*It hurts to love someone and not to be loved in return, but what is the most painful is to love someone and never find the courage to let the person know how you feel.
Mikan woke up and found herself lying on a soft warm bed in an unfamiliar room, bright lights glaring down at her. Her eyes adjusted to the light, and she finally realized where she was.
She was in the hospital wing of Alice Academy, although she didn't know how she got there. The last thing that she could remember was Hotaru and the others finding her and Natsume in the storage room, and as they ushered them out of the room, she fell unconscious.
Her head was wrapped up in bandages, and there was still a light ringing sound in her ears. Although with difficulty, she managed to move her body into a sitting position. That was when she noticed the hand holding hers and the person sitting on the chair beside her bed. Mikan fought the urge to gasp in surprise.
Natsume was here.
Fortunately, he was sleeping soundly, his head resting on the side of her bed. He looked tired, worn out. He probably stayed up all night watching over her.
Mikan brushed the hair away from his eyes. Natsume looked gentle and peaceful as he slept. She noticed the cast on his arm. Mikan couldn't help but feel a stabbing pain in her chest. It was because of her that Natsume broke his shoulder. It was because of her that he had to risk even his own arm in order to save her.
It's because I'm still in love with you. The words ran through her mind.
Mikan couldn't help but blush at the memory. Her heart started to beat faster. Even though Natsume already said that he loved her before, he didn't say it to her directly. But what happened on that day in the storage room was different. He even kissed her. Mikan couldn't help but savor the feel of his lips over hers. The memory had imprinted itself on her mind. She gently touched his cheek.
"I see that you're finally awake." A voice spoke up from the door.
Mikan immediately sat up straight and found herself facing her best friend, who was grinning from ear to ear.
"Hotaru." Mikan blushed in an even brighter shade of red.
"Sorry to ruin your moment." Hotaru said, approaching her.
Mikan looked away in embarrassment.
"I can't believe that you saw that." She muttered.
"I also caught it on camera." Hotaru smiled evilly.
Mikan immediately turned to look at her best friend. She wasn't joking at all. In Hotaru's hand was none other than her camera. Mikan's eyes widened in shocked surprise. She tried a grab for the camera, but it was little bit difficult with Natsume holding her other hand and with her body's current condition. Hotaru retreated a step.
"Hotaru! Delete that picture, please." Mikan hissed. She tried to lower her voice as much as she could. After all, she didn't want to disturb Natsume's peaceful slumber.
Hotaru rolled her eyes.
"Geez baka, calm yourself down. I was only kidding." She set aside her camera and grabbed a chair, placing it beside Mikan's bed. She kept a fair distance between her and Natsume's sleeping figure.
"Hotaru, you're so mean!" Mikan whined, but somehow, she felt relieved.
"You should get used to it already, baka." Hotaru grumbled under her breath. "Don't you realize how worried we were when we found out that you were kidnapped?" She demanded.
Mikan instantly felt guilt building up in her chest.
"I'm sorry." She said. Tears started to form in her eyes.
Hotaru sighed grudgingly.
"I'm sorry for bursting out like that, but we were worried sick! We've been searching for you for hours, but we weren't able to find any trace of you. No one even saw you. Also, we couldn't find Nishizawa, that's why we had no clue on where to look for you. Fortunately, Hyuuga heard you and the others yelling in the storage room and we were able to make it on time. Heaven only knows what we could've done if we were a few minutes too late." Worry and deep concern showed in Hotaru's eyes, making Mikan's guilt increase tenfold.
"I'm really sorry." Tears started flowing from Mikan's eyes.
"Stop crying, idiot." Hotaru muttered. "At least you're safe now." She said, as she patted Mikan's back.
After a few minutes, Mikan finally calmed down.
"What happened to Koizumi and the others?" She asked.
Anger and deep hatred flashed in Hotaru's eyes.
"They were expelled of course. We managed to catch them when they tried to run away from the storage room." She said in disgust. "If you ask me, they should've sent those three to jail."
Mikan stared out of the window.
"How long have I been asleep?" She asked.
"About a week or so." Hotaru replied.
Mikan looked at her best friend in surprise.
"I've been stuck here in the hospital wing for a week?" She shrieked. Natsume stirred in his sleep.
"Keep your voice down you idiot." Hotaru ordered.
"But aren't we supposed to be preparing for the Alice Festival this week?" Mikan hissed. She tried to count the days that have passed in her mind.
"Don't worry about it." Hotaru assured. "We already have it under control. Just stay here and heal. After all, your body needs all the rest that it could get."
Mikan looked at Natsume's sleeping face.
"How long has Natsume been watching over me?"
"After the doctor placed that cast on his arm, Natsume insisted that he didn't need to stay in the hospital. Of course, the staff didn't let him leave." Hotaru grumbled. "The doctors and nurses were having difficulty with him because he wouldn't stay in his room. He always kept sneaking out in order to see you. So after a few days, they finally let him out. Since then, he didn't attend any of his classes and just stayed here."
Mikan squeezed Natsume's hand.
"He really does love me." She whispered.
Hotaru suddenly stood up from her seat.
"Well, I've got to go." She made her excuses. "I just came by in order to check up on you. Also, I have to tell Sumire and the others that you've already woken up. We'll visit you later after classes end." She turned around and walked to the door. "I'll give you two lovebirds some privacy." She grinned and left.
"See you later, Hotaru." Mikan called after her.
Her gaze drifted back to Natsume's sleeping face.
"Natsume." She said, although she knew that he was still asleep. "I'm still in love with you too." She whispered. She leaned down and planted a kiss on his forehead.
Natsume stirred for a moment. Mikan was worried that she might have woken him up. But fortunately, he continued to sleep, a smile etched up on his face. Mikan wondered if he heard what she said. But at that moment, it didn't seem to matter.
She lay back under the covers and closed her eyes, listening to Natsume's even breathing. She didn't know how long she stayed that way but she didn't care. After all, Natsume was already with her. She didn't need anything else.
A few days later…
"Yukihara-san, will you please be my date to the Alice Dance?" Kaji Yamazaki, an upperclassman from Class 3-B, asked.
Mikan flushed and looked away.
"I'm really sorry Yamazaki-sempai, but I really think that you should ask someone else." She apologized. She caught sight of Hotaru and the others. "I'm sorry, but I really have to go. See you later sempai." She immediately made her excuses.
"But Yukihara-san—" Kaji called after her but Mikan pretended not to hear him. She ran away as fast as she could. Fortunately, she was able to catch up with Hotaru and the others.
"I'm impressed, Mikan. That's like the fifteenth proposal you've received this morning." Sumire grinned.
"And it's not even homeroom period yet." Anna said.
"Plus, most of them came from the upperclassmen." Nonoko added.
Mikan gave an exasperated sigh.
"I really wish that they'd stop it." She muttered. "They're driving me crazy. Every minute, there's a different boy asking me out."
"And you don't like that?" Sumire asked.
Mikan rolled her eyes.
"Of course I don't! I hate unwanted attention." She grumbled under her breath. She looked at the four of them. "So, who are you guys going with?" She asked.
Hotaru remained indifferent. On the other hand, Anna, Nonoko and Sumire actually blushed.
"Well?" Mikan coaxed.
The three of them looked away from her, trying to avoid her eyes.
"Well, you see…" Sumire started.
"We kind of…umm…" Anna trailed off.
"It was really unexpected…" Nonoko muttered.
Several minutes passed, and none of them have given up an answer.
"WHO IS IT?" Mikan yelled, irritated.
The three of them looked at her, stunned at her outburst. Then, hesitantly, they approached her and each whispered in her ear.
"WHAT?" Mikan shrieked. She stared at them in shock.
"Mikan-chan, we're so sorry that we didn't tell you." Anna apologized.
"We didn't have the chance." Nonoko added.
"And especially after the kidnapping incident." Sumire said.
"How long?" Mikan asked.
"A week." Anna said.
"Five days." Nonoko said.
"Three days." Sumire said.
They all answered hesitantly, as though afraid that Mikan might strangle them. What she did next was what shocked them the most. She gave a loud, ear-piercing squeal and hugged them.
"I'm so happy for all of you!" She cheered. Sumire and the others all sighed with relief.
"You're not mad?" Sumire asked.
Mikan laughed.
"And why should I? On the contrary, I'm absolutely ecstatic. The three of you have boyfriends!" She grinned. The three of them smiled at her.
"What about you, Hotaru? Who are you going with?" Mikan finally asked.
"I'm not going with anyone." Hotaru said, as she polished her baka gun.
"Typical, Hotaru." Mikan muttered.
"What about you, Mikan?" Sumire asked.
"Me?"
"Duh, you're the object of admiration from almost every male student here in the school." Sumire grumbled.
"She's most probably going with Hyuuga." Hotaru spoke up.
"Yeah, everyone also assumes that the two of you will go together." Anna said.
"And everyone thinks that you guys will be voted as King and Queen of The Dance." Nonoko added.
"Actually, I'm not going." Mikan said.
"WHAT?" Sumire, Anna and Nonoko stared at her in surprise.
"Are you serious?" Hotaru asked.
"Of course I am." Mikan said, already decided. "I'm not attending the Alice Dance."