As school ended, Yuuki made her way to the building where Kaname was still holding his daily meetings. She didn't know how he did that everyday, talking about laws and current events with a round table of old men. He must be bored out of his mind. She hurried her pace and started to get excited to see him. Her train of thought was interrupted by Minobe-kun calling out to her. He was standing by the courtyard with a few girls waving to her. He jogged over.

"Yuuki-chan, a couple of us are going out to have hot-pot for dinner, do you want to join?"

"Ah, no thanks, Minobe-kun, I have some homework to do, I'll see you tomorrow in class though."

"Oh, okay." Yuuki could tell that he was disappointed. "I'll see you then!" He ran off to the group waiting for him.

With her new senses, Yuuki could hear the girls' whispers as Minobe-kun ran to rejoin them. Although he was a new student, he was stunningly attractive and very popular among the girls already. Yuuki brushed off their jealous whispers, unwilling to dwell on the frivolities of humans.

She snuck in through a side door to where Kaname was holding his meeting and eavesdropped on their conversation.

"We've looked into the identity of the hunter that attacked Yuuki Kuran. There wasn't much on him, but we seem to have a few leads. His name was Tomi Saitou. He seems to be off the grid for the most part, but we're looking into it," a fellow committee member stated.

Kaname had a thoughtful look in his eyes and lifted his chin slightly as if he had noticed something new.

"Find out who he worked for. I want to know by the end of the week."

The other committee members nodded. They would be no sleeping until this task was completed. Orders from the Kuran pureblood took precedence even over their own lives. Kuran dismissed the committee and watched as its members made their way out of the dining hall, where they were discussing. Kaname didn't like having meetings here, the room was too spacious, there were too many curtains, too many doors, too many places for eavesdroppers to hide. He would arrange another room for tomorrow. Speaking of eavesdroppers, he called out.

"Are you going to hide forever, Yuuki-chan?"

Yuuki shuffled out of her hiding spot guiltily. She walked over to where Kaname was seated at the head of the table and made a point of smelling her sleeve.

"How did you know? Do I really smell that much?"

Kaname hooked a finger into her blazer's button hole and pulled her closer so that his nose tickled her collarbone.

"Only to me, Yuuki-chan, only to me." He smiled. "You smell delicious."

Kaname continued on with his eyes closed, basking in her scent, "I should've known Hanabusa would be lacking on security. He's always off daydreaming."

Yuuki laughed, tangling her fingers in his hair and pulling him closer into her embrace. "You greatly overestimate his abilities then, if you think he can keep me out."

Her heart drummed faster beneath her blouse. His head in proximity to her chest reminded her of this morning, so she unentangled her fingers and stepped back from him a step.

"Um, shall we go for dinner?"

Kaname, curious that she had pulled away, nodded.

Walking back from their first official date, hand in hand, they strolled the streets. Yuuki had changed into a simple lace evening gown and they ate at a private restaurant.

"I never just walk," Kaname started, "There's always somewhere to go. It is always a means to an end."

Yuuki huddled closer to him, waiting for him to continue.

"It's strange. Walking for the sake of walking," he looked down at her and smiled. "I like it."

"Oh dear," teased Yuuki, "Is Kaname Kuran actually enjoying himself? Have I introduced him to the world of pleasure?"

He looked down at her again and said vaguely, "You have no idea."

Yuuki looked away and blushed as words caught in her throat. She was embarassed to even think about what he meant by that. She shivered slightly at the passing wind, cursing herself for forgetting to bring a jacket.

Kaname took off his own and began to wrap it around her shoulders. He was just dressed in a thin silk dress shirt.

"No, it's too cold for you," Yuuki protested.

"Well, come in then." He wrapped his arm around her so that his jacket enveloped the both of them. She wrapped an arm around his waist and they continued on strolling in each other's warmth.

"Mmm," Yuuki sighed contently.

As they walked, they could hear a group of students chatting and joking around in front of them. Before Yuuki noticed who they were, Minobe-kun broke away from the group and saw her with Kaname.

"Hey! Yuuki-chan! Oi… Didn't you say you couldn't come out tonight? You had homework?" Minobe-kun noticed how close she was to Kaname, both sharing the same jacket. He bowed, addressing Kaname Kuran.

Yuuki broke away from Kaname's cover and lied smoothly. "Ah, my brother helped me out, so I finished early, we were just out to get some ice cream. Sorry, I'll definitely join you guys next time."

"Ah, okay. I'll hold you to that promise Yuuki-chan," he smiled. "See you tomorrow." Minobe-kun eyed Kaname suspiciously and returned to the group, where some other girls had noticed their arrival.

Kaname took off his jacket and draped it over Yuuki's shoulders. "Come on." He nudged her forward. As they walked a considerable distance from the group, they could hear their whispers to each other.

"Are they dating? He had his arm around her and everything!"

"No, no!" Minobe-kun protested. "He's her brother!"

"REALLY?" The other girls exclaimed. "Jeez, that makes so much sense! No wonder he pays so much attention to her. She had us thinking all these years that he fancied her, just to make us jealous."

"Yea! We always wondered why she got special treatment. What a fucking liar. She should have just told us straight."

"Ugh, I hate people like that. Of course Kaname-kun wouldn't like her. She's such a nobody. How could she deserve him."

Minobe-kun whispered angrily, "HEY. Don't say anything like that about Yuuki Cross. She's done nothing to deserve what you're saying about her. People who talk about others like that are despicable."

The girls looked around at each other and immediately stopped, red from being scolded.

Meanwhile, Yuuki pulled Kaname's jacket closer around herself. The words resounded in her head. They're right. I don't deserve him. She glanced quickly up at him as they walked.

As if he could hear her thoughts, he wrapped his arm around her again. "Idiot, don't let them get to you. You know how I feel about you." He looked her in the eyes and said suggestively, "Do you want me to show you?"

She smiled and pushed him away, "This getting to be borderline sexual harassment."

He laughed, "I MEANT this." He produced a black felt case from the jacket she was wearing and opened it. In it was a slim silver chain with a teardrop charm hanging from it. She marvelled at its beauty as he put it around her neck. "It was your mom's. It's been in the family for generations."

"Thank you." She touched the pendant with her finger. It was weighty for something so small.

He wrapped his arm around her again and signalled for a cab.

Her thoughts slowly trailed back to their whispers. She rolled her eyes and sighed audibly. "Humans."

Kaname just looked at her in amusement.