DISCLAIMER: I DON’T OWN GAKUEN ALICE

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Kindergarten

By ‘orange-ideas’

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CHAPTER SEVEN

FINAL CHAPTER

A few minutes have passed and Mikan fell asleep. Her head rested on Natsume’s shoulder. Soon after… he joined her as well.

-

“Imai, where are we going?” Ruka asked confused.

They’ve been walking around for a while, and even passed the kitchen. Mikan must be starving by now. The blonde young boy couldn’t understand her. Is she punishing Mikan or something? Nah! Hotaru may be the Ice Queen but she’s not that cold. There must be another reason.

The raven haired girl didn’t reply and kept on walking. Ruka just followed her from behind.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, Ruka’s stomach began to grumble, not that loud but enough for Hotaru to hear.

Ruka blushed and Hotaru grinned.

“We’re nearly there, tell your stomach that.” She said nonchalantly.

“Can you just tell me where?” he demanded.

Hotaru stopped in her tracks and glanced back at him. Ruka blushed a bit, startled.

“To my secret refrigerator.” She replied simply and went her way.

“But if it’s secret… why bring me along?” Ruka thought, confused.

-

Hotaru led Ruka towards the forest. He was a bit nervous about this.

“Umm… are you sure we’re going the right way?” he asked hesitantly.

Hotaru looked at him nonchalantly. He took a tentative step backwards thinking he’ll get shot by the baka gun again for ‘questioning her intelligence’ or something.

But she didn’t.

“We’re almost there so don’t worry.” She started walking in the same direction again.

Ruka blinked. He didn’t expect Imai to say something like ‘Don’t worry’ or other comforting words. Especially not to him. They’re not enemies or anything… but does that mean she’s friends with him?

“She’s so unpredictable.” He thought.

-

After a few minutes of walking, they managed to reach the side of the forest. Hotaru kneeled down the ground and started to pat the grass, trying to feel something. Ruka looked at her confused.

“Imai must be really hungry to be doing that”, he thought. He never imagined the Ice Queen to humble herself and search the grass. He thought, she’d blackmail him to do that for her.

“Damn. It’s not here.” Hotaru said to herself.

She suddenly looked up at Ruka who was staring at her. He blushed as soon as their eyes met and turned away.

“Hey you”, she said. Ruka swallowed, this was the ‘blackmailing part’ he expected.

“Can you use your pheromone? I forgot my invention. It’s such a hassle to go back to the lab and get it.” She said, her mien and voice still as stoic as ever.

Ruka stared at her, dumbfounded.

“Imai asking me for help without blackmailing? Imai forgetting her invention? Imai, lazy to fetch her invention? Is this really Imai?” Ruka thought desperately searching for an answer.

“I’m waiting.” She said.

Ruka snapped out from his shock. “Yeah sure. I’ll try… but…”

“But what?”

Ruka shook his head. “Never mind. So who do you want me to call?” he asked.

“The squirrel.” She answered simply.

“Okay. I’ll try. Here goes-”

“Wait.” She said calmly. Hotaru walked towards him and took his hand. Ruka went crimson. She took the alice control device from him, his ring.

“There. Now concentrate. I know you can do it.” She said.

“Is this really Imai?” Ruka was getting confused every second.

-

Ruka bent in one knee, closed his eyes and concentrated. It was really hard for him to do that since Imai’s actions were troubling him and he was curious why she asked him to do this all of a sudden.

“Come on Ruka concentrate!” he said to himself.

And after a few minutes, a squirrel came, it had a key around its neck as a necklace.

“I did it!” Ruka said out loud. He looked over at Hotaru. The squirrel ran towards her, she was grinning a bit.

“There you go. I’ll be getting this.” She offered it an acorn and took the key. The squirrel climbed back up the tree.

Hotaru stood up and faced Ruka.

“This is the key to my emergency refrigerator.” She explained.

Ruka sweat dropped. “Emergency REFRIGERATOR? What’s the emergency? I thought it was just a secret one!” he thought.

“So are you okay now?” she asked.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Hotaru looked the opposite direction, away from him.

“You blamed yourself… for all that happened. The rabbit mischief with the pendant… the tiger that almost attacked us… everything. I know… you thought you’re useless and brought all the mischief these past days and stuff…”

Ruka listened to her, all ears, he was shocked at what she was saying. Does she know this much?

Hotaru looked at him. “But you’re not. And you just proved it.”

He was right. Hotaru Imai is unpredictable.

-

-

Ruka grinned. “Thanks Imai.”

Hotaru smirked a bit. “I don’t want my number one model always frowning. Those pictures don’t sell that much. So don’t get any ideas Nogi.” She haunted him with her deep violet eyes. Ruka sweat dropped.

Then he chuckled. “I know. Let’s go, I’m hungry.”

“There’s payment for the food of course.” Hotaru added.

-

They walked towards the lab to get to Hotaru’s ‘Emergency Refrigerator’.

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“Murderer… he killed the whole village… no survivors… what a monster… heartless-”

“ENOUGH!” Natsume said out loud.

His eyes were opened with fear and then relief. He was sweating and panting hard. Another nightmare.

“Natsume?” He looked at his side and saw Mikan looking at him worried. “Are you alright? What happened?” she went closer to him.

Natsume’s mien went back to its usual cold and bored expression. “Get away. Of course I’m fine.” He looked away.

“Are you sure? You don’t look fine to me”, Mikan cupped his hand in hers. He blushed a bit and removed his.

“I said I am, idiot.” He said a bit annoyed because he was flustered.

“You don’t have to be so defensive”, Mikan replied pouting.

“Hn. Whatever.”

“I’m serious! …You don’t have to act all cool or proud all the time. Relax will ya? You’re acting like a spoiled… old geezer.” She said.

“At least I’m not a stupid cry baby like you.” he said.

“See what I mean/Sigh/”

Natsume, who had his back on her, glanced for a second. “And what are you sighing about Polka dots?”

“Stop calling me that! I’m just feeling sorry for you ‘cause you don’t know how to have fun.” She said.

Natsume was silenced. What could else could he say about that? It was… partly true.

“Maybe you forgot the feeling of being a kid-” he cut her.

“I’m not a kid. I’ve stopped being a kid years ago.” He answered seriously.

“Oh really?”

Mikan went closer to him and they looked at each other eye to eye.

“You can be a kid and have fun any time you want to. Like now, you can always use this opportunity to have fun with us can’t you?”

Mikan is so naïve and so childlike, while as he is the exact opposite. Natsume blinked. He didn’t reply.

“It’s worth a try isn’t it? So how ‘bout it Natsume? Let’s play together tomorrow… like in kindergarten!” she said smiling brightly.

Natsume’s ears turned pink. “Whatever.” And he looked away.

“You promise? Pinky swear?” she asked.

“What? What are you talking about?” He looked at her confused.

“Pinky swear. Here, hold out your pinky like mine.”

She held out her pinky in front of him. He just stared.

“This is stupid polka-dots.” He said.

“I guess being stupid is part of being a kid. Once you grow up, you’ll start to learn. Now hold out your pinky Natsume!”

He groaned but did as he was told. They shook pinkies.

Mikan giggled. “I’m so proud of you Natsume!”

He rolled his eyes, but secretly smiled.

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After a few minutes, Ruka and Hotaru finally arrived with their so-called ‘Dinner’, but considering the time, it was kind of a ‘Midnight Snack’. They ate together while watching the stars. They guessed which star is on the sky. Natsume knew a lot considering he often watches the sky every night before he goes to bed. Hotaru knows quite a few too. She’s an all-around genius.

About an hour later, they got bored with their little ‘game’ and unconsciously, fell asleep together.

Natsume fell asleep with his back on the wall, his arms crossed over his stomach. Mikan fell asleep on his shoulder, like earlier. Next to Mikan, Hotaru and Ruka had their backs against each other for support.

It was going to be one long night for the four.

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That morning, Hotaru was the first to wake up again. She gave a sweet smile at the sight she saw, all of them close together.

She glanced at her side, Natsume and Mikan leaning against each other. At her back, she heard Ruka snoring softly a bit.

Hmm… this will be another best seller as pictures. But then she had second thoughts…

Hotaru brought out her camera and took a picture of all of them as a whole. No. She wasn’t going to sell this picture.

It was something special. Private property.

She laid her camera on the floor and glanced at the clock. 7:30. It was Saturday, still to early to wake up.

She snuggled into their corner again and after a minute of idle day dreaming, she fell asleep.

Then suddenly, her camera flashed. Self-timer. Another Kodak moment for them.

Then… another flash. But this time, it wasn’t from the camera.

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By coincidence, the four of them woke up at the same time. And guess what? They were back to normal.

“KYA! Hotaru look! We’re back to normal again! I’m so happy!” Mikan cheered.

“Finally we’re back.” Ruka said.

“Just as I calculated.” Hotaru said to herself.

“Tch. Finally. I was getting bored with Polka-dots as a companion, now we’re back to normal again.” Natsume commented.

“BAKA NATSUME!” Mikan screamed at him.

Then she remembered something.

“Hey Natsume, let’s hurry now! We don’t want to be late! The play ground will be crowded with small kids later, so we better hurry if we don’t want to wait in line for the slides!” Mikan said.

“What are you talking about?” he said.

Mikan pouted. “Don’t tell me you forgot our Pinky swear yesterday!”

“But we’re back to normal already.” And he turned away from her.

“Mikan, Hyuuga’s not exactly a ‘playground type’ if you know what I’m saying.” Hotaru commented picking up her camera.

“But-!” Natsume cut off Mikan.

“I told you. I stopped being a kid already so give up Polka dots.”

“Well then if you’re not a kid anymore, you must know that people should keep promises they made! And you promised me! Pinky swear!” she said.

Natsume paused for a while. Then he sighed. “There’s no saying no to you, is there?”

Mikan smiled. “So you’ll go with me then!”

“I will… if Ruka comes along”, he said glancing at his best friend.

“Umm… okay…” Ruka said hesitantly.

“So I guess my camera and I will be joining you guys too.” Hotaru said.

They all sweat dropped.

“Alright! This is going to be fun! Just like Kindergarten!” Mikan cheered.

-

Sometimes… it’s better to remain a kid than forget the simple pleasures in life.

-

-Never END-

Yeahey! Another fic finished! Thanks a bunch for the wonderful reviews! I know it took sometime before I managed to finish it- I would’ve finished this fic ages ago if my computer wasn’t such a jerk- Yeah, blame it all to the computer and the virus. Anywayz, please don’t forget to review for the last time! Till next time! Ja ne!

‘orange-ideas’