The Eleventh Episode

I waited at the front door with my hand crossed and my lips pouting. Yes, I was slightly annoyed. Besides the fact that dad had unable to give me a satisfying answer to my questions, Natsume had threw a pillow towards me just because I accidentally ate his favourite strawberry cake or some sort yesterday. Hey, I was hungry back then! Who knew that jerks liked to eat strawberry cakes anyway? Okay, that wasn't his. The cake I ate belonged to Aoi and she seemed very pleased and she had forgiven me. That conceited jerk threw the pillow at me beckoning me to wake up. I bet he was trying to get his revenge.

I checked on my wristwatch and was almost loosing my patience. Where is Hotaru anyway? She promised me that she would arrive at eleven and now it's already twelve o'clock in the afternoon for God's sake.

I slumped on the nearby wooden chair and rested my chin on the rounded table.

"Sulking, huh?" a voice spoke. I didn't even need to look to know who the owner of the voice was.

"Yeah," I admitted. "Mrs Hyuuga said that Hotaru could stay here for one night, but that blackmailer hasn't reached yet."

"Blackmailer?"

"I wonder if I should ask her to blackmail you for me," I teased.

He smirked and bent down towards me. I looked deep into his eyes and he looked back into mine. His arm moved a little and his palm was on my forehead before I knew it was there.

"Having a fever I guess?"

"Nope," I snapped his hand away without even care much for the manners. But I was sure I felt a hot tingling sensation on both of my cheeks. I was blushing, slightly. I looked away and muttered, "Go away."

"It's not like I want to be here with you," again that same cold voice of his. Every time I had a feeling that he kept holding himself back. Like he didn't want to open his heart to everyone around him. He always kept to himself. Even though I knew slightly about him from what his father told me, but I didn't see how it keeps him from being more sociable with people.

"Looks who the blackmailer is," he smirked.

I sat up straight and saw a girl with ebony black hair and a pair of amethyst eyes coming out from the tax. She was wearing a turtle neck blouse and a pair of jeans.

I almost leapt in happiness, though I didn't do that. I was quite happy, I mean, very happy to see her. She walked down the pavement with that emotionless face she was born with. When she reached the front door, I went forward to give her a hug, but was rejected by her.

"So this is the Hyuuga's son," she uttered darkly, scrutinizing Natsume. Why do Hotaru always wants to act so cold every time? I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the cold aura that emitted from both of them and greeted, "Hotaru, nice to see you!"

"Yeah, nice to see her," Natsume emphasized.

"Good," Hotaru said almost quickly. "So where do I sleep?"

"Ask Polka to lead you," Natsume replied moodiy. "It's not like you didn't come here before."

Did I miss something?

Hotaru turned to me and explained in a casual tone, "His mum was my mother's friend. Sort of. But we never talk."

"Only when we were three years old," Natsume added. "Though I never thought that you would be one of Polka's friend."

"Neither didi I," she retorted. "You look different from the last time I saw you."

"I doubt you can even remember it," he crossed his hand, looking dangerously at Hotaru.

"Mikan, can you please show me where my room is. I bet Mrs Hyuuga would be pleased to see me, unlike this fox here," she said. Natsume rolled his eyes. I stood in the middle of them like a fool in a daze. "Just leave this idiot here. He can find his own way."

I almost laughed when I heard that. Way to go, Hotaru!

"Yes, yes. Mrs Einstein was playing genius," he teased back.

"Let's go Mikan."

I smiled and responded, "Okay."

With Hotaru around, everything will be getting better.

"So, Hotaru," Mrs Hyuuga began as she broke the awkward silence that we had during dinner. "Tell us about your mum."

"Fine as always," she said while sipping her glass of water. "How about yourself?"

"Even better."

"Mrs Hyuuga, by any chance, did you take a picture of Mikan while she was here?" she asked.

"Of course I did," Mrs Hyuuga giggled. "She looks cute, you know."

"Good, give it to me tomorrow." Hotaru said it quite fast as always in a business liked tone.

"What you want with that anyway?" I asked, curious.

"I bet I can sell it to some guy in school," she grinned. "Anyway, I think you'll look good in those outfits."

I blushed and almost yelled at her, "You can't do that!"

"Sure I can," she replied, nonchalantly. "Anyway, we're going to go to the same school?"

"Starting next week," Mrs Hyuuga confirmed.

"I thought you said that you're staying here for one night only," Natsume interfered, he glared at Hotaru.

"No, sorry if you misheard everything, you idiot jerk," she glared at him. "I'm staying here until Mikan's parent comes and fetches her. Until then, I am staying here as long as I wish."

"This is not your house."

"This is not your house either, idiot."

"I stay here."

"With your parents so technically, it's not your house but your parent's."

"This is getting ridiculous," I shook my head and covered my ears. But it sound good to hear some conversation in the house.

"Now could you two stop?" Mrs Hyuuga entered the bickering of the two people and she smiled.

"So..." Natsume said while playing on his forks. "When does Polka start schooling?" His father grunted and his mother was staring intently at him. Aoi was glaring at him as well. He cleared his throat and said irritably, "When does Mikan start schooling?"

"Next week," Mrs Hyuuga replied.

I leaned against my chair. High school, huh? I had almost forgot about it during this summer and thank God it was almost the end of August. How I wished my parents were here. Maybe I could have a taste of life again. Much as I wish to go to school, I just wish high school wasn't as bad as staying here with the most idiotic jerk in the whole universe.

Silver-MoonNight

Oh my gosh. I still could not believe that I had flunked my new school's mathematics test. After all, just two months, I was acing in the course I took up in another educational institute.

"There wasn't mathematics in that course," Hotaru interrupted my thoughts. I looked at her in amazement. Did I speak out my thoughts? Behind me, I heard Natsume's and his gang of people snickering. I shot a glare at them. Hotaru's right though. There wasn't mathematics in that course, only Music, Physical Education and Home Economics. Weak subjects, but hey, I aced it.

"If you don't get good grades the next time, I will refuse to sit beside you," Hotaru stated coldly.

"Why?"

"I refuse to sit with an Idiot."

"Meanie..."

Lunch

After buying lunch, I went to sat beside Hotaru, who was sitting somewhere near the end of the canteen area. Some students were casting curious glances at me and whispering some things as I walked towards Hotaru. The others just didn't care or were just too busy eating.

"Her appetite and liking hasn't change, huh?" I thought silently in my head as I saw the height of seafood in front of her. In the corner of my eye, I saw Aoi walking briskly in. She smiled and waved at me. I smiled back. Placing my lunch opposite Hotaru's, her eyes looked up. I was guessing that she was having second thoughts about letting me sit with her, but she didn't say anything. Aoi came to us in a few minutes later. Aoi giggled.

"Is anything the matter," I asked as I stuffed a spoonful of baked rice into my mouth.

"You two just instantly became famous."

"Why?"

"Well, the tests you guys took in order to come here. Hotaru aced them all... On the other hand, Mikan, you failed Mathematics, borderline passed the other subjects and aced in one."

I coughed.

"How did word get out?"

"I don't know. I heard it from my seniors. By the way, you are labeled as the "Idiot" and Hotaru is labeled as the "Second Genius".

At this, Hotaru turned to us and questioned, "Who's the first?"

"Big brother."

After School

"Hotaru, wait for me!"

I raced after Hotaru, who has already decided what to chose as her after school activity. I remember that it has something to do with inventions, or something. I managed to catch up with her. She signed up for the activity as I waited for her. Tired of waiting, I opened up the school's magazine that has been given to us just today. I flipped to the after school activity's page and looked through the activities. Track and field sounds good. Or, I could try the band... Are there recorders in the band? Choir would be another available choice. Just then, Hotaru came out. I hurried after her.

"Hotaru, what do you think?" I asked after telling her my choices.

"Suit yourself. I heard Hyuuga is in the track and field team."

"Really? Then, that option is definitely out."

Back home, I went back to my room and started working on the homework given today I stared at the stupid math question, frustrated. Minutes later, Hotaru came into my room without bothering to knock.

"Hotaru!"

She closed the door carefully before coming to sit down on my bed. I looked at her with interest.

"What did you father said about the kidnapping incident?"

At her question, I threw my homework to the back of my head and a flashback came.

"Well, what do you have to say for this, Dad?"

"Err... I'm kind of busy now, Mikan. Can we talk about this the next time? By the way, we can't make it as scheduled. Got to go!"

"Dad-"

He hung up.

"So, he avoided the question?"

"You can't say that. He said that we could talk about that another time."

Hotaru gave me a look which I knew very well. When is the next time? For all I know, they could easily reject all the calls I call.

"Does Hyuuga know about what is happening? His kidnap, your kidnap, all the other kids or anything else?"

"Natsume? I don't know. I had never asked him before. It is kind of a touchy subject."

"Let's ask him."

"What?"

"Do you have anyone else in mind?"

"Did you manage to find out who Luna Koizumi is, Hotaru?"

"Yeah, her profile that I managed to hack into is extremely similar to your parents'. So, I can only say that Luna, is probably doing a job as dangerous as your parents and your parents would know her better than I do."

"So, what now?"

Later that Night

"Are you sure we are doing this?" I whispered.

"Yes."

It was two hours past midnight and as Hotaru says, Natsume should be sound asleep by now.

Engaging the help of Aoi to help us, we had entered Natsume's room with a plate of cream puffs. Just as Aoi and Hotaru has predicted, Natsume was suspicious of every move and watched us closely.

"Big brother, Hotaru and Mikan made some cream puffs in the kitchen just now and we were wondering if you want some."

Natsume gave Aoi a you-just-admitted-that-you-are-planning-something look.

"Aoi, everyone knows that I don't eat sweet stuff."

"Hyuuga, of course we had remembered something as important as that. That is why, these cream puffs are salty."

"That just makes you guys more suspicious for having a hidden motive. Giving me free food and it just so happens to be the flavor I prefer."

"Awww... How can you say that, Natsume?" I gave him an innocent look. "We were just being nice. We did want to make sweet cream puffs, since I love them so. However, Aoi suggested that we make salty ones. That way, you can eat them, and we can try a new flavor."

Natsume glared at me.

"Asking Imai to come here was the worst decision you have ever made."

"What? Why? I think it has been absolutely great since she came here."

He eyed Hotaru's movement cautiously, who was moving closer and closer to him every second.

"I know, to prove that there is nothing wrong with the cream puffs, I'll eat one and show you," I suggested. Both Hotaru and Aoi gave me a warning look. I smiled at them and took a cream puff that does taste sweet - the one that has nothing wrong with it. I took a bite, chewed it and swallowed the remaining mush in my mouth. All this while, everyone was looking at me. It felt kind of weird when everyone stares at you and you just have to let them stare.

"There! Nothing wrong with me. We are offering our delicious puffs one last time. Do you want it?"

"I rather pass," He smirked. "That was probably the only puff that has nothing wrong with it."

Darn. Why does he have to be so smart? At this, Aoi spoke up, "That is not. All the cream puffs are fine."

She took one. Before she ate it, she gave us a look. Both Hotaru and I knew what it said - you guys owe me big time.

"Nothing wrong with it! Big brother, if you don't eat one right now, I am going to complain to mum that-"

Hotaru snatched a cream puff and threw it in his face. At first, I thought that Hotaru would definitely fail and that Natsume would definitely dodge it, but he couldn't. Hotaru had predicted where Natsume would dodge to and had fired another cream puff in that direction. Aoi quickly blocked his other way out and it hit him. He wiped the cream puff off his face and licked the cream.

"Run!"

"You are sure that one lick would keep Natsume sleeping for ages, right?"

"Of course."

We were snooping around in Natsume's room to see if there was anything useful. Curious about how Natsume looks like when he was asleep, I moved towards the bed and gently lifted up the blanket.

"Boo."

"Ahhhhhhhhh..."

Alcyon Moire

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