DISCLAIMER: Gakuen Alice is not mine.

A/N: THANK YOU Chubby13 for FAVOURITE-ing (what lels), to lanidaes for FOLLOWING and to lovelykitten065 and EchizenRyoma FOR FOLLOWING AND FAVOURITE-ing! (hearts hearts) and to the people (EchizenRyome, lanidaes and fangirl-mode-on) who reviewed my story! (hearts hearts) Thank you, thank you, thank you! Answers to your question might not be answered yet but hihi, hope you'll love this update!

P.S I'm sort of busy so sorry! (huhu)

P.P.S I have a new story! Yay. (I know I know, I'll be responsible for having another story but I just can't help it, sorry) Hope you guys can check it out sometime hihi (Competition : A Game of Attention)

Chapter 8: Setting Limits

After Natsume said that we were just childhood friends, things between us got awkward. Even if we remained friends in the present (he kept on bullying me, calling me names, we went out together with our friend), there was something off between us. Or maybe, all this time, it was just me – it was just me who thought that e had this something.

"Hey Polka." Natsume interrupted my train of thoughts.

"Hmm?" I looked at him and found those crimson eyes, looking back at me.

"I—Do you want to go out with me?" He asked then looked away, as if nothing happened.

It took me a few seconds to grasp his question.

"Ah, yes. Of course." I looked down at my table and secretly, I smiled.

.

"Dumplings!" I ordered cheerfully. This was the first time since I got here that we, Natsume and I, went out alone.

"Noodles, please." He ordered curtly.

We had some chitchat while eating, talking about our hometown – new things, old things, memories and all.

"And, and, Anna and Nonoko now owns a bakery! In such an early age!" I exclaimed.

"Good for them." He smiled, proud for his friends.

"Ahh! Thank you for the food!" I said as I swallowed my last dumplings.

"Piglet."

"HEY! That's mean to say to a girl." I giggled.

"You're a girl?!" He faked a surprised look and received a punch from me.

"Hey that hurts!" He complained and we burst laughing just like the good 'ol times.

We walked to the park near the Chinese restaurant. Under a sakura tree, we decided to sit down to rest for a while before going back to our dorms.

"Natsume.." I started, smiling, "thank you."

"Hn."

"Seriously. I've never been this happy since I went here!" I chuckled, reminiscing the time I arrived here 'till this moment.

"Mikan." He paused.

I looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"I think we should just remain friends. No more no less. Just friends." He was looking up the sky, closing his eyes thus not revealing any emotions to me.

"Natsu—" He cut me off by standing up.

"Today was a great day. Thanks for spending it with me. But..." He placed his hands in his pockets as he continued, "this maybe the first and the last." And with that, he walked away.

And there I was, sitting under the sakura tree, just watching him walk away.

I placed my hand on my chest, why do you hurt so much?

And unknowingly, tears were streaming on my face.