Once Upon A Time

Chapter Nineteen: My Cheeks are Red, My Sky is Blue, I'll Cherish This Day, It's Something New

Author's Note: Hello, this will be the last chapter of Book One of A Fairytale Trilogy, :) it's been a pleasure writing to you. Book Two coming soon! Get ready ;) To all of those who reviewed and have put this story on alert, thank you ever so much for supporting my story :) you have stuffed my heart with butterflies.

Mikan's POV

Valentine's Day
Hyuuga Residence

"I'm out to get the mail. I'm out to get the mail. Tsubasa's having breakfast with us." I sing along and I feel so happy today. Tsubasa greeted me "Happy Valentine's Day" and it definitely made my day. Nothing is going to ruin this day. Nothing. Mail. Mail. Mail. I step out the house in my uniform and-

"Mikan." I see Tsubasa. Handsome and fresh as ever. "Happy Valentine's Day." He's got a rose on one hand and white chocolate on the other. I am just flattered and smitten and so happy. I run to hug him, as reward of course, I also plant a kiss on his cheek. It really feels like we're a couple- that we are dating.

"Let's go inside. I cooked breakfast." I take his hand and we walk inside the house. I hear footsteps walking down the stairs.

"Ah! Mikan-chan." Ruka appeared. "Good Morning, Tsubasa-senpai." Ruka walks to me and hands out a teddy bear and dark chocolate. "Happy Valentine's Day, Mikan-chan."

I am so happy. "Thank you, Ruka. I-" And he kisses me on the cheek. I feel my cheeks burn.

"Sneaky, bastard you are Ruka-chan." Ruka's cheeks are red too. He's so cute. Tsubasa nudges him and they are quarreling.

"Tsubasa, make yourself at home. I'll just put this in a vase."

"Will do, Mikan-chan."

I dash to the stairs and in my room. I find an empty vase that sits by the window, fill it up with water, and settle the rose inside. I place the Teddy Bear and chocolates that Ruka and Tsubasa gave me on my study table. I feel so happy I could die. I turn around and-

"JESUS CHRIST." I find Natsume standing by the door. "Natsume! You scared the shit out of me!"

"I felt some disturbing happy aura. I knew it'd come from you."

"So what if I am happy?"

"It's something good, I guess."

I remember what happened in the living room yesterday. I said some really embarrassing things and drifted off to sleep. I could also remember that dream wherein Natsume was talking about hating some things. I can't remember the exact words but I clearly remember this, because I can't.

He can't what? It makes my cheeks red again. I feel myself blush. I notice Natsume going nearer. Room. Natsume. Me. Man. Woman. Bed. Connect the dots.

He fancies my room.

"Let's head down. I'm starving."

And I thought for a second that he'd be giving me something. I thought wrong. I'm too full of myself again.

Breakfast was a RIOT. Chaotic! the boys kept on arguing about matters involving love, liking, and girls. Eventually, the war died and we arrived in school on time.

Gakuen Alice

"Mikan. Happy Valentine's Day." Kazuki gave me a box of heart-shaped chocolates of various flavors.

"Thank you, Kazuki."

"I was supposed to drop off at your place but I sensed that Tsubasa would be there so here I am. Handing it out to you in school."

"You're a sweet kid, Kazuki. Thank you."

And I hear screaming from the corridor.

"KYAH. Natsume, please accept my chocolates."

"Ruka-kun, here for you."

"KYAH! Natsume accepted my chocolates!"

"EH? No way! would he accept mine?"

"RUKA-KUN ACCEPTED MY CHOCOLATES."

"WHAT? He accepted mine too!"

"Ruka-kun is so sweet he accepted all our chocolates."

"Natsume-kun as well."

"Boy, the girls sure are hyped up about Valentine's Day."

I AM SCREWED. I was so full of myself and accepting chocolates that I forgot to hand out my own! I feel so embarrassed now! I have to pay back when it's White's Day. I have to. I will. Definitely. Or maybe...

I hug Kazuki.

"M-M-MIKAN."

"I couldn't give you anything so... I'll just hug you."

"I-It's alright, Mikan-chan." I let go and we smile at each other. I miss being a kid where we didn't care about the rest of the world. Where love wasn't even a problem.

"CLASS. Take your seats! We're about to begin!" Misaki-sensei enters and something dashes to him. Some sort of ghost. But it's just Anna and Nonoko.

"Misaki-sensei. Here. Chocolates."

"For you."

"Ah. Thank you, Anna. Nonoko." And I see hearts in the air. I sigh.

I hear screams again from the corridor. I hear girls giggling as they walk by. I am taking a test and I cannot concentrate.

"Good afternoon, Tsubasa-kun." TSUBASA? He's outside? What is he doing? OMG. Is he waiting for me? Is he... I MUST FINISH THIS TEST.

And would you know. I finished it and answered it successfully.

"Class dismissed."

"LUNCH!" We all screamed. And the girls are out to give chocolates to who ever they fancy.

"Mikan-chan?" Tsubasa peeps in the classroom and the class goes wild.

"MIKAN-CHAN. You are so lucky! Tsubasa-kun is the epitome of perfection!"

He is not my boyfriend. I don't have a boyfriend. But... who cares? It's Valentine's Day! I'm supposed to be in love! I run to Tsubasa and he greets me with a kiss on the cheek. AND THE CLASSROOM.. JUST SCREAMS. Giggling everywhere! Hotaru taking stupid pictures. And I see Natsume and Ruka pass by. Natsume looks at me. Eye contact. Why is my heart racing? Tsubasa catches me looking at Natsume and smiles.

"OI. NATSUME-CHAN." Tsubasa carries me. HE FREAKING CARRIES ME. LIKE I AM SOME CHILD OR SOMETHING. Ruka and Natsume turn around and-

"I'll have a date with your sister, okay?"

And... that Crimson-Hair Bastard lifts his middle finger and walks away. "He's jealous alright. Let's go, Mikan. We can eat at the Cafe."

"Tsubasa. You can put me down."

"Oh! Right. You're just too light, Mikan." And he does put me down.

We are at the Cafe and...

"Tsubasa.." He has icing all over his face. "Wipe your face."

"Be messy and enjoy the simple things in life, Mikan-chan." He scoops icing with his index finger and dabs it on my cheek. "Oh, Mikan-chan. Natsume has a lot to learn. He loves you, no doubt. He's jealous as piss. So, have you thought about it?"

I remove the icing off my cheek using tissue. (a/n: Originally I was supposed to type "napkin" but since it's so awkward, and I am a girl, it is twice as awkward since the word - napkin- is used for my personal needs.)

"It appears, yesterday, that I confessed that I might be in love with him."

"NO SHIT? AND THEN?"

"I was half-asleep so I don't know the exact words."

"Don't tell me you fell asleep after."

I said nothing.

"Mikan Sakura, do not tell me you fell asleep."

"I was tired."

"I can't believe I have a crush on a girl who just confessed to a bastard- and I want the two of them to get together, not because I have a girlfriend, but because I ship the two of them. But she was half-asleep and fell asleep after the most awaited event of fairytale history! Mikan! Why did you fall asleep?"

"I was tired." I'm playing with my icing now but the word "crush" keeps playing in my head. Crush crush crush crush crush. I am flattered now.

"Anyway, what did he say?"

"Can you please remove the icing off your face? I feel like talking to a handsome Santa Claus or some deformed Einstein." And he does remove the icing off his face. "I don't know what he said-"

"Because you fell asleep-"

"I remembered some words-"

"He confessed."

"LET ME FINISH, TSUBASA." And we burst out laughing like lunatics. "I don't know. It seemed like a dream to me. He kept on saying he hated things. I don't know what and before I drifted off to dreamland I think he said because I can't. I don't know what he meant by that."

"He wants you to believe that he loves you and hates himself for pushing you away. He wants you to believe because he can't make you believe."

Silence.

"Why do you sound so sure?" I look at Tsubasa. My cake untouched.

"It's a man's, man's, man's world, Mikan-chan. About dinner. I'm going out with Misaki. You and Natsume have your own fun. Okay? Give that son of a bitch a chance. He seems pretty serious about you."

"He didn't give me anything."

"Well don't expect a guy so full of himself to give presents."

"Right."

Silence.

"Because he'd give all of his heart to that one person who he'd cherish until the sky meets the Earth."

"See? That another reason why I fell in love with you."

"Which one?"

"You sweet-talk like you want to rule the world."

"Charming trait, isn't it?"

"Very."

It's Valentine's Day and I am walking home alone.

I see a vacant bench on one of the benches in a nearby park.

And I- "OUCH!" CRAP. OUCH. I crouch on the sidewalk and rub my head. I look up to see if some kind of abnormally large and sharp fruit hit my head. I rub my head and check my hand if it's bleeding. It's not. I look around to find this abnormally large and sharp fruit but find a box of expensive-looking chocolate on my right. Boy, I'm going to gain 10 pounds in no time. I pick up the box of chocolate and search for the person with a good arm. Natsume. Behind me.

"Don't you know how to give chocolates to a person in a manner that would make them actually like you?" My head still hurts. He's walking nearer. "What? Why so serious?"

He extends his arm and caresses my head. So gentle. Natsume. I say his name in my head.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Thank you for the chocolates. Shall we head home?" I turn around but he pulls me to make me face him. "What?"

He hands out a beautiful bouquet of various breeds of flowers. I gingerly take them and I feel my face blush. My hands are trembling and my heart is pounding furiously. I love you, Natsume. I love you. I really do. I'm so stupid for not noticing it earlier. I'm so stupid for being so blind. I am in love with yo, Natsume. And I am not going to deny it. I will fight for us.

"I'm going to say this once because this is so out of my league."

"Okay."

"I love you." And just like in amazing Shoujo Mangas the wind blows strongly to add effect to the drama.

Natsume, I've been love with you all along. But you are just so cocky and rude and strange and annoying that I grew to hate you. But my hating you is not the real definition of hate. It's not the emotion you feel when you hate someone. I don't loathe you, I just get upset. I don't hold a grudge against you, I just don't talk to you for a few hours. I don't get that childish feeling of not wanting to see you because I care about you. I was so caught up with "not wanting to hate you" that I forgot that I am already in love with you. Does that make sense?

"You know. You can be pretty cocky, Natsume. Because of your cockiness I never knew that I was in love with you all along."

"May I take you out to dinner, Princess?" He's now beside me and he's got his arm propped up. I accept his arm and we walk like this. And I realize something. "WAIT." I abruptly say.

"What? What? Did you leave your brain or something?"

"I FORGOT."

"Forgot what?"

"I didn't reply to you."

"Reply to me? I don't recall sneaking a note under your door or climbing in your room last night like Peter Pan or Edward Cullen watching you sleep then leaving a note by your bedside."

"This is serious, Natsume!"

"Okay, I am all ears."

"I..." I CAN'T SAY IT. I feel myself blush. My face is so hot. My temperature is high. "I can't say it."

"What? You suddenly stop our tracks and squeeze my hand like you're about to give birth. You confuse me and you can't say what you want to say because you're embarrassed."

"It's not easy to say it y'know."

Natsume pulls me to the vacant bench I eyed on before he hit me with that box of chocolate. He gets the bouquet and box of chocolate and settles it beside him. He sits down. Okay, so I stand? He takes hold on both my hands and looks at me.

"What's wrong, Mikan?"

"I can't say it." I let go of my hands and cover my face.

"We've got the rest of the day. I can wait." I look at him.

"Are you always this gentle to Luna?" He twitches.

"You must not speak her name."

"Uhm, about.. you... saying.." that you love me. I... "that..." I meet his eyes. His patient eyes. Gentle eyes... I blush again. "Don't look at me like that, Natsume." I cover my face again.

"Do you want me to look cross-eyed?"

"No. Wait. I just. I can't find the courage." MIKAN. I MUST SAY IT. "Natsume." My arms are at my side and I feel so stiff.

"Whoa. For a minute there it sounded like you wanted to kill me."

"Natsume!"

"Sorry."

Silence.

"I love you, Mikan." He says again.

"I-"

"I've been stupid. Pushing you away. Getting angry with you when there's no valid reason to. I get jealous because I am a coward. And, God. I feel like this grenade that exploded. And I want to express my real feelings towards you. And words can never be enough to prove that because I've treated you so wrongly. I treated you like a maid, servant, a lower class. I should have treated you like a princess... so long ago. And I want to be your happily ever after. Mikan?"

I realize I'm covering my face for the third time because I am embarrassed, happy, and in love. I feel tears in my eyes. Tears of joy. I am so happy. Because... I just am.

"I love you, Natsume." I say in tears. I cry. Tears rolling. They just keep on rolling. My cheeks are still hot. "I love you, Natsume. You selfish. Idiot. Moron. Cocky-" He's standing up and he's got this crooked smile on his face. I love the fact that he is a regular in the Department of Crooked Smiles Are A Once In A Blue Moon Event. My tears keep falling because I am so happy that my emotions, feelings just exploded.

He's hugging me now. Strong. I feel safe in his arm. Like a castle. And his heart... is my sky. My Prince Charming slash Knight in Blazing Armor. "The Idiot and Moron weren't necessary but... I love you too, Mikan. Forever.. and always. I'll always love you, I'll always be in love with you. It's such a cliche that we're having this during Valentine's Day but I don't care."

"You just waited for me to be in a good mood."

"That too."

We let go and meet each other's eyes.

"You didn't give me chocolates."

"Eh, Uh. Right. I haven't given you anything yet... Uhm. What do you want?"

"Kiss me."

Silence. WHAT? EH? HUH?

"HUH?"

"You said anything. Kiss me."

"B-BUT. We're in a local park. People are looking."

"It's Valentine's Day. They wouldn't mind. Or care."

"B-but! It's... Embarrassing!"

"It's just a kiss."

"I don't think I can take it..."

"C'mon, Mikan. You asked me what I wanted. I told it to you. You don't want to have a guilty conscience now."

"G-Guilty conscience? I-I don't. But... a kiss..."

He's looking at me with those crimson eyes. My cheeks are hotter than ever. I feel like I have a fever. "Will you really keep your eyes open?"

"Fine. I'll close it." And he does. Such long eyelashes. He look so peaceful. Just like yesterday. So beautiful. Natsume... I close my eyes well... I can feel his breath. I lean closer until... until. I meet his lips. They're amazingly soft. I'm kissing Natsume... MY HEART. I can't take it. It's pounding so loudly that I can hear it. I'm so happy that I can feel my tears rolling again.

We part and he wipes away my tears. "Don't cry, Mikan. Smile." He smiles. HE FUCKING SMILES AND IT IS SO ADORABLE.

Silence.

"Kiss me again."

"WHAT? BUT I JUST DID."

"One isn't enough." He holding my hands tightly now but I don't care. His hands feel warm.

"I CAN'T. MY HEART IS POUNDING. I'M GONNA DIE."

"Who would want to die, you idiot?"

"My heart. I feel like I'm going to explode like a grenade! I feel like fainting too."

"Okay." I meet his eyes and he's calmer than ever. "Tell me you love me."

"BUT I JUST DID."

"Say it again."

"You're asking too much."

"I gave you a lot of this things this day."

"BUT-" My heart is pounding so loud. Why is Natsume so bossy and pushy yet.. why am I so in love with him? I keep my composure and... "I love you, Natsume." I'm crying again. I'm always crying. I feel so weak that my emotions burst out like this. "I love you, you cocky, arrogant, crimson-haired bastard."

He's smiling his crooked smile. He's gently wiping my tears away.

"I love you too, Mikan. I'll protect you. I'll be your happy ending. I swear my life on it. The trees, the sun, and invisible stars are our witness."

But, this is only the beginning of my happily ever after. There will always be people who will separate us, bait us, and hurdle us out of our relationship. And the biggest problem of all...

Is about to arrive pretty soon.

End of Book One