Scene Cut
Rehani was walking alone through the forest. The air was cold, leaves whispered with soft rustling, and now and then the distant calls of birds drifted through. Her mind still burned with memories of the previous night — the light of the red moon, Kim's deep eyes, and that strange pull she still couldn't fully understand.
Suddenly she sensed a silent movement through the gap in the bushes. She stopped and looked, and saw a beautiful cat with a white-and-brown coat staring back at her. Its eyes were mysterious — almost as if they held human-like intelligence.
Rehani crouched and called softly, "Come... come here, little one."
The cat slowly approached and circled her feet. Rehani scooped it up into her arms. The cat settled against her chest as if ready to sleep. A small smile appeared on Rehani's lips.
"You're cute, aren't you," she said fondly. "What should I call you? Nekomaata, maybe? I don't know why, but that name just came into my head."
The cat let out a soft "meow," as if agreeing.
But Rehani realized this wasn't an ordinary cat. It radiated an odd warmth, and there was something in its eyes she had never seen before. Holding the cat in her arms, she began walking again—unaware that this little creature was about to open another door of mystery in her life.
Rehani returned from the forest with Nekomaata in her arms. The evening light streaked across the window glass, and the room felt filled with a peculiar peace. She sat on her bed and gently laid the cat on her chest.
"You're a cute kind of magic," she said with a laugh.
Nekomaata purred softly, curling into a small ball on Rehani's chest and closing its eyes. As Rehani stroked its soft fur, she suddenly felt a dizzy, dreamlike sensation—time seemed to slow, and all the surrounding sounds faded into silence.
She looked at the cat. For the first time in a long while she felt so much peace. There was no fear, no strain—just the company of a small creature and an intimate quiet.
Suddenly the cat's eyes opened. Those eyes no longer looked ordinary to Rehani. It was as if someone had looked straight into her—seeing her thoughts, her feelings, her fears, her longings… everything.
"Who are you?" Rehani whispered, her voice trembling slightly.
Nekomaata didn't answer. It purred softly and closed its eyes again.
Rehani realized—this cat was not what she had assumed. There was something here. Something deep. Something ancient. Something supernatural.
But she was not afraid. Instead, a strange courage began to grow in her chest.
Eventually Rehani fell asleep. Nekomaata lay peacefully on her chest, its warm breath touching her cheek. The room was silent, and the pale light of the red moon filtered through the window.
But...
Suddenly! Rehani opened her eyes. There was no cat on her chest.
Instead—there was a boy. An unfamiliar face, but his eyes held the same mysterious brilliance she had seen in Nekomaata's. The boy wore a white shirt, his long hair slightly tousled, and his face wore an oddly calm and compassionate smile.
Startled, Rehani slid to the very edge of the bed. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" Her voice mixed fear and curiosity.
The boy remained silent for a moment, then spoke softly, "You called me Nekomaata, remember?"
Rehani's eyes widened. She was nearly speechless. Every cell in her body felt cold.
"You were... a cat!" she whispered.
The boy slowly rose and looked into Rehani's eyes. "I'm still here. Only this form... tonight I appear in your dream. But don't forget me. You called me, Rehani. Now it's my turn to stay by your side."
Rehani stared in astonishment. The fear began to ease little by little. She felt a peculiar pull—like there was some old connection between her and the boy.
Cautiously, she reached out.
Her finger brushed his.
Warm and tangible. Even if it was a dream, the touch felt real.
"Are you dream or real?" Rehani asked.
The boy smiled lightly. "That's the question people ask most... but you already know the answer. Feel it. I'm here because you believed me."
Rehani's fingertip touched the boy's, the contact oddly real. Her breath caught—not from fear but as if some long-buried memory were returning.
Then she whispered, "Hm... I know."
The boy looked at her with curiosity, his brow slightly furrowing.
Rehani drew a deep breath; there was a secret spark of fire in her eyes. "I... I am a phoenix. Born of flame. Reborn from old memories."
The room's air suddenly felt heavy. The red light brightened, and faint lines of fire drifted around Rehani—quiet, yet alive.
The boy's eyes widened in surprise. Still, he smiled. "I didn't expect you to say something like that..."
Rehani stepped closer, confidence in her gaze. "Don't you know who you're talking to?"
She tilted her head slightly and a mischievous smile played at the corner of her mouth. "Alright, do you want to be my pet?"
At first the boy said nothing. Then, gradually, a smile returned to his lips—mysterious and a bit dramatic. He lowered his head slightly and knelt on one knee. "If you are a phoenix, then let me be... your shadow. Your protector. Your pet, if that will make you happy."
Rehani looked at him. It felt as if after ages she was finally sharing her true self with someone.
"Okay," she said, "but remember—being a pet to fire means you must learn to burn yourself."
Rehani's eyes now carried a strange brilliance, as if her soul itself was burning like fire. Yet within that fire was gentleness. Slowly, she moved closer to the boy—Nekomaata now in human form, his eyes filled with wonder and emotions unfamiliar.
Suddenly, like an old feline habit, he wrapped his arms around Rehani—seeking comfort, seeking safety. His arms held her waist, and his head rested against her shoulder.
Rehani trembled slightly, but she didn't move away. Instead, her fingers slid into his hair—soft, smooth, just as she used to stroke when he was a cat. The same touch had returned, but this time it was deeper, more real.
She whispered softly,
"You're still just as soft as before… only the form has changed."
Nekomaata said nothing. He only breathed deeply, as though Rehani's very existence was his peace.
Then, suddenly, his arms tightened around her waist. He lifted his head and placed a gentle, slow kiss upon her waist—like a thank you, a vow, as if to say:
"You chose me, so I am yours."
Tears welled in Rehani's eyes, but she said nothing. Inside her chest, a strange light began to burn—like fire, but one that didn't scorch. At that very moment, an invisible bond was forged between them, beyond time and form.
---
Elsewhere…
Darkness all around. A crimson sky. Towering gothic spires in the distance.
Kim sat upon a marble throne—his shoulders draped in a long black cloak, his gaze distant and weary.
"Everything feels boring… nothing excites me anymore," he muttered to a subordinate vampire standing nearby.
His eyes carried the ache of Rehani's absence and the dread of losing himself. All that power, all that kingdom—yet nothing but emptiness.
Suddenly—
A white flicker appeared in the distance. Not light, but a magical vibration spreading through the air.
Tap… tap… tap…
Small footsteps echoed, and from the shadows emerged a flash of golden-white fur.
A tiny nine-tailed fox!
Its body covered in soft, white fur, but its eyes shone with sharp intelligence. A childlike creature, yet with the soul of centuries.
Kim's eyes widened.
"Oh… wow… wait, who are you?"
He suddenly left his throne and crouched down.
The fox tilted its head slightly, staring at him. Those eyes… mysterious, unlike anything Kim had ever seen.
"You're absolutely adorable," Kim whispered.
He stretched out a hand—the fox stepped closer and rubbed its face against his fingers, letting out a small purring sound.
"What are you doing here?"
Though astonished, Kim felt a faint warmth inside. For the first time in so long, someone touched his frozen heart with a hint of comfort.
Then, a glimmer flickered in the fox's eyes, and Kim sensed—this was no ordinary creature. Something was hidden within. A power, perhaps… or a soul?
The fox stood before him. Small, silent, but its eyes seemed to say: "I know you."
Kim slowly crouched lower, extending his hand.
"You little thing…"
For the first time in ages, a real smile formed on his lips—soft, almost boyish.
The nine-tailed fox leapt into Kim's arms.
Light, warm, and strangely calming.
Its body pressed against his chest as it closed its eyes, purring softly.
Kim wrapped both arms around it.
He held it close, as one clutches something precious found after a long, lonely wait.
"Where did you come from? Why does it feel like… peace with you?" he whispered.
His fingers slid through its soft fur. The fox nuzzled its face against his neck, as though silently saying—"You are not alone."
For a while, Kim said nothing. Then he closed his eyes.
Under the blood moon's light, in the heart of the vast Vampire Kingdom, the dark king now held in his arms a white, fragile being that melted his frozen heart.
---
Kim was still holding the nine-tailed fox in his lap. His eyes carried a rare calm, a long sigh of gentle relief. The fox nestled close, radiating the warmth of an old friend.
Suddenly—
A rustle by the great door.
A vampire guard in black entered, bowing deeply.
"King Kim… Your Majesty—your father requests your presence immediately."
The soft glow in Kim's eyes vanished in an instant. His face hardened.
The air itself seemed to turn cold.
The fox lifted its head from his lap, sensing the change in him.
In a low voice, Kim muttered,
"It begins again…"
His familiar sorrow returned. He whispered softly to the fox,
"Stay here, alright? I'll be back."
But the fox seemed to understand—it brushed its tail lightly against Kim's hand, a small gesture of comfort.
Kim looked into its eyes—holding onto that fleeting warmth one more time before rising.
His voice firm,
"Come on. Let's meet the man who gave me blood… but not love."
---
Scene: Vampire Castle – The Throne Hall
A vast chamber. Walls drowned in shadow, towering black pillars, and at the center a massive throne. Torches burned with bluish flames, filling the air with a suffocating weight—as if the very wind carried the scent of blood.
Kim entered slowly.
His expression unreadable, his eyes far more solemn than before.
The vampire guards of the court bowed low—none dared to meet his gaze.
On the throne sat a vampire king—aged, yet his face bore a timeless hardness. His eyes, crimson and ever-watchful, seemed to pierce everything they saw.