POV RUKI
After I split up with Kai and Uruha, who decided to go dating instead of worrying about the real reason we came to Romania in search of answers for our Master's thesis. As I was always the one doing the research, I didn't even care about them dating, but this festival had a lot of content and stories for my report.
Starting with the story Yuu told, I took the opportunity to take photos of the people performing the folkloric reenactment of the search for the vampire in the cemetery. But without an interpreter, it wasn't very easy to interview the locals, as my English isn't fluent and some only speak the native language.
So I used the camera to record and take photos. It was great fun for me, I was in touch with the object of my studies: gathering evidence of the existence of vampires. I took the opportunity to wander around all the festival stalls, buying souvenirs, different snacks and tiucã liqueur, the regional drink.
The time we had agreed to meet again had already passed, amazing how quickly two hours go by when you're having fun. I headed towards the cauldron that was supposed to be the meeting point. I was pretty sure that they wouldn't be there yet, they've never been very punctual and they must be necking somewhere.
As expected, they weren't at the cauldron, I hope they haven't forgotten me, they had promised, I don't know how to get back to the inn and it's very dark and I can't remember where the car is.
To distract myself I'm going to have a drink and eat what's left in my bag, standing here alone is very scary. Where are those two irresponsible bastards? How long do I have to wait here?
:.:.:.:.:.:
It was past midnight, neither of them had shown up and on top of that they were very late, I don't even know how much time had passed. Why did I agree to separate from them?
And now what? What am I going to do? Now I'm too scared to stay here alone, it's really scary, I can see the party emptying out and people leaving. How can I ask for help, if I can't even speak their language, how can I make anyone understand me?
In the middle of the crowd leaving the party, I finally see a familiar face, a dark-haired man with dimples coming towards me, and I breathe a sigh of relief: he may be late, but he hasn't forgotten me. He looks like he's had a drink, he's walking a bit stiffly. Where's Reita? Why is Kai alone? I'm going to meet him, he seemed lost.
- Kai-san! I'm here! I shout for him.
- Takanori! Where are you, I can't see you?_ Better get closer.
- You took too long, for a moment I thought you'd forgotten me. _ I come closer and put my hand on his arm. He looks at me sleepily and tiredly.
- Gomenasai! I'm already here, I'd never forget you. _ With him here, I'm no longer afraid.
- I got scared, I don't know how to get back to the inn from here. - It's strange that he's the only one who's shown up, and none of the others. I wonder where they are?_ Where's Uruha-san? Why isn't Reita with you?
- Ruki-san, we need to go and meet Uruha-san at the manor, he's gone there with Yuu-san. _ What do you mean!? _ Reita-san said it, let's meet there. Come on, he showed me the way.
- Yutaka-san, look at me. What's going on? This wasn't arranged." Kai takes my arm and keeps walking, he seems to be in automatic mode. - Why do we have to pick him up?
- Akira-san asked me to take you to meet him at the manor. _ We're leaving the cemetery and entering a dark forest, how do you know the way? We've never been here before. _ Uruha-san is there with Yuu-san. Let's go faster! It's close! After that dark part of the forest, don't let go of my arm.
- Kai-san, I'm scared, you're not like that, you're acting very strange. - I slow down and don't even dream of getting lost. - Is this the house that Yuu-san showed you that lives in the tower?
- I think so, Ruki-san. You can ask him later. - Kai is scaring me, inside the house I'll talk to him. We're getting there, I see the door Reita said, just go in and we'll be safe.
- Safe? Were we in danger, Kai-san? - He just nods in the affirmative, opens the door and we enter what looks like the kitchen of the mansion. - Do you want to explain this to me? What happened?
:.:.:.:.:.:
We're inside the manor, Kai is acting strange, he dragged me here just saying that Uruha was here. Kai was with Reita but she disappeared, leaving him alone. The most intriguing thing is how he knew the way?
- Kai-san, what danger were we in? Where's Reita? Weren't you with him at the party?
- Ruki-san, the forest was dark and there were wolves and other creatures of the night. It was NOT to stop, just keep going without looking back. Those were Reita's words.
- Yes, I understood that part. Dark forest! Wolves? Creatures! But why didn't Uruha-san come to meet us? I'm sure that pervert was necking with Yuu, and missed the time, that's why.
- Ruki-san, if you already know the answer, why do you keep asking? Come on, let's go upstairs. Reita told us to meet them in a room on the second floor. The mansion is very large, so be careful not to get lost.
- It's big and dimly lit, beautiful and scary. Kai-san, wait for me and don't run off like that. Have you been here before?
- Ruki-san, don't be too long, I'm very sleepy, so I'm going fast. I want to find Uruha-san and fall into bed. I've never been, only now with you.
- That's very strange! Kai-san, I'm scared, these hosts are very suspicious about the vampire thing. Now you're dragging me back to this mansion after the party. And if it's true...
- True that vampires exist? That's not why we came, Ruki-san. Wouldn't it be great to meet one in this old house? Watch out! Don't stay behind, there might be one here hungry, you could be its dinner.
Kai continues walking without stopping, we leave the kitchen and pass through a large entrance hall with stairs on both sides, which we are climbing up to reach a huge corridor with many doors that to me are rooms. I don't think there's a room here, Kai is scaring me with his answers, this house has everything it takes to be a home for vampires.
Following the corridor, we find two doors, which Kai pushes open and we enter - it seems to be a waiting room where visitors wait. There's a sofa set with lots of cushions, a beautiful rug, lots of pictures on the wall and a huge curtain that goes from the ceiling to the floor.
- Let's sit here and wait, this place is very big. I hope I'm in the right room.
- Where's your cell phone, Kai-san? Send a message to Uruha-san, this way no one will find us.
- It was in Reita's car. I didn't even think of it, I was a bit distracted. So I ran out to find you.
- Shame on you! Kai-san, you were necking with Reita in the car in the middle of the party. Why didn't we get in the car instead of walking to the manor?
- Uruha-san wasn't in the car and couldn't drive in with him in the middle of the party to pick you up. Reita went to leave the car in front of the manor, while we found our friend. Where's your cell phone?
- I used up all my battery recording the folklore performance. I gathered a lot of material for our research and forgot to bring the cable to charge it.
- Tell you what, if they take too long, we'll open and knock on each of these doors until we find Uruha-san, before I fall asleep right here on this sofa.
That shouldn't have been the right room, we stayed there for a while and there was no sign of anyone showing up, this Kai story is badly told and very suspicious. Reita and Yuu left with them and only Kai came back and he's acting very strangely, like he's being manipulated or hearing voices telling him to follow an order.
We got tired of waiting and went knocking and opening every door in that corridor, I think there were about 5 or 6, they were just huge rooms, all tidy and empty. Kai saw another staircase leading to another part of the mansion and we headed for it. I'm afraid to tell him, but with the poor lighting and walking aimlessly, we're lost in here. We didn't see anyone, a place this big should have employees, but as it must be past 1am, everyone must be asleep.
Just like Kai, I was tired of looking, so at the last door we opened, he walked over to the bed and lay down on it, pulling the sheets up over his body. I wanted to go to the inn, take a shower, change and rest in my room with my belongings.
- Kai-san, you can't sleep there, it's not our room. We weren't even invited, we can't find the owners of this huge house.
- Ruki-san, I'm very tired and sleepy. Tomorrow we'll look for our friend Kouyou, who is probably sleeping in a room too.
- What do you mean sleeping? Yutaka-san, what do you know that you're not telling me?
- Come to sleep Taka-chan, I'll tell you tomorrow. You don't want to lie awake, listening to the howls of the wolves and the sounds of the manor. Close the door and come to bed with me.
- Yutaka-chan, don't talk like that, you know I'm afraid to be alone. Wake up and let's go find Kou, I've got a bad feeling about this place.
It was no use, he just went out, no matter how much I shake him or call him, he won't wake up. What happened to him and Kou? Why does it seem like there's no one in this place? But I feel a presence as if it were a shadow or a ghost watching me.
No matter how hard I try to stay awake, I can already sense the drowsiness coming on and my eyes are heavy, so I won't be able to resist for long. These sounds are really frightening, at least I'm not alone, I'll stay close to Kai, maybe if one of these creatures gets in here I'll have my friend to protect me.
:.:.:.:.:.
POV OFF
The sun's rays coming through the gap in the bedroom curtain, the birdsong announcing the start of the morning, the brightness beginning to increase with the wind swaying the fabric of the curtain. Ruki, after lying awake for some time listening to the strange sounds made by the animals near the mansion at night, eventually gave in to sleep, slipping under the covers and snuggling up to Kai, who was fast asleep.
Ruki woke up little by little, still afraid of the strange night he had spent, even though he had slept well and super comfortably in that spacious bed next to his best friend. He wondered why it had happened. Why had Kai dragged him there in search of Uruha? In a spooky house at dawn, only to end up sleeping in one of the bedrooms.
Now, during the day, it would be easier to investigate the whole story in depth. Ruki mustered up the courage to get a better look at the room, which was getting brighter and brighter. He realized that it was bigger than he had expected, the curtain covered what must have been a balcony door to a balcony that was open at night, they had walked so far that they must still be on the upper floor of the Manor.
Near this door there was a table with some chairs and the most incredible thing was that there was a tray with breakfast for the clandestine guests. How did they know which room they were in? When had this person quietly slipped in? Has it been a long time since dawn?
Ruki tries to wake Kai, who is still in a heavy sleep. What did he do to be so tired? Kai seems to wake up slightly and complains that it's too bright and that the sun is disturbing his sleep.
- Kai-san, wake up, someone knows we're here.
- Ruki, let me sleep... in peace... Why do you think that?
- There's a tray of breakfast for us on the table by the bed.
- Of course they know we're here, Ruki. Reita told me to bring you to the manor, then he would meet me.
- Where is he, Kai? Why didn't he come to meet us last night?
- I don't know. We got lost looking for Uruha, remember?
- Can you start explaining to me what's going on here? Where is Uruha? Who are these people, Yutaka-san?
- Speak more slowly Taka-chan! I'm still sleeping, there are too many questions. Ahhh... Close that curtain, it's too sunny... Go eat, you must be hungry.
Ruki is incredulous at Kai's lack of answers, as if he doesn't mind being in a strange place for the first time and is acting as if it's all normal.
- No more sleeping, Kai-san! Come and eat with me. Get up soon or I'll knock you out of bed.
- Stop being annoying Taka-chan! I'm not hungry, it's probably too early.
- I'll eat it all then! I want to see you find your way to the kitchen when you get hungry.
- Go for it! Now let me get some rest, we still have to find Kouyou.
Ruki, still in bed, shook Kai to get him up, but only made him hide under the covers, causing Ruki to laugh as he got up and went to the table to help himself to the delicious coffee that had been left for him in his room.
- Come on, Kai-san, stop being lazy and come and eat. There's fruit, bread, jam, cheese, coffee, milk and honey.
- You can eat now, Taka-chan. I'll eat later. It's too sunny near you, I wanted my sunglasses.
- Are you sure you're okay? You don't have a fever? You've never complained about the sun.
- It must be a hangover, my head hurts and my eyes are bothered by the brightness. What's with you asking before we're properly awake?
- Ah...Kai-san, it's just you and me here, I woke up feeling nervous and I need to talk to distract myself. And you haven't explained why we're here yet.
Kai tried to ignore his friend's chatty presence, staying quietly in his own, the bed was soft and warm, he didn't want to get up. Ruki was eating but he kept talking about wanting company, he had slept in that strange place practically alone. Tired of the little guy's mumbling, Kai was forced to get up and go to the table, even if it was just to eat some fruit so Ruki would keep quiet.
- Satisfied Taka-chan! I'll sit with you, you won't let me sleep anyway.
- Kai-san, the best way to cure a hangover is a good sip of coffee. You'll get better soon.
- I know that, but I'm more tired than hungry. I'll take the coffee since you insist.
- Now you're doing it! You sound like yourself, you've never been one to turn down breakfast. Here, try this toast with grape jelly.
- Taka-chan, you really don't change. Everything has to be the way you planned it...
- If I'd left it up to you and Uruha, we'd never have gotten our college degrees. You're my best friends, I have to take care of you, even when you leave me alone.
Kai smiles, showing his dimples to his friend, who is happy for him to sit and chat and enjoy his breakfast at the manor. But when Kai moves his head to the side, his neck shows marks from the night he had with Reita.
- Yutaka-san, it's no wonder you're all sore. Who was the savage who turned you purple? It's going to take a while to fade.
- Taka-chan, do you think you own me now? I had a more intimate moment with Reita. Are you going to judge me now?
- Not much, you've never been like this. I mean, you've gotten so drunk that I've taken you home almost passed out. Your flirtations have never been so wild that... is that a bite on your neck?
- What are you talking about, Ruki-chan? A bite? You're delirious.
- Now you're going to make a fool of yourself! Not at me, Kai-san. I can see you.
Ruki was facing Kai at the round table with four chairs. Leaving his cup on the table, he stood up, walked over to the other chair next to his friend, sat down and put his hand on Kai's chin, making him turn his neck. Confirming his suspicions, it wasn't just a purple hickey, there were two teeth marks leaving two symmetrical holes in the place.
- Hummm... Kai-san has two teeth marks and not just any teeth marks when you bite something, this one is very specific.
- Ruki-chan, talk soon, you're making me anxious. Reita-san is very hot and fiery, he found my weak spot and went on to kiss and bite me on the neck and all over my body.
- Spare me the details of your love affair. I know how it happens. Except that the bite here was made by two sharp canines. Reita-san could only be a...
- Vampire? Only because we're in Romania, investigating this. Now you think our host might be one!
- Why not? The two of them are suspicious, they only met us at night, they didn't have dinner, they only drank wine. Yuu told that story about the vampires as if he had lived through it. And now you've got this very suggestive bite here!
- Don't freak out, Taka-chan! You're just influenced by the research and yesterday's festival. I just went on a date like Uruha-san.
- I freaked out a long time ago, when you dragged me to this mansion at night, I got really scared, then you decided to sleep and left me without an explanation.
- Yes, I did! Uruha-san came here with Yuu-san. Akira-san told me to meet him here and bring you along. But it was late and I got tired and went to sleep.
- Why did I think of that? Your sleepiness, as if you were following orders from a Master, your aversion to the sun and now your lack of appetite. Kai-san, you didn't realize that he drank your blood, he just wanted to feed you, you're just a hobby.
- Ruki-san, I think the sun is frying your brains. You're mixing up research with reality. In which vampires are just a myth, tales to scare the peasants.
- Reita-san used hypnosis to make Kai-san forget this detail. So Uruha must be in the same situation. We need to find him quickly, before the vampire dries him out.
- Uruha-san is fine, he's with Yuu-san. Come on, I want to find him and my Reita, I miss her already.
Ruki realizes that it won't work to try to say that Kai's lover is a vampire like the one in the legends. Kai was hypnotized into denying their existence, he didn't even touch the coffee or the toast, he just held it. Ruki gets up, saying he's finished eating, so they can continue looking for Uruha, hoping he's still alive.
- Come on, Kai-san. This place is very big and I want to take advantage of the sun to look for Uruha-san. Leave for the inn. I have a bad feeling about this.
- All right, Taka-chan. You'll see that it's just delirium. It's easy to get lost in these corridors.
:.:.:.:.:.
After leaving the room, Ruki and Kai stopped at the door, looking both ways, trying to find out where they had come from last night, perhaps if they could find an employee to help, but the place was still deserted with no one there.
They went off to one side, walking aimlessly, again opening the doors of the rooms they came across on the way, but there was nothing of their friend or the owners of the mansion. Kai found a staircase that took them to another wing of the mansion. The place was huge and very beautiful, decorated with lots of bedrooms and waiting rooms for visitors. But it was empty, a perfect labyrinth. Kai saw two more doors in front of him, which he opened followed by Ruki: it was a huge ballroom with two thrones in the background. Surely the place had belonged to a king or emperor in the past.
- Kai-san, there's no one, just empty rooms and halls. Where are they? I'm getting tired of this.
- Ruki-san, I don't know either, Reita-san said she was going to meet me here. I'm as worried as you are. This house is a maze, I think we're lost.
- There's no way to give up now, we're already here. Uruha-san is here somewhere. Only if they're looking for us one way and we're walking the other. Whoever brought the breakfast tray only found us because we stopped in a room.
- There are more rooms in this corridor, let's go into one and wait, this search isn't working. I can't go back to where we were before. Try one of those up ahead and I'll close the doors to this hall.
- All right, Kai-san, I'll go there and maybe I'll have some luck. Don't delay, I'm afraid of being alone in this place.
Ruki heads for the next room, which is a little further away from the hall, while still looking back to see if his friend is coming before he enters. Kai is closing the two doors with a little difficulty, but he beckons Ruki to go and check this room. Slowly, Ruki opens the door and enters the room, looking inside. It seems to have been used, there was a tray of leftover grapes on the floor and a bottle of wine next to the bed.
The bed was carved out of wood and was very large, canopy-style, with transparent curtains around the bed, which had satin sheets in a dark shade that contrasted with the fabric of the curtains. Ruki noticed the movement of a person in the center of the bed, approaching and pulling aside the curtain, finding his handsome friend Uruha still asleep. Looking around, he saw his long boots on the floor next to the bed and a few pieces of his clothing lying in the corner of the bed.
Ruki is happy and goes out of the room to tell Kai that he has found Uruha. But to his dismay, his friend is no longer in the corridor. He was right behind Ruki before he opened the door. Who was playing with him? How could he find one friend and lose another? Where did he go? Did someone catch him? Now Ruki has to wake Uruha up to look for Kai.
- Uruha-san, wake up! It's dawn! You overslept.
- I'm coming, Mom! Just 10 more minutes! Hummm... there's no class today, I can sleep in later.
- Kouyou, I'm not your mother! You're not at home! It's Ruki.
- Ruki... My friend... I have to meet him... Is it morning already? Oh my God! I forgot about Ruki...
Uruha jumps out of bed and looks around, seeing the light coming into the room and Ruki standing in front of him looking at him. The blond grabs the short man around the waist.
- Gomenasai, Ruki-san! I didn't mean to oversleep. Gomen.
- No problem, Uru-san. It's a good thing I found you. That hug made me so happy. Kai-san picked me up and brought me here to this house, saying that you had come here with Yuu-san.
- Where is he? Wasn't Kai-san with you? I asked Yuu-san to wake me up, but he's not here either. How strange!
- So he stayed the night with me and we ended up sleeping in a room after he got tired of looking for you. Now that I've found you, he's gone.
- Maybe Reita found him? Where did Yuu go? He was sleeping with me. Ruki-san, you're the one who put those black satin pajamas on me.
- Not me, I've just arrived! It must have been your lover Yuu, let me see how you look... Hummm... he has good taste. You look beautiful in it.
Uruha releases Ruki from his embrace to see how he's dressed, liking the result. Ruki runs his hand through his friend's blond hair, making him tilt his head to the side to reveal a bite mark on his neck, made by two canines just like Kai. What he suspected Yuu is also a vampire.
- Uruha-san, there's a bite mark on your neck. What did you do to Yuu-san last night?
- Ahhh... that! Yuu-san got carried away during sex and when we had an orgasm together, he bit me. But he apologized afterwards, it was too intense.
- Why do you and Kai-san have this habit of sharing intimate details about your sex life? He was also bitten on the neck.
- Wow... Reita-san is hot like that too... Ouch! So hot! Kai-san also had an intense intimate moment with a bite.
- Enough about that! Uruha-san, you have a two-hole mark on your neck. Which means you've been bitten by a vampire just like Kai-san.
– Taka-chan, you're out of your mind! Forget the research for a moment and come back to reality. Vampires are fictional tales, legends to scare the fearful.
– There you go! Now it's two who have been hypnotized to forget, they're saying the same thing. Let's go, Uruha-san! Put on your clothes and boots, we have to find Kai-san before the vampires wake up and leave this place while it's daylight.
— Relax Taka-chan. My boyfriend is not a vampire you will see, I already miss my fiery brunette.
— "Kou-chan, do you remember how you got here in this room?" It's a labyrinth this place, we need to find that entrance hall must be the exit from here.
—"I don't remember, Yuu who guided me here, we went up some stairs and through some corridors, until we entered this room. Where did Reita say she was going to meet you? Where did you see Kai-san before he disappeared?
— "I remember Kai saying that Reita would be in a living room on the second floor, but we were waiting in a small room and no one showed up. He kept closing the doors of a ballroom down the hall before I entered this room.
— "Come on, looking in this room was the last place you saw him. Who knows, maybe if we're lucky, he's with Reita. And can you tell me if you know where Yuu went?
— "That might be a good idea." Uruha-san, do you look for Kai-san in his pajamas?
— "Ruki-san, I'm going to take a long time to change my clothes. Finding Kai is more important, I'm comfortable in him.
Ruki laughs at his friend Uruha, he's right, finding the other friend is a priority. Uruha looked very nice in those pajamas, putting on only her boots, getting up from the bed and following Ruki out of the room.
The doors of the ballroom that Ruki had seen earlier were at the end of this hallway, they walked there. Uruha wasn't sleepy like Kai, he seemed refreshed, in a good mood, even too much for someone who was never a fan of waking up early, unlike his friend, he didn't complain about his sore body or headache, the wine bottle was empty, he must have had a hangover, but he didn't just complain about the excess of brightness just like Kai.
— "Kou-san, these are the doors Kai was closing. Stay close, I don't want to lose you either.
— "I'll help you, they look big and heavy. You're pretty small, Taka-chan.
— "I knew it was taking me a long time to start stumbling with my height.
—"I love to see you nervous, it's so cute. You know I love you, Taka-chan.
Ruki is embarrassed blushing, his face flushed at his friend's comment. The two open the door, looking into the great hall, they are entering and further back they notice that sitting on one of the thrones is Yuu.
Next to him sitting on the floor is Reita with Kai with his head lying on his lap, he is running his hand through his burgundy hair, caressing the brunette who is smiling appearing his dimples.
Ruki is very suspicious of that whole scene, Uruha behind her is happy to see her boyfriend sitting looking like a lord.