"Your portraits, Sir, they're all lost. " Mr Watanabe remarked, " They were your legacy. It's such a shame."

"Legacy is for people who die. " Gouenji answered, "I don't need that. " He tried not to dwell on all the things he lost. The mansion itself was historic, he had once bought it from a Duke. But if he began to dwell on it, he would fall into a pit of sadness and that wasn't the right time to mourn.

It was only two hours before dawn and they had to seek shelter before that. The flames had still not died down but they had to leave it burning and walk away. No one would help them put it out. If anyone saw it, they would be happy because that meant they were free from living in terror of the vampires.

They walked to the town and found an inn. They tried their best to cover their faces and the sleepy innkeeper didn't notice much.

The rooms were large and cozy. Gouenji and Kira settled in and closed the door behind them. Kira was still weeping as she sat down on the bed.

Gouenji sat on his knees to level with her and placed his hand on her cheek.

"Everything's gone. " She was still occasionally repeating in a voice wavered with sobs.

"We still have each other, don't we?" He spoke softly, "Please don't cry anymore."

She stopped rubbing her eyes and looked towards him, "Aren't you sad too?"

"I am." He sighed. He didn't want to lie to her.

"You can cry too if you're sad." She remarked.

He got up and sat beside her. He didn't cry but his demeanour changed from being composed to that of upset. He held Kira close and rested his forehead against the side of her head.

"I have lived in that house for 150 years. It was my refuge all this time. " He spoke in a heavy voice, " It's hard to believe that it is gone. And with it, my peace and quiet and sense of safety. "

Kira turned to him and was surprised to see his eyes damp. She slung her arm around him and pulled him closer,

"I'll be your home now. " Her voice was breaking from crying too much, "And you can be mine. "

They stayed like that for a long time before they felt tired and fell backwards on the bed. They lay down haphazardly and fell asleep just that way.

When Kira woke up, she was alone. She had no idea how long she had been sleeping but if she had to guess she would say it was late in the evening. They had fallen asleep near dawn. She was surprised to realise they had been sleeping the entire day.

Before she could wonder where Gouenji was, suddenly her eyes fell on an object beside her on the bed and she gasped. She sat up immediately and reached out for it.

It was the gold music box she had prepared for Gouenji. She hadn't realised she had been holding it all this time compulsively. This meant that the most important piece of writing was still intact.

She rushed to search for Gouenji and hand over the box to him. Maybe her love letter could do a little to uplift his mood.

She stepped out of their room and heard voices coming from Mr Watanabe's room across the hallway. She walked over there and opened the door. She fathomed the lobby portion that then led to an inner room meant to be a bedroom. The door to that was open and Gouenji and Mr Watanabe could be seen having a tense discussion.

"Sir, I know it will offend you and I do apologize but I remember what I saw. She was the last one to take a candle in the library. All the candles around the house had been put out by that time. " Mr Watanabe was saying.

"If we believe you, that means she made a mistake." Gouenji concluded reluctantly.

"Oh, I don't think it was a mistake. I think it was deliberate." Mr Watanabe clarified.

Gouenji was so stunned he froze for a moment, "Do you realise what you are saying? You are making a grave accusation." He spoke firmly after a pause.

"It is no secret that she was getting bored being cooped up in that mansion. She is still a traveller at heart and wanted out. And look, now here we are! Out of our home. " Mr Watanabe argued.

Gouenji opened his mouth but no words came out. His pause fell like a blade on Kira's heart.

"Is that what you think? That I did this?" She wasn't asking Mr Watanabe, she didn't even acknowledge him. Her eyes were fixed on Gouenji when she entered the room.

The two men were startled by her sudden presence.

"Of course not!" Gouenji managed to answer, "I would never blame you. " He reached for her palm but she stepped back.

"Instead of shutting him up, you're standing here, humouring him. " She glared at Mr Watanabe for a moment, " You clearly believe him more than you're admitting. "

"Do you think me so selfish?" She was disappointed when she said that.

Gouenji tried to say something but she raised her hand to stop him, "You were quiet when you were needed to speak. Don't speak now. "

With that, she hurried out of the room. Gouenji ran after her immediately. Mr Watanabe hesitated a bit and then followed to see what happens.

Kira didn't stop at her room, rather, made her way downstairs and past the main door.

"Kira!" Gouenji called out to her but she did not listen. Before he could chase her down, she disappeared behind a hill.

It was getting near dawn and Gouenji was nervous that she was out at such a time. He could not go after her or else he would risk his life too. He knew Kira would not harm herself but he didn't know how she would manage to find shelter.

He returned to the inn where Mr Watanabe was standing with a rather stunned look on his face. Gouenji approached him, glaring daggers.

"If anything happens to her, or she refuses to come back, I won't let you enter my household again. " He did not stop to hear his response and walked away.

...

Kira had run out far from the inn but now she was getting anxious about where to take shelter. The sky was beginning to turn from dark to an inky blue which meant she didn't have much time. She didn't want going back to be an option but if she didn't find anything in time she would have to swallow her pride and return which would feel like death to her anyway.

Suddenly she noticed a hut so far away from her it looked like a tiny dot. It stood alone on a hill, away from civilization. It was very reminiscent of their own mansion which is why Kira wondered if the resident of that hut could also be a vampire. And if not, she could just pretend to be a regular, lost traveller and ask for shelter.

With that resolve, she sped towards the hut with her supernatural speed. In two minutes she had fathomed the distance and was now standing at the door.

She knocked on the door and pulled up her scarf to cover the top half of her face, mainly the eyes that were peculiar enough to draw attention and suspicion.

After a good while, the door was opened very slowly by an old woman. Kira guessed her age to be somewhere around 70. A human.

"I have been roaming these hills for the past hour and I can't seem to find my way to the road. I am tired and thirsty. If you would be so kind to give me shelter for the day I would be grateful. " Kira made up a story.

As soon as the woman heard her voice, her eyes widened in horror. She looked like she could die of a heart attack on the spot.

"You.... you're from that mansion! How did you find me again?!" She exclaimed.

"Have we been acquainted before?" Kira was surprised.

"I'm the one who took care of you when you fell sick in the mansion. " She revealed. 

A/N: How did you like that ending? ;)