Presents

A.N.: Mikan was 15, Natsume and others 16

He could not help but stare at her. She was shaking her head slightly, following the music's beat from her iPod. Her hair lingered around her face, dancing gracefully with her head's movement. Oh, how he wanted to slip his fingers through her locks and stroke it. Her enticing lips, which mumbled the lyrics of the song, made him worked hard to keep himself from leaning forward to kiss her.

She was not really beautiful, but she was cute. Cute was different from beautiful; many woman in this world got beauty, but only few of them got the cuteness. Cute was more related to innocence, while beautiful was more related to vanity—that was what he thought.

"Mikan-chan!" Ogasawara and Umonemiya called her, shaking her shoulder. She opened her eyelids and stared at them questioningly, her orbs glinted with annoyance. He cursed the two brats mentally for disturbing his little observation.

"Here! Here!" Ogasawara said in enthusiasm. Oh God, he grunted under his manga (he covered half of his face with his manga, leaving only his crimson eyes to be seen); why girls could produce such irritating, high pitch voice? Did they know that it would destroy people's eardrums? He was so thankful that she had stopped her habit of bloody screaming.

He did not really know since when she stopped that habit. Maybe when she first got her period. One day, she yelled at him and he realized that her voice had changed. It was much softer and musical. Misaki-sensei ever explained, once girls hit puberty, their body and voice changed. It made sense, he thought. Since that day also, she got admirers and they were increased day by day, slowly but surely.

Ogasawara placed a woman's magazine in Mikan's desk. She flipped several pages and shrieked, "Read this!"

Mikan raised an elegant eyebrow. She unplugged her headset from her ears and glanced at the article.

"How to manage your stress," she read. "Interesting subject."

Umonemiya pointed to a certain article impatiently. "This one, Mikan-chan,"

Mikan exhaled noisily and said, "Why don't you tell me right away?"

"No, no, no," Ogasawara moved her index finger right and left. "You won't get the essence that way."

Mikan rolled her eyes and murmured, "Fine."

Everything to get my peaceful moment back, she thought. She paid attention to the article and pretended to read it. Five seconds later, she spoke cheerfully (at least she tried to sound cheerful), "Wonderful! I like it."

Ogasawara and Umonemiya narrowed their eyes. "You didn't read it!" They demanded, placing their hands on the hips and pouted.

He tried the best not to throw disgusted look. The move seemed so odd and… horrible on them. It made them looked like childish sluts, unlike Mikan. When his Polka did it, it fitted her so right.

Mikan showed an apologetic smile. Ogasawara heaved a sigh and said in convincing tone, "Listen to me. This piece of writing would make you envy her,"

"Very, very jealous," Umonemiya added.

Mikan knitted her eyebrows. "Envy her? Who is her?"

"That's why you should read it first!"

"It was said that there was a couple who kissed for ten minutes straight! Wasn't it romantic?"

"Ro… romantic?" she reassured in confusion. "I don't see something special on it,"

Umonemiya wagged her tongue edgily. "Imagine if the boy you love kisses you that long! Feels like heaven on earth, right?"

Ogasawara nodded eagerly. "Oh, how I wanted—"

"Stop right there, guys!" Mikan remarked. She wrinkled her nose. "Isn't that sickening? I mean, the bacteria and all… they shared it for ten minutes! Ugh," she made I-want-to-puke move.

He remembered also that since the day, she grew brain. She was smarter, more logical, rational, and oriented. He did not mind it, of course, because she was tougher whenever she talked to him. At least he did not waste his breath on an idiot.

However, there was a negative side, too. He could not make fun of her anymore—yeah, he could, but not as often as before. She was less tempered. Hell, even 'Polka' nicknames did not affect her.

"Besides, it was impossible. You cannot hold your breath for ten minutes. It was a solid fact," she drawled.

Ogasawara accused a finger on her. "You never kissed, didn't you? That's why you don't understand,"

Mikan narrowed her eyes.

"You know, whenever you kiss him, the time freeze. You won't notice everything beside him."

"The world sparkles,"

"Flowers bloom,"

She raised her hands in despair. "Okay! I understand! Happy?"

Umonemiya and Ogasawara exchanged glance. "We don't think so. Tell us, have you ever kissed before?" They asked in unison.

Interesting question, he thought. I wonder what Polka will say.

He focused on her from the corner of his eyes. She was smiling blissfully.

"No, I never," she sang in response.

What? But I EVER kissed her!

He noticed her crossing fingers on her back. He smirked.

"You seemed happy because of the fact," Ogasawara muttered, confused.

"Surely I am! My first kiss hasn't stolen yet," she grinned.

Oh, so she tried to forget the fact, huh? I won't let you.

"She has," he stated out of sudden.

All heads turned to him in shock. It turned out to be students in the class had eavesdropped on the conversation since Ogasawara questioned about Mikan's kiss. The boys gave him 'how-the-hell-do-you-know' look.

Mikan blinked her eyes several times.

"No!" she gasped. "He is wrong, he is wrong!"

"Mikan," Imai suddenly called. "…so now you start to hide secrets from me…"

"No~!" she cried. "Hotaru, believe me! This jerk knows nothing!"

Imai ignored her.

"I know something," he added to make the situation worse.

Her face reddened in anger. "You!" she hissed and threw her fist on him. He grabbed her wrist before she could hit him and smirked mockingly. She intertwined her fingers on his absently and tried to push him, but certainly failed.

Ogasawara cleared her throat.

"Mikan, do you know what day is tomorrow?"

Mikan stopped pushing Natsume and released his hands, much to his disappointment.

"Wednesday?"

Umonemiya rolled her eyes. "It is your birthday, Mikan! The first day of January!"

Oh, she forgot. Idiot.

"Oh my! I just remember!" she laughed. "So? You want to celebrate my birthday or something?"

Ogasawara and Umonemiya giggled evilly. They signaled Shouda, who jumped excitedly after gesturing back the signal.

"Guys!" she shouted. "After hearing our friend's lack of love life, why don't we help her?"

A lot of yeah-s was heard in reply.

"How about… she won't get her presents unless she kisses or get kissed for ten—"

"Make it twenty five," cut off Imai.

Shouda nodded eagerly. "YEAH! Twenty five seconds! Do you all agree?"

The boys cheered.

"OI! Stop the dirty thinking, please!" Koko yelled among the noise, rubbing his forehead.

Dirty… thinking? WTF? He began to hate the idea. Mikan was his only, her lips were his, and every inch about her was his. He worried if she really kissed another guy—because he knew she would do anything for presents.

"NO!" she screamed, but everyone ignored her.

His eyebrows twitched. Yes, this was not a good idea at all. How if she chose Ruka over him? How if…

"So friends, especially you boys," Shouda yelled and boys clapped their hands keenly, "Don't give her presents until we got proof that she had kissed! Got that?"

"YEAH!"

"The time's limit is tomorrow, 12 o'clock…"

"Make it tomorrow morning, 8 o'clock," Imai opposed.

"Gotcha, Imai!" Shouda sang. "Nah, Sakura-san, twenty five seconds kiss to have your gifts, and your time ends tomorrow morning!"

Seriously, what did those freaks think? She has refused, they don't have any right to force her!

"For the video-taping, leave it to me," Imai remarked monotonously, but he swore he saw evil glints in her eyes.

The boys went crazy (again), shouting something along 'I will buy one, I will buy one!' and Imai raised a hand, muttering she would make hundred copies.

Suddenly, Mikan stood up, rubbing her knitted forehead. She walked away but he prevented her by grabbing her wrist. He didn't want her to get out of his sight, it was far too dangerous for her right now, mad fan boys with raging hormones might eat her; considering her aura seemed like 'I'm opened for kissing' after Shouda's insane announcement. Sure it was obvious she didn't like it a bit, but still…

"Where are you going?" he asked, sitting with back firmly straight now, his manga fell from his face. The noise of the collision between floor and his manga made the class silent.

"Narumi-sensei. I think kissing him is the safest way."

"WHAT?" Nearly whole class jumped in shock. He widened his eyes. Narumi? The gay teacher who even didn't proper enough to teach? The one who suitable to get award for 'best people as bad example for pupils' would feel her angelic lips? She didn't deserve it. she deserved Natsume Hyuuga only.

"Are you insane?"

She shrugged. "Only a light kiss on the cheek, right? no hard feeling, he's my step father after all…"

The tension of the class went down in instant. he finally could breath steadily after his heart stop beating (at least it felt like that) just now.

"On the lips, Sakura-san. On the lips. We forget how oblivious you are on love," Shouda drawled impatiently.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"WHAT?!"

***

It was ten minutes to midnight. Ten more minutes, and Polka would turn sixteen.

He sighed. After she knew she must do it on the lips, she walked limply out of the class. She said nothing but a simple murmurs, "I'm leaving." Right before she left, she scanned the class and their eyes met. AND her gaze bothered him so much.

Her eyes screamed 'help me, Natsume!'

Did she really ask for help? Or it was only his protective feeling?

The cold wind blew hard, making him wondered about the fireworks festival on the field. Did the show go on? He wasn't the kind of people who followed the new year's celebration, heck, should him?

"Presents… no present. Presents… no present…" he suddenly heard her bell-like voice.

He looked down and saw her, counting the falling petals of cherry blossom (yes, he was on Sakura tree's branch). He was relieved because her words meant she had not kissed anyone yet.

"I want my presents!" she cried out of blue, raising her fist to the breezing air. She heaved a sigh. "I think I have no other choice. Nah… which one I should kiss?" she talked to herself, while her hand writing list of boys' name on the ground. At the damp soil, there written messily:

Ruka-pyon

Iinchou

Koko

Kitsuneme

Tsubasa-senpai

What the heck? He cursed mentally. Where is my name? where is my name?!

He jumped down, stepping right on the name list, and erased it with his foot. She gasped.

"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped.

He did nothing. They stared at each other eyes, and he made the first move by bending down to her level and kissed her gently. Gentle was not his style, surely, but this time, she needed a gentleman.

Fireworks danced on the sky, and the sound of 'bang' and students cheering 'Happy new year' colored their kiss.

-

"You kissed me for fifty nine seconds, dammit!"

He shrugged. "Actually I kissed you for a year." She looked at him with questioning eyes. "I kissed you from year 2008 to 2009," he added to explain his statement. "and it's a year."

She frowned. "What is your point?"

"You even could break the world record with that, and your photo would be in every woman magazines."

She stared at him in disbelief, then bite her lower lips.

"I don't really understand. Should I be proud of that?"

"…"

"I think… I should take my presents now…" she whispers, standing up, but he sneaked his arms on her waist, forcing her to sit on his lap.

"You may not."

"But I've qualified the condition!" she shrieked, totally unaware of her position.

"Shuouda clearly said you must kiss a person for twenty five seconds, not fifty nine."

Her eyebrows twitched. "What's wrong with that? twenty five is included on fifty nine!"

He smirked. "No, it's not," he said, "The kiss must end twenty five seconds exact."

"But—"

"Wanna try?"

He tilted her chin and kissed her.

Oh yes, he got a very good reason to kiss her again, again, and again.

-
Review, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease? Newbie here xD