Hey guys.

Enjoy~

GONE AGAIN


"Imai, where is Mikan?" Natsume asked Hotaru for the nth time.

"Hyuuga, I told you she did not come to school."

"But it has been the third day she skipped."

"Can't you annoy someone else? Where is Luna to annoy you?"

"The deal had ended two days ago and she skipped school today. Please Imai, tell me where Mikan is."

"Fine. Come with me after classes. I'm going to her house."

"Thanks." This time Natsume left Hotaru.

'Finally. Why did you have to skip school for three days Mikan?' Hotaru sighed.

Somewhere else in an office of a very prominent woman.

"Hyuuga-san, onegai. Luna asked for it. And you know my daughter. She always wants everything to go her way." Pleaded Mr. Koizumi.

"I guess I have no choice. I will talk to Luna myself."

"Can't we just finish this now by ourselves?"

"Can you give me an answer as to why your daughter wants to be engaged to my son?"

"Uh- no." He answered dumbly.

"So I have to ask Luna myself."

"But won't this be a little to your advantage? If you merge with us, we are under the wing of the Yukihira's, it would be easy for you to have shares in the business."

"If I'd want to have more than just a little advantage, I can immediately ask Izumi and Yuka to engage our children. A mere puny faction under their wing can't possibly compare to the advantage I would be getting if I engaged my son directly to their heiress."

"But, Hyuuga-san..."

"Please, Koizumi-san I have other matters ro attend to. If you want me to agree, bring your daughter to me and I will talk to her myself."

"Fine."

"Call me as to when she wants to come."

"Yes, Hyuuga-san." With that, Mr. Koizumi left Kaoru's office.

'What could possibly be running in that Koizumi heiress's mind?' Kaoru thought.

Back to Alice Academy.

"Hyuuga, it's time for me to go." Hotaru called out.

"I'm finished." Natsume replied.

Hotaru led the way to where her car is waiting followed by Natsume. Once they were inside, the driver quickly drove to Mikan's residence. After a long duration of silence, Natsume broke it with a question?

"Why wasn't Ruka with you?"

"It seemed like there was a problem over at their company and he was called out."

"Oh, really?"

"Hyuuga,- nevermind." Hotaru cut her question before she even started. 'I guess it best that I leave some details a mystery for me.' She thought.

"Oujo-sama, we have arrived at Mikan oujo-sama's residence." Her driver spoke.

Hotaru went out of her car followed by Natsume. The door was opened by a maid who led them to an open room with a table, computer, shelves and books for business. It seemed to be an office. Hotaru sat over at the sofa that was there. The maid that had led them brought over a tray of snacks.

"Where is Mikan?" She asked, startling the maid with her silence breaker.

"The mistress took a bath, when she remembered that you were coming she immediately cleaned up so as not to be scolded by you."

"Did she stay inside her room the whole day again?"

"Yes, Hotaru-sama. And most unfortunately, the mistress had again refused to eat lunch, I'm worried she's not going to eat dinner again."

"Again?" This time it was Natsume who asked. "How long has she skipped meals?"

"Since two days ago. She refused to eat dinner that night then in the first day she skipped school she ate neither breakfast nor lunch, lucky enough Hotaru-sama was here and we were able to make her eat dinner but yesterday Hotaru-sama did not come and the mistress did not come to eat at all."

"Does Yuka-obasan know this?" Hotaru asked.

"Yes, Yuka-sama knows but these following days there seemed to be a lot of meetings. She is worried of Mikan-sama's health but she always couldn't make time to go up for her. It seems that the meetings she's attending are important this time."

"Thanks for that information, you may do what you have to now. Leave us. We'll wait for Mikan here." Hotaru ordered.

"Yes. Call me if you need anything." The maid bowed and left the room.

Natsume scanned the surroundings and noted that besides the furniture and books, there was another door, different from where they came in from or where the maid exited. While Natsume was pondering on what was on that door, it opened. Shocked as he was, he saw Mikan. Pale and weak. His Butler habits kicked in and he shot up and walked towards her. The look on her face was the look that shows as if she had seen a ghost and could not recover from shock. Natsume clicked his toungue at the sight of what Mikan has become for just two days. This was not the Mikan he knew and was neither his Mikan, past or present. She was like a doll that was soaked in acid and melted.

"What happened to you? You look horrible."

"Natsume? What are you doing here?" Her expression unchanging.

"I came to see why you have skipped school for two days."

"How did you come here?"

"I forced Imai to bring me."

"Tch. You shouldn't have come." She looked away but Natsume caught her face and forced her to look at him.

"What happened to you? Why are you not eating?"

"You don't have to act as my butler when we are not at school, Natsume."

"I am not acting as your butler, I am asking as someone who cares for you."

Mikan scanned him for any possible flaw in his words but she found none. All she could find was his determination in knowing what has happened to her and hurt in his eyes.

"Why are you looking at me as if you are hurt?" She asked, her voice starting to crack.

"Because I am hurt. Hurt because I am seeing you in this state. Hurt because I am feeling like I am a hopeless..." Natsume pondered on what word he should use until he came up to one. "...friend in letting something like this happen to you."

"Well, you are right after all. You are a hopeless friend, for this...thing that's happening to me is your fault. If only my chest did not hurt when I let Luna borrow you, if only I did not feel angry, I could still have been the same." Mikan stated, starting to raise her voice and break to tears.

"What are you saying?" Natsume asked, confused as to the words she was giving. Mikan started to sob.

"I started having these strange feelings after you became my butler Natsume! In all those months that you have served me, I felt like it was the most exhausting. I kept on hiding emotions that I deemed unnecessary. There was even that one time when you stayed with me for a late meeting I had, I felt something that I could not explain. There were also times, Natsume when I don't know why but my chest kept on pounding and I felt heat rise throughout my body when you did a gentlemanly gesture towards me." Mikan's sobs turned to a full cry and she covered her face with her hands.

"Mikan-"

"Why did you have to come? You were the last person I wanted to see. I could have been ready tomorrow and I could have faced you all again after erasing these feelings inside of me. But you just had to come, didn't you?"

"Mikan, let me-"

"No. I can't have you telling me any more gentle words, Natsume or else I would never be able to talk to you again."

The sting in those words hit Natsume hard. He stepped back from Mikan.

"I will still be your master, Hyuuga. But I don't want you getting too close to me, understand?" Mikan said, her eyes devoid of emotion.

"Yes, Yukihira-sama."

That was it. Hotaru felt the line being drawn when Natsume confirmed it with those words. Natsume called his driver after that and Hotaru had to stay with Mikan hoping that in any chance she could let Mikan break down and speak what she really felt. But unfortunately, Mikan became as emotionless and stiff as a rock. Yes, she ate dinner already and did her student council work that Hotaru brought but her eyes never glowed with life. This was the first time Hotaru felt so at loss. This time, she was sure that her bestfriend was dead. What was there now is but an empty container that had her face and brain but no more heart. The title of that frozen heart of the Ice Queen was no more.

Hotaru went home, downcast. Until that is her phone rang. She looked at the caller and grief flushed over her again as she saw the caller, it was Luna.

"Hotaru, can we talk? I have something that I want you to take part on."

"Luna, now is a really bad time." Hotaru replied voice low.

"Why do you sound as if someone has died?"

"Someone did."

"Eh?! Who so important is that, that you feel so sad?"

"Mikan."

"WHAT?!"

"Ow, Koizumi, you're hurting my ears."

"Sorry. What do you mean Mikan died?"

"When I brought Hyuuga over to her house earlier, she broke down and that's where they drew a line between them."

"Eh? Then if that's the case, I can't do what I want."

"What do you want to do?"

"I can't tell you over the phone. I'll go over you place now."

"No way."

"But, I am already on my way and Kaoru-san is with me."

"Kaoru-obasan? Whatever you are planning? If Hyuuga is a part. I don't want to be in it. I just want to push that idiot off a building or shoot him out of the sky."

"Hotaru~ just hear me out. We are outside now. Open up."

"Ugh. Fine then." Hotaru dropped the call and waited over at the living room.

"Well, what did you want, Koizumi."

"Well, actually..."


OH MY GASH!

WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO ME?!

WHY IN HELL DID I WRITE IT THAT WAY?!

I'M SO SORRY, IT JUST HAPPENED.

But anyway, oh my gee. It seems that my mind is doing another sommersault, how am I going to fix this. Whatever is Luna planning is none of my works. Just kidding.

But seriously, I actually did not plan for it to be this way.

Ja ne~ Stay tuned

Signing out- FrozenCrimsonCroissant