JC: Let's take a break from the heavy drama, action, and fighting. This chapter will feature the date of Natsume and Mikan. I'm happy that many people have come to adore Kyo and Nonoko. Honestly, I love Nonoko to bits. She's as adorable as Mikan-chan. I was planning to give Anna a pairing too. But I like her with Misaki-sensei. I'm weird, right? Well, Anna-chan reminds me of Rika from Card Captor Sakura. Rika has a huge crush on her teacher there. Anyway, I'm sorry if I don't include Hotaru here. She's reserved for the next chapter.
Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice characters belong to Higuchi-sensei. Sugita Aya is a cross-over character from Kodocha. My own characters in this fic are Kawashima Kyo, Kawashima Asuka, and Hibiki Ryou.
Obsession
Chapter 29: Just your Average Days
Mikan was sitting cross-legged on the bed, gazing at her history book. She had practically spent two and a half hours studying on history. There were a lot of things to memorize. She had to take note of the exact dates, the names of important people, and the names of places. It was frustrating, but she somehow managed to get the facts inside her head. After history, she proceeded to science next. How she hated physics. The formulas were enough to make her crazy. It was a good thing she asked her good friends Nonoko and Yuu for their notes and pointers. They explained much clearer than the teacher. She spent an hour doing problems and studying on scientific definitions. As she looked at the clock, she realized it was already eleven o'clock. It was only an hour left till midnight and she still wasn't done studying. The exams were tomorrow. She was not too worried about it. She did a lot of studying on the week before, so she wasn't cramming or anything.
"So tiring…" Mikan muttered, stretching out her arms. "I hope the tests are not that difficult." She decided to take a five-minute break before her brain will explode. Getting high marks in the exams was a priority for her. The Honor Student Award was her aim, because it was her ticket to visit her grandfather in her hometown. She had missed her grandfather so much. She did manage to get the Honor Student Award twice and got to visit him a few months ago and the year before, and that was due to her outstanding grades. Sure, she was not a fast learner nor she could comprehend mathematical problems in a flash, but she was a hard worker. People who strived hard always get their rewards in the end.
She sighed and got up to look out through the balcony glass door. The starry sky was beautiful tonight. "I wonder if Natsume is still awake," she said. She had specifically told him not to visit her tonight because she was going to study, and she didn't expect him to actually listen to her. "Natsume would still come despite what I say. Maybe he's just tired…"
A few days ago, they made love again. It was another night of pleasure for the both of them. It always amazed her on how gentle Natsume can be in handling her. He wondered if he was still going to be gentle after they get married. "Being a complete pervert, I doubt it…" she muttered to herself as she shook her head. "The next morning, Okaa-san almost caught us sleeping together. Good thing, Natsume hid under the bed, though it was uncomfortable for him." She giggled at the thought. Natsume came out sweating like a pig after her mother left the room. Truth to be known, Natsume seriously didn't want to get on Yuka's bad side.
Thinking of her mother, she wondered how her mother was doing in Osaka. She had just left the academy two days ago to resume her mission and got a call from her the moment she arrived in Osaka. Yuka had finished her mission with Shiki and Sakurano, but they got assigned to another mission in the same place again. Her mother was back to being busy. It will take a while till she'll see her again, Mikan thought with a sigh. Sometimes, her mother would go to another country to escort an important person. Mikan was assured of her mother's safety because Shiki and Sakurano were with her.
Three knocks came from her door, making her spin around quickly. "Is it Natsume?" she asked, walking to the door. After grasping the knob in her hand, she pulled open the door and saw Andou Tsubasa. "Senpai? What are you doing here at this late at night?" She glanced at the clock again and saw that it was 11:10 PM.
"Just came to see my favorite kouhai," Tsubasa said, taking his hat off. When he went inside, he held out his arms towards her. "Is it wrong to visit? And where's my hug?"
Mikan smiled widely and jumped into his arms, and he straightened, holding her against him. "You're always welcomed here, Tsubasa-senpai!" she said cheerfully. "But I didn't expect any visits at this hour." Well, she was expecting Natsume at least. Still, seeing her senior was good enough for her. She had always adored Tsubasa for his pleasing personality and his good looks. It was no wonder he was extremely popular with girls.
He planted a light kiss on her cheek. "How's the studying coming along, Mikan?" he asked. "I know you want that student award again."
"It's going fine," Mikan said, suddenly shy. The kiss was sweet and it made her blush a little. "Wait, did you just come here to check if I'm doing well in studying?"
He chuckled and ruffled her hair. "Well, that's one of the reasons," he replied. "You know, it's been a while since we last talked to each other privately. You've been busy dealing with problems, the AAO, and Natsume too much, and I've been busy with the Student Council and Misaki." As a Special Star student and representative of the Special Ability Class, he was busy most of the time. Glad he was still able to spend time with his girlfriend, Misaki.
"You're right," Mikan said. "But does it have to be at this time? It's really late, senpai, and most people are asleep by now. And what if you get caught by the dorm head? You'll get in trouble."
Tsubasa winked an eye at her. "I can deal with trouble," he said, releasing her from his arms. He then pulled out small velvet box from his pocket and showed it to Mikan. "My second reason for coming here is to get your opinion on something." He suddenly became a little serious.
"Why don't we sit down and talk?" Mikan cleared the notes and books from her bed and placed them all on the study table. Sitting down, she patted on the space next to her and told her senior to sit down. When he did so, she asked him about the box.
"You can probably guess what's inside, right?" Tsubasa looked at Mikan and saw a confused face. "Or probably not…" Of course, he had not forgotten about her naivety.
"Well, it could be a necklace, bracelet, or ring…" she said, smiling with excitement. "Can you show it to me please?"
Tsubasa nodded his head. He opened the box carefully and revealed a ring. This attractive ring dazzled two beautiful Diamonds prong set in 18K White Gold. Approximate Diamond Weight: 0.66 Carat. "It's an engagement ring," he said as he thought about his one true love, "for Misaki."
Mikan's eyes grew wide at the ring. "It's so beautiful, senpai!" she said. Diamonds were a girl's best friend and no girl could resist such beauty. "You're going to give this to Misak-senpai as a gift? That's so cool! How much did this cost you?"
"It's not just a gift, Mikan, and honestly this cost me a fortune," Tsubasa said with a heartfelt sigh, shifting his eyes on the ring. "It's 214,794 yen, about 2039.25 dollars. With this ring, I'm going to propose to Misaki."
"Propose? You're going to propose to Misaki-senpai? That's…That's wonderful!" Mikan hugged Tsubasa tight. She had been supporting Tsubasa's and Misaki's relationship for a long time and she had always dreamed of them getting married in the future. Proposing to a girl was the first step to marriage, and Mikan felt so excited about it. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Tsubasa-senpai. You're always confident."
Tsubasa closed the box and sighed once again. He had been confident in most things, but this proposal thing was making him hesitant, mainly because of Misaki. "But what if Misaki doesn't accept my proposal? She's not the type to rush things in a relationship. I know we're too young, but I just want us to be engaged. I want everyone to know that she's mine. Well, everyone in the academy knows that, but there are still boys who flirt with her. And I hate it. There's this new guy in class too and he tries to get fresh with her. I can't even leave them alone for one second. I keep telling the guy to keep his hands off of Misaki, but he tells me that he wants her for himself."
Her senior was mostly outgoing and carefree and she would rarely see him getting worked up about something. At that moment, he was exhibiting jealousy. So, all boys have their jealousy side when it comes to their girls. She wasn't sure if she could give some good advice to her senior, knowing how clueless she can be when it comes to love. "Hmm…And you want to put that ring in her finger as your symbol."
"Do you think she'll hate me for this?" Tsubasa asked, his eyes showing nothing but concern. "I mean…I'm not planning on getting married right away. We still haven't graduated yet and we can only leave this academy after turning twenty. I just want to make sure we'll always stay together and I'm sure this ring will help me." He clenched the velvet box a little firmer.
Mikan placed a hand on top of the box and gave him a gentle smile. "She will never hate you, senpai. Misaki-senpai loves you so much. Even without the ring, I'm sure you guys will always stay together." She was rather impressed with the words coming out of her mouth. She was actually making sense about love. Maybe she wasn't as clueless as before. It was probably because she was also in a relationship.
"Thanks, Mikan," Tsubasa said, patting her head like a kitty. "You're always helpful, though a little troublesome at times. But I really appreciate what you said. It kinda takes off some load off my chest." He put on his hat and grinned broadly at her.
"You're welcome, senpai," Mikan replied. "Glad I could help!"
A funny idea suddenly popped out of Tsubasa's mind. Putting away the velvet box back in his pocket, he eyed Mikan for a while and cupped his chin with his hand. "Mikan, here's a question for you. What if I was about the same age as you and I courted you? Would you be my gal or not?"
Mikan was a little surprised by the question and thought about it. After a few seconds, she answered him with a "Yes!" Tsubasa asked her why and she gladly told him her reason. "I developed a crush on you the first time we met, senpai. I actually didn't realize I had a crush on you before. Hotaru told me it was just an innocent crush, but I had no idea! Plus, you're my very first senpai and you've supported me through thick and thin. You also have the face of a movie star, so it's not hard to fall in love with you."
Tsubasa lightly laughed. "I've always known you had a crush on me before," he said. "And I was real flattered."
"Well, I'm happier that you're my senpai and not my boyfriend," Mikan told him. "You're like the brother I never had."
"You're such a good girl." Tsubasa pulled her into a hug, inhaling her sweet tangerine scent. Her scent was alluring and it reminded him of Misaki's strawberry scent. Just then, he felt the temperature rising in the room. His senses were telling him that they weren't alone in the room anymore. Pulling back away from her, he turned his head at the door and saw Natsume. "Crap, when did he get in?" He then noticed the keys in his hand. Oh, yeah, he has the spare keys to Mikan's room. But did he have to walk in at this time? He knew he was a goner the minute Natsume narrowed his eyes at him.
"Natsume, you finally came," Mikan said, rising from the bed. "I know I told you not to come because of studying, but I still expected you." She smiled at him, completely oblivious to the murderous aura he was emitting.
Tsubasa scratched the back of his head and stood up. "Hey there—"
Natsume cut him off. "What the hell are you doing here at this hour?" he said in a dangerous tone. He lit up a flame in his palm. "And why were you hugging her? She's not yours, so hands off."
"Chill, Natsume," Tsubasa said, swallowing hard. The hug was a complete misunderstanding. It wasn't as if he was trying to take advantage of Mikan. No, he would never do that. She was his junior for pete's sake. "I came here to talk to her that's all. And the hug? Well, you know how clingy Mikan is to me. You should've gotten used to it by now."
Natsume gritted his teeth. "You're eighteen and she's fourteen. With that age, it's completely wrong." He lit up another flame in his other palm. "And you came here to talk? About what? Answer me properly or else…"
"Just calm down for a sec, Natsume," Mikan said, marching over to him. She activated her Alice and nullified his flames easily. "Listen, Tsubasa-senpai came here to ask my opinion. He's planning on proposing to Misaki-senpai. He even bought a really beautiful ring for her. I just gave him some encouragement."
Tsubasa showed him the ring as a proof, and Natsume just shrugged. "And if you're wondering why at this hour…Well, that's another reason why I'm here…" He motioned over to Natsume's side and placed a hand on his shoulder. Leaning closer to his ear, Tsubasa whispered something very disturbing to Natsume, causing Natsume to almost lose his cold façade. "And now you know…"
"Senpai, what did you just tell him?" Mikan asked curiously.
The senior student turned to look at his junior and winked an eye at her. "It's a guy thing, Mikan," he said. "You don't have to know about it. Well, it's really late. I have to go. We've got tests tomorrow." After saying that, he left the room, closing the door carefully behind him.
"A guy thing?" Mikan had a big question mark above her head. "Natsume, is it really for guys only?"
Her question seemed to snap him back to reality. "Like he said, you don't have to know about it," he replied. He can't possibly tell it to Mikan. Maybe he can, but not at that time.
Mikan yawned, covering her mouth in the process. "I'm getting real sleepy." She took Natsume's hand and dragged him over to the bed. "Sleep with me tonight. I could use someone to wake me up early tomorrow."
Natsume raised an eyebrow, thinking absurdly of her. "What am I? An alarm clock?"
"No, silly," Mikan said with a giggle. "You're way better than my alarm clock." She had to admit that his methods of waking her up was effective than the ringing sound of her alarm clock. But his methods can either be too perverted or just plain wrong. It was going to be a tough day tomorrow. The exams were no walk in the park. She had to do her best in order to achieve the Honor Student Award. She was doing it for the sake of her beloved grandfather.
The day of the big test had arrived. Mikan had woken up extra early, thanks to Natsume of course, to review her lessons. After taking a short shower, she immediately got dressed, brushed her hair, and prepared her necessary things for the test. She was kind of nervous and excited at the same time. She wished herself good luck before she left the room. Natsume was waiting for her as usual, and after exchanging greetings, more like insults, the two of them headed towards the cafeteria for breakfast. The Special Star breakfast was just delectable. She talked to her friends about the test as she ate, and they all seemed nervous as well. Even Sumire admitted she had a hard time understanding the formulas in physics, but she still got the hang of it. She got to chat with Kyo and Ryou, her two most loyal fans. Kyo was pretty confident about the test, while Ryou was worried about physics.
"I always have a hard time studying," Ryou said, scratching the back of his head, as he played with his chopsticks. "Never seemed to get any information in my head." He chuckled, and some girls just stared at him dreamily.
Kyo rolled his eyes away frustratingly and saw a group of girls making kissy-faces at him at a neighboring table. He simply smiled back at them, making them squeal like a bunch of deranged girls, and shifted his eyes back at Ryou. "You never get any information in your head, because you're just a lazy bum," Kyo said. "If you spend less time flirting and more time studying, I'm sure you'll get good grades."
Ryou clenched his chopsticks firmly to the point he almost broke them. "I would be fine if you'll help me more, Kyo," he muttered with a growl. "Every time we have a study session, you'll always drive me away or make me answer so many difficult questions. I know you're a genius, but can't you be more lenient with me? I am your best friend."
Sipping his orange juice, Kyo let out a sigh and sat the glass back on the table. "You're such a whiner. You annoy me every time we study together. It's only natural of me to drive you away." He looked up at Ryou, throwing him a glare with his heterochromatic eyes. "And I ask you difficult questions to make you learn. What's so wrong about that? At this rate, Ryou, you'll never catch up to me or Mikan-sama."
"Hey, I'm not aiming to be a Special Star or a top student like you," Ryou said before he turned to smile at Mikan. "Don't you think he's being mean to me, Mikan-sama? Kyo always thinks like he's so high and mighty. It's so hard to study with him. I know! How about you and me study together? That'll be great. Mikan-sama is the top student in the middle school division, so I'm sure my grades will be good if I study with you!" After saying all that, he received sharp and deadly glares from half of the boys in the cafeteria. But he was most intimidated by Kyo's and Natsume's eyes. He merely swallowed hard and chuckled to ease his nervousness.
Mikan tapped her chin with her finger, thinking about what Ryou said. "Hmm…Studying together…?" she muttered. She looked up at Ryou again and smiled like an angel. "I'll be glad—" She wasn't able to continue because Natsume covered her mouth with his hand and dragged her away from the cafeteria.
Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme knew very well why Natsume just did that. At the same time, they both spoke in their usual glee. "Getting possessive again…" The both of them sighed as if they were twins. "Nothing new…Nothing new…"
Anna giggled sweetly as she nodded her head in agreement. "Natsume-kun is always like that," she said. "He can be so scary sometimes. I'm pretty impressed that Mikan-chan is able to put up with him. It's definitely love."
Kyo smacked Ryou's head and said, "Why did you have to go on and say that?" He folded his arms in front as he narrowed his gaze. "And I can't believe you're asking her to have a group study with you. You know very well she won't refuse. But have you forgotten that she has a jealous boyfriend? Do you want to get burned? If yes, then go ahead. I'm not stopping you."
Ryou rubbed the sore part of his head and gave his best friend an apologetic look. "Hey, I was merely joking," he said. "But it would be nice to study with her." He was starting to daydream about Mikan until Kyo smacked him again.
"Nice, huh? I bet you can't even concentrate on the notes if you're in the same room as her. Face it, you'll be distracted all the time."
"Yeah, you're right…" Ryou said with a laugh.
After breakfast, all students went to their respective classrooms and waited for the time. Some reviewed their notes, some talked about their lives, and some just stayed quiet in their seats minding their own business. When the bell rang, everyone sat down in their seats, getting their pens and paper out. The first test was going to be Science. For Mikan's class, it was going to be a tough one. Their science teacher wasn't exactly Mr. Sunshine. He was very strict, but he somehow has soft spot for girls. Well, in any case, the students knew what were coming at them.
The science teacher walked into the classroom, looking cold and stern as usual. He was a man in his mid-thirties with a mean temper. He took one good look at the class as he proceeded to the teacher's table. Not a sound was heard from the students and basically that was what he wanted. Silence was gold for him. To get started, he pulled out a stack of test papers from his bag. "The questions are in these booklets," he said without falter. "Please use a blue or black inked pen. Other colors of pen are not allowed or else it's an automatic zero. Fill out all answers in the answer sheet."
As he started to pass out the tests, he heard Kokoyoromi and Kitsuneme whispered something. He immediately approached them and slammed his palm on their desk. "What garbage are you two whispering about?" he questioned them, seriousness filled in his dark eyes.
Kokoroyomi and Kitsuneme shook their heads in unison and said, "It's nothing, sensei." Honestly, they could really pass as twins. "Sorry for the disturbance." Truth to be known, they were just asking each other about lunch. They didn't expect the teacher to hear them, especially when they were whispering very softly.
"Don't let me catch you whispering to each other during the test or it's suspension for the both of you," the teacher said before he returned to the front. He then pulled out a blue orb and set it on the table. He touched the top of it and it started glowing. "As you all know, this orb neutralizes all Alices within a mile radius, so don't bother using your Alices. You may begin the test. You have approximately one hour and a half to finish it. Make sure you don't stay too long in one number."
Mikan wrote her name on the front of her answer sheet neatly. "I have to do my best," she silently told herself. She opened the questionnaire and glanced at the first page. There were several questions about the different laws of physics. Her lips curved into a smile. She had studied well for the test and she actually knew the answer to most of the questions. She reached for her answer sheet and started writing down the answers on the blanks.
And so, the whole week went like a storm. All students had taken up science, math, and history tests for the first day. It was another hell for them the next day. Literature, English, and Japanese were the second set. On the third day was a bit lighter since it was home economics. The fourth day was more pleasing for students who were physically fit because it was just PE and Alice control test. For the whole week there were no time for fun and excitement. Studying was their priority. Most students always hit the library to study or went back to their dorm rooms after the tests. Besides, they knew what was waiting for them after the tests. A week long vacation! It was also the time where the Honor Students will have a chance to go back to their home and spend time with their family.
The weather couldn't be more perfect. Winds howled through trees in a refreshing and gentle motion. The stir whipped up eddies of leaves and petals of flowers. Tree limbs shook as if they were dancing to the music of nature. On her own balcony, Mikan enjoyed the Saturday morning breeze, watching the birds flying about in the sky. She had just woken up from her slumber minutes ago and it felt so good to breath in the fresh air. No more tests, no more school work for next week, so it was all fun and relaxation not only for her but also for the rest of the students as well. She leaned on the railings and giggled at the thought of seeing her grandfather again. She did her best in the test, but she can't be too sure if she got top spot.
She walked back in her room, knowing she had to get ready for her date with Natsume. She felt pretty excited. It has been a while since she last went on a date with him. After doing her morning bathroom rituals, she got dressed in a yellow tube top, pink v-neck top with 3/4 sleeves and white lace, and cream layered chiffon mini-skirt. For accessories she put on her favorite Sakura items, the Sakura Sensor pin and the Sakura pendant. She decided to leave her hair down and brushed it nicely. The bag of her choice for the day was a white bag with floral designs. To complete her look, she wore a carnation pink wedge with floral detail. Satisfied with the outfit, she applied lip gloss and powder. After that, she was all set.
Checking the time, she noticed that she still has fifteen minutes to get to the bus stop. She was sure Natsume was already waiting for her there, since he was the type to be early all the time. Leaving her room, she pranced along the hallways and hummed a lovely tune. When she reached the ground floor, she spotted Kyo and Ryou having a conversation by the doorway. She walked up to them and greeted them cheerfully, and the two fans were astounded as they looked at her.
Ryou was almost close to drooling. "Mikan-sama, you look gorgeous!" he said in his fan-boy mode. "I love what you're wearing. It suits you."
Mikan let out a sweet giggle. "Thank you," she said. "I'm glad you like it. I hope Natsume will like it as well." Knowing her boyfriend, he would rather insult her than compliment her. She would only hear him say nice things rarely, but she knew how much he loved seeing her in cute outfits.
"So, you're going on a date with Hyuuga," Kyo said, an idea striking his head. "That's good. Have fun with him, Mikan-sama."
She nodded her head. "I will!" she said excitedly. "I'll see you later, Kyo-kun, Hibiki-kun!" Waving her hand at them, she walked away as quickly as possible. There were only ten minutes left on the clock. She had to get to the bus stop on time or else Natsume would scold her for being late.
"I envy that Hyuuga," Ryou said, placing both hands behind his head, as he leaned against the door. "He gets to date such a beautiful girl like Mikan-sama. You know, it makes me wanna spy on their date, but Hyuuga will probably kill me if he sees me." He let out an awkward laugh before the turned to his best friend. He noticed the mischievous look in Kyo's heterochromatic eyes. He knew that look. It could only mean one thing. Kyo has an idea.
"Then let's go spy on them, shall we?" Kyo said, smirking at Ryou. "While we're at it, let's play some tricks on Hyuuga. Of course, it's not to ruin their date or anything. Let's just tease the guy a bit. What do you say, Ryou?" He slightly raised a fist.
Ryou liked what he was thinking and immediately agreed. He locked his own fist with Kyo's and grinned widely. "This is going to be fun," he said.
Five minutes left. Mikan was going to make it. The bus stop was already in sight. Leaves of the colors red and gold swirled down from high above her as she stomped through piles of leaves on the path. When she had reached the bus stop, she stood by the sign and looked around. It was weird. Natsume was not yet around. Wondering if he was late or not, she paced back and forth, as people looked at her as if she was crazy. Well, some boys can't help staring at her, especially her creamy legs, but Mikan was oblivious to the admiration she was getting.
One guy, who happened to pass by, had intentions of flipping her skirt up. Before he could even lay one finger on Mikan, his sleeve started burning. Shocked, he ran away to find the nearest water source right away in panic. Mikan was too busy thinking about Natsume to even notice what happened behind her. The one responsible for the fire was wearing a dark-blue shirt with 'Bad Boy' printed on it, black jacket and jeans, and for footwear he wore a pair of black Nike shoes. He approached Mikan and lightly hit her head with his fist. "Why are you spacing out at a place like this, polka-dots?" he said casually.
Mikan smiled at the sound of his voice. "Natsume!" She immediately spun around and gave him a hug. "It's good that you're here! For a minute there, I thought you weren't coming. Why are you late anyway?"
Natsume shrugged as he glared down at her. He would not miss the date for anything. "I'm not late," he muttered. "I've arrived here 15 minutes ago. You're the one who's late by thirty seconds."
"What? You counted it?!" Mikan was rather surprised that he would care to keep in-check with the time. "Well, I'm not really late. It's just thirty seconds."
He rolled his eyes away. "Whatever…You're still late," he said nonchalantly, and Mikan just pouted. As she pulled herself away from him and turned to look at the incoming bus, he took the opportunity to gaze upon her. He had always found Mikan to be undeniably stunning in any outfit she wore. The one she was wearing was exceptionally cute on her and he loved how much skin she was showing. However, some ill-mannered guys around can't help but look at her. She was a complete head-turner. And when he heard some guy whistling like a wolf at Mikan, he immediately draped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer. This was one way to show them that she was his alone.
The bus had finally arrived and the couple boarded the vehicle along with other passengers. They took a seat at the second to the last seat to the right. Mikan sat by the window while Natsume kept his arm around her. During the ride to Central Town, Natsume happened to make eye contact with an old lady sitting on the seat to the left of the same row.
The old lady gave him a gentle smile. "My, you're fine-looking young man," she said. "Is that your girlfriend?"
Mikan was watching the view of the outside, thinking about happy and exciting things about their date. Natsume simply glance at her briefly before he turned back to the old lady. "She is…" he answered.
"I was observing her at the bus stop," the old lady said, putting on a concerned look. "She is a lovely young lady. I'm sure she will bloom into a lovelier flower some day. And she seems so nice. Young man, tell me, do you love her with all your heart?"
Natsume didn't want to say it out loud, but it would be rude not to answer the old lady. Without a sound, he simply nodded his head as an answer. Of course, he loved Mikan more than anything else. She was irreplaceable in his heart.
"You may not look like it, but you're actually one shy fellow," the old lady said with a giggle. "Do continue to protect her like what you did at the bus stop. You will continue to face obstacles in life, but I'm sure someday you two will be a happily wedded couple."
He was happy to hear such words, but he maintained his stoic face. Feeling a tug on his sleeve, he turned to Mikan who was pointing at some floating balloons in the sky. She even had a big smile on her face. Honestly, his girlfriend can be such a child, and he sometimes doesn't hesitate to spoil her. She was too hard to resist anyway. And when they've arrived at Central Town, Mikan childishness became more obvious as she started pulling him out of the bus in a hurry. Natsume bid the old lady a silent goodbye and thanks by merely bowing his head a little and left the bus with Mikan.
Mikan released his arm and twirled around to face him. "We're finally here!" she exclaimed, flailing her arms up high. "Where do you want to go first, Natsume? The arcade? The candy shop? Boutiques?"
Natsume grunted and placed a finger on her lips to stop her from talking. "You're annoying," he said. "If you want me to enjoy, try to be less loud. It's already embarrassing enough for me to stand beside an immature girl like you." Again, he didn't hesitate to insult her totally.
However, Mikan was so used to his attitude that she didn't get angry at him. "Don't be a kill joy now, Natsume," she said in a lively tone. "We're here to have fun!" She started dragging him to the first boutique she spotted without giving him the chance to reply. She knew he would just complain to her.
As they went inside the boutique, an attendant welcomed them with a smile. "Good morning, madam, sir," she said. "We have a fine selection of clothing. If you'd like, I would recommend you to some of the trendiest clothes here."
Much to Natsume's dismay, Mikan had spent an hour and a half fitting tons of clothes. Shopping with girls could be such a drag, and as a guy, Natsume was completely bored while he waited for Mikan to finish. He did enjoy seeing Mikan in different kinds of outfits, especially the sexy ones, but he didn't give much of a compliment to her. Mikan had picked three new clothes to buy, and when she was about to pay for them, Natsume gave his credit card instead.
"Natsume, I could've paid for them," Mikan said, taking out her own credit card from her blue wallet with pink cherry blossom patterns on it. "I have money too."
The attendant gave him back his credit card after swiping it and the plastic bag with the purchased clothes. "You're not going to spend anything for this day," he said, seriousness present in his voice. "So, don't worry about a thing." He grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the boutique.
Mikan sighed and hugged her handbag with one hand. "But I feel bad about this…" she said. "Don't you think it's unfair if you're the only one spending?"
"It's fine with me," Natsume said, clamping one hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him. "I want this day to be perfect for you, so I'll do the paying. Just feel flattered than I'm doing this for you."
Mikan's lips curved into a smile. "Natsume…" she muttered sweetly as she touched his hand on her shoulder. "You're such an unpredictable guy. Thank you for doing this." She embraced him for a short while before she stood beside him and held his hand. She looked up at him, her eyes softening, and smiled gracefully.
"Let's not waste time anymore," he said coolly as he gently squeezed her hand.
The two of them continued their romantic date for the rest of the morning. Unknown to them, two fan boys were actually spying on them. Kyo and Ryou had deliberately followed them everywhere they went. Thanks to the 'Invincible Bracelets' Kyo borrowed from his sister, they were able to follow the loving couple in stealth. Seeing Mikan clinging to Natsume all the time made them a little jealous. Ryou wished that he was Natsume at the moment, and Kyo didn't give a damn about Ryou's fantasies. At lunch time, Kyo saw the couple going into McDonalds. This time, Kyo decided to spy on them by blending in with the crowd. It was a good thing he also brought the 'Compact Appearance Changer' of his sister. The device allows them to change their appearance in a flash with one press of a button.
"I've just though of something," Ryou said, pointing at the device. "What the hell did you do to convince your sister to lend you her stuff?"
Kyo sweat dropped and laughed awkwardly. "Well, I actually just…erm…"
Ryou narrowed his hazel eyes at his best friend. "You stole them, didn't you?" he said in an accusing tone, as Kyo grinned. "Asuka is so going to kill you, you know."
"I didn't actually steal them," Kyo said, scratching the tip of his nose with his finger. "I just borrowed them without her permission."
"That's still stealing!!" Ryou shouted.
Kyo knew it was stealing and he knew he was going to be murdered once his sister finds out. Well, he just has to return the items before she finds out. That was what he was going to do to avoid the wrath of her paper fan. "Anyway, let's continue our spy work," he said, pressing a button on the compact. In an instant, he quickly changed into a 10-year old boy with matching blue-shirt, black pants and rubber shoes. He looked at himself, smiling in satisfaction, and then handed the compact to Ryou.
Ryou was rather surprised with Kyo's appearance, and he wondered if he should change into a kid as well. After giving some thought, he decided to change into an adult. He modified the settings, but he pressed one button by mistake. He was able to change his appearance, but not the one he desired. In actuality, he changed into a 16-year old high school girl.
"What have you done to yourself?" Kyo said, laughing and pointing at Ryou. He couldn't believe that Ryou would be clumsy enough to turn himself into a girl. But he had to admit that Ryou turned out to be a beautiful girl. He or rather, she now had silky long dark hair with green highlights, sharp hazel eyes, a curvaceous body, and long slender legs. And as a girl, he was wearing a black denim tube blouse, overlapped with a black denim jacket, and tight boot-legged jeans, and black high-heeled sandals.
The guy who was now a girl checked his reflection at a nearby shop and paled at what he saw. "How did this happen?!" he exclaimed in a girly voice. "What the?! My voice changed too!" It was a high-pitch one too. Man, it wasn't his day. It was embarrassing for a popular guy like him to change into a girl.
Kyo couldn't stop laughing at him. It was too funny. His best friend was known to be a playboy who likes flirting with women all the time, and now he was one. "Ryou, you better calm down," he said, trying to stop his laughter. "I know you're upset about this, but this is your fault."
"Don't rub it in!" Ryou said with a sigh. "This is such a drag, man. I want to change." He modified the settings again on the compact.
"Stop it!" Kyo swiped the compact away from Ryou and hid it in his pocket. "No more changing. Just be satisfied with the way you look now. Remember, we're here to spy on Mikan-sama and Hyuuga." He stifled back his laughter.
"But I don't want to be a girl," Ryou said, acting all girly like, as he touched his breast. He was still a pervert. "Man, these things are pretty heavy." And he was referring to his breasts. The device was an ingenious invention all right. His bust size was D-cup and they were awfully soft. He kind of liked groping them.
Kyo flushed red. "You perverted moron, stop fondling!" He swiftly kicked Ryou in the shin, making him hop around in pain. "We've got more important things to do."
Mikan and Natsume were already eating their food. Mikan was having a spaghetti meal with iced tea, while Natsume was having a large cheeseburger, fries, and soft drink. Mikan kept a steady conversation about her grandfather. She really wished to see him again. She was also planning to buy the old guy a gift later just in case she gets the Honor Student award again. If not, then she could just mail it. Sipping her drink, she noticed two people coming into the restaurant. A ten-year old boy with platinum-blue hair caught her eye. She didn't know why but she felt like she knew the boy. She observed the boy and the lady with him ordering food at the counter.
"Don't you think he's cute?" Mikan said, as the boy reached into his pocket to grab money. She didn't know why the boy had to pay for his companion as well. It should be the senior who should treat the junior. "But that girl is also beautiful. They're a pair of unfamiliar faces."
Natsume took a bite of his burger before turning to the people she was looking at. Seeing the platinum-blue hair reminded him of Kawashima Kyo right away—even the hair style was similar. Shifting his view to the high school girl, he heard her referring to herself as 'Ore' when she talked to the boy. It was strange. Girls normally wouldn't refer to themselves 'Ore' because it's a manly term to refer to oneself. And the dark-haired girl didn't look like a tomboy either.
After paying for the food, Ryou and Kyo headed towards the table right beside the couple's. When they neared Natsume, Kyo pretended to nag Ryou and knocked the tray of food away. Kyo made it seemed like it was an accident as the tray landed on Natsume. Ryou had no idea that Kyo would do such a thing, and he was beginning to feel nervous. "I-I'm…I'm so sorry about that!" he said, bowing his head at Natsume.
"Natsume, are you all right?" Mikan asked, taking out her handkerchief.
Natsume wasn't hurt or anything, but he was real pissed. Two cups of soft drinks got spilled on him, and one cup was sitting on his head upside down. Fries were scattered on his clothes, and two burgers were on his lap. Because of the drinks, he was feeling sticky. He shot a glare at the high school girl and clenched his fist.
Oh, man, he's angry…This is Kyo's fault! Ryou kept on bowing like an idiot. "I'm so sorry. My junior was pretty clumsy. He didn't mean to." He shoved Kyo in front of him and forced him to bow. "Come on, you should say sorry as well."
Kyo wanted to laugh at Natsume, but he kept his cool and pretended that he was just a mere child doing foolishness. "I'm sorry, Nii-san," he said.
"Natsume, they're saying sorry," Mikan said, sensing Natsume's rage inside. She stood up and went to his side to wipe his face. "Don't get mad at them, please… It was just an accident."
The flame-caster sighed in frustration. "This is nothing," he said, rising up from his seat. "I need to go to the bathroom." Without much fuss, he walked away from the table and headed towards the comfort room.
Kyo sat down beside Mikan and put on a worried face. "Nee-chan, I'm sorry for what I did to Nii-san," he said. "But Nii-san looks very angry. He's pretty scary."
Mikan uneasily smiled at the young boy. "Yeah, he is scary, but he's really a nice guy," she said. "Don't worry about him. A little thing like that is not enough to get him angry." And then she noticed the boy's eyes. The boy had heterochromatic eyes. One eye was crimson and the other one was green. Those eyes and the hair reminded her of Kyo.
Kyo figured it was time to scram before Natsume comes back. He walked over to his female companion and held her hand. "Sorry again for the trouble, Nee-chan," he said. "I think we have to eat at some other place, right Ryouko-senpai?" He smiled innocently at Ryou.
Okay, what did Kyo just call him? Ryouko-senpai? That was the female version of his name. He had the urge to strangle Kyo, but he maintained his calmness. "Um…Yeah…Let's go now," he said as he came up with a name to call Kyo, "Ka-chan…" He just shortened Kyo's surname, Kawashima.
"Ka-chan??" Kyo muttered, raising a brow.
"What a cute name, Ka-chan!" Mikan said, giggling sweetly, and Kyo just blushed.
That nickname is ridiculous. Kyo wanted to hit Ryou so much. "Okay, let's go!" he said in a controlled voice as he hauled Ryou out of the restaurant. He brought Ryou to an alley and kicked him again in the shin. "What kind of name is Ka-chan?! Can't you at least give any decent name?!" Kyo ran his hand through his hair in aggravation.
"Well, the name you gave me isn't so great either," Ryou said, placing his hands on his waist. "Ryouko-chan, huh? You've gotta be kidding me?! That's a girl's name!"
Kyo grew more irritated. He pulled out the compact and changed into his original form again. "I called you Ryouko because you're a girl at this moment, you dumbass!" He smacked Ryou and sent him flying across the alley. "Sheesh…If I called you by your name or a guy's name, Mikan-sama would have been suspicious of us."
Ryou wasn't listening anymore, because he was barely unconscious as he lay on a pile of garbage. His vision was spinning. It was only after Ryou poked his temple that he snapped back. "Kyo!" He grabbed Kyo by the collar and stared angrily at him. "Did you have to hit me?! Don't you know that hitting a girl is a serious offense," he exclaimed.
"Yeah, right…As if you're a girl, stupid," Kyo said, changing Ryou back to a guy with the invention. "Come on, we have more spying to do. It's fun to annoy Hyuuga a lot."
Ryou smirked and got back to his feet. "You got that right," he said, brushing off some dirt from his clothes. "Where do you think they'll go next after lunch? Movies perhaps or the arcade?"
"I don't know," Kyo replied. "But we'll continue to follow them wherever they go."
For the rest of the day, Natsume had encountered unfortunate events during the date. He was glad Mikan was having a good time and nothing bad was happening to her, but he was seriously annoyed with the bad luck he was having. Soft drinks and food were spilled on him during lunch, his ice cream had mysterious disappeared after giving Mikan hers, he almost got hit by a flying metal pipe which appeared out of nowhere, and whenever he gets intimate with Mikan, something will disturb their moment. How can such bad things keep happening to him? He was thinking that someone might be pulling a prank on him. He hasn't seen anyone following them. With his keen senses, he should have detected anyone suspicious.
As they entered the park, a pink ball came out of nowhere and hit his head hard. Crouching, he rubbed his poor head and muttered some silent curses in his head. Okay, he was definitely a bad-luck magnet for the day. Why does it keep happening? Did someone curse him?
"Are you all right, Natsume?" Mikan asked, kneeling down to his level, as she touched his head. "What happened?"
Natsume rose up and picked up the pink ball. "Someone threw this stupid ball at me," he growled, looking around to see the one responsible. He saw children playing at the playground, some couples minding their own business and kids roaming around with skateboards. None of them seemed to be the owner of the pink ball. It suddenly reminded him of the time when Youichi and Mikan kissed. The ball actually caused them to kiss, and it looked like it was the same ball as before. Coincidence? He doubted it.
"I wonder whose ball is that," Mikan said, poking the pink ball.
"I could care less about this stupid ball," he muttered, carelessly throwing the ball away towards the trees. "Let's go…" He took Mikan and went out of the park.
The ball Natsume threw bounced from branch to branch and landed on Ryou's head by accident. "Ouch!" Ryou exclaimed, grabbing the ball and attempting to rip it apart. "Why did this ball have to hit me?!"
Kyo took the ball away from Ryou. "Idiot, don't mess with it!" he exclaimed. "It doesn't even belong to you." He then handed the ball over to the owner who was standing right next to him.
The owner was a young middle school girl with big brown eyes. Her shoulder-length dark hair was tied in a half-ponytail with a blue ribbon. She was clad in a simple long sleeved baby-blue buttoned dress that reached up to her knees and white ankle-length boots. From her innocent-looking face and her timid behavior, one can definitely tell that she was a kind girl. Yup, she was none other than Sugita Aya, another avid admirer of Mikan. She was shopping for new ribbons in Central Town when she spotted Ryou and Kyo spying on Mikan and Natsume. She immediately knew who they were because Kyo and Ryou were famous around the academy. She thought they were planning to ruin the date, so she sneaked up on them. Even though she was shy, she didn't hesitate to tell them to stop following the couple.
In order to clear up things, Kyo took the liberty of explaining things well to Aya. He then asked her to join their little spy work, in which she agreed upon, and ended up throwing a ball at Natsume. Truth to be known, at the Alice Festival, she was also the one who threw the ball at Youichi, but it wasn't on purpose.
"We better go before we lose sight of them," Kyo said, walking out of the bushes only to bump into Ogasawara Nonoko. His collision with her caused her to lose balance. Luckily, he was fast enough to catch her hand. "Ogasawara-san, I'm very sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you like that." He spoke politely to Nonoko.
Ryou and Aya decided to stay hidden from view so they could watch Kyo and Nonoko. "Let's see what Kyo will do now that Ogasawara Nonoko is here," he said, rubbing his chin, as he put on a sly look. "This is such an unexpected meeting. It seems like we're going to stop spying on Mikan-sama and Hyuuga."
"Is that so?" Aya tilted her head in confusion. "Um…Hibiki-san, is Kawashima-san and that girl close?"
"You could say that…" Ryou has not heard anything yet about Kyo's real feelings towards Nonoko. But he could sense that Kyo was slowly falling for Nonoko. "What do you think, Sugita? Do they make a good couple?"
Aya nodded her head with a smile. "Although I don't know them much, I do think they will make a good couple. I've heard that Kawashima-san is a gentleman. I'm sure he'll take good care of her when they'll become an item." She hugged her ball like a teddy bear as she giggled.
Kyo and Nonoko have engaged in a pleasant conversation. The two of them seemed to be in their own world. Nonoko would blush every now and then, especially when Kyo laughs and smiles at her. Ryou decided to leave the two, so he dragged Aya and himself out of the park quietly. "Since Kyo is going to be busy, why don't you and I spend some time together?" he asked Aya as he winked an eye.
"Well…I…d-don't…know a-about that…Hibiki-san…" Aya was stuttering badly. She wasn't used to having a boy she barely knew talking to her so casually. Not only was he inviting her to go out with him, his positively attractive charms was causing her to be nervous.
Ryou patted her shoulder and smiled handsomely at her. "Come on, Sugita, I won't bite," he said. "I promise to take you back to the dorm before dark. What do you say?" He considered Aya to be really cute, so it would be great to spend time with her. Ryou would date any cute and beautiful girls out there.
To be continued…
JC: Oh, wow… I'm pretty tired after writing this. My eyes feel like they want to fall out. School is already hell. I'm currently taking up a double major course. Pressure is getting to me already. That's a life of a student. So, how was this chapter? It's pretty light for now. It will take a while till the plot thickens again. The characters deserve a break. Kyo and Ryou were just fooling around with Natsume. At least, they didn't try to ruin the date totally. Kyo and Nonoko would have their moments in the next chapter. Another thing to be pointed out here is Tsubasa. You're probably wondering what he told Natsume. Feel free to guess. He will have a serious talk with Natsume in the next chapter. Finally Hotaru will return. Please review. No flaming.
