This is the time of day I wished I were able to sleep.

School.

Or was purgatory the right word? It almost felt like a punishment for all that I've done in my past. No matter how many times I've endured this, I couldn't seem to get used to it. It almost seemed to get worse over time.

In a way, I suppose it did count as sleeping - the hours in a day that dragged on and on unsure when it would end. Only difference is that I'm forced to endure every moment of it while everyone else would easily forget. True torture.

I didn't mind this school as much as all the others, what with everyone's careers centered around music. I didn't mind so much. I usually hummed when I was bored or played the piano at our house when I had nothing to do. I spent most of time learning how to play it since I had so much down time. I think Ringo took that into consideration when he was deciding where we should go next. He doted on me too much.

I traced patterns into the cracks running through the wall in the corner of the cafeteria regardless of whether or not they were there. It helped fade all the thoughts of every student and faculty nearby into the background, blending them in with each other.

I spent most of my time ignoring all the "voices" as best as I could.

None of them were very different. They all fell into the same pattern. Today wasn't an exception. The small town of Utashinai in the Hokkaido prefecture of Japan hardly had anyone new show up, and whenever someone did, then well... this happened. The boy wasn't different in comparison to everyone else here, but of course, everyone was obsessed with him. I had seen him in the mind of everyone who he walked by. It was a very easy decision as to whether or not I should ignore them. I obviously chose to do so without a second thought.

I spent the most effort forward to block out the "voices" of my family: my three brothers and one sister. They hardly cared anymore because of how used to me intruding on their thoughts they were. I still did what I could to let them be.

Try as I may, still... I knew.

Ai was thinking, as usual, about himself. He caught sight of the reflection of himself off someone's glasses and was now calculating what they probably thought of him. Cold, calculating, and nothing new.

Syo, however, was furious over a wrestling match he lost to Natsuki last night. The rematch he was looking for lined his every thoughts. I never felt too guilty reading his mind because everything he thought, he said aloud. He made me realize that the only realize I felt guilty reading everyone else's thoughts was because they usually included things they didn't want me to know. It was the reason I tried so hard to ignore their internal voices.

And Natsuki was... suffering. I suppressed a sigh.

Tokiya. Haruka called my name in her head, and had my attention at once.

It was just the same as having my name calld aloud. I was grateful that not many had my name anymore, since it was considered old-fashioned. Whenever someone said my name in their head meaning someone else, I would always turn in their direction. It had become an instinct of mine that I realized I had to grow out of quickly.

I made no expression that showed I heard her, but she knew without needing an indication. We've become very good at upholding these private conversations between us. I kept my gaze on the wall.

How is he holding up? she asked me.

The corners of my lips were set down in a frown, unrecognizable to anyone but her.

She was asking about Natsuki, of course. Is there any danger? She searched ahead in the immediate future, skimming through visions of monotony for the source behind my frown. That was her gift. We were one of the few in our family who possessed them. She could see into the future, but not very far. Usually only moments ahead of any possible events she tried to look for. Unlike mine where it was constant, hers came in bursts. Only once and very suddenly sometimes.

I glanced to the window lining the wall to the left then brought my gaze back to the spot I was looking at. It was my way of saying no, and Haruka was the only one who knew it.

Haruka immediately relaxed into the plastic chair she was sitting in. Let me know if it gets too bad.

I moved only my eyes again quickly to the ceiling then back to the spot in the wall I've been staring at since sitting down.

Thanks for doing this.

This was what I liked about our private conversations. I couldn't say anything out loud without having telling the others. I didn't know how to respond to her praise. Was I supposed to enjoy listening in on Natsuki's struggles?

I never understood why we didn't just let him be, why he couldn't just stay at home. Forcing him to endure his thirst like we did was too much for him, and it clearly wasn't working. The last time we hunted was two weeks ago, which isn't usually long. It was difficult on Natsuki because he hadn't adapted as easily to our diet like we had. Every human that came too close to him, make every line of his body tense.

It was like playing with fire. Too dangerous. Far too dangerous.

As if on cue, a girl stopped to talk to one of her friends at the table closest to ours. Without realizing what she was doing, she tossed her hair over her shoulder. The heaters keeping the cafeteria warm blew her scent in the direction of our table.

We were used to the familiar burn in our throats, the need and dry ache the scent brought with it.

It was harder for me now, since I was watching Natsuki's thoughts closely. Instead of just one thirst, I was handling two.

Natsuki was letting his imagination get the best of him. He was picturing just how he'd do it. Casually getting up from his seat, he would brush up behind her. Leaning down, he would close the distance between them - letting his lips touch the arch of her throat. imagining how the hot flow of her pulse beneath the fine skin under his mouth...

I kicked his chair.

He met my gaze for a minute, and then he looked down. I could hear the shame and rebellion war in his head.

"Sorry," Natsuki muttered.

I shrugged.

"You weren't going to do anything," Haruka murmured to him, soothing his chagrin. "I could see that."

I fought the sneer my lips wanted to curl into at her blatant lie.

I sighed again that day as Haruka spent her time trying to cool him down. I don't know why she tried if she knew it wasn't going to help him. He would have to hunt tonight, that was for sure.

Eventually, Haruka gave up and took her tray - a mere prop in our case - with her as she got up to leave. Haruka and Natsuki were different. While Ai and Syo were very open with their relationship, Haruka and Natsuki knew everything about the other as if they were an extension of themselves.

Tokiya Ichinose.

Reflex reaction. I turned to the sound of my name being called, though it wasn't being called. Someone had thought of my name.

My eyes locked onto blue eyes for just a second. Those blue eyes were set in a sharp face, hair of the same color cut neatly and straight. I knew the face as soon as I saw it. It was the very face that was present in everyone's thoughts. Masato Hijirikawa, or Masa according to Otoya and a few others. He was annoyed at the nickname that had seemed to spread around to everyone. He's the son of Mr. Hijirikawa, known by everyone as the leader of the Hijirikawa Conglomerate. According to what he's told everyone, he's living with his mother here in Utashinai because of some new custody situation.

I looked away, bored. It took me a second to realize he wasn't the one who had thought my name.

Of course he's already falling for the them, I heard the first thought continue.

Now I recognized the "voice." Saki Nakamura - it had been a while since she'd bothered me with her internal chatter.

Fat lot of good it will do him, Saki went on. He's really not even that handsome. I don't know why everyone is staring so much... especially Otoya.

She winced mentally at the last name. Otoya was her new obsession, and she couldn't leave him alone. Just like everyone else in this private academy, Otoya was fascinated by the newcomer. As expected.

Her inner monologue only turned more self-centered the more I listened in. She eventually started to introduce us to the new student, giving him the same basic information everyone else knew. Nothing interesting.

"Saki Nakamura is giving the new Hijirikawa boy all the dirty laundry on us," I murmured to Syo as a distraction.

He chuckled under his breath. I hope she's making it good, he thought.

"Rather unimaginative, actually. Just the barest hint of a scandal. Not an ounce of horror. I'm a little disappointed."

And the new boy? Is he disappointed in the gossip as well?

I listened to hear what this newcomer, Masato, thought of Saki's story. What did he see when he looked at the strange, chalk-skinned family that was universally avoided?

Over the years, it had become my responsibility to know exactly that. It rarely happened that someone guessed what we were right. Usually the guesses were far off, but we vanished before their theories could be tested. It was safer that way.

I heard nothing, though as I listened close beside where Saki's frivolous monologue continued to gush. It was as if there was no one sitting beside her. How peculiar. Had he moved? That didn't seem likely considering that Saki was still blabbing to him. I looked up to check, feeling off-balance. Checking on what my extra "hearing" could tell me-it wasn't something I ever had to do.

Again, my gaze locked onto those wide blue eyes. He was still sitting in the exact same seat. He hadn't moved a fraction, which was troubling since there was only complete silence.

There was nothing.

A crimson red stained his cheeks before he quickly turned his head away. It was odd. No matter how hard I tried, there was nothing that could break the shield that seemed to sit in place around him.

"Which one is the boy with the navy hair?" I heard him ask, sneaking a glance at me from the corner of his eye, only to look away when he caught me still staring at him.

Thinking that hearing his voice would help, I tried to pry at his mind again only to be severely disappointed. The silence surrounding him was deafening. The shy tone he spoke with wasn't present anywhere in the vast hum of thoughts bouncing around the cafeteria.

Oh, good luck, idiot! Saki thought before answering his question. She was starting to get on my nerves. "That's Tokiya. He's gorgeous, of course, but don't waste your time. He doesn't date. Apparently no one here is good-looking enough for him." She sniffed.

I turned my head away to hide my smile. She had no idea how lucky she was that none of them particularly appealed to me.

I decided to spend my time examining him over frustrated myself with his silence. He looked more fragile than anyone I've ever met. In fact, it was so translucent that it was hard to believe it offered him much defense from the outside world. I could see the rhythmic pulse of blood through his veins under the clear, pale membrane... But I shouldn't concentrate on that. I was good at the life we were living. There was no point in inviting temptation.

"Shall we?" Ai murmured, interrupting my focus.

I looked away from him with a sense of relief. It irritated me that my gift was useless on her. I didn't want to gain interest in his hidden thoughts, either. No doubt, when I did decipher his thoughts - and I would find a way to do so - they would be just as petty and trivial as every other human's thoughts.

"So is the new one afraid of us yet?" Syo asked, still waiting for a response to his question from before.

I shrugged. He wasn't interested enough to press for more information. Nor should I be interested.

We got up from the table and walked out of the cafeteria.

Syo, Ai, and Natsuki were pretending to be in their final year at Saotome Academy; they left for their classes. I was playing a younger role than they. I headed off for my junior level music theory class, preparing my mind for the tedium. I would be surprised if Mr. Sakamoto could manage to teach anything new to someone who studied music for eighty odd years.

In the classroom, I settled into my chair and let me books - props as well; I knew all the material in them anyway - spill across the table. I was the only student to have a table to himself. The humans weren't smart enough to know that they feared me, but their survival instincts were enough to keep them away.

Everyone began to file in as lunch ended, the tables slowly filling up with students. Again, I wished I was able to sleep.

Then he walked in. I hadn't noticed it because of his irritatingly silent mind. What had brought his attention to me was Otoya's chants in his thoughts. He was beyond elated to have the new boy in our class, although I couldn't find it in myself to care as much as him.

He came closer, walking down the aisle beside me to get to the teacher's desk. Poor boy; the seat next to me was the only one available. Out of courtesy, I moved all my books over to give him space. He was in for a long semester - there was no way he'd be comfortable for very long. Perhaps, though, sitting beside him, I'd be able to flush out his secrets...

Masato Hijirikawa walked into the flow of the heated air that blew toward me from the vent.

His scent hit me like a wrecking ball, like a battering ram. There was no image violent enough to encapsulate the force of what happened to me in that moment.

In that instance, I was nothing close to the human I pretended to be; more of the monster I'd built years of endurance pushing down inside me.

I was a predator. He was my prey. There was nothing in the whole world but that truth.

My thoughts had already taken a turn for the worst. I had already started to imagine many different scenarios with many different endings. All of them ended with everyone dead.

I was a vampire, and he had the sweetest blood I'd smelled in eighty years.

I hadn't known such a scent could exist. If I'd known it did, I would have gone searching for it long ago. I could imagine the taste on my lips...

Thirst burned through my throat like fire. The two weeks without hunting seemed like years ago as the fire ripped through my throat. My stomach twisted with the hunger.

A full second hadn't passed yet. He was still taking the same step that had put him downwind from me. As his foot touched the ground, his eyes slid toward me, a movement he clearly meant to be stealthy. His glance met mine, and I saw myself reflected in the wide mirror that was his eyes.

The shock of the face I saw there saved his life for a few thorny moments.

Not that he was going to make this any easier for me. A flush crept up to his cheeks at the eye contact, turning his skin the most delicious color I'd ever seen. My mind was surrounded in a haze his scent brought on, making it incredibly difficult to think properly.

As if understanding his predicament, he hurried to the seat beside me, tripping over his own feet in the process. He was weaker than most. Vulnerable.

The scent swirled around me again, almost sending me flying out of my seat.

No.

My fingers gripped the edge of the table as I tried to keep myself planted in my seat. Although the wood wasn't strong enough to stop me, shattering into splinters in my hand. So as not to leave evidence behind, I quickly destroyed the marks my fingers carved into the wood.

I knew what had to happen now. He would have to sit next to me, and I would have to kill him. There were eighteen other kids including one teacher that absolutely couldn't leave here alive if I was going to go through with it. I flinched at the thought.

I was becoming exactly what I'd been trying to suppress. All the years I tried to become someone else would disappear in this one second.

The face of the monster mocked me.

Plans circulated through my head. If I killed him first, then I had to cut off the screams of everyone else. It would take a few seconds, but it was doable. My other option was the other way round. I could kill them all first, leaving him last. One scream wouldn't attract the attention of anyone else. That might be the easier way out.

Before I could think any harder on the matter at hand, someone slammed a book in my direction. It sent a small gust of fresh air in my direction, and I was grateful that I was able to think again.

I didn't want to become the man I was before; slaughtering all evil-doers and convincing myself it was just. All the plans I had just thought over would be anything but, yet so tempting.

I saw two faces before me. One; the monster who convinced himself that what he was doing was right - the cold-blooded killer; and the second; Ryuya's.

There was no semblance between them, not that there was a reason for it to be there in the first place. Hyuga acted as the father figure in our family. The difference that stuck out the most between the two was the eyes, but that was a reflection of mutual choice. The face of the monster held eyes the color of rubies, glistening wickedly. Meanwhile, Hyuga's were a bright blue in comparison. Choices. That's what it led to. I was not going to give in to the image before me.

Masato would not end my somewhat peaceful life like this. I wouldn't let him.

I leaned away from him in revulsion as he sat down next to me, his scent hovering around me heavily. I turned away from him, hatred taking over every being in my body. It was unreasonable, yes, but his very existence threw everything I worked so hard for away like it was nothing. I was being tested.

He had a very good habit of making things worse, I noted. As I resolved myself to ignoring him the rest of the godforsaken hour this class lasted, he shook his blue locks out of his eyes and in my direction.

As soon as it happened, I cut all the air from my lungs. If I was going to endure this and make it out of the room without killing anyone, then I wouldn't breathe. The relief was instantaneous but not much better.

He kept his hair between us, posture stiff but held his head low. Everything about him was beginning to annoy me. I traced my mind back to being unable to hear his thoughts. It was a distraction from the image of sinking my teeth through that fine, thing, see-through skin to the hot, wet, pulsing- no. I couldn't hear his thoughts.

Even in a moment like this, there was nothing but silence.

An hour felt like forever.

I could get to him after class. I could introduce myself before offering to walk him to his next class, instead leading him away from the prying eyes of everyone else. the only difficulty was that Otoya seemed to be keeping his eyes trained on him. He would be looking for Masato later on, would discover that he was missing.

It wasn't even just him. The whole school knew of him, the prodigal piano player from Kyoto that was granted a full scholarship to train here among everyone hoping to become the best of the best.

The monster smiled at what I was considering, at the effort I was going through to come up with a plan. Only I was merely using it as a distraction. I didn't dare to keep the explicit images in my head. Instead, I stuck to an outline of what I could do. As long as I didn't imagine the act itself, it was alright.

He glanced at me one last time, the fright in his eyes very clear. His cheeks turned that brilliant shade of red, and I almost lost myself again.

It was when the bell finally rang, that I darted from the room. I didn't dare look back at the man who had nearly destroyed me.

I ran for my car.

It wasn't something I wanted to do, but I had to. I couldn't think clearly until I made it into the cabin, the fresh air closed doors brought was relieving. I couldn't stand to be near any humans as of right now. I would make a dumber decision than the ones I've made so far.

I could hear the rain patter on the roof of my car. It was a sound I decided to focus on. That and the classical music I'd put on a few moments ago. Unfortunately, it did nothing to rid of the scent lingering in my mind.

I didn't have to kill him. I didn't have to give in to the monster inside me. Most importantly, I didn't want to disappoint Ryuya. If I chose to give in, I would've hurt Ringo as well. He would be stressed, worried... pained. Ringo was so gentle, and yet so tough when he needed to be. It would be inexcusable to hurt someone like that.

Where was Haruka, I wondered? She should've seen me killing the Hijirikawa son in a million different ways. I was surprised she didn't come help, or at least help destroy all the evidence. Was she so absorbed with watching over Natsuki that she had missed it? Maybe I was stronger than I thought I was. Maybe I wouldn't have killed him.

That couldn't be true. Haruka must be concentrating on Natsuki very hard.

I searched in the direction I knew she would be in, in the small building used for the practice rooms where singing and piano lessons took place. It didn't take me long to locate her "voice" and prove that she was, in fact, worrying about Natsuki.

She had no idea what I almost did within the last hour. I was even more ashamed of myself, knowing that no one knew what had almost transpired. I would hide that from them. There was no way I could tell them.

I could just avoid him. That way, no one is hurt, and I don't have to suffer. The monster within me writhed and gnashed his teeth in frustration, but I didn't mind because this is what I had chosen.

With the last hour of school almost over, I decided to put my plan into action.

I walked swiftly - a little too swiftly, but there were no witnesses - across the tiny campus to the office. There was no reason for me and him to cross paths again. He would be avoided like the plague he was.

The office was empty except for the secretary, the one I wanted to see. She didn't notice my silent entrance.

"Mrs. Ito?"

The woman with long brown hair looked up and her eyes widened. It always caught them off guard, the little markers they didn't understand, no matter how many times they'd seen one of us before.

"Oh," she gasped, a little flustered. She smoothed out the wrinkles on her shirt as best she could. How frivolous, but I needed that right now. Silly, she thought to herself. He's almost young enough to be my son. Too young to think of that way... "Hello, Tokiya. What can I do for you?" Her eyelashes fluttered behind her thick frames.

It was annoying that I even had to do this, but he forced me to. It was a decision I absolutely had to go through with.

I leaned forward, meeting her gaze into her depthless, small brown eyes. It was as if I was comparing them to the newcomer's own ocean-deep blue eyes. How frustrating it was that he was still lining my thoughts, especially at this time.

"I was wondering if you could help me with my schedule," I said in the soft voice I reserved for not scaring humans.

I heard the sound of her heart rate pick up speed due to my actions.

"Of course, Tokiya. How can I help?" Too young, too young, she chanted to herself. If only she knew how very wrong she was. I was older than her grandfather. According to my license and other documents, she was right, though.

"I was wondering if I could move from my music theory class to a higher level. AP Music Theory, perhaps?"

"Is there a problem with Mr. Tanaka?"

"Not at all, it's just that I've already studied the material..."

"In the accelerated school you all went to in Europe, right." She seemed to debate my request hard. They should all be famous musicians already. Perfect records, never a hesitation with a response, hitting all the right notes. I've heard the teachers complain about them. It's like they've found a way to cheat in every lesson they're taking. Mr. Suzuki would rather believe that over anyone being more talented than him... I'll bet their parents teach them everything they know... "Actually, Tokiya, AP Music Theory is pretty much full right now. Mr. Suzuki hates to have more than fifteen students in a class-"

"I wouldn't be any trouble."

Of course not. Not the perfect Tokiya Ichinose. "I know that, Tokiya. There just aren't enough seats as it is..."

"Could I drop the class, then? I could use the period for private lessons." I needed to get out of that class.

"Drop music theory?" Her mouth fell open in surprise. Her reaction made sense, considering that music theory was a basic course here that everyone had to take. That's crazy. How hard is it to sit through a class you already understand? There must be a problem with Mr. Tanaka. I wonder if I should talk to Haruto about it... "You won't have enough credits to leave the school in a year."

"I'll catch up next year."

"Maybe you should talk to your parents about that."

The door opened behind me, but whoever it was did not think of me, so I ignored the arrival and concentrated on my job at hand. I leaned in closer to Mrs. Ito, holding my eyes open just a little wider. This would work better if my eyes were the deep blue they became after hunting for the first week. The lack of color in my foggy, paler blue eyes usually scared people.

"Please, Mrs. Ito?" I made my voice as smooth and compelling as it could be - and it could be considerably compelling as I've heard in the thoughts of many. It was a trick to lure our prey in. "Isn't there some other section I could switch into? I'm sure there has to be an open slot somewhere? Sixth hour music theory can't be the only option..."

I smiled at her, careful not to flash my teeth so widely that it would scare her, letting the expression soften my features.

Her heart was now hammering in her chest. Too young, she reminded herself frantically. "Well, maybe I could talk to Haruto- I mean Mr. Tanaka. I could see if-"

A second was all it took to change everything: the atmosphere in the room, my mission here, the reason I leaned towards the secretary... What had been for one purpose before quickly became another.

A second was all it took for a student to open the door and place a signed tardy slip in the basket by the door, and hurry out again, in a rush to be away from school. A second was all it took for me to realize why the first person who entered didn't disturb me with his thoughts.

I turned even though I knew it was futile. I turned slowly, fighting to control the muscles that rebelled against me.

Masato Hijirikawa stood with his back pressed to the wall beside the door, a piece of paper clutched in his hands. His eyes were even wider than usual as he took in my ferocious, inhuman glare.

The smell of his blood saturated every particle of air in the tiny, hot room. My throat burst into flames.

The monster glared back at me from the mirror of his eyes again, the same face I had seen earlier.

My hand hesitated in the air above the counter. I would not have to look back in order to reach across it and slam Mrs. Ito's head into her desk with enough force to kill her. Two lives, rather than twenty. A trade.

The monster inside me, waited on bated breaths as I planned out the newest damage.

But I refused to give him. There was always another option.

I cut off the air to my lungs like I had earlier, and fixated Ryuya's face in front of my eyes. It was an image that helped prevent me from doing what the monster wanted. I turned back to Mrs. Ito and heard her internal surprise at the change in my expression. She shrank away from me, but fear did not form into coherent words.

Despite what had just happened, I kept my voice even and smooth, rushing through my words regardless.

"Nevermind then. I can see that it's impossible. Thank you so much for your help."

I spun on my heels and launched myself from the room, trying not to feel the warm-blooded heat of the boy's body as I passed within inches of it.

I didn't slow my pace down until I was back in my car, moving too fast the entire way there. Most of the humans had cleared from the school's grounds, less witnesses. The only one who noticed quickly dismissed any thoughts he had.

When I slid into my silver-blue Chrysler Pacifica, the others were already there. I tried to control my breathing, but I was gasping for the fresh air like I'd been suffocating.

"Tokiya?" Haruka asked, alarm in her voice.

I shook my head, refusing to answer right now when the thoughts were still present.

"What the hell happened to you?" Syo demanded, distracted, for the moment, from the fact that Natsuki wasn't in the mood for a rematch.

Instead of answering, I threw the car in reverse. I had to get out of the lot before Masato Hijirikawa could follow me here, too. My own personal demon, haunting me... I swung the car around and accelerated. I hit forty before I was even on the road. Once I did get on the road, I hit seventy instantly.

Without looking back, I knew that Syo, Ai, and Natsuki had all turned to stare at Haruka, who shrugged. She couldn't see what had happened already, only what was coming.

She looked ahead for me now, what my future held. We both processed what she saw and were both surprised.

"You're leaving?" she whispered.

The others stared at me now.

"Am I?" I hissed through clenched teeth.

She saw it then, as my resolve wavered and another choice was made, my future reeling in her mind to a darker place.

"Oh."

Masato Hijirikawa, dead. My eyes, glowing crimson with the fresh blood. The search that would follow. The careful time we would wait before it was safe for us to pull out and start over again...

"Oh," she said again. The picture grew more specific. I saw him standing in the kitchen of the house he shared with his mother. I was stalking in the shadows from behind the house... letting the scent pull me towards her...

"Stop!" I groaned, not able to bear the image much longer.

"Sorry," she whispered, her eyes wide.

The monster within me rejoiced.

And the vision in her head twisted again. An empty highway at night, the trees beside it coated in snow, flashing by at almost two hundred miles per hour.

"I'll miss you," she said. "No matter how short a time you're gone."

Syo and Ai exchanged an apprehensive glance.

We were almost at the turn off onto the long drive that led up to our house.

"Drop us off here," Haruka instructed. "You should tell Ryuya yourself."

I nodded, and the car squealed to a sudden stop.

Syo, Ai and Natsuki got out of the car in silence. I knew they were going to make Haruka explain what happened as soon as I left them.

"You will do the right thing," she murmured. Not a vision this time - an order. "He's Mrs. Hijirikawa's only family. It would kill her, too."

"Yes," I said, agreeing with the last part.

She soon slid out as well, joining the others with her eyebrows pulled in anxiety. They melted into the woods, out of sight before I could turn the car around.

I accelerated back toward town, and I knew the visions in Haruka's head would be flashing from dark to bright like a strobe light. As I sped back to Utashinai doing ninety, I wasn't sure where I was going. To say goodbye to my parents? Or to embrace the monster inside me? The road flew away beneath my tires.