Yuki & Zero

Yuki and Zero were childhood friends, allies who became enemies and finally into an uncertain wary relationship as they both try to figure out where they stand.

Background


Yuki and Zero met at ages 11 and 12 respectively, when Zero was taken in by Kaien Cross into his home. Yuki immediately took to the young boy and looked after him the night they met, cleaning the emotionally fragile Zero's wounds. She promised to always stay by his side after she discovered him distraught one night, tearing at his neck. Yuki would often stay up at night with Zero, patting his head when he had nightmares, to help him to fall back asleep. Yuki's nature overcame his distance and her presence helped his nightmares to cease. However, Zero began to act aggressively towards Yuki after learning of her love for the Pureblood vampire, Kaname Kuran, possibly in part due to jealousy. When Zero began to panic, fearing his transformation into a vampire, he accidentally lashed out and hurt Yuki. When he found himself attracted to the smell of her blood to his shock, he swore to the Chairman, that he needed to become stronger. Yuki accidentally admitted she was scared of Zero. When Zero tried to tell her his secret, she revealed her fear about being attacked by the vampire in order to empathize with Zero. Instead, Zero became angry at himself, so he tried to push her away, deciding against telling her his secret. This was the beginning of Zero deliberately trying to put distance between Yuki and himself, to the point where he refused to be adopted by Kaien because he did not wish to become a part of Yuki's family. Yet Zero still grew attached to Yuki and his affection for her grew throughout their adolescence. When Yuki went to see Kaname at the school and was disturbed by the encounter, Zero observantly told her if she was not scared, she would not shake. He is very protective of her, which Kaien used to get Zero to attend school, after Zero stayed back a year of high school and continued to refuse to enter because he despised the idea of vampires and humans going to school together. Zero agreed to attend school when Kaien told him that Yuki would have to be the school guardian of Cross Academy all by herself if Zero did not go to school.

Zero's awakening
When Yuki discovers that Zero was bitten by a Pureblood vampire turning him into a vampire too, she began encouraging Zero to drink her blood so that he can survive knowing its against the rules. As the story progresses, he repeatedly demonstrates that his remaining life is for Yuki. When Shizuka offered Yuki a chance to save Zero from falling to a level E, she readily decides to give her own blood and humanity to Shizuka in exchange. However, Zero shows up in time to prevent the exchange from happening.

While dealing with his fall to level E, he has a nightmare about killing Yuki and almost kisses her after awakening and though he cites confusion as the cause, Yuki dwells on it for a short period until she concludes that Zero is precious to her, a fact that has still remained throughout the series since then. During a moment of weakness, she wonders if becoming a vampire will make her stronger and Zero vows he will never let her turn into a vampire. Realizing soon after that her question has hurt Zero, she finds it inexcusable and decides that she must do away with the uncertainty that led to it. She desperately searches for the answers to her past and Zero tries to help her in her search, going as far as confronting Kaname on her behalf. He eventually ends up drinking Kaname's blood to his immense distaste in order to cease hurting Yuki with his hunger. Zero once told Yuki that he wants to die by her hand, and passed her a pistol.

A while later due to her trying to regain her lost memories, Yuki starts falling into her own madness and almost strangles Zero. When she asks him why he didn't try to stop her, he states that his life belongs to her. Upon hearing his response, she berates him and states that she has only been using him in the guise of helping him as a distraction from her own problems.

Yuki's Re-Awakening
When Zero discovers that Yuki was actually a Pureblood vampire and Kaname's younger sister, he becomes outraged and shocked. Though Yuki concludes she has no right to see Zero, she visits him in concern and in response to his declaration that all he senses behind the door is a controlling Pureblood who tampers with people's lives, she says that the Human Yuki that Zero knew is now gone, and that she has been eaten up by the Vampire Yuki. However, it is clearly seen that she regrets saying this, knowing that deep down she never wanted to hurt him.

Zero and Yuki meet each other again upon confronting Rido, and although she desires to be allies once again with Zero, he declares her his enemy. The two however end up fighting together to defeat Rido, but after which Zero follows up by pointing his gun at Yuki and declares his intention to end everything by killing all Pureblood vampires,including her. But he was unable to pull the trigger due to seeing Yuki's sincere and unwavering gaze that always gave him strength. He then relents that he didn't care if she had killed him instead. Following a confrontation with Kaname, Yuki was able to talk alone with Zero. He bites her one final time, then kisses her and finally embraces her while asking if her worries have been settled. Yuki confirms that they have and Zero tells her to go with Kaname. At their parting, he states that the next time they meet, he will kill her, to which Yuki agrees that she will run away from him in order to give him a reason to keep on living.

After leaving Zero, the shock of the evening's events finally catches up to Yuki as she realizes the implication of Zero's kiss.

After a Year
While confined to the Kuran mansion for a year, Yuki comes to terms with her vampire nature. She eventually realizes that her thirst can't be fully quenched because a vampire's thirst can only be satisfied with the blood of someone they love and a part of her heart is attached to Zero and it only gets worse.

Yuki and Zero had a clash at the vampire party, when Yori was searching for Yuki and was found by Sara. Yuki was slow to respond when she finds Zero manhandling Sara, she tries to intervene while laying her hand on Zero. Zero refuses to let go of Sara until Yuki stops touching him, to which she complies. When Aido invites Zero to join Yori in a private visit with Yuki, he declines.

When Yuki visits the graveyard and is attacked by Toma, Zero senses her presence and investigates only to find her being attacked, he threatens Toma and makes him leave. An injured Yuki feigns wellness, but a short time after collapses, thus Zero scoops Yuki up and takes her to a nearby hunter safe house to recover. Before he can set her down, Yuki awakens to his nostalgic scent and she almost bites him to her distress. She frantically departs with an apology. But later berates herself for not being able to answer him better.

Zero's prickly attitude towards Yuki is noted by Aido who in turn taunts Zero, telling him he should go after what he wants (Yuki). Aido later retracts the statement, but advises Zero that Yuki is doing her best.The sentiment is later echoed by Yori to Zero who also notes that Yuki hasn't changed. Zero asks Aido not to interfere as he believes that Yuki doesn't wish for it.

New Leadership of Vampire Society
After the death of Hanabusa Aido's father, they meet again as Yuki chases after a rogue vampire who was kidnapping human children. They meet while capturing the suspect and exchange a few words, where Yuki internally asks whether Zero is all right. Zero, upon learning from Kaien Cross that Yuki intends to do something on her own, seeks out Aido. He informs the latter that she is planning something and that if he intends to help, he ought to speak either to her or Kaien Cross.

Zero and Yuki are civil with each other. She later assumes that Zero is in complete opposition to her plan and she expresses concern that he may be falling to level E after seeing his hunger attack through another girl's memories. Yuki and the Night Class join Zero and the Hunters in pursuing bad vampires, but Yuki disagrees with Zero killing a vampire. Zero berates Yuki for her soft stance on vampire punishment and taunts her to subdue him with her bracelet if she disapproves. Due to her keeping the bracelet, (whether as a sentimental value of her ten years as a human or simply due to her attachment to Zero), it is speculated that this may further show that she has feelings for Zero seeing as how she refuses to use the bracelet against him.

Their next encounter was when Zero returned Maria to the Night Class dorm. He met Yuki at the stairs and she later asks for things between them to go back to the way it was in the past. In response to this, Zero states that she was acting strange since she hasn't drunk any blood in a long time and drags her out to the woods. Zero states their interests are the same and bluntly demands she drinks his blood from his wrist and she denies it. Zero states that she needs to regain control and he threatens to destroy the school if she doesn't. Yuki cries for him to treasure himself more, but she relents with the belief that they cannot move forward without hurting one another. Yuki then goes to drink his blood, but changes her mind and goes to bite Zero's neck. Before she bites him, she states that she is only drinking his blood for mutual interest and she asks him not to think about anything and Zero says he no longer thinks of her. Zero's words echo in her mind and she bites him, she sees a vision of the fragments protecting Zero's fear in a coffin, one of them being the human version of herself. Zero tells her to stop peeking inside his mind and she tells him that she wasn't like him who had done it to her previously.

The following day during a routine encounter with Zero, she tries her best to act normal. When the hunters call Zero, Yuki preemptively attempts to protect him assuming the worst and when Zero gruffly tells her its not her business and pushes her away, Yuki is reminded of his old behaviour. She later confronts Zero about his desire to kill vampires and insists he is kinder than anyone else, prompting him to point his gun at her again, and telling him to pull the trigger if he can. Zero later delivers Kaname's message to Yuki.

After Yuki demands everyone hand back their tablets, Yuki and Maria discover Hanadagi's servant, and she tells them that Sara did this to her. Zero then shows up, and tells her that she will not harm Sara. Yuki is surprised that Zero calls her by her name. Zero orders Maria to bring Hanadagi's servant to Kaito, and she leaves. Yuki tells Zero that after the problem here is fixed, she will stop Kaname. Zero rushes at her and slams her into a wall, yelling that he ruined his life and that he is completely tainted, which at that moment Kaname arrives. Yuki is about to go to him, but Zero stops her, and at that moment Yuki realizes that Kaname is an illusion. After a short confrontation, Zero tries to shoot him, but Yuki strokes his face, causing him to stop. Kaname's illusion vanishes and Zero hugs Yuki, to her surprise, wanting her not to cry for his sake.

Yuki tells Zero to go protect Sara, and she will go stop Kaname, claiming that she knows the weakness of vampires well. Zero goes to Sara and she asks him to hide her at the Hunter's Association, and she will help him with his revenge, and Zero agrees. During which, he realizes that when he kissed Yuki, she was the old Yuki's remains, and that he was in fact saying goodbye.

During Yuki's brief fight with Kaname, Ruka creates an illusion that Zero has shot her in the head, but Yuki does not believe it, knowing that Zero would never betray her.

In the final chapter, part of Kaname's final words were that the two despite their differences and the hardships both have experienced, should be together, giving his approval as he brings them close to him and embraces them both together. Zero then makes clear of his feelings for Yuki, it is then shown that Zero and Yuki have genuinely accpeted their feelings for each other. It also known that Yuki and Zero have had a child together, seen with his sibling, who is hinted to be the child of Kaname and Yuki, standing at Kaname's site as he reawakens as a human.

In the Anime
During the last episode of Vampire Knight Guilty, the parting of 46th Night is very different, instead of biting Yuki, then hugging and kissing her, he asks her to drink his blood to prove that she really has become a vampire. Zero is not surprised, but instead vows that one day, he would kill all Purebloods, including Yuki.

Their Relationship
Zero's tsundere and aggressive nature keeps him from befriending people, ensuring that Yuki is the only one close to him. Yuki's sunny, stubborn, and silly nature allows her to ignore Zero's aggression and rudeness overriding his desires with her own, inadvertently bullying him. Zero's affection for Yuki causes him to fiercely protect her and be easily directed by her. His nature is primarily shy and he does not communicate his feelings towards her, though he expresses frustration in the form of bullying her at times, causing Yuki to think he didn't like her.

Zero began developing feelings for Yuki when she took care of him during dark times after his parents died, it is thanks to Yuki that Zero did not commit suicide. It becomes noticeable within the beginning of the manga that he holds hidden feelings for his fellow guardian. Whenever Yuki makes a comment on not all vampires are bad guys and she sticks up for him he blushes to which he turns his head away so she doesn't notice. When Yuuki gave Zero one of the few chocolates that turn out edible for Valentine's Day he eats the chocolate and despite disliking the flavor he is shown blushing to receive chocolate from her. At the beginning, Yuki holds no hesitation in dealing with Zero whenever he walks around shirtless or acts cold towards her. She responds heatedly to these actions and while she looks embarrassed in front of other males who show flirty mannerisms with her, Aidou and sometimes Kaname, with Zero she is much more relaxed.

After Zero turns into a vampire, despite her fear of the creatures who almost caused her death ten years prior she reminds herself that despite what people say Zero isn't a scary person though he tries to be. Whenever Zero takes blood from her to ease his hunger she becomes curious as to why he desires only her blood and almost constantly hungers for it, this question often bothers Zero and he tells her not to worry about it (due to his refusal to admit he's becoming the creature he hates and his hidden feelings for her).

Not until 20th Night, when Zero asks Yuki why she does so much for him, does Yuki begin to actually think about their relationship and how she views Zero, though no conclusion is shown from this. Yuki was almost oblivious to Zero's affection for her until 25th Night after he almost kisses her, it is speculated that from this point that she begins to notice Zero in a different manner. However, she is still uncertain about his feelings, and chooses to not look too deeply into things as of right now.

On the 35th Night, Yuki's origins as a pure-blood vampire are finally revealed as Kaname awakens the sleeping princess. Yuki has just remembered her heritage as a Kuran princess when Zero comes across the two of them due to smelling Yuki's blood. When Yuki reveals the truth, Zero is clearly distraught, torn between shooting them or not. Kaname takes an unconscious Yuki away in order for her to finish the process of turning into a pure-blood, while Zero numbly absorbs the information of Yuuki's origins as a creature he should despise. When Yuki fully turns into a pure-blood and recalls her past on the 36th Night, Kaname leaves to take care of business when Yuki smells blood. She is horrified but grows relieved when she realizes it's not Zero's, after realizing how relieved she is that he is safe she is surprised with how concern she grew.

Following Zero's kiss in 46th Night, Yuki is finally made aware of Zero's feelings for her. Yuki confirms in 47th Night that she finally understands his earlier overtures, but due to Zero's hatred of Purebloods,Yuki knows their relationship has changed. Zero tells her as she begins to depart with Kaname that he will still continue his quest to eradicate all Purebloods; Yuki comments that she understands and that is why she will become his enemy so he will always have an enemy to go after. After Yuki and Zero reach their agreement, she wanders off and breaks down sobbing since she does not wish to become his enemy, and now realizes his true feelings for her. However, she bottles this up since they both are enemies and as a Pureblood,she cannot break down sobbing over a lost ally.

Yuki finally admits she feels something in return for Zero in 51st Night. When Kaname asks why she cannot drink from him, she reveals that she cannot be fully sated by him because a part of her heart is still attached to Zero. She does however feel it is unfair on Kaname and should not be allowed to stay by Kaname's side. At the ball, Yuki continues to be protective of Zero's feelings and notes in the party how Zero perceives others like Sara as his enemy and she later notes his pain on seeing the vampire hunter girl having been turned into a vampire. She reveals to feel awkward with how indifferent his interactions are with her now.

Following Yuki's revelation of being a Pureblood vampire, Zero's feelings of anger have been more obvious than his love for her. After the year time skip, his love and blood lust for her is left ambiguous. Both characters avoid calling the other by the names they once so comfortably used. Despite Yuki's ambiguous feelings, their relationship has been reset somewhat from the comfortable friendship because of their status as enemies, Yuki's awkwardness is on display when during a coincidental meeting in 60th Night, Yuki greets Zero with a "Good evening" and mentally berates herself for being unable to respond better. Yuki collapses after an attack and Zero carries her to the Hunter's Association for treatment. She begins to regain conscience and almost bites Zero (whom, she says has a nostalgic scent and his blood smells desirable). She stops herself to see who she is about to bite, and is shocked to find herself face-to-face with Zero. She runs off after being confused on why she wished to bite him.

Zero returns to assisting Yuki subtlety after she rejoins them. He assists by nudging Aido towards Yuki. When Yuki states that Zero disagrees with her school plans, Zero declines to comment instead of agreeing, though he later insists that she is too soft and they are still poles apart on their stance on punishing vampires. When Yuki states she needs Zero, he fails to take it at face value and instead sees her as acting strange, so his response is that she must need blood. Contrary to all belief including Yuki's, he volunteers his own blood, showing that towards Yuki, his attitude has changed.

Yuki at first denies his offer for his sake, but finally relents and instead goes to bite his neck with her own fangs, despite him offering his wrist, echoing her earlier desire to take what she wants with her own fangs. She is first hesitant in taking his blood due to his animosity towards Purebloods and position as future president of the hunter society; however, after drinking his blood she reveals that she feels sated and then wonders why his blood instantly calmed her.

After the incident, she attempts to act normal around him like she used to. When the vampire hunters approach them, Yuki instantly jumps in front of Zero, demanding what are they going to do to him, but they tell her that they are only there to announce to him that they are planning of going against Kaien's plan to stop Kaname. Later on, Yuki promises Zero that she will stop Kaname, and asks if Zero wants all the Purebloods dead, and he confirms it. She pulls him to a shady tree and tells him that she knows that he flashed a murderous vibe in front of the hunters to protect her, and if she is wrong then shoot her with his gun. Before Zero can reply, Sara shows up, interrupting their conversation.

When Yuki confronts two Night Class students about the pills, they bite her. Zero attempts to kill them, but Yuki tells him that it is okay. She throws the blood tablets to him, and the students revert back to normal. When they leave, Yuki thanks Zero for his help, but he tells her to stay away from him.

When Kaname reappears to kill Sara, Yuki and Zero join forces to stop him and resume their old behaviourisms as allies. During the fight, Yuki cuts off her hair to its former bob style to show Kaname she is disappointed with his change in character and is going to start taking action. After the haircut,she asks Zero if its okay for her to fight beside him, and he says yes.

During the 86th Night,Kaname manages to escape, and Yuki tries to sneak off the next day to search for him by herself. Zero catches her during the act, and says he is going with her so stop trying to sneak off. As they travel, there is a short interchange between the two that mirror Haruka and Juri's brief interchange about him bringing her an umbrella. While different scenarios and dialogues both situations appear similarly with Yuki/Juri annoyed at Zero/Haruka for following them. After reaching Kuran Mansion, Yuki tells Zero she cannot live with him and she belongs to Kaname. Zero sees through her actions, similar to her escape attempt, and explains that he wishes to learn about what was the purpose of his family being murdered and Kaname trying to develop a bond between the two. After listening to his reason, she tells him that she agrees it would be best if they both searched for answers. The chapter ends with Yuki saying this will be their last journey.

During the 87th Night, the two are continuing their travels to stop Kaname. Yuki is saddened when Zero will not enter the Kuran Mansion with her. When the two board a train, Yuki notices an injury on Zero and attempts to force him into drinking her blood. He manages to shake her off and reveals that he drink blood from vampires he arrested, Zero and Yuki are shocked on this revelation and Zero resumes his cold attitude and tells her not to worry about him. After the train ride, Yuki and Zero attend a masquerade ball at Lord Isaya's place. During the ball, Zero and Yuki share a dance, during which the latter thinks about the feelings she has for Zero. Yuki finally confirms that she has also shared feelings for Zero but was oblivious to these changing feelings due to all the problems arising. In the midst of dancing, Zero and Yuki share a kiss, before being interrupted by the sudden appearance of Kaname.

In the 88th Night,after Kaname escapes, Yuki begins describing to Zero of an imaginative world where the two of them are not a Hunter or Pureblood, but humans. She continues by comparing how some of the events the two went through as Day Class guardians were changed and they lived in a world without vampires. She asks Zero what would happen to them if they were not in their current roles and Kaname was simply her brother. Zero dismisses her imagination and claims if all these events hadn't occurred then they would not have met one another so it is silly to dream up an imaginary world where they would be different people. At this point, Zero is revealed to have opened his heart into believing not all Purebloods are evil thanks to Yuki, but Yuki still cannot move past her belief that their statuses will continue to haunt them. Yuki surprises Zero by using his bracelet against him to try taking away all memories of her which outrages him. He demands to know why she is doing this and Yuki explains that she did not want him to be burdened with the sorrow of her death because the only way to stop Kaname is by sacrificing herself to turn him human.

Yuki manages to successfully take away Zero's memories of her on 89th Night, after removing his memories he reverts to his earlier habits of threatening her when she asks him if he's doing okay. Yuki begins to speak to him coldly in order to try making him distance himself from her. Since Kaname still has not turned up, Yuki bides her time away at Cross Academy, now the Vampire Hunter Association Headquarters. After gloating at Zero being unable to pull the trigger at her once more, she wanders off into the hallway where Kaien stops her and asks her to come with him somewhere. Zero is finally able to return to hunter duites with Kaito, while Cross is talking with Yuki, Zero pauses to look at her wistfully. Kaito asks him once wrong and Zero says that Yuki is different from other pure-bloods and questions what is her relationship with the Hunter's Association since pure-bloods don't work with the hunters usually. Kaito then asks if Zero's hunger has changed and Zero admits he doesn't understand why he isn't hungry anymore like earlier.

Kaien reunites Yuki with Kaname, where she learns Kaname never killed Aidou's father. She leaves with Kaname and learns that despite learning his innocence he still plans to place his heart in the furnace. The two argue about Zero and Kaname is displeased on hearing that she removed his memories. He tells her that he should had turned her into a human sooner so that she could be with Zero, and she argues that he should have removed her memories of Zero to save her the pain. When Yuki asks why he still plans on becoming the parent to the furnace, Kaname notes that it's because she doesn't smile from her heart and hints that Zero is the one who manages to do this which she doesn't agree or deny. Since this may be their last night together, the two chose to have sex, the scene changes to Zero being placed with Kaito as the protectors of the Kuran mansion since the pure-bloods plan to assassinate Kaname.

On the 90th Night, Kaname learns that Zero has been placed as the mansion's protector, he begins to toy with Zero's forgotten memories of Yuki, much to her dismay. Yuki stubbornly refuses to see Zero when Kaname tells her to come downstaris and have tea with them; finally growing fed up Kaname has to drag her downstairs, while she argues the entire way down. When the company sits down for tea, the situation prove awkward since Zero is not sure why Yuki seems familiar and Yuki tries to stop Kaname from reactiviating Zero's locked memories. Kaname begins to goad Zero into remembering Yuki by attempting to humiliate her in front of the hunter and begin sucking her blood. Finally feeling overly awkward Zero leaves and Yuki slaps Kaname exclaiming that he should stop dragging Zero into their problems. She runs after Zero and tells him the mansion is no place for hunters to which Zero tells her to not concern herself with him since he is simply doing his job.

Right after Zero tells her to not concern herslf in hunter matters, Kaito and Zero begin surveying the mansion's grounds. As they survey, Kaito scolds Zero for accepting what "that pureblood [Yuki]" tells him so easily. He tells Zero to confront those Kuran members and take back what is rightfully his [his memories stolen from Yuki]. While they are talking, the purebloods' servants spring a surprise attack on the hunters wounding Kaito in the process.

The battle continues in 91st Night, Kaito is wounded and Kaname has to step in and help Zero. The scene changes to the hunters taking the Kurans and Takuma to the newly arranged Hunter's Association [Cross Academy] for safety. Zero overhears Yuki asking Kaien if there is another way, besides the furnace, to stop the purebloods. During their conversation Yori runs in and is overjoyed to find Yuki safe. Zero is surprised when Yuki tells Yori she needs to run to safety, Zero ponders over how she doesn't act like a typical pureblood. Later, Kaname is placed in a cell beneath academy, with Yuki hiding as well. Zero approaches Kaname and comments how he senses a vampire who has given up living, he then remininices over Ichiru losing his life in the same place telling him to "live on and fulfill your goal" and someone else telling him to live. He is agitated over not remembering this mysterious person who helped him develop a need to live and questions over why he feels something is missing in his determination to carry out Ichiru's wishes.

After Zero's display of confusion, he is shown appearing before Kaname and Yuki who were resting within the dungeon. Zero tells Yuki she has a guest to which she shows confusion. Her confusion quickly changes to horror when she sees none other than Isaya standing before her. Yuki begins protesting to which Kaname stops her and says that even if she forgets him he will never forget her and then releases her to the custody of Isaya with Zero as a witness/back-up. Zero is bothered by her crying face as she is dragged out of the dungeon. Isaya continues yanking a protesting, distraught Yuki outside to the graveyard with Zero sullenly in tow. Yuki exclaims she doesn't wish to become a human now and there are still things which need to be done, and if she is a human she will no longer have these capabilities. The more she argues the more Zero's hidden memories of her begin to resurface. She keeps repeating over how she wishes to not become useless by losing her powers and this triggers something in Zero's conscience of a time she said the same thing as a human. Zero finally choses to walk off since he doesn't have any reason in his mind for dealing with purebloods' issues longer than possible. However, Zero grows more and more troubled with her dilemna. Finally, something within him snaps and he rushes back to stop Isaya's process for turning her into a human. He roughly snatches ahold of her arm and pushes her up against a tree. Yuki is still sobbing at this point while Zero is angered over why he can't get her off his mind commenting over her being a kind, egoistic pureblood. As he looks at her face his hidden memories begin to awaken and he yells that her name is Yuki and she was the woman he wished to protect, but she wouldn't allow him.

The next chapter [92nd Night], Yuki is speechless that Zero remembers her, she asks him hesitantly if he remembers everything. Zero replies that he remembers something important is missing and that he now knows for somthing its related back to her. As Isaya leaves to help the hunters for the impeding battle with the purebloods and their servants she tries to run after Isaya to help during the battle and avoid Zero regaining his memories. However, her efforts prove futile as Zero latches on to her and says he is taking back what is rightfully his [memories]. Yuki tries to reuse the bracelet on him but he manages to hold off her hand and continues the process of regaining his memories. Yuki, in her distraught passes out, Zero holds the unconscious girl against him and says he was afraid to face his true feelings and he will no longer hide behind excuses. Aidou reappears on the scene, Zero hands off Yuki saying he is going after Kaname to stop him. Zero rushes back to the Academy's main grounds and yells out for Kaname, saying he now understands that Kaname believes he [Kaname] doesn't have the right to be with her and that he [Kaname] should think about her feelings and not make her cry. Kaname appears before the Hunter and stands there catatonically as the hunters and purebloods begin to battle with the night class helping the hunters. While dueling, the Bloody Rose begins to crack which springs Kaname into taking action. While the battle is commencing, Yuki wakes up as Aidou is attempting to take her off the scene. She grabs ahold of his neck and begins to forcefully take his blood. Aidou crumbles and Yuki runs off to change into the day class uniform and grab Artemis. In a comic moment, Aidou has just finished gulping down blood tablets when Yuki reappears to drag him off to the battle grounds. When they get there, Yuki sees Zero warding off vampires but continues looking for Kaname. The chapter ends with Kaname pulling out his heart.

The last chapter begins with Kaname throwing his heart into the furnace. Yuki appears shortly after and attempts to take the heart out to which Kaname stops her. Zero follows her and is shocked over seeing the state of Kaname and says outloud Kaname shouldn't have done this. Yuki is crying over not being able to save him and if she wasn't born things wouldn't have turned out like this for him. Kaname hushes her and tells her she made him happy but he has to atone for the sins he helped cause. He further comments over being sorry for causing her light to damper and for causing her sorrow. He continues saying how her light helped save him and a hurt boy [Zero] from their darkness. As he comforts her, Kaname looks back at Zero as he makes the comment on needing to atone, Zero looks at the man with sorrow filled eyes. Zero tells Kaname he cannot forgive him for causing Yuki to hold such grief. Kaname continues telling Yuki not to stop him and then calls Zero over, giving the two a hug as he gives them his blessing saying they should be together and that the radiance they exalted together had always blinded him. Kaname then slips into a slumber, Yuki runs off to challenge the remaining purebloods in her grief while Zero begins to chase after her he is stopped by the new furnace taking away Bloody Rose. Yuki has just openly challenged the other vampires when Artemis turns into dust. Suddenly, Bloody Rose explodes from the furnace and starts to kill the remaining vampires. The Academy falls apart and the vampires begin to flee. Everyone watches in awe, Zero rides along the vines to appear before Yuki both share a look of determination.

Aidou places Kaname's body into a frozen block of ice to revent others from harming him. After the battle, Yuki goes to stare at his body in sadness. Zero goes with her and says that its not because of solely Kaname on why he decided to no longer hide from his feelings. He continues telling Yuki he knows she's probably blaming herself for everything that's happened. He then embraces Yuki and tells her to let go of her sorrow and that he will wait for her even if its a decade or longer until she can overcome her grief and to tell him that she loves him. Yuki looks on sullenly as Zero comforts her in her state of confusion and sorrow.

The narration changes to show everyone's life affairs as Yuki tells the readers where everyone journeyed off to and Aidou discovering a cure to change vampires into humans that Kaname had been working on. One thousand years have passed, Yuki is shown placing flowers on the Kiryu's grave. She pulls out the remaining pieces of Bloody Rose that she kept as a memento and places it on his parents and brother's grave. While doing this she says outloud she figured Zero would have liked to be placed with his family graves. As she places the gun down she says to their graves that although they had several fights during their time together he still made her happy. [Since Zero is a vampire his body had turned into dust so he does not have a grave to visit so the gun at his family's grave is in a way a funeral procession].

In the last scene, Yuki, with two teenagers in the background, visit's Kaname's slumbering body stating the furnace had burnt out. Yuki states that his own heart was to weak to awaken him so she uses her life to turn him human. As Kaname awakens, he sees the two children of Yuki's [an older unnamed girl with a slightly younger unnamed male] watching over him saying their mother asked them to keep watch over their "other father." In the last message, Yuki states she hopes he is finally able to find someone who could quench his thirst.