Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice or any of its characters. Enjoy!!
3 years later
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg!!
A hand flew from under the cover as it smashed her alarm clock off. Sitting up, the brunette rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, brushing her bangs out of the way as she peered around the room.
Once again it was morning, the sun peeping through the curtains of the master bedroom. Everything within was neat and tidy, tucked away in its proper place.
Realizing her surroundings, she looked beside her at the still sleeping raven-haired man. Despite his looks and attitude, he was a very heavy sleeper. But then again, no wonder. She did have him running around last night when she wanted pickled flavored howalons.
Still staring at the sleeping figure besides her, her smile grew wider as she patted her belly. 'Your daddy spoils you so much.'
Her head shot up as she remembered the time. If they didn't hurry, they would be late.
Facing her husband once again, the brunette shook him gently by the shoulders.
"Come on, Natsume, you have to get up. We have an interview." She said softly as the man started to stir.
"You go first, I'll go after." Was all he replied before nodding back off to sleep.
Rolling her eyes and heaving an impatient sigh, the brunette removed the covers from herself as she got up.
Making her way to their bathroom, she began to contemplate the day's events.
Since the doctor had advised her to take it easy, half of her work had been cut so she hadn't starred in any movies as well as refused a couple of job offers so she wouldn't be overworked and stressed. Still, she couldn't abandon music so she spent much of her time in a recording studio, writing songs as well as help produce music for some other and newer artists. And of course, she did many photo shoots, though many of them involving Natsume.
Ever since he debuted as a model, he was a big hit, in Japan as well as some other countries. Heck, he would have been international if he was a little more cooperative, especially with female models. But since he refused to appear in picture with any other female besides Mikan, his modeling jobs were restricted, even if it was just a little. And yes, as expected, he drove the whole female population of Japan crazy when he first debuted. Of course, some of that died down when they discovered he was engaged, since he was wearing a ring in his first photo, shattering the hopes and dreams of the many girls that had fallen in love with him.
Still, they loved him to bits and many of them could not complain about his choice since the couple suited one another, and everyone saw that, whether in real life or through the media.
Smiling at the many flashbacks, she finished her morning routine and opened the bathroom door, staring at the raven-haired man before her.
Smirking, the crimson-eyed man was already dressed, clad in a white button up shirt and black pants. Around his neck was the pendant necklace she had given him years before and on his finger, his wedding ring.
Gaping at him and admiring him from the distance, his smirk only grew as he said to her. "I know you would like to stare at me even longer but you might want to hurry and get dressed, fatty."
She flushed in embarrassment as a fist appeared in front of her. "Who are you calling fatty? You're the one who impregnated me. Besides, I don't even have a baby bump yet."
Natsume scratched the back of his head as he sighed impatiently. "Just hurry up."
The crimson-eyed man left the room as the brunette stalked into the closet, picking out her outfit.
Since she would need to change once she got to the studio, there was no point in dressing fancy. So in the end, the brunette chose a body-hugging, white strapped sundress that ended a little below her knees, ruffling widely at the bottom as it angled downwards in the back. On top, she chose a thin, pink bolero and a white sunhat with a canary yellow ribbon. Around her neck was the necklace that Natsume had given to her ages ago and on her ring finger, the engagement ring he had proposed with. Slipping on a pair of white sandals, she checked her reflection as she combed her hair into place, each strand falling perfectly into order. Now, she was ready.
Gathering her things and exiting her room with a smile on her face, she headed towards their living room, knowing that her husband was already there waiting for her.
The moment she entered, he looked up at her from the couch, his eyes growing wide as he just stared at her.
This time, she was the one who smirked.
"You better hurry." She said lightly, provoking him to no end as he gave a light growl.
Together, they headed out the front door of their house, locking the door in place.
In reality, many people would have thought that the couple would buy a mansion after their marriage but since Natsume had complained about too much space to fill, they decided on a house. Sure, it was big, but not as big as a mansion. Plus, mansions didn't give off that homey feeling, another thing that bugged the hell out of Natsume.
From either side, the couple got into a sleek, black convertible, zooming away as they headed to their interview.
The sun shining bright, the brunette got out of the car, waving to the zealous fans that were at the front of the studio to greet her.
Natsume's fans were there too but he completely ignored them as the couple made their way into the studio, the fans blocked out by the numerous amount of security guards.
Quickly, staff members rushed the brunette into hair and make up, leaving the raven-haired man to follow since he didn't need such things.
Heading into her changing room, she discovered that her manager was already there, preparing the necessary equipment as the brunette changed.
"Hey, Hotaru." Mikan greeted as she changed into a red, spaghetti strapped gown. The dress, itself, was stunning. It was a classic cocktail dress that ended in the knee. All over, the dress was gathered into vertical lines, hugging her body even more closely while still keeping it conservative. Placing a pair of red heels on her feet, she sat down in front of the make up table, keeping the necklace and ring where they were before.
The amethyst-eyed woman started to work as she combed the brunette hair back into place, straightening the back so it didn't curl at the tip. Meanwhile, the starlet applied the necessary make up on herself, including mascara, a tint of blush and colored lip-gloss, setting her looks to perfection.
Adjusting her ring and necklace, she waited patiently for her friend to finish, looking at her friend through the mirror.
Surprisingly, even after they graduated, Hotaru had stuck with being the brunette's manager, now having even more time since she didn't have school. Also, a year after she and Natsume were married, Ruka had proposed to the raven-haired woman, for once seeing her smile as she replied.
As for Ruka, the azure-eyed boy ended up becoming Natsume's manager, as surprising as that seems. But then again, he only accepted the offer when the stubborn raven-haired boy refused to have some stranger manage his life, plus most of the applicants were female. You can probably guess what they really want. Anyways, in the end, it didn't matter that the blonde haired boy was Natsume's last option. Either way, the azure-eyed boy was doing a marvelous job, since he knew his best friend and the things he preferred.
"There, I'm done." The amethyst eyed manager notified as the brunette snapped back to reality and out of her thoughts.
Smiling at her best friend, she stood up and headed to the door. "Thanks, Hotaru."
Outside, Natsume was leaning against the wall as he waited patiently for his wife.
His eyes closed, he tried to get a few moments rest in the silent hallway. Last night -as well as many other night- really tuckered him out, pushing him to his limit as he complied to her much needed demands of food.
He had just drifted off to sleep when he heard the door clink open before him.
"Natsume, what are you doing?" She asked as he rubbed his sleepy eyes.
Not answering, the couple made their way to the back of the stage as the raven haired manager disappeared from view, a video camera already in hand. Looks like she was going to be in the audience like always, taping the interview for future references.
"You ready, Natsume?" She asked with a smile, as she placed her hand in his.
"Hn." The raven-haired man replied as he kept his hand in hers.
Suddenly, a staff member came running up to them, a clipboard in hand.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hyuuga, you're on in five minutes." He said before he ran away once again.
The velvety red curtain raised as the spotlight shone upon a man sitting professionally poised. Already, the crowd was cheering happily as the camera zoomed in on the man.
"Hello and welcome to Japan in a Can, the one show that brings you the latest truth of celebrity gossip. My name is Tashima Ryou, formally known as Dj Rewind of the Ohayo Afternoon! show. Today, we have very special guests here with us. Please welcome Mikan Sakura Hyuuga and her husband, Natsume Hyuuga." The man welcomed as he directed the audience's attention to the side of the stage.
The couple walked out hand in hand as the crowd cheered thunderously. Mikan waved at the crowd as well as the camera while Natsume just stared at the viewers, still leading his wife to some couches.
Once the two were settled and the crowd was as silent as it could possibly get, the host turned and faced the two, flashing each a welcoming smile.
"Welcome." He greeted.
"Hello." Mikan greeted in return, a big smile on her face.
The raven-haired man just gave a curt nod, his features softening a bit while still remaining apathetic.
"You're looking as lovely as ever Mrs. Mikan Hyuuga. I'm so happy for you and your future baby." He started politely.
"Thank you. I'm very happy myself." She thanked as her smile grew bigger.
"So have you decided what you will name your child?" He questioned curiously as the audience leaned in, anticipating an answer.
"If it's a girl, Natsuke and if it's a boy, Natsume Jr." She replied, giggling at her response.
Beside her, the crimson-eyed man's eyebrow rose as he gave her a queer look. As if he would name his future son Natsume Jr.
"Why would you want to do that, Polka dots?" He scoffed.
"Hey, Natsuke is a cute name. Natsume Jr. was something I just thought of at the top of my head. If you think you can do better than why don't you think of one?" The brunette challenged as the host laughed in enjoyment.
The raven-haired man gave a light growl as he smirk, accepting the challenge. "Fine, I will. How about Ichigo, one of your favourites?"
The brunette flushed at the secret meaning. She couldn't believe that pervert would bring up such a thing on live TV.
"Shut up! Besides, Ichigo is a girl's name." She retorted, not looking at her husband.
"Actually it can also be a boy's name." The host interrupted as the he pointed this out.
The raven-haired man smirked even further, silently reveling in his little victory as the brunette flushed even further, pouting because she had lost.
"Fine, but I will not name my child Ichigo, and that's final." The brunette put her foot down as everyone gave a small chuckle at the woman's childishness.
"Well, whatever you name your child, I wish you both the best of luck in your journey to parenthood." The host smiled as the couple nodded in gratitude.
" Now, because of your pregnancy you obviously can't overdo your work or else something bad might happen. Are you okay with that? I mean, how does this affect you and your career and reputation and so forth?" The host asked smartly as the brunette nodded in understanding.
"Well, now I obviously have a lot more time on my hands and I'm definitely grateful that I have more time to look after myself and catch up on some personal things. As for its affects on my career, I don't think it will affect it a great deal because I know I have loving and loyal fans out there. And my reputation, I don't think I have one and if I did then I think they'll understand. Of course, I do miss and regret not doing some of these things but I'm hoping I'll be able to catch up afterwards." The starlet smiled towards the crowd and camera.
The host smiled once more, satisfied with her answer. "Now, Natsume Hyuuga, you, obviously, have not been in this business as long as your wife has. So how did it feel when you first debuted as a model and is now suddenly receiving all this attention. How about being married to such a famous celebrity, since the magazines went on and on about it for weeks after the media found out about your engagement?"
Facing the host, the crimson-eyed boy thought for a moment before replying. "Personally, I admit I was somewhat shocked at the amount of attention, but then after a while, I just got annoyed. I shouldn't be admitting this, but yes it was starting to get annoying since it was like a bigger version of my school. But still, a job is a job and that's the sacrifice for the paycheck I get. As for getting married to Polka dots over here, obviously if I married her I wouldn't care if she even was a celebrity. The paparazzi can speak all the crap they want, I really don't give a rat's ass."
Mikan frowned for a second at her name but then smiled once again at his reply. She had to admit, 3 years of stardom and her continuous lectures had caused Natsume to open up more. Though it was still vague, the answers he gave to the media were just enough to keep people hanging and just enough to give people a bit of an insight on his life. But for some reason, he had a tendency to end most of his little speeches to the media in swear words. That was something he needed to fix since not all his fans are as old.
"Um, Mr. Hyuuga, please watch your language for a bit since we do have little children attending this show and kids viewing this at home." The host pleaded as he interrupted Mikan's thoughts.
"Hn." He answered in agreement as he reverted back into his high school self.
"Let's move on." The host suggested. "Now, Mrs. Hyuuga, since you have been taking a break from some of your regular jobs, I've heard that you have been producing some songs for newer artists and all of those songs have been big hits. Since you have been in this business for a long time, what would you advise to the newer celebrities that are just starting out? What is the secret to your stardom that fuels your efforts in your career?"
Thinking back, the brunette tried to figure out the answer as flashbacks of her celebrity life, high school and more appeared in her head. Moments of silence passed as everyone waited for an answer, many eager for the answer to Mikan Sakura's stardom.
Finally the brunette returned to reality, her face forming a smile as she began. "There is no secret to my stardom. Everything I do is fueled by the feelings I harbor inside me. I guess that's the advice I would give to newer celebrities. No matter what you do, whether jobs or daily life, your effort and abilities show through the feelings you have. Anger, hatred and jealousy are just as important as love and friendship but these feelings shouldn't be fueling your efforts all the time or else it would all go to waste. So in the end, you'll be working through your feelings which is basically what a celebrity or artist is, using their feelings to inspire others."
Silence passed as the audience and host stared at the brunette in awe.
"Wow. " Was all the Tashima Ryou could say before he continued, finally snapping out of his shock. "I have asked that question many times to other celebrities. You know how hard it is to find someone with just as much experience as you and still be pure and innocent after all these years."
"Thank you." The starlet blushed as people started to clap.
Moments later, when the clapping finally died down, the host stood up from his spot and smiled. "Well, it's almost the end of our show and I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Hyuuga for joining me today for this interview. But don't get out of your seats just yet people, for we have a special performance for you by none other than Mikan Sakura Hyuuga, who will be singing for us her new single, I Believe."
The crowd gave a thunderous applause as the stage they stood on began to rotate, revealing another stage where instruments were already set up.
Appearing from the side, the brunette entered once again before taking her place at the mike.
She stared at the audience before her, spotting Hotaru's camera as well as Ruka's blonde hair through the spotlights. Smiling at the camera, the music began to play behind her as the brunette let her joyful feelings resonate into the room.
I feel the heat around me
I feel the beat surrounds me
Could this be for real, I wonder
No need for hesitation
It's time for celebration
Will this be the night I've waited for
The brunette put her hands in front of her as images of the past flashed before her eyes. Images of when she first met Natsume and wondered who he was. The day she disguised herself and first stepped into the classroom and the scandal that started right after. Her happiness rose at the flashbacks of the friends she made as the people in the room rose from their seats, swaying to the music.
When angels fall in love
Heaven knows, does it show, oh
If this love, will last for eternity
Set me on fire
Backstage, a crimson-eyed boy watched the brunette sing with her feelings. No matter how many times he hears her sing, he always ends up stunned. Her voice was just so angelic and magical, no matter what song she was singing.
He kept his facade as he continued to watch his wife proudly, his foot tapping silently to the music.
I believe, I believe in love
And like the stars above
They shine, let it shine over me
Set me free I believe in you
And that our love is true
Oh I believe, I believe
In the crowd, a amethyst-eyed woman gave a small smile as she continued to film the performance, listening at the same time. Though starlet's performances were usually perfect, this time it was at its best, displaying her abilities as a performer, an artist as well as her potential to be a mother.
At the moment, Mikan's feelings were crystal clear, and strong enough to raise the crowd to their feet. This was the power of Mikan's stardom.
The raven-haired woman continued to film with expertise, that small smile still on her face, unnoticed by all except one.
I see those people dancing
Boys and girls romancing
They want this to last forever
Cause underneath the moonlight
Everything is alright
We're reaching our hands up in the air
Images of the Alice festival threw through the brunette's head. The time Natsume got assigned as her bodyguard and discovered her secret. That was also the first time she was able to walk around the Academy grounds without her disguise on, the first time in a while when she finally felt like herself.
Images of the Last Dance also came into view. How she sang that song when the sound system broke to the dance she shared with Natsume under the sakura tree, their faces lit by the serene moonlight.
To where the souls alive
Heaven knows, that it shows oh
If this love, will last for eternity
Set me on fire
Standing in the crowd next to his wife, the azure-eyed man caught the small smile Hotaru was emitting. His smile grew wider as he faced the stage again, staring at the singer who controlled the stage at the moment.
Just like Natsume, he was also awed once again by her voice. Sure, he has heard her sing in practice and in performances, as well as on the radio, but it still stunned him at the emotions one could portray with their voice. No one could do better.
I believe, I believe in love
And like the stars above
They shine, let it shine over me
Set me free I believe in you
And that our love is true
Oh I believe, I believe
Times of sadness and longing passed through her heart as images of her time without Natsume passed through her mind. The thoughts and feelings of when she came back to find him in another girl's arms and the regret she felt when Anna and them had told her the truth behind his behavior.
How could I doubt, what was meant to be
Everything I needed was in front of meYour healing touch, will lift me up in the sky, so high
Lastly, images of their graduation passed through her head as her smile grew once again. The joy and happiness she felt when he proposed and the feeling of perfection in her life that settled after.
Another image flashed through, this one making her happiest of all. She had recalled a flashback of when the doctor had told her she was pregnant with Natsume's baby. Of course her husband was there at the time and expression he gave was priceless. A flood of joy filled her heart as it resonated clearly into the mike.
I believe, I believe in love
And like the stars above
They shine, let it shine over me
Set me free I believe in you
And that our love is true
Oh I believe, I believe
The brunette looked up from the microphone, only to be bombarded by a huge applause. Who knew such a small audience could make so much noise?
Hearing footsteps, the brunette instinctively turned around as a raven-haired man embraced her behind, wrapping his arms around her waist as he turned her around.
His eyes also dancing with joy, they instantly connected at the mouths, gathering further applause as wolf whistles and cheers accompanied it.
When they finally decided to breathe again, they were both panting. Still holding onto her waist, the couple turned around and waved at the crowd, Natsume with joy and excitement in his eyes and Mikan with a beautiful smile.
The brunette moved her waving hand to her stomach, smiling down.
'I must be the luckiest woman in the world. To be blessed with such a wonderful life, wonderful support from adoring fans, the chance to experience friendship, and a wonderful husband. And now, I'm pregnant.'
She thought back to the last question of her interview, this time with a real answer. Surely the secret to her stardom and success were not just based on her feelings alone. The efforts and the feelings of others were the ones that had brought forth the Mikan Sakura they all knew. With each passing day she had worked through her feelings, wishing to do her best in everything. So many things have happened and so many things have been contributed to make her life the way it was.
Mikan smiled at her husband before patting her stomach, her eyes still staring at him as he faced her. 'And the result of all that was you.'
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Arigato for reading minna-san. I hoped you enjoyed this last and final chapter of Stardom Secret. I'm sorry for the late update but since some of your reviews said how much you will miss this fanfic, I decided to let you savour the moment. So, how was it? Haha. No, I'm just kidding. School started again and that's the real reason why.
And no, there will be no sequel since they really do live happily ever after. That's why I tried my best to summarize what happened in the past three years without leaving the story. But what I didn't mention was the rest of Mikan's friends, though I think you can all guess since I'm pretty sure I dropped a couple of guides throughout the story.
And I'm sorry if you think Natsume is very OOC-heehee- in this chapter, but that guy's a man now. He had to grow up eventually. I got so giddy while typing this fic because now, I can finally use the words, 'husband' and 'wife'. And also, you probably noticed that I've stopped using 'boy' and 'girl' in this chapter. That's because I think you're not fully a man or woman until you've been married once. I know that sounds weird but that's what I think so sue me. XP
Credit time. Obviously throughout this story I had many songs and no, I did not write them as many of you have asked. I'm not that much of a genius. :) So here are the titles of the songs. I didn't even choose these songs for the story. The songs chose the story. I know, very confusing but I'll explain anyways cuz I don't want this to end just yet. All of the songs that will be listed below were the songs I was obssessed with during the summer. Combine that with a can of pop, a hot summer day and the inspiration from The Thing Called Love by Ridley Sivlerlake, plus a weird dream, and imagination gone wild, that's how this story came to be. By the way, you should read this story even though it's not complete. It was one of the first fics I read and I'm still craving for more. So, as you can see, the songs pretty much formed the events and storyline of this storyline. And one or two of these songs came later and just miracoulesly fit the story so I had good luck on that. Anyways, I'll just list the songs instead of continuing with my life story . . .er, I mean history of how this fic came to be.
On the ride- Aly and Aj
Into the rush- Aly and Aj
Protecting Me- Aly and Aj
Shine- Aly and Aj
I think of you- Tata Young
Slow Down- Aly and Aj
So Small- Carrie Underwood
Dear Santa- Beu Sisters
Crush on you- Tata Young
1000 miles- Vanessa Carlton
Did ya think- the Veronicas
Breathe- Michelle Branch
It's not Over- Chris Daughtry
I Believe- Tata Young
I didn't mention this last chapter but for Natsume's song, I had another choice before I finally decided. The first, which is It's not Over by Chris Daughtry and the second, I miss you by Gareth Gates. The lyrics suited the situation to a T and I couldn't pick one so I decided to listen to them one at a time and see which one had a bigger affect on me, since these two songs are every different mellodically. When I got to the second song, I miss you by Gareth Gates, I cracked up laughing when I got to 'baby'. If you listen to the song, you'll know what I mean. Seriously, if you want a good laugh, youtube this song or something and just close your eyes and imagine Natsume singing this song on stage in front of people in a white shirt, loose black tie and black pants. That was my image and I still crack up listening to it. But then again, maybe it's just me. I had to choose between a song that's more sentimental and a song that makes me crack up on the spot. You can see which one I chose.
Wow, this was a really long author's note. I don't have much more to say so I guess I'll have to end it off about now. Once again, arigato for putting up with me the whole way through. Thank you for the support and comments and so forth. I'm already starting to work on the plot of my next fic so I'll be back anytime but in a different story. Big thank you, and comments, questions, advice for next story, and etc are more than welcome.
Love ya lots people, lactose-intolerent.