"Hmm....... Ruka... Haruka! Now there's a match!!!" Mikan chirped happily as she jumped on the bed.

Ruka blushed wildly, shrinking in one corner.

"Stop it!"

Everyone was teasing their blonde friend, including Tsubasa, who had now sort of got the better of himself. Yuu was unexpectedly missing.

-Flashback-

"C'mon... don't make it too hard for everyone, Tsubasa. You know Misaki likes you. So much."

Tsubasa's fingers had slipped around the knob as he heard giggles from inside... Giggles from a familiar girl. (Of course!)

"I'm confused, Yuu." He stopped.

"Well. You shouldn't be. You know where confused feelings mostly end to."

Both reckoned the event about Koko, having a crush on Nonoko, yet courting someone else and made a huge ruckus round the academy. The girl (remember the one with the teleport alice?)... cried for days after Koko confessed the TRUTH.

"That is, too difficult." Tsubasa grunted, his bangs covering his eyes.

Silence followed as the spectacled boy leaned on the wall opposite their room's door, his hands slid in his pockets while he bent his left leg.

Yuu Tobita had grown so matured now; far way too different than how he was when they were still eleven. He had been manlier, and he had different glasses by the way. No longer have those round childish ones... but a new pair of oval, slightly sapphire-tinted spectacles that rested on his nose, making him look more like a heartthrob. And he was. He gained a lot of girl fans, too, when they reached middle school for he was no longer that jumpy, and no longer that sweaty. But instead... cool and smart. Though he was younger, he ended up the wisest among their group. And so when they were about fourteen, they formed the Hot4, together with Tsubasa, Natsume and Ruka.

So, going back to that flashback...

"So... 're you telling her?"

Tsubasa bit his lower lip.

"I don't know. Maybe not yet."

"And who're you gonna tell? The old one, or the other?"

He bit it once again, and he sighed.

"Still don't know."

Yuu sighed and walked across, fingered the knob, just in time when a pink haired girl run passed Tsubasa.

"Misaki?!" Tsubasa yelled, sweating hard and blushing at the same time, his eyes gone wide with happiness.

The girl stopped and faced him. It was Misaki Harada!

At this Tsubasa blushed even harder and slapped Yuu on the head.

"Quit it!!!"

The charming lad giggled and the illusion had faded.

"You sure treat her just a friend, eh?"

Tsubasa took the knob and slipped inside, still flushing.

"Which reminds me!"

"What?"

No one answered him, and he turned, finding Yuu absent.

"Moron."

And he slid inside, feeling a whole lot better.

-End of Flashback-

"Really... she was pretty. But I never said I like her." Ruka stuttered, hugging his bunny.

Natsume grunted while Mikan showed dream eyes.

"How does she look like?"

"Hotaru." Tsubasa explained shortly.

"Really?!"

"Yeah. But she had long hair, and she's graceful." Natsume muttered without looking up.

Mikan expressed knowing eyes and she nudged Natsume's sides, annoying him.

"What?!"

"I suppose you like her, too?"

"Tch." He grunted as he lied on his bed, his back on her while his head was covered y his manga.

Tsubasa stood up and took off his shirt, stealing a glance at Mikan. Unexpectedly, their eyes met.

"Is there something wrong, sempai?"

"Nothing."

She smiled at him, making him blush. He felt too awkward.

Ruka eyed Tsubasa as he sighed, remembering Mikan's second kiss.

I wonder if he took it serious... I hope not.

Just in time, the door opened, revealing Yuu, who was smiling brightly at everyone.

ooXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXoo

"Where've you been?" Tsubasa asked after he slipped in a new black loose shirt.

Yuu scratched his head and sat beside Mikan, leaning on his hands.

"Called the girls..."

He bent beside Mikan and whispered into her ear.

"They're looking for you."

"Oh." Mikan whispered back.

"I think you should call them. They're getting a little worried."

Mikan fingered her lip.

"And Hotaru?"

"They said she's doing fine with the crabs and squids. She wasn't looking for you."

Mikan puffed and steamed.

That Hotaru! She never worries for me when I'm cramped here missing!

"By the way... Have these lover boys told you about the dance ball?"

Tsubasa, who had been fixing his drawer, looked back; Ruka, who had just tucked his bunny on its bed, flinched; while Natsume, who had been pretending asleep glared at Mikan... all anticipated for reactions.

"Dance ball?"

Tsubasa stood up and dusted his pants.

"We weren't planning to tell her... yet since you've broke it out... okay. Mikan, there's a dance ball tomorrow night. And maybe... let's just pretend there isn't and the four of us won't come."

Mikan gripped the sheet below her palms.

"No... please go. I won't like it if you'll stay and cramp here with me.... wasting your lovely summer. Koko's accident was because of me... and I don't want any more sad people."

Natsume sat up.

"Want to end up pitiful again, huh?" he muttered quite calmly.

"I'd be okay!" she said as she stood up, smiling brightly at him.

Of course everyone noticed it was a forced smile.

"Mikan." Ruka said in a comforting voice. "If you'd be alone here... then... I'd rather not go. Anyway... it's our four's fault why you're stuck in here."

"And why?" Tsubasa and Natsume asked stubbornly.

"Well... if we just told the teachers that she's here... then they would've found an idea sending you to the other island. Yet we made it a secret, since we want Mikan to be with us for this summer..."

Natsume blushed while Tsubasa coughed. Yuu remained silent.

"And so... I'd rather stay here with you... taking responsibility.

"Don't be stupid. I won't let Mikan be alone with you." Natsume protested. "And I hate dance parties. I'm staying."

Tsubasa jumped on his bed with a knowing smile.

"And I won't let you two stay in one room with precious Mikan!" he joked, "You might molest her or what! I'm staying!"

Everyone agreed in their own way, except for Yuu, who just smiled.

Mikan's eyes flooded with babyish tears as she ran to her friends and cuddled them tight.

"Oh... I'll never forgive you guys!!!!!!!!" she cried, squeezing Tsubasa, Natsume, and Ruka... who all blushed.

"Whatever."

"Choking..."

"Not... Breathing..."

Yuu's sweat dropped as he stared at the scene.

"Jeez... I never thought you'd be this corny... You people make me sick!" he said, grabbing Mikan's collar as he dragged her beside him.

"Wha?"

The three guys ended up hugging each other, and they flinched, making faces.

"Ewe!"

"What's the fuzz, Yuu?!" Tsubasa scoffed, feeling a lot better times two.

Yuu smiled a knowing smile as the rest stared at him in wonder.

And at last, he took out a small velvety box.

ooXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXoo

"Hotaru!!! Wait up!" Anna, dressed in her pink and white bathing suit screamed. Hotaru boosted her giant water bike's engine and still left the poor girl, sobbing childishly.

Nonoko giggled as she stared at the two, dropping a sweat.

Everyone was having fun on their first afternoon swim. The whole Gallup beachside was filled with about 75 ladies in their sexy swim wear, leaving some guy visitors serious jaw problems. Only Hotaru seemed to have worn a loose shirt over her one piece black wear.

Nonoko noticed a group of guys, standing not far from them and she smiled. She found out they had been drooling over her friend Misaki, who just lied on the long beach chair, staring at thin air.

"Misaki?" Nonoko asked in her old calm voice.

The pink haired sixteen-year old girl flinched.

"The guys over there're going crazy over you..."

She glanced at her shoulder and saw a handsome orange haired guy wave at her and she smiled, yet she leaned back and closed her eyes. All the guys' hearts leapt.

"Are you okay?"

She settled her iced tea on the side table and gave Nonoko a smile. Her hair was neatly clamped in a pony and she wore a red two piece that revealed her nice curves. (And it quite attracted a lot of guys!)

"You're so quiet."

Nonoko was right. Misaki had been unusually silent for quite some time and she only spoke if needed. It was really awkward to miss her common outbursts back then.

"Want a swim?" Misaki asked, forcing a pale smile.

"Sure..."

Both of them stood up and they paced slowly toward the water, the sun slowly setting.

The guys cheered, following the two.

I wish Tsubasa was here... and he'd be jealous of those guys fussing over me.

ooXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXoo

"Yuu! You're a genius!" Tsubasa exclaimed as he slapped his friend's shoulder.

Yuu scratched his sweat and smiled.

"So... when you wear this watch, you'll like turn into another person?" Ruka repeated Yuu's explanation.

Yuu nodded as Ruka's face lit up.

"Great!"

Mikan held out the wrist watch and examined it.

"I don't know... But..."

"Oh c'mon!" Tsubasa sneered. "You wanna join us or what?"

Natsume snatched the timepiece and eyed it suspiciously.

"Natsume! Be careful!"

"You say it'll turn Mikan into a boy?" he muttered at Yuu who nodded once again.

"Like I said, it'll help Mikan without worrying if someone else might see her."

"What if she bumps into someone with an identical face? That would be a problem." Natsume told them, his instincts bugging him.

This made everyone flinch, except for Yuu who took the watch.

"Actually... It'll only help Mikan imitate a dead person's body... so there won't be a duplication problem, guys!"

"Nani?!" Mikan blurted, standing up. "I can't, Iinchou!!! Take that back to that store... Make a refund!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Tsubasa said as he cleared his thoughts. "It'll only be for one night!"

He winked at her, and she puckered a brow.

Everyone waited for her reply... and she finally sighed.

"Okay... Just one night."

And they all cheered... oh... except Natsume... who frowned.

"Whatever."