Chapter One
Opposites Attract
You will never realize
What darkness lies inside
Inside my mind _ My Mind's Eye, Sirenia
Mikan pulled at her dress uncomfortably, she had begged her mother to let her stay home with Narumi-chan, but her mother had said that this meeting was important, and besides, there would be other kids for Mikan to play with.
Mikan had just turned five two days ago, she should have been at home with her new toys, not in some stuffy old office building daycare while her mother and father talked about a "big business trip". She sighed as she looked around at the other kids, most of them were her age, five or younger, but some looked about ten or so.
She picked up a box of building blocks and put it on the ground in front of her, picturing a princess's castle in her mind as she placed two of the rectangle blocks together to form a foundation. She worked tirelessly until her tower was almost as tall as she was, and though it wasn't the silver castle that she had imagined in her head, it was big, and she could pretend. She stood back to survey her work.
BOOM the blocks tumbled down, scattering all over the carpet, her eyes widened in horror, a boy had destroyed her castle! She looked at the wreckage of her hard work with tears in her hazel eyes before turning her rage onto the offender.
The stupid boy was her age, he had black hair and brown eyes with a bizarrely red tint to them, his hands were shoved in his pockets and he looked utterly remorseless and uncaring.
"Why'd you knock down my castle?" she asked, glaring at him and stepping forwards. The boy looked at her, as if noticing her for the first time. He shrugged his shoulders and yawned.
"I worked hard on that!" Mikan exclaimed.
"So?" said the boy disinterestedly,
"You can just build it again," he turned around and began to walk off but Mikan grabbed his shirt sleeve and he turned his head.
"You have to help me! Help me rebuild it!" she said, he shrugged out of her grasp and glared at her.
"Do it yourself," Mikan felt tears fill her eyes and she opened her mouth and began to wail loudly. All eyes were on them and the boy was getting nervous, she cried louder, covering her eyes with her hands.
"Shut up, shut up!" he said, spinning around and gripping her by the shoulders shaking her a little. She didn't stop crying, in fact she only sobbed louder.
"Alright!" he hissed letting her go and sitting down with a huff, he picked up two blocks.
"I'll help you build your stupid castle,"
XxXx
Together Mikan and the boy surveyed the new castle; it was better built than before, sturdier and more graceful. The boy had added a slightly masculine touch however; building a watch tower and lining it with action figures to "protect the princess"
Mikan had hated the boy, but before she knew it they were having fun, even he had to chuckle a little as they played together.
"What's your name?" Mikan asked as she dug through the box of Barbie dolls, trying to find a doll that was suitable to be the princess of their magnificent castle.
"Natsume," he said in a bored voice, but his eyes were amused, he had already picked out the "prince" who was a batman figurine, much to Mikan's disappointment. She had wanted him to pick a Ken doll, but he had refused, saying it was much too girly.
"What's yours?"
"Mikan," she said, finally picking out the princess, a typically blonde doll, but she had pink streaks in her hair and she looked graceful, unfortunately she was also naked, so Mikan had to dig around once again to find an outfit suitable for her. There couldn't be a naked princess.
Once all was finished the game could begin, and Mikan started by putting the Barbie by the tower.
"I'll be trapped by the guards of the tower, and you have to save me, okay?" she said, stroking the doll's hair. Natsume rolled his eyes but complied, in ten minutes all of the guards were dead (some of them decapitated) and batman had finally reached Barbie who had begun to have a tea party while she waited to be rescued.
"I found you!" Batman exclaimed, whooshing next to Barbie and knocking over the tea table.
"You're free!"
Natsume grinned at Mikan, and she felt her cheeks heat up, he was cute, for a stupid, mean boy. His own cheeks darkened under her gaze and he coughed, looking briefly puzzled.
"Lets get married!" said Mikan, making Barbie jump with each word. Natsume made Batman move, but his eyes stayed on hers.
"Yeah," he said, dropping the figurine and taking her hand in his, his eyes were serious, as serious as a boy of five's eyes could be.
"When we grow up, we should get married," he said sticking out his pinky. Mikan was even redder now, but she slid her finger around his and shook it.
"Okay then, Natsume, when we grow up…we'll get married,"