Narrator's P.O.V

~ Erica, 7 years old . . . ~

"Hey, mama . . ." started little Erica, questioning her mother.

"Hmm––? What is it Eri?" her mom replied in her softest voice.

"Do demons exist in the real world? Then who will defeat them? Are they very strong?" A string of questions spilled out from her young daughter's mouth, making the mother chuckle. She was about to answer when someone interrupted.

"Why is that you want to know about all these stuff, little angel?" Eugene, Erica's father, broke in.

"Papa!" young Erica joyously ran to her daddy's arms. "I NEED to know papa! So that I can become a GREAT person like mama and papa who protects innocent people from bad things....." she answered with a cute pouting face.

"A-HAHAHAHA!!! Cherie, we've got a promising lil' detective here!" Eugene laughed boisterously while Cherilyn, the mother, just smiled broadly. It was the moment, which she could NEVER forget . . . . .

Erica's P.O.V

~ At the hospital ~

'Where am I?' I questioned inside, as soon as I came to conscious. My eyes were still droopy before closing them back again. Everything was serene . . . , like the warm sunlight shining through the white curtains, a soothing breeze from the window, and . . . a sleeping prince-charming . . . . .

'. . . Hmm!?'  (0_0)!?

My eyes instantly shot opened that time –despite the drowsiness- as if spotting a tiger out of nowhere! 'WHO IS HE!!??' I yelled subconsciously, not knowing what to do. It was still six in the morning, so I decided to wait for him to get up . . . and explain the whole story.

'Tick...tock...tick...tock...'

Everything except the wall-clock was silent in the hospital room. Nervousness crept along my back and I kept glancing at him EVERY MINUTE! 'Gah! What is wrong with me!?' I panicked, realizing all the cause was the guy who's lying on the couch.

From the looks, he was about my age, or maybe older. His dark-lavender hair looked sleek under the sunshine, wavy, and its ends curving up a bit on reaching the shoulders. A fair complexion and flawless skin; long, dark eye-lashes and soft, parted lips, breathing out little snores in his slumber. His left hand rested on his forehead and the other on his chest, holding a novel. Being curious, I got up to take a closer look.

"The Mid–night Puppe–teer . . . ?" I murmured while scanning through its cover. I arched an eyebrow to its strange name before looking up to his face, who was then staring at me from the corner of his eyes . . .

'Wait, what!? He's up ALREADY!!??' My eyes widened as he caught me by surprise.

"U-um... M-morning!" I blurted out while backing away a little. I was still trapped in the intense gaze of his scarlet orbs. Covering his mouth as he yawn, the hunk sat up from his current position.

"You're up... Good. Seems your injuries aren't that serious. God saved you back there . . . . CLUTZ!" he said. Just then did a vein popped on my head, "C-C-C-CLUTZ!!??" I stuttered at his comment. "Are you talking about ME!?"

"If not, do you think I'm talking to myself!?" he spat sarcastically with a 'You-are-so-irritating' look. "Tsk! No wonder you're also an idiot!" he added in an undertone, emphasizing the word 'idiot'. The purple-head could probably see me fuming above my head and the gritted teeth, because he stopped saying anything. I was about to retort back when the door flung opened, interrupting me.

"ERICA!!!" shouted the middle-aged man in his office suit, wearing an extremely worried yet delighted expression on his good-looking face. My uncle was relieved to see me.

"Oh, hi uncle!" I calmly greeted to the bachelor who suddenly gave me a bone-crushing hug. "C-Can't b-breathe! *cough(x2)*" Only then he'd release his grip, giving me an apologetic smile. 'Tch! This old man!' I thought, before hearing someone mutter, "Hmp! Like uncle, like niece . . ."

'GRRR!!!! He REALLY is ANNOYING! Yet he has those good looks; how frustrating!' my inner self yelled. Then a question popped up. 'How does he know we're relatives?' My uncle merely smirked and started introducing us to each other. Never had I thought that a misfortune would befall, I just laid low before my uncle spoke up.

"So Erica, this is Dan. And Dan . . . ," he gestured at me, ". . . she's my niece, Erica –that I've been talking to you about– and, your partner-to-be."

(–_–) . . . . . (0_0)!!!???

"WHAT!!!???" I shouted at the top of my lungs that could shake the whole building.

"Oh-shoot! Girl, this is a HOSPITAL for god's sake!" Dan grumbled, covering his ears with both hands before pointing at the 'Please talk softly' sign. But I just ignored him and turned to question my regretful-looking uncle at the edge of the bed.

"*sigh* Gosh, Erica. You don't need to make a fuss! Haven't you read your partner's profile I gave ya the day before?" he asked, raising a brow with his arms folded. "What are y–," before I finish my sentence, memories of that day flowed back, which I'd wished they didn't. "I . . . haven't read it . . . But seriously, why didn't you show up that day AUBERGINE HEAD???" I asked as I turned to him again, only to be 'welcomed' by his 'awesome' glare.

Wulf's P.O.V

I thought it'd be best for Erica to pair-up with Dan. Well, since they're about the same age and Dan, that boy, is more than dependable. And I'd presumed my niece would be pleased to have a co-worker like him too..... '*sigh*' But at the moment . . . they're shooting daggers at each other.

"Y'know what Mr. Wulf, she's REALLY a different kettle of fish from what you've told me....," exclaimed Dan.

"HAH! The pot calling kettle black!" Erica hissed back.

'How am I gonna handle this?' asking myself, I sighed again......

'Killing aura detected . . . . .'  –_–ll