Bloody Petals

Chapter 16

"Chairman." Zero called to Cross across the bed. The man didn't stir from his sleep. "I know you're awake." The teen sat up on his own bed, looking at the Chairman's back. "Why did you let her transfer here? Why did you let Maria Kurenai... No, Shizuka Hiou, transfer here?" He sighed when Cross still didn't stir. He smirked before he added something that could definitely wake Cross up. "Aido is here, by the way. He's sharing a room with Yuuki."

"What did you say!?! MY DAUGHTER!!" The Chairman immediately bolted out of bed, only to realize that Zero was probably messing with him. "A-Ah, I'm not awake. I'm still sleeping... only sleep talking..."

"I know right from the start that you're awake." Zero scowled. "Why don't you want to tell me anything, Chairman? Is it because you don't trust me?" Cross returned to his bed and lay on his back, though he didn't pretend that he's sleeping anymore. Instead, he looked sideways so he was facing Zero. "Oh, and I was serious when I said Aido's here." Cross arched an eyebrow at that. "He said he didn't want to be in the same building as Maria, or rather, Shizuka."

Cross sighed before he smiled sheepishly. "If you already know that much, what's the point of asking?"

"I just want to confirm things, Chairman." Zero furrowed his eyebrows. "If that woman is really Shizuka Hiou, then why can't I feel anything towards her? I thought that she'd be able to make me obey without any will, like how we thought all turned vampires would be. But I can't even feel any connection."

Cross looked at Zero sadly before he closed his eyes. It's because there wasn't any connection to begin with. "Zero-kun... It's not that I don't want to tell you. It's just that... I don't think we're both ready to talk about it yet. I myself am having trouble trying to be calm right now. It's not that I don't trust you, Zero-kun. It's just... not that simple to tell you." He opened his eyes again, hoping against all odds that Zero would at least try to understand him.

Zero also lay on his back on the bed next to Cross's, facing the ceiling above while he mulled on those words. What did Cross mean by that? Did that mean that his past wasn't so simple, just like how he thought it was? Now that he thought about it, Kaname did say that the records about his past were somehow hidden or erased by someone. "I know you're close to me in the past, Chairman. Even if I can't remember much..."

Cross smiled sadly. "Yes, I was so close to you back then. Your father also often told me that. But you're still closer to him than to me." He closed his eyes again before he heaved a deep sigh, readying himself for the revelation he was about to make. "I'm... your mother's... older brother."

Zero's eyes widened as he immediately sat on his bed. "Wha-What did you just say..?"

The older male also sat up. "I'm your mother's, Kara Cross's, older brother, Kaien Cross." He saw how Zero's expression turned from shocked to pained. "Zero-kun... I'm sorry for not telling you all this time."

Zero just sat there, staring at him with those pained eyes. Now that the teen thought about it, Cross did look like his mother. He also had long silky brunette hair, light chocolate and kind eyes, fair skin, and hunter ability. It's already too obvious that it's also too natural for him to not even think about it anymore, making it slip from his grasp with much ease. "...Why..?" He could feel his insides flaring. "Why did you hide that fact from me? All this time..."

"Like I said, Zero-kun... it's not that simple." Cross looked pleading as he stood up from his bed and joined the teen on the other bed. "I'm not actually allowed to tell you... The Association has forbidden me to tell you anything. I'm not even allowed to see you." He cupped Zero's cheek with his cold and trembling palm before he let his tears all out, surprising the younger male a lot. "Imagine my happiness, Zero-kun, when Yagari told me that you'll be studying in this school. The Association that has separated me from you for ten whole years allowed me to see you once again! That's why... I couldn't tell you... since you're here... not because you also want to see me. But because you have a mission that centers on me and Kuran-kun."