AN: Poor Narumi =[ I hate to see him this way (even though I kinda wrote him into this situation...er, moving on). Thanks to BubblySunshine190 and Crimson Darkness for your reviews. It's great when Hotaru has her badass moments, she's such an awesome character, and Naru as we all know as a wonderful caring side...once he gets over himself =p

Tono had advised Tsubasa to ditch the rest off the school day. He had told him bluntly that he was in no condition to study and walked with him over to the car park, keeping a keen eye out for any teachers. Tono doubted they would share his beliefs, so it was really best for everyone if they didn't run into any.

"I'll come over after school," Tono called out as Tsubasa backed out of his parking space. Soon he was down the street then completely out of sight.

Turning on his heel Tono began to wonder where Reo had gotten to. Seeing as how he hadn't returned, he assumed he had found Narumi and so he decided to join them.

After a quick run around Tono finally spotted Naru and Reo flat on the floor with Ruka seemingly slumped over his brother whilst his girlfriend looked busy with something else entirely.

Tono's light jog quickly turned into a sprint when he got close enough to see the state of his two friends. Both their uniforms had been torn in various places, mostly around the collar and sleeves. Narumi's elbows were bleeding and Reo had lost his shoes but the most visible damage that Tono could see was their faces.

Reo had blood trickling down his face from his eyebrow, which had been cut open somehow. His jaw looked bruised and something must have happened to his nose because he was holding it tightly. All this however was nothing compared to the state of Narumi.

Tono was having trouble making his features out through all the blood and bruises. His eyes stood out though as they had been blackened and looked painfully swollen. He had a graze running along one of his cheeks, Tono winced when he realised he must have been dragged along the concreted path. The other side of his face was dominated by scratch marks. His nose and lips were split and made more frightening by the dark purple bruises that had spread away from the point of impact, all across Narumi's once handsome face.

"They were beaten up," Hotaru explained needlessly, it was pretty clear what had happened.

Tono crouched down level with Ruka.

"We need to get them to the nurse," he said firmly, knowing Ruka needed to stop crying before he made himself sick. "Do you think you can support him?" he asked, pointing to Reo who looked like he was probably able to walk a little.

Ruka nodded and moved over next to Reo, Hotaru had already moved one of the older boy's arms around her shoulder and Ruka moved under the other and together they lifted him. Tono moved one of his own arms under Narumi's shoulders and the other under his knees and lifted him completely off the ground.

"Can you put your arms around my neck?" he asked the injured boy, not quite sure how concious he was.

"I always knew you had a thing for me Tono," Narumi coughed weakly before complying with his friend's request.

"I'm trying to help you, you idiot," he couldn't help but laugh, truth was Tono was scared shitless about the state he had found his friends in. He was kicking himself that he didn't follow Reo to go look for Narumi, plus he was feeling incredibly pissed off at whoever had done this to them, but Naru's joking helped calm him a little.

"I know," Naru replied seriously, "thanks."

"Don't worry about that at the moment," Tono replied, "just hang on, we're nearly there."

"Faster!" a little boy demanded as he sat on the shoulders of a much older one.

"You-chan, settle down," his sister scolded, holding on to the hand of an equally small girl.

Natsume ignored his girlfriend and began running down the street, much to the delight of his passenger who held on tightly. When he reached the end, Natsume doubled back to meet up with Mikan and his sister.

"You'll spoil him," Mikan said shaking her head but smiling widely. Natsume just shrugged, or more accurately tried to shrug but was severely hindered by the added weight on his shoulders.

As they neared the end of the street, so too came their time to separate.

Natsume set Youichi on the ground and embraced Mikan almost as soon as the little boy's feet touched the floor.

"Come over to my house," he tried to coax her, holding her closer to him as she tried to back away. "I doubt Tsubasa's even there, he drove off somewhere. I couldn't find his car in the car park." He ran his fingers through her hair, unwilling to say goodbye.

"I don't want to take the chance," Mikan replied a little reluctantly.

Natsume sighed in frustration, "what's the big deal? it's not like this will come as a surprise to him. Plus he's going to see us together eventually."

"Not so soon," Mikan said softly, rubbing Natsume's arm, "I don't want to throw it in his face or anything. It'd just be too awkward." There was a long pause before Natsume finally replied.

"Okay," he said, shoulders slumped in defeat. "Call me when you get home," he demanded in his usual way.

"Of course," she replied before standing on her toes to give her boyfriend a kiss. Youichi and Aoi giggled hysterically behind them causing Mikan to pull away in embarrassment, much to Natsume's annoyance.

After grabbing the hand of their respective sibling the two separated.

Later that night two other classmates were also exchanging a phone call.

"I couldn't get any tickets this year?" Koko said lazily into the receiving end of the phone.

"You better be joking," Sumire said in a deadly tone. "If you are taking some other girl..I swear to god..."

"I'm not taking anybody, because I have no tickets," Koko repeated, enjoying himself immensely.

"How could you not get any?" the girl hissed, "your aunt organises the thing, just call her up already!"

"No it's no good," he replied in a sad tone, starting to have trouble keeping a straight face. This was too entertaining. "I asked too late I guess."

"You guess!" Sumire shrieked, "what the hell do you mean you guess you asshole. You know I look forward to it every year. Practically everyone I know is going. I bought my dress already and everything. That's like your only duty as my friend, to take me to the Crystal Ball. Why the hell else would I even be friends with you!"

"Oh the Crystal Ball," Koko said with comprehension, "yeah I have our tickets for that." Then he braced himself.

"KOKOROYOMI!" Sumire snarled into the phone whilst the boy on the other end was bent over with laughter. "Do you have fun torturing me like this?" she asked angrily.

"I'm sorry," he said once he had caught his breath, "I couldn't resist."

"I knew you were lying," she said, her tone still short but Koko could tell she was seeing the funny side of this too. "You can be such a little dork sometimes," she couldn't help but laugh.

"I don't know Permy, I'm pretty hurt. You said you're only using me," he sniffed pathetically.

"Oh cry me a river," she said, rolling her eyes, "you knew I was joking. Stop being such a woman."

"So you already bought your dress huh?" he said suddenly, "Is it nice?"

"Of course it's nice," she said, with a tone that suggested she was talking to a total moron, "I wouldn't buy something gross would I?"

"Just making sure I don't show up with an ugly date," he said teasingly.

"I guess it's too late for me though huh?" she fired straight back at him. "Hey, where's you Dad tonight?" she asked suddenly. "Is he home?"

"Oh, no," Koko said a little sadly, "Mom's got a bit of a virus, he wanted to stay with her."

"Okay, I'm getting my mother to drive over to come pick you up, you're having dinner with us. I expect to see you at your front door in ten minutes," she ordered.

"Yes mam," Koko said playfully before taking a more serious tone, "thanks," he said softly.

"Don't get all mushy on me," she said before adding, "you know I'm here for you right?"

"Yeah I know," he said smiling before lightening the tone again, "so what are you wearing?" he asked in a perverted tone.

"Goodbye Koko," she said and hung up the phone.