Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice

Chapter 6

He forked his spaghetti "Mom, I still don't understand—" Youichi started but was cut off when Mikan raised her hand.

With a silent sigh, Mikan looked at her son tiredly and smiled "You-chan…" she started and the latter looked at her attentively.

"Mr. Hyuuga and I are…" She paused, trying to find the right word to use. Mikan thought for a moment. Her mind drifting off to what happened this morning.

"Mom?" Youichi called and Mikan snapped out of her thoughts. She made a light cough and continued.

"Mr. Hyuuga and I are just…plain acquaintances" she finished rather awkwardly. She knew Youichi didn't understand her point.

"I don't understand. If you're just that then why'd he asked you out to dinner? And why didn't you say yes? And last time you told me, it's better to make acquaintances to close friends" the latter commented as he took a bite from his spaghetti.

Rubbing her temples Mikan answered "You'll understand eventually You-chan…but not now please"

Sighing Youichi forked his spaghetti and mumbled to himself "Why are adults so complicated?"

…

Ruka walked out of his bedroom and into the dining, grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl and looked around the hotel room. He took a bite from his apple. Where is everybody?

Before he could go back to his room, he spotted Keiji by the kitchen. "Hey Keiji?" Ruka called.

Keiji settled the tray of tea on the counter "Master Ruka" the butler acknowledged.

"Where's Natsume?"

The butler poured tea on a cup "Master Natsume attended a business conference at the far side of the city"

Nodding his head Ruka thought for a while. After, he grabbed his coat and called out to Keiji "If Natsume asks where I am just tell him I'll be visiting an old friend" he walked towards the main door.

Before closing the door behind him "Will you be having dinner here Master Ruka?" Keiji asked the last minute.

"Nope, I'm eating out. See you in a bit" and the door behind him closed shut.

Walking down the hotel corridor Ruka passed by some hotel maids and couldn't help but pick up parts of their toned down conversation. When Ruka was in front of the elevator, he pressed the down button and waited.

"…I would do anything for that position"

"…You are not alone on that one; a lot of employees are eyeing that position for years!"

"…Too bad none of us would be getting it"

After checking his phone, Ruka was mentally counting the floor numbers. …1…2…3 the hotel maids slowly made their way past him still engrossed in their conversation. …6…7… 8 Usually Ruka wouldn't eavesdrop on a stranger's conversation but he had no other choice, the voices of the hotel maids were louder than awhile ago.

"…She is manager's number one candidate for the assistant manager position"

"…Really? Her? Is he out of his mind? She's so young!"

The elevator arrived and the doors opened for Ruka. After he stepped in and just as the doors were about to close, parts of the conversation reached him again.

"…Tell me about it."

"…Mikan as the next assistant manager? Unbelievable"

Ruka heard Mikan's name. He looked up just in time to see the maids pass by as the elevator doors closed. He tried to press the Open button, but it was too late. So Ruka was left to wonder.

Could the Mikan the maids were talking about, similar to the Mikan he met in the university a few years back?

Ting!

Ruka looked up to see the elevator doors open with two old individuals standing in front of him. The old lady smiled at him warmly. "My, what a handsome young man you are" she complimented as she and her husband passed by Ruka.

Bowing his head, Ruka thanked the old lady and sent the old couple a charming smile. As he walked away he heard the old woman comment back "his girlfriend must be so lucky to have him"

Ruka sadly smiled.

…

After tucking Youichi in, Mikan sat in the dining room. A cup of coffee to her right and a stack of bills to her left.

Mikan rubbed her temples as she analyzed each and every paper on the table for an hour or so with one thing in mind, How am I suppose to pay for all these?

Bills, bills and more bills. Mikan didn't know where to get the money to pay for everything. Her salary isn't enough to cover their daily expenses and now this? Mikan buried her face in her arms; at this rate she wouldn't have any other choice but to touch her savings.

With already two jobs, taking another one will be even more difficult to juggle. Stress was taking a toll on her. Then the image of a smiling Youichi popped in her mind, Mikan would do anything just to give him a good life, to make him happy.

Mikan sighed. "I guess I'll just have to give up medical school for another year then"

Clearing the table, Mikan hid the bills in a folder and kept them inside a drawer. Looking at her watch, she briskly walked to the door grabber her coat. Mumbling a soft "I can't be late again" closing the door behind her.

…

"I'll see you next reunion then" Ruka waved back as he and his classmate parted ways. It was 8:30 pm when Ruka checked his watch. He looked around the street and secured his scarf more comfortably. It was chilly tonight.

The Alice Hotel was just a few blocks away. "Hmm, it wouldn't hurt to walk right?" He asked himself as he started his walk.

Ruka took his time, step by step. It had been years since he's been here. Ruka smiled from a memory, this was the city where he met the most amazing girl.

He remembered the time he first saw her during enrollment, the time he accidentally bumped into her at the first day of classes, the time he sat next to her in class, the time—

Ruka's reminiscing was cut short when some bumped into him by the side

"Oh my goodness! I'm so very sorry" The person apologized.

Shaking his head, Ruka assured "No, it's fine, don't worry ab—" words got stuck to his throat when he saw the person.

Brown eyes. Brunette hair.

"Mikan?" He asked rather surprised. "Mikan Yukihara?"

The person looked up. Rather surprised as well. "How did you know my na—" A flash of recognition dawned to Mikan "Ruka! Its you!"

"Yeah, its me." He gave a little laugh.

Mikan brightly smiled as she clasped her hands together. "Its been years since I last saw you! I'm sorry I didn't recognize" she held his arm lightly.

He smiled back. "Don't worry its nothing" He looked at her and noted how she never changed since before "How've you been Mikan?"

He saw her rub her left arm. "Do you want to have coffee or something warm to drink while we catch up?" he offered.

Mikan looked to her side and at her watch. She contemplated for a while "I guess…I could spare you some time" she answered back.

Ruka gave her a charming smile as they both walked down the street and to a small café.

…

2:00 am

Natsume sighed heavily and stared at the ceiling. He was supposed to be asleep three hours ago. He knew he was tired the moment the business conference ended. So why wasn't he asleep by now? Natsume closed his eyes.

That smile. Her scent. Her touch.

Natsume opened his eyes again. He blinked twice. Now he knows why he couldn't sleep.

"Mikan Sakura" Natsume whispered the name.

Natsume sat up from bed and looked out the window. Now he understood why he had a hard time concentrating on everything today. But he refused to consider that is was all because of her.

Shaking his head, Natsume couldn't believe this was happening to him. "Impossible" he laughed at himself. "This is just impossible"

He pushed away the covers and got out from bed. He went straight to the kitchen to get a glass of scotch.

After settling down on a bar chair, Natsume was lazily watching his glass. A few moments later, the door of the hotel room opened and entered Ruka. Natsume watched Ruka take off his coat and smile to himself while shaking his head.

"You seem to be in a pretty good mood" Natsume drawled lazily.

Ruka looked up to see Natsume sitting in the bar. He made his way towards him. "You'll never guess what just happened" Ruka started the smile still on his face.

Natsume raised his brow. He poured another glass of scotch and offered it to Ruka, who accepted the glass. "So you finally figured out you're gay?" Natsume jokingly commented and Ruka looked at him in horror.

"What? No! What the hell Natsume? Where did that question come from?"

Natsume chuckled and shook his head. Ruka checked his phone "Wait a minute. Why are you still up?" a sly smile crossed Ruka's face "Waiting for me to come home? And you say I'm gay?"

Natsume rolled his eyes and scowled "I could careless if you don't come home and yes you are the gay one" he commented as he took a sip from his glass "So tell me what happened"

Ruka laughed at Natsume's expression "Okay, okay" when his laughed died down he continued. "Remember the time when I kept on telling you about this girl in one of my classes in the university?"

Natsume scoffed "How can I forget? You talk about her everyday" emphasizing the word everyday.

Ruka playfully punched Natsume by the arm. The latter looked back at him bored "If you deny it, I'll throw you out"

Blushing, Ruka looked at his glass instead "W-well you've got to meet her to know why I was so caught up with her"

Natsume smirked "So you're still whipped after all these years" he stated.

Ruka kept quiet.

"What was her name again?" Natsume asked before taking a sip.

There was a slight contemplation in Ruka's action but before he could say the name, his phone rang. Checking the caller ID, he turned to Natsume "I gotta take the call"

Natsume gave a nod.

Answering his phone, Ruka stood up and walked to his room. He gave an apologetic smile to Natsume and closed the door.

Natsume's eyes strayed on Ruka's door for a moment and looked away towards the window.

Taking his glass of scotch with him, Natsume walked towards the window. His gaze lingered on the city lights below him and he shook his head.

"Mikan Sakura"

…

Somewhere in the city, Mikan wrapped her coat securely around her body as she walked out of a shop finished with her overtime. Having coffee with Ruka made her 30 minutes late so she had to do overtime to pay for it. Rubbing her tired eyes she looked up at the tall buildings surrounding her and drew a breath.

Digging her hands deep in her pocket, Mikan started to walk back home. Over head, engagement photos of Yuka Azumi and Shiki Masachika flashed in the electronic billboards around the area. Mikan looked up in one of the billboards just in time to see a woman in her early forties with shoulder length brunette hair and deep brown eyes smiling serenely at the camera.

Mikan blinked. The woman in the billboard looked so foreign to her. Yet she felt bitter and angry feelings wash over her as she looked at the woman's face. The electronic billboard flashed a new photo, it was still the same woman showing off her engagement ring but she was now with a tall man, also in his early forties, who has light brown hair and eyes.

Mikan looked away and started to walk as fast as she can. As far away as possible from the electronic billboard that was showing the face of the woman whom she once called her mother.

Lady Monroe: Sorry for the late update. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Another one is coming up in a bit, it just needs some editing.