Disclaimers on the characters and plot devices of this fanfiction. They are the sole property of Hino Matsuri-sensei. I do not have any ownership, so please no lawsuits as I cannot afford them as a college student. Much thanks in advance.

Warning! Some quotes taken directly from the manga, chapter 48: The Wish of the Man with the Unrequited Love.

"Ruka?" Akatsuki furrowed his brow when he stepped into the sitting room of his home. There was a servant cleaning up the mantle and no one else.

"Akatsuki," Ruka acknowledged as she stood up from her seat. "Can I speak to you privately?"

He nodded and held the door for her as they walked across the grand hall and upstairs to his bedroom. His parents were out of the house and his siblings were minding their own business about the mansion. He closed the door behind him as Ruka stood by his vanity.

"What is it?" he asked when she refused to speak.

Ruka looked up from studying the carpeted floor and directly at him. "I received a summons from Kaname-sama."

"Dorm President Kuran?" So far, in the past few months, Kain had minor contact with their former dorm head. Hanabusa was enlisted to be Yuuki-sama's private tutor and Ruka was her etiquette instructor, but Akatsuki usually accompanied either one of them to and from the mansion and did not stay for very long. He only encountered the man a few times in his visits.

She gave him an odd look when he referred to the man with the old title but nodded. "I think there is a job that he trusts only us, his friends, to do. But we must absolutely keep it a secret between ourselves. He said that it would be okay if you were to know but Hanabusa must be left out of it."

Kain said nothing but a slight frown marred his lips, causing her to slip into a nervous chatter reminiscent of their younger days. "I think it's because Kaname-sama trusts us to complete the job and he probably needed Hanabusa to keep Yuuki-sama busy. But I understand if you want to do your own thing. I just thought that it would be nice if we could show Kaname-sama that we are still his allies, especially with the council no longer existing."

"Ruka, I understand," he interrupted her. And he did. She wanted to prove to the pureblood that she was still trustworthy, still useful. She was also still in love with Kaname. He tried to hope that perhaps it wasn't the case, but it only forced him to revisit that train ride once more. Even though she was beautifully rejected by Kaname, her affections for him did not waver.

Your gaze when you look at him is still just as beautiful as ever.

He could see her eyes glazed over with that particular shine—one filled with steadfast adoration, fierce loyalty, and deep sincerity. It was also a gaze of hopefulness. The one he knew will never be for him. And yet, it was because of the beauty that emanated from that special stare that Akatsuki found himself even more enamored with Ruka.

That small flame of hope within her burned still, and it only grew when Kaname-sama added fuel like this proposition. It was only a matter of time before Ruka would get burned by this flame because Akatsuki knew it would never be snuffed out.

"I'm glad you do. You always saw things more clearly than Hanabusa did," she said softly. A warm pink spread across her cheeks. Yes, perhaps Ruka would never fall out of love with the pureblood king. So long as she was needed by him, she was happy.

Akatsuki shoved his hands into his pant pockets. "So, when and where do we meet up with him?"

"Tomorrow evening, at the home of the Kuran family," Ruka said as she sat down with some relief on his bed.

"I see…" He turned his head to stare at the mirror of his reflection. His eyes did not reflect the somberness of his thoughts.

And as long as she was happy, he was content in following her. Even if it was just to guard her flickering flame of hope. If it went out, then he would be the one to avenge for her happiness.

AN: This is written for the LiveJournal Community, 30kisses, from List Beta/Hero: Theme #1, epidemic.