Azazel was… resourceful.
The apartment he mentioned? Not some cramped flat in a communist bloc.
Something else entirely—spacious, stored away in one of București's newer neighborhoods.
A giant plasma screen. A PlayStation 4. Free Wi-Fi. Two bathrooms.
Beyond the windows, the familiar skyline of Bucharest stretched out—rows of massive communist-era apartment blocks, their balconies closed and patched up over decades.
In contrast, newer buildings stood among them—glass, cleaner facades, more Western in design—breaking the monotony without quite replacing it.
For a while, it was just the three of us.
Me and Haruka messing around on the PS, her getting way too competitive over nothing.
Suzuka, meanwhile, was curled up on the bed, quietly reading one of her French novels, stretched out like a cat, completely at ease.
Everything felt… peaceful. In a way Romania rarely was for me.
First, I'd show them the capital. Then, we'd go to Brașov.
Last time I came back, I was just passing through. But now? Now I actually had time.
Time to walk the old citadel again. The museums.
And take a walk up Tâmpa.
Then stroll through the Republicii street. Take a tour of the Black Church.
I had a lot of plans in mind.
Walking through the Old Central București felt like stepping into a different world from the rest of the city—more historical.
The narrow streets and worn facades carried echoes of its merchant past, while beyond them, the city opened into grand boulevards lined with buildings shaped by a different era.
Nineteenth-century Romania looked to France for inspiration—its elites drawn to Parisian culture, its architects importing Western styles, and its revolutionaries borrowing from the ideals that once reshaped France itself.
Suzuka's eyes lit up in a way I didn't see often, her usual gentleness giving way to quiet excitement.
"I can see why they call Bucarest le Petit Paris… it feels almost like home," she said, a little shy, a little childlike.
Haruka giggled.
"Yes, Claire, we know—you're very French," she teased.
Suzuka pouted faintly.
"Oof… please be quiet, Haruka-chan," she murmured, gently poking her nose.
I lived for moments like these.
"Well, it's pretty… if you ignore everything else. And maybe clear the so-called People's House of all its leeches," I muttered.
Suzuka gave a quiet, almost shy laugh, barely above a whisper.
"Every country has people unhappy with the political class, Kokonoe-kun. I really… didn't like Marine Le Pen," she murmured, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
I raised an eyebrow, smirking at her cautious tone.
"No country like ours. In Europe, at least."
"Bulgaria?" she asked softly, hesitant.
"Fair point," I conceded, like the most Romanian way to cope with mediocrity was to poke fun at the dumber guy.
Borat could easily pass for a Romanian, yet they made him Kazakh. Why?
Haruka rolled her eyes, hands up like she was pleading for mercy.
"Okay, okay, stop talking politics! I understand… nothing. Nada. Mouh sik la!," she said, her voice light and teasing.
At some point, the girls went off shopping while I wandered around, and that familiar shiver hit me.
ROALERT: Vampire nearby.
Of all places… a boutique.
I peeked through the window. A girl with silver hair—paler than a Scandinavian—stood behind the counter. Her ecusson read: "Mihaela Voinea."
Fake name, most likely.
If she's a girl, she's probably Carmilla faction.
She caught my gaze instantly and gestured me in.
"Hey! You're the famous newborn? I'm Millarca Vordenburg! And you are?"
I raised an eyebrow, leaning against the doorframe.
Famous, huh? I was hoping for subtle.
"Depends. My name's Kokonoe Takashi… though I used to go by Mihai Grădinaru, back when I actually cared about being a human," I said, shrugging. "Up to you which version you wanna use."
Millarca's silver eyes flicked over me, and her lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "Mihai Grădinaru… That explains the aura I felt."
She tilted her head, letting the sunlight catch her pale hair. "But Kokonoe Takashi works too. I suppose I'll go with Mihai—it feels more… Romanian."
For some reason, no one in Romania ever calls me Kokonoe. Everyone defaults to Mihai, like that life never ended.
I let out a quiet sigh.
The line between me and Kokonoe Takashi is blurring, and I'm not sure which side of it I belong to anymore.
"Ok, so, Mihaela, what are you doing in a human boutique? Area surveillance?" I asked with a shrug.
She chuckled. "I actually work here."
Color me surprised.
"Boutique life must be thrilling if it lets you study humans up close, right?" I replied.
Her grin widened, amused rather than annoyed. "Exactly. Watching them, seeing how they live… it's important. Even for someone like me."
I scanned her face for any sign of a lie.
I found none.
A small relief washed over me—maybe there are vampires who aren't just racist assholes. It's a starting point.
"Someone like you?" I raised an eyebrow.
"A Carmilla faction vampire, undercover among humans, just for fun?"
"Perhaps," she said lightly, tilting her head. "But it's far better than judging from afar. You never truly understand a species until you meet it in its own habitat."
I muttered under my breath, more to myself than her, "If more vampires thought like that, maybe their kingdom wouldn't be so fractured."
Millarca tilted her head, pale hair catching the sunlight. "Perhaps," she said softly, her voice almost teasing. "But division isn't always weakness. Sometimes it's just the way a society tests itself. The ones who adapt… they endure. The others… fade away."
She gave me a small, knowing smile.
"Consider it a lesson from someone who's been watching far longer than you think."
"It's a dog‑eat‑dog world," I said, casual. "Imagine you moderate social media content for a living, seeing the absolute worst people post online. Now imagine, after all that, they fire you—corporations being corporations.
You drown yourself in alcohol, spiral into addiction after a messy breakup in a Brașov flat… and that's supposed to be it, right?
Until you wake up in Japan, and suddenly unicorns are flying, and Transylvania being a vampire den is actually real."
Millarca's eyes widened slightly, and she let out a quiet, impressed breath. "I… I can't even imagine living through all that. You've been through more than most vampires see in a century."
"Definitely more than Lady Elmenhilde Karnstein," I muttered.
Millarca chuckled softly.
"Mihai, you're such a meanie. Elme is really a good girl… she's just a little too proud."
"A little?" I raised an eyebrow, letting the incredulity hang in the air.
She tilted her head, smirking.
"Well… okay, maybe more than a little. But it's part of her charm."
Her smirk deepened, and she leaned closer, letting her voice drop to a whisper.
"Actually… she talked about you. A lot," she murmured, like it was some top‑secret revelation.
I blinked, letting the words sink in. "She… did? Huh. What's she saying?"
Millarca threw her head back and laughed, the sound bright and teasing. "That you're infuriating. Insufferable. And that you think you're some kind of genius."
Ok. Yeah, that checks out.
She smirked knowingly, leaning back a little, clearly amused by my reaction. "Honestly… she doesn't admit it, but she respects you. Even if she'd never say it out loud."
Oh. I know.
That's exactly why I'm willing to try and pry her out of that aristocratic bubble she's been trapped in.
Call it… the Elmenhilde Karnstein Special Therapy Program, with yours truly as the lead therapist.
Doamne ferește.
I felt a hand on my back.
I spun around.
Oh. Hey, Elmenhilde.
And… bye.
Her gaze sharpened, every bit the aristocratic composure in place.
"What exactly are you two discussing?"
Her voice carried that formal tone that always made her feel older than she is.
Millarca's lips curved in a small, knowing smile, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Oh, nothing important, Your Grace," she said smoothly. "Just… theories on stubborn aristocracy."
I decided to interfere, cause why not.
"And what's Princess Karnstein doing down south? This is București, not Bistrița."
Elmenhilde's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint tilt of her head like she was weighing whether I'd earned the right to speak.
"I go where I am needed," she said, voice crisp, measured, yet carrying that commanding edge.
"București is no exception. And you… should be careful where your curiosity wanders, Mihai."
"Hey, relax. I was just surprised. You always seem locked up in that castle—I thought maybe you were a hikikomori."
Millarca laughed, bright and unrestrained.
"The newborn is sooo funny, Elme-chan! I like him!"
Elmenhilde's lips twitched—half amusement, half annoyance—but her gaze never wavered.
"I am hardly one," she said smoothly, tone clipped but with that signature, aristocratic precision. "And I don't appreciate being reduced to a stereotype, Mihai."
"But you do it to others, though. Like me," I retorted.
Elmenhilde's eyes tore into mine, calculating, but her composure didn't falter.
"I do not reduce others. I simply assess them," she replied evenly, the faintest trace of a smirk crossing her lips.
"You, however, seem intent on testing boundaries."
I shrugged, smirking. "Call it professional curiosity… or the Elmenhilde Karnstein Special Therapy Program."
Her eyes narrowed, sharp and incredulous.
"The what—?"
I laughed, letting the words hang. For a moment, I felt like I was winning.
Or… maybe not.
"By the way, Mihai," she said, tilting her head, "your companions have been looking for you. Perhaps you should stop leaving them worried while you chat with me."
Shit. I'd completely forgotten.
"Yeah, you're right. Gotta go. Vă pup, fetele, pa!" I called as I bolted for the door.
Mircalla's teasing about me being a "gentleman" and Elmenhilde's dry remark about me being a "disgraceful thug" didn't escape me.
Perfect.
I snuck up to Suzuka and Haruka, then casually fell into step beside them.
They didn't notice me at first. I counted silently—one… two… three.
Their heads snapped up.
"Kokonoe‑kun? Since when were you—t‑there?" Suzuka stammered, eyes wide.
"You scared me," Haruka said, cheeks flushed, trying—and failing—to hide her relief.
"I was here all along, what do you mean?," I asked with a shrug.
Suzuka blinked, her soft voice barely above a whisper.
"I… I didn't notice you at all. You really snuck up on us…"
Haruka crossed her arms, pouting slightly, though her eyes were shining with amusement.
"Geez, Kokonoe‑kun! Don't do that! You're supposed to warn us before popping out like some ninja or whatever."
Suzuka let out a quiet giggle, looking almost relieved.
"I'm glad you're here, though. Really."
Haruka elbowed her playfully, still grinning.
"See? I told you! He's not going anywhere… I think."
I just smirked, enjoying the little chaos I'd caused.
And before long, we were heading for Brașov, Nelu's wings cutting through the cloudy sky, Haruka curled up behind me.
Suzuka was flying beside us too, her wind powers surprisingly strong—enough to actually keep her in the air.
Below us, the serpentine hell of Prahova Valley stretched out—a nightmare from all those childhood car trips. I couldn't help but think how hilarious it would be if anyone could see me now.
The forests rushed past, a mix of pine and car‑fuel scent filling the air, Peleș Castle looming ahead over Sinaia's narrow cluster of buildings.
A small town, but full of historical sites.
"Is that a vampire castle too~?" Haruka asked, teasing.
"God, I hope not. Last I checked, that belonged to Carol I," I muttered, eyes narrowing at the sight.
"It's beautiful," Suzuka said, smiling softly.
"It's Romanian in style," I replied. "Carol and Elisabeta weren't exactly locals, but they didn't go with some marble palace. They went for something that actually fits the land."
Ten minutes later, we touched down in the forest near Brașov's maternity hospital.
If you weren't local, you'd have no idea it was a hospital at all—it looked more like a regular building tucked into the trees.
The sight of the Tâmpa Mountain, with the Hollywood-style city name sign, hit me like a flashback.
Home.
"Race you to the bottom?" I called to Haruka, turning with a grin.
"Bring it on!" she laughed, already tapping her foot on the slope.
We dodged trees, splashed through mud, and laughed like idiots, jumping over the little artificial "river" that ran down the alley between Livada Poștei and the maternity.
Suzuka, still in the woods, yelled, her voice sharp and furious—too angry for her usual gentle self.
"Kokonoe‑kun! Haruka‑chan! Putain, qu'est-ce que vous foutez tous les deux?!?"
Ma poule dans votre cour, I thought, smirking.
"What did she say?" Haruka yelled at me, like it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Probably something about us being assholes," I offered with a shrug.
Using her wind powers, Suzuka swooped down the valley, careful not to hit any trees—or anyone else.
She landed beside us, fists lightly bumping our shoulders in mock irritation.
"You idiots," she laughed, shaking her head.
We crossed the street and made our entry through Ecaterina's Gate towards the Republicii Boulevard, the Black Church looming ahead.
A Saxon Gothic landmark, its blackened-gray stone bricks contrasting sharply with the Wooden Church by the Civic Center.
Typical for a Romanian city of this size—plenty of churches, a small hospital thrown in somewhere.
"That church is so black!" Haruka exclaimed, pointing like it was the funniest thing she'd ever seen.
"Yeah," I said, smirking. "It survived a fire—and ended up with a badass paint job. Win-win."
"It could pass for a LaVeyan church if you didn't know better…" Suzuka chimed in, a slightly awkward attempt at a joke.
I couldn't help it—I laughed. That one was just too bad not to.
"I don't believe you!" Haruka shouted, laughing even louder than me.
Suzuka puffed her cheeks.
"You meanies…"
Honestly, the last thing I expected this summer break was to be showing Suzuka and Haruka my birthplace.
It felt like letting them into a part of me I'd tried to convince myself was gone.
A part that came back like an intrusive afterthought.
"Hey… did I ever mention I love you both?" I asked, like it was the most casual thing in the world.
The girls blinked.
Haruka's cheeks went bright red. "W-what…? Kokonoe-kun! That was so out of nowhere! I'm too shocked to be happy—but I am kinda happy—and… AAAAAAA!!"
Suzuka's lips curved into a soft, surprised smile. "You really don't hold back, do you?"
Haruka glanced at her, then buried her face in my shoulder, giggling. "Stop saying stuff like that… idiot. Love you too, by the way…"
Suzuka reached out, gently squeezing my arm. Then she leaned forward, whispering in my ear.
"Moi aussi, je t'aime plus, Michel."
She pulled back and blinked, letting out a soft laugh, like she still couldn't quite believe what just happened.
"I… I mean, I know you do, Kokonoe-kun, but hearing you say it so openly is… a little embarrassing," she admitted, voice gentle, almost shy.
She hesitated, fingers tightening slightly around my sleeve.
"But it also makes me… really happy. Happier than I've been in a while," she added, eyes softening. "So… um… I… I love you both too."
And because I felt a little mischievous, I grabbed Suzuka and Haruka by the back of their heads and pushed them into each other.
Their foreheads bumped first—then their lips brushed for a split second before they both froze.
Mission accomplished.
Haruka froze for half a second—then her face exploded into red.
"W-WHAT WAS THAT?!" she yelped, jumping back like she'd been electrocuted. "KOKONOE-KUN?! ARE YOU INSANE?!"
Suzuka blinked rapidly, her whole face flushed, fingers lightly touching her lips as if confirming it just happened.
"I… I… that was…!" she stammered, completely thrown off.
Haruka pointed at me, still red as a tomato.
"You don't just do that to people! What's wrong with you?!"
Suzuka let out a small, flustered laugh, trying—and failing—to recover her composure.
"Kokonoe-kun… that was very improper…" she murmured softly, though her voice carried more embarrassment than actual reproach.
"Relax, it's obvious you both want to do it. I'm just helping you realize it. I mean, seriously, you two have no idea how much like yuri bait your relationship looks from the outside," I said, as casually as possible.
Haruka stared at me, completely frozen—then her face went even redder.
"W-what are you even saying?!" she snapped. "That's not—! We're not—!" She turned toward Suzuka, only to get more flustered. "I mean, we're just—! Agh!"
Suzuka covered her mouth, cheeks burning, eyes darting between us.
"Kokonoe-kun… you shouldn't say things like that so openly…" she murmured, voice small and embarrassed.
Haruka pointed at me again, desperate to regain control.
"You're making it weird! It wasn't weird before, now it's weird!"
Suzuka let out a nervous little laugh, still flustered.
"I think… it's always been a little like that…" she admitted quietly, immediately realizing what she'd said.
Haruka whipped her head toward her.
"Suzuka?!"
"…I didn't mean it like that!" she added quickly, face somehow getting even redder.
Then Suzuka fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, gaze dropping, voice growing softer with every word.
"B-but… you do tease me… a lot, Haruka-chan… really… a lot," she murmured. "So it's a little confusing sometimes… you give me mixed signals…"
Haruka froze.
"W-what?!" she blurted out, then stopped, her expression flickering—confusion, embarrassment… something else. Her eyes drifted back to Suzuka, lingering a second too long.
"…I mean…" she started, quieter now. "I… I do like being around you. A lot. And when you smile like that, and laugh, and—" She cut herself off, face burning.
Suzuka looked up, surprised, hopeful.
"Haruka-chan…?"
Haruka groaned, dragging a hand through her hair.
"Ugh, I don't know! Maybe I do like you like that, okay?! Happy now?!"
That was my cue.
I raised a hand, already summoning Nelu. The familiar shape of the Archaeopteryx formed above us, wings spreading wide.
"Welp, emotional breakthrough achieved. I'll leave you two to figure that out," I said, stepping onto Nelu's back.
"Kokonoe-kun—wait!" Suzuka called, reaching out.
"HEY! You don't just drop that and leave?!" Haruka shouted.
I gave them a lazy salute.
"Proud of you both. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"And what does that even mean?!" Haruka snapped.
Nelu took off before they could grab me, their voices fading beneath the rush of wind.
"…He's unbelievable," Haruka muttered.
Suzuka let out a small, helpless laugh.
"…He'll come back."
A beat.
"…Right?"
Haruka crossed her arms, still flustered.
"If he doesn't, I'm actually killing him."
A few seconds later, the sound of wings cut back through the air.
I circled overhead, then dipped back down, hovering just above them with a grin.
"Relax, relax. I was joking. Hop on."
Haruka stared at me.
"…I hate you."
Suzuka just smiled softly, still a little flustered.
"…Welcome back, Kokonoe-kun."
And just like that, we were back in the air, heading toward Săcele.
"You two wanna see where I used to live?" I asked, like I wasn't casually dropping another bomb on them.
Haruka, still red from earlier, shot me a look.
"You're seriously asking that now? After everything you just pulled?!"
I shrugged. "What? Gotta keep the tour interesting."
She huffed, crossing her arms, but didn't look away this time.
"…Yeah. I wanna see it."
Suzuka nodded gently, a soft smile on her lips.
"I'd like that too, Kokonoe-kun." She hesitated for a moment, then added, quieter, "It's… important to you, isn't it?"
I glanced ahead, toward the distant edge of the city blending into the hills.
"…Yeah. Something like that."
Haruka shifted behind me, her grip tightening just a little.
"Then hurry up and show us already," she muttered.
Suzuka let out a small laugh, the tension from earlier easing into something warmer.
"Well, you're gonna see. But it's under expectations, really," I muttered.
We reached it in five minutes. The unfinished house. I swear I could see Mom and Dad arguing in their room at the top floor.
I ignored them. Not my place anymore.
Suzuka was the first to slow down beside me. She didn't say anything at first—just looked, really looked. Not judging. Just… taking it in.
"It feels… lived in," she said softly after a moment. "Like it hasn't tried to pretend to be anything else." Her voice was gentle, careful. "I think that's… honest."
Haruka, on the other hand, didn't bother hiding her reaction. She glanced over the unfinished walls, the sagging roof, the rough patches of plaster—and then back at me.
"…You grew up here?" she asked, not mocking, just surprised.
"Yeah."
She scratched the back of her head, shifting her weight.
"Huh." A pause. Then, quieter, "Kinda sucks."
Suzuka gave her a small look.
"What? I'm being honest!" Haruka shot back, then turned to me again, her tone changing. "But… I mean… you turned out fine. So it can't be that bad, right?"
"You think so?" I let out a quiet breath. "Living here in winter was the worst. This joke of an insulation? Heat disappears in minutes. You keep the AC running nonstop, and the bills just keep climbing. At some point it feels like you're paying rent just to exist."
Haruka's expression shifted, the edge fading.
"…That sounds awful," she muttered. "No wonder you complain so much."
I huffed. "I don't complain. I provide context."
Suzuka stepped a little closer to the house, fingertips brushing lightly against the cracked plaster like she was afraid to disturb it.
"It stayed," she murmured. "Even like this… it stayed."
Haruka crossed her arms, glancing between the house and me.
"…Yeah. Guess it's kinda like you, huh?"
I let out a quiet breath, eyes still on the window.
Then the gate creaked open.
A kid stepped in—light brown hair, hazel eyes, a battered backpack slung over one shoulder.
Me.
"Anyu! Otthon vagyok!" he shouted.
The door opened. A woman with soft red hair—unmistakably Hungarian features—stepped out, warmth in her eyes.
"Gyere ide, kicsi fiú," she called gently.
I just stood there, watching it unfold like a scene I wasn't supposed to see again.
Haruka nudged me, voice low, almost breathless.
"Hey… Kokonoe-kun… is that…?"
"Yeah," I said quietly, not looking away. "Kid Mihai. That's me."
Suzuka's eyes softened, something tender flickering across her face.
"You were… very adorable," she said gently. "And… happy."
That last word hit harder than I expected.
I exhaled slowly, forcing my gaze away.
"Let's just… get the hell out of here."
Nelu formed beneath us, and we took off before I could think twice.
Săcele blurred beneath us. I didn't look back.
Just nudged Nelu back towards Brașov.
Then—
A distant boom.
I turned instinctively, eyes scanning the skyline—until I locked onto it.
The central area.
A bloc near the Socar gas station on Hărmanului Street.
Smoke. Debris. The front torn open like a drone just punched straight through it.
For a second, my mind refused to process it.
Then it clicked.
My heart froze.
My grandma lives there.
"…No," I muttered, heartbeat spiking, eyes glued to the damage. "No, no, no—"
Nelu dipped slightly as my focus slipped.
"Kokonoe-kun?" Suzuka's voice came, worried now.
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
All I could see was that building.
And all I could think was—
She's still inside.