Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight or any characters

"So then in 1862 he—ah, Headmaster Cross, to what do we owe the honor?" The history teacher paused in the middle of her lecture when the Headmaster entered the room.

"Yes, sorry, to interrupt, I just need Zero to come with me." The Headmaster stated.

"Ah, yes, I believe he's the one snoring in the back row," The teacher sighed.

One of the other students shook Zero's shoulder, causing him to stir. The student pointed to the Headmaster then and Zero the left the room with him.

"What is it now?" Zero grumbled.

"Zero, I've become increasingly concerned that going to school and being a vampire hunter has just been too much for you." The Headmaster began.

"I'm not quitting my job at the association!" Zero insisted.

"Actually, that wasn't what I was going to suggest." The Headmaster said.

"Then what is it?"

"I want you to take some time off school—temporarily—so that you can get some rest. Also, this way you'll be able to freely escort Kaname's fiancée in her endeavors." The Headmaster said.

"I never actually agreed to babysit that woman, you know!" Zero snapped.

"Well, you're going to. That's a direct order. Otherwise, you will quit the Association." The Headmaster pulled the trump card out of his sleeve.

"I'm 18 now, Headmaster. You can't control my decisions anymore!" Zero yelled.

"Perhaps not, but I can fire you not fulfilling your assigned duties." The Headmaster yelled back.

"Then I'll just go after Kaname on my own free will—without that girl." Zero said.

Wait…why would I take down Kaname? He's doing exactly what I want him to do…

"What is it, Zero?" The Headmaster asked as Zero's face became wry and confused.

"When did I even decide to go chasing after Kaname?" Zero questioned. "I never intended to and now I can't remember why!"

"You…you made a deal with Sara, as I recall, Zero. You never actually told me what that deal was, but I know it involved you killing Kaname." The Headmaster explained.

"Yes, but Sara's dead now. I continued to chase Kaname even after her death!" Zero exclaimed.

"It sounds like you really do need to get some sleep, Zero. Go home. I'll arrange the paper work for your temporary dismissal." The Headmaster said and then walked away.

-You know, if you were to kill Kaname Kuran, then that girl would be all yours.

-I don't want her.

-Ah…but I can change her back into the girl you knew. What do think of that?

-Ha-how could you possibly be able to…?

-Once I'm queen, I'll pull some strings. You have to make me queen, though. And the only way to do that…

-Is to kill Kaname Kuran.

-And besides, it will be the perfect revenge for both of us, considering he killed the ones that we held so dear…

"Who…who was that girl?" Zero whispered. He was shaking. "What the hell was Sara talking about?"

"Mr. Hunter, I want to thank your accompanying me in my search for my fiancé." Yuki thanked Zero as a business meeting commenced between the two and the Headmaster in the main association office.

"Don't thank me. It's not like I'm doing this out of the goodness of my heart. It's just work." Zero grunted.

Kill Kaname Kuran and that girl will be all yours…

Zero shook the thought of his mind. He had had absolutely no connection to Yuki Kuran up until a few days passed.

"Oh, I see," Yuki replied.

Typical Zero, she thought.

"Headmaster," Zero turned to Kaien. "Do we actually have any leads right now or are we just going on a wild goose chase?" Zero questioned.

"Well, our most current lead was given to us by Miss Kuran. Apparently, he plans to refuel the Parent Furnace with his own heart, thus it's possible he'll be coming here." The Headmaster explained.

"For the love of…Headmaster, if he's coming here then why do we have to go track him down?" Zero demanded.

"He may be planning to murder more innocent pureblood during that time. He must be found and he be captured before that happens." The Headmaster insisted.

"And this girl—er, Miss Kuran—is our secret weapon in finding him?" Zero questioned.

"Exactly," the Headmaster confirmed.

"Alright, then, Miss Kuran, where do we start?" Zero asked.

"I, um…" Yuki murmured and blushed.

"Headmaster, this is ridiculous!" Zero exclaimed.

"Well, it's not as though you're going anywhere today. I'm sure we'll have a promising lead soon enough. A message has been sent to the entire Hunter's Union to keep a watchful eye out for Kaname Kuran. It's top priority." The Headmaster explained.

"And in the meantime…?" Zero questioned.

"You'll be showing Miss Kuran around town." The Headmaster stated.

"What?" Zero and Yuki both sputtered.

"Come now, we can't have our honored guest getting bored! And since Miss Kuran isn't from here, she should be out seeing the sights, right?" The Headmaster said.

"There's a not a whole lot to see," Zero grunted.

"Sure there is!" The Headmaster exclaimed. "Now why are you still standing there? Go! Go! Have lunch. It's on me!"

The Headmaster handed Zero some money and then nudged Yuki and Zero out the door. "Just have her back by 10:00, okay? Leave all the boring business stuff to me! Bye now!"

The Headmaster closed the door behind him. Zero was clearly pissed and Yuki clearly as nervous as a rabbit. Zero spoke, suggesting quite adamantly, "Look, if you just want to go back and hang out at the Headmaster's place instead, that's fine."

"Well, it's fine if you really don't want to go out to lunch," Yuki choked. She still wasn't quite ready to be alone with Zero just yet.

"I hear plans being broken!" The Headmaster's voice chimed through the door. Zero grunted.

"Well, that guy won't us alone until we do, so we might as well," he sighed.

"That guy is so happy to hear you say that!" The Headmaster cheered. Zero and Yuki both looked awkwardly at the door. Then suddenly their gazes met. They blushed, but both grinned and chuckled a bit.

"Well, the city may a pretty boring place to actually tour, but there are a few good restaurants around…shall we head out

"Sure," Yuki nodded. They headed to the campus main gate.

"Ah, my best customer! Long time no see. I was worried you weren't coming back!" The chef exclaimed the moment Zero walked through the door. When the chef noticed Yuki, he said, "Ah, will I be giving away two free eggs today?"

"That's really not necessary," Zero insisted. "Why don't you just start up a couple of plates of steamed rice and vegetables?"

"Coming right up!" The chef replied and turned to his stove to start cooking.

"What did he mean by free eggs?" Yuki wondered.

"He always gives me a free egg to…well, cheer me up. The first I came in here I was really upset something and that's when the tradition started."

"Oh, I see," Yuki replied.

Zero laughed under his breath a little because he couldn't actually remember what he had been upset about that day. He knew someone had discovered his blood tablet box, but he wasn't sure who anymore.

"You sure were in a hurry that day!" The chef commented. "Go everything all cooked up for the guy and he just up and runs out of here. Where'd you go anyways?"

"That…I think I had work related emergency to attend to, but…I guess I'm not really sure how I even found out about it." Zero murmured.

He'd gone out to the clock tower and seen Ichiru in the Level E boy's face. He had to exterminate another Level E vampire that day—a woman. Right after, he had a Level E attack himself and so Kaname had wound up taking out the little boy.

He remembered all that, but he just couldn't why he'd gone to the clock tower in the first place that day.

"Ah, it doesn't matter, though," he decided. "That was a while back anyways."

"Ah here we go…two vegetable plates for the happy couple. Enjoy!" The chef said as he set the plates down on the counter.

"Uh, we're not a…" Zero started, but the chef had already moved onto another customer. He brushed it off and took his seat alongside Yuki.

"I hope you like," Zero said. "I guess I should have asked you like this sort of thing before I ordered it for you."

"No…its relay gud…," Yuki replied with a mouthful of food. Zero just smiled. A moment later, though, he frowned. There was no way he was ever going to get close to a pureblood vampire. He started to gobble down his food and managed to finish in it in about 10 minutes. He threw the Headmaster's money down on the counter before he even finished swallowing his last few bites. Yuki watched him all the way and wasn't the least surprised when he announced, "I'm really sorry, but there's something I just remembered I need to do today."

"So…you'll come back for me in a little while…?" Yuki grasped at straws. She knew it wouldn't bother him in the least to abandon her there.

"I, well…do you think you can find your own way back? This thing is really important. I…I can't actually believe I forgot about it, it's so important." Despite his apologetic words, Zero's tone wasn't the least bit apologetic. It was mostly rushed and full of discomfort. It was clear that he wasn't going to continue with that charade for a moment longer.

"Yeah…I guess I'd be able to manage." Yuki replied.

"Good. If not, I guess you can just ask someone for direction or something. Bye." He stomped out of the restaurant then.

"Who, what was that about?" The chef wondered. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah…he just had to go back to work, I guess." Yuki sighed and lied on Zero's behalf, knowing full well that he just didn't want to be around her. As soon as they actually started to have a nice time, he'd had gotten scared and ran way. Like always.

"Always working that one," the chef shook his head. "Nice guy, though. You should give him another chance."

"You think?"

"Sure."

"Okay, I think I will, then," Yuki talked as though she even had a real choice in the matter. "Um, could this to go instead?"

"Sure," the chef replied and then scrapped her food in a rectangular paper box. "Now don't tell me he you to foot the bill!"

"Oh, no," Yuki replied and pushed the money across the counter.

"Ah, see, I told you he a nice guy," The chef said as he collected the money He went over to the registrar to get some chance and told Yuki to have a wonderful day as he handed it to her.

Yuki hid her tears until she was out the door.

"Oh, Yuki…you weren't even gone half an hour," The Headmaster sighed as Yuki walked into the living room. "Did Zero ditch you?"

"Yeah," Yuki sighed. She had forced herself to stop crying only moments before. The Headmaster could tell.

"Come sit," The Headmaster instructed and she sat down beside him on the couch. He hugged her for a moment and whispered, "He'll come around. He did the last time, didn't he?"

Don't touch me with those hands that touched him!

It's none of your business.

Leave me alone…

You'd rather Kaname Kuran drink your blood instead.

I will kill you.

"Yeah, but sometimes I wondered if he hated me even back then."

"But, he didn't, Yuki."

How could I ever hate you?

I was able to live on because you were beside me.

No! Don't take her away from me!

"Yeah, I know," Yuki whispered.

"No, go on and enjoy your lunch!" The Headmaster instructed.

"Okay, I will," Yuki said her way over into the dining room.

"Oh, and, Yuki, when you get the chance, you should say hello to Yori-chan and the Night Class as well. Why don't you go ahead and let them know what's going on?" The Headmaster called.

"Okay, yeah…I'll do that," Yuki called back. Talking to Yori would be a wonderful thing.