"Good morning, Pres!" the students greeted Misaki as they strolled into the school compound.
Misaki was standing at the school gate, making sure that everyone was properly attired, as well as hoping to catch latecomers and punish them. She stood there, inspecting the uniforms of everyone.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Wear your tie!"
"No piercings are allowed!"
"Tuck in your shirt properly!"
"Ah, your hair's a little messy… Here, this should be okay."
As expected, Misaki was especially strict to the boys, but gentle to the girls. The boys couldn't help but sigh, wishing that the President would loosen up a little and be more lenient on them, just like she was to the girls.
Time ticked by. Usui had not arrived yet. "That idiot… Where in the world is he?" Misaki wondered. She continued to stand by the gate, hoping to spot him approaching the school.
"Pres, it's time to go in, lessons are about to start!" Yukimura called.
"O-okay…" Misaki replied softly. She took one last look outside, grunted and shut the gates. "Idiot Usui… You're going to get it from me when you finally come later!" she muttered.
"And so, for the concentration, measure the mass…"
Misaki couldn't concentrate properly in class. Where in the world was Usui? He was never absent or late for school, except for the times when he was injured and hospitalised. "Idiot…" she chanted in her head over and over. Time seemed to be immobile for her without Usui in school, even though they were not in the same class. It just felt weird that the perverted alien stalker didn't greet her at the gate in the morning. It just felt weird that the perverted alien stalker seemed to disappear without cause. It just felt weird that the perverted alien stalker seemed to not exist at all. It just felt weird that… Misaki missed the perverted alien stalker that much, though it was only the first lesson.
Finally, it was time for lunch break. Misaki headed towards 2-2's classroom, and opened the door. Usui was not there. Even his bag was not on his seat. He didn't come to school at all. She then headed for the rooftop, and sent him a text message. "You idiot, why aren't you in school today?" A few minutes later, she received a reply.
"Sorry, Misa-chan… I'm going to be away to settle some matters. By the way, I'm not breaking the rules; I've already applied for leave. Don't miss me too much now that there isn't a perverted alien stalker staring at you all the time. I'll be back after two days, during Student Council working hours though."
Misaki immediately felt disappointed. She wouldn't be seeing him until the third day. It was only a few hours into the first day, yet she already missed him so much. "Idiot Usui…" she muttered over and over again. Then she felt a shock in her heart. "No! Why… why am I so upset over this? I should be happy that I can finally concentrate… Yes… I'm happy… I'm happy…" With those thoughts, she headed back to class.
School ended, and it was the Student Council working time. Misaki sat at her desk, doing her work quietly, without saying anything, even with the boys were fooling around in the room again. Even as she tried to comfort herself with the thought that she would be able to work peacefully, she couldn't bring herself to act normally. Immediately, everyone could tell that something was wrong with the atmosphere without the President's scolding, so they tried to test it out and see if there was indeed something weird going on.
"Umm, Pres, about the accounts for this month…" the accountant handed the accounts book to Misaki meekly.
"Hmm, ok," Misaki replied monotonously as she skimmed through the data. Then, she continued typing on the document in the laptop, her face expressionless.
Now everyone could tell that there was something really wrong with her. But what exactly was it? Nobody knew, and nobody dared to ask. They just carried on with the work as per normal.
She couldn't help but time to time, turn and look at the spot on the table where Usui would always sit while harassing her, or behind her, in front of the blackboard, where he would be there, stalking her secretly. But he wasn't anywhere. Then it struck her that he wasn't in school; but still, she couldn't help but repeat these actions, and stare at the entrance, hoping that he would suddenly pop out of nowhere, like he always did.
It was time for Misaki to work in Maid Latte after Council work, and it was the same. Even as she served customers with her bright smile, the frown on her forehead and those sad eyes would appear as she turned away; everytime the bell rang, she'd turn around, hoping that Usui had come as a customer, but always, to her disappointment, he was not standing at the entrance. Of course, the manager and the girls noticed, but they didn't ask; they were worried that asking about it would make her even more depressed after talking.
"I wonder what's wrong with Misa-chan…" the manager pondered.
"Yeah… She's never been this sad…" Erika whispered.
"You're right…" Subaru agreed.
Misaki's shift was over, after a long time of fruitless waiting. "It's been a long day…" she called, and left the shop.
Misaki, of course, noticed that she was being too sloppy in her schoolwork for that day, and stayed up all night studying to make up. She also did more Student Council work to make up for her negligence during the working hours. Even so, she left her phone by her table, hoping to see a message from Usui, or even a phone call. But it never came, and that made her even more depressed than ever. "No!" she thought. "Why… why am I still feeling so depressed? So depressed to the extent that I would neglect schoolwork, Student Council matters and even my job…?"
There was no answer for her, of course. She could only spend the night trying hard to do her work, while forcing herself to put Usui out of her mind.
The next day, because she was still feeling depressed and a little tired, she became less alert about the boys' attire and actions, and went extremely lenient on even them.
"Huh, Pres is standing right there, and yet she isn't catching me for not wearing my tie?"
"Whoa, I walked right past the Pres today, and she didn't say anything about my piercings!"
"Guess what, my shirt was out today, but the Pres totally ignored it!"
"What's wrong with the Pres, really?"
"Exactly… I was reading some erotic magazines next to her and she kept quiet! If this goes on, the old Seika might come back!"
Without helping it, Misaki would stare into Classroom 2-2 every time she walked past it, and then, looking at Usui's empty seat, remember that he was absent. That definitely didn't help in cheering her up.
School was over and Misaki had spent the whole day not uttering a single word, and it was time for the Student Council to work. Just like yesterday, Misaki just sat at her desk and minded her business. She really missed Usui terribly.
"Is the president okay…?"
"Guess not… She totally ignored all the boys' insolence and poor attire today!"
"Yeah, I made such a big mistake in the Student Council report and she didn't say anything…"
"I was late for a whole hour for the meeting and she didn't scold me! Is this a miracle or what?"
"Wait, why does she keep staring at the left side of her table and the blackboard behind her?"
"Not just that, but she's eyeing the entrance too…"
"Maybe she's waiting for someone?"
"Usui-san, I guess…"
"You're right, he hasn't been here for the second day now…"
Hearing these comments, Misaki was struck hard. "Oh no… Why… Just why am I this bothered by his absence? So bothered to the extent that I'd let the guys off so easily for their poor behaviour…? What the heck is wrong with me?" these thoughts raced through her mind. Misaki wrote furiously on the documents, hoping that she would concentrate properly and stop feeling depressed over Usui.
The time came for her to work part-time again. It was the same as before; pretending to be completely fine in front of the customers, but spacing out and looking depressed the moment she turned away.
"Eh, Misa-chan is spacing out again…" Honoka sighed.
Everyone knew that something was wrong, yet nothing could be done. Finally, the manager talked to Misaki.
"Misa-chan, why don't you take a break tomorrow? You seem very tired and depressed…"
"No… It's okay, I'll come as per normal," Misaki replied.
"It's fine… Just rest tomorrow! After all, it is my wish that all of you girls come to work with a happy heart. I don't want to see Misa-chan working too hard and collapsing…" the manager sighed.
"Okay then… Thank you!" Misaki smiled. At last, a smile from her. Everyone felt better to see it.
When work was over and Misaki went home, she was decidedly tired, but still stayed up all night to try and make up for the schoolwork covered and the Student Council work once more. Her phone was still beside her and definitely did not ring. "Why am I still so hopeful about him contacting me…? Why does this feel like…?" she wondered.
The following day; the third day- was the same. She was still as lenient as ever, as dazed as ever, and very tired. In fact, Misaki got a fever from staying up all night and totally stressing herself out twice in a row, and the bad weather didn't help make her feel better. but she forced herself to come to school anyway; Usui was coming back in the evening after all. Besides, she was off duty at Maid Latte, so it wouldn't be that much of a long day for her. All she wanted to do was to see Usui again.
Time passed, and it was once again, time for the Student Council to work. Again, Misaki didn't scold anyone or say a single thing; she was depressed and ill, and didn't want to waste any energy. But this time, she didn't turn and look at her desk or behind her; she just kept glancing at the entrance of the room, anticipating Usui's return. Seconds, minutes and even hours ticked by, but he was not there yet.
"Idiot Usui… Where in the world are you? Didn't you say that you'd be back today? Do you have any idea how worried I am...? Do you have any idea…How much I miss you?" Misaki thought. She was really fatigued from school, work and being ill, as well as thinking about him all the while.
"Wait…" she thought. "What was I thinking just now? All these feelings… Even disrupting my school life, Council work and job… It feels as if… I…"
Her train of thoughts was interrupted by the secretary. "Umm, Pres… I have something urgent to attend to, and I need to leave now, even though working hours are not over…"
"Actually Pres, me too…"
"M-m-me too…"
"Alright, you may leave," Misaki replied sluggishly. She didn't have the energy to scold them or ask more about it anyway.
"Thank you, Pres! Good work for today!" they greeted and left. It was only then that Misaki realised everyone had left, leaving her all alone. She sighed and continued working.
After some time, the door slid open. "Usui…?" Misaki thought. She turned around, and as expected, it was him; finally. She felt relieved and elated.
"I'm back, Misa-chan," he smiled. Then, he walked towards her desk. "Where's everyone?"
Misaki immediately stood up and grabbed Usui's arm tightly. "Usui… You idiot! Where exactly have you been these past few days…" she had barely finished her lines when she loosened her grip on Usui and fell. She was at the peak of her fatigue. Her vision was blurry and she had no energy left to even stand at all, let alone keep scolding him.
"Ayuzawa!" Usui shouted in shock. Luckily, he caught her in time. He placed his hand on her forehead. "Y-you're burning up really bad! Just how hard have you been pushing yourself?"
"Idiot Usui… Whose fault do you think this is? If you hadn't been absent for so long, I wouldn't be losing focus in class and in the Student Council, and I wouldn't have to pull all-nighters on days with such bad weather!" she retorted.
Then, she spoke softly with her face really red, "If you weren't absent for so long… I wouldn't have realised that… I hate your absence more than I really love your presence… You idiotic perverted alien stalker…"
Hearing that, Usui's eyes widened, and he blushed. Then, he smiled gently and said, "Okay, okay… I'm really sorry, Misa-chan… For now, just rest properly, okay?" She grunted and then, she couldn't take it anymore, and her eyes closed peacefully.
He carried her to a chair in the room and cradled her in his arms, gently, yet tightly. "In these three days… I've also realised the same thing you did," he whispered. Then, he inched down and gently kissed her forehead. "Sleep tight, my sweet Misa-chan." He closed his eyes and slept, still blushing and smiling, but he didn't notice that Misaki's face was red with embarrassment, and tears were gently flowing down her face, embedded with her warm smile.