Chapter 2 : Black Cat

Mikan once again read the text message her father sent her.

'We're at the cafe Ki no Hana at Ginza. I'm sure you'll find it because this place is famous. John Lennon came here once! We'll wait here,so come quickly!'

She scrunched up here face. Exasperated. After nearly an hour of searching later, Mikan let out a small scream of frustration.

"Ah moe! I can't find that darn cafe! I haven't even been to Ginza before!"

Quickly she took out her cellphone and punched in her fathers number. It was fruitless as her father did not pick up.

"Oh no! He's not answering at all!" Mikan complained loudly.

(ching)

"Huh? What was that?" Mikan turned around and saw a lone black cat staring at her a few feet away.

"It's a cat." She said, stating the obvious.

'What's he doing here?' she thought as she watched the feline in wonder. It was rare to see a cat in the middle of a busy street as all cat tends to shy away from crowded places.

Mikan looked at the black cat closely and noticed that he has a collar and a bell at his neck.

'Is he someones pet?' she thought.

The cat suddenly got up and walked. After a few steps it turned and watched her with its beckoning yellow gaze. Imploring her to follow him. The cat then walked right across the street. Alarmed at the cats direction, Mikan chased after it.

"Hey! Don't go on the road! Its dangerous!" she screamed.

"Here kitty,kitty,kitty!" Mikan tried to call out the cat but he continued his way. Mikan followed. Not daring to take her eyes off the curious black cat. She followed him to strange looking yet regal building. It's architecture resembling to the old mansions in feudal Japan.

"What is this place?" Mikan asked herself in awe, her eyes rove the building in sheer wonder.

(ching)

The sound of bells immediately snapped her out of her tranfixation with the majestic building. Mikan followed the cat,which had went around to the back of the building.

"Hey kitty!" she called.

The black cat made a beeline towards, what looked like to be, the backdoor of the building.

"Wait! Don't go in there!" Mikan protested. She quickly marched towards the cat and snatched him up.

"Gotcha!" Mikan uttered triumphly and with slight relief. But before, she could berate the black feline, the door opened abruptly.

"I heard bells! Ken!" said a guy as he rushed out of the building.

Mikan nearly dropped the black cat she now assumed as Ken. However the arrival of the guy so suddenly surprised her more. Even more as it was Natsume Hyuuga.

Hyuuga stopped short and stared at her. Mikan stared back. Suddenly feeling like a deer in headlights. She then noticed that Hyuuga wore a yukata. Before she even got a chance to say anything, Hyuuga immediately snatched Ken away and turned back towards the door. Mikan looked on, stunned at his actions.

"Stop Natsume." Mikan suddenly realised they were not alone. A blond haired man with highlights was leaning at the mouth of the doorway. He was also dressed similarly to Hyuuga.

"She helped bring Ken back." The man stated, smiling easily.

Mikan blushed,embarassed at the man's misunderstanding.

"But, I didn't..." she started to protest, but the blond man only carried on.

"The least you can do is make her a cup of tea." The man chided gently. His violet eyes staring back at Hyuuga's crimson eyes. After a few seconds of silence, Hyuuga consented.

"Alright." He muttered, his eyes completely void of emotion. That alone made Mikan uneasy.

The blond man grinned, pleased that he got his way, and ushered her into the building.

"Come in! Come in!"

Mikan walked forward apprehensively as the blond man steered her in.

"Is this your first time at a Kabuki theater?" the blond asked enthusiastically. He had noticed the look of curiosity in Mikan eyes as they entered further into the building.

'Kabuki theater..' Mikan thought to herself, recalling her earlier conversation with her friends.

The interior of the building was nice and well kept even the back hallway. It must be very splendid upfront if the back was also well maintained.

The blond man lead her further into the building. They then stopped in front of a door with hangings placed. It was printed with a picture of a black cat and white flowers on a red background.

"This is Natsume's changing room." The blond said.

A while later, Mikan found herself sitting on a floor cusion at a low table in front of Hyuuga in complete silence. Then Ken meowed suddenly. She sweatdropped.

'I should drink the tea quickly and get the hell out of here.' she thought to herself while blowing furiously on the tea, wishing it to cool faster.

But then she glanced at Hyuuga's impassive face and noticed something strange. He was sweating profusely.

"Ano, you're sweating. Do you have a fever?" she asked.

Hyuuga only looked at her. Completely caught off guard at her assumption. Mikan ignored his silence and turned to rummage her sling bag she brought with her.

"I have a pill that may help. I usually take this when I'm in my monthly but I think it can be used for fevers too. It won't make you sleepy so don't worry. Ah! Here it is!" Mikan finally ended her rambling. She placed the pill on the table with an air of triumph.

However Hyuuga only kept silent and stared at her with something akin to amusement in his eyes. Mikan didn't notice this.

'Uhoh... Maybe I was wrong?' she thought and began frowning.

Then it her like a runaway train. Mikan suddenly realized and came to the conclusion that...

"Oh no! You're sweating because you're ribs are broken! I broke them!" she said. Mikan was horrified. Her expression was completely pale.

Hyuuga looked at her now more stunned than amused.

"What" however he never got to finish what he was going to say.

Mikans loud voice obscured his low-toned voice. She completely ignored his protesting look.

"I'm so,so sorry! My dictionary must be really,really heavy!" she said,now close to tears. Tears of panic,mind you.

The door opened and the blond man came in. Meanwhile Mikan had stood up and was close to running around like a headless chicken,panicking.

"Oh no! What do I do? Someone! Anyone! Please call an ambulance!

"Oh? What's wrong?" the blond man asked,confused at the sight of a tearful Mikan and a harassed looking Natsume.

"I'm sorry! I accidentally broke his ribs!" Mikan pointed at Hyuuga morosely.

Hyuuga touched his midriff self-conciously and frowned at them. However the blond man was hardly worried.

"Oh, I see. This one always finds himself injured. Let me see." He said nonchalantly.

Hyuuga had an exasperated expression etched on his face. Sighing, he opened his yukata and showed the bruise. Again.

"You've already seen it. It's just a bruise," the moment Hyuuga had exposed his stomach,the blond man covertly punched his bruise.

Hyuuga abruptly went silent and doubled over in pain,sinking to the floor.

"Urk.." the painful sound arose from him. The blond man however took no heed of it and turned back towards Mikan with a superior look.

"Look at what you've done! To pay for this,you must become his assistant until he recovers!" he said,giving her an ultimatum.

'Sneaky bastard' thought Hyuuga.

"Alright! I agree!" at the sound of Mikan's determined voice, both male looked at her,surprised. Hyuuga, particularly, stared at her. His surprise had effectively made him forget about the pain.

"I'll be your assistant until you get better! I hope this will be enough to pay for what I've done." Said Mikan.

"That is, if you don't mind!" she added and stared into Hyuuga's crimson orbs.

Suddenly the door opened again.

"Sorry to disturb, but it is time, Tatsuya-san." It was the people who would be helping Hyuuga dress.

The blond man hurriedly ushered Mikan out as other people came in.

"Good. You can start tomorrow. You don't mind right, Natsume?." The blond man smiled charmingly at Hyuuga. Hyuuga glared at him but did not object.

When they were out in the hallway, the blond man finally introduced himself.

"Oh,right! I'm Narumi." He said. Mikan looked at the blond man and then back at the people that came into Hyuuga's room.

"Umm..Narumi-san.." she started.

"Aren't those people his assistants?" she said. Suddenly Mikan was worried.

"Maybe I shouldn't.." Mikan broke off when Narumi suddenly said no.

"They're only helping him wear his costume."

Narumi looked at Mikan.

"Natsume doesn't have an assistant because he hates people in general."

What Narumi said completely threw Mikan out of sorts,more than usual these past few minutes.

'He hates people?' Mikan thought to herself, mortified at the revelation. Narumi continued in with his explanation.

"He's not comfortable with people. He doesn't know how to handle them." Narumi said with a sheepish grin.

"That's why he's always glaring. It's like he's giving off warnings, 'Don't come close!' Scary huh?"

Mikan listened atentively. She was horrified but mostly she felt sad for Hyuuga.

'Now how am I supposed to be his assistant?'

"But then..but then wouldn't it be better if I leave him alone?" Mikan asked,worried.

"No" said Narumi,his violet eyes hardening.

"He can't only be friends with that cat of his forever."

Mikan stared at Narumi. Realizing that the blond man cared about Hyuuga.

"He posseses amazing talent, but no one will hire him if he keeps up this aversion of people."

"So..I thought If he would have an assistant..."

Narumi trailed off. Mikan thought to herself..

'Tashkani...(Maybe he's right...) He needs someone to talk'

"would be hilarious!" Narumi finished of happily.

Mikan sweatdropped.

'This man...'

Noticing her expression, Narumi smiled cheekily at her.

"What? Are you going to leave him like that? After you've injured him?"

'Urgh! Damn! He plays dirty.' Mikan thought. Her complexion turning dark.

Finally Mikan sighed in resignation.

'I agreed without thinking about the repurcussions..'

Narumi smiled gently at Mikan's worried face.

"Natsume didn't object" he stated,

"Isn't that a good thing?" he asked.

Mikan looked up. She was quite surprised.

'That's right. Hyuuga didn't object.'

Narumi turned to go. He had other things to attend to.

"Don't worry. You only have to help him in little things." He waved a goodbye. Saying thank you as he went.

Mikan watched as Narumi walked off all the while thinking.

'It's too late to back out now...demo(but) I don't know what I should do..'

'What can I do!'