Chapter 11
Monday…
Mikan became an instant celebrity after her performance; thanks to her best friend those who didn't know about that even had their own video copies. It was really uncomfortable for Mikan to be the talk of the town, but she's used to it anyway so as much as possible she tries ignoring it. Mikan's secret admirers started revealing themselves, for some reason they suddenly gain the courage to tell her how they feel, that makes her more uncomfortable.
Throughout the day Mikan instinctively avoided Ruka. It was hard for her because Ruka is one of her good friends but every time they face each other, she instinctively makes an excuse and leave. She was also trying to keep her distance from Itsuki just like Tsubasa told her. It was very noticeable especially to her friends and another noticeable thing is that Kaoru is still furious towards her. All in all it was a very tiring day for Mikan.
During dinner Mikan is in the same table as her friends together with Itsuki and Kaoru plus Natsume and company. Their conversation was still about Mikan.
"You were really great Mikan. Every one in the Academy thinks the same too" Nonoko said.
"You're an instant celebrity" Anna exclaimed in excitement.
"And guys are confessing to you" Yuu said in addition. No one seemed to notice but those words hit some of them.
I'm so sorry Ruka, but I don't know how to face you right now. Mikan sadly said to herself.
I shouldn't have told her if only I knew she would avoid me. This is the worst thing I expected. I rather get rejected than be avoided. Ruka sighed in disappointment.
So this is her reaction in Ruka's confession. She hasn't even told me about it yet. Hotaru's a little annoyed.
The way I see things, I'm guessing he already told her. He really didn't waste time. Natsume's feeling pissed for no reason.
"You know I think Mikan's song has some spell on it just like Reo's songs, because I've never liked a song aside from my cat's and dogs song collection but when I heard Mikan sing I simply liked it" Sumire joked. Most of them laughed because it's very rare for Sumire to admire other girls especially Mikan and because they know that what she was saying is impossible…or should be impossible.
She already met Reo. Could it be possible that her second Alice is starting to awaken? Itsuki and Kaoru are thinking the same thing. They looked at Mikan at the same time then stared at each other. We must report this to the organization.
Natsume was heading to his room when Koko suddenly appeared behind him.
"I have something very important to tell you" Koko was really serious.
Natsume was curious Koko rarely talked seriously. "Let's talk in my room" then they both walked to his room. "So what is this about".
"I've been trying to find the time to talk to you, but it's hard to get close to you."
"Get to the point"
"Yesterday, I overheard Itsuki and Kaoru having an argument"
"What's that got to do with me?"
"Listen first. I didn't hear the whole conversation but I sure heard Itsuki saying that he's only getting close to Mikan to gain her trust as planned"
"What else?" Natsume's face darkened.
"That's all. I tried reading his mind afterwards but he is on guard as usual. There's really something not right with those two and just like Ruka's hunch they want something from Mikan."
"Have you told anyone else?"
"No"
"Good. Tell no one else. Don't let your guard down with those two"
"Ok. How about Mikan?"
"I'll take care of that'
"But you know she's better off not knowing anyway until we find out their real plan"
"Wrong, we need to at least warn her. It's a risk letting her off with them not knowing anything."
Ruka was in his room trying to get some sleep but it looks like sleep is avoiding him too.
I need to talk to Mikan. If I have to take back what I told her just to be close to her again I will do it. Having her avoiding me is too much burden for me. Ruka was really desperate. He's willing to do anything. But how can I talk to her I can't ask for Hotaru's help because even she can't have a moment alone with Mikan anymore, it's because of those guys. They won't leave her alone but when she was new here they all treat her like dirt. He felt a little irritated with the guys that had been lurking around Mikan lately. Well I guess I did too, she's nothing but a nosy, no-star idiot. How did I fell for her anyway? A slight smile is now painted his face while he remembers Mikan's clumsiness and childishness.
Ruka is not the only one having trouble sleeping because of Mikan, Itsuki is feeling the same way. Why am I feeling this way? Not talking to Mikan for just a day feels wrong. It's as if something's missing. Itsuki's having confused feelings. Why is she avoiding me anyway?
Outside the Academy…
"Don't you think we've been wasting time with this plan?" Reo impatiently said.
"Good results eat lots of time" the leader said.
"We haven't receive any reports for days"
"You know how hard to move inside the Academy"
"Why don't we distract them" Yuzuka suggested.
"What are you trying to say?" The leader asked.
"We will make distraction from the outside. In that case our people inside can move much freely because the Academy would be busy."
"I really like the way you think. I'm hoping you have things planned"
"Of course. I will be needing Reo's help."
"Sure thing. You can have all the help you need. You're really into this huh."
"All I want is to get my daughter out of that place"
"When do you plan to make a move?" asked the leader curiously.
"I want at least her birthday to pass without hassle"
For the whole week Natsume, Ruka and Itsuki are looking for a chance to talk to Mikan. She's been around her friends all the time. It's obvious that she is trying to avoid someone by not being alone. But the lucky one to get the chance to talk to Mikan first was Itsuki. It was after their mixed class.
Mr. Noda is missing from their class again, well that's no surprise. Mikan was having fun talking to Tsubasa and the others. Seeing that for some reason pisses Itsuki off. It's now or never. He walked to where Mikan is…
"Mikan, can I talk to you for a moment?" Itsuki approached her.
"ahm… can we talk later?"
"This won't take long" he sounds like begging. Mikan doesn't want to talk to him but their getting too much attention so she has no choice. Itsuki grabbed her left arm and lead outside.
Every one was curious. "What's happening?" Misaki asked Tsubasa. Tsubasa just shrugged his shoulders.
"What is this about?" Mikan stopped in the corridor.
"Not here" he said.
"Look, just say what you want to say"
"Ok. Why are you avoiding me?" Itsuki sounds really pissed.
"What? I-I'm not avoiding you" Mikan answered stammering.
"Damn Mikan, I'm not an idiot to not notice it. You've been avoiding me for days, don't you think I deserve an explanation." He was almost shouting at her
"Are they having a fight?" one of their classmates asked.
"Ssshhh" everyone answered.
Mikan looked to their classroom's direction then looked back at Itsuki. "Will you please lower your voice; they might think we're fighting"
"The hell I care with what they think, I'm pissed" he said still shouting.
"You're angry for no reason" Mikan is starting to get pissed as well. She hates being shouted at.
Itsuki noticed the change in Mikan's voice "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout at you. I just…I just wanna know why Mikan…why are you avoiding me? If I did something wrong, just tell me. I feel so terrible having you avoiding me." Itsuki has calmed down but looked really sad.
Mikan sees the sincerity in Itsuki's words "you did nothing wrong. It's just…it's just…" Mikan is having a hard time finishing her words. "The problem is me, I'm sorry if I made feel that way. It won't happen again"
"You mean you'll stop avoiding me?"
"Yes"
"Really? Yes! Yes!" Itsuki jumped with joy and not intentionally he hugged Mikan. "Oh, I'm sorry. I was just glad knowing that you're not mad at me or anything" he apologized. Mikan just smiled at him.
"It seems that they made up" Tono appeared out of nowhere. He was looking at Kaname's reaction.
"Seems that way" Misaki added teasing Kaname.
"You two leave me alone" Kaname said irritated. Nobody else's noticed the flow of conversation of Kaname and the other two but Tsubasa. It was the first time he saw Kaname irritated.
"Is there something you wanna tell me?" Tsubasa asked his friend. They we're having a snack in the cafeteria since they don't have a teacher. Tsubasa noticed that Kaname had been staring at Mikan and Itsuki and he keeps on sighing.
"Huh?" he said clueless.
"Do you know it's rude to stare at other people?"
"I don't understand" Kaname looks puzzled.
"Come on, you've been staring those two for ages. I have an idea of what's going on but I want to hear it from you"
"Am I that obvious?"
"Well, to me, yes. So you're gonna tell me or what?"
"I'll tell you. I'll tell you. He likes Mikan" Misaki just popped out of no where with Tono.
"Hey lower your voice" Kaname said blushing.
"So I was right. Why don't you tell her?" Tsubasa suggested.
"It will just make things complicated between us" Kaname said disappointed.
"Why would that be?"
"Mikan sees me as an older brother"
"Are you sure about that? You know Mikan had a crush on you when she first met you" Tsubasa said, encouraging him. Misaki and Tono nodded in agreement.
"Back then was different"
"How?"
"Mikan matured a lot. The Mikan back then was a totally different Mikan from now. The crush that she had on me was just part of her childhood silliness."
"You'll never be sure until you tell her though" Tono butted in.
"There's one sure problem though" Tsubasa said. The other three looked at him in confusion. "Mikan is a little confused right now. There are lots of things happening around her that she's having a difficulty in understanding."
"Was that what you two talked about?" Misaki asked.
"Yes" he answered.
Because of Tsubasa's words their problem is solved, Kaname is not gonna tell Mikan how he felt for her so he won't add to her problem. There's just things better left unsaid for the benefit of all.
Night…
Mikan was lying on her bed thinking of what she's been doing all this time. She realized that she was not her own self. She is not the strong energetic cheerful girl anymore, she became weak. She always hides. What happened to me? She was in that thought when she heard knocks on her door. Who could that be? Mikan opened the door and…
"Mikan" Ruka said with a very sad tone.
"Ruka?! What are you doing here?" surprised Mikan asked.
"I want to talk to you"
"But.."
"Please Mikan. You don't talk to me during class. You are always avoiding me" Ruka was almost begging her.
"Let's talk outside" Mikan quickly grabbed a jacket then they head out.
"I'm sorry Mikan. What I've said before, forget all about it"
"huh?"
"If that is the only way there is for us to go back to what we were before, then forget I said those. You can even forget that it all happened. I really feel terrible that I destroyed our friendship just because of my selfishness. I just want to know how you felt for me but that's not important anymore all I want now is to get our friendship back. So will you forgive me?" He was looking down while he was saying this. He can't afford to look Mikan in the eyes but she made sure that he was able to say everything he wanted to say before he stopped.
"Silly" Mikan smiled. Ruka was surprised with Mikan's word; he looked up and saw Mikan smiling. "There's nothing to be sorry about. You didn't do anything wrong, your just being honest. I am the one who should be sorry. I should have talked to you right away, I shouldn't have avoided you"
"Well I guess, what you did was a natural reaction. What I did was really sudden"
"Anyway, I'll make things clear now for the both of us. You know, the truth is I like Ruka. I like him a lot but that's far as it goes" Mikan is talking in third person even there were only the two of them. She can't say those words straight to him so she is trying to pretend that it was not Ruka she was talking to.
"Is it because you like someone else better?" he asked her though he's not sure if he should be asking that
"Yes" she answered straight forward. "It's an honor to be liked by you. I'm really flattered but I'm pretty sure I'm not the one for you. You're a great guy, I won't say you deserve someone better than me but you definitely deserve someone else." She said "but we can still be friends" she smiled at him.
Ruka smiled back. Being friends is fine with him as long as he can stay beside her. He really felt lighter now that things are sorted out. Ruka took Mikan back to her room then said goodnight. "Thank you Mikan. You know the guy you like is very lucky"
Mikan lay down on her bed smiling. Everything is going back to normal. There's only one problem left, Natsume. She took a deep breath then in less than a minute she fell asleep. She thought she was gonna have a peaceful sleep, but she was wrong…
Dream state…
She woke up in a very dark room. She was the only one glowing in that place, but she can feel presence. She was not alone in that room. But who's with her?
"Where am I? Why do I always end up in a place like this?" She heard someone laughing. "Who are you? Show your self?" she said while twirling over and over. She was looking for the owner of the boys.
"It's not time yet to see me, but it will be soon. Everything is going according to my plan."
"Who are you? What are you saying?"
"it's just getting started. Things are about to get more exciting from here on" the voice laughed. He laughed continuously until it faded.
From darkness she saw a door opened. A very bright light came in from the door. She walked towards the door and she saw a figure of a man. She walked closer to see who it was. She was about to tap his shoulder but the he turned around. Mikan's tear started falling when she recognizes who it was. "Grandfather" she muttered. She hugged him but she just went pass him. Mikan tuned around he sees her grandfather smiled at her the he walked passed her heading for the door.
"Wait grandpa" she called out "wait for me" she was running towards him but she can't reach him no matter how fast she ran. Her father slowly disappeared together with the light. Mikan once again ended up alone in that dark room. There was nothing she can do but cry.
End of dream…
"Rrrriiiiiinnnngggg" Mikan woke up from the sound of her alarm clock. "A dream? No, it was more like a warning from someone. But, if it was, that means something's gonna happen to grandpa. I need to talk to Mr. Narumi"
As soon as Mikan fixed herself, she went straight to the faculty, she still have enough time before class starts. Mikan was disappointed when she arrived at the faculty and found out that Mr. Narumi wasn't there and no one knows where he was.
Where could he be? He's so hard to find this days. Mikan was a little worried not only because of her dream but also because of Mr. Narumi's often disappearance.
