His shoes clicked against the hard, concrete floor. The cold air ruffled his pale hair and he sighed. Zero leaned against a wall, staring at the sky. It was delicately glistening with the light from the stars. It was a perfect night.

Zero's attention was caught by footsteps. Light footsteps that seemed to be coming his way. The corners of his lips pulled up into of one the tiniest of smiles. He thrust his hands deep into his pockets as the footsteps approached him.

"Yuuki?" Zero whispered into the shadows. He was answered by a pale face appearing before him, smiling.

Yuuki stood beside him and linked her thin arm with his. He looked down at her at precisely the same time she looked up at him. Her warm smile made Zero feel contented.

It was a while before the couple started walking. They stood staring into each other's eyes – that were only visible from the white light of the moon – for some time. When they finally did realize that they hadn't moved positions for a while, Yuuki laughed quietly in embarrassment. Zero noted the faint blush in her cheeks.

Zero let Yuuki lead. She stepped forward shyly and led him toward a path that was slightly camouflaged by trees and leaves. The pathway had been walked over so many times that a track of solid mud was worn into the grass.

Yuuki felt the crunch of twigs and the rustle of leaves under her feet. Strangely, it seemed almost calming.

As they continued walking, an awkward silence wavered among them. Yuuki decided to break it. "Um…" She pondered over what to say. Zero looked at her. "D-Did I keep you waiting long?"

Zero shook his head. "I was only waiting for a few minutes. It's fine. It doesn't bother me." He couldn't stop his lips from pulling themselves up into a small smile again. Yuuki didn't seem to notice it.

"Oh. Well, I'm sorry, anyway." She stared down at her boots. Little clumps of mud clung to the tips of them in a few places.

Zero shrugged. "It's fine. Not like you shot someone or something," He said the last sentence indifferently. Yuuki laughed so quietly it was almost a whisper.

They continued on to the end of the path, until they saw the trees around them slowly parting. The mud and grass at their feet slowly started to fade into sand. Yuuki felt the skirt of her Day Class uniform sway in the gentle breeze.

Zero took a long step forward and stopped when his feet were entirely surrounded by sand. He stared out at the sea, the waves heaving forward and gently pulling back against the sand. "We're here," he said, stating the obvious.

Yuuki nodded in response and paused just an inch or two behind him. "It's beautiful," She murmured, taking in the landscape set out in front of her.

Zero un-linked his arm with Yuuki's. They both let their hands drop to their sides. "It would be stupid just to stand here all night," Zero whispered softly. "Chairman would get angry if we're not back in an hour or so, anyway."

Yuuki nodded again. Still, she stared out at the sea.

Zero moved his hand a little toward Yuuki's, but pulled back, having second thoughts. He sighed and held her hand anyway.

Yuuki's head snapped up. "Huh?" She whispered. She was a bit startled. She dragged her eyes down and stared at her hand. She could feel her cheeks growing a slightly hot, and she knew Zero had probably noticed her blushing again by the way he stared at her face. She smiled at him again, so that he wouldn't take the wrong idea from her startled expression and squeezed his hand in reassurance.

Zero relaxed when he felt Yuuki squeeze his hand, and his expression showed it. His head fell back a little and he watched the waves. He both felt and looked mellow. Then he reminded her again, "We're not going to get anywhere just standing here."

Yuuki giggled once. "I know."

"So," He squeezed her hand this time. "Let's go." With that, he led her out onto the cool sand, only pausing to remove his shoes and socks. Yuuki did the same.

They strode bare-footed toward the sea, hand-in-hand.

Yuuki shuddered a little when the cold water soaked her toes. Zero looked at her and chuckled.

It's so easy to be with her, he thought. She's almost always happy and at ease. Not only that, but there's something about her… And it even makes someone like me share her positive feelings. He smiled to himself as he though the last part. Yuuki didn't notice him smiling that time, either, because she was too distracted watching the water cling to her ankles and then release them as the waves pulled away.

For a while, they walked across the shore together, still hand-in-hand. They talked and laughed about meaningless things. Once or twice, Yuuki's voice broke. Zero would ask what was wrong, and if she was okay. The answer she'd give him was a reassuring smile and say, "No, it's nothing. I'm fine."

That would all seem mostly natural.

Except that Zero, fooled by her guise, believed Yuuki when she said she was feeling fine.

As they walked, Yuuki stumbled a little. She leaned against Zero and smiled in embarrassment when she regained her balance.

They started talking about another meaningless topic. That was when Yuuki's hand went limp when it was inter-twined with Zero's. Zero looked down at her. She gave him a weak smile and looked at where she was walking. Zero turned to look at where he was walking, too. He released her hand gently.

Suddenly, Yuuki gasped quickly, and felt her legs buckle from under her. She collapsed on the sand with a soft 'thud' and her eyes slid shut.

"Huh?" Zero asked. He turned to face where Yuuki should have been standing. Instead, his eyes were drawn to the heap she lay in on the sand.

Zero's mouth fell open, and he kneeled by her side. He gently propped her head up.

"Yuuki!" He yelled, shaking her body gently. "A-Are you okay? YUUKI!"

He looked around desperately for help, but found none.

Zero looked back down at Yuuki's empty face, horrified. What had happened to her? Why had Zero been a fool enough to believe her when she said she was okay?

Questions, questions... And unless Yuuki got to safety, he'd probably never find the answers to them.

Fretting, Zero didn't know what to do. He then decided Yuuki needed to go back to the Academy. See a nurse. Get some medication.

He gently lifted her up and carried her back toward Cross Academy.

He checked the pulse in her neck carefully, so as not to drop her. Thank God, he thought. Her heart's still beating.