Searching for Senri Shiki (sequel to Senri Shiki - My Forbidden Vampire Knight)

Chapter 3 - The Changes of Cross Academy

Chapter 3 The Changes of Cross Academy

~~~

The car pulled into a space and stopped. “Come on, let’s hurry. It’s almost lunchtime, and we don’t want to be noticed by the crowd of students demanding lunch!” I advised. I was wearing a flower tiara Haruka made for me out of camellias that were growing in the garden.

We tiptoed through the campus to the place I remembered to be Headmaster Cross’ office. I knocked on the door. “Come in!” a familiar voice called.

My hand shook as it touched the door handle. “Tadaima, Headmaster Cross,” I stated with a few tears in my eyes. His face completely lit up.

“Sakura!!! I mean Tsubaki! Oh my, it’s been so long! Your hair! Oh look at you, you’ve become so mature!” he sniffed. Haruka stood behind me silently. 

“T-this is Haruka Kuroda, my father,” I introduced.

“Nice to meet you,” Haruka said. The headmaster nodded and said it back. “Thank you very much for looking after Tsubaki all these years. It couldn’t have been easy on you.”

“Well, Tsubaki’s such a lovely child and I’m sure her future is bright. Tsubaki, however much I want to stay talking to you, I’m sure you’re desperate to see Takeru. I’ll go get him for you,” he pointed out. I’m sure he just didn’t want me to see his crying face. It must have been terrible, having both daughters leave at the same time. A few minutes later, Takeru appeared, panting. 

“Tsubaki! It’s been ages!” We hugged and I sniffed again. “Why are you crying? I haven’t hurt you, have I?”

“No, it’s just, j-just this place is so nostalgic and all, plus I haven’t seen you for a long time!” 

He smiled. “I’m guessing you’re Haruka Kuroda?” 

Haruka nodded. “Hello, nephew.”

“Oh, it’s the uncle I haven’t seen for seventeen years!” Takeru joked. They shared a laugh and I felt really happy at that moment. Suddenly, Senri Shiki popped into my mind, cutting off my smile. I immediately felt anxious - how was he getting on? I badly wanted to see him. But did he want to see me?

“Takeru, I brought the bentos aunt Kyoko made for us. Let’s eat them together,” I suggested. He nodded and put his arm around my shoulder. I felt a sense of protection at that moment. The kind of protection only he could give me. “I think you should go back to your lesson until it ends. I’ll go see my friends, and we can meet in the headmaster’s office at twelve, okay?”

“Sure. See you later then! Haruka, why don’t you come with me for a bit?”

If my memory served correctly, Kumiko and Kaori had a free period now. I went to the girls’ dorms and to the room I used to sleep in. I head voices before I went in. Slowly, I turned the handle. Their faces turned round to me, surprised.

“Oh, sorry, are you the cleaning lady? We’d better go, Kaori,” Kumiko said. I felt as if a sword had been threw through my heart. These two people, my best friends, didn’t recognise me? A tear escaped my eyes and I wiped them quickly. “Oh my, are you okay?”

I sniffed back the tears. “I’m fine, sorry for disturbing you. Please carry on talking, forget I ever came!” I said smiling. Fake smiling. How could I be happy in a situation like that? “I do have one question… do you know anyone called Sakura Cross?” I asked, testing their memories.

“Hmm, it doesn’t ring a bell. I’ll let you know if I see her though!” Kaori replied. Kumiko stayed silent, maybe even a little surprised. I nodded and left, running. My boots resounded in the empty corridor and sniffs accompanied them. I carried on running till I got to the Moon Dormitory. Oh, why had I ended up here of all places? How could I face Senri after he came to find Haruka with me without success?