Gakuen Alice Fan Fiction ❯ I Love You, In My Own Way ❯ And The Plan Is On ( Chapter 3 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 3 - And The Plan Is On

“Sakura!” barked Jinno-sensei in bewilderment, making Mikan jump from her exhaust posture.

“Y-yes sensei?” strutted Mikan.

“Slacking off again?” muttered the teacher, while patting his stick against the palm of his hand.

“Sorry sir,” Mikan apologized, retreating her gaze back to her table. She has been very weary the past few days; with Hotaru in the hospital still unconscious, Mikan feared for her best friend's life. The doctor mentioned is an absence of mind-conscious which could go on for days. It's been three days now, and Hotaru didn't, not even once, fluttered her eyes open.

Of course, Mikan cried occasionally not being able to take it anymore. Two of her important people were lying in hospital, one of whom she is not sure of how is doing. The people that were in Mikan's side, cheering and supporting her, are Yuu, Koko and Ruka, and not to forget Anna and Nonoko. Mikan was very grateful that such friends existed in her life.

“Get up,” ordered sensei.

Mikan did as she was told. The class was silence, dreading what their evil sensei has in his chamber for her.

“Stand against the wall with your face against the wall, until end of the lesson,” said Jinno-sensei, pointing, with his stick, at the wall next to the board.

Mikan could swear that she just saw a glimpse of his smirk, before he quickly replaced it with a frown. She moaned inwardly as she made her way to the wall and she demonstrated what she was told. Her face burning from embarrassment that occurred to her in front of her class mates, but not so much since the only one who would bug her is Natsume and he, to her delight, was lying in hospital.

Mikan mentally slapped her self; she just realized how evil the last sentence sounded. Being glad that someone was in hospital was too horrible.

Ruka cringed at the sight of Mikan against the wall and he really felt sorry for her. It's not her fault she was really tired, these days she wasn't really her self. She was torn between her unconscious friend and injured partner. Ruka tried to make her feel better, with help of Koko and Yuu, although she still smiled, he can see her sad self behind her false façade.

Sumire, on the other hand, smirked and nudged at her friends. Once in while her or any of her ill-mannered friends would articulate hurtful words towards the brunette's direction. Sumire focused her attention on the blond guy that was sitting next to her, since Natsume wasn't in, she took his seat.

“Ne, Ruka-kun,” said Sumire, she was playing with her curly ends, and continued, “doesn't that stupid girl deserve what she gets? I mean who could be an idiot and sleep in class?” she laughed at her own joke, and her friend laughed with her too, properly too scared to disagree with her.

“You know what, Sumire,” said Ruka in a mock nice voice, “I think you should stay the hell away from Mikan and I don't want to hear you speaking ill of her ever again and if I do, you'll regret it.”

With that, Ruka walked out of the class, without Jinno-sensei noticing him. What Sumire said pissed Ruka so much that he wanted to hit her. Good God. None of them knew how Mikan was struggling with her situation. Ruka slipped out of the class like a shadow and went to the hospital department to visit a certain raven-haired person.

While in the class, a pair of forest green eyes filled with tears at the hurtful words Ruka threw at her, which made some of the students snigger and smirk at her, but they stopped eventually after they received a death glare from Sumire.

When the class finished, Jinno sensei left the class, but of course, not with out assigning Mikan with a mountain of homework and two weeks worth of detention. Mikan collapsed on her desk and cried out loudly. Yuu and Koko came by her side.

“Don't worry, Mikan-Chan,” soothed Yuu, patting Mikan's back, “I'll help you with the homework.”

Mikan was busy crying and she couldn't thank Yuu.

“Thank you, Yuu, you are a great friend,” said Koko.

Seems the great mind reader did the job for her.

Yuu smiled nervously, “you don't have to, Mikan-Chan.”

After twenty minutes of crying, Yuu and Koko managed to drag Mikan out of the class and they went to the park. They sat underneath the Sakura tree and Mikan wondered off. Koko and Yuu exchanged a worried glance and sweat dropped, Mikan was definitely not fine.

“Heh, Mikan-chan, do you want to play dodge ball?” asked Yuu.

Silence. Sweat drops.

“Look Mr. Bear is coming towards us,” yelled Koko in mock fear.

Still silence. More sweatdrops.

“Let's go to central town? We can eat Howalon,” attempted Yuu.

Again. Silence. And more sweat drops.

“Natsume is here!” exclaimed Koko.

Those very three words caught Mikan's attention all right; she snapped her head to the direction of her partner. He wasn't alone, Ruka was walking with him. Mikan was glad that Natsume was finally dismissed, and then her thoughts landed on her unconscious friend and Natsume's painful past, so her smile vanished and the dazed look returned to her face.

“Hello everyone,” greeted Ruka.

“Hello,” both Yuu and Koko said together. Worried looks crossed the three's faces as they stared at the miserable brunette. Natsume seemed to notice it too, and then a memory in the hospital crossed his mind.

“Polka?” muttered Natsume.

Mikan didn't look up or reply.

“Polka-dots?” said Natsume in an impatient voice.

Finally Mikan tilted her head back and looked at him, “yes?”

“I need to speak to you.” The others seemed to be interested in what Natsume has to say to Mikan, so he added, “alone.” Not waiting any longer, he gripped Mikan's arms and dragged her with him to the northern forest.

Mikan didn't care to where Natsume was taking her; she just let the fire caster lead her. When they went deep in to the forest, Natsume pulled Mikan under a tree and he focused his eyes on her.

“What is it?” he asked after a while.

“What's what?” asked Mikan faking a confused expression.

“You know what I'm taking about, polka-dots,” Natsume stated simply. “why did you change?”

Mikan stayed silent and then she replied, “It's just that Hotaru's still in hospital.” Mikan didn't want to confess up why she changed her behavior towards him.

That's a lie thought Natsume. “Polka-dots, you're a terrible liar, but I'm not going to pressure you. Sooner or later, I'll find out.” With that he left, leaving Mikan alone.

Natsume…

Hotaru was finally regarded conscious, and after two days she was released, but she had a plaster on her feet, therefore she was using crutches. However, Mikan always insisted on helping her, but Hotaru always refused. One day while they were heading to their class…

“Baka!” snapped Hotaru, but in a calm way. “I don't need your help. I can't do it.”

“But, Hotaru-Chan…let me help you, please,” whined Mikan.

“No.”

Mikan sighed and left her stubborn friend.

I'm sorry Mikan, but I have to do it on my own.

Eventually after that, Hotaru invented a `steam chair' (this chair is her #132, it is a chair that moves releasing steam behind it, and however the steam isn't polluting the environment. This chair provides for the seated comfort and warmth, it also provides refreshment. You can control this chair with simple buttons from remote control. This chair flies up to 100 meters, and it takes you whatever you want) we can say that Hotaru is rather comfortable with the chair, and she didn't need anyone's help.

After class ended.

“Yuu, Koko,” said Mikan. “I need a favor from you too.”

Both boys looked at Mikan confusingly. After class she pulled both of them to the corner of the class.

“What is it, Mikan?” asked the illusionist boy.

“Um…” started Mikan and then she told them of her plan.

“But, Mikan-Chan…” said Yuu after sometime and Koko scratched his head.

“Please, Yuu,” begged Mikan. “For Natsume.”

“But how are we going to bring back his parents, it's impossible!” exclaimed Koko quietly.

“Well, I have a fair idea on how to…”

“Huh?” Koko and Yuu said in unison.

“You can imagine them, Yuu!” exclaimed the brunette. “Yuu can make an illusion out of them.”

“Yes, but Mikan…”

Mikan cut him off, “then Nastume can see his parents!”

“I know, but…”

“And he won't be miserable anymore,” continued Mikan, oblivious to Yuu's attempts.

“Mikan!” finally the dirty blond boy caught her attention.

“Huh…what?” asked Mikan in confusion.

“I can't make an illusion out of Natsume's parents.”

“Why?!” exclaimed the brunette.

“I never saw them, so I can't.”

Mikan's face dropped and her last hope of making Natsume happy evaporated.

“Then he have to see them in order to visualize them,” said Koko.

Mikan looked at him confusingly. There was no hope, because since Natsume burned his house, she was certain he didn't have any picture of them.

“There's no point, Koko,” uttered Mikan in defeat.

“I can see them,” Koko smiled in mischief.

Mikan gasped inwardly and bubbles of hope formed inside her; she totally forgot Koko's ability to look and read people's mind. He can also see the images in their head. Mikan giggled and hugged Koko who blushed slightly.

“Thank you, Koko, you're a genius!”

“Hehe…” chuckled Koko shyly. “Isn't getting hot in here…”

The black cat held his manga in his hand, but he wasn't paying the slight attention to the book. Instead, he stared at Mikan who was speaking secretly with Yuu and Koko. They seemed to be engaged in heavy conversation. At one point, Mikan seemed really down, but the next minute she was happy and…she threw herself on Koko.

What the hell?!

Natsume's blood boiled in his body and his eyes sent daggers towards the mind reader. Soon the whole class sensed the sudden heat rise in the class and every one of them found something to fan themselves off.

He'll die.

Koko met Natsume eyes and he sweat dropped. Of course reading his mind, he understood Natsume's intensions so he backed away in fear.

“Natsume,” Ruka said in a smirk, he knew his best friend is jealous. “Are you ok?”

“Hn,” he replied back. He retrieved his gaze back to the book. Who am I kidding? I still have feelings for that polka-dots. It's been six years and I still damn love her!

Mikan walked towards Natsume and said in a cheerful voice, “Hello Natsume, how are you?”

“What do you want?”

“Nothing.”

“…”

“Ne, Natsume?”

“…”

“Tell me about your parents.”

Natsume snapped his head to her direction and his eyes looked at her closely. What was the reason Mikan, asking him about their parents? Why now all of a sudden? “Why?”

“Just.”

“There's nothing to say.”

“Please Natsume.”

“…”

“Natsume...”

“Leave me alone. I don't want to talk about them, do you understand?! And don't ever mention them again!” Natsume snarled violently, making Mikan jump in surprise.

“I-I'm sorry…I…”

“Go away.”

“Nats-”

“I SAID GO AWAY!” shouted Natsume.

Mikan backed away and then she ran away from him.

Nastume's heart squeezed in pain. I'm sorry, but you wouldn't understand that this person here is a murderer.

Mikan nearly cried, but Koko and Yuu came out of nowhere, and they stood on either side of her.

“Are you ok, Mikan-Chan?” asked Yuu.

Mikan nodded and then they both looked at Koko expectantly. Koko nodded and said, “I saw a clear view of them, but fire surrounded them for some reason.”

Mikan understood why, he was thinking of the dream he had that night in the hospital.

Thought I am going through this pain, but am doing it because of you Natsume. Because I love you.

Night fell and a certain black cat walked through the garden, thinking to himself, what does polka-dots want from me? Natsume resumed walking and stopped under the meeting spot; the Sakura tree. He leaned against the tree and stared at the sky. Natsume blinked when he saw that a bunch of stars linked together and formed Milkman's cheerful face. He blushed and smiled faintly; he's thinking about her a lot lately.

Natsume heard a rustle of leaves around him, so he straightened up and looked around him. He noticed a light coming from somewhere; Natsume walked towards the mysterious light. “Polka-dots, is that you-?” Natsume stopped dead in his tracks.

There they are.

Right in the middle of the garden stood the very parents of Hyuuga Natsume.

To be continued.