Exam Frustration, a gakuen alice fanfic

Disclaimer: I don't own the Gakuen Alice.

Enjoy this fic!

Exam Frustration

by:Prettyingreenkyz

One Shot

Summary:

Ruka sighed, put his pencil down, and closed his eyes to control the thoughts running through his head about his rival. Yes, Ruka is in love with his nemesis, Hotaru. Ruka and Hotaru is the best pupil and their batch, soon one of them should give way. Will it be Ruka? Or Hotaru? And why would he/she do it?

Ruka Nogi, one of the most intelligent students in his batch was frustrated. Exams were only a few days away and his rival, Hotaru Imai, was calmly reading her notes smiling while others are going ballistic memorizing what needs to be remembered. Hotaru Imai is the other most intelligent student in Ruka's year that made her his rival.

Every year Hotaru and Ruka will be voted to be class president and vice president. Of course, every year it's always the same the two of them will have equal votes. Therefore, either the two will be the two sgt.-at-arm of the class or Ruka will be the class president for the first semester and Hotaru will be for the second semester.

Ruka sighed, put his pencil down, and closed his eyes to control the thoughts running through his head about his rival. Yes, Ruka is in love with his nemesis Hotaru.

--Flashback--

Ruka was listening to every word his teacher was saying about the story they just read from their textbooks when a hand was raised. The teacher stopped her lecture and looked at the raven haired girl.

'Yes, Hotaru?' their teacher asked

'I don't understand what you're saying about the girl, Ms. Isolde' Hotaru said standing up with a frown on her face

'I'm simply telling that the girl was playing with the boy's feeling' Ms. Isolde stated

Hotaru was about to make another complain when someone from the class said 'come on Hotaru, weren't you listening?'

'Of course I was listening!' Hotaru exclaimed

'Why are you asking questions then?' someone else demanded. This got Ruka fired up. He was really into the story and they're all ruining it.

'Is asking a question against the rules?' Ruka demanded standing up and glaring at his classmate 'this is a school right? Where you learn and get to ask question, right? So let's just go on with the lesson and be done with it' and with that said Ruka sat down and patiently waited for everyone to settle down and listen again to their teacher.

'As I was saying earlier, the girl was just playing with the boy's thoughts because—' Ms. Isolde started but was interrupted again by Hotaru.

'I don't think so, Ms. Isolde' the raven haired interrupted without raising a hand

Their teacher was just about to retort when Ruka beat her to it. 'Yes, she was just playing with the boy's feeling'

'Goodness Ruka, I thought better of you' Hotaru sighed shaking her head

'And what do exactly do you mean by that!' Ruka demanded slamming his fist on the table while standing up. He really was not in the mood.

'Don't you dare use that tone with me, Ruka!' Hotaru hissed dangerously.

Everyone in the room was just watching the two of them. The teacher knew she can't do anything about it now, once the two best student of the year gets to an argument and hasn't stated their point nothing can be done to cease their debate. Besides, everyone's used to it by now.

'I can use any tone with you, Hotaru' he answered glaring at her

'Oh yeah, I forgot you also don't have manners' she said smirking, crossing her arms 'first you don't know how to comprehend a simple story and—'

'I do too! Besides you don't know what you're talking about' he said.

'Sure I know, the girl wasn't playing with the boy's feeling—'

'Yes she was!'

'No she wasn't!'

'She was!'

'Was not!'

'Was!'

'This is so childish!' Hotaru cried resting her palms on the flat surface of her table. During some part of the argument, Hotaru stood up. 'Why don't you prove your point and I'll prove mine'

'I don't have anything to prove because there's nothing to prove'

'Finally we get to come into an agreement on something' Hotaru sighed in expiration

'I haven't agreed on anything!' Ruka cried 'And I'll never agree anything with you!'

'We'll see about that'

'You could try…'

After the classes were finish, Ruka didn't left the room. He stayed there for hours thinking. He buried his head into his folded arms thinking. Since the argument during the literary class, he has been feeling these weird fluttering things in his stomach just seeing or thinking of Hotaru. Suddenly a four-letter noun entered his over worked mind.

Could it be? Ruka asked inside his mind, could it be that this things I'm feeling—could it be it.

Of course it is

Are you my conscience?

I'm afraid so, hello

Hi, so why do you say it is what I feel?

It says so in the story we read earlier, earlier when the argument was going on you can't help but stare at her pretty face can't you?

Silence

Then you can't get her out of your mind… then you tried denying it… then you want her to be in your arms away from harm… then you felt this butterflies in you stomach… I'm afraid it is what they call Love.

How do you—I mean how do I know those things are sign of Love?

It says so in the story…

From that day onwards, Ruka became strong, not physically. Love is very powerful; it can be the cause of your survival or the cause of your very death. Love can make you do crazy things you thought you would never do, it can make you very sensitive, protective and worst of all it can make you blind.

--End of Flashback--

Ruka sighed again and opened his eyes to look at Hotaru once more. Her smile was so peaceful and beautiful, her light blue eyes moving left to right then down reading her notes under her reading glasses. Her curly black hair messily tied on a low ponytail leaving short strands of hair cover some part of her beautiful face. She suddenly licked her lips while raising an eyebrow toward her notes. This sudden action made Ruka almost let out a groan. Ruka sighed again and closes his eyes once more to think.

What if I just stop studying hard so that she can finally take what she wanted all along, the title of the smartest pupil on our batch, Ruka asked inside his head, But if I do that, she won't notice me anymore… but which do I prefer, the glares she gives me or the look of pity in her eyes when I give way? Maybe I should just—wait what's that?

He opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the glares he was receiving from everyone in the room. Then he turned his attention to the music in his ears, Hotaru's voice. He looked at her and saw that she was also glaring at him and he felt a little hurt.

'What do you think you're doing Ruka?' Hotaru demanded

What do you think I'm doing? This is a room where you can study right? Ruka thought, and then he noticed something, a continuous tapping. He looked around, looking for the source. Left, not there, right, not there, front, not there, back, not there. Where the hell is it?

'Well?' She asked

'Well, what?' Ruka asked getting a little irritated at the continuous tapping

'Will you stop doing that?'

'Doing what? I was thinking when you distracted me'

'Not that, you dolt!' Hotaru sneered

That was the final straw. Ruka stood up and hastily packed his things. Curiously the tapping stopped. Ruka have had enough with Hotaru being his rival, he could not take it anymore. That's why he decided it was time to tell her.

'Finally he gets the point—' Hotaru started

'Stop the act already Hotaru!' Ruka said loudly swinging his bag and heading for the door looking at Hotaru 'You win! I can't take it anymore… you get to be the most intelligent pupil at the batch, happy now? So will you stop all the debate? I won't get in your way anymore… I would even change my course to get away from your side comments'

Hotaru just smiled hiding what she felt but she can't stop making her eyes all watery when Ruka said that to her and stormed out of the study room. She didn't know everything she's doing was having large impacts on him. She was just doing everything for him to notice her. That she did but the next thing that happened she didn't know how. How can all her determination turned into power? How can her love for him turn into such a thing? No, this isn't going according to plan, she thought.

But what was your plan after you get him to notice you? A small voice asked Hotaru inside her mind

Silence

Everything was going according to plan… but you forgot to plan ahead… you forgot to tell him how you felt for him since you started studying… you forgot and instead you embraced the attention you were getting…

Hotaru realize now what she did wrong and she hated herself for it. She would most likely go back to time, back off to Ruka's dream, and live away from him. She can't forgive herself for hurting his feelings at all.

Ruka sat quietly inside the showers still wearing his day's clothes. He was soaking wet but he didn't mind at all. His mind was on what he saw when he left the room. Violet eyes showing no emotion other than fear and shock. Ruka was confused. He can explain why there'll be shock; yes she'll be shocked at what he said. He'll back off after many years of fighting. However, he couldn't understand two things; the slow watering of Hotaru's eyes and the fear it holds.

All of the sudden the school bell rang signaling everyone that curfew will be at end in another hour. Ruka just sighed at how time seems to fly by. He didn't realize he was sitting in there for hours. He got up and went out the bathroom.

'I was starting to wonder if you drowned yourself in there' Natsume said. He is Ruka best friend and roommate.

Ruka didn't reply because he can't seem to think of anything else. Obviously, Natsume heard about what happened inside the study room and Ruka doesn't want to talk about it. Ruka just grabbed clothes not caring if he was dripping water on the floor.

'I guess you're not going to tell me why you said it, but it doesn't matter,' Natsume said 'you'll tell me when you'll tell me…'

Silence

'I'm going to get you back for this, Ruka; you're getting me to clean the floor with the puddles of water your make…'

Silence

Ruka just went inside the bathroom again to change. After a while, he went out to see his friend kneeling on the floor with a rug on his hands.

'I'm sorry about this, Natsume' Ruka smiled apologetically 'I'll be going out for a walk, don't wait for me, I'll be fine'

Ruka walked aimlessly around the school ground silently when his feet brought him to his spot. A tree with yellow flowers stood in front of Ruka while he smiled sadly. He touched the bark of the tree where he engraved his initials. He closed his eyes thinking about a particular memory of his.

It had been two weeks when Ruka realized he was in love with Hotaru and he still isn't used to the feeling when he sees her. It was lunch break and Ruka was spending it engraving his initials on a specific tree.

It is called Wattle, Cootamundra. Hotaru said it was her favorite tree during science time when the teacher asked her. Ruka immediately went looking for one inside the campus when he had the time and he found one. He knew it was stupid but he felt a little closer to Hotaru when he engraved his initials on it.

Ruka always goes at the tree whenever he can. He sometimes just spends his time there to think, to study or just relax. He feels closer to Hotaru whenever he's in this place.

Ruka opened his eyes and smiled a sad smile. He sat down on the grass and suddenly felt another presence. He wasn't in the mood to look at another person so he just sighed and talked at the person.

'Your favorite place?' He asked

'Kind of' a familiar voice replied. Ruka's eyes shot wide opened; he knew who owned that voice. He looked at the person and saw his guess was right. It was Hotaru.

'Hotaru? Is that you?' Ruka asked not wanting to believe the chances in his life

'Yes' she replied sadly, as if she hated being herself.

'Aren't you supposed to be studying in your room?' he asked ignoring the sad voice

'I don't want it there… I couldn't think straight' she muttered

There was suddenly a comfortable silence where they just enjoy the peacefulness of the place. The moon was already out with its twinkling stars. The yellow leaves of the tree were falling on them caused by the wind. The two just sat silently lost on their own thoughts.

'Do you want to study with me?' Ruka suddenly asked

'If you want to…' Hotaru muttered

There was shuffling of leaves as Ruka moved beside Hotaru. She was hugging her knees and her notes opened beside her.

'Okay let's just have question and answer review thing…' he suggested. Hotaru just nods and he continued. 'Who's Copeland, William Taylor?'

'Head of the Spode pottery works in central England.' Hotaru answered, 'What is another name for Congo River?'

'Zaire River, Who is Confucius?'

'Most influential and respected philosopher in Chinese history' Hotaru answered lifting her head up to look at Ruka who just look back at her 'What is Cone Shell?'

It took a while for Ruka to finally get his mind back on track. He was too mesmerized by Hotaru's pretty face to think straight though. So he ended up stuttering 'o-one of sev-several marine Sn—snails, named after their co—con—cone-sha—cone shaped she—shells'

Hotaru looked at him confused. Ruka was starting to have sweaty palms as he fiddled with his hands. She just looked at him patiently waiting with an eyebrow raised, for another question but it never came. Instead, he just stares at her.

Minutes passed and Ruka was still staring at her. It was starting to freak her out. What was wrong with him? She thought. She was just about to say something to her when he opened his mouth.

'I love you, Hotaru'

Hotaru couldn't possibly believe what she was hearing. Did Ruka just say he loves her? 'What?'

'I love you, Hotaru' Ruka stated again

'Look, if this has something to do about the thing that happened earlier, I'm sorry okay… I was just—'

'This has nothing to do about anything Hotaru' Ruka explained 'I love you, Hotaru… I don't know why but I love you so much' Ruka suddenly hugged Hotaru tightly. 'I love you so much'

Slowly Hotaru was beginning to realize he wasn't lying. And slowly did she encircle her hands around his waist and burying her head on Ruka's neck. They stayed like that for a long time. Enjoying the warmth, the safety and the love, they share with each other.

'I'm sorry, Ruka, for everything that I did to hurt your feelings' Hotaru mumbled hugging him more tight 'Everything I do was just to get you to notice me…'

'I'm glad that you did' he said 'cause if you didn't I won't be complete as I feel now…'

'I love you since we were in elementary…'

'Then I'm sorry for making you wait for so long for this moment'

Hotaru was ultimately happy. The last piece of her puzzle was now with her wiping all of her other problems, worries and sufferings out. And for that she was thankful. Someone up there must really like her for giving Ruka to her.

After all she has done, she was finally content and happy. Everything she has passed to get to this stage she treasured. She finally learned how to feel to be loved and be cherished. Now she knew why every girl wants to find the perfect someone for her.

Love (n); a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person.

But then again, it really doesn't revolve on those words. Love can't really be just like that, it's more than words. Words that can't say what Love really is. When everything is gone, Love is all we have to offer for someone. Right?

THE END

Did you like it? Either way, pls review on. I accept flames. I know Natsume's and Hotaru's character is kinda different from their real ones. It's just that, I really made this on my own characters. But I decided to make it a Ruka Hotaru fic! And share it with everyone! Hehe. Hoped you like it.!