Vampire and His Pleasant Companions: Volume 4 - Part 9

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At the suggestion of Director Franz, Al was suddenly cast in a crowd scene for the movie. His only line was a simple shout of [“That's right!”], but he was thrilled to have even that. Though it was just one scene, a brief moment in the eyes of the audience, Franz was unwilling to compromise. Al was given full makeup and underwent thorough rehearsals.

Despite being extremely nervous and trembling slightly, Al got the OK in just one take. As soon as he stepped off the set, preparations for the next scene began immediately. The set crew bustled about, rearranging props and set pieces. While searching for Franz to thank him, Al spotted him in the far right corner of the studio, deep in conversation with Richard.

It would be rude to interrupt them during a work-related discussion. So, from a distance, Al eavesdropped discreetly, observing them. It seemed to be casual chatter. Richard was shaking his head slowly as he spoke, [“When I realized it was a hijacking, it was truly terrifying.”]

[“Why not make your next movie about a hijacking? I’ve found a great screenwriter,”] Franz joked, to which Richard frowned, saying, [“It’s no laughing matter.”]

[“We were terribly inconvenienced. Does Angel plan to continue playing the role of a cult leader even after quitting as an actress?”] Richard said, shaking his head.

Franz snapped his fingers. [“That’s quite a line... Speaking of which, wasn’t Hester the mastermind behind the hijacking? I hadn’t seen him in years, and then I found out he’d gotten wrapped up in some religion. You had ties with him as a fellow producer, right? Didn’t you recognize him when you saw him?”]

Richard muttered, [“Hester never showed himself in front of the passengers.”]

Franz then gave a harsh critique of the actress Angel. [“Angel was beautiful, but her acting never improved. I didn’t think she’d ever make it big.”]

Richard replied, [“To be honest, I don’t remember much about her as an actress.”]

[“Neither do I... although, well, I guess that’s not important.”] Franz suddenly cut himself off awkwardly.

Richard lightly tapped Franz’s shoulder, [“Hey, don’t leave me hanging. Now you’ve got me curious.”]

Franz hesitated for a moment, clearly debating whether to continue, but then began speaking again. [“I wasn’t sure if I should tell you this, but I suppose it’s better you know. Do you remember the actress Ashley Walker? She committed suicide last year or maybe the year before.”]

Richard shook his head, saying, [“No, I don’t.”]

[“She was beautiful and a decent actress, but she never got beyond being a high school prom queen type. I thought she could have developed into a more seasoned actress with age, but, well, she died. Apparently, she’d attended one of our house parties, but I didn’t remember her. However, my wife did—since Ashley was also from Chicago, they got along. They’d have lunch together and go shopping. So, when Ashley died, my wife went to the funeral, and guess who was there? Angel, wearing the signature white dress of the Peaceful House cult. She was spreading rumors, saying 'It was Richard who killed Ashley.'“]

Richard’s eyes widened in shock, and he exclaimed, [“What?! Why would I kill someone I don’t even know?”]

Franz chuckled bitterly. [“My wife was shocked too. After digging into it, she found out that Ashley had been dropped from a small role in one of your productions. Supposedly, the harsh words spoken to her about it triggered her suicide.”]

In Al’s mind, the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. Ashley hadn’t committed suicide—she was murdered. Giraffe had killed her and staged it as a suicide to cover up the crime. Angel had gone to the funeral, not just to pay respects, but to deflect suspicion by spreading a rumor that it was all Richard’s fault for dropping Ashley from the role. What a cunning woman.

Richard’s voice was firm as he responded, [“Once I cast an actor, I don’t replace them unless there’s a health issue or behavioral problems. I used to be an actor myself, so I understand all too well the pain of being removed from a role.”]

Franz nodded in agreement, [“Exactly. We’re just looking for people who can perform the role. We don’t take responsibility for their entire lives.”]

There was no need for Al to interject; both Richard and Franz were fully aware of how things worked. As Al nodded along, he noticed Akira entering the studio. Though Akira had brought him here, it seemed he wasn’t fond of such environments, as he’d stayed outside the whole time. When Akira spotted Al, he came straight over.

"Are you finished?"

When Al nodded, Akira said, "We’re leaving."

"Already?"

Even though Al wasn’t in the next scene, he had hoped to watch one more. However, when Akira preemptively said, "I’ve got plans," it made it hard for Al to protest. After briefly saying goodbye to Richard and Franz, Al reluctantly left the studio, feeling a lingering attachment. But as much as he would have liked to stay, Al knew that without Akira, he never would have met Franz or been given a role in the movie, however small. He was already excited to see the final product. This would be a memory he’d treasure forever.

“Akira... thank you,” Al said, seated in the BMW’s passenger seat.

“I’m happy... I be in movie.”’ 

Akira stayed silent. With the car window down, his unruly black hair was blowing wildly in the wind. He had no intention of becoming an actor, nor did he have any interest in movies. Yet, it was clear he had gone to the studio today solely for Al's sake. Not only that, Akira had introduced him to a famous film director, someone far too intimidating for a lowly actor like Al to approach on his own. Al felt deeply touched by the effort Akira had made. He felt respected, cherished, and it filled him with a warm sense of gratitude.

The car drove farther from the city, entering a somewhat desolate road where streetlights were sparse. Somewhere in the distance, the howl of a dog echoed.

“Where... you go?”’ 

Al asked, but there was no response. Before leaving the studio, Akira had mentioned he had an "appointment." Al had no idea what kind of appointment or if it involved a man or a woman.

Without turning at an intersection, Akira flicked on the right blinker and pulled into what looked like a parking lot. Al’s heart sank when he saw the sign next to the building. It read "Rose Funeral Home." A funeral home.

“Here... what is?” 

As Akira set the parking brake, he replied, "I’m meeting someone."

"A friend?" 

After a brief pause, Akira answered, "Yeah." The only friends of Akira’s that Al knew were Nukariya, Sakeiri, and some people at the embalming facility. But now that he thought about it, Akira had come to America to attend mortuary school. If he had made friends at university, there was a good chance their family ran a funeral business.

Akira rang the doorbell at the funeral home’s entrance. His usual impatience showed, as he pressed the button three times in rapid succession before anyone had a chance to answer. Footsteps thudded from inside, and soon the door swung wide open without so much as a glance to confirm who was there.

Standing in the doorway was a bald man with a head as smooth as a Japanese monk. He appeared to be in his early thirties, a white man with green eyes, wearing a hoodie over a T-shirt and jeans. He was thin, with freckles scattered across his nose. Al looked down when he heard a "meow" and saw a black cat with golden eyes, its mouth open as it let out another cry.

[“What happened to your head?”] 

Akira asked bluntly, with no greeting or preamble.

[“My boyfriend cut my hair while I was asleep. He was nuts,”] replied the bald figure. Al nearly toppled over in surprise—this bald person was a woman.

[“I turned that bastard in to the police. There was nothing I could do, so I shaved it all off.”]

[“Wasn’t the guy you were dating a wrestler?”]

The bald woman let out a nasal scoff, [“Huh? What century are you living in? I broke up with that wrestler ages ago.”]

A short silence fell between them. Al felt he should probably introduce himself, but he couldn’t find the right moment as the rhythm of their conversation was hard to follow.

[“Anyway, it’s been a while.”]

[“We just talked on the phone recently.”]

Their conversation was painfully awkward. Even when Akira tried to keep it going, the bald woman kept shutting it down. Al started to wonder if she actually disliked Akira, despite his claim they were friends.

[“It’s been, what, eight years since we last met?”]

[“Yeah, something like that.”]

[“You look well.”]

[“And you still have that gloomy vibe. Whatever, come in.”]

The dry exchange finally ended, and they were invited inside. The place seemed to serve as both a home and a funeral parlor, with a large open space at the entrance that extended into a bigger room in the back. It looked like it could accommodate a small funeral.

When she opened the door on the left side of the room, it revealed a long hallway with several doors along the walls. At the far end was a small, cozy living room. The old sofa set near the window was covered in a worn-out Gobelin tapestry, and on top of it were piled papers, bags, and pizza boxes, making the place look cluttered. It was clear this was the residential area of the funeral home. Al and Akira were invited to sit on the sofa, but they had to push aside the sprawled-out black cat and some of the clutter to make room.

The scratched coffee table in front of them held half-eaten pizza, French fries, and a partially drunk soda.

The bald woman, meanwhile, went into the back of the room. The living room was L-shaped, with a kitchen tucked away in the far corner. She returned holding two beers, offering one to Akira and the other to Al. 

[“Here. Want some pizza too? It’s half-eaten, though.”]

[“We’ve already had dinner, so don’t worry about us. We’re also driving, so no alcohol.”] Akira replied before introducing Al, [“Al, this is Patricia Stuart. She was my classmate at mortuary school.”]

[“Hello, Patricia. I’m Albert Irving.”] Al extended his right hand, and Patricia smiled warmly as she shook it. Despite her bald head being somewhat intimidating at first, her smile was charming, and even the freckles added to her appeal.

[“Nice to meet you, Al. Call me Pat.”]

Al noticed Pat’s grip was unusually strong. Just as he was wondering about it, Pat suddenly pulled him forward, making him lunge across the coffee table, nearly planting his hand into the half-eaten pizza.

Pat gazed intently into Al’s face. 

[“You’re really handsome. I always thought Akira might be gay, you know.”]

Pat’s assumption came right out of the blue. 

[“Al and I don’t have that kind of relationship,”] Akira denied flatly, with a hint of irritation in his voice.

[“And such a picky one too. Ugh, what a pain... Oh, Al, I don’t mean you! I’m just talking about Akira’s taste.”] Pat seemed to be speaking without really listening, and after finally being released from her grip, Al managed to settle back on the sofa. As odd as Akira could be, his friend Pat was just as blunt, with an even more eccentric personality.

Pat grabbed a cigarette from the coffee table, crossing her legs as she lit it and exhaled a thick plume of smoke.

[“Oh yeah, I just remembered. Back in mortuary school, you were really popular, weren’t you? Even the widows of some of the embalmed men tried to seduce you. But no matter how beautiful or handsome someone was, you never gave them the time of day. I had it rough just being your lab partner during practice—other girls thought I was your girlfriend and treated me horribly. It wasn’t worth it.”]

[“Really?”] Akira looked genuinely surprised.

[“You didn’t know? But once word got out that my boyfriend was a evil pro wrestler, no one dared to make a move on me anymore.”]

[“Sorry. I didn’t realize.”]

Seeing Akira apologize with a straight face, Pat exhaled a puff of smoke and chuckled softly. 

[“You’ve always been hopelessly clueless about that kind of thing. But it doesn’t matter now; that was a long time ago.”] 

She grabbed a slice of pizza and took a big bite, chewing with gusto. 

[“Let me eat first. I’ve been working non-stop since this morning and barely had any lunch, so I’m starving.”] 

She licked the tomato sauce off her fingers, much like a cat would. With a voracious appetite, Pat quickly devoured the remaining pizza before turning her gaze seriously to Al, as if flipping a switch. 

[“So, Akira told me, Al... that you’re a vampire.”]

Al gasped. Only Akira and Nukariya knew his secret. He couldn’t understand why Akira had revealed it to this bald friend. 

[“Not just a vampire—a failed one, who can only turn into a bat during the day and becomes human only at night.”]

[“It’s all true,”] Akira said with a stern expression. 

[“Even I didn’t believe it at first.”]

Pat sighed and spread her arms wide in disbelief. 

[“I was so happy to hear from an old friend after so many years. I was looking forward to reminiscing about the good old days. Then, out of the blue, he asks me to 'take care of a vampire.' I thought Akira had completely lost his mind. I always thought he was a realist, and now this.”]

[“It’s real, Pat. Have I ever lied to you?”]

Pat crossed her arms and furrowed her brow before answering, [“No, you haven’t.”]

[“You’ve always been an honest guy, but I don’t think anyone would believe this. Not a single person out of a hundred.”]

[“Al really is a vampire. At sunrise, he turns into a bat.”]

Pat glanced up at the clock on the wall. 

[“You’re saying he’ll turn into a bat by morning, huh? Do you realize how many hours there are until then? And I have a full day of work tomorrow, so I don’t have time for delusions.”]

[“It’s true. He heals from any injury, and he doesn’t die. If he drinks blood, his wounds will heal.”]

Ignoring Akira’s desperate insistence, Pat snorted. 

[“Then prove it. Show me how you heal from an injury.”]

[“No, I can’t. He doesn’t die, but he can still feel pain.”]

[“But if he drinks blood, the pain will go away, right? So it’ll only hurt for a moment.”]

Pat called out, [“Beth!”] and the black cat, curled up in the corner of the room, approached. Pat picked up the cat and handed it to Al. 

[“Hold her for a moment.”] 

Al reached out, nervously trying to hold the cat, but the moment he did, it let out a screeching "Nyaaah!" and scratched his hand, leaving long red marks.

[“Oww!”] 

Al let go, and the cat landed on the floor and bolted away. 

[“She hates being touched by anyone but me. She goes wild if anyone else tries to hold her,”] Pat said casually, showing no remorse. Al glanced at his hand, where three claw marks were starting to bleed. Suddenly, Pat grabbed his wrist and placed it on the table, still littered with dinner leftovers. 

[“Now, heal the wound for me.”]

Al finally realized why Pat had set the cat on him. She wanted a demonstration. Akira clicked his tongue in frustration and scratched his own wrist, causing blood to seep out. 

[“Here, drink it.”]

Al shook his head, trembling. 

[“N-no, I can’t!”] 

He couldn’t understand why he had to go to such lengths to prove he was a vampire.

[“It’s not about what you want. Drink it, or the blood will clot!”]

Al wanted to escape, but Pat held his wrists firmly, and Akira’s bleeding wrist was pressed to his lips. It was like someone offering honey to a starving bee—it was impossible to resist. 

[“Hurry up!”]

Under the pressure and the sweet scent of blood, Al reluctantly put his lips to Akira’s wrist. The rich, sweet liquid flowed down his throat, and the pain from the scratch on his hand began to fade. Akira’s blood tasted different this time—perhaps due to his recent transfusion.

Even after the pain disappeared, Al continued licking Akira’s wrist, lost in the sensation. Pat pulled his wrists forward, inspecting the scratch. 

[“I can’t believe it...”]

The scratches left by the cat had completely vanished. Pat rubbed the skin on Al’s hand repeatedly, but no trace of the injury remained. 

[“What... how is this possible?”]

[“Because he’s a vampire,”] Akira said gravely.

[“No way. It has to be a trick. Tell me the secret.”]

[“I didn’t come all the way from Japan just to pull a magic trick on you. What you just saw is the truth.”]

Pat frowned deeply and slapped Al’s hand roughly. Even when he cried out, [“It hurts! It hurts!”] she didn’t stop. She was relentless. 

[“It’s got to be a magic trick. Just admit it.”]

Growing exasperated, Akira finally said, [“If you think that, then fine. Believe whatever you want. But it’s not magic. He’ll turn into a bat at sunrise and back into a human at sunset. Just accept that.”]

Pat stared at Akira intently. 

[“You want me to believe that, huh?”] 

Her mouth twisted into a strange smile, and then she suddenly burst into laughter.

[“This isn’t a joke. I’m serious,”] Akira said, watching her with irritation.

After laughing for a while, Pat wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. 

[“Oh, that was funny. Well, magic or not, I’d be happy to have a life full of thrill and happiness. If this magician you brought really is one, I’d hire him here.”]

Al tilted his head in confusion. Why would Pat need to look after him? He was going back to Japan soon...

[“His food is blood. About three liters a week should do. The waste fluid from an embalming session is enough. He drinks blood but doesn’t attack people. He’s a failed vampire—he doesn’t even have fangs.”]

A cold fear crept up from Al’s feet. Surely not... He looked at Pat, and she smiled back at him.

[“We're always busy. Get ready for it.”]

Al turned to face Akira. 

[“What do you mean?”] 

His voice trembled. Without looking at him, Akira replied, 

[“I’m not taking you back to Japan. You’re going to stay here and work.”] 

The worst possible answer he had feared came true. Al shook his head vehemently, rejecting it with a sharp "No!" Finally, Akira turned to look at him. 

[“You’ll live in L.A. You can do whatever you want during the day, but at night, you’ll work at Pat’s funeral home. You’ll get enough to eat, and you’ll even earn a salary.”]

[“No! I absolutely refuse!”]

Despite Al shaking his head, Akira continued calmly. 

[“You remember the house we saw earlier, don’t you? That’s where you’ll live. I bought the property, and Dick’s secretary will handle the taxes and other paperwork. Pay what you can from your wages to cover utilities and maintenance. I’ll take care of the rest.”]

[“I want to go back to Japan with you, Akira.”]

[“I said no!”] 

Akira’s sudden outburst made Al flinch. 

[“You’re better off staying in America. You speak the language, and if you want to see your parents, you can. You’ll have a home, a job, and won’t lack food. What’s there to complain about? If you want to continue acting, I’ll talk to Dick. Though for someone as untalented as you, background roles are probably the best you’ll get.”]

What Akira said made sense. Complaining would only anger the gods. If this had been right after he arrived in Japan, Al wouldn’t have hesitated. He would’ve gladly stayed here. But now, things were different. 

[“I love you, Akira. That’s why...”]

[“Don’t say such childish things!”] 

Even though it was a confession of love, he was scolded. 

[“I’m not being childish. I love you, Akira. That’s why I want to stay by your side.”]

At that moment, Pat interjected, lazily propping one knee on the couch while picking at her ear with her pinky. 

[“I don’t mind taking in a magician vampire. It sounds fun, and I was planning on hiring someone anyway. But why wasn’t the person in question told anything about this?”]

[“If I told him, it would’ve gotten complicated.”]

Pat, clearly annoyed, threw her empty beer can at Akira. He quickly dodged, and the can bounced off the wall before rolling under the sofa. 

[“Because you two didn’t sort things out, I’m the one who’s going to have to deal with all the chaos at my place. It’s seriously annoying.”] 

Akira fell silent, realizing she was right. 

[“From the outside, this just sounds like a lovers' spat between two guys. Don’t pawn off your used-up boyfriend on me.”]

With that, the conversation was cut short, and Pat, claiming she was tired, kicked them out of her house. 

As soon as they got into the car, Al shouted, “Akira... cruel!”

Akira started the engine and sped off, expressionless. 

“You... throw me away! Heartless!”’ 

Akira snapped his head around. 

"What do you mean, cruel? Don’t say things that make me sound like a villain. I’m not tossing you out on the street like a stray cat. Besides, you’re from here." 

Al bit his lip hard. 

“I like Japan. Japan... is good.” 

"You’re an American. You blend in better here than in Japan." 

“I decide... about me!” 

"You’re letting your emotions rule you and not thinking ahead at all. That’s why I’m deciding for you!" 

“I not ask you decide!” 

Al yelled back, not backing down in the face of Akira’s shouting. 

“I not ask... house, job!”’

Suddenly, the car in front of them slammed on the brakes. Akira quickly hit the brakes himself, and they stopped just in time, though the force of the stop jolted them both forward. Akira cursed under his breath. 

"Don’t talk to me while I’m driving!"

Angry at being scolded, Al pressed his lips together. The more he thought about it, the more infuriated he became. Akira, who hadn’t even cared about going to the studio, had brought him there today just to soften the blow of abandoning him. He must have planned all along to leave him behind in L.A. and had only taken him to the shoot to ease the rejection.

They returned to Richard’s mansion. As soon as the car entered the garage and Akira turned off the engine, Al, who had been holding back his frustration the whole ride, exploded. 

“Akira... unfair!”’ 

"What’s unfair?" Akira shot back, his voice sharp. 

“You no tell me.” 

"I knew you’d hate it, that’s why." 

He knew, and yet he chose to do it this way. 

“I love you! I told you... many times!” 

"You’re better off in America. Kyiv is here. You’ll have plenty of vampire friends if you ask him for help." 

“My feelings!” 

Al pressed his hand against his chest, over the heart that didn’t beat. 

“I love you... my feelings.” 

"You’ll forget about me soon enough." 

“No... I won’t forget!” 

"I will." 

With that single sentence, Al felt as if a black curtain had fallen over his vision. 

"When I leave you here in America, I’m going to forget everything. So you should forget me too." 

"No! No!" 

Al shook his head frantically. 

"I don’t know how long vampires live, or how their communities work. Kyiv said there are strong connections within the vampire world. You should get close to others like you." 

"No!" 

As Al refused, Akira suddenly grabbed him by the collar. 

"Stop repeating ‘no’ like a broken record and try to process what I’m telling you. I’m going to die. I’m human, and humans die. But you’re going to live much longer than me, whether it’s 100 years or even more. You should be with others like you, so you won’t be left behind, feeling lonely when I’m gone." 

A chilling fear crept up Al’s spine. Akira would die. As a human, his life would end. Of course, Al knew that, but had he really understood it? Life in Japan had been so noisy, so fun.

He recalled Kyiv’s story about failing to turn his loved one into a vampire. What if Akira died tomorrow, from illness or an accident? It wasn’t impossible.

Akira would die. He’d disappear from this world... The thought alone made tears stream from Al’s eyes. It was unbearable. He couldn’t stand it. Maybe he should turn Akira into a vampire now—hold him down and drain his blood until he died. Even though Al was an incomplete vampire, that would make Akira an even weaker vampire. But that didn’t matter, as long as Akira could live longer.

Where to hide the body... Right, he could hide it in the house Akira had bought. Al would wait by his side until Akira resurrected as a vampire.

But it was just a fantasy. He couldn’t actually do that. If he turned Akira into a vampire without asking, it wouldn’t just make Akira angry—it would make him despise Al, maybe even never speak to him again. 

“I... don’t mind being lonely!” Al puffed out his chest.

“I okay with lonely... I be with you.”

Even if he cried every day afterward or regretted it a million times over, he didn’t want to part from Akira. 

“When you die... I be with you.” 

"Liar." 

Akira looked down, scratching his messy hair with his right hand. 

"I’m going to age. In ten years, I’ll look even older, and in thirty years, I’ll be a proper old man. But you, you’ll stay the same. I don’t mind growing old. It’s the natural course of life. That’s why, if I’m going to live with someone, it’ll be someone who ages just like me." 

“Vampire... discrimination!” 

As soon as the words left his mouth, Akira’s fist flew toward his temple. 

“What discrimination?! You’ve got a talent for pushing my buttons!" 

In the midst of their shouting match, there was a knock on the car window. They both turned to see Stan peering in with a confused expression. Al hurriedly opened the door. 

[“I was taking a walk when I heard loud voices... what’s going on?”] 

Akira didn’t look at Stan or say anything. 

[“Um... we were just arguing.”] 

Al mumbled, explaining the situation. 

[“It’s late. Why don’t you come inside? Martha was wondering why you haven’t come in yet. I told her not to worry, but...”] 

Akira suddenly slammed the steering wheel, startling both Al and Stan. Then, he got out of the car and headed straight into the house without another word, leaving Al feeling abandoned and crushed by the intense rejection.

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