After sending the body to Khaos’ domain, they went home. Dracarus took the lily flower with him.

– Khaos, this is getting out of hand! – Han rushed. – The Moon’s Shadow is back again and even got a gift for Dracarus.

– Huh? What do you mean? – Khaos walked near them.

– Look.

Dracarus showed her the flower and the paper.

– I see… Does the flower help us in anything?

– Yes. I realised this flower was used in Eclipse’s latest work.

– So, you’re suspecting her as the murderer? – She asked, inspecting the flower.

– Indeed. However, regarding the person named Moon, it could be that they used one of her flowers as a warning or threat since they know I admire her. – He tried to drift away from the thought of Eclipse being the culprit. He couldn’t understand nor believe it.

– You’re right. Keep an eye on Eclipse for now, try to find anything about her that coincides with the culprit and protect her at the same time since we have two opposite dilemmas here… And since we can never gather fingerprints or any clue, this is the only way we can start from.

– Yes, Khaos. 

“This is quite weird to think of, but it seems right…” Khaos silently walked away. “For some reason, I feel like he’s right. She might be the murderer.”

– What if she’s actually the killer? … – Hesitating. – Will you harm her? – Dracarus seemed to be distressed by this.

Khaos stopped and turned around. “Hm? Is he that much worried for her?”

– I won’t harm her. Besides, she even helps us if you look into the good side of all this. I also am very curious to see the reasons for the murderer to commit these crimes. 

– Certainly, it doesn’t seem like a “just because” thing at all. – Han agreed.

– You may rest now, it’s late. And keep that flower. – Khaos was willing to fall into the killer’s trap. 

– Yes, good night. – Dracarus felt more relieved to know she wasn’t going to harm the murderer.

Dracarus went to his room and put the flower in a jar with water. The flower was full of blood, but he didn’t bother to clean it. He just stood there watching as the blood dripped down the flower to the water. 

“I wonder if it’s really her… This feels so weird.”

He was so worried and distressed that he ended up dreaming about it… 

~~~

The next day, he decided that he would try to stay with her as much as possible. He went to the university to see what she was up to and to keep an eye on her as Khaos had asked him to.

He was entering the school gate and immediately noticed her on the balcony. She was eating something.

She was peacefully munching on her strawberry pie when she suddenly felt his soft warm voice. She was startled.

– Hi. – He said, tilting his head to the side to properly see her face.

– Huh…?! Where the hell did you come from? – Her body flinched, she almost choked.

– I teleported here. Sorry if I scared you. – He gently apologised, switching his gaze between her eyes and lips.

– Oh, it’s fine. – She turned around again, trying to stay unbothered.

– Are you eating alone? – He asked, leaning on the fence.

– Yeah… The others are waiting for me to go clean the museum together, I’m just quickly taking a break. – She ate the last bit of the pie.

– Oh, alright… – He thought she looked cute eating strawberries. 

“He seems to be acting as usual with me… Could it be that he took the flower and didn’t care less?” She was kind of panicking. He was supposed to be avoiding her. 

– Where’s Han? – She tried to not seem suspicious, talking normally with him.

– He didn’t come today. He’s busy. – He explained, wondering why she was asking for him.

– Hm, I see. Well, since I already ate, I’ll go with them. – She said, turning away to the studio.

– Sure, I’ll wait here. – He responded, quietly.

As they went downstairs to the museum, he found this a good opportunity to search her table and try to find anything about her without being noticed.

Dracarus searched everything, and eventually found something. A crumpled paper inside her pencil case.

“Hm? Isn’t this paper…”

He carefully unfold it, finally discovering what was written there.

“Are you really sure you want to keep this up? You might end up even more sorrowful… Be careful of your choices, Moon.”

– What the hell…?!  – He felt like he had found something really important to his doubt.

“If this person called her moon, it proves a lot…! But who is this other person who wrote it? That masked person in the exhibition? An alibi?”

He memorised exactly what the paper said and crumpled it back to where it was. 

He sat on the couch thinking about it while waiting for them to return. “If that person sent it while we were together, could it be about our relationship? …” This whole situation was confusing enough. “End up more sorrowful? But why? … Because I’m one of those who are investigating the executioner’s case…?”

After two hours, they had returned. He was at that time in the balcony admiring the snowy view. 

– Hi, we’re back.

– Oh, hi, Eclipse.

– We are going to lunch now, do you want to come with us? – She offered, fidgeting her hands.

– Sure. 

They went to the cafe where they usually have lunch. He was walking behind her the whole time, chatting with Xavier and secretly glancing at her.

– What will we eat this time? – Xavier asked, hungry.

– I don’t know, I could eat anything at all right now, choose whatever you want. – Catherine, while her tummy agreed with her.

– What about you, Dracarus? – Xavier wondered, looking at him.

– I’m fine with anything.

– Alright I’m going to order a large pizza then and a hot drink since it’s really cold today.

Unfortunately, all the tables were occupied so they had to sit on the table near the door which no one wanted since it was colder there.

They started eating and were talking about things such as the winter break.

– What will you guys do during the break? – Lydia asked, munching on her first slice.

– Nothing much. – Eclipse answered, sitting across from her.

– Same, I never do much on breaks. – Catherine, with a full mouth.

– Hmmm, we could do something fun together this year. – Xavier suggested.

– Like what? – Catherine got interested.

– My parents have a chalet in the mountains where we used to spend our holidays some years ago, maybe we could go there for some days. – Xavier gave a cute idea.

– Alright so, who’s in? – Lydia asked.

– I can go, I just need to notify Vincent about it before leaving.

– Will you and Han also come with us, Dracarus? – Xavier murmured, glancing at him.

– Well, I need to tell Khaos first, but maybe. I’ll ask Han about it. – He was interested in this. He never did something like that.

– And you, Eclipse?

– …Yeah. – Hesitantly.

– Alright so, everyone’s coming! It will be fun.

Dracarus noticed that Eclipse was often changing the position of her legs and shaking.

– Are you cold? – He whispered, asking her.

– A bit… It’s quite cold on this table and my clothes are not that warm today. – She explained with her lips purplish and avoidant look.

He immediately took off his jacket and put it around her.

– What about you? You’ll feel cold now… – She was worried about him, she didn’t expect him to do that.

– It’s fine, I can handle the cold well. – He responded with a subtle grin.

– Thank you, then. – She put her hands inside the jacket, covering every inch of her torso up. Her hands were also really cold.

“It’s warm…” She felt comfortable. His sweet scent was all over the black jacket, making her blush to think her body would be drawn in his scent once she took the jacket off.

Dracarus was attentive hearing their conversation, Eclipse was secretly stealing glances at him. She was analysing every inch of his manly yet delicate face. 

“How can someone be so heavenly? No wonder they really call him the prettiest man of Portus…” She couldn’t help it anymore.

After eating, they went back to school. They decided to also clean up the studio since they would only return there in January. Dracarus helped them.

Three hours passed, and they had finally finished cleaning the room.

– Finally! I can go home and rest. – Xavier howled while dropping himself on the couch. He was exhausted.

– Same! – Lydia agreed, sighing.

– Oh by the way, about the chalet vacation. Do you wanna go tomorrow afternoon? – Xavier asked, chilling on the sofa with his legs spread out. 

– Don’t you need to confirm it with your parents first? – Catherine, dressing up her coat.

– Not really, they let me go there whenever I want.

– Alright then it’s fine by me. – Catherine affirmed.

They picked up their things and were about to go home.

At the school entrance…

– I’ll send the location when I arrive home, see you tomorrow!

Xavier waved them goodbye and they waved back.

– Hey, so… – Eclipse bounded near Dracarus and took off his jacket, giving it back to him. – Thank you for lending it today. – She was timid.

– Ah, it’s fine. But it’s colder now, you don’t need it anymore? – He was concerned. 

– Uh– Don’t worry. My brother is picking me up today. – She responded with a soft smile.

– Alright then… – Awkwardly biting his lip.

“She still looks cold… Did she return the jacket out of nervousness?” He sighed.

Being a certain hesitant, he gave her a hug from behind. He still wanted to warm her.

– Huh? – She flustered, startled. – What was that for? – Looking at his hands.

– You’re a little stubborn sometimes, did you know? – Chuckling. – Don’t refuse me this time… Unless you feel uncomfortable, of course… – Concerned.

– It’s fine… Don’t move. – In a low timid tone.

“Cute…” Gently smirking.

Not much longer after this, her brother showed up.

– Oh, it’s him! – Slowly leaving his embrace. – See you tomorrow. – She waved, opening the car’s door.

– See ya! – He said, with his hands in the jacket’s pockets.

Her brother had white hair just like her and red eyes. He recognised that man.

“Huh? Isn’t he a policeman?”

Dracarus walked to his car and entered it. He looked at his car’s watch and it was still 4 p.m. 

“Hmm, it’s still early…” 

He knew later that day they had another marked criminal to slaughter and since they were starting to suspect Eclipse, he had an idea.

“Since the murderer is back, he’s probably going to strike again today…”

He leaned his arm on the window and was picking on his finger’s skin with his teeth.

“Maybe I could try to keep her in sight by hiding in a place near her house…”

He left his car in the same place, and teleported to Eclipse’s house. He was indeed going to stalk her.

Once he arrived, he saw her brother’s car on the other side of the gate, she was home for sure.

“Well… Since the Hollow Forest is next to her house, I can hide there and observe from afar.”

He entered the foggy forgotten forest and sat up on a high tree branch.

“I can perfectly see her house from here, I just need to wait now.”

A few minutes passed, and he was still there… And with no sights of her leaving the house. 

He suddenly saw a light being turned on in the closest room from the gate. It was Eclipse.

“Hm? Is that her room?” He wondered, trying to understand what she was going to do.

She was with her back facing the window from where he was observing, and started taking off her shirt.

“What…?!” He gulped and turned himself to the other side of the branch. “I’ll turn around for a bit since she’s probably changing clothes…” He was quite flustered but he wasn’t a pervert. He didn’t want to see her naked… Especially not by invading her privacy.

As he was trying to think of something else to distract himself for a bit, he felt something pop up next to him.

– Stalking someone, huh? – The intruder spoke.

He rapidly looked to his left and saw a masked person sitting next to him. It was that guy called Moon.

– What the fuck are you doing here and who exactly are you? – Dracarus got down the tree and was ready to activate his powers in case of something.

– Calm down, Dracarus. – The person also got down the tree and was facing him.

He seemed to recognise that voice but wasn’t remembering who.

His face was showing annoyance, and his fists were clenched.

– Have you been perchance following me?! – He asked in an angry low tone.

– Nah… But I have some info that you would like to hear. – She tried to propose something.

– I don’t have time for that, unless it’s something about the murderer you surely know about… Or maybe if you’re the murderer himself. – He raised his eyebrows.

– You see, I’m gonna be honest since I owe you my life. – She admitted, circling around him.

“Hah? Her life?” He didn’t really remember saving someone’s life… unless it was someone from that organisation or the war. And if this voice is a girl’s, it certainly could only be one.

“Blue? Seriously?!” He was in disbelief.

– So, I indeed have something to do with The Moon’s Shadow and I eventually tried to help him leave that criminal path… but it didn’t work. 

“That kind of hints she was the one writing that paper for Eclipse… Is it really her? Or is she tricking me into believing that?”

– Hm, I understand now. But, what exactly do you both have between each other? – He looked at her with a serious expression, tilting his head. – That day we met in the exhibition, you exposed that you weren’t friends with her or spoke to her. – He backed away from her, who was getting closer to him.

– That’s up for you and the Goddess to find out… Although, I never mentioned Eclipse was the murderer.

– Oh? Well then again if she isn’t, what are you doing here? Trying to harm the possible murderer? – He narrowed his eyes, speaking of Eclipse.

– Nah. I came to help you. I know what you’re here for. However, if you really want to check on that, you should already get to the criminal’s location. I  assure you the real person you’re looking for will show up.

“I can’t tell if she’s confirming my point that it’s Eclipse, or trying to keep her away as she mentioned she tried to help her… Which explains the different handwriting in Lydia's case.”

– And how am I supposed to trust you? – He was hesitant about it.

– You really like to choose the hard way… – She sighed. – Listen here, you either trust me or I’ll harm your little Eclipse you’ve been stalking the whole day. – Grabbing his collar.

“Hah?! I can’t believe I’m getting threatened like this…” He still wasn’t sure if he should do as the person said or not… But, Eclipse’s life was at risk now. 

– Alright, I’ll accept. – He secretly activated his power. – But if you lay a finger on her… – He attacked her using a blood chain, cutting her mask in half. – You’ll get to experience death earlier–! – His glare was horrifying.

“Argh, shit…!” She immediately rushed to stick her mask to her face again. Luckily, he didn’t have the time to see her face. He just saw a blue liquid come from the mask’s eye.

“Fuck it, I couldn’t see if it’s her or not…!”

The person vanished. 

“So she got scared, huh? It seems she really doesn’t want me to know who she is..”