Coming Out

-----Yui's POV

Upon waking up, for the first time in my life, I was honestly expecting for Kaede to be there, but with my eyes still closed, I couldn't feel her warmth anywhere. I quickly open my eyes as if to confirm, and realize immediately that I'm all alone in bed.

Yui: "...Was that all a dream?"

Kaede: "Pfft."

I mumbled to myself, thinking that I was all alone, but the sudden laugh caught me by surprise as quickly sit up in bed. It was then that I saw Kaede sitting down on the floor with what looks to be some sort of magic crest in front of her. At first glance, I can tell it's something completely different to the one in the cave, and a lot smaller in scale.

Kaede: "Good morning."

Yui: "Ah, mm... Good morning..."

I end up sliding out of bed to join Kaede as I begin to feel a lot of warmth coming from this magic.

Yui: "What's this?"

Kaede: "Selene and I are practicing. We've confirmed that we share the same mana, so I can interact with her crests in her world as long as our crests are identical."

Yui: "...Huh?"

Kaede: "Fufufu, it's okay. Just know that it's good news."

Yui: "I see."

Yeah, I'm a bit lost, but glad to see that Kaede's making progress. But it was then that Kaede quickly made the magic crest disappear. And before I could even ask about why, a gentle knock comes from my door before the door slowly opens up.

Mom: "Ah, I thought you two were awake, good morning~ Breakfast is ready."

Yui: "Thanks mom. We'll be down soon."

And with a bright smile on her face, my mom leaves the room.

...

After we both got changed and straightened up, we made our way downstairs to the dining room table. However, all I'm worrying about is Kaede. She can't properly enjoy the meal, so she'll be basically forcing herself to eat it. I can only imagine how it tastes for her.

All: "Thank you for the meal."

But even with my worries, I watch as Kaede immediately begins to eat with a smile on her face. Her smile is quite convincing that even I'm thinking that her smile is genuine as we all continue to eat together.

Kaede: "Mmm! This is really good."

Mom: "Thank you. I'm glad you're enjoying it."

Dad: "Take some home with you if you like. Nene made a bit too much."

Mom: "Hehe, well~ It just sorta happened."

My mom's not at fault at all, I know full well how she loves to cook, especially since it's for Kaede as well, which only makes things worse for Kaede...

Kaede: "Are you sure?"

Dad: "Mm! Help yourself."

Kaede: "Then do you think I can borrow a container?"

Mom: "Yes! Just wait there for a moment."

Springing up from the table, mom quickly begins to look for a suitable container. And after not even a minute, Mom returns and help Kaede put in the left over food into the container.

Kaede: "Thank you. I'll share some of this with my mom."

Mom: "Ahh~ I'm honored! Oh! Do have your parents come visit sometime."

Kaede: "Hehe. My mom actually was interested in visiting."

Mom: "Perfect!~"

Dad: "Mm! We'd be happy to have them."

...

And after we help tidying up the dining room, I stepped outside with Kaede, saying goodbye to both mom and dad. They don't normally work on Sundays, so I'm sure they also want some alone time together, hence why I decided to walk with Kaede back to her place.

Yui: "You really couldn't taste anything, right?"

Kaede: "I can only feel the food, to put it precisely. Like the egg I can feel was slippery in my mouth, but yes, I couldn't taste it."

Yui: "You're quite strong you know, having to put up with that..."

Kaede: "Well, I've been living like this for as long as I can remember. I'm used to it."

I can understand why Kaede dismissed the idea of me being a vampire. She doesn't want me to have to say goodbye to all these things. To her, it's considered a luxury, even though for me, it's like an everyday thing I don't really think about.

Kaede: "Don't be sad about it. I've accepted this life."

Yui: "Well I guess it does come with it's upsides, haha."

Kaede: "I suppose... Ah, actually did you want to see something?"

Yui: "Hmm?"

...

We ended up going back to Kaede's place, only to see that no one was home. Kaede pulled out my mom's container of food before putting it into the fridge, adding a note to it which said "To: Mom. Love: Kaede." She then quickly grabs a few fruit from a basket before we make our way back outside.

Yui: "What about your dad?"

Kaede: "I don't want that man to eat your mom's cooking. It's too special."

Yui: "I-I see..."

Kaede: "Anyways, let's go."

She holds my hand like it's the most natural thing to do as we begin walking once more.

After about 20 minutes of walking, I realize that we're now walking somewhere I've never been before. The streets are also a lot messier in these parts, making it seem a bit run down, making the path we're walking down a lot more eerie even during the middle of the day.

Yui: "W-where exactly are we going?"

Kaede: "Just through here."

Yui: "Eh?"

It was then that Kaede quickly had us move into a tight alley way with a door not too deep into it. I was wondering why, but Kaede just opened the door as if she owned it, her eyes seeming to be glowing in the shadows as chills quickly shot up my spine.

Kaede: "It's okay. Nothing's gonna hurt you."

Yui: "O-okay..."

With Kaede still holding my hand, we step into this unknown house as Kaede gently shuts the door behind us.

Yui: "Who's house is this?"

Kaede: "You'll see."

We end up passing through the house as I catch glimpsed of the living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom. It's a small single storied house, however, we soon come to another door. And once Kaede opens it, what I see are stairs going down into a deep, dark room.

?: "...Tch."

Yui: "What?"

Wait, there's a voice coming from the darkness? I can't see anything, but a part of me just wants to run away immediately, only for Kaede to step forward, challenging the darkness while still holding my hand.

Kaede: "I want to show you this."

Yui: "..."

With Kaede making sure I don't trip or fall, we make our way down the stairs as Kaede creates a small ball of light. It was then that I saw a man, covered in filth. The smell was also quite horrific as I end up covering my mouth with my shirt.

Kaede: "Ah, sorry. I guess I also smell things differently."

Yui: "It's okay..."

It's not too bad, but it's definitely off putting. But it does look like Kaede can't smell what I'm smelling.

Kaede: "This man you see. He abducted me a while ago."

Yui: "Eh?!"

Kaede: "He tried to sell me off. So of course, I made use of him."

Yui: "What do you mean?"

Kaede: "Remember when I said that I found a way around my hunger?"

Yui: "Yes? Wait... Don't tell me, you-"

Kaede: "Yes. I was using him as a source of blood."

I'm happy to know that Kaede trusts me enough to reveal such a thing. But this is surely going too far. I mean, he is a criminal, but from the looks of it, the shoulder of his shirt is covered in what looks to be dried up blood. And I can't see because he's covering his right hand with his left, but one of his fingers also looks to be broken.

Man: "Just kill me already, you monster..."

Kaede: "You heard him. Yui? What should we do?"

Yui: "What?"

Wait, why is she asking me? Is she seriously asking whether it's okay for him to die here?

Yui: "I-I think it'll be better to turn him in, no?"

Kaede: "And how do you think that'll go? There's no proof of human trafficking, and if anything, the police will see him as a victim of some crime."

Yui: "I... I guess..."

Kaede: "And even if it works out, he's clearly working with others, the people who he wanted to sell me off to. I'm sure he'll find a way out through them. And if not, one day, he'll be discharged from prison only to go back to living like this. Kidnapping others."

Yui: "..."

It's quite scary to hear all of this coming from Kaede. It's like she knows what will happen or something. I do think sometimes the stories we hear on the news is stupid. Like someone murdering a woman and her child, getting locked up for 40 years, only for them to be bailed out after 5 or so years. I can totally see something like that happening here. But...

Kaede: "He attacked me, and even tried to do disgusting things to me. I'm sorry, but I brought you here to get your consent."

Yui: "Consent?"

Kaede: "I don't wanna be a murderer unless you say it's alright. Of course you don't need to watch it, but I do need to do this."

Yui: "...Okay."

Kaede: "Hmm?"

Yui: "He tried to attack you, right? I can understand why you want to get revenge, so..."

Kaede: "Fufu, you still can't bring yourself to say it."

Yui: "...I'm sorry."

Kaede: "You don't need to look at-"

Yui: "No... I'll watch."

Kaede: "...Okay. Just don't force yourself."

I stand back as Kaede proceeds to walk closer to the man. The man, despite overhearing everything we said, doesn't move an inch, as if he's already accepted his own death. Even as Kaede is right in front of him, he continues to stare at the floor, sitting down while clutching his wrist.

Kaede: "Don't worry I'll make it painless."

Man: "..."

Kaede: "Any last words?"

Man: "...Fuck-"

It was right when he tilted his head up to face Kaede did he try and say something, only for Kaede to suddenly, slice his head off with her bare hands. It happened so fast that I thought that she teleported, but it was then that blood began spurting everywhere as the man's body collapses to the floor, the blood mixing with the filth around him. I couldn't believe my eyes as I remain frozen in place as Kaede turns back around to face me. Her face and body covered in blood.

Kaede: "This is who I am."

Yui: "Eh?"

Kaede: "I'll give you one last chance to cut ties with me. If you hang around me, you'll probably see things like this again."

Yui: "..."

As she speaks, the blood pool reaches her feet as she remains in place, waiting for an answer.

Yui: "...No. I'll stay."

Kaede: "Are you sure?"

Yui: "...Yes. It's scary, but I'm sure the Yui in the other world witnessed a lot more than this. I want to see the world you do, so...."

My body, as if being thawed out, begins moving closer to Kaede until I get close enough to take her hand in my own.

Yui: "I want to stay with you."

Kaede: "Fufufu. You sure are reckless, you know."

Yui: "As if you're not reckless yourself."

Kaede: "Pfft. You got me."

We both tighten our hold on eachother's hands. Kaede isn't a monster like what that man said. What sort of monster is this warm? And that smile of hers... I could just stare into her eyes like this forever.

Kaede: "Alright. I suppose I'll tidy this up then."

In that instant, with her free hand, she raises it up as all the blood on her body and around us begins to floating up into a massive ball of blood. The man's body also imploded as his remains were immediately added into the blood ball. It's such a gruesome sight, but I refuse to let go of Kaede's hand.

Kaede: "Hmmm. How about-"

Kaede's hand began to glow as the massive blood ball slowly condensed into a smaller and smaller ball until it was a size where it could fit on her palm. The ball began glowing brightly as the ball slowly turned into a a shape of a diamond before it falls into her palm. It now glowed a bright red as it no longer looked like blood, but more so a ruby as the light coming from the light ball Kaede made earlier, makes the blood ruby shine even more brightly.

Yui: "Pretty..."

Kaede: "Fufu."

She then hands the blood ruby over to me. But as I grab it with my free hand, I didn't expect the weight to be so heavy, as it catches me off guard.

Yui: "Y-you made it look so light."

Kaede: "Sorry, hehe."

Yui: "What do we do with this?"

Kaede: "Up to you. Throw it away or keep it. Up to you."

Yui: "..."

We end up walking back up the stairs and as we reach the top of the stairs, I take a moment to look at the blood ruby one last time before throwing it down into the concrete room before shutting the door.

Yui: "It's too heavy anyways."

Kaede: "Yeah... I wouldn't want that man around you anyways."

Yui: "Then why did you give it to me?"

Kaede: "I was just curious what you'd do is all~"

With smiles back on our faces, we leave the house for good, with Kaede letting out a massive sigh. I guess that means I'm the only one that she can drink blood from now, right? For some reason, I feel happy thinking that, as my chest feels incredibly warm as we walk back out onto the street, our hands not parting from one another for a single moment.