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A/n: Is this considered as a fast update? Hehe. Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I'm doing my best to update fast! :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Gakuen Alice


Chapter 9

Strings or No Strings?

"I don't know why I wasted so much time pretending I didn't care. I guess I just didn't want to feel like this. It hurts." The woman said between her tears. "I love you. I'm totally and completely in love with you. And I don't care if it's too late. I'm telling you anyway."

And the man responds. "You should know, if you come any closer, I'm not letting you go."

"You suckers." A brunette grunted as she eyed the television with hateful look in her face. She groaned again at the cheesy scene. No-Strings Attached was her all-time favorite movie. She could remember the first time she watched this, Hotaru called her immature for liking a movie like this but she doesn't care. And right now, this was her favorite scene. But today, she hated this movie. This movie is mocking her. She glared and grabbed the remote, deciding to turn the television off.

This isn't helping her. Nothing's helping her.

Ever since Aoi caught them, making out at the counter, things have been different now. Things have been too complicated… yet amazing. Two weeks have passed since the incident and she and Natsume have been totally in to each other… in a physical way. No, they haven't slept like sex but they have done some making out, touching hers and his, and oral too. She shivered on the thought about last part but couldn't help but smile. Natsume have been nice and gentle to her that he knew she was not really ready doing the real thing and he was okay with it. And it was a surprise for her.

This was supposed to be a physical relationship yet it was okay for him not to go further. And instead of acting cold, he would reach for her body, hug her closed to him and cuddled until they both fell asleep. She frowned at that thought as she remembered that Natsume has feelings for her and still she keep denying to herself. They still tease each other, piss each other off, that didn't change but once in a while he would grab her waist and kiss her hard or before he goes to work, he would give her a goodbye kiss.

Just like married couples.

Except they're not making love.

And the feeling is not mutual.

"Damn it," she muttered under breathe and led a loud sigh as she lay her body on the couch and hugged the soft pillow. "What have you gotten yourself into, Mikan…" she murmured as she furrowed her browse, overthinking everything.

No, her I-hate-you feeling towards the Hyuuga has already vanished. Even if she pisses her off and calls her nickname depends on the print of underwear, somewhere there she started to feel comfortable with Natsume. She found him amusing, the way he teases her makes her laugh, not angry and once in a while, he would smile back to her… the small genuine smile that you barely see from the emotionless face of the great Natsume Hyuuga.

And that makes everything complicated because she feels happy that he is being human with her. She feels happy that he wakes her up with a kiss on the forehead and he would teach her how to cook. It makes her happy that little by little they're starting to know each other, that Natsume hates the color yellow because it's too happy and that his birth month is November, that he was once a varsity player back in high school and that he couldn't go a day without tasting coffee or Frappuccino on his mouth… And as she knows all the great things about Natsume, it makes her grow fonder about him. And it kills her that she still hasn't reach the like stage.

Don't get her wrong, she like Natsume and she proved herself wrong about how an asshole Natsume is yet she's not sure if she is really having the like like feeling.

And as the brunette drowned herself with the thoughts that have been killing her for the past two weeks, the doorbell suddenly rung and that made her jump in surprise. The doorbell rang again and again, as if telling Mikan that whoever the person outside, he or she is damn impatient. She couldn't help but roll her eyes and slowly stood up and walked towards the door. She reached for the knob and opened the door. "Hello…What the hell?" she blurted out.

Outside was her favorite girls in the world. Nonoko with her bright smile holding a box and Mikan's guessing it's a cupcake, beside her is Sumire, her hair was tied in a bun with a grin on her face while she's carrying a case of…beer? And behind them is Hotaru, and she's guessing what she brought… "And I supposed you brought crabs and your Baka Gun?"

Nonoko and Sumire snickered while Hotaru flashed a smirk, "For once you're using your brain. Is that Hyuuga's effect on you, Mikan?"

And Mikan knew what this is all about. "Oh no," she protested while closing the door. "I'm not in the mood for this—"

But before she could save her ass, Sumire pushed the door at the same time pushing her as the three of them entered the condominium. "Oh, isn't your condo sounds so lonely and bothering? Hmm…" Sumire said and turned to Mikan and winked, making the brunette rolled her eyes.

The three girls approached the living room and sat on the floor. They put all the stuffs that they brought to the center table and Nonoko removed the unwanted things on it and replaced it with the box of cupcakes, a case of beer, Hotaru's bowl of crabs. They sat comfortably on the carpet as Nonoko looked up at the brunette who was looking at them with her mouth hung open. "Come on, Mikan." she sweetly said and tap the vacant seat between her and Hotaru. "Sit here."

Mikan let out a loud grunt, hoping that her girls would realize she doesn't need this today and they should leave her peacefully. But for now the only choice she has is to sit on the carpet before she Hotaru shot her with her favorite invention, the Baka Gun.

Sumire clapped her hands as Mikan sat in front of her and grinned but before she could say something, Mikan blurted out. "What the hell are you doing here? I did not declare any girl's night out and fyi, it's still 4 in the freaking afternoon!" she shouted while glaring at her friends who look a bit of surprise in her outrage. She sighed, "I'm sorry… I'm really a bit of pissy right now."

Sumire had her grin back on her lips and said, "Maybe you're about to wave the red flag? Or did you instead wave the white one since you're sleeping with Hyuuga and you did not tell us!"

Nonoko let out sarcastic hurt look in her face and said, "We're hurt. You're keeping secrets from us." And Sumire nodded in agreement.

Mika knew what this is all about. Whenever someone has a "problem", they would go to that someone's house, bring Nonoko's yummy cupcakes, and Sumire would bring a beer to get them all drunk and Hotaru would bring whatever seafood she wants and her Baka Gun for emergency purposes and if Mikan's not that someone, she would bring sappy chick flicks to make them all cry except for Hotaru who would shoot them with the her gun for being annoying and over emotional. And she knew one of this days, they would barge in her condo and they will have this ritual but she wasn't expecting to have them today.

And she's guessing that they think sleeping with Natsume Hyuuga is a problem.

"How did you know all of this?" the brunette eyed the silent Hotaru but she just shrugged, telling her she has nothing to do with this so her eyes returned at Sumire and Nonoko. "So?"

"It was Aoi," Nonoko blurted out. "Don't tell her that we told you because Natsume's going to kill her but she couldn't just shut it because finally you two are officially together."

"We're not together!" she protested then bit her lip.

"Then what are you?" Sumire asked with her one brow raised with a questioning look. "Friends with benefits? No-strings attached?"

"No…" she trailed off. What are they? She never thought of that. Yes, Mikan admits she is very physically attracted with Natsume, who wouldn't? He's handsome, hot and got a great equipment, that's a total package but she can't consider that they're some friends with benefits because she is aware that Natsume likes her and even if she still hasn't reach the like stage, she's comfortable with him, that's a plus. So what are they? "I'm not sure…"

"How can you not be sure of it?" Sumire responds. "You can't just sleep with him and be not sure of everything. If you're not friends with benefits, then you're for real dating?" Sumire has been stopping to flash a smirk on her face but she's controlling it. She knows how to get details from Mikan and she and the girls have planned to get something today.

"Maybe we're still discovering something." Mikan said with a cracked voice in her throat. "But we're not really sleeping. We're not having sex."

"Yet." Nonoko added and winked at Mikan.

She let out a loud sigh and couldn't help but agree on what Sumire and Nonoko is trying to point out. They might not be having sex now but sooner or later if they're going to continue this, they will have to do it and yet they both don't know what they're stand are. And it makes everything more complicated than what she realized. "I'm not sure of what we are but I don't want to go to Natsume and give us labels either we are a real thing or some fuck buddies because I…"

"You don't like him the way he likes you." Finally, the silent Hotaru said something. All of them looked at Hotaru, who flashed no emotion on her face yet her eyes looked hardly at Mikan. "And that makes everything bullshit, Mikan."

"I…I'm comfortable with him. I'm happy when I'm with him but I don't think I like him." She explained as she looked down, feeling the tears building on the tip of her eyes.

"But you're aware of his feelings for you, Mikan. You think what Natsume's doing with you is some childish physical attraction? He is doing it with love, Mikan." She gritted her teeth as she sounded angry. "And you're being an asshole for taking advantage of it."

Nonoko gulped as she looked at Hotaru's angry face and Mikan's face, as tears freely flow down on the brunette's eyes. "I don't think we need to get angry about this…" she eyed at Sumire with a do-something look on her face.

"I'm not stopping you from fooling around with him but I'm warning you." She said. "Don't use him. You know how it feels."

That was it.

And Mikan sobbed loudly. She covered her face with her hands and cried her heart out. These two weeks filled with guilt and happiness. Every time she's with Natsume, she would feel pure bliss but when he's away, she realized how terrible person she is. Getting a physical relationship with even if she is aware that he has feelings for her, she took it for granted because she finds comfort with him.

And then she felt a pair of warm hands that hugged her. She looked up and found her best friend with her worried and sad violet eyes. "Shh," she comforted her. "Maybe one day you'll realize that you loved him too."

"What if not?" she sobbed.

Hotaru let out a small smile and hugged her best friend tighter. "You're happy with him and I've never heard you admit that you were with someone ever since Mochou happened…." She trailed off. "And I know Natsume's happy with you. I guess that's a start for maybe something else?"

She wiped her tears and said, "I feel horrible, Hotaru." She closed her eyes and repeated, "I feel horrible."

She let her go and held her hand. "Sometimes being happy means being selfish." She winked at her, easing the tension and trying to make her feel a little better.

And Mikan opened her eyes and looked at Hotaru, thinking she was right. She is happy with Natsume, the last time she felt happy was when she was with Mochou and after that, everything seem to be dull and normal for her. And right now, she couldn't stop but feel pure bliss with the Hyuuga… and she doesn't want to lose this happiness. But does she really have to be selfish?

Sumire let out a low chuckle, trying to get the attention of her two friends who just had a heavy conversation. When all heads faced her, she took the beers from the case, opened the caps and handed each of them their drink. "Enough with the drama!" she cheerfully said. She held her beer up and had wide grin on her face. "For us girls, for the assholes who fuck us, and for the future dramas we'll be facing!" She eyed Nonoko and wink.

Nonoko giggled and raised her beer high like Sumire did. "Here's to the heartaches that we experienced and got through!"

Hotaru didn't look at Nonoko and immediately held her beer high, "And to the happiness we're going to experience after the pain."

And all of them looked at Mikan, who stared at her beer but slowly held it high like her girls did. Slowly, she smiled and said, "And for choosing happiness over anything else."

They cheered and gulped their drink down to their throats.

Mikan knew she's fucked up.

But at least she got these girls who's gonna save her ass.

Hopefully.

xxx

"And I think these statistics can help us with the decision of branching out back here in Japan, Mr. Hyuuga and Mr. Sakura." The man faced us as he flashed a little smile to me and Uncle Narumi. His lips look a bit pale and I'm sensing he is nervous. Well, today the Hyuuga and Sakura Corporation decided to talk about branching a certain business back in Japan and since my dickhead father is miles away from us, I was forced to handle this one.

And the meeting have been going for three hours now and I'm damn bored. Everyone inside this room, including Uncle Narumi, knows that we would accept the proposal. I just don't get why they have to do stupid meetings like this if they could start moving and do action instead of babbling about pointless things. I grunted discreetly and flashed the man a bored look, telling him that I don't give a damn.

If I'd be given the chance I would leave this boring room, drive my car, go home and hug my gorgeous brunette. And by just thinking about that, I'm starting to give everyone a hate look so they'd realize I'm not interested. Aoi should be in my place, doing all the business shit but no, she's out there, happily married with Youichi. Though, I am too happily married with Polka with some complications though.

I couldn't help but smirk remembering what have been happening to us these past two weeks. Her kissing me, me kissing her. Damn it, I thought as I'm feeling a bit hard with this. After what happened in the kitchen counter, Polka and I have been physically okay and I can't help but feel joyful with that. Not that I'm being a pervert but I get the chance to make her feel that I love through my kisses and hugs and some other stuffs.

Though I'm dying to know if she is starting to feel the same thing too but I'd be damned to complicate things more so I'm shutting my mouth. I'll just enjoy whatever we have right now though I haven't blurted my feelings to her verbally, she already have the idea since my big mouth sister couldn't shut her mouth to Polka. But I guess it's a blessing in disguise.

Whatever.

"Natsume?"

I looked up and I see they are staring at me right now. I raised my brow then look at Uncle Narumi, who was sitting across me. "Natsume?" I heard him call my name again.

"Yes, Uncle?" I asked, clearing my throat.

Damn it.

"I'm asking you…" he trailed off, eyeing me like I did something wrong. "What can you say about Tachi's report?" he asked then looked at the power point that have been presented for the meeting.

First, I'm not really listening to whatever Tachi has been babbling about so I became silent. Trying to think of something smart to say. So being myself I said, "Okay."

All of their mouth hung open with my simple response except for Uncle Narumi. He gave me a quick look then stood up. "I guess we're okay. I'll just call you for a meeting soon." He turned around but he stopped and without even turning around he said, "Natsume, follow me outside." Then he left the conference room, with his secretary following her.

I blinked and then looked at the people around me, eyeing me like I did something wrong. I scowled at them and they looked away, fixing their things. Okay, so maybe Natsume Hyuuga isn't the friendly one but I don't care. I'm dying to go home. I stood up and followed Uncle Narumi outside and silently we walked through the wide corridors of Sakura Corporation. We went towards the elevator and as we passed by the employees, all of them greeted us and I simply ignore them while Uncle Narumi smiled back at them. I know now where Mikan got her humble attitude despite their status.

I started to feel uncomfortable about this. Uncle Narumi is always the talkative type of person, just like his two children but right now he is being silent and I know something's up. When we get inside the elevator, her secretary pressed the 49TH and 50Th.

"Is everything okay, Natsume?" he asked me.

I glanced at him but he wasn't staring back at me. "Yes." I simply replied.

"You're not being attentive at the meeting."

So he notice huh. "I'm okay."

"Are you okay with getting back to work? Or should I talk to your father?"

I gritted my teeth as he mentioned my father. My father wasn't really the nicest person you'll ever meet ever since my mother died. He became cold, heartless and superior. He wants everything to happen the way he wants it, and when he doesn't get it? He explodes like a volcano. And last Thursday night, he called, telling me to start working again because he wants to merge back with the Sakura here in Japan.

I remembered his exact words. "We're branching out. I've talked to Narumi. You're going back to work, an office has already been prepared. So take a break from playing husband and wife with Mikan, it won't get you anywhere. She's going to inherit the Sakura Corporation and I don't want my son to be just some house husband."

"No, Uncle." I said.

I saw him smile as the elevator opened. "See you around." He said.

I gave one last look to him and step out of the elevator. I reached for my neck and rub it with frustration. I've always love working, heck I was married to my office before I decided to come back in Japan but now I'm with Polka, working has become a hindrance for me to spend time with her. It took me couple of years to see her again and right now, even if what we have is unsure, I'm willing to give up something just for her.

I hate being a hopeless romantic sucker.

I walked towards my office and greeted by a smile with my secretary and I just simply gave her a curt nod and entered quietly. My office looks like a typical one. Dull, filled with books, papers and all the equipment needed for my job. At the back of my table is a glass type of mirror where I could see the people down there, walking, running and some traffic during the morning and evening. Just like in America, just the way I like it.

I threw myself in my swivel chair and took a sigh. Finally, silence. I've been dreading for this.

"Natsume!"

The fuck.

"Can you please give me a minute of silence?" I snapped at whoever barged inside my office. I looked up with a glare in my eyes and saw Ruka, looking…worried?

"I'm sorry, buddy." He said and walked towards me. "I know this isn't the perfect moment but we have to go."

"Where?"

"Your condo."

"And why?"

"Let's say they had a little drink…" he trailed off.

"And?"

"They're drunk."

xxx

After what Ruka said, Natsume immediately stood up and told her secretary he needed to leave. They both drove towards Natsume and Mikan's condominium without second thought. Natsume never really saw Mikan drink, hell he doesn't even know that she drinks and that makes him worry because he is not aware what could Mikan do.

Ruka noticed the worried expression on his buddy. "Don't worry too much. I called Koko and Kitsy to take care of them while I went to your office." He said with a smile trying to calm his best friend down who was starting to drive like a maniac. Ruka can't help but wear a seatbelt.

Natsume raised one of his brow with a questioning look on his face. "Who's Koko and Kitsy?" He asked.

"Koko is Sumire's best friend. Met him when Sumire brought him to one of the parties. Kitsy's I think Nonoko's boyfriend. Not sure. But they're good." Ruka answered.

"'Kay." Natsume only said.

With the way Natsume drives, it only took them 15 minutes to arrive at the condominium. They immediately went to the elevator and went upstairs. The ride feels like the longest elevator ride Natsume has ever rode making him curse under his breathe. When the elevator opened, Natsume immediately when to their condo and opened the door. "What the hell…" he muttered as his eyes almost shot open.

Their condominium was a wreck. Bottles of beer are scattered around the floor, some of them were even broken and some of them were even spilled. Box filled with cupcakes were also thrown in the floor and Natsume's brow raise when he saw a cupcake that's sticking on the wall. Their sofas are filled with leftover of cooked crabs and their stereo's blasting Zedd's Clarity. He saw two blonde guys, trying to help Sumire settle in the couch while Nonoko can't be seen. Hotaru is on the counter and Mikan is on the bathroom, laying, and he is guessing she just puke.

"Where's Nonoko?" Ruka shouted as he asked the two blonde guys.

"She's already on the car, Ruka." A blonde man shouted back. "We're taking Sumire down too." He eyed Natsume and grinned. "You must be Natsume? I'm Koko, this is Kitsy." He introduced themselves as the guy named Kitsy grinned back as well.

Natsume eyed them for a second and gave a curt nod. He approached the stereo and turned it off. "Why are they drunk?" he asked.

Kitsy answered. "Not really sure. Nonoko told me she'll be here and since she's not answering her phone, I decided to check her and this is what I saw so immediately called Koko and Ruka."

Natsume nodded and said. "You'll just simply get the girls down, I'll handle Mikan and this mess."

Ruka approached Hotaru and carried her on a bridal style as Kitsy and Koko had already carried Sumire outside. "Are you sure?" he asked Natsume.

Natsume nodded. "Yes."

"Okay," he respond. He went through his way to the door and before he left with the drunk Hotaru Imai, he said. "Call me if there's anything wrong."

He didn't reply but he just simply approached the door and closed it. He eyed their dirty and smelly condo and couldn't help but snicker on what would the cleaning service's reaction about this. Then he approached the bathroom and knelt down beside Mikan. She looked wasted, obviously. And she smells bad too. Her hairs is all over her face and the way she breathes, Natsume can tell she's sleeping.

And Natsume being Natsume took his iPhone and smirked. "Blackmailing won't hurt." Then he captured a photo of a drunk Mikan Sakura.

He neared his body to her and carried her in a bridal style. He grunted and let out a low chuckle, "I didn't know you're heavy, Polka." He teased the unconscious brunette. "I should start calling you pig to piss you off." He snickered.

He carried her towards their bedroom and slowly placed her to their bed. "You need to dress up," he said to himself. So he stood up and opened the closet to grab some loose shirt and shorts. He turned around and looked at Mikan, who was sleeping peacefully and the thought of removing her clothes makes Natsume hard.

"Damn it. Control yourself, Hyuuga." He muttered and approached the sleeping brunette. He held the edge of her top and slowly removed it. His eyes landed on her chest but he immediately look away then he removed her jeans and laughed at Mikan's underwear. "Really? Elephants?" But his laugh died down when he saw Mikan's sexy body. Yes, he has seen it before, even bare naked but he still couldn't deny how sexy and gorgeous she is and her body. He shook the thought and immediately dressed Mikan up and positioned her back on the bed.

But before he could stand up, he felt Mikan held his hand. "Natsumeeee…" she whispered.

"I'm here, polka." He whispered back.

"Stay."

Natsume let out a small smile and scooted beside Mikan. He pulled her petite body close to him and couldn't help but smile again when her small arms wrapped around his stomach as she hugged him tight. "Natsume," she heard him call his name again.

He looked down at her and gently caressed her soft cheeks. "I'm here." He said again, squeezing her a little to make her feel safe.

She snuggled to his chest and he grin at little when she saw her smell him and smile.

But the grin turned in to a smile. Not because of that gesture but when he heard her said some words before she fell in to a slumber.

"You make me happy, Natsume."

And that's enough to hold in to something unsure.


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