"Wait! Come back! Neko-chan, don't run off! I just wanted to hug you! Please come back!" I ran down the hall, chasing my dark-haired cuddle-buddy as he scampered up a set of stairs and through a set of double doors as a pair of giggling girls walked out.
"Ah! Excuse me! Please Neko-chan, stop!" I asked forgiveness of the girls as I squeezed past them, entering into a brightly lit room as I ran after Neko-chan.
Coming to a quick halt, I ignored the crowd of staring boys and girls that sat in groups at the tables scattered about the room, cups of tea seemingly forgotten in their hands as they blinked at me.
"Neko-chan! Please come out! I promise I'll be more gentle hugging you this time! Please Neko-chan!" I ran about the room, looking under tables, behind sofas and generally anywhere that Neko-chan could possibly be hiding.
"This wouldn't happen to be the 'Neko-chan' you are looking for, would it?" I looked up to see a tall, dark-haired boy holding a tiny mewing black kitten out towards me.
"Neko-chan!! There you are! Thank you for finding her!" I gently took the kitten from his hands and started cuddling her in my arms.
"You do know it is against the rules to bring animals onto the grounds, right?" He frowned down at me, his glasses glinting in the light.
"Oh, it's ok! I got permission from the Chairman, Mr. Suoh already! He said since it was a special occasion, that he would allow it today!" I beamed up at him brightly, ignoring the sounds of people whispering behind me.
"Oh? And what is this special occasion that allows you to break the rules today?" He asked me as he began flipping pages in the notebook he carried, the frown on his face turning into a look of mild interest.
"Hehe, I'm sorry but I can't tell you! Mr. Suoh made me promise!" I tilted my head as the boy pushed his glasses up further, ignoring the growing whispers behind me from the other students.
"Is it your birthday today, princess? Is that why my father said yes? Would you like me to be your Host for this special day?" A tall blonde boy spun his way over, leaving me wondering how he didn't become dizzy as he ended up on one knee before me, a red rose in the hand he held out to me.
"I'm sorry, but no thank you! It's not my birthday today, so you don't need to do this hosting thing for me. You seem... nice enough I guess, but I would rather spend my time with someone who doesn't throw himself at every girl he sets eyes on." Giving a curtsy to him, I turned away from the blonde, not paying attention as he made his way into a corner and sat, surrounded by a gloomy aura.
"Wow! That was almost heartless! How would you like to be our guest instead today?" I squeaked slightly when I felt a pair of arms drape themselves across my shoulders, quickly rushing forward and out of their reach before turning around to shake my head at the twin boys I saw before me.
"Thank you but no thank you! I'm really not looking for any trouble here and you two look like you are nothing but that! Besides, I didn't come here to visit your club today." Shaking my head one more time, I started to turn away again before being stopped by a short, bubbly blond kid.
"Would you like to eat some cake with me and Usa-chan? It's really yummy cake!" Looking at the pink bunny the boy held in his arms, I couldn't help but let out a small shiver.
"I'm sorry, but I'm more of a cat person than a bunny person. Those beady little eyes and twitching noses make me kinda nervous." I stepped back a bit until I ran into a pair of doors and started feeling around for the handle with one hand, more than ready to escape before another boy began trying to offer his services as a host.
"You mean, you don't like Usa-chan?" I began feeling a slight panic as the boys eyes started filling with tears, knowing I never did do well around crying children.
"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed as I finally felt the handle in my grasp and pulled the door open behind me.
"Don't go through those doors!" I heard the original tall blonde call out from his corner of woe, eyes wide with fear as he began rushing towards me.
I hurried to escape through the doors even faster as he neared, squeezing through the opening and quickly shutting the doors afterwards. Holding Neko-chan close to me, I froze up at the sound of footsteps from behind me.
"(y/n)? What are you doing here?" I felt a flood of relief at the familiar voice.
Turning carefully, I gave the boy in front of me the biggest, brightest smile I could and held Neko-chan up towards him.
"Happy Birthday, Nekozawa-senpai! I got you a black cat! Well, she's just a kitten now, but she'll still be a great familiar for you! Just like in all those books you read! I heard that black cats can help make your curses stronger, so I found you the cutest black cat I could! She even has blue eyes, just like you do! See?!" I just knew he must agree when I saw the blush spread across his face.
"(y/n), you didn't have to get me a present..." He turned his head to the side a bit, one hand coming up to cover the lower half of his face as he talked.
"I know I didn't have to, Nekozawa-senpai! I wanted to! You've been my bestest friend, ever since I started school here last year! It means a lot to me that you've stuck with me for so long, even though I didn't join your club! So I wanted to get you a gift and since you like black magic so much, not to mention cats, I knew that Neko-chan here would be the perfect gift for you!" Holding the kitten out once more, I smiled and waited until he brought both hands out to accept the now squirming ball of fluffy cuteness.
Hearing the purr that came as soon as Nekozawa held her in his arms, I started giggling.
"See? She likes you! I knew she would! You're just too irresistible, Nekozawa-senpai!" Careful not to squeeze the tiny black kitten, I gently wrapped my arms around the older boy in a hug.
"(y-y/n)?" Hearing the tremble in his voice, I looked up at him.
"Happy Birthday, Umehito." Standing on my tip-toes, I gave him a gentle kiss on his quickly reddening cheek.
No words were needed for him to understand the kitten was not the only thing I had given him that day.