As Noah takes the last bite of his meal and washes it down with a final gulp of his drink, he leans back in his chair, feeling a mix of satisfaction and an unsettling tension in his gut. His mind swirls with questions, one of which he can't hold back any longer.
"So, what are you?" he asks, fixing his gaze on Ouran. "Are you Junsui too?"
Ouran smirks, wiping their mouth with a napkin before casually leaning back in their chair. "I told you, Helios, I'm not going to spill all my secrets on our first date. You'll have to wait a bit longer for that."
Noah frowns, feeling his patience wear thin. "Come on, Ouran. You know everything about me, but I know almost nothing about you. It's only fair that I get some answers. I'm just asking what you are. That's not too much to ask, is it?"
Ouran chuckles, a mischievous glint in their eyes. "You're persistent, I'll give you that. I'll say this much: I'm not Junsui, but my lineage shares roots with yours. That's why I said we're soulmates. But the details... well, that's for another time. We've got classes tomorrow, after all."
Noah glances at his watch and is surprised to see how late it's gotten. "Damn, it's past eleven. I didn't realize how much time had passed. I was too caught up in this place...and that tasty steak."
Ouran's smirk deepens. "Ah, yes, about that. There's something you should know, Helios. That juice you were drinking, it was blood, just like the 'cranberry juice' you had in the clinic. Also, that meat...well, it wasn't exactly steak, at least not the kind you're thinking of."
Noah freezes, the weight of those words sinking in. He's already made the difficult decision to accept drinking human blood again, even though it goes against his desire to live as close to a human life as possible. But now, hearing Ouran's words, a cold dread begins to creep over him.
Noah's brows furrow in confusion. "What do you mean? I already realized about the juice, but what about the meat? You're telling me this isn't steak? If it's not steak, then what is it? Noah asks, his voice barely above a whisper, though he fears he already knows the answer.
Ouran's expression softens, almost as if they're trying to prepare Noah for the truth. "It's human flesh, Noah. Freshly harvested from Bakemon rejects—humans who couldn't survive in our world. They're raised like livestock, and their meat is considered a delicacy among our kind."
The revelation hits Noah like a punch to the gut. He feels his stomach churn violently, and his hands clench into fists. Rage begins to boil up inside him, mixing with the disgust and betrayal he feels. "You fed me human flesh?" he growls, his eyes flashing dangerously as his demonic instincts threaten to take over. "I vowed never to eat human flesh again after what I did to Mr. Stinson. I can accept blood as a necessity, but flesh? You've turned me into a fucking cannibal!"
The inn grows silent as every patron turns to watch the confrontation. Noah's voice echoes through the room, filled with a fury that makes the air crackle with tension.
Ouran remains eerily calm, even as Noah's hand shoots out and grabs them by the throat, lifting them off the ground. They don't struggle, merely gazing into Noah's eyes with a mixture of admiration and something that resembles pity.
"I could kill you for this," Noah hisses, his grip tightening. "I don't want to be a monster."
Ouran's voice is strained but steady. "I did what I had to do, Noah. After you drank human blood again at the clinic, you wouldn't have been able to control the hunger. It's different, stronger. If I hadn't brought you here, you would have eventually lost control—maybe at the academy, maybe somewhere else. But it would've happened, and you would've slaughtered anyone in your path."
Noah's grip falters slightly as the truth of Ouran's words begins to sink in. The hunger he felt earlier, the change that came over him after drinking the blood—it all makes sense now. He remembers the intense cravings that overwhelmed him, the feeling of power that surged through him when he consumed it. He hates to admit it, but he knows Ouran is right.
"I didn't want to feed you human flesh," Ouran continues, their voice softer now, almost sympathetic. "But it was the only way to make sure you didn't hurt anyone you cared about. Better you eat it here, where it's safe and controlled, than risk an uncontrolled feeding frenzy back at the academy."
Noah's anger ebbs, replaced by a bitter resignation. He slowly lowers Ouran to the ground, his hand slipping from their throat. He still feels sickened by what he's done, but he can't deny the logic in Ouran's actions.
"And remember," Ouran adds, rubbing their neck where Noah grabbed them, "I wasn't the one who gave you that first taste of human blood after all these years of abstinence. That was the nurse, back at the clinic. She knew exactly what she was doing when she gave it to you."
Noah's mind flashes back to the nurse's gentle smile as she handed him the drink. He had trusted her, believed that she was helping him, but now he realizes she played a part in this as well. The anger he felt towards Ouran begins to shift towards the nurse who deceived him.
"I need to speak with her," Noah mutters, more to himself than to Ouran. "I need to understand why she did this."
Ouran nods, watching Noah with a mix of curiosity and something like pride. "You're right to want answers, but for now, let's get back. We've already stayed out too long, and there's more to uncover, but that can wait."
Noah grabs his coat and starts toward the door, still simmering with a mix of emotions. "I'll be waiting outside, Ouran," he says curtly. As he pushes open the door, he nearly collides with a cloaked figure rushing out.
"Sorry," the figure mumbles, their voice trembling slightly as they try to move past Noah. But as their hood slips, revealing a flash of turquoise hair and a familiar set of eyes, Noah freezes.
"Rachel?" he whispers instinctively, his voice filled with disbelief.
The figure flinches at the sound of her name and meets Noah's gaze for the briefest of moments. "I'm sorry Noah, I'm so sorry…." Her eyes are filled with sorrow and regret, but before he can react, she turns and bolts out the door, disappearing into the night as quickly as she had appeared.
Noah's mind races, memories of his childhood flooding back—memories of Rachel, his first love, the girl he thought he lost forever. Yet here she is, alive, but clearly running from something—or someone. He never imagined he'd have the chance to see her again, yet she….
"Rachel!" he calls out, chasing after her, but she's already gone, swallowed by the darkness outside. He falls to his knees, overwhelmed by the whirlwind of emotions crashing over him. How is she alive? Why is she here? And what does Judas have to do with all of this?
"Wow, I gotta say," Ouran says, stepping up beside him, "I was expecting that reunion to be pretty emotional, but I didn't think it would bring you to tears. You really had the hots for her, didn't you? Can't imagine why, though. She's a total bitch, and a selfish woman of no morals."
Noah's head snaps up, his eyes blazing with renewed fury. "What did you just say?" he growls.
Ouran shrugs, unbothered by the intensity of Noah's glare. "It's true. If you knew the things she's done over the years, you'd probably be unable to look at her the same. She's not completely autonomous, however. Judas has been keeping her all this time, treating her like his property and making her do his bidding. He probably sought her out intentionally, in order to antagonize you and get in your head. It's what he does. I'm sorry you had to find out this way."
Noah's blood boils at the thought of Judas manipulating him and keeping Rachel as some sort of twisted trophy. His hands clench into fists as the anger surges back, stronger than before.
"That bastard," Noah spits, his voice filled with venom. "I'm going to kill him."
"Good. Let that rage fuel you, Helios. You're going to need it." Ouran smirks, satisfied with the direction Noah is heading. They're counting on Noah to take on Judas and win the destined fight.
Noah stands, his resolve hardening; cold and unyielding. He's been led down this path of vengeance, and there's no turning back. Judas will pay for everything. Noah will make sure of it.