ENJOY! As I warned you guys in the last chapter, this one is gonna be crap. Sorry.

Chapter Three: One Condition

"Mikan!" Anna exclaimed as she rushed towards the figure standing under the doorway, accompanied by many others.

In a wave of curiosity, the nullifier was hastily swarmed with many questions the instant she barged in. The most common one she kept hearing was, "What happened?"

Mikan pondered this, letting her friends surround her. While thinking, her mind always drifted to one word that, for some reason, could not get out of her system.

'Yes.'

Her daze landed on the boy in the back, who, again, had his eyes on her. 'Behind those enticing marbles of his,' she thought in the midst of the commotion, 'is something he's been holding in for a long time.'

Natsume wondered to himself why Mikan has been absent-mindedly staring at him ever since she arrived. To his amazement, she broke it off first.

"They yelled at me for my bad grades. Again." Mikan confessed as she playfully stuck her tongue out. "Sorry, guys."

A brief silence.

"Seriously?" muttered Sumire.

"Of course, Permy. What else could it be?"

Suddenly, all the tension everyone's been under in lifted and a happier aura fled the classroom.

"Oh, geez. You're so stupid, Mikan."

"You dumbass, don't scare us like that!"

Mikan laughed along with everyone who believed her lie, thankful that she was back to where she felt safe. When the teenagers quieted down, she grabbed this chance to take her seat. She didn't realize how much she needed the support of one until she sat in hers.

She let out a satisfied sigh as she slumped on her desk.

Natsume leaned forward on his elbows and dragged his face closer to Mikan's. "Oi," he murmured in her ear.

Surprised by the ticklish breeze she felt and his unexpectedly close distance, she perked up with a shock and flushed cheeks. "W-what, Natsume!" By now, Ruka and Hotaru were looking at her, too.

He eyed her with no emotion. "Polka Dots. What did they say to you?"

"H-h-how many times did I tell you not to call me that?" She was still pretty astounded by his previous action.

The impatient boy sighed a deep breathe. "Mikan," he hissed softly so only she could hear. "What did they say?"

She froze as he said her name with the utmost concern she ever heard him say. He was never joking around when he didn't call her by a nickname. Stubborn and determined not to get busted by Natsume, Mikan reached into her backpack and began to take out the appropriate books. "Like I said, it was about my grades. My grades, guys, just my grades. Trust me, nothing happened."

The animal lover exhaled a relieved breath, while the other two both refused to believe her. Hotaru took out her baka gun and fired a clean shot at her best friend.

"Idiot," she said to herself, clearly knowing that she was lying.

Mikan patted the space in the middle of her eyebrows. "My God, Hotaru, that thing's gotten powerful." She turned towards Natsume with pleading eyes. "Hey. Hey, Natsume. Is it red?"

Seizing the opportunity, he raised his hand towards her forehead and flicked it. "That's for lying."

She exasperatedly sighed as her headache grew. "But I told you, I wasn't-"

"That's for lying," he insisted. "Look, I'm not going to make you cough it up. Just promise me you won't get yourself hurt, cause I know you probably will."

The brunette didn't move back when he moved closer and closer to her, even when they were just a push away from touching lips. "But…"

"Promise me."

She was now looking at his abysmal orbs. The ones that shone to her rescue whenever she was in a dark, cold world. His gaze was steady as he looked back at her, tempted to attack if she didn't answer in the next three seconds.

"…I promise."

"Don't you dare break it," he said as he got up and walked out of the room.

"Wait, Natsume. Where are you going?"

He smirked one last time at her. "Helping you keep that promise."

He slid the door closed and coldly walked down the corridor with one objective in his mind.

Persona, you bastard. I'm going to kill you.

"Come out," Natsume gritted between his teeth. He jumped down from the sakura tree and landed with a soft thud on the grass.

Persona moved through the bushes and appeared in front of him. "You called?"

"What are you getting Polka Dots into?"

"Polka Dots?"

Shit. "Mikan."

The masked man laughed at the humor Natsume didn't mean to give him. "You mean the Nullification girl?"

Natsume icily stared.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Shut up, bastard. I know you were there when she went to Kuonji's."

Persona tsked under his breath. "My, my. And what makes you think so?"

Natsume scoffed. "It's my instincts."

"Love, is it? How wonderful youth is." He smiled. "But don't worry. Although I am indeed involved, Mikan can take care of herself."

The fire alice user snapped his fingers, and a ball of red blaze dangerously flickered in his palms. "Don't you dare say her name with that filthy mouth of yours," he hissed.

Persona didn't flinch at his threat. "I didn't come here to fight, boy."

"Too bad you're getting one."

"Look," Persona said, already backing away into the shadows. He knew that talking was useless at this point. "It's not my secret to tell. So I'm not the right person to ask."

"Persona! Touch her and you-!"

"Bye," he said as he completely disintegrated. "I'll see you tonight."

The fireball Natsume shot that was supposed to hit the man missed and set a nearby bush afire.

"Shit!" he exclaimed. He pounded his fist on the sakura tree, careful not to use his alice. "Shit…"

Mikan toyed with her pencil while Narumi was giving the class a lecture.

She rested her chin on her hands and turned to her side to look at the empty seat where Natsume was supposed to be at. She wondered where the stray cat could be at right now.

The more she focused, the more she could imagine him sitting next to her at this moment. Posing his usual rebel pose, sleeping.

She traced back to when he made her promise to him not to get herself hurt. She cursed at the thought of him catching up and finding the truth. Natsume always was an expert at sticking his nose in into her business.

Then again, she couldn't say any more about herself.

What if I start missions too? Maybe I'll get to be partnered up with Natsume. Maybe. I can protect him that way, since I have the nullification alice. Persona did say that since it 's my first time doing missions, I get to have a mentor come along with me.

She pictured those nights at the rooftop where she would spot Natsume just coming home, all bruised and scratched up. He would barely make it to his dorm before collapsing out of exhaustion. I hate seeing him alike that. I really, really, really, hate it.

She paused. Maybe I can ask Persona. No, I'll pursuade him. Even if I have no other choice, I'll pursuade him.

Determined, Mikan made up her mind to go directly to the HSP's office after school. She grasped the fact that no matter how much she tried to deny it, she was now part of the DA; whining and crying would do her no good whatsoever. The least she could do was make it more favorable on her part.

Ruka was quietly watching Mikan for a while now, confused on why she looked so deep in thought.

"Mikan?" he whispered. "Mikan?"

She snapped her eyes to him. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay? You look so…serious. It's not like you."

Mikan furrowed her brows together at his comment. "Hey, I can be serious too. And no worries, I'm fine." She smiled.

Ruka opened his mouth to talk, but he was interrupted by Narumi.

"Bunny boy! Face forward," he demanded.

The brunette silently chuckled as the blonde obeyed, but with embarrassment clearly showering his cheeks.

After school, Mikan rushed to the office to confirm with the HSP. She made sure to leave her destination discreet to Hotaru and the others.

She delicately held the handle and swung the door open. To her surprise, she found both Kuonji and Persona waiting for her. She took in a deep breathe and moved ahead, deliberately standing in front of the two men; one was sitting as the other stood as well.

"I'll do it," Mikan declared.

Neither of their expressions change.

"Didn't I tell you this before? You had no other choice, of course you're going to do it," Kuonji said.

"Yes, I know. But this time, I'll do it with the intention of accomplishing of what I've been set to do." 'Like a tool', she thought.

Persona glided away from the HSP and walked slowly but elegantly to her. He clapped mockingly. "And I just thought you came here to beg for your life."

Mikan shook her head. "No."

Delighted by the easy flow of things, he grasped his hands to his chest and faced Kuonji. "Well, as the lady said, she's willing to do it without any complaints. If you will, sir…" he bowed. "We have some preparing to do."

Persona sauntered to the exit. Just before he could grab the handle, Mikan spoke up.

"Wait."

He stops from opening it. "Yes?"

"I have a condition." Both Kuonji ad Persona raised their eyebrows at her. The HSP stood up and places his palms on his desk flatly and softly.

"Sakura-san, I grow tired of this. Conditions or not, you will-"

"Yes!" Mikan interrupted. "Yeah, I know. But I'm just asking for a small favor." She looks towards the man near the exit. "Pair me up with Natsume, please. Please. Please, Persona. It's just this one tiny thing I'm asking for, and I will gladly be the school's weapon."

He inspected her, cautiously taking his time to consider the plead. Then, as if the gears started shifting in his messed-up head, he at last realized why she wanted to be with the Black Cat.

"As you wish, Sakura-san," Persona hissed. "I think it will benefit both of you actually."

The HSP was bewildered by his decision, but still remained his composure. "Persona, what are you doing?"

"Trust me, Principal Kuonji," he said. "It will sail smoothly."

DUN. You know what, I'm too lazy to do that whole DUNx3 or whatever, so I just put up with one. Hope you don't mind(;

Stay smexy!