o.O I am soooooo sorry I haven't been updating! I've been busy with school and softball and whatever else that I haven't been working on this story at ALL. Thank you guys for waiting so patiently! Here the new chapter!
Along with the warnings and expectations the Hyuugas placed on me, they gave me a leather bound planner, filled with two-way paper. It was for me to find out when Natsume had to show up for a meeting or to visit a client for his heir training. The two-way paper worked like this: Persona, who had the twin planner, could write it down the appointment and it would automatically be transported on to mine.
Our first rendezvous came a few days later. "Hyuuga HQ-11:30" was scratched elegantly in the manila colored paper. I told my master in the morning who simply nodded and went back to reading his comic book.
I was listening intently to Mr. Misaki's lecture about the Austras Koks, a tree consisting of silver leaves, gold branches and copper roots, when Natsume stood up suddenly, making me jump. He gave the teacher a pointed look and Mr. Misaki dismissed his with a wave.
I ran after Natsume and caught up to him in the middle of the hallway. "How are we getting there?" I asked, wondering how I hadn't thought of that before.
"They'll send a car," he had monotonlessly, looking straight ahead.
I observed his tense back, the only part I could see since he was walking quickly. "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," he said with so much force that I didn't continue to pester him.
As we made our way out of the building, I almost tripped over myself at the sight in front of me. "That's one long car," I said out loud.
"Hurry up," was his only response.
I rushed forward and reached the door before him. "After you," I announced as I held it open with a flourish and gave him a deep bow. My performance earned rolled eyes from Natsume, but I also saw how his lips twitch into an almost smile.
The car was big enough to hold a whole dorm of people and it felt awkward and quiet with only two of us with the driver partitioned off by darkened glass. I distracted myself by looking out the window. We passed the iron gates and the car drove next to the brick wall until we spilled out to the main road; in to the hustle of normal life.
"It's like a foreign country," I whispered, watching the traffic of cars and people going about their lives. In the quiet of the vehicle, Natsume heard me.
"You've been imprisoned for too long," he told me. He was sitting on the opposite side of me, leaning on the other door, his head in his hand. He wasn't looking outside though; instead he was focused on me.
I blushed as I realized he saw me staring out the window like a little kid. "I get out sometimes," I protested. "I also didn't get caught until later, unlike the others."
"I know." I raised my brow questioningly and he answered it. "I read your profile." He smirked.
"Of course you did." I didn't expect anything less from him.
His playful grin subsided and a quizzical expression replaced it. "Why?" he asked.
"Why what?"
"Why did you enroll so late? Most magicians are found when they are young, how did you stay under the radar for so long? The profile didn't say anything about it."
I gave him a Cheshire grin of my own. "The profile doesn't have to tell you everything." Natsume opened his mouth, but he never got to say anything because right then the car stopped and it was opened, blinding us with the dazzling light from the sun.
The Hyuuga building was huge. I had to crane my head all the way up, just to see the top. I was sure it was breaking height restriction laws. Persona greeted us inside, past the automatic doors guarded by men in black suits and sunglasses, who looked fairly harmless, but you could never underestimate wizards. Although it wasn't as strong as the first time, the feeling of hate, fear and distrust hit me as soon as I saw his sickly smile.
"Welcome back Mr. Hyuuga," he drawled, which Natsume ignored. "I'm glad that you got my message." That was directed at me. I nodded stiffly. He smiled again and waved us to one of the open elevators that were lined up. Once inside, he swiped a card that he was dangling around his neck and pressed a button to the top floor. The machine lurched up; going faster than my stomach was capable of.
We didn't stop and soon we were at the second to the top floor. There was only on door, decorated on the side with flower vases, and there were no walls; the whole floor was enclosed in glass windows. The elevator closed with a dull thud and I heard a whirl of engine as it made its decent.
Persona led us to the entrance or more specifically Natsume since he stopped me from going in the room after Natsume. I pulled my hand back from his grasp and gave him a hard look. "Yes?" I inquired.
"People not part of the Hyuuga business should not listen in to the company's affairs." He gave me a twisted grin and promptly slammed the door in the face before I could let out a breath.
I actually growled, which surprised me. I don't remember ever being this angry at a person before. Obviously, Persona was an easily hate-able person, but I felt more than hate when I saw him. In any case, I wonder how a person like him ended up working for Mr. Hyuuga.
I was laying down on one of the benched pushed against the window wall, balancing a leaf that I got from the flower vase when the door opened again and a group of people in business suits congregated out. I looked at the clock and saw that two hours had already past. If only Jinno's class went by this fast.
"So you're still here eh?" Grandfather Hyuuga walked towards me with Takashi and Natsume in tow. I didn't see Persona nearby.
"Yes, sir." I gave him a smile.
"Good, I hate people who give up to easily." I took that as his way of complementing me.
Takashi's head popped up over the older Hyuuga's shoulders. "I heard about your feat in the Skill Competition." He patted me in the back. "Congratulations Mikan! Didn't know you had it in you."
"Thank you. It's too bad I couldn't continue," I remarked.
"Nonsense. You did more than enough. Don't you think so father?" All he got was a grunt in reply.
I laughed. "Still I wanted to try for the Best Protector award."
"You've still got next year," came a deep voice from next to me. Grandfather Hyuuga, who was talking to one of the members of the meeting, stopped in mid-sentence. He gave Natsume a scrutinizing look and then analyzed me as well.
Then he returned to his previous audience. I tried to figure out his reaction; wondering what Natsume had said that could have made him react this way. Natsume's eyes widened and he grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the elevator without a word to his family.
I waved to Takashi, who had a faint smile on his face, before the doors closed and held on the wall for support as the room dropped down. I wanted to ask Natsume about that scene, but he wasn't making eye contact with me.
Finally, as the bell signaled us that we reached our floor, I understood. Natsume said that I was going to participate in the next year's festival; which meant that he was planning on keeping me as his Aeterna.
I smiled as happiness flooded me. Just a few days ago the idea of being Natsume's Aeterna disgusted me to the point of tears, but now... One this I learned about him, this crimson eyes heir, was that he was picky. And for him to have chosen me to be with him gave me a sense of pride.
I left the building in better spirits than when I went in. New found energy surged in me and I was disappointed that we had to go back to campus.
As if he read my mind Natsume offered, "Do you want to go for lunch?"
"Lunch?" I asked, surprised that he suddenly brought it up.
He rolled his eyes. "Yes, lunch. Unless you don't want to." He added the last part in hurriedly; like he wanted to make sure I had an option.
I gave him a smile. "Yes."
We stopped at a bakery and cafe at a secluded area. I looked like an old cottage and the smell of baking bread mixed in with the scent of pine that surrounded the place.
The car parked on the gravel parking lot and I opened the door. "It's so pretty," I said. The inside was even better. Natsume took me to the seats at the counter that lay in front if the kitchen.
A plump woman came through the swinging doors and flourished menus from her apron pocket. "It's nice to see that you finally dropped by." She had a slight Tohoku dialect that gave away her origin.
Natsume responded with a nod and I gave him a questioning look which he didn't answer. Instead he said, "I recommend the blueberry pancake and sencha."
Shrugging, I took his council and ordered. The women smiled and said, "One moment." When she left, I tuned my seat to face Natsume. He was tracing the patterns on the wood table with a slender finger, looking lost in thought.
I snapped my finger in front of his face. "You've been here before?" I asked. I knew from the way the waitress greeted him, he's been here often.
He hummed a yes, still not fully here. "I used to come here with my mom."
"Oh," I said, not sure how to reply to the revelation. The arrival of the food saved me from having to say anything else. The aroma of freshly made pancakes filled the air and I heard my stomach growling. I didn't notice how hungry I've gotten and I dug in as soon as the meal hit the table.
"This is delicious," I exclaimed. The bread was a bit salty, which went well with the sweet and tartness of the blueberries. There was butter and sugar melted on it that made a caramelized crust. It was one of the best things I've ever tasted.
"Thank you dear," the hostess said. "I'll be sure to tell my husband that." She directed her attention to my neighbor who, despite disliking sweet things, was already half way done with his plate. "How is your family Natsume?"
He took a sip of his sencha and replied, "They're doing fine." The woman smiled. "Oh, how rude. I'm Keiko by the way." She held out her hand for me and I put down my hot tea to receive it.
"Mikan," I said.
"You have a beautiful name," she remarked. "So, how long have the two of you been dating?"
I head Natsume choke on his drink. "No no!" I said flustered and blushing. "We're not dating. I'm just his... friend." I was about to say Aeterna, but that would be too hard to explain to a non-Alice. So, I settled on the near truth. Because I didn't know if Natsume considers me a friend nor do I know when I started thinking of him as one.
"You are too cute," she said. Her eyes were twinkling with merriment. "I know Kaoru would be happy if she met you." She petted Natsume's head softly and left us to ourselves.
The air was uncomfortable and it was silent. I busied myself by playing with the tea leaves in my sencha. Finally he said, "Sorry."
"For what?" My voice cracked from being quiet for too long.
"We came here so often that she thinks she part of my family."
"It was just a misunderstanding Natsume. I'm sure she says that to all the other girls you bring here."
"I've never brought anyone here before," he confessed. I looked at him wide-eyed. "Not even Ruka or the others." He met my eyes. "You're the first."
"Why?" I whispered.
He shrugged and turned his gaze away from me. "I felt like I should."
I really don't get this man. He bosses me around and treats me like a slave one second, and then in another, he brings me to his sacred places that even his friends don't know about. His moods swing so much that it's making me dizzy.
Keiko waved us goodbye from the porch of the cottage. I got some free bread to take home and the car smelled appetizing by the time we arrived at the academy. We didn't talk the whole way back, each of us looking out our own windows.
It was already dark when I stepped out of the car, even though there was still a few more hours till dinner. But, I didn't feel like I would be hungry.
We walked back to the dorm and we separated in the hall. Our rooms were right across one another. A fact that I never realized before now.
"Good night," I called. He nodded his head and opened the door. Before he walked in his room I said, "Thanks for bringing me to the cafe." He glanced back at me. "Take me again sometime." I thought I saw what a faint smile at his lips was before he closed the door.
I probably won't be able to update until after June, when school is over and I get back from my family trip and week-long camp. I hope you guys wont lose interest by that time!
Oh and thank you to everyone who reviewed! I have 50 reviews so far (which is by far the most I've ever gotten) and I hope to receive more! Thanks for reading!
-Knight