Chapter 6: Christmas Eve

"Mikan! It's breakfast time!" called Koko from outside her room. Since that incident, Koko started to pay more attention to Mikan. He tried to be more useful to her. At least, waking her up in the morning and supporting her whenever she has any trouble would help her. Everyone knew that even though Mikan started to be more cheerful, she still need some time to recover fully.

"Mikan! I'm coming in!" warned Koko. He turned on the light and opened up the curtain.

"Come on, sleepyhead, wake up!" he uttered as he shook her body. Mikan, who slept like a pig, turned her body around and covered herself with her blanket. Koko immediately pulled out her blanket. However, it was a bad move for it reminded Mikan the incident that happened a few days ago. She immediately screamed for help.

"AAAAAAH! HENTAI! HENTAI IN MY ROOM!" she screamed as she covered her face.

"Relax, will you! It's just me!" said Koko, trying to calm herself down. Mikan kept on screaming.

"AAAAH!"

Suddenly, someone banged the door open. It was Natsume, who was still in his pajamas. He saw Mikan who was covering his face with Koko. Mikan ran to him as soon as she heard someone banged the door. She hide behind his back. Natsume glared at Koko asking him what happened.

With Koko's innocent and confused face, Natsume knew the answer. He then sighed. He yelled at Mikan, who was still hiding.

"You're really disturbing MY sleep!"

"It's just Koko, Baka!" he continued.

"Geez! It's still early!" he yelled as he walked away.

"I'm sorry," she bellowed.

"Sorry can't change anything," he replied coldly.

Mikan sighed. It was still early in the morning and she got scolded by Natsume. It was a bad start.

"You shouldn't have scared me like that!" complained Mikan.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to," replied Koko.

She let out another sigh and said, "I understand… I'll be down in awhile," she answered. Koko nodded and left the room.

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It took quite awhile before Mikan get down. She washed her face, brushed her teeth and went downstairs. She found herself only to be greeted by…

"OI, Baka! Can you cook?" asked Natsume.

"I am not BAKA! Can't you call me by my name?" retorted Mikan.

"Nope. If someone asks you a question, you should give them answer that is RELATED to the question. There's no doubt about it… you're an IDIOT!" he said.

"Natsume BAKA! You can't even call others name properly!" she snapped.

"Whatever. Can you?" he asked.

"I can. Why?" she replied.

"Ruka left this morning. I don't know where he went, but there is no food at all," answered Koko.

"Alright then," she said as she went to the kitchen. Mikan opened the refrigerator and found some milk. She then toasted some bread and served them with butter. She then peeled some potatoes and make potato soup. She then served them on the dining table.

"I'll get the medicine ready," taunted Natsume.

"It's your choice to eat it or not," stated Mikan firmly.

"Nobody ever ask anything about choices," he replied.

"Hey! Hey!" warned Koko. They all sat down and ate their breakfast quietly.

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"I'M HOME!" greeted Ruka. He was bringing lots of plastic bag. He saw everyone who was eating their breakfast quietly.

"Hey!" he greeted.

"Where were you?" inquired Natsume.

"I went to the traditional market to buy some ingredients. The meats and vegetables there are fresh and cheaper," answered Ruka.

"You left without telling us. We were stuck here with these horrible food made by this Baka," said Natsume.

"Nobody asked you to eat them!" snapped Mikan.

Ruka who noticed the rising heat of room, immediately scolded them.

"Instead of fighting, can you just help me bringing these?" he said.

"I'll help you!" offered Mikan as she brought them to the kitchen.

"Are these for tomorrow?" asked Mikan.

"Nope. I cancelled tomorrow's lunch. It will be tonight," answered Ruka.

"Why?"

"So that we can get ready for the festival. I've called some of our friends to come here tonight. It's Christmas Eve after all…," said Ruka.

"Anyway, can you lend me a hand?" he continued.

"Of course!" replied Mikan in excitement. She had been waiting to help Ruka in the kitchen. However, they both did not realize that there was a pair of crimson eyes, watching them carefully.

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Laughs and chattered could be heard from the kitchen. Ruka and Mikan seemed to be enjoying themselves. Ruka was cutting the vegetables, while Mikan helped him in washing the vegetables before they were cut. She told him what usually happened with her and Narumi before the Christmas. She told him how much she missed those times.

"Your dad must be happy to have a daughter like you," remarked Ruka.

Mikan just smiled and asked, "Why do you think that way?"

"Because, he's always on your mind," he replied.

"(smiled) I love him… a lot…" said Mikan. Suddenly Ruka groaned. His finger was bleeding.

"Ruka! You're bleeding!" exclaimed Mikan.

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(Meanwhile…)

Natsume was watching TV with Koko when he felt like drinking soda. He immediately went to the kitchen. That was when he saw an unpleasant scene. It was Mikan, who was sucking Ruka's finger and Ruka, who blushed madly.

"There!" she exclaimed.

"My Dad usually does this whenever I bleed," she said. (She was still holding Ruka's hand)

Natsume was burning in jealousy. He clenched his fist and smirked, trying to hold his true feeling. Ruka and Mikan gasped in surprise. They quickly shoved away from each other and turned their head opposite from one another.

"Tsk. Ruka, since you are cooking, you better wash your hand before we all got her IDIOT germs," said Natsume coldly as he took his soda, put his left hand in his pocket (to cover his fist) and went out of the kitchen.

"NATSUME! I am not an idiot!" yelled Mikan.

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(Natsume's POV)

I was hot! My heart was racing. My body felt hot. I was scared and burned in jealousy. Ruka… He's my best friend. He's kind and handsome. Girls would fall over him.

She was my first love and still is, now. But, it's hard… it's hard to accept the fact that she would never turn her head on me.

It's unfair! It's been 11 years since and I… I keep on thinking about her and remember all the unforgettable memories she had left me. But… she has forgotten all about it!

What is the point of hoping? What is the point of remembering? In her eyes, I am a jerk! A pervert! A cold-hearted person!

Then, I heard a voice… coming from inside my mind.

Which one do you want? To see her happy or suffer?

Tell her everything, she'd remember yet she'd suffer. But, letting her move on with her life would give her a chance to get her own happiness…

I would definitely want her to be happy

Then, you know what to do, right?

(FLASHBACK)

Mikan – 5 years old

Natsume – 5 years old

They both were playing hide and seek with their other friends in the forest. They were looking for a place to hide and Mkan kept on following Natsume.

"Natsume… slow down will you?" whined Mikan.

"Stop whining! Besides, why are you following me?" replied Natsume coldly.

"I'm scared… What if… What if a ghost appeared when I'm hiding?"

"You're annoying! Just…get away from me! I don't want to lose this game!" he said as he pushed her away. Mikan landed on her butt. She was about to cry, but told herself to not to. She immediately stood up and looked for another spot to hide.

Suddenly, while she was walking, she fell to a trap and shouted for help. Natsume, who heard it, ran immediately to the source of the voice, knowing that it was Mikan. He then found out that she fell to a trap.

"MIKAN! YOU OKAY?" he shouted.

"Na… Natsumeeee! I'm scared! It's so dark down here!" she said as she was crying.

"DON'T CRY! CRYING WON'T HELP!" he yelled.

"I'll go and get help!" he told her.

"NO! Don't leave me here alone! I'm scareeed!"

"Can you move?" he asked.

"I… Ouch!" she groaned. It seemed that Mikan sprained her ankle.

Natsume then took off his shoes and put one of them near the trap and threw them straight to give them clue. He then sloped down and stayed by her side.

"They'll find us," he comforted as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Mikan then realized that there was fluid on Natsume's arm. She immediately realized that it was blood.

"Natsume, you're bleeding!" she exclaimed.

"I'm fine!" he replied.

"No you're not! Give me your hand!" ordered Mikan.

"Who are you bossing me around?"

Mikan pulled Natsume's hand roughly. He twitched in pain.

"Ouch!"

"See! You're not okay!"

After awhile, Natsume felt her soft lips on his arm.

"That's dirty!" he exclaimed as he pulled away his hand.

"I don't care! You're hurt… because of me!" she replied as she pulled his hand gently and licked his wound.

(END OF FLASHBACK)

"There is no point in remembering this," I said to myself.

There is no point in keeping the box, but… what if she remembers… one day…No! I can't let her remember anything! Even if it suffers me! I can't tell her… even if I want to…

This way… is the best way…

(END OF POV)

(Back to Mikan and Ruka…)

"That Natsume! Why does he have to be so rude?!" complained Mikan.

"Well, that's just the way he is… There are so much things inside Natsume's head that you won't understand," said Ruka.

"Well, I presume you understand these 'things' about him, Ruka," replied Mikan.

Ruka kept quiet and let out a small smile. Inside his mind he spoke to Mikan, 'There has been changes in Natsume ever since you came, Mikan'

After cutting up the vegetables, Ruka added mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. He added potatoes and mix it together. He was making salad.

Mikan was measuring ingredients such as flour, butter, egg, sugar and others. She was trying to bake strawberry short cake. After a few hours, Koko went in to the kitchen and saw Ruka who was roasting the turkey and Mikan who was busy decorating the cake.

"Smells nice!" he exclaimed.

"We're almost done!" said Ruka.

Within a few hours, Ruka and Mikan managed to make so much things for dinner; roasted turkey, short cake, salad, quiche, soup, pudding, pasta and mashed potato.

"Mikan, go and get ready. They're coming soon," implied Ruka.

"Ok," replied Mikan.

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It was time for dinner. Everyone gathered in the dining room, waiting for Mikan to come down. There was Sumire, who wore a long black dress. Anna, who wore pink tank top with a matching mini skirt. Nonoko, who wore dark blue cocktail dress. There were Yuu, Kitsuneme, and Mochu. Lastly, there were Ruka, Koko and Natsume. Ruka was in Santa costume.

"What took her so long?" asked Natsume, who was getting impatient.

"Why bother about her? By the way, here is your Christmas present. I know you'll like it!" said Sumire, who sat next to him excitedly.

Natsume opened it and found… a perfume. He smirked. Everyone else sweat-dropped, knowing that Natsume won't need such things.

"Ooh! I know you'll like it! I bought that in Paris!" assumed Sumire.

"I don't need this. Why don't you use it for yourself, SMELLY!" uttered Natsume coldly.

"Ooh, Natsume! You're just so cool!" exclaimed Sumire. Everyone sweat-dropped.

Natsume was annoyed. He was about to go out when Mikan finally reached the dining room.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized. Everyone turned heir head to her. Mikan's hair was tied in ponytail. She wore a white spaghetti cocktail dress. She then saw Natsume, who was planning to go outside.

"You're leaving?! I'm sorry!" she said, bowing. She then sat next to Ruka.

"Ruka you look cute in that Santa costume!" she commented, giving him her smile. Ruka blushed and Natsume pretended to not to see it.

"You look pretty too, Mikan!" said Anna.

"Thank you!" she replied in gratitude.

Everyone started to eat their dinner.

"Holiday is almost over…" murmured Kitsuneme.

"Well, we had enough holiday and now's the time to go back to school," replied Nonoko.

"Hmm! This turkey is yummy!" complimented Anna.

"Ruka cooked it! He's been cooking since the maid left," said Koko.

"Really?! Wow! I've never thought that you can cook!" exclaimed Nonoko.

"I made that with Mikan. Without her help, I won't make it as delicious as it is," replied Ruka.

"Come on, Ruka, I was just helping you mixing the stuffs inside," said Mikan.

Natsume kept quiet, but inside, the picture of Mikan, sucking Ruka's finger appeared in his mind.

'Yeah… you had fun!' he thought with sarcasm.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying their dinner and were thinking of what to do next.

"Hey, there's this dance party in the square in the downtown. Wanna go there?" asked Mochu.

"Good idea! I'll go and get change!" replied Ruka.

"Ooooh! I can dance with my Natsume all night long!" exclaimed Sumire, who was clinging her hand to Natsume.

"In your dreams!" replied Natsume coldly as he stood up and walked away.

"Sumire sure never gives up," whispered Nonoko to Anna.

"Yeah… She's been clinging to him since we were 10!" whispered Anna back.

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After that yummy dinner, everyone went to the square where the dance party was held. When they reached the square, there were so many people there, waiting for Christmas to come.

"Shall we dance?" offered Koko to Nonoko.

Nonoko was surprised. She then nodded in agreement. Koko took Nonoko's hand and dance. Mochu asked Anna. Sumire was about to ask Natsume, when Yuu asked her first. She had no choice but to accept.

"Ruka! Let's dance!" said Mikan excitedly.

Ruka smiled in reply. He took Mikan's hand and placed one on his shoulder. He then placed one of his hand on Mikan's waist and started to dance. Natsume saw this, but stayed on his spot and watched them carefully. He couldn't stand the feeling of jealousy that was taunting him.

'This is for the best,' he thought. He then left the square and looked for somewhere he could be alone. (You know where the last dance was held, the place is something like that)

After one round, Mikan bowed to Ruka.

"Thanks, Ruka!" she said with her smile. Ruka blushed.

"By the way, where's Natsume?" asked Mikan, who realized that Natsume was nowhere to be found.

"Natsume… he's never interested in this kind of party," replied Ruka.

"Why is that? I'll look for him and make sure he has fun!" she replied.

Ruka just smiled.

'Mikan sure is something!' he thought.

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Mikan was searching for Natsume all over the place. She saw Mochu and asked him.

"Have you seen Natsume?"

"Nope"

She asked everyone in the place, but everyone answered no. She then walked to the bushes. There she saw Natsume, alone. He seemed to be thinking about something.

"Natsume…" she called.

Natsume turned his head to the source of the voice.

"Why are you here alone?" asked Mikan.

"None of your business," he replied.

"Everybody else is having fun. Come on! Let's go and dance!" said Mikan as she pulled his hand. He pulled away his hand.

"What do you want?" he asked coldly.

"I want you to have fun!" she retorted.

"Why?"

"Because you seem to always keep everything to yourself! It seems that you're always alone!" she replied.

"Don't act as if you know me!" he snapped.

The snow started to fall. Hey both turned their head to see the snow.

"It's snowing!" exclaimed Mikan excitedly like a child.

Natsume seemed to remember his past, when he was still with Mikan. He then grabbed Mikan's hand and pulled her in to the small forest.

"Na… Natsume! What's with you all of a sudden!"

"Shut up!"

'I know a place,' he thought.

He kept on pulling her and stopped. Inside that forest there was…

"Here!" he said, pointing to the flower.

"Ooh! So pretty! Is this the flower that only grows during winter?" asked Mikan.

"How do you know this flower is here?" she inquired.

"…"

The truth was that, Natsume was bored. He was in the same party and went into the same place. He then found this flower. Back then, in Mikan's hometown, Natsume used to show her this flower during winter. They were sneaking out at night and went to the hill where they both buried the box. (They haven't buried the box at that time)

Mikan was astonished by its beauty and stayed on the hill with Natsume until early in the morning. They were being scolded by their parents after they found out that they were out of the house.

"Why are you showing me this anyway?" asked Mikan.

'I want you to remember…' thought Natsume.

"Coz, you're an idiot!" he replied.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?!" she responded with anger. She was about to hit him, when she tripped and fell down. But, before she reached the ground, Natsume caught her with his right hand. Natsume smirked all of a sudden.

"You shouldn't wear this kind of dress, flat chested!" he said.

Mikan pushed him away.

"YOU PERVERT!"

'It doesn't work after all… she won't remember' thought Natsume.

It's really hard to get the ideas out of my mind. Thanks to my friend, Vicky, who gave me some ideas. Anyway, how was it? My target for review is 10 for this chapter (I know it's hard) so, if you like the chapter, please drop a review… Thanks!