Home Is Where I Belong

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice. All credits goes to our lovely/genius Higuchi Tachibana-sensei.

Dedicate to:
Higuchi Tachibana-sensei for being a genius
Natsume Hyuuga-sama for being the adorable kid
and Mi-chan aka Rosa en Bouton for sharing the same birthday as Natsume-sama
Happy Birthday~

Mikan Sakura closed the door to her SUV as soon as she went out of her car. The twenty three year old pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head and scanned the whole area of her childhood home.

"Nothing has changed, huh?" she said and inhaled the fresh air of the countryside. Mikan grabbed the brown duffel bag from the passenger seat and slung the belt on her shoulder. All the houses in the street were identical; big white framed houses with a magnolia tree in front of them. As far as she remembered, the general store, the bank and the petrol station was five kilometers away from the village. The whole place was completely isolated from the outside world.

It had been three years since the last time she came back home to the Alice Village. She walked up to the familiar verandah steps and knocked at the simple white yet elegant door three times. She heard feet shuffling inside the house before the door burst open and she was immediately greeted with a hug, "Mikan, you're home!"

Mikan chuckled at her mother's childish antics. In her mid thirties, Yuka Azumi was still as vibrant as ever. Mikan tucked the strand of her brown hair behind her ear as soon as Yuka released her from the hug. "Let me look at how much you have grown," Yuka said with her hands on Mikan's shoulder. Standing five foot five in front of her, Yuka had her hair cut short above her shoulder while Mikan had her hair grow past her waist, which was tied in a messy bun. Everyone would have thought that they were sisters on first glance, except for her eyes: she had her father's dark brown eyes. "You're so beautiful."

Mikan smiled at her mother's comment. "You're beautiful too, mum," she smiled and then her eyes lowered to Yuka's belly, which was slightly bumped. "…and you're pregnant!"

"Four months." Yuka unconsciously touch her slightly bulging stomach.

Mikan smiled and said, "Well, it looks like I'm going to have a little brother or sister soon." Then there was a moment of comfortable silence before Yuka opened the front door wider.

"Well, come on in," Yuka said as Mikan stepped inside the house where she met by her step-father, Shiki Masachika. Slightly older than her mother, Shiki was standing in the small hallway of the house with his glasses in his right hand. It was obvious that he had just come out of his own office since he was wearing a striped blue button down shirt and a pair of black khaki pants.

He smiled as soon as he saw Mikan. His smile was slow and confident and revealed his perfectly even, white teeth. He looked exactly like he was three years ago when he got married to her mother in the church. "Mikan." He gave her a brief hug and then he stepped back. "How was the drive?"

Mikan smiled politely and said, "It was okay." She watched her mother went by his side and linked her hand with his arm. Under their steady gaze, Mikan was suddenly conscious of how strange and out of place she must look in the dusty outback town, with her pearl earrings and her yellow linen dress and her elegant Italian sandals. She had dressed with special care that morning, not knowing what to wear and too lazy to change into a more casual clothes.

"Your room is still there," her mother said. "Still the way it used to be when you left."

"Okay." Mikan had a horrible feeling that her smile was as brittle and alien as she looked, and her voice sounded clipped as she walked up the stairs towards her old bedroom.

She walked to the end of the hall of the first floor and pushed the door open. Mikan turned her head slowly, taking in the room. The room has mauve walls and a high ceiling. Lacy curtains hung from the windows that bowed out to the street and stretched almost from the ceiling to the floor. A queen-sized bed stood in the middle of the room with purple and pink polka dots pillows and perfectly made sheet.

Mikan took a deep breath and then exhaled. "Just like it was three years ago," she said to herself and then she began to put away the things that she had packed in her duffel bag. She stripped out of her yellow dress and put on her spaghetti-strap shirt and short jeans which passed her knees and matching sneakers.

Afterwards, she decided to take a walk and went out of her room. From the stairs, she could hear the faint voices of her mother and step father talking in the living room facing the hallway. As soon as she stopped at the bottom of the stairs, both of them looked up and faced her.

"I'm going for a walk," she said. Her mother stood up as Mikan opened the front door.

"Be back before dinner okay?" Yuka shouted as Mikan waved her hand without looking back at her. "Be careful!"

Mikan traced her hand on the stable. It was a part of the largest land in the Alice Village. It was previously owned by her grandfather but when he died, the mayor took over the land since her mother, the sole inheritance, refused to claim the land. "It's too much of a task," her mother would say. But then her mother had told her in one of her letters that someone had continued to take care of the land since the mayor had retired and moved to California. The place had been her favorite place to hang out as the mayor and his wife didn't have any children on their own.

Mikan smiled as she remembered the memories she had spent at the ranch with her friends. 'Friends, huh?' she thought to herself. She never got the chance to make friends at the law firm she was working in Tokyo. Everyone was so serious and competitive that she never got the chance to take a break and have a small chat. She was always surrounded with paperwork and unsolved cases, and everyone looked down on her because she was the "baby" at the law firm. Even after three years of working experience, everyone expected her to fall down and cry. She tried to keep the smile attached on her face but could feel her confidence wavering as time passed. In the end, she finally decided to quit her job and move back to Alice Village.

And here she was. She had to admit that she was confused about what she was going to do in her future. She was snapped from her thoughts when she heard a neighing sound coming from the stable. "Mr. Bear!" she gasped. Mikan ran around the stable until she saw a big brown stallion that immediately trotted around her happily.

Mikan laughed as the stallion licked her on the face. "Eww!" She laughed again. "I'm happy to see you too, Mr. Bear!"

The horse neighed in response as she patted his body affectionately. The last time she saw Mr. Bear, he had only been a small horse that followed her around like a lost puppy. It was weird, really. People often saw the two wrestling in the mud or playing chase where the brunette would definitely lose the contest.

Then her mouth turned into a frown. She remembered the event three years ago when she decided to leave the village and find a work in the city. She knew if she stayed in the village, her future was already determined. So she had to make a choice on whether she would find a husband and become a wife of a farmer, raising a whole army of kids, or move to the city and become a career woman with a sign above her head saying "Successful". In the end, she had chosen the latter and still, she just couldn't find the happiness and the contentment that she was searching for.

The truth was; she decided to leave the place when Shiki married her mother. It's not like Mikan hated him or anything–it was just weird when there was a man in her life aside from her father. Her father, Izumi, had died when she was two and all she remembered were the fun memories when he brought the whole family kayaking, horse riding and having a picnic in the public park. It made her feel guilty when she didn't even remember how he looked like and she could only look at his photograph to remember him. It also made her feel betrayed when her mom got married to Shiki three years ago.

Shiki moved to Alice Village when Mikan was five when he opened up a small clinic in the village. He had been a great companion and a father figure to her and Mikan respected him in every way. He made her mother feel secure and loved: something that she herself, as Yuka's daughter couldn't give. He helped her mother deal with the pain and helped her to move on with her life. Mikan knew she shouldn't complain because Shiki had made Yuka become who she was before her father had died, but she just couldn't help feeling that by accepting Shiki as her mother's husband, she had let him to replace her father.

"It was a bad choice from the beginning to move to Tokyo." She sighed and leaned her head onto Mr. Bear's body. "I kind of regret my decision actually."

"Then you shouldn't have done that in the first place, polka dots." Mikan recognized the voice. Glancing at him, she was immensely reassured to see that he was looking amused. Natsume Hyuuga–her childhood friend and her secret crush. How could she not like him? One look at him was enough to send you falling on your knees. There was a definite dent at the corner of his mouth, and a lurking smile in the crimson eyes that made him look devilishly handsome.

"Natsume," she breathed out his name. "What are you doing here?" She watched as the light got caught in his thick raven hair as he walked to her direction.

"I own this place," he said calmly and narrowed his eyes on Mr. Bear. Ah, so he is the new owner, she thought to herself. "He was never this excited, that's why I was checking why he was making all the noise. The damn horse just won't budge unless we call him by his name. It's your fault for giving him that name, polka."

Suddenly the horse barred his teeth to Natsume in an attempt to bite his head off. If Mikan hadn't grabbed his bridle, Natsume would have lost a huge portion of his hair. "Damn horse," Natsume cursed.

Mikan laughed as the horse snorted and patted his head. "Good boy, he wouldn't have done that to you if you would call me by my name for a change, Natsume."

"Whatever," Natsume said after a while, and for the first time there was an edge of impatience in his voice. "I've got a windmill to repair, and I've already given up time I can't spare to stay and chat."

He turned his back on her and headed off to the opposite direction. "Wait up, Natsume." She ran until she was walking beside him with Mr. Bear following beside her. "There's a windmill? I wanna see it!"

"Suit yourself." He shrugged. "But I've warned you, we have to cross the hill in order to get to the place. I'm sure you still remember how tough things can be out there."

Of course she remembered! The land was her favorite place. "I'm used to getting my hands dirty."

"You're not used to the heat and the dust and the flies and the boredom," Natsume pointed out. "I'm not sure you realize how tough things can be out there compared to Tokyo, polka dots."

Mikan glared at the raven haired guy as soon as she saw the smug on his face. Obviously, he was teasing her and finding the whole situation amusing. Mikan on the other hand was slightly insulted and angry at his comment. She folded her arms in an unconscious defensive pose. "I'm tougher than I look," she said.

Natsume scoffed and said, "Really? Could have fooled me." He eyed Mikan critically. "You look as if you're about to collapse."

"I've got jet-lag," she said, feeling annoyed by his question. "I've been here for less than an hour, and I haven't been able to rest much since then."

"Whatever." Natsume shrugged. Mikan's shoulders slumped as a crushing wave of exhaustion rolled over her without warning. She was slowly regretting her decision to follow him crossing the hill. What's more, fighting with him was tiring. "Ne, Natsume," she called out to him. He replied with a "hn", showing that he was listening. "I thought you were working for the Insurance company at the village?"

"This is just a part time job." He shrugs.

"I see." She closed her eyes and let her feet carry her to wherever he was going. Then, all of a sudden, she bumped into his back when he suddenly stopped walking.

"That hurts," she wailed, rubbing her reddened nose.

"Look up," Natsume said and put his hands on his hips.

Mikan comes up behind him and lifted her face only to find herself gasping at the magnificent view of the land. The land stretched out to the distant horizon and the sky was a huge blue glare. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Natsume looked at his land proudly.

"Sure is," Mikan smiled and then closed her eyes as the wind blew softly against her skin.

"I thought I heard an idiot's voice and I was right." Mikan heard someone said behind her. It was monotone but she could hear a hint of happiness in the person's voice. Mikan swirled around and found herself facing her best friend, Hotaru Imai. Tears welled up on her eyes and she could feel herself shaking; tempting to hug her best friend after all the years of separation. She was also filled with guilt when she didn't attend Hotaru's engagement ceremony to her other childhood friend, Ruka Nogi, a year ago. Her boss refused to give her a day off work and instead he punished Mikan by giving her more unsolved cases and threatened to fire her. Crying and feeling miserable, she obeyed his order, afraid that she might lose her job –completely forgetting her best friend's engagement party. She managed to finish her job the next day around two in the morning and when she finally plopped her body on her bed, she was disgusted with herself for even forgetting the important day.

Mikan immediately called her best friend and apologized repetitively. Even after Hotaru had accepted her apology, Mikan still felt helpless with the guilt inside of her building every single day. Mikan preferred Hotaru to shoot her with that weird invention of hers –what was it called? Oh yeah, the Baka gun. But instead, Hotaru said that she would definitely kill her if Mikan missed her wedding day.

"What did I tell you? You look uglier when you cry, Mikan." Hotaru sighed and then she held out her arms. "Come here, idiot."

Mikan sobbed as she ran to her best friend and began wailing as she wrapped her arms around Hotaru's shoulders. Hotaru was comforting her, or at least that was what she thought her best friend was doing, by patting her head and mumbling some comforting words. Comforting words meaning "stop crying, idiot" and "you will look like the old coot who's living at the street across your house…" It may sound like an insult, but to Mikan, that was Hotaru's way of showing affection.

Hotaru watched over her best friend head as she saw her fiancé walk beside Natsume. The two greeted each other and when she caught Ruka's gaze, she smirked and said, "I told you she's here. You better give me my money or experience my wrath later."

Mikan giggled as she watched Ruka sighed in defeat and handed his fiancée the hundred yen. Afterwards, the three of them (and Mr. Bear) led Mikan to the main house while filling her with stories that she had missed for the past three years.

Mikan sipped the glass of ice tea as she watched Ruka and Natsume working on the farm diligently from the porch. They were instructed by her best friend to examine the stone walls that formed a small dam in one area after they had done with the windmill, and to check the little waterwheel attached to the barn which provided the electrical power to the house and the barns.

The sun was shining from a cloudless sky, and both men were happy to do this particular job, stripping off their shirts and merrily wading through the shallow waters as they ran their knowledgeable fingers across the joints looking for weaknesses. It was at these times that both men appreciated the cold water running through their body, feeling refreshed and energetic to do their work.

Watching her crush working his butt out in the hot weather—wearing only ripped jeans, sweat on his abs and biceps glistering—brought a flush on her cheeks. It wasn't everyday that she got to see Natsume Hyuuga half-naked in front of her eyes and after seeing men in a business suit for years, she had come to appreciate his appearance. What a sight. "You're blushing," Hotaru said and continued to repair her newly invented "insect repellent" robot. Mikan blushed more and groaned. "You don't have to state the obvious, Hotaru." Mikan caught the small smile on Hotaru's face and turned to face her. "So, when's the big wedding?" she asked Hotaru teasingly.

"In a month," Hotaru replied, and held her hand to Mikan; silently asking for the screw driver that was beside the letter. "You're not going to be absent again like last time, right?"

Mikan smiled and handed her the screwdriver. "Not this time, I promise." Again, she caught the serene smile on Hotaru's face and couldn't help but feel happy for her best friend. Then she decided to take a walk and watch the two men working. "How's the job going on?"

Natsume merely groaned and continued to step unhesitatingly out onto the stones. Ruka was but a pace behind him and she heard him said something that sounded like they would be done in a minute or so. "Be careful," called Mikan. "Those stones look very slip…"

A loud curse and a huge splash interrupted her words as Natsume lost his footing and stumbled, landing flat on his back in the mud of the slow flowing waters.

"…pery."

A second later Ruka, unable to stop himself, fell face down alongside his friend. There was total silence for a few awed moments as Mikan stood, stunned, looking at the two soaked men, covered in mud, sprawled on the stream of water. Then the giggles began.

The laugh of merriment rang around the ears of the two very wet, irritated and embarrassed men, sitting in a mud puddle. Ruka sat up, wringing mud from his hair and swishing it away from his hands and face. Natsume was in even worse condition. Covered from head to foot in the sloppy stuff, he was dousing his head in order to clear his eyes.

"I'm glad we have brought smiles to your face, Mikan," called Ruka, his blue eyes twinkling innocently. Too innocent…as if he was planning on doing something.

Mikan clutched her stomach, unable to stop the laughter from escaping her lips. "I'm sorry," she said and then she laughed more. When she turned, she was hit by a flying missile head on. With a gasp, she lowered her eyes and saw a huge mass of mud sliding from her shoulder. "Why you…" She watched the amused look on Natsume's face as he plunged his hand down beside him, grabbing a nice, plump ball of sloppy mud.

Mikan stumbled down the bank, kicking her shoes. Within seconds, she'd armed herself from the edge of the water and had returned the shot, catching Natsume by surprise by landing her hit on his chest. There was a moment of silence when all three of them started to pick another plump ball of sloppy mud with the smirk on their faces.

The battle had begun.

Mikan rinsed her hair as she let the shower washed away all the mud from her body. She smiled again as she remembered back to the event just a moment ago. Within moments after the mud fight started, the three were almost unrecognizable. She was covered from head to toes in brown, wet mud stains, and the men sporting similar attire. Of course, with their bare chests, they were less affected and could rinse the damned stuff off with a quick splash.

If it wasn't for Hotaru stopping the mud fight, they would've continued until nightfall. Unfortunately for the three, Hotaru got caught in the fight and somehow, her invention got broken because some of the mud got splattered to the invention. In turn, the three got hit by Hotaru's most successful invention –the baka gun. Mikan sighed again and rubbed her slightly bruised forehead. "That girl sure knows how to hit someone," Mikan said and then she stepped out of the shower. She put on a red t-shirt and shorts she borrowed from Natsume since his house was the nearest to the farm. Her gaze rose to the big mirror above the dresser and she cringed. Wearing only soft black cotton t-shirt and baggy drawstring shorts loosely hanging on her body, she looked like a fashion nightmare. She sighed tiredly and combed her hair before she stepped out of the guest room.

"Mikan onee-chan," cried Aoi Hyuuga, who was the female version of Natsume but she was more sociable than her older brother. She hugged Mikan as soon as she was on the hallway. Aoi had come back from her boyfriend's house, Hijiri Youichi and wondered what the commotions were all about when she caught the scene where Hotaru shot them with the baka gun.

Even covered with mud, Aoi still recognized the brunette because she was the only person –the only woman, who could make her brother grin from ear to ear. Even after three years, it was like Mikan had never moved out of the village at all.

Mikan giggled as she patted the raven haired girl on the head. "Where's everyone, Aoi?" she asked.

"They're eating the watermelon and Hotaru asked me to get you. She said that she would hit you again with the baka gun if you didn't go to the living room in 5 minutes."

Mikan gasped and grabbed Aoi's hand. "Let's go, Aoi!" But then Aoi shook her head and said, "I need to get her crab brains now, you go Mikan-chan."

Aoi watched the brunette ran towards the living room and as soon as she entered the room, Aoi could hear a gunshot was fired followed by a monotone voice saying "Baka, baka, baka". Afterwards, she could hear Mikan whining and screaming at her best friend. Aoi giggled and then she started to run to the kitchen. She'd better hurry and prepare the Ice Queen's crab brains or she might face the same wrath as the brunette.

Mikan watched as the sun was about to set. She looked around the room and found everyone sleeping on the tatami floor. She let out a small smile and quietly got up from her sitting position. Mikan had promised her mother that she'd be back before dinner and she knew it would be dark by the time she reached her house. Since her clothes were washed and dried, she changed back into her clothes. Who knows what kind of reaction they would have if she went home wearing a man's clothes.

Before she could take a step further, someone grabbed her arm. She turned around and her brown eyes were met by Natsume's crimson eyes. "Are you going to disappear again without as much as a goodbye?"

Regrets and guilt suddenly filled her again. It was true; she just packed her stuff after the wedding and bolted out of the village with her father's SUV. She masked her emotions and then smiled at the lad. "I'm just going home, Natsume. I promised my mother to go back before dinner."

"I'll take you back," he said and then he took his keys as soon as they entered the hallway of the house.

"You don't have to, Natsume," Mikan said but she followed him anyway.

"I insist. Now get in." He opened the door of the old wagon and then she smiled.

The ride home was quiet yet it was comfortable at the same time. She watched as they passed the meadow to pass the hill to get back to the main village. "Nothing has really changed, huh?" she said and rested her head onto the window. Natsume watched her from the corner of his eyes.

"Did you ever…think about us?" Natsume asked the brunette.

"Hmm?" She turned to face him as she didn't catch what he was saying earlier.

"Did you ever think about us when you were away? You know…your family, that blackmailer, your friends…me." He whispered the last word, hoping that she didn't hear it but she did.

She smiled and decided to tease him, "Wow, three years do wonders to somebody, eh? You talked a lot now, Natsume."

"Shut up, polka panty girl!" Natsume started to grumble under his breath and they were again surrounded with silence.

"Every single day," Mikan said finally.

"What?"

"I think about everyone every day, Natsume. What? Now you've turned deaf?" she teased him again. Then there was silence.

"You know, it doesn't mean that Aunt Yuka is replacing your father just because she's married to someone," Natsume said, surprising her. "Even if you forget your father's face, at least you still have a picture of him and remember all the memories that you share with him."

"How'd you…" Mikan was about to ask but she was cut off when Natsume continued. "I'd feel the same way if my father decided to get married too."

"Ah…" Mikan nodded in understanding. Kaoru, Aoi and Natsume's mother died in a fire when he was five and Aoi was three. All their possessions were engulfed by the sea of flame along with their precious memories and their beloved mother. Kaoru was trapped when she tried to save her children while their father was away at work. Mikan remembered when Aoi was too young to remember the face of her mother and Yuka had been kind enough to show her picture with their mother when they were in high school together.

"All I remember about my mother are the memories that we've shared together." Mikan looked at him and saw the faraway gaze he had on his eyes. Probably he was back to the memory lane. But before she could say more, the car halted immediately and if she didn't wear the seat belt, her head would've bumped the mirror of the car in front of her.

"Are you trying to kill me?" She glared at lad.

"We're here." Natsume unfastened his safety belt and went out of the car. Mikan stared in front of her and found out that she was in front of her mother's house. She then unfastened her safety belt and went out as Natsume opened the door for her.

When Mikan was about to knock on the door, Natsume grabbed her arm. "You haven't answered my question," he said, his expression was unreadable. Mikan knows that she was blushing when he neared his face to her. "Are you going to disappear again without as much as a goodbye?"

Mikan thought about it and it didn't take her long to find the answer to the question. "No." She shook her head. "I think I've found the thing that I was searching for."

"And what is that?" He smirked and leaned forward so that their forehead touches.

"I've missed out on a lot of things–trying to find a place where I feel like I belong to. While in fact, this place provides me with everything that I need: my family, my friends, they're all here. It just took me a while to finally notice that I don't need anything because I already have it. I'm such an idiot," Mikan said and smiled as she held his gaze.

"Yes, you are," he replied which earned him a smack on his chest. "And when you've decided to get out of this village, bring me with you. I don't think I can endure such long years without hearing your annoying voice."

'Is it me or did the Natsume Hyuuga just confess to me?' she thought to herself and placed her arms around his nape. "Will do," she replied but she knew that the village was her home and home was where she belonged to, along with the people in it.

Mikan could feel his breath as he descended his face closer to her face and met her with a kiss on the lips. He was about to deepen the kiss when they heard the front door opened abruptly and someone clearing his throat intentionally, signaling that they should stop doing whatever they were doing. Reluctantly, both of them parted and saw Shiki folded his arms at the doorway with a blank expression on his face. Behind him, Yuka was giggling as she watched the scene.

"Good evening, Hyuuga-san," Shiki said as he stepped in between the two of them. "It's nice to see that you're sending my dear Mikan back home."

"Good evening, Masachika-san." Natsume bowed slightly and then he turned his attention to Mikan. "I'd better be going now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes, it's almost dinner time. Your sister is probably searching for you right now," Shiki continued and he kept standing in between the two.

"Right. Good Evening, Masachika-san. Yuka-san." Natsume bowed and before he went back to his wagon, he winked at the brunette and drove off to the main road.

"Now, Mikan…" Shiki began as he awkwardly explained to her about "public displays of affection" and other things that revolved around the relationship between two individuals. She watched Yuka shook her head and then went to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Mikan suddenly felt sorry for her future sister/brother because he/she'd get one heck of an overprotective father.

But it felt nice to be scolded and told to do something. Indeed, it sure felt like home.

...the end...

Happy Birthday Natsume-sama! Happy Birthday Mi-chan! Yes, it's the 27th November already over here.

I'm sorry for those of you who's waiting for the update on "Beautiful Disaster" *cough*bada-chan*cough* I haven't got any ideas with me at the moment so the update may take a while. About this story...I can't think of anything for the title. =.= so don't complain.

Anywho~ wish Natsume-sama and Mi-chan a happy birthday and review my fic :p I really need reviews AND Constructive Criticism nowadays.