Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice nor its characters, but this story is entirely mine

Sighing, he pressed the perfect keys of the upright piano with his slender fingers.

"Honestly Natsume, you've been sighing all day," complained Ruka as he strode up to his distraught raven haired best friend. After being around him for so long, he could make out the slight changes to his stoic expression.

"Hn."

"What's wrong this time? Is it Persona again?"

"Doesn't matter."

Ruka shrugged, flopping onto the cushioned seat – Natsume's room was the biggest afterall. "Well, today wasn't good for me either. I was practicing during lunch and then Hotaru came out of nowhere and took millions of pictures of me!"

"As usual," Natsume smirked, letting his fingers slip off the piano.

"Any new tunes?"

"Hn."

"Well, there's going to be a girl transferring to our class tomorrow," informed Ruka, "And why'd you stay home today?"

"Just wanted to."

"Was it your sister?" he frowned.

"No."

"Are you going to visit her?"

Natsume nodded curtly and let his thoughts wander as he stared at a single raindrop, making its suicidal mission to the bottom of the window.

Who in the world would be able to join their class?

Gakuen Alice was no cheap school – it was the most prestigious music school around, with Class B being on top of the tier. Nobody here wasn't a prodigy of sorts; Class A was the theory group, Class B were the performers and Class C were the crafters.

"Anything else?"

"Well Jinjin said he'll give you detention if you don't come to school tomorrow."

"Like I care."

"I'll miss you so much, Jii-chan," sobbed the childish brunette, clutching the edges of her grandpa's yukata.

"Be careful and make sure to be good. Say hello to Hotaru for me, will you?" he smiled, letting his hand feel the curve of his only grandchild's face. It would be a while before he could see the clumsy girl again. By then, she'll have grown up, matured, changed.

"I will!" Mikan perked up at the sound of her best friend's name. At least there was definitely something to look forward to amongst the pressure of the first day at school.

"Now go on; the bus has arrived," he urged her.

Grabbing her crammed backpack, Mikan dashed towards the chugging bus. There were only a few that came to this part of the countryside so she couldn't miss it. She twirled around one last time to soak in the pleasant green scenery, the cloudless sky, the tiny home with her beloved grandpa.

"Bye! I'll be back before you know it!" she yelled at the shrinking, waving figure of the old man. With one last lingering look, she boarded the empty bus.

"Just like her mother," he sighed.

Both of them would struggle, strive and soar. He had seen it on repeat. Gakuen Alice had always lured away the people he cared for. The best music school in the entire world. There she would become a musician.

Mikan counted the raindrop that flowed like blood in her veins. The adrenaline was warning her that everything would be more than she ever hoped for.

"Hello Mikan-chan! I'm Narumi-sensei, your homeroom teacher! If you need anything just come and find me, okay?" introduced the cheery teacher. His amethyst eyes shimmered as he adored his newest student.

"Thank you very much," Mikan grinned, still gapping at the massive dorm room she'd been given.

"Your uniform has been fitted for you. Be outside Classroom B at 8:45 tomorrow morning," the androgynous teacher concluded as he headed for the door.

Mikan continued to stare at the open space and her eyes were drawn to the fluffy bed that she'd sleep on tonight. If only her Jii-chan could sleep on that then his sore back would be fine. By the time her thoughts had returned to earth, Narumi-sensei had gone and she had no idea what she was doing.

Oh well, she thought, At least tomorrow will be full of surprises.

It was when Natsume had let the silence surround him from a long visit at the ward that he recalled the circumstance for tomorrow.

'There's going to be a girl transferring into our class tomorrow.'

"Guess I'm going to school tomorrow then," he grumbled.

Just as he was drifting in and out of consciousness, he pictured the girl in his head. Maybe this time she would be something special. Maybe she'd be a virtuoso. Maybe she'd be nice.

But if she is anything like Sumire and his fan girls... he'd be pissed.