TONIGHT
Elle Emina
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"Natsume, the band's about to perform, they need you now." Tsubasa called out to Natsume from outside the dressing room.
Natsume let out a sigh before he left the room and went to the backstage.
The stadium was filled with thousands of people waiting for him to perform.
Thousands of fans were screaming his name.
But there was only one person he wanted to see that night. One voice he would like to hear call out to him.
He finally went on the stage where his band mates were waiting for him.
He ignored the squealing of the audience as he stood in front of the mic stand.
Tonight would be the last time he would be singing.
And his song was only for that one person who would forever hold his heart…
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I remember the times we spent together on those drives . . .
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"Natsume, you're taking the wrong way!"
"I'm not. We're not going back to your house yet."
"Huh? Where are we going then?"
Natsume didn't say anything. A smirk was formed on his face.
"Hey. You're planning something, aren't you?" Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her boyfriend suspiciously, "I'm not liking that smirk on your face."
Natsume chuckled, "Relax polka, we're nearly there."
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We had a million questions all about our lives . . .
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"What are we doing here, Natsume?" Mikan asked when Natsume parked the car near a cliff overlooking the city.
Mikan couldn't help but admire the stunning view.
"My band's having a concert tour." Natsume said instead of answering Mikan's question.
Mikan's face brightened up in an instant.
"That is so great, Natsume! You've—"
"All over Asia. Then Europe. It'll take six months before we return to Japan." Natsume said, cutting the girl off.
"Oh." Mikan froze on her seat.
Six months. She won't be able to see Natsume for six months.
She tried to smile, "That… That's quite long. But it's okay though. I can still see you on TV! I'll be watching you rock on stage! Just make sure you won't be flirting with your fan girls! Because if you do, I'll make sure you'll regret it! Ruka and your other bandmates will surely tell me if you'll go fooling around!" Mikan joked, trying to sound as thrilled as she was earlier but Natsume could still hear the sadness in her voice.
"How's your next book coming, polka?" Natsume asked out of the blue.
"It's almost done. I'll be giving the manuscript to my editor this week."
"That's already your second book. Well done. Who knew the clumsy polka dots would become a novelist."
Mikan pouted, "When will you stop calling me that stupid nickname?"
"Never."
The girl sighed. She already knew he would say that.
"Ne, Natsume, your band's really in demand now. I'm really happy for you, you know. Your dreams are coming true."
"Not all my dreams." He looked at her, "There's still one that hasn't been fulfilled yet. And it's the most special."
"What's that?"
"Hn. Why would I tell you?"
"Natsume! Tell me!"
"Why don't you tell me yours instead?"
"My dreams? Oh, okay! Well, I want to write the most beautiful love story ever! Then have it published and it'll become a bestseller! And another is to have my own fluff puff store! That would be, like, awesome! And kids who have no money can go to my store and I'll give them fluff puffs for free!"
Natsume couldn't help but laugh at his girlfriend's naivety. Some things never really change and it's one of the things he loved about her.
"But I have another dream." Mikan continued, her face a little red, "And it's the most special."
"What's that?" Natsume asked. He was curious.
"Why would I tell you?" Mikan stuck her tongue at him. "You won't tell me yours."
Natsume let out a sigh. There was no use arguing with her. She could be as stubborn as him.
Natsume checked the time on his wristwatch. It was almost time.
He opened the door beside him and stepped out of the car. He walked to the other side of the car then opened the passenger door for Mikan.
Mikan looked up at him in confusion, without moving on her seat.
"Step out of the car, idiot."
"Why? It's dangerous for us to go near the cliff!"
"We're not going to jump off the cliff. I just have something to show you."
Mikan then finally moved out of the car. Natsume led her to the front of the vehicle where they can have the magnificent view of the city.
"What are you going to show me?"
"Just wait."
And then, to Mikan's surprise, fireworks were suddenly shooting up in the sky.
Mikan was speechless as she watched the beautiful fireworks. She was too engrossed watching them.
Then the last set of fireworks shot up, they were moving from different places up in the sky, as if they were forming something.
Then to her awe, words in different colors were formed out of the fireworks.
Tears were welling up in her eyes as she read the words written so perfectly in the night sky.
Will you marry me, Mikan?
"Since you won't tell me that most special dream of yours, why don't you just make mine come true?" Natsume said softly beside her.
Mikan turned to look at Natsume and in his hand was a beautiful diamond ring.
"Yes!" she cried as she threw her arms to Natsume.
Natsume hugged her back. He was too overwhelmed with joy to say anything at that moment.
But Mikan pulled back from his embrace and asked, "We're going to get married after you come back from your tour?"
"No, you idiot. We'll get married before the tour then I'll bring you with me"
Mikan sniffed as she wiped the tears from her face.
"You know, Natsume, you just made my most special dream come true as well…"
"What? Go in a concert tour?" He joked.
"No! To marry you, too! And build a family and have our little Mikan and little Natsume and we're gonna live happily ever after!"
"Perverted woman, already thinking of making babies…"
"Huh? No! That's not what I meant at all, you green-minded man!"
Natsume just laughed as he wrapped his arms around her waist and moved his face closer to hers.
"I love you, too, Mikan." He whispered softly before his lips claimed hers
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I remember the time you told me about when you were eight
And all those things you said that night that just couldn't wait . . .
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"Natsume!"
Natsume turned around and saw Mikan smiling at him excitedly at the door. He excused himself from his band mates then went to meet his wife.
"What are you doing here? It's already dark outside. I told you to just wait for me at our hotel room." He said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Well… I couldn't wait! I've a surprise for you!" She said, her eyes gleaming.
"What?" He asked curiously.
"Let's go eat first. I'm starving! Oh, wait, are you done with your band rehearsal?"
"Yeah, I'll just get my jacket." He said then went to get his things.
Then they had gone to eat in a fast food restaurant. Mikan insisted she wanted to have cheeseburger, fries, and sundae for dinner.
"You have a big appetite tonight, polka." Natsume remarked as he watched Mikan eat her cheeseburger.
"Hm? Yeah, I guess so." She said then smiled oddly, "I guessed I suddenly craved for cheeseburger."
Natsume's brows creased but before he could ask what she meant by it, she was talking again.
"When I was a kid, my mom won't always let me eat burgers from fast food restaurants. She said they're junk foods and it's unhealthy to eat them every day. But she always cooked delicious food for me at home."
"And you pigged out on those foods."
"No! Well, yeah. I'm an only child so I have nobody to share foods with. Mom and dad don't eat a lot like I do." She stated as she dipped a fry in her sundae then ate it. "It would've been nice though, you know, to have a sister or brother I can have a food fight with." She added with an odd smile on her face again.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Natsume couldn't stop himself from asking anymore. She's been acting really different tonight.
"Smiling like what?" Mikan asked, trying to look indifferent. But Natsume knew better. There was something going on.
"Polka. Don't play with me. There's something you're not telling me. What is it? You said you have a surprise for me."
"Oh, that. Yeah, I do! I've finished my third book! I already e-mailed the manuscript earlier to Hotaru. You know how I've been working hard for that book for the past five months. I'm just glad it's already finished."
"Good job, polka dots. So is that story of yours the best love story ever?"
Mikan smiled, "Yep. For sure."
Natsume chuckled, "My wife's a bestselling author."
"Uh-huh. And aren't you a lucky guy?"
"Prove how lucky I am later tonight." He teased.
"Pervert." Mikan giggled. "But I have one more surprise for you…" She said, leaning in across the table. She moved her hand forward and pulled Natsume's face to hers.
Their lips were centimeters apart but before she closed the distance and claimed his lips, she whispered in a gentle voice,
"You're gonna be a daddy…"
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I remember the car you were last seen in and the games we would play,
All the times we spilled our coffees and stayed out way too late . . .
I remember the time you sat and told me about your Jesus
And how not to look back even if no one believes us . . .
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"It's nice to be here again…"
"Hn." Natsume muttered as he put his coat over Mikan's shoulders.
They just arrived at the Narita International airport when Mikan insisted to go to the cliff overlooking the city where Natsume proposed almost seven months ago.
"The view is so nice. Sure you wouldn't miss going on tours, Natsume?"
"No." Natsume answered as he lied down on the blanket they laid on the ground, his head resting on Mikan's lap.
He shifted his head on her lap so his face was facing Mikan's tummy.
He gently pressed his ear on the small bulge of her tummy.
"I think the baby's kicking inside…" He mumbled.
Mikan giggled, "Our baby's only two months old, Natsume. How could it be kicking already?"
"Then that's just probably indigestion because you ate two cheeseburgers today."
Mikan lightly hit Natsume's arms with her fist. "I can't help it! The baby wants cheeseburger!"
Natsume chuckled as he brushed away the stray hair away from Mikan's face.
"Whatever you say, polka. Hey, it's getting late. Let's go home now."
"No, not yet! Let's stay a little longer, please?" She pleaded.
Natsume sighed, "Fine."
"Ne, Natsume, what would we name our child?"
"Hmm… Do you have anything in mind?"
"Well, I couldn't decide between Sami and Yumi if it's a girl."
"Then make it Samiyumi."
"Eh? No! That's too long and it sounds funny. I don't want our child to hate us when she grows up because we gave her a funny name. Other kids will tease her."
"How about Sayu? It's a combination of those two."
"Oh, that's a nice name! Why didn't I think of that? So if it's a girl, we'll name her Sayu."
"How about if it's a boy?"
"If it's a boy… how about Momo?"
"Momo? You wanna name our boy Momo? Like Momo Hyuuga?" Natsume asked incredulously.
"Yeah, what's wrong with that? I think it's cute."
"It's not cute. It's gay, polka. It's like we named him after that crazy teacher we had in high school."
"Oh, you mean Narumi-sensei?"
"Yeah. Him."
"But Narumi-sensei was nice and I still think Momo is cute." Mikan insisted.
"No, I don't want that name. It should be something manly like Natsume."
"Manly like your name?" Mikan scoffed.
"'Natsuki'. If it's a boy, we'll name him Natsuki."
"Natsuki… Natsuki Hyuuga… Okay! I like it!" Mikan exclaimed. "And then when it's time for our kid to go to school, little Natsuki or little Sayu will attend Gakuen Alice because that's our alma mater and it's a good school. Then every Sunday, all of us will go to the church to hear the mass."
"Why?" Natsume asked.
"Why? So our kid will grow up to be religious and has a strong faith in God!"
"You really are devout to your religion."
"Yeah, and we have the same religion. You just aren't as devoted as me."
"Hn."
"Don't just 'hn', Natsume! We should be thankful for all the blessings we've received, you know. Most people just remember God when they're in need." She lectured then added, "I believe God has everything planned for each of us that's why I don't regret my past mistakes. And there's one more reason why I'm grateful to Him, wanna know why?" She said as she looked at him in the eyes tenderly.
"Why?"
"Because God gave you to me…"
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"Natsume, your cell phone's ringing!" Tsubasa called out from outside the recording studio.
Natsume quickly left the room and went to take the phone call. It could be Mikan. They were going to meet each other for lunch that day.
But when Natsume checked the caller on the screen of his phone, the number was not registered in his phonebook.
He answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Natsume Hyuuga?" A male voice on the other line asked.
"Yeah, who's this?" Natsume asked warily.
"There was a robbery inside a bank just this afternoon…" The man started and Natsume felt his heart stopped beating when he heard the words 'robbery' and 'bank'. Mikan told him earlier that she was going to the bank to pay for her credit card bills…
"…there was gunfire…"
The words were barely registering in his mind…
"…there was a woman who tried to protect a kid…"
He could feel his face turning pale…
"…your wife, Mikan Hyuuga…"
Natsume felt as if, slowly, his life was being drawn out of him…
"…she was shot."
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I remember the days we spent together were not enough,
And it used to feel like dreaming except we always woke up
Never thought not having you here now would hurt so much. . .
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Tonight I've fallen and I can't get up
I need your loving hands to come and pick me up
And every night I miss you
I can just look up and know the stars are
Holdin'you, holdin' you, holdin' you tonight . . .
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A/N: Huh. That wasn't exactly a tearjerker but I hope you like it. I deliberately didn't put the lyrics in its original order to match the flow of the story. I just really, really love this song and I was completely touched by it; I couldn't stop myself from writing this. This is actually the 1st song fic I've ever written. Song fics aren't really my style so forgive me if it was bland. I just find this song so sad and heartbreaking.
Anyways, review, please? Tell me what you think but NO flames. :P
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gakuen Alice and the song.
Title of the song used: Tonight
performed by: FM Static