Episode 2 – The Meeting Beyond Reality

The school bell rang, echoing through the corridors of St. Helena Academy. Students poured out of their classrooms, their chatter filling the air. Among them was Akihiro Kuroda, the tall, dark-haired boy with piercing crimson eyes that held secrets no one dared to question. To the world, he was just the school’s most handsome playboy—arrogant, untouchable, and dangerous. But in truth, Akihiro was far more than that. He was a vampire, heir to a mafia empire that operated from the shadows.

And then there was his curse: every night, a girl appeared in his dreams. A girl he had never met in real life.

That night, as he lay on his bed in his black suit, staring at the ceiling, the mist began to creep into his room once again. His lids grew heavy, and soon he was pulled into that familiar dreamscape.

The air was thick with fog, swirling like silk around him. He stood in a desolate meadow, the moon glowing unnaturally bright above. Then, just like before, she appeared—stepping out of the mist with an elegance that seemed otherworldly. This time, she wore a flowing white gown, her long dark hair cascading down her back, her lips curved into a gentle smile.

“You again…” Akihiro whispered, his usual smirk faltering. For a boy who feared nothing—not bullets, not enemies, not death—this girl made his chest tighten in a way he didn’t understand.

She tilted her head, eyes soft yet full of mystery. “Why do you always look at me as if I’m not real?”

“Because you aren’t,” Akihiro said sharply, trying to mask his unease. “You’re just a dream.”

Her smile didn’t fade. Instead, she stepped closer. “And yet, every time you see me, your heart races. Do dreams usually make you feel alive?”

His crimson eyes narrowed. He wanted to argue, but the words stuck in his throat. The mafia prince, the untouchable vampire, was speechless.

She stopped just inches away from him. Her presence was warm, almost angelic, contrasting with the darkness that lived inside him. “My name is Aiyumi,” she said, her voice carrying through the mist like music.

Akihiro’s heart pounded. For the first time, the dream gave him something real—a name.

But before he could respond, a sudden tremor shook the meadow. The mist thickened violently, and a shadowy figure emerged, red eyes glowing like fire. Akihiro instinctively stepped in front of Aiyumi, baring his fangs, his mafia instincts awakening.

“What the hell is this?” he growled. “Who are you?”

The shadow only laughed, a deep, echoing sound. “The girl doesn’t belong to you, vampire. She is mine.”

Aiyumi’s hand clutched Akihiro’s sleeve, fear flickering in her eyes. For the first time in years, he felt something stir inside him—the need to protect.

The meadow began to crumble, the dream threatening to end. Akihiro turned to her, gripping her hand tightly. “I’ll find you,” he swore, his voice low but firm. “No matter what. Even if it’s not a dream.”And then he woke up, gasping in the dark. But this time, one thing was different.

Her name—Aiyumi—lingered on his lips.

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