Yayyyy, Chapter 11! Enjoy!

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Mikan, Hotaru, Natsume, Ruka and Youichi all heard something drop. Youichi walked over to the door and picked up the golden locket.

"What's this?"

Mikan and Hotaru's eyes widened.

"Youichi-Kun…can I see that?" Mikan asked.

The young boy obediently gave the locket to Mikan. She carefully opened it, and as she did, she looked sad, surprised and happy all at the same time.

"M-Mother…"

Inside the heart decoration was a picture of her, Hotaru, and her mother, Azumi Yuka.

Mother…I miss you so much…I hope...you're doing well…

Ruka, Natsume and Youichi said nothing. What could they say? She was remembering her mother, and Hotaru was thinking, too. Warm, salty tears slid down Mikan's cheeks.

"A-After 5 years…I've accepted my m-mother's death…b-but it's just…this time…I can't help but cry…" She said. Her tail slowly morphed back into legs. He hugged them and hid her face, holding the golden locket.

Mikan…you're strong…Hotaru said. Her own legs turned back into legs.

"Imai-san…"

Hotaru gasped, as she realized that her own tears were sliding down her face.

"Err…I-I wonder why…?"

She rubbed her face, only to have more tears stream down. She couldn't help it. Her own parents died when she was 7. She never showed any emotions before and after that. Why?! Why now?!

"…"

"Don't forget…that we're here for you, too…" Ruka and Natsume said. They weren't exactly sure what to say, and they didn't usually say these kinds of things, so it was a bit awkward.

"…Thanks…" Mikan said quietly.

Maybe he isn't so bad after all…

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"Damn it!! Persona isn't anywhere!!" Natsume said. He and Ruka were searching for Persona to confront him.

"You know...He probably heard the whole conversation. I mean, he was the one who took the locket from Imai-san, right?" Ruka said.

"Damn it!"

"…"

"Ne, Natsume…why are you trying so hard?" Ruka asked him

"No reason…I hate that Persona anyway. I need a reason to beat the hell out of him." He turned the other way.

"You…You like Sakura-san, don't you?"

"Hell no! She's such in idiot."

But, no matter what he said, Ruka could see right through him.

"What about you? You like that Imai girl, don't you?"

This time, it was Ruka's turn to look away.

"I-I have to feed Usagi now…"

He ran back to his room.

Escaping from the conversation…but that just proves it…Natsume thought.

"Damn it, Persona!! Where are you hiding?!"

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As Ruka was running, he saw a figure in the hallway.

Imai-san…

He was surprised to see that she wasn't using any of her inventions today. She was doing everything by hand.

"You're not using your inventions today?" He asked her.

She looked up in surprise.

"O-oh…Ruka-kun…"

"Sorry, did I bother you? Were you thinking about something?"

"Hmm…yeah…about Yuka-san…"

She's…kinda different…Ruka thought. She wasn't emotionless like before. She seemed more…vulnerable.

"And? What do you want?" She snapped at him.

Forget that…Yup, she was back. The same, emotionless girl.

"…What's been bothering you?" He said.

"You're not even using your inventions today. You usually use them every day."

"No reason…I was just thinking. My parents died when I was 7, so I was taken in by Mikan's family. And…well, after 5 years, seeing Yuka-san's face again…it's just…weird…" She said, sweeping the floor.

"My parents travel a lot and rarely come home…so I was taken in by Natsume's family…" Ruka said.

"Hmmm…"

She suddenly smiled.

"Thanks for chatting…"

Ruka blushed. He never really talked to her before.

BAKA BAKA BAKA!

"Ow!"

Hotaru shot her baka gun at him.

"What was that for?"

"Hmph."

After that, she just walked away without a word. Ruka rubbed his head.

What was that for??

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At around 5:00, it started to rain heavily. The weather forecast had said there was going to be thunderstorms later. Everyone (besides Youichi and the king and queen) sat in the living room, watching the rain stream down the window.

"I'm bored…." Mikan whined.

"Stop being loud," Natsume said, reading his book.

"Whatever, Natsume! If I'm bored, I can be bored and complain all I want!" She snapped back.

Everyone but Hotaru was surprised.

"She gets kind of crabby when she doesn't have anything to do," She whispered to them.

Mikan sighed.

"I'm going outside."

Natsume stared at her.

"Are you crazy?! It's pouring outside. Plus, you'll turn into a mermaid and won't be able to get back in because the land isn't dry enough for your tail to turn back into legs." Natsume told her reasonably.

"Damn it!"

She went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. She took a whole can of salt and poured it in, and stirred with a spoon.

"I. Am. So. Freaking. Mad." She growled.

She stirred some more and added some more salt. Everyone stared at her. She added another can of salt.

"Is she going to drink that?!" Ruka whispered to Hotaru.

"Probably. Most likely."

They all watched her as she drained down the cup. Her angry face turned friendly again. She placed the cup down and smiled.

"Since mermaids live in the sea, we are used to salty waters. Mikan calms herself down by drinking…really, really salty water." Hotaru told them.

Mikan sat herself down on the couch, next to Natsume.

"Reading manga?" She asked him.

"Hn."

"…"

BAM!!

Thunder struck. Mikan and Hotaru, who were scared by it, jumped to the two boys. Mikan went to Natsume, and Hotaru went to Ruka.

"KYAA!!"

"AHH!"

Natsume fell backwards on the couch, as Ruka stumbled a little bit. (He was standing up before)

"Err..sorry…I didn't…KYAA!!"

Another strike of thunder crackled in the sky and cut Mikan's sentence off.

A few minutes later, the thunder stopped and both girls stood back up.

"Um…err…sorry…mermaids are sensitive to loud noises…" Hotaru explained. Mikan bowed her head, her face red.

"I'm sorry!" She said, and she and Hotaru ran to their room, leaving the other two guys blushing, also.

Mikan buried her face into the pillow.

But…despite his cold behavior…he was warm…She thought.

B-bump…B-bump…

What? W-why…is my heart beating so fast?!

The same thing was happening to Hotaru, their hearts racing like crazy.

WHY?!

Yayyy, chapter 11 done! Some action stuff is going to come later, though. Their personalities might have seemed…different. Natsume and Ruka, probably. But yeah…Eleventh Chapter, complete!