Not even once have I ever

Eaten a butterfly

But why does it feel like my stomach is full of it?

And then, I remembered

When I first said your name

Maybe I swallowed it. . .

No one would think to converse with the enigmatic woman by the back of the room. Maybe it was an unsaid rule between everyone in the room. Wasn't it normal to ignore things that were…strange and phenomenal? It wasn't that she was spooky, just shrouded in mystery and unworldly beauty. It was her cold demeanor with her beauty matched. It was how she moved like a phantom, silent and yet like a cat, cunning and graceful. Or maybe it was she didn't have an ounce of interest in the normal likes of them. One would think she's an outcast, but it didn't seem that way. She was intimidating, not the type to be pitied on or to be bullied on. Maybe it was everyone who was scared of her. For who would dare to go and talk with the strange and enigmatic beauty by the back of the room?

For no one but Lelouch Lamperouge.

It didn't sit right with the raven-haired man. How everyone seemed to ignore her and how she didn't seem bothered by it. A mutual understanding. But for the likes of Lelouch Lamperouge, he couldn't understand. He was the vice president of the student council – wasn't it usual to worry about someone who looked distant from others? Someone who didn't look like she enjoyed highschool life for the matter and it wasn't happening on Lelouch's watch.

The woman bugged him.

He had seen her from the first day, of course. They had been classmates since their first senior years. The first thought he had of her when she introduced herself to the class was how strange she was. Strange, like mysterious and never-before. Strange, like something was pulling him from her though he cannot place what. She sat just few chairs from her and then, that was all. He had stopped paying mind, as he had been busy and her, being too silent that it all seemed like she had been forgotten. But he had never. Even though at times he gets busy. He'd always catch a glimpse of her when he'd whip his head to the side, when he'd be eating lunch with Rivalz and Suzaku, when he'd go to the rooftop, and when he'd be going home. It had been that until their second senior years. Every time he'd see her, he'd think how her day was.

Once, when they were idling by the hallways of their classmates, they had been talking about Sir Jeremiah and his difficult Calculus exams when his eyes automatically landed on her. He had been leaning on the doorway and he couldn't help catching a sight of her in the corner of his eyes. He was half-listening to their conversation now. Until it was totally forgotten and he was working out the puzzle of the woman from the distance, sitting on her seat doing what he could assume was sketching something on the back of her notebook. He hadn't noticed until Suzaku called out and he was subjected to reply, to which he replied unsurely of, losing track of what was now the conversation. They only eyed him suspiciously and checking around their vacancy what their friend had been so busy about. Much to their amusement, they spotted the green-haired woman just in line with the sight of their friend.

One day, she had been the subject of discussion between the three men during a break.

"What do you think of C.C., Lelouch?" Suzaku has asked abruptly out of nowhere. They were sitting by their frequent table on the grounds, eating sandwiches.

"Where did that come from?"

"Well, I just thought you were interested of her."

"Interested?" he huffs. "Now, where did you get the idea?"

"I don't know if you aware but you're always looking at her. It doesn't help that we cross paths very often. Right, Rivalz? Doesn't Lelouch always look dazed every time C.C. appears?"

"I do that?"

"I agree. Lelouch, you're always trying to steal glances at her. You're not being discreet though. I think anyone around can see how much you're eyeing her."

"I-I do that?" At this now Lelouch raised an eyebrow in disbelief, an utter shock evident in his voice.

"You do and you think you're being subtle about it but you're not."

"Say, are you smitten, Lelouch?"

"Lelouch! Smitten! Now that's two things that don't go well together. But with him stealing glances at C.C., I can vouch that nothing's impossible after all. So you're into that type, Lelouch." Wiggling eyebrows.

He thought how absurd that was. Stealing glances? Smitten? Just thinking about it causes a headache to him. Maybe he had been stealing glances at their green-haired classmate, that he will admit. But he was only doing that because…well, because he thought she was interesting and strange. And she wasn't that bad to look at. Nice, even. She was nice to look at…but that's for another day, he will not embarrass himself in front of his friends who were throwing ridiculous assumptions about him and C.C. Right, he was only stealing glances at her because he thought her way of things were unusual that it piqued his interest.

"That can't be. I'd die before I'm smitten with someone. I have no particular interest in that matter as of the moment."

"Come on now, Lelouch! You have almost all the female population ogling at you and you're not sparing them a chance at all!" Rivalz groaned. His friend is stupid. If he had that lots of girls crushing on him, he wouldn't reject them for he is a gentleman. And gentlemen don't turn down ladies.

"Then, in the near future, you will be?"Suzaku mentions.

"What?"

"As of the moment, you are not interested. Then, in the near future, you will be? And particularly, with C.C. Do you think that will happen?"

Lelouch could only stare at his friend who was smiling proudly at his own remark. They watched in silence as the said girl appeared in the corner of their eyes, sitting down on the table not far from them, snacking on a pizza as she stared at nowhere. Not without Lelouch feeling the eyes of his friend burning on his head as he propped his head down as he focused on his sandwich and mumbled some things about being ridiculous and impossible.

But after that, Lelouch started being cautious. He would not be stealing glances at her. He would be discreet. He would be subtle. And so, he continued watching her discreetly. He didn't want to sound like a stalker but it was his eyes, his eyes were constantly on the look for her. But he had to muster not to steal glances, as what Suzaku and Rivalz suggested, when there were lots of people around, especially not around his two friends.

After all those curious glances, never once had he tried to approach her. All he could do was glance, glance, and glance. Like a hopeless man. But it wasn't he couldn't, maybe he even wanted to, as according to his own defense, as a concerned classmate and vice president. Sure, Suzaku had said, shrugging. And yet what was stopping him?

Suzaku coaxed him. Heck, even went to further lengths as aggressively budging him when C.C. was around and almost making them bump into each other. It was silly and childish, Lelouch threw a fit. This was making him look silly and ridiculous and hopeless. He didn't like it one bit. Not when Milly, the ever-boisterous president, came into the picture and was starting to get suspicious of Suzaku and Rivalz's teasing. She was sure they'd hear them talking about Lelouch growing a bone and talk to someone! Or when they'd start clearing their throats when the subject about crushes and love was being brought to table at their daily meetings at the Student Council room. Surely, Lamperouge had a crush for his friends to act like this! But who? Oh, she doesn't know and it is making her giddy and curious! For the Lelouch Lamperouge had been smitten, hopelessly so. (No matter what Lelouch said in his defense.)

All of the strained teasings and countless budges would soon finally dry out as the day has come. It had been a fateful day. One he didn't ultimately expect as he hurriedly ran down the stairs. The Student Council had an urgent meeting after class and it had been at around 7 PM it ended. His exasperated sighs had dried down the moment he stepped on the last step, fixing his bag's strap on his shoulders, as he caught sight of her green hair. The school was mostly dark by now, saved by the subtle lights on the hallways. And it was so that she stood out in that dark. Her hair bright, her pale skin shining as the moonlight shone through her. She was waiting by the school gate and gazing at the night-enveloped sky.

Collecting himself, he made his way to her. He calmly stood beside her, hands in his pockets. Silence ensued as she stared up and he stared straight. Inside, Lelouch contemplated why he made such move and then proceeding to not start a conversation for the last minutes.

Silence, silence, silence until…

"This is the first time I've seen you this close."

Lelouch immediately whipped his head, maybe too fast for his liking as well. The woman is still looking above, face as nonchalant as ever as her voice. He gaped.

And then, she finally spared him a glance.

Gold. Those are the first thing he sees that made his face falter. He had seen them from afar. He had been eyeing her since he caught his eyes – checking out those golden eyes of hers and the way she moved so gracefully. He admit that it was beautiful, those golden eyes of hers, but seeing them up this close, he didn't expect it to be…to be...so enchanting. They are glowing, blinking brightly at him. A miner's gold. A painter's dream. A star in the night sky. Beautiful would be an understatement. And her face...mysterious, ethereal, unworldly. Had he seen someone as beautiful as this woman in front of him?

"It's a late night to be at school. Student Council duties?"

Her voice is smooth and soothing as well. At that, Lelouch was amused how a soft beautiful voice could perfectly suit her equally soft beautiful face.

"Y-Yes."

He didn't expect his voice to stutter. He blamed it on the cold night.

"C.C., was it?"

He smiled and when she made no reply, he continued. "I'm Lelouch Lamperouge, a classmate of yours, if you don't remember. It's a late night. What are you doing here at school? Are you waiting for someone-"

"You ask too many questions for a first conversation. I didn't know you were that curious of me." Vacant stares.

"My apologies." His smile faltered. Silence ensued once more. The silence stretched out for a few more minutes, as they returned to their tasks at once – both seemingly looking straight at the road outside the campus.

"It's late." Lelouch tried again, sparing a small glance at the woman beside him.

"It is."

"Are you waiting for someone?"

"Not at all."

"Waiting for your chauffeur?"

"I have no such sort of thing."

"I see."

"…"

"…"

"I just thought the night sky looked beautiful in this place." She turned around again, scanning his eyes as she does so. "Don't you think?"

At this, Lelouch looked up. That's right, she had been staring up above when he approached her.

"It is." He noticed the blinking little dots hanging on the night sky. There were many of them as they stretched out to as far as his eyes could see. He chortled as it appeared to him as the sky's freckles. They were fascinating and he was reminded that he hadn't looked up at the night sky that much. He vividly remembered seeing this magical glory once as a kid with Suzaku.

"You fancy the stars?"

"They are beautiful, blinking away from the distance, a guide to the farmers before and even now, a guide and a comforting spark to those who are lonely."

"Indeed, they are beautiful." But Lelouch was no longer gazing at the sky but the woman beside him. Looking immensely on the stars of her own, the stars on their eyes – his very own star, his very own guide and comforting spark.

Their second meeting was a few days later.

It was dusk, the yellow-orange tinted sky tempting to color his skin with the color of it. He and Suzaku had stopped at their local convenience store after class to buy some refreshments. Apparently, they met Milly and the other Student Council members on their way and they were subjected to humor her and her grand antics. Fortunately for Lelouch, he had managed to escape and made an excuse.

Perhaps there was a strange thing pulling him to the park. Before he knew it, he was already there, basking in the orange glow of the dusk. The sound of the swing scraping against each other made him turn around and just like an unexpected encounter brought by fate, he'd seen her again. Quietly pushing herself to keep the swing in motion. Without thinking much, he was already sitting by the next swing beside her.

He watched her in silence, taking in her fine features that was coated by the warm glow of the sun and melting dusk. He noticed the gold in her eyes are now a shade lighter in the sun's embrace, now they were even more blinding and it looked like honey.

She did not protest at his obvious glances. Just silent, staring into the horizon. And he settled for this.

Together, they looked at the melting sky.

"You have an awful obsession with me."

It was the green-haired woman who spoke first who had turned to look at the company beside her.

"It's not me."

C.C. raised an eyebrow at him. "You don't suppose to say that it's me who has an awful obsession with you."

"It can't be." He turned at her. "It's fate who seems to have an awful obsession with us."

A chuckle. And Lelouch noted how this is the first expression he had seen from her aside from uninterested nonchalant look.

"You're almost saying as if fate had conspired us to meet. I never thought you'd be that type of man to believe in fate. Oh, you make me laugh, Mr. Lamperouge."

And surely she was smiling, almost breaking out into a laugh but there was mirth and a teasing tone in her voice. A new expression unlocked. And even thought he'd retort to her teasing claim, he made no effort to and decided to watch her almost showing a real laugh as the golden glow touched her skin and he thought she couldn't be more beautiful than this. She was glowing. He resigned on the fate that was given to him that gave him this moment. And for more to come…

Their third encounter had been at the confines of their school.

They were lounging on the hallways yet again – he, Suzaku, and Rivalz. Each of the cliques had their own circle and conversation as they waited for lunchtime to finish.

"You were lucky to escape that encounter with Milly at the convenience store, Lelouch."

"Hm? What did she do that time?"

"Talking about crushes and stuffs. Pretty sure she roped us into that situation to have at least get a clue on your relationship with C.C."

"How many times must I tell you I am not interested with her in that way?"

"Sure, sure. As a concerned classmate and as my role as the vice-president, I must make sure that no one is moping around and not enjoying their youthful years!, as what you said." His two friends laughed, repeating those lines all over again, somewhere between the lines of doing his role as a good vice president and concerned classmate.

"He said that but he's never talked to her! How shy can you get, lover boy?" A playful smack on his back by Rivalz.

He choked and glared at his fried for not giving a heads-up first before his attack. "Who said I haven't? I have already talked to her twice, for goodness' sake." He said bitterly.

Suzaku and Rivalz blinked. Lelouch had grown a bone and talked to her?

"Ah, and tell me, have you enchanted her heart? Has the black prince caught the witch in his arms?"

"You make her sound like a normal girl. She's far as that, let alone gape or blush at my face." He raised his eyebrows. "Witch?"

"It's what everyone calls her. Mysterious, enchanting, sullen, skin as pale as the snow – but a pretty witch at that. Don't get the wrong idea."

"No, not at all. It perfectly describes her."

It is only a matter of seconds before the estranged witch appeared. Walking down by the aisle and heading for their way, but he knew she was heading for the door instead. He didn't get his hopes up for her to actually approach her. Worse, he could feel Suzaku and Rivalz following the woman with their gazes. He cursed inwardly that they were being too obvious now and if they don't stop it right now, the woman might as well have the wrong idea-

But what happened next totally caught him off guard. He didn't miss it. Because for the briefest of seconds, their eyes had locked. And as cliché as it sounded, did the world seem to slow down? She was walking and yet, it felt like time had paused. Lelouch never believed in the slow-mo of love, but it was in the way their eyes locked that felt like eternity yet, short. It was in the way it felt like they were in their own world, the rest forgotten. It was in the way she looked at him and how he looked at her. A mutual understanding, hidden from the rest of the world. Time stretched out for eternity in those briefest seconds. All of these happening while his two friends stared back and forth at the silently serious Lelouch and the nonchalant green-haired woman locking eyes as if they had completely forgotten everything and everyone around them.

And when time resumed in its normal pace again, the feeling of the mutual understanding made between mere glances fleet away just like it was a memory of the past. The two friends who had been a witness to their fateful encounter stared once more at their raven-haired man, who was now watching as the woman from awhile ago, from the eternity-stricken magic, walked away and away until he snapped out of his trance.

Lelouch cursed inwardly, beating himself for thinking such ridiculous things. It is the summer heat he blamed for his thoughts.

At sunset, after school, he sees her again standing by the school's exit, looking at the sky before disappearing again from his sight, like a phantom, like a witch who has left abruptly the palace she had cursed.

She is a stranger.

Albeit their brief current encounter, he admit she's a stranger, still. They did not talk much anyway, just sharing few glances and teases. But if there was one thing he knew, it was he'd always be the one to approach for and she always spoke first. He was sure in himself that he'd talk to her, but what a fool he is for he could not always speak nor initiate a conversation first. But at least he was approaching, right? He was the first one to make the move, right?

No.

He shook his head.

What was he thinking at this early of the day?

He lifted his head, and was once again brought to reality. The board had been filled with math equations and he resumed listening to Sir Jeremiah's loud and clear voice. In the corner of his eyes, he saw Suzaku scratching his head while staring at the board. Then, at his left, he saw her.

The stranger. The witch.

A wind came and blew a few strands of her green mane. He watched her struggle in keeping her hair tucked so that the wind wouldn't dare to blew her hair away again. He wanted to stand up and tuck it by himself. He wanted to get up right now. Who cares about what they say, heck. But he did not have the right, didn't he? They weren't friends. Could he even say they were acquaintances? But it was tempting...to get up and fix her hair by himself. It is her hair's fault. They are so long and yet he is not complaining. He can't imagine her with short hair or was it just his preferences that he liked long hair better?

Turn around. Look at my way.

He snapped back. What had he been thinking just now? Recollecting himself, he closed his eyes and sighed. He will focus on the discussions now.

He was propping his head to his palm, but then his head slightly looking to his left but not subtle. As least that was he thought.

After class, Rivalz teased him and his body language.

His body was leaning to C.C.'s direction, he said.

His head was clearly looking in her direction, he said.

Rivalz laughed as he mentioned how Lelouch would return his gazes to the board then to the estranged witch. He also mentioned how he felt so bad for his sitaution - of desiring to talk with someone and yet not having the courage to.

Suzaku coaxed him another time.

"Are you terrified to know her, Lelouch?"

Lelouch didn't answer but he knew in himself that he wasn't.

Just then, he saw her again, by her usual spot. And seeing that image over and over again hunted him. Because it was a beautiful scene in front of him, and yet sad that a maiden so beautiful was sitting all alone, watching as the sky changes color as time ticks.

He will not stray away from fate again. He will make the most out of it. He will resign to fate.

It is by the fourth night he'd seen her again.

Leaning on the wall, he was patiently looking at his wristwatch. Students have passed him for nth time already, saying their kind and enthusiastic goodbyes to the vice president. Lelouch smiled and waved at them kindly. He'd been waiting here since what? Since 5? And it was now almost nearing to 6 and not a trace of her had appeared.

It was around a quarter at 6 PM, she finally appeared. It was Lelouch who'd seen her first.

At the sight of the familiar green hair and slender figure coming out from the second floor, he immediately fixed his posture and stood straight, fixing his uniform in doing so. At this, the woman had already seen him.

"Mr. Lamperouge, waiting for me, perhaps?" She inquired, teasing. She was visibly surprised at the sight of him, who appeared he had been waiting for someone and coincidentally fixing himself when she approached. A coincidence or perhaps not?

"Obviously." The man rolls his eyes. My, what a straightforward man, she thought but amused as well by the thought of him waiting. It seems the man has an awful obsession with her.

"Now what must I say about this…chances of you waiting for me? Is this a moment given by fate again?" Lelouch noted he liked her in that teasing tone, much livelier (no matter how annoying it is that he's the one in the receiving end) than the nonchalant and expressionless one.

"Fate has ordered me to make my acquaintance with you." He replied with a smug look. "I have resigned to fate. Will you resign to fate as well this time around?"

"I think that no matter how much I ignore the way fate is moving for us, you are absolutely persistent. I'm afraid you'll move again, as you have an awful obsession with me."

"Say what you want." Then, "Would you like to walk with me?"

"You want to walk with me?" She huffs.

"While I make your acquaintance. And possibly, become friends."

"You assume too much, boya."

"No, then?"

His face is blank. No, not blank – but serious.

She couldn't understand why this man was suddenly, constantly, asking for a conversation from her. The first time he'd approach her was that one starry night, standing beside her without a second thought even though they'd never talk before. Not that she didn't mind. She was used on having no company – she prefers it that way. Less hassle. Less commitments. Less obligations. And now there was this man. She'd noticed Lelouch from the start though. He was vice president, a heartthrob (from what she observes with girls crowding their room once in a while to catch a glimpse of the raven-haired beauty), a kind classmate, an excellent student, constantly ranked #1. And Lelouch Lamperouge was an amusing man, whose fate seemed to coincide with her. She would notice how their paths seemed to cross – during class breaks, at the rooftop, at the hallways (which she notes the frequent place his friends love to idle around during breaks), and on the way home. And though fate always made their paths cross, they were always afar from each other, never close, never conversed and never looked at each other in the eye. She always wondered what fate found so amusing in both of them crossing paths.

And for the first time on that starry night, he'd finally conversed with her. His hair is as black as the night and yet, still shining and reflecting the moonlight. His amethyst eyes are on the softest and kindest hue – and also something about it spoke pride and royalty. His voice is manly and deep. And he is amusing. She wonders what has fate in plan this time for them to push them to talk after a year of being strangers in one room.

On that starry night as she scanned his eyes, she thought, his eyes are beautiful to look at, as beautiful as the stars. And she had to tear herself from staring at him more than she liked.

This time, C.C. resigned to fate.

This is my first CluClu fanfic and basically the first fanfic I've wriiten again after a long time.

First time actually and finally making an account here at fanfic dot net. I've been a guest at countless of CluClu fanfics and I thought of writing my own as well. Hopefully, I don't drain out of ideas for this one.

Please leave some reviews, I will appreciate it.