Disclaimer: I do not own Alice Academy and the characters related to it. But the rest, I do.

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for supporting "Letters to You"! I'm very happy that I was able to upload a new chapter. A twenty-page paper is not easy to do. I was quite frustrated and annoyed while writing my paper and whenever I had breaks, I would attempt to finish this chapter. Basically, I de-stress here in FanFiction!

Do read and review!

Finals week is near, so don't expect any consistent uploads. Enjoy the chapter!

~dancedaze

JUNE 30, 2009

I don't know when you did it, but you left the journal in front of my door.

The image of your face a while ago is still in my head. Your big, brown eyes and your trembling lips are still embedded in my mind. It's not something I want to remember or to bring up. Okay, Berry?

I look out the balcony and see the others set up long tables and chairs. Anna's carrying something, which I bet she made, to the circular table. It has three layers of sugar and cream. I bet you're going to like it. Nonoka seems to have cooked something new. I can smell oyster sauce and other spices. Now that's my kind of food.

As I watch our friends prepare for the cookout, I hear a knock on my door. I enter my room from the balcony and close the glass door. I reach for the doorknob and open the door. And there you are, standing in front of me. You fidget with your fingers as if you're nervous. You play with your soft curls that are tied to one side and you try not to look at me. You smoothen out your white dress and I could not help but notice how petite your figure is. After the awkward moment passes, you ask if we could talk. I don't want to talk because I still have mixed emotions and I don't want to take them out on you. But, of course, I couldn't say no to you. The best I could do is to delay it. I ask you if that's alright and you nod your head and smile.

We walk down the stairs and out of the house. You run to Hotaru and Ruka while they ready the kebabs for grilling.

What I don't understand is why you think I like Hotaru? Although, Ruka liking Hotaru may not be that far-fetched, but where did you come up with the conclusion that I like her? You really are stupid.

You squeal at the sight of Anna's dessert and you look like you're about to gobble it all down. You should be careful. You don't want to turn into a whale now, do you?

Koko and Sumire come out with plates and utensils. Yuu rushes to help Nonoka while she fixes the sauces and dips on the long table. Everyone is really hyped up with this, huh? You could try to help out too, you know? You've been staring at Anna's dessert since we got here.

Everyone watches Mr. Narumi as he readies the grill and you are all anxious, ready to eat. Mr. Narumi starts the grill and the cookout begins. The long table is full of food and the smell of the kebab is really making me hungry. You go crazy over the dessert and I see you take your second serving. I wouldn't be surprised if you finish half of the whole dessert.

Ruka taps my shoulder and hands me a plate with Nonoka's baked chicken and a kebab stick. We sit on the sand and talk about his snorkel adventure with Hotaru earlier. I listen to him as I finish the food on my plate. He talks about corals and fishes and he seems happy. What surprises me though is when he starts talking about Hotaru. I guess your observation is pretty accurate—that's new. And along the middle of his sentences, he would blush a bit and try to hide it from me. I pretend not to notice and carry on with my meal. I always thought that he likes this certain someone that Hotaru and I have been talking about. But I guess she's pretty dense herself, just like you. I continue to listen and observe his facial expressions. It's quite hilarious to watch Ruka and how his face easily shows nervousness. He gets up and says that he will get more food. I know that it's more of an excuse to shed the redness off of his face. Well, he's been like that since we were kids.

I look out to the sea when a shadow appears near me. Without even looking, I know that it's yours. You sit beside me and happily eating more sweets. I can't seem to comprehend how your throat can handle all the sugar. You chew and put more food in your mouth. You do realize that your stomach is not a bottomless pit?

I decide to finish my food to avoid the increase of the awkward silence. You stretch as a sign of finished food and you stare out into the ocean. The waves crash hard to the shore and I start to feel that sinking feeling inside. Why did we have to do a cookout at this time? Why did we even come here?

Deep in thought, you startle me by asking if I'm okay. I just look at your doe eyes and gaze at the mix of auburns and browns. I notice that you have some cream on the left of your lips. Last time it was chocolate and now it's cream. You really eat like a little girl. I come closer and reach for the cream with my thumb. I wipe it off and you turn red out of embarrassment. I return to my previous position and eat the cream off my thumb. You freak out, and I really don't know why. You say that I indirectly kissed you. You have got to be kidding me.

You continue to freak out when I interrupt you by telling you that I'm not okay. Your words trail off and you ask what's wrong. I honestly did not feel like talking about it, but I did. I told you that I was annoyed of what happened in my room earlier, but not because of your presence in my room. My annoyance is rooted from what you saw.

I start telling you stories of the girl in the picture – my sister, Aoi. I tell you how she was not careful like you. I share her moments of not listening to instructions. I could remember the way she would do things out of impulse. She would always go to places that she wasn't supposed to. She would swim to deeper parts of the sea when she knew she wasn't allowed. Yes, she was cute. But she's clumsy and hard-headed.

I can still picture her death in my head. I look away as drops of water start to form in my eyes. All of the memories are coming back to me again. The memory of her death plays in my head as I tell you how it happened.

I disclose to you the exact events, and I don't even know why I'm telling you these things. You have a solemn expression on your face as I express my hatred for this beach and that night when huge waves swallowed my sister when she went too near the shore. I start to feel frustration and bitterness all over again because I couldn't save her. Up to now, I am still indignant as to why I didn't try to save her. My dad tried. Ruka almost died trying. I didn't do anything.

I continue to narrate the events. Attempting to finish the story as calmly as I could, I felt your arms wrap around my neck. You pull me close and apologize for what happened. You assure me of that Aoi's death was not my fault. You affirm me that I'm still a good brother and how she loves me. As much as I try to stop it, tears stream down my face. I didn't bother to release myself from your arms. You continue to hug me without uttering a single word. Your silence and touch comforted me. I wrap one arm around you and pull you closer.

Mikan, I… I appreciate your kindness.