25 Maturing

A few days went by. Tutoring sessions started to become routine for everyone. No trouble transpired in any session and everyone started to get familiarized with Jabberwock Island. Today's tutoring was in session.

"Ummm… Tojo-san…?" A shy yet soft voice called out to the maid, as she executed her maidly duties, even while in the tutoring session.

"Is something the matter, Tsumiki-senpai?" Kirumi said while she kneeled down and gave Mikan a relaxing foot massage.

"Really this is not necessary Tojo-san, I do these types of things every day," Mikan said trying to convince Kirumi with her sweet yet desperate voice.

"As a maid, I cannot allow it. You've been walking up and down for the past week, please allow me" Kirumi said as he softly massaged Mikan's feet.

"But… you've been doing this kind of thing the whole week…" Mikan was even more embarrassed with herself, letting her student help her with different tasks. Cleaning the infirmary, sorting out medicines, and even aid some minor injuries from students and tutors.

"I think I feel way better now," Said Mikan with a nervous laugh, "You can let go Tojo-san" Mikan was throwing every excuse she could think of to make Kirumi stop.

"As you wish" Kirumi let go of Mikan's feet and stood up. While Mikan put on her shoes, Kirumi started to look around the infirmary, trying to find something to help with.

"Umm…Tojo-san, would you mind sitting down with me?" Mikan tried to put Kirumi at ease, and begin their tutoring session, even though it was already quite late for that.

"Of course," Kirumi sat down in a chair right across the room facing Mikan's direction.

"Is there something you want to talk about Tojo-san? You've been acting a bit different, is everything okay?" Kirumi maintained her neutral expression as she always did.

"Everything is perfectly fine," Kirumi said trying to convince her tutor.

As soon as Mikan heard this, her expression changed. Her face did not express shyness or a lack of self-confidence. Her face became of a more mature person. Mikan could notice this in the look of her eyes. She exuded a particular air of confidence.

Mikan stood up and walked towards Kirumi with firm steps. She kneeled down in front of her. Looking directly at her.

"You know that if anything is affecting you, you can talk to me anytime you like" Mikan extended her arm to reach the cheek of her student. Caressing her with the softness and the affection of a mother.

Kirumi was perplexed at how Mikan was acting. Her present words and actions were something that she could've never predicted. She transformed from a clumsy, shy and terrified nurse, to a confident and bold figure.

Kirumi's mask finally cracked. Not completely breaking it open. But a few of her feelings started leaking out from it. Her normal maid composure broke for a few seconds. Her eyes slightly more opened than normal and her jaw dropped a small distance.

Until two words popped into her head out of nowhere. Helping her regain her maidly composure. Helping to keep the mask from totally breaking apart.

Selfless Devotion.

With this, Kirumi reached Mikan's hand on her cheek, grabbing it and lowering it away from her face. Doing it slowly to not show any disrespect.

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm not here to trouble anyone with my personal problems" Kirumi's mask was still on, not letting anyone catch a glimpse of what it hides.

"I'm sorry about that Tojo-san" The usual Mikan was back, "I got a little carried away…" Her clumsiness and insecureness returned in an instant. She stood up and distanced herself enough, to be outside of Kirumi's personal space. Turning her back on Kirumi, Mikan walked to a nearby shelf with medicines and started to sort them out.

"Just remember Tojo-san, I'm here to be troubled with your problems" Mikan didn't turn around to say it to her face. Instead, she kept sorting the medicines from the shelves.

Kirumi smiled as she stood up from her seat. She raised the ends of her dress and bowed to Mikan.

"Thank you for your kindness. Do you need assistance with anything else?" Kirumi asked her tutor.

"I don't think so… You can go back. I'll see you tomorrow Tojo-san" Mikan turned her head sending Kirumi off with a smile.

"As you wish. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a wonderful day" With this said, Kirumi exited the former Ultimate Nurse's infirmary.

Mikan sighed, as soon as the door closed behind Kirumi. "What am I going to do with you?" She told to herself with a troubled voice.

"You have it rough don't you Tsumiki?" A voice suddenly called out to her.

"EEEEK!!" Mikan panicked and started looking in all directions. Tears of fear were almost flowing out from her eyes as she inspected the room.

"Hey! Don't panic it's me!" Just around the corner from one of the walls a familiar figure to Mikan appeared. Immediately putting her at ease.

"Hinata…please don't do that again!" *SNIFF* "I got really scared" A few tears were still dwelling in her eyes.

"Agh!... I'm really sorry, that wasn't my intention" Hajime comforted Mikan until she calmed down.

"But, Hinata, what are you doing here?" Mikan said as she finished sniffing out of terror.

"I happened to be passing by and I heard you talking with Kirumi, how is that going?" Mikan sighed and looked gloomy.

"Not very well to be honest. She is really dense and just focuses on her talent. She does not give any thought to anything else. Even herself." Mikan didn't know how to approach her. She didn't know how to make Kirumi trust her.

"Actually, you are not that far off" Mikan gazed at Hajime trying to decipher what he had just said. "You caught me off guard with that confidence you've built. You almost reminded me of Yukizome-sensei back there" Mikan was flattered by Hajime's words. "Maybe the Mikan I knew a couple of years ago would consider this an impossible task. But right now you've grown and I know it's going to be hard, but not impossible. Keep showing that confidence you built so far"

Hajime didn't notice, Mikan was looking at him, with even more tears than before. Dripping from her eyes all the way to her cheeks.

"Tsumiki…are you okay…?" Hajime closed the distance between him and Tsumiki.

"WAAAAAAAH!!" With a single jump, the weeping Mikan tackled down Hajime all the way to the floor."

"ACK!" Hajime ended face up, looking at the ceiling of the infirmary, while Mikan laid on top of him. Her face buried into his chest.

"I'm sho happy…" *SNIFF* "No one hash ever told me shomething like that before… Waaaaah!" Some of Mikan's words were barely understandable with all her crying. Hajime clearly didn't know what to do in this situation, but this feeling wasn't unknown to him.

"Thank you sho mush, Hinata…" *SNIFF* Tears didn't stop dwelling from her eyes, as they fell from her eyes and ended in Hajime's shirt.

"Um... Tsumiki, if someone enters, they could get the wrong idea" Hajime was weary of his surroundings, trying to prevent anyone to see his situation.

"Hmm?" Mikan's weeping suddenly stopped, her face was still buried in Hajime's chest. She twisted her face sideways from his chest. "What'll be so wrong about that?"

"Eh?" Hajime could not express anything else than these words.

Mikan looked up to Hajime's eyes, which were filled with confusion.

"I made up my mind a few months ago, but I didn't know how to approach you" Mikan slowly crawled with her arms and legs closer to Hajime's face. "I doubt I'll get another opportunity like this one, so I'll take my chances"

Mikan's face did not hint a single expression of shyness or embarrassment. Hajime knew that everyone clearly matured and changed through the years, but he could barely recognize Mikan at that moment. Mikan started caressing Hajime's cheeks, with slow and soft movements. She let her hand fall slowly into his neck and later his chest.

"UH! UM! Tsumiki, I think this is not the best idea…!" Hajime was clearly desperate, not knowing how to react to Mikan's caressing or to her words.

He started to think about his options at the moment. He could shove her off, but that'll be too rude. He could play along with it and see where it'll take them, which wasn't the smartest idea. The last resort was just talking some sense into her, which was the most reliable one.

And that is what he decided to do.

"Tsumiki, How about we —"

He planned to serene the situation.

But Mikan had other plans instead.

She was the fastest one. It was too late for Hajime. Maybe he never did have a choice.

The next thing Hajime felt, was Mikan's lips pressing against his.

Not only her lips but also her chest was pressing down on Hajime's body, which had an erotic effect on him. Hajime never experienced something like this before. The soft yet warm lips from a girl. But this was a different kind of heat.

As Mikan focused on kissing Hajime's lower lip, his mouth was slightly open out of surprise. Letting Mikan play with his lips to a better extent. Once Mikan got off from him, she immediately covered his mouth with one of her index fingers. Touching on a faint trail of her own saliva.

"I'm not asking for an immediate answer. Just think about it." With a playful smile, she stood up and left the infirmary.

Leaving Hajime alone laying the floor looking at the ceiling.

"How am I supposed to explain this to Chiaki…"