:Being The Only One Who Knew:
by: Hk Ramos
June 13, 2008

Disclaimer:
Alice Academy /
Gakuen Alice
© Higuchi Tachibana

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" .. Inspiration and motivation is what the pen is.

Reviews, criticisms, comments, suggestions are the ink of an author's pen .. "

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Epilogue : Being The Only One Who Knew

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A cool waft of air rushed by; the grass and leaves lazily swaying in it. Blossoms that have fallen off ride with this wind. In the humid summer atmosphere, such zephyr was most welcomed.

A teenager let this breeze play with his blonde locks. Despite him wearing the assigned summer uniform--a short-sleeved polo and long, black pants--he felt dank. (Why do High School students have to wear pants during summer? He pondered.) The white rabbit he was carrying suddenly ran up to his shoulders; something it usually does if it sees a friend of his. His blue orbs flicked to the person walking towards him. Luca smiled as a female friend neared.

“Cutting classes again, Luca-kun?”

“I wouldn’t term it that … I’ve finished the given seatwork, after all.”

Luca felt his friend take Bunny from his shoulder and placed it on hers. Another gust of wind blew; mildly messing up his friend’s ebony hair. The wind wasn’t strong enough to blow her checkered skirt up, thankfully. He gazed at her mauve eyes.

“I think you’re the one cutting classes, Hotaru-san.”

“Of course not. Since it’s the Alice Type classes, and I have no inspiration to invent anything, I merely excused myself for the day.”

“. . .Doesn’t that mean the same thing?”

Hotaru laughed. “Maybe I should have said it in a faster pace.”

“That way whoever heard that response would just nod, huh?” Luca replied.

A shared laughter.

Then, silence.

It wasn’t the awkward kind. However . . .

“I wonder. . .has it always been like this?” mused Luca, glancing at her. “A few months have gone by, yet. . .It’s still foggy—”

“Don’t force yourself,” Hotaru said, ruffling his already messed-up hair. “Give it time.”

“But I … ”

“As I said: ‘Give it time’. That doesn’t return overnight, you know.”

“I’m aware of that…! It’s just … ”

Hotaru glanced, waiting for him to continue. Luca scratched his head; embarrassed of his thoughts. Regardless, her eyes encouraged him to say it.

Luca took a deep breath before proceeding. “Well … Of all our classmates … Besides Natsume and Mikan … I feel really comfortable around you. Though I do find it strange as to why I can’t call you without an honorific,” he grinned.

“Have you even tried to do so?”

“Er … Not yet.”

“Start there, then. You’ll get used to it … soon enough.”

“‘Soon enough’?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Ah, nothing really … Somehow, that phrase seemed familiar.”

After a while a classmate of theirs called their attention; motioning to them that their third class was about to start. Hotaru told Luca to go on ahead; she wanted to stay a bit longer. She’d catch up, she reassured him. Luca nodded and went off; Bunny hopping from Hotaru’s shoulder and going after him.

Hotaru smiled inwardly. So, he recognizes the phrase, huh?

Memories may disappear, but feelings remain; embedded unto the core of our beings. Especially if that feeling happens to be love … Even if you say it’s “gone”, it isn’t entirely: There will always be a tiny portion of it left. And this small part, given enough wind, will flare yet again—possibly stronger and brighter than it once did. It usually doubles, or triples; because of the fact that it was once lost then regained, doesn’t it?

Up until now, Hotaru finds this way on how love works very weird. Irrational, even. But it’s not as if it works with logic, anyway.

The past cannot be brought back … Time cannot be rewound. Here, we have the present--where we currently live in. Why linger in the past when we have been given a wonderful gift everyday we are blessed to wake up with?

Watch out, Luca Nogi … I’ll have you experience déjà vu.

As what you are doing to me at this moment … I’ll make you fall in love with me again … Maybe even harder than before.

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A / N : Thank you to all those who read, faved & reviewed this fanfic of mine! :D

I truly appreciate it, and I'm really happy. See you next (GA?) fic!