Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. This story is entirely mine though.
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Mikan stood at the airport aghast. "So let me get this straight, you are telling me that I flew all the way from Tokyo to Geneva during my vacation for no reason? You guys seemed to think it was so bloody important, and yet you scrapped the project and all you did to notify me was to send me an email, after my flight left?"
"In a nutshell, yes that is indeed it." The man replied with no repentance whatsoever in his voice.
"You..." and then Mikan said some words she was not very proud of but were well deserved.
"Are there any rooms available at all?" Mikan asked exasperated. The people whom she might have worked with had called and canceled her reservations at the hotel, now she was having a hard time finding another place to stay.
"We have nothing ma'am, but I can call other hotels to check." The woman said with a friendly smile.
"Please." Mikan replied, and then took a seat in the lobby to wait. While she waited for them to find her a place, she called her travel agent, and asked him to get her on the next flight to Japan. It had taken her a long time to get this vacation and she had been so excited to spend it in Japan with Ruka, Hotaru and Hotaru's parents. Then the people at the research facility had given her a call. They needed her to be here immediately if she was to work for them. It was her dream job and so she had flown here, only to find out that they had scrapped the project and all they had sent was a bloody email.
After half an hour, the receptionist actually came to her to talk to her. They had not been able to find anything anywhere. Due to the explosion of a volcano in Iceland, all flights had been grounded and there was no room anywhere. The woman was really apologetic, and said she would keep trying, but Mikan would have to wait more. Mikan nodded and told her to keep looking.
She called Ruka, she really needed to vent right now.
"Hey Ruka, you would not believe the day I've had." She said as he picked up.
"Umm Mikan, I have something important to tell you." Ruka said. There was an edge to his voice.
"What is it?" she asked worried.
"Hotaru's dad just had a stroke. We're at the hospital now, and he will be undergoing surgery soon." He said unhappily.
"Oh my God!" Mikan wanted to cry.
"Mikan, when can you get back?" he asked in a gentle voice.
"I asked to be booked on the next flight home. I'll leave as soon as I can." She answered, her brain still reeling from the shock.
"Why are you already trying to book a flight back?" he asked.
"Long story, don't worry about it. I'll get there as soon as I can Ruka. I promise." She said her voice choked with tears.
Ruka wanted to comfort her, but he knew that until she was back here, there was nothing much he could do. Even then, he knew that it all hinged on the health of his father in law.
"The doc is here so I have to go, but listen, if you want to talk just call me okay?" Ruka said sincerely.
"I will. Keep me updated." Mikan answered. With a small goodbye, Ruka hung up.
That night was one of the longest nights in Mikan's life. She could not get a wink of sleep despite being totally exhausted. She kept talking to Ruka once every two hours or so as she sat in the lobby of the hotel. By the time morning came, all her body hurt, and her head was throbbing in pain. She took a headache pill and then went to the cafe in the hotel to get some breakfast. She tried to eat but could not get herself to; she knew she was way overtired and too stressed out, but in such a situation there was not much to be done.
Mikan settled back into her seat, hoping that something would work out. Honestly she was not happy that she had spent most of the night in the hotel lobby but she was learning to appreciate the saying, "Beggars can't be choosers." She leaned back and closed her eyes, and her exhaustion finally made her fall into a restless sleep.
"Ma'am?" The receptionist gently shook her awake. Mikan came awake slowly. It took her a second before he remembered what was going on.
"Please tell me you found something." Mikan said as soon as she was completely awake.
"Yes and no. Umm there is actually a guest who wants to talk to you. He is currently staying alone in a two bedroom suite and is willing to let you stay in the extra bedroom. This is highly unorthodox ma'am and if anyone ever found out that I told him what trouble you were in, I could lose my job." She said quickly.
"Its okay, I won't get you into trouble. Where is this person?" Mikan asked.
"He is waiting for my reply. You see if you two meet, and then act as if you know each other than this can work, but if I introduce you then someone might realize what's going on. I am sorry it seems like a bad suspense movie." She said and now she seemed that she was panicking.
"Don't worry, you are the one helping me. I will make sure you do not get into trouble for it. Tell me where he is and I will meet him 'acccidentaly'." Mikan replied.
"He says he already knows you. He is waiting by the door of the cafe for you." Then with a smile the receptionist went back to the desk.
Mikan got up and made her way to the cafe, wondering who it could be. Her eyes widened as they came to rest on Natsume.
"Oh hell no." Mikan whispered as she turned around to leave. Natsume caught her arm. "Would you really prefer to stay in the hotel lobby?" he asked.
Mikan turned back, but before she could say anything, he phone rang. Natsume let go of her arm as she answered the phone.
"Hey Ruka." Mikan said.
"Hey, please tell me they found you something. Mr. Imai woke up, and Mrs. Imai told him what was going on when he asked about you. Honestly, now he is worried out of his mind about you. On a better note, he is actually much better now than he was and the surgery was a success." Ruka replied.
Mikan looked at Natsume with wide eyes, making him wonder what Ruka had said. Just like Mrs. Imai she had the habit of saying the complete truth. "Ruka, tell him that I got a room to stay. I am with a friend and so he does not need to worry."
She could almost see Ruka scowling at that. "What are you not telling me?" he asked.
"I am with Natsume." she said quietly.
Ruka swore. Then he did the unexpected, and asked Mikan to give the phone to Natsume.
"Hello Ruka." Natsume said.
"Natsume, can I entrust her to you? Can you promise me that you will be a good friend to her? This is possibly the worst time of her life, and I would not have preferred this, but there is nothing else to be done."
Natsume was shocked at this. He knew how proud Ruka was and how much it must have galled him to almost ask for his help.
"I will not screw this up." He said softly.
"Thank you." Ruka said. Natsume handed the phone back to Mikan. After talking for Ruka for another minute, she hung up. Then she looked at Natsume sullenly. He sighed.
"Come on Mikan, just think that you are with Damien." He said.
Mikan shook her head. "You are you, and I will get over it. Thanks for helping Natsume."
Natsume's eyes widened. Then he gave her a small nod.
Mikan came out of the shower dressed in only a towel. She looked unhappily at her suitcase, then decided that she would get dressed after a while. She was too tired and so she needed to lie down for a little while before she had the strength to unpack. She was asleep within seconds.
Natsume knocked on her door then entered. He took one look at her and turned to leave, but if he left her sleeping like this with wet hair, she would fall sick. Sighing, he turned back. Since Mikan was sleeping on top of the covers, he grabbed the extra blanket that was on the side, and covered her with it. He could not stop himself from stroking her cheek, she was just so beautiful.
Mikan snuggled deeper within the blanket, and then she whispered his name. Natsume looked at her stunned. She was dreaming about him. Then a single tear slid out from the corner of her eye. Natsume hated himself in that moment. He turned and left the room, leaving Mikan to the dreams that were still haunted by him.