Family Ties

Kaito stepped inside the apartment he was immediately confronted by Saito, who had returned in his absence. The tension was palpable in the air, and Saito wasted no time in voicing her concern.

"Where have you been?" Saito's voice held a mix of annoyance and worry.

Kaito sighed, feeling a headache coming on. He wanted to approach the conversation delicately. "Out," he replied casually, hoping to brush off her inquiries.

Saito's frown deepened. "You weren't here all morning, and it's obvious you were out all last night. Don't think you can hide it from me."

Kaito ran a hand through his disheveled hair, his fatigue evident. "Look, it's complicated. I'll explain everything to you, but please promise me one thing."

Saito arched an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "What is it?"

Kaito's gaze turned earnest as he locked eyes with his cousin. "Promise me you won't freak out when you hear the whole story. Okay?"

Saito hesitated, her curiosity piqued. After a moment, she nodded slowly. "Alright, I promise."

Taking a deep breath, Kaito mentally prepared himself for the forthcoming conversation. He proceeded to recount every detail of his encounter with Alexander, beginning with their unexpected meeting. As he spoke about the vampire, Saito's eyes widened in disbelief.

"A vampire?!" she exclaimed, her voice a mix of shock and concern.

Kaito sighed, rubbing his temples. He wanted to talk to me about something. ''Don't worry, nothing bad happened. Also don't you find any of this weird.."

Saito's tone shifted from surprise to bewilderment. "And you two are dating? Why didn't you mention any of this earlier?"

Kaito's eyes darted away, feeling a mix of embarrassment and confusion. "It's not exactly dating... it's complicated. But that's not the weirdest part, Saito.. You and our family.. are ..we're werewolves?" Kaito asked, seeking confirmation.

Saito nodded slowly, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "Yes, most of our family carries the werewolf bloodline."

''So is mom.. also a werewolf?'' Kaito wondered aloud.

Saito paused for a moment before answering. "Yeah, most of our family are werewolves."

Kaito's mind raced with questions, his voice filled with frustration. "But why didn't they tell me? Why keep it a secret?"

Saito's gaze softened as she met Kaito's eyes. "They probably thought it was unnecessary. We werewolves tend to keep to ourselves, within our own families. Since you didn't show any signs of being a werewolf, they likely wanted to spare you from feeling different or isolated. It was meant to protect you, Kaito."

As the conversation shifted back to Alexander, Saito's eyes narrowed, her concern resurfacing. "But this vampire, Kaito... when did you get involved with him?"

Kaito shifted uncomfortably, reliving the recent events in his mind. "It happened yesterday... well, technically last night during the full moon. We just... connected, and things escalated from there."

Saito's face contorted with worry, and she couldn't hide her disapproval. "You should be careful, Kaito. Vampires are not to be trusted. They see us as mere food."

Kaito gave an exasperated sigh weakening his voice. "Well, he seems to be okay... I mean, he didn't treat me like just food."

Saito's eyes narrowed with concern, her tone laced with caution. "But what if that's all he wants, Kaito? We're like foie gras to vampires, delicacies they can't resist."

Kaito's mind flashed back to the sensations of being bitten, the marks still faintly visible on his skin. He grimaced, recalling the mix of discomfort and strange pleasure that accompanied the encounters. "I guess you're right... it's just... I don't know. If he truly saw me as mere sustenance, I don't think he would go out of his way for me."

Saito's eyebrow arched skeptically, her curiosity getting the better of her. "I want to meet him, Kaito. I need to see for myself who this person is... Also, I'm calling Auntie."

Kaito's response was vague, uncertainty coloring his voice. "Um... I'm not sure. I'm not sure what our relationship really is, and now you want me to do the 'meet the parents'..."

Saito waved off his concerns dismissively before walking off. "Okay, then let him know. I want to meet him and Auntie needs to know about all of this."

With a mix of apprehension and curiosity swirling within him, "Um,.." Kaito answered vaguely.

He wasnt sure what his own relationship was with Alexander.. now he would be meeting the parents.

Kaito took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead. He reached for his phone and dialed Alexander's number, his fingers trembling slightly with a mix of excitement and apprehension. As the call connected, Kaito's mind raced, uncertain of how to begin the conversation.

"Hey.." he said, his voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "There's something I need to talk to you about.. Can we meet?"