*Secrets are kept secrets for a reason*

Natsume was sitting with Ruka in their classroom for their next lesson. It was early and no one was in there. He started to play with a small flame of his fire and until Ruka got annoyed.

"Can you stop doing that, please? Sometimes you tinge the ends of my hair black" he said, stroking a rabbit on his lap.

Natsume said nothing but the flame disappeared.

"Thanks" Ruka said, gratefully.

Peaceful silence arose between the two best friends.

"Are you going to be free after school or do you have to…?" Ruka's voice trailed off. He didn't want to talk about what Natsume had to do at nights. Why he always left in a black limousine and came back with a new scar on his neck, or ankle, or anywhere…

"I'm free today. Why?" he uttered, staring at the ceiling.

"I worry about you. I think you need to just relax at mine for a while, at least for one night. After everything with Mikan as well…"he said, his throat constricted at the thought of her. Natsume's eyes hardened. He did not want to think about her. Ever.

"Mikan is dead to me. I don't care about her. And what she did." Natsume said, his voice getting dangerously low.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you angry! I just, I just wanted to make you happy. After all this time, I just want you to smile" Ruka confessed quickly, his eyes scared.

Natsume unclenched himself of frustration. He was selfish to let himself think in front of Ruka about Mikan. It would not happen again.

"I forgive you" he whispered before the bell rang to signify the end of break. Everyone began rushing in, and in that crowd was also Mikan.

Natsume, Ruka and Mikan all locked stares with each other. Natsume was the first one to look away. He did not want to see her any longer. After Ruka sensed that Natsume wasn't looking, his eyes moved down to the ground until Mikan got the message. Mikan stared at both of them with regret, pity, anger, a whole mix of emotions. It wasn't fair. She sighed and sat at the front desk waiting for the teacher to arrive. No longer was she the bubbly girl of happiness, laughter or dramatic crying, she was now just a broken teenager who broke two boys' hearts.

Narumi finally came with a new student at his side. Everyone looked at her. Her uniform was messily done and she kept her eyes to the floor. She had untidy, curly black hair which covered her eyes, she was quite tall, slender and had white pale skin.

"This is our new student, Rae. Everyone give her a welcomed applause" he said.

Some people clapped, but someone shouted, "What's her Alice?"

The girl froze. Natsume was silently perplexed. Most people would smugly declare what their Alice was or didn't know at all. But to freeze was a different thing altogether. It meant that she knew, and it scared her to death.

"She has the suffering Inclination Alice" the teacher announced quietly. Everyone was silent. And everyone edged backwards, apart Mikan whose Alice was Nullification and it did not affect her.

"Sit next to Mikan, Rae, she'll look after you" Narumi said to her. She slowly nodded and walked to the front desk. Everyone looked at her as if she contagious. She looked up and saw Natsume was staring at her. She made sure her fringe covered her eyes. She didn't want everyone knowing her other secret. She sat down next to Mikan who smiled at her. Rae said nothing and just sat and looked at her desk.

"Rae is such a pretty name" Mikan whispered, trying to make conversation.

"Thank you, Mikan is a nice name too" she nervously said, trying to keep away from Mikan.

"You don't need to edge away from me. I don't get affected by your Alice, it's okay" she said, trying to convince her.

"I know, but after all these years, I'm not sure I want to risk it, I'm sorry" Rae said, sadly, edging away.

Mikan sighed. She understood why Rae was still wary and anyway, Mikan was still worrying about her problems without looking after a new student as well.