Efflorescence
by Autumn Win-dow
Chapter Twenty-three: Problem Child
Natsume opened the contents of the envelope he had snuck out of Hotaru's office, but they did not quite satisfy his curiosity.
Why did they keep old student files from me? He thought curiously as he scanned the strange slabs of words on them.
The photos of each student dated from the school's inception to recent times. And with this, he found it strange that they all shared the same trait.
They were all accused of being problem students.
'Expelled for repeated tardiness, and misconduct in uniform after school hours.'
'Suspended for associations with shady characters around the school.'
He found it ridiculous that the school would dismiss students for such petty actions, as well as pry in their students' outside affairs. Natsume did not want to believe that it was his father's doing; he knew about the corruption within the faculty, and had planned to confront the issue at a later time.
The man now chose to ignore the comments, now quickly flicking through the photos of the students, when he came onto a shocking file.
It was not much different to the others-it was printed on the same paper, with the same typewriter ink. What made Natsume stop in his flicking and stare at the file with a confused expression was the photo of someone all too familiar.
Even after possibly eight years, she looked exactly the same. At least he could conclude that a strange serum was not the reason for her rare hair colour. It was most certainly real.
Mikan Sakura, clad in the very school uniform of the institution he guided, was sitting in the photo with a forced smile.
'She was a student here?'
Upon the realisation came many others-he remembered her tensing up when he mentioned the school where his father was dean, and even the shadowed figure running out of the school grounds that night.
Had he caught a flash of brown then, was his question to himself.
But now he was certain that the reason for her tense moments during their past interactions was because she was a former problem student at his school.
Natsume did not believe it-she was the most unlikely person to be a problem student, because of the cheerfulness she exerted as well as her respect for her elders. He found it impossible, but he then corrected himself, wondering if he ever knew her at all.
He decided to scan the box where he hoped would justify it all, but all it did was confuse him further.
'Expelled.'
There was no explanation at all.
Natsume was confused as to why he was so angry, but he knew that his feelings had not disappeared over time, and he felt that his authority was being undermined.
He was going to find about the relationship between Mikan and his father, and if it had anything to do to her refusal of his proposal.
He took her file and shoved the others back into the manila folder, walking back.
A/N: YO. I finally updated again. :') And yay, passed 100 reviews with this one! Thank you guys! :)