A/N: By 20th of October 2012 I edited chapter 24. So for those who have read it before this date I suggest you read it again. It's not that much but it's only the last part. Sorry for the confusion, if I ever confuse you :D

Chapter 25

Mikan's POV

I was walking along the corridor with Youichi when suddenly people kept hovering through at the big TV screen at the entrance hall. Each of them is hurrying excitedly talking about some things I couldn't understand.

Hotaru, Anna and Nonoko were there looking too.

I got so curious so I have to go and look. The other students started staring at me as well and kept whispering. Those stares were so unlike yesterday, it's more like a mockery kind of stare.

"What is it, Nonoko-chan?" I asked. But she didn't respond so I looked at Hotaru and Anna instead, but Anna quickly covered the TV screen. But she didn't quite cover the whole screen. I saw an article with pictures in it. I can see the headline clearly.

'MIKAN YUKIHARA AT RIMOUS CLUB'. The words in the article in massive bold.

I was shocked, I only saw the headline but I think I have an idea where it's going. I pushed Anna aside and then I saw it.

Pictures of me getting soaked of water and they also made a 'gif' of me tripping over on the stage. I've been hoping that those embarrassing moments will never be remembered or revealed again but here they are.

"Mikan," called Nonoko with a worried look. They all have the same expression.

I stared at the screen for quite a while before I realized Youchi has switched it off.

Being a prestigious school, the picture should have been showed on the TV screen on every corner of the school. Even if Yo-chan has turned this one off others would still be able to see it.

I thought about how everyone will laugh at me again and talk about me. I will be the main topic of gossips for the next couple of days or maybe weeks again. Well sure, I was the main topic for the last few days but not negatively.

I started to turn around and headed towards the exit. My friends and brother called out for me but I ignored them. Yo-chan chased after me but I sent him away. I just want to be alone right now.

I marched quickly to a secret place. I found it when I was touring around the school by myself. Honestly, that was when I was hiding from the bullies. It was quite far from the main building and it's in the middle of the mini-forest. But there I feel relax.

It's a little garden with a cherry blossom tree on a hill in the middle with green grass and wild flowers around it.

The mini-paradise of my life, I say. It's just beautiful. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who knew about this place.

I sat on the grass next to the tree while I wept. That unbearable thought of humiliation again after that trauma, I should have been use to this already. It's like the world will end any minute now. Well, I'm hoping. I don't want to face them after they saw my pictures.

I heard a rustle sound from above the tree. I thought it was just the wind but there was someone who jumped in front of me.

I feel like I've been electrified. "Aaah!" I screamed in surprise.

"You scared me!"

It's Natsume.

"Are you a monkey or something? Always hanging out on the trees." I said not realizing what I just said. Oh no, that would make him realize I was the bear mascot. No one knew about that yet. I should have just pretended this is the first time I've seen him on a tree. Stupid me!

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing." I said quickly and turned around. I forgot I'm crying.

He was the least person who I want to see me crying.

"Why are you crying?" he asked nicely but I didn't respond. Geez, he saw but woaah how come he's nice? "If you're going to cry in here at least tell me." He continued.

I turned to him again. Why does he care?

"Well, what are you doing here anyway?" I said while wiping my tears. "This is my place."

"Hn. It's my place by the way. I found this way before you even came to this school." He said but he's looking at me as if he's really concerned. "You're disrupting my sleep."

That made me felt like I was the one in inconvenience here. Yeah, right. But he's supposed to be the one who's disturbing my crying mode.

"Oh, I didn't know. I'm sorry. I'll just go then." I said sarcastically preparing to leave but he stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Wait, I'm just kidding. You can stay if you want." Natsume left without saying anything anymore.

The most arrogant boy I've ever knew is unusually nice today so I'm rather shock than grateful. Why is he providing this place freely, as if he owns this?

I just whispered 'Thanks' to no one.

I sat again. I stared at the blue sky and watched a bird fly freely. I think stared too much that I started to feel a little drowsy. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.

Meanwhile, I heard some clinking and murmurs. I looked at my watch on my left arm. It's only half-past-ten in the morning. That means I already missed a lesson. But who would be here at this hour?

I peeked from behind the tree. I see a shadow figure holding a massive scissors, half the size of the one holding it and that person is cutting the branches of the plant in front of her. Is she trying to kill it? That's so harsh!

"Baa-chan! That's plant cruelty!" I shouted and moved away from hiding behind the tree.

"Wh-at? Who's t-here?" The old woman said and rather shock. That was a bit muffled and hoarse but I can guess that's what she said.

"Stop cutting that plant, baa-chan. That's totally mean! Plants also have feelings you know! Every living things have feelings! So every person has no right to treat others cruelly!" I said in my utmost breathe. I said it with every inch of my emotions in it. Well, it's true.

I saw the old woman grin. She's quite short but quite big in circumference. Fat in short. She has very dirty hands and nails and she have a very dark skin. She's wearing gold eyeglasses.

She just scratched the wart on her nose and then continued cutting the plants.

"Baa-chan! I told you to stop it! You're killing the poor plants," I said again and walked towards her. I planned to steal the ginormous scissors away but she turned quickly to me and the tip of the scissors was almost on my face.

"Waaah." I screamed and immediately stepped away. I felt threatened.

"Ara, ojou-chan, didn't realized you were coming towards me." She said while smirking. As if. Somehow that creates an impression of an old witch. I'm sure she knew. "Not bad, you surely did a good job finding this place."

I was taken aback. She's suddenly talking calmly while I was shouting a lot.

"I was only concerned." I said quite reluctantly.

"Go back to your class!" She shouted suddenly and angrily. She started murmuring again. What just happened? That felt like I've just been hammered in the head. She was only calmly talking earlier and now, she's a grumpy old woman, alright. "And don't come back here again!"

"S-sorry, I'm going." I said fearfully. Who is she really? I kinda feel like I've heard about her, probably. "Ano...(Uhm...)"

"WHAT?!" The old woman shouted. I jumped. I was only trying to ask. She really has a bad temper.

"Right, I'm going baa-chan so calm down. You'll get wrinkles."

"Shut up!"

I just giggled.

"Ne...baa-chan do you work here?" I asked, forgetting the thought of leaving.

"Not exactly working here, I'm a gardener, it's my hobby." She responded normally. "WHY?" Then gave me a very sharp eye contact, almost gave me shivers.

"N-nothing, just asking." I replied. She's the gardener? "Ah, I remember! You're Mrs. Lakum, aren't you baa-chan? The wicked-witch-gardener?" Oops. I shouldn't have said that. Geez, I'll blame Youichi for this. "I'm sorry."

"Well, you could say that. I'm Mrs Lakum." She said.

It's really hard to predict how she's going to respond to me. Sometimes it's normal then she shouts. I guess she gave justice to her characteristics I've heard from Youichi. She's not that scary though.

"Uhm...I'm Mikan Yukihara, nice to meet you baa-chan."

"I know." Eeeh, she knows me? But this is the first time I've seen her.

She paused and picked up the ginormous scissors from the ground. "Hmm..Fate has decided."

What? What did she just say? She turned to the plants again and started to cut its branches.

"What did you say baa-chan?" I asked but she just ignored me. I told her to stop cutting them. Has she gone deaf? I don't think she'll stop.

"Baa-chan, are you trying to destroy this beautiful place?" I said while fearing she might shout at me again.

"Baka! Shut up and go back to your class. You don't even know anything about plants!" And there it is. She shouted at me.

"I was only asking."

"I don't need your stupid questions! Get lost!"

Geez..I can't keep up with her temper.

"I don't intend to kill these precious flowers. They are my treasures. Plants need to be cared and cutting it the unwanted can make them bloom more beautifully. Take this rose for example, flowers wither but the stem is brave enough to let go. That means for people when we lost something, we should let go and they'll be replace with a new one and better. I know plants have feelings, they get hurt with this but there's always the sun, the soil the water to heal and cheer them up. It doesn't necessarily mean I'm hurting them. Once you're hurt, you'll always find something to make you change to be better." She said. There's a glint of kindness in those expression. I just stood there watching while she held a rose in her hand. I didn't expect she would say those words when she was just grumpy a while ago and those words of wisdom. I almost cried. "This place, it's been 50 years is it?" So she was the one who made this place this beautiful.

"Naay, what am I blabbering about. Look at the time. It's already time for my tea. Go back before I call the Principal." She said frantically and she's gone. I smiled. It was good to listen to her. I made a wrong impression of her at first but she's not that bad. She seems nice compared to what Youichi described about her. I think at least I learnt something from her today.

I stayed at the mini-paradise for another half-an-hour hoping that Mrs Lakum will come back before I go but she never came. I need to attend classes but I don't wanna hear gossips about me either. I'm hoping it might have subdued but I doubt that.

As expected, it was still ongoing when I got back.

Anna, Nonoko, Hotaru and even Youichi have their worried look on their faces when they saw me. I'm sure they can see in my face that I've been crying with my eyes red. I'm still quite upset but somehow Mrs Lakum made me feel better a bit.

I didn't want to talk to any of them so I was about to go to my seat next to Natsume and he whispered something to me.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."

I sat up straight because I was rather amazed when he said that. I looked at him curiously. What does he mean by that?

The lesson just started that's why my classmates stared at him as he stood up and walk-out of the classroom ignoring Jinno-sensei calling out for him.

End of Mikan's POV

Normal POV

Even his bandmates were curious. They thought that maybe he's bored and want to leave for something more fun. But then since he found out that Mikan was the girl he's been looking for since he met her at the club, he's been coming to lesson every day and even early. They are finding it hard to believe.

Jinno-sensei kept his cool and continued the lesson.

They were more puzzled when the school radio started with an echoed screech. The annoyed Jinno-sensei is getting angry and you can imagine an electric aura radiating from him.

A husky voice started speaking on the speaker.

'Damn! I can't believe I'm doing this. Just listen to this song. It will change your minds about Mikan Yukihara. You don't need to judge her and laugh at her behind her back just because someone purposely embarrassed her at Rimous Club. Can you just listen to her angelic voice before you even criticize her? ' Natsume said angrily through the microphone being broadcasted throughout the school. The girls started squealing by just the sound of his voice.

Mikan looked shock. She didn't expect that someone would do that and try to convince everyone that they shouldn't be doing that to her. And much more it's Natsume doing it.

Permy sat nervously on her chair thinking that maybe Natsume might know about what she did.

A tune started to play and next thing they knew it was the recorded song of Mikan singing Keep Holding On.

'How did he get that?' Mikan thought.

Her classmates started to stare at her in awe while listening. Some of them weren't at the club before when she performed. They couldn't believe that she can sing that well too.

After 5 minutes of silence stare and listening to her song. Luna gave her dirty looks as if they're going to kill her soon enough. She's so jealous because Natsume protected Mikan from all the gossips.

Everybody in her class clapped and went to Mikan and started surrounding her, saying:

"Oh my God, Mikan-chan I didn't know you could sing." Anna said.

"Your voice is so beautiful," Nonoko said.

"Yukihara-san, ne, would you date me?" said a boy and a sudden box of chocolate was in front of her desk.

"How could someone do that?"

"Don't they know that going against a Yukihara can mean hell?"

"Would you hang-out with us during breaks and lunch?" said an unknown girl.

"I love you now, Yukihara-chan," said a boy in their class.

But Mikan was absorbed into nothingness. Her classmates were more desperate right now than when she announced that she's a Yukihara. She didn't expect any compliments from them and accepted her singing talent since her embarrassing pictures were posted at the websites, walls and monitors. They are on her side now.

It's already lunch time and she's in a better mood. Her classmates still didn't stop circling around her instead more students came from the whole school.

"Wow Mikan, your fans are increasing." Anna teased.

"You're too much adored seems to be because of Natsume?" Nonoko stated.

"Guys, please, I want to eat." Mikan told the people surrounding her but they didn't listen.

"Oi! Away now." Hotaru said impassively and threatened them with her Baka gun. They obliged.

"Gosh, this is hard. Now I know how you all three feel." Mikan sighed with relief when they're all gone. Being popular means that you have to handle your fans well when they are surrounding you.

"Don't worry Mikan, you'll earn more fans anyway," said Nonoko while patting her at the back.

"Shouldn't I worry about that? I don't think so." Mikan smiled.

Screech, screech, weeeh

They heard the speakers again, it's being broadcasted but this time it's a different voice. It wasn't Natsume. This made Mikan wonder where he is. She wants to talk to him.

"Hello Minna!" said a cheerful voice from the speaker. "This is the Triple A's fan club President, Mayumi."

'Triple A? That's Hotaru-chan, Anna-chan and Nonoko, isn't it?' Mikan thought.

"Already," said Hotaru. She knew this would happen.

Mikan especially have to listen carefully to the girl. Well, it's about her friends, it made her more curious.

"I have a great news guys!" the girl said shouting on the speaker excitedly.

Everyone's attention is at the voice on the speaker. They looked tense.

"It's decided! All of us voted Miss Mikan Yukihara to be part of the Triple A!"

Some other people in the broadcasting room were screaming.

"Whaaaat?" Mikan turned to Hotaru but she seems to be in agreement with their fan club. "Why?"

The people in the canteen cheered while Anna and Nonoko squealed in delight.

"Looks like I was right." Nonoko said.

"Welcome to the group!" said Anna giggling while holding Mikan's hands.

Mikan just sighed and covered her face with her hands.

'How am I gonna be a normal high school student now?! Geez, Whatever! Do whatever you want my brain cells would die if I try to think about it more. Hah, I don't even have a brain. How could I say I have brain cells. Ahahaha. I'm going crazy!' Mikan thought.

"This is gotta be a joke! Mikan Yukihara! You should go back to the rubbish bin where you belong! I really hate you in the first place!"Permy walked out of the canteen unseen furiously.

"I can help you with that." Luna said smiling wickedly.

"How?" Permy asked with an annoyed puzzled look.

Luna just smiled with gleaming eyes.

To be continued...