A/N: Hello, an early post! I forgot to say last chapter that I'm going on holiday tomorrow, actually (15th), which is also the day I receive my university exam results! I'm posting this now because I won't be able to on Friday, but I should be back by the 23rd to make the next regular post. Other pointless news is that I really hate earrings. It's gone a bit wrong, because I bought a new pair, and when I tried to put the old pair back in it... failed. Horribly. I won't go into details. Now I'm going to have to appeal to my mum, who will most likely gloat because she didn't like the new earrings. Sigh.

Without further ado, the next chapter of Gakutalia!

Chapter 19

Y.W.

He was in the Common Room when Ivan excitedly seated himself with him. He had never seen Ivan in such a mood, his violet eyes wide with anticipation. They were spaced away from everyone else, secluded in their own world.

"Good news here," he announced.

"What, aru?" Yao asked, mildly curious by Ivan's sudden display of emotion.

"Do you remember Mei?" Ivan asked.

Your attractive Buddy? Why, yes I do, Ivan…

"Yeah?" he nodded, dreading if something had happened between them – he would never steal a friend's girlfriend.

"She wanted your number," Ivan grinned.

Yao was trying to remain neutral, but couldn't stop the surprise appearing on his face as he laid eyes on Ivan. "What, aru?"

"She wanted your number," his friend repeated, his expression becoming increasingly smug.

"A-and did you… give it to her?" he asked, cautious.

"Of course," Ivan shrugged. "Why? You don't want her having your number?"

"No, aru, I do want her to have my number – thank you for that, aru," he nodded. "She likes me?"

He nodded. "She remembered you from the other day. I think she wants to have lunch as a three again sometimes, although she hasn't mentioned it. I was more than happy to help, because I wasn't sure how you really felt about her."

"Well, I think she's an attractive young woman," he nodded.

"If you didn't know, she hasn't texted you, though," Ivan began to ponder.

"She probably didn't want to creep me out," Yao admitted. "Girls are funny, aru, but I completely understand. When the time comes and we get to know each other more, I'll humour her and ask for her number."

Ivan nodded like the helpful sidekick he was.

"Thanks, aru," Yao suddenly felt proud of himself. "Looks like I have someone to go to the Charity Ball with."

"Oh, gosh, you're right," Ivan frowned.

"You don't have someone?" Yao asked. "You gonna go?"

"If I don't have anyone, I don't see the point," Ivan said.

"Francis and Arthur will be there, and I doubt either of them will have anyone to go with," Yao forced back his increasing smugness. "If it's for charity, you can hang out with them."

"True," Ivan nodded.

"Besides, I'll need as much moral support as I can get," Yao said. "Just because Mei agrees to go with me, doesn't mean I'll have the confidence to keep that up, aru."

"So… you need support?" Ivan nodded thoughtfully.

"That exactly," Yao smiled. "You need to arrange a time when she can have lunch with us again, aru. I can get to know her in that time."

Ivan nodded, holding onto his ideas. Yao felt immensely impressed with himself. Not only had he recently bagged the placement as Edmund, he was now suddenly in line for a girlfriend. And not just any girl. It was Mei, with the long, silky dark hair and the cute cat clips she used to pin it back, whose attitude was fiery and with spirit, but who could be just as cute and charmingly shy when it came down to it. The more he learned about her, the more Yao decided he liked her. And he couldn't believe she liked him back. But here was Ivan, telling him Mei had asked for his number. He couldn't feel more proud of himself.

"Also have some gossip," Ivan said casually from beside him, texting someone.

"Hmm?" Yao liked gossip.

"I saw Fel and that Michelle from the year below with one another," Ivan said. "On Saturday. I think they're a thing."

"Oh," Yao rubbed his chin. "Any reason why?"

"For starters, they kissed," he said. "And secondly, have you seen the guy today? He's almost shooting out of the roof."

"They kissed?" this was news to Yao – he expected Fel to stay a virgin until he was forty.

"Yep," Ivan said, then quickly added: "I wasn't watching, but they were outside the restaurant Mei and I ate at."

"OK, aru," this was gossip indeed.

He would certainly use it if Fel became his enemy.

K.H.

He was waiting outside when Alfred hurried through the gates, shouldering past some younger students as he did so. He broke out into a wide smile, rolling his bike towards Kiku.

"You ready?" Kiku climbed onto his bike.

"Absolutely," Alfred boarded his, and the pair of them soared away from the crowd of students that accumulated once school was over.

They rode on in silence until they parted fully from the student body. Kiku liked to take a quiet route home. Although it was a little longer, it was worth avoiding the road, with all its roaring cars and unpleasant scenery. This offered a good view of vibrant, green trees and solitary peace that only nature could provide.

"Your advice worked, Kiku," Alfred commented, and he glanced over his shoulder to see the American student wore a wide grin on his face. "Natalya and I are totally cool now, dude."

"Oh, that's good," Kiku smiled, glad to see his friend – for he could now consider Alfred a friend after three weeks of frequent tutoring – was relieving himself of his stressful situations.

"Also, the strangest of things happened today," Alfred said – and left it there.

He and his group really did live dramatic lives.

"What?" Kiku asked, giving in to the pause.

"Ivan and I have sort of made amends," Alfred said.

"Sort of?"

"Yeah, we agreed not to be enemies, but also to disagree," Alfred shrugged. "It's not like we're friends or anything, but neither of us have the strength to hate one another anymore."

"That's good," Kiku said. "I think?"

"No, it's great," Alfred nodded. "Especially since I'm Buddies with Natalya."

"What has Ivan got to do with that?" Kiku's brow furrowed.

He heard Alfred sigh behind him, and waited for his response. It never came.

"Alfred?" he prompted, giving in again.

"I think I like her," Alfred said. "I think she's really pretty. That means I like her, right?"

"I guess so," Kiku wasn't particularly sure how to determine Alfred's feelings for him.

"Well, if I like her, then I don't want Ivan to hate me, because then he won't be badmouthing me to her," Alfred said.

"I'm sure he doesn't do that," Kiku couldn't imagine Ivan acting so petty.

"He can be so unbelievable," Alfred scoffed. "Anyway, I want to see where things go. I think I'll leave it a while, then maybe ask her to the Charity thing and see if she says 'yes'."

"Taking it slow is a good idea," Kiku nodded.

"That's how you'd go about it?" Alfred asked.

"Absolutely," he replied. "Rushing into things will usually end in disaster."

"How can you tell if a girl likes you?" Alfred asked.

"I'm not really sure," Kiku admitted. "I haven't had much experience with girls."

"Hmm?" Alfred frowned. "You go to school with them?"

"I only came here in Year Nine," Kiku glanced briefly over his shoulder at him. "Before that, I'd been in an all-boys school for about five years."

"Harsh," Alfred said.

"It wasn't a nice place, but I have to thank them for all they've taught me," Kiku smiled. "And I also met the odd nice person there; although most of them were…"

"Asshats?" Alfred suggested.

"Not so pleasant," Kiku corrected. "I don't have much experience with girls at all."

"You just seem to know everything, is all," Alfred sounded mystified. "How would you assume a girl likes you?"

"I suppose if she acts differently around me," Kiku replied, hoping he wasn't giving Alfred terrible advice. "I can't really say I'd know. Apparently girls fiddle with their hair if they're near a guy they like."

"I've never seen her twirl her hair around," Alfred said solemnly.

"I'm sure there are plenty of other things girls do to hint they like you," Kiku assured him. "Don't take my word for this, because I honestly have no experience here."

"You still sound wise," Alfred commented.

Kiku felt a little touched. "Thank you. Glad to have helped."

F.B.

"From the rehearsals we've had all week, what have you told Roderich?" Francis asked Elizabeta.

He and Arthur had met with her after school to discuss their plot. The three of them were in the same classroom, and he desperately hoped his plan was helping her.

"I told him we met up over the weekend and watched a film," Elizabeta glanced between Arthur and Francis. "I hinted we were a thing."

"Hinted or made really obvious?" Francis frowned.

"I told him Arthur was 'super cute' and that I really wanted to keep seeing him," she replied.

"Good," Francis nodded approvingly. "Roderich doesn't notice subtlety."

"You don't look very pleased," Arthur said. "What did he say?"

"Barely anything," she worried, eyebrows curving with anxiety. "Just an 'OK' and a 'good luck'. It was like he didn't care."

Francis' brows knitted together and he adjusted his tie. "That was it?"

She nodded, biting her lip. "Feliks overheard, and he was more overjoyed than Roderich was."

"Feliks overhearing was probably a good thing and it'll work in our favour," Francis rubbed his chin. "The more people who are convinced of your relationship, the better. Just confirm it to anyone who asks, and it might appear more real to Roderich."

"What if he's not interested in me?" she panicked.

"He should ask questions, whether he's friends with you or not," he comforted. "I think we just need to be patient. He's not exactly the most expressive of characters, is he?"

"I suppose not," she frowned.

"Also, I think a little public affection might work," Francis cringed.

"What do you mean?" Arthur narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not asking you to shove your tongue down the back of her throat," Francis rolled his eyes. "Be a gentleman – a kiss on the cheek, wish her a good day, things like that."

"I know how to be a gentleman," Arthur snapped.

"I'm worried Valentine's Day will come before Roderich knows how I feel and feels the same," Elizabeta frowned.

"We have plenty of time," Francis assured her. "Just keep up with what you're currently doing, and we'll just make it more and more obvious that the pair of you are dating."

"What if this puts him off?" Arthur sighed.

"What do you mean?" worry crept back into Elizabeta's eyes.

"Yes, what do you mean?" Francis scrutinised him.

"What if Roderich backs down because Elizabeta and I are dating?" Arthur frowned. "What if that convinces him to never admit his feelings for her?"

"That won't happen," Francis waved a dismissive hand. "The idea of this plan is that Roderich gets increasingly jealous and frustrated, until he blurts out his true feelings."

"What if he gets mad at being deceived?" Arthur folded his arms. "I know I wouldn't like getting tricked into admitting my feelings."

"You and Roderich are very different people," Francis replied snootily. "Where you can't appreciate any romantic inclinations towards you, Roderich will probably be flattered that Elizabeta went to such an effort to reveal his affections. He's a quiet character, and will probably be more relieved that Elizabeta returns his feelings, if I'm perfectly honest."

"Fine – you know more about this than I do," Arthur held his hands up in defence.

"I do, indeed," Francis glanced back at Elizabeta. "Has anything else about Roderich changed?"

She shook her head. "We've been in the music rooms like we usually are at lunch, and he hasn't mentioned Arthur or anything nearing that subject at all."

"I wonder if this is closet envy…" Francis murmured.

"What?" Elizabeta blinked.

"Perhaps he's the type to even bottle up his envy," Francis nodded, latching onto the idea. "If he doesn't acknowledge the truth, then it doesn't exist."

"You think Roderich doesn't want to admit I'm dating someone else?" Elizabeta smiled at that.

"Yes, it's a possibility," Francis smiled. "Keep watching his actions and behaviour, and report back to me as soon as you can if something changes."

She nodded, and bid them goodbye before hurrying out of the classroom.

"Did you bullshit that?" Arthur asked.

Francis looked at him in alarm. "Of course not."

"Don't hurt her feelings by getting carried away with your schemes, frog," Arthur slung his bag over one shoulder.

"I won't," Francis sighed. "I would never be so awful."

"I need to find Peter," Arthur headed to the door. "He said he'd wait for me, rather than walk home alone. He's been acting awfully strange, recently, and I'm curious as to what's been going on."

"Strange? How so?" Francis frowned.

"I don't know," Arthur looked uncomfortable. "He's just been very distant, recently."

"Ask him?" Francis suggested.

"We'll see," and he left the classroom.

Francis packed up his books. He hoped everything would be OK between Roderich and Elizabeta. Arthur's words rang through his mind. This wasn't just about him being a match maker at the end of the day, was it? His goal most certainly was for the benefit of others, right? Francis told himself that, yes, this was for the satisfaction of Roderich and Elizabeta finding love, rather than the glory of being Cupid incarnate.

A/N: Have a good week, everyone! Until next time!