School has once again started and this fic is probably the last one I'm updating for a while. Hope you like it . . .

Joy Throughout Sadness

The classroom 2B was silent, which was extremely unusual as it was always filled with shouts. It has worsened since 5 years due to someone's arrival in the academy. However today, nobody was smiling. You would think it was a different classroom. This had been going on for three days, as the cheerful brunette alias Mikan Sakura, had been absent these days. Natsume Hyuuga was colder than ever. He could have skipped classes but decided against it in hope to find his favourite polka-dots brunette back to class. Well obviously, he did not show his feelings. H was well-known for his coldness.

Natsume leaned against the back of his chair, feet on the table, with his manga covering his handsome face, pretending to sleep. It was his typical bad boy image. Girls swooned over him, but as usual, he did not even pay attention to them. He had been wondering as to where Imai, the freaky inventor and of course his brunette best friend, had been the previous day. Bunking class was not the usual habit of either Imai or Mikan, it was his. Mikan loved attending classes except Maths class, she hates that subject as well as the person teaching it; Jinno-sensei. He often wondered how the cheerful brunette could be the best friend of the stoic Imai. They were the exact opposite of each other. However one could say the same thing about him and his best friend Ruka Nogi. While he kept to himself, anti-social and rude, Ruka was gentle, kind and could have a lot of friends, though the latter preferred his company.

A creepy silence filled the room. Natsume peeked from the side of his manga. He felt his heart beating fast against his chest. He found his brunette, with the freaky inventor, entering the class. He was aware that something was wrong due to the fact that the brunette had her head down, her hair attached in a messy ponytail and Imai had a worry look on her usually emotionless face.

The brunette did not respond to any greetings she received and sat down quietly next to her partner, Natsume. Trying to find what the matter was wrong with her, he said, "So, it's pumpkin today, huh, Polka?"

He did not receive his usual awaited answer. He knew the brunette had stayed lock in her room for three days. Only Imai had been able to convince her to come to back to class. He was extremely worried but he kept his cool. He had seen her crying in sleep when he peered into her room at night. He had wanted to comfort her but he did not know what to say. However now he decided it was too much. He had to know what happened to her. He decided to meet up with her after classes. Since she was a special star, her room was next to his.

Jinno got really angry when the student, he hated the most, did not acknowledge neither his presence nor his question. He took his rod and struck the girl's back. The entire class expected the brunette to cry out loud and wail, but her reaction shocked them all. Well, you could say what shocked them was that there was no reaction at all. Only Natsume saw tiny drops of crystals, sliding gown her face. 'What the hell happened to her?' he thought confusingly. The brunette stood up and made her way to the door. She ignored Jinno's shouts. It was only when he tried to shock her with his Alice that she turned around and glared at him. His Alice had no effect on her. She was protected by her nullification Alice. What happened next shocked everybody. They had seen her angry many times and most of the time with Natsume, but they knew it was never serious. However now, when she glared at Jinno-sensei with her dangerously red-pierced eyes, they were certain that she was not in her normal state. Even Jinno backed away from her, staring shockingly at her. She then turned around and left the classroom.

Natsume did not bother to remain in class. He jumped out of the window and made his way to wards his dorm, intending to speak to the girl. Her door was opened. Natsume found the girl lying on her bed, crying her heart out. He was quite disturbed by her strange antic. He sat on her bed and ran his hands through the girl's messy hair. He asked her really quietly the reason of her tears. The girl hugged him tightly and whispered to him, "Natsume, Grandpa, he is . . . he . . . is dead! Narumi-sensei informed me three days ago. I can't even visit his grave. I begged Narumi-sensei to let me go but . . . I'm sick of being stuck here. I want to at least visit him once. But no, I'm destined to remain stuck here, not being able to do anything for him."

Natsume continued to hug her, and allowed her to pour her feelings out. Mikan continued to cry, "Mom and Dad is no more. Grandpa also is gone. I'm alone."

"Baka, you're no alone. Your freak of a best friend, Ruka, and your friends are with you, so you're not alone." Natsume said.

Mikan let go of Natsume and wiped her tears. She then smiled softly and then frowned.

"Natsume, you too are with me, right?"

"What do you think I'm doing here if not?" he muttered, turning his face from the brunette.

She leaned closer to him and hugged him once more.

"Bet you're enjoying hugging me. I, who is so handsome," Natsume said, trying to control himself from blushing.

"Silly Natsume." She laughed softly.

Natsume smiled. The brunette blushed. He lied on the bed facing the brunette, who was still hugging him. Mikan whispered, "I love you, Natsume."

"Same here." He muttered. He kissed her forehead gently. She smiled and drifted to sleep.

'I love you, Mikan.' Natsume thought, staring at the girl in his arms.

The End

A/N - You might have noticed, there's not a single making out scene, it's just that, romance is not necessary at a time like this; a simple hug is enough to comfort oneself. At least that is how I see it. Mikan can't just skip from being sad to kissing . . . And Natsume isn't really an affection-showing person, though he might do so when he's alone with Mikan but in a time, when comfort is needed, I don't think he would have done that.

Chocola2711~