Reverie and Nightmares

5

Mikan lightly touched her shoulder, tired of writing examples as she had been that early evening. It was the day before the test, and Ryuga took her out to the same diner as before. He finished his sandwich and cleared his throat.

"I can't let it get the best of me, right? It's just a damn test, right? Alexander-?" Ryuga asked Mikan as he prepared his study material for packing. "I shouldn't be all too scared, right?"

"I... I don't think... We should be too scared about it. Or we might break... Ourselves apart..."

"You're right, yeah. I'll stick with that. After All, if I think about it more, I run the risk of failing and that's worse."

"I think you're right."

"And by the way" He smiled, "You've been getting better at talking, at the very least, to me but. We don't even need the notebook anymore, right?"

"Every now... And then, we should use it... Because I'm not ready for the full world."

"Full world? You mean just the 'real world' right? That wouldn't sound right in a usual conversation. But don't worry, you don't ever judge me when I can't solve problems with math so I'm here to do the same."

"Thanks, I appreciate that..." Her face reddened and looked away to the TV in the room. "Don't worry about me, I just don't... Smile enough."

"Awww..."

"Don't 'aww' me Shirogane. I-it makes me all weird inside."

They continued to share a chat about math, but it ended up turning into a conversation about their favorite breed of cat. Ryuga had always wanted a dog since he enjoyed their loyal and helping attributes as 'mankind's' best friend' or something like that. Mikan claimed to have used to feed the stray cats near the church, and how she was practically the reason why so many loiter around the area.

Sharing a laugh, and almost choking on a piece of lettuce, Mikan reached for the orange cup of cola and insisted he'd drink, which he didn't deny. "Woo... You saved my life, Alexander. Thanks for that."

"No problem..."

"That makes this the second time you have saved my life, the other being when-"

"D-duh-don't be c-corny, I get that you see it that way but..." Her face turned red again.

"Aww! You see it that same way, huh? Did I save you too?"

Mikan denied Ryuga only feeling warmth in his heart. The weeks he's spent with Mikan had been bliss, and suddenly math was less a chore and more a winning victory; with a few bumps of course, but it didn't matter if he knew that he'd be corrected with little to no judgment. And Mikan thought the same way, too. Her grades had been improving, and even though she was a second year, her progressive improvement has been nothing short of never-ending success it seemed.

To the impossible miracle of initially talking about cats, kittens have been shown on television. It seemed to be an advertisement for a pet store and adoption center.

"Oh, that can't be, we were just talking about cats too, huh?"

"Yes, we were... It's as if they were hearing us, somehow."

"Now, that may not be far from the truth, but it... Agh, whatever, just look how cute they are!"

The other customers who'd been sitting farther took a little chuckle listening to how happy Ryuga and Mikan were. They were frequenters of the store and close relatives to the owner. It was an old couple, the kind that makes everyone 'aww' from a distance knowing how difficult it is to maintain a relationship for so long. "They look so adorable, huh?" The old man said.