ii.
chapter two - life can be such overdose
At a year old, Kaname proved to be a very fast learner. He was already walking around with ease, leaving everyone to wonder if this was the sign of a genius or just good pureblood genes. Shiori was aware that Kaname's past memories had yet to awaken (what with how childlike and innocent the air around him was), so they obviously weren't influencing his fast progress.
Shiori also showed signs of a bright mind, though that was something she did unconsciously— and without trying to. In fact, all her foreknowledge was practically going to waste at the moment...considering how lazy she was. Whatever plans or ambitions she had for the future were apparently on hold, because Shiori would much rather laze around and take naps than put her free time to good use.
"Come here, Shiori~!" Juri called to her daughter from across the room. Beside her was Haruka and Kaname, both watching as the woman attempted to get Shiori to walk towards them. The young brunette didn't seem to be paying Juri any mind, looking more interested in burrowing within the pile of blankets she had gathered.
"We're waiting for you, Shiori-chan." Haruka was much more quiet when it came to encouraging her. Instead of cheering loudly like his wife, the male vampire would spare a few words and shoot Shiori a proud, but expectant, smile. It usually did wonders, but today Shiori was feeling lazier than usual.
Then there was Kaname, who was excitedly clapping his hands together.
'Resistance is futile, I guess.' Shiori sighed at the sight of her cute ancestor before slowly sitting herself up. At the movement, the room suddenly got quiet, and Shiori almost started laughing at how focused her parents looked. They were watching her curiously, eager to see what she would do next. When the small brunette stood up on shaky legs, Juri gasped and gripped onto Haruka's arm.
"Oh~ Look! She's standing up on her own~!"
"I see, love. I see." Haruka said with a breathy laugh, an affectionate look on his face as he calmly removed Juri's hand from his arm. The woman had begun to shake him, jolting his body from side to side.
Shiori began to move toward them, moving one foot in front of the other. Initially, she had thought that something like walking would be easy, but it was actually a bit complicated with her weak baby body. That was part of the reason she hadn't begun to walk yet… She didn't want to make a fool out of herself by accidentally falling on her face. It'd be a lie to say that Shiori hadn't tried even once to start walking on her own. She had been practicing her basic skills on her own for a while now; she just didn't want to present that fact just yet.
"You're almost there, Shiori-chan." Haruka spoke, already holding out his arms for Shiori to walk into. A faint gurgle left the young girl's mouth as she neared her father, holding her own arms out to meet him halfway. Before she could do so however, her feet slipped on the hardwood flooring, causing her to fall backwards. Something akin to a shrill escaped her mouth as her body descended to the floor.
Haruka was quick to scoop her up, preventing her from bumping her head. He held her tight before pulling away and sitting her back down, "Good job!"
Juri was quick to take her husband's place, wrapping her arms around Shiori and pressing their cheeks together. "My adorable daughter! You did so well~!" For a moment, Shiori had wanted to sigh in exasperation, but then Kaname swooped in and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek in congratulations.
'There's no helping it, I suppose…'
Shiori was three now and her lazy demeanor had yet to change. She was still as carefree and calm as ever, yet, she was more studious than before. Shiori openly participated in her assigned lessons without too much trouble, and though it seemed like she gave zero percent effort… her grades were always very high. Too bad that couldn't be said for all of her classes.
Shiori curled into a ball beneath her brother's bed, keeping quiet as she waited for the inevitable. This happened whenever music lessons were to be held; Shiori would run off and hide, only for Kaname to drag her to them in the end.
Honestly, it wasn't her fault that her ears were so sensitive. She wasn't used to having heightened senses just yet, so being surrounded by all of those loud instruments gave her a headache. Shiori wasn't a fan of pain, so of course she tried to escape the lessons as much as possible. She had yet to succeed even once however… Kaname just seemed to have a knack for finding her.
Liquorice and cinnamon invaded her senses and Shiori knew her time was up. Releasing a sigh, she waited for Kaname to approach her hiding spot. He did so rather quickly, kneeling beside his bed and lifting up the blankets so that he could see underneath it.
"Shi-chan…"
Kaname peered beneath his bed, his reddish-brown eyes zeroing in on Shiori immediately. A small smile fluttered across his features before he decided to crawl under there with her. Shiori scooted over slightly to make room for him, not that it really mattered, as he clung to her side as soon as he was able.
"You should hurry and attend the music lesson," Kaname spoke to Shiori softly, placing his face into the crook of her neck. "It'd be best to just get it over with."
Shiori merely replied with a grunt, curling into herself even more. She would try and resist as much as she could, even if Kaname usually got his way in the end.
"C'mon…" The male pureblood began to whine, "I'll let you nap afterwards so that your headache will go away. I promise to make sure no one disturbs you."
At that, Shiori pulled away from Kaname's grip so that she could face him. A blank expression was on her face, but her eyes were shining. "...You promise?"
Kaname grinned, taking a hold of Shiori's hand so that he could link their pinkies together. "Of course!"
"...Okay. You win."
"I know~" Kaname hummed, beginning to crawl out from under the bed. Shiori was right behind him, already suppressing a yawn. Her brother laughed and took a hold of her hand, "Let's go then. We're already late because of you."
"...Mhm…" Shiori quietly replied, not caring in the least.
Four years into her new life, and Shiori was unsure what the future would bring. Though her only memories consisted of this series, she would occasionally forget them, despite how crucial knowing they are. She blamed herself for that, but at the same time she couldn't be bothered to mope about the loss either.
Losing Kaname (the real Kaname, not his replacement — but she loved them both nevertheless), was supposed to have made her more motivated to change the future and put her foreknowledge to use. Instead, it just made her entirely unmotivated to do anything… as well as sigh a lot. Trauma could do a lot to someone, and sometimes the results of it were very… odd and didn't make sense; Shiori would make the perfect example.
Moving on, this didn't mean that Shiori didn't often think and plan on what might happen or what she could do to change something. She also tried her best to note what kind of aftereffects changing the future would have, but even then, her brain could only stretch so far before Shiori would tire herself out.
All of this led Shiori to one troubling thought: 'What did my birth change?'
In the series, it was common knowledge that Juri and Haruka had raised two children. Kaname was one, while the other was Yuki. Did Shiori's presence mean that Yuki wouldn't be born? If Yuki had only been born so that the Kuran bloodline could continue then… most likely. However, if Yuki coming into the world was only a pleasant surprise… Shiori's head began to throb— this was all too complicated. Either way, it had yet to be seen if Yuki would be born in this universe.
If Yuki was born then Juri and Haruka's fate was most certainly sealed unless Shiori and Kaname could find a way to get extra strong by the time Rido decided to return. This would also mean a lot of complications in the future, including an annoying love triangle and a lot of other tiring drama. Shiori would be content to stay in the shadows during that timeline, not really seeing much she would need to change. The only thing that really jumped out at her was preventing Kaname's death; she'd throw her own heart in the furnace without any problems to avoid that outcome. It wasn't like she belonged in this world, and Kaname would have Yuki so it wouldn't be much of a loss.
Depressing as it was, Shiori was an expert at underestimating her worth to people.
If Yuki wasn't born then the future would be a huge mystery and Shiori's foreknowledge would become useless. She would probably be expected to become Kaname's fiancé too, and while that didn't bother her too much since it was hard to see him as an actual family member due to her reincarnation— a part of her would inwardly say that that would technically be incest, and wasn't that something frowned upon in her previous life? She couldn't be sure as she couldn't remember much of it, but still, the doubt and awkwardness of it all would be there.
In the end, Shiori couldn't answer the question she had asked herself, but that didn't mean she had given up on it completely.
xxx
"Okaa-sama, Otou-sama." Shiori gathers the attention of her father and mother, making them cease their conversation on what was most likely politics… Nothing Shiori had interest in. Kaname sat across from them, his nose in a book that would be beneficial in his future history lessons.
Juri gave her daughter a kind smile, "Yes, Shiori-chan?"
"Am I going to have someone to love like you two do?"
The question caught the elder purebloods off guard; Juri's jaw dropping while Haruka's eyes widened slightly. Kaname had even looked up from his book, suddenly looking very curious about their conversation. The room was completely silent for a few seconds before Juri laughed softly. She shared a knowing look with Haruka before returning her gaze to Shiori.
"Yes, I believe you will. We do not know what the future brings but…" The woman trailed off and glanced at Kaname. "If all goes well then you will find the love that your Otou-sama and I share with someone close to you. Just like we were lucky enough to do."
Shiori nodded with an absent 'oh' before turning to her spot at Kaname's side. He was watching her, his face looking at the book in his lap while his eyes followed her every move. A small elated smile was on his face, but Shiori chose to pretend that she hadn't noticed it.
The unsaid 'if all goes well then you will marry Kaname' was apparent enough to the brunette, but she had chosen to be ignorant of that fact, despite how obvious it was to everyone else in the room. Shiori wasn't about to confirm their hopes when she wasn't sure exactly how she felt about that outcome just yet.
With a tired sigh, Shiori leaned against Kaname and prepared to take a nap, but was interrupted by Juri. "You know… We did not expect to have both of you." She and Haruka were holding hands now, and in a position similar to the one that Kaname and Shiori were in. "We had been expecting a boy, but not twins. It's almost as if you were born to be together."
Kaname shifted at this, not looking to be upset at their mother's words. If anything, he looked concerned as to what Shiori thought of this information. Her expression had yet to change, but she still remained unsure of her opinion on the topic. It took a moment, but she managed to hide her uncertainty with a rare smile.
Wrapping her arms around her twin in a hug, Shiori used her supposed childish innocence to her advantage, "Kaname is the one who understands me the most! I love him very much, and I know that he loves me too. If we were born to be together, then that wouldn't be so bad."
Haruka and Juri looked amused at the reply, probably thinking that the 'love' Shiori was referring to was much different than the one that they were talking about. Kaname seemed to relax a little at Shiori's answer, and returned her hug with a smile.
Inwardly, Shiori was groaning loudly. 'Didn't Kaname tell Yuki that she was born to be his wife?'
Troublesome.
Shiori once again found herself beneath Kaname's bed, hiding away from what would be the start of a new lesson. She and Kaname were to begin dance lessons this afternoon, but the young brunette was already dreading it. It's not that she doesn't like to dance (quite the opposite actually) or that the noise would bother her (this music wasn't nearly as loud as the kind they created during their lessons)... She was actually just nervous about having to dance with someone else, since she's so used to being solo.
Inwardly she scolded herself for acting so immature, but after posing as a child for so long, it really isn't hard to develop a somewhat childish mindset. It helped her seem more normal and to blend in, so Shiori wouldn't complain often, unless it caused her to react stupidly to something.
A sense of déjà vu overwhelmed her when the smell liquorice and cinnamon reached her nose, followed shortly by the sound of footsteps approaching her hiding spot. Once again, Kaname knelt down beside his bed so that he could look under it. He didn't hesitate to crawl beneath it this time, having gotten used to his sister's antics.
"Shi-chan," Kaname broke the silence as he stared at the girl beside him, a soft look on his face. Shiori laid on her stomach, being sure to keep her face in her arms to avoid having to look at her brother. When she merely grunted in response, Kaname scooted closer to poke her cheek. "Why are you hiding? I thought you liked to dance?"
An amused smile crossed his face as he continued, "I would know. I've seen you dance a countless amount of times when we're alone. Are you nervous about dancing in front of the instructor?" Shiori shook her head. "Hm, are you worried about the noise? You can just wear those ear muffs Okaa-sama bought for you."
Shiori grunted once again, leaving Kaname to furrow his eyebrows. He was confused about why exactly she didn't want to attend the lesson. Silence grew between them as Shiori continued to sulk and Kaname got lost in thought.
After a few minutes of absently toying with Shiori's hair, Kaname finally spoke again, sure that he had this all figured out. "Are you nervous about… having to dance with a partner?"
Shiori finally nodded, sighing as she rolled over onto her back. Her garnet eyes blinking lazily up at Kaname. A smile was back on said boy's face, slightly irking her because she wasn't sure if it was a smile of affection or amusement.
"What?" Shiori huffed.
Kaname shrugged, serene look still present. "Nothing…" His hand found it's way into Shiori's hair again as he brushed it out of her face. Reflexively, her eyes closed at the action, leaving Kaname to unabashedly stare at her face for a few solid moments before she opened them again. "Shi-chan, if you decide to attend the dance lessons— you know you'll get to dance with me, right?"
That had never crossed her mind.
"You think so…?" Shiori blinked up at him, unsure if she should trust this four-year-old or not. "I was under the impression that we'd be dancing with instructor."
"Possible, but wouldn't it make more sense for us to dance with someone closer to our size?"
Shiori's nose scrunched up as she glared half-heartedly at the other pureblood, "You're taller than me."
"I'm close enough though," Kaname laughed.
Eventually Shiori gave in with a sigh, relenting to her brother's logic and allowing him to lead her out from under the bed. If she had to dance with anyone, she would prefer it to be Kaname than some stranger.
As they walked to the room where their lessons were to be held, Kaname took a hold of Shiori's hand and grinned down at her. "Are you excited to dance with me, Shi-chan?"
Clicking her tongue, Shiori kept her gaze forward. "...I"m excited to dance; that's all."
She had denied it, but Kaname knew better— he could never miss the small smile on her face, or the red that dusted her cheeks. They were things that no one else would probably notice unless they actually studied her, but Kaname could spot them instantly. He prided himself in knowing Shiori the most, and hoped that it would always remain that way.
As it turns out, Shiori and Kaname hadn't been taking dance lessons just for the hell of it. Juri and Haruka were preparing them for the many balls and events they'd have to attend in the future. As purebloods, it was only natural that they became perfect at everything (in the eyes of others anyway).
Several months and multiple dance lessons later, the Kuran twins were told that a ball was going to be held by the Aidō family. Normally, Shiori and Kaname weren't expected to attend such events… However, now they were the perfect age to be presented to the vampire community.
Shiori wasn't too excited for the ball, not really ready to be smothered by a bunch of political strangers… She would probably be expected to interact with other vampires close to her age and even —she shuddered— dance with them. If she were lucky, Kaname would be stuck to her side, possibly unnerving the children who'd want to dance (or had been told by their parents to at least ask).
Kaname on the other hand, took to social events like a fish to water. He didn't seem overly eager to attend the ball, but he didn't seem grumpy like Shiori did either.
On the day of the ball, Shiori and Kaname were dressed elegantly from head to toe. Despite being so young, it was important for them to leave a lasting impression upon the other vampires… and it had better be a good one. If they revealed any weaknesses, they'd surely be eaten alive.
Being apart of this ball was not only a means to introduce them to the world outside their home, but a test as well. Would they survive in this world? Shiori had faith that Kaname would for sure, and as for herself? Of course. Her supposed indifference to everything would assist her greatly here. Even if she was underestimated for it in the future, the brunette would just use that to her advantage. These older vampires could grow rather cocky and arrogant with their age, thinking themselves so much wiser and better than those younger than themselves.
Either way, Shiori would have to learn to play nice with these people. Mostly for her family's sake if nothing else… She wouldn't care much for what they'd try to throw at her; as long as she could protect everyone else.
Juri and Haruka made sure that they all arrived at the Aidō residence before the ball officially started, wanting to chat with one Nagamichi Aidō while they were still able. Once the ball started, they'd be a bit too busy interacting with the other imposing figures present. As Shiori quickly realized though, this wasn't the only reason…
"Your father and I will be off to talk to Aidō-san for a bit, so why don't you two go and meet the other children that are here!" Juri began pushing the twins towards the maid who had offered to escort them away. "They should be around your age so don't worry too much, okay? Shiori, don't be rude and Kaname, keep an eye on your sister."
Before they could even reply, the maid was leading them out of the room. Kaname was quick to follow her, while Shiori dragged her feet— still comprehending what her mother had said.
Haruka shot them a parting smile, "Have fun, you two."
Shiori and Kaname were led to a room near the back of the large residence. The maid stopped outside the door, explaining that the children were inside before she excused herself to return to her duties. The twins exchanged a look, Shiori appearing unsure while Kaname exuded confidence. "Don't worry, I'm here." Kaname whispered before opening the large double doors.
Three heads were quick to look at the opened doors, eyeing the ones that had interrupted them. The one to react was a boy with golden-blond hair and electric blue eyes, none other than Hanabusa Aidō himself. The boy had risen quickly from his spot on the sofa, a scowl on his face as he stared down Kaname and Shiori. "Who are you?"
The second boy present sighed, rising from the sofa as well. His hair was a brown-tinted orange, messy in a way that seemed almost natural. Akatsuki Kain's burnt-orange eyes looked tired as he tried to calm his cousin. "Hanabusa… Honestly, could you be less hostile?"
"Show a little respect to your guests!" Ruka Sōuen scolded, much harsher than Akatsuki had. Shiori absently mused that she looked exactly like she had within the series (albeit with a baby face currently); her hair long and toffee colored, and her eyes a rich brown. The young aristocrat's gaze belatedly met Kaname's before she quickly looked away, red in the face.
"I apologize," Kaname spoke up with a calm smile, "Did we interrupt? Perhaps I should have knocked…?"
Hanabusa clicked his tongue, rolling his eyes as he stepped forward. "You think? Just tell us who you are already." His eyes idly observed the attire of the two purebloods. "Are you here for the ball?"
Shiori resisted the urge to roll her eyes because obviously that was why they were here. Instead she continued to watch the situation unfold, her expression as blank as it was when they arrived. It was Kaname that did all the talking, his polite smile still in place as he nodded. "I'm Kaname Kuran— and this is my sister, Shiori Kuran."
The three cousins were struck silent, jaws dropped as they exchanged nervous looks. Ruka broke the silence, "K-Kuran…? As in—"
"Yes." Kaname interrupted, "Juri and Haruka Kuran are our parents. I'm sure you know of them."
Know of them? The three had basically been taught to worship the ground these purebloods walked on, and here their offspring were, greeting them as casually as could be. Hanabusa was ready to crawl into a hole and die… but at the same time he wondered what was so great about these purebloods: the twins specifically.
"Nice to meet you…" Akatsuki cleared his throat, "I'm Akatsuki Kain— these are my cousins: Hanabusa Aidō and Ruka Sōuen." He gestured to each vampire respectively.
"It- It truly is an honor…!" Ruka bowed her head.
"It's nice to meet you three as well." Was Kaname's reply. Shiori side eyed him, a frown on her face. She was sure that her brother's jaw had to be hurting by now… smiling that much and for so long. "So, what were you doing before we arrived?"
"Ah! We were discussing who we thought might be attending! It's funny, because we were sure that your family wouldn't be present and yet… here you are." Ruka laughed bashfully.
Hanabusa sighed heavily, plopping back down onto the sofa. Akatsuki rolled his eyes at his cousin's dramatics, but sat down beside him nevertheless. Ruka was quick to offer the two Kurans a place on the sofa across from the one her cousins were sitting on.
Shiori was sat directly across from Hanabusa, who seemed to be glaring a hole into her brother's head. She watched him, not bothering to hide the fact that she was staring. Kaname continued to keep conversation with Ruka, while Akatsuki seemed just fine to listen.
"Stop staring at me." Hanabusa hissed after a while of feeling Shiori's gaze on him. Kaname and Ruka's chat halted, their attention turning to the blond and other brunette in the room. Shiori's lips twitched, revealing her amusement. This only made Hanabusa narrow his eyes in irritation, however. "What's so funny!?"
For the first time since arriving, Shiori finally spoke, her blank expression falling to reveal just how amused she was feeling. Reddish-brown eyes seemed to glint as her lips parted, "Tsundere."
"WHA—T!?" Hanabusa practically squawked, just as surprised as everyone else in the room by Shiori's reply. "T-That's— Who says that!?"
Ruka burst into a fit of giggles, placing a hand over her lips. Akatsuki also looked to be trying to muffle a chuckle into his fist. Kaname looked amused as well, his lips tilting up as he gazed at Shiori fondly.
Just then, the door to the room was once again opened— albeit much more roughly than before. In ran two young girls with blonde hair and warm brown eyes. Both of them looked to be older than the children already present in the room, but not in the least more mature.
"K-Kuran-sama!" The girls exclaimed, bowing to Kaname and Shiori. "We heard you were here and wanted to meet you!"
"S-Sumire! Erika!" Hanabusa shot up, his face still red from Shiori's comment. Akatsuki tugged the blond's shirt, forcing him back down into the sofa.
"These must be your elder sisters," Kaname spoke as he stood to approach them. Shiori remained where she was sitting, watching the two newcomers with little interest and more disdain. Their voices were much too shrill for her liking. "It's nice to meet you…"
Once again Kaname was caught up in conversing; the two girls fawning over him shamelessly as if he were a celebrity. Shiori could careless, but Ruka on the other hand looked very displeased with the lack of respect that the two Aidō sisters were displaying.
Not in the mood to watch a spat play out, Shiori tried to gain the toffee-haired girl's attention. "What can you do?"
"Wha- Huh?" Came Ruka's confused reply. Nevertheless, her attention was successfully caught.
"Kaname and I have to take a lot of lessons… I assume you have to do the same? Is there anything you're good at?" Shiori paused, tilting her head slightly, "...Maybe something you like to do?"
Ruka's eyes widened before a small gasp left her. Her hands grasped Shiori's cheeks, making the brunette stiffen. "Ah—! You're really adorable, Shiori-hime~!"
This… was not an answer to Shiori's question, but it would do. Taken aback, the pureblood stumbled with her words slightly. "A-Am I…?" Her own hands wrapped around Ruka's wrists, gently prying them away from her face.
Hanabusa snorted, his cheek resting on his fist as he watched the interaction. He'd rather focus on something else than watch his two sisters make a fool of themselves… it was too embarrassing, and only made to add on to the growing hatred he was starting to harbor for one Kaname Kuran.
Ruka nodded her head, bashfully holding her hands to her chest. "Yes, but— To answer your question… I'm really good at sewing. Okaa-sama taught me how to do it recently, but I'm only getting a knack for it now. What about you?"
Dancing, of course. Those words went unsaid, however, as Shiori silently turned her head to stare at the wall. If she said that then the other girl would probably want to dance later once the ball started… or maybe watch Shiori dance? Either way it meant setting up an expectation that Shiori had no interest in meeting… or fail to meet (which was what she was most afraid of). "I—"
"Shiori-chan is very good at dancing. She loves it actually." Kaname returned to the sofa, Sumire and Erika nowhere in sight. Shiori noticeably cringed at her brother's words, glaring at him. He only laughed, shrugging in return, "It's the truth."
Ruka's eyes seemed to sparkle with newfound respect for the other girl, "Really? That's amazing, I hope I'll get the chance to see you dance!" Shiori merely nodded, looking away once again.
Kaname shook his head at her silence, a small smile on his face as he placed his hand over hers. Looking to Ruka he offered a small nod of assurance, "I'm sure that you will; we'll be dancing together after all."
"P-Please save me a dance, too, Kaname-sama…" Ruka requested lightly, only to be met with a stubborn shake of Kaname's head.
"Maybe at the next ball, but not this once… Since it's our first time attending a ball, I don't feel comfortable leaving Shiori-chan alone…" He trailed off, his eyes glued to Shiori. Much to his delight, her face flushed slightly. The red on her cheeks was barely noticeable but still there nonetheless.
"O-Oh…"
A knock on the door sounded before a maid spoke through it, "Excuse me, but the ball should be starting soon. Your parents have told me to escort you to the ball room."
The five children slipped off of the sofas and retreated from the room. Shiori sighed quietly to herself, keeping in pace beside Kaname. Hanabusa led the group, while Akatsuki and Ruka walked beside each other as well.
Shiori could hear the ballroom before they actually arrived to it, the music loud and not pleasing at all to Shiori's sensitive ears. Gritting her teeth, she frowned openly in distaste, resisting the urge to go and hide.
This was going to be pleasant.
According to their parents, Kaname and Shiori got along well with the three cousins they had met during the Aidō family's ball. They weren't completely wrong, but some corrections could be made. Kaname and Shiori certainly didn't have a problem with Hanabusa, Ruka, or Akatsuki. Could the same be said for them, however? Well…
Akatsuki Kain was indifferent to the Kuran twins. He found Kaname to be polite, and Shiori to be… odd. Either way, he was civil and kind to them, not showing any ill feelings or disrespect towards the purebloods. Out of the two of them? Akatsuki would definitely rather spend his time around Shiori. The girl was quiet, but obviously smarter than she let on. He noticed that she had a knack for observing and analyzing things; Akatsuki felt that they were the same in that aspect at least.
Ruka Sōuen was probably the only one out of the three cousins that could truly and fully get along with Kaname and Shiori. A blossoming crush for the eldest twin was already present, the young girl find him to be very cute. Ruka respected both of the twins, but not equally. Her opinion of Kaname was higher than the one she held for Shiori.
Though she looked at Kaname as a superior, she saw Shiori as an equal— as a friend. The young brunette was simply just too adorable and pure in her eyes. If Ruka was perhaps older and less naive, she'd realize that Shiori would possibly be the one to take away her beloved Kaname one day. Things like marriage and love weren't on her mind just yet however, so her feelings towards Shiori remained uncorrupted by bitter feelings and jealousy.
Hanabusa Aidō's feelings were the most complex. Stubborn in nature and more than a little uptight, it was hard to tell his true feelings by just a single glance. Shiori had called it right: Hanabusa was definitely a tsundere. The blond could berate and scoff at every little thing that the Kuran twins did, but it would not change the way his eyes always seemed to follow after them when they were around.
At first, Hanabusa kept his attention on Kaname— criticizing the pureblood and mocking him under his breath. He just couldn't understand why everyone seemed to flock to him and praise him like they did. Whenever he remembered how his sisters practically threw themselves at the boy, he would gag. Then… Then he'd take a minute to watch how easily Kaname fit into the stifling environment that was vampire politics. The boy was so young, but so elegant and talented. In short, Kaname could only be described as "the perfect child".
Yes, there was Kaname and then there was Shiori. Hanabusa's first impression of her was quiet, shy, and in her brother's shadow. He was wrong on all accounts of course, but for some reason, he wasn't too upset about that. Shiori was quiet, but mainly because she didn't quite like talking. She was not shy, and instead was quick to reveal how snarky she could be when provoked. Shiori was not in her brother's shadow, and if someone were to tell her as much she'd say she was using it for shade. Shiori unknowingly emitted her own light, shining brightly in many things— much like Kaname did. The twins were similar, but not exactly the same.
Once Hanabusa had realized that, he really began to look at them. His bright young mind easily differentiated the two twins… He discovered the various quirks and traits they both held and slowly, along the way, his attention began shifting from bright, young Kaname Kuran to one beautiful and captivating Shiori Kuran. Hanabusa hadn't realized that he was more focused on getting to know Shiori at first. He didn't realize that he talked about her most to Akatsuki and Ruka, or that he gravitated towards her whenever they were all forced together for a "playdate".
Or maybe he did notice, but that tsundere part inside of him kept trying to ignore it.
Though, if someone were to ask him— out of the two twins, who he respected the most— his answer would be honest. Hanabusa would say 'Shiori-hime' without a doubt or any sign of hesitance. A beat would pass and he'd become a flustered mess of course, but the truth would have been spoken all the same.
Hanabusa may have thought that his feelings towards the two twins appeared ambiguous at best on the outside… he'd be wrong about that as well. See, while Hanabusa was examining these two new people that had entered his life, he himself was being watched and observed. Akatsuki and Kaname were very perceptive to the blond's actions, and it wasn't too hard to put the pieces together after that.
Something within Kaname was stirring…
xxx
Much to Shiori's surprise, despite how fast vampire children developed or how smart they all seemed to be, childish games were not beneath them. It took a playdate at Ruka's house for her to figure this out.
The group of children were outside, enjoying the large and beautifully decorated backyard that was outside the Sōuen residence. "Let's play Hide 'n Seek!" Ruka proposed, an excited grin on her face.
"Hide and Seek…?" Kain echoed, "Will our esteemed guests really be okay—"
"It sounds fun to me," Kaname interrupted with a smile. He was familiar with the game, comparing it to how he had to find Shiori frequently and drag her to their lessons. Ruka cheered while Hanabusa huffed at her antics. Just as the girl was going to explain how they'd decide who was it, Kaname continued, "Shiori will stay with me though." As if to punctuate his statement, his hand grasped onto his sister's.
Hanabusa was the first to protest, his hands clenching into fists as he threw a mini-tantrum. "That's not fair! There isn't enough of us to break up into teams!"
Shiori squeezed Kaname's hand before pulling away from his grip. She understood that to Kaname, it was only natural that they did everything together, but sometimes she'd have to put her foot down— otherwise Kaname wouldn't have room to develop friendships with other people. "Hana-chan's right; we should separate for this."
Hanabusa's cry of "Hana-chan!?" went ignored as Kaname's smile tightened. To anyone else, Kaname looked completely fine. Shiori knew better: that smile was Kaname's own polite version of a frown.
"Really?" The brunet said, voice eerily calm. "I see."
Ruka swallowed nervously, a concerned frown on her face as she watched Kaname. "W-Well, I can sit out for this game… We need someone to be the referee anyway! I-I'll definitely see if you cheat, Aidō, so don't even try it!"
"Why are you telling me that!?" The blond angrily retorted.
"Hanabusa, calm down…" Akatsuki sighed, "So, Kaname-sama and Shiori-sama are on a team— while Hanabusa and I are on one, right?" Shiori answered with an exasperated sigh and a nod while Kaname took her hand again.
"Let's get started then," Ruka said with a smile. "To decide who's it and who hides first we'll…"
The children began to converse over how to decide everyone's roles. All the while, Shiori's mind stayed on the tight grip Kaname had on her hand. It wasn't enough to make her uncomfortable, but… the action had been quite possessive, and it worried her.
'Just another thing for me to keep an eye on…' Shiori inwardly sighed.
Lessons began to take up a lot of Shiori and Kaname's life. Playdates with Hanabusa, Ruka, and Akatsuki became less frequent but they still happened every now and then. Sometimes they'd be lucky enough to meet when their parents needed to get together for one thing or another.
Shiori and Kaname's time together during lessons was cut in half due to their parents wanting to teach them in certain subjects separately. Shiori was unsure of what Kaname was being taught by Haruka, but Juri had been schooling her on things such as etiquette, sewing, and even a little bit of cooking. The cooking was a mistake however— apparently, Juri was terrible at it.
Shiori seemed to be a natural though, taking to the skill almost instinctively. Absently she wondered if she did anything related to cooking in her previous life… It would certainly explain how she knew how to make a cake without even having to glance at the recipe. While that was left a mystery, Shiori did figure out that she really loved white chocolate and cranberries.
Besides those menial skills, Juri was also sure to teach Shiori a little bit in self-defense. Shiori could only accomplish so much in her tiny body, but Juri made sure she did the best she could.
"The least we can do is help prepare your body for future lessons," The woman had said as she assisted her daughter in touching her toes. Shiori inwardly groaned, seeing gymnastics getting added to her ever growing schedule in the future.
When it neared bedtime, Shiori would find herself with Haruka in the library. Sometimes Kaname would be there too, but more often than not, her father would be alone as he silently read a book. Shiori had taken to climbing up into his lap and reading with him until she eventually fell asleep. It was a soothing experience— being in her father's arms. It made her feel protected and safe, no worries or stress came from being in Haruka's arms.
In Haruka's grasp, Shiori was free from all her fears for the future. All the same, however, Haruka's grasp could not prevent what was certainly to come. So one night while she absently listened to her father read aloud from the book in his hands, Shiori's mind began to drift and a terrible thought hit her.
'What if this reality is not the one I remember?'
author's note: shiori's last thought is definitely foreboding. it could have many meanings, so i wonder what kind of theories you guys will come up with aha. also in case you're confused, shiori is four by the end of the chapter.
beta'd by the amazing fortheloveofb as per usual!
story rec: "to justice we pledge" by the eternal scribe
