About a few seconds after the host declared the dance floor open...

"Nani?!"

"Oh please... Ryoma-kun! Oh please oh please oh please!"

"Ah? Ano..." Ryoma scratched his head as he shot his friends a conversational look.

"Should I dance with her?" Koko read his mind loud enough, that Ryoma's girl fans jumped up and down with jolly hearts.

"He looks so kawaii when he smiles like that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Tsubasa, Yuu and Ruka's sweats dropped as Natsume grunted.

"So, Ryoma-kun?" she asked once more, her eyes turning into hearts.

"Oh we promise we'll take turns!" a girl whined, rubbing her face on his left arm as he clung onto him.

"Wha? Take turns on me? Are you kidding?" Ryoma sweated hard as he tried to break free.

The cheers went louder as more girls circled their table.

"Wow... Look... He even stood out the Hot4..." Mochu whispered to Hideki, who just drooled.

"And he baited such pretty sexy babes..." Hideki responded with watery eyes.

"Go dance with them." Natsume said, surprising his friends.

"Natsume?" Ryoma uttered as Natsume gave him a death glare.

Ruka noticed their unusual eye contact, and he felt something weird.

Why'd she have to consult, Natsume? He thought, shifting his look on his calm best friend.

"If you want to work well covering up, then do it." He muttered, opening his manga. (Hey, where'd he got it?)

"But, Natsume-" he stopped, noticing he can't do anything more with it, and so he let himself be swallowed by the crowd of fan girls.

Tsubasa chuckled as Yuu dropped his sweat when two other girls offered them a dance.

The rest of their group already had partners, and left on the table, were the two best friends.

ooXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXoo

"Natsume..." Ruka said, looking down at his bunny.

"Nani?"

He didn't even bother look up his manga. Yet to tell you the truth, he wasn't at all reading. He was itching all over for a dance with Mikan, yet he knew it was too impossible, and his eyes also kept alert on any unusual events. He kept staring secretly at Ryoma and the fifth girl he's dancing with.

"Ano..."

He noticed the awkwardness of his tone.

"Hn?"

"Ugh... I just noticed. Is there... something going on I don't know?"

"What is it?"

"Ano..." he played with his bunny's ears as he it his lower lip.

"Is it about Mikan?"

That was it. He called her with her first name, not baka, not polka-dots, nor any other names he used to call her whenever she was their topic. The name hit Ruka so hard a scene flashed quickly in his mind.

-Flashback-

"Where've you two..." Ruka's voice trailed off, and his smile faded as he saw the two.

Mikan closed the door behind them, and saw the animal lover right away, just standing a meter away from them.

"Ruka-pyon!" Mikan smiled at him, yet she noticed his eyes not on her.

He was looking down at her hand that was tightly clasped in Natsume's.

"Ano- Natsume, you pervert!" she covered up and shook his hand away.

Both blushed in front of him as they looked away from each other.

"Shut up... i... idiot." Natsume added as he passed by his best friend, patting his right shoulder heavily.

-End of Flashback-

I know you just forced those words so I won't notice.

"Something wrong?" Natsume asked, awakening him.

"Tell me the truth, Natsume."

Natsume narrowed his eyes, and he finally sighed, went back to his seat and opened his manga.

"Is it about Mikan?"

There again. He called her by her name.

Ruka puckered a brow.

"Excuse me, but could I have a da-"

"Gomeno. Please leave."

Ruka's unusual words caught Natsume's attention.

When the girl had left, murmuring, the two were finally alone.

The loud music still went on, yet Natsume felt everything went silent between the two of them, as Ruka's eyes went shady.

"Is Mikan your... your..."

"Yes."

The blonde boy's eyes widened as he looked up at his serious friend.

"Mikan is..."

"Gomeno." Natsume cut his long silence.

Ruka's eyes ran to Ryoma's direction.

"Whoa... Take it easy, Reiko! I can't dance this fast!" Ryoma yelled as the girl jumped through the dance floor, dragging him along. He noticed Ruka's eyes on him, and he waved cheerfully at the two.

Ruka smiled and waved back and he closed his eyes.

Ryoma was dragged away once again.

"Ruka."

"It's... It's okay."

He stood up and glanced at Mikan's direction once again.

Ruka reflected a smile of contentment.

"I'm happy for you two."

Natsume felt a touch of guilt as he eyed his friend's smile.

He knew Ruka was hurt inside by the way he broke the smile on his face. Yet when his friend took out his arm and offered a shake, Natsume's tongue got tied.

"Nani?"

Ruka sighed as he looked back to him. He was earlier looking at his first love.

"I'm glad Mikan landed on a guy like you. She's so lucky, if she only knew. And, Natsume... Though my heart sores badly for this that I wasn't able to have her as my girl, my mind's rested when I know the only girl I love would be in safe hands. Specifically, my best friend."

A smile broke on Natsume's cold lips, as he finally received his best friend's arm, and he gave him a man's hug, patting his back with his other hand as his left gripped Ruka's arm.

Tsubasa saw this, and for a split-second he wondered, yet shook the thought away as he danced with his partner in the slow tune.

There goes one short chap! Reviews in please!