Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice doesn't belong to me. It is owned by the great mangaka Higuchi Tachibana.

Chapter 3: Sudden Realizations

Mikan was taking a walk around the academy. She breathed in the scent of fresh air and stretched her arms over her head.

What a beautiful morning! A perfect day for another picnic with Hotaru and Yuu-chan. Maybe Natsume-kun and Ruka-pyon would like to join us, she thought excitedly. Nikko-san, too!

I can't wait! She pranced back to her classroom, earning snickers along the way.

snicker snicker snicker

"Hotaru! Yuu-chan!", Mikan called eagerly. "Let's have a picnic and invite Natsume-kun, Ruka-pyon and Nikko-san!" She began jumping up and down like a pogo stick until she was silenced by Hotaru's ever-useful baka gun.

"Er, Mikan? Are you alright?" Yuu-chan sweatdrops

"Let's go!", Mikan shouted, pumping her fist into the air.

Hotaru and Yuu-chan exchanged a glance. "I guess it's time to buy and prepare the food, Yuu", Hotaru said tonelessly.

"Ha ha ha", Yuu-chan laughed nervously. (A/N: Mikan is seriously making a dent in Yuu-chan's piggy bank XD)

OOO

Hotaru approached the two boys walking down the corridor and stopped them with her latest invention.

Invention no. 0354: total body control. You can make a person do anything you want, even if it is against his/her will, with just a simple push of a button. It has 9 buttons; one for the head, nose, left and right arms, torso, left and right legs and for the left and right feet.

Upgraded version includes controls for these additional body parts: left and right eye, fingers and toes. Get your own, now. Only 100 rabbits each.

"Uhh, Hotaru, who are you talking to?", asked a bewildered Ruka.

Hotaru turned back to him and said, "No one. I'm here to tell you something. You have to go to this picnic later this afternoon. You too, Natsume", Hotaru added icily.

"Be there or you know what will happen, Ruka", Hotaru waved something menacingly in her right hand and walked away.

Ruka turned pale and looked completely gobsmacked. He shook his head helplessly.

Natsume glanced at Ruka's present state and said flatly, "I guess we have plans later".

Ruka just nodded unable to speak.

Interesting on how Hotaru seems to have a tight grip on Ruka, Natsume smirked inwardly. Blackmail, my ass.

OOO

Yuu-chan ran and caught up with Nikko.

"Hello, Nikko-san, how are you doing?", Yuu-chan greeted her.

Nikko looked at him in surprise and said, "I'm alright, thank you. What's the matter?"

"I just wanted to invite you to a picnic later this afternoon if you're not busy, that is", Yuu-chan added hastily.

Nikko looked surprised but regained her composure quickly and said, "Sure, I'll be there." and volunteered nothing more.

"Four o'clock?"

"Four it is, then."

Yuu-chan ran off leaving Nikko standing there. A picnic, huh? She shrugged and went on to her way.

OOO

"A picnic, we're going to have a picnic, a picnic, a picnic, we're going to...", Mikan sang happily.

"Shut up, Mikan", Hotaru said calmly. "You're giving me a headache. And would you please sit down? You're making me dizzy. You're like a merry-go-round gone haywire."

"Hotaruuuu, you're so mean!" She then spotted two figures heading their way from the left and another figure from the right.

"Hey, Yuu-chan, there they are! Natsume-kun and Ruka-pyon. Oh, is that Nikko-san?"

Yuu-chan smiled at her eagerness and continued fixing their food.

"NATSUME-KUN! RUKA-PYON! NIKKO-SAN! Over here!", Mikan yelled, waving her hands over her head like a windmill.

Nikko looked confused, as she doesn't know Mikan yet.

"Ah, Nikko-san, I'm glad you can make it. This is Hotaru and Mikan, by the way.", Yuu-chan put in.

Mikan came forward and shook Nikko's whole right arm excitedly. Nikko looked a little harassed, by the way.

"Nikko-san! Uhm, can I just call you Nikko-chan? Great!", Mikan enthused.

Nikko nodded, unable to speak, 'cause Mikan's enthusiasm was a little hard to take. She turned to her left and saw two figures still approaching them. Natsume and Ruka, she thought frantically. What are they doing here?

Natsume approached the table and looked surprised as he saw her there. I didn't know she knew them.

Ruka came up behind Natsume, saw Nikko, and a pink tinge appeared on his cheeks. Natsume didn't notice, fortunately.

Nikko gave Ruka a small smile and he turned even pinker.

"Natsume-kun! Ruka-pyon! Glad you can make it!", Mikan squealed. She jumped up and gave both of them hugs.

Ruka didn't seem to notice but Natsume turned bright red but he looked away just in time.

Hotaru noticed, though, and graced him with a rare smile. With this, Natsume just turned an even brighter shade of red.

Yuu-chan then said the magic words that broke through the strange air surrounding all of them: "Snacks are served."

Throughout the meal, Nikko and Ruka kept on sneaking glances at each other (and not being caught by the other). Natsume looked a bit stupefied when he slowly took in Mikan appearance. Her shiny locks, gorgeous russet eyes and that bright bright smile. He hasn't even taken a bite of the strawberry shortcake Yuu-chan offered him.

Yuu-chan looked at him curiously and just shook his head. It was better not to ask things that aren't meant to be asked.

Meanwhile, Hotaru was watching Natsume and Mikan. "Stupid", Hotaru said under her breath.

OOO

Mikan continued to laugh and joke with Yuu-chan but inside, her heart was pounding a million times a minute.

Why is Natsume staring at me like that, she asked, flushing.

And why.. and why am I feeling.. giddy all over? She wanted to groan out loud but couldn't risk being seen.

Darn that Natsume and his gorgeous ruby-red eyes!

Wait a minute.. What? Did I just?.. Mikan just cursed inside her mind.

A/N: I need reviews! Useful reviews! Thanks!