The sun was already rising on the eastern horizon with a soft light that made Lavelle squirm slowly under the thick blanket. A few moments later, she woke up with a heavy head and the strong scent of wine on her body. Lavelle couldn't remember anything about last night's events except the memory of her being too drunk from drinking three glasses of wine and a glass of whiskey.
Lavelle was slightly surprised when she realized that there was Theophile sitting on a chair while looking at her with a strange look, a gaze that seemed to want to strip Lavelle at that moment. Lavelle furrowed her brows, feeling confused, surprised, and unable to think straight at that moment.
"You slept well enough," muttered Theophile.
"Um… how did you get in here?" asked Lavelle.
"Hmm? I opened the door." Theophile smiled wryly.
"I mean, why are you here? Did something happen to that—"
"What were you thinking when you woke up, and a guy was staring at you? I hope you don't think badly of me," Theophile replied, then stood up from his seat and took a beautiful asymmetrical dress which was black and sprinkled with thousands of glitters in the shape of a star. Theophile gave the dress to Lavelle.
Lavelle was silent, still not understanding what Theophile was doing, and one more thing, she was too dizzy to think any further. And forcing herself to think half-drunk was a ridiculous thing that would probably drive Lavelle even more crazy in front of Theophile.
"Clean yourself up, sweetie. Wear that dress, and I'm waiting for you at the dinner table," Theophile said.
"But …."
Theophile took a deep breath. "Just follow my orders. Your friends are downstairs waiting for you."
Lavelle scratched the back of her neck that didn't itch and then gave Theophile a questioning look.
"Just clean yourself first, then come down to the dining room." Theophile turned his gaze to a burnt-out fireplace.
"Are you saying you sent some people to pick up the three of them?" asked Lavelle.
"See you later, dear. I have to tell some people to prepare the fireplace materials." Theophile paid no heed to Lavelle's question. He preferred to leave immediately and avoid Lavelle that morning.
Lavelle did not understand why Theophile had suddenly become so strange that morning. Lavelle only speculated that the creature was indeed strange. She got up while scratching her neck, which didn't itch, did a little warm-up before taking a bathrobe and hurriedly soaking her body in the mixture of the fragrant essences. Lavelle sighed with an occasional grumble as she felt a pain in her waist.
Once again, he scratched her neck which did not itch, then she quickly put on a slipper that was so soft with a butterfly motif, then walked to a cupboard at the end of the room to turn off the scented candles. After that, Lavelle rushed to the toilet and prepared warm water for herself while choosing some of the essences she decided to soak that morning. Every now and then, thinking about the strangeness that Theophile had shown this morning, Lavelle thought, how could her friends be here overnight? Was the distance from this kingdom to their cabin really that close?
Lavelle saw her own reflection in the mirror, then cursed in her heart because she felt dizzy. For a long time, she decided to choose several scents, namely sandalwood, rose flower, and ylang flower.
+++
"Well ... you never go wrong choosing a girl. The girl you have a crush on always has a charm that is so soul-stirring and real." Juno looked mesmerized when he saw Lavelle descend so slowly and put on a dress that Theophile had given her.
"I also think that this girl named Lavelle has a hidden charisma that can attract. I don't know, and I just think she is beautiful inside and out," Johnny replied.
Lavelle seemed to be walking so awkwardly towards them, and Theophile, who noticed Lavelle's arrival, immediately stood up and pulled a chair closer to him. Lavelle found Daniela there, sitting next to Mark and the look on her face looked so uncomfortable being there. Theophile tried to ask Lavelle to sit on the chair quickly, and immediately Lavelle could only nod because she really couldn't think hard this morning.
"Even in a pretty light make-up, she still looks so beautiful like a goddess," Johnny said as he pointed his fork at Lavelle.
"Lavelle has been beautiful since birth, and this is a beauty gene inherited by Lavelle's mother," Mark chimed in Johnny's praise.
"Wow, I can't imagine how beautiful your mother is, Lavelle. You're already beautiful like this, then why did you say that you have such a beautiful best friend like Lavelle, Mark? Look at your handsome and introverted brother who seems to be starting to have a crush on Lavelle," Johnny said later, glancing at Theophile with a teasing smile.
"I'm just following Tristan's words, that I shouldn't mix business here with the affairs of the human world. And I was so surprised when Theophile came to the cabin a while ago. I didn't call him when I wanted to come here," Mark replied.
"Wait, Wantemalon... you know all of them?" asked Lavelle, interrupting their conversation.
Johnny raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Wantemalon?"
Mark sighed, then spoke a little nervously, "Lavelle, I can explain. Obviously, you have to trust me that I don't mean to hurt you both."
"What exactly do you mean, Mark? You conspired with them?" asked Lavelle, a little pressing.
"It's not like that, I can explain. I… I am part of them," Mark stammered.
"Are you kidding me?! What about you, Shotaro?"
Shotaro scratched the back of his neck that didn't itch, then replied, "I'm sorry, Lavelle. I really didn't mean to lie or conspire with them to hurt you. But, in reality, I'm not a human."
"Damn it! You're joking, right? How can you two be vampires when we've both known each other for a long time." Lavelle clenched her jaw, ignoring the gazes of the creatures who were currently staring at her with a strange look.
"We didn't lie one bit because it's a fact that you should know by now. I've also been trying to hide my identity all along, but still, I have to reveal it someday, right? And I think it's better now, and I'm a vampire hiding my identity so that I can live in the human world." Mark confirmed.
"What the fuckin' fact is this, huh? It's crazy!" Lavelle shouted to Mark.
"Calm down, and I just realized that Lavelle doesn't understand that Mark and Shotaro are vampires camouflaged in the human world. I understand you must be feeling really shocked and betrayed. But don't worry. We have no interest in eating the blood of living humans. As you can imagine, we eat the essence of dead humans." Johnny said then, put down his fork, and glanced at Mark.
"This is a crazy reality but, you have to believe it, Lavelle," Mark snorted again.
Lavelle was even more surprised when Johnny clarified what she had not known all along. Lavelle initially thought that Mark was a son of a conglomerate of humans and Shotaro, who she thought was the son of a rich entrepreneur from Japan, but, the reality was very far from what she had thought all along.
"Are you surprised?" asked Johnny.
"Explain to me how not to be surprised? The two of them have known me since I was a child, and I only realize this now? They've been lying to me for a long time, and surely, they know what I'm hiding. You guys are absolute trash! I hate you! "Lavelle replied.
Mark nodded understanding. "I expected it, and I understand you must be angry that I hid my identity for so many years from you two. However, I hope that our friendship will never end."
"Damn. So, you purposely ordered me to build a cabin here just to make myself prey for your brothers?" asked Lavelle.
"No! You misunderstood! I suggest you build a cabin here because there is an important place that is not open. And, of course, here it has a view and wonderful air. You have a condition that has really concerned me for a long time, and that's why I would like to suggest that you build a cabin here." Mark stood awkwardly and embarrassed with a face as red as a boiled shrimp.
Johnny raised his hand, signaling both of them to stop talking for a moment and to give him a chance to share his opinion. "I understand, Lavelle must be very disappointed because she felt cheated by Mark and Shotaro. But I also can't justify Lavelle's current position, which says that Mark and Shotaro did that on purpose."
"What do you think?" asked Lavelle, "Don't tell me you've been the one always hurting those bastard men all this time?"
Mark was just silent when Lavelle asked some ruffian guys who always bothered her at school and at home-also with several girls who often harassed her, so they didn't dare to look at Lavelle's face again.
"Well... you get that," Mark muttered.
"Come on, don't start the morning with a silly argument. Come on, let's get started with breakfast... these few days I've been craving some French dishes, so I asked the chef to make them," Johnny mediates a ridiculous argument between Lavelle and Mark, then grabs his knife and fork.
Several servers came in carrying food trolleys that looked varied and delicious. Juno smiled with satisfaction seeing the food at, not with Theophile, who looked very restless. Even his eyes, which were usually as sharp as an eagle's gaze, just trembled uncontrollably a little cute when you looked at them.
"Theo, let's have breakfast first, then go to have some fun," Johnny muttered.