Gakuen Alice does not belong to me . . .

Chapter 1 Smile

Five years later a girl dance around a small clearing filled with flowers as her pigtails sway around her. She seems to glow in the ray of the morning sun as her eyes shine to the joy she felt at that moment. Small monsters move with her to keep her company but they could help it, her smile was dazzling and contagious. The moment was beautiful yet a rustle of leaves was all it took to destroy it. The monsters flee their sight as another girl made herself to the clearing.

The girl turns to see her friend and greeted "Permy!"

The girl was in front of her in an instant and yells "don't call me that! It's Sumire. How many times do I have to tell you?"

The girl giggles and apologize saying "sorry Sumire, I can't help it, by the way what are you doing here?" as she tilt her head innocently.

It was adorable but Sumire would never admit that then it dawn to her why she was there and scold her "baka, I should be the one asking you that!"

She ran from her and was sawn to knee down right in the middle of the clearing. As she stood up and turn to her, the girl radiant so much joy with a bundle of flowers in her arn and said "see, see, aren't these flowers pretty! I'm going to give them to Hotaru!"

At the mention of that name, Sumire look down casted and said "ne Mikan, Hotaru is leaving to today . . ."

The flowers fell to the ground, ignored by both girls. Mikan tried to muster up a smile and said "ne Sumire, don't joke like that, Hotaru said that she will never leave me behind."

Sumire was mad, her friend was an air head, why was she her friend again? She made a move to head back to the village and said "Hotaru is leaving today, believe me or not, just don't regret and it if you don't hurry, you might never see her again."

Mikan shot pass her and to the village. Sumire stood where she was as she saw her go and said "KOKORO YOME how long do you plan to hide!"

A boy with spiky hair appears with a smile and said "you weren't supposed to tell Mikan, Hotaru didn't want her to know."

Sumire quickly wipe away a fallen tear and said "then you better not say anything about this," and headed back to the village with Koko following closely behind her.

Mikan races through the fields with her pig tails flowing behind her and headed straight to the village in tears. As she approaches its huge wall, people could be seen sending someone off but the girl only cried harder and cry out "Hotaru!" The girl in question turns to face her only to see an incoming embrace. Hotaru saw that coming and open her jacket to pull out a gun. In an instant, she shot Mikan with her baka gun, sending her flying ten feet away.

A mere seconds later, Mikan sat up straight as she tries to dry her tears and said "you're so cruel Hotaru, leaving me behind without even saying goodbye."

Hotaru drew in a deep sighed and took out a handkerchief; she pinch her friend's cheek as she wipe away the tears and said "this is why I didn't want to tell you." Then she hit her head again but only this time it was with her deer hove and said quietly "I hate crybabies so keep on smiling Mikan."

Mikan smiles at her friend's kind gesture and nodded saying "Mikan will always smile so don't worry and come back safely."

The thin line on Hotaru's face curved a little and replies "well, we'll see." She turns away and heads towards the growing sun. That was the last time they saw each other but true to her friend's wish, she will continue to smile.

When Sumire arrive with Kokoro, she went up to Mikan and said "don't worry she will only be gone for a few years." A simple pat on her shoulder and there she left Mikan alone.

Mikan smile and thought to herself 'that's right, pull yourself together Mikan. Hotaru, I'll be here to welcome you back with a smile.' Hotaru had already disappear down the road but Mikan continue to watch a bit more before she too left but not before she took one last look.

AN: there you have it ch. 1 and to anyone who is curious, Hotaru have to leave for the city, think of it as a business trip or something like that . . .