Chapter 2:
Chapter 3- The CLUB MEMBERS VISITED MY HOUSE!!!!!
The Void volume 1
Warm Saturday morning sunlight slipped through the curtains and landed directly across Ruyoko Namine's face.
"…
He frowned
"…Five more minutesHe pulled the blanket over his head.Silence returned.
For exactly three seconds
DING DONG"…"His eyebrow twitched.
"…Ignore it."He turned over.The apartment became quiet again."…Probably the wrong house."
He closed his eyes.DING DONG!"…"
"…Nope.
"Still not answering."He buried his face deeper into the pillow.Saturday was the only day he could sleep peacefully.
Nothing—and absolutely no one—was going to ruin it.
…
DING DONG!
"…"
"…"
"Who even wakes up this early on a Saturday?"
He looked at the alarm clock.
8:02 A.M.
"I hate humanity…"
He threw another pillow over his head.
Outside the apartment, Akari Kurogane stood calmly in front of the door, her arms crossed.
Behind her stood five equally unusual people.
The cheerful vice president, Reina Scarlet, was happily eating strawberry candy.
"Mmm…"
"I wonder if he's dead."
Kaito Shirogane adjusted his glasses while staring at the apartment.
"He is breathing."
Reina blinked.
"You can sense that?"
"I can sense everyone within a thirty-meter radius."
"…That's terrifying."
Kaito ignored the comment.
"He has rolled over exactly four times."
"He is currently attempting to ignore the doorbell."
Reina stared at him.
"…Seriously?"
Kaito nodded.
"He also said…"
He flipped through his notebook.
"'I hate humanity.'"
Everyone stared at him.
"…You wrote that down?"
"It may become important."
Ryuu Kazehaya stood silently beside the wall, one hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed katana.
He hadn't spoken a single word since arriving.
Daichi Inuzuka yawned loudly.
"Can we just kick the door open?"
Mika Amamiya immediately smacked him on the shoulder.
"No."
"We're guests."
Daichi rubbed his head.
"…Worth asking."
Akari sighed.
"One more time."
She pressed the doorbell.
DING DONG!
Inside the apartment, Ruyoko buried his head beneath every pillow he owned.
"I am invisible."
"They can't see me."
"If I don't move…"
"They'll leave."
DING DONG!
"…Persistent little—"
He stopped himself.
"No."
"I'm stronger than this."
"I will outlast them."
Outside, Reina tilted her head.
"I have an idea."
Without waiting for permission, she cupped her hands around her mouth.
"RUYOKOOOOOO!"
"We know you're awake!"
The apartment remained silent.
Reina grinned.
"Plan B."
She shouted even louder.
"WE BROUGHT FREE BREAKFAST!!"
Inside, Ruyoko's stomach growled.
"…"
"…Traitor."
He glared at his own stomach.
Kaito adjusted his glasses.
"…He almost moved."
Akari looked impressed.
"You can tell?"
"He lifted his head by approximately eight centimeters."
"…That's oddly specific."
"I measured it."
Daichi scratched his head.
"I've got an idea."
Everyone looked at him nervously.
He slowly raised one enormous fist.
Akari's eyes narrowed.
"…Daichi."
"What?"
"…Don't."
"I wasn't going to punch it."
"…"
"I was going to knock."
He gently knocked.
BOOM!
The entire apartment shook.
A flowerpot fell from a nearby balcony.
A car alarm started blaring somewhere down the street.
Birds exploded out of a nearby tree.
Daichi blinked.
"…Oops."
Mika buried her face in her hands.
"I told you…"
Inside, Ruyoko nearly fell out of bed.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
He sprinted into the living room.
"…An earthquake?!"
Another knock.
BOOM!
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
"My apartment!"
"My security deposit!"
He rushed toward the door.
"STOP!"
"I'M COMING!"
Outside, Akari smiled.
"I knew that would work."
Daichi looked proud.
"I barely used any strength."
Everyone silently decided not to ask what "full strength" looked like.
Ruyoko unlocked the door.
It swung open.
Standing before him was Akari.
Behind her stood five strangers.
Everyone smiled.
Ruyoko blinked twice.
Then—
SLAM!
He shut the door in their faces.
Silence.
Reina burst out laughing.
"He did it again!"
Even Ryuu let out the faintest smile.
Akari slowly looked at the closed door.
A tiny vein appeared on her forehead.
"…Interesting."
Inside, Ruyoko leaned against the door and sighed in relief.
"Okay… I'm definitely dreaming."
"Yesterday I fought a bully, and today six weird people are at my apartment."
"This has to be some kind of stress-induced hallucination."
He wandered into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and frowned.
One egg.
A bottle of milk.
Instant noodles.
Again.
"My loyal companions."
As he reached for the milk, the doorbell rang once more.
Ding Dong.
Ruyoko ignored it.
Another ring.
Still nothing.
Finally, Akari's calm voice came through the door.
"Ruyoko. If you don't open the door, Reina is going to keep ringing the bell until sunset."
Almost on cue—
Ding Dong. Ding Dong. Ding Dong. Ding Dong.
"She's serious!"
Ruyoko muttered, covering his ears with a pillow.
After another minute of nonstop ringing, he finally gave up.
Muttering complaints under his breath, he unlocked the door.
"Fine! Fine! You win!"
The six members smiled almost in unison.
"Good morning," Akari greeted politely.
"It stopped being a good morning about forty doorbell rings ago," Ruyoko replied.
Before he could say anything else, Reina cheerfully stepped inside as if she had been invited.
"So this is your apartment!"
"Wait—who said you could come in?"
Too late.
Daichi followed, ducking slightly to fit through the doorway.
Mika politely removed her shoes before entering, while Ryuu silently stood near the entrance, observing the room without saying a word.
Kaito adjusted his glasses, glanced around the apartment once, and calmly took out a small notebook.
"One bedroom. Twenty-six square meters. Minimal furniture. Refrigerator almost empty."
Ruyoko blinked.
"…Are you inspecting my house?"
"I'm making observations."
"Why?"
"In case they're useful later."
"They're not useful now!"
Meanwhile, Reina had already wandered into the kitchen.
She opened a cupboard.
"Instant noodles."
She opened another.
"…More instant noodles."
She opened the last one.
"…Even more instant noodles."
She slowly turned toward Ruyoko with a disappointed expression.
"Do you eat anything besides noodles?"
"I had an egg yesterday."
"That isn't helping your case."
Daichi walked over to the small dining table and carefully pulled out a chair.
"Can I sit?"
"As long as you don't break—"
CRACK!
The chair collapsed underneath him.
The room fell silent.
Daichi looked down at the broken chair, then back at Ruyoko.
"…I can explain."
Ruyoko stared at the remains of what used to be his only chair.
"…That chair survived twelve years…"
Mika sighed and lightly smacked Daichi on the shoulder.
"I told you to be careful."
"I was careful."
"Then I'd hate to see you being reckless."
Even Akari let out a quiet laugh before turning back to Ruyoko.
"I apologize for my team."
Ruyoko looked around his apartment.
One member had invaded his kitchen.
Another had destroyed his chair.
The man with glasses was still writing notes for reasons unknown.
And the silent swordsman hadn't moved an inch since entering.
He rubbed his temples.
"…Who exactly are you people?"
Akari smiled.
"That's exactly why we came."
Ruyoko looked around his apartment before letting out a long sigh.
"First, one of you raided my kitchen. Second, one of you broke my chair. Third, that guy"—he pointed at Kaito—"is writing notes about my apartment like he's buying the place."
"So… someone explain what exactly is going on."
Kaito calmly looked up from his notebook.
"I've also noted that you own three spoons, two bowls, one frying pan, and seventeen packets of instant noodles."
Ruyoko blinked.
"…Why are you counting my noodles?"
"They're arranged alphabetically."
"I didn't arrange them alphabetically!"
Kaito adjusted his glasses.
"Then you did so subconsciously."
Reina burst into laughter while Daichi scratched the back of his head.
"I don't get half the things Kaito says."
"Neither do we," Mika replied with a helpless smile.
Akari gently cleared her throat, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"As entertaining as this is, we didn't come here to criticize Ruyoko's lifestyle."
"Thank goodness," Ruyoko muttered.
"We came because yesterday you showed remarkable courage."
Ruyoko tilted his head.
"…By punching a bully?"
"You stepped in even though you believed you had no chance of winning," Akari answered. "Most people would have ignored the situation."
Ruyoko shrugged.
"I just hate bullies."
For a brief moment, Akari's smile softened.
"That's exactly why I wanted to meet you."
She reached into her bag and placed a black card on the table.
It looked like an ordinary membership card, except for the crimson bat emblem engraved on its surface.
At the bottom were the words:
VAMPIRE CLUB
Ruyoko picked it up and frowned.
"So… this is about joining your club?"
"In a way."
"I already told you yesterday that I don't even know what your club does."
Reina suddenly leaned forward with an excited grin.
"We're awesome!"
Ruyoko waited.
"…That's your explanation?"
"Yep!"
"…Worst explanation ever."
Mika gently nudged Reina aside.
"What she means is… we're not like the clubs you're used to."
Ruyoko raised an eyebrow.
"No sports?"
"No."
"No music?"
"No."
"No cultural festivals?"
Daichi proudly crossed his arms.
"We've destroyed three cultural festivals."
The room fell silent.
"…That wasn't supposed to be a proud moment," Mika sighed.
Daichi scratched his head.
"Oh."
Akari rubbed her forehead before continuing.
"Our club works under special authorization."
"Special authorization?"
"You could say we assist with incidents that ordinary people shouldn't have to deal with."
Ruyoko frowned.
"What kind of incidents?"
The six members exchanged glances.
Akari smiled politely.
"We're not allowed to tell you."
"…Then why bring it up?"
"Because we want you to join."
"…Without telling me what I'm joining?"
"Correct."
Ruyoko stared at her in disbelief.
"That is literally the most suspicious recruitment speech I've ever heard."
Reina nodded enthusiastically.
"I know, right? That's exactly what I said when they recruited me!"
"You said yes in five minutes," Ryuu said calmly.
Reina pouted.
"You didn't have to expose me."
For the first time since entering the apartment, Ryuu allowed himself the faintest smile.
Ruyoko looked from one member to another.
They argued like siblings.
They laughed together.
They teased one another without hesitation.
Despite how strange they were…
There was something oddly warm about them.
Something he hadn't experienced in a long time.
Without realizing it…
He smiled.
Akari noticed.
"So…"
She folded her hands.
"What do you think?"
Ruyoko looked at the card once more.
Then at the six people who had completely invaded his peaceful Saturday morning.
"I think…"
Everyone leaned forward.
"…You still owe me a chair."
The apartment erupted with laughter.
Even Akari couldn't hold back a quiet laugh.
Daichi immediately raised his hand.
"I'll buy you two."
Ruyoko smiled.
"…Deal."
The laughter gradually died down as Daichi picked up the broken pieces of the chair, apologizing every few seconds.
Mika helped him gather the wooden fragments while muttering that she had warned him this would happen.
Ruyoko simply watched the scene with a tired expression.
"…You people have been here for less than twenty minutes."
Daichi scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"…Yeah."
"You've emptied my kitchen…"
Reina raised her hand.
"I was hungry."
"You broke my chair."
Daichi slowly raised his hand.
"…That one's on me."
"And somehow…" Ruyoko looked toward Kaito. "…he's still writing notes."
Without looking up from his notebook, Kaito calmly replied,
"The apartment's ventilation is poor. You should open your windows more often."
Ruyoko blinked.
"…Are you my mother?"
"No."
"…Then stop acting like one."
Even Ryuu let out a faint chuckle before immediately returning to his usual expressionless face.
Akari cleared her throat.
"Everyone."
The room immediately became quiet.
She looked at Ruyoko with the same calm smile she always wore.
"Yesterday, I invited you to join the Vampire Club. I wasn't joking."
"I figured."
"You don't have to give me an answer today."
"…Really?"
She nodded.
"I dislike forcing people into making important decisions."
Reina leaned over and whispered loudly,
"I wanted to kidnap him."
Akari slowly turned toward her.
"…You what?"
Reina laughed nervously.
"I was joking!"
"You weren't."
"I wasn't."
Mika sighed.
"This is exactly why the President doesn't let you make recruitment plans."
Ruyoko stared at the group.
"…You're all insane."
"We've been called worse," Daichi replied proudly.
"I don't think that's something to be proud of."
"It isn't?"
"It really isn't."
Another round of laughter filled the apartment.
For the first time in years…
Ruyoko found himself laughing with other people.
Not because someone had told a particularly good joke.
Not because he wanted to fit in.
But because…
It simply felt natural.
The realization caught him off guard.
It had been so long since his apartment had been this lively that he had almost forgotten what it sounded like when people laughed together.
Akari noticed the small smile on his face.
She smiled as well.
"Looks like we're making progress."
Ruyoko quickly looked away.
"Don't misunderstand."
"I'm just laughing because you're all weird."
"That's basically how we became friends," Reina said proudly.
After nearly an hour of talking, arguing, and watching Daichi repeatedly apologize for the broken chair, the apartment had finally become quiet.
Ruyoko leaned against the kitchen counter with a cup of tea in his hands while the six visitors prepared to leave.
"I never thought my Saturday would end like this," he admitted.
Reina stretched her arms above her head and grinned.
"I'd call it a success! We made a new friend."
Ruyoko immediately shook his head.
"I never agreed to that."
"You laughed with us."
"So?"
"You laughed."
"…That's not proof."
"It is to me."
Mika smiled warmly.
"She's like this with everyone. You'll get used to it."
"I'm not sure I want to."
Daichi suddenly walked over and placed a small envelope on the table.
Ruyoko frowned.
"What's this?"
"Compensation."
He opened it and stared.
Inside was enough money to replace the broken chair several times over.
His eyes widened.
"…This is way too much."
Daichi rubbed the back of his neck.
"I break things a lot."
"I can see that."
"President says paying for the damage is cheaper than listening to Mika scold me."
"I heard that," Mika said, crossing her arms.
"You were supposed to."
The room filled with laughter once again.
Even Ryuu allowed himself the faintest smile before quietly walking toward the front door.
Akari picked up her coat and turned to Ruyoko.
"I won't ask for your answer today."
He looked at her.
"You've only known me for a day."
"True."
"So why invite me?"
Akari thought for a moment before replying.
"Because sometimes the kind of person someone is matters more than how long you've known them."
Ruyoko didn't know how to answer.
She continued.
"Think about it. Whether you join us or not is your decision."
She handed him another black card.
Unlike the first one, this one had a phone number written neatly on the back.
"If you decide to meet us again, call this number."
Ruyoko accepted it without saying a word.
One by one, the members walked toward the hallway.
Reina waved enthusiastically.
"Bye, Ryu-Ryu!"
"…Don't call me that."
"I definitely will!"
Daichi bowed apologetically.
"Sorry about the chair."
"I'll survive."
Mika smiled.
"Try eating vegetables."
"…I'll think about it."
"You won't."
"…Probably not."
Kaito adjusted his glasses before leaving.
"Your refrigerator is making an unusual sound."
"…It's older than I am."
"I noticed."
Finally, Ryuu stopped beside the door.
Without turning around, he spoke.
"You have a good punch."
It was the longest sentence he had spoken all day.
Ruyoko scratched his cheek.
"…Thanks… I think."
Ryuu gave a small nod and walked out.
Akari was the last to leave.
Before closing the door, she looked back with the same calm smile.
"We'll meet again, Ruyoko Namine."
"I'm not promising anything."
"You don't have to."
The door quietly closed behind her.
Silence returned to the apartment.
Ruyoko stood in the middle of the room.
The apartment felt strangely empty again.
He glanced at the broken chair.
The envelope on the table.
And finally…
The black card in his hand.
He turned it over once more.
VAMPIRE CLUB
"…What kind of people are they…?"
He slipped the card into his pocket.
"I guess…"
"…Life just got a little less boring."
Outside the apartment building, the six members walked toward a black SUV parked across the street.
Reina smiled.
"So…"
"Do you think he'll join?"
Akari looked up at the clear blue sky.
"…Eventually."
Kaito quietly closed his notebook.
"I've finished my observations."
"And?" Akari asked.
He looked back toward Ruyoko's apartment.
"…He's exactly the kind of person we were looking for."
No one said another word.
The SUV slowly drove away.
Unaware of it all…
Ruyoko stood by his apartment window, watching the vehicle disappear into the distance.
He had no idea…
…that this peaceful Saturday would be the last normal weekend of his life.
"…
He frowned
"…Five more minutesHe pulled the blanket over his head.Silence returned.
For exactly three seconds
DING DONG"…"His eyebrow twitched.
"…Ignore it."He turned over.The apartment became quiet again."…Probably the wrong house."
He closed his eyes.DING DONG!"…"
"…Nope.
"Still not answering."He buried his face deeper into the pillow.Saturday was the only day he could sleep peacefully.
Nothing—and absolutely no one—was going to ruin it.
…
DING DONG!
"…"
"…"
"Who even wakes up this early on a Saturday?"
He looked at the alarm clock.
8:02 A.M.
"I hate humanity…"
He threw another pillow over his head.
Outside the apartment, Akari Kurogane stood calmly in front of the door, her arms crossed.
Behind her stood five equally unusual people.
The cheerful vice president, Reina Scarlet, was happily eating strawberry candy.
"Mmm…"
"I wonder if he's dead."
Kaito Shirogane adjusted his glasses while staring at the apartment.
"He is breathing."
Reina blinked.
"You can sense that?"
"I can sense everyone within a thirty-meter radius."
"…That's terrifying."
Kaito ignored the comment.
"He has rolled over exactly four times."
"He is currently attempting to ignore the doorbell."
Reina stared at him.
"…Seriously?"
Kaito nodded.
"He also said…"
He flipped through his notebook.
"'I hate humanity.'"
Everyone stared at him.
"…You wrote that down?"
"It may become important."
Ryuu Kazehaya stood silently beside the wall, one hand resting on the hilt of his sheathed katana.
He hadn't spoken a single word since arriving.
Daichi Inuzuka yawned loudly.
"Can we just kick the door open?"
Mika Amamiya immediately smacked him on the shoulder.
"No."
"We're guests."
Daichi rubbed his head.
"…Worth asking."
Akari sighed.
"One more time."
She pressed the doorbell.
DING DONG!
Inside the apartment, Ruyoko buried his head beneath every pillow he owned.
"I am invisible."
"They can't see me."
"If I don't move…"
"They'll leave."
DING DONG!
"…Persistent little—"
He stopped himself.
"No."
"I'm stronger than this."
"I will outlast them."
Outside, Reina tilted her head.
"I have an idea."
Without waiting for permission, she cupped her hands around her mouth.
"RUYOKOOOOOO!"
"We know you're awake!"
The apartment remained silent.
Reina grinned.
"Plan B."
She shouted even louder.
"WE BROUGHT FREE BREAKFAST!!"
Inside, Ruyoko's stomach growled.
"…"
"…Traitor."
He glared at his own stomach.
Kaito adjusted his glasses.
"…He almost moved."
Akari looked impressed.
"You can tell?"
"He lifted his head by approximately eight centimeters."
"…That's oddly specific."
"I measured it."
Daichi scratched his head.
"I've got an idea."
Everyone looked at him nervously.
He slowly raised one enormous fist.
Akari's eyes narrowed.
"…Daichi."
"What?"
"…Don't."
"I wasn't going to punch it."
"…"
"I was going to knock."
He gently knocked.
BOOM!
The entire apartment shook.
A flowerpot fell from a nearby balcony.
A car alarm started blaring somewhere down the street.
Birds exploded out of a nearby tree.
Daichi blinked.
"…Oops."
Mika buried her face in her hands.
"I told you…"
Inside, Ruyoko nearly fell out of bed.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
He sprinted into the living room.
"…An earthquake?!"
Another knock.
BOOM!
Dust drifted from the ceiling.
"My apartment!"
"My security deposit!"
He rushed toward the door.
"STOP!"
"I'M COMING!"
Outside, Akari smiled.
"I knew that would work."
Daichi looked proud.
"I barely used any strength."
Everyone silently decided not to ask what "full strength" looked like.
Ruyoko unlocked the door.
It swung open.
Standing before him was Akari.
Behind her stood five strangers.
Everyone smiled.
Ruyoko blinked twice.
Then—
SLAM!
He shut the door in their faces.
Silence.
Reina burst out laughing.
"He did it again!"
Even Ryuu let out the faintest smile.
Akari slowly looked at the closed door.
A tiny vein appeared on her forehead.
"…Interesting."
Inside, Ruyoko leaned against the door and sighed in relief.
"Okay… I'm definitely dreaming."
"Yesterday I fought a bully, and today six weird people are at my apartment."
"This has to be some kind of stress-induced hallucination."
He wandered into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and frowned.
One egg.
A bottle of milk.
Instant noodles.
Again.
"My loyal companions."
As he reached for the milk, the doorbell rang once more.
Ding Dong.
Ruyoko ignored it.
Another ring.
Still nothing.
Finally, Akari's calm voice came through the door.
"Ruyoko. If you don't open the door, Reina is going to keep ringing the bell until sunset."
Almost on cue—
Ding Dong. Ding Dong. Ding Dong. Ding Dong.
"She's serious!"
Ruyoko muttered, covering his ears with a pillow.
After another minute of nonstop ringing, he finally gave up.
Muttering complaints under his breath, he unlocked the door.
"Fine! Fine! You win!"
The six members smiled almost in unison.
"Good morning," Akari greeted politely.
"It stopped being a good morning about forty doorbell rings ago," Ruyoko replied.
Before he could say anything else, Reina cheerfully stepped inside as if she had been invited.
"So this is your apartment!"
"Wait—who said you could come in?"
Too late.
Daichi followed, ducking slightly to fit through the doorway.
Mika politely removed her shoes before entering, while Ryuu silently stood near the entrance, observing the room without saying a word.
Kaito adjusted his glasses, glanced around the apartment once, and calmly took out a small notebook.
"One bedroom. Twenty-six square meters. Minimal furniture. Refrigerator almost empty."
Ruyoko blinked.
"…Are you inspecting my house?"
"I'm making observations."
"Why?"
"In case they're useful later."
"They're not useful now!"
Meanwhile, Reina had already wandered into the kitchen.
She opened a cupboard.
"Instant noodles."
She opened another.
"…More instant noodles."
She opened the last one.
"…Even more instant noodles."
She slowly turned toward Ruyoko with a disappointed expression.
"Do you eat anything besides noodles?"
"I had an egg yesterday."
"That isn't helping your case."
Daichi walked over to the small dining table and carefully pulled out a chair.
"Can I sit?"
"As long as you don't break—"
CRACK!
The chair collapsed underneath him.
The room fell silent.
Daichi looked down at the broken chair, then back at Ruyoko.
"…I can explain."
Ruyoko stared at the remains of what used to be his only chair.
"…That chair survived twelve years…"
Mika sighed and lightly smacked Daichi on the shoulder.
"I told you to be careful."
"I was careful."
"Then I'd hate to see you being reckless."
Even Akari let out a quiet laugh before turning back to Ruyoko.
"I apologize for my team."
Ruyoko looked around his apartment.
One member had invaded his kitchen.
Another had destroyed his chair.
The man with glasses was still writing notes for reasons unknown.
And the silent swordsman hadn't moved an inch since entering.
He rubbed his temples.
"…Who exactly are you people?"
Akari smiled.
"That's exactly why we came."
Ruyoko looked around his apartment before letting out a long sigh.
"First, one of you raided my kitchen. Second, one of you broke my chair. Third, that guy"—he pointed at Kaito—"is writing notes about my apartment like he's buying the place."
"So… someone explain what exactly is going on."
Kaito calmly looked up from his notebook.
"I've also noted that you own three spoons, two bowls, one frying pan, and seventeen packets of instant noodles."
Ruyoko blinked.
"…Why are you counting my noodles?"
"They're arranged alphabetically."
"I didn't arrange them alphabetically!"
Kaito adjusted his glasses.
"Then you did so subconsciously."
Reina burst into laughter while Daichi scratched the back of his head.
"I don't get half the things Kaito says."
"Neither do we," Mika replied with a helpless smile.
Akari gently cleared her throat, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
"As entertaining as this is, we didn't come here to criticize Ruyoko's lifestyle."
"Thank goodness," Ruyoko muttered.
"We came because yesterday you showed remarkable courage."
Ruyoko tilted his head.
"…By punching a bully?"
"You stepped in even though you believed you had no chance of winning," Akari answered. "Most people would have ignored the situation."
Ruyoko shrugged.
"I just hate bullies."
For a brief moment, Akari's smile softened.
"That's exactly why I wanted to meet you."
She reached into her bag and placed a black card on the table.
It looked like an ordinary membership card, except for the crimson bat emblem engraved on its surface.
At the bottom were the words:
VAMPIRE CLUB
Ruyoko picked it up and frowned.
"So… this is about joining your club?"
"In a way."
"I already told you yesterday that I don't even know what your club does."
Reina suddenly leaned forward with an excited grin.
"We're awesome!"
Ruyoko waited.
"…That's your explanation?"
"Yep!"
"…Worst explanation ever."
Mika gently nudged Reina aside.
"What she means is… we're not like the clubs you're used to."
Ruyoko raised an eyebrow.
"No sports?"
"No."
"No music?"
"No."
"No cultural festivals?"
Daichi proudly crossed his arms.
"We've destroyed three cultural festivals."
The room fell silent.
"…That wasn't supposed to be a proud moment," Mika sighed.
Daichi scratched his head.
"Oh."
Akari rubbed her forehead before continuing.
"Our club works under special authorization."
"Special authorization?"
"You could say we assist with incidents that ordinary people shouldn't have to deal with."
Ruyoko frowned.
"What kind of incidents?"
The six members exchanged glances.
Akari smiled politely.
"We're not allowed to tell you."
"…Then why bring it up?"
"Because we want you to join."
"…Without telling me what I'm joining?"
"Correct."
Ruyoko stared at her in disbelief.
"That is literally the most suspicious recruitment speech I've ever heard."
Reina nodded enthusiastically.
"I know, right? That's exactly what I said when they recruited me!"
"You said yes in five minutes," Ryuu said calmly.
Reina pouted.
"You didn't have to expose me."
For the first time since entering the apartment, Ryuu allowed himself the faintest smile.
Ruyoko looked from one member to another.
They argued like siblings.
They laughed together.
They teased one another without hesitation.
Despite how strange they were…
There was something oddly warm about them.
Something he hadn't experienced in a long time.
Without realizing it…
He smiled.
Akari noticed.
"So…"
She folded her hands.
"What do you think?"
Ruyoko looked at the card once more.
Then at the six people who had completely invaded his peaceful Saturday morning.
"I think…"
Everyone leaned forward.
"…You still owe me a chair."
The apartment erupted with laughter.
Even Akari couldn't hold back a quiet laugh.
Daichi immediately raised his hand.
"I'll buy you two."
Ruyoko smiled.
"…Deal."
The laughter gradually died down as Daichi picked up the broken pieces of the chair, apologizing every few seconds.
Mika helped him gather the wooden fragments while muttering that she had warned him this would happen.
Ruyoko simply watched the scene with a tired expression.
"…You people have been here for less than twenty minutes."
Daichi scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"…Yeah."
"You've emptied my kitchen…"
Reina raised her hand.
"I was hungry."
"You broke my chair."
Daichi slowly raised his hand.
"…That one's on me."
"And somehow…" Ruyoko looked toward Kaito. "…he's still writing notes."
Without looking up from his notebook, Kaito calmly replied,
"The apartment's ventilation is poor. You should open your windows more often."
Ruyoko blinked.
"…Are you my mother?"
"No."
"…Then stop acting like one."
Even Ryuu let out a faint chuckle before immediately returning to his usual expressionless face.
Akari cleared her throat.
"Everyone."
The room immediately became quiet.
She looked at Ruyoko with the same calm smile she always wore.
"Yesterday, I invited you to join the Vampire Club. I wasn't joking."
"I figured."
"You don't have to give me an answer today."
"…Really?"
She nodded.
"I dislike forcing people into making important decisions."
Reina leaned over and whispered loudly,
"I wanted to kidnap him."
Akari slowly turned toward her.
"…You what?"
Reina laughed nervously.
"I was joking!"
"You weren't."
"I wasn't."
Mika sighed.
"This is exactly why the President doesn't let you make recruitment plans."
Ruyoko stared at the group.
"…You're all insane."
"We've been called worse," Daichi replied proudly.
"I don't think that's something to be proud of."
"It isn't?"
"It really isn't."
Another round of laughter filled the apartment.
For the first time in years…
Ruyoko found himself laughing with other people.
Not because someone had told a particularly good joke.
Not because he wanted to fit in.
But because…
It simply felt natural.
The realization caught him off guard.
It had been so long since his apartment had been this lively that he had almost forgotten what it sounded like when people laughed together.
Akari noticed the small smile on his face.
She smiled as well.
"Looks like we're making progress."
Ruyoko quickly looked away.
"Don't misunderstand."
"I'm just laughing because you're all weird."
"That's basically how we became friends," Reina said proudly.
After nearly an hour of talking, arguing, and watching Daichi repeatedly apologize for the broken chair, the apartment had finally become quiet.
Ruyoko leaned against the kitchen counter with a cup of tea in his hands while the six visitors prepared to leave.
"I never thought my Saturday would end like this," he admitted.
Reina stretched her arms above her head and grinned.
"I'd call it a success! We made a new friend."
Ruyoko immediately shook his head.
"I never agreed to that."
"You laughed with us."
"So?"
"You laughed."
"…That's not proof."
"It is to me."
Mika smiled warmly.
"She's like this with everyone. You'll get used to it."
"I'm not sure I want to."
Daichi suddenly walked over and placed a small envelope on the table.
Ruyoko frowned.
"What's this?"
"Compensation."
He opened it and stared.
Inside was enough money to replace the broken chair several times over.
His eyes widened.
"…This is way too much."
Daichi rubbed the back of his neck.
"I break things a lot."
"I can see that."
"President says paying for the damage is cheaper than listening to Mika scold me."
"I heard that," Mika said, crossing her arms.
"You were supposed to."
The room filled with laughter once again.
Even Ryuu allowed himself the faintest smile before quietly walking toward the front door.
Akari picked up her coat and turned to Ruyoko.
"I won't ask for your answer today."
He looked at her.
"You've only known me for a day."
"True."
"So why invite me?"
Akari thought for a moment before replying.
"Because sometimes the kind of person someone is matters more than how long you've known them."
Ruyoko didn't know how to answer.
She continued.
"Think about it. Whether you join us or not is your decision."
She handed him another black card.
Unlike the first one, this one had a phone number written neatly on the back.
"If you decide to meet us again, call this number."
Ruyoko accepted it without saying a word.
One by one, the members walked toward the hallway.
Reina waved enthusiastically.
"Bye, Ryu-Ryu!"
"…Don't call me that."
"I definitely will!"
Daichi bowed apologetically.
"Sorry about the chair."
"I'll survive."
Mika smiled.
"Try eating vegetables."
"…I'll think about it."
"You won't."
"…Probably not."
Kaito adjusted his glasses before leaving.
"Your refrigerator is making an unusual sound."
"…It's older than I am."
"I noticed."
Finally, Ryuu stopped beside the door.
Without turning around, he spoke.
"You have a good punch."
It was the longest sentence he had spoken all day.
Ruyoko scratched his cheek.
"…Thanks… I think."
Ryuu gave a small nod and walked out.
Akari was the last to leave.
Before closing the door, she looked back with the same calm smile.
"We'll meet again, Ruyoko Namine."
"I'm not promising anything."
"You don't have to."
The door quietly closed behind her.
Silence returned to the apartment.
Ruyoko stood in the middle of the room.
The apartment felt strangely empty again.
He glanced at the broken chair.
The envelope on the table.
And finally…
The black card in his hand.
He turned it over once more.
VAMPIRE CLUB
"…What kind of people are they…?"
He slipped the card into his pocket.
"I guess…"
"…Life just got a little less boring."
Outside the apartment building, the six members walked toward a black SUV parked across the street.
Reina smiled.
"So…"
"Do you think he'll join?"
Akari looked up at the clear blue sky.
"…Eventually."
Kaito quietly closed his notebook.
"I've finished my observations."
"And?" Akari asked.
He looked back toward Ruyoko's apartment.
"…He's exactly the kind of person we were looking for."
No one said another word.
The SUV slowly drove away.
Unaware of it all…
Ruyoko stood by his apartment window, watching the vehicle disappear into the distance.
He had no idea…
…that this peaceful Saturday would be the last normal weekend of his life.
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