DISCLAIMER: I do not own Gakuen Alice and the songs with its lyrics that will be used in the one shot drabbles.
Melodies of Life – a collection of one shot drabbles with different genres that were based off from a song.
Notice: Some lyrics were cut off by me... :D I didn't put all the lyrics to avoid redundancy. :)
NOTES: Not based from the GA Anime. Contains Ruka's OOCness. He's a lot cheerful here. *.* And Hotaru's soft side... :3
You'll be Safe Here
( - Rivermaya)
Written by LunarChan
(Hotaru Imai and Ruka Nogi)
[Romance/Hurt/Comfort]
Nobody knows just why we're here...
Could it be fate or random circumstance?
At the right place, at the right time
Two roads intertwined...
I would always remember that day. That day I lost at the Science Fair. It was the first time I lost. And I felt so bad.
Do you know how it feels when it was the first time that you got a zero from your test? When everybody was hoping that you could actually get a perfect score? When you tried your best, but your best wasn't good enough? That was what I felt.
Everybody was cheering for me. Everybody placed their bets on me. Everybody hoped that I had the guts to win.
And I did, too.
My life was so miserable. I felt like I had lost myself. That I had lost the real me.
It was after that Science Fair when I was going back to my house after meditating a little while on the riverside of the city. The roads were pretty dark, if not for the lamps that give out light. The sun was setting and the sky looked slightly orange. It matched my feelings right now, and I so wanted to pour out everything I've been feeling. But the fact that I was emotionally constipated didn't help at all.
I wanted to scream and shout, to tell the whole world about what grief was inside of me. But, hell. I can't do anything. The throbbing continued to ache on my chest.
As the whole town knew who I was, The Ice Queen, now I think that that alias pretty suits me.
Biting my lip, I rounded the corner and was thrown off balanced by the guy I've bumped into. I felt something slightly hot go down my shirt.
I wanted to curse, but instead, I just yanked my shirt slightly away from me as I turned to glare at the one who bumped me.
I saw his blonde hair tousled and he clutched his head on the ground. "Ow," He flinched ever so slightly, and the boxes were on the floor, noodles poured out. The heavy scent of noodles can be smelt in the air. "Oh for the love of all that's holy!" His words didn't make sense.
What on earth is this guy saying? Some kind of an old phrase or something?
"My Dad would practically kill me." He growled unimpressively and he stood as he gathered the boxes on his hands. His lips were turned down to a frown.
"Excuse me," He had forgotten all about me.
"Oh," He stared at me and my shirt that was stained with noodle soup. "Oh I'm so sorry I didn't mean to pour it on you. I was on a hurry to–"
My stomach grumbled loudly to stop his storytelling and he blinked twice before laughing. If only I was in the mood to joke around, I would actually smile back, but I wasn't... So I glared at him.
"Oh sorry." He looked down at his feet. "If you want, you can come by our Noodle Restaurant to eat for a free bowl..."
I was hungry and I think comfort food is what I need. But I didn't think it would be noodles, this time. But he said it was for free... So... "Okay," I agreed.
His face lit up like a genie granted his wish. He smiled a full-toothed smile at me. "Come with me."
I felt my heart throbbed again and I don't know whether I was still affected by that Science Fair or that I was just too hungry.
Maybe it's just my stomach.
.
.
.
And if the universe conspired
To meld our lives, to make us fuel and fire...
Then, know wherever we will be...
So, too, shall I be...
He was being scolded in front of me as soon as we reached their restaurant. I was just standing timidly there behind him, when his father noticed me and narrowed his eyes to look at me.
"Is this your girlfriend?" His father bluntly asked and I suppressed the urge to laugh, the Science Fair thing slightly pushed out of my mind.
"No!" He exasperated. "I kind of bumped into her and accidentally spilled the noodle soup on her shirt so I offered a free bowl of noodle soup here."
"That will be counted as your allowance for tomorrow." His father deduced and he smiled openly at me. He gestured for me to sit near the counter and I nodded before turning my heel to walk.
"No!" I heard him protest to his father.
"It was your fault." His father argued.
"But no. Tomorrow will be my first day since I transferred schools and my allowance had just been cut? I mean, come on, Dad!" He whined.
A smile was beginning to form on my lips, so I had to slightly clear my throat for it to disappear before it even appears. What was with that convoluted sentence?
I sat at the chair quietly and the blonde boy handed me the menu card. I took it and my eyes shifted at the prices' list first, than the noodle names.
This is free, so I had to order the most expensive one. At least, I got to taste it with not even a penny on my hands.
I pointed at the most expensive noodle as soon as I spotted it and he nodded. "Drinks?"
"Free?" I asked.
"Yes." He nodded.
My eyes scrolled through the lists of beverages. "Mango shake."
"On the way." He wrote something on a small notepad and walked away.
-xXxXx-
I was looking absently at the window. Yesterday's events flooded my mind and I don't know whether to be happy or not.
I forgot to ask what the blonde's name is.
I heard the door slide open and I jerked my head to see a familiar face enter the classroom. His messy blonde hair stood out and he was scanning the faces of my classmates one by one to see if there's someone who already knows him. I don't know why, but there's something on the back of my mind that tells him to look at me.
His eyes bore into mine and his lips curled up into a grin. It took him only thirteen steps to reach me. Am I unlucky?
"Hey," He called as he slipped to the empty seat beside me.
"Uh, hey," I mumbled unintelligently.
"So, was the noodles good?" He asked.
"I'm not talking to strangers." My mouth suddenly said and I wanted to pinch my mouth. Darn it.
He chuckled. "You're not talking to strangers, yet you came with me yesterday to get a free order of noodles, huh?" He smirked, then. "I'm Ruka Nogi, by the way."
Ruka...
"Hotaru Imai." I said in a flat voice.
My heartbeat increased its pace, and it was beating an odd, frantic beat.
The world has gone mad, hasn't it? With my lips pursed, I shifted my eyes back to the clouds outside the window.
.
.
.
Close your eyes,
Dry your tears...
'Cause when nothing seems clear...
You'll be safe here...
From the sheer weight of your doubts and fears,
Weary heart...
You'll be safe here.
"But I lost." I deadpanned. "Why do you still want me to be the representative for that Biology Quiz Bee? Yuu can do better."
Misaki-sensei sighed for the umpteenth time. "Hotaru, everybody has their weaknesses... But you don't have to let it bring you down. I chose you because I trust you. I know you can do this."
I sighed, too. Defeated. "I can't promise you good results." For some reasons, I felt less confident this time. My knees were undeniably shaking and I feared losing the quiz bee more than anything. I have to win it, no matter what.
"Just do your best, Hotaru." Misaki-sensei smiled at me and patted my shoulder. "It's okay to lose sometimes. You're actually gaining more, if you lose." What he last said made no sense. Hah. How can I gain more if I lose? That's just nonsense.
With that, he waved and returned to the faculty room, abandoning me in the lab room.
I sat in one of the high stools and opened my bag. The thick Biology book made a loud thud as I placed it in front of me.
Better get this over with...
My eyes scanned the book, trying to implant all those facts stated in the book.
...
...
"Go Hotaru!"
"You can do it, Hotaru!"
"IMAI! IMAI! IMAI!"
My usual calm façade gave off no doubt that I knew the answer, but my brain was squeezing out all the information on my head, trying to get the correct answer. Snap. What is this again? My eyes twitched irritably as the seaweed-head raised his hand.
The audience gasped.
"Correct." The judge announced and I felt my heart squeezed so tight on my chest. My breathing became harsher. "And the winner is..."
Before he could even finish his sentence, I stood up and ran, leaving them in awe and amusement. My eyes felt stingy and tears threatened to fall.
No. No. No. No.
...
A loud gasp escaped my lips as I opened my eyes and scanned the room around me. I saw the book in front of me and I blinked thrice.
It was a dream. I sighed. My sigh was both a sigh of relief and fear. I slept. It was a nightmare, not a dream.
I grabbed my book and placed it inside my bag carefully. Standing up, I could feel my knees buckle slightly as I remember my dream.
I could lose.
And when that happens...
All of my friends' and the students' faces suddenly flashed on my mind, with their disgusted emotions. "Oh, the Hotaru Imai lost." "She's no biggie, after all." "She's just pretending to be smart."
My breathing came out as pants and my eyes were suddenly wet.
The door swung open and I heard someone gasp or sigh. "Hotaru?"
I turned around, wiped the wet thing out of my eyes. "Uh, yeah?"
"What are you doing here... Alone?" He asked and I heard him move towards me.
I grabbed my bag and wheeled towards the other door. "I was studying and I fell asleep. I gotta go now. Bye."
"Hey, wait." He suddenly grabbed my shoulder.
"What?" I asked, an octave high. I didn't turn around to look at him.
"Are you crying?"
"No," I tried to keep my voice from shaking. "I'm not."
"Then let me see your face." He ordered.
"No," I tried to break free of his grip on my shoulders but he yanked me and I was now facing him. I looked down on my feet and suddenly, the threatening tears came to fall flatly on my face.
"Wh-Hotaru!" His voice was surprised. "W-Why are you crying? Are you hurt?"
"N-No." I shook my head and my voice barely escaped from shaking. "I gotta go. My eyes are just itchy." I wiped my tears away with my left hand.
"No." His velvet voice was suddenly filled with concern. "No. You're crying. Why?"
"It's nothing." I looked up to glare at him, but I don't know what my face expression was. He looked so worried at me, his brows almost meeting at the center. That made me choke and cry a bit more.
"H-Hey," Ruka patted my shoulder. "W-What happened?"
"Nothing." I lied.
"You're not going to cry if nothing happened." He squeezed my shoulders lightly. "Tell me. I won't tell anyone, I promise."
I sniffed and then looked at him. He was serious. "I... I had a nightmare." My voice was thick and I sounded hoarse.
"Oh," He suddenly dropped his arms and held my wrist. He sat on one of the chairs. He smiled and tapped the chair beside him.
Not having second thoughts, I sat down.
"What kind of nightmare?"
"I..." I don't know how to continue anymore. "I can't tell you. I really should be going now."
I tried to stand up but he held my shoulders firmly.
"No." He shook his head. "Sit down." I did. "You're not going to leave this room crying."
Awkward silence filled the room before he coughed. "Come on. You can tell me." His smile told me it was okay. That I actually needed someone to tell what I fear of. That someone is actually willing to listen to my nonsense fear. That someone actually had the time to reassure and to smile warmly at me.
"I..." I pursed my lips. "I had a nightmare..."
"About...?"
"I lost in the Biology Quiz Bee." I looked down, sensing that he would laugh. But he didn't.
"Oh," was what he said. "Are you crying because you lost?"
I nodded, afraid that a sob might escape from my mouth.
He smiled again his warm smile and I felt ticklish all over. My cheeks felt instantly warmer and my stomach was doing back flips. "It's okay. You know what? I actually had a nightmare, too. In which I turned into a pickle and that all of my friends were tickling me and was saying 'Die! Die you worthless pickle!'" He laughed. "I'm not into tickle fights." He made a face of disgust. "And I hate pickles, too..."
I just stared at him. It was two minutes before my frozen face smiled and I laughed a little.
"There." He nodded. "That smiling face suits you better. You look prettier, smiling."
When he said that, it's as if the time stopped and all I wanted was to hear him assure me that everything will be okay.
"So stop crying now." He patted my back slightly. I almost flinched. I'm not used to having guys touch me... But his touch was gentle and reassuring.
"You'll be okay." He nodded and his lips carved his most charming smile. "You'll be safe, I promise."
Safe with what? That didn't make sense but that made my heart skip one beat and then raced against the clock's second hand to beat.
To ruin the moment, the bell rang. He immediately stood up. "Oh no. I should go. Narumi-sensei told me to check something on the library." With a last pat on my back, he waved and dashed away.
I swallowed my bile while staring after him.
I... I... I bit my lip as a realization hit me.
I wanted to deny. But it was too late for that. I...
.
.
.
And though the world would never understand...
This unlikely union...
And why it still stands...
Someday we will be set free...
Pray and believe...
"Hey, have you heard that the cute blonde guy on Class B is always with that freaky science girl?"
"Really?"
I stopped dead on my tracks as I heard those lines.
"Yeah. They said they were always talking with each other. And they have also seen that girl smiled a little!"
"Wait? Who?"
"Duh? Hotaru Imai!"
I felt my heart squeeze a little at the mention of my name. I don't want to pry, but they are absolutely talking out loud inside the comfort room.
"The Ice Queen?"
"Yeah."
"The Ice Queen smiled? ! Are you serious?"
"Yeah! What's more, she even laughed a little!"
"What? !"
"They don't actually fit together."
"I know. He's way too cool for that freak science genius."
"Science genius?" Someone laughed. "You call her a genius? She lost the Science Fair last week!"
"What?"
"Yeah. She lost. I was counting on her to win, actually. But in the nick of time, her opponent changed his answer and he got it correct."
"But shouldn't that be just equal?"
"No. Ice Queen didn't get the correct answer on the last one." A bitter laugh. "Wrong spelling."
"Seriously?" Another laugh.
"Yeah, seriously. And here I thought she's smart."
"Boo. I don't care about her science career jibbajabs anyway. I just want her to butt out of Ruka's life. She'll just infect him with science freakiness or some sort of 'her' disease."
Someone laughed. "What disease?"
"You know? Her Ice Queen glare... It gives me goose bumps! And... Her love for money!"
The other one laughed. "Right. Her greediness when it comes to money."
"Ah," Someone giggled. "Don't worry, she'll love money more than our Ruka."
I heard mixed laughs of several girls and I didn't want to hear anything anymore so I sprinted away.
I sat on the bench outside our building.
T-They're right... I'm so greedy and selfish...
.
.
.
When the light disappears,
And when this world's insincere...
You'll be safe here...
When no one understands,
I'll believe...
You'll be safe here...
I stared at the ribbon in front of my hands.
2nd place on the Biology Quiz Bee
Hotaru Imai
Congratulations!
I lost again. I don't know what happened. I reviewed so much. I...
I lost again.
I sighed as I stared at the sun that was now setting behind the clouds.
"Sightseeing?" I looked back to see a blonde guy smiling at me.
I truned around again and faced the bay.
"Hmm," He murmured as he sat beside me. "You're sulking again."
"I'm not sulking." I replied immediately.
He laughed. "Yeah, yeah. You're not? But you looked like you've been eaten by a shark."
"I'm not." My frown deepened.
He sighed. "Bah. Who cares if you lost? You did your part, anyway. You reviewed like you were possessed, you even slept two hours last night just to come fully prepared for that stupid quiz bee."
I felt down by what he said.
"Don't let it get the best out of you. It's just a challenge. Take it as a challenge. It's a stepping stone for you to step higher. To reach further..."
"I... I know." I nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll be here." He touched my hand and gripped it tightly. I cringed a little, I was surprised.
"Wha–Thank you." I mumbled unimpressively.
"Like always," He murmured.
"Thank you, Ruka. Thank you." I repeated, knowing that he always makes me feel better.
"Feel better." He agreed and shifted his eyes back to the watching the sun set.
My eyes wandered back to the sun, too. Just then, I realized what Misaki-sensei meant, You're actually gaining more, if you lose. I lost the Quiz Bee, but I gained a friend and learned not to give up...
I gained someone who cares for me. Someone who doesn't give a damn if I lost a billion times...
And he's right here, holding my hand, and watching the sun with me...
He suddenly lifted my hand that he was holding. He broke my reverie.
He smiled as he put my hand – with his hand on top – on my chest, where my heart was beating.
"Put your heart in my hands..." His smile was so dazzling. "You'll be safe here..."
THE END
Author's Notes:
I love the song and it inspired me to do another song drabble.
I know the plot was way too common, but I just love the song. Listen to it. I promise, you'll love it. :))
Leave a review and tell me what you think. ;)
Thanks.
~ LunarChan (11-03-11)