Guiltia Brion was in love with Angelique Yuki.

Some days had passed since Guiltia came to this truth. After Christmas, New Year also rolled by. Maybe it took Guiltia two weeks for the reality to finally sink in.

Thanks to him being a master of poker face, he never expressed his new found emotion for the female and continued to contemplate everything alone.

Why did he fall in love with her?

Truthfully, he could list out many reasons to fall for her. She had innumerable qualities to melt the heart of a man. Overall, she had a big and kind heart. She won't hesitate to sacrifice herself for her loved ones. Not to mention she was diligent and earnest. Then there was her smile. Oh, how he could go on with his list.

When did he fall in love?

Maybe it was quite a while back. He can't exactly pinpoint when but he was sure that he had felt different sometimes. His heart would thump or an unknown heat would spread throughout his body. How surprising. To think that the heart that was supposed to be frozen would actually beat so fast for a girl.

However, the main question was. . .

What will he do now?

He was unsure. He never expected to fall in love, after all. He had absolutely no idea what to do right now.

Will he confess?

Even if he wanted to proclaim his love, he decided against the idea. He had come to terms with his feelings. He wanted to be with Angelique. Since he knew that was what he wanted, he didn't bother to forcefully deny it. It wouldn't do him any good. Rather, it would just stretch things for him.

Guiltia loved Angelique. If he confessed to her, there were two possible outcomes. One was she would reciprocate his feelings and they can be together. The other possibility was for him to get rejected and their friendship being strained.

There was no way he wanted the second possible outcome. He couldn't risk their current relationship. They were comfortable enough with each other and she really admired him. What if she no longer felt that same attachment to him after he confessed?

And, if, by any chance, she reciprocated his feelings, then he wouldn't have had to worry so much. Here lies the problem. He had no idea of her feelings. Did she see him in the same light as he saw her? Did she have feelings for him? If she did then was she aware of them?

Guiltia didn't think that the person who was always so easy to read would suddenly seem so difficult to read. She was her same cheerful self while he hid his feelings behind his poker face. But he knew of her personality.

If she had feelings for him and was aware of them, she wouldn't have been able to hide them perfectly. Her face and reactions would have given her out. She was pure. That's why he crossed out the first possibility as well.

What did he decide to do?

In the end, Guiltia decided to quietly bear his feelings for her without confessing. He will just love her quietly and not inconvenience her with his feelings. In all honesty, he felt like a coward, running away instead of facing everything head on.

But if it ensured Angelique's smile to remain intact, he didn't mind being a coward. Even then, sometimes he still found it hard to believe that he was in love.

He didn't think he was capable of anything except coldness. But then Angelique came into his life and melted the walls around his heart. He felt the desire to hold her close to him, to protect her, to keep her safe, to keep her happy. He didn't expect such fluttering feelings while being in love.

Even if it was simply watching her greet him, smile at him, fangirl, play with Pannya, play the piano, work in the cafe, striving towards her goal- everything looked shiny to him. The rational part of him was sure that she looked the same as always but he found her looking more beautiful. She seemed to sparkle in his eyes.

Guiltia felt like sighing. He knew he was behaving like a teenage boy in love. But did he hate this feeling? No. How could he hate it when everything felt so nice and created so many sensations inside him?

Being in love was. . . . so beautiful.

But he needed someone to spill his secret to. Someone who would be there to offer moral support in the midst of this confusion at least.

Who was better to go to other than his long time friend?

"It's unusual for you to have a drink this late." Eve watched Guiltia taking a sip of the champagne Eclipse had sent as his birthday present. The blonde had been careful enough to keep it away from the youngsters' reaches.

"Is that so...?" He sighed. Truth to be told, he hoped the alcohol would help him be more relaxed and honest with his feelings. He had chosen Eve to confide his blossoming feelings after the other three  had fallen asleep.

"There's something you want to tell me, isn't there?" Eve had known him long enough to subtly feel his intentions. Maybe that's why he chose him. Certainly, he couldn't ask for Robin's assistance because he highly doubted if the latter could even keep a secret. As for Ange, he didn't know how he would've reacted upon hearing that his idol loved his sister. What if he opposed this and suddenly grew overprotective of her?

Arranging his mind of what to say, Guiltia took another sip of his drink before putting the glass on the table. He faced the male sitting on the other side of the table.

"Eve." His voice was solemn.

"Hmm?" The stronger vampire slowly brought the coffee cup to his lips.

"I'm in love with Angelique." Guiltia dropped the bomb like it was nothing.

Thank goodness, Eve's grip on the cup's handle was firm. Otherwise, it would've been smashed to pieces after hitting the floor. As for him, he was frozen, wide-eyed and jaw dropped.

Seconds ticked by and Eve remained frozen like a statue, keeping his mouth open. His brain must've stopped working after hearing the word 'love' from Guiltia's mouth. Finally, he placed his cup on the saucer and smiled freshly as if there was nothing wrong in this world.

"Sorry. I think I misheard you. Can you say it again."

Guiltia didn't hesitate. "I'm in love with Angelique."

Eve's smile wavered while he tried not to lose his mind. "Guil, I think there's something wrong with me. I just heard you say you love Angelique."

"Yes, that's what I said."

"..."

"..."

"..."

So Eve wasn't actually hearing things!?! Guiltia was in love!? And it was with none other than Angelique!?! Guiltia and Angelique?! This guy who's terrible in communication and the sweetest girl he had ever met!?

"Is it that surprising?" Eve's condition compelled Guiltia to ask him.

"I don't think I've ever heard anything more bewildering than this in my lifetime." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Guil, do you actually know what 'love' is?" Eve had to confirm the male's feelings. He couldn't just let him walk around and give people heart attacks!

"Eve," he sighed. "I've gone through this in my mind more times than I can count. It's true that I've developed romantic feelings for her."

Guiltia wasn't the type to joke about this. Eve ensured that he was serious.

"Alright...." A sip of Guiltia's coffee relaxed Eve. "I certainly didn't expect to hear this from you."

"Neither did I. But Angelique... she has been the only thing in my mind all this time." Guiltia's eyes softened at her thought. He let the alcohol compel him to speak honestly.

"At first, I felt a connection to her because she's Yutaka and Kotomi's daughter. She is someone Yutaka has entrusted to me. I thought that was all to it until I began to take notice of the person inside her. She wasn't someone who simply resembled her parents."

He met Eve's eyes. "A loveable, compassionate and determined soul- that's who Angelique is. She's far more human than anyone I've ever met." Eve found himself nodding to his words.

"I find myself to be at ease when she's smiling beside me. She forgets to take care of herself. In that case, I want to remind her of her significance in our lives for her to cherish herself. I want to be the one to wipe her tears when she's at her most vulnerable."

The OZ mark in his left hand glowed promptly before the mark in Eve's hand also glowed. Guiltia was trying to get Eve to understand how his heart was bubbling with feelings for the girl. It was hard for Eve to believe that this poker faced man had such deep feelings for her.

"Have you decided to tell her your feelings?" Eve asked after accepting his friend's emotions.

"No. I won't." Guiltia had already finished his glass and was looking outside the window. "I'll keep watching over her from a distance."

"Right…. you don't know how she might feel about all this." Eve nodded understandingly. "It's hard to say if she loves you in the same light as well. She doesn't seem invested in romance."

"Yeah." Guiltia smiled softly. For now, she was heading towards her dream and Guiltia would quietly stay beside her, not exposing his true feelings. That was enough.

Eve smiled back. "I wish you luck, Guil."

.  . .  . . .  .

As time passed by, Angelique's exam was knocking on the door. In order to give her best, she decided to pull all-nighters sometimes. One similar night, Guiltia found her passed out in the living room.

She chose to study in the living room for not wanting to disturb Ange. There, she fell asleep, head resting on her arms on top of the table. The tiredness must've caught up to her.

It was a good thing Guiltia woke up in the middle of the night. If she kept sleeping in that position, her body would ache the next day. She might also have catched a cold.

Smiling fondly, he stood next to her. He could wake her up and guide her to her room. But when he looked at her sleeping so deeply, he couldn't find the heart to wake her up.

The best thing to do was laying her on the couch. Who knows, if she did wake up, she might feel like continuing her previous activity. And if she laid there, he wouldn't have to worry about her suffering from cramps.

Deciding that, he reached down and gently lifted her in his arms. He was being careful enough not to wake her. He could feel her soft rhythmic heartbeat from being so close to her. His own heart was supposed to be crystallised so why did it seem to beat faster than hers?

Even on this cold night, she felt so warm. The warmth of her breath caressing his neck ignited a pink blush from him. He ignored the wish to hold her close like this for longer.

Silently, he strided to the couch and knelt down. Once he laid her there, he felt relieved that she had not woken up. Though he knew she must've wanted to stay awake, he wished she kept sleeping. Her health mattered the most to him. It would be nice if she stopped pushing herself and gave more attention to herself.

Guiltia didn't move away after laying her down. He knelt next to the couch, staring at her. Hesitantly, he extended his hand and gently removed her hair that covered her face.

Thanks to him not wearing his gloves at the moment, his bare fingertips came in touch with her face. The slight touch made his heart beat a hundred times faster. He tucked her hair behind her ear and earned himself a clear view of her face.

In his eyes, she still looked so lovely while sleeping. So pure and angelic. Her head was slightly tilted to his side, seeming her more vulnerable. Wasn't seeing her like this so bad for his heart? When she was awake and smiling, she dazzled like the sun. And now when she slept so peacefully, she radiated like the moon.

The blonde's fingertips barely grazed her cheek, savouring her warmth. It took a moment for his hand to rest on her cheek; so gently as if she were some precious object made of glass. Just being near her, being able to hold her like this created such happiness inside him.

Guiltia was not aware of the serene smile present on his face. His loving gaze silently took in her features. His gaze went from her long eyelashes to her cheek that he held. It gradually fell to her lips.

In the end, what he loved the most were her smiles. They illuminated his colourless world. Whenever he saw her smile, he felt happier. That's why he wanted to protect her, protect her smile as well as her tears.

Unknowingly, as if pulled by his heart, he started leaning forward. There was a sudden urge in his heart. The desire to feel those sweet pink lips. Has anyone ever had the privilege to claim those lips before? He wished to let him be the first person to steal her lips and mark her as his.

Closer.... More closer... He was close enough to smell her shampoo. So painfully slowly, he began to close the gap between them. Their lips were so close.

Guiltia was ready to close his eyes when he felt her soft breath on his lips. Only a little more and he can meet her lips.... A bit more...

It was when the tips of their noses touched that Guiltia regained his senses. He albeitly froze. His eyes went wide open when his actions dawned upon him.

Her face was right in front of him, completely defenceless. His cheeks went bright red at the thought of what he was going to do. Ashamed of himself, he quickly pulled away from her to a respectable distance.

His hand quickly went to cover his mouth, trying to hide his red face from no one. His hand slid upwards into his hair and pulled his hair back. His heart was going to be out of control. Sighing deeply, he regretted attempting to kiss her like that.

To think he would give in to the temptations of his heart... Was he going to take advantage of her when she was sleeping? How could he be so despicable? Taking the first kiss of a young maiden without her knowledge or consent would make him equivalent to a beast.

The male stood up. He should just do what he was supposed to do and go to sleep. Without looking back, he brought a blanket and gently draped it over her. Angelique was still sleeping soundly, unaware of what nearly happened to her.

Her tranquil and vulnerable expression only served to increase his guilt. He wouldn't be able to face her if he had put a damper on her innocence. 

Guiltia leaned down and placed a quick kiss on the crown of her head. "Forgive me, Angelique."

With that, he left the room as quickly as possible.

To be continued...