Yuu, and Mika, along with the others were at the beach, like always. Yuu and Shinoa holding hands and laughing along with the rest of the squad. Unlike Mika. Kimizuki turned his head away from the group and saw Mika sitting alone pretty far from them, facing the ocean. He decided to go talk to him. The others didn't notice, too immersed in their conversation.
"Hey," Kimizuki sat down next to Mika.
"Hi..." Mika responded, confused as to why Kimizuki had approached him.
"So why are sitting here alone?" Kimizuki asked nonchalantly.
"Why are you sitting here with me?" Mika asked cautiously.
"Well, you're alone and looked pretty depressed."
"And you care?"
"I'm curious."
Mika turned away from Kimizuki again. Looking back at the ocean and all it's beauty, trying to forget everything. "I don't know why I'm here. I just know I don't want to be over there," he said motioning to the others with his head.
"Why not?"
"I just don't, alright? Why do you care?" Mika asked, irritated.
"I told you, I'm bored."
"Not my problem."
"Then what is your problem?"
Mika sighed. "I don't know. I just don't want to be near Yuu right now. It's painful for some reason."
"Painful?"
"That's the only way I know how to describe it."
"And you don't know why?"
"Nope."
"I don't believe that."
"You what?"
"I don't believe that you don't know why."
"What you believe or don't believe doesn't concern me."
"You said it's painful to be near Yuu right now, but honestly you look like you're in pain even when you're not with him. Like right now. Plus, you've been pretty quiet lately," Kimizuki contemplated.
"Your obsession with me is flattering, but also creepy," Mika joked.
"You're one to talk. Or are you going to deny your obsession with Yuu?" Kimizuki was glad Mika had at least some sense a humor left.
"I think I have a right to my obsession," Mika smiled.
"So, you're not denying it?" Kimizuki laughed.
"What's the point in that?" Mika asked casually, making Kimizuki smile. "Yuu's my best friend, and all I have left. I lost everything years ago. My parents. The other kids from the orphanage. My life. My humanity. So excuse me for being obsessed with him," a single tear rolled down Mika's cheek.
"Can I ask you something?" Kimizuki asked after a moment.
"Sure. Doesn't mean I'll answer," Mika quickly brushed the tear off.
"What happened to your parents?"
Mika stayed silent.
After a couple of minutes of silence, Kimizuki spoke again. "Is all of that why you're so depressed?"
Mika stayed silent again.
"Or is it because of something else?"
"Is that not enough?"
"Of course, it is. I just feel like it's something else. Or is it a coincidence that you started getting all quiet and distancing yourself right about the time when Yuu and Shinoa started going out?"
Mika put his knees against his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "What are you getting at?" he said in almost a whisper.
"I think you're in love with Yuu."
Mika didn't say anything. He was pretty sure that was the reason, but he just couldn't bring himself to admit it. More tears rolled down his cheeks.
"You can't say anything. Please don't say anything," Mika choked the words out.
"You know, Yuu's never told Shinoa he loves her," Kimizuki said after a moment. "There's a chance he's only with her because he feels like he should. Or he's confusing his feelings for her. I don't know, but I think you should tell him how you feel."
"No. I can't do that, and you can't either. He's happy with her. Please don't say anything."
"But you're not happy."
"Doesn't matter."
"I think it does."
"I don't-"
"Hey Mika! Kimizuki!" Yuu called them smiling, interrupting Mika. "What are you guys doing over there? Come hang out with us!"
Mika stood up. "Please don't say anything."
Kimizuki nodded.
"Hey," Mika smiled when they got to the others. Kimizuki didn't like that Mika acted like he was alright.
"Hey, I just remembered," Yuu began. "Mika, it's been almost five days since you last drank blood. Come on let's go," Yuu took a step toward Mika.
"No," Mika took a step back and smiled. "I'm ok Yuu, thanks."
"But Mika-"
"Hey Mikaela," Kimizuki interrupted Yuu. "I'm going to the store, do you want to come with me?" The store was an abandoned one like the one Yuu and Mika had been in when Mika first drank Yuu's blood. They went there sometimes to get whatever food they could find.
"Oh, uh, sure." Mika and Kimizuki started walking away. Yuu looked at them confused.
"Hey! I'll go with you guys," Yuu tried.
"No, you should stay here and help the others in case more horseman of the apocalypse show up," Kimizuki responded.
Yuu looked at Mika. "Mika?"
"He's right Yuu. We'll be fine and we won't take long," Mika smiled as he and Kimizuki walked away.
"Yuu? Are you alright?" Shinoa asked.
"Yeah." Yuu walked away and went to sit in the exact spot Mika had been sitting in.
After a while Shinoa went to sit next to Yuu. "Yuu?" she asked.
"Yeah?"
"What's wrong?"
"Something's bothering Mika. It's been bothering him for a while now. I thought he'd tell me what was wrong, I thought he knew that he could tell me anything, but instead he's avoiding me."
"Well maybe-"
"Hey Shinoa, I'm sorry but I kind of want to be alone right now." Yuu didn't look away from the ocean. The same ocean Mika had been admiring for such a long time.
"Ok," Shinoa said. She gave a small smile and walked away.
***
Mika and Kimizuki walked to the store in silence. When they got there, they made sure it was empty. As soon as they were sure no one was around, Mika sat down on the floor in silence with his head between his knees. Kimizuki walked around until he found an empty water bottle.
"Yuu's right you know. You need blood."
"I don't want to bite him."
"That's why you're going to drink mine." Kimizuki cut himself and poured his blood into the bottle.
"Yeah no offence, but I don't really want to bite you either," Mika said keeping his head down.
"Don't worry, feeling's mutual. Here," Kimizuki said handing Mika the bottle full of blood.
Mika looked up, "Oh, thanks."
"Why are you doing a waterfall?"
"Well, I don't know where this has been. I'm not going to put my lips on it."
Kimizuki smiled and sat next to him. "So how does my blood taste?"
"Yuu's tastes better, but yours isn't too bad."
"What's the difference?"
"I'm not sure actually. Just... I don't know. I mean, somehow the taste seems to fit him. I can't explain it, but when I drink his blood, I feel like I'm drinking Yuu himself. I mean, technically I am but you know what I mean."
"That's kind of creepy. Does it feel like you're drinking me then?"
"Ew. Gross. No. No offense."
"A lot of offense taken."
"I'm sorry," Mika chuckled. "But I mean, do you want me to feel like that?"
"No, thanks," Kimizuki sighed.
"I don't know you very well so there's not much I can say about your blood. Just that you're a virgin."
"Hey!"
"You asked," Mika smiled.
"Whatever."
They were silent for a moment when Kimizuki saw tears roll down Mika's cheeks. Kimizuki was a little in awe. He could tell Mika was in a lot of pain, yet he refused to say anything because he wanted Yuu to be happy. He'd rather cry in complete silence before taking the chance of ruining Yuu's happiness.
"Tears won't stop," Mika sighed. "You don't have to stay here."
"It's too hot outside anyway."
"Why are you being nice to me? I've never been nice to any of you."
"I don't know. It's not like we dislike you or anything. We don't blame you for not trusting us."
"Well thanks I guess," Mika didn't really know what to say.
"I think it's been about an hour. We should go back before they come to check on us."
"I don't want to go back," Mika sighed. "You can go. Tell Yuu I don't want to go back because it's too hot out or something."
"Vampires get hot?"
"No. He doesn't know that though."
"Alright," Kimizuki said as he headed out.
"Kimizuki," Mika called.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks. Again."
"Sure."
Mika put his head between his knees. No matter how much he tried to stop them, the tears just kept coming.
***
Yuu was still sitting alone at the beach when Kimizuki got back.
"Hey," Kimizuki greeted the others.
Yuu heard Kimizuki and turned around immediately hoping to see Mika.
"Where's Mika?" Yuu asked.
"He's fine," Kimizuki responded. "He wanted to stay at the store because it's too hot outside."
"Bull shit! Vampires don't get hot!" Yuu was getting angrier by the minute.
"You knew that huh?" Kimizuki was surprised; but it seemed Yuu paid more attention to things related to Mika.
"What's going on with him? He's been avoiding me for weeks."
"I don't know Yuu. You should talk to Mika about this."
"Don't give me that, of course you know! You're buddies now, right?"
"I don't know what-"
"You called him Mika. You always call him Mikaela, now suddenly he's Mika? I'm the only one who calls him that."
Kimizuki defeatedly sighed. "I'm only going to tell you because I think you should know. Come with me." He led Yuu away from the others, hoping he wouldn't regret what he was about to say. They walked far enough so that the others couldn't hear, but Kimizuki whispered anyway.
"It's weird," Yuu said before Kimizuki spoke. "You calling him Mika instead of Mikaela. Him talking to you instead of me."
"Well, he didn't really have anyone else to talk to. Yuu, if you noticed something was wrong why didn't you say anything?"
"I figured he didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to push him and I thought he'd talk when he wanted to."
"Ok, well, I don't know how to say this so I guess I just will. Mika... well he's in love with you," Kimizuki whispered.
"What?" Yuu's eyes widened.
"He won't tell you because he thinks that at the very least it'll ruin your relationship, and at worst will make you hate him."
Yuu involuntarily took a step back. An angry tear rolled down his cheek. He couldn't believe Mika was in love with him. Since when? How long had he felt this way? And how could Mika ever think that Yuu could hate him? He began to walk away, not bothering to wipe away the tear. He either didn't notice or didn't care.
"Hey, Yuu! One more thing," Kimizuki called.
Yuu stopped, not turning around. "What?"
"Give him a chance to tell you himself," Kimizuki pleaded.
Yuu nodded and kept walking. He walked past the others without saying a word. Kimizuki followed, stopping when he got to where the others were standing. Shinoa called out to Yuu, wondering what was going on. When he didn't answer she began to follow but was stopped by Kimizuki.
"Shinoa. Where are you going?" he asked.
"With Yuu."
"He's just going to talk to Mika, he'll be fine."
"He looks upset though; I should be with him."
"This isn't just about him."
"I'm his girlfriend, I should-"
"You should understand that Mika's important to Yuu," Kimizuki cut her off. "That there are things between them that he can't tell you about."
Shinoa didn't say anything. She sighed as her expression became pained.
"Sorry," Kimizuki finished.
A few seconds passed with no one saying anything. Finally, Narumi broke the silence. "Well, this sucks," he said. "Something interesting is finally happening and we can't know about it."
"Yeah," Mitsuba sighed.