Chapter 15

If there would be one thing they'd wish that never happened, that is the fact that their human friend heard their little conference. The silence that followed was prolonged as no one in them dared to speak. Sylvon and Rina were shocked. Their nonexistent fears suddenly rosed up; proudly presenting itself. Fuyumi broke to sweats. If it were just possible, she either melted away with the silence or reduced to dust like how the vampires ceased to live. Jole, however, is just staring at them, unblinking. It was like she wasn't the one in their front; she never have been so serious before. Rina gritted her teeth and broke her eye contact with the weird Jole before them. She just wanted to faint and collapse right there and then wake up to see everything was just a fearful, deathly nightmare – but it isn't.
"What did you silence up for?" Jole asked as she sat by the chair near her. "I know everything so there's no reason for you to be all so worked up." their eyes widened except Fuyumi's. This thing seemed like that time, no? "From the first week of September, I knew it when I heard Khana-san and Sayako-san talking about their problem. They were worried about the yearbooks that time."
"Yearbooks?" Fuyumi interefered as she remembered the main problem in their investigation. "What do you mean?"
"The yearbooks contain some details about them in the previous years. Of course they can't let anyone see it. When I heard them, they wanted to erase my memories but I refused, saying that I won't spill the secret and hide those books properly." she explained. "They won't prove anything but the fact that this university is a place of vampires. You don't have to look for them." Fuyumi bit down her lip. So, this girl knows it all along? Fuyumi thought. "I was nervous so I forced myself to act as cheerful as I can. It's hard to make friends so I wanted to use their small trust at me to gain that unripe friendship."
"I see." Rina said. Both her and Sylvon relaxed now. "That's why you were so weird back then."
"Anyway, as I have proposed, I can give my blood to her. I know it's necessary." they jerked.
"NO!" Fuyumi exclaimed. "You don't know what you're saying!" her expression is duplicated on the others' faces.
"I won't be killed! I trust her!"
"That's not her point." Sylvon glared at Jole. "Sayako-sama isn't a normal vampire. She's the vampire lord. And as the vampire lord, in just matter of time after a bite from her, anyone will die from her venom. If it's not death, then you'll become a vampire, despite her will."
"But if she'll control it-"
"There's no way that ability can be controlled!" Rina hissed at her, "Don't insist on being stupid! You have no idea how being like us is!" Sylvon gripped her wrist.
"Calm down." he commanded her. Rina looked at him and forcibly relaxed then snatched back her hand. "You're still with your sanity, right? If yes, then you still know what prohibited means. Then, you'll stop thinking like that 'cause I prohibit you to. You might just make the things worse." Jole glanced at them and just replied with a silent nod.

"Sa-chan!!!" although still confused, the lady turned to the familiar voice but she could even reply, the girl who called her is already about to fall after a pounce and sent the both of them on the floor. "I told you last night that I'll go together with you to the dining hall! How dare you leave me behind~! WARUI!!!" she whined as Sayako's blood heated and the infamous vein on her forehead popped up.
"I must be fallen asleep already t that time..." she said as they stood up; Rinko continues to smile at her. Seeing that foolish grin in her face, Sayako hooked her right arm around the raven's neck and in a fleeting moment, Rinko's gasping for air as the other girl chokes her. "really...THERE'S NO NEED TO POUNCE ON ME, YOU STUPID, CHILDISH, AHO!!!" despite her anger, she let her go easily after she noticed the necessity for air of the girl.
"I...I...just w-wanted to catch up to you...f-faster..." she stammered, gasping. "Sorry about yesterday." Sayako was a bit surprised to hear her apologize when she recovered and got a bit serious.
"Why are you apologizing?" she started to pace towards the direction heading to the dinning hall; Rinko followed her.
"I was stupidly avoiding and ignoring everyone." she exhaled deeply. "Including you." shadows cast themselves upon her eyes when she loooked down, concealing them from the other girl's gaze.
"Really? You did?" Sayako asked that Rinko's eyes widened and she immediately looked at her. "I didn't notice...up until now..."
"Wha-!" Rinko stopped in her tracks and blocked Sayako, blushing as she pouts at her. So, I was just pondering on what she might think for nothing!? "W-what do you mean by that!? So, you really don't care about me?" she squeezed her eyes close when Sayako placed her face on her head.
"Aho, you didn't let me finish." Rinko gazed at her eyes as Sayako stepped closer to her, so close that she could already see herself in them. "It's not like I didn't miss teasing you." In that moment, her pout was replaced with a smile.
"Eh? EH!? HONTO KA!?" irritated by the closeness, Rinko stepped back.
"I know saying I did not will annoy you." she said smugly. Rinko stared at her, scowling. Sayako nodded slightly and they continued their pace. Can't contemplate with her questions alone anymore, Sayako sighed.
"Rinko," the raven blinked several times at the sudden use of her first name. "Who is...Rui for you?"
They both halted.
Silence.
Sayako looked back at her to know what the question's effect was but only see the blank expression from the contemplating face of the slayer. She tried to read her mind but failed when a strong aura from the depths of her mind blocked – which was her unwavering determination. She furrowed at her.
"Aniki is my aniki." she faintly smiled. "It's as simple as that." she hurried ahead of her. Before she was out of Sayako's sight, the vampire lord was able to take a small glimpse from her mind. 'That's why...I must prove that he's innocent.'

After having their breakfast from the dinning hall, they headed to the classes building and as soon as the bell rang, their classes started. In either relief or confusion, Rina, Sylvon, Maria, Jole and Fuyumi sighed as their friend returned to her normal enthusiasm. However, Sayako is still relentless about the fact that she was able to read a bit of her mind earlier. That only happens when Rinko's strength drops. She knows that the slayer is truly determined to investigate deeper now as that determination strengthened more.
But-
"HARUME-SAN!!! WAKE UP!!!"-as expected when she'll return to normal, everything would return to normal...just like how she sleeps and how Shira-sensei gets pissed of her. (AN: LOL. :)) )
Shira was about to rant again when someone knocked on the door and halted her up. She narrowed her eyes in disappointment and hurriedly slid it open. "What do you-! Oh, gomen..." he stepped back with a heavy flush on her face. "Err...class...we have a new student...yet again..." because of the presence of the other professor beside the door with the new guy, she exasperatedly whispered her last two words with a snarl.
"Sorry for the trouble, Shira-san." said the professor after giving her a note. "Please take good care of him." he beamed off a smile at her, which she consistently ignored, then he left her with the new student who in turn went inside. Both irritated and surprised gasps came from both Rinko – who was almost automatically fully-awoken by then – and Fuyumi. Shira went back to her desk as the guy started to right his name on the board, introducing his name.
"Veildrge, Lawrence." he said his name uninterestedly. "I may be foreigner to you since I'm from London but I hope I'll get with you well." after Shira instructed him, he motioned to the blank seat and sat there, staring at Rinko even from the start.
I'm doing my part as good as I can. Why is he here? What's with that look of his!? The raven voicelessly mumbled, shooting him death glares in return for his stares.

Their lunch break was unusually early when it was announced that the sports festival will be celebrated that day because of some minor changes in the schedules of the school such as the upcoming election of the Parents-Teachers-Administration also known as PTA on this coming Friday. The activity time for the clubs is postponed as they have decided the whole thing. At last, Rinko had finished her loads of works and her thesis, too, although she considers it as unnecessary since she has other things to do. As the aho that she is, she just recently knew that Sayako's club is Kendo and she's with Rui for the past few days in the past weeks, and if not for the rules of the fest she would definitely not get aware of it. The sports club decided that, unlike in the last year, if the clubs the students are in are related to sports, then they are not allowed to participate in that same sport in the whole fest. That's why Sayako will play badminton in spite of being in Kendo club.
"Rina-san," said Rinko as she peered from the corner of her eyes as the girl dresses up herself. It was a little awkward for all of them to be in the locker room all at once especially for Sayako who was in a pure haste in getting her racket ready. "Do you think Sa-chan can be related to anacondas?" Sayako's ears twitched at hearing her name.
"Huh? Anacondas?" Rina crooked an inquiring brow at her.
"Her name and the snake's name sounds almost the same." Rina pulled her brows together in confusion. "Sayakonda, right?" hearing that, the subjected damsel roughly pulled her hair towards her in the raven's dismay as she grunts, "ITAI!!!!"
"You won't like to disappoint me right now, really." she threatened the other but Rinko sarcastically smiled at her, either intending to tease her or just because she can't hide the intense nervousness she feels every time Sayako shows her that expression. Despite the heavy air, however, Rinko still managed to put back herself together and just then, noticed that Sayako had tied her hair in a wavy ponytail. Out of frustration, Sayako stomped her way out of the locker room as Rinko caresses her stretched scalp.
"If I were you," said Maria behind her in a low nervous voice, "I won't get into her nerves this day...she was a bit annoyed yesterday that she doubts herself right now since she thinks she lacks practice." the two looked back on the damsel's tracks. It's more than obvious when she walked cracking the tiles of the floor. All three of them shivered.
"If she won't be an anaconda then she's a T-rex." Rina and Maria gave her questioning looks. "Well...her canine teeth...looked longer and sharper than normal..." her two chat mates stared at her, astounded. "What?"
They shook their heads as they turned pale.
They then leaned on the lockers.
Does she know what she's saying? Rina thought.
God, thanks for her dumbness...Maria pondered repeatedly.
In an innocent (innocent!?) way, she turned her head to one side, not understanding why they reacted the way they did.

Of all the thing they would talk about, why me? Lawrence mumbled to himself as he ties his shoelace in their locker room. The chatters in the background were too loud. Some words are already distorted with the slangs and because they talk like hell, he can barely pick up as they are being jumbled up but he's pretty sure as they gossip like girls it's all about him. Anyways, I would definitely not participate in this kind of thing. I still have to-
"Lawrence-san!!!" a particular guy near him shouted his name. It's unexpected so he didn't have time to cover his ears. It almost ripped his ears and shook off his senses. "What sport are you going to join?"
"I won't-!" was his only reply when the guy tugged him along.
"Seeing your clothes, you are surely going to join basketballk, aren't you? LET'S GO!!!"

"I heard from Fuyumi that that bastard came here." Akira stated as he gritted his teeth together in displeasure from the happenings of the events. None of them expected that to happen. That leader of the other squad suddenly joined them in the investigation. But Rinko was probably aching with anticipation yesterday since she seemed to be in a hurry to investigate more in that university's campus.
"It's getting more complicated by every second, isn't it?" Rui asked behind him in a worried manner. Akira faced him and they nodded in unison. Rui suddenly looked up to Akira and a smile slowly crept upon his lips. "BUT, it's not like we're not allowed to enjoy this event, right?" Akira shot a glare at his smiling face. They are in a MINDBREAKING situation and he can STILL show him that kind of expression!? "It was decided by the author that this will be the last one, after all!" he beamed at him with a toothy smile and suddenly dragged the refusing guy along him, ignoring every word from his protests.

By the swimming pool, Fuyumi and Jole are deeply thinking the things back and forth, from the past happenings up to the present event. They seemed to be having a dilemma by how their face contorted and they foreheads furrowed. They would even 'tsk' and 'hn' at some circumstances. It may be something about their previous topic but then, Jole started to croak then bursted laughing.
"Fuyumi," they looked at each other, eye to eye. "I can't believe this is happening to us."
"Me, too." they sat down. "It was so...so..."
"CRAZY." they bursted laughing together in a louder manner. "SO, this is the last chapter where we will have our relaxed times???"
"Yeah, yeah. Ne, do you still remember the thing in the past CHAPTERS???" they quieted down for a while while they contemplated. Then abruptly snickered at each other.
"I still can remember the arguments Sa-chan and Ri-chan are always having!" Fuyumi stared at her and rolled her eyes to her side.
"No one can forget that thing...it ALWAYS happens." they started laughing again.
"And Ri-chan and you, too!" can't taking the pain that's building up, she held her gut as she tried to muffled her giggles with her right hand clamped on her mouth, tighly.
"Oh, those times were so...simply irritating..." she fiddled with her hair. Then smirked. "But, you know, it's fun to tease someone like her!" they uploaded another set of laughter.
Without any warning, they shivered in horror when Sayako sat beside them. There's a murderous aura oozing from her. Although she seemed to be focused, her eyes are clouded. The other two furrowed at seeing her expression. She is probably stressed now. They're not aware of it but her presence suddenly made their air heavy and gloomy.
"That aho..." they gazed at her dumbly for a minute then blinked a couple of times before they understood. "Teasing again...will she ever tire herself from doing so?" they bore their eyes into her menacing ones. The heavy air was not because of melancholy but was clear grudge. A chill ran down their their spines. Sayako is in her natural sadistic state again. Her expression is almost identical to the one she held yesterday but it's surely more horrible so they decided not to say a word.
"Yo, guys..." a soft velvet voice startled them. They turned to its direction and saw Rina with Maria both frowning. Jole and Fuyumi looked at each other thinking if it's another fraud act. "She pestered our Sa-chan again." except from Sayako, all of them dropped their heads and sighed. There's no hope for her to change.
"And I think it's the reason why Sa-chan is giving off that menacing aura." muttered Maria as she observed closely, taking others' attention as well. They backed away from her when she glanced and glared at them.
"Talking about nonsense won't be able to do anythi-ACK!" Sayako's supposed-to-be-outburst-of-anger was muffled when Rinko pounced on her the second time that day.
"SAYAKOnda's angry at me~?" Rinko whined, "NANDE~!?" none answered as Sayako glowers at her. Although they gave her unbelieving stares.
She's really numb...Fuyumi sighed.
After teasing, how could she ask that? Rina shook her head in disbelief.
Before anything heinous could happen, Jole reminded them of the festival. Since their games would start later after Sayako's, they'll watch hers first. And as expected, her 'normal' opponent is being threatened by the loud cheering of her followers also known as – for Jole – 'fans'. Rina and Jole...well, they're one of them. They're cheering with Maria who was dragged by. Rinko, on the other hand, is spending her time on eating the italian pizza she just ordered from a stall.
"Rui! This isn't the time to be-!"
"I just want to watch her! Our game will start later so-"
"That's not what I mean!" the arguments from afar were music to the raven's ears as she yelled-
"ANIKI~!" -at them after she jumped off her seat and pounced on the unaware but delighted Rui. "So you'll watch her match, too?"
"Yeah, yeah. Of course!" he beamed a smile at her. Akira ever carefully snatched back his hand from Rui's grip in his stoic manner.
"Why are all of you interested in her game?" she pouted at him and he nervously frowned. She smirked. "Rui-aniki, by any chance, do you like Sa-chan?" Rui's eyes widened and by instinct, Rinko instantly knew it's the most accurate hunch she ever had by the way he now looks. She smirked wider. "Let's go nearer to the court~!" unhesitatingly, she grabbed their wrist and dragged them to where the other three are standing with loud cheering, which caused Akira who wanted to stay in a corner under the shades get more dismayed.

"Khana-san, do you think our game would start soon?" Jin asked worriedly as he walks back and forth, irritating the girl more.
"I don't know, and I don't care." she replied. "But I think it'll start later after mine with Sa-chan." she snorted, suppressing a grunt as she tried to sneak away from him but halted as soon as she felt him look at her.
"Yours with Sa-chan?"
"Yeah. And that is after her singles match so let me leave." Khana left then, uncaring of the guy's rants, complaints and whines. Who cares about their basketball? I'll tend to my master first!

Out of displeasure, the redhead exasperatedly sighed. His first day to the university turned out to be a tiring one. First, he planned to watch them only. Second, because first plan was ruined by Jin, the one who dragged him, his last resolve is to stay away from them as much as possible. But then, that was also ambushed. He has no where to go now as he's now one of the players of their basketball. He can't also escape because...well...his hand is cuffed to the screen around the basketball court. It was done by Jin earlier. He was making sure he'll get him to participate. Lawrence might be just another luckless guy here...

The sun was high up in the sky indicating that it's already noon. It was then that Khana arrived at the badminton court after a sprint from the other. Huffing, she elbowed the crowd and later was able to grab the screen with pure luck and watch the court closely. Unlike earlier, the cheering was gone, lost in silent sighs and gasps as everyone gaped in awe to each of the student council president's move. Khana herself felt how intense the concentration of the subjected girl is. According to her reckoning, she's been with her for five years. And in those years, she never saw her play a game in that perfect condition.
The girl would playfully smile and giggle at first but then, as the game moves forth, she's becoming more and more serious until, in their case, they could hear her low whispers of curses at every time her opponent would have the score.
"Her expression right now is definitely different from the one she had a while ago." Khana heard a familiar girl said by her side. She faced her and knew it's Rina. "She was just outraged then, when Rinko pissed her off."
"Rinko?" Khana asked although it sounded like a statement that the other did not reply.
It's not surprising to know that. Then, she stole a quick glance at the score board. Under Sayako's is fifteen as to her opponent is twelve. What a difference, she said in monotone.
It wasn't long before the game was finished with the president declared as the winner. Although her opponent was proven to be strong, she was still in the upper hand. After a little bit of chat with them, Sayako went back to their locker room and changed to her another jersey. She hates sweating much.
"That was like you some time ago." she immediately turned to face him and frowned at the unexpected visitor. A light blush crept across her face. Luckily, she was already dressed.
"Zen," she growled, "isn't it disrespectful of you to suddenly enter here? This is the girls' locker room."
"But you're already done." he smugly smiled, as if taunting her. "I'm not a peeping tom, am I? Besides, your body isn't something that would interest me."
She glared at him. Although he noticed her heart skipped a beat, he ignored it, seeing how irritated she is right now.
"Before your doubles match with Khana, your class' basketball would start first." he sighed. "So stop looking at me like that." Sayako's eyes widened in the slightest manner and followed him as he took his leave.

"Akira," Rui said, worriedly. "Rinko isn't around. Have you seen her anywhere?" he eyed every corner around them, trying to find the missing-in-action raven.
"No. When we were at the badminton court, you just left me on my own." he clenched his hand into a fist. "When her game finished, you dragged me again here. But now, it's worse. DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO HANDCUFF THE BOTH OF US???" He exclaimed with undivided attention to their wrists, cuffed together.
"Well..." Rui scatched the back of his head in reviewing what just happened. "As you said, I just left you on your own. So, in order to avoid that happening, I'll make sure you won't be able to get away from me."
"And where did you get that?"
"I got it from Jin." he smiled like a carefree happy-go-lucky model. "I just saw Lawrence by here a while ago and I asked him whose is it and he told me it's Jin's then he-"
"BAKA!" he shouted at him. Others' attention were fixed on them but he ignored them and continued, "Why would you talk to that guy!? Have you forgot what-"
"ANIKI~!" he did not finish what he was saying as both of them quickly looked to the direction where the familiar voice came. Light brightened their faces as soon as they saw Rinko, cheerfully smiling at them. As usual, she jumped into Rui's arms. "Ne, ne, why are hands together? Is that something required for a game? The people are staring at you because of that, aren't they?"The two shooed away the unwanted attention of some eyes with a simple pair of death glares and death aura. Sarcastically, after what they both did, Rui returned the girl's smile. Although there wasn't any doubts that he was pissed off, Rinko seemed unaffected.
"Have you seen Khana anywhere?" Sayako's voice startled both Rui and Akira. The tone of her voice was somehow...weird. She just talked in a childish, puppyish voice. "I'll practice with her before our game starts." then, all of a sudden, her voice normalized. She was serious again. Since Zen and Rui know her for such a long time, they weren't surprised; even Akira wasn't. He did not even notice it. But among them, as the one who always hears her threatening voice, Rinko was stunned.
"She headed that way, I think." the mentally stunned girl managed to say without stammering. She was still unmoving when Sayako left with Zen. "W-O-W." she pronounced the word in three syllables.

Despite all of his complaints, Lawrence gracefully played. He was dribbling the ball faster than the others do. When he'll go for a dunk, there was no one who could block him. His shirt was a bit loose and so, in every time he makes a shot, it generously shows his well-toned abs. His muscular frame and chest was also shown since the said generous one was sleeveless and its neckline was a little lower than the average measurement. Autumn was near its end and winter is fast-approaching but the temperature was warmer due to the humidity. Because of it, he was glistering under faint sun. The basketball was too noisy with all the cheers. It went on quite slow because the teams both played excellently.
On the contrary, Sayako's and Khana's doubles ended with 21-30 as the score count. Their tandem was great even against the greatest.
"Harume-san," the redhead called as he walks toward her. "I don't think you're acting reasonably."
"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes matched her flat, low, serious tone.
"Aren't you supposed to be investigating right now?" he questioned with heavy sarcasm in his voice, thinking she'll be taken aback. But how she responded surprised him instead. Her expression did not change; it's still blank.
"Before I enjoyed myself in this fest," she said, her tine unchanging. "I made a decision beforehand... I decided this day is the ending of my blissful university life."
Before he could even reply, she turned her back and paced away from him as he shuddered from her words of dead seriousness.

[last reverie]