Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice. No profit is being made through this story.

AN: Written to welcome the fantabulous New Year 2011!

Natsume wondered for the millionth time just how in hell he'd managed to get himself stuck at a New Year's Party again. After last year's fiasco, in which an inebriated Ruka Nogi had managed to offend Hotaru Imai to the extent that her usual self control had snapped and she slapped him, he'd sworn off New Year Parties.

After all, Ruka and Hotaru's break up had cost him millions. The two ex-lovers decided not to collaborate on a project they had been working on as they could no longer stand the sight of each other. Since Natsume invested a great deal of money into it, he had been unable to recover the vast majority.

Peering over the rim of the champagne glass a helpful waiter had handed him, he saw all the people who had been present at last year's party dancing away in this one as well. He observed that their tight dresses and grey hair were the only indications that any time had passed at all since that fateful, expensive night.

He put his now empty flute onto a passing waiter's tray and moved further away from the dancers, returning to the bar yet again. Ordering some whiskey, he sat down on one of the ridiculously high stools in front of the bar and checked his Blackberry for any messages.

However, before he could respond to the first message (a cheesy Happy New Year poem from his sister, Aoi), his best friend sat down on the seat in front of him and said gloomily, "Having fun?"

Natsume snorted in response and said, "I'm having the time of my life! The worst time, that is."

Ruka laughed and a girl sitting a little further down the bar sighed. "Is there any chance of us sneaking away without my mother noticing?"

"An iceberg's chances of survival in hell are higher."

"You'd think Mother would have given up on these bashes after last year's… incident."

"A reliable source tells me she's hoping the two of you will patch things up tonight."

"What source is this?" asked Ruka, skeptically.

"An extremely irritating one named Aoi Hyuuga," replied Natsume.

"Oh," said Ruka, in a slightly disinterested tone that told Natsume his attention was no longer fixed on the conversation. He looked up from his whiskey glass in the direction of his friend's admiring gaze and saw a petite brunette talking to Mrs. Nogi.

"Really Ruka, surely you can find someone classier in this huge crowd?" he said, signaling the barman for more drinks.

Unfortunately, the music died down just as he spoke and his comment was clearly heard by the girl, who indignantly turned around. Her angry expression and pursed lips killed Natsume's hope that she was deaf. Mrs. Nogi too turned to see who her companion was staring at and smiled at her son and his best friend.

"Er… Natsume? Now would be a really good time for you to run," said Ruka.

But before he could heed his friend's excellent advice, Natsume was ambushed by the furious girl he had just insulted.

"Who gave you the right to judge people in one microsecond?" she asked, furious.

Forced into an unexpected corner, Natsume unleashed his one true talent on the girl: He proceeded to completely piss her off.

"No one. I was born supreme."

Behind him, he heard Ruka groan loudly.

The girl in front of him spluttered, "Why you – you…!"
"Yes, Polka Dots?"

"What's that even supposed to mean?"

He smirked.

She turned bright red as realization struck and said, "B-But how could you possibly…"

"You shouldn't run to confront people in dresses like that one. Then again, I don't mind if you do."

Before she could reply, he said abruptly, "Dance with me."

Looking utterly bewildered by the complete turnabout in his attitude, she asked, "Why?"

"Because Mrs. Nogi is looking this way to see which one of us she can foist Sumire Shouda on."

Completely ignoring Ruka's indignant protest and the girl's lack of response while she gaped at him, he led her onto the dance floor, where the music had started once more.

"My name's Mikan," she said.

"Hn."

"Your name?" prompted Mikan. "Mrs. Nogi didn't mention it. She just pointed her son out to me. I assume you're a close friend of the family?"

"How are you related to her anyway?"

"I'm working with the company that organized this event."

"The hired help."

She looked offended at that and said, "I prefer the title 'Event Planner'."

"I like the title 'Mount Fujiyama'," he offered, with a wicked grin.

"Pervert."

He shrugged. "Maybe."

"You know, that's a thing most people would be ashamed to be."

He noticed her eyes, which were a warm brown, glittered with amusement.

"Mount Fujiyama?"

Natsume shook himself out of his contemplation of her eyes. "W-What?"

"I said that Mr. Nogi is sending you a murderous look."

Natsume turned around to see Ruka dancing with Sumire. Both of them looked extremely unhappy with their partner and seemed to be taking turns to send him deadly glares.

He returned to his former position, facing her, looking completely unconcerned about the fact that his best friend was currently thinking of ways to kill him.

"If looks could kill…" remarked Mikan.

"I'd be a piece of neatly wrapped meat."

"Who are you?"

"Besides tall, dark and handsome?"

"Besides arrogant, insulting and egoistic."

"I'm Joe."

"And I'm Jane."

"I'm an invading alien from Pluto."

"Really…"

"Will you skeptical earthlings believe me only after the world's end?"

"We earthlings will believe you right after you show us your extendable limbs."

He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "They're right here. Within your reach."

Mikan blushed and said crossly, "Can't you stop that?"

"You're such a prude."

"You're such a pervert."

She looked over his shoulder and waved to a girl standing behind him, on the edge of the dance floor.

"Hotaru!"

Imai easily cut through the crowd to reach them and said, "Mikan. Certainly not a pleasure."

Mikan ignored her and pointed towards Natsume, saying, "This is an alien. Dance with him."

"No."

"Hotaru!"

"No."

"Dance!"

With that, Mikan shoved her disgruntled best friend into Natsume's arms and walked away.

"Imai," said Natsume, as a slow, romantic song played. "This is … unexpected."

"Uncomfortable is more appropriate. I suppose we can't break this up right now?"

"It would lead to a lot of extraneous gossip for Shouda and her cronies to ponder over if we leave before the song is over. Besides, it would irritate Mrs. Nogi. And you most assuredly do not want to anger her."

With a small, annoyed sigh, Hotaru gave up and moved closer to him for a proper slow dance. The silence between them was slightly awkward but neither cared enough to inaugurate any conversation. As soon as the song was over, they parted, civilly thanking each other for the dance.

Hotaru spotted Hayate, an old boyfriend of hers in the crowd and moved forward to greet him. However, she found her path blocked by Ruka.

"Nogi," she said coolly.

"Why were you dancing with Natsume?" he demanded.

Hotaru maintained a stony silence.

"I don't mind Hayate or any of those guys, Hotaru. But Natsume, he's… he's…"

A punch from the girl in front of him caused Ruka to stop in the middle of his sentence. Hotaru's normally emotionless eyes were blazing as she said, "Get lost."

"Look, I…"

She moved away before he could finish his sentence. She unhurriedly walked towards door and told Mrs. Nogi, who was standing there, that she had a terrible headache. The older woman sympathized and said that she could use the guest bedroom if she wished to but Hotaru politely declined and walked out.

Ruka stared at her retreating silhouette for a while and then walked away in the opposite direction, shaking his head.

Meanwhile, Natsume was back at the bar, steadily drinking his way through most of the beer available.

"That explains your outspoken boldness," said Mikan, slipping into the seat next to him and gesturing at the bottle of alcohol.

He grinned, almost completely sloshed by now. "If I must be bored out of my wits, I prefer to have no wits," he slurred.

However, Mikan was no longer paying him any attention. "Oh, that's just so cute!" she squealed.

"I always knew I was a charming drunk but… "

"Not you! Them!"

"Who?"

"Hotaru and Ruka! They're back together!"

"Hell. Are they… kissing?"

"Passionately," sighed Mikan.

"How?"

"My plan worked."

"Your plan?"

"I've known Hotaru for years and she's been miserable this past year, even if she doesn't show it. And Mrs. Nogi told me Ruka was the same, so we set them up by having you dance the Alice Song with Hotaru."

"Alice Song?"

"Only you and Hotaru would be so utterly unconcerned with Current Hot Things as to be unaware of what it is. It's a dance for couples only. Engaged couples."

"Shit."

Natsume took a fortifying gulp of beer before saying, "So everyone thought I was engaged to her?"

"Including Ruka," said Mikan, nodding happily. "And obviously, as your best friend, he is well aware of what a horrible husband you would be."

"Thank you."

"So all his chivalrous instincts kicked in, albeit a little later than I'd hoped for, and he rushed in to rescue her!"

"You put me in the role of fire-breathing dragon?"

"You fit."

"Beer?"

"No, I don't drink."

"Horlicks Baby Mix?"

"Shut up!"

"Whatever you say, Polka Dots."

"Pervert!"

I really need to find a new hobby apart from polluting the GA fandom.

Most importantly, does Horlicks actually sell Baby Mix?

Till next time,

;)

PS: REVIEW!

AN: Plotless and nonsensical. Also, an attempt to see whether HotaruxRuka would ever really work. I still don't think so. Totally OOC, to boot. And incredibly late for a New Year!fic. But in my defense, I wrote it in one short hour on 31st December.