WHAT THE TRUTH REALLY IS…

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Gakuen Alice, if you want you can take it but I surely know that what you will get is only a lawsuit from the real author, which is Higuchi Tachibana. Therefore, if I were you, I'd rather not take what isn't yours, make just story out of it, but a fiction that is- just like mine! Read and Review please. (MY FIRST FIC EVER!).

The truth never seems to be true most of the time. It's always something distant and unreachable. Once you try to catch it- it disappears from your grasps- like a mist. It blinds you from your path but then it never was there in the very beginning, you never could touch it, but only feel it. If that is what truth really is, how can we know what truth is. Well… for starters, here's a story for you to find out.

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Chapter 3: Is it Really That?

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OCTOBER…

Mikan entered the classroom quietly and not with her usual cheery but noisy greeting to all the classmates that she would bump or see. She quickly sat at her seat and took a deep breath. Of course, everyone noticed Mikan's slightly strange attitude. Tobita Yuu hurried towards Mikan and asked her if she was alright.

"Ohayou, Mikan? Daijoubu?" Yuu asked as he neared Mikan and positioned himself seated next to the quiet brunette. Mikan rested her head on her hands on the desk. Raising her head, she looked up to Yuu and smiled with a short and whispered reply.

"I'm fine, Iinchou." She yawned after replying. "I'm just a bit tired. Last night I couldn't sleep well, you know." She said reassuringly that made Yuu less worried about her. Yuu smiled back at her and excused himself as he saw the teacher entering. "Arigatou, Yuu." Mikan managed to say.

The whole morning bored down Mikan as she sat quietly on her seat. During class activities that would require participation from each students, Mikan just stood, or sat there frozen or out of it. Hotaru, the ice queen, only looked at Mikan with her same composed feature but there was a slight change in her eyes, somewhat or something like of worry. Mikan just smiled back at her best friend whenever she would caught her looking, staring but not glaring at her.

The last bell for the morning rang and signaled the dismissal of the class. Mikan quickly stood up and went out not bothering to ask Yuu or Hotaru to go with her she just needed some quiet time alone. Luca saw Mikan leave and looked at Natsume. Natsume had been present the whole morning, but just like Mikan, he was so quiet and still. But I guess that's what he really does, right? Thinking that something could have happened between the two, he went after Mikan. Mikan went to the park, her head bent low and didn't bother to look behind her when someone called her. She just proceeded to her destination.

"Mikan wai-" Luca managed to reach Mikan and held one of her shoulders and made her face him. He stopped as he saw Mikan about to cry. "Mikan" He managed to say as Mikan embraced him and cried. Luca stood there quiet and was still in awe. He embraced Mikan back as he saw her crying more and tried his best to comfort her.

Breaking up the embrace, Luca led her to the Northern forest. There he offered Mikan a seat in the grass and let her cry out her feelings. Luca sat beside her listening to her silent cries and complains and offered her his handkerchief to shed away her tears. After some time, Mikan had managed to regain composure and looked up at Luca. Her eyes were red from crying and there were traces of tears that fell on her cheeks. Luca, taking a deep breath, asked her.

"Why did you cry, Mikan? Is there something wrong..?" Luca asked worriedly. He was not a really good companion in times of troubles like these but he sure knows how to talk to someone. Mikan did not reply at once. She was still hesitating on whether or not to talk it out with Luca. Luca just smiled and said. "It's alright Mikan, you don't need to push yourself in answering my question. Must be personal... But just today, let me be your companion so that you will not be alone." He smiled at her and stood nearer. He blushed but still managed to hide it from her. Mikan only nodded smiled slightly smiled back at him.

"Arigatou." Mikan said as she rested her head to Luca's open chest. Luca blushed more at Mikan's action but Mikan did not saw this, fortunately. "Can I ask you a question?" Mikan began. Luca looked at her and nodded. Taking a deep breath… "Is it wrong to call someone you know a friend?"

"Iie…" Luca replied hastily. He looked up and wondered why she asked that question.

"Then tell me… what do you think they mean if they said that they didn't want to be friends with you?" Mikan said, removing her head from Luca's chest and steadied herself. "Is it because that they never want to be friends with you… is that it?" Mikan added, her voice shaky and her head bent low.

"Some people might interpret it that way, Mikan." Luca replied in a motherly kind of tone. He looked at the vast sky and rested his head on the tree that stood next to him. "Some people do, while some don't. What do you think does hemean, Mikan?" Luca asked as he looked back at Mikan.

"What I think?" Mikan repeated to herself. "I don't know…" she replied in a whisper. "I… I hated it when people hate me. It makes me sad knowing that there are people who are against me when in fact I did nothing wrong to them or hate me for no reason at all. But most of all, I hate losing a friend… It's so sad, don't you think." Mikan said.

"You're right. It's sad to lose a friend." Luca commented. Taking his gaze a way from Mikan, he continued. "But do you think there might be a reason behind as to why he doesn't want to be your friend?" Mikan then realized that he knew who the person she was talking about.

"I gue-" Mikan suddenly remembered what Natsume usually say to her. "Don't bother by coming any closer to the darkness that you don't need to see, is it?" Mikan said quietly but loud enough to be heard by her companion. "Ne, Luca- pyon, what does it mean?" Mikan looked at Luca.

"The darkness, huh? He said that to you…" Luca was looking at the vast sky in deep thinking. "You see, Mikan. Everyone has it own pasts. Each with memories both wonderful and not. Natsume has only one kind of past. A very dark one." Luca stopped letting Mikan think for the answer herself.

"So you're telling me that he doesn't want me to know about his past, is that it?" Mikan replied after some time.

"Yeah… you could say that…" Luca replied honestly. "Ever since he was a kid, he was already brought to this academy. He was still fragile back then, and had no friends. A year later after his transfer, I was transferred here." Luca stopped, recalling the memories of the past.

"Then you became friends, right?" Mikan added.

"Yup. He was fragile, alright, but he was unsociable just like he is right now. When I first entered, I already talked to him for I though he was also new because of his unsociable attitude. Very soon, we became friends." Luca stopped again to catch for some breath. Mikan on the other hand just listened to him intently. "I guess, if I didn't became friends with him no one would. He grew up in an unfriendly environment with no parents to rescue him in times of trouble, no one to talk in times of distress." Luca stopped.

"But…" Mikan interrupted. Luca looked at her wanting to know what she would say. "But, he did became more sociable now, right? It's all thanks to you." Mikan said smilingly. "Still, he is selfish. Soon, that problem that he is hiding will overpower him." Mikan said solemnly.

"That's what I want him to realize beforehand." Luca said. "I want him to realize it without me telling him…"

"Kedo… Is it really the only reason as to why he doesn't want to be friends with me or something else?" Mikan asked, her question still left half unanswered.

"It's not…" Luca replied which made Mikan look up at him. "That's for you to find out, Mikan…" he said looking at Mikan, smiling.

They left the conversion open as it is and Luca stood up. Mikan was still frozen on her seat and just followed Luca's actions with her eyes. Luca placed his hand on his forehead as a cool breeze swept past them. A realization just occurred to him.

"Aah-ahh…" he said in a bored tone realizing something. "We skipped the afternoon class, Mikan." Luca said, looking at Mikan, his eyes a bit bored but managed to smile a little at her.

"Aaah! Yabbai!!!" Mikan stood up understanding what Luca meant and gasped. "And we have Jinno- sensei's class today… I'm doomed- we're doomed!!!" Mikan said aghast. She felt crying again wondering what Jinno- sensei might do to them now that they had just skipped class.

"I don't know what will happen…" Luca morose. "But I know we're in for a big one tomorrow." Luca looked at her, then he stuck out his tongue and smiled, one eye shut. He looked so cute!

- - - -

Then came the next day and it aggravated Mikan wondering what would happen today. As she stepped inside the classroom, she instantly saw Luca and she walked towards him right away. She managed to greet her classmates first but her whole attention was focused on walking towards Luca.

"Luca- pyon!" Mikan greeted, patting Luca's shoulder and sending different vibes to the Natsume- Luca fan club members. Luca stood against Mikan who quickly turned back to meet and greet Mikan. With these actions, there were heated conversations just outside the classroom. Some questioning what could have happened that had made them close- no closer than before. There were also some saying that it could be connected to the disappearance of the two yesterday. And so, the talk was on Mikan and Luca that morning.

"Ohayou Mikan… So what do you think?" Luca greeted her back. Mikan replied with a crying gesture. She sure didn't want to have any detention and she was still scared of the lightning- user teacher. "Daijoubu, Daijoubu…" Luca reassured Mikan which only added more fuels to the heated conversations outside the classroom. Seeing this commotion, Hotaru had a great, great plan.

Luca and Mikan were in a deep conversation when Natsume arrived. Luca greeted him- of course- but Mikan did not, not yet, I guess. Natsume replied with a small bow and went to his seat.

"Luca, where have you been yesterday?" he inquired the animal pheromone user upon sitting down. He did not bother to look at Luca for he knew where he was yesterday. 'With Mikan, huh?' Luca did not reply to his question. He would be answering him when they would be together accompanied by his friends later. Luca excused himself from Mikan and sat next to Natsume. Mikan also returned to her seat which soon was followed by the curious fan club girls.

"Why were you so close with Luca- kun today?!"

"sweatdrop…"

"Who do you think you are, HUH?!?"

"…sweatdrop"

There were many more and it became more noisy. Some of the boys only looked at the gibbering ducks and some felt sorry for the attention Mikan was getting today.

"Urusai na!" Came a voice from behind the backs of the girls. It was Natsume and right now, he was pissed off. With this statement, everyone shut their mouths and each went to their respective chair and even classrooms.

'That's the first one… Uwaaahh!!! I still have to face Jinno- sensei' Mikan shuddered at this thought. She had just escaped from the dangerous fan girls but there is more danger that lies ahead.

Jinno- sensei entered the classroom that morning. Upon entering, he was greeted by the students, which he just bowed to them. Looking at Mikan then to Luca, he went on with his discussion.

"Ara?" Mikan thought to herself. 'No detention or anything?' Mikan asked as she looked at Luca who only smiled back at her and she managed to get a glimpse of Natsume. Natsume felt someone staring and soon found Mikan looking at him. Instantly, Mikan took off her gaze from him and concentrated herself to the lecture.

"Oi. Luca, you said something about me yesterday to her." This wasn't a question, it was a statement, which he was so sure of. He only got a nod as a reply from Luca. "So you knew about it already, huh?" Natsume, this time, asked.

"It was easy. She cried and then told me what happened. Now I need to know the other side of that story." Luca replied and he looked at the fire caster. Natsume only grunted and started to read his latest manga. This ended their mini conversation.

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AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Just when I was about to update this, there would always occur an error! I don't know what it is!!

I tried again today but the same thing happened, it's been three days already since I haven't published this story… uwaaaahhh!!!

Phew! Good thing I still was able to supply the needed information for this chap. I lost the original one so I had to retype it again. Sorry for the delay! Thanks to all the reviewers and your reviews!!! Appreciated greatly. Don't worry, next time, I will update it sooner!!!!

Next Chapter:

Celebrating is Gonna be Fun! – Mikan decided to surprise a friend of hers. There's an upcoming birthday celebrant in the month of October and Mikan is just dying to prepare something for her friend. Will Mikan finally understand what Luca meant before? …AND… Will Mikan and Natsume befriend each other on this next chappie, find out by reading!!!