A Night Beneath the Stars
with You

Chapter 1: Spring Ball

"Now children! Settle down! As you all know, the Annual Sakura Spring Ball is coming up! Remember last year? Remember its next week and it's the boys turn to choose their date this year. Well, I'm off!" Narumi saluted as he left class leaving Assistant-sensei crying in the corner.

Another Spring Ball. Sigh, I wonder if I'll muster enough courage to ask Imai, I mean Hotaru, this year. Yeah, she scares me, but she's nice too. It'll be hard anyways, with all the girls that'll be asking me and Natsume even if it was the boys turn to ask.

"Um… Ruka-kun, would you, um like to go to the Spring Ball with me this year?" A girl I didn't recognize asked. She had simple features. Short dark brown hair and eyes that matched her hair. She was blushing and looking down at her feet. All of her friends stood behind her squealing. I couldn't say yes, but I also couldn't say no.

"Oi, you. Didn't you listen to the teacher? BOYS ask the girls, not the other way around. Leave Ruka alone, and if he wants to go with you, he'll ask you." Natsume saved me, right there. The girl blushed redder then before and bowed.

"Oh, I apologize for bothering you Natsume-kun and Ruka-kun. I wasn't listening properly. Please excuse me." She bowed again and turned to walk away.

"Umm, I'm sorry." I called to her. I thought Natsume was a bit hard on her, but I should've kept my mouth shut and stayed quiet, cuz what she did next was snap her head around and rush back to me.

"So, you'll consider." She said her eyes full of hope and I couldn't crush that. Luckily, Natsume saved me again.

"No." He simply stated and she walked away. Her friends gathered around her and comforted her.

"Thanks Natsume." I smiled.

"No problem, anyway you want to ask Imai don't you?" Natsume asked looking up from his manga book.

"SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I was blushing and I knew it. He was the only one other than Koko that knew. Koko I couldn't help. He could read minds and that wasn't very helpful to my personal life.

Natsume smirked. He lay his manga book down and whispered to me.

"If you ask Imai, I'll ask Polka."

I considered it. I really wanted Mikan and Natsume to get together. She really liked him and he liked her back just as much, but it would give me no choice, but to ask Hotaru.

"Fine" I whispered.

He grinned evilly at me.

"Now." He simply stated.

"NOW?!" I practically jumped in my seat. I watched as Natsume stood up and walked toward the table where Mikan and the girls sat. They were giggling, then looked up to Natsume when they saw him. It was silent at the table.

"Hey Polka. Wanna go to the dance with me?" He said, coolly. All the girls around her squealed and she blushed.

"Um, sure. Okay, Natsume." She accepted, blushing. I was happy for both of them, but NOW?! I mean, that means I have to ask Hotaru, NOW! Natsume turned around, looked at me and grinned evilly. He came and sat down next to me.

"Your turn!"

I got up from my chair and sighed. I turned to look at Natsume. He motioned me to go on. I started walking toward Hotaru, who was working on an invention, like always. She was unaware of me.

"Hey Imai." I smiled, nervously. I bet I looked nervous, she can tell. I know she can, she's probably thinking I'm a joke. She stops working on her invention for a moment and looks up at me. I swore I saw a flicker of nervousness flash across her face but when I blinked, her blank, snow white face stared back at me once again.

"Um, well, you see. Um" I mumbled. I was surprised I hadn't passed out yet. She stared at me with the same blank expression, but it slowly grew into a wtf (I use "What the Flower like one of my friends, not the f-word) expression.

"Spit it out." She snapped. She looked like she was irritated.

I exhaled. I had to say this before she thought I was like stupid or like I was diagnosed with a disease of mumbling-ism-iss (I don't know!).

"Do you wanna go to the dance with me?"