Chapter 12: The Elusive One

Thank you, fujiokaharuka for adding Flame to your Favorite Stories and Alerts List.

Thank you, alicekingsley24 for putting Flame in your Alerts List. I'd also like to say that I really like your Profile Avatar. It's the perfect picture of how I look like on most nights, just swap the book for my phone. (I've been reading e-books but I miss physical books.)

It's a two-fold distraction.
Featuring secret places and longevity.

Gakuen Alice and its characters are the wonderful creations of Tachibana Higuchi.

"Ah, Narumi-sensei! Wait, wait!"

"Ah, look who it is! Mikan-chan! What have you been doing? You're getting even prettier. Does Natsume tell you how pretty you've become?" He smiled.

By chance, Mikan had spotted her favorite teacher in one of the hallways of the High School building. She frowned.

"Narumi-sensei, I appreciate the compliment. No, he doesn't. You can't distract me with that. Where have you really been all this time? Please don't lie to me, sensei. I almost never see you around, even in the Elementary School Department."

"Mikan-chan, I'm very flattered that you miss me. You do know that my playful acts merit punishments from Jinjin and Misaki-sensei. I also have friends in Central Town. I'm sorry that we can't see each other as often as I like."

"Are you going on missions? Are you here to report to Uncle Kazumi?"

"Oh, what makes you think I am? Are you here to see him? Let me accompany you then."

"Sensei! I… I'm not a child anymore. I have to know. I don't want you putting yourself in harm's way again."

"You will always be my little girl, Mikan-chan. I apologize for worrying you."

"I won't let you go if you don't tell me what's going on."

"Mikan-chan…"

"Sensei, please." Mikan lowered her voice. "I'm already staying behind after graduation because of, well you know why… I think I deserve to know what's happening out there."

Narumi was very familiar with the look of determination on the face of his favorite student.

"Let's go to a more secluded place to talk. I can't tell you all of the details, okay?"

Mikan nodded. He quickly led her to a staircase opposite the direction he was walking to. They went down two flights of stairs and entered a room. Inside, there were numerous framed old photos of Alice Academy through the years.

Mikan's eyes widened as Narumi chose a seemingly random frame and turned it to 15 degrees. The wall to their right moved silently and revealed a wooden door. He unlocked it after placing his left hand on a scanner and entering a code.

Narumi smiled and she entered hesitantly after him. The overhead lights turned on before he shut the door. He casually sat down on the leather sofa in the middle of the room and indicated that she should sit beside him. There was a globe and some books on a side table. They looked normal. The room contained nothing else.

"Well, as you have experienced when you were still in Elementary School, Mikan-chan, the High School Division building is full of surprises! How do you like this one?"

"This is definitely a stark contrast to what we had to go through back then. It's less dangerous." Mikan finally managed to smile, remembering their troublesome adventure. "Sensei, will you tell me what you've been up to?"

Narumi sighed and turned serious. "Do you remember the Alice Hunters?"

"Yes. It's the organization you told me about during the time I regained my memory."

"The Alice Hunters merged with another group called Imperium, who also wish to exploit Alices. I go out from time to time to help the Alices who are in danger from this merged group. There is also another group formed from what's left of the Z Organization. I'm not involved in dealing with them. It's Shiki's specialty after all."

Mikan looked troubled, even when Narumi took her hands in his. She noticed he had scars but chose not to ask about how he got them.

"That's what's going on out there. Please don't worry too much, Mikan-chan. I take great care of myself because I know you'll get really mad at me otherwise. Besides, I intend to live long enough to see your own kids grow up!"

"My…own kids?" Her eyes widened and she jerked her hands away.

"I insist on being their godfather, Mikan-chan! Natsume won't be able to stop me. I'll be sure to spoil them."

"Sensei! We're not even 20 yet!"

"Exactly! I repeat, I intend to live long enough to see your own kids grow up! Well then, we should go back. Where were you headed earlier?"

"Oh no! I was going to the Student Council Room to ask Yuu to lend me his Physics notes. I hope he's still there."

"We better hurry. Let's keep this detour our little secret, Mikan-chan." Narumi winked.

"I'll keep my lips tightly shut, Narumi-sensei." She nodded vigorously and grinned.

Before they parted on the same hallway where they first encountered each other, Narumi had one last thing to say to Mikan.

"Mikan-chan, have you heard about Tokyo Online University? I thought you might be interested to apply there."

"That reminds me, Permy reminded me that we have to fill out forms regarding our academic plans after graduation! We're going to have a consultation or something. The deadline for submission is in two and a half weeks. I haven't really decided on anything yet. I don't even remember where I put the form."

"Relax, I'm sure you'll find it. In Tokyo Online University, there's a degree that I thought will suit you. It's called Bachelor of Human Welfare. You can take 15-minute video classes on your laptop! Isn't that convenient? If you enroll in their program, you will be able to study at your own convenient time."

"If I take that course, what career path could I take, Narumi-sensei?"

"You can work in social welfare, community development and humanitarian assistance. I believe that you'll do well. Think about it, Mikan-chan!"

"Thank you very much, Narumi-sensei. You're still looking out for me after all this time."

Narumi hugged Mikan. She hugged him back.

"I'll always take care of you. Always, Mikan-chan. Always."

Mikan managed to catch up to Yuu and Sumire just as the two were locking up the Student Council room. Yuu happily lended Mikan his Physics notes.

Mikan tried to read through Yuu's Physics notes later that night but she couldn't divert her thoughts from what Narumi told her. The Anti-Alice Organizations were one thing, but the thought of a future family was more distracting.

"…Besides, I intend to live long enough to see your own kids grow up!"

"My…own kids?"

"I insist on being their godfather, Mikan-chan! Natsume won't be able to stop me."

"Sensei! We're not even 20 yet!"

"Exactly! I repeat, I intend to live long enough to see your own kids grow up!"

As a result, Mikan miserably failed the Physics exam four days later. She assured a very apologetic Yuu that his impeccable notes were not the cause of her abysmal score. It was a good thing that their instructor was kind. He was going to let the students who failed the previous exam take another one. The students who passed the first exam would gain extra credit.

"It's not Yuu's fault, obviously. Anyone else but you would have passed the Physics exam with flying colors if they had Yuu's topnotch notes," said Sumire. She suppressed a chuckle.

"I get it, Permy! No need to rub it in. There's a lot of us who failed and there's barely anyone who passed the exam with flying colors. And you'll be pleased to know that I found my form and even have a prospective university in mind."

"Just submit the form on time and I'll really be pleased."

"I will, don't worry."

"You better do! I'm not letting anyone in our circle of friends of the hook." She grimaced. "I should talk to Koko about his own submission. He better not mess this up." She left.

Mikan turned to Yuu. She lowered her voice. "I have a question, though. Has Hotaru submitted hers? Can you let me know her school and major of choice? Please, Yuu!"

"Well…"

"Please! My lips are sealed." She put on her best pleading face, the one that never worked on Hotaru. Yuu, though wary of Hotaru's wrath, did not have the heart to deny Mikan's request.

"She's aiming to go to Tokyo Institute of Technology and major in Earth and Planetary Sciences," Yuu whispered.

Mikan's eyes sparkled and she proceeded to speak at a normal volume. "Ooh. What's that all about?"

Yuu cleared his throat. "There's a lot involved. The degree Hotaru is interested in pursuing involves mathematics, physics, chemistry, theories, experimental observations, field research, Earth, planets, space, and life."

"I think I'm getting a headache. Are you aiming to go Tokyo Institute of Technology too?"

"Yes! I'm pursuing a different degree, Mathematics and Computing Science. How about you, Mikan?"

"You won't laugh? I don't think it's as sophisticated as you and Hotaru's!"

"That's nonsense! I think all degrees are special in their own way and all have worth. I'm sure you'll do well because you work so hard, Mikan. So, what were you thinking of?"

"Narumi-sensei recommended Tokyo Online University's degree in Human Welfare."

"You have a natural empathy for people. You also have a way of making people open up. You don't like it when someone is taken advantage of. I can see why Narumi-sensei would recommend it to you."

"Oh, you're making me blush!"

"Are you planning on having a part-time job then? You'll have a flexible schedule."

"I'm planning to…err... learn some skills on the side." Mikan laughed nervously. She was thinking of self-defense, maybe martial arts, basic espionage, psychology, or whatever skills she needed to learn in order to survive in a world where she could be hunted down.

She mentally slapped herself. She hadn't really asked Narumi-sensei and Shiki-san what her 'training' her would actually be like. What was it that Natsume had said? It's not going to be like a spy movie.

"Mikan?" Yuu was looking at her worriedly. She must have spaced out for a while.

"Oh, it's nothing! Thank you for telling me about Hotaru's choice and for encouraging me."

End of Twelfth Chapter

All schools and majors mentioned are real.