GASP!!! I'm soooo sorry for now uploading and doing anything for the past 2 months. I've been REALLY REALLY busy with everything. With summer starting, old things has ended and new things await, no? I've also been thinking on how I should end this story. YES. This is the last chapter. Chapter 28, for He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, has officially ended with this chapter. I hope you enjoy this last chapter. This chapter is longer than all my other chapters singled out. Also, this is exactly the 100th page for the whole story. Let's celebrate for that too. (: Anyways, I'm guessing you all want me to shut up so you can read the last chapter of the story.

Let me do the reviews first hm?

Xxdarkness-angelxX-LOL, sorry if it's messed up? =D =D

lemoncherrylove-Chapter updated! Sorry you had to wait a whole 2 months and a bit more for this chapter to come out. You must've been going 'where the heck is that chapter?!'

natsumikan0909-Thank you [heart]

AniME AddiCtz-ThAnKs! :D


Chapter 28

"What… what is the meaning of this?! Why do you have his letter and I don't?!" Mikan said.

She read the letter.

Dear Ruka,

Hi! I'm doing fine in USA. The people seem really nice, but are quite different then the people of Japan. I can't explain it though. I'm pretty sure you would like it here if you came Ruka. I really miss everyone there, you, Hotaru, Yuu, even Sumire and Narumi-sensei. Just thinking about being parted from you guys make me feel so distraught. But once we graduate, I'll try and come visit! I promise. Apparently in the USA's Alice Academy, you can go out for the summer but must stay in the school during the school year. Meaning I can see my parents and Aoi when summer comes. Maybe I can come visit you guys in the summer… oh no wait… that's not possible… Gakuen Alice doesn't allow visitors that aren't part of the school. Never mind. We'll see each other soon though. I can sense it.

Please tell everyone I said hello and ask how they are doing. Tell them to send me more letters too, haha, I don't want to feel lonely. I only have your letter going back and forth. I want to hear more from the others too. *smiles*

My life is pretty empty, I have not much friends yet except for a guy name Rex and another guy name Ian. They are both nice and seem to like me. They fit my style of 'friends' but of course none of them can beat the times that you and me had together. We were what? Friends since the very beginning? *smiles*

I'm done unpacking too. My house is really nice and big. The next time I send you a mail, I'll add a picture of the house and my room too. It's so spacious but the sun shines in the room through the window and lights up the room. I like that. I'll miss my spot on the Sakura Tree, make sure no one else can claim it even though I'm gone. You can of course. Tell them I'll come back and haunt them if they do! Haha, I'm joking.

Anyways, I have to get started on something the teacher gave. A questionnaire or something; seems pretty long too. Bye Ruka.

Sincerely,

Natsume Hyuuga

P.S. I forgot to tell you, I met my childhood friend, Luna. She's my girlfriend now…

A… a girlfriend? Mikan thought to herself. She looked lost and confused. Hotaru and Ruka tried to get her to snap out of it but there she stood like a soulless person. Tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"Mikan!" Hotaru shot her with her baka-gun. But that had no effect except to make Mikan cry harder. She curled up in the corner of Ruka's room with her head on her knees and starting bawling. Ruka picked up the piece of paper that Mikan had dropped and looked it over again. He closed his eyes, sighed and put the letter in his desk.

"Mikan-chan? Are you okay?" Ruka asked. Mikan quickly shook her head no.

"He… he lied to me," she managed to choke out the words from her bawling.

"I'm sure he didn't. Something must have happened!" Ruka tried to comfort her.

"No… I always knew that he didn't like me from the start. I knew it!! After he said those things… I remorse confessing to him! He never once mentioned my name in that letter! Not once Ruka! Not even once," Mikan cried out the last few words from her heart. She got up and ran to her room. Ruka looked at Hotaru worriedly, but she only casually stuffed another chip into her mouth.

"Should I… leave her alone?" Ruka asked as he frowned. Hotaru nodded her head and continued eating.

Mikan ran as fast as she could to her room. She passed by Kiyoshi.

"Mikan-chan?" Kiyoshi said as he grabbed her wrist. Mikan turned her head with her bangs covering her face.

"Please let go of me," she said quietly.

"No, what's wrong?" Kiyoshi asked concerned.

"PLEASE let go of me!" she said a bit loudly.

"I won't until you tell me what's wrong!" Kiyoshi started shaking her a bit.

"LET GO OF ME KIYOSHI!" Mikan lifted her head and Kiyoshi saw eyes filled with tears. Kiyoshi gripped her wrist a little tighter, but then let it go. Mikan ran past him and Kiyoshi dropped his head. Mikan kept running wherever her feet would take her. When she stopped, she was at the Sakura Tree. She stood there, crying her heart out. She walked behind the tree and sat down. She pulled her knees towards her chest and placed her chin on top. She looked up at the Sakura tree, to find the branch Natsume always sat at, empty. She looked back down and buried her face in her knees. She started crying silently.

"He lied… I already expected this much. He just pitied me…" Mikan told herself, "He was just lying to me. He never liked me at all. He must've been thinking about his childhood friend all along. But because I said I liked him, he had no choice but to lie so I wouldn't feel upset. That must be it. Stupid Natsume."

The wind howled and the leaves were blown around. The sun high in the sky shone down on Mikan who now lay on the grass asleep with a tear stain on her cheek. Someone listened to her until she fell asleep. Their back was against the trunk of the tree on the other side. They ran off back into the school.

"Mikan-chan! Wake up, Mikan-chan!" a voice called out to Mikan.

"What?" Mikan yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"You've been out here for more than 3 hours! You missed Lunch which happened like… 5 minutes ago."

"Oh my gosh!!! You guys ate without me?! Oh, hi Kiyoshi."

"Hi, and yes, we couldn't find you anywhere, especially with the tree hiding you."

"Ah-haha, sorry about that Kiyoshi-kun. Something came up…"

"Hm? What happened?"

"It's… nothing. Nothing important really," Mikan sighed.

"If something came up, Mikan-chan, then it has to be something important," Kiyoshi sat down beside her.

"Yeah, but well… I just don't want to explain it…"

Kiyoshi nodded his head understandingly. "Alright, but the way I know it is that if you tell someone else how you feel, then you'll feel much better, hm?"

"Yeah… I know that," Mikan sighed again.

"Well, anyways, if you need anyone to talk to," Kiyoshi got up, patted his legs to get any dirt off and started walking off, "I'm willing to listen to your problems."

Mikan smiled and got up too. "Thanks Kiyoshi."

"Oh, any another thing Mikan," Kiyoshi said. Mikan stopped in her tracks, but Kiyoshi kept walking.

"What is it Kiyoshi-kun?" Mikan asked. Kiyoshi stopped walking.

"I like you and I'm not giving up on you to some dude name Natsume. I'll prove to you that I'm a more worthy person of you and that I'm better than Natsume," Kiyoshi turned his head and winked at Mikan and started walking again. Mikan's face turned red.

"Oi, Kiyoshi! Stop joking around!" Mikan said as she ran up to him.

"It's sad to know that you think I'm joking, but I'm not," Kiyoshi said seriously then sighed.

"But…"

"Hurry Mikan, we have to get back inside, Hotaru and Ruka are starting to worry about you,"

"Okay…"

"And Mikan…"

"Yeah?"

"I'll say it once more, I like you," Kiyoshi pulled Mikan's wrist and started running towards Ruka's room.

"WHERE IN THE WORLD WERE YOU?!" Ruka screamed as soon as he saw Mikan.

"Do you know how much we worried?" Hotaru asked.

"I can see Ruka worrying, but I don't see much worrying coming from you Hotaru," Mikan said.

"I'd rather not show my worry face for someone like you, but that doesn't mean I'm not worried."

"Sorry guys, I fell asleep outside."

"Thank goodness Kiyoshi-kun found you Mikan-chan! Everyone was wondering where you ran off to, we covered by saying you were still sleeping in your room, but some of the sensei got pretty upset that you were still sleeping. We told them that you weren't feeling very well, they were fine with that," Ruka explained.

"That's… partly correct. Sorry again guys," Mikan bowed her head in apology.

"That's alright."

"But that means I missed my lunch!!" Mikan whined and sulked.

"Oh, daijoubu Mikan-chan, I saved some food for you. It was tricky getting it pass the sensei, but it was worth it," Kiyoshi said. He took out a bag from his backpack and placed it in Mikan's hands. Mikan opened it and started chowing down.

"Arigatou Kiyoshi!!" Her mouth was full of food. Mikan had tears streaming down from her eyes in joy.

"Close your mouth when you're talking Mikan!" Hotaru shouted towards her friend.

"Gomen but you don't know how hungry I am!" Mikan took another big bite.

"Whose fault is it for disappearing?" Hotaru said.

"Hehe… gomen already," Mikan finished the last little bites with a happy grin on her face.

"So, would you care to tell us what happened now?" Kiyoshi asked. Mikan froze. Ruka and Hotaru put on a worried and panicky face.

"Uh, I don't think you should really ask her Kiyoshi-kun," Ruka said, trying to prevent making Mikan upset.

"It's alright, since Kiyoshi is our friend, he has the right to know what happened," Mikan said, "but I do not wish to be the one to tell it."

"I'd tell, but I think Mikan should tell herself if she allows Kiyoshi to know," Hotaru said.

"Yeah, ditto to that," Ruka said.

"Mikan, I believe that you would feel a lot better, you'll feel the burden being taken off, if you tell me in your own words and let everything out with your feelings," Kiyoshi agreed with the others.

Mikan was feeling the pressure alright. But she knew that Kiyoshi was right, if she wanted to let Kiyoshi know, she should tell him herself in case Ruka or Hotaru tells it differently than how it actually is. She hesitated for a moment. She looked at her friends who encouraged her to tell, expressing her feelings. Mikan held out a finger as in 'chotto matte' and ran to the washroom. She washed her face with cold water which woke her up and walked back into the bedroom. Ruka and Hotaru were on a chair while Kiyoshi was sitting on the bed. Mikan sat beside Kiyoshi and took a deep breath.

"As you probably figured, I like Natsume. Natsume Hyuuga. I don't know when I developed feelings for him, but it was sometime last year. At first he was this really hateful and annoying guy, but we got to know each other more. And of course, we became good friends. All four of us, Ruka, Hotaru, Natsume and I, always spent our times together…" and Mikan told the whole story from beginning to end. It was long, but all of them sat and listened to what the girl had to say. Sniffles were heard, but Mikan held strong and held back the tears.

The three friends listened, feeling sorry for Mikan and wanting to comfort her. Hotaru wanted too, although she doesn't exactly show it. Ruka and Hotaru basically knew the whole story, but there were some new points. Kiyoshi nodded his head along as Mikan told the whole story.

"…and he told me he liked me and we promised each other to send letters to each other. He said he wouldn't get my mail until school starts, but it's been more than 2 months and I should've gotten his reply. Ruka got his, so I should've gotten mine. Natsume's not the stupid type so he'd know to send both of them at the same time. So I caught Ruka's letter from Natsume… and not once was I mentioned, and at the very end, he wrote that his childhood friend, became his girlfriend," Mikan finished off.

"That person!" Kiyoshi said angrily. He held a fist in his lap.

"It's not his fault! I already knew he was just lying about it, but I still don't know why I cried," Mikan told him.

Kiyoshi stood up and stood in front of Mikan, "Why are you defending him when he has hurt you so much?! Mikan, please. Forget that guy, go out with me! I promise you I'll treat you better and you'll be a lot happier with me. Just try going out with me at least.

Ruka and Hotaru's eyes widen when Kiyoshi asked Mikan out.

"Did something happen that we didn't know?" Ruka asked.

"Yes, I confessed to Mikan and now I'm asking her out. Mikan, please," Kiyoshi stared intensely at Mikan.

"But…" Mikan stuttered.

"If I can't convince you that I'm better and that I can't get you to like me for the next 3 months we're dating, I'll give up. I promised," Kiyoshi said softly.

Mikan being speechless, looked at her two friends who only stared blankly back.

"Go on and answer him Mikan," Hotaru said.

"I… fine… 3 months," Mikan finally said in a whisper. Kiyoshi's face lit with brightness and happiness. He nodded and smiled.

So for three months, Mikan went out with Kiyoshi. They attracted a lot of attention and were nominated as the cutest couple in history. Within those three months, Mikan shone at her brightest and was happy everyday. She had eventually forgotten about Natsume. People often avoided talking about Natsume around Mikan seeing she was so happy with Kiyoshi. By the second month, she had even forgotten about the 3 months deal. After 3 months had past, Kiyoshi never brought up the topic about the 3 months deal until Mikan brought it up which she never did.

During the 3 months, they had gone out to dates at Central Town. Kiyoshi would watch out for Mikan more carefully and bought presents for his princess. They ate Howalons together under a tree and watched puppet shows. They looked at new bookstores and little plushies. They laughed together and did everything together. Their time with Ruka and Hotaru was shortened, but Ruka and Hotaru didn't mind since they were happy to see one of their best friends smiling again. Ruka and Hotaru also started dating behind everyone's back since they spent a lot of time together after Mikan went out with Kiyoshi. At least, that's what everyone assumes with what they know. But of course, that's for Ruka and Hotaru to know. [We're in Mikan's story, but Ruka and Hotaru's. We'll be sticking with Mikan thank you very much.]

3 months passed by quickly and Mikan was starting to feel something for Kiyoshi. Before they knew it, it was a year and Mikan was still going out with Kiyoshi. Everyday was happy day, there were some disappointments and unhappy times, but they overcame that with the help of each other. And finally, it was time for them to graduate. It was time for everyone to leave Gakuen Alice and go to a university. All the students cried about parting, some stayed strong knowing that they will continue to contact each other. For Mikan and Kiyoshi, after 4 years of dating each other, it was time for them to part. Kiyoshi was going to France and Italy to study aboard and Mikan just wanted to stay here, in Japan with Ruka and Hotaru.

Within the next week after school ended and they had left Gakuen Alice, Kiyoshi started packing up and was ready to go to the airport to go to his first stop, France. Mikan, Hotaru and Ruka went with him to the airport to see him off.

"Hotaru, Ruka, please take care of Mikan for me. If anything happens, please tell me," Hotaru and Ruka nodded, "Mikan, I'm sorry it ended like this. Long distance relationships are hard, I hope you understand. So I'm letting you free. I still love you though. You'll forever be in my heart. I'll call you everyday. Since I'm letting you free now, so date other guys as you please to, I won't be angered by it. And when I come back and become a better person, I'll try and take you back if you don't have a boyfriend yet. I know it's wrong, but I will," Kiyoshi smiled at Mikan while wiping a tear away.

"I understand Kiyoshi. I'll stay strong for you. I won't be shaken. Remember to call me on my cell," she said.

"I promise, I love you Mikan," Kiyoshi bent down to give Mikan a long kiss. Mikan hugged Kiyoshi and when they finally let go, they smiled.

"I love you too Kiyoshi," Mikan said.

"I'm not saying bye, because I know that we'll meet each other again. So instead, I'll say 'I'll see you again soon in the future'," Kiyoshi picked up his things and started walking into the station.

"Take care Kiyoshi! I'll see you again soon in the future too!" Mikan yelled as loud as she could for him to hear. Kiyoshi went in after being checked he was clean. He disappeared quickly. Mikan started crying, but wiped her tears away with her sleeves.

"You'll be fine Mikan," Ruka said.

"I know, I'll smile and look up to the sky, sun and moon, knowing that we're looking at the same things," Mikan looked up and smiled. She brought her head back down, spotting a raven haired boy with crimson eyes. He was wearing black pants, shoes and top with a hint of white. He walked across the station with a girl beside him and went out. Mikan fell to the ground, heart aching and head hurting.

"What's wrong Mikan?!" Hotaru yelled.

"I… I thought I saw… Natsume with a girl beside."

"Natsume's in America, he can't be here," Ruka said.

"You're right, I must be imagining things," Mikan shook her head and her heart clearing up. The three of them went home, getting ready to start their new life as students in Tokyo University.

***

"Welcome back to Japan Natsume, and welcome to Japan Luna," Mr. Hyuuga said.

"Hn, looks the same," Natsume said.

"Looks pretty!" Luna said.

"Hehe, I'm home Japan! I'm here to stay!" Aoi said happily.

"Okay, let's get you both into a university first Natsume and Luna. Tokyo University was it Natsume?" Mrs. Hyuuga said.

"Yes," Natsume replied.

"From now on, you guys will be living as young adults in University. Make us proud kids. We'll think about your marriage after you guys graduate," Mr. Hyuuga joked.

"Shut up dad," Natsume said.

"That's no way to speak to your dad!" Mr. Hyuuga cried. They all laughed but Natsume. Driving back to their newly bought house, Natsume and Luna starts their new life in Japan.

THE END. (Finally!!)


AHEM. Thank you everyone for supporting and reading my story. It's been great honour and pleasure to have talked with some of you and to have read your reviews. I'll miss that, but I'll be back with the sequel to this. We OBVIOUSLY need to know what happens in Tokyo University right? Haha. Anyways, thank you again everyone for supporting. And sorry for my delay-ness in writing the last chapter. You all must've been really annoyed with me at some point. -laughs sheepishly- Gomen minna-san. Anyways, though this is the last chapter, there is another yet to come! Once I think of a name and summary and everything, I'll create put it as the very very last chapter in the story. Chapter 29? :P Though it won't be a chapter. I'm warning you now, it may take months for me to come up with the name and summary of the sequel. But don't worry, I'll definitely think of something. I won't leave you all hanging there. If I do, message me. :D You can still talk to me if you wish, just send me a message hm? Fufufu.

Anyways, I love you all. It was with great pleasure and honour to have created and shared a story with you. Sorry if you don't exactly like the ending, but I thought it might've worked.

Anyways, until next time!

XOX,

Amulet-berriie