Yuki: Err... Haiz... I hope it's all right for you. I have been quite a busy teenager... Quizzes on each topic every week, projects to hand up, some oral presentation and etc... I could go cuckoo. So, if you think this chapter sucks, I'm sorry. Kinda stuck with the plot, maybe...

Chapter 12: Sumire's Awe.

"Natsumeeee!!" Mikan called from downstairs. She was wearing normal blouse with pink pleated miniskirt. Her hair was tied up in a bum with sakura hair clips. With a bracelet as an accessory, she was ready to go to the party and she was thinking of presenting her a bead necklace.

"Why am I involved in this…?" Ruka asked. He was wearing normal sleeveless top and long khaki pants.

Natsume walked downstairs with his black turtleneck sweater and long black pants. "You don't have to shout in this house, idiot!" He was kind of angry because he doesn't want to attend this party. Ever since Natsume and Hotaru were appointed to become Mikan's bodyguard, they have no choice but to follow Mikan.

Mikan's heart beat was getting faster when she saw his outfit. It looked cool on him. "Wah, Natsume! You looked so handsome!"

He blushed red and was getting furious, "Oi, stop complimenting me! Let's go now!!"

She grabbed his hand to pull a stop from going out. "Come to think of it, where's Hotaru?"

"Oh, Hotaru!" Ruka forgot to say, "Hotaru will be busy tonight because she was supposed to finish her drafting."

Mikan said, "Gee, Ruka. You knew her situation well more than I do…"

He blushed and said, "No, she just called me an hour ago…"

"Let's go!" Mikan twirled her hair while walking towards the door first. Ruka and Natsume only followed behind her back. They do not want to take the car, because other students might suspect their secret about living together in a house, so they preferred walking. Once they reached Shouda's residence, she gaped in surprise. It was bigger than her house in Nagoya and the decorations were too much from outside. She talked to the guard man. "Excuse, we're Sumire's friends." Mikan handed the invitation cards with their name on it.

He took it and nodded. The gate opened afterwards, Mikan and her friends entered it. They were lead by a butler, to the main hall. Everybody was there, the decorations were grand. The big chandelier brightened up the place and a band of musicians were playing their songs. Girls were squealing over Ruka and Natsume, but when Natsume 'delivered' his glares, they immediately quietened. Mikan spotted Otonashi talking to her senior.

"Ruka…" Natsume said, "I'll be outside."

"B-but, Mikan--"

"Just tell her…" He lowered his head and went outside of the mansion nearby the swimming pool.

Mikan tried to find Natsume in the crowd, but failed. She snug Ruka's top. "Hey, where's Natsume??"

"Ah? Natsume?" Ruka turned to Mikan while getting a juice on the table. "He said he's going outside. I told you that he's not into these party things…"

"B-but, your party was okay for him??"

"Ahaha, I'm his best friend, Mikan. Of course he would attend it…"

She scratched her head and mumbled, "Jeez! He's so unsocial! I'm going to find him, all right?"

He smiled at moved to the right to let her pass. "Now I knew what Natsume likes so much about her…"

Mikan checked at the back garden first, and then browsed at the swimming pool. She spotted him sitting down on a bench, thinking something important. She tried to surprised him by grabbing both of his shoulders at once, but he expressionlessly turned his head to the right. "I heard you coming… That was a lame attempt…"

"Don't act so cool all the time, Natsume! It's really boring!!" Mikan complained as she took a seat beside him. "Anyway… why didn't you go inside and have some fun??"

"You think I'll be having fun in a place like this?" He questioned and closed his eyes. "Especially Shouda's residence??"

"Why not? She seems nice…"

He smirked, "You'll see…"

"You're saying as if she's that bad, Natsume! How mean!" Mikan stated.

"Hey, what are you two doing here alone?!" Someone called from their back. Mikan turned to see a teenager about 19 years old, with the same hairstyle as Sumire.

"Hey, look at that Natsume! Another weird hairstyle just like Sumire!" Mikan pointed out. Natsume simpered. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

The teenager twitched his eyes when he heard Mikan's remarks about his hair. "Do you even know who am I, kouhai?!"

Mikan shook her head, in ignorance. "Maybe you're her brother?" For once, she's smart.

He grinned, "Well, of course! I'm Ani Shouda, Sumire's elder brother. The great, magnificent--"

"Shut your yapping…" Natsume interrupted his speech, while standing up.

Ani pointed at him while gaping, "Y-you brat! What did you just called me?! Twerp!"

Mikan bowed and followed Natsume towards a garden. "See you, Mr. Seaweed hair!"

"T-those two rascals…." Ani was getting annoyed with his juniors. His little sister tapped his shoulders. "What, Sumire?"

"You were talking to yourself…" Sumire furrowed her brow. "Hey, nii-chan. It's my birthday party, don't spoil it…"

"I was not talking to myself, little sister." Ani complained, "It was your stupid crush Natsume Hyuuga with this girl. They pissed me off!"

Sumire's eyes shone brightly like the stars. "D-did you say, Natsume Hyuuga?!"

"That kind of a brat is your liking?" Ani said. "He's so rude to a senior!!"

"Oh, brother! He's always like that… It makes me to worship him more and more!!" Sumire's hopes got high but, "Who's that girl you saw with Natsume?!!"

Ani thought for a while. "Em, a brunette… wears pink skirt… I don't know her… And she called me Mr. Seaweed hair!!!"

"…" Sumire silenced as she witnessed her brother's outrage with a sweat drop.

X

Mikan came back to the hall with Natsume. Ruka noticed that they were arguing about something, so he approached them and asked, "What happened?"

Mikan pointed to her shoes. It was muddy and dirty. "Natsume pushed me in a puddle!! Luckily I didn't fall on it!"

"I told you, I was not pushing you." He said coolly. "There was a bug behind, so I smacked it."

"Well, you could've just swift it away!!" Mikan retorted.

Ruka sweat dropped. "Err… Mikan? You could wash it off back at home right?"

Mikan sobbed. "I bought these with my own money… Jeez, it's your entire fault!!"

Natsume shrugged, "If you wouldn't have attended this party, it wouldn't get dirty…"

"Ah!!" Sumire appeared beside Natsume. "How kind of you to come here!! Natsume and Ruka!!"

He frowned in exasperation. "Ruka, come…" He walked to a corner, followed by Ruka.

Sumire was still excited because they have rejected her invitation for the past 4 years. "Oh, fancy seeing you here, Mikan." Suddenly she remembered her brother saying that the girl who hanged out with Natsume was a brunette with a pink miniskirt. She eyed her outfit and tried to see whether her classmates had the same feature. But there was not any.

"Hi, Sumire!" Mikan smiled. "Here, it's your birthday present!" She handed over the present to her. "I hope you'll like it!"

"I'm not so sure about that… I have a lot of money! My parents could buy everything I want. Maybe this present of yours aren't that expensive, right?" Sumire showed off.

Mikan sweat dropped. "Err, maybe. It's a hand-made…"

"Hohoho…" Sumire laughed while turning her back from Mikan, because she knew that Mikan was the one hanging out with Natsume in the swimming pool area. "Like I thought… Ah, but I'll keep it anyway… An ordinary girl like you would cry if I don't accept." She walked from her.

A vein popped on Mikan's head. She returned to her table and stared at her hands on her lap. "She's so mean… She doesn't need to say that to me! What a nerve…"

Otonashi took a seat next to the troubled girl. "Hey, what's wrong? Aren't you having a good time?"

Mikan doubtfully nodded. "Otona-chan… No, I'm just resting…"

She nudges Mikan, referring to Natsume and Ruka who were talking about something. "I didn't know they actually attended the party. I'm sure Sumire might be overwhelmed about this…"

Mikan agreed and took a sip from her cup. The lights suddenly concentrated on the main stage. Sumire was standing there with a humongous cake, enough for everybody in the house. Everybody gathered around her and sung the birthday song. After getting a slice of the cake, she mumbled about how Sumire was acting so cold towards her.

Ruka came up to her with Natsume behind him. "Hey, Mikan. You looked angry…"

"Well, yeah! She was cold towards me all of a sudden. Did I do something wrong?!" Mikan asked.

"Maybe you ate too much…" Natsume pointed out to her table which is full of empty plates. "You have quite an appetite."

"Hey, it was not only my plate! Otonashi and her friends sat there too…" She defended herself. "I want to go home…" She lowered her head. "I'm tired…"

"Liar." Natsume snapped. "You're lying…"

Ruka sweat dropped. "Natsume, I think she feels dizzy. The music's pretty loud--" His arm was grabbed by Sumire's grasp. "Shouda…"

"Hey! Sorry I didn't notice you guys! As the President of Natsume-Ruka fan club, I apologise--"

Natsume shuts his eyes and cuts in, "Don't spoil my mood today, Shouda. You and your brother are just the same…"

Mikan talked to Sumire, who was shocked to hear those words from Natsume. "Sumire, I'll have to leave. I need to do some laundry back at home." She smiled wryly.

"Oh, okay. I don't mind if you've already left anyway… Of course, a poor girl like you does laundry, it's obvious." Those words struck Mikan's feelings a lot. "You may leave now… as long as Natsume and Ruka won't."

Natsume felt that Mikan was hurt because of Sumire, so he took Ruka's arm off from her. "Ruka, we'll go back too."

"N-no, wait!! There are a lot of things to show you! And my friends--"

"We're not interested. And I came here because a friend of mine wanted to. If not, I would not even think of coming here." Natsume rejoined.

Mikan already left the house, Natsume and Ruka tried to follow her. Sumire just stood there, silenced. Her friends asked what's wrong with her but she paid no heed to them. "No wonder I liked them so much…" Her hopes are getting higher, what a thick faced girl…

Mikan, on the other hand, was surprised to be treated as bad as this. Back in Nagoya, everybody was friendly and there were not any bad people. Her experience in Tokyo really made her realise that there are such people like Sumire Shouda. Ruka walked beside her, with Natsume. The blonde patted her shoulder, she turned to her left. "Oh… hey…"

"What did she do towards you?" Ruka asked worriedly. "You changed your mood way too quickly."

Mikan shook her head. "No, I just feel like going back home. Look, my shoes are dirty. It'll be much better if I wash it as soon as possible."

Ruka smiled, "Oh, all right then." Natsume only watched.

Back at home, the butler came up to Natsume and said, "Young Master, there is a guest waiting. His name is Yuu Tobita."

Natsume frowned. What is it this time? "Oh, okay. Dismissed." The butler bowed and excused himself. "Hey, Ruka. Mikan. Follow me to the meeting room." They walked at the right wing of the mansion and went inside the room after a knock. It was Yuu Tobita with an unknown guest. "What do you want?"

Yuu stood up, "Sorry for interrupting you guys at this late hour, but, I have someone to introduce to you all." The dark marine haired teenager about 18 years old got to his feet and bowed. "This is Sekuhara Imai. He came from Nakano." (a/n: I'm not sure whether this is his name, so excuse me for that!)

Ruka blinked and said, "Imai? Isn't that the same surname as Hotaru?"

Sekuhara smirked, "Hm, so you knew my little sister?" Ruka and Mikan gaped at him longingly while pointing at him. "Yes, I'm her elder brother." Natsume does not seem surprised at all, because he owned a striking resemblance to Hotaru. By all means, the eyes are the same.

"H-Hotaru had a brother?!" Mikan shouted out loud, "S-she didn't tell me that she has one!!"

Yuu sweat dropped. "Calm down… He is here to help Hotaru on this mission. Imai-san is really smart when it comes to these things."

Natsume looked uninterested. "So?"

"He'll be staying here as well. I am informed that Hotaru would move in here, right?" Yuu said.

"Really!?" Mikan said. "That'll be great! The more the merrier!"

Natsume shrugged and exited the room. Ruka followed him after excusing himself but Mikan stayed there. Yuu sweat dropped, "Natsume doesn't like guests, huh?"

She said, "Nah, maybe he's tired or something like that…" She turned her head to Sekuhara. "So, I think you could choose any of the rooms here. I'll have to sleep early because there's school tomorrow." Yuu nodded and allowed her to leave.

"Interesting place…" Sekuhara's eyes glinted. He asked the butlers to carry his bags in any room that is available. After they left, he turned to Yuu and said, "Tell Reiko-san everything will be all right."

"Yeah, I'll do that." Yuu agreed.

X

The next day at Shibuya High, Mikan, Otonashi and Hotaru were doted to do clean the whole class. Otonashi complained, "Why is it only the three of us every Friday??"

Mikan was wiping the windows. "I have no idea. I was confused myself. Isn't this supposed to be a 6 people work?"

"Such a pain… Who boycotted the whole class?!" Otonashi lowered her voice.

"Sumire." Hotaru said numbly. Mikan and Otonashi turned their heads to her direction. Hotaru was sweeping the floor. "Maybe it's her because I sensed that she was a bit cold towards Mikan…"

Mikan stared at Hotaru and lowered her head. "What did I do wrong?"

"There's only one explanation." Otonashi pointed out. "Natsume or Ruka."

"What about them?" Mikan asked.

Hotaru felt like hitting Mikan's head. And she did, with the broomstick. "Idiot, can't you realise that you're too close with the two of the most famous guys in the high school?"

The grey haired girl looked at Mikan and then to Hotaru, "It may sound a little bit weird but…" She placed both her hands on her hips. "Mikan is awfully close to Natsume and Hotaru has been good friends with Ruka. Well, scratch about the blackmailing situations, but the whole picture seems to put in that way."

Hotaru leered at Otonashi, "I'm not even close with him… Besides, I'm only getting my money for my project…"

Mikan blushed, "Yeah, I'm not even close to Natsume. Can't you see what he'd done towards me??"

Otonashi sweat dropped. But it seemed that way…

X