The Girl That Causes Problems
His mind was empty. He could not think of anything at the moment and he tried not to think of anything. But that was impossible. He often read that people felt empty after going through something like that. That there was no feeling, just pure emptiness.
But that was not true.
If someone interrupted his brooding right now, he would snap. He would scream and hit, and he would go mad. What he felt was rage – but not that hot, bloodthirsty rage. He felt the cold one. The one that made him calm and concentrated, and would enable him to kill if the situation asked for it. He was on the verge of exploding, but had the ability to hold himself back.
He walked slowly, but determined and he breathed evenly. He was on his way to snap something in two. Or someone, he did not really care. He ignored the people around him and passed them without glancing at anyone. Then he arrived at her apartment complex.
His eye twitched.
He growled.
He walked inside and took the stairs up towards her flat.
His breathing became a little heavier after that. Not because of bad stamina, but because the closer he got the angrier he became. He could literally feel the poisonous fury run through his veins, making its way to his rushing heart.
And then he stopped in front of her door. The floor was silent. No one seemed to be there. He waited a moment to take a deep breath, then he ringed the bell. After a moment, he heard rushing feet hit the floor to reach the door. He heard a small crash and yelp after she hit her leg into a shelf, and a stream of curses for making her such a klutz. He heard her look through the small hole on the door and leave out a happy scream.
The door was opened in a flash and a laughing girl was strangling him in a death hug.
''Natsume! You're here! Finally!'' she exclaimed and buried her head into his shoulder. He almost lost balance, but caught himself before he would fall. His anger swayed a little as her perfume reached his nose, and his heart beat faster for another reason.
She pulled away slightly, her arms still on his shoulder, her eyes scanning him up and down. She was grinning like a mad woman. ''Where've you been? I thought you forgot I existed!''
Natsume glared at her. She smiled at him.
''Mikan.'' He started seriously. She blinked innocently. His eye twitched.
''Where the hell have you been, Mikan Sakura?'' he asked slowly, threatening.
She gave him a confused look. ''What do you mean? I've been here the whole time. Since I got out of the hospital.'' She explained, not understanding why he was angry.
''And since when have you been out of the hospital?''
''Well, it's been three days, Natsume. You know that.''
''Actually, I don't know. I didn't know you were released and I didn't know you were home already. I thought you were still there and was going mad when they've told me, you've been released already. Have you actually told anyone you've been out for a week? Or did you think like 'Oh, I'm all right now. I'll just go home now. No need to tell anyone about it. They won't mind at all. They won't wonder where I am.' – I bet it was like that, wasn't it?'' he yelled, not holding himself back anymore. He was so angry with her he could strangle her.
He and the others went mad for three days not knowing where she went. She had had a car accident last month, and since then she had to stay at the hospital to heal properly. She had been released three days ago and walked out to somewhere, not telling anyone. They looked for her in her flat the first day, but there was no one there. Natsume guessed now she simply went out to eat. Or something.
For the next two days he and the others called around, asking if anyone knew where she was, but no one did. He drove around the city, looking for her at places where she usually spent her free time but she was not there. He did not know why she went somewhere without telling anyone. Maybe she just needed some time to think. Or maybe something had happened to her. He had no idea. Out of desperation, he called her home phone, just to hear her voice on her answering machine.
Instead of her answering machine it was Mikan herself who picked up the phone, cheerfully greeting the one calling her. He did not answer her, just listened to her 'Hello? Is anyone there?' in shock. Then he smashed the phone down and started his journey to her flat.
And now he was here, having her right in front of him, looking at him in shock.
''B-but I told the nurse I'm going home and to tell you guys that. And my cell phone was smashed in the accident. I thought if someone needed me, he would call me on my home phone. I thought you guys received the message.'' She stuttered, stepping away from him. She looked confused and a little hurt.
''But no one called, and I don't know your numbers by heart. And I couldn't visit anyone because I still can't move around without my legs hurting.'' She explained and looked at him sadly.
All his rage vanished. He suddenly felt guilty.
''I didn't know you guys were looking for me, honestly. I gave the older nurse the message and went home. Well, actually I went to the Ramen shop and had dinner, but yeah…'' her shoulders fell and she walked into her flat, leaving the door open for him. ''I thought you guys just didn't have time to visit me or something…''
Natsume put his shoes down and followed her into the living room, where she already sat on her couch. He noticed the Yakisoba on the small table and a popular TV drama running on the telly. She must have been sitting here all these days.
He sighed and sat down next to her. ''Sorry for yelling. We didn't receive a message. I think that nurse is a little forgetful. We were searching for you because we thought you – I don't know – escaped or something…''
Mikan looked at him from the side, her knees supporting her head, her long hair falling over her shoulder. She was beautiful. ''Why would I have escaped? I was here the whole time.''
''We thought you had PTDS or something. A car accident is quite serious.''
''I don't have any problems with PTDS…''
They were silent for some time.
''So… You've been searching for me?'' she smiled, her cheek leaning on her knee. Natsume's heart almost leaped out of his throat. He tried to not blush in front of his best friend who he wished was far more than a friend.
''Of course we were. Imai was going crazy. She even wanted to call the police, but we couldn't make a statement, because you weren't actually missing. I drove through the city a few times and went to your favourite places, but… Well, it doesn't matter anymore. You're here and that's that. I should probably call the others.'' He told her, his emotions once again heating up a little. He was not angry at her, he was simply enraged by the whole situation. He almost had a heart attack when he arrived at the hospital three days ago, realizing Mikan had been gone.
He did not move from his spot to call the others. He was simply sitting next to her and staring at her. She was gazing at him with her warm brown eyes, making him have problems with breathing. Mikan Sakura, his best friend. His unrequired love since forever. The most caring and beautiful girl he ever met. The girl he was scared to lose one day. He knew his emotions were displayed all over his face, but right now, he did not have the energy to play it cool. He thought he had lost her for good. And now she was here. Healthy and alive, but sad because she thought they had all forgotten to contact her.
With her hand she reached for his hand and squeezed it. ''I'm sorry, Natsume… To have caused such a commotion. I honestly didn't know. I was sure you guys knew that I was home and I thought-''
''It's ok. We should have checked your flat every day. I just… I thought you…'' he shook his head, squeezing her hand back. ''It was a huge misunderstanding. It's all right now. You're here and ok, and that's what matters.''
So she had been here the whole time, waiting for her friends to come and visit her. But they were all going crazy, looking for her around the city, thinking she fled.
Mikan pulled Natsume's hand a little closer to her face and embraced it with both of her hands. Her thumbs made circles on his skin and he felt goose bumps all over his body. ''But you know...'' she smiled sweetly. ''I'm happy you made such a big deal out of it. I'm happy you guys were worried. I feel very loved here.''
Something in Natsume snapped then. He could not take it anymore. She was sitting next to him all warm and beautiful and his hormones and emotions went wild. He pulled her closer and kissed her. She squeaked in surprise, but soon her open mouth was too occupied with his. He hugged her around her shoulders and buried one of his hands in her hair. He could feel her soft skin and her silky hair under his fingers, and her heart beat was as fast as his. She was hugging him back, pressing herself closer, her fingers grabbing at his hair. She let out soft moans and dreamy sighs and kissed him back with the same need as he kissed her.
Only after they almost fell off the couch, did they pull apart and looked at each other with flushed faces, dishevelled hair and awed expressions. For a second Natsume panicked, thinking he messed it all up, but then Mikan giggled and buried her face into his shoulder.
''Well that's a surprise.'' Came her muffled voice from his shoulder. He hugged her back. ''Didn't see that coming.'' She continued, still hiding her face.
Natsume kissed the top of her head and sighed. ''It took far too long if you ask me. Should have happened ages ago.'' She nodded under his chin, agreeing. ''I should have jumped you the moment I realized you might fancy me.'' She told him and he looked at her in surprise. ''You knew?''
She glanced at him, a little ashamed and a little shy. ''Sometimes… I had a feeling there's more than just friendship between us, but… I was too insecure to do something about it.'' She pulled away slightly. ''And during these three days of being completely alone, I just thought… I might have been wrong…''
Relief washed over Natsume and he smiled for the first time that day. He chuckled and pulled her closer once again, breathing in the wonderful smell of her shampoo. ''Kami-sama, Mikan… I've been mad for you for years! When you had the accident, I thought I might go crazy. And when you disappeared, I thought I'd die.''
''Really?'' came her shy reply, her eyes gazing up at him with unspoken emotions and longing he always wished to see on her face. He kissed her once more and this time, they did not stop for a long time.
Some time after that, Natsume finally called the others and told them about the whole misunderstanding. They all drove to Mikan's apartment and almost broke into the flat. Mikan welcomed them with a hug and biscuits she and Natsume had backed in the meantime. Hotaru let out some steam and gave her friend a piece of her mind and anger, but eventually, her shoulders fell, her figure relaxed, and she cried into Mikan's shoulder for making her worry so much.
They discussed what had happened and in the end laughed it off.
''Are you sure you're all right to walk around without help?'' Sumire asked before the majority went home. Mikan nodded. ''I'm all right. My muscles are still a bit tense, but I'll just send Natsume here to get some food for me, and make him drive me to the physiotherapy so there won't be a problem.'' She grinned cheekily and playfully nudged Natsume into the rips. He rolled his eyes, but shrugged. ''Of course. But you'll owe me.''
Mikan's eyes shined playfully, promising much and expecting even more, and Natsume almost lost control there. ''No worries, Natsume. I'll thank you properly.''
The poor guy gulped, nodding, not able to open his mouth.
The other seemed to have not noticed the suspicious conversation and the indications behind, and simply laughed the playful banter off and one by one they bid goodbye. Soon Mikan and Natsume were alone again. There was a palpable tension in the air and teasing glances in each other's direction.
''I should go.'' Natsume finally said and put his shoes on.
Mikan accompanied him to the door and leaned on the doorframe. She watched him put his jacket on and smiled once he looked at her again.
''I'll see you tomorrow?'' she asked, her heart beating fast.
Natsume nodded and gave her a half-smile. ''Once I'm done with work, I'll be driving you to the therapy and then we're going out for some Ramen. That all right?''
''Or we could go to your place and you cook for me?'' Mikan grinned at him cheekily and Natsume laughed, pulling her into his arms, kissing the hell out of her. They snogged for a very very long time, and once Natsume finally reached his car, his face was flushed, his body felt hot, and he hummed under his breath like a girl in love. He felt like a teenager again, excited and a little nervous, but very happy.
Once he arrived home, Mikan called him from her home phone (he wrote his number down, because she really did not know the numbers by heart; without her cell phone, she was lost), and they chatted late into the night.
''And before I lose the courage to tell you, Natsume.'' Were the words before Mikan bid the final goodnight. ''I really really like you. I've liked you for a very long time now.'' She giggled nervously, and Natsume lost his breath for a moment, his heart skipping a beat. ''Nighty!'' she said and ended the call.
He stared into space with a goofy smile on his face for a few more moments, promising to himself that tomorrow, he will show her exactly how much he liked her.