Satsuki Yumizuka Route [Tsukihime Quest]

[SatsukiYumizuka]

All routes and all choices are available on fiction.live

This is the script for a VN. It will be made into a VN soon. Please vote for what you want to happen next.



3/Inversion Impulse III
3rd day/October 23rd (Sat.)

The back alley.
Removed from the main street, the alley is hidden from the prying eyes of random passerby.
Only I am here, and only I will remain here.
That is, because----


It is dangerous to walk the streets at night.


Those words, which have been spoken by several people, ring in my ears.
But, I cannot even remember the faces of those who spoke them right now, so I don’t care.
After all, if you can’t remember the face of one who warned you, then could the warning itself really have been that important----?
But there is a reason to remember those words.
After all, though they are unimportant to me, I know they have value to others.

Which is why, no one will walk into the alley tonight. Nobody will come, so I needn’t be bothered.


The scene before me appears surreal; It feels like I am in a dream.

No, it is more like a play. I am not a part of it yet, but before me, the stage is set.
The red curtains, spread far apart, drape down the walls.
The actors, awaiting their moment in the spotlight, lie down, calmly and quietly.

But, when I look more closely, it appears that their parts are already played.


Or, more accurately, their parts are strewn across the ground.


Feeling completely at ease, I look up to the spotlight. It shines down on me.
Has my part in the play come so soon? Despite the calming scene around me, I can’t help but get a little excited.
After all, it is for moments like these that I exist.


“That’s right.”
I try to remain calm, but I let a little of my excitement slip into my voice.
Because, in this situation, there is only one thing to do.


I-----

-------was born------

------to kill---------Throb.


I quickly don my glasses to hide the sickening scene before me.
I never like having to see the “lines” so early in the morning, but today, it seems especially terrible.
Not only does my head throb, but my chest aches.
I feel that it must be because of that scene from the alley last night, or even because of the dream I just had-----


I hear a knock on the door.
“Forgive my intrusion, Shiki-sama.”
Hisui speaks in her usual polite tone as she opens the door to my room.
Entering, she bows deeply upon seeing my awake.


“Good morning, Shiki-sama.”
“Ah…. yes, good morning, Hisui. Thanks for coming to wake me.”
I truly am thankful.
Seeing Hisui in the morning makes me feel like I am safe, in this ordinary, everyday life.
Seeing her face makes me feel like I am at ease-----


Thump.


I suddenly feel my heart seem to skip a beat, and reflexively clutch my hand to my chest.
“Are you alright, Shiki-sama?”

I hear Hisui speaking to me with concern in her voice, but I don’t respond.
Is it because of the dream I had? I can’t help but feel some sense of unease here in my room.
I don’t remember my dream, but I know I felt more at ease there than I did here-----


“Please wait, Shiki-sama. I’ll go get Nee-san immediately….”
“Wait!”
Without thinking, I call out.
“I’m fine, so you don’t have to call Kohaku-san.”

I get out of bed and stand up, stretching.
“See? I’ll come down as soon as I get changed, so please tell Kohaku-san I’d like breakfast.”
I smile at Hisui, though she doesn’t appear totally convinced.


“Yes, Shiki-sama.”
She bows, but I can see her concern for me writ across her face.
“Then, I will tell Nee-san. Excuse me, Shiki-sama.”
Leaving my fresh uniform behind, Hisui leaves the room.


“Well, I guess I should get changed.”
With nothing else to do, I change out of my pajamas and into the uniform.
All the while, I still feel that strange sense of unease lurking at the back of my mind, though I no longer feel any physical pain.

“Well, I guess I just haven’t quite gotten used to living here, just yet.”
Nodding to myself in satisfaction, I grab the knife from my bedside table, and make my way down to the sitting room.


Akiha and Hisui are in the sitting room.
Kohaku-san must be preparing breakfast.
“Good morning, Nii-san.”
As soon as I enter the room, Akiha greets me with her usual politeness.
“Morning, Akiha.”
Greeting her half-heartedly, I continue walking through the sitting room, and into the dining room.


“Wait, Nii-san.”
I turn back to the sound of Akiha’s voice.
“Could we… talk for a bit, Nii-san?”
Akiha asks without the usual thorns in her words.
Is it because I barely acknowledged her just now? I think that must be the case.


But, I don’t feel like talking right now.
“Sorry, Akiha. I don’t feel too well, so I’m just going to have breakfast and go to school.”

I say what I truly think, but instantly regret my words.


“Your health is not well, Nii-san? Then, you should stay home from school today and rest in your room…”
Akiha’s voice betrays her deep concern for my health. Also, Hisui is wearing an expression that seems to agree with what Akiha is saying.
But, I don’t intend to stay at the mansion today.

“I’m alright. I just meant that I don’t really feel like talking. My health is completely fine.”
As if for emphasis, I thump myself on the chest.
“But, Nii-san…”
Akiha doesn’t look convinced. She is wearing an expression that suggests that even if I don’t want to talk to her, I shouldn’t push myself.


“Shiki-saaaan, breakfast!”
Grateful for Kohaku-san’s perfect timing, I escape into the dining room.
Even while facing the other way, I can feel Akiha’s unpleasant expression boring into my unprotected back.


After eating, I return to the sitting room, only to find that Akiha is already gone.
“I suppose she must have already left. I wonder if she’s mad at me after what happened earlier…?”


Though, I wouldn’t have minded saying goodbye.


“At what time could I expect you to return home, Shiki-sama?”
After escorting me to the gate, Hisui asks me that, with something of a strained face.
I suddenly remember that yesterday I didn’t come back when I said I would.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know when I’ll be returning today. Don’t wait up for me.”
Hisui looks at me like she wants to say more, but I ignore her and walk off.


I already know from the scene last night that going to school would be pointless.
So, I leave the familiar path to school and begin searching around the city.


I wander around for much of the day, but I see no sign of Yumizuka.
At this point, I am starting to have serious doubts as to my searching methods. After all, wandering the city aimlessly isn’t likely to yield results.
I realize this, but I search anyway.

A part of my mind tells me that my search, no matter how much I look, will be fruitless during the daytime.
However, I search anyway.
Despite what I saw last night in the alley, I can’t help but hope that my feelings are wrong.
I don’t want to admit to myself that I might only be able to find her after night has fallen.


Despite all that, however, I don’t find any trace of the girl known as Yumizuka Satsuki.


I search some more, but it is now getting into the early evening hours.
By now, I have long since realized the fruitlessness of searching for Yumizuka randomly.
Perhaps, I should just go back to the mansion and think things through for a while-----

On the other hand, if there is any chance of finding Yumizuka before the sun sets, I would much prefer to find her then, instead.

[ ] Continue searching for Yumizuka.
[ ] Go back to the mansion.

[blitz1/2]

Continue searching for her of course.

[SatsukiYumizuka]

My mind yells at me that searching further is pointless, and my body demands rest.
I ignore both of these and go back into the city.


This time, I need to form some sort of plan, or pattern, for my search.
Otherwise, I’ll just end up running around in circles again.


“I don’t really have any leads…”
I bite my lip in frustration.
But, realizing this gives me an idea.


If I don’t have many leads, then I need to start with what leads I do.
That means, investigating the back alley------




----I arrive at the alley, but I don’t know what to look for.
Also, although the sun is only starting to set, I still feel a bit uneasy in this place.


Or is it that I feel uneasy about feeling so at ease?




Not really understanding what I’m thinking, I simply start looking around the alley.


At first glance, I find nothing out of the ordinary.
----well, there are some remnants of the blood stains from last night, but I was expecting those, so I try not to think too deeply about them.


In any case, they aren’t going to help me find Yumizuka.




Since a cursory glance turned up nothing, I decide to have a closer look throughout the entire alley.
Then, on closer inspection, I find------


“----nothing.”
As it turns out, I am just wasting my time here.
Thinking that, I leave the alley.




Walking out into the street, I see that I have barely any time left before darkness falls.
If I want to find Yumizuka before the sun sets, I have to find her now.


With that in mind, I head back out onto the main street.




Since I don’t have much time left, and I have no other leads right now, I begin desperately running around the city once more.
I realize that I really can’t find her like this, but I do it anyway.
That is, because-----


----I really want to find her before the sun completely sets.




*pant*------*pant*------*pant*
I run throughout the city one last time, without any sign of Yumizuka.
In the end, I didn’t see anything related to her, or find any kind of clue.
The sun has now completely set, so any hope I had of finding Yumizuka beforehand is now dashed.




I now stand at the edge of the shopping district, which I haven’t run through since this morning.
It’s no coincidence that my daytime search ended here.


After all, the majority of the murder victims are found around here----


“----ugh.”
I hate this.
I know all too well that now, after the sun has set and in this killing arena, I have the best chance of finding Yumizuka Satsuki.


I only feel more frustrated as I think this, but there’s nothing I can do about it----




“----huh?”
I can’t believe my eyes.
Standing several meters away is, undoubtedly, the girl known as Yumizuka Satsuki, who just walked out of what appears to be a parking garage.


Trying to remain calm, I start making my way towards her.
However, I soon find myself breaking into a run, and she spots me.
Surprise flickers across her face for a moment, but then she looks at me calmly as I run closer to her.


Then, right as I am almost upon her----
“I’ll see you later, Shiki-kun.”
With that, Yumizuka disappears.


Actually, her extremely fast movement just caught me off guard, so she only seemed to disappear.


In any case, I don’t know which way she went, and I know better than to think I can catch up to her.




But, I have something else to do now, rather than just blindly look for Yumizuka.


I enter the parking garage.




“…It’s dark.”
The first thing I notice upon entering the garage is the intense blackness.
Darkness consumes everything, and all I can see from the entrance is empty space.


Well, that isn’t really true.
Because, in the distance of the garage, I see a light. A lone light is shining dimly, just close enough that it can be seen from the entrance.
With nothing else to do, I head towards the light.




When I finally reach it, I see that the light is nothing but a lone kerosene lamp.
“Why is a lamp set up in the middle of a parking garage?”
I look around. And see----
“Another light.”
From where I’m standing, I am now able to see another light, reaching even further into the empty parking garage.
I decide to walk toward it.




I reach the next light.
By now, I’ve determined that this entire garage is likely completely abandoned.
The empty space seems to go on forever, and the lack of light only makes the space seem that much more devoid of life.




I look around again. I see a downward ramp nearby, with light once again emanating from the far side.
I walk to the next light, which leads me to another light.
Moving from lamp to lamp, I go deeper and deeper into the garage, and deeper and deeper underground.


Soon, I’ve lost all sense of direction, and I have no idea exactly how deep underground I’ve gone.


But, I try not to think too deeply about it.
After all, facing up to the truth about Yumizuka, and facing unknown dangers, may be the only way to save her.




I come to yet another light.
This light is exactly like all the others, except for one difference.
From here, I can see not another light, but a cluster of lights.


Thinking that the cluster must be my final destination, I break into a run.




“It’s like… a room…”


What I come upon indeed looks like the room of a student my age.
At least, it looks as close to a room as anything in such a place could.
There are several lamps set up, and there is even a table and a futon.


There is even a desk positioned under one of the lamps, with a mirror and schoolwork set out upon it.
“This is from Kunifuji…”


I recognize the assignment on the desk as being several days old.
In fact, I think it’s the very same assignment we received the day I returned to the mansion.


That is, the day I walked home with Yumizuka under the light of the setting sun-----




The “room” is set up in a corner of the parking garage, and there is even a restroom nearby.
It is far from the light of the sun, and with the dim light and average furnishings, it doesn’t seem like such a bad place to be.
It really is the perfect den for a vampire.
“It’s kinda cold down here.”
Luckily, there are several blankets here, so I grab one and wrap it around my body.
After all, I don’t know when Yumizuka will be back, and there is no clock, nor am I wearing a watch, so I can’t even guess at the time.




“I wonder why I’m so calm.”
Here I am, in the dark recesses of an abandoned parking garage, standing in what is most likely a vampire’s lair.


But I don’t feel uncomfortable at all.
I suppose that it’s because I just want to save Yumizuka so badly, that I’m willing to endure this strangeness.
After all, I did promise I would help her is she was in a pinch.
Well, I already failed that promise, so now I can only do what I can to play catch up.




“But, this may not even be her lair.”
If that’s the case, then I’m just wasting my time here.


“Well, I doubt that’s the case.”
Yumizuka was leaving here just as the sun finished setting, so this is probably as good a place as any to wait for her.
At least, it’s better than running around the city aimlessly.


Since I don’t know how long I’m going to be here, I sit down on the cold, concrete floor, wrapping the blanket more tightly around my shoulders to protect from the biting cold.




Time passes.
In this deep, dark, unmoving world, time is the only thing moving forward.
But even that seems to be at a snail’s pace.




More time passes.
It feels like an eternity since I entered the garage, but it’s probably been at most only an hour or two.
Still, despite my constant reminders to myself to remain calm, I begin to feel more and more agitated.




I’ve just about reached my limit.
If Yumizuka doesn’t show soon, I feel I may go mad.
But, if I simply leave now, then I’ll be right back where I started, and I have no idea how many hours of darkness I have left.


I stand up and stretch, dropping the blanket.
Time is still passing slowly by.
Well, I wonder what I should do-----




“So you’re here, Shiki-kun.”
I immediately look over, and see Yumizuka standing by the desk.
I had been watching the lamp in the distance for her approach, but I guess she doesn’t have to follow those lights to find her own lair.
Then, I wonder what they’re for---?




“Hello, Yumizuka-san.”
“Hi, Shiki-kun.”
We say our greetings in completely normal tones of voice, and Yumizuka smiles at me as she speaks.


“I’m pretty impressed that you actually waited for me here, Shiki-kun. Aren’t you scared?”
“I am.”
I am ignoring my fears to the best of my ability, but the scene from last night keeps appearing in my head.


The fact is, I am afraid.
But, it doesn’t matter.
Because-----




“I promised I would help you, Yumizuka.”
She looks a little surprised, but then her smile returns.


“You still want to help me, Shiki-kun? Then answer me this.
Even though we’ve barely spoken, I’ve liked you for a long time. So, would you go out with me, Shiki-kun?”


“-------”
What can I possibly say in this situation----




- - - Updated - - -

[ ] I can’t decide something like that so easily.
[ ] I…. Think I could….

[Grimmair]

[X]I…. Think I could….

This is the only path!

[walrus]

Look forward to the next chapter. I choose the 1st option.

[AZURE]

[X] I can’t decide something like that so easily.

[Kuroyuki]

[X] I…. Think I could….

Why would I say no? I mean sure I know Sacchin is a vampire, but Shiki can handle that.

[blitz1/2]

[X] I…. Think I could….
Well, I think Satsuki needs love.

[Barbarossa]

[X] I…. Think I could….

[SatsukiYumizuka]

Why did I spend the whole day desperately trying to find her?
She obviously holds some deep importance for me, even if we only started talking recently.
Plus, I promised I would help her, in any way I could. So, it’s only right that I at least try to help her in this manner, if that’s what she wants.


“Well, I’m not too sure how I feel myself, but, I just can’t leave you alone…”
“Wha----”
“So, at the least, I think I could give it a try.
I must like you at least somewhat, since I spent the entire day searching for you so desperately.”




“You… looked around all day… for me…?”
Yumizuka looks at me, with something akin to shock spread across her face.


“----Yeah….”
“Shiki… kun…”
Yumizuka seems about to burst into tears.
No, a few solitary tears do roll down her cheeks.


“----Then, you’ll help me?”
“Yeah. I’ll do whatever I can.”
“----You’ll be there for me?”
“If it’s within my power, I’ll always be there for you.”
“Shiki….-kun…”


Without another word, Yumizuka walks over to me and embraces me warmly, tears softly rolling down her cheeks.
Well, it’s a little sudden, but I put my arms around her, too.




“Remember, Shiki-kun----”
“Hm?”
“----You promised you’d do anything.”


With that, Yumizuka suddenly sinks her fangs into my neck.




“Guh…!!”
The pain is immense, to say the least.
The bite itself wasn’t actually all that painful, but I can feel a sticky liquid worming it’s way into my body through Yumizuka’s fang marks, and that is causing an epicenter of pain which soon spreads throughout my entire body.


“I’m here, Shiki-kun. I know what it’s like, so I’ll be here to help you endure it.”
I barely hear Yumizuka’s words.
In fact, I can barely even think.
I feel the hard, concrete floor underneath me, and Yumizuka’s arms wrapped around me as I lay on the ground, but those sensations feel like they are very far away.




The only sensation that feels close at hand is this immense pain.
I move to grasp at my neck, and feel cool iron as I do so.


All at once, I realize I am holding my knife.
Then, I should destroy this abomination on top of me, so I can “kill” this thing inside me-----


I subconsciously reach for my glasses.
But, then-----




“Geh!!”
With another grunt of pain, I toss my knife as far away as possible.


“Oh… Shiki-kun… You fought out against your inner killer just for me…?”
Yumizuka sounds really happy as she says this.
“But, I didn’t even notice you’d taken out your knife… That could have been really bad, huh, Shiki-kun?”




Yes. It really could have been very bad.
The last thing I want to do is kill anyone, especially Yumizuka.
But, if I’m becoming a vampire now, won’t I be forced to kill people?


Or, isn’t it possible that I could drink blood without killing others----


For a while now, blackness has been forcefully tugging at the edge of my vision, but so far, I’ve resisted it.
That is, because-----


I don’t want to become a creature which sees other humans as nothing but prey.
But, if I can find an alternative to that way of thinking, then maybe there is still hope.


I try to relax my body as much as possible, to help lessen the pain of my body changing.
Maybe, if I accept it, it won’t be so bad.
And, hopefully, I’ll be able to control my new body, and impulses, better.


My mind still screams at me to retrieve my knife in any way I can, but I ignore it.
As I slowly start to relax, my world turns to black-----

I awaken to the dim light of a single lamp.
I am lying on the futon in the deep recesses of the parking garage, with Yumizuka lying next to me, on the floor.


Thump.


“It… hurts…”
My body is in pain.
My entire body shakes with it, and the fact that I am seeing those horrible “lines” only makes it worse.




“My glasses….”
I look around desperately for my glasses, which, thankfully, lie right beside the futon.
I move to don them, but, as I do so, my eyes inadvertently fall upon the mirror on the desk nearby.


My eyes are already deep crimson.
“So, I’m a vampire….”
Well, I can’t really deny it considering how my body is feeling right now.
I was hopeful that I would be able to control these vampiric impulses, but, even now, I want to find someone and rip them to shreds-----




*pant*----*pant*----*pant*


Also, part of me is screaming that I must kill the inhuman lying next to me, and then deal with myself as well-----
The killer of innocents and killer of inhumans within me clash with one another, and my mixed feelings make me feel as if I am going to go insane, right here and now-----




“-----Glasses….”
I must do something with my glasses.
My first impulse is to put them on immediately to hide the “lines” from my vision.
If I do that, I may be able to help myself calm down.


But, on the other hand, if I were to rid myself of the glasses altogether, I would be accepting myself as totally inhuman, and I may be able to quiet this desire to attack the vampire sleeping next to me-----

	[ ] Put them on.
	[ ] Rid myself of them.

[walrus]

Put them on. Never throw away Sensei's gift!

[Barbarossa]

[ ] Put them on.

[Tobias]

you know, wouldnt throwing away the glasses make him more likely to want to kill her, not less?

seriously shiki seeing more death is not going to make him want to kill something less, let alone a vampire

[ZidanReign]

Getting rid of them sounds like BAD END.

Put them on for god sakes nanaya.

[Grimmair]

[X] Put them on

[blitz1/2]

Put them on, I guess.

I mean....once Shiki learns about his eyes better, for all we know, he can target the dot of the vampirism?

[SatsukiYumizuka]

I hate seeing the “lines.”
I never wanted this kind of power to begin with.
Turning away from Yumizuka’s body, and the few “lines” running along it, I don my glasses.


-----Well, I still want to find someone and suck them dry of every last drop of their blood, but I ignore that impulse, looking into the darkness and slowly trying to control my breathing.


I see my knife resting next to the futon.
I immediately tear my gaze away from it.
It’s hard, but I am able to resist the urge to grab the knife and plunge it into Yumizuka’s breast.




*pant*
*pant*


I sit still for several minutes, and am eventually able to even my breathing.
I still thirst, but if I just go to sleep for now, maybe I can control it.
------The last thing I need to do is lose myself to these impulses.




I lay down, and cover my cold body with one of the blankets laying nearby.
I pull it over my head, hiding the world from my vision.


Now, I just need to get to sleep.
Whenever I feel myself starting to drift off, one of my clashing impulses erupts, and wakes me up again.


After some time, however, I slowly manage to fitfully drift into a world of comforting blackness.

4/Duality of Wills I
4th day/October 24th (Sun.)


“Shiki-sama, it is time for you to wake up…”
As usual, Hisui is calling to me, as it is time for me to awake. How bothersome----
As if waking up wasn’t bothersome enough, I’ve told her how many times, not to call me, “sama…”


But, in truth, she isn’t.
The truth is, I only expected to hear her call me that.


Because, that is already the usual routine for when I wake up-----




“Shiki-kun, you should wake up now, I’m lonely~”
Rather than Hisui’s expressionless voice, which I have already gotten used to hearing, I hear something completely different.
Instead, I am hearing Yumizuka Satsuki’s voice.
Now, hearing this voice when I am waking up can only really mean a couple of things.
One: and this is the most likely----


I am merely dreaming.


Well, it’s not the situation I would prefer, but it’s not a bad one if it’s true.
At least it is a situation well grounded in reality.




Two: since I am waking up to the sound of a girl’s voice, around my age, who isn’t just a maid----
“---hehe.”
Even in my state of half-awareness, I grin stupidly to myself.
----Well, Yumizuka Satsuki is very beautiful after all, and she is everyone’s class idol.
So, despite my reason yelling at me that I am being an idiot, the stupid part of me feels happy, and hopes that something so outrageous could possibly be true.


----In any case, I won’t be able to find out which reality is the right one without opening my eyes.
Besides, that voice is still calling me, and my frozen consciousness slowly starts to thaw----




As I open my eyes, reality hits me like a ton of bricks.
I feel better than when I went to sleep last night, but my stomach aches, and as I stare into Yumizuka’s deep, crimson eyes my impulses from the previous night being to boil up.


-----But, that isn’t really completely true, either.
My vampiric impulse doesn’t erupt, though I can still feel it, as something more akin to a low hum.
Well, it isn’t anything I can’t handle like I am right now.


But, the will of me, and the will of the me within me, clash violently.




I gaze up at Yumizuka, who, at the moment, seems content to stare into my eyes.
She appears to have a look of whimsical longing on her face as she gazes at me, unmoving.
-----Well, she appears very calm, and her features from this close are quite beautiful.


-----But, that beauty only fuels the fire growing within me all the more.




Yes, the beauty of that long, brown hair…
THE BEAUTY OF THOSE DEEP, CRIMSON EYES.


The beauty of that soft, white neck…
THE BEAUTY OF THOSE DELICATE, POINTED NAILS.


Yes / YES
I want nothing more / I WANT NOTHING MORE
Than to save this girl / THAN TO TAKE MY KNIFE
Any way I can / AND PLUNGE IT INTO HER BREAST




“…..!!”
My head feels like, it is about to split apart.
I tightly shut my eyes to try and guard against the pain.
“---my… glasses…”
I barely gasp this out. Probably, the only way to lessen this headache, is to eliminate the “lines” from my vision.


Wordlessly, Yumizuka hands me my glasses, which I immediately grab and throw on my face. I slowly open my eyes, and though the headache is still there, it has lessened considerably.




“Are you okay, Shiki-kun?”
I can hear the obvious concern in Yumizuka’s voice.
“I’m… fine.”
After I get my breathing under control, I manage to reply.


“When you were staring at me like that, Shiki-kun, I wasn’t sure if you liked me or hated me.”
She makes a pouting face. ----Well, all flattery aside, Yumizuka looks really cute.


But, her expression then turns into a serious one.
“Are you, going to keep struggling like this…. Shiki-kun?”




“I don’t know. I don’t know but…”
I slowly stand up. My headache is mostly gone, and I feel pretty good.
Except for one thing.


“What time is it, Yumizuka-san?”
“I wish you’d stop calling me by that name.”
“---Hm? It’s your name, isn’t it?”
“It’s just my family name….”
Yumizuka puts on that cute pouting face again.




“---------”
Well, it’s not like I don’t understand what she’s getting at.
We are in this together now, after all, so I guess there isn’t any harm in indulging her wish.
“Alright then, Satsuki-chan.”
“Ah----”
Yumizuka---- no, Satsuki blushes a bit as I say her name.




“Uh, um… anyway, Shiki-kun!”
She seems a bit flustered, which makes her even cuter.
“Well…. I’m guessing you’re probably hungry, like I was, at first----”


Satsuki sees right to the heart of the matter.
I am hungry, or to put it more accurately, I thirst----


“-----but, I’m sorry to say that it isn’t dark enough out for us yet. So, you’ll just have to wait a little longer.”




----Wait? It’s true that I don’t want to have to go out and drink someone’s blood, but that is the reality of the situation.
Hearing that my thirst will have to wait, it only starts to grow more and more insistent, and the pain in my body begins to build-----
“But, I have some normal food, and I’ve found that eating it helps stave off the thirst for blood, at least for a little while----”


“Then, can I have some, Satsuki-chan?”
“Yeah, I’ll be right back.”




Saying so, Satsuki retreats into the----
----Restroom?
“--------”
When Satsuki comes out with a few different kinds of bread, I can’t help but ask.
“Where are you keeping this food, Satsuki-chan?”
She blushes a bit at my question.


“There’s an outlet in the restroom, so it’s the only place I could plug in a fridge.”
Saying so, she sits down and lays the bread at her feet.
I sit down too, and pick out one of the breads to munch on.


----Why is there an outlet in the restroom, anyway? But I guess it isn’t that unusual.




Munch munch.
I chew down on my bread.
“Say, Satsuki-chan. How’d you get a fridge down here, anyway?”
“Ah….”
She blushes and looks away a little at my question.
----Did I say something wrong? I don’t think there’s anything to be uneasy or embarrassed about.


“I---- carried it.”
That small response. I look over at her, but she doesn’t return my gaze.
------Well, that answer brought me back from my carefree moment and back into our harsh reality.




Satsuki and I are both vampires, now.
We are something more than human, that feeds on humans who are only human.
------It’s also the general consensus in stories about vampires that we will need to kill others just to survive.


“Hey…. Do we really have to kill people?”
“Wha----”
Satsuki looks back at me again, a little surprised. But, the surprise soon fades from her face, and turns to resolve.


“----Don’t you think so? Isn’t that what you’ve heard about vampires up until now? Trust me, Shiki-kun---- We need blood to live. We’ll die without it. Don’t you think it’s better them than us?”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about! I understand we need blood to live; even now, my body aches and cries out for it, and the pain only intensifies with every second, even if eating this helps stave it off a little.”




I shake the bread in my fist for emphasis.
But Satsuki remains calm and serious.
“Yes, Shiki-kun. That pain in your body is because your cells are degenerating at an alarming rate. That’s why we have to drink blood; we need the genetic information of the same type of creature as us to repair our dying cells. The nutrients from food helps slightly slow the process, but make no mistake---- the best food for us is human blood.
----Well, I don’t like it either, but that’s why we have to kill to survive.”




Everything she says makes sense. ----I don’t know where her knowledge came from, but I can instinctually sense that what she says is true.
--------But…!!


“Even if that is true, if we just drink blood, I don’t think it means we have to kill people. What I’m saying is, why can’t we just leave them with enough blood so they can live-----”




Satsuki is looking at me with quite the stern expression right now.
It seems she doesn’t like what I’m saying.
“That is a very naïve way of thinking. If you drain someone of blood completely, you can get your fill from one sitting, and reduce the number of victims as much as possible.
But, if you leave each victim to live, only taking the minimal amount of blood, the victims will only increase.
At that point, they may or may not die, but in either case, the trauma won’t go away. Do you really think that’s showing mercy, Shiki-kun?”


“----------”




What she’s saying still, though I don’t want to admit it, makes sense.
But, isn’t there something odd about this story?
“If that’s true, Satsuki-san, then what were you doing killing so many people in that alley two nights ago?”


She doesn’t appear surprised by my question.
------Actually, she looks like she was expecting it.




“----That is the other part of why your thinking is naïve.
Don’t you feel it, Shiki-kun? By now, your desire to kill must be ready to explode, especially as much as you’re trying to hold it in. The more you try to suppress it, the stronger your vampiric impulses become.
------I know, because I tried to hold it in, too.”




---------Yes. I can’t deny that my desire to kill rages out against the confines of my skull.
But, it’s different than what Satsuki is talking about.
“I’m not the same as you.”
That’s right. This feeling, is different------
“Because, though I don’t want to admit it, the one I most want to kill right now----- is you, Satsuki-chan.”
I stare straight ahead at her, pushing my glasses more firmly up onto my face.
------If I saw the “lines” right now, it would be beyond just bad.




Satsuki stares at me, surprised, for several moments. Then, she looks aside with a troubled expression.
“Being around you really is like walking barefoot on broken glass, Shiki-kun.”
She reaches out for one of the breads and takes it out of the wrapper.
“-----If you still want to, we’ll try it your way, Shiki-kun.”
Saying so, she takes a bite of bread.


“Thank you, Satsuki-chan.”
I feel her answer is fortunate in many ways.
Even if those people have to go through some misfortune in order to live, I still don’t want to kill anyone.
Also, knowing that Satsuki intends to leave her victims alive helps quiet this urge to rip her to shreds------




I finish my bread, and reach for another one.
As I do so, Satsuki stands up and walks over to sit at her desk.
----It looks like she’s going to work on that assignment some more.


“Why are you doing that? It’s not like you’re ever going to go to school again….”
“Hm…?”
Satsuki looks over at me again with a querying expression on her face.
“Well--- It’s not like I hated studying, you know. Besides, it helps take my mind off things; makes me feel like I might still have a semblance of my old life----”
She sounds a bit whimsical as she says this.


-----Hearing her say such things only helps strengthen my resolve to help get that old life of hers back.




“But, um… Shiki-kun---- There’s some parts to this that I don’t really understand too well. Could you help me?”
“---------”
Of course, I know how to do everything on the assignment.
It is a few days old, after all, so it’s already been handed in and reviewed over.
So, helping her with it will probably be a nice, comforting distraction from the gruesome situation we’re in.


-----Well, when I think of it that way, I can easily see why she’s working on the assignment in the first place.





Yeah, no problem. Just let me have a look----
Saying so, I get up and look over her shoulder.
What she s stuck on isn't anything too difficult, so I point out where she s making her mistake and help her through the problems.
She catches on quick, and since she s such a quick study, it s enjoyable just guiding her through the assignment.
Time passes by with us being relatively happy.
I just help her with her assignment, and every once in a while, we get distracted and talk about other things for a while.
We don't talk about anything important, but it s a pleasant way to pass the time.
------In any case, I enjoy it a lot more than our serious conversation earlier.
Probably at least an hour or so later, Satsuki stops what she is doing and looks over to me.
It s about time for us to hunt now, Shiki-kun. You can probably feel it by now, too.
What she says is true.
I can instinctually feel that night has wrapped itself firmly enough around the city for us to be out.
We probably could have gone out sooner, but from now until sunrise leaves us plenty of time to get our fill.
This is fortunate, because the dull ache of bloodlust deep inside my body was beginning to build to intolerable levels.
It feels like it is about nine at night when we emerge from the parking garage which is our home.
I don t have any experience in what we're about to do, so I turn to the more experienced Satsuki.
Where do we start?
Well---- we have to find a place with people, but not too many, because we don t want anyone to notice. If possible, we should find lone victims, or at least sets of two so we can each take one at the same time.
What she's saying makes a lot of sense.
Naturally, that would be the best way to get blood, and keep anyone from noticing.
-----Especially since we are going to leave our victims alive, so we need to ambush them and hopefully, knock them unconscious before they know what hit them.
But still, Satsuki hasn't answered my question.
So, where do we start?
I think the park would be suitable. Hopefully, there s still some people wandering around there at this time that we can take.
Alright.
I nod, and we run off in the direction of the park.
With our vampiric bodies, it doesn't take long at all to reach the park.
Once there, we look around for potential prey.
There.
Satsuki immediately points out a likely couple walking off by themselves, far from any others.
Shiki-kun, I'll grab the guy, you grab the girl.
Why not the other way around?
Because I'm more experienced at this than you, so I should take the one who's probably stronger.
---------
I'm not going to argue.
It doesn't really matter to me either way, as long as I get something to sate the ache in my body.
Using the shadows to our advantage, Satsuki and I carefully stalk the unsuspecting couple.
----Soon, we manage to get close enough where we can almost hear their whispered conversation.
Satsuki and I look at each other for confirmation, nod, and burst out into the open.
-----It s over quickly.
We strike the two across the backs of their heads, knocking them unconscious.
We then take them back into the shadows, where nobody is likely to look.
-----If they do look, though, it would only be their own bad luck.
You have to be careful not to let any of your own blood into your victims, Shiki-kun. If you do, they might become vampires just like us.
I nod, and carefully sink my teeth into the girl's pale, white neck.
The blood tastes amazingly delicious.
I think that it is the best thing I've had running across my taste buds in quite a while.
-----It is even better than Kohaku-san s cooking.
Despite my earlier inhibitions, I find myself reveling in the sweet taste, and the smooth feel as the girl s thick blood runs down my throat-----
Stop, Shiki-kun! You're going to kill her at that rate---
Surprised, I lift my fangs from the girl's neck.
-----What was I doing? In those few sweet moments, it had only seemed like the natural thing to do until I'd had my fill.
And I still haven't had nearly enough.
I m sorry, I just got distracted----
Obviously, I'm going to have to be a lot more careful.
Let's get some more, Shiki-kun. You haven't had nearly enough, right?
No, I haven t.
We creep out of the shadows once more.
Before long, we ve caught and fed on several people each.
Fortunately, all of our victims are still breathing, and it doesn't seem likely that any of them will die.
We leave them all together so when one of the tougher ones regains consciousness, they should be able to help all the rest, as well as themselves.
They are also out in the open, so if someone else happens by, they can call for help as well.
By now, I am beginning to notice that Satsuki is acting rather strange.
She is facing away from me, but I can see that she is breathing heavily, and it looks like her body is flushed slightly.
Satsuki---- chan?
I call out tentatively to her, and at the sound of her name being called, Satsuki's body shudders slightly and she looks over her shoulder at me.
Ah----
Our voices overlap as our gazes meet.
It almost looks like her crimson eyes are burning, and I feel the strength in my body fading slightly----
Suddenly, Satsuki leaps away from me, and takes off running through the night.
Dammit!!
She's really fast.
I don't feel that momentary weakness anymore, so if I run after her now, I might be able to catch up to her.
But, she really is extremely fast. I might not even be able to catch up to her at all.
Plus, somehow I feel confident that even if I don't chase after her, she'll come back to our home on her own once she calms down from whatever seems to be agitating her.

[ ] JUST GO BACK HOME AND WAIT.
[ ] Chase after her.

[walrus]

Chase after her. There is no turning back.

[AZURE]

[X] JUST GO BACK HOME AND WAIT.

[Kuroyuki]

[X] Chase after her.

YOU'RE A MAN AREN'T YOU. CATCH UP TO HER