Author's Note: I can't help but agree with you guys. Subaru and Sayumi is pretty cute. Too bad this is isn't a Subaru fanfiction! I might write one after I'm finished with this (whenever that will be). I hope you guys are ready for another intense chapter! You guys should really listen to the Diabolik Lovers soundtracks while reading this! It makes it so much more intense!
I exited my last class with Shu, carrying my books in front of me as we headed down the hallway past other students. I needed to use the bathroom so he waited for me outside while I went in. As I was washing my hands, a girl standing at the sink next to me kept glancing over at me. At first I didn't think much about it - after all, a lot of girls were envious of me because I was constantly surrounded by the brothers, who were popular for their good looks. I hadn't even had any opportunities to make any friends even though I had been at the school for over a month already. Nobody dared to approach me, being either intimidated by Reiji's harsh glares or the fact I was never left without supervision by one of the brothers.
"Excuse me," she called. When I looked up at her, I was surprised by the smile that instantly came onto her pretty face. "Hi, sorry to bother you. It's just that you look a lot like someone I know."
"Really?" I asked. "Who?"
"She's a blogger," the girl replied. "Fujimoto Sayumi. Have you heard of her?"
I couldn't help but beam widely at the mention of my name. It was hard to believe that I would run into someone who recognized me here at the school. "Of course I have. You're looking right at her," I responded happily.
She stared at me for a moment before gasping aloud. "No way... Really?" She grasped onto my arms, squealing in delight. "You've been this close to me the whole time and I didn't even know? It's such an honor to meet you! I'm one of your biggest fans. I love your videos."
I had met followers of mine before but never had I felt so glad to find someone who knew me around here. "Thank you! What's your name?"
"Me? I'm Yuki," she answered, almost appearing to be bashful. "I'm seriously in shock. How did I not know you went here, too?"
"That's because I moved not too long ago," I said. "It's only been a little over a month since I started attending this school. I'm surprised to find someone who knows me here!"
"Oh, so is that why you haven't updated recently? Everyone's been worried about you," she spoke. "I'm glad that you're doing fine, though. Do you not have internet where you're living now?"
I shook my head. I wanted to tell her that I had no internet and neither did I have even a cell phone any longer, seeing as how Reiji had completely destroyed it a while ago. I kept this tidbit to myself as I responded to her. "I don't, so I haven't been able to post anything."
"That must be tough on you, senpai. Blogging is part of your life, isn't it?"
"Yeah, definitely." I forced a laugh. "Yuki, is it okay if I have a favor to ask of you?"
The girl nodded her head enthusiastically. "Of course!"
"Please let everyone know I'm doing fine," I said. "Oh, and one more thing..."
Shu and I joined the others at the front of the school. As I moved to stand between him and Subaru, Reiji snapped at me, his arms crossed angrily over his chest.
"What took you so long to get here?" he demanded. "You're six minutes later than usual."
Surprisingly, Shu spoke up before I could. I was used to Reiji's pedantic nature, seeing as how he kept track of everything I did and how long I took, but it seemed that even Shu had gotten tired of his ridiculous expectations. "I took her to the bathroom. Stop being so picky about every little thing. The driver isn't even here yet."
Reiji, incredulous, could say nothing in return. I almost laughed had it not been that hostile, murderous glare he shot over at me. I lowered my head as a group of girls walked by, calling out shyly to Raito, who was quick to go and flirt with them. Typical. Subaru rolled his eyes in annoyance as more girls mustered up the courage to approach the group, clinging affectionately onto an unsuspecting Ayato while getting completely ignored by Shu, Reiji, and Subaru. One of the girls noticed me standing with the boys and came over to me, bravely pushing past Subaru on the way.
"Hey, you. What kind of relationship do you have with the Sakamaki brothers?" she demanded. "I always see you with them."
Having encountered girls like her before, I was hardly even fazed in spite of her obvious vehemence. Though she comported herself with what she thought was class and elegance, anyone would be able to tell that it was just a façade to mask her unruly nature underneath. She appeared willing to tear off my head if she wanted to and she would do so with a classy smile on her face.
"Why does that matter to you?" I asked. "It really has nothing to do with you."
She got even angrier when she realized I wasn't afraid of her in the slightest, reaching over to seize me by the collar. "You bitch, it has everything to do with me! I don't want you anywhere near my Shu-sama," she snapped at me like a rabid dog. Proving my point that she was unruly under her neat uniform and pinned-up hair, she shook me violently. "He's mine! He's too good for a plain girl like you!"
Shu glanced behind him when he heard the commotion. He calmly came to my side, gently taking the girl's hand off of my collar and looking down at her in disinterest. The astonished girl could only stand there in disbelief as Shu took my arm, tugging me along with him from the scene and standing right beside me, his arm brushing against my own from the close proximity. Even I was surprised at his sudden intervention, wondering why he had stepped in to help me when he would usually let me handle things on my own. Judging from how he spoke back to Reiji before, I assumed his patience was thin today.
He gazed up at the night sky, seeming to ignore everything around him as he immersed himself into his own little world. He completely tuned out the voices of the girls around us, losing himself in the beauty of the stars above our heads. I hadn't been wrong when I assumed that Shu was a lot different from his brothers – he seemed the most human, after all. However, there was something amiss from the usual. I may have been imagining things, but as he gazed off into space, I saw his blue eyes briefly cloud over in sadness.
"Thank you, Shu," I commented after I heard the girl storm away in her rage.
He acted like he didn't hear me, but a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he met my eyes. I could feel Reiji's burning stare from beside me but chose to ignore him and checked up on the status of the other brothers. Kanato had since disappeared from his original spot and was standing right behind me, his huge eyes in front of my face as he smiled creepily at me. Ayato was yelling at the girls to leave him alone, Subaru was glancing at me in concern, and naturally, Raito was still occupied with flirting with the ten girls who had now crowded around him, hoping for attention. I shook my head, trying to ignore the fact Kanato was practically breathing down my neck and waited for the car to arrive.
When it had, I was the first to rush inside, relieved to get away from the cold. Unfortunately for me, I wound up sitting beside Kanato, who had held onto me when I boarded the vehicle, not wanting to be separated. He clutched onto his teddy bear while rocking slightly back and forth, occasionally humming to himself with the surprisingly soothing voice he had. Raito was the last to get into the car, sitting down beside Subaru who was clearly displeased with the sitting arrangements. Raito grinned at me, reaching across to touch my leg.
"Were you jealous, Sayumi-chan?" he asked, calling me by my name for the first time. "I saw you looking over at me. Don't worry, when we get home, I'll make it all up to you."
I scooted my leg out of his reach, swatting his hand away. "No thank you."
I wonder if he called me by my name without even realizing it… Raito chortled cheerfully, pulling away and watching me intently the whole ride back home. By now, I was used to being watched, though it didn't make it okay for them to do it. I could only imagine what kind of things Raito was imagining when he stared at me, a smirk on his lips and a perverted glint in his eye.
"Everyone is to gather in the living room and study as soon as we get home," Reiji announced, temporarily averting Raito's eyes. "I refuse to let you all slack off and bring our scores down."
"What's the point?" Ayato argued. "It's just going to be a waste of time."
"I kind of agree with Ayato on this one," Raito remarked.
"I don't care. You're all going to study, and that's final."
Just as Reiji had ordered, we all gathered together in the living room to study. I sat on the couch between Subaru and Ayato, diligently indulging myself in my studies. A few minutes into my note-taking, I noticed someone's eyes on me and lifted my head to find Raito was staring at me from where he sat beside Kanato. I tried to ignore it but after a while it bothered me so much that I decided there was no other choice but to confront him about it.
"Okay, what is it?"
"It's just that you look so tempting," Raito said, licking his lips. "A woman in glasses always stirs me up inside. Not to mention you're in a dress. Your long legs are so lovely."
I quickly took off the glasses I had put on for my reading and put them off to the side. It was harder for me to read that way, but as long as Raito wasn't staring at me like some hungry lion, then I could deal with it. The study session ended within an hour and everyone spread out to do their own thing. I stayed behind for the sole purpose of making sure I was familiar with the material and ended up remaining there into the dead of the night. I eventually tired and lied down onto my side to take a break, gradually drifting off into a deep slumber.
I awoke suddenly when I felt someone lifting me up off of the couch and carrying me up the stairs towards my room. My eyelids fluttering open, I found myself gazing up at Shu, who had wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and was bringing me to the safety of my bedroom. I didn't dare to let him know I was awake and kept my eyes closed the entire way there. As soon as he laid me down on the bed, he pulled the blanket up to cover me, softly brushing the hair from my face.
"Shu," I mumbled as I summed up the courage to open my eyes.
"So you were awake," he said as I sat up, rubbing my eyes. "You're lucky it was me who found you sleeping outside like that."
"You're right – thank you." We sat silently in the darkness of my room for a brief moment before I opened my mouth to speak again. "Why are you so nice to me?"
"Don't mistake this for kindness," he replied, though his tone was far from threatening. "I am a vampire just like the rest of them are."
"Still…"
I trailed off, unable to complete my train of thought. For just an instant, he smiled, catching me by surprise when he suddenly came over towards me, draping his body over my own and gazing intensely into my eyes. My heart raced as he traced a finger over my lips, his face drawing close as he pressed his lips against mine. Having never been kissed before in my entire life, the sensation to me was completely foreign. I wasn't opposed to the feeling of his soft lips and held tightly onto him, shamelessly submitting myself to his ministrations. He moved his lips down to my neck, where his fangs pierced my flesh.
He placed a finger to my lips to silence my gasp, pulling away to chuckle lightly at me.
"Your blood is so hot," he whispered, licking the wound clean. "You're excited, aren't you?"
"A-As if," I stammered with burning cheeks.
"That's a lie," he murmured in amusement. "Your blood tells me a different story. Don't bother trying to hide it. I can see right through you."
"W-Whatever…" I retorted, pushing him off of me.
He stood up, heading towards the door. "Good night."
"Good night, Shu."
The following afternoon, I walked into the kitchen to cook lunch. I didn't know how many of the others were up and about, so I decided not to make too much pasta in case it went to waste. I was boiling the pasta separately when someone entered the kitchen, drawn in by the fragrant smell of the tomatoes and spices. Ayato came up beside me, sniffing the sauce and rubbing the back of his head tiredly. I grabbed an empty plate and a fork from the cabinet, pushing it towards him.
"It's done, if you want any," I said.
"It smells pretty good," he commented as he helped himself to the finished food. "What's with you recently? You're being nice all of a sudden."
"What do you mean? I've always been nice," I protested.
He knocked me on the back of my head teasingly. "Weirdo."
"Hey!" Glaring at him, I smacked him on the shoulder, watching as he strolled away, cackling. A few moments later, Subaru strolled in, attracted by the smell and stuck his nose into the sauce just like Ayato had. His eyes widened in surprise as he grabbed me by the arm.
"It… It smells so good," he breathed. "Where did you learn to make something so good?"
I couldn't help but smile at him. "I learned from my dad. Help yourself. I didn't make much, so make sure you get some while it's still here."
Subaru eagerly scooped himself pasta and heaped sauce onto it, licking some of the sauce that had gotten onto his hand. "It smells good and tastes good."
Giggling, I couldn't help but notice how much he resembled a child. Though he always behaved so rashly and was quick to anger, he really was soft underneath. He was like the younger brother I never had and in spite of him being a vampire, I felt the inclination to take care of him. Subaru saw how entertained I was by his enthusiastic outburst and blushed, glaring at me.
"What are you smiling about?" he demanded, storming out. He had gone without even getting himself a fork to use. He stormed back in, snatched the fork from my hand, and left.
After eating alone in the dining room, I went upstairs to take a bath. I found myself a pair of shorts and a plain, red v-neck, bringing my things into the bathroom down the hallway. As I stared at my own reflection, brushing my hair away from my shoulders, the bite marks I had received from Shu the previous night came into view. Surprisingly enough, I wasn't afraid when he was drinking my blood. Rather than being terrified or unwilling as I had when Ayato, Raito, and Reiji had drank my blood, when it came to Shu, I was… okay with it. He wasn't violent nor did he force me to do a thing. If I had wanted to, I could have pushed him away – but I hadn't.
And that kiss, too… My heart skipped a beat as I relived that dizzyingly gentle kiss he had suddenly given me. I touched a hand to my lips, faintly able to recall the feeling of his soft lips tenderly moving against my own.
What did it all mean?
I was jolted from my thoughts when I detected movement in the mirror. I only caught a glimpse of who it was before I was forcefully seized from behind, two strong arms securely enclosing around my body and pinning my arms at my sides. I screamed, struggling violently against my mysterious attacker and attempting to wriggle free from their death grip. Each attempt proved to be unsuccessful and only seemed to aggravate him, his grasp tightening so much that the air was literally squeezed out of my body, leaving me gasping desperately for oxygen.
A sharp pain shot through my shoulder as two angry fangs sunk into my flesh. I was debilitated of my ability to resist, knowing any sudden movements would cause my shoulder to be torn apart. I winced in pain as I felt the blood being drained from my body, my knees going weaker and weaker as the seconds ticked by. My vision was beginning to give way from blood loss as my knees gave way beneath me. My attacker held my limp body up as he removed his fangs, turning me around to face him.
I captured a glimpse of a shock of dark hair and envious red eyes before the door busted open and I was released from my attacker's grasp. I fell, smacking my head on the sink and collapsing onto the ground weakly.
"Sayumi," a voice called as someone stooped down at my side.
"Shu?" I asked, my voice slurred as I searched for the strength to look at him.
"You wish. It's me." Subaru's face came into my line of vision, his brows knit together in concern. "Hey, stay awake. Can you get up?"
I attempted to lift myself up, only to fall back down onto the ground. Subaru sighed heavily. "Okay, I guess I'm going to have to carry you, then." He hoisted me up in his arms, resting my head against his chest as I struggled to keep myself conscious. "Stay awake, Sayumi. Come on."
"I'm trying," I said as I made an honest effort to keep my eyelids from closing. Subaru shook me, trying to keep me from falling unconscious. "I can't…"
"Hey… Open your eyes," he ordered in annoyance as I slipped out of consciousness. "Sayumi!"
"Is anyone going to tell me what happened? I'm always left out."
"Who knows? I'm just as clueless as you are."
"Subaru just dropped her off here without even saying anything. So typical of him."
"I think she's ill. Her skin looks paler than usual."
"Maybe."
"I think she's waking up! Sayumi-chan, wake up!"
"Please keep your voice down, Raito. She's sleeping."
Awakened by the sound of voices speaking around me, I sat up to find myself lying on the living room sofa surrounded by Raito, Ayato, Kanato, and Shu, who had all gathered around to stare at me. My head was throbbing painfully and my body felt heavy and lifeless. Drained of energy, I mustered up what strength my body did have to stand up, only to stumble over and fall helplessly onto the floor at Raito's feet.
"Poor thing, she can't even stand," Raito teased, stepping down to peer into my face. He didn't appear to be sympathetic or concerned for my well being in the slightest.
"Sayumi-chan, are you okay?" Kanato inquired, leaning over my fallen form. "We've been waiting for you to wake up for two hours already."
"What's wrong with you?" Ayato demanded, placing his hands on his hips as he stared at me. "You had the nerve to hit me earlier and now you're lying there on the floor like a sick dog."
Shu pushed Raito aside as he moved to my side, rolling me onto my back and touching a hand to my forehead. "Get Reiji – she's burning up."
I tried to object, but no words would come out of my mouth. It was Reiji who had attacked me earlier – before I had lost consciousness, I caught a glimpse of dark hair and bright, red eyes. There was nobody else who it could have been but him. I didn't know what sparked his sudden assault, but he was ruthless, sneaking up on me when I wasn't looking and mercilessly stabbing my shoulder with his sharp fangs. Just the thought of seeing him again after what had taken place horrified me. But no matter how hard I tried to formulate the words, nothing would come out. I grabbed blindly for Shu's hand and when I had found it, I squeezed it, hoping he would get the message.
He merely gazed at me, oblivious to my mental anguish as he instructed Raito to fetch him.
No… Shu, please…
"Don't worry," he said. "Reiji can fix this."
