Chapter Two – 6 Years Later
Background Information
Yuuki and Zero had become closer over the years they spent together. Zero started to speak properly and formally after a year with Yuuki and Chairman cross (her farther), but he still refused the thought of calling the chairman his farther and he refused to accept that Vampires can be good and kind, so this meant that whenever Kaname came to visit, it would only be for a good reason and when he wanted to see Yuuki, it was only for a little while so that it didn't provoke Zero and his hatred for Pureblood and noble vampires. Yuuki did not have a problem with this. She knew the terrifying situation that Zero had went through with his past related family, she would not want to be in Zero's place when that event took place. She even accepted that she may not see Kaname as often as she used too, but she knew she would see him again.
At the age of 16 and 17, Yuuki and Zero accepted the job of becoming the Cross academy's prefects / guardians of Cross academy to protect the academy's and the Vampires secrets. Zero accepted mostly because he might have the opportunity to kill a vampire if they did anything that could either harm them or harm others around them, such as the day class students. They knew the ins and outs of all types of vampires, from pureblood to noble, and from noble to level-e vampires.
They control the changing of classes so that the vampires and the human students that go to the academy don't mix together and cause problems that may affect the student's safety or the secret of the vampires. They also need to control the human female students that may have a crush on the night class students due to their beauty, magnificence and most of all, their scent, but these qualities of the night class students can lure any human to them as prey. Sometimes, the human females are so desperate to see a night class student that some wake up at night and linger around the school grounds when the night class are being taught; this means that Zero and Yuuki must also patrol the school grounds at night.
To help their objective, they are handed anti-vampire weapons; Yuuki has got the Artemis rod (which she hides under her skirt in a leather band), and Zero has the Bloody Rose which is a gun which cannot harm a human if shot at: he usually practices his skills with it with normal bullets.
Being a Prefect/guardian is an importantly serious job to the chairman; it required great responsibility and skill, and he believed that Yuuki and Zero were perfect for the job.
Lastly, it has come to a point where Kaname and Yuuki are not as close as they used to be. Over the six years, Kaname had no inquiries with Chairman Cross and he had no time to visit Yuuki which he had always wanted to do, it was only once every month or so that he got to see her but he was happy at the same time as he knew that the promise he made to himself had not yet broken, since Zero was welcomed to the Chairman Cross's family, Kaname relied on him to protect Yuuki, he saw how close they both were in their relationship/ friendship and he saw that Zero wasn't the type that would betray someone so close even if he did not show it. Zero did not know of this plan/ arrangement and Kaname had no intentions of telling him either.
3.30 PM, outside by the gates of the night class dormitories
"Stay back!" Yuuki yelled over the crowd of screaming girls by the night class's dorm gates. "Please! Just go into a straight line so that the night class students can walk through without any hesitations-"
"So that you can gorge there good looks all to yourself Yuuki – Chan!" Shouted an angry girl from the crowd.
Then all a sudden, the rest of the crowd agreed with the un true comment that was made.
"Only because you're a prefect doesn't mean you can get everything! And not only because your also the headmasters daughter!" shouted another angry girl.
At this point, the crowd started to get rather angry and annoyed and started to fight back Yuuki's orders.
"Oh please, let's be reasonable! I didn't take up this job just to get basically the VIP treatment, that's not true at all!" Yuuki replied calmly.
The crowd then stood silent. Yuuki was creeped out by this, especially that they were silent and looking directly at her. Then with a sudden roar, disagreements flew from the crowd at Yuuki.
"Oi!" said a un patient male voice coming from behind Yuuki, which made her slightly jump.
"Zero! Where were you" Yuuki said annoyed at his presence.
"Well, it seemed I came at the right time" Replied Zero then pointing at the huge crowd of girls, which were now separated into two rows making a pathway easy for the night class to walk through. They were all as silent as a mouse sleeping.
"Oh." Said Yuuki feeling guilty. "Thank You Ze-"she turned round to find he was gone. She looked back round at the two separate crowds and saw him standing by one of them.
As Yuuki saw this, she walked to the other crowd embarrassed at her lack of control. Yuuki looked up at the gates and knew that any moment now the night class would be walking heavenly through them. She took a deep breath getting ready for the overwhelming crowd that would start to turn into night class students 'obsessors'. And then at that present moment of time, she heard it, all of them heard it... the sound of the heavy, iron gates opening with a loud deafening, screeching noise.
Screams of welcoming hello's and names (presumably from the night class) started to up roar, but with the presence of Zero Kiryu, no girl moved a foot to get closer and thank fully for this, Yuuki didn't have to work too hard to keep control, she could, for once in a very long time, have a proper look at the night class.
She turned her head lightly to her left to see the night class emerging closer and as usual, one of the night class students, Aidou Hanabusa, was trying to impress every human girl there. His radiant blonde hair blew from one direction to another as he was trying to see every girl possible. His cousin (also a night class student) Akatsuki always shook his red haired head in embarrassment and foolishness, and there leading the way, was the old, long lost friend Yuuki had missed, Kaname Kuran. She never blamed Zero for this happening; she knew he needed her company more than she needed Kaname's. Even though Zero had always said he was fine by himself, there was always an ora and feeling that he was lying and obviously, Yuuki felt that.
She looked from Kaname to Zero, who was behind her controlling the other group, to see him looking disgusted at the upcoming Night class students. Zero hated vampires, any kind of them and always had since that dreadful day, nothing ever changed his mind, even stories of good vampires.
Zero knew that Kaname was a rare type of vampire, called a 'Pureblood' and this type of vampire killed his family; he looked mostly disgusted at Kaname or any pureblood that walked past, but in this case, Kaname was the only one in the night class, the others were nobles and normal vampires. Zero warningly watched him as he walked past, and Kaname, to Yuuki's surprise, stopped in front of him and simply looked at him puzzled.
"You really loathe me, don't you Kiryu." Yuuki heard Kaname say patiently to Zero.
A hot flush went through Zero's body knowing that Kaname knew his name.
"Loathe you?" Zero chuckled "That's not the word for it...I am repulsed by you."
At this reply, the night class students came to Kaname's side straight away in shock and anger.
"How dare you say such a thing to Kaname-Sama? I have all rights to-" Said a close friend of Kaname's named Ichijou who was a noble vampire.
"Ichirou...its okay, leave it, I asked for it." Kaname said laying his hand on Ichirou's shoulder and giving a look of frustration to Zero.
All a sudden, Aidou came bursting into the scene, with what seemed with a lot of adrenaline, and yelled "But Kaname! You surely can't let that brat get awa-"Aidou suddenly stopped after seeing the threatening look on Kaname's white emotionless face. "Sorry Kaname-sama" said Aidou apologetically and walked away. He was followed by the rest of the night class that gave a dirty look at Zero as they walked passed.
Zero looked away, annoyed and thinking *why do those Noble's worship and slave under such a disgustingly cruel and controlling breed?*.
"Kiryu, I do hope you change your mind about us...purebloods and other types...not all of us are what you think we are." Kaname said calmly behind Zero, who didn't turn round to face him, but simply said quietly under his breath "Yeah, when I kill all of your existence".
Kaname must of heard this. He, Kaname, looked to floor and shook his head in disbelief and then smiled "You really don't know how to treat someone like me with respect and by the way, try not to look so scary and frightening." And quietly walked away quickly glancing at Yuuki and giving a gentle smile. Yuuki smiled back not wanting to be rude. This smile Kaname gave to her warmed her up inside knowing he still remembered her.
A few minutes later when the night class got inside of the main building, the groups of excited girls were set free to go to their dorms and to also escape the control of the prefects.
As the crowd roared up the path, Yuuki got tangled within the crowd and struggled to escape till the crowd suddenly disappeared. Everything feel silent.
"Fuu..." Yuuki breathed. She looked up to see Zero staring up at the night class dormitory looking as though he was thinking hard about something.
She walked up to him and wrapped her hands around Zero's arm. "Are you okay Zero? I saw briefly what happened..."Yuuki asked.
"I'm fine, but that jerk won't be if he keeps coming up to me speaking sympathy and thinking that I'm considering his kindness." Zero replied annoyed.
Yuuki was a little taken back from this. "But, isn't that a good thing? Kaname, after all is a good vampire."
"Yuuki, how exactly do you know that?" Zero asked un patiently looking down at Yuuki's face.
"Because he looked after me when I was little, before you came and started to live with us... and he helps the academy and controls the night class if there is a scent of blood lurking." Yuuki replied looking up in the cold, pale face of Zero.
"So why did he stop looking after you when I was there? Or are you saying that you rather me not having to live with you so that you can be with that filth?" Zero said infuriated.
Yuuki immediately stopped breathing at the thought of Zero not living with her and the chairman (her father) and she went pale and turned stone cold at the thought of never knowing Zero.
"No Zero, I'm not saying that, I couldn't. If you haven't realised, I am old enough and have permission to go and see Kaname myself, but I always spend my free time with you, farther or Youri. I rather that anyway, but I'm not saying that I choose you over Kaname." Replied Yuuki honestly looking deeply into the ivory eyes of Zero.
"So how come he doesn't come to see you now?" Zero asked with still a little sense of irritation present.
Yuuki, knew the answer to this, *He doesn't come round to see me, because he is worried if you will be angered at his presence, and all Kaname wants, is peace* Yuuki thought. She closed her eyes and loosened her grip on Zero's arm. "I don't know, maybe he has forgotten about me or trying to move on."
At the feeling of Zero's arm being freed by the gentle clutches of Yuuki, Zero swooped down and caught her wrist. At the cold touch of Zero touching her warm wrist sent shivers and Goosebumps up her arm and throughout her body. "I wouldn't say that Yuuki, and you know he hasn't forgotten you" Zero said to the pained face of Yuuki "he remembers you as he smiled at you a moment ago, and that jerk doesn't smile to anyone."
Yuuki looked up into Zero's eyes, which she could easily get lost into, she wished that she knew why her face seemed so pained, it wasn't for Kaname, it was because she lied and he, Zero, took it to heart.
Zero let go of her wrist and started to walk up the path. "Come on, we need to get ready for tonight's patrol, but still, I really don't know why you like such filth like him." Zero called.
Yuuki gave a half smile to the back of Zero and ran to catch up with him and they both walked to their dormitory and to the chairman's office to see whether there is any news of anything.
They walked in silence. Yuuki had realised this change...
To Yuuki, Zero seemed a little different recently...The way he is always late for class change over's, the way he is sometimes caught outside sitting by the old, oak tree that they both knew very well as it used to be their favourite spot to sit, how he disappeared mysteriously for hours and is always, most of the time, in the chairman's office speaking about what seems the same subject, however, Yuuki was not meant or allowed to disturb their convosations, or either listen into them. This has been happening for the past three months and Yuuki had no intentions to ask him what was wrong.
Yuuki looked up to see Zero's face, and simply watched him wondering. Zero's silver, long-ish hair, lightly blew in the direction of the cold breeze and his expression was neither sad nor happy, he was always neutral, even when it came to cheery things. Yuuki had always wanted Zero to smile; she tried to also make him smile. Zero seemed to have had sensed Yuuki looking at him, so he turned around to face her, at this point, Yuuki stopped and turned away from his eye contact and started look at the long, brick path in front of her.
Zero didn't comment on this, he seemed to have taken it normally, like nothing happened and she never looked at him.
Yuuki wanted to ask so many questions to Zero, she knew she would have to soon before it was too late. She was curious, and worried at the same time, she had always known that Zero was in pain and that it would last his lifetime, but she had never seen him like this before.
Yuuki sighed and looked down to her feet.
"Yuuki, is there something bothering you?"
She looked back up at Zero, he was still facing the path that lay before him.
"I want to be honest and say yes." Yuuki replied and took a deep breath. "I have so many questions to ask, but I'm not expecting myself to say them all and you answering them."
"Okay then, what are these questions?" Zero asked still facing the opposite direction.
"For example, how come your always late for class change over's? Why aren't you in some of your lessons? And why is it you have confidential convosations with the chairman?" Yuuki asked as calmly as possible, she didn't want to sound desperate and obsessive.
Zero took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He seemed provoked, but not because of the questions, it seemed like something else.
"I'm late for lessons because I accidently sleep in due to the night patrols, and I have confidential convosations with the headmaster as my lateness has increased and my educational skills have decreased due to missing the lessons and that's why I have also been late for class change over's as I have to keep visiting the headmaster for either extra lessons or changing of plans." Zero replied confidently.
Yuuki looked up, and still Zero didn't look back at her.
"I'm sorry, but thank you for answering them." She replied guiltily.
Yuuki had a side of her that didn't believe him, but she knew she had to stop that side from increasing into un-trust...she trusted Zero with her life and she hoped that he felt the same way about her. She likes to be reassured that she can be trusted; it made her feel better in herself.
At Yuuki's response, Zero simply nodded and then took a quick glance at the puzzled girl. Zero's thoughts were running wild within his head. He knew it was best if she knew that story for now, he and Yuuki (he felt) was not ready for the truth lurking behind the shadows of Zero Kiryu's ivory eyes.
Yet again, the rest of the journey was in complete silence, with the light sound of tree branches swaying back and forth and the rustling of leaves in the chilling wind.
Once they entered their Dormitory, the two of them weren't surprised that it was rather quiet. It was usually the time to quickly do last minute home work, or the time to prepare for the upcoming exams.
They both made their way up to wide, concrete stairs and went past huge, glass windows that viewed the academy's gardens and buildings. They both got to a certain level of the building where only them, guests and the headmaster are only authorised to go to. No student can go there un less it is an important business or issue. It is also the level where they both slept on.
They both walked along the dimly light corridor heading towards a wooden door opposite them before all a sudden, a bright light came from behind them.
"Kiryu-Kun and Yuuki, I have made dinner!" said the chairman happily wearing an apron with an image of a cat and a fishbone printed on it. "I hope you fancy homemade soup! Vegetable soup!"
Zero and Yuuki looked at each other, there was never a day where the chairman would be grumpy or not energetic, it was a constant routine of him being cheerful and energetic.
Both Zero and Yuuki walked back past the stairs and into the kitchen which the chairman was within holding two bowls of a creamy looking liquid which was steaming with heat. The chairman gave a bowl to each to Zero and Yuuki and they took their bowls to the table where they normally sat and had dinner.
"Thank you Father." Yuuki said politely trying the soup. "Its great, full of flavour" she said smiling.
"Yayyyyyyyyyyyy!" the chairman cheered and danced around the kitchen in delight. "What do you think of it Kiryu-kun?"
Zero looked up at the chairman after taking a spoonful. "Yeah, it's nice" he replied honestly and surprised.
The chairman unsteamed his glasses due to the heat produced in the kitchen. He smiled. "Thank you Kiryu-kun, can both of you just bear with me for a minute?" the chairman asked exciting the kitchen.
"Where does he get the energy from? It never stops." Zero asked puzzled.
Yuuki looked up from her bowl and finished a mouthful of her soup. "I don't know, but sometimes I find it extremely funny." She giggled "I guess it's better than someone very depressing."
"But don't you find it annoying? Like ever?" Zero asked stunned.
"No, not really, I mean, if I'm concentrating on something important then yes, but recently I haven't been able to do that due to my busy schedule." Yuuki replied.
Zero looked up guiltily but didn't want to go further into the conversation, but before he could a sudden flash came suddenly from nowhere.
"I hope you smiled!" said the chairman appearing suddenly with a camera. "Let's see shall we"
The chairman took the photo that camera produced a few seconds later, and then looked at it, and his cheery face turned to shook. "How do you do it Kiryu-kun? Every time I try and get a good picture of you two, you always find a way to block it Kiryu-Kun."
The photograph consisted of Yuuki and Zero sitting at the table eating their soup, but it seemed Zero covered his face just in time with the flash and the time the photo was taken.
"I just have a quick reaction." Zero replied looking down at his soup and started to eat it again.
"Oh no!" Yuuki gasped. "Zero, we're late for our night patrol! Well, you may not be as you may just forget it for the night which wouldn't surprise me." Yuuki said trying to be calm and looking at Zero with evilness. Zero ignored this and just carried on eating.
"Zero..?" Yuuki said getting annoyed. Still, Zero ignored her.
"ZERO!" Yuuki screamed over the dinner table.
"Yuuki, I'm only here, I think the whole academy heard you just then." Zero replied still not looking at her.
"Well listen to me, are you going to patrol tonight or not?" Yuuki replied as kindly as possible.
**silence**
"ZE-"
"Yes Yuuki he is, please be a little quieter" Yuuki was interrupted by the chairman now seen with his hands over his ears.
"Oh, sorry father." Yuuki blushed "Its just some people need to know their manners." Yuuki said looking at Zero.
Zero looked up. "Yeah they do. It's rude to shout over the dinner table." Zero replied neutrally and then looked back down away from Yuuki's eye contact.
"That's it!" Yuuki got up from her seat and walked to the side of the table Zero was sitting at. "We, yes WE, are going to patrol the grounds tonight." Yuuki said grabbing Zero's arm and used it to pull him out of the kitchen.
"Have a good night's patrolling kids!" the chairman called out to them.
Yuuki seemed to be half running and half power walking whilst having a tight grip on Zero's sleeve.
"Yuuki take it easy, there's no need to rush." Zero said stunned.
Yuuki ignored him and simply lead him back down the dark concrete stairs and out onto the academy grounds and gardens where she finally let go of him.
Yuuki inhaled deeply "I bet its nice getting some fresh night air Zero." She said a little sarcastically.
Zero looked over at Yuuki with annoyance. **Only if she knew, but if she did... what would she then think of me?** he thought and then sighed looking away from her.
"Zero, you will love the freshness if you inhale it in, try it?" Yuuki asked politely. "It may make you stay"
Zero looked frustrated at her after hearing this. "Yuuki, I do want to help you, on all patrols, and do our job properly, but" Zero struggled. "It's been really hard and tiring for me recently and I don't think breathing in icy air is going to help." Zero sighed.
Yuuki walked over to Zero and using her hand ruffled his silver soft hair. Zero's reaction was neutral, like he was used to this behaviour and treatment...he found it comforting at times when he needed it the most.
"I'm sorry Zero." Yuuki replied with her hand still gently playing with the silky silver strands of Zero's hair. "I just feel tired myself, I'm sorry that I have been stressed and pushy towards you recently".
"No Yu-." Zero suddenly stopped. A sudden blow of icy wind rushed past them and lingered. Zero stepped away from Yuuki letting her hand fall emotionless, he looked shaken and dazed. He then covered his mouth and nose with one of his hands and then run away from Yuuki... **I smelt it...** Zero thought, **that captivating smell...**.
Yuuki stood shocked and traumatized by this. "Zero?" she called out to him. "Zero!" she shouted as loud as she could, but there was no sign of him coming back or shouting back. She turned around to face behind her expecting something horrifying, but nothing was there, even if there was something truly horrifying, Zero would still be there at the scene, he was a brave and fearless type of person.
She didn't want to go and run after him, she thought that he may have wanted some time alone. But the thing that traumatized her the most is that she had never seen Zero act in such a way of fear and alarm.
Was it something she said? Yuuki thought this repeatedly, but knew she had to start working soon, so she started to walk the opposite direction from where Zero had ran away from her. She walked all around the academies outside grounds thinking of things, whilst keeping an eye on the surrounding area, of what may have made Zero do such a thing.
Did he forget something?
Did she do something that made him uncomfortable?
Did she even hurt him?
She suddenly stopped, thinking back to a conversation she had with Zero about having extra lessons and it made her realise that this behaviour mustn't of been related to that **No... it's something else, it can't be lesson catch up** she thought **if it was lesson catch up, why would he be with the chairman most of time, when the chairman would make Zero go to his previous teachers for more information about the topics that they are currently learning? And if he was so tired like he complains, why didn't he just run back inside?** she thought pacing her hand over her face.
"I have got to investigate this further." Yuuki said quietly to herself. "Not that I want to investigate Zero's secrets and know more of his confidential background, just to see and feel that he is okay. Nothing, recently, has been normal about him, but, to be honest, he hasn't been normal since the day I first met him, but this non-normalness is completely different... I think it's time to find out why he hasn't been his old self." She inhaled deeply and tried to put her mind at ease so that she can carry on with her patrol.
"Yuuki..." said a gentle, tender voice.
Yuuki immediately opened her eyes in astonishment. She turned around to see Kaname standing peacefully in his white night class uniform which blew lightly in the wind along with his dark brown mid-length hair moving uncontrollably in different directions.
Goosebumps entered through Yuuki's body. She couldn't believe the sight she was seeing.
"Kaname...?" She asked, making sure she wasn't hallucinating or imagining things.
Kaname walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her. "How has my long lost close friend been?" he asked embracing her warmly.
Yuuki still didn't believe this, but she still felt she should answer as she may not be imaging it or hallucinating. "I have been well, busy but good." She replied now feeling the warmth radiating from Kaname's body. This is when she realised he was there, holding her like a lost child.
"That is so reassuring to know, but, to what I just saw a moment ago, you seemed in distress?" Kaname asked wonderingly.
"Oh, that was nothing, I'm just tired." Yuuki didn't want to explain how she felt about Zero and his abnormal actions, she didn't want anyone to know just in case the problem with Zero was serious which she, Yuuki, hoped not and did not wish upon.
Kaname tightened his grip and Yuuki had to gasp for air slightly. "I know, you have been working hard Yuuki...although, so has Kiryu." Kaname sighed. "But I do not want to see you hurt or in grieve, so please take it easy? For me?" Kaname asked, now letting go of Yuuki allowing her to breath.
Yuuki stood and simply nodded. No words had came to mind when she had heard this request.
"We should catch up in the future Yuuki. I have missed the old days when we had spent hours together." Kaname reached his hand out to catch a strand of Yuuki's slick brown hair. "But for now, a lot of things needs adjusting and changing." Kaname said then letting go of the feather light strand of hair and then walking past her.
Yuuki stood speechless **speak Yuuki!** she screamed in her head, **SPEAK!**
"Kaname!" she called back. "I have missed your company as well, and it is reassuring that you never forgot our past times together." Yuuki said honestly.
Kaname sighed. "How could I forget Yuuki?" he grinned and then carried on walking.
A smile gently spread across Yuuki's pale face. She was ecstatic that she had seen Kaname after so many years, and it also seemed that nothing had changed about him, except from his appearance. He seems to look mature now and less teenage looking.
After seeing Kaname disappear around a corner, Yuuki turned around and walked the opposite way again continuing her job.