Akane walked through the dorm building, willing her heart to settle back into a normal rhythm after the scare from Kasumi. If anyone were to find out about Aido sneaking in, it would be a matter of time before they found out about him. If that happened, Akane knew Kaien and Kaname were likely to either kill him or capture him to find out about his Pureblood master. Either way, any chance Akane had of saving him would be lost. She stopped to take a couple calming, deep breaths, before she entered the breakfast room, ready to study with Nori.

He was sat in a quiet corner, furthest from the door, already looking over his notes with his books out on the table. She sighed. They'd started their assignment after school on Friday, and got through most of it, thanks to Akane's better grasp on the English language and the translation dictionary she'd lent Nori the day before, to give him a chance to get a passing grade.

He'd not been kidding when he'd said he didn't have an aptitude for languages. Flicking through his workbook had almost had Akane sending him back to his room so she could do the assignment herself. But she sucked it up, mustered all the patience she had and after a missed meal and six gruelling hours, they had the makings of a decent narrative essay.

This second session, she pictured to be more of the same, but she was pleased to find Nori made a greater contribution thanks to his solo studying of the book Akane had lent him. Even Miu's interruption an hour or so into their study, announcing she was leaving for home, hadn't hindered or distracted them for long.

"That's it, all finished," Akane announced after just three and a half hours.
"Ha, ha, just in time for supper," Nori chirped tiredly, as he finished packing away his papers.
"You can stay for supper if you're hungry. The Dorm President said you're welcome to stay until curfew, and by the time we get through the queue…" she said as she turned to see the long line of Day Class girls waiting to be served their supper. "By the time, we eat, it'll be curfew anyway." Turning back to the boy, Akane found a surprised look and a blush on his cheeks. "You ok?" Nori nodded then quickly followed Akane to the back of the line to order food.

The other girls spoke and called to Nori as he waited with Akane. They shadowed him to the table he followed Akane to and sat with them, listening to his entertaining jokes and stories while they ate. But he noticed Akane spoke little, talking only when spoken to, and he was the only one to acknowledge her, besides the ten minutes Kimiko sat with them, before being called to another table by her friends.

Once the girls had finished their meals and finally left Nori to finish his, he turned to Akane who was checking their paper one last time before putting it away, ready for Mrs Satou on Monday.
"They're still giving you a hard time, huh?" Akane looked up at the blue-eyed boy then shrugged, with a small smile and glance at the girls that had just left their table.
"Not really, I just don't talk to many people, that's all."
"Then I'm honoured that you talk to me, my Lady."

Akane snorted amused while putting away the papers then turned to Nori to give him her full attention.
"I've not been social with new people. I'm working on it. Hard to stay a recluse when you have Miu Hayashi as a friend." Nori laughed at this. Having known Miu since they could walk, he was well acquainted with her friendly and inclusive nature.
"She does chatter to pretty much anyone, always has done. Nice to know she's doing you some good." Akane grinned at the beaming smile Nori sent her as he praised her friend.

Miu really has done me good. If she hadn't included me and forced me to talk to more people, I wouldn't have met Inoue, or found a way to help him. Because I would never have gone near the changeover without her.
"She is, and I'm glad she's so stubborn, or I wouldn't have great friends like Inoue, Matsumura, and you, Maki." Akane was genuinely thankful for Miu and the friends she'd introduced her to, but she couldn't help the guilt that rose at the drop in Nori's expression when she'd said, friends. I'm sorry Maki. I'm just not worth the trouble right now.

Nori sighed, dropping his head and running a hand through his dark hair. He chuckled, bringing sapphire eyes back to meet forest green with a disappointed smile.
"I guess I can't complain. You said Ken's name too, so I didn't lose." He stood and swung his bag over his shoulder then offered his hand to Akane. She didn't need it but accepted his hand and let him guide her to her feet anyway. She smiled in thanks and walked with Nori to the main doors in silence. They bid each other goodnight and Akane stood in the open doorway, waving him off for a moment, before going back inside.

She walked lazily to her room, the guilty feeling subsiding the more she walked. Akane understood Nori and Kenshin would feel disappointed to not have their feelings reciprocated, but knew they were only feelings of attraction and infatuation they held. If they'd truly felt something deeper, she would never have allowed herself to get any closer to them than she had been in the weeks prior. Besides, she knew the pair had many girls in their social circle far more suitable, and compatible with them than her. Akane was confident they'd overcome their disappointment quickly.

With a quick shake of her head, once she got to the top of the stairs, Akane let any lingering guilt she felt towards the two wash away, before continuing to her room. She dropped her bag on her bed after locking her door, gathered her dirty clothes and dropped them into the hamper in the bathroom. She grabbed a towel and some nightclothes and was soon stepping into the warm spray of the shower.

Ten minutes within the comforting warmth, she stepped out and wrapped a soft, white towel around herself, brushed her hair and teeth then stepped into the bedroom. She made sure to give the room a once over for Aido, before concluding he wasn't hiding anywhere and fished out Miu's hairdryer and following her usual routine.

After Akane had dried herself and put Miu's hairdryer away, she moved to her bag and collected the History homework she'd been putting off. She unlocked the door then clambered onto her bed and sat with crossed legs in her baby blue, cotton shorts and white long-sleeved camisole. A book rested on her lap and her reference books lay open and scattered around her on the bed. She settled in to get a few hours of productive studying done before the inevitable happened, an hour later.