Lucky Stars
(Chiba x Hayami)

Disclaimer: I don't, and never will I, own Ansatsu Kyoushitsu/Assassination Classroom.

"Ah, and my dress is maroon," his eyes just blinked behind his bangs, a ticket loosely clasped by his hand.

And then her words sank in. He nodded in acknowledgment. "My suit won't clash."

She just gave him that nonchalant look that still told him she was satisfied with his answer and then promptly went back to the book she was reading, signifying the conversation done. Nothing much was said after that; on her part because she was reading while on his part because his brain was somehow running slower than usual.

He stared back at the ticket in his hand. Prom. It was Hayami's high school's prom. He wasn't really surprised that it had a seniors' prom, after all, it was a Western-founded exclusive school for girls, most of its traditions were Western than Japanese, though he never really realized it until today. Until Hayami shoved the ticket on his hand informing him of the date and venue and the time he should pick her up from her house. And her outfit.

'So that's why she had gone shopping with her girl friends last week,' the thought crossed his mind in passing as he continued to alternately look at the ticket and at the girl seated across him calmly sipping her coffee every now and then as she read.

When she had finished the chapter she had to study she closed the book, sipped the last of her coffee then they both stood up and went out of the cafe. They parted ways at a certain street, giving each other only a "see you". They didn't really have a set schedule or day of meeting up but certainly that "see you" meant next week. That was normal for them.

Him sitting there with her at a cafe while she reviews is normal for them. Chiba couldn't shake the niggling thought that there was something he was missing.

They never really talked about the prom again after that, though she did mention Yada and Kurahashi insisting on being there to help her prepare. Her mouth was slightly quirked, that told him she was amused at her friends' antics. He didn't have to be told that she'd probably be there for them on their own schools' prom.

He kind of missed the fact that Yada and Kurahashi knew about the event and him being Hayami's date. He only realized it when he knocked on Hayami's door on the night itself and it was the two who opened the door for him.

He kind of missed the fact that he was Hayami's date until they said, "Rinka, your date's here!"

Oh.

And, "oh," he breathed when his date came into view. The two girls on either side of the door frame giggled.

"I did her hair," Kurahashi proudly informed.

"I helped with her makeup," Yada added. It was a good thing they know him well enough to know Chiba is someone who needs prodding to speak. "She's pretty, right?"

He nodded, never really taking his eyes off Hayami. "Yeah."

In between his frazzled mind and her cool-as-ever expression they silently appreciate the two friends who took lots and lots of pictures of them as if they were Hayami's parents (because even in her parents are still at work) before making them go.

"We expect you to be a proper date and take her home no later than 1," Yada even jokingly said.

When they were alone in the cab, Hayami took out the matching boutonnière and personally pinned it on his lapel. She inspected the whole look afterwards and there was a look of satisfaction on her.

"Perfect shade," she said as she fixed the maroon handkerchief in his pocket. It was true. He'd never been shown her dress before this but his handkerchief somehow perfectly matched its color.

It didn't even take the whole ride to the venue for Yada and Kurahashi to upload the pictures they've taken, with a big, bold caption of "RINKA-CHAN AND HER PROM DATE." It didn't take more than 5 seconds for the first comments of their other middle school classmates to show up.

Hayami laughed a bit at their friends antics. Chiba's mind went into roller coaster mode again.

When Hayami had informed him of the event, really, that was all she did. She told him her prom was coming up and gave him the ticket and details. There was no asking, no "you think you can go with me?" She informed him as if it was just a fact that he was going with her. Chiba thought he missed something there.

They arrived at the venue 15 minutes before the start of the program and Hayami led him to the table where her group of friends were, seats already reserved from them. He'd met her high school friends before and though he didn't really talk much, they were comfortable with each other enough.

Hayami was never really one for partying and Chiba wasn't surprised when she nicely refused to go dancing with her friends.

"I'll be fine here, you should go with them," still he told her, he knew she loved dancing.

"A bit later," she smiled at him then turned to watch her friends who were happily dancing as a group together with their own dates. She was slightly nodding her head along to the tune.

It turns out "a bit later" meant "you're going with me" for after 30 minutes she pulled him to the dance floor. It so happened that the song on was for slow dancing. Before he even has time to be awkward she placed a hand on his shoulder and her other which she had used to drag him aligned their clasped hands so that it was in the proper position. His other hand had no choice but to go to its natural position on her waist.

They weren't chest to chest close unlike some of the bolder pairs with them but they weren't overly distant also. Chiba could only describe it as intimate. And it confused the hell out of him because here he was, puzzled as he tried to somehow lead their swaying but the girl he was gazing at so closely didn't look the least bit bothered by anything. Her hands on him rested comfortably and her face, though stoic as usual, betrayed no awkwardness at their current situation. She even looked like she was enjoying herself.

They stayed for a number of songs before they decided to go back to their table. He offered to get them something to drink but when he got back, there was a guy occupying one of the vacant seats at their table. "...just one dance, Hayami-san."

"I don't think-thanks," Chiba didn't really mean to cut her off but she'd already seen him so might as well give her the juice he'd gotten for her. "He's Souhei, a friend from grade school."

Her tone was more explaining than introducing but Chiba didn't have time to comment for Hayami had turned back to the other guy.

"I'm sorry, I don't think it's a good idea," now there were two guys looking at her in confusion.

It was Souhei who understood first. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he apologized. "I didn't know you're with someone, uh, I should get back to Natsume-san."

And then he was hastily running off leaving the pair alone. Chiba was still bewildered, Hayami was calmly sipping her juice.

"I didn't think he still had a crush on me," she remarked as she turned to face her companion. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," he grunted, not really able to put into words the swirling thoughts in his mind right now.

In response, she tapped a finger over his bangs covering the middle of his brows. "We've been together for more than 3 years, I can tell when something's bothering you."

Oh.

Together. Of course, it was only natural that she goes with the guy she's dating to prom. Except for the fact that said guy wasn't exactly aware of the fact.

Together. He tested the word in his mind and found it not awkward at all in combination with Hayami. In fact he found it only fitting with their situation. Just friends don't really meet weekly or spend every single free time together (and their high schools aren't even conveniently near each other), do they?

Now he was feeling really stupid. He really should have been more aware of something like the fact that they were essentially dating, for 3 years to boot. Then again, when it came to social matters, he had always let her take the lead. She may prefer not talking much but she isn't really socially-stunted like him.

Dating. He supposed it made sense that he let her decide their status and had just went along with her. If she didn't, he probably wouldn't do anything about it at all. And if such an amazing girl was willing to date him, well, he got really lucky.

"How can you tell?" he finally managed to croak out.

And then she smiled, a small, but real and soft smile. 'I really lucked out,' he thought.

"Your bangs bunch up a bit here when you're bothered, I figured you're scrunching your forehead then," she tapped the same place again.

"Ah," he felt up the same place her finger was poking, he'd never realized that. And then he took her whole hand in his. "Dance with me."

Her eyes widened just a tiny bit in surprise but she gladly stood up with him. Their timing was right again for a slow dance and this time he held her more firmly and closer to him. For a while no one between them spoke a word, just gazing at each other's eyes.

"You're doing it again," she said then tapped his bangs again.

"You don't mind? I mean, I don't exactly know how to..." he trailed off before composing himself again. "I don't hold your hand, give you flowers, and when we go out it's not really date-like."

The pink-haired beauty laughed then and Chiba thanked his lucky stars again for this miracle. "We've lasted 3 years, you think we'd do if I mind?"

A smile slowly crept up in his face at that. She freed the hand in his and brought both of her hands to rest behind his nape. His other dropped to her waist to join his other.

"It's not really our style to be like that, I think," she said and he completely agreed. "But if you want, let's do one thing tonight."

She gestured to the photobooth which was surprisingly empty at that moment. She was already pulling him without waiting for his answer and he let her.

(As to how photobooth pictures of two stoic persons look like, only the two of them would know, they never showed anyone the photos.)

"Your parents are not yet there?" he asked when they reached her house. "It's already late."

"It's okay, they said they're on the way too," she assured him. She turned to face him when they reached her door only to be surprised when she realized he was standing too close.

"You remember how Bitch-sensei became everyone's first kiss except for you?" he asked, his voice calm even though he was nervous as hell.

Of course she did, Bitch-sensei had looked disgusted when facing Hayami to deliver her usual reward/punishment kiss because apparently, it was too weird to kiss someone who looked like herself. Hayami would have snorted at the memory if Chiba hadn't been pressing his lips to hers then.

It was a chaste, sweet first kiss (Chiba didn't really focus on Irina's "lessons" on the topic), and it was over too quickly. They were both blushing and looking away after pulling away.

"I should go now, uh, see you," he hastily said.

"Yeah, thanks for going with me, I'll go in now," she nodded as she opened her door jerkily.

Chiba's feet were walking too fast in his nervousness, but then he came to a dead stop when he got out of the apartment building. Once again, he thanked the heavens above for the infinite luck. For in front of him were Hayami's parents.

He greeted them who thanked him for seeing their daughter home. He caught a comment from her mom before he scurried off. "Rinka-chan's lucky to have such a gentleman for a boyfriend."

A/N: This is directly posted immediately after I finished writing so I'm sorry if there are spelling, grammar and/or formatting mistakes. The idea just came suddenly and it was already complete so I had to write it down. I did pause though and continued a week after but I didn't re-read too much because I feel like I won't be satisfied and I'd end up scrapping it all together. I'm sorry if it doesn't flow nicely, I just kinda wrote down whatever came to mind.

This, by the way, is inspired by a Naruto fanfic 'To Grow a Garden' by Wolfy Tales. I have this headcanon where China doesn't really realize he and Hayami are pretty much dating, he strikes me as a more go with the flow kinda guy, so I imagine it'll be up to Hayami, he'll be there as long as she'll have him. Kinda like how it was in To Grow a Garden (read it if you're a Naruto fan, I guarantee it's a really good one, I swear).