Me: Thanks You for reading this fic this far. You guys are truly loyal (Sniff, Sniff) Anyways, you'll be glad to see that the plot is moving with this chapter. Although there may be a few OOC moments with the characters. That is only because they are showing their true personalities.
Natsume: And I hate what you did to my personality...you made me show my emotional side!
Me: Whatever, On with the disclaimer!
Disclaimer: My name is not Higuchi nor do I have a Tachibana on my name. So Gakuen Alice is not mine.
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Chapter 8: Walk Slowly and Drink Lots of Water
" Mama, why are you taking my hand?"
The older female made frequent exhausted huffing sounds as she dragged along her child across the darkness. She did not answer the child's question.
" Mama, where are we going?"
". . ." the woman did not answer nor did her huffing sounds cease.
" Mama, are we going to the hospital? You look pale." the child commented. The child could see pain filtering the woman's eyes, but could not see why she looked that way. Was it because it was tiresome?Was she wounded in some spot?Was she scared of something so that was why they seemed to be running at a pace that neither could bear?
So many questions but one stood out the most...
Will they be alright?
" Mama." and the child began to cry.
To cry, not for one's self but also for the unshed tears of the mother.
11:45 PM
Natsume's POV:
" One Martini on the rocks, shaken but not stirred." sure, this random guy was a regular James Bond impersonator. I couldn't help but snort out as I did his order in one quick flash. The order was easy to make, especially when you were already an experience bartender like myself.
" Here." I snapped at the older man with greasy hair. I could hardly contain my gag reflexes as I smelled tobacco on his coat and polo shirt. Did he not read the sign that said 'No Smoking' above my section of the bar or was he that stupid with his tired ( or maybe it was the fact that he looked like a drug addict) eyes staring at the lower parts and the upper chest of the female customers on the dance floor.
Man. It reeks of Tobacco, booze and Testosterone in here! When will he leave. This stupid son of a—
" Yo, Natsume!" I glanced out of the corner of my eye the stupid star shaped tattoo on this person's eye and knew exactly who he was.
" What do you want Shadow Freak." I stated, my hands busy trying to clean up the mess of making the Testosterone-High James Bond Impersonator's bloody drink.
" Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. I just wanted to check on our newest addition to the shop and congratulate him for going up this far on the bar tending business with us." the black haired man with the stupid ski-hat commented, arms waving up in defense as if expecting me to punch him in the face. I would have, if not for the fact that... "And Natsume, you should call me Sempai. Ya know."
Yes, Sempai. This guy was freaking older than me by a year and he also studied at the same school I do except he was a level older than me. And although I said that no matter who the guy was, if he insulted the age then he'd be stripped of all his dignity as I pummeled him to oblivion; but in this case, he was my sempai and I mean it in a way that said he was my caretaker while I was working in the Bar.
I know that it was embarrassing but as the newbie in this joint, the manager forced me into having him as a caretaker while I was working.
I didn't have much of an option since this was the only bar that allowed minors to work for them. And the pay's not half bad. I was a working student afterall so I also had to deal with the Time Management and the Salary.
"Whatever." I snorted, wiping at the martini glassware with the cloth until it sparkle. As long as I didn't have to face that annoying idiot, I'd be happy to make it sparkle until it was invisible to the naked eye.
" You're always so grumpy and anti-social. Lighten up will ya? This is a bar after all." well, duh. Anyone would've guessed it with all the screaming hormonal rampage set inside this joint.
" Is that all you want from me? Well, you can leave now. Your annoying antics are skin deep to me."
" Ouch, that hurts me in the heart you know." he faked himself into acting like he had a bloody heart attack. I wish it were true, though. " But here, the boss wanted me to give this to you. Congratulations on your Pay Day. Hey, you can treat me to a Ramen Shop just a block from here." he grinned, awaiting for my expected answer.
" As if I'd treat a Freak like you with My own sweat and blood." I snorted, taking the paper envelope with the wad of cash I earned from the Freak's hand. I stared at the neon clock above my section of the bar and sighed. At least this part of Hell was over for the day.
" Oi, my shift's over."
" Duh, that's what I was waiting to hear from you." the idiot caretaker of mine snickered. " Wanna go for a drink or two? My treat."
" I'm a minor, dimwit, and so are you. And there is no way in hell that I'm going to carry your sack of a body all the way to your dorm." I was tired, sleepy, hungry, and annoyed as hell, there was no way that I was going to stay any longer in the hell hole.
" I'm going. It's your shift after mine." and the Freak snickered.
" Fine, Fine. The Boss is pretty much looking forward to working with you on Wednesday. Says that a lot of customers come here now since you came and worked with us. Especially the women."
Oh cry me a waterfall of tears! As if I wanted any of those things to satisfy The Boss, all I wanted was money. Money to buy. Money to use. Money to live another day.
" I'm leaving."
" See ya around school. Oh and come to mention it, there was this interesting girl I saw at school that was pretty close to you Natsume. I think her name was—"
" Save it for the fangirls. I don't want to stay here any longer. I have homework to do." And by homework, I meant Homework that Polka Dots is working for me.
11:50 PM
After changing out of my bartender clothes. I moved out of the crushing forces that were the adults having fun with other adults and took a last look at the bar.
Bar 21, the most popular joint in downtown Tokyo. That was where I worked. And that was where I earned my pay.
At last, I had money to buy my own food.
Ggrrrrrrrooooooowwwwwwllllllllll
My stomach agreed to what my head was thinking. And hell yeah was I hungry. I followed what my caretaker said about the ramen shop a block from here and ordered out. I had to hurry to my home before the soup goes cold on me.
Two Ramen Specials Extra large with Extra Toppings. I predict Polka will be hungry once I arrived, after all, there wasn't a spec of food inside the mess I called Home. But hey, at least there was a roof atop our heads. But of course, there will be some torture before she can get her Ramen.
As late as it was, people do not sleep. Few would study, some would be awake maybe because they had insomnia, more would be partying and a lot would be drinking. And as many people were out, there were also a lot of cars outside. Maybe they were going back to their homes for rest...
Back to their families.
Every time cars and people would pass by me at this hour. I couldn't help this angry feeling weld up inside me. This was Displeasure. This was Annoying. This was Hatred.
And all because of Him.
Beep!Beep!
" Hey Kid!" Someone shouted. I came to my senses as the odd lights beside me grew bigger and bigger. No, this wasn't supposed to be angled this way.
Why the Hell was that car racing towards me!The unknown car was coming closer without a second thought of hitting the brakes. Crap! I hurriedly side-jumped towards the nearby bush. Pummeling head first to the moist and grassy dirt below. Earning a very natural mud mask.
But I didn't have the time to think about my looks as I quickly got up and went the opposite direction of the crazy driver. Maybe the guy was drunk, maybe he was having those road-crazy lust things, or maybe it was something else.
" You Idiot! Why'd you run over the brat like that without thinking?" it was another voice unlike the first one who warned me. They were probably the ones who were targetting me. Crap, did they discover me already?! I grit my teeth rolling flat on the ground in front of me was a small grassy hilltop.
How did they find out? Was it because of the fliers that evil Imai would post all over the city?
" But Aniki, you said that I should run him over like-SMACK!-Ouch, why'd you do that?"
Tch, a couple of lowlife Yakuzas. I suspected.
" I said after I readied my gun to shoot him and then drug him."
" But Aniki, we can shoot him all we want right?"
" Yeah, as long as we don't kill him. The Boss won't be that angry at us."
Crap, it wasn't that I was scared of them but they not only had a plan to just shoot me and cause me pain but they were also yakuzas and so they must have strong connections with other yakuzas. I couldn't afford to let them know me. My only reason for being here is to hide and wait for the right moment...
Tsk, when will they leave.
" Aniki, maybe he went and left with his tail between his legs." the Yakuza man snickered. Like Hell I did. Oh, how I wished to smack him to bloody hell.
" Shut up and keep looking before the cops—see!I told you to just keep looking but now they're here." and the other, seemingly smarter guy, spoke. They left as the sirens of the police car followed after. I also left before anything worse would happen.
Carrying the large metal box containing my dinner, I secretly hoped that the soup didn't spill, much.
12:00 Midnight
It was the time between night and day. It was the time when vampires came out of the night. It was the time when I arrived at my home. My Lovable, Dirty, Small, Narrow, Tiny, Convenient, Comfortable Home.
I knocked three times, gripping tightly on the handle of our Ramen Dinner, reached into my front pocket for the keys to open and got shocked.
Why the Hell is Polka napping on Ruka's flour-white Lap?!
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11:45 PM
Ruka's POV:
This is the correct room, isn't it? Yeah, there were the littered boxes, paper, and manga books that I clearly saw Natsume reading since the first day we met. The same four cornered walls where I prepared something to eat with Natsume every time I came to visit him with dinner at hand. But then, why was this girl in Here!
Especially this Girl whom I recognize as the new transferee student Today!
" What should I Do!" the girl screamed. " Natsume's gonna kill me."
And then she began to cry.
" Wa—wait, you mean this is Natsume's house and you know that you're in it."
She nodded. "This is Natsume and mine's room."
Why—why that no good bad-assed idiot of a frien—
" Natsume—Natsume helped me a lot."
I was shocked. Hearing 'Natsume' and 'help' in the same sentence was a miracle. Except when there was an added phrase of 'did not like to' in that same sentence, then it would be different.
" Natsume helped you?" I repeated the question, giving her an unbelievable stare. Then this must be the girl he said that had amnesia.
" Yes." she sniffled. "But now that I did something bad to you, Natsume's gonna get mad at me. Waaahh!!"
This is bad. I hated the fact that someone would cry. Even though I said I hated the likes of women. I still felt the slight pang of guilt whenever I made a girl cry. Cry by the fact that I did something totally unrelated to the fact that they idolized me.
" Eh—h, do—don't cry." I was beginning to panic. "I uhm...Natsume won't mind me getting hurt. Come on, here, I have dinner with me. I guess you're hungry since I know I'm the only food bank Natsume can rely on." I joked.
11:58 PM
And since then, I have been hearing Mikan's, the girl's suspected name, stories about how her short life becoming hell as she tried to conquer the evil persona that is Natsume and a little bit fun since she was also grateful at the help she has been given by said boy. She told them to me up to the point where she met new classmates at school.
And now a few minutes before Midnight, she sleeps at my flour-covered lap. I never would've thought that someday I would end up in this compromising position.
" Mi—Mikan." I stuttered the girl's name. I didn't know why I was this embarrassed at her. This was supposed to be simple. I came here to give Natsume his dinner and settle something with him. It was about the thing I said earlier but then this came into being—this problem—this girl snoring lightly on my lap.
I sighed.
And then the door opened to a shocked classmate of mine—
12:00 Midnight
At exactly 12:00 midnight, I saw my best friend. It wasn't today or tonight but between night and day. And what I saw first thing on his face was:
Why-the-hell-is-a-girl-sleeping-on-Ruka's-lap?
" Is—Is this for real Ruka." he exclaimed, dropping the metal box he carried onto the ground in shock. "Have you finally conquered your fear of crazy, boy-idolizing fangirl?s"
" N—no this—this--isn't what you're thinking!" I hurriedly reasoned. "It was because of fangirls that I moved out of my own apartment."
" Okay then..." I saw him stare at the mess 'we' created in his absence. " We can talk while you clean up this mysterious mess you two have created and I'll enjoy this hefty meal."
He sat down on the only clean corner of the room. Opened the box containing Ramen and Slurped. "Yummy." he commented blankly. "Tasty Ramen. If I don't say so myself."
12:15 AM
3rd Person POV:
The girl purred like a sleeping kitty comfortably taking her afternoon nap. She settled in nicely on Natsume's lap, after Ruka moved to clean up the mess that the girl made recently. Much to the aggravation of both males inside the room.
" Ohh, that must be harsh. Having to live in an apartment where there was a girls' dorm right across where your room was located. Then they were also your fangirls screaming out idol songs about you every having to discover that Imai actually had a lot of hidden cameras inside your room to take secret shots at you. That takes the cake -Slurp-" and there goes the last bit of Ramen in the sleeping girl's portion.
She didn't deserve it anyway seeing that she had eaten enough to make her fall into a deep slumber.
" And now you're hear to ask if you could stay here for the night and tomorrow, you'll move into this dorm." the raven haired boy began slurping the remains of the cold soup. "I'm not against it. It'll be the best if we, handsome men, stick together actually. But then this idiot—"
" She's what?"
" She's stuck to me like paste. It's revolting."
" And you're not kicking her out because there's this contract that Imai and Selena-san made you sign that would leave you out on the cold street if you didn't follow."
" Exactly."
" Well then I'll just ask Selena-san if she has an extra room for me in here." it was actually this simple to do. " But what're you going to do with her?" the blonde boy stood up towards the door, recognizing the fine work he has done in making the place sparkle and presentable in just a matter of minutes.
" Do with her—" Natsume's thoughts lingered into that question. "Of course I'm just gonna give her back to her stupid parents and make her live her regular stupid life again."
That seemed easy to make but then Natsume wondered why he had to pause on that question. He didn't really feel attached to this girl, did he?
" Will that be before or after she gets her memory back?"
". . ." Natsume remained silent. He hadn't thought about that predicament much. It was always evaded by the idiotic grins that girl would throw at him. And the pain that would soon after be inflicted on the boy.
" So I guess this is good night then Natsume." Ruka made a wobbly way out to the outside world. "Thanks for...uhh...letting me come in and not coming to a misunderstanding with that little incident."
" Sure thing."
" Hey, at least there's no more wall between us. Unless, is there anymore secrets you're keeping from me."
"..." The other boy shifted a bit with that comment.
Ruka just sighed at his companion's lack of words. "Well, until you're ready to show me your 'other self'. I'll wait. See ya later."
" Yeah, See ya."
12:30 AM
He was ready to sleep. He was left bare with only his routine black and red striped boxers on. It was after all his favorite pajama bottom. Or so it could be considered. He was finishing up with a gargle after brushing his teeth. The little girl was already moved to the futon that the hag most graciously allowed them to lend. ( He had forgotten to buy one at the nearby convenience store but he was too lazy and too tired to think straight after all that running he went through.)
Of course, it was supposedly for the boy but, hell no, will he allow an annoying pest to sleep grandly on his comfortable, fluffy, clean, and large futon bed. No. That Thing the hag gave him was the total opposite of comfortable.
He looked at himself once more on the small medicine cabinet's convenient mirror. Thinking back to what his friend had said earlier.
' What am I supposed to do with this girl with no memories anyway...'
He ruffled a bit at his still soaked hair before coming out of the steaming bathroom to stare at a yet again dazed off little girl. She was staring at him with those blank olive eyes again but he wasn't pissed off like the last time. He was simply tired.
Tired to think.
Tired to work.
Tired to move.
Tired of today.
Why can't anything go right anymore. Was it fate that made his life ever so miserable again.
Damn it...
" Oi." Finally, he speaks. He was a little pissed off of the silence radiating the room. It was now strange especially after the Polka Dotted girl came. This eerie silence that now came once in a while...
" I...I had a dream..." her eyes staring right through the boy's crimson orbs. "A bad memory..."
He squinted his eyes in question. "Idiot. If it's a bad memory, it's supposed to be a nightmare." Coming closer to the girls sitting form, he patted her head delicately. Seemingly feeling it as if it were made from genuine silk.
" Go back to bed. It's too early to be annoying me now."
She just held onto the rim of his boxer shorts. Most embarrassing. If Natsume couldn't bring to let her lay down on the soft cushion, then he would have to sleep without underwear. That didn't fair well on his terms.
Irritated, he looked between the soft and warm futon he prepared and the lump of brunette hair his hand currently patted then unto the rim of his boxer shorts.
" I don't wanna sleep...scary." Natsume couldn't help but think of saying 'Sure you are. You're just saying that so that you can get my bed'
Natsume in his tired state, felt utterly defeated.
" Wanna...uhh...share that bed again...Polka?" he spoke through strained words. This was getting annoying if he didn't get enough beauty sleep, he would kill the nearest object, living or non-living.
"...I'm not Polka."The girl nodded in compliance, still clinging unto the man's boxers. The boy sighed, maybe she didn't have any plans of removing her hand from his...undergarment.
With much difficulty, both humans tried to insert themselves inside the futon that was fit for only a single person. And failed miserably. And so, they improvised...
Mostly the blanket and the pillow was on the girl's side of the bed but it was either that or her clinging closely to his pajama boxers. And instead of the boxers, she was now holding tightly onto the boy's forearm.
" Natsume, what're you gonna do to me?" the girl whispered to the roommate's ear.
" What?" the boy glanced with a shocked expression. "Are you saying that you might think that I'll make an attempt of raping you—p"
Mikan gripped tightly on the boy's arm, hoping that she would pop a vessel in the process. " I heard what Usagi said."
" Usagi—oh—You mean Ruka." he stared at the black space that was the ceiling. "I'm not gonna tell."
It was because he didn't know what to do with her...
" Did you fix your things for tomorrow?"
" Yes."
" Your uniform."
" Cleaned, hanged and ready to be used."
" My homework."
"...wait, that was Your Homework!"
" Yeah, since I was busy. You could at least show your appreciation by answering my homework."
" Did you answer it?" the boy added.
"...Uh Yeah, sure." the girl regretted saying those words as the boy threateningly spoke that he'll have to review the answers before giving her his punishment for being stupid.
Silence was then between them.
" Can't you sleep? Do you want me to let me tell you about my nightmare?" she asked, more like urged the sleep ridden partner.
" Ugh, Polka. Get-To-Sleep." he spoke with a strained voice.
" But...I can't go to sleep."
Straining again, he asked. "...why, may I ask, is that?"
" Because I keep dreaming if I'm actually a bad person in real life. Maybe...maybe I shouldn't recover my memories. Maybe I lost them because it was too painful."
"..." Natsume couldn't find the answer to reply to that statement. 'You Should get your memories!They're precious and important to every person' Natsume couldn't help but snort at that statement. He couldn't say it. He wouldn't say it. He didn't feel worthy of preaching those bleached words especially when he, himself, did not believe in it one bit.
" Walk Slowly and Drink lots of Water." that was what Natsume replied, at last. And a weird one at that, even Mikan out of the covers of the bed sheet gave him a questioning stare.
" It's a line I read in a book. I liked it's simple words but it has a complex meaning to it." he answered the girl's unsaid question.
" If you still don't get it, it means to take life in a slow pace; you're own pace to be exact. If you aren't ready to face your true self then don't. Just take your time and give it a chance slowly."
" Then what does 'Drink lots of Water' say then." the girl perked, seemingly interested in where this short conversation was going—definitely not in the 'Polka you're wretchedly annoying' statement.
" Don't know what the author thinks about that line but It's still an interesting statement." Putting one free arm behind his head as a cushion, he smirked at his genius. Now that will surely make Polka Dots' Head hurt for a while.
' Walk Slowly and Drink lots of Water.' Mikan couldn't understand it fully but she giggled. Now she knew one thing that Natsume liked or at least perked his interest.
12:35 AM
At last, we can find the two happily snoring off into dreamland. One, happy that there was no annoying voice to disturb his only rest and the other, satisfied that she had to think over those small yet significant words.
Walk Slowly and Drink Lots of Water...
8:00 AM
" What?! What the Freaking Hell do you Mean She's Gone!" that was the howl of a young man in distressed, knowing only later on at school that his female roommate suddenly disappeared on him.
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Me: And so ends another chapter in this tale. I really liked it since it finally moved the plot the bit. I especially liked the ' Walk Slowly and Drink Lots of Water' part; I got it from a book I read a week ago. It was from a famous Japanese author. It totally Rocked!
Natsume: I sound so emo and angsty in here.
Me: You had to be so that we could go somewhere in this plot. Anyways a short summary on the two chapters that I think the readers do not understand well (Sorry if it's confusing you!)
Chapter 6: Best of Friends
Mostly introduces the personality of Ruka and how he comes to despise most of the female society. The trauma and how he first meets Narumi-sensei's real personality. And he also begins his evil plot of torturing Natsume-the only one whom he told his deep, dark and dreaded secret to. Also, he begins to feel something for Mikan. Although, he still stays strong to his ideals of -women are evil beings.
Chapter 7: Sorry is the Hardest Thing to Say
Talks about how school is in Natsume's POV and what he does in school. I couldn't actually insert Mikan's activities here since it mainly focuses on how the two best friends come to terms and Natsume tells Ruka why he went with Ruka's most hated enemies. I couldn't say Mikan's separate activities on school since it was already a long topic and I also had to end the day soon since I know you guys are aching to make the plot move even a little bit. Also there's still the 'mystery boy' that Natsume's been trying to search but he fails to see him...or did they already meet him???
Chapter 8: Walk Slowly and Drink Lots of Water
This is the summary of this chapter, but then you still haven't asked questions about it since you've just read about it. But I'd more than gladly answer your questions if you, my dear Reader, will Review. And also, I think I'll cancel the part of having Mikan's POV so that she'll remain a mystery to you people.
Me: Therefore that is the end of the short summary and I shall await your review. Ah, I feel so inspired after watching X-Men: Origins and the Gakuen Alice Manga again. (Happy Face)