A/N; So I can't tell you guys how disappointed I was that I didn't get any review except from@Mikan2007 who is actually the only reason I'm posting this chapter. I had no incentive and seriously no mood to write. But it was your one lone review that made me push forward so this chapter is dedicated to you! @Mikan2007. I hope you like it...
Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice in any name, shape or form.
When Natsume awoke, it was to the sight of a blank white ceiling as usual. The only difference was the bed from which he saw it. As he recalled the events that had led him to his unwitting nap, his annoyance grew and he got up with fire in his eyes. Mikan was nowhere in sight but he spied a pink colored note with Mikan's writing, on her refrigerator door and walked up to it.
The note read;
"Dear Natsume,
I've gone to class. I have Jinno's class and he'll jump at the opportunity to punish me if I skipped his class. Hotaru said the pill should keep you unconscious for about 6 hours on an average. But since you're you and your system's different or something (I didn't understand that part) you'd likely wake up in half that time. Since an hour's already passed with me watching you sleep, (Did you know that you're incredibly cute and remarkably quiet in your sleep? I had to feel your pulse at times to make certain you were alive! - okay okay, don't get angry and don't do anything rash!!!) I'm guessing you will be awake before I return since I have class for an hour and some work in the Special Abilities class after that which will probably take another hour. So if you should wake before then, which does seem more likely since I just noticed your finger twitch, there's some food inside the refrigerator. Heat it up and eat it. Yes I know it's porridge and that you don't like it. But it's healthy and necessary since you already had noodles in the afternoon. So just suck it up and swallow. Because I swear I'll force it down your throat if I find out you didn't finish it. And you know I am not kidding. Then take a deep breath and burn some of the paper from the waste paper basket. Now forget all your anger towards me and just go see Ruka! ;) He came by earlier when you were asleep because he couldn't find you and wanted to see if I knew where you were. I showed him your sleeping form and he simply gawked! You should've seen his face! It was hilarious! Then I told him I'd tell you to go see him when you woke up. So be a good boy. Don't hold a grudge. Go see Ruka and then come straight back here. Oh and avoid Mr. Narumi. He still seems mad at you.
Love,
Mikan
Natsume read the letter twice, unsure how to react. Angry that he'd been deceived, touched that she'd been concerned, cheerful at her personality shining through the letter, bemusement at her naïveté in thinking he'd simply forget being drugged. He chuckled darkly and opened the refrigerator. The porridge did look terribly unappealing. But he knew she'd be furious if he didn't eat it and he really couldn't afford to piss her off right now, considering the deal they had just struck. So he heated it up and settled down to eat.
Meanwhile Mikan had just finished Mr. Jinno's class and was heading to the Special Abilities classroom.
"Hey there, Mikan!" Tsubasa's voice made her turn in pleasure.
"Tsubasa! Its been a while! Have you and Misaki finished the project? What was it anyway?"
He winked, speaking in a stage-whisper, "I can't talk about the special secret project because it's a secret!"
Mikan's eyes widened as she too lowered her voice to a whisper. "But what was it about?"
Tsubasa shook his head, "Its a secret, Mikan. I'm not supposed to talk about it."
Mikan pouted and tried out her puppy dog face, "Oh come on, pretty please!"
Tsubasa chuckled. "That may work on Natsume, but it won't work on me." Then added casually, evading the subject, "Speaking of, where is Natsume?"
Mikan fell for it hook, line and sinker. "Natsume has been an idiot! Did you know he went and got himself injured yesterday?" She continued, without giving him a chance to respond. "And he doesn't want to go to the hospital, so he's been roaming about in his bloodied state! Can you believe he'd do something so stupid?"
Her last question was obviously rhetoric, but Tsubasa answered it anyway, carefully. "Mikan, people like Natsume have to worry about enemies both inside and outside the school. Not going to the hospital may seem like a dumb idea but it's actually the only choice we - they have."
He spoke quickly, hoping Mikan hadn't noticed his little slip, "The dangerous ability class doesn't band together as a family, they look at each other as rivals to be taken out. That's why people like them prefer to be given solo jobs. You never know when your partner might stab you in the back. Are you alright, Mikan?" He asked suddenly, concerned about how pale she'd turned.
"Of course I'm not alright! What kind of question is that? You just told me that Natsume goes to a class where no one would care if he collapsed!"
"Some might actually enjoy it too." He put in.
Mikan glared, "Not helping!" She ground out, making Tsubasa take a step back, "Sorry, what I meant was, you don't have to worry. Natsume's been doing this for years. He knows how to handle himself."
"If he knew how to handle himself, he wouldn't have a hole in his gut!" She pointed out.
"Good point, though technically it's not a hole, just a graze. I guess it's about luck too. He just had a little bad luck yesterday."
"How do you know it's just a graze?" Mikan surveyed him through narrowed eyes, "You're hiding something from me, aren't you? You know more about what happened last night than you're letting on!" She accused.
Tsubasa winced internally as he increased his pace, "Oh, look at the time! I really need to get going. I'll see you later, Mikan."
"Don't think you'll get away with that. You're going to SA and so am I. I'm not going to stop hounding you till you tell me everything. So you better come clean right now!" She demanded, keeping pace with him.
Up against the metaphorical wall, Tsubasa fell back on his usual way out; outright lying. "I really don't know anything, Mikan.. I didn't even know that he was injured. How can I possibly know anything more about it..?"
Unfortunately for him, Mikan wasn't buying it. "I know when you're lying! Do you want me to tell Misaki and have her get it out of you?"
Tsubasa paled at that, and grabbed Mikan's hand as she walked ahead of him. "Please don't do anything rash! There's no need to involve Misaki in this. I'll tell you what I know!"
Mikan smirked, triumphant. "Go on then!"
Tsubasa sighed, wondering how he managed to get into this mess. "Okay, but you've got to keep this a secret, Mikan. You can't tell a soul about this! Do you understand? If word got out, Natsume will kill me!"
"If word got out about what, Andou?"
Natsume's frigid voice halted both of them in their tracks.