In which the whole middle school division students kept on asking one another why the hell Natsume wears a black cat costume every Halloween party.
"Because Cullen dude is a big hit, Natsume made a style on how to seduce women-in his very own way." –Koko
Case Unclosed
Curtains kept on flying within the same radius where it is located. Windows kept on banging the metal holder. Candle lights kept on changing directions alternately-left then right. Droplets of water from the fence kept on falling soundly on the tiled surface of the lavatory.
Footsteps kept on getting louder by the second as seven pairs of foot stopped in the middle of a room with an open door.
And the room occupier knows nothing about it. Even one bit.
The one who's leading the way walked inside first, followed by her comrades and classmates from the middle school division, ready to invade the privacy of the owner of the room.
Once the last student had closed the door, the group settled on the wooden texture of the floor, forming a circle shape. And before anything else, a blond guy stood up, walked into the middle and set another lighted candle, before walking and sitting back at his place.
"So…"
Their leader spoke up; her deep-colored irises reflected the light of the fire on the candle. Everyone turned their attention to her, even the sleepiest guy among them.
"…I take it that everyone's here."
"Except for the idiot." Green eyes stared at their leader, and when she didn't even receive a reply, she diverted her attention to her newly-manicured nails, with floral designs printed on it. The guy beside her yawned and looked around him. Everyone is so damn keen at his buddy's personal issue. He didn't want to go initially, because he had a lot of sleep to catch up on, and his best friend isn't helping either. She warned him actually.
She warned him that she would smudge his face with her wet, polished nails. And there's something more to that sentence of the cat-dog woman he knew since childhood.
Furthermore, another buddy of his threatened him to air the biggest humor of his life if ever he didn't cooperate. And that is what he is exactly doing right now.
The girl beside him looked all excited as she brought out her mini pink notebook and pen with feathery design stuck out at the end point of it, scribbling randomly like the times when she's thinking of creating a new recipe-not that she's not great in making a unique one.
Another girl beside her who's biting her nails looked around frantically, hoping and praying that he wouldn't get back home-yet. She loves her life, more than the formulas of medicine to fight Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and no way would he let her classmate; the most dangerous person she ever met would end her dream of becoming a chemist. But for now, she dreams of having someone spare her scary butt.
The guy next to her looked indifferent. One second, he was watching the latest episode of The X Factor USA, and was daydreaming of seeing and joining The X Factor Japan, but no. His nightmare had to come in the form of their leader, when in fact he was supposed to be the one making orders… because damn, he's the president of their academy, hence, the student council.
The third guy merely slumped on his seat, the next one in which their leader is sitting with her legs crossed in the style of an Indian's. He, the supposed-to-be the most unaffected of the seven of them, remained impassive, calm and collected, although he's pushing aside the thoughts of what might be the pros and cons of these things they are doing. And heck. He was totally expected to act like that, because for once, she threatened him.
With his pictures: girly pictures.
Damnation.
Next to him is the sole reason of this dilemma: the proclaimed Ice Queen, Money Freak and Blackmail Guru. She is serious. They are all damn it is hell when she is serious.
So… they acted all serious.
"Well, since Mikan isn't here, let's go back down to business, shall we?"
All of their heads nodded in approval, and the host looked at the notepad the cooking girl is holding.
As if on cue, the pink-haired girl nodded and smiled.
"As all of you know…"
She paused dramatically and her gaze roamed around the dark room-not because the owner wants it unlighted, but because they ran out of the academy is taking long time to fix that. Her friends' eyes followed her gaze, and truly, the owner is more capable of thinking over things in this kind of dim-lit room, where silence and serenity immensely shout. And of course, they knew him better than that.
But she, out of all the room occupiers knows him the best.
"…Hyuuga won't be back until tomorrow, the day of our party. And you must be wondering why I gathered you here, right inside his room."
Hell they know. Imai Hotaru was brave enough to organize a meeting in this time of the night, when all the faculty staffs and robot guardians could be roaming around now, in Hyuuga Natsume's room, no less.
Her guy slash no. 1 subject in terms of blackmailing raised his hand.
"Yes Nogi?"
He fought the urge to shout at her because well, she's his girlfriend, and it would be a bad thing if he gets away from her side. Her eyebrows practically rose by itself and Ruka knows. He knows that it was one of her ways of saying, 'be intimidated'.
Still, he swallowed a good amount of his saliva, and shook his head when he found her reaching for her trustworthy deer- or is it the horse hoof glove? Well, either way, he knows that it will never do any good when having contact with his face.
Again, her attention turned to the listening, obedient 'friends' of hers.
They are doomed, totally whipped and wretched.
Once that silence overcame them, she spoke in a calm but authoritative voice.
"As I was saying, I called you here to ask for your opinions with our subject right now. Fan girls kept on sending me emails with-"
"Emails? I thought we do not have electronic school materials here?"
The bespectacled guy blocked her view of the others, raising both of his hands.
"We do. But only those who are authorized use it, in other words, faculty members."
The representative sighed and went back to his seat. She continued.
"Some students managed to purchase a notepad I just launched a few days ago, but the prototype I provided them was more of a test. I got the school's permission, mind you."
She added the last sentence when they all looked at her suspiciously. It was true that communication device isn't formally allowed inside the academy, unless they undergo a very sensitive and serious situation. One example would be that time when Natsume was kidnapped few years ago.
Besides, the notepad communication she just created was made for students to interact with other students inside the academy. Plus, it has a tracker, and it is banned during examinations.
"I made that for a good purpose, and good roll of money."
They knew it.
"A week ago, they complained as to why in the world Hyuuga wears the same costume every Halloween party. You guys noticed that as well."
True. They noticed it too. At first, it was quite a surprise when they saw him- the Hyuuga Natsume people admired and worshipped standing on his feet in all his glory, staring at them with a nonchalant expression, then walking gracefully towards his friends' tables, including the seven people who are holding a private conference inside his sanctuary. And the odds? He was wearing a black shirt and black pants.
The most jaw-dropping part of the picture?
He was wearing a black shirt and black pants- with a pair of cat's ears and tail.
"It was a good start for money that time, but it turned annoying every year he wears that. And as I have said, fan girls are now complaining about his atrocious choice of outfit. And the status of money on my chart isn't getting high at all."
They all sighed. Once she rambled about the loss of her money, she'll be pissed to no end.
"That's why we gathered tonight. First, I'd like to ask you your opinions to suggest a different costume, and then I'll ask senior Misaki to arrange it for us. Anna will list all of your ideas."
She looked at the latter and nodded. The said woman raised her thumbs up and smiled.
"So… what do you say, Shouda?"
Green-haired Shouda Sumire flicked and removed imaginary dirt inside her nails, then looked at their leader, shrugging and tending back to her nails.
"Well, I cannot answer that. As a former president of the Natsume-Ruka fan club…"
At this, she earned a hard stare from the girl next to her, and she immediately lifted up both of her hands in defense. The guy involved shook his head in amusement but halted when he saw her reaching for her hoof-gloves for the second time.
"Hey that was before. What I was saying is that, I know nothing about what costumes would look good on him."
Imai Hotaru's eyes narrowed at her direction.
"And you, among us here have the best opinion with regards to that matter. You said yourself that you were a fan of…"
She paused, looking vehemently at the blond, sweating guy beside her.
"…theirs. During those years, you are saying that you never noticed any style that might fit in their category, which is, I quote from the idiot, 'hot'?"
Feeling offended by her accusation, she stood up.
"Hey! Are you trying to tell me that I lack observation skills?"
Hotaru huffed and gestured her hand in a shooing stance. Sumire sat down again and stared at her friend.
"I'm just saying that because I was Natsume's-"
"You dropped the fan girl's honorifics."
"I dropped it. Well, anyway, as I was saying, because I was his fan girl, I thought everything that he wears is appealing enough to turn every girl's heads in his direction."
Everyone looked at her.
"What?"
Anna smiled and scribbled on the notepad, then paused and took a look at Sumire who's looking at her with a raised brow, while she, played with her pen.
"I thought you were over him? And please, your boyfriend is brimming with jealousy inside, Sumi."
The guy in between Sumire and Anna snorted.
"As if."
And he just earned himself a loud whack.
Hotaru sighed and looked at Sumire once again before taking a glance at her glove that spells danger.
"Well, as you said that you are over him, isn't it necessary that we're expecting you to answer a different and decent one- not a fan girl's?"
Everyone nodded their heads except for the accused green-haired lass.
"Right. A fan girl's view of things is completely different from an ordinary girl who does not give a damn about Hyuuga…"
Again, she looked at the guy beside her.
"…and Nogi."
And again, they nodded in approval, except for the two accused students.
"Maybe, an aftershock of being a fan girl."
And Koko yet again, was whacked on his head.
"Well, truly I say to you, that that was my view. Anyway, Natsume looks good on everything, especially that black shirt and pants."
Hotaru snorted and the others exchanged knowing glances. This is what Hotaru is waiting for, complete entertainment from the cat-dog predisposition woman also known as Shouda.
"And you are not a fan girl?"
"As much as I hate to admit it, I am not a fan girl. Thank you very much."
The leader shrugged, and looked at the guy next to Sumire: Yome Kokoro.
"What can you say about this matter Koko, other than the case of your girl as a 'former' fanatic of the duo?"
As expected, he grinned and shook his head, arousing the exclusive topic of theirs in his buddy's, his very own buddy's room. Though he knows that he'd get his ass burned by tomorrow, well, why not give it a shot as his last achievement? After all, messing with the life of Hyuuga Natsume is like kicking the butt of Jinno-sensei, or successfully climbing that asset of Nepal. But, it is also like meeting Pikachu face to face and encountering an avalanche- from the asset of Nepal.
Koko knows that he had already wasted a good twenty seconds time thinking of those things, and Hotaru's time is precious. It is either he'll pay, or he'll speak now.
And he's choosing the latter.
"Well, Natsume and I are both man, so I guess yeah. He really looks good on black."
He doesn't remember everything he said right from the time he set his foot in this room this time of the night, but he just ignored the clanking sound of a pen having contact on the wooden floor. He looked at them. And their faces are priceless. Koko scratched his head and picked up the pen that rolled near him, and threw it back at Anna, who, at this situation is still staring at him with wide eyes.
Even Ruka, Sumire, Nonoko and Yuu are looking at him with surprised expression.
And only Hotaru is not having a predicament at what he just had declared. She isn't affected. She doesn't give a damn.
And damn, he's thankful for that.
Because you're sure in uptight situation if ever an Imai takes an interest in your interesting situation. And senior Subaru is the seco- third person you should not mess with, unless you want to experience all the pain of cancer and Human Immunodeficiency Virus patients that they've been- well, experiencing.
Of course Natsume is still on the top list.
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
Hotaru closed her eyes and massaged her temples.
"No. Shouda, you are mistaken on choosing this guy for a boyfriend."
"I think so too."
Now that hurt.
"What? I am just telling you that I might know Natsume's taste because, you see, I am friends with him and Ruka for so long."
"The more I think that my suspicions are right."
Hotaru looked at him nonchalantly.
Oh hell.
And here he thought she didn't give a damn.
"I am not a gay!"
Nodding to say that she was convinced, Hotaru looked at Anna and eyed her to face her notepad, in which she received an instant nod.
"Guys, we've been together for what? More than ten years? And you know as well as I do that I hang out with Natsume and the company most of the time. In fact, I already saw him wearing a pink polka-dotted box-"
Ruka stood up and clamped Koko's mouth in a swift movement before turning back to Hotaru with a frantic smile.
She glared at the animal guy before looking back at Koko.
"Continue."
After Ruka had released him, he sighed and straightened his shirt down.
"Well, I am saying… I saw Natsume wearing a pink polka-dotted boxer. So I am aware of his fashion sense, Hotaru. Trust me."
All eyes landed on him, as if he had said something horrible again.
"What now?"
Hotaru shook her head and sighed.
"Do you think pink and black clash at all? What are the chances that hello kitty and batman are now friends on Facebook?"
"Uhh…"
He swallowed his saliva and looked at everyone who's looking back at him, only a bit intense. He sat back, but they leaned forward. And that's not a comfortable position, he assures.
"…homonyms of their kinds?"
For the third time, he received a whack.
"Shut up before this deer touch your face, Koko."
In defense, he stood up.
"But I am telling you the truth! Isn't it good to know that Natsume has also his soft side?"
"No, and it disgusts me, Yome. So again, shut up."
He slumped down and crossed his arms.
"Well, at least he's not playing the role of that glittery vampire."
Anna butted in. This time, all eyes turned to her.
"Yes?"
Koko snorted and Ruka merely smirked. Yuu looked at her with wide eyes, not even completely recovered from Koko's declaration of his 'manliness'.
"Huh! I say that Natsume is cleverer."
Hotaru raised her eyebrow at him.
"And why is that?"
Koko shrugged.
"Because Cullen dude is a big hit, Natsume made a style on how to seduce women-in his very own way. That's why he wears black. And black is sexy, isn't it?"
He doesn't remember everything he said right from the time he set his foot in this room this time of the night, but he just ignored the stinging pain he felt from being kissed by Hotaru's deer- or is it horse hoof glove?
Either way, he shut up and listened to the opinions of his friends.
"Well…" Anna started, "…Natsume's trademark is black cat, and I know he fits that character very well. Cats are mysterious, and so is Natsume."
A few nodded their heads: namely, Sumire and Koko.
Hotaru tapped her finger on the floor, waiting more explanation from the cooking lass.
"Uhh… besides, kitty and scary sound the same."
Without acknowledging her answer, Hotaru turned to Nonoko.
"Well… Hotaru… just like Anna said, isn't Natsume scary and mysterious? He acts like a cat. He runs too fast, he jumps too high. So, I don't see any reason why we need to think of another outfit for Natsume."
Yet again, she didn't answer.
The guy beside her pushed his eyeglasses upwards, and smiled apologetically at Hotaru.
"It's his nickname, right Hotaru?"
Obviously, Hotaru is too pissed at the answers she just received from the other two members of the 'geeky sisters', and their president. And if ever, I repeat, if ever this last guy agrees, she was sure he'll castrate him until he will never be able to produce little bundle of joys.
How she loved that.
This time, eyes looked at the last guy.
"Nogi."
Poor, poor, Ruka. The guy who's the closest to possibility of having his, ahem… thing being cut.
"Uhh…"
He paused longer, staring at his girlfriend with looks of asking for sympathy.
But, he knows. Ruka knows.
It is just too impossible to ask any help from her, when she's the one who set him in this situation with permanent glue.
"…uhh…"
Still, he paused, and eyed his friends who are now looking at him in deep sympathy.
"…Natsume loves Sanrio characters?"
Note to self: Never sit beside Hotaru when she asks for opinions… especially, if all answers are the same.
Case Unclosed
Loud sounds kept on echoing on the auditorium. Candle lights kept on dancing because of someone's alice. Students kept on dancing on the floor.
On a certain table, six students are munching with their food on the plate, not totally caring about the others who had asked them to join them in trick-or-treat-ing their teachers and principals.
On the left side, Nonoko sat elegantly with a pink wig and headband and pink Chinese dress with slits on both sides. Anna, who's next to her, is wearing a tall witch hat and beside her is a broomstick she borrowed from Usami Wakako during their Alice festival just a week ago. On the other hand, Yuu has eyeglasses stuck up with a big nose and moustache. Ruka is wearing an owl's mask. He said it was to make him more mysterious, but the six of his friends knows that he's covering the vast red mark on his left cheek. Hotaru is on her Robin Hood suit, and just like the character she portrays, she keeps on stealing shots of her boyfriend. Beside her is Mikan who is eating without paying attention around her. She's wearing a My Mello costume which she picked from central town with Hotaru yesterday.
And the others are off to the dance floor, including Youichi, Aoi, Misaki, Tsubasa and the rest of 3rd year class 2 students.
But still…
The door of the academy's auditorium opened, catching everyone's attention as they looked at the last- the very last student who entered the place of their Halloween party.
And just as before, everyone gasped. Some shouted. Some cursed. Some just stared.
And only one continued to delve into the sweetness of howalon.
Before she could take another bite, a hand stopped her.
She looked up and she smiled with glee.
"Natsume!"
Everyone gasped even more as the brunette hugged the most dangerous person they ever met- there, in all his glory, is Natsume standing, with his shirt and pants.
And the odds?
He's standing with his shirt and pants- his pink shirt and pink pants.
The most jaw-dropping part of the picture?
He's wearing cat's ears: pink cat's ears, with small white tail.
Hotaru smirked and walked towards them with an elegant pace.
"I take it that you gave up on the mysterious effect, Hyuuga."
He stared at her and merely smirked.
"I am Hello Kitty, Imai."
Everyone's jaw truly dropped, and not long after, girls started to pull Hotaru and asked for a picture: a rare picture of Natsume in Hello Kitty's costume.
Hotaru smirked.
'Hyuuga sucks.'
Case Unclosed
Much, much later, at a fully-lit room.
Two figures face each other, and then the brunette grinned.
"I see that you followed my wish, Natsume."
He gave her a crooked smile as he pulled her towards him in the bed.
"Why? Isn't it good that you found me sexy and seducing in black? If it isn't for you, I would've given up the idea a long time ago."
"But you love me."
She placed a pout on her lips. And he found it very seducing.
And when he's getting seduced by Mikan, he's starting to love it.
And she hates it.
"I love you."
She smiled.
"I love you too."
"So…"
He smirked at her, discarding her clothes little by little.
"…shall we start?"
Mikan stood up and crossed her arms.
"Now?"
"Now. You promised me this every year, and this year is special because one, I just came from a mission, and I need relaxation. Two, I wore a clothing that would much likely hurt my ego, but because I love you so damn much, I agreed. Three, you love me, and four, we love each other."
Little by little, his pink costume is also being removed from him, revealing his black shirt and pants, which Mikan found really sexy… and seducing.
And in a click, his once fully-lit room turned into darkness, and as the moon shone above, no one noticed how two shadows became one.
In your damn face, Imai.
Case Finally Closed
Typed on: October 19, 2011
1:52 am
Posted on: October 30, 2011
Author's notes: I hope I didn't ruin Natsume's reputation.
Oh, wow. This plot just came rushing in my head because of the season- yep, Halloween.
Because black cat is one of the feared creature here on earth (uhh… bad luck? That rhymes), I immediately thought of Natsume. And I totally wonder if he joins Halloween parties, rather, if Alice academy celebrates Halloween. And dear friends, just to remind you, I don't really read GA manga.
Anyway, that 'homonyms of kinds' Koko stated is well, cat and bat.
And! I strictly say that I do not, did not, and never will own Higuchi Tachibana's great anime/manga Gakuen Alice, nor the things that are not associated with this anime (especially, Pikachu).
Ah, and belated happy birthday Hotaru-chan!
Well, have a happy Halloween everyone!
(Huwag ninyong pansinin yung nagtext sa inyo ng message na may katabi kayo sa pagtulog. Putol kaya kamay nun! :D)
(I-co-cosplay ko si Astroboy. Haha. )
-Erieh Yamazaki