Unsealed box Part 3

When she woke up the following day, she immediately smelled a familiar whiff of blood in the air.

Ah, is mother drinking Ren-san's blood again? Half dazed and half curious. Lila immediately stood up and walked over to the door. If the smell is nearby, are they both upstairs?

She looked around the hallway only to find it was empty. For the smell to be this strong and neither of them being nearby must mean they have been at it for a while.

Lila immediately headed downstairs, and it did not take long before she found them. They were by the entrance; mother had Ren-san pinned against the wall and drank from his neck.

She felt her cheeks heat up at sight. Although she knew how intimate drinking blood was, she still wasn't used to it.

"Lila? Sorry, your mother isn't feeling very well."

"Ah."

"Lila-chan's breakfast?" Sumire mumbled.

"It's alright, I cooked. Go take a bath and freshen up and meet us downstairs."

"Okay."

Lila stared at her mother, who was walking up the stairs. She seemed to be in a dazed mood. The moment mother left, Ren extended his hand out, and she walked over. He ran his fingers through her hair and then caressed her cheek.

"Your mother got into a dispute with some people at the gathering last night. So her mood was a bit low."

"Ah-huh."

Her mind was still on the sight she saw moments ago, even though drinking blood is a form of intimacy. Just now, when mother walked past, Lila saw the tears in her eyes. Moreover, it seemed mother wasn't satisfied.

"Does it hurt Ren-san?"

Ren shook his head. "The one who is in pain is her."

"As you know, one's blood lust cannot be satisfied by blood from another person who is not your partner. No matter how much she drinks from other people and me, her thirst won't go away. It's more painful than you think."

She wonders if she can understand those feelings one day.

"Anyhow, let's drop the depressing topic. It's not as good as your mother's cooking, but I figured she would be too tired. Let's head to the dining hall."

Lila stared at the remaining blood on his neck for a long time before she took her handkerchief out and wiped it.

Ren laughed. "You're considerate, unlike your mother."

….

It did not take long before her mother returned when she stepped into the room. Lila noticed a familiar scent again. Did she meet with Uncle Nagawa again? One of the reasons she recently felt the urge to push Ren-san and her mother forward as a couple is her meeting that man.

"Hey Sumire, Lila is becoming more sensitive recently. You-" Ren looked troubled and didn't know what to say.

Sumire hugged her tightly and rubbed her face against her hair at those words. "Oh! My dear daughter, are you sulking? Mother is sorry for being bad!"

Lila sighed deeply; mother always does this to avoid the topic. "Mother, I don't want uncle Nagawa to become my father! That man is no good with kids. He never greets me either."

Even if he is terrible with children, at the very least he could do was say hello to her. Or is he repulsed that her mother has children with another man who is not him?

Sumire blinked and then giggled. "Is that what you were worried about?"

"Mother smells like him a lot lately!" Lila exclaimed. "I don't like it."

'One day will mother leave me for Uncle Nagawa? If mother starts to resent father Yuhi, she wouldn't want anything to do with a child who resembles him- is it okay for me to voice that out?'

"Lila-chan?"

"Uh you see-"

Perhaps if she circles around the topic and says it indirectly? But she does not want to hurt her mother's feelings. According to what Ren-san told her, Mother did that because she is lonely, but she could not help but overthink it.

"If-If you're going to do that with another person, can't it be with Father Ren instead?" Lila ended up blurting out.

The moment she said those words, she felt the sound of something opening. Ren-san, who would typically calm her mother down, also had an odd expression on his face.

For the first time, she saw such a cold look on her mother's face; for the first time, she trembled due to fear at the intensity of that gaze. But it did not last long since mother held her tightly.

"I am very sorry for making you worry. Mother is just very lonely, so I did something silly. But I promise I will behave from now on; you don't like it after all. I don't want to make you sad."

So if she weren't around, would mother continue that?

"The reason I can stand firm even though I miss your father like crazy is you. You are my hope and the light in my world. Lila-chan, do you want to go to my next concert?"

"It's okay for me to go out?"

Sumire beamed happily. "Of course, but stay close to Ren, okay?"

….

It was the first time for her attending mother's concert personally. Although she previously tried to go before, all those attempts failed. Just the simple scent of another person's blood would drive her powers out of control. 'I have better control now, but I should still remain with Ren-san just in case.'

Thankfully they were the only ones in the VIP lounge. At first, mother suggested they watch backstage since there is a chance for somebody to go inside the lounge. But she insisted on personally experiencing things from an audience perspective.

'I wanted to sit in the seat below, but there are far too many people.'

At first, she sat down on Ren-san's lap. But as the concert went by, she stood in front of the glass window with sparkling eyes.

Her heart was pounding loudly due to the excitement she felt.

What is this?

'I have heard mother sing plenty of times before, but it wasn't like this. This is the first time mothers songs have resounded so powerfully in my heart.'

"When I was still in love with god,

I never expected such a farewell would come.

If I had known, I could never feel your touch again,

I would've hoped to be embraced just one last time.

It's a long, long good-bye.

Goodbye, goodbye, so many times,

I repeated the word to myself,

Waving my hands. It's only graceful, right?

Now, I long to be stronger.

I met you, the stars sparkled, and I was born.

I love you; therefore, I am.

What good is waiting for a hopeless miracle?

Through my tear-filled vision, the planet's twinkle is gone.

I can't ever forget your warmth,

Your kindness and your all-encompassing hands."

Lila's eyes widened. Her heart beat increased even more. What is this feeling? This is different from the other time's mother sang this song.