A/N: Long story short, I divided this chapter into two parts. I was supposed to post this chapter over the weekend, but I had to rewrite everything AND add another scene because I wasn't content with how it was written. Additional author's notes at the end of this chapter, some relevant to the story and some that are not. :) Anyway, I hope you guys like this update.

CHAPTER NINE
The Secrets that We Keep
Part I

Natsume.

To be honest, I do not know what to do with Jin Hideaki.

I could leave her alone with her game of genders. Pretend that I didn't see her in her polka dot panties. Let life take its course. Whether the truth is revealed or remains hidden, it doesn't really concern me. If she really is involved with Z and their plans to destroy the academy, I can always deal with it in the future. I just don't think that there's any significance in my interference in whatever she plans to do right now.

Or I could settle this once and for all. Have her identity exposed to Principal Yukihira and sent to the all-girls school beside us, under the watchful eyes of the professors. Deprive Z of their victory as they fumble to make their next move, their morale shaken and perturbed. We can still buy time before Z's next attack. Life will go on, and no lives will be lost, at least during my stay here.

The latter seems to be more ideal between the two, no matter how I look at it. This transfer student, whether she is aware of the situation at hand or not, is caught in a struggle between the academy and an organization that wishes to overthrow its current leaders. But I could be wrong about her. Principal Yukihira did mention that it could be any transfer student; he could be from another year level, or someone from the all-girls school. But nothing screams shady like a girl disguising as a boy, to top it all off, in an all-boys school. I thought that these kinds of stories only existed in those shounen comic books that I avoid in the bookstore. Apparently, someone had the guts to live it out.

"I just want to let you know that you're not the only one who's forced to be in such a position—that it's not my choice to stay here. I have people whom I want to protect."

Her words rang in my head, and they stayed there, even when she's far enough that the only way I could ever hear her is if she starts shouting. And not just that; her voice seemed to crack while she was speaking, as if something inside her had been shattered already, and she's trying to keep herself whole despite it. She thinks I'm cold and blind, with a heart impervious to all forces. I'd like to think that I could be capable of such, since it's getting harder for me to cope with all these demons inside me.

We all have people whom we want to protect.

A crowd has gathered around a booth two blocks from where I'm standing, and from the looks of it, it wasn't going to disperse any time soon. Almost everyone around me had picked up their paces, eager to catch a glimpse of the commotion taking place. On their way, they'd talk about what was happening and what caused it, accounts varying from one person to the other. But there was one thing that was common among those stories, and that was the people who are involved in it.

So I decided to head there and check it out myself.

Yuu Tobita arrived at the exact same moment I have, except that I took my time in walking while he was flushed after running. Bending over, he rests his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Kokoroyomi was trailing behind him, carrying a number of plastic bags, though he didn't show signs of fatigue from running like our class president.

"I heard about what happened." Yuu panted. He lifts his head to face me, "Ruka is destroying Imai's booth again. This time, he brought wild animals."

I heave a sigh. "He's not really the type to fuss about these things."

"Imai really is a force to be reckoned with." Koko remarks, his fascination evident in his tone. "She must have some dirt on him that compelled Ruka to use his Alice against her."

"I'll go get him."

Without another word, I navigated my way through the crowd to where Ruka and Imai are. Some gave way easily, while some needed a nudge or two to move. Ruka's yelling was audible even from the far back, but it took some effort to really hear what Imai had to say. Upon reaching the front, I saw the booth that the kids were referring to. The steel poles that held the sign "Gakuen Alice Boys Merchandise" were bent and cracked at the center. The sign was hanging on one screw attached to one of the broken poles. The table was destroyed, and I could tell it must have been from the feet of the young elephant behind Ruka. All over the cobblestone were the products: pictures of the boys from my school, fans with their faces on them, shirts, handkerchiefs, you name it.

On my left was Imai, stoic despite the destruction of her booth. Opposite her was Ruka, glaring at her with his hands balled into fists. Behind him were a young elephant, a black bear, and a raccoon, all of which came from the Northern Woods upon his will.

"I'm warning you, Imai! If you send someone to take photos of me without my permission, I will be sending my animals to take care of your merchandise." Ruka threatened, earning mixed responses from the crowd, ranging from cheers to jeers. His animals joined in the affair, mirroring the anger of their leader.

Ruka wasn't the type to get angry easily, and even if he were to get angry, his manner of expressing it was weak that people would not take him seriously. In some instances, Ruka could get comical, especially with the way he speaks, since his voice is a bit higher compared to the guys from our year. He has deep respect for people, so he wouldn't dare raise his hand against anyone. When he's furious, he could damage a thing or two to prove his point, but even after doing so, that doesn't seem to come across Imai, even when he already had animals backing him up.

In retaliation, Imai pulls something out of her sleeve—a picture. As for what was captured, I don't know, but it seemed like Ruka is taken aback by it, having lost his confidence from before.

"What the—how did you!?"

"There's more where that came from." Imai taunted, waving the picture back and forth in the air. Ruka wasn't handling it well; the moment he saw the photo, his jaw dropped and his eyes widened in horror, and Imai knew that he had tamed him. "You destroyed my booth. Pay for the damages, or else I'll be releasing these photos of you fresh from the shower... for free."

Most of the girls from the crowd—and dare I say, some of the boys too—squealed, gasped in delight at the sound of free shirtless pictures of Ruka. Both of them were being ridiculous: Imai taking photos of men for money without thinking about what others may say, Ruka yielding to Imai's immaturity only to forfeit in the end. In fact, this has happened before, but what prompted Ruka to bring his animals into the picture?

"Try releasing those photos, and I'll—,"

"Ruka!"

Ruka looks my way, more or less stunned at my presence. "Natsume, you're here." His face softened a bit, and the animals behind him seemed to have calmed down. I slowly shake my head at him, attempting to convince him to retreat and call it a day. He wasn't fond of the idea, frowning at me while he stood still with the desire to tear his opponent down, but we both knew somehow that it's no use to keep going. Worse, if the academy personnel come into the picture and decide to investigate this case, he could be in danger. He had always had his eyes set on Ruka.

"You can even the score some other time. We've caused enough trouble for one day." I told Ruka, who takes a good look at the crowd around us. He relaxes his fists, shrugs his shoulders in defeat, and tells the animals to leave. Afterward, he walks up to me.

"Thanks for that, Natsume." Ruka said with a smile, his disappointment surfacing regardless. I know it's frustrating for him to withdraw just like that, when he even brought his friends out to play, and he might hate me for this, but that's alright, as long as he doesn't hate himself for doing something that he may end up regretting later in his life.

We then flee from the scene, and as we pass through the crowd, people stepped aside to form an aisle for us to pass, eyeing us as we reach the end of the crowd. Upon seeing us, the anxiety all over Yuu's face had disappeared, and he was finally at ease.

"Thank goodness," Yuu sighs out of relief. "Did anyone get hurt?" Ruka shakes his head in response. "That's good to hear. Thank you, Natsume."

"What happened back there?" I asked Ruka, who couldn't look at me in the eye to give an explanation. "Look at me, Ruka. You once told me that you didn't like using your animals for violence. Why did you destroy Imai's booth?"

"I heard from someone…" Ruka mumbled. While it was audible enough for me, Yuu couldn't make out the words he was saying.

"Could you speak louder?" I pressed.

Ruka sighs, his eyes lingering on the ground for a moment before resolving to face me, like he needed all the courage he could muster at a short notice just to tell us. I could tell that he was making an effort to maintain eye contact, despite the urge to look away. It wasn't fear that had taken him over. Ruka was embarrassed.

"I heard from someone that she has nude photos of me!"

In the end, Ruka had to close his eyes as he disclosed his reasons for destroying Imai's booth, thankfully. It made everything less uncomfortable as compared to staring at each other while talking about nudes. He garnered some attention from passersby and from those who were once part of the crowd that watched his feud with Imai, mostly giggles and suppressed shrieks from the girls who heard him. Koko bursts into laughter, Yuu opens his mouth in disbelief, and I try my best to keep a straight face.

Loosening up, Ruka heaves a sigh before scratching the back of his head. "When I was preparing for school, this robot went inside my room and started taking photos of me. Then I heard from someone that Imai owns the robot."

"That's invasion of privacy already…" Yuu pointed out.

"And to stop her from releasing those photos, you trashed her booth as a warning." I folded my arms across my chest, my gaze at Ruka, who hesitantly nods his head to confirm it. "You didn't have to call out your animal friends to do your dirty work."

"I know!" Ruka exclaimed, quick to take offense. "I know that now. It's just that… I panicked. I don't want anybody to see those photos!"

"Ruka, I know you have your reasons, but you shouldn't have done that. You could have bargained with Imai instead!" I snapped, feeling my blood rush through my temples. "You just put yourself in a dangerous position!"

"Natsume, stop!" Yuu shouted as both he and Koko placed themselves between me and Ruka, their arms slightly raised, prepared to defend themselves in case a fight emerges. "Let's not make things worse now, okay?"

Ruka had allowed his bitterness to show in his face. He had always been in tune with his feelings, which is why one can easily notice when Ruka bears the slightest disapproval on his face. The same rule applies when he's happy. He was never one to lie about how he feels, and taking his current emotions into account, he understood the gravity of what I had said, and once again, he feels helpless over it.

He turns his head to the side. "Is there another way for me to protect you, Natsume?"

I had forgotten how fragile Ruka was. The lad who had never questioned my intentions for him, for the rest of us, and strived to understand me regardless, I never made an effort to understand where he was coming from and let myself be consumed by my hatred towards him. I was desperate. I don't want him, or anyone else, to ever experience what I have been through under his control.

"I'm sorry," I tell Ruka, who widens his eyes in surprise. "I wasn't able to understand it, but now I do. I'm sorry for that."

A moment had passed between me and Ruka after I extended my apologies, and during that time, no words were exchanged. We stared at each other for a while as we let the tension between us evaporate. Meanwhile, Yuu and Koko, who are still standing between us, started to complain about their arms getting tired. Ruka breaks into a smile, and I curve my lip at him in return.

"We're good, Natsume." Ruka throws a nod my way. "Drinks are on you this time."

Principal Yukihira is a man who exercises order above all.

This trait of his can be observed by how meticulous he is when handling the objects inside the office. On the left side of his desk are the papers that still need to be processed, while on the right are the papers that have already been processed. At the center, the area is further divided into three: papers to be addressed immediately are on the left, papers that he is currently addressing at the centermost, and papers that need further revising on the right. Behind him is a shredder, which he insists on keeping inside his office. According to him, 75% of the documents he receives go to the shredder, since they were mostly about people who claim to be Alices when they weren't. The decorations on his desk are arranged in a certain manner as well; the globe on the right, his nameplate at the middle, and the bell on the left. Every night, he himself disposes the shredded paper into the garbage can outside the building.

As for his attire, his suits are especially tailored by a peer of his in middle school, someone rumored to be a technical type who included other functionalities to the principal's suits, such as the waterproof fabric and the bulletproof jackets, among other features. Most of the time, I see him in dark blue suits, but on rare occasions, he dons his black suit. He wears a pair of pointed black leather shoes to match either color.

Although his hair already touches the collar of his shirt, the principal keeps it gelled in place. He couldn't stand it when a few strands of his blonde hair land on his face. Like Ruka, the principal had blue eyes, though a darker shade. His Alice has made it possible for him to look like he had just turned 25 despite his age, which I'm not entirely sure of. I never dared to ask. Principal Yukihira had kept a stern face every time I see him, but there was a sadness to him that could only be seen in his eyes.

My arrival prompted him to pull out his drawer and retrieve a few papers for me to look upon. I bowed as I received the document, glancing at him before I read its contents.

"This is a list of the transfer students who have enrolled in this school and the other school." Principal Yukihira stated, my eyes scanning the names of each student from the three divisions of the academy. "Along with it are their Alices, their Alice types and shape forms, and their family history." I move on to the next page. Principal Yukihira continues. "So far, most of the students we've encountered are either classified under the somatic type or the special ability type. Among all of these students, however, there are two of them with whom he will be pleased with. Youichi Hijiri, 1st year middle school, and Jin Hideaki, 3rd year high school."

I scanned my eyes across the page in search of information on the former. "Ghost Manipulation Alice?" I read out loud. "I can understand why Kuonji would want him, but what would he get from someone with the Nullification Alice?"

"That's not his only Alice." Principal Yukihira leans over and buries his face into his hand, a heavy sigh escaping from his mouth. "Kuonji is interested in his other Alice."

"What is his other Alice?" I asked, even if it appears that the principal was heavily burdened by the thought. He then lifts his head away from his hand to face me.

"Hideaki possesses the Stealing Alice. As the name implies, the Alice allows its user to 'steal' the Alice of another user through Alice stones. The user is capable of molding the Alice stone of another user. Also, it gives the user the power to insert Alice stones into another user, so long as there is high compatibility between the recipient and the stone to be inserted."

My eyes widen in astonishment. No wonder Principal Yukihira couldn't hide his frustration over the matter.

"So far, his school records claim that he only has the Nullification Alice. That would buy us time before Kuonji finds out about him. Now, listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you." The principal's voice had gotten deeper as his brooding eyes remained fixed on me. "We still have yet to confirm if Hideaki knows about Z. I want you to keep an eye on him, and observe his interactions in the academy. Search for evidence regarding his involvement with Z. Report to me anything that you find suspicious about him. Are we clear on that?"

I nod my head. "Yes, Principal Yukihira."

Once he had finished his orders for me, Principal Yukihira let out a sigh of relief as he leaned back onto his chair. "If that is all for now, then one is in gratitude for the gift he hath bestowed."

"There's something else that I should report to you, Principal Yukihira."

He straightens his back against the chair, the stern look on his face returning. "What is it, Hyuuga?"

END OF CHAPTER

A/N: Okay. I divided this chapter into two parts because I didn't think that the entire thing was going to fit my usual word count per chapter (which is around 3k words), and I've been wanting to update this over the weekend. I really thought that I was, but the chapter wasn't going the way I planned it to be. If I didn't divide it, I would've probably added this chapter next week? So yeah. I hope you understand, dear reader.

In this chapter, I emphasized more on Natsume and Ruka's relationship. I mean, hypothetically, they are the best of friends and they get along so well, but I thought that perhaps Ruka has had his struggles while dealing with Natsume. Of course, in the manga, it's not really seen, but if you think about how Natsume has been working for him ever since he first arrived in the academy, that's a really long time. It will change him, and even if Ruka tries his best to understand him, there's always that tension that will arise from their desire to protect each other in their own unique way. :D The additional scene is Natsume's conversation with HSP. I wanted to show you guys that Natsume and the HSP are allies, just like how Natsume's mother was with the HSP in the manga. :)

So last chapter, I asked you to guess the other person who knows Mikan's secret. I PMed those who commented their answers here. :) The correct answer shall be revealed in the next chapter. Anyway, cliffhanger! And Ruka nudes... XD I really wish that this chapter brought smiles on your faces. Thank you to those who added this story to their faves and follows. You guys are the best! Once again, I'd like to thank those who reviewed in the previous chapter. I treasure your words from the bottom of my heart.

Whoa so my message is three (now four) paragraphs long. I won't blame you if you didn't read it, since it's pretty long, but I hope my message comes across. Please review! Love love love hearing from you guys! Fave and follow too! No previews for now, sadly. See ya guys soon!

My-violinprince.