My Over Protective Best Friend

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An Imai vs. Hyuuga Story

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PROLOGUE

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HOTARU IMAI

It had been seven years ever since I graduated from Alice University. Despite being an Alice, ordinary human beings have finally accepted us in their society. Primarily because we managed to contribute a whole lot more than they ever did. As soon as I graduated, I was immediately hired by Tech Legends to improve their electronic gadgets and Japan's technology. Right now, the company's on par with both Apple and Samsung.

A lot of things changed since I left school. First, the elementary students of Alice Academy got a much nicer principal than in my days. Second, people who have Alice no longer had to hide their identities and abilities. Lastly, people were more dependent on technology than ever. Perhaps the only thing that had never changed at all was my friendship with Mikan.

The last time I saw her was New Year's Eve, although we last met several months ago, we still managed to talk to each other. She wasn't the same innocent Mikan I know - there was something in her that changed. She was always full of life, but now it seemed that life has managed to caught up to her.

As of this moment, I'm on my way to meet up with her. She told me she had something urgent and important to tell me. I am particularly worried with the news she was going to share with me.

-:-

It had been thirty minutes since I have arrived in the cafe we agreed to meet up in, but still there was no sign of her. My coffee was starting to lose its heat, but I wasn't worried about that. Each time the door's bell rang I kept on glancing, hoping to see a familiar face, but everyone in the room was a total stranger.

The next ring managed to calm my anxiety. Mikan was entering the door clasping a paper bag with her tiny arms. She greeted me with a smile and I showed her the seat across mine.

"Hey, long time no see!" she squealed in joy.

"True," I responded. "How have you been?"

She slumped into the couch and I began to suspect that the news wasn't good at all. She was very much different from the Mikan I last saw during New Year's Eve. The Mikan sitting in front of me right now gave off a vibe where she it life messed up her life. "I've been… busy." she replied casually as she shrugged her shoulders.

"With what?" I asked.

She bit her lips and paused before she gave out her answer. "You see, remember Natsume Hyuuga?"

Who wouldn't forget Natsume Hyuuga? The boy stood out ever since we were in elementary; one, because of his rare yet dangerous Alice and second, because of his darn 'good' looks. I couldn't fantom why Sumire Shouda ever had a huge crush on the guy. If it weren't for his annoying existence, I would have easily forgotten him.

"The kid who eats and breathes fire, yes. Why?"

There was another pause and I was afraid of what she was about to reply. She looked tense as if something out there was going to kill her. "Well," she started. "Fire boy knocked me up."

The words came in slow and it took me—could you believe it? The great Hotaru Imai!—ten seconds before I could process everything all at once. "I'm pregnant, Hotaru," she asserted. "And Natsume and me are going to get married soon."

"WHAT!" I cried while I stood up. My reaction caused my chair to scrape loudly, causing every head in the cafe to look at my direction. "You can't be serious! Hyuuga's not right for you, Mikan. He's the type of guy your mom would warn you about if she were still alive!"

"But Hotaru," she groaned. "He's changed. He's not the same boy back in college."

I scoffed in disbelief. "Yeah, right. He got you pregnant!" Mikan urged me to sit down once again. I couldn't even understand why I was so furious about her proclamation. Was it because I promised Yuka that I wouldn't let anything bad happen to her daughter or because I didn't like the idea that Hyuuga ruined my best friend's life by making her pregnant? Or was it because Mikan broke our vow to swear off dating bad boys? Or perhaps all three?

"I like, no scratch that," she said. "I love him, Hotaru. I know you guys barely talked during our entire duration back in school, but he really changed. He's not the old Natsume Hyuuga, you and I used to know."

I stared at my friend's belly, wondering how long will it be before the bulge would be seen by all. We were already in our 30s, so the idea of my best friend getting married and having babies should already be fine, but her husband and the father of the child was Lucifer. And the thought of Mikan becoming his love slave was horrifying.

I can't let my friend be fooled by this man.

"Okay, fine," I sighed. "I need to meet Hyuuga. All three of us in the room."

"Great!" she beamed a smile.

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes." I replied.

Natsume Hyuuga would not easily escape in my clutches. If he were going to be my friend's husband, some things have to be changed. He can't just come waltzing around in Mikan's life, get her to carry his spawnlings, and just go away that easily.

Oh, Hyuuga, you need to learn a thing or two from me.