"It's there! Up there! Hurry Koko!" Mikan screamed.

"Ano... Mikan, how'd it end up there?" Koko asked.

"Just hurry!"

"Why do you want it back anyway?

"Just get it!"

"It's just a scrap of paper, why do you want i..."

"SHUT UP AND TAKE IT!"

"Okay, okay." Koko reached into the trees branches and took the paper.

"OW!!! MIKAN!!! I'M STUCK!!!"

"GIVE IT TO ME!!!"

Koko dropped the paper and struggled to get himself free off of the clinging arms of the tree.

"Thanks Koko!!!" she ran with the paper clutched tightly in her hand.

"WAIT!!! MIKAN!!!! MIKAN!!!! HELP!!!"

--------------

Mikan rushed into her room. she sat down on the bed and clutched the paper, hung on to it like dear life, or something even more precious. To her, the paper was more precious than her life--way much more precious.

It flew out of her hands in the garden that morning, and she had cried--but enough of that. The only thing important was that she had it back--that's all, nothing more.

She cried out of relief that she had it. It'll never get lost again--never. And she'll never let it out of her sight again--never.

"It's mine... all mine..." she muttered to herself as she gripped the paper tightly, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Now 17, she understood what she felt--took her long enough. Why she had blushed when he looked at her, why goose bumps seared up her arm when his hand brushed against hers, why her heart thumped louder and faster when he was around, she now knew. Simple signs, and for a complete idiot like Mikan, it took her 7 years.

It was finally back in her hands. That piece of paper she had found lying on the ground near the sakura tree, the sakura tree she loved sharing with him. It had to from him, right? This couldn't just be a coincidence. If it was, it would be the finest and most ridiculous coincidence, since it would make a 17 year old brunette bawl and gauge her eyes out at the disappointment and embarrassment she would cause herself in doing so. No, it couldn't be a coincidence. It was way much simpler and needed only four words to explain the situation. It was from him.

Her hands trembled as she took the paper and carefully straightened it. What a shame, it was creased. It didn't matter to her. As long as she could still read it, that was fine. And so, for the umpteenth time she read it, slowly, silently.

M,

It may be hard for me to say this, but since I've started writing this damn letter anyway, I'll get along and say it...

No. Wait. Let me put it this way, acting cool and casual, silent and cold, but I say, this was my only way of protecting you, from the horrors you did not need to see--did not need to know.

It wasn't fair of me to act that way, but circumstances have pushed me to go against my will and I am terribly sorry.

I will not beat around the bush any further, I'll swallow all the pride I have in me and say...

I LOVE YOU...

N

Her heart beat faster, faster than the fastest it ever had. She held her breath and looked at the letter on top; M, it had to be Mikan, then the one on the bottom; N, definitely Natsume. Short, it may have been, but right now it meant the world to the brunette who continued to cry out of relief and excitement.

The letter, it did not seem to reflect Natsume at all. A letter? From a cold-hearted moronic pervert who called her strawberries? A letter? From the boy who so often tried to burn her tresses?! A letter... from the fiery eyed boy, with stunning black hair and God-sent features that had captivated Mikan's heart... A letter, from the topnotcher bishounen whom she adored, this was all that filled her mind.

And not just any letter, a letter that had been of a confession. A confession? From the guy who was cold-hearted and cruel to almost everyone? A confession? From the guy who never once took notice of her feelings? A confession, that said he was sorry for acting such. A confession, that would make any girl smile and cry at the same time. A confession saying the feeling was mutual. Yes, this was it.

She looked out the window and up at the stars. She smiled and stayed motionless for quite a while. She stared longingly at the stars, the stars that had given her comfort. The stars that helped regenerate her broken spirit. Helped lift up her unhappy disposition and made her think of happy times. But now, she looked at them for a different reason. She was happy, and tears of joy filled her eyes. It's what she had been waiting for, and she slept soundly with a smile on her face.