#kaiencross

The moment you reached the gates of Cross Academy, you dropped to your knees and huffed away in exhaustion after having to drag your heavy luggage along up the concrete steps that lead up to the gate. 

        “Just. Who the hell. Is the architecture of this school?” you said in exasperation.

After mustering a little bit of strength, you got up and walked forwards to the, placing a hand on it before giving it a slight push to see if it nudges. When it opened you pushed it wider as slow as possible, not wanting to surprise anyone around since you felt like your father could be anywhere in the school compound doing his work. You just wanted to give him a good surprise after being away in Paris for two years.  

        Uncertain about where your dad was for real this time, you stepped onto the portico of the first building you saw in hopes that you could find someone to take you to him. At first, you felt weird that the school grounds were too quiet but then you recalled that it was summer so most students have left to spend their holidays or either went home. Once inside the building, you’re left puzzled even more because you saw more steps leading upstairs. You saw some couches in the middle of the entrance and decided to wait there. 

      “Hello?” you called out. 

       No one answered. So you decided to call out again. “Hello? Is anyone here?” as you wandered around the place. 

        You climbed up the stairs and noticed that there was a signboard propped up against the wall.  You aimed to look for an administration office to ask around and when you found it, you walked right into the direction it stated. As you walk down the hallway, you noticed that there was a door open and you heard laughter coming out of it the closer you got to it. When you got to it, you peeked your head through it and saw that there were four people occupying the room chatting casually amongst each other. Not intending to come off as rude, you knocked the door and the four of them took notice of you standing by the door. 

       “Eh, sorry for intruding,” you said as you bowed. “I was wondering if someone can tell me where Mr. Xavier lives here?”

The man on the left who donned a cowboy hat looked at you and questioned, 

       “And who might you be?”

       “Oh, I’m Rosalie. Mr. Xavier’s daughter.” you replied. 

       “I didn’t know Mr. Xavier had a daughter.” a girl with brown shoulder length hair said. 

        There was a man who had blonde hair tied up into a ponytail wearing glasses sitting behind the desk. He took a glance at you before saying, 

         “Welcome Miss. Don’t worry, we’ll gladly show you to him. Zero, Yuki, why not help Miss Rosalie here to him?”

        You took note of the names of the two students and smiled. Yuki was quick to her feet and enthusiastic about assisting you but the boy was a bit more calm in his demeanour. 

         “Thank you, sir, I’m sorry for intruding once again,” you said apologetically and thanked the man. The two students lead the way as you followed them. 

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         “So Miss, were you just coming back from a holiday?” Yuki asked when she saw you dragging your luggage. Zero stepped in and offered to carry it for you. You declined but he insisted and took it out of your hands. 

         “It’s okay Miss, we’re happy to help you as members of the academy. We should set a good example.” He said. 

         “I see, that’s good then. Thank you, Zero. Well, to answer that Yuki, I’m not exactly back from a holiday, I’ve been studying abroad for some time and haven’t been able to come back often. So I decided to spend this summer with my father here.” you explained. 

        Yuki nodded and took in your explanation. When you arrived somewhere not far behind the school building - which Yuki says it to be mostly classrooms of where she and Zero studies, you saw a small cottage with a decent wooden fencing around with flowers adorning around it. You smiled at the sight of those flowers as well as the vegetable patch growing in it. 

        “Well this is where I am. Thank you two for helping me out!” you said. 

        “No problem Miss! I’m glad to have made an acquaintance with you,” Yuki explained. Zero smiled in return. You then fished out two boxes of Pocky snacks and gave it to them as a sign of gratitude. Both of them thanked you before going off their ways. 

        You walked up the steps leading towards the front door and noticed that there were sounds of coming off the television. You knew you father must be watching football judging from the sound of the commentator as well as your father grunting and cheering for his favourite team to win. You knocked on the door loudly and waited. 

        A few moments later, the door opened and your father let out the expression of joy at the sight of you. You smiled widely along with him and embraced him in a hug. 

       “My Rosa!” He says in joy. “Oh, you’re home!” 

       “Yes, papa. I am home.” you said. 

       “Come in, come in! You must be really worn out after all that travelling! I’ll make you some food!” he says. 

        “Oh, tell me about it and don’t need to trouble yourself, Dad,” you said. 

Your father helped you carry your luggage into the house. You looked around the place and felt slightly glad that the house was neat even though your father lives alone. 

        “Sorry if the house is a bit shabby or messy,” he said. 

        “No, this is decent. I don’t mind much. By the way, Dad, who built those damn steps up the school?” 

         He laughed and the evening went on pleasingly as you reunited with your father. 

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The next morning, you woke up noticing that the house is empty. You assumed your dad has already left to do his gardening so you got up yourself and went out of your room. Since it was a small cottage, you were immediately lead into the kitchen. You noticed that there were some eggs, bacon, sausages and bread left on the dining table alongside a note that says: 

This portion is for you. I’ll be gardening around so feel free to do whatever you like today. 

-Dad

       You put down the note and ate your breakfast quietly. After freshening up and got yourself dressed, you decided to tour around the school just to know what your father’s workplace was like. As you walked around the school grounds, you bumped into Yuki and Zero. 

       “Hello Miss, what are you doing here?” Yuki asked. 

       “Just looking around to see the place.” You replied. 

       “Let me show you then. We’ll give you a tour! Right Zero?” Yuki said enthusiastically and looked at Zero. You were growing to like this teenager before you for being so youthful and energetic. Something you lost long since you graduated high school and left this homeland. 

        “Uh, yeah sure. Plus, it gets quite boring with just us two here. ” Zero replied. Yuki glared at him. 

        “Do you not like my presence??” Yuki beamed at Zero. 

        “Eh, guys stop bickering,” you intruded as you tried to break down the fight between them. “Let’s just walk okay?” 

        “Okay Miss, follow me~!” Yuki chimed. 

        The three of you walked along the school grounds together. The school compound was really big and you wondered if your father even had the energy to take care of everything around here. The school definitely had some Victorian elements to it with a few stained glassed windows around portraying scholars. Chandeliers adorned the ceiling at any chance there was a hall-like setting. Ceilings were painted with murals of cherubs and blue skies. You did not feel like you were at a school. It feel more like some sort of royal palace. Yuki and Zero both took opportunities to explain the school grounds at almost every place they took you to. 

       “And here, is where we students come to chill and relax or have lunch during breaks. Our cafeteria.” Yuki explained. 

       “I’ll be right back.” Zero said, suddenly excusing himself. 

       “This is a very beautiful school. I wished I went here,” you said.

       “Beautiful, yes. But I dislike the way the Headmaster designed the steps leading up to the school gates. It’s so tiring! Anyways, which high school did you go to Miss?” 

       “Just near my hometown. It was not a prestigious school or such,”

       “Ah, I see now.” 

       “Who’s the Headmaster by the way? I hate those stairs too!” you complained. Finally finding someone who shares the same grief with you. 

       “Oh, our Headmaster is the man you met yesterday. Headmaster Cross. He is my father,” Yuki explained. Your eyes widened in shock as you felt ashamed for not addressing the Headmaster more politely than what you did yesterday. 

       “Headmaster Cross, I see now.”

You both sat yourselves by the table shaded with a beach umbrella. Just then you saw Zero coming back with 3 cans of soda. 

       “Here you go Miss. I bought one for each of us,” Zero said. 

       “Why how nice of you. Thank you, Zero.” You replied. The three of you continued to chat whilst relaxing under the shade. Suddenly the three of you heard a burst of laughter coming from the corner of the cafeteria. The three of you got up to see what was causing the ruckus and when you three did, you saw the Headmaster and your father together pruning roses and putting them in a basket Their laughter died when they saw the three of you standing together. 

       “Hello there, kids.” you father called out. 

       “Why hello there. You three seem to be well acquainted I see,” says the Headmaster. 

        “Good afternoon, Headmaster,” you said. 

         The Headmaster smiled at the way you addressed him. “Oh, just call me sir, or Kaien if you want. I learn that our age gap is not to far apart from your father,” he says. Just as you were about to reply him, he walks up to you and takes your hand and placed a single rose in it. 

         “It suits you.” he says. 

          Before you have any chance to say anything the Headmaster walked away. Left confused and astounded, you looked at Zero, Yuki, and your father. The three of them share the same look as you but not as bad a Zero and Yuki. 

        “Eh..... did he tried to..?” Yuki said. Nero sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose before replying, 

        “Yup, he did.”

         The both of them sighed even more and palmed their face in embarrassment. Your father on the other hand, began pruning more vigorously, as if he was angry. He muttered some things you could not understand or make up what he was saying. 

       “Miss, I think Headmaster likes you,” Zero says whilst grinning. This statement made your father prune the bushes even more vigorously. You three decided to leave him be, afraid you would struck his nerve even more. 

       As you leave, you looked at the rose in your hand and thought about the how eccentric it was for the Headmaster to give you such a gift. Nevertheless, you did not throw it away. You did not know why either, but you just held onto it until you were back home. Even when night came, you left the rose on the table by your bedside and went to sleep drifting off in curiosity about the Headmaster’s odd actions that afternoon. 

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