she props her elbows on the table, brows raised as a happy-go-lucky smile curves her lips. "so," she starts. "i heard your dad's a dealer."
he raises his brow, "yeah, and?"
mikan cants her head, fingers interlocked as she rests her chin on her hands. it's an innocent gesture, but he calls bullshit. "no, nothing. just asking." he then watches in confusion and slight amusement as she gets up, turns on her heel, and scurries off to her friends.
it's an odd exchange, though not the first they've had. he doesn't think they've ever had a full conversation (nor does he think she's capable of one), but he enjoys her strange definition of small-talk nonetheless.
۵
her group of friends keep shooting him strange looks while giggling behind their hands – something he's used to, but it feels off. permy, the one who's usually held accountable for this action, is scowling at the twins as they share secrets. mikan looks somewhat smug as she talks to misaki – and is that a look of amusement on hotaru's usually bored features? alright, something is most definitely up.
getting to his feet, natsume makes his way over to the girls, only to cause the twins to erupt into a fit of giggles as they clear a path for him. it only irritates him further – needless to say, natsume hyuuga does not appreciate confusion.
he taps mikan on the shoulder, meeting her mismatched gaze.
"natsume! what can i do for you?"
he doesn't miss misaki taking this as her queue to leave, "save your cheeriness for someone else, what's going on?"
her brows furrow, "what do you mean?"
"i mean what the fuck is going on?"
mikan's confused expression turns to angry, yet still cute and one he can't take seriously. then again, when has he ever taken her seriously? "there's no need to get snappy! wait– i thought you didn't concern yourself in fangirl's affairs! i mean, all i did was tell them about how it was true your dad deals drugs and stuff–"
"what?"
her expression falters, "uh, yeah! well i mean, that's what i meant – when i asked you yesterday. about your dad. being a dealer. and stuff." she doesn't like the hostile expression on his face, not one bit.
his tone is more serious than ever, and she can almost see the fire in his eyes as he speaks, "polka. my dad is a car dealer."
"oh. fuck."