I flinched back but Ichiru had already reached out to take my hand. I struggled as he brought it forward and kissed my knuckles.

"I'm here, Mana."

I jerked my hand away from him and he frowned in his sleep. His eyes fluttered open and he gazed up at me.

"Mana, what's wrong?"

I edged away from him as he sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning. He stretched himself out and looked at me.

"Do you need something?"

I stayed silent, just staring at him. He stared back and his lips pursed themselves together briefly.

"…You were hoping for Nii-san."

I flinched at his tone and looked away.

"Why would you? He shouldn't be within a mile of you after what he did."

I then realised that my neck was quite uncomfortable. I raised my hand to see what it was and I felt bandages. The memory of Zero's fangs sinking into my neck had me flinch again.

"Why did you let him take so much?" Ichiru asked "He could have killed you."

I shivered at the thought. For a moment I thought I had died. I leaned back on the pillows, hunched away from him and staring at the window which showed the moon.

"Then again, you mentioned you would have died for him. Is this what you wanted?"

I glared at him and waved him off. I don't want him here. He gritted his teeth.

"Mana, don't you have any empathy?" he hissed "Do you have any idea how worried Yuki and the Headmaster have been? Let alone me?"

I glared more. Why would you be worried? Ichiru glared back.

"Your poor sister has been visiting every day, hoping to see you awake. And even when you were awake, you didn't seem to perceive much other than me."

So it wasn't Zero who was at my bedside all this time? I scowled and looked away.

"Don't look so disgusted," Ichiru spat "I thought you hated vampires."

Oh do shut up, I'm getting a headache. He moved closer and I shrunk back so I was up against the headboard. He narrowed his eyes, leaning across the bed so I was cornered.

"You're probably the stupidest girl I've ever met," he hissed and I glared at him, my hands a bit too shaky to slap him "Exposing yourself to danger and letting death nearly claim you. You do realise that Nii-san will just move on to the next victim after killing you?"

Zero would have never killed me.

"How can you be so devoted to him?"

Ichiru looked very angry, I wanted to just disappear and escape.

"What did he ever do for you?!"

I tried backing up more but I couldn't, I was completely pressed up against the headboard. His eyes softened a little as he dropped his head.

"Mana, he's too dangerous… Do you even see that?"

Why do you even care? He looked back up at me and sighed.

"Mana, do you know how much it hurt to see you comatose?"

You weren't the one that was attacked. He was staring right into my eyes now. I turned away.

"…Do you hate me so much that you can't bear to look at me?"

I decided to nod at that, hoping he would get the hint and go away. But this was Ichiru.

"Mana!"

He grasped my chin suddenly and I parted my lips to make some sound of protest but he cut me off by smashing his own against them. I felt my whole body tense as I looked into his furious eyes. I then began shivering as he gripped my chin tighter and tears pricked the corners of my eyes. The whole room was growing cold, I could practically feel and taste the anger and bitterness that came from him. I had never seen fury like this. He was so angry but I can't understand exactly why. It shouldn't matter to him about whether I lived or died.

He pulled away and I breathed out suddenly, I hadn't realised I was holding it. He took a deep breath, staring at me as I covered my mouth, the anger lingering on my lips.

"Mana…"

My first kiss. I felt the tears trailing down my face. Kisses were meant to be sweet, weren't they? Or maybe that's only in those shoujo mangas. Either way, I don't want to ever be kissed again.

"Mana?"

My mouth began moving.

"Get…out…"

Ichiru tilted his head as I lowered my hand and stared at him.

"Get out…"

"Mana, I…"

I snapped.

"Get out!" I shrieked and he moved back with a jolt "Get out! I never want to see your face again!"

"Mana…"

"OUT!"

"Mana, please, I'm sorry!"

I began screaming.

"GET THE FUCK OUT!" I yelled at the top of my lungs "GET OUT OR I WILL TAKE YOUR STUPID KATANA AND RAM IT DOWN YOUR THROAT!"

The tears were dripping down onto the sheets as Ichiru backed off.

"Mana…"

"FUCK OFF!"

"Just one thing…"

"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT!"

Ichiru glared at me.

"Don't sleep at home, sleep at the Sun Dorms," he said and I began looking around for a weapon "I don't want you anywhere near that monster."

"THAT MONSTER IS YOUR BROTHER!"

There was a half empty glass of water on the bedside so I hurled that at him. He ducked.

"Mana, please."

"YOU ARE NOT MY KEEPER! NOW GET OUT OR I WILL MURDER YOU!"

I threw one of the pillows at him and he caught it. He glared at me, tossed it back onto the bed then finally left. I sighed, leaning back and listening to his footsteps. Then more footsteps approached.

"Miss Cross, is everything alright?"

I nodded slowly, slipping back down and pressing my face into the pillow I kept.

"Please keep the noise down during these hours," the nurse reprimanded me as she adjusted the blanket "How are you feeling?"

I lifted my face to glance at her.

"Kind of tired."

"Well I'm not surprised, it's the middle of the night."

She gave me a stern look.

"You should be asleep."

I rolled my eyes and planted my face back into the pillow.

"On your back."

Tch. I rolled onto my back and she checked my pulse.

"Really, getting so worked up," she tutted.

"His fault."

"It always is."

I smirked.

"Still, he's a lovely young man. You're a lucky girl to have him."

"He's not my boyfriend."

The nurse sighed and shook her head.

"Apparently not," she said dryly and stood up "Now go to sleep."

"Yes, ma'am."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, drifting off to sleep.


I woke up in the morning, sun coming through the window and birds singing outside. I felt much better. I sat up and stretched my arms out with a yawn. That was a good sleep. Mattress could be better though.

"Ichiru?"

I bristled at the name as Yuki came around the corner with my CDs.

"I have…"

She gasped and nearly dropped them as she saw me. I smiled at her.

"Morning," I said with a grin.

"Mana!"

She placed them on the chair at my bedside and practically flew over to wrap me in a hug.

"You're alright!" she clung onto me like a baby koala.

"I'm fine," I choked "Really, fine, might have a broken rib or two, but no, I'm fine…"

She pulled away, tears welling up in her eyes.

"We thought you weren't going to wake up, we thought we were too…late…"

She sniffed and I grabbed her hands with a sigh.

"Yuki, have I ever let you down?"

"He took a lot, you were as white as death."

Don't remind me, I saw it in my mirror. She sat back, placing the CDs on the bedside table.

"I see Ichiru came with a CD player though," she smiled and I bristled again, glancing at the portable CD player that was on the bedside table too "He never wanted to leave your bedside, it's sweet."

I just mimed gagging. She tilted her head at me questioningly.

"You never liked romantic gestures," she grinned knowingly.

No, no I did not. Mainly because they don't happen to me and when I see it happen before me, I just want to shoot myself.

"Where is he?"

"Gone."

Yuki flinched at my cold tone.

"Huh?"

"I sent him packing."

Yuki looked shocked.

"But why?"

"Why?" I scowled "I want to have nothing to do with him, that's why."

Yuki was silent for a moment as I folded my arms with a scowl.

"But you looked so happy and peaceful whenever he was here."

"Don't know if you noticed, but I had lost a lot of blood. I'm pretty sure I was comatose and delirious, half expecting a Shinigami popping up at my bedside."

Yuki sat back and frowned.

"Mana…"

"Besides, wasn't it you who warned me away from him? What's with this change of heart?"

"Mana…"

"He is a stupid bastard that I don't want to have anything to do with."

"Mana!"

"What?!"

"You're talking."

I froze. Frankly, I hadn't noticed. And I had forgotten that I had lacked a voice before.

"So? My voice has rested long enough, don't you think?"

Yuki giggled.

"It's like the real you finally came back."

"Ha?"

She giggled again.

"Welcome back, Mana."

Yeah, welcome back, voice. What took you so long?

"Just in time, the talent show is in a couple of weeks!"

Shit, I completely forgot about that!

"Ah, class is going to start soon," Yuki spotted the clock and stood "The nurse mentioned you should be out soon, I'll tell Chairman that you're alright."

"No!" I shrieked "I want to get out of here as soon as possible and without broken bones thank you very much."

Yuki laughed and stuck her tongue out.

"See you at lunch!"

She dashed off and I rolled my eyes, leaning back on the pillows. I slowly looked over to the pile of CDs. I took the CD player and opened it, seeing a note inside.

Forgive me

I scrunched it up and threw it in the wastepaper basket. I took the top CD and began playing it, losing myself to the metal music.


I woke up later as I swore I heard a tiny bell jingle. I rubbed my eyes and looked around, seeing no-one. What was new was a bottle of my favourite flavoured iced tea.

I asked Yuki, she said you liked this flavour

Little bitch. I was about to toss the bottle into the wastepaper basket but my dry throat protested as did my little taste buds. No, we are not accepting gifts. CD player, maybe because it's kind of boring in here but no consumables! Eh, maybe Yuki will like it. I placed the bottle back on the table but threw the note into the wastepaper basket. I began flicking through the CDs, not sure what I wanted to listen to next.

"Mana."

I looked up and bristled when I saw Kuran come in and smile at me.

"Thank goodness."

What did he want? He sat down by my bedside and sighed.

"He took quite a lot, we were all worried that you wouldn't make it."

Yeah, so I heard.

"…Why did you let him?"

Oh this again! I sighed impatiently.

"I guess the shock took a while to seep in and go away," I answered sharply "Then when I realised what was happening, I didn't have the strength."

Kuran looked taken aback and I raised an eyebrow. He smiled.

"It's been a while since I heard you speak," he chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and sat back, looking away from him.

"You shouldn't let him get too close."

"I'll make sure of that, OK?"

He's like an annoying father or brother or something.

"And I wouldn't get too close to the other twin either."

"Look, he's the one badgering me," I raised my hands "I drove him away from here when I last saw him, he won't be coming again to bother me."

I hope. Kuran smiled.

"Get well soon," he said "The nurse said you should be able to leave tomorrow morning if all goes well."

Splendid. He rose and patted my head.

"Be more careful, alright?"

Alright. He walked off and I just stuck my tongue out at his back. Hmph, where does he get off babying me like that?

"My poor baby Mana!"

FUCK!

"NURSE, THERE'S A MADMAN IN HERE, HELP!"