Last time: I walked up and sat next to Mikan again. As soon as the class filed in the whispers started again and I groaned as I looked out the window.

'This is going to be a long day.'

I thought as I ignored the students around me, and listened to what Jinno was saying.

-Natsume-

I sat down behind Hana and watched as she looked out the window like she'd done last class. I could tell there was something wrong with her side, but because of the idiots in our class I hadn't been able to get an answer. I saw Mikan looking at Jinno confused as she desperately tried to understand the equation he was explaining how to solve, but I could tell she didn't get it.

"Umm, Hana-kun, can you help me?"

She asked Hana and I saw her jaw tighten when Mikan called her Hana-kun, but she still turned to look at her with a small smile.

"What do you need?"

She asked in a soft whisper.

"I don't get this, even with Jinno-sensei explaining it."

Mikan said and I sighed, this equation was so simple. Hana looked at Mikan's paper and I saw her frown.

"Well no wonder, the way you're writing it will only confuse you."

She said as she put her feet on the floor and sat up straight. She took the pencil from Mikan's hand, erased what was written on the paper and easily rewrote it so it would be easier to understand. I listened to Hana as she explained to Mikan how to solve the equation.

"Oh! Now I get it!"

Mikan yelled and Jinno turned from the board to look at her.

"Miss Sakura, if you're so certain you understand then why don't you solve the next question."

He said and the class laughed as Mikan sweat dropped.

"Don't worry. Just do it the same way I just showed you how to do the last one."

She said and Mikan nodded before going down to the board. Hana propped her feet back up on the desk and looked back out the window. I looked from her to Mikan who was actually solving the problem up on the board. When she was done Jinno looked over it and his eyes widened.

"That's-That's correct."

He said and Mikan smiled as she came back and sat down.

"Thank you Hana-kun!"

Mikan yelled and I saw Hana's jaw clench when Mikan called her Hana-kun again.

'So she doesn't like being called Hana-kun? I wonder why.'

I thought, but then the bell rang.

Students filed out of the room and into the hall.

"Natsume-kun! I got that question right and it was all thanks to Hana-kun."

Mikan yelled next to me and I frowned.

"I think you should stop calling her that."

I said and Mikan looked at me confused.

"Why?"

She asked and I sighed.

"Because I think it annoys her."

I said and Mikan looked at me confused before turning to look at Hana who was leaning against the wall away from everyone else. She ran over to her and said something to her. Mikan started crying and I watched as Hana frowned.

"Natsume, why are you so interested in Hana?"

Luca asked and I turned to look at him.

"I'm not."

I said and he shook his head.

"Yes you are. You've been staring at her all class period, you did the same in Narumi's class. What are you thinking?"

He asked and I sighed.

"Remember when the alarms went off yesterday?"

I asked and he nodded.

"They were because she tried to escape yesterday. Did you notice how she has all those restraints on? I want to know what her Alice is. That's all."

I said and Luca looked at me skeptically before we both heard Mikan yelling. We turned to see her being lifted into the air by one of the Levitation Alices in our class.

"Put me down!"

Mikan yelled, but the boy smirked.

"No. You're crying was getting on my nerves."

He said and Mikan started to cry. I was about to step in when Hana kicked the boy in the chest and sent him flying down the hallway. Mikan fell to the ground, but Hana caught her and set her on her feet.

"Thank you Hana-ku-"

Mikan started, but stopped when Hana collapsed.

"Hana-kun!"

Mikan yelled and we all ran over to her.

"What happened? Why'd she suddenly collapse?"

Luca asked and Mikan shook her head with tears running down her face.

"I don't know. She kicked that boy, then caught me when I was falling, then she just collapsed."

Mikan said and I looked down at Hana. I glared when I saw the side of her uniform was wet. I looked closer and growled when I noticed it was blood.

I bent and picked her up. Everyone gasped, but I ignored them and headed for the infirmary. I could hear Mikan, and Luca behind me. The nurse looked at me confused until she saw Hana. I laid her down on the bed and the nurse pushed me and Luca outside.

"Hey, how come Mikan gets to stay-"

Luca started, but the nurse cut him off.

"She has a wound on her side and I can't look at it with you two in the room. Now out!"

She snapped before shutting the door in our face.

'So I was right, there is something wrong with her side. But what would cause it to bleed like that?'

I wondered as I sat down on the bench outside and waited with Luca.

-Mikan-

I watched as the nurse undid Hana-kun's uniform. I gasped when I saw the wound on her side. That was more than a bruise.

"What's wrong with her side?"

I asked the nurse as she started cleaning Hana-kun's side.

"This girl's been shot."

The nurse said and my eyes widened.

"Is she going to be okay?"

I asked and the nurse nodded.

"Yes, she'll be fine. She just opened her wound again."

She said and I sighed in relief. She patched Hana-kun's side, then fixed her uniform back before stepping out of the room. When she came back she set a glass of water down on the desk.

"Just let her rest and she'll be fine."

The nurse said before leaving. Natsume and Luca came in a little while after.

"So what's wrong with her?"

Luca asked and I sighed.

"The nurse said Hana-kun'd been shot. But she said she'd be find as long as we let her rest."

I said and they both turned to look at Hana-kun.

"We should get back to class and tell the teacher what happened."

I said and they both nodded before we left.

-Ice/Hana-

I groaned as I opened my eyes. I looked around and sighed when I realized I was in the Academy's Infirmary. I felt my side throb and knew I'd reopened my wound.

'Dammit, I've got to be more careful.'

I thought as I sat up. I got to my feet and walked out into the hallway. I passed a clock and groaned when I realized it was already lunchtime.

'Just how long was I out for?'

I wondered as I walked down the hall. I saw students in the cafeteria and decided to avoid it. I walked out into the courtyard of the school and looked around. The school really was big. And we were surrounded by a lot of trees. My stomach growled and I sighed.

'Great, now I'm hungry.'

I thought as I walked towards the woods.

'There's got to be something in here that I can catch and eat.'

I thought as I walked through the trees. I came upon a clearing and stopped when I saw a log cabin and a teddy bear chopping wood outside. I blinked in surprise and froze when the teddy bear turned to look at me.

"I don't suppose you have any food you could spare?"

I asked and the bear suddenly started running at me. I sighed, but didn't move. When the bear got less than a foot away from me I froze his feet to the ground. He looked down, then looked back up at me and glared.

"Don't you glare at me. I wasn't doin anything and you suddenly decided to attack me. It was self defense."

I said and he looked at me normally.

"That's much better."

I said as I unfroze his feet. He wobbled a bit and I steadied him.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I was just lookin for something to eat."

I said and he nodded before turning and walking towards his cabin. He waved for me to follow and I did. He motioned for me to sit down at the table and I waited as he walked out of the room for a bit.

I smelled something really good and couldn't help it when my mouth started to water. The teddy bear walked back into the room carrying a plate of rice, salmon, and a bowl of miso soup. He set it down in front of me, then sat in the chair across the table from me.

"Is it really okay for me to eat all this?"

I asked and the bear nodded.

"Thank you."

I said before digging in. It was delicious. When I finished I got up to take it away, but the bear smacked my hand and made me sit back down. When he came back I noticed he was looking pointedly at my side.

"I just got hurt, that's all."

I said and he got up and walked over to me. When he started to lift my shirt I pushed his hands away.

"Hey now, someone already looked at it. It'll just take time to heal."

I said and the bear looked at me before nodding.

"You don't say much do you Mr. Bear?"

I asked and the bear froze.

"What? Is that what your creator actually named you?"

I asked and the bear nodded.

"He's not around anymore, is he?"

I asked and the bear shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I know what it's like to be alone. My mother and father abandoned me and my brother when they realized we were different from normal children. Then my brother was taken away from me, so I've been on my own since I was young."

I said and the bear turned to look at me before crawling up into my lap and giving me a hug. I froze before returning it.

"Thanks."

I said as I pulled back. He sat down on my lap and I pet his head.

"Do you like living out here away from all those students?"

I asked and the bear nodded.

"Would it be alright with you if I came and visit you everyday during lunch?"

I asked and again, he nodded.

"Alright then, that's what I'll do."

I said picking him up as I stood. I set him down and headed for the door.

"I'm sorry, but I need to get back. Thank you so much for the meal, and again, I'm sorry for freezing you earlier."

I said and he shook his head.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself didn't I?"

I said and the bear cocked his head to the side.

"My name is Hana Serio, but you can call me Ice."

I said with a bow, but winced when my side throbbed.

"I really should stop doing that till my side heals."

I said before petting the bear again.

"I'll see you around Mr. Bear."

I said before leaving and heading back the way I'd come. When I walked out of the woods I saw Mikan, Luca, and a boy with short blonde hair, and a girl with short black hair running towards me with Natsume walking behind them.

"Hana-kun! You're okay! Thank goodness."

Mikan yelled as she ran towards me. She wrapped her arms around my side and I cried out as she squeezed my side.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I forgot."

She said and I just stayed where I was, not saying a word. The pain in my side was actually a lot worse than I'd expected.

"Mikan you idiot."

Natsume said and I looked up to see him looking at me with those dark red eyes. It seemed like he was worried.

"Hana-kun, I really am sorry."

Mikan said and I shook my head as I straightened up.

"It's fine, but can you please stop calling me Hana-kun?"

I asked and she looked at me confused.

"Then what should I call you?"

She asked and I smiled.

"You can call me just Hana or my nickname."

I said and she continued to look at me.

"What's your nickname?"

She asked and I smiled again.

"Ice."

-Natsume-

"Ice? Why do you have a nickname like that?"

Mikan asked what I was wondering in my head.

"It's a long story."

Hana said and Mikan nodded before smiling again.

"Oh, Hana. This is my friend Hotaru, and this is the class president Yu."

Mikan said and Hana nodded.

"It's nice to meet you both, my name is Hana."

She said and Hotaru and Yu both nodded in greeting.

"Are you hungry Hana? I can get you something to eat."

Mikan said, but Hana shook her head.

"No, a friend I just made gave me something to eat."

She said and I looked at her confused.

"A friend you just made? But didn't you just come out of the woods?"

I asked and she nodded.

"Yeah, and?"

She asked and everyone sweat dropped.

"This friend of yours, what did they look like?"

Luca asked and Hana smiled.

"He was adorable. He was about this big, has brown fur, and tried to attack me when he saw me."

She said and we all looked at her in shock.

"Your new friend is Mr. Bear!"

Everyone asked in shock and Hana just smiled.

"Yep."

She said and I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction.

"We should get back, isn't the next class about to start?"

Hana asked, but nobody moved.

"Yeah, but next class is P.E."

Mikan said and Hana sighed.

"Meaning I can't do anything till my side heals. Well, I can still watch."

She said and we all headed back. Mikan was up front with Hotaru with Yu behind them. Luca was in front of me and Hana was behind me. I fell back till I was in step with her.

"So, how was your escape attempt?"

I asked and she looked at me skeptically.

"How do you know about that?"

She asked and I smiled.

"I saw when you ran out of the gate."

I said and she fell silent.

"Did you get shot when you were running?"

I asked and she nodded.

"Yeah. They completely screwed up my fight with that masked guy."

She said and I stopped.

'Did she just say-'

"Hineko? You alright?"

She asked and I snapped out of it.

"Don't call me Hineko."

I said and she frowned.

"Aww, why not?"

She asked and I glared at her.

"Just don't."

"No."

She said and I sent a ball of fire at her. She jumped out of the way, but the winced when the movement hurt her side.

"Shit."

She cursed and I smiled.

"Stupid Hineko."

She said and I glared at her again, but blinked when she smiled at me.

'What is with this girl?'

I thought before Mikan and the others called for us to catch up.

"Coming!"

Hana yelled before smiling back at me.

"Come on Hineko."

She said and I sighed before following her after the others.