Author's Note: Here you go, my dear readers. Rewritten and fresh with my current manner of writing, Chapter 1 of A Brand New Start. Thank you for patiently waiting while I edited this.

Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing except the story's plot.

Chapter 1: Unaffected

"Sakura-san! It's the 5th due date of your rents! Pay up already or you're out of here!" shouted a robot as it banged at the apartment door of Mikan Sakura, 20 years of age. "Remember, you've got months piled up already! SAKURA-SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

This was how the landlady of Sakura Mikan's apartment, Hotaru Imai, charged her customers with their bills. Imai is an inventor of weird robots and other things that simply don't make sense but are useful, somehow. She and Mikan have been best friends since they were small children. Despite this, the Imai-bot never misses a chance to break down the door of Mikan's apartment and charge her of her dues (with the addition of the price of the broken door, of course).

Mikan was hiding under her table and pretended to not hear the ruckus at her door. She told Hotaru she was behind on cash! Why is she doing this? Suddenly, the banging stopped and a knock came.

"Mikan open up. I know you're in there." Hotaru's icy voice came from the other side of the door.

Mikan sighed, got up, dusted herself off and opened the door. A punch from Hotaru's horse-shoe glove. "Itai! Hotaru you meanie!" Mikan complained as she rubbed her chin.

"Baka. You need to pay your bills. Go find a job or something. You are 20 years old, idiot. Don't act like you're still 10. My business is going to go bankrupt if you don't pay your bills soon." Hotaru said.

"I've been trying." Mikan continued to whine.

Hotaru's unemotional stare softened (why yes, it could soften). "I know. That's why I got you that." She said, pointing to the mechanical turtle crawling towards Mikan with a piece of paper in its mouth.

Mikan glared. "Your turtle mail reaches its message's recipient a week after you send it. You live right above me and you didn't bother yourself?"

Hotaru shrugged, her violet eyes once again void of any emotion.

Mikan took the paper from the turtle and read its contents. "And you didn't have to punch me, you know."

"You always need it."

Mikan's eyes widened. "The Hyuuga Corporations? How'd you get access to this?"

"I have connections." Hotaru said, making her way out of Mikan's apartment. "Go find a job. Even if you had to clean out garbage bins or whatever job would suit you there. And do try to look presentable when you go there. We don't want them assuming you're a beggar, ok?"

"Meanie." Mikan muttered, already halfway to her closet. "Trust me, I'll be there tomorrow. Presentable as I can be."

Mikan turned up at the address on the paper Hotaru gave her in the most appropriate clothes she could find in her closet. Black pumps, black pencil-cut skirt and a red Victorian inspired top with just the right amount of frills. She approached the guard, "Excuse me, do you know where to go if I'm going to apply for a job?"

The guard nodded and said, "You go straight to the Assistant manager's office, third floor, 2nd door to the right…"he replied.

"Thanks." Mikan said.

"You're welcome. And good luck… don't worry, Nogi-sama won't eat you." The guard chuckled.

Mikan smiled. "Thank you for the advice. I'm Mikan Sakura!"

"Oh sure, I'm Kokoroyomi, but you can call me Koko." He said, tipping his hat in her direction.

"Nice to meet you, Koko." She beamed.

"Same to you, Sakura-san."

"Oh, please. Mikan's fine."

"Well, if you insist." And they laughed.

"Thank you again for your help, Koko. I have to get going now. I'll see you later!" Mikan said, waving goodbye to Kokoroyomi as she headed towards the elevator.

She followed Koko's instructions to a room with a nameplate that says,

Ruka Nogi

Assistant Manager, Tokyo Branch, Hyuuga Corporations

"Wow. This is big time." Mikan sighed to herself, already nervous despite what Koko said. She took a deep breath. "Well, here goes." And knocked.

"Come in."

Mikan went in and her eyes focused on the blonde seated at the table. "Mr. Nogi?" she asked.

"That's me." the blonde replied, smiling.

"Ok… uhm, I'm Mikan Sakura and I came here to…" Mikan started.

"Mikan Sakura? So you're the one whom Imai told me about. She said you'd come here one of these days…." Ruka said with no surprise at all.

"Ho-taru?" Mikan was left speechless at that. Not knowing what else to say, she just handed Ruka Nogi her biodata and credentials.

Ruka Nogi accepted them. He cleared his throat. "Yes, well. To be honest, Sakura-san, the only job opening we have right now is for the secretary of the general manager, Mr. Natsume Hyuuga." He said, frowning ever so slightly.

Mikan paled. Secretary of the general manager! "Uhm, if you don't mind me asking, why is that position blank? Shouldn't there be a person there from the very start?" she asked, while Ruka flipped through her papers.

Ruka smiled a bit at that. "The 836th one just resigned 3 days ago." He replied. Mikan paled even more. 836th? Was the general manager a monster or something? Ruka shook his head, chuckling. "He's just too stubborn, that Natsume…" he muttered to himself. Then he turned to Mikan again. "So, you want the job, Miss Sakura? I'm afraid it's the only thing we can offer to you at the moment, and seeing that your credentials seem fit, we'd love to have you here."

Mikan couldn't believe it. "I'm desperate for the job, right now. I just want to make sure, you're accepting me?"

"Why, yes, of course. If you'd take it. You'll have a one week trial period, in case you change your mind. I'd warn you now, though, that 80% of the previous applicants for this position lasted only in the average of 4 days."

Mikan gulped. A sudden knock on the door startled both Ruka and Mikan. "Ruka, are you in there?" a voice asked.

"Yes. Come in, Natsume…" Natsume? The general manager? Mikan's soon-to-be boss? The door opened and a raven haired, gorgeous young man entered. His ruby eyes seemed to penetrate Mikan's whole being when he glanced at her even just for a second.

"Natsume, this is Mikan Sakura, a secretary candidate." Ruka said, indicating Mikan. Natsume eyed her from head to toe. "The only one, as of the moment, that is."

"Sakura-san, this is Mr. Hyuuga, general manager of Hyuuga Corporations." He said to Mikan. She floundered to bow to him.

"If you're going to be my secretary, don't dress like that." Natsume said, pointing to her attire. "Wear something much…" he came closer to where Mikan stood and whispered in her ear, "… sexier." Mikan blushed and Natsume drew back and turned back to Ruka who was frowning silently throughout the whole ordeal.

"Get her. She'll be my secretary starting… tomorrow…" Natsume told him then left, his hand deftly brushing Mikan's arm as he passed her. Mikan blushed again.

"Sorry about that. He's really like that sometimes…" Ruka apologized.

Mikan was still red in the face as she replied, "That's okay…" Ruka offered his hand.

"Mikan Sakura, welcome to the Hyuuga Corporations! You start tomorrow. Go here first thing in the morning, ok? The I'll accompany you to Natsume's office."

Mikan took it feebly and croaked out, "Yes sir, thanks. I hope you take care of me in my time here." She got her bag and turned for the door.

Just before the door closed behind her, she heard Ruka mumble, "I hope she's the one…"

Mikan sighed and collapsed on her bed. Suddenly, someone knocked at her door. "It's Hotaru." Mikan opened the door.

"I got accepted. Natsume Hyuuga's secretary." Mikan said.

There was a break in Hotaru Imai's usually composed face. Then it was gone as fast as it appeared. "Hyuuga, huh? In that case, wear something from these." She said, handing Mikan 5 bags of clothes. "You owe me those." She stated plainly. "Gotta go. Bye." Hotaru disappeared, leaving Mikan with the bags of clothes.

"I didn't ask for them!" Mikan called out. "Where did these come from?" Mikan asked no one. She opened one of the bags and almost fainted. "Hotaru, Hyuuga… you jerks…" she growled then closed the door and ran for her bed. She needed to rest. She was entering the lion's den tomorrow. She just knew it.

The next day, Mikan woke up early and got ready for work. She groaned when she chose what she'd wear from the bags Hotaru gave her the day before.

She wasn't comfortable when she came out of the bathroom wearing a violet halter top and a pair of black skinny jeans which clung to her slender legs like second skin. So she got her white trench coat and put it over the embarrassingly revealing clothes.

She got her black wedges and slipped them on. She tied her long brown hair in a ponytail, applied a little lip shimmer and make-up, sighed, and left her apartment.

Arriving at the building, she waved at Koko who looked surprised at her new look and went straight to Ruka's office as he said. "Come in."

"Ah, Sakura-san. Good morning! You're early…" Ruka greeted her.

"Good Morning…" Mikan said dejectedly.

"Why the long face?" Ruka asked, though Mikan suspected he knew it was because of her get-up.

"Hotaru made me wear these…" she stated, opening the trench coat just a bit to show him the outrageous outfit.

Ruka was about to reply when the phone rang. He answered it. "Hello, Ruka Nogi's office… yes… oh, yes, she's already here… uh-huh… ok…" he put the phone down. "That was Natsume. He said we should go to his office now." Ruka told Mikan who nodded.

They rode the elevator to the 20th floor. When the door opened after what seemed like eternity, Ruka told Mikan, "Let's go…'' and he led her to the door which said,

Natsume Hyuuga

Owner-Manager, Hyuuga Corporations

Ruka opened the door without further ado and went in, Mikan close behind him.

"Good morning, Natsume." Ruka said.

"Ohayou Guzaimasu, Hyuuga-sama." Mikan bowed and greeted in Japanese, a sign of ultimate respect.

Natsume turned to them and nodded. "Thank you Ruka, you may now go." He said as he dismissed Ruka. Ruka nodded then left, closing the door behind him.

Natsume focused on Mikan. "Hmmm…" he walked closer towards her until their bodies were almost touching. Mikan could feel his breath on her face. He smells nice. Mikan blushed when he lifted her chin with his finger to face him. Natsume inhaled Mikan's scent. She smelled like strawberries. Mikan was startled when Natsume's tongue touched her lips lightly, as if tasting them.

She was about to push him away when he whispered to her, "Mhhmm… Now, be a good girl and remove your coat." Mikan shook her head and pushed Natsume away.

He looked surprised that she fought back. "Pervert." Mikan spat out, not caring that this was the man who owned practically all of Japan.

Natsume smiled and lifted his hand to reveal Mikan's ponytail around his wrist. Mikan looked at him in disbelief and realized he had already removed it from her hair. Her long auburn hair cascaded down her shoulders and it made her look very tempting.

"I came here to be your secretary, not your personal slut." Mikan said defiantly. Natsume chuckled. He admired the boldness of this girl. He wondered what this girl would be like in bed.

"I know strawberries… But your first job is to obey me." He said. Mikan was hostile, her chocolate brown eyes flashing.

Before she even knew it, Natsume was already pinning her on the door. Then he aggressively said, "Remove the coat, strawberries. Or it's all of your clothes that go off." Mikan blushed furiously at Natsume's statement. But she had to admit, this man was too gorgeous to resist. She'd happily sleep with him anytime… wait, no!

Her hands were shaking as she removed her coat and her eyes were captured by Natsume's ruby ones. They were both breathing heavily. Mikan just let her coat drop to the floor at their feet and pushed Natsume weakly away.

"Happy now?" she asked sarcastically. Natsume didn't speak. He was too captivated by her beauty and her body! Those luscious curves almost made him drop to his knees.

Mikan was pissed off and turned on at the same time. Natsume Hyuuga was hot and that was kind of undeniable. She never felt this way towards any man before and it made her excited. All she wanted to do was pounce on him and claim him as her own but she shook the idea away.

Natsume was puzzled. Usually, the women that he treated like this practically clung to him and not stand around, staring at him like this. "What would you do if I stripped in front of you right this moment?" Natsume asked Mikan nonchalantly.

Mikan blushed furiously. "I'd call you pervert… and look away… and yet, probably look at you till you ask me to stop." She replied almost too innocently.

"What would you do if I stripped in front of you?" she asked him.

"I'd fuck you hard. Make you scream and make the whole building hear you shout my name in ecstasy." He replied, huskily.

"Uh-huh…" she replied blankly. Natsume stared at her hungrily. "What? Do I look like I'm something to eat? I was just asking." she said.

"So, what do I do now?" she continued, composing herself, as if they had not just flirted quite erotically.

"How about you cancel all my plans for today, take your clothes off and let me enjoy you the rest of the day?" Natsume suggested.

"Pervert." Mikan replied. She picked her coat, put it on, turned and opened the door he was pinning her to a few moments earlier and walked out of the room.

Curious.