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Chapter Thirteen – Miraculous News
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"Mikan, come here! Don't you want to hug Natsume?" Her words rang in my ears. To hug Natsume, it was out of the question. I would never come close to him. Time has changed us. The bond that we used to share has gone long ago. There was no need for me to go there and make a fool out of myself.
"Maybe later?" I asked Natsume, not waiting for an answer. He only smirked, which gave my blood in my veins a fast run. I looked away and noticed Koko, sitting on the floor, laughing like an idiot.
He was stoned. He noticed that I was staring at him, that's why he winked at me.
People in this room were miserable.
"Are you thirsty?" Luna asked as she picked up almost empty beer can.
"No. I will go back to Sumire." I told Luna and turned around to walk away. A hand on my shoulder stopped me. It made me turn around and gaze at Koko.
"Tell Sumire that I'm angry at her." He mumbled and let me go. I nodded, turned around and walked outside the room. As I walked in the hallway, fresh air greeted me and I took a deep breathe. I closed my eyes and let out a deep exhale.
"You're just like fish. Here, fishy, fishy." Sumire's voice made me open my eyes and see that she was sitting on the first step of the stairs, staring at me with her lawn green eyes.
"I was looking for you. Are you feeling better?"
"No," Sumire answered and looked down the stairs. The party was still on high note on the first floor. "I want to go home."
"Koko won't come with us. He is stoned as an idiot." I told her, walking closer to her to sit beside her on the step.
"We shouldn't be here. This isn't a place for people like us. Look around this place, everything here smells of money. So gross." Sumire told me, leaning against the stair's bars.
There was a silence for few minutes. I looked around the hall, looking at the grand and mighty furniture. There was a magnificent golden chandelier above us.
"I need to admit it, it's annoying." I agreed and smiles at Sumire when she giggled with me.
That's how I loved it to be. Simple. We were simple, we matched. It was a surprise that I had never noticed it before.
"Let's go home." I told her and she nodded.
We stood up and walked down the stairs. I found my mother at the bar with Luna's parents. I told her that I will call a cab for Sumire and myself. She gave me money and told me to call her when I'm home.
The house servants brought us back our jackets and even called for a cab to come. As we stood outside beside the huge, closed gates of Koizumi's mansion, Sumire told me what was on her mind.
"Everything is happening so fast, Mikan. It seems like only yesterday was the start of first grade and now look at us, here we are, being sixteen!"
I was silent. I listened to every word she said and nodded. I didn't have the mood to talk.
When we waited for the cab, a black car stopped in front of the gates and beeped at the guards. The guards opened the gates and the car drove in.
"I wonder who it could be." I heard Sumire's voice, it sounded so far away from me as I thought about the whole day.
"I have no idea." I answered, being honest for once.
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I came home and walked straight in my bedroom. I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. When I woke up the next day, my mom was making breakfasts and humming a song.
"Good morning, mother." I greeted her as I stepped in the kitchen.
"Dear Mikan, you won't believe what happened after you left with Sumire!" My mom raised her voice, smiling like the sun.
"What happened?" I asked, raising my left eyebrow.
"You remember Hota-chan? She is back in the city!" My mom clapped her hands and let out a giggle.
I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. I closed it and felt like a fish. When the thought of Hota-chan, being back in the city hit me, I jumped up and yelled in joy.
"She will visit us tomorrow with her family." My mom smiled and continued to make breakfasts. I walked closer to the dining table and sat in a chair that was near it.
Finally, after so long, I will have a chance to see her.
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~LCG