Hello, Stranger

A/n: This was supposed to be my Christmas chapter but I have to upload it late because I've become busy these past few days. Sorry guys! But I hope you'll enjoy and love this new chapter. Happy Holidays!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

Chapter 9

Double the Trouble

The sun has set and soon the night started to cloak the place. The streets became busy as people excitedly rush towards their home and celebrate the Christmas Eve with their loved ones. Houses filled with colorful Christmas lights, streets filled with people singing Christmas songs and malls are occupied with different people buying gifts with their earned money because it's time of the year again, the season everyone waited… Christmas season.

And as the streets got busier as time goes by, a woman with a bubblegum pink hair walked happily in the full sidewalk of Japan as a she carries a brown paper bag filled with different foods for the coming Christmas. Her pale face was plastered with a big smile, clearly telling everyone that she's as excited as them on celebrating the Christmas season. She entered a small building and climb the stairs and when she reached the third floor, she turned right and approached the room at the end of the floor. She was still smiling as she pressed the door bell and waited patiently for the door to open.

And when it did, she was greeted with a guy who had a complete opposite vibe that she has. His face looked ragged and tired. His brows were furrowed and he looked like he doesn't know any Christmas happy vibe. "What, Anna?" he said, annoyed when he saw Anna.

"Well, Merry Christmas to you too, Mochou! I'm here to celebrate Christmas." she replied joyfully, trying to ignore the gloomy mood of Mochou. She slowly pushed Mochou as she invited herself inside and stopped in her tracks when she smelled something familiar. "Ugh," she grunted. Anna scrunched her nose. "It's Christmas and you're doing drugs?"

"What do you want me to do, huh?" Mochou replied as he went passed to Anna. He approached the table and reached for his pot of weed. "Celebrate?"

"Well, yes! Duh!" Anna exclaimed and rolled her eyes. Deciding to ignore the smell, she approached the counter and place the groceries she bought. "Get hold of yourself, Mochou." Slowly she took the can goods and the things she bought out of the paper bag and put it inside the small fridge beside the counter as she continued, "Your one true love is out there having the marriage of her life and here you are, weeding your way towards Christmas Eve. What do you think she'll tell you when she sees you? Oh, great. It's a good thing Mochou and I are—"

"Shut up, Anna." He interrupted as he threw her glares on her back. "You don't think I know, huh? That they are going serious with this damn marriage?" Anger started to be heard from his voice making Anna turn her back and face him. "I see them having some fucking romantic dinner, kissing their way towards Hyuuga's fucking sports car, looking so fucking happy and I'm stuck in this damn shithole!"

Then a small smirk was seen on Anna's face as she crossed her arms under her chest. "So, you're stalking too, huh?"

"I don't want to rot in this damn apartment." A laugh was heard from the pink-haired woman making Mochou look at her in a surprise way then slowly he glared at her. "What the fuck are you laughing about?"

"Oh, I'm sorry…" she trailed off she tried to control her laughter. Anna gave a few more laughs then calm down. "It's funny to know that you're stalking."

Clenching his fist, Mochou stood up and snapped. "At least I'm doing something! What are you doing, huh?"

"I am doing—"

"What are you doing?" he cut her off. He walked closer to her and said. "Trying to make yourself pretty so that the Hyuuga would notice you? Shopping at the mall, buying yourself some expensive clothes to be better for Hyuuga and finally win his heart?" He scoffed. "Flash news Anna, even if you buy yourself the most expensive clothes or even if you try to copy Mikan's face, he won't like you or love you because you're just some damn pathetic bitch who want to bring Mikan down just to have her revenge to the guy who stood her up with—"

SLAP!

"What the fuck—"

SLAP!

"Don't call me pathetic because if I'm damn pathetic, you're a fucking idiot!" she narrowed her eyes as she stare Mochou with hateful eyes. "You already had the girl but you're too ambitious that you left her and what did you get, huh? You almost got yourself to prison and was thrown to a country that no one knows you or finds you and who found you, Mochou?" She neared her petite body to him. "Who found you?!" she shouted on his face.

And with almost swallowing his ego, he answered. "You."

"Yes! Me!" she shouted. "I helped you. You were on a real shithole and I save your damn ass! If it wasn't for me, you'd still be rotting your ass down there. And this?" she spread her hands in the air and continued, "And this is a better shithole than you came from. Rotting here is better than rotting where I found you because you were as poor as a rat when I damn found you." She pushed Mochou and walked away.

"Anna…" he trailed off as he tried to stop her.

She grabbed the doorknob and before she could open the door… "And for your information, I am doing something."

"What is it?"

She titled her head and an evil smile was seen. "Oh, you just have to wait for it. Merry Christmas." Then she opened the door and left Mochou alone again.

xxx

Christmas Eve had always been the Sakura's favorite celebration. Every year they make sure they held a dinner party, celebrating Christmas Eve with their close friends and loved ones and this year isn't an exception especially Yuka's too excited now that Natsume, her son-in-law, is about to celebrate his first Christmas with them. She made sure the people will know about the marriage of her daughter and Natsume so she decided to invite more people than she usually do. And tonight, she couldn't stop smiling how everything looks perfect.

"Honey, did you invite Mr. and Mrs. Hanuki?" her husband whisper to her and he grabbed her waist gently and pulled her closer to him. The Hanuki couple is one of Yuka and Narumi's close friend years ago but the friendship slowly faded when they always leave for Belgium. "Since when did we started being in touch with them?" he asked her wife who was smiling brightly.

"Well," she said with a smile on her face. "I wanted to invite some people we haven't seen in a while. I mean it is Christmas… I think it's also a good opportunity for them to know about Mikan and Natsume too." She explained and waved a hello to the Hanuki couple when they saw them.

Narumi couldn't help but chuckle. Yuka and her ways. She always have her ways to things that she want and that makes her amazing. They've been married for almost 30 years now and still Yuka never fail to amaze him. Every single day her actions remind him how much he is luck to marry this woman. "Mikan's going to freak out."

"I don't think so." She replied with a bit confidence in her voice.

His grip on Yuka's waist loosen as he looked down at her with a confuse reaction on his face. "Really?" he asked. "Am I missing something?"

Yuka flashed a smirk, "Let's just stay making them stay in one condominium made things a little better." She said emphasizing the word little making Narumi more curious.

But before he could ask more, the Hanuki married couple approached them and Yuka immediately gave the woman a hug and shook the husband's hand. "Hi Chi-chi!" she beamed at them. "It's been awhile since we saw each other. I'm glad you found time on attending our party."

"Of course," the woman who was named Chi-chi said with a smile making the small wrinkles be visible on her forehead. "I'm so excited to see the both of you. And I saw Ruka too." She said.

"Your guy is a man now." Chi-chi's husband said with a chuckle.

"Oh yes." Yuka said. "He has grown to a responsible man, you know. He handles the hospitals very well. I'm now starting to think about retirement, you know?" she joked.

Chi-chi chuckled in agreement. "And I saw Mikan too and is she going out with Natsume Hyuuga?" she asked with an amuse smile playing on her lips. "Your daughter has a great taste, you know?" Then she winked at Yuka.

"Well," she reached for Narumi's hand and intertwined her fingers on his. "Like mother, like daughter I guess?" then both of them chuckled making Narumi grin and Chi-chi's husband chuckle in agreement. "But yes they are actually together now."

"Wow." Chi-chi's husband reacted. "I cans still remember Mikan running around during parties like these playing with her brother and now, they're both grown in to respected man and woman. I'm sure you're very proud of them but a little worried about having a grandchildren along the way, eh?"

"Oh no." Yuka shook her head then clasped her hands together happily. "Actually, I'm a bit excited to have a little Mikan or a little Ruka. We're not really getting younger."

"Um," Narumi blurted out as he looked anxious while his eyes are searching for her daughter. "Chi-chi, you said you saw Mikan. Say, where did you saw her?" he asked with a polite smile on his face.

She nodded and said, "I saw her at the buffet table with Natsume Hyuuga."

"Okay." He pecked Yuka on the cheeks then said. "You three should catch up some more, I'll just go to Mikan." Then he left them and started to look for Mikan. He approached the buffet table while people are smiling at him and greeting him a merry Christmas while he politely smiles back at them and greets them back. Then he finally saw a brunette girl standing at the buffet table, he smiles seeing his daughter but then stop when he realized a hand is wrapped around her daughter's waist as her body is pulled closer to someone's body. He looked up then realized… it is Natsume.

"So what was like celebrating Christmas here, hmm?" he heard Mikan said with a sweet voice. He stood there watching and eavesdropping. "So is Christmas here in Japan better or what?"

He stared at Mikan with a smirk on his face as she reached for a strawberry on the table while waiting for his answer. "Well," he said. "I'm not really a Christmas guy."

Mikan chuckled. "I can see that."

"It was always Aoi who decorates our house with bright Christmas lights and plays Christmas songs every morning and evening during this kind of season but…" he trailed off then smirked. "If it's you I'll be having for Christmas then I guess I'm going to be a Christmas guy soon."

A smile was formed on Mikan's lips as she bit the strawberry she was holding. "Sweet talker." She said.

"Hmm." Natsume took the strawberry on her mouth and replaced it with his lips. "Well, nothing's sweeter than your lips." He murmured between their kiss. He tightened his grip on Mikan as he deepened the kiss which Mikan responded very well. Her hands found Natsume's neck as she rubbed it gently and slowly while kissing him back.

"Ahem."

And with that familiar voice, Mikan pushed Natsume away and turned around. And she was right, it was her father. "H-hi." She stammered as she fixed herself and her hair with a small nervous smile on her face. If someone's not a fan of public display of affection, it's her father. She remembered two years ago, when Ruka and Hotaru was caught making out during the party, he almost freaked out and reprimanded the couple.

"Uncle Narumi." Natsume greeted with a nod.

"What are you doing?" Narumi asked as he crossed his arms under his chest and eyed the two. "Am I missing something?"

"What?" Mikan ask. Then she cleared her throat and nudge Natsume telling him to say something but he stayed silent. "We…" she trailed off, thinking for a better excuse then said. "We were just grabbing some food, dad. That's all."

"Really?" he asked while raising one of his eyebrows. "So, Mikan, what food did you find on Natsume's mouth?"

Natsume's eyes widen a little hearing what Narumi just said and then glance at Mikan who looks like a ripe tomato right now, blushing because of embarrassment. His eyes found Narumi again who was glaring at him. He never saw Narumi like this—pissed, even during meetings or when his employees screws up, he was never pissed. There is no single day that you don't see Narumi smiling even if there's a lot reason for him to punch someone, he would still choose to smile.

But today's a different day.

"Uncle Narumi—"

"I'm asking Mikan, Natsume." He cut him off with a stern voice. When Mikan did not answer, he said. "Mikan, come with me."

Mikan eyed Natsume anxiously but he gave her an assuring nod, telling her to follow her father. She smiled faintly then followed her pissed father silently and when they reached outside, Narumi approached the bench nearby and sat quietly. Mikan didn't mimicked her father's actions instead she stood there, watching him closely.

"Mikan." Narumi called her then he pat the vacant seat beside him. "Come." He calmly said. He doesn't sound pissed off anymore making Mikan become more calm as she approached her father and when she sat beside him they fell in to a deep silence.

Narumi's reaction is a bit different on his reaction when he caught Ruka and Hotaru. Maybe because she's married to Natsume but nevertheless, she knew there was a strike one back there. You never see Narumi mad. If Yuka's a monster, he was the prince charming. They were like beauty and the beast, in terms of attitude but when he is pissed off, it means you disappointed him and this makes her guilty on what she did.

"Dad, I'm sorry." She began as she hung her head down and looked at her palms. "I know it was inappropriate to make out with Natsume in a public place. I'm sorry."

Hearing his daughter's apology, he couldn't help but smile. Mikan knew him better. "You're a girl, Mikan. And I don't want Natsume to have a different perspective about you. Even though you're married to him, I want you to remember that respect is needed between the two of you."

"Yes dad. I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He answered. "Actually, I wanted to ask you something." Mikan looked up and eyed him curiously. "Are you like… for real?"

Mikan chuckled as she sensed the awkwardness on her father's voice. "I like Natsume dad. He's like my happy pill."

"Happy pill?"

She nods. "Yes. He makes me happy. You know." Then she shrugs. "Happy. I think that's enough for now."

"I can still remember you were whining on the phone and telling me how you hate the world for making Natsume married to you and how you hate us for screwing your future and now he makes you happy?"

She laughed on what her father said. It's true ever since her mother planned on making them live together, Mikan would always call her father and cry, whine and tell him her life is screwed up because of Natsume but now… "Well, things have change dad, I guess. I'm just happy I have him now."

"But you're not in love with him?" he asked as he started to sound confuse on what his daughter has been saying.

She paused and started to look at the ground with distant eyes. "Dad… I'm not sure. I'm like… in like with him?" she answered unsurely.

"What?" he said, half shouting. "In like? What? That's the new trend with you teenagers now?" he eyed her daughter in disbelief and shook his head. "That's weird, honey and wrong." He decided to emphasize the words weird and wrong, sending Mikan a sign that he is disagreeing on whatever her daughter is doing now.

"You're like Hotaru." She answered.

"Hotaru? See!" his voice started to rise making Mikan look at him with wide eyes. "Even your best friend is telling you that in like is wrong! Making out and just telling us that it's just like and some whatever happy pill?" Narumi almost panted when he said everything in one breath.

"Why can't I be happy without having so much reason to explain why I am damn happy?" She couldn't ignore the anger building inside her. All these people watched how her world shattered before and now she is having this small hope that she can be a happy with someone again and now they wanted her to be reasonable about everything. "Shit!" she cursed.

"Watch your words—"

"I'm not a young girl anymore dad." She spat. She stood up and continued. "I graduated with honors. I'm the heir of Sakura Company. I have a different home now. I am married so stop acting like I'm your responsibility because in the first place you and mom put me in this kind of situation." Mikan knew her words made the situation worst but she doesn't care. She's fed up with all these bullshits she's been dealing with. When she looked away, she felt her dad stood up and she knew he will reached out to her but she stopped him. "Dad, don't."

"Honey, I'm sorry—"

Before he could continue whatever apology speech he has in mind, she cut him off. "I'm sorry too, dad. With what I said." She whispered then looked at him. "I just wanted to be happy and he is making me happy. I think that's enough for the both of us. I don't care if it's selfish. I just need to feel that…"

"I know." Narumi smiled. "I know you need to feel real emotions again but honey…"

"I'll go inside. Natsume might be looking for me already." She immediately turned around and went inside. This was supposed to be one of her best Christmas ever but it's already ruined. Her father is being reasonable, she knew that but she's too occupied with all these emotions that she's not taking his opinion or anyone's opinion. Of all the people who knew about this, it's her mom who's only supportive about this. She rolled her eyes. Of course, all her mom wanted was for her to accept Natsume. And the day she found out about it, she was really happy.

It was a week ago when her mom wouldn't stop calling her about the upcoming Christmas celebration that she was about to throw and she keep calling Mikan, reminding her about not being late, wear something decent and make sure Natsume would be there and they would go together. And when she's fed up with her mother's call, she decided to turn her phone off and have some alone time with her favorite person in the world right now.

And when she mean alone time, it's her on Natsume's lap as her legs wrap around his body and his hands on her waist pulling her closer to his body, feeling each other's needs and their lips smashed together as their tongues danced along their own rhythm. Natsume has no work for that day since it's a Sunday so they decided to make up with the one week of not spending so much time with each other.

Not until the door sprung open and Yuka was standing there with her eyes widen, her mouth formed in a small o and she was looking at them with eyes wide as dining plates. Immediately she pulled Mikan away from Natsume and asked her about everything. She was actually expecting she'll be mad seeing her so close on having sex with Natsume but she was grinning and laughing and saying she should keep up whatever their status was even if it's what everyone calls "friends with benefits".

But Mikan should have known better that if someone is to be called their number one fan, it should be her mother. She shook her head unconsciously as she tries to forget everything. This isn't the time to overthink and ruin the mood. All she want right now is to find Natsume and go home and spend Christmas alone back in their little home.

"Mikan."

She stopped when she heard her voice called. But before she turned around, she heard the voice call her again. Then she realized the voice was too familiar to be forgotten. Of course, how could she forgot this voice?

"Mikan. You never changed."

She turned around and smiled. "Tsubasa."

A man with a blue hair which is a little messy like Natsume's with a small start tattoo under his eye with a goofy smile playing on his lips. "Hello to you too." He said while grinning. "It's been years and you never changed, huh?"

She walked closer to him and chuckled. "And I can still remember you back then. With all these football uniforms who looks crazy because he can't stop grinning while playing."

"How can I not? I have a gorgeous cheerleader cheering for me and I can still see that she's still gorgeous right now." He playfully answered.

"Something's never changed." Then she hugged Tsubasa tight while smiling. When she pulled away she said, "What are you doing here? Since when were you back?"

"I was back last week." He answered. "I have a business here that needs to be given some attention. And when your mom found out, she invited me."

"Of course. You're one of his favorites."

"I'll always have my way to charm your monster mom." He winked making both of them laugh at their own private joke.

But their laughter died when another voice came to the picture. "Mikan."

She turned around and there was Natsume eyeing them intensely with his piercing crimson eyes. "Natsume!" she beamed. Then he was already standing beside her but his eyes were locked on the Tsubasa's as they started to have a silent war with their eyes. Mikan noticed the awkwardness so she cleared her throat and said. "Tsubasa, this is Natsume my—"

"Husband." Natsume cut her off. He extends his arm, trying to shake Tsubasa's hand.

Tsubasa flinched a little but then immediately smiled at Natsume. He took his hand and shook it. "I'm Tsubasa. An old friend back in high school. I didn't know you were married, Mikan."

Natsume pulled away and glared a little. "Guess you know that now, already."

"Yeah." He replied as he starts to glare back at Natsume.

The brunette eyed the two of them and sensed the mood between the two of them so she held Natsume's hand then smiled at Tsubasa. "We really need to go, Tsubasa." She said politely. "But I'm glad I saw you tonight."

Tsubasa nodded with a smile. "Yeah, me too. Then I'll see you around Mikan and… Natsume."

Mikan gave one last smile then turned around as she pulled Natsume away and when she is sure that they are already far from Tsubasa, she squeezed his arm and said. "What was that, Natsume?" she asked with a little annoyance on her voice.

"Who's that guy?" he said flatly.

"He's just an old friend. We go with the same school back in high school." She answered. She decided she won't ruin the mood with Natsume so she intertwined her hand to his then looked up at him with a playful smile on her lips. "Why don't we go home and you know spend Christmas night in our own way?"

Natsume knew she's evading the topic so het let her. He smirked then pecked her on the lips and whispers. "Get ready for the mind-blowing Christmas you'll ever have."

But deep inside, Natsume knew there's something more about Tsubasa. And now, new questions have been bothering him. He still hasn't know anything about Mochou and now some new guy is in the picture. There's something about Mikan that he needs to find out. Maybe this is the right time to catch up with his best friend slash brother-in-law.

And Mikan couldn't help but remember how she was once a cheerleader cheering for that guy back there. He isn't just a simple old friend because if Mikan has Mochou as her great heartache, she also has Tsubasa… her great first love.

Review? :)