That Was Then, This Is Now
Chapter 6: Friends?
Hi! It's me, yumesakura. Yes, I know I haven't been updating in months.
Like I said, my laptop broke. I'm getting a new laptop sometime soon. But right now I'm using my brother's computer.
Anyways, here's the chapter you've all been look forward to. What? You weren't looking forward to it? Haha.
Since I haven't updated in months, this chapter won't be so serious. It'll have a relaxed feeling to it.
Please Read and Enjoy!
This is sort of like a belated Christmas present. Happy Holidays!
Also, this chapter is dedicated to BrokenAztech. Thanks for your support!
Disclaimer: I respect the real author of Gakuen Alice. I do not own any of the story.
Hyuuga Residence
"How's the wound?" Tsubasa asked a certain crimson-eyed boy. Although Tsubasa knew Natsume could hold his own, he was always asking the same question every day. After all, he felt like part of it was his fault for Natsume's injury he got that night at the Kirasaki Museum.
Natsume just grunted, not even giving Tsubasa a glimpse. It had been one week since that night and his wounds were almost close to completely healing. But for the whole week Kaoru kept him cooped up in the house. Although it was for his own benefit, being kept indoors the whole time just made him even more irritable. Kaoru had made it clear that he was only to go to school and back home. But it also referred to Tsubasa, Ruka and Aoi. The unknown had decided that they wouldn't be able to go on their nightly exhibitions for a while until further notice.
"Tsubasa," a young girl with eyes strikingly similar to Natsume's interrupted. "Misaki just arrived. She has news about our suspension."
And that 'until further notice' was unexpected right now. When the three arrived in the living room they found Natsume's parents and Misaki sitting on the couch. Today she wasn't in her unusual clothing. She was dressed in modern casual clothes which, for some reason, made Tsubasa feel like they were going to be let off easy.
"I don't usually drop by unannounced like this," began Misaki.
"You don't?" Natsume interrupted with an obvious sarcastic tone, but Misaki didn't mind it too much.
"The unknown higher-ups decided that your suspension will last a month," she explained. "I don't know all the details but it'll help the uproar about the incident to dissolve."
"A month. You expect me to stay put for a month," muttered Natsume with a look of dissatisfaction.
"It'll be a good chance for you all to relax," provided Natsume's father.
Natsume spoke mildly, "Better than staying inside the whole damn time."
Relieved that Natsume was taking the news a lot better than she planned, she commented that Jinno was at the Nogi residence informing the family about the facts. After that, she left without saying another word.
The Next Day: Alice Academy
"Is Narumi-sensei here yet?!" cried Mikan in an impatient tone as she entered the classroom. The brunette was familiar with the teacher's frequent lateness, but today she had hoped he would be coming to homeroom early.
Mikan had always radiated a sense of happiness every morning, but her cheerfulness had reached passed its maximum level. So what had gotten Mikan riled up so early in the morning?
"Good morning Mikan," Yuu Tobita greeted the overly exhilarated girl with a smile as he approached. "I take that you're looking forward to the upcoming class trip."
"That's right!" Mikan grinned at Yuu's statement. "I hope Narumi-sensei will arrive soon! I wonder where we'll be going. I have so many suggestions!"
Almost immediately, the classroom door opened. Mikan turned around, thinking it was Narumi, but the sight of Natsume Hyuuga and Ruka Nogi had shot down her expectation. But her face brightened up just as fast.
"Hyuuga!" Mikan cried gleefully. "Aren't you excited about our class trip?! I sure am! Aren't you looking forward to what we might do?!"
Over the past week, just as Natsume's wound had been healing, everyone had seen that the new 'most popular and hottest guy in school' took a liking to Sakura Mikan. The two weren't close friends, but the fact that Natsume was putting up with her made it likely that they would be growing closer.
For once, Natsume looked puzzled. "Class trip," he said slowly as if he needed someone to translate some kind of foreign language.
Yuu stepped in, knowing that Natsume and Ruka were new. "Every year each school division will plan to go on a trip for four nights and three days. It's to celebrate the beginning of the new school year.
Ruka gave a small smile, "That sounds fun."
"Yeah. The elementary division will be going camping up in the mountains this year," said Anna as a matter of fact. "They planned everything last year."
"All the class representatives of the middle school division will be having a meeting today to decide where we'll be going," Yuu proudly announced to his fellow classmates, seeing that he was class representative again this year.
"You look really happy about it, Sakura," commented Ruka.
"I am!" Mikan turned to Natsume with a smile plastered to her face, "And all the students get to make suggestions."
The door suddenly opened, and there was Narumi-sensei, in all of his glory.
"Good morning my precious students," greeted Narumi. "I apologize once again for my lateness."
Natsume grunted but Mikan went hurriedly over to her teacher. "Sensei! We have to make our class suggestion!"
Narumi smiled, "Yes, I remember. Now class, take your seats and I'll start taking role." The ritual of role taking had passed and suggestions for the class trip were pouring in so fast that Yuu had Nonoko help him write them down on the blackboard.
"I personally think that visiting the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park would be educational," Yuu offered as he wrote it on the board.
"Lame," someone called out.
Mikan turned around and glared, looking for the person who said that. "I think it's a really great idea. We don't get to see Mt. Fuji up close all the time." The brunette gave a smile to Yuu and he nodded in quiet appreciation.
By the end of homeroom, the majority of the class voted for the Okinawa beach trip. Yuu would be going to the class representatives' meeting to make the final decision.
And Mikan was practically jumping off the hallway walls with enthusiasm.
"Hotaru," Anna gave a glanced towards the stoic girl, "You haven't said anything the whole day. Don't you think Mikan is being a little eccentric about the trip?"
"Yeah, shouldn't you do something about it Imai?" interrupted Sumire, who was getting tired of Mikan's joy over a trip they have every year.
Hotaru gave the two girls a momentary look and responded, "You two know that when she gets like this there's nothing you can do about it. Best to leave her as is."
Sumire, Nonoko and Anna were taken aback. Hotaru was rarely sincere and that just sounded entirely sincere. Until Hotaru said, "Besides, it's exhausting to have to run around scolding her every second." Now that's the Hotaru everyone was familiar with.
Just then Natsume and Ruka came passing by, along with Mochu and Koko.
"C'mon Natsume, you'll have a good time." Mochu was walking behind Natsume, apparently trying to convince him about something.
"We don't know where we're going yet, but every year it's great," offered Koko. Natsume just gave them both a hard glare, obviously not buying into whatever they're trying to buy him into.
Curiously, Mikan walked up to them to find out just exactly they were talking about. "What's going on?"
"Nothing," replied Natsume.
"He said he won't be going on the class trip," Mochu put in while Natsume glowered at him.
"Not going?!" Mikan looked so shocked, she felt as if she might faint.
"He said it was lame," offered Koko.
"Lame?!" This time, Mikan, Anna and Nonoko were completely astonished.
Natsume grunted, "It has nothing to do with me."
"But Hyuuga, the beginning of the year class trip is so much fun! And you're new to the school, so you'll have a blast!" provided Mikan.
"Don't feel like it," Natsume wanted to go somewhere quiet, but apparently everyone didn't want to give him that.
Nonoko smiled, "It'll be a lot of fun. You'll be with friends."
Natsume glared, "Who said that I was friends with anyone else but Ruka." Then he walked away followed by Ruka. Frustration and irritation were two emotions that weren't a good combination. Especially when it comes to someone like Natsume.
"Wow, that was harsh," Mochu bitterly said.
They all looked at Mikan to hear her response, but amazingly she didn't say anything. She looked pale enough to make everyone else nervous.
Mikan snapped out of it and gave an edgy smile, "I…I'm gonna go see if Iincho's done with his meeting." And off she went, with everyone's eyes on her until she disappeared.
"I feel sorry for Mikan," Anna said breaking the silence.
"I know," Nonoko replied. "I mean, Natsume may not think of all of us as his friends, but I thought he'd at least think of Mikan as a friend. What do you think Hotaru?" But when they all turned around, Hotaru was nowhere to be seen.
Sumire sighed, "Mikan's such an idiot. When will she learn? Just because someone is a friend in her head doesn't mean that they feel the same way either."
"But you know Mikan, always wanting to be friends with everyone, even you Sumire," smiled Nonoko.
Sumire gave a sympathetic look towards the way Mikan ran and no one spoke a word.
Hotaru's Point of View
Sometimes I wonder how much of an idiot she can be sometimes. Mikan always obsesses about things. Class trips, what she'll wear to the movies, what time she should call me…and how much she wants to be friends with everyone. In that simple mind of hers, everyone's her friend, and when she finds out that they don't think that way about her, she gets upset. Honestly, when will she grow up?
I made my way out to the courtyard looking for that naïve girl, and there she was, just sitting on a lonely bench looking towards a certain cherry blossom tree.
She saw me approach her, and as I sat down, she smiled, "Hey Hotaru."
But she's always been able to smile. "Wipe that dripping nose of yours, it's disgusting."
She ignored my comment and started sobbing, "Oh Hotaru! When Hyuuga said he didn't consider us his friends, did he mean me too?"
"Probably."
"I thought that maybe we could be friends, but maybe I was wrong!"
"Maybe."
"I wanted to be his friend. He looks so cold; I thought he could need one."
"There's Ruka."
"And Ruka seems like he's a great friend towards Hyuuga. And he opens up to Ruka, I assume. But he doesn't open up to anyone else. It made me feel so depressed."
"Well, you're an idiot Mikan."
Mikan looked at me with bewilderment on her face, "How could you say such a thing Hotaru?"
She sure is a moron. "He's been here for one week and maybe a couple of days. Do you expect him to open up to everyone in such a short amount of time? Not everyone is sociable like you, thank god. And in Natsume Hyuuga's case, it may take some time. Don't push so hard, baka."
Just then, Mikan's face lighted up with a grin. Why does she do that? Cry in a corner and suddenly she's all happy again.
"Hotaru!" She hugged me and I let her. "Thank you so much! You always make me feel so much better!" She let go and smiled pleasantly, "I'm gonna go ahead and wash my face. I'll see you in class!"
I watched her about to go and then she came to a sudden stop and turned around. "And please don't go home without me today. I really love walking home with you!" She twirled around and ran off.
"Baka." I quietly smiled to myself and thought, 'I'll wait.'
Ruka's Point of View
Natsume never was good with people and I wouldn't bug him about what happened back there, but I saw the look on Sakura's face.
"Natsume, don't you think you were being kind of—"
"Being kind of what?" Natsume raised his eyebrow.
"Being kind of an ass," I gulped. Natsume's in a bad mood, but I just had to open my mouth. He looked at me and started walking again.
"Didn't you see the look on Sakura's face?" Honestly, I thought he wouldn't mind being friends with her.
"Why should I care, Ruka?" Natsume asked with a tone in his voice, not quite like anger, but mostly of disappointment. "You of all people should know that I don't interact with people. That I don't care about other people outside of our world."
This astonished Ruka. Natsume rarely opened up about his feelings. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking."
Natsume turned away and looked down at the floor, "I saw her face."
I looked up, waiting for what he'd say next and I was surprised with the words he spoke.
"That's why I walked away."
I didn't know what to make of it. After all, Natsume's someone you can't easily read. But I felt as if something was happening. Something I never expected.
At the end of the day, Yuu was done with the meeting. Unfortunately, everyone was crowding around him asking what they decided, especially Mikan.
"Iincho, what difference will it make if you tell us," pleaded Mikan, desperately wanting to know what they would do on their class trip.
"I'm sorry Mikan, but I'm not allowed to announce it until homeroom tomorrow. If I tell you, my position as class representative could be in jeopardy," Yuu replied professionally.
Koko laughed, "I don't think that'll happen, Incho. You've been class representative for as long as I could remember. And I don't think anyone else would take the job."
"I would," Hotaru smirked. "I've heard about the benefits."
Yuu rolled his eyes, completely aware that Hotaru was just making fun again, "There's no money involved, Hotaru."
"That's because you haven't negotiated with the teachers," she blankly responded.
"You guys are unbelieveable," Sumire said airily. "Can't you guys wait until tomorrow?"
"Sumire's right," Nonoko said with a sigh. "It's not fair to Yuu."
"Thank you Nonoko," smiled Yuu. "Well, I have to get going. I'll see you guys in the morning." Yuu left, leaving Mikan and the rest to talk more about the class trip.
"Do you think our suggestion would get picked?" asked Mochu.
"Oh my god, you are all so immature," Sumire said vacantly. "I'm heading to tennis practice. And unlike all of you, my mind won't be on the class trip." The group watched as Sumire left.
"That's so like Sumire," Mochu grinned. "She's pretending that she doesn't care about the class trip. She's actually really excited about it."
While everyone was talking about the class trip, Mikan was looking out the window. A sudden movement by the cherry blossom tree caught her eye. 'Was that?' She thought, and without thinking she ran off to the courtyard.
Mikan ran to the cherry blossom tree, not knowing what exactly she was doing. She wanted to talk to Natsume, but what would she say to him?
'He probably doesn't think of me as a friend,' she thought.
When she got there, disappointment flowed into her. He wasn't there. She was probably seeing things. Heck, she didn't even think about if he'd been there. What was wrong with her?
Mikan sat down under the cherry blossom tree. She really thought Natsume was a friend, but to her frustration, he didn't exactly think of her as a friend.
'I want to be his friend. I thought I was,' she kept thinking to herself.
Then a thump was heard from behind. She stood and turned around to come face to face with the one person she was looking for. He was watching her from the branch of the tree the whole time.
"What're you sulking for, little girl."
"I not sulking Hyuuga. And I've told you a million times to call me by my name," complained Mikan.
Natsume shrugged and was about to walk off when Mikan cried, "You didn't mean what you said right?!" Natsume's eyes were wide open with surprise, but his back was turned so she didn't see his expression.
It was silent for a moment, and the wind blew. Cherry blossom petals were dancing all around them; Mikan thought that he would take forever to respond.
Natsume turned around, "What's it got to do with you?"
And there it was. That cold look in his eyes that she hated to see. "I thought that we were friends. I…I want to be friends."
Natsume didn't know how to respond, but Mikan kept going.
"I know that you're new here," she took a step closer, "and I know it may be hard for you to open up to everyone. But I'd really like to be friends. But…I guess have no right since I hardly know you."
For the first time, Natsume softened his eyes and stared into Mikan's brown ones. He didn't know why he didn't mind talking to this weird, simpleminded girl. But he was strangely okay with it.
Natsume looked down, his bangs shadowing his eyes, "I don't really care."
Mikan sighed in disappointment. She was hoping Natsume wouldn't say that.
"But…I didn't mean what I said about not thinking about everyone as friends," Natsume looked up and Mikan knew that his words were true and sincere. Just by the look in his eyes.
"So we are friends!" Mikan cried.
"Stop getting all giddy over something stupid." But Mikan wasn't listening.
"We should all hang out! What about the movies! Or the amusement park!"
"You're getting really annoying."
"Hey! I'm trying to be a good friend."
"Then stop getting on my nerves."
"Whatever Hyuuga! C'mon! Let's go tell everyone!" Mikan grabbed his arm and began dragging him to his friends.
"What kind of crap are you pulling, stupid?!"
"Now that we're friends you gotta clean up the way you talk to me."
The almighty Natsume gave up. Yes, Natsume Hyuuga has been defeated by one girl who was dragging him to tell everyone that they were now official friends.
But with everyone watching and crowding around the classroom window, they wouldn't take the news with much surprise when it was announced.
Author's Notes:
So, did you enjoy it? Please review!
I haven't read any reviews because I haven't been updating in so long.
But believe me; I did my very best on this chapter for all of you. You may think I quit this story, but I absolutely did not give up on it.
So please review and I hope you liked it. Like I said, this was a more relaxed chapter since I haven't written in such a long period of time.
Oh, and if you have any questions about anything that confused you, please let me know. And some of you may also need to re-read my previous chapters because you might have not remembered what happened before.
Anyways, thanks for reading and supporting me. Again, Happy Holidays!
P.S. Check my profile for updates.
--yumesakura