Chapter Text
The reddish-brown eyes gazed at the grand main building of Cross Academy. The Gothic structure was bright, warm, and inviting in the sunlight, but the opposite was evident under the cloak of darkness. It was a three-story building, with access to the roof. The building alone looked far too expensive, so there was no doubt that the students were of noble lineage. The mere thought left a bad taste in his mouth.
Pulling her suitcase aside, she entered the building. She held the map to the headmaster's office and followed the directions to the third floor. The room was in a semi-secluded area, away from the classrooms to prevent disturbances, but still easily accessible. Looking at the sign above the door, she realized she was in the right place. She turned and knocked on the dark oak door.
〔Director〕: Come in. —A voice answered from within.-
The door creaked as she opened it and stepped into the large, though somewhat empty, room. Another door led to a side room, probably a storage room. She glanced at the three-seater sofa to one side, the two windows, and then the desk between them. An oddly dressed man sat behind the desk, with ash-blond hair and hazel eyes behind a pair of glasses.
The expression on his face was not one of welcome or happiness, but of surprise. It was as if he had seen a ghost.
〔Saki〕: ¿Director Cross? —She asked as she stopped in front of the desk, tucking her brown hair behind her left ear.-
〔Director〕: Yeah... —He said uncertainly before clearing his throat.- I'm sorry, you bear an uncanny resemblance to my daughter. —He flipped through the file that was already waiting on the desk.- Inori Saki, you're sixteen years old and you used to live in a bookstore with your grandparents. ¿What brings you here?
〔Saki〕: My grandparents wanted me to have a good education at the Cross Academy.
He took notes as he listened and looked at her with understanding.
〔Director〕: Your grandparents are good people for allowing you to study.
She nodded without concern.
〔Director〕: I realize. —He said, smiling.- You have longer hair and a different personality than hers. —He handed her a black uniform.- Welcome to Cross Academy, Inori-san.
〔Saki〕: Thank you so much . —She bowed slightly and took the clothes they offered him.-
〔Director〕: You can change there. —He said, pointing to the storage room.- There's a student handbook you'll need to read. You can leave your things here while you're in class. My daughter, who's a prefect, will be happy to show you around after school.
Without a word, she closed the door and turned on the light. She undressed and carefully put on her uniform, making sure it was spotless and fit perfectly. It had to be, since she had provided her measurements so they could prepare the uniform for her in advance. She buttoned the last button of her jacket, smoothed down her black skirt, and left the room, turning off the light.
〔Director〕: —He shouted with joy. - ¡You look absolutely stunning! ¿Is it too tight or too loose?
〔Saki〕: It's perfect. —She said this while testing the mobility.-
〔Director〕: I'll take you to your classroom. —He offered as he stood up, I don't want you to get lost.-
〔Saki〕: Thank you. —She said with a bow.- I'm the type who gets lost in new places until I get used to the layout.
〔Director〕: —He smiled at her sincerity.- ¡Ah! Before I forget. —He said this just as he was locking the director's room, noticing his things were unattended inside. He took a key from a keyring and handed it to him.- We can't leave you out for your room.
She thanked him and slipped it into her skirt pocket. She followed him as he gave her a dramatic tour of the things happening while he led her to her classroom. There were moments when he couldn't help but slip into a state she now labeled "proud dad." He showered her with compliments on how elegantly she walked and moved, her long hair swirling gracefully around her, and how the sweetness in her eyes combined with a touch of sternness blended well. They gave her a regal air, he declared.
Whatever that meant. Too soon, they were standing in front of the double doors of her classroom. She knocked to announce her arrival and entered the room. Whatever had been happening had stopped when she stepped inside. Silence reigned, but that didn't make her nervous.
The afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows of the Day Classroom, creating motes of dust that danced in the air. The professor tapped his desk lightly, trying to quiet the students' usual murmur, but it was the sound of the sliding door that truly brought silence.
〔Profesor〕: Today we have a new addition. —He announced in a monotone voice.- Please come in and introduce yourself.
When Saki took the first step forward, the effect was immediate. A collective gasp swept through the classroom. Distracted students straightened up abruptly, and those who were talking stopped mid-sentence.
Saki stopped in front of the blackboard. She was wearing the Day Class black uniform impeccably, but it wasn't the outfit that drew attention. It was her face.
The same delicate eyes, the same soft chin, and that serene expression everyone associated with the "Headmaster's Daughter." While Yuuki wore her hair short and practical, the new student sported a long, dark brown mane that cascaded down her back, shimmering in the classroom lights.
〔Saki〕: My name is Saki Inori. —She said in a soft voice, but with a resonance that seemed to vibrate in the bones of those present.- I just moved out of my adoptive parents' bookstore. I hope we all get along.
The silence didn't last long. Soon, the whispers erupted like gunpowder.
〔Schoolgirl¹〕: ¿It's a joke? ¡It is identical to Cross-san!
〔Schoolgirl²〕: If she cut her hair, I'd swear Yuuki had a long-lost twin...
〔Schoolgirl³〕: Even its aura... feels strange, ¿don't you think?
In a corner of the room, Yuuki's close friends stood frozen in place. The resemblance was so uncanny it bordered on the supernatural. It wasn't just the physical appearance; it was the sense of déjà vu that emanated from her. Saki, however, maintained a polite smile, though her eyes concealed a depth no ordinary human should possess.
After a tiring morning filled with whispers and furtive glances, Saki decided to get some fresh air. She was strolling through the academy gardens, admiring the architecture, when she turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks.
A few meters away, a girl in the same uniform had frozen, dropping the wooden tablet she was carrying.
Yuuki Cross couldn't believe her eyes. She'd heard the rumors in the hallways about "the new girl," but seeing her face to face was like looking into a mirror distorted by time.
〔Yuuki〕: ¿...I? —She whispered, blinking repeatedly.-
Saki, for her part, felt self-conscious. She ran a hand through her long hair, a nervous gesture that, ironically, Yuuki also used to make when she was anxious.
〔Saki〕: Ah, you must be the Director's daughter... —She said with a shy smile.- I'm sorry, everyone in the classroom has been staring at me like this all day. It's kind of embarrassing.
Yuuki approached, driven by a curiosity that arose from the depths of her chest.
〔Yuuki〕: It's... it's incredible. Your name is Saki, ¿right? We really do look alike. Although your hair is beautiful, I wish mine would grow that fast.
Saki let out a small laugh, a clear and pure note that had no trace of the darkness that vampires usually carry.
〔Saki〕: It's genetic, I suppose. —She answered, unaware that that word was a half-truth.- My parents say I look like my biological mother, even though I never met her.
As they spoke, Yuuki sensed something strange. As a Guardian, she was accustomed to detecting the thirst of vampires or the warmth of humans. Saki felt human, but there was a "density" about her presence, like a locked room that no one had opened in years.
The sacrificial spell was perfect. Saki had no idea that beneath that skin, which prickled in the cool breeze, flowed the blood of the Kuran clan and an even more ancient lineage. For her, the world was simple; for Yuuki, Saki was a mystery that sent an inexplicable chill down her spine.
〔Yuuki〕: I am Yuuki Cross, the Guardian. —She finally said, extending his hand.- If anyone bothers you about the resemblance, tell me. I'll help you adjust.
Saki took his hand. At that moment, a brief spark of static ran through both of them. It was almost imperceptible, but the seal inside Saki vibrated for the first time upon contact with her own blood... the blood of a Kuran.
Night had fallen over Cross Academy. Saki, still disoriented by the labyrinthine layout of the buildings, tried to find her way back to the girls' dormitory. The campus was completely silent, broken only by the crunch of leaves under her shoes.
Suddenly, a tall, thin figure stepped into their path, emerging from the shadows of a large stone archway.
Zero Kiryuu was in no mood. His usual thirst burned his throat, and his patience was wearing thin. When he saw the female silhouette in the distance, he immediately recognized the features that jawline, that height, that profile.
〔Zero〕: Yuuki... I've told you a thousand times not to walk alone at this hour. It's dangerous. —He said in a hoarse voice, intercepting her and taking her arm firmly, almost roughly.-
Saki let out a small gasp of surprise and shrank back, frightened by the intensity of that silver-haired boy.
〔Saki〕: ¡I'm sorry! I'm not who you think I am...! ¡please let me go!
Zero froze. That wasn't Yuuki's voice. When he looked down, he met eyes fixed on his own that, although identical in shape to his friend's, reflected genuine fear and utter confusion. But what truly stopped him was the hair. A cascade of brown strands that reached down her back, something Yuuki didn't have.
He released her arm as if it burned him, but he didn't back down. He leaned toward her, instinctively narrowing his eyes. His hunter's nose caught her scent. It didn't exactly smell like Yuuki.
It smelled of old paper, of the flowers in the old folks' bookstore... and something more. Something hidden behind an invisible wall.
〔Zero〕: You... —He grunted, his right hand pricking near where he kept Bloody Rose.- ¿Who are you? ¿What are you doing here with that face?
Saki took a step back, rubbing her arm where he had grabbed her. She sensed no malice in him, but a deep pain that softened her expression despite her fright.
〔Saki〕: I'm Saki Inori, the new student. I got lost looking for my dorm room. —She explained in a trembling voice.- I know I look a lot like her, everyone has told me that today... but I'm just me.
Zero watched her silently. His hunter's instincts were running wild. His nose told him she was human, but his "sixth sense" for monsters detected a strange vibration, a frequency that didn't match that of a normal person. It was like hearing a beautiful melody muffled by a concrete wall.
〔Zero〕: Go back to your bedroom, Inori. —He said finally, turning her back to hide how her eyes had briefly flashed red.- And don't you ever walk alone at night again. There are things in this school that won't hesitate to tear you apart, no matter who you look like.
Saki stared at his back as he disappeared into the shadows. For a moment, she felt a strange warmth in her chest, as if a part of her, deep down, wanted to say something back to that boy... something she couldn't put into words.