me: hey minna san~!

mikan: wahh~! we missed you! how're you doin'?

me: hehe, feeling better now~!

natsume: ...

mikan: here's chapter 16 minna~!

me: oh and i don't own gakuen alice

natsume: of course you don't

Chapter 16

Mikan pov

It's already 5 pm, Sunday, and yeah, you could say that it's been a boring and normal day, well except for a teensy weensy problem, I'm freakin' out since yesterday.

Yep, I know it's normal for me to, but, when I got home yesterday, I'm so stressed out, you know why? Well, it all started at of course, our photo shoot…

Flashback

"okay, mikan, dear, let's call this a day." The photographer told me, I smiled, but I'm still nervous and worried, I know, I'm never like this, but having hyuuga and youichi in a same place, means disaster! Oh no….

"so, how did I do?" I asked,

"you don't have to ask, as always, you did great, no, even great won't be enough to describe how you did! We're really lucky to have you, right minna?" she asked everyone as they all chorused,

"hai!"

"now, dress up honey so you can rest,"

"oh believe me, I couldn't…."

"youichi came back, huh?"

"hai…*sigh*" I trailed off as I went to the dressing room. So when I was done, I quickly searched for the missing piece to my outfit and that is my precious necklace.

It's a necklace that has a ring charm, and it has a red flame engraved on it. Believe me, it's the most important thing to me, it's the last gift that my childhood friend gave me, before he went away.

But after five minutes of unsuccessful searching, I still couldn't find it! Where is it?

"is there something wrong, dear?" the photographer asked me, good thing she's a girl, hehe.

"umm… have you seen a silver necklace, with a ring charm?" I asked her impatiently,

"gomen, but I didn't," she bowed.

"so, let me change the question, have you seen me wearing it when I got here?" I asked incredulously.

"iie, you didn't wear any jewelry," she pointed out. So, I felt a little relieved, 'maybe I just left it at home, ne?' I tried to convince myself so that I could calm down.

"ah, arigatou, kaila! Ja ne~!" I waved good bye to her as I exit the studio.

Yukihara mansion

"I'm back!" I shouted as I closed the door behind me.

"welcome back, mikan sama." Maria bowed to me.

"where's minna?"

"oh, the girls are in hotaru sama's room, while the boys are in tsubasa sama's room."

"ah, wait, how about youichi?"

"he's in the dining his room, taking his late lunch, would mikan sama like to have a snack?" she asked politely,

"ah, never mind! Oh, but do tell me what happened while I'm away." I caressed her hand gently, but, deep inside, I'm quite nervous.

"err… ummm… well…" she retrieved her hand from me while she tried to avoid my gaze, did something happen?

" just leave the talking to me," a familiar voice came from behind,

"youichi? What happened?" I stopped as I turned my gaze to his right hand.

"why is your hand wrapped up? Youichi, what did you get into?" I asked seriously as I went to his side. He just sighed deeply as he pushed me to the kitchen.

"now, explain!" I ordered him. He again sighed and seated himself.

"I got into a fight." He nonchalantly said.

"with who?" I wasn't surprised, geez, even for his first day here, he'll involve into another fight.

"hyuuga." now that caught my attention. He got a fight with hyuuga! why? What? How? Great, can't this day any better?

"nani? With him? Why? How? When? Youichi!" I was so enraged! I mean, I'm not siding anyone here, it's just that, why would hyuuga fight back with him? Why would even youichi be that idiotic to involve in a fight with him?*sorry, I'm calling him hyuuga for now, well, due to my anger towards him…*

"yes, we got a fight when I woke up, I was just testing his strength, but I guess I went overboard, god, he's even going easy on me!"

"wait, why would you test him? Argghhh, that hyuuga."

"don't blame him, it's my fault. As much that I would like to kill him, I just tested him, to know if he…never mind that part."

"what do you mean?"

"nothing! Just leave it as it is! Sheesh, you're so nosy." He smirked at me.

'hmm, but hotaru nee wouldn't mind if I add some spice up, huh? She's in a stress mode right now, so just one pebble on top of the great mountain will make a great avalanche, ne?' youichi thought evilly.

"but, he did kick me in the guts," youichi added as my ears perked up.

"HE WHAT? DAMN THAT HYUUGA! I CURSE HIM TO THE BOTTOMS OF HELL!" I shouted, I'm so stressed out right now that I didn't notice my friends standing at my back.

"mikan chan…" anna reached to me.

"hyuuga…he…kicked youichi? How could he! Where's he? I'll surely kick his sorry butt!" I shouted angrily as I clenched my fists and escaped from her grasps.

"natsume's not here, he packed his stuffs and decided to just stay in their mansion." Hotaru called out to me as I changed my direction and went to the music room directly.

End of flashback

Normal pov

"youichi, what. Did. You. Tell. Her?" hotaru asked the young yukihara, who in exchange, has a cold exterior, while deep inside, he just want to escape the wrath of the famous ice queen.

"tch, you already heard her, right?" he shot back.

"why did you damn tell her that part?" hotaru asked once again as she massages her temples.

"I just like to have a little obstacle for hyuuga. one couldn't be too certain, ne?" he explained like an ojii san.

"why you…." Hotaru tried to get him, but ruka held her back.

"calm down, hotaru." Ruka ordered her gently.

"this is not a laughing matter, youichi! Yeah, I know you want to be certain with hyuuga, but what if this little obstacle of yours may be not as little as you think it would be? Huh?" she shot back, losing her patience.

"tch, then that would be great. If he loves her, and if she loves him back, they should learn how to overcome these obstacles. You know that I want the best for her." He talked like an ojii san again.

"argghhhhh….fine! but if something goes bad, youichi I promise you, mess with me, and you'll give up your miserable life and find hell a paradise, got it?" she threatened him.

"h-hai."

"good. This discussion is over." Hotaru muttered as she exits the room, and motioned everyone to follow her.

"dude, we worked our butts in two weeks for this," tsubasa told youichi.

"yeah, yeah, I know already!" he answered irritatingly, and marched to his room.

Little did they know what was happening in the music room…

"what on earth are you doing here?" mikan shouted for the 5th time already.

"I just want to play my guitar, just like you, this is what I do when I'm stressed…" a raven haired boy answered her indifferently as he brought out a black acoustic guitar.

"but, they said that you already left…ugghh, never mind!" mikan shouted as she exits the room, only to be stopped by him.

"mikan, please, hear me out…"

"oh, god, hyuuga! let go of me!" she muttered as she tried to free her hand from his strong hold.

"mikan, I'm serious…" natsume whispered.

"oh yeah? Well, me too! I'm tired of always worrying about you, of how to apologize, well, in fact, you, yourself have a problem!" mikan shouted as tears began to form in her eyes.

"you're always…since these past few days, you're trying to avoid me, I don't know why… but it hurts…but still, I kept on thinking about you…" she then stopped to regain her composed self.

"have you ever heard of the quote, 'a girl can only take as much until she finally breaks'? Well, this girl in front of you had enough! Enough of all this confusion and worrying…" she shouted as she knelt down and cover her face with her bangs.

"I'm… I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" natsume started, and muttered as he gritted his teeth. Somehow, he felt guilty for what's happening to mikan right now.

"oh yeah?" mikan asked sarcastically as she clenched her fists and tears began to drop continuously.

"you didn't mean it? Well, congratulations, then, why don't you explain to me about the fight with youichi?"

"he started it!"

"really, but why do you have to kick and fight back? You could just let go of it,"

"that's because he's saying a bunch of bull shit about me!"

"care to tell me what it is?" she sarcastically asked as he successfully removed her hand from his hold. Natsume was too furious to notice that she was already free and just gritted his teeth,

"well, I'm wa-"

"he said damn things like I was freakin' played with your feelings, well in fact, I didn't! I don't know why he said that, all I know is, he doesn't know about me, he kept judging me, and I hate it! He kept on provoking me, even though he already knew that I'm totally pissed off!" he then stopped to catch his breath.

"I care about you more than you think, mikan… more than you think…" he whispered enough to be heard by mikan. But of course, being the dense person she is, she kept wondering, 'what could he mean by that…?'

Mikan was now in a state of shock, this line made her surprised, yet happy…? Happy to hear that she's not the only one who cares about him, he also cared about her… now an uncomfortable silence dawned over them as natsume got his guitar and kept hiding his face because of his red face… and mikan still in a state of shock and she kept hiding her face, too because she's now blushing a thousand shades of red… but mikan can't take it anymore, especially if the reason of her blushing face is in the same room as her..

"I'll be taking my leave then…" she whispered as she stood up and opened the door,

"ja ne…" and she quickly closed the door behind her.

"polka…." Natsume muttered. 'great, how can I prove it to her if she herself is mad at me?' he thought as he messed up his hair.

"arrgghh…I don't fuckin' care! The thing that is important now is how she thinks of me! I exploded back there; I even damn said some stupid things! Baka hyuuga! baka baka baka!" then, a realization came into his mind,

"great, now I sound damn love sick!"

"that's because you truly are." A voice interrupted his alone time.

"why is the little devil here? Just go back to your sister, oh and because of you, she damn hates my guts!" he said sarcastically.

"tch, jealous? It's not my fault she loves me more. Oh, and I have a tip for yah, when mikan's angry, just let her cool down a bit for, I don't know, a day or two? And then apologize."

"hn, Fine."

"but since you just added to her problems, it'll take time for her to calm down."

"and how long is that, mr. selfish?"

"tch, probably two or 4 days…"

"nani? You want me to wait that long? What, so you can spend time with her? I don't think so." Natsume exclaimed incredulously.

"tsk. Of course not, but, maybe I would, but then again, she would just do it on her own. Oh, I forgot, you challenged me into a deal that is due in one week! My bad." Youichi added as he laughed sarcastically.

"I'll do everything to prove you and mikan that I truly love her."

"yeah, ok fine, let's say that you could, your problem is, will she love you back, now that she hates you."

"…"

"see? You should probably back out-"

"i. will. Never. Back. Out!"

"but what will you do if she won't say 'yes' to you?" youichi asked as he crossed his arms on his chest.

"…i-I don't know yet." 'of course, i would do whatever it takes to make her fall for me. But, I won't tell him that, he'll crush me for sure.' He thought as he smirked to himself.

"tch, listen, I would do or give anything just to keep my sister away from bastards like you. I wouldn't want her to be in so much pain again'"

"what do you mean, she was hurt before? Who in the right mind will-"

"enough! That's enough! You have no right to judge him! Yes, he forgot about us, but I know he'll come back. Maybe he's just too busy or he damn forgot about it, but no one, I repeat, no one dares to talk trash about him!" youichi then grabbed natsume's collar and bumped him on the wall.

" she was hurt because of a broken promise, she was so sad that she didn't smile even for a bit until hotaru nee came! To think that she was hurt unto that extent!" he then left natsume there as he faced his back to him and headed to the door.

"i won't give mikan to anyone of you bastards, and I definitely won't make it easy for you, hyuuga." then closed the door.

Natsume was left there in silence, yet the raven haired boy is in awe. Although youichi didn't notice it, he opened up his feelings to him. He told him the reason why he's so overprotective of his sister, how she was hurt, but still, why does he protect that person?

'so that's why…' he messed up his hair again, picked up his guitar, sat on a high stool as he played a song while he sang to it.

If you're not the one by Daniel Bedingfield

If you're not the one, then why does my soul feel glad today?
If you're not the one, then why does my hand fit yours this way?
If you are not mine, then why does your heart return my call?
If you are not mine, would I have the strength to stand at all?

I never know what the future brings
But I know you're here with me now
We'll make it through and I hope
You are the one I share my life with

"let go of the past… open your heart to mikan…" is what ruka told him.

I don't wanna run away but I can't take it, I don't understand
If I'm not made for you, then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?

'hn, I felt something for mi chi...but now, yes I felt the same way for mikan, but stronger…'

If I don't need you, then why am I crying on my bed?
If I don't need you, then why does your name resound in my head?
If you're not for me, then why does this distance name my life?
If you're not for me, then why do I dream of you as my wife?

I don't know why you're so far away
But I know that this much is true
We'll make it through and I hope
You are the one I share my life with

And I wish that you could be the one I die with
And I pray that you're the one I build my home with
I hope I love you all my life

'wait, why does a picture of mikan suddenly came into my head? Don't tell me…'

I don't wanna run away but I can't take it, I don't understand
If I'm not made for you, then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?

'Cause I miss your body and soul so strong
That it takes my breath away
And I breath you into my heart
And I pray for the strength to stand today

'Cause I love you whether it's wrong or right
And though I can't be with you tonight
And though my heart is by your side

"mikan…."

I don't wanna run away but I can't take it, I don't understand
If I'm not made for you, then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?

He then finished the song with a new realization: he's truly in love with mikan, not with mi chi. yes, he felt something for mi chi, and that is friendship, he felt the same thing with mikan, but then it turned into love, pure, true love. That's why he can't stand it when she's with someone else, even if its tsubasa or youichi, he feels guilty when she cries, and feels his world will come crumbling down when she's mad at him.

Yep, he knew about his mission, prove his love for mikan, but he thought of it as friendship, truly, we can say that he's super dense, too :))

"baka, natsume. How dense of you! Call yourself a genius, huh? Tsk, yah right!" he cursed himself, as he exited the room.

He went down the stairs quietly, still wearing his poker face, but inside, happy to realize his true feelings, and of course, feel like a baka for not realizing earlier, with this deal going on. But as soon as he reached the bottom, ruka popped out of nowhere.

"oh, natsume! I thought you left already!" ruka called out.

"hn, I just packed my things, I wouldn't want to disturb the little devil, yah know?" natsume answered sarcastically, just thinking of youichi brings back his pissed off mood. But instead of laughing at his best friend's comment, ruka just showed a sad smile. Of course that's not what natsume literally meant, being the best friend of a cold, stoic and composed person like natsume, he already knows how to read in between the lines.

"natsume, can you promise me?"

"…"

"promise me that you won't let anyone even youichi stop you."

"tch, I don't promise, I swear." Natsume corrected him, but he clearly understands what he is telling him,

"don't give up, for mikan…" ruka added.

"hn, I swear I won't, you don't have to be all cheesy, yah know? It's not my style." And they both shared a laugh.

"heh, I wonder if mikan will fall for a non-cheesy guy like you?" ruka joked.

"yeah, yeah, I'll make her mine."

"but, you should confess first before you make her yours."

"hn, I just realized my feelings right now soo…"

"you what? But I thought-"

"heh, I thought by love as in friendship, well, that's what I thought, but now, I cleared things up."

"tsk, I can't believe you can be this dense!" then ruka just laughed his throat out, as natsume fume with irritation.

"you know, I was supposed to say 'oi, take care and don't let that devil or hotaru kill you' shit, but then again, I would like to see you die." Natsume joked as he smirked at his best friend.

"tsk, some best friend you are, nat." ruka rolled his eyes as he folded his arms on his chest.

"what, can't I joke sometimes? Oh and a favour: don't tell anyone about the feelings crap, got it?" natsume asked as he glared at him.

"hai hai, don't worry." Natsume then headed towards the door,

"then, ja ruka." While ruka just returned it with a nod. By the time natsume's driving, one thing is still lingering in his mind.

"I will never let anyone stop me and hurt you anymore, mikan"

me: so...how's that?

mikan: yehey~! i'm finally in it!

natsume: baka, of course you are, we are the main characters anyways...

me: hehe so please review!