The Price 28 – Teenage Dream 03
She woke up and she couldn't help but smile. Mikan stretched her arms, trying to reach out for a specific warmth. But she found none.
She opened her eyes and saw that no one was really beside her. 'What—Natsume?' Mikan thoughts went back to their conversation yesterday. No. He won't do that. Not to her. Never.
Right?
"Natsume?" teary eyed, se called after she sat up, one hand holding the sheets.
"Damn." A voice said. She followed it and saw Natsume went out of the bath room—fully dressed. "Oh." That regained a smile. "Are we going home? You should have woken me up. Can you wait for me—"
"I never did plan to wake you up." She looked at him. His face was as nonchalant as the plainness of the night. "What?" she asked him. She was confused. What is he saying?
He gave out a sigh and showed a smirk "Don't you get it, Sakura. Or you're just plainly slow." He then moved so that he could lean on the opposite wall of the bed. "Na—Natsume. What are you saying? I—I don't understand you." She said as she showed him a faint smile and a pure tear ran down her cheeks. "I don't—"
"Do you really think I'd still hang around you after I got what I first wanted with you?" he asked. His smirk—no—his eyes gave the pure hint of superiority and purpose.
"No—you're joking right?" She asked him again. "No. Everything we had was a joke." That struck her. Her heart was breaking. Breaking because of him. "Well, I'll give you credit, okay? You're one of the best in bed." He told her as he move towards the door and open it.
But before he went out, he looked behind and said "And do stop getting your hopes high, because it's real—I never did love you."
Then he closed the door.
Mikan.
Natsume.
Mikan.
Natsume.
He was calling unto her and she was replying his name back—but even how much she called, he never returned. Never did that door open again. Never did he walk back to her.
When she opened her eyes, everything was blurry and black. Mikan felt her eyes numb from all the sobbing and decided to sit up so that her aching back could lean on the bedpost. The featherlike beam of the full moon was the only light of the room.
But, there was something wrong—too wrong.
If he left her—then isn't she supposed to be feeling cold, alone, abandoned and broken?
Her brain was still damaged due to what she thinks she needs to feel, but her heart was exactly telling her otherwise. Furthermore, there was weight on her stomach.
And—there he is.
Mikan's eyes started to water again, but this time, her heart was more flattered and contented and happy and—she couldn't help but smile. Her love was there, sleeping peacefully beside her, with his arm carefully locked across her waist—as if preventing her from going away. Her Natsume was there—never did even plan on letting her open her eyes with him not at sight.
When he opened his eyes, Mikan was already sitting up with a camera rolling on her hands. He grumbled for a while before covering his face with his arms. "Dang—what are you doing so early in the morning?" He asked her. Mikan only smiled and said "Get your arms away from you face, idiot—it's ruining my footage."
"Why are you filming your ever so gorgeous dashing boyfriend at 5:37 am?" he asked again. "Look at the camera, Natsume." She grumbled. "Not unless you tell me the reason, babe."
"I'll tell you once its over." She told him, hearing the sudden lowness of her voice, he looked at her. And he wasn't happy when he saw those red fluffy eyes—too obvious, that his girl cried. "What's wrong?" he asked her.
When she first heard his voice that morning, she only gave proof to herself that she really was not dreaming. That that scene where he left her was the nightmare and the Natsume beside her that was breathing and insulting her is the reality. "So—introduce yourself." She said while preventing herself from crying.
He sighed and said "You're not putting this down unless you get what you want, aren't you?"
"Nope—not even you tickle me." She said to him. He looked at her for a while before looking at the ceiling "This is embarrassing." Nonetheless, he still looked at the lenses.
"Hey—Natsume Hyuuga here—and I just woke up after being raped by my dimwitted, perverted girlfriend." He told the camera "I did not!" Mikan yelled at him playfully. "Yada-yada, I'll say whatever I want to. So shut up, little girl. I just turned 20 yesterday and she gave me a lot of trouble too. And it looks like she wasn't satisfied yet. She is now filming me while I'm naked and—"
"Alright, Jesus, let's stop with the introducing before you spill your ever so royal perverseness on the camera." She said to him while he was growing that smirk. "Next question, what was your age when you first hooked a girl?" she asked. "What kind of question is that?" he asked—shocked. "What—a random a one."
"Fifteen." He said to her, but she raised her brow. "You're not saying the truth, Natsume." He only rolled his eyes and said "Alright, alright Iwasthirteen." He mumbled. "What?" She asked. "." Again, he mumbled. Hey—this is an embarrassing question okay. "What? Natsume stop mumbling—"
"I was thirteen when I first got laid." He, well almost screamed. "Oh. So that's what –get-laid means. Hmm." She said before she tilted her head. "You're not blushing, right?" she asked him. Natsume only glared at her and said "Who wouldn't blush at your questions, stupid? And I am not blushing."
"Okay—you just put on a massive amount of cheek tint, then." She said sarcastically. "Whatever—on with the next question." He said impatiently. "Who was your first time?" she asked.
"No—you're not going to kill her." He said to her with a smirk. She scoffed "Come on tell me—" "No." She rolled her eyes and said "Alright, Hyuuga. Am not gonna force you into this." This time, it was his turn to scoff, "Yeah, no need to, am already in it anyways." She looked at him with a raised brow and continued "Oh well, you're in a party, how would you say to a girl that you like her with out telling her or touching her?"
Natsume sighed and said "I would stalk her out of the room and take picture of her while she's swimming in her pool."
Mikan looked at him but he has his eyes closed "What a safe answer Natsume, but at least you admitted that you really are a stalker." He only shrugged. "What will be the most embarrassing thing that you would tell a girl?" she asked. Natsume opened his right eye and said "Oh—out of perverted questions, huh."
But her face remained playful, and it was the exact emotion of what Natsume is trying to put out. "Maybe, I'll tell her that she's as beautiful as the first Christmas snowflake in December. So pure and fragile but nonetheless, she's the start."
Mikan looked at him with her fluffy eyes before she shut the camera. He sat up and pulled her in a hug, "Now—tell me why you were crying."
Mikan told her nightmare to Natsume as they shared some hot chocolate on the white sofa-swing near the pool. She was in her long white sweatshirt and he on his white jammies and pale blue shirt. Mikan was leaning on Natsume and he was more than enough to give her warmth.
Silence reigned between them after she said all of those things to him. But for a change, she didn't cry. What's there to be afraid of? He was now beside her, he was hers—and she knows that.
"I know that after last night, you'd be longing and begging for me." He said with a big smirk, and even she was facing her back on him, she could feel that growing oh-sexy-smirk. Mikan smiled and said "Why did I ever end up with you?"
He sighed, and she could feel him tense. The atmosphere turned null—serious. "But—we won't do it again."
Mikan looked at him, she wanted to ask why, but she's not sure, she may end up looking as the pervert again even though her actions are purely pure. "I don't want everyone to think that you're just a sex toy for me." Natsume dared to look at her orbs, but he was so sure that she was more than proud of him to have him say those things.
"And besides, we'll have all the time to do it when we get married." Mikan rolled her eyes and she felt his lips reach her cheeks. "Why does your perverted character always have to ruin the mood? Gosh." Mikan said to him. "But admit it—that is one of my best traits." He said after raising his brow. "Yeah-yeah, even though how freaked out I am every now and then." She replied after hearing him chuckle.
"I should have stopped myself if you told me, you know." Natsume said. "Told you what?" Mikan asked. Natsume hesitated to say it—but he has to "That you were a virgin." Mikan felt blood rose up her cheeks. "I—I thought that you shouldn't know." She said shyly. "I thought that it was nothing but a rumor. I never knew that it was really true." He said to her. "There was a rumor about me being a virgin?" She asked, acting as if surprise herself.
"Hell yeah, but don't change the topic. You should have told me that you were, and I should have stopped myself." Natsume said, with a little-tiny raise of his voice. "I'm sorry, okay?" Mikan said with whole sincerity. He only sighed and said "Never mind, it already happened."
"But—why are you so defensive?" Mikan asked. "I—I just—I just never touched a virgin before." Natsume confessed. 'He's not that evil with women after all.' Mikan thought—bit by bit, he was sharing himself. "Why? I thought, you never cared who you touched—as long as she's a girl." Mikan said. Natsume clicked his tongue and said "I just don't want her to think that I'll be staying with her. I don't want her to think that I'm the one for her. Yeah—I stayed with different women in different beds night after night and I never let them wake up with me, but I do respect their virginity."
"Let's say you're an exemption though." He said to her. "Yeah?" she asked, smiling to him, and damn right that smile made the fireworks out. "Hell yeah." He said before kissing her forehead.
Knock knock
"I'll get that." Natsume said to Mikan. Mikan waited as she watched the sun starting to lighten up the world. Unconsciously, the brunette only smiled and thought 'Lord, thank you for this day. I learned a lot from Natsume and I got the chance to know him better and deeper. Thank you because you gave me the chance to met someone like him.'
"Hey." Natsume came back with a medium sized box that was covered with red silk cloth. "What's that?" She asked him while looking at him putting the box down, and sitting himself down the floor. He sighed and gave her a faint smile. "You better like it. It was shipped from China via plane and in an ASAP situation." He told her. Mikan gave on of her best grin and asked "Can I open it?" Natsume only shrugged and said "Go ahead, it's your gift after all."
Slowly, Mikan untied the silk covering and opened the box. The box wasn't that locked and it has no tape or rope to make it really close. "Grr."
Mikan moved backwards from the box and Natsume only tried his best not to laugh "Okay. Something that is moving and growling is inside that box." Mikan said as she pointed at the box. "Really? I thought I ordered something to eat." Natsume said sarcastically. Mikan glared at him. "Just tell me what's inside that box?" Mikan demanded, only to Natsume's amusement. "What? I thought you're brave." Natsume said, teasing.
Though worried of whatever is inside that box, Mikan said "Alright, let's get this over with."
Then, with all her might, she opened the box—but not with her eyes open.
Tik Tok
"Open you eyes, idiot—it's waiting for you." Natsume said. Slowly, Mikan opened one eye, then "Oh my gosh—Natsume. Oh my gosh." She said as she takes the chestnut-colored baby Shar Pei with her arms. "Oh my gosh, you're so cute." She then smiled to Natsume "Thank you." Mikan stood up to give her boyfriend a big kiss.
"But—out of all choices, a dog?" She asked. "Well—I just think that our future kids need something to play with, something alive and something to guard the house too while we're gone." He said honestly. "Future kids, huh?" Mikan asked before raising her brow and caressing the puppy's crumbled-towel like skin. "What should we name her?" She said while lifting the Shar Pei. "Her?" Natsume asked as he left one of the dogs' leg and looked at, err—wherever you look to know the gender is. "Natsume! That's dog-harassment. And she's a girl, you dog-perv."
"It's a he, polka." Natsume said. Mikan playfully glared at him and said "How did you know that? My mother instincts tell me that she is a girl." Natsume rolled his eyes and said "It has a, you know. So basically, it's a he." Mikan only shrugged and decided to ignore the raven.
"I'm gonna call you, Poochie." Mikan said with a big smile plastered in her face and miraculously, the dog barked. "See, Natsume? She likes her name." Mikan debated. Then, she turned to her Poochie and said Natsume raised a brow and said "Poochie? What an odd name for a male, and correction, he's a boy, so he deserves to be called son."
"We're going to get you a collar once we arrive back in Tokyo, okay honey? And we better arrange your ownership papers too." She said after totally ignoring the raven. "I feel killing some animal today." Natsume said, before he screamed to the brunette "Hey! How about some Shar Pei adobo?"
"Poochie, don't run too far, dear. Or else, daddy would have a hard time running after you." Mikan told her Shar Pei as the pup explore the shore. She was wearing a simple white tee paired with her denim skinny jeans, plaid scarf and flats. Natsume only sighed and said "No way am I running after that mongrel." He wears that frown that nonetheless didn't change the fact that he is handsome.
He was wearing a simple white tee too, denim pants and converse; plus those geek glasses and his gray beanie. Mikan giggled as she watched her boyfriend lean on his car and cross his arms on his chest. "Oh Love, don't tell me you're jealous of Poochie?" She asked him. Natsume glared at her and said "Why am I gonna be jealous over a small animal?" Mikan only looked at him with a big smile, "He's just a pup who took my girls' attention with just one look, and how can I be jealous over that?" He added with pride.
"Oh come on, Natsume—you're still my biggest attention-taker." Mikan said as she hugs her raven. Natsume raised a brow and said "Really?" Mikan chuckled and nodded. He sighed and pouted "I doubt it."
She kissed his cheek and said "Will that do?" Natsume looked at her on the corner of his eyes and said "Maybe." Mikan released him and moved so that she was facing him. "Whatever." Then, she took his arms away from his chest, so that she could lean on him and put his arms around her. "Anyways, is this car Ferrari?"
He sighed—a sign that he too was giving up the mongrel topic. Natsume tightened his arms around her and said "Yeah—a Ferrari SA Aperta. Delivered from Tokyo last night." Mikan tilted her head and looked at her pup playing in the shore "You called your house-staff last night?" She asked. "Nope, mom called."
She looked at him and asked "What did she say?"
"Hm, she greeted me. And she asked who I was with…"
Natsume's POV
Just then, my phone rang. I looked beside me and took my phone. Someone was calling and it was a woman. I looked at you before taking the call.
"Hey." I called.
"Good evening, dear. Happy Birthday." No doubt, that cheerfulness sounded like my mother. "Hotaru said that you didn't rent a club this time, where are you?"
"Um—somewhere down Japan." I answered, I wasn't really sure of our location. "Hm, who are you with?"
I unconsciously smile and looked at the woman beside me who was still soundly sleeping. "Mom, remember that girl I brought at your concert?" I heard her say yes and asked why. "Well, she's my girlfriend now."
She sounded happy and excited and said "Really? When are you going to introduce her to your dad?"
"As soon as possible, I think." I answered. "Is she with you?" I only answered honestly then she changed the topic "Oh yeah, we bought you your birthday gift, the brand new 2011 Ferrari SA Aperta." Oh, another car, but it didn't really thrilled me up. "Can you deliver it to this address? We badly need transportation right now."
"Okay honey, so, me and your Father went to Australia and he was about your decision." She brought the question again, "I'll answer that when we return to Tokyo. I need to hang up now."
End of POV
"Hmm." Mikan said as she stared at the rising sun. Natsume looked at her and sighed. He won't have another time once they return to Tokyo, so he needs to pop the question.
"When I had my 18th birthday, my dad asked me something." He started. "He told me if—maybe it was the right time to start learning the business since I'm his only heir." She listened to him. This topic includes his future after all. "But then, I said—'I'm not ready, dad.' I was just 18; I thought I was still a kid back then." He intertwined their hands and continued "Then, he popped the same words on my 19th birthday."
"But this time I said 'Dad, give me one more year, only then I'll decide.' But the truth is, during those times, I was already in love with photography and its amazing world of lenses. I was actually planning on leaving home, and take a course on photography somewhere in California."
"Polka," he called. "Yeah?" she answered.
"Close your eyes." Natsume said. With the sudden max seriousness, she faced him and looked at him with a big question mark. "Why?" He only looked at her and twirled her so that basically she was leaning on him again. "Just close your eyes—" he whispered on her ear, "Mikan."
She blushed when he said her name "I'm going to tell you something really embarrassing, so close your eyes."Only then, she closed her eyes.
"When we go back to Tokyo, I'm going to face my father and he'll ask the same question." He sighed. "But this time, I'm going to forget photography and accept it." He relaxed his body and she could feel his hands release pressure. "But you love photography." Mikan said, not opening a lid. "Yeah—but if I pursue it; there might be no future for the both us."
"When we go back to Tokyo—I will be very busy." He told her. "I don't know how busy will I get, I don't know until when will it get—but—"
"Just promise me, whatever you think, whatever you hear, whatever you see—" he twirled her around, and she slowly opened her eyes. And she was welcomed with the warmth of his red eyes. "—Whatever you feel; promise me you'll stay by my side and continue believing in me." He asked her.
Her eyes were getting teary as he picks something in his pocket. Her eyes only widen when she found out that it was a ring.
It was silver, plain, but it has a diamond on it—"I know it's nothing special, but I bought it using my own money—with the paycheck from modeling before." He slipped the ring on her ring finger and said "With this ring, promise me, you'll stay."
She dared looking directly at his eyes and said "I'll stay, I'll wait—" a tear fell from her eyes and said "—even it takes my heart away, I'll stay with you."
He smiled a smile he never had for years. He kissed her hand before claiming her lips.
And for the not the first time, the sun smiled at yet another destined couple.
If you wanna see Poochie go to my profile :P
SMOOCHIES !
