AN: I've neglected my disclaimer so I'll just slip it in here and apply it to all subsequent chapters...I don't own these characters!... Now that we have that out of the way, thank you to ArtsyNinja3, TheCrimsonFireFly, ABCMECBA and jadez123 for taking the time to review. Much appreciated guys!
Mikan nervously made her way to the back of the classroom and sat down next to a boy she hadn't thought about for a long time but now he was in front of her she felt a familiar tingle in her stomach.
"Hey Ruka-pyon," she said smiling using her childhood nickname for him.
"Sa..Sakura," he stuttered nervously.
"I hope you've managed to recover from our torrid love affair," she teased.
She heard a snort of laughter and looked over to see another familiar face.
"Oh hey Natsume," she said without any of the warmth she had shown to Ruka.
Natsume looked at her smiling face. She didn't look like someone who had just lost her mother, but he was certain that Mikan was the woman from the photograph's daughter, the similarity was too great.
"Two weeks in the fifth grade is hardly a love affair," he said ignoring her greeting.
She shrugged, "It's longer than Romeo and Juliet," she pointed out before turning back to Ruka who was beginning to blush. "I'm sure my beloved has remained devoted to me," she continued in her teasing way.
"Glad to see you have remained as annoying as ever," came Natsume's muffled voice. He had returned his manga to its previous position on his face.
Mikan ignored him and spent the remainder of their homeroom catching up with Ruka. In fact she spent the rest of the day ignoring him as she quickly settled back into her old group of friends. By the end of the day, it was like she had never left.
Natsume was walking through the school gate when he heard the beep of a car horn.
"Get in," Tsubasa said from inside the car.
Natsume was about to open the passenger side door when he noticed the seat was already occupied.
"I'm walking," he said quickly.
"Hello to you to," the passenger said shortly before reaching for a packet of cigarettes which Natsume quickly snatched away.
"My sister's in this car you bastard," he said lowly.
Tono glared back at him and was about to retort when Tsubasa said, "he's right man, you can't smoke in front of my sister."
"Sorry," Tono said apologetically...to Tsubasa.
"Sit next to me Natsume!" came the small voice of Aoi in the back seat.
Natsume sighed frustratedly and opened the door to sit next to his sister.
"Natsume! Natsume!" Aoi started excitedly, "you'll never guess what!"
"What?" he asked, slightly amused.
"You have to guess," she insisted.
After a few incorrect guesses Tsubasa mercifully gave the correct answer.
"She had a new student in her class today," he said, clearly having been subjected to the same guessing game before Natsume had gotten to the car.
"His name is Youichi and he can talk to ghosts," she continued with a slight shiver.
"How do you know that?" Natsume asked, surprised.
She shrugged, "he said so."
"Right," Natsume said, humouring her.
"It's true," she insisted, "he was talking to one all day."
"What's his surname?" Natsume said, wondering if his hunch was correct.
"Uhh...Sakura, I think?" she replied uncertainly.
Natsume stretched and leaned back in his chair, completely uninterested in the homework in front of him. He moved restlessly around his room for a while before deciding to go downstairs to get something to drink.
He passed Aoi's room and found her perched on the end of her bed, pouring over her woodworking magazine like it was the most interesting thing ever written.
"What are you reading?" he asked, walking into her room. She had been learning to read for a few years now but he didn't think she could handle an article yet.
She pointed excitedly to the page she was staring at excitedly. "I'm going to build this," she said, handing him the magazine excitedly.
Natsume smirked when he seen it was the construction pattern of a little cabin.
"Why do you want to make this?" he asked her with amusement.
"Mr Bear needs a house," she explained, "he's been wanting to get out on his own for a while."
Natsume's sides nearly split from trying not to laugh.
"Is that right," he said, managing to keep a straight face, but he knew the real reason Aoi wanted this. She wanted a place to play. "Okay I'll help you," he said.
"Oh thank you nii-chan!" she said, "I was having trouble with these," she admitted, gesturing to the plans. "Mr Bear wants to know when he can move in?" she asked.
"Tell him Natsume said that we can start on the weekend."
After being thanked a few more times Natsume made it downstairs but immediately regretted his decision. His step brother was sitting on the couch with an unknown girl attacking his face.
"I assume you're responsible for this," he said to Tono as he entered his kitchen to find the older boy leaning on the window sill, smoking.
Tono grinned unabashedly "He needed to get back on the horse," he explained seriously, "what kind of buddy would I be if I let him mope around the house?"
"Yeah you're a real good friend," Natsume snorted sarcastically.
"Aww what's the matter little guy," the older guy said ruffling his hair, "you upset I didn't get one for you?"
"No just thankful," Natsume glared back.
Tono threw his head back and laughed. "Well I'm getting out of here," he continued, stubbing his cigarette on the window and throwing it out the window. "I suggest you do the same, things could start to get noisy in there," he said winking.
Natsume rolled his eyes, Tsubasa may be an idiot but would never do something like that with Aoi in the house.
"Later kid," he said before making his way out the front door.