A/N: I actually wrote this story a long time ago, and I wrote this before another author who countered it with Natsume's POV (this story is in Mikan's POV).

s/8115161/1/Dream-Girl - Here's the link to read another perspective of it if you'd like.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story and ideas.

R&R and enjoy!

Stranger

Sometimes, the best people you could ever meet are those you pass by without even giving them a second glance. I found that out when it happened to me once, but after passing by that person a variety of times, I took the time out to actually get to know that person, and let me just tell you one thing.

He became the most important person in my life.

'I'm late again!' I thought as I quickly ran out of my house, locking it and running to the elevator. I was passing well in life for a freelance writer, living alone in a one-bedroom apartment and going about my life as a lively single woman. Oh, the bliss of loneliness.

As I ran down the sidewalk, a mysterious figure passed by me. Have I seen him somewhere before? I stopped and looked back, seeing his retreating figure blend away with the crowds of people.

I shrugged nonchalantly before running like a mad woman to my publishing company, shouting out "taxi!" only to be ignored by the hideously colored vehicles.

I walked into the coffee shop and took a seat next to the window, ordering a hot chocolate. The wind was picking up and it was beginning to feel like it was below freezing point outside. Fall was just a stepping-stone to winter, which is going to be hectic if I planned to walk everywhere in high heels.

When my hot chocolate came, I drank it and sighed as the warmth spread throughout my body. That really hit the spot.

Opening my laptop, I waited for it to start up by looking out the window as the wind carried away stray papers and plastic bags with it. I blew on my hot chocolate to cool it down a bit, and vaguely saw a dark figure pass by the window.

Everything went in slow motion as I glanced to the side to see him walk by. He was tall, somewhat toned under his jacket, his hair reaching the sides of his face was raven colored, and he looked down solemnly as if he carried the burden of the world over his shoulders.

I stared after his retreating back once again, feeling a sudden shiver run up my spine. I clutched my coat around me tighter, and then suddenly sparked an idea. My fingers never once stopped banging over the keyboard to the point that the manager had to ask me to leave since it was closing time by the time I realized that I was still in the café.

I walked in the rain, my red umbrella over me. I hung my head low as I tried to hold the tears in. My editor hated my latest works. He said I was losing my touch, and if I didn't get my act together, he was going to fire me. I choked on my tears as I tried to hurry down the sidewalk without slipping on the wet pavement.

I looked up and suddenly saw him again. He was walked toward me, obviously not right at me, but to pass by me. My heart suddenly raced nervously, and I didn't even know why. What was going on? I gulped and tried to walk normally, but my legs suddenly felt very weak. I tried to urge myself forward, and so I went on automatic mode.

My legs walked on their own accord. As I walked by him, I got a scent of fresh wet peppermint mixed with a strong scent of coffee. He passed by me without his steps ever faltering, and continued walking away.

I slowly looked back and watched his retreating back. His raven hair was wet and covered his face, so I couldn't see him properly, his black leather jacket was his only guard from this crazy wind and freezing rain, and his black umbrella protected him from not only the rain, but from everyone else around him.

He never looked back at me once. But you couldn't blame him. We were strangers, and he didn't even know I existed.

I sat in the seat next to the window, leaning my forehead against the cool glass. Many passerby strangers gave me weird looks, but mostly walked along their merry way. Good, maybe that stranger would also notice my idiotic nature. At least he'll finally notice my existence.

As usual, I ordered a hot chocolate and stared at a blank page of Microsoft Word on my laptop. I had to come up with a good story by the end of the week or else I'm fired. Well, a story that my company likes at least.

I tried jotting down random ideas, looking through pictures for inspiration, looking around the shop and glancing outside just in case a certain someone decided to pass by.

I sighed, sitting there for an hour already and came up short. Maybe I'd have better luck tomorrow, since it was basically pointless to exert fruitless effort.

I was just about to close my laptop and get up, when suddenly the door to the coffee shop chimed. I looked up and almost gasped as I saw the guy, his hair was dripping wet as he shook his umbrella of clinging rain droplets. I stared at him openly with wide eyes as he ordered at the counter. After he was handed a large whatever coffee, he sat down a few tables away from me, taking a folder out and took a sip. He took some papers out and scanned over it with focused skilled eyes.

Now that he wasn't running the opposite direction from me, I took the time to examine him more closely.

His eyes were glistening red pools of fire, his lips were in a thin line of concentration, and his hair sparkled as he combed his hand through his hair. It took me a moment to realize that this was the first time I saw someone with red eyes. I didn't even know they existed, besides colored contact lenses. Maybe he wore lenses? Or he was just deformed?

He suddenly looked up like he sensed my stare and stared right back at me. I blushed slightly, finally making eye contact with him. I didn't even try to hide it and stared right back at him, challenging him to look away first. His eyes narrowed and he gave me an odd look.

'What?' he mouthed the word to me as I looked around, then back at him and pointed to myself questionably.

'Me?' I mouthed back as his eye twitched in annoyance.

'Who else?' he mouthed, gesturing to everyone else in the coffee shop, minding their own business. I panicked a bit and scratched the back on my head.

'Sorry?' I mouthed with a wide grin, not even able to repress it by the giddy feeling of finally being able to talk to him. He shook his head and glared at me in return.

'Stop staring at me,' he mouthed as I pouted.

'Why?'I mouthed back as his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Are you retarded?" he asked a bit loudly, and I was finally able to hear his voice, and I think my heart skipped a beat. Some of the other customers gave him a weird look at whom he was talking to, and he glared back for them to leave him alone. They all turned away, and his cheeks flushed in embarrassment while glaring at me.

'He's so cute,' I thought with sparkles in my eyes as his eye twitched at me. He got up and walked toward me, and my heart raced nervously as if it wanted out of my chest and glide over to him. He was coming over, whatever was I to do? I tried fixing my hair and shirt a bit as he stood over me and glared down at me. "Can I help you?" I asked with a smile.

"Stop staring at me," he deadpanned.

"Why?"

"Why not?" he asked angrily.

"I want to."

"I know my red eyes might freak you out, but at least have the freaking decency to not mind my presence. Other people do. Just leave if you're that bother by it," he spat angrily at me as my eyes widened.

"I wasn't staring at your eyes," I informed as he snorted.

"Right, of course you weren't."

"I swear," I said as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously down at me.

"Then what the hell are you staring at?"

"You."

That was so embarrassing. Looking back at it, I was such a retard. I mean, I'm a natural born retard from the start, but that had to be the most retarded thing I ever did in my entire life. He probably hates me, and he doesn't even know me.

I walked out the elevator of my publishing company, sighing as I walked to my editor's office. I sent in my latest work already and he said he wanted to talk about it with me. I swear, if he didn't like it and I'm fired, I'm blaming the red-eyed big fat meanie for distracting me.

I knocked before entering my editor's office. As I walked in, I saw him fawning over a picture frame he kept on his desk, probably of a loved one. I cleared my throat to gain his attention, and when he realized he wasn't alone in the office anymore, he quickly fumbled with the photo and tried to look professional, blushing in embarrassment.

"So? How was it?" I asked, a bit anxiously as he suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"I, um… getting straight to the point… disliked what you wrote."

"Stop beating around the bush already," I said sarcastically with a roll of my eyes.

"I'm sorry, but really, your attitude isn't really making this any easier."

"I guess, but to be fair, you did just say my skills suck. So what now?"

"The company had a meeting and came to a unanimous decision…" He scratched the back of his neck, as if not wanting to say what was already obviously hanging in the air.

"I get it, I'm fired. I'll just leave to make things easier for you," I said. Yuu is a good friend, since his girlfriend is one of my best friends, but as a co-worker, I'm just glad this type of relationship is terminated. I turned, but before I could leave, he stopped me.

"However, I did a favor for you."

"And that would be?"

"I showed your work to another publishing company, and they like it. They want to publish your work instead," he explained as he tore a page put of his notepad and handed it to me. I took it carefully and read over it. It was the address of the publishing company closer to my house. I tried publishing my work there once, but they didn't like what I wrote, so I had given up there. I smiled, but tried to suppress it, since he did basically just fired me.

"Thank you."

"It's been a pleasure working with you, Mikan," he said with a relieved smile, waving me good-bye.

"See you around, Yuu."

I walked into the publishing company, amazed at all the people running around and busily trying to get their work done. I looked around awkwardly before walking up to the lady sitting behind a counter.

"Can I help you?" she asked with a quirked brow.

"I'm here to look for a..." I looked at the note that Yuu gave me and looked back up at her. "Natsume Hyuuga?"

"Are you Mikan?" she asked and I nodded in return. "He's been expecting you. Third floor, go down the hall, make a left and the third door on your right is his office."

"Thank you," I said gratefully to her, before pressing the button to call the elevator. Natsume Hyuuga sounded like a rapist's name. I better be careful.

As I stood in front of his door, I took a deep breath, before knocking.

"Come in," a muffled deep voice replied as I opened the door and walked in, and held the knob of the door tightly to balance myself, since I was about to collapse at the sight before me.

Natsume Hyuuga was the red-eyed big fat meanie. Kill me now.

"Hello Mikan, I've been expecting you. Though I thought you would get here a little faster-," he cut off as he looked up and froze as he saw me. He gave me a once over, twice, even thrice just to make sure his freaky red eyes weren't playing tricks on him. "You're Mikan?" he asked in disbelief as I nodded mechanically. "Damn..."

"Thanks for that," I snapped, as he looked taken aback by my attitude. He smirked though, seeming to look at me with a new light.

"You seemed to be very fond of me before at the coffee shop. What happened in one week?"

"That was before I knew you were my new editor."

"What's wrong with editors?"

"If you've been with the editors I've worked with, you'd know."

"I know Yuu, and even though he is what he is, he's an amazing editor. He did recommend you to me."

"He hated what I wrote," I said with a roll of my eyes.

"But I loved it," he admitted as my eyes widened at him. "It felt like I was reading about myself. It was so realistic and captivating and-"

"I based that character on you," I blurted out as his eyes widened at me.

"But I've never met you before that coffee shop incident. I was actually reading your work while at the coffee shop."

"Was that why you were so peeved when I annoyed you."

"Yes. Now stop avoiding my question."

"Sometimes, the best people you'll ever meet is the people you pass by everyday without even knowing it."

Yeah, that was my fated meeting. We ended up getting married, having a soccer team worth of kids, grew old together, had about fifty grandchildren and great grandchildren and twenty dogs and so on and so forth.

I'm joking. But I felt like we were meant to be.

The End