Chapter 02

It's almost midnight and like always, at this time, most of the people are fast asleep and the surroundings are quiet with only the rustling of the trees in the night. After getting pissed off, Rinko headed to their room with Akira by her side. The best friends are now asleep; and so Akira is with Zen in their room. But Rui doesn't seem to be getting it at all, knowing that she's in the room beside theirs. Since Zen might awake, he's trying to sneak out their room. Sayako, as he thought, is in the student council room, in its balcony, gazing upon the crescent moon in the dark, star-lit night sky.
The room is dark as she didn't feel like turning the lights on but it's still recognizable that it seemed to be an office with three working tables with a pile of files and paperwork on it and chairs. Beside the door is a couch and in front of it is a messy center table, which is probably used in their tea break.
It then gusted causing her russet hair to be blown in the wind. "That's the reason I live..." Baka! Living for something like that...she didn't just lose her family...also herse- the door opened in a soft squeak but she was still alerted by it. A very familiar scent greeted her senses as the guy leaned against the door when he closed it behind him as soft as possible.
"Last night, I told you to talk to her," he said. "What happened? Akira told me she was angered. How did it go?" she knows whose the voice is. She then remembered their meeting last night.
"It has two centuries, ne?" the girl in the shadows said. "Hisashiburi. Did you come to thank me from saving your life? Or to kill me for turning you to a vampire...like us?" then she came forward to the fire, enlightening herself. She's Sayako Akishi, the vampire lord.
"Neither of the two, Akishi-dono." he replied as he entered the chamber and revealed himself to them; Zen's eyes widened in surprise. He can't believe that this slayer is also a vampire himself if ever what their lord's saying is the truth about him – and he is, as he can tell from his scent.
"Khana, Zen, leave us at once." she ordered them. Khana stridently gazed at her but averted her eyes and left with a frown and glare towards the slayer. But unlike her, the guy refused to leave. The gaze that the other gave her but immediately was taken away is in him.
"Are you insane?" he asked, glaring at her with red eyes. "That guy's a slayer!"
"You know very well what I can do if he'll try to kill me." she said and shot a glare at him in the same way he did with the very same color of his eyes. He still didn't want to leave but with a groan from her, he hesitatingly did and similarly as Khana, he glared at him and voiced a threat that the slayer simply shrugged off.
Sayako's eyes turned back to normal after that.
"I told them I want a meeting tonight for I know you'll follow Zen if you've noticed and he'll lead you here. And I'm right."
"Still like before, eh? That ability of yours..." he chuckled.
"Although your mind is strong enough to not be read by me," she smirked, placing her hand over her face, her fingers apart from each other. "I can predict your movements pretty accurately."
"That's with Arita-dono's help, isn't it?" Sayako got serious again.
"Yeah. She's the one who you guys first met. Was it nostalgic?"
"It was as nostalgic as I'm staring at you now." Sayako glared at him.
"Our past is past."
"Our family bonds can't be cut off. We're still cousins." he smiled to her although her glare did not fade away.
"You've met my uncle, right?" she calmly asked.
"He didn't recognize me; we've never met before, but I still disguised my scent as a human's." he honestly said. "It would be a problem if he found out."
"Is that because you have those three by your side? Hmmp...that's so tricky, Rui."
"Fuyumi and Akira aren't my problem but Rinko instead." he crossed his arms over his chest and sighed. "Those two know what I am and they have no objection about that."
"Do all of the slayers know?" she asked.
"No; only those two. That's why...I want you to talk to her." he said, a bit becoming serious. The lord glowered at him.
"Rui...I'm not as nice as you think I am."
"I know..." he smirked. "Unfortunately, I know more things about you than I should have. You're so cold and hide the things you think are unnecessary."
"What do you mean?" she frowned.
"You know what I mean." he sighed. "You hide the fact that you care about humans."
"I don't care about them. I hate them." she opposed. "They are nothing but a bunch of dirt and trash; such useless idiotic beings. That's what they are."
"Your father did not hate them," he said.
"The very reason of why he died in the hands of a slayer." she gritted her teeth.
"Then, how about your mother, my auntie? She was a former human." he paused. "Although you don't have a single ounce of human blood, you can't change the fact that she was still a human." Sayako hissed at him when she noticed the emphasis on the past tense.
"Don't put okaa-sama in the same level as others."
" How about me? You saved me, right?"
"You almost died from a slayer when you tried to explain to them and defended me." she reasoned out, "I just don't want you to die for my sake. That's ridiculous."
"But when-"
"Stop it!" she exclaimed. "Stop narrating my life already! You don't know me means you don't!" she glared at the wall behind him. He was a bit surprised when a keen wind – that put the fire off, causing the chamber to darken – passed him and hit the wall. It left a huge hole to it and a scratch on his cheek, which immediately healed. But that failed to threaten him and make him stop. Despite the darkness, they still managed to keep their eye contact as Rui can see the two glowing blood-red orbs before him.
"Yare, yare." he spoke. "Look at what you did." he then summoned a blazing fire to his hand and from it the chamber was enlightened again. Sayako blinked in awe at seeing it. He's getting burnt by the fire but is constantly healing.
"Does that hurt?" she asked looking worried but her expression did neither change nor her eyes.
"Not really. Worried?" he smiled at her.
"Hell no." she denied.
"You didn't annihilate the humans when you became the vampire lord." he continued when Sayako's eyes went normal as she relaxed.
"When you were almost killed I realized that those slayers would take even the innocents. I just didn't want to be like them. But that doesn't mean that I won't kill any of them so don't waste your time on those trivial thoughts."
"Talk to Rinko, she's your roommate."
"Do you really believe I will obey you?"
"The slayers are judgmental. If you really don't want to be like them, talk to her and listen...she has a horrible past. And one more thing, I never hated you if that's what you thought." with that, surprise overtaken her expression as he left her alone with bewilderment.
"Annoyingly." she answered breaking from the past events.
"Why?" worry is in his tone.
"She told me her past." she shut her eyes, trying not to remember her words and get pissed off.
"That's seldom of her." he said. "She trusts you, Akishi-dono."
"She doesn't. She unhesitatingly told me she did that because she wanted me to swallow my words."
"Your words?"
"I told her if she won't tell me her past I couldn't do anything to help her."
"...hmmm...so you'd really help her?" he chuckled. She faced him, glaring with the angered color of her eyes.
"I told her that as the student council president and not as myself."
"Yep...you're really not with yourself...you're not my Yako-oneechan right now." he paced nearer to her until they are a foot apart. "Will you please break your facade and come back?"
"You know what you and that girl have in common?" her glare sharpened as she smirked. "You're both annoying."
"Annoying, eh?" he faintly smiled.
"But I dislike her more. She's worse...no, she's the worst." Rui laughed. "Don't laugh, it's true. She's even more annoying from that Zen who's always meddling with my decisions and plans."
"Him? Our roommate and classmate...who's your little spy?" he laughed again. Her eyes returned to normal.
"I just used him to bring you to me." she explained then smirked wider causing Rui to crook a brow. "But since you gave me the idea, I'll benefit myself from it. Who knows what that Akira is planning at your back?"
"He isn't like that." he defended him a bit smiling at what she said yet a little nervous. "Returning to our topic about Rinko, you must have noticed her worst part."
"What worst part?"
"She mistrusts every person around her. Except from the slayers." upon hearing that, she remember the said girl's words and cringed, "I can't trust anybody...!" "And she possesses a terribly bad perception of vampires."
"She told me that too. And as for her perception...that's typical for the slayers...aside from you." she stated.
"You two...are the same." he said making her eyes become red again. He narrowed his gaze from her reaction. "You're even worse."
"I don't get you."
"Because you didn't eliminate the humankind like what most vampires desire, you don't trust your allies – the elders, whose minds you can't read." she was surprised but tried to hide it as she reflected to his words. That's right…I've always thought that they're just tamed because I'm their master. "Just as you do with the humans around you since you think of them as your sworn enemies which are obviously the slayers."
"You...are really annoying..." she looked back at him.
"Careful, you might destroy something again." he smiled.
" Che...as if I care..." she then walked pass him and headed to the door and twisted the knob. "Don't try bringing up your plans; like I've said last night, our past is past. I can't be your kind onee-chan anymore. There is so much for me to protect. I can't afford to let my guard down." not again... she opened it. "I'll sleep now. You better do that too."
"Wait..." he halted her. "Regarding about the one who attacked her-"
"We've covered it up. Perhaps he was thinking he's old enough and stood under the sunlight to test it but went insane because he's still not. The others who are close to him were angered but they understand; there's no other way to save the doomed ones..." she left as he bowed down with a pained expression. I've always believed that they are the idiot monsters...but then, that girl...

"Rinko, okiru! RINKO!" Fuyumi slapped her and she immediately woke up, glaring at her, totally not on the mood. She sat up, her hair still messed.
"What...the hell do you want, miss witch!?" she shouted at her. Fuyumi smacked her head and a lump appeared. "ITAI!"
"It's not what I want; we'll go to the hall together so get ready! BAKA!" she explained, gritting her teeth. "The bow will arrive tomorrow so I'll be your guard for a while."
"I understand." she said and got up. "But there's no need for hurting me!"
"You won't wake up, got a problem with that!?"
"Majo-sa~n..." she hissed.
"Inoshishi..." she glared, forming static between them. You never changed! I won't let this time pa- The door suddenly clicked open, getting their attention.
"You two," said Sayako who's already dressed up as she went inside and leaned on the wall. "Cut that off and hurry up or one of you will be late, yet again." but instead of cooling Rinko down, she just fired up more and glared at her. And, as Fuyumi expected, Sayako glared back. "Nanda?"
"It's nothing...I just kinda felt like you're being a bossy old hag." she bluntly said. Sayako glared at her more when her last two words struck her.
Old hag, you say!? Growled Sayako with her eyes almost turning red, and so, she just went outside. "I don't care, aho. Just try to be faster, slowpoke."
"So bossy...obaa-san..." she heard her say as the slayer went inside the bathroom.
urusai...aho or I'll kill you...! She clenched her fist as electric currents run through her body.(A/N: I can't imagine how high their voltage can be...sa-chan sure is a scary lord...;=__=''''' but in reality she doesn't like violence...^o^ v...very well...i feel like fooling around now...i just can't imagine us as serious people...hehe.)
Geez...a witch and an old hag as my roommates is really fun. Teasing them could be the best pastime there is although they can really be scary...she smirked at her thought as she undressed herself and soaked her body under the shower. Using the bath gel she placed there last night, she took long and was smacked by Fuyumi again when she finished and got out. They were arguing as she dresses up and that annoyed Sayako who interfered with them, cutting them off – but having an argument of Rinko's and hers instead. They were just stopped when Rui came in and shut them up.
Rui was the one who was leading them to the dinning hall. Fuyumi putted him between the two. They quieted down but are still having harmless arguments as they glare at each other with angry criticisms. During the meal, Jole Horin, a black haired and eyed girl who's their classmate, was chatting with them that was in Fuyumi's favor for they're now cooled down since neither Rui nor Akira is a help because of the swarm of girls, also knows as harpy ladies to her, surrounds them. Sheesh...it's probably because this is the girls' dorm, no? She thought.
Rinko didn't bother Sayako; the food first, arguments later. Sayako's mind is wandering in Rui's, trying to break through his strength and read his unreadable mind but failed and like always he would simply look at her and smile as she glares at him. Nevertheless, no matter how many times she has failed, she would still strive and do the same thing again.
"Rui," Akira whispered to him. "Does that girl like you?" he asked, referring to Sayako who twitched when she heard him and looked away, pretending to be sipping her tea.
"Don't ask me that." he glanced at her. "See? She heard you."
"She's a...?" his eyes widened, but before they knew, the girl they're taking about is right behind them, oozing with bad aura and glare. Akira almost backed away when he noticed but Rui just stayed calm and ignored her while talking to the girls around them. "R-Rui! TEME! Look at your back!" but the guy stayed still.
"Rui..." she called. "...You'll be a book soon..." she threatened but he only turned to smile at her.
"Try harder, 'kay?" with that, she stomped out of the hall to go to the class building. Without blinking, he glanced at Akira and said, "What were you talking about again?"
"Never mind." he rolled his eyes as he went back to his meal. What does that vampire girl mean? He thought.
After stuffing herself with a mountain of food, Rinko headed to the class building as Sayako did with Fuyumi and other students since the breakfast time's finished and the slayers parted in a corner in a building inside after talking about their investigation and the arrival of Rinko's bow after the dismissal.
She's having troubles in their mission. The class building is divided into twenty courses each year. The b in I-b means it's a course so there are others more. In their room, they're forty-plus but not exceeding fifty. She just doesn't know their exact number but since they are that many, the noise is irritating. The only thing she knows is that they're into law, which she and Fuyumi also took two years before they became slayers. They took it by the organization's order for them to have better judgment in their missions and it was a hell for her.
She wasn't listening yesterday so she doesn't know they are to make a thesis on law and some essays as projects. She almost lost it in those years; she didn't know if she'll be happy about it or not as it was her former dream in elementary – but was changed to becoming a mangaka in middle high – and that it was difficult. She's now limp on her desk with Fuyumi lecturing her gloomy mood. Sayako on the other hand, has no interest in the both of them as she reads a book; more specifically, a law and psychology book.
"INOSHISHI!" she exclaimed. "Stop eating!" she snatched the onigiri from her hand. Shira stared at them as the others did.
"Oi, majo-san, give it back!" she stood up trying to reach it but majo-san – I mean, Fuyumi threw it to the window beside her and sat down.
"Baka yaro...! Why did-!"
"Harume-san!" Shira called her giving Rinko goose bumps as she shuddered. "Because of this ruckus, you need to submit four essays."
"Shira-sensei!" she opposed, others tried to mute their laughter considering their sensei's will-be-punishment for them. "That's-!"
"Six." she increased it, ignoring her completely, much to her dismay.
"That's unfair!" Rinko said almost wobbly.
"Eight." Shira smirked.
"Fine, I'll take the four." the slayer sighed and sat down.
There was a silence as the laughter stopped. Shira glared at her and took a deep breath.
"Ten." hearing that, Rinko suddenly stood up with a disappointed reaction, her mouth opened but nothing's coming out from the speechless girl. She almost fainted when Fuyumi laughed.
"Don't laugh, Fu-chan!" she sat back on her chair, her gloomy mood turned gloomier.
"Welcome to hell." Sayako told her, smirking with her fingers across her face.
"Urusai, obaa-san." she threw a scathing look at Sayako-
and so their other classmates and Shira to the slayer.
It breezed with silence.
She shuddered as she felt their bad aura suddenly. "S-Shira-sensei...?"
"YOU'LL BE AKISHI-SAN'S SLAVE FOR YOUR ENTIRE TIME IN HERE!" Shira exclaimed and returned to writing her lecture on the board; the others returned to their essays. Fuyumi just giggled. The slayer was about to object again but hesitated as Shira might just increase her essays again...and as Sayako said, she's in hell as she sits there, mouth hanging in the air, the word 'slave' echoing in her mind. That's what you get for insulting our master. Sayako-sama, all is up to you now... A diabolical laugh rose up from them, depressing the damned slayer more.

When the bell sounded for the last time that day, the hell dismissed and since all Shira said was just 'in here', which means just in the class, she was able to get free from the clutches of the hag who's irritated of her and be with Fuyumi in the library.
"This newspaper was last year." Rinko said reading the date the said paper was issued. The picture on it disgusted her and at the same time, made her remember her past as it's about a murder involving vampires.
"Yeah, I know but," Fuyumi grabbed it and pointed a finger on the text. "This university is involved. This incident happen in their school grounds and those guys are their students."
"Wha-!" she snatched it back and read. Death of students from the prestigious Carmeli University, according to the investigation, were bitten by a vampire based on the evidences found on their necks – bite marks. "This might happen again until we've caught the culprit." she asserted, clutching it.
"Yes. That's why we'll hurry with this investigation." the brunette said. "Plus, base on the students' rumors here, some people were recently missing."
"We can't base on some rumors without evidence."
"I know but this have gotten to the police too." she stated then neared the shelves and took some books out. "This must be a puzzle, don't you think?" Rinko just smirked at her but said nothing. She placed the books on the table before them. "These are the only yearbooks I've found."
"Yearbooks?" she raised a brow. Fuyumi grouped them in three and arranged them individually.
"From left to right: this set is in year 1945-1946, 1946-1947 and 1947-1948. Next, 1951-1952, 1952-1953 and 1953-1954. And 1957-1958-"
"There are three year books in between those sets." Rinko opened a book and examined it.
"They are missing." she straightforwardly said.
"What do you mean by missing?" she reluctantly put it back down.
"This shelf here is the Y.B. shelf. Others are full with normal ones and there, no one is missing."
"They hid those on purpose." she concluded, folding her arms across her chest and tapped her right foot.
"Must be." she putted them back in the shelf and looked at her. "Suspicious, right?"
"Yeah. Come to think of it, the one who attacked me yesterday was a student."
"Student?" she neared her.
"Yeah, a third year. The reason of why those books are missing is because they are hidden-"
"Because some students here are the vampires themselves-"
"And the fact that they're hiding them, the staffs must probably know they're vampires...and are protecting them 'cause they're one of them too?"
"Uh-huh...or...they were ordered?"
"Either of those two." she turned around and paced forward, leaving already. Fuyumi followed her. "Rui-aniki's waiting."
"Rinko..." she patted her shoulder and hesitatingly whispered as they walked across some students that are silently reading. "Or...both?" the raven looked at her.
"Positively." they both nodded after a moment. "Let's go, we can't let Rui-aniki wait for us for long." Fuyumi glimpsed at the wall clock by the table of the librarian.
"It's almost twenty-hundred, dinner's soon." and they exited the library.

"Get to the hall first, Akira." said Rui as he walked in the room of the girl. "I'll go later."
The taps of his feet echoed through the corridor since the ceiling's high. The curtains are drawn close. They know why. There are only few ones that are not and those were in the places where you would least expect there would be anyone else around such as the biology room and music room. The words of the ex-human still throb inside his mind. He can't seem to get over it.
He gritted his teeth and clutched his fist. He hates the said guy even before for his damn manipulative-ness and independency which irritates him. Rui sure is capable of himself and responsible enough to not get others worried with him but the fact that Rui's always planning something behind the shadows gets into his nerves. They would always know it right after it's done. That's probably the same reason of why the girl, who stares at him a lot, Sayako hates him. Rui said that she's a mind reader. He had told him that he was a former human – which of course, at first, he didn't believe – and was turned to a vampire by his cousin. And now, he just told him-"...that girl is she, my cousin..." but he still can't believe it. He doubted that he'd ever see her again. But now...to think he had succeeded.
...He's a rotten manipulator, really.
And that pisses him off.

Silence prevails in her room as the wind gusted in causing the free curtains to flutter. The beds are arranged properly and the ex-human is before her, his contact lenses off and his eyes are already red as hers are. Their heartbeats and their breathings are the only audible sounds to their ears. Nostalgia fills the air as they look into each other. She has already predicted this meeting; no other people around like last time when they first met by the doors when the chairman called her. It's like time passed so nimbly that they're facing each other again although it was really long.
Unlike before, the scent of his blood has change into something sweeter... but tainted. As for her, it became stronger yet lonelier; if not for his cousin, she already has given up her life into the world which is full with beings who both distrust her. But then, that lady has accepted her existence and kept her by her side; if for her power or their friendship, she knows not. But that doesn't matter now. As long as there's someone who recognizes her as what the damphyr that she is, she's satisfied. As long as she can be of a use to that tough like but kind lady, it's alright; she's far from the brink of hopelessness as far as she knows.
"Arita-san," their eyes normalized now as he broke the awkward silence. "It has been long."
"Please, don't call me like that." her face heated up. "Even before, you've been so polite, though, there's really no need."
"You're older than I am."
"I'm a damphyr. You're a full fledge vampire now. I've been distancing myself to you even when you were just a human."
"I don't mind our races or ranks. You are yourself. Akishi-dono also feels that way."
"Akishi-dono? Not Yako-oneechan anymore?"
"She doesn't want me to call her that name." Maria chuckled.
"To think that everything has change now," she neared him and touched his face. He closed his eyes as he overlapped his hand with hers. "The both of you were such a joyful pair. You, as your loyal child self and she, as her kind and caring one."
"Nothing has changed." he opposed, slowly opening his eyes. "I'm still loyal and she's still kind."
"Loyal? Even with all your lies?" she frowned.
"I lied to them but not to her nor to you neither." she let him go and sat on her bed.
"You even use contact lenses." she sighed. "You know very well that those fake ones can never be like your deep amethyst eyes. She noticed that too, no?"
"Probably, but she did not mention."
"Back to the topic, you and that kid will be transfered to the boys' dorm. The chairman disagreed with your idea."
"That's expected, he doesn't trust me." he sighed. "That Zen will be with us, right?"
"Yes. Sayako-sama did not intend to but she said someone gave her that idea; that must be you." Rui laughed.
"Yeah, unfortunately I gave her that idea. I misjudged the reason of why he is with us."
"Be careful with him." she warned. "Even Sayako-sama has no trust for that guy." he nodded.
"I understand."
"You'll be transfered later, so after the meal, you'll prepare your things." she stood up and paced to the door but he held her hand.
"Earlier, at our break, Fuyumi reported to me. She said there was some kind of murder case near this school's grounds and that some people have been missing recently. I'm worried about Akishi-dono. Have you predicted what's happening?"
"Sorry, but no. It seems that the culprit is using some ancient spell against my ability. This have been our problem as well." they both frowned.
"We'll continue to investigate this. The elders have been suspicious lately." and they both went out the room and later met Rinko And Fuyumi. He gave the case that he was holding; Inside is her bow. Maria was nervous but she did not mind the slayer's weapon. She knows Rui can handle the girl thoroughly.

After the two got to the dorm, they met Maria and Rui. And Rinko took her bow. After saying what they talked about and clearing the things about their own room, they headed to the dinning hall with everyone and crowded it. The girl who were previously swarming around them were heartbroken after hearing that that's the last time they would be together. Rinko was pissed off of them. She was gritting her teeth and clutching her first. Her annoyed mood doubled after Sayako sat beside her. Fuyumi, who's by her left side sighed. At first, she was fine with the guys not being allowed to stay at their dorms since the other girl already has her bow so she did not object but realizing their fires aren't cooled down yet, she became anxious. Fuyumi's already getting some hints that Sayako's not a human but even though, Rinko still hasn't realized it, she hates the vampire lord by instinct. It's good that Jole sat between the two. They objected first since they're having their usual fight again but this girl really doesn't fear them and so, she won the seat. Rina Kuriko, also their classmate, is beside Fuyumi. She has a black and her eyes are liquid topaz. Fuyumi's unusual ability took those as the hints. Across the table and in their front is Maria Arita, beside her is Zen. Rinko tried hard not to eat a lot since the hag might give her more orders tomorrow since she's been declared as her 'slave' by their teacher, Shira-sensei. Although she thinks that it's really stupid to do that since it's not what they're here for she can't do anything about it.
"Rui-aniki!" she whines when he walked pass her. "Come here for a bit." she gestured at him to come closer and when he was close enough, she grabbed his ear and whispered, "Aniki, talk to that pesky obaa-san again, I'm no one's slave~." he retracted and stood up straight. The closure almost made him blushing from her blood but he resisted. He doesn't know if his eyes turned red or not but it's good that he placed back his contact lenses to his eyes.
"Rinko," he muffled her hair, patting her head like she's a dog. "Try to befriend her more. Be with her the whole day." he smiled and left with Akira and Zen, they're gonna fix their things. She sighed and whined again. Sayako glanced at her and smirked, which pissed her more.
She went out of their room, unlike yesterday she's the one who woke Fuyumi up. She paced, the brunette followed her. She's in a pissed off mood and a gloomy one that the other girl did not dare to say a single word. She's carrying the case by her right hand. If it's handle is someone's neck, that someone might have died already out of suffocation. She's gripping it so tightly that her knuckles have gone white. If Fuyumi will ask what's wrong, she'll say nothing but will smirk at her and later laugh evilly. That's the part of her that the brunette hates the most; that's the part that makes her a wild boar. When they arrived at the hall, Rinko sat at the farthest seat possible from her instinctively enemy, the vampire lord. The brunette, no matter how gloomy she is, still sat beside her. Unlike the usual her, she ate only a few meals and left with Fuyumi who was forced not to finish hers. Jole glanced at her an then to Sayako. The two have some kind of hatred aura leaking from their bodies but she ignored it. However, knowing what their lord can do, Maria, Rina and Khana and the others are staring at her. They averted their eyes when Sayako glared at them. She stood up and left grabbing Maria who's beside her when they both finished.
"Sayako-sama," Maria called. "I just wondered, why you and Harume-san are always against each other?"
"You didn't see it?" she growled.
"I just wanna confirm. But I guess it's right."
"That girl still knows nothing about me and she's already like that. It'll be a huge problem if she'll know the truth." she said exactly when they entered their room. They were both surprised to find the certain slayer blocking their way. As the last time, most of their classmates are glaring at her.
"What truth is that about, obaa-san?" she cockily asked with a raised brow.
"The truth that you're a loser, aho." she replied, lying. They passed by her and sat on their chairs. Ignoring the insult, she returened to her own seat as Shira entered the room.
"Harume-san," she called her and she quivered. "Ten more essays today." and she started writing the lecture as the others get their pens and write their essays, ignoring her dilemma as she blankly stares into space, her mouth in the same position as last time. A chirping crow that passed by made her slumped her head on her desk and she later dozed off.
The minutes passed and hearing her steady breathing, Shira turned to look at her, a vein became visible at her temple as her heart beat faster causing her blood to flow harder. Her eyes was about to turn to red in unison with the others' as they all glance at her, the only thing that's holding them back is their lord's gaze which seemed like a glare.
"Fuyumi-san," she poked her. "That inoshishi will get it if you won't wake her up."
"The other half of her consciousness is awake." she told her and everyone gazed in her direction. She sweatdropped. W-what's with them? "W-well...she just lazed again...she's still not full asleep..."
"Aho, wake up." Sayako ordered her. Silence. "AHO!" she threw a book to her, hit her head and she instantly woke up.
"Majo!" she glared at her. Witch smacked her head.
"That's not me, baka!" after saying it hurts several times, she turned around and sent the lord a death glare. "What shit is with you!?" she stood up, was about to hit her when she sighed.
"Shira-sensei." Sayako glimpsed at her, ignoring her slave, catching and blocking her first with her every punch. "Stop increasng her work every now and then, it's irritating." she hissed, Shira and company looked away, gloomed, and continued their works. She let Rinko go when the dumbstruck slayer calmed down.
"O-obaa...-san?" she got back to her sit.
"Don't misunderstand, I just hate it every time you're being loud, slave." she teased, smirking when she heard the slayer's blood rushed. Rinko didn't mind the insult but wrote her one out of ten essays down.

Shira went out after hearing the bell rang and gathering their papers. The students each passed a couple of essays while Rinko passed three out of ten. Shira had theatened her that she'll have her clean the room if she won't finish hers two hours before the dismissal. Everyone had left, including Fuyumi whose invitations she ignored, aside from her mortal enemy, the vampire lord. She doesn't want to continue what she's writing but to show her instinctively foe that she'll get it over with, she didn't falter and even with a groaning stomach, she refused to go down to neither to the canteen nor the cafeteria. She's glancing at the russet every approximately eight minutes, just to see her reading her usual book, which is her excuse for staying. She tried to talk to her countless times but all failed as both her nerves and voice betrayed her will. Silence came up to them. In every second. the only sound is the ticking off the clock. It's like they're accustomed to it until Rinko glanced at her again.
"Aho, what are you looking at?" she finally asked. Rinko flinched.
"It just annoys me every time those dog-like people act like that." she answered. "What did you do to them."
"Nothing." she honestly answered.
"They are exaggerated. I don't think that's normal." she went back to writing.
"If you really want to know, then ask Jole." she stood up and paced to her side. "Come slave." she ordered.
"It's not class hours, obaa-san." she insisted. Sayako ignored her and paced to the door, then halted.
"Fine. I was just thinking of letting you eat whatever you want." she strolled outside. Just when she's already gone did Rinko's ears twitched at what she heard. Though hesitating, she dashed out and followed the hag then pounced on her just to receive a glare as the russet pulled her hair. "Just why did you pounce on me, aho!?"
"D-did...I just hear you say I can eat, Sa-chan~?" she questioned with a pleading look.
"Why 'Sa-chan'?" she asked, crooking a brow as she pushes her away. She got off.
"Your name's Sayako, ne~?"
"So, you still remember?" she felt a vein popped up.
"Yup~!" Sayako almost slap her when she thought how many times this slayer had called her an old hag but ignored the urge to do and just went downstairs and to the crowded canteen with the raven who's following her after going to their room and carrying her case. This time, she received more of those unwanted death glares but she just insensitively walked and ignored them. "Ne, ne, they're doing it again." she whined as she clings to her.
"What do you want me to do, then!?" she asked, uncaring about her situation as she pushes her away. Rinko let go.
"Send them your death glare or tell them to not do it." she whined.
"You're the slave, not me." she moved away when she got her ramen; Rinko stepped forward to order.
"All meals, please." the staff before her was taken aback with his eyes wide opened as Sayako really did slap the slayer this time; almost pouring the hot ramen on her but hesitated since it would be a waste.
"I said you can eat, not gobble!" and she ordered the lunch for the other herself and stomped to the table with Rinko where Jole sits, waving her hand at them invitingly with Rina, Sylvon Carai, Maria and Fuyumi; they placed their trays down and sat – Rinko, remembering what Sayako told her sided with Jole as the lord by Maria. Silence approached them when Sayako saw Rui and Akira at the next table in front of theirs. Maria was about to talk when Jole shook her head.
"Ne, Jole-san," Rinko broke it and bluntly asked, "Why do Shira-sensei and most of our classmates act like dogs in our class?"
"Why?" she looked at her and chuckled, then later broke into laughters. "...err, gomen. I forgot you and Fuyumi-chan are new students. Oh, and you can call me Jole or Jo-chan."
"So...why?" she asked again, ignoring her uproar.
"She's the most popular student in this university!" she continued to laugh.
She means most obeyed...Rina irritably thought.
It's a misconception for the humans...Sylvon almost sighed.
She got it wrong...Maria sweat dropped. Fuyumi at her other side ignored them and not commented instead, just unfeelingly eat.
"For real? That obaa-san?" she looked at her but only saw a dread look on her face. Sayako's trying to read her unreadable cousin who's directly at the raven's back. "O-obaa-san???" I haven't anything again, have I?
"Err...don't talk to her for a while..." Sylvon warned while scratching the back of his head and laughing nervously as he knows what their lord is up to. "She's having a dilemma...or something..."
"Dilemma...?" she took a look again and shuddered seeing her eyes. T-they aren't red...b-but for a moment...I thought she's an oni...! She nervously laughed in unison with Sylvon. "T-thanks for t-the w-warning..."
"Ri-chan," Jole poked her. Rinko slowly turned to face the girl who's insensitive of the vampire lord's death aura. "You know, there's a fan club for her!" she said in daze, her eyes twinkling.
"F-fan club?" Maria gestured at her she neared and the damphyr whispered,
"I-it's just her imagination...t-there's no such thing as that...errm..." Rinko glimpsed at Jole and sweat dropped. "Don't mind her words...t-that much..." they sat properly when Rina glared at them.
"Ri-chan, did you notice Sayako-kaichou's natural beauty~?"
That's because she's vampire, stupid. Sylvon and Maria sighed.
"N-natural beauty?" she inched away from her, slightly trembling. Now that she mentioned it, isn't almost everyone in this university has that 'beauty'? Like Maria-san, Sylvon-kun and Rina-san...?
"That's right! She's different from all of the students here! She won most of the votes this school year's student council election!"
She won all because she's the vampire lord...Sighed Rina.
"Ne, Ri-chan, what do you think~?" Jole asked; Rinko sighed and crossed her arms, already done of her full course meal. A moment passed by and she closed her eyes. "R-Ri-chan...?"
"I think..." she slowly opened her shut eyes and unwaveringly stared at the girl of their talk who's in her front, gulping her drink. "She's a VAMPIRE." Rina, Sylvon, Maria and Fuyumi stood up as well as Akira from the other table, nervous look on their faces as everyone in the canteen who heard what she said glared at her. Sayako was near to spurting her drink to Rinko's face but held back and she was choked.
"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THAT IDE-!" the four exclaimed as Jole got a clueless expression but was only cut off by Sayako's evil laugh.
"If I'm a vampire," she stated as the speechless Akira sat down as the three other did. "I'll tear you to shreds...or even bite you to death." she threatened Rinko with that eyes and the said girl shuddered again and averted her eyes to Fuyumi.
"O-or an oni...? M-maybe she's...also a witch like majo-san?" at that she got Fuyumi's attention directed towards her, only making the situation worst. "Ne...Fu-chan, Sa-chan, why are you two staring like...?"
"They're not staring, they're glaring at you." Rina commented. Rinko only looked more pathetic.
"Err...you-" the other students averted their gaze from her, sighing.
"Inoshishi..." the brunette hissed as Sayako clench her first. "I'm being silent here without saying a word to you...yet you still involved me to your teasing,eh...?"
"Watch your words, aho." Sayako stood up and paced to her cousin's table, the ones on their table following her with their eyes. "Rui...you should train that aho more." and she exited the canteen having her ramen finished up.
"Fu-chan, should we go back, too?" but she only got more of her glare. "Fine...I-I'll just go back myself." she sighed as she stood up and followed Sayako.
They were taking a stroll along a path at the outside of the school building where there are autumn trees that give them shadows. When the wind gusted their leaves fall as her russet hair was blown by it, again. Rinko's eyes widened when she remembered her words at her first day when they've talked. It's the reason of why we're not in good terms, right? Because I don't trust anybody that I-
"Why did you follow?" Sayako asked with a rather cooler tone than a while ago as she turned to face the slayer.
"...I don't-ah..." she paused and looked at the other girl in the eyes. "Shouldn't I follow you, Sayako-sama~?" she smiled. Sayako stayed blank.
"What happened to your 'I'm no one's slave' attitude?" she raised a brow, crossing her arms.
"Did Rui-aniki tell you that?" Rinko sighed. What is he really up to? He seems to be close with her...and she with him. Thinking that now, she didn't use any honorifics to him...
"Yeah." the vampire lord lied. She then paced towards a tree and sat underneath it and on the grassy ground.
"Wouldn't your uniform get dirty?" though the girl wasn't in her front anymore, she still walked near her and observed her. Now that she's this calm, it's like she really belongs in this season. She sat beside her, gazing at the falling leaves.
"I don't mind it. Besides, this ground isn't that dirty." she reasoned out.
"Sayako-sama...I-I guess...gomen ne..."
"Don't apologize just because I was declared your master."
"No. That has nothing to do with this. I got the worst first impression of you." they looked at each other.
"Same here." she said without breaking the eye contact. Rinko laughed and irritated her. She tried to read the girl's mind but-I can't!? But how...? I-is her...desire for revenge that great? Her widened but she calmed down. "What's funny?"
"Nothing...really sorry for my words, ne? Sayako-sama?"
"Don't call me '-sama'." she stood up, Rinko looked up at her. "If you wanna serve me then serve me as a friend. Let's serve each other as friends."
"Then...Sa-chan?" she smiled at her, getting up and patting the grasses off her skirt. "Can I call you that?" Sayako sighed at her. "I'll take that as yes, Sa-chan~!"
"More importantly," she smirked at her. "Don't you have essays to finish?"
"Ack! I-I forgot...!" she paced back, a clumsy look plastered on her face.
"That kid..." her eyes narrowed. Just-
"I'll cook for you tomorrow, ne~!" said she with a fading voice along a hall.
"Cook? Just be sure there's no poison." she glared at Rinko's previous place. Just how much hatred do you have? What will you do if you knew this university is full with the beings you detest? Rui...will you be safe at that time? She thought in a daze and headed back in.

[mosaic pieces]