A/N: Thanks loads to everyone following this story so far! I'm really, really sorry for the late updating (seriously, has it been 9 months since I updated? 0.0). RL has been truly crazy this year and will be crazier next year. But thank you very much for your patience. I'll try to catch up with my thank yous as well as replying reviews some time soon.

VK isn't mine.

# CHAPTER 20

I'm causing Zero to get mixed up in my problems once more, troubling him…I don't want it to be like the last time when he had to use his other abilities, the one which makes him remember his dark past…

"Zero – " Her words were cut off as Zero put his finger on her lips.

"Shush…Let's take a little walk, just for awhile, Seiran." He held his hand out to her and she took it, feeling more confused by his actions.

I should be thinking of strategies of how to capture the murderer…But…

Seiran followed her boyfriend back to the outer part of the garden where there were benches. Zero sat first, gently tugging Seiran's hand to follow his action.

"Zero, I should be – "

"You can cry now. It's alright. I'm here." Zero's tone was soft as he stroked Seiran's fingers, bringing warmth to them.

What? Seiran's eyes widened.

"You don't have to hold it all in," Zero strainedly spoke – he wasn't used to saying comforting words like this. He had always been the one who needed comforting because he held his own problems inside but she needed him now, and he didn't know what he could say to her to make things better. Ashamed, he focused his amethyst eyes on her fingers. I'm terrible…

The girl beside him looked at their fingers entwined, her lower lip quivering. Can I…allow myself to show such weakness…? But…Zero's here…Is it really alright?

Zero could only hear the sound of leaves rustling and he grit his teeth. Was Seiran going to bottle everything up as usual? It wasn't mentally and emotionally healthy…At least when he himself was frustrated he'd head to the firing range to practice with Bloody Rose, or punch the walls, or curse to his heart's content when he made sure he was really alone. Loosen up. Please… he sent his thoughts to her as he drew her into his arms.

Her fingers clenched momentarily before he felt the shudders coming from her body and then the hot tears which stained his Prefect's blazer.

You're not alone, Seiran. I'm here. Always.

"So you're saying that the princess already knows about this matter. The news spread…fast…" The Mastermind leered into the telephone mouthpiece.

"Are you not satisfied with this outcome, Danna-sama?" enquired Neiji after he reported his 'accidental' meeting with the red haired pureblood.

"Oh, no, the outcome is heading very smoothly indeed, in the direction I desire." I want her troubled, unwound and in despair as she desperately seeks the truth…Play right into my hands, my little one…

"What are your further instructions then, Danna-sama?"

"Continue your actions as before."

Seiran straightened her back but still lowered her head, embarrassed by what she had done. Zero's blazer was damp; he had been silent the entire time while she had given in to her feelings – her fear.

She has stopped crying…Though I wish it was longer because it feels like she hasn't cried enough, that she's still holding most of her feelings in. His left hand slid into his trouser pocket to pull out his handkerchief before offering it to his girlfriend. "Here."

Her hand clasped around the square piece of grey coloured cloth before it disappeared beneath her bangs and a quiver of "thanks" was faintly heard.

When she felt that she looked presentable enough despite her red eyes, she looked up into Zero's face. He was frowning at her, feeling anxious. "Do you feel…a little bit better now?"

"Yeah…We better head back – they must be waiting for awhile already." Seiran stood up and took a step forward but the silver haired teen stopped her once more.

"You know, we all don't want you to neglect your feelings."

"I know. But I'm not going to give my opponent the satisfaction of seeing me overtly emotional like that." Seiran's sapphire eyes were steely with determination.

"We won't give him the satisfaction, Seiran. We won't."

"I have to say she took the news of the murders better than Tamaji's testament…," voiced Kaien Cross when Toga and Kaname were seated on opposite sides of his office. The one eyed hunter was looking through the case files, trying to look for the flaws Seiran had seen; while Kaname was deep in his own thoughts, soundlessly tapping the armchair.

"After what she faced last year, I don't think anything can shock the hell out of her any longer. She's damned tough," Toga brusquely answered. "I'm not surprised if she came back again with a full fledged plan on how to – "

Two sharp raps were heard on the door before it swung open to reveal the two Prefects. "My apologies for making you wait, Chairman, Sensei Yagari, Kaname," Seiran firmly spoke.

She has gotten her strength back…No, it seems she has gained strength as well. Kiryuu's presence must have helped. Kaname's eyes scrutinised her composed reaction briefly.

"Seiran, you could have taken the entire day off, you know…and think things through," said the Chairman, visibly relieved. His 'son' was looking alright…although he espied slightly red eyes.

Seiran shook her head. "No. Time is crucial. I've thought of some things I would like to implement, if that's alright?"

That fast? Which means from the moment she cried until she reached Chairman's office, she had been planning her actions. She neglected her feelings again. She's damned stubborn…Zero did his best to suppress his irk at Seiran's actions. He used to think that after all the dark incidences which haunted his past, he was like an empty shell until Seiran appeared and gave him a real reason to continue living…But what was she doing? Deep in his heart he felt uneasy at her current actions, like she still was not being fully honest with herself – she was fighting something unseen, trying to escape from its grasp and she was not divulging it to anyone. I have to do something as well.

"We're all ears, Seiran," stated Toga.

"At present moment, here's what I've thought of doing. The nightly rounds have to be continued and at the same time I have to find the ex Level Es on my tablets in order for me to monitor how many there actually are. I'm not sure if I should tell them about the murderer because I don't want any mass panic – " Seiran stopped her explanation when Cross held up a hand to politely interrupt like a schoolboy answering a class question. "Yes, Chairman?"

"I believe it's better to tell the ex Level Es that there is a murderer out there and tell them to keep their guard up. Despite them no longer being hunted down due to attacking innocent humans, it doesn't mean that their situation is really safe. Even if the copycat murders had never been carried out in the first place, disgruntled hunters could use these ex Level Es as shooting practice."

"You're right." A disturbed look crossed Seiran's face. Considering not long ago Level Es were considered a dangerous existence…An existence I once exterminated myself because they posed a threat. However to merely use as shooting practice…? She couldn't deny it, it was a possible perspective. When she had been a hunter-in-training and her record had been impeccable, it was a devious method the other jealous trainees could have done in order to try and even out the case scores.

"Seiran, how do you intend to monitor them like you mentioned earlier?" enquired Kaname. Like Zero, he had also come to the conclusion Seiran had boxed her feelings. If she wants to continue with this case, she can't be distracted by her past as a trainee hunter even though the copycat murders have links to her history.

"I'll be mass producing a new batch of tablets with microscopic amounts of radioactive markers – I'll ask for Sensei Naro's help for those – before distributing them once more. I'll also request to borrow Sensei Asada's research tracking devices he uses for his research to wear when we are patrolling. The tracking device will detect the radioactive markers contained in the tablets swallowed by the ex Level Es so we'll be able to detect if there are any of them within the areas we're patrolling."

Such an in depth plan on the monitoring…

She'll eventually turn into a pureblood and a hunter to be feared by both factions.

"I'll send these requests to both professors for you. How many tracking devices would you need? They cover at least a one kilometre radius so you'll be able to cover large ground."

"I'll need four. One each for Sensei Yagari, Chairman, Zero and myself."

"Will do." Kaname nodded.

"There's something I have to request, Chairman," Zero voiced out, his eyes focused on Seiran.

"Yes, my son?" Zero-kun never asks for anything, so Daddy must listen to his requests seriously! The Chairman nearly squealed with joy.

Zero didn't pay attention to the moony eyes Kaien Cross was giving him. "I'd like to request Seiran be totally removed from the Day Class and also relieved from all Prefect duties." This case which will take up a lot of her energy, so there's no time for her to devote herself to studying subjects she may not really need in her future ambition. She needs to get her priorities straight. And I don't want to be a distraction to her either.

"Zero." Only his name came out from Seiran. And it wasn't even said with surprise, but in a neutral tone.

Kiryuu is stirring up a storm, considering this is Seiran's prerogative. Kaname noted how tense the silver haired youth looked. But this was the first time Zero had requested a direct decision for Seiran's sake. And these two matters he touched upon were matters Seiran placed some importance in.

The room had become silent with Seiran, Yagari and Cross' eyes on Zero while Zero's gaze was on the wall behind Cross.

These are the only few things I am able to do to lighten your burden, Seiran... "You only need one prefect to round the academy at night and to prevent the Day class fan girls and fan boys."

"Are you really able to handle the responsibility alone?" Kaname dryly asked.

Surprisingly Zero didn't snap back at him. "Yes." His purple eyes turned to look at his girlfriend. "The choice is yours." His voice was flat.

"Kaname-sama told me that you needed to make a new batch of tablets?" Sensei Naro smiled in a fatherly manner at the young pureblood hunter.

"Yes. Since some of the Hunters' Association members weren't very happy about it, so I intend to do some monitoring from time to time just to make sure everything is alright." Seiran returned the smile. The lesser people who knew the actual situation, the better. Sensei Asada had lent her the tracking devices without giving her a deadline to return it to him.

"You're really working hard on this issue, Seiran-sama. Don't overwork yourself like the last time. Now, just tell me what your plans are and we'll see how to create them."

"I wanted to use some radioactive markers for me to monitor those ex Level Es. What radioactive element do you think I should use, Sensei?"

Was I too naive to think that my tablets would create a semblance of peace to those Level Es that were constantly hunted down? If it had been, say, Kaname who created something like this – there would have not been such a fuss despite the hunters being unhappy, simply because he is an acknowledged pureblood…

Ceh, does it seem like I feel somewhat regretful that I did not want to accept my actual birthright and now it's coming back, seemingly taunting me in my face?

I'm Seiran first, hunter second and lastly a pureblood!

I remember saying that to Zero…

That's all the more reason why I should not let Zero's effort go to waste.

Lesson no. 21 : Even if comforting words cannot be said, but at least comforting actions are felt.