"Hello everybody!" Mikan entered the classroom of Elementary Class B like she normally does. Well, before what happened to Natsume, that is.

Everybody stared at the bubbly, energetic girl who just entered the classroom. It had been a long while since they have seen Mikan's face lit like this and greeting her classmates.

"Finally, you woke up." Hotaru called to her just as she was placing her bag on her chair.

"Huh? Of course, I did. Why shouldn't I?" asked the confused lass.

Baka, Hotaru muttered in her breath.

"Hey Mikan! It's great to see you're back to your old self again." Yuu greeted her as he slowly advanced to greet his good friend.

"But as idiot as ever." Sumire answered. "Hey there! Don't think you're the only one who's miserable about what happened. As the president of Natsume's fun club, I have to deal with a lot of changes in our policies also. Now we have a hard time looking for Natsume's replacement."

"Is that the only thing you can think of after Natsume's loss? A new replacement?!" Mikan replied with disgust.

"Of course. I can do nothing if Natsume has to leave us anyway. Don't talk to me as if you're any different. By tomorrow, you might also be hooking yourself with another guy. And…"

"Hey Sumire, stop it. Is that your way of telling Mikan welcome back? We have to show her that we're very happy that she's finally back to her old self." Ruka's voice interrupted the non-stop mouth of the ever-annoying Sumire.

"Yeah Sumire. You're just trying to point the blame on Mikan because a lot of your members decided to get out of your club which left you with fewer funds now." Another voice added to the conversation.

"Funny Koko. I know you can read my mind but sometimes, try to get in a little deeper, ok? Of the million reasons I have for missing Natsume, why do you have to pick that one?" Sumire answered back.

"Thanks, Ruka, Yuu, Koko. It's really okay. I'm used to Sumire's comments anyway." Mikan said, trying to interrupt the beginning of another argument. "But about my attitude these past few weeks, I just want to say I'm really sorry for being so selfish. I know I'm not the only one who misses Natsume. So obviously, I should have not overreacted about it. .I finally decided to stop being lonely because Natsume will be back anyway. And when he arrives, he'll see me as the Mikan that he used to know." Mikan finished with a smile.

Her classmates looked at each other. Obviously, they are thinking the same thing. Mikan is still in the denial stage. Or, if not, she's just too stupid to know that dead people no longer come back.

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It was breaktime. Ruka decided to walk around the campus because he has nothing to do. Someone called his name so he turned around and came face to face with the raven-haired genius of Class B, Hotaru Imai.

"Yes, Hotaru?" he asked. Oh, I hope she won't ask my payment now for sleeping with Mikan.

"I just thought of a way on how we can both free ourselves with payment, practically, you I mean."

Ruka let out a sigh. Whew! I thought I have to think of another way to escape my dues. "That would be great. But I hope that doesn't mean I have to pose naked in front of your camera? I'd rather pay than let you see or anyone, for that matter, my…"

"I'm not interested in your body, Ruka," came the blunt reply of Mikan's best friend.

"Oh!" Ruka exclaimed. Geez, this girl is so difficult to decipher. "So what would be that something very important which could be an exchange for my favor to you?"

Hotaru advanced her steps to Ruka. Frowning, Ruka backed away a little, thinking that this girl may be up to something again.

"Let her fall in love again, Ruka."

Those words hit Ruka like a stab in his heart. He remained silent for awhile. Now, he's starting to understand what Hotaru is trying to talk about.

"I know you like her. Both of you felt the same intensity everytime she's around. But then, she can only love one. And she chose Natsume. And because Natsume's your best friend, you half-heartedly convinced yourself that they belong to each other. But now, Natsume's gone and he left you to take care of her. I believe you understand what I mean Ruka."

Ruka's thoughts became bewildered. He knows in his heart that Hotaru's right. But is he really ready to pick up what his best friend left behind? It's not easy to compete with somebody's love especially if your rival is not only your best friend, but also…dead. How can he try to persuade someone to love him when he knows that, in one way or another, the other is still not losing hope that this guy would eventually come back one day?

His thoughts were interrupted when Hotaru started to speak again.

"I know it's hard Ruka. It's not easy to compete with a dead rival. But do you want to see her continue her wild thoughts of Natsume coming back? Her IQ is not that high, you know? She has a mind and a heart of an infant."

"I don't know Imai. Mikan loved Natsume so much. I don't know if I can replace that special part of her heart that she reserved for Natsume." Ruka answered back.

"You'll never know unless you try, right? So, what do you have to lose? Oh right, you'll lose a hundred rabbits, maybe even thousands, if you decide to let this opportunity pass. I could always sell your pictures and get paid for sleeping with Mikan." Hotaru made it sound as if she was threatening him but looked as composed as ever.

"Hey! That's total blackmail! It's like betting for Mikan to fall for me or not. If she knows about this, it would totally crash her." Ruka complained.

"You know it's not blackmail Ruka. Even if I won't give you such incentives, you would still do it. Might as well take the offer or I might change my mind. Besides, we're talking about Mikan here. Even if an earthquake would happen now, she won't even notice it."

Ruka decided that indeed, this genius is making sense. As much as he wants to argue, his heart is beating faster now, telling him that it's okay. Not only would he get a chance to get closer with Mikan again, but he will be free from his debts!

"Why are you doing this, Hotaru?" Ruka wondered and direct such question to his companion.

"I don't like to see her like that, crushed up and all. I've known her since we were young and she had always been an optimistic child with a smile always plastered on her innocent face. I want to see that face again. I know that though she tries to hide it, her smile just doesn't reach her eyes. And for that, I think I need to act and do something to see that genuine smile again." Hotaru explained thoroughly, giving Ruka the idea that indeed, Hotaru cares so much for Mikan.

"Okay. Thanks Hotaru. You are really a great friend though you are not apparent with it. I'll try my best." Ruka extended his arm to Hotaru.

Hotaru gave him a look that says you're-so-weird, but took it anyway. "You really should. Guess I'll see you then."

"Yeah. And by the way, thank you…for trusting her to me." The last words were merely a whisper which Hotaru obviously did not hear anymore.

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Leaning against the Sakura tree, a pigtailed young lady is seen in deep thought. Although most of her friends would probably assume that nothing complicated could really get inside that mind of hers, yet these are times that one could not help but just feel sorry for the little lass.

"Mikan…"

Mikan turned around and stared at a tall figure in front of her, blocking the light that is supposed to reach her. Her heart started beating faster.

"Natsume?" She almost choked with the word that came out from her mouth. She tried to rub her eyes to get a better view. When she did, an obvious drop in her expression told the visitor that he was not the person she was expecting.

"I'm sorry, Mikan. I thought you could use some company."

Mikan turned her eyes again to the guy who just arrived.

"It's okay, Ruka. I guess I do need someone to talk to right now." Mikan attempted a smile but Ruka noticed that she's only forcing it.

"What are you thinking right now?" Ruka asked the safest question he could think of as he tried to sit beside Mikan.

"This tree had become a very special place for me and Natsume. I was just thinking of him again."

Both fell silent for awhile. Each having deep thoughts of their own. But Ruka interrupted the silence…

"Hey, I know! Let's play a game of 'Let's pretend!'" Ruka exclaimed.

Mikan looked at him as if he was an alien or something. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Ruka grinned sheepishly. Sometimes, he really finds it hard to explain simple stuff to Mikan because he cannot understand what's going on inside her head.

"Okay. Since you miss Natsume so much, how about I will act as Natsume and we will be an item? It's like that stuff about mind over matter. You don't really need to see him physically, right? All you need is to feel him with you. In that way, you won't miss him so much. Let's just try it for a couple of days. If it won't work, then we can always try another strategy, right?" Ruka said, half hoping she would say yes.

Mikan thought for it awhile. It's not simple to pretend Ruka is Natsume. But given the fact that Ruka is Natsume's best friend, she knows Ruka is the closest she can associate with her boyfriend. Still, the idea seems to trouble her. What if…

"Umm Mikan…we don't have to do stuff that you and Natsume do privately. I mean, you know, like kissing or anything like that."

Mikan turned red. Even without the mind-reading alice, Ruka just seems to know what she's thinking. Ruka's right. She has nothing to lose anyway.

"Okay Ruka. But I do not guarantee you that it will be effective. I hope you won't feel as if I'm just using you or what." Mikan said slowly.

"Hey, don't think like that. I was the one who offered the idea in the first place. And besides, you and Natsume are my closest friends. I want to offer anything just to be of help."

"Thanks Ruka." She gave him a tight embrace which startled the blue-eyed blonde. After realizing what just transpired, he returned the tight hug.

Oh Mikan…if only you could also reserve a special place for me in your heart. Even just a little space will do. Ruka thought as he continue to embrace her.

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And the game started. Everybody was surprised for awhile to see the new couple holding hands but when they heard about the real reason behind, they started to agree that it would be best for Mikan to be distracted from her thoughts of Natsume returning back.

But days turned into weeks, then months, 2 months…3 months…4…5…6…7…8…9…10. The so-called game somehow became a success. Too successful actually that Mikan had eventually forgotten her wild thoughts of Natsume's return.

And then, one day…

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And then, one day…another chapter was done! Yipee! It's really funny that everytime I'm in front of the monitor, I do not have any clear idea on what to really write but eventually I just find myself finishing another chapter. Like this one for instance. I was supposed to end this in the next chapter, but I realized it's getting boring if I still have to delay it a little more. So anyway, I hope you like this one and care enough to leave a review. Please, please, please!!! A simple favor from a desperate writer…hehehe…or a birthday gift...;-) Arigatou gozaimas!)