"What's this?" I ask with round eyes and baffled, astonished expression.

Kei, who is beside me, sighs, "It is what you see."

"Uh, well, seriously, what is this?"

I sense Kei's frown, even though my attention is not on him. "Don't make me want to answer that."

"Eh. Why this?"

"Just shut it." he sighs again.

"Just answer it." I retorted.

Kei doesn't speak, so I look at him. Giving him a puzzled expression and he just stares at me . . . with a little frown.

I simper a grin, "What is this?"

"A hedgehog." He's kinda annoyed to spell it out for me. "Plushie."

"I know it is a hedgehog plushie, but what is this?"

"See? You knew it yourself. Why do you keep on asking me, 'what is this'?" he returns the question with a cranky tone.

I stifle a laugh, "Uh, well, haha . . . then why are you giving me this?"

"Why? You don't like it?"

"Why do you always keep on returning the question?"

"Why do you always keep on asking questions?"

Now he returns it. I facepalm, "You're a prick." and say.

"And you are annoying," Kei mutters.

"Ugh." I sigh frustratedly while catching my forehead.

At this time, 18:35 in the evening, I'm inside the Tsukishima's residence, we are both sitting on the wooden floor of the lanai. Kei got back home this morning from Tokyo, and while I was about to reach my house this late afternoon, Kei called me, telling me that he was going to give me a something.

And ta-da~ A hedgehog! Plushie!

"A hedgehog. Plushie." I repeat with a nod, following it with a indifferent smile, blinking in 'i-don't-understand' look. "Why a hedgehog? Plushie?"

"It's because . . . it looks annoying as you."

"What?" I exclaim, facing him with a frown, then revert my gaze to the hedgehog plushie on my lap. "You call this adorable, ball of spikes, but very fluffy, annoying?"

Out of my excitement, I pull the pillow-sized hedgehog plushie and hug it with my whole dear life.

And it's so, so, so, so soft and it's the most adorable thing that's given to me.

The blonde salt is just sitting beside me, watching how I melt in the homie feeling of the hedgehog plushie gives me. "I see that you like it."

"Are you kidding?" I try myself not to sound arguing. "I love it!"

His lips curve up, almost imitating the crescent moon. "Give me your hand," then he requested.

I do what I have told and extend my hand to him. Kei reaches for his bag and get something in it. He is now holding something and places it on my palm.

My eyes widen in awe upon seeing he's given me. A pin with a moon design! I feel more excited about it, not wasting a second, I quickly put it on the plushie, but . . .

"Aw!" I squirmed as I accidentally dabbed the sharp tip of the pin on my finger!

"You're an idiot, are you?" Kei sighs, watching how my excitement turns into stupidity.

"Yeah . . ." I pout, staring how blood draws out from the small wound.

Kei lets out a low chuckle, taking the plushie in his arm and put the moon-designed pin on it. "You are not an idiot, stupid."

"Tch." I shot an annoyed glare at him, "You told me that I'm not idiot, but you called me stupid. Kei, are you an idiot?"

"Now you're asking me that."

I chuckle, "Right, you're not an idiot. Haha, you're a salt."

Kei only pats my hair and say, "Next time, be careful."

"Okay, sir." I grumble, admitting defeat, stare at the hedgehog plushie giving a tender-loving smile. It's sooooo cute! I will cherish this little fluff.

"Say, Kei." I call him, still my eyes are focused on the plushie. "Why are you giving me this?"

"I've told you. I'll give you something for your reward." he answers, drawing out a silent breath.

"Wah . . . I thought you would forget." I'm emotionally touched with his simple, yet sweet, gesture.

"Unfortunately, I did not." he replies, shrugging loosely. "And I haven't seen your scores."

I chuckle, "I'll show 'em tomorrow."

Then it's silent. But it is not an awkward one. I think, this silence is comfortable. Kei and I are used to this.

The lights have faded, the nightfall swallows it all, replacing it with frequent stars. The moon is up with its current shape—the waxing crescent moon. Every phases of the moon, has meaning. Some says that the waxing crescent moon means to send hopes and desires to the world. Well, how lovely.

"Can I give her a name?" I ask, breaking the mirror of silence in the midst of us.

"It's yours. You give her one," Kei replies.

"Then . . . I'll call her 'Tsukki'."

"What?" His triggered reply, flipping his head with a stutter surprise.

I set my eyes on him as I bite my lower lip, preventing to laugh aloud. "Cute, isn't it?"

"No." he says curtly while pushing his eyeglasses. "Not that, you alien."

"Why not?" I question with a slight puppy look. "Her name is Tsukki, that's final."

"Tch. Why?"

"Because she's as stingy, but sweetie as you." then I burst in laughing. While he, his deadpan look remains on his facial expression.

"Ha ha. That's funny." he says in a hazy uninterested voice. "And don't use a peppy adjective to me. I'll take that back from you."

I am threatened by his statement, so I hug the hedgehog plushie even tighter to my arms! "I'm sorry, Mr. Kei Tsukishima, sir, I won't call you sweetie again!"

Of course, I laugh loudly. I found teasing Kei fun, and I will tease him for as long as I can.

A smile forms to my lips as I calm myself from laughing. "You're Tsukki, okay?" and I talk to the plushie.

"Whatever." Kei mumbles with a hint of bashfulness.

I chuckle again with a bright smile as I face Kei, "This is a nice reward. Thank you."

He only purses his lips with a nod.

Then, all of a sudden, my phone starts to vibrate. I pick it up quickly and see my mother calling me. I answer it, "Yes, mom?"

"Where are you?" she replies with her usual voice.

"Uhm, in my classmate's house."

"Go home now," my mother commanded me, still with a cold voice. "We need to talk."

"Right away." I answer back and then she cut the call. Looking at Kei, I tell him, "I have to go."

"Okay." his response and we both stand up. Before I leave, I shove Tsukki the plushie to him. He frowns. "Don't tell me, you're giving it back?"

"Of course not." I tell him calmly. I just can't bring the plushie home, now that Mom came back all of a sudden. I don't want her to be suspecting about a matter like this. "Can I, if you may, pick it up tomorrow?" I ask him.

He sighs, "Fine."

Heading in the foyer, I put my slippers on. And when I'm about to leave, the door surprisingly opens.

There's a guy, the same as height as Kei, comes inside. "I'm home." he says. As he catches a sight of me, a puzzled expressions painted on his face. "Oh, y-you are . . ?"

I got flustered easily and cannot find for words to respond.

"She's Lorraine." Gladly, Kei answers for me.

"Y-Yeah." I agree with him as I manage to pick myself up. "I'm Lorraine Yukizome, classmate of Kei. I live next door."

"I see." the man a with honey blonde hair smiles in a friendly way. "I'm Akiteru, Kei's older brother."

Oh. My eyes are drawn open as I lean closer to Kei and cover my mouth. Kei tilts his head to my direction to hear what I'm about to say. So I whisper to him, "Can I call him, 'Tsukki'?"

I hear a silent groan against Kei's throat as a dark cloud renders his face. "No, you stupid." he remarks and hit me hard in the forehead.

"Aww!" I wail out, feeling the ache to my forehead. "Why d'ya hit me?!"

"Because you are stupid." Kei almost rolls his eyes.

"Argh. Do you have no sense of delicacy?" I complain, feeling my cheeks growing redder. "Ah, yes of course, you're a salt. Why did I still ask?"

"Shut up. Go home." Kei answers back, pushing me slightly to exit this house.

Akiteru-kun, Kei's brother, laughs in a flat tone. Ah, he's still here. I forgot. I acted shamefully with his presence.

"I'm sorry with my brother's behaviour, Yukizome-san." and he smiles, brushing off the awkwardness into a light atmosphere.

"Ah, no, I'm the one who should apologize." then I bow in dispense. Akiteru-kun is more approachable, contrasting Kei's antagonistic character. "Uhm, I'll be going." I say and head outside.

A relief sigh exhales from my system, but my forehead hurts a bit. That bully.

And I still have to face my mother. After all the long days, she have returned. I wonder what will she say to me?

Later on, I've reached the house. She's in the living area, sitting on the couch while sipping a cup of coffee. "Welcome back." she says.

I should be the one who would tell her that. But, never mind.

Inhaling a good amount of air, I slowly puff it out and sit on the couch across where she is.

"How are you?" the first thing she asks. I think, she's asking about my health that happened a week ago.

"I'm fine now." I reply with a small grin.

My mother nods, putting the cup on the saucer placed on the side table. "Back to business. So, there's a grand ball that will be held this weekend, organized by my business partner, and I want you to come."

"Weekend?" I ask clearly. "Where?"

"At Tokyo."

Tokyo? That far? And socializing with the elites? I hate something like that.

"Okay." I concur. Like I can disobey.

But anyway, it's nice to breathe the air of Tokyo once in a while.

🌙🌙🌙

It was noon, lunch break, when I decided to stay here in library. I'm with Kei and Tadashi. Well, Akizuki-senpai is also here. I know that she is not good in socializing, but Kei and Tadashi have a respect to her. Especially to Kei, he's more polite than usual. Good thing, Akizuki-senpai is comfortable with the presence of the two.

I don't know why Kei and Tadashi followed me here, but when I said that I was going to the library—being one of the personnel—they stuck with me. They also said that library is more peaceful than the other places of this school.

"Seriously?" Kei asks in disbelief, as he sees my score in my supplementary exams placed on the table.

"For real." I reply proudly.

"Why you didn't manage to ace it, Yukizome-san?" Tadashi questions.

"99 is not enough?" I say in a innocent tone.

"Uh, well, 99 is already enough." he chuckles sheepishly, "But just another one correct answer, you'll ace it up."

"Fufu," I smirk, "Too bad for me, then."

In just a short while, we heard someone walks inside the library. I feel a hand clutches my hand as Akizuki-senpai sees Koushi Sugawara having an entrance.

"Suga-san." It is Tadashi who greets him.

"If isn't Yamaguchi and Tsukishima." the silver-haired addresses back. "Good to see you here."

"Yeah, just found a place to hang out." Tadashi replies.

Koushi-senpai turns his eyes on me, "Yukizome-san, how's exams?"

I smile at him showing my test results. "All ninety-nine."

He chuckles in awe, "Aren't you pretty smart if you'll try?" and adds, "I guess my stupid antenna hair is safe."

"Yeah. But thanks to you, because the things you pointed out were actually came out of the test." I say honestly.

"I've told you." he smiles warmly, "By the way, Akizuki-san, I came to return these books." and shows the books to her.

"A-Ah, sure." Saika Akizuki stands up awkwardly as they both head to the counter.

After a few minutes, Koushi Sugawara leaves us that instant. He said that they still have group review with his other third year teammates.

I catch Akizuki-senpai steals a quick glance to the Sugawara guy before he disappeared out of our sight. She exhales a relief breath while cupping her both blushed cheeks.

Saika Akizuki is way too obvious that even Kei and Tadashi notices it as well.

Late afternoon, and it is dismissal time. I'm currently going to the library, because I left some of my textbooks there. I'll just go get them and leave right away. The library closes at four and Akizuki-senpai is going home early.

It is not 4 PM yet and I still have a half hour to gather my books. I sharpen my haste, the library is bit far from my classroom.

As I approach the corridor leading to the gym, at the corner of my eyes, I saw Kei . . . with a girl.

Being a girl, with curiosity in nature, I go secretly where they are, though hiding behind these walls of the corridor in a sitting position.

But I can't hear enough of their conversation, so I move closer. Hahaha, I feel like a spy. Well, more like an eavesdropper.

I reach for the windowsill to peek to them. As my half face appear at the bottom of the window opening, I think Kei senses a somebody that's watching over them. He's about to gaze at my location when I hurriedly hide under, leaning my back on the wall. I close my mouth with my palms, because I'm about to laugh.

What will Kei react if he saw me?

He's with a girl, and that girl is about to confess. I want to document this, but they might caught me.

"I like you, Tsukishima-kun! Please go out with me!"

My thoughts parted away when the girl confesses boldly.

I don't know how to react. Do I need to laugh or feel sorry because Kei is caged in this awkward situation?

I haven't heard Kei reply. The Salt is in the hot seat.

So . . . what would Kei response to this?

"I'm sorry."

Ah, there is it. Kei's reply is sorry.

Ouch. I feel sorry for the girl.

"What 'I'm sorry'?" the girl blurts out, her voice is shaky and about to cry. "What do you mean?"

"I can't go out with you." Kei say to the girl, still in a casual voice.

"Why? Do you have someone you like?"

He sighs, "I don't like someone. And I don't need someone to like. Now go away."

Gah! Isn't he being harsh? He's . . . he's heartless!

"This isn't the end!" the girl objects persistently, "I'll go away for now, but I'll come back for you tomorrow! Or even in the next days, until you'll fall for me!"

Heh. A desperate one. If I would receive something like that, I would dig a grave for me and my dignity. And I should be like, "Rest in peace."

Then I see the girl storms out of the scene, but she uses the opposite direction from mine. Thank goodness, she didn't see me.

And I should flee now. It'll be worst if Kei will see me.

Inhale and exhale. Now time to go.

"Hoh. I found you, curious cat."

I froze. My body shivers hearing the sinister voice of Kei. Guh. He really did saw me a while back.

I gulp as I muster the courage to gaze up, because his voice is coming from above.

As soon as my head nods up, my flustered expression is replaced with a great wonder of surprise.

I am stunned when I find out that he's there, looking down on me with a smirk that I can't identify. His expression is somewhat smug or indifferent one. He's reclining his arms on the windowsill in a crossed position.

"I'm . . . sorry." I whisper back, lowering my head down.

"For what?" he asks in a bleak tone.

"E-Eavesdropping  . . ?" I reply and chuckle warily.

He sighs, "Like I could care less," and then he shrugs before leaving.

Che. That salt. He's always a salt. "Like I could care less, my foot." I say to myself with an irate voice.

I stand up and dust off the dirt on my skirt. I'm just gonna get my books then go home.

🌙🌙🌙

The next morning, this is a very unusual routine of my daily life, but I'm in the good mood while making my way to our classroom.

I don't know. I woke up like this. Well, maybe because my mother cooked breakfast for me. It's a once in a blue moon blessing.

Few minutes after, I reach the Class 1-4. As soon as I stepped inside the room, the atmosphere is already full of pure menace.

I look at where the pure menace is coming from. And it is from Kei, his aura is brooding with dour.

Wow. Great. I am in the very lively mood, but my environment is not. I like it very much . . . not.

What happened and why the heck is that Salt is in the sullen mode?

I walk further inside and notice a girl sitting on my seat while saying annoying things to Kei, like:

"Tsukishima-kun, let's eat lunch together later, okay?"

"Tsukishima-kun, teach me how to play volleyball!"

"Tsukishima-kun! Even though you're mad, you still look so perfect!"

Tsukishima-kun, there, Tsukishima-kun here, like yuck. I almost spill my guts out.

If isn't the girl yesterday who confessed to Kei. Feh.

I'm now standing near her, where my seat is, and say, "Erm, excuse me, but this is my seat."

The girl hears me, and the words she's about to say is cut. Then she eyes me with a grave expression.

"You are . . ." she says, standing up while curling her hair with her fingers, "Lorraine Yukizome, aren't you?"

I arch my brow, "I guess . . ?" replying with a lopsided shrug.

"Don't fool around!" she shushes me out, clenching her fists, "I know you! And I heard that you're hanging out with Tsukishima-kun most of the time! Tell me, do you like him?"

It takes a second to sink in to my mind of what she says, then I scoff it out, but I'm about to laugh ludicrously. "Hah? Pardon me, but are you stupid?"

I notice Rie closing her mouth and laughing secretly.

"You insolent woman!" the girl yells outrageously. "How dare you to call me stupid!? Don't you know who I am, huh?"

A vein jerks to my cheek. I'm out of my mood. She pisses me off. She's so loud and arrogant. I cross my arms, raising an eyebrow. "Do you think that I care about who you are?"

Then she goes hysterical, breathing as if she lacks of air in her system. "Tsukishima-kun, I need you! Please help me!"

Geh. Drama Queen.

And great timing, the bell has rang, leaving her no choice but to leave. But before she heads outside, she glares at me and mouthed, "We-are-not-done-yet!"

"Who is she, by the way?" I inquire Rie, sitting on my chair.

"Shea Hiou," Rie replies, "the proclaimed top student of the first years."

"That's all?"

"Also the daughter of the owner of this school." she sighs, "Everyone respects her, and nobody answered in an ill-mannered way like you did a while ago."

"Gee, she ticks me off, so." I murmur, pouting in annoyance.

"Well, I must say good luck to you, Yukizome-san." That's what she says and the teacher have arrived.

I didn't get what she meant, not until the beginning of my daily torment happened.

☔

Hello, I'm here again. Hahaha.

Please criticize this book. 😁

Anyway, is it okay if this story is not in the Kei x Reader-chan mode? Well, tbh, I'm not comfortable writing like those, that's why I made an OC. Just feel free to imagine that you're Lorraine. : ) And I hope that Kei it's not an OOC *crossfingers*

What happened a while back. Hahahaha forgive me, because Kei up there 😂

A sketch of Lorraine.

yhieh credits to my very pretty best friend hahaha. if yer reading this, i love you 💛🌙

Uhm, I added some photos in some previous chapters. Some of the sketches aren't done, that's why I can't post 'em up to show 'em all to you.