CHAPTER 78: CHAPTER 10.6 : AFTERNOON BEFORE THE BIG EVENT

The sky shimmered with a warm golden hue as the late afternoon sun dipped lower. Al strolled leisurely into the Virellano estate, the trees swaying in the gentle breeze, their long shadows stretching across the courtyard floor.

"Tonight... seems like it’s going to be troublesome," he muttered, eyes fixed on the golden sky.

He had just taken off his shoes and was about to head upstairs when a hand lightly tapped his shoulder from behind.

It was Fani, wearing a strangely cheerful expression. Her neatly combed black hair framed her face, paired with a thin white sweater and brown knee-length casual pants. She looked neat yet relaxed, perfectly matching the warm afternoon atmosphere.

"Boss, you’re home~"

Al glanced at her lazily. Aside from Dedy, this was the first time someone had greeted him at home—though this one wasn’t an actual resident.

"Why are you suddenly acting all familiar...?"

"Well, Boss... I drank your blood. Doesn’t that mean we now have a blood bond? Ehehe~" Fani grinned, leaning forward slightly with sparkling eyes.

"Ugh. Don’t say weird things. Keep dreaming. Since when does a blood bond work like that?"

Before their banter could go any further, Clarista appeared from the main corridor. Her casual outfit—a thin, neutral-colored long-sleeved shirt and comfortable pants—made her look tidy and fashionable without being excessive. She slowed her steps upon seeing the unusual closeness between Al and Fani, her arms folded in front of her, displaying a cautious yet relaxed stance.

"Huh?" Clarista murmured.

"Since when did they get that close?"

She approached, her sharp gaze scanning every detail.

"Oi, what are you two doing there?" Her tone was neutral, but there was plenty of scrutiny behind it.

Fani looked startled, giving a sheepish smile, her fingers clutching the edge of her skirt as if looking for an anchor.

"Ah, Clarista! You’re back!" she said awkwardly.

"Of course. This is my house." Clarista’s gaze shifted from Al to Fani, then back to Al, as if analyzing all the probabilities of this odd situation.

"You two... seem rather familiar."

Fani gave a nervous smile, her eyes darting around for an excuse.

"Ah, well... I... I just felt sorry for this kid. You said he’s the same age as David, right?"

Clarista nodded.

Fani’s smile widened as a sudden idea popped into her head. "Well, that means he’s also preparing for exams, right? So I thought, why not be his tutor too? Tutor, yes... He doesn’t have to pay—consider it charity for him."

Al was dumbfounded.

What the hell is this?! he thought.

I just got bothered by those two women earlier. Now this vampire woman wants to invade my peaceful life too?

But Al simply stared blankly. He understood Fani’s real intention.

It wasn’t really a problem for Al to show familiarity with anyone. The problem only arose when he did it in front of the Virellano family members—unpleasant trouble was bound to follow. And right now, he was far too tired to deal with such petty issues that could easily be blown out of proportion. So, he chose to go along with Fani’s little game, deceiving Clarista with a strangely flimsy excuse.

Fani patted his shoulder again, leaning closer.

"Right?" she asked with a strange smile.

Al gave up and nodded. At least now Fani owed him two favors.

"Haha... yeah, sis. She offered, and I... well, I agreed, wouldn’t it be better if a professional like Fani tutored me? Hahaha." he said with a faint smile, the corner of his lips still carrying an unhidden hint of sarcasm.

Clarista frowned, looking between them as if something felt off, but...

"Hmm... whatever. But remember, our focus is still David. Don’t get distracted."

"O-okay..." Fani lowered her head, adjusting her skirt and blazer to look presentable again.

Clarista turned to Al. "And I hope you won’t trouble my friend, understood?"

Al nodded, not wanting to drag the conversation any longer. He needed rest—tonight’s mission would be much heavier.

The two women walked away. Fani managed to throw a warm smile and a small wave toward Al, which was enough to irritate Clarista.

But there was someone even more irritated than her.

From a distance, David stood on the second-floor balcony, watching them. His narrowed eyes betrayed his discomfort. Arms crossed, jaw clenched, his body tense, showing a subtle but unmistakable unease.

Since this morning, Fani had been different. No longer the girl who threw him flirty lines and secret sweet smiles.

Now she was cold. Formal. Keeping her distance.

And that bright smile...

The smile she once hid only for him... she now gave openly to Al. She even offered to tutor that orphanage kid.

David’s chest burned with a stinging feeling. His breath grew heavy.

"Damn..." he muttered. "What happened last night? Why did she change? And why... that orphan boy?"

His fists clenched, veins standing out on his arms. His anger wasn’t just from being ignored—it was because Fani seemed far happier with the person he hated most.

His gaze was sharp on Al, and Al accidentally turned and met his eyes as well. David looked a bit awkward, but Al only gave a sly smile, as if he was deliberately toying with David.

"Argh... damn it. You dare touch what’s mine, orphan boy," he hissed to himself. "Just wait."

He turned away, his steps heavy as he left the balcony for his room, already weaving dirty plans in his mind.

---

On another side of the Virellano residence, the air felt heavy. Uncle Acok walked slowly with several of his men, inspecting every corner of the courtyard. His eyes closed as he absorbed the lingering aura from last night.

"This aura... too deep... too inhuman," he whispered. A chilling sensation crawled up his spine, making his hairs stand on end.

"What kind of creature could emit energy like this..."

His gaze shifted toward the main building—directly at Al’s bedroom window.

Coincidentally, Al had just entered. Their eyes met.

Uncle Acok stared sharply, his instincts screaming that this boy was hiding something. Yet his mind refused to believe that something significant could come from someone like him.

Al simply gave a faint smile. He raised two fingers to his temple, pointing them forward in a casual salute. Then, without rushing, he closed the curtains and lay down, enjoying a late-afternoon nap before the night’s battle.

---

Night fell.

The streetlights cast golden beams that slipped through the gaps in his curtains, painting faint lines across the wall. The night air drifted in through the partially open window, carrying the damp scent of earth after a breezy afternoon.

Al slept soundly as if nothing was on his mind. His chest rose and fell steadily, his breathing deep, his lips occasionally moving as if murmuring in a dream. But the world seemed unwilling to let him rest—

BRRRR. BRRRR.

The vibrating phone shattered the silence, making his skin prickle—not from fear, but from being pulled out of a comfortable sleep.

Al opened his eyes, slightly annoyed at the persistent ringing. He blinked several times, trying to adjust to the phone’s bright screen against his heavy eyes.

"Huh... who’s calling... at this hour?"

He reached for his old phone, rubbing his face with a cold palm before focusing on the screen. It showed an incoming call and 11 missed calls—all from the same name:

RINA.

Al suddenly remembered—he had promised Rina he’d meet her tonight.

He let out a long sigh, as if trying to shake off the laziness still clinging to his bones, before finally answering.

"Aaallll! You just woke up, didn’t you?! We were supposed to hang out! Did you forget, or did you choose to forget? Haaa!"

"Sorry... Sorry. Is it time to go now?"

"Of course, I’m already a bit late because of you. Hurry up, I’m waiting. Slowpoke turtle!"

Click.

The call ended.

Al stared at the phone screen showing the ended call. His right shoulder sagged, his head tilting left as if surrendering to fate. He gave a resigned nod, followed by a yawn.

"Ugh, why did I even agree to this..."

He got up, grabbed the hoodie lying at the edge of the bed just to hug it for a moment before setting it back down, reluctant to actually get moving. Then he stood and slightly opened the curtains to check the night weather outside.

Through the gap, he saw a clear night sky, yet the breeze that slipped in carried a sharp chill that made the back of his neck prickle. The weather looked fine, but his gut felt uneasy.

"What is this? A sign something bad will happen?" he muttered, rubbing his chest in slight discomfort.

He exhaled slowly, bowing his head for a moment to close his eyes, trying to calm himself and prepare for the exhausting night ahead—for a lazy person like him.

Far beyond his sight, the headlights of a vehicle sped past the road in front of the house, like a shadow with no intention of stopping.

And no one knew that a major incident—one that would claim the lives of two young people—was about to unfold.