Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice belongs to Tachibana-Sensei. This is the main reason why for sure it is not mine…

CURSING LOVE

First Story: Is Love Really a Bad Thing?

Part 7

-- XXIV --

The classroom was already empty since half an hour ago. Still, there was no sign of Mikan Sakura coming to the class like what we have planned before. All the five of us from the Special Ability class have gathered inside the class for almost twenty-five minutes now. I began to feel slightly anxious yet I could not fully comprehend the reason of this uneasiness inside of me. She was indeed looked slightly off color and less talkative during all the lessons today. Even Narumi Sensei noticed the difference and asked her during his class whether she was sick or something. When she answered that she was fine he nodded with concern; as if trying to decipher the real reason of Mikan not being her usual self today. Sadly, I knew the reason better than he did.

She went out from the class for the lunch break so fast even before Serio Sensei finished gathering her teaching materials. It was very uncommon for her to do such things since all along I know her habit very well. Normally, she would go with Yuu Tobita and Hotaru Imai to the cafeteria to have their lunch together. Sometimes, they went there with several alumni of Elementary Branch’s Class B who are now become the members of the other class. Unfortunately for me, she would also be accompanied by the black cat and his inseparable best friend in the cafeteria most of her lunch times although I rarely saw both of them eating anything in there. Sometimes it made me think that their sole purpose to go to there in the first place was only to look after her, just like some sort of guardians in a fairy story. As lame as my thought was, I know that a big part of it was somehow true.

I tried to look for her during the lunch break shortly after she left the class to no avail.

Gloomily, I went back to the class in the hope that I would find her there although my expectation wasn’t high.

It was almost like an automatic thing for me to do whenever I went inside the classroom; I looked at her empty seat. Somehow I always manage to go to the class before she comes. Unconsciously I always do that especially after I realized that my heart always flutters every time she greets me before going to her own seat. Today’s after lunch period was no difference from any of those days. First thing I did when I entered the class was to glance at her seat. Inwardly I knew even before I really set my eyes at that spot that I would stare to an empty seat just like usual. However, today for the first time ever the scenery which used to make me very happy and hopeful, has made me felt a pang inside my chest. I realized it only too well that the most probable reason of her vacant seat today was somehow originated from the earlier event this morning.

-- XXV --

I went to look for her after another ten more minutes were spent waiting for her. I managed to conceal my real reason in front of the rest of the SA members from Middle School Branch on why I bothered myself to find her. Thankfully, none of them pursued the matter further. I knew it would not be very suspicious for me to do so since both of us are the committee for the SA event this time anyway. Thus it makes all the more reasonable for me trying to find my missing partner.

I have visited almost all the places in Alice Academy that I could think of but she was nowhere to be found at those places. That was when I remembered that I have not checked the park just around the cafeteria where the famous sakura tree stands. It was perfectly clear for the students in Alice Academy to know that it was the most likely place to find the black cat either reading his manga or just resting lazily under that tree. Somehow that fact alone has made almost anyone with a right mind instinctively avoiding the place.

Intuitively, I walked as quiet as I could when I arrived there, only left a short distance with the well-known tree. Then, as what I have expected only a moment ago, I saw them clearly; Mikan stood in front of the black cat who sat calmly under the sakura tree. He did not bother himself to see the person in front of him and merely continued reading his manga. Mikan, on the other hand, fixed her gaze intently on the boy sitting in front of her; somehow she looked angry and frustrated. I could only guess from her expression that what Natsume Hyuuga did somewhat made her disappointed.

I did not plan to eavesdrop on them; however, my curiosity got the best of me. I kept myself standing aside well-hidden behind the flowery bushes nearby which thankfully were close enough for me to see both of them and hear their conversation.

Most probably thinking that nobody would hear them or simply they did not care to check whether anyone would dare to pry on the black cat, they talked very loudly. It looked very much like they were on some kinds of heated arguments.

“Just what exactly do you want now, Polka-Dots?” said Natsume Hyuuga mercilessly.

“I just want to know why you skipped your class for the whole day today,” stated Mikan hesitatingly. Her lips trembled a bit as if restraining herself from crying. Her face somehow looked sad and flushed.

“My answer will remain the same, Little Girl, that it is none of your concern whether I skipped my class or not.” Natsume spoke still refused to see the person standing in front of him. I could not see his expression since his eyes was veiled behind his bangs. Yet somehow I have the impression that all he ever wanted was to spoke the other way around.

“I really do not understand you, Natsume. Why do you always think so lightly about school and your friends? I believe Ruka-Pyon would also feel worry about you if you keep continuing doing things like this.” Now Mikan was surely on the verge of crying. Her eyes now are all red and puffy. I was wondering whether the black cat was aware about this.

Nevertheless, from her trembling voice I believed he would notice that somehow he already managed to make her crying.

Finally Natsume Hyuuga raised his face from the manga he just read and faced her. His expression was unfathomable like usual. Still, I swear I could see a tint of sadness and regret from the corner of his eyes after he saw her expression.

“No need to trouble yourself trying to understand me, Polka-Dots. I never asked you to do such thing in the first place,” the black cat spoke with much softer tone although the coldness still lingered there.

“And don’t worry about how Ruka might or might not feel since that’s totally not your concern,” he continued with a harsher tone. Somehow I was so sure that a twinge of jealousy could be heard when he spoke the sentence.

“Why we have to go through this all over again, Natsume. I thought all along we are friends.” When she finished her sentence, tears were streaming down her somewhat paler face.

Yet her reaction was nothing compared to the expression etched on the black cat’s flawless face upon hearing the last word from Mikan. He looked very much hurt and his face went even paler than Mikan’s. And unlike this morning, he did not even try to conceal it. However, this time I was unsure about the cause. Was it because he was so sure that Mikan was completely oblivious with his expression and merely thought that nobody was snooping around? Or because her words were not something he expected her to say?

“I did not recall myself ever agreeing with you to be friends, Little Girl,” said Natsume dispassionately after he regained his composure.

Mikan’s eyes widened, her lips trembled. She could only manage to say, “I see…”

She hesitated for a couple of seconds, as if waiting for a reply from the black cat to no avail. Finally after that seemingly fruitless effort, she gave up and started to walk away from the boy. However, I could see clearly from where I stood at the moment that although for only mere seconds, Natsume raised his right arm and stood up a bit from his sitting position. It was very much look like he was contemplating with his heart whether to stop her or not.

Still, at the last second he only opted to stand up and squeezing his palms into tight fists at both sides of his body. He continued staring at her running away from him as fast as she could and totally left unaware that a pair of eyes that used to be very cold now somehow looked much humane. It was full of emotions that even I could not decipher, especially considering that it was coming from a heartless person like Natsume Hyuuga.

I did not know whether it was wise for me to look after Mikan at this point. So I was left rooted at my spot for awhile before I realized a minute too late that it was a mistake for me to do so. It seemed that everything went on a slow motion as the black cat turned his back to look straight at me. At this point, I did not even dare to think about how long he knew that I was standing here all along.

All I ever knew was that for what it seemed only like a blink of an eye; he was standing unexpectedly in front of me. His expression was livid and covered with wrath that I never knew it could be possessed by anyone inside Alice Academy, let alone a mere Middle School student. Only at that time I realized the reason why he was famous as the flame caster in the whole school. His eyes went ablaze as if carved from fire and his body seemed to be engulfed with an implacable heat. I wanted to escape from this horrifying situation but just like a mouse trapped in a deadly venomous snake’s gaze; I couldn’t even break my eye contacts with him.

That’s the time I heard him hissing acid words that sounded almost as cold as ice, “Enjoying the scene, I believe?”

-- XXVI --

The sakura petals that fell quietly to the ground gave an almost dramatic air whenever the wind blew its branches lightly. It might send a cliché effect on a romantic story if the current situation was the opposite of what I was sadly facing at the moment. Now I sensed that my skin felt like being sliced each time a single petal came in contact.

It seemed like words have left my mind a long time ago that I was unable to utter any single word from my mouth. Still, it did not give any big effects on the situation in the first place. At least, the person standing menacingly in front of me did not bother to wait for an answer from me as he spoke once again.

“If there is a person I hate the most, it was an eavesdropper.”

“No, I am not an eavesdropper,” that was what all I ever managed to answer him. It sounded so pathetic even for my own ears since I knew all along that I was doing what he just mentioned.

“I was looking for Sakura-Chan and it just happened that she was here,” I added a little lamely for my taste.

“What do you want from her?” he asked coldly still without averting his fiery gaze from me.

I did not know what happened with me as I stared back at him as daring as I could force myself. Then, without even thinking about the grim consequences I answered, “Since it’s between me and Sakura-Chan, I believe I don’t have to explain anything to you.”

Upon hearing my bold statement his face went darker and more menacing than ever. He raised his right hand and a large fireball appeared from nowhere on his right palm.

“Care to repeat your statement?” threatened him. The flames dancing ominously as if strengthening the words from its possessor.

As I understood that I was on a losing end and whatever answer I gave him would not increase his somewhat dismal mood, I did not want to surrender myself just like that. I chuckled a bit in a manner so unlike my usual self that even I feel shocked upon hearing it.

I merely said airily, “Did you feel that disturbed realizing that others might have some businesses with Sakura-Chan that not involving you even for the least bit?”

Before he got a chance to say anything, I added my statement without thinking twice, “If you care so much about her why you treated her that way. The only thing I want to repeat over and over again to you was the fact that she definitely deserves somebody better than you.”

His eyes widened for a second, as if he never expected that I have guts to say things like that. However, he regained his composure again. With a faster speed than any ordinary person could manage, he clicked his left hand. Suddenly fire encircling the ground where I stood at the moment. The fire around me was crackling and hissing, sending sizzling heat to my body. The flames sparkled with such intensity that made all the silhouettes from the trees and bushes were now nowhere to be found.

Amazingly, it seemed that all my fears inside were also gone along with all the shadows from the surrounding.

I roared staunchly before the darkness took over my consciousness, “If there is a person I hate the most, it was a coward.”

Among all the flickers and gutters from the fire just a mere second before I closed my eyes shut, I swear I just saw it. For the first time in my life I saw a defeat kind of expression loomed on the face of the unbeatable black cat whom was standing still in front of me.

Well, I guess it was a bittersweet ending for me after all...

-- to be continued --

A/N: I am terribly sorry for my late update. I have had a bad cough for the past week during my holiday in my hometown. I feel very sad since I haven’t got a chance to re-edit my other fanfics that I have uploaded when I was there since the unreliable Internet connection has driven me insane.

However, between my flu and writing my other fanfics, I guess this chapter was also a bittersweet ending for me as well (grinning). I hope you like this chapter even more than my previous ones. Don’t forget to leave me your reviews. It really keeps me going when the things get though and my inspiration runs dry (lol).

Thank you for all the reviews from my previous chapter: Phoenix of the Northern Lights, wiwionly, crazygirl18, lysabelle, proffesional, nina, babeemei, chefyan08, cupidsangel, Azurana K. I truly appreciate your reviews and I will try to improve the quality of my writing (smilling).