On a bright spring day, the trees bloomed, the flowers opened, displaying bright petals, attracting songbirds and bumblebees. The gentle breeze and scent of far-off rain and wet soil only added to the spring-time aura, promoting the season of love. And to take it even further, a young couple sat at the base of a tree. Ah yes, truly the season of love.

"Ne, Natsume?" A dark-haired boy turned his head slightly, acknowledging the presence of his female companion.

"Hn?" He gave his usual noncommittal noise in response. She glared at him for a second, annoyed by his lack of enthusiasm with life, but let it go, aware that he wouldn't change. Instead she turned to face him, crossing her legs at the ankles and leaning forward.

"Tell me you love me?"

He snorted a laugh through his nose and Mikan's mouth fell into a frown. Her bottom lip unconsciously poked out in a pout and her brows pinched together in sadness. "No," he refused, and leaned his back against the trunk of the sakura tree once more, placing his latest manga purchase over his face to block the light as he attempted to snooze.

She switched to a kneeling position and leaned forward onto her hands and knees, trying to peek under the book and see his face. No such luck. She crawled to one side of him and then the other looking for a view of his eyes, wanting to see what he was thinking.

It was true he'd never been one for romantic gestures, but she really didn't think that saying "I love you" was that hard to do. She said it on a daily basis to many of her friends whom she loved dearly. Mikan couldn't understand why this boy—after she'd confessed that she returned his feelings—would refuse to tell her something that should be so simple to say by now.

She let out a small gasp when her train of thought came full circle and she realized there could only be one explanation.

He didn't love her anymore.

"Do you love me?" Her tone was serious enough to get his attention. Natsume slid the book down from his face and looked at his girlfriend of six months, slight irritation showing in his features. He sighed, closed his eyes and prayed to God that he would have the strength to live his life with her.

"My life," he began, without looking at her, "would suck without you." He quickly put the book back over his face, but Mikan didn't miss the blush that had pooled on his cheeks. She giggled at his embarrassment.

Her worries banished, she settled back down next to him, leaning against the tree and letting her head rest on his shoulder. She blinked back tears of relief and happiness, giggling again at her silly frets.

"I suppose that's about as romantic as you get, isn't it?" She smirked, certain she was right, and looked up at him, hoping that he realized she was teasing.

Once more the book was lifted from Natsume Hyuuga's face, but this time it fell onto the grass beside him and lay forgotten. His hands—previously cupping the back of his head as a makeshift pillow—moved to support his weight as he leaned and lightly ran his fingers over Mikan's hair. That hand ran down her jaw to hold her chin and pull her in so that her lips met his in a tender gesture that couldn't be anything but love.

He pulled away gently and they stared into each other's eyes. When Mikan caught her breath, she laughed again.

"I stand corrected."

And this time she didn't protest when he lay down beside her in the grass and closed his eyes. This time, she didn't protest when he covered his eyes with a book. This time she didn't mind that he was the way that he was.

Because, fingers intertwined, they lay side by side, and she was sure that he loved her.