Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice.
AN: Loosely based on a story called The Letter by Dhumaketu
The stars were starting to fade away in the glow of the early morning sun. They no longer twinkled as brightly as they had a few hours ago, their beauty dimmed by the sun's rays. Sunlight, in all its might, was making its presence felt in the warmth that slowly penetrated the formerly chill air.
The winter season was fast approaching and the inhabitants of the countryside now spent their mornings and evenings seated across bonfires, telling stories and sharing jokes. With the outbreak of dawn a number of women arose, setting about their domestic chores, complaining bitterly about the howling wind that they had to endure when they set foot outside to buy milk and other necessities.
Mikan Sakura barely noticed all this anymore. She had made the journey along this narrow, winding path several times now, all through the previous winter and this summer season too. Nevertheless, the sounds comforted and consoled her as she walked on. They reminded her of a time when things had been the same in her household, her family.
Finally, she arrived at the post-office and bid the clerk a soft, "Good morning."
The clerk merely grunted in response and she quietly sat down in her usual place.
The letters soon arrived and people began to gather in the little post office. Servants came from all the important men's houses – the mayor, the doctor and the police chief to name a few. She smiled at each of them and wished them a good morning. She asked about their health and families but they were far too impatient to answer her queries and she too was distracted by the constant stream of letters flowing through the clerk's hands, convinced that hers would be next.
The new post-master, a tall raven haired man announced the name of each recipient and if they were there, they would sign and collect their letter. If not, it would be handed to a postman to deliver.
An hour passed and then another. Yet Mikan's optimism never weakened and she listened attentively to all the announcements. Finally, the post-master declared that all the letters had been distributed and her smile died. But as she walked back home, she perked up at the thought that her letter might finally arrive tomorrow.
The next day, she was once again the first to arrive at the post office. It was far colder than it had been the day before and she wound her scarf tightly around herself as she sat waiting.
Suddenly, a female voice called, "Mikan Sakura!"
She jumped up and happily cried, "That's me!" Rushing to the clerk, Mochiage, she demanded, "Where's my letter?"
He looked up at her with barely concealed contempt and asked coldly, "What letter?"
"You just called my name. My letter's come hasn't it?"
"There is no letter for you here."
As she slipped back to her seat, she heard him say in an annoyed voice, "Quit your games, Shouda! We have work to do here!"
The new post-master heard this exchange and asked curiously, "Who is she?"
The clerk looked smug at being addressed, for although the new man said little he was already all but hero worshipped among the staff.
"Mikan Sakura. She's a madwoman, Natsume-sama. She's been coming here for the past year and a half, waiting for a letter from someone named Hotaru, though I doubt such a person even exists."
Ruby eyes surveyed the girl with interest. She was quite unremarkable looking, brown haired and brown eyed with an ever present smile. She tried to engage those around her in conversation and succeeded to some extent with a bespectacled man he recognized as Yuu Tobita from the day before. There was nothing particularly unusual about her but an aura that fascinated him with the cheer it exuded.
He did not share these observations with the clerk and went away to do his job. This time, he too impatiently awaited Hotaru's name. He wondered what important information could possibly be contained in the letter that the girl travelled miles through the freezing winter to receive it personally. However, no letters addressed to Mikan Sakura arrived either that day or the next. A week passed and Natsume began to wonder whether she truly was insane. Why else would she bounce in with a spring in her step every day, even though the weather was steadily worsening and she never carried more protection from the elements than a tattered sweater and old scarf? Why else would she ask everyone how they did and how their loved ones were? Why else would she be so sure that her letter would reach her the next day and not look crushed when it didn't?
Two weeks later, as he was leaving the post office Natsume met her. She looked anxious but he was in a hurry and couldn't be worried by a lunatic's imaginary world. It was his sister, Aoi's birthday the next day and he had to buy her a present. He was also anxious about sending her away to live in another town as the boarding school she was to attend was located far away.
When Mikan caught sight of him, she hurried over and said, "Natsume! I have to leave town for 2 days. Could you ensure that Hotaru's letter is kept safely for me at the post office? Please tell the postman not to deliver it as there will be no one at my house to receive it and I don't want it to get spoilt or stolen."
He rounded on her angrily and said, "Who would steal your fictional letter, you daft woman?
She recoiled in shock and stammered, "W-Well, it would be nice if you could just –"
"I don't have time to listen to a moron blather on about her unreal fantasies. No letter will ever come for you. Why can't you just understand that and give up? Did you know that everyone refers to you as the Village Idiot? Stop pestering the postmen. Your 'Hotaru' has probably forgotten about your existence and I can't say I blame her. Who would want to remember a worthless piece of –"
Natsume abruptly cut himself off and ran his hand through his hair. "Why won't you give up? As a child I accidently set a barn on fire and the flames soon engulfed my entire village. Everyone blamed me for it. I tried to fight back but they told me there was nothing I could ever do to make amends; that I should just give up. I made a smart choice and did just that. So why can't you do the same? Why do you walk in here with that hopeful expression on your face every single damn day? Sometimes, we're helpless, there's nothing we can do! Do you think shivering through chilly country lanes will make Hotaru write to you? Do you –"
"Stop," said Mikan, softly. Her brown eyes held their usual warm glow although there was something else too in them now. Was it pity? Or were they simply tears?
She gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze and walked away. Natsume stared at her retreating back, dumbfounded. It was hardly his style to go around blurting his most dreaded nightmares and worst memories to complete strangers. Yet when he thought about it, he realised that she was not one.
He had known her since that first day at the post office. He had seen Mikan there everyday – sitting, smiling, talking. He knew she preferred to tie her hair up than leave it open. He knew she dressed a little better than usual on Thursdays (although he wondered why). Her slippers were a little too small for her and her toes poked out of them. She had a loud, infectious laugh that made even Mochu crack the occasional smile when he thought no one was looking. She moved her hands as she talked, drawing pictures in the air. Her bright red skirt was just a little too long for her. No, she certainly wasn't a stranger to him.
Natsume looked at his watch and swore. He was running late. He resolved to apologize to her when she returned.
Months passed. The people welcomed a new year. They held their annual January Dance in a big hall in the centre of the town. Blushing youths paid homage to St. Valentine. Birds chirped as spring sprung upon all of them. Flowers dotted the countryside and worms began to peek out again much to the farmers' annoyance. Finally, it grew so hot that the people began to think longingly of winter, remembering the cool noon rather than the icy nights.
It was on one such sweltering day that Natsume entered his office an hour earlier than usual. The loud buzzing of summer insects in his garden had made it impossible for him to sleep the previous night and he had decided to go the post office instead of spending another moment in their unpleasant company.
He idly flipped through the stacks of letters arranged in neat piles on his desk. A faded yellow envelope caught his eye and he picked it up.
It was a letter addressed to Mikan Sakura by Hotaru Imai.
He looked at it in disbelief, recalling the woman who had haunted the post office when he had begun work in this district. She had been an unusual individual, optimistic and cheerful. He thought of their explosive last encounter. She had never returned from her supposedly 'two day' trip. Natsume had come to the conclusion that she was as mad as the grapevine made her out to be and now spent her time harassing some other postmaster in another area.
He kept the letter aside and began to sift through the pile again. Suddenly, a burst of refreshingly cool wind flowed in from his office door. He looked up and saw Mikan standing there, smiling smugly. Her eyes sparkled far more than they ever had earlier, as though they were filled with stars. She didn't say a word, just held a hand out for her letter.
Surprised by her unexpected reappearance, he said, "I know I didn't get a chance to say this before but…" A strange sense of urgency filled him. It was vital for him to tell her he was sorry now.
Another gust of wind, colder than the previous, rushed into the room making the hair on the back of his neck stand. Natsume quickly picked up the letter and moved forward to hand it to her. But before he could give it to her, he heard Sumire's voice call from the window at the other end of the room "Natsume!"
He turned and shouted, "Can't you do something on your own for a change? I'll be along in a minute! Sorry about that, Mikan, she's just…"
Natsume was alone in his office.
Sumire's head popped up in the window and she said, looking wounded, "I just wanted to wish you a good morning, Natsume."
He was still staring at the spot Mikan had been. "Did you see Mikan on her way in?"
"Mikan Sakura? She died last winter. A train she was travelling by had an accident."
That evening, the setting sun witnessed Natsume Hyuuga standing near Mikan Sakura's grave, placing a bouquet of flowers and envelope on it with a whispered, "Thank you."
Natsume returned to his hometown and made his peace with the villagers. Initially everyone, including his sister, thought that it was a hopeless task but he was determined and after a few weeks of near-constant jeers, things improved. He found his childhood friend Ruka Nogi and they started an extremely successful company together. Ruka was startled but pleased by the drastic changes in his friend. Natsume was no longer the doomsday prophet he had become after the fire. Instead, he was the one encouraging Ruka at moments when business was bad and their self confidence at it's lowest.
However, he still returned to Mikan's grave annually to place flowers on it. He also kept a letter hidden in the bouquet and though the rotting flowers were always there when he returned the next year, the letters were always mysteriously missing.
END