Disclaimer: I do not own Alice Academy.

CHAPTER ONE

Sakura Mikan and Hyuuga Natsume have been an item ever since they were in elementary school. Back then, they were fighting almost every day and they would be furious to anyone who insinuated that there was any sort of relationship between them. When they reached middle school, the fights decreased, but never disappeared. In a way, people perceived their constant bickering as the main driver of their relationship. They needed to fight. By middle school, the two had stopped giving death glares to anyone who commented on how they looked cute together. In fact, they became an official couple in the last year of middle school. They are now in their second year of high school, and they are still together. They have reached a point in their relationship where there's nothing new. Everything was routine, even the fighting.

That routine shattered on the last day of January.

It had been a particularly dreary day. The classes dragged on, the weather was sluggish, and the environment did not improve anyone's mood. Natsume was especially pissed that day because he got detention in three different classes. His friends were laughing at his misery, telling him he had it coming with the frequency with which he cut classes; nonetheless, Natsume deemed it unfair to be given three separate detentions in one day, and nothing was helping his mood.

Mikan was just as frustrated as Natsume was. She just received word that her grandfather had fallen ill again. He had been sick these past few months, and Mikan was devastated that she cannot visit her grandfather. The place was too far from the school she was staying in, and his grandfather insisted that she not take the long journey. Mikan got news last month that her grandfather had started feeling better, but something happened and now he's in a much worse condition. Mikan could do nothing but hope and pray that everything turned out fine.

It had been an unspoken rule for Mikan and Natsume to meet up after school. They would wait for each other in front of their homeroom classroom and go to the nearby playground inside the school. Alice Academy is a big school. To say it is big is an understatement, really. The whole academy is practically its own city. It can function well enough without help from outside. It has its own hospital, recreational park, theme park, mall, cinema, shopping district and other infrastructures you find in a typical city. Mikan and Natsume had been going to the playground and sitting on swings every day after class since middle school. They would talk until the sun sets, and then they'd find a place to eat and finally go back to their dorms.

This time, however, Natsume never showed up.

Mikan had wanted to talk to him all afternoon. She wanted someone to cry on. She wanted her boyfriend. Mikan was never the clingy type of girl, but Natsume knew how much she loved her grandfather. They'd even met once, and her grandfather really liked Natsume then. She could not talk to anyone about her grandfather's condition except for Natsume.

She waited outside the classroom. Natsume had to show up. They'd never missed going to the playground together. Maybe once or twice, but there was a reason, and they were both informed by the other if they couldn't go. The sun was setting but there was no sign of Natsume. Mikan checked her phone for messages. Empty. She decided to wait a few more minutes, at least until the sun fully sets. She ended up waiting for another hour. When she checked her watch, it was almost seven in the evening. With a disappointed sigh, Mikan made her way to Natsume's dorm.

Natsume had been kept in detention until after six. He had been really annoyed about the whole thing that he immediately went to a video arcade to let loose some steam after his last teacher said it was free to leave. He was so infuriated that he forgot his appointment with Mikan. After playing, he got food from a nearby fast food chain to go and went back to his dorm room. He was just about to eat his chicken wing when a loud knocking came from the door. Deeply annoyed, Natsume stood up and opened the door.

"What are you doing here, Mikan?"

Standing outside was his girlfriend. He gave her another inquisitive look before he remembered their meeting. He quickly let her in and started apologizing.

"It's been a bad day, I forgot about it."

Mikan just sighed and sat on the couch. She waved her hand unnecessarily. "It's no big deal. I just wished you contacted me, that's all. Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

Mikan looked at Natsume. He was quieter than usual. His "apology" from before felt off. It was like he was distracted or something. Normally when Natsume was sorry, he say so while looking into her eyes, making her believe his sincerity. Come to think of it, he never did say he was sorry. "Well, because you're acting weird and all. And you forgot our appointment, which we do every day. It's kinda hard to forget that."

Natsume was still in a pretty bad mood and was not looking for a fight. "Can't we just drop it?" he said stiffly. "I really had a bad day today. And I already said I'm sorry so just stop."

"You didn't say you're sorry. You just said you forgot."

Natsume was getting more and more irritated by the moment.

"Fine. I'm sorry. Happy?"

Mikan let out an exasperated sigh. She wanted to see him. She wanted to talk to him. Was that too much to ask? Why today, of all days, should he be like this?

Natsume went back to his seat and started eating. Mikan felt very uncomfortable sitting on the couch alone. Suffocated by the silence, she started ranting.

"Nah, it's alright. I mean, you have problems, I have problems. I don't blame you for being crabby or anything. I really just, you know, I wanted to see you. You remember my grandpa right? He's not feeling very well. I'm not really in the mood to say anything about it but you know. I kinda don't feel like being alone right now. So I went out here. I'm not expecting anything, I swear. I just, I don't really know, I'm just, sad. And mad. And every bit – "

She was cut off by the sound of a chair moving. Natsume had left his food and sat opposite her. He seemed really furious. "Please, Mikan, for the love of God, stop talking. I have been telling you, I am not feeling good right now. This day has sucked very, very badly, and the last thing I want to do right now is be disturbed by your incoherent ranting. Please, let me eat in peace."

Mikan stared at him, open mouthed. She was not expecting this reaction from him. He was mad; she knew that, because she was every bit as annoyed as he is right now. But why did he have to take it out on her? She was getting very, very repulsed by his constant insensitivity. Most days she would let it slide, say sorry and forget about it, but that was not gonna happen. She is in emotional pain, and she would not stand by what he said.

"Seriously, what is wrong with you? I just wanted someone to talk to, geez! Why do you have to bite my head off? You are seriously freaking me out right now. Not to mention making me more mad than I already am. I don't have to take this."

She stood up, and Natsume didn't stop her. He just glared at her as he said, "God, you are such a drama queen. I said one thing. I can't deal with your drama right now; I am very, very pissed off. Why can't we just sit here and be quiet and enjoy each other's company? You already have me, someone any girl would kill to have, why do you ask for so much more?"

Mikan was already seeing red. "Are you implying that I should just be thankful by the fact that you're my boyfriend and meekly accept your rude behavior? You're so full of yourself! No way in hell will I enjoy company like yours, you ass!"

Mikan walked to the door. She heard Natsume scoff behind her. "So what, you're gonna run away?" She turned and faced him.

"I'm not running away. This fight is not worth my time. Not now, most especially. Your insensitivity has gone too far this time. I don't have to stay here and listen. I need to cool off. Don't call me." She was about to open the door when Natsume slammed his left hand on it. She didn't even realize he had left his seat. She turned to look at her. His eyes flared with anger.

"Don't think you can find another one like me. Don't bother waiting for a call, you won't get one. You'll see, by the end of the week, you'll come crawling back to me."

"We'll see about that," Mikan said quietly. After a few more minutes of staring contest, Natsume finally stepped away from her. Mikan opened the door and left, not glancing back even once.