This is the new Chapter 4 that I just re-wrote. I apologize...my past writings had been so...annoying and childish. I'm going to fix this now.
Chapter 4: The Hyuugas
It felt good to be on the field again! Mikan stretched as she got into Koko's car after watching the campus' Sports Meet.
"That Andou guy really pisses me off," Koko muttered as he leaned into his seat and asked his driver to send Mikan back to her apartment.
"Andou? Oh, Natsume's friend?" Mikan asked. "Why?"
Koko stared at her and shook his head. "It's nothing," Koko said. You're pretty oblivious these days, eh? He was practically flirting with you all night long! Koko thought and saw Mikan staring out of the window.
He decided to stay quiet and watched the moon out of his window.
"Hey Koko," Mikan whispered and Koko turned to see her. "I met you on a night like this, right? The first time...we met." Her words became small and Koko's eyes widened.
"I told you to not remember," Koko reminded.
"It was a bittersweet thing," Mikan added.
"No, it was a shitty thing! Thinking about that bastard makes me think I should've at least put him in a coma state," Koko clenched his fists.
"I'm just happy I met you," Mikan smiled and Koko's anger subsided and he looked away.
"Yeah," was the last thing Koko said before he dozed off.
Mikan sat quietly thinking about that night. Koko is my hero. My savior. If it weren't for him, I might've killed myself. I don't ever want to involve myself in the presence of guys...ever. Thanks to him, I had the courage to face the next day.
I missed a week of school...trying to get back my confidence to be around boys. Even Ruka realised I was distancing myself from him and it upset him for a while until I forced myself to understand Ruka would never hurt me.
The day I got back to school, I found out Koko enrolled into my class and he took my seat seeing as it was the only empty spot in class. After that, we stuck to each other like glue. He'd stop anyone who'd bother me and we got closer to Anna too after Koko mentioned how pretty she is.
Koko found out my academic grades were pretty low and decided to help me...when he realised I was a lost cause he made my teacher take me up for tutoring, claiming he'd pay for the fees. But my teacher, Kaoru Igarashi wouldn't take the money. She was happy enough that Koko trusted her to teach me.
Kaoru-sensei is one of the nicest teachers in school but also the strangest. She'd always know the stories and rumors going around and the students who spreaded the false ones are always caught by her. They called her a witch but I just see her as a strong independent woman. She is a good teacher, not swayed by money or power. I know she's rich, the school's funded by her husband's money, but she has a kind heart and always does things for the best of her students.
When she came to my home for some private tutoring, she was shocked we lived in a terrible flat. Our water supply only comes in the morning, and we survived with candles to keep ourselves warm at night. A few days later, Kaoru-sensei told us (Ruka and I) that she bought us a new apartment. One that is under her husband's supervision. It's actually hers but she never uses it and said it's fully paid so nothing will become of it.
She died a year later, she lost to a terrible cancer stage. I didn't know where the funeral was held so I couldn't give my last goodbye. What surprised Ruka and I was that we inherited so many things from her. She stated in her will that some of her money and most of her belongings would be given to me.
She didn't have any daughters and her husband and sons didn't oppose to the inheritance as it wouldn't mean much to them to lose a few dresses and jewelries. Ruka on the other hand was given a secured-payment job under one of her husband's companies. He works a small part but it still gives a good pay for us to live by.
I couldn't thank Kaoru-sensei enough. She was like a mother we never had. The nicest, most beautiful and caring mother ever.
"Mikan, we're here," Koko shook Mikan's shoulders and she blinked as she woke up.
"I had a dream about Kaoru-sensei again," Mikan admitted and Koko smiled.
"Was she as beautiful as ever?" Koko asked and Mikan nodded, grinning.
"She'll forever be beautiful in our memories," Mikan gave a light peck on Koko's cheek before getting out of the car into her apartment. "Get home safely, Koko."
"Goodnight, Mikan," Koko said and the car drove off the porch of the apartment.
…...
After school the next day, Koko's driver picked them up for their usual rehearsal and training. Arriving at the studio, Koko stayed quiet and saw Mikan slightly worned out.
"Results?" Koko asked and Mikan nodded.
"I failed Chemistry again," She sighed. "Now I have to prepare for the make up tests!"
"Study harder now, you do NOT want to repeat a grade," Koko reminded.
"I know, I know," Mikan and Koko climbed the staircase up to the third floor and entered the recording booth.
Koko grabbed Mikan's hand the moment he saw two unfamiliar faces. "Ah, Mikan," The older looking man grinned and Koko's protective side activated. The older man chuckled and waved his hands. "Don't worry Yume-kun, I present no harm towards her."
Mikan glanced around the room and saw Ruka looking very troubled. "What's wrong Nii-chan?" Mikan asked and turned to see Natsume.
Natsume sighed and stood next to the two people. "Mikan, Koko, these two are my brothers," Natsume introduced. "This is Persona, my eldest brother and this is Youichi, the youngest."
Mikan stared at the three of them and looked back at Ruka. "What's going on?"
"Well, for starters...Mikan Sakura, we're not average people."
The sound of that named surprised Mikan and Koko could feel the sudden drop of temperature of Mikan's skin from his grip. He stared at Mikan and could see her teeth clenching. "Who are you?" Mikan asked and Persona smiled.
"There it is," He stood up. "The smile of disgust. I was expecting that when you first came in, but I guess you already warmed up to the male kind...thanks to this friend of yours." Persona looked at Koko.
"Warmed up?" Ruka asked. "What do you mean?"
"Well of course the brother doesn't know of this," Persona chuckled. "I mean, it is a secret afterall."
"Persona Nii," Youichi said and Persona glanced at his younger brother. "You're going too far."
Persona merely smiled and sat back on the couch. "Why don't you give your greetings, baby brother?"
Youichi jumped off the couch and walked up to Mikan. Koko stood protectively in front of her. "I believe...it's time to reveal some truths." Youichi smiled and held out his hand.
Mikan blinked and saw the purple iris ring on his finger. "You're..."
"Exactly. We're the same as your teacher...and we're the same as you," Youichi said and Mikan finally breathed out, patting Koko's hand telling him it's fine.
"How much do you know?" Mikan asked.
"As far as your past with this boy," Persona pointed to Koko. "But I know there's something much more painful than that incident, no?"
"You're bringing up terrible memories here, dude," Koko finally spoke.
"On the contrary, you don't even know the worse parts of her life," Persona said. "And you," he looked at Ruka.
"Why do you need to know?" Mikan asked.
"Because we can help," Youichi said.
"How?" Mikan asked again, uncertain.
"Persona Nii has a memory manipulation gift. We just need you to tell us everything, so that whatever he erases, won't affect the future you," Youichi said.
"Why is there a need to erase my memories?" Mikan asked.
Youichi reached for Mikan's earring that had the same purple iris symbol. "Because she told us to."
Hearing that, Mikan took a seat and Ruka sighed patting her back. "I'll tell you the story," Ruka announced and Persona nodded.
"When I was 4, I had a mother and a father. Once, I ran to an alley following a small fragile kitten. Then I saw Mikan playing with the other kittens. There was a big dirty carpet behind some boxes, so I assumed she sleeps there. She just smiled at me and motioned a kitten in my direction."
"I pulled my mother and brought her to see the girl. My mother wasn't really the type to be friendly but she's an animal lover. Since she saw a dirty Mikan hugging those kittens, she slapped Mikan. Dad came over to see what the hustle was all about then he saw a girl on a floor."
"My dad adopted her, seeing how sad it looked to see an abandoned child. We didn't know her name at that time, but she had two cute pigtails so dad decided to call her Usagi. A rabbit. When my mother cooked meals, she only made a dish for three. She kept on saying she never recalled coming in to a hospital with a big stomach recently. Dad always gave his share to Mikan."
"Mom kept on giving smaller amount of meals to dad, so he would just give up feeding the outsider. But even if the meal was not even enough for a mouse, dad still gave half to Mikan. When I reached the age of 6, dad suffered malnutrition."
"He didn't eat a lot of nutrients and grew weak day by day. Every night mom stayed at the hospital next to dad and kept on regretting what she did. That time, Mikan suggested we visit dad and bring some fruits for them to eat together."
"Mikan's extremely close with dad thanks to the affection he showered her with. When we reached the hospital we found out dad has passed away. Mikan was 5 years old, according to dad. But she knew more of what death meant than I do. She ran into the room and hugged dad."
"I rushed in too. Mikan was crying and was on top of dad. Mom slapped and shoved Mikan out off dad's bed. She fell down and her left arm was burnt from a burning steel rod that was a conductor of the machine attached to dad. She screamed out loud causing the nurses to run in."
Natsume then remembered the scar he saw on Mikan the first time he met her.
"Since then, I was never out of the house. Nii-chan always brought up my lotion for the scar when I'm stuck in my room. Onii-chan then started bringing food for me. Mom thought everyone hated her and blamed me. She threw away my lotion and said she wanted to spend time with me to make a better thing out of our relationship," Mikan said.
"Nii-chan was at school. Kindergarten I guess. Mom brought me into a deep forest and said we'll play hide and seek. I was supposed to seek while she leaves to hide. I was excited to spend some time with her, because she always seemed nice to dad and Nii-chan. I got lost in the midst of looking for her and I ended up wandering deeper into the forest."
"Then the thought came up that she was just tricking me and more or less, I was being abandoned. Again."
Mikan kept her cool, being calm about it all. Persona was impressed and nodded his head.
"You shouldn't have said anything," Natsume suddenly said.
"What?" Mikan asked, confused.
"My brothers won't help much, they were only curious to listen to your story," Natsume added.
"Even so, I'm happy to just be near the family of the woman who saved my life," Mikan smiled and Ruka looked at her.
"What do you mean, Mi-chan?" Ruka asked.
Mikan then turned and saw Natsume puzzled too. "Oh, you don't know either?" Mikan stood up and pulled out her iris earring. "This was your mother's."
Youichi walked up to her again and held the earring, smiling as he did so.
"My mother?" Natsume asked.
"Kaoru Igarashi," The name then surprised Ruka.
"Oh! Right!" Ruka remembered. "I knew she had a relationship with one of the heads of the company...I just didn't know it was Hyuuga Kaito."
"Hang on! You knew my mother?!" Natsume directed this question to Mikan and Ruka whom both nodded in response.
"I guess it makes sense now, the reason you had a strong pheromone," Persona said.
"A strong pheromone?" Mikan turned to face Persona.
"We know you've had troubles...dealing with the male kind seeing as that boy is still overly-protective over you. I guess mother's powers rubbed off onto you," Persona said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other business to attend to. Youichi, come."
Youichi bowed. "It's nice to meet you, Mikan Sakura.
That's the end of the re-written 4th chapter. I decided to cut down on a LOT of unnecessary stuffs. I hope you're all okay with this. I want to keep things short and simple to understand. I've been getting so many comments that it's absolutely confusing.
