Zero's Secret

Normal P.O.V

All the day class boys and girls walk around campus chattering away which seems even louder than usual as they fuss over the stuff they're doing. In the boys dorm of the day class they boys continue fuss to get everything ready.

"Let's go!" one of them say.

"Just a minute, the ribbon!" his roommate says.

"Who are you giving it to?" one of the boys asks.

"Huuuh? Isn't it obvious?" another boy says. Cross Academy.

One of the day class boys waves to one of his friends. "Good morning! Today's finally the day!" he says.

In the moon dorm, Hanna pulls the blanket off her head. "…Aaaahh… Give me a break, I was fast asleep." She says. "It's so noisy outside the gates…must be the boys from the day class. What do they want now?" she asks as she sits up, still groggy. She covers her eyes with her hand as the curtains are opened and she barriers herself under her blanket. "Takatsuki! The light…!" she says, annoyed.

Takatsuki pulls the curtain back. "Whoa…it actually is the morning boys. Better get ready to run. Oh…That's right. It's today…" she says as she looks up.

"What is?!" Hanna says, mad.

Takatsuki looks at Hanna and smiles slightly. "It's the day boys give out chocolates and roses and confess to their crushes…'Valentine's Day'" she says and all the day class boys stand around the gate.

Kaname P.O.V

The boys try to squeeze through each other to get to the gate as I stand on the top on the gate.

"It's still morning…! Are they really planning to wait here all day for the night class!?" I say as I pull out my whistle and blow it. Day class first year Kaname Cross, Guardian. "Classes are starting for all day class students! Everyone go to your classrooms!" I say as I point my whistle at them. I turn and see a boy trying to throw his chocolate and rose over the gate.

"I have to give them my chocolates and roses." He says.

"Hey, you! Get down from there!" I yell.

He falls back. "Aa-hh!" he says as he falls back. "Ah!" he yells as he heads towards the ground. I run towards him.

"Look out!" I say and I see someone catch him.

He looks up. "Oh…Thank you, Zero." He says as he looks at her.

"Nice catch, Zero!" I say as I raise my arms.

She glares at him. "I've told you a thousand times now…" she says and he backs away, scared. "Members of the night class do not leave the moon dorms during day light hours. If you absolutely must give them presents, it will have to wait until dusk. Come back when the night class and day classes change over. If any of you pull a stunt like that again…I'll personally make sure that you're suspended on valentine's day every year until you graduate." She says as she glares at them. Zero Kiryu. Guardian. Day class. First year.

"So once again, you begin valentine's day as the enemy of all man-kind. You do realize that you just destroyed any chance of getting chocolates and roses, right?" I say as I put my hand on her shoulder.

She turns and glares at me. "Then what should have I said? After all, my duty as a guardian is…to prevent the day class students…from ever finding out what the night class really is." She says.

I look at the gate. "Yeah…we'll have to be extra careful tonight." I say. The night class at cross academy has a secret that students in the day class don't know about. It's that the night class is made up of vampires.

Normal P.O.V

Takatsuki scratches the back of her head. "It'll be more fun when the sun goes down. After all, this only happens once a year. I'm going back to bed." She says as she closes the curtain. Hanna lies back down and covers half her face with her blanket. "I guess so. Chocolate is pretty good. …but I still like blood better for dessert!" she says and closes her eyes.

Kaname P.O.V

And also… "I know that it's Valentine's Day. I also realize that the school is buzzing with excitement. But there is also an increased danger that something might go wrong, to expose the night class's true identity. For that reason, I expect the two of you to be even more diligent than ever! You are, after all, the school's guardians!" says the headmistress. Our real jobs as Guardians are to protect the night class's secrets.

I raise my arm in salute. "Yes, ma'am!" I say.

Zero looks away and sighs. "That's why I said we should just ban it…" she says. "Wouldn't that just inspire a revolt? It's best to give them an outlet. And after all, all my little vampires are just too adorable…such dear little creatures…I could never be so cruel as to keep them from their devoted fans." She says and Zero glares at her.

I look at Zero. "I think that look means, 'how dare you compliment them in front of me?' She's not happy." I say to the headmistress.

"Yes, well, I suppose you're right." Says the headmistress. "Well… I understand that vampires have been the enemies of humans for some centuries now. But there are still some vampires who wish to co-exist with us peacefully…It's important to teach them to have pride in taking the first steps to bridge the divide between our two races…Zero…Even though you may think it's impossible now…someday, I want you to understand that." Says the headmistress as she stands in front of the window with her back to us.

Zero looks away. "That's impossible. The past can never be erased." She says.

"And you believe that because they're beasts in human form…who drink the blood of living humans?" says the headmistress as she turns to look at us and Zero has her bangs cover her eyes.

I sit on my knees on her desk and hold something out to her. "Here, for you, head-mother! Happy valentine's day!" I say as they both look at me and I toss one to Zero. "And this is for you, Zero. As always!" I say.

"Twenty coupons for Kaname's shoulder massages!" exclaims the headmistress.

"Good for one errand." says Zero as she reads it. "It's exactly the same thing you gave us back when you were in grade school." She says.

I glare at her. "So sue me." I say. I grab her sleeve and pull her towards the door. "Come on. We're going to be late!" I say. I keep pulling her behind me. "Why…" I say and she looks at me.

"What?" she asks. Zero hates vampires because her family was murdered by one four years ago. "No…nothing…" I say. So why does the headmistress say things like that…knowing full well that she's reopening old wounds. She suddenly jerks her arm out of my hand. "Oh…sorry. I didn't realize that I was still holding onto you." I say as I look back at her and I see that she has her hand on her throat.

"It's fine…" she says. 'Zero…?' In class I sit next to Shino and yawn after I wake up from my nap. "Aah! Only one more lesson after this!" I say, smiling.

"Everyone's getting restless." He says. I look at him. "Aren't you giving chocolates and a rose to anyone, Shino?" I ask.

"No. I can't be bothered." He sighs. "Not even for the night class?" I say.

He smiles. "To be honest, I prefer the day class to the night class anyway. What about you?" he asks.

"I'm not either." I say.

"I can see the stem and ribbon." He says.

"Well, the truth is…I had to buy them from a shop. When I tried to make it and plant it myself, it was a complete disaster. It's so humiliating. I'm the only one in the class who's that lame." I say.

"So? Who are you giving it to? I mean, it's not obviously for the girl glaring daggers from behind us." He says.

"You're a member of the disciplinary committee, yet you're giving that to her?" she says and I shudder under her glare.

At the gate, all the day class boys stand there, chattering away until the gate opens and the Night class students are standing there. Dusk. I blow my whistle. "Okay, okay, okay! Get in line! Get in line! You there! I saw that! Get back in your place!" I yell. The night class has arrived. It's time for the classes to change.

Hanna puts her fists up to her chest. "Whoa! This year, all the boys are going in hysterics! It's awesome! This is so cool!" she says and Takatsuki yawns and Seri just has a bored expression on her face.

"This is hell." She says.

"Okay! Welcome to the traditional Valentine's Day, 'who is the lucky winner of the day class boys chocolates and roses!?' line up race! All members of the night class are to walk to their individually assigned gates. Once in position, the boys will line up to give you their chocolates and roses. Please stay calm and cooperate with one another. Understood? I would like everyone to keep in mind that this is not a game. It means a lot to the boys so take it seriously!" I say as I hold my finger up and Hanna runs to the gates.

"They're mine! All mine!" she says, excited.

"Hanna," says Yuki and Hanna freezes in her tracks. "Remember to mind your manners, understand?" she says. Yuki Kuran, Night class president, also dorm leader.

"Yes, dorm leader." says Hanna.

"This is moronic." Seri says.

"Just do it anyway." said Takatsuki.

One of the boys holds up his chocolate and rose and bows. "Please, accept this, Yuki!" he says. She turns and sees the gate that has her name on it.

"Oh…" she says and she takes them. "Thank you very much." She says and the boys keep handing them to her until she can't accept any more. "Aah… sorry everyone…I can't hold any more than this…" she says.

The boys bow. "Oh, that's fine! We're so sorry to trouble you!" they say together.

Yuki smiles at them. "I really am sorry." She says and walks away. She looks at me and smiles. "Thank you for everything, Kaname." She says.

"Sure!" I say as I hold the day class boys back. 'Shoot! She's leaving already!' I think.

"Don't get hurt." She says and keeps walking.

"I-I won't!" I say. I reach inside my pocket and sigh. I lost my chance. I'm suddenly pushed to the ground by the day class boys and the chocolate and rose fall out of my pocket as Zero picks them up.

"Yuki!" she says as she throws them and Yuki catches them. "You forgot something." She says and I stand up and pat my pockets, checking for them.

"Huh!? Ah… when did…Zero!" I say, nervous.

Yuki looks at them. "I accept. Thank you, Kaname." She says.

"S-sure!" I say as I blush and turn to Zero, punching her in her side. "How dare you just give it to Yuki like that! I could kill you right now!" I say.

"You were going to wimp out! I saw you! Oww!" she says. I turn away and pout.

"Because she probably didn't want it anyway…She belongs with the night class. I can only ever catch a glimpse of what it must be like. The world she lives in…the things she sees…she's so different from me…" I say. Ten years ago, Yuki saved my life. But… To her it meant almost nothing…

"Yuki…those must be heavy. I can take them for you." Says Seiren and he holds out his hands as Yuki puts the chocolates and roses in his hands.

"You can have them. This is the only one I want." She says as she brings it to her lips.

Hanna wraps her arm around a boy's shoulder and smiles. "So, what's your blood type?" she asks and I blow the whistle.

"Hanna! What do you think you're doing?! That's not allowed!" I say as I push them away from each other. "Got it!? All that you can take are the chocolates and roses! Nothing else!" I say and I turn around to look at Zero. "Hey! Zero, what are you…Zero?" I say as I see that she's not there.

Zero P.O.V

I braced my arm against the wall to keep myself from collapsing. I glared as I looked up. "I know you're there. Come out, whoever you are." I said and the day class boy I caught this morning walks from around the corner.

"Zero, I wanted to thank you for saving me this morning. And since you're supposed to thank people with chocolates…This…I made myself." he says.

"Go away." I said.

"But I…" said the boy.

"Forget about it…" I said and clenched my fist. "Go away! Now!" I yelled as I slammed my fist against the wall and the boy ran away. The veil of night is falling…Their time is approaching.

"Vampires can be identified by their craving for human blood, their longevity and their nocturnal behavior. It's a generalization, but most vampires are also unusually beautiful. They are extremely proud. They have superior mental and physical abilities. Hmm… looks like students from the day class are still causing a fuss. The night class's lessons will have to start late tonight. Well then…Zero?" says the headmistress as she closes the curtain and turns to me while I'm sitting on the floor in the corner, leaning against the wall. I glared at the headmistress. "You can try to fight it or ignore it, but it won't change anything. Why do you keep doing this to yourself?" she asks me.

"…Shut up..." I said. I clutched my chest in pain.

"Zero, if you drink this, the pain will stop." says the headmistress as she holds out a glass of water and two tablets.

"What is it?" I asked as I narrows my eyes.

"You know what it is" says the headmistress.

I knocked the glass out of her hand and it breaks when it hits the floor. "Never" I swore.

"The attacks are occurring much more frequently now. If you continue to refuse it, the pain will only get worse. Why won't you understand? Even though you've endured it this far, you won't be able to keep it up much longer. But…you already know that, don't you…Zero?" says the headmistress.

Kaname P.O.V

I wobble down the hall way to the bathroom as I walk alongside the wall. "I can't believe that Zero just ran off and left me there. What the hell is she doing?" I say as I open the door and I see her sitting against the wall in her uniform skirt, a tank top and her dress shirt over her shoulders. "Zero! Where the-" I cut off as I see that she's still wet from her shower and I kneel down in front of her as she doesn't look up at me. "What's wrong?" I ask as I look at her. I grab a towel and start drying her hair. "Silly…you'll catch a cold. At least dry yourself off. C'mon…I need some help to the sleeves on, right?" I say as I button up her shirt. "Let's see…"I reach inside my pocket and pull out a wrapper and takes the chocolate out of it. "Here!" I hold it out to her. "It's for you. A chocolate. For you." She takes it in her mouth. "But you're not allowed to say that it's as bad as when I was in grade school, okay?" I say as she eats it. "It's the only one I made that actually turned out right. So it's a super, world exclusive delicacy! I bet you're really grateful, right?" I say, smiling and I look shocked when I see the look on her face. "Ah! Why are you looking so revolted!? Geez!" I stand up and turn around as she still looks at the ground and I see something lying on the floor. I reach down and pick it up. One of the vampires blood tablets. What's this doing here? It was the first Valentine's Day I have ever given a girl a chocolate and a rose.

Yuki P.O.V

"By the way…that guardian, Zero, was looking really off color today." says Takuma as she looks at me while I was putting a blood tablet in a wine glass of water.

"It was bound to happen." I said.

"What? Do you know something about it?" asks Takuma.

I picked up the wine glass. "Let's just say that the incident which took place four years ago…changed her life completely." I said.

Kaname P.O.V

I didn't find out about Zero's secret…until the next day.