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Chapter Twenty-One: Butterfly in a Trap:

Kirika-chan stared into the darkness. "What do you want from me?"

"I want… I want…" Icy fingertips ghosted her cheeks. She didn't flinch.

"I want you."

Kirika-chan looked a little bit confused. "But why?"

He closed his non-existent eyes. "Your scent."

"My scent?"

"Yes." Icy fingertips took hold of her wrist. "I had to see you."

"But why? Why my scent? I don't understand you." She tried to pull away from his tight grip. Why won't he let go? He kept his gaze on her.

"I want to say it's your blood," he said. No emotion in his voice. Kirika-chan couldn't see his face either. She tried to back away.

"Why are you so afraid of me?"

"You're squeezing my wrist," Kirika-chan said. The invisible grip let go of her wrist. She backed up again.

"I do apologize."

Kirika-chan stared shaking her head. He frowned and narrowed his eyes.

"What's the matter?"

She cradled her wrist. "I can't go with you."

"What do you mean?"

"What about my family? My friends? I can't leave them behind."

"Family? Friends?"

"Yes," she said. "I can't leave them behind."

"Why?"

She heard her wrist to her chest. "I love them."

"Love?"

"Yes," Kirika-chan said. She backed away again.

"You don't love me?"

"You don't even know what love is."

"But I love you."

Kirika-chan shook her head. "No, you don't."

"But…"

"I want to go home."

"Don't…"

"I'm so sorry." Kirika-chan turned and walked away. He tried to reach out to her.

"Don't…"

"I'm so sorry." Kirika-chan turned and walked away. He tried to reach out to her.

"Come back! Do you even know where you are going?"

She looked behind her. "I will find my way." He tried to reach for her arm, but she was gone. She disappeared through the veil. His heart sank. Her scent disappeared. He felt the life drain from his body.

No…

He couldn't lose her again. He couldn't go back to sleep. He just had to have her.

I never let you go. He followed her through the veil.

Kirika-chan could feel the ground at her feet. She opened her eyes and looked around. She found herself back in the festival.

"I made it back," the girl said to herself.

"Kirika-chan!" she heard someone yell. The girl turned her head. Anna and Tsuzuki ran towards her.

"Mama! Papa!" Kirika-chan shouted. She ran over to her parents. Mother and daughter embraced in the middle.

"Where have you been?" Tsuzuki asked. Kirika-chan shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.

"I don't really know," she said.

"Kirika-chan!" someone else yelled out. The family looked up to see Akira and Nozomi running towards them. Even Daiyu followed behind. Kirika-chan smiled.

"I'm home," she said to herself.

"What?" Anna asked. Her daughter shook her head.

"Nothing," she lied. "Can we go home?"

"Sure," her mother said. "Is that good for you guys?" No one had an argument otherwise.

"Right," Anna said. "Let's go." Everyone started leaving the festival.

"Oh, here," Tsuzuki said. He handed Kirika-chan a candied apple.

"Thank you," she said. The girl took a bite.

"This is good," Kirika-chan said.

"Good," Tsuzuki said. "I'm so glad you like it." Kirika-chan took another bite.