Mikan's Little Twin

Chapter 123: Time will Tell

Mikan stares outside of her window as Bear keeps sleeping on the ground, far away from her. Although the girl had tried coaxing the stuffed animal to her side, he stubbornly refused and stayed in his makeshift bed. A sigh leaves Mikan as she relaxes into her mattress, snuggling into her blanket that she wraps around herself. After a moment, she turns on to her back and pulls the blanket up to rest under her nose. The silent room was almost suffocating. Mikan lifts the stone Akako made her that was tied around her neck and stares up at the yellow detection stone that she always kept by her heart. 

Her eyes close, "Hotaru and Akako... Will I really not be able to see them before I leave the academy?" Mikan drops the stone while speaking aloud, hoping that wasn't the case but at this point... She would be leaving the next day. "Will I just forget about everything that happened?" 

The thought seemed almost absurd. Too cruel to imagine. Why was she being forced to forget the reason her sister died for? Why was Mikan being forced to forget about the most precious times she had with everyone she loved? Why... Why couldn't she see them one more time?

Her eyes peel open for a moment to see the white ceiling above her. She didn't want to close her eyes again. 'Everytime I close my eyes... all I see is the two of them.' Her eyes close again and she sees her best friend and sister standing before her with a bright light surrounding them. Hotaru with her gentle smile that she rarely shows to anyone else as well as Akako's laughing expression. This image was a blessing... as well as a form of emotional torture.

"...kan."

Mikan's hazy mind slowly makes out a faint whisper.

"Mikan..."

It takes a moment to register in Mikan's mind that this voice was coming from inside of her room. Her body sits up as her covers fall from her body, eyes scanning the room as she tries figuring out who was there. Her eyes look right, then left. As she does so, someone begins fazing into her room- a familiar someone whose face she had yearned to see for the past two weeks. 

There was no mistaking the pale skin or the vibrant eyes.

Her short black hair flutters as her body seems to float to the ground after fazing a few inches above the wooden floor boards, the air around her glowing as her violet eyes desperately stare into Mikan's. 

"Hotaru...!" Mikan's brown eyes begin filling with tears and her face contorts to one of sadness and relief as Hotaru stands before her. As quickly as she could, Mikan scrambles from beneath her bedsheets and tumbles to the ground as she rushes to her best friend. After her stumble, Mikan grabs Hotaru by her shoulders- greatly hoping that this wasn't a dream. 

Her hope is proven to be true when Hotaru's school uniform scrunches between her fingers. Within a second, they're embracing one another. Mikan bawls into her friend's shoulder while Hotaru holds Mikan with all the love she could muster. Mikan's sniffles fill the room as her trembling body causes an ache in Hotaru's heart, feeling guilt as she realizes how much Mikan missed her. While it had only been a few minutes for Hotaru, it was evident that these past two weeks for Mikan were excruciatingly painful.

"Where... Where have you been?!" Mikan demands, staring into Hotaru's understanding eyes.

"Mikan..." Hotaru tries to calm her best friend but that wasn't going to happen. Mikan's heart beats quickly from the adrenaline she was experiencing, leaving no room to take deep breaths. Instead, the concerns flow from her mouth like a river.

"Akako! Where's Aka-chan? Is she alright?!" Mikan begs to be informed, "I thought I wouldn't be able to see the two of you anymore! I want to see my sister!" Mikan exclaims but Hotaru tries settling her down by grabbing Mikan's hands within her own, cradling them to put the frantic child at ease.