"I would be chasing you if you were running about, Masaru-chan. Hey, don't get any ideas-" he rapped her head gently, shaking his head at the young girl. Almost laughing out loud at the beaming expression she wore. It was contagious, the joy she spread around, especially to him. He couldn't help but ruffle her hair again, this time avoiding the neat little ribbons and bows she had tied onto her hair, messing the long blonde locks about. Kin always loved to do that to his little sister.
"You are sensible enough to know this isn't the time time to run around. You do not want the Headmaster to get angry at your on your first day of school, no?" He could never stay angry at Masaru for long. There was something about her that was endearing, something about her that could truly make him smile a real smile. Not a fake, icy turn of the lips like the others, or the cruel smirk that was the trademark of their father. With her, he could laugh and joke, shout and cry.
The Shirabuki heir's eyes softened, filled with adoration and love, as he felt his palm graze across her cheek before she was nestling against it. The pad of his thumb brushed across his sister's face, pale and soft skin, before he drew it away to take hold of her much smaller hand. For someone with her active personality, she had very cute hands. Not marred by scars, nails like little pink seashells that he remembered would sometimes be stained with the colors of the rainbow, Masaru getting out of hand with her painting. Her little hand was warm in his, and he laced his fingers through hers, nodding at her suggestion.
"Yes, let's. I know you will tell me how much fun your classes were just like usual." Kin recalled the days he would visit her, blinking at the many drawings she had drew in his absence, or curling up beside him to tell him what she had learnt that day.
"Since you are going to music lessons, why not play a few pieces for me one day?"
Just as he was about to suggest a few songs for his sister to play, a male voice interrupted him. In an instance, Kin's warmth disappeared, replaced with a stern and colder mask, the one he put on for anyone who didn't matter to him. His father... and strangers. He turned to see a young man approaching him, golden eyes locking with scarlet ones. He narrowed his eyes at the stranger. Cross Institute was a school, after all. Unlike homeschooling and tutors, he was going to have to interact with other students. Why this one boy decided to speak to
them out of all people was beyond Kin. Did he not know who they were? His hand on Masaru tightened as he spoke, making sure she wasn't about to throw herself at the chance at interaction with another person.
"Good day, Fukui-san." He greeted the young man politely, wary with his presence. It was a vampire hunter, he could tell just by looking at the young man. Unfortunately not a person he and Masaru would have had run-ins with.
"I am Kin, from the Shirabuki clan. What brings you here...?" At his words, the young heir merely glared at him, though his face remained as calm and passive as possible.
"I would not consider myself 'lonely', after all I was speaking to my sister."
A new voice called out, Kin's head spinning to see what looked like faculty member and a girl cowering beside him with long grey hair. A human and an ex-human... he sighed. Talking to three others was simply too many for the heir. Socialising was not his forte. Grumbling to himself, he guided Masaru towards the voice, face stern and uncaring. Emotionless like a white slate.
"What is it?"
Location: In front of Cross Institute
@Hana (Sayuri Shiki)
"Red is red, and fire is red, right?" he asked her, tilting his head at the red-haired woman. "Interesting? Really?" Akihiko wasn't sure if she was complimenting him, but judging from her voice it seemed to be. There was no malice behind it. Was he really an interesting person? He had never heard his siblings refer to him as such, nor the elders in his family nor the villagers on the mountains. He considered himself very mundane as a member of the Tsuruoka family, especially as one of the youngest. Just a boy who followed orders and trained as hard as he could. "Haha, thanks. I have never been called 'interesting' before. To me you are pretty interesting too, miss!" Standing in front of her in traditional silks, compared to her more modern clothing was a little embarrassing. But he puffed up his chest and mustered up his courage. He wasn't about to just run away from a girl.
Akihiko's eyes widened at the chance, golden irises growing at the opportunity. "You would do that for me? A stranger? Waah~ you are so kind. And have a warm-heart!" he exclaimed. They say one's personality can be shown through their appearance. Though Akihiko often found it ironic whenever he looked at himself, black hair but with golden eyes like an eagle, to this pretty woman it seemed to fit very well. A passionate and caring heart... red was a color of passion, was it not? And her hair reflected that nature. "I would love it if you showed me around, thank you so much!"
There was something familiar about her surname, the young man taking more than few seconds to realize it was an Aristocratic sister family to the Kurans. Names like Rido Kuran and Senri Shiki appeared in his mind, as taught and told by the elders in his family. "A Shiki? I am guessing you know of my family... then? The Tsuruoka's have served the Kurans since we were founded. My grandfather says that we were like assassins in the past."
"W- Wait a second. Laoshi, you don't have to-" But it was too late. Lihua found herself shrinking beside the teacher as he called out for two nearby Purebloods. She could tell just by the way the others avoided them and the aura that they gave off. It was powerful and eerie and too similar to that person. The girl shuddered. "Do I really have to make friends with Purebloods?" she said, fidgeting. She may be cheerful around people, Purebloods were the exception. Where was that boy that was supposed to be her guardian? She looked about, hoping he would turn up at the corner and come to her rescue. That was what the Headmaster had told her, right? He had told her that she needed to be supervised due to her condition, but that he wouldn't affect her school life. Nevertheless, she had never met him yet. Nor did she know his name. Was this guardian even at the school?
The way the Pureblood with the golden hair glared at her, examining Lihua as if she was an item scared her. He looked unfriendly and uncaring of the world around him, like the last thing he wanted was to be there. She swallowed, finding herself breaking into a cold sweat the more she looked at him. He was beautiful, as all of his kind were. But that didn't fool her, none of them did. They were dangerous creatures.
On the other hand, the girl standing beside him looked much friendlier. Their features were similar, so she wondered if they were siblings or just close relatives. Compared to the boy, she wore an expression Lihua would often wear herself. She looked happy and cheery, a person happy to be going to school at last. Timidly, she waved a hand at the girl. "Hello, there." Her voice was low and shy, and she was pointedly avoiding looking at either of them.
The doors swung open from the young man's push, revealing a spacious study. Tall bookcases lined the walls along with different paintings and fixtures of lamps attached to holders, yet unlit. At the opposite end of the entrance, casting a shadow from the lone light in the room, was the wide and heavy oak desk of the father. Behind it he sat, in his tall and roomy armchair, his golden eyes affixed to his two children. His lips curved up in a mimicry of a smile. "I am glad to see you two are well, especially my… Lovely daughter." Masaru stiffened slightly under his smile, before returning it with a shy, timid one. "Do come in and take your seats, Kin-chan, Masaru-chan… We have much to discuss." His gaze lingered for a second on the siblings' hands.
