Author's Note: This is quite long for a prologue but it needs to be, I promise! Anyway, this story is like a musical Vampire Knight I suppose, and I hope I can include one of your favourite tracks or introduce you to a new one! I appreciate any comments I get, even constructive ones because we all make mistakes. So, Vampire Knight belongs to the wonderful Matsuri Hino, and only Asuka is mine. [Spoilers Alert!] The songs in this episode belong to… Human League (Don't You Want Me)

Confessions

Prologue - Don't You Want Me Baby?

"Hey, Yagari!"

I turned on the balls of my feet and saw a group of people coming down the street towards me. I shoved my anti-vampire gun into my pocket hastily and waved at the approaching throng. They reached me and we formed a small circle and greeted each other.

"Toga-kun," said a girl with strikingly beautiful features - a perfect pout, shiny blonde hair and the most amazing eyes I'd ever seen. Too bad she was also the most damn annoying girl I had ever met in my entire life. Her name was Asuka Hasegawa, and I was pretty sure I hated her. "We're going to get some lunch at Nishizawa's Place on the corner. Wanna come?" she placed a perfectly manicured hand on my shoulder and rubbed it affectionately. "You work too much."

I smiled, keeping up the pretence that I really liked these people and wasn't just spending time with them because my supervisor said I needed 'people my age to bond with'. "Yeah, I guess I do. But I love my job."

"What is it you do anyway?" asked Wataru Shoto, another member of the group.

I thought hard about what to say but knowing a question like this had to be answered quickly, I just said the first job that popped into my head. "Paper round." I then marvelled at my stupidity inwardly but tried not to let that show.

"You wouldn't think so many people read the local paper - you're working day and night." stated Asuka.

"Oh, you'd be surprised how many newspaper customers there are in this town." I said thinking about the list. I was rapidly crossing off names but there were still so many.

Asuka slunk around me bringing her hand around my back and then strode over to the third member of the gang. The girl was short and had dark hair and even darker eyes. She looked at me unblinking and silent. Her name was Ayumu something, and the only thing I really knew about her is that no one knew anything about her. "Me and Ayu must be really boring poor Wataru." she purred, "He could use some male company I'm sure."

"Well then I have to go, don't I?" I grinned.

We went and had lunch at Nishizawa's and, after paying my share, I said my goodbyes and exited the café. I began to walk into the direction of an area I'd had a tip-off may have a lot of Level E activity. I was nearly half way there when I decided to address my stalker. "Asuka? I know you're following me. Do you need something or have you just decided to bother me?"

"Don't pretend you don't love it." she laughed, coming out from behind a hedgerow. "What're you doing here anyway? Your house is the other way."

"Just taking a walk."

She approached me slowly. "Look, Toga. When are you going to ask me out already? You can practically taste the attraction in the air." Despite how much I disliked her, her confidence was very seductive.

I didn't tell her this though and responded with "Uh… try never." I then realised how that must and have sounded and quickly said, "I mean you're a friend Asuka."

"Oh yeah?" she questioned, "Would a friend do this?" she kissed me slowly but passionately and looped her arms round my neck. I didn't kiss back. She snapped apart, obviously shocked at this. But, if I was honest with myself, I didn't kiss back because I was shocked. Not shocked that she'd kissed me. I could kind of see that coming, but shocked because it felt good. Asuka Hasegawa just kissed me, and I liked it. What was the world coming to when hate and love weren't even separated by a fine line anymore?

"Are you gay?" she checked, still not unwrapping her arms from my body.

"No!" I said, much quicker than I wanted to. What was this feeling? Caring that Asuka thought I might not be attracted to her? I didn't even like Asuka. She grinned, baring a set of perfect teeth. "Good." she said and kissed me again. This time I kissed back. We didn't come apart for minutes, but when we did she just stepped back and placed a hand on my chest, her fingers drumming a small beat. "So, tonight then? The Karaoke Bar? I'll meet you there?" Again, that same shot of self confidence sent me fluttery again and unable to control my reply. I said "Yeah, sounds great."

She turned around and walked back towards the main street, wiggling her pelvis provocatively. "Enjoy your walk."

After she'd left I came to my senses. "What the hell did I just do?" I asked the empty air, before walking back home to get ready for the insanity I had let myself in for.

I arrived at the Karaoke Bar at around nine o clock, a time I thought suitably late for the start of a date - to try and show I'm not that into her and regain some coolness points. It seemed she'd had the same idea or whatever because she wasn't even there when I arrived. About fifteen minutes later she walked through the door and I was sat at a round table in the corner listening to some dull songs about God knows what. "Hey." she said, approaching me. "Aw, how long have you been here? You must have been pretty excited!" I frowned, realising how much my plan had backfired. I didn't want to call her and ask about a time because I'd seem desperate. Oh, damn it. "What, ,no 'beginning of the date' kiss?" she asked. Before I had time to answer she had leant in for one and I found myself drawn to her again. They say you don't choose who you're attracted to, and there is obviously truth in that, but I want to know who's responsible because he's really hacking me off. "Mmmm." she sighed, pulling away. "You're a good kisser Toga-kun. It's a shame your lips are usually used to show some kind of shocked or angry expression."

"What would you rather have them do?" I asked, surprised at how forward I was being.

"I can think of a couple of things." she smirked and I expected, and kind of wanted, her to lean in again but she didn't. "I want to see them sing." she said, grabbing my arm and pulling me after her to the currently vacant stage. "Human League - Don't You Want Me." she said to a man organising the karaoke stage. He smiled and shot two thumbs up at Asuka. "I don't sing." I said, releasing myself from her grip.

"Well, now you do. Just look at the monitor, you'll be fine." she said, knowing I'd do what she said.

I still tried to defy her though and said "I don't like the song."

"Yes you do. I saw it in your CD collection." See, that's why I don't invite people in. Some things are private. "Just get ready to sing. I chose a duet so it's not as if we're competing so you don't have to be worried about being embarrassed when I won." She wasn't even joking and that's when I knew I had to win. I had to win at whatever sexual politics she was playing. I couldn't lose to Asuka of all people. I heard the opening bars of the song and prepared myself.

I stepped forward into centre stage. "You were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, when I met you…"

"You…" she echoed, taken aback slightly at my voice. Yeah, I can sing. Or at least give the impression I can.

"I picked you out, I shook you up and turned you around, turned you into someone new…"

"New…" She smiled at me and I felt even more inclined to continue but stronger.

"Now five years later you've got the world at your feet, success has been so easy for you… But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now, and I can put you back down too…"

She walked forward and looked me in the eyes as I sung the next line. "Don't…"

"Don't…" Asuka echoed again.

"Don't you want me? You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me…"

She swayed gently preparing herself for the chorus, where it was her time to shine. "Don't…"

"Don't you want me? You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me…"

She pushed me aside slightly, playing up for the crowd. "It's much too late to find, You think you've changed your mind,"

I joined in as we both sung out "You better change it back or we will both be sorry!"

She jumped up and down as we belted out "Don't you want me baby? Don't you want me, Ohhhhhhhh! Don't you want me baby? Don't you want me, Ohhhhhhhhhhh!"

I put my hand out and she spun round holding my fingers and launched into her verse. "I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar, that much is true…"

"True…" I was surprised how much I was enjoying this. Not just the singing but being with Asuka. It was amazing, like this was where I was meant to be. With Asuka. Me and Asuka. Asuka and me. Mrs Asuka Yagari…

The rest of the song went by in a blur, and I'm not really sure whether it sounded good or what, but everyone clapped and Asuka stepped forward boldly, kissing me hard on the lips. "You've got good pitch. And the softest lips ever." she teased, "Are you going to buy me a drink yet or what?" And that was the moment. I was wrapped around her little finger, and I wanted nothing more than to stay there forever.

"I want to go into the music business."

"Oh, really?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure about fame, though obviously I could gain it and handle it. No, I'm thinking more teaching music. Like singing, in schools. High schools. Not elementary, I can't stand children."

I laughed, trying to look semi-interested when really I was absorbing every reply she gave thoroughly. She had two brothers, one of whom would beat the crap out of me if I ever hurt her; her favourite song was Fleetwood Mac's 'Don't Stop'; she had a cat named Chibi; her mother died when she was seven; her favourite drink was a piña colada; and she didn't get drunk easily. The last one I observed myself, noticing that she'd downed five piña coladas already and wasn't even the slightest bit intoxicated.

"But, what about you? You're so quiet Toga. You seem content just listening to me speak." her voice interrupted my thoughts.

"I am."

"Well, what family do you have? What do you like to do?"

I grinned, "I can think of a few things…" I trailed off suggestively.

"You…" she leaned forward and kissed me, "Are…" she kissed me again, "A bad…"

and again, "Man…"

"But you love me." I joked.

"Yeah, I think I do." she replied, in all seriousness.

"I love you too." I said back, meaning it.

Suddenly she sat back into her chair as her phone rang. "Sorry Toga-kun, it's Ayu. Hello? Yes. No. Oh my god, really?" She looked panicky. "Toga, I have to go. There's been a horrible emergency, but this has been lovely. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah? Dinner, your place, you'll cook?" She stood up to leave, kissing my cheek. I nodded, excepting her proposal, as she hurried out of the bar. I paid the waiter, and stood up to leave too. Then I noticed that Asuka had left her purse. "Dammit." I said, realising that I didn't know where she had gone. I relaxed, remembering that I was seeing her tomorrow. If she called, I'd tell her I had it. I picked it up and walked out.

I began to walk home, reflecting on the evening's events when I smelt it. Sickening and metallic. Someone was bleeding. And heavily. I turned in the opposite direction to my home, towards the smell. I rounded the corner, clutching my gun in my hand. And then I saw it. The victim. My Asuka. I pulled the gun up pointing it at the vampire who sucked from her neck unrelentingly, as she lay there in its arms, limp and lifeless. "Toga-kun…" she whispered weakly.

The attacker turned to face me when she said this and I saw it was Ayumu. I took a step closer bravely. "Let go of Asuka, or I willshoot."

"No, Toga, don't!" Asuka said, still quiet but forceful. "Don't shoot Ayu, I… I asked her to… bite me. She… she needed to. But we… we're going to exchange blood. I… I'll be fine…"

My head was swimming. Asuka became a vampire willingly. She must have known I knew about vampires, she might have known about them herself, and yet she still allowed herself to be turned. Even though she knew what it'd do to me.

"You… you… you bitch!" I yelled, feeling tears pricking at my eyes, but restraining them, gun still poised.

"I'm sorry, Toga…" her fangs had arrived now and she sunk her teeth into Ayumu's throat.

At this point, I did what anyone else would do - I ran. Since then, I have suppressed all memories of that woman, and kept my heart closely guarded. Love? Not worth all it costs.