Chocolates

"Suzuna," Misaki trod over to the girl sitting at the kitchen table, reading a book. "Try this."

Suzuna opened her mouth without looking up and tasted something sweet but at the same time bitter. She looked up at her older sister.

"It tastes too bitter," She told the older female before returning her gaze back to the book.

Misaki sweatdropped. She had been doing this for over an hour or so already. Damn it all, why did this of all things, had to be so hard?

I'm able to run at least fifty miles a day, Misaki thought sulkilyas she proceeded back to the stove. I can settle paperwork for the student council in less than 3 minutes.

As she dipped the ladle into the boiling brown stuff in the pot, she frowned down at it. I'm able to keep balance in work and school...

She sat down on the tall wooden stool, stirring the brown concoction.

But, why... why is cooking something so hard for me?

"I'm home!" Minako called out as she opened the door. "And guess who I met on the street again?"

Misaki sweatdropped, mom probably dropped her groceries again.

Minako rounded the corner and went into the kitchen as if she was floating on air. Of course, to Misaki's dismay, a tall blond with cat-green eyes followed her.

"Misa-chan~" Usui greeted her with a sing-song voice, hands in his pockets. "What are you doing?"

He came over to stand by her. Hurriedly, Misaki blocked the pot with her body.

"N-Nothing much!" She stammered, flushing.

"What are you hiding behind your back?" Usui asked as he tried to lean forward and peek into the pot.

"None of your business!" Misaki shoved a hand into his face. "Anyway, let's go!"

She quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the house.

Once they were outside, Misaki dropped his hand as if it were made out of hot coal.

"Misaki-chan..." Usui sighed the raven-haired girl's name. "Why are you so nervous?"

He leaned forward so his lips brushed her ear, earning a soft squeak from his favourite female. He blew into it, and she shivered in reaction with a gasp.

"If you don't want me to see it, then I won't see it 'til you think I'm ready to see it." Usui said, confusing the raven-haired female.

"What are you talking about?" Misaki asked, furrowing her eyebrows. The twisted way in which Usui used his words was complicated, and too difficult for Misaki to understand.

"I'm talking about the thing you were brewing in the pot just now," Usui explained in monotone, his cat-green eyes boring into her own golden-brown ones.

"Oh." Misaki uttered, flushing red again.

Usui chuckled; he loved it when he made her flush. She was just so cute.

"What are you laughing at, you... pervert alien...?" Misaki uttered weakly, her whole face red.

"Nothing much," Usui said casually as he started walking.

"Wait," He heard Misaki protest, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going home," Usui turned to her in reply. "Since you're busy."

Misaki flushed, why did I want to stop him?

"O-Okay then," She stuttered. "Try not to get in any trouble, you hear?"

With that said, she quickly rushed back into the house, her whole face burning up. Usui watched as she performed the quick feat, chuckling.

"Misaki-chan..." He grinned, amused. "... Pfft."

He started walking, laughing silently to himself behind that one calloused hand.

She had always never failed to make him laugh.

Misaki stood behind the wooden door she had slammed just moments ago, her face as red as the sweatshirt she was wearing.

"Ah, you're back." Misaki heard Suzuna greet her. "Come on, don't you have to practice to make it perfect?"

"... Right." Misaki rolled up her sleeves and went back into the kitchen to work.

"Guh..." Satsuki walked past a seemingly-dead person on the floor.

"Eh? Misaki-chan?" Satsuki questioned as she glanced down at the female slumped on the floor.

"Oh, it's you Manager-san." Misaki greeted the older woman with an 'I-don't-know-what-to-do-now-because-I-failed-to-do-something' face.

"What happened, hm?" Satsuki asked, placing the palm of her hand to her cheek in concern.

"Well," Misaki sighed, "It's because of..."

Just then, Usui stepped in.

"Ahh, sorry Manager-san, I'll go work now!" Misaki ran off, flustered.

"Hmm?" Satsuki pondered over the matter, a finger to her lips in a thinking motion.

"..." Usui watched as the raven-haired female rushed past him with a red face. He sighed, before proceeding to his locker to change out of his clothes.

"Ne, Usui-san," Satsuki called out to him just as he was about to leave the dressing room.

"Hm, what is it?" Usui turned to the older woman.

"Is it just me," Satsuki sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "Or is Misaki-chan trying to avoid you more than usual?"

Usui chuckled, "Who knows? But don't tell her though; it'll only make her even more flustered."

With that said, he left the cafe, leaving a very confused Satsuki behind.

Misaki was panting by the time she reached the train station. Placing her hands on her thighs, she stood still for a moment, trying to catch her breath. She licked her dry lips, pulling in breath after breath. Her chest heaved heavily as she tried to calm her pulsing heart.

With a final pant, she pushed herself up from her bent position, pulled in a deep breath and searched her bag for her wallet. She tapped it onto the card reader and proceeded through the metal bars.

She sighed as she got onto the train and stared aimlessly out of the window. What was she going to do? She looked at the bright lights that were dangling from the trees, signalling Christmas was close.

It was only a few days away, and she still had not completely mastered that yet. And of course, with that pervert alien popping out everywhere she went, it was going to be even more difficult for her to keep it as a surprise for him.

"Boo," Someone blew into her ear. She let out a soft shriek as she shivered involuntarily.

She turned to reprimand the person, and came face to face with a tall blond. To be more specific, a tall blond with green eyes.

And to be even more specific, a tall blond with green eyes that went by the name of Takumi Usui.

"Kaichou," Usui started with his cat-face mask on again. "You shouldn't let your guard down. After all, it's late at night and you are a girl."

"S-Shut up," She scolded the male as she covered her left ear, which he had blown into earlier.

Just then, the train reached her stop and she quickly got out. Of course, he followed her.

"Why are you following me, you- you- you pervert stalker alien!" She whipped around to give him a lashing for blowing into her ear and stalking her.

"But, kaichou," Usui told her in a whine, "I just wanted to protect you and make sure you're okay."

Misaki growled, but let him do what he wanted.

The both of them continued walking; him a distance behind her. Finally, she turned to him.

"Oi, baka Usui." She called him, her face flushing. "Don't- Don't stand so far away. People might think you're really a stalker."

"Really," Usui sighed, closing his beautiful green eyes. "You're really unfair, Ayuzawa."

"Wha-?" She questioned the male. First he calls her Misa-chan, then Misaki-chan, and now Ayuzawa? This male was confusing.

"We're here." Usui suddenly announced. He reached out quickly, taking hold of Misaki's chin.

All of a sudden, his lips were on hers.

He's kissing me, she realized a little too late as he released her jaw gently.

"See you," Usui told her as he turned around and left.

Misaki blinked a couple of times before she shook herself and stumbled through the gates. She somehow managed to get into her room before she slumped to the ground, her face bright red with embarrassment. Her eyes were wide and the image of the kiss just now kept replaying in her head.

"Just when did..." She growled, "His kissing get so... damn good...?"

"Hmm..." Suzuna rubbed her eyes as she trod into the kitchen. "... What are you doing, onee-chan?"

She gazed sleepily at the older raven-haired female at the stove.

"What else?" She heard Misaki retort. "I'm practicing!"

Suzuna grinned, suddenly awake due to her older sister's enthusiasm. "That's the spirit," She told her sister. "I'll give you some tips."

"Don't boil it over the temperate I told you," Suzuna warned as she marked the page she was on and walked over to Misaki.

"Hmm," Suzuna studied the milk-brown liquid-solid concoction in the pot. She picked up a spoon and dipped it into the chocolate, licking the brown concoction off the metal.

"You've improved," She praised Misaki. "It actually tastes nice – not too bitter but not too sweet."

"Do you think he'll like it?" Misaki's lashes dropped over her eyes as her head filled with thoughts.

"You're thinking too much," Suzuna told her as she turned and left the kitchen. "I think that's all I can teach you. Anyway, I doubt he'll mind anything you give him."

With that, Suzuna left her older sister alone.

"Well," Misaki sighed as she gazed into the chocolate-filled pot. "I should practice more."

She then leaned her hip against the counter, staring into the chocolate. A question hit her.

"Should I make white or dark...?"

"Welcome back, master!" Misaki and Honoka greeted the customer at the door. She was clad in a sleeveless red Santa girl dress with a white ribbon that was tied around her waist – courtesy of Aoi.

She also had on a matching red hat, complete with a fluffy white ball at the very tip.

"This way please," Honoka led the customer to a table.

Geez, Misaki swore in her thoughts as she felt a blister form on her heel. These things are so hard to walk in.

She pushed the drape covering the kitchenway open, and walked over to the counter where a certain blonde was working, putting finishing touches to a mini log cake.

"A customer ordered a chef's recommendation," She told Usui as she picked up the log cake.

"Surprise him, huh?" Usui's lashes lowered over his green irises, giving him a strange secluded look. "I'll work on it."

Misaki shook herself, her face flushing. She turned and walked back out into the cafe.

Just now, she thought as she placed the log cake on the customer's table. "Enjoy," She told the customer with a smile.

He looked so handsome just now.

Her heart thumped as her face flushed red again. She clutched the tray tightly in her hands and quickly veered herself back into the kitchen before anyone caught her blushing like crazy.

"Ah, Misaki-chan, Usui-san!" Satsuki came in with a smile on her face. "It's not very busy now, and Gon and Sayu are here. They'll take over, so you two can leave."

"Ah, okay." Misaki agreed before she proceeded quickly towards the lockers.

"Misaki-chan," Usui called her just as his strong hand grasped her slim forearm. He folded Misaki into his chest. "Why do you seem like you're avoiding me?"

"I-I'm not avoiding you!" Misaki let out a protest as she felt her back collide against his chest.

"Misa-chan..." Usui let his breath ravage her ear for a few moments. "Then, will you tell me why you always seem flustered when you see me? And by flustered I mean even more flustered than you normally would be."

"I'm not flustered," Misaki stammered. "Who's flustered?"

"You are, Misa-chan." Usui lifted his hand and brushed his index finger across her cheek. "Your face is all red, Misa-chan."

"I-It's not!" Misaki protested the blatant lie. Her flushing face was the evidence.

"Misa-chan..." Usui sighed her name this time. "Why are you trying so hard to hide something from me?"

She made the mistake of looking into his eyes. She was devoured by the forest in it, and she could see that in the depths of those green pools shone the light of hurt.

She gulped, "I'm not hiding anything."

"Fine," Usui uttered, untangling his arms from her. "I'll see you next year at school then."

Usui started to walk away from her.

"Wait!" Misaki lunged forward and grabbed a hold of his forearm with both her hands.

Usui stopped in his tracks, stunned.

"..." Misaki hugged Usui momentarily in silence. "... I'm sorry, Usui..."

In a flurry of swift movements, Usui had turned and reversed their positions. Now he was the one holding her.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me," Usui told her, breathing into her ear again. He pulled her into a hug.

"N-No..." Misaki pushed him far away enough to reach into her bag and pull out a box in the shape of a heart.

Usui's eyes widened at the box's shape.

"I-It's a little early..." Misaki muttered, holding the box out to him. "But, Merry Christmas."

Usui smiled gently and took the box, pulling Misaki into a hug. He waved the box in her face.

"This is what you were keeping from me?" He asked as he pulled at the ribbon.

"Well, y-yeah..." Misaki blushed. "I hope you like them."

Usui opened the box and peeked into it. His green irises widened again. In neat rows, sat tiny little chocolate balls – mostly dark chocolate – but there were a few smaller white ones.

If he looked closely, the small tiny white ones spelled out something. He peered closer, and his eyes widened yet again.

For what the white chocolates spelled out was: I love you.

He smiled down at the chocolates, and then turned to the female. Without a warning, he dropped a quick peck on her lips. Her reaction was to blush and he reached for her hand, closing the box of chocolates.

He pulled Misaki close to him and hugged her.

"You know, Misa-chan?" He asked her. "Chocolates are my favourite."

"Really?" She looked up at him, her face still red.

"Yeah," Usui agreed. "Because you made them."

Chocolates... sweet, sweet chocolates of love.

Meep, i had the urge to add this : "... Why aren't you eating one...?" Misaki asked. Usui sweatdropped in reply. After all, her cooking skills were just unbeatable...

Hahahahhahaahhaha i would've laughed like crazy. Anyway, enjoy :D It's for all you guys for supporting my series !