It was Saturday again, Miu had just left and Akane was walking back to The Sun Dorms with Kimiko in comfortable silence. Many thoughts swirled in Akane's mind about whether her weekly visitor would again, be absent. The girls talked amicably during their study session Kimiko had organised to work on all the extra work Akane had, as well as the regular homework and studying they had to do.
Akane understood Kimiko was trying to keep her occupied so she wouldn't be left alone to ponder and possibly, fall into her schoolwork again. She was grateful, but they were somewhat relieved when lunch came to give a natural break to their studying.
They ate together with some of Kimiko's other friends then the girls parted ways. Akane spent the rest of the early afternoon outside, staring up at the clouds in the sky, taking Kimiko's hint to keep herself away from the schoolwork that still sat half-finished in her dorm. Instead, she wondered about what she would do if Aido didn't show again tonight, whether there was something she could do to get him to turn up.
That's a dumb idea, Akane, she scolded as a thought formed. But after some deliberation, she knew she had no other way to subtly get his attention. He always seemed to be in pain when he was around her for too long, due to his thirst. It should only be a few minutes. If I'm near for long enough, it could work.
It was nearly 5:30 p.m. The Day Class were all beginning to head back to their dorms for supper, so, Akane was confident she wouldn't be caught up in too many of the stragglers. She walked confidently, trying not to draw attention to herself from the students she passed as she headed in the direction of The Moon Dorms. Please let Headmaster Cross start his patrol on the other side of campus tonight.
Kain rubbed his face in exasperation. Aido had been almost impossible for the last two weeks. If it wasn't Cross's daughter or Kiryu ticking him off, it was something small making him flip. Yesterday, he'd shouted at a maid for a good ten minutes about the proper way he liked his sheets folded! It literally took the Dorm President slapping him and calling him an idiot to snap him out of it. Today, he was complaining about something just as ridiculous, the taste in the blood tablets.
"There is no taste Hanabusa," Kain droned as he sat up drowsily from his bed to glare at his annoyed and frustrating cousin.
"Exactly! Why should we be forced to drink this when they can eat and drink what they like?" For the love of…!
"Hanabusa, did you have to wake me up at four in the afternoon for this shit? You didn't shut up until nearly eleven o'clock this morning!" Aido ignored his cousin and continued to grumble petulantly to himself.
He couldn't help getting riled up at the smallest of things lately, and it was all because of that stupid Human girl, and her stupidly alluring scent! He'd craved that smell so much that even blood tablets hadn't been enough to take the burn of his thirst away for long. Frustrated, he tossed his tablet box onto his bedside table and ran his fingers roughly through his hair, pulling at the strands as he scraped his fingernails over his scalp. Kain sighed, turning away from his cousin and snuggling back into his blankets, ignoring the idiot he shared a room with.
Aido stood to leave the room with a half-assed excuse of needing to use the bathroom on his way out the door, knowing their bedroom had an ensuite attached. He walked to the main room and flung himself onto one of the lavish couches under the impressive shadow of the dual staircases. He let his head roll back on the couch and sat for a while. The Night Class had already shut themselves up in their rooms to hide away from the Sun. He winced at the increasing burn in his throat and chest, rubbing his hand over the spots to try to soothe the ache, all the while, cursing the name, Akane Nakamura.
"This is ridiculous," he complained, rising and trudging to the kitchen and the extra supply of blood tablets (feeling too lazy to climb back up the stairs to his own supply). He filled a large tumbler with water then added three blood tablets, watching as the pure liquid was stained a pale red. He drained the glass greedily and waited for the short-lived relief the pills offered, letting out a sigh once the burning subsided. He left the kitchen, intending to go back to his seat in the lobby, but stopped when a faint but unmistakable scent demanded his attention. His eyes turned red instantly as the hunger he'd just suppressed was already rearing its gluttonous head.
Why is she here? He sought the nearest window and made to open it to get a better taste of her scent on his tongue, but quickly closed the window when he realised how close she seemed. He didn't want to rouse the others (if they weren't already). Quickly, Aido walked out of one of the many staff entrances to the building at the back of the kitchen. He stalked along the side of the wall, tracking the maddening source of his favourite smell, but the scent was weakening.
"She's leaving! Why?"
Aido was exasperated at being so easily controlled by his bloodlust and again began rubbing his painfully dry throat. She did this on purpose! He was beyond angry. Akane had seen his reaction to her presence for too long and had come to The Moon Dorms long enough to affect him, before running away. He jumped onto the top of the wall that encompassed The Moon Dorms. His hard gaze swept over the small, forested area that separated them, knowing Akane was currently traversing the trees to get back to her empty dorm. He scowled at The Sun Dorm building, visible over the treeline, then landed on the floor of the quickly darkening wood, following the scent that plagued him.