17 - "Secrets in the Shadows: Love and Uncertainty"

As Windy confronted the earlier stalker, Swayam discreetly opened the letter, its initial line cautioning, "Don't read this letter out loud." With a quick, cautious fold, he tucked it away in his back pocket. Together with Vale, who had remained oddly silent throughout Windy's narrative and its tumultuous aftermath, they moved toward Windy, intent on preventing her from inflicting further harm upon the stalker.

Observing the wretched condition of the stalker, Swayam intervened, cautioning Windy, "Hey, Windy, I believe he's suffered enough, and if you persist, it could escalate into a serious matter."

Swayam, you don't know this guy. He's an incredibly persistent stalker. I've warned him two or three times before, but he just won't stop following me, and I'm at a loss about how to deal with him.

After a moment of contemplation, Swayam offered a suggestion, "If he's causing you this much trouble and irritation, why don't you consider giving him a chance and listen carefully to what he has to say?"

Having successfully halted Windy from inflicting further harm upon the stalker, he turned to the persistent pursuer and inquired, "Why are you stalking her?"

With a pitiable expression and a hoarse voice, the stalker confessed, "I... I'm sorry for following her, but I've been doing it because I love her. I've loved her since the moment I first laid eyes on her. But she doesn't seem to show any affection for anyone, and I couldn't bear to keep my feelings hidden any longer, so I started following her."

"As far as I understand, that's a crime," Swayam responded firmly. "If she doesn't have any affection for you, it means she doesn't like you. But her lack of interest doesn't grant you the right to stalk her. If you truly comprehend that, you should cease causing her any further trouble."

The stalker replied with a sense of remorse, saying, "I apologize if I've hurt you in any way, but I can't make any promises about forgetting her or the feelings I have for her."

Swayam responded firmly, "It can't be helped then. Just promise me that you will never follow her again."

The stalker reluctantly agreed, saying, "Okay, I promise I will not follow her again."

With the stalker situation resolved, they realized that only a few minutes remained before sunrise. They decided to head home, each going their separate ways.

As Vale and Swayam reached their house, Swayam expressed his exhaustion from the night's events and his intention to go to bed early. He assured her that he wasn't hungry, so she didn't need to prepare any food for him.

Afterward, he patiently waited for Vale to complete her tasks. Once he saw that she had retired to her room, he proceeded to his own, securing the door behind him. There, he resumed reading the letter from where he had left off earlier.

Following the warning, "Don't read this letter out loud," the letter continued with an intriguing message: "Hi Swayam, I am future you, and if you're reading this, it means you're currently facing a situation where you're uncertain about your next steps. You might be asking questions like, 'Will the Time Machine even work this time?' and 'Why do they want to become human in the first place?' If that's the case, head to 'King Gabriel.' He'll provide answers to all your inquiries, except the ones about the Time Machine."

The letter's mysterious contents continued: "And last but not least, I'm going to give you a hint about the formula. The formula you're about to create won't just make 'Vampires' human; it will also affect 'Werewolves,' turning them human as well. However, you must exercise extreme caution. Even the slightest mistake could lead to their demise, turning them all into dust, and you might even inadvertently be involved in a full-fledged war."

With many questions swirling in his mind, including the enigmatic advice to seek answers from 'King Gabriel' and the revelation about the formula's effect on 'Werewolves,' Swayam retired for the night. Sleep eluded him as he pondered the mysteries contained within 'Future Swayam's Letter.'

***

As nightfall arrived, rousing all the vampires from their slumber, Swayam awoke to find Windy sleeping beside him. As he attempted to wake her, an inadvertent, inappropriate touch occurred. At that very moment, Vale entered his room, catching them in this compromising situation. Her anger flared, and she made a swift, aggressive move toward Windy, driven by a desire to protect Swayam.

Caught in the midst of a women's quarrel and a complicated love triangle, Swayam, seemingly indifferent to their dispute, got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Upon his return, he found both Vale and Windy giving him disapproving looks, and they wasted no time in launching into a lengthy lecture, their first order of business after waking up.

***