I don't own Gakuen Alice

A WORLD WITHOUT FLOWERS

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"I can't find her anywhere. I wonder what she's up to."

"After all this time, your still looking for her. I guess you haven't place her properly in your life yet."

Natsume gave a curious look, Hotaru looked back after taking a diffident sip.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"No."

Natsume pulled a chair and sat.

"Tea?"

"Sure. So I guess even money-hungry inventors has their day-off."

"Apparently." The tea-pot let out of its nose a liquid well-blended and steaming as Hotaru tilted it. "Money is easy to come by these days; if I don't take a break from it all, I'll get bored too quickly."

"True. A well-calculated life is pretty dull. But aren't you in a bit of a fixed? Seeing as your stuck here with all the school rules when you can already have the whole world at your finger tips."

"That's too easy." She said proudly, "besides… the only reason I would want the world is so that I can give it to someone else."

"Mikan…"

"Yes, stupid, useless Mikan… I'm glad she's also having a day-off from bugging me."

"I'm sure she just missed the opportunity to do so. Judging from her character I doubt she'd pass out the chance to give anyone a piece of her mind."

Natsume's fingers just played on the mouth of the cup, feeling the moist porcelain surface glide on his tips. He could tell Hotaru was enjoying her own portion of tea. It was his first time to be alone with Hotaru like this, and he's glad it wasn't awkward. The silence didn't threat boredom, because he's well aware of how appeased Hotaru is always with herself. That was quite a scary consideration knowing full-well how sinister she could be if involves a promise of a 9-digit cash. Still, being with her like this feels comfortable even if it is at the same time intimidating. At the moment Natsume didn't care about the latter. Hotaru was as much as a good company as a sane person is, said kind of person a rare one in this academy.

"Imagine," Natsume began, after a thought tickled his mind, "life without Mikan."

Hotaru looked at him rather surprised, but of course didn't show it.

"Peace and quiet perhaps…"

"I've lived a voiceless life long enough, Hotaru. It wouldn't be peaceful if it is quiet. All I could here are my own hollowed screams."

"Did Mikan reached as far as that part of your life?"

"You have no idea," Natsume said with a hidden grin, "There was sign board on my chest last year, before I met Mikan. Deep inside I was hoping she could see it, but I kept pushing her away. Luckily it did the trick."

"Sign board?"

"Yeah, it says 'Space for rent'."

There was a shadow of a smile crawling on Hotaru's lips, amusement in it's surest form no doubt, but the girl never loses her reserve. Even after a surprising remark from a person like Natsume.

"So I take it Mikan has entered your heart?"

Natsume didn't answer. He just laid his eyes on the few kids running around the park, seeing as how carefree they were living, how blameless they were for the world's problems.

"Why haven't you taken her in your life then?" the girl asked, setting the tea on the table, "Isn't it sad that you're holding on to her for dear life but she doesn't really know about your thoughts, feelings, and pains? If you don't let her in deeper, she might get cramped in that wounded heart of yours."

"Honestly, the problem with metaphorical people is that you never know when they're talking literally."

The smile that has settled on her face grew wider, at seeing how comfortable Natsume was being in this topic.

"She has already claimed me, Hotaru," Natsume said, "I'm hers, completely, perfectly, to the death. But she doesn't even know about it because she never even asked for it."

"Mikan has that innate ability in her. I'm still running a study if it could also be another alice of hers. The thing is, she treats people with such purity of heart that anyone would want to belong to her. Because they know that she wouldn't ruin the life they will give her."

"And I'm one of those people. Pathetic." Natsume said, tossing his arms in the air and stretching them as much as good circulation would demand.

"Yeah, you are. Have anyone ever told you that?" Hotaru teased, "You have a miserable life, Natsume Hyuga, and you suck at it."

"Thank you so much for rubbing it in."

"Honestly, the problem with despondent people is that they never spare you your sense of humor."

The boy grinned at her widely. With her smarts, with her cold informative remarks, she's really something.

"Maybe the reason why I haven't put her in my life is because I'm afraid that at some point she might have to leave me." He began, "Or that I'm still waiting for another person who would enter my life, weather I like it or not."

The girl stopped mid way from drinking the last few drops of tea. She settled the cup again and wiped her tiny lips.

"That sounds like illegal penetration, not to mention deprivation of privacy. If you ask me, only a fan-girl would even dare thinking of doing that." The girl said.

"I don't know," Natsume scooted over so that she was an inch away from touching Hotaru's arm, "I mean, I could really go for someone smart enough, strong enough and mature enough to help me get out of this hell of mine."

Natsume looked directly into her eyes, no longer fearing the thoughts behind her genius. She was pretty to the point of appearing deceptive. Perhaps it was indifference towards the society that she managed to look so innocent. Or was is it just another means into getting what she wants? Regardless, the velvety pale skin and the cute tiny features makes for an angelic appearance even the most tasteless of men would find enchanting.

"Hmm… life without Mikan…" the girl said, playing with the direction she knows Natsume was heading, "I suppose you would still have that sign board plastered on you; something no ordinary person would usually care for."

"Oh, but not everyone is ordinary. There are those who know how to love because they know what it means to give up a precious something for a precious someone. I'm pretty sure those people wouldn't leave to rot."

"Really? I wonder who those people are."

She closed her eyes to appear like she was appreciating the mid-day gush of wind. But Natsume was already enjoying looking at her. He intertwined his finger and rested his chin on them. There was half an inch distance from their faces and he could smell the scent coming from her newly bathed body.

After thinking she hasn't sensed their closeness, Natsume blew an air at her face. To his surprise, it just made her bangs flutter, but it wasn't enough to startle her. Natsume was disappointed.

"Come now, Hotaru. Try to be honest; would it be so much of an unrealistic thought to imagine yourself in my arms at this very moment?"

"Have YOU tried imagining it?"

"Well, not exactly, but I don't think I have to."

Her breath was warm and tickling on his nose. It has the teasing aroma of tea, and the boy was finding it hard not to consider it.

"Natsume, we live our own cold-worlds. It would be scary, not disgusting."

"Oh contraire, my beautiful ice-queen… I live a miserable life, you live a cold one. You're pretty much a loner, Hotaru, and you suck at it. Face it, if it wasn't for Mikan you would've swallowed yourself out of the deep-seated boredom of your existence."

Hotaru leaned back a bit to avoid the inching face of her companion.

"Are you saying you could play Mikan's role? Assuming of course that you haven't met."

"Nope. But hey, two sad people, having nobody else to run to, then running into each other all of a sudden. How about that?"

"A fair thought to be one, but I'm still dissatisfied."

His next act was enough to surprise her this time. Natsume gently took her chin with his fingers and forced her to raise her face to him.

"So am I… you know this conversation isn't helping either of us to answer the question I posted earlier."

"Your possibilities are so limited, Natsume. You could at least be more creative."

"Hey, I'm love with your best-friend. But what if we haven't met, huh? Don't you think you would've been able fill up the space?"

"Am I wrong to assume that you're putting me on a lower cathegory?"

"Oh ho, I finally struck a nerve."

She was being pulled closer and closer. But she knows that as long as they're talking he wouldn't do anything foolish. Well, deep-inside, she didn't really care… or mind…

"Let me remind you that I'm still a girl."

"I am soooo dissatisfied."

"Would you like me to squeal and jump all over the place screaming praises at your cockiness?"

Her voice was tiny enough to make it seem like Natsume was toying with a little child. She didn't sound irritated. She didn't sound anything at all. At some point in his starring, Natsume wished she could tell what she's thinking of at the moment. Was she enjoying this, or is she just letting him play for a while so that afterwards she'll show him how clever she is?

"Well, going back to the main question…" he used his thumb to caress her smooth, round cheeks and her index finger to tickle the side of her lips.

"…why don't we try, for curiosity's sake?"

"Curiosity is more than just an experiment with a person's lips, simply because you want to compare it with another's."

"Then I will do it so well it will feel more than just a kiss."

"Thus forfeiting your desire to merely answer the question; how typical of you males."

"No it doesn't. Mikan is more than just a beloved… I just want you know what it feels like to be loved by me…"

"By single act; hmp, how arrogant."

"Now now," Natsume began to pull her closer, to the point when their noses were rubbing against each other softly, "Let's find out the answer, together…"

"Your too optimistic… for your… own… good…" he was closing his eyes, and Hotaru couldn't help but do the same, lest the moment be awkward, "I just… hope… you brushed your teeth early this morning."

Natsume managed a smile before making the last statement.

"I did, but I still want to brush something else…"

Their lips finally met into a mere touch. Then Natsume thought it wasn't enough, she pulled her more, adding pressure to the innocent beginning. Hotaru didn't react to the change, but responded well enough to answer the supposedly 'curiosity'. Even if it was only a few of his fingers doing the pulling, she still felt sinfully drawn, and the hard part was that it seemed like a temptation not worth fighting.

He could feel the moisture of her flesh, as well as the chastity of her affections. This was her first kiss, he can tell. Her lips were so soft and untouched, again he felt like taking advantage of someone. But if it was Hotaru, the idea would turn into being taken advantage of.

They parted, for breath's sake, and stared back into each other's eyes. Amethyst and amber blended into a soul-searching contest, each wanting to react but couldn't just yet process in words the sensation 3 seconds prior. Finally, they both made distinct smiles, understanding full well now the answer.

"You're right, it was more than just a kiss. It was a nightmare." Hotaru said.

Natsume's grin turn into a snicker, then into a full round of laughter. The girl soon joined him.

"Man, you got that right! Hahaha!"

"Though I have to admit, Mikan would really feel loved if she would be kissed like that."

"Told you. So I guess, it'll never work, huh?"

"Never. I suppose it's for the sake of universal balance that fate didn't bring us to the throne of lovers."

"A world without Mikan… it will be a place where people of different worlds can't reach each other." Natsume said, setting his eyes again on the children still playing.

"Indeed, a sad reality for Mikan to be needed this badly. But I guess, if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't even consider the world outside ourselves."

"And we wouldn't have shared that kiss… if felt nice by the way."

"Oh, don't go falling for me now, Natsume. Our lives are just getting bigger."

"Hell no, I'll never fall for you Imai. But I can say you're definitely more than just a person I'll fall for."

"Same here." Hotaru said again with a small smile.

"Well then," Natsume stood up and gestured to leave, "Thanks for your time, and for the tea…"

He didn't even touch, but he kissed her long enough to have tasted any kind of refreshment.

"Don't mention it. And Natsume?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you take a day-off from being perverted?"

"Nah, it's my signature character. That's practically who I am. See'ya!"

As soon as he was no longer on sight, Hotaru called for the bill. She was still busy contemplating about her next experiment when a person suddenly steped out from behind a near-by tree. It was a familiar 12-year old girl, brunette with a pretty face and a life that has just made Hotaru's complicated.

The girl was holding a camera and a mischievous smile.

"So Hotaru, about your tips in blackmailing…"

the end

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