Thank once again, xXTomokoXx, for giving me "constructive criticism". XD For you information, I did the 27 year old thing on purpose, so maybe the people reading it would notice it and review. Sadly, it didn't exactly work since I still have the same old reviewers. Oh well.

Thanks to Sherea and BlackCat2202 for reviewing too. XD There's also NaruMisaki stuff here, so don't worry. XD

School's a-coming, meaning this fic might end up continuing slowlier than usual. Sorry for those (if any) who actually squeal at my fic and enjoy it!! XD

Chapter 4 - Friends

'The next time this happens, I'm not going to cover up for you...'

Life as a student in the academy really was hard, but becoming a teacher had me thinking. Either way, you were still working for the academy. I guess it was quite harder to be the one giving orders and be given orders at the same time... Then again, being a student you had to forget what freedom and liberty meant. It was hard to enjoy life that way, but still...

I'm responsible for everything I do myself.

After the dinner, the teachers thanked Narumi and gave their early goodbyes to him. Misaki offered to clean up the place and Narumi went to his room to continue packing his things.

I can't believe I'm leaving, and yet I feel like I can just do whatever I want and go.

He let out a long sigh, and held the last object left in the room. It was a picture. A picture of Narumi and the person who changed his life in Alice Academy – Azumi Yuka.

"Naru!" Azumi and Reo came in the hospital room, the former holding a rose and the latter bringing in a notebook.

"Azumi-sempai! Reo!" Narumi tried to sit up in his bed, but was too weak and lied back down instead.

"What happened to you, Naru-sempai?" He put the notebook on a table reachable enough for Narumi.

"Ah, nothing really..."

"Don't lie to me." Reo "accidentally" used his Alice on Narumi as Azumi placed the rose in a vase.

"There was some kind of drug in a drink during a mis-- Hey, how dare you use your Alice on me!" Reo smirked at him.

"But, Naru-sempai, it seems that I forgot my restraining bracelet in the classroom..."

"Oh, but you WILL need to go get it.. before ANYONE finds out you left it..." Narumi used his pheromones on Reo, despite his weak condition.

"Y-yes... Narumi-sempai..." Quickly Reo left the room and did everything he could to get back to the Elementary Division. Narumi's attention switched to Azumi who looked at him worriedly.

"Naru... Are you ok? Do I need to get anything for you?" Azumi held Narumi's hands and blushed at the warmth.

"Well... Not really.. I just.."He found himself muttering worthless words and staring at his sempai. Quickly he tried to think of something, anything to start a nice conversation.

"You shouldn't make yourself so tired and weak like that. Be responsible for yourself."

"Yes, I know, Azumi-sempai... It's just that--"

Before he knew it, a pair of lips met his.

Narumi had been staring at the picture for around five minutes without knowing that Misaki was in his room, waiting for him to make a move.He was in his own world, recalling the most precious moments he had in the academy
Narumi's eyes widened. He felt her lips trembling. His body froze. His heart skipped beats.

His sempai... No... The girl whom Narumi had a crush on...kissed him.

Yet what he wanted the most felt the wrongest. Tears fell on his face. Because of instinct, Narumi pushed Azumi away from him.

"Naru..." She tried to get nearer to him, but was blocked by his hands.

"Sempai! What's the matter with you?" Narumi knew his sempai very well, and he knew she would never do something like this. Then again, this happened sometimes when they were alone. Somehow, Narumi's Pheromone Alice would come in conflict with Azumi's Stealing Alice, making any one of them fall crazily in love with the other.

"Azumi, you have to stop!" Her hands reached for the buttons of his shirt, when suddenly a man clothed in black entered the room.

"Azumi, it's time to go." Persona commanded as Azumi as she finally got control of herself and found her hands on Narumi's chest. She quickly withdrew them and saw the expression on Narumi's face. Shock. Confusion.

"Narumi... I'm sorry..." She followed Persona and hid her face as she left the hospital room.

"Maybe Narumi-sensei is going on a vacation or something." Yuu asked Hotaru as she adjusted the projector so the images would be clearer. Somehow, the sound was distorted and it was understood clearly very seldom.

"Seems like it." Hotaru answered calmly. In Yuu's room, Hotaru, Yuu, Natsume, and Ruka watched what happened to Narumi since the time he had dinner with the teachers. Because of Mikan's endless nagging, they too got curious of why his mood didn't seem to be well that time.

"We'll just have to let Mikan find out." Ruka said.

"I heard she forgot to finish her birthday present to Narumi, so she went to her room to finish it..." Hotaru shook the projector and tried her best for the sound to work.

"That's it... Almost done...!" Mikan tied a ribbon around a small box wrapped with yellow and purple paper. "There! Now all I have to do is run to the teachers' dormitory and... uhh... Run to the teachers' dormitory... " She didn't even think of what she would do. Surely people would be suspicious of why an elementary student would sneak out of their dormitory and go to the teachers' dormitory. Quickly she went to Hotaru's room, opening the door with ease since somehow Hotaru left it open on purpose.

"Good evening, Mikan!!" Amanatsu greeted her.

"Amanatsu! Do you know where Hotaru is?"

"She told me to tell you that she is busy right now. But she left her Swan Scooter here for you to use..."

"Really?? Thanks goodness!"

"With the fee of 50 rabbits..."

"Narumi, you've been staring at that picture for a long time now." Misaki disturbed Narumi's daydream as he placed a wrapped gift box on his bed. Narumi gathered himself and put on his usual smile again.

"Oh, a birthday present? How sweet of you, Misaki!"

"Shut up. And don't open it in front of me." Misaki made his way to the door when suddenly Narumi held his hand.

"Misaki, I never really thanked you sincerely, did I?" The smile disappeared.

"I don't mind."

"And now I'm leaving... I never really got to think of a way to thank you for all you've done."

"Seriously, I don't mind."

"Misaki-sensei... Would you promise me... to take care of Mikan when I leave?" Narumi tightened the grip on his hand.

"When I leave, I'm sure that life will be harder for both me and the students of this academy. I'd like you to try filling up my place."

"...Fine. Just don't get yourself in an Anti-Academy Organization outside. I'll end up being your enemy." Misaki avoided any other conversation and walked towards the door. When he opened it, he saw a student standing in the way.

"Mikan..."

Haha, that was way longer than usual. I felt kinda dizzy, and might've forgotten to put something. Oh well, I'll check it again sometime. XD

After making these chapters, I found out in myself that I was actually a frustrated drama queen. OO Which makes me very surprised. But still, I'm going to spend more time on Chapter 5 since I really want to make it uber dramatic. XD