Chapter 17: Kind Miss Cola

(Part One)

Rain droplets ripple across the Cola-formed umbrella, but they can’t block the mist blown onto their faces by the breeze.
The dampness isn’t unpleasant—it adds a hazy mystique to the night.
Of course, the dim streetlights, barely illuminating their poles, make the surroundings feel devoured by darkness.

Crossing the road, a car speeds by, splashing water.
As Liuli panics and steps back, part of the “umbrella” shifts into a deep red barrier, shielding her legs and skirt from the puddle.
She blinks, tilting her head at Cola, half her shoulder exposed to the rain, and whispers excitedly, “So fast!
So cool, so handy!”

“Once you’re used to it, it’s as natural as blinking—no conscious control needed… like just now, cough, pure reflex.”

“Mm… your shoulder, don’t get wet.”

“It’s fine, rain’s not heavy.”
Cola crosses the street, reshaping the red liquid back into the umbrella.

“Um… forgot to say thanks earlier, so sorry!”

“Huh?
No need to apologize—or even thank me.”

“Y-you have to!
Without you, I’d need to change my skirt or even re-bathe!”

“Just a small thing.”
Cola shrugs, then feels an itch on her cheek.
She turns to see Liuli staring intensely.
“W-what…”

“S-sorry… just thought your side profile was so cool!
But then, you’re just super cute too.”

“First half’s nice, second half… unnecessary.”
Cola’s mouth twitches.

“Cool and cute Miss Cola!”

“S-stop praising me, it’s embarrassing!”

“Eh?”

“If I said you’re pretty and kind, Miss Liuli, wouldn’t you feel shy?”

“I’d be happy!”

“You don’t blush?”

“Eh?
Why would I?
Unless you’re lying?”

“N-no…”
Cola scratches her cheek, tilting her head helplessly.
“Fine, whatever…”

“Thank you~ (Arigatou ne~), Cola-san.”
Liuli, holding the basket, turns and bows slightly with a sincere smile.

“Huh?
What’s with the sudden thanks?”

“Thanks for turning me into a vampire.
I always wanted to be one.
And… thanks for treating me as an equal friend.
I told my brother you’re my best friend without asking, sorry… I just really wanted one…”

“First, I turned you to save you, not to control you.
People are equal, and to me, vampires are just a type of person.”
Cola puts a hand on her hip, looking at Liuli, who’s walking again.
“Second, when you told your brother I’m your best friend, I was happy.
I haven’t had a close friend in Japan.
If you see me as a true friend, I’m totally on board.”

“So Miss Cola’s really special.
Vampires like you must be rare, right?”

“Uh… maybe?”

“Even as a normal person, you feel so approachable—not just looks, but an inner vibe.”

“Really…”
Cola’s skeptical.
“Maybe it’s the Embrace—‘superiors’ naturally feel close.”

“No, when we met, I felt you’d be easy to talk to, so I mustered the courage to say hi.”

“Hah… thanks—ugh, damn it, Japan’s rubbing off on me, saying ‘thanks’ all the time.”

“Pfft, why don’t you like hearing ‘thanks’?”

“If you thank for every little thing, the word loses weight.”
Cola gazes at the blurry rain under the dim streetlights.
“Also, habit—I don’t like saying thanks to close people.
Feels too formal.”

“Eh?
With close people, you should say thanks more.
You can’t let their efforts go unacknowledged—that’d be cold.
Over time, you might take their kindness for granted.”

“Uh…”
Cola twirls a strand of silver hair, licking her lips awkwardly.
“That… makes sense…”

“But you’ve got a point too.
Too many thanks, and it loses impact, failing as a response!”

“Haha, yeah, exactly!”

Liuli smiles, looking at the apartment building they passed earlier.
“Miss Cola, this’ll be your home.”

“Huh?
We’re here already?
I picked the third floor… or was it fourth?”

“Third, facing the road.”

“Oh, right, 301, Crystal Dome—what a weird name.”

“Sounds dreamy and romantic?”

“Really?
Feels like a name an old kid came up with.”
Cola mutters, looking up.
“It’s close to your place, right?”

“We can go to school together!
Yay, no more boring commutes~”

“How far’s school from here?”

“About 30 minutes.”

“Not bad, faster by bike…”

“I have a bike, but I prefer walking.
Eating Mom’s breakfast while strolling feels so happy.”

“What’s breakfast usually?”

“Yakisoba or onigiri.”

“Yakisoba while walking?”

“Yup, in a food bag with disposable chopsticks—eat as you go.”

“Sounds novel…”

“Wanna try it later?”

“Sure.”
Cola glances at the ditch’s reflected lights, then turns.
“Oh, staying at your place tonight… same room?”

“Yup!
Plenty of space for two, don’t worry!”

“Cough, not worried about space… uh, should I take the sofa?”

“Eh?
Our sofa’s tiny, super uncomfortable.”

“I mean… sleeping in one bed, isn’t that… uh, cough!”

“We’re both girls, it’s fine, right?”

“Haha…”
Cola looks away guiltily, fake-laughing.
“Two separate quilts, though?”

“If you don’t like sharing, two’s fine.
Or do you need a coffin to sleep?
We only have cardboard boxes…”

“No, no, that’s for ancient vampires.
Two quilts work, feels freer.
I’m a messy sleeper…”

“No problem, I’ll grab another set from the closet.”
Liuli slows, stops, and dramatically bumps her head against the door.
“Mom—I’m back!”

“Door’s unlocked, Liuli!”

“Oh, I’ll get it.”
Cola steps forward, opening the door.
Liuli’s mom is ironing in the living room, steam rising, making the room feel stifling.
Cola instinctively steps back.

“Mom—I’ll take our clothes upstairs, rest go here?”

“Yup.”

“Heading up!”

“Sleep early.”

“Still early…”

“Hah, Japanese moms nag like that too.”
Cola chuckles.

“Eh, I thought only Japanese moms did that…”

“Little Liuli~ badmouthing Mom?”

“N-no!
Absolutely not!”
Liuli sticks out her tongue at Cola and bolts upstairs.

When Cola leisurely enters the room, Liuli’s tidying plushies and pillows on the floor.
She uses a tiny, cute vacuum on the tatami, clearing hair, then grabs a stool to fetch a quilt from the closet’s top shelf.
Japanese quilts are more like mattresses—spread out to sleep, rolled up to store.
Convenient once you’re used to it, but Cola prefers collapsing onto a bed post-shower.

“This quilt’s mine?”

“Yup!”

“Laying it out already?
Not sleeping yet, right?”
Despite the exhausting day, Cola’s too wired to sleep at just past 8 p.m.

“This way, if you’re tired, you can just—lie down!”

“Uh… super convenient.”
Cola tries lying on her quilt, then sits up, watching Liuli turn on the TV.
“Playing something?”

“Late at night, I usually want to play horror games.”

“You play horror games?”

“I… never dared play alone.
Can you join me, Miss Cola?”

“…I’m not… look, I’m not scared, just not super into them.
I might fall asleep watching.”

“No worries, I’ll stop when you sleep.
Having someone with me feels safer…”

“Fine, horror games or movies don’t scare me, got it?”

“So cool!”

“Haha…”