I Like You, Mikan-sensei
Chapter 25: Arrival
3 years later...
"This is our 37th time coming here! It's fruitless! Mikan-sensei must have shifted to somewhere else to stay! Don't be stubborn, Aoi!" Ruka shouted while holding onto her arm.
Aoi broke free and pressed the doorbell. However, no one opened the door. The tenant was also no longer living there. That old lady had left the house since 3 years ago due to some unknown reasons. Therefore, the house was currently vacant for 3 years.
"We haven't seen Mikan-sensei for nearly 3 years. How can you be so heartless, Ruka-oniisan! What if she is in trouble?" Aoi cried.
Ruka sighed and walked away. Aoi followed next to him.
"I am coming here again next week since I have already finish high school and have a lot of free time to visit Mikan-sensei," Aoi muttered.
Ruka frowned and said, "You are just wasting your time. She must have left this place and live somewhere far better than here. It's so logical."
"Yeah, right. I can visit her myself. Heartless animal lover! Hmph! How ironic!" Aoi taunted while sticking her nose up high.
Ruka ignored her and walked further ahead towards the bus stop. Aoi just pouted and followed him behind. They were going to the airport to meet someone who was returning to his homeland that day.
Meanwhile, the Higiris were in a hospital, talking to a doctor.
"Doctor Imai how is Mikan Sakura?" the Higiri couple asked at the same time.
"Oh, it's you two again. Your goddaughter's health condition is improving but she is still in the unconscious state," Doctor Imai said while checking through Mikan's health record. "She has been in a coma for 3 years since that car accident happened. The reason why she remains in this state is partly due to her anaemic condition. I am sure she will wake up soon."
"How soon is it?"
"When she wants to," the doctor replied and walked away.
The Higiris entered the ward and sat next to Mikan's bed. Mikan looked so serene as if she was having a longest and nicest dream she ever had that she didn't want to wake up to face the reality anymore. Her face was pale and she had become very skinny. She had never eaten for the past 3 years and all she received was glucose and mineral salts which was dripped directly into her body through a plastic tubing which pierced into her fair and delicate skin.
Her godmother lifted her up and started combing her long hazel brown hair.
"Sweetie, Doctor Imai said that you will wake up soon. Please wake up. It has been 3 years you have been sleeping and we miss you terribly," she whispered to the unconscious Mikan.
Just then, the door swung opened. It was Hotaru. Hotaru rushed over to Mikan's bed and greeted the Higiris before holding onto Mikan's hand.
Hotaru said, "I have just heard from my brother that Mikan-sensei will be waking up soon if she wants to."
"You mean Doctor Subaru Imai told you about her condition?" the woman asked.
Hotaru nodded and looked at Mikan in a weird manner.
"I think she needs someone to force her awake," Hotaru made her own hypothesis.
"Oh! You mean a prince has to kiss her to wake her up?" the woman said.
"Hey! She is not going to kiss anybody!" her husband retorted.
Hotaru giggled and smirked, "I will find a way to help Mikan. Don't worry, folks! My brother and I will think up of something to wake the sleeping beauty up as soon as possible."
"Will it be dangerous? Your expression looks very scary..."
"Of course not. It will be safe. With my flexibility, I am sure that I could think up of something fast and efficient. Mikan-sensei had praised me that lots of times before," Hotaru reassured.
The old couple smiled and thanked Hotaru and left the ward, leaving Hotaru with Mikan. Hotaru stroke Mikan's pale cheek gently.
"Hey Mikan-sensei... No, I mean, Mikan. When will you wake up from that blissful dream? Your godparents and I are so worried for you for 3 years. Is your dream so wonderful that you force yourself not to face the reality again? What happened to your life? Is it that bad that you want to escape from reality forever? It's time to wake up, Mikan. Mikan!" Hotaru shouted as she shook Mikan vigorously and stopped after realising that she might have hurt Mikan.
Hotaru sat down and rested her head next to Mikan's hand.
She muttered, "Mikan, you are the best teacher I ever had. Without you, I don't think I will be studying Nanotechnology at all. Please wake up..."
Few hours later, Aoi and Ruka arrived at the arrival hall, finding a familiar couple standing next to a pillar. Aoi and Ruka quickly approached them.
"Natsume-oniichan!" Aoi shouted while throwing herself onto her brother who had just returned to his homeland from England.
Natsume returned a hugged and let go while saying, "Why are you two so late? Permy and I have to wait for you two, you know."
The girl next to Natsume flared up and shrieked, "I am not Permy! It's Sumire!"
Aoi laughed at Sumire's reaction. Ruka patted on Natsume's shoulder and greeted him.
"Where is Dad?" Natsume asked.
Aoi replied, "Dad is having an important meeting right now but he would take us to a restaurant to have dinner later. Great, isn't it?"
Natsume turned to look at Sumire and said, "I will be leaving. You can stay here and wait for your family to pick you up. Bye."
Sumire frowned and said angrily, "Fine! Now, go away!"
Natsume and Aoi walked away. Ruka looked very confused about Natsume's relationship with Sumire. Were they having a couple fight?
"Sorry for intruding. Are you having a fight with Natsume?" Ruka asked Sumire who was sulking.
"Nope!" Sumire replied sadly. "I have broken up with him."
"What? Really? What happened?"
"I was the one who chose to break up with him. He had never loved me the same way I do. He didn't even care about me. So last year, I told him that we had to break up and just be normal friends. He accepted that. Thus, here we are, just friends."
Sumire smiled awkwardly. Ruka sighed.
"I think I have to go now. I have work to do. Bye!" Ruka said while walking away.
Sumire could only wave at him and looked down. Honestly, she still haboured feelings for Natsume but what was the use if he didn't love her back? Letting him go was still the best solution, not only for herself, but also for Natsume who might have someone he loved in his mind.
"Hey, Aoi! Where were the both of you just now? You know I hate waiting," Natsume questioned his sister.
Aoi crossed her arms and said, "We went to visit Mikan-sensei! However, she was not in."
Natsume frowned and bellowed, "Why were you two visiting her? Do you always visit her?"
Aoi frowned at him and retorted, "Yes, we always do but she was always not at home. So for the past 3 years ever since you left, we had never seen her face at all. Ruka suspects that she might have shifted house but I don't believe it."
"You could see her everyday in school since you had study in that same school as mine for 3 years."
"She is no longer a teacher! After your graduation, she left the school to pursue another career."
"Liar!" Natsume mouthed. "She had once told me that she loved teaching and that was her dream."
Aoi looked down, feeling a little puzzled and asked softly, "Are you still angry with her?"
"What?" Natsume shot back in a harsh tone, making Aoi jumped. "I don't care about her at all. So, stop talking about her. Please."
Aoi whined, "Geez! You don't have to sound so irritated! I know you have a girlfriend but please spare a thought for your teacher..."
"Oh, just be quiet. That permy Sumire is no longer my girlfriend. She broke up with me," Natsume snarled. "And please don't ever talk about that teacher ever again. She is pissing me off."
Aoi glared at him and then, looked away. The siblings kept quiet throughout the journey back home, without saying a single word at all.
Back to the Mikan's ward, Hotaru was already fast asleep. She was holding onto Mikan's hand tightly. Suddenly, she felt a slight movement within her grip. Hotaru immediately looked up and looked at her hand. She had sworn that she did see Mikan's fingers twitched a little. She squeezed her fragile hand harder. She believed that Mikan would wake up anytime.
She whispered, "Mikan, please wake up. Please do."
The fingers twitched again. The eyeballs under her eyelids started rolling about. Hotaru watched her with anticipation and started muttering some prayers. She wanted to call her brother really badly to tell him the progress. However, when she was about to let go Mikan's hand, she heard a soft moan. She looked at Mikan with wide eyes. Mikan was going to wake up! Excitedly and anxiously, she pressed the emergency bell which was right next to the bed to call for the doctors.
Hotaru took out her phone, preparing to call her brother until she heard someone called out her name weakly and softly. Hotaru looked up from her phone and looked at the sick patient with tears in her violet eyes. She quickly jumped and hugged Mikan, whose eyes were half opened, staring at her.
"I... Imai-san? Where am... I?"
This was what Hotaru heard before squeezing Mikan, who had finally woken up from her longest slumber, even harder.
Here is a small peek for Chapter 26:
Chapter 26: Awaken
Mikan tried to push herself up against her pillow but felt an excruciating at her lower part of her body. She groaned in pain. Upon seeing her in pain, Hotaru helped her by pulling her up and adjusted the pillow for her to rest her back on it. Mikan thanked her and tried to move her legs but couldn't as other pain shot her knee joints. She winced.
All of a sudden, a doctor came rushing in and gasped when he saw Mikan was sitting up.
"Mikan Sakura-san, I am your doctor, Doctor Imai. How are you?" Doctor Imai asked.
"Quite fine, but my knees are hurt and I cannot move them," Mikan replied worriedly.
Doctor Imai said calmly, "I'm sorry, Sakura-san. You cannot use your legs anymore but..."
"What do you mean? I can't walk forever?" Mikan interrupted.
First, I would like to thank those who had reviewed Chapter 20-24. Thanks for all those encouragements. Hope to hear more from you again! :D
Here are the responses:
- AliceOfMusic: Yeah, he should at least listen to Mikan's explanation first. Thanks! :D
- TooLazy: Thanks for always reviewing. And thanks for that comment but I still think I have a very long way to go... Anyway, I'm touched by it. Thank you again. :')
- Sunny Narcieq February: Don't worry, they will meet very soon and of course, I will not allow them to split up so easily. And yes, I want Natsume in the manga to wake up too!
- Animegirlfreak17: Okay. Thanks for reading that too! :)
- SilverMeaning of Life and Love: Thanks for reviewing! :)
- lisaOpine: Thanks for always reviewing too! I'm glad to hear that I am your favourite writer, you have touched me. I also love the lolita part as it is a little funny while writing that. And sorry for the short chapter previously. :)
- FloorCita: Thanks for reviewing! :)
- Kaede Minami: Yup, sure!
- Imurstalker: Thank you! :)
- Kuro Tenshi Hime: Thank you! I like playing around with characters and try to make them different from usual. So that is why I made Mikan older than Natsume and she is his high school teacher. :D
- Syao Blossoms: Thanks for reviewing! :)
- blue mermaid mermaid: Thank you! :)
- Guest: (There are too many 'Guest's so I decided to reply all of them as one. Sorry.) Thanks for reviewing! And yes, I agree with you. :D
- meLOVES'NATSUME: Haha! I don't hate them either. :)
- CaraRein: Thank you! In this chapter, they finally broke up. :D
- Claerine: Okay. Thanks! :D
- mikan136love: Thank you! ;)
- animelover212: Thanks for reviewing! :)
- Yasmeen: Really? Haha! Thanks! :'D
- MissLucyFullbuster: Thank you! :)
- October Flame: Thank you too! :D
- GakuenAliceLover: Thanks for reviewing! :)
- Syao Blossoms: Yup! :)
- EchizenRyoma: Yes, she's still alive. Thanks for reviewing! :)
Lastly, I would also like to thank those who had story alerted and favourited this story. I am so touched! :'D
Hey guys, I am thinking to improve in this fanfic summary but I can't think of anything better. Do you have any suggestions you would like to share to make it look interesting? Thanks a lot! :D
Anyway, please review this chapter and tell me how it is too! :D