Chapter 5
"Class, I'd like to introduce you to Miss Sakura Mikan. She will be your classmate from today, so I hope you will treat her well, and help her adjust to the school." The words were meaningless formalities, and the coldly indifferent faces staring back at her said that they knew it.
"Hyuuga-san, I'm assigning you to be Miss Sakura's partner for the next month; you can help her learn about the school and help her adjust."
"The partner system is only for the elementary school."
"I'm sure you're aware that even high school students are assigned to be partners to new students."
The boy grunted noncommittally. The teacher – who hadn't yet introduced himself – seemed to realize that that was the best he would get as an answer, and moved on.
"Well, Sakura-san, you can go sit next to Hyuuga; we'll see about a different seat at the end of the month, if it's necessary."
She looked back at him silently, and, slightly discomfited, he turned to the desk for a moment.
"By the way, my name is Misaki, and I'm the biology teacher here. You'll have my class in third period."
She inclined her head quietly. He had the odd impression that he was the one deferring rather than being deferred to by the simple gesture. "Thank you, sensei. I'm sure I will manage well."
"Yes. Well. I have class now, so I need to leave quickly. Jinno-sensei is absent today, class, as he is feeling unwell. Stay quiet, and do not exit the class. You may use the opportunity to catch up on homework or practicing, but do not leave the classroom." His voice rose suddenly to make the announcement, and Mikan frowned momentarily at the sound, leaning a little away from him. He noticed, and his voice dropped to less than half the volume in the middle of the sentence. Quiet chuckles could be heard. Most just rolled their eyes.
"Well, I'll be leaving now. Hyuuga-san, please use the opportunity to explain a few things to Sakura-san."
"Explain what?"
"You could tell her the school schedule, for a start, and the classes you have today."
He left without giving a chance for reply. The boy hadn't opened his mouth again anyway.
The room erupted at once, in talking and shouting and laughter. In a second, everyone reassembled, into huddles of varying sizes. Things began flying around over everyone's heads, ostensibly because of a lanky, sharp-faced boy in the corner of the room who was waving his fingers in the air. A few of them started changing colour. Mikan could figure out who was doing this.
Many people began to walk towards Hyuuga, but stopped abruptly when Mikan walked forward, and turned awkwardly to join some other group. She blinked, hiding the automatic roll of her eyes.
He was leaning back on the chair legs, long legs propped against his desk. A multitude of asymmetrical earrings peppered his ears all around the rims, catching the light from the window and winking silver and gold through his irregular hair, which was jet-black, just past chin-length. His shirt was rumpled, and open at the collar, and his blue uniform pants were faded and dirt-streaked.
Had it not been for the face, he would have been the physical embodiment of the word 'ruffian.' But the face was too symmetrical, too precise – especially the eyes, evenly placed, dark crimson; framed by straight, short black lashes that made the whites seem almost bleached. They were watching her, sizing her up. As she was him.
Having stood in front of his desk long enough for the pause to become a certifiably awkward one, she bowed.
"Nice to meet you, Hyuuga-san. I'll be in your care."
He didn't stop watching her. But he spoke, his voice vulgarly expressive with derision after her own measured tone, though just as quiet.
"Drop the act, Sakura. We've met."
She smiled sweetly. "I'm so glad you remember, Although that can hardly be called a meeting, can it, Hyuuga-san? But I suppose it must be normal for you to meet people in those sorts of situations."
His mouth twisted for a second.
She turned, and put down her books on the desk on his right, and sat slowly.
Neither spoke immediately. Mikan watched the chaos around her with some interest. Natsume stared at an invisible point about four inches from his nose.
"What are you here for, Azumi?"
"Wait and see."
After a long pause:
"Did your mother send you?"
"Why not ask her?"
Half the class was watching them surreptitiously. It didn't look like they were saying or doing anything whatsoever. Something had to be going on.
After a whispered conference, they came to an agreement that Shouda would be the class's representative. She stood and walked forward, heels of her shoes clicking sharply.
Mikan's eyes turned to observe her approach, a mild and polite expression in place. Somehow, the sight of it was infuriating. Sumire's voice was a little sharper than she had originally intended when she snapped at her opponent.
"Sakura-chan, is it? What's your Alice?"
The mild surprise on Mikan's face somehow communicated that she wasn't in the least surprised at the confrontation.
"I'm Sakura Mikan. Nice to meet you." She bowed her head. "Is there any problem?"
"I guess you don't understand it yet, do you? Around here, your identity is your Alice. Go on, introduce yourself properly. In fact, show us."
The lines sounded silly for some reason. They had come out a little too fast. Sumire cursed inwardly at herself. Why was she getting nervous?
The politely regretful smile she received somehow made it worse. "I'm sorry, I don't think I should do that."
"Unless you can give us a reason, that's not for you to decide. Hurry up, or you'll regret it."
Better, much better.
"We're waiting."
And so they were, Sumire acknowledged, satisfied, to herself. They were all clinging to every word like cream onto whiskers.
"I just don't think you'd want to see it."
"Let us decide that. Is your Alice that pathetic? Come on."
"Should I, Hyuuga-san?" The words were indifferent.
"Do what you like." He didn't even turn his head.
"All right, then."
She looked straight at Sumire's eyes, and clicked her fingers briskly.
The girl's breathing suddenly hitched, and she looked at Mikan, in confusion and shock. Her eyes flicked to what she held up – a spherical topaz stone, smooth and glowing just slightly.
"I'd advise you not to try to use your Alice. Give me your hand."
Sumire didn't move. Mikan sighed. "Really. Don't you want this?" She waved it in front of Sumire's nose.
The girl snatched it, and squeezed it hard, her eyes closing from the strain. Nothing happened, and after a moment, her eyes opened again, this time filled with real panic.
"Give me your hand, I said, didn't I?" Mikan reached up and pulled on Sumire's arm, clasping the shut fist in both of her hands. She let go after a second, and the fist had closed a tiny bit more.
Sumire's breath caught again, and she looked at Mikan slightly absently, disoriented. Mikan stood up. Hurriedly Sumire stepped backwards, and fell over. Mikan sighed again.
"I was trying to help you."
She stepped around Sumire and offered her a hand. The other girl took it with her head turned away, and got to her feet unsteadily. She put a hand on Natsume's desk, and let go of Mikan's hand immediately.
Mikan's voice was conversational. "Losing and gaining your Alice isn't a small thing. Dizziness, nausea, and headaches are all common."
The room, which had burst into murmuring, fell silent at the words. Addressing no one in particular, Mikan raised her head and spoke clearly. "My Alices are Nullification, Steal, and Insertion. None of them very popular – but nonetheless, they're all quite powerful. I find them very useful, if a little difficult to control. So then, I'll ask you not to provoke me, hmm?" She smiled slightly, cherry lips curving sweetly in a way that was suddenly frightening.
She turned and sat back down at her place. From her right, a very soft whisper caught her attention.
"My associates wonder why I'm so interested."
The abrupt and extremely brief wry curl of her lips was the first expression he had seen of hers that seemed at all straightforward.