Hey everybody! I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in about half-a-year, but I've been really busy… I just realized that I used to suck at writing… :/ Wow… xD;;

I just edited all the previous chapters, so please read and review!

Enjoy, ne~e!

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Mikan's POV

You have no idea how embarrassed I am right now.

I just hugged Natsume Hyuuga.

My crush.

The person that will never like me back.

Yet I just engaged in some REAL PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH HIM.

Whoa…

I am just fooling myself… I should really stop.

I'm just leading myself on and on into a dreamy fantasy that I have long given up.

I should just ignore and live. Right?

I walked off the top deck to the lower one. It was still in pandemonium, although some retards have agreed to purchase one of Hotaru's SILENCE-SUITS for 1500 Rabbits each. You know, if peace and quiet was really needed, one could have just taken a free stroll to the top deck, you know? But hey, Hotaru isn't a genius for no reason…

I went to Ruka, who was laying down on one of the tables with a root beer in one of his hand.

"Ruka-kun?"

No answer.

I decided to use one of my special nicknames for him, despite the fact that I have given it up 3 years ago.

"Ruka-pyon?"

He looked up at me with a really wild look in his eyes, and his speech was half-slurred.

"Mi… (hic)… Mikan… chan…"

Holy shit. Was he drunk?

"RUKA NOGI! I LEAVE YOU FOR 30 MINUTES AND YOU GET DRUNK?!"

I was barely noticed in the total pandemonium despite the fact that my voice volume bar was now set on MAX.

The thing with Ruka is, he gets drunk over the most smallest things. Things like root beer, hot chocolate, and marshmallows. I sniffed the cup he was holding. I grimaced. Root beer.

I dragged Ruka up to a straight-up position and made him lean on the wall of the ship. I half-slapped him awake, and then used my handkerchief to wipe off the drool that has accumulated by his mouth due to his doze.

His cold hand kept my hand to his cheek. I was surprised.

I had always thought of Ruka as my brother, as someone I cared about… Outsiders who saw Ruka's and my current position right now would consider us a real, sweet, genuine couple. Students at Gakuen Alice knew most of the details and would know that we're not a real item.

"Ruka…kun?"

His deep blue eyes bored into me.

"Mikan… Why are you dating me?"

I grimaced. I wish he hadn't used the word, "dating".

"Nee, Ruka-pyon, you should get some rest… We're not really dating, you know…"

He pulled me closer to him.

"Um… Ruka?"

"Oh… I see, now… You're dating me, not cause you like me…"

I gulped as I suddenly belt his warm breath on my neck.

"… but because you want to make Natsume jealous?"

My eyes widen.

"Ruka! You can't think that! How can Natsume be jealous if he never liked me?!"

His grasp on my arm turned into a hug.

"Sh… Stop… Natsume's watching… Here's your chance to get back at him."

No.

"Ruka-kun, please… Stop!"

His hand trailed down to my waist, where it fingered the edge of my shirt.

My eyes worried searched the area. Nobody was staring. But I saw Natsume. And he was in a deep talk with Hotaru. His eyes held something very powerful for the black-purple head in front of him. My eyes took in my crush and my best friend, and I reluctantly did something I would have never done. My arms wrapped around Ruka, and I buried my face in his shoulder.

His sudden jerk of movement clearly indicated his surprise.

"Mikan…?!"

"Ruka-kun," I sobbed, "…Gomen nasai!"

He had no idea what was going on, but he tightened his arms around me.

Except this time, it was more gentle. More brotherly. More like the Ruka-pyon I knew.

"Mikan…" he whispered in my ear.

I felt very awkward the way he said my name.

But it's just only me, right?

Natsume's POV

"Oi, Imai."

She looked up.

"Can I have a hug?"

Her eyes widen slightly, but her eyes followed my glance and drank in the scene that was pissing me off.

Mikan. Ruka. Hugging. Close. Intimate. Position.

She leaned towards me and gave me a hug. It was those of a mother's, sister's.

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"No problem… I must admit, Mikan is better at stuff like this than I thought…"

"I swear, if the guy that was hugging Ichigo-kara wasn't my best friend, I'd crush her boyfriend's throat and no one would ever know."

"Nice, Hyuuga… Nice."

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Oh, we're on Chapter 10 already~! Please review! It really means a lot to me~ xD 3