DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GA.
CHAPTER 36: The longest time that I could give
"Does Natsume-nii have to leave when you go back to our kingdom?" Aoi asked. "Please say no." They both prayed.
"It would be better if it would be that way." Kaory replied.
"But I still can't go." Natsume answered. "I… I'm not yet ready to say goodbye to all of them, especially to tou-san and kaa-san." He continued softly. "Can't you give him some time more, mom? You know. Something like a time allotment or something like that. I know that you know how hard it is to say goodbye to someone, especially to someone whom you hold really dear to your heart." Aoi said.
Kaoru sighed. "Well, then I guess I don't have any other choice. Natsume, I'm giving you another week to stay here and then settle whatever business that you have to settle. After that week, I would be coming back here and then I would be the one who personally bring you back to the kingdom."
"One week only?" Natsume asked while Kaoru nodded in return. "That's the longest time that I could give you, honey." She replied softly. "Please don't think that I'm being too harsh on you. But I know that you know that as a royal, there are some duties that you must fulfill whether you like it or not. So please make the most out of it. Cherish every second of it, because you may never know if it would happen again."
"So does that mean that after that week Natsume-nii would also be leaving me?" Aoi asked sadly.
"He has to, sweetie. There are things back in our home that needs to be settled. You agreed to the Sakura Royals that you would be staying here with them until Mikan's wedding, and so that you would also be able to spend some time with Youichi, remember? You can't just leave just like that. A princess must –"
"Always finish whatever she has started." Aoi finished the sentence. "I know, mom. But it's just that I just knew that he's my brother a few days ago and then after a week you would be taking him away from me. And then after that week I still have a month to stay here until Mikan-nee's wedding which she doesn't even want to attend in the first place. Can't you just make nii-chan stay here until the wedding? Pretty please with sugar lumps on top? And besides, he works for his foster father. What would happen to them if Natsume-nii would leave?" Aoi pleaded while Kaoru shook her head.
"I'm afraid that can't be, sweetie. You know the condition of the Fire Kingdom since the day your brother disappeared, right? And now that he's here, things can finally be settled. You don't have to worry about a thing. You would be able to see your brother anyway after Mikan's marriage. And for his foster parents, we would just be the ones providing them everything that they need like basic necessities including the medicines of Toru-san. It's our sign of gratitude for taking care of Natsume for quite a long period of time."
"But mom – "
"No more buts young lady. Don't be so stubborn."
"Hai." Aoi mumbled.
"Okay, now the two of you may do whatever you want. But please keep in mind everything that I have told you, especially you, Natsume. I will be going to my quarters and I shall be resting as well. I had gone through a long travel just to get here." And with that, Kaoru left the princess' room.
Aoi then plopped herself onto her bed. "This sucks, nii-chan. What are we gonna do?" She whined.
"I don't know." Natsume stated. "She seemed to be real serious a while ago."
"Okay, now what happened here?" Youichi asked as they entered the room. "Why does the two of you look so down?" Ruka asked. "Yeah, it's so unlikely for the Hyuuga princess to be looking like that." Tsubasa commented.
"Should we tell them everything?" Aoi asked her brother. "Go ahead. They'll eventually know anyway so we might as well tell them now. But I don't know if we could trust that guy. His mother was the one who spilled everything to mom." Natsume answered while Tsubasa and Natsume glared at each other.
"Tell us what?" Hotaru and Mikan chorused. "And don't worry, he's on our side." Hotaru stated.
"Well, now that mom has proven that Natsume-nii is really the prince of our kingdom, she's very decided to take him back along with her when she goes home." Aoi started as she took the liberty of explaining things.
"So Natsume-nii is going to leave tomorrow?" Youichi asked in shock.
"No. We kind of convinced mom to give nii-chan an allowance. But the thing is, she only gave Natsume-nii a week to fix everything that he has to settle like saying goodbyes. She also said that one week is the longest time that she could give to nii-chan. So whether he likes it or not, he would be fetched by mom after a week and then he would stay in the Fire Kingdom for good." Aoi continued.
"Does anyone else know that he's the prince?" Hotaru asked.
"Iie. But mom said that she would let the public know by tomorrow that the prince of the Fire Kingdom is alive. Knowing her, it might be announced tonight." Aoi replied.
"She has a point." Ruka commented. "I saw Auntie Kaoru enter the quarters of Uncle Izumi and Auntie Yuka. By now they may be talking about the matter at hand."
"Only a week left to be with Natsume?" Mikan thought sadly as a warm porcelain tear fell down her eye and going down her cheeks. And after a little while, a few more batches of tears fell down continuously. She then ran out of the room.
"Poor baka." Hotaru stated. "Of all the people that would be very much affected about this would be her."
"Why the hell did she run off like that?" Natsume blurted out. "Was she crying? I thought I saw tears on her face."
"And I thought that Mikan-nee was the only baka in this palace." Youichi commented. "Natsume-nii, why don't you go out and follow her and then see what's wrong?" Aoi suggested.
Natsume cocked an eyebrow at her. "And why would I even do that?"
"Oh come on already." Tsubasa said out loud. "It's quite obvious that you like her so why do you have to act that wat? I never wanted to push through with the wedding because I still love Misaki and then I noticed that she likes someone else."
"I know that she likes someone else, baka. You don't have to rub it in my face." Natsume retaliated.
"But do you even know that you are the one that she likes?" Tsubasa snapped while everyone else glared at him. "Oops. Gomen. I slipped."
BAKA BAKA BAKA!
"Hey! I said I was sorry! I just kind of snapped. He's also a very dense person! He needs a hand to realize some basic things!" Tsubasa defended himself as he stood up.
"Polka likes me?" Natsume thought.
Tsubasa then looked at Natsume again and he only saw him spacing out. With this he got irritated so he controlled his shadow and then flipped him over. Natsume then glared at him. "Oi what are you still doing there? You like her, she likes you! I already told you whatever you need to know. Why can't you be honest with what you feel just this once? Do you still expect me to control your shadow too and then put to wherever she went?"
"Tsubasa has a point, Natsume." Ruka stated. "You should go now. Go and find her and then tell her."
"You should keep in mind that you only have a week left, nii-chan. Just like what mom said, cherish every second the most because you don't know if it would happen again." Aoi added.
"Now that you know that your friendship with her will not be risked anymore, you should go and tell her about how you feel. The feelings are mutual so you don't have to worry about anything." Youichi butted in.
Hotaru sighed. "Do I have to say some inspiring words like them just for you get up and go out? Just do whatever they are telling you. But if you even make her cry, you're dead. Got that?"
And with that, Natsume finally got his senses back, ran out the door, and then headed out to look for the brunette. "Finally." They all said in unison. "Please tell me that they would be together after this evening." Tsubasa pleaded.
"We are all hoping for that to happen, you know." Hotaru replied.
"I never thought that he could be so stubborn." Aoi mumbled. "It's really hard convincing him."
"I just hope everything goes well between the two of them" Youichi stated.
"Well, let's all relax as we wait for whatever outcome it may be. Getting all stressed out is not good for the body. Let's just watch TV until lunch is ready." Ruka suggested as he turned on the TV.
"Hello Alice, hello world! This is Yuu Tobita for your Alice News! And this would be latest and the biggest news for this day! Just a little while ago the Fire Kingdom queen, Queen Kaoru Hyuuga told us the the fire prince, Prince Natsume Hyuuga, is alive! Yes, everyone. There are absolutely no doubts about it! He is alive. He survived the storm and was taken care of by a humble couple in the Alice Kingdom. The poor boy lost his memories the night of the incident and the queen knew a while ago that he was able to regain some parts of his memories, specifically about his best friend and his family."
"Queen Kaoru herself went to the Alice Kingdom for clarifications and it was therefore concluded that he was the real prince because he passed with flying colors all of the questions asked by the queen. And not only that, my fellow alices! He also has the mark that signifies that you're a real Hyuuga aside from raven hair and the crimson eyes. He has the heart shape birthmark on his right wrist! This heart shaped birthmark can only be found on a full blooded Hyuuga!"
"This is really exciting everyone! And every person in the Fire Kingdom is psyched up to see their beloved prince once again. It is said that the Hyuuga Prince would be escorted by her mother back to the Fire Kingdom a week from today. I repeat, a week from today. That would mean that he only has seven days left to stay in the Alice Kingdom. That would be all for the breaking news. Please stay tuned for the next hours to know the recent updates. Once again, this is Yuu Tobita of Alice News!"
Ruka then shut the TV off. "Oh boy, this is bad."
"What the? I thought mom would announce it to the public tomorrow morning? It has only been thirty minutes after we had a talk!" Aoi shrieked.
"Relax, Aoi." Youichi said. "There's nothing much that we can do about it anyway. For sure she has already told mom and dad about it that's why she told the public about it immediately."
"Though it sucks on Natsume's part the most." Tsubasa commented. "He's out for only Kami–sama knows where, looking for the one he loves so that he can confess his feelings. And then little did he know that it is being announced to the whole world that he's the prince. I just hope that he's in the palace grounds by this time."
"What do you mean, Tsubasa-san? What would happen to Natsume-nii if he's outside?"
"Well, by this time, everyone may have heard about the news. And if he was found outside the palace with Mikan-chan, it's not unusual for them to be surrounded by people. It's as if they are celebrities and then their fans are going crazy over the two of them. You know how commoners react when they see royals. They all get out of control."
"Shadow boy has a point." Hotaru stated.
"Oh boy." Aoi said with worry. "Natsume-nii, Mikan-nee, please be safe."