Wow. I'm so glad that many actually took interest in my fanfic. Thank you so much for all the support! From here on, please prepare tissues. Well, not really, but it can get depressing at times… Still, I hope you will love the characters'interaction with one another. Zero is still tsundere even when taking care of a child. XD Maybe that's because it's Yuuki's daughter…
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Disclaimer: All rights and ownership disclaimed except for my original characters, Mira and Himeko. =)
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Chapter 2
The Predicament
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"Himeko… is missing…?" Yuuki repeated the words she heard from Aidou, who had previously volunteered to baby-sit the now missing vampire child. She clutched her temple with one hand, feeling herself lose balance. She suddenly felt a strong arm wrap around her waist to support her fainting body. Without even looking, she could already tell who it was. "Kaname-onii-sama…" Her voice sounded like she would break into tears any moment now.
Kaname ran a soothing hand through her long dark brown hair and said to her gently, "Calm down, Yuuki. We'll find her." He turned his gaze—which hardened immediately—to Aidou. "Where did you last see Himeko?"
Aidou shivered involuntarily at Kaname's icy glare. This was more than familiar to him. Those red eyes that looked so serious and the hints of his fangs in his mouth—Kuran Kaname was very angry. And at him nonetheless. He remembered the days Kaname would punish him in the night class dormitory but this one was different. 'I just became the reason why Kuran Himeko-sama—the daughter of Kuran Kaname-sama—went missing.' This time, he could already picture himself being beheaded. "Well…" He chose his words wisely. "I thought it was a good idea to show Himeko-sama the splendid garden in here but I think she wandered off to the outside garden…" 'Which also leads outside—OUTSIDE…' He silently regretted ever thinking he could handle such an important task as looking after the little princess. Wanting to be of service to Kaname, Aidou volunteered to baby-sit Himeko for a short time while Kaname and Yuuki danced in the social party they were attending at the moment but it turned out that he was only going to cause trouble for Kaname.
"And how did she wander off without you taking notice…? If you can please explain that to me, Aidou." Kaname was saying the words calmly but his eyes were like raging fire as he waited for Aidou's answer.
"I'm so sorry, Kaname-sama!" Aidou bowed his head humbly, not daring to answer the question. He might as well commit suicide in front of Kaname rather than admit that he was distracted with courting a lovely vampiress at the said garden.
But Aidou's attempt to dodge the question was not overlooked by Kaname. "Aidou… don't tell me—"
"Onii-sama, please stop already." Yuuki wrapped her arms around Kaname's left arm to catch his attention. Kaname immediately turned to her, his eyes softening instantly, raging fire turned to subtle and warm embers. "Let's look for Himeko. Please…" The pureblood princess implored, eyes intently focused to Kaname's eyes.
"Yuuki…" Kaname could sense and see the worry and fear that his beloved was currently feeling. To see her suffering like that pained Kaname twice as much. He quickly turned to Aidou and uttered his command clearly, "Prepare the car. We're going."
-
Kiryuu Zero was in a big dilemma—in the form of a little girl standing in front of him. A little girl who looked a lot like her when she was younger.
Her hair ran past her shoulders with bangs that touched her eyebrows the same way hers did. Her eyes had the same color and looked so innocent just like hers did. Her nose had the same shape as hers, which slightly began to turn reddish from the creeping chill of nightfall. Her lips were angled the same way as hers when she was waiting anxiously for something. Her clothes told him that she was probably in a party. A white dress adorned with a big black lace around the waist told him it was probably a formal vampire gathering.
"Mister… did you hear me…?" The little girl asked tentatively when she didn't get any response from the adult man standing before her.
He took a deep breath and tried to organize all of his scattered thoughts. 'It's all right…' He assured himself. 'All I have to do is ask her where she needs to go, drop her somewhere near and tell her a few directions and then leave quickly. Don't worry, there won't be any chance that I'll see her—I won't let that happen.' That was the logical part of him thinking that way. But another part of him was thinking a whole different thing. This one wondered about one certain what if…
Would this lead to another reunion with her? Would he point his gun at her again? Would he force another kiss on her? Would he lie to himself again? Would he have enough strength to lie to her again? How would this one end? How would she react this time? Did she miss—
He immediately ended the train of foolish thoughts as they got more and more delusional. Forgetting the identity of the vampire kid in front of him and trying to pretend that she was just an ordinary lost child, Zero calmly asked, "So, do you know where you live?"
The little girl's eyes lit up when she finally got Zero to talk to her. "Um… actually I don't know where exactly it is…" She answered nervously. "We usually take a car to go to places and I've never been in this town before…"
The problem seemed to be worse than he thought. He actually thought her house would be somewhere around here but now that he thought about it, he realized that that would be quite impossible. With him going around this town so many times, he should have met her somewhere already if she lived somewhere near. "Then, do you know at least where the party is? You know, the place you left before ending up here."
"Hmm…" She closed her eyes and tried to think deeply but she had no clue at all where she ended up. "Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to where I was actually going. I was just running after Kitty-chan because she went out of the garden and found myself in here already…" Seeing the frown that formed on Zero's lips, she hurriedly added, "I probably will remember the place if I see it again!"
Another sigh escaped Zero as he tried to figure out how to handle this unexpected situation, which appeared to be more and more troublesome for him as every minute passed by. 'A garden… Probably a private villa or mansion owned by one of the vampire clans…' He couldn't remember any in town but he thought there might be one at the outskirts of the main town. It would be a long walk to go there but he might as well take her there. The other option was too impossible for him to even consider.
The sooner he could get rid of her, the better it would be for his mind and heart.
'Please let this all end quickly.' That was his silent prayer as they took a deserted path going to the outskirts of town.
-
The Kurans and their subordinates hurriedly but inconspicuously left the party. Immediately, Kaname ordered all of his trusted vampire advocates to have the whole town searched for the missing princess but with caution to make sure it remained unnoticed by the public—especially the vampire community.
Kaname decided not to inform the whole party about the sudden commotion because of fear that it might endanger Himeko instead of making it easier to find her. Even though it was already generally peaceful under his rule, he could tell that there were still a number of vampires that were against his pacifist principles. If these people heard about Himeko's disappearance, they might use that piece of information against him and cause more problems for the whole vampire society.
Yuuki also agreed with this plan since she knew how some greedy vampires would be willing to commit a taboo just to acquire a pureblood's power. Once they realized that a pureblood child was missing and was left vulnerable, they might go after her and use her for their own advantage. That was one of the reasons she never wanted to leave Himeko alone. Yuuki always made sure that she was with her at all times. To assure Himeko's safety and their family's as well, she and Kaname even had their house fully secured and guarded, their location only known to a few trusted and close vampire friends.
Although Himeko wasn't locked up in the house like her mother was back when she was a child around her age, she was not often let outside as well though. If ever Himeko went outside, it was always with Kaname and Yuuki—never alone.
'And now my baby is all alone in this cold town, not knowing how to get back home…' Yuuki silently cried for her daughter, repeatedly praying that she was all right and hoping that they would find her soon. She looked outside the window and watched every child that walked around the town's sidewalk as they drove by in an attempt to find her.
'Himeko…'
Kaname looked at his troubled sister who sat beside him, her eyes fixed towards the moving crowd outside the car's window. Years of observing her made him an expert of how she felt in every occasion. This time he could tell she was anxious and scared. He could tell that she couldn't even notice that he was watching her silently. She just maintained her eyes on the window's direction, not bothering to wipe the tears that slowly trickled down her face.
Kaname noticed one more thing interesting though. He didn't know if she was aware that she was doing it or not but she was fumbling the old bracelet around her left wrist restlessly.
The bracelet that was not just a piece of jewelry she was fond of but was actually an old protection charm that was paired with a tattoo—and linked to a certain vampire hunter, who was also a vampire himself.
'Kiryuu Zero. Seven years had already passed yet I am still reminded of him.' Kaname smiled sarcastically at the thought. 'How about Yuuki… I wonder…' He watched her fingers as they still continued to touch the metal surface of the bracelet's emblem.
The answer to his musing didn't require a genius to figure it out. He pretty much knew the answer—always had…
-
Zero looked at the lost vampire princess impassively, a thin line stretched on his lips. "Do you mind telling me why you are still following me, little girl?" He couldn't ignore her any longer. Fifteen minutes ago, he had left the girl in front of the gate of the seemingly abandoned villa and was on his way home. Not long enough though, he began hearing running footsteps and saw the girl again when he turned his head. He thought she just wanted to say thanks so he just ignored her and kept walking but she never spoke and just kept following him instead. "That way is where you're supposed to be going, not this way." He pointed out to her, in case she didn't realize it yet.
"You said we were going home, mister." She answered him straight-forwardly, wide, innocent eyes looking up to Zero's passive ones.
The vampire hunter clapped a hand to his temple as if to prevent a forthcoming headache. "No, I said I was going home." He tried to explain patiently. "And you were supposed to go inside that villa over there and look for your parents." He pointed to the mansion still visible from their view but it looked pretty small from where they were standing now.
Himeko obediently turned her head to where Zero pointed but returned her gaze to him and said with a small pout, "But they weren't there…"
"How did you know?" Zero immediately countered, praying hard that she wouldn't tell him that she only guessed that.
The four-year-old child was smarter than that though and replied with a more intelligent answer. "Our car is not there anymore." She stated, her hands slightly tightening around the kitten she held as a chilly wind blew by.
Zero would have offered his coat to her but it was so large for her that she'd be dragging half of it on the ground if she wore it. A scarf would have been a good idea but he never carried one with him. Moreover, they were currently in the middle of a deserted pathway with no nearby shops or stores to buy anything that could make her feel warmer.
With a sigh, he took off his trench coat and then unbuttoned the vest he had underneath it. "That is the right house, right? They must have moved the car. Go back inside and ask." He told her as he squatted and pulled her closer towards him so he could put the vest on her. The vest was big for her too that it almost looked like a dress on her. 'Better than catching a cold at least.' He thought contentedly, putting his trench coat back on.
Himeko murmured thanks then placed the kitten inside the vest as well to keep it warm, allowing the cat's head to poke out a little. "It is the right house but there was no one around that I recognized when I sneaked inside..." She explained to Zero, smiling a little when the cat snuggled closer to her and fell asleep once again.
"Ask for your parents. I'm sure they know them." 'Who wouldn't know your parents if they are the purebloods who are currently controlling the vampire council?' He didn't want to say the name out loud, afraid that she might show up if he did.
"My mom said not to talk to strangers though…"
Their conversation seemed to go on and on. He was now tempted to just haul the girl over his shoulder, walk all the way back to that house and personally give her to her parents—who should be in that house.
Of all the people to be stuck with her daughter, why did it have to be him?
He bended his knees again, trying to level his eyes with hers. He was still a little taller but the gap was definitely lessened. "Look here, kid." Zero slowly spoke then pointed to himself. "If you still haven't noticed, I am a stranger too."
"But you're a nice stranger," reasoned Himeko, pausing to think for a while. "And you know about vampires too!" She added, smiling.
Zero wasn't puzzled how the child knew he was a vampire. Any vampire could sense other vampires. It was an inborn trait together with being one. To him, it was like having the ability to know who shared the same cursed, wretched fate as his. "Look here…" He began, only frowning at the smile she gave him. "I am a vampire hunter too, you know…" He stood up and looked at the direction of the villa, pondering.
This though wasn't expected by the other party. "Eh?! How is that possible?" Himeko wondered, eyes widening. "You are a vampire too just like Himeko though! I can sense it." She couldn't be wrong. She could clearly sense him even until now. He was a vampire—and a strong one at that.
"I am both. I'm a monster, that's why." He didn't say the words with a smile or a sarcastic scowl. He just delivered the words plain and simple. 'Because it's the truth.' He stood up, forgetting the thought immediately instead of wallowing in it. He had more things to think about, namely how to solve this dilemma. 'If her parents are not there, where could they be? Looking for her? We didn't meet them on our way here though. Will we come across them if I bring her back to town?' His thoughts brought forth a possible situation he really didn't want to happen.
If they saw her parents and she saw him. Again, all the questions he tried to push off from him mind came rushing back. For a while, he allowed himself to think about her. Just for a while, he would stop pretending and just allow himself to be free. Just for a while, he tried to remember how she'd look like.
Long, flowing dark brown hair. 'I wonder… did she ever cut her hair short just like before?'
Thin lips that always carried a smile. 'She is happy right now, right? With her own family and a peaceful life…'
Huge red eyes that always looked after him—until they separated ways at least. 'Would her eyes show any sign that she remembers me when we see each other?'
Slender body that he wished he could have protected forever. 'But it was impossible for me to keep her…'
Zero was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt a tugging on his sleeve. He looked down at Himeko and waited for what she had to say.
"Mama said I shouldn't be scared of vampire hunters anyway so I think it's okay. Even if you are a monster, mister…" Himeko said with her innocent and trusting voice. "Being with you is a lot safer than going to where those bad vampires are…" She wrapped her small hand around Zero's big hand and pulled him gently to start walking—to the direction where Zero was previously headed before he stopped. "Let's go."
Zero didn't even protest or pull back when she took his hand. Instead, he held her hand with his in an attempt to warm her little cold hand with his. "Bad vampires?" He asked, taking note of what she had just said. Noticing how she was trying so hard to quicken her pace so that she wouldn't slow down his walking, he began to take smaller steps in order to match Himeko's normal speed. Walking side by side, it didn't look like the two were strangers at all.
"They're at the party." She told him, balancing the kitten inside her vest with only one arm now. "But I only keep quiet because they might hurt Himeko. Papa and Mama would be sad…" The kitten remained asleep though, warm and cozy inside the vest she wore.
The adult vampire looked down at the little girl and asked, "How do you know I won't hurt you? I might be a bad vampire too, you know." He just couldn't believe she had so much trust in him—a stranger she just met hours ago. She didn't even know his name or anything about him—except that he was a vampire.
"Vampire hunters only go after bad vampires. That's what Papa told me," said Himeko as she stared back at Zero with a warm smile. "And I'm sure you are a kind vampire too because you didn't eat the little children who bullied me. Mama told me that bad children were eaten by scary vampires so I had to behave."
Zero still wasn't exactly contented with that. "The way your brain works is too simple." He remarked but conceded defeat anyway. 'I give up. She even acts exactly like her in some aspects. So trusting and always showing kindness to everyone…' He knew there was no way of making her think the opposite anyway.
The buzz of the crowd as they neared the market area became louder. He scanned the place, trying to see signs of the child's parents but none was in sight. With a mental sigh, he made his way to the nearest police station. "I'll take you to the police station then. They'll help you find your parents."
"No!" Immediately, Himeko pulled Zero's hand to stop him from going to the station's direction. "I can't go there! Bad vampires will get me there!" She insisted, eyes suddenly looking alarmed and frightened.
'Again with those bad vampires. Who are they exactly?' Zero wondered. "Tough luck kid, it's either the police station or you sleep on the streets." He stood there unmoving and waited for her to make her choice.
"…" Himeko looked down at her shoes and then looked up at Zero but didn't say anything. She just stared at him but didn't say a word at all.
Seconds passed then minutes. Zero looked at the sky and realized that the sun had almost completely set. The town was bathed in orange and red colors as the sun made its final impression before night claimed its seat. With an uncaring shrug, he turned around and started walking home. Before that though, he turned again and looked down at Himeko.
"Don't follow me. Stay here or go to that police station over there." He pointed to the one just across the street then waited for Himeko's answer.
She didn't give him any. She just continued to stare at him like an abandoned, lost kitty.
Zero didn't waste another minute when he realized he wouldn't be getting any response from her. Turning his back on her again, he walked away.
No small footsteps were heard from behind him.
-
Zero climbed the stairs, pulled out his key and walked into his apartment. 'Finally, peace and quiet.' He headed for his room and immediately collapsed on the bed, finding himself staring at the empty ceiling. For a moment, he wondered if the vampire girl found her parents by now. The last image he had on his mind before he drifted to sleep was that of the little girl standing on the street where he left her, wearing his vest and cuddling the little kitten she had with her.
-
Zero opened his eyes and looked at the clock on his bedside. It was almost nine o'clock in the evening. He realized he hadn't eaten dinner yet so he left his bedroom and decided to cook something easy. The kitchen though wasn't restocked yet since he forgot to do his groceries today.
'A lot happened today that's why…' He grabbed his apartment keys from the table and headed for the door. 'I guess I'll just get something quick at the convenient store.' He thought as he went down the flights of stairs.
"Ah!"
He froze at the bottom step of the apartment stairs, looking down at the little girl who just cried out, smiling brightly at him.
"Found you again!" She exclaimed, faint puffs of hot air coming out of her mouth as she spoke. It was already spring but the nights were still too chilly to stay out that long.
"You dummy! I told you to go to the police station already!" His eyes narrowed as he scolded her. He quickly grabbed her hand and dragged her inside the apartment building, an involuntary shiver coming over him upon touching her freezing hand. As the door closed behind them, he took off his coat and draped it around her, tying the belt in the front to keep her warm. As he expected, half of the coat flowed around her feet. "What are you doing here!?"
"I was waiting here." She replied honestly, looking at the feline she was carrying to make sure it was okay. Assured that it was doing fine, she finally sighed in relief and allowed herself to enjoy the new warmth the coat provided for her. 'So warm…'
"To freeze to death?" Zero commented dryly, giving her a little nudge to make her walk towards the direction of his apartment on the second floor. The hallway was vacant except for the two of them at the moment. It was getting late anyway. "I told you to go to the police station, didn't I?"
Himeko continued to walk forward, her hands trying to hold the coat up so she wouldn't stumble on it, but her head was turned back to Zero to answer him. "But if bad vampires come looking for me, they might find me if I'm there." She told him. "I decided I should just wait somewhere else for my parents to find me."
After one flight of stairs, he stopped in front of the door with the number 1008 on it. "And that somewhere just happened to be my place, huh?" He turned to Himeko, a hint of sarcasm glinting in his light purple eyes.
"Well…" The vampire girl avoided eye contact, her eyes suddenly interested on the walls. "I did follow you to be honest…"
A clicking sound and then Zero pushed the door open to enter. He looked back at Himeko and waited for her to come in as well.
But she remained rooted in her position at the door. Her big eyes looked at Zero hesitantly, worried that she might be scolded because she had followed him home. "…is it okay?" She asked in a small voice.
"Just come in already."
Zero went inside his bedroom and pulled out a spare futon he'd been keeping in the closet. Carrying the futon with him, he went out of his room and set up the bedding in the almost empty living room. "Here, sleep here." He told Himeko, who was currently watching him silently.
Himeko looked at the futon in front of her and then around the room. It was a small apartment, just right for one person. From the living room, she could see the kitchen on the right side, along with a small dining table and two chairs. There was only a low mahogany table on the living room and a few books neatly piled on top of it. Neither plants nor pictures were found in the room. Aside from the door leading outside, there was just two more doors visible from the living room. One led to room the adult vampire came out from a while ago—his bedroom. The slightly narrower one she guessed was the bathroom.
After taking off the trench coat and the vest Zero lent to her, she rested the kitten under the table just near her futon and prepared to lie down. But then she stopped and looked up at Zero, slightly shy she said, "I'm hungry though…"
"I'll cook you somethi—wait, I don't have any—is rice okay?" He remembered having left over rice from today's lunch so that should be fine. He'll just cook some vegetables to go with it.
"Um…"
Zero noticed her fidgeting. 'Ah, you mean that kind of hunger…' He bent down and offered his cheek to her. "Here. I know you don't have fangs yet so just absorb some of my energy." There was no other choice anyway. He didn't have any other way to feed her and there was no one else to help her. He closed his eyes for a moment and waited for her lips to touch his cheek.
Soon enough, he felt a soft tap on his cheek that lingered for a few seconds. Then he sensed her pulling back already. "All done?" He asked, feeling a little weird after the act. That was understandable of course since that was his first time donating life energy for someone—and through a peck on the cheek no less.
"Yes, thank you." The vampire child answered as she seated herself on the futon."Um… can I ask for your name, ojisama?" A little hesitation was in her voice when she spoke.
"Ojisama? I think I'm too young for that." Zero couldn't help but smile a little at her. He detected her nervousness so he tried to be a bit more friendly to her. After all, she was lost and had no one to depend on—except for him. 'And why use '-sama'?' He wasn't used to hearing that associated with his name. Well, except when Mira mocked him because he was always so serious.
"Hmm…" She paused to think for a moment. "Then… oniisama?" She tried again, tilting her head to the side a little as she looked up to him.
'Still sounds weird.' He chuckled softly then patted her head lightly. "Niisan is fine." He told her. Unknown to him, the small smile he had still remained on his lips.
It may be unnoticed by Zero but Himeko noticed the smile immediately. For some reason, Himeko's heart warmed up at the sight of it. Relief seemed to flush through her whole body as she thought, 'He will let me stay here with him.' She smiled contentedly, the fear of having no one to help her gently subsiding when she felt Zero's warm hand over her head. "Then… Oniisan, what is your name?"
'There… Now that sounds more natural.' Zero thought just for a second before answering her. "Kiryuu Zero."
"Kiryuu Zero-oniisan?" Himeko tried saying the name out loud, looking as if she was trying to remember something. 'Did I hear that name before…?' She wondered, feeling like she was forgetting something—something important. She wasn't able to dwell more on that thought though when she noticed that Zero was looking at her with some concern. 'Ah! I forgot!' She hurriedly knelt on her futon, both of her hands placed neatly in front of her, and then bowed a little—a formal way of introducing one's self.
'Why is this kid so formal?' Zero wondered to himself, watching her do everything on her own. Another small smile made its way on Zero's lips as he continued to watch her. One moment she was spacing out and then the next she was on her knees, trying to introduce herself.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Kuran Himeko. Thank you for taking me in." She lifted her head up and offered another bright smile to Zero.
But Zero didn't return the smile and instead gave her a sharp look and a frown.
Kuran. The name immediately hit him—hard, waking him up from his pretense. She was not an ordinary lost child. Neither was she an ordinary lost vampire child. There was no more uncertainty now. She was her daughter.
'Together with him.' He abruptly stood up and didn't say another word to Himeko. He just turned his back to her and headed for his room quietly, his feet feeling like dead log that he had to drag to reach his room.
"Good night, oniisan."
Himeko's words fell to deaf ears. Zero didn't speak or turn around to acknowledge her. He just opened his door, got inside the room, closed the door behind him and dragged himself towards his bed.
Himeko watched silently as Zero walked to his room, his back turned to her. From her point of view, she couldn't see Zero's face but the way he frowned at her after her introduction remained in her head.
"Hey, Kitty-chan…" She turned to the kitten that was dozing off beside her bedding. The cat didn't open its eyes but it flicked its ears as if to encourage her to go on. "Do you think Zero-oniisan was mad after all?" She stopped as if waiting for an answer from her listener. "…because I did follow him home even though he told me not to… I know I shouldn't have but…" She lay on her futon and pulled the sheets up to her chin. "I was scared to be all alone." She admitted. It was the truth. The moment Zero was walking away from her, she really wanted to run after him instantly but his words before he left stayed imprinted on her mind. She wanted so much to say, 'Don't leave me here.' but the she didn't have the courage to say them out loud. "Mama said not to trouble other people but I really don't know anyone else except for Zero-oniisan here… and… I just wanted to stay with Zero-oniisan." She didn't want Zero to be mad at her so she tried to pretend she would be okay. She didn't move from that spot immedaitely because she didn't want to see his angry eyes on her. But the moment she couldn't Zero's figure anymore, her conviction to stay put melted all at once. "If I didn't follow him, I just know I'll be more scared…" She just knew she had to be at least near him. He was a stranger to her but his presence became her security blanket that day. She closed her eyes and gave a small yawn. She stared at the ceiling even though she couldn't see it clearly. The darkness was almost complete except for the mellow light of the moon from the window. Before, when she was a year younger, she would fear the darkness and would often ask her mother to stay with her in bed. But her fear slowly subsided because her mother would always tell her stories about her adventures when she would go night-patrolling every night—way back when she was still in high school. Her eyes slowly got heavier as sleep began to take over. "Mama, do you think I'm a bad girl…?" She kept her eyes closed and didn't force herself to stay awake any longer. She knew she wouldn't get the answer to that question any time soon but she could only hope for one thing before she finally gave in to sleep.
'Please don't make Zero-oniisan mad at me when I wake up tomorrow.'
-
Zero stared at the ceiling for a long time, his head filled with thoughts of her all of a sudden. He closed his eyes and tried to stop his train of thoughts but it was hopeless. The fact that her daughter was just outside his door—sleeping in his apartment—was all he needed and all of his memories about her would rush in his head. The moment he was certain that she was her daughter, it was as if all the locks he placed in his memory and heart broke open.
Just when he thought fate couldn't have given him a more cruel surprise…
'Yuuki… what the heck are you doing? Losing your daughter… I bet you're crying right now…' He closed his eyes and it didn't take long for him to see her crying face at the back of his eyes. He reached out a hand as if to dry her tears but of course he touched nothing but air. He still had his hand in midair, reaching for something he knew he could never have. He balled his hand into a fist and brought his arm down to cover his weary eyes. 'Kuran…' He pictured Yuuki crying in Kaname's arms, the vampire pureblood looking helpless and distraught as well as he tried to comfort her. 'Kuran Himeko… Both he and she must be desperately looking for her…'
Then he heard Himeko speaking to her cat from behind his door. The night was quiet and he was just meters away from her so it was not impossible. Her voice wasn't very loud but his keen hearing was enough to make him notice her speaking.
"Do you think Zero-oniisan was mad after all?"
He could sense the uncertainty and worry in her tone. Even though she was a child, he could tell that she was a smart and sensitive one. His emotions seemed to be transparent to her. 'Yes, I am mad…' He confessed to himself. 'Mad at the fact that you are her daughter. Mad at the fact that your last name is Kuran. Mad at the fact that of all the people in the world, it was me who had to help you. Mad at the fact that I am feeling jealous as hell right now. Mad at the fact that I still can't forget her. Mad at the fact that…' He closed his eyes, his hand clenched to his chest as if that would lessen the pain he was feeling in his heart at the moment. 'I still… have this feeling…'
"…because I did follow him home even though he told me not to… I know I shouldn't have but…" She paused for a moment then she spoke in a softer but still audible voice. "I was scared to be all alone."
Zero knew she was scared. She was tough for a kid her age because she never cried about it but he knew she was scared. He knew that very well because he felt it a long time ago—the feeling of being left all alone with no one to lean on. A voice at the back of his mind even told him that it was the same feeling he felt for years now—ever since he lost her. 'I knew she was scared but I still left her… because I was also scared.' It was a silent confession he made to himself. 'Scared that I will really see her and scared of that feeling… losing her all over again.' It already happened four years ago and he didn't want that to happen again…
A reunion that he thought would be the happiest moment of his life—but only turned out to be the most painful moment in his life. A reunion that he thought would be the beginning of his eternity with her—which only turned out to be a short-lived bliss that only rekindled his loneliness.
'Never again.'
"Mama said not to trouble other people but I really don't know anyone else except for Zero-oniisan here… and… I just wanted to stay with Zero-oniisan."
His eyes stayed close, a painful smile crossed his lips as he heard her words. 'You can't stay with me. Staying with me will cause you nothing but pain. I will only hurt you… the way I hurt your mother…' He didn't speak the words out loud but the thought alone left bitter aftertaste in his mouth as he remembered the times she would cry for him and worry about him—always she was willing to sacrifice something for his sake. He didn't want that to happen to her child as well. 'So it is better if you don't go near me. Just keep your distance and remain happy.'
That was all he wished for her daughter. The same wish he had wished for Yuuki a long time ago—even until now.
"If I didn't follow him, I just know I'll be more scared…" There was a long silence after that so Zero thought she finally fell asleep. He decided he might as well try to catch sleep himself when he heard Himeko's sleepy voice ask, "Mama, do you think I'm a bad girl…?"
The question was childish but he could sense from the way she spoke that it really concerned her. He might not be able to show her too much kindness throughout the day but at least he could be honest to her with that one question she asked.
"No little girl, you are not a bad girl."
Unfortunately, the words did not reach the little vampire already asleep outside his room but it didn't matter. More than that, he only hoped that pleasant dreams would calm her the whole night long.
-
Himeko woke up to the sound and scent of fried rice and meat. With a small yawn, she got up and headed for the kitchen which was only a few steps away from where she slept.
"Good morning, oniisan." She greeted, wiping the sleepiness off her eyes.
Zero turned his head to look at her for a second then returned to his cooking. "Wash up for a bit then eat breakfast." He stated, placing some of the cooked rice and meat on a plate. "Finish quickly because I have to go outside to buy some stuff." The breakfast he made was actually rice he had in his fridge and cooked meat from yesterday's lunch. He still had to do that grocery he ought to do yesterday.
Himeko brightened up upon hearing that they were going outside. She might finally run across her parents if she walked around town today. Hurriedly, she went to the washroom to freshen up and then ate her breakfast at lightning speed. After carrying the dishes to the sink, she went outside and waited for Zero on the apartment building's front stairs—just like the way she waited yesterday. A happy grin was stuck on her face as she hummed a random tune from her memory, watching a few cars passing by and several people walking by.
'Thank goodness Zero-oniisan was not mad!'
-
Yuuki walked around the busy streets, still not losing hope that she would eventually find Himeko—or even just some clue to where she currently was.
Just as she turned the corner of a busy street she saw a building from across the street and what immediately caught her eyes was the little girl sitting on the first step of the staircase. Her eyes instantly welled with tears as relief and joy filled her heart.
'My baby—Himeko!'
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to be continued
A/N: And the evil cliffhanger strikes back. If you have read my Inuyasha fanfics, you are well aware by now that I love ending my chapters this way. A review always helps me to get the next chapter sooner. =) Constructive criticisms, violent reactions, happy thoughts and ramblings are all very welcome!