THANK YOU

Aminatsu032, manimefrances, Ranma11, surrealreverie, yan.mango, Nephie-chan, -forsaken girl-, may520, avril lavigne (anon), Royal Goddess, Star Sapphirex, Kaya-chan90, winglessfairy25, Kelliexx0 for reviewing the prologue. Chapter two is up! Please enjoy it!

WHEN DARKNESS FALLS REVIEWERS

I didn't post these people in the previous chapter since the Review Alert thing was going whacko again. Thank you: Kaya Chan90, renyun, glenda23, Royal Goddess, 'orange-ideas', Tears and Sorrow, Pink Fire101, Star Sapphirex, DMPMG, Scarlet Wings Angel & lysabelle for reviewing the last chapters.

'Without music, life would be a mistake'

- Friedrich Nietzsche

--

Our Love is a Rock Song

Written by Keiko Oda

Chapter Two: Him Again?

--

It had been a week now since that encounter in the CD store but Mikan still couldn't forget about his insults.

"Because you suck"

"Duh. Every teeny bopper magazine has your stupid smile all over it"

"Idiot. Seems like you're not updated with real life…"

"Whatever. I'm going to ruin your life, little girl"

"I'm not a little girl, you bastard!!! I'm fifteen years old for crying out loud!!!!" Mikan yelled, kicking her bedroom drawer as she did her morning routine of brushing her hair. She threw her brush on her bed and crossed her arms.

"I bet he's just jealous that I'm rich and famous and he's just an ordinary dummy who takes his anger on famous people" the brunette said and gave a grin. "Yeah that's probably it!" she said and gave a sinister laugh.

Before she could fantasize more, Jii-chan called her from the living room. "MIKAN!!!!!!"

Mikan walked to the living room where Jii-chan was having some coffee and scribbling down Mikan's schedule once more on a notepad. He looked up at her and gave her a grin.

"You are familiar with Pop! Pop! Soda, right?" he said as Mikan sat down beside him.

Before Mikan could reply, Jii-chan added:

"Well, I have received a letter from Pop! Pop! Soda saying that they want YOU to endorse their newest soda, Orange Burst!"

Mikan's face lit up. "Really?!"

Jii-chan nodded.

"I'm going to endorse Pop! Pop! Soda?! I'm going to appear in front of every television screen of Japan with a bottle of Orange Burst?! I'm going to be even more famous!?" she squealed and stood up.

"I'm going to have my first commercial! I'm going to have my first commercial!" she sang, twirling around the living room with her face pink with delight.

This was Mikan's first commercial EVER and she was thrilled to get started on it. She could see it now…

The lights…

The camera…

The action…

But what she couldn't see…are someone's tattoos and piercings that were going to get in the way of it all...

--

"Pop! Pop! Soda Enterprises…" Mikan murmured, staring at the big bright building before her. It was a humungous building with shimmering windows and on the roof was a colorful billboard that had the picture of the last endorser (whom Mikan couldn't identify) holding up a bottle that said "Watermelon Soda". Mikan's eyes glimmered at the thought that her face would replace that picture on that billboard.

"Mikan…come!" Jii-chan said, straightening his tie and taking Mikan's hand.

It was the most boring-looking place Mikan saw. The walls and the floor were made of gray tiles and the elevator had this certain strange smell that seemed to have the combination of soda and car fumes (and might I add, it wasn't a great smell at all).

There was a statue in the middle of the lobby which was the first soda that Pop! Pop! Soda enterprises ever produced and it looked like the only well-maintained thing in the building. The people were so gray that they blended in with the walls.

Mikan and her grandfather spent an aching minute on the elevator because there were so many people coming in and coming out and I said earlier, the smell of the elevator was so horrendous that you would want to vomit inside. Mikan faced the corner and put her hands to her nose so she wouldn't inhale the horrible smell that was contaminating the place.

They reached the twenty-fourth floor which was their destination. It was like a breath of fresh air to smell office carpet rather than to smell the elevator. Jii-chan walked up to the front desk lady.

"Konnichiwa. We are here to talk to Takaya Ichigo" he said.

The front desk lady looked at him suspiciously. "And who might you be, sir?"

Jii-chan raised his eyebrow. "I'm the manager of that girl" he said and pointed to Mikan who was reading one of their endorsing posters.

The lady jumped a bit and gave a warm smile and straightened her glasses. "Mikan Sakura? I will get to Takaya-san immediately"

In a few minutes, a long lanky lady came out of one of the million doors. She had her hair tied up into a very neat pony tail and had her lips pursed. Her business suit was so straight and she looked like the type to whip her children to bed.

"Sakura Mikan?" she said, lending out her hand.

Mikan looked at it. "Am I supposed to shake it?" she whispered at Jii-chan.

Takaya-san withdrew her hand and placed it inside her pocket.

"Please come into the meeting room…"

--

The next few minutes were such a bore for Mikan.

"I am in the Endorsing Department of Pop! Pop! Soda and it has come into my conclusion that if we get celebrities to endorse our new products, it would catch the attention of the public…since…ahem…they look up to you singers very much…so we've asked Ms. Sakura and…"

Mikan didn't hear the name which Takaya-san said after hers but she didn't care. She was slumped on some uncomfortable office chair, half asleep.

All of a sudden, there was a knock on the door.

Mikan immediately woke up and rubbed her eyes. "Was I asleep?" she asked her Jii-chan.

"You were drooling. Did you even understand what Takaya-san was saying?"

Mikan smiled sheepishly and turned to the door. It was the front desk lady.

"Ms. Takaya-san, he has arrived" she said, with her face quite pink.

Takaya-san gave a smile. "Please let him in"

Mikan watched two black shoes enter the room, her eyes scrolled up to a pair of dark jeans and a black t-shirt and then…

To her horror…

"IT'S THE GUY FROM THE CD SHOP!!!" Mikan screeched. Her voice was so loud that Jii-chan fell from his chair and Takaya-san's glasses fell askew.

There, standing before her beady brown eyes was the same raven-haired boy with crimson eyes she met last week. The same boy with ear piercings and that deadly look he held on his eyes. He walked into the room and sat down on a chair and glared at Mikan.

"Well, what do you know…it's that loser…from the CD store" he said, crossing his arms.

Mikan turned red. "Surprising to see you here…I heard the Idiots Convention was next door. Bye, bye!"

The boy narrowed his eyes. "I heard better comebacks from a tuna casserole"

Mikan turned even redder. "Why are you even here? You're not even a celebrity!"

Takaya-san adjusted her glasses. "Ms. Sakura, this is Natsume Hyuuga…"

"I never heard of him…what makes him so special?" Mikan hissed.

Before Takaya-san could reply, Natsume rudely interrupted.

"I'm a singer…but unlike YOU, I sing songs with potential. I'm a rock artist, not some silly teen who goes around singing songs of birds and flowers" he said and smirked. "Which is probably the reason why I sell more CDs than you"

"Excuse me, I've sold over one-thousand copies of my album and I'm the second most researched person on the internet…I know that I have enough potential to kick your…"

Natsume raised an eyebrow. "I sold ten million copies of my album worldwide and I am the most researched person on the internet AND I have over fourteen thousand people in my fan club…"

Mikan's throat tightened. She didn't even know if she had a fan club. Why was this guy so famous anyway? He's just another artist like she was!

"I've been singing for two years now, how about you?"

"Last April..." Mikan murmured. She felt so small and insignificant now.

"How old are you?"

Man! Why did this guy have to ask questions to which he would make me feel so unimportant?

"Fifteen"

"Eighteen" Natsume responded and took a sip from his mug. "So I think we all know who the better singer is now"

"Excuse me, Mr. Hyuuga and Ms. Sakura… you will be doing the commercial together"

--

Mikan looked at herself in the mirror.

All of a sudden, she realized she wasn't all that after all. There was a person who had more potential than her, who sold more copies than her and who even was more researched than her. She felt like a loser. This guy was so horrible!

"I'm not letting him steal my spotlight!" Mikan said. "I know I'm better than him!"

She walked out of the door, unknown that Natsume was just coming out of his dressing room.

And all of a sudden, he put his foot forward and Mikan tripped and fell on the floor. Falling was humiliating enough but what made it worse was the fact that she was wearing a red checkered mini skirt.

Mikan immediately crossed her legs. "What did you do that for?" she said, turning pink.

"Losers are supposed to stay on the floor, don't you know?" he said coolly and then put his hands in his pockets. "Polka Dots"

Mikan stood up and smoothed her skirt, her face scarlet. "What kind of guy looks at girls' underwear? A PERVERT! And that's what you are!" Mikan yelled.

"It's not my fault; you were the one who showed it off"

"Well…it's your fault for looking!" the brunette said, flustered. "You're the most terrible person I've met!"

"And you're the most annoying girl I've come to known, so do me a favor and keep your mouth shut"

Mikan stomped on his foot. The boy twitched a bit but remained cool about it. "You don't even know who you're talking to" she whispered to his face and stomped away.

Natsume rolled his eyes and followed her to the studio.

--

The commercial lines were very short and Mikan was utterly confident about the commercial since the camera practically loved her.

"Are you tired of your average soda?

Then get ready for Orange Burst! New from Pop! Pop! Soda Enterprises!

It's so good, that you'll get hooked with its fruity flavor!

Try it now!"

It was quite short but Mikan didn't care for the only thing that really bothered her was the fact that she was shooting with Natsume.

She practiced her lines in front of a nearby mirror and when she was done, she was called out to the main studio. Natsume was already there, sitting down on a stool while strumming a black and red guitar.

"Wow! A guitar!" Mikan squealed, forgetting that she hated the guy. She stroked the strings of the guitar and grinned. "You play this guitar while you sing?"

"Duh" Natsume replied emotionlessly. "Do you play an instrument?"

Mikan shook her head. "I just sing"

Natsume scoffed. "Just as I thought"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Never mind, just keep your ugly mouth shut" he replied, putting his guitar down. He stood up and walked away.

"Mikan! Natsume! Come here!" Takaya-san said, waving her hand from the shooting area.

Mikan's heart seemed to have stopped beating.

It was time for the commercial.

--

"Are you tired of your average soda?

Then get ready for Orange Burst! New from Pop! Pop! Soda Enterprises!

It's so good, that you'll get hooked with its fruity flavor!

Try it now!"

And with that, Mikan held up the Orange Burst bottle. This isn't so bad after all, she thought. It was Natsume's turn to speak, and the raven-haired boy couldn't stand Mikan doing so well. He then placed his foot over hers and then squashed it.

"Ouch!" Mikan yelled, jumping up while her foot throbbed in pain.

"CUT!"

Takaya-san removed her glasses and polished it very carefully. "Mikan! What was that for?"

Mikan sat down on the floor and removed her shoe, staring at her big red toe.

"I-it's not my f-fault! Natsume did it!" she said, pointing to Natsume who was looking at Takaya-san innocently.

Takaya-san looked at the innocent fifteen-year old in disbelief. "Mikan, aren't you too old to be playing the Blame Game?"

Mikan gulped. Before she could reply, Takaya-san intruded.

"I believe I could let you off the hook now but please focus on the commercial, for your sake and the company's as well" she said, her voice quite quaky.

Mikan glared at Natsume who just raised his eyebrow like he was unaware of what just happened.

"Take two!"

"Are you tired of your average soda?

Then get ready for Orange Burst! New from Pop! Pop! Soda Enterprises!

It's so good, that you'll get hooked with its fruity flavor!

Try it now!"

This time, Mikan was very nervous for she was worried that Natsume would step on her foot or something again. She was so conscious of it that it showed on her face. Natsume expected this to happen and just watched her break down in her own mind.

"CUT!"

Mikan sighed and looked at Takaya-san who looked completely disappointed.

"Mikan? Are you okay? Maybe you should take a break. We'll do Natsume's shot first"

Mikan hissed at Natsume who smirked at her menacingly.

Grrr… I want to kill him! Mikan thought, clenching her fists. He is the worst guy I've met in my entire life!!!!!!

She sat down and watched him shoot perfectly. That dirty cheap pervert! Mikan said, as she stirred up more insults that would suit him.

"Mikan! You're up!" Takaya-san said, beckoning the brunette to come back.

"Finally" Mikan muttered and stood up, she glanced at Natsume and stuck out her tongue in anger.

"Are you tired of your average soda?

Then get ready for Orange Burst! New from Pop! Pop! Soda Enterprises…"

Then, her mind seemed to blur all of a sudden. What were the lines again? She just stared into the camera, with the goofiest smile she could imagine.

Then she glanced at Natsume who was giving off his trademark smirk.

Mikan lost her temper.

She lunged at Natsume, with her face redder than ever. "STOP ANNOYING ME, YOU LOUSY…"

Natsume stared at her without a hint of emotion in his eyes. "Get off me, Polka Dots" he murmured.

Mikan turned red and stood up, brushing off dirt from her skirt. "I hate you" she whispered.

Natsume shrugged. "I hate you too"

Takaya-san went up to them. "What was that all about? The lunging and the curses? That wasn't part of the commercial! We're advertising soda, here…not filming some violent movie!"

Mikan flushed. "Ah…gomenasai…"

"Fine…Take Three!"

--

The commercial turned out to be pretty good, actually and Mikan was relieved when she saw herself on TV. The camera loved her and she didn't look at all nervous. But one thing bothered her, it was Natsume. And until now, she couldn't forget his evil mocks.

"Grrr…" Mikan growled, as his face appeared in her head again. "That stupid moron…"

She leaned back on the couch and sighed.

"If there was one way to get back at him for his stupid insults…"

And maybe there was.

--

To be continued…

NOTES…

Hope you liked this chapter. Please leave a review. Take care, everybody. See you in a bit!