Chapter 6
Mikan was sitting on her bed, lost in her own thoughts. It was already 10 in the evening and she should be resting already but she could not sleep. The memory of the event that day kept on playing on her head.
"He's not even wearing the ring," she mumbled.
Then her eyes fell on something on her bedside table. The ring…the other half that Natsume gave to her the night he left. It was still sitting on its foam, dust forming around it. She retrieved it and tried to examine its simple features. There's nothing special with the ring, a plain sphere of silver and the words NatsumexMikan written inside. But the fact that it was Natsume's last present to her since he left, she considers it the most important one among Natsume's gifts. She carefully returned it and decided to keep it inside her drawer.
Maybe Mr. Narumi's right. I just have to wait for Natsume to be completely healed. But while he is recovering, I'll just try my best to help him as much as possible, Mikan thought to herself. Feeling satisfied, she went back to her bed and doze to sleep.
"Good morning everybody!" Mikan greeted her classmates as she arrived in class.
"Good morning, Mikan. You seemed early today." Yuu greeted back.
Mikan scanned the room and noticed that neither Natsume nor Mizuki had arrived yet. She hopped in to her seat and saw Ruka just entered the room also.
"Ruka!" Mikan shouted while waving her hand.
Ruka noticed Mikan and smiled. Maybe she's ok now, he thought. He placed his books, one seat away from Mikan and remembered something. So that's why Mikan's smiling…because Natsume will start class today and be seated between us. At that thought, his face fell but then, he remembered that he was supposed to be happy that his best friend's back. Feeling guilty, he looked at Mikan and smiled and Mikan smiled back.
Just then, Mr. Jinno arrived and quieted the class down. Mikan glanced at the door for any signs of Natsume and then, she saw him…with Mizuki.
"Class, I bet everybody already heard the news. But I would like to formally announce that Mr. Natsume Hyuuga is back in our class!" Mr. Jinno said and motioned the two to come in.
The class cheered. A couple of "welcome back," "It's nice to see you again," and more were heard from the class.
Mr. Jinno coughed to get their attention again until they quieted down. "Okay, we also have a new student with Mr. Hyuuga. Her name is Mizuki Yamamoto. She also has…" He paused then continued, "…the nullification alice."
"Good Morning. Please welcome me." Mizuki said then bowed her head.
Several of the students gasped and turned their eyes on Mikan. Mikan just lowered her head, unable to look at anybody at the moment.
Natsume noticed the tension and saw the heads of his classmates turning to Mikan. He remembered her as the girl the other day who barged in to his room. So that girl also has the nullification alice, huh? He thought. And then he noticed something else…
"Okay, Hyuuga. You can now return to your seat. Ms. Yamamoto, please occupy the seat in front of Mr. Nogi." He said while pointing to Ruka.
"Mr. Jinno," Natsume interrupted. "I don't want to sit with her." She pointed at Mikan. "Mizuki will sit beside me because she still doesn't know anybody here. I owe her my life anyway."
With that last statement, the whole class turned silent, even Mr. Jinno. No one could dare contradict Natsume, or even ask anything about what he means. Suddenly, even before anyone could utter a word, Mikan stood up.
"Okay, I'll sit in front of Ruka." Mikan said. While still keeping her head down, she headed towards the empty seat.
Finally regaining himself, Mr. Jinno said, "Ok, so that's settled. Both of you, take your seats now."
Natsume and Mizuki marched on the center of the room towards their seat. The tension was very evident inside the room. Natsume's return, the new girl, the new Natsume…Everything just doesn't seem right.
"Okay, everyone. We are supposed to have a new lesson for today. But since tomorrow will be the Track and Field Day, I decided to give you some seatwork. I'm going to take your worksheets first and I'll be right back."
The whole class groaned. Either way, they hated Mr. Jinno's class, especially his seatwork.
"Ruka." Natsume called his best friend and seatmate when Mr. Jinno disappeared.
"Hmm?" was the only reply of Ruka.
"Bullshit Ruka. Aren't you even going to say hi to me? I've been away for about a year and when I return, you have changed." Then his gaze fell into Mikan's back. "Is it because of that girl again?" Natsume smirked.
"I'm sorry Natsume. I just think it's a little bit harsh for you to just ask Mikan to leave her seat. And to think…" He stopped himself before he could say anything again about their past.
Mr. Jinno returned and their conversation was cut. After distributing the papers, he settled himself on his chair. "Mr. Nogi and Ms. Sakura, are you ready for the race tomorrow?"
"Yes Sir. We've been practicing everyday." Ruka answered.
Natsume's eyes widened. Ruka in a race? He's got to be kidding. And here he was, saying that I was the one who has changed, he thought. Natsume's hand suddenly flew on air and said, "I want to join too."
The whole class was shocked. Natsume never joined any race before. He said he has no time for stupid things like that.
Mr. Jinno's eyebrow raised. "But you need to have a partner, Mr. Hyuuga. It is not just any race where you ran by yourself. You need to have a partner who's going to sit at your back the whole race. Besides, you lack practice."
"Mizuki will be my partner," Natsume said in a matter-of-fact voice, without even consulting his partner.
"Well, okay. Anyone can join anyway as long as their alices would not help them. Back to work."
Natsume and Ruka's eyes met. Suddenly, a voice interrupted them.
"Ei Ruka. Let's do our best okay?" Mikan said to Ruka, smiling while avoiding Natsume's gaze.
Ruka's face suddenly softened. "Okay Mikan," he said and returned the smile.
Surprisingly, Natsume's inside boiled. What is this feeling?" He asked himself but disregard the thought.
Unknowingly, another set of eyes also witnessed the scene in silence.
During the break, Hotaru approached Koko.
"Koko, I have a big favour to ask you. Can you try to discover what that girl's thinking?" Hotaru asked, directing her gaze at Mizuki.
"I'm hungry...Argghh! My stomach's growling and I have no idea where to go...Geez, my skirt's so short but hers is shorter…" Koko said, repeating every single thought he got from the newcomer.
"Forget it, Koko. Thanks anyway." Hotaru said, depressed.
"Actually, I've been trying to access her thoughts ever since. There are times that I can't get anything from her. It seems that she knows how to block my alice by nullifying it but I can't be too sure. Her alice could even be stronger than Mikan." Koko explained.
"Huh?" Hotaru was taken aback by what she heard. Blocking alices while doing nothing is really strange. She could really be hiding something.
"That girl is hiding something…She is not ordinary…" Koko tried reading Hotaru's mind.
BAKA!
"That would teach you never even try reading my mind again." Hotaru said , blowing the air coming our from her baka gun, leaving a helpless Koko with a big lump on his head.
"Ruka!"
Ruka turned around at the sound of a familiar voice. Natsume was walking towards him, with Mizuki catching up beside him.
"Natsume, I'm sorry for what happened earlier." Ruka started.
"It's okay. By the way, I want you to meet Mizuki Yamamoto. Mizuki, this is my best friend, Ruka, the one I've been telling you about."
"Nice to meet you." Mizuki greeted politely.
Ruka bowed his head in reply. He studied the other girl for the first time. It cannot be denied that she is also a pretty one. But what mystery enveloping her is one thing Ruka wants to find out as soon as possible.
"Mizuki, I'll talk to Ruka for a moment." Natsume said to his companion.
"Okay. Can we go to the canteen after? I'm getting hungry already." She asked with her feeble voice.
"Sure." Natsume replied, then he turned his attention to Ruka. "I didn't know you're into sports now?" Natsume asked curiously.
"Well, Mikan brought me into this so I guess I can try it."
"That girl again. Say, are you interested in her?"
Ruka eyed Natsume suspiciously. "And why do you ask?"
"Because she seems to be in every conversation that we have!" Natsume said, raising his voice. "I don't know what she made you eat but I don't like her for you!"
"Natsume, are you jealous? Well, I don't blame you. She's Mikan Sakura, your girlfriend after all." Ruka answered, holding his breath.
"M-my g-girlf-friend?! I have never even laid eyes on her! I don't remember being tied to anybody before I left. Shit! You're going too far, Ruka. I, absolutely, cannot fall in love with that polka-dot panty-girl!" But even as he said it, the heat seems to grow all over his body.
"What did you say about her?!" Ruka was surprised with Natsume's description. Maybe he remembered her somehow…
"She made a show-off at the hospital, remember? Barging in without knocking, she's the most stupid, idiot dork I've ever seen!" Natsume said, near-shouted.
"You!" another voice suddenly appeared in the scene. "You're the most pervert, dim-witted freak also! I hate you Natsume! I really, really hate you!" Mikan shouted at him.
Ruka's face fell. Then, as if by impulse, he grabbed his shoulders. "Natsume, try to remember! You can do it, just try it!" He shouted while shaking Natsume.
For a moment, Natsume looked spellbound but he recovered quickly. He grossly removed Ruka's hands and started walking away.
"Natsume!" Ruka called out. "If you win tomorrow, I'll follow anything you want me to do. But…if we win…I want you to consider what I said…even just try talking to her." Ruka said, pleadingly.
Natsume smirked. What a stupid bet, he thought. "Sure, better prepare yourself then, and that girl too. She would be my slave." And with that, he proceed to where Mizuki was waiting for him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the figure of the girl approached Ruka and hugged him. He waved her out of his mind and acted as if he doesn't care. I will never like her, he convinced himself. But in fact, his heart is aching for unexplainable reasons.
Meanwhile, Ruka was also following Natsume with his gaze when Mikan approached him and gave him a tight hug. He squeezed her back and noticed that she was shaking.
"T-thank you, Ruka. That pervert Natsume, maybe this is just his excuse to get away from me. I don't know Ruka but I think he's really intending to hurt me." Mikan exclaimed.
"No Mikan. That's not true. Natsume is not like that. You know him…" Ruka tried to explain.
"But I don't know him anymore. And that stupid amnesia? Who would believe that? I hate being the crybaby all the time. Well, if that's what he wants, I won't bother him anymore." Mikan said, trying to wipe off the tears from her eyes.
"Don't say that, Mikan. Let's try our best tomorrow, okay?" Ruka said, and tried to smile for Mikan's sake.
"Thanks Ruka. We'll win!" and Mikan pulled out a thumbs-up sign and smiled.
In the midst of the darkness that night, a figure was strolling along the grounds of the school, overlooking the river. Her long hair flies along to the direction of the wind as she continues to stare at the quarter moon.
"I barely have three weeks more to go…I have to hurry…"
Hidden behind the Sakura tree, another figure dressed in black and laid with different gadgets, heard those words that got caught with the wind.
Thanks for reading! I have to admit I had a hard time making this chapter, hehehe…I'm sorry if it's nothing special or what…I just want to give you an overview on what to expect on the next chapters. I assure you that the next one would be more interesting because we will start with the Festival and we'll begin to discover the mystery behind Mizuki as well. But I have written a lot of hints in this chapter also so I hope you won't miss that out, hehehe…Please RxR…if you want to comment or suggest anything…or anything you might not have understand, please do so. Thanks!