I don't really have anything to say here except sorry for the late update.

Chapter start!

Chapter 4- Decisions.

Mikan POV.

I sighed and let my head drop down onto my knees. Where the hell is he? I clutched my knees tightly to my chest and sighed again. A gentle breeze blew my loose brown hair to the side, sweeping it over my right shoulder.

I leant back against the tree, and wiggled until I found a comfortable position. Translation: I spot where I couldn't feel bark digging into my back through my thin pyjama top.

"Hello Mikan." A smooth voice said from out of the darkening trees.

I twisted round, my eager brown eyes searching for the annoying man who was about to turn my life upside down.

He glided gracefully out of the darkness, his infamous black coat swishing delicately round his ankles.

I so wanted a coat like that.

I stood up, straightening my back and flicking my bangs out of my eyes. "Name the terms." I said in a steely voice.

He smirked. "So eager Mikan. To think…just last night you seemed so against it."

I glared. "Whatever. Lets just cut to the chase. I'm not here to prance round the mulberry bush. I want to know the terms so I can get this over with."

He nodded, seeming unsurprised by my reaction. Just how long has he been analysing me…? I've never shown my 'true self' in this academy…or since I was in infants' school…so how does he know so much about me…? It's kind of creepy.

I was about to say something when he started speaking, and I didn't want to interrupt him in case he didn't start again.

I took and deep breathe and waited patiently to hear him say,

"Have a seat Mikan." He gestured grandly to the soft cool grass below us.

I narrowed my eyes at his antics and grudgingly took a seat.

He sat opposite me, stretching his long legs out in front of him before resuming to speak.

"The benefits of this deal for me, is that I gain another person to do missions for me. The benefits of this deal for you, will be for you to act freely, I presume." He looked at me, urging me to respond.

I shrugged, wanting more information before I gave any definite answers.

"I'm not going to lie to you Mikan. You're a strong girl, so I think you can cope with anything I have to tell you right now. If you agree to start these missions, you have to understand one thing." He paused, allowing me time to absorb this.

I nodded, staring at him with an unwavering gaze.

"You might not like it…but you don't have a choice, if you agree with this deal you have to obey the rules."

"What do I have to understand?" I frowned.

"You have to obey me at all costs."

Silence.

Okay. I don't like the sound of that…in fact, I hate the sound of it…but I didn't see any way round it.

"Okay." I replied slowly. "What kind of things will I have to do on these missions?"

He folded his arms. "That depends on what the mission actually is."

More silence.

"So what are the actual terms of this deal? There must be some sort of catch." I said, studied him carefully, waiting for a sign of a trick or something. Something bad.

He smirked. A mere flash of white teeth but it was definitely a smirk. A rich chuckle emitted from his throat. It wasn't a nice sound. Not like when Natsume chuckles or anything. This sound was dark, and it wreaked danger. He shook his head slightly, starting to smirk again, a smirk that broadcasted a joke but clearly implied that I was not in on it.

"Oh Mikan…what makes you say that with such conviction?"

I raised my chin defiantly. "With every deal, there is always a catch." I stated simply. "I'd rather know it before I agree, rather than find out after I can't get out of it."

He laughed. "The terms of the deals are you must follow my advice and you must attend all your mission briefings."

I raised an eyebrow. "That's it?" I asked, unconvinced.

"Yes. Now for the important question. Are you going to accept the offer?" he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, staring at me expectantly.

I swallowed, thinking.

This is your chance…to prove yourself…to make something of yourself…do it…now…

A little voice was whispering in my head, drowning out all logical thought and urging me to take the offer, accept the deal.

And for now, it seemed like the best decision possible.

I nodded. "Yes, I accept."

He smirked, which sent unpleasant shudders down my spine. "Excellent. Shall we shake on it?" he extended a long arm towards me, his hand cupped ready.

After a moment, I place my hand in his, sealing the deal.

Maybe something good will come from this decision…maybe…

"Its your time Mikan." Persona whispered, before disappearing into the darkness.

"Its my time." I repeated to myself, as I crept back to my dorm room.

*Next day- lunch time*

"See you later Mikan." I heard someone say.

I raised my eyes from my desk and said, "Hmmm? Oh, yes, goodbye Rukka." I smiled weakly at him.

He smiled timidly back, a worry line on his forehead.

"Bye Mikan!" Anna and Nonoko chorused. "Try not to get into any more trouble!"

I smiled and nodded. "Bye."

Hotaru turned and sighed, shaking her head at me. "You idiot. You are the only person that got a detention in the whole class. Only you could accomplish that." She smiles slightly before leaving the room.

I shook my head at her comment. It wasn't my fault that Jinno bored me to death with his stupid math lesson, so I didn't listen. Besides…I had more important things on my mind.

Like these missions…

"Ah Natsume, how nice of you to join us." Jinno snapped sarcastically from the front of the classroom.

My heart jumped slightly at Natsume's name. Jeez, I really need to get a grip.

"Hn." Was Natsume's fantastic reply, "Come on, lets go Rukka."

I kept my gaze fixed firmly on my work, because I didn't know what would happen if I looked at his mesmerising crimson eyes.

"Hyuuga; I want you to stay here and tutor Miss Sakura on her math!" Jinno shouted.

My head shot up, and I saw that Natsume was staring at Jinno, no emotion on his face.

"U-u-uh that r-really won't b-be necessary_" I stuttered like an idiot.

"Fine." Natsume interrupted me –did he even hear me?- in a bored voice.

I gasped. What. The. Hell?

"And while you're at it you can complete the exercise to!" and with that said, Jinno marched out of the room, his feet stomping hard on the floor.

Silence.

"Well this isn't awkward." I muttered. I couldn't deal with this right now. I will not be able to act normal around him knowing that he has been practically killing himself all these years and not caring!

Oh, and the added fact that I have now officially come to terms with loving him, lets not forget that!

I kept my eyes glued to my page as I heard the chair scrape beside me. I could tell when he was sat down beside me because I felt a yearning to lean towards him.

Oh hell.

"So what did we do today?" he asked.

And for some reason I jumped straight onto the nagging side.

"You'd know if you had come to class." I hissed.

He looked at me, and I could tell he was startled. "But I didn't so tell me what we are supposed to be doing."

I turned towards him, momentarily forgetting my earlier awkwardness. "Where were you?" I asked.

He frowned. "No where. Why does it matter?"

"It matters to me okay?" I snapped. Oh my god. What is wrong with me?

He raised his eyebrows before leaning forward, towards me. He was so close I could smell him, that enticing boy smell of his. I found my self leaning forward but I didn't seem to care.

"What's the matter with you?" he murmured. I wanted to look away, but he held my gaze, brown meeting crimson.

God, he was just so close. "Nothing." I murmured back.

He came closer, his nose almost touching mine. "Tell me…" he commanded quietly, his voice a whisper brushing along my jaw, shooting delicious tingles up my neck and down my arms.

I stared at him, unable to do anything. After a moment he sighed and pulled away. I growled low in my throat, frustrated at the loss of his closeness. He raised an eyebrow at me a faint smirk quirking his lips. It was then that I realised what had just happened.

I blushed and looked down, turning away from him. "I'm sorry." I said, not looking at him. "We have to do exercise thirteen B." I pointed to the page in the exercise book.

He scooted his chair closer, scanning the page. I still didn't look at him.

"This is easy." I felt him shoot a sideways glance at me. "You got a detention because you couldn't do this?"

I huffed. "No. I got a detention because I wasn't listening." I corrected him.

He snorted. "What's new?"

I start scribbling idly in my back. I glanced at the exercise. I could do this easy. But because of this damn façade I have I can't just do it. And I especially can't do it with Natsume here!

Ugh.

"You just have to substitute the answer you get from the first equation into the second formula." He told me.

I nodded, and began the exercise. Ten minutes time and I was on question seven. I glanced across at Natsume's book and saw that he was only on question five.

Ha! I couldn't help but feel proud. I did another question and realised that Natsume wasn't moving. I glanced up at him, peering sneakily through y bangs.

Obviously not sneakily enough because he noticed and said, "How?"

I stared at him blankly. "What?"

"How can you answer the questions so quickly? I thought you didn't understand math?" he asked sceptically.

"Uhhh…you're a good teacher?" I meant it to be a statement but it sounded like a question.

"Stop lying." He snapped.

"I'm not!" I yelled. And I wasn't, not really. I mean, yeah, okay, he didn't actually teach me anything just then but he did before. On this other math question that I supposedly 'didn't understand'.

"Why are you lying?" he hissed at me.

I narrowed my eyes, annoyed. "Why are you?"

"I'm not_" he began.

"Stop it!" I yelled. "Just stop it!"

"Polka_"

I interrupted him again. "What is it with you? Do you think I'm weak? Do you think I can't handle it? Well I can!" I was ridiculously close to tears. You'd think, after all these years, that I would be used to keeping in character. But no. Here I was crumbling away in front of Natsume!

Could it get any worse?

"I_" he seemed lost for words. Which was a first.

"You know what? Just forget it. Thank you for helping me today." I got up and flipped my book shut with more force than what was needed.

Jolts of electricity shot up my arm as Natsume grabbed my wrist. I tried to twist away from him but he held me tightly. I concentrated very hard on tucking my chair under the table.

"Oi." He said.

I concentrated on lining my book up in a straight line.

"Mikan, look at me."

I swallowed. I always melted when he said my name. I forced my self to keep my gaze on the table.

"Please." He whispered.

Reluctantly, I raised my eyes to look at him. He stared at me. I stared back.

When the silence grew awkward I snapped with a little too much snark, "Well, are you going to say something?"

"I have a hell of a lot of things I want to say to you. But I think you're too childish to understand." His voice, which sent my heart fluttering, was ice cold.

I reeled back. Ouch. That hurt.

"Thanks a lot." I said simply, void of emotion.

"Oh! I'm sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting anything…" a trembling voice started at the door.

I turned and saw Anna standing there.

Taking a deep breath I said, "Not at all Anna. In fact, we were just finished." I ripped my wrist out of Natsume's and marched towards the door.

I didn't turn back.

I didn't want to see his cold eyes staring at me.

"Me and the girls are going to Town Central tomorrow. Are you coming? I can't wait for tomorrow me and Nonoko and Hotaru were just planning a girl's day out on the weekend and we thought of this would be great…" Anna babbled.

I let her talk about tomorrow.

I tried to listen but my heart wasn't in it.

End chapter!

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