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BOOOOM!!!

Flashback

Hotaru's POV

Jinno-sensei was writing something on the board about formulas and theories, when something caught my eye. I looked at my left and saw Natsume was busy fiddling with something. I focused my gaze at the object of his attention. To my shock, I saw Natsume playing with Mikan's hair! 'That pervert is touching Mikan!' I almost blurted out loud. He doesn't deserve to touch her or any part of her like that, and the Baka was oblivious to what he's doing to her. I gritted my teeth. Not that I hate Natsume or anything, I just don't want to let Mikan get the wrong idea about the affectionate gesture he was giving her, and Mikan getting hurt and insulted in the process.

I was about to pull out my Baka Gun and thought of shooting Natsume on the head when I saw Mikan turn around. 'Uh-oh, guess I'm too late'. I suppose I got to ready myself for her shriek and the start of another annoying fight between Mikan and Natsume. Jinno's not gonna like it when they interrupt his lesson. 'She's going to get more detention, that Baka' I sighed.

Surprisingly, I didn't hear anything from her. I looked back at the both of them and saw Mikan smiling and easing back on her chair, giving Natsume more access to her hair. 'Now that's something new' I thought. I never imagined anything like that could happen. Well, I thought it could happen, but not for a couple more years considering those two were the densest when it comes to their feelings for each other. Oh well, I might as well get my share of this moment.

With that, Hotaru got out her camera and stole a shot at what was happening in front of her. After, a few seconds, her camera spat out the developed picture of Natsume and Mikan.

I looked at the picture. It wasn't like most of the pictures I've taken of them. Something's different. Hmmmm…. This wouldn't do. I'm not gonna earn a lot of rabbits with this picture. Who would want a picture of their crush showing affection to some other girlanyway? She asked herself. Besides, this is gonna cause Mikan a lot of trouble from the Natsume-Ruka Fan Club and it would really be a bother having her come to me for help. I've got better things to do than waste my time saving her from those idiotic girls.

Now, don't get our ever so icy Hotaru wrong. She wasn't just about to go softy and sing in the sunshine and all. She was still the same stoic and cold-looking girl from before. She just thought that it would be a hassle to push it. Although, she has to admit that she has been a little bit more protective of Mikan these last few years especially with the increasing number of Mikan's admirers. Yes, she really did care about the silly and childish Mikan.

After deciding that a few more shots and pictures of Mikan and Natsume in that scene wouldn't earn her anything, she stuffed the picture she had previously taken into her jacket pocket.

The class was waiting for their next teacher to arrive for the next subject, and Hotaru was thinking of new ways to gain profit and blackmail Ruka to help her with her schemes when they heard a loud "BOOOM!"

Natsume's POV

'What the hell was that?!' Natsume thought. He sharpened his senses to hear and feel what the probable cause of the loud sound was. 'Maybe it was just one of the accidents in the laboratory those Chemistry alices got themselves into' he hoped.

Just then, loud screams were heard and after a few seconds the glass windows of their classroom exploded. Students of Class B were showered with fragments of glass that shimmered in the sunlight as they covered their bodies with their arms and cowered for cover under their desks for protection. Something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong. Who would have the guts to disturb the tranquility of Alice Academy? the AAO...

Screams of students were heard, then shouts of angry men, and the sound of breaking glass and breaking doors. They're already here. they're already inside the academy, Natsume thought.

'No. Not today. Not this time when I feel so at peace' Natsume told himself. 'Is it my curse that I may not have a day in tranquility?'. Reluctantly, I stood up. Glancing at the rest of the class and finding out that I was the first to recover from the shock of the explosion. I looked down and saw the strands of hair that I still clutched in my hand that belonged to the girl that sat infront of me. Regretfully, I let her hair go.

I have to go and defend the Academy, defend and protect my friends.

I was about to walk towards the door when I heard her speak. "Where are you going Natsume?". I turned around to face her when I saw the worried expression of her face and the fear in her eyes. "Nowhere that concerns you Polka dots, stay here and don't go outside"

I glanced at Ruka and Imai and silently told them that I leave her protection in their hands. Thankfully, both of them nodded to my unspoken request.

I started to head for the door and leave when I saw Yuu Tobita stand up. He's gonna take care of them, I convinced myself. I ran as fast as I can outside the Middle School building to the origins of the explosion.

Normal POV

As soon as the ringing in Yuu Tobita's ears was gone, he quickly stood up and walked to the front of the classroom. As he did so, he saw Natsume walk out of the room. He knew of the responsibility that Natsume has for protecting the academy and how much that responsibility weighs on his shoulders. He let him go without any word; it was the job that was entrusted by the academy to Natsume. As it was his job to take care of Class B in the absence of a teacher.

Yuu was and always has, been the class president of Class B. They trusted him, and the teachers trusted him. Yuu had always handled his responsibility well for the past years. He raised his voice to speak to the class "Everyone please stay calm! Go back to your seats and we will wait here inside the classroom until a teacher instructs us on what to do regarding this situation!" Every student who heard him felt the seriousness in his voice when he spoke those words. They went back to their seats silently murmuring to themselves at what had probably happened inside the academy.

Yuu was thankful that the class did as what he requested or rather ordered them to do. They were not the class that was notorious around the academy any more for lack of their control and unruly ways. They became a tight-knit group of friends who trusted and helped each other through the years. They were a family, not just an ordinary class of students. Now, that one of the most trusted people of the class was ordering them to sit and stay quiet, then they were going to do just that.

Don't get the wrong idea here. Class B was not a bunch of push-over cry babies and just did everything that they were told to do. Their rebellious ways and stubbornness from when they were young was now directed at the ideals that a certain brunette with brown eyes instilled upon them years ago. That what all they have in this academy is each other and to respect and treasure those that are most important to you and that was what could help them to go forward in their lives inside the academy. In short, they still fought against their superiors but, it was for upholding their ideals. Talking about steering into the right path….

Just as Yuu was walking back towards his seat, Narumi burst inside the classroom through the doors. Everyone fixed their eyes on the usually jolly teacher whose face was now laden with seriousness and alarm. "Class! Please pay close attention to what I am about to say. The Anti Alice Organization has just broken through the gates of the Academy. You are not safe to stay in your rooms any longer . We have been advised from the Administrators of the Academy to bring you to a safe hiding place within the Northern Forest that was previously prepared in cases such as these. We hope that everyone would cooperate with these emergency measures for the sake of your own safety." Narumi said out loud.

"Tobita-san, please help in guiding your classmates and friends outside the building and make your way to the specified hiding place in the Northern Forest. I hope as being the class representative that you were briefed previously as to the location of this place?" Narumi asked.

"Yes, I am very aware of its location. There would be no problem reaching it as we were also shown a safe route leading to the site." Yuu answered. "Ok class, you heard Narumi-sensei. We are getting out of here. Bring only things that you need and wouldn't impair you of a hasty run incase we are found out while on our way to the hiding spot. Now start to file outside in alphabetical order so that we could easily find out who gets lost or separated along the way." Yuu said to the class with such an air of command that the other students didn't have the time to complain or think twice.

"Kitsuneme, you are to stay with me at the head of the group and use your alice to fly a little ahead of us to see if there are any ambush waiting on our way, but do not fly higher than the trees so not to expose yourself and our location."

Yuu then turned to his right to look Koko in the eyes and said, "Koko, you and Mochu stay at the end of the group so you could use your alice to scan our trail and find out if anyone is following us by using your mind-reading alice. Mochu, if ever Koko picks up a threat, I request that you use your alice to pick-up or levitate those students that could not catch up to the rest of the group in case we need to run for it."

"Koko, give us a signal when you pick-up a slightest threat."

"Understood everyone?"

"Yes, sir!" they answered in chorus.

"Alright guys lets go!" Yuu commanded. By pairs, the class was orderly filing out of the room.

Narumi-sensei made his way beside the class president. "Very well done Tobita-san" was all Narumi can say with his utmost admiration for the handsome blond.

" I do what I have to do Narumi-sensei, besides, it is for the safety of my dear friends we are talking about." " Although, the heaviest of responsibilities in this class lies within not in my hands but in the hands of the one we all trust our lives with…. Natsume." Yuu murmured.

Narumi heard what Yuu Tobita had just said and scanned the room for the raven-haired boy. 'He's already gone.' he whispered to himself.

Just then, he realized something. Like something so inexplicably wrong had just happened and his heart beat faster and sweat trickled down his temples. "Where's Mikan?!"