Wow, I got a flame since I put up my last chapter! I almost forgot what reading those felt like. I actually got more than one. On multiple chapters. About the same thing.

So about that.

I'd like to make a statement.

I would like to sincerely apologize for NOT writing my story to suit everybody's personal opinion, though thank you for leaving multiple reviews on my story. I didn't get it the first time that you didn't like "childhood friends". And I'm not changing that. Sorry. Last I checked, it's my story ;)

Next time, keep your UN-CONSTRUCTIVE criticism (It's not constructive criticism if you simply say "This plot point sucks because I don't like it." That falls under the category of opinion) merely based on opinion to yourself, and if it really bothers you that much, perhaps read something else next time? Because I'm not changing the plot point in question or abandoning it, and further whiny reviews about the same point "bothering you" so much will only serve to make me angry.

~Belle.

PS: Flattered you "DO like my story" though. Truly. It means so much.

I re-entered the Moon Dorm and shut the door, before leaning against it and sighing heavily.

I wonder what Aika wants with Aido. I thought to myself.

Probably nothing, my mind thought back. Probably just wants him away from you.

I sighed again, pushing back off of the door. I should probably go back to Aido's room before I'm caught wandering the halls. I quickly walked up the stairs away from the door and back down the hall to Aido's dorm room. My stomach gurgled painfully in hunger, and I decided I would call for some food when I got there.

I opened the door and walked in, passing through to the bedroom, but jumped when I saw Kain and Ruka sitting on the edge of Kain's bed, heads very close, talking quietly. They looked up slowly, and I backed away.

"E-excuse me."

"Kisa-san..." Ruka began, but I waved her off.

"No, no, it's okay. I forgot something."

Kain raised an eyebrow in question, but didn't comment.

I left, shutting the door behind me. I suddenly felt very self conscious standing alone in the hallway of the Moon Dorm wearing slouchy weekend clothes when everyone else was apparently well-dressed all the time. My stomach rumbled again, closer to a cramp this time, and I wondered if I should chance trying to find the kitchen and make food myself. I was saved from making a decision by a door opening further down the hall and a voice calling my name.

"Over here, Matari-san." I could see a face then, and a sleepy-looking Shiki was trying to beckon me inside his room.

I cautiously walked over to him, and I saw that he was not wearing a shirt, just pajama pants.

He stood aside from the door. "Come in. You can wait here until Aido comes back." At my confused look, he said "Souen and Kain are in Kain and Aido's room, and Aido is still in the garden, right?"

"Right." I sighed, realizing that with vampire hearing I probably shut the door too hard and woke him up. "Sorry."

"Sure." He said mildly and shut the door behind me. He led me through the small lobby of his room and what looked like a small living room before we got to his bedroom. I hadn't missed the other door on the other side of the living room, and couldn't abet my curiosity.

"Do you have a roommate?"

He turned to me and noticed I was looking at the door on the other side of the living room. "Ichijo. He's with Kaname-sama right now." I nodded, and then he turned the knob on the door we were closer to and held it open for me. "After you."

There was a large padded bench at the end of his bed and I went over and sat on it. I had just finished doing so when Shiki tossed a package onto my lap on his way back to his bed, flopping down on it on his stomach. I looked down at my lap. Strawberry pocky.

"I heard your stomach from in here." Shiki said from behind me, and I could hear him rustling on the bed, trying to get comfortable. "Go ahead and have some."

My stomach growling in encouragement, I carefully opened the package and took out one of the tiny, strawberry-coated sticks. I felt a prod in my side and I jumped in pain as the side that was still bruised from Aido hitting it with the door was yet again assaulted.

Shiki was looking up at me with slightly widened eyes, his finger still out where he'd raise it to poke me. "Are you alright?"

"I have a bruise there; it's tender." I said quietly.

"Where did you get it?" He asked, voice low. I didn't reply and he quickly gave up, sighing. "Anyway, I was going to ask you to give me some pocky." He opened the hand he'd held out. I pulled several sticks from the package and deposited them in his hand before sitting back on the bench, but turned enough I could face him. I noticed then how dim the room was, with very little light coming between the cracks in the edges of the curtains. I looked behind Shiki to the headboard of his bed and followed its edge to the nightstand, where there sat an open bottle of blood tablets.

I figured I might as well ask Shiki about Aika. "Shiki-san..."

"Don't call me 'san'." Shiki said. "Too long to say."

"Shiki," I amended, "what can you tell me about Aika?"

He shrugged. "Don't know... don't really care. Showed up here one time and Kaname-sama said she was a transfer... I don't know where from."

"Shiki." I chuckled at his trademark apathy. "That doesn't help me."

"What do you need to know?"

"I'm not sure... I just feel uneasy around her."

Shiki shrugged again. "Most of us do. She's very forward."

"That's one way of putting it." I sighed.

"Well you can do what you like, but I'm going back to sleep." Shiki rolled over and pulled a thick, red duvet over himself, his breathing evening out almost immediately.

Figuring I'd better leave him alone, I slowly stood and made my way out of his bedroom, quietly shutting the door behind me. I quietly padded through the small living room and the receiving area by the door. I silently opened the door to leave. The crack was just wide enough that I could slide through it sideways, pressed against the wall. I took a deep breath and moved, colliding with a chest that seemed to materialize instantly. I rubbed my forehead where it had collided with a rib, and I stepped back and looked at the vampire towering over me.

Ichijo.

"Matari-san!" He gasped happily, slinging his arms around me. My eyes widened in shock as I felt his chin resting on top of my head.

My God he's tall... my mind noted quietly.

"Why on Earth are you in Shiki-kun's and my room? He's normally sleeping at this time..."

"Ah, he was." I said. "But I was wandering around, and hungry, so he offered me some pocky..."

"Oh, you're hungry! I could escort you to the kitchen for some food right now!" He dragged me off by my hand for a few steps, and then dropped it and turned back to me. "But, why aren't you with Aido-kun right now?"

"Er, he's with Aika. Why would I need to be with him?"

I saw behind Ichijo that Aido had just come up the stairs, and paused when he saw my hand in Ichijo's.

"Well why would you want to be away from him? You're dating, right?"

~ I'd also like to apologize for posting this publicly. I just didn't want to start a PM-chain escalation. I want this nipped in the bud here. The rest of you that read this story because you like it please enjoy it to the end. :)