A/N: hey there guys. this is the ninth chapter. the truth is almost revealed at the story. hehehe. dont forget to read and review.
DISCLAIMER: i do not own gakuen alice/alice academy.
"I swear I have seen that girl before," Mr. Yokohama said to himself as he watch Mikan walked passed him.
"Hey, young lady," he said as Mikan looked at him with a confusing look.
"Yes, what can I do for you Mister?" she politely asked.
"May I ask, have we met before, young lady?"
"I don't remember any encounter with you Sir until now. Is there something wrong Mister?"
"I swear I have seen you before. Maybe year's way back," he replied and tried to remember the detail of where he had seen Mikan.
Mikan was looking at him confusedly. She was sure she never met or even saw this guy before and now he is trying to remember the past, "Mister… I guess you thought of me as another person. I have not met you even before."
The old man was not listening at all, he just stood there and thought of where he met Mikan, "I remember now!" he exclaimed as he sat on a bench and the brunette followed him.
"You remember now Mister?"
"Yes… I do remember now…"
"My young master…"
"Your what?" Mikan asked. Young master?
"yes, my young master… ah… I remember now… you used to play with him but only for a while, days I guess. You see, my young master liked you, a lot, I supposed. You were his first friend, young lady."
"First friend? That's nice. But who is he then?" Mikan asked. Even before Mr. Yokohama could answer, the bell rang, signaling the students for an early dinner, "I'm sorry Mister? I have to go now. But please, do tell me your name."
"Yokohama. I am Mr. Yokohama. By the way… young lady…"
"Sorry, I really have to go now. It's been a pleasure to know that I have made someone happy during my younger years. I hope I can meet him somehow, that young master of yours. Well, see you, Mr. Yokohama," she said as she run towards the Academy.
"Wait! Young lady! What is your name?"
"Mikan… I'm Mikan Sakura… see you then, Mr. Yokohama," she replied while running.
Mr. Yokohama was left alone, standing there before it hit him, she is the young girl that Master Natsume opted to give the flowers.
Inside the academy, the group was inside Natsume's room eating dessert – ice cream, cake and big bag of chips.
"This is the life. I had fun shopping for these treats before I went back to the academy," Ruka said.
"By the way, Mikan, you did not visit your family this time?" Anna asked.
"Oh. Yeah, I did not. My parents were away again so I did not visit. And besides, if I go home even for just hours, the helpers there keep on panicking and lose their cool when working," Mikan replied.
"I see," Nonoko said, "So what did you do then?"
"I watched a lot of DVDs. And rest for a day. School work is very stressful," Mikan said.
Koko noticed Natsume seating quietly on his couch while the rest of them spent their time talking, "Hey, something wrong Natsume?"
"Oh…" Natsume was taken back from his reverie. "Nothing…"
"Are you sure…" the others replied except for Mikan.
"I am."
"Why? What happens when Natsume spaces out?"
"He's thinking of someone," Yuu said.
"Is that so?" Mikan said as she smirked at Natsume.
"What?" Natsume blush a little. He was out of his senses right now.
"See, he is not his usual self. Atleast, he is human right now. Don't you think so?" Ruka said.
"Hey, stop eating! You're like a pig already," Hotaru said to Ruka.
"Hotaru!" Ruka said.
"What, I'm saying the truth here," Hotaru replied. At that moment, the group talked about senseless things and laughed almost the whole night.
It was past 12 in the morning that all of doze off in Natsume's room. It was only Mikan who was awake in the middle of the night.
I think I should clean first. After all, we messed up Natsume's room… she thought as she quietly stood up and picked up pieces of junk food wrappers. The room was only lit by the full moon making her silhouette dance gracefully.
Then a black haired guy suddenly appear in front of her sight, "Why clean? He can always make the robot maids clean his room? Am I right Ms. Sakura?"
"Who… who are you?" Mikan trembled.
Then the man disappeared right after she asked leaving echoes of his voice saying, "Soon, Mikan Sakura. You will know me soon, definitely. Especially, when he will get even closer with you, so be careful…"
The voice ended that way and Mikan sat down unknowingly. She was in a state of shock with what she had just seen and heard, "What was that? I must be seeing and hearing things. I guess I am really tired." Mikan told herself just to ease the shock she had.
She then continued cleaning until she reached a bookshelf with lots of manga in it. And there was a small picture frame. she looked at the picture with a family in it, both parents and a little raven head boy who looked reserved yet adorable at the same time. "I wonder who these people are…"
She did not know that Natsume woke up and was watching her looked at the picture. "the boy looks familiar. I wonder when and when did I met him…"
"Is there something wrong?" Natsume asked with and emotionless tone and face.
"Oh… did I wake you up?" Mikan asked.
"Is there something wrong Mikan?" he asked again. This time, his voice felt like enveloping her soul and she liked it. Why did I feel like I loved the way he called my name? I must be really tired.
"Nothing, Natsume. There is nothing wrong," Mikan replied.
"oh, okay. Why are you still up? You should be sleeping by now, am I right?"
"I cant sleep so I decided to clean the place a bit. I hope you don't mind," Mikan said.
"No I don't. but I can always ask for someone to do it."
"Its okay for me…" then silence enveloped the two of them, not knowing what to say next. Then Natsume saw the picture frame she was holding.
"Is that the frame from the bookshelf?
"Oh, yes. Sorry for intruding with your privacy. I did not mean to, its just that the little guy here looks reserved and quiet yet he looks adorable at the same time," she replied.
Natsume was shocked. It was a photograph of him and his parents, "I see."
"Do you know this child?"
"Ah… I do know him…"
"Then who is he? He really looks so cute," Mikan said cheerfully.
"He is someone I know. Does he look quiet? I guess so too."
"Yeah. And he resembles a part of you, you see," she said pointing to the hair.
"Really?"
"Yes. So, may I know who the cute boy is?"
"…" Natsume was silent. He did not know how to tell that it was him in the picture.
"Cant tell?" Mikan asked.
"Uhm. Yeah. Why do even want to know?," Natsume replied.
"He looks familiar, from my childhood days before I enter the academy," she said. Natsume felt his heart stop beating after he heard what she said.
"Wh-What do you mean?"
"I used to play with a boy before; it was less than a week actually. But I never really got the chance to ask his name, we were busy playing that's why," she said looking at the window with the moon fully lighting Natsume's room, "but I never got the chance to meet him again. It was a bad luck, I guess. Not meant to happen at that time."
Natsume was shocked. Hearing that story made him think of her again, it can't possibly be Mikan. Its just a coincidence. But why does my heart feel like I was looking for her…
"I see. Well I guess you will see him in the future. You can't tell what will happen next. May be you will find him again…" Natsume said trying to act cool when deep inside his mind is going nuts and his heart is like exploding.
"I guess so. I just I hope I do," Mikan replied.
"Why?"
"Because if I can see and find him again, I will be a lot happier… and I will make sure he is happy too," she said, "how about you Natsume? got any inspiration or a special someone?"
"If I could see her again, I will not let her go…" with that they looked into each other's eyes, their hearts rapidly beating as the moon in the starry night lit the room...
A/N: there is done. they are almost there. hehehe. dont forget to read and review.
-CHOCOBANG IS SAKURA HAYASHI LURVES ALL OF YOU.
