Jade immediately stood up as soon as she heard Max's confession of love. She wanted a man who could confess his feelings to her on Valentine's Day like this. But hearing that confession from someone she just met, she still couldn't believe it.
"For a long time … those words were my biggest confession to you. When we first met, I pretended not to know you. But actually, I've known you for quite a while, Jade."
Whether she should be upset or angry, Jade couldn't decide yet. Knowing that there was a man who had known her for a long time, which meant that he had known her secretly, pleased her. Of course, for her to be admired by a man was an honor.
"I know you often go out like this in the woods without feeling afraid."
"I know your name."
"I know what you're like."
"I know-"
"Max, stop! If you want me to believe you, well … I do," Jade said, stopping him.
Max looks a little relieved. But he hadn't told her who he was nor had he told her who her father was.
While pacing in front of Max, Jade thought hard about asking a question. But sadly, Jade didn't have any questions running through her head yet.
"Listen, you're handsome, you're kind and very sweet. You're romantic too! I like that, Max. I like flowers as well as romantic men like you. But, didn't you like me too soon?"
"No. Maybe it's too soon for you. But I've been long."
Jade exhaled. She was single and no one approached her. She also admitted to herself that this was the first time a man had done this to her. Made her heartbeat as if to live for a longer time.
Rather than just words, actions are what women want, including her.
"Be my life, Jade," said Max, getting up. He took her hand and placed it right in his heart.
Jade was taken aback by his actions as well as the cold touch from the man's hand. She almost froze and shuddered with cold. There was a movement of wanting to move away, but for some reason, she didn't feel like it.
That cold touch she thought Max was cold, but seeing he wasn't wearing warm clothes, instead of wearing a shirt with his long sleeves rolled up, it felt very strange.
"S-sorry ... It was not my intention to be rude," Max said.
"No. I'm just still in shock."
Max waited for Jade's answer. While Jade is still silent and still curious about Max. For some reason, she wanted to know more about Max. That man, for the past few minutes, or maybe an hour has already managed to grab a piece of her heart.
"There's a lot I want to tell you, Jade. A story I shouldn't be telling you, but I want you to get to know me more quickly," Max said.
"I wanted to tell you that on Valentine's Day."
Find an honest and romantic man overnight? Jade didn't even think about it.
She noticed the movement of Max's lips that spoke to her. The way he blinks and the eye color look different.
"Be my girlfriend and my life partner," Max said again.
"W-what do you want to tell me?" Jade asked.
"But promise you won't be afraid, run away from me, or reject me ... because I know you will want to accept me as your boyfriend."
Max was so confident saying that Jade couldn't cover her lips from the shock of meeting a man who was so confident and seemed selfish to have her.
Without thinking, Jade nodded. She didn't care what Max said after this. She wanted to know. Her body demands such great curiosity and longing. Obviously what Max said was not wrong.
"Your father was meritorious to humans. To your people. He was a hero, Jade. But he was also an enemy to the creatures he hated," Max began.
"Max, what do you mean? Human? Creature? I don't understand."
"Jade, your father is a vampire hunter and I am that creature. And I am a vampire, Jade."
***
Trying to understand in the lonely darkness, getting sadder and more violent, made her hard to think.
She paced back and forth while looking at Max who was standing in front of her with an erect body without moving.
[How can I meet a vampire? Does such a thing exist] she thought to herself?
She bit her fingernails. She wasn't nervous, she was just still confused about all of this.
"If you don't believe me, I can prove it," Max said.
"W-with what?"
"Bite your hand. That's the small option," Max said.
Her body shuddered when she heard that. Being bitten by someone might sound normal, but being bitten by someone who claims to be a vampire, Jade still imagines that her safety will not be guaranteed.
"W-what if I die?" Jade asked.
Max chuckled slightly and smiled. But then his facial expression turned more serious. "I'm the one who bit you, and I'm the one who'll heal you. You'll get better just by drinking the blood from my body," Max explained.
Again, without hesitation because of her perfect feelings, Jade stretched out her hand. "Bite me," she said.
At first, Max hesitated because it turned out that Jade decided so quickly. But he did intend to prove it with just one night's walk.
Max holds her hand. Then he brought Jade's arm towards his mouth where his two fangs had already appeared.
Jade stared at Max's fangs with wide eyes in surprise. Then she saw that Max's eyes had also turned blood-red. And at the same time, Jade started to lose her balance because she lost some of the blood that Max had sucked.
Max immediately pulled himself from Jade's arms. He doesn't want to hurt the girl he likes.
"Are you okay?" Max asked as he caught Jade's limp body.
Jade's eyes were half-open, but then she felt something enter her mouth. The liquid and rancid smell she felt was blood. Yes, as Max said, he healed the bite mark with Max's blood.
While waiting for Jade to come back, Max waited. Then soon Jade looked into Max's eyes which had turned back to normal.
"Your eyes ... changed. Are you a vampire? And my father was a vampire hunter?" Jade asked, looking confused.
Max nodded. "Jade, I want you not to tell him. Because if you tell him, we ... my family will die."
Max suddenly kissed her before Jade replied. The kiss was so deep and so addictive. She was surprised, but he finally returned the kiss. She enjoyed Max's lips. The lips of the man who just said it all on Valentine's Day.
"I love you, Jade."
"I love you so much. If your father knew who I am and my family, then I would lose you. And I don't want that to happen," she said.
"Max ..." Jade said.
"I ... I don't care who you are. I'm not afraid. I think you succeeded in making me like you."
Max smiled and stroked Jade's cheek. "Then what's your answer, Jade?"
"I want to be your girlfriend and I would like to know all about you. You are the only man on my Valentine who dares to say all this in just one night."