Black Rose: Book One

Late that night, after all of the Day students had gone back to their dorm rooms and the few Night students who had come out were tucked away in the Moon dorm, Yumiko found her way back to the usual meeting spot that Aidou had picked out. It was disturbing to see Aidou there first, alone no less. Usually he had his cousin or Zelman accompanying him, providing conversation as he waited for her. He had his arms folded, looking down at his feet seemingly in deep thought. He was also still in his school uniform. He usually changed into something more comfortable on the weekends. "Aidou?" She touched his arm lightly.

He snapped out of his thoughts, turning his icy blue gaze onto, chilling her. He didn't give off any negative vibes, but he also wasn't his usually cheery self. Something was bothering him, badly. "Yumi-chan."

It was unnerving. "Um, so tonight was fun wasn't it?" She smiled and turned away. "Did you see the look on the Perfect Prefects faces? I thought Yuuki would have a hernia or something." Yumiko laughed and looked back at him over her shoulder, nervously toying with a handful of her hair as she looked at him warily. Something wasn't right about Aidou tonight. "While you were gone, your fan girls asked me if we were dating and I told them no. They were so relieved!" Yumiko giggled.

Arms suddenly wrapped around her from behind in a tight embrace. "Yumiko…what's your blood type?"

Basic instinct told Yumiko to run, as if she were in the arms of a predator and not her best friend, Aidou. Yet her body felt like stone and his hold on her was so absolute that she was even having trouble breathing. "I-I don't know. Sempai, could you please let me go?" She felt his breath on her neck and was frozen with terror of the unknown. She closed her eyes and flinched as his lips grazed her neck.

Click.

"Shit."

"Let her go, Hanabusa."

Yumiko opened her eyes. Zero had his gum well-aimed over her shoulder at Aidou's face. She looked at him as her body slowly relaxed. Once all the fear had disappeared, she regained her nerve. "What are you doing?"

Zero looked at her, surprised. "What am I--? Get away from him!"

"You act as if he's going to hurt me." She touched her neck where his lips had brushed and felt her face grow hot. 'Was he going to kiss me…?' She shook the thought. Whatever had just happened, he certainly didn't deserve to be shot for it. "Put your gun down! Why are you even allowed to have that on campus? You're a student. They should hire real security guards if we need to be protected."

Zero put his finger on the trigger and spoke more urgently. "Yumiko…listen to me for just this one time. Come stand with me, okay?"

Yumiko answered by taking a step back and bumping into Aidou, holding out her arms creating a shield for him with her body.

"That's enough."

Chairman Cross appeared with Kaname and Yuuki following him.

Zero didn't waiver in the slightest. "Someone please move her. If I need to shoot, I can't say for sure I won't hit her."

"That won't be necessary…will it, Aidou?" Kaname spoke calmly, staring at Aidou hard. Yumiko felt Aidou relax suddenly.

"No…no, it won't be necessary." He answered, defeat and disappointment lacing his tone. She looked over her shoulder into his now warm and welcoming blue topaz eyes. She smiled, turning to hug him tightly.

"Sempai…"

He returned her hug, lightly patting her on the head. 'I nearly drank from you…yet you still protected me.' He was, for once, speechless.

"How about we all go to my office?" The chairman smiled, holding his hand out for Yumiko to take. "I've made some fresh chocolate chip cookies."

"I don't think this is the time for cookies and milk." Zero glowered, slowly lowering his gun just a little.

"I hadn't thought of milk!" Cross clapped his hands and turned around. "Milk and cookies sound delightful."

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"You both know you aren't supposed to be out past curfew. There are no classes today, Aidou, so you have absolutely no reason to be out." Kaien murmured sipping his milk slowly after had chewed his cookie thoroughly. When neither Yumiko nor Aidou spoke he continued. "You'll be placed on punishment."

Yumiko's temper immediately flared. Her hands slapped down on the surface of his desk as she leaned towards him. "What do you want from us? You claim that the Night class is totally trustworthy and our friends yet the Day class isn't allowed to spend time with them. We're not allowed to be around them unsupervised or even take pictures with them like friends do. We're segregated and it defeats the purpose of the Peace Pact I've heard you and Kaname speak of. It makes it seem like the Night class is either too good or not the good students you're trying to trick us into believing!"

Kaien sat back in his seat, eyes wide with surprise.

"Now we're being punished for trying to hang out because you prevent us from doing so." She leaned back and crossed her arms.

"You're allowed to be with the Night class–" Zero cut in but Yumiko cut him off with a wave of her hand.

"Only when school's out for holidays. In school, during school hours, there is no allowed contact or conversation. Hell, you just confiscated all of our memorabilia a month ago! We're not even allowed to exchange pictures and notes! It's a prison here!"

Chairman Cross was speechless. 'She can't be the only to see things this way. I thought I was protecting the Day class students but I see I've only treated the Night class like monsters that need to be caged. I guess a few mixed classes would be a good and safe start…' "You're right."

"Huh?" Yumiko stopped and looked at him.

"I'll look into starting more mixed events here at school…and letting the students keep their memorabilia." He leaned forward, putting his chin in one hand, elbow propping up his arm on the desk. "In the meantime, Yumiko, you're confined to the Sun Dorm for a week."

"WHAT?"

"This includes but is not limited to no classes–you'll have to get your assignments from Yuuki–during this period, no eating in the cafeteria, no sort of outside activities. Both Zero and Yuuki will supervise you."

"You can't–"

He waved his hand and closed his eyes. "You're dismissed."

Yumiko didn't bother to try to argue. She stormed out of his office, slamming the door behind her as hard as possible.

"Aidou," Kaien looked at him when he was sure Yumiko was gone, "I'm absolutely concerned that you would even consider being around others when you haven't taken your second dose."

Aidou didn't say a word, inwardly elated that Yumiko had thought of something he hadn't and managed to silence the Headmaster.

Taking Aidou's silence as insolence, Kaien looked at Kaname. "I'll leave the punishment to you. I think it would mean more coming from you."

Kaname nodded and looked at Aidou. "I think the same should be fitting. You'll stay in your dorm room for a week…for troubling us."