Chapter VI – November 21

Sayori's POV

I woke up in an unfamiliar room. My head was throbbing and my entire body ached. I sat up slowly, rubbing my skull and looking around the room I was currently in. It was very opulent, with a shined hardwood floor and a high ceiling. The wine-red curtains were drawn over the windows, so I had no idea what time it was. Against the far side of the wall there was a bookshelf filled to the maximum with books that looked much older than the ones in the library I usually went to. I found myself sitting on a velvet-adorned couch that was the same colour as the curtains.

I stood up, shaking slightly, trying to ignore the dull ache over my entire body. I had to figure out where I was. I made my way towards the door, reaching to the doorknob. Suddenly I froze, the memory of Saturday night's events rushing back to me. Singing. Tripping. A crazed being lunging for me, Ichijo showing up out of nowhere and pulling the thing off of me. Yuki telling me that the entire Night Class were vampires...

It must have been some crazy dream, I tried to convince myself. But it was too vivid to be a dream, I knew that much. My knee was scraped, and it looked like someone had bandaged it. I shook my head. Vampires weren't real. I knew the Night Class was different, but saying they were all vampires was taking things a little to the extreme. I opened the door silently, peering out into the hallway. I didn't recognise my surroundings any more, and I had a hunch as to where I really was. There was no way I was in the Sun Dorms, it was much too grand for that.

I walked along the hallway and turned to stand at the top of the stairs, my suspicions being confirmed. Nobody noticed me yet, luckily, so I figured I still had a chance to sneak past them and go out the door. I took a step down the staircase, but couldn't stop myself from exhaling in pain shooting up my leg from my injured knee. Most of them glanced up at me, several of them in surprise. I felt more and more uncomfortable under the judging gaze of the Night Class. I tried to look past them, and not focus on individual faces to make my nervousness decrease, but movement at the far right threw that attempt into the flames.

Ichijo walked forward a few paces, his usual cheerful smile in place. He walked slowly, deliberately, as if to not startle me. For the record, however, his cautiousness did not help one bit.

"Sayori-san, are you okay?" Ichijo asked quietly. I blinked and frowned deeper.

"Why am I here?" I asked in return.

"You are here because you were attacked by some Level E vampire in town and we are nice enough to let you recover here," Akatsuki Kain answered boredly. I grew even more anxious as more of the Night Class began to stand and move about.

The president, Kaname Kuran, came closer to me at the foot of the stairs. "You are welcome to return to the Sun Dorms whenever you'd like, but I would not recommend it because it is just past one o'clock in the morning. Do you need any food?"

"Do you?" I couldn't help but retort back in accusation. "Is this National Fool Sayori Wakaba day? I don't like jokes." I trembled as I voiced my thoughts and frustrations.

"We really are vampires. Did you not believe Yuki when she told you?" Kaname asked.

I narrowed my eyes. "I'd believe Yuki about anything, but," I paused, my voice quieting down due to my nervousness. "This is all outrageous."

"Sayori-san. Please believe us. We won't hurt you," Ichijo interjected, his voice sounding as if he was speaking to a stray kitten. Instead of placating me, the tone of his voice just made me more jittery.

"How do I know you aren't lying? People lie," I whispered, staring at the floor. Out of my peripheral vision I saw Kaname shake his head in exasperation and step away from the base of the stairs.

"Sayori-chan." I looked up at this new voice. The stunningly beautiful Ruka Souen stood and began to walk towards me.

"It's cold out. I can lend you some clothing if you wish to leave," Ruka finished, staring at me.

I mentally screamed. Why is everybody cornering me? Just let me be!

I shook my head and ran down the stairs, paying no mind to how my body was begging for me to stop, the pain was just another distraction from the impossibility of the situation. I didn't care how pathetic I must have looked while running away, running away instead of facing my problems like I always have. I opened the large doors to the Moon Dorm and bit back a cry at how cold the night was. I wasn't even wearing shoes, and I had no clue as to where my jacket was. I wouldn't go back in there with the Night Class though. They wanted to make a fool of me, they got Yuki and Zero in on this joke and I wouldn't have their tomfoolery. I closed the door behind me as I ran out into the cold autumn night, but not before I missed Ichijo's pitying glance at me. This only made me despise him more. He had no right to pity me!

I ignored the freezing cold as I ran back to the Sun Dorm and let myself into the familiar setting of where I spent my school days. I went to the library, desperate to get as far away from the Night Class as was possible. I opened the door to the library and almost walked straight into Alexei.

I gasped and jumped back. "Alexei!"

The handsome Russian boy just stared back at me quizzically. "Is something the matter, Sayori-chan?" he asked me.

I waited a moment, willing my heart and breathing to slow down. "N-no, Alexei-kun. I'm fine."

"It is painfully obvious that something is not fine."

I sighed. "I'm sorry, Alexei-kun, but this isn't something I can really talk about..."

Alexei smiled. "Say nothing more, Sayori-chan. But remember that you can talk to me about... most things. However, I must say I am at a loss when it comes to Japanese history."

I smiled despite myself. "I'll remember that."

Alexei nodded. "I must turn in. I have probably stayed up too late anyway."

"Okay." I watched him as he began to leave, but then I remembered something. "Alexei-kun, wait!"

He turned inquisitively. "Yes?"

"Um... what day is it, exactly?" I asked.

"It is Monday. Oh, wait." He looked up to the clock, which read 1:35. "It is Tuesday." He laughed. "I missed you in class yesterday, but I figured that you were ill. Glad to see you are feeling better." He opened the door and left.

I didn't bother to correct him. Me being sick was a much more believable story than getting attacked and being in the Moon Dorm for the past weekend. I looked at the books in the library and was reminded of the elegant bookshelves in the room I woke up in. I shook my head at the unwanted reminder of anything about the Night Class.

I walked away, going to my room with unnecessary haste. I went inside and locked the door behind me, falling onto my bed. Yuki wasn't there anymore, she had gotten a new room assignment so I wouldn't be bothered with her guardian duties, but truthfully it felt much colder and emptier alone in the room without her. I felt like such a coward for running away from the Night Class like that. I was so overwhelmed, I actually did feel a bit sick. I closed my eyes tightly, wishing for the presence of my Angel to take my mind off of things. But he didn't come.

Aido's POV

I was slightly offended when Yori ran off like she did. I knew that she didn't actually think we were vampires, and although that is fine for our secret, I didn't like that she blew off our existence so casually.

"Maybe you just overwhelmed her a little too much. It is a lot to take in, after all," Rima said from her place at Shiki's side, his arm around her.

"I'm sure she'll warm up to us eventually," Shiki agreed.

"It's not about that, it's about her letting our secret slip. Yuki trusts her, obviously, but anything could happen. I'm thinking that we'll have to erase her memory." Kaname crossed his legs authoritatively.

"She won't let it get out, she's to herself most of the time anyway. And besides, she doesn't even believe it," Takuma reasoned. I narrowed my eyes at his observation and the fact that he knew she didn't have a lot of friends in the Day Class. His knowledge of her was beyond what it should have been. It made me frustrated and a little angry. I was the one who noticed her first after all.

Kaname sighed. "Fine, we'll see how it turns out."

"I pushed her too far..." Ruka said guiltily.

I laughed. "Did you want to be her friend or something? The great Ruka wants to be friends with a little human."

Ruka glared at me. "Look who's talking. You're just a playboy, Aido. I know why you're so interested in her. It's because she's the only human girl besides Yuki who doesn't fawn over you every day."

Jeez, it seemed like had hit her nagging switch. "Yeah, yeah I know," I said dismissively. I stood up and made my way to the stairs so I could go to my room.

"Besides, her voice is just amazing, and she seems like a sweet girl," Ruka continued. I stopped in my tracks, listening. "I wonder who her singing teacher is." Ruka sighed in contentment.

I smirked slightly before I advanced to my room.

AN: Some more TakumaXYori and AidoXYori implications! And looks like Ruka's wanting a cute little friendship with Yori! There is no particular reason why I put that in there... Ruka just seems nice. See you all next time!