The door to the apartment slams open and bags of groceries clatter to the ground unceremoniously. "I'm royally FUCKED! I'm gonna die! This time, I'm actually gonna die."

"What's gonna kill you this time, Yuu?" Keiji asks, hardly taking the time to glance at them before returning to his notecards.

"Why are you still doing that? You know we graduated from university, right?"

"Learning is a lifelong pursuit, especially when you have parents as academically successful as mine. Now what is going to kill you? Did you accidentally get a thorn stuck in you? Someone make you eat something with raw egg in it?"

"That Hunter! She's come after me a couple of times before but now I'm positive that she will not give up until I'm staked through the heart and bleeding out in the street!"

"Why do you say that?"

"I may have accidentally panic-drained her..."

"You bit her?! Out of panic?! Why didn't you just run away like normal?!"

"She took me by surprise. I'm usually more vigilant than that, but she got me in the damn grocery store parking lot, and by the time my talent kicked in, I had no plan and I just kinda tilted out of the way and wound up behind her!" As he explains, he paces their home, gripping his head and gradually increasing in speed.

"You just drained her, right? You didn't...?"

Their movements slow a little. As they answer, they systematically begin locking every door and window. "No, I didn't turn her. Thank fuck. Not only are those bastards who turn people without consent sick, but if I did that, she'd have all her tools AND a blood talent." They scratch their head. "I got her in the cheek, since we're similar heights and she covers most of her body."

"Ow. For both of you."

"Yeah. Nobody likes hitting cheek bone. The face isn't a very good place in general."

"Maybe it's about time you turned me. If I have a blood talent, too, I can protect you."

"For the last time, no! Do you think I'm gonna turn you after YEARS of begging?"

Keiji sighs, clicking his pen a few times on his desk. "Well. There's an upside to this."

"What could POSSIBLY be the upside, Keiji?!"

"If you constantly feel afraid, your blood talent won't take any time to kick in! You can zip away with intense stealth to avoid basically any threat! Even if you chose the dumbest name for it imaginable, it's incredibly helpful."

"You get that that's a really freaking unhealthy way to live, man, right?" Keiji shrugs in response. Yuu shakes his head in disapproval. "I should've expected that answer from the person who wants to subject himself to hunters, awful sunburns, and social stigma just so that he can study around the clock without needing to sleep or eat."

"Dude, just think about it. If I become a researcher and come up with some big breakthrough as a vampire, I could work to destigmatize you all! There is no reason why you shouldn't turn me!"

"You just want the glory. And anyway, sure, that plan sounds like sunshine and roses, if you manage to live to thirty!"

"Hey, I do genuinely want to destigmatize you guys. The recognition is only part of it. When it comes to you in particular, all you do is drain people consensually to stay alive. It's not like I want to watch the only rooomate who's ever been able to tolerate me get murdered by vigilantes."

"The sentiment is mutual, which is why I'm not gonna turn you."

"Ugh, fine." Both of them know that Keiji doesn't really think it's fine— this conversation will get unshelved again soon— but for now, he's out of arguments. "What does she look like?"

"Gonna keep an eye out for me?"

"Maybe. But what I'm definitely going to do is study. You know there's a Hunter database? It's not too hard to get access."

"Dude, what?! Since when?!"

"Since forever. An acquaintance of mine's family is a bunch of legacy hunters, so he gave me his cousin's login info for research purposes."

Yuu squirms. "You're friends with a legacy hunter?"

"First of all. Not exactly friends. Second. His family are legacy hunters. He is not a hunter." Yuu opens their mouth to ask a question, but Keiji interjects. "I don't know why he's not a Hunter. We're not on close enough terms to get personal with each other like that. I know talking about it gets him feeling a little uncomfortable—"

"And you still bugged him for account details?"

"Shut up, this might help save your life. Okay, she's located in Japan. Give me an age estimate."

"Definitely within five years of us."

"Hmmm... that doesn't narrow things down too much."

"If it helps, I know she's semi-rivals with two hunters who work in a pair. I have a first name for one of them. 'Monterio.' They fought over me once."

"That is helpful! He's around our age, too?"

"I think so. He sure is tall, though."

"You say he has a partner? That's pretty rare. Let me filter that... Aha! Only two Monterio's in Japan with a partner. Come here and tell me which one he is."

Yuu examines the first one; Mukai, as opposed to Tsuchiya. Instant recognition crosses his face. "Yep. I know him. His partner is... Kana Omori, then?"

"I'll check 'Related Hunters.' Since they run similar routes, it's possible that their trackers will pick up on their rivalry." After some quick scrolling, they land upon a woman with a dirty-blonde crew cut and bright red eyes. Her skin is tan and freckled, and she doesn't smile in her picture. The name listed is "Wakumi Furutani."

Yuu trembles. "That's her. That's the last face I'll ever see."

"Stop being a drama queen for a minute. If you know thy enemy and know thyself, you needn't fear the results of a hundred battles. This is an excellent opportunity to know thy enemy."

They huddle over the laptop. "There's no family information."

"Hmm. Even non-legacy Hunters usually have parent names. So this means one of a few things: her family has disowned her or vice versa, they're alive but she doesn't know who they are, or they're dead. Regardless. It's definitely reassuring that she's not a legacy Hunter. She has no special training from relatives, and it doesn't seem like her equipment is terribly advanced. But she has a lot of reported deaths to her name, so it's likely that her raw athletic ability is what really matters. Even if it was accidental, draining her was a good call! Weakening her for a few days is awesome news for you! Keep doing that when she confronts you!"

"That's... not the best, morally. I don't know how I feel about that."

"Better to stay alive, right? Doing something kinda shifty in self-defense is better than being in the grave."

"Mmm... that's true, I guess."

"If it'll make you feel better, I'll talk to Joanie and see if her talent can help you. Lucky for us, she's got something that works long-distance."

"Sure. Hit her up. I'm tired. I'm gonna make some soup or something. Reminds me of being a kid."

This sparks a twinge of sympathy in Keiji. It's understandable that they're so opposed to turning him. Yuu was turned unwillingly as a preteen, and has spent years experiencing all of the hardships. But it's different this time! Keiji knows all of it beforehand! He's prepared! And despite being perfectly aware of that, even Joanie doesn't want him to turn! It's so infuriating!

He opens his chat logs.

SekiguchiK0902: Hey. How was work?

Official_Aika: filming was fun! interview afterwards less so

SekiguchiK0902: Glad at least some of it was decent.

Official_Aika has invited you to a game of chess!

He snickers and complies. They play a game, which Keiji wins quickly. He's on business. She sends a second invitation, which he declines.

Official_Aika: you in a bad mood or something? I thought you'd be fun since you messaged first

SekiguchiK0902: No, I'm not upset. Well. More like concerned. I could use some help.

Official_Aika: You know I can't use Foresight to get premonitions on command. If I don't wind up seeing anything, I can't help you.

SekiguchiK0902: I know. In fact, it would be better if you didn't see anything, since that would hopefully mean there isn't any major danger.

Official_Aika: What's the situation?

SekiguchiK0902: Yuu just accidentally drained a Hunter who's confronted him a few times, and she seems the vengeful sort. They're convinced that she won't rest until she kills them.

Official_Aika: Do you have a video?

SekiguchiK0902: No. But I do have a picture. I know that videos are better, but will this work?

Official_Aika: I can try.

Keiji sends over the photograph attached to Wakumi's page, and the message is transmitted across the sea, just like the first message he ever sent her that led to this friendship in the first place. Then... he waits. And, like he can only do with Joanie, he places his faith in her. It takes a small handful of minutes. Longer than it usually takes, which starts to worry him.

Official_Aika: okay so something weird happened.

SekiguchiK0902: That's alarming.

Official_Aika: About Yuu. Tell him to stay away from farmland, especially rice paddies. Water or tall crops will make Flee Style practically useless. No matter how fast and quiet his blood talent lets him be, those will be loud and obvious. She's gonna try to ambush him there.

SekiguchiK0902: Sounds straightforward enough. What's weird?

Official_Aika: I got a vision for myself, too. She's cornered me in an alley. But that makes no sense. I live on a different continent. Hell. I live in the western hemisphere.

Keiji thinks about this intensely for a moment. It takes long enough for her to prompt him.

Official_Aika: okay genius, I helped you. return the favor and help me understand.

SekiguchiK0902: Wakumi has never gotten a kill outside of Japan. So I doubt she'd come to you. That means you need to be INCREDIBLY careful if you come to visit. Don't go anywhere at night without one of us. And keep Aika's parasol close; it could be a good impromptu weapon.

Official_Aika: alright. it's not like I even have a visit planned, but your advice is making me feel a little better. tell Yuu I'm rooting for them and that they can text me themselves if they ever need me. we're friends on here, too, but they never message first

SekiguchiK0902: Will do. Don't take that personally. He's afraid of being awkward around you because he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable around me.

Official_Aika: that's dumb. I like him. he's funny.

SekiguchiK0902: I'll tell him you think so.

Official_Aika: Thank you. Now go to bed, you butt. It's, like, 1am for you right now?

SekiguchiK0902: Nothing gets past you. Except my chess strategies.

Official_Aika: bitch. get some rest.

He types, deletes, retypes, repeats, and finally sends his last message of the night.

SekiguchiK0902: Thank you for all of your help. Not just tonight. But for as long as I've known you. I wouldn't be the same person without you, and, for all I know, I could be dead.

Official_Aika: I'm proud of you. I know that was hard to make yourself say. I'm lucky to have you, too.

He logs off and heads to the kitchen, where he finds Yuu boiling chicken broth and adding potatoes, milk, and heavy cream to the pot. Along with other things. He hears a soft sniffle, and it makes him b-line out of there, but he is far less stealthy than Yuu.

"H-Hey! Soup's coming along well! I bet even you'll like it tomorrow." They smile because they don't know how else to hide it. Honestly, what's the point of hiding it in the first place? They know they've been caught.

"I can't smell it, and I'm sure it'll be blander for me than it is for you, but you're probably right anyway." He stands nervously in the doorway, unsure whether to ask.

"It's dumb."

"Might be. But that doesn't mean it's wrong."

"I'm sad because the recipe calls for minced garlic. And it's just another thing those assholes ruined for me. I can't even eat my mom's soup the way it was originally written without breaking out in an awful rash."

"See? It's fine to be upset about that. You know me. You know that I once locked myself in my bedroom for a week because I failed one test. Your shit is reasonable."

"A-Ah. Um. Anyway. What did Joanie say? Did she see anything?"

"Keep away from farmland, especially rice paddies. She wants to ambush you there because you won't be able to avoid making lots of noise, even with your talent."

They smack their forehead as if it were obvious. To their credit, they sort of feel as though it is. "Of course she'd try something like that. That's awesome advice. Thank her for me, when you get the chance."

"Do it yourself. She said you're funny and that she enjoys you, so don't be dumb about messaging her."

"That's a hot take."

"Booo. Your puns are awful. Wanna watch a movie once you're done?"

"I bet she told you to go to sleep."

Damn. Busted.

"I have a ton of brain teaser books. Borrow some. Get your mind off of all of it or else you'll drive yourself mad and something stupid like dropping a pen will send you spiraling."

"Touché. Honestly, that does sound kind of nice." Keiji retreats to fetch his books while Yuu continues to stir the pot and add ingredients. He hears the telltale slam of Keiji dropping them onto the coffee table, and then the bellowing, "G'NIGHT. I COULD STAY UP WITH YOU IF YOU TURNED ME!"

Yuu rolls his eyes and pops his head into the living room. "One: this is harassment. Two: it's quiet hours, you asshole. Three: You know what dinosaur you remind me of?"

"Huh?"

"A stega-snore-us. Go to bed already."

"Ew. Shut your face." But Keiji complies at last.

Yuu sets up a phone call. Beeeeep. Beeeeeep. Beeeeep. Then, when she picks up, he hears a yawn and eight light-switch flicks. "Little sibling?"

"Having a bad night. Sorry to wake you."

"Want me to come over for a sleepover?"

"...Okay. Thank you. Oh, but make sure nobody follows you!" Click.

Everyone is sticking their neck out for him... he laughs to himself, noticing the accidental pun, which always seem to be more amusing than the intentional ones. But then he returns to his train of thought. Everyone is going out of their way to help him. Maybe, with all of their help, he'll be able to keep on living after all.