food." He stood up. "We'll see each other again. I promise."

Mikaela got to his feet as well. "A true man never goes back on his word. I promise to see you again too."

And with that, the two boys went their separate ways. They both knew that this friendship between them was special and that it needed to be protected, no matter what.