Sorry for the late update. I've been distracted by a couple of things lately. And also, I edited this fic thrice, making my work even slower although I don't really know why. Anyway… enjoy…

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Chapter 3: A Stolen Kiss

It was morning. Dark could feel the warm rays of sunlight kissing directly on his skin, warming him up and telling him to get up. Every morning was like this for Dark: receiving the usual wake ups from the warm bright ball that hung endlessly on the sky. And every time the sun rises up to greet him, he felt happy to have another day to enjoy.

However, this morning was different. No, not in a bad way. This morning felt more lively. Yes, yes, he agreed to himself, nodding his head momentarily in the process.

His hand moved along the crumpled sheets on the other side of his bed but when his palm felt nothing close to a girl's figure, realization hit him hard on the face, which made his eyes open to the fullest. Deep pools of violet reflected an image of an empty bed, lacking a trace of a certain girl he wished to be there.

And for the second time, dark let himself fall back into his mind and started messing with his brain, hoping to get an appropriate logic to fit in this simple, yet brain-twisting case he got himself into. Simple for the reason that he knew that the girl and all the other things that happened last night were starting to shatter down into a mere imagination or worse, into a dream. Brain-twisting, in a way that he's refusing to accept his brain's most reasonable answer and squeezing it to death for his heart's desire and satisfaction.

Then, there was a snore; a loud one. Then all of a sudden, Dark's silly thoughts started to wither and completely vanish along with his silliness. Slowly, his orbs transformed from popped ones into soft ones.

"I should have known."

And there, lying on the floor at the other side of the bed was Riku Harada, sleeping loudly and peacefully.

He was watching her slumber, her chest rising and falling from her breathing. Fascinated by her face's features, it has not been in a matter of time when he saw his fingers trace her cheeks, slowly caressing every inch of its surface. But Dark's fingers were suddenly stopped in their tracks.

Her eyes shot open and her chest wasn't moving anymore. Her face was rapidly losing it's color.

Dark was worried when he saw this and even got more worried when he saw both her hands on her mouth, pressure leaking out of its tips. He thought that she's going to cough blood but when he saw her back skipping forward over and over again and her cheeks puffing on and off, he knew right away what was happening.

Ah, the power of alcohol…

Hurriedly taking his body into action, he grabbed her by the arm, cautious not to grip her too tight and ran towards his bathroom door. As soon as her eyes met the door's elegantly designed face, she opened it forcefully until the door got knocked on the wall and headed right in front of the toilet bowl to puke them all out.

Dark could only watch in amazement beside the door. She's one heck of a girl. He has never seen any girl do this all his life (until he met her, of course). Every girl that he usually met was too graceful and elegant. They were just… well, plain.

But this girl was different. She has a lot of surprises inside her. He never thought that she was this unique.

And as their ayes met each other's faces, Dark has finally made up his mind. He knew exactly what he wanted her to pay him back.

Riku saw several circles of violet and red (probably his clothes) dancing around her eyes. Her vision was still blurry.

It took her a couple of minutes to set them back to normal. But when the violets and reds finally got into shape, it was not such a big deal for her to slap her face with her hands and splash wash her face with water from the faucet standing just behind her.

She looked dizzy. Her eyes kept on blinking and she was starting to sway. This was the exact replica of how she looked like last night. Déjàvu?

Suddenly, she stopped blinking and swaying. Was she going back to normal again? Was she even normal?! Then she froze.

Pang!

She slapped herself with her hands, twirled and ran straight into the sink, splashing herself with water.

"Wow. Another surprising action. Knew she wasn't normal." Dark said to himself.

Dark sweat-dropped. But it was surely not the last of her famed talents. There was yet another one to come (or even more). And when he reached out a hand to her back, it came and it amused him again.

A hairbrush that was once sitting securely inside the container on his sink was now in her hands. She was obviously trying to drive him away. But Dark knew better. He knew she was scared. Her eyes told so. But still, there was a tinge of bravery in both brown eyes.

"D-don't come near me… or… or else… I-I'll…"

He smirked.

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"Oh man, I'm in big trouble."

Riku kept her feet on the floor. She's not letting this guy scare her.

She heard him step. Riku bowed her head down, trying hard not to look at him anymore. Then there was another step. Another then another. He's getting closer and it's making her chicken out. She shut her eyes tight.

Don't step back. Don't step back. Please don't step back, Riku!

Tap.

She stepped back.

She can't do this anymore. She knew she was scared but she kept fighting it. She's tried of acting like a brave fool when she knew that she was nothing but a wuss inside.

Riku opened her eyes but what greeted her eyes scared her, making her grip at the hairbrush loosen. Then it fell. And so did she. Literally.

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Dark saw how she slipped. But there was no time to get amused about it because the girl in front of him is already falling and she might get hurt, taking a great notice about the sink behind her.

So, spreading his hand like a fan for her hand and his other arm for her waist, he pulled her closer until she was safe. But something unexpected happened.

It felt warm. Both their lips felt warm. They were kissing.

"AAAHHHH!!!!"

Then it vanished and it felt cold again.

A loud scream entered Dark's ears, quickly giving his brain pain and confusion. Then all of a sudden, there was a bright red hand print plastered hard on his cheek. He looked down, wanting to see the expression she now possesses but his eyes met nobody. His hand and arm are empty. She's gone. Not a girl in sight.

"Perverted jerk."

The words went through the concrete wall of the bathroom, leaving trails of anger and confusion embedded on the wall. Dark turned around and headed back to his opened bathroom door but it was too late.

It arrived so fast and left so fast. Was it just another one of his minds tricks? He doubted. He swore that he heard her sneakers leave his door. And what about the slap? He could still feel it stinging heavily on his skin. And what about the…kiss?

He walked towards his bed and felt his back bounce on its body.

"It's real. I felt it."

Then out of the corner of his eye, a backpack with the darkest shade of green was sitting on his pillow. There was something attached to one of it's zippers. A school ID.

He felt his lips curve up to a smirk again. This game isn't over yet.