Linus still couldn't grasp what was unfolding before his eyes. His body trembled. "Ma...ya...?" He could barely bring himself to utter her name.

Silence hung in the air. She didn't even spare him a glance. Then, a faint chuckle echoed through the room. Linus felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized it was Maya who was laughing. What the hell was wrong with her? She seemed like a completely different person. As if being possesed by a demon.

"Finally I've got you, filthy bloodsucker." She drove the wooden stake deeper into Akira's chest, so it now protruded from the other side of his body.

He only let out a faint croak.

It took a moment for Linus to muster the courage to speak again. His throat was dry, and his heartbeat thundered in his ears, making it hard for him to even hear himself. "Blood...sucker?"

Only now did Maya tear her gaze away from Akira and looked Linus directly in the eyes. "Yes, your oh-so-good friend here is a vampire, don't you get it?!" She sounded nothing like the Maya he had fallen for. Gone was the nice, sweet girl—now she was just creepy.

Then, a memory flashed in Linus' mind. Vampires; he already knew Maya had issues with them. Just the word alone had sent her into a panic. But what was all this about now?! As if vampires were real, and even more ludicrous—like that boy over there was one of them.

"Aren't you gonna die already?! How much blood have you sucked up?!" Linus jumped as Maya suddenly screamed out of nowhere. Barely recovering from the shock, she pulled the wooden stake out of Akira and began wildly stabbing at him.

"...So, you actually tried to kill me back then... huh?" Akira's voice was weak, each word a laborious effort, punctuated by ragged coughs that sprayed droplets of blood into the air.

Maya froze, her features contorted with guilt as she processed.

"...I'm glad I ate all the cake before anyone could get hurt..."

"DIE ALREADY, YOU VERMIN!" she screamed, her voice raw with emotion as she unleashed another flurry of stabs upon him.

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It was a gruesome sight. The hatred driving her terrified Linus. Maya's hair became speckled with red from the blood splattering around the room, yet she seemed unfazed. Linus feared she might even enjoy it.

"M-m-m-maya, I think you're mistaken." Linus' voice trembled. But what was even worse than the fear coursing through him was the shame he felt. Why didn't he do anything to help this boy?!

Instead, he stood there, barely able to get a word out, politely reminding Maya that she was unjustly slaughtering a human?!

"Who asked you?! Just piss off," she hissed at him.

Akira glanced at Linus, who now realized it would soon be too late, if it wasn't already. Tears welled up in his eyes.

He didn't even know this boy. What did he expect himself to do? Run toward a deranged psychopath wielding a weapon and play the hero?! That was crazy. Only a crazy person would do such things.

But he was already running. Determined to fight. He didn't know why—why was he willingly rushing to his death for a stranger? But his body was certain it was the right decision. In fact, this wasn't even a decision, it was just an action—an instinct.

Screaming, he ran towards Maya when suddenly—

"Don't move." A familiar voice sounded.

Without any choice, Linus stopped abruptly. It was as if the entire gravity of the Earth had focused on one point, and that was him. He felt something at the back of his head—it was hard and cold. From the corner of his eye, he recognized a person, but couldn't place them.

Black hair emerged from his own shadow, enveloping the sinister figure. "B-beyza...?" he asked, horrified, only to realize afterward who she actually was.

"That goes for you too," she called out, addressing Maya.

Instantly, the massacre ceased, as she looked at Beyza intensely. "What is this?! What are you doing here?!"

Linus couldn't understand anything anymore.

"Get off him," Beyza said, still devoid of any emotions in her voice.

Maya hesitated.

"I said, get off!" This time it was a command.

Albeit with reluctant defiance on her face, Maya obeyed. She glared angrily between Bayza and Akira.

Linus felt the pressure behind his head increase.

"Keep going," Beyza ordered, apparently directed at him.

"W-what?" Linus barely managed to utter.

"Hurry up!"

"O-o-o-k, ok!" He slowly approached Maya and Akira.

Maya scrutinized him through the slits of her narrowed eyes.

What was the whole point of this? Linus couldn't explain it, but he was forced to follow Beyza's instructions, as if he were under hypnosis. No, it was more like he instinctively knew that it meant his death if he didn't.

Now he stood before Akira. His pale, almost white skin was barely visible under the bloodbath that had engulfed him. Linus wasn't sure if he was even still alive.

"Beyza, we need to—" Maya faltered as suddenly a loud bang echoed, followed by a deafening crash. The window behind Maya shattered into pieces, raining down around her. As the the clinking reverberated through the room, Linus understood what had been at the back of his head.

A gun.