Mr. Vampire Who Lives in My Neighbourhood

44

She rushed to the neighboring room, a space shrouded in darkness all year round, and stood before the black coffin. Wiping away her tears and taking a deep breath, she gently pushed open the coffin lid. In the darkness, a pair of drowsy blue eyes opened to meet hers.

"Florence?"

Bending down, she initiated a tender, affectionate kiss for the first time, leaving him utterly astonished.

"You've been crying?"

Without a word, she removed her shoes and climbed into the coffin to lie beside him.

"I'll sleep with you."

"You..."

She nestled against him, finding a comfortable position before softly saying, "David called just now."

"Oh?"

"The criminals who kidnapped me have been caught."

"Really?"

"They had a sudden change of heart and turned themselves in to the police, revealing the mastermind behind it all."

"That's great."

She rolled her eyes internally, amused at his feigned ignorance.

"This is the biggest case ever solved, it's going to be headlines worldwide."

"Now you can rest easy, no more fear of being harmed."

"Exactly. And guess what? They even found the bomber who killed my parents. Isn't that incredible? It's like someone's been watching over me, someone who sneaks out every night to investigate, too tired to cling to me as usual, ending up asleep in this coffin."

"..."

"Pretending to be dead isn't a good idea."

He sighed softly, his voice tender above her head. "I wanted to protect you."

"You are protecting me."

"I'm sorry, besides finding the culprits behind your parents' death, I couldn't think of any other way to comfort you."

She buried her face in his chest, her arms tightly wrapped around his shoulders, feeling the solid strength of the body she leaned on. He had done so much for her, and she should have realized sooner that it was his protection that brought her peace.

Holding him tightly, she conveyed her gratitude and vulnerability.

In the quiet that spoke volumes, their hearts were so close, no words necessary; their embrace said it all.

Feeling calmer and regaining her composure, they chatted sporadically.

"I've just realized how comfortable this coffin actually is," she said, closing her eyes and tracing the lines of his face with her hand, giving him the perfect opportunity to kiss her palm.

"Farrell..."

"Mm?"

"I love you..."