Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice belongs to Higuchi Tachibana, but the plot is mine. Author's Note: This is going to be a two-shot fic. Expect the grammar errors below.

Kanojo wa itsumo soko ni iru. Kare wa itsumo koko de mite iru.[1]

...

She is there. She is always there.

Natsume narrowed his eyes as he rested his arms on the fence and placed his chin on top of them. His body slightly bowed. Sometimes he closed his crimson eyes when he felt the afternoon breeze blew past him. But mostly, he kept his eyes open, staring gently at what he had in sight.

She is always there under the wide azure sky.

Behind him he could hear the door creaked open. He turned his head around. He smiled a little when he found his best friend, Ruka Nogi, walking toward him.

"Natsume," Ruka called, "Koizumi is looking for you."

Natsume, the said guy, hissed in annoyance after hearing the name his best friend mentioned, "Hn."

The corner of Ruka's lips lifted up a bit. He knew how much Natsume hated the Koizumi girl and that he would most likely ignore her. He then leaned his body on the fence next to his raven haired best friend.

"Natsume, can I ask you one thing?"

Natsume nodded in response.

"Why are you always going here everyday during recess just like this?"

Natsume paused for a while, "I'm watching."

"Watching at what?"

Ruka sighed deeply as Natsume didn't answer his question and just kept looking at God-knows-where. Ever since two months ago, Natsume was always going here, to the second floor's veranda of the school's west building during recess or after school, merely leaning his body on the fence and staring at nothing.

Of course he didn't mind at first, but as days passed, seeing this as his new habit had started to frighten him. He knew his best friend wasn't very talkative. But at least he deserved to know what was going on inside his mind, or so he thought.

"Natsume, sometimes, I don't really get you."

Little did Ruka know, a figure of a brunette haired girl could be seen clearly from that place.

Kare to Kanojo

(Him and Her)

by Yuuto Tamano

Part I

The sun were shining brightly and a brunette haired girl was lying peacefully under it.

Ever since she found a sunflower garden in the west side of her school, she always came here everyday, during recess or after school. Taking care of flowers was always her hobby, especially sunflowers.

At least, sunflowers could make her felt happy out of all the tough events she had to experience.

Sunflowers were only her best friends.

She was being bullied in her school, so no one would want to be her friend. She herself couldn't understand why she's bullied, because she thought she was normal like everyone else. Were there her words that annoyed her bullies? Were there her attitudes that annoyed them? She didn't know.

"Your face is just so annoying. That's all." She remembered what Luna Koizumi, one of her bullies, said when she asked why they bullied her.

Everyday she got dirts on her table. Everyday she got nails inside her indoor shoes. Everyday she got tackled. Everyday she got splashed while she was walking. Everyday she got to eat her bento in a toilet's cubicle.

Everyday also, she got bruises on her body.

She then stood up and walked toward the sunflowers. They were taller than her so she had to tilt her chin upward.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Sunflowers, are you thirsty? Want me to water you?" she asked, smiling.

She was happy. Only sunflowers were her best friends.

Little did she know, a pair of crimson eyes were watching her every movements from afar.

-o0o-

The school's bell rang, signaling all the students to get inside the class.

The brunette haired girl in pigtail, Mikan Sakura, also was walking down the school corridor to reach her classroom. She ignored the giggles and snickers which were directed to her.

Suddenly a foot blocked her way, causing her to fall and so did the books which she held in her hands. She stroked her nose, which was a bit reddening. She then tried to look up and found Luna Koizumi's figure before her.

"Oops, sorry, my foot betrayed me. Is that hurt?" Luna asked sweetly, pretending to be in guilt. She then could hear the laughter around her became louder and louder.

Yet Mikan didn't answer. She occupied herself with collecting the books.

Knowing she was ignored, Luna pulled one of her pigtails. "Didn't your mom teach you a thing called 'respect'? Didn't she teach you to answer all questions directed to you? So, I will ask you again, is that hurt, bitch?"

Yet again, Mikan didn't utter an answer, although she twitched in pain when Luna pulled her hair harder.

"Damn you, bitch!" Luna shouted and was about to slap her hard when she saw a figure of a very handsome man walking toward where she was. She squealed happily and remove her hand from Mikan's hair, "Natsume-kun!"

Hearing the name, Mikan could feel shivers running down her spine.

Meanwhile, the guy called Natsume muttered a curse as Luna leaned closer onto him.

"Look, Natsume-kun, that girl is causing a ruckus again. She fell all of a sudden and as I was about to help her, she refused and slapped my hand. Isn't that very rude?"

But none of her words seemed to register in his mind. He freed himself from Luna and made his steps toward the brunette haired girl. He was about to touch her shoulder and ask if she was okay when he saw her body trembled with fear.

"Don't touch me. Don't come near me." she said very slowly, but loud enough for him to hear.

Then as she finished collecting the books, she quickly ran away.

He stood still. He could feel a pang in his heart when he heard that two sentences. His fist clenched tighter. It was always like this. She was always trembling like that when he was near her. Never did the two exchange words, let alone looks. It was very well-known to the entire school that Mikan Sakura hated Natsume Hyuuga.

Very much.

Little did everyone knew, the hatred feeling in her heart started ever since that incident.

-o0o-

The school had ended.

And Natsume Hyuuga was once again leaning his crossed arms on the same fence as the one during the recess.

His chin on them.

For the umpteenth time he sighed deeply. As he recalled the event involving the brunette haired girl, his chest tightened. And he, of course, didn't feel very much comfortable with that. All he could do was sighing and sighing, in order to ease the pain.

He felt frustrated. Only because of a girl he was now staring at.

He ran his hand through his already messy hair as he looked away from her figure. If he watched her longer than that, he could no longer stand being in this state. He wanted to be near her. He wanted to hear her voice. He wanted to be looked by her. He wanted to touch her, to feel her, to make her happy, and to protect her from all those bullies.

Damn. How much he knew that he couldn't. How much he knew that she hated him very much, to the point that she wouldn't stand to be near him.

Yet he loved her very much, to the point that he would wish to be beside her always.

It was two months ago, when he realized his feeling toward her.

That day, from the west building's veranda, he found her talking to sunflowers. At first he thought she was an idiot. But when he saw her watering the flowers with a smile plastered on her face, he quickly changed his mind. She was beautiful and kind-hearted. He enjoyed watching her taking care the flowers. He even chuckled when she wet herself. Something he didn't do in front of anyone but Ruka. He continued watching her until she got home.

Since then his eyes were always looking for her. Her very existence. His mind felt like addicted for her. He felt like a stalker. But if it's for the sake of being able to see her, he'd like to be one.

And then, that incident occurred.

His dazzling crimson eyes suddenly widened when he focused his gaze on her and found some guys and girls were circling her. Those bullies again, he thought. She was scared and needed help, those were very clear in his eyes.

He had to help her. He needed to protect her.

But how?

-o0o-

"P-Please just go away..." Mikan said, a little stammering.

"Wait, did someone just speak?" said a permed, black haired girl namely Sumire Shouda. "Luna, did you hear something?"

Luna smirked cynically, "Umm, maybe? Did you Mochu?"

"No, I didn't." Mochu, the bald guy, stated clearly, "Let's just quickly get over with her, Luna."

Luna's smirk just got wider. "You're no fun, Mochu. Okay then, back to the topic." She looked at Mikan, "What exactly are you doing here, Sakura?"

Mikan tried to talk once again, "Ple...Please just leave me alone."

Luna the slap her cheek hard, causing her to fall down.

"This is what you got from not answering my question again. I should have done this before. You were just lucky because Natsume-kun was there first before I did that."

She shivered hearing the guy's name again.

"So once again, what are you doing here, bitch!" The question was heard more like an order.

"I-I'm watering my garden." Mikan finally answered.

Luna was smirking again like crazy. "Your garden? Did I hear that right? This is the school's garden, not yours." She paused for a while as she looked like she got an idea. Then she glanced at the three guys next to her. "Mochu, Kitsu, Koko, destroy the garden!"

Mikan's hazel eyes widened hearing Luna's order.

"B-But..." Koko tried to argue.

"Don't worry Koko, it's her fault, not ours."

The three exchanged looks and then nodded. Excitedly, they started to step on the garden, kicking the plants and the flowers. The yellow petals of sunflowers scattered in the air. Mochu grabbed the trunk and cut it into two, followed by the others.

"NO! NOT THE FLOWERS!" she screamed as she got up and tried to block the guys. Instead she got kicked by Luna and the other two girls, Sumire and Wakako.

The tears finally ran down her cheeks. Not for the pain she felt in her body, but for the cruel view she saw with her eyes. The flowers she talked to and took care everyday, her only best friends, had just been destroyed.

What should she do? She had lost hope. Now she didn't have anything anymore.

"Get your ass off the flowers, you bastards!"

Mikan blinked. Was she actually hearing someone yelled at her bullies or not? Her hazel grew wider when she caught the figure of a guy punching and kicking the three bullies. And what more surprised her was that her hero had a mask covered his face.

A black cat mask.

Luna and the other girls frightened seeing the masked guy, who successfully made her allies running away hysterically as if they had just spotted a mad cat. Muttering curses, the girls then followed the guys.

Wincing in pain, Mikan tried to stand up but failed. Luckily the masked guy had caught her body in his arms.

She felt it. Her body might be slightly trembling, but she also felt save in that guy's arms.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Somehow his voice sounded familiar in her ears.

Mikan nodded and he sighed in relief. She then clutched her hands on her hero's uniform. "My sunflowers..." she sobbed.

Her hazel eyes widened once again when he hugged her and squeezed her back, inwardly telling her 'everything is okay'. Afterward he rose from his position and made his paces toward the messed garden. He dug the ground under him with his own hands before he took a sunflower's trunk and planted it again.

He also did the same for the other trunks.

Mikan, on the other hand, was speechless. Her mouth slightly hung open. The tears on her eyes were gone and changed by a very wide smile.

A very beautiful smile, he noted.

-o0o-

She felt like she had another friend.

She smiled as she saw the black cat masked guy sat tiredly on the ground, his arms supported his body. They just finished cleaning the garden and planting the sunflower's seeds she bought the day before.

"Kuroneko," was what she called him, because he refused to tell her his real name. "Thank you." she said, slightly blushing.

Kuroneko just nodded in response, before he drank his mineral water.

It was quite awkward for her to have a company—a human company, because she never had one before. Of course, happy was an understatement. But most of the time she didn't know what topic to talk. Kuroneko wasn't helping either. Even though she barely knew him, she noticed that he was not a talkative type of person.

Tired of the quiteness between them, Mikan tried to start a topic.

"By the way, why did you help me from those bullies, kuroneko? I barely even know you." she asked.

Kuroneko titled his face toward hers. He silenced for a while before he said,

"You can say that I'm your secret admirer."

Hearing that, Mikan blushed seven shades of red.

-o0o-

Since Mikan's first encounter with Kuroneko, the bullying had started to decrease. Thanks a lot to him. Because everytime Luna and the others tried to harm her, he was always there protecting her.

Kuroneko had managed to throw away the snails inside her indoor shoes before Mikan even came to school. He even changed her desk, which was filled with unproper writings from her bullies, with a new clean desk. When he was beside her, he sent off an aura that told her bullies to back off.

In other words, he was protecting her. Until one day, the bullying finally stopped.

As one of her bullies, Luna was furious—no, she was mad. Mikan was her favorite bullying object, or so she called her. The girl never scared of her, even she still could attend school bravely after all of her cruel threats. Mikan never failed to make her surprised with her every reactions. Maybe Luna was a kind of obsessed to her. Because without Mikan, school was nothing but boring.

And now, a black cat masked guy called Kuroneko had ruined it.

The Kuroneko hinself was now very famous in school, even more famous than the school's handsome duo: Natsume Hyuuga and Ruka Nogi. He was talked by the entire school. He was everywhere in the school's magazine. He was never seen during the classes, as if he had been drowned to the ground. Then out of nowhere, he appeared before Mikan when the break period came.

No one knew what kind of face he had behind his mask. Out of curiosity, the students made a guess about him. Some believed he was handsome, but most of them believed he was ugly. That's why he covered his face with a mask. After all, only ugly guys were deserved to be with Mikan.

Luna was of course one of the majority. She hated Kuroneko. She hated his vey existence. And she only hated ugly guys. So no wonder Luna assumed that Kuroneko was the ugliest among the ugly guys.

And soon, she would make sure to get rid of him.

Somewhere, or more precisely in the sunflower's garden, the Kuroneko himself sneezed quite loud.

"Are you okay, Kuroneko?" Mikan asked him, slightly worried. She then handed him a box of tissue.

"I'm fine. Thanks." he said, placing a tissue behind his mask.

They were now eating their bento, or most likely Mikan was the only one eating her bento. Kuroneko refused to eat his own bento, because he was still wearing a mask. Though he promised her he would eat it later during fifth period.

"You know," Mikan started to speak. "sunflowers can grow to heights between 1.5 until 3.5 meters. Very tall, huh? Even Mr. and Mrs. Sunflowers I had before were about two meters high. I just hope the new sunflowers we plant will reach 3 meters!"

Kuroneko nodded in response.

"And do you know a way to make them grow faster and taller, besides watering them and give them fertilizer?" seeing Kuroneko only shook his face, she quickly continued, "We talk to them! I believe any kinds of plants will grow faster if we talk to them, so-"

"So that's why you talked to those sunflowers. Now I finally understand." he interrupted, surprising her.

She paused, quite shocked, "H-H-How do you know?"

"Like I said, I'm your secret admirer. I've always watched you from afar."

She once again blushed and she could feel the butterflies in her stomach. She lowered her head. She could hear her heart thumping faster and faster, louder and louder. Only because of Kuroneko's words. She didn't know why she became like this. She was never in this state before. She felt lose... and at the same time, happy.

"Mikan," Kuroneko suddenly called, causing her to quickly look up and raise an eyebrow. Her hazel eyes widened when she saw him shifting closer to her while, at the same time, raising his palm to reach her. As they skin touched, she could feel her body shaking with its own.

"There's a rice on your cheek." he said easily, and then shifting back to his previous position.

She shook her head. She could feel her heart beating like a crazy when he touched her. Somehow, his touch felt very familiar to her, as if his skin was not a merely stranger. It felt like his skin was something her mind didn't remember, yet her body did.

She didn't know why.

But one thing she knew for sure; she had fallen in love with the black cat masked man before her.

...

Kanojo wa himawari no hana ga mamoru. Kare wa kanojo no tame ga kitto mamoru.[2]

...

Part I - End

Translations:

[1] She's always there. He's always here watching.

[2] She's protecting the sunflowers. He's surely protecting her.