The rest of the week Akane spent with Miu, consisted of enduring her attempts to get her to agree to go to the changeover again. She refused each time and even resorted to leaving class at the end of the day without waiting for Kimiko or Miu, just to get back to their room without hearing more good reasons why she should come with them.
"You need to socialise more. Because it's fun and because they're gorgeous, and… because I said so!" These had been Miu's reasons of the day on Friday, and finally, she'd relented at lunchtime, and stopped harassing Akane about the Night Class.
Saturday morning. Kimiko had a sleepover the night before, but Miu had decided to stay with Akane, as she felt guilty for pestering her all week. Akane had said she didn't mind but was glad Miu had stayed. She'd been having more frightening nightmares than usual, ever since her encounter with Aidou Hanabusa.
"Aren't you going home this weekend?" Akane asked at 10:05 that morning, as Miu would have usually left by now.
"Yeah, but I have to get my mum a present from town. It's her birthday next Sunday, and this is the last chance I'll have to get her anything. And since I've been a total pain all week, I thought you'd like to come with me to pick something and to get some ice cream, my treat?" Akane smiled at Miu as she looked up at her sheepishly and accepted another apology for her behaviour.
"Sure, I'll come with you. Just stop apologising now ok, it's fine." Miu smiled and nodded, then left to see Kaien, to get his permission for her and her roommate to leave the academy grounds.
An hour later and the friends were walking through the town, Cross Academy called home.
"Thanks for picking out the birthday card, Akane. I know my mum will love it!"
"You're welcome. Do you know what you want to get her?" Akane asked as she and Miu exited the card shop and made their way down the busy street to the diners and coffee shops.
"I think I'll get her a new coat. Dad said she's had her green one for ages and would appreciate one for the warmer weather. But first, as promised, ice cream!" Miu exclaimed in excitement as she opened the door for her friend at the ice cream parlour.
They found a small table in the middle of the shop, after ordering at the counter. Ten minutes of discussing which shops to check for the perfect summer coat for Miu's mother, their order came. Miu had decided they should 'go all out', and ordered a banana split with everything on top, for the pair to share. They ate their treat happily and talked about school, shared ideas of what else Miu could get for her mother's birthday (in case they couldn't find a coat), then left to search for the perfect gift.
They decided to go from the top of the main shopping area of town and work their way down. Miu treated the outing like some covert mission to find the right coat, as she had not been enthusiastic about thinking up other gift ideas and had a limited amount of time left to shop. So, resigning herself to an eventful and entertaining morning, Akane followed her friend from shop to shop, giving her opinion on the garments held up for her scrutiny.
"Mum is going to love this!" Miu declared, some hours later as she admired the waist-length, dark red coat she'd bought.
"Definitely!" Akane agreed, admiring the coat along with her friend. It had a faint floral design in the fabric, that Miu said would be perfect for summer and spring wear. It had hidden pockets inside and a belt that tied at the front or could be wrapped around to tie in the back.
It was pretty and expensive, like most of the things Miu owned. Unlike Akane, Miu and most of the other students of Cross Academy came from wealthy or well-off families and could afford to send their children to such a prestigious institute. The only reason Akane had the good fortune to be with Miu, Kimiko and the rest of their classmates, was because she'd buried herself in her school work after her situation at home changed. It resulted in Akane soaring to the top of her school and beyond in a matter of three years, thus getting the attention of Cross Academy's Directors, as well as many other schools and colleges.
As Miu and Akane made their way out of the busy shopping quarter, heading back to the academy, Miu suddenly stopped with a panicked look on her face and began rummaging through her shopping and handbag.
"What's wrong?" Akane asked as Miu thrust her handbag into her friend's arms and then began pulling things out hurriedly.
"My purse! Oh, I think I left it at the store," she whined, stuffing her belongings back into her bag. "I'll be right back, look after these," she said, gesturing to her handbag and her mother's birthday present. Akane nodded and watched as Miu darted back up the street and out of sight.
Akane leant against a wall next to a side street, Miu's bag on her shoulder and the present for her mother held limply in her hands. She stood for only a moment before she began to hear the unmistakable sound of someone crying. I came from the side street behind her but as she looked down the lane was empty. Akane ventured in to investigate.
"Hello?" she called as the crying became louder the further she walked.
Taking a right turn at the bottom of the lane, she found a woman sitting on the dirty ground. Her head was held in her hands, and she was sobbing.
"Hello? Are you alright?" Akane asked from a few steps away from the poor looking woman. Her clothes were old and shabby, and her dark hair hung limp and unkempt about her shoulders.
The woman stopped crying and pulled her hands from her face, but she kept her head bowed and continued to breathe heavily as if she was holding back her cries. Akane leant closer in curiosity and concern, but just out of reach, still being mindful of any threat the woman may pose. She was sat in the middle of a deserted alley, dressed in rags, and crying to herself, after all.
"Hay? Are you ok?" she asked again gently, but the woman suddenly sprang to her feet and lunged for Akane. She staggered back, but the woman caught her wrists and twisted her arms forcefully back. Akane was spun, with one arm restrained uncomfortably, behind her back while the other was held across her chest in a cold, clammy, bone-crushing grip.
"You smell so good! Can I have a taste?" the woman cooed in Akane's ear, as she struggled uselessly, against her grasp.
"Let me go! Let go!" Akane yelled futilely, as the woman began licking her neck and inhaling deeply. Suddenly, Akane was, abruptly pulled away and pushed into a wall, almost smacking her face on the brick at the force. When she turned, she saw the woman stood with her back to her, facing Aidou Hanabusa who wore a bored expression, stood just a few feet away. There was a frightening, snarling sound that Akane couldn't place at first, but soon realised, that the animalistic sound was coming from the woman!
"You should go now, Miss Nakamura," someone suggested from behind her, after placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Akane looked up at Takuma Ichijou, another student of the Night Class. He stood just watching the strange woman and Aidou but never once made eye contact with Akane directly. He removed his hand and stood in front of her after the woman turned to him with a shriek. But Akane had seen her eyes and backed up against the wall clutching Miu's things (that she had gripped tightly throughout the ordeal) to her chest. Her eyes met Aidou's briefly before she turned and ran back down the street, and out to the main road.
Once Akane was out of sight, Ichijou spared no time taking out the Level E with a swing of his sword.
"Did she see?" he asked Aidou, as the former Vampire was scattered to the wind.
"No," he lied before suggesting they tail the Humans back to the academy, to make sure they weren't attacked again.
"Yeah, she could attract more attention," Ichijou agreed in a troubled tone. "I wish the Headmaster realised who Miss Hayashi's roommate was before he granted them permission to leave the academy." Aidou agreed. Kaien Cross may have been a superb Hunter, but the guy sometimes seemed a few crumbs short of a full cookie. Ichijou sighed after swallowing a blood tablet, to make sure his thirst was suppressed. "We should go now before they get too far ahead."
"Ooff…" Akane's breath whooshed out as she ran, straight into someone, before landing in a heap on the floor. She rubbed the newly sore spot on her elbow and looked up to apologise to whoever she'd just bowled over.
"Akane? There you are! Are you alright?" Miu asked while jumping up and holding her found purse in one hand while offering the other, to help Akane to her feet. Akane accepted the help up and apologised for her obliviousness and knocking Miu over.
"It's ok, but, where were you?" she asked as she took back her bag and shopping.
"I-I thought I heard something but, umm, it was nothing," Akane lied uneasily, steering her friend down the road. The need to move away from this area was sending surges of adrenaline through her veins, but she kept herself at a steady walk. Miu shrugged and allowed Akane to drag her back to school quickly, to make sure she made it in time for her father to pick her up at the academy entrance.
Once they followed the Humans back to the road leading to the academy, Ichijou broke away, heading for The Moon Dorms, to inform Kaname the Level E that had been reported, had been taken care of, and that Miu and Akane were unharmed, and none the wiser.
"I trust you'll keep your distance, Aidou?" he added with a pleasant smile, receiving an annoyed frown from the younger Vampire. As much as he knew he should stay away, Aidou had to talk to Akane about what she'd seen. He'd lied to Ichijou, and now he had to make sure to erase his mistake before anyone found out he'd let the Unfortunate remember she'd seen the Vampire.
"So, I'm going to have to leave this here with you, so Mom doesn't get her hands on it," Miu explained as the academy came into view. Her father was due to pick her up in 10 minutes, at 3 p.m. They'd decided to just wait by the gates, however, Akane wished they hadn't, when she noticed the person leaning casually against them, looking like he hadn't a care in the world.
"Oh, my, gosh!" Miu exclaimed the same instance Akane noticed him. "It's Idol!"
"Oh, hello Miss Nakamura, Miss Hayashi," Aidou greeted cheerfully, waving them over and of course, Miu practically ran, dragging Akane by the sleeve of her coat.
"You remembered my name?" Miu asked quietly, with a raging blush on her cheeks.
"Of course! How could I forget beautiful names, attached to such beautiful faces?" he replied in a sultry tone, leaning closer to a swooning Miu, who wore her usual goofy, 'Idol' expression. Akane attempted to seem as impassive as she usually was, rolling her eyes at her friend as she turned to her excitedly, but refused to make eye contact with the boy directly.
After Miu returned to Earth, she asked Aidou why he was out during the day.
"I mean, I thought, that with all your classes being at night, you'd still be sleeping?" she added quickly, not wanting to sound like she wasn't pleased with the change in his behaviour. "And you can call me Miu if you like?" she said with an even greater blush to her cheeks. Aidou beamed charmingly.
"I decided, it was such a nice day, I'd come out to enjoy the sunshine. I was thinking of taking a walk and then saw you." His voice dropped to a silkier tone. "Would you like to join me, Miu?" Aidou asked as he offered her and Akane an arm each. But before Miu could do more than nod, enthusiastically, a horn beeped, shattering her dreams in an instant.
"Oh, no!" she complained as her father appeared in his car, waving her over through the wound-down window. She looked back at Aidou with a sad, and frustrated expression. "I'm sorry Idol, but my father is here to pick me up."
"You're leaving?" he asked in mock disappointment when inside, he was intrigued and pleased he didn't have to think of a way to get rid of her later, so he could speak with Akane alone.
"My family don't like that I'm away at school, so, I always spend the weekends at home." Every weekend, hmm? Aidou inwardly smiled while Akane silently freaked out, after seeing the sudden spark in his eyes, even as he told Miu that he would make sure to walk with her some other time.
"Miu, come on! You'll see Miss Nakamura again on Monday. Your grandmother's home from the hospital." Miu huffed before handing Akane her mother's birthday present, gave her a hug, and waved sheepishly at Aidou, still with a silly grin and blush as she stepped gingerly into the car. Akane stood smiling and waving goodbye along with Aidou until Miu's car was out of sight, then dropped her hand and turned quickly into the gates.
She headed for her dorm quickly, while Aidou followed her, nonchalantly.
"So, she's away every weekend, huh?" he asked as he walked with his arms behind his head. His ego and smugness, easily heard, shining through every syllable.
"That's none of your business!" Akane retorted coldly as she hurried her pace as the gates of The Sun Dorms drew nearer.
"We need to talk about today," Aidou told her in a more serious tone, stopping at the gates, as she'd crossed the threshold and was out of his reach.
"Well, you found your way into my room once, why don't you try it again!" Akane snapped before turning sharply and marching into the female dorm building.
"Was that an invitation?" Aidou asked himself in mock contemplation, a finger placed on his chin. He smiled mischievously before turning and walking back towards The Moon Dorms.