Disclaimer: With the usual disclaimer, I don't own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. Bow to Higuchi Tachibana.
Author's Message: I've made big errors in the last few chapters and it made me very frustrated. Guys, I'm sorry if ever some of you got confused. The agency of the company of The Outsiders is named Notes and Notebook is just my big mistake. So everyone, Jinno's company is Notes and not Notebook. Also, Youichi's age is thirteen! Not fifteen! I'm so sorry for the mistakes I did. I'll never do that again. ^^a
By the way, because of I-don't-know reasons, my beta-reader is still not passing me back the chapter of one of my stories that I gave her. Meaning, she is too busy to proofread my works for now, so I'm posting this temporary to justify that I and this story is not on-hiatus. Actually, it was November 2 when I finished writing this chapter. I hope my grammar is not that confusing to everyone.
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S T A G E – S E V E N
Best Friends
minahoru
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"S-Stop hugging!" Youichi struggled. Mikan let him go and giggled. Youichi turned and walked towards the door and was about to go out to dig in some food downstairs, but he was stopped when Mikan banged the table.
"The number, Youichi. Now." Mikan said in serious tone. Youichi gulped and sweat dropped as he immediately hooked his phone out of his pocket, searched for the number, and reached it to his sister. Mikan would always call him You-chan but calls him Youichi when she's dead serious.
"Here. It is actually the number of their house." Youichi said nervously. Mikan slowly curved her lips upward to a genuine smile and quickly snatched Youichi's hand phone.
"I love you, You-chan!" She squealed sweetly and ran to the telephone. Youichi got dumbstruck with the sudden change of his sister's mood. Scary, he thought. He watched her dialed the number and waited for her to speak up. "Ehem. Ah, yes. Uhh…is Nogi-san around?"
Youichi's heart beat turned rapid. Somehow, he thinks this would be something he would regret. Suddenly, Mikan laid the phone on his bed. She looked at him; he looked back. Mikan mouthed 'Come here!' so he did. She was in panic and sweats were starting to form on her forehead. He was afraid of the serious Mikan and he was now nervous of the panicked Mikan. Something was not right. Something bad was going to happen.
Mikan pulled Youichi's collar and whispered, "He is freaking asking who I am! What should I say?"
Youichi was taken aback. "What?" He screamed silently. Mikan slapped him and signed him to keep his voice down. "I don't know!" He said, looking really scared and worried for his life.
"I hate you 100 times, Youichi." Mikan said in a low voice and glared at him.
"Whatever. I don't care anymore. Go die for all I care, I'm outta here." Youichi immediately ran out of his room before Mikan could catch him anymore. Mikan made faces when she wasn't able to grab Youichi's polo.
Then Mikan saw the phone on the bed. She lost her self-control and clutched the phone. She could feel on the other line that the one who answered was about to drop the call, so she hurriedly thought of a word to make it stop from happening. "I'M HIS GIRLFRIEND!" Oh shoot! She thought. She was just saying the words that first came into her tiny stupid mind. "—Wait, I mean, I'm Mikan Sakura and—"
Her words were cut off by the loud thud that was made by the other line. She blinked a lot and asked herself if the other line dropped the call already and if her last words were heard. She punched her head and blamed herself, but before she could throw curses at herself more she heard some crackle sound.
"What? G-Girlfriend?" The man on the other line asked her in bewildered.
"What? No! That was a mistake! I just…I wasn't thinking right! What I meant was I'm a friend of Ruka's that is a girl! Yeah! That! I'm sorry if ever I freaked you out! By the way, who are you anyway? And—"
"Get lost, bitch."
Who the hell is he to say that to her? Mikan could tell that the voice was different from before. She thought first, then she remembered a guy who would dare to say that to her. "Hyuuga-san!"
"Who's this?" He asked. Mikan was sure it was Natsume because he didn't deny it and even answered back. "Please let me talk to Nogi-san!"She shouted.
"And why so?" He nonchalantly asked. Mikan gritted her teeth in frustration and bit the phone's cable. Then she calmed herself down and said, "I just need to tell him something…"
"I don't want—" Mikan rolled her eyes.
"Alright, alright! Just tell him that I'm going to Notes' building. I have an interview there, so I'll take that opportunity to meet him. Okay? He knows who I am already. Say something about explaining what happened yesterday. Bye!" She said in one breath and instantly dropped the call. She stood up and went out of Youichi's room towards the dining table.
"Good morning everyone!" She chirped and took a seat parallel to Youichi. Youichi glared at her and rolled his eyes at her.
"Good morning to you too, Mikan!" Yuka greeted back and brushed Mikan's long hair.
"Pass me the ham, please, my dearest brother." She said, and made Youichi looked like he was going to puke. Youichi never liked his sister talking sweet to him. He passed her the ham as she reached it and put some on her plate and started to eat. Their parents laughed to another bickering of their children.
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"Your girlfriend?" Natsume said, raised his brow, and broke the ice.
Everyone turned like stones and wasn't able to utter a word. Ruka sweat dropped, gulped, and nodded at Natsume. Natsume, on the other hand, doubted his best friend's confession. He was watching his best friend's actions every other time, so he couldn't just believe that his friend has that kind of relationship with Mikan—which, for him, is a bitch. As much as the adjective sounded rude, he just hated the guts of Mikan.
And certainly, he never saw Ruka with Mikan. Never; in his entire life with his best friend.
"If you were lying Ruka, just say it. I mean, you've got to tell me the truth so that we could solve it together." Natsume stated, trying to see if Ruka was lying to them. He had this wrong idea that The Strangers might have blackmailed him to do this kind of dirty issue.
Especially the thing about what happened to Ruka yesterday when he immediately fetched Ruka because he knew that something bad happened to Ruka. Something that Ruka didn't like. That maybe, just maybe, Ruka met The Strangers at school and told him not to say anything about it.
"It's true, Nat. You know that I'm bad at lying; especially to you." Ruka said and sighed, still backing what he confessed.
"That's why I'm hesitating to trust you, because I know that you are lying." Natsume shot him a glare.
Ruka looked back at him; not even flicking his eyelashes. "I'm not. Come on!"
Tsubasa and the others were just listening to the conversation between the two best friends. For them, these two people were the most impossible men to understand. And that was the only reason they could think why they became best friends. They could understand each other when others couldn't.
"Whatever, Ruka. After all, we need to go. We're going to be late for our taping." Natsume shook his head and turned his back at Ruka. Then he looked back at Tsubasa, "Right, freak?"
"Yeah. You guys will have a taping for your latest music video at Metier Agency but that will be really later. Around five more hours." Tsubasa explained. The guys nodded their heads in comprehension. Then realization struck Tsubasa and frowned at Natsume, "And don't call me freak, kiddo!"
Natsume shrugged and it sparked Tsubasa's anger. Yuu and Koko immediately held Tsubasa to stop him from going to Natsume. Ruka shook his head for the sudden change of his friends' attitude. Then suddenly, the phone ringed. They all stopped the chaos and looked at the phone ringing. Ruka took one step ahead and gulped. He was so hoping that the caller was not Mikan.
He took the phone and looked at Natsume whose arms were crossed and was looking at him intently. "Hello?"
"This is Notes Agency's Hello World. Is this the residence of The Outsiders?"
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The Strangers were on the hallway, running for their lives. Well, actually, running late for their interview in the building of Notes Agency. Of course, as usual, it was Mikan's fault why they have to run as fast as a horse.
"I don't see why you always have to look for a thing and be its reason to be late, Mikan Sakura." Sumire shrieked in frustration as she was the one leading the group to their destination.
Sumire Shouda was once a staff of Notes Agency before she was discovered as a drummer of the group that the Métier Agency founded. This was why she was familiar with the place and became the guide of The Strangers. They were now taking a shortcut route towards the studio that they should have been for the last eighteen minutes.
"I couldn't help it! I'm born like that!" Mikan retorted.
"Like, we'd blame Yuka-san for that?" Hotaru rolled her eyes and slapped Mikan's head.
"Hey!" Mikan pouted and tried to revenge but Hotaru ran beside Sumire as Mikan wasn't able to catch up with her anymore.
As they all entered a studio, all the crews, staffs, managers, and director was in panic. Misaki, their manager, saw them and went towards them.
"My goodness, everyone was in panic because they didn't know what to do if ever you didn't appear! Did you know that I've been saying my sorry to them for a hundred times already?" Misaki whined in aggravation.
"We're sorry, Misaki. Blame the always late girl here." Sumire pointed her thumb at her back where Mikan was hiding.
Mikan sneaked her head, "Sorry…"
Misaki glared at her then sighed. "Anyway, there's this really bad news for everyone." This caught The Strangers attention. They always know if their manager is serious or not. "Because you were late, everyone thought you wouldn't able to make it and made a decision to ask another group to participate."
"Another group?" Hotaru asked. She had a bad feeling about this.
"They decided to invite and pursue The Outsiders to have the interview." Misaki stated. It was as if she was in slow motion when the girls heard her. Their jaws dropped as they saw The Outsiders at one corner having their make-ups done.
"Please fix the make-up for The Strangers! Ten minutes to start!" One of the staffs said as a group of make-up artists came rushing towards Mikan and the others.
"So what do we have here?" Tsubasa grinned widely and hanged his arm on Misaki's shoulder. "Your group was late? Tch, what a shame for our agency."
Misaki glared at his arm and twisted it to his back. "Shut the hell up, Tsubasa."
"Ah, ah! Okay! Stop it! It hurts!" Tsubasa shouted as Misaki smirked and let his arm go. "Anyway, is it true that Mikan Sakura and our Ruka have a relationship?" Tsubasa asked comically.
Misaki snapped her head at him in disbelief. "What?"
Tsubasa looked back at her with his eyes wide. He bit his lip. "You didn't know?"
"Excuse me?" The two managers who were still in shocked looked at the man who called. "The interview will be starting now and both of you will also participate."
"S-Sure!" Misaki let out a forced smile.
"Yeah. Sure." Tsubasa nodded as both of them walked out of the stage. They saw The Strangers and The Outsiders already on their seats.
"The Strangers and The Outsiders! Please go to your own sets! The start of the program will be The Outsiders playing one of their songs followed by the song of The Strangers!" The director shouted using his microphone.
Both of the groups went to their positions. Mikan looked at the preparing The Outsiders and pouted thinking how did they attain to be the most popular band group in Asia when their leader does not have what it takes to be the greatest. She has the chance to watch their live performance now. This show has to be as good as to make her believe the spot that this group has.
"Hotaru, can you sing for our performance?" Mikan asked.
Hotaru raised her eyebrow and shook her head. "No."
"B-But—!"
"No, Mikan. And that is final."
"Hotar—" Hotaru glared at Mikan and mouthed 'No.' Mikan sighed.
"STANBY! At a count of three! One, two, three! ACTION!"
Mikan was shocked by the sudden change of Natsume's gaze. He looked at the audience as if he was piercing their hearts with too much emotion as he held his microphone by his left hand. He dropped his head then looked up and started singing.
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Tsutae ni kita yo, kizuato tadotte
It told me to follow these scars
Sekai ni oshitsubusarete shimau mae ni
Before I'd be crushed by the weight of the world
Oboeteru kana namida no sora wo
That pain has given you protection
Ano itami ga kimi no koto wo mamotte kureta
Can you remember it? The sky of tears
Sono itami ga itsumo kimi wo mamotterunda
Because this pain will always protect you
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Mikan got tapped by Hotaru to wake her up from her shock with what Natsume did in his performance. It was beyond her expectation and imagination. Sumire giggled at Mikan's reaction as she followed it up with three strikes of her drumsticks. Mikan shook her head and grabbed the microphone.
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Tabun suki ni natteta hajimete atta hi kara
I probably fell in love with you ever since the day we met.
Anata to te wo tsunaida sonna yume wo miteta no
I always dream of holding hands with you!
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
Amai kaze no nioi ni nagameta shiawase sora
In the sweet fragrance of the wind, we gazed at a Joyous Sky!
Hoshi ni inoru omoi wo kanaderuwa anata he to
My emotions I prayed into the Stars will play to you!
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
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"Okay! So that was The Outsiders and The Strangers!" The host said. He smiled charmingly and made the audience cheer out more.
"Wow, Daisuke, you never failed the audience with your killer smile!" A girl in her cute pink dress came out of the backstage.
Daisuke shrugged. "You never know, Fipi. They might have got this much energy because of the hottest guys in Japan! The Outsiders!" Natsume and the others nodded to the audience.
"And the cutest adorable, The Strangers. Anyway, I'm Fipi at you service!" Fipi pointed her hand to The Strangers as the girls bowed their heads to the audience.
"And I'm Daisuke your one and only." Daisuke went at the center with Fipi and looked at the camera.
"This is…" Fipi stated.
"Hello World!" Daisuke and Fipi said in unison as the audience clapped their hands. The two bands went to the sofa and took their seats. The hosts went to their designated seats too.
"So we're going to talk about a lot of things. It includes personal things about the two bands that are very popular in Music Industry nowadays." Fipi said as Daisuke nodded his head in agreement.
"You got that right, partner. To start, we would like The Outsiders and The Strangers to introduce their selves." Daisuke said.
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"Honey, I've got to go to my work!" Yuka shouted as she hurriedly put her things in her bag. She abruptly hooked her bag up and went out of her room.
Izumi walked towards her with arms open wide. "Okay, be careful. Meet Mikan and go home together."
Yuka went to his arms and said, "Well, we've got to eat dinner together because you'll have your shooting at USA. Alright, I'm going to see Mikan."
Izumi broke their hug and kissed Yuka on the forehead. "See you. Oh, and say my greetings to Kaoru."
Yuka nodded and walked away from Izumi. She opened the entrance door and went in her car. Once she got in, she started the engine as she pulled out her phone from her bag and punched some numbers.
"Hello?"
"Kaoru, I'm so sorry for being late. I nearly forgot that we have our photo shoot. I'm on my way there." Yuka puckered her brow at her own silliness and started to drive her car.
"Ugh, Yuka, I've known you for years and if you didn't do anything to be late then it is not you anymore!" Kaoru giggled on the other line.
Yuka pouted. "So meanie!"
"Anyway, I have to go. I'm fixing the dresses that you'll be using. Also, I know that you just went in your car when you told me that you are on your way, so please hurry up and come here." Kaoru said and made Yuka laugh. Kaoru was the first one to drop the call before Yuka did.
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After some time, the interview with the two bands was nearly at its end. A lot of question was given to them by the two hosts. Natsume was getting very bored of the questions that were asked to him and only Mikan's answers and childishness was giving him enough energy to find this whole program intriguing.
"Well, Mikan-san, for the last question since the program is nearly at its end, is there a chance for you to work with Natsume-kun? And would you like that?" Fipi asked Mikan as she looked at Natsume who was staring at her too.
Natsume avoided Mikan's eyes and looked at somewhere else. Mikan frowned at this and rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't really like it if I'm going to work with that bastard." Everyone got shocked with what Mikan called Natsume. Even Natsume snapped his look at her. Worst, the fans of The Outsiders went berserk. "But if it will be one of the roads I have to take to make my band as one of the most popular, then I'll give it a try."
"How about you, Natsume-kun?" Daisuke looked at Natsume.
Natsume looked at Mikan from head to toe. She was laughing with Hotaru, but when she felt his stare and looked back at him, she stuck her tongue out. "I'd rather…lose my band's popularity than be partnered with that ugly."
The audience gasped at this and the fans of The Strangers roared. Mikan looked at him in disbelief. "Well, same here y-you despicable guy!"
"Even if it will be as an exchange for your bands success?" Natsume smirked.
Mikan gritted her teeth and closed her fist tightly. "Hotaru, please stop me from destroying his face."
"I won't." Hotaru looked sideways and grinned. Mikan raised her brows and folded her arms. "What?" Hotaru asked.
Mikan shook her head and hit her forehead.
"A-Anyway, let's have another performance with the two bands to end our program!" Fipi announced nervously. Mikan stood up angrily and stomped her feet towards their stage. Natsume put her hands behind his head and calmly walked to their place, making Mikan more pissed off.
Calm down, Mikan. Sing cheerfully and act so cute. You. Can. Do. It. Mikan said to herself. Anna plucked her strings to start the intro of their song as Mikan and Hotaru went near to their microphones, getting ready to sing.
ר×
Anata ga inai to iya iya tte ieru wagamama
If you're not here I say no way, I'm selfish like that
(Zutto kienai you ni kesanai you ni)
(Always hoping you won't leave, hoping I won't make you leave)
Aijou? yuujou? shiritai koto wa nandemo Love and friendship,
I wanna know about everything
(Aimai sugite wakaranai yo)
(Its way too unclear, I don't understand it)
Itsuka kokoro no oku no doa o tataku
One day there'll be a knock on the door to the hole in my heart
Anata o matteiru
I'm waiting for you.
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Natsume sneered as he successfully made Mikan angry, but he didn't expect Mikan to still sing nicely after being so pissed off. Now he was sure that Mikan's band got the potential to beat them. Now he knew why the Jin-Jin was so afraid of them. But no matter how good they are, they can never beat Natsume's ego and trust that they will have the longest period of being the most popular band.
Natsume looked at Ruka and nodded as he grabbed his microphone, gazed at the audience with his grin, and began to sing.
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Manten no hoshizora no shita de
Under the whole starry sky,
Katariatta koto wo omoidasu yo
I remembered how we used to talk together
Chiisai kedo yume ga aru tte
about how our dreams were small but still existed
Shizuka na sora ni chikai wo tateru you ni
Like standing up an oath to the quiet sky,
Kimi wa boku ni uchiakete kureta
You were honest to me
Sono yume ga sono yume ga itsuka
When that dream, that dream comes true someday
Kanau toki ni wa kimi no tonari ni
I'll be at your side,
Boku ga ite sou boku ga ite
Yes, I'll be at your side
Sotto hohoemi aetara ii na
Wouldn't it be great to softly smile together?
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After the whole program, all of them went out of the stage, but they got caught by their fans asking for autographs. So they all got stuck in crowd. Mikan was too caught with signing autographs and didn't realize that she got far from Hotaru and the others. Then she bumped on someone's back. She immediately faced that back and bowed.
"Ah! I'm so sorry!" When she looked up, she saw Natsume looking blankly at her. The mass went farther to them.
Natsume glared at her and went near Mikan's face as she walked back, but Natsume grabbed her wrist and grinned. "You…are cute."
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"Yuka! You're here." Kaoru greeted Yuka and kissed on her cheek.
"So are we going to start now?" Yuka asked.
Kaoru sighed and shook her head. "My camera's lens got broken when I accidentally dropped it."
"Really? That sucks. Hmm, then I'll just go fetch my daughter. If I'm not mistaken she's just at the other studio next to this." Yuka said as Kaoru nodded in approval. Yuka started to walk away with Kaoru fixing her things.
Kaoru stopped for awhile and think then snapped her head to Yuka. "Yuka!"
ר×
"W-What are you doing, Natsume…kun?" Mikan widened her eyes when Natsume grabbed her other wrist.
"What? You scared?" Natsume asked and pulled her towards him. Everyone watched the intense scene. Hotaru, Ruka, and the others stopped signing autographs and observed what their lead singers were doing.
"I'm kinda nervous about what he's doing." Koko gulped.
Sumire smacked Koko's head. "Oh shut it!" She then closed her eyes, not wanting to see what was happening.
Little did they know that Natsume just wanted to tease and see Mikan's reaction to his so-called 'charm'?
Then all of a sudden, somebody caught people's attention but not the two bands. It was none other than Yuka and Kaoru walking along the hallways into the backstage of the studio. They were naturally speaking with each other but the people see it as if they were sparkling.
"Oh! Mikan!" Yuka called.
Mikan looked at the person who called her, still eyes wide open. "M-Mom?"
Mom? Natsume question in his thoughts and looked at where Mikan was. He instantly let go of Mikan and Mikan noticed it. "Kaoru?" Natsume whispered.
"I heard that, you snot." Kaoru glowered at Natsume.
"Whatever." Natsume retorted.
"Mom! Oh gosh, why did you come here?" Mikan said in glee and hugged Yuka. Kaoru and Natsume watched them.
"It would be better if you act like her." Kaoru smiled warmly at the site.
Natsume raised his eyebrow. "I'm not gay, Kaoru."
Kaoru hit Natsume's head and shouted, "Call me mom, you dimwit!"
Yuka had to drag Mikan towards Natsume and Kaoru for Mikan didn't want to ever go near Natsume again. Yuka tapped Kaoru's shoulder and smiled.
"Your son?" Yuka asked.
"Yeah. He's Natsume." Kaoru pointed her index finger on Natsume while Natsume bowed his head to give respect.
"Oh my, he is so handsome. Well, this one here is my daughter, Mikan." Yuka said. Mikan sneaked her head from Yuka's back and waved her hand.
"Wait, you know each other?" Natsume looked at his mother.
"Isn't obvious, you silly? Yuka is my best friend!" Kaoru jumped at Yuka and stuck her tongue out.
"WHAT?" Mikan and Natsume asked in chorus.
T.B.C
Author's Message:I'm sorry if I didn't specifically made the interview longer and interesting. If I'll do that, this chapter would be really long and tiring to read. I also wouldn't be able to write my favorite part where Yuka and Kaoru went to their child's work. :D
Credits:
Sign by Flow
Koi no Uta by Tomatsu Haruka
Shoujo S by Scandal
Plumeria Hana Uta by Aqua Timez
©minahoru and Irrevocable Truth.
