Riiiing… Riiiing… Riiiing… Rii- The person that you are calling cannot-

'She didn't answer?

She pressed the end call button and simply looked down at her phone. It had sent her back to her contacts, and she looked at the contact information of "Miyuki."

The car gently rocked as it went down the empty highway, but she didn't look affected by it at all. She sat up straight with her legs crossed perfectly, as though she were the spitting image of grace and poise. One wouldn't be able to tell that she was returning home from a long and exhausting trip, the only clue was the sleeping man to her side-who barely moved despite the rocking car.

Said trip was why she was so excited to call "Miyuki," so to be sent to voicemail was a little bit of a disappointment.

However, the woman only softly smiled to herself as she continued to stare down at her phone. Because, she knew what would happen next. 'She'll call back as soon as she can.' She gently stroked her finger over the image of the young girl with dark curls on her phone. 'Afterall, I raised her properly.'

. . .

Subaru didn't know what suddenly came over her.

"Let me go!" She dropped that cocky smile of hers, and it was immediately replaced by glaring eyes. Before he knew it, she was finally starting to fight back. She was trying to dig her hands into the grip he had over her collar, and she was trying to kick him away with her feet. "I said let me go!"

Everything about this sudden shift of hers, made Subaru's blood boil. After what just happened. After the things she said. After she looked like she was getting pleasure out of his emotions! "Why the hell should I?" He tightened his grip on her more, and she let out a sharp gasp in response.

She was glaring at him before, but it wasn't like this. Before she was just looking down at him and treating him like an idiot. But now she was looking at him like if he was just a waste of time! Like-after everything she said-he doesn't matter!

Subaru could almost see red.

Then, he was suddenly somewhere else. Teleporting was the most natural thing in the world for almost any vampire, but the feeling of being teleported by someone else-without any warning-was dizzying. He felt his grip loosen from it, but he quickly tightened it again.

It could only have been her, the girl that was coldly glaring at him despite how tightly he gripped on her collar. Then, she did it again, and again, and again, and again, and again, until his head was spinning. He felt his grip loosening on her in response to the sensation, so he roughly shoved her forward.

Luck was on his side and he had slammed her back against the door of the rooftop, and she let out a sharp gasp when her back banged against the door. She became limper in his grasp, and she quietly groaned out of pain. He disoriented her enough that she'd give the teleporting a break, and his own spinning head began to pull itself together.

For a moment, with both of them feeling unsteady all they could do was glare daggers at each other.

"Nothing else to say? After all that crap you were spewing?" He spoke lowly to her as he gripped tighter onto her collar, and let out a small choking noise.

She tried to bite down on her lip in an attempt to keep her pathetic noises down; not wanting her to hold onto dignity, he tightened his grip even further. This time, she couldn't hold down the sounds of her lungs begging for air anymore. It's not like he was killing her though. Afterall, she could still find it in herself to glare at him like if he was just a pest-

...Then he noticed that there was a dent on the door from when he slammed her against it. It was a thick metal door, and if he wasn't so out of it when he slammed her, it would have broken to pieces. If she wasn't a vampire, she would have broken to pieces… Then he noticed-despite the glare-she was starting to turn blue… With a click of his tongue, he dropped her.

Immediately, she curled up into herself and began to gasp for air. He was only going to give her enough time to catch her breath, then he was going to tell her to get lost for good this time.

But then, he saw her reach into her pocket-while her other hand was still gripping her heaving chest-and she pulled out a phone. He immediately became impatient-what the hell does she need a phone for right now? "Oi! What are you doing with-?"

"Shut up!" Her voice was slightly raspy from the choking, but she was still able to carry all the icy venom she wanted to in her tone. It took him off guard for only a moment, and he became ready to shout back at her. But he paused when he saw her straighten up and press her hand into her throat. "Ahem."

Then she pressed a button on her phone and held it up to her ear. The ringing of the phone even managed to reach his ears. But, when someone on the other end answered, he couldn't make out the words.

"Hello Grandmother." Her voice rang out in that sing-songy tone she used with everyone, with that smile plastered across her lips. Only this time, it sounded more sickly sweet, and he felt his stomach churn at the sound of it. "No, my hands were just a little full, that's all… It's good to hear you too. It's been so boring being in the house all alone… You know they don't count. They're not family… It's only the truth… Really?... No, never… … Then I'll be sure to tell them… It's fine Grandmother…" There was a long pause, and for a split second he thought he saw her stiffen up. But her expression never changed. "... Of course not Grandmother… Right now?... No, it sounds like a great idea… See you soon."

… She must have been very good at acting, because as soon as the call ended she went back to panting for air... Despite being right in front of him, he found that he couldn't read the expression on her face… But that didn't matter. "There, you had your fun, now get-"

"You know that's quite a bad habit to have, eavesdropping I mean." She climbed back up to her feet. Her eyes were tired and her voice sounded exhausted, but he still couldn't stop himself from getting mad at her.

"I wasn't listening because I wanted to! You're the one who-!"

"Yes, yes, yes, everything's my fault and I should just get lost."

"If you know that then you shouldn't have taken that damn phone call right here and had just gone somewhere else."

"Well whose fault do you think it is that I'm a little unsteady on my feet at the moment?" She spat at him, annoyance growing in her voice.

"It's not like you need to make that phone call right this moment!"

"I-!" That venomous tone sounded like it was ready to return, but she quickly held herself back. For a moment, she leaned against the door she was just pressed against by force and held her chest as she took in a few more breaths-he didn't think he hurt her that much… "Whatever, you want me gone right?" She looked back up at him, and she was back to just looking drained. "Then, I'll just go and do that." With that, she got herself off the door and opened it-she had to use some force on the dented door.

With that she left without another word from either of them, and Subaru couldn't help but feel unsatisfied.

. . .

Subaru ended up trying to spend the rest of lunch trying to calm himself, and he found there only so much calm he was capable of being after that exchange. He hated to admit it, but she really knew how to stir him up in the worst way possible… Well, what else would you expect from another monster…

He wasn't completely over what happened, but he was prepared-somewhat-to at least keeping a cool head while in class. The bell had rung and now it was time to go back and have to sit there with her stench for another- "So what did she leave for?"

Once he opened the door to the classroom everyone went silent for a moment-their typical reaction to him-but he caught what someone said before he opened it. That's when he noticed there was no foul stench yet. He went to take his seat in the back, and while he did he glanced around and realized there was no sign of her at all-not that he was complaining.

After a moment, everyone quietly began to murmur and chatter once again. "I heard that she was suddenly feeling unwell."

"We were just having lunch with her and she didn't seem sick."

"Maybe she was holding back for our sake."

"Poor Shiki-chan."

'Did it have something to do with that phone call?' He thought offhandedly. It didn't particularly interest her why she left, but he did feel at ease knowing that she was in fact gone for the day. Some annoyance was stirred when he heard the concern in their voices as they spoke about their precious "Shiki-chan" but he knew it'd go away once the teacher showed up. He just had to deal with their ignorant delusions for a few seconds longer.

Then, he caught a whiff of something. He glanced over and saw it was coming from a brown haired girl sitting next to the now empty seat. She was slightly curled up with her thumb in her mouth out of-what he could only assume was-stress. And the scent was coming from her thumb as she was biting down on it hard enough to draw a drop or two of blood.

'She really has some devout followers.' He thought with annoyance and he looked back out the window. 'That girl looked a little familiar too.' His train of thought was cut short as the teacher finally arrived.

. . .

"It's already been three days without the cute little vampire girl." Laito sighed as chomped down on another macaroon.

Subaru was enjoying his peace but then this idiot came to annoy him for whatever reason. "Why don't you try getting lost like she did?" He glowered at the ginger.

Laito just smiled carefreely at the threat. "Oh come on Subaru-kun, do you really not miss her at all? It wasn't just her face, that icy personality was very cute too~."

He was right about her personality being cold but, "Maybe you should have also asked mommy and daddy to teach you how to act like less of a monster. Then, everyone wouldn't be so afraid of you~."

His teeth gritted at the memory of those eyes that looked at him with nothing but mocking malice. "It'd be better if she just stayed away for good." These past three days without her around have been like a breath of fresh air and he wished it would last longer. He didn't know what was keeping her away from the school, but he was grateful for it.

The perv only laughed at his response. "As cruel as ever to the poor thing."

"Tsk! I'm tired of hearing everyone talk about how poor she is!" Hearing his classmates wallow in their concern has been the only disruption in these otherwise peaceful days. "She's not 'poor' she's just another cold-hearted-prick like the rest of-" 'us!'... But he couldn't quite bring himself to say the last word out loud.

With another sigh and another macaroon, Laito leaned against the railing around the rooftop. "You really do have to learn how to be more gentle with girls Subaru-kun. Vampires, humans, ghouls, etcetera, all girls are delicate and easy to break." Then one of his disgusting smiles grew on his face. "And if you're really adamant about breaking them, you need to pick the right moment~."

'Ok that's enough.' "If you just came up here to annoy me then-!"

"Usually, but this time I actually do have something I need to tell you."

"Then start with that! Instead of dragging all this other crap around!" Why can't any of these idiots just get to the point so that they could leave him alone?

Laito just smiled coyly. "Ne, Subaru-kun, don't you remember that little phone call Miyuki-chan had after your little fight?"

...It took Subaru a second to remember that "Miyuki" was the vampire girl. Regarding that phone call though… He wasn't really paying attention in the first place, and he'd already long forgotten about it. He wasn't going to waste his precious alone time thinking about crap that wasn't his business.

"From the look on your face I'm guessing you don't remember. But, from the sounds of it, it seems her grandmother was returning from wherever she was before."

'Oh right, I think I faintly remember her saying something about a grandma.' "And what does that have to do with me?"

"Well it has something to do with all of us Subaru-kun." Subaru raised a brow as he looked up at his annoying brother. Laito had a pleased grin on his face that made Subaru sick. "Shiki Tatsu, our little friend's grandmother, is throwing a party at their estate. And the Sakamaki family has been personally invited. I just thought you'd like to know~."