DISCLAIMER: Yep, I don't own Gakuen Alice... There's nothing I could do about that... Waahh:'-(

Thanks for the reviews! And for the ideas too! Hope you like this one... Read on...

CHAPTER 3: The Poignant Meeting

"Stop it…" Mikan could not even utter the word clearly. She was gasping for air as her tears continuously fall on her face.

But the man wearing a mask ignored her and kept beating the boy… whipping him hard… The boy was already bruised all over…

"Don't hurt him!" Mikan pleaded but for some reason she can't even move an inch. Her eyes widened when she saw the boy coughed with blood.

"It's all your fault," the man said. "You shouldn't have intervened with our job." He kicked the boy in the stomach.

"Why do you have to hurt him? That is so unreasonable!" Mikan yelled.

"Unreasonable? No it's not! He's becoming soft and it's all because of you!" The man yelled back. "We don't need emotions in our missions!"

"But you don't have the right to do that!"

"Oh, I have all the rights. He is my student after all. And teachers should discipline his student," the man grinned.

"And besides…" he looked at her with sarcasm. "…why do you care for him when he already caused you pain?" Then the man waved his hand to Mikan, dissolving part of her uniform just enough to expose the mark.

Mikan sucked her breath while she hurriedly covered the exposed proof. "Just leave him alone!" Mikan cried ignoring the man's words.

She heard him laughed that gave her goosebumps. "Stop hurting him!" she pleaded as she gasped for air. She tried again to move towards the boy but she could not even budge as if a force was preventing her.

"No!" Mikan moaned even louder. "Get…away…from… him!"

The boy suddenly groaned in pain. Mikan saw the masked man waved his hand again towards the boy's arm. Mikan's wide eyes grew wider when she saw the blood gushing through the boy's ripped skin.

"NOOOOOO!!!!!" A blue light suddenly illuminated from Mikan's body.

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

The intruder heard the sound coming from the bedroom. He was about to attack the person whom he thought as the enemy when he was surprised by the blue beam which momentarily blinded him.

"What the--" his Alice was blocked and he himself was thrown on the bed on impact.

He tried his Alice again. This time it worked. It lit the room and went dumbstruck on what he saw…

"Huh? Nani? A dream? Oh thank goodness! I thought he would really kill--" Mikan stopped on mid sentence.

In front of her was a set of ruby eyes staring back at her. She remembered those eyes. Those ruby eyes that made her blush whenever he gaze at her intently… Made her furious whenever he looks at her mischievously… and made her shiver whenever she remembers the coldness in it when he gave her his mark…

"N-natsume…" she mumbled. Unable to speak… Her heart was pumping hard.

She spaced out for a minute but only to gasp aloud as her eyes grew wider yet again when he realized their position…

She was astriding him… Her face just a few inches away from his…

Natsume, still dumbstruck, was gazing the girl on top her… Is it really Mikan? She had changed a lot… He thought.

With her long and soft brunette hair flowing from her shoulders… Thick eyelashes surrounding her auburn eyes… Mikan grew from skinny little child into a beautiful young woman…

Natsume's gaze moved down to Mikan's luscious lips… How would it feel if I… Damn! What am I thinking? He wanted to kick himself. He coughed to hide a gasp of surprise on the thought.

"Hey, little girl! Are you going to stare at me till dawn? Get off me!" He yelled. "Or don't tell me you're planning to ravish me or something," a corner of his mouth twitched upward.

That triggered Mikan from her shock upon seeing Natsume. Fighting instinct prevailed.

"¡Que bruto! Este chiste no tiene ninguna gracia!" Mikan shrieked furiously not noticing that she spoke in Spanish. She raised herself from astriding Natsume and threw him the nearest pillow she grabbed.

"I'm crude?' Natsume smirked. "Not really. And yes, this is not funny at all," he added. He was able to hide his surprise yet again at Mikan's lapsing into Spanish. "Well, what do you know… She learned Spanish, eh… The raven-haired boy thought.

"What are you doing in my room?" Mikan said while trying to clam herself. It's Natsume! Wait, he can understand Spanish! I never knew that. And… He's a lot taller now… And handsomer… She blushed at the thought. What the heck am I thinking? I was so worried about him when all he does is tease me!

"Your room?" Natsume sneered cutting Mikan's thought. "For your information, this is my room. And you are trespassing, strawberries…"

"Strawbe--… Natsume, you pervert!" Mikan flared up when he realized what he meant. "You haven't changed at all!"

"Well you haven't changed either… You're still loud and annoying," then he surveyed her. "Hmmm… you've changed physically though."

"Well… Well," Mikan gave Natsume a sharp look. "You couldn't believe that the ugly duckling turned out to be a swan?"

Natsume's red orb surveyed her again from head to toe. Mikan raised her chin up.

"Yep, you look a lot better now… but it doesn't hide the fact that you're still an idiot," he snickered.

Mikan breathed deeply to keep herself from shrieking. Then she walked towards the door.

"Hey, where are you going?" Natsume grabbed her hand before she could turn the knob.

"Well, Mr. Natsume Hyuuga, since this is your room as you claim it, I'm going to sleep at Hotaru's place," the brunette girl sternly said.

"Don't be silly. I can't let you wander at night! Besides, Imai's place is at the other side of the forest and knowing her, I bet she'd set up a trap before you could enter her room," Natsume replied.

Mikan sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right…" Then she looked at her hand. "I'm not going anywhere… You can let go of my hand now…"

Natsume grunted as he let go of her hand to hide his embarrassment.

Mikan, confused and a bit startled, chose to give him an evil look and walked towards the couch. This is Natsume's room! So that's why Ruka and the others were acting strange. Why didn't I notice Natsume's clothes in the closet? I'm so stupid! Darn it! My heart's beating so fast! I've never thought of meeting him again in this odd situation, Mikan uttered to herself. She brought her knees close to her chest and settled her chin on top of it.

She remembered the time when Natsume gave her his mark. Perhaps it was her fault after all. She was sticking her nose into his business which would have killed them both if Natsume was not a quick-thinker.

She was a burden to him. She would not listen whenever he told her to mind her own business and never interfere on his job. The last time she tried to stop him from his mission almost took their lives. It was then she saw the coldness in his eyes. And something else… Was it horror? Or anger? She shook her head and chose the latter.

"Get off my case! You're not helping at all," she remembered him saying that. "Don't look into the darkness you cannot handle," the black cat's voice as cold as ice, eyes in slits. She was about to say something when pain registered to her left chest, then she fainted.

The thought of that time still made Mikan shiver. She sighed and put all the flashes at the back of her head.

Mikan was not aware that she was being watched. All her emotions were seen by the raven-haired boy who was leaning on a wall.

From curiosity to confusion… Embarrassment to anger… Sadness to hurt… And there was another one… Fear… Guilt and pain crossed Natsume's eyes. For some reason, he wanted to think and blame himself for the fear he saw in her eyes. Or was it really fear? He dismissed the idea.

Natsume realized that he was staring at Mikan intently. He was surprised at himself and quickly took away his gaze at her just in time before she looked towards his way.

"So what now?" Mikan broke the silence.

Natsume grunted. "You can sleep her for now…"

"D-demmo…"

"Don't think anything stupid! I'm going to Ruka's room."

"No! I mean this is your room in the first place so I.—"

"Quit your yapping!" Natsume cut her off then sighed. "I already told you… You can stay her for tonight. I don't want to be blamed if something bad happens to you." He started to walk towards the door when Mikan stopped him.

"A-ano… You can also stay here... Your room is big for the two of us… Besides, you don't wanna disturb Ruka-pyon at this hour of night, do you? I k-know you're tired s-so… I d-don't mind s-sharing a room with you…" A pale of pink flush crept into Mikan's cheeks.

Natsume's elegant brow rose as he looked at Mikan. Then his lips curved into a grin.

"Hmm… I am tired but not too tired to do 'something'… The night is still young…" He teased.

"Now who's thinking stupid?" Mikan yelled. Her cheeks flushed more shades of red. Natsume chuckled.

Mikan was stunned as she watched him, shoulders still shaking. I've never seen him laughing like this. Goodness! He's so gorgeous! Mikan thought with amazement in her eyes.

"If you insist…" natsume said flashing a perfect set of teeth. "…alright then I'll stay. But I'm taking my bed."

"N-nani?! Then where am I going to sleep?" Mikan muttered. The raven-haired boy shrugged and went to the bathroom.

"Darn it! He's gorgeous yet ungentleman," Mikan stuck her tongue out to the direction where Natsume went.

She roamed her eyes to the room. Aside from the bed, there was nothing for her to sleep on. She looked at the couch and made a face. So uncomfortable, yet it will do.

Natsume finished changing his clothes and went out of the bathroom. He saw Mikan on the couch preparing to sleep. He shook his head , walked towards Mikan then stopped a few inches from her.

"What?" Mikan hissed. Without a word, Natsume lifted her from the couch and walked towards the bed.

"W-what the heck are you d-doing? Put me down!"

He dropped Mikan on the bed and grinned at her. "If you're thinking that I might do something well then think again!" He went towards the other side of the bed. "If you don't mind sharing a room with me then I don't mind sharing a bed with you either. It's a king size bed after all."

"D-demmo, N-natsume…"

"Damare! Just quit bubbling and go to sleep," Natsume scowled and turned his back to Mikan.

Mikan gave him an icy look then snatched the extra blanket and cover herself. She tried to sleep but knowing that Natsume was just a few inches from her kept her brain fully awake.

Darn it! I can't sleep like this! It feels so awkward! What will Hotaru and the others say when they find out that the famous black cat is here sleeping beside me? Well, it seems okay since we aren't doing anything bad… But why the heck can't I sleep? Mikan thought frantically. Oh why did I bother to ask him to stay?

"Ano... N-natsume… You still up?" Mikan whispered.

"…"

"Hey, Natsume…" Mikan's voice louder this time.

"What now?" Natsume snarled.

"I can't sleep… C-can we talk a bit first? T-that is if it's okay with you…" Mikan replied nervously.

"…"

"I guess not…" Mikan sighed. It took minutes before…

"How was Spain?" Natsume broke the silence.

Mikan's face lit. "It was tough at first but I managed to pull through." So he can't sleep either, Mikan thought.

"Being an idiot helps huh?"

"Hey, no insults and sarcasms, okay? I've had enough of those back in Spain!" Mikan burst.

"Had enough? Why? Are the students there still bullies as ever?" Natsume sounded seriously.

"Hey, have you been to Spain? You talked as if you've been there…" Mikan frowned.

"You didn't answer my question…"

"W-well at first, yes. There were bunch of bullies but later on they've changed especially when—" they saw your mark, Mikan almost uttered those words.

"Especially what?" A small furrow formed on Natsume's forehead.

"E-especially when they realized that their Alice won't work on me… Yeah, that's it! They were scared of me," Mikan made a fake laugh. "So have you been to Spain?"

It took minutes before Natsume replied. "That was a long time ago," Natsume said, his hands formed into a fist. "I had a mission there once. I really hate that mission," His bangs covered half of his face.

"Natsume… What happened there?" Mikan could sense the seriousness in the black cat's voice. And was that sadness she saw in his eyes? She was not sure for the cold emotion shadowed again in those red orbs.

Natsume sighed. "I…I lost a dear friend there… The only person I cared for that time took the bullet that was meant for me…" He gritted his teeth at the thought. Mikan gasped upon hearing what happened.

"She should have not done that!" Natsume sighed again. "Anyway, that was a long time ago. There's no point in crying over spilled milk--" the look on Mikan's face stunned him.

"H-hey strawberries, are you constipated or something?" he tried to tease her but Mikan did not even budge.

"Hey…"

She? The only person Natsume cared for? So it was a girl, Mikan thought. How come my heart aches all of a sudden? Am I jealous?

"Hey, little girl. Snap out of it!"

No… I shouldn't be feeling this. I should have gotten over him…

"Hey, are you okay?" Natsume got up and looked down on Mikan with a worried face.

This isn't jealousy. Maybe I'm just surprised that he does know how to care for a girl… Yeah, that's it! I've gotten over him two years ago… Mikan tried to convince herself.

"Mikan!"

"H-huh? What?" Mikan' s heart skipped a beat when she saw Natsume's face above hers. "H-hey! What are you doing? This isn't your side of the bed!"

"What the--… Jeez! I was worried co'z you're not moving a bit. And don't think I would even make a move on you. Silly girl…" Natsume sneered and went back to bed. Darn it! For a minute there I had the urge to kiss her! What the hell's wrong with me? Natsume thought crazily.

"Well soooory for making you worry. And I'm not thinking that you'd make a move… Oh, whatever!" Mikan turned her back on Natsume.

"Get some sleep now… We're both tired. It's much better to sleep than to yell at each other till dawn," Natsume murmured.

"Yeah… You're right… Oyasuminasai, Natsume…"

"'Night…"

xXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

From deep slumber, Mikan stirred… She tried to open her eyes but she could not. She was warm and comfortable. She tried to open her eyes again but still could not… She could feel something delightful… But she was too sleepy to think what was causing that feeling… She drifted back to sleep….

Whew! Chapter 3 done! So how was it? Pls review! An odd situation to meet the person you've long to see eh? With all the teasing and yelling... Yep, they're Mikan and Natsume alright... So what's next between these two? Find out on the next chapter -- The Exchange Student...