Finding My Way

Chapter 23

Toga Yagari throws himself into a stool at his favorite bar. What a day, he thinks.

After the meetings earlier that night, he needed a drink. As he waits for the bartender, he remembers the interaction he had with Zero before making his way to town.

Zero had pulled him aside after the meeting and said, "I never knew. About your fiancée being turned intentionally." He looks down. "I'm sorry."

Yagari had clapped Zero on the back and replied, "I know. Me too."

There hadn't been much to say after that. He'd thought about apologizing to Zero about keeping more secrets from him, but he couldn't find the words.

So he went for a drink.

"This seat taken?" a cool female voice asks.

Yagari turns and almost fell out of his stool.

Seiren stood in front of him, a hand poised to pull out the stool beside him so she could sit down.

His mouth turns up into a grin. "Ready for our drinking competition, then?"

"Something like that," she replies, sitting down.

The bartender, who hadn't taken Yagari's order yet, appears and asks them what they want. Seiren orders two beers for them.

"So, come here often?" Yagari asks. "I've never seen you here before."

"This is my first time," she says. Nothing else. A woman of few words.

A few moments later, the drinks appear.

"Now, we're talking!" Yagari exclaims. "I didn't know they had glasses this size."

The beer glasses in front of them seem as long as his forearm.

"Are we sipping or chugging?" he asks Seiren.

In response, she grabs her beer, throws her head back, and drinks deeply. Yagari watches her until he realizes that she plans to drain the glass and hurries to catch up with her. He can't be left behind, after all.

Seiren slams her glass on the counter. She cocks her head at Yagari inquisitively.

Yagari signals the bartender for more.

---

After Zero's conversation with Yagari, he needs to talk to someone else he isn't particularly eager to talk to. He looks around the room. With the exception of Yagari and the headmaster, who'd said he needed to go do some work in his office, the rest of the vampires linger in the room.

Zero really doesn't want to talk to Kaname. But he has no choice. He starts to make his way over to Kaname, but then out of the corner of his eye notices Takuma. He stops, looking at Takuma. I could ask him, Zero realizes, Takuma is the Dorm Vice President and probably knows. Zero decides to try Takuma first.

Zero approaches Takuma, who is in conversation with Rima Toya. At Zero's approach, they break off, looking at him.

"Do you know where Maria is?" Zero asks Takuma.

Takuma frowns. "She went home after term ended."

"And she's there now?" Zero asks.

"As far as I know," Takuma replies.

Zero nods his thanks and turns around to find Yuki standing behind him. Kaname is a few feet behind her. Great.

"I heard what you asked Takuma," she says. "Kaname can get you her address, if you'd like."