Runaway Bride

By Nanaho-Hime

For the NatsumeSeries Contest #2

Disclaimer: I do not own GA

"Misaki's gone."

Natsume blanched, uncomprehending.

"What?"

Mikan desperately looked as though she did not want to be the bearer of bad news. But all of the other bridesmaids were shooing her forward, and, well, someone had to tell him.

"Misaki, she's gone, vamoose, haven't heard from her since last night, wasn't in her bed this morning."

Natsume didn't react for a very long time, for a ridiculously long time, for an unnaturally long time. Mikan stood there nervously, twiddling her thumbs and waiting to see what his reaction would be. There were several minutes of painful, physically painful, silence.

And Natsume exploded.

"What?!" he howled, "What do you mean she's gone? Where did she go?"

Mikan glared at her boyfriend of two years. There was no reason to shout at her. She hadn't gone and run off the morning before her wedding.

"Do you think if I knew that I'd be subjecting myself to this?"

He ignored her, pacing the length of the ballroom he had booked for the whole damn event. Under normal circumstances Natsume wouldn't have cared if Misaki Harada decided to run away from her own wedding. He wouldn't have cared if Andou sank to his knees and sobbed like a little girl. It wouldn't have been any of his business.

But, damn it, that girl was not going to mess with this bet.

Andou was his partner in the Alice Organization, a hush hush secret service that did God knows what for God knows who. Andou was a cocky, lazy, pain in the ass that managed to irritate Natsume in ways he didn't think possible. It had happened during the annual Christmas party, that a drunken Andou had proposed to Misaki Harada and dared Natsume Hyuuga to plan his wedding.

And an even more drunken Natsume Hyuuga had accepted, with the stipulation that if he created the most flawless wedding of the century, Andou had to go on their next mission wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, a bow tie, and a sash stating that he was a loser.

Natsume had spent the last few months picking out floral arrangements, analyzing different venues, dealing with the biggest, bitchiest bride to be of the year, and putting up with all of Andou's sly comments without punching his petulant partner in the face.

He'd had to deal with reception mishaps, and bridesmaid catfights, and learning the difference between a red rose and a pink rose, and finding out what the hell a carnation was. He'd had to spend hours perusing wedding magazines, and arguing with chefs and designers and caterers and dance instructors. He'd been blacklisted throughout the entire wedding planning community.

But he was so close. It was almost w-day, and, by God, his wedding would be flawless. There wasn't a single petal out of place; there wasn't a single problem with the food, the decorations, the bridesmaids, the ushers, or the reception hall.

It would have been the perfect wedding, if it wasn't for the fact that there would be no bride.

Oh, hell no, Misaki Harada was not going to mess with his bet. He'd get his sweet revenge on Andou if it was the last thing he did.

"Natsume," Mikan's tentative voice pulled him out of his mental rant, "Are you alright?"

"Come on," he took a hold of her hand and dragged her toward the exit of the ballroom. He ignored her halfhearted protests, and didn't let go of her hand until they had reached his sleek, red convertible.

"We're going to find Harada."

Mikan frowned thoughtfully. She didn't approve of this ongoing bet between her boyfriend and Tsubasa. She thought it was insensitive of Tsubasa to entrust Natsume with his special day, and she thought it was a reflection of Natsume's more vindictive nature, so adamant about proving his worth as a wedding planner just to humiliate Tsubasa.

She sighed. There was really no other alternative. They did have to find Misaki, if not for the stupid bet, than for poor Tsubasa who would be heartbroken that his fiancée had left him at the altar.

"Alright, alright, where are we going to find her though? I don't have any idea where she is, no one does."

Natsume smirked and stepped into the driver's seat of his convertible. Mikan knew that smirk, and it meant Natsume had an unreasonably high tech way of finding Misaki. She sighed again, and made herself comfortable in the passenger's seat, careful not to wrinkle her skirt.

Natsume pressed a button next to the steering wheel, and the radio spun around to reveal a monitor with a keypad.

"All significant others of organization members have a chip embedded in their skin that allows us to track them. It's a safety mechanism that'll lead us right to our runaway bride."

Mikan was staring openmouthed at the bleeping screen, trying to register the fact that she had a chip embedded into her skin.

"Wait," she blinked, subconsciously running her finger over her forearm, "How do you do that?"

Natsume shrugged, "We wait until you're asleep, put you under anesthesia, and perform the surgery. It's quick and painless, really."

Mikan was gaping in outrage, "You had a chip implanted into me?!"

"Of course. What if someone tried to hurt you because of me? What if someone tried to kidnap you or kill you as a punishment to me? I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

Mikan's previous outrage completely melted away at his soft words, and the faint flush on his cheeks. He was entering a number code into the key pad, determined not to catch her delighted gaze. He was rarely ever romantic with her, but when he was she knew why she put up with all of his little idiosyncrasies. She let out a satisfied sigh.

He peered at her out of the corner of his eye, and tried and failed to hide his own grin. They remained in silence until they had gone a good ways away from the ballroom.

"Where's Misaki?"

Natsume glanced at the screen, "According to the monitor she's at the beach."

"The beach?"

"The beach."

There was more silence.

"Why would she be at the beach?"

"How am I supposed to know polka dots?"

"Can you please let that go?"

"Never! You'll always be polka dots to me."

"Touching, you're a true sentimentalist Natsume."

"Don't I know it."

The beach was a few hours away, and the banter continued. Their two year relationship had been interesting to say the least. She was a bright, sweet girl. He was a snarky, semi antisocial, not so prince charming. But they loved each other, they put up with each other. It had been one hell of a road getting them together, but they were happy now, despite the clashing personalities.

Mikan fell asleep, her breathing soft and even. He loved it when she slept though he'd never admit it to anyone. It made him feel warm, content. When he pulled into the beach parking lot, she was still sleeping, snoring a bit.

He grinned.

"Polka dots stop snoring."

She opened one eye, and then the other, and glared at him.

"I do not snore, Natsume."

"Tell that to the recording device in my car."

He replayed her snores for the empty parking lot, and she punched him on the shoulder.

"Natsume Hyuuga, you insufferable brat!"

He laughed because he could laugh with her. Because her tousled hair, and her twisted blouse, and her wrinkled skirt made her look absolutely ridiculous.

God, he loved Mikan Sakura.

"What are you laughing at Natsume Hyuuga?"

He chuckled out a reply and stepped out of the convertible. The beach was empty today, probably because it was so early in the morning. Misaki Harada sat at the very edge of the water, her knees drawn to her chest, but she wasn't alone.

Natsume could have smacked himself in the face. Why had no one thought to inform him that the groom was missing as well?

Andou was sitting next to Harada, with an arm draped around her shoulders. Before Natsume could angrily confront them for ditching him, Mikan held him back with a finger to her lips.

"Are you sure about marrying me, Misaki?"

"Why, have you changed your mind Tsubasa?"

"No, but maybe you have, and, you know, I only want you to be happy."

"I'm only happy when I'm with you."

Natsume nearly gagged on the amount of fluff, but Mikan seemed to be holding her breathe, enthralled by the two lovers.

"So are you ready to go back?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

"Do you remember the first time you told me you loved me?"

Andou blushed and Natsume wished he'd had a camera to capture the perfect moment. Andou was silent for a very long time before he answered his fiancée. His voice was barely above a whisper and both Natsume and Mikan had to strain to hear him.

"I meant it, I do love you."

Mikan had been so touched by the little declaration that she started bawling like a baby next to him, and he could have rolled his eyes. Andou was such a sap, the way he strutted around, declaring his love in the cheesiest, most vomit inducing ways possible.

Misaki was also crying, and she threw her arms around Tsubasa's neck. Andou held her and Natsume flushed. The poor one time wedding planner couldn't even stand to watch chick flicks without getting embarrassed, and this little love fest was just so awkward. Mikan, however, seemed to be elated. Or as elated as she could be with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I know you've been stressed out over the wedding, but don't you think Hyuuga's done a good job?"

"Surprisingly enough, yes, the wedding is flawless."

Natsume mentally cheered. He'd see Andou humiliate himself and he'd have enough blackmail for the rest of their years in the service. Perhaps he could hire Imai, to do a little photo manipulation? This was perfect; he'd award himself bragging rights until the Andou family had their first kid. Despite every doubt against him, he had created the perfect wedding.

Mikan was sobbing into his shoulder, and he patted her awkwardly on the back. She was the real sentimentalist; she was so easily touched by romantic situations. And the number of times she had forced him into watching a chick flick? He could have killed himself for the repetitive, cheesy plot lines.

But Mikan was his girlfriend, and he couldn't stand to see her cry. He rubbed her back slowly, soothingly.

"Ready to head back?"

Mikan hiccupped a reply and continued to cry. Natsume would never understand what it was with girls and romance. Honestly, he had been quite nauseated by the scene, but, all the same, he didn't mind when she got mascara stains, and lipstick smudges on his expensive suit.

When Mikan stood by Misaki during the ceremony her eyes were bloodshot, and she had mascara stains running down her cheeks. Natsume had to control his sniggers at her appearance, and Imai was taking pictures a mile a minute.

The whole wedding planning ordeal had been totally worth it. Andou was stuttering over his vows, looking like a complete idiot. Misaki was smiling radiantly, and Natsume knew he had seen the last of the bitchy bride.

He found Mikan at the reception and she was smiling with the dreamiest look on her face.

"Wasn't that beautiful?"

"Well, of course, I planned it."

"You're modesty never ceases to amaze me Natsume."

"Don't I know it, polka dots."

"Natsume!"

Before she could scold him, Andou was standing at the podium, and he was giving him a particularly wolfish grin that Natsume did not trust.

"And now, the wedding planning genius, Natsume Hyuuga!"

There were cheers all around and Natsume mentally cursed Andou. The bastard knew he had lost the bet and now he was taking one final shot at Natsume with this impromptu speech.

There was no way out of it.

Natsume made his way to the podium, avoiding all of the eyes.

"Well, it was a tough process, but I'm glad that you liked the wedding," pause, "I'm really happy for this sly bastard and I think Misaki's a great girl when she's not PMSing." laughter, "In any case you two better name your first kid after me, and I wish you a long and happy marriage."

There were cheers and Mikan was bawling again, and he rolled his eyes. Silly girl.

When he returned to his seat there was a hoard of girls waiting for him.

"Natsume, this was perfect!"

"Mr. Hyuuga please do my wedding!"

"My wedding too Mr. Hyuuga!"

"I'll do anything to have a wedding as wonderful as this."

Mikan was laughing and crying at the same time and Natsume groaned. Well, wedding planning was better than secret agenting, and far less dangerous for Mikan. He could make a lot of money too.

It was decided, but he couldn't help but scowl.

Andou, that sly bastard, had gotten the last laugh.

A/N: Eh :/ I'm not sure about this one. Hope you liked it. All opinions are welcome.

Reviews are love, so if you would?