Kiyomi Tsuki y su zorro

Capítulo 6

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [14]: CHARMIN BAR is divided into two parts, an inner and an outer section, separated by a thick curtain. Only one corner is lifted, and the light inside is very dim. Looking into the bright outer section, you would think that there are no lights on. In fact, there are red candles inside, which are short and plump and placed in a small glass bowl filled with water, and they shake occasionally.

Red is the main color of the inner room, and soft textiles are the decorations throughout. The curtains are red, embroidered with gold thread patterns, and hang to the ground. The tablecloth is also red and hangs to the ground. The sofa is so large that you can sink into it and take a nap. It also has a puffy little cushion and delicate tassels around it.

The wine was also red, served in a bright, clear crystal-like goblet, and tasted sweet, like nectar, yet also like poison.

The red disc played soothing music, very soft, almost inaudible.

The vast majority of customers are regulars who come here on fixed days, order fixed drinks, and sleep at fixed times. It's a way for them to relax and escape reality.

At this time, they are absolutely docile and unguarded.

Sitting in the outer room is a different story. For example, the light outside is very strong. There are more than twenty small spotlights above the bar, shining incandescent light. The clear, shiny wine glasses refract it into dazzling fragments. Generally speaking, people sitting at the front of the bar tend to be tongue-tied, partly by nature and partly to combat this dizziness.

Perhaps I arrived too early; there weren't many customers yet, and the waiters were subtly swaying their bodies. I, on the other hand, kept observing some meaningless phenomena.

Just as I was dozing off, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw a very handsome man in front of me.

Just as I was about to greet him in a friendly manner, he said in an excited, almost distorted voice, "Can you give me back my rib?"

I suspect I have a hearing problem.

“…ribs…” I repeated hesitantly.

The excited light in his eyes suddenly vanished, replaced by undisguised disappointment; he had clearly mistaken the person for someone else.

"Excuse me, you were sitting in her seat. I thought it was her."

I took it upon myself to think of TA as her, and then felt it was unnecessary to occupy this spot, so I asked the waiter, "Is table number 13 empty? I'd like to go in."

The waiter nodded, and just as I climbed down from the chair, the handsome man called out to me again.

"You want number 13?"

"Yes." Could it be that channel 13 is also hers? This once again proves that my words always come true, even if they are not good.

“She also wants number 13. You really resemble her, or perhaps you know her…” I climbed back onto the chair; it was too high, making it difficult to get up and down. Curiosity compelled me to want to know just who this “she” was.

"Who exactly is this 'she' you're talking about?" Damn it, I've caught the habit of using honorifics too.

"She's the one who borrowed my rib." This absurd statement, tinged with horror, did not distract me from observing him.

He doesn't look like a Chinese person, even though his skin color, hair color, and eye color all conform to Chinese standards.

His skin was incredibly smooth, his hair slightly curly, and his eyes shone with an eerie light that seemed to draw you in. His features were sharp and defined, and he carried a sandalwood scent that seemed out of place here, the kind found in very ancient and worn temples.

“I think I should tell you the story; perhaps you can pass it on to her.” He was also a little excited, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

"Why should I pass on this to her? Just because I'm sitting here and chose table 13? But that's alright, it doesn't stop me from listening to your story, I love stories." I waited with great interest for him to continue, this was a pretty good prelude, one sign of which was that we didn't know each other and hadn't exchanged names, I do like unexpected and unpredictable mysteries.

"You know, in the West, 13 is an unlucky number, so I always like to stare at the person sitting in seat number 13. Since they chose 13, they are prepared to face misfortune."

“I don’t think so. 13 is a very good number,” I retorted.

"Why is it good?" he asked, looking at me.

"Because I like it."

He burst into laughter.

"Why do you say it's unlucky? Isn't it because you don't like it? Our reasons are the same."

“No.” He stopped laughing and looked at me seriously. “I like it. I like misfortune.”

It was my turn to glare at him.

"The person sitting in front of you now is a person, and I believe you have already noticed that." This statement sounds strange.

“And before, to be precise, a year ago, I was a vampire.” He uttered the last few words very easily, then grinned, a gesture that wasn’t as terrifying as in the movies, but rather a bit playful.

“That’s very interesting. So, what should I call you? Louis or Count Simon?”

"Did you know? Vampires and humans are closely related. We are the same as humans in many ways, so I also have my own name. My name is Lin Mei."

"I don't consider you to be a close relative of mine, because I don't consider myself a bat." My brain is already a bit out of control. Whenever things are like this, they either get better or worse. I have no idea how this time will be.

"You really know how to interrupt, just like her. But I hope you can listen to me, otherwise I'm afraid I won't be able to finish before dawn, and then I won't have the chance." As he spoke, he ordered a drink from the waiter and elegantly raised his finger.

I held back what I was about to say and gestured for him to proceed. I had originally wanted to ask him what he meant by "no chance," but I figured he would tell me eventually. That's how stories always go, isn't it?

“You just mentioned Louis and Count Simon, so I think you know a little about us, although I’m sure it’s very one-sided, but I still hope it will help our communication.”

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [15]: "The world is constantly changing, and humanity is constantly progressing. Vampires are too. Perhaps 'progress' is not accurate, but rather 'evolution.' Vampires are not cannibals or Satan. They just have certain characteristics. Bloodlust is a necessity for our survival, but it does not mean that we like to kill. More often than not, we hope to live in peace with humans and depend on each other."

"I'm happy to think of vampires as a kind of creature I don't understand rather than as demons. But I still have reservations about what you said. Dependence exists, but it's not necessarily mutual. Humans don't need vampires."

“This shows how selfish humans are,” he said in a tone that resembled an aria.

I retorted, "Aren't vampires the same? They have no emotions, and their only purpose in approaching people is to suck their blood and then throw them into hell."

"So vampires and humans are close relatives, huh? I'm sorry, I don't want to argue with you. I just wanted to tell you a story." He raised his glass and made an apologetic gesture.

"I'll try my best not to argue with you, but I hope you won't go too far," I said with a smile.

He shrugged: "Okay."

"Where was I? The 13th, yes, the 13th. Actually, just as you said, the 13th doesn't have any special meaning; it's just that people impose their own wishful thinking on it. But, people who choose the 13th are either apathetic or exceptional. So I like to keep an eye on them. For the former, I can awaken their souls; for the latter, I can amuse them. Either way, it's just a little trick to entertain myself and others."

"Don't rush, let me finish." He looked me straight in the eye without fear.

"As I mentioned before, vampires are also evolving, and the biggest manifestation of this evolution is that our goal is to drink blood, not to kill. This way, we can minimize the damage."

"Judging from your tone, it's as if you've done something incredibly good, but in the end, isn't it still killing people?"

I don't know if I can't control my mouth or if I don't want to.

“Blood-sucking is essential for our survival, I don’t deny that, and the blood we suck, unless intentionally, will not harm the human body, you should understand that. Why can’t people make a little sacrifice?”

“Sacrifice is based on voluntariness, and voluntariness means…” He made a gesture to stop me, which was extremely impolite, but at that moment it didn’t feel so comforting.

“Like everyone else, I also enjoy a more structured life. For two or three years, I would come here every few days, sit on the soft sofa, and spend an hour or two observing the people at station 13. I was lucky that it was never empty. Then I would spend another hour or two getting closer to them, and finally, I would achieve my goal.”

"Although it may sound arrogant, the course of events is generally within my control. Some people fall ill after they leave and spend some time in bed. This doesn't do them any harm; the reduction of physical desires can awaken the soul, and momentary reflection often changes their future. Others, however, feel like they've had a nightmare, remembering things they've long forgotten. In this world, not everything goes according to plan. I sit on the soft sofa, watching all this, quite content. I don't feel like I'm doing anything wrong."

“All evil deeds are done under one pretext or another,” I thought maliciously to myself.

“As long as I come, I will definitely do that thing.” Perhaps he noticed my aversion to “vampire”, so he cleverly used an ominous word.

"But one day I didn't, and that's when I saw her."

"She is different from others. Her eyes are neither blank and numb nor arrogant and conceited. They are full of interest and stories. Stories brew interest, and interest adds more stories to it."

"She didn't lean back or sink into the sofa like most people. She always sat upright, her gaze firm and bright, sweeping over everything. She would also order wine, but not red, that blood-like color, but white, blue, or green, incredibly refreshing, with a sense of life."

“I really wanted to say something to her, but for the first few days her eyes only showed observation, not conversation, so I didn’t dare to make a move. I admit I was swayed by something indescribable, which is impossible for a vampire.”

He took a sip of the wine in his glass and stopped.

"And then what?" I was so engrossed in the story that I forgot to argue with him.

"Later, one day she sat at the front desk, in the spot you just sat in. It seems to be an unwritten rule that sitting there signifies conversation or something else. So I went up to her, and when she saw me, she smiled. I swear, it was the most beautiful smile in the world. It had no ulterior motive, it was completely transparent and pure." He put down his cup, his face veiled with nostalgia and longing.

"I was thinking about how to start the conversation when she spoke first. "'The holiday is coming soon, where are you planning to go?'" "I remembered that May Day is coming soon, a great opportunity for Chinese people to rest. This in itself is not surprising. What surprised me was that she said this to me as if we had known each other for a long time, or as if we had just finished a conversation and started a light new topic."

I shook my head, indicating that I was waiting for her to continue.

“‘I want to go to Suzhou alone, but my mother disagrees. She asks me to find a female companion, but I can’t find one.’” --- The Fairy of the Magpie Bridge replied [16]: “She frowned, looking adorably distressed.”

"I smiled and said, 'Why do I need a female companion? A male companion works just as well.'" "She didn't respond to me, but a cunning glint suddenly appeared in her eyes. The suddenness and intensity of this glint surprised me greatly."

"Could you lend me a rib?"

"These innocent and pure words, like the sweet dew of a clear spring, are so terrifying that even I, a vampire, cannot help but feel a chill."

"rib cage……"

“At that time, I pronounced it just like you did, and she continued to smile, still transparent and pure.”

“‘Yes, the rib on my left side. You must have read the Bible. I can use it to make a woman and then go out with me. Don’t worry, I’ll return it to you when we get back. I promise.’” “This didn’t sound like a joke at all. I even felt a chill run down my spine. I had an uneasy feeling in my left side, as if it would jump out of my body with her words.”

"To fight this feeling, I tried my best to dig out the desires in my heart, the desire to suck blood. I ordered a drink and handed it over."

“It may have seemed like just a moment, but I was completely exhausted. You know, vampires have magic, and I poured all the magic I could into it. I wouldn’t normally do this, but I had to do it for her.”

She took the wine, but didn't drink it right away. Instead, she continued to ask, "Is it good?" The cunning in her eyes was replaced by fervor.

“‘Oh, I’m sorry, I don’t know how to borrow it.’” “I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth. If she was unhappy, wouldn’t I have wasted my time? But I was really lucky that day.”

She wasn't angry. She downed the wine in one gulp and said in a tone that was half angry and half annoyed, "How stingy! It's not like I'm not going to pay you back!"

"I breathed a long sigh of relief; the rest was much simpler."

"You... drank her blood?" My eyes widened. I think I must look incredibly conflicted right now, a mixture of anger, fear, and hope.

"That's what I thought, but I didn't do it, or rather, I didn't succeed."

What does this mean?

"I kissed her, and then I fell into a deep sleep, as if I were under her spell."

"Um?"

"I slept until dawn, the sunlight was warm and bright, but she had already left, and even paid the bill."

"Wait a minute." I interrupted him, laughing with an excited and insightful tone: "Your story is wonderful, but unfortunately you overlooked the most crucial point, which is a fatal mistake: vampires cannot be exposed to the sun."

He burst into laughter, even louder than I was, how awful.

"Didn't I just say that I'm a person now? And when did it start? From that day on. I'm also very confused and surprised. When the sunlight shines on me, I really think I'm dreaming. And you know, we don't dream. I think I'll only know how this is when I meet God or Satan."

"It's hard to make sense on its own, but it's still a pretty good story." I nodded and smiled politely.

“Ever since then, I’ve often felt pain here.” He pressed his hand to his left chest, his handsome face twitching slightly. “I think she really did borrow my ribs. It’s not pleasant to be without ribs. I’ve been waiting for her to return them, but it’s been a year.” He lowered his hand, making a helpless expression.

"If you see her, please tell her for me that I'm waiting for her to return my rib." He said this very seriously, not like he was joking, or rather, his acting skills were truly superb.

"Why do you keep saying I saw her? Why would I see her? Even if I did see her, how would I know it was her?" I asked in one breath.

"You will definitely see her, if you believe me, and I know you will believe me."

He approached me with a smile, exuding a captivating aura.

"I think you've overlooked something. The story isn't over yet. Why didn't you get a chance? It's a rather incomplete question for me to ask." It's quite a pleasure to have the opportunity to ridicule such a handsome man.

"Nothing much, I just wanted to change my life a bit. Making a decision without a reason is a human trait, isn't it?" He smiled and pointed to the skylight: "Look, it's already dawn. I should go."