Enid showed his camera to Finn. It has a picture of Ruka, frowning as she listens to Hanabusa Aidou babbling about something and smiling ear to ear. She's with her clique as usual. But her hand is on her behind as she tries to remove a bubblegum from her skirt.
The two purebloods laughed at the photo, then Enid swiped the screen that now shows Aidou spitting the soda he's drinking and it even spilled on his uniform. They placed soy sauce secretly on the bottle.
Once again, the photo made them burst into a long rib-tickling laughter.
Finn saw Kuran Kaname going out of the chairman's office and he elbowed Enid who was still laughing. When Enid realized what message Finn tried to send, he hid the camera in his pocket.
Both of them went still and silent as they feel the most powerful aura in the academy. His aura is perhaps the strongest they've felt ever since.
An ancestor is the strongest among the vampire race. The older the ancestor is, the strongest and most powerful he is. And they've heard that Kuran Kaname is the oldest ancestor living.
They both admire the way he walk, talk, look and even move. It's like his every move is so sure and calculated. It just amazes them. Even Dylan.
"By the way, where's Dylan?" Asked Enid.
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"Going somewhere?" Says that voice that distracted her.
She was busy catching her breath from running away. From the new Zero she thought never changed, but he did... big time. Now, she doesn't know him anymore.
Ichiru... Oh, Ichiru. I'm so sorry.
When she turned, she was delighted to see Shiki... giving her a worried look. And just that, she ran towards the boy and as if he expected it... he opened his arms and welcomed her in a warm embrace. She pressed her face on his chest, sobbing like a little kid and wiping off her tears with the back of her hand.
"You know it's not safe for you to be alone." Shiki reminded as he runs his hands on the girl's back. "Zero should alway-"
"I hate him!" She snapped and pushed him away. He stared at her tear-stained beautiful face. The face that inspired his awkward puberty. Selene was his puppy love. He used to imagine them together but knew then that they'll never be. But even though he's over his puberty, she's still important to him like a brother to his sister.
She missed out on a lot of things, important things that composed this day. The changes she sees now are results of the events that took place in her slumber. He understood her reaction, but knows once she knew the whole truth... she would stop hating Zero and eventually her hatred would go to someone else. But can he be the one to burst the bubble? Can he betray his blood line?
No, he can't.
"What did he do this time?" He asked instead.
Selene shook her head and raised her head to look at the starless night sky. "I don't know him anymore." And she started sobbing once again.
Shiki flinched, not knowing what to do with her. "What changed?"
She took a deep breath, "He did something terrible."
"I hated someone before too. Because he's controlling, he's vicious and cruel. I hated that person for what he did first... then I found out why he did it." Shiki reached for Selene's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Do you hate him now because of what he did or because of the reason behind it?"
Selene's face ashened and she fell into a deep thinking. She walked towards the tree to lean on it, Shiki following her closely from behind.
The cold evening wind blew and it include dust that Selene felt got stuck in her eye so she reached to rub it when Shiki stopped her, his hand on her arm.
"Let me," He leaned closer and gently blows air to Selene's eyes while holding her face for support. Then Shiki felt a rock-like grip on his arm and when he turned, he first saw two glowing blood red eyes that looked so cold, threatening him of death. Then streaks of silver locks swaying by the wind gave him the idea of the intruder's identity.
"Back off!" Zero's voice was dangerous, anger boiling in his head.
Shiki let go of Selene and stepped back. He has seen Zero's 'other' form... and the hunter sure is almost there right now. The hunter is so possessive of Selene, as if he owns her. Does he? Are they more than what they say they are?
"Leave!" Zero shouted at the noble vampire who looked at Selene for confirmation if she wanted to be left alone with Zero.
Selene's anger awakened at the sight of Zero threatening Shiki.
"No, your leave, Zero!" Selene said.
"He leaves horizontally or vertically..." He continued to threaten and as soon as Selene realized what that means, she nodded at Shiki who left against his will. She was about to speak up again when she felt she was lifted from the ground.
Zero carried her over deeper in the forest.
"Put me down!" She tried to wrestle her way off of him but he's just stronger. Zero put her down as fast as she was lifted and she fought to balance her feet on the ground. But just as she was able to regain her witt, Zero's arms were suddenly around her middle section and he hugged her tightly. He's on his knees!
"He came to me so weak..." Zero started saying that stopped Selene from speaking. He's talking about Ichiru! "He was wounded... He knew about the curse." Zero stopped for a while and struggled to continue. "He was dying. He wanted me to fulfil the prophecy..." He pulled away to look at her in the eyes. "He asked me to take the last of his life." His lavender orbs are back, pleading... asking her to believe him. As she stared further, she can see clearly the Zero she thought has already slipped through her finger. The pain is there, and why else would it be there if he intentionally killed his own brother for power?
There was fear, regret, anxiety and some other emotions in his eyes as he waits for her reaction or response.
She needs to know about Rido Kuran... about what really happened. She needs to get the information not from Zero, not from Yuuki... not even from Kaname. Should be from people that are indirectly involved so she won't get any biased story. But who will it be?
For now she must give Zero the benefit of the doubt. He wants her to believe him. That he did not kill Ichiru. He was saying it was his dying brother who asked him to... what did he do? Drink his blood?
Selene closed her eyes, it's still painful to imagine.
"I was turning..." Zero uttered, his face on the ground. She can only see his head. "I was becoming the monster all Level Es are expected to become. Shizuka Hio died even before I got to her..." She saw him clenching his fists. Wow, Zero's talking and sharing. "I was ready to give-in to the monster in here." Zero started shaking, he pointed his chest. "Even to this point, I can't control it. But Ichiru wants me strong, he wanted me to be the hunter I've always wanted to be. The strongest."
Selene's tears coursed through her cheeks. "Zero..."
He continued, "It's the only reason I'm still alive. I want to be a hunter until such day I could no longer suppress the monster in me. I want to fight vampires as if they're all Shizuka. For mom, dad, Ichiru and you."
She could remember how dedicated Zero is on his training before. How much he wanted to be just like his parents.
Zero raised his head once more. "But you came back." He said expectantly. "You made me 'want' to live again."
That's it. Hearing that made Selene guilty of even doubting the boy. She knelt in front of him and placed her hands on his cheeks and the boy leaned on to her touch.
"I believe you, I'm sorry." She whispered. How can she be so cruel to him? Doubting him when he already had gone through so many. She's the only one he's got now... "I'm so sorry, Z." She murmured as she pulls the hunter closer and enveloped him in her embrace.
They stayed like that, in each others arms, until her own sobbing has died down. Zero's face is stuck on the crook of her neck, she felt his breathing starting to go back to normal.
"My knees are painful." She whispered.
Zero stood immediately, making her stand with him and then he knelt again to massage her knees, making her feel even worse. How could she have doubted this boy? He's never done anything to hurt her. "I'm good, stand up." She told him.
As soon as Zero stood, she reached for his shirt and pulled him to her, placing her arms on his shoulder and her hands at the back of his head making him lean down on her. She pressed her lips on the silver-haired hunter's mouth. Making him feel how sorry she is through this.
0-0
Shiki breathed out the tension inside him and shook his head at the sight of Selene kissing the hunter.
Who are they fooling? Their feelings for each other is beyond friendship because Selene never treat him; not even look at him or anyone else for that matter, the way she does with Zero Kiryuu.
'Lucky bastard.'
He turned to go back to the gymnasium when he saw Kaname walking towards him.
"Ichijou told me." He said, his eyes searching for something or someone behind him. "Did you see her?"
Curious of the pureblood's reaction and for his own amusement, he nodded. "She's fine, Kiryuu is with her." He eyed Selene and Zero's location from where he is, willing the pureblood to follow his sight. And he did.
He saw the pureblood's lips pressed to a thin line, his fists tightly clenched.
Shiki felt his head as it started to ache. He's seen him like this before. Twice actually. Towards the hooded-girl and her mate and whenever Yuuki was with Zero before.
"If she finds out about the past... she'll choose the hunter and that would mean we'll be the bad guys." Shiki uttered.
He felt the ground shake a little. Some unseen force radiating from the angry pureblood.
"She can't know about it." Kaname breathed.
"What?" Shiki asked. "That's impossible. Now that she knows about the 'curse of the twins', she'll want to dig into what happened years ago. How you manipulated Kiryuu's fate like he's a lifeless 'Knight' in your little chess board to do as you will, to protect your 'Queen'." He's feeling so brave right now. He's not taking sides but he definitely disagrees with his game. He won't just sit and watch him hurt the first girl who appreciated and accepted him for who he is.
Kaname's eyes glowed blood red. "The Kuran blood is in your veins. Protecting those who share the same bloodline as yours is a responsibility that knows no bounds, no rules, no laws... not even any unnecessary fucking feelings!" Kaname seethed.
"And what's Selene going to be in your board when there's supposed to be only one 'Queen'?" There goes the million-dollar question. And he knows he's in trouble with his big mouth.
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a/n: thanks for reading!