Disclaimer: I want to own Gakuen ALice. If I did, I wouldn't have ended the story 'til Mikan and Natsume's kids grow old enough to have stories of their own. xD
BUt I don't, so meh. ._. it rightfully belongs to higuchi tachibana-sensei!
"Hotaru!" Mikan called, waving her hand out to her best friend to catch her attention.
"What?" Hotaru curtly asked.
"Where are you going?" Mikan asked with enthusiasm and a beaming face. She seemed rather happy. Then again, she was always happy, Hotaru corrected herself.
"It is none of your business." Hotaru said with the same curt tone.
"Oh .. well okay." Mikan smiled again, this time a bit less heartily. "Uhmm … are you forgetting something?" She tentatively asked.
Hotaru knew where this was going but she pretended to be oblivious. "No. Not that I could think of any. Why do you ask?"
"Oh." Now the crestfallen look on Mikan's face was prominent and she shifted uncomfortably, as if she wanted to say more but couldn't find the courage to.
"Well, if there's nothing else.." Hotaru dismissed herself and turned to leave. Stupid, she thought. Of course, I'd never forget your birthday.
"W-Wait! Are you sure you're not forgetting something? Like maybe a special someone's special day?" Mikan burst out, there was despair in her tone, yet only she could pull off a sad look and still look comical.
"No."
Mikan stood shocked in her place, her mouth agape and eyes threatening to jump off their sockets. Tears were building up in her eyes but before they could fall, Hotaru had already fled from the scene.
Mikan couldn't believe it. The last person she wanted to forget about her birthday actually did forget about her birthday. She wanted to crawl into a hole and stay there until the sun rises for the next day. It's not worth celebrating her birthday anymore if Hotaru forgot about it, she thought.
Not just Hotaru, but the rest of her friends seem to have forgotten about her birthday! Every time she walked by a friend and asked them not-so-subtly about what day it was, they'd scratch their heads in confusion and say, "Uhm.. Tuesday?". Sumire, on the other hand, proved to be much more antagonistic and deliberately implied that she knew about her birthday by strongly refusing to accept it and insisting that it was just like any normal day, as if that wasn't obvious enough. "Hmph! Today's just like any other day. Don't think anything's special about it idiot!" she said. But Mikan, being the airhead she was, didn't think too much about that and figured that Sumire must be just like the others; clueless.
Mikan dejectly trudged her way back to the dormitories when she came across the least person she wanted to see as of the moment. She's already depressed as she is, but there he stood; Natsume, wearing a black hoodie over a gray and white striped shirt and loose jeans. Mikan couldn't help but admit that he looked good. Puberty suits him well, she blushed.
It wasn't long before Natsume finally noticed her, but as soon as he did, he looked away as if he just saw something disgusting, his face contorting in a grimace.
That put Mikan off. And with all the depressing emotion eating her up, she stormed up to him to pour them all out.
"YOU!" She pointed an accusing finger at him as she screamed.
Natsume was caught off guard, but he shadowed his surprised look with an angry face similar with Mikan's. "What do you want?" he asked in a composed tone.
"NO. I should be asking YOU that question!" She shrieked. "What did I do to make you hate me?! WHAT?! TELL ME!"
Natsume couldn't hide his surprised look anymore and looked at Mikan in alarm. "Where'd that come from..?" He asked, a little confused.
"I've always tried to be in good terms with you! Even though it wounds my dignity every time I try to control my temper and talk to you nicely! Why is it that every time you see me you act like I ruin your day?! What did I do to you?! Why do you hate me so much?!" Mikan was jabbing her finger on Natsume's shoulder in anger and frustration. She was seeing red all over.
Natsume grabbed hold of Mikan's wrists to control her. "Stop it." He hissed, "You're making a scene."
Mikan was about to protest when consciousness overcame her. She looked around her and saw people gawking at them, their interests piqued. Shame finally made her realize what she's done. She struggled against Natsume's vice-like grip weakly, but she was still a bit dazed from her embarrassing outburst, "l-let go…" She muttered shakily.
Natsume stared at her hard and dragged her away from the people's judging eyes. "W-Where are you taking me?! Let go!" Mikan cried.
"Shut up! You've already embarrassed yourself enough!" He hissed in a low menacing tone which made Mikan comply half-heartedly.
Once they were out of earshot and the prying eyes of the public, Natsume finally let go of Mikan.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Mikan cried in outrage.
"That's my line, stupid." Natsume coldly retorted. "What the heck did you think you were doing? Where'd all that nonsense come from?"
"Well, excuse me?! This nonsense that you speak of, has been bottled up inside me for years and it's finally reached its limit! I have had it with you, Hyuuga!" Mikan huffed with finality and proceeded to walk out, but Natsume held her back and clutched her right arm close to him.
"I'm not done with you yet." He glowered at her. Mikan grew flustered at their close proximity, but anger hid it well. She pushed him away and looked at him with the same intense fury.
"What else is there to talk about?" She stubbornly stated with her arms crossed.
"Lots. About you, particularly." Natsume shrugged and leaned against a tree trunk.
"Psh. Right. I beg to differ. I would be more than happy to talk about YOU, actually." Mikan coolly replied.
"Really? Do tell." Natsume said in a bored tone.
"Oh, where do I begin? I don't know where to start, the list is endless! To sum it all up, I think the word JERK suits you perfectly well." Mikan sarcastically quipped
Natsume snorted. "Okay, I get it. You hate me. Don't worry, 'cause the feeling's mutual."
Mikan stayed silent. She didn't know what to say in this moment. Honestly, she felt disappointed with his blunt confession.
Wait, why should she?! She hates him, he hates her. That sounds just about right.
Or was she just lying to herself…
There's this weird feeling in her gut that tells her whatever she's doing right now, she will regret it later… and like really regret it.
Mikan was shocked when the silence was broken, and by Natsume nonetheless. But what even shocked her more was what he said.
"Happy Birthday, by the way." His voice was a mere whisper, but it sent chills down Mikan's spine.
It took her a while to register her thoughts and before she knew it, she'd already burst out crying. Natsume was surprised and completely caught off guard. Again. That's twice now. He could barely keep his cool façade intact. "What now?!" He asked, irritated.
"Y-You… *sniff* remembered about m-my birthday, *sniff* and we're s-supposed to hate each other *sniff* but y-you g-greeted me a-anyway *sniff* .. but Hotaru *sniff* my b-best friend in the w-whole wide world *sniff* didn't even remember about it! Waaaaahhh!" Mikan bawled, pouring out all her hurt from her early encounter with Hotaru.
Natsume raked his fingers across his hair in frustration. "Stop crying. It's annoying." He snapped.
"Whatever." Mikan sniffed stubbornly, trying to plug up the tears, but was doing a poor job. Hiccups still attacked her. "Out of all the people who could forget about my birthday it had to be Hotaru, and not you."
"What, you're saying that I shouldn't have greeted you?"
"I don't know."
"Make up your mind."
Mikan just stuck her tongue out at Natsume which he just returned with a smug glare.
"You know, fifteen year olds don't usually bawl like a five year old." Natsume mockingly implied, provoking Mikan.
"Like I give a care, Hyuuga." Mikan hoarsely replied, her tone thick with the aftermath of crying.
"So, I'll ask you again. Why'd you suddenly jump at me and started spewing nonsensical things in the middle of the park?" Natsume calmly asked.
"Can't you tell I was and still am in a bad mood?" Mikan groaned. "And technically, those were all true." She added.
"Hmmm." Natsume hummed in thought.
"It's not like you to be this inquisitive." Mikan pondered out loud.
"And it's not like you to lose your head in front of people either." Natsume remarked, which made Mikan blush faintly.
"It was a spur of the moment kind of thing." She shrugged.
"Have you calmed down yet?"
Mikan slowly nodded and wiped her still tear-stained face. "I feel better, more or less."
"Let's go then." Natsume gestured for her to follow him back to the dormitories, and so she did.
As they made the long walk back, Mikan couldn't help but feel a bit guilty about her outburst with Natsume. He didn't even make a single bad peep about it nor did he get angry. Even though he did say he hated her, he was able to put up with her emotional breakdown and remain calm. She remembered saying that she hated him and he did say that the feeling was mutual, but she wasn't so sure anymore. She was just bluffing. She doesn't really know how she feels for this delinquent. It's best if she doesn't find out yet, she thought. But what does he think about her?
"Hey."
Mikan was snapped out of her reverie as Natsume glanced at her. "You are fifteen now right?" he asked casually.
"Y-Yeah."
"Hmm. I guess you're older than I am."
Mikan was fazed at that.
She was older than Natsume?!
"But in terms of intellect, I'm way ahead of you." He smirked at her and continued walking.
"Was that an insult?!" She shouted in disbelief.
"No. it was a fact."
"Whatever. But what difference does it make? I'm only a few months older than you are!"
"Those months still do make a difference." Natsume pointed out indifferently.
Mikan just pouted and fumed quietly behind him. The thought of her being older than Natsume was unsettling. She hated to admit it but Natsume is much more mature than she is.
"Hey, Natsume." Mikan called out.
"What?"
"Why do you hate me?" Mikan muttered almost tentatively. She tried to act casual but failed. She didn't know why but the topic itself made her feel nervous and anxious.
"I don't know." Natsume answered calmly.
"What kind of an answer is that?" Mikan pouted.
"I don't know if I hate you." Natsume elaborated.
Mikan was slightly surprised. She didn't really know what he meant. "I thought you said our feelings were mutual?"
"I did. What do you think?" Natsume turned to face Mikan. His eyes were serious and meaningful as he stared at her. Mikan could feel herself blush under his gaze.
"If you keep being mean to me then I'll keep hating you." She muttered while trying to avert his gaze.
"Well, you seem confident that you do hate me. Are you sure it's hate that you're feeling?"
"O-Of course I'm sure!"
"Really?" Mikan flinched when Natsume caressed her cheek with his fingertips, his face was so close it was only mere inches from hers and she could almost inhale his own breath which smelled very good, she noted.
'GAH! Now's seriously not the time to think about that!" She thought nervously as she stared at Natsume's beautiful ruby eyes up close.
Natsume was closing the gap between them even more, his lips hovering centimeters above Mikan's. One small move and they could already be kissing. Mikan's heart rate was beating off the charts and she could no longer take it. Her heart was about to explode.
"You're blushing." Natsume deadpanned and slowly removed his hand from Mikan's red face, but didn't move away an inch. Mikan was still dumbfounded and didn't react immediately.
"I wonder how much more amusing it'll be if I kiss you." Natsume tauntingly whispered as he twirled a strand of Mikan's hair in his fingers.
That snapped her brain back into consciousness. She pushed him away in the blink of an eye and scampered backwards, putting as much space between them as possible.
"What the heck, PERVERT!" She screeched as she held her hand over her mouth, as if she were scared he really would kiss her. Natsume just stared at her stoically and casually hid his hands in his jeans pocket.
"Admit it, polka. You like me."
"Like hell I do! There is no freaking way I am going to like an egoistic, self-centered, conceited, stuck up bastard like you, Hyuuga! I hate you and your guts! I'd rather date a guy with rotting teeth and balding hair than be seen with you! Screw you!"
"Ok." Natsume shrugged dismissively and turned to leave.
"HEY! I'm not done with you yet, you jerk!"
"I think you made your point clear. So shut up already. Your voice is giving me a headache."
"Good! Then I won't stop talking! I'll keep blabbing on and on and on until your head explodes! Imagine all the people I'm doing a favor for when that happens! They'll be so damn happy, they'd throw a party on your grave!"
Natsume ignored her and kept walking.
"Fine! Walk away you sissy! Coward! Jerk! Short eyebrowed fox!"
Natsume suddenly stopped in the middle of his tracks and retrieved a vibrating phone from his pocket. Mikan paused in the midst of throwing profanities at him. Since when did Natsume get a phone?
Natsume answered and listened briefly then returned the phone to his pocket just as quickly as he had taken it. He swiftly turned back to Mikan , grabbed her around the wrist and dragged her to who-knows-where.
"Hey! What the-?! Let the freak go of me!" She struggled against his iron grip. "What is wrong with you and forcefully dragging me off somewhere?!"
"Believe me, I wouldn't do any of this if I had a choice."
"What do you mean?!"
Natsume just glanced at her fleetingly and continued manhandling her towards Central Town.
"Hyuuga answer me or I swear I'll rip your head off right now with my bear hands!" Mikan shouted comically.
"Such shallow threats. I'm not intimidated at all."
"Why you-"
"This, is how a proper threat is done." He cut her off and, much to Mikan's surprise, grabbed her face with both his hands and touched their foreheads together. "Make one more sound and I breathe fire on your face." His husky voice was supposed to sound intimidating but Mikan found it strangely…. Appealing.
"What are you-"
"Mikan!"
Thank God for Nonoko.
She quickly headbutted Natsume and turned towards her savior while purposely whipping her long hair across his face.
"Hey, Nonoko! What's up?" She asked casually while plaintively glaring from the corners of her eyes at Natsume, who was busy rubbing his abused forehead.
"I could ask you the same thing! Where are you heading?" Nonoko asked.
"Anywhere far away from this hobo right here." Mikan said while jerking a thumb in Natsume's direction.
"Who you callin' a hobo, polka?"
"Right. Well aren't you going to the party?" Nonoko ignored the two, who were on the verge of tearing each other's throats out.
"What party?" Mikan returned her attention to Nonoko.
"Don't tell me you didn't know? I thought it was-" but before she could finish her sentence, she stopped and, if Mikan wasn't mistaken, she looked behind her at Natsume with a confused expression which transformed into one of surprise and understanding, as if an idea had just dawned on her.
Mikan exchanged glances between the two of them. "What? What party?" she tried again.
"Uhh… you know, the one we planned for Iinchou for congratulating his success in the Alice Exhibition? Did you forget about that?" Nonoko smiled.
"Oh, that party. Of course I didn't, I just didn't know it was today…" Mikan felt crestfallen. She half-expected to hear Nonoko say that they were throwing a party for her. "Apparently, you guys seem to be the ones who forgot something." She muttered.
"Well then, I'll be going there first, since it looks like you guys have something else planned. We'll wait for you there. Catch up with us later?" Nonoko pretended not to hear that last part and turned to leave.
"I don't plan to do anything with HIM. But yeah okay, I'll be there." Mikan smiled half-heartedly.
Nonoko waved at them one last time before retreating back to the dormitories.
Oh right, and Natsume hadn't let go of Mikan's hand the entire time they were talking.
"Can you let me go now?" Mikan sighed exasperatedly.
"Maybe later." Natsume responded shortly.
"Why must you do this to me? Can't you just leave me alone? I want some time alone to wallow in my sorrows of being ignored and forgotten on my birthday." Mikan bowed her head and struggled to free her captive hand from Natsume.
"I can't. My orders are to take you to Central Town to accompany me and buy a cake for Tobita's party."
"Wow, you sound like some old-fashioned spy agent or something. I don't care. I don't want to be anywhere near cakes, sweets, or anything happy right now because I don't feel like it. In fact, I don't think I'll be going to Iinchou's party."
"Don't be a sore loser. Just because nobody greeted you on your birthday, doesn't mean you have to take it out on Tobita. The world doesn't revolve around you, polka. People forgot about your birthday, big deal. Nothing to cry about."
"I am not crying." Mikan sniffed. "It just sucks. After all that we've been through, and nobody bothered to remember my birthday.
"Except me." Natsume pointed out.
"You don't count." Mikan spat.
Natsume just shrugged and towed her alongside him all the way to Central Town, despite her incessant protests.
"You are so getting me a birthday present for this." Mikan snapped at him as she stared at the cute colorful signage of a bakery with warm, mouth-watering smells leaking out the open windows.
"Consider it done." Natsume pushed the door open, with Mikan following closely behind, not that she's got much of a choice.
Natsume scanned the glass counters with uninterested eyes. Mikan couldn't help but fear for the waiting friends who were expecting a decent cake, only to find that Natsume had chosen inappropriately. He never had any taste for this kind of thing, Mikan thought.
"Pick the two layered choco-strawberry one." She offered.
Natsume looked at her momentarily before settling his eyes on the cake she was referring to. "Well that was easy." He said.
"What?"
"Nothing." Natsume brushed her off and ordered the cake. He paid for it without asking for the change.
"Well, that was generous of you." Mikan chimed while they walked back to the dorm, the cake safely tucked in her arms.
"I felt like being generous. Besides, I've got too much money." Natsume shrugged.
"Generous and self-conceited." She amended.
"It's not self-conceiting if it's the truth, stupid."
"Whatever." She ended the conversation and walked in silence. "You still owe me a present." She said after a few moments.
Natsume remained unfazed. "Of course."
The two finally reached the dorms and Natsume stopped in front of Mikan's door.
"Uhm, Natsume? Where is the party? This is my room." She pointed out.
"I knew that." He pushed the door open.
And what greeted them surprised Mikan so much, she would have dropped the cake if she still held on to it, fortunately Natsume was smart enough to take it out of her hands before they reached her room.
"SURPRISE!"
The room was brightly lit and a new table was set up in the center with a variety of Mikan's favorite foods, which was practically everything!
"Oh my god, you guys! I thought you forgot!" Mikan squealed while hopping with her hands pressed against her mouth, clearly excited and overwhelmed to the brink of tears.
"We'd never! Right, Anna?" Nonoko winked at Mikan and high-fived her best friend. She gave Natsume a thumbs up which Natsume just returned with a shrug. "If it weren't for Natsume giving me a heads-up earlier I would have ruined everything! I didn't know everyone planned for your party to be a surprise. I was late on the news." Nonoko confessed.
Mikan just shook her head disbelievingly. "This is totally clichéd!", she laughed.
"You don't like it?" Came a monotone voice behind her. Mikan swiveled around to see her scheming best friend wearing a party hat which was totally out of place with her cold expression.
"Hotaru!" Mikan hugged her. "I really thought you forgot about my birthday!" she cried.
"Of course not, brainpoop. It was all part of the plan. I wanted you to suffer depression before celebrating. It's more thrilling that way."
"Haha. Why am I not surprised?" Mikan smiled at her best friend's typical response. Good old Hotaru. "And you let me buy my own cake?" she laughed.
"Technically, I bought the cake. I paid for it." Natsume butted in, with the cake out of its box and with candles flaring at the top, just waiting to be blown. "Make your wish, polka. Before I get tired and drop this."
"You don't have to fuss about it." Mikan pouted, but deep down she was happy and touched beyond words. She closed her eyes for a short moment and blew out the candles, followed by applause and loud whoops from the boys.
"Congratulations on becoming 15, Sakura." Ruka greeted her warmly.
"Thank you, Ruka-pyon!" She smiled, which he returned with a shy blush. He later gave her a pink rose and a box of chocolates. Mikan laughed at his adorable ministrations and hugged him gratefully, which made him blush a bright red for the rest of the night.
"Happy 15th Mikan!" Tobita Yuu said while handing her his delicately wrapped present.
"Iinchou! You shouldn't have!" She exclaimed with delight, but accepted the package anyway and hugged her old friend.
"It's nothing much, really." He smiled.
"Well, here's to a happy birthday to you." Sumire came up to Mikan with two glasses of soda and handed her the other.
"Thanks, Permy."
"I told you to never call me that!"
"But it suits you." Mikan teased.
"Fine. Today's an exception. But you'll pay for that tomorrow."
Mikan couldn't help but smile at her frenemy's attempt at a truce. "Sure, Permy. I'll keep that in mind." She winked.
Sumire just huffed and slipped away to join the others.
A lot more of Mikan's friends approached to greet her and gave her presents, but she was dying to have a word with the least person she expected to celebrate her birthday with. She finally found him alone in her tiny terrace, away from the partying and noise of her friends.
"Hey stranger." She announced as she joined him.
"What is it?" Natsume sighed.
"No need to get all grumpy. It's my birthday. You can at least pretend to be happy for me."
"I don't need to pretend about that." He said bluntly.
Awkwardness suddenly hung in the air, but Mikan made an effort to break the silence and cleared her throat, "So, what's with the sudden change of pace?"
"Hotaru asked me to help out, so I did. Was that wrong?" He challenged.
"Of course not, I was just asking, jeez. You need to relax a little." She countered.
Natsume just stared out into the open blue sky, unresponsive.
"For the record, the time I spent with you arguing earlier was definitely worth it. Thanks for helping them out in the party even though it was uncalled for"
Mikan smiled genuinely. Natsume stared at her.
He dug something out of his pocket and handed her a small red box.
Mikan looked at him skeptically.
"My present." He said.
"Oh... I didn't think you'd keep your word for it." Mikan answered in bewilderment.
"I bought that weeks ago. Might as well go for the promise, I had nothing to lose." Natsume raised an eyebrow at her, "If you don't like it I can take-"
"No!"
Natsume paused, waiting.
"I-I mean. No… I humbly accept your gift, thank you very much." She muttered, blushing a shade of crimson.
And for the first time that day, Natsume smiled.
"You're welcome."
Right then and there, Mikan figured that spending her birthday with him wasn't so bad after all.
She opened the box and awed at the delicate ring inside, with a single red ruby peeking out an intricate silver design.
"It…It matches your eyes."
"Yeah, well I thought you'd like it."
She looked up at him uncertainly and met his intense gaze.
Yep. Definitely like his eyes.
"I love it." She smiled.
"So, change your mind about hating me yet?"
"Don't push your luck, Hyuuga."
Truthfully though? She already did a long time ago.
after one year, I finally had the guts to pick up this story where it left off and finish it xD
hope you liked it, though i know it's not much :D
btw, please do me a favor and check out my blog .com!
THankies~