Bewildered Circumstances

by: Sorrowful Princess

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Chapter 10: Seeing Beyond

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Persona's eyes darkened. "You will not go in. You don't have any more ties to him. You will do as I say, because you live only for me. Do you hear me?! Only for me!" He then grabbed Mikan's arm and forced her to face him. "You don't have anything to do with Natsume. You should not worry about him, nor feel fear for his death. I told you to abandon all means of relationship to him, did I?! Abandon him!"

Mikan clenched her fists. "I will NOT!" she cried. "He's the only person I've ever loved! I will not abandon him! I love Natsume and Natsume only!"

"What did you say?!" Persona suddenly asked with a strange tone in his voice. His bloody eyes were hidden behind his bangs.

"I said I love him! I still love him!" she declared loud and clear.

Slowly, Persona looked at her in the eye. Mikan felt a surge of fear the moment she saw Persona's eyes. They were bloody murderous, and she can clearly tell that he was enraged more than he was when he fought Reo. Her heart thumped.

"Wrong answer." The masked man heavily said. And before Mikan knew it, she blacked out.

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Drops of blood continued on flowing from the flame caster's mouth as he fought really hard to stop his rugged coughing. Doing so requires a lot of effort, and restraining himself into a calmer state drained his energy. Soon, he found out that it was just a wasted effort, and that he couldn't stop nor delay what was happening inside his body.

It's coming for him.

He knew it.

And he couldn't stop it.

No one could stop it, for the thing that's coming is called 'death'.

He saw the doctors and nurses all around him in such a panic, debating to themselves whether they should inject him a tranquilizer to calm him down or to give him a pain killer first.

In the midst of his suffering, his vision began to swirl, and he can't focus his eyes on one thing anymore.

He figured out that the doctors decided to give gim tranquilizers first, and it explained the dozy sensation he's feeling right now.

He closed his eyes, knowing full well that when he open them again, he won't have much time.

But what he didn't know was the fact that outside of this particular room, a brunette had just declared that she still loved him, and that she was fighting for him.

Lastly, he didn't know that while he was slowly dozing off to sleep, Mikan was yet again in danger.

A different kind of danger.

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"Natsume!" Mikan screamed as her eyes flew open, finding out in the process that her hands were stretched upward as if reaching onto something... or onto someone.

She was all sweaty, and her heart was pounding so loud that she could swear it's destroying her ears.

She just had a bad dream, and in that dream, she was watching Natsume suffer when everything suddenly went black. She reached out for his hand but she was too late. The darkness had eaten him up and vanished from her sight.

Suddenly, she remembered what happened back in the hospital.

She remembered seeing Natsume inside one of the rooms, and she also remembered Persona's threats and how she had stood up to declare that she still love him. A shot of worry and fear ran throughout her body.

She knew Persona is capable of anything, and when he says he'll kill someone, expect that he really will.

She stood up and went by the door. She must go to the hospital once again. She must check up on Natsume, and she must protect him. She knew he's in grave danger....

'Wait a minute' she abruptly thought as she looked around her.

The place is not familiar.

This room isn't hers.

She was confused. 'Where am I?' she asked herself, remembering that the last place she was is in the hospital, and that the last person who was with her was Persona. And that she suddenly passed out.

As if answering her thoughts, a shadow from the corner suddenly spoke.

"This is your new room, princess." And Mikan knew who the hell's the owner of that voice.

She spun around, only to be greeted by a silver-masked man.

She shot a glare towards him. "Persona." she mouthed.

"Yes, I am." Persona said mockingly. "Did you like your new room?"

But Mikan ignored his nonsense question. She got straight to the point.

"Where is Natsume?! What did you do to him? If you so touch even a hair on his body I will..." and Mikan trailed off when she saw the playful look on Persona's face.

"You will what?" The masked man taunted.

"I will kill you." Mikan replied in a deadly voice.

Persona just laughed. "You? Kill me?" and he laughed even more. "Yeah, right."

"I'm serious." Mikan said.

"Yes, yes, you always are." he said again and Mikan clenched her fists. She shot him a death glare.

Persona just smirked. "What? You think looking at me with those eyes would back me off?"

"What did you do to him?!"

Persona smirked again. "Why do you ask?"

"Bastard!" Mikan yelled, exasperated.

The masked man walked over to her and caressed her cheeks softly. The brunette slapped his hands away. His eyes darkened, and turned serious for the first time since Mikan woke up.

"You know, you should stop pushing me away like that." he said lowly.

Mikan ignored him.

"Where the hell is he?! What did you do to him?! Answer me!"

Persona lowered his head. "I didn't do anything to him." he said heavily. "And he's still in the hospital."

A moment of silence crept in. Suddenly, Persona faced Mikan with a horrifying smile in his lips.

"Why should I do anything? He'll die, anyways. I just thought that letting him die slowly and painfully is more pleasing than killing him right away and ending his suffering. Am I not right, Princess?" he said as Mikan's palm crashed on his face. She had slapped him.

Persona looked at Mikan and saw she was crying. They stared at each other's eyes and when Mikan was about to say something, the masked man suddenly cut her off with the words...

"I hate him." Persona said quietly but with such disdain. His eyes were hidden behind his bangs and he's emitting a strange feeling that Mikan couldn't identify. Is it sorrow? Grief? Envy? Hatred? She couldn't tell. And it was the first time she heard Persona in this kind of state.

"I hate everything about him." he went on. "I hate to see him wandering freely around this academy. I hate to see him with his friends. I hate that everyone treats him special. I hate it when he met you. I hate it when I see you together. I hate to see him smile. I hate that you smile so warm only to him. I hate it when he fell for you. I hate it when you fell for him. I hate to think of the fact that he has your heart. And I hate him most because of you."

He then paused as he drowned Mikan in his eyes. "I hate him because you love him." and he finished the last words with such depth, and Mikan stared at him, wide-eyed, totally speechless, and confused.

The way he speaks... the way he looks at her... the way he said those words... This man doesn't seem like Persona at all.

The Persona Mikan knew was heartless, cruel, and he does not consider others. She knew him as a selfish bastard and a killer. She knew him as someone to be hated, someone not to be understood because he was beyond comprehension.

And now, here he was, exposing for the first time an emotion Mikan still coudn't identify. Here he was, seeming so lonely and left behind.

Even though what he said was about hating Natsume, the fact that his eyes were so painful led Mikan to believe that this man is in need of something. And that he could still be saved.

For the very first time in her life, Mikan felt the need to comfort and understand such a man. None of his words about Nastsume made sense to her, but her heart understands more than her brain does. Her heart needs no analysis, and Persona's words had touched something in her.

It was so strange. All so strange.

A very long silence engulfed the two, neither looking at each other nor moving an inch.

Mikan stood still, at a loss for words.

"Forget what I said." Persona broke the silence first, and Mikan looked at him only to see the cold bloody eyes return.

The Persona she knew was back. "It was just nonsense, so don't try to bother that puny brain of yours to understand it, Princess." he continued and turned around, pointing at the table where a tablet and a glass of water rested. "Take your medicine and I'll leave."

The brunette stared at her medicine. "I don't need it."

"You do."

Sighing, she went onto the small table and picked up her medicine. She put it in her mouth and drank the glass of water in one go.

Suddenly, her vision became hazy. Confused, she held her head and turned to Persona.

"W-What did you--" she didn't get a chance to finish when Persona faced her with a strange gleam in his eyes.

He walked over to her, an evil smile playing in his lips.

"Did you know, my Princess, that you had just taken a drug that's considered a taboo?" he started playfully. "What, feeling dizzy? Don't worry, it's not poison, and it won't kill you."

He started caressing his cheeks softly, looking at her with intent, dark eyes.

Mikan struggled to keep herself. She clenched her fists. Why is he doing this?! And to think she actually thought of helping him! She's mentally scolding herself for falling for his trick. But a part of her was actually questioning if Persona's emotions a little while ago was really a trick.

Which was the real Persona? Why does he seem so different a while ago?

But she wasn't able to answer and to think further for she felt her body and eyelids getting heavier and heavier by the minute.

She felt something cold but soft and a little moist on her right cheek. She darted her eyes on her right side, and saw that it was Persona's lips.

"Why fight it, Mikan? Wouldn't it be easier for you if you'll just give in and close your eyes?"

As he said this, Mikan felt her own eyes closing.

"Yes, that's right. Sleep." She heard him say. And soon enough, she became unconcious and was slowly falling to the floor. Persona caught her right before she hit the floor, and carried her to the king-sized bed. He lay her gently on the bed and stared at her for a moment.

Then, he covered her with a quilt then got out of bed to stand by the big window.

He moved the curtains aside and a flash of gentle, soft light faltered.

He looked above, at the moon, a triumphant smile playing on his lips.

"Such a splendid night." he said to himself as he glanced to the sleeping brunette. He looked back at the moon, and stared at it longer.

"Truly, a splendid night."


to be continued...

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update this chapter. And it was a short one. Nonetheless, I still hope you liked it!

How bout giving me your opinions? Review please!

Look forward to my next chapter. It'll be up soon, too.

Ja!

Lovelots,

-Eurice-

PS: I'm really grateful for those who reviewed on my last chapter, be it a compliment or not. I appreciate it so much. Also, I would like you guys to know that your support keeps me motivated so... I hope you'll keep supporting my story. Keep reviewing, and help me improve my works. Thanks!