Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice

My Last Love Story by Hotaru Imai

Chapter Eight: Chasing You

Last time you heard from me, I was running out of the gymnasium like a madwoman. Maybe I was mad. I was madly in love with a man I barely knew. But back then? I didn't realise it.

In a few minutes I was at the front gate of the school and that was when I calmed myself down. I slowed my pace to a walk and started on the journey home.

My Last Love Story

Only two hundred metres from the gates did I hear heavy footsteps gaining on me. My heart sped up: was it an attacker?

Before my mind could make up its mind and before my body had the time to swiftly swivel around, I heard a voice.

"Hotaru-chan!"

It was Ruka. Well, of course it was him, who else would call me Hotaru-chan. Even Nonoko and Anna don't. The idiot doesn't count though, because she's an idiot.

I suddenly realised I was rooted to the spot. What the…?

A hand landed on my shoulder and with a gentle pull, I was face to face with the same person I was trying to avoid.

"What do you want?" I sharply said. I never meant to sound so rude, but in truth, I was just scared of what I was feeling.

He looked hurt, looking at me with those deep blue eyes. "Why did you run away from me?"

Okay, so he knew I was running away from him. Just great.

"I wasn't running away from you." I replied, shifting my gaze down to my hand that held the bag of muffins.

He scoffed at me. "Yeah right. And I didn't just run out of the school still in my basketball uniform."

I jerked up to only see that he indeed, was still in the basketball team uniform.

"Go and change." I simply said. I was getting ready to step back from him when his hand, that was still on my shoulder, gripped tighter.

"What did I do?" His voice sounded pained. A new wave of emotions flooded me; it wasn't the same one as in the gym, but it scared me nonetheless. I didn't know what was happening to me.

"Nothing." I said, a little too quickly. "You didn't do anything."

"Then why did you run when you saw me?" He countered, his hand gripping my shoulder even tighter.

It was beginning to hurt. I moved my hand to where his was on my shoulder. "You're hurting me, Ruka-kun."

The brief contact that our hands had made me nearly jump. It was like I was being electrocuted, but in a good way: if that makes sense. Yet through all the years, I had learned to gain composure, and so the action did not make me have any reaction. Ruka did though, as his hand quickly retreated back to his side.

"Sorry." He said. "Is your shoulder okay? I didn't think."

Rubbing my shoulder, I gave him a short nod. "Yeah, its fine."

He let out an exhausted sigh as he ran his right hand through his blonde hair. "I really need to think before I act."

"I'm fine. Really." I hoped that would make him stop brooding over the fact that he had hurt me.

"You sure?" He asked me as his questioning eyes wondered over to my shoulder and back to my own eyes.

Being under his gaze was certainly not good. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster; I was afraid that he would hear it soon.

"I need to get these to my father. He'll be home soon." I said, as I lifted up the hand with the bag of muffins.

"Oh…"

I peered behind him as I heard his muttering response. The big sign that arched over the school's gates loomed in the distance. "You better go change. The school closes soon."

Turning a little to look behind him, he saw that indeed, students that had after school activities were all heading home.

"Well, bye." I said as I began to turn to walk in the opposite direction that I was facing.

What Ruka did next shocked me. He manoeuvred a hand and it quickly grabbed the bag of muffins from my clutches.

"What the…" I said absentmindedly as my eyes travelled from the stolen bag to Ruka's face.

He was grinning. The little devil was grinning.

"Give that back to me!" I exclaimed out as I tried to snatch the bag back. But since Ruka's height was exceptionally higher than my own, I did not prevail. I was simply just jumping and grabbing thin air with my hands.

"I don't think so Hotaru-chan." He said in a teasing tone. He was still grinning.

I gave up trying to snatch back the bag as I crossed my arms across my chest.

"What are you getting at, Ruka-kun?"

"Well, I don't know. You tell me."

"Then I'm telling you to give back my muffins."

"No way. I had to earn these."

"You snatched them from me!" I exclaimed out loud.

"So shouldn't you be snatching them back from me?" He smiled.

Lifting up that hand that had the bag in it, he said in a teasing tone.

"If you can catch me, I'll give them back to you!"

And so, he quickly started sprinting back to the school in that insanely fast speed of his.

Damn him.

I was frozen on the spot for a few moments before I finally registered what he said. He wanted me to chase him?

Game on.

"Come back here, Ruka Nogi!"

Maybe fate wasn't so bad all the time.

Fun. That was what I would describe my time with him that day. He had the power to divert my attention with a simple sentence. He could make me go insane with one smile.

He could capture my heart without even trying.

But maybe he was, I don't know. I never had the chance to ask him. Because he was gone before I knew it.

The storm was beginning to form. It would take awhile; but no tale is complete without the strikes of lightning on its doorstep.

My Last Love Story – Chapter End.

Author's Note: Thanks to those who reviewed! Hoped you liked another 'sweet' chapter -wink-

papaya1212: Your enthusiasm is addictive, you know that? And yeah, confusion is definitely a must in a Hotaru and Ruka pairing, don't you think? Because, like, they're Hotaru and Ruka: even if I did put them a bit (cough, a lot) OOC. Looking forward to the next chapter of Tainted. Keep writing, ne?

eufinley: Okay…I admit it. I wrote this because of your review. I kind of thought of getting back into the 'sad' mood after the previous chapter but after consulting papaya1212 I was like, stuff this, I like happy chapters. So I hoped you enjoy your idea being shown in this chapter okay? -smiles like an idiot-

Keyheart: I know. Hotaru jealous. I laughed at myself for writing that too xD

listen2music4ever: I thought that maybe it's time to bring in the other characters as well because, it is a Gakuen Alice story, even if it is about Hotaru's love life. Yeah, Hotaru being jealous is really sweet. The idea just struck me and I just started typing. Hoped you like this chapter too! (:

Chapter Dedication: definitely firstly to eufinley because without your suggestion, there would be no Chasing You chapter. Then, next dedication is to papaya1212 because you helped me make up my mind about writing all these 'happy' chapters (:

[I just realised something when I was re-reading My Last Love Story. My prologue's title is 'Epilogue'…I mean, why didn't anyone tell me I wrote the wrong 'logue' word? So embarrassing… .]

Reminder to all, July is the ONLY month you can nominate your favourite stories for the Alice Fiction Awards so move those fingers and go to the nomination page! Link to it is on my profile under EVENTS so move, move, move!

By the way, looking for a beta-reader. Anyone?

Please leave a review,

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