Chapter 2

In front of Narumi's room

"No problem! The three of you will be excused for this day. As for Mikan-chan, just let her rest in the hospital until she recovers. I hope she gets well soon." Narumi said.

"Arigato gozaimasu, Narumi-sensei.", Hotaru said.

"Oh!" Narumi exclaimed as he glanced at his watch. "I better get going or I'll be really late! Goodbye Imai-san!" he said, smiling.

"Goodbye sensei.", Hotaru said with a small smile (I'd love to see her with a huge one).

In Mikan's hospital room

"Nothing severe. No broken bones. It's just back muscle pain. I'm sure she'll recover soon, maybe tomorrow. Don't worry, she just needs to rest.", the nurse said and made her way out of the room.

Natsume and Ruka returned to their seats beside Mikan's bed. Natsume brought out his manga and began to read. There was silence…

Ruka finally broke the silence saying, "I'm glad she'll recover soon.", as he looked at the sleeping brunette.

"Good for her.", Natsume said nonchalantly.

"Uh, Natsume.."

"Hmm?"

"Since last year, when she came, I've noticed something.

"What?"

"You've changed a little."

"Me?"

"Yeah… I mean.. You've become.. Y-you know.. Gentle?"

"Gentle?", Natsume said, quite surprised. He closed his manga, finally focusing his attention to Ruka. "Uh, so? What about it?", he continued (So Natsume is like 'admitting' that he became gentle? Oh well..)

"Nothing really… I-I just wanna ask you something.", Ruka replied, a little nervous.

"What?"

"Uh.. Y-you like Mikan, don't you?"

"Wha- Me? Hah.. You gotta be kidding me. I.. Why would I like a girl like her?", Natsume said defensively.

"Well, you see.. It's a little obvious. I mean.. Since we're 10, I've noticed that you want to protect her. Although you don't really show it but…", after saying those words, Ruka had no idea to continue his last statement.

"Look, that's not it. And aren't you the one who likes her?", Natsume blurted.

Nervous on what to answer to Natsume's 'bounced back' ( Am I saying the right term?) question, someone entered the room – which actually made Ruka let out a sigh of relief.

"Imai-san.", Ruka said as he saw Hotaru.

"How's she?", Hotaru asked as she walked beside the bed.

"She's fine.", Natsume replied.

"The nurse said that there's nothing severe and she'll recover soon.", Ruka explained.

"Oh that's good.", Hotaru said. "By the way, Narumi-sensei told me that the three of us are excused for today.", she added.

"Tch.. Whatever..", Natsume mumbled.

Silence filled the room, again. Natsume just reads his manga, Ruka plays with his rabbit, while Hotaru occupied another chair at the other side of the bed – making her isolated from the two boys – and brought out one of her greatest inventions called the 'Awesome Laptop'. It is really handy, it is everything proof and it can be transformed into a really huge computer (Awesome, huh?).

After about an hour, the brunette woke up and uttered, "Huh?.. Wh-where am I? Am I in heaven?".

"You're in a hospital, idiot.", Natsume snapped, "And if you're dead, you'll surely be in hell.", he continued.

"Natsume, Hotaru and Ruka-pyon! You're here!", Mikan exclaimed as she got back to her senses, unconsciously ignoring what Natsume just said. Natsume didn't actually mind.

"Ah, so you're now awake.", Hotaru said as she shut down her 'Awesome Laptop'.

"Are you feeling well now Mikan-chan?", Ruka asked.

"I'm absolutely fine, arigato Ruka-pyon!", Mikan replied with her ever famous smile. Then her bright facial expression turned to a curious one. "Uh.. Why am I here?", she asked.

"Baka.", Hotaru murmured.

"You fainted. Don't you remember?", Ruka asked.

FLASHBACK

Just as about Mikan started a new topic for them to talk about, the door suddenly opened…

BUMP.

"Ouch..!", Mikan said, touching her back and trying to sit up. Then she noticed two people beside her (left & right) who are also lying down because of the sudden incident.

"Are you planning to flatten me you pig?!", Natsume, who's at the left of Mikan, scolded as he stood up.

"N-Natsume & Ruka-pyon!", Mikan said, still on the floor, slowly sitting up.

"Are you alright Mikan-chan?", Ruka asked, helping her to stand up.

"Hai. I-I'm fine.", Mikan lied; her back still hurts. "Arigato Ruka-pyon!", she said, wearing a smile on her face which made Ruka blush a little. "And, sorry to you both.", she apologized.

"Don't worry, it's okay.", Ruka said.

"Why lean on the door when you've got a seat?", Natsume scolded, nearly shouting.

"Hey! I said I was sorry! And in fact, I didn't mean any harm! Why are you so mad?", Mikan shouted.

"Because you're such an idiot, Polka-dots!", Natsume shouted back and started walking into the room.

"Why you - ", but before Mikan finished what she's supposed to break to Natsume, her back suddenly became more painful than earlier.

"O-ouch…", Mikan uttered, then she felt dizzy, she fainted.

END OF FLASHBACK

"Oh! Now I remember!", Mikan said as she sat up freely.

"And it's all your fault Polka-dots.", Natsume said. "'Coz that head of yours doesn't work at all.", he continued.

"Fine, fine! It's my fault! Hmph!", Mikan said as she turned her head away from Natsume.

"Hah.. Good thing that you're honest enough to admit it.", Natsume said teasingly.

"Shut up you pig."

"Hn. Now, the elephant's talking."

"Natsumeeee!!!", Mikan yelled as she stood up to wrestle him. Natsume, on the other hand, dodged her.

THUMP.

"Owie..", Mikan uttered and scratched her head.

"Mikan-chan! You need some rest.", Ruka said as he ran over to Mikan.

"Don't worry about me, Ruka-pyon! I'm way beyond okay now! Arigato!", Mikan said, smiling again.

"You may be way beyond okay, but you should also prevent yourself from getting hurt. Don't make me worry again.", Hotaru said.

"Aww.. Hotaru! That's sweet!", Mikan exclaimed and started to run towards her bestfriend for a bear hug. Hotaru was about to get her 'mild' baka gun (It was purposely mild – you know why!) but Mikan was already hugging her.. Uh, more like, 'squeezing' her.

"B-baka.. Get off me, I can't breathe..", Hotaru said as she gasped for air. But Mikan was too happy that she hasn't heard the Ice Queen's soft voice.

"Oi.. Polka-dots.." Natsume said.

"Huh?", Mikan said as she obliviously loosen her tight embrace.

BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA…

"Ouch! Hotaru, why'd you do that?", Mikan said, still standing, crying waterfalls.

"You squeezed me to death.", Hotaru explained briefly.

"Oh.. Sorry Hotaru! Sorry! Sorry! Sorryyyy!!!", Mikan said, bowing down. Ruka and Natsume sweatdropped.

After sometime of Mikan saying sorry and bowing down repeatedly, Hotaru finally said, "I'll forgive you this time, but don't dare to squeeze me off again."

"Haaai!", Mikan squealed.

"I guess you're really way beyond okay.", Ruka said.

Mikan snickered and said, "Of course!"

"Hn… Elephants recover fast, huh?!", Natsume said.

"Hey! I'm not an elephant!", Mikan snapped, knowing that Natsume is referring to her.

"Yeah right, but you look and weigh like one." Natsume teased and continued, "Oh.. I mean, you look like a pig but weigh like an elephant."

"Hah, at least I'm way cuter than some pig! And what do you know about my weight?", Mikan said sarcastically.

"Would you two stop your 'love quarrel' now?", Hotaru interrupted.

"LOVE QUARREL?", Mikan and Natsume shouted in unison.

"Hey you guys calm down..", Ruka said.

"Calm down?", Mikan said, fuming. (Maybe because of the love quarrel thingy.)

"Ya, calm down." Ruka repeated.

"Hyuuga was the one who carried you here, that's what.", Hotaru then told the brunette – not minding Ruka – making Mikan surprised and leaving Natsume silent as he looked away.

"Darn you Imai.. How come you knew?", Natsume thought.

Just then, the door opened..

"Narumi-sensei!", Mikan said, recognizing the teacher.

"Hi, Mikan-chan!", Narumi said cheerfully. "So, how are you now?", he asked.

"Uh.. What are you wearing?!", Mikan asked, looking really curious – totally ignoring the teacher's question.

Narumi is wearing a white shirt tucked in this weird pink pants. He also wore a jacket with a darker shade of pink (but not fuchsia), and this gigantic pink hat with a white ribbon, and lastly, pink chucks. Awfully weird, that is.

"Oh, uh.. This? It's nothing. I just felt like having this outfit during recess.", he explained, smiling.

Mikan burst out laughing (What a late reaction). She couldn't really help it. In fact, she was the only one laughing. Then she said, "R-really? (laughs) Sensei…you look.. (laughs) funny!!! (more laughing)".

"Glad to make you happy, Mikan-chan!", Narumi said. "I guess you're fine now and may be back in classes.", he continued.

"Huh? C-classes?" Mikan asked, a little disappointed.

"Yup! The four of you may go to the classroom now.", Narumi cheerfully said.

"Well.. Okay." Mikan said.

"Hn.", Natsume mumbled as he started to walk out, Ruka followed.

"Arigato Natsume!", Mikan said cheerfully which halted Natsume, as well as Ruka. "Thanks to you, too, Ruka-pyon and Hotaru!", she added.

"Whatever.", Natsume said as he continued walking but thought, 'You're welcome… Mikan.'

"It's okay Mikan-chan." Ruka said, smiling and followed his raven-haired best bud.

"Let's go now, Dummy.", Hotaru said as Mikan walked beside her.

Narumi smirked and followed the four students ahead.

----

Thanks again for reading!

Phew.. I tried hard to make this chapter long and funny..

Is it funny? ) Heehee..

Hope my work improved.

I would like to express my gratitude to:

ladalada

purplish024

chocobangbang and

Sie-sama

Thanks for reviewing!!!