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Two-faced Oxygen
"Oxygen is obnoxious but loved."
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"I hate science! I hate science! I HATE SCIENCE!" Mikan hollered angrily at the sky that rumbled like an empty stomach.
"Déjà vu, huh?" Hotaru smirked at the memory that had suspiciously seemed similar to this.
"Oh, why does Jinno-sensei have to be our maths teacher and our science teacher? That is against . . . against my rules!" Mikan cried.
"And what are those pathetic rules, may I ask?" She smiled toothily and held up a piece of paper that displayed messy, illegible writing.
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Rules of Mikan Sakura
1. No dissing cotton candy.
2. Do not mention the subjects maths or science whilst I'm in my happy time!
3. Natsume Hyuuga, if I catch you cheating on me, prepare your fire-breathing arse for a WHOOP!
4. No food stealing!
5. No stealing my cotton candy!
6. Talk lowly of my friends, then prepare your arses to be WHOOPED as well!
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Irritated, Hotaru said, "Idiot, you do know that rule number five belongs in the category of number four? And who would want to diss those disgustingly sweet cotton candy deserts? They're not worth the profanities that come out of our mouths."
Mikan stuck her tongue out playfully and then shouted to herself, "Mikan Sakura, you are one arse whopper!"
"It's whooper."
"Whatever! Anyways, I still hate science to bits! Can you shoot it for me, Hotaru?" Mikan begged with her irresistible puppy-dog eyes that sparkled with hope. "Better yet, tutor me for science! You didn't tutor me for maths last time, so help me with science!"
"I've got a better idea," Hotaru said as she promptly pulled out her baka-gun and aimed it straight at her best friend. "Say hi to your boyfriend for me, idiot."
BAKABAKABAKA
"HOTARU!" she screamed as she flew high in the air, bracing herself for the impact that was to come.
"Mph!" Instead, Mikan landed onto something too soft to be ground, but too hard to be a bed that could've magically appeared out of nowhere. "Ah! Is that you Koko?" Mikan squeaked, quickly pushing herself off the blonde. Koko coughed, dusting his pants as he struggled to get up.
"Yeah, sorry about that."
"Oh no! I must've weighed a tonne on you! I'm so sorry! Are you hurt?" Mikan frantically circled him, hazel brown eyes darting from one body part to another for anything abnormal. "I'm fine! What about you?"
"Oh, I'M SO MAD! I HATE SCIENCE, IT'S SO DARN CONFUSING I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE PERIODIC TABLE IS! ARGH! I HATE IT, I HATE IT! I HATE WHAT OXYGEN IS! IF OXYGEN NEVER EXISTED, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO HEAR JINNO-SENSEI'S OBNOXIOUS VOICE!" Mikan bellowed. She didn't notice Koko leave silently as she ranted on about her hatred for science.
"What's got your mouth blabbering so loud in the morning? And don't worry, I hate science too. If it weren't for oxygen, I wouldn't have to hear your voice," Natsumed sneered, jumping swiftly off a tree.
"Oh Natsume! You'll never believe what happened!"
"You failed Science?"
Mikan gasped and pointed a finger at him. "How did you know? Are you some sort of crazy psychic psycho?"
"Yeah, and I'm here to haunt your dreams," he said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"Whatever! Natsume . . . Can you do me a tiny little favour?" Mikan asked shyly, fidgeting nervously.
He raised a suspicious eyebrow at her and slowly said, "Depends on what it is, Polka."
Mikan knew what was to come, but after a long debate, she finally asked.
"CanyoupleasetutormeforScience?"
"No—" he said as soon as she had huffed out that sentence, "—but amuse me. How is that a tiny little favour? You'd probably need to attend to your needs in the toilet with the amount of water you drink daily, and I hate people who take breaks during tutor."
"Eh! WHY NOT? Please Natsume! Please, please, please, please, please—" she was quickly cut off as her boyfriend shoved in her face a familiar sheet with his neat writing shown.
"According to the fifth rule of Rules of Natsume Hyuuga dating Polka, it says that you are forbidden to ask me tutor you. So bad luck since you already know my answer," Natsume said.
"It doesn't say forbidden! All it says is "don't ask your boyfriend to tutor you. Ever," Mikan retorted.
"You are one stubborn little girl. If your tiny little brain didn't get it, it means—"
Mikan interrupted his teaching as she said, "I know what you mean by that forbidden stuff. What I meant was what if I'm not dating you anymore? That rule doesn't apply if I don't date you."
He glowered at her with his menacing ruby eyes and said, "You wouldn't dare."
"I just did," Mikan said as she tore the piece of paper in her ex-boyfriend's hands. As he watched the torn pieces of paper fall to the ground slowly, he glared bitterly at her one last time before turning on his heel. "Er . . . Did I just do what I just did?" Mikan asked herself, frightened of the answer.
"Wait Natsume!" was what she was about to shout to stop Natsume. But, seeing as stubbornness was clearly one thing Mikan was born with, she decided the better of it and stood uptight as she watched him walk away from their Sakura tree, from her. "Hmph! If Natsume insists on never tutoring me, then I'll just ask Tsubasa-senpai!"
Before Mikan could walk away and search for the said senpai, she realised her mistake ever since she broke up with Natsume.
Natsume still wasn't going to tutor her, even after the lousy threat. Aw, crud.
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Marching loudly towards Natsume, Mikan ignored the looks she received from the crowd in the cafeteria. "Natsume," she called out as she stopped behind his seat.
"Did you hear that?" He smirked, ignoring the girl who was twitching madly in anger.
"Natsume," she repeated.
"Oi Natsume, you better stop ignoring her. She looks boiling mad. What did you do this time, lover boy?" Koko teased.
"I broke up with her, that's all," Natsume said, shrugging.
"WHAT? I broke up with you! Your ego is so humungous, it disgusts me!"
"Flattered as usual."
"Ugh! Look, let's make a deal!"
"Not interested," he said and took a bite of his sandwich.
"Once I find a willing tutor who has the capacity to tutor me, I'll work hard for at least a B for the next upcoming science test. If I get lower than a B, then I have to – unfortunately – apologise to you for being such a cruel bi—female dog." Mikan huffed.
Natsume smirked and said, "What if you do get a B or higher?"
"You have to apologise for being such a kill joy and tutor me at least for one subject."
"Hn . . . No," he muttered as he pretended to think it through. Mikan smirked with an unfamiliar glint in her eyes.
"Oh my, is the Natsume Hyuuga scared? Well, I should've expected this. After all, you are a chicken," Mikan taunted.
"If I'm a chicken – which I am not – then you must be a burnt chicken with horrible aftertaste. And that's such a cliché threat," Natsume retorted, rolling his eyes.
"At least I'm woman enough to stand firm with this bet."
"You know what? I'll accept this little lame deal of yours since you're the one going to regret ever doing something stupid like this, Sakura," Natsume spat out.
"Nuh-uh. The only one regretting this is you, Hyuuga," Mikan said as she walked away.
"Ooh, last name terms! I like where this is going!" Koko cheered.
Pak! That was the sound of Sumire's whack on her boyfriend's head. "You're such a doofus, Koko."
"Both of you are." Natsume looked irritated as he watched the brunette walk away in frustration. Oh how fate loved toying with them.
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"Mission one, find Tsubasa-senpai!" Mikan ran around the academy, hopes high on finding the blue-haired teenager. "Aha! Misaki-senpai! Do you know where Tsubasa-senpai is?" she asked, walking towards the light pink-haired girl who seemed dazed.
"E-er, no! Sorry, you might want to check the library! That was where I last saw him," Misaki informed, eyes seeming distant and hazy with daydreaming.
"Oh thanks! See you later."
"Y-yeah." Mikan frowned at her absence in reality but shook the thought off. Sprinting towards the library, she spotted the teenager who was busy typing away. Mikan sneaked up on him and whispered, "Tsubasa-senpai, are you busy?"
"Ah! Crap, it's just you Mikan-chan. You scared me," Tsubasa exclaimed, jumping out of his chair.
"Shh!" the librarian hushed.
"Sorry! Tsubasa-senpai, are you busy?" Mikan urged.
"Er, no?"
"Good thing Misaki-senpai told me where you were. I wouldn't even think of coming to the library since you aren't much of a . . . studying person," Mikan confessed as her cheeks flared.
"Oh, okay— wait what? Did Misaki talk to you? What did she say?" Tsubasa shook her shoulders gently, eager for answers.
"She just said she saw you in the library where she last saw you, but she was acting a bit strange. Well, dazed and dreamy," Mikan explained.
"O-oh. What did you need, Mikan-chan?" he smiled charmingly and held out a hand which she took willingly.
"Well you see, I have a science test coming this Friday, and I was wondering if you could tutor me."
He chuckled and ruffled her hair teasingly. "Hmm, seems like you can't even ask your boyfriend, Hyuuga, to tutor you."
"Ex-boyfriend," Mikan corrected.
"Eh? I thought you guys were hitting off on a good start!" Tsubasa said, shocked.
"Yeah, but then Mr. Kill Joy decided to ruin our relationship by refusing to tutor me for at least two nights! I mean, if you can tutor me, why can't he?" Mikan pouted, tightening her grip on Tsubasa.
He chuckled again and mumbled, "I guess Hyuuga has his own ways. But aside from that, sure, I'll tutor you, Mikan-chan." Tsubasa winked playfully.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Mikan jumped up and down energetically in excitement. If I keep this up, I'll really whoop Natsume's arse! Mikan thought happily.
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THE MISSION THAT IS AWESOMELY POSSIBLE.
Mission one . . . find Tsubasa-senpai: ACCCOMPLISHED.
Mission two . . . beg and grovel on knees for Tsubasa-senpai to tutor me: ACCOMPLISHED.
Mission three . . . get a B or higher and own Natsume's butt with a WHOOP: IN PROGRESS.
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"Natsume, do you really think this is a good idea? Betting against Mikan-san?" Ruka asked defensively whilst petting his white furry rabbit.
"Is it forbidden of me to want to humiliate my ex-girlfriend, Ruka?" Natsume asked.
"Well . . . I wouldn't call it humiliating someone, but don't you think the winner of this bet is a bit predictable?"
"So technically, you're saying that idiot is going to achieve lower than a B?" Natsume raised his eyebrows.
"N-no! I m-mean, w-well—" Ruka stuttered but was cut off.
"This secret's kept safe with me. But remember when she got a B for that stupid fractions test? And that was mathematics. The idiot is probably being tutored by the other idiot, so the results may turn out unexpectedly," Natsume said.
"Hmm, that is true. She did well for that test, so who knows? But if you look at it in that perspective, why are you betting in the first place?" Ruka queried.
"Because I'm bored," he drawled.
"Not that, Natsume. I'm asking why you even agreed to this deal if you think that Mikan-san might actually get a B. You're not seen as a person to apologise to your ex-girlfriend for being such a 'kill joy' or even up to the extent to where you have to tutor the Mikan Sakura," Ruka said.
"You make it sound like the idiot has a good repute."
"Well, let's just say she's well-known for her adorable stupidity."
"Yes . . . adorable . . ."
"You know what I mean! And don't try to get yourself out of this, answer me!" Ruka brushed his golden bangs out of his eyes that twinkled in amusement.
"You'll find out soon enough, Ruka. I thought you were smart enough to figure out my motives," Natsume joked dryly.
"Yeah well, you're a hard nut to crack, you know?"
"What are you then? A soft nut with sugar sprinkled on top?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ruka asked, crossing his arms as the rabbit jumped on to his shoulder.
His best friend shrugged and said, "We're known to be the ridiculous best friends with opposite personalities and opposite girlfriends who – coincidentally – happen to have different personalities. So why should you not be soft when I'm hard?"
Ruka drew his head back and barked up a laugh. "That's true! We do have girlfriends who are best friends but their personalities differ. Well, my girlfriend and your ex-girlfriend," Ruka agreed.
"Shut it." Natsume turned away towards the school building, a plot forming in his head on how to rid himself of public chagrin.
"At least I didn't write in my Naruto diary plans on how to make my girlfriend, who is now currently my ex-girlfriend, jealous." As soon as Natsume had unravelled the meaning behind it, he turned around again and growled at his best friend who disappeared out of thin air.
"Ruka, you ass!"
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"Make your bets! Who's going to win this time? Natsume-kun or Mikan-san! Make your bets! Make your bets!" Kitsuneme shouted on the top of his lungs as Koko joined in.
"Kitsu, Koko! What on earth are you two doing?" Nonoko hissed, snatching the utensils they were holding.
"Hey! We just wanted to see everyone's perception on the deal between Natsume-kun and Mikan-san!"
"Stupid! Some of these people probably have no clue of who they are!" Nonoko scolded as Anna ran to her side.
"Yeah, but here's the catch: Who doesn't know them?" Koko said with a grin.
"For once, I have to agree with Koko here. I mean, Natsume-kun and Sakura are like, world-wide famous!" Sumire said.
"Of course you would agree with Koko, all, you are dating him!" Anna teased. Sumire's cheeks turned red from embarrassment but nonetheless ignored the goofy grins the twins had plastered on their faces.
"But anyhow, you still shouldn't be doing this, Kitsu! This is their privacy we're invading!" Nonoko sighed.
"If it was their privacy, then why did they both discuss it in public, eh?"
"I-I don't know! That's how they always argue! I still don't think it's a good idea!" Nonoko argued weakly.
"And why not, Nonoko?"
"I don't want my beautiful, luscious hair to turn into burnt ashes, thank you very much!" she snapped, frustrated.
"But Mikan-san can nullify it!"
"You never learn do you, Kitsu? Remember when Mochu accidentally lip-locked with Mikan-chan? The next morning, Mochu had accused Natsume-san for burning his . . . his . . . pubic hair since he had no hair!" Nonoko cringed at the memory.
"Yeah! And it wasn't pleasant, you can count on that!" Mochu screamed as he came out of nowhere.
The others shuddered as different scenes played in their heads. "Ew!" Sumire shrieked.
"So now you know why you should just mind your business?" Nonoko demanded. Before she could get an answer out of them, the two blonde teenagers ran for their life.
"Boys . . . When will they ever grow up?" Anna shook her head in dismay.
"Maybe Natsume-san has his reasons with agreeing to this deal," Nonoko said thoughtfully.
"What do you mean?" Anna asked.
"Isn't it a bit strange for him to agree to something quite . . . childish?" Nonoko wondered.
"True."
"But who knows. Maybe Natsume-san has his reasons."
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"Eh! But I hate oxygen!" Mikan complained.
"W-what?" Tsubasa looked surprised as his 'student' had just confessed an abnormal dislike towards something that every human needed. Even Hitler needed it.
"Isn't that a bit strange?"
"Well because of oxygen, Jinno-sensei has the capability of yapping like a constipated Chihuahua! Add this, minus this, measure this, yadidadida!" Mikan attempted to imitate Jinno's deep, baritone voice.
Tsubasa laughed at her effort and said, "Don't worry squirt. Even if the world is accompanied with oxygen, that doesn't mean it's going to be hell!"
"For me it is!"
"Well, your friends wouldn't be here without oxygen. Heck, you wouldn't be here if it weren't for oxygen."
"Well, I wish that oxygen would stop going through Jinno's nose!" She harrumphed and averted her eyes on the sheet displayed in front of her. "You know . . . what happened earlier this morning with Misaki-senpai?" Mikan eyed her tutor's expression as it turned from amused to one of grief.
"H-how'd you know about t-that?"
"Both of you were acting weird, duh!" she said as she threw her hands in the air. "I told her that I didn't—" Tsubasa took a deep breath, "—need her."
"Eh! Why did you say something like that, Tsubasa-senpai?" Mikan blinked in confusion.
He laughed cynically and said, "She was acting like my mother, and I told her I didn't need to be reminded of what I should be doing. Hence, I said something I regretted. But she's going to come back to me, right?" His voice sounded desperate and on the edge of hysteria.
"Tsubasa-senpai . . . I don't think Misaki-senpai will apologise to you this time. Maybe you're the one who's holding your friendship back," Mikan said and frowned at his now ragged appearance.
"What can I do?" he whispered in his hands.
She pondered on an answer for awhile before shouting, "Aha! I got it!" Tsubasa raised lifted his head up to look at her curiously.
"You said that we need oxygen, right?" His dark navy eyes widened and replied, "Yeah?"
Mikan nodded slowly and said, "Yeah? Do you know what I mean? Misaki-senpai, oxygen, need?"
"You really are a clone of Einstein, but this time, unique."
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Friday…
"Students, are you ready?" Jinno slammed his pointer stick on the desk to grab the distracted student's attention. "I don't care if you aren't. I'll be handing out your tests but I forbid you to start it until I say so," Jinno said gruffly, handing everyone the test papers.
"Ooh! I'm so excited," Sumire whispered in Wakako's ear sardonically. The two girls giggled but ceased as Jinno glared at them frighteningly. Mikan stifled a giggle at their fear and then focused her hazel brown eyes on the boy seated beside her.
"Natsume," she greeted sourly with a nod. Their eyes met for a second before he turned his attention elsewhere.
"Hyuuga, Sakura, if I hear or see any interaction between you two, I will not hesitate to punish you. It just so happened that I – sadly – handed Narumi the job to punish you two. In the end, he asked you both to 'play nice'," Jinno said sternly.
"Yes, yes, old man," Natsume muttered and waved him off curtly.
A vein popped out of Jinno's forehead, but ignored Natsume. "If I catch any of you students cheating, you will be severely punished! Time starts now!"
45 minutes later…
Yay! Finished, done, accomplished! Mikan thought contentedly. She stole a glance at the red-eyed boy and gaped as he was slouching lazily, staring at the clock intently as it ticked slowly, second by second. Time seemed to drag on ever since we had broken up, she thought sadly. Maybe I was better off him. Joking.
One week later…
"Wah! Yay! Yay! Yay!" Mikan bounced on her chair as she read the red capital letter B written on her test. "Hah! Beat that Natsume! You lose!" She pumped a fist in the air in victory, grin etched on her face. Natsume looked irritated as ever and grunted in disapproval.
Seconds later, a smirk descended on his face. "So, it is true," he said.
Mikan nodded eagerly and shouted, "Yup! I, Mikan Sakura, will whoop your arse!"
"Enough with the whooping, idiot," Hotaru mumbled, annoyed.
"No, you're never going to 'whoop' my arse. What I meant was that you really did pass."
"You sound surprised. Didn't think I would be able to make it through?"
"Yeah, cause you're a stupid girl," he sneered.
Mikan sniffed and said, "I'm hurt. Anyways, kneel before me and apologise, idiot!" She pointed at him demandingly as she stood on her desk.
He bowed mockingly and retorted, "Yes, thy majesty." As he walked closer towards her, he said in a matter-of-fact tone, "I apologise for being a kill joy."
"Not like that! I don't know if you got the deal, but you were meant to say it sincerely from the heart!" she screeched angrily.
Natsume looked at her and smirked. "You never mentioned that I had to do it sincerely. You were the one who was careless enough to even make a deal with me, idiotic Polka."
"NATSUME!"
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"Ah. Now I got it!" Ruka snapped his fingers.
"What?" Anna and Nonoko asked simultaneously.
"Why of course, the motive behind Natsume's reason for accepting the deal!"
"We're all ears!" Nonoko and Anna leaned in closer with their ears perking up suggestively.
As he covered his mouth to whisper secretly, he said, "He's waiting for Mikan-san to tell him another 'ridiculous' lecture on the subject! Remember how Mikan-san confessed to him by using common denominators?" They both nodded and he continued, "Well, he's waiting for another one!"
"Wow. That boy is smitten!" Anna squealed.
Ruka grinned smugly and turned to look at the couple through the green bushes. "You, Ruka Nogi, are one of a kind."
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"You know, I'm sort of grateful for oxygen. It's obnoxious because I have to hear Jinno-sensei lecture for hours and I have to hear the horrible things I don't really want to hear, but we can't help it. If it weren't for oxygen, we wouldn't be here on two feet." Mikan sighed. "In other words, I guess oxygen is two-faced. Oxygen is intolerable yet kind for letting us breathe. But anyways, I learnt something interesting from Tsubasa-senpai when he tutored me! Do you want to know?"
"Hn." Natsume flinched at the expected mention of his nemesis' name.
"You know how we all need oxygen to live?"
"Hn."
"Well basically, you're like my oxygen! I need you by my side, Natsume," she said as a graceful smile fell upon her features. "I'm glad we have oxygen because then I wouldn't have met you."
Unknown to the brunette, he smiled and thought in his mind, me too.
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How to make Mikan Sakura jealous
1. Eat cotton candy in front of her.
2. Talk to a girl like a civil person.
3. Suck a lollipop or smoke more than I kiss her. Who can't resist my lips?
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"Hey Natsume."
"Hn."
"Am I still your girlfriend?"
His lips tugged up as he said, "I don't know. Are you?"
"Yup!" With that, she tackled him down to the ground and kissed him with longing and passion.
Thanks to oxygen, I can breathe when I kiss. But sometimes when I'm around Natsume, I forget how to breathe, Mikan thought.
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"Oh no!" Kitsuneme and Koko ran in the classroom, panicking.
"What's up?" Yuu asked.
"NATSUME BURNED OUR . . . PUBIC HAIR!"
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THE MISSION THAT IS AWESOMELY POSSIBLE.
Mission one . . . find Tsubasa-senpai: ACCCOMPLISHED.
Mission two . . . beg and grovel on knees for Tsubasa-senpai to tutor me: ACCOMPLISHED.
Mission three . . . get a B or higher and own Natsume's butt with a WHOOP: ACCOMPLISHED. Sort of.
Mission four . . . get back with Natsume: ACCOMPLISHED.
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REVISED! but as I mentioned in my other revised fics, there's probably mistakes lying in here.
*sequel to Fractions.
~Joy.
