Her footsteps echoed through the dark mansion as they did every night. The Lady of the house she was now and the confidence of it could be heard in the way she walked. She was not the cowering traveller that once sought refuge from the rain fifty years ago.

It all felt like it happened a lifetime ago. She had changed so much since then that it was hard to believe it was the same person. She had changed physically but not in the way one would expect. She did not look a day older. But on the inside, she was drastically different. Her demeanor had changed a lot.

The clock's bell announced hauntingly that it was midnight, each stroke so deep and strong it felt as if the gong was striking one's chest instead.

She turned around and rushed upstairs. She was being waited for, and he didn't like to be made to wait for long.

She stood by the doorstep, silent, unmoved, watching him. He was sitting on his bed with his head resting against the back and his eyes closed. The large window facing him was wide open letting the silvery moonlight in and fall over him. He looked serene as he always did.

He opened his eyes at once, shimmering under the moonlight. Had it been someone else, they would be startled and scared of this sudden movement. But she knew, and she held his gaze perfectly.

He smiled at the sight of her, "What book did you bring this time?" He asked.

She turned the book's cover towards him.

"Again a book about travel?" He said, " The last two books were about it too. "

She shrugged silently.

"Kira," He asked gently when she walked in and settled next to him on the bed, "Do you miss travelling?" He delicately held her chin up to face him. He loved to look at her eyes which shimmered just like his. He now understood why she used to look at him mesmerized because he felt the same.

"I...I don't..." She didn't know how to answer.

"I hope you will be honest with me." He warned but gently.

She hesitated for a moment, "A change of pace never hurts. " She admitted meekly.

Gouenji's heart shattered at her confession but he didn't let it show.

"We have been cooped up in this mansion for fifty years. You can't blame me." She defended herself.

"I would never blame you, love." He said as he went in for a passionate kiss and she suddenly remembered why she had chosen to stay cooped up in that mansion for fifty years.

...

Kira spent most of her day in the library. Burning candle after candle she read some and even wrote some. She began with making a list of her favorite sentences but after a while, she began to write a few sentences of her own. This eventually turned into short stories and then long stories.

One day after a particularly romantic evening with Gouenji, a few sentimental words brimmed at the edge of her mind and she hesitantly jotted them down in a structure. And thus, she began writing poetry as well.

Gouenji had no idea she had been writing. She didn't feel like she was good enough yet to tell anyone. She didn't like hiding the fact from him, she never hid anything from him but with this, she decided it was best to keep it to herself for a while.

He didn't mind at all that she was gone most of the day as long as she remembered to come to him for the moonlight bask. He himself often spent time on his own reading or lost in his thoughts.

He still remembered the day he turned her like it was yesterday. He liked to fondly recall that night often. After she had woken up into her new life, they had immediately fallen into each other's embrace and didn't leave the other for a long time.

The following few days had been confusing for her since she still kept expecting to see food laid out for her at designated meal times despite not actually having a craving for it. One time she also almost walked off into the garden in the afternoon but thankfully, Gouenji caught her in time. However, eventually, she got used to it all and he was relieved to see her settle into her new life well.

It was all ecstacy and excitement from there, they couldn't get enough of each other. They spent long hours together talking, laughing, kissing. He didn't have to worry about holding himself back anymore and even if he playfully bit her lip sometimes it wouldn't affect her in a way he was afraid of before.

He didn't have to restrain himself from focusing on her blood, he could now be free and relaxed and focus on her by choice not because he had to.

It continued this way for three years before their strong, independent personalities began to no longer compromise with the absolutely unsensible desperation they had initially felt for each other.

It's not that their love was dying or that they were bored of each other, it was none of that. In fact, their love only grew stronger each day. Except, now they could control their feelings better, having lived with them long enough that it became their new normal. They could find time for other hobbies and not get scared that if they didn't kiss the other in time, it would all just waft away like it never existed. Their love grew deep roots within their hearts and they were assured.

...

Their anniversary was a topic of split opinions between them. Kira refused to celebrate the day Gouenji almost died because of her mistake. However, Gouenji had a more "all's well that ends well" approach to the day and was always keen on celebrating their union.

He always began the day with a kiss and an origami flower for her.

"It's that day again. " She would sigh.

"I wish you wouldn't keep reminding me. " She always said.

"I wish you would share in my joy. " Was always his answer.

In the evening he gave her a substantial gift like a dress or a necklace and she gave him a faded smile. She never prepared a gift in return because she was steadfast in her decision of not celebrating the day. This was not a problem, however, because she showered him with love and gifts on other occasions such as his supposed birthday or Christmas or New Year's.

...

This one year she saw him folding the flower two nights before and her face fell instantly. He noticed it. He just sighed and sat beside her.

"What is the matter, darling?" She asked him sympathetically.

He didn't answer immediately, rather, prepared himself to speak.

"You don't like celebrating our Anniversary, you are so dull on this day. Perhaps, you don't enjoy being married to me after all. "

Kira was so stunned to hear it she gasped a little.

"Of course I do love being married to you! What ever gave you this idea!" She refuted with force.

"It would make sense to me if you admitted to it. It's not like you chose it. You didn't even know what you were getting into." He spoke in a heavy voice.

"Have you ever heard me complain?" She exclaimed. She shifted closer to him and garlanded her arms around his neck, "Because there is nothing to complain about."

"I love you." She said and kissed his cheek.

He didn't discuss it further and the matter was cast aside but Kira couldn't get his disappointment off her mind. She couldn't have thought it in her wildest dreams that he would draw such a conclusion by her reluctance to celebrate. She decided she had to prove she wasn't lying and do something for him.

The following day she went into town when no one was looking and bought a gold music box. It was small but beautiful, carved intricately with red velvet lining its insides. It also had a small key for it.

Kira wore the key as a Locket for safekeeping and began writing. She was working on a special poem that she was finally going to share with Gouenji. She would adorn the page with beautiful words of love and show him how much she really loved him. Then he would never doubt her again.

And that's all she did for the rest of the day. She only focused on perfecting this one poem. She went over every word and recited it several times to make sure it made sense. She wrote like her life depended on it.

Finally, late in the evening, she felt she was satisfied with the end result and considered it done. She then folded the paper and put it inside the gold box and locked it. The key was still hanging by a dainty chain around her neck. The plan was to hand over the box and then the key to open it.

She held the box close to her chest and rushed to Gouenji. He had fallen asleep early, or perhaps he didn't want to face her. With quiet feet, she walked across the room and climbed the bed. She excitedly thought about the poem one more time and then closed her eyes.

...

Kira's mind felt like swinging between dreams and reality as she heard a distant voice calling her name. Gouenji's voice. And then it got clearer and clearer and she realised he was actually calling her.

"Kira! Kira! We have to get out of here!" He was actually saying.

She was awake now fully and she found it strange. She was slowly trying to get up when he held her wrist and pulled her out of the bed. He began to drag her along with him.

"There's a fire! It's already spread. We have to leave now!" He explained as he carried her with him.

Kira was too stunned to say a word in response. It took her a while to process the news and by this time they had come downstairs. The fire was rapidly coming towards them from the library's direction.

"No!" Kira screamed suddenly and got out of his hold. She ran towards the library.

Gouenji ran after her and caught her before she entered the flames.

"What in the damn world are you doing?" He exclaimed.

"No! My writing! My stories! They're all gone!" She cried in agony, "Let me save some!"

He had had an iron clasp around her that she tried to fight hard to get out of.

"Let me go! It's not as if I'd die!" She screamed through tears.

"But your body can still burn up. It will take weeks to heal even with our powers. It will be a fate worse than death. " He told her.

He got hold of her wrist again and forcefully made her walk towards the door with her. She went out kicking and screaming and because of it, they were just able to make it in time before the ceiling of the drawing room collapsed.

Mr Watanabe was already in the garden looking forlorn. He heaved a sigh of relief when he saw the two run out. Now they just looked at the burning towers with regret as Kira hugged Gouenji tightly and cried against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her softly and comforted her.