Disclaimer: Cause I disclaim!
So here's the tenth installment to the 1000 yen romance series~
It's been weeks since I last updated, I know I'm sorry for that. I've been updating my other story, Eternity for the past few days that I haven't updated this one. Usually, I update them both but I guess, I don't want to mix up their plot so I focused on Eternity for a while. Hopefully, with this I can manage both the same time again.
So without further ado!
Please enjoy~
~1000 Yen Romance~
White silky tablecloths, a quiet atmosphere accompanying the aroma of freshly baked bread and soup, are what greeted them when they entered the building. Mikan was busy looking at the fine interior design of the restaurant when a waiter greeted them.
"Good evening, sir and madam. Welcome to Efflorescence, How may I serve you?" the waiter said as he bowed.
"We have a reservation under Hotaru Imai," Natsume replied curtly.
"Ah, for Ms. Hotaru Imai, right this way sir, madam," The waiter said as he lead them to a VIP room at the restaurant.
As soon as they entered the room, Ruka stood up.
"Natsume! What took you so long, you even left work earlier?" Ruka greeted.
"I thought eight was the call time," Natsume replied, shrugging.
"It is and you're late by a minute, Hyuuga, I'm disappointed," Hotaru muttured, semi-glaring at the crimson eyed lad.
"Hello to you too, Imai," Natsume greeted, nonchalantly.
"Now, now guys, calm down— Mikan-san you look gorgeous!" Ruka complimented Mikan, smiling at her.
"Thank you, Ruka-san," Mikan gratefully said as she smiled bashfully at him. Natsume glared at Ruka, making him gulp nervously and take his seat. Natsume then lead Mikan to the seat opposite of Hotaru, pulling out her chair and bringing it back in as she prepared to take a seat.
"Thank you, Natsume," Mikan gleefully thanked him. He just smiled and took a seat beside her.
"I didn't know you were a gentleman, Hyuuga," Hotaru said as she eyed the two amusingly.
"Whatever, Imai" Ruka just chuckled at the two. He was done being surprised by the variety of emotions and actions showed by his best friend whenever a certain brunette was involved. A few seconds later, a waiter arrived at their room.
"Good evening, I'm Pierre, your waiter for today," he bowed before handing them the menu.
"Here are the menu, I'll be back to take your order in a minute," he said politely before leaving the room, not before giving Mikan a wink with a smile, making her blush slightly. Of course, Natsume noticed this and glared at the blonde haired waiter. Ruka shook his head; it seems the waiter didn't want to live long, hitting on Mikan like that.
"Ruka, you know what my order will be," Hotaru said, not even bothering to look at the menu. Ruka nodded as he browsed the menu. Natsume closed the booklet and glanced beside him, it seemed that Mikan was having a hard time choosing a meal.
Mikan kept turning the page and after a while she would flip back to the first page. Natsume inwardly chuckled, remembering their first date. She has quite the appetite for a petite girl like her.
"So Yukihira-san…" Hotaru began, successfully making Mikan stop flipping the pages of the menu and look at her, quizzically. Natsume just raised an eyebrow at Hotaru. What is she planning now? Natsume thought.
"How did your date go with this idiot?" Hotaru asked, tapping her fingers on the table.
"Who are you calling an idiot?" Natsume retorted.
"I was curious to what really happened too, Mikan-san really didn't bother going on details," Ruka added sheepishly. Natsume glared at Ruka, making him smile innocently. Mikan's face turned red, she only told Ruka the gist of it, but telling the whole story, leaving no details behind would be embarrassing for her.
"What happened that day is none of your business," Natsume answered coolly, making Mikan glance at him gratefully. He just gave her a small smile.
"I'm not asking you, Hyuuga," Hotaru dismissively replied. Natsume was about to retort when the blonde haired waiter arrived again.
"Are you ready to order, sirs and madams?" Pierre greeted them as soon as he entered the room. Ruka nodded at him and stated Hotaru and his order. Of course, it was the usual crab brain for our dear Hotaru. The blonde hair waiter then looked at Natsume.
"How about you, sir?" Pierre asked curtly. Natsume just looked at him blankly before stating his order. After taking his order, the waiter's attention then turned to Mikan, whom he thought was having a hard time to choose.
"May I suggest that you try—"
"My girlfriend would like the grilled salmon and an orange juice for the drink, if you please," Natsume cut him off with a glare. The waiter then nodded and took the menus, hurriedly leaving the room. Natsume was smirking when Mikan called his attention.
"Natsume…"
He gulped, he didn't even ask for Mikan's opinion! He just blurted out what he seemed she would like. He slowly turned to her direction, silently praying that she wouldn't be angry at him for snapping at the waiter like that.
"Thank you! I was having a hard time choosing between the grilled salmon and seafood spaghetti really," Mikan smiled awkwardly at him. She wasn't angry? Phew, he thought he'll have to deal with silent Mikan again. He nodded and smiled at her.
Hotaru was looking at the two of them with an amuse smirk on her face. Since when did this ice cube of a person learn how to show emotions openly like that? Hotaru thought.
"I didn't know I'll live to see the day Hyuuga shows emotions," Hotaru stated, amusement etched on her face. Mikan giggled slightly.
"Whatever, Imai" Ruka chuckled.
"Hotaru-san, can I be your friend?" Mikan blurted out suddenly. Hotaru's eyes widened.
"I mean, you seem like a really, really cool person!" Mikan continued bashfully.
Nobody ever asked her to be their friend so genuinely like that. Whenever someone talks to her, they would be afraid or just purely business matters, aside from Ruka of course, so hearing Mikan say that to her, made her smile a bit.
"Heh, what do you know, Imai knows how to smile," Natsume teased. Mikan smacked his shoulder.
"Natsume, how can you say that?" Mikan reprimanded. Natsume looked at her incredulously.
"What? Imai was making fun of my emotions earlier, you just laughed and when I do the same to her you smack me?"
"You're acting like a child," Mikan pointed out, glaring at him slightly. Ruka burst out laughing.
"Mikan, you're being unreasonable here," Natsume groaned.
"Am I?" Mikan asked, raising a brow at him. Natsume immediately shook his head.
"No, no, not at all," he mumbled. Hotaru smirked at the scene, how funny that Hyuuga was following what this girl says.
"Just don't be idiotic around me all the time," Hotaru suddenly said, making Mikan gaped at her.
"She means that she'd love to be your friend," Ruka stated, earning him a smack on the head from Hotaru.
"Really! Yey! I gained another friend, Natsume! And it's your friend too!" She cheerfully squealed. Natsume smiled at her cheerfulness, even if it's Imai the new friend she gained.
After a few minutes of friendly banter, their dinner arrived. They ate it peacefully, with Natsume constantly teasing Mikan about being a pig, which in turn earned him a stomp on the feet, making their companions laugh, more like Ruka laugh and Hotaru chuckle, at their unusual way of showing affections.
All in all their double date ended up pretty good. Mikan was glad that she made Hotaru her friend, but she wasn't so glad when she met her baka gun.
They were finish eating their dinner and was leaving the restaurant. Mikan was saying good bye to Hotaru, yes she calls her Hotaru now. For the short while the two spend time together, they kicked off really well that Ruka was so surprised. Even he didn't get that good of a start with his girlfriend. He now wonders what kind of magic Mikan did with Hotaru or she was just really friendly that she infects others.
"Hotaru! I'm really glad you agreed to be my friend," She cheerfully said. Hotaru nodded at her. The two guys were getting their cars so the two of them were left alone.
"I mean, someone from Natsume's status accepted me, I'm just so happy," Mikan mumbled.
"It's the first time I see Hyuuga openly showed his emotions like that, give yourself more credit," Hotaru stated.
"Thanks, Hotaru," Mikan mumbled as she hugged the said girl. Hotaru was so shocked that Mikan hugged her, it actually felt comforting but then it was got so awkward that Hotaru shoot her with the baka gun.
"No hugging" Mikan pouted.
Man, delivering these things isn't as easy as you think you know? Good thing it's the last house, Koko thought as he rang the doorbell. While he was waiting for someone to open the door he glanced around, he had to admit in his experience as a delivery boy for Imai he had seen a lot of houses.
May it be rich, average or abandoned, yes there was a time when Koko thought he got the wrong address, as he arrived on an abandoned building it turns out that someone was living there, an old lady for that matter. He didn't want to admit but he was kind of creep out when he saw the house, especially when it's an old lady managing it.
As he glanced at the house, it was an understatement; it looked like a mansion really. Rich people just waste money on random things nowadays huh? Koko thought. But then again, this place seemed kind of familiar to him. He has seen this place before… he just can't pinpoint where exactly…
"What the he— Koko?" A familiar voice entered his ears. He smiled widely.
"Hello to you too, Permy!" Koko shouted.
"Don't call me, Permy!" Koko just chuckled, so that's why it was familiar, it was Permy's house. He had been there once when Hotaru made him accompany her. Seriously, that boss of his loves to order him around.
"Why the heck are you at my house?" Sumire asked, looking at him suspiciously.
"Ahh, you order a random item right?" Koko asked as he looked around for Permy's random item.
"What? You're the delivery guy?" Koko nodded as he found the item and papers Permy needed to sign.
"So if you mind signing here and here," Koko stated as he pointed on the paper. Permy snatched it and signed it hastily.
"Now give me my random item, it might be my ticket to Natsume," Permy said dreamily, handing her hand out. Koko rubbed the back of his head and handed her a letter. Is it really a ticket to Natsume? Koko thought. It was the same envelop that he handed Mikan so…
"What the heck! I order a thousand yen for thousand yen!" Permy screamed. Koko laughed, hard. I don't know if its bad luck or good luck permy has, he thought as he watched the green haired girl curse at the thousand yen.
"Well, thank you for ordering at Hotaru's random items," Koko bowed and was about to go back to his truck when Sumire grabbed his arm.
"I'd give you money, just give me the ticket," Permy offered.
"Sorry, I don't want to defy my boss' orders," Koko said dismissively as he bowed again and went to his truck but not before saying,
"See you later, Permy!"
"So did you have fun?" Natsume asked Mikan who was seating beside him. They were currently on their way to Mikan's house. During the whole double date with Ruka and Hotaru, a smile was plastered on Mikan's face.
"Yup! Thanks, Natsume!" Mikan beamed at him. Natsume just nodded, his cheeks slightly turning pink.
"So when are you going to meet my family?" Natsume asked her suddenly, making Mikan's eyes widened.
"Ehh?... so soon?" She stuttered.
"Why not? I mean they're excited to meet you," Natsume casually stated.
"What? Really? Wait, you told them about me already?" Mikan asked, baffled.
"Yeah…" More like, my sister found out about it from Imai and then she told my parents, ever since then they've been bugging me about it, seriously that Imai, Natsume thought.
"…" Natsume glanced at her and sighed.
"Come on, Mikan, don't be so worried, they'll love you," Natsume assured her gently.
"But what if they don't?" Mikan asked. She couldn't help but feel that way; I mean it's his parents! What if they don't like her? But then again, Hotaru just told her earlier that she needs to have more confidence in herself.
"Then I'll be the only one loving you?" Natsume joked. Mikan's face flushed.
"Natsume!" He chuckled softly.
"But really, don't worry about it too much, just be yourself, my family don't bite," Natsume said confidently.
"What makes you so sure?" Mikan asked softly, welcoming the idea a bit.
"What's not to love about you?" He asked back.
"My status?" She whispered quietly.
"Please, my parents barely cared about that," Natsume scoffed. Mikan was looking at him, still not convinced. He sighed.
"Seriously Mikan, I'm sure they be very happy that I have a girlfriend right now"
"…"
"I don't know if this will assure you but… they thought I was gay…" Mikan gaped at him. He nodded while frowning. He didn't want to tell this to anyone but, god damn it, if this is the only thing to assure Mikan he'll tell her.
"I mean, they thought I was dating Ruka as some point, seeing as I show no interest in girls, my parents even told me that any girl would do just not guys," he told her, face frowning. Mikan laughed, his parents thought he was gay? Really? That's just hilarious!
"Imagine their shock when they learned from Aoi that I have a girlfriend, they were so happy that they were planning to make a party for you," He continued.
"A party from me?"
Natsume nodded.
"Yeah, cause apparently, their son is a son after all, even after I told them I'm a straight male, they didn't believe me, some parents actually," Natsume mumbled. Mikan giggled.
"So, Mikan, just meet them and I'll promise you, they'll love you like I do, and I'm sure you'll get along just fine," Natsume finished as he looked at her, smiling. How can she say no to that? Natsume was looking at her with a smile on his handsome face? It was a miracle she hasn't melted yet.
Natsume looked at her, she was thinking quietly in her seat. He prayed to god that she'll accept it, since his family was really bugging him to let them meet her and pronto.
"Alright," she whispered lowly. Natsume's ears perked up.
"You will?" Mikan nodded.
"Finally! They've prepared a party for you after all," Natsume stated.
"What? I thought it was just a plan!"
"I thought so too, but they already prepared it, so be ready by tomorrow"
"What!"
Author's Note:
Hello there! raku-chama here~
As I have stated on my other story, I have a lot of free time this week due to some faculty outing on my school, yey! Free time = writing time, playing time and lazy time. Even though that was the case, I haven't really update 1000 yen romance that much because I have been busy updating Eternity as I have said earlier.
Hopefully this chapter would put me back in track to managing both. Hopefully. HAHA.
For those who commented that they can't wait for the next chapter, the wait is finally over!
DrPsycoBunny – Thank you! I hope you find this chapter nice too! :D
NanaShinozaki - Thanks! I don't think this is really that good though, I just write and write the ideas that pop into my head XD
iiAriya - Haha thanks! Fo shooo I'll keep this updated xD
Haruhi-chan131 - Thank you for all those comments XD I hope you continue reading this story!
To my readers out there,
Leave a review, comment or whatever? :D
Thanks for reading!
Ja! See you next chapter! :D
-Raku-chama-