[READ BEFORE READING STORY] A/N: Hey-o. I'm back. Please be patient for my other VK fanfic, I will definitely finish that one in good time. Now, I came up with this baby probably sometime after I wrote chapter 2 of A Game Called Hide and Seek. Just a quick note, alright, in this fic, Ichiru does not choose to go with Shizuka the night she murdered the Kiryuu hunters and is instead living with the Cross family along with his brother, Zero. Another note, he doesn't drink Shizuka's blood, therefore he's physically weak, as he should be. This is my take on the brotherly love that could have been, without Shizuka ruining everything.

Please bear with me if ever there are repetitions of words and grammar mistakes. I didn't really edit it much. I did it out of fun. Haha! Hope you like it, mmm? Review even if you didn't, okay? REVIEWWWW.

Vampire Knight is Matsuri Hino's, not mine.

Different

A Vampire Knight fanfic

There would always be sadness in Zero Kiryuu's eyes. There would always be sadness in Ichiru Kiryuu's twin brother's eyes, except for that one solitary moment.

"Zero," he sighed, observing him from his seat just a row above him. The elder twin nestled his head within his arms on his desk. He didn't respond when Ichiru called his name. "What's wrong with you? Isn't there a day wherein you're actually happy for once?"

His brother exhaled deeply and slowly shifted from his seat to face him. "No, thank you very much for asking, Ichiru."

Ichiru pursed his lips and leaned in closer to him, only inches away. Zero widened his eyes and placed his hand over the younger boy's face. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"I can't exactly explain that quite properly when you're blocking the air passage to my nostrils and muffling my speech," Ichiru attempted replying, which came out a little hard to make out. Zero's hand flew out and back into place when he heard the sound of footsteps echoing in the classroom. Once Ichiru's vision was back, a petite, young dark-haired girl immediately came into the picture, waving her arm enthusiastically at both of the identical Kiryuus. Her eyes had some light in them, somewhat brightening the drizzling aura Zero gave out. She smiled gleefully while Ichiru smiled back.

Yuuki Cross giggled, greeting them. "Good morning, Zero-kun, Ichiru-kun!"

Zero remained silent, only acknowledging her with a nod. His twin was different from him, though.

"'Morning there, Yuuki-chan!" he grinned, propping his elbows up and resting his face within his hands. "You seem happier than usual. Anything happened today?"

"Nope, you know this is just how I usually am, Ichiru-kun," she responded, with the same level of enthusiasm. Ichiru found it rather inspiring. It was also a bit amusing to him how much his little conversation with her (and flirting, he ponders) ended up irking his brother much. Ichiru could tell he was gritting his teeth by the way his hands were now clenched into fists.

He tilted his head to his right, observing the prefect from head to toe. "Well, I'm glad to hear that, dear."

She skeptically raised an eyebrow once the younger Kiryuu twin motioned his finger for her to come to him, although she climbed up the steps to where his row was. Zero glared at him, his expression screaming out, what in bloody hell's name are you up to now, Ichiru? To that,Ichiru merely smiled mischievously as an answer.

Once Yuuki was about two feet away from him, he abruptly grabbed her wrist and pulled her nearer, causing her to fall on his lap. A gasp emitted from her lips as he did so, locking her in his arms. His twin brother's jaw clenched even more when he put a hand to her nape and whispered something in her ear; something Zero would die to know about. Yuuki pulled back and straightened herself up.

"If that's all you wanted, then you could have just asked me without doing all that," she laughed, scratching her head shyly. A faint blush was left on her cheeks, which made Ichiru happier and Zero, fuming. The sensei entered, and Yuuki looked at the younger twin, continuing, back in her normal, jolly mood, "Well, I'll see you after school then, Ichiru-kun! I can't wait!"

He gave her a sure smile before she rushed back to her seat, rows below him and Zero. Zero then slowly turned his head, hissing at him. "Is this your idea of trying to get me out of my bad mood?"

"Oh, dear me, what did I do wrong now?" Ichiru pondered quietly.

"Did you just ask Yuuki out?" he whispered fiercely. His brother nodded, smugly grinning.

Zero buried his fingernails into his own flesh, making Ichiru wonder if his arm would bleed when he released them.

Ichiru asked silently, "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, not at all," he answered with gritted teeth.

But Ichiru knew better than that.

He never really told his brother, but he's always known Zero was in love with Yuuki Cross. It was obvious to him when he saw that faint spark of hope in Zero's eyes once the female prefect would enter our classroom. Yuuki was too dense to realize the things Ichiru has seen, but then again, he never really did anything about it either.

Not until today.

"Yuuki-chaaaan!" he sang as sensei dismissed them from classes. "You still remember our little date, right?"

Zero muttered unintelligible things, while Yuuki gave her brightest grin. "Of course I remember! Let me go freshen up a bit and I'll meet you at the Chairman's place, okay?"

"Sure thing, Yuuki-chan," he winked. She giggled, walking out of the room with Yori by her side. He let his sight linger at the doorway before shifting it to the other silver-haired boy.

"Ichiru…" he murmured darkly.

"Yes, brother dearest?"

"You do know I could hit you right now."

He chuckled. "I know. But you wouldn't."

Zero stood up, gathering his things. Before he left the classroom, his twin suddenly spoke.

"And Zero?"

"What?"

"You should do something about the things you want," he smirked. "Before someone else comes to take them away."

The elder Kiryuu said nothing and merely rolled his eyes in annoyance, storming off, leaving Ichiru alone in the room to wonder about what he's about to do.

"Ichiru-kun," started Yuuki, holding onto his arm as they glided through the crowd. "Tell me again why you want to bring me shopping for groceries."

There was apparent anxiety in her expression once she saw her companion slowly grin. "Oh, we're not shopping for groceries, Yuuki-chan."

"Eh?!" she exclaimed, letting go of him and pausing in the middle of the sidewalk. Ichiru chuckled at her reaction.

"Calm down, it's not like I'm going to kidnap you or something. We're shopping, but it's not for groceries."

"Then for what?"

The silver-haired boy exhaled in exasperation. "Idiot, what do girls shop for?!"

"Uhm. Shoes?"

"Closer."

"Bags?"

"Just a little more."

"Haaaats?"

"Dear lord, Yuuki, I'm buying you a new dress, okay?"

She narrowed her eyes as she stared up at Ichiru. "What are you talking about? A dress? Why would I want a dress?"

He folded his arms and smirked. "Because you're going to dinner with me tomorrow evening. Zero tells me you don't have any formal attire, so I'm bringing you out here to pick one out for yourself. I want you to look nice, since I booked the two of us at an extremely fancy restaurant."

Yuuki couldn't believe what she was hearing. That stuck-up bastard.

"WHAT?! This wasn't part of the deal, Ichiru-kun! I said I was going to do errands with you this afternoon, and now you tell me we're going to have dinner tomorrow night?! I am not going to do that," she growled, raising an angry fist in the air. "You don't do that to girls! YOU JUST DON'T."

She got even more furious once Ichiru began laughing. Her fist soon zoomed to his cheek.

"Don't you laugh at me, you ass--," Yuuki paused when Ichiru blocked her blow with a strong hand. He may have been weaker than the average boy due to his constant sick condition, but he had enough strength to stand up to a girl much, much smaller than he was.

His tone was now more gentle and calming, and his voice had no trace of malice or insult. "C'mon Yuuki, I already paid for it and planned it out. It doesn't have to mean anything. It's just you and me, as friends, and nothing more than that. What's wrong with treating a friend out to dinner?"

"It seems like a date to me," she muttered. "Can't you bring another girl or something?"

"No, I want to go out with you. Please, Yuuki?"

Exasperated, she sighed. "Why me?"

"You're one of my best friends, and you've done so much to protect and take care of me and Zero. Is it wrong to return the favor?" Ichiru asked sincerely. "One dinner. That's all I'm asking for. It'll be fun, I promise."

Yuuki slapped her hand to her forehead and ran it down her face. "ONE dinner."

"Thank you!" he replied in honest gratitude. He continued walking and pulled the brunette girl beside him. "Now let's go find you a nice dress."

"Can't we bring Zero along to this restaurant thing?" she wondered, thinking about how the latter twin would feel about her going out with Ichiru alone.

"No, I only reserved a table for two, sorry."

"Ugh. You may be brothers, but sometimes, you're so different from him. Zero would never force me to do something I don't want to do."

Yuuki observed her other silver-haired friend's expression. He wore a smile, yet she found it hard to decipher. Usually, she could read Ichiru like a book, since he put whatever he felt on his face. Now, Yuuki was just plain confused on what Ichiru really had in mind. What she knew for sure that he was up to something. She pondered whether it would result to something good…or horrible.

Ichiru's grin merely grew. "Trust me Yuuki, you'll end up thanking me in the end."

"I bet I'll end up trying to slap that smug face of yours, and succeeding this time," Yuuki laughed darkly. She was joking, but she considered doing it if ever Ichiru was trying anything funny on her. She looked up at him, and now his gaze was far from hers. She followed it, and it fell on a shop window, displaying a mannequin wearing one of the most elegant-looking gowns she has ever seen. Ichiru's head slowly turned back to look at Yuuki, who continuously shook her own.

"Yes," said Ichiru.

"No," retorted Yuuki.

"Yessssss," Ichiru persisted, already pulling her off her feet and rushing to the store.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

The younger Kiryuu twin scratched his neck impatiently. "Yo, Yuuki. You done yet?"

"Putting this thing on by myself isn't easy, Kiryuu!" she shouted back, buttoning the back of the dress. "I can barely breathe with it!"

Ichiru folded his arms and chuckled, teasing her. Oh, how he loved teasing Yuuki. "So you want me to come in there then? I don't mind."

Yuuki snorted. "Ichiru Kiryuu, you pig."

"You know you still love me like that, my sweet," he called back, still leaning comfortably against the dressing room's door. Yuuki gritted her teeth. She knew both Ichiru and Zero well. She knew Ichiru was only conceited on the outside, but she knew, inside of him, was an insecure young man tired of being the lesser twin compared to his elder brother. And Zero…well, he had his own problems regarding what he is.

Yuuki held her breath and knocked on the dressing room's door, signaling Ichiru to turn around and look at his childhood friend. She opened the door, immediately blushing as the boy's mouth dropped open. He hadn't seen Yuuki look better before. No, that was an understatement. The Yuuki that now stood before him looked stunning. Of all these years, he wondered what Zero saw in her, and now, he was getting the hint. He noticed he was staring at her longer than usual, and abruptly looked away, embarrassed.

"You look good," he managed to utter out, thankful he didn't stutter.

She kept her hands at her back, her cheeks burning. "Thanks."

Then there came a silence between the two. Yuuki grew tired of it. "Hey, Ichiru, are you sure you want to buy this for me? It looks pricey."

Soon, Ichiru's normal expression came crashing back to his face. "Of course I'd want to get it for you! Once all the guys see you in that while you walk side by side with me, I'll be the envy of the town, love."

A sigh of relief came from Yuuki's lips. She was kind of thankful Ichiru went back to how he usually was.

The store's clerk popped her head into the room. "Is everything good in here, sir, ma'am?"

"Yes," answered Ichiru all-too-eagerly. He glanced at Yuuki in the beautiful gown. "We'll take the dress, please."

"Aw," the clerk squealed, "You two lovebirds make such a cute couple."

Yuuki raised her hands. "No, no, you got it all wrong, he's not my boyfriend!"

Ichiru just chuckled again in amusement as he watched Yuuki squirm.

After Yuuki got back into her normal clothes, Ichiru browsed around the store before paying for the dress she fit.

"What are you looking for?" she asked absent-mindedly. Ichiru continued walking around.

"Something for Zero."

"Something for Zero?"

"Well, yeah, he is my twin brother after all. I swear, you should know how many shirts he owns. You could count them with your fingers. The guy is hopeless."

Once those words came from Ichiru's mouth, Yuuki couldn't help but smile to herself. They were brothers, they were different, but they both cared for each other so much.

Yuuki looked at him and grinned. "You love Zero, don't you?"

The twin she had with her gawked at her as if she said something unbelievable. "Yuuki, that is the stupidest question you've asked me."

He then took a blue long-sleeved, button-down polo from the rack. He held it up against him to see if it could fit.

"Of course I love Zero. He's my whole family right now. It'd kill me if I'd lose him, no matter how many times I hated him for being favored; hated him for being so nice and understanding to me, while I…I'd been nothing but a heavy burden to him ever since our parents died.

"It's funny. I thought about it a lot of times. During those times I was sick and when Zero took care of me, I wondered when I'd finally come to take care of him. I only wish for him to be happy one day, and then we could both be happy."

After he said that, gradually, a knowing smile played on his lips. Yuuki placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're not a burden, Ichiru-kun. In fact, Zero told me you're one of the few reasons he still lives and breathes. You're not a burden. You're hope for Zero."

Ichiru touched the top of her hand. "Thank you, Yuuki."

She snatched it away immediately, noticing they lingered there for a long time.

"Uhm," Ichiru began, showing her the shirt he chose, "Do you think this is a good pick for him?"

"Yeah. The blue matches your eyes," nodded Yuuki. Ichiru turned his back on her quickly and proceeded to pay for the clothes. He was lucky she didn't see the faint color on his usual pallid cheeks. Now, Ichiru Kiryuu understood. He took back what he said to Zero sometime ago. Now, he thinks his brother had excellent taste in girls.

It was nightfall already, and Yuuki couldn't believe the Ichiru Kiryuu sent a bloody horse-driven coach to pick her up. Who did he think she is, goddamned Cinderella?!

"Master Kiryuu is waiting for you in the restaurant, Mistress Cross," said the coachman, extending his hand to help her up into her seat.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get this thing over with."

Yuuki thought hard. How did Ichiru even have the money for everything? And why was he trying so hard on this one date? Did he like her or something? Judging by their little outing the other day, it was possible.

Now Yuuki's head hurt really badly. Ichiru was one of the most confusing men she had ever met, and this confirmed it. From all the thinking and conspiring she did inside the coach, she hadn't noticed the vehicle had stopped, as she heard the horses whinny outside. Soon, the coachman helped her again down the steps. She held her breath when he opened the doors to the restaurant for her, expecting the conceited Ichiru smiling smugly and sitting down on a set-up table.

Zero wasn't one for fanciness and elegance. He didn't even like wearing his uniform in its proper way. As he sat on a chair facing another empty one and a table, he pondered what the hell he was doing in a five-star restaurant, agreeing to an intimate mandate (it made Zero shudder just thinking about it) with his annoying younger twin brother. How dare he made him wait, after he was the one who asked for this.

"Come on, Zero-nii, pleeeeease?" Ichiru had begged. He even used nii on him. "I'm sorry for a while ago. I'm taking you out for dinner to make it up to you. Look, I even got you a brand new shirt to wear!"

Ugh, Zero mentally groaned, resting his head on his palm. The things I do for that idiot.

At the slightest creak of the door opening, Zero raised from his seat immediately and shouted, "Ichiru, you have some goddamned explaining to do after this stupid--."

Zero's mouth hung open and his eyes grew huge, exactly how Ichiru reacted upon seeing Yuuki in the gown. The older Kiryuu took in the breathtaking sight. Was this even the Yuuki he knew?

The young brunette girl's delicious chocolate brown hair was fixed up into a half-ponytail, slightly curled near its edges. Crowning her head was a hair band seemingly made up of tiny silver flowers. Zero's surprised eyes explored further down, the simple white tube dress falling down to the floor, hugging her body in a perfect fit. She almost looked like a bride; Zero's own bride.

His bewildered expression matched hers. She was expecting a Kiryuu with slightly longer hair, more properly groomed, and with no tattooed neck. Who stood staring at her now was a Kiryuu with cropped silver hair, an exposed, familiar tattoo on his white neck, and a blue collared shirt she saw not so long ago, which had its first two buttons undone, paired with a loosened, darker-shaded tie…Zero Kiryuu. The two fellow prefects stared at each other in shock.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" they shouted in unison.

On cue, a waiter from the restaurant took a small paper from his jacket pocket and handed it over to Zero. "It's for Master Ichiru Kiryuu's elder brother."

Zero raised an eyebrow and read the note.

Dearest brother,

Don't the both of you dare come back before finishing this date I worked my ass off to prepare. If you do, I am never forgiving you or Yuuki ever again. Don't screw this up too, alright? You know how to charm ladies anyway (hah). Seriously now, I sacrificed buying my own Macbook for this shit. Just do this thing, 'kay?

- Ichiru

PS. There's a gondola ride not so far from here. I paid for that too. You have to take it with Yuuki. Or else.

Zero didn't know how he was feeling after that, but he smiled nonetheless. He passed the note on to Yuuki, who rolled her eyes after that.

"Your brother is impossible."

"I know."

"Why would he even want to set you and me up?" she laughed nervously.

It was Zero's turn to roll his eyes. "Let's just do what he says and have a good night. Deal?"

Yuuki pretended to think. "Fine. Deal."

Zero winced. He looked around him and saw that the instrumentalists began to play. "Right. I'm not very good at this compared to Ichiru, but may I have this dance while we wait for the food to come?"

The girl looked at him. Yuuki had to admit, Zero was incredibly handsome in formal clothes. He was also handsomely awkward as he offered his hand, which she thought made him look adorable, and an adorable Zero was a rare sight to see. She smiled at him and happily squeezed his hand. The way he looked at her made her feel the weirdest sensation in her stomach.

Ichiru and Zero were different. She loved both of them, but she was only in love with one.

The boy remarked timidly. "You look amazing tonight, if I don't say so myself."

"I think the same of you."

As Zero and Yuuki swayed to the soft music, the two thought of when they would finally tell each other their feelings.

Ichiru gazed outside his window back at the Sun Dormitories. He envied Zero once more for having Yuuki. It was obvious to him they were in love with each other. He might have even had feelings for Yuuki after the day he spent with her.

But no. He knew Yuuki wasn't the one for him. He'd have yet to wait for his real soul mate.

He watched the stars shimmer in the night sky. Ichiru didn't know if it was a bond connection between twins, or merely his mood and thought, but as he watched those stars that night, he knew Zero was happy in that very moment.

And if Zero was happy, Ichiru was too.

FIN

A/N: Ehhh. FINALLY. FINISHED. I stayed up late again for this one. So anyway, YES, ICHIRU SHIPS ZERO/YUUKI, BECAUSE HE'S AWESOME LIKE THAT. Teehee. Fine, I admit, I got the whole twin brother-setting-up-other-twin brother-on-date thing from Ouran High School Host Club twins. Seriously, if it weren't for Ichiru falling for Shizuka and leaving Zero on his own, I think he, Zero, and Yuuki would make one fine threesome. Haha! I mean, it'd be interesting if Chairman Cross took both of the twins in, right? MMMMM, THE POSSIBILITES.

Okay, now is where I go REVIEWWWWWWW PLZ. :D