When Kira didn't return, Gouenji's worry reached its peak. He paced around his room all day like a tiger in its cage. He didn't sleep a wink and as soon as the night fell, he rushed out to look after her.

He wandered aimlessly around the wilderness calling out Kira's name in hopes she would appear in front of him. There was no logic behind this approach, he just didn't know what to do. There was no nearby town where she could have reached in time.

When all logic failed, for a moment, his heart feared the worst.

But if anything had happened to her, he would not be standing upright too. This realisation calmed his heart that she was alright. However, the question of where she went continued to baffle him.

He searched for her every night, in every direction of the moors yet during all of this, he never came close to Clara's house. If he had, he would not have to return each night in deep anguish and regret and spend the night thinking about Kira.

He stared at the golden box set on the table beside the bed. It had been there since the first day and he had no idea where it came from. He vaguely remembered Kira holding it but he couldn't decide if it was a memory or an imagination.

Somehow he just couldn't look away from it. It called to him like it held something so familiar inside it. He would continue to stare at it and would feel a comfort in its presence.

He tried to open the box many times but always failed. He didn't know where the key to it was, if the key was available at all. He tried to pick the lock but did not succeed in that either.

One day he got too frustrated and threw the box across the room and it landed on the floor, toppled over. As soon as he did so, he immediately regretted it. He felt like in doing so, his heart had shattered. He didn't know why he felt that way but the next moment he reached for it and gently picked it up. He dusted it off and made sure it hadn't sustained a dent anywhere. Suddenly, he pressed it against his chest and wrapped his arms around it, holding it close to him.

He sat down on the floor, holding the box close to him and stayed that way for a while.

...

Kira sat on the grassy hill and looked above unblinkingly. The dark sheet of twinkling stars seemed to have a hypnotizing effect on her. The cool breeze was filling her up with a sense of calm and content.

Clara was asleep. The whole world was asleep. It was just her awake to take in the darkness of the night. Her and one more person.

She wondered if he sat by the window anymore. She would never be able to do that again in that familiar room. She was going to miss that. She also wondered if he was looking for her. She assumed he wasn't or how was it that he still hadn't found her? She wasn't sure if she would go back yet if he did come to take her back.

Her head began spinning and she decided not to think such sad thoughts anymore. She lay down again and continued staring at the stars a little more.

...

"Yes, I know what you're thinking and yes, I did look there." Gouenji spoke busily as he paced back and forth.

There was no living being in the room save for him, only the golden box set upon the table. He had begun talking to it to sort out his thoughts better. He was not speaking to Mr Watanabe unless it was something absolutely unavoidable.

"Why wouldn't she just come back on her own?" He stopped his pacing and stared at the box with a frustrated look on his face. The box may have been carrying Kira's deepest feelings inside itself but it could not speak about her. Hence, Gouenji was left stranded in the aftersilence of his own question.

...

When Kira woke up her head felt heavy. She stood up and stumbled a little to which she held onto the armchair to stabilize herself. Her throat felt dry as well.

She now remembered it had been a fortnight since she had consumed blood. She needed to have some at the earliest. Mr Watanabe was usually the one to make arrangements for that but since her leaving, she now had to fend for herself.

She set out to hunt, in the dark. She had no idea how she would do it, she had never learned that, she had never even had a discussion about it with Gouenji. He himself hadn't hunted in several decades.

She apprehensively made her way towards the town, hoping she would come across someone whom she wouldn't regret killing.

She lurked around the outermost street of the town waiting for someone. It was a safe bet to her that any human roaming around the streets at that hour could be upto no good.

A few moments later, the creaking of a door was heard and a big, hefty man stepped out of there, his feet casually swaying. He was visibly drunk. After him, came running a woman on quick mousy feet trying to stop the motion of his boulder-like body.

"Please don't go out at this hour. It's not safe. Please, I beg you. " She weeped and pulled at his arm.

He pushed her away harshly and she fell on the stone pavement like a ragdoll.

"Don't tell me what to do!" He roared as she continued to cry. He then turned his back on her and began walking away.

Kira waited patiently for him to come within safe distance. It took him a long time to reach her due to his inebriation. Finally, when he was at the correct distance, Kira prepared herself and leaped forward with the speed of a vampire.

The next moment her body ricocheted back a foot away. She found herself lying on the ground with an intense pain in her arm. Confused, she looked up to find the man had also fallen down and there was someone else on the other side of him in the same predicament as her.

"Kira...?" He stood up, in wonder.

"Shuuya..." Kira exclaimed, "What are you doing here?" She stood up as well.

"You're hunting?" She asked.

"Yes, I..."

Before he could answer, their target began to get up. He was now fully awake and had figured out what was about to happen.

Before he could run and before Gouenji could act, Kira lunged forward and subdued the man. Gouenji watched stunned as she drew his blood and gulped it down. It was her first hunt.

When she was satisfied she stood up. Her lips were stained with scarlet as it dripped down her chin. She took out her handkerchief to wipe it off.

"I left some for you." She spoke in a reluctant tone and began to leave.

"Kira...wait!" He caught her hand.

"I am not speaking with you. " She answered.

"Please, don't do this and come back home." He urged softly as he pulled her close in his hold. He then moved closer and kissed her blood-stained lips.

Kira was frozen for a moment by the fact that his presence brought a rush of relief over her. Even though she wanted to stay away for a little longer she still missed him terribly and his embrace brought a halt to that struggle. It was so easy to just lose herself between his arms for eternity.

But that wouldn't be right. She could not forgive him just yet. Her heart won't allow it. And if she did, then it would vex her constantly and sour their relationship.

"Let go. " She pushed him away lightly and sped off before he could understand anything.