Hey, I'm back and this time with a longer Chappie. As requested lol.

I made it in a jiffy to make up for the long awaited chapter before. But I must warn you, I don't think I had put enough humor in this chappie but I promise I will in the next chapter okay?

Sooo…here you go. Enjoy~

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Knight In Shining Armor

"Now, if you would just introduce yourself" Mikan heard Narumi-sensei say across the wall, cueing her to enter inside the classroom.

The brunette dawdled awkwardly into view, wearing her new uniform: black overcoat, white polo blouse, yellow plaid skirt with matching yellow ribbon and of course, her trusty boots. She stared at her new homeroom adviser who was smiling charmingly at her.

He has strikingly blond hair which Mikan doubts must probably be bleached because she never saw anyone with that shade of bright gold hair – well, except maybe Ruka but she's pretty sure the lad has some foreign blood in him. She shrugged, maybe Narumi has as well, who knows right? But that's not all, the last time she checked, foreigners don't have purple orbs – at all, except for Hotaru but she's the only person Mikan knows who has the same color of eyes as Narumi – so why does her teacher have them? They must be contacts.

And they look pretty darn good on him.

Really, Narumi looked perfect from head to toe, hot even but the moment he speaks and the way he clothes you might think he's gay – maybe he is, Mikan shrugged. But what was horrifying was the fact that if Ruka and Hotaru were to have a grown-up child, it would be him – or he could be their father – whatever. Either way, both ideas were scary. She cringed.

Anyway, whether her mentor's gay or not is not her main dilemma now.

Right now, Mikan's mind – if ever she has one – is going in circles wondering how many seconds she'll last alive the moment these people knew that she's not an aristocrat, not an elite or even the daughter of the poorest conglomerate, heck she's just the daughter of a lawyer and a surgeon and they live low – really low. Not until she became the wife of the next Emperor anyway.

She sighed. "Good morning, I'm Mikan Yukihira" she gazed at each blank faces of her classmates – either they weren't listening or her name didn't ring a bell. She could imagine each one of them snapping out of their daze and murdering her when they knew that she's Natsume's fiancée. Every stupid and dimwitted girl would kill to be in her shoes – except her. Oh the irony. "Nice to meet you"

Narumi smiled. "So, does anyone have any questions for Mikan-chan?"

Hands shot up, the brunette smiled dejectedly inwardly. Who said they were bored? Nope, no one. She must have imagined their lack of interest. Stupid Mikan, stupid, stupid, stupid –

"How many cars do you have?"

"How many houses do you own?"

"Have you seen the latest Channel series?"

"Who are you exactly? Yukihira – never heard of" Mikan found green cat eyes looking squarely at her. "Or, are you poor and in fact a puny rat-like scholarship student?"

If there was the perfect time for a nuclear bomb to explode, it was this moment. She'd gladly throw her arms wide open and accept a live grenade than answer a question she knew would possibly bite back at her real time.

But no grenade came nor any nuclear bombs. Thank heavens.

There was only Narumi.

"Oh, haven't I told you all? Mikan-chan here is the cousin of Misaki Harada-san." Everyone's eyes perked up to Mikan whose eyes popped out of their sockets to Narumi's.

"You are?" they all chorused. Mikan's mouth twitched uncomfortably.

"I am?"

"Yes you are" Narumi said rather forcibly under his breath.

"Yes I am!" Mikan echoed.

"Yeah, now that you mention it she does look like her right?" a guy with hay-colored hair said, smiling.

"Sure, just change her eyes and her mouth and her ears and – oh wait, change her whole face and maybe put some curves in her body. Yep, man, you're right, she does look like her!"

The brunette gawked at the whole sea of chaos. How can they believe that hideous lie? Really, people, they'd twist everything up just to invent a possible explanation for the truth they want to believe in. Well, what can she say, it saved her neck. What right does she have to complain? Nothing!

Besides, Ruka and Natsume exist. And they're cousins. Oh the abnormality.

"Now, off you go Mikan-chan, hop along. See that seat over there, the one second farthest from the back beside Sumire Shouda-san? That's the one." Narumi smiled at her as he gave her a push.

Unfortunately, she didn't 'hop along' as Narumi had put it. But she did walk. And man! Was it awkward. If they had given her zero interest before, it seems like they give her 100 percent attention now. And she hates it. Really.

Whatever spectacular miracle Misaki launched for her to be worshipped like this, it saved Mikan's neck. And left it hanging perfectly just right on the spot where an axe could chop it off anytime.

"Hey, Mikan Yukihira." She heard someone call as she settled on her seat – which was shockingly a fluffy throne and her desk is well, an oak desk with a complete name plaque. But she didn't have the time to fuss over that matter. The same green cat eyes gazed at her – creepily with awe and respect. "Mikan Yukihira right? Nice to meet you, cousin of Harada Misaki. I am Sumire Shouda. Let us be friends. Forever." The girl smiled.

Mikan felt herself gag. Can it be worse than this?

How did I end up in this situation?

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

"What do you think?" The Emperor asked Mikan who was staring at him agape.

She had just been offered to attend the most famous and prestigious academy only open to the elite for free! Under normal circumstances, it would have taken the brunette her whole lifetime to try and enter the academy and she would still fail. But then, again, when was she under normal circumstances these days?

"The idea is tempting," she lied. "But I have to say, no."

"But why? Everyone would love to enter the Academy – for free!"

Mikan can't help rolling her eyes. "Well, recently, it seems like I'm not longer what you call 'everyone'" she made the quote signs on air. "Besides, I already chose my High School and I already enrolled there. I can't just go and enter a different one."

Ioran shrugged helplessly. "If that's really what you wanted." Mikan looked at him again. She couldn't believe that he's agreeing to her this easily. Shouldn't there be the part where he blackmails her and she agrees to his terms? Forget about this Emperor being normal, he's weird! "But please don't forget that you are the fiancée of the next Emperor of Japan." He reminded gently.

"Believe me, as much as I'd love to wipe that fact clean, it won't just come off. Maybe I need to use a stronger soap?"

"And that is exactly why, if you attend your chosen School, you would have to attend with ten bodyguards and they would have to follow you everywhere." He replied.

Okay, forget about him not blackmailing her. She spoke too soon. "Even when Mother Nature's calling me?" he nodded. Mikan stared incredulously at him.

He smiled at her.

She smiled back and leaned against her chair. "Oh pshh. Who said anything about not attending Royal Sakura? I'd love to attend" she grinned, NOT. But what choice does she have? She better stare at Natsume all day all until he melts –and she wishes he would – rather than build four walls using her bodyguards and feel like a sushi wrapped around ten people.

"Alright then." The Emperor smiled triumphantly. Who said anything about him not being evil? He won't be the head of the country if he didn't have any evil flowing in his veins.

"When do classes start?"

"Tomorrow."

The brunette's eyes jumped out of her sockets. "TOMORROW?"

That soon?

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

When Mikan asked if her situation can be worse than an hour ago, she didn't expect the answer to come so soon. And well, the answer was…

Yes.

"Yukihira-san, how is it true that you are Harada-sama's cousin?"

"Do you see her often?"

"Are you guys real close?"

"Did she break up with Andou-sama already?"

Mikan stared in horror at the hordes of unfamiliar faces looking down on her with expectation and awe as questions kept pouring down continuously. What's more frightening is that she doesn't know how to answer those queries.

And she's afraid they'll eat her alive.

Okay, maybe not. But she couldn't just sit there on her throne while hearing all of them spout out random questions about Misaki. Like, who asks without expecting an answer in return?

No one.

Exactly.

But she couldn't answer them so—

"HEY LOOK!" A finger pointed out the window. Thank God she sits beside the window. "A UFO!"

All heads turned to the sky.

And Mikan Yukihira victoriously escaped.

Goodness.

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Fumble. Tap. Pat. Sit. Stand. Pace. Sit.

"Ruka, would you please stop moving around?" Natsume asked his cousin. He kept moving every three seconds and it's killing his sanity slowly. What a torture. He believes his father stated clearly that today's Mikan's first day in the school, not her Death Day so he really doesn't get what Ruka's fussing about.

The blond finally stopped.

What a relief. Natsume rolled his crimson orbs.

"But Natsume, aren't you worried?" Ruka asked him, finally sitting down. His eyebrows are knitted together so close that they looked like a single string of gold yarn.

The raven-haired lad snorted. "What's there to worry about? Flying cockroaches?"

Ruka scowled. "Flying cockroaches are innocent Natsume. And in case you forgot, today's Mikan-chan's first day. Aren't you worried for her?"

"And why should I be worried? And in case you forgot, flying cockroaches are also dirty."

The fair-headed lad crossed his arms. "They are dirty but they don't deserve to be whacked by equally untidy people. Oh come on Natsume. You know that Mikan-chan isn't used to our kind of people. I'm sure she's freaking out now. Besides, I'm worried that she might not be able to make a believable excuse for her family background."

"They do Ruka. Just because you're a frustrated animal lover doesn't mean that you should be their so-called defender. And if you're so worried about that girl, why don't you go and check in on her?"

Ruka's scowl grew deeper. "As if I can. You and I both know that people shouldn't know that Mikan-chan's your fiancée until next week as the tradition says, so I can't."

Natsume shrugged. "Then there you have it. You can't do anything so stop being such a worry-wart."

"I can't believe you are her fiancé and you don't care a penny about her."

"Well I can. And in case you haven't noticed, I have too many pennies to care." Natsume deadpanned.

It was Ruka's turn to roll his eyes as he dragged Natsume out of their classroom.

"What the heck are you doing?" he demanded.

"I said we can't let people know we're related to her, but I never said we can't look over her."

Natsume grunted disapprovingly but let himself be dragged away by his cousin.

"Oh, and about the cockroaches, stop holding grudges against them. It's not their fault Tsubasa mixed in one of them in your soup and you saw one floating in it. Poor creature."

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Mikan was running away from her new classmates when she bumped onto someone – or more likely, two someones – and was so shocked when she saw who they were. Never would she imagine that they would study in this school and yet, there they are smiling at her with the same faces.

"Anna! Nonoko!" Mikan screamed with glee as she hugged her two best friends.

If they're real then it means that she really had a normal life before she was jammed into the Palace life. But then, at the same time, if they study here then it also means that they are hardly normal – which means she is still trapped into this nightmare of a life.

"Mikan-chan, we missed you!" Nonoko said as she released Mikan.

"Oh, and we heard what happened from Hotaru. Mikan-chan, you're so lucky!" Anna gushed.

Mikan just smiled. She was too happy to retort about the 'lucky' sentence. "But what are you guys doing here?"

"We study here." Anna replied, pointing out the obvious. They were wearing the same uniform: duh.

"I think that's not what she meant Anna. Actually Mikan-chan, our father owns the big clothing company near your neighborhood. You know, that high tower you see every time?" Nonoko explained.

The brunette covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh my gosh, you mean The N&A Clothing Company? You guys, that's like the most famous clothing brand in Japan! Why didn't you tell me?"

Both of them shrugged. "We didn't want you to treat us differently. Besides, it doesn't matter."

"We're still friends, right?" they asked.

Mikan nodded. "Sure we are. No wonder you guys never let me into your house. And now that you mention it, you also never told me where you're going for High School."

"Yeah, but we're all together now. Isn't that great?" Nonoko asked happily.

"Not quite. Where's Hotaru?" Mikan had to ask. She hadn't seen the black-haired lass since breakfast and she wanted to see her so badly now. Her complaints can't wait any longer.

The twins looked at each other then to the hallway ahead. Mikan peered to the direction. People were flooding around something and it's coming nearer and nearer. She wondered what it is but whatever it is, it's making a racket around the campus. Heads started to bob out the windows everywhere to get a clear view. Who knew that there was something that would perk up all these elites' interest?

"Mikan-chan, did you know that Royal Sakura Academy is more known as Alice Academy?" Anna asked. Mikan looked back at the twins.

"Eh? Really? How so?"

"It's because there's this group of famous exclusive group in our school called Alice. They get their own classroom, lounging area, cafeteria area and other various privileges plus, everyone looks up on them." She explained.

"It's like they're the elite of the elite!" Nonoko added. Mikan heard the noise get louder as the crowd neared them. Now she can identify it as squeals. What could they be squealing about? "And Hotaru-chan is a part of that group."

Mikan snapped back at the twins. They pointed at the crowd, the center of pandemonium now visible to Mikan. It was not something that they were making a fuss of. They were someones.

The brunette and the twins watched as Hotaru walked beside Natsume and Ruka, looking cool as if the noisy mob wrapped around them was nonexistent. They just walk about as if there's nothing off the ordinary and Mikan had to admit: They were pretty cool – and beautiful. Almost ethereal, if she might add.

Hotaru with her hair short and sleek black tresses and her purple eyes that seem to threaten even as she just sweep a glance at you walked so coolly, her every move as if saying 'back off or else'. And as it was, people tried hard not to get on her way.

Ruka was way milder than the two with his Prince Charming appearance: soft golden hair and clear blue eyes that smile on everyone. He was so beautiful that Mikan noticed some girls faint as he passed by.

Natsume. Natsume looked dangerous. His face was devoid of emotions or if he does show anything, it would have been boredom. But even with just his lack of interest and his stoic expression, he looked so hot and sexy with his messy raven hair and crimson eyes. The way he carries himself with a swagger sends girls and some guys alike into pools of blood.

Mikan watched as they neared her, half-expecting a greeting but she knew that would be impossible since they are not supposed to know each other. But she waited.

The greeting she was half-expecting didn't come but she did see a ghost of a smile playing on Ruka's lips as he and Hotaru looked at her for a moment, careful not to let the people around notice while Natsume just stared past her.

The brunette felt an irrational pang of disappointment. Admitted or not, she did thought Natsume would care a little how she was doing, even spare a tiny peek at her but she had nothing. What was she expecting? She brushed the bubbling feeling aside.

"Stupid Jerk" she unconsciously said aloud – much too loud that some of the people around her snapped their heads in her direction – one of them a girl with short black hair and eyes.

"Excuse me," she said. "Did you just call Natsume-sama a jerk?" she asked, eyes narrowed at Mikan.

"I – " what was the point of denying? Mikan asked herself. He is a jerk anyway. "I guess so."

The girl gasped, her face changing into a mask of fury and offended. "I, the vice-president of the Natsume-Ruka Fanclub, Wakako Usami cannot forgive you. How dare you call Natsume-sama a jerk?" people started to flock over them. Whatever Mikan did, it was a bad move, she realized. Attention is the last thing she needed. "Your name?"

"What?"

"What is your name?" she demanded.

"Mikan Yukihira"

She smirked. "Huh, an unknown name. No wonder you do not recognize the glory of Natsume-sama. You must be one of those stupid scholarship students. Anyway, if I were you, I'd be watching my steps because the fanclub won't forgive you for this!" she glared at Mikan then left, the brunette watching after her trails.

"Mikan-chan…what you did was really dangerous." Anna said worriedly. "Natsume-Ruka fanclub's like, the scariest and biggest fanclub in the campus! You'll be bullied!"

Mikan rolled her eyes. She was not scared. "Whatever. So why are they called Alice?" she asked.

Both looked at each other and sighed then shifted their gaze to their friend. "The school was once owned by Mrs. Alice, she was your fiancé's ancestor, I think. Actually, the founder of the Academy was the wife of the Emperor years ago but now it's owned by Kazumi-sama." Anna explained.

"Oh…" Mikan mouthed then heard her stomach growl. It was lunchtime and she should be heading to the cafeteria by now. She guessed the twins heard her stomach rumble so they dragged her off to the hallway.

Nonoko giggled. "Come on Mikan-chan, let's eat. You'll love the food in the cafeteria."

If only Mikan knew what she'd just entered into…

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Natsume scanned around the cafeteria. He was currently perched on his favorite seat in the table reserved for the Alice, seating beside Ruka who was beside his equally stoic cousin, Hotaru. On the way to 'looking over Mikan', she somehow ended up walking beside them and were together caught by the daily ruckus they were able to launch.

Right now, she's busy working over her crazy contraptions while Ruka scrutinized his lasagna.

Natsume sat watching lazily at the scene sprawled before him: people carrying trays of food to their tables, some popular kids making fun of the nerdy horde and of course, fangirls busy giggling and drooling over them instead of drooling over their food – typical day.

Ruka eyed the piece of lasagna impaled in his fork, scowling slightly. Natsume rolled his eyes. "Ruka, how many times do I have to tell you? Eat it. Animal meat won't kill you."

The blond boy winced. "I'm vegetarian okay? Easy for you to say, you didn't watch a documentary about slaughter houses and you don't love animals."

"Whatever. Eat it or give it to Imai. Just stop glaring at it like it's gonna glare back at you."

Hotaru looked from her work. "I'm sorry Hyuga, but I prefer crabs over carbs with tomato paste." She said flatly.

Natsume grunted.

Ruka put his fork down and sighed. Finding nothing else to do, he picked it up again and stared at it.

Silence.

"I serious think sometimes you're gay." Natsume said simply.

"WHAT?" Ruka blushed slightly. "I'm not gay Natsume."

He smirked. "Yeah, right. So stop staring at your food and eat it like a man."

Hotaru snapped a photo of the two, Ruka blushing furiously and Natsume smirking. "Caption: Natsume Hyuga and Ruka Nogi turning gay for each other'. Nice headline for tomorrow's news, huh?" She smirked.

Ruka blushed even more. "W-what… Imai, you know that's not true! Delete it this instant!"

She shrugged. "I might, but I won't. This will cost me lots of green papers and a big plate of crab."

"Natsume, don't you care about that?" Ruka asked in panic.

"Tch. Only stupid people would believe that."

"Yeah, and 98% of your Fanclub population consists of stupid dimwitted girls Hyuga." Hotaru reminded.

Natsume glared at her.

Crash!

The three turned their attention to the commotion. People laughed at a certain someone, sitting limply at the floor, covered with what seemed to be a dressing of a taco and spilled milk, three figures of girls standing before her while two assisting her back.

It was Mikan.

Natsume realized with a start. Was she being bullied or what? People continued to laugh.

The slimmer figure poked her forehead and jerked it back, hard. It was difficult to see it from their view but he's now pretty darn sure it was bullying. For no apparent reason, Natsume felt his stomach clench into a bitter feeling and heard his ears buzz.

He feels angry. He feels like killing someone on the spot, but why? No one had harmed him.

He continued to watch. People continued to laugh. They continued to bully her.

"Natsume, aren't you gonna do something?" Ruka asked worriedly. "It's Mikan-chan. I know we're not supposed to know each other but…there must be something we can do."

The raven-haired lad looked at his female cousin. Her face was still stoic but he can see – and probably he and Ruka alone can - that she was angry. Well, of course she was. Her best friend is being bullied and she can't do anything about it because of a stupid tradition. She must feel frustrated.

Natsume stood up, balling his fists into his pockets. Some of the people near them noticed and looked at him curiously. He stared back at his cousins.

"Are you coming or what?" he asked.

Hotaru stood up and stood beside him. Ruka looked at them both in worry but decided to come.

"Natsume, what are you going to do?" he asked.

Natsume smirked as he started to walk, Hotaru beside him.

"We're rescuing a damsel in distress" he muttered.

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

The brunette was innocently strolling towards their table when she tripped, the tray of tacos and milk flipping midair before crashing squarely on her. Before she knew it, her butt's already pinned down the floor and she was dripping wet, vegetables and taco sauce pasted all over her.

Laughter rang in her ears as Anna and Nonoko tried to assist her up but instead, three girls, including the girl from before stood in front of her. Their hands were on their hips as they laughed ruthlessly at her.

Mikan felt herself flare with anger. Did they just trip her?

One with curly long magenta hair poked her forehead and pushed it hard so that she jerked back a little. "So, this is that Mikan Yukihira you were talking about, Wakako-san?" she sneered, her face twisted evilly. "Ugly."

Mikan glared at her.

"Look who's talking." Mikan spat as she finally stood up, Nonoko and Anna beside her, both of them glaring at the other two girls. "Let's see how you look like with Chili soup on your face." Mikan smirked as she grabbed a bowl of red soup and splashed it on the Witch's face.

Shortly after, people can hear a screaming fit as the girl clawed on her own face, keeping the spicy soup off her eyes. "What the Hell did you do, you b***h? Ahhhhh!" she screamed.

Mikan shrugged nonchalantly. "You were lucky the soup wasn't boiling hot and that I had enough mercy not to aim at your eyes. Or else, I would've seen your beauty with your eyes flaring red." She chuckled.

The girl lunged at her, caught Mikan's chocolate tendrils and pulled them hard. Of course, the brunette had to fight back, tangling her hands purposefully on the witch's dark red hair and pulling them with equal force. The brunette heard the people cheering 'Catfight! Catfight!' in the background as the twins tried their best to stop the fight.

A few more hair-pulling and the brunette found herself sprawled on the floor, the red-haired girl on top of her.

"You think you're beautiful, Yukihira?" she asked. "Well let me tell you what." She sneered. "Natsume-sama won't even spare a glance at you! You – are – that – ugly!" she spat the words cruelly. It hurts that Mikan knew that was true. He really did not spare so much of a glance at her.

And yes, maybe she is that ugly.

But so what? Who needs to be noticed by that jerk?

Mikan stared in horror at the long fingernails of the witch. She knew that any moment they would sink in her face. The brunette squeezed her eyes shut, anticipating pain but nothing came.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and saw the Witch being lifted on the arm by Natsume then was tossed aside like a piece of trash, gaping in awe at him, hearts practically replacing her pupils.

Mikan looked at him from the floor. He smirked in amusement as he lifted her up by the arm and enveloped her in a protective half-hug. She watched as the expression of the whole student body changed from curiosity to shock.

Just like that, Mikan knew her life would be over. What the heck was Natsume thinking? They're not supposed to know each other until next week! Although she is grateful that he saved her, but still.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Natsume?" she hissed as he smirked at the other people.

He shrugged. "What, you really wanted your face to be clawed in by that b***h? No offense but without scars your face already looked pretty horrible. No need to upgrade it." He muttered under his breath.

The brunette glared at him. "Did you just call me ugly? Huh, such a jerk!" she huffed. "Anyway, don't blame me when the Emperor knew about this."

He smirked again.

"Natsume-sama!" The witch screamed, recovering from shock. She accused a finger at Mikan. "Look at what that girl did to me!" she wailed hopelessly.

Natsume smirked at her bemusedly. "I must say, she painted you pretty nice on red."

Everyone laughed. Her face twisted in disbelief.

"Natsume-sama, are you siding with her? But that girl is ugly! She's filthy! Natsume-sama, if I dare say, you're better off with me!"

Natsume's expression changed in disgust. "I don't think so."

"Here's a magic mirror." Hotaru gave her a shard of glass. "Did you know that you'll see the ugliest person on Earth if you look at that glass?"

The Witch smiled in triumph. "See? Even Hotaru-sama sides with me!" she looked at the glass. Her face fell. "W-what, Hotaru-sama, how come I can see my face here?" she demanded. "This is a normal mirror!" she said incredulously.

Hotaru looked at her icily. "No, it's a magic mirror. No one disgusts me more than your face." She said coldly then added. "Stupid."

"W-what…Natsume-sama, why are you siding with that girl?" she asked hopelessly, confusion painted together with chili soup on her face.

Anna and Nonoko looked at each other and grinned. "Well that's simple." They chorused. "That's because Mikan-chan's Natsume-sama's fiancée!" For a moment everyone looked at them, then on the raven-haired lad to Mikan.

"WHAT?"

Mikan and Ruka groaned. Natsume and Hotaru remained stoic. A fraction of murmurs burst from the crowd.

"I-is that true?"

Mikan looked at Natsume. Is he going to deny her?

He smirked. "That's right – so back off."

Mikan felt herself blush. Being dragged away by Natsume, they exited the cafeteria without eating, just leaving flabbergasted people in their wake.

Maybe Natsume's not so bad after all.

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

They were in the Alice Room now and Anna and Nonoko can't stop ogling around the furnitures and hi-tech equipment while Mikan, well, Mikan sat on Hotaru's seat – which was a grander throne than the ones in the normal department – hugging her knees. She was now wearing her PE uniform seeing as how her normal uniform was smudged with taco and milk.

She kept on replaying the scene in the cafeteria for no reason. Reminiscing the only time Natsume showed him a bit of kindness.

"Hey Natsume, why did do that?" she finally asked, not being able to keep it in.

The lad looked over her from his manga. "Do what?" he replied.

"Save me. Why did you save me?" she asked. "I thought you hated me?"

"Who said I did that for free?" he asked.

Mikan looked at him quizzically. "W-what…?"

He smirked. "You're paying me with your body for that."

Mikan's eyes widened as she flushed the color of the Chili soup. "P-pervert! Arghh, really. You're making my freaking head ache!"

"Cut it off. It won't hurt then." He advised lazily.

"The only thing I'm cutting off here is your head Natsume! Don't let me get a hold of anything sharp, I swear when you wake up the next morning you'll be wondering where your head headed off to."

"Won't he be dead by then?" Anna asked from the corner.

Mikan pouted. "He's a demon, he doesn't die. He'll just grow his head again. Stupid Demon Prince."

"Whatever."

Ring! Ring!

It was Mikan's phone. Who could be calling her at this time of the day? Could it be her parents? Like finally they remember they once had a daughter who they sold off to to the Imperial Family.

"Hello?" Mikan answered.

"Mikan-chan! It's me, Misaki!" the caller said.

"Oh! What's wrong? Why did you call? Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Pshh. Everything's fine Mikan-chan. So how was school? What kind of excuse did you use for your family background?"

"I used your name. No, actually Narumi-sense said we're cousins. By the way, before you graduated did you bewitch the people here? They practically worship you." Mikan replied.

She heard Misaki chuckled from across the line. "Oh, really?"

"What, you really did?" Mikan shrieked.

"Pfft, no. I was one of the Alice, Mikan. That's why. Anyway, back to you. How was school?"

Mikan's face fell. "Hell."

"Eh? But I thought you'd enjoy. You hate it? What happened?"

"I learned that milk is not a very good replacement for water and taco isn't exactly my kind of soap." She replied dryly.

"What? But I thought the plumbing in Royal Sakura was always perfect! And I certainly don't remember having taco-flavored soap." Misaki said.

Mikan laughed. "No, I was bullied."

"BULLIED? WHAT-? Mikan-chan, I'm heading right there. Who bullied you? Why?"

"I called Natsume a jerk, that's why. Anyway, it's fine. Don't worry too much about it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, besides, Natsume saved me anyway." Mikan stole a glance at the lad and blushed at her memory. Either he really can't hear it or he's pretending not to.

"Well that's new. Natsume has never been kind." Misaki replied in confusion.

"No, he's still a jerk." Mikan smiled.

And maybe, just maybe a little, she's starting to like him.

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Finally! It's done. Phew. XD

So long right?

How was it? Liked it, hated it? Just fine?

If you have any comments, suggestions and complaints, then send them to me through REVIEWS! :)

You can also request anything for the next chapter so be sure to REVIEW okay? :D