Mask

After all that happened. Ritsu and Neko seem very close on campus. Often some students see Ritsu sleeping on Neko's lap. Meanwhile Neko only reads her textbook.

Natsume also seemed to build a barrier between them. Many do not like the relationship created between them. However, Natsume always reassured and thought positively of them.

Yes, in the end it was also Natsume who intervened to solve some problems. At least, so that Neko is not too excluded or isolated from the environment.

"Everything seems to be going well huh. Isn't that right, Natsume-kun?"

Natsume just sighed. He kept watching the two people of different genders and races together under a tree not far from his library.

"To me, everything seems different, Rei nii-san," said Natsume.

Rei just smiled. He placed his glass of tomato juice on a nearby table.

"How about telling him you're part of our family too?"

"That's a bad idea. Koneko-chan will be even more confused."

"Because you also have more feelings for him, right?"

Natsume looked at Rei with a look that was trying to contain his anger. Yes, the look that Natsume once showed to Eichi at that time, when Neko had not yet moved from England.

Seeing this, Rei walked up to Natsume and lightly patted his shoulder while looking at his little brother who was being indulgent, "Sometimes an older brother doesn't know what his little brother is thinking. However, when he sees his brother injured, he is strong. However, his heart is not. He is far away. more hurt than his little brother felt.

It was different when he saw his little brother happy. At times like that, his older brother could only smile and support him wholeheartedly. With the hope that his little brother always gets things like that again."

Natsume clenched his fists when he heard Rei's words. For some reason, his little heart was getting more and more rebellious. However, he still tried to be calm, so as not to worry Rei. Even from that physical contact, Rei should have understood that Natsume was heartbroken.

*****

Today is group work time. Unfortunately, Neko is not in the same group as her boyfriend. She is in the same group as Eichi.

Many female students cheered happily when they heard the news. Of course, Neko didn't seem to mind. After all, grouping with anyone was fine.

It's different with Ritsu. She didn't seem to like the man who was her boyfriend's group work partner.

Ritsu's gaze sometimes shifted when he saw both Neko and Eichi laughing at each other. Perhaps, Neko didn't really care about the dangers around her. However, Ritsu cared more about the danger than the surroundings or himself.

And after the lesson was over, Eichi seemed to talk with Ritsu's emotion. However, Neko kept trying not to be provoked in the slightest. However, Eichi's words were softer and sharper than his persuasion.

Brack!

Ritsu grabbed Eichi by the collar and pushed him against the wall as hard as he could. Also, Ritsu seemed to be holding back a little of his strength so that he wouldn't crack the wall that Eichi was relying on.

The blood-red bead conveyed a glint of anger. While the emerald bead just looked at him casually.

"Don't be like that, Ritsu-kun. You scared Neko," said Eichi.

"I think you're the one who scared him, Ecchan. You'll openly stab him with your claws," Ritsu replied in a tone that was the exact opposite of his gaze.

"Really? I think you just misunderstood."

"Don't compare me to that vampire. He might set you free if you defend yourself with words like that. But I'm different from him," Ritsu said firmly.

Neko's tongue was too silent to catch what was happening. In fact, his legs were too weak to just run for Natsume or Rei.

"Neko, don't look into her eyes," said Ritsu. And quickly, Neko closed her eyes. She didn't know what would happen. But she believes that Ritsu did it to protect him.

"Neko!"

That voice made Neko open her eyes and hug Natsume, "Natsume, Ritsu and Eichi, they are fighting!"

Natsume looked at the direction his best friend was pointing at. However, there was not neither Ritsu nor Eichi there. In fact, Neko was no less surprised than Natsume.

"I saw them here," muttered Neko who had not recovered from her shock.

Natsume who realized something immediately took Neko ran as far as he could. For now, he was also deliberately deafening his hearing to all of Neko's questions. At least, until they got to a safe place.

*****

"I think... you've chosen the wrong prey, Ritsu-kun," said Eichi after he managed to escape from Ritsu's grip.

"Prey? I think... you're the one who chose the wrong prey, Ecchan."

Eichi gave a smile. He leaned against one of the trees not far from where he was standing, "Prophetically, Neko should belong to the Demon nation. Not a creature like you."

Ritsu replied with a sinister smile, "At least, we still have a human side compared to your people."

They stared at each other. Like lions defending their territory, they attack each other.

Of course, Ritsu who has the ability to read the opponent's movements can avoid and anticipate his opponent's movements. He also didn't give up on hitting Eichi on a tree or the ground.

However, strangely Eichi just kept quiet and accepted it. Instead, he seemed to give Ritsu a triumphant smile.

Not long after, he countered Ritsu's attack by pushing Ritsu until the vampire's body hit a sharp rock. Ritsu just winced in pain to hold back his injured back.

"Perhaps, a little more touch from me is enough to stop the regeneration, Ritsu-kun."

Eichi stepped slowly on Ritsu who was still trying to regenerate his body cells as fast as he could. Not having much time, Ritsu immediately broke through and made quite a distance to the demon.

But unfortunately, once again, Ritsu's body had to be slammed to make a tree fall. Coupled with its slow regeneration, it was enough to make it slower to move, including teleportation.

"Come on, don't act like a fish that needs water when on land, Ritsu-kun," said Eichi who had now gotten up and tried to approach Ritsu, who was completely motionless.

"Relax, I'll make this sooner than you think," he continued.