Hotaru couldn't quit taking pictures. She would get money out of them. Everyone was after him, right?
"You know, Hotaru, you take way too many pictures of Ruka," Mikan leaned back in her seat.
"There is no such thing as too much," Hotaru smirked as she took pictures of rabbit ears popping out of Ruka's head. Mikan sighed, putting her head on her hand.
"You know, money isn't everything," Mikan said.
"Oh is it?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow as she put her camera and leaned forward in interest.
"Oh Hotaru…" Mikan sighed, "There are all kinds of things, like love and friendships."
"But you are my best friend. No wait, make that a sister. What else do you need to list?" Hotaru asked.
"Would you give up money just to be my sister?" Mikan asked.
Hotaru stayed quiet. Mikan sighed, and popped a music ear bud and cranked up the music. With the free ear, Mikan kept it open in case if Hotaru said anything.
"Thought so. Money is huge to you, Hotaru, but you have to look past money and care for Ruka more than that. If you can't, then it isn't love, is it?" Mikan asked. She then left.
Hotaru looked at the camera in her hands. What was more important to her, money, or her friendship with Mikan and her relationship with Ruka?
oOo
Mikan padded down the hallway. She was about to leave the main building when a tiny voice stopped her.
"Mikan, are you leaving?"
Mikan sighed and turned around, "Yes I am, Youichi. Since when were you always so mature? You are like, three years old."
"No, I am not," Youichi shook his head. He then poofed into his normal size again, "I was always this height. Unlike what most people think, Imai's Gulliver candy made me younger."
"Well that sucks," Mikan sighed, "Sorry if I incorrectly identified your age."
Youichi chuckled. Then a poof surrounded him and he was his normal height, "It's okay. But do know I am around your age in reality."
"Just that you could become a three year old any moment?" Mikan laughed, "I think I get it."
"So what happened?" Youichi asked.
"It is Hotaru. She can't stop the pictures. I do not know what to do in helping her or whatnot," Mikan sighed, "Sometimes I do not know if I can help her."
Youichi nodded, "Don't worry. She will always care about you."
"I don't know about that, Youichi."
"Why?" Youichi looked at Mikan in curiosity.
"She doesn't know what is more important: me or money," Mikan sadly looked at Youichi before fixing her hair. Her hair looked like Yuka's exactly. Her bangs had no split. And somehow, that hairstyle is what got her several love confessions in her locker on days it isn't Valentine's Day.
Youichi didn't know what to say. But then he looked alarmed when Mikan sighed.
"I guess it is a part of her. I don't have a right to ask that of her," Mikan sighed.
"No, I mean I would ask that to someone close, if I had one, like Natsume. If he was doing it for profits then I would be hurt," Youichi said.
Mikan shrugged, tossing her messenger bag over her shoulder. She then sent the boy a soft smile, "Come on, let's go get some Howalon."
Youichi nodded and the two of them walked off.
oOo
Meanwhile, Hotaru still sat in her desk in the classroom. She had her camera in her hands. She could see a perfect view of Ruka in a frilly costume for the Alice Festival that the ability types have to prepare for. Ruka was the Snow White again. She could…take that photo. She could snap the button.
But something inside her went against the command.
No, she just couldn't snap the picture. Somehow, she lost her interest in blackmailing people for the moment.
Would you give up money just to be my sister?
She gripped her camera harder. She had to move her arm at least! But Mikan's voice acted like a restraint to her arms. It made her heart hurt when she neglected their closeness for something she thought she felt was more important. But nothing is more important than Mikan. And there is nothing to match to Ruka's love.
"She was right. I have to choose," Hotaru shakily said, "And let go of one of them."
She watched out the window. She saw Mikan and Youichi walk out to go to the Central Town and smiling softly and laughing with each other. Mikan's normally happy amber eyes were tinted with an unusual amount of sadness and hurt. She was hurt by Hotaru.
"Why can't I decide?" Hotaru mumbled to herself.
oOo
Mikan sadly flopped on her bed. Youichi had walked her to her dorm just to make sure that she was all right. Mikan was far from being all right.
She couldn't sleep. Hotaru couldn't decide and Mikan was sure, that if the raven haired girl couldn't choose, then their friendship would crumble. They wouldn't be those cute little sisters they look like in the eyes of everyone. They wouldn't be anything at that point. Mikan didn't want that. But asking Hotaru to give up blackmailing and her love for money is like asking someone to stop drinking water forever, right?
Mikan sighed pathetically. She was getting nowhere. She turned over and shut off her night lamp.
oOo
The next few days were agonizingly slow. Mikan and Youichi would be happy until they would come into the classroom where the Ice Queen would be, until Mikan and Hotaru locked gazes. Hotaru's would remain emotionless while she observed Mikan's sad amber eyes drop. Hotaru's eyes widened.
Mikan eyed the spot she would sit next to Hotaru. She bent down and whispered something in Youichi's ear and to Hotaru's shock, he nodded.
Mikan flashed a bright smile and she sat down next to him instead! Hotaru almost dropped her Baka Gun.
"What is up with the Ice Queen today?"
"She isn't herself?"
"Normally she would be glaring at us."
"Why is that?"
"Look at her, she is sweating. She is also trembling, did you see that?"
"I did."
Hotaru whimpered and Mikan caught this. She was isolating her. Mikan looked at her with a pair of alarmed eyes.
"Please stop whispering! I can't deal with it!" Hotaru yelled and she fled the classroom, not even bothering to take her stuff with her. The whole room, after Hotaru burst and left, was pin drop silence. A sigh came from the front of the room. All heads turned to Mikan, who was getting up.
"I will go see her," Mikan said in a detached tone.
"Are you sure? Why not let her calm down?" Youichi pulled on her uniform cuff. Mikan was now surprised to see Youichi as a three year old.
"Because she will not calm down by herself. I need to be there for her, Youichi," Mikan shook the baby hand off and Youichi nodded.
Mikan quietly left.
oOo
Mikan looked all over. She searched every nook and cranny.
Then she found Ruka worried outside the girl's bathroom and then nearly jumped out of the skin when he saw Mikan here.
"S-Sakura-san?"
"Ruka-pyon, is she in there?" Mikan raised an eyebrow.
"Y-Yes."
"Are you okay?"
"It is just…she has been so distant from me lately…I do not know why she doesn't like to take embarrassing pictures anymore."
"So you did like getting embarrassed."
Ruka's face flushed red when he realized what he just said.
"I-It isn't l-like that!"
Mikan laughed a little to herself and waved him off with a muffled, "I know."
"I-It's true!"
"Okay, whatever you say," Mikan chuckled and then smiled all of a sudden, "I will make sure Hotaru comes back to class. Can you make sure no one thinks otherwise back at class?"
"O-Okay," Ruka stuttered over his embarrassment. He then hurried off to class with his bunny.
Mikan turned around and sighed. From the bathroom she indeed hear sniffles and sobs being covered by a hand if her senses weren't playing mind games with her today.
Mikan stepped in.
"Hotaru?"
It was silent. Mikan grimaced. Hotaru felt that much impacted by what she asked? Of course it should be normal for any friend to want to be valued over money, right?
"Hotaru where are you?" Mikan asked, now picking up a little skillful attitude one would have when playing Marco Polo blindfolded in the pool.
Mikan picked up the sniffles from coming from behind the stall door all the way down. It was the handicapped one where there was extra room for the person. Mikan sighed and walked there.
"Hotaru? Come on out," Mikan softly knocked.
A latch opened. The door pushed open. Mikan stood ther patiently, thinking Hotaru would come.
But a hand yanked her down and arms encased themselves around her shoulders.
Mikan was surprised but nonetheless hugged Hotaru back. She kept the position until Hotaru's sniffles died down.
"Hotaru? Are you all right?" Mikan gently shook Hotaru's shoulders, hoping to get a response.
Hotaru looked at Mikan and new tears bubbled up in her amethyst eyes.
"I…I…" she started out.
"You…what? Are you not feeling well? Oh, let me feel your forehead!" Mikan placed her hand on Hotaru's forehead and felt it perfectly normal.
"Hotaru, what's wrong?" Mikan looked at Hotaru in concern.
"I value you more than money!" Hotaru broke into new tears and Mikan understood what she meant.
Would you give up money just to be my sister?
"Oh Hotaru, I said something so senseless, not even thinking about how it would affect you so much!" Mikan hugged Hotaru to prevent the raven haired girl from crying even further.
"Come on, Hotaru, let's go. If we don't hurry then we might get in trouble," Mikan held her hand out.
Hotaru took the hand and let Mikan lead her to class. That was, until, a sudden blonde bitch stopped them. Her icy blue eyes formed a glare.
"Ah, look at the all famous Hotaru Imai. Nicknamed the Ice Queen," Luna drawled taking snapshots of Hotaru's weak side. Mikan narrowed her eyes.
"Look at that," Luna delicately traced Hotaru's chin in a malicious manner earning a scared whimper from the raven haired girl, "Is the big bad witch scaring you?"
"S-Stop it…"
"No. You have embarrassed me and it is now that I take revenge…!" Luna was going to race off, when Mikan extended her foot and made Luna trip on it. The camera flew out of her hands and Mikan swiftly caught it. She pocketed it and Luna made a lunge for Mikan's throat.
"Why you daughter of a slut!"
Mikan roughly slapped Luna and sent the blonde tumbling down.
"You know, you are as malicious as your mother…" Luna smirked.
"I am happy to be her daughter," Mikan glared, "And inherit her looks and powers and the honor of being her first born child."
"W-What is she talking about?" Hotaru stuttered.
"Don't worry," Mikan said, "You will find out soon."
"Yeah, slut, none of your fucking business," Luna said, until Mikan roughly jabbed her in the stomach.
"You have no right to say that to my sister. Weren't you calling ME a slut?" Mikan's amber eyes darkened.
Luna gulped.
"You know, I knew you were a stuck up, but this has gone too far. This," Mikan took the camera out for a brief second before putting it back, "Is going to my uncle. You are stepping over the lines."
Mikan walked away and tugged Hotaru along with her. All they could hear was.
"You…you…you stupid bitch!" Footsteps ran away and thick hiccupping followed.
"Well we all knew she is a manipulative person," Mikan mumbled.
"Mikan?" Hotaru asked.
"Nothing," Mikan smiled, "Now you are going to tell Ruka."
"Him?" Hotaru asked, "Tell him what?"
"Don't you love him more than money?"
"Mikan! Y-yes…"
"Then you need to tell him," Mikan smiled. She tugged the raven haired girl towards the main classroom. Mikan could only roughly guess that it was lunch time. She missed half of her classes but she didn't care. Hotaru is worth all of her time in this world. Missing classes for her was worth her time.
They neared the classroom. Mikan turned around and she grinned at Hotaru. She held both of the girl's hands in hers and gave it a gentle squeeze.
"Now, Hotaru," Mikan started, "I want you to go in there and tell him what you feel. If he is more valuable than money or if he isn't, that you get to tell him, Hotaru. But you have to tell the truth. Ruka can't live without knowing what you truly see in him. He has to know one point or another."
Hotaru nodded. Mikan let go of her hands and opened the door. Sure enough through the window of the door, Ruka was sitting on one of the bench desks and just muttering something to himself while everyone were at lunch, having the time of their life. Hotaru gulped and Mikan nodded.
Hotaru balled up her fists and walked into the classroom with renewed energy.
Mikan smiled. That was the Hotaru she knew.
Mikan softly closed the door behind Hotaru for her so no one would know that Mikan was there.
Mikan slumped down, and sighed in content.
"Mikan?"
"Hey Youichi."
"I heard all the commotion down the hallway. Heard Koizumi was trying to blackmail Imai's weak side."
"Yes. I am going to turn it in to Uncle, if you want to come with me?" Mikan asked hopefully.
Youichi blushed and nodded.
They held hands and walked towards the HSP's office, to turn the tape in.
oOo
Ruka looked up.
"Hotaru," Ruka smiled.
"H-Hi…" Hotaru stammered.
"Hotaru is something wrong?" Ruka worriedly placed the back of his hand on Hotaru's head just like Mikan.
"I just want to say…although I tend to take pictures of your worst moment…" Hotaru fidgeted with her skirt, "I value you more than money. So if my camera got damaged, I wouldn't care, as long as you are fine, Ruka. I wanted to make it clear to you."
Ruka smiled and enveloped Hotaru into a deep hug.
"Hotaru, whether all you see in me is just money or profit gain or popularity surplus, all I can do is love you for who you are," Ruka happily sighed.
Hotaru smiled and hugged back.
This had a good ending, where the friendship wasn't lost, weakness turned into strength, sadness turned into happiness, and love wasn't gone.
-fin-