Story rated T due to Language usage only; content of this chapter is very safe, I swear. Characters are OOC, I think.

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Hotaru Imai X Ruka Nogi; Mikan Sakura X Natsume Hyuuga

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My Ice Queen: Bestowed Upon You

Chapter 4

Written by Sarah Patrick

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He swore. Never in his entire life had he been in this pathetic yet horrible situation like this— twenty-one years living as a man slash a human being in this blue-green tiny planet call Earth, never had he encountered this situation before, never! It was outrageous to him. To let him being ruled like this, to let him being used like this, only patience was holding him back from protesting. Gallons, and gallons of patience.

Ruka couldn't breathe because of that. He was choking to breathe, coughing once a while but continuously. Gasping for air, breathing in hard and swallow a gulp. His chest moves upwards and downwards with extra boost of energy from mitochondria in his cells to make breathing more possible. He moaned desperately, trying hard to breathe again. His head was spinning in agony due to lack of oxygen.

It was too tight for him. He knew at once that it wouldn't fit him in well. Hotaru, who was a shortie and smaller in size than him, was really aggressive… and 'damn, she's strong.' He had failed to be a true man, seriously.

"No, please Miss Imai…" his husky voice pleaded miserably, but the woman still insisted. "No, Imai… that's enough, please. It hurts…" he begged. He was almost in tears.

"No! I'm not done, Nogi. Not done yet. I know it can fit somehow," retort the emotionless Hotaru Imai as she pushed it in again, but it wouldn't fit in at all! He whimpered in pain.

"Enough please… I beg you," he pleaded again and the woman glared at him dangerously.

"Tsk, fine, weakling," she snapped and she let him go. He was relieved that the torture was finally over. He panted and inhaled more oxygen. His body was aching all over.

"Seriously, Imai, those costumes you made are not my size at all. Please don't put them on me again… They are too tight," Hotaru tapped her chin as she reconsidered his words.

"I think you're right, Nogi. These clothes are too small; they're hideous too on you anyway…" and she threw the costume to a side. "Listen. According to requests from your fan club, they too want your picture taken shirtless, Nogi… Now, I need some more pose from you, Nogi," she snapped again as she held her precious camera's eyepiece to her violet eyes and began clicking the button continuously at the shirtless man.

Ruka Nogi scowled at the woman. He just couldn't believe that he was trapped in the photo shot room together with his boss. She was worst than any paparazzo existed in the world alright. He tried to run away, only to received shots from one of her genius inventions, The Baka Gun, during his attempts. He even tried violence, and it was still no use. As a guy, he had failed to stand up on men's belief, 'Women are weak, men rules,' He found himself obeying everything she asked him too, and he hated it. He let go a low sigh.

"Nogi!" barked Hotaru angrily. Ruka startled. His eyes then darted to hers and narrowed angrily. "I have no time to waste. Quickly," she added impatiently.

"I seriously don't know how, Miss Imai," he sighed exasperatedly and slapped his thighs with both hands. "That's enough, Imai. We have been here for the last six hours and I need to get back home. I need to send you back too, your brother will be worried," his voice crooned. He took his shirt and put it back on his burly body.

"Nogi," hissed Hotaru as she grabbed him by his arm. She pulled him nearer, their nose nearly touched. "Do you want to get fired?" she blackmailed him.

To Ruka, that was what he desire now. He couldn't stand it to be around the woman any longer. She's too demanding, too aggressive, too stubborn, and… really annoying. His blonde bangs hid his azure eyes.

"No," he lied, muttering quietly. For the sake of her brother, who was also his professor, he had to lie and tolerate her behavior. Hotaru let his arm go roughly.

"So, go and do some pose and let me take some picture of you," Ruka didn't budge from his ground. He stood there, biting his lips till it was all white, clenching his fist hard and trying to breathe calmly. He had been blackmailed constantly for the last six hours but tolerance kept him composed. Hotaru who was standing before the camera stand then realized that he was still beside the doorway. "Nogi," she called him, threateningly.

"No, that's enough," his husky voice said nonchalantly. Hotaru startled. Never in her life would someone have ever disobeyed her command. They knew the consequences by heart, trying their best to please her no matter what. But to her surprise, this guy was really different.

After six hours spent together with him, it had comprehended her that he was one person who doesn't care about those 'consequences'. As a matter of fact, she found herself trying hard to keep her temper, which she had never did to anyone except whenever she was with her brother, Subaru. If it wasn't for that stupid promise she had made with her brother, longed she had fired him. She wondered if the driver knew anything about that promise…

"Excuse me," her eyebrows raised disapprovingly, her arms folded on her chest. "Could you repeat that?"

"No," his voice sounded glad to say it again. "I said 'No, that's enough', Miss. It's really late and you have to get back home," Ruka took her by her arm by force and dragged her out of the room. His face was still composed.

"Let go off me, Nogi! I command you—"

"Your commands don't affect me for now, Miss. I promised your brother to send you back in proper time," he said casually, hiding his true anger beneath a smile stretched on his face.

"NOGI!" she struggled from his iron clutch.

"I-ma-I," his voice raised a little as he said every syllable, his piercing eyes were on her pretty face. Hotaru froze. No one dared to growl at her right on her face, and he's the first and she swore that he's going to be the last living person who would do that.

'Doesn't he know who I am? This stupid bastard, he really want to die, doesn't he?' She stared at him dangerously, hoping that he would get scared like the rest, she's the famous Ice Queen anyway…but to her surprise, he didn't even flinch nor shaken. He was still calm, staring hard at her too with those piercing yet dazzling azure eyes.

"I said enough. We are going back home," he said coolly.

Hotaru lips pursed. Defeat doesn't taste that good, it was her first time to have someone to obey and get dragged around. She felt awkward though; some stranger actually forcefully pushing her everywhere, following the schedule her brother made which she found it annoying to follow, cared about what time she's going home, when her own brother had no time to fret about it...

Not to forget, her parents whom she had couldn't even remember how they look like although their pictures were all over the mansion, the way they smile or how do they treat her when she was a baby… and this stranger, he was really different from the rest, from all the people she met, from all the people who had worked for her.

And now, thinking about it, she loathed him, hated him for ruling her life. He's a weirdo in her eyes, giving shiver to her spine. Hotaru knew very well that he was angry and the way he screened the anger with a forcedly stretched smile was really pathetic in her eyes. 'Hypocrite'

She looked at his face though he wasn't looking at her at all. He was determined, and she could guess it by looking at his lucid face. He was definitely doing his job as a driver: Send her back home in time. She smirked inwardly and took a glance at her gold plated Rolex watch. They were three hours late from the schedule. He didn't manage to send her back home in time. She turned to look at him again as they passed through the reception hall of the company. She had to admit, it was pretty rare to find a person who actually committed to his/her work sincerely. Silently, she was impressed.

However, everything about him irritated her; his looks, his good nature, his confidence, his background; just everything about him annoys her to hell, he was definitely strange to her. And that's going to be one of the best reasons to add more trouble to his unusual-already-miserable life for being her stupid driver. 'Hn.'

"I'm hungry," Hotaru emotionless voice piped up as she stopped abruptly. She knew his shift as her driver had long over for the day. She was glad that she had taken all his time, waste them for her own benefit and now for her revenge. Since she knew very well that she had no chance to fire him, she better use all those six months to bring him to her hell.

"Eh? That's why I'm sending you back, Miss," he replied professionally, his grasp on her arm tightened a little. Hotaru whimpered silently.

"I want to eat out," she retort and slapped his hand off her arm. Ruka's face creased. He doesn't like the sound of eating out with her… "You pay, Nogi. In a five star Hotel—or else," a smug was on her face. He let go a deep sigh.

'Again with the blackmailing' He tsk-ed.

"Let's go, then," he muttered defeatedly, thanking god that he was no ordinary man work as the famous Ice Queen's driver; he was the heir of a famous car company which also has important ties with her company, a filthy rich man. Five star hotel dinner fees were definitely nothing to him. His head throbbed painfully as he tried to figure out why on Earth he would volunteered to be her driver when a rich bachelor like him could spend his time hanging out in an expensive bar or anywhere drugged with entertainment and perhaps, women

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To his annoyance, Hotaru picked the most expensive Hotel in Japan to have her dinner, which was not to his surprise of course. Ruka rolled his eyes as they entered the splendid hotel, dragged by Hotaru to a seat which was only served for high class people and it's really, really expensive.

A waiter came and greeted them courteously. When he turned to look at Hotaru, his face whitened. Hotaru Imai--the Famous Ice Queen of HI Corporation, and not to forget, his ex-boss.

"I want…" began Hotaru as she held the menu up, unaware of the familiar face of her ex-driver. "Crab soup, crab steams, crab buns, crab barbeque, crab sushi, crab…"

Ruka stared at her bizarrely; bating his eyelashes in disbelief, and again, and again. He must be deaf, because he was hearing all 'crab' and more 'crab'.

"Is that all, Miss?" stammered the waiter quietly; gulping as all the crab dishes in the menu was mentioned. Hotaru nodded and flung the menu into the man's hand. "You, sir?" Ruka smiled at the waiter warmly.

"Just a glass of champagne," The waiter nodded and left.

"Do you know that I am a vegetarian, Miss Imai?" asked Ruka at once, scowling lightly at her. Hotaru turned to look at him across the table for two. "I do have the Animal Pheromone, and clearly animals don't like the idea they are destined to be eaten by human beings…"

"So?" her emotionless voice retort. Her eyebrow tilted.

"I hope you're not asking me to share your—"

"Pfft. Please, those orders are all mine. I don't share, Nogi," Ruka then chuckled to hear her answer.

"Okay… whatever," He found it funny that a petite body woman like her could possibly finish the many, many dishes of variety cook crabs. Can it be possible in first place? He put a bet to himself. If she managed to finish every crab dishes she ordered, he's going to kiss his childhood best friend, Mikan Sakura, on the way back home later. He does realize that he like that brunette girl, he likes her a lot. But not sure to what extend…

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SLAM!!

Mikan Sakura was still in a full pout mode since she left the park. She was fuming heavily, the taste of his lips was still lingering on her glossy ones, and she hated it! 'Blehh… gross…'

"Stupid rich bastard playboy," she growled, clenching her fist hard high as she remembered the raven haired Natsume Hyuuga in chagrin.

"I'm home," she sang, as she took off her shoes and put on her slippers. She stared at the dark empty hallway, rooted on her ground. There was no reply. It was too quiet and the house was too cold because of the winter. Her eyes suddenly filled with sadness, tears threatened to fall. It has been eleven years; she had stayed in the house alone since that day.

Her parents died in a car accident, leaving her with a house and a chunk of money in the bank for her, enough for her expense on studies only. She sighed and switched the light on, then turned the heater on too.

It was odd for her though. Usually, Ruka would come and stay for a while before she would reach home after her shift. Ruka knew very well how much she hated the solitude of reaching home first.

She took her cell out, tapping on her keypad Ruka's number and she hesitated. Should she call him? How if he's busy? How if he got an accident and she didn't know it, that is why he's not at her house at this time. That last thought panicked her. Without wasting time, she pressed 'dial' button.

To her surprise, Ruka's phone rang behind her. She swiveled and saw he was standing at the doorway. His face was pink due to the cold, but his eyes were somehow strangely affectionate.

'Damn that Imai,' he cursed quietly. Yes. Hotaru Imai won the bet. She finished every single dish laid out on the table and it amazed him. Now, to lift up his promised he unintentionally made, he as a man who had always keep to his words, would do what he had vowed.

"Welcome back, Pyon," chirped Mikan with her dazzling smile, stunning Ruka at once. He blushed furiously and froze on his ground. He couldn't believe that he had made a stupid oath that he would kiss Mikan if Hotaru could finish the expensive delicious dinner. He hesitated.

"Um, Pyon… what's wrong?" her honeyed voice chimed in worrisome as she went closer to him.

"I-I---" began Ruka, his face redden by the minute, Mikan could feel the heat radiated from him.

"Yes?" prompted Mikan worriedly.

He hesitated. It's not nice if he just kissed her and left without a word. It's damn rude. Just then…he thought of a plan.

"Will you go out with me tonight, Mikan?" his voice cracked at the end. Mikan startled. That was random.

"Will you, Mikan, go out for a date with me tonight? I know we had always goes out together, but I wish to have a date with you tonight" His probing eyes were on her pretty face, embarrassed by words he had utter, and deeply grieving if she rejected it. Mikan blushed scarlet. It was too sudden for her.

"Y-Yes, b-but n-not tonight, perhaps later on, P-Pyon," she squeaked. Her honey eyes didn't make any eye contact with the azure ones. She was too embarrassed. Her heart was beating fast; as this was the first time she had noticed that her best friend was actually a boy. She wasn't aware of the difference of their gender until… just now.

"Thank you," he whispered pleasingly and kissed her on her cheek lightly. He heard a faint click, but ignored it at once.

He doesn't know where the courage had come from, but he knew that it was built since they were little. He liked her, he liked her a lot. But now, he knows how much he liked her. With his heart beats so fast, with his eyes fills with comfort and affectionate whenever he laid his azure eyes on the honey ones, with his long fingers gently caressed her fair flawless face, he now knew how much he liked her.

He loves her, eternity.

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"What's wrong, cousin?" grunted Natsume in annoyance as Hotaru took his manga away from his face and threw it on the white fluffy carpeted floor.

"That driver," began Hotaru, "Is making me rich," though her voice and her face was impassive, Natsume could feel that she was somewhat please.

"So?" snorted Natsume as he took his manga back and put it back on his face, he hated it whenever Hotaru crashed into his room without knocking, then threw his favorite manga off his face. "You are already rich, cousin, why do you want to be richer?" Natsume regretted asking that question at once. That was a stupid question to ask indeed. He heard Hotaru throat rasped.

"Money," declared Hotaru as she threw the manga off his face again. "Can buy everything in life," Hotaru sat on his chair and ripped open an envelope. "Money is everything to me for I'll get whatever I want, what I need," She arranged the freshly printed photos neatly on Natsume's table. "Without money, you earn no respect, no comfort," finished Hotaru and she carefully examined the photos.

Natsume merely rolled his eyes. He chuckled.

"You and your money…," his mellow voice grunted, stinging with mockery. "Get out of my room, Hotaru," he growled as he threw his pillow at her. To his horror, he got five shot from the baka gun as a reply. He rubbed in head in agony and rolled over his bed to endured the pain. 'Stupid Hotaru!'

"Natsume, you do realize that you are living in my house, don't you? Your room is my room too. This was my study room," snapped Hotaru at once.

"Did you hear yourself, Hotaru? You said 'was', now this room is mine…. If only I could tear that stupid contract to pieces," began Natsume as he mimicked tearing an invisible piece of paper in the air.

"Then, I would become the president of the HI Corporation," snapped Hotaru gladly. Natsume scowled at her. As if he would let that to happen.

"Whatever," he rasped.

"Oh, I finally found it!" cried Hotaru, a little less impassive but enthusiasm was faintly detected in her voice. Natsume found this awkward and his head shot at her.

"What is it?" he asked curiously.

"Ruka Nogi…," her voice was impassive again though he could hear malice in her tone, "I want to show you his girlfriend, Natsume, come and look, I took it with my camera bug invention just now," said Hotaru pleasingly.

"Girlfriend?" Though he doesn't care about it, but somehow he was interested. It's not everyday you can hear Hotaru being excited over something. It might be good.

Hotaru passed the photo to Natsume. His crimson eyes widen at once.

"Girlfriend?" it wasn't a question. It sounded more to horrorstruck to Hotaru.

"What's wrong, cousin? Do you know her? Is she your ex-girlfriend or what?" asked Hotaru as she approached the infamous playboy on his bed. She too was staring interestedly into the photo.

There, in the middle of the photo was Ruka kissing Mikan on her cheek. They were in a small hallway of a small house. A low light was shining below them casting dramatic shadows on the one side of the wall.

Natsume gulped. He doesn't understand. He barely knows this Mikan girl, but jealously was taking over him. Perhaps he's jealous because of his policy… 'Any girl whom I kiss and attracted to shall be mine until I find her not worthy anymore'.

However, he too was aware that he felt something else which he had never felt before; he wasn't sure what it was either. His fists were shaking. He bit his lips and his eyes narrowed.

Hotaru was surprised to see her cousin was acting weirdly. This isn't the first time Natsume came across to see a couple kissing in a picture. He himself had done it a lot of time because he's a playboy, she wondered if he's even still a 'virgin'. 'What's wrong with this stupid guy?'

"Natsume?"

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TBC!

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Don't forget to review. Hope you enjoyed reading anyway.

Thanks to those who had reviewed.

new BUDDY! helltishL0Ve

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I hope I didn't miss anyone though...