Aahh... It's teh revising tiemz! And, uh, sorry for my negativity back then. Hope you enjoy the revised work!
Notes:
The title used to be "A Break-Down Step to My Farewell", but didn't allow hyphens in the title.
For those who haven't noticed or read what I've said before, I'd repeat it here. The actual story is the flash back, and the style is choppy (sort of like diary entries).
Reviews are appreciated, flames are for marshmallows, and criticisms shall be hugged. :D
Edit: I know I'm years too late to be adding this, but...
I don't own Gakuen Alice or any it's characters.
Stepping Down
Mikan and Natsume started their 'pretend' relationship as friends. It first began with simple 'hi's and simple 'hello's, but it eventually evolved into friends. After a long month, they became close friends and Mikan started adding endearments to their names.
It all started a year ago, along with the dreadful reminiscences that came along with it. They were practically mortal enemies from first sight, but they ended up as friends. Just as when things were starting to change for the better, there had been an accident that affected their whole life… even their friend's life as well.
She had a perfect boyfriend, best friends, good grades and loyal friends. He was tortured by his past, he had been to life threatening missions. But it all came back, flashing smiling images of her and his past.
She was so young, she was living an average life. She wanted to become an actress and a singer. But she can't now, and it's all because of me. He thought as he reflected upon his and her past and as he lay down on the soft support under him.
A month ago
"Hey, Natsume-kun!"
"What?"
"They said to have a partner in class… and I was hoping…"
"That I'll be your partner?" he replied with a smirk
"Well, yeah! So… will you be my partner?"
"Depends, what's the assignment?"
"Oh… Serena-sensei said that we'll choose what we want, but it has to have something to do with affairs and lovers," she said with a faint tint of rose on her face.
Natsume quirked an amused brow. "That's surprising. Usually that's Narumi's profession and—" he stopped as she shot him one of her 'dreaded' looks.
He emanated a slight sigh. "Alright, alright. But I'll pick the topic," he stated flatly and earned a nod from the latter.
"It should be interesting. We could pretend to be lovers for a whole year. How does that sound…?" he asked, letting the smirk in his voice show.
"That'll be great, Natsume-kun! Starting tomorrow?" she asked out of curiosity.
"No."
"Well, then… when?"
"What's the date today?"
"Uhm… It's June 23 today…"
"Then we'll start now. We'll end it next year on the same date, and same place—this park bench."
"O-ok."
And thus it started
"Good morning, Natsume-kun!" A teenage girl greeted (albeit too happily).
He raised an arm for greeting, accompanied with a barely-heard "Hi."
"When is it gonna end again? You know, the assignment. I totally forgot."
"Next year. Park bench. June 23."
"Okay."
Farewell Japan, hello America
Natsume knocked on her door. She opened the door to let him in.
"Hey, I need to tell you something." His voiced was in a rueful and regretful tone.
"Oh yeah, I need to tell you something too, Natsume-kun…"
"Wait, me first… before you regret anything you'll say." He paused for a moment, then sighed. "Mikan, I like you, or if even possible, if I stay longer, I might even learn to love you. But I have to leave. I have to study abroad. We'll still continue our project, but we can now have different affairs, since ours was just a fake one."
"But will I still see you again?" droplets of water started to form and cascade down her rosy cheeks. "How long will you be gone? I like you too, but can it be possible for you to…" she trailed off, and continued. "Will you wait for me?"
"I don't really know…"
"But I'll still wait for you… You were my first friend, besides Hotaru…"
"That wouldn't be such a good idea. You might blame me if ever I have another someone in mind. Besides, I'll only be away for two months and a half."
"Is that sure, or are you just saying that to make me happy? Because I can't really tell if you're pretending or not." She started to feel really, really hurt.
"Honestly, I'd like to believe that I'm doing both. I'm telling you this because I'm leaving tomorrow."
"So… That means you'll be back on… February…"
"Well, yeah…"
"So this means… goodbye?"
"Yeah. I guess so. Sorry... I'll be back on that day, I promise."
Next year, February
A man with black, raven locks once drove on this street. He had a slight smile on his face. Hey, Mikan—can you believe it? I'm back home in Tokyo. He thought once more.
There were three distinct raps on the wooden door. "Knock, knock, knock," it went.
"Coming!" She answered the man with a gasp of astonishment. The brunette hadn't really meant for that to slip out, but it did.
She leapt and wrapped her arms around his neck and let him in; "Natsume! You kept your promise!"
"The assignment's still on?" He asked, relieved.
"Yeah. Remember, June 23 and on this year. On the park bench, okay?"
"Sure," he replied monotonously, though a small smirk formed on his lips.
June 23: Of Reunions and Memoirs
So today's the day, huh? Today's the day when it's all coming to an end. A sigh emanated from the girl's mouth and, all too sudden, she felt like crying. I shouldn't be crying at a time like this! In fact, I should even be happy that the pretend relationship's done. No more lies, right? Smile!
Natsume was already waiting for her to arrive on the park bench, under a certain Sakura tree.
While Mikan was crossing, she was clutching a piece of paper. It was inside a green envelope, and it was addressed to Natsume. She clung to that letter like her life dependent on it, but was too caught up in her thoughts. Thought of the acting—of the breaking-up—and of the fake event that she and Natsume shared, that she didn't see that an eight wheeler truck heading towards her.
The truck was exceeding the limit, and the driver had been trying his hardest to press the break.
She wasn't sure what happened. All she remembered were the sound of the shouts, the car horns, and the smell of burning rubber.
Then it hit her.
It had hit her hard.
People started to gather around the beautiful, young lass who had lost her life due to two people's carelessness. The driver and herself were the most accurate suspects.
Natsume, worried that Mikan wasn't there yet, checked the route she was supposed to take.
For a moment it seemed that time had ceased, and it struck him—jolted him when he realised it was only he had stopped, and time didn't.
What he saw made his blood run cold. He was revolted by the image of the body that was not supposed to be in that pool of blood. She didn't belong there—she was supposed to be seated on that chair, under the Sakura tree, beside him.
Mikan, is tha-that you?
Do you… Quite surprisingly, water started falling from his eyes. Do you know how much pain you've caused us? How about your friends? Don't you… Don't you care anymore?
He neared her angelic body, albeit hesitantly. It may not have looked as divine to others now that it's stained red with blood, but to him, she's just as beautiful as she was when he left her.
As he approached her, he noticed a cumpled—but otherwise untainted—green envelope resting just beside the meek, quiet woman. It had a little splashes of blood, due to the accident, but it was just as clean to his eyes, seeing that it was his last reminder of her to him.
He opened it, and there was a letter. He read it silently as he cried solemnly inside, and the letter went a little something like this:
"Hey, Natsume!
"I'm so glad you're finally back. After you stopped replying, I thought something had happened to you."
Some letters were blurry, smudged, and barely legible. It was as if she wept while she wrote.
"Hey, I don't think I can continue this assignment any longer. Let's break it off, yeah?
"Don't ask me why. I just do, okay? I'll still tell you, so don't ask me anymore.
"Please, listen carefully. I need you to understand what I'm about to say.
"It's because I think—"
He tried his best to hold them back, but he couldn't. She was asking too much from him. How was he supposed to understand? Having the love of your life die before your very eyes is hardly cured by understanding. It was just too much for him to bear this kind of news. His tears came out as he read and bumped into people—he didn't care anymore.
When he read the last few lines on the letter, he cried, too. They were the very words that he wasn't hoping to hear from her.
"I think that I have really fallen in love with you.
"You see, I just can't continue this assignment anymore. Nothing matters anymore.
"I hope you feel the same way as I do.
"So please do me a favour, Natsume…
"If I did die today or right now as you're reading this, or even tomorrow or next year, I want you to keep this one letter so you won't forget me.
"So you won't forget me and the feelings that I bore while you were gone.
"I really do love you, Natsume."
The End
That's in the past, though. I'm happy now because I'm living happily with her in our rightful place, Natsume thought as he watches over his friends.
Oh, how he wished he and Mikan could've stayed there on eEarth forever. The only remaining properties of them on earth are their coffins, gravestones and their burial sites. Little did others know, he left a special thing there: he asked them to bury him beside Mikan and bury the letter inside his coffin, so their memories will remain within their friends for eternity.
Perhaps it was a bit too much to ask for eternity, but if that word would give them rest, then so be it.