Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. Higuchi Tachibana does!
Hey guys! Sorrryy for not updating in so long! I've been extremely busy with school but now that it's break, I'm going to try to write more. I hope you had a good Christmas and everything! This one is rather long, so happy reading! Like I said, this is kinda like a parallel to the actual story, so there may be some familiar things that they say. Please review it! I love reading reviews and it motivates me to write more! Although this chapter is mostly just fluff doesn't have anything dramatic or interesting, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
Natsume's POV
"Ruka?! Nani shiteru no?!" He kneeled down and nearly choked me when he hugged me. I winced in agony, but he didn't notice. I couldn't help but smile. "Ow, you're hurting me," I said, "It's good to see you too."
"I wanted to come as soon I heard something happened to you. Are you hurt? Where does it hurt? What happened? Who did this to you?" Before he could ask another question, I cut him off.
"Shinpai suruna, you're worrying over nothing," I said, "How did you find out anyways?"
"The birds told me," he said, "I always have my ways of finding out things. Are you really okay though? I've been so worried. And he misses you too." His bunny climbed out from behind his shoulder and jumped onto my lap. "Where did you get hurt? What happened? Tell me everything, beginning to end."
"It's a minor injury," I shrugged impassively, "Nothing to be concerned about."
"What are you saying, you moron?" Mikan said. Ruka looked behind at the door.
"Who is she?" he asked.
"My slave," I smirked.
She furrowed her eyebrows and yelled, "What did you say, you big perverted idiot?!"
"If you want to try to make up what you did to me, you'll be my slave for a week."
She scowled and sulked. "Well my name's Mikan," she extended her hand, "Yoroshiku-ne!"
"Sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to push you aside," Ruka smiled, "Thanks for watching over Natsume. I'm Ruka."
Mikan gasped, "Is that a bunny? I didn't notice that before! Ruka-pyon! Is it okay if I call you that? Ruka-pyon ruka-pyon ruka-pyon!"
"Polka-dots, he hasn't even agreed yet," I smirked. She stuck her tongue out. "There's no need for you to tell him what happened. It's not a big deal, so just keep your mouth shut."
"I'm transferring to Gakuen Alice, so even if you don't tell me now, I'll find out sooner or later."
"What a bother," I sighed in a monotone, reluctantly unbuttoning my shirt with my left arm. Slowly, a very bloody bandage began to reveal itself. Ruka's blue eyes turned dark. He clenched his fists and quietly said, "Who did this to you?"
"Mikan, take me back to your place," I ignored Ruka. She sighed defiantly and knelt down beside me. I hung my left arm around her neck and she helped me stand up.
Mikan's POV
He collapsed on the couch. Natsume must've used the little energy he had left to walk to school to get me and now he's completely drained.
I took out a box of chocolate crackers from the kitchen and joined Ruka who was sitting in front of the tv.
"Arigato, Sakura-san," he said, plopping a cracker into his mouth.
"Call me Mikan," I smiled, "After all, I am calling you Ruka-pyon!"
He laughed, "Alright then, Mikan." Ruka-pyon is so much kinder and nicer than Natsume! How is Ruka-pyon best friends with a perverted demon like Natsume?
"Natsume looked really happy to see you," I said, "And your bunny is so kawaii!"
"Thanks! I guess you could say that I have a special connection with animals," he paushed, "We hardly see each other anymore because of all the dirty work they make us do."
"Dirty work? What are you talking about?"
"Never mind that," Ruka-pyon said, "But you're the first girl that Natsume has ever called on a first name basis. Thank you so much for taking care of him. If you hadn't been there…"
"Eheheh you're giving me too much credit! I really didn't do anything at all. This wouldn't even have happened if it wasn't for me.."
"Natsume's reliving it—he was wounded like this six years ago protecting his sister, Aoi, when he was ten. It's his second time being injured like this and almost getting killed and I can't stand it. It's all their fault, not yours. I swore that I would protect Natsume from any more harm, but it's always him protecting me…" His voice faltered but there was defiance and resentment that didn't seem fit for his azure blue eyes.
"Oh…" I said, "He never told me about his sister. If only he told me sooner, I wouldn't have thought he was such a demon…"
Ruka grinned. "You know, Natsume is the one person you would want on your side. Once he considers someone a friend, he won't ever abandon them and he will willingly sacrifice himself and go through the gates of hell to help them. He may not act like it, but Natsume… he's very selfless and always puts his friends' happiness above his own. That's why as long as he's suffering, I can't be happy. Whatever Natsume goes through, I put myself in his shoes so he doesn't suffer alone."
I didn't realize how much I was smiling until I began to speak. "Ruka-pyon, you really care about Natsume, hm? Even though Natsume always acts really distant and cold, he really is a kind person."He looked absolutely weary on the couch, yet still cautious of his surroundings. Natsume's face is never at ease when he sleeps.
Natsume's POV
"You can't go to school yet!" Mikan protested for the hundredth time.
She was right. There was still an aching, burning sensation below my shoulder, and I still felt drowsy and tired. It was an enormous improvement from yesterday though.
"Whatever, just shut up already," I said, "Ruka's going to school today and I want to go too."
"You don't have to," Ruka said, "Stay here and get some rest." I shook my head.
"Mikan's my slave. She can't tell me what to do, but I can. Carry my backpack and feed me while we walk to school." I smirked.
She groaned and sucked in her cheeks. She muttered something under her breath.
"Fine, but if at any point, you feel even just a little bit uncomfortable, tell me right away and I will bring you home."
The class went silent when we walked in. Why does this happen so much? Then, people began to whisper. People are so annoying.
"Who's that guy next to Natsume? He looks like a foreign prince!"
"And why is Sakura always with him? Could it be true that they're dating?"
"Is that guy a transfer student? He's so kakkoii!"
I rolled my eyes and smirked. I sat down in my seat and pointed at the seat next to me for Ruka to sit down.
"That's my seat!" Mikan bit her lip, "Fine, whatever. Ruka-pyon, you can take my seat for now. I'll just stand here until Jinno-sensei assigns me a new seat."
"Sakura-san, you can have my seat!" one of the guys called out. I tensed and pulled her back before she could move, "No, stay here."
Jinno-sensei pushed in a desk and a chair and moved it to the back of the room, behind Mikan's seat, "Calm down, both of you. There are enough seats for everyone."
"Settle down, class," he said in his booming voice, "We have a new transfer student from America. Please come up and introduce yourself."
Ruka walked up to the front of the room and faced the class. He bowed and spoke in English, "I'm Nogi Ruka. I'm excited to be in Japan, so please treat me well."
Mikan's POV
As expected of Ruka-pyon! The class was stunned to the point of silence at his flawless English. Then, there was an uproar. There were girls calling him ouji-sama and boys complimenting his perfect English. I didn't blame them though. Ruka-pyon did look like a prince with his golden blond hair and his azure blue eyes and his princely aura.
As soon as the lunch bell rung, I ran up to Hotaru to confront her.
"Hotaru, matte kudasai!" She rolled her eyes and glared.
"Are you stupid? Are you gonna talk to me when there's so many people here?" she said in a hushed voice. She motioned for me to follow her.
It was extremely quiet up at the rooftop.
"How did you know?" I whispered. I wanted to be extra cautious now that the headmaster has his suspicions.
She held up a tiny little device.
"Were you watching me the entire time?" I asked dumbfounded, "Was that attached to me?"
Hotaru nodded and said proudly, "I made this gadget myself."
"That's not what I meant. How did you know that… Why did you put that thing on me?"
"I'm part of the JIA too. Except, I was assigned something different from you. Or rather, I didn't want to do what they told me, so I chose to do this instead."
Hotaru… from the JIA? Uso dayou… This has to be a dream.
"Then… how… why didn't I know about this?"
"I guess the sensei chose not to tell you."
"So what are you here to do? Why are there so many JIA agents at this school?"
"I'm here to protect you. It's just me, Hyuuga, Nogi, and you." Her voice was quietly confident.
"Protect me? Is this a joke? Why didn't Narumi-sensei tell me?"
"They are searching for you. You are under a lot of danger, so they assigned me here to make sure you don't get killed."
No… there has to be more to it than that. There's something Hotaru isn't telling me.
I decided not to push her buttons any further. "I see… if that's what you insist. Thanks for helping Natsume out. I'm guessing you knew who I was since the day I joined Gakuen Alice."
She nodded her head. "If that's all you wanted to find out, then I'll excuse myself." She tossed her hand in the air and the door shut behind her. I felt strangely connected to her somehow and I knew there was something she wasn't telling me.
After school, Natsume, Ruka-pyon, and I walked home while I explained who Hotaru was.
"So what else did that damned Naru keep from us?" he muttered. They both stayed at my apartment room again.
"Being at school is really exhausting," he sighed, stroking his bunny, "I'm going to go take a shower."
"Hey polka dots, I'm thirsty. Get me some juice."
"You're so needy," I said, "And stop calling me that, baka!" I filled a mug with some juice and handed it to him.
"Do you think I can drink this by myself? My arms hurt." He smirked delightfully.
I bit my lip and shoved the mug in front of his mouth.
"Here," I grinned devilishly, tipping the mug more than halfway so that some juice poured down all over his shirt.
"Baka! Watch what you're doing!" He yelled.
"Okay, sorry, that was a little bit mean," I sheepishly apologized, "But that's what you get for being a pervert!"
Natsume's POV
As she tried to wipe the juice off of my shirt, I noticed how close her face was to mine.
"Oi, polka dots," I said in my usual impassive manner.
She looked up and before she could say anything, I pressed my lips onto her.
There was the squeak of the bathroom door and Ruka came out.
He dropped his towel on the ground, "N-Natsume?!" Mikan fumbled up and waved her hands wildly. Heh.
"I-It's not what you think, Ruka-pyon!"
"You're such a lousy kisser," I smirked. Mikan stomped her foot indignantly.
"Ruka-pyon that's not it! It wasn't a kiss! I-It was just the teeth! I… N-Natsume always does this!"
Ruka raised an eyebrow.
"Wait, not in that way! He doesn't always do this, or well he does! But not in the way you think! He's always such a pervert and trying to make it seem like—"
"Oh relax, who would want to kiss a droopy-eyed ugly girl like you?"
"What did you just say, you perverted even uglier moron!" She frantically yelled, "Whatever! Ruka-pyon, don't listen to that big pervert!"
After dinner, we went back to my apartment.
"Ne, Natsume, about Mikan…" he started, "She's a very kawaii girl, isn't she?"
"What bullshit are you talking about?" What the hell is wrong with Ruka? What makes him think I would like a moron like her?
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ruka hold back a laugh. "Fine, whatever you say. But I… I think I like Mikan too." My ears perked.
"You have a terrible taste in girls," I sighed, "Do what you want."
"So do you," he replied.
Ruka was exhausted. He dove into a bundle of blankets on the floor and drifted asleep. I quietly went over to Mikan's place. I tapped on her door a couple of times before she opened it. I barged in and headed to the sofa.
"What are you doing here?" she demanded.
"Is that anyway to talk to your master?" I smirked.
"Well, what do you want?" Her arms were crossed. I stood up and slowly walked towards her. Unlike normal people, she didn't move back. She was stubborn and stayed right where she was.
"You said it wasn't a real kiss, so…" I grabbed her collar and pulled her in. I saw her eyes widen and quiver before our lips touched. I didn't want to fully commit her into it, so it was just a gentle brush against her lips. Her lips were soft and warm and her breath smelled of strawberries and sugar.
Mikan's POV
Natsume…?! What the hell are you doing?!
I stepped backward and pushed his shoulders. He flinched and squinted his eyes. I may have pushed him too hard…
"What the hell was that?" I hissed, "You… you.. moron hentai! First you saw my underwear and then you t-touched my c-c-chest and then you stole my first and second kiss! You big baka! N-N-Now I can't get married!"
"That was your first kiss? Heh, no wonder you are such a bad kisser. What's with people making such a big fuss over kissing anyways… there's nothing special about." He got up and walked out. "Ouyasumi," he said casually, closing the door behind him.
I sat down against the wall and touched my lips. My first kiss was taken by Natsume… that hentai devil. And Ruka-pyon saw it too and misunderstood… How can I possibly face them now?
My solution: I left extra early for school so I wouldn't have to face them. Ruka-pyon can help Natsume get to school. I don't need to be there.
When they entered the classroom, I slumped down in my seat and stared at the ground to avoid their gaze. They didn't say anything either… thank god.
"Ruka Nogi, Natsume Hyuuga, and Mikan Sakura, you have clean up duty today," Jinno-sensei announced. Crap… why today of all days? Why did sensei have to pick us three? I can't face them!
I ran to get the clean up supplies. I gave the brooms to Natsume and Ruka-pyon and took some cloths for myself. It was a very awkward exchange. None of us talked when we did our clean up duty. Natsume and Ruka-pyon were on opposite sides of the room sweeping the floor. I was in the middle cleaning the desks. I could feel a strange tension between us. Why aren't Ruka-pyon and Natsume talking?
"I'm going to go take out the trash first," Ruka-pyon quickly said, and he darted off.
Natsume moved close to me and asked, "How much more childish can you get?"
"What do you mean?" I replied hastily and defensively.
"Ichigo-kara," he smirked. My nostrils flared.
"You looked again! You big pervert!" I instinctively pulled my skirt down. "You're really just a big pervert, aren't you?! I am going to strangle you!"
Natsume leaned in closer and said quietly, "Good, you can finally talk again. Don't also just ignore Ruka, ba—ka." He blew in my air which startled me and caused me to shiver.
"W-What are you—" The door opened and Ruka-pyon was back.
I stopped midway in my sentence and by then, we were all looking at each other with a haze of suspicion.
Suddenly, Natsume and Ruka-pyon started to laugh. The barrier had broken down between them. Yogata… I was starting to get worried there.
"Like I said before, you have awful taste," Natsume said, stifling his laughter. It was like I wasn't even there anymore; the two of them somehow mended the awkward rift.
"Awful taste in what?" I asked cluelessly. Ruka-pyon started to laugh even more.
"Whatever, let's just get this done," I sighed.
It had become a nightly routine—Natsume and Ruka-pyon always stayed at my place after school until after dinner, and then they would leave.
Ruka-pyon asked, "Oh yeah, Mikan, have you heard? We are infiltrating the headmaster's mansion over winter break."
"We are? Who said? Natsume isn't going to go, right?"
"Ba—ka, why wouldn't I go?" Natsume butted in.
"Oh, why wouldn't you go?" I retorted with extreme sarcasm, "First, do you think you are in any state to stress out your body? Second, your arm is getting better, so just let it heal. Third, Ruka-pyon and I can handle it just fine."
"You want me to sit back and watch?" he smirked, "You've got to be kidding me."
"You would just be in the way," I said.
"In the way?" he scoffed, "Are you an idiot? You are far more likely to be a hindrance even if my legs were broken."
"Natsume you big moron! Who the heck do you think you are, you little—"
"Mikan, Natsume doesn't really have a choice. Unless his legs are actually broken and he is in bed sick with some type of serious disease, they don't care. They just want to get the job done and that's what we're here for." His voice was grim, but he said it like a matter of fact.
Then, Ruka-pyon whispered quietly to me,"But don't worry, we are definitely going to protect Natsume, so he won't suffer anymore."
"Wai wai! Two more days until Christmas! One more day until the Christmas break!" I chirped.
"Urusai, you're really annoying," Natsume said. I stuck my tongue out.
"Ruka-pyon, we are going to go to Central Town tomorrow for Christmas shopping! Yatta I'm so excited! I finally get to celebrate Christmas!"
School passed by quickly. Ever since Natsume and Ruka-pyon arrived, school has been a lot more fun. I didn't have to go out of my way to avoid people anymore. Sometimes, Natsume and Ruka-pyon would skip class, but they'd always be back during lunchtime. Occasionally, I'd catch Natsume staring out the window with a vacant, pained look in his eyes… his red eyes that seemed to always radiate with confidence and mystery. PE comes a little bit after lunch, but they usually skip that too.
After school, I went to my locker to bring my PE sweats home. When I opened my locker, a note fell out that read: Be careful.