Zero's POV

Ichiru and I ran around the park looking for someone in particular. We told her we'd be back yet she isn't here. Ichiru sighed and collapsed on the gravel beneath us, obviously very disappointed.

"I was really hoping she'd be here," he pouted. "She was so nice the other day. I really hope we can see her again."

"Maybe she's stuck at the orphanage up the street," I suggested.

"How do you know she's an orphan?" Ichiru asked.

"Well, for starters, she was all alone," I said. "Wouldn't she have been with her parents? Or around them?"

"I guess you have a point," my twin mumbled. "What if she doesn't remember us? What if she got adopted and we'll never see her again? If you're correct about Makoto being an orphan that is."

"She remembers us, Ichiru. We stood up for her when those kids were picking on her and she seemed to open up to us a lot, despite being really shy—"

A voice suddenly boomed in the distance.

"Zero, Ichiru!" father exclaimed. "It's time to go!"

Ichiru quickly stood and we raced towards our parents together, side by side.

"Okaa-san, we couldn't find her," I said sadly.

"I'm sorry you two," mother said as she ruffled with our hair. "Maybe she's busy doing something else right now. Speaking of being busy, you two have a lesson with Mr. Yagari that'll start soon."

Ichiru and I frowned as we continued to walk in the direction of our teacher's estate. Instead of training at the Vampire Hunter Academy, our parents decided to have us train under the watchful eye of Toga Yagari, a skilled Vampire Hunter.

Within minutes we were at our teachers front door. Mother rang the doorbell and seconds later the door opened.

"Glad you could make it," Toga said. "We've been waiting for you."

"Sorry, Toga. We got a little....sidetracked," mother giggled nervously.

"I'm sorry, sensei," Ichiru mumbled apologetically. "I insisted we stop at the park to see if one of our friends was there...."

"And what friend would that be?" Toga asked.

"Makoto Hajime. She was so nice the other day..."

Toga's expression hardened and I heard our parents whispering behind my brother and I.

"That surname...." mother mumbled. "It can't be but that aura I felt...."

I turned just in time to see father nod.

"That family never had a daughter," father said. "It must be just a coincidence."

"Anyway," mother said as she shifted her attention towards us. "We'll be back in a few hours after your training is over. Make sure to have fun!"

Mother and father walked off the porch as Ichiru and I walked inside. We headed towards our teacher's study and we awaited his arrival. When he arrived he opened up a secret passageway to where we always had our lessons.

As soon as we stepped foot in the room an arm wrapped around Ichiru's neck. I turned and saw a girl, another student of Toga's, giggling as she held my brother in her grasp.

"Hey, stop it, Harumi!" Ichiru exclaimed as he was trying his best to get free.

"C'mon, Ichiru, you gotta be ready for anything," she giggled, releasing my brother from her grasp. "I've had to practice all alone for the past twenty minutes so you deserved it anyway."

I noticed Toga walking in with two wooden swords in hand. I sighed - using swords wasn't really my forte. I saw Harumi grin as she took one of the swords from Sensei's hands. He handed the other to me.

"Today we will be practicing one on one combat. Harumi and Zero will go first and Ichiru you are to observe."

"Yes, Sensei," Ichiru mumbled.

Let the training begin.

***

After a few hours it was finally time for our break. We had sandwiches and water to replenish our energy for the rest of the day. After training with Toga we'd go home and study for a bit with our parents, so the day was never really done after we leave Sensei's house.

"I heard that you have a younger sister now, Harumi," Ichiru said shyly. "Congrats. You must be happy...or..."

Harumi laughed slightly under her breath. "It's fine, Ichiru. I wasn't as lucky as you and Zero were. I wish my twin had survived, but now I have a younger sister that I love so much. She's great."

"What's she like?" I asked.

"Well...she's had a rough start with her life but it's getting better for her. She likes living with us already. She's opening up." Harumi paused for a second as a slight frown appeared on her face. "Although she doesn't know that we hunt vampires. I'm afraid of what she'll think when she finds out. Will she think we're bad people?"

"I'm sure she'll understand, Harumi. Although I've been wondering why your parents decided to adopt a normal human girl. Usually, the best vampire hunters are born into families and your family is pretty elite so I figured..."

Harumi's face turned pale for a moment. She quickly spread a smile on her face and said, "Haha and your family isn't elite either. My mother and father are kind-hearted so I'm sure it didn't matter to them."

"When will we meet this sister of yours?" Ichiru asked.

Harumi pondered for a second. "Well, you can come over to my house after we're done here. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind but please don't mention anything about...well...this."

Ichiru nodded and bit into his sandwich. I wasn't really hungry; so I just let it sit on my plate.

Harumi stood with her cup and plate in-hand. "You guys are really going to like her. Apparently, you know each other."

"Hm?" I looked up at Harumi. "Who would that be then?"

"You helped her in the park a few days ago. Her name is Makoto, remember?"

Ichiru's eyes went wide and so did mine. So that's why Makoto wasn't in the park today. She was adopted...by Harumi's parents no less! After wondering how she has been doing all this time, we'll be able to see her!

I smiled.