Near, yet far
Etsuko: Hey~ this is a new chappie for my first solo piece. Thank you very much for your support :D
My friend read chapter one and said that she wanted to kill me... hopefully she will not. Or else I will not be able to continue the story...
About being confusing sometimes, I will try to make it less complicated and maybe the story will flow nicely.
Thank you once again
Natsume's Pov
Huh? 'I love you'? What are you talking about?
'Dom' the sound of a plastic bag dropping could be heard.
Almost immediately, both of our heads – Hotaru and me- rotated to the source of the sound.
The only thing I saw was Mikan looking like a stone. As if in slow motion, she turned and ran towards the town.
My body moved by itself. "Mikan!" My hand reached out as if it wanted to catch her small frail body. Still clutching onto me, Hotaru shook her head as though she did not want me to leave her.
What should I do?
I just noticed that Ruka was standing there, witnessing this whole scene. Looking at him with a desperate look on my face, he turned and chase after Mikan.
Luckily Ruka got my message... Now, what should I do with Hotaru?
Mikan's Pov
Baka! Why did I run away? Hotaru just confessed her love to Natsume, so why should I run away? It is normal for middle school students to date right? So why is it I felt so uncomfortable? Why? Why? Why!?
Tears started to roll down my cheeks without me knowing the reason why. Why? I keep asking myself that question. Why?
It suddenly started raining heavily, I am still running, I am still crying. Why? Drenched from head to toe, I stopped in the middle of the path in the shopping district.
Sound of splashing water came closer and closer to me; I did not move. That someone came to a halt behind me. Why? Unexpectedly, that person embraced me, holding me tight and close to his body.
"Mikan..." His voice came floating into my ears.
Ruka-Pyon...
"Just now you asked me whether I have a date for the prom, I told you I have not asked that person yet right?" He paused to let me recall. I nodded my head. "I finally found the courage to ask her." He paused again, leaving enough time for his words to sink into my head.
"Will you go out with me?"
His speech circled in my mind – especially his last sentence. All these are happening too fast for me to think clearly, my mind is spinning; I am feeling dizzy.
I passed out.
In the hospital
Coming around to find my mind still whirling around, I saw Ruka sleeping on the chair beside the bed. I saw Ruka awakening. I smiled at him, barely remembering what had happened yesterday.
"Oh you are awake! Do you want some water?" He handed me a cup of water.
Each sip I took from the cup, I remembered something- Some things that happened yesterday. The shopping trip with Ruka, Hotaru's confession to Natsume, and the feelings I sensed.
By the time I finished the cup of water, I remembered everything clearly. From the part when we went to shopping to the part when Ruka confessed to me in the rain. Not to mention the question I kept asking myself 'Why?'
What should I do? Maybe I should jus-
"Are you okay?" a voice interrupted my thoughts. Looking into his blue eyes, I could tell that he is genuinely worried about me. I have made up my mind.
"Yeah! I am fine!" smiling, as I handed him the empty cup.
Taking the cup from my hands, he stated calmly, "Don't worry about yesterday. It's okay if you don't want to, I am not forcing you." He gave me a small smile.
Even though his voice sounded calm, I could feel a wave of disappointment in his speech.
I shook my head as in disagreeing to his statement, "No, it's my pleasure."
As soon as I said it, his face lit up immediately. "Really!?"
I smiled at him as I nodded my head.
It's going to be just fine...
"From now onwards call me Mikan, okay?"
"M- Mikan-chan!"
"Yes?" I grinned at him.
He beamed back at me.
Ruka's Pov
In his room
"Mikan-chan accepted me! What about your side?"
"Natsume-kun said that he doesn't mind."
"So operation X is a success!" I was really glad that all things ended well.
"Found you Ru-ka~" I spun around to look at my lover.
"Yes. Let's go for lessons now, Mikan-chan" It surprised me how I was able to say her name with a "chan" so naturally, as if I had been saying it for years. "See you, Hotaru-san"
I held her small hand as we walked to the school building together.
On the way, Natsume suddenly appeared from nowhere and he seemed to notice us.
"Oh! Hello Natsume!" Mikan greeted as the dark haired guy approaches us.
I think I saw Natsume's eyes widening when he saw that we held hands.
"Congratulations." He had an expression that I have never seen before and he walked off before I could even say a word of thanks.
Is he going for lessons?
In the classroom
"Mikan-chan, let's sit together shall we?" I asked as we stepped into the classroom.
Showing the same smile as before, she replied "Okay!"
For a moment, everyone seemed to be doing their homework. The next moment, everyone was crowding around us.
"Oh my god! Are you two dating?"
"How long has it been?"
"Congrats!"
Only permy is fuming in a corner.
The only thing I could do to answer their questions is to smile and rub the back of my head with my hand. At the corner of my eyes, I saw Mikan looking really happy. And with just that, it made me feel glad.
Natsume's pov
As I walked towards the dormitory to pick up Hotaru, I saw Mikan and Ruka holding hands. Are they dating? I did not know. But I only knew that I am not really happy for them even though I am supposed to be.
"Natsume-kun, are you alright?" the person holding my hands asked.
"Yea."
I glanced at her. She looked somewhat different; more softer and gentler.
Flashback
"Mikan!" My hand reached out as if it wanted to catch the small frail body. Still clutching onto me, Hotaru shook her head as though she did not want me to leave her.
What should I do?
I just noticed that Ruka was standing there, witnessing this whole scene. Looking at him with a desperate look on my face, he turned and chase after Mikan.
Luckily Ruka got my message... Now, what should I do with Hotaru?
"Don't go..." She pleaded me.
What should I do? Hotaru did not do anything wrong to me, she did not do anything to harm my friends. It doesn't matter to me.
"Go out with me...."
"Fine. I don't mind."
Flashback ended
As we came closer to the classroom, we saw a crowd.
What is that?
Approaching the crowd, we realised that the source of the swarm is actually Ruka and Mikan.
What is going on here? What's the fuss about?
"Oh look! Is that Hotaru and Natsume together?"
"Oh my god!"
"Congrats!"
"How long have you been together already?"
Questions keep bombarding us. Can't they leave us in peace?
Finally for what it seems like hours, the crowd is dispersed due to Hotaru's statement. "One question and one answer, give me 100 yen."
Now, looking at us was the other couple. Yet, they seemed so far from us.
"Congratulations Natsume! Congratulations Hotaru!"
Is it just me or Mikan's voice become somewhat less energetic?
I just managed to mumble a word of thanks.
"Shall we go, Mikan-chan?"
Since when did ruka started to call Mikan by her name and with a 'chan' at the back? Oh... I forgot that they are dating...
Morning lessons ended, lunch break
"Natsume-kun, hungry?" Hotaru asked as she produced two bentos.
"um" I replied as I lifted up the lid.
I scanned through the classroom to look for Ruka and Mikan. However, there were no signs of them.
I wonder where they went... In the past, we used to eat lunch together. But now, it seems like we are drifting further apart from each other. I wonder why...
Mikan's Pov
I could still remember the past when we ate our lunch together. But now it is only my and Ruka here together on the rooftop.
"The view here is good, isn't it?"
"yeah" I replied, giving him a fake smile.
And that question came back to me again.
Why?
A/N
Etsuko: So that's all people (: Hope you all liked my chapter two. This chapter I wrote within one day so I expect plenty of mistakes. Sorry. But nonetheless, I put in all my efforts to write this chapter, spending a lot of time to think what shall happen next.
Disclaimer: I do not own GA blah blah blah. We all know it right?
By the way, if you guys like Katekyo Hitman Reborn! And Gakuen Alice, my friend and I wrote a crossover for the above mentioned animes. It is called Resolution, ongoing.
Please click on the green box below. Thank you!
