Kenta's Question and the Twin's Words ~Doubt~

(Wonderful Life - Torri Webster (Lyrics))

Narrator: 21st century Japan. In this small island nation, upon a hill, live a family of vampires. They blend right in, covering their thirst for blood at one time. Except . . . 15 year old twins Karin and Hikaru aren't like the rest of their family. They don't lack blood. They have too much of it. So instead of drinking blood, they have to give it away before it floods out of them. They're "blood-making" vampires! The only way to drain themselves of the extra blood to any real relief, is to inject it into other people, but . . . One day, Karin was seen mid-embrace by the transfer student Kenta Usui. Ever since then, he's kept an eye on her and Hikaru. What he doesn't know is that vampires are passionately drawn to people who possess certain traits. Karin and Hikaru's blood increases wildly whenever they're around Usui. What will happen to our reluctant vampires next?

(Third-Person POV)

Ms. Shirai: I have your midterms grades ready!

Narrator: Early July, just after midterms. Karin and Hikaru Maaka failed almost every subject.

(Hikaru's POV)

*Karin & I both stared at our grades in horror*

Maki: Your name means "Red" so is that why both your exam's are covered in red?

Daikichi: I was wondering the same thing.

Karin & Hikaru: SHUT IT!

Hikaru:*in his mind* Just our luck. We came to school after so long only to arrive just in time for exams.

*Behind us, Usui was looking through his tests and seemed satisfied with the results. One of our classmates, Yuuji Kikuchi, grabbed his test*

Yuuji: No make-up test for you, eh, Usui?

Male Student: How does he do it?

Yuuji: A 97 in math? What did you do, study?

Kenta: Hey, don't look!

*He tried to take his test back*

Maki: So Usui's smart? Not fair!

Daikichi: Hey Karin, why don't you ask Usui to tutor you for make-up exams?

*Karin & I were both surprised by that suggestion*

Karin: Huh? Th - That's okay . . .

Hikaru: It's none of your business! Quit teasing us!

Maki: Heh. Sorry.

*Just then, Ms. Shirai appeared behind Maki & Daikichi*

Ms. Shirai: I'm very disappointed with the class average for these exams.

Maki & Daikichi: Ms. Shirai!

Ms. Shirai: Karin, Hikaru, I know it must be tough on you both after your serious illness. Good luck on the make-up exams.

Karin: Ill - Illness?

Hikaru:*off-screen* Mom had lied to her.

(Flashback - Third-Person POV)

Calera: Yeah, Karin and Hikaru have the mumps.

Ms. Shirai:*off-screen*Oh my.

(Present Time)

*Neither of them noticed Kenta looking at them. The boys behind him just thought he was looking at Karin*

Kenta:*in his mind* Ever since that night, Mom's been acting different. She's been really cheery. She's much happier than she should be - Than she was. She just lost her job after all.

(Flashback)

Fumio: Smile! I'm going to find a new job! Everything will be fine! Don't worry!

(Present Time)

Kenta:*in his mind* And on her neck . . . Still . . . Those marks . . . Before now, she was always so sad. No matter how she tried to hide it . . . She couldn't. She's too honest. What happened to my Mom? It's fine if she's actually happy, of course . . . But . . . Somehow this happened because of Karin and. And I don't understand it.

(Hikaru's POV)

*Karin & I went back to work after school*

Manager: I'm glad you two are over the flu. Usui told me it was touch-and-go for a while.

Karin: Huh?

Hikaru: Oh! Right. We'll make up the time.

*I then went to locker room to change (same uniform, but with short sleeves). Karin stayed a few extra minutes talk to the manager. I went into the dining room after I changed*

Hikaru:*in his mind* We missed so many days without an explanation. I thought we'd get fired. *suddenly, I heard Karin screaming* Karin!

*I ran to back & found Usui coming out of the men's locker room, looking embarrassed. He then turned back to the door & started banging on it*

Kenta: Hey! Wait a minute! This is the men's locker room!

Karin:*off-screen* Wha! *Usui & I both fell to the floor* Oh! You're right! I'm in the wrong room . . .

*Usui & I both sat outside waiting for her, unable to look at each other*

Hikaru: So . . . Usui . . . You told the boss we were sick . . .

Kenta: Was it none of my business?

Hikaru: No . . . Thank you . . .

*Karin then came out*

Karin: . . . Sorry about that.

Kenta: Yeah . . . What a week.

*All three of us then got to work in dining room*

(Third-Person POV)

*Kenta watched Karin & Hikaru as they worked*

Kenta:*in his mind* . . . Just what did Karin and Hikaru do to my Mom? The marks on her neck . . . Those long canine teeth . . . Were they hugging her . . . Or biting her? Just like vampires. But vampires can't go out in the sun. They shouldn't be able to touch a cross or garlic.

*The next day, at school, he watched Karin climb out of the pool as he sat with the other boys*

Kenta:*in his mind* And aren't vampires supposed to be bad with water . . .?

Maki: Karin, you and Hikaru swim so fast!

Karin: Hee hee! We've never gotten a bad mark in swim class!

*Kenta looked disturbed by that*

Class Representative: What's wrong, Usui?

Kenta: It's nothing . . . *he looked at Hikaru, who was talking to Daikichi, & then at Karin **in his mind* How can they be vampires? They're the total opposite! And vampires are supposed to suck blood, not lose blood . . .

(Hikaru's POV)

*Later that day, Karin & I were in the library, studying for make-up exams. Just then, Usui came up to the table we were sitting at with a stack of books*

Kenta: This seat open!

Hikaru:*in his mind* Why is he sitting here!? The whole library is empty! Calm down! Look natural! *But then we saw the book he was reading, "Vampire Encyclopedia; Bram Stoker", & become nervous* H - H . . . Have. To. Get. Out. Of. Here.

(Third-Person POV)

Kenta:*in his mind* Wow. Look at the faces they're making.

(Hikaru's POV)

Karin: Oh . . . Wow . . . You're interested in . . . Uh . . . The occult?

Kenta: Yeah . . . I'm really into this stuff. Lately. And now that my exams are over, I have more time for . . . Hobbies.

*Karin & I both felt distraught by that since we had to study for make-up exams*

Hikaru:*in his mind* Why do I feel so pathetic?

(Flashback - 2 years ago)

*I remembered a conversation we had with Mom once. (we were both wearing our middle school uniforms (look up "Hikaru - Middle School Uniform" by "SwanGirl24" on "DeviantArt"). Karin's was a dark green dress with a white collar & a yellow bow, white socks, & brown shoes)*

Calera: Karin, Hikaru, now that you two are adults, we need to talk. Even if you two don't drink blood, you still attack people. So you have to be careful not to be found out.

Karin: Why? Why do we have to keep it a secret?

*Mom suddenly got made at both of us, even though I hadn't said anything*

Calera: You're not stupid, Karin, so don't act like it! You think humans would accept monsters like us!? Why do you think our ancestors were chased from their homeland and settled in Japan?

Hikaru: B - But . . .

Calera: What?

Hikaru: How do we . . . Erase memories?

*Mom then hit both of us on the head*

Calera: If you have to ask, then you can't do it!?

(Present Time)

Hikaru:*in his mind* We have to change the subject.

*Karin seemed to get the same idea because she spoke first*

Karin: So Usui, even with your part-time job, you still have time to study and . . . Read . . . For fun?

Kenta: I'm a hard worker.

*That made me feel even worse, because we were holed up in our rooms for week, not working at all*

Karin & Hikaru: Oh . . .

Kenta: But . . . Umm . . . There's a reason why I study hard. I want to be a good honest citizen.

Karin: "Good honest citizen"!?

Kenta: Yeah, a good person. You know . . . Like, do well in school, get a good job, work really hard there, save up lots of money, have a nice family. To be looked up to, not down on. I want to live a normal life like that until the day I die. That's all.

Hikaru: I see . . . *in his mind* Should a high school student really be looking that far into the future?

*Suddenly, his stomach rumbled*

Karin: Usui . . . Did you eat lunch?

Hikaru: Now that I think about it, we've never seen you eat.

Kenta: No, umm . . . I, uhh, forgot my . . . Lunch money . . .

*Karin took out her lunch*

Karin: Oh . . . Well, would you like my lunch? That's if you don't mind leftovers. We made too much . . .

*He immediately grabbed it*

Kenta: THANK YOU!

*He then realized what just happened & became embarrassed. We then started to leave the library*

Karin: Well, wash it and return it to me.

Hikaru: We're going back to the classroom.

(Karin's POV)

*While Hikaru & I walked down the hall, I started thinking about what just happened with the lunch*

Karin:*in her mind* If he has such strong goals, why do we sense so much sadness from him? He got ecstatic over a simple lunch. If food is going to make him happy, maybe I should make an extra lunch every day. *just then, the image of me & Usui sharing a lunch popped into my head**out loud* NOOOOOO! The romantic comedy plot-progression daydreams have got to stop! Now!

*I ran down the hallway with Hikaru right behind me*

Hikaru: Hey! Karin! Wait up! What's wrong!?

(Third-Person POV)

*It was pouring rain when school ended. Kenta didn't have an umbrella so he had to use his bag to shield himself, though it wasn't helping*

Kenta:*in his mind* I wasn't able to get the truth from Karin or Hikaru. They did seem flustered by the book, though. *he looked at the lunch box under his arm* This lunch box . . . I better wash it when Mom's not watching. *just then, he saw Anju, holding Boogie & a black frilly umbrella over her head* What the . . .? She's dressed like a hundred year old doll.

*He was about to walk past her, bit stopped when she addressed him*

Anju: Big brother. You have a lot on your mind, don't you, big brother. *he looked at her* But . . . If you found out the truth . . . What would you do with my brother and sister?

Kenta: Huh? Who are you? What brother and sister?

Anju: Their not bad people, so don't put so much pressure on them.

Kenta: Huh?

Anju: This is a warning. Heed it, or you'll be erased.

*She left. Kenta tried to follow her, but quickly lost her*

Kenta: Sh - She's gone!

*She was actually watching him from a tree branch above him*

*Meanwhile, Karin & Hikaru were grocery shopping at the same store Fumio had been fired from a few weeks ago*

Karin: Hmm . . . How much should I buy?

*Kenta thought back to what she just said*

(Flashback)

Anju: If you found out the truth . . . What would you do with my brother and sister?