ｔｏ   ｔｒｕｓｔ

『 your p.o.v 』

          Flinching whenever I moved my shoulder too much, I woke up the next night in a slightly dazed state. My memories of the prior night are foggy, barely there if at all. Something about vampires and how familiar they look. That's it. Though I assume I was bitten by one of them considering I now have sore and slightly bruising bite marks on my shoulder just barely visible from where the collar of my shirt slips down some.

          I grimaced at the sight of the blood staining this large shirt that's far too large to be my own. It's something a guy would wear and of course those bite wounds would bleed in the middle of the night from me shifting around. It's not like I could escape with nothing bad happening now could I?

          "You're alright, don't panic."

          With a sigh, I reluctantly pushed myself to sit up and took a good look around the room I'm currently in.

          The walls are an offwhite color, the bed fitted with purple almost hot pink colored silk sheets that have just the smallest amount of my blood now staining them thanks to my shoulder. There's a desk to my left, a vanity mirror hanging just above that. The dresser in front of the bed has a few knickknacks sitting atop it. And directly to my left, there's a set of double glass doors that lead to a balcony, the fleeting sunlight pouring in and slowly diminishing as the night grows nearer and nearer.

I hesitantly swing my legs over the edge of the bed and unsteadily stand up. That vampire took more of my blood than I originally thought because I feel so weak, my limbs heavy and struggling to listen to what I tell them to do. It's almost painful enough that I'd rather just continue sleeping and try again on a later date to move around like a functioning member of society.

          With a soft click, the two glass doors opened and revealed the large balcony in all of its glory, the curtains blowing just the smallest bit from the sudden gust of chilled wind that poured into the bedroom. I approached the railing and tentatively peered out to the beautiful rose garden down below in the back of the estate.

          It really is beautiful outside what with it being right when the sun is just beginning to set. I think I've always liked this time of day the most. That moment when the night is beginning to take over and the moon will rise in place of the sun, nothing left in its wake once it falls beneath the horizon. A darkness falling over the earth's surface like a comforting blanket.

          "Are you trying to decide whether or not you'd survive jumping?"

          I turned at the sound of the albino vampires voice, his blood red eyes already focused on me. "Not particularly. The night is just beginning and I find it beautiful. Don't you?"

          "What, the sunset?" He asked to which I nodded. "It's just a sunset. Nothing special about it."

          "Well, I find it beautiful. Just like the roses down there." I responded as I looked down at the rose garden.

          The albino sighed. "You don't know my name do you?"

          I glanced to him with knitted brows. "Did you tell me it?"

          "Subaru," he said, "we all told you our names yesterday."

          "Subaru..." I repeated.

          A small memory suddenly flashed through my thoughts like afterimages.

There was a young boy with striking blood red eyes and pure white hair just like his mothers walking down a castles long hallway. A smile danced across his lips while his mother, a truly beautiful young woman with a gentle smile of her own, happily held his hand, her long white hair cascading down her shoulders. That castle looks so familiar and so does the young boy and mother. They don't notice the young girl watching from around the corner behind them, the girl far too concerned that she might disrupt their time together to possibly run after and join them.

          Just as quickly as the memory appeared, it soon vanished. I blinked a few times, looking to Subaru and then back down to the rose garden. The mother had a white rose in hand and so did her young child.

          "What did you remember?"

          I don't know. How am I supposed to know what that memory means? I barely remember my own name let alone what some random memory has to do with me.

          "But you remembered something."

          That's true. I did remember something, but, I don't know what that has to do with me today. Though the young boy looked an awful lot like Subaru... Did I possibly know him when I we were younger? But when would I have met him and why don't we know each other today if that was the case?

          "Oi, stop zoning out and listen to me." The albino said before snapping his fingers in front of my face to truly garner my attention. "You're coming with us to school and you need to go eat some breakfast or something."

          Looking back to Subaru, I smiled some. "Alright, would you mind showing me to the dining room after I get ready?"

          The albino rolled his eyes. "You better hurry."

          Seeing as that's as close to a 'yes' I'll be getting out of that cold vampire, I went ahead and wandered back into my room, tossing off the oversized shirt with ease and quickly making my way into the bathroom to change. Subaru stayed out on the balcony the entire time I was getting ready, seemingly deep in thought. Lying idly on my bed was a female version to the school uniform he's wearing,  the vest far more form-fitting and cutting off near the waist as to not overlap the mid thigh length skirt too much. The ruffles on the skirts under layer were nice and soft, not feeling uncomfortable against my legs in the slightest once I had fully slipped into the uniform.

          Tying the cute deep pink bow around my neck, I smiled some at my reflection. The bite marks on my shoulder is completely concealed by my uniform. Hopefully by having it covered, I won't attract any of the vampires within the house or prompt them to attack me. Then again, they can probably still smell the blood radiating from the puncture wounds so who knows. If I get bit again, I won't remember it so it's not too bad I guess...

          Once I had slipped on my shoes, I hesitantly peered back out through the open glass doors. "Um, Subaru, I'm ready." I said quietly to the albino.

          Shifting those blood red eyes of his to me, I found myself flinching in response. His eyes are so cold. He looks as though he could care less about my existence as a whole. I wonder why I'm not dead yet? I'm living with a bunch of vampires, right? Shouldn't they have just sunk their fangs under the surface of my skin, stolen all the blood they possibly could, and left me for dead somewhere where I'll no longer be a problem for them? They must know I'm a burden what with my short term memory prohibiting me from remembering even the simplest of things. I wonder why they're keeping me alive..?

          "Let's go then." Subaru said shortly, brushing past me with ease and heading straight for the door to my room.

          I hurriedly ran after him, the albino having such long legs that his strides take him far further than I could ever dream of trying to match just by simply walking. Once I had managed to land in step with the vampire, I glanced up to his face and noticed how stony his expression is- like he genuinely doesn't like being around me.

          Curiously, I peered up a little closer, fully ignoring the uninviting aura surrounding him. "Subaru." I said his name as more of a question than anything.

          He sparred me a single glance in response.

          "Why is it you don't like me? Have I done something to upset you already that I don't remember?" I asked, genuinely wondering if I've done something that I can't quite recall.

          That's one of the dangers I face what with my short term memory and inability to fully recall events from even just hours ago. My mind is clouded by a thick fog and there's no telling whether or not I've said things to upset someone or if I've even attempted to apologize. I simply don't know because I can't remember.

          The blood red eyed vampire looked away from me, a conflicted expression now gracing his features. "You didn't do anything."

          "Really?" I questioned. "Because it feels like I've done something wrong."

          "You didn't." He insisted.

          "Alright," I murmured, "if you say I didn't do anything then I'll believe you."

          "They're trying to figure out who you are ___."

          Her voice caught me off guard this time around. You'd think after hearing her voice so often I'd remember her, but, nope. I just know I've been hearing her voice for a long time, though I couldn't tell you when it began. Her sweet voice simply invaded my thoughts and has been the only constant in my life that I'm aware of. She's always there, but she rarely responds to my own thoughts. I wonder just who this girl is- or have I finally gone insane and she has been in my head this entire time..?

          "You'll find out who I am soon ___, you're not insane."

          Surprisingly, she responded to my thoughts. I sighed under my breath as Subaru turned down another hallway with me quickly following after him just as I've been for the last few minutes now. Maybe I'm not insane and there is a reason behind as to why that girl's voice is in my head... I'm hopeful that there is because I don't think I could handle coming to the conclusion that I'm both losing my sanity coupled with my short term memory. Gosh, I probably wouldn't even remember if I figured out that that was the case.

          When we reached the dining room, Reiji was standing near the middle of the large rectangular table, a plate of food placed in front of the seat he's closest to. Those crimson red eyes of his focused on me as I drew near. "Ah, you're finally awake."

          "Did you sleep well Reiji?" I asked, a smile gracing my lips.

          The glasses wearing vampire grimaced. "You still remember my name?" He asked to which I nodded. "But you don't remember anyone else's do you?" I then shook my head. "I see, interesting..." He murmured under his breath.

          I looked to the food and found my stomach on the verge of growling. "Is this for me?" I asked.

          "Yes. Please sit down and eat. We'll be leaving in roughly thirty minutes." Reiji said as I happily sat down and began eating. "Oh, and drink this." He spoke up once more, placing down a small cranberry juice box beside my glass of water.

          Glancing up at him, I tilted my head to the side some in confusion. "What's that for?"

          "To prevent you from becoming anemic." He said shortly and then vanished seemingly out of thin air. It was only then that I realized Subaru is no longer in the dining room either. I'm by myself now, not another soul in sight as I slowly continue eating.

          Those thirty or so odd minutes pass by quickly and before I know it, I'm sitting in a limousine between a blonde vampire and Reiji, I myself sipping on the cranberry juice box since I didn't have enough time to drink it while I was eating breakfast. None of the vampires sitting around spoke. Though the blood red eyed albino vampire kept glancing to me. His name is Subaru, right?

          "Yes."

          At least I remembered something other than Reiji's name...

          The silence was very nearly deafening the longer we all sat in the limousine together. I couldn't help but steal glances over to the teddy bear the amethyst haired vampire has placed on his lap, his arms lazily wrapped around the bears torso with those small arms of the stuffed animal's hanging limply over his own. There's something strangely familiar about that bear, but I can't quite figure out why that is.

          Once the limousine came to a stop, I looked out the window and was surprised to find the campus of a large school now just outside. One by one, the vampires got out of the limousine. I followed them out last, curiously peering up at the school and then glancing around, plenty of the students crowded near the schools entrance who were once talking to each other now staring more or less solely at me.

          Unknowingly, I shift a little closer to the red headed vampire, not wanting to be alone with all those other students looking at me the way they are. It's nerve-wracking. I can't tell if they're looking at me as if I'm prey or competition. I feel as though they just want me dead and I've only been out of the limousine for less than a minute now.

          "Let's go inside." Reiji said, leading the way for all of us to follow him in. None of the students dared get close to me and the vampires I'm currently living with, everyone keeping their distance and staring at me from a good ways away.

          Gently, I pulled on the sleeve of the fedora wearing vampire. "Why are they staring at me?" I asked softly once I had successfully grabbed his attention.

          Those emerald green eyes of his looked into my own with some sort of emotion running rampant behind them, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out what that emotion may be. "You're with us. That's reason enough to get stared at Bitch-chan." He responded with a chuckle. "How about I bite you for all of them to see? Doesn't it make you all hot and bothered just thinking of me biting you again while they're all watching?"

          I didn't know how to respond as the fedora wearing vampire simply laughed at my shocked expression, losing interest in me rather quickly after that.

          "What class will she be in?" The amethyst haired vampire asked after we turned down yet another hallway.

          The blonde shrugged. "I don't care."

          "I would prefer it if she stays in class with this good-for-nothing and myself." Reiji spoke up next. "I'd like to keep a close eye on her if possible."

          "Fine by me as long as I get my blood." The red head said with a devious grin as he flicked those striking and sharp green eyes of his over to me. I felt a shiver run up my spine in response. He stared at me with the same glint behind his eyes as all the other students. How frightening.

          Just as I was about to ask what class everyone is in, four guys walking towards us from the far end of the hallway caught my attention. I know them. I can't remember their names, I don't even remember how it is I know them- but I do and there's no denying that. They're important. Just as the vampires I'm living with are as well. There's something very important about those boys in particular though, it's just, I can't quite place my finger on it.

          The blonde blue eyed vampire who was happily talking with the tall brunette glanced in our direction and promptly stopped talking when his light blue eyes met my own. The brunette then looked to me and soon the other two vampires were looking at me as well, all of their attention placed solely on myself.

          Hesitantly, I took a step around the red head and walked towards the family of four vampires. They're so familiar. Why can't I remember them?

          "___, is that you?" The black haired vampire with ice cold blue eyes asked once we were standing no more than five feet apart.

          With a slow nod of my head, I glanced between the four of them. "I, I can't remember you at all..." I murmured sadly.

          The scar littered vampire with bandages wrapped all over his body looked to me with a pained expression. "Your memory, still hasn't gotten... any better has it?" He asked softly.

          My heart clenched some, guilt creeping up in my chest. "I'm sorry." Was all I could respond with.

          "Don't be sorry Sow, it's not your fault your memory has always been bad." The brunette said before ruffling my hair a bit. "Why the hell are you here though?"

          "She wandered into our mansion just yesterday night." Reiji spoke up as him and his brothers all came to stand around myself. Thankfully he answered for me because I wouldn't know the answer to something as simple as that if I had been left to my own devices...

          The black haired vampire standing in front of me grimaced. "Why would she go to your mansion and not ours?"

          "Like hell if we know." The red head scoffed. "She just showed up."

          "It wouldn't be very nice of us to leave this cute lil Bitch-chan all on her own when she can't remember anything now would it?" The fedora wearing vampire then asked with a few chuckles slipping past his lips. "Somebody might take advantage of her."

          Subaru narrowed his eyes at the family of four vampires. "How do you guys know ___?"

          "Yeah, it is a little weird how you four fakes know our Bitch-chan here." The fedora wearing vampire then added on, suddenly more serious than just moments ago as if some switch flipped and his personality took a one-eighty from playful and flirty to cold and threatening.

          "Oi," the brunette who has his hair pulled back into a makeshift ponytail said as he narrowed his eyes at the six vampires standing around myself, "we knew her way before you guys did so don't go getting all possessive over Sow when you have no history with her."

          I shook my head some. "Actually, I think I knew them somehow." I spoke up softly.

          Everyone's eyes were on me now. "And how did you come to that conclusion?" The black haired vampire asked, his three brothers shifting their gazes to the other six vampires.

          "I can remember Reiji's name, and there's something about that bear I remember too." I said before motioning to the teddy bear the amethyst haired boy is holding. "And, I had a memory come back to me- at least I think it was a memory..."

          "Be honest and tell them about it. You can trust them ___."

          "I think, I think I saw Subaru when he was younger, really young actually, and his mother was with him. She was really pretty. Same white hair that was kind of pulled up into a bun, the long end strands flowing down one of her shoulders nearly to her thigh and her dress was white with these black diamond designs and she wore a translucent blue shawl of sorts around her shoulders too. They were walking down the large hallway of what I think was a castle. She was so pretty and he was smiling and all I could do was watch as they passed me by." I said, fully trusting the girl's voice in my head. "I think I wanted to call out to them, but they seemed so happy holding their white roses and instead I stayed quiet. I just watched them go, not wanting to disturb their time together..."

          It was quiet for a moment before Subaru looked to me with a conflicted expression. "You remembered my name."

          My eyes widened some at that as I looked to him. "Oh, I did."

          "But you, can't... Remember, ours?" The scar covered boy asked, voice so soft I barely even heard him though that didn't stop the guilt from once again pooling in my chest and now weaving its way around my heart.

          Slowly, I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I really can't remember. But I'll try to." I said with a small, genuine smile. "You guys seem to know more about my past than I do, and, I want to understand what happened to me both for my sake and for all of yours."

          The blonde from the family of four bent down some to peer into my eyes curiously. "For us?" He repeated.

          "Yeah," I responded with a slight nod, "you all seem so bothered by my existence so maybe if I remembered what happened to me, you all could find your own peace."

          The brunette shook his head. "You're still nice as ever Sow..." He muttered.

          I offered him a small smile. "And I hope even once I regain my memories I'll still be just as nice."

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          Can I just say that I really love the pasts of all of the vampires in this otome game- the attention to detail is just, ugh, I love it and I love the mothers and I love the Mukami's and Sakamaki's and Tsukinami's and ahhhhh I love them all ;-; I'm genuine trash for these vampires it's not even funny x3

Question of the Chapter: Who's your favorite vampire out of the Sakamaki's, Mukami's, Tsukinami's, and now Kino? I'm tied between Reiji, Kanato, Azusa, and Carla... RIP me.......

          Guess that's it for this chapter lovelies.~ Hope you liked it! The next chapters from here on out get more interesting in my opinion so please anticipate them ^^

          Also! The discord link is still in my bio so if you wanna join and goof around with people and just make friends who like anime and kpop or want to friend me so we can talk go ahead and join.~ I pretty much live in the reverse harem chat spamming pictures and ranting about the Utapri Rhythm game so you know where to find me if you decide to join x333

          Love you all and hope everyone has a nice day/night/evening/life :')

          ~ Kat ♡