Hotaru's POV
I woke up in the morning, expecting that as usual I will eat breakfast, go to class and tease my dumb best friend, Mikan.
That should be my usual scenario in the morning, but the moment I entered the classroom the first person I suddenly laid my eyes on is Ruka Nogi. To my confusion, my heart starts to beat fast.
What the heck. And then, ruining the moment, came my idiot best friend Mikan, jumping suddenly out of nowhere in front of me. Of course, my usual instinct is to get my Baka Gun and shoot it at her before she even tried to hug me.
"Ouch! Hotaruuu…you meanie!" Mikan whinned, massaging her face. Apparently, it was her face that was shot by the Baka Gun.
"Baka, don't just jump in front of me. You startled me." I was annoyed that I was startled by Mikan of all people. When I said those words, many were surprised. But it was even more annoying that it was Hyuuga Natsume who commented first about it.
"Hn. Didn't know that you can get startled, that's surprising." He appeared just behind Mikan as she stood up.
Of course, I kept my usual face and said back to Natsume, "Well, Hyuuga, I'm still a normal person unlike you." I gave him back the glare that he was giving me when I said those words. Again, we ignored the worried looks our classmates were giving whenever we'd glare at each other, and it wasn't until Ruka came to greet me and Mikan that we stopped.
"Uhmm…Ohayou Sakura-san, Imai-san."
I looked at him and his bright blue eyes met mine. Again, I felt the warm feeling I felt last night during the Christmas ball. I have to admit that no matter how crazy it is that this warm feeling is nice, but my mind is telling me that this have to stop. Immediately.
"Ohayou Ruka-pyon!" Mikan greeted cheerfully. "Oh, where's usage-kun?"
To be honest, I wasn't paying attention to anything at all, especially not at his pet rabbit. I realized that ever since last night, the only person I always notice is Nogi. I already have an idea why I have these confusing feelings for Nogi, but even so this gotta stop.
"Imai-san, what are you staring at?" Iinchou asked. I then found myself asking the same thing. It's still early morning but I already feel drained. Why do I feel so worked up about this? No matter how nice this feeling is I still hate it.
"Nothing." I replied to Iinchou. I looked at Ruka again, who was talking to Mikan. The way he looks at Mikan, the way he smiles at her every time, and the way he seems to digest every word that Mikans says makes me feel a lot of things which is foreign to me: jealousy, hurt and love. And I hate feeling this way, especially towards the two of them.
As the class started and goes by in a blur, I didn't listen to the teachers even once; I was too absorbed to my own thoughts and feelings at the present.
His smiles, the way he looks, listens, and talks, I never noticed it all until now. And although I hate to admit it, but I realize that I actually fell in love with the idiot animal lover. And thinking back of how he cried to me last night about his feelings for Mikan, I can't help but feel angry at him and jealous with my best friend. Why can't he just move on and get over Mikan? And of all people, why does it have to be Mikan?
Unfortunately, my class for that day didn't end uneventful. Of all things to happen, Jinno-sensei chose to call me in class during the time that I'm not concentrating. Of course, it resulted to me being unable to answer his question in math for the first time, earning me a sermon from him, and worried and curious looks from my classmates, especially Mikan.
"Hey, Hotaru-chan, is there a problem?" Mikan asked, worry written all over her face. "You don't seem to be yourself today, is something wrong?"
"Maybe your idiocy rubbed on me already, that's why." I smiled a bit at that, especially when I saw Mikan's usual face whenever I tease her. For a minute, teasing her can be a stress-reliever.
"Waaah! Hotaru-chaaan!"
"Just kidding. It's nothing, dummy."
"Are you really sure?" Her nose was dripping, making her look more funny and amusing.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Of course, I lied to her. I just can't possibly tell her easily that I was jealous of her, can I?
And then lunchtime came. Me, Mikan ,Natsume and Ruka are always eating our lunch together. Before, I didn't even care if Natsume and Ruka are with us as long as I can eat my lunch peacefully. But then everything changes now that I have this weird feeling with Nogi. I feel so conscious of everything I do and I feel embarrassed whenever I open my mouth big enough to see them.
"Hotaru-chan? Your not eating your lunch, is there really something bothering you..?" mikan asked worriedly.
Heh, is there something bothering me? Of course there is! And that is because of some animal lover who just suddenly cried in front of me and was totally being open about how he feel! Urgh! I'm totally pissed off!
But then I don't want Mikan to worry about me, so that's why I have to lie and tell her I'm fine even though I'm not .
"Don't worry dummy, I didn't get enough sleep last night because of my next new project." I smile with my usual smile, though it's fake.
"moe..Hotaru, don't make yourself tired. You should have enough rest!" Mikan scolded me like she's my wife.
"Sakura-san is right Imai." Ruka suddenly butting in. Why is he agreeing, and when was he ever concerned about me! Ugh! Thus, with his comment, I'm pissed off.
"Well then I think I should go to the infirmary to take a rest. I don't think I can take classes today." And with that I just walk away.
"can you go alone? Do you want me to accompany you?" mikan asked worriedly. "no, I can go alone"
And then, that night I really can't sleep so to kill some time I went out for a walk to the park. I was so sure that night that the school is safe.
That's what I thought, and how wrong was I during that time.