I got off my lazy bum to write something in honor of Tsubasa's birthday. First time writing Gakuen Alice and played with the timeline of a bit. School system and years are set in Japanese standards: six years of elementary, three years of middle, and three years of high school. That and school starts in April, summer vacation is like mid July to September, graduation is in March. Lots of choppiness and oocness ahead - you've been warned.

Disclaimer: Do not own.

Elementary; first grade.

Low, indistinct whispers of the student body blended together as the school anticipated a new student today. It had been the topic of the school for the past few hours – someone saw a girl with Jinjin in the teachers' lounge this morning. He didn't pay much attention to the ongoing gossip; he wasn't interested. Not to mention it's only eight in the morning, in the middle of an insanely hot September afternoon. But as long as they did't have to do anything, he wasn't complaining.

When she walked into the room with Jinjin, he vaguely remembered his first impression of her – pink hair, sparkling eyes, and a bright smile – and he decided that she was pretty with her elementary school uniform and matching shoes. But he didn't pay much attention to her. All he remembered doing was laughing and playing and went on with his day. Pink haired, wide-eyed girls didn't matter in his world, much less a new girl that just entered the Alice Academy.

She ended up sitting next to him; he didn't mind – she wasn't annoying him with the constant 'boys-had-cooties' rant. As the teacher rambled on and on about different types of alices and stuff he didn't really care about, he scribbled a messy 'hi. im tsubasa. what's your name?' on his notebook and poked the girl next to him for attention and passed the note. Making friends couldn't hurt, right?

Wrong.

Her eyes widened at the sudden poke and sent him a glare before smacking his arm with enough to make it hurt but not enough to be heard. He twitched a slight smiled at her and pointed down on his note sheepishly before her eyes followed his hand. She frowned but replied in her kinda messy, girly handwriting nonetheless.

'Misaki. Shouldn't you be paying attention? And don't poke me, or else I will hurt you.'

He grinned and quickly wrote back, ignoring how he thought she had pretty handwriting and used big words. 'nah, jinjin talks too much anyways. lets be friends!'

The girl, whom he knew as Misaki now, glanced at the paper from the corner of her eye before sighing. 'Okay. But stop talking to me, the teacher is looking at us. I think he is staring you down.'

Tsubasa quickly flicked his eyes toward the front of the class where their teacher was supposed to be only to find an empty space. A sudden realization hit him as he felt a chilling aura next to him.

"Is flirting with the new girl more important than my class, Andou?" the said chilling aura intensified, "Detention, now."

Tsubasa knew there was no way around this and sighed – Jinjin was so troublesome.

Elementary; second grade.

The first time she spent Valentine's Day at Alice Academy was complete chaos. Girls - elementary, middle, and high schoolers alike - chased down their crushes with all their strength and weird chocolate that seem to be filled with hidden intentions. Even a couple of girls flocked around her, asking if she knew where Tsubasa was. Wow, and he's only eight. She shook her head, and after the girls disappeared from her view, she looked up the tree.

"You owe me. So much," she smiled cheekily.

"Oh yes, I can't possibly be without Misaki-sama," he replied with his usual carefree grin.

"You know it," she laughed at his wording before she chucked a small box wrapped with a pink ribbon at his face.

"You put something weird in it, didn't you!?" he pointed an accusing finger at her after he recovered from the hit. To anyone else, they would think he was being an ignorant, ungrateful brat – which he was, or at least Misaki thought of him as one – but she saw the playfulness in his eyes. But that's not going to get him far. She smirked, and this time, she threw a shoe at his face.

Elementary; fourth grade.

They spent her birthday under a nearby sakura tree with only the two of them. She had friends, but none of them were really close to her or talked to her as much as Tsubasa. They also had school the next day, so she decided, whatever, she was just going to spend it by herself. When Tsubasa found out, he was furious and insisted on spending her birthday with her. Eh, she wasn't going to reject a free present. And cake, she liked cake.

They didn't really do anything special; he sang her the traditional happy birthday song, ate cake, and laughed. She didn't need fancy presents or anything, this was enough for her. She was happy just being with him.

When they were both tired from laughing and running, they sat down against the trunk of the tree. The stars shined brightly in the sky, signaling it was way past their curfew time. She shrugged - being a good girl all the time was impossible, right? They were both silent as they looked up into the night sky.

"Hey Misaki! A SHOOTING STAR," Tsubasa suddenly yelled. Almost immediately, she whipped her head toward the sky.

"Liar," she pouted as she gave up to look for trances of one.

Then in one swift motion, he kissed her cheek. Her mind didn't process his actions until moments later when she stared at him.

"What was that for?" she hissed, and her hand instantly touched the place where he kissed her at.

"Happy birthday," he grinned sheepishly.

She didn't know what she was going to do with this boy.

They spent his birthday under the same sakura tree. He was lucky; this year, summer vacation began right on his birthday – July fifteenth. She grumbled and complained to him about it, but he laughed it off. She wanted a birthday during vacation too.

Though he did receive many presents from girls and friends, he decided he wasn't going to have a birthday party. It came as a surprise to her that he wasn't one of those people who threw insanely huge parties to celebrate – he was so natural and friendly with everyone that it just seemed weird otherwise. She didn't mind though because it meant that she got to have her best friend all to herself on his birthday.

"Happy birthday!" she yelled, "May all your wishes come true and all that stuff."

"Wow, talk about genuine," he replied sarcastically with a laugh.

She shot him a dark look before he continued to laugh, "Okay, okay, thank you."

She took advantage of the moment when he wasn't paying attention and kissed his cheek. His mouth gaped at her sudden actions, and she smirked.

"Revenge is sweet, dear."

Elementary; sixth grade.

The blazing sun faded as the comforting breezes of the oncoming autumn air came. Everyone's excitement for the upcoming Alice Festival was impossible to ignore. As Misaki settled down into the school over the course of a few years, as soon as she was classified as a 'Special Abilities', she wasn't so hot anymore. Yeah, whatever, she could care less. Or so she tells herself.

The wooden doors of the classroom slammed open as the raven haired idiot she called her best friend ran in. He had an idiotic grin on his face as he ran toward her with a flyer in his hand. When he reached her, he slammed the paper on her desk and yelled, "Misaki! Go to the dance with me!"

The room fell into silence after a series of gasps and squeals, and all heads turned toward the pink haired girl in anticipation.

"What?" she finally managed after gaping at him for several minutes.

"Please? Pleasepleaseplease?" he begged, "You know you want to!"

"I go with you every year," she pointed out and whacked him in the head, "You're drawing too much attention, idiot!"

"Who cares?" he muttered under his breath as he gently nursed his new wound, "But you don't dance with me!"

"I do," she hissed in reply, "Care about the attention, I mean."

"Well, I don't," he pouted before continuing, "Well, so you'll go with me?"

"No," she replied flatly.

"Is that a yes I heard? IT'S A YES!" he declared himself, "Thanks Misaki! See ya then!"

She proceeded to take off her shoe and chucked it at his head with a deadly accurate aim. It wasn't until many years later when she learned that Tsubasa made a bet with Megane to see if she was actually going to dance during the Alice Festival. Of course, that earned him a punch in the guts and a kick that sent him flying – both resulted in huge patches of bruised skin and aching muscles that lasted for quite a few weeks.

The topic for the next couple weeks was the whole 'Tsubasa asked Misaki out to the Alice Festival' incident, and there were several hushed gossip that revolved around a rumor that they were dating. She thought it was idiotic - they go to the Alice Festival every year anyways. True that she never danced, but Tsubasa asked her to dance all the other years too. She didn't know why everyone was making such a big deal out of it.

He didn't seem to mind all the attention given to them; he was always like that – carefree, happy, and never seem to care about what others think. Misaki could almost hate him.

As the festival began, he grabbed her hand and began wandering around the different classes' displays – The Little Mermaid play, Peter Pan rides, auction houses. Those she could handle; the haunted mansion on the other hand, she rather not. They approached the said building as their last destination. She glanced at him, with some hope that he was scared as her and would chicken out last minute. He caught her eyes and laughed.

"I didn't know you were scared of haunted houses," he grinned cheekily.

"Am not," she shot him a glare.

"Mhmm, whatever you say princess," he replied nonchalantly.

"Do you want to die?" she growled.

"Just as much as you want to go inside," he stuck his tongue out.

She fumed with irritation and punched his arm with all her strength. He let out a small whimper, and she almost laughed. "Serves you right, idiot."

"That's not nice, Micchi," he pouted.

She punched him again, this time lighter than the previous. "Shut up, ba-chan!" she laughed and ran away from the scary attraction.

"HEY," he yelled and chased after her, "I gave you such a cute nickname, and you're calling me old lady!? Ungrateful brat!"

He caught up to her and dragged her back in front of the haunted house. She never said anything, and she would never admit it, but she was scared. He didn't say anything and held her hand. If it was any normal circumstances, she would have sent him flying, but it wasn't. It was just him, her, and the haunted house. Without her realizing, she tightened her hold on his hand as they walked into the haunted house.

After nearly half a million near death experiences, she finally learned that if she imagined all the ghosts as Tsubasa and send them flying with her special punch, they would learn to leave her alone. She was proud of herself for discovering that in the midst of running away from a bleeding ghost with a chainsaw. She figured that having Tsubasa piss her off in the middle of something scary was the best way to settle her nerves.

The fact that they were still holding hands long after their haunted house trip was over never crossed their minds.

"May I have this dance, m'lady?"

"What the hell, Tsubasa?" Misaki laughed.

"No, seriously. Dance with me," Tsubasa poked her cheek.

"Misaki and dancing don't go together," she replied halfheartedly as she munched on her piece of cake.

"Mm," he remained silent for a few seconds before he tugged on her hand, which led to her dropping part of her cake, "Now they do!"

"YOU KILLED MY CAKE," she yelled and kicked him in the shin.

"You would choose cake over your best friend!?" he let out an exaggerated gasp in horror, "I'm so hurt!"

She kicked him again.

"Take responsibility, you jerk!" he pointed an accusing finger at her.

She glared at him and shoved a piece of cake in his mouth to shut him up. At first, he glared at her like she was the prime villain of his video game, but after he tasted the cake, his eyes twinkled. She rolled her eyes, and he smirked after he realized it was the same fork she ate from.

"Indirect kiss, my dear, indirect kiss," he shook his head in a teasing manner.

She shoved the rest of the cake in his face.

"Will you dance with me nooow?" Tsubasa came back after nine dances, not that she was counting or anything.

"No."

"It's the last dance," he argued.

"And I'm still not going to dance," she replied. The thoughts of a few girls talking about how if a couple danced the last dance together, they would become soul mates echoed in her mind.

"Even Ice Princess is dancing!" he retorted, "With Persona, but dancing nonetheless!"

"Don't care," she deadpanned.

"You're no fun," he poked her cheek again.

"Go away," she flicked his forehead.

"That's it!" he answered with feign anger and pulled on her arm, "Let's dance!"

She didn't know why she didn't resist, but she thought it felt kinda nice being in his arms. Just one dance, she told herself, just this dance.

"Misaki," he stated quietly.

"Hm?" she questioned.

"Let's dance together again next year, and the next, and the next."

"No."

"Please."

"No."

"Please."

"Shut up, you're ruining the moment."

And he remained silent. She would never say it out loud, but she didn't mind dancing with him. If it's him, she didn't mind dancing over and over again.

She didn't know then, but years down the road, they would still be swaying to the music of the last dance together.

She didn't mind the gossip as much now because she was used to the rumors spread about her dating Tsubasa and whatnot. She just learned to ignore them because she knew that it wasn't true. They weren't like that – she loved Tsubasa, but she wasn't in love with him. The same goes for Tsubasa; it's just how they were – best of best friends.

She had no intentions or desires to change that.

But she thought it was kind of ironic how they were dancing the last dance together without their masks at the annual Christmas Ball. He lost his earlier while running around being an idiot, and someone spilled food on hers when she took it off to eat. The thoughts about the legend and confessions and all that weren't in her thoughts – all she thought about now was Tsubasa and how he looked just a little slightlykindahandsome .

She was eleven, and she was not in love. Or at least, that's what she told herself.

Middle School; seventh grade.

Tsubasa's eyes widen as he opened his window, only to find a rock aimed straight at him. He heard a calming laugh outside his window as he rubbed the spot where the rock hit him.

"We really need to take you to a violence-controlling class," he muttered out the window, already knowing who was standing outside.

"What was that, ba-chan?" she answered, throwing another pebble in her hand.

"Nothing, nothing," he laughed it off as he jumped out his window on the second floor, "What's up?"

"It's the Alice Festival," she replied flatly.

"Yes, and I'm not allowed to participate this year because of a certain idiot who cursed me and ugh," he complained and huffed all in one breath.

"Yes, and that's why I'm here," she grabbed his hands and pulled him down to eye level. She kissed the star curse under his eye as if she's kissing the pain away before she mumbled, "Idiot." She knew that he hated the curse; honestly, she thought cursing him was a little over the board, but Rui-senpai was Rui-senpai. He never admitted it, but she knew that the curse put him through an unimaginable pain that he didn't deserve.

He stared at her. She stared back, "I promised, rather unwillingly though, that we'd dance together every year, didn't I?"

"There's no music."

"God, Tsubasa, you made me agree to your lame promise and now you won't even go through it?" she hissed, "I'm leaving then."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest, "I didn't mean it."

She didn't reply, and he held her in his arms as they swayed the soft tune Misaki hummed. It was just him holding her, her in his arms, away from the rest of the world, from everything that didn't matter.

"Can I kiss you?" Tsubasa blurted as they were celebrating her thirteenth birthday under their sakura tree.

"What?" she hit him lightly on his arm as she felt heat rush to her face, "Stop joking around."

"I'm serious."

An awkward silence enveloped them before she whispered a soft "yes." She looked up at him and wondered since when had he grown so tall. Dark blue eyes met red ones before he leaned down slowly and kissed her softly, almost as if he was afraid and uncertain. She kissed him back after the initial shock that she was kissing her best friend, and when they separated for air, she muttered an airy "again."

And they kissed, once, twice, until her brain turned into mush and couldn't function properly anymore.

It was an unspoken rule between them that they would never bring up the kisses. They would function as they always would – he made fun of her, she hit him, repeat. Except this time, the sparks, the glances, and the kisses were always there, just unknown to the rest of the world.

Middle school; ninth grade.

She was furious when she found out that Tsubasa had been transferred into the Dangerous Ability Class. He didn't deserve it; he didn't want it. It was just so unfair. But when she saw the look on his face, she realized he was probably in more pain than she. He was going into a place where darkness lied, and she couldn't do anything about it.

Her hand automatically moved toward his, and she laced their fingers together. "It'll be okay, Tsubasa. It will," she whispered.

He doesn't say anything, but he gripped her hand tighter and hugged her. "I'm scared."

"I know," she replies softly and held the boy she loved close to her. She couldn't do anything else; all she could do was be there for him.

She nearly had a heart attack when the news got to her - he was missing. Her thoughts went from confusion to anger to bitterness to a feeling she didn't know anymore. She wanted Tsubasa to be back. She told herself he's strong enough to take care of himself, but she was scared.

Tsubasa. Tsubasa. Tsubasa.

His name repeated in her mind over and over again. All his actions – his smile, his laugh, his pout, everything – was replaying in her mind. God, she was losing it.

Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.

She didn't know when, but her vision began to blur, and she just cried and cried and cried. All she ever wanted is to be with Tsubasa. She prayed to the sky, to the gods, to anyone – please bring Tsubasa back, please bring him back, please, please, please. She'd do anything to have him back, anything.

Dripdropdripdrop.

Her breaths were short, and she felt like she was suffocating. God, all she wanted was Tsubasa.

She couldn't help but let out a soft sob when she saw him when she just took down a possessed enemy. "Oh god, Tsubasa, you're alive."

He opened his arms, and she ran into his welcoming arms with blurred vision and held him tightly. "Sorry," he whispered, "I'm home."

It didn't matter that they were in the middle of a full, blown out war, and they were literally surrounded by an army of passed out enemies. She was so happy she could almost hit him.

Without a word, in the midst of the chaos originally caused by the Elementary School Principal, Tsubasa held onto her hand. "Misaki... If I come back safe… and the academy is in peace," he paused and looked into her eyes, "Will you be my girlfriend?"

She blushed into a furious shade of red that could easily outdo her pink hair, and before she knew it, tears fell from her eyes.

"I've been waiting to be your girlfriend ever since…" she replied meekly and hid her face against his chest.

"I'll definitely come back…" he told her as he kissed her forehead before he left.

Graduation; last year.

"I'm going to miss this place," she mumbled as she held her diploma in one hand. At twenty years old, she wasn't so much of the child she had been, and so much had change about Alice Academy. The new elementary principal somehow ended up being Persona, Miss Ice Princess and her brave confession toward the said man during the borrowing race, Natsume totally violating the PDA rule when he kissed Mikan during the New Year party, Permy hooking up with Koko. Wow, she just couldn't believe it. She felt her boyfriend squeeze her other hand as she looked over the place with nostalgia.

"Yeah, but it's okay!" he gave his signature carefree grin, "I still got you with me."

"You're lame," she replied with a giggle.

"Only for you, Micchi."

"Go die, ba-chan," she shot Tsubasa a glare before she whacked him with her diploma.

"Mhm, love you too," he replied with a laugh. And before long, she joined in his laughter.

"Hey, Misaki," he started again.

She glanced at him with curiosity. "Hm?"

"From now on, stay by my side forever," he gave her a wholehearted grin.

She raised a brow before a smirk found its way to her face, "Was that a proposal?"

"Only if you want it to be," he sang out.

"You're so unromantic," she hit him lightly on his arm while laughing.

"But you didn't say no either," he stuck out his tongue.

"Well, you should have known the answer from the start," she retorted jokingly.

"So it's a yes," he smiled.

"You'll twist my words to whatever you want to hear anyways," she stuck her tongue out.

"But, but, but," he whined, "It's nice to hear it from your mouth though."

"Yes," she replied, changing the subject.

"To what?" his eyes widen. He knew what she was talking about, but he wanted to tease her a bit.

"Tsubasa," she started, "You, sir, are an idiot."

"An idiot that you love," he replied happily while he tugged on her hand and walked toward the front gate.

"Tsubasa," she began again.

"Do you like saying my name that much?" he joked.

"I love you."

His eyes widened at her sudden declaration of love. "I - " he stared at her, unconsciously holding his breath, and stuttered, "I- I- I- you- you- love me?"

She rolled her eyes and laughed at him, "Yes."

"That's the first time you ever directly told me you love me in the past twelve years!" he exclaimed, "Oh my God."

She laughed at him again, and soon his laughter blended in with hers as they walked out the gates of where it all began, hand-in-hand and smiling.

"Hey, Misaki," he stared ahead.

"You say that a lot," she replied with a laugh.

"I love you too," he smiled.

She couldn't help but smile back. Somehow, she felt that she'll be hearing those words a lot more in not-so-distant future. Her small smile broke into a wholehearted, genuine grin.

She could get used to that.

Leave me some love? Or hate. That works too.

Please? c:

xoRain.