Airi’s POV

 

Looking upward, I had seen a faint figure looking down upon me from the summit of the mountain. It was her. Akane’s eyes were glowing a vampiric, blood red as she looked down over the small village just outside the woods.

 

She pulled her hood over her head before jumping down and falling to the ground. She grabbed her cloak and flipped forward to have her feet facing the ground, then, by her own will, she slowed her speed and floated safely down until her feet touched the ground.

 

“I know you’re here,” she said. I stepped out from the darkness as she looked at me with her piercing gaze, “Why did you come?”

 

“To see you...”

 

Even through her hood, I could see she was grinning.

 

“You’re a strange child,” she said. “But you know it’s too dangerous to be around me.”

 

“Even so… even so, I.. just want to see you...”

 

“Even if you risk your life? I know you're longing to be with me, I feel the same. This power, however, is stopping me from being with you, Airi.”

 

“You can change!” I said, with desperation present in my voice, “Everybody changes!”

 

She shook her head, as if something was wrong with what I had just said.

 

“This overwhelming power… I can’t control it, no matter how much I try...” she looked away, “I’m a monster...”

 

“Not to me...”

 

She turned her head and looked at me with wide eyes. No matter what other people say about her, she’s still the one I care for. I always think about her. The sound of her voice echoes within my head, and dreams of her dancing around me at night.

 

“Y-You don’t really think that, do you?” she had asked me skeptically.

 

“Of course I do, I always have.”

 

I thought I saw tears in her eyes, but she turned from me and hid her face.

 

“Akane… I--”

 

“Please… just go.”

 

“But...”

 

“Airin!” A voice called out. In response to the voice, Akane immediately ran at a God-like speed and disappeared.

 

I turned around and saw Jurina step out from the shadows.

 

“There you are,” she said. “Why are you here? This part of the woods is dangerous.”

 

I couldn’t tell her. For so long, I’ve kept this secret, from everyone. Even Jurina, my closest friend, I could not trust with this secret.

 

“I’m sorry...”

“Come on, before someone finds us,” she said as she took my hand and we walked away together.