Chapter 3

Oblivion

By: tangerine kisses

Disclaimer: I would never own gakuen alice… not in a million years…

& all I know is

You've got to give me everything

Nothing less cause

You know I give you all of me

I give you everything that I am

I'm handin' over everything that I've got

Cause I wanna have a really true love

Don't ever wanna have to go & give you up

She stood unnervingly by the fast-food counter, sighing again for almost the millionth time.

She had been waiting for their ordered lunch for about an hour or so, and she almost had her wits out.

How on earth could a Mac and a fish fillet take so long to prepare?

And they call this 'fast food' too!!

'Damn it!'

Ever since the unexpected meeting she had last two weeks in the elevator, her world had been too damned…!

She had asked Hotaru why she had not told her of their position in the Hyuuga-Akiyama conglomerate merge.

All she got was a simple…

"Slipped my mind…"

She had vowed not to get fused up in that damned person anymore, and here she was working her head off on their stupid merge.

Not that she minded the work, it's just the fact that she had to work with him,

AGAIN!

And for a bonus,.

She also got to work with his fiancé!

'argghhhh!!! Life is so unfair!'

Before she could bang her head to the nearest pole, the cashier handed her, her delayed order with a confused smile.

"Sorry for the wait"

She forced a smile with a nod of the head. She shouldered her tiny pink pouch and hurried to the front exit.

A cold gush of wind greeted her as she went out in the busy streets of Tokyo. The blinding sun was beating down on the street-goers, lots of them were office people.

A lot were hurrying for lunch, some were students and sometimes you'd even encounter nuns and priest.

'Freaky, I know…'

Her pink blouse was slightly carried by the wind, her cappuccino skirt bellowing with. Her tresses were scattered implacably, tangling in its edges as she pushed it back.

Her feet scattered to walk faster, as the filings in front of her increased.

Minute by minute she would bump into somebody, whether an old lady or college teens.

She should've have to be a lot more careful, the busy streets of Tokyo, though somehow peaceful had lots of crooks and thief's too.

She checked her white custom watch that had been strapped on her right wrist. The strap was uniquely braided and had golden glitter decorated by the edges, it was adorned with violet laces and silver dust freckles too.

It was another gift from hotaru last Christmas.

Last Christmas they had spent their precious time together. Though they were alone by Christmas eve, they had a great time.

Ruka had made it up when he couldn't come because of a business trip, he had accompanied them during new years, hotaru had been glad about that.

It made her highly cheerful, being with them. To spend those kind of occasions.

Well since she had been searching for that blasted natsume during those times.

Speaking of hotaru, she'd kill her if she was late any more minute. Her call time had been an hour ago, and hotaru didn't tolerate late comers, especially if it was her beast friend, considering too that they had been talking about food her.

she would've killed her.

'And it just so happens that I AM her best friend… dammit…'

She contemplated on how the sky seemed to illuminate the peculiar streets of Tokyo.

Though it was dark and the sun was blocked by Nimbus clouds, the sun light that had been peeking from it seemed more than enough to illuminate the streets of the peculiar Tokyo city.

The weather was quite strange this time of year, when the months of September and October pass by so easily, and November had come its way to our calendars.

Every minute from a second the blazing sun would shine on the hectic streets, the passer by's would be suffering from the beating heat.

They would've hurry more and scatter more miserably.

From up above the high buildings, you would notice them.

She remembered once, she would look down these hectic streets and admire its eventful thoroughfare.

The people were like ants, crawling hurriedly.

Up.

Down.

Left.

Right.

It was a familiar sight for entrepreneurs working, sometimes even living in these kinds of boulevards.

She released a sigh from her lips, it straightened to a clear pout.

Somehow, life was kind of boring for her. well…

'Ever since we went our separate ways…'

For all she knew, natsume would've have been dead and she wouldn't even care.

'Liar'

'Dammit, I am so NOT a Liar!'

Damn conscience, they were always bothering you to bits.

Another sigh escaped from the tips of her lips.

She hastily walked down the edge of the road, positioning her body right in front of the pedestrian cross.

Just as she raised her head, just as she exactly decided to lift it, she saw stunning crimson eyes from the other side of the road..

Her pools widened, rounding, but just as it did it had narrowed down to the black haired beauty clinging on his left arm.

Her emerald eyes twinkling, normally it would've been from happiness and laughter, oh but I so doubt.

Her laughter filled the streets like tingling chimes, the individuals around them glancing oh so curiously.

It wasn't every afternoon would you see celebrities hanging around cheap streets of Tokyo on this time of the day, at night maybe but on a high sunned afternoon, you'd be lucky.

She caught her strangled breath in her throat, forcing to swallow it whole. And just as precisely, crystalline drops of water came down the dark perturbing sky.

Taunting.

The once blazing sun, now gone, the sky so dark and gloomy. People had hurriedly taken for cover.

But still she had stood there in the rain, soaking…

By now, rain was falling heavily on the busy streets they were currently occupying. She fought her ragged breaths as shock filled her whole stiff body…She saw them sharing a violet umbrella that somehow came out of nowhere.

She felt her body stopped moving, her skin ultra-sensitive from the acid rain.

Abruptly, she was slightly pushed forward.

The crowd she was formerly in had suddenly moved towards the other street hurrying from their own problems.

You could've hear the roads fill with hundreds of buzzing and beeping sounds, the tip-tops of the rain, falling onto the cold pavement, the cemented rooftops and roof tiles, from the metallic car hoods.

She saw them, head towards her direction.

Just as she was about to continue her way, the crimson pools knew so well fixed on hers.

Exactly where she had been currently standing, exactly on her brown pools.

She almost felt him take her in.

Swallow her whole…

By just looking, staring.

An action as simple as that had made her shiver, not from the cold but from the aura he had been emitting by just.

Looking.

At.

Her.

She looked down below and blinked back the slight drops of tears, peeking out of her brown pools, luckily the rain drops had been streaming down her cheeks…

Camouflaging the tears she hadn't been aware she had been shedding.

She felt the driving rain on her, numbing her thoroughly…

She felt herself driving mad, just plain insane.

Longing for his touch.

His feel…

Everything about him.

The individuals by her side had pulled out colorful umbrellas, and unfortunately she forgot hers. Her clothes were soaked wet, and her newly bought stilettos were bleached ruined.

The white paper bag she had been holding had been soaked too, the food inside ruined. But she couldn't care less about what would've happened to the food.

She was too busy contemplating over herself.

She took a few slow steps as he did his; slowly she made it longer, narrower.

Every step took her whole of her strength, her breath and her will.

A minute.

A second.

Time had flown in, but for them it seemed to stand still.

He was right in front of her pale visage. Her dull eyes, pained out. Her lips in a straight smile…

She was practically soaking wet!

He noticed her paleness, her thin wrist unlike before. She was slimmer than the last time they met, during their "unfortunate" accident on the elevator.

He wanted to touch her.

Feel her.

Warm her up and ready.

He took notice of her slight shivers, and her silent whispers.

But before he could've touched her in anyway, he felt a tug by his left. Tamayo had been glancing up at him, curious of his sudden awareness.

'Why? Why was it so hard?'

Just as they were of arms reach, their hands had brushed against each other.

The lightest and the briefest touch.

A fleeting contact.

A slight link.

It was all it took to take their breaths away.

But just as she recovered her lost breath, and just as he did his.

They had had passed each other like a shadow.

Slowly and silently.

Time had seemed to have gone by, the world around them dissolved into nothingness, left by themselves in their own world where they should've truly belong.

Their paths had crossed once again.

And yet…

They had done nothing about it.

Given a chance to have taken a stand, they had denied themselves of their desires.

Desires for each other…

Her stride had sped, her breath too ragged.

Her throat was grimly emitting some kind sound. Some slight gasping and strangling sounds. She felt her body go numb from the cold. Her visage shivering, and trembling.

She ran in the pouring rain.

Unaware of the peculiar glances she had received.

Unaware of the path she had caused.

Her auburn tresses had spilled on her shoulders, wet and damp.

She had reached the west side of the city, where crowds were less likely to form during a downpour.

Just as she reached the front doorway of one of the tallest buildings of the city, a Surge of thunder broke unto the sky.

She let out a strangled scream.

Stopping and crouching down the cold and wet pavement of the floor, she closed her brown pools, tightly, and covered her pinkish red ears.

The soaked white paper bag rolled on the floor.

Her hair had spilled messily on her shoulders, wounding around her arms. Her pale, pale visage had a tinge of terror in them. Her once clean suit had slight tinges of mud on the edges and cuffs.

Another strike of thunder and lightning had flashed through the sky, just as she was about to let an ear splinting scream again.

Warms arms wrapped around her torso, lifting her slightly…Her eyes snapped open and gentle blue pools greeted her.

Familiarity clicked on her mind and she engulfed the person in a tight hug.

He carried her, her legs hooked-up his left arm. As she clung on to his neck.

"Mikan?"

He heard muffled cries, and sniffles. He swiftly sheltered her inside the lobby and hurried to the elevator.

He heard a stifled voice. A silent whisper.

"Go-gomen.. Ru-Ruka…"

"Daijoubu…"

He felt her Clung onto him tighter…

The lift came to a stop on the highest floor, he continued towards the wooden oak doors. He twisted the knob open, and a comfy sight greeted him.

There was a desk seated in the outset center, brownish in color. There was also a white cotton chair, fluffed with a square pink pillow. In the middle of the room sat a rounded sofa, it was white and creamy.

Paired with pillows like the one placed by the chair. The center was decorated with lots of cushions, piled on top of each other. There was a glass desk, on top was folded clothes and a large towel, beside it was a spare blanket.

He placed her on the sofa, covering her with the enormous towel.

The room was covered in pink and white simplicity.

Just like her.

He stared at her and silently studied her face.

She was shivering; her face was pale and scary. Her tresses were wildly in disarray, her clothes were soaked and her lips were straight and taunt, traces of fear and panic on her face.

Usually it was tugging in its ends with a smile. Her eyes would've been twinkling in mischief, but ever since that day…

They had never regained their unique touch.

"Mikan…? Daijoubu?"

He heard her sniff, and then it was followed by a cough.

"ee..hhh.. arigatou… ruka.."

She released a strangled sigh, and leaned on the sofa couch. Careful not to wet it more.

"I'll leave you to change? Ok?"

She looked at him expectantly, before she nodded with a slight smile.

"hai!"

He stared at her softly, his eyes twinkling with expectancy. He smiled then nodded at her, as he slowly stood up and neared the oak doors.

"I'll get you something to eat, ok?"

Just as he said that, something clicked on her mind. Like a light bulb shining oh so suddenly.

"kyaahhh!! Shimatta! I forgot hotaru's lunch!" Her eyes were now widened saucer plates, while she contemplated on her stupidity.

She sat up straight, but before she could stand up ruka gave her a knowingly smile.

"Daijoubu yo, mikan-chan. I'll take care of it." She let out another sigh.

"hontou no arigatou, ne? ruka-kun…"

"nandemo nai ga… go change ok?"

"hai"

After he walked out of the wooden oak doors, she fell back on the white couch and closed her eyes.

She hated thunders.

They were scary and alarming.

She remembered once, during her high school days. There was this super typhoon, and classes were all suspended due to it.

She had been cooped up in her room, not bothering to get up at all; the sky was dark, gloomy and black.

Rain was falling heavily and thunders were flashing through quite frequently.

She was tightly covered in her duvet.

Her eyes squinted closed, her hands secured on her ears. She let out another stifled scream as a lightning flashed through the sky. She had not eaten since last night when the downpour began.

It had been almost half a day straight and she still hadn't gotten up, to clean nor to prepare...

Her telephone downstairs had been constantly ringing, but she hadn't bothered answering it.

Fearing that if she did, she would've encountered something downstairs.

A flash of lightning and thunder stormed the heavy sky, followed by her stifled scream.

Her breath came ragged, and her auburn tresses spilled onto the pillow beddings.

Her body filled with dread and horror…

She really hated thunder, it made her panic, ever since she were a kid she had have a phobia developed from it.

She heard the door to her bedroom creaked, and she almost panicked.

She was afraid of lightning and thunder, but most of all she was also terrified with ghosts.

Before she could shriek her voice out, a muffled whisper was heard through the pouring rain outside.

"youjo?"

Her pools widened and a strangled gasp escaped her lips. She slowly pulled her duvet down, and blinked onto the trespasser.

"Na-Natsume?"

He frowned at her, seeing her all scared and terrified.

It was just a little rain and thunder.

What was there to be scared of?

He sat by her bed, and contemplate-ly stared at her.

His crimson pools were narrowed to her, and his blackish-blue hair stood out in the dark.

His face etched with worry.

"Nande yo, youjo?"

She sat straight up, and hugged the duvet to her body. Shock clearly written all over her face.

But before she could've replied back, another crash of thunder and lightning surged through the darkened sky.

And again it was followed by her strangled shriek.

She jumped on him, hugging him off in the process…

She nestled her head on his neck, the duvet lay forgotten.

His eyes were wide and shocked.

How would you react if somebody just jumped on you like that?!

And then he heard it, stifled sob, he debated whether he would he push her down, or hug her back.

It deemed both inappropriate.

But as another batch of thunder and lightning surged through the gloomy sky, she clung onto him tighter.

Slowly…

His arms snaked around her tiny and slim body.

He pulled her closer, as he whispered silent and comforting words onto her ear.

He pulled her back, and took the laying duvet on the ground.

Covered them both and laid her back down the bed.

He laid WITH her, on the bed.

Though they both felt anxiety towards it, they both welcomed the comforting company of each other.

They snuggled around each other, there foreheads almost touching, her head by his neck, and his by hers.

He whispered her comforting prayers, as both of them lulled back onto sleep.

She sat up as she recalled that night; she had fallen asleep with natsume, and felt

safe and protected.

But she had felt him wrong.

He had not protected her.

He pained her, made her suffer.

By just making her fall in love with him.

'NO! I wasn't in love! It was just adoration, admiration. That's all!'

She gathered her folded clothes, and silently changed onto them. She folded them neatly, and grabbed the spare blanket.

She snuggled her self by the couch.

Somehow, trying to lull herself to sleep…

She tried to count sheep.

Forward and backwards, what was she ought to do?

Cry her self from distant memories?!

Damn it!

She hugged her knees to herself, feeling helpless once again.

Helpless just as how he had made her feel…

What was it that she needed from him?

He was everything she denied.

Everything she abhorred.

But nonetheless, she had loved him…

had she not?

It was just that fact that made her useless, against anything she reasoned out to.

Just that simple fact she had fell webbed unto her-self for doing.

To fall in love.

And with him to…

with Natsume Hyuuga…

Tears had peeked in her eyes, and stifled sobs came from her, but before she could've broken down.

She heard the wooden oak doors creaked open.

She abruptly tilted her head.

And somehow…

crimson clashed with auburn.

Ja

Tangerine kisses