Chapter 12

I'd only met him once that snowy day, but I hadn't stopped thinking of him since. Now the sweet scent of spring led me to him…

Crimson-eyed Man

"..."

I saw a cart filled with flowers, and there he was beside it. Finally! I walked over to him and his crimson gaze slowly turned towards me.

Crimson-eyed Man

"I knew you'd find me again."

Kira

"What?"

Crimson-eyed Man

'I'd been hoping to see you again ever since that snowy day. I thought maybe if I kept wishing, I'd find you." "Thank you for making my wish come true."

He had such a happy smile on his face I was speechless for a moment, but then regained my composure.

Kira

"I've been searching for you ever since, too." "You gave me that huge bouquet but I never got the chance to thank you."

What can I give him to show my appreciation? I looked into my shopping bag and saw a bottle of wine. No, no... I bought that for le Comte and Lennon to enjoy! After thinking about it for a while, I pulled out a package of strawberries I'd bought earlier.

Kira

"I'm sorry... This isn't nearly enough to repay you, but it's all I have at the moment."

Crimson-eyed Man

"..."

Kira

"Um…?"

Crimson-eyed Man

"..."

Did I offend him by giving him such a silly present?

Kira

"Never mind…"

Crimson-eyed Man

"Are you sure I can have them? Thank you. love strawberries."

He very carefully took the package and smiled at me. I felt my heart grow warm and I giggled.

Kira

"Hehe…"

Crimson-eyed Man

"What is it? Did I say something amusing?"

Kira

"I'm sorry. You just have such a happy smile on your face. I'm glad you like it."

I haven't been able to forget about that sad look on his face the first day I saw him. That's right--I wanted to see him again so that he might smile. I felt so content right now. He gently reached out and touched my hand.

Crimson-eyed Man

"May I take you away with me, then?"

Kira

"Take me away with you?!"

Crimson-eyed Man

"Yes. It would be a shame to eat these delicious strawberries alone. Come eat them with me." "I know a place with a beautiful view."

Oh, that's what he meant... I thought he meant it in a different way…

Kira

"Sure, of course! But first-"

Crimson-eyed Man

"Hm?'

I glanced over at the people lining up to buy flowers. He smiled softly.

Crimson-eyed Man

"Ahaha. I'm sorry, everyone. I got carried away." "Hey, can you wait a few minutes for me?"

I nodded and he gave me a relieved smile, then reached towards his cart of colorful flowers. His soft silver hair almost seemed translucent in the sunlight, blown gently by the wind. Oh! That reminds me.

Kira

"There is one thing I need to ask you first."

Crimson-eyed Man

"Hm?"

Kira

"What's your name?"

A huge smile spread across his face.

Crimson-eyed Man

"Vlad" "What's yours?"

~~~~~

Vlad's POV

The world was so beautiful again today. It was hard to believe that every second that passed brought it closer and closer to destruction.

Vlad

"Thanks. Come again."

My customer happily walked away carrying a bouquet of bright red poinsettias. The sunlight gleamed on their back. It's such a warm day even though it's winter. It doesn't look like it will snow today. The past few days, I'd been thinking a lot of that snowy day when I met her.

Flashback

Kira

"Why do you look so sad?"

Vlad

"..."

Flashback ends

You found me when I was all alone on that snowy day. I was so surprised I forgot to ask her anything about herself. But I want to see her again. I know I'll see her again. She had appeared so suddenly, like a present left by Santa Claus. Just then, a gust of wind blew...and there she was. Ah…

Vlad

"I knew you'd find me again."

Kira

"What?"

Vlad

'I'd been hoping to see you again ever since that snowy day. I thought maybe if I kept wishing, I'd find you." "Thank you for making my wish come true."

She opened her eyes wide and spoke in a rush.

Kira

"I've been searching for you ever since, too." "You gave me that huge bouquet but I never got the chance to thank you."

She said, and started frantically rummaging around in her shopping bag. What is she doing?

Kira

"I'm sorry... This isn't nearly enough to repay you, but it's all I have at the moment."

Vlad

"..."

She handed me some bright red strawberries.

Kira

"Um...?"

Vlad

"..."

Kira

"Never mind..."

Vlad

"Are you sure I can have them? Thank you. I love strawberries."

I Took the strawberries and a bright smile bloomed on her face.

Kira

"Hehe…"

Vlad

"What is it? Did I say something amusing?"

Kira

"I'm sorry. You just have such a happy smile on your face. I'm glad you like it."

It was true that receiving my favorite food made me happy. But it was more than that. Your kindness makes me happier than anything else. Immortality was an extraordinary thing. I witnessed so many creatures being born and then withering away in a flash. Even if I grasped her hand, it could slip through my fingers in an instant. At some point, I had gotten used to the nature of this world and stopped being so emotional over things. And yet her smile made my heart race in my chest. It made me feel things. Ahh, I see…I'm actually happy right now. I'm very, very happy. It felt like I was a child again as I took her hand.

Vlad

"May I take you away with me, then?"

Kira

"Take me away with you?!"

Vlad

"Yes. It would be a shame to eat these delicious strawberries alone. Come eat them with me." "I know a place with a beautiful view."

I want more time with you.

Kira

"Sure, of course! But first-"

Vlad

"Hm?"

She seemed a bit confused, and then looked at the line of people behind her, waiting for flowers. Ah…

Vlad

"Ahaha. I'm sorry, everyone. I got carried away."

I've always had a bad habit of getting so absorbed in one thing that I stop seeing everything else around me. |remembered Flynn telling me that.

Vlad

"Hey, can you wait a few minutes for me?"

She nodded and smiled at me while I went to fix up the bouquets. These beautiful flowers made people so happy. And she looked happy seeing everyone look thrilled with their bouquets. She makes my heart so happy, and she does it so easily. She's like a flower herself. Just then, she seemed to remember something.

Kira

"There is one thing I need to ask you first."

Vlad

"Hm?"

Her eyes were like a warm and gentle sunbeam.

Kira

"What's your name?"

…Ah…We don't even know each other's names!

Vlad

"Vlad." "What's yours?"

Tell me your name…

Kira's POV

After he was finished selling all his flowers, he took me to the bank of the river Seine.

Vlad

"...Can you believe that?"

Kira

"What? Are you serious?"

Vlad

"Yes, it really happened! Ahaha. Hilarious, isn't it?"

We sat next to each other eating strawberries while Vlad told me about himself and answered questions I asked. He told me he lived not far from here, in an old castle with two roommates named Flynn and Carlos. Apparently he had a garden there, and sold the flowers he grew. I listened intently to every word he said. It's so strange. He's talking so openly and freely to me, but I still feel like he's a bit elusive. He's a mysterious person...On the other hand, everyone had sensitive topics or things they didn't want to talk about. Take me, for example. There were plenty of things I couldn't tell anyone else. (As if I could tell him I'm a time traveler from the future who's living in a house full of vampires!

Vlad

"Next time tell me about yourself."

Kira

"What? Me?"

Vlad

"Yes. Tell me anything. I want to know everything about you." "You just came to Paris a month ago, right?"

Kira

"Yes... For a trip."

Vlad

"Oh, that's nice. You should make sure to see all the sights while you're here." "Are you staying at a hotel, then?"

Uh-oh, here we go…I thought about how I should answer the question. I chose my words very carefully as I looked into his eyes.

Kira

"No. I met a certain aristocrat and I'm working at their mansion right now."

Vlad

"Oh, I see. So you're boarding there.

That's very brave of you, to be working in an unfamiliar place.

I shook my head and he studied my face.

Vlad

"How long do you plan on staying here?"

My heart skipped a beat as I thought back to the other day…

Flashback

Gabriel

"Everyone, get back!"

Nicholas

"Kira, come here!"

Flashback Ends

Kira

"Well, because of certain circumstances...I can't go home as soon as I thought I could…"

Vlad

"..."

Kira

"Oh! But don't worry. I'm just thinking of it like an extended vacation!" "Plus, everyone at the mansion is really nice and—"

Suddenly I stopped short. Maybe it was because of how beautiful the town looked bathed in the setting sunlight, or because Vlad was so easy to talk to. But I suddenly heard the uneasiness in my voice when I thought about that day that the door had closed on the future.

Kira

"Anyway, I'm fine. Sometimes I just feel a little anxious." "I know I'd probably feel better if I just talked to them about my worries, but for some reason I just can't."

Vlad

"Why not?"

I pictured the kind, yet strong residents of the mansion.

Kira

"Because I realized they mean more to me than I previously thought. I love them." "I don't want to upset them, so it's difficult to open up to them when I'm having negative thoughts."

Vlad

"…?"

Kira

"Basically, I don't want them to be sad, so I don't want them to know I'm sad, if that makes sense." "When I care for someone, all I want is for them to smile."

Vlad

"..."

Kira

"Ah, I'm sorry. I'm rambling, aren't I?"

I apologized guiltily. Vlad's eyes softened.

Vlad

"There's something that's been bothering me lately.

Kira

"Hm?"

The sudden change of subject confused me, but Vlad continued.

Vlad

"I'm selling my flowers alone, but it's so much work. So I have a favor to ask you." "Will you help me out with my work?"

Kira

"I'd love to, but I have my work at the mansion…"

Vlad

"It would just be one hour per day…"

Wow, if he's so desperate he's willing to get help for just one hour a day, think I can do it!

Kira

"Okay. I'll come help you out on my way back from shopping every day, then."

Vlad

"Thanks! I'll be waiting in the same spot we met today, then."

Kira

"Okay!"

From that day on, I went to go help Vlad on the way home from shopping, just as promised.

Kira

"Hi, Vlad! Um, what should I help you with?"

Vlad

"Look, Kira! My customer's cat had kittens! See?!"

Kira

"Wow, they're adorable! Can I hold them?!"

Vlad

"Of course. Here."

...Yesterday all I did was play with kittens with Vlad. So today I actually have to be useful!

Vlad

"Carlos told me that this café is selling new strawberry pastries today!" 'I'm so glad you came to see me. Let's order all the new strawberry sweets and share them!"

Kira

"A-all of them?!"

Instead of helping Vlad, it seemed I was just going along for the ride with his whims. Today we HAVE to work. ...Huh?

Vlad

"..."

Kira

"What are you doing, Vlad?"