Chapter 2


"Why would I want to be engaged to some idiot like Zero? They're so stupid! I hate them all!" Rosa shouted to herself as she walked down the hallway grumpily towards the main gate of the school. She spotted the gate unattended and walked stealthily towards it, moving within the dark shadows. She hid behind a tall tree and held her breath.

"What do you want?" She asked in a low voice.

"I heard someone screaming and shouting like a little brat in Kaien's office," Yagari said casually, as he leaned against the metal bars of the gate, lighting a small cigarette carefully hidden within his sleeve.

"Isn't it against the rules to smoke in this school?" She retorted, annoying.

"I'm a hunter and a teacher. We don't have to follow any silly rules you children have to follow," he replied, taking a quick puff of smoke. Rosa snorted and proceeded to open the gate.

"You know," he began. "You don't really want to leave this school right now. There are quite a few…dangerous animals out there, if you know what I mean."

"Level E vampires, right?" She asked, bored of his carelessness. Yagari continued to lean against the gate, blocking Rosa from her way out.

"Anyhow," Yagari began. "It's not like you hate Zero, right? You're probably just frustrated because you've never looked at him as anything more than a big brother, am I correct?"

She looked up, mystified by his vast sea of knowledge. She looked down timidly, staring at her feet.

"Well…" Rosa admitted. "Yeah…wouldn't you think it be weird if you had to marry someone you always considered your sister?"

Yagari chuckled. "I was married to a fellow hunter I grew up with, and she was just like a little sister to me."

That, left Rosa speechless.

"Rosa-chan!" A warm voice called out playfully.

Rosa looked over and saw a short girl with medium brown hair, panting, with Zero trailing behind her.

"Ah! Stupid brat!" Yagari suddenly said, cheerfully. "Time to take your little sister back to your dorm!"

"She has her own dorm," Zero replied coldly.

"No she doesn't," Yagari responded, "She came here too late and the Sun Dormitory is full. So she has to share a dorm room with you; or would you like her to go to the Moon Dormitory? I'm sure she could handle it herself there, with all the friendly vampires and whatnot, and I think she would find a pleasant surprise there."

"No," Zero declared protectively. "She will stay with me then."

"What?" Rosa retorted. "I don't want to stay with this fat, ugly, stupid, mean, pushy, cold, ugly, aggressive, lazy, stupid, mean, fat – did I mention stupid? – person!"

Rosa heard a vein pop in someone's head and saw Zero's head turn slowly, an evil aura emitting from him.

"Zero!" The brown haired girl said, elbowing him. "Anyway, my name is Yuuki Cross, the daughter of the headmaster!" She smiled, holding out her hand.

"Hey," Rosa replied, shaking her hand. "My name's Rosa Yotsuki, and I'm a friend of Zero the stupid."

Yuuki laughed, pulling Rosa closer.

"Hey," Yuuki whispered in her ear. "I feel sorry for you. In a month or two, you're probably gonna go berserk and rather sleep on the floor outside than in the same room as him."

"Yuuki…" Zero vented. "You know, I don't really mind roasting a tiny pig for dinner…"

"What!" Yuuki shouted. "I'm so not a pig!"

Ignoring Yuuki, Zero turned to Yagari. "I need to talk to you." He looked at Yuuki and Rosa.

"Alone," he added, grabbing Yagari by the arm.

Almost instantly, Yagari withdrew his arm with a crazed look.

"Don't touch me!" He hissed fervently. "Don't touch me, okay? Only beautiful things can be near me."

"Huh?" Another voice, completely unfamiliar to Rosa asked. "Yagari-sensei, have you been reading any D. Gray-Man lately?"

"Tch," Yagari snorted. "Sorry, but for your information, I don't read manga about exorcists battling against the Akuma, Noah family and the Earl of Millennium; I don't know that Allen and Lenalee will end up together although I'm pretty sure they will, and I definitely don't copy the words of someone who's name is General Cross."

Rosa looked over to the voice and saw a tall, slender boy with blonde hair and jade green eyes. He had a pleasant and calm look on his face as he walked towards them.

"Oh," he said, smiling. "We really should get together and have a manga tea party some time. I have such high quality green tea and biscuits."

"Sensei," another voice mentioned with a sleepy and laidback tone. "Should you not be teaching us right now?"

"No," Yagari replied instantly. "It's self-study time, Shiki, Ichijou. Go back to class."

Silently, the two boys turned and quickly disappeared out of sight.

"Well…" Yagari began, shrugging. "Rosa, I assume you are still searching for Hotarubi?"

"You have news on her?"

"Kaien strongly suggests you speak to Kuran, the leader of the Moon Dormitory. I'm going there to teach tonight; I guess I could let you tag along."

"No thanks," Zero interjected harshly. "She's coming with us for guardian duty tonight."

"Well then, that's done. Bye," Yagari lightly brushed off. "Anyway, if Zero does anything strange to you, just come to me and I'll just…you know – the usual."

"Okay then!" Rosa smiled. "I guess I'll just come and complain everyday then! How'd you like you eat Yagari's cooking everyday for the rest of your life?"

Zero turned to the side, covering his mouth, pretending to vomit. Yagari ignored that and walked away.

"Okay," Yuuki began. "Let's go then…?"

"Whatever," Rosa replied. "I don't want to go, so just leave me alone." She stared at Zero, let out a sigh and wandered off.