Chapter 1: Windbreak of Dawn
The clock chimed its last tick signaling midnight, by then the moon is in a full bloom illuminating the darkest sea of clouds as stars dancing brightly upon them. Deafening silence hovered the night sky and half the world is asleep, peacefully… except the soft singing of the breezy wind, loudly in silence and the graceful sway of the trees.
Step… Step… Step…
The soft steps of her shoes disturb the peaceful evening, her white dress printed in pink Sakura petals flattered in rhythm with the wind. Her pink shawl strap around her shoulders in comfort from the coldness of the night, her brown hair curled at the tip cascading on her shoulders down to her back and her pale skin outshine the darkness.
She came to a halt in front the golden of her future, her hand clench in nervousness the handle of her luggage, she sighed heavily. Finally. She thought. After hours of traveling she has finally arrive to her destiny, her fate, the school that would change her life. Alice Academy, its golden gate stood like towers carve with the school seal, tempting and inviting.
In Alice Academy, a prestigious school, known through out the world to be a school of prodigies, successful graduates, einsteins, and sons and daughters of famous and important people in the world. Out of a hundred, your chances in entering in this type of school is 0.001, and if you ever get to enter in this school it would be a miracle, and this miracle only happens once in a millennium, no doubt.
But if you're lucky, then your fate has been decided.
Just like this girl.
Sakura Mikan
The sweet innocent Sakura Mikan who dreamt only of being somebody all her life, has finally began and it starts right here, right now.
Darkness complete surrounded the area, blurring her way. The street lamps didn't help too much either. As she approach, a dimmed image became clearer and clearer, there stood leaning at the gate, a handsome guy wearing a simple green shirt and a black jean, in his early years waiting patiently in a dazed. Mikan who saw the figure immediately approach it without hesitation.
"Excuse me, are you a student here in this academy?" Mikan asked. The guy looks at her lazily and blinked in surprised, shaking his head furiously.
"W-What did you say?" He said looking at her in a normal way. Mikan cracked a smile.
"I said, are you a student here?" He seems to be surprised and smiled widely leaning back in the process.
"Actually, I'm a teacher here in this academy." He said, his smile never wavering.
"Really? I don't believe you? I mean, no offences but you look so young." She said, disbelief visible in her eyes.
"I hear that ever time and believe me I am a license teacher." He said in reassurance, which Mikan in return nodded.
"So you must be the new transferee?" He questioned. Mikan smiled widely.
"Oh yes! I'm Sakura Mikan, I'm the new transferee! You don't know how much I've been waiting for this opportunity!" She squealed in reply, clasping her hands joyfully, dropping her luggage at her side.
"Well then, why don't we go inside and finish the necessary paper works." He inquired. Taking her luggage and leading her inside.
"Okay! Thank you so much for giving me this chance mister… mister…"
"Narumi. Narumi-sensei"
"Thank you so much Narumi-sensei"
"The pleasure is mine Mikan. Don't you mind if I call you Mikan?"
"No, of course not. I insisted you call me Mikan." He smiled in reply. He reach for his pocket and flip his phone, dialed some numbers and made a call.
"She has arrive, opened the gate please." She heard him say in his phone.
Without further notice, the gate automatically opened and like everyone's first time, Mikan's eyes shot wide in surprise and in delight. She couldn't imagine Alice Academy would be this big and when she meant big she meant BIG.
The academy was surrounded with trees scattered everywhere and you need a car to even reach the main building of the school in 30 minutes. Her eyes glittered in excitement even more as she saw Narumi-sensei pulling two horses out of nowhere. One white and the other creamy brown. She even gets to choose the horse she would like to ride and of course she choose the white horse.
Riding a horse wasn't much a big deal for her, since she has been riding horses all her life when doing her chores in her grandfather's farm back to her homeland. The ride was a breeze. It took them few minutes to reach the main building since Narumi-sensei showed her some shortcuts through the forest.
They pulled to a stop in front of a humongous building stood in solid foundation; no doubt this building is the main building. Mikan got off her white horse with Narumi-sensei's help and proceed to enter. The building was too huge that getting lost inside is very easy so Mikan stayed closely beside Narumi-sensei.
It took them several minutes and turns to actually find the register's office, even Narumi-sensei sighed in relief. The paper work went fast. She just signed some papers and Narumi-sensei handed her, her school uniform, the map of the school and some red pen marks, which Narumi-sensei personally made for me showing the shortcuts of the school grounds, the key to my room engrave with my room number, and a golden whistle. He ushered me outside easily.
"Well, Mikan welcome to Alice Academy, hope you enjoy your stay. By the way, I'll wait for you outside your dorm room tomorrow morning so I could brief you about the necessary information okay?" He said handing me my luggage.
"Ah, Narumi-sensei! What do I do with this whistle?" She asked showing him it. Narumi-sensei smiled.
"What do you do with a whistle?" He asked with an obvious answer, which she of course replied to.
"Blow it?"
"Then? Try blowing it." So she did but after pulling and pushing it from her lips in doubt, she finally blew her whistle, she was taken a back. Not a sound was heard. She blew another and another, glancing at Narumi-sensei often but she only saw him smiling excitingly, like he was expecting something magical to happen.
Then something magical did happen, crossing the magical part. The white horse she rode just a while ago, started galloping towards her. She glances towards Narumi-sensei questionably.
"This is Aphrodite, your horse." He simply said. I smiled happily. I approached Aphrodite and gave her a pat.
"Uhmmm… Narumi-sensei, just want to ask you… why do we need a horse?" of course she's happy but she just can't get this thought out of her head.
"You'll see. So all set? Well then off you go, much work is to be done tomorrow." He said giving off his last smile of the day.
She got on Aphrodite, secured her luggage on, and went off. The dormitory was farther than she expected, using the main road, It will take you an hour to get to the dormitory, but because of Narumi-sensei's specialize map, it took her just minutes using shortcuts to get there.
Her room was located at the fourth floor of the 5-story building, in a corner father than the rest dorm room with a magnificent view of the river behind it. Her room was just simple but elegant. It's a room divided into four including the bathroom with a magnificent marbled bathtub, a kitchen with a fridge and an oven, a wide open space with two couches and a center table, and her bedroom with a closet, a bed, and a side table and lamp.
Well, what makes it elegant is the huge balcony located inside the open-space room. The balcony has a 3-chaired tea table. It is also decorated with colored orchids hanging at the side and corners of the balcony. To top it all up, you get to see a great view of the riverbed behind the school ground deep in the forest.
She placed her luggage down and proceeds to enter the balcony or what she called her 'sanctuary'. As expected, the view was great. The feeling of the cold wind brushing her skin sent shivers to her spine, overwhelming joy felt so good that she was tempted to hum a tuned.
She stood at the center, the wind soothing her mood, clasping her hand near her chest and closed her eyes.
Like a
bird that flies in the morning light For you're always free to begin again
Or a butterfly in the
spring
When your spirit rides on the winds of hope
You'll find
your wings
And you're
always free to believe
When you find the place
That your heart
belongs...
She opened her eyes as she heard a rustles of leaves. She hurriedly went back inside, in fright. She went to bed immediately after going to a quick shower and slipping in her pink pajamas, forgetting to unpack her things, too excited about tomorrow.
-0-0-0-
Deep in the forest, a figure lay under the warmth of the cherry blossom tree beside the riverbed, sleeping the night away, protected by the moon's light hovering over the horizon. The cold breeze dancing to the beat reach the ears of the sleeping figure and immediately the figure arose from its slumber.
Hyuuga Natsume, lifted his hands and rubbed his sleeping eyes. His red fiery ruby eyes scanned the horizon and the acknowledgement of night dawn to his thoughts. He grunted in displeasure. He raked his hand through his uncombed raven locks and sighed heavily. He walks toward the riverbed and glance at his reflection on the water.
His pale skin match truly his piercing ruby eyes, his figure lean, tall and well built, his cool and icy attitude complimented his figure. Natsume was the human version of a god, no doubt a bachelor at birth.
Yet, all this beauty wasn't enough to satisfy him because even if he was handsome, no doubt, he couldn't smile, he couldn't trust, he couldn't be in the light. The world he is in was too dark. His life was a level 1 version of hell and what makes it worse is that Fate and Destiny hated him.
He backed away from the water, not baring the truth, when he heard a voice. A sweet sound with a true voice. It captivated him. He wanted to hear more of this voice. So he ran. He ran back towards the voice. Though the voice was far, he could hear it like magic, like it was calling him.
Like a
bird that flies in the morning light For you're always free to begin again
Or a butterfly in the
spring
When your spirit rides on the winds of hope
You'll find
your wings
And you're
always free to believe
When you find the place
That your heart
belongs...
He was almost at the end, he could see a clear view of the field, but by the time he got out, the voice died down and the angel was gone. He scanned the area, but no one was insight. He grunted. He must be crazy thinking, something so inviting, so innocent, so into the light would welcome him, call him towards it. He must be out of his mind but for some reasons he wants to believe it was real. He wants to prove it is real. He wants to know who this mystery girl is and one thing is for sure, that girl is here somewhere and someday he's going to find her.
-0-0-0-
Ring! Ring! Ring!
Mikan lazily put off her alarm clock, and got off her bed. She heard a knock on her door. She open her knob and stood there Narumi-sensei in a goofy clown outfit.
"Sensei?"
"Ah, Mikan-chan! Come, come let's go, class is about to start any minute now." He said while pulling her outside in the process. Poorly, Mikan followed him. Noticing the students looking at her in pity, realization hit Mikan big time. She pulled Narumi-sensei to a stop, causing him to look at her.
"What is it Mikan-chan?" He asked questionably dense. Mikan hang her head low in embarrassment, red lines forming on her pale cheeks.
"Anou… sensei…" Narumi crooked a nervous smile and immediately pulled Mikan back to her room. Narumi waited outside her room for her to change into descent clothes. After a few minutes, Mikan came out of her room in her white puff blouse with peach color stripes at the tip of her sleeves and collar, over a black vest-like blazer, a peach stripe bow, a peach colored stripe skirt above her knees, black socks reaching just above her knees and a pair of black doll shoes.
"Mikan-chan, you're so cute! I want a daughter cute as you one day!" Narumi complimented. Mikan smiled widely.
"Sankyu, Narumi-sensei!" She said bowing her head.
"Call me dad." Narumi said in open arms.
"Sankyu, Dad." Mikan said hugging Narumi-sensei in the process, which Narumi hugged back. Suddenly out of no-where, a boxing glove-like missile knocks Narumi out cold. Mikan cough from the smoke generated from the blast. After the smoke has cleared away, with Narumi-sensei still on the ground, a girl stood with a gun like pistol in her hands.
Mikan blink thrice after moving to aid the out-cold Narumi-sensei.
"Dad? Dad? Are you okay?" Mikan said while patting Narumi's head in the process.
"Don't bother him, Mikan. He's just an idiot and don't call him Dad, he's too gay to be one." The girl said coldly. Mikan glance up to see a pair of cold purple eyes looking at her emotionless. The girls boyish purple hair complimented her pale skin, and her skinny figure made her look like a model from a magazine, stunning.
"Uhmmm… Okay." Mikan said pulling her hands away from the sleeping Narumi.
"My name is Mikan, Mikan Sakura." Mikan turned to the girl.
"I know, my name is Hotaru, Hotaru Imai." The girl said. Mikan extended her hands for a shake but Hotaru look at it in disgust. Mikan nervously pulled away her hand.
"First things, first. I hate you, I don't like you, I don't want to do anything that is connected to you. I'm here to tour you around the school. If you ask question, I want them to be with importance. Last but not the least, by the end of this day, I don't want to interact with you anymore, am I clear?" Hotaru said it plain and simple.
Mikan feeling a bit hurt, but instead of crying, she replied Hotaru with a smile, a bright sincere smile. Hotaru was taking a back.
"Okay, but can I call you Hotaru?" She said smiling goofily.
"Whatever." Hotaru said in irritation.
-0-0-0-
After touring for almost the whole morning, Mikan discovered many things about Alice Academy. It has twelve huge buildings in total. A pre-k building, elementary, junior high, senior high, faculty, two dormitories, main building, a gym, a theater, club building, library, and a cafeteria. Mikan's favorite place is the Central Town, a small town where all the things you need is there, a mall for short.
Of course, Mikan bought stuff needed for school and a box of candy called fluff puffs, which she tried to share it with Hotaru who refuses because she hated sweets. Mikan returned after the shopping, following Hotaru behind. It was 12 o'clock, so it must be lunch already. They entered the cafeteria; it was packed with students and faculty members of all ages.
Two twin-like girls approached the two. One girl has pink bubble-gum colored hair curled at the tip with rosy skin and the other one has blue hair.
"Hi Hotaru, wanna eat with us today?" the pink haired girl said. Hotaru replied with a nodded. The blue haired girl seems to notice Mikan and whispered something to the pink haired girl, the pink girl nodded towards the blue haired girl.
"Hotaru, who is that girl?" the pink haired girl pointed her finger towards Mikan. Mikan smiled nervously.
"Mikan meet Anna and Nonoko, Nonoko and Anna meet Mikan." Hotaru introduces the three as she approached a soda vender.
"Oh my gosh! So the rumors are true! She really is so beautiful!" Nonoko jumped clasping Mikan's left hand. Mikan smiled nervously.
"Yeah! The rumored new girl, who is betrothed to the principal." Anna sqealed. Nonoko and Mikan looked at her confused.
"Say what? Anna, that rumor is about Serina-sensei!"
"Oh yeah! My apologies!" the four all sat at a table at the farthest corner inside the cafeteria continuing their conversation.
"So, Anna who are you in terms of history and dreams." Mikan questioned, sipping her strawberry shake she bought earlier.
"Well, first of all, Nonoko and I are twins or step twins." Mikan looked at Anna questionably.
"Nonoko's Mom and My Dad got married." Mikan made an 'oh' expression nodding in the process.
"So, my dad is the owner of a cosmetic company and Nonoko's Mom is a famous chemist who specialize on formulas for perfume." Anna explained eating her homemade pineapple pie.
"No wonder, they got married, there like the perfect pair!" Mikan squealed.
"So what's your dream one day?" Mikan asked.
"Me? I want to be a famous chemist like Mom, you know making love potions and stuffs." Nonoko replied eating half of Anna's homemade pineapple pie.
"Nonoko loves her mother too much to even follow her mother's foot step, I on the other hand likes to be a famous chef, with a menu of delicious sweets made by me." Anna explained after slapping Nonoko's fork from her pie.
"That's great! I think you'll be successful one day." Mikan complimented.
"How about you Mikan?" Nonoko asked.
"Well, I really come from a poor family, my Mom is a pastry shop owner who baked really delicious cakes and my dad is a carpenter. My life style is just plain and simple, very ordinary. My dream one day is to sing one song, just one song that everyone in the world will remember." Mikan said dreamily.
"Mikan you're so…"
"Stupid." Hotaru finished Anna's sentence.
"Why?" Nonoko asked.
"You want to dream that one day you get to sing one song, only ONE song that everyone in the whole stupid world will remember, that's just stupid and naïve." Hotaru inquired pulling out a laptop from her bag.
"Can a girl dream?" Mikan replied.
"No." Mikan sighed hopelessly.
Suddenly, the cafeteria started to cause ruckus. Girl's squealing everywhere and Anna, Nonoko, and Hotaru seems unaffected with the situation. Mikan looked at the direction the squealing girls are looking and found two gods standing at the entrance door of the cafeteria.
One is a blonde boy in a simple white polo shirt and jeans. His blonde butterfly cut hair complimented his oceanic eyes that every girl could drown for. His face was as innocent as a baby, kind and gentle. His pale skin made him stand out from the crowd.
The other one, has unruly, uncombed raven hair. His fiery blood shot eyes complimented his pale skin tone and his lean, tall and well-built appearance made him superior. His frown made him more dazzling as ever.
Mikan looked at the boys curiously, taking note of their details. Sure they were hot, handsome no doubt, but something isn't right, like something is out-of-place from the picture she just could point her finger on.
"That are the Academy's Bachelor, the blonde is Nogi Ruka a.k.a. the innocent prince charming. His kind, gentle towards girls, and approached them with care and his half French. His family owns a wide range facility that specifies on genetic mutation between animals. His dream is to become a famous veterinarian." Hatoru said as if he read Mikan's mind.
"The punk ass boy is Natsume Hyuuga a.k.a. the black cat, his fierce, cold , and icy attitude made him a trouble maker inside the Academy, he talks back at class, ditches every time Narumi's class comes up and extremely hot headed. His family is famous for their owning a huge international Record Company, their business is top in the chart, fashion design and such and his father is also Japan's Prime Minister." Hotaru continued.
"I don't get it, what so special about them?" Mikan said unknown to her, the two boys were just behind her. Mikan seems to notice, Anna and Nonoko froze shivering. Mikan arched an eye brow as Anna pointed her index finger, Mikan turned to find an irritated Natsume and a shy Ruka standing behind her.
"Wanna know?"
"Let her go Hyuuga."
TO BE CONTINUED….