Chapter 25 - Finally
He groaned even how much effort she tried to put the ice bag ever so gently on his forehead. "Natsume—stop avoiding it, I assure you, it would lessen your fever." Mikan said to her ever arrogant boyfriend. "But it's so cold and wet—and how can I sleep with that on?" He asked. "Just shut up, okay?" She said to him. "I don't want to debate with a sick guy right now."
He obeyed, he stopped groaning and avoiding.
Mikan only sighed in relief after seeing him relax, but now, she has to wipe the sweat off his body. She took the comforter off and was welcomed by his naked broad chest. With that sight, our brunette flushed with red. She didn't speak a word though, seeing Natsume relaxing while closing his eyes. She gulped before gathering her guts and started sliding the cold towel on his chest.
Natsume felt her tensed and obviously, she was trembling too. He smirked after he opened his eyes and saw her with eyes shut and blushing like mad. "Oh—it's not as if the first time you see me half naked, pervert." Mikan opened her eyes in response "Ah~ now I'm the pervert. You know what? I can easily kill you today." Natsume raised a brow and said "Taking advantage with my weak state now are we, pervert? If you want to touch me that badly, all you have to do is ask. You just can't take advantage of me while being sick and corrupt my body." She gaped. She can't believe he just said that. Now she's the pervert?
"For your information, Mr. Hyuuga, I was never and never will be a pervert—unlike you—and I will never ever corrupt your body." She said while slapping him—hard.
Natsume was already groaning with pain right even before she finished her sentence. "Oh shit, I'm sorry sweetie, I didn't mean to." Mikan said while caressing the part of his arm that was now bloody red because of her slapping and his weak body state.
"God—I think you hit the spot." He said while groaning. "Huh? Where?" Mikan asked. Natsume pointed at his lips and said "Here." Mikan's worried face dropped as the raven laughed weakly. "Whatever." She said before she stood up, walked to his closet and grabbed a black undershirt before tossing it to the raven. "Wear it." She said to him as she moved to shut the windows.
"It will be hot if I wear this." Natsume said before coughing. "The better, if you sweat faster, the faster we say bye-bye to your fever." She said as she leaned on the wall and watched him trying his best to even lift himself. Mikan sighed. "I'll do it." And Natsume allowed her. "Thanks." Mikan only smiled before she said "I'll cook lunch okay? You stay here and sleep." But "I want to move to the couch." He asked her. "What for?" she asked back. "I can't see you from here."
"Slowly." Mikan said as she assist Natsume lay down the couch. Then she took one of his pillows and put it under his head. The brunette then, gathered Natsume's bangs and tied it with a rubber. Natsume looked at her as she caressed his forehead. "Do you want anything else?" she asked and he shook his head in response. "Okay, I'll proceed to cooking then."
"Akira? Is that you?" a girl with dark purple, straight shoulder length hair called him. It was barely 3:00 pm but the café looked so refreshing—only if the mood of the room was like the mood plastered on their faces. Akira was about to turn back when the girl caught up with him "Akira please—listen to me."
"If I knew that you're the one that I was going to meet—I shouldn't have come, Fina. God—I wouldn't even think about it." Akira told her. "I know—that's why I told your secretary to include me on your schedule." She said with eyes filled with sadness. "I knew you wouldn't want to listen but—I believe I deserve a chance."
And with that, they sat and ordered coffee. It was an awkward silence but Fina gathered her guts and opened the conversation "Um—it's been a year, how are you?"
"I'm fine." He told her, his voice still as nonchalant as ever. "I'm happy that—" Akira glared at her, stopped her words and said "Just say whatever you want to say. I don't want to hear anything more." Fina sighed and stopped her tears from falling. "I want you back in my life, Akira." He looked at her with no difference with how he looked at her earlier. He only scoffed. "I know it was my fault why we're in this situation—but I got tempted. I know I was wrong—but I regret that. I paid for my mistakes, so please." She hold his hand while not releasing his eyes "Please come back to me?"
Akira softened his eyes and looked down. When he closed his eyes—he knew that the pain was still there. He took his hand away from hers and said "You've hurt me—and it's still throbbing with pain."
"I know—I know that I hurt you and I'm sorry." Then he looked at her with a bad expression "Sorry? Hurt me? You knew that you would hurt me? I hope that you thought about that before going out with him!" his voice was filled with anger.
"Do you know how painful it is to see your fiancée in a bed with another guy in the middle of their engagement party? Do you know how painful it is to see her smiling while looking at you—as if she was happy with your agony? It was excruciating, Fina. And your sorry won't bring anything back." He said that before standing up. "Don't I have a space in your heart anymore?" She asked him. For the last time, he looked back and said "No. I have found someone better."
Then again—just like how she left him the year before, he left her with a lie.
Mikan fell asleep on the couch after she guided Natsume ate his lunch, and put him back to bed. Little that she knew, a few minutes that she fell asleep, Natsume woke up and realized that she was not beside him. The raven, even in agony because of his condition still gathered his strength and went to the living room. He positioned himself comfortably so that he was lying down with his head on her lap.
When Mikan felt the heat on her lap; she started to open her eyes and only to find Natsume sleeping soundly. The brunette just sighed and stirred Natsume. "Natsume? Baby? Wake up, let's move you back to bed." She said gently. Natsume begun to groan as if resisting "You would be more comfortable if you're in bed." She said to him. "You're just going to leave me again." He said to her, his state was evident in his voice. Mikan, finding no other options said "Okay, fine, I won't leave again."
Natsume opened his eyes and asked "Promise?" Mikan only smiled. He was letting his inner child go out again "Yes—I promise."
Sometimes, she wonders whether which Natsume she fell in love with. The arrogant one, the protective one, the selfish one, or the childlike one; but deep inside, she knows that she loves him. That's why even though how hard their fights go she's still there for him.
"I'll lie down beside you—so don't even think about going anywhere again. Got it?" she asked him as she covered him with his comforter. "Yeah, yeah—whatever. I'll stay right in this spot so don't you go anywhere again." He said before he coughed a little. "Okay, alright—just stop talking you're making everything worse." She said to him. "Fine—so you shut up as well so that I could sleep."
"I'll just go take a bath, so stay right there." Mikan said before going out to the living her to get her things. But there she saw her favorite picture. It was a close up picture but in the size of 4x8 feet. It was taken in Caribbean. She was the one holding the camera while their faces were pasted cheek-to-cheek but her lips were pouted like she was going to kiss him. For the first time, he was in a picture were he was really smiling.
Their very first date was filled with shopping bags, pictures, bear hugs and captured kisses.
Mikan was now in a clean white tank top and flesh-pink stripped pajamas when she went out of the bathroom. It was around 9:00 pm and she needs to check the boyfriend. But before that, she took a clean white tee from his closet so that she could change him later. Mikan sat next to him and sighed. When she touched his forehead and felt his temperature, she noticed that he was groaning unconsciously. She took the thermometer again and put it on the surface of his neck.
When it beeped she immediately raised to read his temperature. It was as if a bottle was smashed on her head when she read the clear 45 degrees. "Oh my God."
She ran to the kitchen, took a basin and a clean towel. "Natsume—wake up, we need to get you to the hospital, you're burning." She said while trembling and wiped his sweat. He was resisting again and groaning. Faintly he said "No."
"Come on—don't be stubborn. This is not the time to be arrogant, Hyuuga." She said to him. He opened his eyes but he just glared at her. "Hey—it hurts when you call me by my last name, but it won't change anything. I won't go to the hospital." He said to her before he coughed. "Natsume, come on—we got to go to the hospital." She said loudly. "No—they would just inject stuffs on me, and they would make everything worst." He said to her. "But—"
"In this state, Mikan, you won't understand." With those words, she sighed before a tear rolled down her cheeks. She is worried but she needs to do something. "You jerk." She whispered before running back to the kitchen and gathered some medicine and a bottle of water. When she got back, she immediately said to him "Natsume? Do you have a family doctor?" before she proceeded unto wiping his sweat. 'Family Doctor?' Natsume thought for a while before smirking. "Yeah. I think so." He said to her.
"Do you have any connection with him so that I can call him? You're terribly sick." Mikan said to him. He's terribly sick and she knows that even how much care and love she does it won't bring his fever down. "Yeah—I think it's in my phone. Check for—" he stopped because of his itchy throat for a while and said "Look for Doctor Fij."
Not long after, a knock was heard and Mikan came running to get it.
When she answered it—"Hi—I'm sorry for the disturb—" she gaped. The Doctor wasn't a he—she was a she. She was a woman with a nice height, arousing body with a really noticeable cleavage, blonde locks, blue eyes and pouty kissable lips. She was wearing the usual white lab coat, red top with three buttons undone, black pencil skirt and sexy red platforms. The doctor also carried her bag filled with all the things she needed. "Hi—you might be Natsume's new maid—good evening." She said with a British accent.
Mikan glared at her before raising a brow. But it wasn't the right time to be angry—furthermore, jealous. If she only knew what he planed for her in his weak state.
"Um, he's in his room. I'll lead the way." Mikan said before she attempted to lead her but "No need to lead me, darling. I perfectly know the way." The doctor said with a really annoying yet flirtingly way. "Okay?" Mikan said before she sassed the doctor.
When they reached the room, the doctor immediately ran to the ravens' side and said "Oh my god—honey sugar plum, what happened?" Natsume smirked and looked at the doctor "Just sick, Doc Fifi."
"Honey sugar plum? Fifi?" Mikan whispered with a really bad tone. She just rolled her eyes. Unknown to her, a certain raven was enjoying this. "Why? Is your maid not taking care of my sugar plum?" Doctor Fifi asked before she opened her bag. Natsume coughed before he said "Maid? What maid?" The doctor looked at Mikan and said "Her." Natsume sickly looked at her and laughed faintly "She's my girlfriend, Doc. And I'm serious with this one." He said before he gestured at the brunette to come beside him.
"Yeah, Doc Fifi, didn't you see the pictures on your way here? How about that picture?" Mikan pointed at her almost nude picture above his bed. "That's me you know." She said before Natsume held her hand to at least control her. She was green with anger and jealousy, while the doctor was smiling devilishly and the raven was smirking. "Easy honey, of course I know—I just want to tease you a bit. Natsume is my godchild who is almost my own kid—so don't think green. Uh-uh." The doctor said to her. Mikan gaped and looked at her boyfriend. "Yeah, polka, don't think green." Natsume said.
Few minutes later, the doctor read his temperature and checked him with her stethoscope. "God, sugar plum, you should stop playing around much." She said before taking out an injection. When Natsume saw this he suddenly went paler and he said "Wait, Doc Fi—wha—what's that?"
Mikan looked at the both of them and said "Isn't it obvious? She's going to take your blood sample."
Natsume looked bad but his expression was terrible. "We never did talk about this, Doc Fi. I don't need that." He said before coughing. His godmother smiled at him and sweetly said "Really? You don't need this? Well I need this sugar plum, it's for my tests."
The doctor then took his arm and aimed the needle straight. Natsume looked at the needle and saw it flicker. (Hallucinating?) "Shit!" He jerked his godmothers' hand away and held on Mikan as tight as he could. "Oh sugar plum, come on now—even kids can do this." Doctor Fifi said. "No." he coughed. "Come on honey." The doctor persuaded while getting his arm back. "No!" he screamed as he moved unsteadily. The doctor grinned this time and said "Sugar plum, I'm sure—it's just like a little ants' bite."
"Ah! Don't you know? Ants too have rabies. We don't know now. In this era, almost all animals have rabies. And someday, even butterflies have it. What if I die because of that? Tetanus is inevitable! Who knows where you buried that thing!" he screamed again. "I don't want that. Look—look at the thing. Isn't it sharp? Or you're just too—" Natsume stopped when he saw the apparatus half filled with blood while it was buried on his skin.
He failed to notice that the doctor already put it inside while he was talking nonsense.
When he saw it full—he fainted.
Mikan, who recorded all of it, was laughing her ass out. "See? Told you it's just for a short while." The doctor said before keeping the blood sample.
"Doctor, thank you for all of your help. And sorry for disturbing you in the middle of the night and for saying those barbaric words." Mikan said to her as she led the doctor to the door. The doctor smiled and said "Anything for Natsume. And don't mention those words—I just love teasing his girlfriends." Natsume's godmother then sighed.
"But, I'm happy that someone like you is taking care of him." She said to Mikan. "How can you say that?" The brunette asked. "Well, for a record, I was actually worried about my godchild's' future. You see, that kid almost grew up with me. He saw me change guys like I change my clothes. I get flings, you know. And I ended up as bad influence to him." She put her arm on Mikan's shoulder "And I'm proud that he finally found someone to really love."
"Thanks but, why was Natsume acting so immature over a small needle?" Mikan asked boldly. "He has an acute trypanophobia—the phobia for injections." Doctor Fifi said. Mikan looked in question asked "Then why did you still took his blood?" The doctor just shrugged and said "Who knows, I just love torturing that kid." Then she laughed. "Anyways—let's talk about you. Natsume is all serious about you. Let's chat next time and tell me about your firsts."
"What firsts?"
"Anything. First letter, first gift, first date, first hug, first kiss, first bed, and first sex and—" Mikan who was now blushing with the awkward conversation butted in "Ah—um, it's late, why don't you take care while you go home, auntie?" The doctor just laughed at her and said "Darling, we all need to be bold at whatever we want. Anyways, ciao for now, sweetie—take care of my sugar plum for me. Ta-ta~" she said before leaving.
Finally, the door is closed.
When she went back to his side, he was fast asleep. She looked at the video again and laughed. 'Now that's a Natsume you don't see everyday.'
She looked at him and said "You—I just can't get enough of you."
Mikan stayed all night wiping his sweat here and there, checking the comforter if it's warm enough, checking his temperature every now and then, and lastly, staring at his godly aristocrat face. But one thing that she did almost all night was just to hold his warm hand. But, maybe she has limitations, she fell asleep when she read his last temperature of 37.5 degrees Celsius—she fell asleep while listening to his shallow breathing.
I'll never go home far away from you
Even the skies will tell you
When Natsume woke up that fair late morning, Mikan was still beside him—still asleep. He smiled—though his emotion was both happy and sad. Happy, because she was right beside him, sad because of the same reason but he knew that she was beside him, on the floor with her head leaning on the bed, was because she was up the whole night taking care of him. His eyes looked at her with sadness. Natsume was now okay because of her aid and he liked that. So, he stood up, carried her in his arms and lied her down beside him. He kissed her forehead and whispered "Thank you."
That I need you so,
'Coz this is all I know,
I'll never go, far away from you
When Mikan woke up, he immediately said "Go back to sleep—you need it more than I do." Mikan raised her hand to check his temperature and sighed in relief. "Good it's all gone. Good thing auntie went here." She said to him. "What? What auntie?" she looked at him and saw his serious nonchalant face. His face now was a lot different from last night. Last night was pale of disease and fear over a small needle. "You don't remember anything from last night?" she asked him. "No—hey—you did corrupt my body while I was asleep, didn't you?"
Then, her light bulbs' switched ON. Now she can have her revenge and blackmail object. "I want you to watch something."
He watched every single detail and his expression was not good while his girlfriend was still at the state of LOL.
"I think I'm going to be sick again."
It was late at night and our couple was walking down the Sakura residence. "You could have seen your face live, honey." Mikan laughed—still not stopping from annoying her perverted boyfriend. "Ha-ha-ha. Really funny." He said sarcastically. "Yeah—just wait till I show this to everybody." She said while attempted to watch the video again in her phone. "Not if I can stop it." He said while he took her phone and stretched his arm high so that it was out of her reach. "Natsume, no fair, give it back."
"No way, babe. I don't want you to destroy my wonderful reputation." He said while laughing. Mikan laughed too while attempting on retrieving her property "Oh yeah? Well, that would bring me popularity then—now give it back to me or I will put it on the internet." She warned.
"Really? How can you put it online if you don't have the copy?" he asked. Mikan smirked and said "I have other copies. Did you really think I would just let it go just like that?"
Natsume glared at her but he didn't gave up "No way. If you have other copies, then why are you still trying to get your phone? We both know that I can afford to get you a new one." He said to her. True—she failed to save other copies. And as much as she knows this crazy dude, he would smash her phone into smithereens if he has to. She stomped and said "If you won't give that back you will have to celebrate your birthday alone!"
Natsume looked at her and said "What? Amf—fine, here." Then that does it. She didn't stop frowning until she got her hands back on her phone then she looked back at him. "I'm just joking—" but that won't bring him down. Mikan hugged him and said "Aw~ forgive me?"
She said it with the cutest matter she knew. He looked at her and said "Okay—but promise me you'll plan everything in my birthday. And we'll go out of town alone." Mikan looked at him and said "What? Alone? Isn't the more the merrier?" he ignored her before saying "Hmf—then no mercy."
"Agh—fine." She said before she tiptoed to kiss his cheek. "That's more like it. If you have done that earlier, then forgiveness should have been a piece of cake. But it would have been a piece of cherry if you kissed me on the right spot." He said while he smiled and hugged her. She laughed at him and shook her head.
"Mikan?"
Mikan and Natsume looked at the door—and he was there. Yukihira Sakura, also known as Mikan's dad. "Dad." Mikan called as Natsume released her. Mikan went slowly to her dad and kissed his cheeks. "Good evening dad." She said to him before looking back at Natsume. The raven just nod and said "Good night." Then he turned around.
"Hyuuga—" Yukihira called as Natsume looked back. "Come inside, I want to talk with you."
Sorry for the late update, but please stay tuned. The next chapter will be Natsume's birthday.