Chapter4 finally here...Sorry for the really long wait. I've been busy these past few weeks and was unable to update this story.

And for the Disclaimer: After repeatedly pinching my cheeks every morning, I'll admit Gakuen Alice was never mine...

And...

I would like to thank the ff. reviewers...

Janet NT

Crimson05princess

xxLovelyRosexx

cj-the-greatest

lilazntofu

Again... thanks


"Maybe then it's about time to stop listening to the echoes inside your head and start paying attention to the voice inside your heart"

-Hotaru Imai


Chapter 4...

"Natsume" Ruka called out towards his best friend who was currently spacing out "Natsume are you all right?"

Natsume didn't move an inch...

"He can't hear you" Koko pointed out "His mind was currently on vacation"

Ruka sighed "So what should we do?"

Kitsuname smirked "Like this...

He started banging on the wooden table "EARTH to NATSUME!"

Natsume twitched with annoyance and decided to throw a waffle towards Kitsuname who successfully dodged it making the maple syrup covered waffle to land on Yuu.

"My Polo shirt" Yuu frowned

"Blame him" Natsume nonchalantly remarked pointing at Kitsuname.

"What the…? why me?" Kitsuname questioned

"Because you annoyed Natsume" Ruka said "You banged the table for Pete's sake"

"I was just trying to save him from being insane" Kitsuname tried reasoning out "We don't know he might already be in his own imaginary world and totally abandon us"

Natsume glared at him "Do I look crazy?"

"That enough" Yuu stated "Shouldn't we be celebrating for your birthday?" He asked looking at Kitsuname

"Oh...yeah"

"By the way Ruka" Koko called out "Who the hell was Pete...? and why should we worry about his sake"

Natsume rolled his eyes...


"Anna" Youichi called out towards his sister walking alongside Aoi.

"Youichi" Anna smiled "Aoi! it's nice to see you guys here"

"Anna we have a request" Aoi stated "more like I have a request"

"What?"

"See that table over there" Aoi pointed towards the table her brother and his friends are occupying. Anna nodded "So what about it?"

"That's my brother and his friends" Aoi said "Uhm... one of them was celebrating his birthday today and I don't have any gifts"

"So what do I have to do with it?"

"Can you bake a cake for him?" Aoi requested "and deliver it personally?"

"Sure" Anna smiled "so who among them?"

Aoi and Youichi pointed out towards Kitsuname

"Let's get started then" Anna said "You guys want to help?"

"Sure"

"Hai"


"So should we sing the happy birthday song?" Koko asked grinning

"Dude I'm too old for that" Kitsuname said as his eyes would shift from one table to another trying to locate a particular girl

"Don't worry you'll see her later" Ruka assured him

"What if I don't?"

"It's your birthday right?" Yuu said "I'm sure god would be a little nicer to you this day"

"Then it's decided" Koko said "We won't be leaving this area until you see her"

"But you have to pay for all our bills" Natsume remarked "Taking in mind that it's your birthday"

"Can't you guys just treat me because it was my birthday?" Kitsuname asked

"No..."

"Sorry dude"

"Aniki!" Aoi called out as she approached her older brother.

"Hey Aoi" Koko waved at her "Have you been here for long?"

"No I just arrived" Aoi said lying since actually she was at the Kitchen the whole time with Youichi and Anna, baking a cake.

"Why are you here?" Natsume questioned "And where's that boy of yours?"

"He's name was Youichi" Aoi frowned "and he'll be here soon"

"Whatever... so why are you here?"

"Am I not allowed to be here and greet Kitsuname-nii a Happy Birthday?" Aoi said looking towards Kitsuname "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks"

"So how were the auditions going on?"

"Well it has been nothing but crap" Ruka said

"Yeah... it's hard to find a replacement for Mouri" Yuu added

"No one you like in particular?"

"Well Ruka thought one of them was a good drummer until he sang and it ended there" Natsume shrugged. Just then the Kitchen door opened revealing a pink haired girl holding a white forest cake. Kitsuname's energy instantly leveled up upon seeing her. Aoi was smirking inwardly.

"So Kitsuname-nii, I'll get my thank you later" Aoi said eyes focused on her brother's friend.

"Huh?" Kitsuname's gaze averted towards the raven haired girl "what do you mean?"

Aoi just smiled at him and stood up walking towards the pink haired girl.

"Oi Aoi what are you-

- Anna it's so nice to see you again" Aoi greeted the pink haired girl. She's Anna alright. Anna smiled at her and slightly giggled "but Aoi we saw each other for like only 10 minutes ago"

"Hey" Natsume looked at his brother with a questioning face "I thought you just arrive here?"

Aoi raised a brow "well technically I just arrive here" Pointing towards where she was positioned. Smirking she added in a singsong voice "But I've been inside the kitchen..."

Yuu faked a cough "Wait...You know her Aoi?"

"Yep"

"How?"

"Oh well we just happen to know someone in common" Aoi said just then the cafe door opened revealing a certain boy who was walking coolly ignoring all the girls looking dreamily at him. His eyes focused towards the gangs table.

"Hey Aoi... your knight in shining silver hair 'has arrived" Koko teased.

Aoi looked towards Youichi, waved and smiled at him which he gladly returned. Koko figured out that Youichi has some enthusiasm living inside his body, one that can only be for Aoi.

Youichi smirked towards Natsume which the later returned with a glare. Youichi's smirked widened, He was used to it.

Ruka patted Natsume's shoulder "Now be polite Natsume and don't make a scene"

"Tsch Ruka... he's the one making a scene... coming here uninvited" Natsume retorted.

"Oh... is that so?" Youichi mocked "well then just think of me as a party crasher"

"You..."

"Hey stop it" Yuu stood up from his seat "people are watching... be nice"

"He's right... besides Aoi was here try to think of her feelings" Ruka added "and we have someone her with us, have manners" as he looked apologetically towards Anna.

"Hn..." was Natsume's uncaring blunt reply

"Oh yeah..." Youichi smirked towards the girl "Hey sis..."

Kitsuname's eyes widened. Ruka looked shocked. Yuu fainted. Koko choked on his water and Natsume coughed.

"She's your sister?"

"He's your brother?"

"You two are siblings?"

"You're related?"

"What?"

Aoi snapped "Tsch... I can't believe just knowing something this simple can make you guys go ballistic" she giggled "well its a little fun but still it's embarrassing... so please return to being cool"

"Yeah people might think your retards" Youichi mocked

"So" Yuu stated "You two are siblings?" he asked Anna

"Hai... half siblings to be exact" Anna explained "Same father, different mothers and we look exactly like our mothers that's why we don't have any similarities"

"Oh"

"And we've still got half siblings from our fathers side" Youichi added "I still have four other sisters"

"No way!" Youichi raised an eyebrow making Koko shut up.


"It's getting late, shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I'm not a kid anymore" Youichi glanced at his sister. Hotaru sat right next to him "no your still a kid"

"And your to talk, what about you, your still not old enough" Youichi talked nonchalantly towards his sister

"I'm 17 now little boy" Hotaru smirked "and your still 16." The boy rolled his eyes "I'll be seventeen too in a few months and besides all teenagers have the right to sleep anytime they want... it's in my rulebook"

After that there was an awkward silence. True that both of them aren't that much enthusiastic with talking, but that night, the silence was just so eerie. The only sound they could here was the sound of their own breaths. Someone has to break the silence... the only problem was, none of the two are willing enough to even open their mouths. Still their was silence then both looked towards the second floor after hearing a loud thud, must have been Sumire falling down from her bed again.

Hotaru looked at her brother and sighed. All tough Youichi was closest most to Mikan among all of them, it was no doubt that most of his attitudes and his facial expression he got from her. They are often both cold, only appearing nice to people they care about. They both at times would want to be alone yet she knows that just like her, Youichi never was the one who wants being left behind. Most; they have another thing common to them... their signature smirk.

Sumire was the loud and often times sarcastic one in the family, one who always has her energy into full blast when it comes to knowing the latest celebrity gossips and scandals. Nonoko, or the scientist of the family as they would often call her was as her name suggest the science buff of the family, she was one who easily gets frightened and has the wildest term of imagining things which in the end scares her a lot. Anna was the quite one but nevertheless can also stand out for herself and for everyone else, she was the cook and was a little bit of a bookworm with the books she was reading either having the words 'recipes', 'how to's' and 'cookbooks' on them. Mikan was the cheerful and playful one with a happy go lucky attitude, she was oftentimes clumsy but when everything else gets though, she could be the serious one. Hotaru was the cold and heartless one which sees blackmailing as a form of entertainment, she was also the one who would never go down during a fight and would agree onto something as long as she gets the benefits. Youichi was the prideful one who never wants anyone to step into his invisible line unless he allows them too and unless you got him to open up to you; he was never the one who would talk anything about himself.

"What?" Youichi raised an eyebrow

"Mind telling me why you're still up?" Hotaru asked.

"I'm thinking about Aoi" Youichi said in a voice almost unheard.

"What about her?" Hotaru asked. Sure people often call her emotionless but that doesn't mean she really was one. She does have emotions; it's just that she's not to open into showing them. But today was different.

Youichi was a silent for a few moments before finally telling Hotaru about Aoi and how she was so devastated about her brother's problem. Hotaru just listened, never interfering even for once. Then she nodded afterwards "I see, you wanted to help her right?"

Youichi nodded

"But you are afraid to take the risk" once again the silver haired boy nodded

"Was it because of what happened in the past?" Hotaru asked. It was a touchy subject for Youichi, she knew that but she had to ask. "Yeah" was Youichi's answer "It was like my brain tells me to back off but my heart tell me I can"

"Maybe then it's about time to stop listening to the echoes inside your head and start paying attention to the voice inside your heart" Hotaru tapped her brother's shoulders...


A/N: Finally, done!

It's been a while since I've last posted a chapter... sorry

Another accomplishment for me!

And I'm still open for any question you guys might want to ask me... so feel free to do so

God Bless!

And don't forget to read and review!