DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gakuen Alice. Yep, I don't. Waaah! But I really wish I do. :-)

Sorry if it took so long for me to update. Btw, thanks for the flames but I just want Mikan to be pretty for everyone. You gave me ideas though (you know who you are) "wink". Thanks again for the reviews. Hope you guys like this next chappie. Hotaru's a bit OCC but that's fanfiction for me.. Hehehe...

CHAPTER 2: The Odd Letter

"He's on a mission…"

"Huh? W-What? I'm sorry, what is it your saying, Koko?" Mikan tried to focused on Koko, burying the flashes of the past at the back of her head.

The mind-reader sweat dropped. "Natsume's on a mission again."

"…"

"I know you miss him…"

"…"

"Since you left, he always go on missions. He's been away for two months now," Koko sighed. "Narumi-sensei told us that he's okay though."

"I see…," Mikan's bangs covered her emotions. "Anyway, how did Ruka and Hotaru end up together?" she continued wearing a fake smile.

She's really trying to hide her feelings, Koko thought. He decided to play along with Mikan. I'd better cheer her up then.

"Hm, like I've said its all thanks to Ruka's bunny," Koko said merrily.

Mikan momentarily forgot about Natsume as she listened to Koko.

"It was like this…," Koko started.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

FLASHBACK

/ Hotaru's Laboratory /

One and a half years after Mikan's departure

"Usagi, where the heck are you?" Ruka yelled. Damn! If Hotaru finds out that I went inside her lab, I'll be in deep shit! He thought nervously.

He's been looking for his rabbit for half an hour yet with no luck. Darn it, where is that rabbit?

Ruka ended up walking on a long hallway. Just before he reached the end, he saw a room with its door half-opened. He swallowed hard before he entered the room.

"Wow… so neat…," the blonde boy whistled as his eyes roamed the place. The room was so feminine… and smelled of roses… and of Hotaru…

He blushed when he thought of the genius inventor. I wish she could have been a little soft and allow me to be closer to her… then shook the thought off his head.

He went further inside. Then he saw what he's looking for… Lying on a couch… Sleeping…

"So there you are," the Ruka whispered. Usagi sensed his presence and hurriedly jumped on his arms. He kinda lost his balance and ended up leaning on a wall. Suddenly the wall turned!

"What the-," he gasped as the door completely turned. He stayed still for while to adjust his sight from the darkness of the room.

So the genius inventor is also fond of medieval stuff eh, he thought while searching for the switch. He found it and was momentarily blinded when he switched the lights on.

He slowly opened his eyes only to gasp loudly… The room was filled with his pictures!

"I thought she's selling my photos to earn money?" Ruka was confused and stunned as he surveyed the room.

I haven't seen these photos, he thought. They're different from the ones she's selling. When did she get these shots?

Then something caught his eyes… On the table was a letter addressed to him… What was written on the letter made his heart skipped a beat. He smiled as hope emerged from the boy's heart. He hurriedly picked Usagi up and rushed to his place after he locked Hotaru's lab.

The letter contained just five words… But it meant a lot for him…

I LOVE YOU, RUKA NOGI…

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The next day, Hotaru came home from the convention and was surprised when she found a dozen of roses in front of her laboratory. Who could have sent these? It must be Mikan and the gang. She probably asked the others to do this. She thought.

That's odd… I thought it was a dozen but there were only 11 roses, the inventor just shrugged and arranged the flowers on her table.

Hotaru was about to leave her room to find the others when she saw a dove flying towards her window. On its beak was a rose.

She opened the window and let the dove in. She took the rose on its beak and stared at it closely… a little confused.

What's with the dove? Tsk… Mikan and her silly ideas, she thought while shaking her head. Then a corner of her eye's caught a sight that made her heart beat fast.

Under a tree just below her window, she saw Ruka standing… Smiling at her… She looked at him despite the tension she felt.

Wait…Rose…Dove… Animal Pheromone…Ruka… Oh no! I-it can't be! Her eyes widened as reality struck her. Does he know already? B-But how? Maybe I'm just being paranoid. Darn, Nogi!

"Amanatsu, unpack my things and put this on with the other roses", she instructed and tossed the rose at the robot. "I'll be out for a while," she rushed outside her lab to confront Ruka.

"Hey, animal lover… Have you been sneaking to my lab?" she said in a cold tone.

"Uhmm… Well… It was an accident. Usagi went inside your lab so I had to go in to find her," Ruka replied with smile on his lips.

"…"

"So how's the convention?"

"…"

"Uhmm… Are you going to stare at me all day with that cold look?"

"Spill it all out…"

"Spill what?" Ruka started to sweat.

"Don't act dumb… I know you know what I mean…"

Ruka, a bit uneasy on the raven-haired girl's coldness, still managed to smile. Now's my chance. If I blow this out, I might not get a second chance, he thought.

"Well…" He cleared his throat. "To make the story short, I followed my rabbit inside your lab… And I accidentally leaned on a wall which led me to a secret room…"

Darn it! I shouldn't have let that room unprotected. I've never been this careless, Hotaru frowned at herself.

"I saw a letter addressed to me which is very odd coming from you," Ruka beamed.

"The fact that you saw a letter from my lab addressed to you doesn't mean that it came from me," the inventor said in a colder tone still managing herself to calm down even with her rapid heartbeats.

"That was your handwriting…"

"…"

"Don't deny it…"

"…"

"H-Hotaru?" Ruka was a bit worried that any moment from now she'd be hitting him with her baka gun but she didn't. He sighed in relief.

"Hand over the letter," Hotaru demanded.

"No."

"Give it to me."

"On one condition," the blonde boy said with equal determination.

"I don't usually agree to conditions unless it's mine. But anyway, what's your condition?" the raven-haired girl spoke still with calmness.

"Have a date with me…"

"What? You've gotta be kidding!" Hotaru's eyebrow rose.

"I'm serious, Imai."

"…"

"Well? Or I'll just let the other student see this letter and tell then that you really like me," Ruka taunted.

"No way! You can't do that!" Hotaru snapped.

That's the first time I saw her showing her emotions, Ruka thought but remained unaffected. "Watch me…"

Hotaru was speechless. She could see the determination in Ruka's eyes. "Oh, alright then. If it's a date you want then a date you'll get. Hotaru replied with resignation. "Till when will we have to do this so-called date?"

Till you have completely fallen in love with me," the blonde boy told to himself. "Indefinitely," he replied instead.

"What? That's too much!"

Ruka just smiled at her with sparkle in his eyes.

"Fine! But be sure that this stupid thing will not ruin my reputation," the inventor muttered then walked towards her laboratory.

"Don't worry, it won't…" Ruka responded with huge smile on his face.

Hotaru gave him her evil look then continued on walking. However, the blonde boy missed to see the smile that curved on her lips.

END OF FLASHBACK

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

"So more or less, that's their story," Koko said.

"I've never thought they would end up together", Mikan whispered, still amazed. That Hotaru, why didn't she tell me about this?

"You better take a rest now, Mikan," Hotaru suddenly spoke with her usual emotionless face.

Both Koko and Mikan almost leaped when Hotaru spoke.

"Gee, Imai… You walked like a cat. We didn't even sense you, "Koko's sweat dropped.

"What did you say, Koko?" Hotaru's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, nothing! Nothing at all…" Koko answered nervously. His sweat dropped even more.

"Come, Mikan. I'll take you to your new room," Ruka said.

"New room?"

"Right. Your old room is already occupied with the new student," Yuu explained.

"Oh I see…"

"Are you coming with us, Hotaru?" Ruka softly said.

"No. I've got to do something at the lab," she replied then walked towards the exit.

Ruka frowned then sighed. "Well, right this way, Mikan," he instructed.

"We're coming too!" Anna and Nonoko squealed.

They walked towards a building and ended on room with a huge door.

"Here we are," Ruka confirmed and open the door.

"Wow! It's so huge!" Anna and Nonoko exclaimed.

"Is this really my new room?" Mikan's eyes surveyed the room.

"Actually this is the only room available for the meantime. Narumi-sensei is on his way now to settle about your room," Yuu explained.

"I see… Ano… Ruka-pyon, don't you think it's a bit huge for me?" Mikan meekly said. "And it's kinda…"

Yuu cleared his throat and cut Mikan off. "Anyway, we better be going now."

"Yeah, take a rest now, Mikan," Nonoko said then walked towards the door.

"Later, Mikan!" Anna said before leaving the room.

"Ne, Ruka-pyon who's room is this?" Mikan asked.

Like Yuu, the blonde boy cleared his throat. "Don't mind that now. You should take a rest, I know you're tired."

"H-hai… Later then…" Mikan responded.

"Sweet dreams, Mikan…" Ruka said before closing the door.

After unpacking her things, Mikan went to the bathroom and soaked her body to the tub.

"Ah, so relaxing…" she whispered.

After her soothing bath, Mikan decided to take a nap before meeting the rest of his friends.

"Yuu and the others acted weird a while ago… Especially Ruka… By the way, I haven't seen Narumi-sensei… I missed him too… I'll find him later… I'm… going… to… take… a nap… first," the brunette girl yawned and went to sleep.

Mikan's nap ended to a deep slumber. The others decided not to wake her up since they knew that she was very exhausted.

That night, a window from Mikan's room suddenly opened as if the wind blew enough to open it. Then a shadow swiftly leaped inside the room.

Even at the dark, the shadow moved so freely not even bumping into the furniture… And it seemed the intruder already knew the place… Maybe it was a bad idea not waking Mikan after all...

Whoah! Ideas... Ideas... Need more ideas... Pls review! Hehehe... What do you think? What a whirlwind relationship Ruka and Hotaru have! And who could the intruder be? Is Mikan in danger? Find out on the next chapter - The Poignant Meeting.