Vampire Knight (Kaname Kuran X OC X Senri)

Special Chapter 7.5

Fear is an unpleasant emotion caused by being aware of danger, a feeling of being afraid.

For their kind, it also becomes an apparent state of feeling respect and wonder for something very powerful as proven by the different classes of vampires. The Level C fear the Level B, the Aristocrats, as every class even from the depths of Level D and Level E fear the Level A which are the Purebloods. The immense power carried by the purest lineage of vampires is an entity of wonder and one to be respected if one has a deep regard for one's own life.

Shiki Senri had felt fear before, as any other living being has.

As a very young child, he feared his granduncle and his mother. The man named Shiki Sayatohi hides the darkest smiles and the most ominous of eyes like that of a snake's, making Senri feel as if the fear is taking the form of a serpent constricting him. The woman named Shiki Midori has the capability to engulf him in a tender embrace in one moment and drain his life force ruthlessly in the next, sending Senri in a state of confusion that he has learned to also fear. The alien presence, or lack thereof, of his unnamed father terrified him for the mere fact that he knows not who he truly is...or perhaps, it was the fact the mere mention of him can inflict conflicted torment upon the woman whom delivered him into the world.

He was frightened at the times when he got into trouble, still not quite mastering the arts of acting as if nothing could affect him. As a young boy who was still learning how to truly fend for himself in the cruel grasp of vampire aristocracy, his mask was still incomplete.

However, when he finally sealed off the emotions that once chained him, Senri never felt more suffocated yet more unhinged at the same time.

It was always one thing and the other, learning how to be on both sides of the same coin in order to adapt.

"Then, there is onii-sama..."

It was only upon the arrival of his dearest half-sister, Aiyora, that Senri found what it means to be truly free.

"He visits me frequently. If he can make time for me, why can't you?"

Now, it is also because of Aiyora that he has come to know true fear once again...

"Oh, Senri-chan, I have to go now! Kaname onii-sama is here."

...all because of one certain Pureblood who can never seem to decide what he really wants.

"I promise to call you once he is gone. Take care until then. Bye!"

Senri had never felt such crippling fear ever in his entire vampire lifetime.

Unpleasant thoughts rapidly flowed through his mind: a nagging frustration to see the borderline infidelity that Kaname is committing against Aiyora over some human child, the suspected lies of the same Pureblood regarding his frequent absences, the memory of that night when Kaname mercilessly drank from Ruka...

Suddenly, Ruka's place was taken by Aiyora as their images overlapped as a result of Senri's panicking mind.

The Pureblood went to see Aiyora.

Just as the panic sunk, overwhelming wrath invaded his senses and Senri started seeing red as he crushed the phone receiver in his hand.

All because one single question followed his previous conclusion:

"Could it be this time, to quench his thirst for that human, he is intending to devour Aiyora?"

As he rushed to get dressed and frantically came down the stairs, Senri had never cursed a name more venomously than he had one Kuran Kaname. He paid no heed to his peers whom called out his name and wondered where he was rushing off to. He ignored the startled inquiries of Ichijou Takuma and the extremely curious glance of Touya Rima. As he sprinted towards the sealed gates of the Moon Dorms, Senri bit into his thumb and created a blood whip to flawlessly swing himself over the tall obstacle. A rushed written excuse letter drifted onto the lap of the shocked Gatekeeper whom had never expected such reckless behavior from the Shiki heir.

"Kyaa...! Who is that?!" one of the fan girls screamed in alarm.

Everyone looked up to see Shiki Senri swinging himself over the gates and now making an effortless landing, the crowd hurriedly making space for him. He landed in a crouch, one knee on the ground and the other bent to support his one arm while the other helped carry his weight.

"Ah, Shiki-senpai...!"

"Shiki-senpai, are you alright?!"

Once more, Senri opted to ignore the people around him as he gracefully stood and rushed to the Academy Gates with his phone now ringing to call his driver. The furious glow of his bright blue eyes warned off other people from either following him or stopping him, his fan girls stunned in place at the sight of this new side to him though some are shown to actually love it as some had fainted on the spot.

"Hey, what is going on here?!"

The distant voices of the Disciplinary Committee bade warning into his keen hearing thus, with practiced ease, Senri navigated himself to avoid them and let them focus on the ruckus that the crowd of fan girls was making.

It was the threatening thought of Aiyora's precious radiant smile being tainted with blood and tears that helped Senri accomplish this feat, arriving to the Entrance Gates in record time as his driver was already waiting with the limousine.

As the door slammed close and his destination uttered in an aggressive command, the limousine drove away.

Throughout the time, one ferocious thought coated with hidden rage and vengeful reckoning resounded within the usually serene mind of Shiki Senri:

"If that asshole so much as grazes his filthy fangs upon Aiyora's skin, I will not hold back any longer!Kuran Kaname is going too far. Pureblood or no Pureblood, no one messes with Ai-chan."

Bright blue eyes flashed into a menacing crimson, revealing a glimpse of the beast within beauty.

At that precise moment, Shiki Senri had never looked more like his father.

...

It was a risk, a gamble that might just cause him to lose all the progress he had made with her.

Kuran Kaname preferred to keep his plans organized, his every step and procedure strategized into a harmonized tandem that would allow his chess pieces to dance according to the predicted choreography.

However, as Aiyora continued to demonstrate how Shiki Senri is held above he within her innocent heart, a part of him was provoked.

Thus, he ended up asking...

"Ai, so have you replaced your onii-sama with that boy?"

"His name is Senri!"

There came her offended reply, and so he asked again but the pride within his blackened soul connected to his lips at that moment which filtered his words into a taunt:

"Have my words offended you?"

"...Yes, I don't like it when anyone means insult towards Senri."

A part of him now felt intrigued; he can no longer predict what Aiyora has to say for certain now.

Thus, he challenged her...

"How about me?"

"What about you?"

"What if someone insults me? Would that not make you feel bad?"

Silence, thy answer is thee.

It was an answer that made a slight presence in the form of an action as Aiyora tried to tug her hand away from his grasp, but Kaname remained firm and vigilant.

He will not let her run.

Thus, he pursued...

"What if I try?"

"Try what?"

She is irritated, her defenses have crumbled.

Now he can have an answer.

It was a risk, a gamble...

...but a part of Kaname finds it necessary to truly understand her.

Thus, he persevered...

"Try and become the most precious person in the world to you?" he asked in a whispering breath.

There it was...a weakness.

Aiyora is torn.

There was certainly a fondness for him, long forgotten and buried by the years of neglect that only has him to blame. He was still her first brother, the first to care for her as a sibling that shielded her from harm, the first touch to soothe her nightmares at the dawn of when her memories regarding Rido were erased, and the first presence that anchored her.

It has always been there, and he only needs to reach it.

Unleash it, and he can make a giant leap towards his plans.

However, he hesitated.

He saw the tears gathering as if warning him of the dark price that will come should he proceed this way.

A warning that stings him like a hunter's weapon making contact with his skin...but what exactly is it?

However, the thought of Yuki's bright smile easily overcame everything else.

Thus, he proceeded...slowly, much like a predator savoring his prey.

Distantly, a hunter lies in wait with a rifle aimed at an unknowing doe.

He scooted closer as he aimed to kiss her tears away.

A reminder...of who he is to her...

However, a majestic stag comes into the meadow and bids the doe away.

"Ai-chan...!"

A third party...

A familiar voice that he can now certainly acquaint with a troublesome presence in regards to Aiyora.

Both Purebloods froze, Kaname's grip on Aiyora's hand tightening almost possessively but a part of him knew it was for naught. A part of him that was still a true brother to Aiyora, one who may or may not hold her dear in those burdened yet still light-hearted days.

The hunter was undeterred as his rifle followed the moving targets.

"Senri-chan...!"

There came Aiyora's deafening shout towards the new arrival.

"Why on earth was he here?"

There came Kaname's unbidden thought...and alongside it, the shock and disbelief that registered as he finally processed that his fiancée had freed herself from his tight grasp. He watched in astonishment as the seemingly naïve little maiden pounced onto the awaiting arms of Shiki Senri.

The hunter took a gamble and made one shot towards the two galloping deer.

Kaname sealed off his expression and stood up.

He looked down at his hand that once held Aiyora's own, and then directed his attention to the half-siblings whom seem to have focused their attention entirely on one another.

"How did she manage to break free her hand that was held in such a tight grip?"

His eyes flashed a bright crimson for a nanosecond before turning back into natural burgundy as his elegant stature slowly approached the two individuals.

The two targets disappeared from his view.

The hunter missed, his shot wasted.

He concedes his defeat tonight.

This one...was his loss.

However, it was still far from over.

The battle has just begun...for all of them.

It is one battle that everyone does not plan on losing.

...

Aiyora is not as naïve as everyone seems to think she is.

For most of the years that she has lived up to the current time, Aiyora can distinctly divide her life and memories into four parts: life with Kaname, life without Kaname, life with Senri, and life without Senri.

Two names that remain constant in her life refer to two people whom have become important to her.

Both are her precious boys.

Both are her dearest ones.

Both are young men that hide beastly forms behind human masks as vampires do.

However, only one of them continues to remain superior and dominant within her heart.

Life with Kaname was the true time of naivety and innocence for Aiyora. She was young, bold, daring, and very childish in more ways than one. It was such a long time ago, the earliest memories she can remember, and they were memories that she had learned not to delve in too deeply. She does recall being smitten with Kaname as all younger sisters would be to their elder brother. She was embarrassingly reminded the blind reverence she always gave to his presence...but all that changed. Looking back at it now, Aiyora realized that Kaname's eyes never reflected the wholehearted warmth that she seemed to have imagined all this time.

He did care...but not as much and true as she made herself believe back then.

Life without Kaname was a time of bleakness and dull monotone. It was the turning point that gave Aiyora countless revelations. Kaname was not around. She was left in a strange place with even stranger people in the strangest situation. Nothing made sense and it was as if she was Alice whom fell through the rabbit hole and into a world where everything she ever knew is never as it seems. It was supposed to be her new home yet it felt as if she was being held prisoner, a hostage and bargaining chip waiting to be used upon the nearest opportunity by the ones who claim to be her new guardians.

One thing was clear though: Kuran Kaname was no longer beside her and he did not care enough to be there.

It was at such daunting and distressing moment that she found herself looking at Senri.

Shiki Senri...

Her Senri-chan...

Life with Senri was an eye-opening time of her life really. At first, she only ever saw him as a companion to alleviate the loneliness. She was a selfish child clinging onto a distraction so that she will not have to be reminded of the fact that Kaname never bothers to see her anymore. However, it was on such times when she held onto Senri that Aiyora came to a conclusion: while Kaname was the first one to take care of her as a brother, it was Senri whom sincerely looked after her well-being.

Shiki Senri was the first one to prove to Aiyora what it means to love and be loved.

Then came the depressing time that leads to now...

Life without Senri was the moment where Aiyora had to force herself to grow up. Kaname had gone and she was left not knowing how to live her life without having predatory eyes following her every move and slithering hisses dictating how to properly make them. Senri was taken from her and suddenly it was as if she was left to fall into a pit of snakes and lions, leaving only two ways to defend and fight: to become an even stronger predator that can devour all in her path, or make them kneel to her very existence. Aiyora knows she has a long way to go so she bides her time to get stronger, allowing everyone else to think that she is powerless enough to fall prey to their deceits but not so helpless as to make it too easy for them.

It was then Aiyora realized what it truly means to be a Pureblood.

One man she has to thank for leaving her to the darkness, showing her the catastrophes to be promised if all she does is rely on someone who never promised to be there in the first place.

The other man she has to thank for shedding light and warmth onto her dreary path, bestowing upon her a love so unconditional that she knows exactly what is worth fight for against all odds.

It was quite obvious from the beginning.

Kaname made his choice...and it was not she.

Now Aiyora makes her choice...and it is not he.

Aiyora chooses Shiki Senri...and that is how she wants it to be forever.

For now though, destiny demands her to play a role in this twisted game.

...

Awkward, thy name is silence.

After Senri's arrival, tension was at an all-time high between the two male vampires which left the innocent Aiyora unknowing due to her immense euphoria of having them both with her. Despite the close calls of catching them glaring at one another, Aiyora's radiant smile serves to distract them both enough to turn away and focus solely on her. With glee, the young lady enthusiastically decreed that she wished to dine with them outside of the Shiki Residence to celebrate the night of having both of her beloved boys to join her this evening.

Admittedly, it was also to escape the sneering eyes of Shiki Sayatohi.

Naïve she may be, but Aiyora's instincts have come to know the hidden meanings of those slithering smiles...

...and she will be damned if she lets such a joyous occasion be tainted by such monsters disguised as her temporary guardians.

That so, with one hand holding Senri's and the other holding Kaname's, Aiyora leads them off.

All such good intentions lead up to now.

While people may see Aiyora as ignorant as much as she is pure, her eyes are actually quite observant and her intuition just as sharp. She is aware of both young men's preference, with Kaname more attuned to fine dining and cuisine—though entirely more favoring of homemade meals if he has a choice—while Senri has a fondness for sweets and pastries especially ones personally made by her.

With all that in mind, she picked the perfect place to accommodate both.

Crow's Garden, or so it was called...

.

.

.

"Good evening, Lady and Gentlemen. I am Sebastian, and I shall be your waiting butler for this evening."

"Ah, Sebastian-san...! It has been a long time."

"Indeed, Aiyora-dono. I see you have been doing well for the past weeks since your last visit to our establishment. You even have two young men escorting you this time."

"Oh, yes...this is my brother, Kaname-oniisama, and I believe I have also told you about Senri-chan."

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Young Masters."

Two pairs of eyes, one a burgundy red and the other a bright blue, blinked in surprise.

"Likewise." both males replied, confident yet inwardly unsure.

For a moment, Kaname and Senri could have sworn that this man named Sebastian sent them a sly and knowing smirk...one that can be likened to a supernatural predator.

However, before they could ponder deeper, Aiyora intervened with her ever bright smile as she addressed them.

"I have to use the comfort room for a moment," she stated, "but Sebastian has been my waiter for most of my time here and he should be up to the task for whatever you want to request."

She then turned to the butler in black, "I shall leave them in your capable hands, Sebastian."

Sebastian gave a pleasant smile and a cordial bow.

"Yes, Milady." He proudly replied.

With another cheerful smile, she bade them a dismissing wave before either Kaname or Senri could say a word and gracefully made her way towards the direction of the comfort rooms as if it was her home.

Sebastian then gestured politely to follow him and walked away towards the private yet luxurious section of the diner while Kaname and Senri silently followed. Slowly but surely, the tension started building up once again though no words were being exchanged. An atmosphere resembling a sparked rivalry between tiger and leopard began to hover over the males, making the trek towards their table a longer journey than it should have been. It was as if there was an unspoken rule: the first to speak is considered to be the first to break in this small competition of alpha male dominance.

The results are two tense vampires and one highly amused butler.

As Kaname and Senri took their seats, Sebastian handed a menu for each of them and left another for Aiyora once she returns. Sebastian takes a slight step back from the table with his right hand on his chest and the other by his side, his posture perfectly straight, and a flawless smile on his handsome features.

At the back of their minds, the Kuran and Shiki heirs once again become suspicious of the perfection that this human seems to possess.

"I shall be taking your beverages first and shall return to take your orders for your meals. Which drink would you prefer to be served to you this fine evening?" Sebastian inquired.

Kaname returned his eyes to the menu as he responded, "Which champagne would you recommend?"

"That would depend, Young Master."

Kaname raised a brow, "How so...?"

"I personally would recommend that you begin with simple champagne before dinner in which I have two suggestions: Bollinger Champagne such as our Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs for a smoky flavor, much like most Bollingers with a crisp undertone but with a much fruitier taste; or, if you prefer something much sweeter, a more viable option is a Perrier Jouet Champagne."

"Won't the latter be too sweet though?" Senri asked this time.

Sebastian smiled, "Prosecco is something I humbly suggest then, specifically the Adami Prosecco di Valdobiaddene Brut Bosco di Gica, which has a clean dry flavor to balance with the saccharinity of the overall champagne."

Kaname and Senri simultaneously looked up to observe the butler, who is seemingly undeterred and unfaltering, before them. In fact, the dark-haired waiting butler continued.

Senri spoke first in deep suspicion, "You know your liquor quite well for someone who works in a humble establishment, Sebastian-san...especially one who is fresh in the business."

A gleam flashed within Sebastian's eyes as he bowed in humility.

"If I cannot even do this much, I would be a butler not worth his salt."

As he stood straight once again, Kaname and Senri both observed Sebastian's stance longer before simultaneously coming to an understanding.

"I shall have the Schramsberg Champagne." Kaname ordered.

Senri followed, "I will have the same...and Aiyora will have a lemon iced tea."

Kaname faced the vampire aristocrat with another raised questioning brow, knowing that Aiyora orders a chocolate drink any chance she gets. Hot cocoa, chocolate milk, chocolate frappe, etc...

As if feeling his judging gaze, Senri replied accordingly.

"Aiyora gets her appetite easily ruined if she eats anything too sugary before any meal." He reasoned, "That goes the same for soft or carbonated drinks. One beverage that gets her to be more motivated with her meal is lemon iced tea since it's still sweet enough to accommodate to her preferred taste, but not so much that it will ruin the rest of her meal."

Just like that, the previous tension between Kuran and Shiki returned a hundredfold as Sebastian subtly cleared his throat in an effort to hide his laughter.

Kaname stared down Senri, who remains strong with a blank unreadable mask of his own.

"I shall have your beverages served shortly." Sebastian declared as his smile became just a millimeter wider.

Kaname and Senri spared a glance at the black-clad man whom retreated away from them, his amusement worsening their moods.

"He's not a human." Senri stated.

Kaname hummed, "A demon...a crow demon, to be exact."

Senri paused as he realized, "Is the name of the diner supposed to be some sort of joke then?"

Kaname sighed, "Possibly."

Crow's Garden...a demon crow in the Garden of Eden...

Or so it would seem...

A reign of silence loomed over them before Kaname spoke again.

"Aiyora makes friends with the strangest of creatures unknowingly."

Smooth long fingers, befitting of a famous model in the showbiz industry, twitched in its hold over the plastic menu before their owners forced them to relax.

"That's always been Ai-chan's charm." Senri replied nonchalantly.

"Ai-chan, hmm...?" Kaname mused.

Senri deemed that response not in need of a reply so he remained silent, but his Pureblood companion pursued.

"Would you care to tell me how that nickname came to be...? Alongside her own nickname for you...?"

The Shiki heir was not fooled.

He picked up the underlying message clearly.

What makes your bond so special?

Unwavering, Senri retorted politely with a message of his own.

"I do not think it would interest you." He stated, "A royal Pureblood such as you would only find such childish and sentimental stories distasteful, so let us not waste our time discussing pointlessly."

Kaname halted for a moment before he looked up at the young vampire sitting across from him.

An aristocrat who is boldly not paying him attention even after the rather passive-aggressive statement delivered skillfully beneath expertly disguised words of pleasantry.

Apparently, it was a bond special enough to catch your attention from that high pedestal of yours...but sadly such affections would be lost on someone as cold and unfeeling as you are, like most Purebloods.

From the beginning, Kaname had been intrigued as much as he was agitated by the unconditional bond that had formed between Shiki Senri and little Aiyora. Its impact was so strong upon Aiyora's growth that it managed to actually find a way to dismiss his supposed irreplaceable role in the female Pureblood's life. Now, it is the same bond giving a mere Level B vampire to defy his superior and actually antagonize him.

"Hmm," Kaname mused as he held back both an amused smirk and a seething glare, "perhaps you are correct. Needlessly discussing childhood memories is not a pastime I tend to undertake, especially when we have the present to live by and a future to change."

It was supposed to be a harmless musing shared from one man to another.

A piece of advice, even...

...but Senri had received more than enough "advice" from his great-uncle that made him bleed more than it made him heal, like a rose whose thorns had been flawlessly hidden.

To him, the challenge was clear:

I guess there is not much to be told then, a mere childhood fancy spurned out of mutual loneliness. It is a thing of the past that is easily overlooked by the present and dismissed in the future.

From the beginning, Senri already lost composure and reservation by the time his phone call with Aiyora was hung up a long while ago. Her smile only served to have comforted and distracted him enough for his anger to somewhat subside, but Kaname...

He is practically provoking the beast within the beauty...mocking, taunting, and forcing out his inhibited emotions.

If it was a battle he wants, it is a battle he will get.

Pureblood or Aristocrat, vampire status be damned!

No one messes with Aiyora heedlessly as long as Shiki Senri still lives.

"Hey, I'm back!"

Then, there came a chiming voice to interrupt the brooding atmosphere.

Aiyora sat herself between the two males as she delightfully looked between them, both pointedly ignoring the tension yet also paradoxically oblivious to it.

"What did I miss?"

From afar, a black butler chuckled in amusement.

.

.

.

"So...how has life been in Cross Academy for both of you?"

It was an innocent question made by an equally innocent inquirer.

If there is anything that both males can agree on, it is that Aiyora always does a good job of making a conversation with her feel like you were at home and never left.

That was the main reason why Kaname had eventually learned to genuinely warm up to her.

That was the main reason why Senri fell unconditionally and irrevocably in love with her.

"Well," Kaname began, "life has been busy as usual. Even more so in the academy since the Night Class has just been recently established as I have previously told you before."

Aiyora pouted, "I know that! What I wanted to know is how you have been?"

Kaname furrowed his brows in confusion.

Senri sighed, exasperatedly fond with his half-sister.

"Life has been hectic." He replied, "I'm pretty sure you have heard about my modelling work so I have not as much time to sleep. We have also been trying out these blood tablets but it's nothing compared to real blood or pocky though."

Like a well-practiced act, Aiyora responds splendidly on cue.

"I did get the first volume of LuLu that you were featured in! You looked so good in Victorian clothing. Who was your co-model on that one again?" she excitedly chatted.

It was then another anomaly happened before Kaname as he witnessed Shiki Senri give a tender smile.

"Her name is Rima. Touya Rima." Senri stated softly as Aiyora's excitement became like a soothing salve to his fatigue, "She is also in the academy so you can meet her then once you're enrolled. I'm sure you would be great friends."

Aiyora blushed shyly, "You really think so...? She seems so cool and apathetic though. I might just annoy her."

Senri looked quizzically at her, "You managed to win me over, right? We're basically the same in personality."

"Still..."

"Besides, I already told her stories about you and she's actually interested in meeting you...more than she ever was in meeting me, to be honest."

That statement caught Kaname's attention sharply as he swiftly yet smoothly interjected the conversation.

"Shiki, you told Rima about Aiyora?" he questioned stoically.

As if a switch was turned, Senri's expression hardened and became unreadable as he turned his gaze back to the Kuran Pureblood and answered just as monotonously.

"Yes, I did."

Kaname narrowed his eyes as the air became tense.

"I believe it had become an unspoken agreement that Aiyora's existence became need-to-know information."

"If you are worried that Rima is going to chatter about Aiyora," Senri retorted, "then you must not have been as observant of us as we expected. As I said, Rima is a lot like me and we are not the type to gossip about things that we have told each other, especially when most words exchanged between us are delivered in confidence and certain incidents are better left alone."

Again, the underlying messages were clear as day between the males.

I am not so uncouth as to be so careless in regards to someone I care about, especially when you are already hovering around us. I am most definitely not so uncivilized as to delve into other people's lives as to speak about it like a newspaper headline, especially after what you did to Ruka.

If it had not been to Aiyora's gentle interference at that moment, the conversation might have gone completely downhill from that point onwards.

"Senri-chan..." she called almost absently, "You have been making some really good friends in the academy like Rima-san, huh?"

Bright blue orbs blinked in befuddlement, "Eh...?"

Aiyora smiled at him, though her usual radiance slightly dimmed with melancholy.

"That's good." She continued, "I was worried you were going to keep to yourself and make people misunderstand you, causing them to bully you or something."

She reached out with one hand as she placed it over Senri's to grasp it, "I know how lonely you can get sometimes, and I had hoped you would at least have a good time in the academy when you had to leave...and making friends is the best way to do that."

He did not know what he did but Senri was panicking internally from his Ai-chan's words.

Aiyora is sad and lonely...and he had something to do with it.

What did he do or say to make her feel this way?

"Aiyora..."

Her name was uttered, but it was not from his lips nor was it done through his voice.

Instead, both half-siblings turned to the other vampire with them.

"Are you feeling lonely in the Shiki Residence? Are they not caring enough for you?" Kaname asked, his voice gaining an undertone of concern and worry.

Senri's bright blue gaze narrowed sharply as he was more than aware that while the Pureblood was addressing Aiyora, he was also targeting Senri with another hidden message in this continuous battle of wills.

It seems that we are not as different as you claim to be. Aiyora is now lonely and feeling neglected. You are starting to take the same path as I did with her.

Unnoticeable, the young aristocrat clenched his jaw.

Aiyora shook her head, "No, it is not really like that. It has been hard without Senri-chan but I really should not complain. After all..."

Abruptly, Aiyora's free hand reached out to caress Kaname's cheek.

Burgundy eyes widened in shock and, subconsciously, in awe.

"...Kaname-oniisama must have been so much lonelier by being the only Pureblood Vampire there with all those responsibilities on his shoulders."

With a close-eyed beaming grin, Aiyora's hand drifted to his shoulder with a squeeze.

"If Kaname-oniisama and Senri-chan can be strong enough to conquer loneliness, I can be too! Besides, I just need to hold on a little longer, right? Then I can be enrolled in the academy as well." She reasoned ecstatically.

Kaname was speechless, not knowing how to respond to her genuine affection.

After all those times with wariness being directed to him by Aiyora, this certainly caught him off guard.

Did the existence of Shiki Senri influence her that much and made this much of a difference?

Or is this actually a result of all those efforts and she finally opened her heart to him once again?

Without knowing, his own hand reached up to grasp onto Aiyora's comforting touch and brought it to his lips for a fleeting kiss.

Senri silently watched all of this go on and paid special attention as Aiyora smiled exasperatedly and nostalgically while Kaname commenced his affectionate gesture. Bright blue eyes attentively paid witness as the young Pureblood of the Kurans softened at the face of Aiyora's sincerity.

Once again, Senri felt a crippling dread and fear.

Not the type born by a jealousy of possibly losing Aiyora—though he must admit that a stinging sensation did strike his heart at the mere possibility—but the fact that he severely underestimated the ability of a Pureblood Vampire's manipulations.

At the face of this seemingly heartfelt scene, Senri had no way of telling:

Are these acts of affections from Kaname to Aiyora actually genuine or not?

What is worse is that, at the face of this uncertainty, Aiyora is sincerely receptive to it...and that could end badly if it is from Kuran Kaname.

With a protective edge, Senri's hand tightened on Aiyora's hand as he intertwined their fingers firmly and almost possessively. Not enough to hurt, but enough to catch her attention.

As if sensing his anxiety, Aiyora beamed and squeezed back as she tried to lighten the atmosphere.

"You know, Senri..." she teased, "You have become cuter since I last saw you."

Senri deadpanned, "Don't call me cute."

"But you are! In fact, I have to say you're cuter than Kaname-oniisama."

Kaname playfully glared at her, "Oh, is that so?"

"Mmhm..." Aiyora nodded mock contemplatively.

She then looked up sharply, as if gaining an epiphany.

"Then again, if Onii-sama keeps on visiting me more than Senri-chan does, I might end up favoring him more from now on."

As if to tease them both, Aiyora grins childishly as she lets go of their hands with a wink and a giggle while also playfully putting up an index finger to her lips in a silencing or secretive gesture.

"Teehee~ I feel so lucky to be loved by such dashing young men!"

Kaname and Senri blinked in bewilderment before finally chuckling in defeat.

Just like that, Aiyora easily dissipated the reasons for their little dispute in the first place...if only temporarily.

...

As all good things do, the little visit had to end.

Kaname and Senri plan to take the same limousine back but also have different plans so they are most likely to differ in their respective destinations. Along the way, they are going to stop by the Shiki Residence to drop off Aiyora as expected.

Though with the recent turn of events, the Shiki heir prefers to either stay with her or whisk her away with him.

At the moment though, another exchange of farewells is in order.

Aiyora skipped to the manor's main gate as a familiar went inside ahead of her to notify the other residents of her arrival as well as her two companions' leave.

She then turned around gracefully with an ever so radiant smile as she beamed at Kaname and Senri.

"Well, this is my stop." She chirps, "You both take care now...and be sure to visit soon."

Senri glanced at the shadows and saw glowing eyes of another Shiki familiar, sighing as he knew what it meant.

"Actually, I think I should send my respects to Okaa-san and Oji-san." He announced, "We were on a rush for dinner a while ago so I didn't get the chance to greet them. It's troublesome, but it is basic etiquette for us so I might as well."

Just like that, Aiyora's smile faltered as her expression turned concerned before sending an encouraging smile to Senri.

The Aristocrat gave a small smile back as he passed her by, their hands sharing a fleeting touch before parting.

It did not escape the keen sight of vigilant burgundy eyes.

"Send my regards and my own salutations of leave as well." Kaname said.

Senri spared a look over his shoulder as he gave a cordial nod and going on his way inside the manor, inwardly concerned in leaving Aiyora alone with Kaname but also faithfully reassured in knowing that his little Ai-chan has indeed grown enough to handle herself for now.

As the two Purebloods shared a rather awkward silence for a few minutes, a gentle breeze came and delivered a mix of scents.

Amongst them, Kaname detected a certain fragrance.

It was a mixture of lavender and peppermint.

It was Aiyora's scent...and somehow, it changed.

It still smelled of lavender and peppermint, yet now it started to subtly mix with a scent that seemed familiar to Kaname but also very new and unique that he could not quite put a name to it.

Before he could ponder any longer, a soft chiming voice spoke up to address him.

"Kaname-oniisama..."

Smoothly, the male Pureblood focused onto Aiyora as he smiled tenderly in response.

"Yes, Aiyora...?"

The young lady fidgeted slightly before seeming to gather enough courage to speak her mind, taking a deep breath and exhaling until finally meeting his gaze boldly with determined passion.

"When am I going to be enrolled in Cross Academy?" she asked.

Kaname made sure to keep his smile though his eyes somewhat hardened and became guarded.

"Soon," he answered, "but not as soon as you may be hoping. As I mentioned, the Night Class has just been recently established. I would rather get everything in order before you join us there."

He expected an immediate protest, a childish plea for him to reconsider his decision, or perhaps even mild temper tantrum that voices her complaints.

A reaction reminiscent of the child he knew Aiyora to have been for all the times that he declined her wish for him to visit or pick her up from the Shiki Manor back then, or when he had to take a long trip with Haruka as she was left with Juri and Yuki way back when.

However, he got none of those.

Instead, Aiyora remained silent as her determined eyes kept their contact with his own burgundy ones.

As if they were reading him...

As if they were seeing through him...

As if they were testing him...

Before he could further elaborate to make her understand, Aiyora closed her eyes and changed posture.

As if seeing a rosebud beginning to bloom, the young lady took on a proper posture with her hands elegantly clasped before her while straightening her back gracefully as she holds her head up high.

"Kaname-san..."

The change was uncanny, leaving the Kuran heir astonished.

"I know." Aiyora continued, "I know that I have much to learn whether as a Pureblood, a lady, or even as a person. I would not be so presumptuous as to declare that I am no longer a child despite my wish to do so in retrospect. I know that I probably would not even come close to understanding but I do request of you one thing."

In a flutter, her eyes opened with a passionate metaphorical flame burning through in resolution.

"I ask of you..." she stated strongly, "...do not take me for an imbecile."

Kaname stared blankly at her, his expression unreadable which magnificently hid the shock he felt inside.

Aiyora went on, "I am naïve and perhaps a little ignorant due to my sheltered youth, a fool that tends to run her actions through emotions and sentimentality...but I am not so far gone that I would not even notice the signs given by those closest to me.

"Senri has become the most important to me, and that agitates you. I do not know the reason for such but I would not be played to think that it is because of jealousy. You never cared enough before so I am baffled as to why you would care now. All I can say is that everything is shrouded in mystery and you only move according to some well-choreographed routine."

She paused as she stared into Kaname's calculative eyes, as if to gauge each other.

"I have always been honest with my feelings when it comes to you." She continued, "That is a courtesy that I always thought you deserve. As with my nature, I have never been good in hiding what I feel. Even if I could put on the perfect mask, I would never be so comfortable about it long enough as you do.

"You have always been important to me, and that hasn't changed. You are my brother, my first true friend and protector...but through all those times I felt as if you left me here because you were sickened by me, Senri was the one who came through and he never stopped doing so. How can I refuse such honest affections? How can I turn away someone whom reflected the same sentiments as I give?"

As if expecting a reply, Aiyora paused once again.

However, her eyes can only tear up as Kaname remained unmoved...and so she resolved to continue.

"You come here and tell me something as ludicrous as trying to be the most important to me, as if everything would be so easy...as if all faults could be dismissed...as if all hurt can be forgotten...as if all feelings could be so easily changed. Even I am not so foolish as to believe that...! Especially when you are barely even being honest with yourself...!" She finished with a raised voice.

Dainty peach lips trembled before pursing stubbornly, their owners valiantly holding back tears from flowing.

As she had told, Aiyora has always been girl that runs on her emotions.

A fatal weakness for a Pureblood of her stature...

...and yet at that moment, even Kaname had to admit that he had never seen her look so beautiful.

"How odd...and admittedly unbecoming of me..." he thought, "Not to mention how silly of her...to shed tears for someone whom she claims to be acting against..."

As if hearing his thoughts, Aiyora regained composure as she closed her eyes for a moment.

With another deep breath and then a soft sigh, she opened them and stared at Kaname with tired exasperation as they still glistened with unshed tears.

"I know that you think I am still too naïve to understand," she said, "and you would be right. However, I know enough when you lie...and that's fine. I have been told worst lies for darker and more selfish reasons. With that being said..."

Her voice became quieter at the end as her sentence trails off.

With perfect stride as her low-heeled sandals clacked on the pavement, Aiyora made her way closer to the silent Kaname as he remained unmoving.

He awaited her next move, inwardly fascinated with this passionately headstrong young lady that is supposedly his once whiny innocent little sister.

Two smooth hands reached up and gently cupped Kaname's face, his gaze being focused solely onto Aiyora as she slightly pulled him down to her height in an effort to make a point.

"If you are so serious and so audacious as to say that you would try to become the most important person to me..."

Her next statement was declared with a proud challenging grin, overflowing in youthful glee.

"...then make sure you're prepared to gamble far enough as to show me what you really feel first."

At that point, Kaname could no longer hold himself back from showing his immense astonishment and shock.

If you desire my heart, then I challenge you to prove yourself worthy of it.

As if gaining an achievement out of it, Aiyora kissed his forehead and gave him a close-eyed smile before stepping back to let him go.

Like nothing ever happened, she turned around as Senri rejoined them once again.

Knowing what is going to occur between the half-siblings and admittedly not having the patience to be a witness to it once again, Kaname also turned to walk away as he opted to wait in the prepared vehicle.

Absently, he reached up one hand to touch his forehead which tingled with unexplainable warmth. His nostrils inhaled as Aiyora's unique scent captured him once more. Lavender, peppermint, and that intoxicating yet comforting scent...

It was then it hit him!

Aiyora smelled of what he imagines to be the scent of moonlight.

If Yuki is the sun, then Aiyora is the moon.

Yuki is the sunlight that he never stopped craving. She smelled of the world that he yearned to venture: the fragrant earthy smell of spring, the warm salty breeze by the seashore, the melancholic nostalgia of autumn, and even the bittersweet cold of winter. She is both his calling and his demise, the creature that held the unknown destiny that could lead him to the warmest of paradise or the darkest of hell. An intoxicating addiction to something he cannot have because staying away is the right thing, but yearns to possess anyway because he could by birthright.

Aiyora is the moonlight that has always been there. She smelled of home that has always been so familiar that it naturally became the normalcy of his life: the cold winds that hum the lullabies of the night, the musky scent of evening vapor that would later come as morning dews, the soothing silence that beckons the nocturnal creatures, and even the lingering aroma of desserts like a fulfilling midnight snack. She is both his anchor and his enabler, the creature that reminds him of the beast he is but also gives insight to wondrous results of contentment. An alluring existence that has stayed with him for so long that it can easily be taken for granted.

Upon this realization, Kaname smirked.

Things have gotten more interesting, and Aiyora may have made this game a little more challenging...

...but the results will remain unchanged.

...

Meanwhile, Senri and Aiyora stood silently as they basked in one another's presence.

With their foreheads touching and their eyes closed in utter bliss, the pair of sweethearts merely allowed their actions to speak meanings what words would have failed them. Their hands held on to each other, their fingers lovingly intertwined and thumbs occasionally brushing one another in reminiscent of a caress.

I missed you.

I have been longing to see you.

I don't want to let go.

I don't want you to go.

I want to ask you to stay.

When people have spoken about how silence can be so deafening, it can probably hold true for this pair.

However, instead of a screeching roar of silence, it was more of a harmonized symphony reaching a rising crescendo and then gradually calming to a trailing falsetto until it reaches a sustained melody.

Then, the romantic chorus repeats.

I love you so much...more than you will ever know.

Senri was the first to open his eyes, but he still had to take a moment before he could speak.

His azure orbs can only observe the glowing beauty before him as she clutched onto him as tight as he does to her, unwilling to let him go as he is reluctant to leave her.

"I have to go." He murmured.

Delicate hands tightened onto his own, giving a response that spoke a fragile yearning that pleads to him.

"I know." She whispered, "I know, just...just for a little longer."

Obliging in defeat, Senri sighed as he pulled her into a sheltering embrace.

As always, he shared the same sentiments. Neither of them wants to part from the other, but the world they live in dictates that it must be done for their own good. Faith only pays off when it is tested again and again, and while both are more than prepared to tackle on the hardships along the way, it did not make it any easier to let each other go.

Perhaps, it may even be a toxic dependency...

...or it could just be childish attachment.

Either way, Senri and Aiyora knew this is not the end.

With great hesitance, they pulled away from the embrace as they stared into each other's eyes. Knowing how difficult of a time it is for Aiyora, Senri made the first move as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. In response, Aiyora teared up and allowed a few drops to pour down her rosy cheeks.

Only for Senri, she will allow tears to shed.

In payment for the affectionate gesture, Aiyora stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

Senri closed his eyes as if to savor the sensation of her lips upon his skin.

Then, they parted once again as silent farewells are exchanged through melancholic smiles.

...

Kuran Kaname had found himself at the midst of an unexpected impasse.

In his office, he sat by his desk as he glared down at his chessboard. The enemy, the black pieces, is already in order yet his own white pieces are still incomplete.

The White King stands on its rightful place, indicating that Kaname is already prepared to play his part in the entire game. The seven white pawns are on the board but are still in disarray, not quite on the specific squares where they are supposed to stand. The other officials such as the rooks and bishops are on either sides of the king yet, like the pawns, are not rightfully placed.

That left four more pieces: another pawn, two white knights, and the Queen.

"You come here and tell me something as ludicrous as trying to be the most important to me..."

Indeed, it is quite the predicament.

This situation...and all other things...

"...as if everything would be so easy..."

He never said it would be...it never actually is that easy...

Smoldering burgundy eyes switched attention from the board onto the two white knights in his right hand, while he rested his cheek onto the knuckles of his left hand as the elbow was perched on the armrest.

"...as if all faults could be dismissed..."

He had committed more faults than any man, woman, and child upon this planet...

...yet truly, he could never find himself to regret most of it.

After all, those faults were partially responsible in leading him to Yuki.

His right hand soundlessly placed the two knights down onto the desk as he paused to direct his focus onto the White Pawn and the White Queen, standing side by side like comrades in arms. His fingers twitched as his eyes flashed crimson as he started toying with the two White Knights once again.

"...as if all hurt can be forgotten..."

No, of course not...

He should know more than anyone that what is done can never be undone.

Kaname sighed as he finally let go of the knights and reached out towards the White Queen that seems to taunt him silently, shrouding itself in an unspoken mystery and infallible power as if to tempt him.

"...as if all feelings could be so easily changed. Even I am not so foolish as to believe that...!"

Indeed, sweet little Aiyora.

When had she grown so much beyond his wildest dreams?

Had she always been this passionately resolute? Had she always been this decisively determined? Had she always been this stubbornly headstrong? Had she always been this so recklessly bold?

Or do they all link back to Shiki Senri once again?

"Especially when you are barely even being honest with yourself...!"

Indeed.

Kaname supposed it was another fault of his.

He never could bring himself to be fully honest with anything or anyone.

He never became entirely honest with Juri and Haruka about his memories. He never became entirely honest with Yuki and Aiyora about his feelings. He never became entirely honest with Kaien about his own vision of Cross Academy alongside the ideals it stood for since its foundation. He never became entirely honest with the vampire world how much he loathed and despised his status as Pureblood.

Now, one valiant young lady presents him an ultimatum: masks off or back off...?

Flawlessly elegant, Kaname carefully grasped the Queen as he raised it to his eye level.

Silence reigned as he practically inspected the white chess piece, turning it from here and there as if to locate a flaw that escaped his sharp experienced eyes.

As if finding a mutual understanding, he froze before looking back down onto the last White Pawn that is a few centimeters away from the two knights. Once again, he placed down the Queen beside the White Knights as he focused onto the last pawn. He held it with two fingers, one at the top and the other at the bottom, as he raised it to eye level just as he did with the Queen [4].

With a frustrated sigh, Kaname grasped the chess piece fully before setting it back down.

Alas, his attention was then brought back to the entire chessboard as he glared coldly at the readied black army.

With relative ease, Kaname swiftly stood all his white pieces upright and set them all aside—except for the White King that was already in place—near the four pieces outside of the board.

Firstly, he started with the pawns.

The Vampire Council stands on A-2, the farthest left square of his front row. With his status as Pureblood and the Kuran name on his beckoning, he will have enough power to bait and manipulate a majority of the Senate as well as sacrifice them if needed. In fact, most of them are more than willing to do his bidding.

Who was he to refuse?

In contrast, the Hunters' Association stands on H-2, the farthest right square of his front row. While it will be a little tricky to make it move, Kaname can nevertheless guarantee that the association will still meet his expectations of them in some way. It will have its uses in the near future as would the council.

By nature, no one usually makes the two farthest pawns their first move.

Kaname plans to do the same in this situation.

He will leave these two pawns alone until direly needed.

"In time..." he thought, "I will likely move you both to corner the Black Queen."

Kaname then leaned forward, resting his left forearm on the desk as his right hand reached to grasp four pawns simultaneously. For a moment, he observed them in his hand before placing them accordingly right next to the White Pawn representing the council.

Each of these four pawns is a member of the Night Class that he reckons to belong in the highest aristocratic families chosen to attend Cross Academy.

One...

Aido Hanabusa...he is a passionate yet whimsical aristocrat whom he had gotten acquainted with when he was in a much younger form. The Pureblood once reached out to him in his effort of making friends, as Juri and Haruka had encouraged him to do. The blond was quite hostile to him at first, but he later claimed that it was merely because he was too cowardly to admit that he does admire him...or so he said way back then.

At this point, Kaname could not find it in him to care as he placed Hanabusa as the White Pawn on B-2.

A fitting placement as it was a black square, meaning his trail begins at the path devotional to the heart.

Two...

Touya Rima...she is an indifferent aristocrat whom mostly attended upon his commanded request, enabling peer pressure to force her where she is now. She is also a close friend of Shiki Senri whom she shares an occupation of being a model with, as well as an apathetic mask that allows them to communicate beyond just words. It was not surprising as they do seem to be kindred spirits whom are now spending time together.

Perhaps, Aiyora had reason to be jealous...especially when Kaname is in a similar situation.

A pawn is now placed on C-2 which is a white square that dictates her trail to begin at the path of intellect.

Three...

Souen Ruka...she is a contrast to the prior female vampire. Unlike Rima who seems to run on logic and reasoning, Ruka is definitely a lady that follows her heart. Her infatuation for Kaname is what makes her the most useful pawn at the moment, blinded by her affections for him which are all likely caused by a childhood fancy. She is a cousin of Hanabusa which means they have met as children, so it was not a farfetched claim.

A pawn on a black square, D-2, tragically and ironically placed in front of where the Queen should stand.

It is a position so close yet so far from the place she wishes to be on...and Kaname was cruelly aware.

Four...

Kain Akatsuki...he is another cousin of Hanabusa and Ruka, therefore completing a childhood trio Kaname once encountered as a child. Unlike both his cousins, he is a man who keeps composure to think clearly but hides a passionate flame within which intriguingly fits his main power. Said flames seem to match a one-sided passion for the lovely Ruka which complicates his obligated standing to stay loyal as Aristocrat to Pureblood.

The Pureblood was wholly aware, but it makes no difference either way since a pawn is a pawn...simple as that.

A pawn on a white square, E-2, reasonably placed in front of the King.

"That makes six White Pawns for now." Kaname muttered, "That leaves two more."

He wanted to leave one specific pawn for later, the pawn that may inevitably cross to the other edge of the board and transform itself as a renewed piece.

That means only one pawn is left at this moment.

"Hmm..." he hummed contemplatively.

Carefully, Kaname reached towards one pawn and pondered for a while.

Then, he firmly placed it on G-2 which is beside the pawn representing the hunters as his fingers lingered for a moment before decidedly letting go.

This White Pawn will be his wild card...a free spot to fill for any outside force he can utilize to his advantage.

A contingency piece, so to speak.

Perhaps, another hunter specifically...

"Now then," he began, "it is time to assign the roles of the other pieces."

To begin much like with the White Pawns, Kaname takes the rooks.

The White Rooks are right behind the pawns that he would like to use for last. That also means that the only way for his rooks to move is to either move the pawns on their front, or move sideward and then onwards.

The rooks are simplistic and quite straightforward in movement. As a piece, it both represents towering castles that symbolizes the sheltering protection for the King and Queen. It is therefore fitting to bestow their roles upon two specific factions that do just that.

On the farthest left which is the black square of A-1, there stands the White Rook that is the ShikiFamily...or simply put, Shiki Sayatohi.

By Kuran Juri's last wish, Kaname placed Aiyora under the care of the Shiki Family and therefore under the jurisdiction of Sayatohi. Frankly, he did not see merit in it since Sayatohi is a very greedy man; and with Juri actually genuinely caring for Aiyora, he did not understand why she would want him to place Aiyora under his authority.

It became even more surprising when Kaname had heard of the verbal marriage agreement that Kuran Haruka had made with Sayatohi. Though, admittedly, he did see the logic in it as Senri and Aiyora shared a Pureblood father. As per the expectations of tradition, their status as half-siblings and descending from a Pureblood parentage makes it reasonable to have the two betrothed.

Like the rook, Sayatohi works simply by the urge of his greed. He wants Aiyora to be wedded to Senri in order to rise in power and prestige since Senri was not recognized as Rido's child, unlike Aiyora. Kaname got in the way of this when he used Aiyora as a scapegoat to hide Yuki's existence as the council became suspicious as to why the remaining Kuran Purebloods are not engaged to continue the bloodline. However, as long as Kaname can assure that Senri and Aiyora will be married in the end, he can keep Sayatohi in a leash.

While that goes on, he will also be Aiyora's temporary guardian.

It will not be difficult to convince the head of the Shiki Household seeing as it is also quite obvious that Senri and Aiyora are smitten with one another anyway.

If Sayatohi ever betrays him, Kaname would probably have used up the man's purpose anyway.

By then, Shiki Sayatohi will be mere bait for the real enemy.

That leaves the other White Rook which is Cross Academy...or specifically, Cross Kaien.

At first, Kaname sincerely helped for the sake of the pacifistic ideals Kaien inherited from Juri and willingly played the role of alpha in the pack of wolves. However, he is not so naïve to know this would go on for long as the Pureblood is more than aware that a sanctuary like this would not last for long.

That being said, he would utilize the academy—and the rest of the Night Class even—as the main protective fortress that can get rid of any opposing forces and protect those who dwell within. He only needs to continue playing his role in the Night Class and Cross Academy would be a helpful piece to him, especially after a simple Castling Maneuver that may be able to buy him some time if worse comes to worst upon the entire school.

Kaname exhaled slightly as he moves his gaze to the next pair.

Intentionally skipping past the White Knights, he reached out for the bishops.

One bishop moves on the path of intellect which is the one that stands by the King, while the other moves on the path of heart which is the one that stands by the Queen.

At this point, he can only think of two candidates for the tasks.

Seiren is definitely one of them, but one other person makes him pause.

"You toyed with her once. I'm sure her recovery was not easy. Please don't repeat it."

Once again, it amazed him how Aiyora managed to change the game so easily without doing much.

Ichijou Takuma...he is the closest friend he could ever have as Kaname was put under the Ichijou Family's care after the death of Juri and Haruka. Specifically, Ichijou Asato—also known as Ichio—was assigned to be his temporary guardian until he came of age. This brought him closer to Takuma, Ichio's grandson, whose bright persona actually managed to crack Kaname's cold protective shell enough to befriend him.

"You cannot bring happiness to one at the cost of another's sadness."

All these times, Takuma let him do as he pleases without intervening...

"Even if you achieve such a feat, it would be fleeting."

...yet the one exception became little Aiyora.

Then, there was his mysterious solemn retainer.

Seiren...she is an enigma to the world yet another close "friend" to Kaname. Unlike Takuma though, their close bond is more based on faithful loyalty and understanding between master and servant in contrast to a normal close friendship. Not much could be said about their relations to one another other than the fact that Seiren had a dark past wherein Kaname managed to save her from the worst case scenario.

With resignation, Kaname placed the bishops on their respective places.

One stands beside the Queen as he walks the path of heart...

...while the other stands beside the King as she walks the path of intellect.

That left the prior four: the Pawn, the Queen, and the two Knights.

His burgundy orbs focused on the third.

With his index finger atop the ivory, Kaname toyed with the White Knights by tipping them side to side but not letting go far enough to fall. His gaze became irate as if envisioning another pair of individuals that frustrate him to no end.

In a snapping motion, the Pureblood lifted one of the pieces to his eye level as he emitted a small aura of hostility and menace.

Kiryuu Zero...from the very beginning, Kaname had reserved to appoint the young boy as Yuki's knight. When the little vampire hunter was turned, it served both as an advantage and disadvantage. An advantage was that his physical prowess would improve and his hatred of vampires would grow as a protective instinct wherein he could entrust Yuki. A disadvantage is the uncontrollable lust for blood that endangers Yuki.

With a resounding force, Kaname places the White Knight upon the black square of G-1 and miraculously not disturbing the other pieces.

A knight beginning his journey on the path of the heart wherein hatred, darkness, and vengeance lurk...

...yet one streak of light gives him an alternative purpose.

Leaning back to his chair with closed eyes, the Pureblood sighed almost in a tired fashion as he tried to calm down and regain composure.

After a few minutes, he reopened his eyes and tilted his head slightly to focus on the other White Knight.

Shiki Senri...he was nothing more but another pawn truly. However, the development that arose between him and Aiyora was an unexpected twist. It was another change caused by Aiyora that forced Kaname to take Senri into deeper consideration. At the moment, the sentiments shared between the half-siblings were troublesome—and would undoubtedly be worse in the future—but it will serve its own purpose that will benefit the plan.

Although, one part of him cannot help but feel agitated...

Perhaps, it was pride.

He pondered deeply as he thought back to what happened back on the ride in the limousine along their return to the academy.

FLASHBACK

The ride back was silent as both Senri and Kaname kept away from each other.

Senri was sitting across from Kaname and both stared out the window in an attempt tune out each other. It was apparent that the tension remains, but it was not as bad as before nor is it rising any further. However, there was no sign of it dissipating either.

The silence was then interrupted by the vibration coming from Senri's coat pocket.

With a troubled sigh, he reached down and pulled out his phone as he saw a message from his modeling agency as well as some inquiring texts messages from Rima and Takuma.

It was probably about his frantic behavior a while ago.

Meanwhile, Kaname's attention became occupied by the accessory hanging on to Senri's gadget.

It was a simple yet elegant key chain of a white jasmine flower made with clear and white crystals as its petals, finishing with a gorgeous round Lapis Lazuli at its center. The design was quite feminine which probably meant that it was a gift for the Shiki heir from someone special.

"Three guesses on whom that is..." Kaname thought sarcastically.

He was going to ignore it but one particular detail about the keychain is the teal silk ribbon that had a small message. The salutation was written in fine ink on the ribbon: My Dearest Senri.

However, what truly puzzled Kaname is the way Senri's name was written was odd as if misspelled in Japanese characters.

Normally, Senri's name is written which interprets Senri as "a thousand ri" or "a thousand unit of distance" as ri is written to be a unit of distance equal to 3.927km.

However, the way it was written in the ribbon means "a thousand jasmines" that matches the object on the keychain but clearly a Kanji mistake.

"It's not a mistake."

A monotone voice interrupted his thoughts as he looked up to see Senri staring at him blankly, yet Kaname can detect the fond nostalgia gleaming through the pair of baby blue orbs.

"At first," Senri began, "Aiyora did misspell my name. When she finally got it though, she opted to stick with the way she first wrote it and kept writing it the way it is now. She reasoned that my name was boring if it was written the way it is so when she found out that the jasmine flower is written with a character that has the same sound, she stuck with it. Sometimes, she would alternate it with the character (ri, for "lapis lazuli") since she claims it matches my eyes."

Kaname kept silent as his nails slightly dug into the skin of his palm as his fists clenched in frustration.

"Yet another development that escaped me..." he thought.

Senri looked down at the keychain as he placed the phone on his lap while his fingertips lovingly caressed the jasmine jewel and the silk ribbon.

"That is how it came to be..." He murmured in reminiscence, "That's how we came to be: Aiyora and Senri...Ai-chan and Ri-chan...Lavender and Jasmine..."

The young aristocrat pursed his lips as he closed his fingers over the jeweled flower in a protective grip, and then looked up to meet the Pureblood's gaze head-on.

"That day, she declared me to be her Senri just as I had sworn she would always be my Aiyora. Even if there came a time where we had to part and stay by someone else's side, that vow and one truth is something no one can take from us."

Once again, the underlying message was not lost on both of them.

I will always be her devoted protector just as she will always be the light of my love. You can try all you want but that is one thing you will never ruin between us.

As if on cue, the limousine stopped and it was revealed that they had arrived in Senri's desired destination.

It seemed to be a park with a modeling set not that far away. Touya Rima was already expectantly waiting by near the entrance for her co-worker and classmate.

"Then," Senri bade, "please excuse me and thank you for the ride."

However, just as he was going to open the door, he was stopped by Kaname's voice.

"Senri," Kaname began, "don't you think that declaration is a little too conceited?"

In response, the younger male gave a small subtle smirk.

"Instead of seeing it as my ego," he replied, "I'd like to think it's more like an honesty of the heart."

Without further ado, Shiki Senri opened the limousine door and made his exit.

END OF FLASHBACK

At that moment, Kuran Kaname had never thought he could feel as infuriated.

With snapping clack, he places the second White Knight on the white square of B-1.

An ivory knight beginning his journey with the path of intellect yet balancing it splendidly with the callings of his heart...

...willingly serving as an ally but prepared to take the step as a foe in the name of his own purpose.

Two ivory knights with different women to protect...

Both are vampires with hatred of sort upon their own kind...

"Vampire Knights ..." Kaname hummed, "How amusing..."

Then came the moment of truth...

One Pawn and One Queen...

Yuki and Aiyora...

Which is which?

As much as he despises it, Yuki is a part of this twisted game. She is a chess piece much like all of them, and there is nothing Kaname can do to deny that.

That being said, as much as he also desires for her to take that rightful place by his side...

Is she even ready for that?

Can she even live up to such suffocating expectations?

However, if he places her as one of the pawns, it makes her vulnerable just as it keeps her safe by letting her blend in with the rest.

Then there is Aiyora...

"If you are so serious and so audacious as to say..."

His pale hand reached out, grasping the two remaining pieces outside of the board.

He contemplated and thought carefully, staring at the two ivory items resting on his palm.

"...that you would try to become the most important person to me..."

Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back as he closed his fingers over the two chess pieces and allowed his arm to relax on the armrest. The Pawn and Queen clacked slightly as they came into contact while being pressed by gripping appendages.

"...then make sure you're prepared to gamble far enough as to show me what you really feel first."

His eyes snapped open as they flashed in predatory carmine before turning back to a normal burgundy brown.

He had made his decision.

To be honest, it was so simple and he gave a small smile of triumph as he placed the piece that would represent Yuki onto her designated position.

Kaname then stood up and walked over towards his window as he stared into the night. He rested his left forearm onto the wall by the window, his forehead resting onto his left fist. The other piece that represented Aiyora was still in his right hand as he daintily played with it.

"I cannot afford to get myself attached to her."

That is what he told Takuma...and he was being honest at that time.

He cannot afford to get attached to Aiyora.

Aiyora, the daughter of Kuran Rido...

Aiyora, the sole weakness of Kuran Rido...

Aiyora, the cause of the Kurans' misfortune...

"Is that because of Yuki-chan?"

"No..."

"Then what is it?"

Kaname then lifted his left hand to gaze upon the ivory piece that bathed under the moonlight, gleaming like a divine crystal of holy power.

Aiyora, the half-sister of Shiki Senri...

Aiyora, the love of Shiki Senri...

Aiyora, the key to his victory on the incoming battle...

"In the long run, there will be no Aiyora in the picture."

Kaname sighed with a self-deprecating smile as he neared the chess piece to his lips.

"Even though I declared such a final and certain thing..." he whispered.

"I see...so she is a sacrificial lamb?"

"Fate is unfair to her and I have no power to change that."

The Kuran Pureblood smirked as he remembered his own words.

"What you have shown me today..." he trailed off, "It tells me that you may prove me wrong in that regard."

Kaname then walked back to his desk as he looked at the almost completed board.

One last piece...

One last piece of finality...

If you desire my heart, then I challenge you to prove yourself worthy of it.

With a significant click, Kuran Kaname places the final piece on his side of the chessboard.

He straightened his posture as he made his way towards the door. Just as he had the door handle in his grasp, he looked over his shoulder to glance at that one gleaming piece of ivory as if to look for a sign that he made the right choice. In turn, his lips pulled up into an amused yet slightly dark smile.

He then said, "That resolve of yours...let's see if it will have the power to truly defy destiny, shall we?"

With that parting shot, Kaname opened the door and made his exit.

"If you cannot, then Yuki will just end up taking her rightful place in due time." He added as an afterthought.

As it creaked to a close, a lone memory echoed in the room as if in reply to its owner's absence.

A memory that occurred once upon a time lay forgotten in these drastic times...

"Kaname-oniisama, do you know why a Queen is more powerful than the King in chess?"

"I never particularly thought about it. Why?"

"Many reason that the army weakens when the Queen is lost because she is the most powerful piece, but I like to think that it is because she is the moon that illuminates the night. Without her, the King will be forced to shine both day and night. Eventually, he will burn out."

"That...is quite a dark thought."

"A king without a capable queen is incomplete."

"Is that so?"

"Mmhm. The Queen exists with the most potential because she is the closest to the King, the only one of her kind. She is so powerful that she can be revived through a mere Pawn. That power was bestowed upon her to serve and protect her King. If misused, it is nothing more than deadweight."

"...You have very interesting perspectives, Aiyora."

"When I grow up, I'm going to be a strong woman so I can be a capable Queen. That way, I will be able to always help and protect Onii-sama!"

"Ahaha...I look forward to it."

Fate is a mix of destiny and choice. People make various choices in their lifetime and each of those choices link to a set result that awaits them.

Long live.

All hail.

Aiyora, the White Queen...

GLOSSARY INDEX

[1] Lavender, as a flower, is femininity all grown up. While purple is the color of royalty and pink is the color of youth, lavender represents feminine beauty in any flower arrangements. It stands for refinement, grace, and elegance. It holds a sacred place in nature, often considered as the most delicate and precious with its violet flowers. Some other meanings of this flower may pertain to purity, silence, devotion, caution, serenity, grace, and calmness.

[2] Peppermint is most known for its place in being used as oil and tea. Its fragrance is mostly used for medicinal preparations and therapeutic aroma. Its white and purple flowers complement the lavender. With their scents combined, the message is much like "the woman who heals" and represents Aiyora as a person.

[3] This is where things get really interesting. This comparison dates back to the connotation of the Yin-Yang harmony as well as the symbolism of Izanami, the Shinto Goddess of the Underworld (with some mentions of Tsukiyomi, Shinto God of the Moon). Yin is the feminine principle of the universe that is considered dark and passive, associated with earth; while Yang is the male principle of the universe that is considered light and active, associated with heaven (though in this case, the "male" part of the principle is ignored as the relative Yang in question is implied to be Yuki).

When Kaname views Aiyora's moonlight scent in reference to the night, the narration also makes an allusion to Izanami's story. It was said that after dying and being sent to Yomi, Izanami ate a fruit in Yomi (much like Persephone in the Greek Myths) and was unable to leave. When Izanagi came to retrieve her, she was humiliated when he saw her now "repulsive" visage and left her behind (a parallel comparison to how Kaname continues to neglect Aiyora due to his perception of her as merely Rido's daughter).

When Kaname then described Aiyora's scent as the "moon" to Yuki's "sun", this also represents Kaname's state of mind regarding the two girls. Yuki is what he is being denied and his greatest desire: heaven, light, sun, humanity, and radiance. Aiyora is the familiar presence he had grown used to and a prison that he loathes as well as the sanctuary he finds solace in: earth, darkness, moon, vampirism, and subtlety.

In other words, while Yuki is the one appointed to be his true destiny, Aiyora is now starting to fit the role more than Yuki. The former, now as a human, is more like a forbidden fruit that Kaname may or may not be deluding himself to be his true desire; whilst Aiyora is the one shadow that he disregards but is highly aware that they would always be linked in some way.

[4] Note that while he raised both White Pawn and White Queen to eye level, Kaname did not handle them the same way. He was gentle with the White Queen but firm, as if not wanting it to escape yet also not wanting to break it, while inspecting it like a specimen. He was just as gentle with the White Pawn yet the fact he handled it with two fingers was almost belittling, just as it was affectionate due to the "freedom" he was giving the pawn.

[5] Castling Maneuver is a chess move involving a player's king and either of the player's original rooks. It is the only move in chess in which a player moves two pieces in the same move, and it is the only move aside from the knight's move where a piece can be said to "jump over" another. It consists of moving the king two squares towards a rook on the player's first rank, then moving the rook to the square over which the king crossed. It may only be done if the king has never moved, the rook involved has never moved, the squares between the king and the rook involved are unoccupied, the king is not in check, and the king does not cross over or end on a square in which it would be in check.

The way Kaname refers to this move subjects a foreshadowing in which he may end up losing the knight and bishop on his side, leaving him to move and use the academy as a last resort to buy some time in defense. If the ones reading this know exactly how the original manga/anime proceeded, then they know exactly what is being referred to here.

[6] Jasmine is a popular flower associated with respect, love, and romance. Its showy white blooms and heavenly fragrance are ideal for moon gardens where lovers spend time whispering sweet nothings under the stars. As a cut flower, it fills the home with a relaxing scent perfect for drifting off to sleep. It is also associated with beauty and sensuality. Some cultures interpret this flower as a symbol of purity, appreciation, and goodluck.

In reference to Senri, Aiyora wishes to rewrite his name in a way that would describe who he is to her. The fact that she would be the only one who would write his name this way makes it a special secret for them, and also goes to show her love for him. When linking it to the Lapis Lazuli, it is known as a stone representing Athena who is the Goddess of War and Wisdom in the Greek Myths. The jewel then became known as a stone of truths, friendship, wisdom, divine protection,and goodspirits also due to both its color similar to the heavens which links to a legend that says the lapis lazuli can provide protection against the Evil Eye (foreshadowing and reference).

[7] Senri is Aiyora's Ri-chan as Aiyora is Senri's Ai-chan: It means that Senri will always be Aiyora's dearest jasmine flower (one who she loves and appreciates; also her good luck charm, the one good and beautiful thing in her life) just as Aiyora will always be Senri's love.

[8] This is a play on Senri and Aiyora's names. The way Senri's name is written by Aiyora, it means "a thousand jasmines" in which said flower represents the following on [7]. Aiyora's name is half-Hebrew and is interpreted as "love" from the Japanese "ai" while "ora" means "light" in Hebrew. If Senri's dialogue was written in Japanese characters with their names written this way, the sentence will be relatively similar. He declares himself to be Aiyora's "thousand truths (Lapis Lazuli) and thousand loves (jasmine flower)" while Aiyora is the "light of his love". In the text though, Senri uses his name in reference to the Lapis Lazuli's meaning of divine protection.

[9] Not an important part of the index, but more of a commentary here. I could not help myself. It was so fun to write Kaname vent his frustrations on these knights while making a reference to the title. Hehe...

[10] A Pawn can become the Queen once it reaches the other side of the board. This means that if Aiyora is not strong enough and perishes, then Yuki will be reborn as the new Queen. This is the result that Kaname is betting on, but he is curious to see if Aiyora's resolve will defy this as she had defied him.

Yuki is now human and Kaname deems her too fragile for the role of a Queen piece. Moreover, as the memory dictated, the Queen is the most powerful piece and the game changer. Aiyora is the center of the chaos being Rido's daughter and also the product of two Pureblood heritages. Putting this into consideration, Kaname sees her as more fit to hold the role (as also mentioned in the last paragraph of [3]). If the time comes that the White Queen falls, then a certain White Pawn will be reborn as the new Queen.If you had also been paying attention, Yuki is placed in-between Zero and Kaname (in front of Seiren, F-2) which hints the infamous VK triangle on the board as well.

a.n. First of all once again I'm extremely sorry for the delay. but here is a long chapter to make up for that. i hope you guys really enjoyed the chapter. I too really enjoyed reading it. yes you got that right i didn't write this chapter. its written by Astird Claire. personally i cannot thank her enough for the hard work and effort she put into this chapter. she made a whole glossary index explaining almost every important event that happened here. I'm not sure how many authors do that. I know i don't. i don't think i've ever put half the effort into this story or even in all my stories as she has done in this one chapter. you all may not be aware but there was a lot going on in her personal life yet despite everything she put thrice the effort to complete the chapter and turned this into 'a fantastic read' ( i mean look at all the details she put in every scene).

and for that i would request all my readers to show a little bit of appreciation. personally i never never ask for you guys to review or anything. i leave that upto guys, because i know if a reader thinks that chapter is worth reviewing they will review there is no need to ask. however today i will request all my reader to kindly take a little bit of their time to leave a review just to let the Astrid Claire know what an amazing job she did. that much she truly deserves. and as for my own agenda...some day i can again ask her to write for me. ;-) (winky face)

BTW a personal apology from Astrid Claire to all those Guest readers who have been impatiently waiting for the update. She is sorry that she took so long- personally i think it was worth the wait.

Good news for you all is that i have the next chapter ready...i would have posted it along with this as a back to back update. after reading this i realized my chapter needs heavy editing. but not to worry it will be out soon.

Thank you all

XOXO

Myra.