Here's a story I particularly wanted to write for so long. Now I'm just plain glad I can finally be able to write it. (: Oh, and if you do think the plot's a little cliché or overused, review to me about it. For now, I'll try my best to make it as foxtrotelly-ed as ever.

Disclamer: Gakuen Alice copyright © Tachibana Higuchi, 2003-Present

How To Get The Guy and Lose The Girl in 30 Days

by foxtrotelly

~ Dedicated to Ariisha-chan ~

Here's the third line up for you, sis. You deserve it because you're amazing, you know.

:) :) :)

"The opportunity comes when you least expect it. When it happens, it happens." –Imai Hotaru

:) :) :)

"Did you hear? Ruka-kun's a free man again!"

"No way?"

"Yeah. just this morni—"

"Polka come on now, we're going to be late," a voice that parted the crowded hallway like the Red Sea drawled. It was Natsume and standing five feet behind him was Mikan who was dead frozen to the spot.

"I – Natsume…" was all Mikan could manage. She looked up at him with sparkling brown eyes that were filled with an emotion he couldn't determine. From where he stood, though, it almost looked like hope.

"Polka, let's go," he called again.

Mikan blinked. "A-alright then." She stumbled to his side.

Taking one look at her made Natsume realize what was going on right away. "Now let's head to class to get things straight with Ruka."

―

The rumors circulating around campus were definitely true. After talking with Ruka before class, they found out that he was, in fact, single yet again. Turns out his then girlfriend, a girl named Hazune from the other class, broke up with him that morning. Ruka seemed to be perfectly fine with it, and just like after every breakup he's had in the past three years, he announced that he and Hazune would still remain friends. Lots of girls around school were overjoyed at the news, and then there was Mikan.

Mikan fell quiet after learning the story from Ruka. She acted differently all throughout the day too. She didn't smile that often nor did she talk as much. When asked about how she felt about Ruka's breakup, she would space out and say she's glad he's still friends with Hazune with a vacant smile on her face. Then after that, she would walk off as if she wanted to be alone again right away.

Hotaru managed to corner her after fifth period when Mikan asked the teacher for permission to the girl's room thirty seconds before the bell. At first, Mikan tried to avoid her, but then she realized her best friend was too smart to be evaded. So reluctantly, she stopped near the custodian's closet and let her best friend ask away.

"What happened to you awhile ago?" Hotaru asked, eyeing her bestfriend questioningly.

"Nothing, Hotaru," Mikan said.

Hotaru raised her eyebrow. She knew her best friend better than that. "It's the breakup. I can tell it's got you thinking."

"What are you talking about? It's not—"

"You're hopeful because of it too," Hotaru said knowingly.

Startled, Mikan blurted, "How did you—"

Hotaru cut her off nonchalantly. "You're my best friend. I know things."

Mikan's shoulders slumped in easy defeat. "I guess you were smart enough to know about that. What should I do now then?"

"What you think you should do, Mikan," she simply said.

"Erm." Mikan fidgeted, muttering, "That's an awful lot coming from you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well…" Mikan looked down, kind of embarrassed.

RRRIIING!

The school bell rang to signify the end of their five-minute break. Students started hurrying off to their next class. Hotaru already began to walk away, but not before saying, "The opportunity comes when you least expect it. When it happens, it happens."

"Uhm, excuse me."

"Hey, no fair! No pushing!"

"Or cutting!"

From somewhere deep in the crowd, a random hand flew out and pulled on one of Mikan's pigtails.

"Hey, ow!" she cried out. She just couldn't believe how desperate she got to stoop so low and push her way through a swarm of crazy fangirls like any normal crazy fangirl would. But as Hotaru's words got to her earlier, she had only gotten more determined than ever. With one final shove, she managed to squeeze her way in between two girls and get to the surrounded table all in one piece, with a few claws and scratches on her face, arms and neck.

"Hey, it's Mikan!" It was Koko, and he looked really glad to see the brunette.

"H-hey there, guys."

"Have a seat." Ruka smiled warmly at her and motioned for her to take the seat between him and Natsume. The entire horde of fangirls sighed dreamily when Ruka smiled, but as they saw Mikan sit beside him, all of them groaned and stomped away from the table begrudgingly.

"Ain't that nice, now?" Natsume remarked monotonously. He rested his head on his hand and poked his gyoza with his fork some more. "Now we have this idiot as a natural repellant for those pesky fangirls."

"Wha—"

Mochu snickered away. "I guess he's right, Mikan. Maybe you should date one of us so they'd go away permanently, if you know what I mean." He wagged his eyebrows at her.

"Don't flatter yourself, Mochiage," a voice snapped alongside them. Beside the table, along with Anna, Nonoko, Permy, and Yuu, stood Hotaru, glaring intently at Mochu.

"They're only here for Ruka-sama or Natsume-kun, you know," Permy said matter-of-factly, rolling her eyes at Mochu, who in turn raised up his hands in mock surrender.

Anna glanced around nervously, uneasily asking, "Anyway, is it safe to sit here again?"

Kitsuneme beamed at them, greeting, "Hey there girls!" Then he nodded to Yuu in particular. "And Yuu."

"Sure why not?" Koko said. "Plenty of room here." With that, all of the boys along with Mikan scooted to their right onto mid-air that materialized into a connecting table and bench a second later.

"I could swear the table was smaller when you guys weren't around," Mochu mused.

Nonoko giggled. "There's Iinchou to thank for that."

The whole table was filled with a half-hearted chorus of "Thank you, Iinchou" right away. Yuu blushed, mumbling, "Oh you know, standard procedure."

"Speaking of standard procedure," Permy started, "I, Shouda Sumire, nominate myself to accompany Ruka-kun to the post-routine da—"

"Nice try, Shouda," Hotaru interrupted her callously. "But you already went last time."

Permy crossed her arms, half-irritated, half-crestfallen. "Ok, whatever. Are any nominations available on the field?" she grumbled diffidently.

Across the table from Permy, Anna whispered something into Nonoko's ear and she shot them both a suspicious glare. Then suddenly, the freak twins spoke in unison. "We, Umemomiya Anna and Osagawara Nonoko, respectfully nominate Sakura Mikan-chan to accompany Ruka-kun to the post-routine day trip to Central Town tomorrow afternoon."

The table fell into a silent hush. No one had ever nominate Mikan to go on that after-breakup date with Ruka after the incident last year involving loose ponies, an angry ex-girlfriend and a raging Hotaru carrying her deluxe Baka gun ver. 3.10.72. It had always been the same girls repeatedly accompanying Ruka; Anna, Nonoko, or Permy. On occasion, Hotaru came during the times Yuu couldn't make it because ever since that darkdark, messy day, it had been considered taboo at the lunch table to even speak of the words 'nominate', 'Mikan', and 'date'.

Everybody, except for Natsume and Hotaru, looked amongst themselves, concerned.

"Uhm, I don't think…"

"Yeah, she's right, it's just that…"

"Err, who wants fried chicken?"

Mikan hung her head in the shame of it all. She never meant for things to go wrong that day. Plus, she didn't exactly like it when matters took an awkward revolve around her, and she was pretty much sure Ruka wasn't enjoying the attention either. She turned to Ruka. "Uhm, Ruka-pyon, if it means a lot to you to not get into trouble again, I—"

"Those who vote for Mikan to go with Ruka to the after-breakup date, say aye," Natsume, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up.

"Aye." Everybody was surprised to find that the first vote belonged to Ruka. "Anyone else?"

"Aye," said Nonoko and Anna, both of them having identical smiles on their faces.

"Aye," said Koko with a mouthful of food, raising his chicken leg in the air.

"Aye," said Kitsuneme with a mouthful of soda, toasting his can to Koko's drumstick.

"Aye," said Yuu, pushing his glasses to his nose with his thumb (he did it when he was nervous).

"Aye," said Mochu, nudging Permy at her side.

"Aye," said Permy, elbowing Mochu back in the ribs.

"Whatever. Aye," said Natsume, a bit impatient as he kept his eyes glued to his manga.

"Aye," said Hotaru. She directed a small smile towards Mikan. Now all they needed was her vote.

Mikan hesitated for a bit, thinking of how Hazune might react if she saw them in Central Town tomorrow. Feelings of doubt and fear immediately gnawed at her insides.

But then, it came to her. Hotaru had told her to do what she should do. Right now, she needed to protect Ruka from the berserk 'I-so-like-wanna-be-your-next-girlfriend-Ruka' fangirl craze he had to endure every after breakup. They would do all sorts of…things to him if she didn't help him out. Aside from that, she saw this as an opportunity she least expected to happen.

"Aye," she said finally. The pressure she felt on herself before got lifted, but one can't say that the edginess and tension surrounding the table was. For a short moment, they all paused before uncomfortably continuing with their lunch in silence.

Ruka cleared his throat and managed a small smile. "What could possibly go wrong, anyway?"

"I'm finishing my manga outside."

Natsume didn't stick around after lunch as he spent the entire duration of the afternoon finishing his manga on his Sakura tree. He was done reading by five-thirty with not much students left around hanging on campus grounds. He was about to head back to his dorm to get ready for supper when he heard a weird sound.

Sniff, sniff.

He walked towards a nearby bench and crept up behind it. As dead as he was after being left with his manga's cliffhanger ending, he was still very much surprised upon seeing who was sniffling on the bench.

"Whoa, Polka?"

Mikan, who was lying on her side, stopped sniffling but didn't bother to look up at the person who dared to call her that stupid nickname even under such circumstances.

"What the hell are you doing there?"

This time, Mikan lifted her head towards him, and answered in a voice that was thick from bawling. Or sniffling, apparently. "Waiting."

Natsume didn't need any more pressing. "Waiting for what? To catch cold, most probably."

Then she lied down on her back and folded her hands on her chest. She closed her eyes and sighed, "For a miracle, Natsume."

Knitting his eyebrows together, Natsume scoffed, "You're not making any sense at all, Polka—not that you do all the time, anyway."

Mikan moaned in frustration that didn't seem to be directed at Natsume, but rather herself. "As much as I would want to punch you in the face right now, that's not my point." She rested one hand over her eyes, as if terribly exhausted. "It's just that this date with Ruka tomorrow…I'm not ready for it."

"What are you talking about?" Natsume said. "Besides the disaster day date with him last year, didn't you go on a date with that Ninetendo kid in seventh grade?"

Somehow, saying that left a bitter taste in Natsume's mouth. His eyebrows furrowed a bit more.

"First off, it's Nendo, Natsume. Nendo Kaoru—" Natsume slightly bristled at the mention of the Ninetendo kid's name in the same sentence with his—"Second, Nendo's different from Ruka. That was the seventh grade, too. And now, I don't know… You don't see how big of a chance this is for me, Natsu."

"So you're saying you want your date with Ruka to be special?"

"Kind of," Mikan said sadly. "I want it to be that, and more. If you're my friend, you'd understand."

A dull ache stung at Natsume's chest. That wasn't exactly the point he wanted. For so long, all he had wished for was to be more than friends with Mikan. He saw that, but unfortunately Mikan didn't. Now it only pained him more because he couldn't accept things just like that, even for her. He didn't say anything as he simply waited for Mikan to tell him more.

Mikan continued. "I guess now, this is an opportunity I shouldn't let go off. I want to be more to Ruka than just a friend. And if I don't act now, I might just end up losing him…again." Then she did the thing Natsume dreaded the most. She removed the hand over her eyes and gazed directly into his.

Her bright hazel brown eyes shimmered, and Natsume saw something in them again.

Hope.

"If I help you…" he said slowly, as if letting each word that left his mouth sink in, "what's going to be in it for me?"

Mikan's eyes sparkled with hope yet again. A small smile graced her features and lit up her once sad face. To Natsume, those alone were enough.

Sitting bolt up, Mikan exclaimed happily, "I can give you the latest issue of that manga of yours a week before it's in the stores!"

"Deal."

"I—" She was too astonished Natsume agreed right away to her offer. Then she did something Natsume didn't see coming. In one clumsy movement, she flung her arms around Natsume's neck. "You're the best!"

Natsume had to use all his willpower not to give in and hug her back or bury his face in her hair or something. He faked stiffening and said coldly, "Let go off me or the deal's off, Polka."

Much to his dismay, Mikan quickly did. "Sorry," she quietly apologized. "But," she instantly perked up, "I promise I'd be a really good and cooperative subject, Mr. Matchmaker!"

"Say that name again and I'll burn you to smitherins. Go try and dazzle me anyway, I guess."

…Not that she didn't dazzle him on any normal occasion, or anything.

Natsume noticed how the setting sun formed a crown of light around her head as she knelt on the bench in front of him. Not wanting to freak her out by staring at her too much, Natsume pointed behind her. "Looks like the sun's setting without you today."

"Oh!" Mikan spun around and sat back down on the bench properly. "I almost forgot."

More than anything else(aside from Howalons, her grandfather, and Hotaru), Mikan loved sunsets. In fact, she loved them so much she'd cry for hours and blame herself when she so much as misses one or feels that it isn't perfect enough. When she, however, sees one in perfect motion, it had always been her thing to stop, catch her breath, then say something about how the sunsets back home were always the best.

Natsume expected her to do that soon, but this time around, Mikan did something different. At first Natsume began worrying when she grew quiet and sat back as if there was something wrong.

Oh no. She's going to cry, he thought.

But then she didn't. Instead, she sighed resolutely, "Well, it happens when it happens."

"What?"

"I've always told myself something when I first entered the Academy."

"Should I care about what it was?"

"Funny thing," she chuckled.

"What's funny?"

"I said that the day the sunset here would be better than home's would be the day I'd get along with the most disagreeable and impossible person in my life. Turns out it was true."

She wasn't lying. The sunset was indeed breathtaking with the sun slowly descending behind into the Tokyo skyline. The sky was colored a at least a hundred different shades of oranges, pinks and yellows. Creeping near that golden canvas were numerous streaks of indigos and purples; the colors of twilight. Overhead, a few scattered stars managed to twinkle despite the city's severe light pollution and the sun's presence. It was quite hard to explain how the sunset itself bested that of the most remote countryside, but somehow to Natsume, being able to enjoy it with Mikan gave him more than enough reason.

As long as she was happy, he would always have more than enough reason.

So there it was. (: I didn't really feel that was any good. It's like it was a bit rushed or something for me. Did you think guys think so too? Anyway, take note that the chapters won't always be happening on subsequent dates, so yeah.

Hee, review?