Thanks everyone! Glad you liked the first chapter. I know it had a few grammar mistakes in it and I'm so sorry if it somehow confused you in any way. So, that chapter honestly was quite short but this chapter is when everything starts. Natsume flying to New York in search of Mikan. OK, let me get this straight. I'm not from New York nor have I ever been there. So all the places I named are merely made up. Thanks and enjoy reading this.
Just for your information, I won't be updating on my Master of Alices, Blacklite Wings, and Ice Skating Brings Us Together and Just Another Phone Call after updating this whole story. The next time I'll update will be on 20th of October. I have a mega huge exam this year and I intend to pass it. So support me guys! Oh, by the way, I accept requests. This story including Early Spring in Christmas was requested by my friend. She told me the storyline so I made it into a full story and she loved it. If you want me to write a story or anything just PM me or e-mail me. Any way to contact me is in my profile.
Ano Baka no Tame ni
The Phone Call
"NATSUMEEE!!" Sumire shouted as she gained closer towards me in the airport squishing and squeezing between people to get a hold of me. The whole entire basketball team and some of Mikan and my supporters came to see me off.
"What will be your first move when you arrive at New York, Mr. Hyuuga?" A reporter asked with his tape recorder.
"Sleep. Find a hotel and sleep!" I yawned. "Do you guys have any idea what time I had to wake up just to get to the airport?!"
"But Natsume, it's already 5 p.m.," Ruka said.
"My point exactly! I couldn't sleep at all last night!" I yawned once again and the whole crowd fell silent and some of them giggled.
"Imai, what's the point of airing the whole entire clip to the whole nation? I wanted to go to New York in peace! You had to book the 5 p.m. flight when you know it's the best time for the crowds and reporters to show up!" I shouted in outrage as I saw Imai standing opposite of me holding on to my tickets. Ruka and Imai are following me just to accompany me for my residence and my privileges.
Mikan booked me the finest Japanese styled hotel there, with a man-made hot spring and a well dined Japanese cuisine. I have to pay for those things though. After all, they are one of Imai's regular customers for her products; I manage to receive only a 25 percent off for the room rate and cuisine. So my budget for staying there already exceeds 570 bucks. Father is going to kill me.
"Natsume-sama! Don't go, Natsume-sama!" Some girl shouted. Who the hell does she think she is to tell me what to do?
"What are you talking about, Orinji-chan?! Natsume-sama is leaving to get to his destined one. We should support him!" Another girl claimed as I passed them on the way to the departure entrance. That girl's got spunk! At least she knows that I'm leaving for Mikan. Hey, she doesn't have that bad of a body, I could live with her type somehow.
"NATSUME!" Ruka shouted and stared daggers into my eyes and I saw him wearing headphones which I can tell…it reads people's mind. "I GAVE UP ON HER FOR YOUR SAKE AND YOU'RE GOING FOR SOME UNKNOWN GIRL RIGHT AFTER?! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
I sighed and slide my hand through my hair and got wails and screams from the audience. Why isn't Mikan like them? The obsessive type towards the guy. Why does it have to be me to be the obsessive one? I smirked at one of the girls who were trying to capture a picture of me so I gave her my best shot and most of the girls in that group blushed. This is the life of a hottie king.
"I CAN STILL HEAR YOU!" Ruka shouted and clenched his fists.
"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" I apologized and Imai passed us to give the tickets to the guard standing on the departure lift.
"Glad to be serving you again, Mr. Hyuuga," He bowed and I merely twitched. Man! He got a super shiny bald head! What would happen if I turned bald, would Mikan still like me? Of course my fans would still be in love with this face but still…
Pokes…Pokes… I felt like a huge sharp sword poking my back and stayed super conscious. Ruka held a super pointy sword on the back which goes straight through the heart and I sweat. "IMAI! Why do you have to sell that crap to him?!" I shouted at Imai who was licking her lollipop as if there was no business in her mind.
"Ruka wanted to buy it for 7000 bucks. It was a great offer." Or so I thought. She only has business in her mind. I slouched on the train towards Imai's private jet. All my beautiful fans waving at me as I left for my own benefit. Such pitiful people with no dreams and no achievement. They're really no match with such a beautiful me.
"Are you a narcissist or something? You praise yourself more than you use to," Imai said as she bit on her lollipop and licked it once more and took out her headphones, I assume she's tired of hearing my thoughts.
"He can't praise Mikan any longer since he doesn't have any picture of her recent looks. So he decided to stay with his looks until he sees Mikan once more," Ruka explained as I continuously comb my hair in different styles. Then Imai shot out 5 different photos of Mikan's secret magazine photo shoot which I assume that it won't be released till next month.
I stared at it. Imai moved the picture to her left, I moved my head to my right, she moved it to my left, I moved to her right. (They're facing each other. That's why the positions are opposites.) She smirked and handed out a document.
"This is Okego Jewel's recent photo shoot which they selected Mikan in. And they're premiering the latest fashion on Paris-Japan design. Japan designer for the tops, Okimi Hotori and Paris designer for skirts, Fiego Armand. Hence the name Okego from the 'ok' of Okimi and the 'ego' of Fiego," Imai said and laid out 2 pictures of Mikan.
One of her wearing a tiger designed halter top (the one with the ring on the neck type, not the low cut type) and a black with sliver rhinestones prairie skirt as she posed while holding her hair over her shoulder and her right arm on her hips. The other was when she's waving with her right arm and the other arm on her waist wearing a purple floral print sheath dress with a blue floral embroidered mini jacket and long light pink ankle boots.
"CUUUTE!" Ruka and I said in unison and I turned my gaze to him and stared. What was he doing looking at Mikan's photo and even complimenting it like I do?
"Each picture will cost you 700 dollars. US currency only. Japan's currency was made too low and doesn't reach up to my profit. Recently I have managed to get (or bribe) only five photos but there's more to come," Imai smirked as she held out a mini laptop at hand and showed me the full price of all the pictures together.
"3 500 dollars! JUST FOR FIVE PICTURES?!" I shouted. "THIS IS INSANE!" I continued, yet still, I'm tempted to see the other three pictures.
"I'LL TAKE IT!" Ruka and I said in unison once more.
We faced each other in contrast. I stared at him, bewildered at thought on why he wanted my fiancé's picture. Another thought at hand was why he was so eager to follow me to New York, could it be he wanted to set me as his rival for Mikan.
"BAAAAAKA! (Idiot!)" Imai and Ruka said in unison.
"You have such selfish thoughts at hand that I could've barfed on my own plane and it will cost you dearly," Imai said and asked a stewardess to give out some orange juice.
"I just wanted it because Koko and Anna wanted to see Mikan so badly even if it's just a picture. I hold on to my friends unlike you, Natsume," Ruka said and sighed. He took out his cheque book and placed in the amount that was written in Imai's laptop and cut it off and gave it to her. Imai opened her laptop to scan the cheque and the laptop amazingly printed out the five pictures of Mikan and she gave it to Ruka.
"Ano…," I fidgeted. Taking a glimpse of the picture Ruka had in his hand. Ruka smirked and pretended to not see me and placed the pictures inside a file and place it inside his pocket bag. I frowned and stared at Imai who's having dollar signs in her eyes. "Fine, you can take out the money from my account. I don't need to tell you my password considering the fact that you've been using it already for paying the room rates at the hotel without my knowing." I saw Imai merely smiled and closed her laptop and engaged the plane and we slowly descend.
That's when I realized something. "IMAI! YOU WERE CONTROLLING THIS PLANE THE WHOLE TIME?!" She faced with these types of eyes ( TT ) and nodded her head as she claimed to be the one who is driving the plane. I sweat dropped and give up on arguing with the Ice Queen any longer. She who does anything in order to get fame and fortune gives up on friends and families and increases the number of foes. Wow! What a lot of f's.
"Natsume, we're here. Be prepared to greet the reporters in English," Ruka said and stood up as the plane landed. (Hotaru's jet was so fast that they reached New York within just an hour. She built the plane.) Imai stood up and dusted her pants and jacket and got her brief case which I assume it's full of money. She smirked and ordered some stewardesses to get all of our bags and all of them nodded like slaves.
I ignored whatever she did. It had nothing to do with me. It's finally time for me to get to her, Mikan, this is now the land which you have stepped on and I shall now find you.
"OH GOD! STOP WITH THE POET'S ACCENT ALREADY!" Ruka shouted and took out his headphones.
"Then don't wear the headphones if you don't want to hear me!" I shouted.
"THIS THING IS ALSO AN INSTANT TRANSLATOR SO THE WORDS THEY SPEAK WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND WILL BE REALLY CLEAR TO ME!" Ruka shouted back.
"Guys! Shut up before I slay your necks and my customers think badly of me. I am here to make money, Ruka is here to find good food to give to Mikan as a small greeting gift and you are here on a mission! Act like someone who's serious for once, Hyuuga!" Imai said and went out from her plane and got into the train, Ruka followed her cue and shrugged his shoulders along. I sighed and merely grabbed my chocolates and went out.
"Be prepared for a massive amount of reporters, Ruka," I smirked and Ruka just gave me a twitching eye. I stepped out from the arrival entrance and there was not a crowd in sight. Total emptiness. "WHERE THE HELL IS EVERYONE!!" I shouted and looked around the area. There was only people who arrived and such.
"It's 9 p.m. here Hyuuga. The time when Sexy Treasures premier. Plus, the crowd isn't here, it's out there," Imai pointed out from the sliding doors of the airport and I saw thousands…millions of people shouting out and having banners and post signs like 'Go Get Her Hyuuga!' and a 'Save the Damsel in Distress'. A few wrote in Japanese saying 'Mou Ganbatte, Hyuuga-kun!' and 'Mikan-chan kawaii. Anata wa LUCKY DESU!'. (Good luck, Hyuuga-kun and Mikan-chan is cute! You're really lucky!)
"Disgusting people!" I said and placed my hands in my pocket and asked one of Imai's guards to carry my bag.
"He's back to his old self I see," Ruka chuckled. "It seems he can only tolerate a certain amount of people around him. Looking out and seeing a million people set him back to his mean mood."
"Makes perfect sense but him being here is the cause for me to get around 10 million bucks. Stefan Irkwings a very wealthy businessman and the daughter of the president are enjoying the game played by him and Mikan and amused and think of this a Japanese drama show. I made a deal with them that if I make the thing a whole lot harder and more interesting, they'll pay me 700 000 thousand dollars for each scheme. And I intend to make a lot," Imai said and motioned for one of her guards to carry her laptop, and other electrical equipments here.
I walked outside of the sliding door and all the girls approached me. I'm like a celebrity. They made a red carpet where there was a long line separating me and the crowd. Interesting, very interesting. The end of the carpet was a airport limousine with words which I couldn't make out. "Weru…Weruka…I CAN ONLY UNDERSTAND THE HYUUGA!"
"You can't even read simple English? It says, Welcome Hyuuga!" Ruka sighed and went walked past those girls and flashed them his cutest smile while his hair flew around as the wind blew a little.
"OH MY GOD! Who's that guy?!" A girl screamed.
"HE IS SO HOT!" Another squealed.
"We can't have Hyuuga but maybe we could have him!" A girl in the front row squealed and tried to grab Ruka.
I heard Imai clenched her fists and saw huge veins marks on her forehead. I placed a hand over my lips and past her while pretending to whisper to myself, "Jealous, are we?" I said that and calmly brush my hair along with the wind and walk towards the limousine. She wouldn't dare kill me in this sight of a crowd.
"Eyh, look at that girl," Some reporter pointed out.
"Wow, what a big gun she's holding!" A guy replied.
"Is she a bodyguard to Hyuuga or something?"
"I bet the person who gets hit on the first blow of that gun dies," I stopped walking momentarily when I heard them said die and gun. I looked back a little and saw two shining eyes glaring at the sight of me.
"Oh my, Hyuuga. Do I see a murderer in front of me? I must dispose of it at once. It might hurt you badly, poor Mikan-chan to be never able to see her fiancé any longer," Imai said and gave out a silent evil laugh as she aimed the gun at me. Her finger slowly pulling the trigger was as if she was slowing pulling my string of life out of me. But Imai suddenly stopped and merely smirked. She took out a bag and shrunk the gun into mini size and place it back. "Watch your back Hyuuga. One false move could harm your path to Mikan."
"Hyuuga Natsume, am I correct?" A lady with blonde and shoulder-length hair asked as she adjusted her glasses. "I'm here to escort you to your hotel and your dining hall. It seems that Sakura would like to give you another letter concerning the task. I hope you will have a great stay." She said and walked back towards the limousine.
"Who or what is she? A tour guide?" I asked and tilted my head in confusion and got into the limousine. Imai walked around slowly and gave her card to the reporters and some girls whom I think she knows they are from a wealthy family. This girl has no boundaries for money. She got into our car and snuck out a bubble gum and chewed on it while staring at me.
"Hello Miss Kyle. Imai, Imai Hotaru," Imai introduced and smiled weakly.
"Ah! Very good to meet you. Thank you for your support and sponsor for the cameras and lightings. It has made Sakura's work much better and with more profit," Miss Kyle said. "Oh please call me Sarah. I'm not much older than you are." Sarah giggled and gave Imai her card and Imai exchanged hers with a profitless smile.
Sarah switched on the television in the car and instantly a camera over her head popped up. Just as the screen lights up, the camera too was switched on. "Hello there. Sarah Kyle reporting from the Bride Task. Here I am with the hero of this season, Natsume Hyuuga. A Japanese boy who dreams to find his fiancé, their national model, Sakura Mikan." Sarah smiled and the camera switched to me. Wave Hyuuga. At least smile! Sarah whispered to me in a hurry and I smirked. Better than nothing I guess.
"We are on the way to the hotel Miss Sakura booked for them Hinata Springs hotel, where these gorgeous people will stay. Here on my right is Imai Hotaru. If you happen to not know, Imai Hotaru is a famous businesswoman and an inventor. She has made countless of inventions which is used by the whole world. None of her creations has ever been broken nor does she intend to make it that way. I assure you that anything you buy from the Imai Industry, it is definitely worth it. She is as well as Miss Sakura's childhood friend. A fabulous coincidence." Sarah introduced.
"And here on my left is…is…," Sarah stuttered. Excuse me boy, but may I know your name? She asked silently and the camera faced Ruka.
"Ruka, Nogi Ruka," Ruka smiled and tilted his head a little making his hair sway and his smile rather irresistible. I can tell since even the old hag (Sarah) is blushing and Imai is clenching.
"Ah, Well, Nogi Ruka. From what I can get in this database is that you are the main guitarist and pianist for your band. That's rather amazing. What talent you have. I can say that from this file, your first crush happens to be Sakura Mikan! My! Is that true?! Then the both of you must be rivals!" Sarah said in shock and looked at me and Ruka. Ruka was taken aback and so was I, and our last resort was…glaring at Imai.
"HOTARU!" Ruka shouted in a Japanese accent.
"What? I was just doing things that I was supposed to. Providing information about Mikan and Hyuuga," Hotaru answered in Japanese which made Sarah confused.
"B-BUT! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO LEAK OUT THE INFORMATION ABOUT ME LIKING SAKURA?!" Ruka shouted and made Sarah even more confused.
"Mou! That's because it'll raise the number of profits for me when people watch this show! If they find out there's actually a rival in the midst of this, it should be rated out of this world!" Imai continued and blew her bubble gum and it popped.
"Umm…excuse me, I realize we're not on air and it's still just a recorder, but could you somehow speak English so the audience can actually understand you?" Sarah asked as I realized she paused the recording since the light on the camera shut off.
"I'm very sorry, but that recent argument was merely a talk of fight between us band mates. It has no relationship whatsoever with this series. I'm very sorry," Imai said with a warm smile which made Ruka's heart leaped for a moment.
"You do realize that smile was fake," I whispered to Ruka. And he nodded.
"Yeah, but somehow…it looks…cute," Ruka said and blushed.
I got my bags and got into the elevator to my room. It wasn't really surprising, Imai booked me the most expensive room in this hotel. This means I'm totally indebt to her for the cost of this place. They have sake and California rolls in the fridge, an instant phone call to the kitchen to order anything and even a chef to cook teppanyaki for you in your face. Outside the balcony was an awesome view of the city in night time anyway. The lights shine out absolutely beautiful.
"Where on earth are you?" I asked to the wind as it blew on my face towards the city. I looked at my watch and saw it was already 10.30 p.m. I guess it's time for me to sleep and prepare for tomorrow. Sarah sent me a letter saying there's a meeting tomorrow at breakfast so the real mission starts around lunch time, the busiest time in New York.
"Natsume, may I come in?" I heard Ruka knocked on the door holding a huge pillow in his hand. I nodded and gave a small smile. I guess being in a new place still scares Ruka. "Ne, you don't mind do you?"
I nodded. "You still don't act your age though, Usagi-chan, (Rabbit boy)," I joked when I saw the pillow sheet of Ruka's and he blushed and hid it behind him then he bowed.
"I'm so sorry for disturbing you! Even when I know you already have a fiancé and I still do things that somehow…," I made a fire barrier around Ruka which clearly tells him to shut up and not say any more than that. He stayed quiet and walked into my room calmly and sat on one side of the bed.
"Just to remind you, I'm not gay, OK?" I said and looked at Ruka and saw him chuckled.
"I know. Besides, when we were young, we always stayed close with each other, slept together, fought together and somehow had a crush on the same girl together!" Ruka laughed and I gave out a snicker. How similar we are. "But soon, someone else will step into my position. She'll be the one who'll stay close with you forever, closer than I can get, she'll be the one who'll be taking care and sleeping along side you, and she'll be the one to accompany you when you fight for your life together." I saw Ruka's eyes life faded little by little. I went over to him and patted his head. "I gave up on her for you, didn't I? It was my loss wasn't it? I could've at least had a slight chance with her if I tried didn't I?"
I sighed and had a long thought. Ruka really did have a crush on Mikan for a long time. Ever since she talked to him even, as far as I'm concerned, I always interrupt their relationship. Ruka's first kiss with Mikan in the school play, I threw an apple and missed his chance. I'm always bothering with his life. I somehow feel like I spoiled him.
"I'm sorry then," I said. "Come on, lights off. I have a big day tomorrow," I smiled. "You still will be my best man, wouldn't you?"
"I wouldn't give that spot to anyone else for the world!" Ruka smiled and slept on the right side of the bed while I took the left side.
"So Hyuuga, you might not realize but on your way to wherever you think Sakura is, a few cameramen a set up along the possibilities and more at the real place. You have to be aware of your surroundings. Every move you make will be recorded and this is a live event," Sarah said as I had my breakfast. I ate like how a man should. Body sitting straight and lean-on the chair. Head's up while eating so nothing would drop from your mouth and make you look bad. "Your starting point would be in Sakura's photo shoot office. The main building."
I digested the sandwich and omelet instantly and nodded to Sarah. Ruka will be my companion and Hotaru went to Mikan earlier to place in the trackers and cameras. This thing is like the biggest thing happening in this lifetime. Everyone's excited. The media even made a series of us and they're planning to make an actual game about it. Once our missions are over, they're going to call other engaged contestants to test their love. We're even being paid over a million dollars for this idea.
"Mikan is on the phone," Sarah handed over her cell phone and I placed it in my ear. I nearly had a mega headache since the phone was having some kind of a very strong tulip aroma.
"Hello?" I answered in a solemn tone.
"NATSUMEEE!!" Mikan shouted in rage.
"And I thought the groom isn't allowed to see nor speak with the bride before the official wedding ceremony," I joked.
"I'm cutting off the engagement!" Mikan said seriously which made me jump in terror.
"Wh-What?!" I asked in panic. Why would she cut it off? Wh-What did I do?
"You dared to go to a nightclub and come out of it with a bloody whore?! Oh I see, it's because she got bigger boobs than me, isn't it? You're not satisfied until you see pretty and pitiful girls with big boobs and asses!" Mikan shouted.
Curses! Imai! "No! It wasn't like that. She owed me 17 000 dollars when she asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend to destroy her relationship with the guy she's with!" I honestly answered.
"THAT MADE IT WORST! YOU PRETENDED TO BE HER BOYFRIEND?!" Mikan shouted in rage. "Mikan, let me on the line," I heard Imai's voice cutting in.
"50 000 bucks for me to use the memory gun on her. She won't remember a clue about you hanging around with that whore. Remember, fifty thousand bucks," Imai repeated. I knew it had something to do with money. She'd do anything against me.
"Deal! Let her mind off of it right now!" I demanded.
"As you wish, Hyuuga. The money, after all, is already in my hands!" I heard Imai laugh and hung up on the phone. She just wanted full permission to have the money or else she'd be caught stealing.
"Tough friends, huh?" Sarah asked.
"You said it," I replied. "Out of curiosity, may I please take a look at some magazines which Mikan has appeared in?" I asked.
"I'm sorry, no. Mikan does not wish for you to see her figure right now. It is said to be a secret. Shall I bring you to your destination for the start of your task?" Sarah asked looking at Ruka who's seemingly being in a bad mood.
"I said I'm sorry already!" I pleaded.
"Hmph! Yeah right!" Ruka huffed. "And to think you're my best friend!"
"I was depressed and desperate! I couldn't stand seeing her fall for you so easily! That's why I had Imai to place a potion in your drink to make you resolve your feelings for Mikan!" I said.
"That sounds totally like when you said it in your sleep last night! I am severely mortified!" Ruka's sarcasm affected me a little. How am I going to resolve this problem now? "One condition." Ruka said holding a finger up.
"What is it?" I asked.
"If I see her depressed somewhere around the world whether you are or aren't the cause for the problem, I'll still steal her away from you. That's my only condition," Ruka folded his arm waiting for a reply.
"Are you insane? She's depressed even when someone takes her candy!" I shouted.
"Which is the main reason why I'm giving you an opportunity to not leave her side for good, you know the consequences. I am Imai's comrade," Ruka glared at me, the same way Imai does.
"FINE! Fine! Alright! You win! I'll stay by her side as long as I live!" I confessed.
"Correction, as long as she lives. If you die early, be prepared to see me wearing a soul detector helmet. If I don't see you with Mikan when you die, I'll take her far, far away from you!" Ruka snickered. I glowered at him. When has the Rabbit boy been this sinister?
"I swear on it," I smirked.
"As you should," Ruka smiled and stood up. "Sarah-san, we can go now!"
"Huh?" She asked looking confused at us.
"You spoke in Japanese, dimwit!" I whispered to Ruka.
"Natural habit! We can go now," Ruka replied in English and Sarah nodded her head and called for the waiter to put the breakfast on the room bill.
"LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!" Some people shouted from outside of the hotel when they saw me make my first move out of the entrance.
I added an extra chapter here before 'Obstacles to love'. This is somewhat a …clueless… I don't know. It just popped into my mind to write this. Well, I'll say that the real task will start on the next chapter. Thank you for reading! I appreciate it!
