Chapter 1: Broken hearted
"IMAI GIVE ME MY PICTURES BACK!" Ruka ran after Hotaru, who again had managed to get pictures of Ruka, wearing his bunny pajamas.
Hotaru pushed the speed button in her miniature car. She looked back and saw Ruka struggling to keep up with her. So she stopped. She waited until Ruka was within 10 feet of her.
She picked up her Baka gun and aimed. 5….4….3…2…1.. BOOM! She sent Ruka flying. She blew the smoke coming out of the gun and drove away.
"DAMN YOU, IMAI!" She heard Ruka shout from faraway. She didn't even bother to look back.
She drove to the dorm. After putting her car away, she walked up to her room. She sighed and laid the pictures of Ruka on her bed. She counted them, and estimated that she would get at least 10,000,00 yen selling them. Hotaru picked up her phone, and dialed Mikan's number. But then remembering Mikan had a date with Natsume, she hung up. Hotaru sighed as she laid down on her bed. Ever since Mikan had starting dating Natsume, Mikan barely had any time for her anymore. Hotaru gritted her teeth; Hyuuga was taking Mikan away from her.
Not only that but now she couldn't even take embarrassing picture of Natsume anymore. It was because Mikan didn't want her selling any pictures of Natsume to his fan girls. Since Hotaru loved Mikan, she agreed. But thanks to that, her salary decreased by half. So now, she would have to get twice as many embarrassing pictures of Ruka.
Hotaru sighed, now she would actually have to work harder. After putting the pictures of Ruka away, she went back to her bad. She pulled the covers over her and fell asleep.
~*~The Next Day~*~
Hotaru woke up at the strike of 7 o' clock. She didn't need an alarm clock, she woke up every day at exactly 7 0' clock, without it. She pulled on her uniform and got the pictures of Ruka. She walked out of the dorm. She got into her miniature car, and drove into school. As she drove through the hallways, she heard some kids say:
"Hey isn't that Imai 'The Ice Queen'."
"Shhhh! Don't point! She'll see you."
"She really does look like an ice queen too."
"She seems scary…"
"She gives me the chills…"
Just then she heard Jinno's voice, "IMAI! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?! DON"T DRIVE IN THE HALLWAYS!"
Hotaru ignored them and drove into the classroom. It was like that every morning. Kids would gossip about her and Jinno would yell at her for driving in the hallways. Nothing new.
Just as she drove through the door, Ruka's fan girls crowded around her.
"Hey Imai, I heard you have new pictures of Ruka!'
"How much do you want for the pictures?"
"Can we see the pictures?"
Hotaru looked over the fan girls and saw Ruka sitting next to Natsume, blushing. Hotaru smirked, I love my job.
Hotaru then turned back to the fan girls, "Each photo will be 2,000 yen."
"Awwww, but that's so expensive!" One fan girl complained.
"Take it or leave it," Hotaru glared at her.
The girl apologized and cowered away.
"Okay, so who wants them?" Hotaru shouted.
There was a chorus of 'ME!'
"Okay then, make a line," Hotaru said, as she sat down at a desk, and got ready to take in the orders.
After Hotaru was done selling all the photos. She took her seat next to Mikan.
"How much did you make today?" Mikan asked.
"About 30,000,000 yen," Hotaru replied.
"Do you have one more left?" Mikan asked.
"Yeah, cause I know you always want one," Hotaru said she pulled a picture out, "Since you're my best friend though, I'll give you a discount."
"Really?" Mikan's eyes gleamed.
"Yeah," Hotaru replied, "You'll only have to pay 1,999.99."
"But that's only 1 cent less than everyone else," Mikan pouted.
"No it isn't," Hotaru replied.
"Really?" Mikan asked, confused.
"Yeah, it actually a lot less," Hotaru said.
"Oh okay!" Mikan grinned. She handed Hotaru the money, as Hotaru handed her the picture.
From beside Mikan, Natsume chuckled.
"What?" Mikan looked at him.
"Next time remind me to teach you math," Natsume replied.
"What why?" Mikan asked.
"Never mind," Natsume chuckled.
From beside Natsume, Ruka grumbled.
"What's your problem?" Natsume asked him.
Ruka turned and look at him, "My problem? Oh, nothing, expect the fact, that everyone has pictures of me in my pajamas!"
"Ahhh that's nothing," Natsume waved him off.
"What do you mean nothing?!" Ruka shouted at him, "IT'S EMBARRASSING!"
"Yeah right," Natsume didn't look at him, "Remember the time Imai got a picture of me, falling out of the Sakura tree? Now that's embarrassing."
"It's only embarrassing to him because his ego is too big," Mikan told Ruka, earning a light hit on the head by Natsume.
Hotaru sighed and sat back, yup it was just like every morning. Same thing every day. Hotaru looked up at the ceiling, ignoring Mikan's and Natsume's bickering. But then again, Hotaru liked things the same every day. Change was never good.
"Hotaru, Hotaru, you okay?"
Hotaru blinked and came face-to-face with Mikan.
"You okay Hotaru-chan?" Mikan's hazel eyes were filled with concern.
"Yeah yeah," Hotaru waved her off. She didn't want Mikan to know she was thinking about that day.
What she didn't know was Ruka was also watching her with worried eyes. What's up with Imai? Ruka thought, she looks….pained.
Throughout the whole lesson, Ruka noticed that Hotaru was really 'out of it'. He actually felt concerned for her. Ruka frowned, shaking his head, why should he feel concerned about Hotaru? She'd made his life a living hell. But still he couldn't stop thinking about her.
At the sound of the bell, everyone jumped out of their seats and ran out of the classroom. Hotaru quietly got into her miniature car and drove away. Nobody noticed that she left, expect for Ruka. Forcing himself to forget about her, he began to walk towards his room.
After about 10 minutes of walking, Ruka realized he wasn't anywhere near his room. He was at Hotaru's. He cursed at his legs, for bringing him there. Looking at her door, he thought, well since I'm already here, I might as well, go check up on her.
He was about to knock on her door, when he heard a voice singing through the door.
Once so long ago
My heart has crushed
And turned to stone
Now a cold façade
Protects and shields
Their words echo
Ruka was froze; he was captivated.
Here comes the ice queen
No heart and no emotions
So it seems
But they don't really know how I can be
Don't judge me based on what you see
Ruka's eyes became huge. Ice Queen? But then there's only one person called that….HOTARU?!
The lonely ice queen
No one is ever good enough it seems
I'm just a little shy, misunderstood
You think that you could melt my heart
Then break the ice
No way, that couldn't be Hotaru singing, right? Ruka thought wildly.
Snow fell all around
Onto the ground
They put me down
Trapped beneath the ice
No sign of fire
But still they cry
Ruka, finally free from his trance, straighten up. But not before accidently kicking Hotaru's door. The singing stopped.
"Who's there?" came Hotaru voice from behind the door. Ruka heard Hotaru walking towards the door. He made a split-minute decision he ran.
~*~ Next Day~*~
Ruka walked into class and saw Hotaru sitting beside Mikan. Ruka hung his head down, he couldn't look at her. He took his seat next to Natsume. Occasionally, when he thought no one was looking, he would steal a few glances at Hotaru. But nothing goes unnoticed. Hazel eyes watched Ruka, as he stared at Hotaru. The bell sounded and everyone rushed out of the room.
Just as Ruka was about to walk out of the room, Mikan stopped him, "Ruka-pyon, can I talk to you?"
"Sure," Ruka replied.
Mikan looked around then said, "Privately."
"Uh okay," Ruka replied confused. Mikan led him to a deserted hallway.
"Okay, so what'd you want to talk about?" Ruka asked her.
"Ruka-pyon, do you like Hotaru-chan?" Mikan asked bluntly.
Ruka's eyes widen at her, "What! Why would you ever think that?!"
"You were staring at her all throughout class," Mikan replied.
"No- I mean….I….." Ruka looked at the floor, "But Mikan-san, you know that I love you. I told you I'll always protect you. I told you I'll always be your 'home'."
"Ruka-pyon, look at me," Mikan said to him, "I'm going out with Natsume now. He's my 'home' now."
Ruka looked at her distressed, "Then…I'll be your insurance!"
Mikan shook her head, "You might not know it now, but I know you have feelings for Hotaru."
"But I'll always love you Mik-," Ruka began just as Mikan cut him off, "Hearts change, Ruka."
"But then your heart could change too," Ruka said, "Maybe one day you'll come to love me."
"If I went to you, then who would that leave Natsume with?" Mikan asked, "Would you really wish for Natsume to be alone?"
Ruka hung his head, "No, it's just-," Mikan cut him off, "I love Natsume and you love him too, Ruka-pyon. That's why you know I can't break his heart."
With that said, Mikan turned and was about to walk away, when Ruka caught her arm, "Mikan-san, please-."
Mikan looked at him, with pity in her eyes, "Ruka-pyon, I love you a lot. That's why I don't want to see you like this."
"Then why, won't you-," Ruka began. "Because, I know you love Hotaru," Mikan replied.
"I told you Mikan-san, I only love you!" Ruka shouted his voice full of desperation.
Mikan shook her head, "You know I can never be with you Ruka-pyon. I don't want to see you hurt like this."
"I'm hurt because you don't love me!" Ruka cried. Denied
Mikan shook her head, her eyes brimmed with tears, "You know I love you Ruka. Just not in the same way as Natsume. If you can't move on Ruka, your heart will stay broken. You're hurting yourself, just look into your heart. And tell me who you see, tell me."
Ruka looked into her eyes, "I see you, Mikan-chan."
Mikan shook her head, "Wrong, you're not looking deep enough, you're only looking at the surface." Mikan took a step towards him. She pointed to his heart, "Look in here." Then she pointed to his head, "And not in there."
She looked into his eyes, "After you really see into your own heart, then come and talk to me, I'll be waiting." She turned and was about to walk away, but Ruka's words stopped her, "When I see you smile, and know it is not for me, then that is when I hurt the most."
Mikan turned and looked back at him, her tears spilling out now, "You only say that now. But when you finally realize your own feelings, you won't hurt no more. You're not the only one who's dying of a broken heart, Ruka. Hotaru's suffering too."
Ruka laughed, then, humorlessly, "You don't die from a broken heart, you only wish you did."
Mikan shook her, "You die inside, but once you finally realize your feelings, it will be like you're being born again."
"I can forget the tears and hurt you put me through, but I can't forget the laughs and special times I shared with you," Ruka replied.
Mikan turned away from him, "Bye Ruka." With that said, she turned and walked away. But not before Ruka's voice rang in her ears, "You left me with a broken heart and happy memories too, but I never wanted memories, I only wanted You."
KK: Intense wasn't that? O.O And now…to the next chapie to find out what happens next! And oh yeah, to any of you, who want to know the name of the song Hotaru was singing it's called "Ice Queen" By Trish Trang. . That song inspired me to write this story. Don't forget to REVIEW!