Disclaimer: I don’t own Gakuen Alice.
Claimer: This fan fiction and its concept are mine.

He had always known that only someone stupid could fall in love with her.

Eighteen-year-old Natsume Hyuuga was just so damn sure that he should be doing something else instead of listening to Mikan Sakura’s nonsense.

“ – Natsume!” she was squealing, looking very pleased even from afar. She ran to him, a wide smile plastered on her lips. “I’ve been looking all over for you!”

Natsume let out a frustrated sigh as he watched his girlfriend close the distance between them. She was as cheerful as she was this morning, as if the whole exhausting afternoon was not sufficient to wear her out or dampen her mood.

She carelessly plopped down next to him, catching her breath as she did. “It’s the Alice Festival, Natsume! What are you doing here alone? Shouldn’t you be enjoying yourself?”

He smirked. Enjoy myself, huh? He gave a noncommittal grunt in response, silently wondering if Mikan knew how much of a torture it had always been to listen to her endless talk and questions.

He put down the book he had been reading and waited for her to continue, no matter how stupid it was. Mikan Sakura was a very silly girl; he had known that ever since he first laid his eyes on her. He had known that even before he realized that he liked her, and long before he admitted to her and to himself what he felt for her.

Because for all her stupidity, he knew he loved her more than anyone else in the world.

So there he was, like the perfect besotted fool, unable to stop himself from giving his complete attention to the idiot who actually won his heart.

Gracious, but it was really stupid.

“ – and Ruka was just blushing the whole time!” Mikan was saying, looking very fascinated as she narrated what had been happening to the play they had been assigned to present. “I know Hotaru just wants the best for the play but she doesn’t really have to be so tough on Ruka! After all, they’ve been together for a long time now!”

His smirk grew wider as he imagined the tyrannical Hotaru Imai as their stage director. The girl was most efficient, although he was certain that she just accepted the position to torment her boyfriend. He knew that after the two finally got together, Hotaru’s profits on Ruka’s pictures fell precipitously, and it seemed she wasn’t about to let him forget the fact.

It was not this that surprised Natsume the most (he had always known that Hotaru was a sadist of some sort), however, but the fact that his best friend actually put up with all of it without complaint. If that wasn’t strange enough, Ruka looked very much in love with the no-nonsense genius who tortured him every chance she got.

“You’re so stupid,” Natsume had told him, to which Ruka only replied with a contented smile, much to the flame caster’s chagrin.

“ - are you even listening to me?” Mikan asked, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

Natsume paused, realizing how he intently he had been staring at her.“Why should I?” he said blandly, cursing himself for being so lost when she was around.

That earned him a frown from her. “I thought you’d like to know what’s happening,” she grumbled.

He shrugged. “Don’t bother. I’m not interested.” He flipped open his book, letting a disinterested expression linger in his face. “It’s all so stupid – so much just like you.”

She furrowed her brows, crossing her arms over her chest. “Oh, that’s right! I’m stupid! Do you know that Hotaru has been telling that ever since I arrived here? That I’m stupid for following her, stupid for doing the things I do, stupid for panicking when I don’t see her, stupid for drooling at the thought of howalons, stupid for being always excited to go to Central Town – ”

“Stupid for thinking I’d like to know about the play,” he cut off.

She pouted at his words. “You can be so mean sometimes, Natsume,” she complained, resting her head on his shoulder. “I don’t even know how we ended up together.”

“Don’t talk like you’re the only one who does,” he shot back, and cocked an eyebrow when she just laughed quietly instead of yelling at him again. He looked at her, noting the faint flash of mischief in her eyes as a smile formed her lips. “Why are you laughing?”

“Because,” she said, still giggling to herself.

He shook his head, closing his eyes thoughtfully. “You’re such an idiot, Mikan,” he told her, almost in a whisper. “You’re such an idiot only a stupid person can fall in love with you.”

She tossed back her head, laughing as she threw her arms around his neck. “But you’re in love with me, Natsume,” she said, faultlessly confident in what she was saying. “I wonder why.”

He opened his eyes and found her gazing into them, a smile still on her lips, and he knew that he would forever be thankful for this young woman who loved him more than he could possibly ask for.

“Because,” he simply said, pulling her close to him in an embrace. “I am very stupid.”

…stupid…

This was inspired by a friend’s text message, which I found insanely cute. Oh, and Algebra, too, if I remember correctly.

Yay for my first Gakuen Alice one-shot. Reviews will be awesome. Really. :D

Hilaire
07.20.08