Falling Hearts
by: neko143
A young sixteen-year-old fair lady was happily skipping towards her much loved Sakura Tree. Sakura Mikan, now a special star student, still a klutzy girl was in search for his very snobbish but fine-looking partner, whose name was particularly Hyuuga Natsume.
'Now where is that Natsume?' thought Mikan.
While she was merrily prancing, she collided with the most oblivious person in the whole world, which she was exactly looking for.
"Oi! Watch where you are going, little girl!" a voice annoyingly called out.
"Natsume-kun! Thank God I found you," Mikan said blissfully.
"What do you want?" he said in an arrogant manner.
"Don't be so mean, Natsume-kun!" Mikan said while standing up and dusting her skirt off.
"I said, what do you want?!"
"Can I ask you to help me in…" Mikan said shyly.
"Your lessons?" Natsume completed the sentence for her.
"Yeah. I know I've been requesting you a lot of times but please, help me," she said begging him.
"What is it about?"
"That's means you'll help me?" she asked reassuringly.
"Isn't it obvious, polka dots."
Without hesitations, Mikan hugged him ignoring the insult and said, "Arigatou gosaimasu, Natsume-kun!"
Natsume reddened but Mikan, as Mikan was too dense to perceive and said in a dull tone, "Whatever, little girl. Will you stop clinging onto me?"
"Gomenasai."
"Meet me later in my room at 6 o'clock, got it?" Natsume instructed her.
"Okay," Mikan said then Natsume left thinking, 'Be there polka dots… I'll be waiting for you.'
After Natsume left, Mikan went directly to Hotaru's room. Unfortunately, Hotaru wasn't there but there was a voice mailbox in Hotaru's door. Mikan left a message saying, "Hotaru, you don't need to be forced teaching me because I asked another person to help me so that you will not be disturbed in what you are doing. See you."
It was 5:55 p.m.; Mikan was in a haste preparing her things for the tutoring, care of Natsume. 'Oh no! Natsume-kun will get angry with me because I'm late!' she thought fearfully and went out of her room and ran towards Natsume's room as fast as her feet would take her. She knocked on the door.
"The door's not locked. Come in."
"Natsume-kun?"
"You're late. I told you be here at 6 o'clock but it's 6:01 p.m."
"I know but I'm just a minute late," said Mikan defending herself.
"Whatever. Now, what do you want me to teach you?" Natsume asked.
"Here," Mikan said while handing a notebook onto Natsume.
"English? Look, it just said here that you'd write a poem to the person whom you totally care about. How simple."
"But you know I don't know how to write any, right?"
"Yeah, you're no good at this. You always have bad grammar and plenty of misspelled words," Natsume said smirking.
"Hey, don't make me remind of those. I know they're bad but I'm trying here!" she reprimanded.
"Yeah, yeah."
"Neh, Natsume-kun, have you written one already?" Mikan inquired.
"Why would I write something like that?" he asked back.
"Nothing. I just asked," she said.
"Whom do you want to give your poem?" Natsume asked.
"To Hotaru," she gaily replied.
'Why does it have to be Hotaru always?' Natsume thought angrily and said grumpily, "Fine."
"Yehey!!"
"Don't be too loud, polka dots!" he commanded.
"Don't call me like that!"
"You complaining?"
"No," she said inaudibly.
"What? Say it again!"
"I said no," she said a bit low.
"Okay, let's start," Natsume said. He taught her details on how to write a poem. He also told her to put your feelings on the poem to make it more expressive. Two hours have passed and Mikan wrote a nice poem with the guidance from Natsume.
"Do you want me to read it, Natsume-kun?" Mikan asked Natsume.
"Read it if you like," Natsume said in a quite bored tone.
"Okay, here goes." Mikan said and read the poem they wrote as one:
It's been a while since we met,
Years have passed but it never faded away,
Yes, ours was long but don't fret,
I hope that it does stay longer, come what may.
I was hopelessly sailing on a sea of tears,
Coz' when I cry no one hears,
I was losing hope each day,
But then you came to me and dried those tears away.
My world lightened up when you were there,
A friend who never leaves me on air,
For all those years we have been through,
Hope we'll preserve our bond that's true.
"Done. Natsume-kun, do you think Hotaru will like it?" Mikan rose.
"I don't know about you. What do you think?" Natsume asked her back.
"I guess so," Mikan said disappointingly.
"Why the long face little girl?" Natsume asked again.
"I'm not really sure if Hotaru will like it," Mikan said with her face looking down.
"I'm sure she will like it," Natsume gave her an encouragement.
"Sure?"
"Yeah."
Mikan was lightened up with Natsume's words of encouragement. She hugged him, smiling and whispered, "Arigatou, Natsume-kun. Oyasumi nasai. See you tomorrow." Mikan pecked on his cheek while blushing madly and ran towards the door and exited leaving all her things on Natsume's table.
"Oi, Mikan your things!" Natsume yelled but Mikan didn't come back. 'Does she have plans on letting me bring these things, tomorrow?!' Natsume thought furiously, 'I guess I was too soft and too generous to her today. Come on, Natsume! Drop that nice guy attitude out! Don't be nice to her!' his mind scolded.
On the other hand, on Mikan's part. She was happy that Natsume helped her with her lessons for today, 'Natsume-kun is so nice to me today. I hope he stays that way.' Mikan thought smilingly. "I know! I'll write my very own poem for him," she told herself. Then, she got an extra pen and paper on her desk and started scribbling her thoughts and feelings for Natsume. It took her two and a half hours to write the poem she especially made for Natsume. "I hope he likes it Kami-sama," Mikan said to herself and went off to her dreams.
Little did she know that a raven-haired boy was listening to her from the outside from the time she started writing, holding her forgotten things. He doesn't know about the boy Mikan was talking about and it made him curious, 'Who is that darn boy?! Is that the reason why she let me taught her how to write poems? She used me!' he thought dreadfully. He went inside Mikan's room unnoticed, put her left things on her desk. He glared at her with fury but soon it melted away and looked at her with unexplained feelings. He moved closer to her and fought the urge to kiss her but he lost. He kissed her and whispered onto her ear, "Someday, you will…" then he left.
The next day, while Mikan was going towards the classroom, he bumped into Natsume again but Natsume wasn't in a good disposition starting last night.
"Sumimasen, Natsume-kun," Mikan apologized.
Natsume didn't respond. Mikan thought he didn't heed anything so she decided to greet him instead.
"Ohayo, Natsume-kun," she said with a smile.
Due to Natsume's bad temper, he yelled onto Mikan's face crossly, "Could you stop acting childish?!!!"
Mikan's smile dropped and she released her things on the ground. She couldn't believe Natsume was up roaring onto her. Tears started to fall down from her beautiful face. Natsume realized what he had done and just kept still then he left her falling on her knees. 'Natsume, what happened to you? I thought…' Mikan thought wretchedly while weeping. Mikan didn't go to class and proceeded to the farthest Sakura tree near the lake in which Natsume doesn't know.
Meanwhile in the classroom, everyone was wondering why the cheery brunette wasn't around. Fortunately, Mr. Narumi was there and made an announcement, "My precious gakusei, we will have no class for today… that's all. Ja ne!" There was no class because the teachers overheard the fight between Mikan and Natsume in the corridors.
FLASHBACK
Narumi-sensei, Misaki-sensei and even Jinno-sensei, who now is open to everyone, with Serina-sensei were chatting their way towards the classrooms but heard some intense conversation going on and decided to know who were talking. They were surprised to see Natsume and Mikan having the fight of their lives.
"Could you stop acting childish?!!!" Natsume yelled onto Mikan's face.
Mikan's smile dropped and she released her things on the ground. She couldn't believe Natsume was up roaring onto her. Tears started to fall down from her beautiful face. Natsume realized what he had done and just kept still then he left her falling on her knees.
"Poor Mikan," Serina-sensei whispered to herself but was audible for the other three.
"You said it," Narumi-sensei seconded, "I think Mikan will be not be smiling for now and it doesn't include in my habit everyday. What do you think we'd cancel the class for today?"
"I couldn't agree more," Jinno-sensei said while wiping his tears.
"Okay, let's tell them," Narumi-sensei replied with bits of anxiety.
Jinno-sensei tapped his shoulder and said, "Good luck." Then the other teachers left him with the decision. They didn't notice Mikan crying away and Narumi-sensei proceeded to his class. When he entered the class, he noticed Mikan is not around and Natsume had his face down, eyes covered by his bangs. 'I guess they need to work it out,' he thought.
END OF FLASHBACK
After the short announcement, he left. All of a sudden, Natsume stood up from his seat. Ruka asked him, "Where are going, Natsume?"
"Ruka, I'm going out. Don't you dare follow me," Natsume said coldly.
"Is it another mission from Persona?" Ruka worriedly asked.
"No." he said then exited the room.
Ruka was curious why was Natsume acting strange that day. An emotionless tone popped out of nowhere, "I bet he did something to Mikan last night…"
"Hotaru, what do you mean?" Ruka raised a brow.
"Well, yesterday, Natsume taught Mikan about our assignment… you know the stupid poem making," Hotaru replied still in an unaffected tone.
"Then… what?" Ruka asked a bit irritated.
"You jealous?" Hotaru smirked to herself.
Ruka flushed and threw back the insult to her, "What about you? Aren't you jealous?"
"No. Why would I get jealous? If I did, I would be an idiot like them and it's a great thing that "baka" is not disturbing me anymore."
"You're so cold."
"You just noticed? Come on."
"What? Where?"
"Baka, to find Mikan."
"I thought you said you don't care."
"Duh! If she's lost, she will be lost."
"Fine." Ruka said and they went in searching for her too.
For the moment, in the school grounds, Natsume was already getting bothered about Mikan. 'Where is that idiot?' he thought. Then the idea of the "Sakura Tree" popped onto his mind. "I guess she's there… I hope." He walked towards the tree and found no sign of her, not even her shadow. The more Natsume grew worried. 'There couldn't be any other place, she could be! It's my fault she's lost!' he yelled at himself. Then he ran in search for her. It was already nightfall and Natsume still didn't find Mikan. 'Mikan, where are you?!' he thought troublingly. All of a sudden a memory flashed across his mind.
MEMORY
"Natsume, do you love Sakura?" Mikan asked.
Natsume blushed. 'Is she talking about herself?' he thought and said, "What are you talking about?"
"You know the Sakura tree?"
Natsume was relieved. He really thought Mikan was talking about herself, "The Sakura Tree? It's a relaxing place for me."
"It feels so great to be under it especially when it is spring. The pink blossoms are falling under you. It's just so breathtaking."
"Yeah," Natsume said but his mind thought, 'But you're a more beautiful 'Sakura' than that, Mikan' while his cheeks are turning scarlet.
"Natsume-kun, Narumi-sensei told me that there's a very big Sakura tree in school by the lake. Each spring it fully blooms and the petals are heart shaped."
"Really?" he answered in an are-you-sure tone.
"Yes! I'm planning to witness it this spring."
"Do you know where it is?"
"Sure. Narumi-sensei told me that it's just somewhere North."
"Go ahead."
END OF MEMORY
'The lake in the Northern Forest!' he thought and ran as fast as he could towards the lake. Even though it was chilly and dark, thanks to his Fire Alice that it gave him warmth and light. He reached there in no time. A figure appeared in front of him. Its body was lounged under a tree. The figure seems to be having forty winks. Moonlight shone upon the figure's face and it revealed the person's profile.
"Mikan!!!" Natsume screamed and ran in front of her cold, unconscious body. He hugged her tightly towards him and started talking to her, "Mikan, wake up! Open your eyes. Speak to me, baby!" Tears started to fall from his masculine face. They stayed like that for a moment then Mikan's eyes opened and saw a crying Natsume who was holding her close.
"Natsume?" Mikan shook Natsume's silent world.
Natsume heard her and said to her while enfolding her, "I'm sorry, Mikan. It's my fault. I yelled at you this morning."
"Natsume…"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Natsume repeated while releasing her slowly from the encirclement.
Mikan smiled and replied, "I could never have bad thoughts about you." Then he pulled him back for another gentle embrace. She started talking again, "How could I get angry with you, Natsume-kun?"
"I was an inconsiderate jerk, an oblivious person, an cold person especially towards you, Mikan," he said embracing her back.
"I could never get angry at you because I…" she paused for a while and continued, "Love you…"
"Mikan…" Natsume said while breaking their hug.
"I know you would never believe me but… after all these years… it's my only chance… please reject me now…" Mikan said while staring at him with sadness in her eyes.
"So that you'd be hurt again?"
Mikan didn't utter a word and Natsume continued talking, "I've hurt you lots of times already…"
"I don't care."
"Do you know what I feel when I see you hurt? I'm hurt too. I don't want to hurt you because you will stay away from me and I won't ever let that happen."
"Natsume-kun, you don't feel the same way about me and it never will. It's impossible."
"Are you sure?"
"Huh?"
"Mikan, I know I'm not really in the right place to tell you this but I feel the same way for you. I love you so much, Sakura Mikan."
Mikan's eyes widened. She couldn't believe her ears. "Natsume-kun… doesn't say those things. I know you were being forced to…"
"Mikan, believe me too."
Mikan started to cry and buried her face on his chest. "Natsume, I do know now what you feel for me. They're just all lies!!"
"Mikan, if I don't love you, why would I bother myself from finding you the whole day?"
"The whole day?" she lifted up her face and gazed at him.
"Yes."
"Oh, Natsume, I never thought—" she was cut off when Natsume kissed her. Then they broke and Natsume spoke.
"I couldn't explain to you in words but I could show you through my actions." Natsume said then hugged her tight again.
She was stunned yet she was happy that things went this way. She hugged him back. The night goes on. She decided to give her poem to Natsume. Natsume read it loud and he blushed to what was written on the paper. When he finished reading, he found out that the brunette was already quiescent and decided to sleep with her under the bright moonlight.
The following day, they woke up together and witnessed the most beautiful scenery they had ever seen. They were sleeping under a Sakura tree whose flowers were heart shaped that was currently falling down onto them.
"Yehey! Its already spring. Look!" Mikan said smiling.
"Yes, Mikan. It's springtime." Natsume replied.
"The tree that we talked about, remember? The tree with heart shaped blooms?"
"Yes. I remembered."
"Natsume, I couldn't believe it!"
"Now do you?" Natsume said while standing up and offering a hand to Mikan.
Mikan held his hand and replied, "Yes, thank you."
"Come on let's go back. Hotaru must be worried about you."
"Hai!"
Hand in hand, they went back to the academy. Natsume went with Mikan to her room and told her that he will come back after they have fixed themselves. They did their morning routines. Natsume went back to Mikan's room and fetched her. While walking towards the room, the four teachers saw them, holding hands and they were very contented. Narumi-sensei decided to greet the two.
"Ohayo, Mikan-chan, Natsume-kun!"
"Ohayo, Narumi-sensei," Mikan greeted back.
"Good morning, gay," Natsume said coldly.
Narumi-sensei sweat dropped and thought, 'Natsume-kun still doesn't change.'
"Natsume! Stop insulting sensei!" Mikan hauled over the coals.
"It's true. For more than six years, I guess…" Natsume defended his answer.
"Stop it now, you two! Go to your class," Narumi-sensei told them.
"Hai! See you later, Narumi-sensei," Mikan said to him then she and Natsume left.
When they were farther, the remaining three teachers went behind Narumi's back.
"I guess they are really meant for each other," Misaki-sensei said.
"Yeah," Jinno-sensei seconded.
"I never saw them happy as ever," Serina-sensei added.
'Nobody could ever take Mikan away from Natsume and nobody could ever take Natsume away from Mikan, now that they have found "forever" in each other's arms,' Narumi-sensei thought gleefully.
Natsume and Mikan entered the room and were glared by Hotaru with a where-have-you-been-face. Everyone also looked at them. Mikan froze. Natsume noticed her reaction and put his arm around her waist. Everyone was surprised by the sudden action and someone screamed.
"MIKAN!!! How dare you cheat and take Natsume-kun away from me!" the seaweed-haired girl cried.
Mikan twitched. Natsume tightened his grip even more. He knew Mikan was scared so he replied to Sumire, "What are shouting at?!"
"Natsume-kun, why are you with this ugly girl?!"
"Of course, she is my GIRLFRIEND. Any problem with that?" Natsume countered emphasizing the word "girlfriend".
"NO! That can't be!"
"Want a proof?" Natsume said then in swift action, he kissed Mikan in front of their classmates. After how many seconds, they broke. Mikan was completely thunderstruck. Sumire fainted and everyone gasped in amazement. Hotaru took out her camera and captured the event, oh yes, she'll be rich. Ruka was taken aback yet happy for his best friend. Natsume turned face to Mikan and gave her the most rare smile he'll ever possess. Why was Natsume doing things like that? Is it because of Mikan's poem? Did it inspire him? Here was Mikan's poem to him:
I saw a boy who don't ever smile,
He walks still and quiet down the aisle,
I was a girl, who worries for him,
Still happy though as it may not seem.
Same old you, as time passed by we didn't see,
Wouldn't even make an effort to say, "Hi!"
I found out the secrets you never told me,
I melted away and hoped it was I.
Though I see you blue from where I stand,
I never stopped believing that someday,
You'll notice me and reach out your hand,
And take me to a place where we'll both stay…
Things went good for both Natsume and Mikan. They couldn't ask for more. It's just proven that, "When love is found, it doesn't let go."
JA NE!!!
Author's Notes: Hi! Minna-san. It's me again, neko143… I hope you liked the story I made for today… I know it's a bit different now, but I drained my mind for this… some of you might be disappointed why the story turned to such and to honestly tell you… I don't know too!!! Leave your reviews and flames are proudly accepted.