A/N: I really do prefer this version rather over the original. The conversation between everyone in the office felt more realistic than before.

Watcher in the Woods;

The moment Naomi stepped out of the office a pair of strong arms hooked around her waist and dragged her back into the Headmaster's office. Naomi struggled against the iron grip on her waist, but there was no use in fighting. She looked up to see who it was as she dug her nails into the arm wrapped around her, "Get your hands off me, Zero!"

Zero only glanced at Naomi with such disinterest – she was almost insulted.

"I'm afraid," The Headmaster said behind her, "this is not a request."

But Naomi was not listening. She was too busy clawing at Zero's arm to care about anything the Headmaster was saying. She grabbed a fistful of Zero's jacket and pushed roughly against him. Still, he didn't budge,

"That's enough, Zero." Cross said, "Let her go."

Obediently, like a dog, thought Naomi, Zero let of go her waist. Naomi glared at the silver-haired prefect and straightened out her uniform.

She turned towards the Headmaster, "I am not going to be a prefect." She gritted out, "I'd rather be expelled."

Yuki came into focus and smiled at Naomi, "It's really not as bad as it sounds, and we could really use the help."

Naomi sent her a sharp glare, "If you think, I'm going to hold back a bunch of hormonal teenagers and stay up all night – you are in for a rude awakening."

"It's not a request," said Zero.

"It's not request?" Naomi tilted her head at him, "Well, do you know what else isn't a request, Zero?" And in a final act of defiance, "My rejection." Naomi faced Cross, "I came here because I won a scholarship. Not to play babysitter to bunch of vampires and get chronic insomnia."

"Really?" Cross lounged back into his chair, "I heard from someone the only reason you even applied for this scholarship was to stop another student from your previous school from taking it."

She scoffed, Fucking Tanaka. It had to be him. The café owner was the only person who she listed as a source that she had told the real reason she was applying for the scholarship in the first place.

It was a petty reason – a classmate in her previous school, Yina at Yosogami High, was boasting on how no one would ever get this scholarship, and Naomi being Naomi, decided she needed to be taken down a peg or two, so she applied. Naomi had no doubt in her mind that she would be the sole winner of the prize. She was top of her class and all of her more mischievous extra curriculars were kept under radar. The only people that knew were either her friends or too afraid of her to say anything.

Naomi had never planned to actually accept the scholarship until her parents got the acceptance letter in the mail. They were so excited for her. She didn't have the heart to tell them the real reason why she applied. All she needed to solidify the acceptance was a source outside of her teachers to write her a recommendation letter. Tanaka, a trusted family friend and business owner, was perfect for the job.

Naomi frowned, "The reason how I ended up getting this scholarship is irrelevant."

Cross smiled in a way that filled her with uneasiness, "I know Tanaka." He said, "He's my friend. I trust his judgment and he wrote about you with such high regard. About whom you could be, but he knows who you are right now."

Naomi crossed her arms, "Does he –"

"Know?" He said, "He does."

Oh, she was going to have quite the conversation with him.

Naomi's jaw clenched, "I'm still not going to become a prefect. If what you're worried about is me telling people, then let me ease your worries." She looked at everyone present in the room, "No one is going to hear from me."

The Night Class student, who had stayed quiet until now, spoke up, "Can you guarantee that, Naomi?"

Naomi shifted her gaze towards him. She was calm and collected, but she did not like the way he called her by her first name. Who the hell was he to speak to her so familiarly? Zero and Yuki calling her by her first name was fine – they were prefects and Cross was, well, the Headmaster. She had other ways to undermine their authority and has.

Naomi eyed the Night Class student up and down, yet she directed her answer at the Headmaster; "If I can't then you can expel me, besides who would believe me?"

Everyone adores the Night Class. They can do no wrong and I'll be left looking crazy.

Cross sighed, "Alright, but I still want you to have a relationship with the Night Class. Don't give me that face. You brought this on yourself when you started sticking your nose where it doesn't belong."

"Fine," said Naomi. "Can I go now?"

The headmaster nodded, "Yes. It is late." He smiled, at least, he made some head way, "Get some rest."

Naomi spun on her heel and walked out without so much as a wave goodbye.

At a safe distance, she groaned. Everything was not fine. She had no intentions of building a 'relationship' with the Night Class, but if all she had to do was play along right now so they'd get off her back then so be it.

Play your cards right, Naomi, and you'll get out this with your wits.

If worst comes to worst, she'll just transfer. Rid herself of the problem entirely. No vampires, no prefects, no stubborn Headmasters, and most of all, no real curfew.

Naomi made her way towards the Sun Dorms and quickly went into her dorm room.

Asuna picked her head up from her bed, "Hey, how did it go?"

"I think," Naomi walked towards her bed and sat down, "I just made a mess of things."

Asuna frowned, "What happened?"

Naomi smiled; she was so glad to have a friend like Asuna with her. Someone who cared about her, and laughed with her, and defended her. Someone, who was an overall good influence on her, unlike her past friendships, but they were extremely fun. In Naomi's eyes, inside of Cross Academy, there was no other friend but her, especially now that Haruto was furious with her.

Naomi kicked off her uniform shoes, "They were just asking me more question about what happened with Akira Saito."

She lied, because despite how good of a friend Asuna was – this was something she couldn't share and not just because she would be forced to become a prefect if she did. It was simply better for Asuna to know nothing. Safer, then she thought, and I just don't trust them.

Asuna's frown deepened, "I hope this blows over quickly."

"Yeah, me too," sighed Naomi.

Naomi doubted it the scandal would die soon. Everyone was clamoring for information. They didn't care if it was true or not – only that it was entertaining to them, but it was all noise. Noise she should've shut down, instead of wasting her time trying to keep Haruto from hating her. She could worry about that later as of right now, she had bigger things to worry about.

Naomi yawned, "I'm tired." She stretched out on her bed, "Let's just go to sleep."

Asuna reached for the nightstand next to her and switched off the lamp. They both settled into their twin sized beds but only Asuna slept.

It was still a sleepless night for Naomi.

Thought by thought. Restless turn after restless turn – Naomi's eyes opened and shut again and again, until finally, she gave up sleeping altogether.

Too much was going on in her life. Too much was happening. The night no longer harbored human threats but supernatural ones as well. People were awful enough as they were. Imagine an entire group of people ruled by a carnal desire for blood and they were only just a short walk away.

Naomi rubbed her eyes, how safe are we all really? She ran her hands through her hair, one rogue vampire is all it's take. One vampire left unsupervised. She could only imagine the amount of damage that could happen.

Uneasiness filled her chest.

There was a light tap on the door. Asuna stirred in her bed but didn't wake.

Naomi tip-toed to the door and pressed her ear against it. The steps were receding – whoever it was, was leaving.

Was it a student? A student that somehow found out that it was her who broke into their professor's office, and now wanted the specific details, but chickened out at the last minute. She wouldn't be surprised. There was nothing vapid people loved more than making horrific tragedies into spectacles for their enjoyment.

Naomi was no better, though. She had fallen victim to that herself in the past. She had participated in regurgitating the awful cycle and reveled in it and if hurt people; Well, she hadn't really cared.

Naomi slipped her shoes on and carefully slipped outside her dorm room in her wrinkled uniform.

A gossiping Day Class student didn't scare her. She looked around the hallway, but no one was there. She quietly closed the door behind her and then, another door closed, the door that led outside the Sun dorms.

Nosy, she was always nosy. Naomi followed the sound carefully into the woods.

Then, there it was like the sun coming out of a dark cloud: a pair of haunting eyes in the woods of the school. Blue and red, and they were staring at her as if she was their prey.

Not a Day Class student, but a vampire.

Shit, but this was not her problem. The prefects should deal with whoever this was.

She quickly came back the way she came, but she stepped backwards, and never let her eyes stray from the mismatched eyes, until she entered the Sun dorms. She slipped back into her dorm room and found Asuna still sleeping.

Quietly, Naomi looked outside her window and there it was still watching her.

She glared, go look at someone else, psycho.

Naomi grabbed the string next to the window and swung, pulled until the blinds fell over the window.

She took in a deep breath and changed into pajamas and went back to bed, yet there it was, the lingering feeling of being watched. Naomi pulled the covers over her head. It did her no good – the feeling was still there. Encroaching on her.

She hugged the covers closer to her head, Go away!

Naomi steadied her breathing, whoever it is they're not going to come in. You're fine, Naomi... you're perfectly safe.

She swore she almost heard a chuckle.

Naomi curled into a ball and tightly closed her eyes. Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep, and so, she did.

Still throughout the night Naomi would wake up at odd hours from nightmares. She'd stare at the curtain and have the same disgusting feeling of being watched, but she'd go back to sleep.

The next morning came and went. She sat in class all day wondering if she had dreamed about what happened. It was all jumbled in her brain. She was trying to decipher whether or not it was a dream. She sincerely hoped it was dream. The alternative was slightly terrifying.

A vampire stalker. How would I even begin to deal with that? Naomi blinked at her notebook, if it happens again, I'll investigate. She started drawing spirals around the corners of her notes, worst thing that could happen is that it turns out it was vampire. Naomi swallowed, and you die.

"Class was dismissed, Ms. Nakamura."

Naomi looked up from her notebook to see her professor glaring at her.

She turned her around to see her surroundings. There wasn't a student in sight.

Naomi smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, sir."

The professor grunted and waved her off in response.

Naomi gathered her things quickly and left the classroom. Her thoughts were consumed with those eyes. Naomi pushed the door open from the academic building, A person with eyes like those would surely be noticed. I could ask around town.

She was making her way to the Sun dorms, already plotting away on how she was going to get to town.

Maybe not tonight, but in two days? Naomi tapped her chin in thought, maybe, it's not such a bad idea being a prefect. I could be in and out at night and not be worried about being caught. She smiled, yeah, I can use this to my advantage. But then she frowned, ugh, I'd have to deal with the Day Class girls fawning over vampires and be hounded with questions by them on how I became a prefect. Naomi shook her head, not worth it.

Naomi went into the Sun Dorms and made her way towards her room. She slid inside her room and saw Asuna was already asleep.

Naomi giggled, "Lazy bum."

The sun was falling, and the moon was rising, and with it, Naomi's anxiety. It rippled through her body again. The same awful pit in her stomach and she hated it. This time she didn't bother looking out the window. This time she walked straight out of the dorms.

Naomi marched into the woods, alright, creepy stalker from hell... Where are you?

Naomi scanned her surroundings her eyes searching for the mismatched eyes. Blue and red... They were blue and red. She kept walking forward, but she kept her eyes peeled for those eyes. Naomi knew it was watching her, her every move, her every step, readying to strike. She was getting close now and every instinct in her body was telling her to run.

A harsh snap of twigs was deafening in silence of the night.

Naomi snapped her head towards the sound and saw the mismatched eyes.

Naomi froze. She gulped harshly; this was a terrible idea.

She didn't have to have a special talent to know what was in front her; her suspicions were correct; it was a vampire.

Naomi let her eyes wander to the building next to her, the academic building.

Run, inside!

You're not faster than a vampire!

You'll die if you stay here!

You'll die if you run!

Naomi gulped harshly and waited for the shadow to pounce on her, but it didn't. It just stayed there – watching her.

She started to ask, "Who are y – "

But then a girl screamed, "Zero, stop!"

Naomi snapped her head to the sound, "What in the-" Her eyes widened as she quickly turned her head back towards where her predator was, its gone.

Another yell, "Stop!"

Naomi sprang into action. She ran inside the building and went up the stairs.

Frantically, the girl screamed, "Let go!"

Naomi quickened her steps, until she saw them, Zero and Yuki.

Yuki was struggling to get out Zero's grasp. Zero had his head buried in her neck – a large gulping sound came from him. It took Naomi a second to process what was happening. He was drinking from her.

Naomi lunged towards them, "What the hell?!" She grabbed Yuki's shoulders and pulled roughly to wrench Yuki from his hold, "Get off of her!"

Yuki was breathing heavily as she used Naomi to lean on. Naomi wrapped both her arms around her trying not to let her fall to the ground. Together, the young girls were taking in the dreadful sight in front of them.

Blood was dripping from Zero's fangs. He wiped it off with his shaking hand.

Naomi held Yuki closer to her body.

Zero's eyes glowed scarlet.