I don't own G.A.

"Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was my choice, but falling in love with you was beyond my control." -Unknown

Sixth and the Last Encounter: A Gift

A year and a half later.

No letters from the mail. No text messages. No phone calls.

Natsume pushed his headphones in his ears as he stared out in the window. He was glad that he was sitting next to one because at least he could look outside and watch whatever was going on there. The teachers droned on in his classes and not one could make Natsume pay attention to them.

It has been more than a year.

More than a year of no contact or news from a certain brunette. A year of looking everywhere for her, waiting for her return and her smiles that seemed to hold more promises than anything else. 'Everything's gonna be okay.' 'You won't be lonely anymore.'

His last memory of her was on her hospital bed, and the warm sensation of her body on his back the night he carried her to the hospital. Yet again, it was the hospital that brought them together and separated them from each other. Netsume almost turned the whole building inside out within a day. He didn't stop until Hotaru arrived with Aoi, his sister, to tell him to come home because he couldn't possibly find a person who was taken away by her parents.

Her real parents.

Izumi Yukihara owned the top company of IMY Corporation in Japan and his business has been going so well that it became well-known in different countries in Asia, including America. Yuka, Mikan's mother, was known for the fashion line that she opened herself, which had been flourishing for more or less than twenty years. She started from scratch, even before she met Izumi, and named her company Orange Jewels. The fact that these two prominent figures were Mikan's parents struck him hard. Never in his dreams would he imagine that he loved an extraordinary girl like that, but then again, he wasn't even looking at her background the day he fell in love with her.

And he still loves her.

He waited for her on the spot where they were supposed to meet on Christmas day last year, in the cold while the white snowflakes fell as if conveying their sad sympathies for him. He knew that it would be impossible for him to meet her again, considering that her parents could do anything if they didn't want their daughter to have any contact with her friends here. And Natsume was on the verge of giving up. Yet, he still clutched that box, the gift that he was supposed to give Mikan that day she ran away, and it was a reminder that he would have to get his feelings through her no matter what.

He even tried to go to the office of the Yukiharas, but he was unable to do that because they had other businesses to attend to. It was a rather hopeless attempt, but Natsume managed to talk to Serina, Mikan's adopted mother, and ask about the friend who told the couple to raise Mikan as their child.

However, that 'good friend' had passed away recently.

"Natsume," he heard his name being called out. The lad pulled his earphones lazily and turned to Ruka who was beckoning him to come over.

At first, it was hard to associate himself with his peers again, because he couldn't forget that he gained friends with Mikan. He talked to them with her by his side. They got closer because she was there, motivating him to socialize, too. It made him think whether Mikan, wherever she was, could hardly make a friend again. He was worried that she would become a closed person again, not letting anyone into her bubble. He was worried that she became worse mentally and emotionally because of what she just experienced.

After all, a night's events could change one's life. Natsume knew that because the death of his mother once took his fire to live again.

And Mikan was the one who saved him from that hell. She was his angel, and right now, he just had this one desire and that was to see her smiling to him. Her warm lips upon the side of his had lit up his will to become someone she could be proud of. They were only together for half a year and yet, Mikan gave him more than that.

"Coming," Natsume replied to Ruka who was already outside of the classroom. He packed his things and he grabbed his messenger bag to swing it around his shoulder.

Ruka became his best friend. The bright fellow admitted that he had a crush on Mikan, and somehow they became comrades in arms in everything; in playing video games, attempting to cook something that wasn't burnt, or even passing their year so they would be able to graduate. All of those things, though, were merely to distract themselves from pain. The sadness that could easily swallow them whole because a brunette was missing in their group.

Natsume didn't question the fact that Hotaru Imai started avoiding Ruka. He felt bad because it was probably Hotaru's way of saying, "If she's not allowed to be happy, then I can't possibly become happy." It wasn't the girl's fault to begin with, and heck, she was probably Mikan's most sincere friend. But Natsume guessed that Imai believed she could share Mikan's pain that way.

"We're going to graduate in four more months. Are you ready for college?" Ruka asked, turning to Natsume to hear his response.

The latter looked at his companion as they took off from the building. It was mad cold outside, and it was almost Christmas. Another day to spend on that spot.

"I told you that I'm going to pursue medicine," Natsume replied.

His friend looked thoughtful for a moment, scratching his chin. "I don't know. You're not even a decent student to begin with," Ruka teased with a playful smile plastered on his face.

Natsume grunted and grumbled, "Well, if anyone could actually pay attention to the rankings, you'll know that I aced it. I'm top one."

"Boasting bastard." Ruka shook his head like he was getting that bad information out of his head. Well, he really wasn't able to process that his best friend was a genius to begin with.

"Hn. Say that again and you won't get any free visits from me in the future," Natsume retorted, grinning. Even that was a bit painful, but he managed.

Ruka rolled his eyes and muttered, "Yeah, like what? Ten years from now? Geez, you are going to ruin your health and waste your youth."

"Well, I'll be successful enough to throw you off the road and pretend that I actually am trying to save your life," the dark-haired lad laughed.

The blond-haired guy snorted. "Sure. Sure."

They were about to part ways near the bakery Natsume always went to. It was his sister's favorite hang-out and he was thinking that maybe a strawberry shortcake would be able to help Aoi study for her entrance exams. He still couldn't believe that her sister was growing up so fast; she would be going to high school while Natsume would be off to college next year. A year and a half had just passed, you know. Why the rush? Why the rush that slowly took away the pieces of his memories of her.

''I'll buy something for Aoi," Natsume told Ruka.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Bye, arrogant bastard," Ruka said, raising his fist to Natsume.

The latter bumped his own fist to his friend and grinned. "Later, stupid doofus."

Ruka headed home and Natsume entered that bakery, sweat aroma tugging onto his olfactory nerves and sending gentle massages to his brain. He was not really a sweets person, but anything with strawberries, that he could eat. Upon seeing the usual strawberry shortcake he always bought, his eyes sparkled. He had been trying to be a good brother to Aoi once again and the little squirt was more than willing to have their past relationship back. They were inseparable when they were young but ever since their mom died, Natsume had been giving her the cold shoulder. He was determined to change that.

"I'll have the usual," Natsume told Nodacchi, the genius baker beyond the mouth-filling desserts and bread.

It was hard to know whether the man was always happy because he had this kind smile on his face every single moment. It was like, he was just born that way, you know.

"Natsume-kun, someone actually just bought a cake. And she said to give it to you," Nodacchi informed him.

The lad didn't hide his surprise as his eyes slightly twitched, a sign that he was thinking.

"She?" Natsume asked.

"Yeah. She told me to give it to you. Here," the baker handed Natsume a box decorated with cupcakes and a heart shaped handle. He was careful as to not squash the cake by accident, and Natsume didn't really want that either so he proceeded with caution.

"Thank you. I would like to pay the person who bought this, but is she here?" Upon hearing his own words, his heart began hammering soundly in his chest. his eyes widened noticeably and his hands trembled as he held on the box.

Wait. She? Mikan? It can't be... Memories of her suddenly flooded in his mind.

"Okay, you're on! My favorite food is strawberry shortcake, or desserts in general."

Natsume hastily opened the box, and his conjecture was right. There was a note stuck on the interior of the box, and it was ,without a doubt, her writing. His beloved's handwriting.

He pulled it gently and his eyes scanned on what was sprawled on the yellow post-it note.

"It really is her," the dark-haired boy breathed out.

Natsume,

I'm sorry for causing so much trouble. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. Thank you for everything and goodbye.

-M

There was a pang in his chest as he read her words. 'I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.' His chest tightened until he couldn't breathe normally and he suddenly felt his eyes stinging. He felt like his ribs were cracking, his heart was suddenly in someone's hand and squeezing it. Crushing it into million pieces.

"Why..."

Natsume turned to Nodacchi whose smile suddenly fell from his face. The young lad couldn't even take the thought of the happy owner suddenly showing sadness in his part.

"Where is she? Did she already leave? When was she here?" Natsume asked this string of questions softly, breath coming out in short gasps and throat was contracting considerably. He wasn't even conscious that his tears were falling one by one and Nodacchi was looking at him with despair in his eyes.

"She was here an hour ago. She told me to give it to the most important person of her life."

That merely made Natsume gasped for more air. He was now aware that he was crying and at that point, he wouldn't even care if other customers came in and looked at him weirdly. He was too late.

He was really...a bit too late.

At the corner of his eyes, he saw cars passing by the busy street. On the other side of the street were shops frequently visited by him and Ruka for their video games. When he swivel completely around, he wished his eyes were not betraying him.

It was Mikan. His Mikan. A brunette-haired young lady whose hair was swaying with the light breeze that passed by, wearing a long feminine skirt and bangles on her wrist. Her lips tugged upwards, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Natsume ran for the door.

Once outside his gaze searched for that certain long brown-haired girl, but before he knew it she was already leaving. Natsume ran. He ran like his life was depended on it, ignoring the stares and the honks of the car or even the ironic fact that he almost got run over. He reached the other side of the street, but she was gone.

She was gone. Again for the second time. Natsume looked for the nearby stores, startling some shoppers, and he even tried the alleys but only cats answered his calls.

"Mikan."

"Mikan!"

"Mikan..."

Please answer me.

Come back.

Natsume ended up on the spot he was supposed to meet Mikan in twenty days. The spot where they were to confess their feelings to each other, enjoy high school life being the lovey dovey couple, and possibly think about their future together.

But one night ruined it all. A year and a half has already passed.

The exhausted boy sat on the bench in the park and pulled out the box from his pocket.

"I guess...I guess this is goodbye," he whispered to no one but himself. He pulled the ribbon that was tied around the box, and he flipped the lid open. A small cylinder was inside in an appearance of a pen. A picture was underneath the object and Netsume's eyes started to the tears escape that he had been holding. It started out as a silent cry which turned into sob, until it became loud shaking howl that enveloped the whole empty, cold park.

He pressed the button on top of the pen.

"Merry Christmas, Mikan. Please, don't break this by keep replaying it (laughs). (Pause) I want you to know that you're the best thing that happened to me. I'll never forget what you did for me when I was at my lowest point. I'll never forget, Mikan.

I like you. And possibly in the future when I am capable and more handsome than I am now (chuckles), I'll be able to say: I love you.

Natsume's POV

I wanted to believe in red string of fate and that it will bring us together once again. But it wasn't eleven years after when I saw her again.

To be continued...

A/N: Haiiii! OMG I cannot believe that I almost forgot to update this story T.T I'm so sorrryyyyy! Please forgive me! I've been busy with college applications that I haven't had enough time to even look after myself...Seriously. I really hope that for those who have been waiting and anticipating this chapter, I've fulfilled some part of you that has been screaming "OMG PLEASE UPDATE". I'm sorry for another cliffhanger, but... it keeps everything interesting ;) Don't forget to review~ Wait for the next chapters because everything will finally be put back into place...maybe XD Hahahaha

Bah-baii~!