A new story and no this isn't a one-shot. This will only be three chapters long. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing this. I just wanted to try putting Natsume in this role. I've never encountered something like this yet in Gakuen Alice finfics. I'm not sure if there is. 'Nway, enjoy reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.

Summary:

He thought he has no time even for Mikan but what if one day he wakes up to see that everything he had put aside was gone?

"Learn to treasure the things you have now before you regret not doing so when you've lost them." That is one of the many lessons time taught me when I traveled through time with a weird and childish cloaked woman. —Natsume Hyuuga.

A Change In Time
Chapter I: Past

Natsume pinched the bridge of his nose.

He hasn't gotten any sleep these past few days. He has too much workload that he didn't have time to even sleep and he has been relying too much on coffee to keep him awake. Seriously speaking, he has consumed too much caffeine that he feels it's no longer that effective. He has been in his office all day and only stopped working to eat only two times a day. He also resorted to showering in the bathroom in his private room that he set up next to his office.

Ruka occasionally visit his office and advised him to go home and rest but the amount of work he has to do just makes it more impossible. Sure he can just make his employees help him but he prefers to do them himself reasoning that he can do better. With that, Ruka would always walk out of his office with a shake of his head. He has no time for his family, no time for his friends and no time to sleep.

"Mr. Hyuuga, Sakura-san wishes to see you. Shall I send her in?" The voice of his secretary came through the intercom.

He also didn't have time to deal with his girlfriend for three years.

"No. Tell her I'm busy."

"But Mr. Hyuuga, she—" his secretary started but stopped and sighed. "Yes, sir."

Everyone in his company knew about his girlfriend, Mikan. Mikan Sakura. And the fact that they're drifting further apart each day. Mikan would often visit him probably three or two times a week but he would always avoid her and would never let her inside his office.

To him, his girlfriend is a distraction. A huge one. He always had a hard time keeping himself away from her everytime they're together and considering his work, he has no time for such activity.

They used to be so close. Used to be so happy. They were inseparable and everytime someone sees them they would always be clasped in each other's arms with a smile grazing their lips. Now, they are nothing like what they used to be. He became so busy and so did she. Him with his company and her with her modeling career. They were both famous and that's what makes it all harder.

He didn't know how much minutes or hours passed since Mikan came to visit him. He heard his secretary's voice again through the intercom. He sighed. Who is it this time?

"Ms. Hotaru Imai is here to see you, sir."

He had a feeling what his cousin came to talk about. "Didn't I tell you that I'm not going to entertain anyone today?"

"But sir, she said that she'll break down the door if you won't let her in."

Natsume sighed again. "Fine. Let her in."

Honestly, he doesn't care what happens to the door but since it would be troublesome to have someone fix it while he's still working, he didn't want to risk it. Besides, he knew his cousin isn't the type to joke.

In just a few seconds, Hotaru barged in and walked to the front of his desk. Her face was stoic as ever but her eyes tell a different story. Her purple eyes held controlled anger that was glaring at him hard. He met her eyes with the same glare.

"What do you want?" He asked coldly then went back to his paperwork.

"Look at me and listen. If you don't do it in the next three seconds, I'll stop my company's cooperation with yours," she threatened. Her voice is as icy cold as his.

She knew that with that threat, her cousin would have no choice but to listen to her. After all, her company is responsible for the tight and high-leveled security and the technology his company has.

Still glaring, he clenched his jaw and looked up to her. "What."

Satisfied that his attention is finally on her, Hotaru breathed in and out before she started speaking. "Why are you avoiding Mikan?"

He knew it. Hotaru is her best friend after all.

"I'm not avoiding her," he answered and Hotaru narrowed her eyes at him.

"Then why won't you see her? She's been trying to call you, text you, and see you everyday for the past three months and all she ever got is a single text saying you're busy! Natsume, what the hell!" Hotaru shouted, her self-control shattering as she talked to him about her miserable best friend.

Natsume remained stoic. "Hotaru, I'm really busy."

"The hell I care! The least you could do is see her whenever you have time." Natsume was getting impatient. He has more left to do and talking to his cousin is just wasting his precious time.

"I don't have time," he answered. Hotaru growled. Her cousin is being so stupid that she wanted to slam his handsome face on his mountain of papers. "I couldn't even go home to sleep."

"No, Natsume. You think you don't have time. This," she pointed to the papers laid on top of his desk. "will be done easily if you let your employees do their job."

"I can do better," he argued again. His reason was the same one he gave Ruka.

Hotaru exhaled loudly.

She was annoyed thoroughly by her cousin. "You may be right but since you think that way maybe it's better to fire all your employees since it's a waste of money to continue hiring them while they don't even do a thing!"

Natsume stayed silent.

"Just a reminder dear, cousin. She won't always be around to wait for you. She's a person, not a toy." Hotaru turned her back on him and started to walk towards the door.

She opened the door, "And she's your girlfriend." With that, Hotaru went out leaving him lost in his own thoughts.

She won't always be around to wait for you.

That sentence continued to rang in his head over and over again. It seems that he won't be able to sleep again tonight. After a few minutes, his phone vibrated. He picked it up and opened the new message from his cousin.

Go home. Or else...

Troublesome cousin. He closed Hotaru's message and noticed all the other unread messages all from Mikan.

Hi, Natsume! I'm sorry but I don't think I can visit you today. My manager won't let me goooo! (T_T) I miss you already!

He blinked in surprise. When was this? He checked the date, it was sent to him three months ago when he wasn't avoiding her as much as he does now. With furrowed eyebrows, he moved on to the next message from her.

We have a party to celebrate my latest achievement tomorrow night, can you come and be my escort? I would be so happy if you could come! :") I miss you!

They had a party? He checked the date. It was three days after the first one. Damn. Who did she go with? Just thinking about the possibility that she invited someone else to escort her made him burn with jealousy. Whoever that bastard may be, he's dead. He proceeded to the next one. This time, it was voice mail.

Hey. Um... I understand that you're busy but at least inform me that you couldn't come so I won't have to wait for no one. They all told me how beautiful I am but somehow, I wasn't happy. Because the person I wanted to hear it from is absent from that important night. Urgh! What am I saying. (Laugh) Forget all that and just remember to tell me in advance whether you can or not... (Pause) I really miss you, Natsume.

Her voice sounded so sad and her laugh was so fake that even he found it hard to listen. He heard her voice broke while saying "I miss you, Natsume." He opened all the other text she sent and it was evident that something was wrong. Even her texts seemed like a fake cheerfulness to him. He noticed that at the end of every text, there is always an "I miss you" that she never forgot to add.

I'm sorry for bothering you. I'll just come again tomorrow because I have something to tell you. I miss you...

It was sent to him two hours ago. And there is another one that was sent two minutes after the first one. Three simple words that made him weak.

I Love You...

Natsume placed his cellphone down and sighed. He opened his laptop and searched for her name. He clicked 'images' and there he found a bunch of her recent pictures. He frowned. Is this really her? If she is then why isn't there any recent picture of her with a bright smile on her face. Her smile seemed like a professional model's smile. Not her smile at all.

Someone knocked and he immediately closed the laptop. "Come in."

The door opened and in came his secretary... with more papers in hand. What the hell is with that amount of papers! He instructed his secretary to place it on his desk and asked for another cup of coffee. His situation with Mikan was forgotten as soon as he saw the papers piling up.

Natsume felt someone poking him.

Poke. Poke.

"Hey. Wake up."

And a voice that was somehow familiar to him.

"Wake up, Natsume Hyuuga!" The voice yelled.

Natsume sat up abruptly. He was sweating despite the air conditioning in his office. He fell asleep on his desk and somehow, there was a cloaked person standing beside him.

"Oh great you're awake! I thought you'll never wake up." The person said and judging from the voice it was a woman.

"Who are you?" He questioned.

"Me? Hm. I guess I'm your angel."

He stared at her blankly. "No. Really, who are you?"

The woman placed both of her hands on the side of her waist. "You asked me. I answered you and now you don't believe me?" She shook her head.

"And you expect me to believe that you're my angel?" Natsume looked at her in disbelief when the woman nodded eagerly. "You're crazy."

She slapped his arm playfully. "Hey! I'm not!"

"Whatever. Why are you in my office?"

She ran to the couch near his desk and sat. "I'm here to warn you."

He frowned at her. "And what is that?" He didn't know why he was even talking to her when he could just continue working and make up for the time he lost for sleeping.

"Starting today, your life will turn around." She was serious. It was evident from her voice and something was telling him to trust the woman's voice even if she was a stranger to him.

"What do you mean?"

The woman was beside him in an instant, startling him. How did she do that? "I can't fully explain but I can show you." She offered him her hand and he took it rather hesitantly. He flinched once their skin touched. It was like electricity flowed through him and he noticed it was the same for her.

The woman took out a green medallion that's been hanging on her neck and chanted some words. A bright light bursted out blinding him. He closed his eyes and once he opened it, they were in a studio.

He recognized this place. Mikan used to do her pictorial here. He felt her tugged his hand which is still holding hers. He was about to remove his hold when the woman shook her head.

"You'll get lost if you let go of me."

Natsume nodded even if he doesn't understand why. And though he already knew where they are, he had the sudden urge to ask. "Where are we?"

For a moment, the woman stayed silent. She pulled him closer to where the photographer and the model are and Natsume's eyes widen in recognition. It was Mikan. But why didn't she even look at him? At him who is holding hands with a wierd unknown woman.

"No one can see us. We are in the past." At this, Natsume's eyes went back to her in surprise. "This happened three months ago. The first text you got from her after you started ignoring her texts and calls."

Natsume went back to watching Mikan. They stopped for a break and Mikan immediately ran to her dressing room. They followed her and watched as she ransacked her messy dressing room for her cellphone. She looked so relieved when she found it. The woman waved her hand and the text Mikan was typing was suddenly displayed in front of them.

Hi, Natsume! I'm sorry but I don't think I can visit you today. My manager won't let me goooo! (T_T) I want to see you so much.

After thinking about it, she erased the last part and replaced it with "I miss you already". She pressed send and waited for a reply from him. Her break that was supposed to be the time for her to eat was spent waiting for a reply that will never come. Soon, she was called again to resume her work. Disappointment filled her but she tried to shake it away and smiled for her job.

The woman snapped her fingers and their surrounding shifted. They were at a party and he had an idea whose. He looked around and spotted all their friends sitting on one table with two vacant seats. His eyes wandered around but he didn't see even a strand of her hair.

Suddenly, all the guests stood up and clapped while facing the entrance. Finally, he saw her. She entered the hall. Alone. She greeted the guest on her way to their table with a smile that didn't seem so bright. He heard the people around him whispering to each other. Mostly women.

"Why did she come alone? I had thought she would come with her boyfriend."

"Maybe he ditched her because she was too clingy. Have you seen the way she clung to him a month ago?"

And that continued. He wanted to slam their ugly faces together but he knew he couldn't so he walked away from them while dragging the woman. So, she came alone. Because I was too busy to even have the time for her.

"Hey. Let's go near their table!" The woman suggested. He agreed and they walked to where their table is.

"Don't worry, Mikan. Maybe he has some stuff to do before he comes here." Ruka tried to console her but Natsume knew that Ruka is already aware that he won't be coming.

"Yeah, Mikan. Don't think about it too much. This party is for you so let's have fun!" Sumire stood up and grabbed Mikan's wrist helping her to stand.

Mikan smiled a little. "Thanks guys."

"By the way, Mikan. You look gorgeous tonight!" Koko shouted earning a nod from all the others from their table.

Mikan's smile faltered a bit but it vanished faster than when it came. "Thank you." She said in a quiet voice which they still heard.

Sumire dragged her around till they lost them. The next time they found her, she was talking to some girls that seemed a little older than her. And by the looks on the two girl's faces, their conversation is anything but pleasant.

"I thought you're going to bring your boyfriend, Sakura-san?"

"Um.."

The other girl spoke, "Yeah. I'm disappointed that I won't get to see him."

"He's just... late." She replied her voice turned quiet at the end. She was still waiting.

"Oh. Is that so?" The girls laughed and it's not because of some joke. It's because she was the joke. Luckily, Ruka arrived.

"Excuse me, girls. May I borrow my friend?" He smiled at them that made the girls blush and nodded.

"We... don't mind," they said.

Ruka then saved her from further humiliation.

"You already know he's not coming, don't you?" Ruka asked, his face serious.

Mikan nodded.

"Then why did you tell them that he's just late?" He asked again. He doesn't understand why Mikan would do such a thing even if it's going to humiliate her further.

"Because I'm still waiting."

Ruka looked at her in disbelief. He looked like he wanted to argue but decided against it. He sighed. "Come on. Let's go back. Hotaru is worried about you."

The woman snapped her fingers and their surroundings shifted once again. This time, they were in someone's apartment. He had never been here before. "Where are we?"

"In her apartment."

Natsume turned to her, surprised. "What? She didn't tell me that she moved!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! She—" he stopped after realization hit him. Oh right. She did send him a message about this. He was just to busy to even care. "—did."

Their conversation stopped there when the door banged open to reveal a tired Ruka with Mikan in his arms and the others following behind them. Hotaru opened the door to her bedroom and Ruka laid her down.

"What..." His words trailed as he continued to watch the scene from the past in front of him.

Hotaru and Sumire shooed all the boys out and locked the door.

Natsume was about to run to Mikan's room before they closed the door but the woman stopped him. "Do you really want to go in there and watch them change her clothes?" She asked him with a little embarrassment in her voice.

Though he's seen it before—cough cough—he couldn't help the rush of blood to his cheeks. After a while, Hotaru and Sumire opened the door. He got a glimpse of her face and the small movement of her lips before they closed the door to her room. He felt a tug on his heart as he recognized what she was saying.

Natsume...

She was muttering his name even in sleep.

"I didn't think she would drink that much." Ruka frowned.

"Considering that Natsume is being such a jerk to her nowadays, I think it's understandable." Sumire gritted her teeth as she sat down beside Koko who started calming her down.

"Well, Natsume runs his company all by himself but what I don't understand is why he's treating her this way." Koko said with a sigh.

Ruka turned to Hotaru who remained silent. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Hotaru sipped the coffee they made from Mikan's kitchen. "I don't have anything to say. And even if I do, I'd rather speak in front of my stupid cousin so I can throw him any insult I want."

"I can hear you clearly." He said in irritation.

The woman laughed. "They can't hear you, you know."

"I know."

"Let's skip!" The woman announced cheerfully and snapped her fingers again. They were at the same place but obviously not the same time. The woman pulled him to Mikan's room not bothering to open the door but just passed through it. They freaking passed through it!

They saw Mikan holding her cellphone to her ears.

"She's trying to call you but you didn't answer so she just left a voice message." The woman explained. Natsume wondered why she knew so much.

"Hey. Um... I understand that you're busy but at least inform me that you couldn't come so I won't have to wait for no one. They all told me how beautiful I am but somehow, I wasn't happy. Because the person I wanted to hear it from is absent from that important night. Urgh! What am I saying," she laughed. "Forget all that and just remember to tell me in advance whether you can or not..."

Tears started to fall from her eyes as she said the few final words. "I really miss you, Natsume." She ended the call, tossed her phone somewhere and fell back to her bed, still crying.

"Should we proceed?" The woman asked.

"No, wait." Natsume stared at Mikan's crying face. "I... want to stay for a while." He whispered. Seeing her crying face feels like someone is pricking his heart. Despite that, he wanted to stay.

"Okay."

End of Chapter

Some of you might already have a clue where I got the idea from. It's from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Personally, I haven't read the book yet but I happen to stumble upon the barbie version of it with the same title when my little sister watched it. It's more fun watching together than watching a movie by yourself. XD

-MitsukaiYuki