My Teenage Ghost Lover
Written By: Ruuki x Rukaru
Supernatural / Romance / Drama / Humor
Chapter One: Loss
-
It all began when Death knocked at the wrong door. Footsteps could be heard throughout the girls dormitory. Sporadic breathing rasped against the walls. Shadows bled everywhere, the sound of leaks echoed unceasingly.
Her heart beat faster.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Was that her heart or her footsteps? She could barely distinguish between the two. It was like being an actress in a horror movie. Only this time instead of a wild goose chase, the monster was churning inside her. This monster so intangible that she never noticed it had attacked her – until it was too late – and she had fallen in love with the person she hated the most. It was pure torture.
Who could have imagined she would end up falling in love with him.
Her worries rose to a whole new level and before she realized it, her mind was full of "What If"s.
What if he didn't feel the same way?
What if she chickens out at the last minute?
What if he rejects her?
What if...?
It was all too confusing.
Why did she have to fall in-love with Natsume Hyuuga, the famed 'Black Cat', of all people?
"Why?" she panted, "Why can't I just fall in-love with Ruka-pyon?"
This girl, Mikan Sakura, was lost in her own troubled world – a place where no one dare ventured. Perhaps it had something to do with her naivete or simple-minded view of the world, but even her friends barely knew about the deep thoughts scarring her heart. She may appear strong on the outside, but she was fragile on the inside.
"I don't understand..." she said to nobody in particular, her voice trembled.Tears of guilt threatened to spill, but with enough willpower, she was able to hold it back. "Really, I don't. It's quite..."
What was that word again?
Surprising.
Her face colored for a reason beyond her mind can grasp.
Is this how it feels...to love?
Whatever it is, Mikan wished it would just go away.
That was exactly what she planned to do.
All she had to do was find him.
-
If hell was to break out from the ground, it would probably resemble the Northern Forest. Heaps of smoke drove the animals away from their homes. All that remained visible were floating ashes of burnt leaves and the smothering fog.
It seemed like he was being roasted alive, but Natsume Hyuuga had other things to worry about. After all, the devil was right in front of him –-- none other than the elementary principal ---and he had him at gunpoint.
"What is this bullshit you're trying to pull?" Natsume demanded, slightly choking from the smoke that statiated his lungs. "Damn you..."
A click.
"This is not bullshit, Hyuuga.," the principal smirked.
Natsume clenched his teeth. There was definitely something going on.
"Then what the hell are you doing this for?" Natsume prodded.
"Death."
-
Her heart sank as soon as the Northern Forest came into view. Mikan had a feeling Natsume was in grave danger and the raging flames congesting the landscape made her even more anxious.
Natsume! Where are you??
"Something is not right!" she charged into the blazing replica of hell. Natsume have always been there for her without asking much in return.
Now, it was her turn to be there for him.
Natsume, hang on! I'm coming!
Looking around, she spotted the signboard with 'Welcome to the Northern Forest' written on it, except she noticed that it was missing an 'est' at the end; black residues had blocked its entirety. She desperately reach for her handkerchief and plastered it over her nose and mouth, trying her best not to breathe in any toxic gas emitted by the disaster.
"Northern Forest Still creepy." she mumbled, pushing apart some dried up bushes that got in the way. How will she find Natsume in this situation? Even a blind man would have an easier time walking through this mess.
Deeper and deeper she made her way through the inferno --- ocassionally having her uniform stuck on branches and tripping over tree roots.
A click.
"Huh?" Mikan looked around, but saw nothing. She swore people were talking a while ago. "Must be my imagination." She decided to shrug it off and continued her search.
A gunshot pierced through the thick, polluted air.
Oh my god! It wasn't my imagination! It's for real!
Her eyes widened almost automatically. This allowed a stray wood chip to enter her eye, stinging her motionless. She started rubbing it frantically, tears dripping at the corners from the rough contact. She stumbled her way towards the origin of the sound before she was finally able to take it off --- but the sight that greeted her came as a shock----one that she will never forget.
In front of her was the motionless body of Natsume lying face down on the ground. The elementary school principal stepped on his head and turned him over, before glancing up.
Mikan held his gaze.
Upon the realization that he was watched, the young boy sent her a crooked grin before vanishing into the thick smoke.
Mikan just stood there. Disbelief overwhelmed her emotions. She ran towards his limp body, streaks of blood crawled down his chin. Ignoring the blood bath beneath, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his upper body upward.
She noticed his eyes had turned blank.
Please God! I don't want to lose him! Not now that I...that I will finally tell him...
"Natsume! Why did this happen?? You're injuries...we have to take you to a hospital!" Mikan cried, undecided whether to be agonized by the fact that the rescue team will not come for another hour or by the fact that Natsume had a terrible hemorhhage.
Her tears fell onto the young man's face and she saw his his eyebrows twitch.
"Wake up! Don't die on me now, Natsume!!"
Natsume knew all long that Mikan was by his side. With a tremendous effort that caused him to grunt, he ignored Mikan's protests that he should not move. He placed both his palms against the girl's cheeks, cupping her face gently.
"Mi-Mikan..you're shaking..."
"Of course I'm shaking! This is your fault!"
"I'm...sorry," a heavy breath made him pause, but seconds after, he continued. "I didn't mean...to hurt you."
Mikan rested her own hand against his, holding it lightly. She shook her head. "It doesn't matter! As long as you live, nothing else matters! Hang in there, okay?" she managed to say in between sobs.
She knew Natsume was watching her, like he always did.
Everything will be okay.
Natsume will not die – she won't let that happen.
"Mikan..." he said, "I'm sorry."
Mikan looked at him, confused. "What?"
Natsume coughed and clutched her hand tighter. "Mikan..." he said, gasping for air.
Stupid Natsume! Fight it!
"NO! Don't die on me, Natsume!"
He just stared at her. A smile tugged on his lips. "I.."
Why is he smiling?
Natsume rarely smiled at anybody. She was lucky enough to receive a few smiles from him but this time, she didn't feel the same happiness before.
It seemed more like fear; this scared her.
Please...not now. Not now that I finally realized I love him.
"Mikan.. I.."
"Natsume! Don't talk like that! Please...don't talk like that..."
"No, listen to me.."
"I said NO!" Mikan pleaded. She knew he was going to say something depressing.
Naturally, she panicked.
Natsume shook his head.
"MIKAN!" he snapped, the heaviness in his tone pulled Mikan out of her hysteria. His body twisted and he roared in pain.
"NATSUME!"
"Listen to me..."
"W-what? I'm listening..." she stammered.
".. I really need to tell you something.."
"Wh-what is it?"
-
Mikan saw everything: how he diedwho killed him.
So how come nobody believed her?
"How come life is so unfair?" she muttered, burying her face into the pillow. She had decided to cut class that day. With her room locked and nobody around, she started sobbing. Why did the principal kill Natsume? Why wasn't his death justified?
It was so wrong!
Natsume deserved better!
Right now, Mikan hated everyone with the exception of Yuu, Hotaru and Ruka who all made up an excuse to the teachers that she was sick.
But she hated her self most of all.
She failed to save Natsume, the most important person in her life.
Before she realized it, he had died in her arms.
Natsume Hyuuga was dead.
Dead...
"NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
She could still hear her screams that day. The rescue team had to tranquilize her with an alice-control medicine seeing as she was not in a normal state of mind. His death haunted her memories and it refused to go away no matter how much she tried to forget.
She had been thinking of death lately. What is so wrong with it? Maybe she shouldn't be sulking about the loss.
But it hurts too much.
Mikan considered she might be dying inside. Maybe she should just die so her problems will go away. Who could be problematic when they're dead? But did she really want that? Maybe she was just too selfish to think of anything else but his death.
Who was she kidding? She will never forget him, especially after hearing his last words.
"Mikan, I'm in love with you..."
"Natsume, I love you too..." she sighed.
If Natsume was there with her, how would he react?
- - - - - - - - - -
End of chapter.