"Bloodlust?I call it Art"

“Daaamn. So, he held her hand in front of you and mom and everything?”

You and Lumine are visiting Aether at the hospital. Lumine has just finished telling Aether everything that happened during that evening. You’ve been casually listening, ensuring Lumine doesn’t exaggerate the truth. By the end, Aether smiles at you.

“It’s like one of the stories you write, Sis.” Then, he lowers his voice and says dramatically, “What did they talk about after the mother and sister left? Stay tuned…”

Lumine laughs. “It definitely sounds like a cliffhanger.”

“Well, if things really go well, I’m happy for ‘ya, Sis.” Aether tears open a chocolate bar. “It’s about time that ginger gets some competition.”

A soft knock comes at Aether’s door.

You and Lumine are surprised to see a girl about the same age as the twins. Her eyes are slightly darker than the colour of her hair that's tied into a high ponytail. She's wearing a dark hospital gown that makes her skin look even paler than it already is.

“A-Ayaka!”

You and your sister glance at each other. Ayaka? Since when did Aether make a friend?

She walks in, and you see she’s holding one of Aether’s video games. “Hello. I hope I wasn’t interrupting anything.” She gives you and Lumine a slight bow.

“No! Not at all!”

“I came to return the video game you lent me the other day," Ayaka says, putting the video game on the nightstand beside Aether's bed.

“You lent her one of your video games?” Lumine gasps.

Aether shoots her a warning look, but his twin remains unfazed.

“Yes.” Ayaka smiles. “He was kind enough to lend me one when I was recovering.”

“Well, well, looks like Aether’s all grown up!”

Ayaka looks at Aether. “Are these two…”

“They’re my sisters.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Ayaka,” you say. “I should thank you for giving my brother company.”

Lumine nods. “That’s why we brought him his games in the first place. He wouldn’t stop complaining about how bored he was.”

Ayaka doesn’t see Aether’s deadpan look toward his twin. “I quite enjoy Aether’s company. He’s a fun person to talk to.”

“Oh, is he now?” Lumine asks with a smile. “That’s good to hear!”

Then, Ayaka bows once. “I should return to my room. My brother will be coming soon.”

“You have a brother?” Lumine asks.

“Yes.” Ayaka looks at you. “He should be around the same age as you or maybe a little older. His name is Ayato.”

“Ooh, perhaps we can all get lunch together sometime!” Lumine says excitedly.

“I think that would be a lovely idea.”

“I second that,” you say.

“I, uh, anytime’s good for me!”

“As long as you get to see Ayaka, right?” Lumine says quietly. Aether glares at her, and she returns it with a smile.

Ayaka chuckles. “I guess Aether and I can arrange something.”

“Yeah!”

You and Lumine give Ayaka a small wave just before she leaves.

Once Ayaka is out of sight, Lumine turns to her brother and asks, “Pickin’ up girls at the hospital, are we now?”

You laugh. “She seems like a nice girl.”

“Maybe the only girl who will give Aether a chance.”

Aether sticks his tongue out at his twin. “Ha-ha. Hilarious, Lumine.”

As your siblings continue to bicker, you look at your watch. It's almost time to meet your friends. You grab your bag off the armchair, which gets Aether's attention.

“Leaving already, Sis?”

“I’m meeting Candace and Dehya to get my dress today.”

Lumine gasps. “Oh! For the Awards night, right?”

“That’s the one.”

Once you leave the room, you see a woman walk out of the room next door. Isn’t that the room Alhaitham’s grandfather is staying in? Her long, blue locks make her stand out. Coupled with her fair skin, she would turn heads down the street. Could this woman be a friend of Alhaitham’s? Or…

You walk in the other direction, trying and failing to kill your curiosity.

◆◆◆

As soon as you enter the high-end boutique, Candace waves at you while Dehya goes in for a hug.

“There she is!"

You walk up and hug Dehya, a friend from school who you introduced to Candace a few years ago. 

"I should get your autograph now before you become too famous!"

"And what?" you ask. "Sell it?"

Dehya laughs. "You got me."

“Did you have lunch yet?” Candace asks.

“Yeah, I already ate. I came from the hospital, actually,” you say. “I was visiting my brother.”

“Aether?” Dehya asks. “What did he get himself into this time?”

“He broke his leg while snowboarding.”

“Ouch… but the kid’s learning to snowboard now?”

"Well, he isn't sure he wants to go again after that incident."

Soon, you and Dehya get caught up with what's happening in your lives. Unlike you and Candace, who are creatives, Dehya works in law enforcement. You aren't surprised. She was incredibly athletic in school, having more physical strength than some of the boys. Her grades were also good. Her intelligence and athletics made her intimidating to most of the students, but it was also the reason why the two of you became friends.

Dehya looks around the high-end boutique. “So, Candace, care to give some recs?”

Candace looks at you. “Do you already have something in mind?”

“Not really… but I guess I’d like to try something different.”

She smiles. “A bolder look, maybe?”

“Something that’ll truly knock people off their feet!” Dehya adds.

“Let’s start with the overall design,” Candace suggests. “Once you like the dress, we can start looking at colours.”

After a while of you and your friends going through racks and racks of dresses, Dehya brings up the school reunion, something you’ve been thinking about.

“I haven’t replied to Collei yet,” you say. “Are you going?”

Dehya nods. Then, she quietly says, "He won't be there, you know. Collei wouldn't invite him."

You know that Collei wouldn't invite your ex if she's inviting you. She's not that type of person. 

“...I know she wouldn’t.”

Is it bad to say that you don't want to see any of your old classmates? It's not like you're close to them. They're acquaintances at best. Some knew your ex and probably still kept in touch. However, you didn't want to deal with any questions about him. He used to haunt your dreams; his influence left harmful traces in almost every aspect of your life. 

"I don't want to see them." You sigh. "Don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against them. It's just…."

“Hey. You don’t have to explain yourself to me,” Dehya says kindly. “If you don’t want to go, don’t go.”

You give her a small smile, and she returns it with one of her own.

"...I haven't decided, though, so I haven't replied."

“Something wrong?”

You and Dehya look at Candace, who’s holding a black satin off-sleeve dress that’s round and low-cut at the front with a slit on the side.

“I didn’t know dress shopping would be such a downer,” she jokes.

“Oh, it’s not that,” you say.

Dehya quickly gets Candace up to speed about Collei's invitation to a school reunion. Candace quickly catches on; she knows, after all, that your ex went to school with you.

“The reason you haven't replied... Is it because you might want to go?” Candace asks.

She's right. A part of you wants to show off this incredible person you've become. But would there be a point to that? The more you think about it, it seems like you'd be going for all the wrong reasons. Maybe it's best to leave it all behind.

The bell at the entrance sounds, signalling a customer. You, Dehya, and Candace turn around, and your eyes widen when you see Alhaitham… with a woman. The same woman you saw at the hospital earlier today.

“Haitham?” Candace asks, obviously surprised.

Alhaitham is just as surprised to see you.

“Layla!” Dehya exclaims.

“Dehya?” the woman smiles. “I never thought I’d see you at a boutique.”

“That’s cuz I’m here with friends!”

“Well, it looks like we all know each other,” Candace says. “Care to introduce us, Dehya?”

You learn that the woman with Alhaitham is Layla, a Sumeru native living out of the city until recently. She and Alhaitham are old friends, while she and Dehya met at a city event a few years ago. 

“I’m not surprised Haitham knows so many great people,” she says. “It’s wonderful meeting you.”

“So… are you two on a date?” Dehya asks.

“No.”

“That was quick.”

“You must excuse his bluntness,” Candace says.

Layla chuckles. “But it’s true. We aren’t on a date. He’s just accompanying me for the day.”

“What brings the two of you here?” you ask.

"I want to get a new suit," Layla says. "Haitham says that he has a friend who works in the fashion business and thought she could help out." She looks at Candace. "I guess he was referring to you."

“At least he knows a good designer when he sees one,” Candace jokes.

“What about you?” Alhaitham asks, looking at you.

“I’m looking for a dress for the Awards Night."

Candace holds up the black dress. “What do you think about this one, Haitham?”

“Have you tried it on?”

“Not yet.”

Alhaitham smiles at you. “Go try it on.”

“What? So you can judge me?” you ask jokingly.

He leans close enough to whisper in your ear, "No, silly. So, you can see how beautiful you'd look in it."

Your eyes go wide.

“Something wrong?”

Looks like no one else heard what he said. You aren't surprised. With how he lowered his voice like that, it's only loud enough for you to hear but also sends a surprising shiver down your spine. You feel someone's hands on your shoulders. When you turn, you see Candace.

“I bet he told you to try it on, right?”

“Yeah…”

Candace smiles and hands you the dress. “Then, hurry and try it on, girl!”

Once you leave for the dressing room, Dehya points her finger at him. "Who are you to her? How come I haven't heard about you?"

“I’m her neighbour,” Alhaitham answers calmly.

“And her C—”

“She lives across from me,” Alhaitham quickly interrupts. He gives Candace a look, and she catches on and subtly nods.

“You two seem too... close to just be neighbours,” Dehya says.

“She’s also a friend.”

It’s obvious Dehya doesn’t buy it.

Layla chuckles. “Let’s stop grilling them, Dehya. Perhaps they’re a work in progress.”

Dehya jabs Alhaitham in the chest. "I don't know who you are, but you'd better not try anything funny."

“Don’t worry,” Candace says. “I’ll keep an eye on them.”

Dehya still looks suspiciously at Alhaitham as she says, "Well, if you're friends with Candace, I guess you should be okay."

“I appreciate you’re looking out for her,” Alhaitham says.

Dehya blinks once. Twice. Then, she turns to Candace. “Is he always like this?”

“Like what?”

Dehya looks back. “Like… I don’t know. Polite?”

“If it’s any reassurance, Candace already gave me a similar warning,” Alhaitham says. “I do not plan on trying anything’ funny’ with her. If anything”—his gaze turns stern—“I’d like to look out for her.”

You come out of the dressing room with the dress on. Candace is the first to walk up to you.

“It looks good!”

"You think?" you ask, looking down at yourself and then at the large mirror on the opposite wall.

Alhaitham approaches you, and you see his subtle smile in the mirror.

“Are you going to wear heels?” You see Layla just behind Alhaitham. “I think it would look nicer if you wore heels.”

You turn around. “I appreciate the suggestion, but aren’t you two here for something else?”

Layla chuckles softly. “Well, it seems like you completely grabbed Haitham’s attention.”

“Oh, I wonder why.”

You give Candace a look, and she smiles back.

“Well, I also think the dress looks nice on you,” Dehya chimes in. “The guy has a good eye.”

You and Alhaitham look at each other, but you’re the first to look away.

Sometime later, in a twisted series of events, you and your friends end up having lunch with Layla and Alhaitham at a nearby restaurant. After telling Layla about what you do, she looks visibly impressed.

“Wow, so you’re the scriptwriter for Love in the Spotlight? I binged it in one day,” she laughs. “It was so well done!” She takes a bite of her food. “How did you come up with the idea? Or… is that a secret?”

“Actually, it was inspired by something I read in the news.”

“I guess when inspiration strikes, it strikes hard.” Layla looks at Alhaitham. “Didn’t you watch it too, Haitham?”

“I did.” He looks at you. “And I enjoyed it.”

You aren’t sure why you find it difficult to meet his eyes. You’ve always taken compliments nicely. So, why do you feel… unexpectedly nervous?

“What did you particularly like about it?” Dehya asks. You gently nudge your friend underneath the table. “Whaaat? I’m just curious! Maybe he didn’t actually watch it and is just saying it.”

Candace cuts into her steak. “So… you’re testing him, is that it?”

"It was the characters who made it enjoyable," Alhaitham answers. "Perhaps it's a personal preference, but I especially enjoyed watching the female lead. From a rookie, unconfident actress to winning awards and giving advice to her juniors... her growth is quite inspiring."

You're pleasantly surprised at his response. You expected to hear "an interesting plot," "the high production value," or something similar. It never really crossed your mind that he'd comment on the characters.

"I'm sure many people would find strength in watching her as well," he continues. He looks at you. "It was a story with substance."

Curious, you ask, “I suppose you like character-driven stories then.”

"Truth be told, I've never thought about it," he says, slightly smiling. "But if my experience with Love in the Spotlight is anything to go by, it depends on whether I think the show delivers meaningful value."

Dehya whistles softly. “What a compliment.”

You can’t hide your smile, and you don’t want to. You feel a new sense of accomplishment as creating something purposeful and inspiring has always been at the top of your creative goals.

“That’s very motivating,” you say honestly. “I appreciate your thoughts, Catman.”

“Catman?”

You slowly look around at the confused faces. Alhaitham, on the other hand, has a slightly amused smile at your blunder.

“That’s… an interesting nickname for Haitham,” Layla says. “Never heard that one before.”

Candace chuckles. “It’s definitely a more creative one than Nerd or Bookworm.”

“Is it because he likes cats?” Deya asks.

Layla laughs. "Or… maybe he's like a cat. I can definitely see that."

You and Alhaitham glance at each other, and he enjoys seeing your little smile as you continue eating.

◆◆◆

You’ve just finished your shower that evening when you hear a knock at the door. You open it to find Alhaitham dressed in a black tank and pants.

“You’re… early,” you say.

"I was wondering if you'd wanted to come over instead."

You raise a brow. “You aren’t going to kidnap me, are you?” Alhaitham gives you a slightly deadpan look, and you shrug with a small smile. “Just making sure.” You lean against the doorframe. “Why, though?”

“I don’t think it’s fair if we keep using your place. If you’re comfortable”—he nods at his unit—“you could come over.”

You look past him and see the closed door. Alhaitham’s place… what would it look like? You’d imagine it would be minimalistic with a black, white, and gray colour scheme.

“...Curious?”

You immediately turn to him when you hear his low voice near your ear. Your lips almost brush against his cheek.

Then, he chuckles. “You can take a look at my book collection.”

“...Your book collection?”

“You have a bookshelf in your room. I assume you like reading.”

The bookshelf in your room isn't big and can be easily missed. So, you’re a little surprised that he remembers the detail.

“It sounds like your book collection is something private.” Then, jokingly, “Don’t tell me you have some R-rated stuff in there.”

To your surprise, Alhaitham looks at you mischievously. “...If you mean sensual literature, I assure you’ll find a little bit of everything.”

You laugh. “Is that what the academics are calling it nowadays?”

"So... is that a yes?"

And that's how you end up at Alhaitham's place.

It's just as you'd imagined, but it's also very clean. You're still standing at the entrance, looking around, when he comes out with tea.

“Take a seat.”

“Your place is nice,” you say, sitting on the black couch. “No cat fur.”

Alhaitham sits on the couch adjacent to you. “You should know I don’t shed.”

You almost choke on your tea. “Right. Of course, you don’t.”

"...There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

You put down your cup.

“The Best Hit Awards…” You already have a feeling you know what he’s getting at. “I’ll need you that night.”

You remember he’ll be the one giving the awards to the recipients. The event also takes place at night… but he would be a cat by then.

“You want me to change you back at the event?” you ask.

"Unfortunately, I don't see any other way."

“I guess not attending the event would leave a bad impression.”

Alhaitham nods.

"...That's a huge risk. But, if we plan carefully…."

“There’s nothing Catman and Batwoman can’t solve together.”

You cross one leg over the other. “What should I take that smile as, hm? Do you have something in mind?”

“Perhaps.”

“Well, I’m all ears.”

You're thinking over Alhaitham's plan later that night when he walks out of his bathroom in all his fluffy, four-legged glory. He jumps onto the sofa, and you turn to him.

“If I wasn’t here, I wonder what your plan would be.”

Alhaitham walks onto your lap and sits facing you. It almost looks like he’s smiling, but you can’t be sure.

“Don’t tell me you expect me to turn you back like this,” you deadpan. “It’s not going to happen.”

He steps toward you, and you stare at each other in silence. Finally, you scratch him behind the ears, and he nuzzles against your hand. Is this his cat instincts, or…?

“I thought you were going to show me your book collection.”

Alhaitham meows and jumps onto the floor. You eventually follow him to his room, where it's just as clean as the rest of his place. Your eyes almost widen at the wall completely filled with books. What surprises you more is that many books look old and have sticky tabs on the pages. Alhaitham jumps onto one of his bookshelves just as you walk over.

A book titled A Drunkard’s Tale gets your attention. “Did you read all of these?”

Alhaitham meows again. He walks along the edge and puts his paw on the spine of a green book. You put the one in your hand back on the shelf and grab the one Alhaitham is pointing to.

“...Heart’s Desire?” You look at him. “Is this the sensual literature you were talking about?”

You flip to a random page and start reading the first paragraph. But, Alhaitham suddenly puts his head on the page you're reading. His eyes are wide and innocent. He slowly inches closer, making reading anything on the page impossible.

You almost chuckle. “I thought I said you should behave if you want to change back.”

Behave? Pssh. He wants to drive you crazy. In a good way, of course. Alhaitham jumps onto the bed, patting the space beside him using his paw.

You assume he’s giving you permission to sit on his bed. So, you close the book and sit on the edge of his bed. You turn away from him, but that ends up being a mistake. Alhaitham jumps on your back, and his paws are on either one of your shoulders. You yelp in surprise. Then, you reach behind you and grab him off your shoulders.

You’re holding him in front of you, his belly exposed. “What was that all about, hm?”

His paws start moving up and down as if reaching for something. You slowly bring him closer until he’s close enough to bonk his head against yours and hug you. His head is against your neck, and you hear him meow softly.

“Is this your way of convincing me to turn you back?”

If that’s how you see it.

Once you put him down on the bed, you stand to face him as he looks up at you expectantly. Finally, he walks to the edge of the bed, his tail straight up. You lean down, not expecting Alhaitham to give you a light lick on your nose. Then, you and he stare at each other for a short moment before your lips curve into a small smile.

As soon as you kiss the top of his head, you almost gasp when you feel Alhaitham grab your wrist.

Then, you hear him whisper in your ear, “You’re getting harder to resist.”

You pull back. Alhaitham has a blanket over his lower half. The two of you stare at each other; his words are still sinking in until…

“I… I should go.”

You don’t wait for a response and hurry out the door.