.
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Yuki was frustratingly stubborn.
I had an idea of it from her teenage self, but had always assumed Zero was just a bad influence. It seemed it was a naturally engraved trait of the Kuran family. Stubborn as hell, and won't eat chocolate chip cookies because raisin cookies give her anxiety.
I sigh.
She looks away with several generations' worth of stubbornness. A thousand yen says Juuri's side of the family.
Dad does a great job of looking like an idiot, holding the tray of cookies carefully, "These are chocolate, Yuki. Suna doesn't like raisins either!"
She looked at me. I nodded solemnly.
"It was just one time." Dad had comical tears in his eyes. "Don't abandon meeeee!"
She snatched a cookie, munching it up with an annoyed pout. It morphed into a content look. Hot and warm cookies is the way to the Kuran heart it seemed. I felt the need to try it on Kaname. Dad got over his moment quick enough to pivot like an actress, nearly dropping the tray in the process.
"Kaname will be visiting tomorrow morning." He recited for Yuki's benefit. Despite knowing much already, she was incredibly forgetful. She forgot how to tie her shoe laces, she couldn't for the life of her figure out what yogurt was, and the date was like a foreign language. Dad was concerned.
Yuki brightened like the sun, "It's my birthday."
Dad laughed happily, "Yup! My little Yuki is going to get so many presents! Just wait until you see Suna's gift."
Yuki looked at me. I averted my gaze, because if she stared at me too long I'd tell her what I got for her. She had killer puppy eyes and she wasn't even trying.
"Cutter got you a gift too." I added for her and dad's benefit. I had an allowance, just barely. I liked doing chores to fill up time.
Yuki leaned forward excitedly, petting my shoulder like she could wipe the secrets off me, "What is it?"
"It's not your birthday till tomorrow." Damn those eyes. "If I give it now, Cutter will be upset."
She relented at that. Out of everyone in the house, Cutter was her favorite and had been for the last two months she's been with us. She could walk right over dad's drapes and not give a shit, but move a single feather out on Cutter's head and it was an apocalyptic hell.
"Okay." She took another cookie.
"Suna!" Dad made a show of waving around my bright green backpack (his buy). "Your homework isn't done yet!"
I discretely hid my grimace. He noticed anyway.
"That's no good Suna." He chided with a wagging finger. "Homework will help you learn. How come your only seven and already so unmotivated!"
I wondered how weird the look he'd give me would be if I told him the truth. Instead, I shrug my shoulders. Yuki is staring at us like when she discovered peanut butter for the first time.
"Is school fun?" She asks.
Dad fixes his smile on his face, but doesn't seem keen on elaborating, "Suna doesn't like it very much, but if you'd like, I can homeschool you! It's just like school, just without the walking."
I didn't want to mention she'd learn exactly jack shit from him, especially social norms. Likely why she didn't have many friends in the future. Dad's fault, as always.
"School is fun." I defended to his surprise. "There's lots of games to play. Learning is just boring."
Yuki had already made her decision long before the conversation started, "I want to go to school."
Dad knew when he was defeated and sighed theatrically, "I suppose? We'll need to get Kaname's opinion first."
Yuki puffed up her cheeks like a chipmunk, "He says yes."
Dad blinked.
I chimed in, "He'll stay longer if you ask."
She clammed up immediately, looking at me with intensity. Time was everything for his visits, and seconds were precious. Last visit had ended with Cutter landing a dump on his head. He stayed for a full extra hour, leaving Yuki over the moon and Cutter even higher on her list of favorite people.
Kaname of course said yes. Not even he could resist those eyes.
Yuki was (according to Kaname's attempt at vagueness) three years older than me, therefore eligible for middle school next year. It was a huge leap, but she was determined to catch up. Thanks to Kaname's helpful presence, her memory seemed to get better. I didn't doubt it was the seal. Changing species would fuck anyone up.
Thus, dad got the homeschool and I got to play chess with Kaname while my adopted sister struggled to death. I was losing poorly. Not that I minded. I dare say losing to the king of all vampires was the best thing to happen in a while. Yuki was giving off fumes from where she and dad were on the couch. It was likely math.
"Calm down." Kaname chuckled amusedly. "You have a long time to prepare, Yuki. It's already remarkable how far you've come."
Like all Kuran, her response was stubborn frustration, "Suna's smarter than me."
"I'm weird." I told her as I rearranged the pieces after another colossal lose. "Plus, you can't remember things. You're probably very smart, you just don't know it."
Her expression became lighter. Dad seemed relieved he wasn't dealing with a combustible time bomb of ten year old emotions (Yuki tantrum). Kaname was truly content to be as far as possible from the math. I could sympathize.
"Kaname-sama." The weird name popped out of her mouth. She wouldn't drop it, not matter how many times Kaname looked bewildered. "Do you go to school?"
"Yes." He smiled understandingly. "One day, you can go to the same school as I do. It's called Cross Academy."
Yuki gasped like a secret had been found. Dad looked like a preening peacock. His only income is owning the academy anyway, all elementary, middle school, and junior high divisions. It was a place for the super-rich and, apparently, the blood eating kind.
Yuki beamed excitedly, "Will Kaname-sama go to school with me?"
Kaname's carefully didn't let his smile drop, "The classes are separated, Yuki. Vampires and humans don't attend classes together."
Yuki was unsurprisingly devastated. I tacked on to rectify his mistake, "But you'll see each other between classes. Campus is small, right?"
Dad stood up with all the flare of an idiot, "Right! The job of this academy is to bond our species, to promote the pacifism we long desire!"
Yuki had the face of someone who didn't understand a thing. Kaname laughed quietly, "Thank you, Chairman Cross. This school wouldn't happen without you."
Dad, on cue, blushed like a schoolgirl. "Kaname-kun, you're too humble! How is the night class, anyway? Taking nicely to their change?"
"It's been difficult." He admits, moving his pawn forward and ending another round of 'beat a seven year with lost hopes and dreams'. "The adjustment isn't very well liked. They aren't used to the pills to be happy about it yet."
"It'll take time." Dad says, all business now. "I have the utmost faith in the night class!"
Kaname smiled at that, "I won't disappoint."
"Where is the night class?" Yuki asked, trotting away from math to join us. She was starting to learn avoidance already, bless her.
Kaname knew a sister-is-going-to-stalk-me attempt when he saw one. He had become astoundingly good at recognizing it too. Whether or not her intentions were innocent or just conniving, that was all up to Yuki at this point.
"You'll know when you go to school." He pokes her nose playfully. She bats his hand away with a laugh.
Kaname's present is the same as can be remembered, a rare flower encased in resin. Dad got her a cute dress to wear since the weather was getting warmer. My gift was less creative and was a picture book (because words were overrated) on how to do origami. Yuki enjoyed it for approximately four seconds before descending on Cutters gift with childish glee.
I don't blame her. Anyone would love a tricycle.
The weather was just clear enough for a test drive. The road was rigid and far less maintained then in town, but there wasn't ice and snow around anymore. Kaname had the expression of a parent nibbling their fingers nervously, just without the emotion of it. Dad was doing his best trying to make Yuki not crash. I, being the respectful younger sibling and very caring, was taking pictures despite the overwhelming stressful situation.
The day ended up with a bruised knee and another shit dive on Kaname, curtesy of Cutter. Yuki had trained him well.
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