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NO!
NATSUME DID NOT KISS HER EVERYONE.
SERIOUSLY, I won't make it that predictable!
Oh, for Kami-sama's sake.
Just...keep reading, ne?
And sorry for the update.
It took so long...like...3 months, ne?
too busy...
gomenasai...

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"Hotaru, it hurts! Ow!Ow!" said Mikan. They were in Hotaru's room, and Hotaru was treating her rather severe bruises.

"You idiot. It's your fault so bear with it," said Hotaru in her ever cold voice.

"I just don't get it! How could he possibly...do that? He's that strong that he could actually lift a person and thrust her?" said Mikan, putting on a disbelieving face.

"Well, yeah, he is that strong seeing as he just did that. What part of reality don't you get, ne, baka?" asked Hotaru, still impassive, but with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Mikan just pouted at Hotaru and turned her face to the side to allow Hotaru to treat her wounds there as she painfully (literally and mentally) reminisced on the happenings that afternoon.

:--::--::--::--:

"AAAHHH!" came Sumire's screech. She was lifted high into the air by Natsume, although her scream was more of excited rather than frightened. She was thinking of a different thing...until with an enormous heave, she was sent flying through the air, directly towards Mikan. This time, realizing the reason why Natsume lifted her, her scream was more on fright rather than pleasantry.

"NATSUME-KUUN!!!!!!!!"

Natsume, after throwing Sumire at Mikan, merely smirked at Mikan's widened orbs and left the room. Just as he closed the door, he heard the squeal of pain followed by the bombardment of swearwords and curses aimed at no one else but him.

For the first time in years, he smiled.

:--::--::--::--:

"He is SUCH AN...oh never mind," Sumire whined. She was in Koko's room, and the latter was nursing her. She lay a crumpled heap on his bed.

"Permy-,"

"DO NOT call me PERMY!"

"Fine, fine...Sumi then. You know Natsume. He's really just like that," he said teasingly, massaging Sumire's foot.

"It's just that...it hurts, Koko," said Sumire, her usually large and booming voice now hushed, and her aggressive eyes were now somber and droopy.

Koko was taken aback by this sudden change in Permy. He saw right through her eyes and knew immediately what was wrong with her.

He will take her out tonight. This midnight.

And he subconsciously smiled at the thought. I wish I could tell her I love her...and his smile suddenly turned into a sad grin.

Natsume was in his room, seemingly reading manga. It was a cover-up, because in truth, he was actually thinking of a certain brunette, whose flashy smile he never can get rid of. He's been thinking of her for hours now, and he can't seem to find out where the girl gets enough strength to resist HIM. He was just so...interested...no, better yet, attracted.

His train of thoughts, however, was interrupted when a loud knock was heard. He was half-expecting it, so all he said was two words.

"Get in."

The door creaked open and there he saw, standing by his doorway, his bestfriend. The boy with the blue eyes, holding his rabbit.

Ruka's Point of View

I was really surprised at what Natsume did this morning. It didn't bother me at the slightest, but it did intrigue me. He never did that, unless he saw someone worthy of being done so.

I wasn't talking about Permy sent hurtling through the air. I'm talking about the new girl, Mikan, getting so much attention from him. It seemed unlikely that Natsume would notice a girl; he's always been uncaring about that.

I was supposed to be headed for Imai's room to ask her not to sell the new batch of pictures she took. Obviuosly she was gonna sell it to fangirls again, much to my chagrin, but curiosity got the better of me, and my feet redirected me to Natsume's room.

I knocked, and of course, I heard the familiar "get in" reply. I entered, and there he was, reading his manga, although he was glassy-eyed. Obviously thinking of something...or someone. I cleared my throat.

"Natsume?" I began, merely to see whether he was listening or not. He gave a low grunt.

I take that as a yes. And so, I plowed on with my speech. If it was a speech.

"Why did you just do that?"

Natsume looked up and I knew at once he was trying to read me. And he did, for my eyes were full of wonder and curiosity and...amusement.

"What are you so amused about?" he asked coldly, still gazing into my eyes.

"You like her," I said ever so plainly. Natsume's eyes widened a bit, but his face stayed passive nevertheless.

"Natsume, you do, don't you?" It was not a question. I was stating it bluntly. I knew.

Natsume just looked away smirking, and in a few short words, his answer to my "question" became clear.

"More or less."

Waah!!
SHORT CHAPPIE.
I am VERY SORRY.
I'll make it up to you, I promise. :)

a.s.h