I'm so sorry it's been such a long time! I've been way too busy.
This chapter is all fluff, so I hope you enjoy! I promise the next chapter will actually be more interesting. Please favorite and review!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice!
Natsume's POV
Mikan spent approximately half an hour explaining the mysterious note that fell out of her locker and trying to figure out who wrote it. Like the big scatterbrain she was, she failed to conclude that Imai wrote it despite the obvious, scribbled handwriting and the fact that she had been strangely helping us out all this time.
It was the first day of break and the idiot girl insisted that we go to Central Town to get some Christmas shopping done.
"Natsume! Don't be such a joy killer! You have to come! If you don't come, we're leaving you behind!" she pleaded.
Which meant Ruka would be stuck with Polka Dots all alone…
"Ruka, are you sure about this? If you really want to go, I guess I'll come so she won't bore you to death."
Central Town was packed with people. Everyone was shopping for last minute Christmas presents. Mikan was running all over the place, making a big fuss out of every little thing she saw.
"Ne, what do you guys want for Christmas?"
She cut us off before we could even think about it.
"Wait, nevermind! Don't tell me. I will just get you guys something that I think you might like!"
I observed the people that were shopping. There were families, dates, friends, and even some people that just shopped alone. Come to think of it, I've never been out and about like this. I've never done any shopping or any of that crap before. The JIA just gives their agents whatever they think would be best for their typical student image, so I've never had to go out and buy anything.
"Natsume, what are you getting Mikan?" Ruka asked.
"Tch, why would I get anything for that ugly walrus girl?" I looked away.
"Say whatever you want, but I think I'm getting her some ribbons since she always has her hair up in two pigtails." Ruka is so good at these type of things.
I wandered inside a small shop filled with animal goodies. Ruka would love this. And this. And this. And this.
I paid for everything with my credit card. My credit card contained a lot of money, since the JIA put money into it every month and I've only ever used it a couple of times.
I walked out of the store carrying a huge bag. Ruka and Mikan were waiting by the fountain.
"I really want to try some of that stuff over there. I think it's called Howalon… but I spent all of my money already!" she sulked. She was carrying three bags of stuff.
"Mikan, I can buy you some," Ruka offered (probably for the fifth time).
"No, I can't borrow someone else's money," she sighed, "But thank you Ruka-pyon!"
"What is a clothing store that you like?" Ruka asked, "I'm not sure what else to get you."
"Speaking of clothing, polka dots, do you wear a bra yet?" I touched her chest. "No, you're flatter than a pancake."
Her face grew as red as a tomato as she angrily scooted back.
"Are you freakin kidding me? Who the hell do you think you are, you pervert? You always do these hentai things—"
Ruka noticed a number of people staring, so he put his hand over her mouth.
"Gomene, Mikan! I'll apologize on behalf of Natsume. Natsume doesn't really mean what he said."
"I don't care about what he said! H-he tou—he violated me! That pathetic hentai!"
"Oh shut up already," I said, "It's not like you had anything to touch to begin with."
Her anger was at its peak. "You're the scum of the earth! You pathetic little—" She stormed off.
"Natsume," Ruka sighed, "You really don't have experience with these kinds of things. I'm going to go bring her back." He ran after her, so I decided to take a look in the girly heck of a shop.
Everything was frilly and lacy. Definitely not that idiot's style… she dresses like a little boy.
"Konnichiwa! Are you shopping for your girlfriend?" one of the store workers approached me.
Girlfriend? Ugh, as if. The thought of that makes me want to barf.
"No," I said. I turned away and spotted something that reminded me of that baka.
Mikan's POV
It was finally… Christmas! I had forced Natsume to contribute to the Christmas "party" efforts and made him by a Christmas tree. It was small, but it looked perfect standing by the TV, with my presents for Ruka-pyon and Natsume. The Christmas lights were twinkling as it was hung all around the walls.
I quickly made some last minute touches to the dinner preparations. I had spent the day making some omelette rice, soup, ramen, sushi, and a ton of desserts. I bought a cheesecake and several fruit tarts from the local bakery and I baked two dozen cookies.
The door rang and I ran to go get it.
"Merry kurisumasu!" I yelled, when I opened the door.
"You too, Mikan," Ruka-pyon said, "Uwah! All the food looks so good! And it smells so good in here!"
I took their presents and put them underneath the tree.
After dinner (much of the food was devoured and gone), we sat by the tree to open presents.
"Man, I'm so full," Ruka-pyon said.
"Really?" I asked, "Well I'm glad you enjoyed the food. What did you think, Natsume?"
"It was pretty good," he admitted, "I'm surprised." I stuck my tongue out.
"Here, I want to see you open your presents first!" I gave Natsume the red bag and Ruka-pyon the blue bag.
Ruka-pyon took the tissue paper out first and discovered a light blue muffler, a pair of black leather gloves, and a handmade usagi plushie that I tried to model after his bunny.
"Suge, Mikan! Did you make this?" he said, holding up the usagi.
I showed him the bandages wrapped around my index finger. "Hehe, it was pretty hard, but I managed to do it somehow."
Natsume smirked. "That doesn't even look like a rabbit."
"Urusai! Like you could do any better! I worked really hard on that!" I sulked.
"Arigato Mikan! I love everything. This is the first time I've really celebrated Christmas, so thank you."
"Now Natsume, you open your present!"
He looked at the bag suspiciously and slowly pulled out the tissue paper and looked inside. He stared blankly into the bag.
I bursted out laughing. "Hahahaha, get it? Your name means jujube so I got you a ton of jujubes!"
Natsume raised an eyebrow. "You are so pathetic. What kind of a lame joke is that…"
I couldn't help but laugh even more.
He took out the dozen jujubes I put in the bag and he uncovered a red and black plaid muffler, some manga books, and a kuroneko plushie that I made.
"What is this?" he asked cynically.
"It's a black cat!" I said, "Since you remind me of a black cat."
"This is a cat? It looks more like a black blob."
"You're the worst! I tried my best to make it look like a cat and—"
"Thanks," he said. I could've sworn I saw him smile.
I opened the presents that Natsume and Ruka-pyon got me. Ruka-pyon got me a teddy bear sewing kit and a pair of red mittens and a white hat with a fuzzy ball on top.
"Uwaaahh, arigato ruka-pyon! This is so cute!"
I looked at Natsume's present. What the heck could he have gotten?
I reluctantly unwrapped it only to find a white box. I opened the white box and my eyes bulged.
"W-What the heck, Natsume?!" It was a polka-dotted bra and underwear set. And the bra was the smallest size. There was a note that said, "Show yourself wearing this only around me."
"What is it?" Ruka-pyon asked. I covered the box with my arms.
"It's n-nothing!" I said nervously. Natsume smirked like he enjoyed watching me embarrassed. How sadistic..
I looked inside the box again and saw a Rapunzel book and a shining tiny crimson red pebble attached onto a necklace. How… pretty. It was sparkling and it reminded me strangely of Natsume. Natsume and his crimson red eyes.
"A-Arigato, I guess…" I mumbled. He looked away and sneered.
It was getting really late, so they decided to spend the night at my apartment. We sat on the couch watching Christmas episodes of animes. I looked outside the window and I couldn't believe my eyes.
"You guys! Look! It's… It's snow! It's a white Christmas!" I ran to the window. "It's true! It's snowing! Come look! Let's go outside! Haiyaku haiyaku!"
Ruka-pyon exchanged glances with Natsume. "It's too cold outside. I'm going to stay in here. But Natsume will go."
I sprinted outside. It must've been snowing for quite a while already since the ground was covered in snow. I threw myself on the ground and flailed my arms around in a circular motion, making a snow angel.
"Natsume it's really snowing! Honto honto!"
I sat against a tree and looked up. In between the leaves and branches, I could see small white flecks of snow falling to the ground.
"Baka, aren't you cold?" he asked.
"Oh yeah… a little bit. I guess I kinda forgot since I was so excited. Hey, let's climb up this tree!"
I climbed only onto the first branch, which wasn't too far up from the ground. I helped Natsume up by grabbing his uninjured arm.
"Kirei..." I sighed holding my hands out to feel the snow.
"Oi…" he suddenly said. I turned my face toward him. Before I could process it, his face was extremely close to mine and he kissed me. My hands tightened around the branch and my eyes were wide open. Why am I not pushing him away?
Slowly, he moved back. "Do you hate me?" he asked impassively, with no expression whatsoever on his face. His crimson red eyes darkened.
"O-Of course! You always do these perverted things! How could I n-not hate you? You stole my first kiss and you kiss me like it's nothing! Do you just randomly kiss people all the time? I'm sorry, but to me, kisses should actually mean something!" I was sad and I didn't know why. There was a lump in my throat.
"Good," he replied, "I need you to hate me."
Natsume's POV
I admit it. I like Mikan. Or more like, I am in love with Mikan. And for this very reason, I have to distance myself away from her. I can't afford to drag her into the darkness I'm in.
"Nande?" she asked, tears suddenly forming in her eyes, "What does that even mean? Fine, what if maybe I do like you? Huh?"
"I wish you didn't say that," I replied.
"Why? Don't tell me…" she paused. She stared at me, her bright eyes glistening with tears.
"Natsume, you really are selfless. I don't need protecting. Rather, I can protect you. I can—"
I scoffed. "You're far too naïve and innocent. I can't watch you be put into the same situation I am—"
"Please, Natsume. Even if you don't like me, I am your friend. You can rely on other people. You can trust me. You don't have to carry the burden yourself. I-I'm your friend, r-right?" A tear trickled down her cheek.
I kissed her again. "Blockhead. You've got the wrong idea. That's why I want to protect you." I kissed her a third time. "I don't just randomly kiss people." I kissed her a fourth time. "Wait, I admit, I used to think kisses meant nothing. Well, for the hell of it, I used to think living meant nothing, but that was before I met you. So for that reason, I didn't care what happened to my body… so I guess you could say I did randomly just kiss and do things with people. I'm sorry for taking your first kiss, ba-ka." I kissed her a fifth time, this time longer than the rest.
She looked at me in awe. "N-Natsume, you hentai! You've.. you've done t-th-things with other girls?" She buried her face into my neck, her cheeks flushed. I wrapped my jacket around her.
"More or less," I smirked, "But not anymore. Not after I met you. It was only once though. I didn't care much about what happened to me, so long as Ruka was safe. And when he went away, I was depressed so I guess I coped like that."
"Souka," she said, "Well I'll protect you from now on. So don't worry."
As we sat under the night sky and watched the snow drift, I saw her fall asleep.