Full Sumary: When Irene found out her two friends were leaving her to go to Japan for a scholarship as Foreign Exchange Students, she was devastated. Not long after, however, she found out that she was being given one of the same kind for the most ridiculous of reasons. Unsure as to what the Chairman was thinking when he gave her that, or if he ever thought at all, she found herself being dragged along as the loyal friend she was. However, when she and Skylar get separated from Eliza due to her being a Night Class student, things start to get a bit hectic.
It gets even worse when they actually start interacting with the mysterious students, a simple mishap caused by a gust of wind knocking all the papers out of her hands. Accidents always happen, some good some bad, and as her friend constantly argues with the silver-haired prefect Irene is still trying to figure out if coming to Cross Academy was a mistake or not.
"Eliza!?" I stared at her in shock, frozen to the spot as I tried to process what I was seeing. She smiled, waving her hand at me as I peered at her from behind Rima, leaning over to the side and gaping openly at her. When was the last time I had seen her? "Y-You…"
Her eyes widened and Rima calmly stepped the side, watching first-hand as I tackled Eliza, wailing in English about how much I missed her. It took all I had not to cry, and Eliza had to brace her arm again the seat to prevent herself from falling sideways. I pulled away with my hands on her shoulders, giving her a trembling grin as my eyes stung.
"It's been years, darling~! Where have you been!?"
"Tutoring," She stated, "I'm taking online classes and the amount of homework and studying I have to do is ridiculous, and the girl I'm trying to help with geometry just doesn't get it. Granted it's difficult, so I understand that. What about you? Why haven't you visited?"
I opened my mouth to respond, before lowering my head and deflating as I pulled my arms away. I still remained on the seat, keeping one knee on the cushion with my other foot on my toes on the ground. "I… I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to enter the Moon Dorms… I'm not a prefect like Skylar, so I'll probably get into trouble if I did." I still hope that one guard didn't get fired… "Oh! Wait! Do you know Rima-San!?" I quickly switched to Japanese, suddenly recalling my new ginger companion.
Rima blinked at being mentioned, having moved to behind the seat Eliza was in and leaning against it, and I gestured to her and then back at my blue-eyed friend.
"She's really nice! Eliza, Rima-San, Rima-San, Eliza! Did you know Rima-San models!? She took me with her to the shoot and it was so cool!" I beamed, waving my hands in the air for a moment before curling them my chest. As I spoke Eliza raised a hand in the air, lowering it with an amused grin to gesture for me to not talk so loud.
"I've met Rima-San, yes. We talk occasionally."
I deflated, slightly disappointed that this wasn't their first meeting. That meant Eliza already knew everything I was going to tell her. "O-Oh… Okay."
"Why are you so sad?" She laughed, "You act like it's a bad thing!"
"I-It's not! So, wait, are you guys friends?" I looked at her and then at Rima, who gave a small shrug of indifference. "Just… acquaintances?"
"Well, we're not strangers." Eliza told me. "I know her better than I do Shiki-San though." So she knows him, too? Hold on… they're all Night Class. Duh. Now I feel stupid. "How's your classes going? Still having trouble with math?" I moved, standing up and stepping back awkwardly at her question. She raised an eyebrow.
"I… I'm doing… good, I guess." Should I tell her? My throat started to close up, finding it much more difficult to bring up the subject of my departure to someone I cared about rather than to Shiki, who had practically been a stranger at the time. Eliza would probably be accepting of it, but I knew Skylar would try to convince me to stay. What would be the reason to staying, anyway?
Everyone is avoiding me and everyone except a select few are hiding things from me. Even if I regain all my memories, who is to say the last ones I regain are going to be good ones? What if Ichijou and I really did have a fight and that's why he pretended not to know me? E-Everything I learned and recalled were pleasant memories, but… there has to be a bad one in there somewhere, right? If that's the case it would be best if I just left, wouldn't it? It's going to happen eventually now that Fujita Sakura is gone; why postpone the inevitable?
"...Is something wrong?" Eliza paused before asking, frowning at me. "Did something happen?"
"W-Well, not…" I shifted uncomfortably underneath her and Rima's stare, and wondered if it would be bad to bring it up now. I fiddled with my fingers, pulling on them nervously before running my thumb across my knuckles. "Not really. I-I just…"
"Does it have to do with the cuts on your face?"
"Wh-What?" I blinked, startled, and fervently shook my head. "N-No! No, that has-that has nothing to do with it!"
…
She was here. She was here and in the restaurant. The smell of blood was faint, but it was enough to try and drive him crazy. He dug his fingers into his arms, pulling at his sleeves and nearly sliding down the wall as his heart beat frantically within his chest. He had taken so much blood today, but even though he had finally been able to calm down and relax out in public around other Humans he found it quite difficult to maintain that composure when she waltzed in, coated with the scent of blood.
His lips curled back, fangs attempting to protrude out of his mouth with the intention of sinking into a soft neck. No! Ichijou leaned forward and then promptly slammed his back against the wall, breathing heavily as he tried to calm down. Just breathe… He can't snap now-not when he finally regained an ounce of control. The smell was faint, so it must have just been another injury…
Irene gets hurt on a daily basis, so that means it was probably a small cut that was still scabbing over. Getting so lustful over such a small wound…
Ichijou reached into his pants pocket, pulling out the case and popping multiple tablets into his mouth. He chewed, a disgusted and pained expression forming on his face. Oh, how wonderful her blood must taste compared to this… No. No, he's not going to think like that. She isn't prey. Irene was his friend and beyond that a fragile Human.
He's not going to eat her.
"-cuts on your face?"
Ichijou paused, sensitive hearing picking up on the conversation despite how far away they were. He tilted his head, waiting-no, anticipating hearing her voice in a fashion that was almost desperate. How long has it been since they talked? Since he heard her speak? It was almost ridiculous at how frantic he was to see her again. He was already acting so pathetic when it came to her blood, but… despite how a century often felt like a few days to a Vampire with their long lifelines, it felt as though years had passed in the time he's spent starving.
"Irene-Chan…" The blond muttered, gingerly pushing himself up into a standing position and slowly making his way towards the door. He wanted to see her again, to speak to her. She was right there and the dace was way too far away for his liking. What if she didn't remember anything about him by then? What if by speaking to her now she'll recall something about him? That's all he needed for the deal with Kaname to work out, right? Just one memory?
He also wanted to apologize in person. Ichijou wanted to explain everything, to tell her the reasons why he had acted like he did, avoiding her and pretending not to know her, but he would settle for a simple "hello". She was at the table he and Eliza had been eating at after all; it would be odd if he didn't at least greet her.
Ichijou was about ready to unlock the door and open it when he froze, the organ within his chest nearly skipping a beat when he heard it.
"-has nothing to do with it!" Frantic. Scared… Why are you scared, Irene-Chan? Aren't you supposed to be happy now?
"But then how did you get them? I know you; I know how you get hurt, but I've never seen you with a busted lip or any kind of facial injury before!"
His eyes widened and his fingers, which were now pressing against the wood of the door, tore into the material. Irritation and anger ate away inside of him, red coloring the edges of his vision as his lips started to curl back. If someone attacked her again…
"I'm fine." The girl insisted. "Some random girl just got slap-happy after dumping her drink on me. It's okay."
"It is not okay! My god, Irene; why didn't you do anything!? Did you fight back?"
"...Does being sarcastic count?"
"Did you at least tell an authority?"
"...Does Rima-San and Shiki-San's Manager count?"
"No. No, it does not."
"God dang it…"
The feeling of his lips twitching upwards almost hurt, a warmth spreading within his chest at the same time as a painful ache, a mixture of emotions flowing through him at the familiar situation. She was so close… yet still so far out of his reach. Would he really be able to talk to her at all? He can't even make his feet move anymore. Ichijou was completely paralyzed.
If she's still acting the same… surely everyone was wrong? Ichijou had been right all along; Irene was better off without him. Shiki must have just been lying to get him to open their bathroom door after all… I can't believe I fell for such a silly trick. I really am getting too distracted by all this. He shook his head, hair falling into his face, and pulled his hand away from the door.
He had Eliza's number; he could message her and let her know he wouldn't be in the restaurant. There were plenty of windows he could sneak out from and, even if there wasn't, he could make an exit. He shouldn't risk staying here any longer when he had so little control.
"-what did you want to ask me then?"
Ichijou tried to tune them out, making his way over to his escape route, and was in the process of opening it when he heard something that made him freeze.
"What… What would your reaction be if I left Japan?"
…
I had difficulty getting the words out, choking on my very own voice as I attempted to speak. I was scared, frightened even, and I didn't really know why. I blamed it on my own paranoia, questioning everything and even my own self state of mind. How would Eliza react if I left? Would she attempt to stop me? Or would she really just accept my decision and… let me go?
"Do you want to leave Japan?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow at me. She propped an elbow up on the table, curling her fingers against her cheek as her blue eyes stared at me inquiringly, a skeptical look on her face.
"I…" I went silent, my mind going completely blank as I processed what she said. Did I want to leave Japan? I certainly had no reason to stay, that's true, but… for me to want to remain here? Would I be allowed to stay here if that was the case? For the simple, selfish reason that I wanted to stay… would the Headmaster allow it?
A face flashed in my mind and I found myself thinking that no, I did want to stay. I wanted to learn more about Ichijou Takuma. I wanted to speak to Rima and Shiki, to become friends with them, and I wanted to recall the rest of my memories. I had held those memories dear and I had lost them… and knowing that I did and that Ichijou had been someone I greatly cared about hurt like hell.
I didn't want to give him up. He was my friend. He was someone I had trusted and that takes a lot of hard work. So if I ever do remember, he better feel guilty as all flip for avoiding me. I'm going to give him the biggest lecture possible, and I-
I froze, forcefully snapped out of my thoughts when a pair of strong, hauntingly familiar arms wrapped around my shoulders, a chest slamming into my back and nearly knocking me over. I remembered this happening before, so many times it was uncountable, and my heart thudded painfully and loudly inside of my chest.
"You can't!" A voice cried, male and worried and something I had thought I would only hear in my memories. It was like music, the sound of it just so beautiful to me for reasons I could not fathom, and I found it hard to breathe as my eyes began to burn. "You can't leave Japan!"
Ba-Dump. Ba-Dump.
Slowly I turned my head, but I could only remain stiff as I was met with a faceful of blond hair, the man having buried his face in my neck. He quickly pulled away, arms still wrapped around my shoulders, and his eyes-oh god his eyes- looked at me with so many emotions. They were so much more enchanting in person, and as mine met his the world just seemed to stop and go temporarily grey.
Everyone else in the restaurant stopped existing; the building itself wasn't even known to me anymore. All I could focus on was the person in front of me- who he was, the way he was looking at me, and the fact that he was here. The world faded in-and-out, and after a few moments of shaky breathing I was able to see color again. His acacia honey blond hair fell into his face in light waves, curling against his cheeks and neck, and the scarlet red hues shone in the emeralds in his eyes, dangerously beautiful and even more so than I had remembered.
Ichijou Takuma was here… and he was talking to me. My eyes widened in shock, and I was left standing there dumbfounded. "W… What?" He's… talking to me. The man who had avoided me so constantly was… talking to me. "W-Wait, what?" He's staring right at me… god, has he always been so tall? I feel so small next to him.
Wait… why is he talking to me? A-Am… Am I imagining things? Why would the person who had avoided me suddenly do all this? I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body as he held onto me, arms wrapped around my shoulders so tightly as if he were afraid to let go. This person… what was he thinking? No… what did he just say to me a few moments ago? He said…
Registering his words I blinked away the tears stinging my eyes and asked in a shaky voice, "Wh-Why not?" Why was I not allowed to leave Japan? For what reason did he want to keep me here? He who had avoided me, he who had pretended that we never spoke… "Why can't I leave?" Forget Shiki's words… I want to hear from this person himself what he thought.
"Because!" Was Ichijou's argument, "You like it here, don't you? Why would you want to leave Cross Academy?"
I faltered at his words, unable to think up a decent response. "I…" I don't want to leave Cross Academy. I don't want to leave Japan… but nobody was giving me any good reason to try and convince the Headmaster to let me stay. With the way things were going, it seemed that leaving was actually the best option. "I… I never said I was leaving," I told him, voice cracking and going up in pitch. "I-I just said that as a-a "what if"."
Ichijou looked startled at my words and retracted his arms, but pulled away just enough so that only his right hand remained on my left shoulder. He looked lost. I decided that what I said was a good "neutral" answer and chose to remain with it. I wasn't going to leave just yet, not unless the Headmaster decided that I would, but until I had a good enough reason to stay I would not protest to leaving Japan if that was the Headmaster's wish.
"B-Besides," I found myself continuing, trying my darnest to ignore the excruciating ache within my chest,"Even if I wanted to stay, I don't have any reason to. The Headmaster-" My voice broke, high in pitch and all other words catching in my throat. I tensed, realizing I said too much, and quickly pulled away as I brought my hands up to my face. I wiped at my tears frantically, swallowing thickly as I tried to calm down.
It was Eliza's voice that had snapped me out of my panic, and as she spoke I attempted to control my shallow breathing as hiccups attempted to form. I stared at the brunette, my heart on the verge of collapsing into despair, as she questioned in confusion, "The Headmaster?"
Rima narrowed her eyes and turned to stare at me, frowning, while Ichijou looked at his right hand with a conflicted gaze, the blond male tensing just slightly. The red hues that had been in his eyes increased in size and color, the emerald threatening to be overrun by the crimson.
Eliza continued in her interrogation and I tried not to cower at the confrontation. "What does the he have to do with anything?"
I had to force myself to focus on her, pointedly looking away from Ichijou as I knew that if I didn't I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes off of him. Perhaps I was being biased, fixated on him completely due to my obsession of finding out my true relationship with him because of my amnesia, or maybe-in a highly unlikely scenario-Skylar was right in my feelings towards him, but Ichijou Takuma was even more beautiful than Shiki and Rima combined.
And seeing him make such a conflicted, pained expression… it really hurt me inside. My heart was still pounding like crazy, and while I was looking away from him I was all to aware of his nearby presence. I wasn't too entirely sure if I was afraid or incredibly relieved that I could see and speak to him after so long of wondering.
"Th-That is…" I had to force the words out, clinging tightly onto my fingers as my hands began to shake. The world around me was starting to blur from the liquids stinging my eyes. "I-"
"No. Irene-no." Eliza quickly sat up straight, giving me a stern glare as she pointed at me. "You are not crying. Stop that; no. Irene! I said stop it! You are either going to stop crying or you are going to shut up! Write it down on paper if you have to-you are not crying."
"I-I'm sor-"
"Why are you apologizing? Just shut up and stop crying!"
I bit down on my lip, only to soon regret that decision as pain wracked that soft muscle and the taste of iron went all over my tongue. I cringed, feeling like I should apologize at least four more times, but lowered my head and simply nodded. A sob was easily building up in my throat, but I tried to control it.
It wasn't the first time Eliza and I had a conversation like this; I would often try to explain to her the plot of a game I had played or an anime/manga I had watched/read and she would get "mad" at me whenever I started crying-or, to be more precise-blubbering halfway through the storytelling. I always felt like I had to explain, even when she told me to shut up so I would stop crying, and even though now I had said too much I didn't want to lie. I needed to explain to her-even if she said she hated seeing me cry.
I opened my mouth to try again, finally regaining a bit of my courage, but she continued to lecture me. "I said no, Irene! Just sit down and shut up; here, eat this-!" She pushed one of the few plates in front of her across the table towards me, causing me to blink. "You look like you haven't eaten in days."
I hesitated at her words, finding them to be everything true, and out of fear of her getting angry or too terribly concerned I began, "That's because-"
"She hasn't." I flinched when Rima spoke. Her tone was cold and blunt. I wanted to curl underneath a table from embarrassment and humiliation, and upon feeling Ichijou's stare on me I actually debated doing so. His gaze was like fire, unable to be ignored and just so there. I was completely conscious of him and it was greatly agitating me. Him being here was making me incredibly anxious and antsy.
"I-I'm not hungry," I told them lamely, shrinking underneath all their gazes. I could see a few bystanders casting curious glances this way, overhearing the conversation and/or just taking interest due to the three Night Class students' beauty. I could make out a whisper or two here and there. I folded my arms underneath my chest, hugging myself close as I thought about different ways to get out of this situation.
Unfortunately, due to how flustered I was at the moment, I could only come up with the most obvious of responses. Eliza and Rima's stares were so intense and Ichijou… I didn't really understand, but casting a quick glance at him all I could make out was a gaze filled with overwhelming amounts of concern.
"I… I did eat, though! The-The-The other day! When… When I went out with Shiki-San and Rima-San I had food!"
Nobody looked like they believed me. Rima knew exactly when I had last ate, and if Ichijou and Eliza both knew when that was I could only assume Shiki or the ginger model herself had told them. Rima, not taking any of the bullcrap I was spitting out from behind my teeth, bluntly stated, "That was two days ago…"
"S-Still!" I had still fought to argue, not wanting to back down or give into defeat, but before I knew it a hand wormed itself around my arm. Electricity jolted up through the limb from where I was touched and I had nearly jumped right out of my skin. The hand pulled, tugging me towards the seat opposite of Eliza, and Ichijou inhaled sharply when I stumbled.
I yelped when I almost crashed into him and I protested loudly when he forced me to sit down. The male leaned over, one hand on the tabletop and the other on top of the seat so I couldn't escape. He kept a knee bent over, resting it on the seat's cushion so I would be unable to crawl away.
I tried to sit up, but I quickly froze when I took notice of the proximity. T-Too close! I could feel the hate radiating off of his body, Ichijou was practically hovering over me due to our positions. He looked partially surprised, if only for a short moment, and the vermillion had almost completely taken over his eyes. He closed his shockingly red orbs and gave me a beaming smile.
"Sorry, sorry~!" He apologized, not seeming apologetic at all. "But you really should eat. I'll fetch the waiter for you so you can order, and once your food comes Rima and I will leave so not to disturb you any longer. Is that alright? You'll be able to spend more time with Eliza-Chan that way!"
It was at his words that Rima stood up straight, pulling her arms away from the wood of the seat and narrowing her eyes at him. She looked at the blond with a frown. "Eh…? Ichijou-San, you can't make that decision… I already told Shiki-"
"Who is sleeping!" Ichijou quickly cut in, quickly standing up with a grin. He stepped back, and the moment he did I took that chance to scoot as far away as possible from him. My heart thudded loudly in my chest, aching and warm and scared all at the same time.
I pressed myself against the wall, a hand curled against my chest as I attempted to calm my racing, confused heart. I was relieved he had moved away, uncertain of how to react or deal with the situation, but at the same time I felt a little disappointed… Weird.
I watched as Ichijou waved a hand dismissively at Rima, his eyes remaining purposefully closed as he continued smiling. I wasn't entirely sure, but looking at him now made me wonder why his smile looked so forced. "It's fine, Rima~! Shiki won't mind."
"I'm not leaving," Rima stated, disappointment clear in her eyes as she looked at him. I was startled by the look she wore, having not seen such a look on her before. For what reason could she have that made her look at Ichijou in such a way? Rima's voice hardened as she finished, "and neither are you."
Ichijou's eyes opened in surprise, a small sound escaping him from shock. Most of the red was gone now, but a few specs still shone brightly within his emerald orbs. I wondered if his surprise had something to do with it. I looked at Eliza questioningly, hoping she could explain as to why Rima was being so forceful in keeping Ichijou here, but the brunette completely ignored me. Instead, she looked at the two of them with a cool, almost indifferent gaze.
"Will you two just sit down already?" She asked. Eliza looked exhausted, and her eyelids fluttered halfway closed as they gazed at them tiredly. "You're gaining attention."
I stiffened at her words, finally taking notice at just how many people were looking over at us. Nearly everyone in the restaurant was staring in our direction, muttering under their breath to each other. Some looked annoyed, other were curious, few were just glancing in awe. I could make out a few words, and it wasn't too terribly hard to piece together that they were startled by the Night Class trio's beauty.
I just sunk further into the seat, attempting to hide from the world as I really wanted to be back in my dorm room. I liked attention, but not in this way. My hands started to shake, tears stinging my eyes as my heart rate increased in fear and paranoia, and I watched with wavering patience as the scene continued to unfurl.
Ichijou looked like he had been smacked to the face. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and trying for another smile as he walked over to Eliza. He gestured for her to scoot over, planning to sit down beside her, but Eliza shook her head.
"Your food is on that side of the table," She told him, frowning, "Did you forget where you sat?"
I stared at the brunette with big eyes, startled by how sassy she was. Eliza must be in a bad mood today… maybe she woke up on the wrong side of the bed? I do that quite often. Well, normally I fall off the bed when I wake up, but the point still stands.
"Th-That is…" Ichijou began, hesitating, before nodding and reluctantly moving to sit next to me. He kept a noticeable distance between us as he sat down, and I felt myself being hit with a mixture of confused emotions at that. There was a huge gap between us, so to avoid any possible physical contact, and since I was unsure of what I wanted to do or say I simply pressed myself closer to the wall, a lump forming thickly in my throat.
The tension in the air was heavy and suffocating, and I could feel the stress weigh down on me. My fingers tapped nervously against my thigh in an erratic rhythm, and I found myself becoming slightly breathless in my panic. A part of me wished I brought my rescue inhaler with me.
I looked nervously at the man beside me, still questioning how this was even happening and why. Wasn't he avoiding me? Why was he here now? He and Eliza must have come here together; that much was obvious. But that didn't explain as to why he was talking to me and acting so friendly. "Chan"?
If you were pretending to not know someone, wouldn't you avoid calling them by such a familiar term? He didn't even want to be here, right? He tried to leave, but Rima forced him to stay. That was a big sign of him saying that he didn't want to be here. He probably didn't want to be anywhere near me.
Rima and Eliza stared at us, and I knew that they probably found the way Ichijou and I were acting as completely ridiculous. Eliza shook her head incredulously at us while Rima closed her eyes, dismissive but also disappointed. When she opened them again her electric orbs locked onto the blond, staring at him as if daring him to do something.
Ichijou's movements were completely stiff as he raised a hand up, turning his head and calling out to the waiter who had been serving them before Rima and I showed up. "Ah, yes, um, is it alright we have another menu? Two of our friends arrived unexpectedly and they wish to eat with us…"
"Yes, of course." The waiter bowed. "I'll be right back." With that he walked off and I found myself staring at Ichijou disbelievingly. He wasn't… seriously going to make me eat, right? I'm not even hungry. Rima certainly needs food, but me? I'm fine. I had a bit of my lunch yesterday, granted that much alone was hard for me to eat…
"You can give the menu to Rima-San," I tentatively spoke up, causing Ichijou to jump and look down at me in surprise. His emerald eyes were wide, and as he looked down at me the red specs in his eyes gradually faded. "I'm not hungry."
The frown he gave me was almost instantaneous, guilt and displeasure shining in his eyes so vividly only an idiot would be unable to see it. The exact second I told him I wouldn't eat I knew I had made a mistake; I didn't know how or why, but I knew from that moment he would argue. We were both stubborn and if it meant I would get better, this person beside me would talk back until I gave in.
I wasn't wrong either. I was proven to be right when he spoke up, eyes intense and expression almost pleading.
"You're eating," He told me, frowning deeply. His gaze locked onto mine and I went silent at his stare, no words coming out of my mouth. My head pounded as I stared at him, our gazes locking, and my vision faded to black-and-white, blurring, before returning to color again. "Please," He began in a softer tone of voice, smiling ever-so-slightly. "Don't argue with me on this, Irene-Chan…"
I was speechless, only able to stare. I searched his eyes for an answer, for anything that would help me come up with a response, but all I could make out was the immense regret. "I… I don't have any money on me…"
"Don't worry about it," He said, shoulders relaxing in relief. "I'll handle that."
Eliza sighed from the other side of the table. "Just let him pay for it, Irene; you really do need to eat something. You don't look so good…"
My head turned and I stared at her in shock. "Wh… What do you mean?" I thought I had been doing better; the swelling in my eyes finally went down and my dark circles were beginning to fade. I actually attempted to dress nicely today. Compared to how I had been before, I thought this was improvement…
"You look like you're going to fall over any minute and pass out," She stated bluntly. I tried not to flinch at her words.
"B-But I…" I deflated, trailing off. I was too worn to think of a decent way out of this situation. I bit the inside of my cheek, pouting as I sunk down into my seat, and reluctantly gave in to defeat. "Fine…" I cast a glance at Ichijou, the blond blinking down at me curiously. "Th… Thank you. S-Sorry… about this."
"It's… It's quite alright. Oh-! Thank you." The waiter had reappeared, handing Ichijou a menu. The blond took it from him gratefully, handing it to me, and the waiter gave Rima the other one he had been holding. As I grabbed the menu from Ichijou my fingers accidentally brushed his, electric bolts shooting from my fingertips and up my arm to my shoulders, going all the way through to my neck and up to my head. "I-Irene-Chan!?"
I had recoiled the moment I'd been shocked, nearly falling over from the sudden nausea. Scenes flashed through my mind, but they didn't tell me all that I had wished to know. They revealed enough, whispering to me about how this had happened before. A similar situation…
Dinner… at the Headmaster's. Eating with his family and… with my friends. S-Skylar was there… and so was Ichijou! I had dropped the menu onto the table, staring at my hand intently for a moment before I turned to look up at the blond in an almost trance-like state. I was dazed, not really focusing on reality or my actions as I outstretched my left hand towards him.
My vision faded in-and-out of monochrome, darkness threatening to envelop my sight the moment my fingers lightly grazed his right cheek. Ichijou blinked, inhaling sharply, before he let out a deep breath and leaned into the touch. His breathing became calm and relaxed as he closed his eyes, reaching his own hand up and resting it over mine.
Everything Skylar said suddenly made sense. I had spoken to the Headmaster multiple times before and the reason he was so familiar with me was because I used to stay at his place while I was sick. Ichijou often came to visit in the mornings and even came by in the evenings, always arriving in time for breakfast and lunch, and we'd joke and talk and he'd help me study… If it wasn't for Ichijou always being there I would have been completely alone…
Skylar was always so busy with her prefect duties and Eliza her classes, and I didn't have any other friends here in Japan. I barely even spoke to Yuuki or Sayori, and it's not like I talk to anyone in my classes. Aside from the two girls and Ichijou, I… didn't really have anyone else here in Japan.
And then, before I knew it, I had lost one. If it wasn't for Shiki and Rima's help, I doubted I'd even be able to properly remember him. Would I have ever made it this far in recovering my memories if I was by myself? Just how much farther do I have to go in order to recall the rest of the details about him and our time together?
Not to mention the rest of the Night Class… Aside from Shiki and Rima, have I spoken to any of the other students before? Souen had acted a lot like we knew each other… or at least like she's seen me/heard of me before. I… I want to know. I need to know. I'm… I'm so close. I can feel it. I'm just… I'm just missing something vital.
A key memory… My thumb brushed lightly against the skin of his cheek, feeling the smoothness of his delicate face. His hair was soft and tickled my fingers. I felt so lightheaded-airy, even. This important person… looking and being so close to him now the empty gap inside my chest started to fill. It nearly made me wonder why I felt so lost in the first place. I just need a key memory…
There was always that one piece, right? The one vital piece of information that would release all the rest and give you everything you wanted to know? I just… need to find it…
Something soft pressed against the palm of my hand and I blinked a few times, snapping out of my thoughts and breaking out of my daze. My eyes widened, watching as Ichijou pulled his lips away from my palm and instead nuzzling his face against my hand. A small smile was spread across his lips, his eyes closed with a peaceful expression resting on his face.
I was paralyzed. After a few moments of silence Ichijou took notice of how stiff I was and opened his eyes, staring down at me with the warmest of gazes, before blinking in surprise. "Ah… sorry. You were staring and I-I'm afraid I got caught up in the moment… Eh? Irene-Chan, your face is red!"
He pulled his hand away from mine, instead reaching out to cup my face. He looked quite happy. Another jolt went down my spine as goosebumps spread across my skin and I reeled away, alarmed and flustered for reasons I could not fathom. Wh-What is he doing!? Breathe. Stay calm, Irene. Just… relax. It's okay.
His eyes widened at my reaction and he retracted his hand, hurt flashing across his face and vanishing so fast it made me question if I ever really saw it there in the first place. "M-My apologies…" Ichijou turned away, slightly embarrassed as he scratched as his cheek with a finger. His face was a light pink as he picked up one of the menus. "I-It's only natural you would react that way; not many people would respond too kindly to a total stranger touching them like that out of the blue…" He muttered under his breath. "Though I wouldn't necessarily call us that…" I almost didn't hear the last part.
"It's… It's fine," I stammered, certain my face was a dark red. Wasn't he supposed to be acting like we didn't know each other? Just what did he mean by that?
The way Rima and Eliza were staring at me wasn't helping much, as it only confirmed my fears that I was blushing. I can't recall a time I've been so flustered. On the bright side, I don't think I was the only one at that moment who wanted to hide underneath the table to get away from them. Ichijou suddenly spoke up.
"Um, you should order! You like plainer food, don't you?" He kept his gaze pointedly away from me, practically burying his nose into the menu. His words confused me, but hearing him say that made a lightbulb go off in my head. He just screwed up in his act right there… not just when he was whispering, but when he asked me that question.
I resisted the urge to bite on my lip, instead leaning just a bit closer as I craned my neck to look up at him. He was extremely tall… so unfair. I had a brief moment of recall to us walking beside each other, my head residing on his arm. "How come… How come you know what kind of food I like if we've never met each other before?"
Ichijou stopped breathing when I said that. Slowly, he turned his head and I was left to stare up at him innocently, expectantly awaiting an answer. He couldn't hide or run; I have Shiki, Rima, and Skylar to back me up on this, not to mention all those Day Class girls I heard whispering in the halls back at the dorm.
His green eyes were intense, staring down at me with a mixture of emotions. When he reached out to me this time I didn't panic, allowing him to cup my face with his hands as I remained still. I could hear my heart pound, racing within my chest, and it was difficult maintaining a straight face with him staring at me the way he was.
"How much do you know…?" He asked quietly. The edges around his eyes became a bit watery-like the blond was going to start crying at any second. "Just who-"
A loud obnoxious squeal caused him to recoil away, the male almost flinching at the sound. I blinked, a bit irritated at the newcomer for ruining my chance at getting the answers I needed, and leaned over to see who it was. Another fangirl waitress? How many of those are there?
I've never met so many fangirls in my life until Cross Academy, I swear, and the fangirls I have met before were only over fictional characters or K-pop band members. I'm still trying to get over the shock of the girl who had fangirled over Shiki, and he was a model. It's just… weird trying to adjust to, and I'm normally able to adapt to most situations despite my hate for change.
The new fangirl waitress quickly maneuvered her way over, not wasting any time, and stopped in front of our table. She gazed at Ichijou with figurative hearts in her eyes, blushing head to toe, and I knew right away that she had massive crush on him. Oddly enough, the knowledge made me feel a bit uncomfortable. "Upperclassman Ichijou-! W-What are you doing here; a-aren't you supposed to be in class right now?"
...What time is it right now? Five? The drive from the shoot to the marketplace took at least a decent hour, and we could have only been in here for a little over one hour. It was two when we left, so… yeah. It should be around four something now. The girl must not go to school around here or something unless she was allowed to leave class early for work.
The girl had long, light brown hair tied into one big braid that dangled off of her shoulder. Her eyes were a pleasant gray, but compared to most of the beauties I've seen recently she looked rather average. Even Yuuki was prettier than normal and she was just as average as me and this girl… uh, Natsume?
I hoped I read the kanji on her nametag correctly.
"Oh, uh, well, you see-" The blond nervously began, clearly having not expected this, when the girl's eyes landed on me. The joy in her storm-colored orbs vanished instantly and the daggers sent my way were so sudden it took me off guard.
"You're not on a date, are you?" Her voice had become so cold it was hard to imagine this was the same timid girl from a few moments ago. "You could do so much better…" She muttered, and I heard her say something after that, but it was too quiet for me to pick up. I debating how sarcastic I should be or if I should go with the dense act when Ichijou suddenly smiled brightly. The weirdest part was, it didn't even seem like a friendly smile.
"I'm afraid you're mistaken," He told her, causing her to look at him confused before her face lit up with hope. "I'm not on a date with Irene-Chan, as you can clearly see by Eliza-Chan and Rima across from me, but if I were I can assure you that I wouldn't regret it. She's really a very sweet girl; I quite enjoy her way with words." He chuckled and I looked at him blankly, wondering if he was making fun of me. "So please, don't go insulting her in such a way. She's the farthest thing from what you insinuated."
"I…" The poor girl was dumbstruck. "I didn't mean…"
Oh god, the smile he gave her next just about killed it. It was clear he had no friendly vibes towards the girl, but the grin itself was just so bright it was nearly blinding. The worst part was that while he was clearly angry about something, he still looked like an angel in disguise.
No, that isn't right. He may look like an Angel, but the truth of the matter was that Ichijou was nothing less than a Devil. The sweet way he would deliver insults with such an innocent smile, and the way he would make a rude comment without you even realizing… I tried to ignore the annoying feeling of my heart racing faster, biting the inside of my cheek as I watched the scene continue to unfold.
"Of course not!" Ichijou beamed, though his eyes still failed to reach his smile. "A lovely young lady like you would never mean to say something like that; you must have just been confused. Oh, seeing as our waiter is taking a long time to come back, will it be alright if you take our orders for us? My dear friend here would like an Oyako-Don and Rima-what do you want?"
"...Miso Ramen."
"Perfect!" He looked back at Natsume, who looked a little like she was going to cry and like she didn't know how to feel all at the same time. I didn't blame her; Ichijou was quite adept at comebacks. The girl stood there, taking a while to snap out of her shock, before scrambling to write down on her notepad what Ichijou had asked for.
She didn't bother to stay after she took the orders, power-walking as fast as she could out of there. I felt a bit bad for her, imagining myself in her position and how it must have felt to be in her shoes. Anyone would react the same way… Just what did she say that made Ichijou so angry?
I stared up at him curiously, knitting my eyebrows together as I tried to figure out what was going on inside his head. He was complicated character, that was for sure… though I doubted he was anywhere near Shiki's level of complicated. That model was as hard to read as a blank canvas. "A… Are you okay?" I asked hesitantly. Ichijou blinked, looking down at me with raised eyebrows. He looked surprised. "Why-Why did you get so mad?"
"Shouldn't've I?" He asked, his smile becoming a little more genuine. His expression softened and I risked a glance at Eliza and Rima to see what they thought of the situation, but the two girls were engaged in conversation with Eliza typing away on her phone, Rima quietly telling the brunette her phone number. "It wouldn't be right if I just sat there and let her continue to insult you like that."
I blinked, tilting my head slightly at his words. I was befuddled. "But.. it's not like she was wrong. If you had to go on a date with someone I would probably be the worst choice." Lack of experience being one of the main reasons, not to mention how horrible my company is. Though, thinking on it, I have been told I have a sort of calming effect on people despite my bubbliness.
I don't know exactly what I did to change her mind, but Mira Alexeev-a really good, close childhood friend of Skylar's- had used to think me annoying. She said she didn't know why she thought I was annoying and claimed that it was probably because she heard people say it was so quite often, and having not spoken to me it was the only impression she had.
It made sense, as the mind was something that could be easily tricked, and after the Band had went to Disney World to march in a parade we spent some of the days together and became friends. Mira was really nice, though was as honest and blunt as could be and if she didn't like you she would tell you straight to your face what she thought of you. Her humor was a lot like Skylar's, dark and perverted, but while that was so she was still pretty cool.
Ichijou's appalled voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "How could you say that!? Irene-Chan, you're wonderful to be around! Don't you think so, Rima? Eliza-Chan?" Oh no… I groaned dramatically and buried my face in my hands.
I wanted to curl underneath the table. Where was a trashcan to sit beside when I needed it? Did he have to bring them into the conversation? I was only being semi-serious.
Rima pulled her eyes away from Eliza's phone, looking at me, and said in her usual dismissive voice, "Terrier-San is… pleasant. Loud, but… I don't hate having her around." Oh. That's… That's actually really nice of her to say. Bringing my hands away from my face I looked at her in surprise, having not expected her to say such a kind thing.
Eliza just looked at me incredulously, and a little bit like she wanted to slap me for saying such a thing. "We've been over this, Irene-you're not a bad person. You're loud and your voice gets really high to the point where some random people want to punch you, but I still like you."
So I'm told… hmm. Perhaps that's why everyone seems convinced that my Harry Potter house would be Hufflepuff. I once asked what I would be if I wasn't that, and they said that if I wasn't a Hufflepuff I would still be a Hufflepuff. I found it rather funny, actually. "O-Oh… okay. Um…" I blinked, thinking deeply for a moment. I looked back at Ichijou. "What did she say that made you so angry?"
"Eh? O-Oh, you shouldn't worry about that." He waved his hand dismissively at me, causing me to frown at him.
"Why not?"
"B-because! It's nothing important. Ah, that's right!" He grinned widely, suddenly gaining an idea. I leaned back in alarm when he moved closer, holding an index finger up excitedly as he asked, "Do you know what you're going to be wearing for the upcoming dance? Shiki and I plan on going shopping for suits next week just a few days before the event."
Eliza sighed, propping her hand against her chin. "I doubt she's even planning on going." Ichijou looked alarmed at that, meanwhile Rima looked at me curiously. I felt a bit like a deer-in-headlights. Dance… wait, what dance? I blinked dumbly, not understanding. A thought then hit me-Didn't some of the Day Class girls say something about an upcoming dance?
"What are you talking about?" I finally managed to speak. Ichijou looked at me, the gleam in his eyes fading just slightly at my words.
"The Day of the Dead dance," He clarified. Ichijou clapped his hands together enthusiastically. "Rosemary-San, Eliza-Chan, and I all spoke to the Headmaster to come up with new school event ideas, and after checking with the Dorm Leaders of the Night and Day Classes we decided to hold an event to celebrate the dead! Rosemary-San and Eliza-Chan," He gestured to the brunette sitting across from us, "mentioned how the Spanish hold an event to celebrate their ancestors, and since we have our own day on the twenty-fifth here we thought it would be fun to follow their customs and hold a dance on the fifteenth based off of their festivities. It's going to be fun and educational on other cultures. Don't you think so?"
"Uh, y-yeah…" The Headmaster really was insane, wasn't he? I mean, it sounds like fun but… I doubt I'd even do anything aside from sleep in a corner if I went. There'd be no point to me participating. "I-I probably won't go though…" I was surprised Eliza even brought up my reluctance.
The grin on Ichijou's face twitched, the smile threatening to fall as he stopped moving. It was as though a dark cloud had formed above him, sapping out any joy that had been in his body. "H… how come?" He asked, visibly disheartened. I felt a pang in my chest, guilt consuming me. Ichijou looked like a kicked puppy. "Do you not like dances?"
"N-No, it's-it's not that! I-I just…" I looked at Eliza for help, knitting my eyebrows together anxiously. What could I say to make him feel better? I didn't want to lie. Unfortunately, it seemed I was on my own as Eliza was back on her phone-probably checking tumblr or instagram. Rima was staring out the window that was against her seat, electric blue eyes focused on the world outside. "I-I just don't see the point in me going, you know?"
"What do you mean?" He asked, arguing with me as he knitted his eyebrows together. "Of course there's a point in you going! There are plenty of reasons as to why you should go!"
"Not really," I retorted calmly, not understanding the reason he was making such a big fuss. Just what's his motive? "You can ask Eliza. Right?" I attempted to pull the female into the conversation, more than a little awkward as I desperately tried to fight my way out of this situation.
"What?" She blinked, lifting her gaze and staring at me in confusion while Rima pulled her head away from the window. The model appeared completely indifferent. "Hold on, what's happening?" Ichijou didn't waste a beat in complaining, speaking up before I could even try to explain.
"Irene-Chan said she isn't going to the dance~! What should I do, Eliza-Chan!?" The girl looked surprised at his words, but not at my decision. She looked at me, asking with a raised eyebrow,
"You aren't going? Even though it's a different country? I thought you would enjoy doing the make-up. We're supposed to go all-out for it; costume make-up and everything."
"I-I probably would, but… when have I ever gone to a dance?" Realizing how that came out I quickly corrected myself, deadpanning, "And the middle school graduation dance doesn't count. Also, the one dance Freshman year was terrifying; that can not be called dancing." I shivered and shook my head, hugging myself as I recalled the horrific scenes I had seen that night. "It-it was-It was disturbing and-and gross, and if I have to go to another dance I am hiding in a corner next to a trashcan and sleeping."
Eliza frowned at me, displeased with what I had to say even if it was something she had heard before.
"No matter what way you look at it there's no point in me going; I'd be bored out of my mind!" I curled my hands close to me, refusing to uncross my arms, and slumped further down into my seat. I took note of how the distance between Ichijou and I had diminished and we were so close now that our legs were almost touching. When had that happened? "Besides, it would just be a waste of money…"
Money that I didn't even have. How would I be able to pay for a dress, nonetheless the tickets needed to get in? Hold on, do you even have to pay to get into the dances here in Japan? How does that work here?
I held back a sigh, questioning the way the world worked and why Ichijou was trying so hard to convince me to go. This is ridiculous… It seemed like a whole lot of work to even try getting ready for a dance, too. I'd rather just curl underneath the covers and sleep. What game is Ichijou playing at? Does he want me to remember or not?
Everything he was doing was confusing. Sure, it was… easy-ish to speak to him, but after pretending not to know me he was acting so buddy-buddy and I… Oh god, why did I even do that earlier? I tried not to cringe as I looked at the wall next to me, recalling how I reached out and touched his face. A-And then he… Ughhh. I can't. I really can't. I don't know what to do. This is too much. Just let me go back to the dorms already, please. I know I said I wanted to speak to Ichijou, but this is just too awkward and confusing. I don't know what to do.
Why is trying to figure out who a person is to you so gosh darn hard…?
…
"Ka~na~me~!" Skylar sang cheerfully as pushed back the horde of fangirls, watching as the Pureblood left the gates to head to the school. Multiple of the Aristocrats shot her glares, Aidou and Ruka being some of the main ones, and the Hunter grinned deviously. "How has your day been!? You know, I've been meaning to ask, but where have you been!?" She sugar-coated her voice, looking at him with positively bright and gleaming eyes.
As he walked he stared at her out of the corner of his eyes, sending what most would consider to be a death glare at her. The girl just smiled brighter before firmly pushing some of the fangirls back. Yuuki, having seen Kaname walk by, stammered out a flustered greeting before quickly getting overwhelmed.
The Pureblood, seeing this, faltered in his step. Skylar took notice of this and released the fangirls that were fighting their way in, allowing them to rush over and ambush him and a few of the other Night Class students. Skylar giggled underneath her breath, a dark satisfaction blooming within her. Kaname was clearly annoyed, but forced polite smiles to the Day Class students that were fawning over him and asking him questions. While they were distracted by their own shyness Kaname sent a glare in the direction of Skylar as she quickly moved over to help Yuuki stand.
Operation Annoying Kaname: Complete. Interrogation of the rotten Pureblood: In Progress.
…
I never got my answer, as Ichijou attempted once more to persuade me. "I still think you should go," He said, trying to encourage me. "You might have fun this time!"
"Nope." I shook my head adamantly, not wanting to do as told. I stubbornly kept my gaze away from the blond, refusing to look at him in fear of giving in. I really couldn't figure him out; he made even less sense than Shiki. Was he avoiding me, was he trying to remain friends me-What is he thinking?
Was this how we used to speak or something?
I leaned forward, propping my elbow up on the table and resting my chin on the palm of my hand. A part of me knew I should just ask Ichijou directly about his feelings on this whole situation, but… I was scared. What if I was wrong? I hated conflict for many reasons, always a flighter rather than a fighter, but I… I really wanted to know.
For someone who had pretended not to know who I was, why was he going through so much effort to convince me to go to a social event that he himself would be participating in? Why wasn't he acting like we knew nothing about each other?I just… don't get it.
I sighed, only to look up when Eliza spoke and took Ichijou's side once again. "I think you should go, Irene," She told me, eyes locking on mine. I looked at her uncertainly. "At least this once."
Maybe I should just go. If I was lucky there'd be a chance for me to talk to Ichijou one-on-one about everything. He could explain his actions to me then. "Depends," I decided on, closing my eyes as exhaustion swept over me. The lack of sleep was finally catching up to me. "Will it be dancing dancing, or it will be that disturbing stuff that can't even be considered dancing?"
Eliza blinked. "You mean the grinding? Are you still scared of that?"
The silence that hit the table was so awkward and uncomfortable that even Rima fidgeted. Ichijou practically choked, a light red spreading across his pale cheeks as he looked at us with wide eyes. Meanwhile, I turned my head away flustered, biting the inside of my cheek as I thought about that disturbing school dance.
"Wh-Why wouldn't I be? Th-That kind of thing shouldn't even be done in public!"
Ichijou cleared his throat, knitting his eyebrows together as he looked at us. "I-I'm sorry…? You… You grind… at American dances?"
Raising a hand up in the air I raised a finger, declaring loudly, "Hence why I avoid dances! I went to one-one-my freshman year, and I hid in a corner. Then my step cousin's friend dragged me up, tried to get me to dance, and then a random chick came up from behind me and got all up on me. Then I remained in a corner and didn't come out until the end of the dance; granted, I had fallen asleep halfway through so I wasn't completely traumatized."
Eliza groaned, leaning her head back as she exclaimed, "That was one dance, Irene! You just went to one of the unlucky dances where everyone did that. The rest was just slow dancing!"
"And you think I know how to do that?" I fired back at her, incredulous. "I have two right feet!"
Rima deadpanned, "The expression is two "left" feet…"
"Point being! I can't dance, I refuse to go to dances if it's that nasty stuff, and it's not like I have money to get a dress so what's the point?" I raised my hands up in the air as I shrugged, pointing out all the flaws in their grand master plan to convince me to go. "It's what- a week away? Go with Skylar; she loves dances." The girl went to almost every dance the school had orchestrated. If anyone would be fun to go with it would probably be her or Eliza, though I doubted Eliza would be going with anyone this year unless she has a secret boyfriend I didn't know about.
A hand on my arm sent shocks throughout my body, my vision fading in-and-out to monochrome once more, and my breathing started to grow shallow as Ichijou spoke. His voice was quiet, the blond lowering his head as he gazed down at me. "I don't want to go with Rosemary-San," He murmured softly.
I raised my eyes to meet his, pondering just who the hell this person was to me and why he was having such an effect. Crimson specs danced in his emerald orbs, locking me in place and making me completely breathless as I became entranced by them. I couldn't move, only able to sit there in stunned silence as he leaned closer, sliding his hand down my arm and lacing his fingers together with mine. Shivers went through me, pleasant and not altogether unwelcome.
"I want… to dance with you, Irene-Chan. Do you… have any idea as to who I am? Any memory at all?" His expression was pleading, the smile gone and now replaced with a deep, sorrowful frown. My heart ached at the sight, but I tried to remain strong. I needed to calm down in order to speak properly.
Ichijou was… Ichijou was speaking to me. Not… Not to me, but… to me. The part of me that knew who he was. "I... " My voice cracked. His hand was warm-familiar, too. So familiar it was heartbreaking and as we remained sitting there I found myself wanting to hug him. Something in me told me Ichijou gave very good hugs. "I rememb-"
I started to speak, finally realizing that Ichijou was no longer trying to hide; he didn't have an ulterior motive-he just wanted to see if I remembered him. Shiki was… Shiki was right then? He wasn't lying? Ichijou's hand tightened around mine when I began to talk.
Unfortunately, the moment I did so a plate slammed loudly onto our table and I jumped, letting out a yelp when my knee bumped against the table. Something clattered and I yanked my hand away from Ichijou's, instinctively reaching out to catch the object that had started to fall. My right hand hit the handle, causing it to bounce off and change direction, and upon seeing what exactly was falling my eyes widened and I shrieked.
I attempted to move my legs to the side, but putting together the damage that would happen if I didn't try to actually grab the knife I knew I wouldn't be the only one who might get hurt. Within seconds I had the knife held firmly in my left hand, the blade slicing deep into my palm and my fingers wrapped around it and cutting into the flesh.
I read and read and re-read it so many times I can't even tell if it's good or not anymore. XD T_T XD This chapter ended up more than twenty thousand words, so I'm splitting it into two parts. In the meantime, enjoy a cliffhanger! :D Three guesses who makes an appearance in the second half?
And I swear to god I don't hate Hanabusa or Kaname. XD Hanabusa is a precious cinnamon roll, oh my god, and Kaname just needs so many hugs (and a few slaps upside the head for his decisions in the manga) from Yuuki.
Welp, read and review! :3 Thanks for taking the time to read this. Ichijou is... just a mess of emotions right now and Irene is just a confuzzled smol human-then again, isn't she always?