Yuki looked at the ticking clock and just hoped that everything around her will just go fast forward. She eyed the man standing in front who seems to be mouthing the words of the different ways on how to find ‘x’ using a weird language called ‘Math’. Yuki took a deep breath before slumping down to her seat, hoping that the bell for lunch time will come shortly.

Soon enough, the boring atmosphere given by her subject is lightened up by the boy sitting in front of her. Dark haired, tall, good-looking… for short, Matsumura Hokuto.

Hokuto looked behind his back and tapped Yuki’s table quietly, hoping that he will not be heard by their teacher.

“Yuki-chan…” he started in a very low tone of voice. Yuki squinted her eyes as if saying ‘turn-round-if-you-don’t-want-to-be-in-trouble’ written all over her face… “Can I borrow your pencil? Mine just broke…” he continued then soon enough, Yuki reached her pink pencil to the boy. It’s his first time approaching Yuki in such a normal way – like friends would do. She then looked at Hokuto smiling after seeing the pencil on his own hands and immediately turned up front.

“This guy actually knows I exist?” she whispered to herself before noticing a few pairs of eyes looking towards her and Hokuto’s direction. She noticed how he attracts girls’ gaze who soon enough gave her peculiar looks which she decided to ignore.

--

*Arioka Yuki’s POV*

“Yuki-chan~ Pencil!!”

I heard him say once again. It’s almost every day he does that. I’m not a pencil factory for pete’s sake… mind getting your own?

I rolled my eyes and started giving him strange looks. It’s been almost 2 weeks since the first time he borrowed a pencil from me and there’s not a single day that he fails to borrow my precious pencil collection. Well, I don’t really mind lending people stuffs… but let the same person borrow my possessions every single day is just… weird. Indeed, we became acquaintances since that day and this guy is just unpredictable sometimes.

As if waiting for something interesting to happen, Hokuto-kun retained his position – his back facing our teacher from his desk in front of me.

“Remind me again why you’re not buying your own?” I asked quietly, trying my best not to disrupt the constant blabbering of my teacher.

“Coz I like your pencils…” he grinned which is noticed by the two girls sitting just close by our desks. The girls seem to be eyeing Hokuto since he turned around and faced me. I felt their feeling of wanting to lend Hokuto-kun their own pencils but afraid to be rejected. Seriously, what do they see about this guy?

“What if I say no?”

“Geez~ just let me borrow…” he replied. We continued our conversation with him basically giving me 101 reasons on why I should lend him my stuff which is not gone unnoticed by the now glaring teacher in front of the classroom.

“Matsumura-san!!” Mr Tanaka almost shouted which gained all the attention of the people around the room… “Is this the right time to flirt with girls?” he continued abruptly. By this, I swear I saw Hokuto-kun changed colour from his normal tint to crimson and just made his way facing the teacher.

“Both of you… Outside!!” I saw Mr Tanaka pointing his hand outside the classroom that made me frozen from my position. This is the first time ever receiving a punishment about something I’m innocent about.

The next thing I know is that I’m standing on the hallow corridor with Hokuto-kun pouting on his place.

“So, what’s your plan Sherlock?” I started, trying to make a proper conversation.

However, this guy just shook his head and sat down the floor heavily… “I can’t think… I’m hungry~” he continued as if nothing happened inside the classroom. He seems to be okay with the whole ‘punishing’ idea which by the way he dragged me into.

I then looked at him strangely before realising how hopeless this guy was. I immediately pulled a bar of chocolate from my pocket and gave it to him.

“Here~ it will save you till lunch!” I said and saw him take it gladly, as if saying ‘I’m-happy-to-be-alive’ given by his bright eyes.

-----
*lunch*

“I think that guy seriously likes you!” I heard my senpai Rio  teased which made me nearly choke on my food whilst seeing her poking me on my sides. I told her about Hokuto-kun borrowing my pencil almost every day and the next thing she did was tease me about him.

“Are you joking, Rio-chan?” I said after taking a sip from my drink… “That guy is just enjoying his torture towards me…”

“That is one good proof that he likes you… He wants your attention missy~” Rio-chan grinned before me after letting Yamada-kun sit beside her… “Try ignoring him and see what he’ll do!” she continued with a challenge that made me more curious about what Hokuto-kun is thinking.

“Is this about Hokuto? That brat is just weird sometimes… He just can’t say what he thinks or what he feels quite often so you have to make him say it!” Yamada-kun said, giving the sense that he knows something that I don't. He’s very close with Hokuto, you see. And that’s right! I learned something new about Matsumura just by talking to Yamada-kun.

--

*6th period*

“Yuki-chan…”  I heard his voice again – his usual tone whenever he needs something. By this, I tried my best to look busy and seem to be paying attention to my teacher. I ignored him once but he then soon faced me fully from his desk in front of mine.

“Hokuto-kun… I don’t have an extra pencil today~” I lied, having Rio-chan’s thoughts inside me. By this, I saw him frown and just stared at me for a few mere seconds.

“Hmmm~ It’s okay… I’ll just borrow this…” I heard him say and to my surprise, he leaned forward my desk and extended his body towards my face. I then felt a hasty feeling lingering on my lips and suddenly everything around me seems to be frozen.

I saw his lips partially touching mine and soon enough made all the boys in our class almost cheering for him. Even Mr Tanaka who seems to be busy teaching a while ago just closed his mouth and eyed the scene.

Wh-What just happened??!! It took a few minutes to try and process everything. I saw his figure withdrawing from mine with a grin on his face. THIS BRAT!!!

Hokuto-kun then turned around, back to his original place as if nothing happened. First, he just borrowed my pencil… and now a kiss??!

*Next Day*

Everything seems quiet. What happened yesterday is just too much for me to absorb right now. I saw a few pairs of eyes looking at my direction as soon as I entered Horikoshi building.

It’s not long when the person responsible for my weird actions came through the door just before I took my seat. As expected, today is not a normal day as everything around me seems to be more awkward now. I tried my best to avoid his gaze. What does he expect me to do? Pretend that nothing happened?

I saw him took a seat on my peripheral view but didn’t greet me or anything. He’s just quiet. As our home room teacher made her way in front of the class and immediately taught her lesson, a sudden action came from the boy sitting in front of me with his usual habit of borrowing my pencil.

Just like before, he turned around towards my desk and asked: “Can I borrow your pencil?”

By this, I can’t help but to just wonder about the things going on inside his head. I then pulled a face towards him and handed him the usual pencil I always let him use. Then, I whispered…

“Keep it so you won’t have to borrow all the time…” I said coldly then watched him retreat his figure. I can sense something gloomy in his aura but the thought of ignoring him came to my mind. As for now, I don’t want to think about his childish games.

--

It’s been almost a week and I haven’t had a proper conversation with Hokuto-kun. It seems that every time I try to talk to him, he’s always busy or even talking randomly with someone. Instead, I just enjoyed the greetings from my friends who are kind enough to remember this special day for me – my birthday.

I had a few shares of text messages and cards from my classmates and even Rio-chan. I just smiled at the thought but can’t help but to expect something from him. Something… Anything… Anything from him will be just great.

I heard the sound of the bell signalling the end of the day which made me stand up and head towards my locker. To my surprise, I saw a small box with a ribbon on it, a card stuck closely on the surface.

“Happy Birthday… -- Hokuto” the note said. I opened the box and saw a nicely sharpened pencil inside – the same type of pencil I gave him just a few days ago. I picked it up and saw small writing embedded on its surface saying “Happy Birthday Yuki-chan” written on the actual wood of the pencil. This is enough to pull me back to our almost empty classroom where I know where he’s staying usually after class. I saw his figure with Yamada-kun, Keito-kun, Yuto-kun and Chinen-kun from other classes who never fail to hang out with him as soon as their classes finish.

I took all my courage and approached the 5 boys chatting casually with each other.

“Can I borrow Hokuto-kun for a moment?” I disrupted their conversation that made the other four boys look at my direction. I then pulled his hand outside the door and soon enough, I showed him the box.

-

“What the heck is this??!”

“Eh? It’s a gift…” he replied almost immediately.

“You can’t even buy yourself your own pencil and now you’re giving me one?” I countered his confident response and saw him cutely scratch the back of his head as if acting innocent… “Don’t you think you need this more than I do?”

“Ermm~ so you don’t like my gift? Fine… Let me replace it…” he suddenly said which took me by surprise. I saw his face leaning towards my face again. Yet unlike before, he pulled me closer. All I managed to do is to close my eyes and just wait for something to happen. But then, I heard a sudden whisper on my ear that didn’t fail to send shivers on my spine.

“Happy Birthday Yuki-chan… Another year came to your life and I just hope that you won’t be that dense towards my feelings after gaining another year” he whispered. Not really sure what he means but the feeling of both relief and disappointment lingered towards me. Instead of a kiss, he whispered to me… Great!

I managed to clear my throat and clenched the box still on my hand.

“Since you actually made an effort giving me this, I’ll take it…” I said before feeling a burning sensation near my cheeks. Within a flash, I hid myself onto the nearest corner of the corridor. I took a deep breath, trying to regain proper senses and looked back. I can still sense that he’s there standing by himself - not moving on his place.

I soon saw his shadow and heard his faint breathing which is soon enough joined by four other boys who seem to be waiting for him.

--

“Why the heck didn’t you tell her?” I heard Chinen-kun said faintly. It’s not that I’m trying to eavesdrop… but a part of me is just pulling my body to listen. I then withdrew my figure from their direction, trying my best not to be seen by them.

“I thought you’ll confess, Hokuto~” Yuto-kun spoke next which made Hokuto sigh heavily.

“I was gonna do it but… I CAN’T!! Do you guys know how hard it is…? I just saw her and suddenly, I can’t speak!” I heard his faint protest towards the boys around him… “I just hope she got what I mean and realise it herself…”

--

By this, I smiled. I sudden feeling of happiness lifted me from my place. I may be thinking too much but I’m happy I listened to their conversation. For once I can say that I’m proud for eavesdropping! HAH!

I then turned my gaze towards the box I was holding containing his gift. This may be the worst gift a boy can give to a girl but I’m sure to treasure it forever.

-

“Baka~ If you want to confess, just do it!” I said to myself and realised I’m not that dense after all.

--

A/N: I FAILED THIS SOOOO BADLY!!!!! YUKI-CHAN!!! PLEASE FORGIVE MEEEEEE!!! T^T

I thought it needs a sequel... buttttt~ my brain is soooo fried up! I LOVE YOU ANYWAYS IMOUTOOO!! *HUGS*

I will try to update after my essays and stupid exams! >.<