Chapter 1

It was raining. Cross Academy were full of stranded students who didn't bring an umbrella. They were everywhere in the lobby and corridors, chit-chatting and complaining about the wrong news weather report. Others who were eager to go to home ask to share an umbrella with a stranger. This rain was an oddly strong one.

But a certain young man with silver hair and violet eyes that perfectly suits his dejected lifestyle is standing against the wall near the gate with two umbrellas. Using his other umbrella for the heavy rain he idly plays with the other one as if his bored.

"Zero are you out of your mind? What are you doing here? Waiting for someone eh? . . ." his passing by blonde friend teasingly said as he pushes up Zero's umbrella to see his reaction while pointing at other umbrella. Expecting a nice answer, he instead receives a tedious glare. "Fine do whatever you want, just don't catch a cold there 'cause no one's going to visit you". Then he pulls away his hand from the umbrella and putting it on his girlfriend's shoulder.

"I won't! So just go away with your girlfriend and don't bother me Aidou." Aidou smirk and wave goodbye to him. Zero shifted his sight from Aidou to his girlfriend then away from them until their images where blurred because of the rain. He again begins to space out then a sigh came out.

--

In one of the rooms in the Cross Academy, a man with brown hair of mid 20's is fixing his things and paper works in his bag." Weird I thought I put it in here . . ."

"What's wrong Kaname?" an image of a refined lady came in from the door slowly walking towards him as her shiny, wavy, long hair wavers as she walks because of the wind. "Nothing it's just that my umbrella is missing" Still searching he finally give up and place a smile on his face "it's okay I bet you have an umbrella." She tilts her head down to hide the fact that she is blushing. She loves it when Kaname smiles like that to her, it gives her a calming mood and it amazes her. "Of course we can always share mine. . ."

The rain calmed down a bit and was now more predictable and less dangerous. For that the campus was now almost empty from the stranded students. Although some still chose to stay for some reason. Including there was Zero who was still standing on his spot, still waiting. He got absolutely drenched in the rain giving out an idea that his two umbrellas were useless. Droplets of water is now falling from the strands of his hair and smoothing down to his face. Sluggishly he brushes up his hair and recognizes a certain brown hair man –Kaname Kuran, sharing an umbrella with a girl who seems familiar to him.

"Ah that teacher in physics, Ruka . . ." he murmured

Surprised that he is being ignored, he felt like the two of them were in a world forbidding anyone to interfere. He hated the feeling. They're coming closer to him, closer and closer but the reaction he wanted to come from him was still not showing. Annoyed he throws the umbrella on the ground then takes a quick glance at Kaname. But rather of being embarrassed of what he had done, without second thoughts he kicks the umbrella and walks away.

"Damn . . . what does he think he is doing" frowning he halted when he heard him say "Excuse me but I think you dropped your other umbrella or is this someone else's umbrella? "

"Huh? . . . What are you talking about? , use it if you want, that someone doesn't need it anymore besides he's already late and I will not wait anymore." A long pause occurred before Kaname ask "So have you waited long for your friend?"

"Friend? . . . not really"

"Kiryuu Zero" Ruka interfered "You're my student in my morning physics class, right?"

"Yes"

"You rarely attend my class, why?"

". . ." Zero didn't reply and thought 'You think were that close'

As the conversation starts the three of them are now walking together. "You're already soaked with water, you really did waited for your friend here in this kind of weather? " He glared at her "Is that bad? You keep asking questions, you think that could start a good conversation between us? It's just annoying" Kaname was shocked by his answer, he never thought he was in this bad mood.

"No, no I ju . . . just never seen you socializing with anyone in my class" Her voice diminishing from awkwardness. "Well you never can tell Ruka, teens nowadays are so complicated to understand . . . right Kiryuu ? Kaname said as he took a look at Zero who was looking opposite of him. He waited for a reply but Zero just ignored it and didn't even bother to look. Kaname now turned his attention at the umbrella. Having a hard time at opening it , he suddenly heard a crack and saw the entire opened umbrella "Wha. . .What happened to this?"

Zero look at him and the umbrella, he realizes that he had a hard grip at it while waiting ' It's your fault' he thought and said " why would you care , it's not yours anyway"

"Right. But I'm afraid that, that friend of yours will not like with what happened to his umbrella. I'm just concerned with his reaction, it might be bad for you". He gently closes the umbrella and smile to Zero with sarcasm.

"I don't care"

He turned away from them and greeted them goodbye. "I'll be going. This way's to my house. Enjoy you're walk together , huh?" Putting his hands on the sides of his pockets as he walks away , he searched for his cigarette hoping that it is still fine to use.

"Tch!, I'm really out of my mind, it's all soaked with water how could I use this!" He tossed it aside, now searching for something else inside his bag.

"I can buy another one! so at least let the lighter be in my bag?" irritated he stopped at a store.

"shit! where did I . . ." As he rummages his bag and throws some of his gibberish things to the ground and still can't find it, his celphone suddenly beeped but because he is too annoyed, he pay no attention to it and closed his bag with fierce.

"I can buy both of that anytime I want!"

He decided to continue walking but have no intention to really go home. Looking sideways and deciding where to go he noticed the people were looking at him with suspicious look. ' What's their problem, so annoying' . People began to murmur and stare at him more.

He heard a group of women talking.

" I bet he's a part of some gang" one of the girls said.

" That's scary! He has a knife inside his bag"

"Did you see some drugs? I think I saw one!"

"What a waste, he's even cute"

"Shut up, would you want him.. ."

The chitchatting girls were terrified when Zero approached them and banged his bag on the wall across them.

" Can you please talk louder 'cause I definitely can't hear you!" This time he smiled at them but with his dagger look that tells " I'll kill you" made the people there become more worried.

" Uhm, were ju- just" the girls stuttered because of fear that they nearly cried. Fortunately the saleslady interrupted. " Mister , I guess your phone is ringing ." He glanced at his bag and saw an alternating light coming from his cellphone. It stopped when he took it out and saw that it is from Kaname.

" 2 messages from him huh?, what does he want now."

The message from him, orders Zero to go to his house now. But before going out, he did a last glare to all of the people inside the store, put his bag on, then went away.

---

Kaname was still with Ruka when he texted him.

" Hey you didn't give back his umbrella" Ruka said while pointing at the damaged umbrella.

" It's not his anyway, I''ll just throw it away or maybe, give him this tomorrow"

"You know him?"

"What do you mean? He is my student"

"Not that, well never mind."

"Isn't it bothering you? holding someone's umbrella and it's not even . . ." The conversation became boring. Kaname wanted to go home already but was stuck drinking coffee with her. It's not that he doesn't want her, It's just that he doesn't want to talk to anyone right now.

After a while, Kaname was done with his coffee but when he took a glance at Ruka's cup.

'Damn. It's not even halved, how could she utilize her coffee like that. I'd say amazing' he thought. Anyone would notice how bored Kaname is, looking at his watch every minute. So when Ruka finally asked if he wanted to go home.

"Actually , I have some work to do in my house and I left it so . . . I'm sorry I really need to go. Or I can wait for you for maybe five more minutes?"

Ruka slightly laughed. "No, It's alright, I can drink coffee by myself."

"Oh" Glancing again at her cup for a second then to her.

"Why?" Ruka asked.

"Nothing. I'll go now, take care of yourself" He then waved goodbye.

---

From his seat in the taxi cab he saw his house with all the lights out. 'Didn't he received my message' . He spaced out thinking about it until the driver asked for his payment.

'I'm certain that I have sent it, that brat! He thinks he's greater than me' Before looking for the key, he first tried the door if it's locked. 'It's locked'.

"Okay! need to find my key".

He tossed the umbrella on the living room near the sofa when he entered his house. The room was so dark that he need to feel the switch of lights on the wall.

"He broke my umbrella! Wait how did he. . .!" Deviating his sight from the switch to the sofa, he saw Zero there sleeping. He also noticed how dirty the floor is. It was covered with mud and when he saw Zero again he was so wet and water was still dripping from his hair to the floor.

" Can't he dry his hair first. " He went to the room to get a towel.

---

Zero's starting to wake up, Kaname saw it, so he just threw the towel in his head.

"Don't you even know how to dry yourself first before sleeping in someone else's house."

"You could also wipe first so that it will not be too dirty like this." Kaname added, then went to the kitchen to see if there's something to eat.

Zero ignored him and dried his hair. He saw the umbrella beside the sofa. Somewhat irritated he stood up and searched for a rag that confused Kaname.

He found one.

Kaname was more shocked by his next actions. Zero started to wipe the floor. He cleaned the living room.

" What's gotten into you? " Kaname asked him as he prepares something in the kitchen.

" Nothing". He continued to clean the floor.

" Did you just hit your head, did something wrong or what?" Kaname persisted.

Zero's eyebrows twitched as he faced Kaname "Hey I'm doing you a favor here, so shut up!"

"I'm just scared with the consequences." he teased

"Don't worry it won't kill you."

He remembered what happened to his umbrella, so he stopped what he is doing for a minute.

" Zero, tell me how did you get my umbrella?"