Chapter 7: It Scares Me
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She made the choice he would surely oppose wholeheartedly.
Featuring dates and doubts.
Gakuen Alice and its characters are the wonderful creations of Tachibana Higuchi.
In the span of four months since their third and last year of high school started, Natsume had begrudging learned all about the best date spots in Central Town and in the academy, courtesy of his very energetic fianceé.
Mikan was determined to check all the boxes on the list of these "Campus Couple Cribs You Shouldn't Miss". According to Sumire, this sacred list was supposedly a heritage from countless generations of third year girls and was updated each year.
When they had a date in Central Town, Natsume and Mikan usually spent many hours in the Grand Arcade. They competed in virtual reality games, racing games, Pac-man, shooting games, Tetris, Air Hockey and many others. He let her win a few times.
Every time they went to the arcade, he reluctantly let himself be dragged to the plushie crane game machine and photo sticker machine before they left. Mikan had accumulated a lot of plushies thanks to him. She had tried very unsuccessfully to convince him to play Dance Dance Revolution. Narumi had the best record at that.
Many of Central Town's restaurants and cafés were pretty nice, especially the places Anna recommended. Natsume was fascinated with Mikan's metabolism. She didn't gain the pounds expected from eating so much. Well, Mikan has and always been active, so that helped. He had his fill of strawberry desserts.
Besides the times their friends spied on their dates, the most uncomfortable time they spent on Central Town happened when they bumped into Nonoko and her boyfriend. It turned out that only Anna knew she was dating anyone. Natsume quickly pulled Mikan away after the obligatory introductions were made before Mikan could propose a double date right then and there.
"I haven't even asked Yamato-san how they met!"
"Give them privacy, Polka Dots. Let's go. Didn't you say you were planning to complete your Fluff Puff special box collection today?"
Mikan pouted. "It's not like you can satisfy my curiosity."
"He's a Technical Ability type too. That's probably how they met. Happy now?"
"Oh, is that so? How do you know that?" She narrowed her eyes, unconvinced.
"That's not something you should know." Natsume smirked. He was never going to tell her that he helped Youichi stalk his crush during last year's Art Fair. Yamato's origami exhibit was across the glass sculptures stall Youichi's muse had put up.
Even from childhood, Natsume had long favored uncrowded places and was thus more inclined to spend dates on campus. He wanted to have Mikan all to himself. When they were not staying under or on one of the branches of their Sakura tree, they stayed by the lakeside or the gardens. Sometimes, they jogged in the evenings.
In the midst of all of this, Natsume knew something was out of place. Mikan was spending all the time she could spare with him like there was no tomorrow. Frequently, when it was just the two of them, she would hold his face tenderly while slowly looking at every part, like she was carefully committing it to memory.
Sometimes, he would say something like: "Hey, Polka. Aren't you going to tell me what's wrong? or You've finally learned to appreciate my attractive face?"
Mikan would try her best to smile like there was nothing wrong. He despised that fake smile of hers. She'd shrug and talk about other inconsequential things or say something like: "Why do you assume that there's something wrong? or Yes. Can't I marvel at my handsome fiancé's face?"
At first, Natsume convinced himself that Mikan just wanted to make the most of senior year. She was taking a lot of pictures of the two of them and of their friends. She had several albums to show for her valiant efforts. Yuu and Sumire actually wanted some of those for their yearbook.
But she was too eager, as their friends teased her often. Sometimes, he'd catch Imai scrutinizing Mikan the same way he did. He was fairly sure the Ice Queen had also been trying to figure out what the hell Mikan was hiding from all of them.
Maybe she was making up for the four years they had lost. Yet, Natsume knew there was something more than that. Finally, he couldn't take it any longer. One day, he dragged Mikan to their Sakura tree.
The sunset was lovely. It would have been romantic, if it was any other day. But today he wanted answers. He was going to demand a much needed explanation.
"Ouch, Natsume! Let go! I can walk. You're hurting me!"
He exploded. "And you, Mikan Sakura! You're driving me crazy!"
At that moment, Mikan knew that she won't be able to keep her secret for much longer. She had been dreading this day. Natsume's eyes were fierce. It reminded her of the way he looked at her when they first met. She tried stalling, with the full knowledge that it wouldn't do her any good.
"What? You've dragged me here and you're the one who's got the nerve to be angry?"
"Damn it. Stop pretending that nothing's wrong! Quit showing me insincere smiles! Tell me what you've been hiding. Don't even think of lying to me. What's wrong?"
She sighed. "Do you trust me?"
"Not when you've been keeping secrets."
"You have your own secrets, Natsume."
Mikan directed her sight to the leaves of the trees around them, which were illuminated with the dying rays of the sun. She wished the sun wouldn't set just yet. She wanted more time. She needed more time.
"Don't change the topic! And look at me! Wasn't it you who wanted me to look at you when you're talking to me?"
"See, you hate me already. I knew it. I knew it would come to this. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Mikan looked at him as her tears fell and her body shook.
Natsume wiped her tears, which made her cry all the more. "Please, Mikan. Just tell me what's wrong."
"Next week. I'll tell you next week. I promise." She hugged him tightly.
That night, Natsume and Ruka were on the rooftop once again.
"Did you find out why Sakura was reacting strangely?"
"Not yet. She promised to tell me next week. I don't have a good feeling about this, Ruka. She's been acting like our time together is quickly running out. It scares me. It really does. What if… what if she breaks up with me next week?"
Ruka elbowed his best friend. "Don't be silly, Natsume! That won't happen."
"I don't know, Ruka. Do you think her uncle ordered her to dump me?"
"Let's see. Maybe next week you'll be summoned to Principal Yukihira's office and Sakura will be there, standing helplessly to watch you getting beat up. You'll be too shocked to fight back. Then, maybe he'll reluctantly give the two of you his blessing."
Natsume glared at Ruka, who was trying hard to hold back his laughter.
"I just remembered that when the principal came to know of the relationship between Sakura's parents, he beat up Mikan's father badly. We both saw what happened in the past."
"I should have known that you'll make fun of me."
"I'm trying to keep this conversation light. But seriously, Natsume. She's not breaking up with you. That's simply absurd. That's not happening in this life, the next, the one before this, or in any other parallel world."
Natsume scoffed. "Well, Ruka. I don't know how much of that last statement is romantic, religious or scientific."
"Now, you're the one making fun of me. Seriously, Natsume. Why would she break up with you?"
"Maybe we spent too much time apart. I wasn't present for four years of her life. Maybe she's trying to make our relationship work by proposing all of these dates but she doesn't feel the same way anymore, no matter how many dates we have." He closed his eyes.
"Natsume, I'm now considering how I can convince the fearsome Hotaru Imai to lend me the latest version of her Baka gun. That ought to wake you up. I never thought I'd see you like this. Aoi would be so amused. Should I write to her about how her elder brother has mastered the art of rambling to his best friend?"
Natsume opened his eyes and snorted. "Should I then assume you've been reporting to her all this time?"
"I might just do that if you don't snap out of it. Please write longer letters to your sister! She's been complaining to me about that."
"She writes long enough for the both of us. Dad doesn't complain. How's your family?"
"They're well. They can't wait for my return. Mom has already planned a grand banquet and many other things. She told me to make sure you take care of yourself. That's why I've been trying to put some sense into you tonight, Natsume Hyuuga."
"Shut up, Ruka Nogi." Natsume punched his best friend lightly.
Two hours before Natsume and Ruka went up the rooftop, Mikan was in her uncle's office.
"I'm telling Natsume, Hotaru and Ruka next week, uncle."
"Very well."
Before Mikan went to see him, the High School Principal was re-reading the latest report on of their enemies. One Anti-Alice Organization, the one that was composed of two groups that had merged a few months ago, had lost their main safe house by the coast. However, most of its members had gotten away.
Kazumi Yukihira had actually allowed Mikan to tell Natsume, Hotaru and Ruka about her Alices. He had given his permission a month and a half ago, after Mikan told him that she had decided to stay in the academy after graduation. His niece had successfully guarded her mind from Koko.
The Middle School Principal convinced Yukihira to agree to Mikan's condition. Mikan was determined to train on how to defend herself from agents of Anti-Alice Organizations and be permitted to leave after two years. She wanted to train right she graduated, under Shiki and Narumi's supervision.
Hotaru was waiting for Mikan when she got back to the dormitory. They faced each other in the hallway where both of their rooms were located. It was clear that Hotaru wasn't going to be the one to speak first.
"Hey, Hotaru! Are you sleeping over at my room tonight?" She tried to sound upbeat as she walked to her door and unlocked it. Hotaru entered Mikan's room first.
"Keep dreaming, idiot. Why did you visit your uncle after dinner?"
Mikan switched on her desk lamp, stalling for time, like she did with Natsume. She shrugged and tried her hardest not to look at Hotaru.
"Can't I visit him? He's the only relative I have, so I naturally spend time with him. He's not as cold as he looks."
"You've never visited him at night before. What's going on?" Hotaru's tone was as just demanding as Natsume's. Mikan bit her lip.
"Not tonight, Hotaru. I'll tell you next week. I'll tell you, Natsume and Ruka-pyon. I'm asking you to trust me. Please, I'll let you know next week. I promise!"
"Don't do anything rash or I'll make you pay."
Mikan managed to laugh.
"I'm the icon of recklessness but this time, I've chosen to be on the safe side, even for a limited time. I have to."
"You always have to choose the safe side, you idiot. I mean it. You've caused and dealt with too much trouble already."
Mikan hugged Hotaru and for once, the genius inventor hugged her back. Hotaru was scared too. She sensed that whatever Mikan would finally divulge in a week would cast a shadow to the rest of their last year of high school. They were so close to being free and Mikan had suffered a lot.
Hotaru abruptly broke the hug. "Now, that's enough. You're wrinkling my new shirt, idiot. I'm going back to my room. I'm holding you to your promise. Next week, you tell us everything. Don't back out."
"I promise, Hotaru."
End of Seventh Chapter