-Chapter 9-

The whole dining hall is too suffocating for Ema because of how the brothers are quietly glaring at one another. She can't stop from fidgeting as she is eating her meal. However, a hand pat her head and when she turn around, she saw a smiling Louis. The eight son of the Asahina reassures her that they will not going to hurt her, not only because their mother will be so kind enough to punish them but also they are her family now and family never hurt each other is what he always thinks. With some reassurance from Louis and the other brothers that are nice to her, Ema somewhat calm her nerves down. She finished her meal and she helped Iori who was in-charge of cleaning their dishes. At first, Ema thought that Iori will ignore her due to the fact that she never talked to the younger man and thus, she awkwardly tried to start a random topic about flowers and then she realized at how Iori love the plants and flowers.

-Flashback with Ema and Iori-

After finishing their meal, the Asahinas went into the other floor to watch some movies; however, Ema realized that Iori was left behind and then Ukyo explained to her that each week, one of the brothers will be in-charge in washing the dishes. Ema volunteered to help Iori and everyone expected it from her. They told her that they will be watching some movies and perhaps they will answer some of her questions after they finish their task. Ema nodded her head and she gathered the empty plates and she put it into the sink where Iori's washing them. Ema cleared her throat and she randomly blurted out something about flowers which stole Iori's attention.

Iori quietly cleaning each plate when Ema out of the blue asked him if he likes flowers, he turned his head towards her direction and he smiled a sweet alluring smile that Ema never saw before. "Yes, I love gardening and I own some flowers in our garden. Mother loves them too and when I was younger she used to introduce me to some species of flowers. What about you? Do you love flowers?"

Ema suddenly can feel her cheeks heating up and she nodded her head. Ema always love seeing any plants, the truth is she is a nature lover. She loves exploring with her father when she was younger. They even had those pictures wherein she and her father had fun. "The truth is, Papa and I used to explore different places and find those rare plants. Those are happy memories!" Ema may have unintentionally fooling Iori by hiding her longing for her father however; Iori's sharp senses alerted her of the fact that Ema is lonely. Iori out of the blue created a floor using his blood and offered it to Ema.

"Iori-kun! Your hand… let me get a clean towel-" She was startled when she saw his hand bleeding. She was about to get a towel when Iori handed her a flower made of his own blood. Ema was flabbergasted and she thanked him while cradling the flower with care.

"Shall we go now? After all you want to get to know us more don't you?" He smiled softly towards her and he hold out his left and he assisted her as they entered the elevator that will bring them into the other residents of the house. "About Hikaru-niisan… please forgive his rough treatment towards you. He is nice once you get to know him" Iori said without hesitation in his voice as he apologized in behalf of his older brother.

"Ummmm is he always been like that? I mean at first I thought he was really nice but suddenly after I discovered something- he became cold and distant" Ema nibbled her lower lip, her eyes is still refusing to meet Iori's soft coloured eyes. She is afraid of Hikaru and if she can, she wants to avoid the man. However, there is something that is peeking out her curiosity which she will never want to find out what.

"Hikaru-niisan is really nice, just give him time. After all humans are more cruel and rude" He whispered the last words as if it was a vile liquid that is poisoning his own persona. If Ema saw him right now, she'll see how disgusted he is to humans. Eyes glaring into space but it suddenly soften as the elevator's door opened. They walk into the very heart of the room and there they saw all the brothers sitting and waiting for them patiently with wine glasses filled with blood is in the small table in the middle of the sofas. Ema hid herself behind the teen vampire's back at the deadly sight in front of her, twelve pairs of eyes staring at her in a predatory way. She flinched when Iori gently push her to where his brothers are sitting.

Kaname hold her hand and he walk her to the empty seat between Louis and Hikaru. "Imoutou-chan, join us… we have some-"

"You have to listen to us woman. You will never tell anyone or I, myself will rip that throat of yours" Fuuto warned in his usual pompous tone. He cut off Kaname's round about talk to the human girl who made Kaname, Ukyo and Masaomi frowned.

"Fuuto-kun—I-" Ema started but her words died down when Natsume cut her words off by a simple glare

"Listen, Ema… we do not wish you discomfort nor harm but you have to understand that most of my brothers acted negatively against you because you are a threat to us. You are a complete stranger. We do not know anything about you. We only met Rintarou once and then suddenly mother announced her marriage with him plus a new addition to our family" Asuza defended their harsh treatment to the young woman in his own simple way. He pulled Tsubaki into a sitting position when he tried to flirt with Ema.

"Ummm I do not wish you any harm… I only want to be part of this family. When I first heard from Papa that I would have siblings… I was nervous but I promised myself that I will do my best to get along with all of you. I- I only want to have a place where I belong" the human girl said as she stared into the thirteen brothers. She gulp nervously as most of them eyed her like how a lion will watch his prey.

"The thing is you do not belong here; at least not yet, we have to make sure you will never cause us harm. We want to know you are pure like what mother had told us" Natsume was the one who talked with his prim and cold attitude. Ema flinched into her seat when Louis' hand rub into her back, his mauve eyes apologetically stared at her.

"Natsume-san… I can assure you that I will never spill your secrets. I swear I am not-" Ema's words were cut off when she heard Hikaru snickering rudely at her.

"You are not like the others? Oh please, that line is so old and used. You want us to trust you? Then give us the reason to do so human." Hikaru's words stabbed her directly into the heart. It somewhat disappoint her but who is she to blame them. He doesn't know them and vice versa. She meant every words she said and so does the brothers. She knows that if she became a liability to them, they will not hesitate to kill her.

"What exactly do you want me to do just to gain even a little bit of your trust?" Ema's chocolate brown eyes watch each brother's expression. She doesn't have to cower in fear if she wants them to open up to her.

"Family registry is one. You might be Rintarou's child but we want to make sure that he is not throwing us into a trap" Natsume once again said, the orange head vampire is so serious that made Ema decided to agree. If they want her family registry then she will give it to them. She will prove them that she is worth of their trust. The night ended with Hikaru taunting her, if not for Louis' helping her to escape the fourth son, Ema might've slapped Hikaru.

-A week after the small revelation-

Ema and Yuusuke always goes to school together, there were even sudden appearance of haters who keeps on sending her death threats when she started going to school and going home with Yuusuke who is really popular not just into their school but also to the nearby schools. Ema had a hard time coping up with her new disposition especially the fact that the brothers are all popular on their own rights. She sighed upon staring into the window of the car where she is currently sitting along with Wataru, Yuusuke, Iori and Subaru. Ukyo, who is driving the luxurious car tried in his own awkward way to lessen the tense presence of the ones sitting at the backseat. Masaomi chuckled at his awkward brother and he turned his head from the passenger seat and he offered some lollipops for the teens and Wataru, of course, the youngest inside the car took the biggest bunny shaped lollipop from the oldest Asahina. Wataru nibbled the candy meanwhile; the remaining people in the backseat silently stared into their own candy. The whole ride is really silent especially after they pick Hikaru. When they reached the Sunrise residence, the triplets, Kaname and Fuuto are waiting for them at the living area. Ukyo changed told the others to take a shower while is cooking but Ema offered her help which made Juli really angry and frantic. The squirrel run outside the house and it climbed at the highest branch. Ema begged for him to go down but when he refused, she had no other choice but to leave because she promised Ukyo that she will help him in preparing their dinner. Unknown to them someone is watching them from afar. A frown is adorning the audience's face as he left the vicinity and he entered the house.

Meanwhile, another pair of eyes saw the whole scene, he smiled softly and he approached the squirrel. At first he silently stares at it.

"Chii is too desperate for their acceptance. She doesn't need any of them. They are just bunch of idiotic animals. Hmpf, even I can be better than them" Juli muttered to himself, unknown to him; the other individual heard everything.

"Is that so, Juli-san?" Juli turned its small body and he saw the eight son of the Asahina household. Juli hissed angrily but Louis just stared at it with mild enthusiasm. He lean his back into the tree upon sitting under it. His mauve coloured eyes staring into the bright sky.

"YOU!" Juli jumped in front of Louis out of stupidity or bravery or both, no one really knows. "You are one of those animals!" He pointed accusingly at the mauve vampire in which earned a frown to the ever silent vampire.

"I would appreciate it if you would stop calling us animals since the only animal here is you" He said in his lazy yet alluring tone. A visible annoyance is painted across his angelic features. "Anyway, I understand why you are upset at us and I want to apologize in behalf of my other siblings. They are not as bad as what you think. They are really nice it is just that Chii-chan is a human to which upset most of us because mother fed us lies or rather, she didn't told us that Ema Hinata is a human" Louis explained begrudgingly to the squirrel.

Juli gritted its teeth upon hearing the other male's explanation but suddenly he realized that Louis keeps on calling Ema 'Chii-chan'. "Wait you keep on calling Chii as CHII-CHAN?! WHY?!" He shouted unceremoniously to the vampire.

"It is her nickname, am I wrong?" The mauve vampire tilts his head to the sky again. The squirrel crawled into his knee. Louis watched it to the corner of his eyes before he watch the sky again.

"You can understand me?!" much to his surprise, Louis nods his head to the squirrel.

-end-

A/N: I WANT TO TRULY APOLOGIZE FOR NOT UPDATING BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON MY ARTS AND STUDIES. I WILL TRY TO UPDATE AT LEAST TWICE A MONTH OR AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.