Disclaimer : I do not own Gakuen Alice

Title: Day by Day

~ A Lanel Production ~

"Leave now."

Those were the exact words that Natsume Hyuuga had coldly said to his girlfriend – correction, ex-girlfriend Mikan Sakura.

"I'm so sorry." was what the latter said with tears streaming down her rather pale face as she ran towards the other direction levaing the boy alone to his thoughts.

A sigh escaped from the boy's lips as he leaned on the wall next to him, thinking what he should be feeling right now. He couldn't help but take notice of how shaky her voice was when she said her apologies, was this what she really wanted? How was he supposed to feel now? He was just dumped by the love of his life without a reason.

You people heard it, "without a reason."

To him of course.

One unsuspecting day, his girlfriend called him and suggested that they should meet up at the usual place: behind the abandoned coffee shop, as she had something very important to tell him. From the tone of her voice, he could tell that this would be a life changing meeting and he wasn't even sure that the word 'life-changing' could cover that. He couldn't help but feel that something terribly bad will happen if he met her. He dismissed the thought and agreed that they should meet up at the usual place around two in the afternoon.

They bid their goodbyes to each other as usual but when he muttered, "I love you." ...

The other line went dead silent.

That's it, something's wrong and he's going to take up this matter in his hands. "Mikan are you still there?" he said in a gentle voice, he waited but there was no reply. He was about to continue when his girlfriend stopped him, "I love you too."

That's it, something's wrong and him being the loving boyfriend he is, he's going to take up this matter in his hands. "Mikan are you still there?" He said gently, not wanting to scare her away. He waited for a while but he was met with a deathly silence. He was about to continue when his girlfriend beat him to it, "I love you too."

She whispered those words with such an intensifyingly strained voice that it made him worry to death. He was about to ask her what's wrong but she immediately hung up on him. He couldn't help but feel more worried – if that was possible – but he told himself he would be able figure out what was wrong with her when they meet up later. This assured him a little but little does he know that he was so wrong.

He was already at the rendezvous place and patiently waiting for his beloved. He looked at his watch and noticed that it was 2:45 pm and she has not arrived – typical of her. Thirty minutes later, she decided to make an appearance with her lookingas if she had previously went for a ride in the washing machine. They then proceeded to say their greetings, the usual polkadots and pervert but somehow, it seemed uncomfortable to him. After that, they had their usual banter until Mikan suddenly said that she was breaking up with him.

He was confused at first but then his voice was later ensued with anger,"What, Why? Don't you love me anymore?"

He saw the girl's facial turn from hurt to emotionless in mere seconds. She replied in a rather monotonous voice that she had her own reasons which resulted to a very heated argument that ended with our very own Natsume Hyuuga unsure of what to feel and Mikan Sakura running off to the other direction with tears streaming down her porcelain face.

At school, news has spread that Natsume Hyuuga and Mikan Sakura had broken up and many had wondered what happened.

They were perfect for each other and there was no exaggeration intended there, everyone could actually imagine both of them growing old with a few children running around at the backyard. Sadly, in the dictionary, were defined as sometimes used instead of 'was' which is the past tense of 'is'. The students of Alice Academy bombarded both of them with curious questions, only to end up ignored by both of our protagonists – who were acting unconcerned to the situation they were in.

If they were to pass by each other, Mikan would pretend that she didn't see him and would absentmindedly stared at the surroundings. After school, Natsume, having his hopes up high, decided to wait for Mikan at their usual rendezvous place, from where they would usually walk home together. He waited for minutes, which later turned into hours until he was shooed away by the school gate keeper as he needed to lock the gates. Hesitantly, he went home with his usual deadpan look but truth to be told he felt disappointed and betrayed.

The next day, more rumours were flying around the campus: Mikan Sakura was now in a relationship with Ruka Nogi.

To say he was pissed was an understatement; Ruka Nogi was his best friend! Yes, was his best friend, from this point on he has concluded that the world has gone against him. When Ruka Nogi and Mikan Sakura stepped into their classroom, their fingers were intertwined and therefore the rumour has now been confirmed. When both of them met Natsume, Mikan would try to avoid his gaze while Ruka tried to engage him in a friendly conversation. Being Natsume, he ignored them and went on with whatever he was doing.

School hours has ended and Natsume found himself spying Mikan and Ruka together by the gates. He should just ignore them but something told him he had to where he was standing, he could only catch the words: hospital, lied, Natsume and love from their conversation.

What's with those combinations of words? How was he related to all of this?

He then noticed that they already started walking, probably home, but the route that they took leads towards the hospital. That's it, something fishy is going on and he's going to find out no matter what has to be done.

He followed them into the hospital and saw them enter a room that had a golden plate hanging on it with the name, Ms. Nel, written in big capital letters. The only clue he has now was the combination of words and that they have been seeing a female doctor. He tried asking the receptionist for further information but the receptionist told him that they've been seeing the doctor together these past few days. Other than that, the receptionist refused to tell anything else as they practiced a policy of privacy.

He was deep in his thoughts when something hit him, hard. Mikan and Ruka have been seeing the doctor together these past few days – together. Could it possibly mean that Mikan is …

No.

That is out of the question.

He would never accept that, he will definitely get to the bottom of this. Since then, he would follow both of them every day to the hospital and again, ask the receptionist for information but it always ended the same way - no information at all.

When he was thinking, something hit him; Mikan and Ruka have been seeing the doctor together these past few days – together. Could it possibly mean that Mikan's …. No, he would never accept that. He would just have to investigate this matter more to confirm his theory. Since that realisation, he would follow both of them to the hospital everyday and ask the receptionist for information but it always ended the same way – no information at all.

That was until one day he managed to persuade the receptionist to tell him everything about Mikan Sakura and in return he would have a date with her. No sane woman would reject a date with Natsume Hyuuga as he was an extremely attractive lad, Mikan Sakura was an exception though, she was insane enough to not kiss the ground he was walking on.

He dryly laughed, even if Mikan was supposedly dating his best friend, she still managed to sneak into his thoughts – sneaky woman – he thought as a small smile came on his face. Mikan Sakura was one a hell of a woman but she was his woman.

"Hyuuga-san?"

Natsume snapped out of his thoughts as he gave his attention to the receptionist in front of him, he nodded at her, probing her to continue. He saw the receeptionist's cheek flare up and told him of how delighted she was to be his date. He didn't even bother to listen to what she said next as he closed his eyes, the thought of going on a date with anyone besides Mikan was enough to make him throw up. However, he will still go on with this, he will go on a date with whatever-her-name-is and find out what's happening with Mikan.

He loves her and he was sure that she loves him too. He could see the longing in her eyes when they would stumble upon each other at school. He would 'acidentally' brush his fingers against hers when they passed by each other and every single time, without fail, he would feel Mikan intertwine their fingers together and letting it go – not before giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. There was once he saw Mikan crying at their favourite Sakura tree, seeing her like that tore him apart. Before he could even approach her, she sood up and ran away from the scene, it was as if she felt that he was coming to gather her in his arms and whsiper comforting words to her. He sighed, she's driving him crazy.

Back to reality, Natsume was on his date with the receptionist. It certainly has been awhile since he had a date since Mikan was constantly on his mind.

Being with the receptionist wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Rather than going on a date with a woman, he felt he was spending quality time with a mother who he never had. He was an orphan and a mother's love was what he longed for since he was a child. The feeling of being with the receptionist was so comforting that he felt himself drifting away from his purpose of going on the date slowly, little by little.

After just an hour, the receptionist rid him off his sanity when she told him the truth behind Mikan's frequent visit to the hospital.

His girl was diagnosed with cancer. Bloody cancer.

The day he secretly started to follow Ruka and Mikan to the hospital was the day Mikan began her therapy to prepare her for an operation the very next month.

Nothing could prepare him for this. Who would expect that she had cancer? She looks as healthy as a person can get.

"Hyuuga-san, I think you should go to the hospital now." The receptionist interrupted his train of thoughts, "the operation is today."

The realisation hit him like a bullet.

With that he dashed through the streets, cursing at his stupidity, upset that she told Ruka but not him, speechless at how selfless she can get, prayed hard that she would be safe and not noticing the tears that have started to stream down his face as he hurriedly tried to get to the hospital.

Fortunately, he arrived at the hospital in one piece but his appearance was in a bad state. With the little energy he had left and ignorning the looks people were giving him, he ran to Ms. Nel's office. Upon arriving, a small note was taped to the door; it showed a very nice penmanship, "Out operating patient, Room 2."

With new found energy, he searched for the nearest hospital staff and asked for the location of operation room 2. After he knew of the location, he went straight to the room and didn't even bother to thank the staff as he searched for operation room two.

On the way there, he met Ruka. Both of them stopped on their tracks and found themselves staring at the other person. Azure clashed with Crimson, only Natsume's uneven breathing filled the was first to break the stony silence, "I'm sorry for lying, Mikan loves you ... a lot."

He felt like he was about to explode from this confrontation.

The hell, was this why she broke up with him?

That idiot didn't want him to worry over her. How dare she break up with him over something so trivial? How dare she let a disease get in between their relationship. He didn't feel even a tiny bit grateful for her actions. Well, she's wrong – she won't be able to get rid of him easliy.

Summoning every bit of energy that he had left, he started running towards Operation Room 2 as fast as his feet could carry him. When he arrived, coincidently out came the surgeon with her crew tailing behind her. He felt the air in his ribcage sucked out as his eyes met with the surgeon.

Natsume knew what she was trying to convey without even talking to her.

"Mikan Sakura, you idiot."

Two years have passed since then and now Natsume Hyuuga has graduated from High School. The big smiles on everyone's face was enough evidence that it was a day to celebrate but Natsume being himself, chose to remain emotionless.

He found himself walking to their Sakura tree after the graduation ceremony ended. He let his fingers slide over the bark of the tree as he reminisced the times he spent with the tree, the times he spent with her, the times he spent with her at this very tree. A sigh escaped his lips as he remembered how she – Mikan Sakura – died in the middle of the operation. He was better now when compared to the time he recieved news of her death, he was a big mess. If Ruka didn't beat any sense to him that night, he felt that he would've joined Mikan.

He quietly laughed, wondering what would that idiot say when she would meet him right after she entered the heaven. Oh wait, would he even enter heaven? He found himself chuckling at his thoughts. Thinking of Mikan, always seem to rob him of his sanity.

A gust of cold wind flew by and this successfully stopped his thoughts.

His mind ceased to function. He ceased to function.

He felt a pair of small, cold but familiar arms encircle his waist as a voice he longed to hear shook his very being, "Congratulations Natsume-kun, I'm so proud of you! No wonder I love you so much!"

He couldn't believe it, even in her afterlife she still remained by his side.

He found himself smiling stupidly as he whispered, "I love you too, I always have you idiot."

THE END

How is my first fic? Horrible? Needs improvement? You decide! ;D

PLEASE REVIEW

edited: 05/06/12

From the one I originally posted, nothing much changed ... think of this edited version like an adlib ... made by a singer in one of his many numerous songs during a concert performance orz (unless the adlib is timed wrongly omg then everything goes down the drain *sobbing*)

and just for your info, I could edit this story 5 billion times and there would still be a mistake somewhere up there. English is not my first language and it will never be. Please do tell me if you spot a mistake (ಠ_ృ) ~ (and help me get an A* in English AS level)