CHAPTER 1: HOW IT ALL BEGAN
5 years ago...
Goodbye, summer! Hello, Alice Academy!
I'm currently a fifth grader. I can'tbelieve this; I'm getting old each day. I was an inch taller than last year and my brown locks grew longer that it reached my waist. My old school uniform was getting shorter and small for me.
I held the paper, which was given to me, close to my face. All information about my new class was written there. 5-A... Oh yeah! My teacher still is Narumi-sensei! Oh... and room 309.
I skipped happily up the stairs and stopped in front of a room with a large '309' board sign above it. I breathed in, getting rid of the nervousness that was starting to build up inside my chest. As I walked in the class room, familiar faces greeted me.
Permy,I gave her a smile which she returned.
Koko, Inchou, Anna and Nonoko...My eyes landed unto a raven-haired girl with a new invention at hand.
"HOTARU!" I ran towards her. But before I can even touch her, I received a hard punch. That really did hurt like hell.
"New Invention. Baka Gun. Used to shoot idiotic people," She stated in her cold voice.
People couldn't believe how I became friends with the Ice Queen. Well, Hotaru and I were friends since the day she and I were still in diapers. How I can handle her tormenting ways?That's the way she shows her love for me...Maybe.
"Good Morning, Class!" Narumi-sensei!
"Before we start our class – Mikan, what are you doing on the floor?" He asked as he saw me, lying on the floor. "Stand up, dear."
I stood up, trying to conceal the pain that was now piercing my stomach. Yes, the blow I received hit my stomach. Ugh. Hotaru really does love me.
"Today we have two new students."
Then, I heard string of girl shrieks.
I walked towards my seat as I felt daggers of glares being sent on me. Why? Oh, why do I have to be the one to seat beside this new student?I swallowed the lump in my throat. Everyone was eyeing me, I can feel it.
I stopped in front of my seatmate and gathered the courage to say hi. I don't know why but it felt hard to speak to this new student who gave off an apathetic aura.
"Uh...Hello?" A hoping smile crept up my face.
Two crimson eyes were revealed as he removed his manga away from his face. He was handsome. The most gorgeous thing – or boy – I saw in my life. He had raven hair that was tousled and untidy. And, his fair complexion that just matched well with his features. Any girl would just go crazy over him. So that's why they were glaring at me!
"..."
"I'm Mikan Sakura," I said as I offered my hand for a shake.
I was expecting for a friendly hand shake. But, I neverreally got one. Instead, his eyes moved from my face and down to my welcoming hand, staring at it like it was filthy. My admiration towards him disappeared that moment and my little smile vanished from my face. Talk about rudeness after you made the nicest introduction you could ever think of.
"Hn," He shifted in his seat and began reading his manga again.
What was that? A 'Hn' was all I got after I made a friendly introduction? I sat down the space beside him. I can't believe I'm going to be seatmates with an unresponsive person. What could be sointeresting about that manga he's reading that he could not take a few seconds to introduce himself?
Sighing, I took out my pen and notebook and placed it on top of the table in an organized manner. I smiled.
Pen and notebook, check!
"Hyuuga."
My head snapped up to look at the introverted boy beside me. His face was looking the other way and his hands were not holding the manga, he seems to be preoccupied with. A moment of silence passed by before he continued his sentence.
"Natsume... Hyuuga," he said in his icy, husky voice. I admit he sounded hot – actually, he IS hot.
"Is that so?"
Finally, he told me his name. This may be a start of a great friendship...
I let out a smile towards him. "Nice to meet you, Hyuuga-san. You can call me anything you'd like," I said in a friendly tone.
"Hn," It was yet again the famous 'Hn'.
...Or not.
I sighed and stated, "You know, there are a lot of words besides 'hn'." He gave me a nod and maintained his gaze in front. I heaved another heavy sigh and looked at my notebook and pen – and I, at that time, thought that a pen and notebook would actually be lovely company rather than this cold seatmate of mine.
Oh well, if worst comes to worst, I'll end up talking to my pen and notebook.
"Why are you twitching your lips like that?" Hyuuga asked me as he averted his attention to me.
He was just plain odd. It had been two weeks since the first day of school. I got to know a lot of transferees and befriended them – except him that is . All I know is that he was THE Natsume Hyuuga, the girls went crazy over and the boys envied more than anything else. He, in fact, has a newly established fan club, led by the blonde bitch named Luna Koizumi, together with her subordinates. He only has one friend – Ruka Nogi, a half French boy with to-die-for looks. And guess what else? Ruka-pyon's one of the nicest people among the transferees! I was really surprised when Ruka-pyon talked and smiled at Hyuuga. Really. It was like an effigy stood beside a matinee idol.
Someday, I opt to make a list on what I know about Natsume Hyuuga. Someday.
"I'm thinking about something," I answered. He shrugged and continued reading his manga.
I examined his features as I tap my pen on the table. His face never contained any etch of emotion as he read his oh-so-interesting manga. Was he really enjoying reading? Because, from the way I see him, he looked like he was just forced to read it.
"What?" He asked, his eyes darting towards me.
My head almost hit the table when I heard his voice. I quickly looked away from him, my heart pounding so fast inside my chest. And I didn't even know why it reacted like that.
"Errr." Stupid me. "...What's so fascinating with that manga?"
"It's humorous." I practically gawked at him. It was funny? Seriously?
I scrutinized him once more. "Really? Is it really really funny?" I asked, waiting for his answer.
"Yes," was his plain reply, still with his impassive face.
Oh brother. He's not human! I tell you! Not human!
The sight was really breathtaking. The green majestic trees, the wonderful smell of flowers, the red-bricked path that seemed to go on and on, and the cheerful song of birds echoing from above.
"Is this really the way to Hotaru's new laboratory?" I asked no one in particular.
Mikan, this is the road, alright? The right way. So keep moving forward! Just what Dory said!
I smiled and skipped happily, following the path.
"I'M LOST! OH NO!"
I sagged unto the grass, already wanting to cry. I had been walking for hours and I just kept going back and back to where I first started. I clearly remembered that Hotaru said to follow the yellow-bricked path.My eyes looked at the road. I saw red– red-colored bricks that formed a road. WHAT? I had been following the wrong path all along?
I hit my forehead with my palm. How can I get so stupid?
I groaned and closed my eyes as I held my chin. Hotaru will surely kill me if I don't get there in...
Raising my arm, I looked at my watch - which was not there. Oh God! I even forgot my watch! What an unlucky day!
Frustrated, I let out a loud irritated moan.
"Why are you being so noisy?"
I looked up the tree and saw Hyuuga, sitting on one of the branches. He had this infuriated look on his face. So, this seatmate of mine can actually feel annoyance and show it, huh?In a swift movement, he jumped from the branch and landed gracefully on the ground. His crimson eyes contained displeasure.
Quite a sight to see.
A smile crept up my face. He seemed to be annoyed by this, too, for his eyebrows went closer.
"What are you smiling for?" He asked with a tinge of exasperation present.
"Nothing," I replied. I bet my noticeable grin was still there. I just couldn't help but smile. "It's just that you can actually show emotions! I thought you were a living statue of a Greek god!"
"Tch. It was because you're so noisy," he muttered and sat down the grass beside me.
"Greek god, you say?"
I just didn't say that he looks like one! Stupid, stupid talkative mouth.I gave him an uneasy smile.
"Polka," he said with a slight smirk on his face as he looked at me.
My eyes turned huge. What an adorable smirk!Wait. He just called me 'polka', right?
"YOU PERVERT!" I shouted as I threw him a punch which he blocked easily.
"It wasn't my fault I saw it," Hyuuga said as he looked all-too-teasing that I suddenly preferred the impassive and stoic Hyuuga who doesn't give a damn on what I do.
"You were sprawled there and showed it to me."
"That's still peeking!"
"It isn't."
"It is!"
And that was the longest – not exactly decent - conversation I had with Natsume Hyuuga. And, that day I found out that the living statue was not exactly a statue – he was human. As I arrived at the dormitory together with Hyuuga as we exchange verbal insults, I received series of blows coming from none other than Hotaru's newly upgraded baka gun. And that's when I remembered that I was supposed to be at the new laboratory.
But, I could say, it was worth it. I needed to receive those punches to believe that it was all true – that my seatmate was not pokerfaced but a pervert.
Now, my hope's been renewed. This is gonna be a start of a great friendship. And, I'm not going to add notat the end of that thought.
"There done!" I smiled as I finished writing the last thing I found out about Natsume Hyuuga in my notebook – where I listed all of what I knew about him. Told you! I did make a list!
HE'S NOT A STATUE BUT AN 11-YEAR-OLD PERVERT. THEREFORE, HE IS HUMAN.
I closed my desk lamp and bid goodnight to the wind.
Sixth grade, we became friends from being distant seatmates – or acquaintances if you wish. I got to know more about Natsume. I actually call him by his first name now.He spoke more than one word whenever I ask him.
For example, "Tch. Polka, will you shut your big mouth?" So yeah. We're friends. And, he calls me 'Polka'. The pervert.
Two more years and we were in 8th grade. That was the year I became his best friend – other than Ruka that is. And it was witnessed by the Sakura Tree. Well, our friendship was witnessed by that tree from the very start – even our very first conversation.
"Are we best friends now, Natsume?"
"Whatever you may like, Polka."
All people envied me, especially Koizumi. She was desperate for Natsume and everybody knew of it. But, she did not dare hurt me. Why? I'm also best friends with the school's number one black mailer, Hotaru Imai. When I think I'm best friends with the most wanted stoic guy and the most feared woman in all of Alice Academy, I couldn't help but feel lucky – really lucky.
But, now, I feel so, so stupid. It was all gone within a flash.
At this moment, Natsume was a person I couldn't reach – even if I tried hard to.
I buried my head into my pillow and started to cry again. It was painful – very painful.
Hello! Here's the update! :D
Okay. So, I thought of having you know how they became best friends at first.
And, how much Mikan suffered. LOL. XD
I know it's not what you expected.
But, the next chapter's not like this one.
[You guys could probably predict it because of the way I ended this chapter.]
THANKS FOR ALL THOSE REVIEWS! and those who subscribed!
radiantxshadows; dbzgtfan2004; and CherryBlossom Stealer: Thanks for the reviews! :D
acrianz [Mae-sempai!]: Thanks for the awesome review! I tried to add more thoughts.
Whatcha think? And I made the chapter longer. :)) HAHA. XD
07 Febraury 2010
2:18 PM
(:nineprincess:)
