My Pride: Chapter 4

#15: Gakuen Alice (Natsume & Mikan)
...xXx...

She was angry, and he knew it. How he wished that he could run and hide away from her. But he couldn't do that as it was not like him at all to run away, especially from the girl he loved. Clenching his fists at his side, he looked at her in the eye.
"Well? I'm waiting," she stated, still glaring at him angrily.
Natsume remained silent, and Youichi took the chance to reply to her earlier concerns, "Mikan, it's alright. I'm fine."
"No! You are not alright," she replied sternly.
Youichi was taken aback when she glared at him, too. He wasn't sure if she really cared for his wellbeing because he was her current boyfriend or if it was simply to make Natsume jealous. He shook his head mentally as he was thinking too much again.
"It's alright, Mikan. It was just a misunderstanding," Youichi tried to convince her while looking at Natsume. "Right, Natsume?"
Natsume looked away. After a moment, he said, "I called you here because I want to tell you to stay away from Mikan."
Mikan was livid. "What? Who do you think you are to tell him that?"
"I'm a man who loves you more than anything else," Natsume replied while looking into her furious eyes.
Youichi, who seemed to see it coming, only smiled at them sadly and left. He knew he had done what needed to be done.
The anger had gone from her system as her confused face turned to shock and disbelief before becoming confused again. She quietly muttered, "What are you saying now?"
Natsume only gazed into her eyes, and she said again, "After what you said…"
The group remained still as they watched their leaders.
After a pregnant silence, Natsume said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I just… I just didn't know how to tell you…"
"Tell me what?" she pondered while looking at him with almost pleading eyes, silently asked him to tell her the truth.
He slowly reached out and took hold of her hands. "To tell you that… I love you."
"I…" Mikan muttered quietly as he cupped her face and kissed her brow. Slowly, she closed her eyes. His lips stayed on her brow for a while before moving down to kiss her nose and then her cheek. When he was about to kiss her lips, her eyes snapped open, and she jerked away from him.
Natsume was surprised and confused at the same time.
Mikan took a step back before running away.

...xXx...

When the girls found Mikan in her room, Nonoko gently asked, "Mikan, are you alright?"
Mikan looked up at her, and tears started forming in her eyes. She threw herself into Nonoko's opened arms and wept.
Emotionless, Hotaru stared at Mikan, and Anna looked at Mikan in sympathy.
Nonoko rubbed her back as she tried to calm her.
After her tears stopped, Mikan muttered, "I don't know what I should do…"
Nonoko pulled away from her and looked at her with a small smile. "Mikan, you know what you should do. You're just afraid."
Mikan closed her eyes tightly and new tears started forming. "I told him that I wouldn't mind being with him, Nonoko… If I… I—"
"It's Youichi we are talking about. I'm sure he won't mind as long as you tell him the truth," Nonoko cut in.
Mikan looked at her. "How do you know that?"
"I just know." Nonoko smiled as she mentally said, Everyone can tell that he loves you so much that he would let you go as long as you're happy, Mikan…
After Mikan calmed down and thought it over, she knew that Nonoko was right. She should tell Youichi the truth about her feelings. She knew that it would hurt him, but she knew he would accept whatever she was going to say as long as she was honest with him.

...xXx...

Sitting down on a bench in Central Town, Mikan waited for Youichi.
When a knock was heard on Mikan's door, Hotaru narrowed her eyes. She had warned the boys to stay away from them for the time being, but it seemed they had disobeyed her. It was Anna, who opened it. They were not surprised to find Youichi before the door. Remembering his position as Mikan's current boyfriend, Anna let him in. No matter how much they wanted to keep this to themselves, Youichi had the right to know what happened because it had something to do with him, too.
A bit of wariness was evident in her smile as Mikan started, "Youichi… I…"
"I wish to have a date with you tomorrow," Youichi interrupted her with a small smile.
Of course, it surprised her and the girls.
"There's something that I wish to talk to you about, too," Youichi said again, and everything stayed still.
They all knew what he requested was not simply a date.
"All right… Just tell me the time." Mikan gave him a small smile. Even though she didn't have the mood to go on a date, she knew that it was necessary. It was her chance to speak with him as well.
"Tomorrow after homeroom at Central Town Park."
Agreed, Mikan nodded her head. "Okay."
Youichi approached her slowly and reached out for her, but she unconsciously moved away from him. Seeing that, he stopped his movement instantly.
Mikan gasped as she just realised what she had done.
He balled his fist and brought it to his side slowly.
Mikan's heart clenched when he smiled at her.
"Then, I will see you tomorrow," he said before leaving the room.
Everyone could see the pained smile he gave her. 
Mikan buried her face in her hands and cried. She didn't mean to move away from his touch. Now, she had hurt him more than anything. 
For Youichi, it hurt to know that she was afraid of him. Before this, she would go to him for comfort. She asked him not to leave her, so he stayed. But now, she had unconsciously asked him to leave her. He sighed as he had expected this, but still, it hurt. He knew it was time for him to end their relationship which had only lasted for a day.
"I'm sorry for being late," he said while looking at her dazed state.
Startled, she looked up and met Youichi's green eyes. She shook her head. "It's okay."
Youichi nodded and sat down on the opposite end of the bench. The gap between them was not far, but it was more than an arm's length away. She gripped her skirt. It was because of her action yesterday that he would act this way. Making up her mind, she opened her mouth.
"Let's break up," he stated, cutting off whatever she was about to say. Youichi stared up at the gloomy sky. He thought it perfectly reflected his current emotion, despair.
Mikan was shocked by his declaration. "Youichi, I… I—"
"I know you love him, Mikan," he interrupted her again, and she shut her mouth immediately.
"You think you will hurt me if you choose him over me, but you haven't," he said quietly and turned to look at her.
When she met his eyes, she remained still. She could read him and know what he felt during their trial through his eyes, but now, she couldn't. They were unreadable. At this moment, she didn't know what he felt. Their eye contact broke when he looked away from her.
"It was a lie when I said I wished to have a date with you." He looked up at the gloomy sky that was ready to let loose its tears. Closing his eyes, he went on, "I just wanted to end our relationship today."
Small droplets of water hit his face. Before the rain started to drench him, he said, "Be happy, Mikan."
Her eyes showed pain, and tears ran down her face along with the rain. She watched him stand up and leave her.
Unknown to her, he said something before leaving, "I really do love you, Mikan."
Natsume couldn't bear watching her cry under the rain. Nothing else mattered to him when he approached her. When she noticed his presence, she looked up.
"Natsume…" she muttered before hugging him tightly and continuing to cry. Both didn't notice the pouring rain. Telling her that he would stay with her, he hugged her.
He never knew that Youichi would request to come with him.
"I'm glad that you finally admitted your feelings," Youichi started.
Natsume stared at him. "You did it on purpose."
"Of course, I did. If I didn't do it, you wouldn't have been able to admit your feeling," Youichi stated obviously.
Natsume remained silent.
"Take care of her, Natsume," Youichi said again while looking at him in the eye.
"What are you planning?"
"To break up with her," Youichi murmured and looked away from him.
Natsume narrowed his eyes, and Youichi continued, "She's afraid that she will hurt me. Before that idea gets the best of her, I will make things easier for her. So, take care of her after I leave."
It was her nature to think about others before herself. Both Natsume and Youichi knew this. Having Youichi solve her problem for her would be best for her. But then, Natsume knew that it would be for a while before she would return to her old self again, and he vowed to himself that he would stay with her no matter what happened.

...xXx...

Two months passed by, and Mikan finally returned to her old self again. Natsume stayed with her until she finally accepted him. She told him that she had loved him back for a long time. He was glad that Mikan returned his feelings. Thinking it over, he realized how stupid he was for not telling her sooner. He offered a hand to her when she stepped out from her classroom with the girls.
Mikan took his hand with a smile. "Did you wait for a long time, Natsume?"
He shook his head and then entwined his hand with hers. From now on, he would stay by her side.
Poll Results
Best Couple: Natsume Hyuuga and Mikan Sakura
Cool Couple: Ruka Nogi and Hotaru Imai
Naughty Couple: Yome Kokoro and Anna Umenomiya
Intellect Couple: Yuu Tobita and Nonoko Ogasawara
…
…
…
…
"As expected."
"They are the best!"
"The Special is coming!" one girl told the crowd eagerly.
All eyes turned to the popular group that comprised Natsume and Mikan, Ruka and Hotaru, Koko and Anna, and lastly, Yuu and Nonoko. All the girls sighed in admiration. They broke apart for them as the most popular group stood in front of the bulletin board. The group only looked at the board for a while before walking away. The result for the yearly poll was obvious to them. Even though it was different from the previous year's nomination, they still won.
"I can't believe that they really changed the nomination," Mikan started saying while making her way to the canteen with the rest.
"It was because the most popular boys and girls are merged, so they changed the nomination," Nonoko replied with a matter-of-fact tone.
"I thought it was because of Mikan agreeing to become Natsume's girlfriend last year," Anna countered.
Mikan blushed at the remark and glared at her. "Hey! This has nothing to do with me!"
"Actually, it has everything to do with you. You're the leader of the most popular girls," Anna replied.
Before Mikan could reply, Natsume pulled her away. "Don't think about it."
Mikan pouted but agreed. She shouldn't think about it because no matter what the students did, it wouldn't affect their relationship. "I guess you're right."
"I'm always right," Natsume replied almost immediately.
Mikan rolled her eyes. Even after they started going out last year, his arrogant attitude didn't change at all. But then, she wouldn't have it any other way.
Natsume looked at her with an eyebrow raised when he saw her smile. He narrowed his eyes when she didn't answer him. She giggled but stopped immediately.
"It's cute to see your eyebrows…" she trailed off. How he raised an eyebrow at her reminded her of Youichi. After they broke up, she never met up with Youichi again, or, more precisely, he began to avoid her. It continued on until a few weeks ago when she decided to confront him. He agreed to be friends with her, but with what had happened between them, everything changed. It seemed a big barrier was set between them. It saddened her as he acted like a friend but a stranger at the same time. Of course, she knew that it was nobody's fault but hers.
"Everything will be alright." Natsume held her hands tighter, knowing what she was thinking.
She smiled at him. "I know."
Ignoring the comments suggesting they get a room, Natsume leaned down and kissed her lips. Mikan didn't shy away from him as she took him in. Losing herself in his kisses, she closed her eyes and returned the liplock with the same passion. He deepened the kiss as the intensity of their desire grew.
Eventually, the rest of the group left them alone while shaking their heads in disbelief. Finding their leaders making out was not something rare but in broad daylight? It was rare, but they wouldn't complain about it because they knew how much they loved each other.
Natsume and Mikan broke apart from their hot kiss and gasped for air. After they calmed down, he planted a kiss on her brow and told her how much he loved her. She smiled and told him that she felt the same. While looking into her eyes, he took her hands in his. He knew she couldn't forget about Youichi but as long as he held this hand of hers, he knew everything would be alright. Taking a step forward with her didn't mean he lost his pride. Admitting his feelings to her didn't mean he lost his pride. He was sure about it since the day she accepted him and his feelings. And since that day, too, she had become someone whom he could be proud of.
"Let's go, Natsume!" She pulled him along to catch up with the rest.
Looking at the smile she flashed at him, he smiled inwardly. She is… my pride.

The End

The next chapter is the alternate ending.

Prev Chapter 1—The Popular Group Chapter 2—The Declaration Chapter 3—The Confrontation Chapter 4—The Pride: Natsume/Mikan Chapter 5—The Pride: Youichi/Mikan Next