Infuriating.

Rikka growled. It was not often that she'd be stuck on something as simple as this. Gritting her teeth, she scans the computer screen, trying to find out more information on Taiki. It kept giving her irrelevant results.

Takumi: You need help on that, Rikka?

Rikka: Go away.

Takumi pushed his glasses up and gave her his usual serious stare, though a smirk was now playing on his lips. He was mocking her, she knew it and she wanted to throw something at his face, knock off his glasses and hear them crash against the floor preferably. He then sighed and went to the keyboard, ignored her protests and with lightning speed, tapped in a few keys.

Rikka spun around and glared at him as the page loaded.

Rikka: I had it covered.

Takumi: I just spared you another hour of pointless searching. That's all.

Takumi walked away, checking his notebook like always to double-check afternoon activities and Rikka clenched her fist. He was so infuriating sometimes! She gritted her teeth and started printing out materials.

Rikka: Sora-sama, I'll have it done in a bit. 

Sora: No need, Rikka. Take your time and hand it to me at dinner.

Sora stirred from his sofa and walked out of the room, thoughts swirling in his head. Asuka and Taiki had always been the top of his list of problems but now he has to add in this new girl too? Sora ignored the gasps of the usual girls around him and kept on walking, looking right and left. Why Sayuri was so important to the higher-up's plans, he was going to find out.

Confront her.

Asuka sighed and rubbed her eyes. This was getting way out of hand.

As she entered the academy, she went in search of Sayuri. However, she was stopped by a sudden Taiki jumping down from a tree and pinning her to the wall. He was about to lean in to give her a kiss but a sudden gun pressed to his forehead forbid him to.

Taiki: Hello Beautiful

Asuka: What do you want?

Taiki: So there was.. a rumour going on that you and our dear president used to be friends?

Asuka: ... where did you hear that from?

Taiki: Oh there was talk going around.

Asuka: Heh. And you believe such things? Please. I thought that even you would be smarter than that. Guess I was wrong.

Taiki: Why so cold Asuka chan?

Asuka: Why so stupid Taiki senpai? Anyway, i'm looking for my friend so goodbye.

Asuka shoved Taiki off using the gun and holstered it while walking away. She could just barely hear the words from Taiki's mouth.

Taiki: Oh I know you used to be friends... I'll confirm that one way or another.

Guilt

Rikka: So Taiki also followed you?"

Sora didn't even turn around, but I could feel that he was furious.

Rikka: No worries, I didn't listen in on your conversation, I respect peoples privacy and past. Mostly.

I smiled and stroked Shade who was sitting next to me on the couch. In a way I was angry myself, but I kept it inside. I was good at hiding my true feelings.

Rikka: I guess I should apologize, I should have seen him following you, that bastard.

Sora kept silent. I hated it when I didn't know what he was thinking or feeling. I felt guilty, for letting my feelings go through with me and making me careless, I should have known better.

Rikka: If you want I can contact home and find out some information on him?

Holding in everything.

I turned around as Sora entered the council room, before bowing low.

Takumi: Sora sama... you've returned.
Sora: I told you not to call me "sama" when we're alone.
Takumi: But..
Sora: And that is an order.
Takumi: Yes... Sora.

I tried not to smile as I looked at him when he sat on the window-still. To anyone else, he seemed cool, and unconcerned. However, I knew him far better than that. He was upset, his eyes glazed over. I pushed my glasses back up onto the bridge of my nose.

Takumi: I take it things with Asuka-san didn't go so well?
Sora: What do you think?

I knew better than to press the matter further. However, there was something I had to tell him.

Takumi: I spotted Taiki only moments ago. He seemed to have come from the same direction as you. I fear he may have overheard something.
Sora: .... WHAT?!!

He sat bolt upright, his fists clenching. He glared at the wall for a moment, and I shivered as I felt the anger and power radiating from him.

Sora: Find out everything he knows Takumi.

I smiled and bowed before exiting the room.

Takumi: That is my job, Sora-sama.

A past better left forgotten

So where did I leave off again? Oh that's right, I was falling, falling from the clocktower after making my dramatic exit. And while I was falling I saw three small ants. These ants consisted of Takumi, Sora and, well well, Asuka chan.

How interesting. Well it seems like they're talking about something, I just don't know what. Hmm but from they way her lips are moving I think she wants to have a talk with Sora?! Very interesting.

I was so interested in fact that I decided to follow Asuka after she had finished talking to Sayuri chan. But how to go unnoticed. Well for now I'll just follow. And so I followed, making small pockets of compressed air as steps as I went. A neat trick if I do say so myself.

Well as I was hopping along I noticed another peculiar sight, Rikka chan and her cat. Were they curious too? Well not like it matters. I then noticed Asuka chan enter a small thicket. And right on her heels, Sayuri chan. Well I don't blame her I'm doing the same thing too.

I followed the path and found right in front of me a large open green field and, what's this... a barrier? I see, so he can do those things can he. Well it wasn't a surprise, it's pretty obvious that he wants their conversation to be private. I opened a small rift in the barrier and slipped in undetected. Temporal Space Distortion, a neat trick my master taught me, quick, easy and undetectable no matter how powerful you are. Even Sora wouldn't be able to tell.... i hope.

Sora: Brings back memories doesn't it...
Asuka: I didn't bring you here to reminisce about the past Sora.
Sora: Haha... it's been a while since you called me by my first name, Asuka.
Asuka: Stop dreaming Sora... The past is the past
Sora: Don't you wish you could just turn back to that time
Asuka: No... I don't. You and I are different. We were born to destroy each other.
Sora: Guess we'll share this story some other time... So, what is it you want to talk about?
Asuka: I want you to stay away from Sayuri.

Obviously. Well, I've found what I wanted so i'll just be-

Sora: It's not my decision to make... It's hers

Hmm? The barrier broke...

Asuka: Wait!!!

What the- I turned around and nearly crashed into Sora, but I quickly leapt out of the way. But he looked sad... He spun around and his eye glanced at my direction as if he had seen me. But that wasn't possible...

More mysteries to unravel

I hid behind the field of sunflowers. It was tall enough to hide me, and i cast a cloaking spell. Peering through the green stalks, I gazed upon the duo standing under the sakura tree. The scene seemed somewhat.. sad.

Sora closed his eyes and I felt a barrier form around them, just narrowly enclosing behind me. I breathed a sigh of relief. A barrier would be hard to penetrate without alerting the person casting it. Then I paused.

Wait.. how was he able to form a barrier..? My ears pricked up as I heard Asuka's voice.

Asuka: I didn't bring you here to reminisce about the past Sora.
Sora: Haha... it's been a while since you called me by my first name, Asuka.

Asuka? She used to be that close to Sora? I looked at her turn away slightly, fists clenched as though remembering a past better left forgotten.

Asuka: Shh-hut up. You know why I called you here...
Sora: Far too well... it's about Ms. Outori isn't it. I'm sure she has informed you about the Council, but I gave her some time to decide.

I sighed. I knew Asuka would do something like this sooner or later.But.. why now?

Asuka: Stop dreaming Sora... The past is the past
Sora: Don't you wish you could just turn back to that time
Asuka: No... I don't. You and I are different. We were born to destroy each other.

What? What happened between them? I looked at them, staring at each other. Sora seemed somewhat sad, and Asuka, though cold seemed sad herself. She hid it well. I could feel a connection between them. It wasn't a connection of lovers, but more of close friends. I couldn't understand. How was this possible? Asuka hated all vampires with a passion... for a good reason.

They destroyed her.

The feeling of the barrier breaking caught my attention. I looked up again as I saw Sora walk away. His face was stony and tensed. 

Asuka: WAIT!!!

I looked at her face, contorted with anger, passion ... and something else. Regret? Sadness?

Sora kept on walking. But before he went back into the woods, he paused and looked back as though he saw me. I ducked my head and kept it low to hide it from view. After he was gone, I looked back up. Asuka stood there, staring off into the distance. I heard her sigh as she left aswell.

I was alone in the fields of flowers, suffocating in their intoxicating scent.

Coming here hardly answered any of my questions. They turned into even more complicated questions.

What happened between Asuka and Sora?

And more importantly... did I really want to know?

Our Secret

Through the thick forest, past the silent stream and up the deserted hill... silence.... a field of green spread throughout the lands. Wild flowers filled the place; fragile yet strong as they withstood the gentle breeze. A giant Sakura Tree stood at the center, it's majestic petals in full bloom with the scent of spring that filled the air

Under that blossomed tree... she was there waiting for me.

Asuka: You're late, Minami.
Sora: My apologies... Hold on a second... I'll set up a barrier.

I had to make sure this conversation stays private. I closed my eyes and listened to the gentle breeze. It was calm... I remember this place... The place where we first met, and the place where we ended it all. We call it our Garden of Dreams.
Sealed.... The place was locked.

Sora: Brings back memories doesn't it...
Asuka: I didn't bring you here to reminisce about the past Sora.
Sora: Haha... it's been a while since you called me by my first name, Asuka.
Asuka: Shh-hut up. You know why I called you here...
Sora: Far too well... it's about Ms. Outori isn't it. I'm sure she has informed you about the Council, but I gave her some time to decide.
Asuka: I won't allow her to join your kind

My kind... those words rang like a chime in the spring breeze. It happened two years ago... we were just about to finish junior high. I used to come here when the stress was too much and just lie on the grassy plains to clear my mind. We met her by accident when she stumbled upon the area.

Asuka: Stop dreaming Sora... The past is the past
Sora: Don't you wish you could just turn back to that time
Asuka: No... I don't. You and I are different. We were born to destroy each other.
Sora: Guess we'll share this story some other time... So, what is it you want to talk about?
Asuka: I want you to stay away from Sayuri.

Another one to bring up this matter. Why can't they accept the fact that I don't have any say in this. It was decided by the higher-ups. I turned my back on her and walked away...

Sora: It's not my decision to make... It's hers

I made my point... I released the barrier and made my escape

Asuka: Wait!!!

Before she could continue... I was gone... But, I could sense someone else was there with Asuka.. A familiar scent.