Black Rose: Book One

"Hi, ladies!" Aidou called out in a loud, charming voice. Heads turned and immediately screams were heard all around the campus. Zero sighed with irritation. He'd opposed the idea of a school festival. He'd opposed the idea of allowing the Day and Night classes to mingle without the aid of teachers. He'd opposed the idea of being one of those selected to supervise. No one listened to him. Now he was forced to watch students frolic around the school's courtyard, winning prizes at student operated booths by different clubs in an effort to raise money. As the screams got louder, he halfheartedly dragged himself over to the commotion. What he saw made him pause.

"Bang!" Aidou pretended to shoot a girl and winked, causing the girl to fall back into the arms of her friends. Zero could not take his eyes off the girl standing next to him. He hadn't seen her before…but he had. It was puzzling to have to struggle to recognize the girl when his brain told him he without a doubt knew her. Kain and Zelman casually joined ranks with Aidou, even Zelman waved at a group of girls causing them to fall into a fit of giggles. Aidou linked arms with his female friend and led her through the crowd with the other two following behind. Somehow, in the midst of all the high pitched squeals and screams, Zero heard the missing piece of the puzzle.

"Idol-senpai! Who is she? Who is the new Night student and why is she wearing a Day student's uniform?" A girl cried out.

Aidou laughed and shook his head. "She's not a Night student. This is Yumiko."

It felt like his jaw had dropped open. Zero actually had to touch his mouth to ensure it wasn't hanging open. He noticed someone standing next to him and turned to see Yuuki standing there, enthralled. "Yuuki, mosquitoes are flying in and out of your mouth."

Abruptly, her mouth snapped shut and she shook her head a few times to snap out of it. "That's Yumi? She looks like a—"

"Don't say it. Not here." Zero cut her off with a low growl.

"I-is she still—"

"She's still human. She's been…made over." Zero tilted his head to the side as if a different angle would help his mind make sense of what he was seeing. He could understand the Day students' mistake of calling her a Night student. She seemed paler and more graceful. The makeup she wore emphasized her dark brown eyes, making them seem black as nightfall, like black onyx gems gazing at the crowd around her. His sense of smell told him she was still very human; he could smell the blood that flowed in her veins with concentration. "But why?"

Yuuki didn't know exactly how to react to this. She was happy for Yumiko for being able to become her own person with her own look. She could imagine what it was like for Yumiko to have to constantly tell students that she wasn't the Perfect Prefect. However, seeing her fraternizing with Aidou of all people sent chills down her spine. Nothing good could come of it.

Yumiko tried to be as natural as possible like Zelman had told her to be. She acted as if she knew every face in the crowd, smiled at those who smiled at her and waved hoping for recognition, and occasionally stopped to hug those she really knew.

Zero watched the parade advance towards the festival and noted that not too many of the Night students had bothered to show. It was nearing dusk. The waning sunlight would not have bothered them. "Did Kuran tell you he wouldn't be here?"

Yuuki looked up Zero. "He did mention having something to do today…but he never said he wasn't coming."

"Yuuki," Zero motioned his head in the Yumiko and Aidou's direction, "there are several things wrong with this picture."

Yuuki nodded, once up and once down.

"I don't know what his intentions are, but they can't be any sort of good. You should try talking to her. I'll talk to the Idol." Zero fingered the gun that weighed down his pocket. "Later on tonight, when we have a better chance of separating them."

The night went fine considering who was there creating pandemonium. Zelman thought it fit to play pranks on a group of students running a dunking booth by letting some of the water out of the tank. Aidou set up his own table for which he signed various objects for the Day students. Although Zero prohibited them from taking pictures with and of Aidou, he couldn't stop them for settling for hugs after a group of them threatened to form an angry mob and chase him with pitchforks. Aidou's warm laughter filled the air as he told jokes (mostly at Zero's expense) and answered questions.

Truth be told, Aidou was beyond irritated by Zero's hovering. He felt like he was being baby-sat. His fingertips occasionally frost over and the air around him was chilling. He needed to get away from the other students or he'd have a tough time explaining himself to Kaname later. "If you will excuse me ladies," he flashed a million watt smile that seemed to daze everyone who turned to look including Yumiko, "I'm going to go take a walk. If you don't mind, could you give me a few moments? I'll be right back. I promise." Again another smile that was awarded with a few screams. He placed a hand briefly on Yumiko's shoulder then left the table.

The breeze carried the stiff smell of dying leaves associated with autumn. When he was sure he was a good distance from the festival and its participants, Aidou stopped walking. "You can come out now…prefect."

Zero stepped out from behind a tree, both hands in his pockets. "What are you doing?"

"I should ask you the same." Aidou sneered; the adorable charm that won his fans over was long gone and replaced with a vicious scowl. "What is it?"

"Yumiko." Zero stared him directly in the eyes.

"Is my business and none of yours." Aidou held his ground, slipping his own hands into his pockets to keep from doing something stupid.

"As long as she's human and a Day student, it's every bit of my business." Zero countered taking a step closer. "Stay away from her."

"Now, now, Perfect Prefect. Telling me to stay away will only motivate me to keep her close." Aidou shook his head and smiled, regaining his composure.

"If you don't want to kiss a bullet, I'd strongly suggest you heed my warning. I don't give them out often." Zero allowed the chain on Bloody Rose to clink giving Aidou an auditory reminder.

"Threats aren't much." Aidou shrugged, beginning to turn away. There was the unmistakable click of a bullet sliding into the chamber causing Aidou to pause. "Really, now."

"I won't repeat myself. Hanabusa, stay away from her. If something happens to her, and you're responsible, I will not hesitate to put you down like the monster you really are."

Aidou fought to keep control. "Hmph. You're one to talk about monsters. How does Yuuki's blood taste? How does it feel to be the wolf hidden in sheep's wool while protecting the very things you crave to taste?" Aidou looked over his shoulder, pleased to see the hesitation in Zero's eyes. "When do you plan to turn in that uniform for a nice white one?"

When he received no answer, he excused himself from their conversation and made his way back to the others.

"Yumi-chan," A red-headed girl with wide innocent green eyes stepped to the table with a spiral notebook pressed to her chest tightly. Yumiko looked at her attentively, eyes signaling her to continue. "Please forgive me for asking, but what's your relationship with Idol-senpai?"

Hearing this, Aidou froze grateful for his vampiric hearing.

Yumiko swallowed thickly and looked around for Aidou. When she was fairly certain he wasn't anywhere around, she shrugged. "We're only friends, if that's what you're asking." She then smiled earnestly, tilting her head to the side playfully. "If you're worried about me taking him away from any of you, don't worry." She leaned forward as if exposing a deep dark secret causing the entire crowd to lean forward to hear. "He's single and available for one of you lucky girls."

The crowd roared, some were even bold enough to rush the table to hug Yumiko.

Aidou stood frozen in place, Yumiko's words still ringing like a loud bell in his ears. 'If you're worried about me taking him away from any of you, don't worry.' For reasons he couldn't comprehend at the moment, hearing that hurt. It hurt more than it should have considering he felt the same way. Didn't he? As far as he knew, no guy at the school even looked at Yumiko much less romantically. If anything he should have agreed with her response. Part of him wanted to argue that she only said that to appease the crowd, which is one of the things he'd taught her himself. Be a crowd pleaser. By why argue? He didn't feel anything for her. Confusion corrupted his brain. It was absolutely inexplicable to be unable to understand why he mentally reacted to her words the way he had. She was just a friend. He knew this. He'd said this himself.

So why didn't he believe it?