A/N: Sorry for the long time I took just to update. Not much is happening to me so… I can't update it even though I want to. Remember, it is based on my real life. But… I decided to not base it on my own love life anymore. I'll just write what I want to write, I hope that's okay with you guys. Well, be free to R&R.
Natsume couldn't take Mikan out of his head. He could only think of her at home, at school, at the park, everywhere! She was avoiding and ignoring him more than ever and he's totally sick of it.
I can't bear Mikan avoiding me. I can't even bear not seeing her. Hmmm… and whenever I see her, she seems to give me a colder look. I wonder what Hotaru thinks about it. I'm sure she can say something about it since she is her schoolmate.
"Hey Hotaru," he called out his sister which was sitting by the couch, playing her gameboy.
Hotaru stopped her game, faced her brother as she raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Can't you see I'm playing my game?"
"Do you notice Mikan… ignoring and avoiding me more than ever?" he asked while scratching his head.
Hotoru shot him a look. "I have no care about that girl. She may be my schoolmate but what do I care? You shouldn't either. Remember what she did to you."
Natsume got alarmed. "Wait, what did she do to me? Did you say something to her? Did you cause her to avoid me even more?!"
Hotaru didn't say a word nor moved an inch. Natsume knew that it was a sign that she was totally lying.
"Okay, I know you're lying, sis. Tell me the truth."
"Fine, I admit. I did say something to her. I told her to buzz off. I told her to leave you alone."
"But why? You know how much I like her!" Natsume said as he pushed Hotaru to the wall. "Why would you do that!?"
"Well, one, she makes you do this to your sister!" Hotaru exclaimed.
Natsume calmed down and let go of his grip of Hotaru to the wall. Hotaru brushed the dirt off her clothes. "Anyway, you know what she did. Why do you still like her?! Don't you remember that she stole your dream!? Your talent even! You haven't been playing the piano since you found out she was the representative of the city for the national competition! You know you have a chance there! But she had to enter as well! You already suffered because of her, brother! You suffered a lot because of her. Why do you still like her? You wanted that chance so much since you knew of it. Now, the year you were able to tryout, she crushed your dream! Because of it you stopped playing for so long. That's why I did it! That's why I let her stay away from you. I didn't want her to inflict more harm to you. You are still my brother."
Natsume frowned and look down for a while. "You don't get me, Hotaru. You don't."
"Say something."
Natsume looked at Hotaru directly on the eye and held her shoulders. He shook her as he said, "You don't understand me, Hotaru. Yes, I'm so sad that I didn't get that chance of a lifetime, which I've wanted for so long and that Mikan got it, but I know she loves music, you know that. She loves it like I love it. That's why I loved her, I still do. One thing that drew me to her was her music, her piano playing. I see myself in her, the passion to the instrument, the memories. It may seem corny but it's true. And that's why I accepted that she deserved it. I myself think she's better than me."
"But she stole your talent, Natsume! Whatever you say about her, you can't change the fact that she made you stop playing the instrument you love the most. She drew you away from the thing you love the most."
"No Hotaru. You drew me away from the thing I love the most. Music may have been with me since I was seven but… Mikan's different. Now that I've met her, I can say that she's the thing I love the most. But listen, Hotaru, you may not understand, but I stopped playing the instrument not because I was traumatized. I did it to not get hurt. I'm just healing from the pain and disappointment. It's not like I will never play again. I just need some time off from it. Understand it, sis. I know you can."
"But I miss you play. When you play, you're a whole different person. You're not the one that always teases me. I see such great passion and peace in you. I want that for you. After that incident, all I see in you is sorrow."
"So that's what you want? You want me to play again? That's all. Boob! Why didn't you just say so? You shouldn't have let Mikan avoid me."
Hotaru looked at her badly.
"But I forgive you. Thanks for caring for me. I didn't know you had it in you," Natsume told his sister and give her a punch on the stomach, the one which guys do to themselves.
Hotaru got in pain. "Thanks for forgiving me bro, but… I'm not a guy. Don't ever do that to me again."
Natsume laughed. "I promise. Though, promise me if I play right now and never hit you on the stomach, you'll let Mikan come near me? Tell her that we should talk? Bring us closer?"
Hotaru smiled. She rarely did, but she just had to. "You really like her, don't you?"
"I guess I do."
"Okay, I'll bring you two closer. Just play."
Hotaru walked to their piano. She cleaned the top with a clean white rag and opened it. She prepared it for Natsume.
"Thanks," Natsume said then walked to the piano chair. He sat down and placed his hands on the keys. He didn't need a book or anything. What he was about to play was already in his mind. He breathed hard for a few time and then, he played once more.
A Thousand Miles- Vanessa Carlton
Hotaru adored how her brother played almost perfectly even after a long time of not playing. She watched closely and was engrossed in the beauty of the melody, the beauty of the technique of Natsume's hands.
In the middle of the song, Natsume talked while still playing. The climax of the song was up. He wanted something to happen. "Sing Hotaru, I'll sing with you."
Hotaru nodded and they both sang.
If I could fall
Into the sky
Do you think time?
Would pass us by
'Cause you know I'd walk
A thousand miles
If I could
Just see you...
If I could fall
Into the sky
Do you think time
Would pass me by
'Cause you know I'd walk
A thousand miles
If I could
If I could
Just hold you
Tonight…
A/N: To my Zoey 101 readers who read this as well, you must have realized that I really like this song since I used it in The Memories 2. Well, to honestly tell you the truth, this is one of the pieces I always play in the piano (asides from broadway, classics, mass songs.) It's because my crush plays this as well. Yeah, I'm Mikan and he's Natsume here and this is our story. But as I said in the beginning, I won't relate this to my life anymore. Maybe a little only. Because, I really don't see if there's hope for us. Though, I see there's hope for Natsume and Mikan here. Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chap. Mikan may not be here, but that explains everything. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT CHAP? R&R as well!