One More Chance

Chapter 19: Unexpected Circumstances

*It is better for a girl to sleep a hundred years and be kissed and awakened by the right prince, than to stay awake and be kissed a hundred times by the wrong frog.

"Is it true?"

"It can't be!"

"No way!"

Almost every student in the High School Division was going on about one particularly trivial topic in the school. It seems as though that another rumor has gone out, and typically, everyone was already gossiping on whether it was true or not. And suddenly, the topic of each and every student's conversations entered the halls.

Mikan Yukihara and Natsume Hyuuga walked through the halls, their friends following behind them. The two of them were, surprisingly, holding each other's hands. Everyone's eyes widened in shock as the group passed. So, the rumors were true.

Natsume Hyuuga and Mikan Yukihara were, in fact, going out.

Whispers and hushed voices quickly followed their entrance. The group didn't bother to pay attention to any of them. After all, they were already used to it. The latest gossip and rumors always seemed to be focused on these two particular groups.

"Why is everyone staring at us?" An oblivious Koko asked, as the group entered the classroom.

"Idiot. They're not really staring at us. They're only staring at them." Kitsu gestured towards Mikan and Natsume.

"Oh, I see." Koko gave a sigh of relief. "I hate it when people stare at me." He grinned.

Sumire hit him hard on the head.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Koko rubbed the back of his head.

Sumire rolled her eyes.

"That's for being a stupid idiot." She grumbled under her breath.

The rest of the group completely ignored the two of them as they bickered. They proceeded to their assigned seats. Hotaru approached Mikan's and Natsume's desk.

"This is what you guys call 'keeping it secret'?" She raised her eyebrows in question.

Mikan blushed furiously. Natsume, on the other hand, just smirked.

"Well, I don't like to keep secrets." He grinned.

Hotaru rolled her eyes. Before she had a chance to answer back (or most probably, fire an insult), a voice spoke through the PA system.

"Paging Mikan Yukihara-san, High School Principal, Kazumi Yukihara-san, would like to see you. Please come to the office immediately." And the PA system was turned off.

Everyone turned their gazes towards their desk, their eyes focused on Mikan.

"What did you do this time, baka?" Hotaru demanded.

Mikan shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't really know." She sighed. She looked at Natsume sadly. "I guess I'll have to see you later during class then." She said and she stood up from her seat. "Well, I'll see you guys later." She said to the others.

But before Mikan could move away from their desk, Natsume grabbed her arm, and without even a moment's hesitation, he kissed her in front of everyone in the room.

"See you later." He grinned, and he gently let her go.

Mikan blushed once again. Everyone continued to stare at her as she exited the classroom.

A few hours later…

Classes were already over when Mikan walked out of the principal's office. She immediately went to the back of the High School Building, where the Sakura garden was located. She sighed with relief when she found someone waiting for her there. Under the branches of the Sakura tree, leaning against the trunk with a manga in his hands, was Natsume.

Mikan sat down beside him and laid her head on his shoulder.

"What took you so long?" Natsume asked, setting aside the manga that he was holding. He draped his arm over Mikan's shoulder, holding her close.

Mikan looked at his face.

"I'm really sorry. Uncle and I had a lot to talk about." She explained.

"And what was it about?"

"Nothing important." Mikan said quickly. A little too quickly.

Unfortunately, Natsume noticed.

"He wouldn't actually call you up so unexpectedly in the middle of the morning and finally let you leave when it's already the end of the day if it wasn't so important." He pointed out.

Mikan sighed.

"Fine." She grumbled under her breath. "The reason why he called me out to the principal's office was because my parents called."

"And what did they want to talk about?"

"Well," Mikan hesitated. She looked at Natsume straight in the eyes. "They found out about the incident." She whispered.

Panic flashed in Natsume's eyes.

"And what did they say?" He asked hesitantly, sitting up.

Mikan assured him with a smile.

"Don't worry about it. I managed to straighten things out with them." She tried to keep her voice as normal as possible.

Natsume leaned back against the Sakura tree's trunk once again. Mikan snuggled closer to him.

It was already dark. The moon shined brightly in the night sky, the stars twinkling around it. It was peaceful, calm and perfect. Mikan closed her eyes and savored the moment.

"Mikan." Natsume called.

Mikan looked at him. He was pointing at the heavens, and suddenly, a shooting star crossed the night sky.

"Make a wish." He grinned.

Mikan closed her eyes once again.

I wish that Natsume and I will be together forever. She thought.

She opened her eyes and found Natsume smiling tenderly at her.

"What did you wish for?" He asked.

Mikan stuck her tongue out at him.

"You first." She grinned.

Natsume grinned back. He held her tightly.

"I wished that I could spend the rest of the days of my life with you. To laugh with you, to share happy moments together with you, and of most important of all, to grow old with you." He kissed her forehead.

Tears started to form in Mikan's eyes.

"I think I can't grant you that wish." She whispered sadly.

Natsume looked at her in the eyes.

"Why are you crying? What's wrong?" Deep concern was evident in his expression. He wiped the tears that started to flow from her eyes.

Mikan cried even harder.

"Natsume." Mikan spoke his name gently.

"What is it?" Natsume smiled tenderly at her.

Mikan stared at his crimson eyes.

"I'm leaving."