Disclaimer: You still do not know? OhGerd. I do not own Gakuen Alice. I just love Natsume Hyuuga so this fanfic is mine and only mine.
Shattered Memories
Chapter 1: Distorted Memories
"Natsume! No!" Mikan screamed, then abruptly opened her eyes and sat up on her bed and catch her breath. There's a sweat that trickled from her face down her neck. She scanned at the surroundings then looked intently at the opened door and saw Hotaru, standing, running out of breath. She sighed in relief though she is so exhausted. It has been three years since that moment happened and every night, Mikan has the same nightmare, telling him to run, shouting even. Not knowing she has been shouting for real.
"I woke up at the same moment again." Mikan muttered under her breath which caused Hotaru to grimace. Mikan looked down, loneliness engulfed the room.
"Yeah, and I came here running again. Mikan, you should forget about him. It's that easy rather than disturbing my nap 'cause of your loud voice." Hotaru said nonchalantly then scratched her sleepy eyes, sounded quite irritated but in a monotone voice. She cares deeply for her and when she hears her screaming every night, she wished she just told her the truth about what exactly happened on that war but she has no choice, Natsume chose that path to save Mikan. It is not for her to decide whether Mikan should know or not but it will be for the best that she didn't. It will be for the best.
"You don't understand. You can't unders—." Mikan trailed off, her throat suddenly tightens and salty tears began to drip down her pale cheeks. She put both of her hands to conceal her crying face and to prevent Hotaru from seeing. She has changed a lot; she's not the cheery and the clumsy Mikan now. All of what happened that night changed her. She started to sob hard and between her every sob, Hotaru hoped she could just take away the pain using one of her inventions but no... there's no cure for a heartbreak.
"She can't know the truth. She'll blame herself even more and that's the last thing I want her to do." Hotaru concluded in her mind.
"I do understand how you feel, Mikan." Her voice softened then she walked to Mikan's bed and sat beside her. She hugged her, her hands on Mikan's small back while Mikan's head is on her shoulder.
"So now calm down and get back to sleep." She added as she caressed her auburn tresses and patted her back. Hotaru break their hug after a few minutes, knowing that Mikan has finally calmed down then she stood up and walk toward the timber door and left after she flashed a tiny smile to Mikan. Mikan did the same but there's uneasiness that is building inside her and she can't quite predict why. She couldn't sleep, guessing that she will dream of him again and she doesn't want that. She doesn't want to dream of him again; she wanted to see him alive and well.
"If only I could go back to that time, I definitely will." She thought dryly.
At a certain place on the front of the Alice Academy stopped a black limousine that carried two passengers. A 15 year old raven haired boy who sleeps lifelessly inside while the other one watched carefully whether he should throw the boy down now or not and then he received a call.
After the stated call from his boss ended, he flipped his cell phone then opened the door and said,
"It's showtime." then subsequently dropped the boy stealthily near the gate of Alice Academy.
The sound of the door opening startled everyone. It's not that they're not used to the sound of a door makes when it opens; it's just the aura behind that door is very strong that they all presume that it is Mikan. No one can match her depressed aura after all. They rapidly stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Sumire, a green curly haired girl paused his debate with Koko who has a goofy grin on his face but then suddenly turned into a straight face when he noticed Mikan. But now that they look at her closer, Mikan seems lighter than before, she looks calm and persistent at the same time. Ruka stood up and walk towards Mikan.
"Sakura. What happened? Did you remember something?" he questioned worriedly then smiled adoringly, which made Hotaru wince then look at Mikan.
"That idiot. Asking if she remembered anything. Of course she wouldn't, she was not there after all." Hotaru thought, and aimed her baka gun at Ruka and shot him.
"What did you do that for?" asked a mad Ruka then rubbed the back of his head to ease the pain.
Hotaru kept her solemn expression and did not respond. Mikan chuckled and Hotaru stared at her, bewildered and somehow amazed. Mikan's in a good mood.
It's true. Mikan seems to be in a good mood but Hotaru can't quite tell what Mikan's eyes suggest. It looks like puzzlement and curiosity, Hotaru thought. Though she is not sure enough, it made her smile, too. Seeing this Mikan that can light up a dim room is refreshing.
Mikan looked around and saw the look of her classmates. She smiled weakly but sincerely.
"Everyone." She started that made everybody startled. It's the first time in almost three years that she addressed her fellow classmates like this even though they approach her every single day.
"Please don't worry about me, I will be fine; everything's gonna be fine. It's just a matter of time until I can be my normal self again." She announced but doesn't know if her every word is true or will be. Nevertheless, her every classmate smiled happily at Mikan and gave them their nods but Hotaru positioned his baka gun in front of Mikan and shot it to her head then almost everything went back to normal. Almost, for Natsume is not there.
The others joined in and the classroom was now in full chaos but they couldn't care less because now, the Mikan they knew came back.
"Making everyone worry like that. Really, Sakura. You're such a nuisance," Sumire said, rubbing the tears that was in her eyes then she jump to hug Mikan.
"So, what's this commotion about?" said a blonde teacher that leans stiffly on the door.
"Sensei!" everyone chorused.
"Mikan's back, Sensei!" a curly pink haired girl named Anna squealed delightfully and the others suddenly joined in.
The teacher, Narumi, compose himself and walk toward Mikan and hugged her like a father would have. When he broke their hug, he looked quite in distress.
"Why, Otou-san?" Mikan asked then stared at her teacher with her worried hazel orbs.
"I know that this is such a happy reunion between you all but all of you should know this." he began.
"He's serious," Koko uttered, reading the teacher's mind. This is gonna be hell of a problem, he thought.
"He's back. Natsume Hyuuga is back." He finished then looked down in disappointment. Their jaw dropped and deafening silence followed. Others do not know why their teacher looked disappointed, he must be happy, why does he look like that?
Ruka was the one who snapped out of it fast.
"Natsume is... back? Is that true? Where is he? What happened?" asked Ruka, his voice is trembling and he want answers.
"Yes. He's back and he is in the infirmary now. The guards found him lying lifelessly near the gate. He still isn't awake so we don't know what really happened yet but he's... changed." Narumi responded in dismay.
Mikan shook her head and looked up the teacher.
"What change are you talking about, Sensei?" she questioned lowly.
"When I visited him in the infirmary, he said a something strange to me." His eyebrow creases and he gritted his teeth.
"What did he say?" Hotaru was the one to ask this time. The others were dumbfounded but then immediately came back to reality, too.
"Natsume said, 'I'm gonna kill Sakura.'," Narumi stated hesitantly, at the same time that Mikan sprinted out of the room and into the infirmary.
She doesn't know what happened to Natsume for the past three years but she is not the one to sit idly while waiting for answers. She is the one who seeks them. She ran past corridors and then she bumped into someone. She looked up and saw the ocean blue eyes of her Senpai.
"Sheesh. I'm so sorry, Senpai," She stated apologetically.
"What's the rush, Mikan?" Tsubasa asked while ironing his uniform. He stared at the brunette and noticed that there is something wrong or rather something happened. Her cold aura is not lingering anymore.
"Narumi-sensei said that Natsume is back. So I'm gonna go to the infirmary now. See you later Senpai!" She catches her breath and waved her hand then ran yet again. Tsubasa was shocked and then followed the brunette immediately. He doesn't know what will happen but his instinct tells him that it will be something bad.
He reached the infirmary after few seconds that Mikan had. He leans on the door frame and scrutinized them carefully. Something is definitely wrong here.
"Natsume," Said Mikan with passion. She walked near the bed and sat beside him. She can't believe it, it was surreal. It feels like a dream.
Hearing some voice, Natsume's eyes shot wide with alarm. Tsubasa flinched while Mikan blinked away the tears falling.
"You're awake." Mikan smiled but Natsume didn't respond.
He must be tired, she thought. Natsume gawked at the brunette, and his hands moved from the bed to the table that contained his food.
What happened next was unexplainable and was like an illusion.
Natsume stabbed Mikan heartlessly on the shoulder.
[End of Chapter 1]