Disclaimer: Credits to the rightful owners.

Author's Note: Thanks for taking interest with my story. Anyways, I suggest that you read Dance With My Father first to understand what's going on here. You'll find it on my profile. This is its prequel by the way. Don't worry, Dance With My Father is a ONE-SHOT story so it won't take long to read.


Way Back Home

Part 1


One week after the mission.

The blonde man with amethyst eyes didn't want to tell her about the sad news because he knew it will surely break her heart so much. Even his heart broke after hearing the bad news from his former students. Now, he was in front of her house, his very lovable former student, his favorite who he treated as his own daughter.

He wondered what would happen to her beautiful bright smile when she heard the sad news. He then knocked on the door. He didn't use the doorbell. He just wanted to knock even though he knew that there was only 20% chance that someone from the inside would hear his knocks so that he could gain more courage to tell her about the somber news.

. . .

'It's 2:30pm and Hotaru will bring Hoshiro here at 3pm. This will be done before Nami wakes up and Hotaru arrives.' Mikan thought while humming a song. She was baking cookies for Namiko and Hoshiro.

[Knock! Knock!]

Someone's knocking! Is that Hotaru and Hoshiro-chan? Are they already here? Is there something wrong with the doorbell, why aren't they using it?

"Coming!" She shouted.

. . .

No, he couldn't tell her about it. He didn't want to tell her. He just couldn't break her heart. It was his fault why this had all happened. He didn't want her to hate him. He was about to walk away when the door opens.

'Don't run away, Narumi. You have to tell her even if it breaks her heart. You just can't run away like this. Sooner or later she will learn about it. Oh God! Please give me courage to tell her.' Narumi thought.

"Narumi-Sensei, why are you here? Please come in. Nami's sleeping. Do you want me to wake her up?" The woman with long auburn hair asked after opening the door. She then tried to ring the doorbell and it works. She was confused to why Narumi didn't use the doorbell.

Narumi walked inside, following Mikan. She was leading him towards their living room. He could see that Mikan's health was not yet back to her usual energetic self. She's still sick. Her face is pale and she had lost a few pounds. She was kind of skinnier than before. 'What's happening to her?'

"Do you want anything Narumi-Sensei, a juice or a coffee?" Mikan asked him.

"No, thank you Mikan-chan. I just came here to tell you something important. And then I'll go. I'm kinda busy." Narumi said to ease the tension that was building up inside him. Now, how can he tell her about the awful news when she is not feeling well? He doesn't want anything to happen to her.

Mikan looked at Narumi. 'There's something wrong with him. He doesn't waltz while entering our house which he always does. And he always asked about Nami when he comes here, but not today. And then, instead of ringing the doorbell, he just knocked. Whatever he must tell me, I'm sure that it's not good. Why am I so nervous? It's not a bad news, right?'

"I know you're very busy Narumi-Sensei. Thanks for coming all the way here to tell me about that. I hope nothing's wrong with the academy." Mikan said.

'I wonder what Natsume will say if he learns that Narumi-Sensei's not acting like himself. Speaking of Natsume, he hasn't come home up until now. It's been a week. Their mission had supposedly ended two days ago. In the academy days, his missions always last only for three days and he returned before the third day ends. Maybe he'll come home tonight. I should prepare the shower since he always wanted to take a shower after work.' Mikan thought. Just thinking about Natsume's coming home makes her excited.

"You see, Mikan-chan. A-about the…" Just as Narumi was about to tell her the sad news, the sounds of the doorbell rang through the house.

[Ding dong! Ding dong!]

"Maybe that's Hotaru and Hoshiro-chan. I'll just open the door Narumi-Sensei. Please wait for a while." She said then run to the door before Hotaru destroys her door with her inventions.

Narumi sighs. 'This isn't good. How can I tell her? What should I do? I don't want to see her crying. It breaks my heart.'

Just as Mikan said, Hotaru and her son were the one arrived with Ruka though. After seeing Mikan's guest, Ruka and Hotaru's eyes became a bit sad. They already knew about the sad news yesterday. And the only one who still didn't know is Mikan. MSP and HSP gave ESP the task to tell her about it. They also told Hotaru and Ruka to stay silent for a while before they confirm that he's really gone. Now that it was confirmed, they needed to tell her.

"I baked cookies, maybe you want some? It's for Nami and Hoshi but I baked enough for others to eat." Mikan offered to the three. Hoshi went upstairs to wake up Nami and play.

"Please don't bother Mikan-chan. Nami really loves your cookies so you should just give it to the kids." Narumi said.

"Are you sure?" Mikan asked. Narumi nodded.

"As to what I am saying, Mikan-chan, please be strong for Nami." Narumi paused. Mikan looked at him confusedly and then to Hotaru and Ruka. But Hotaru and Ruka's eyes avoided her.

"What are you saying, Narumi-Sensei? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Mikan asked. She's becoming scared of what Narumi's point is.

"The mission of assassinating the ESP was already done two days ago. It was successful." Narumi said.

"That's great, Narumi-Sensei. If the mission was finished two days ago, why is Natsume not home yet? Is there another mission for them? Are the former-ESP's men still causing trouble?" Mikan asked but she already has a clue to what Narumi-sensei would tell her. She just doesn't want to think about it because that's impossible to happen.

"We haven't told you about this because it's not confirmed yet. Natsume was assassinating the former ESP when the bombs from the warehouse exploded. Many were injured. We looked for Natsume but we can't find him. Since the bomb was near him and the ESP, we concluded that his body was destroyed by the bomb's explosion." Narumi continued. Mikan didn't want to hear all this.

NO! That's impossible! That's not true!

"The only thing we found at the burnt warehouse was this." Narumi showed her the necklace. The orange alice stone which she gave him when he found her at the balcony. She was being held hostage at that time by the ESP. That's the Alice stone they used for the Alice stone exchanged. And that was the evidence that they became engaged that time. She received Natsume's crimson Alice stone in return.

Mikan slowly gets the necklace and put the pendant in her palm. A tear fell down from her cheek. She didn't want to cry because she didn't want to believe it.

"No! Natsume will be back! He promised me that he would come back alive. He will come back! He's not yet dead! He's alive! Hotaru, tell them that he's still alive." Hotaru just looked at her with sad eyes and then hugged her. It wasn't the first time she hugged her first, but it was always Mikan who hugged Hotaru first. One was when her grandpa died. She pushed Hotaru. If Hotaru hugged her, then that means it's all true, that Natsume died along the assassination.

"Hahahaha! That's really a bad joke, Narumi-Sensei. Maybe you're just tired of being the ESP since there were too many kids to handle. You should taste the cookies I baked." Mikan said while walking towards the kitchen, but her eyes are full of tears. The three just looked at her with very sad eyes. She doesn't want to acknowledge the truth. They understood her more than anyone else. She loved Natsume so much.

"Mommy!" Nami called from behind. They didn't notice the two children came.

"Nami, you're up! Do you want cookies?" Mikan asked while wiping her tears.

"Is that true? Hoshi told me that Daddy's not coming home forever. That's a lie, right?" Nami asked. Mikan kneeled down to reach Nami and hugged her tight.

"That's right baby! That's a lie. Daddy promised us that he will come back right? You know Daddy doesn't break his promise." Mikan said while sobbing. Nami hugged her back.

"I love you Mommy!" She said.

"I love you too, baby!" Mikan said. She was about to stand up when she felt dizzy. Then after that, she can only see darkness.

"Mommy!" Nami shouted in horror after seeing her mommy fell on the floor.

"Mikan!" The four also shouted horrified.


One year later near the camp of A.G.O. at a small town in Calcutta, India.

"It's been a year since we found him at the seashore, boss Rancho. He's still in coma. Do you think he can still wake up?" A guy with a bandana on his head said while visiting the patient that they brought in a mini private clinic in their small town one year ago. They never paid for the bill since the owner of the clinic is the boss' friend.

"You'll never know Rajuh. It is still early for your question. The guy is still breathing." The guy named Rancho said. He's the leader of the AGO or Anti-Government Organization. Then, the man whom they were talking about suddenly moves.

"Come back home alive! I'll wait for you!" The woman said while sobbing continuously.

"Okay! Nami will be a good girl and will always listen to Mommy. I promise!" The little girl said while giving him a pinky swears. He smiled and gave her a pinky swears. He hugged her while kneeling down. And then he embraced the other girl with them who's sobbing.

"Mi..kan.. Na..mi.. Mi..kan.. Na..mi..!" After murmuring the names, he shouted, "Nooooooo!" and opened his eyes.

"He's awake!" Farhan exclaimed.

"Are you alright?" Rancho asked him. "Call the doctor quickly!" He commanded his men with his baritone voice and assisted the patient to sit. Rancho was stunned by his crimson eyes after they stared at each other. While assisting him, he snapped at him.

"Who are you? Where am I?" The crimson eyed man said in affright. The crimson eyes man didn't know if he should trust this guy that's speaking to him. But he can feel that this man who looks like the boss is not a danger to him.

To be continued. . .


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