TWO

"I thought you were over her five years ago?" the sandy-haired Kokoroyome asked a certain raven as they jogged around the city park.

"Shut up and just do what I told you to," he replied, irritated by his nosy companion as well as the strange and malicious stares of the women around the area.

"Man… I don't know what you saw in that girl, sparing your time looking for her... She's just an ordinary whore."

Natsume stopped his tracks all of a sudden and held him by the collar. Gasps could be heard from some unwanted spectators.

"Don't you ever call her by that tag," he hissed, glaring at him.

"But she is one," he replied stubbornly but didn't struggle from him. He knew that Natsume could be this rash if provoked and if he wasn't in the mood. Though, he thought, the reason was more of the former.

"You don't know anything…" the raven exasperatedly said before shoving him aside.

Dusting his pants, he called to him. "Hey! Don't forget Ruka's gig tonight at Cherries. We'll wait at the annex!"

He sighed, watching the man wave a hand without a backward glance. "I'm too old for that stuff Koko, you know that."

'Typical Natsume.'

…

"700 yen all in all. Enjoy your cake!" she beamed.

The young man winked at her and said, "You're really pretty. Can I have your number miss?"

"If you really want it that badly then I suggest you come back next time," she replied politely, though if he looked closely, he'd see the twitching on her temples.

"Then I can have your number?"

"Sure," she replied dryly.

The brunette watched her last costumer disappear from the glass door before pulling her apron over her head and sighing, '"Why are there a lot of airheads in this city?"

"Wow, you're pretty sought after by men, Mikan-chan."

She gave out a gasp and placed a hand on her heart. "You gave me a scare… Oh, Anna!"

The woman named Anna Umenomiya chuckled, appearing from the backdoor. She had bubble pink hair, wide eyes and rosy skin. She was wearing a cherry tube top paired with skinny jeans and black pumps. Her jacket was folded on her arm. "Surprise!"

"Mikan-chan!" Another voice called from the entrance.

"Nonoko!"

A girl with blue hair emerged from the doorway wearing a dark navy blue sweater, skinny jeans and sneakers. She grinned at her.

"It's nice seeing you again, Mikan!" she said as they shared a group hug.

"Wow … I missed you," the teary-eyed brunette replied. "We thought you guys were in Canada."

"Actually," Nonoko shifted and smiled at her. "We just came back, two hours ago if you want me to be precise."

"Oh you really can't wait to see me, don't you Nonoko…" the brunette teasingly replied and winked at her."Wait a sec. Just make yourself at home."

She asked them to sit on one of the couches before flipping the sign board to 'closed'.

"We're really sorry for leaving abruptly," Nonoko started, "and for not keeping in touch with you and Hotaru."

"It's okay Nonoko. We understand how your parents feel about me, that I'm nothing but 'a stupid shameless spoiled brat'." She chuckled but the two, reminded of how harsh the treatment to their best friend was, whined.

"You remember the exact words," Anna said, trying to hide her grimace.

"Oh don't worry about it you two. It felt as if it happened a really long time ago. Let's talk about something else, shall we?"

They looked at each other first, then smiles lightened up their faces.

"So how's your life going?" Anna inquired.

Crossing her legs and sitting her back against the soft couch, she sighed contentedly. "At first, after grandpa died five years ago, I was losing hope. I was brought up like a princess, remember? A little Miss- I-can-have-all-I-want." Their laughter rang around the spacious room. "But I knew that it wasn'tright to keep depending on someone. I learned that if I don't strive, I won't have a future ahead of me. So I worked. I worked as a waitress, a delivery girl, an errand gal for the two rich elders two blocks from here and a cashier in a bakery. So when I got my inheritance three years ago, I opened a bakery of my own since I do love baking and… eating." She chuckled. "Two years later, I already manage three branches. Thanks to Hotaru."

After her little information sharing, she found the two staring at her with awe.

"Oh stop it. You're looking at me as if I'm a hero or something…"

"But Mikan-chan, we-we just couldn't be-believe that-"

"Have faith in me Nonoko." She feigned disappointment and sighed. "I know how to work for a living you know."

"We NOW know," they replied in unison and Mikan shook her head. The twins really were twins except they weren't identical.

"So how about Hotaru?" the pink-haired asked.

"She's a millionaire now." She saw their huge eyes and continued. "She has her own lab since a lot of sponsors are paying for her inventions. I'm currently living with her in her condo unit since she insisted on it and speaking of which..." she glanced at her wrist watch: 8:10. "… I need to meet up with her at Cherries. You know, that first class bar on the 18th street. Her boyfriend of two months invited us so I really need to close up now. Sorry guys. I guess we just need to talk some other time."

The shoulders of the two fell but they smiled ather gently. "We're really glad to see you Mikan-chan and if you have time, can we hang out on Sunday? Bring Hotaru with you, okay?"

She nodded.

"Sure! And this time, you're the ones who'll tell your stories."

After exchanging numbers and farewells, she was once again alone. Half an hour later she was already walking down the busy streets of Tokyo. The weather was cold but, much to her disappointment, it hadn't snowed yet.

Her encounter with the twins made her heart ache. She realized how she missed talking and having fun with them. But a twinge of guilt started to prod her conscience. What she told them wasn't exactly what had happened. Well, mostly it was, but she lied to them because the thing that motivated her to strive hard in life was no other than Natsume Hyuuga.

Why him? It was because after what had happened to them, she read his brief biography. His life taught her that achieving something wasn't done in a blink of an eye.

Maybe it's intuition, some things you just don't question, like in your eyes-

"Where the hell are you baka?"

She smiled at the exasperated voice of her best friend.

"I'll be home in 10 minutes. Wait for me will ya?"

"Just hurry up."

"Can't wait to see your man?"

"Idiot. Be home before 9 or I'll leave you."

"Okay okay lover girl…"

She chuckled, closing her phone. Feeling the chilly air of February against her cheeks, she wrapped the jacket tightly around her body. She was about to turn around the corner when she sensed a movement behind her back.

She yelped when she felt someone tugging the hem of her skirt.

"I'm sorry if I scared you onee-san."

She turned around and found a little girl. She was pale and shivering, her brown locks tied in a ponytail, her printed dress was classy and her eyes were the same shade as the man she thought of for years.

"I'm really sorry."

"No-no. I was just surprised and you don't need to apologize." She smiled at her and crouched down to her level. "What's wrong?"

"I'm lost," she replied honestly, playing with her fingers. "I escaped from my bodyguards because I want to play at the park." Tears started to fill her eyes and the brunette's heart was moved. "I really don't mean to be a bad girl but I'm not allowed to go out so-so I just want to play like the others…" she trailed off and cried.

She instinctively gathered her in her arms and ran her hands gently down her backside. "What's your name?" she softly asked.

"Ha-hana Hyuuga."

Her last name struck her and she temporarily stiffened. She let go of the child yet kept her in a safe distance. "Ho-how old are you?" she asked, her eyes locked on her innocent ones.

"I'll be turning 5 on Valentines." The girl's lips tugged upward.

"Oh so that's a week from now," she stated and grinned at her. "Advance happy birthday!"

She saw her blush and she sighed at how adorable she was. If ever she would have a kid someday, she wanted it to be this cute.

Then she remembered she was a Hyuuga.

Despite her effort to contain the question that continued to haunt her, she couldn't help but blurt it out.

"Are you Natsume Hyuuga's daughter?"

"Oh yes! Do you know my papa?"

She gulped and suppressed the threatening tears. "N-no… Not really. We just know each other but we're not… close." She was glad that she managed not to choke on her words. They weren't close but what they did was intimate enough.

Intimate enough to produce another being yet fate must be cruel to her. The product of their union failed to hang on to his life.

She stood up and held the girl's hand, hoping that her knees weren't trembling. "I'm going to get you home so don't worry."

She smiled lightly at her.

Knowing that she was his daughter, she felt somewhat awkward. Yet she knew that that child was innocent and her father certainly didn't tell her about his escapades. And why did she feel something in her heart? Like a prick that was now beginning to hurt her. He was a one-night-only right? She knew that. She must accept that. She was probably just one of his whores.

The thought made her stomach churn.

"You know where we live?" she asked, surprised.

'Your mansion was on every magazine last month' she thought but shrugged the idea ofsaying it out loud. "Yeah… I've heard of it before. So, let's go?"

She beamed at her and God, how she reminded her of him. "Thank you so much! But…"

"But what?"

"My papa's going to be very angry with me… he'd maybe… Can you go with me nee-chan? If you and my papa are friends, he wouldn't be that angry."

She was doubtful and panic surfaced in her but she managed to appear calm.

Before she could change her mind, she said, "I'll go with you."

'Am I really going to meet him again?' she thought. 'Are you ready, Mikan?'

"I like you nee-chan. Thank you." She smiled at her. "Sometimes I wish my mama's alive…"

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sure if she is, she'll be worried for you too."

"I-I don't know," she replied hesitantly. "I never got the chance to see her. She died giving birth to me. Nee-chan, am I bad? Papa said it wasn't my fault but I really think it is mine."

Her heart contracted with pity. "If your papa says it's not your fault, then I agree with him. Your mama must love you so much and right now, she's probably watching you down from heaven. I'm sure she thinks you're the most wonderful thing that happened to her."

The child tightly hugged her and she returned the act. If her pregnancy hadn't failed, her child would be the same age as her.

"Let's go now Hana. Your papa's waiting for you, I'm sure."

"Thank you so so much nee-chan!" she cried. "I wish my mother was like you..."

"Oh I think she'smore wonderful than I am… She's someone much more…"

…

Natsume was sitting on the cream sofa, his back arched; his legs parted; his elbows were stiffly set on them and his face was buried on his shaking palms.

His sister's daughter was missing. Legally, she was his now. She was his responsibility yet he lost sight of her. Damn he must be a fool.

"Hyuuga-san," a voice from the intercom said, "Hana-sama is home."

That announcement made him stand up in a single beat and seconds later, he was found running towards the large steel gate. He was astonished at his discovery. He stopped at the concrete steps.

There she was, the woman he had been thoroughly looking for five long years and who seemed to be slipping away from him each time. But now, she was here. His heart fluttered.

She matured over the years, he noted, as he scrutinized her. Her auburn locks were now shoulder-length, her hazel eyes looked deeper. Though her figure was hidden by her oversized jacket, he knew they must be the same. Her features and height didn't seem to change either.

He stared at her, knowing that she hadn't noticed him yet and a smile played on his lips. But when she did, she stopped her tracks and color fled from her cheeks. He frowned. Didn't she want to see him again?

"Papa!"

Hana called out to her father and skipped happily to his direction. He crouched and received her with open arms.

"Pa… I'm sorry," he heard her say and he nodded. He told her to go inside first before facing the pale brunette.

He readied himself to hear silence and he was right. She just stood there, the moon beams spilling on her stature. She looked ethereal just then and a sudden frightful feeling entered his senses.

"Don't leave again, Mikan," he said.

Before she could utter a response, she was enveloped in his strong arms. "Stay..."

Even though she said and planned to turn away as soon as she saw him, she couldn't, not after hearing his desperate voice. He was pretty much the same as she remembered, though right now, wearing a long-sleeved polo and slacks, he very much looked like the corporate man whom he really was.

"Natsume…"

Tears stung her eyes and she gave in to his warmth. She looked up and found him staring at her with an expression she knew well. Desire made his crimson eyes turn into a deeper and darker shade.

'To hell with it.' She thought before pulling his necktie down and crashed her lips to his, overcome with need. He welcomed her tongue with as much as passion as hers and she could feel his hold on her tightening. She moaned as the raven deepened the kiss and she gasped when she felt his bulge press on her lower abdomen. Heat surged throughout her body.

"I want you, Mikan."

TBC