Author's Note: This story is a figment of my imagination. Any similarities to others' situations/predicaments are completely coincidental.
Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice, Higuchi Tachibana does. All the song lyrics I'll be using here are owned by their corresponding artist and I will definitely give them credit for it as the story goes.
Thank you for reading and following my story!
And a special thank you @Arise and Awaken for leaving a nice review! Don't worry, I totally ship Mikan and Natsume! :)
Chapter 6: The Best Coffee Ever
"Please enlighten me on why we are here." Mikan closed her eyes as she took a deep breath and counted from 1 to 10. She suddenly felt exhaustion wash over her even if it wasn't her behind the wheel. She didn't do anything tiring at all, they did not even speak to each other all throughout the ride.
'I think I am getting tired of questioning Natsume and his stubbornness.' she softly released the breath she was holding in.
Natsume looked over her and laughed.
Mikan glared at him.
"Come on. Just let me do nice things to your family and I promise, you'll stop feeling tired." he reached over and squeezed her left hand. Not letting go, he turned to the twins and said, "We're here boys."
The twins peered out the window and realized they were in a driveway of a huge building. "Where are we, Uncle Natsume?"
"This is where I live. It's nearer to the hospital compared to your house so I thought that we should eat our lunch here first. Is that okay with you?"
"You asked their opinion, yet didn't bother to ask for mine?" '10..9..8..7..' Maybe counting backwards will help more.
He gave her hand another squeeze and leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Please Mikan, trust me. I am serious with you."
She blushed furiously. "Natsume! Stop playing with me!" she looked away.
"Hey, look at me. Do I look like I am playing you?"
"Ugh. Come on let's go. The twins are watching." she unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled her hand away from Natsume's. He followed her and carried Youichi while Mikan carried Ruuichi. Natsume handed the valet the car keys and he lead them to one of the hotel's restaurant on the third level.
"Wow!" the twins said in unison as they looked around and craned their necks to stare at the beautiful chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.
"Where do you guys want to sit?" the boys pointed to a table right beside a grand window.
Natsume strolled over to the table and placed Youichi beside him. Mikan sat across Natsume with Ruuichi beside her. A waiter immediately appeared at Natsume's side and handed him the Lunch Menu. A second waiter did the same to Mikan as the twins watched them curiously. Natsume gave one of the waiters a look, who then quickly went away. He returned after a few minutes and handed the twins their own Kids' Menu and the boys oohed and aahed at the big and colorful illustrations of different dishes. Ruu got off from his chair and went over to You's side and was excitedly showing him the different dishes that catch his attention. Natsume lifted him and sat him on his lap and the three were busy going over the Kids' Menu.
'Oh goodness. This will be one hell of a heartbreak for the three of us if this is all just a big game to that rich bastard.' Mikan watched the three. She felt a little warm inside and a tiny smile formed on the corner of her mouth. She then too, started to go over the different dishes.
Natsume glanced over to check on Mikan and noticed that she was smiling as she flipped over the menu.
'I need her in my life. I have never felt this contented and I want it to stay like this.'
They all gave their orders to the two waiters and the twins asked if they can go take a look at the huge balcony near the window they're sitting next to.
"Alright but behave yourselves ok." Natsume caught their waiter's eye and he signaled him to keep an eye on the kids as they trod off to the balcony.
They sat in total silence for a good 5 minutes, then Mikan said in a quiet voice.
"Thank you for treating the twins like you have known them all their lives. You make them really happy, you know. They were used to having just me every time. It usually takes them a long time before warming up to someone, that I couldn't even go on dates because they both feel he is a 'very bad, bad, bad man'." she chuckled as she try to imitate the twins' voice.
'Maybe these are my kids. I might have had them with Mikan and got into some accident and had amnesia.'
From her seat, Mikan can see the twins looking around the huge balcony. Sometimes, they will try to check if they can peek down below but the waiter will come over and tell them to be very careful. She laughed because the balcony looked really safe, it will be impossible for the twins to fit in the small gaps and fall, yet the waiter seems to worry too much. She gave him a silent thanks in her head, happy that somebody else is showing concern to her angels.
Natsume was watching Mikan and felt very happy just by seeing her smile over the boys. He leaned over and took her hands in his.
She turned to face him and smiled.
"You know, I am not their biological mother."
If he is not the great Natsume Hyuuga, the powerful business tycoon who rarely show his emotions in public, he swear his jaw would have dropped and reached the table.
Mikan saw his confused and very surprised face and she let out a soft laugh.
"It's kind of a long story and we don't have that time now." she saw a waiter on his way to their table, pushing a tray full of their food. The twins also came running inside and sat on their respective seats.
Natsume released Mikan's hand but not before he said, "We have a lot to talk about later. Mikan, I am serious about you. And I care a lot about you and the twins. Believe in me."
"I think I'm slowly learning to."
--XOXO--
"So do you really have to go to your job tonight? What time does it start? Can't you quit it? You have me. Why do you need three jobs? Hell, you don't even need to have one."
Natsume and Mikan were having coffee in Natsume's living room while the twins sleep in his bedroom. They ate so much that they fell asleep as soon as Natsume and Mikan carried them as they went up to the penthouse where Natsume live.
"I can't and I don't want to, okay. And what do you mean? We are not even together." she rolled her eyes at him.
He reached over her and pulled her in his arms.
"Mikan, I have never been this serious in my life. Won't you give us a chance?"
"You are my boss, Natsume. What will the people we work with think? And we've only known each other for five days!"
"I don't care what people will think. You have already established your credibility in my company, why would it matter if you're dating the CEO? And I may only know you for five days, but clearly, I know more about you than the people you've known for years." He looked at her meaningfully.
"Well, that's true but…"
"Give us a chance and if you still don't like being with me, then I'll let you go without qualms."
"That doesn't sound proper at all. Do you just want to have sex with me?"
"I want to make love with you, Mikan. Not sex. And I want to give you so much more, not just the best orgasms you can ever have in your life."
"This is getting nowhere." Mikan felt her face and ears heating up. "You're such a pervert!"
"Only to you, sweetheart."
"Sweetheart?!"
"Do you prefer baby? Or Love?" His face is near hers that she's having difficult time breathing.
'Fucking gorgeous man!'
"Shut up Hyuuga!" She tried to pushed him.
"It's Natsume, not Hyuuga. Or how about Dad? I mean I've already decided on calling you Momma."
She seriously feel faint from both his teasing and the nearness of him. Her pulse has quickened so fast that she can't think of any quick reply as he gazed at her eyes with such intensity.
"Mikan, please be my girlfriend for now."
She snapped back to her senses and tried to push him away. "What the fuck? What am I, a short time thing?" She lashed out angrily.
He grabbed her hands and held it to his chest as he leaned much closer to her. She tried to lean back away from him but she's sandwiched between him and the huge pillows on his couch.
"And then be my wife later."
Her eyes widened and her surprised gasp was immediately silenced by his warm kiss.
'This is the sweetest, most aromatic, and most delicious black coffee I've ever tasted in my whole life.'