Beginning Note: I am so sorry it took this long to get out another chapter. I said I would try ASAP in July but somehow July just sped past without me finishing one chapter. All those essays and reading… It also didn't help that I still don't have my laptop with all my plans, so I completely forgot where I was going with this.
Especially sorry to buon I qua, my loyal reviewer, for taking this long. I'm a horrible person…
Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight.
~ BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ~
in which our two protagonists meet Japanese vampires
The Night Class… What fools! They speak of peace and coexistence but every word is a lie. They are merely there to retain the power of their families, to not be left out in the political struggle.
They are such hypocrites.
But then again, all vampires are hypocrites. Correct?
ss
"We're going to see the Night Class."
Yuuki knew nothing about death sentences. She was a pureblood vampire, highly respected among her society and treated with the utmost care. Yet as Kumiko pronounced those words, she felt her heart still. A wave of nausea passed over her. She felt ready to faint. She felt as Kumiko had given the order to execute her. Grabbing onto her raven-haired friend, she stared at the girl in the eyes.
"Th-th-the Night Class?" she stammered out.
"Yes," Kumiko said. Her friend blinked and tilted her head to the side. "You have heard of the Night Class, right?"
"Of course I have," Yuuki quickly answered. A large grin stretched across her face. "I've read the brochures and rulebook. Cross Academy has two classes: the Day Class and the Night Class. Right?"
Kumiko nodded her head fervently. "Yes but the brochures say nothing about what the Night Class is like…" The girl's eyes sparkled as she began explaining. Her voice was soft and airy. "The students are the most handsome beings in existence. Smoldering eyes, chiseled features, heart melting grins – the Night Class boys are so captivating. Every time I look at them, I feel my heart go still. I would do anything for them, anything to make them happy."
"Even give them your blood?" Yuuki muttered under her breath. Unlike Kumiko, her usual soft lilts sounded harsh and skeptical. Luckily her friend didn't hear her comment and continued on her tirade about the Night Class's beauty.
"They've captured the hearts of every female in the Day Class and so, to show our appreciation, we meet them at the Moon Dorm gates when they head for classes. Every single evening, we go to catch a glimpse of these stunning creatures." Kumiko grabbed Yuuki's shoulders and let out a long sigh. "They must be angels, Yuuki-san. Angels."
"I'm sure they are, Kumiko-san."
"Let's go then or we'll miss them!"
Kumiko clutched Yuuki's hand and dragged her away. Yuuki inwardly groaned at the thought. She didn't want to meet the Night Class. At least, not yet. She wanted to enjoy her time with humans first. Lord Aidou's stories of Japanese vampires worried Yuuki. She desired no involvement with the political, power-hungry creatures. Vampires could come later.
Especially since they could be the death of her.
ss
"Where are all these girls running to?" Aidou ruffled his blond hair as his glance followed his female classmates. Since classes ended, all the girls had been rather antsy. Now they were stampeding out of the doors, willing to stomp on anybody to get out of the room fast.
Hiroshi shook his head – a sign of exasperation – and readjusted the glasses on his nose. "They're going to see the Night Class."
Aidou placed all his books into his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder. The two proceeded down the steps, taking their time. The exit was still clogged by all the female students.
"Wait," he said as he paused on the steps. "Aren't Day Class students not allowed to interact with the Night Class? Or did I miss something in the rulebooks?"
"No, you're right. Day Class and Night Class interaction is at a minimal in this school." Hiroshi readjusted the books in his hands. Looking towards the horde of girls, he added, "However, during class exchange, the Day Class students get a chance to see the Night Class. So the girls take this opportunity to meet and greet them. Regular fangirls, they are."
Aidou hummed a low hymn as he absorbed Hiroshi's words. There was only one moment in the day to meet the Night Class. There was only one chance to observe and understand them. A grin formed on Aidou's face – one of mischief and cunning. The blond noble was never the type to pass away a golden opportunity. He was the type to embrace it to the fullest.
He slung an arm over Hiroshi's shoulder. "Well, Yukimura-san, let's go check out the Night Class."
He began moving but his progress was halted by a frozen Hiroshi. The 2A class president had gone pale. He waved a hand over the fellow's face and snapped his finger. Hiroshi returned to focus and shook his head. He guffawed at Aidou.
"We're doing what?"
"We're going to the class exchange," Aidou deadpanned.
"What?"
"We're following those girls to see the Night Class."
"What?"
Aidou furrowed his eyebrows, irritated by Hiroshi's confusion. He had laid out the plan, didn't he? He had used simple terms, right? There was no reason for the president to be confused.
"I told you," he began, "we're –"
"I get what we're doing," Hiroshi interrupted. "But why? No guy in his right mind goes to the pass-offs. There's nothing there to see, except crazy fangirls, an irritated Kiryuu, and some good-looking guys!"
Aidou tightened his grip on Hiroshi. "Oh come on! Lighten up. Live a little." Despite the black-haired boy's protest, he dragged him down the stairs. "I want to see this Night Class and judge what makes them so desirable."
Hiroshi moaned. "The other guys better not hear about this or they'll make fun of it for ages."
The vampire ignored his friend's comment as he stomped after the throngs of Day Class girls. His impish grin grew wider, stretching from ear to ear. His father had made several mentions of Japanese vampires and he wanted an eyewitness account of the beings. It was time to see if they were truly frightening – if they actually could bring about his ruin.
ss
Zero Kiryuu had heard many stories about hell. The underworld was a frightening concept to most mortals, and Cross had believed in using the idea as a way of rearing the boy. Whenever Zero did anything unacceptable, the eccentric headmaster had brought up stories of the inferno awaiting the prefect. Zero never believed him. Well, he believed that he was going to end up in hell. He had sinned too much in his short lifetime to see no other path. But he never believed Cross's tales. They were too romantic, too exaggerated, too unreal. A place of fire? Where the devils poked you with pitchforks? Where you continued to be burned at the stake for your crimes?
No, that was not hell. True torture would be to lock a sinner up in a room and force them to reflect in silence for all eternity. That was proper punishment.
But for all of Zero's opinions on life after death, he had to admit one sad truth.
Class exchanges were the closest thing to hell that he had ever witnessed.
The screaming, the jumping, the pushing and shoving – there was something animalistic about all of these actions. His ears bled under the shrieking, and it took all his efforts to get the girls to not crowd around the entrance. Instead they now formed two groups, leaving a clear path in the middle for the students to walk down. Some girls bumped into him, trying to narrow the path. He shot a glare and they backed away. Zero never needed to put an effort into stopping the girls. Intimidation worked just fine.
Still he wished the Night Class could just come out and save him from the cacophony.
Right on cue, the Moon Dorm gates swung open. The pandemonium increased to monumental levels.
ss
Yuuki needed earplugs. And fast.
If she had to listen to the shrieking any longer, she would go deaf.
"This is the full Cross Academy experience?" she asked, uncertainty tinting her voice. She really could have gone through the day without seeing this.
"Oh not yet," Kumiko answered. "The Night Class has yet to appear."
"Will the screaming get louder when that happens?" Yuuki dreaded the thought.
"I don't know. I'm too busy admiring the gods walking by me to notice."
First the Night Class students were angels; now they were gods. This was an interesting progression. She wondered what other correlation Kumiko would make of the secret vampires.
A girl stepped onto Yuuki's foot. The pureblood clutched her foot and winced.
"Watch it!" the girl barked at Yuuki.
Yuuki raised an eyebrow. The girl crushed Yuuki's foot and she was the one at fault. Examining the girl closer, she realized her attacker was a girl in her class – a quiet one Kumiko had said and very polite. The person in front of her defied those descriptions. Clearly, class exchange brought out a new personality in everybody.
She rubbed her foot and eyed it in concern. She began untying the shoelaces of her boot. Her foot needed a check-up and it seemed like a good time. Just as she had taken off her shoe, a creaking sound hit her ears. The screaming intensified. She felt pressure on her body as girls shoved her.
And just like that, she fell fast first onto a black-haired male into the center of the path.
ss
Aidou's grin fell off his face as soon as he saw the chaos surrounding the gates.
"Well, this is…" He struggled to find the right word to express his emotions. The cries were unbearable to his ears. The mess of arms and legs – reaching and kicking – was hurtful to watch.
"Frightening?" Hiroshi suggested.
Aidou snuck another glance at the crowd of females. Their energy levels were beyond normal. He had never seen anybody clamor and jump as much as the girls before him. It was official. Fangirls were scary beings.
"Yeah," he said.
Hiroshi patted Aidou on the shoulder. "Are you sure you want to stay here? There's going to be the winter ball after the break in a couple of weeks; the Night Class will show up then. You can still see them but the atmosphere will be more cultured."
Aidou cast a glance at Hiroshi. The boy was fumbling with his glasses, but the urging look in his eyes were as clear as day. The president wanted to leave the place and frankly, Aidou could see why. Gazing back at the Day Class girls, he was met with a creepy display of vigor and excitement. It must have been the raging female hormones, whatever those were. He had to suppress a shiver. He did not want to get involved in the situation. Seeing the Night Class would be wonderful, but he preferred to maintain a hold on his sanity. And being surrounded by the fangirls would madden him. He was not interested in taking a risk so early in his school career.
"Sure," he said to Hiroshi. "I think I'll just be patient and wait. Let's get out of here." The two turned around and began retracing their steps. "You said you were going to introduce me to the second year president, right?"
Hiroshi opened his mouth to answer, but he was halted. A familiar blonde girl crashed into the 2A class president.
"Oi, Hiroshi!" he cried to his friend. "Are you okay?"
Hiroshi groaned and shifted himself under the girl's weight. "Does it look like I'm okay?"
Meanwhile, the girl was trying to reposition herself. She got up onto her knees and brushed the dust off her black uniform. Pushing a strand of hair behind her ears, she looked up. Familiar brown eyes locked with Aidou's. His jaw slackened. He pointed at her.
"Yuuki!"
"Hanabusa?"
The two had spoken in unison, and the trend continued as the exchange students blabbered out their next responses.
"What are you doing here?"
"To check out the Night Class!"
"Why are you here to check out the Night Class?"
"Because it's all a part of the Cross Academy experience."
"Oh… Did I just whack somebody?"
Yuuki and Aidou stared wide-eyed as a male loomed over them. Hiroshi, who had gotten onto his feet, gaped and grew pale. The screaming had gone to a hush. Every eye was on them. Aidou pulled on his red tie, loosening it. One of his hands moved to his other arm. Another piece of his skin was picked off. He grimaced. The habit had to stop. It was disgusting.
The Night Class student continued to stare at the three, saying nothing. Penetrating brown eyes dug into Aidou; it was as if the man was looking into his soul. He felt an urge to get out of the way, but the look produced two conflicting emotions. His instinct to flee cropped up, but the man's gaze also paralyzed. He was frozen in place, feeling completely helpless.
The student was a pureblood vampire. There was no doubt about it. His aura reeked of power. His self-assured stance said authority. But there was something familiar about him. His free-flowing locks of brown hair, his sharp features, his mysterious gaze – the physical characteristics were similar to someone else.
Yuuki…
The man before him was the Kaname Kuran, the only known Kuran left in the vampire world. Aidou had studied some of the vampires in the Night Class and he knew enough about Kaname to know his power.
And Aidou had just hit the guy.
Well that was a great way to make a first impression.
No, Aidou had to stay focused. He was the heir of the Aidou clan and he had to make his family proud. Shaking his head to wash away his doubt, he put on a charismatic grin and bowed.
"Gomenasai," he said. "We must be blocking your path."
Grabbing the arms of a stunned Yuuki and Hiroshi, he started pulling them away from the path. Kaname's voice, however, stalled his progress.
"It is perfectly fine," the pureblood said. He gave a genial smile but Aidou still felt like shuddering. "Class exchanges are always rather hectic." His brown eyes narrowed on Aidou before switching to Yuuki. Aidou held his breath. Did the pureblood sense anything suspicious? "Best of luck."
He proceeded to stroll down the path, followed by a line of startling beings. The Day Class girls erupted into a clamor, louder than before. Aidou slammed his hands over his ears to block out the noise. Still all the sounds and shouts banged on his eardrums.
"Kaname-sempai, I love you!"
"Please marry me, Kain-sempai!"
"Isn't Ichijou-sempai so cute as always?"
"The charge: disrupting class exchange. The verdict?"
Aidou let his arms fall limp to his sides, hearing the masculine voice amidst the shrill shrieks. He looked around at Yuuki and Hiroshi. Their attention was directed somewhere at the front. He followed their line of sight only to see a certain prefect glaring down at the three.
Yuuki tugged on Aidou's arm and hid behind him. As for Hiroshi, the responsible president, he too also backed behind Aidou. Meanwhile, Zero Kiryuu continued to glare daggers into them. A smile flitted across Zero's face, horrifying because it was unnatural to see the prefect grin.
Aidou gulped. "Not guilty?"
ss
Headmaster Cross blinked at his fuming son. Zero was stomping around, talking about rules, order, and derelicts. Most of the prefect's words flew right past Cross's ears but he chose to remain a supportive father. He placed a forced smile and nodded his head, pretending to understand what was happening. All he could make out was the two foreign exchange students and one of the class presidents had done something wrong.
While Zero paced around, the two Aidou siblings and Hiroshi Yukimura sat before Cross, looking despondent. Hiroshi was fiddling his thumbs, embarrassed by the recent events. Yuuki was slowly drifting to sleep. And as for Hanabusa Aidou, the boy continually rolled his eyes at every comment Zero made.
"They need to be dealt out punishment!" Zero finished, banging his foot on the ground for emphasis.
Cross readjusted his glasses. "Okay," he said. Turning to the three "derelicts," he asked, "So what is your side of the story?"
Aidou answered for the other two. "I wanted to check out the Night Class but the screaming by the girls concerned me. So I decided to leave with Yukimura-san for the dorms. However, Yuuki got pushed by the other girls and fell on top of Yukimura-san. By a bad stroke of luck, the Night Class happened to be strolling down the path at that time and we blocked their advancement."
Cross blinked. That was it? Zero had given a fifteen minute lecture on a simple story of accidents and bad timing? He sighed. Maybe it was a bad idea to let the boy spend time with Yagari. But then again, the prefect had always been a stickler for the rules. Ever since the accident, he had lived by rules as if they were his float – the only insurance he had against the roaring waves of life.
"Well the solution to this problem is quite simple," Cross said. "I will let you three off with a warning. Just be careful at class exchanges from now on. It is rude to stall the Night Class during these times, especially when the emotions surrounding them are rather… dangerous."
"So we're free to go?" Hiroshi asked, leaning forward. Upon hearing no punishment would be given, the boy had relaxed considerably.
"Yes," Cross answered. He shot a cautionary glance at Zero, seeing the prefect scoff at his decision. "You can leave Hiroshi-kun. I need to talk a bit with our two new students. And while you're on your way out, can you send Yori-chan in?"
The 2A class president picked up his backpack. He mumbled a few quick words with Aidou before bowing good-bye to everybody in the room. The door slammed shut as he made his exit.
"What do you need to say to us?" Yuuki asked, speaking for the first time since she entered his room. Her discomfort with the situation had made the bubbly girl quiet.
"I wanted to check to see if your first day here was good," he said.
Yuuki beamed and nodded her head fervently. "Yes, I really enjoyed it! I made so many new friends."
"I liked the classes," Aidou commented. "Kimura-sensei was my favorite teacher though. All the others droned in their lectures."
"Good, good," Cross said, satisfied with their answers. "I'm glad this first day went by well. If you have any problems or concerns, just remember that my door is always open."
The two siblings nodded their assent. The door opened and a petite girl poked her head. Widening the crack, she stepped inside and bowed to Cross. Her hazel eyes gazed inquisitively at the two new students.
"Ah, Yori-chan, right on time," Cross said, getting up from his desk. He motioned for Yuuki to follow him and brought her to the newcomer. "Yori-chan, this is Aidou Yuuki; she'll be your roommate." He cocked his head towards Yuuki's direction. "And Yuuki-chan, this is Wakaba Sayori, first year president."
The two girls bowed to each other.
"Pleased to meet, Yuuki-san," Yori said, extending her hand for a shake.
"The pleasure's all mine, Sayori-san!" Yuuki replied, accepting the hand.
"I'll take you to our room then," Yori continued.
Yuuki hooked her arm around Yori's and the two parted out of the room. The image was absolutely adorable. Somehow, Cross had a feeling the two would become excellent friends.
"So who am I rooming with?" Aidou asked after the two left.
Cross grinned widely. A light glinted in his brown eyes. "You're already in the same room with him, Hanabusa-kun!"
Aidou blinked. There was a beat of silence. The blond student's eyes widened. He shot up from his seat and wagged a finger at Cross.
"You're going to be my roommate?"
Cross couldn't help but chuckle seeing his response. He didn't know how Aidou arrived at that conclusion, but it was certainly entertaining.
"Of course not, Hanabusa-kun." He gestured towards the prefect leaning on the wall. "I meant Zero is going to be your roommate."
"What?"
The instantaneous chorus from the two was frightening to behold. Cross usually squealed whenever his students spoke in unison. However, the venom in the two's voices made his spine tingle. He took a step away from them. Zero had grown red in fury. Aidou's eyebrows were angled, revealing his annoyance at the statement. The two kept staring at him, poking wounds at him with their glances.
Cross hoped it wasn't a poor decision making the two stay together.
ss
Aidou groaned as he followed Zero back to their room. He had the worst of luck. To think he would be stuck rooming with Zero Kiryuu. He had just met the prefect and he knew he didn't like him. Affable, friendly people like Aidou just didn't see eye to eye with stingy, irritable people like Kiryuu. The two were bound for an all-out war.
Even worse, Zero's strange aura made Aidou anxious. Being close to the prefect made his insides knot and turn. A migraine followed the sickening sensation. His instincts told him to get away, to avoid the other boy. His feet urged him to run but he couldn't. He was stuck with Zero.
The blond vampire picked at his skin. It was a disgusting habit but he was worried.
ss
The Night Class is indeed frightening but I'm certain the students have good intent and a good heart. Sure they have ulterior motives. Sure they have selfish desires. Sure they have secrets.
But then again, the Day Class has secrets, too…
A/N: I kind of just rushed this chapter out, so the writing might not be perfect… I don't know how updates will be. I'll try to get at least an update out every month but I can't give any guarantees. I'm just a lot busier than I thought I would be when I started this story. Please bear with me!
Next chapter (with current plans): Yuuki adjusts to school. Aidou becomes a nosy roommate.
Reviews are much appreciated and cherished! Thanks for reading.