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Chapter 14: I'll See You Again

Mikan's P.O.V.

For the first time in eight years, I felt ecstatic about living. Everything about it seemed…wonderful. But not exactly when you're stuck in bed-rest for two weeks on doctor's orders and your best friends are in Hokkaido for some summit meeting, based on the AAO's latest attack. But…it had its perks. Coming in the form of Natsume Hyuuga and that fiery tonic he seemed to keep in stock in his lips.

He was, apparently, my own personal nurse. And then, time and again, he was…uh…in his own way, incredibly perverted. But…I couldn't very well think about that now. In my hands rested a piece of paper. Weird isn't it how a single piece of processed bark could alter my whole life.

I remembered what it felt when I read it. Iinchou had brought it in. He told me to that a man in a trench coat, visually looking like an American, had entered the class room to find Jinno-sensei teaching. He whispered something to Jinno-sensei to which the teacher had his eyebrows raised. He heard Jinno say, "Sakura is out on doctor's orders for the next three days. Can you wait?"

The man shook his head and passed a thin, white envelope which now rested in my hands. I had opened it, tears jerking from the sight of what was written on the faded parchment instead of paper. Only the French Academy used parchment.

Dear Ms. Sakura,

Hello, Mikan. It's me, Constantine. Your time is Japan is sadly come to an end. The Headmaster is in need of you back here in Paris. This is no question but an order from…somewhere higher up. We have prepared a plane ticket for you in the envelope. Geargio is waiting at the Japanese branch and your departure is on the 1st of July. We apologize to this…inconvenience when we had said you were staying in Japan for good. I look forward to seeing you again very soon.

Au revoir,

Constantine Bizu.

The letter had burned up in my hand. Literally. I locked and latched the door, later curling up in my sheets. No tears passed through my eyes. How else could I say this? I was practically expecting this to happen. Not that I wasn't…not expecting it. But…it wasn't a surprise to me.

I was…okay with leaving the goddamn blasted missions behind…actually…I was just going back to Paris to go back to missions…with way…way…WAY more danger… What's new?

The fact that I loved Natsume this time was the difference.

I couldn't leave him after finding him again. Five years of losing myself to my own despair, finally our fates had brought us together. And I was going to lose him again. I heard huge thumping on the door. Natsume, the man I last wanted to see, was back. He was calling my name.

"Mikan?" he called. "Why is the door locked? Mikan? Mikan?!"

I couldn't listen anymore.

--,--,--,--,--,--,

Natsume's P.O.V.

She wasn't responding to my knocks. She wasn't listening and the door was locked and latched. What happened to her? I shoved my whole being into the wooden barrier. The door budged a little but didn't give way. It was strong, I'll give you that.

My patience was at its end. I touched the door and it immediately went to ashes. I stepped through the doorjambs and looked inside. The sheets on the bed were thrown back and the mattress held no anatomy. The glass window of her special star room was open and the lace curtains fluttered in the wind. Thinking the worst, I raced to the window and thank god! I didn't find a single body splattered on the ground.

But then, my mind spiraled again. Where was she if not, ulp, down there?

I raced out of the room and out into the corridor. I yelled, knowing the subject was well around the corner. "IMAII!!!!"

And thus, my memory came true. Imai Hotaru sped down the hall, as anticipated. "You had better have a good reason for calling me, Hyuuga. Because if you don't…"

"Mikan's gone."

Her pale face instantly bleached. "Okay, we can't panic or go over the edge. We have to go at this calmly, form search part…" I stopped as she disappeared on her duck scooter. She was going to sound the alarm. And alarms she did sound because a moment later, the PA system turned on. "Attention Alice students, Mikan Sakura is MISSING!"

She went over the edge. Way, way over the edge. But really…..where did she go?

--,--,--,--,--,

Mikan's P.O.V.

"Found you, polka," I heard a voice say. I turned my head and found my puffy red eyes stare into red eyes. The tiles on the roof below me shifted a little as he climbed on. "You had me worried there."

The tears came again. Sobbed into my arms, crying my eyes out. "Hey," he said with a softness that I didn't know he was capable of. "What's wrong?"

"Everything!"

"What? That doesn't make any sense."

"Fine. I'll say it slowly for you. I. Am. Going. Back. To. France."

The shock that registered on his face was enough to send me into another torrent of tears.

--,--,--,--,--,--,

The plane was ready to board. In front of me, Natsume looked down at me with remorseful eyes. I loved him too much to leave him. But I had to. He pulled me away to a quiet place. He breathing got ragged.

"Mikan, I know I was…cold before," he started. Well…didn't expect that. In my head, I said to myself, "Understatement of the year." "I want you to know…I'll wait for you. But, Mikan Sakura…"

He stopped and went down on one knee. "Mikan Sakura, will you marry me?"

I choked. I waited for him to do this for so long even if we're only eighteen. "Hyuuga Natsume, give me one good reason why…" I paused for effect and I saw hi face fall. "Why shouldn't I say yes?"

He grinned and hugged me. "Thank you."

--,--,--,--,--,

The plane lifted into the air. I glanced at my finger that bore a diamond. I wasn't worried. Because I knew…

No…

I was also sure…

That I would see him again very soon…

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