A/N: Hi there guyz... Its been a while...almost a year...

Trust me, it has been a hell of a year for me! To all the new readers : A big hello!

To my old faithfuls: A huge apology for disappearing for a year.

Here's a one shot about Mikan's feelings about losing her memories. Warning spoilers from chapter 177-178.

EMPTY TWO YEARS

She gave a final look at the dorm room, 'her room' for the past two years. Moistened eyes made the view hazy. The photo frame of a certain crimson eyed guy never looked more lonely. Hazel eyes lingered onto that image. It was 's punch that tore her gaze. That punch reminded her that she was procrastinating. (something that was 'normally' part of her routine.) She gave a last (literally last) glance at her room, mentally picturing her inventor best friend sticking her tongue out at her, she giggled at her imagination...

... Hugs, tears, kisses, bouquets, alice stones, letters...greeted her as she walked out of the car. These would probably be her last memory of them, and theirs of her. The music of the graduation song was tingled with sweat tune of nostalgia. Even Permy (who was on the violin, much to everyone's annoyance ) was reduced to tears. She tried her best to keep a smile on her face, because she knew everyone loved it, because Natsume and Hotaru loved it. Kaname sempai's letter asking her to take care of was a surprise to all, but knowing that she'll have one memory of her adventures here in Gakuen Alice with her, back in the village; made her overjoyed. Seeing her ecstasy on the matter, Shiki san and HSP granted permission for Mr. Bear to leave with her.

Last minute 'I love you's ' and 'Never give up ! Keep smiling! ' were echoing in the hallways of Gakuen Alice as she walked through the huge entrance gates. The emblem of Gakuen Alice proudly sat on the bars of the gates, witnessing all the events, since ages long gone by. Those gigantic gates were a bunch of memories for her as well.

The very same gates; where she first met Natsume and Narumi sensei.

The very same gates; through which she and Permy eloped to rescue Natsume from Reo.

The very same gates; through which Yuka, too tried to elope in her elementary school.

The very same gates; where her parents met for the first time.

The very same gates; through which Yuka escaped with Mikan in her warm, soft womb.

The very same gates; where the Hyuuga family had a touchy reunion after the Hana Hime incident, as a teary eyed Mikan watched from afar.

The very same gates; through which Shiki san carried a dead Yuka in bridal style, giving her a final goodbye kiss and permanently setting her free from the Academy's clutches.

The very same gates, through which 'Persona', no make that ' Rei Serio' , walked through not so long ago, determined to atone his sins and right the wrong.

And now the very same gates through which Mikan looked back at her friends, sempais and senseis. The grilled bars appeared as the prison bars to her, trapping her loved one inside, separating them from her...

A dark figure awaited her on the pavement, just as her uncle told her. She clutched onto Mr. Bear tightly and closed her eyes. The man raised his hand and touched her forehead, a heated sensation passed onto her forehead and ran down her spine. At the same time a gush of wind kissed her lips, reminding her of the feel of his lips on hers. His soft lips so warm and secure on hers, she wished to never forget that feeling. She felt his tight protective hug , his crimson gaze on her cute innocent face, his warm hands on her waist, his breadth of her face...

'Natsume...'

And then everything just simply fades away, leaving her in state of oblivion.

"MIKAN ! HURRY UP ! " Ji chan shouted on top of his lungs. " You're 16 for Kami's sake still so irresponsible ! "

Mikan was procrastinating, again . She blamed her 'dreams' for that matter. She had those 'dreams' almost every night since she was 13. Dreams about a pixie haired girl with a horse shoe on hand (?!), which she found extremely strange. Dreams about a feminine blonde with a rabbit in his arms all the time. Dreams about a farewell ceremony in a huge school with her as the center of attention. She often felt as if the dreams were like visions, maybe from her past life (Ji chan filled her head with stories of Karma, rebirth and stuff... she grew up in countryside after all ). She had another theory, maybe those 'visions' were from the time when she was 'sick'. From those "EMPTY TWO YEARS" of her life. Yes, that theory seemed more logical. She had no recollection of her life from that time. It was as if her memories from when she was 10 to 12 were stolen from here. She really believed that. Strongly believed in it. But Ji chan disagreed non that matter.

"I told you, Mikan chan, you were very very sick. You were so weak you couldn't even get up from the bed." Ji chan tried convincing her, when a 13 year old Mikan asked him the 'same' question yet again.

"But Ji chan, I am telling you, I feel as if I was in a huge place surrounded by lots of friends with weird powers and stuff. And Mr. Bear was there as well. I dream about those places and those peaple, you know. And there's –"

"Mikan. Believe me. You were bed ridden, how can you go off to that 'mansion' in Tokyo you keeping talking about, when you were lying unconscious in your bed here." Ji chan told her yet again. " And that Bear is a gift from my friend in States, who makes this automated plush toys that work on batteries, yet so life like. And don't worry about those dreams, they are simply dreams. They don't have any meaning. "

"But-" Mikan stopped argument with the old man. She was 13. She knew better. Battery operated plush toys were way different from Mr. Bear. Mr. Bear had feelings, which those plush toys obviously lacked. And the strange fact was that bear moved only in front of her and Ji chan, which gave her the creeps at first but now she was more friendly with it. There was more to her life than what Ji chan told her. But she hoped one day she would solve that mystery, along with origin of that bear.

And then there was this particular steamy dream about a cold Christmas evening, where she was kissing,( note people 'kissing'), a raven haired boy. She had no idea who he was. The naive 16 year old, who had no experience in love was kissing a handsome guy! (sure she was very beautiful now and was confessed to often but she never had kissed before) That can't be real. No way. May be Ji chan was right, they were all probably just dreams.

A punch from Mr. Bear woke her up from day dreaming. "Alright alright I know I am late... don't start hitting! "

She fixed her hair in a half bun, leaving the rest of locks hanging around her shoulders, parted her fringes sideways. She continued to stare at her reflection in the mirror. She used to wear her hair in pig tails until middle school, but one night when she was in her last year of middle school, she had yet another 'Dream'.

"Hey,ugly girl, are you going to wear your hair in five years time? A hairstyle like this won't be suitable in five year's time .Put it down. It looks better that way."

That same crimson eyed boy told a 10-year old version of her.

It was just a dream, like her Ji chan said, but she was so amazed at the thought of it, that she decided to let her hair down ever since. She secretly hoped, that by doing so that 'crimson eyed boy' might find her. Superstition. She never told anyone the reason behind it, it was her secrete.

"Bye bye Jichan ~ " She literally sang as she ran out of house. " Sayonara Mr. Bear ~ " She ran straight to her school.

"Does anyone have any questions regarding this chapter? " Taneda sensei asked her class, after finishing the lesson on 'Immunity' in her Biology class. A petit hand raised in air. "Yes, Sakura san?" Everyone was shocked, as it was Mikan who was about to ask a question. She barely paid attention in class. Mostly she would doze off and dream. Or daydream about her 'EMPTY 2 YEARS'.

" In what type of disease does one have amnesia? " She asked with a serious expression. She had paid special attention in this class, because she thought she might find answers to her 'Dreams' after the end of the lesson. When her Ji chan told her that she had amnesia due to her sickness in those two years, she tried to google ( A/N : Do Japanese people use google? o.O ) stuff out, but stupid as she was, she never understood a thing from those websites on the internet. Now that she was a bit more mature and a bit less stupid, she was hoping she'd understand what Taneda sensei explained her.

"Well amnesia can occur in autoimmune disease like Alziemer's and Dementia. Mostly the people are past their 50-60s when they suffer from such disease. Does that help?"

Not fully satisfied, Mikan shook her head in denial, " What about young people? Say a girl of 12 year of age. How can she develop amnesia? "

"Well, it might develop in young children following a traumatic incident, a brain concussion following brain injury in any sort of accident or something. Hypnosis is an effective way, it can work wonders on the young tender minds. " These probabilities seemed more realistic to her than the previous ones. But she wasn't sure which category she fit in. Was she a part of a horrible event and it led to her amnesia? Was she involved in a car crash ? Were her parents killed in the same crash? Or was she hypnotized? Or were all these assumptions wrong in her case, and the real reason was far beyond Taneda sensei's imagination. Who knows?

"Ne, Ne Mikan chan, that was a smart question. " Her friend, Aya said as she opened her lunch box. " Yeah! Who knew Mikan chan even paid attention in class." Nanami said as she poped a rice ball in her mouth. " Hey! Guys I try my best to stay awake, but the lessons are so boring ~ " Mikan groaned. " It seems that you enjoyed today's lesson, right? You found it interesting ?" Aya asked, " Maybe you are planning on becoming a nurse? Or a doctor? " "Nah! She lacks the brains to be one. " Nanami bluntly commented. " Hey! Guys quite teasing me! " Mikan complained as she ate her sushi. Honestly, Mikan never thought on what she would be when she grow up. All she had in her mind were those 'TWO EMPTY YEARS' She was determined to find answer to the emptiness, someday. Maybe after graduating from high school she would embark on a journey to find that crimson boy, that pixie haired girl and the blond guy, they might have answers she's looking for. Or she could go looking for that mansion like school she dreams of, that place could be the key to unlock all her mysteries.

"Oh my gosh! Look girls, it's Takuma Kakenouchi! And he's walking towards us. Eeeppp..." Nanami yelped in excitement as the hot pinkish blond walked toward the table where the three girl were having their lunch.

"Um, Sakura san, can I talk to you, please? " He politely asked. A naive Mikan nodded in agreement. She showed no signs of excitement on the fact that the hottest guy in her class wanted to talk to her in private, while her two girl friends were having a hard time keeping calm on that matter. It was usual for them, yet they couldn't get used to it. Every month or so Mikan received a confession from their batch mate or sometimes their sempai. But she always politely declined, much to their surprise.

Mikan and Takuma walked out of the class . After finding a satisfying obscure spot behind the gym, Takuma spoke " I like you, Sakura san."

'Me too. Mikan, I Love you. From now, until forever. More than anyone else. '

Whenever anyone confessed to her, her mind reminded those words. The words she dreams every now and then. She knows that the speaker is out there somewhere. Awaiting her. She too was awaiting him. And she knew that it was none other than the crimson eyed guy. Mikan didn't reply. " Please go out with me. " He tried again. " I am sorry. " That was all she said, before running away.

"Are you serious!" Nanami yelled at her, "You simply ran away!" That was ner reaction when Mikan narated the entire incident from lunch time to her friends when the three girls were walking home.

"Not again Mikan chan" Even Aya shook her head in disappointment.

" You do realize that you rejected the guy, for whom girls would die to go out with." Nanami scolded her.

"You've got to be a saint or nun or something Mikan chan!" Aya giggled.

"Nah! I think she's lesbian. Hey Mikan do you have a thing for girls?" Nanami bluntly asked.

"NO ! " Mikan was annoyed now, she kept her cool uptil now but Nanami had crossed her limits.

"Relax, I am sure Nanami chan was joking, right?" Aya calmed her down.

"Nope, I was serious." She said nonchalantly," And I think Miakn likes you, Aya" She winked at Aya. Both the girl hit her head. "Okay, okay, I was kidding guys, why do you have to be so serious! " Nanami complained while rubbing her head.

"Ne, Mikan chan are you waiting for someone?" Aya asked on a serious note.

"Ah! A knight in shining armor, eh? " Nanami started her teasing again, "So tell us Mikan who's your prince charming?"

"I don't know." Mikan said as she stopped walking and stared at the road ahead. " But somehow I know that he's looking for me. He wants me to wait for him. And I will wait for him, no matter how long it takes. I will definitely wait. "

"Mikan!" Nanami said after feeling that she touched on a sensitive topic.

"It's okay," Mikan told her, " You know guys, I think someone loved me very much. And I loved him a lot too. I think deep down I still do. I am just waiting for those feelings to surface out. I will definitely find him. "

"Yeah, I am sure you will, Mikan chan." Aya said while holding her hand tightly and smiling warmly.

"And with that you'll get answers to your questions as well." Nanami added. The three shared a nice warm huge.

She too hoped that someday, very soon she'll get her answers. Patience is all she needs.

"Let's hurray back home! Else your grandpa and that weird bear will attack us!" Nanami warned them. The girls burst out laughing.

A dark figure watched the girls from afar. A smirk appeared on his face. He found her. Finally. Mission accomplished.