∆ Clock Strikes SEVEN

A/N: Ayato seemed like a boy going through puberty... he's moody. My reason is he hates it when he's not in control; to think that Kizuna is his "life". Nah, he'll get better when he knows Kizuna well... I guess. NO ONE'S READING THIS ANYWAY SO I CAN DO WHAT I WANT WITH THIS HAHAH

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I yawned and landed my head on the table. 'Your tutor's late.' I said out loud. Ayato was staring into nothing, probably thinking (which is rare).

I poked his arm. 'What are you thinking?'

'Things.' He replied simply.

'Yeah,' I said. 'Like, what things?'

'How could you possibly be the seventh sin's bearer?' He answered without glancing at me.

'What is that? If you're talking about Botticelli Inferno's kind of seven deadly sins, then I'm not a sloth or a prideful woman or even, a glutton. But if you're talking about a different kind of seven deadly sins, I have no idea.' I retorted.

He stared at me for a few seconds before averting his gaze to the door as it was opened. Kotarou, Ayato's tutor walked in and waved his hand at us. Ayato and I shared a glance, ignoring his overly cheerful gesture. I stood and left them after patting Ayato on his shoulder.

Hirari wasn't on duty so I exited the library and went to the next block. It was quite peaceful since there weren't many classes on going. As I reached the staircase, I saw Shuu sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, his eyes closed. I guess he's asleep.

'Do you want the book?' he suddenly spoke and I jumped in surprise, shrieking slightly.

'Please don't scare me like that,' I muttered and knelt beside him. 'What book by the way?'

He opened an eye and looked at me from the corner of it. 'The book you stole from the library.' He answered.

I pursed my lips into a thin line and looked away. 'I didn't actually intend to steal it. It was a panicking situation, but sure, where is it?'

He got up and started walking. I followed him. Further along the corridor, we reached the music room. He withdrew a key from his pocket and unlocked it. 'Wow, you own this room?' I asked.

He didn't reply and entered. The music room had that peaceful aura and I smiled. Shuu unlocked a cabinet and reached inside. He handed me the book. I blinked and took it.

'Can you read it?'

I flipped the pages open and recognized the symbols. There weren't any words, any kind of languages one would know. It's a series of special symbols created by a small community whom I know. 'No.' I lied.

'Your mother taught you those. Don't lie.' His husky voice made me gave up pretending.

'Yeah, I can read most of it, although not as quickly as how I read Japanese.' I said and looked up at him.

He heaved out a sigh and gestured me to a few seats by the grand piano. I sat on one chair and he sat behind me. 'Read it out loud.' He demanded.

I frowned. 'Why?'

'Because I say so.'

I rolled my eyes and started at the first page. 'Of all the cures every cursed ones are searching for, here is the answer. To the one who suffered painless wound but will die a painful death, to the one who is still wandering around the Earth because of the eternal soul, to the one who had travelled to people's dreams and still do, to the one who has been a headless man all these time, to the one who came from the dead, to the sacrificed mortal, and to those who bear the seven deadly sins' curses.'

I flipped the page and turned to Shuu. 'I thought this is a fictional story but the feeling I get from reading this book feels like this thing is real.' I said.

'It is real.'

I shifted my gaze back to the symbols on the book. 'You will all meet and gather under the red moonlight—' I looked at Shuu. 'Wait... if there is an eternal soul, isn't that you and your brothers? And other vampires I mean. Vampires are eternal, right?'

'Eternal soul of a mortal.' He retorted and I nodded in understanding.

Before I could read further, a loud explosion caught my attention. I frowned and glanced at Shuu. He didn't seem to bother. I went to the window to see. 'Is that Ayato?!' I yelled and Shuu stood beside me.

He gazed at the situation outside. 'Seems like his tutor is not a human after all.' Shuu said quietly. The tutor, or demon to be precise, grew three horns and his size increased to 4 times larger than his human size. Kotarou had transformed right in front of my eyes.

'Shouldn't we help him?' I asked. 'Ayato looks like he's about to die from exhaustion.'

'And how are you going to help him?'

I blinked. 'Well... chase the demon away or something—or rather, you should go help him! You're his brother!' I turned to him.

He stared at me for a long time before walking away. I looked outside and saw Shuu in front of Ayato, warding off the demon. Now I'm wondering if the curse binding Ayato and me has something to do with his constant fatigue.

In a second, the demon disintegrated into thin air and Shuu disappeared along with Ayato. I waited on the seat and flipped the pages on the book.

'I think the curse demands you to give him your blood.' Someone spoke. I looked up from the book and frowned.

'Who are you?' I queried when a lady in a dark purple frilly dress lined with black silk, two ponytails on either side of her head, walked in.

She tilted her head then grinned. Her purple lipstick matched her white, clean teeth. 'Gemini.'

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Ayato groaned in pain and panted, cradling his head on one hand. 'It's her.' He spoke and Shuu looked at him, a bored expression spread across his face.

'Who?'

Ayato stood properly, holding back his groans. 'Gemini.' He replied grimly and exited the gym, straight to the music room. 'She's in your room, Shuu!' he called out, knowing the room is too precious to Shuu for him to let Gemini in.

It worked. Shuu clicked his tongue and arrived in the music room in a blink. 'Wow, nice timing, Shuu.' Kizuna acknowledged his presence. She was holding up a chair, ready to throw it to Gemini, who was grinning without fail. Ayato arrived.

'Hello there, redhead.' Gemini turned to him and gave him a seductive smile. She went to him but Ayato took a few steps back and towards Kizuna. 'Get out of my room, bitch.' Shuu hissed and Kizuna looked at him, wide-eyed.

'Aww, Shuu, you actually cursed,' Gemini giggled. 'How could you shove me away like that? Don't you remember when you s—'

'I said OUT!' Shuu yelled and with a glare, the windows cracked and Gemini was thrown, her back colliding with the door. She winced. Kizuna gulped audibly. Ayato merely watched. He'd dealt enough with Gemini. Shuu rarely explodes in anger but when he does, don't say anything. Just act like you aren't there.

Gemini smirked and got up, brushing her back as she did. 'You two look alike for some reasons.' Gemini squinted her eyes at me. I raised a brow.

Shuu glanced at me. 'Out, Gemini.' He ordered.

'I'll kill her and make you suffer, Sakamaki Ayato, Sakamaki Shuu.' She glared and left.

-

Gemini left the room, most likely afraid of Shuu.

'She's kind of cute.' I commented as I turned to face Shuu, who was breathing heavily, crowded with anger... or revenge.

'You mean those stupid ponytails? She looked like a doll who'd just undergone exorcism.' Ayato snorted.

'Who is she? She looks like someone who knows you all.' I questioned.

Shuu immediately left the room and I looked up at Ayato but instead of answering my question, he grabbed my arm and dragged me out. 'We're getting some Takoyaki, I'm hungry.' He said.

I didn't want to bother over Gemini so I brushed the thought of her off and followed wherever Ayato was going to bring me. 'So your tutor was a demon, eh? Do you think the teacher will wonder where he is?' I asked again.

Ayato clicked his tongue in annoyance and glanced at some women passing by. 'Who knows?' He replied nonchalantly, shrugging.

I suddenly remembered about what Gemini had said. 'Hey, you can suck my blood if you want... I mean if it doesn't hurt you. You seem really tired. Besides, all I felt was that tickling sensation instead of this agonizing moment I expected.' I spoke.

He quickly turned his head. 'I'm not tired. And no, sucking your blood will hurt you, so it'll hurt me as well. The curse got stronger every single time we're apart.' He said.

'Wow,' I nodded. 'Seems like a movie alright.'

'We need to find a way out,' he frowned. 'Maybe starting from you. Your background... where were you born?'

I inflated my cheeks and folded my arms across my chest. 'I was born in Manchester City, in the year 2000 B.C.'

Ayato glared and I laughed. 'Okay, okay. I was born in Kyoto.'

We stopped by a Takoyaki stall and he ordered two boxes. I doubt the other one is for me, since he is a glutton when it comes to his favorite food. Since he is a regular customer, the staller grinned; telling him it'd be done in 40 seconds. He knew Ayato was coming. After thanking and paying the man, we resumed walking by the sidewalk, towards the school.

'Father's origin and mother's origin.' He demanded.

I tilted my head to the left slightly. 'Hmm, my father was a police, and my mother was a chemist in a perfume company... I think that's all.'

'How about their names?'

'My father's Toshio, and my mother's name is Beatrix.'

'What?' he yelled slightly and I flinched.

'What?' I returned the question.

'Your mother is a vampire?'

'What? No. I just told you, she was a chemist, no connections to vampires whatsoever!'

'Listen, Beatrix is Shuu and Reiji's mother too.'

I shook my head. 'My mother's not the only one with the name Beatrix.'

'I know. But it's possible considering why you're cursed. It's only that I don't know why your mother would do that.'

'My mother is not a vampire! I'm not even a half vampire so it's not possible!'

Ayato frowned.

'Actually, it is possible.' Reiji appeared and we looked at him. I bit my lower lip.

'It's because of her genes, right?' Ayato said.

'Yes. Beatrix was a vampire even before she met Karl Heinz. You, Kizuna, as the daughter are a human because Beatrix had this weird genes complication. For some reasons, her dominant alleles just won't match with any other allele. Why is it possible? I have yet to discover that.

'Because of that, you only receive the recessive allele from her and your dominant alleles are from your father, who's a human. Therefore, you're completely a human since recessive allele of a vampire doesn't function in giving vampire traits to offspring.' Reiji explained.

I went silent and looked away.

'But why can't you guys suck my blood?' I said quietly.

'That, you have to read the book to find out.' Shuu appeared. We all turned to him. He tossed the book to me and I caught it with two hands.

'If you knew, you should tell us.' I said.

'I don't,' Shuu replied. 'Only the cursed can read.'

I heaved out a sigh. 'Okay, but are you guys going to watch me read or what?'

'Just read it, idiot.' Ayato said.

'Fine.'

**** WRAPPED ****

A/N: You are free to contact me in case of plot complications or ridiculous plot.

By my leave, mortals