For You
A/N: Just written and updated. No revision done. Forgive me for any mistakes.
This is chapter two. Mikan meets Natsume's family and takes an important decision of her life. But it's only later that she will realise the true consequences. The story is just building up. The rest will be more focus on what would happen later. I just hope you'll have enough patience to bear with me.
Thanks to my dear friend Pumpkindoughnut for her review of the previous chapter. ^^
Chapter 2- He's my neighbour.
Rays of the sun seeped into my room. It was again the start of a new day. Thankfully, the week-end was here. If not, I don't how to face the raven guy. He is as if taking revenge from me because I had bumped into him. I neared my window and stared at the house in front of me. It was a beautiful house but not in the flashy kind of way. The Sakura tree in the yard added to its beauty.
I learnt yesterday that the house had just been occupied three days ago. I saw a guy with silvery hair entering the house. He looked about nineteen. I had shrugged; I had been too tired from all the teasing I received from Hyuuga during the day. And to say, he just started school yesterday. I wonder why he chose a Friday to start school. Couldn't he begin on Monday? It was what a normal person would have done, right? I had not notice since I had stayed at Sumire's place and returned back home exhausted from all the shopping we had done the day before yesterday. I could hear yells, followed by laughter. I hope my neighbours are not some sort of weird people.
As a neighbour, I should go and welcome them. That was what my mom had taught me when I was small. I entered the bathroom. Water dripped down my face. Tears mixing with it. I hated crying. It was a sign of weakness. And I was trying to be strong. Mom would always go and see the new neighbours, making them comfortable in the new place. They even became friends. I was in total admiration. She was someone I really loved. But like Hotaru, she also left me. The only difference is that she did so much earlier.
. . .
"Grandpa, I'm leaving." I said, putting carefully in my bag the strawberry cake I made.
"Mmm." He sort of replied. I wonder what he was doing. It was ten in the morning.
I entered the kitchen and found him lying under the sink, a look of concentration etching his face. I smiled. He was again 'working'. He always had a knack for repairing things. I guessed the pipe was the reason of his concentration now. Grandpa was the only person left. Nobody would believe me if I told them that he was eighty-three years old. He did not seem as such. With all the stuffs he repairs in the house and all.
I crossed the small road and opened the gate. I knocked at the door. Seconds passed and then a click was heard. The door opened slightly and a pixie-like girl appeared. She was beautiful with shoulder length raven hair and red eyes. She resembled my new enemy, Hyuuga Natsume. She looked at me in apprehension and I smiled gently. Her face twitched and a smile took the place of the half-hidden fear that was previously crafted on her features. It looked as if she had decided I was a good person enough to be kind with. Why did she act as such? I wondered.
She opened the door fully now and greeted me happily. I smiled at her.
"I'm Mikan Sakura. I live in that house", I pointed my house that was directly facing theirs and continued, "As your neighbour, I thought I should welcome you. If you don't mind, that is?"
She shook her head and apologized to have looked so unwelcoming before and said, "I'm Aoi. Come on inside."
"You live alone?" I asked though I knew a guy lived here as well.
"No, my brother, who I don't know where he has gone, lives here and also my . . ." She trailed off as we saw a guy, the one I saw yesterday, walking into the room. His hair was still ruffled as if he just woke up.
"Aoi, who's here?" He muttered, his voice reflecting his sleeping ness.
"She's Mikan. Our neighbour."
"Ah, okay." He replied as he disappeared. He reminded me of Hyuuga. Why is everybody here reminding me of him? I was getting frustrated.
"Don't mind him. He's always like that." She said, her voice clearly showing her embarrassment.
"Youichi, get back here and apologise." She yelled at him.
"He's your brother?"
"Oh, no he's . . ."
Youichi reentered the room, all his sleeping ness away. He walked toward us and acknowledged me with a nod. He grudgingly muttered his name when Aoi glared at him. She seemed to have a lot of control on him.
"Youichi Hijiri."
I smiled warily and nodded.
"And I'm not her brother." He continued in a voice that yelled boredom.
I looked at Aoi and she blushed.
"Well he's my . . ." Youichi cut her off and replied, smirking, instead, "Boyfriend."
I did not know what to say, but hey, that was their stuff, right? So, who was I to interfere?
"Okay." I replied with the only acceptably word I could master.
"It's not what you think, Mikan."
"Oh no, it's okay."
"Her brother lives along with us here." Youichi said, to cut the stuff out short and continued, "And he's here."
I turned around just in time to see a familiar raven hair guy, standing at the side of the door. My eyes widened. What? Natsume was Aoi's brother? That would explain their resemblance.
"Hyuuga." I breathed out.
"You know my brother, Mikan?"
She did not allow me to answer for she continued, "Oh, my manners! You've been here for such a long time and I didn't even invite you to sit."
"Aoi, what is she doing here?"
"She's our neighbour. She lives in the house right in front of us."
"Um. . . Aoi, I have to go now." I mumbled to her.
"Before I forget, here's something for you." I handed her the cake and hurried away. I slammed the door shut and ran to my house.
Natsume Hyuuga is my neigbour! Oh my God!
Aoi was such a nice girl. If they did not resembled each other so much, I would have believed otherwise. And Youichi, though does not look like him, has the same personality. Not once did he smile. He smirked. That could be the only possible reason for Natsume to have allowed Youichi to stay with them when he knew that he was his sister's boy friend.
Torturing me in school is not enough, I guessed. for he is my neighbour too.
. . .
Later in the afternoon, Aoi came to visit me.
"Thanks for the cake, it was delicious. How did you know it was Natsume's favourite flavour?"
"Uhh. . . It was Hyuuga's favourite flavour?" I repeated. How could I have known he liked strawberry? Goddess.
"I believe that was what I said."
"I meant, I'm sorry I didn't know."
"Why sorry? You should be proud. He actually ate most of it."
"He did?"
"Of course, I wouldn't be lying."
"I didn't mean it like that." I rectified. Why was I continuing to make a fool of myself?
"I know."
"Come, sit down Aoi."
"I would love to but I can't. I have to go."
"Alright." I was pleased to have collected my composure.
"Before I forgot what I had to say, I apologise for this morning."
"Why should you? Nothing happened."
"But my brother and Youichi were so rude."
"Doesn't matter." I replied shrugging.
"But . . . okay tell me, how do you know Natsume?"
"He's in my class."
"Oh, now I understand."
"What do you understand?" My curiosity got the better out of me.
"Oh, nothing, see you later then Mikan-nee." She walked towards the door.
"Mikan-nee?" I repeated. My composure kept on breaking. And I hated that. Why?
"You don't mind, do you?" Aoi turned around and asked, looking at me.
I did not reply. Aoi smiled sadly and nodded, "It's alright, Mikan-Chan." The door closed quietly.
How would you understand, Aoi? All the persons close to me would always leave me one day. I don't want to have another person to worry about. I know I would like you terribly if I get close to you. And I couldn't afford that.
However her sad smile kept haunting my mind and I decided. I ran to join her outside. I cried out to her and smiled. "You can call me Mikan- nee, Aoi."
"I'm sorry I hesitated."
She smiled widely and kissed me on the cheeks. I watched as she entered her house, waving at me.
I saw Natsume staring at me from the balcony and then retreated in his room.
Why was I doing? Why was I allowing other people to enter my life? I already made a mistake by allowing her to be close to me. One day she would leave me as well. But now that I had already risk that, I should abide by my decision.
. . .
I sat on my bed after dinner. Natsume's room as still illuminated. He had not gone to sleep as yet. I walked toward my window. I jumped back when I saw Natsume on the balcony again, with just his pants on, looking in my direction. I gulped. No shirt. It was not a secret that he was hot. Just when he entered the college, all the girls kept on talking about him the whole day long. Even I find him handsome. But I would never admit that to him. Why is it that family always makes me feel as if I should open my heart more? What would happen later on? I shook my head and smiled weakly at him. I turned around too quickly or I would have seen the small smile he latched out.
I lied on my bed and closed my eyes. The lights in his room went off and my mind clouded.
It was the end of this day but little did I know, the more I hesitated about becoming close to them, the more attached I would become.
Till next time then.