Sweet Days
Chapter 12
Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice nor its characters but this story is entirely mine.
Feeling adventurous, Mikan flicked through the papers on the table. She had always done this when she thought her parents were fighting. Law wasn't exactly her forte but she could always contribute.
"Bank thief? That's nothing to be murmuring over..." she muttered to herself as she scanned through the files. "Nothing... Nothing... Nothing... Boring... What am I looking for?"
Tidying the things back into place, Mikan hurried to searched through other things. What were they talking about?
Her feelings become dulled so she headed into the kitchen. The little table she dined on had some cookbooks so she made some milk tea and sat down.
"Hm... None of these have olive dishes either... What should I make?" she flipped past the pages and finally went back to the living room with her warm cup of tea.
She still felt annoyed being oblivious. "Honestly, what do my parents wa-?" She knocked the little coffee table. "Shoot! The files!" Quickly, she reached out to clean up but not only were the files spread on the carpet, there were a bunch of magazines too.
They were hidden in the port folio. So she pulled them all out and gasped as she read the front cover:
Cheaters Battle
"I never... Wakako? Who's that? I never made a tart in Home Ec? Why would I sabotage Anna-chan? Oh god..."
"She's late..." Ruka sighed. "It's way late, she won't be coming."
Aoi fiddled with a strand of hair, "Why do you think she's so late?"
"No... Let's just leave it. Even if she comes, she won't have time to do anything. Want to drop by at Natsume's?" asked Ruka.
"He's just stressing over the critics. They're refusing to give him five-stars; just four and a half," laughed Aoi.
"Let's go then."
"What about Mikan-chan?" asked Aoi, worried about the lesson.
"Maybe she's sick. We'll visit her together once we collect Natsume." Ruka offered to drive.
He sighed as he shut the restaurant down.
Seriously, he leaves for a few days and it all goes downhill. Four and a half? Not on his watch. Somehow he's managed to convince them to return his five stars.
"Onii-chan!" squealed his little sister, pouncing on him.
"What'd you want?" he groaned, "I've had the worst day ever. Hey Ruka."
He grinned, "Mikan-chan skipped class today."
"So?"
"We're worried she might be sick," Aoi answered her brother. "If she is, she can't participate."
"You want to visit?"
"No," Ruka shoved the car keys at him, "You are. Aoi and I haven't eaten and all you've been doing today was sitting at your restaurant."
Aoi grinned and clung onto Ruka's arm, "He's treating! Where should we eat? Not that sushi place please."
"Then how about the Steak House?"
"Yeah! Bye Onii-chan," Aoi skipped off pulling Ruka with her.
Great. Now he had Ruka's car and an expectation carved onto him. Well... He still has his car.
"I'm here to see Mikan Sakura. I'm Natsume Hyuuga - one of her mentors," he announced at the doorstep. Yuka rubbed her swollen eyes.
She asked curiously, "Just how many mentors does she have? I thought her only one was... Ru- something."
"Ruka Nogi and Aoi Hyuuga, but that's it," he answered politely.
Yuka gulped, "I'll go ask if she wants to see you."
See him? What's her problem? Yuka appeared at the door again, "Please come in. She says she wants to see you."
Natsume nodded thankfully and slid off his shoes. Yuka led him upstairs towards a decorated door. It had pretty homemade pink letters stuck on: Mikan.
"Mikan, I brought your mentor," Yuka called in. There was a moaning noise but the door squeaked open. Her brunette hair showed but that was all. "Sorry Hyuuga-san, she refuses to leave her room."
Finally, Natsume became worried. This must not be any normal fever if she doesn't want to leave her room. Yuka excused herself and went back downstairs.
"Natsume? Is that you?" asked Mikan.
"You can see me can't you?" he rolled his eyes, "It's rude not to greet the guest. You'll need manner training as well if this continues."
"Yeah... Sorry for not coming to the lesson today. I wasn't... feeling great."
"You could've called," snapped Natsume. "Aoi and Ruka were doing nothing all day because of it! And why are you avoiding your mother?"
She flinched and left the door. Natsume - who is completely pissed by now - kicked open the door and entered. "Oi!"
"What is it?" she sniffed. He took one look and sighed when he saw the magazines along with her massive display of tissues. Mikan was tangled in her blankets and the whole room seemed torn down. The smell was some type of fruity perfume.
"You really need to clean up - it's partof being a chef."
"Natsume! I don't want to be a chef anymore! I don't want to be anything anymore! All my friends are being mean to me now... And I never even heard about this... Were you deliberately keeping it from me?"
He groaned. Great, restaurant problems now this. "We were. Not that we planned it too well... I thought it'd be better if you remained ignorant of it so that it wouldn't disturb you."
"It disturbed me!" screamed Mikan, "I'm a slut? I'm a thief? I'm a cheater? I decieved everyone to get a spot in the finals? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because we all knew you'd act this way. Now you probably want to quit," Natsume sighed, "And I can't be bothered with this. You can quit if you want, but you have to remember life is always full of obstacles. See you." He headed back to the door.
Mikan pouted, "Fine! I never said I quit. But I feel sick at the moment and I'm starving... I haven't eaten for twenty hours..."
"Well that explains how you stayed stuck in your room," Natsume rubbed his temples, "I've been haggling with critics all day so I guess another dish wouldn't kill me. What about your mother? Has she eaten?"
"Yeah... She tried to lure me out using food - not that it worked," she added quickly.
"Whatever, I'm going to use your kitchen. I bet I can lure you out."
"No you can't!" yelled Mikan.
Natsume smirked while he left, "I'll take that bet."
Aoi cut the medium-rare steak. "What do you think they're doing?" she asked, worried about the fact that they left her stubborn brother with the girl who was sick.
"Natsume will deal with it fine," Ruka smiled confidently. "How's the steak?"
"Great! How's your rack of ribs?" Aoi laughed at the thing on his plate that was twice the size of his face.
"I wouldn't know. Hey, why don't you invite Youichi?"
She shook her head, "Youichi is visiting someone down south. He might not be back for Valentine's... But he phones me everyday so I personally think it's fine."
"You know what? If he doesn't show on St. Valentine's day, you can come to mine and we'll drink some hot chocolate. Anyway, you could make chocolate with Mikan-chan. I'm sure helping her learn tempering chocolate is good."
"Mikan-chan... I don't think olives is the right challenge during such a bad february. I mean, you took her to a confectionery convention. What can we do with olives?!" she exasperated.
He shrugged, "I'll think of something. How come you didn't go to the convention? There were a lot of chefs you would recognize. You should be there too! You haven't be doing much using your name as a chef have you?"
"Yeah. I've just been doing the shows, but I don't want to do it anymore. Everytime I do, they want me to critize but I just can't do that... Some of the people there have big dreams and I can't... Urgh... How do you live in the culinary world Ruka?"
"You'll learn... Dessert?" he offered, holding up his new credit card.
She grinned and wiped her oily mouth, "Yes please. I think they have a Valentine's Couple Speical. Let's pretend to be a couple for tonight."
"Youichi will get jealous." Ruka noticed Aoi doing Natsume's eye rolling and he just laughed, "Well, that's his punishment for lonering his dear girlfriend. Waiter..."
She growled as she left her bedroom to enter the drug-like kitchen. The irresistable smell had reached the limits of her poor, aching stomach. It clawed at her to force her way downstairs - which she is doing.
"I won," Natsume stated, with the cocky smile stuck on his face. Even though he was wearing a girly apron with a burnt spatula in hand, he was victorious.
Mikan hissed, "Where's that damn food?"
He pointed the weapon he used to the little dining table in the kitchen, "The steak is medium-rare."
"Homemade barbeque sauce?" she asked, lifting the little tub for him to see.
"I am a five-star critic."
She sat herself down and poked at the steak, "I have to go out there, don't I?"
"You did sign a contract. And anyway, with Ruka there, you won't get hurt. Mortal enemies are expected in a battle idiot."
Mikan grinned, "You sound like Hotaru. Thanks for the food, it taste good but this barbeque sauce is crap."
He glared at her and stuck the spatula close to her face just as Yuka walked in.
"What are you doing?!" she cried.
Oh shoot...
End of Chapter 12
I'm trying to make you guys smile. I hope the ending was to your liking :) This story was never that popular but you guys are so nice... Naming time!
Ice Cream Queen Zshi - Did someone walk into your house? Did you bake a cake on Christmas? :)
CheddurLeHomicidalButler - I try my best to confuse, :) Awesome name, dude
spica14 - Oh! Sorry that wasn't clear. Mikan lives in a countrysie type of house. I'll clear it up later. Thanks for your question ;) And her talent? Damn it, it's like you're readng my plot... you'll find out.
nix - I've seen you more than twice haven't I? Thanks! I'll continue XD
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ToriChuck - It's cute? Thanks! And you just pop in everywhere!
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jd - Yeah... I'm going to add this in the family catergory soon. And yay! It's funny! I hope you smiled during this chapter!
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