Disclaimer: Vampire Knight belongs to Matsuri Hino.

-CHAPTER 2-

First Day

Aunt Lin got me up early the following morning, calling my name as she opened my curtains wide. Aki's study was bathed in golden sunlight. I buried my face in my pillow, feeling groggy and annoyed. I was still exhausted after last night—last night. It all came back to me. The fight, the boy, the game... had I really agreed to that? Was I really supposed to go to school today in some blind attempt to discover the identity of my mystery-neighbor?

It had all seemed to make more sense in the dark.

Lin yelled my name again, and this time I couldn't ignore her. It was a little hard to say whether she wanted me to get to school on time for the tour—which she had so graciously arranged with the Headmaster—or if she just wanted me out of the house. I was fully aware how childishly I had acted last night. I honestly wanted to forget all about it and move on. I was going to Cross Academy. It was final, and no amount of complaining from my end would change Lin's mind.

I dragged myself out of bed and lumbered to the bathroom at the end of the upstairs hall, where I showered hastily. Wrapping a towel around me as I stepped out of the tub, I wiped fog off the mirror. I brushed my wet hair out, the long strands flowing easily through the bristles now, but when my hair was dry there was little to no point in attempting to neaten it. It was a curly mess most of the time, just like my mom's had been.

Exiting the bathroom, I called out to my aunt downstairs. "Lin, what should I wear?"

Her voice echoed back, instructing me to check the bureau. I did, and immediately noticed a package. Tearing it open on my bed, a school uniform was revealed. There was a white blouse, a black blazer, a flared skirt, thigh-high stockings and long strip of red silk. I got dressed immediately, buttoning the blouse and pulling the blazer over it. The clothes were of high quality, soft and comfortable, but skirt was so short! Even walking across the floor of Aki's study made me feel a bit exposed, and I tugged it down to make sure I was adequately covered.

Grabbing the last of my suitcases, I went downstairs and out onto the drive, where Lin was waiting for me next to the car.

"The uniform looks nice," she remarked as I added my bag to the pile of suitcases on the back seat. I was so thankful she didn't mention our little spat. It seemed she was as eager to move past it as I was, which made me feel a lot more confident about leaving her today. Still, I was nervous. "You look so much like your mother," Lin added then, and I looked over. "I only met Sasha a few times, of course. She was a very bold woman, never afraid to show her true colours. It used to frustrate Kuro."

"Yeah," I nodded my head. It seemed like such a cold reply, but I didn't know what else to say. Sasha Harugichi had died when I was just a little kid, so it wasn't surprising that I could barely remember her. I wouldn't even know what she looked like if I didn't have pictures. Any time someone made a comment about how similar I was to Sasha, I could do no more than agree in a few short words. How do you tell someone that you don't remember your own mother and not make them think less of you?

"Coming?" Lin asked, and I answered her with a sharp nod. I jumped into the front seat, modestly pulling at the hem of my skirt again. It was definitely going to take some getting used to.

As the car engine started roared I was struck with a feeling of anxiety. It was perfectly normal of course, to be expected at a time like this. Lin pulled out of the driveway and it was more than official. We were off to Cross Academy.

The drive was slow and—like all journeys that seem to take forever—incredibly awkward. Lin tried to talk to me a few times, gesturing animatedly with the hand that wasn't gripping the steering wheel, but I could only answer in short "yesses" and "nos." What else could I say? We had been apart for so long that we had very little in common. I had suspected I would have a lot more time to get to know her, but considering I would be spending most of my time this year at the Academy rather than the old Harugichi house, I was having trouble influencing myself to engage with her. After all, I barely knew her.

You talked to him last night... A small voice reminded me, and looking out the window I couldn't help but admit that it was true. I had spilled my secrets to a boy whose face I'd never even seen; I most certainly hadn't known him well either, so what had given him the right to hear so much about me when I could barely converse with my own flesh-and-blood? There was no excuse. I had to give more of an effort with Lin.

"Lin," I began, and she glanced over happily. "How do you know the Headmaster at this school? Last night you mentioned he was a friend of Aki's."

"Ahhh yes, Kaien Cross. I've known him forever. He was one of Aki's best friends in college. He was the one who introduced us, actually," she laughed to herself. "It's a good story. Remind me to tell it to you some time."

"You can't tell me now?" I pressed. If there was one thing I did want to know more about, it was my uncle Aki.

"I suppose."

I noticed she was blushing. She had loved Aki so much. I doubted I would ever love anybody the way she'd loved him.

"It was springtime hmm... must be twenty years ago now. But I'm not old, I swear," she gave a sheepish chuckle. "Anyway, I was in University not too far from here, in Yokohama. Nineteen-years-old. I met Kaien in a lecture hall. We started talking because neither of us had intended to end up there—it was raining, and we'd just rushed into the nearest building. We chatted in the back of the room. We were so loud the teacher ended up kicking us out. I've never been able to remember what the class was on, economics maybe?"

"So you met him before Aki?"

"Oh yes. We were friends for quite some time before Aki ever came into the picture. Kaien and I never dated or anything. We were just good friends. He already knew Aki, but he never told me how. It was always a secret between them. Aki took it to the grave. But oh, I'll never forget the moment I laid eyes on your uncle. As I said, it was spring. Kaien invited me to a get-together celebrating the end of the term, but he failed to mention it was formal. I showed up wearing a camisole and shorts! I was so embarrassed."

She paused for a moment in recollection, gripping the steering wheel with both hands. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to make her relive this. Still, I wanted to hear more. I urged her to go on with a gentle smile.

"Aki... your uncle, he asked me to dance. I was hiding in the back of the room, and there was no way I was going anywhere near the dance floor. But when I refused, Aki laughed, and then he stripped down to nothing but his undershirt and boxer shorts. I was so red in the face I looked like a tomato, but he took my hand and led me out onto the dance floor. Everybody was staring! It was terrible! But I didn't care. There was something about that boy, and I knew it even then."

She was laughing now, and so was I. Halfway through the story I'd realized that I really enjoyed her when she wasn't yelling at me. Then again, she seemed like a different person now than she had been last night. Maybe it was because I'd asked her about her husband. He was gone, but the memory of him was still so fresh in her mind that just talking about him flooded her heart with joy.

The rest of the drive passed in silence—but it was a different sort of silence from the type we'd experienced earlier. This silence was warm and comfortable. I enjoyed this silence.

The car tires crunched against the gravel as we pulled into the wide forested driveway of Cross Academy. I sat up just as the first building came into view, curiosity getting the better of me. The suspense was killing me, but when the school came into view I actually felt my mouth fall open. A big school, sure, I had been expecting that. Maybe castle-like, with turrets and sprawling grounds. But this, I had not been expecting.

The Academy wasn't big, it was huge, and it looked nothing like a castle. The first building was much more reminiscent of European Gothic architecture, or even old manor houses, with red brick walls and more windows than I could count. The campus seemed to consist of a large main structure surrounded by four or five slightly smaller buildings. From what I could see from the car all were made of the same brick, with green or blue shingled roofs.

"Isn't it just gorgeous!?" Lin exclaimed with delight as she finally parked the car, giving me a wide grin. I nodded, still in shock. "Ooh, and there's Kaein now! Chairman Cross! We're over here!"

I was taking my bags out of the car when a loud and somewhat effeminate call greeted my ears.

"Liiinnnyy!" A man with long tan-coloured hair tied in a ponytail came rushing to my aunt's side. He was tall and well-built, with oval glasses and an almond-shaped face. He grasped Lin's hand, and then wrapped his arms around her, embracing her to the point of near-suffocation. I was about to intervene when he finally let her go. They were both panting. "Oh, Lin! You look so lovely!"

"I hope you aren't just saying that," she said imploringly. She didn't look at all ruffled, but his hair was now sticking up from their violent hug.

"So this is little Taura Harugichi then?"

Cross said, and before I knew it both Lin and the Headmaster were staring at me. He looked me up and down, and I instinctively tugged on my skirt again. I felt like I was under a microscope... that is until he stepped closer and patted me on the top of the head.

"How are you, sweetheart?"

My eye twitched as my mouth formed a frown. Is this guy for real? He was treating me like a five-year-old child. I didn't register the fact that I was acting like one as I crossed my arms, lips pursed.

"I'm sorry, Harugich! I've completely forgotten my manners."

He raised is hand in the air like he was presenting me the gates of Heaven itself.

Be polite...

I bowed slightly and said very quietly, "... Thank you."

"And thank you, Lin. I think you can leave your lovely niece in my hands for now. Have a wonderful day, and come visit soon!"

Oh no. Is Lin leaving already?

I pleaded with her, my eyes widening. But she only bowed and returned to her car.

"Sorry, Taura. I have a meeting this afternoon." She waved. "Have a wonderful first week! I'll be here to pick you up Friday evening."

"Okay..." I mumbled. As I watched her drive off, I became very aware of Cross's presence. I looked around at him, my eyebrow raising. But all he did was beckon for me to follow him, his attitude suddenly much more serious. I had a feeling this man was very similar to my aunt that way. His personality changed like the flick of a light-switch.

"This is the main building," he explained. "All your classes will be held here, as well as special events like dances and exams. And before you ask, I've already had your schedule delivered to all of your teachers so they can direct you if you happen to get lost. Not that I think that will happen, but a Chairman can never be too careful. Also, as you know, we're already a week into the semester, but Lin said you were a bright girl. I'm sure you'll be able to catch up in no time."

If I'm lucky I'll scrape by with Cs, I thought.

He led me through the long main lobby of the school building. It was just as beautiful as the outside, if not more so. An enormous chandelier hung from the ceiling—it looked like it was made of pure crystal, which considering this school looked like it might have been owned by someone of high-class society at one point, it probably was.

"Your classes only begin at 1:00 so we have ample time to finish your tour. And don't worry about your belongings. They're being carried to your new bedroom as we speak. You already have your first uniform; each student is given three for the week. Just remember to put them in the laundry hampers and the cleaning staff will come around to retrieve them."

Cleaning staff? Seriously?

"Alright well, this is the walkway, and the gardens are to your left and right. They're quite beautiful in the spring and summer, but you arrived too late this year to see them in full bloom. So, next up is your dormitory. Down this road is the Sun Dorm, where you'll be staying. All your necessities will be provided, so don't you worry. We have a fully stocked Cafeteria with some of the very best chefs money can afford. I hand-picked them all from five-star restaurants."

We trudged down a wide cobbled path that forked not far ahead. I could see down both roads; it seemed each ended with another large manor. My eyes lingered a bit on the dark roof of a building that was mostly shielded from view by a stone wall.

"The Sun Dorm is a beautiful place to study and make friends! There's always something fun going on. My residence is not far from it, either, so don't hesitate to visit me! Each student shares a room with a single roommate. There are two co-ed bathrooms and showers on every floor, so you won't have to worry about cleanliness—"

"What's over there?" I interrupted him mid-sentence.

He looked over at me, and his gaze narrowed. "Why that's the Moon Dorm, where the Night Class students stay."

I felt a little tug in my stomach.

Night Class?

Isn't that what that boy had said he was part of last night? But what exactly was this Night Class? Why did they have a completely separate dormitory and schedule? This made no sense to me.

"The Night Class and Day Class are separate at this school. Members of the Night Class are rich students whose parents pay top-dollar for education here. It's really a special place for them. I know it probably seems strange to you that we would differentiate them from the other students, but it's how it has to be."

How it has to be...

Those words were familiar to me. The boy had said the exact same thing last night in regards to the Night Class. Why did it have to be that way? I couldn't help but wonder. I hated the fact that I was actually interested in this, but I couldn't help myself. It was mystery, and despite by hesitance to agree to the boy's terms last night, I loved a good mystery as much as the next girl.

"Come on, Taura," the Chairman said, leading me down the walkway that led to the Sun Dorms. Reluctantly, I followed him. My eyes remained trained on the Moon Dorm until it disappeared from sight behind a wall of tall evergreens.

He led me around the Sun Dorms, which were, as he'd said, quite nice. He then brought me back to the main building, where he showed me where my first class was to take place. There were students everywhere now, all dressed in uniforms just like mine, walking and chatting in the halls. It looked like any other high school, really.

I paused, glancing through the doorway into my classroom. There were a few students there already—a thin girl with brown doe-eyes and a silver-haired boy. He was tall and long-limbed, almost like a dead tree. His arms were crossed behind his back as he leaned against the chair. His eyes cracked opened when I entered, and the girl looked at me too. They watched me sit down at the front of the room.

I rummaged through my bag—Cross had supplied me with a generous supply of class materials before leaving me be. I knew I would only have to attend a few hours of class today, but I suppose he'd wanted me prepared anyway. The first one was a heavy math textbook. It looked boring. The next was a book of poems and short stories—for literature class, I assumed. That looked okay. The last was a history book. I opened that one to middle and scanned the pages while I waited for class to begin. It didn't take long. Soon, the room was full of people. They chattered loudly all around me, talking about this and that. A few times I caught the words 'Night Class' amidst the fray, but otherwise it was the same friendly conversation you would hear in any classroom.

"Class," the teacher, a middle-aged man, said suddenly. I looked up. "We have a new student with us today. Her name is Taura Harugichi, and she's from America."

"A foreign student? That's weird." I heard a girl say behind me. I didn't bother looking back.

"Yeah, usually they're in the Night Class—"

"Shh, Day Class. Now open your textbooks to page 241 and begin reading the chapter about Hiroshima and Nagasaki…"

I read in silence, trying to ignore the stares of some of the students. They eventually stopped, but even then, I felt like I was being watched. It didn't take me long to realize the silver-haired boy from earlier was still surveying me. He was pretending to be asleep, but I could feel his eyes on my back. A bit creepy if you asked me.

The bell ran and I gathered my things. As I was stuffing my books into my bag, I heard footsteps nearby. It was the girl who had been sitting in front of the boy.

"I'm Yuuki Cross," she said, smiling brightly.

Cross?

"You're the Chairman's daughter then?"

She fumbled with her words. "Y-yes, I am. Adopted daughter, anyway. He told me to help you find your next class, Harugichi—"

"Taura."

She blinked, confused.

"Where I come from nobody calls people by their last name unless they're either really disrespectful or an adult. I don't take you for either, so just call me by my first name. Taura."

She seemed lost in thought, but then laughed. Her expression seemed to calm and she suddenly wasn't so incredibly artificial. "Sorry about that. I guess I'm just used to it."

"It's okay," I said with a shrug. "So you were going to show me to my next class?"

"Mmhm. Zero—oh, where did that idiot go?"

"You're talking about that silver-haired guy, right? I saw him run down the hall a few seconds after class ended."

"Yeah, I thought so," she shook her head back and forth. "We're both on the disciplinary committee, you know, but he's always ditching duty and skipping classes."

I snorted, "Doesn't sound like the kind of guy who would normally be on a disciplinary committee."

Yuuki seemed flustered, and shook her hands in front of her protectively. "No, no. Zero's very good. People listen to him because he's so intimidating. I really wouldn't be able to do my job without him."

I shrugged, "If you say so."

Yuuki and I continued down the hall to another classroom. It was completely empty this time.

"This is your Literature classroom. We have the same course next, so I guess I'll just stick around for now. Oh, I was going to say, your Japanese is very good. I thought you would be a bit rough, but you're accept is actually wonderful."

"Thanks," I said. "My dad's actually full Japanese, so he taught me when I was a little kid. It was sort of our own special language, because nobody except my mom could speak it in our complex."

"That's sweet," Yuuki admitted.

"Yeah, I still get messed up with the honorifics though, so don't get offended. I try not to use them at all if I can help it."

Glancing out the window then, I saw Yuuki's friend, Zero, sitting beside a tree. His head was bowed and he looked like he was asleep. I decided not to tell her, not because I wanted to be rude, but because that boy seriously looked like he could use the sleep. He was as white as a ghost. I found myself wondering as the class dragged on if Zero could be the boy from the dock. He was certainly the right age, but somehow I knew that he didn't really look the part. Zero was much too cold.

Classes ended for the day, and I threw my bag over my shoulder and headed for the door. I thought I should wait for Yuuki at the door, so we continued down the path together. I was about to continue on towards the Sun Dorm when I noticed that Yuuki had gone to stand in front of the gates to the Moon Dorm. Her expression was sturdy, and her arms were crossed.

I went to ask her what she was doing. I never heard the rumble behind me, or the shrieking of girls' voices. I was too concentrated—it struck me before I even knew what was coming...