Author's Note: Hi! I just decided to make a two-shot story, so please review to tell that you like it or not. If you do like it, I'll continue to make the second shot.

Disclaimer: Do not misunderstood, natsume4mikan's a FAN of Gakuen Alice, not the owner. That would be Higuchi Tachibana.

Once upon a marriage

Part one: Years of waiting

"Where's Mikan?" Yuu asked Hotaru. Hotaru shrugged and called Nonoko to ask the same question but suddenly the door opened and a teacher went into the class.

"Class." Misaki greeted and sighed. Then, he continued, "S-Sakura Mikan had left the school." The class gasped. Hotaru widened her eyes while Natsume's manga fell off his face. "She and her mother are going far away to holiday - a very long period of holiday. And she was the one that insisted to go with her mother and the principal gave permission."

Misaki checked his pocket and felt for something. "Ah - yes, here's a letter for the whole class. These other two are for Imai and Hyuuga." He gave the piece of paper and the students crowded the one letter that Yuu held. Hotaru had her emotionless face but her tears were flowing down her pale cheeks. Natsume stared at the letter.

Dear Natsume,

I'm sorry for not telling you about this but I know later, you will discover yourself. Thank you - for everything. You had protected me all these times. And I thank you for being the first one. The first one who saw my panties, my first enemy, the first one who kissed me, the first one for everything. I just hope you'll wait for me...

Daisuki...

Mikan Sakura.

Natsume sensed drops of tears on the paper. He then saw somebody out the school throught the window next to him. He knew who they were. His heart was hurt in pain but he just remained expressionless.

Mikan gazed the whole school when she arrived at her car. Her eyes started to gather tears and Yuka saw her. She sighed. "Mikan... Are you sure you want to follow me?" Yuka held both Mikan's shoulders. Mikan nodded and smiled truthfully but sad.

"Yes, mom. Although it's hard to leave the academy, it will be harder to let you go. I love you, mother. I don't want to lose you again." she cried.

"I know how you feel, dear." Yuka lowered her tall figure and stared at her daughter in the eyes. She wiped Mikan's tears. "Look. When we leave Tokyo, we'll start a new life together. And you know what, Mikan?" Mikan waited for her next words. "I'm sure father will be there with us, too. And when we're ready, we'll come back to Tokyo, alright?" Mikan smiled and nodded then Yuka hugged her to calm her down.

Mikan could feel the family warmth and cried.

Many years later...

"Onii-chan!!! You're unbelievable!!!" a voice shrieked as the owner pulled the blanket of a sleeping person.

"Tch. What's with you!? It's--" Natsume looked at the clock and grunted. "It's 6 am in the morning, Aoi. What's the fuss?!"

Aoi's teary eyes stared angrily at his brother who just rubbed his head. "I cannot believe you! Why did you actually agree to do what mom asked you to do!?!?!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

Natsume widened his eyes then looked away. "Hn. No big deal, Aoi." he said emotionless.

"I thought... You love Mikan-nee... I thought you will wait for her!!!" she cried and sat on the floor. Natsume stared at his little sister and sighed. He got off the bed and pulled Aoi's hand to help her get up.

"I do." he said. "But, I worry for mother as much as she worries for me." Aoi was about to say something but was cut when Natsume continued. "No choice, Aoi. I've got no choice at all. Mom already worries too much." Aoi zipped her mouth. She had lost all of the words. Then, Natsume ruffled her head as he said, "Hn. Don't worry. I will forever wait for your Mikan-nee." He smiled but forcingly.

"No." Aoi fought.

"What?" Natsume asked, confused.

"No!" she shouted. "If you had agreed to mom's plan, you have no right to wait for her!" Her tears fell down from her eyes as she ran away from Natsume's room, leaving him stoned with her words.

"Yuka!!!" Luna Koizumi screamed when she saw Yuka standing in front of her house. She ran towards her and hugged her tightly.

"Luna... How are you?" Yuka hugged her back.

"I am supposed to ask that to you!!!" she screamed again. "Are you alright? You're hurt? Having a fever?" Luna held Yuka's cheek with her hands as she let go of the hug. "Did you have good times with Mikan?" Yuka dropped her sweat.

"Luna, I'm alright. Don't worry too much, okay? See, I'm fine!" she explained.

"Then why do you come back so late?!" Luna didn't give up.

Yuka rubbed her head. "I was having real family time with Mikan. And I know Izumi was there, too, with us." Yuka gave a small smile. Luna patted her friend's back.

"Of course he did. In fact, he probably standing beside you right now!" she calmed Yuka. Yuka laughed quietly. Luna then gazed her surrounding. "Umm... Where's Mikan?" she asked. Yuka shook her head and smiled.

"She's at the academy. Alice Academy. I decided to permit her to teach there. But she can live with me outside the academy, since that was the condition I asked the academy. After all, her trusted friends are working there, too."

"And they also said that Hyuuga Natsume is working there. After all the mess before, I think I can trust that guy because he was the one who kept protecting my daughter. Mikan talks about him a lot." Yuka smiled.

Luna widened her eyes. "Umm, Yuka... I think I need to tell you something... Why don't we go inside my room first?" she held Yuka's hand and Yuka followed her.

"Mikan, we're very pleased to hear that you're accepted to be a teacher here!" Serina-sensei said as she put her hand on Mikan's shoulder.

"Yeah. It had been long time." Misaki-sensei added, looking away. The Gakuen Alice's teachers gathered to Mikan - who was now about their height - and greeted and congratulated her for being one of the teachers in the academy.

Mikan rubbed her head shyly. "Umm... Thank you, all of my senpai... For taking care of me in Gakuen Alice before..." she blushed.

Jinno and Persona just smiled looking at the grown up Mikan they knew. "Great to have you back, Sakura." Jinno paused. "Just don't make any mess like you did before you left." They all chuckled at the statement. Persona went to her and patted her head like she was still a little girl.

"I'm sure Yukihara Izumi must be so proud of you, Sakura." he said with a smile that still looked creepy to Mikan. Mikan thought it was his natural smile so she just nodded nervously.

"Make ways, make ways, please! Puh-lease, people!" a voice shrieked and stopped when the owner of the voice arrived at the office with her friends. They all widened their eyes when they saw Mikan was crowded by her past teachers.

"MIKAN!!!" they shouted. The teachers and Mikan, herself, turned to see them. Her eyes widened in many feelings; happy, excited and mostly, shocked. They were none other than her closest classmates; Sumire, Kokoro, Kitsuneme, Nonoko, Anna and Yuu.

"Friends!" Mikan shrieked as her tears began to fall. Her friends ran towards her and hugged her eagerly. "Hold on - can't - breathe--!" Mikan stated. Her friend let go of her while Sumire shook her body vigorously.

"We missed you so much!" she kept shaking Mikan's body.

BAKABAKABAKA

"Itai!" Sumire rubbed her head as she fell on the ground and they all turned to where the shots came from except for Ruka who helped Sumire up. It was none other but the infamous favourited Ice-Queen in Gakuen Alice. She blew the smoke that came out from her baka gun after the shots.

"H-Hotaru?!" Mikan blushed. Little did Hotaru glanced at her and smiled. Mikan saw it and ran towards her and hugged her beloved best friend ever. Hotaru didn't dodge or anything, instead, she comforted Mikan's head while she still hugging her.

Ruka smiled at both of them. "Ruka-kuuuuunnnn!!!" Sumire called in her usual tone. Ruka smiled at her and then went towards Mikan.

"Sakura, how do you do?" he shyly asked. "Ruka-pyon!?" Mikan widened her eyes as she turned to Ruka and let go of her best friend.

"W-Wait..." she gazed at her friends. "W-Why are you guys in here?" she asked.

Sumire rolled her eyes and went towards her. "You, still dense as always. We work here. As teachers." she explained.

"Wa? Sugoi!!!" Mikan jumped childishly. They all smiled looking at the usual Mikan they knew. She was happier since she left Gakuen Alice as well Tokyo, with her mother, Yuka Azumi, to forget all the bad memories they had gotten into, and to start a new life. After many years, they came back and lived somewhere in Tokyo. The news spread to Gakuen Alice. So, the principal asked if Mikan could be a teacher in Gakuen Alice. At first, Yuka didn't agree, but at last, she permitted her under one condition.

Unlike all the teachers in the academy - included her friends - Mikan was the only one who can come in or out of the Academy bound, since that was the only thing Yuka asked the school to do if they really wanted Mikan to be there. Yuka really wanted to keep an eye on her daughter she loved so much, so she wouldn't lose her again.

"Ne... Where's Natsume?" she suddenly asked, blushing, that made all the fuss became silent. They all looked at Mikan in pity.

"He's not here." Hotaru said.

W-Why? Is he not a teacher in Gakuen Alice?" Mikan asked, hoping for a satisfying answer.

"He is. He's a Mathematic teacher in here... But he's not here, for quite a while." Anna and Nonoko both said in same time.

"Huh? W-Why? Where is he going?" she asked again.

"Y-You really don't know?" Ruka asked.

Mikan shook her head.

"N-Natsume's getting married... Tomorrow." Sumire explained nervously.

Mikan's eyes started to gather tears but she tried so hard not to let out even just a flow. She had been happy for years after the problems before and she will not let a single sad cry out. Even if it's about Natsume - the person she loved. She looked at them all and suddenly gave a wide smile. "R-Really?! T-That's good for him! W-Who's the lucky girl? I-I m-mean..." she lost her words and people in the room were shocked to see her like that.

"I-I mean... H-He maybe promised to wait for me, but people must go on, right?" she paused. "I-I'm happy for him... Really, really happy."

"S-Sakura..." Ruka took a step forward to Mikan but stopped when Mikan continued.

"N-No, I'm okay. Why wouldn't I? S-So, who's the girl?" she asked, still forcing a smile.

"I-Ibaragi..." Ruka murmured but Mikan still could hear him.

"N-Nobara-chan?! What a relief!" Mikan pretended sighing in joy.

BAM!!!

"Itai!!!!" Mikan shrieked and everyone dropped their sweat looking at Hotaru who wore her horse shoe weapon.

"Baka. Stop it. You're still a bad liar, and you will never be good at it." Hotaru paused. "Hyuuga waited for years for you to come back. And do you think that's what he wants to hear from you?" Mikan widened her eyes while still holding her hurt head. "Go to his ceremony tomorrow."

"N-No! He decided to marry--!" Mikan was interrupted by Ruka.

"--No, he didn't! He loves you so much, Sakura!" he spitted. "Madam Kaoru said that Natsume really had to move on. Natsume declined and insisted that he will still wait for you. Madam Kaoru was waiting for you to come back, too. But she couldn't hold it any longer. She didn't want to see her son hurt of missing. So, she decided to marry Natsume with Nobara, since she knew you trust her so much." he explained, looking down.

"And Natsume had no choice but to agree." Koko continued Ruka's word since he was out of words. "...And so was Nobara." he added.

"Nobara..." Mikan murmured.

"Nobara..."

The beautiful young lady was sitting on her blue bed when she felt her heart beating fast. She widened her eyes then held her chest. "M-Mikan...?"

Author came: Soooooooooo?? Like it? Hate it? Review it! I'll try to update the second shot after I read your reviews. Thank you for reaaaaadiiinngggg!!! :DD