Band Aid
Well, I'm back everyone! Do you think I'm back too fast? *chuckles*
Soo.. just to inform you, I am trying a new approach in this story. I hope you still like it though. Please, enjoy! :D
-Sorry for bad grammar and tenses-
Disclamer : I do not own Gakuen Alice
Chapter 1 : The first meeting
"Where are you going, Mikan?"
A girl with brunette hair which tied into a ponytail and holding a big bag stop at the doorstep, her keys hanging at the door.
She sigh and turn around, facing her 3 years long housemate. "Anna. I need to go for a while."
The pink haired roommate frowned, not liking Mikan's reasoning. "It's already late at night." She pointed. "Are you running away?"
Mikan tried to hide her blush under her cap. She isn't a good liar, that's for sure. "No, I just.. need some sudden vacation."
Anna cross her arms in front of her chest. She has lived with Mikan for 3 years, there is no way that she can't see through Mikan's plan. "You know you could always count on me." She said in soothing voice, her eyes pleading, for Mikan not to leave.
Mikan bit her lower lip. She knows that she hurt Anna by running away like this, like she doesn't trust her. "I'm sorry Anna, I am the problem, not you. I need to do this."
"I swear I will hunt him down, Mikan." Anna scrunched her nose in disgust. "He ruined you."
Mikan smiled bitterly. "I have a fucked up past anyway, Anna. He will only be another additional ruined past. You fix me enough. You are really kind, and my best friend."
"You don't trust me enough." Anna stated softly, her pain reverberated through her words.
Mikan look down. "I'm sorry. You know this has nothing to do with trust. I trust you with my life Anna, I just need to sort myself, I... I thought of suicide, Anna." She said in whisper. "But when I think of you, all you have done for me, I think of another way of resolve, and this is it."
"Oh Mikan." Anna pulled Mikan into one of her warm hugs. Hot tears already cascaded down her cheeks.
Mikan chuckled humorlessly. "Don't cry for me Anna. I'm not worth it."
Anna wipe her tears furiously and glare at her. "You are more than worth to cry for! Don't let Akira be the last straw for you Mikan. You know he is the one who is not worth it."
Mikan shook her head. Tears already glistening on her eyes. "I need to go now Anna. Please don't tell Hotaru, okay? I know she will hunt me down if she know this."
Anna can't help but let out a short giggle, which make the tense atmosphere quickly dispersed. "I don't know how long I can hold this. But anything for you, Mikan." She paused for a moment, looking deep into Mikan's eyes. Pleading. "Please come back as soon as you done with everything."
Mikan nodded, giving Anna one last hug. "I promise." She whispered, disappearing into the dark night.
Mikan walk aimlessly, thinking about what is she going to do to forget her last shitty boyfriend who dump her heartlessly after everything she has done for him.
Well, she is the one on the wrong side anyway.
Everybody has told her already that he is not a good guy, but she ignore all of them and choose to love him blindly despite she already knows a few of his bad reputation which turns out to be true.
She knows she is too stupid.
She has bitter past, a handful of traumatic experiences and many heartbreaks cause by many reasons, not just about boyfriends. But, she still can trust and love Akira wholeheartedly which end her into this condition.
She shook her head. She should concentrated about herself now, she can mourn about her stupidity later on.
After an hour walking, she finally choose to stop at an empty bus stop, taking one of the seat there while taking some rest.
"Hey."
A sudden deep voice startled Mikan, as she jump from her seat and whirl around in an amazing speed, while taking a few steps back just in case the one who called her was a criminal or something. What do you expect from a lone girl wandering in the middle of the night?
Mikan didn't said anything, but she gasp as soon as she stared into a pair of tantalizing crimson eyes.
"A girl like you shouldn't be out this late at night. It's dangerous." The deep voice said again, as he stared back into Mikan's hazel eyes.
Mikan bit her lower lip, trying to hold back her tears, which came easily now that she is alone, and take a deep breath while forcing a polite smile on her lips. "I'm okay, thank you for asking."
The man raked his hand through his raven hair, he looks like in his mid twenties, as he slowly take some steps towards Mikan. He stared at her emotionlessly for a moment, which make her shiver. "Are you sure? Your looks, well, your looks doesn't show that you are okay."
"It's because of you." Mikan softly said. "You have the same eyes as him." Mikan continued, chuckling emotionlessly. "If you aren't here, then I should be okay." She stated in so much distaste that she hope the man would leave her alone.
The man arch both of his eyebrow, looking with unreadable eyes at Mikan. "Heartbroken, I see. I apologize deeply if I add another lemon to your pain, but please, it's better for you not to be alone this late at night."
She doesn't need another bullshit like this from a so called gentleman. Akira was like this too. In the past, when he first approached her.
"But I'm sure I can take care of myself. Why do you care so much anyway?" Mikan mustered up her strength and glared at the stubborn man.
Pain passed through that crimson eyes for a second, but he quickly mask it with emotionless one. "I don't wish another girl have an unfortunate event like my little sister. It's just that."
Mikan sighed. See? She knows she let another stupidity of hers take control of her heart since she felt guilty for treating the man with hostility when he had strong reasoning. Guess, she can't reject a kind offer this man has if he talked like that. She knew that he can be a faking criminal, or some shitty man who just want woman for her body but somehow she feel safe now. Somehow.
"What do you want?"
The man let a ghostly smile grace his lips as another heart wrenching pain clench Mikan's heart seeing that the man's smile really resemble a man she once knew.
Okay, forget him. Akira has dumped her, and not in a nice way. He has hurt her countless time too during their so called relationship.
"Let me accompany you until your bus come." He said, as he gracefully take a seat.
Mikan is silent for a moment, before she nodded and sit back on her seat which is 2 seats difference from him.
"What's your name?" Mikan finally spoke after a few minutes of silence. She felt awkward by the silence somehow.
"Natsume. Natsume Hyuuga." He answered casually, that handsome ghostly smile still playing on his lips.
"I see." Mikan mumble as a respond.
"You add lemon too on my pain, you know." The man – Natsume – suddenly said.
Mikan frowned and turn towards the still smiling man. "What?"
"You look like my deceased sister. Your face, resembled her a lot." He replied, his eyes empty.
Mikan chuckled bitterly. "Fate is funny isn't it? You resembled him and I resembled her."
Natsume smiled a little. "Well, I don't mind though."
Mikan frowned. "Why?"
"I don't know about you, but I want to imagine for a moment that as if my sister was still alive."
Mikan shook her head. "But I don't want to imagine to be with him. He is an ass."
"He hurt you that much?" Natsume ask, looking curiously towards Mikan although he sounded bored.
Mikan smiled a fake one. "You guess yourself."
Natsume chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Well, looks like a yes to me. Do you want to tell me the story?"
Mikan frowned, looking in disbelief towards Natsume. "Do you even realize that we have just met?"
Natsume smirked. "Of course. But its because of we are strangers that I ask you this. For we would never meet again."
Mikan nearly snapped at him, but she just exhale loudly before falling into an unbreakable silence.
Seeing this, Natsume only stare forward, enjoying the snow which falls beautifully this night, with the full moon look so bright.
They spent a full one hour like that, as the bus stop slowly become colder and colder.
"You are not cold?" Natsume suddenly ask, finally breaking the silence. He is sure that she is cold, judging by how thin her clothing is, but she is not shivering, or turning blue in this few hours with him.
"I don't know." Mikan answered carelessly. "I can't feel my body right now, only my heart, how could I know?"
Natsume sigh, rolling his eyes. "You are desperate. There are still many guy in this world you know."
Mikan chuckled humorlessly. "Well, perhaps I am indeed desperate."
"I think the bus won't come." Natsume divert the topic, seeing that Mikan is on the verge of crying. He clearly doesn't want to be suspected especially because of a crying high schooler in the middle of the night.
"Why?" Mikan responded briefly, blinking away her incoming tears.
"Can't you see the snow?" Natsume ask in frustration. Really how come this girl can run away from her home if she is numb and dumb like this. "Its too thick for a bus to come right now."
"Where should I go then?" Mikan mumbled to herself. But since its in the middle of the night and no cars passing with the snowy road like this, Natsume can hear her loud and clear.
"You want to stay at my house?" Natsume blurted out the offer without processing it in his brain first. He knows that doing this won't do him any good, especially inviting a highschooler when he is living alone. He would be suspected as pedophil he swear. But somehow, there is something in her, something fragile which triggered him, makes him want to protect her, embrace her. Damn. He really did become a pedophile.
Mikan frowned. "No, are you crazy? You just said that we won't meet again for goodness sake!"
"Where do you want to go then?"
"Well – "
"Ms. Mikan Sakura. Is it you?" A voice suddenly called not far from the bus stop.
Mikan snapped her head towards the source of the voice as her eyes widen.
Oh no. Looks like she can't fool Hotaru for too long.
They are her minions, she is 1000% sure.
Natsume look back, squinting his eyes as he can make out several silhouettes from afar. "Your name is Mikan?" He ask, arching one of his eyebrow.
Mikan didn't answer, she just stand there, frozen.
Suddenly, she stood up, her face pale. She look around in panic.
Natsume frowned. "Who's that little girl?"
Mikan glared at Natsume. "I am not little! I am 23 for goodness sake! And I need to go right now before they catch me."
Natsume chuckled a bit, surprised. Because she totally didn't look like a woman in that age. Guess that he won't be a pedophile then. "Are you a criminal on the run?" He ask, teasing her. He already know that innocent and clueless girl like this can't be a criminal, well, she can't even run away, looking at the situation right now.
"If you won't help, you better shut up." Mikan growled, grabbing her bag and start to power walk on the sidewalk.
Natsume quickly jump forward, blocking her way which make her instinctively jump back creating a distance. Her reaction interest him, but he choose to ignore it for now. "Where are you going? I thought I gave you an amazing and helpful offer?"
Mikan stiffened, she stood in silence for a while, before letting out another loud sigh. Her brain whirring in full speed, calculating the risk and the benefit.
"Fine." She said finally after a few seconds, turning around, hands crossing in front of her chest. "I'll stay in your house but don't you dare to do anything, pervert, and don't even dare to lay a finger on me."
Natsume arch both of his eyebrows. This girl is unbelievable. He give her a place to stay and she give him an insult and threat as the payment? He should just left her frozen here or whatever that person who called her want to do.
"Who want to do anything to a little girl like you?" Natsume taunted back with a smirk on his lips.
Mikan literally fumed with anger.
"Do you want to a place to stay or not?" He ask again, his expression challenging.
Mikan huffed in exasperation before finally nodding, but not without menacing glare given directly towards him.
Natsume chuckled softly as he took the bag from Mikan's hand which make her flinch and start to walk. "You better keep up with my pace, little girl."
"I have told you that I am not a little girl!" Mikan hollered as she run, trying to match her steps with his long ones.
The walk to Natsume's house surprisingly quite comforting for Mikan, since they turns out have some kind of chemistry which make talking with each other nonstop is not a hard thing to do.
They restarted everything. They introduced themselves properly, they ask each other's interest, they talk about their lives, what they did and what they are going to do.
Natsume doesn't know why he is telling Mikan everything despite the fact that he is an introvert person, and Mikan doesn't know either why she talk so easily to a stranger, despite her past and a man on the top of that. But they enjoy each other's presence, and that's enough for them, for now.
"This is my apartement. " Natsume said, opening the door to a fancy looking room.
Mikan look around her surrounding for a moment before reaching into a conclusion that this man is stinkin' rich. Well, she should have thought about that from the start since the clothes that this man wear doesn't look cheap either. She doesn't know much about branded things, but she know one if she saw it. She has good eyes anyway for expensive things like that.
"Why not house?" Mikan ask, walking inside, still looking around.
Natsume shrugged and put Mikan's bag on the long, comfy looking sofa nearby. "I move a lot. I have told you my job haven't I?"
"Yeah, you are a bodyguard for anyone who is willing to pay enough." Mikan quoted his answer perfectly while rolling her eyes.
Natsume smirk smugly. "I am talented enough to get paid handsomely."
"Whatever."
"This is your room. There is a bathroom inside, feel free to clean yourself." Natsume gestured to one room in the corner of the living room.
Mikan sigh. Guess this man is really serious about letting her live with him. Despite his annoying and arrogant attitude, this man has a kind heart. "Thanks I guess. I'm sorry for intruding." Mikan mumbled quietly before vanishing behind her room's door.
Natsume smiled gently at the closed door. "You're welcome." He whispered in a low voice, retreating back into his bedroom.
Soo... what do you think? Please kindly leave some review ;D
Natsume is a bit OOC here, well not a bit, a lot perhaps, but I just want to create a whole new Natsume who is cold but warm at the same time. It is impossible to be always cold right? *defensive mode lol* like I'm saying before, I'm trying a new approach ;) I want to make a more mature character I guess. But I hope it still meet your taste :D
Andd, I used the same name as a jerk who hurt Mikan, though his character is a bit different here and he won't get as much spotlight as in the previous story ;) hope the Akira name doesn't bored you :D
See you on the next chappie! Thank you for reading! XD
Aquabluemarine