Mikans POV:

A week has passed since Natsume and Hotaru disappeared. And with each passing day I am becoming increasingly worried. Soon I will be leaving Gakuen Alice, along with my friends and the treasured memories I share with them. And although I may be smiling on the outside, on the inside my heart is threatening to burst. I have accepted the fact that I because I no longer have my Alice's my memories will be erased and that I must leave but I do not want to leave without at least saying goodbye to Hotaru and making sure that Natsume is safe. I don't want that to be the last time I see Natsume, especially in that condition. I refuse to believe he is dead, even when he laid motionless in front of me, I just can't afford to think like that. I don't want to lose someone else I care about, I have already lost both my parents and I will soon be forgetting all of my friends, I don't want to lose Natsume.

I rushed to his side when I saw him lying there.

"W-why isn't he breathing? Natsume? NATSUME!" Tears began to streak down my face

"Sakura-san? Are you ok?" A familiar voice broke me out of my thoughts of Natsume, I turned to see Ruka looking at me with a concerned look on his face.

"huh? Oh yes, I'm fine!" I reassured. Ruka didn't seem convinced though, he gave me a stern look. Ruka, Permy, Nonoko, Anna and linchou had decided to take me into central town for the day, since it was a Saturday, so I could spend some time with them before I left the academy.

"You're thinking about Natsume again aren't you? I can tell from the look on your face"

"N-no ,w-well yes . I'm just worried about him and Hotaru that's all, I'm sorry" His face softened a little.

" It's ok, we're all worried about them too. But If Natsume were here I don't think he would want to see you in this state, You are not eating and you're not getting any sleep-"

"I've been sleeping and eating perfectly fine so you needn't worry,"

"Hey Sakura! Hurry up already!" Permy shouted impatiently from where she was standing as she tapped her foot on the ground. She was obviously irritated.

"O-oh! I-I'm sorry Permy!" I apologized and ran over to her. She immediately started shouting again…

"Will you quit calling me Permy?! That's not my name! It's SUMIRE. S-U-M-I-R-E. Understand?" She asked while tugging at my hair.

"Y-yes, sorry Per- I mean Sumire-san hehehe. Now can I have my hair back? It kinda hurts…"

"Oh yeah, sorry " she finally let go of my hair and I backed away before she could start pulling it again.

"Mikan-chan!" I turned to see linchou, Nonoko and Anna rushing towards us.

"Hi guys! Where have you been?" I said smiling.

"Sorry! One of my experiments kind of got out of control…. linchou and Anna had to help me sort it out" Nonoko grinned and rubbed the back of her head.

"Well at least you're here now. So where should we go first?" Ruka asked.

"I bet I already know where Sakura wants to-" Permy started before I cut in.

"HOWALON HOWALON HOWALON!" My mouth was already watering at the thought of the sweet marshmallow-like candy.

"Yup I was right" She seemed slightly pissed off that I'd just interrupted her but did her best to control her anger.

"Shall we go buy some Howalon then?" Asked Anna.

"Yeh, we could buy some for your jii-chan" Nonoko suggested.

"Sounds great! Now lets go!" I literally dragged them all to the howalon stand where I bought atleast 10 large boxes.

"Seriously Mikan? How much howalon do you need?" Permy criticised in disbelief.

"But I love howalon! Don't blame me! Blame the candy for being so irresistible!"

"You never change Mikan-chan" Said Nonoko , giggling.

Everyone started laughing, except for Permy who just lectured me on my intake of howalon.

We continued like that for most of the day, Until we decided it was time to go home for a well deserved rest. It was late by the time we got back to the dorms and I was planning on going straight to my room so I could be alone with my thoughts. But before I could even step inside my room, I was lifted into the air by a strong pair of arms.

"T-tsubasa senpai!" I yelled in shock as he placed me on his shoulders.

"Where do you think you're going little kohai?" He said grinning up at me.

"I was planning on going to bed…. Why? H-hey! Tsubasa senpai! W-wait! Where are we going?!" Tsubasa senpai was walking away from my room with me still on his shoulders.

"You'll see. You'll see" He grinned again.

"hah?"

After what seemed like ages we finally arrived outside the Special Type classroom.

"Why are we here?" I asked still confused as hell.

"Patience is a virtue my little kohai." He replied snickering.

I pouted and stuck my tongue out at him as he opened the door and walked in. I couldn't see a thing because the room was in complete darkness.

"H-hey senpai? Why is it so dark?! Senp-" I was cut off as he abruptly plucked me from his shoulders and placed me on the floor. I turned to grab his arm only to find he had gone.

"S-senpai?! Where did you go?! It's dark in here!" I was starting to become panicked now as I rushed to the door and frantically tried to open it and escape from the darkness. I heard movement from the corner of the room which only frightened me more. All of a sudden the room flooded with light and I breathed a sigh of relief, at least I could see now.

"SURPRISE MIKAN!" Loud cries filled the room followed by laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHA Y-you should have seen your face Sakura! YOU WERE TERRIFIED! HAHAHAHAHA" Permy pointed at me and held onto her sides unable to contain her laughter.

"T-that wasn't funny! You know I hate the dark!"

"Lighten up and just enjoy the surprise party!" Permy had managed to get herself together and had a huge grin on her face.

"Party? For who? Who's birthday is it?" I panicked. I can't believe I forgot one of my friends birthday!

"It's no one's birthday you idiot." Permy face palmed.

"Then what's the party for?"

"You really are stupid aren't you?" She started pulling my hair again, "This party's for you! Its your leaving party."

"You're all throwing a party for me?"

"Of course we are mikan," Tsubasa-senpai patted me on the head, "Its because you came to this academy we all started to have more fun here, and everyone seems closer than they were before. That only happened once you entered the academy, I think that's enough reason to throw you a party."

"Really?" I was touched, the only reason I came here in the first place was to be able to stay with Hotaru, I didn't expect to become this close to everyone. My eyes started to overflow with tears.

"Tsubasa! You made her cry!" Misaki-senpai hit Tsubasa over the head and hugged me.

"I-I'm s-sorry, I just can't help it. Before I entered the academy, I never imagined a life other than the one with ji-chan and Hotaru. Now I can't think about a life without everyone at the academy. I know I have to, but I don't want to leave the academy, I don't want to forget everyone," My sobs grew louder and Misaki-senpai held me tighter.

"We don't want you to go either. You were such a great influence on us Mikan, that big goofy smile of yours is infectious! And you have to keep smiling, you have to leave this place with a huge smile on your face ok?"

I nodded as she let go of me and I noticed her eyes were starting to fill with tears too.

"I didn't know you could be so emotional misaki!" Tsubasa-senpai teased as he wiped her tears away.

"S-shut up idiot!" She hit him over the head again.

"Why must you always hit me?"

"Because you need a good beating,"

Everyone nodded in agreement as Tsabusa-senpai whimpered in pain.

"Thank you everyone, I promise I'll keep smiling no matter what, even when I've forgotten about the academy, I promise" I wiped away my tears and smiled, I made a promise. I can't keep being miserable in front of everyone when I don't have much time left with them, I have to be cheerful and smile.

"Ok are you done with this conversation? Can we start the party already?" Permy sounded pissed so I didn't disagree.

"Yeh lets have some fun!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, back to my normal self again.

"YEH!" Everyone shouted in unison.

Normal POV:

The day had come far too quickly. They day Mikan would be leaving the academy for good, and Hotaru and Natsume still hadn't returned. As much as she didn't want to, Mikan had no choice. She had only enough time to say goodbye to her friends.

"I'll miss everyone…" She said, She was trying desperately not to cry but couldn't help it.

"You won't be able to miss us idiot. You won't remember us," Sumire was trying to be rude to Mikan as she always was but she couldn't keep the tears in either. "We'll miss you though!" She embraced Mikan, which was a shock to everyone, and sobbed loudly.

"Come now, we don't want Mikan leaving depressed do we?" He hugged Mikan tightly and she returned the favour.

"Remember your promise," Misaki joined the hug, which resulted in almost suffocating poor Mikan. "You have to keep smiling ok?"

"Yeh, I'll remember that no matter what misaki-senpai!" Mikan smiled her cute, irresistible smile.

"Good"

"Mikan, it's time to go now," Shiki arrived carrying Mikan's things.

"Already? Can't I have some more time?"

"If it were my decision the answer would be yes, but unfortunately it isn't so we have to go now,"

"O-ok," After one last group hug Mikan made her way to the black car parked outside the school gates.

Mikan POV:

With one last look at the Academy that I had come to love, along with everyone in it, I made my way into the car and watched the Academy disappear behind me.