Spice!

Chapter 6

Miku sat at her table, trying her hardest to pay attention to their teacher. He was going through algebra, which was a topic that Miku had a fairly weak grasp of.

''Len Kagamine,'' the teacher called out. Miku turned around to stare at the blonde boy, just like everyone else in class. So it should be okay, since everyone else is looking at him too. Right?

The handsome blonde yawned and stretched, rubbing his eyes. ''Yes?''

''Go wash your face. You're falling asleep in the middle of my class, and I don't like that. Now, Len. And pay attention.''

There was the scraping sound of a chair being pushed back, and then Len Kagamine was sauntering out of the classroom, his fingers running through his silky hair. Miku stared - she couldn't help it, though she felt like slapping herself at her own pathetic-ness.

Letting out an almost inaudible sigh, Miku bent her head, focusing on the next set of algebra problems the teacher was going through.

Len was exhausted. After Meiko, he had gone back home to sleep, but he hadn't been able to sleep. For some reason he had felt tortured, and the sense of torture didn't go away even when he heard Rin coming back.

He had managed to catch a few hours of sleep, about two or three, before having to wake up and prepare for school. And now, he was determined to pay attention in class.

Despite his playboy attitude, Len's grades had always been consistently perfect, always full marks, and he wasn't about to let his grades slip just because he was a little tired.

He entered the boy's toilet, going straight to the sink. Yawning once more, he turned the tap on, and warm water gushed out into the sink. Tiredly, he splashed water from the tap onto his face, then turned the tap off and wiped his face dry using his shirt sleeve.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror, and he stared at his own reflection. Blonde hair and eyes the colour of a summer sky - he looked so much like Rin, and Rin looked so much like him. It was difficult to tell them apart, aside from the fact she wore a ribbon and was obviously, well...a girl.

He turned from his reflection and walked out of the toilet, returning to class.

After maths class was over, Len rose, packing his bag for the next class. It was science, and he didn't want to be late - Len didn't fully understand the current topic their science teacher was going through.

As he was packing his bag, their maths teacher walked over to his table, and Len tensed, thinking that he was about to receive a lecture on paying attention and staying awake in class. He was surprised.

''Len, you've always scored well in maths. It's a subject you're good at,'' their teacher started. ''And Miku...she's not doing very well in this topic. Could you help her?''

''Help her?'' Len's mouth went dry. ''How?''

''Maybe go to her house, help her with her homework once a week,'' their teacher suggested. ''I'm sure you two can work something out. I've already spoken to Miku about it, and she's open to the idea.''

Before Len could object, their teacher was already walking away. ''I'm counting on you then, Kagamine! I want a hundred-percent pass for this class in the upcoming algebra test.''

Len hung his head in defeat. Help Miku? With algebra? He'd never succeed - the whole class knew exactly how terrible Miku was at algebra. Even the God of Maths couldn't help her, he thought. Let alone him.

He decided to go find Miku after school. Maybe they could work something out, something that could accomodate his...unusual schedule.

He tried not to focus on the excitement that he felt, excitement caused by the fact that he now had an actual reason to spend time with Miku Hatsune.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Miku was sitting in the cafeteria. Len saw her, nibbling on what appeared to be a leek, staring at some open books strewn all over the table.

He approached her, and upon getting nearer to the table he saw that they were books on algebra problem sums. He cringed. ''Miku.''

She glanced up, starting. ''Oh...Len. Hi,'' she said quietly, looking back down at her books as she continued nibbling on the leek.

Len frowned. Her attitude towards him had changed - she seemed so aloof, all of a sudden. ''Did our teacher tell you about...how he wanted me to help you with algebra?''

''He did,'' she said cautiously. ''Why?''

Was she acting clueless?

''So how do you want to go about it?'' he asked, sighing. ''Like...do you want me to go to your house, or do you want to come to mine, or...?''

Her green eyes widened as she understood his meaning. ''Oh. Um, actually I was thinking maybe you could help me in a neutral space...like in here? The school cafeteria?''

Len glanced around and saw that the girls in the cafeteria were already eyeing him with obvious intent. ''No. Somewhere more private.''

She sighed. ''Where do you want it, Len?''

''My house?'' the offer slipped past him, into the air between them. She blushed a little, her creamy cheeks flushing a faint shade of rose.

''I don't know, Len...I don't even know where you live,'' she said hesitantly. ''And I need to ask my brother.''

''I live near you,'' Len was startled. Didn't she know that? He had known that they were neighbours ever since middle school.

Miku gaped at him. ''Where do you live?''

''Near school. Third avenue,'' he blinked at her. Her large green eyes widened.

''I live there,'' she said wonderingly. ''Okay. When? And I'll still need to ask my brother.''

''Every Monday, I was thinking?'' He put his hands in his pockets. ''And Tuesday. And Friday.'' He saw her open her mouth. ''Don't say anything, Miku. We both know how terrible you are at algebra.''

She shut her mouth mutinously. He reached out towards her, palm facing upwards. ''Your phone.''

She regarded him suspiciously, but pulled out her phone and placed it in his palm. He typed in his number, then returned the phone to her. ''Text me when you've arranged everything with your brother.''

She nodded, taking her phone back, then returned her gaze to her maths textbook. Len's eyes narrowed - was he that boring?

Without another word, he turned and walked away from the table.

Miku heaved a sigh of relief. His near presence had been disconcerting, and she had barely been able to focus as he talked to her.

She looked down at her phone screen. The words 'Len Kagamine' looked back at her, and she smiled.

She, Miku Hatsune, had gotten the number of Len Kagamine, the most popular boy in school. It seemed that miracles were always happening, even to people like her.