Chapter 26 – So Much for a Perfect Summer

It was a sunny day. Ruka was running in campus, fearing he might be late. As he rushes to class, Mikan was running behind Ruka, calling his name.

"Ruka, Ruka!" Mikan called, bringing a box.

"Mikan, what's that?" Ruka stopped as he took the time to ask Mikan.

"Your mail, I was there so I took it for you." Mikan answered as she handed the box to Ruka. After Ruka received it, he shook it, and opened it. His eyes widened after discovering his mail. Mikan wondered why Ruka had a sudden reaction.

"Hey, why are you being so secretive? Let me see, let me see! I'm begging you!" Mikan said, but Ruka didn't want until he reached his limit and finally showed it to her.

"Alright, but you should promise that you won't laugh." Ruka said. Mikan nodded her head as a reply. Ruka pulled out the mail, and there Mikan saw polka-dotted underwear. Mikan's eyes widened; she was curious about it.

"Wow," she says, "this, these polka-dots is not up to date. Oh my god." Mikan was holding it, exposing it without notice. Boys laugh after seeing colored trunks.

"Didn't you promise not to laugh at me?! Oh, my mom really, how can she buy swimming trunks like this? How old am I anyway? How can I wear this for our swimming lessons?" Ruka asks as Mikan made a sudden reaction! Her eyes widened, her face worried, she was so shocked to hear the news.

"SWIMMING LESSONS?!" Mikan cried.

"Yeah, we have swimming lessons." Ruka replied. Mikan stares at thin air, afraid of might being exposed. Ruka asked her if she's alright.

"Hey! What's up with your expression?" Ruka asked Mikan, as she makes an excuse. She returns the colorful trunks to Ruka.

"I forgot something in my room. I have to go get it. I'm going while you go to class." Mikan said as she runs away, hiding at a corner. Then, Ruka called; Hurry up! Don't be late for swimming class! If you have any problems, just dive into the pool naked! And everything will be at ease." Mikan can never dive into the pool naked. Her identity will be exposed.

"Naked?" Mikan asked herself as she looked at her own body. Then, she had one of those ridiculous imaginations again. The boys' class was approaching Mikan. Mikan was only wrapped with a towel. She slowly backs out as the boys were approaching her. They were over the pool side. Then, the boys were taking off her towel, because they thought that Mikan was really a boy. Natsume was there too, because Mikan thought that he doesn't know yet about her true identity. Finally, her towel was dropped, and --------------------. Let's stop by there. In short, she was thinking of exposure, harassment, and many other things that a girl would be afraid if she would be taking swimming lessons from an all boys' school.

After being back in the real world, she went to her consultant, the none other than Dr. Mei Tian!!!

"Teacher, I'm begging you please! You must help me with this. You're the only person here who knows I'm a girl. If you don't help me, my identity will be exposed." Says Mikan, disturbing the doctor's peace and privacy.

"Why should I help you with this? There's no solution to your problem. Who knows how many times this type of problem will happen again? Anyways, why should I write you a sick notice? It's a big offense to fake legal documents." Dr. Mei asked Mikan.

"But teacher, you're the only person in the school who knows I'm a girl. If my identity is exposed, it won't do you any good. Furthermore, you can just fake documents for friends. Am I right?" Mikan asked.

"How can you mix up friends and faking documents? Anyways, it's none of my business if you get exposed." Dr. Mei said.

"I don't care! Fine, I'll just keep on bothering you until you realize that you need to help me. If I'm exposed, I'll tell the principal that you taught me all of this." Mikan replied, which hit Dr. Mei, so he was forced to sign it.

"Are you threatening me?" Dr. Mei asked.

"No, of course not, I'm here to beg you. Do you have the heart to watch me get separated from Natsume? Please!" Mikan said.

"Let me tell you. This is the last time." After Dr. Mei said this, Mikan was overflowed with joy.

"Thank you!" Mikan said as Dr. Mei was signing the document. He really hates to do this, but he has no other choice but to help the helpless baka.

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"Hey, is my swimming trunk properly on?" Yuu asked Koko.

"This is so great! We'll get to swim! Summer has finally arrived! Imagine those sexy girls by the poolside. It's so nice to be young." Koko replied.

"This is paradise!" Yuu answered. Then, they saw Mikan entering class. All of them were wearing their trunks except for Mikan, who had this document she asked Dr. Mei to sign.

"Mikan, hurry up and get dressed." Ruka said to Mikan.

"Mikan, if you don't mind, I can help you get changed. I want to see the one who defeated Senri as the school's idol. How would he look like in swimming trunks?" Koko said to Mikan, but this worried Natsume. Won't her identity be exposed? Then, Mikan showed the document to them.

"Read this!" Mikan shouted. The three read it.

"Sensitive skin infection?" Ruka asked.

"That's right! This is a medical certificate. I came here to say that I have sensitive skin infection. So I can't swim or get wet." Mikan replied, which made Natsume care less.

"Is it that serious? It's just swimming. You should just change your swimming trunks, and take a dip into the pool." Yuu said.

"Quickly, I'll come help you." Koko said. As they touched Mikan, Mikan pretended that she was responding to the disease.

"Ah, so itchy." Mikan said as she scratches her hand. "Let me tell you all that this infection's most troublesome part is the never ending itchiness. Here, there, and everywhere. Take a look, the skin is coming off. Also, the scary thing is that it's contagious." Mikan said as the three shouted with fear.

"Right! So, if you don't mind, I'll be ready for my trunks. I'll be glad to." Mikan says.

"No, no, no. Listen to the doctor Mikan. Or else, it'll get worse and it'll be bad." Ruka said.

"It'll be bad? Oh how I wanted to swim!" Mikan says, while Ruka feels sort of scratching himself. He acted like the sickness had also spread to him.

"It seems kind of itchy." Ruka says as he was scratching his whole body.

"It can be helped. It's a disease." Mikan answered Ruka.

"Well, that's too bad." Ruka says.

"Yeah, yeah, too bad for me." Mikan says as she sits down on her chair.

"Don't worry, you can swim next time." Ruka answered Mikan. Natsume smiled at Mikan – at last, she thought of an excuse to protect herself. Then, he went towards her and talked.

"Then you should probably stay in the classroom, huh?" Natsume asked Mikan.

"Yes," Mikan replied, nodding her head up and down. Then, Natsume turned around, and he took off his shorts. Mikan's eyes widened after seeing the-, but she looked in another direction to ignore it. Natsume turned around, somehow trying to deceive Mikan. He laughed after.

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Night came, and Mikan and Natsume were taking care of Yujiro, Natsume's dog. They talked for a while after.

"Mikan, not being able to swim is such a pity. I was going to take you surfing, but for now I can only bring Yujiro." Natsume said. Mikan dropped her jaw, hearing the word 'surfing.'

"Surfing? I want to go, take me with you!" Mikan replied.

"But you said your skin isn't allowed to go near seawater." Says Natsume.

"But I really want to go play! Please! Wait, how about I wrap myself with cloth, then it'll be fine, right?" Mikan asked. Natsume paused for a while, and then he asked her.

"Mikan, are you sure you have sensitive skin infection?" Natsume asked.

"Of course I do." Mikan lied, "I have a medical certificate to prove it. Haven't you forgotten? Anyways, I really wanted to swim, so please take me with you."

"Mikan, Natsume, hurry up!" Ruka called, "Come here and take a look at this!"

"What thing?" Mikan asked.

"I don't know. Let's go!" Natsume replied as they went back to their dorm. Then, they saw people surrounding the bulletin board.

"This is just too sudden." Koko said. Mikan went to Ruka and asked him.

"Ruka, what happened?" Mikan asked.

"Mikan, it's here. Read this." Yuu said as Mikan went to the bulletin board and read the message; "2nd dormitory closed for renovations."

"What?!" Mikan shouted, and was shocked to read this.

"Yeah, too bad." Ruka replied.

"What about the people who need to stay here for summer? Also Mikan, what are you going to do? You live so far away." Koko asked Mikan. Mikan showed her worried face. She doesn't know what to do, even what to say.

"I… I never really thought of what I would do." Mikan said, scratching her head, thinking of a solution.

"Why is this happening?!" Yuu shouted, as Senior Nanba appeared.

"Hey, it's Senior Nanba." The people called, "Senior Nanba!" The guys had him surrounded.

"Why are you guys crowding around me whenever I come? What a pity, I'm only interested in girls." Senior Nanba said.

"Um, me too." Koko said.

"I also." Yuu said.

"Me too!" Mikan said. Ruka saw this, and acted the same as the others.

"So am I," Ruka said.

"My friend too, he's interested in girls." Taiki says as his friends pushed him.

"Hey, stop saying nonsense." Yuu said.

"Don't scare people." Senior Nanba said to Taiki.

"Anyways Senior, what's going on? Why can't we stay here for summer vacations?" Koko asked.

"Yeah Senior Nanba, please explain the situation." Mikan asked Senior Nanba.

"Yeah, you're the head of the dorm." Yuu said.

"About that… it's nothing. In April, the water pipe was blocked, remember? The school said that the water pipes were too old. So, they decided to make repairs. But, you can leave your big luggage in the rooms. But you only have a week left. Everyone hurry up and go home." Senior Nanba says as he walks away from the crowd.

"How can you be like this, Senior Nanba?!" Mikan asked.

"How can we manage it within one week?!" Koko asked. "What are we going to do?" Then, Ruka's stomach is rumbling.

"Hey everyone, my stomach is growling. How about we get some food first? If we don't, I'll be dead. Hey, let's eat first guys!" Ruka said to the gang.

"You're always thinking of food Ruka but yet you're slim." Koko said.

"C'mon let's go!" Ruka says, leading the way.

"I thought he had stomach pains when he was holding onto his stomach." Yuu said.

"C'mon, I'm starving!" Ruka said as they went to the Canteen.

The gang was seating on their seats already, eating their food except for Ruka, who was still lining up.

"Why is the food today so sloppy?" Koko asked.

"It's normal." Yuu replied.

"Oh yeah, the dormitory renovations. We can't even stay here anymore during summer vacations. I thought that we could celebrate in the dorm. I thought that we were going to have fun day and night. If I go home, my mom will keep a close eye on me. Oh, why would they fix it in this time of the year? My lovely summer vacation is gone." Koko said. Then, Taiki said some weird things.

"We won't be living here, but they are still around." Taiki said, but the gang tried to ignore it. Then, Mikan was thinking of something.

"What am I going to do?" Mikan thought, "If I go home, I will be staying in the US for all of summer vacation. If I don't go home, where will I go?"

"Hey, you're dazing off, what were you thinking?" Natsume asked Mikan as he shook Mikan's head. "Worried that you'll have nowhere to go for summer vacation?"

"I'm not worried. I have relatives here. I can live with them." Mikan replied.

"Is that so?" Natsume asked.

"Yes, it is." Mikan replied.

"Just look for yourself." Natsume pointed his chopsticks to where Mikan made her mess. After seeing it, Mikan was surprised.

"Whoa, it's so messy!" Mikan reacted. "Was it only me?"

"Who else would it be? Thinking of something else when eating… of course it'll be messy." Natsume answered. Then, he removed the rice that was still on Mikan's cheek. After he cleaned her cheeks, Mikan wiped out the remains.

"Wow Natsume, you're so gentle." Koko says as he puts food on his face, "I want you to treat me he same way you treat Mikan. Look, I have food on my face too."

"Oh Mikan, let me help you. You and me forever." Yuu said to Koko as they were playing the part of Mikan and Natsume.

"Oh Natsume, you're so kind." Koko said.

"Mikan," Yuu said.

"Natsume," Koko replied.

"Mikan," Yuu said.

"Natsume," Koko replied.

"Hey, you two are sickening. I'm not like that." Natsume said.

"Oh c'mon. It's obvious that you're gentler towards Mikan" Yuu answered.

"I'm not," Natsume replied.

"Since Mikan came here, you've changed." Koko said.

"Right." Yuu replied.

"The Natsume now is different unlike the Natsume before. How do I put it? Ah, yes! He has become livelier. He smiles often now. Before, Natsume seldom said hi to anyone. But now, he's always like Mikan this; Mikan that. Mikan," Yuu said.

"Natsume," Koko replied.

"Mikan," Yuu said.

"Natsume," Koko replied.

"Hey, why do you 3 have so much trash to say?" Natsume asked the three.

"I have." Taiki replied.

On the other hand, Ruka was already getting his food. Well, he was staring at thin air, talking to himself while getting his own food. He didn't notice that he was getting too much. He doesn't even care if his food is less or more. He continues to get rice.

"Mikan, you can come to my house. My mom is a nice lady and she cooks good food. Look at my well-built body. It's because of my mom's cooking. If you can come to my house, you can taste delicious food – delicious food made by my mom." Ruka says to himself, he dropped the spoon as he was proceeding to the next counter to get more food – his rice is as tall as the mountain, he gets some soup, but it didn't reach his plate. "The way I say it, it's really good right? Then, Mikan and I can play together, we can eat together, and can take baths together," Then, he proceeds to the counter where they're serving cabbage soup. Because of him staring in thin air, the soup was spilled and never reached his plate. "We can do so many things together." Then, he dropped the serving spoon and went to where the gang was seating. "You don't have to worry if you eat too much. I'm here. We can exercise together, and then we can be a golden less triangle couple!"

"Ruka, why are you so slow getting your food today? Before you would have already finished eating by now." Yuu said.

"Ruka, you're a bit weird today. You missed our conversation just now." Koko said, but Ruka just smiled.

"That since Mikan's arrival, Natsume's attitude has become gentle. When Natsume went here, he never paid attention to anyone. One time, you and him almost got into a fight, remember?" Yuu said, but Ruka just continued to smile while eating his food.

"Hey, hurry up and finish the food. The canteen is going to close soon." Natsume said.

"Natsume's gradually without knowing is changing for Mikan." Koko said. This touched Ruka somehow.

"Hey, how long you guys are going to continue with this? Can you end this please?" Natsume asked.

"Finally my mom, no matter what kind of dish, she can make them all. If you have nothing else to do and don't have anywhere to go, come to my house." Ruka said to himself, which made everyone strange. Then, he finished his food, and when Taiki feeds him with his chewed food, Ruka ate it.

"Ruka, your behavior today is really weird." Taiki says as Ruka feeds him with a whole chicken. Taiki can't help but open his mouth and eat it. Ruka was completely out of his mind.

END OF CHAPTER………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….