They stare at the wreckage of a good three month's allowance in silence.

"Hyuuga Natsume," Mikan says in a tone that is curiously, uncharacteristically emotionless, "what did you do."

Natsume has the decency to look slightly ashamed. Under his breath, he mutters, "You started it."

There is a sharp intake of breath around the room, and Mikan narrows her eyes.

Hotaru mentally does a countdown. And three – two – one –

"What the fuck did you just say?"

:.:

[ ONE WEEK EARLIER ]

"Hotaruuuuu," Mikan whines, dragging the last syllable in a way that is affectionately obnoxious, "I'm broke. Again. Help me."

Her best friend glances at her without sympathy. "It's your fault for spending all your money on those Fluff Puffs."

"I don't spend all my money on candy, you know," Mikan says with dignity. "I send half of my allowance home to Jii-chan. I still feel guilty for taking all his savings, and besides, he doesn't have an income."

Hotaru sighs and puts down her textbook. "Look, Mikan, if you need money – and for what reason, I have no idea –"

"It's Ruka-pyon's birthday next month," Mikan interjects, "I've been meaning to get him that anniversary photo-exclusive edition of that magazine he subscribes to –"

"—you shouldn't be encouraging him to stare at pictures of animals for hours on end, anyway, Mikan –"

"- and that," Mikan finishes delicately, "that is the reason why I need money."

"Well, if you're so desperate to indulge that idiot," Hotaru says, with a slight air of impatience, ignoring Mikan's protest of don't call him an idiot, Hotaru, he's your boyfriend after all, "why don't you just earn it? All this crab roe doesn't pay for itself, you know."

"What do you do?" Mikan asks, despite herself. Hotaru shrugs and carefully applies a fresh coat of lip gloss.

"I auction off my inventions on eBay," she says casually, "but since that's impossible for you, I have an idea."

"Ooh, tell me!" Mikan asks eagerly. A small smirk crosses Hotaru's usually expressionless face.

"Well," Hotaru drawls, "isn't it almost time for the Valentine's Day carnival?"

:.:

"You did what?"

Ruka gazes at his girlfriend, who serenely sips from her caramel latte like she didn't just pull the trigger on World War III. Hotaru leans over the table until she is barely five inches away from his face, and looks up at him through her lashes. Ruka swallows as he catches a hint of strawberry-scented lip gloss.

"You're on my side, aren't you?" Hotaru asks sweetly. He groans.

"Natsume's going to kill me."

"Don't be ridiculous," she says briskly. "Besides, aren't you tired of them dancing around each other all the time and always clinging to us? Don't you think we need a little more –" she gives him a small, mischievous smile, "—alone time?"

Heat rises to his face as he covers his eyes with his hands. "You don't play fair, Imai," he complains.

A small smile flits across her face. "I never did. And besides," she continues in a slight singsong, "if Natsume really couldn't care less about what Polka Dot does –""

"Don't imitate him," Ruka interjects with a shudder, "that's scary."

"—then he wouldn't particularly mind if Mikan was participating in the Valentine's Day carnival in the maid cafe, would he?"

A crash comes from behind them as Natsume gazes at her in suspended disbelief, his ridiculously generous Special-Star lunch in a shattered heap on the floor.

Ruka buries his face in his hands.

"Oops," Hokaru says with a distinctly unapologetic smile.

:.:

The Valentine's Day carnival should be banned, Natsume thinks furiously as he storms towards the classroom. Everyone seems to pick up on the dark aura surrounding him, clearing a path for him to walk through even more readily than usual.

The carnival is a relatively minor one-day event held every Valentine's Day in Alice Academy, started just three years ago, courtesy of a certain teacher with an ambiguous gender and even more questionable intentions. The clubs and societies in the high school division all come up with booths and activities. It's only open to middle schoolers and above to attend, and the events consist, in addition to couple-themed activities like the choir club's serenata romantic boat rides down the river, primarily of booths selling chocolates, flowers, last-minute Valentine's day gifts, as well as other staples like dessert shops (which mainly offer disgustingly sweet cakes which have unfortunate tendencies to spew confetti or sparkles or gold dust), Valentine's message delivery services, fortune-telling (that is eerily accurate, which may not necessarily be a good thing) and, of course, the ever-popular maid cafes.

The past three carnivals were spent with Ruka making fun of the idiot girls who participated in the maid cafes, because, honestly, who would actually do that? And now one of those idiots is going to be the girl he may or may not have had a crush on for the past six years.

Honestly, life really, really sucks.

"Nat-su-me, good morning!" Mikan greets in her usual cheery singsong, apparently oblivious to the antagonism practically radiating from his person. His expression almost softens at the innocent smile on her face.

And then he remembers that that innocent smile is going to be directed at incompetent, sleazy, hormonal high school boys, and his expression freezes back into a scowl.

"You," he says, narrowing his eyes. "You're going to be participating in the maid cafe. In the Valentine's Day carnival. You."

"Mm-hmm," Mikan hums noncommittally, already distracted, "Hotaruuu, did you help me get breakfast?"

"Get your alarm clock fixed," is all she says, before handing over a paper bag. Natsume glares at the intruder, who looks perfectly calm except for a tiny smirk, and Natsume's eyes narrow in suspicion.

"Did this whole maid cafe thing," he begins carefully, "happen to be a suggestion of Imai's?"

"Of course it did!" Mikan chirps cheerfully, linking arms with her reluctant best friend. "She's organising it for her Astronomy club, after all! And she let me join!"

Hotaru stops trying to shake Mikan's arm off and instead takes the opportunity to grin at Natsume.

"You're welcome, Hyuuga," Hotaru says in a falsely friendly voice, "I know how supportive you always are of Mikan's social activities."

Checkmate.

Okay, so I haven't actually attempted to do multi-chaptered stuff in ages. It's probably been years, really, since the last time I've actually completed something more than two chapters long. I'm planning for this to be at least three to five chapters long which, okay, is still not that much, but it's already a huge step for me, so yeah. Please be supportive :)

Cheers, and don't forget to review!