A/N: This story is dedicated to all those badass women who love torturing the daylights out of their men. So will they fall in love? Maybe, maybe not? Let's find out! Oh and don't forget to review. I'm expecting lots for this one. This is like some of my best work with Red too of course. Anyways, let me know about your thoughts and opinions!

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice.

One.

Ch 1 - Walk of Shame...

Tagged as the city's most fashionable socialite and party girl didn't worry me in the least. In fact, it pissed my mother off for her daughter to be acknowledged in such a 'vulgar and crude' manner, which only gave me more drive to do what I did.

It's been close to 3 years—I think, since I first graduated from Harvard, with a very 'prestigious'—as my mother calls it—doctorate degree in juridical science resting in a dignified diploma stating I'm available for the world to hire.

Yeah, it's not purchased citizens! I'm a party girl, yes. But I've got brains too. Hard to believe, but cold, hard truth. I'm not exactly a blond bimbette! I've actually got a head on my shoulders that does know what 2+2 is.

And that intelligence led me straight to the modelling industry. The 'supermodel' or 'the dimple-faced brunette' is what I go by these days. Leisurely picking up a not so worn out Vogue magazine whilst I anticipated Paris, I flipped through the pages, stopping at a full length column of myself.

Intrigued, I read the headlines... 'Supermodel Mikan Yukihira takes to the ramp in a designer white cut out swimsuit from Carla Zampatti, and a floor length transparent shawl, space age mini dress for Australian department store– David Jones...'

I looked as proud as I felt. With being a Supermodel comes free—a faux occasional bitch eccentricity you're expected to keep on at all times. Emphasis purposeful. Not in front of the camera, heavens no.

In front of other potential rival models though? Game on!

Sighing, I pulled out my modernesque watercolor pearl white and pink airpods, listening to cliché pop music. I'm human after all. According to one of the many researchers in our very esteemed modelling community, Not listening to any form of music would prove otherwise.

As predicted, my mother was established to be inhuman, the 'Music theory' further confirming the inevitable fact. My sister, however, emerged to be fortunate enough.

Not exactly lucky, just 'unintentionally fortunate'... Her preference in music was as gruesome as a blob fish! I'm serious, don't Google it! The blob fish is one of those animals that illicit the response, 'That can't be real!' so, Google at your own risk! And don't tell me I didn't warn you!

Still, hideous as it is, music IS music. "Are we there yet?" I rolled my eyes for the 100th time today. Jerking my head to the side, I took in my innocent sister, her chic asymmetric bob cut with extensive front strands highlighted with vivid galaxy blue and violet streaks, further accentuating her unique and out of this world, amethyst eyes. Damn, I want those eyes!

"Sis, if people could travel places just by asking... We wouldn't have a necessity for transportation. You're putting people's livelihood at peril here." I said sarcastically, and she rolled her eyes at me, looking too overjoyed to be offended. Well, we ARE going to Paris! The feeling's in built in humans.

"Be right back." I got up immediately, wanting to go to the bathroom to fix my hair as Hotaru's maternal instincts kicked in. "Where are you going?" She asked, her voice containing tell-tale signs of anxiousness. Sometimes, I wondered which one of us was the elder sister.

"Bathroom, Hotaru, bathroom. I'm not gonna jump off the aircraft and leave you all alone in here, so loosen up already. Here, have a drink." I retorted, waving at an air hostess to get her a drink as I shook my head at her nervousness.

"Sorry. It's just been a while since I took a vacay." I sighed in a noticeable way just so that she could see it. "You're not a teenager Sis... So stop acting like one." I shot back and she squirmed in her seat, blushing slightly.

Not bothering to hear her answer, I got up, making a beeline to the bathroom taking the opening to refresh myself. The Balenciaga fall, ready-to-wear collection as part of the Paris Fashion Week was going to be the peak of my career after all.

I still can't believe I was actually chosen as one of the models to represent Chanel's show this year at the Grand Palais. If I screwed this up, I might as well quit at being a model altogether.

Paris, International Airport, 11:30:

"We're here! We're really here!" Hotaru exclaimed and I let her, feeling giddy inside myself. There's a lot of stress on me to do this show right. My entire agency will be affected by it depending on the reviews. And then there's me. My whole career will revolve around this show and if I nail it or let it go down the drain.

See that's the thing. I didn't ruin it! I wasn't even provided a chance to. The minute I settle into my hotel suite, I get a panicked phone call from the agency, saying that my contract with Chanel was cancelled. "Wha—? What do you mean cancelled?! I confirmed everything myself, so why—?"

My eyes went wide as a sense of fear took me over, combined with raw anger. "But they can't just do that! And, based on some outrageous comment! H-Hello—?!" I kept speaking into the phone although the line had been cut off. Eventually, I had to give up and cut the call myself.

I stared at my phone in incredulity. My whole life just came crashing down beneath me, and I didn't so much as have a say in it. I sat down on the double bed, my mind swirling with thousands of questions when I decided to browse through the net to get some answers myself to see what the hell this was all about.

And I realized, it wasn't just me. The whole modelling industry was agitated by the anonymous commentary. Resources believed that an industrialist, heaven knows who, enraged and furious with the false advertising of a model, that was supposed to be the brand ambassador of HIS product, wrote the comment in the moment of a fit of fury criticizing not only the model and her agency but the whole industry.

The model he hired apparently was some huge hot-shot socialite who worked as a big time model. Her inadequacy of showing up at the event on time and properly advertising the product led to a huge scandal, resulting in a tremendous loss for the unidentified Business magnate.

In the hopes of a comeback to get back into business (I think), the man (Entrepreneur) had written a horrendous comment leaving all models to hang on to their modelling careers by threads. He'd criticized literally every model alive calling us:

'Forged faces that are designed and meant for nothing but plastering on a poster.' Apparently, 'Our existence started and ended at the click of a camera. Our faces was worth as much as the paper of the poster we smiled in outside of the studio... Maybe even less.'

I felt my knuckles tighten against the bedside at the cruelty of the comment. I felt anger but somewhere, deep down, I also felt indignation, sadness and... Something I hadn't felt in a long time: SHAME.

My whole life, destroyed, because of some f*cking asshole who didn't like the way some dim-witted, daft bimbo smiled at the camera! What did I have to do with him? What did my career; my gig have to do with his inadequacy of hiring an appropriate person for the grand opening of HIS product?!

I'll tell you what— NOTHING! Absolutely nothing, damn it!

I flung my cell across the bed, running a frustrated hand through my tresses. "What happened? Mikan, are you alright? What did he say?" I wanted to yell. I wanted to punch something. But all I could manage was a pathetic little whimper.

"They're taking me off! They're-They're calling off my contract!" I said, biting my lips as my voice broke and I leaned into her arms. Her amethyst eyes widened as she enveloped me in her arms. "What?! B-But why? You're the best they have, why did they—?" Hotaru's surprise was genuine.

"Apparently, they thought it would be best to hire one of their own models to avoid any further humiliation on the catwalk. H-Here." I said retrieving the phone and shoved it into her astonished face. "Wha—T-This is ridiculous! They can't just cancel a proposal they recommended themselves based on some groundless comment!"

"That's what I said, but they're still taking me off. I-I can't believe it!" I said in an aggravated pitch, my vision beginning to become blurry. I wondered how many days it'd been since I'd actually cried. Genuinely... Too long, I knew.

But I didn't cry. Not exactly. I wouldn't since, crying wasn't my forte. And now that I've got my head cleared out, I felt anger. Unreasonable anger rise in me like a ball of lava. "...Track him down! I want to know who the hell wrote this exactly." I said, my glower intended at someone else although I directed it towards Hotaru.

"M-Mikan, are you sure?! It won't take me much time but–" I looked up, glowering even harder than before. She sighed, taking her Tablet out, "Fine..." If it's one thing she's gifted at, it's 'digging up dirt'.

I waited, excruciatingly impatiently so for the news of who had the balls to do what he did. With every second, I started feeling more and more angry and forced myself to calm down.

"Uh, I-I don't think you wanna be messing with this one Mikan. M-Maybe, it isn't him. I must have missed a bug somewhere... Let me just check once again." Hotaru pronounced her eyes fluttering slightly with dread as I snatched the tablet out of her hands without listening to her excuses.

The Hyuuga Inc. Ltd's official web page stares at me with the full length page of the CEO. I gawked at the man feeling all my senses stolen away. This man... He's-He's beautiful... Absolutely astonishingly handsome, like a living statue of Adonis. I can't stop looking at him... I can't strip my eyes away from his.

His dark, raven black locks cascaded down over his forehead in boyish waves, but the broad shoulders and sharp jawline were all man... Carelessly worn black three piece suit and delectably dominant and mysteriously alluring, seductive crimson eyes... He's a sight for sore eyes...

An oasis to a man who hadn't laid eyes on water for an eternity. The crimson of his eyes were deeper, thicker, more raw than blood itself.

'Business magnate Natsume Hyuuga'?! I scoffed, pulling myself out of the trance I was temporarily pulled into by the raw hypnotism casted by the magic of his crimson hued eyes, and handing the tab back to her. "If he thinks he can get away with ruining my life, he's wrong and so are you if you think I'm gonna let a stupid title get in the way of my retribution."

"Mikan you don't understand—This man, He could be dangerous! I mean, just take a look at the rumours!" She argued as I rolled my eyes at her. "I mean, if his ONE comment has had such a huge impact on the whole industry, just imagine how powerful and influential of a person he is."

"Well, it wouldn't be any fun if my arch nemesis was a pathetic little wimp now, would it?! It's time to settle the scores... I PRAY you're all set Natsume Hyuuga, you've got no idea who you're dealing with." I declared to the inanimate image hovering on the screen. The man on the tablet was staggeringly handsome to the point that even lesbians would want to throw them at his feet and lick the ground he walked on.

Not this woman though. She was gonna make him pay. And how? Well, what better way to exact revenge than doing it right under his nose? As if by a miracle, like the gods themselves approved of her plan, Mikan's big brown eyes flitter to the bottom of the page. Her lips turned into a devious smile.

Secretary, huh?

The whole point of quitting modelling was to regain my self respect in society and, working for a man who landed me in this emotional turmoil in the first place, seems like a pretty pathetic way of earning it.

Unless, of course, the plan entails a sweet, sweet revenge...

Unlike pizza and many other delicacies of the world, revenge is a dish best served cold. And what better way to exact vengeance on the man who wronged her, and all her fellow models, than working with him in his place of work, making the revenge complete by torturing him to death?!

Ohhh... Now this, I like. Oh yeah, this was gonna be it. He wants a secretary? Well, he's gonna get something a whole lot better. Hell in the unidentified form of Mikan Yukihira! Natsume Hyuuga, here I come!

My mother stares at me from the tablet. Hotaru's instincts having gotten the best of her, and here she was, with her tablet in hand and our mother on video call. She's talking away happily as I worked on my resume for the next 2 days.

"Are you sure, Mikan? You're not exactly the businesswoman type..." Of course, my one and only sister would be a pessimist for the sudden change. As for my mother... Well, she's game.

"Oh shush, you! She's at long last realizing what it means to be reliable and not just party 24/7! Let her! Mommy's with you, sweetheart!" I can't believe she still calls herself that. Mommy? Seriously? But whatever, at least she's happy.

"And done! I've got myself an interview on Saturday." I exclaim, my mind bursting with little fireworks at the little achievement. I announced with enthusiasm, and my mother squealed happily. "God, they've got to be really desperate for that secretary. I got selected into the finals just like that! All I had to do was email a resume. And bingo! The final interview's on Saturday."

Hotaru smiled, cautiously. "Well, look at it this way, at least now you won't have to go through the entire recruitment process." I smiled back, nodding.

Seriously though, who conducts interviews on weekends?! On a blissful, party perf, lazy Saturday!? Apparently... Business magnate, the notorious and infamous Natsume Hyuuga does. I read his profile online and many interviews online about the guy.

Natsume Hyuuga, apparently was a devilishly lucrative non-resident Japanese businessman based in the United States of America, referred to as a "Corporate Criminal" due to his ruthless and callous business dealings. He'd arrived recently in Japan after facing successive profits in the US and he'd come here to stay this time purchasing a company here.

"Let's just hope I nail the interview and get the job." I felt nervous for some reason. Still, I walked confidently, and answered bravely without pause. "Well, Ms. Mikan, that would be all, thank you. Do you think you've got a chance of earning this job?"

I did... Even if instead of Natsume Hyuuga, some woman in her late thirties with sleek black hair was the one who conducted the interview. She looked very pleased with me and my replies. "I believe so. And although I don't mean to come off as pretentious, I do think I've got a fair chance of acquiring this job and I believe I should. In fact, I feel I have all the rights to ask for a raise."

Payback's a bitch. What good will sabotaging Mr. Hyuuga's reputation do to me? If maybe I could haggle a buttload of money from him now THAT would make us even. Am I right or what, people?

The woman in front of me raised an eyebrow. "The scope for this position, goes up to 70,000$ a year. What unique qualifications do you retain, to justify an increase if any?" She asked, curiously.

I smiled with dignity. "This specific post requires socializing with higher associates not just a certified degree in stapling. I think I'd be accurate, when I say your boss's Achilles heel is more or less my strongest suit."

"I'm sorry?!" She blinked with uncertainty, taken aback by my boldness. "People skills. I'm guessing that would be your boss's weak spot?" The strict woman in front of me lost her stern professional attitude and smiled. "That obvious, huh?" She asked.

"It's the way he posed... I read his page online. The way he posed to the camera, the way he dresses and conducts himself, it IS kinda obvious." I replied boldly.

"Alright Ms. Mikan, what are your terms?" She asked and I smirk in triumph. "I do feel 90000$ a year would be fair." I replied and she nodded. "Your contract will be issued by tomorrow and will be delivered to you by HR. You can start work by Monday. Welcome aboard Ms. Mikan."

Victory! And I didn't even have to try! Ha! Beat that, Hyuuga! Anyways, Monday arrives sooner than I thought. I wake up sharp at 6 as prescribed in my model routine.

Hmm. Which ensemble says I'm smart, sexy, super good at stapling, and I'm gonna ruin your life? My eyes wander all around my closet in search of the perfect outfit. There! I pulled out the outfit, smiling deviously. This it! The look I'm totally gonna rock is the femme fatale of filing!

In other words, figure hugging black grey jeans, an asymmetrical front cut-out blue black blouse and a black jacket. Gold accessories and my famous locks let loose for added effect.

Precision. Natsume Hyuuga won't know what hit him. Slipping on knee high sleek black boots, I strut at my leisure, ever so slowly, en route towards the skyscraper. I wanna be fashionably late on my first day.

When I enter the office, tossing my extensive brown tresses back, everyone, as if by instinct turns around to gawk at the dazzling new girl and being used to the reaction already I swagger confidently, ignoring the stares, towards the receptionist.

"Hi, I'm Mikan the new secretary?" I said at the reception desk. The girl behind the desk gawks at me for a good long minute, before she clears her throat. "Of course! Right this way..." She said and led me further into the metallic themed office.

"This will be your work desk from now on, Ms. Yukihira. Welcome once again!" The girl with wavy pink hair and a bubbly smile said. It was soo... Classically dull and drab. A normal, regular office desk. A welcome note with flowers decorates the boring monstrosity.

I smiled politely at the receptionist. She smiled back awkwardly before saying: "It's not much, but I hope you like the flowers." She said shyly. "They're lovely. Thanks so much." I replied. "Anyways, um, once you're done settling in, please report in to the head office." She said and left.

As if on cue, the phone on the desk starts to ring. I pick up curiously. "Uh, hello?" I spoke into the phone suspiciously. "Is that any way to answer your work phone?" A raspy, ice-cold voice answers. I shiver at the indifference of the tone. "I was just—"

"See if you can manage to be in my office within the next two minutes. Surely even YOU can manage that, given that you arrived 30 minutes late to office on your very first day." And surely.., this guy is definitely NOT human. My best retort is the one thing I'm exceptional at: Sarcasm.

"Sir, yes sir! Roger that sir!" I screamed into the phone and abruptly hung up leaving his retort hanging in the dust. If he had one. I smile, imagining his expression in his office upstairs.

I walked up to the first floor where his office is situated and wanting to piss him off some more, without knocking I barged in yelling like a madman.

"CADET MIKAN REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR!"

He dropped the highlighter he was holding, a baffled sort of expression on his face at my antics. He even jumps a little as I yelled. I resisted the urge to laugh out loud, and bit my lip to prevent myself as I stood in attention, a hand in salute to my head.

"What the—?" He blinked, his mouth agape and I bit the insides of my lips to control myself so as to not burst out in laughter. "Who the heck are you?!" His frosty tone returned, sending shivers down my spine. I steeled myself for the 'After job accepted interview'.

"Congratulations, sir! I'm the late entry recruit, who applied for the position of your PA and qualified with flying colours. Say hello to your brand new secretary!" I said dumping my handbag down at his desk with a noisy thud, and sat down without any grace whatsoever, breaching the thin boundaries of etiquette.

"Pardon me but, I don't think I EVER recall hiring a potential lunatic to come work for me as part of MY staff. Now if you'll be so kind as to relieve yourself out of my office, I have plenty of other pressing matters to tend to." He replied abruptly, in an almost dead, emotionless tone without any expression whatsoever, his endearing, bewitching crimson eyes as dead as his voice and expression.

I felt a peculiar sort of ecstasy grow in me, like an invisible hand running down my back, while he spoke in that sharp, short, stony tenor of his. "I HATE to be the one to break it to you sir, but... Whether you like it or not, you DID hire such a person, to be part of YOUR staff. It's unfortunate really, but this letter of post confirmation I received yesterday clearly contradicts your better judgement."

Mikan wagged the letter at his half stunned, half enraged façade of a face, internally mocking him, 'This guy's a notorious magnate?! Yeah right! The man can't even so much as talk himself out of a sticky situation... aka potential lunatic barging into his office, aka me. No wonder I got the job...' I thought.

He glided through the papers, and then set them down, his shoulder muscles tensing as he peered at my less than repentant face through fatal, homicidal and abnormally long and at present, lowered lashes... I jerked my head faintly to the side, feigning a look of gullibility as I smiled at him coyly.

"Quit!" ONE WORD! That was all it took to make me lose all my sanity. I knew it. I knew this sensation. This jolt of electricity, this pleasure, the ecstasy of it! This prickly, tingling sensation and this rush of gratification coursing throughout my body.

There was no mistaking this sensation. Every girl dreamed of it... I was- I shivered at the revelation of it. I was- I was in love! I just knew it! I just knew I was!

I slammed my hands down on the desk, leaning forward, to match his form that was still conveniently seated contentedly in his seat. Our faces were inches apart and his frayed, warm breath brushes the hollow part of my neck where it meets my chest.

"You know what? Fire Me!" I countered just as challengingly. I wasn't gonna run, I wasn't gonna quit that easily. I was in love with this man. I just knew I was.

Nobody should ever feel so much bliss, in annoying the hell out of a man. But I did. I was in love with this man's rage. His annoyance. His frustration. His pain. The absolute pure rage in his tempting crimson eyes. I relish in it, savour in it. And I feel like I'm about to go crazy with euphoria at his wrath.

And if this man's frustration is madness, may I never find common sense again.

He cost me everything! My life, my reputation, my career, everything! If he thinks I am going to stop with this and be scared of his red eyes, he's crazy.

He closed his eyes breathing in an intense sigh. When he opened his eyes again, the hot, angry man faded away as he sank deeper into his chair. The ice man returns. At the loss of the angry young man, I felt a sudden odd pang of disappointment.

"I have undeniably no doubt you'll sue me halfway to china, should I fire you. Plus, not to mention the legal quandaries I'll have to deal with, thanks to you." I raised an eyebrow in appreciation. A hint of annoyance. So, he still exists.

"8 months. A trial period of 8 months to see if you're worth keeping... If not, I'll be happy to send you packing out the door faster than you can beg to stay. Am I clear? Any questions?" His voice – literally states in bold that if I do have any, I take them elsewhere and that he doesn't want to hear them whatsoever.

Pretending not to notice the not so subtle annoyance in his voice, I asked: "And... In the meantime? Anything you want me to do besides answering your phone, stapling and follow your bidding like an indentured servant, sir?" Even though my voice was dripping, leaden and heavy with scorn and sarcasm, my face was that of an innocent and curious little child, the corners of my mouth turned up into a smile. The widest, sparkliest smile, only cause I knew for some reason, that seeing it would only make him more crazy.

And it did. I shivered in delight and my smile widened even more as I saw a muscle in his jawbone twitch, his shoulders going edgy and his cold eyes becoming slightly irritated as I fluttered my eyelashes at him.

He breaks off the eye contact first, and shifts his penetrating gaze to the wall behind me. "Well, for your first mission... How do you feel about redecorating, Ms. Mikan?" I quiver in an entirely different way from before as he voices my name. I feel my breath taken away as he says it. Suddenly, my own name sounds so much more... Rich, deep and husky. Like a seductive, slow song.

"Depends on what you want to redecorate..." I replied insolently, breathing out sharply to compose myself. Hearing my name from his lips left me flustered quite a bit. Literally. I'd never felt this way. EVER. "If it's about your sub-zero outlook, I'm not at all sorry to say, you're out of repair." I added, boldly feeling myself getting annoyed that he was having such an effect on me and all he did was say my name.

Lots of people have said my name. Gorgeous ones, pretty ones, gentlemanly ones, flirty ones etc, etc. But why is my heart pounding so much, my breath blown out of my lungs when he said it?!

He ignored my less than polite comment and waved in the general direction of the wall behind me and I turned around only to gasp in appallment. Moose, elk, rhino, elephant, bear and many other animals gawk at me from the wall.

"Get rid of it. Donate it, sell it or keep it. I don't care what you do with it, as long as you get it out of my office." I smirked as I walked up and down, inspecting the wall of animal heads. "*Laughs* Why'd you buy them in the first place, if you wanted to get rid of 'em in the end?"

"I didn't. I only bought the organization because the company was bust. The former CEO was a collector of peculiar objects." He said pointing to the animal wall. "And if you intend to work here, we're gonna have to set some rules." He said suddenly. I looked around to him, eyebrow raised.

"Firstly, I absolutely despise having to confer about anything that doesn't pertain to work, so don't even try to make small talk with me. Secondly, I don't know you out of this agency, so don't get any ideas." He said gravely, his ruby eyes flickering dangerously before calming.

"Uh-Huh. Right," I replied half-heartedly, acting as though I didn't hear him rant at all. Instead, I frolic over to his bookshelf. The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, sits there on the shelf, a bookmark wedged in between the book.

I giggled to myself as I took the book out, scrutinizing the galaxy print bookmark. I turn towards him not bothering to hide my smile as I comment on the bookmark.

'Take a second to smile...' Is carved in bold white against the colorful galaxy print of the bookmark. "Ever actually taken the advice boss?!" He flinches.

"Mr. Hyuuga... You'll address me as Mr. Hyuuga and nothing else." He emphasizes, and I smirked. "Anything you wanna replace those with? Any colour preferences? Any decorations you would fancy?" I asked reliably, pointing to the wall.

"Nothing in particular. Just nothing too ostentatious." He clarified, and I smirk once again. 'I hope you like pink', I thought imagining the room in a pink pop of color.

"Affirmative, sir. I'll do my best!" I replied excitedly once again, and he cringed. "I thought I told you to stop it with the military accent and Mr. Hyuuga. I don't like to have to repeat myself, Ms. Mikan." He replied sharply in a professional tone.

Again, I felt an odd anticipation and thrill run down my spine, my breath knocked out of my lungs. Thankfully, I was exceptional at hiding my feelings. I turn around running an eye down his tall, trim, well muscled and athletic body, up to his carelessly styled black hair and penetrating red eyes.

Why should I be the only one to feel this impending infuriating dizzy sensation of short-circuiting?! He should suffer it too if I'm being fair! "Sure, whatever you say, Natsume." I replied with a wink and a small grin as his eyes widened with surprise and I turned away, leaving through the door before he could reply.

I grin, feeling rather smug at his shocked expression when I called him by his first name. Although, I also felt my own heart pound against my chest. It felt pleasant... The lingering sensation of saying his first name... And when he called me by mine...

I wondered to myself if Natsume could really survive 8 whole months of me. I didn't know, but I guess...

"It'll be fun to find out."

Happy valentine's day although I'm a day late in uploading this story, sorry guys! Anyways, If you think Mikan's cool in this chapter, you're in for a whole new outlook on Mikan and Natsume. And Hotaru of course! I'm sure you didn't expect her to be the shy, prim and proper, innocent little sister, did you? Well, a lot's changing in this story but I hope you like it! Here's hoping! XD! Anyways, Thanks a lot for your time and support guys!