The twins eagerly watched the clock. They were waiting for midnight while comfortably lying under the blanket. Just a few more seconds and it'll be midnight!

 Once the hour clock struck twelve, the pair faced each other with the cutest smiles ever.

"Happy birthday, Angelique!"

"Happy birthday, Ange!"

Their simultaneous voices made them laugh. It had become a ritual for them. They had been doing it since they were kids. Every year, they wished each other just as it hit midnight. It was a promise between them to be the first one to wish the other a happy birthday.

It was a privilege no one else could have because to them, their other half was an irreplaceable existence. To the siblings who only had each other before, it used to make them less lonely. It was a silent promise to be by each other's side no matter what.

They silently clasped their hands together. Angelique spoke first. "We've been together for another year,Ange."

"Let's continue to be together, Angelique."

And with blissful smiles on their faces, they fell asleep together; all the whole holding hands.

.  . .  . . .  .

While the twins were cuddled together and Robin listened to classical music on his phone,

*BAM*

Eve slammed a hand into the wall next to Guiltia's head before proceeding to do the same with his other hand. Guiltia found himself in quite the pinch. Eve had suddenly cornered him against the wall. Both of his sides had been blocked and his back was pressed against the wall.

Guiltia's brows twitched. "Eve, what are you doing?"

"We need to talk," was what Eve replied.

". . . In this misleading situation?"

"Misleading?" Eve's smile was scarily cold. "Who will misunderstand? Angelique?"

His smile grew eerily cold as he loomed closer with a horrifying aura. "Why should you worry about her misunderstanding you?"

"What.."

"Do you even care for her enough to worry about her feelings?"

"Eve." He frowned. "What are you trying to say? You know-"

Eve interrupted, "I know that you love her. Yet, why does she think you're mad at her?"

His lavender eyes widened momentarily. "Angelique..."

"You rejected her when she confessed. The way you've been acting recently made her think you're angry at her."

The smile disappeared from his face and he backed away, giving Guiltia his personal space. The blonde also grasped the gist of Eve's concern.

Eve continued, "I assured her that you're not mad at her." His eyes reflected sadness remembering his friend's desperation and hurt. "She thinks she did something to offend you."

Guiltia looked away from Eve. The memory of walking back home with her on Valentine's flashed before his eyes. He still remembered how pained she had looked. "She didn't do anything."

"She looked really hurt." Eve stated, "She loves you."

"I know."

"Then why haven't you told her about your feelings?"

"....." Guiltia remained silent.

"Guil." Eve sensed that he must have been keeping something to himself. "Why are you pushing her away?"

He sighed. "...It's for her own good." He said that but he knew he was pushing her away mainly for himself.

Eve didn't understand what he meant and continued staring at him for further explanation.

"Eve, you understand, don't you? I'm a vampire and she's a human." Sadness spread across his chest when he thought about it once again. Despite distancing himself from her, he hadn't been able to get rid of this feeling.

"Mm, relations between humans and vampires are very rare. But the look in her eyes..... it seems Angelique had thought a lot about this before deciding to confess." He smiled lightly. "She wants to be with you."

".....I can't handle losing another important person, Eve." He confessed. "She's better off with someone who can actually make her happy...unlike me."

Guilt filled his heart. Guiltia knew he was just running away. He was being a coward but... he really won't be able to bear the pain of losing a loved one again. He has had enough of that suffering. They will have to part one day and he might not be able to gather himself together later.

A wonderful girl like her deserved happiness. She should be with someone who can actually make her happy. That someone is not him. With time, she will eventually forget her feelings and move on. As long as she was happy and smiling, it didn't matter who the man beside her was..... even if it wasn't him.

Eve felt the hesitation in his heart. The guardian side inside him woke up. "I thought you wouldn't make Angelique cry."

"...I'm sorry."

Eve knew he needed to do something. Or else his friend would forever regret his blunder. The only one aware of the feelings of both sides was him. Guiltia was too afraid to choose an unknown path. Angelique was willing to face the difficulties in her path.

He had to give them a push.

.  . .  . . .  .

"Thank you for the meal, Eve-san. It was delicious." After lunch, Angelique thanked the purplehead for his hard work. Instead of a feast, the twins simply wanted to try Eve's cooking. Without the help of Ange and Angelique, it would have been tough for Eve to make a feast alone; since Robin was banned from cooking and Guiltia wasn't much skilled either.

"No, it wasn't much." Eve smiled. He prefered Angelique's cooking over his own.

She sulked in her seat. "I'd really like to help out though. I've been sitting all day without doing anything."

"Nope." Robin made a cross sign by using his hands. "You're the birthday girl. We can't have you work today."

She pouted. "But Ange went out shopping for ingredients.."

"It's supposed to be Guil-san's turn. Ange casually joined him for a walk, that's all." Hearing that, she went back to sulking and playing with Pannya.

Meanwhile, Robin whispered to Eve, "Eve-san, I'll go upstairs for a while. You should use this opportunity to talk to Angelique alone."

"Mm. I got it." The purple head nodded back. Prior, Robin had confessed to Eve about overhearing his and Angelique's conversation. The young vampire also wanted to assist his friend.

"Angelique," Eve called out when they were the only ones there. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Hmm?" She looked up at the man sitting across from her. He looks so serious all of a sudden. Is something troubling him?

Eve asked for Guiltia's forgiveness in his mind though he wasn't actually breaching his trust. His friend had confided his feelings to him. But what Eve was going to do was for the welfare of both Guiltia and Angelique. Guiltia needed to be honest with his feelings.

"Eve-san?" She called him when he had fallen silent. Eve looked at her. Right, he was making the correct choice. He knew she was capable of breaking the walls around his blonde friend's heart.

"It may come out as a surprise but...." He took a deep breath. "Guil also has feelings for you."

"E-Eh?" The unexpected declaration froze her.

"Before you, he had told me about his inner feelings. He acts cold but he actually loves you."

W-W-W-Wait a second!!! What's actually going on!? Guil-san likes me?!! Her mind was getting distorted with Eve's words. Guiltia actually reciprocated her feelings? "B-But he..."

Eve's eyes softened. "He rejected you because he's scared."

"W-What?" She hadn't expected to get this reply. Scared? Of what?

"......I see." The girl looked down after hearing Eve's explanation. So he actually feels this way...

She felt her heart thump loudly. A feathery feeling had blossomed inside her at the thought of Guiltia sharing the same feeling as her. But a dark mist of shadow had also covered her heart when she knew that the reason behind Guiltia's actions were valid.

Inside her swirled a whirlwind of words and emotions. I want to see Guil-san. I want to see him right now. Guil-san… The restlessness grew in her. I need to convey these words to him...!

She lifted her head and smiled at Eve. "Thank you for telling me, Eve-san. I want to face Guil-san regarding this."

"Mm." He nodded with a kind smile. Silently in his heart, he prayed for her to free Guiltia from the terror of his past.

.  . .  . . .  .

By the time they completed a late dinner, the day was nearly ending. Ange and Angelique's birthday was coming to an end. But Robin, Eve and Ange didn't want the day to end just like that. Everything hadn't been resolved and their precious Angelique hadn't reached the peak of her happiness yet.

Before anyone headed for their room, Robin perked up. "Oh, I forgot!"

His loud exclamation garnered the attention of everyone present. "There's something I wanted to show everyone."

Discreetly winking at Eve and Ange, Robin grabbed her wrist and pulled her swiftly. "Eh? What is it all of a sudden?" The girl had no choice but to follow him.

"Let's go too, Guil." Smiling, Ange pulled the blonde male along from his back.

"Ange?" Guiltia was puzzled but couldn't say anything when the brunette boy led him so eagerly. The sudden invitation seemed odd to him but he couldn't refuse the offer when Ange had such an anticipating expression. He didn't have the heart to say no to him.

As Ange kept guiding Guiltia, Eve was right behind the former, making sure that their plan was carried out perfectly.

The place Robin ended up bringing them was.... The rooftop? The pair of Angelique and Robin was the first to arrive there.

She cocked her head to the side, "What did you want to show us in such a hurry?"

"You'll see.... Ah, they're here." The pinkette whispered the last bit to himself. He looked back at the girl and smiled. "You'll thank me later."

What's up with him? He's acting so strange?

Meanwhile, when Guiltia entered the rooftop after a light push from Ange, Robin moved past him and went inside along with Ange and Eve. With a vibrant smile, Eve shut the door, the only means of going inside, before anyone could blink.

*THUD*

When Angelique heard the clinking of keys, she finally grasped the situation. "H-Huh?!" Did they just lock the door?! "W-Wait, what are you doing?"

From the other side of the door, she could hear Robin and the falsity in his voice. "Oh no! The wind has closed the door and the lock got broken. You two can't get inside."

Wind? But you guys just locked the door!

"At least you're not alone," came Eve's voice. "The two of you can give each other company till we fix the door." Who knew if Robin's idea was good or bad. Either way, this should provide the pair with an opportunity to be honest. 

Angelique froze. It's just me and Guil-san... Did they intentionally put us in this situation?

Behind the door, Ange prayed in his heart for everything to be resolved. If Angelique and Guiltia really harboured feelings for one another then it was better to come clean. The brunette wanted to see both his sister and his idol happy, whether it was as lovers or not. He hoped that they would stop walking on eggshells and regain their previous closeness at the very least. Prolonging this matter any longer without resolving it would only serve to hurt both of them.

On the other hand, Guiltia heaved a sigh. "You three, what's the meaning of this?"

"....." There wasn't any reply.

"Ange." Guiltia called out sternly. The said boy couldn't ignore him, so he quickly came up with an excuse.

"Um... we'll go search for a way to open the lock." And that was it. They left us here...

Closing his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose in mild annoyance. What prank were they playing this time? It wasn't funny. How long was he supposed to wait till they unlocked them out of there? He assumed they wouldn't keep them long after midnight.

The problem was he was left there alone with Angelique. The girl was looking at the other side, feeling awkward. Truthfully, he had no idea what to do. When was the last time they had been alone, let alone on the roof?

In order not to make things difficult for her, Guiltia walked towards the gazebo and sat on the piano stool. Angelique quietly watched him go. I wonder what's going on in his mind? Is he angry? Or is he confused like me?

She tilted her head up to look at the sky where quite a few stars were shining brilliantly. Her heart was thumping at an accelerated speed. . . Earlier, I wanted to see him so badly and convey my feelings properly. But now... I'm scared...

The fear of being rejected again rose in her heart. If I bring it again, he might draw a line again and push me away even more. I. . . I don't know if I can handle that.

But when can I have this chance to be alone with him again? There's only two weeks till I leave. And Eve-san said all those things to me. If I don't act now, I'll regret it...!

After inhaling deeply, she turned around to see the man sitting in front of the piano, pressing a few keys. The sight alone made her smile gingerly.

"....I haven't heard you play in a while."

Hearing her voice, his fingers stopped and he looked at her. He agreed to her words with a small nod. She took a few steps in his direction.

"I really enjoyed the time you helped me learn more about music. Those times made me feel closer to you." He has been by my side, supporting me.

Angelique flashed a close eyed smile. "I really liked seeing you smile more often. It was like the walls around your heart were slowly dissipating. . . But sometimes, your eyes hold so much sadness..."

The more time we spent together, the more I wanted to know him.

She stared at him, eyes shining tenderly. "I want to learn more about you. I want to discover new sides of you. I want to feel your emotions: joy, sadness, fear, everything."

Guiltia couldn't break his gaze from the female. His heart was thumping dangerously. When she said those, he...... he wanted to let her know of his feelings as well.

The time when he was unconscious, the pain was simply unbearable. That's because he's so dear to me.

Maybe I could've stayed next to you without ever mentioning my feelings. But I can't do that when my heart feels like it's going to explode. Her heart felt so warm all of a sudden. I want to cherish you. I want to smile with you. I want to cry with you. I I want to share the little everyday moments with you.

At first, it was just admiration. But now. .  These feelings have grown so much that I can't remain oblivious of them anymore. These feelings have grown intense like a flame burning inside my chest.

The best way to sum all the glistening emotions inside her was with only three words. Angelique's head tilted in the slightest and her cheeks reddened from the warmth inside her. Her smile added more beauty to the heart pounding display.

"I love you, Guil-san."

When he heard those words from her again, Guiltia had a hard time controlling his emotions. Unwanted happiness and warmth rushed across his body. When she was being so honest about her feelings, it made it harder for him to reject her again.

"Guil-san... can I think of these feelings as the same as the ones you have for me?"

"!!!" Did she figure his feelings out?

A serious look dawned upon her eyes. "I heard from Eve-san. . . . about the feelings you have for me. . and why you want to push me away."

The male looked away. So she actually heard it all from Eve. He couldn't blame his friend because he was aware that the purple head cared so much about Angelique.

". . . Then you should know why you can't have feelings for me." His cold voice covered the anguish inside him.

"You're right. Our lives as humans and as vampires are very different..."

When he heard her voice get quieter, he thought it was for the better. She should forget about her feelings for him. What he hadn't expected was for her voice to get stronger as it trembled with raw emotions.

". . . . But do we really have to do that?"

Angelique steadied her voice. "Is it a must that humans and vampires can't be together no matter what? Why is it a given that we can't be happy together?"

The blonde's heart pounded painfully as he stood up. Why did she look so stout and firm so suddenly? "...It is."

He felt that if he kept looking at her, his heart might get swayed. Resolving himself again, he moved past her.

"No, it's not!" She cried. She quickly turned around and faced his back. "The future hasn't been decided yet."

He stopped in his tracks. His voice became low as he felt the newly built walls around his heart crack slightly. ". . .You're being stubborn."

"And you're being a coward!" She retorted. "You're running away from your true feelings."

Coward? She was correct. He was one in reality. But. . . he couldn't help it. The fear that consumed his heart was too overwhelming.

Guiltia surprised her when he suddenly raised his voice with a scowl. "I've had enough of watching people's demise! In this life of eternity, the more I get acquainted with humans, the more painful it is. It always remains as a silent fact that they will be gone forever. You won't understand this burden of eternity!"

He finally faced her. Angelique's eyes widened momentarily at the grief present in his lavender eyes.

 ". . . I don't want to face the same pain of losing someone precious again." Their fate wouldn't let them be together and he had resigned to this fact.

...He's finally showing his true emotions...  She took a step closer. Her voice also turned quieter and calm. "You're right. As a human, I don't have an eternal life like you. It's true that we can't be with each other for eternity. That's a future we can't change."

His anguished eyes stared at her. Unlike him, her eyes were clear with strong resolve. Truly strange. Before, she used to hesitate so much. So when did she become this strong?

"But it's more important to think of the present. Right now, I'm here in front of you. We have an opportunity to enjoy the present. The present will become irreplaceable memories that will give us strength in the future. If you keep thinking of your fears, you won't be able to move forward."

She smiled ever so gently. "I want to cherish the present, this moment I have with you, more than worrying about an uncertain future."

Even through his gloves, Guiltia could feel the warmth of her hands when she held his left hand and held it in between hers. The smile present on her face was so painfully loving. 

"Guil-san, let's make so many happy memories that will make up for the sadness and loneliness of eternity."

"!!!"

That was it. Perhaps those were the words he so longed to hear in order to reassure himself. His breathing was uneven as he lightly gripped her hand back. His beautiful eyes betrayed the vulnerability of his heart.

"Do you truly feel that strongly about me?" His voice was shaking. Would he really walk the road of his deep fears?

"Yes."

" I pushed you away. Yet you are still willing to accept me."

"Because my feelings for you are genuine, Guil-san. It doesn't have to be for eternity. As long as I'm here right now, I want to keep showing you the beautiful side of love so that you won't be scared anymore."

He weakened his grip on her hand for a moment before intertwining their fingers. Her left hand returned to her side as he brought their linked hand to his lips.

"Angelique," Her heart started beating out of control when he pressed a small kiss on the back of her right hand. "Will you give me a second chance?"

...! There was a lump formed in her throat from happiness and heat rushed to her cheeks. Even if she hadn't said anything, he learned her answer from her blissful smile.

Guiltia was smiling as well. When was the last time he looked this happy? The tints of red hue on his cheeks served to convey his happiness all the more.

"Angelique, can I hold you closer?" He asked. Shyly, she nodded. I want to hug him too...

Carefully, Guiltia wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her close. He had longed to hold her close like this, protected in his arms. Angelique hugged him back by hesitantly wrapping her arms around his torso and rested her head on his shoulder. What should I do? My heart is beating so fast. He's sure to hear it! Indeed, he could clearly hear it.

Still, I don't want this feeling of happiness to go away. I'm incredibly happy right now.

"This time I won't let you go," Guiltia promised. He will hold his angel tightly.

Angelique beamed brightly, though he couldn't see it. "Me too. I won't let you push me away anymore."

I never knew being in love could make me so happy. I want to share this happiness with you, Guil-san. There will be uncertainties in our relationship but we'll try to figure it out together. Until we're pulled apart by destiny, I'll keep loving you. At present and also in the future... Let's be happy together!

Silently in their minds, they promised to love one another as the clock struck midnight.

To be continued...