The Tree Story
written by: ejo

[REVISED]

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

It had been a month since they have been together. The news spread like wildfire in a forest. Girls screamed in agony while the boys felt depression. Both Mikan Sakura and Natsume Hyuuga were exact opposites; it was a big wonder on how Natsume managed to get the brunette. For the past few days, they had been the gossip around the campus until Ruka Nogi and Hotaru Imai got together as well.

Everybody in the school knew that the lone Cherry Blossom tree in the field belonged to the Hyuuga-Sakura couple. Every time a student would pass by during their break time, they would frequently see the couple together under the shade of the marvellous tree. Well, what they were doing was private between the two of them.

"You flirted with another girl again." Mikan complained as she pouted, her arms folded whilst her head was turned to the other direction.

"It's none of your business." Natsume replied back cockily.

Mikan's forehead wrinkle in annoyance. "Do you want to break up with me?"

"If you want to!" The raven haired boy shouted at her, making her lean back a bit. He rose and stomped away, leaving the girl alone with her thoughts. Whenever they would fight, she would always mention about breaking up. Just thinking about it made his blood boil.

Without them knowing, two pair of eyes was secretly watching them from the shadows. "If we don't intervene, they'll surely break up." Ruka said in a low voice as he glanced at his girlfriend. The black haired girl shook her head in disappointment and gave out a heavy groan.

"They're always like this," She stated, discontent lingering in her tone. "They met under the tree, kissed under the tree, confessed under the tree, had their first date under the tree and eventually they'll break up under the tree."

Ruka got worried with what Hotaru said. He didn't want his friend to break up, after all, he among all others know how much the flame-caster underwent just to get the brunette. Girls wouldn't understand what boys feel, he thought.

Hotaru noticed Ruka's expression he was giving out. Suddenly, a bright idea just passed into her mind.

"I have a plan." She whispered, a grin starting to form on her lips.

Later that afternoon, lunch break; Mikan and Natsume who was usually together, ate their meals separately. Ruka and Natsume were together whilst the two girls sat across the table from them.

The raven haired boy continued to chew the chicken meat as he kept stealing glances at the brunette who seemed to be preoccupied with her small talk to her friend. Natsume's action was not gone unnoticed by his best friend. The blonde tried his best to stifle his chuckles.

"Hey Natsume," he called as Natsume glanced at him and mouthed 'I wasn't looking at her'. He obviously was, Ruka thought. "Why do you keep flirting when you already have Mikan?"

Natsume pounded his fists on the table, making Ruka agitated. He lowered his head and replied, "I just wanted her... attention. Undivided attention, I tell you. Lately, her fan boys are keeping us apart."

At the brunette's table, Mikan did her best not to look at Natsume but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't do it.

"Did you see him looking at me?" she asked and before Hotaru could even reply, she continued to talk more. "The nerve of him to look at me! It's so obvious."

Hotaru rolled her eyes at her friend but Mikan ignored her action. You wouldn't notice he was looking at you, if you weren't looking at him in the first place, the purple-eyed girl thought.

It was time to get her plan into action.

"Mikan," she called, her friend turned to her. "Is there something going on between you and Natsume?" The brunette looked at her and acted like she didn't understand what her friend was saying but Hotaru knew better.

She raised one brow and flashed a smile which made the brunette really uncomfortable. Mikan gave out a nervous chuckle at first and then she heaved a long sigh.

"We fought." she admitted.

"And then?" Hotaru pressed on.

"Well... I don't know." she shrugged her shoulders.

Hotaru placed her hands on her friend's shoulders and said, "Mikan, whatever happened between the two of you, just forgive him. Forgive and forget. He loves you and even if you deny it, you still love him too."

Mikan was about to protest but Hotaru gave her a shut-up-or-else look. "Just go and meet him," she assured the brunette as if she knew what was going to happen next. "Meet and forgive."

Mikan grunted and gave out a nod. She acted like she was forced to do it but deep inside she thanked Hotaru for making her change her mind.

Things were going to be just fine, Hotaru assured herself as a small smile drew to her face.

The End