Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia
A/n: Requested by Sekainao. I hope this is to your liking and also a anon wanted magane!HK so I decided to slip that in as well. As always, I hope you readers enjoy the story and as always, I'll still take requests for this series. For those of you wondering if I'm ever gonna make an actual series, I'm working on them as we speak but they're very tricky so far but they're on their way. Until then, see you guys later.
Connected Glances
The sounds of pencils hitting paper were the only sounds that could be heard above the teacher's loud voice. The students of the class were attentively writing down notes, making sure that they got the material they needed for the upcoming tests. However, much to the teacher's annoyance, a few selected students chose not to pay attention at all.
There was the bad touch trio, sitting in their corner and not paying any mind to the lesson at all and sneering to themselves. Then there were a few gossiping girls who were exchanging notes about their latest plans. Aside from the typical miscreants, there was a sole student who kept to himself and read.
"Xiang," the teacher called out. The Cantonese teen lifted his gaze from his book and lazily pushed up his glasses to look at the teacher. "If we could have some of your time, please answer the next problem."
Xiang sighed, glancing up to the board and looking over the entire black board. The Asian quickly calculated the simple algebra problem in his head and said the answer, "X equals 8."
The teacher seemed a bit annoyed at how easily he answered the problem but turned his attention back to the class. "As I was saying…"
Once the teacher turned his attention away from Xiang, the teen lifted his book back to its original position. But unknown to everyone, this was just a ruse. The book was the perfect distraction to what he was really doing. Carefully, he glanced over to the other side of the room to the new student of the school. Mei.
Xiang didn't want to admit it, but he developed a slight crush on the exchange student. The girl quickly adapted to her new surrounds at the school and already made friends. But that wasn't the thing that interested Xiang. The Taiwanese girl was very cute in his opinion and her bright attitude was hard not to notice.
Before she noticed, he turned his attention back to his book, wanting to make sure he wasn't caught staring at her. He had a notorious reputation of being stoic and withheld from the rest of the academy. Xiang wanted to talk to her and even though they had exchanged a few words before, he hadn't really gotten a chance to really know her.
Little did Xiang know, his little crush was returned. Mei lifted her head from her notes to glance over to Xiang, blushing slightly as she saw him. To Mei, Xiang wasn't the typical boy that obeyed the rules or wasn't that extreme were he completely defied them. He was interesting and handsome. At first she wanted to get to know him better but hadn't mustered the courage to actually speak to him. But by keeping distance from him, she found her crush growing more and more every day.
Just as she was about to turn away and back to her notes, for a single instant, she saw him lift his gaze to her as well. That single moment, their eyes met but just as quickly, they turned away back to their distraction. Mei blushed furiously as she realized she was caught. But then another thought popped into her mind; he was looking at her too.
Xiang mentally cursed himself; being caught by Mei herself was incredibly embarrassing. As he tried to calm down, his blush only intensified when he remembered that she was already watching him. A flood of thoughts began to enter his mind, considering perhaps that she liked him too or maybe it was just a coincidence.
As these different thoughts raced through his mind, his train of thought was suddenly broken as the bell rang. The entire class let out a sigh of relief when they got up to leave. Xiang shook his head and stood up as well to go out. It was lunch time now and he had more than enough time to process his thoughts. As he walked down the hall, carrying his book in front of his face, a hand suddenly found its way on his shoulder and he turned around to find his energetic and annoying friend, Yong Soo.
"Hey Xiang! Put down that book for once and let's go eat together."
He sighed, closing his book. "Whatever. Where do you want to eat?"
"Let's go to the garden, there's some gossip going around that I can't wait to tell you."
"Why can't you just tell me now?"
"Alright! I couldn't hold it in anyway," he grinned. Xiang shook his head, wondering why he was friends with him again. "So there are rumors going around that the new girl has a crush."
"Mei? You don't say…"
"Yeah! Although it's not specific on whom it is."
"It is just rumors after all."
"Well that's not the only thing my dear Xiang. People are saying she might like Kiku or maybe Alfred."
Xiang started to become nervous once he heard this. "Are you sure?"
"Not at all!" he grinned. "But it could be likely you know."
"How do you know that?"
Yong Soo beamed at him and began to pat him on the back. "I'm just kidding Xiang. Didn't you know that Kiku's going after Alfred anyway? Man, why do you care so much? It's like you actually…" The Korean's eyes began to widen as he stared at him.
"Don't even say it," Xiang warned.
"You like her!" he shouted.
Immediately, Xiang shoved his hand to cover his mouth, dragging him behind some corner. "I told you not to say it," he whispered. "And I don't like her."
"Oh Xiang, you don't have to be so shy. I'm sure she'll like you."
"I don't like her…" he mumbled.
"Denying it won't make her like you, you know."
Xiang turned around and glared at him. "For the last I do not have a crush!"
"Crush on who?" Xiang tensed up and slowly turned around to the familiar voice. A pair of chocolate brown eyes was staring up at him with a smile. "Are you going to keep staring or answer me?" she giggled.
"Um it's nothing. Can I help you?"
Suddenly, the confident girl he saw before was replaced with a shy one. "Well… I was wondering if you wanted to eat lunch with me?"
"I was about to eat with…" The moment Xiang turned around, Yong Soo had disappeared. "Where'd he go?"
"Where did who go?"
"I thought there was someone behind me."
"I think there was," she pondered. "I saw some tall guy and when I showed up; he gave a thumbs up and ran away."
"That idiot…" he muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing," he stammered. "I'd love to have lunch with you."
"Great!" she chirped. Mei reached out, taking Xiang's hand and guiding him to the outside. Xiang blushed at the action as he followed her to the gardens. Once they arrived, she released his hand and sat down on a nearby bench, patting a seat next to her for him.
The teen went over and sat down awkwardly next to her. "So… what are you eating?"
"Some crepes. They're really tasty. How about you?"
"Some dim sum." Xiang took out his lunch box, removing the lid and revealing a dozen or so pork buns.
"You're eating that all by yourself?" She asked, amazed.
"Yeah. This isn't much though. You want one?"
"Sure," she smiled. "Let's trade."
Xiang handed the girl one of the buns and she in returned passed him one of the thin pancakes. As they both at their lunch in peace and silence, Mei couldn't help but sneak glances at him, blushing slightly as she stared. Xiang seemed to take notice of her but pretended not to notice.
"What made you want to invite me to lunch?" Xiang asked suddenly.
"Huh? Oh…" Mei blushed, nervously clutching her skirt. "I just wanted to… you know. Get to know you better."
"I see. It's been nice," he smiled.
This made Mei blushed as she looked up to him. "You have a really nice smile…" she commented.
"I do?"
"Yeah. You should smile more often."
"It's not my thing."
"To smile? That's so silly," she giggled.
"Humph not that exactly. Just I don't usually like to show my emotions."
"Again that's silly. You should be able to feel without worry."
"Well… I'm like that around you I suppose."
"Why me?" she asked, leaning closer to him.
"I'm not sure. I just feel like I can be honest around you. Weird right?"
"Not at all," she said softly. "I… kind of feel the same."
"Really?"
"Really," she smiled.
Xiang suddenly averted his eyes. "Um Mei… you're a little closer."
"Huh? Oh! I'm sorry." She quickly pulled back but she hadn't realized how far to the edge she was on the bench and fell.
Xiang quickly reached out to grab her but the force pulled him down as well. The both of them landed into the grass with a yelp. Mei slowly opened her eyes and saw Xiang holding her protectively. "You okay?" he asked.
"Y-yeah…" She blushed as she realized how close their faces were. "H-how about yourself?"
"I'm fine."
Mei quietly reached up to fix his glasses but instead slowly pulled them away. "I didn't realize how lovely your eyes were…"
"Yeah?" he whispered.
Just as he began to lean down, their lips inching ever so close, the bell rang and broke them of their trance. The both of them quickly scrambled to their feet, brushing off and loose blades of grass. "I guess we should head to class now?"
"I guess…" he said disappointedly.
"Don't be so sad," she said. Mei leaned up to his cheek and gave a soft kiss. "Let's go."
Xiang blushed with a smile, slowly raising his hand to his cheek. As Mei began to waltz off to the building, Xiang caught her by her waist, pulling her close. "Wait, let me return the favor."
Before Mei knew it, Xiang pressed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened but she slowly closed her eyes and kissed back. The kiss lasted briefly as they both pulled back with their cheeks flushed.
As Xiang stared back at her, Mei seemed to be in some kind of daze as her were glazed over. "I guess we should go to class—"
Mei pulled Xiang closely, wrapping her arms around his neck and capturing his lips in her own. She applied more pressure than the previous kiss and to her surprise, Xiang was moving his lips against hers, drawing out more pleasure from the act. As they held onto the kiss, Mei pressed herself against him, melting into his arms while he held her tightly and closely.
The two broke away, panting as they recovered from the lack of oxygen. "I guess class can wait," he said softly.
She smiled shyly and nodded before the two went back to kissing. Mei began to dig her hands into his hair as he smoothed his hand over her back. The Taiwanese teen blushed deeply when she felt him asking for permission to enter her mouth. She parted her lips slightly and his tongue darted in and began to tangle itself with her own. She moaned into the kiss as she wrestled with his tongue.
When the two parted, Mei felt weak in her legs but Xiang fully supported her. "X-Xiang…" she breathed.
"Shh… I'm here for you, Mei."
Xiang quietly smoothed his hand over her cheek and then cupped her chin, tilting it up so that their eyes were connected. In that gaze, they could see the attraction between them that pulled them closer. And the potential for so much more than what it seemed.
Omake
Yue paced around the classroom and just as the final bell rang, she got worried. Mei wasn't in class and she didn't know where her friend was. She looked over the classroom and what she noticed was an unusually happy and grinning Korean.
The Vietnamese girl marched over to his desk, slamming her hand down on his desk. "Yong Soo, where's Mei?"
"Why do you assume I know where she is?"
"Because you're being weirder than usual."
"Well she went with Xiang for lunch but that's all I know. If you ask me, it was about time something happened."
Yue had to resist the urge to smack the boy over the head as she returned to her desk near the window. It wasn't like Mei to skip class and that's what worried her. As class started, Yue diverted her attention to the outside and almost immediately she noticed two students in the garden. When she took a closer look, she was shocked.
She saw both Mei and Xiang extremely close to each other with their lips locked. Yue blushed and quickly looked away from the scene. She had no idea what the two were thinking; kissing when they should be in class but it was out of her hand. Either way, she hoped they wouldn't make a habit of doing this.