BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

I turned over on my side and hit the snooze button. I pushed the covers off of me and, as soon as I sat up, I immediately thought of him.

"Oh...," I sighed, blushing a bit. "I hope I get at least a little closer to him today... I bet he doesn't even have a clue about how I feel!"

I sighed again and trotted to the bathroom. I looked at the mirror and put on my "determined face". I made a fist in the air and said, "Alright! Today, my goal is to get him to notice me! Now, what to do to make him notice me..."

I lifted my bangs and observed them in the mirror. "Hmm...," I said. "Well, I guess I'll cut my bangs today!"

I took a pair of scissors and started to style my bangs, thinking, 'I hope he at least asks something like, "What happened?"...'

After, I got dressed quickly, wearing my pink skirt and the flower barrette he gave me for my birthday a few months ago. Then, I went to a quick mirror check. I turned to all sides, checking if I was looking good.

"Hmm... I'm looking super cute today!" I said, smiling to myself.

"Hey! Miku!" I heard a familiar voice calling me from afar.

I turned and saw Rin, Meiko, and Luka walking towards me. I gave them a big smile and waved. "Hey guys!"

"Hey, Miku," Luka said, smiling.

"Hey, did you do something different to your hair?" Rin asked. "It looks so cute today!"

I chuckled and rubbed my neck in embarrassment. "Ha ha, yeah. I cut my bangs a bit this morning."

"I knew it!" she said, grinning. "And your clothes are cute, too! Especially your hair clip!"

"Thanks! It was a gift, actually..."

As soon as I said that, Meiko's lips spread into a wide grin. "Eh? A gift? Oh! You mean the gift he gave you?" Meiko asked.

"Sh-shut up, Meiko!" I said, blushing in embarrassment. "S-so what if I'm w-wearing it?"

"Nothing, nothing!" she teased, stifling back her laughter. She even got Rin and Luka to laugh, too!

"But just so you know... He's coming this way!" Meiko said, pointing to him as he, Len, and Gakupo walked over.

"Wh-what?" I said, panicking.

I quickly turned around and tried to fix myself up furiously. I could hear the giggles of the 3 other girls, but I didn't care. I need to look good when he comes here!

"Hey, guys," I heard him say to us.

"Hey, Kaito!" Meiko said, secretly nudging me. I quickly turned around and smiled to the guys.

"Len!" Rin said as she glomped him.

He laughed and said, "Rin! Get off of me!"

They got up and laughed, brushing the dirt off of their clothes. I smiled at them. Ah, I see the twins are getting along as usual. (Well, as much as siblings can get along.)

"Hey, Luka!" Gakupo said, grinning.

"Oh, hey, Gakupo," Luka said indifferently.

"So, how's my favorite little flower today?"

(I think I just saw Luka's eye twitch!)

"Gakupo... WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT CALLING ME ANYTHING THAT'S YOURS?" Luka yelled, ticked off.

She punched him in the head, but he just shrugged it off and said, "Ah, that's my Luka! Ever the energetic one!"

She face-palmed as he chuckled as an idiot. But I think that Luka was blushing! Ah, the tsundere and idiot couple strike again!

I chuckled to myself as this went through my head. But then, I noticed that everyone had left me! Meiko went off to class, along with Rin, Len, Gakupo, and Luka. I was alone! I huffed. But wait... I'm missing someone...

"Haha, I guess they all ditched us, huh, Miku?" he said, chuckling.

'OH MY GOSH. I'm alone.. With KAITO!' I thought, panicking in my head.

"Miku? Are you okay?" Kaito asked, concerned. "Your face is a little red there."

I quickly regained my composure and said, "O-oh! D-don't worry! I'm fine!"

I chuckled nervously, rubbing my neck. Kaito just smiled back at me and said, "Oh, good... Hey, uh, what happened?"

"Huh?" I asked, surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Your hair! It looks... different today... In a good way, I mean!"

I instantly blushed about 10 different shades of red! "R-really? Well... I just c-cut my bangs, th-that's all... And I'm not that good at styling hair, so..."

"Ha, really? Well, to me, it looks pretty good!" he said, shining a bright smile at me.

At that moment, my heart beat so much, I was wondering if he could hear it! I wanted to reply, but the bell rang just then.

"Ah, there's the bell. Well..." He walked a bit, turned around, waved at me, and said, "See ya around, Miku!"

I only had time to meekly wave back as he disappeared from my sight. Then, I sighed.

'Oh, he really did notice me today! I'm so happy...'

Then, I walked dreamily to my class.

"Aww, man!" Meiko complained. "It's pouring out here!"

The day had just ended, and we had just stepped out to find rain waiting here for us. We all groaned in unison.

"Aww, and I walk to the train, too!" I complained.

"Ah, lucky twins!" Gakupo said. "Luka took the twins with her and drove them home! Why not me..."

"Well, they did need to go home. We had to stay here to clean the classroom, since no one else would do it," Kaito said.

Gakupo sighed in frustration. "Gosh! Oh well, my house is not too far from here. I guess I'll just run for it."

"Yeah! I think I'll run, too!" Meiko said. "Since my house is pretty close, too."

"Oh, okay then," Kaito said.

"Try not to get sick!" I said.

Meiko leaned down to my ear and whispered, "And try to get closer to Kaito, Miku!"

I blushed as Kaito waved to the two as they ran. (But Meiko was running was a huge grin on her face...!)

Then, I heard Kaito sigh next to me. "It sucks that we have to walk all the way to the train to go home, huh?"

"H-huh? Oh, y-yeah..."

I quietly opened my bag and grabbed my umbrella. I was going to take it out, but sharing an umbrella with Kaito...

I sighed and put my umbrella back. I guess Kaito seemed to notice, since he stopped my arm from putting it back. I was pretty startled to him do this (startled, yes, but also a bit happy).

I quickly took his hand back. He looked away, leading me to do the same.

"A-ah... Sorry, but... Would you mind... Sharing?" he said, trying to smile at me.

'H-he... Wants to share an umbrella...? With me...? Th-this... This is my chance! I've got to make this last!'

I put on my brave face, smiled at him, and said, "Sure, we're going the same way, anyway, right?"

He smiled warmly at me and offered to hold the umbrella. He opened, put it over us, and we started to walk towards the train station.

I wonder if he could feel my cheeks burning right now...

"Ha ha, really?" I asked, laughing.

"Yeah!" Kaito said, laughing along with me. "He tripped over nothing and yelped like a girl! You should've seen it! It was so funny!"

We both laughed in unison. I was laughing a lot, and Kaito looked like he had a big grin plastered on his face!

Ah, this wasn't so bad! Laughing, walking with Kaito under my umbrella... Well, actually, I'm was so happy, I... I could die! It was so perfect... (Except for my hand shaking as I held his sleeve!)

"Hmm...," I heard Kaito say, obviously sounding unhappy.

"Huh? What's wrong?" I asked.

But then I looked forward and saw what probably made him sad. We had already reached the train station... Plus, the rain had stopped...

I turned to Kaito, who was already closing up the umbrella. He turned and handed it back to me.

"Well, it was fun! Hanging out with you, that is," he said, smiling. (But is that... reluctance I see in his smile?)

"Yeah... I had a great time, too!" I said, trying to force a smile out of me, too.

"Well... I should... uh... get going now...," he said, heading inside the train station.

"Kaito! Wait!" I said, grabbing his sleeve.

Surprised, he turned around, curiosity in his eyes.

"...What is it, Miku?"

"I... Uh...," I mumbled, trying to gather the courage I needed to...

"Hmm?"

"I... Uh, never mind. It's nothing!" I said, faking a smile.

"Oh... Are you sure?" he asked, probably knowing that I really wanted to say something.

"Yup! Now, I'll see you around!"

I pushed Kaito toward the entrance and turned around. Kaito was caught off-guard, but he still turned around to wave at me.

"O-okay... See ya, Mi-"

Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms wrap around my waist and pull me back! Not long after, I saw someone on a bike, passing right in front of me! I mean, so close, that if I wasn't pulled back, I would've gotten run over or something! Oh, that reminds me...

The pair of arms swiftly turned me around and held me at the shoulders. I was shocked to see Kaito, looking so concerned about me, you'd think I'd just jumped off a cliff!

"Miku! Are you alright?" he asked.

"Y-yeah... Just a little shaken, that's all..."

Kaito sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness! I thought you were gonna get hurt there for a second!"

"Yeah, me too... Why did you move me out of the way, though?" I asked, puzzled.

"What are talking about? I couldn't just let anyone get hurt right in front of my eyes! Especially you...!"

"Well, I guess-" I stopped myself. "Wait... What did you just say?"

"I... Uh...," Kaito stuttered, blushing a bit. "Nothing. I said nothing..."

"Oh... Really?" I asked, hoping that my ears didn't deceive me.

"Well, actually, no..."

"Huh? Then, what did-"

I was interrupted by Kaito. He had pulled me into his arms, looked deep into my eyes, and... and... kissed me! I wanted to just stop time right there, because that moment was just so... perfect!

When we parted, we were both blushing, but smiling, too.

"What... What was that for, Kaito?" I asked, trying hard to contain my happiness that was just bursting inside of me.

"Just... Something that I wanted to do for a long time," he said, smiling.

I gasped. "R-really...?"

"Of course...! Miku, ever since I met you... You've... You've always been on my mind."

"Funny, same here," I said, blushing.

Now that made him gasp. Then, after a few moments, we were both giggling.

"Well," I said, "I've gotta get going-"

I felt Kaito wrap his arms around me again, this time in a more affectionate way (which wasn't so bad, either!).

"Wait, now I've got something to tell you," he said playfully.

I smiled at his playful tone.

"Oh? What is it?"

"...I love you, Miku."

I gasped and turned around. Kaito was smiling at me, which made me smile, too.

I giggled and said, "I... I love you, too, Kaito."