Vampire and His Pleasant Companions: Volume 2 - Part 9

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Before they could discuss further, Sakeiri returned, staggering under the weight of the supplies Akira had requested. Akira’s treatment—or rather, emergency field care—was rough and pragmatic. He placed a towel over Al’s head, where the skull was fractured and leaking, and wrapped it tightly with duct tape. Sakeiri watched in stunned silence as Akira firmly secured Al’s head, almost mummifying him, but the pressure stopped the bleeding.

Akira wiped the blood from Al’s mouth, which had been stained red from the bleeding. He cut and removed Al’s cloak and tuxedo, exposing the full extent of his injuries. Every time Al’s body moved even slightly, sharp pain shot through him, causing him to groan. Akira’s fingers twitched each time Al made a sound, so Al bit down hard to keep himself from crying out.

Most of the blood had come from his head, and once the blood-soaked clothes were removed, the situation looked a little less dire. Akira carefully moved Al onto a blanket, swaddling him like a baby with only his face exposed, and secured it with duct tape.

"I’m taking him home," Akira announced as he lifted Al into his arms.

"Home? But… what about the hospital?" Sakeiri asked, confused.

Akira ignored him and stepped out from behind the partition, bowing his head slightly to the gathered crowd.

"I’ve treated him, so he should be okay. We’re heading home now," he said.

The crowd murmured, "Is he really okay?" and "Are you sure?" But Akira paid them no mind as he walked away, carrying Al. He placed Al in the back seat of a car parked in the staff lot and then climbed in beside him. This wasn’t Akira’s usual car.

"Sorry for the wait. Take us to the apartment," Akira said to the driver.

The person in the driver’s seat turned around—it was Muroi. He looked at Al, who was wrapped in a blanket with his head taped up, his expression filled with concern.

"Kane-san, are you hurt?"

"It’s nothing serious. A couple of days of rest at home will fix it."

"Someone said you might have fallen from somewhere. Shouldn’t we stop by a hospital?"

"He’ll be fine."

"But Kane-san, you’re pale as a ghost…"

"I said he’s fine! Just drive us back to the apartment!" Akira snapped, clearly irritated. Muroi fell silent and started the engine. Al lay his head on Akira’s lap, gritting his teeth to endure the throbbing pain that echoed through his brain. While they were surrounded by people and the chaos of trying to hide the fact that his insides were almost spilling out, he had managed to bear the pain. But now that the stress had subsided, the pain became overwhelming. It hurt so much that tears streamed down his face. Akira gently wiped away the tears from Al’s wet eyes with his fingertips.

"It might not be my place to say this, but Kane-san really should go to a hospital," Muroi said from the driver’s seat.

"I said he’ll be fine."

"But he’s injured. Even if you plan to treat him at home, there are limits. Even with your knowledge of anatomy, Takatsuka-san, you’re not a doctor—you’re an embalmer. I don’t think you’re qualified to treat a living person…"

"Shut up!" Akira shouted, his voice filled with irritation. Muroi flinched visibly in the rearview mirror.

"If you’re planning to take him to the hospital, then let me out here. I’ll take a taxi home."

Muroi fell silent. Al hadn’t had blood for two days. Normally, after drinking to his fill, he could go a week without anything, but he had lost a lot of blood today. It seemed like his strength was draining out of him along with the blood. If this continued, his recovery would be slow. To distract himself from the pain, Al pressed his nose against Akira’s knee.

"Ah!"

Muroi suddenly shouted, and the car came to a screeching halt. The jolt sent Al tumbling off the seat, making him cry out in pain, while Akira, who was wearing a seatbelt, hit his face on the seat in front of him and groaned softly.

"S-sorry! A child suddenly ran out into the road… Are you okay?" Muroi asked, turning around in panic. Akira, without a word, lifted the trembling Al back onto the seat. …A faint scent of blood hung in the air. The sweet smell of blood. It wasn’t the distinctive scent of embalming fluid mixed with old blood that clung to Akira’s body, but something fresher…

Al sniffed the air, his curiosity piqued. Seeing this, Akira leaned in closer and asked, "What’s wrong?" Akira’s face was close by, and Al noticed a small cut at the corner of his lips, with a faint trickle of blood. Al, wrapped up like a cocoon, stretched as much as he could and licked Akira’s lips. Sweet.

Akira flinched and muttered, "Ouch," as he straightened up, the movement likely aggravating his wound. Even a single drop of blood seeped into Al’s starved body, making him crave more. Without thinking, Al begged, "More… more…"

"Wait until we get home."

“No... now... give me... now...” Al’s voice was filled with desperate longing. Akira gently patted Al’s head, a kind gesture that wasn’t enough to satisfy him. Al shook with frustration, tears spilling down his face.

"I’ll give you more when we get home, so stop crying."

The car started moving slowly again. The only sounds in the car were the engine’s hum and Al’s soft sobbing. After a while, the car came to a stop. They had arrived at the apartment. Akira got out in silence and carried Al in his arms. Muroi also got out, carrying Akira’s work bag.

“I’ll carry the bag up to your apartment,” Muroi offered.

“I can manage on my own,” Akira replied.

“But your hands are full with Kane-san. It’d be a problem if you dropped him trying to hold the bag too.”

Akira hesitated, then muttered, “Alright, I’ll take you up on that.”

In the elevator, Muroi quietly said, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow.”

“Your car’s still at the center because the engine wouldn’t start, right? You’ll need a way to get around tomorrow.”

“I’ve got a bike. If it rains, I’ll take a taxi.”

The elevator stopped. When they reached the apartment door, Akira asked Muroi, "There’s a key in the bag. Could you unlock the door?"

Once inside, Akira immediately laid Al down on the bed. Then he took the bag from Muroi, who had followed him up the hallway, and apologized, "Sorry for dragging you into this today."

"I didn’t feel dragged into anything," Muroi replied.

"I used you for my own convenience. I’m sorry," Akira said, walking to the entrance and opening the door, where he turned to look back. Muroi gave a small, wry smile as he looked down.

"I guess it’s best if I just head home," Muroi said as he put on his shoes at the entrance. He turned to Akira and added, "Kane-san is your lover, isn’t he? …You don’t have to hide it anymore."

"No, he’s not."

"But you were kissing in the car."

Muroi spoke with the tone of a sulking child.

"I told you, it’s not like that. It was just a greeting. Foreigners are like that."

"So that level of physical contact is something you always do?"

Muroi stared at Akira intently.

"If that was just a greeting, would you do it with me too?"

After a moment of silence, Akira muttered, "You’re the worst."

Muroi’s face turned bright red. He whispered an apology, "I’m sorry," and then quickly fled the apartment. Akira scratched his head nervously as he approached the bed. The faint scent of sweetness filled the air as Akira wordlessly brought his arm close to Al’s mouth. Blood began to drip from the inside of Akira’s elbow. Al latched onto the small wound, careful not to spill a single drop.

Sweet. Delicious. The blood seeped into his body, gradually dulling the pain. What would happen if he drained all of Akira’s blood? Would Akira die and become a vampire? …With all his strength, Al forced himself to pull away from Akira’s arm.

"Is that enough?"

Although not completely healed, the pain had subsided significantly. It wasn’t as severe as having his organs torn apart, so compared to the initial agony, this was manageable.

“Still hurts... but better now. I’m okay,” Al replied.

Once Akira saw that the bleeding had stopped, he began to remove the duct tape that had tightly bound Al. He also unwrapped the blanket and the towel that had been pressing against Al’s head. When the body begins to heal, it prioritizes sealing the skin to prevent the precious blood from leaking out. So by now, the skin on Al’s head should have been fully healed.

"Your whole body is covered in blood. Go take a shower."

"Okay," Al replied, but he couldn’t get up. Although he could move his arms and legs, his back was still broken and hadn’t healed yet.

"Al?" Akira peered at him.

"Why aren’t you moving?"

"I’m going to sleep."

"But you’re covered in blood…"

As he spoke, Akira frowned.

"Are you still not healed?"

Al’s guilty reaction must have shown on his face because Akira’s expression turned stern.

“Don’t be stubborn. Just drink more.”

“I’m not being stubborn... I can handle the pain.”

“So, it still hurts!” Akira exclaimed, and Al realized his mistake.

“It hurts, but... no more blood.”

“My blood’s so bad you only want the bare minimum, huh?”

“I don’t want to... drink until you die,” Al admitted.

“You’re so extreme. I don’t want to die either, so you can stop before it gets dangerous.”

“But... I don’t need more.”

Akira didn’t say anything else. Instead, he silently wiped the blood from Al’s hands and head with a towel soaked in warm water, then covered him with a blanket. Afterward, he lay down on the sofa, where he usually slept, and turned off the light.

“Akira,” Al called out softly, but there was no response.

“Akira... sleep with me,” he pleaded, his voice echoing in the dark.

“I’ll endure the pain... but I don’t want to be lonely.”

Warmth filled his chest, and tears streamed from Al’s eyes. He sniffled, his nose running. After a while, he heard Akira’s frustrated footsteps approaching. The bedside light turned on, making Al blink several times at the brightness.

"Enough already. What are you whining about, you idiot?" Akira growled in a low voice.

"I’m lonely," Al said, tears sliding down his cheeks. Akira clenched his jaw as if biting back his words, then moved Al closer to the wall and climbed into bed beside him. Al was happy to feel Akira’s warmth nearby. It comforted him, knowing that even when he felt vulnerable, Akira would be there, complaining but staying close.

"If you can’t stand it in the middle of the night, wake me up," Akira said flatly, closing his eyes. If the pain worsened, Akira might offer his blood again.

"I’m okay."

Al reached out with his right hand and touched Akira’s. He held onto Akira’s warm hand tightly.

"Right now, Akira, I love you more than anything in the world," Al declared with confidence.

He felt Akira’s fingers tremble slightly.

"I really mean it," Al said, full of conviction. Despite the pain in his body, his heart felt peaceful. Even though Ando had caused him so much suffering, Al couldn’t find it in himself to hate her. Strangely, that emotion just didn’t arise.

:-::-:

The day after Al’s injury, a sensational headline appeared in the newspaper: "Another Accident on Set. Foreign Actor Seriously Injured. The Spirit of Yuuka Jinbou!? The Cursed ‘BLOOD GIRL Mahiro’."

"Takatsuka-san, they’re talking about Kane-san, right? Is he okay?" Koyanagi asked, concerned. Akira gave a vague reply, "He’s not in any danger; he won’t die."

"But he fell down the same stairs as the actress who died, didn’t he?"

"It was from a floor below, and he’s pretty tough to begin with."

"No matter how tough he is…"

Koyanagi seemed worried, but since Akira wasn’t offering any more information, he let it go, saying, "Well, as long as he’s okay."

"Tsuno peeked at Al, who was sitting in a basket on Akira’s desk, and said, "Al wasn’t feeling well either, was he?" Al let out a small squeak, "Squeak!" as if to reassure the worried Tsuno.

"He’s just got a summer cold," Akira said casually.

Tsuno, looking concerned, asked, "Do bats catch colds too?"

"Of course they do," Akira replied. But Tsuno still seemed suspicious, so Al deliberately coughed, "cough, cough," to play along.

Unusually, Muroi arrived just before work started. He greeted everyone with a "Good morning," but avoided making eye contact with Akira.

That evening, Al fully recovered after receiving a large amount of blood from a deceased body. He expressed his immense gratitude to the body that had taken away his pain, clasping his hands in prayer. After seeing the body off, he cleaned the treatment room as usual.

The next day, Al left the center during the day and headed to the filming studio. He perched on the railing where he had been pushed off and looked down. He had been wondering about the object that had glinted between the tree branches just before Ando had pushed him. As he focused his gaze, he spotted a shining spot and flew towards it. ...There it was. A smartphone was caught among the branches and leaves. The way it glittered made Al certain it belonged to Yuuka.

Al grabbed the phone’s ring with his feet and flew, but it was heavy and made him wobble. He had to stop and rest multiple times. By the time he returned to the center, he was so exhausted he could barely breathe. Matsumura, the receptionist, found him lying by the entrance and carried him to the waiting room.



"Takatsuka-san, something’s wrong with Al. He won’t let go of that smartphone," Tsuno reported.

Seeing Al clinging to the phone, Akira frowned and asked, "What the hell are you doing?"

When Al returned to the preparation room after sunset, where Akira was waiting, he held out the pink smartphone and asked, “What... do we do... with phone?”

“It’s dead. Just charge it,” Akira replied.

“How?”

“Whose phone is that?”

“Yuuka’s phone... I think.”

Akira’s forehead twitched.

“Why do you have that?”

“I found... in tree. Ando pushed Yuuka... looking for this... maybe proof,” Al explained haltingly.

When they got back to the apartment, Akira charged Yuuka’s smartphone. Luckily, it wasn’t broken. After it was charged, the screen lit up with a wallpaper of a polka-dotted bat. However, they couldn’t access anything because they didn’t know the password. Though people are often warned against using their birthday as a password, with no other clues, they tried Yuuka’s birthdate from her profile online—and to their surprise, it unlocked.

"Yuuka, you were way too careless…" Akira muttered as he opened her messaging app. Al could speak Japanese, but reading it properly was still a struggle for him. Thinking he would leave it to Nukariya, he quickly scanned through her contacts. Among them, one contact stood out—listed only as a number with no name. Curious, he opened it and found that this person had frequently exchanged messages with Yuuka. However, Al couldn’t read them.

“Akira... read message.”

“Why me?” Akira grumbled but started reading anyway.

"Today was so much fun—those penguins were super cute. I wish I could keep one! But that’s impossible! Let’s go to the aquarium again."

The message was cheerful, but Akira’s flat reading made it sound dull.

“‘I had a terrible day—ugh, I’m so fed up. It’s so annoying. Hey, comfort me...’ Hey, there’s nothing important here. Just harmless conversations between lovers."

As he continued scrolling, Akira’s eyes widened in surprise.

"What is it?" Al asked.

“This is the person she was messaging? She had some interesting tastes.”

Akira showed Al a photo attached to one of the messages. Al gasped. The man in the photo, rubbing cheeks with Yuuka, was the same man Al had seen in Ando Ryoko’s phone background when he was in bat form.

Al asked Akira to contact Sakeiri. Though Akira was reluctant at first, Al begged him so earnestly that he grudgingly made the call. Sakeiri was very concerned about Al, but Akira only told him that Al had sustained "serious injuries." Al then asked Sakeiri for Mitani’s phone number. Normally, it would be forbidden to share a private number, but when Sakeiri was told how much Al wanted to see Mitani—as if it were his dying wish—he didn’t refuse. Al borrowed Akira’s phone and contacted Mitani himself, then also called Nukariya.

At 10 p.m., Mitani arrived at Akira’s apartment, shocked to be greeted by a smiling Al, who had supposedly been seriously injured. Shortly after, Nukariya also arrived. Now all the actors were gathered.

"Thank you all for coming," Al began, "Actually…"

:-::-:

At 7:05 PM the next day, the sound of a door unlocking echoed in the hotel room. Al, hiding in the closet, quietly held his breath. He could hear two sets of footsteps—Mitani and Ando had entered.

"I thought about meeting in a private room at a restaurant, but this isn’t something I wanted others to overhear. Since I’ve been working late for another job recently, the agency booked this hotel for me."

"Oh, no, this is fine. It’s a spacious room."

The layout of the room had the bathroom and toilet on the right as you entered. The bedroom was in the back, separated by a door. The closet where Al was hiding was on the left side of the bedroom.

"Would you like something to drink? I could order coffee from room service."

"Oh, no, actually, I can’t stay long. I still have work to do related to Yuuka…"

"I see. Then I’ll get straight to the point. Please, have a seat."

The sound of a chair creaking was heard.

"To get right to it, I wanted to talk about Yuuka-san. Is there anything of hers that’s gone missing?"

Mitani asked in a calm tone. After a brief silence, Ando responded.

"I’m not sure. I didn’t keep track of all her belongings."

"Her smartphone—has it gone missing?"

"What?"

The unease in Ando’s voice was palpable, even from the closet.

"...This is difficult for me to say, but a guy I know from the BLOOD GIRL Mahiro staff said he found Yuuka-san’s smartphone. He’s a huge fan of hers and, in a moment of weakness, took it home. After she passed away, he wanted to return it, but couldn’t find the right moment… So, he asked me for help. He wondered if it might be possible to return it to her family."

"...I see."

"I agree it was wrong of him not to return it immediately, especially since he knew who it belonged to. But he regrets it deeply, so I’m hoping you can forgive him just this once. I’d like you to tell Yuuka’s family that the phone was found in the agency’s office."

"Alright, I understand. I’ll return Yuuka’s smartphone to her parents. But… did he look through it?"

"Probably not. He said he couldn’t unlock it."

"Could you tell me his name?"

"I’m really sorry, but I can’t."

Silence fell between them once more.

"...By the way, did you hear about the accident on the set of BLOOD GIRL Mahiro?" Mitani asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes, I heard Kane-san was seriously injured. I happened to speak with Sakeiri-san yesterday, and he mentioned that Kane was in critical condition. I had left during a break that day, so I didn’t learn about the accident until the next day. I was shocked."

"He passed away this morning. Because of what happened with Yuuka-san, they kept his condition and the hospital stay quiet to avoid any unnecessary rumors. He never regained consciousness... I kept up with his progress since we were close."

"He never regained consciousness?" Ando asked, trying to confirm.

"...The doctors said he was nearly brain-dead when they brought him in. In the end, he never woke up. It feels like one terrible thing after another."

The deep sigh that followed was clearly Mitani’s.

"I know this isn’t the best time, but… Ando-san, do you believe in things you can’t see?"

"What do you mean, suddenly?" Ando’s voice was shaky. Mitani paused deliberately before continuing.

"There’s a rumor going around that people have heard Yuuka-san’s phone ringtone near the parking lot where she died. I’ve been thinking that maybe Yuuka-san wants her phone returned."

Right on cue, Mitani’s phone rang. Everything was going according to plan. He answered the call and said, "It’s the agency. I need to step out for a moment," before walking away. He entered the bedroom and quietly closed the door behind him. At the same time, Al slipped out of the closet. When Mitani saw him, he winked.

Slowly, Al pushed open the door separating the bedroom from the rest of the room. Ando, who had been looking down, raised her head and let out a scream that sounded like tearing silk.

As she tried to stand, she fell from his chair and crawled toward the window in a desperate attempt to escape. His face was ashen, and his hands trembled violently as he clasped them together. His terror was understandable—after all, a man he was told had died that morning had suddenly appeared before him, in the same condition as when he had been pushed. To top it off, his head was covered in blood—an addition suggested by Mitani, who insisted, "It’ll make the effect even better!"

Al stopped a few steps in front of Ando and crouched down, staring intently at his trembling back.



"No, no, noooo!" 

Ando screamed in a state of near-hysteria.

"What’s wrong, Ando-san?" 

Mitani rushed back into the room, feigning concern. He walked right past Al as if nothing was there, as though he didn’t see him.

"There—there’s something right there..." 

"What? Is there something there?" 

Mitani looked around in the direction Ando was pointing. Al, standing nearby, continued to pretend he wasn’t visible.

“K-Kane-san is standing right next to you!” Ando cried out in terror. 

Mitani furrowed his brows. “What are you talking about? He passed away this morning.”

“But... he’s right there, so clearly…” 

Mitani asked seriously, "Ando-san, are you okay? You’re not overworked or anything, are you?" 

Mitani sat down in the chair next to the blood-covered Al.

"Don’t just crouch there. Come over here and sit down. I’ll give you Yuuka-san’s smartphone."

"No!" 

"You said you would take it just a moment ago." 

Mitani pulled the smartphone from his bag and approached Ando. Al followed behind Mitani, and Ando’s face twisted in a grotesque expression, as if in a distorted perspective.

"Stay away! Stay away from me!" 

Mitani stopped in his tracks. The only sound in the room was Ando’s ragged breathing as she clutched her head.

“Why… did you kill me?” Al spoke for the first time since entering the room.

“Nooo!” Ando clamped her hands over her mouth.

"You heard that, didn’t you? You heard that strange voice, didn’t you?" 

"Whose voice? Did you hear something?" 

Mitani feigned ignorance, playing dumb in the face of Ando’s panic.

“Why… did you kill me?” Al repeated in a lower, more menacing tone.

"There, you heard it! You heard it, didn’t you?"

"I didn’t hear anything. Whose voice are you hearing, Ando-san?" 

Al locked eyes with Ando and slowly said, “You killed two people.”

"Why did you kill Yuuka and me?" 

Al left Mitani’s side and moved closer to Ando.

"Help me, help me! No, noooo!" 

Ando wildly flailed her hands in the air.

"Why did you kill Yuuka and me?" 

"It was divine punishment!" 

Ando screamed, still looking down.

"She deserved it! It was her punishment!" 

"Killing someone is never justified, no matter the reason." 

"That woman stole my lover!" 

Tears spilled from Ando’s eyes as she raised her head.

"Even though we were already engaged... That woman..."

Ever since finding Ando’s boyfriend’s picture on Yuuka’s phone, Al had suspected as much. It’s heartbreaking to be betrayed by someone you love. It hurts. But killing someone is never the answer, no matter the reason.

"Why did you kill me? I had nothing to do with it." 

"Because you saw, didn’t you? You saw me push Yuuka, didn’t you? You mentioned smelling her blood and how you looked at me strangely from the start."

As the words left her mouth, Ando’s eyes widened, and she looked over at Mitani. Then she covered her mouth, her face turning even paler as she realized she had forgotten about the other person in the room, besides herself and the ghost.

"I—I must be exhausted..." 

She tried to excuse herself, but the words couldn’t be taken back once spoken. Mitani remained silent, quietly watching Ando. There was a knock at the door. Ando’s head jerked up, and before anyone could respond, the door opened.

In walked Nukariya and Yanagawa. Both had questioned Ando before, so she recognized them and let out a small scream.

"The room’s audio and video have been recorded. Ando Ryoko, you are under arrest for the murder of Yuuka Jinbou." 

Ando screamed, "Noooo!" and collapsed on the spot. Yanagawa handcuffed Ando and checked the time.

"Apprehended at 7:35 PM."

As Yanagawa supported her and led her away, Ando stared blankly at Al, realizing that she had been played and manipulated into confessing her crime.

"How are you still alive? You fell from such a great height..." 

Ando spoke slowly.

“My body… is strong,” Al replied simply.

Ando let out a hollow laugh. “Strong… Are you even human?” she muttered, leaving Al with a chilling sense of unease before she was escorted out of the room.

Mitani and Al were left behind, and Nukariya bowed his head to them. "Thank you for your cooperation. We didn’t have any solid evidence against Ando Ryoko, but thanks to the two of you, we obtained a crucial confession. We appreciate it."

Mitani shook his head. "We’re just glad we could help. When I first heard from Kane-san, I thought that by cooperating, we might catch the real culprit who killed Yuuka-san. But in reality, it was harder to deal with than I imagined. And... it made me really sad."

“Is it because you now know the reason why she killed?” Al asked.

"That’s part of it, but I can’t help but think Yuuka-san didn’t need to die. I feel like the sin of murder doesn’t just affect the victim; it spreads misery to everyone," Mitani lowered his eyes and let out a small sigh.

“No matter the reason, taking someone’s life can never be justified. I’m sure the investigation will reveal even more,” Kotsukaya said solemnly. Mitani nodded, his expression grave as well.

Mitani responded quietly, "You’re right..."

As they were about to leave the room, Mitani suddenly pulled out his smartphone.

"Kane-san, can I take a picture?" 

"Of me?" 

"Yeah, that bloodstained look is really cool."

Mitani snapped several photos of Al from different angles. After taking his fill of the blood-covered vampire, Mitani murmured quietly. "I really want to act in a horror movie. But Sakurai doesn’t like the idea and won’t get me any roles."

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