Thanks for reading! Please review, all the support is appreciated! I finally made a longer chapter with more than two thousand words. It's a milestone!


"Explain everything to me," Hotaru ordered.

"Then explain how you know who I am," I countered.

Hotaru gave me a defiant look, but she finally gave in with a loud sigh. "When I was younger, I always saw you on television. It wasn't a surprise. The country loved you, the press loved you. I admired your spirit, your kindness, and your leadership, even as a child. When we were six years old, we met. You don't remember, but I do. At the time, I was extremely unsocial. I still am. But back then, I wasn't as pretty, as established, as genius, or as known for my inventions as I am today. People in the palace looked down on me, and all the noble girls and boys called me weird and teased me."

I tilted my head as I listened, wondering why I didn't remember.

She continued, "When I met you, I was one among many noble girls surrounding you. They all fawned over you, and I stood back in the corner. But you were the first one who reached out genuinely, not because they wanted something from me or my family. When I told you everything, I remember you telling me…" Hotaru paused, as nostalgic memories filled her. "I remember you said You're a wonderful person, so don't change. You're perfect the way you are. Trust me, you'll show all of them in time. Let's be best friends, okay?"

Hotaru's gaze locked with mine. "And then a year later, I heard that you were murdered. Even though we'd only met once, I still regarded you as my closest friend, so it was painful. But then Narumi Anjou came to our Province, looking for a job. He got one as the treasury head. I was walking past the most vacant hallway in the palace when I overheard someone talking. I heard your name, and I was immediately drawn in. Then I heard the words alive and in an orphanage. I've been searching for you ever since. And now I've found you."

I sighed at the last piece of information, but I felt happy that I'd helped her out as a child. "Leave it to Narumi to leak."

"He actually was talking when all the other adults were gathered in Court, so it was a very smart choice. Unfortunately, he didn't know that I was sick and had escaped my quarters."

I raised an impressed eyebrow. "You got past the busybody servants and security guards without being noticed?"

"Hey, nobody checks the bottom of the breakfast cart. And I had a servant help me out."

"Did you pay him?"

"Her," Hotaru corrected deviously.

I laughed. "You know, if I wasn't a maid…If I was still a princess, I would've loved to be your best friend."

Hotaru smiled at that. "Even when I thought you were dead, you were always my best friend. And…about the whole princess turned maid issue? I can change that."

I shook my head. "It'd be too suspicious. And doesn't everyone in the royal castle need a background check? I'd be screwed, right then and there."

"I'm a genius, I have four master degrees at the age of sixteen. Creating a fake background? I could do that with my eyes closed."

I hesitated, remembering Narumi's warning. That exposing myself could endanger my life. "I'll think about it, okay?"

Hotaru bit her lip. "Fine. But be prepared to tell the other royals. They're all trustworthy, if you must know, and all of them could help you. And personally, I think one of them could use your help."

"My help?"

"Never mind," Hotaru said.

"Speaking of which, where are the rest of the royals?" I asked.

"They should be here in half an hour."

My eyes bulged. "Half…an hour?! I have to go. Luna's going to kill me!"

"I'll catch up with you later. And, be prepared to tell the rest of the royals. Perhaps next week."

I rolled my eyes, clearly indicating that I was not in agreement. But I waved good-bye and sprinted out the door, jammed buttons on the elevator, and went to the kitchen.


I got yelled at by Luna for being late. Somehow, she seemed more nervous than usual, but I dismissed it and got to work.

I helped cook, but then the royals arrived. This time, Luna showed them up to their rooms (all on my floor, for some reason). Since most of the maids weren't strong and were fairly old, I was one of three who would bring out the course. The royals would be dining in the luxurious room behind the main lobby. The front doors were surrounded by bodyguards of a sort, and the hotel had been closed down for the week, so all the other rooms were empty.

Around ten minutes later, I had two trays balanced on my arms. It was especially painful, what with all the bruises on them, but I persevered.

I glanced at the sheet of paper telling me which plate was whose. First off, I gave Hotaru three (!) courses of crab. I gave her a disbelieving look, and she shrugged, a small grin on her face.

Her three plates took up a whole tray, so after giving her meal, I set it aside on an adjacent, unused table. Almost immediately, my arm felt better without the heavy metal pressing against the bruises.

Unfortunately, I could also sense eyes on my arm. I avoided the royals' stares, but I could tell they'd noticed. I went around the table giving out plates, and quickly got the hell out of there.

I sat in the main lobby, completely exhausted as Annabelle vacuumed the floors. It was my job, but she'd insisted on taking it over today. Luna had gone out to town, and would be gone for at least another three hours.

But twenty minutes later, a maidservant who had been closely watching the royals rushed out towards us. "Mikan?"

I raised my hand in acknowledgement. "Over here. What's up, Larissa?"

Larissa was three years older than me, being nineteen, and she was the second youngest employee in the whole establishment. She was also head over heels obsessed with the royals, specifically Ruka Nogi.

"The royals called you," Larissa whispered harshly.

"Me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, you! Hurry up! And if you can, get Ruka's signature for me, okay?" Larissa exclaimed.

I rolled my eyes. "If I can, but I assure you, they probably just want another fork or something."

I entered the dining room where the royals were seated. When the security guards closed the door behind me, effectively shutting Larissa out, I knew something was up. Especially when I noticed the empty chair beside Hotaru, which had been just added to the table.

"May I help you with something?" I asked politely.

"Yes, actually," Hotaru exclaimed. She patted the seat beside her. "Sit."

Her voice was a command, and I knew better than to disobey. I reluctantly walked over and took a tentative seat on the plush chair.

Hotaru gave me a reassuring smile. Then one of the princes gasped. "Did Imai just smile?"

Hotaru, in turn, shot the boy a death glare. "Shut up, Koko. This is a serious matter."

"I'm confused. What's going on? Since when did you randomly call out servants to the royal table?" Anna voiced out. She turned to me. "I'm sorry, what's your name?"

"Mikan Yu—I mean, Sakura," I stuttered. I cursed at myself. How could I slip up like that?

Anna smiled, oblivious. But across the table, I saw crimson eyes narrow in thought, and I somehow knew that he saw through my facade. "Mikan YuSakura?"

"No. Mikan Sakura." I corrected, smiling nervously at Anna.

"Drop the act, Mikan," Hotaru interrupted sharply. "Come on, you can trust everyone at this table."

I bit my lip, and looked up at Hotaru from underneath my long eyelashes. I hesitated, and the hesitation became a long silence. Finally, Hotaru broke it.

"All right. You want to play silent? Then I'll say it," Hotaru said. "Though I honestly think that you should clear up this mess."

I sighed, and finally gave up. "Fine…"

I warily eyed the royals, who were staring at me in anticipation. "Um…well, I know this may sound ridiculous, but…um, I'm Mikan Yukihara."

Immediately, they all gasped in shock (besides Hotaru and Natsume.)

"What? How? Oh my God! She's dead. Impossible!" was the response that buzzed through my ears for the next minute. Until…

"BE QUIET!" Hotaru screamed at the top of her lungs, thoroughly annoyed. She composed herself in a matter of seconds, and stood up like nothing happened. Meanwhile, the other royals sweat dropped. "Well then, let's meet in my room. Right now. Mikan, you're coming too."

We took the elevator up, and as it was in the main lobby, we passed by several maids who stared overtly. Larissa mouthed: "Signature from Ruka!" and I slightly shook my head in an No-way-that's-not-going-to-happen expression.

We all piled into the elevator. It was a slow one, so the tension remained pretty high. Until the friendly Tsubasa shattered the silence.

"Wow Mikan, you've grown up," Tsubasa remarked playfully. "Last time I saw you, you were seven. What are you now? Seventeen?"

I shook my head, blushing at the way he'd said I'd grown up. "Sixteen."

He pulled me into a hug, and then I felt Misaki sobbing into my shoulder. "I missed you…"

"You've gotten so beautiful, Mikan. And you wear your hair down now! Remember when we were kids, and you never had your hair in any style besides the pigtails?" Nonoko laughed wholeheartedly.

By this time, we were in Hotaru's room. After all the hugs and reuniting, I answered Nonoko's question. "I…um, I lost my memories. Or something like that. I don't remember anything before the attack. It's really weird."

Tsubasa's eyes darkened. "Nothing?"

I shook my head, and I felt a depressing vibe in the room. I hated that feeling, so I smiled my million dollar smile. "But I'm really glad that all of you remembered me. It means a lot."

At this, Tsubasa smiled and ruffled my hair in a brotherly manner. "How could I forget my little angel?"

"Hey, but you've really gotten beautiful, eh?" Tsubasa teased, causing me to blush sheepishly. "Right, Natsume?"

My gaze turned to the boy in question. He stood leaning against the wall, being the only one to not speak so far. All the rest had welcomed me back in some sort of form.

His crimson eyes locked with mine for a brief second. "Whatever."

"Come on, Natsume, no need to be shy," Tsubasa chorused. "You see, Mikan, Natsume had the biggest crush on you when we were little. I don't know if he still does, but trust me, when he says whatever it's a yes."

I glanced at Natsume in curiosity, and wow he was handsome. He had a faint blush on his cheeks, almost unreadable, but I've been trained since a young age to take in the slightest details.

But then his eyes hardened, and he spoke up. "What's with your bruises?"

I looked at them in reference. Beside me, I felt Tsubasa stiffen in anger. "Um…I…I ran into a pole?"

"Is that a question?" Nonoko asked, confused.

"Er…statement."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that," Nonoko answered.

Hotaru sighed. "Are you stupid, Nonoko? It's obvious she's lying. Mikan's been abused by the caretaker all these years."

"The fake bitch that greeted us at the door?" Koko exclaimed.

"Uh huh. Right Mikan?" Hotaru asked.

I stared at my hands, tears coming to my eyes as I remembered the horrible things Luna had done to me in the past.

I felt somebody embracing me again. I looked up, expecting Tsubasa. But it was a more warm, and more passionate embrace than Tsubasa's brotherly one.

It was Natsume Hyuuga.

"I think that's enough for today," Natsume said huskily. "Let's continue this tomorrow? It's late already."

I nodded in agreement, and peeked at the other royals' responses. They were all in mutual agreement, though in Tsubasa's eyes, I saw a scandalous glint as he mouthed: "He's not over you yet!"

I rolled my eyes, a hand wiping the tears forming at the edges. But although I'd never admit it aloud, I felt safe in Natsume's embrace, cradled by his strong arms. Safer than I'd ever felt since the attack.

Natsume walked me out the room, and to my small room across the hall. I pressed the code into the door and the door swung open. We walked inside. I felt so tired now that all the chaos was over. After all, I hadn't slept in days.

Noticing my fatigue, Natsume carried me towards my bed and carefully set me down underneath the covers.

"I missed you," he whispered, almost inaudibly. "But you don't remember me, right?"

I shook my head sadly. "But I could learn to know you again. While you're here."

"Yeah," Natsume said. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. He motioned around him. "So you've been living in this hell for nine years now?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "It's not so bad."

Natsume shook his head. "Always optimistic."

I let out an airy laugh. "I guess."

Natsume stood up to leave. "Well, I should get back to the others. They'll start forming rumors otherwise."

I smiled. "Of course."

He reached the door and opened it. Halfway through the doorframe, I called his name. He looked at me. "Yes?"

"Natsume…thank you." And with that, my body gave out and I fell asleep…

Unknown to me, Natsume had smiled at that. A true smile. As he closed the door, he'd whispered to nobody in particular: "I love you."

And then unbeknownst to him, Hotaru was grinning in the other room because she'd clipped a bug onto his shirt collar and recorded what he'd said.

"Perfect blackmailing material…" Hotaru said devilishly.

Tsubasa shook his head. "You scare me, Hotaru. And Natsume? Wow…he finally found his Cinderella, huh?"


Clarification (I guess I'll just do this each time): Mikan has no recollection of her memories before the attack on her province. In this chapter, she meets all the royals. She tells them her true identity, and all of them reunite. Mikan finds out about Natsume's little crush on her as a child.

Please R&R. Thank you to all for reading!