"Ruka!" Mikan's voice rang through the hallway as she sprang into Ruka's arms. He smiled down on her with a blushing face. For a minute my heart stopped and I pressed my hand against it and took a deep breath. What was that? I felt my heart skip a beat and it didn't feel good. Maybe I should get it checked.

"Why is your face stained of tears?" Ruka asked her and she tried to wipe it off quick.

"Oh... it's nothing really. I just had a bad memory that's all." She grinned at him with such a cheery expression that I felt a frown form on my face. I could never have her make that expression for me. It wasn't meant for me anyways, it was meant for Ruka. Before I know it, my fists clench so tightly that they start turning pale.

"Are you alright?" He asked her and hugged her again, then he gave me a look. A scowl that suggests that he's giving me a warning. "Did he do something to you?" Then he glared at me. His prince image completely disappearing from my eyes. Ha... what a joke.

"No, he was actually comforting me. You see..." She began with a nervous laugh, "He was blowing hot air on his hands and I thought he had a cold." Her eyes changed and her lips turned into a firm line. She gulped in fear.

"Oh. I understand." He held her head against his chest and he ran a hand through her hair which disgusted me I may say or more like disturbed, yeah that's a good word, disturbed. "It's going to be okay." She started sobbing and I stood there like an idiot taking it all in while "Ruka" hugs her. I wonder if he's her boyfriend. Of course he is, why would they be like that if they weren't?

"Hm... I'm okay now." Her eyes watered, "Thank you Ruka." Her lip quivered again but she had a smile on her face now. "I feel a lot better with you here." She giggled and I rolled my eyes while crossing my arms, frustrated. Oh please. Huh? What is wrong with me? Why am I acting this way...

"This is Natsume. He's helping me during my stay here." Her calm voice interrupted my thoughts and for some reason.... she made me forget what I was thinking at all. "Natsume... this is Ruka Nogi." My eyebrows knit in confusion. She didn't say boyfriend or anything. I look at her face to confirm it but no blush is seen on any inch of her face and somehow.... a sigh escapes my lips. I press them firmly to avoid any contact.

"Nice to meet you." Ruka extends his hand towards me and I look at them for a moment before shaking them. He has a strong grip and I feel a little weird. A shock ran through my body when our hands connected, it didn't feel very good too.

"Yeah, same here." I slightly frowned but enough that they didn't see it or at least Mikan didn't see.

"So..." Suddenly the atmosphere became very awkward and silent, "How long have you been here?" He asked. I shook my head.

"About a week and a half, I would say. I'm not sure." He turned his head and gave me a look. A, Are you an idiot?-look. I frowned deeper and didn't take my eyes off him for a second and then Mikan coughed out uncomfortably. Our eyes fell towards her.

"Ruka... want to spend the day with us tomorrow?" She asked and I shook my head disapprovingly before stopping myself. Ugh... what is wrong with me today?

"Well... I was hoping it would just be the two of us." He mumbled to her before meeting my eyes. I was trying so hard not to glare but it came out anyways. Something was odd about this guy and I didn't like it.

"Um... yeah but Natsume was hired to take care of me from..." Suddenly she slapped her mouth before she could say anymore and she faked a laugh to hide it, "...dangerous people."

"Okay." He sighed, disappointed with the rejection. "But you owe me a date." Her face turned completely red and it made my stomach flip. I felt sick and furious at the same time. I don't know how to express the feelings but something was up with my organ system right now. First my heart then my stomach and now I'm really starting to get a headache from everything.

"Ruka." She covered her face and looked away, "Stop saying that stuff." She laughed shyly and made me even angrier. Somehow, I hated the sound of his name being pronounced by Mikan. It didn't sound right and even more, it didn't have a ring to it like my name did when she said it.

"Alright. I get it. See you tomorrow." He placed a hand on her head and caressed her hair, running his fingers down her hair and holding a piece to his lips. "Nice seeing you... beautiful." He smiled and she blushed again.

"I'm glad you came to see me, and see you tomorrow!" She returned the smile and my face paled for some odd reason. Never in my life have I ever and mean EVER, felt like an outsider before. I felt like the third wheel and I didn't like it and I had the strongest urge to run up to him and cuss him out. Or a give him a good punch to give him a warning but I held it back because I knew... sadly

Mikan cared for him.

After that I went back to the Academy and decided to stay for the night there instead of staying in the room next to Mikan's. I decided not to talk to her until tomorrow because I didn't feel like talking to anyone. My head felt heavy and depressed. I felt unwanted and it's never happen before. I never been this upset since the day they took Aoi. I fell on my bed laying on my face and arms on the side. I just wanted to end the day already. I didn't even know why I was feeling this way. Why was I feeling this way. As if to answer my question, a knock came on the door.

"Come in." I sighed.

"What's wrong?" A child's voice rang throughout the room. I knew exactly who it was and I was glad it was him. He's one of the few people I actually care about here. Youichi. He's practically my little brother but from another mother.

"Uh... I'm feeling depressed and I don't know why." I mumbled through my pillow. "Please tell me why." The little guy, by the way he's six years old and the smartest kid here, sat by my bed on the chair.

"Okay. What happened tho?" He held my hand with his tiny hand and I looked at him through my pillow.

"I have a friend and her friend came over to visit and she ignored me. Now I feel sad and I don't like her friend. Why am I feeling this way?" I lifted my head and then dropped as soon as I was done.

"Why don't you like her friend? Is that friend... bad?" He asked me so cutely that I chuckled on the pillow but I answered his question anyways, as honestly as I could too. But I didn't reveal my mission. I don't want Youichi to get in trouble too.

"No... but that friend hugged my friend and gave me bad looks." I frowned at the memory.

"Oh.... I see." Youichi smiled at me and squeezed my hand softly. "I get it now." then he laughed and I glared at him.

"What? What's wrong with me? Why am I feeling this way...?" I ask him and roll on my side so I could face him. He wouldn't stop laughing and soon enough I hand to lift him up and roll him around, playfully of course. "Tell me or I won't give you candy!" I warned with threatening eyes.

"Aw... okay." He stopped giggling but the smile wouldn't leave his face. It kind of made me irritated that he knew why I was feeling this way and I didn't. This guy is just too smart.

"What's wrong with me, Youichi? Tell me please?" I begged with puppy eyes and I even ended up on my knees.

"I'll tell you but you won't believe me."

"What?" I was dying to know what he had in store for me.

"Ok but don't get mad at me." He warned, eyeballing me. I rolled my eyes, highly doubting that I would ever get mad at the little guy. I'm pretty sure that my favorite kid in this stupid academy cannot make me mad.

"Fine." I sighed in disbelief.

"Jealous."

"What?" I said completely oblivous to his answer. I wasn't listening at first and for once I kind of wished I didn't. If only I ignored Youichi's theory as to why I was acting like that before but of course. Like an idiot I just had to listen to the psychiatrist, Youichi.

"You're jealous." He smiled at me and he tried to suppress laughter but I could see right through him.

"What? Me... Jealous. That's impossible. Have you even seen my face? What do I have to be jealous for?" I boasted with a shaky laugh. Me? How could I ever be... jealous of somebody else? "What makes you think that?" I rolled my eyes again.

"You really want to know?" He glanced away nervously as if he was scared to say the words, "I don't want you to get mad or anything..." He frowned and I felt a little sad that he would think such thoughts. Like I said before... I could never be mad at this cute little guy. Never, ever, ever.

I place a hand on his head and ruffled his hair, "No way. I'd never be mad. Just tell me and I won't be mad." I smiled.

"Promise?" His green eyes poked throught mine and for a moment I felt like squealing like a girl and saying 'awww'. But I'm a man and I can't do that so I just smiled at his cuteness.

"Promise." I stuck out my pinky and we did the whole pinky promise ritual or whatever and finally I sat on my bed to listen to what he had to say. "Okay tell me now. What makes you think that I'm jealous?"

"Hm..." He nibbled on his bottom lip nervously. "You said that your friend is a girl, right?" He asked me and I nodded.

"C'mon you promised remember?" I warned him.

"You got really sad when she hugged her friend right? Was he a guy friend?" He asked me again and I nodded. How did he know all this stuff if I didn't even describe them that much? I'm telling you... this kid is smart.

"Yes. Go on with it now." I said impatiently.

"I think you are jealous because she hugged her friend who is a guy."

"Ok? Is that it?" I sighed.

"No."

"What is it?"

"I think you like her."

"Yeah, she's my friend. Youichi." I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"No!" He face-palmed his face. "You're an idiot big brother."

"What?"

"I think you like her as in LOVE HER." He screamed at me and I fell backwards. When I got up, my face went completely white.

"Huh?"