Kaichou Wa Maid-sama!

Chapter 6: C'est la vie

"They went this way!" Kanou said, looking over his shoulder to another bespectacled person running behind him as they both followed two suspecting students who were running with a camera in hand.

Shizuko tried her best to keep up with the boy resulting to her almost tripping as they started to ascend the stairs while she gasps for breath like a goldfish forced out of its tank. She's not the best at any form of physical activities. But in order to protect Misaki and Usui, they both have to catch them.

Kanou turned back to help the girl. He figured that the students are heading to the rooftop. "Stay here." He says and didn't even wait for Shizuko's reply when he took the stairs three steps at a time.

When Kanou reached the door to the rooftop, he heard a familiar voice.

"I'm going to borrow this for a moment."

He pushed the door open and saw two unfamiliar girls standing so defensively in front of Usui who was holding a camera.

When the two girls noticed Kanou who just entered, they both moved towards him who thought he's going to get attacked but only felt the gush of wind on his face when they passed by him so quickly he wondered how they could move that fast.

"Wha- Who are they?" He asked. He managed to get a glimpse of their unfamiliar faces.

Usui was scanning the pictures on the camera and he had the look of someone who has seen his worst nightmare.

"Those girls..." Kanou started walking towards Usui who stood tensed and un-moving in his position. "Th-they're not from Seika, are they?" Usui turned off the camera and slipped it inside his pants' pocket, then he turned to him and gone is his worried expression. He's wearing his relaxed look again as he scratches the back of this head.

"I'll take care of this." Usui said and started for the door when Kanou spoke again.

"Are you not telling Kaichou?" Although he already knows the answer, he only wanted to hear it.

"Prez has enough on her shoulders right now." Usui uttered when he stopped beside the inquisitive boy.

"Do you always do things on your own, Usui-san?" Kanou voiced out his observation and was expecting for Usui to tell him off but instead he smiled. The kind that didn't reach his eyes.

"I had to."

Valentines Ball

Seika High School

Misaki stood at the entrance of the gymnasium when the students started arriving by pair, some already wearing their unique masks. She would check on their IDs and if they have a plus-one; she'd look on her list and let them in afterwards.

It's really hard with only one hand, but she got used to it now.

'Maybe it was because it was the season of love that people started to acknowledge their feelings and I saw that even for one night, their whole school was united to celebrate love. And I want to see Seika being unified even just for one night...'

She never thought she'd see everybody, even the rude delinquent students she would always reprimand for not wearing their uniforms properly; dress-up like a lady and a lord and even try to act like one.

"Wassup, Kaichou!" Says the boy she would always scold for not shaving but now came looking so neat and clean.

"Behave!" She warned him.

He even winked at her and gave her a hand salute before disappearing in her vision. A smile was about to make its way into Misaki's lips when a dashing pair arrived. Sakura and a guy already wearing a mask whom she already guessed by the way he walks and his spiky blonde hair almost similar to Usui's, was Sakurai Kuuga.

Sakura looked so beautiful. Her ball gown suited her very well. It was adorned with pink laces and flower patterns that matched the little pins designed with pink roses that helped keep her hairdo up. The boy-band member on the other hand looked so spiritless as he observes his surroundings suspiciously as if someone's going to attack him any moment; but he looked great nonetheless.

"Hmp!"

Upon hearing that meaningful comment from behind her that almost made her skin jump off from her body, Misaki looked over her shoulder to see Shizuko standing right at her back.

"Hee, Shizuka... I didn't notice you." She said as she puts her right hand over her chest. She was really surprised. She didn't know the girl has the ability to sneak so silently like that.

With her usual blank expression, Shizuko looked at Misaki, "I came here earlier and changed at the girl's locker room." She said as if it was something so obvious.

Nodding, Misaki laughed at her cluelessness; if such a word even exists, with Shizuko's baffling behaviour. "He, he, he." She noticed that the girl looked very pretty in her simple black and white ball gown too. It gave her a mysterious but smart look which very well describes the girl. "Wow! You look-"

"Misaki-chan! Shizuko-chan!" Sakura called, hurrying to her friends' side and leaving her distressed 'Lord'. Her face had a full-on blush, excitement emanating from her aura as she bounces here and there holding Misaki and Shizuko's hands. "This is so great! This night is so magical. I couldn't recognize everybody." She lifted her mask over her face. "Should I put this on now?"

"You should have put that on earlier already before people recognizes you. It defeats the purpose of the theme Masquerade Ball." Shizuko commented. Sakura puffed her cheeks.

"He, he, but Shizuko-chan. You're not wearing yours, as well." Sakura commented but was shrugged off by the girl.

"It looks like he is lost. You should get back to him." Shizuko added and motioned for the anxious girl to return to her date who was trying to cover more of his face.

Sakura sighed. "I'm sorry Shizuko-chan. I didn't really invited him... Well..." She twiddled with her thumbs. "Indirectly, I did. H-he saw the invitation card... Hihihi, well, I kind of made sure he will see it..." She placed her hands on Shizuko's shoulders, shaking the bespectacled girl to her senses. "But more importantly, he asked me if I have a date and when I... Well, I said that some people already asked me... And then he suddenly got angry and said he'll go with me. Isn't that great? Do you think he's jealous?"

"Pfft! Never assume unless otherwise stated." Shizuko said making Sakura even more flustered.

Misaki tried to stop Sakura, seeing that Shizuko looked dizzy due to Sakura's shaking, "S-sakura, stop shaking-" Shizuko's glasses fell on the ground and Misaki was just about to pick it up when a leather shoe appeared on her vision, smashing the poor glasses into pieces before she was able to reach them.

Sakura gasped audibly, all their eyes landed on the newly arrived Kanou whose foot was over the broken glasses. Behind him was Yukimura who looked oblivious as always. Sakura broke the awkward 'who-will-react-first' game when she cried out. "Waaah, I'm so sorry Shizuko-chan."

Kanou removed his foot from the glasses and picked it up, feeling sorry for Shizuko. "Nggg... It's so broken, it cannot be repaired anymore. It needs replacement." Says Yukimura that made Sakura all the more guilty as she wailed even louder this time.

"Nyaaa... I'm so sorry I cause you so much trouble, Shizuko-chan! This wouldn't have happened if I-"

"C'est la vie." Says Shizuko. Hearing such unfamiliar word made the others gape at Shizuko who was patting Sakura over her shoulder to encourage her to stop crying. "I was planning to get a new one anyway. Go back to your date, and stop crying. You don't want to scare him with your ruined make-up."

Understanding Shizuko's intentions, Misaki supported her. "Yeah, go ahead Sakura... Shizuko will be fine here. "

Reluctantly Sakura returned to Kuuga's side; still feeling and looking so guilty and in a few, they entered the gymnasium.

"W-what did you say earlier, Shizuko-chan?" Yukimura asked. "What does se la vi, means?"

"It means that's life. Something happens that we didn't expect and not what we want but we just have to accept it because that's just the way life is, it doesn't always go our way." Shizuko explained indifferently, when the three people listening to her were all lost in their own thoughts trying to fathom the meaning of the expression.

Misaki bit her lower lip. There's always something spooky with the way Shizuko speaks. It's as if she's an old soul who says such cryptic words sometimes.

Yukimura held both his hands over his chest with a very determined face. "That's right! Even though I don't have a date tonight, I have to accept it!" Says someone who couldn't get a date because he couldn't muster up courage to ask any of the girls in school.

"Mark Twain said once, 'you'll be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than by the ones you did'... Life is too short to not do the things you want to do, Yukimura." Shizuko told the boy.

Misaki and Kanou were just gaping at Shizuko's tirade of words of wisdom.

"Ah, sou ka..." Yukimura now has his knuckles under his chin while thinking.

But Misaki couldn't wait for her vice-president to come-up words for his thoughts. "You two don't plan on spending the entire night with me here in the reception, do you?" She asked.

Yukimura looked up to his companion. "Kanou-kun only came because I asked him to."

"Anyhow, you two have to get inside now. The program is going to start in a few minutes." Misaki pushed the two inside and returned to Shizuko's side. "A-are you okay without your glasses Shizuko?"

"No." She said. That's how blunt she is.

"I'm sorry-"

"It's not your fault." Shizuko immediately said.

A thought came into Misaki's mind and knew she had to ask her friend about it. "Shizuko, don't you like Kuuga-kun for Sakura?"

"It's not that. I just don't like girls making effort for the boy." Shizuko answered. "I want Sakura and Misaki to be treated like a princess."

'My princess.'

Red accumulated on Misaki's face as she remembers one perverted outer-space human mouthing those words in front of everyone to see. She was so outraged at such audacity.

Hang on a second. She hasn't seen that said person since this afternoon. Her eyes roamed around to spot any blonde haired person arriving.

Shizuko sensed her distrait and knew who caused it. Then she remembered something. "Ah, Misaki-chan. I left some of my things in the locker room. At this state, I wouldn't be able to get it myself. Would you do me a favor, Misaki-chan?" She said. "I will take your place in here. I still can see really up close."

"I'll get it for you." Misaki didn't even thought about it as she agreed immediately. She was already leaving when Shizuko stopped her.

"Misaki-chan, wait! It's a big red paper bag. It's on top of your locker." She says.

"Okay, I will be back."

Kaho's eyes were sparkling with so much happiness at the scene before her. There was so many people inside her cafe for the first time since the shop opened exactly thirty days ago. It was all thanks to Suzuna for suggesting to change her menu and to create combo meals to increase sales without discounting and giving coupons (which she mentioned that she loves, by the way).

She looked at the girl as she gets the order of the new couple who arrived. The girl has this unchanging expression that people most commonly call poker face. But there's something about her that is so amusing and captivating for Kaho and she liked the girl so much that she felt so protective of her.

She stood straight when the girl was done taking orders and was already approaching her in the counter. "They want the Couple Combo." Suzuna said.

Kaho smiled so sweetly at the girl, "Couple Combo, right away! Hi hi hi."

Suzuna observed the way the woman was so happily preparing the new order. She looked so calm and content. And that's when she had a realization.

'It's on top of your locker.'

"Huh? Why would it be on top of my locker?" Misaki asked herself. Shizuko's locker was far from hers since their locker assignments are based on the first letters of their last names.

But she didn't get the chance to really think about the thought thoroughly because she heard footsteps from her left. The school building is very silent and a little dark now since everyone is in the gymnasium.

Thinking that there may be some outsiders or some of Seika's delinquent students doing some extra curricular activities tonight made her so angry.

Nobody is going to ruin this night's event!

Misaki dashed like a professional runner to where she thought the footsteps are coming from. She reached the other end of the empty and gloomy hallway in no time, "Who's here?" She shouted.

She heard the footsteps running now. Misaki was about to follow it when she heard another one from the other side.

There's two of them!

She then decided to follow the other one heading to the science laboratory where she can corner the person because the other one is already going to the exit. Her murderous aura exhaling from her body.

The moment she reached the lab, she noticed a faint light coming from the room and some shadows under the shut door. Without further adieu, she kicked the door open; shocking the three person in the room with her spine-chilling silhouette emitting black and dangerous aura.

"Waaah!"

"Aaack!"

"K-kaichou!"

When Misaki's vision focused on the figures before her and their appearances registered on her head... She burst into unstoppable laughter that made her stomach ache as a result.

She was looking at Shrek, one of the Ninja Turtles with an orange eye-mask and a Joker.

The trio's shame and fear forgotten, they are now entranced by their evil president's captivating laughter. Their eyes twinkling in happiness and admiration.

"Gah... If only I have my sketchpad with me right now." Ikuto said so dreamily with both his hands clasped together over his chest. But because he was wearing a Shrek mask and a costume, it looked like Shrek was smitten over another girl.

"Ummpp... My sexy princess of darkness Misa-chaaaaaaan..." Kurotatsu was now salivating at the different images of flirty Misa-chan the maid and naughty Misaki the president holding a horse whip and flipping it in the air; danced over his head. But because he was wearing Michelangelo's costume with the shell on his back, he couldn't straighten his posture.

Shiroya's Joker mask fell on the floor and revealed his very red face as he looks at Misaki with an expression of open-mouthed astonishment. "Ke... Ke... Ke..." He was making a gibberish sound as if he was unable to control it.

When Misaki's laughter has died down, she came to her senses. She never lost her composure like that in front of anybody. So she took a deep breath and looked at the three who were still in a state of trance. "What are you three doing here? And what the hell are you wearing? This is not a cosplay!"

Misaki's voice woke the three up from their individual dream world. Shame was now back in the three who were now trying to avoid Misaki's stare.

"W-we wanted to rent a proper ball suit for men but we didn't have money." Ikuto reasoned.

"Yeah, so we did a part time job. But when we finally had the money..." Kurotatsu couldn't finish because he was welling up in self pity. Shiroya handed the boy a handkerchief.

"All the good ones were already rented. So we told the owner we'll get anything that has a mask... And this is what we got." It was Shiroya's turn to wail.

Feeling for the three, Misaki took a deep breath. She knew she had to say something to make them feel better. She felt guilty for laughing at them earlier. "Y-you three still look... C-cute to me." She uttered under her breath, regretting at the last second why she said those words. She doesn't want anybody from Seika to mistake her as a soft type.

But hearing such words coming from their favorite president and maid lifted the three idiot's morale. The three stood with confidence and determination now, to Misaki's surprise.

"We're cute!" Shiroya shrieked.

"Misa-chan thinks we are!" Ikuto was bouncing on his spot now.

"I heard that too! I'm gonna cry again." Kurotatsu reached for anything to blow his nose.

"Ack! Kurotatsu, you're so gross!" Shiroya hit the boy.

"Aw! Not my shell, man!"

And before the three breaks anything from the laboratory, Misaki knew she had to intervene. "Stop it!" She screamed. "If you break anything here, you'll pay it with your lives!" She warned.

"Eeee... It was Kurotatsu's fault, Misaki-chii!"

"Don't call me chii! Go to the gymnasium now!" She ordered and in a second, the three are gone. Talking to those three is always like an exercise.

Realizing her reason for coming to the school building, Misaki turned the lights off in the lab first before proceeding to the girl's locker room.

Valentines Ball

Miyabigaoka High School

Tora sat on his exclusive King's Chair at the second floor of the grand hall as he looks down on the ground floor where everyone was enjoying themselves. Some dancing, some chatting and some were drinking wines. Yes, they served wines. The quality and expensive ones.

Everyone wore their own designer gowns and suits. As expected from Miyabigaoka students who don't settle for less.

"The girls liked the Sangria you ordered from Spain, Kaichou." Maki, his vice-president; appeared beside him.

Tora gently shook the wine glass on his hand as he watches the velvety red liquid move inside, with a smirk on his face. "I'm expecting they would." He sais oh-so-confidently. "Is everybody here now?"

Maki gulped. "Except for one."

He already have an idea of who it is. His smile disappeared. But before he could say something harsh, one of his followers interrupted their conversation.

"Young master, an overseas call for you from Britain."

Immediately Tora livened up. He knows who was calling him. This is an important call, as it will serve as the Igarashi Group's ticket to the European market. The Walker family's connection will help in their company's expansion, so he will let Akihiro Sakurai pass for now.

It was dark inside the locker room so Misaki had to reach for the switch to turn on the lights. Then she walked to her locker and immediately saw a very big red paper bag that Shizuko was talking about, so she reached for it but to no avail. The top of the locker was really high, some would have used a chair to reach it but she was confident she could if she would just jump. So she did, only that she wasn't able to catch it when it fell.

Misaki's brows drew together in wonder of the content of the bag that . It was a beautiful white ball gown with crystal-like details. She knelt on the floor to pick it up but when she lifted the gown, something fell and when her eyes found it she was amazed. It was a white mask that matches the gown in her hands, the details were complementing the gown and the other way around too. There are two big feathers on one side that is pinned by a big white orchid flower.

"Why didn't Shizuko wear this one?" She asked herself as she starts to slip the gown back in the back.

"Because it's not for her." Says that familiar voice she had been looking for since this afternoon.

Misaki turned to look behind her and was shocked to see a mysterious white prince. Ofcourse she knows it's Usui because she knows his figure. But anybody could easily mistake him for anybody else for now. He wore a very handsomely tailored costume that matches the gown in Shizuko's paper bag. He was now wearing a military style white jacket with attached epaulets, a maroon slacks, a golden jacquard sash, a golden military belt and a little medal over his left chest. He looks every bit of a prince with an added mystery because he is wearing a mask that covers the upper half of his face and only leaving his sculpted mouth in view.

"Usui?" Misaki uttered, unable to maker her brain and mouth synchronize.

Usui walked towards Misaki who was still kneeling on the floor. He bowed like a real prince and offered his hand to help her up and Misaki just couldn't help but feel like a...

"Princess Misaki..." Usui said. His captivating emerald eyes piercing her through his mask.

Misaki felt her knees go jelly.

'What is this feeling?' She asked herself. And it was like her body has a mind of its own, her hand reached Usui's extended one and he gently helped her stand.

"Get out of that dress now, Prez." Usui said, a twitching smile on his lips.

When the meaning of his words finally settled on Misaki's head, she blushed a deep red.

"You perverted outer-space alien!" She spouted.

But Usui lifted her hand and placed a lingering kiss on it, his eyes still locked on Misaki's honey colored one. "I'm a perverted white prince for tonight." And right after he said those words, he kissed Misaki's hand like he would on her lips and it sparked a fire inside of her that she couldn't explain. But when she felt him bit on her skin, she automatically pulled if off of his grasp.

"Aw! Are you stupid?!" She shouted at him but he only shrugged and then he moved forward, pushing Misaki on the lockers and holding her face with both his hands.

"I'm only giving you 10 minutes to get out of your uniform or I may have to make you. And believe me... I'm going to enjoy it." Usui said, and as fast as a lightning, he crossed the distance between their faces to place a very quick chaste kiss on Misaki's lips and in a second he was already walking away from her. "10 minutes." He repeated.

"W-where are you going?" Misaki asked. Her mouth faster than her brain when it comes to Usui.

Usui looked over his shoulder with his usual teasing grin. "Need a hand?"

The color on Misaki's cheek intensified. "No! What I mean is-" She couldn't formulate a coherent sentence anymore. "Agh! Forget it! Don't go far! And don't you dare look or I'll break your neck!" She warned him.

Usui smiled as he walked on the other side of the locker area. Out from Misaki's view. It's not that he is scared of Misaki's threats, she is strong but if he really wanted to, she can never stop him. But he is not going to sneak into her like that as much as the thought of seeing her without-, stop!

Usui shook his head. Misaki trust him.

Misaki on the other hand would never- ever!, ask for a hand! Even though she only has one hand as of the moment because of her injury. But she managed to get dressed successfully.

"I'm done!" She said.

'Shoot! Why am I wearing this?! Realization came to her late. "No! No! Wait! Don't come here!" She panicked. "I'm going to change back into my uniforms." She said. It was because Usui's prince-like appearance that she was bewitched to follow his commands.

But it's too late now. Usui has already seen her. His steps were very quick, and in a split second he was already in front of Misaki. Close enough for air to have a hard time to pass between them, his hands cupping her face.

"U-Usui.. What's-"

Then he was kissing her. Kissing her so passionately and so torridly that Misaki felt like she was drowned in the intensity of his emotions. He was tasting her, giving and taking... Making her melt every passing second. The strength on her knees were no longer enough to keep her standing. But before she fell on the floor, Usui caught her. Like he always does.

Both of them reeling from the kiss they shared. Which is the most intense ever. He was hugging her very tight. His face buried on the crook of Misaki's neck. His warm breath making her feel weak once again.

She looked like a princess. No, she looked like an angel. Wrong, she looked like both. And because of that, Usui wasn't able to stop himself. If it wasn't for her sliding down from his grip, he wouldn't have stopped. He would have kissed her senseless and it could have lead to something more.

He pulled away from her and took the mask from the bag and put it on Misaki, basking in her effect on him as she ties the string at the back of her head.

"Let's go." Usui grabbed her by her uninjured hand and pulled her out of the locker room.

Misaki's eyes widened when she saw the gymnasium and realized that Usui was heading there. "No!" She pulled away from him.

"They're not going to recognize us." Usui said. His rare serious expression.

The worry that's evident on Misaki's eyes started to subside. He was once again extending his hand to her.

"I want to do normal highschool stuffs with Misa-chan." He said, "I want to do a lot of things with you while we still can." He added.

Misaki then felt that something was wrong. There is something going on and Usui is not telling her anything. He is shielding her from something and making her blind is something that she doesn't like. Whatever it is, she wanted to help him. To share the weight with him. To resolve it together.

'Mark Twain said once, 'you'll be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than by the ones you did'... Life is too short to not do the things you want to do, Yukimura.'

Clenching her fist, Misaki glared at Usui. "We'll do this. But I want something in return." She challenged him.

Usui always do the 'make-Misaki-feel-guilty' game to get what he wants, but two can play at this game.

Recognizing the sheer determination on Misaki's eyes, Usui knew he was on for something and it's going to be a long night. Really long.

Suzuna cleared the tables immediately as soon as it was vacated so any waiting pair outside could already come in.

When she heard the bell ringing, the one that indicates the door was opened and a customer was in... She turned to greet her expected pair. But instead she saw one boy that was panting heavily as if he just finished a marathon.

"Welcome to Cafe Chocolat!" She greeted, her voice a little lively but it wasn't at all evident on her face. Nevertheless, it wasn't what surprised Lee. It was the person itself.

"You!" He said pointing at Suzuna's face. The girl wasn't showing a hint of recognition though. "You're that rude girl from the park!"

Before Suzuna could speak up for herself, a tray flew in the air and hit the boy at the back of his head.

"You are the rude one here, Lee. Don't point your finger at Suzuna!" Kaho stood in front of Suzuna, making her hide behind her.

"Suzuna?" Lee repeated as if tasting the name on his mouth.

"She's the one I told you about the last time. She is helping me here." Kaho turned to Suzuna. "Ne, Suzuna... Have you met this hellion of a brother of mine before?"

Insulted at the reference, Lee flared up. "What?!"

"No." Suzuna simply said that even angered Lee. "I'm going to get this to the kitchen." Suzuna excused herself and brought the tray filled with used plates and glass to the kitchen.

Kaho hit her little brother in the shoulder. "Don't scare her! What are you doing here, huh? And why are you breathing heavily?! Did you do something stupid again?" She castigated him.

"I'm here with Rei." He said.

Kaho's eyes widened. "What?! Isn't she in Hokkaido?"

Lee inserted both his hands in his pockets. "Well, she's here now. She sort of escaped."

"Escaped?!" Horror was written over Kaho's face.

Lee leaned to whisper on her sister's ear. "She found out that she was going to be engaged to a Walker."

Kaho gasped. Her sweet sheltered and shy little cousin, is now finally exposed to reality.

"Where is she?" Kaho asked.

Lee moved to the side to reveal a girl that was behind him all the while who was gathering a lot of appreciative looks from the guys and hateful looks from the girls inside the cafe.

0-0

A/N: So here is where the real story starts... What can you say?