Author's Note
Hello people!!! Another update!! Thanks to the people who reviewed Chapter Seven so far: simplebutspecial, michiy0, Ghiminaruho, SamuraiLordzandGoddesses777, confusedangel0002, Star Sapphirex, Soul of the Rain, emverolemina, hend, 'orange-ideas', icedprincess9114, anonymous (anon). Hope you like this chapter!! Did a lot of brainstorming since I'm currently the pitiful victim of writer's block!
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Chapter Eight
Momma's Boy
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The next morning, I was still very exhausted from yesterday's party. I do hate to admit it but I did enjoy dancing with Natsume. It was sort of like a pleasure I haven't experienced in such a long time. After breakfast in the coffee shop downstairs, I went to the internet café to check my e-mail to see if any of my friends actually missed me.
Apparently, my email was flooded with messages. But they were not "I Miss You" messages that I expected, but they were merely "OMG. DID YOU SEE NATSUME?!?!?!!?!" I clicked on one that was from Sumire which had the subject: REPLY TO THIS EMAIL OR I WILL KILL YOU!!!!
Dear Mikan,
No, I do not miss you. I'm just asking WHY AREN'T YOU REPLYING TO THE REST OF MY E-MAILS?!?!?!?! How is it over there in Tokyo, by the way? Do you still like Ruka? Or have you fallen in love with Natsume? Nah. Just joking. REMEMBER TO MAKE NATSUME SIGN THE SCRAPBOOK. Please, I beg of you – think of the pitiful people back at home who just wish to touch Ruka or Natsume (mostly Natsume's) hand.
-Sumire-
PS: DO NOT FORGET OR I WILL KILL YOU.
I laughed to myself but at the same time shuddered at Sumire's threatening words. I clicked 'COMPOSE' and began writing a reply to Sumire's email.
Dear Permy,
Tokyo is great!!! Ruka…still hot. Hehe. No offense but Natsume is an obnoxious, self-centered freak. Yeah, I always say that but this is for real life. Me? Fallen in love with Natsume!?!? HAHA. You must be joking!!!!!!!! I would NEVER EVER fall in love with that dork.
Yours till I get a kiss from Ruka (hopefully),
Mikan.
XXX
After I sent that message, I received a text message from Natsume. It read:
I'm not through blackmailing you. Go to my apartment now.
Idiot.
I grunted and rolled my eyes, I stood up and went back to my hotel room to put on a sweater. Hotaru was watching a music video upstairs – she was engrossed in some boy band music video with a lot of break dancing and such, I slumped beside her.
"Natsume's blackmailing again. Can you come to the apartment with me?"
"Later. I'm watching a video of All You Ever Want" she replied coldly and continued watching the video, her face expression seemed utterly disturbed when I spoke to her. She then seemed to clear her mind off everything and just listen to the music.
"Okay. But I have to go now," I said going to where the drawers were to fetch a sweater. I picked a nice red one and threw it on. I took my cell phone, some air freshener (to spray on kidnappers' eyes if they get me again) and a wallet and put them inside a pouch, I left the hotel and walked to Natsume's apartment.
I arrived there, the place looking spotless – I sat down on a couch and read the scrapbook that I left there, I laughed at the silly remarks they made on the photographs of Natsume. There wasn't a sound of him in the apartment so I assumed that he was sleeping or something.
Then, he came out with a towel tied around his waist – shirtless. Mikan immeadiately covered her face with the scrapbook as she turned at least a million shades of red.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?!" He yelled, acknowledging my presence.
"Um… you told me to come here?" I said, still not looking at him but I could definitely smell the scent of shampoo.
"Yeah I did. But I didn't expect you to come so early!!" Natsume replied, dashing back into the bathroom. I finally removed the scrapbook out of my face. I exhaled and looked at my face in the mirror, I was still pink. Well, who could blame me? It was my first time to see a shirtless boy my age come out of the bathroom (not counting the times I went to beaches… well… I've never actually been to a beach).
He came out wearing pants and a shirt. He combed his hair in front of the mirror near the entrance and glanced at me.
"So…what did you call me here for? I mean…this place is absolutely spotless" I said, looking around the clean apartment.
He came up to me, and grabbed me by the shoulders – he then put his mouth near my ear. My heart began to pound really fast. Was this what he called me for? To…to…
"Cook" he whispered. I wanted to fall down and hit my head on the wooden floor. Mikan, Mikan – Mikan – you're so dumb!! Of course he wanted you to cook and stuff…there wasn't any possibility that you were going to do more than that!!!
"…And why do you want me to cook?" I questioned, clumsily pulling myself out of his grip.
"Because I'm hungry" he replied flatly.
"WHY DON'T YOU COOK FOR YOURSELF?!?!?!" I yelled.
"Because…" he said and took the scrapbook. "There are tabloids willing to take this in" he said, showing the scrapbook to me. I turned pink and nodded. I entered the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. There were lots of vegetables, some beef…hmm… I could probably make beef stew.
I took the beef and boiled it, as I began chopping the vegetables – I heard the door open and close. Who had entered? Probably Ruka. No… if it was Ruka I would hear a small "hum…" Persona? No couldn't be. If it was Persona I would hear "DAMN YOU PERSONA!! GET AWAY FROM HERE!!" But this time, there was no sound whatsoever.
What if it was a paparazzi or something? But that couldn't be… paparazzi WOULDN'T be caught dead in an actor's apartment in broad daylight. What if it was a killer? But it was only eleven. I turned around to get more vegetables and turned back again, there stood…a WOMAN?!?!?!
She was a stout woman with bobbed black hair. She wore Harry Potter-ish glasses and was wearing a pink sweater vest and some black slacks. I stared at her and she stared at me, after a very long staring contest between the two of us… Natsume arrived.
"Darling, who's this girl?" the woman asked, pointing to me as if I was some disgusting freak of nature.
"Nobody. Er… wasn't your flight scheduled for Monday?" Natsume responded.
"Yes. But I missed you so much, darling – I couldn't take it!!" the woman replied, pinching his cheeks. Oh I get it…IT'S HIS MOM!!!!!
Trying my best not to laugh, I continued chopping the vegetables. Natsume and his 'mother' were talking and after awhile the woman stared at me again. It was a very disturbing stare and I couldn't concentrate, I accidentally cut my finger with the knife and blood trickled down. I wanted to cry but I just whimpered.
"Oh dear… I think I have a first aid kit in my purse…let me get it"
She bandaged my finger and we stared at each other again like two strangers having déjà vu. She seemed to be examining my face thoroughly and after a few moments, her face lit up with extreme joy.
"OHMYGOD. IT'S YOUR GIRLFRIEND" she squealed. Natsume's face fell at this remark and shook his head. "Nah. It's some girl I'm blackmailing"
"NATSUME, HONEY!! YOU SHOULDN'T BLACKMAIL YOUR GIRLFRIEND!!!" Mrs. Hyuuga yelled, she then took my hand and we stood before the stove.
"Dear, what's your name?"
"Umm…Mikan"
"OH HOW WONDERFUL! That means tangerine!! You're so cute… SON! WHY HAVEN'T YOU TOLD ME YOU TWO WERE TOGETHER?"
"Because we're not TOGETHER!!!" Natsume insisted.
Mrs. Hyuuga examined my face again. "Well, at least your better than that Persona" she said and shuddered at the thought of his gay face.
"So Mikan, dear – I'll teach you how to make wonderful beef stew!! Oohh… you haven't cut the potatoes properly…here let me show you how" she said taking my hand.
XXX
She helped me prepare a delicious meal. I sat with the three of them and she continued blabbering about weddings, honeymoons and even CHILDREN.
"I know you children are only fifteen but you must be thinking about your future together. I do know that it is quite early for weddings but do you prefer a big cathedral or just a small wedding in the beach? Oh yes… what do you prefer a cruise around Europe or just a stay at a…oh! I know a great hotel at Greece. We should make arrangements by the time you're eighteen… and oh my gosh…children!! Yes, you're only fifteen but wouldn't a name Shintaro be nice for a boy? Or how about…"
WE'RE FIFTEEN FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. And plus, we're not even…ON!!!
"So what do you think, Mikan?"
"Um… I'm only fifteen" I said softly.
"Oh yes, I understand. But planning ahead is a good way of organization. I have a book of baby names back at home…oh yes! Would you prefer living in the suburbs or will you settle in this apartment? But I believe a fine house near the beach will be an appropriate place to raise a child. Oh my goodness, I should get you a love fern!!!"
"What if it dies?" Natsume asked.
Natsume's mom hissed. "Love will never die"
After lunch and a long talk about marriage, commitment and fine dining… she said that she had to go back to the hotel to fix some things. Oh thank God, I thought.
"Oh wait…before I go…I need a picture of you two kissing!!!"
I blushed.
Natsume fell silent.
"Oh what's the matter? Afraid to kiss your girlfriend in front of yer old mother, are you?" she grinned and took a Polaroid camera out of her bag. "I took lots of baby photos of Natsume when he was smaller… heehee…oh pish posh…let's get on with the photograph!!!"
"Um… I don't feel like kissing!!" I said.
"Oh come on!! You can borrow my lipstick!! It's Chanel!!!" she said taking out a lipstick out of her purse.
"Natsume, what do we do?" I whispered.
Natsume was in deep thought.
All of a sudden, I seemed to have fallen and fell down on Natsume. I ended up sitting on his lap, and his cheek next to mine. I turned pink and I wanted to cry.
A photograph immediately slid out of the camera.
"PERFECT!!" she said and inserted it in her bag.
"Anyway, I'll leave you two alone – you know, to do some boyfriend-girlfriend stuff" she said, winking sinisterly. I avoided her evil eyes and looked down.
I began to feel awkward around Natsume. I left the apartment at four pm. I had no idea why my heart was beating so fast after that thing with Mrs. Hyuuga. I decided to go back to the internet café and Pressed COMPOSE.
Dear Sumire,
I dunno if what I said to you in my last email is correct. I'm confused
-Mikan
XXX
Author's Note: OHMYTOSH. Is Mikan starting to fall in love with the one, the only Natsume Hyuuga? But he's a superstar and she's not even close to being one!!!! Gasp!!!
