AN: Sorry for the wait! I usually write this at school during breaks, and the past week or so has been really busy, so I haven't had a chance. Thank you guys for all the support and suggestions! They are very, VERY much appreciated. In the end I did decide to continue this. I do have to stress that this is a fun fic I'm writing during my workdays and as such, no real thought or planning goes into it (unfortunately). So don't expect anything amazing from this story (haha sorry...maybe I'll rewrite it over the summer or something? It's just overall a bit rushed and OOC but I'm usually distracted and rushed myself at work...(not a good excuse for bad writing, I know...)).

Anyway! Here we go, next chapter!

Yori groaned, burying her head further into her pillow as the alarm clock droned on beside her. Another early Monday morning. Another day full of classes. Joy. Sighing, she at last resigned herself to the fact that she would have to get up, and pulled herself into an upright position, disengaging the alarm with a condescending glare. She didn´t mind starting off her mornings early, but she hated the electric buzz of the alarm. Across the room, Yuki snored on, unshakeable from her slumber. Yori supposed it had been another late night of patrolling for the petite prefect. Or…another late night of…other stuff…. The caramel-hair girl squinted at her friend suspiciously, but the soft, obnoxious snores communicated no further information.

Yori gathered up her clothes for the day, sparing a quick glimpse in the mirror, where the newest bandage adorned her neck with all the subtlety of a bull in a china shop. This bandaid was decorated with tiny colored teddy bears. The girl shook her head with a grin, rolling her eyes at the choice in bandage, and changed into her school uniform. Leave it to Aidou to choose the most infantile bandaid available. Nevertheless, she supposed it was oddly endearing…

Fingers leapt up to massage her temples. Ugh. Endearing? Hanabusa Aidou? She needed a brain transplant, stat. She was obviously losing her mind. And yet… The previous Saturday passed through her thoughts in a blur of color and sound. She recalled the games, the chatter, the bite…the goodnight kiss… Those fingers pressed harder against her skin, attempting to wipe the slate of her brain clean again. Just what on Earth was she thinking? What was she doing?

You like him, her brain chastised dryly, and her shoulders crumpled downward. Her brain was right…but that didn´t mean she had to like the truth. The sad, pathetic, almost ironic truth…

Moving on to complete her bathroom routine, Yori scrubbed at her teeth with more force than was necessary. She determined not to think about it. Maybe Aidou would lose interest. Maybe she would. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe she was just lonely and bitter about the impossibility of Zero ever returning her feelings. Though…admittedly…she had stopped thinking about Zero a while ago…

The stuffed rabbit stared at her judgmentally from the corner beside her bed.

No. Pulling the brush through her hair one last time, she grabbed her bag and shook Yuki awake before slipping out the door. No, no, and a million times no. She liked Zero. Not Aidou. Not that egotistical brat with the alien hair. Not…she would have said the vampire, but…how ironic…the two guys she´d ever had a real crush on were both the very same fantastical creatures she had never wanted to believe in.

Irony was cruel.

Hanabusa hummed under his breath as he slipped on his shoes and grabbed his notebook off the dresser. He hated attending classes, as he had long ago deemed them entirely useless. Each day he was further proven that yes, he was in fact superior to his classmates. While most of the others were able to glean at least something new from the nightly classes, Hanabusa suffered through the minutes torturously. But, at least tonight he wouldn't be terribly bored. After all, the memories of Yori were fresh on his tongue...and lips.

The blond vampire paused, reliving that perfect moment when he had at last been able to kiss the girl he'd been preoccupied with for weeks. Her kiss had been as sweet as her blood, simple and straight-forward and innocent. And the smile she'd given him when they'd parted ways remained imprinted over the backs of his eyelids, warm and beautiful. He knew he had to tread carefully if he wanted to move forward in this forbidden relationship, but already he was impatient to see her again. Spending time with Yori was enjoyable and a refreshing change from the company of his classmates.

Hanabusa's looming roommate moved to stand in front of him, crossing his arms sternly. "Tone it down, lover boy," the redheaded vampire rumbled. "If you go to class that happy, everyone will know exactly what you've done."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the blond demanded.

"I just mean whenever you have any...rendezvous... with a Day Class girl, you always look like the cat that ate the canary."

Hanabusa glared, although before he could say anything Akatsuki interjected, "That's better."

Rolling his eyes, the blond muttered, "You sound like an old man. Who says 'the cat that ate the canary' anymore..?"

A shrug. Then, "Let's go."

"Fine," Hanabusa sighed, and the pair exited their room and then the Night Dorm building.

Unfortunately, Hanabusa wasn't at all sure when he would be able to see Yori again. Kaname-sama kept a close eye on all of the members of the Night Class, and an even closer eye on the blond vampire, given Hanabusa's track record. For that reason, Hanabusa had to limit how often he saw the caramel-haired girl. If he was absent too much, it would draw unwanted attention. And once the pureblood knew Hanabusa's secret, his relationship with Yori would be over.

Heaving a melancholy sigh, he glanced towards the library. Undoubtedly, Yori would be there now, studying diligently. Actually... He paused, considering. He had been seen leaving the Night Dorm, after all, so everyone would assume he was on his way to class... And, furthermore, aforementioned class didn't start for a few minutes yet...

"I'll be right back," the blond murmured slyly, feet already pointing in the direction of the library.

Akatsuki stared at him with a penetrating, exasperated gaze. All he said, however, was, "Don't be long."

Yori chewed on her lip contemplatively. The homework lying on the desk before her was entirely forgotten. Her thoughts had turned to a new subject. A far more mysterious one. That was, Kaname Kuran. She couldn´t help but think that Kaname was special. Elite. If the other vampires at the school, with the exception of Zero, were noble, then didn´t that make Kaname some kind of royalty? What had Aidou called them? Her thoughts trailed off pensively for a moment before her brain provided her the word: purebloods. It was only logical that Kaname was a pureblood, yet… It didn´t make any sense at all. Yori scowled in frustration. How could Kaname be a pureblood vampire when his sister was a normal human? Were they not actually related? Were they only half siblings? No, even then…shouldn´t Yuki be a vampire, too? It didn´t add up no matter which way she examined it.

Annoyed, the wavy-haired girl attempted to return to her homework, to no avail. She was entirely failing as a detective, although who could blame her? She didn't exactly have the ability to properly investigate the Night Class, given their inhuman nature. Nevertheless, being curious in nature, this obstacle only fueled Yori's interest. She had to know the truth. The problem was, she wasn't entirely sure how to go about obtaining it.

"Yori-chan," a familiar voice called softly, and to her surprise Aidou's form materialized from between the bookshelves.

"Senpai! Perfect timing, I needed to talk to you." She smiled, easily reverting back to the use of the title he disliked now that they were back on campus. She suppressed a grin, noting the grimace that contorted his mouth as she greeted him in such a manner.

"Oh? What about? I don't have much time though, I've got class in a minute."

"Well...I don´t understand how Kaname-san and Yuki are related," she confessed abashedly. It seemed silly when she said it out loud. A minor concern compared to the greater questions that abounded, such as how they might be able to save Zero, or why vampires were at the school at all.

For a moment, the upperclassman shifted uncomfortably. Then, "Actually...I can´t answer that question."

She blinked. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "Consider it classified information."

She paused. That certainly wasn't the answer she'd hoped for, but there was more she wanted to know. "Okay. What about Zero-kun? Why was he bitten?"

A wry smile. "Classified."

"And the presence of vampires at this academy?" When he gave her a pointed look, she answered for him, "…Classified…" Heaving a sigh, she changed tactics. "Well, what can you tell me?"

"You look beautiful tonight?" he tried.

"Seriously," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

"I´ve told you all that I can."

"There are the hunters, too…," she hedged, hopeful for anything at this point.

"What do you think they do?" His tone was sarcastic.

"Okay, yeah, it´s obvious… They hunt vampires…" She rested her head in her hand, shoulders slumping with defeat.

"Level E´s gone mad and criminals, but yes."

"Well I guess that´s the end of our arrangement," she teased. "Since you don't have any more information to exchange for blood."

"Hey, no," he exclaimed softly, expression wilting.

"I'm only teasing."

He blew out a sigh. "Thank goodness."

"There's really nothing else you can tell me?"

"I'm sorry, Yori-chan, I really am, but the cost of that information would be too high. So high, that both of us... We'd have to forget everything..."

Pain shot through her chest. No. She didn't want to forget. Knowing why the vampires were there, knowing about Kaname and Yuki... The knowledge wasn't worth the cost, especially not when she wouldn't even remember the answers afterwards. Irony, again, at its finest. Perhaps it would have been better to forget everything and return to blissful ignorance, but she didn't even want to entertain the idea.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I have to go to class, too..."

Frowning in earnest now, she asked, "Will I see you again soon?"

"As soon as I'm able to get away," he promised.

He started turning away to leave when she suddenly inquired, "Kaname Kuran... He's a pureblood vampire...isn't he?"

The upperclassman's eyebrows shot up fractionally. An almost frantic glint passed through his eyes. "I... I can't tell you that," he whispered, but the fearful murmur shouted 'yes' more loudly than words.

"I just...don't understand it..." How, how could Yuki and a pureblood vampire be related?

"Yori-chan." The serious note that rang in his voice drew her full attention. "I understand it must be difficult. But here at the academy, for now, you'll have to leave these mysteries unsolved."

"Right." She couldn't deter the downward curve of her lips.

"It's for your own safety."

"I know, I know." A pause. Then, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He gave her a wry smile, a wave, and said, "I'll see you soon."

"Bye," she replied, watching his lithe figure disappear between bookshelves. She didn't ponder how he would navigate the library unseen. He seemed to enter and exit with the ease of a darting shadow. Although, her particular corner of the library was also unpopulated. Then again, she had situated herself beside the books on ancient Latin and advanced calculus...it wasn't likely anyone would be searching for a book here.

Turning back to her homework, Yori couldn't help but feel dejected. There was really nowhere to turn. No one to ask. She definitely couldn't approach Zero-kun or Yuki about the situation, on the off-chance that they'd inform the Chairman. There was only Aidou...who at least was forthcoming and honest with her, even when he couldn't share the information she craved. On the other hand, Yuki... didn't Yuki lie to her every day? Yori hadn't thought the petite girl capable of such deceit, but the fact was lying directly before her, inescapable. Although...if their situations had been reversed, would Yori have shared such information with her friend, particularly when it was forbidden? No, she already knew the answer.

Still, she was frustrated. Would she ever learn the secrets of Cross Academy? Somehow, in that regard, the future was looking very, very dim...

AN: Well, not much really happened for now, but that means next time something more WILL happen hehehe.