Summer Mails

Chapter One: Harmless Game

Disclaimer: We don't own Gakuen Alice.

Authors's Note: A collaboration story of Infinite Colors and La Princesa Julia. Guess who wrote this chapter! :P

Hotaru's POV

Today was indeed an exhausting day. It would be best if it ended right at this moment. But no, there were still a lot to do; project, papers, and etc. The work load wasn't any problem for me. No, that wasn't it. It was that I did this every single day – go to work, talk to stupid people, go home and study cases. My work became more and more tedious each day. Sometimes, I asked myself "Will this ever end?" or "Will this only stop when I die?"

I hated my job, I really did. I sighed and flipped my laptop open.

You've got mail!

Well, what surprise awaited me now? I clicked the notification and read:

To:hotaruimai(at)cooltech(dot)com

From:mikannogi(at)smillingmsg(dot)com

Subject:Important!

Dear Miss Hotaru Imai,

I 'm Mikan Sakura and I might just need your services as a detective. I found an adoption paper that has my name on it; well my first name. I was wondering if you could look it up and see if it is for real and if the person stated is me or not. My life depends on it. Please reply to this message ASAP!

Attached File(s):1 (Top Secret: A.P.)

I was skeptical, a bit taken aback. How curious that was and I reckoned that the email wasn't meant for me but a namesake. I was a lawyer, often mistaken with the less known detective, also named Hotaru Imai. Nonetheless, that was interesting. Mikan Nogi, the daughter of the famous Nogi family, was facing a scandalous problem such as.

I downloaded the file and scrutinized it.

With no further due, I concluded: Mikan Nogi, or rather Mikan Sakura, was an adopted child. This would certainly make big news. I'd be famous in a snap if I'd leak this out somehow. My career would boom. Everyone would know my name.

But I hesitated. Would it wound my morals? Of course, it would. But I couldn't care less. Bad fame was still fame. Then again, a little game would be interesting. It would be an opportunity to find out more, too. And then, I'd be able to reveal more. Also, I really needed some cash. A little blackmailing wouldn't hurt a wealthy family, would it?

I opened a new window and began composing my message.

To: mikannogi(at)smilingmsg(dot)com

From: hotaruimai(at)cooltech(dot)com

Subject: Reply: Important!

Good day, Miss Mikan Nogi!

I have examined the file and I would like to tell you the result personally. Meet me at the Alice Café downtown at 10 in the morning.

I sat at a table beside the window. The glass was all fogged up, my coffee cold, and my legs cramped. Where the hell was Mikan Sakura? She was supposed to be here an hour ago. Had she ditched me? I didn't think so. She needed something crucial from me. Or perhaps she already saw through my game? It couldn't be. She wasn't smart enough. Heck, she sent a confidential email to the wrong person.

"Excuse me," said someone. I raised my head and found a brunette girl, around the age of 19, standing in front of me. She was smiling. "Hotaru Imai?"

"Yes," I confirmed and gestured to the seat on my opposite. "Have a seat."

"How are you?" I asked her casually, stirring my ice cold coffee.

"Let's get straight to the point," she said instead. I was surprised by her boldness. I snorted in amusement, dropped my head and shook it. But she was serious. She glared intently, "Tell me if I'm adopted or not."

I sucked a breath, looked in her in the eyes, and said, "You're a legitimate Nogi."

She sighed in relief. It was as if she had been about to be gunned and was spared in the last minute. She was even murmuring her thanks to God.

"Have you told your parents about it? You know, it would have been easier if you talked to them," I told her. She whipped her head to face me. There was unexplainable fear in her eyes. And she bit the bait, I recognized. My plan was flowing well.

"No, no," she laughed nervously. I stared at her indifferently. "I can't possibly tell them that I doubt them."

"But you have to tell them, though." My lines played out in my head as I was saying them in a stern tone. "THIS is important. Someone has created a fake document to ruin you. Of course, they have to know."

"No!" She protested. "Let me handle this. I-I can do it myself!" She was panting, perhaps mentally picturing what could happen if her parents found out about her little investigation. She spaced out for a moment, gazing at either the table or an imaginary elf, and then she snapped. She shifted her attention to me and flashed a smile, "Or better, Detective Imai, could you hunt this person down for me? Whoever made this document for leakage?"

"Well, I don't know," I looked down, pretending to consider. At the moment, I felt like I was the most horrible actor on earth, much more horrible than I was as a person. I peeked at the corner of my eye.

"I'll pay you 50, 000," she finally said. That's what I was talking about. I just looked at her, hoping for a raise. "That's a down payment. After you've done it, another 50, 000."

Holy Dora the Explorer!

"Alright," I decided immediately before she might change her mind again. "But I'm only doing it, because it's you."

She squealed, reached over to embrace me. "Thank you so much! I don't know what to do with you around!"

"Okay, okay!" I exclaimed and pushed her off. "That's enough."

"I'll send the payment through your bank account," she informed me.

"Super," I answered and checked my watch. Already standing up, I told her, "It was nice to meet you, Miss Sakura. I'll have the job done as soon as possible."

"Okay! Thanks again, Miss Hotaru!" She grinned.

I nodded and walked out. And that's how you do a business deal.

Now it's time to phone the Nogi's.

Thanks for reading! Reviews are very much appreciated.