Life's Dreams – What is love?

(New chapter update as I promised!)

"KA-NA-ME!" squealed the 3 year old Yuki from her bed, poking her elder brother in the eye.

Kaname groaned as he rolled over his back and his eyes fluttered open. "Ouch Yuki, that hurts..." he complained earnestly.

Yuki giggled.

"Anyway, good morning! You sure are energetic." Kaname continued as he reluctantly got out of bed and got ready to take a shower.

Just then, Haruka and Juri entered the room. Haruka scanned the room in amusement and exclaimed in mock surprise, "Oh Kaname, I see you've got yourself a new babysitting job, how interesting!"

"Such a good boy, taking care of your baby sister" joined Juri, giving her two children a wide smile.

"Yeah, she gets me up very early every morning. An effective alarm clock, mind you" chuckled Kaname. "So why did you come to our room at such an early time?"

"Yes..." Haruka said, his face turning serious. "About that... We've received orders from the council to run some errands today. Just so you know, we may not be returning home tonight."

"I see... The council won't give any of us a break, will it?" Kaname replied glumly. "Bastard Ichi..."

"That's enough Kaname" said Haruka sternly "We've talked through this many times. Anyway, it's time and we should get going now." Haruka paused for a moment and then added, "Please take care of your little sister for us."

"Yeah, sure... Have a safe trip okay?"

After Juri and Haruka exited the room, Kaname closed the door behind them. He let out a deep sigh and plopped down in bed once more... "5 minutes..." he murmured to himself. As his eyelids begin to droop, he thought saw a pair of tender brown eyes looking over him curiously and lovingly, as if to say, "What's wrong Kaname? Please don't be mad... I love you, I love you, I love you."

Yagari had been sitting on a comfortable rocking chair in the Kiryuu residence in relative silence for the last few hours. He twirled his hunter weapon around his callous fingers in boredom, and sighed at the sight of the two Kiryuu twins who were getting noiser by the minute, playing with one another in their own world of fantasy.

"Hey! You two, stop running around like squealing pigs!" exclaimed Yagari finally, exasperated. "I never signed up as a vampire hunter babysitter alright."

The two identical grey-haired boys took no notice of their master's remark and continued to run around, chasing each other with toy guns armed all over their little bodies. They squealed and shrieked in delight as one of them would pretend to shoot the other using a gun of their choice.

"Boom boom boom!"

"We we weeeeeeee"

"Hiat!"

"Shooooooo, Rawwwwr!"

"Bang bang bang bang bang!"

Yagari shook his head left and right. "Enough is enough." he thought out loud. "I gotta keep my sanity in check...

"ZERO! ICHIRU! STOP RIGHT THERE!" his deep voice boomed ominously.

Startled by the sudden anger of his master, Zero stopped into an immediate halt, face contorted with fear. He was well aware of how strict his master was and didn't dare upset him, much less defy him. Catiously, he turned his body to face his master, eyes glued to the floor, waiting for the anticipated punishment to come.

Just before Yagari was able to reprimand to the boys, Ichiru, who was right behind Zero during the chase, crashed right into Zero's back, unable to stop himself in time. This caused both boys to painfully fall face first into the floor.

"Oh bother" Yagari thought as he started to get out of his seat, preparing himself to deal with two crying and wailing brats. "Now I have to play dear mommy too..."

However, to Yagari's surprise, he heard no cries and saw no tears. Instead, an embarrassed and hurt Zero quickly got up by himself silently, acting as if he understands that the fall was the result of his own actions.

When he saw Ichiru still sprawled over the floor behind him, Zero immediately bent down to help his little brother up, whom he supported with his own shoulder. Then, seeing his still shaken little brother on the verge of tears, Zero pulled his brother close and hugged him tightly while saying sincerely, "Am soree i-che-roo."

"Hmmm..." Yagari mused, contemplating about the scene he just witnessed."Too bad nothing lasts forever" he said to himself, shaking his head once more.