Chapter one – Where is Mikan?

--

'Ohayo,'

'Ohayo, Yuu-san,'

Hotaru looked up from her invention, a questioning look on her face. Yuu stopped in his tracks, wondering what was wrong. The girl just waved a hand at the empty seat behind her before turning back to tweaking with her invention.

The seat behind Hotaru was occupied by her best friend, Mikan Sakura. Mikan was known to be late most of the time, but not usually on Saturdays.

The teachers made up a rule that each class could only go to Central Town on one scheduled day of the week. And Saturday was Class B's scheduled day.

Yuu scratched his head; what could be more important to Mikan than the once a week trip to Central Town?

He shrugged; maybe she just forgot to set her alarm clock or something. Or maybe she was already waiting excitedly at the bus stop instead of waiting in the classroom for all the students to arrive.

Anyway, Yuu just sat in his desk, taking out the attendance list and checking off the names of those who had already arrived.

'Koko – check,

Anna – check

Nonoko – check

Hotaru – check

Ruka – check

Natsume – check

Sumire – check…'

He continued on until all the students' names were checked off the list; except Mikan's, of course. All the students assembled before making their way to the bus stop.

--

'She never arrived?'

Yuu shook his head. It was already lunch time and Mikan was still not there. Hotaru, who was worried about her, had already checked her room quickly before they boarded the bus. But there was no sign of her.

Ruka, Natsume, Hotaru, and Yuu sat at a table in the café. All of them were wondering what happened to Mikan.

'Did you check the Howalon store?'

'Yup, she wasn't there,' Hotaru said, a worried look on her face. She held a box of Howalon for Mikan. 'Don't worry,' Ruka said, trying to reassure the girl, 'I'm sure we'll find her,'

'The gardens?'

'Nope, not even under her favorite Sakura tree,' Natsume said, one of his hands balled into a fist. 'Have any of the animals seen her?' Yuu promptly asked Ruka.

'Nope.'

The four sighed together. Where could Mikan be?

Hotaru, though, was a person who would never give up. So she stood up, carrying the box of Howalon with her as she made her around town, looking for her best friend.

'Should we ask the teachers?'

'Maybe we should,' Natsume said, even though he didn't trust the teachers so much. He stood up, put his hands in his pockets and walked out of Central Town to head back to the Academy.

All Ruka and Yuu could do was wait.

And wait.

And wait.

And wait some more.

And wait even longer.

'Hello?!'

The two blondes jerked. 'Oh, what is it, Sumire?' Yuu asked. 'Something's missing, though I can't put my finger on it,' she said, rubbing her chin as if in thought.

'It's Mikan,' Ruka told her, 'Hotaru and Natsume are looking for her now, we're waiting here in case Mikan arrives,'

Sumire had a strange expression on her face. It was as if she was fighting herself wether she should do something or not. She slapped herself once, earning amused stares from the two boys.

'Fine,' she declared after ten minutes of thought, 'I'll help,' Sumire quickly activated her alice and went sniffing away. On a sniffing spree, as Mikan would have probably said.

--

For weeks, the whole of Class B searched everywhere for Mikan. The searched the kitchens, the clinics, the staff room, and even went searching around the Northern Forest.

But it was all to no avail, Mikan was nowhere to be found.

Not even the teachers knew where she was. Or, that's what they claimed, but the students couldn't trust them so much anymore.

They all searched until their legs were too tired from walking or their eyes were already drooping. The only ones who stayed up a bit longer were Hotaru, Ruka, Natsume, and Yuu.

Sometimes they would search until the early morning rays were peeping out from the clouds.

The Middle School and High School students from the S.A. group helped in the search. So did some of the Class A students who were Mikan's friends or just wanted to help.

Sometimes, Mr. Narumi and Noda-sensei would pitch in and help out too.

They all searched until they could search no more.

2 moths passed.

Most of the students quit searching already. Who, after all, could disappear for two months? Only Mikan's best friends were left searching until them, too, were too exhausted to look for her anymore.

The bitter cold of winter was already starting. No one ever searched for Mikan anymore. Yet if any one of them passed her room in the dorm, they would knock on the door, their ears pressed to it.

Yet still, there was no reply.

--

Natsume walked through the white snow, an exhausted look on his face. He was worried sick about Mikan.

He walked on and on, the white wonderland not even enticing him to make a snowball. He ignore it all, focused on walking to who knows where.

'Natsume,'

He turned to a tree on his right. Behind it stood, Persona, a smirk on face. 'What do you want?' Natsume asked with a hint of anger in his voice.

'I know where your friend is, Natsume,'

The boy's eyes widened.

'Shall I tell you?'

--

Isa: How was it? How was it?

-silence-

Isa: -sigh- It's so boring without Reg here…

-silence-

Isa: Uh…anyways, please review.