Edited version. Enjoy.

Love beyond Magic

Written by LunarChan

Chapter 11

Renewed Deal

-NARUMI ANJU-

"Oh?" I was astonished by the news they brought me. "Mikan sent you a message?"

"Uh, yeah." Hotaru nodded and showed me her cell phone.

"Have you tried calling her?"

"No. not yet." She frowned. "I wanted to tell you about it first…"

"Oh. Thanks." I muttered. "Try to call her now…"

"What if…?" Her gaze was suddenly afraid. "What if she was being held hostage? What if she's in a really dangerous situation?"

"Shh…" I tried to soothe her. "You never know… So give it a try… Call her…"

She stared at her cell phone for a few minutes before pressing the keypad.

-MIKAN SAKURA-

Natsume went out and Ruka was just lying on the floor, staring on the ceiling. Nobara was washing the dishes. I just slumped there on the corner, wanting to die. To never have been born. Ah, I'm being emotional. Stress. Yes, I'm stressed, though I'm the one to offer the deal, my life is at risk… I'm still afraid, though.

My phone rang, breaking the silence and my reverie. I was startled and flipped it open.

Hotaru…!

I pressed the call key and it connected. "Hello?" Ruka and Nobara were now gawking at me.

"Mikan…!" I missed her voice.

"Hotaru-chan…!" I wanted to cry. But I will not. I will not let Ruka and Nobara see that I am afraid.

"Mikan BAKA!" She shouted and I winced. "Where the heck are you? Get your butt here before you will be sorry!"

I laughed and it sounded like choking. "Sorry, Hotaru-chan… I still can't… I'll go back after everything is settled…"

"Is there some problem there?"

"Ah, yeah." I nodded. "Sort of."

"We can help…?" She offered.

"Uh, I don't know…" I glanced at Ruka. "I'll ask, later."

"You BAKA!" She shouted once more. "Don't you know that something terrible has happened at your home?"

"My home?" My heart was now thumping a strange beat. "W-What happened? Is jii-chan fine?"

"Yes, he is." She answered and I was relieved. "But I heard Luna is in jail."

"Luna-san?"

"Don't call her like that." Hotaru's tone was disgusted – or something like that. "She betrayed you – and us."

"Huh? What do you mean?" I was really shocked by this news. Ever since I was a child, Luna-san had taken care of me.

Hotaru had clipped in all the details that happened since I was gone. And I was really sad and depressed now. So many things happened… Even Sumire-chan was in danger just because of me…

"Why do you think she betrayed us?" I asked her, I still can't believe it.

"Uh, we don't know yet." She sighed. "Do you want Narumi-sensei to investigate on that?"

"Yes, please."

"Sheesh. You're really a bad person… Making us worry and all!" She sounded bad – but happy.

"Sorry, Hotaru-chan…"

"Hey, you owe me and Narumi-sensei…" I heard a guy chuckled on the background.

"No, I don't mind…" Narumi-sensei commented.

"But I do." Hotaru argued. "You will pay me back every penny and every worry…"

I smiled. She missed me! "Yes, I promise."

"Now, why won't you tell me what happened to you for the past two days? We've been in a wreck, you know! You must tell us what the good news is." She fumed.

"Ah, I don't know yet, Hotaru…" I tried to tell her in a nice way. "I'll tell you as soon as everything's fine…"

"Then there's still a high risk…" She guessed.

"Ah, well yeah." I admitted sheepishly. "But it's no big deal."

"I do hope so…" She hoped, and I hoped, too.

"Yes," the door opened and Natsume came in with a bag and he was staring at me. His ruby eyes were piercing through me as if saying, Do not do anything reckless. "Oh, b-bye. I need to go…"

"Can I call you again? Soon? Tsubasa-senpai and the others have to know that you're fine… and well."

"Uh, I don't know… But I will send you a message when to call me…"

"Ok." She hesitated. "Bye."

"Bye." I hung up and put my phone down.

Natsume closed the back door and glared at me. His dangerous eyes seemed more dangerous now. "Who the hell was that?"

"My friend." I tried to sound intimidating.

"Why is your friend calling you?" He questioned and stepped towards me. He put the bag down.

Ruka and Nobara's face were both concerned and afraid at the same time.

"Uh, I don't know." I shrugged and avoided his gaze. "Checking things up, maybe…"

"Did you tell anything you are not supposed to tell?"

"Of course not." My voice was an octave high at an accusation. "I maybe dumb. But not that dumb, you know. You can ask them if you don't believe me. They heard everything I said."

His vision shifted to Ruka and Ruka nodded. "She didn't tell anything."

Natsume just sat down and his face was more worried. He gestured Nobara to pick up his bag and bring it to him. Nobara picked it up and did bring it to him.

"We've got the tracking device…" He muttered and opened the bag. "And the bug…"

"Natsume…" I began. "Would you mind… If my friends asked me to help…?"

He stared at me as if I'd lost my mind.

"Well, seeing the things now… I don't think that the odds of you bringing me back safely will be a success… Not that I don't trust you… But…"

"I accepted the deal." He gritted through his clenched teeth. "Done. You didn't have that sort of condition on your deal."

"Ok then." I retorted. "I'm backing off of the deal… Unless you let me change it. Renewed deal…?"

His eyes widened and his fists turned into angry balls. "Why you…?"

"Just listen, first… Ok?" I begged. He waited for me to continue. "Ok… So… They will help. Though I still don't know what kind of help they are offering because I didn't tell them what I am going to face…"

He just stared at me. "Fine." He finally spoke. "But. Ruka and I will be the only ones to get you out of their hands… Understood?"

I smiled. I won the argument. "Thanks. Oh. Do you mind if I tell them what will happen so that they will be ready and all?"

"I don't." He gave up.

-NATSUME HYUUGA-

"Thank you…" She chirped happily.

And damn. I am guilty. Again…

I'm really sacrificing her… To get my sister back. I do know she's afraid… That's why she wanted her friends to help her… To be sure that I will not run away with the money and my sister…

She opened her phone and typed happily.

Oh, well. I felt Ruka's phone vibrate in my pocket and I opened it. Terrified at what I saw.

-HOTARU IMAI-

I ran back to Misaki-senpai's house after I thanked Narumi-sensei and after I sent them a good news message. This was definitely good news…

Well…

That's what I thought before I called her again with Misaki-senpai, Tsubasa-senpai and Iinchou listening on the speakers of my phone.

She sent me a message, telling me that it's fine to call. As soon as I read it, we gathered around a table and called her. And she chipped in both the good and the bad news.

The good news – we can help her or them.

The bad news – she's going to be the bait.

I tried to break her decision. But stubborn as she was, she would never. Once her mind was made up, there's no turning back, even though she's afraid or something…

That girl – is a total martyr.

I don't even know why she would – or she should – sacrifice herself for someone she doesn't even know. I told her that they might run away from her after they get the money and the girl… And she reasoned, "That's where you guys will help me. Don't let them escape." I heard someone groaned from the other side of the line.

"I am not running away." A male voice.

"Just to be sure…" Mikan argued and turned back to us. "Anyways, here's your part… We will let you listen to whatever is happening… Since they will stick in a bug to me… And when they rescued me… And something went wrong… It's your job to call the police. That's all."

"That's really all?" Tsubasa-senpai wasn't happy with it. He didn't trust them.

"Yes," Mikan answered. "We want you guys to come here in our… uh… Place… There is only one bug… And the headphones and tracking devices are here, too."

"Oh," Misaki-senpai was surprised, as well as me.

"Uh… When?"

"When?" Mikan asked those who kidnapped her.

"Tonight." I heard one answer.

"Oh… So sudden." Tsubasa-senpai sighed.

"Sorry…" Mikan apologized and I can hear the sadness and regret in her voice.

"Don't worry…" I assured her.

"Uh, can I call you back?" Mikan hesitated and an angry grunt from her voice.

"Uh, sure." I answered.

"'K. Thanks. Bye. I miss you all." She said in one breath and hung up.

"Well, that was fast." Misaki-senpai muttered.

"Better get ready." Tsubasa-senpai said in a serious voice. "What if they were holding her hostage?"

"I doubt." I frowned at them. "When I called Mikan earlier, there was no sign of a serious danger… Not until she told us what is really happening…"

"Well, that's odd." Misaki-senpai shrugged.

"Whatever." Tsubasa-senpai sighed. "Let's just get ready."

-RUKA NOGI-

I saw Natsume stiffened before Mikan's phone rang earlier. I wonder why. There was something in my phone that made him react like that.

The auburn-haired girl waited for him to say something. She put down the phone.

"Persona… Finally sent a message." Natsume finally spoke and I can hear the threatening danger upcoming in his voice. "He wants you by tomorrow afternoon…"

"Oh," She sweated. "That's why you wanted them tonight."

"Yes," Natsume replied.

The tension in the room increased.

-MIKAN SAKURA-

Natsume and I went to the bus stop to wait for them. Natsume was very very very careful and conscious to every person that will get near us.

They hopped out and I felt glad and happy at the same time. They brought clothes, of course. I hugged Hotaru as soon as I spotted her and she flinched, but she let me hug her.

"I miss you so much, Hotaru-chaaaan." I pouted.

"You're a mess." She said and pushed my face away.

"Aw. Meanie." I laughed. "Come on. Let's go."

Tsubasa-senpai looked so serious, like he would jump suddenly to rescue us if there will be danger. I appreciated it, though.

Natsume lead the way back to Nobara's Dad's office. We should enter at the back door because the front door was locked. Though it's really a bother… Because the back door was on the other street…

Natsume knocked and Nobara peeped before opening the door. "Welcome back." She smiled.

I let my friends in. Natsume sat beside Ruka on the other side of the room. And my friends sat beside me.

Nobara closed the door and locked it. Tsubasa-senpai looked upset by it. Iinchou were just worried by the looks on his face.

"This is Natsume and Ruka…" I introduced them. They just nodded their heads. "And this is Nobara-chan…"

"Nice to meet you…" Nobara smiled at them.

"This is Tsubasa-senpai, Misaki-senpai, Iinchou – I mean Yuu, and Hotaru-chan…"

They also nodded their heads. The tension was building up inside this small room. Nobara and Yuu prepared for something to eat while Natsume discussed with us what's the plan.

I was prepared for something bad to happen… But I do hope they'll rescue me before it happens…

I crossed my fingers and hoped we'll be lucky…

-xXxXx-

My eyes fluttered open at the sun rays that was coming from the curtain cracks. I didn't get up. I just lied there, while pondering… My heart was thumping unevenly. I'm afraid… I am, really.

But I can't back down… No, not yet… Until I don't know what they want from me… And not until Natsume gets his sister back… I have to be patient…

Hotaru's head came in the view and I smiled and get up. "Morning sleepyhead." She greeted, more like an insult, I say. But this was better.

After breakfast, Natsume ordered me to go bathe myself for we will be preparing everything that needed to be prepared… Words failed to come out from my mouth so I just nodded. After I closed the bathroom door shut, I swallowed back my bile. This is it…

Nobara helped me choose what to wear… Comfy dress and leggings. She also gave me doll shoes. I'm really grateful to her. Hotaru suggested that the bug will be placed inside my dress. She whispered, "Put it in the strap of your bra…" I blushed but nodded. I went inside the comfort room again and put it.

They were now discussing where we will put the tracking device… In the end, I put it beside the bug. Inside my dress, too.

And the most-awaited – or most-feared moment has come. I will meet them.

Author's Notes:

Hahaha. All your reviews are almost the same. XD You guys hate Luna. :)

AliOrox - hmm... About Luna? I actually DESPISED her. xD and that's why that chapter became like that, I guess... xD Hehe. I do despise her, but not really that much. Anyways, I pity her, she's still stuck in loving the DEAD. She can't move on... D: Hehehe.

Leave a review. Thanks.

~ LunarChan (Edited as of 09-08-11; 9:39am)