CH 4: FIRST DAY

"Hotaaaaruuuuu..." Mikan shouted. The class gasped. This was first time someone had called Hotaru by her first name. It even caught attention of a boy with black hair who was sitting on the last bench alone with manga on his face and legs on the desk. The manga slid down from his face to show a very handsome face, and he opened his eyes to reveal crimson orbs. Before Mikan could run towards her, Narumi spoke,"Ah! You already know her. That is good. Finish your intro, then I will assign you your partners."

"Hai!" Mikan was excited and back to full cheer again. "Ohayo minna san! My name is Mikan Sakura. I came only yesterday and know nothing about this academy. I am looking forward to finding friends. Hope you will take good care of me." Everyone was little surprised at her being so cheerful all of a sudden.

"Okay then" Naumi spoke, "Any questions?" A pink haired girl raised he hand "What are their alices?" Narumi replied "Luna has soul sucking alice, meaning she can hypnotise anyone. Mikan has nullification alice, meaning she can cancel out any other alice. Anything else?" A random boy raised his hand "Have they been given star ranking yet?" "No, they arrived just yesterday. So they will be given a star rank today. Any other question? No, then who wants to be their partner?"

Nobody bothered to raise hands. Narumi pointed to a good looking boy named Kimono. "You don't have a partner yet. I give you a choice. Who do you want to be partnered with?" "I don't need one. But if she wants, Luna can be my partner. She is damn beautiful than anyone else here". True, Luna was a beautiful girl and she applied a lot of makeup to look sexy. Luna accepted the praise and offer with a nod of her head and held her head high. "Very well, who wants to be partnered with Mikan?"

None of the hands were raised. Mikan did not mind,"Narumi sensei, can I be partner to Hotaru? Please". "No Mikan, Ruka Nogi is already her partner" Narumi said pointing to a boy sitting beside Hotaru, petting a rabbit. He had silky blonde hair and azure eyes. "Ow! Ok, Your wish then". She said beaming with a big smile. Narumi looked at her and wondered if that person would accept. The girl looked like a key to him. "Fine, your partner will be Natsume Hyuga, if he accepts. What do you say Natsume?"

Natsume was the guy with crimson orbs. He was looking out of the window when his name was called. He looked at Narumi with fierce eyes. But on the inside he wondered

She is the same girl who applied medicine yesterday. Not bad. Well if a girl like Imai could accept her, she must be tolerable than another crazy girl. Better take her than any other.

"Tch... Whatever. Like I care" Narumi smiled. Looks like she is the key. Luna on the other hand just noticed Natsume. He was a guy she liked who would make her look good, especially with his good looks. She said,"Wait a second sensei, why was I not partnered with him. He would look better with me than this silly girl. It's better to partner me with him". As Mikan heard it, she felt ashamed because she felt like she stole someone else's something. She immediately said, "I'm sorry Luna. Sensei, its fine with me. Make him her partner, and assign me someone else. I will not mind."

Natsume was taken aback. Usually, girls fight over who should be with him. It was irritating. But this girl was actually not doing that. He felt like he made a correct choice. "Oi little girl! Nobody plays with me. I am not a toy to be played with. You dared to say that. You will be my slave for 1 week as the punishment". Mikan shivered. There was so much coldness in his voice. And being his slave, it's her first day here. Narumi, on the other hand, had a mischievous smile on his face. "Partners once assigned cannot be changed. So Luna, you had to sit beside Kimono, and Mikan sit beside Natsume." They both went reluctantly to their places. "So class, today we have a teacher's meeting, so morning off. You'll have classes in the afternoon. Bye" Narumi jumpingly went out of the room.

As soon as he went out, Mikan ran towards her best friends with tears in her eyes, "Hotaaaaaaaarruuuuuuuuu, I missed you so much."

Bang Bang Bang

Mikan was shot to the ground. Hotaru held a gun in her hand which she named as the baka gun. It was a gun to shoot idiots, as per her.

"Mow Hotaru, why did you do that. It hurt" Mikan said getting up rubbing her head.

"I told you that you are not allowed near me like that." Hotaru said in a cold tone and no expressions. Mikan understood. She immediately rubbed away her tears and pulled her cheeks to put on a smile. "Now can I?" Hotaru had a small smile in her eyes. She really missed that idiot. "Come here baka, I was surprised. I never expected you to turn up here." Hotaru said. Mikan ran towards her to hug her. Hotaru hugged her back. After a short while, "Now hugging is over. Next time don't try. I'm off to my lab. Don't follow" Hotaru said and left the room with a cold and expressionless face, leaving everyone in awe as to what was happening.

Mikan smiled. This was the Hotaru she knew. She felt a bang of happiness inside. But as soon as Hotaru left, Mikan again felt alone, because she knew no one in the class. Her partner already left. She sat back in her seat knowing not what to do. The class was noisily busy again with no one bothering with her. Some people came to her.

"Hi. My name is Tobita Yuu. I am the class representative. The other one is Imai. Nice to meet you. You can always ask me for any help if needed."

"Nice to meet you too." Mikan said with a polite smile.

"I am Anna." Said the pink haired girl. "And this is Nonoko" pointing to a girl with long midnight hair.

"Nice to meet you too. Hope we can be good friends." Mikan bowed to them.

"Oh don't be so formal. Formality is not for friends. We will be good friends. Anyway my name is Kokoro. Just call me Koko." A boy with spiky hair extended his hand with a goofy smile on his face. Mikan shook hands with him. Then the boy with rabbit spoke,"Hi Sakura, my name is Ruka Nogi. Call me Ruka. How do you know Imai? I could not even speak to her properly till now."

Mikan replied, "Oh just call me Mikan. Hotaru is my best friend. She studied in my class with me before coming here. Not all time though. She got transferred there just 1 year before coming here. We became friends in a week. I love her very very much." Mikan said with a beautiful dreamy smile.

The others were thinking how can she make friends with Imai in a week? Because it has been 4 months and no one could approach her. Even Yuu had difficulty interacting with her except on issues related to their jobs as class reps. They all sat and just talked with each other. She came to know of other's alices. Anna had cooking alice. Nonoko had chemical alice due to which she did many experiments. Ruka had animal pheromones, so he was very attached to animals. Koko had mind reading alice. Yuu was able to create illusions. She also came to know that Natsume had fire alice and that it was very powerful. Then when it was lunch time she went with them to cafeteria. Ruka went to fetch Natsume. Hotaru also joined them. There they struggled in the line and got their food. They just sat when a huge uproar from girls sounded. It was because Natsume and Ruka walked in. There were many fans for the duo. Ruka led Natsume to the group. Even though Natsume was unwilling, he came anyway. There he saw Mikan and smirked.

"Oi slave! Go and get my lunch." Natsume sat on his chair.

Mikan was just about to put her spoon of noodles into her mouth. She looked up and saw Natsume. Though she was unwilling, she could not say no. "Ok", she said and got up. Ruka tapped his friend, "That's no good Natsume. Let's go get our lunch ourselves. You may sit Mikan." Mikan looked at both of them not knowing whom to listen to. Natsume did not bother to look at him. "She is my slave for a week. She brought it upon her herself. Now go idiot. And bring lunch for him too." Mikan nodded and went to the line. Though it was difficult, she carefully carried the two trays to the duo and then sat beside Natsume. "Thank you", said Ruka. Mikan blushed. This was the first time someone said thank you to her. Before she could say something, she heard someone, "How dare you sit with MY Natsume and Ruka. No one has the right to do that other than Sumire Shouda, that is me. I am the president of Natsume Ruka fan club." A girl with curly green hair said. Mikan got up immediately. "I am sorry, I did not know that. I... will sit somewhere else." "Good girl. Now move." Mikan was just about to move when she was pulled hard by Natsume to slump back on her seat. Natsume glared at Sumire, "I decide who sits beside me. She is my slave and I want her here so that I can order her. Now get lost." Sumire's hair got fire all of a sudden. "Aaaaaaaaaahhhh, put it off." She was running around. Mikan was so scared of all of it that her alice activated and the fire went out. Natsume glared at Mikan. Mikan face fell and she apologised. Natsume spent the rest of lunch time eating and ordering Mikan around. No one dared to interrupt him. In case of Imai, she felt that maybe something good will turn out, and so concentrated on eating her crab brain.

After lunch they went back to the class. A scary looking teacher entered the class with a frog on his shoulders. Mikan learnt that his name was Jinno sensei. Everyone was dead silent in his class. A boy who had levitating alice decided to play a prank on Mikan. He made a dustbin float towards her. But she looked at it in between, and was so scared that her alice turned on.

"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh, nooooooooo." That bin went and fell down on Jinno's head. He was furious.

"Who did that?" Luna pointed towards Mikan. She had her revenge to take. Jinno looked at Mikan. Mikan was scared because it was her fault. There was still silence in the class except the croak of the frog. Nobody even moved. Then Jinno said," Since you are new here and don't yet have a star rating, I will give you one. You will be a NO STAR." Everyone gasped. This was the first time for sure. "You look like a good girl Luna, so you will be a TWO STAR." The bell rang. "Ok then class over." He left.

Mikan came out of her frozen state once he left. The rest of the day was spent with her friends touring around the campus. At night she had dinner with them. Then she was led to her room by the robot lady. The room was very small and dirty because it was out of use for very long. Mikan dusted her bed and prepared the room at least for the night. Her room was on the ground floor. But then she could not sleep and decide to take a night time stroll. As she walked, she came across a Sakura tree which looked so beautiful. She sat below it.

"Oi! This is my tree. Get away from here. How dare you come here?" A voice shouted. Mikan jumped in fright, looked left and right, and found no one. She walked backwards away from the tree, and tripped in the process. Then a boy jumped down from the tree. As Mikan looked at him, she realized it was Natsume.

"I am sorry Natsume. Actually I could not get sleep. Ok then I will never come here again. I did not know that it was yours. Goodnight", Mikan said with a smile and was just about to walk away when Natsume said," Oh it's you. You can sit here. But don't you dare tell anyone that you spend time with me.

Mikan turned back and said," It's ok Natsume. I will leave. I don't want to disturb you." Natsume felt irritated and pulled her down. "You are slave, remember polka-dots. Sit when I say sit." Mikan was a bit confused at first.

Polka dots?

Then she blushed when she realized that he was talking about her underwear. "How? When? Aaaa you are a pervert." Mikan spoke without thinking, and then was petrified.

Oh no, what did I say. Now he will hate me and never talk to me. You are useless Mikan.

Meanwhile as Natsume saw her petrified face

What's wrong with this girl? She never seems to disobey anyone. Is she that pathetic of herself? No, Ruka told me that she was good at many things. Then what's wrong with her? He felt like talking with her.

"Ha. You showed it to me, so not my fault. You are dumb enough to land as a no star."

Mikan sighed in relief and smiled. "That's ok. I know I am dumb and not as good as others. I just know piano and get good marks at subjects because of my good luck. Besides it was my fault. I activated my alice at wrong time."

"Fault my ass polka. You could have just told Jinno that someone else threw it. You are dumb for that, not for being good or bad."

Mikan looked at him and smiled, "You talk just like Hotaru. Are you her boyfriend?"

"Are you joking? Being with that crazy girl? No way. By the way, why were you sleeping on the floor yesterday?"

"What? Are you the guy with the mask?"

..

"Oh, I guess no. You do look like him. He was very injured yesterday. Even bleeding you know. And Luna refused to share the bed with 2. I decided to sleep on the couch. But I don't know when I fell asleep on the floor. I even had to remove his shirt to put medicine there. Aah it's so embarrassing. But I felt better afterwards. Yesterday my Grandpa and mother died. I was feeling sad that I did not get a chance to do anything for them. Looks like Grandpa sent me that boy to come over my feeling. I would like to meet that boy and thank him. Also looks like I can make more friends here. That would be great."

"Baka. Of course it was me. How else would I know?"

"Oh. Sorry. Thank you."

"Idiot don't say both at once."

"Sorry", she giggled and continued, "And thanks for your advice."

Natsume glared at her.

"Oops sorry again. Thanks for making me laugh."

And then she burst out laughing for her idiotness. That sounded like music to Natsume's ears.

"Ok ok I won't say it again. Goodnight then. Have a nice sleep." And she walked away to her room to go to bed.

Natsume watched her go. God, this is long time after which I spoke normally with a girl. Looks like she has a mental problem. She is good at studies and also other things. She is also beautiful. Wait, what are you thinking? You don't even know her properly. Just one damn day it has been. And Natsume Hyuga never falls for a girl. Tch, better go to bed. The stupid moon is affecting me. That polka is affecting me. Ha polka dots? Who wears such things at this age? I wonder what she will wear tomorrow. Looks interesting! Aaaahh just stop thinking about her and go to bed.