Cocoa: Hey wow thanks for the encouraging reviews:D hope you like this chapter too cos i think this one's pretty good haha.
"I…"
I wanted to say something so badly, something that would somehow salvage the situation between the two of us.
"Go home."
He said it so coldly it made me want to cry.
I bit my lip but dare not look at him.
I remember trembling as I stood up and running off with tears streaking my cheeks.
As I went to bed that day, I couldn't stop chiding myself.
I felt like such a fool, disregarding Rido's feelings.
A horrible feeling shook me as I realised that I've only been thinking about myself.
The truth that gripped me made me sick with guilt and regret.
Rido had been loving me all this while, why did I ignore it?
Haruka was extremely worried about me, especially when he saw the tear stains on my cheeks and my pillow.
But he did not ask me anything.
He just hugged me.
I lay limp in his embrace, staring blankly into space.
"It's okay, Juri, its okay." He stroked my hair and then I just cried afresh.
Burying my head into his chest and enveloping my arms around him, I allowed myself to cry.
For two weeks, I didn't talk to Rido.
I felt like our relationship, which I was unsure of what it was, was over.
I already had a fiancé, there was no need for me to see another guy.
Apprarently our destiny was not going to end that soon, as on my eighteenth birthday, Rido did something I completely did not expect.
He had suggested to Father that he and I should go overseas for a month to learn more about the world outside.
Father felt that it was indeed a good learning experience and gave his consent, but made Aunt Yume to join us.
When asked, I said yes.
I never expected Rido to do something like that, much more come back into my life.
I did not really give it a thought, it was as if my heart reacted faster than my mind, and I just agreed.
Was it because I wanted to see him again?
Upon arriving in Korea and out of Aunt's Yume sight, Rido kissed me.
I was beyond flummoxed, as I stared wide-eyed at him, not knowing how else to respond.
It was as if I haven't seen him for too long, he was full of surprises that day, now that I look back at it.
.
Rido.
Rido. I'm so sorry.
.
He was always so much faster than me, because as I was about to retort, he kneeled before me.
Without looking up, he held a ring to me.
"Will you marry me?"
If I were the fainting type, I would have had passed out.
Either way, I couldn't take so much of his little 'presents'.
I collapsed to my own knees and whispered, "W-wha-"
"I'm sorry, Juri," He finally looked at me, though his voice was soft, his gaze was strong, "Its just that I thought I was going to be the one to marry you but… and when you told me you loved him and chose him, I just…"
"Rido," I exhaled, realising that I had been holding my breath all the while, "Was this why you brought me here?"
"I thought about it for really long. I just wanted you as my wife so bad." He smiled quite wistfully, "So I thought if I can never wed you in Japan, I can officially do it here."
It felt like infinite silence.
"So… will you marry me?" He held my fourth finger gingerly, giving me one of his best smiles.
.
If only I knew.
If only I knew what a stupid thing it would be to do that.
Still, one never knows the future.
One never thinks of the consequences.
.
I took the ring from his hand and kissed him on the forehead.
"Yes." I murmured.
"Aunt Yume," I called brightly, "Can Rido and I go to the East temple today?"
"At this hour?" She asked, bemused.
"Yes. Its traditional to do it at eleven o'clock." I nodded, "I want to pray a blessing over Rido before we return to Japan."
Aunt Yume seemed to hesitate while considering, and I expected that she would not allow us to go.
"Alright. Make sure you come back before midnight. I'll be waiting."
"Thank you!"
I was excited, but not afraid.
Rido arranged for a priest to witness for us, and there would only be the three of us in the temple.
It was pretty fast, how the marriage went.
We followed the procedures and were finally pronounced man and wife.
And despite it being a simple one, I was more exhilarated than expected.
I was finally and officially Rido's wife.
"My wife, Juri." He announced proudly.
As promised, we arrived back before midnight, keeping Aunt Yume far from suspicion.
It must have been around two in the morning, when I heard a soft knock on the door.
Aunt Yume was sound asleep beside me, so I carefully pulled the covers away and slipped out of the room.
"You couldn't sleep too?" He smiled, hugging me from the side.
"I just got married, how can I sleep?" I half-teased, enjoying the very moment of being together.
"Come," he instructed, and brought me to his room.
At that moment I was nervous.
Did he intend for us to fulfill the first night for a couple?
He lay the mattress for me and I began to panic.
"Ri-rido." I stuttered.
He seemed to be oblivious, or perhaps he was ignoring my uneasiness and pulled me down to sit beside him.
"Here," He handed me a bottle or bourbon.
I could not help but to laugh.
The thing that first made him approach me.
Maybe it was because I was jumpy on the inside, and laughter was the only way to rid the tension, so I kept giggling.
Rido was amused, and started to drink.
He drank nearly half the bottle, and handed it to me again.
I also drank, letting the guilt fill me.
However, I did not want to get drunk.
I needed my mind to be clear.
The alcohol took effect on Rido, who was getting slightly irrational and drowsy.
He finished the bottle of bourbon and fell against me.
I was sandwiched between him and the wall and I got alarmed all over again.
Rido lay his head against my chest and mumbled that he could hear my heart beat.
I stayed absolutely still, not even daring to breathe.
He lifted his head and kissed me on the lips, and started to lick my chin.
His hands unbuttoned the collar button of my blouse and I realized I was shivering.
I was not afraid of him, but I was afraid of what may happen that I may regret.
Still, I did not move.
He went to licking my neck and suddenly I felt a jolt.
My neck felt like it had been stabbed.
I smelt blood and I started to whimper.
What was going on??
He stayed at my neck for a while before continuing to unbutton my blouse.
I slowly pushed him away, and he fell back on the mattress, asleep.
What I saw made me want to scream.
I saw fangs, protruding at the side of his mouth.
And they were stained with blood.
My blood.
I felt cold as I swallowed back the scream.
Shaking, I willed my hands to touch my neck.
It was warm and wet.
I sat frozen, trying to calm myself.
Nothing much happened, I tried to convince myself, I'm still alive.
Rido did not harm me, he just… took some of my blood.
Before I could think further, my mind became cloudy.
My head felt heavy and my wound was throbbing.
Every single part of my body felt numb.
It was as if my soul left my body.
I shut my eyes and everything become black.
.
Suddenly, I felt unexplainably hungry.
For blood.
There was nothing occupying my mind except the thirst of blood.
I could not care about anything else, and headed for Rido's neck.
When I finished, it was as though my mind returned to me.
My emotions came back.
It was all anxiety.
What exactly had happened?
I got up and rushed to the bathroom, panting heavily.
I kept telling myself to keep calm and turned on the lights.
I gasped in horror as I caught my reflection.
The sides of my mouth harboured fangs, long, white and tinged with blood.
Just like Rido's.
And the pupils in my eyes were tinted a dark red colour.
I immediately washed my face and neck, hoping to remove any evidence of what had occurred.
Yet, only blood was removed.
The change that had happened to my face remained.
I stealthily returned to my room, relieved to a certain extent that Aunt Yume was still asleep.
I crawled back into bed, closing my eyes and forcing myself to sleep.
But how could I sleep?
Knowing what I had just become.