Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice
Chapter 15
Youichi took another spoonful of cereal, carefully watching his mother as he did. Mikan was lazily stirring her coffee, her posture in a slouch, her eyes were a light shade of red and a bit puffy, her hair was unkempt and over-all she just looked really exhausted. Then Youichi saw his mother release a shaky breath and closed her eyes.
In a second, Youichi was already hugging Mikan from the side. Surprised but none the less thankful, Mikan hugged her son back. "I'll be okay You-chan" Mikan whispered in Youichi's hair. "Mommy's gonna be okay"
Looking up, Youichi looked at Mikan's eyes. "I love you Mom". For the first time in that morning Youichi saw his mother smile.
…
Natsume was fiddling with his phone again. Looking far at distinctly nothing, Natsume was deep in thought. Mikan Sakura and Mikan Yukihara. It is possible that two people can have then same name…but the same hair color? Natsume looked away from the window. It is possible but… Closing his eyes, Natsume ran his hand through his hair and got up from bed.
"I need a shower" He mumbled to himself and walked towards the bathroom.
"Hey Natsume—" Ruka stopped mid way when he saw the room was empty. Then he heard the shower turn on. Walking towards the bathroom door Ruka knocked. "Natsume?"
After 20 seconds, Natsume answered, "What is it Ruka?"
"I'm going out down to that café by the park for breakfast. Keiji isn't back from his day-off. Are you coming with me?" Ruka asked.
"Go ahead, I'll follow after I finish" Natsume answered back. With that Ruka walked out of Natsume's room, out of the hotel suite and out of the hotel.
Crossing the street, Ruka saw a mop of brown hair at the other side of the street. The face registered in his head. "Mikan!" Ruka called out with a big smile, waving his hand to catch her attention. When she did, Mikan stopped on her tracks, lightly smiled at him and waited for Ruka to arrive.
"Hey" Ruka greeted with a light blush on his cheeks. Mikan greeted him with a small "Hi". In that small exchange Ruka saw how exhausted Mikan looked. What's wrong with her?
"So where are you heading to?" Ruka casually asked as they both started walking.
Shrugging, Mikan looked up at him. "I'm actually heading home now. Just had to drop someone off at school" Mikan answered.
Nodding his head Ruka asked further, "At school? Who?"
"Yup" Mikan answered back. "Youichi, my son"
Ruka stopped on his tracks, his eyes wide. Did she just say… "You have a son?"
Mikan looked up and blinked, surprised by Ruka's reaction "Yes, I do. Why? What's wrong? I thought I told you that before?"
"I thought you didn't have a boyfriend yet" Ruka looked crest fallen. Then his eyes shot down to look at Mikan's ring finger. "And looks like you're not yet married."
Smiling lightly Mikan clarified the situation. "Oh! No, no." Mikan was laughing. "I'm not in any relationship right now."
Ruka still looked devastated. "But…you have a son…"
"Ruka, I adopted Youichi" Mikan explained further. Mikan was laughing now. "I'm sorry. I should have explained it further"
Adopted?! Ruka you idiot, you should have let her finished. Now look you! Ruka lectured himself, he releases a bottled up breath and gave Mikan a light smile. Ruka shook his head. "It's fine, I just thought…you know" He was blushing again.
Then they were both walking in silence again. Ruka was looking away from Mikan. I'm such an idiot. Acting like that in front of her… He shook his head. Keep it together Nogi, keep it together.
"Any problem?" Mikan asked Ruka.
Snapping out of his thoughts Ruka shood his head again. "No, it's just…uh…" Ruka looked around and then that's when he noticed he was already in front of the café.
Mikan tilted her head in question.
Ruka continued "Do you want to join me for breakfast? I mean we're already here in front of the café anyway" Ruka asked timidly.
Looking at the café then back at Ruka, Mikan shrugged and answered "Sure why not?"
Ruka smiled back at Mikan.
…
Dressed in his casual jeans and shirt, Natsume was walking towards the café by the park. On his way there, Natsume thought of walking through the park. Remembering his time there with Mikan and Youichi, Natsume mindlessly pulled out his phone and called Mikan's number.
After 4 rings, Mikan answered that call. "Hello?" Mikan's voice was on the other line. Natsume found himself smile once he heard her voice. "Hey"
He knew, she was smiling on the other line. "So what made the Chairman and CEO of the Hyuuga Empire call me today?" Mikan asked in radiance.
A surge of guilt ran through Natsume's body. He wasn't able to call Mikan for the past days. "I'm sorry, I wasn't able to call. I was just really busy"
He heard Mikan lightly laugh. "I know." There was a pause. "Have you eaten breakfast?"
Natsume looked ahead. It was the same path he took on his first stroll with Mikan and Youichi. "Not yet." Heard Mikan protest but he continued "But I'm on my way to meet my best friend for breakfast."
"Oh, okay. That's good then." Mikan answered back.
"What about you?" Natsume asked.
"I just had coffee before bringing Youichi to school" Natsume waited for Mikan to finish. "But I'm having a light breakfast right now with a friend"
Nodding his head, Natsume smiled to himself. "What about Youichi? How is he?"
"He's doing great in school. Ate his breakfast this morning and he's been looking for you the past days" Mikan answered back smiling.
Leisurely talking with Mikan, Natsume was only a few meters away from the café, walking towards it he spotted Ruka in one of the outside tables. Making his way towards his best friend, Natsume noticed someone at the far side of the café three tables away from Ruka.
"Where are you having your breakfast right now?" Natsume suddenly asked as he got closed to the café. He saw the person shrug. Looks familiar.
"I'm here at the café by the park" Mikan suddenly sounded curios. "Why'd you ask?"
…
"Stop the car!" Luna Koizumi ordered her chauffer. She pulled down the car window and took off her shades. "Open the car door for me! Quickly!"
Once Luna got out of the car, she immediately ran towards the figure. "Well, well, well look at who I bumped into this morning" She said with a flirtatious smile.
Turning away from what he was looking at Natsume was surprised to see Luna Koizumi beside him. "Let me call you back, okay?" Natsume told Mikan and ended the call.
"I see they let you out the crazy house early" Natsume nonchalantly commented back.
"Funny" Luna commented back none too happy about Natsume's comment. "I went into rehab not a crazy house. Silly" She tried to salvage the poor situation.
"I don't really care" Natsume answered back. Glancing at the café, the brunette three tables away was gone. "What do you want? I have to be somewhere" He added none too rudely.
Licking her lips Luna looked at Natsume. "Look Natsume, I just wanted to catch up. See how you're do—" she was cut off.
"As you can see, I'm doing quite good and there's nothing we have to catch up." Natsume countered irritated. "We're not even friends." Why is he even wasting his time with her. "Now will you leave me alone before you humiliate yourself?" He added in an attempt to keep Luna away from him.
Rolling her eyes, Luna tossed her hair trying to keep her cool. "Natsume, please. It's the least you could do after you broke my heart"
Running his hand through his hair, Natsume responded "I could careless about your broken heart, Koizumi." Walking past Luna, Natsume smirked to himself and barely gave a wave "I better go".
Before Luna could run after Natsume, the bodyguards that were previously absent the past days came out of nowhere and pulled her away. "Okay! Okay! Get your filthy hands off of me! You goons! Ugh!" Luna screeched and walked away towards her waiting car. "Tell your boss! We are not yet over!"
…
Natsume sat down at the chair across Ruka. "Hey" he greeted lazily. Seeing the other plate on the table Natsume declared. "We have company." He wasn't too happy about that and the fact that Ruka didn't tell him about it.
Ruka was giddily smiling at Natsume. "Sorry I didn't tell you." Natsume raised a brow then narrowed his eyes. "What's happening? You have that goofy look on your face again"
"She's here" Ruka answered As if those two words would clarify everything.
"Who's here?" Natsume pushed further. He hated vague answers.
Before Ruka could answer, "Hey Ruka, sorry it took me a while there at the comfort room" then she turned to look at Ruka's companion and all the words drifted away. "I…"
That voice. Natsume turned to the person standing beside them and he saw the number one person he was missing the past days. Mikan…
Hotaru's words ran though Mikan's head. Natsume's shocked expression registered in Mikan's mind. A gush of fear, worry and different emotions ran through her veins. Natsume…
"Mikan, it's no problem" Ruka smiled at Mikan. There was a pang of hurt and jealousy when Natsume heard Ruka say Mikan's name. After 30 seconds, no one was talking. Ruka noticed a weird feeling looming over them. Natsume was looking at Mikan, Mikan was looking at Natsume. What happened?
Noticing the immediate silence between the two, Ruka awkwardly coughed. "Uh yeah…" Ruka patted Natsume's shoulder. Natsume blinked three times and turned to Ruka. Please tell me She's not the Mikan Yukihara you are in love with Natsume pleaded in his mind.
"Natsume, I'd like you to meet Mikan" introduced Ruka. Natsume took a deep breath. "She's Mikan Yukihara. My classmate way back when."
Hearing Ruka's words, a surge of different emotions raced through Natsume unexplainable emotions, he couldn't decipher. The feeling of love and admiration he has for Mikan was over powered by a wave of hurt and jealousy. He felt stupid. She was just playing with me. Why didn't I see this coming? He bitterly thought to himself, but the second voice in his mind told him not to jump into conclusions, he scoffed.
Natsume turned to Mikan. Natsume stood up and shook Mikan's hand a little too stiff. Mikan looked up at Natsume and tried to read him, but all she got was a blank face and cold eyes.
In an effort to make things better, Mikan looked straight at Natsume's eyes and as if sending him a secret message. Mikan said in her mind I'm so sorry…I need to explain everything. Please don't be mad at me. Let me explain. Deep down, Natsume felt what Mikan was trying to say but tried his best to ignore her.
Natsume pulled his hand away from Mikan and broke eye contact. Turning to a waitress, "I'll have a cup of coffee, and a plate of eggs and bacon." Natsume ordered and sat back down not paying attention to Mikan. The waitress looked a second too long at Natsume, mindlessly nodded and scurried away to the kitchen.
Mikan gingerly sat down in her seat, looking down at her food. What have you done? You idiot! Mikan lectured herself in her mind.
The whole breakfast fiasco, Ruka was trying to engage everyone in conversation. All he got from the two was a one worded reply, a grunt, a nod and a non-committal smile. Ruka looked at Mikan to Natsume. What's wrong here? Ruka asked himself mentally. Deep inside Ruka already had a hunch but he's telling himself that he just wants to hear a different story.
In another attempt to engage everyone in a conversation, Ruka tried again. "So Mikan" Mikan barely looked at him. "Last night I remember seeing you at the french restaurant last night. You ran out and I wasn't able to catch up to you." Ruka explained.
Mikan looked up from her food in surprise. "You saw me last night?"
Ruka nodded. "Natsume and I ate dinner there."
Mikan just blinked. "Did you see who I was with?" she carefully asked.
Natsume turned to look at Mikan. "You were with your mother, Yuka Azumi"
Ruka looked at Natsume, surprised as well. "Natsume, how did you know?"
In a shrug, Natsume pulled out his phone and leaned back on his chair, "Asked the waiter." He took a side glance at Mikan, who was also looking at him with her surprised hazel eyes. Those beautiful eyes. Natsume looked away.
"Yes, Natsume's right. I was with my mom last night." Mikan felt her throat dry remembering her conversation with Yuka. "We talked about my dad." Mikan tried to smile through the brimming tears. "And why they had that messy separation," Mikan took a deep breath "before he died."
Natsume heard the shake in Mikan's voice. He looked up at her. Her hands are shaking. Natsume noticed Mikan's hand as she went to grab her tea. Natsume glanced at Ruka who was watching Mikan with sorry eyes. When Natsume looked up at Mikan again, he saw her finishing her tea and abruptly stand up. Ruka looked up at her in surprise and Natsume plainly watched her. "Well, I have to go" Mikan meekly announced with a watery smile, throwing a fleeting glance at Natsume.
"Why all of a sudden?" Ruka asked standing up as well. Please don't go yet. Ruka pleaded in his mind.
"I have a meeting with my mother again." Mikan answered while looking away at the two.
Giving Ruka an apologetic smile, Mikan took her bag "Thank you for the lovely breakfast, Ruka" She smiled at Ruka. "N-Natsume" she barely looked at Natsume and walked away giving them a wave. Ruka and Natsume just watched Mikan's retreating figure.
When Mikan vanished at the corner of the street, Ruka looked at Natsume who was now trying to casually look cool and composed. Gathering all his courage, Ruka asked "Tell me what's going on, Natsume"