Hyuuga Natsume, age twenty-four. A respected architect in the city of Tokyo, Japan. Known to be very hard-working, and does not allow himself or his co-workers to get distracted from their duties and plans, because he doesn't see the reason why.

Wednesday, 1st December, 2011, 10:30 p.m.

Oh, shit.

I sprinted down the concrete flight of steps towards the waiting train, my blueprints in hand. I felt the rough tag of my stiff suit jacket itch my neck, but I ignored it and dashed towards the closing doors of the nearest carriage. I successfully slipped between the two doors, and they conjoined as soon as I made it inside. Sighing in relief, I made my way to one of the empty seats and slumped in it, exhausted from my run. I had lost my driver's license last week, so the only way to travel to and from my workplace was by train.

Who knew it was so bothersome? Especially on my birthday.

As I removed my itchy jacket, I looked around the carriage, which happened to be almost empty due to the late time. When I turned my head to the side, a woman my age caught my eye.

Not just a woman - the most beautiful woman I had ever seen in my twenty-four years.

Her chestnut brown hair hung low to her waist, and she was wearing a white, semi-formal long sleeved dress that ruffled just above her knee, giving her image a pure, modest look. She was staring at the screen of her phone with sad, chocolate brown orbs. I felt myself wondering what in the world was upsetting her, and I couldn't draw my eyes away from the mesmerizing female. She looked up from her phone, snapping it shut, and she caught myself staring at her, causing her to turn directly to me.

The attractive chocolate pools were now absorbing my attention full force - I could read her independence, intelligence and hope from just glancing at her eyes. I fought back a blush, I had never experienced such a feeling from a girl. She smiled at me like an angel, baring her straight, white teeth.

"Hello. Do you need anything?" What a heavenly voice, I thought to myself. I gulped, unable to take this encounter.

"Sorry about staring… I mean… hi." I gave up with my explanation, and to my shock she started giggling at my effort. She looks so different when she's happy…

"You're funny. I'm Mikan." She moved to the seat next to me and shook my hand gleefully. I felt myself smile weakly.

"Natsume." Her eyes widened with surprise, and I cocked an eyebrow at her expression.

"Your name's Natsume? As in the Hyuuga Natsume?" So she's heard of me. I nodded once, and her mouth almost hit the floor. I was amazed at the amount of interesting expressions this girl had. She held my hand tightly between hers, and I was shocked from this sudden movement.

"I'm a big fan! I love your architectural designs, they're so wonderful!" I felt happy that Mikan liked my designs as an architect, and I felt my face and heart warm up from the physical contact of our hands. I looked up at her face, and I saw that there was a flush on her cheeks too, and she nervously let go of my hands and placed her own in her lap.

"S-Sorry about that… I got a bit excited, I guess…" Her embarrassed face is funny, too.

"What are you doing here at such a late time? Aren't you scared of… what's out there?" I internally smacked myself, realizing that I could be unintentionally referring to myself. Not that I was a pervert, of course.

"I needed some air, and my uncle's picking me up from the station I'm getting off at, so it's all good." She assured him with a thumbs-up. "What about you?" I sighed in frustration.

"Had to work late. On my birthday, nonetheless."

"Eh? That seems unfair…" She looked down as if it was her fault, but as quick as her reaction then, her head snapped up and her face presented me with a hundred watt smile. "Happy Birthday!"

It was the first time today that anyone had wished me a happy birthday with so much care and enthusiasm. It made my heart warm up to the fullest.

"Thanks… Mikan." I choked out her name, and she turned her head in embarrassment, a light flush of her cheeks.

God, what did I do to meet such a wonderful girl? Because I'm relieved about it.

"So…" I attempted to start a new topic of conversation. I didn't want to stop talking to her. "What do you do?"

"I'm a head chef, majoring in citrus fruit design." I cocked an eyebrow at her unusual major.

"Citrus fruit design? I've never met a chef who focuses on that." Mikan started to twiddle her thumbs nervously, as if she was about to confess something important.

"You know, the complementary use of lemons, limes, oranges, and I also like using mandarins. I've always liked the strong, sour taste of citrus fruits… I guess I really like the fact that oranges either make you squint or pleasure the taste, depending on what your mouth tastes like before you eat them. My mother loved them… that's why she called me Mikan - she believed that a child's name shouldn't mean anything too sour, since a birth should be pure and sweet, no matter what the circumstances." I could tell by the hint of emotion in her hazel orbs that she held pure admiration for her mother and her beliefs, but I noticed that she said loved, not love. I wondered if she was… deceased, but I decided not to butt in to her family affairs.

"That's a really interesting insight. I've never actually considered thinking about foods this thoroughly. You already know that I'm an architect." Something seemed to catch Mikan's eye, and I followed her eyes to the blue roll lying next to him.

"Do you want to see them? They're the blueprints for the new building of mine." She nodded vigorously, and I couldn't help but huff in humour at her response. I handed the roll to her immediately.

"Why did you become an architect?" She asked curiously as she slipped off the elastic band holding the blueprints together.

"There really isn't much of a valid reason except for enjoying it. It gives me great pleasure to design something that the whole city would be able to use. My mind's usually jam packed with ideas… but I'm still not finished fully with this one… even though the building is almost done." Mikan was now staring intently at the main blueprint of the dome.

The building was nameless. The top right hand corner of the building was blank. Mikan smoothed her fingers over the gap.

"Why is this part…?" I scratched the back of my head.

"I don't know what to put there. I can't leave it as it is, because it would remain a boring, regular dome." She smirked at my reply.

"I'm guessing you really like irregularity, right?" I was about to refute, but the more I thought about her question, the more I realized it was true. I leaned back in the hard train seat as she analysed my blueprint further.

"You know what would be really cool? If you put..." I simply stared at the girl with confusion. "Oh, um… don't worry…" I was about to convince her to tell me her idea, but unfortunately I was interrupted.

"We have now arrived in XXX Station." The train's intercom echoed through the empty carriage, and the doors of the train opened with ease. Mikan started gathering her things quickly, seeming in a hurry.

"Crap… I gotta go, nice meeting you, Natsume!" She called as she ran out of the train. I attempted to stop her, but the doors closed in front of me.

Shit… I forgot to ask her for her number.

I groaned and put my face in my hands. Why was I so utterly stupid?

"Mikan." I simply said, feeling happiness as I spoke the name of the girl who had touched my heart.

Wednesday, 8th December, 2011, 11:00 a.m.

I was out of it. Enough said.

And I was plenty aware that my co-workers knew too, hearing them gossip about me.

"Hey, have you seen Hyuuga-san these past few days?"

"I know, right? He's been sitting at his desk all day, eating mandarins… it's like he's addicted to them."

"Maybe he broke up with his girlfriend?"

"No way, I heard he's single. Maybe it's something like family issues."

"Man… how boring. But it is weird that the usually determined Hyuuga Natsume is this zoned out."

Sigh. I really need to get back on track.

"Hyuuga? Can I talk to you in my office?" My boss, who was the famous architect Yukihara Izumi, called out to me, preventing me from breaking open another mandarin. Great, I know what he's going to ask.

I followed him to his office at the end of the hall, and complied when he told me to sit down. He was staring at me, looking concerned.

"I've noticed that you haven't been working well lately. Is there a matter that you would like to discuss with me?" I hesitated, and decided that my personal issues shouldn't interfere with my work.

"Just family matters, but they're being settled as we speak." I smoothly lied to him, and he nodded, seemingly unsure whether to accept my reply or to investigate further.

Seems that he chose the former option.

"Okay then, but will you promise me that you will further concentrate of the construction of the dome? It's still incomplete, right?"

"Yes, but the main building has been fully built. I only need to sort out the corner ornament and the name of the dome. It probably will be finished within three weeks." He smiled approvingly at my explanation.

"Very good. You may leave now." I stood up from the chair and was about to exit until he stopped me.

"Wait, one more thing. I'll give you some advice. If something's bothering you in any way, I suggest you go find it as soon as possible, unless it endangers your life, of course." I nodded once, and turned to leave his office.

I wonder why he told me that… maybe he noticed I was lying… I considered as I entered my own office and walked swiftly toward my desk, where the incomplete blueprint lay.

As I started to sketch the ornament on the blueprint, I had decided what to do for the other matter.

I was going to find Mikan, before the grand opening of my dome.

A/N: Hey guys, and thanks for reading Part One of my three-shot! If you haven't heard of me, or read any of my stories, I am winwin, a Gakuen Alice lover, of course, and I'm currently writing the Gakuen Alice fic Black Met White. A movie I watched years ago inspired me to write this one, and I really would love some feedback on it - good or bad, I don't mind, I'd love it either way.

I'll probably update a more dramaful chapter in two days time.