I slept soundly for a while, being tired and all that night. But during the night somewhere, I began to feel very uncomfortable. I woke up during the night, it was still dark out and I had this eerie feeling that I was being watched. Something didn't feel right.

I opened my drawer to grab Pearl Beauty only to see that she wasn't there. I felt afraid and despite my better judgement, I slipped out of bed and headed towards the door. My hands were trembling when I grasped the doorknob, flinching at how cold it was and a little concerned that it was wet. When I pulled my hand back, it was covered in blood. Nausea washed over me and I swallowed down the bile that began to build in the back of my throat.

I shook it off, it was just another hallucination. Maybe I just need a glass of water, I do feel a little thirsty. I closed my eyes, gripped the cold and wet doorknob and opened my bedroom door. But when I opened the door and opened my eyes, the nausea washed over me again at the site. There was blood everywhere, on the walls, floors and dripping down the stairs. There were even a few drops dripping from above, making me worried about whose blood it was.

I wasn't alone. There was a tall, dark figure by the stairs. He had his head bowed, staring down the stairs as if there was another person watching him. Then he turned to me and I recognised it to be Kuran immediately. Blood was dribbling down his lips, which was quickly lapped up by a thirsty tongue. I felt sicker.

"Come, Mana."

His eyes glowed blue and red as he extended a hand out to me.

"Come with me…"

I didn't move. I couldn't move. My legs were shaking, unable to do anything else. I felt afraid of him, I was too scared to take my eyes off him. I wanted to run away but I knew I was cornered.

"Mana…"


"Mana?"

I jolted awake to see the wood of my door. My hands were pressed against it and I backed off when Yuki knocked again.

"Mana, are you alright?"

I knocked on the door once.

"Oh, good! It's just that it's ten o'clock and I can't get into your room…"

I stared ahead blankly, opening the door for her. Yuki was dressed and smiling a little uneasily.

"Is everything OK?"

I nodded slowly. I hadn't realised that I had started sleepwalking. Or that I was capable of holding the door closed whilst Yuki tried to get in. Yuki shook my shoulder.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

I shook my head to say that there was nothing wrong, I was just still a little sleepy.

"Um, Seiren arrived a little while ago, she says that Kaname-senpai wants to see you."

I gave her a look of disgust, backing away and turning away, making a show to say that I was definitely not in the mood to see him.

"Mana…"

I sighed slowly, recalling the dream which had Kuran covered in blood. No, not going. I shook my head and waved Yuki away.

"Shall I come with you?"

I rolled my eyes and stormed over to my nightstand where I could grab a pencil with paper.

I am so not going to waste a Sunday to see him. Tell Seiren that I won't be going.

Yuki took the piece of paper then gave me a disapproving look.

"It would be rude!"

I jumped when she raised her voice at me.

"She came here specially to let you know he wants to see you! And do you know how busy Kaname-senpai is?! He probably has other things to do that are important for his work instead of see you!"

I stared at Yuki, still a little shocked. I had rarely seen her properly angry. And suddenly I felt angry. How dare she talk to me in such a tone! Yuki seemed to see a little clarity and covered her mouth.

"Mana, I just…"

I gnashed my teeth, remembering that I had no voice to raise at her. So I grabbed her by the collar of the shirt she was wearing and marched her out through my bedroom door. She stumbled, eyes wide in shock by the violence and I slammed my bedroom door, making sure the lock on my door clicked loud enough for her to here.

There was this urge inside me to destroy something. I wanted to make noise and if my voice wasn't around, I'd better fucking destroy something and fucking make as much noise as possible! I headed straight for my vanity and toppled it over. The mirror smashed and the wood cluttered loudly against the floor. The pens, pencils and paper scattered on the floor as I glared down at the wreckage.

"Mana?!"

The door handle rattled as I took in deep breaths, feeling a little fatigue from the outburst.

"Mana, are you alright?!"

Hearing her voice fuelled the anger. I turned, stormed over the door and administered three strong kicks against the wood, hearing Yuki squeak between the first and second kick. My leg hurt because it had been an awkward angle and kicking with a bare foot is not fun.

"What's going on?"

In my anger, I slammed my injured wrist against the door and fell back to cradle it. That had not been a smart move. I took in deep breaths to try and ignore the pain as the handle rattled again.

"Mana, what's going on?"

I looked up at the door, realising that it was Zero on the other side. I parted my lips but remembered the only noise I could make was a soft rasp at best. So I closed my mouth and curled my knees and sulked. The door handle rattled more, Zero, Yuki and eventually Kaien came to knock and ask what was wrong. I just stayed quiet, feeling sorry for myself.

"Mana-sama?"

I frowned and glanced at the door when I heard Seiren.

"The others have gone downstairs. I will speak freely."

She sounds so stiff, I wonder what speaking formally is like.

"It isn't healthy for the body or mind to restrain an emotion. It hurts and it will hurt until the time is right to let it go. It causes actions that will later be regretted and the primary instinct is to lash out. Kaname-sama wishes to speak with you about what transpired yesterday and I promise it won't take too much of your time. He isn't a bad person."

There was a pause as I took in her words. Then began panicking. Does she know that I have unrequited feelings for Zero?!

"To feel weak and not be able to do anything about it can cause anger and frustration."

I let out a breath I hadn't realised I was holding and the panic lifted. I stood and plodded over, unlocking and opening the door. Seiren was there with a neutral face.

"Five minutes?"

I nodded and closed the door to get changed and ready.


The journey to the Moon Dormitories was quiet and brisk. Seiren was probably worried about time since his lordship seems to have a lot to do and it didn't help I had Kaien gave me a firm scolding when he saw the broken vanity and the mess in my room. After promising to clear it up and perhaps pay for a new one (unlikely, I don't want a new one), I had a quick snack for breakfast and followed Seiren out of the house. I followed her silently, staring at the path glumly. I frankly wasn't in the mood for today, I just want to bundle up in my bed and be lazy.

"We're here."

I nearly smacked into the back of Seiren and craned my head to spot Kuran with a cup of tea on a settee that was parked in front of a couple of coffee tables that were decorated with way too many cakes and sweets. His eyes lit up when he saw me and I had the ominous feeling that he intended for me to stay for more than five minutes.

"Mana, come and sit."

He patted the space beside him and I shook my head firmly. Kuran didn't show any sign of frustration, although I swear I saw the corner of his lips twitch.

"Seiren, you're dismissed," he said as he placed his teacup down and reached over for a knife.

Seiren bowed her head and walked into the Moon Dormitories. I took a deep breath as I pushed my hands into my pockets to grab my notebook and pen.

"Have some cake," he said as he cut a slice of a cake that was decorated with strawberries.

I shook my head again and pulled my notebook and pen out to scribble.

What did you want to talk about?

"I wanted to see you," Kuran placed the slice of cake on a plate then pushed it to my side of the table where I was standing.

I ignored it and scribbled down again.

You want to talk about what happened yesterday.

Kuran sighed patiently as he stared at the piece of paper and sat back a little.

"Please, sit."

I shook my head again, folded my arms and tapped my foot impatiently. Kuran sighed again as he took his cup of tea.

"You don't need to treat me as an enemy, Mana. I'm just trying to help you."

Help me by spill the beans about what you want to talk about, douche! Kuran took a sip and paused for a while.

"Seiren mentioned the run in you had yesterday," he said after a few awkward moments "This means that you're not even safe when she's with you. Our enemies are more cunning that I had originally suspected. I want you to remain within the campus grounds until the problem has been resolved."

Well snap, I thought he'd say something to that extent. I'm under house arrest. Yippee. I turned on my heel, ready to leave.

"Wait, Mana, please."

I began walking off and in no time, he was behind me, grabbing my arm.

"Mana, forgive me if I put you off," he said as I turned to glare at him "but I feel like you should know my feelings."

Oh dear.

"For a long while now, you have been the apple of my eye and I would like to ask for you to give me a chance to be your lover."

Whoa, hey now, buddy, no, bad touch, hands off, you're in my fucking personal space! I winced a little when Kuran tightened his grip slightly.

"It hurts to see you getting hurt more and more," he said as I swear his gaze darkened a little "And every time I see you bury the hurt deeper and deeper but that's just going to cause even more hurt, Mana. Every time I see someone hurt you…"

It was very fleeting but I saw a slight sneer before he masked his face again.

"I'd never forgive them."

In that instance, I remembered the nightmare I had last night. I remembered the dark look he gave me then and it wasn't too different to the one he held now.

"If possible, I'd watch the world burn with you by my side."

His voice sounded a little distorted at that sentence and I was going to dial it down to exhaustion considering the last couple of rough nights but when I blinked, I saw an even more obvious darkness within his eyes. Eyes that were bleeding blood.

I panicked, snatching my arm out of his grip, jumping away and holding Pearl Beauty out at him after snatching her out of her hiding place.

"Mana?"

Suddenly he wasn't looking so dark anymore, there was no more blood and he was looking confused and holding his hands up in surrender.

"Did I say something to offend you?"

My right eye was itching and I squeezed it shut for a moment but when it opened, my vision was red. I then rubbed it and saw blood smeared onto my hand. My stomach clenched as I felt nauseated.

"Mana?"

I held Pearl Beauty higher then winced when suddenly pain exploded in my eye. I squeezed it shut, then had to drop Pearl Beauty to hold it as I didn't want to exert my left hand so much. It was burning, it felt so painful, it was practically blinding. I crouched to my knees, my left hand gently cradling the right as I put pressure on my eye as more and more pain came flooding in. I then felt trickles fall down my cheek and I have a feeling they weren't tears.

"Mana, what's wrong?"

I felt a hand on my shoulder as I bent over, grinding my teeth as I tried so desperately to not cry out. I decided to take deep breaths, try to think logically and wonder why my eye is bleeding.

"Mana, let me see."

I turned away from him as I scoured the area with my left hand to find Pearl Beauty.

"Mana!"

I winced as he grabbed my face with both hands and batted my right hand aside. My right eye was firmly shut as he thumbed the eyelid gently.

"Mana, open it, let me see what the damage is…"

I was reluctant but when I opened my eye, my vision was surprisingly clear. Kuran was staring deeply into my eye whilst I raised my hand to my peripheral vision and even though there was a smear of blood on the bandages, they just faded away. It had been another hallucination except this one had been pretty damn vivid.

"I don't see anything wrong…"

I didn't pay attention to Kuran as I just stared at my hand, wondering what the fuck had just happened. I felt pain. I felt blood flow out of my eye. I had felt these things, and you're telling me that it was just another fucking illusion?! Bullshit! It can't have been fake! I can't have been! Am I going insane? Do I have to go to a psychiatrist to find out that I'm schizophrenic?!

"Mana!"

I jumped when Kuran grabbed my shoulders and shook me.

"I asked if everything was alright."

I stared at him dumbly as he pressed a hand to my forehead.

"You're warm," he murmured "and you look like you've seen a ghost."

He pulled away and settled on his knees, looking down at me with a sombre look.

"Mana, you can tell me if anything is wrong," he said calmly "I won't tell anyone if you're worried about Yuki."

I shook my head, staring at the grass.

"Please, stay a while. We don't even have to talk, just spend some time together."

He grabbed my arms and hoisted me to my feet.

"Come."

But I pulled away as he tried to lead me to the settee. He looked down at me with a hurt look as I grabbed Pearl Beauty, put her away and turned my back to him, head held high.

"One chance is all I ask, Mana," he said as I walked off "I'm sure we'd be a good match."

I wanted to laugh. Ha! He is the last person I would even consider going out with! I'd rather be a Level E than to be his personal plaything! He can throw around all the money he wants, but I promise you, you will never ever find me hanging off his arm like some trophy wife!