DISCLAIMER: GA's not mine. Mehehe

A/N: YAAAAAY! I'm so happy right now! Thanks to Eka19 for favourite-ing and to crimsonxlover and kisekinosedai for following this story!

Hope all of you will enjoy this update. Mehe

And I'm so inspired to update bc I saw my crush (kyaaaa~) Though I have an exam tomorrow D: Wish me luck, buddies!

Chapter 11: Friends Over Lovers

"Hey, Natsume, why are you so mad at me?" Koko asked Natsume for the nth time today. And being Natsume's seatmate, I could feel the tension between the two.

"Mikan-chan, help meeeeee." Koko started whining like a kid again.

"Hey, Na—" But he cut me off.

"Don't even dare." He hissed.

"Hey, Natsu-kuuuun!" Sumire went towards our place.

"Hey." He replied coolly.

I couldn't help but feel the tightening of my chest.

"Wanna go out with me this lunch time?" She batted her eyelashes. I rolled me eyes.

"Hn." Was Natsume's only reply.

.

It was our Math exam day today. It was so hard but I think Koko did help me a lot because I was able to answer almost every question. But well, time! I hate being time pressured. As the Math exam ended, Sumire went to our place once again to get Natsume and have their lunch together.

"Let's go!" Sumire chirped happily.

Natsume stood up and walked away with Sumire when Koko asked me out, too.

"Hey, Mikan-chan. How about we celebrate, too?" Koko grinned, his eyes gleaming as if he was planning something bad. I laughed nervously before agreeing.

And that was when we noticed Natsume and Sumire was standing at the doorframe.

"I need to talk to you privately later Koko." Natsume glared at Koko before walking away, leaving Sumire alone.

Sumire frowned at Koko for a split of second before running towards Natsume.

Little did we noticed that Ruka and Hotaru made their way to us.

"Hey, Kokoro Yome. What did you do this time?" Hotaru greeted us then raised a brow at Koko, smirking.

He laughed nervously and placed his hand on his nape. "Nothing, really."

Ruka just sighed and asked us if we would like to eat with them since then next exam will be on the following day and of which we all agreed.

.

I was peacefully reading my notes at the living room when Sumire entered. She went to the kitchen then went back to our living room, and sat beside me.

"Mikan." She said which caused me to look at her, closing my notebook.

"Yes?" I smiled at her.

"Mikan... I'm mad at you." She started.

"Wh—what?" I stuttered, not really sure how to respond to this.

"Koko's my best friend. What the hell are you doing to him? You're being too close to him and it annoys me. Since you're being too close to my best friend, you're causing trouble to Natsume which is causing me trouble, too. He's my eff-ing boyfriend, Mikan. I don't know why the hell he cares about you being close to Koko but it annoys me a lot. I feel so... out of place. And it's all because of you. To be honest, I'm not really use to this feeling. Being an outcast or someone who nobody cares. And I hate you for making me feel that way, Mikan. I really hate it." She clenched her fist, making her knuckles white.

"I—I'm sorry." Was all I could say. Everything was still sinking in when she stood up, about to walk out but I grabbed her hand right away.

"Wait." I said as she slightly turned her head in my direction.

"I.. I really like you to be my friend, Sumire. I..." I bit my lip, unsure of what I was about to say. "I'll leave them behind, I'll keep my distance from them if that means I can still be your friend. It's friends over lovers anyway, right?" I tried my best to smile brightly at her, but I couldn't. I ended up looking as if I was giving her a fake smile. But I think she appreciated it because she gave me a weak smile before I let my graps on her arm loosen.

.

(Hotaru's POV)

Sumire went in her room as Mikan remained at the living room. She sighed heavily then sat on the sofa once again. She kept on changing channels until she turned the television off and lied down. She placed her arm over her face, covering her eyes from the moonlight.

.

Looking at my best friend, I couldn't help but feel sorry. And I promise, I promise to do something about this.