Central Town...

"Hey Kyo! Look! Matching dress and Tux! KAWAII!"Haruhi exclaimed

"Okay...okay Suzumiya, are you going to buy it?"Kyo asked

"Hmmm...lets look for other stores"Haruhi dragged Kyo's arm again, pulling Kyo with her

Meanwhile, Nekozawa hid himself inside a purple tent, with the sign "fortune-teller Otonashi"

(panting)"Finally, those girls were out of my sight...wow! This is!"Nekozawa took a weird figure from the small round table

"What can I do for you sir?"Otonashi asked

"I was just-"

"Wait! Don't tell me! You...were...here...to hide yourself...am I right?"Otonashi predicted while touching her forehead

"That's right!"Nekozawa was surprised

"What is you name?"

"Otonashi and you are...Umehito Nekozawa right?"

"YES!"Nekozawa was even more amazed 'Wow, she's so cool'

"You like that figure...You see, that CAT figure came from the egyptian ruins. Its a priceless artifact"Otonashi explained

"Oh, I see..."Nekozawa puts down the figure then walks out with despair but

"Wait, Mr. Nekozawa"

Then Nekozawa quickly returns inside the tent

"In one condition, you can have this priceless artifact IF you go out with me, tonight. Is that okay?"Otonashi asked

"YES! IT'S A DEAL!"Nekozawa blushed, and so is Otonashi. It seems that these two INDIVIDUALS finally found their match

"Yuu, lets go over there by the flower shop"Sumire asked while holding Yuu's hand

"Sure"Yuu happily escorted Sumire to the flower shop

Meanwhile, back to the "secret" base

"I think they got away"Ruka said

"Good...Why can't those girls understand that I don't have interest in any of them.They're just hurting themselves"Natsume said

"Maybe, it doesn't matter to them if they were hurt, as long as they got your attention"Ruka joked

"What a bunch of loons"Natsume sweatdropped

"Whatever you say...OH! Look at the time, it's already 5:01 pm"Ruka said

"We should head back to the dormitories"Ruka said

"I know"Natsume said

"So, who are you asking to the ball Natsume?"Ruka asked

"No one"Natsume said straightforwardly 'Maybe Mikan, if she wants' Then the two of them went out of their base and patted themselves from the dust

"What about you, who are you going to ask?"Natsume asked

"What if...hmmmm...Okay, Natsume, lets have a game"Ruka said

"Game?"Natsume said

"Yeah, a game to get Mikan's hand. Whoever goes to Mikan and ask her first, is the winner and the loser will have to treat the winner the next day, DEAL?"Ruka asked

"DEAL!"then the two them shake hands to start the game'I'm going to ask Mikan first, just you wait' the two thought

Back to Mikan's dorm...

Mikan is ready for the Masquerade ball. She wores a lilac silk chiffon asymetrical gown with rhinestone detail and gray wedges on her feet. Her hair was tied in a half pony and permed at the ends of her hair. If everybody sees her, they might thought of her as a grecian goddess.

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

"Who is it?"Mikan permed her hair a little more and she puts pearl earrings on her ears then a pearl necklace and golden bangles on her wrists

"IT'S US!"

"OKAY! I'M COMING!"Mikan then took her small bag and opens the door

"WOW!Mikan, you look, absolutely stunning!"Nonoko said

"Yeah! A goddess to be specific"Anna crossed her arms

"You guys, heck, all of us look great!"Mikan smiled

"All right!"everybody said but

"Wait, where's Hotaru?"Mikan asked

"Oh, we haven't seen her"Anna said

"Hmm... I guess she's still in her room. Lets go visit her!"Mikan declared

Then all of them went straight to Hotaru's room, which is only another level up

Meanwhile, in Natsume's room

Natsume just fixing his black necktie, instead of tying it into a ribbon, he just tied it loosely, as usual. He wores a black suit, an navy blue long-sleeved polo and slacks.

"Tch, another masquerade ball"he said to himself

Then, he remembers the school festival's last dance, the halloween ball, the christmas party. The events that happened years ago, giving Natsume a nostalgic feeling

'Just like any event, I can't seem to tell her...about the way that I feel. But, what about my friendship with Ruka...Even though it doesn't seem obvious, I know for the fact, that Ruka loves her too. In all these years of pain, Ruka is always there, right next to me, what should I do, Kamisama? I love her too, but, I want Ruka for once, to concern for his own happiness. And maybe, this is the only way, for Mikan to stay away from danger'

After Natsume fixed himself, he looked at his childhood photos. Then, he saw a picture of him, Mikan and Ruka.

'Maybe, I should forfeit the game' Natsume then took the cherry-blossom corsage with him and he walks out of his dorm

In Ruka's room

Ruka is done fixing himself. He wores a black suit, white-long sleaved polo and slacks. He then took a rose corsage with baby's breath and was about to walk outside, but then, he took a long look on the mirror

'This is it...I won't hesitate to make a move. I love Mikan, she changed my life a lot. But then again, I'm not the only one, it's the same for Natsume as well. Natsume is always been in pain. Since he was a child, I was always there to comfort him. Why does he have to suffer all of that? When Mikan entered into our lives, he slowly changes. His heart of ice, suddenly melts because of Mikan's warm smiles. Maybe, Mikan is the only solution to end all Natsume's misery. I think, Natsume deserves her more than I am'

Ruka then walks outside and was going to the direction where Natsume is waiting

'Maybe, I should let Mikan's heart decide ' Ruka thought

5:45 pm...15 minutes before the masquerade ball

At the main hall

The host club is already in their formal attire for the masquerade ball, but looks like one of them has a problem

"Haruhi, are you done changing?"Tamaki asked

"NO!"Haruhi exclaimed

"Okay then, take your time quickly"Tamaki said

'Quickly' Kyouya sweatdropped

"No, as in, I'm not going out!"Haruhi said

"But, why? That dress is perfect for you"Tamaki asked

"Because, she can't see me wearing this"Haruhi then walked outside fom the changing rooms

"I thought you're not coming out of the changing room Haruhi?"Kyouya asked

"I was just making a point here"Haruhi said

"Wow...Mom was right! That pink asymetrical dress is perfect"Kaouru said

"So...kawaii"Hikaru and Tamaki said,blushing madly

"I know, you're tying to hide your identity, but people won't recognize you, with this wig"Tamaki quickly put on Haruhi's head the permed wig

"That's right Haru-chan! Just be a girl for one special night? PLEASE?!"Hunny finally releases his puppy dog pout to Haruhi, which Haruhi can't seem to resist

"Okay..OKAY! Hunny-sempai please stop! You're making me feel guilty"Haruhi said

"HOORAY!"Hunny said

"Yippee...yippee...yippee"Mori said in monotone

"And don't worry about the damsel in distress, I'm going to take over for you and all you need to do now Haruhi is to make the guy of her dreams express his feelings, you know, what you did to Kanako's fiance"Tamaki said

"Okay, but this doesn't invovle any fake mushy love letters right?"Haruhi pointed out

"NOPE, NO FAKE MUSHY LOVE LETTERS"the host club crossed their hearts

"Ugh...Why do I have to be so nice...Let's go you guys!"Haruhi said

"I just can't get enought of Haruhi's cuteness and down-to-earth personality"Tamaki said with a sheepy smile

"Yeah..."the others said, except for Kyouya and Mori