"Hello?" Her voice mumbled. I smiled. It sure is refreshing to talk with her again.

"Hey, it's me." I played with some loose strands of my short brunette hair.

"Oh it's you, baka. What did you call me for?" I chuckled.

"Do you have some free time today?" She didn't answer for a minute.

"I guess I do, if it's you. Where?" Yes! Hmm… where? I haven't thought of that.

"Hey, do you have an idea? I can't decide between Anna's restaurant or bakeshop or pastries, for short café and…" …Hayate's (can't think of any other boy…) place. Fufufufu… I just can't help myself to stop teasing them. Good thing I stopped myself. I'd be dead as soon as she sees me.

"Anna's café is fine. What time?" I looked at my wrist watch again and it read 3:31 pm.

"How about 4pm?" Hotaru murmured something inaudible.

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing. Just make sure you're in time." Oh crap! I almost forgot.

"Hey, Hotaru. I'm a guy right now. Ja ne." I could hear a vein pop on her forehead and her eyes narrowing. I smiled sheepishly.

"Bye, Mikan." She cut off and I knew I was dead. Aah! Why did I forget to tell her? Of all the people her? Oh you really are such an idiot Mikan!!

I sighed as I got up and readied myself to go out. I don't have a problem about fans since we haven't debuted yet. I think we are going to debut two months from now. Oh yeah. That's right.

I looked at myself in the mirror and stared. My hair, which I determinedly left to grow until my waist, was now cut short to a boy cut. I shook my head. This is for the sake of finding my mother, I told myself. I ruffled my hair and went to the door.

I told Ruka, Taiki and Koko that I'm going to see a friend and maybe I'll get home by six. They each said their byes.

I got on a bus and waited until it was right in front of Anna's café. When I got out of the bus my watch read 3:56pm. Good, I thought. I went inside and was greeted by one of my closest friends, Anna. She was wearing a cute maid outfit of baby pink, black and flesh tints.

"G…good morning, sir. What can I do for you?" She stuttered as she bowed a little. Am I that handsome as a guy? Fufufu… let me try.

"Oh, pretty lady," she blushed at my remark. (I made my voice deep.) I laughed to myself. "I think you have mistaken me for who I am." A confused look tainted her pretty features. I smiled. I returned my voice to normal.

"It's me! Mikan! You're so easy to fool, Anna." Her jaw dropped on the floor. I guess it's too shocking for her to find me as a boy.

"You… you are Mikan?! What the…? Oh my… why do you look like a boy?" she scrutinized my face, my arms and body until she was fully convinced that it was me. She sighed and sat down on a seat, a wary look on her face.

"You… You are not a lesbian, right?" she was breathing so deeply that I thought she was having an asthma attack. Oh goodness, what an imagination.

"Anna, you should know me well enough that I won't ever be a lesbian. Anyway, sorry for giving you a heart attack."

"A mere heart attack? You killed me right there, Mikan! Oh my. Hotaru-chan's here. Come here, dear." I stepped forward and she hugged me tight. I smiled before I turned around to see my icy but hot best friend. I wish she won't kill me.

"Mikan." Her voice still in monotone mode, she grabbed her bag, opened it and raised the newest Baka Gun version 1412XX. *crying waterfalls* don't kill me, Hotaru!!

"How dare you not tell me about something this important?" She sighed and put the gun down. "But anyway, you'd be a good money maker in the future so I'll let you off this time." She put it inside her bag again as I prayed a little thank you prayer.

She sat down then gestured me to take a seat too. I obliged and looked at her icy purple eyes. She looked into my eyes too and I knew she was thinking about something really, really serious. I tore my eyes away from hers. She crossed her arms on the table and leaned on it.

"Mikan," I looked up from fidgeting with my shirt. "do you know how much trouble this could cost you? If you get caught, I bet you can't even go out of your house anymore." So she's worried about me? I buried my face into my arms which was also folded on the table.

"Are you listening, my dear Mikan?" I groaned. Not with this tone. I was about to retort when my eyes made contact with hers. Her eyes were soft, a very rare moment.

"Hotaru, I'm doing this to find my mom. So please, understand." Her eyes were back to their cold nature. I guess she was formulating everything, weighing them if the outcome was good for me.

"Do you really need to learn every single thing the hard way?" her voice was even colder this time. Crap. I should make her relax. But how?

"Hotaru, give me a break first. If you are worried about me, then how about you check out my group mates?"

"Does that make a difference? When you get found out, is it going to affect them? Tell me, Mikan." Argh. Just why should my best friend be a genius? Think, Mikan. Think. Oh! That's right.

"Listen, Hotaru. If I get found out by the other members then there is a possibility that they would tell it to the public, right? So how about you check them yourselves if they are or not that kind of people? I think it's worth a try." Please, take it, I prayed. She was thinking about it since she was silent for a few minutes.

"Fine. You have a point. I'm going to go – "wait. I am going to arrange that. Come with me back to the house. You are going to pose as my… uh… sister, cousin or girlfriend? Girlfriend! Yes, and then while you are there you can do anything you want to see if they fit in the categories. Okay?"

Silence… "Taken as a yes."

"Silence doesn't always mean yes, my dear Mikan. It also means loading. Although incredulous, the genius Imai Hotaru just can't take that all in her head. Pretending to be YOUR girlfriend is just unacceptable."

"But it's not! There's no other way, anyway."

"There is. I can act as your sister." I stuck out a tongue.

"No. You are my pretend-to-be girl friend now. So come on! Let's ride the bus back!" I grabbed her wrist as I ran outside to get the bus. I could feel the evil glare she's emitting from behind me. Dx I'm gonna be roasted. .

After ten minutes of riding the bus, we got off with Hotaru's hands in mine to convince them of our little act. I rang the door bell as I glanced at Hotaru who was clearly pissed at me.

"Coming!" I heard Koko shout. Oh no. Why him? I panicked. Maybe when he sees Hotaru, he'll faint, gawk, salivate or something along those lines. The door opened revealing the newly-showered, damp-haired, half naked Koko. I looked to my right and saw Hotaru's left eyebrow twitch dangerously. Crap.

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Author's note!!

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Good day to all of you and belated happy new year!!

Thank you for everyone who reviewed, favorite-ed and added this story to their alerts! Thank you!

Here are the following people I would want to thank for reviewing the last chapter:

shainingu etowa-ru (correct me if im wrong. im not used to your new penname)

moonacre99

arisu09

Sakura Breeze

And also, if you've noticed, I've been putting some smiley's too. It's because I think of this fic as if this was Mikan's diary so… yeah.

forgive me for this late chapter!! anyway, i won't promise when i'd update so, i think it's okay, ja ne!! =)