The Future Will Change

That night, at the beachfront home owned by Silver Spoon’s parents…

A large, two-story home built into the side of a mountain that rested about a mile away from the campus of Vanhoover. A once vacant vacation home that would now serve as the potentially permanent household for Keiji Ketsuki, Diamond Tiara, and Silver Spoon as they traveled to and from school. In the wake of the recent attacks, the matriarchs of both families wanted to keep their daughters--and their shared husband-to-be--safe. With three bedrooms and three bathrooms, a game room, and a large open kitchen, they had the perfect amount of space to themselves.

This wasn’t a big deal for them at all though. Silver Spoon was busy at a desk in her room she had often used when vacationing here.

“I’m back!” Diamond Tiara called out as she walked through the front door, her voice echoed far enough for Silver Spoon to look up from her desk. “Is Keiji home yet?”

“No!” Silver Spoon answered from her room as she got up, and walked out to meet her girlfriend, “Hopefully he considers getting a car or something soon. Walking everywhere is starting to get dangerous.”

Tiara walked up and smooched Spoon on the cheek before flopping on the couch. “Yeah, especially for someone like him. If someone sees him on the street and realizes who he is…”

“Yeah, let’s not think about that, huh?” Spoon replied, “Dinner’s almost done, so he should be back soon.”

But Tiara wasn’t satisfied with that. She immediately whipped out her phone and started to dial Keiji’s number. “Not leaving it up to chance. I need to at least know where he is.”

“Agh…you always worry too much, Di,” Spoon commented as she walked into the kitchen and put on an apron before checking the oven. “You know he can take care of himself, right?”

“Well sorry, but I’m not exactly willing to let him get hurt out there. Even if he can take care of himself, doesn’t mean we also can’t.”

Ever the anxious one, Diamond Tiara always prioritized her emotions when it came to situations such as this while Silver Spoon existed to keep her best gal’s head cool. The latter would always operate on logic rather than her heart which often gave Silver Spoon an aloof exterior even if she did care deeply for someone else.

Soon enough though, Tiara’s anxiety would be sated as her vampboyfriend answered the phone.

“Wassup, Deets?”

“Don’t you ‘Deets’, me!” she hissed over the phone, which caused Silver Spoon to roll her eyes from the kitchen while Tiara continued to rant, “Do you realize how dark it is outside? Get your ass home, now!”

“Okay, I’m on my way. I’m actually just a block away from the house. Don’t worry, Tiara,” he replied calmly to hopefully ease her tensions.

It worked, and Tiara lied back against the couch. “Alright…sorry for the outburst, I’m just worried about you, ya know?”

“Thanks. I’m glad someone actually cares about me for once,” Keiji answered, “I’ll text you when I’m walking up the steps.”

“Okay…love you.”

“Love you too.”

Tiara hung up her phone, then heard a faint giggling. She turned to see Spoon snickering into her hand which caused the former to become flustered.

“W-what are you laughing at?!”

“It’s just so adorable seeing you get like that, Diamond Tiara. Don’t worry about it.”

The young lady in pink huffed, pouted, then folded her arms. “I’m not gonna hold back against anyone. You know that.”

“I know, I know. I’m not making fun of you,” Spoon cleared up, “It’s part of your charm. Now come taste what I’ve made…”

Meanwhile, with Keiji…

The young man was indeed one block away from his new home. However, on the way, something caught his attention…

“AGH! Get off me! STOP!” a cry for help came from a nearby alley which immediately made him drop everything.

“...??” He turned his head and saw two figures fighting in the alley. One much larger than the other and pinning them against a wall. Against his better judgement and sense of self-preservation, Keiji would immediately rush over and shout, “Hey! What’s going on over here?!”

“Help me!” a young woman with cat ears cried out for help as a man pushed her against the wall.

“This ain’t got nothin’ to do with you!” the guy shouted at Keiji, “Scram, kid!”

“Yeah right. I’m not gonna--”

But just before he could even think to pull out his sword--

Click.

Shing.

Keiji felt the barrel of a gun tap the back of his head and what felt like the blade of a dull machete against his neck.

The guy and cat-eared gal stepped forward. It was Argos and his work partner who had faked an attack just to get Keiji’s attention.

“...looks like we just caught ourselves Kid Dracula.”

“Meeewwwh…” the cat mutant stretched her furry arms, which led into purple paws instead of hands, up as her ears flicked, “I honestly thought he would’ve been a bit more difficult to capture. Guess I was wrong. What a pathetic pushover.” She snickered while licking the back of her hand, then brushed it over her head.

Keiji grit his teeth, knowing he couldn’t make any sudden movements with the other gangsters behind him, he opted to play along for the moment. “...what do you want from me?”

"Don't take it personally," she went on with a flick of her tail, "But privileged bastards like you have had it too good. Now you're gonna see what it feels like to be a bottom feeder."