Vampire and His Pleasant Companions: Volume 2 - Part 2

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At the embalming facility attached to the Old Memorial Center, Al was perched on Tsuno's shoulder, reading a book together with him in the staff break room.

Earlier that morning, Tsuno and Akira had completed the embalming of a body. Afterward, Akira attended the funeral, while Tsuno remained in the break room. They had two more cases scheduled for the afternoon, but the bodies had not yet arrived. Koyanagi was supposed to start his shift in the afternoon, but he hadn’t arrived yet, so it was just Al, Tsuno, and Muroi, the associate embalmer who Akira often described as "always talking back," in the room.

From dawn until sunset, Al took on the form of a bat. This was an unchangeable reality, just as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. As a bat, Al was about 15 centimeters long with light brown fur, which Akira claimed made him look like a baby bat with a cute face. Although Al had seen his bat form in the mirror, he still couldn’t quite grasp what made a bat either beautiful or ugly.

Recently, Al had learned to read picture books meant for children, written in hiragana. Although he struggled when kanji or katakana were mixed in, it was still a big improvement. Tsuno, however, wasn’t reading a picture book. He was reading an American funeral magazine borrowed from Akira, and of course, it was in English. Being his native language, Al had no trouble reading it.

As Al massaged the deceased as a thank you for the blood he received, he began to develop an interest in the work of an embalmer. After finishing the massage, he would sit back and watch Akira’s procedures. Though he hadn’t observed other embalmers at work, Akira struck him as being very skilled and meticulous. He never left even the slightest thread untrimmed, and he made sure that even the stitches hidden under clothing were neat. Such unseen attentiveness would surely be appreciated by the bereaved.

Even though he was a vampire and technically no longer living as a human, Al couldn’t obtain a license, but he actively studied, hoping that with more knowledge, he could assist Akira in other ways besides massaging.

"Right now, one dollar is worth about this much in yen…" Tsuno muttered to himself.

"Whoa, that’s expensive," he remarked. Since it was a funeral magazine, there were also advertisements for coffins. Coffins varied widely in price, with some so expensive they were shocking.

"Squeak squeak," Al chirped in agreement, nodding along. Tsuno chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand, and gently patted Al on the head with his fingertip.

"I’ve been wondering for a while now, is that normal for bats?" Muroi asked, turning his upper body toward them while still seated on the sofa.

Muroi was tall and slender, a different type of handsome from Akira. His eyes, nose, and mouth were well-shaped and perfectly balanced. Though his features weren’t deep, this only added to his cool, refreshing look, and his short hair suited his face well. To Al, Muroi embodied the image of a Japanese samurai.

"When Takatsuka-san is around, that bat is always on his shoulder or head. Aren’t bats supposed to hang from the ceiling?" Muroi asked.

"Sometimes he’s by the window, but he usually sticks close to someone, lying on his stomach," Tsuno replied, stroking Al’s head with his finger. Al let out a small "squeak" in thanks, while Muroi tilted his head.

"It’s like he understands what we’re saying," Muroi observed.

"He might. I’ve heard bats are quite intelligent," Tsuno said.

Al chirped twice, "Squeak squeak," as if to agree, "That’s right."

"Koyanagi-san mentioned something once. He said if you lose something, you should ask Al, and he’ll help you find it. So if you ever misplace anything, you should ask Al," Tsuno added with a grin.

Muroi laughed. "That’s got to be a joke. No matter how smart bats are, they’re still just animals."

Al felt a bit offended. Even though he was currently in animal form, the comment made him feel slightly mocked.

"But Takatsuka-san is a bit of a mystery, isn’t he? Keeping a bat as a pet," Muroi continued.

"Yeah, I agree," Tsuno nodded. "I was surprised when Takatsuka-san first brought Al here."

"But no matter how cute he is, isn’t it a bit much to bring a pet to work?" Muroi asked.

"I think it’s less about the cuteness and more about not leaving him alone, which could make him emotionally unstable," Tsuno explained.

"Emotionally unstable?!" Muroi exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"You know how Al is always sticking close to Takatsuka-san or someone else? He might just be a bit clingy," Tsuno suggested.

"So, does that mean Takatsuka-san spoils this bat at home?" Muroi asked.

"Hmm, I wouldn’t say he spoils him. Takatsuka-san is pretty cool towards Al. I think it’s more that Al is particularly needy," Tsuno replied.

Muroi rested his chin on the back of the sofa and responded with a drawn-out "Heeey."

"Even though he’s my mentor, I still don’t quite get Takatsuka-san. He’s not very friendly and isn’t the type to talk much about himself. The other day, I casually asked him if he had any siblings, and he responded with a serious, ‘Why do you need to know that?’ That caught me off guard. I mean, that’s just part of normal conversation, right? I was a bit surprised."

While Al couldn’t forgive Muroi for calling him "just an animal," he couldn’t help but notice Akira’s lack of social skills—or rather, his tendency to reject communication with others.

"Takatsuka-san does seem like an only child," Muroi remarked.

"Yeah, maybe," Tsuno agreed.

"Right? I just feel like if he had siblings, he wouldn’t be so aloof."

Now that Al thought about it, he realized he had never asked Akira about his family. He had shared his own story, but Akira had never talked about his. Al figured it was because he was still learning Japanese and wasn’t yet skilled enough to engage in casual conversations, and because it was hard to imagine Akira spending time in a warm family setting.

"He may not be the friendliest, but Takatsuka-san is a good person," Tsuno added in defense of Akira, to which Muroi shrugged.

"I don’t dislike him either. It’s just that it’s rare to find someone so unfriendly. At first, I thought he was just stuck-up because of his good looks, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Actually, he doesn’t seem to care about his appearance at all. He only tidies up for funerals; otherwise, he doesn’t even care if his hair is a mess."

That was true—Akira’s bedhead was terrible. His hair was a mess, a chaotic mix of curls and waves. Sometimes, when it was particularly unruly, Al would sit on top of his head to help smooth it down. Al chirped in agreement, "Squeak squeak," which made Muroi startle and his shoulders twitch.

"Don't chirp out of nowhere; it startled me," Muroi grumbled. Despite Al's perfectly timed response, Muroi didn't seem to appreciate it, which made Al feel a bit sad. Tsuno would have understood for sure.

"Takatsuka-san is all business, so it's hard to get a read on his personal life. Does he have a girlfriend or something?"

Tsuno fell into an awkward silence. Al tilted his head, puzzled by Tsuno’s suggestive demeanor. As far as Al knew, there was no hint that Akira was dating anyone.

"Oh, so he does? That's surprising," Muroi said, leaning forward over the back of the sofa.

"I really don't know," Tsuno replied, avoiding Muroi’s gaze and turning back to his desk. Muroi got up from the sofa and crouched beside Tsuno, looking up at him.

"Come on, with that attitude, you must know who Takatsuka-san is dating. Tell me, I won't spill it to anyone."

Tsuno shook his head with a stiff expression.

"I really don’t know. You should ask him directly about that."

"I can't ask him. If I did, he'd probably just brush me off with something like, 'What does it matter to you?'" Muroi persisted, "You say you don't know, but do you have any reason to suspect he might have a girlfriend?"

Al, perched on Tsuno's shoulder, looked down at Muroi, thinking, "He's really pressing the issue, isn't he?" It seemed that Muroi wasn’t just interested in Akira as his supervisor but also had a personal curiosity about him. Come to think of it, Muroi had been pretty bold in striking up conversations with the usually aloof Akira. That was a stark contrast to the Tsuno from last year.

"...This is just my personal opinion, but I think Takatsuka-san might be into foreigners," Tsuno finally said.

Muroi's eyes widened in surprise. Al vigorously shook his head from side to side, meaning "No way, no way!" But Tsuno didn't notice. Akira had a deep-set face and wasn't into that kind of foreign look. He even once said that Al's face would be perfect if it only had a bat's features.

"Foreigners, huh? That's an unexpected guess," Muroi muttered as he returned to the sofa. Al couldn’t understand why Tsuno thought Akira liked foreigners. Had he seen Akira walking with a foreign woman or something? Al, who spent nearly every waking moment with Akira, except when he was embalming, had never seen him go out with anyone other than himself.

The phone rang. Tsuno picked up the smartphone on his desk and glanced around. Catching Muroi’s eye, he apologized, "Sorry, I'll just take this real quick," and stepped out into the hallway. With Al still on his shoulder, it was inevitable that Al overheard the conversation, and it seemed like the caller was Tsuno's father.

When Tsuno returned to the room, Muroi, with his head resting on the back of the sofa, teased him, "Was that your girlfriend?"

Tsuno’s earnest face turned a bit red. "No, it was my dad. I told him not to call during work."

"Was it something urgent?"

"No, it was just about the color of the walls for the renovations. That could have waited until tonight," Tsuno sighed, causing his shoulders to rise and fall gently.

"Are they building a new house?"

"Not a house, exactly—it's a facility," Tsuno corrected him.

"A facility?"

"Yeah, I mentioned before that my family runs a funeral home, right? They're building an embalming facility next to the funeral hall."

Muroi let out a small exclamation of surprise.

"Wow, that's something. Half the students at the vocational school had funeral homes in their family, but none of them had an embalming facility."

"I appreciate my parents' expectations, but I'm still inexperienced, and it’s a lot of pressure... Does your family run a business, Muroi?"

"They're just regular office workers. Thanks to that, I’m kind of disowned," Muroi said in a joking tone.

"I went to a pretty good university, and my dad just assumed I'd get a job after graduating. When I suddenly decided to go to a vocational school instead, and that too to work with dead bodies, he was furious. I had my reasons, but he wouldn’t listen. So, I left home and haven’t been back in over a year."

Tsuno quietly apologized, "Sorry about that."

"Oh, don't worry about it. That's just how things are with my family."

Footsteps echoed down the hallway. It wasn’t the hurried pace of Koyanagi. The door swung open with a bang. It was Akira, just as Al had expected.

Akira had changed out of his mourning clothes and into his embalming scrubs. His once neatly groomed hair was now slightly disheveled, though not wildly so. Without glancing at Tsuno, Muroi, or Al, Akira headed straight to his desk and dropped heavily into his chair.

Al flew from Tsuno’s shoulder to Akira's, rubbing his nose against Akira’s neck as if to say, "Good job today." But Akira, perhaps finding it annoying, grabbed Al and placed him on top of the bookshelf. That stung a bit.

"Takatsuka-san, good work today," Muroi called out cheerfully. Akira turned around and gave a small, silent nod.

"I wanted to ask about the chemical mixture for the embalming fluid you used this morning," Muroi said as he opened his notebook, bombarding Akira with a series of detailed questions. Akira answered them all calmly and without hesitation.

"Things aren’t always by the book in the field, are they? This is really educational. By the way, this is just a side note, but you're really fast at the procedures, Takatsuka-san. It seems like you complete them quicker than any professional embalmer I've seen during my training."

"It's only natural that the time it takes to demonstrate and teach students during training is different from the time it takes to perform procedures as part of the job," Akira replied curtly, despite the compliment.

"Well, that's true, but..." Muroi began, but Akira interrupted.

"I don't think speed is necessarily a good thing. In America, the high volume of bodies coming in each day demanded speed, but in Japan, the situation isn't as pressing. I believe it's more important to handle each case carefully and thoroughly. If you can increase your speed while maintaining quality, then that's ideal, but that’s not the main priority."

Al, sitting on top of the bookshelf, fidgeted in frustration. As expected, Muroi forced a strained smile. In situations like this, it would have been better if Akira had started by saying "thank you" before diving into his explanation. By outright contradicting Muroi's compliment, he risked making the other person feel awkward. While Al understood Akira's point, he wished Akira could respond with a bit more tact—acknowledging the compliment first before gently correcting the misunderstanding.

Even though Al appreciated Akira's straightforwardness, he couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious, wishing Akira would be a little kinder with his words.

"And Muroi, while I'm in charge of your training, from now on, if you have any questions, ask Tsuno first," Akira added.

Muroi's already tense face twitched nervously.

"Am I being a bother by asking you questions?" Muroi asked, so directly that even Al was startled.

"You’re here to train, so asking questions is your right. But for questions like the one you just asked, Tsuno should be able to answer them well enough. By asking him, you'll also help Tsuno reinforce his knowledge. Only come to me if it’s something Tsuno can’t handle or if it absolutely requires my input."

"Um, Takatsuka-san, I'm not confident enough to be teaching others yet," a small voice interjected. Akira turned to look at Tsuno.

"I know you’ve stayed here partly because of your family situation, but also to study, right? To teach others, you need to understand the material deeply yourself. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to deepen your learning."

Tsuno, initially looking unsure, tightened his expression and replied, "Understood."

Al noticed that Muroi, though he didn’t voice any complaints, looked distinctly unhappy, and it made Al feel a bit uneasy.

◇:-:◆:-:◇

After 8 PM, when Al arrived at the park where the cherry blossom viewing party was being held, the atmosphere was as lively as a carnival. The cherry blossoms, pale pink in color, were in full bloom, and strange round lanterns were strung between the trees, casting a warm glow. Below, numerous rugs were spread out, with both small and large groups of people, young and old, enjoying their own parties.

Some were dancing with strange masks on, while others were singing. It was a strange sight, so different from the reserved image Al had of Japanese people, that he felt as if he had stepped into another country as he walked through the gaps between the rugs.

"Ah, Kane-san, over here, over here!" Koyanagi was waving under a cherry tree by the pond. Al quickly approached and greeted the group, "Hello."

It had been about six months since Al started his part-time job, and he had begun to have conversations with embalmers other than Akira. Koyanagi, being very friendly, often initiated conversations. Unlike Akira, Koyanagi was very good at talking and getting others to talk as well.

Al also shared a little about himself, within safe limits. He had mentioned how he had trouble making friends even after coming to Japan, and Koyanagi must have remembered this because he invited him to the party. The cherry blossom viewing group, which also doubled as a welcome party for Muroi, consisted of Koyanagi, Tsuno, Muroi, Akira, and Al himself—five men without much flair.

Even though Al didn’t talk much in his human form, he was familiar with the group in his bat form, so he joined them without hesitation. The embalmers’ group was smaller compared to the others around, and they weren’t being noisy. The only one who seemed a bit tipsy was Koyanagi, whose face was slightly flushed.

"You’re late, Kane-san. You must be hungry, right? Here, have some food. My wife made these Maki Sushi rolls, and they’re delicious."

"Thank you, but I already ate. I’m not hungry."

Al politely declined. He had already had his fill of blood left over from Akira’s procedure, so he was full. Although he could eat regular food, it didn’t satisfy his hunger or provide any nutrition, so it would be better for someone else to enjoy it.

When Muroi caught Al’s eye, he smiled warmly and then whispered to Tsuno.

"Tsuno-san, who is that person?"

"That’s Kane-san, the part-timer who cleans the treatment room after hours. He’s an acquaintance of Takatsuka-san."

"...I see," Muroi responded in a somewhat low tone.

"His Japanese is good… Handsome too, but very friendly..."

A nearby group suddenly erupted in cheers, making the surroundings noisy, and Tsuno's voice became harder to hear. As Al looked around, wondering where to sit since this wasn’t a standing party or one with chairs, Koyanagi said, "Do you want to sit next to Takatsuka-san?" Al settled down beside Akira.

Even though he couldn’t partake in the food or drinks, Al was happy to be invited and found it enjoyable just to watch. Koyanagi, while being considerate of Al, probably also wanted to liven up the small gathering by adding more people. Al thought it might be better to invite family or partners if that was the goal, but he had heard from Akira that it wasn’t common in Japan to bring family or partners to workplace parties.

"By the way, Koyanagi-san, how’s your wife doing? She made all this food again today—are you sure she’s not overexerting herself?" Tsuno asked with a concerned expression, and Koyanagi lightly slapped his thinning head.

"Oh, she’s fine, don’t worry. She’s been doing much better. She gets tired easily, but she loves cooking, and she felt bad for the trouble I caused by taking so many days off recently, so she wanted to do something to help out at least on occasions like this."

Al glanced at Akira’s face beside him. Akira was looking down, arms crossed, with a slight frown and his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Akira, did you eat a lot?"

Akira answered with a frown still on his face, "Yeah."

"Is the sake good?"

"I don’t really like sake."

"Hmm, then smile."

Akira looked up, and the frown on his face deepened.

"Why do I have to smile when nothing’s funny?"

"This is a party. It’s rude to have a scary face."

Suddenly, Akira’s face flushed red all the way to his ears. Al tilted his head, wondering if it was really something to be embarrassed about, when Koyanagi’s hearty laughter echoed through the air.

"Kane-san, I don’t think he’s doing it on purpose. That’s just Takatsuka-san’s usual face," Koyanagi said, laughing. Akira, who had said he didn’t like sake, took a can in his hand and gulped down the drink. The scent of beer wafted from the can in Akira’s right hand.

"Nice to meet you, Kane-san," Muroi, who was sitting across from them, spoke up.

"I’m Muroi, a trainee embalmer starting this year."

Just like Tsuno last year, Akira didn’t make Muroi stay past 6 PM. Rather than keeping him at the training site for long hours, Akira encouraged him to go home early and study. Since Muroi left early, he never met Al in his human form. However, he was familiar with him in his bat form, so being greeted with a "nice to meet you" felt a bit ticklish.

"Hello, I’m Kane. Good luck with your studies."

Muroi smiled, but there was something off about it. His eyes didn’t seem to be smiling.

"I studied abroad for a year when I was a student. Where are you from, Kane-san?"

"I’m from Nebraska in the U.S."

"Ah, that’s a bit of a rural area, isn’t it? It’s known for ranching, right?"

Being called rural made Al feel a bit complicated. Compared to New York or Chicago, Nebraska was indeed more rural, but still…

"What brought you to Japan?"

Al couldn’t exactly say that he was a vampire who had been frozen and shipped along with beef, so he hesitated on how to respond. Akira cut in from the side, saying curtly, "To study Japanese."

"Oh, I see. But your Japanese is already fluent enough that you don’t really need to study anymore, right?"

"I can only read hiragana. I’m bad at writing."

"Writing in Japanese is tough. So, besides speaking, do you have some job in mind that you want to do in Japan?" Muroi’s question made Al uncomfortable. He wasn’t even at the stage of choosing a job—just figuring out how to survive was taking up all his energy. But to Muroi, Al probably appeared to be just a young American with a clear goal for coming to Japan to study Japanese.

“I just want to learn how to speak, read, and write Japanese.” In the end, Al gave a vague and stammered reply.

“Are you sure learning Japanese isn’t just an excuse? Maybe you came here to chase after someone you like?”

Al blinked in surprise at the completely off-target assumption. Koyanagi grinned and said, “This conversation is getting spicy,” while Tsuno glanced around nervously.

“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Al clarified.

“Really? That’s hard to believe, considering how handsome you are,” Muroi said.

Handsome! Muroi’s words echoed in Al’s mind like a burst of light. Back when he lived as a regular human in America, he was often called “handsome,” but since becoming a vampire, it might be the first time anyone had directly complimented his appearance. Akira, after all, often said things like “too flashy” or “your bat face is better.” But Al figured that Akira was just odd—he must be fairly handsome, even by Japanese standards. Maybe that’s why he had been asked to model as a stand-in.

“I guess... I’m handsome,” Al said, tugging on Akira’s shirt as if to say, “Did you hear that?” But Akira crushed Al’s newfound confidence with a simple, “Don’t take flattery seriously.”

Apparently overhearing the conversation, Muroi added, “It’s not just flattery; you really are handsome.”

“Kane-san is definitely good-looking,” Koyanagi agreed. “You’ve got a small face and well-defined features.”

As everyone kept repeating how good-looking and handsome he was, Al felt a happy, tingly sensation in his back.

“I did modeling... in America,” Al mentioned. It was only for some minor local posters, but modeling was modeling. The impressed “Oh!” from those around him made Al feel even more pleased.

“You were a model in America too? That explains it…” Tsuno started to say, but then quickly swallowed the rest of his words. Al caught his eye and pressed a finger to his lips, to which Tsuno responded with a small nod.

“Is this guy really that good-looking?” Akira asked, still looking unconvinced.

“I think he’s handsome,” Tsuno replied.

“Sure, the individual parts of his face might be well-formed, but when you’ve got deep-set features on a narrow face, it can be a bit much,” Akira grumbled.

“Huh? I thought you liked foreigners, Takatsuka-san” Muroi asked.

“What are you talking about?” Akira shook his head. “I don’t like gaudy faces. They’re just annoying to look at.”

“Even if you don’t like it, I’m still handsome,” Al declared.

The three others burst into laughter, while Akira blushed and looked down, hiding his face as he ate one of the sushi rolls that Koyanagi’s wife had made.

Sushi was popular in America too, but the thick rolls were a bit different. The idea of stuffing all sorts of ingredients into rice seemed like a good approach. Since rice had a mild flavor, similar to bread, Al wondered if Akira would enjoy sweet sushi made with lots of fruit, like the strawberries that had been showing up in supermarkets lately.

“Takatsuka-san, do you like Maki sushi?” Tsuno asked from across the group.

“It’s okay,” Akira replied.

“Akira, you’re picky,” Al muttered, and Muroi quickly chimed in.

“Is that so? I feel like he eats his lunch pretty normally.”

Akira shot a sharp glare at Al before flatly denying, “I’m not picky.”

Lying out of embarrassment wasn’t good. Acknowledging your pickiness was the first step to overcoming it. Al was sure of that.

“Akira, you always complain about the food I make,” Al said quietly.

Akira whipped around, facing Al with a glare. “I complain because your cooking is terrible.”

“My cooking is delicious.”

“Your cooking isn’t fit for human consumption,” Akira retorted, leaving Al speechless. Tsuno, looking sympathetic, said, “Takatsuka-san, that’s a bit harsh.”

“I’m not exaggerating,” Akira insisted. “You should come over to my place and try it yourself. Animal feed would be healthier.”

“I’m not making animal feed—I’m making human food,” Al protested, to which Koyanagi chuckled, “Either way, it’s still just feed.”

“Does Kane-san go to Takatsuka-san’s place to cook? You two must be really close,” Muroi remarked as he sipped his beer.

“Me and Akira... we live together,” Al said.

“Really?!” Koyanagi exclaimed, leaning in closer. “I knew you two were acquaintances, but I didn’t know you were living together. You never mentioned that.”

“You never asked,” Akira replied.

“Well, no one would have guessed you were living together,” Muroi said, his face tensing with surprise. He quickly averted his eyes when Al looked at him, then pulled out a cigarette and lit it, exhaling the smoke with practiced ease.

There were no ashtrays in the break room. Neither Akira nor Tsuno smoked, and Koyanagi had quit after his child was born. Perhaps out of respect for his superiors, Muroi hadn’t smoked in the break room before.

“Oh, by the way, the park is non-smoking,” Tsuno reminded him. Muroi sighed, “Right, my bad,” and reluctantly put out the cigarette.

“By the way, is Kane-san Takatsuka-san’s boyfriend?” Muroi asked lightly, as if it were an afterthought. Tsuno turned pale and stammered, “What are you talking about?!”

“Come on, that’s not true, right?” Koyanagi asked calmly, to which Akira replied, “Even if the world turned upside down, that would never happen.” But Muroi still seemed skeptical.

“Really? Even if you were the last two people on Earth, are you sure nothing would happen between you?”

“Don’t say things like a grade schooler. That situation itself is impossible,” Akira retorted. Muroi looked down, embarrassed, and mumbled, “It was just a figure of speech.”

“You’re a strange guy,” Akira said, noticing that Muroi’s ears had turned a bit red. Maybe it was the alcohol, but Muroi seemed to be pushing Akira a bit too much.

“And besides…” Akira started to say but suddenly exclaimed, “Whoa!” He had accidentally knocked over his beer can. Although there wasn’t much left in it, his right hand was now soaked with beer. Akira clicked his tongue in irritation and stood up.

“Is there a water fountain around here? I’m going to wash my hands,” Akira grumbled.

“There’s a restroom by the entrance, but it was pretty crowded and not very clean. You might be better off going to the convenience store,” Tsuno suggested, pointing in the direction Al had come from.

“Might as well,” Akira sighed. “If anyone needs anything, I’ll grab it while I’m out,” he offered, glancing at the sheet strewn with drinks and food.

“Could you get four or five more beers?” Koyanagi asked.

“Isn’t that a bit much?” Akira replied, to which Koyanagi gave a sheepish laugh, “Just for tonight, please.”

Grumbling, Akira began walking away. Muroi, watching him intently, suddenly said, “I’ll be right back,” and hurried after him.

After Muroi disappeared into the crowd, Koyanagi muttered something under his breath.

"What do you think of Muroi?" Koyanagi asked Tsuno.

"He seems bright and capable," Tsuno replied.

"Yeah, right?" Koyanagi responded with a slightly suggestive nod.

"Is there something about Muroi that concerns you? Takatsuka-san is in charge of training him, but I've been asked to look after him as well. If it's something difficult to bring up, I could say it for you. He might take it better coming from someone closer in age."

Koyanagi waved his hand dismissively. "It's not that I have any complaints about him. He's serious about his training, and he works quickly. If anything, I'd say he might be a bit too smooth."

Koyanagi reached for his beer can and took a sip.

"But that's not it… Hmm, I wonder if I should even say this. It's just been bothering me, though. I might be mistaken, but do you think Muroi might be gay?"

Tsuno let out a surprised "What?" and recoiled in his seat. Al, on the other hand, found himself understanding something. The strange feeling he'd had about Muroi's attitude toward him suddenly made more sense.

"You know, like Takatsuka-san, I got my embalming license at an American mortuary school. There was someone there who’s still a friend of mine, and Muroi’s vibe is kind of similar to his."

Koyanagi lightly tapped the back of his head, where his hair was thinning a bit.

"It wasn't that friend, but I've been confessed to by a guy before. I've always had this older, rugged face, so I don't know what he saw in me, but people have different tastes. Just to be clear, I don't have any prejudice against Muroi."

"I don’t have any prejudice either. Some of the models working at my sister's agency have various sexualities. But I never considered that Muroi might be gay, so it's a bit shocking."

Tsuno was still holding his chest as if trying to calm his surprise.

"This is just my speculation, but I get the feeling that Muroi might be interested in Takatsuka-san… in a romantic way," Koyanagi continued.

Tsuno glanced at Al.

"Even if Muroi has those feelings, I don't think it would work with Takatsuka-san."

"I agree. Takatsuka-san definitely seems straight," Koyanagi said with a sigh. Tsuno turned sharply.

"Takatsuka-san isn't gay?"

"No, he isn't. There’s never been even the slightest hint of it."

"But he’s living with Kane-san…"

"That's just them being roommates, right? Isn’t that right, Kane-san?"

Al nodded emphatically.

"I’m Akira’s... roommate. Not boyfriend."

Tsuno looked even more shocked than when he had heard Muroi might be gay.

"As the saying goes, 'He who interferes in others' love lives will be kicked by a horse,' so I know it's not right to meddle, but I really think it would be tough for Muroi. I'm not around the center much because of my family situation, but even I can feel the intensity of the looks Muroi gives Takatsuka-san. But it's not like Muroi has come out and said anything, so it would be weird to tell him, 'You should give up on Takatsuka-san.' And even if Muroi did confess, I don’t think Takatsuka-san would treat him any differently, but Muroi might struggle. He seems a bit sensitive, you know?"

Koyanagi took several more sips of his beer.

"I'm saying all this, but it's possible I'm just imagining things. But I really think Muroi is gay."

Tsuno, who had been deep in thought, suddenly spoke up. "Now that you mention it, Koyanagi-san, I remember Muroi once asked me a lot of questions about Takatsuka-san. Like if he had a girlfriend or what his type was…"

Koyanagi let out another sigh. "If Muroi were a girl or if Takatsuka-san were gay, I wouldn’t worry about it at all. In fact, I’d probably encourage him to go for it."

Koyanagi rubbed his nose as if trying to shake off his own thoughts. "Maybe I’m just getting drunk and saying more than I should. Oh, Kane-san, please don’t mention any of this to Takatsuka-san. It wouldn’t be fair to Muroi if his feelings were revealed behind his back."

"I won’t tell... promise," Al promised firmly, making Koyanagi smile.

"Kane-kun, you’re a good guy."

"Feelings of love... they’re wonderful," Al added.

"Oh, Kane-kun, you’re as much of a romantic as Takatsuka-san," Koyanagi chuckled.

"Uh… is Takatsuka-san really a romantic?" Tsuno asked cautiously.

"Definitely. He’s incredibly dedicated to his work with the deceased. It might sound strange, but I don’t think there’s anyone who loves the deceased as much as he does. For me, the deceased are still the family’s loved ones, so I try to maintain some objectivity. But for Takatsuka-san, it’s different. That level of attention and care—it’s almost like love."

Koyanagi gave a sheepish laugh. "Maybe that sounds weird, huh?"

"Well, we’re just speculating here," Koyanagi continued. "We’ll keep an eye on Muroi for now. But anyway, Tsuno, do you have someone you like?"

Tsuno gave a wry smile. "I haven’t had many opportunities to meet people…"

"What’s your type? Any celebrities you like?" Koyanagi pressed.

"A celebrity? Let’s see… Lately, I’ve been into Yuuka Jinbou."

Koyanagi tilted his head. "She’s been in a lot of dramas recently."

"Hmm, I’m not familiar with her. I guess I’m becoming an old man," Koyanagi said with a chuckle.

As he listened to the conversation, Al found himself thinking about Muroi. Muroi, who was in love. Al thought love was a beautiful thing, but the object of his affection was Akira. It probably wouldn’t work out. No, it definitely wouldn’t.

But was it really impossible? Akira might be blunt and say harsh things, but he was also kind. Even though he didn’t like foreign-looking faces, he let Al live with him and took care of him. Even when he complained, he made sure Al had plenty of blood.

What if Muroi pursued him passionately? What if Akira was swayed by his sincerity…? Al found himself imagining a scene where Akira was holding hands with Muroi and smiling, and quickly shut down the thought. It wasn’t even a horror story, but it scared him a little.

Having a lover would be a good thing. Even Nukariya had said so. When he suggested that Al live with Akira, he had mentioned, “Akira needs to interact with people more.” At the time, Al didn’t understand, but now he agreed. Despite his awkwardness and bluntness, Akira didn’t really try to connect deeply with others.

If Akira and Muroi were to become lovers… Even if they didn’t get married like a man and woman might, it was common in America for them to live together. In Al’s hometown, there were men who lived together too. Would Akira end up living with Muroi as well? If that happened, Al would become a third wheel. He’d have to leave that apartment and live on his own.

Al didn’t like that idea. He had finally found a comfortable place where he felt he could regain his sense of humanity, and he didn’t want to be thrown out again. He didn’t want to be alone. But if he considered Akira’s happiness, it would be better for him to find a lover. Still, the thought of being on his own… As he thought about it, Al became increasingly distressed. He couldn’t keep Akira tied down forever. In a few decades, Akira, Nukariya, and everyone at the center of his world would inevitably pass away before him. As a vampire who didn’t age, he would be left behind. He would have to try to get used to being alone before that happened. He would try his best, but he wanted to stay in that apartment just a little longer. Another year, two years… no, three years. He wanted to delay Akira and Muroi becoming lovers for at least that long. It was a selfish wish, but Al was serious. His long future life was at stake, after all.

"Even so, they’re taking a long time," Tsuno said, causing Al to twitch in surprise. Could it be that Muroi was taking advantage of the time alone to confess to Akira? And if by some chance it went well...

"I’ll go check on them," Al said, quickly putting on his shoes. He pretended not to hear Koyanagi say, "Aren’t they coming back soon?" and dashed through the colorful rugs as the party reached its peak. White petals fluttered before his eyes as he ran.

Until he got used to being alone. That’s what he had thought earlier, but before coming to Japan, he had been alone for many years. Sucking blood, sleeping, repeating the cycle of night and day. He had been alone the entire time, without even needing to get used to it. So why was he feeling so sad now?

As he passed through the noisy park, he saw the lights of the convenience store in the distance. Walking quickly under the streetlights, he suddenly caught a whiff of Akira’s scent. He could tell because he was downwind. Akira and Muroi were standing together in front of a closed shop next to the convenience store, talking about something.

The atmosphere made it hard to approach. Moving from the bright area into the shadows, Al stealthily crept closer to them like a cat.

"That’s not going to happen," Akira’s voice said as Al got close enough to hear. Neither of them noticed him.

"I don’t have any prejudice against homosexuality, but I have no interest in either penetrating or being penetrated by a man. Find someone who shares your orientation."

Al almost cried out. They had jumped straight past the emotional part of liking or disliking and were talking about something much deeper.

"There are same-sex couples who don’t engage in that kind of activity. If you’re not comfortable with it, we don’t have to do it. But first, I’d like you to get to know me better. If there’s no one else you like, could you at least consider me, even just as a trial?"

Akira sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking down. "It’s a waste of time. If someone told you to fall in love with a dog or a cat, would you seriously consider dating them? You wouldn’t, right? I’m sorry, but to me, what you’re saying is the same as that."

The harshness of Akira’s words left Al speechless, and Muroi’s face twitched.

"…Are you saying I’m on the same level as a dog or a cat?" Muroi asked in a low voice. Akira raised his head.

"Ah, sorry. If that bothered you, I apologize. The dog and cat were just an example. It could be anything that’s not a potential romantic partner—a grasshopper, a rock."

Even though he apologized, Akira’s examples only made it worse. Al understood what Akira was trying to say, but couldn’t he be more considerate of the other person’s feelings? Even if he truly thought that, there were some things better left unsaid. If it spared the other person from being hurt, if it didn’t harm anyone, it was okay to tell a white lie. He could have said something like, "I already like someone else," "I’m not good enough for you," or "We’re too different in age"—there were plenty of reasons he could have made up.

"Anyway, for me, sexually speaking, you’re about as appealing as that streetlamp over there..."

Unable to bear listening any longer, Al suddenly leaped out from his hiding spot.

"Muroi, I’m sorry. Akira isn’t being considerate," Al blurted out.

Both Akira and Muroi turned to him, eyes wide in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Akira snapped, clearly irritated.

"You two were late, so I came looking. I eavesdropped."

"You eavesdropped?"

Akira’s expression grew even sharper.

"Akira, you’re being unkind," Al said firmly. He had to make Akira understand this. It was more important than the fact that he had eavesdropped.

"Humans, dogs, and cats—they’re different. It’s cruel."

"Are you an idiot? Humans are animals too! I wasn’t saying Muroi is the same as a dog or cat. I was just making the point that there’s no possibility of romance."

"That’s still not okay," Al insisted, refusing to back down. The two of them stood about two yards (about 1,8 m) apart, glaring at each other.

"When I studied abroad in America, I had all sorts of people—men and women—come on to me. It’s better to reject them clearly rather than leave them with false hope. That way, there’s no lingering resentment."

"Even so, there’s a better way to say it. You’re being too harsh, Akira."

"Then what the hell should I say?" Akira growled.

The tension between them was palpable. Perhaps sensing this, Muroi stepped between them.

"Um, well… I’m the cause of all this, right? It’s okay, really. I’ve just been curious about Takatsuka-san for a while, and I thought I’d give it a shot if there was a chance…"

"Sorry, but there’s no chance," Akira said, harsh as ever, even though Muroi was trying to be considerate.

"Akira, you’re such a stubborn jerk!" Al shouted angrily.

"Shut up, and stop yelling. No matter what anyone says, I’m not interested in being with anyone. I don’t get aroused by living things, okay? I have zero interest in doing anything with a living, breathing creature!" Akira yelled so loudly that passersby glanced over in shock. Muroi, too, looked stunned, his mouth hanging open. Al turned to him and whispered, "What’s... not aroused?"

Before Muroi could answer, Akira snarled from across him, "It means I don’t feel anything, and it doesn’t get up, you idiot!"

"But even if your body doesn’t... your heart can," Al said, spreading his arms wide.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Akira snapped.

"Love is about the heart, not just sex!" Al pointed a finger at Akira.

"You don’t get it, Akira. You’re just a child!" Al declared.

Akira’s face flushed red, and he threw the plastic bag he was holding at Al. The bag, filled with canned beer and snacks, hit Al squarely in the face, causing him to yelp, "Oh!" as he crouched down in pain.

"Don’t ever come back to my place again, you idiot!"

When Al recovered from the impact to his face and opened his eyes, Akira was already far off in the distance. What’s more, he was walking in the opposite direction of the park, clearly heading home. It was Muroi’s welcome party, and yet Akira was leaving before the guest of honor, all because he was called out for something that struck a nerve. That was way too selfish.

Al started picking up the cans of beer and snacks that had spilled out of the plastic bag and rolled around on the ground, putting them back into the bag. Muroi helped him.

"Akira was wrong. Muroi, I’m sorry."

Al apologized on behalf of the short-tempered and inarticulate Akira. Muroi glanced briefly in the direction Akira had walked off in.

"I’m fine, but Takatsuka-san…," Muroi said, his eyes following where Akira had disappeared.

"Akira is always… so grumpy."

"Is he like that all the time?"

Al nodded. Muroi, still crouching, muttered, "I’m surprised."

"He’s so different from how he is at work. I thought he was a much cooler person."

"Akira is short-tempered, awkward, and unsociable."

Muroi let out a chuckle, clearly amused. "You’re pretty straightforward too, Kane-san."

"I talk to people based on what I see."

Muroi squinted his eyes and laughed, then took the bag with the beer cans from Al’s hands.

"So, do you have any prejudice against me being gay?"

Although his tone was light, Muroi's hand trembled slightly.

"Gay... I don’t mind."

"Good to hear… It’s not something I can change. It’s just how I was born…"

"Akira... has no prejudice."

Al looked directly at Muroi.

"You got rejected, but that’s not why," Al added, trying to comfort Muroi.

Muroi tilted his head as if pondering Al’s words, then smiled and said, "Thanks."

Realizing how much time had passed, they quickly returned to the party. When Tsuno noticed that only the two of them had come back, he asked, "Huh? Where’s Takatsuka-san?" while looking around

"Akira and I had a fight... He got mad and went home," Al explained.

"He went home over something like that?" Koyanagi said, placing his hand on his head in disbelief.

"Muroi-kun is the guest of honor, you know. Takatsuka-san isn’t a child; he shouldn’t sulk over a little argument."

"What was the fight about?" Tsuno asked. Al started to answer, "Akira has… um, impotence…" but before he could finish, Koyanagi spit out the beer he was drinking.

"Kane-san, you shouldn’t say that…," Muroi tried to stop him, but it was too late. Koyanagi, who had become nosier due to the alcohol, coaxed the whole story out of Al—that Akira had said he was completely asexual and that he had no interest in anything that was alive, regardless of gender.

Koyanagi was oddly impressed, saying, "Wow, that’s so Takatsuka-san," but Tsuno, more serious, commented, "I think that’s a bit different."

"So, if Takatsuka-san can’t deal with anything that’s alive, then what would work for him?" Koyanagi asked, but no one could answer. That night, Al didn’t return to the apartment until after 11 PM. The party had become much livelier after Akira left, making it later than expected.

The room was pitch black, and Akira was already in bed.

"Akira," Al called softly. Akira’s eyelids twitched, but he didn’t open his eyes or respond.

"I’m sorry about what I said earlier today. I was wrong."

Akira’s eyelids twitched again, but he continued to ignore Al, even though he was clearly awake.

"Good night," Al whispered, and gave a light kiss to Akira’s stubborn, still-closed eyes. Akira’s eyes flew open in surprise, and when they met Al’s, he glared at him with an angry expression before pulling the sheets over his head.

Al thought it was cute… but only at that moment. For the next three days, the stubborn Akira refused to say a single word to Al.

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