Yuki said goodnight to Akane at the gates to The Sun Dorms, then left to catch up with Zero Kiryu (the only other member of The Disciplinary Committee) to begin her patrol of the school. Akane walked through the quiet and deserted corridors to her dorm room. Once she reached her room, with the numbers 210 engraved on the rounded silver plaque on her door, the sound of multiple voices coming from inside halted her hand at the brass, bulbous handle.
Another sleepover, she groaned, before shaking herself to mentally prepare for the inevitable discussions she'd be dragged into until the topic of the conversation reached her ears.
"Nakamura could have at least been nicer to Kaname, she was rather rude," she heard Kimiko say in an offended tone, one she used frequently when talking to or about Akane. But she knew her words held no malicious intent. Kimiko just didn't have much patience with people, much like Akane, which she liked about the blonde.
"She's like that with all the boys in the academy, it's weird," another voice said that Akane knew belonged to a girl in her class but wasn't friendly with.
"Akane just likes to be left alone, she doesn't want that kind of attention." Thanks, Miu, she thought gratefully, hearing her friend defend her.
"It's still weird, she doesn't like any of the Night Class or Day Class boys. She must think she's better than all of them, and us! I mean, did you hear the way she spoke to Idol and Wild?!" said a voice Akane did recognise.
Kasumi Kobayashi was a girl in Akane's class who was hopelessly infatuated with Aidou Hanabusa. She had a slim and well-endowed figure with long, dark brown hair, and dark eyes to match. She was a very attractive girl but had not yet received so much as a glance from The Moon Dorms' Idol. It must have really wound her up when they talked to me today. It's ok Kobayashi, I don't care for you much either.
With a sigh, Akane left, unwilling to deal with the accusations and questions from her dormmates and decided instead, to go to a spot in the academy she frequented during the day when skipping classes. She exited The Sun Dorms silently and stealthily, knowing if she was caught anywhere near the school building during curfew (considering her track record at the academy thus far), expulsion would be a certainty. Thankfully she found her way to her intended destination without any interference from The Disciplinary Comity, and sat watching the clear sky, as the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon.
Akane loved it up here, she would miss it. Just her and the endless sky stretching out to eternity. The roof of the school building wasn't somewhere Akane came to think, in her opinion she thought too much. No, this place was somewhere she could just be, and watch everything pass her by without having to be part of the social cycle down below. She lay down getting herself comfortable, so she could gaze up at the sky as the stars began to dance into view. She smiled, content with her solitude and the crisp, quiet air around her.
Kaname returned to class, appearing as calm as ever. However, his earlier proximity to both Yuki and Akane had been taxing.
"How did it go Kaname?" Ichijou asked, coming to sit beside him as he took his usual spot by the window.
"The Headmaster has agreed to supply the Night Class with more blood tablets, as a precaution."
"And what of that student, Akane Nakamura?" Ichijou pressed.
"She's a scholarship student who arrived at the beginning of the term. Evidently, she was of ill-health when the school year began, which is why we haven't noticed her until tonight. The Headmaster assured me her movements will be more closely monitored from now on. She apparently has a habit of skipping classes."
Kaname pulled out his blood tablets and took slightly over the recommended dose before turning his attention to the book, waiting for him on his desk. Ichijou understood the conversation was over and made his way back to his seat and his partially forgotten manga. The class had all heard the discussion clearly but never presumed to add to it.
Across the classroom, Aidou was trying to figure out why Akane had such an inviting scent. He didn't have much time to think about it, however, as the old Vampire professor entered the room to begin their History lesson. Like we even need this lesson, Aidou thought arrogantly. He and most of his peers within the Night Class, were Nobility of the Vampire world, aside from Kaname, who was more Royal than Noble. A Prince of Vampire society. That high rank meant they were taught the history of their race from a young age. Therefore, Aidou saw little to be gained by listening to it all again. So, instead, he stared out of the window and pondered over the new Day Class student.
As he let his mind drift from one theory to another, he realised he could faintly pick up Akane's scent. He looked about to see if the others could smell it too, and saw their thirst through their red eyes, gleaming in the darkened room.
"What is she doing back?" Ruka Souen muttered through gritted teeth, after swallowing a blood tablet with the bottle of water she carried in her bag. That girl must be close, or her scent wouldn't be getting so strong, Aidou mused. Even the tutor abandoned the lesson to rummage in his desk drawer for his tablets.
Aidou noticed The Dorm President pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes pressed tightly shut, trying to ignore Akane's scent. Gaining control of himself quickly (as he'd taken a voracious amount of blood tablets after speaking to the girl earlier in the afternoon), Aidou volunteered to intercept the Human.
"Lord Kaname, I will send her back to The Sun Dorms." Kaname looked up with blood-red eyes, watching Aidou closely, deciding if it was worth the risk sending him, but he knew there was little choice. Catching that delicious scent three times in one day and being so close to her alone, Kaname knew it would be difficult not to kill the girl, let alone frighten her.
Reluctantly, he nodded to Aidou and instructed that he take a full box of blood tablets with him, as a precaution. Aidou collected his pill box, bowed, and walked out of the classroom door, with enviously greedy, red eyes watching him, not missing the warning look from his Vampire Lord as he left.
He walked through the long main corridor to the stairs and followed the Human's scent up several flights, leading to the roof. It surprised him she got up there without being seen by The Disciplinary Committee and he had to admit, he admired her a little for her boldness and disregard for school rules. However, a trait like that was a dangerous one when in a school occupied by Vampires.
After a few minutes, he found himself at the door that led to the roof. He took a moment to regain his composure, before turning the handle and stepping out into the chilled night air. Aidou didn't need to search for long. He found Akane laying near the edge of the roof, opposite the door, right above his class. Now he understood why her scent had seemed so close, she was right on top of them!
Akane lay on her back with her eyes closed, using her arms as a headrest. He caught a glimpse of her bare neck open to the chill of the air, with her hair fanned out around her head, dancing when the wind caught it. Aidou tore his eyes away to look out over the grounds of the academy, and cleared his throat, to signal his presence.
Akane jumped at the sound and turned around, hoping it wasn't a teacher, or The Moon Dorm President or even worse, Disciplinary Committee Member, Zero Kiryu (she'd heard he was scary but had never seen him herself). If any of them found her out past curfew she'd be a goner! But it wasn't and Akane let out a rush of air in relief, to find Aidou Hanabusa, of the Night Class, probably playing truant as she often did… had done.
"You should be in class," she scolded lightly, lying back down, and placing her arms back behind her head.
"You should be in bed," Aidou countered, with the same bored tone Akane had used when addressing him.
"Touché," she admitted with a slight smile. Aidou frowned in irritation at the girls' lack of comprehension that he could rip her apart in an instant.
"You should leave before The Disciplinary Committee knows you're up here," he informed in a tone that told Akane, should she stay, they would find out. She stood and turned to the boy with narrowed eyes.
"I came up here to get some peace. I won't be able to sleep tonight back in my dorm room anyway. Not with that damn sleepover going on, thanks to you by the way."
"That's not really my problem, is it?" Aidou answered coolly, capturing her eyes for the first time since beginning their conversation.
Her eyes narrowed further as she gazed at him before a small smile crept onto her face as her arms rose in defeat. She looked back at the boy, her eyes returned to their fullest, allowing the glow of the newly risen moon to light up their emerald depths. The moonlight also captured the movement of her hair as the wind gently caught the ends, plucking, and twirling them, taunting him.
Aidou swallowed hard, trying not to look at her neck as his instincts demanded. He could hardly hear what she was saying through the pounding of the blood in his ears.
"I guess not," she agreed, completely unaware of the internal battle the boy was fighting. "I could go to the breakfast room at The Sun Dorms instead, I guess," she thought aloud. "I did miss dinner… I could rustle up some toast or something…"
She turned without giving Aidou a second thought and walked to the edge of the roof and then jumped. His eyes widened as she disappeared over the edge. He darted forward in a panic, leaning over the side to find Akane climbing down from a tree next to a balcony, one level below him. He let out a breath of relief to see her unharmed. If she'd gotten so much as a scratch, he would have been in serious trouble with Kaname, as the class would have probably gone into a riot at the first trace of her fresh blood. He watched the girl run swiftly towards The Sun Dorms and out of sight, before returning to the stairs and heading back to class, feeling a little disappointed with their meeting.