The classroom buzzed with chatter as Akihiro Kuroda walked out, his expression unreadable. Behind the cool facade, his thoughts churned violently. Why is Aiyumi here? Why does she know me?
The man in the hallway bowed low, sweat dripping down his temple. “Young Master, there’s been an attack. The Kuronami Syndicate tried to breach our southern docks last night. Your father demands your presence.”
Akihiro’s crimson eyes narrowed. The Kuronami were long-time rivals, bold enough to strike only if they had inside help. He clenched his fists. Betrayal was always a matter of when, not if.
“I’ll handle it,” he said coldly, brushing past the messenger.
But even as he strode down the corridor, his mind slipped back to Aiyumi. Her calm voice echoed in his ears—“I was wondering how long it would take you.” She had spoken as if she’d been waiting for him. Watching him.
That thought unsettled him more than the looming mafia war.
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That evening, the docks reeked of blood and gunpowder. Black cars lined the pier, headlights slicing through the mist. Men in sharp suits bowed as Akihiro arrived, his school uniform still on, tie loose around his neck.
“Boss’s son,” one of the lieutenants greeted nervously.
Akihiro’s smirk returned, dangerous and mocking. “Don’t act like you weren’t shaking when I walked in.”
The men laughed uneasily, but silence fell when Akihiro crouched near a bloodstained crate. The Kuronami insignia was scrawled across it in crimson paint. A warning.
“They want war,” he muttered, rising slowly. His fangs gleamed faintly as his voice dropped to a whisper that froze his men. “Then they’ll have war.”
As he issued orders, his heightened senses caught something unusual—a faint heartbeat where there shouldn’t have been one. His eyes flickered to the shadows near the pier.
Someone was watching.
He moved like lightning, vanishing from sight. In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind the figure. His hand shot out, grabbing the intruder’s wrist.
“Got you,” he hissed.
But when the figure turned, his breath caught.
“Aiyumi?”
She stood there in her white gown, untouched by the grime and blood of the docks. The mist curled around her like it obeyed her presence. Her smile was soft, almost angelic, yet her eyes carried secrets he couldn’t read.
“What are you doing here?” Akihiro demanded, his grip tightening. “This isn’t a place for someone like you.”
“I told you,” she whispered calmly, “you can’t run from me. Not here. Not anywhere.”
Akihiro’s chest tightened. For the first time in centuries, the predator felt like the prey.
He released her wrist slowly, suspicion warring with fascination. “Who are you really, Aiyumi?”
She tilted her head, moonlight catching in her hair. “I’m the reason your dreams no longer let you sleep.”
Before he could respond, a gunshot rang out, shattering the moment. Rival syndicate members stormed the docks, weapons raised.
Akihiro’s eyes glowed crimson, fangs extending. The mafia prince and vampire within him awakened fully.
But even as he prepared to fight, one thought consumed him—
Aiyumi… why are you here in my world of blood and shadows?
To be continued…
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