Struck

3rd Strike

A/N: Sorry for the long delay. Hope this chapter is worth the wait.

//Tora

Ugh! Damn. My head aches. I want to punch someone!

I haven't slept well since I came home from Seika High.

Not after seeing her. Not after meeting Misaki Ayuzawa. There's just something about her that causes my heart to beat faster than normal and my lips to automatically curve up.

Damned. That's what it is. I'm damned. And I won't be at ease until I have her... Or at least see her again.

So, here I am in front of their school. I'm on my incognito mode so she won't be able to spot me easily.

But no matter how I try to appear casual, I just can't relax!

Finally, the cluster of students coming out of their school got thinner. But I still haven't seen any sign of her.

She might still be patrolling the school grounds, or doing some work in their SC Office, or making out with that guy.

She wouldn't, would she? She wouldn't be breaking the rules just for some guy.

But is he just "some guy"?

Argh! I clenched my fist and tried my best to refrain myself from really punching the wall I'm leaning onto.

Damn. I know he's not just some guy. He's Usui. Compared to all other male students here, he is quite extraordinary (like how Ayuzawa is extremely amazing among all other girls).

Great. Now I really want to kick myself from thinking about how they're a perfect match. Not a perfect couple, a perfect combination.

Just when I was contemplating whether to stake out here or storm in their SC Headquarters, I heard her saying bye to two girls.

I felt relieved that she was with those girls and not with Usui but then someone fell in step beside her as she was just walking to my direction.

"What are you doing?! Stop following me!" I heard her command him.

"What? I just suddenly craved for some rice omelet," I heard him answer with a hint of teasing in his voice.

I saw her get flushed by that. As if quite offended but flattered. And I felt myself smiling again. Damned, you are, Igarashi.

"Stop saying things like that!" She said then from walking she began to run. And she's fast.

Every little thing she does is magic.

That lyric suddenly played on my mind when she passed me at her full speed and after some millisecond, Usui ran past me, too but I saw him throw me a smirk.

He saw me even under my disguise. What a despicable guy!

"Maki, please send some of my men to follow Misaki Ayuzawa anywhere. I want to know every little detail of who she is," without even waiting for a response, I ended the call.

----
"President Igarashi, she's here," said Maki, peeking on the door from outside.

I straightened my posture and put on my ever-so-gentle smile. The one which causes war over girls. The one which penetrates even her.

"President Igarashi," she sat down on the seat in front of my table. "Thank you for inviting me over but I really think that you apologizing is more than enough. I hope you don't feel the need to apologize over and over."

I may have stared for quite a while because her brows knit together and her lips sort of pouted which caused me to almost shove the table aside and kiss her just there and then.

Damn. My situation is getting worse.

I straightened again for I have slouched a bit in my chair.

I leaned my elbow on the table and rest my chin on my hands just to look at her more closely.

She squirmed in her chair and she looked down.

I smiled to myself. She is blushing.

Just as I was about to say something flirtatiously, the door opened and came in one of our school's servants holding a tray with beverages in it.

I rested on my chair. Waiting for it to happen.

It, meaning the servant accidentally slipping and the juice pouring all over Ayuzawa.

And finally, it did happen.

I internally chuckled but outside I put on an angry mask.

"What have you done?! Get out of here and send someone else. I would need fresh clothes for President Ayuzawa." I ordered and when he seemed to forget our plan, maybe because he saw the Misaki's orange-drenched blouse clinging to her like a second skin, I had to say, "Hurry up!" He looked for some seconds more before he disappeared.

I finally faced Misaki and saw her hopelessly drying her blouse with her handkerchief.

"I apologize for the clumsiness of my employee. Here let me," I grabbed some tissue and held her chin so she's facing me to dry her face. She stopped moving and just stared down.

I really like it when she's uncomfortable with me. It just proves that she's feeling something for me, too.

"Uhmm..." She cleared her throat and made me look down at her pretty face.

I smiled reassuringly and she kind of blushed.

"This is not working," I said.

She seemed fazed so she asked, "what is not w-working?" Her pupils dilated and I could feel her breath coming rapidly and her jaw tensed.

She's feeling it, too. Heh! She's feeling the tension I am feeling. I smiled more brightly at that and said, "this. Cleaning you up like this. I insist you use our shower room."

It took her quite a while to digest what I said. Maybe because that wasn't what she expected me to say.

She gulped and looked down at her shoes. "Oh. Yeah. That would be nice. Thank you."

I let go of her chin and stepped back. Because restraining myself might not work if I stayed one second longer within her personal space.

"Yes, I would ask someone to collect your clothes and wash it fast and good so you can take it home."

"There's no need," she said finally coming to her composed self.

"I insist. It's my employee's fault so I must take responsibility."

Her eyes twinkled at that. She loves it when someone is taking responsibility.

"All right, then." She said happily and finally followed me to the women's shower room.

I slowed my pace and let her catch up with me so that I can walk alongside her.

I steal glances at her and see just how beautiful she is, even with her hair flattened and damped by the juice that spilled on her. She's not wearing any make up and I like how she doesn't try. Her eyes are focused straight ahead and every step she make screams authority and stubbornness.

And now I wonder if I can still enact my plan.

What the hell am I thinking?

Of course I can. After all, I am still Tora Igarashi. And I never lose.