Author's Note: Hi everybody! This is the very first chapter (if you don't include the prologue) where we see the plot developing…Woo! All Vampire Knight characters belong to the wonderful Matsuri Hino, only Asuka is mine! [Spoilers Alert] The songs in this episode belong to… Bon Jovi ('It's My Life').
Chapter 1 - It's My Life
"Master."
Yagari turned to see a tall silver-haired boy addressing him. It was his old apprentice, Zero Kiryu. "Yeah?"
"Headmaster Cross wants you." was his short reply before he walked off down the hall. Yagari sighed and ran a hand through his unruly black hair. He had to go see that fool again. Honestly, being at the beck and call of someone so delusional was taxing work. He longed for the day when he could return to normal society work. Thinking these things he turned the corner and entered the man's office.
"You called for me?" he said, posing it as more of a statement than a question.
"Oh, yes." the Headmaster replied, setting a teacup he had been drinking from down on a floral coaster on his desk. The man really had changed since his Hunter Society days. "I want to talk to you about music!"
Yagari narrowed his eye in annoyance. "I think there's a time and a place, and the time is never and the place is nowhere."
"Oh, lighten up!" Kaien scolded, "I don't mean your opinion on music, I mean we are employing a new teacher for the Night Class. To teach something never explored here at the academy - music!" He sounded excited. "They say 'Music doth tame the savage beast' and who better to test this theory than the Night Class? Life can be so strenuous at times and music could be a sweet retreat for the students."
"Why are you saying these things to me? I couldn't care less about some vampire hippy who wants to come in and teach them about the joys of song and life and all that crap. I don't even like the students." Yagari asked irritated.
The Headmaster rolled his eyes. "Look, Toga, you don't have to like it, you don't even have to hear it - if it succeeds in improving things we'll have a soundproof music room built." He sighed. "All I want you to do is look out for the new teacher. Make sure the students don't harass them too much. Show them around. That sort of thing." He seemed worried about what Yagari's reaction would be but the man just groaned in agreement to the offer.
"Good!" chirped the Headmaster. "Miss Hasegawa? Please come in!"
The door clicked open and a tall, blonde woman strode in. Yagari felt his heart nearly explode as she turned to face him and looked at him with those round blue eyes. Anger swelled in his throat as she continued to observe him. She smiled, that same wide smile she had always worn. "Toga-kun!" she yelled and ran at him despite the fact that she was wearing three inch heels. She hugged him tightly and he was forced back a little. He did not reciprocate the embrace, and pushed her off.
"You know each other?" Headmaster Cross questioned.
"Oh, yes!" Asuka replied happily, not noticing the look Yagari was giving her. "Toga and I are together." she grinned.
"We are not!" he yelled angry.
She looked hurt at this but kept her cool, bubbly façade strong to reply, "Well, technically we never actually broke up so if you've dated anyone else since then that means you've been cheating on me, you bad man."
The thought of her kissing him as she had when she last said those three words turned his face red. "Well consider this us breaking up!" He stormed out of the room.
Asuka sat down in a chair opposite the Headmaster's desk, holding her head in her hands.
"Are you alright?" Kaien asked gently.
She looked up at his face and smiled. "Don't worry about me. Toga-kun will come around. He loves me. I know it."
"I hear we have a new teacher." Ruka said, brushing her long willowy hair thoroughly.
"Oh, really?" Rima asked, tying her own ginger locks in two bunches. "Can you pass me that piece of ribbon?" she added.
"Yeah, sure. Anyway, apparently, she's going to teach us music." Ruka handed her the red strip.
"A female teacher?"
"Yep."
"Wow. That's different, we've only ever had dull old men and Yagari-sensei." Rima noted.
"I know. It's ridiculous really. There are just as many female vampires as there are males."
"I hope she's interesting." Rima tied the ribbon tightly.
"Mmmm, I do too." she watched her friend fiddle with the bow. "Mind if I use some of that?" she asked.
"No, of course not. The rest is in my drawer on the dressing table."
Ruka opened the drawer and found her prize. "Thanks. Akatsuki brought me this back from his holiday," she said, holding up a small fire coloured gemstone, carved into the shape of a heart, with a small gold ring at the top where it could be strung from something. "and I've been trying to find a suitable chain to put it on. I think the ribbon works nicely."
"Oh, it looks beautiful." Rima praised.
"I know, it's gorgeous. But…"
"But it doesn't work with that top." the pair said simultaneously before giggling.
"You should wear that orange chiffon blouse."
The two began chatting about their clothes and all regular conversation deteriorated. Today was Saturday, but they all had to gather together for two hours to meet the new teacher, so appearances were still important.
Asuka breathed deeply. She dried her eyes with the back of her hand and reapplied her mascara. He hated her. He didn't love her - at least not any more. She had completely screwed up over one selfish impulse. She was going to be alone forever. Trying to swallow her pain she tucked an escaped piece of hair behind her ear. She smiled at herself in the mirror, thinking words of encouragement. "You can do this." she said aloud and walked out of the toilets and out into halls. She opened the door to the classroom and summoned up her courage, preparing to walk in.
The Night Class were chattering with each other absentmindedly, waiting for this new teacher to arrive. "Quiet!" Yagari yelled loudly, clearly still annoyed at their brief meeting earlier today. Asuka found this most unfair; something happens fourteen years ago and you hold onto it for life. It wasn't even that big a deal - she was sure he had known about vampires, though she hadn't known how, and she was fine, wasn't she? She would have carried on dating him; they could have even got married and had a family right now. It was her life, he opted out of the decision to control her when he left her. She tried to stop herself from being so angry as it would only show through, and there is nothing worse than being the teacher pupils bitched about. She plastered on a smile and sauntered into the room. "Hola, clase." she said, sultrily. All eyes turned to face her. She had spoken quite quietly, but forcefully, so much so that the room was silenced.
"Well, what do you know?" Hanabusa whispered to Akatsuki, "Ruka was right. She is a woman - and she's hot!"
"You." Asuka said, pointing at him. "What do you think I teach?"
Hanabusa rubbed his neck thoughtfully. "Well, the way you greeted us would suggest Spanish teacher, but your demeanour coupled with those shoes, tells me the arts or music."
"You're good sweet cheeks." she replied and strode to the other side of the room while he sat there looking overall pleased with himself. "You must be that boy genius, huh? I saw you on TV years ago; I remember faces." She grinned, knowing that would set him off blushing. She was pale too, she knew the story.
"Anyway, music. That's what I teach. Can any of you tell me what music is?"
A tall, beautiful girl in the second row raised her hand and Asuka nodded in acknowledgement. "Music is a sequence of notes played on instruments or made on a computer, often accompanied by lyrics which hold some kind of emotional purpose."
"Wow. Technical." Asuka breathed and a couple of people sniggered. Seeing the girl's expression at this Asuka recovered with, "Oh no, a perfect answer, hun. You gave me exactly what Wikipedia would go for - seriously very intelligent, but I was hoping for something a little different…" She noticed a flame haired boy in a seat next to the boy genius. He was on the verge of sleep or seemed to be. "Hey, you." He looked up at this. "What do you think music is?"
"The door to the soul. The door to life, love and happiness. The way musical notes, made in any form, are played due to some kind of emotional experience that caused the writer to want to write. No one writes music for no reason and those who do aren't successful. The most common theme of music is love because it, coupled with music, has the power to make even the hardest of hearts melt as if they were ice." He then simply rested his head on one hand again.
"Very deep." Asuka commented. "I like you already, Mr…?"
"Akatsuki Kain, my cousin. I'm Hanabusa Aido!" Hanabusa butted in excitedly.
"Thank you, Hanabusa." She smiled, politely. Akatsuki sighed at his cousin's behaviour. "So, as music is so personal, and special, and emotional, I want you kids to find a song that evokes an emotion in you. Or maybe describes an emotion you have. Or even, one you could use to make a confession, like a love song. And then just sing it. In class. To us. That's it."
The students began to murmur and whisper, conjuring song ideas already. Others however, sat there looking blank and confused. "Let me demonstrate." she said, taking a smart-phone from one pocket. She took a glass pencil pot and upturned it, sending its contents over her desk. She swiped the phone's screen and placed it in the glass before tapping the phone once more. A rock tune began to blast out, and those who recognised it laughed and clapped to the beat.
She stepped to the front. "This ain't a song for the brokenhearted." She swung her hips round in a circle. "No silent prayer for the faith departed."
Yagari dragged a hand down his face at what Asuka was doing. Clearly the woman didn't realise she was over thirty years old. She wasn't a twenty three year old at a local karaoke bar anymore.
"And I ain't gonna be a just a face in the crowd. You're gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud!" Asuka thought about her song selection. Maybe she was still annoyed at Toga. She had assumed she was over it now she was in the classroom, teaching, calm, and cool, composed. Her song choice suggested otherwise. Maybe he knew. Who cares, she chose this song for a reason and she wouldn't be subtle about it.
"It's my life! It's now or never! I ain't gonna live forever! I just wanna live while I'm alive!" She stared hard at him but he didn't seem to notice. "It's my life!"
Was she staring at him? Yagari was hacked off. That woman had this tendency to evoke that reaction in him, he noticed. What did that song mean anyway? What was she trying to prove? He didn't like Bon Jovi, never had, especially Jon, and didn't know why she chose that song. Then he started listening to the lyrics. Was she trying to blame him for what happened? He fumed silently.
"My heart is like an open highway! Like Frankie said 'I did it my way'! I just wanna live while I'm alive! It's my life!" Asuka continued. "Dance!" she yelled loudly and everyone got up and did as she said. Yagari prepared for the ensuing chaos.
"It's my life! It's now or never! I ain't gonna live forever! I just wanna live while I'm alive! It's my life!" she sung loudly and slowly people began to join in. "My heart id like an open highway! Like Frankie said 'I did it my way'! I just wanna live while I'm alive! It's my life!" she breathed in a little, "Yeahhhhhh! It's my life!" She finished and swung her arms up into the air, cheering her finish. The students clapped in awe. They clearly liked Asuka. And she seemed to be good at her job. Life really sucked for Toga Yagari right now. He sighed, admitting defeat and sat down, clapping too.
"This is your room." Yagari said, putting the three cases he was carrying down in front of the door.
"Thank you, Toga-kun." Asuka replied sweetly.
"Don't call me that!" he snapped.
"I'll call you what I like. And if you keep yelling at me it won't be as nice as that. Have some respect please." she said calmly in response.
"How?" he asked, he had a trace of hurt in his voice as well as aggression.
"How what, Toga?" Asuka queried, getting upset now.
"How can you just speak to me like nothing happened? Like you weren't a self centred bitch who betrayed me?"
"I wasn't self-centred!" Asuka yelled back, "If anything you were! Ayu needed my blood, okay? She gave me some of hers, everything was above ground! I'm sure you knew about vampires, I mean, look at where you work! It's not fair for you to lay all this on me - I was prepared to continue our relationship!" She dragged the three cases into the room as well as the two she had been transporting. She was angry and for some reason practical exercises helped calm her down.
"How could I continue to be in a relationship with a bloodsucking freak?"
"Vampires are not bloodsucking freaks!" A tear ran down her cheek. "Ayu was the best friend I ever had. I've never been liked by other girls, never went to any girly sleepovers, or shared secrets! I know you don't care but those things are important to a girl! When she died… I… I really missed her Toga. And you know who wasn't there? You." She lifted a case onto the bed and began unpacking furiously.
"Ayumu died?"
"Yeah. Murdered, not that you care. You've made your feelings towards vampires very clear!"
"I don't hate vampires, and I'm sorry that Ayumu died. But you're not the only one who's lost someone, you know? And you can't blame me for not being there because you weren't there for me!" He stood on the other side of the bed looking straight into her deep blue eyes.
"Who ran Toga? 'Cause I'm pretty sure it wasn't me! Anyway, who have you lost? You don't have any friends."
"I don't know if you've ever heard of Shizuka Hio? A pureblood, just like 'Ayu'. Ever heard of the Kiryus?"
Asuka stayed silent, listening to his tale while unpacking absentmindedly.
"Well, I was quite close with them. Maybe not all that close but close enough. They had two sons. Twins. Zero and Ichiru. I cared about those boys even if I didn't always show it; I was their mentor. I taught them how to hunt vampires. I then had to witness their lives get destroyed."
She looked up at this, suddenly interested.
"Shizuka killed their parents. In front of them. She then took Zero and turned him into a vampire."
"Did she…?"
"No. She left him to slowly and painfully transform into a Level E. She took his twin and left."
Asuka clasped a hand to her mouth. "She left him? But how can someone be so cruel? And to a child." More tears fell.
"I thought you hated children." Yagari said.
"I thought you loved me." She smiled weakly. "Is he… is he alright? Did the Hunter Society force her to give him blood?"
"No." he replied. "He may eventually be on someone's, even my execution list."
"That's awful." She was seated on the bed and he came and sat next to her. She took his hand and he tensed it but didn't pull away. "Are you still in contact with him? What happened to him, Toga?"
"He goes to this school. He's in the day class though; it's sort of a secret. He's… alright."
"Alright? Like real 'alright', or your 'alright'?" she asked kindly.
"What do you mean?"
"You're not okay Toga. I… almost understand why you hate me, but why do you hate vampires in general?"
"I don't!" He denied this indignantly. "I don't. If anything Zero has stopped me, though I don't like that pureblood… And, I don't hate you." He said this last part reluctantly.
Asuka smiled a little and leant towards me. She puckered up ready to kiss me but I turned away, pulling my hand from hers. "No, Asuka. I don't hate you but I certainly don't love you anymore." He stood up and left the room.
Author's Note 2: And that's it for this chapter! I'm sorry there's only been one song per chapter so far but I promise next time that there will be more as the Night Class students work on their assignments more, and the story will revolve around Asuka and Yagari less. Also, expect some more modern songs too… But I'm not giving any more than that away… I hope you keep reading though even if you haven't like the songs yet because I have a lot planned yet!