04 Absent

"Please stop giving the impression that you're trying to commit homicide towards the poor innocent tomatoes," Ruka commented. Hotaru had been staring at the baby tomatoes quite hard. He saw her face hardening. "I get it that it irritates you, not knowing where she is, but Hotaru, people are giving you odd looks now." He looked around and true enough, other people were giving them glances.

Lately, she had been doing things absent-mindedly a lot and it worried Ruka because Hotaru was never like that. Never. Hotaru took pride in whatever she did and she's a person with a lot of focus in her mind. But now, it seemed half the stuff she did, she did them sub-consciously. Like why she's standing there looking at baby tomatoes when they were looking at fish a minute ago. Tomatoes weren't even in their list of groceries to buy.

"Hotaru, I think we should skip the tomatoes today, okay?" He pulled her by the wrist with his free hand while the other carried the basket filled with groceries. They went to the counter and Ruka gave her back a light push. "I'll take care of the bill, you wait outside." And Hotaru headed out, leaving him behind.

Ruka sighed and put the basket on the counter. He waited for the cashier to scan the things from his basket one by one. He glanced at the entrance and wondered where Hotaru had gone off when he couldn't spot her anywhere. He told her to wait outside, but not away from his line of sight. His girl had really lost a wire inside her smart and brainy head. He heaved a heavy sigh, remembering what actually triggered it.

Mikan had been missing.

Nine days ago, Mikan's guardian (whoever that was because the teacher didn't mention any names) had called the school and informed of her absent due to poor health. The same happened on the day after that, which was the last day of school before summer vacation started. It was obviously ridiculous because Mikan was perfectly healthy the day before that.

Hotaru didn't know about her being absent for school, certainly not about her being sick as well because there was no texts or no calls from Mikan. There was actually one phone call from her though—after she tried to call her like four times when Hotaru didn't pick up. She thought she had made it clear to Mikan that she would be busy that night because Ruka's parents were coming over to her house to discuss a very important matter. Hence she didn't pick up. And Mikan looked like she understood it too.

But when her phone kept buzzing with calls from Mikan, Hotaru thought it would be some sort of emergency—thinking that she still called her endlessly despite knowing that the important dinner should not be disturbed—so she excused herself to answer the call. But it was only Mikan rambling random stuff. A vein actually popped on Hotaru's head. She ended the call just as quick but not before calling her a baka. However, there was no hint of her being sick when she talked to her at that time. Or any weird hint whatsoever.

But now, Hotaru couldn't reach Mikan on her cellphone. Although she wasn't particularly surprised because Mikan had recently developed a habit of changing her phone number repeatedly—but to be honest, that new habit of hers irritated Hotaru a little because it was so troublesome whenever she tried to reach her. So she decided to take the easiest and yet, less burdensome way to reach her; by going to her house.

What's even more ridiculous was that, when she went to her house, nobody was answering the door. No matter how many times she pushed the bells, there wasn't any reply. The house was void of any human presence. She even forced Ruka to climb the gate and take a look inside the house through the glass door. It was dark inside. And it was only past 4 in the evening at that time, it wasn't supposed to be that dark inside the house if there were people in it.

Hotaru didn't like how it had now become. She had a bad feeling about it, especially when she remembered about that phone call Mikan gave her where she should have pressed further and asked if she's okay or not; instead of calling her a baka and hanged up. But she was indeed very busy that night. It was a nerve wrecking dinner for her after all. She needed all the focus she could get.

The dinner went well and she should feel relief that it did but now she didn't feel good. It was as though a bile was stuck in her chest. Oh yes, it was the guilt.

Ruka paid his bills and grabbing for the plastic bags, he headed out. Stopping outside the entrance, he looked around, looking for Hotaru. Just then, he raised his eyebrows upon seeing the sight playing before his eyes. Across the street, he managed to spot Hotaru all right.

She was seen dragging a struggling boy by his collar and by the look of it, he didn't seem to be enjoyed being dragged. Nor did he seem like he wanted to go where she's dragging him. She then took him by the corner of a small café—where it was slightly cloaked by the silhouette of the opposite tall building, making it a less noticeable by passersby—and threw him against the wall.

Ruka saw the poor boy slightly winced when his back was slammed against the wall. He also could see the boy stiffen up but his stare didn't go waver against Hotaru's. He held his ground with such bravery and by the look of it, it would seem like he's ready to go on a face off with Hotaru. Hotaru on the other hand, it was odd how Ruka imagined a dark blizzard seemed to be emitted from her back at the same time right now. She seemed to be getting in her old zone again.

Crossing the street, he headed to where they were. Now that he looked closely, if Hotaru were to emit dark blizzard, he could imagined a wild firestorm coming from the boy. The air was intense but it's only because they were staring each other down. "I won't stop you guys but please consider the place first before any one of you start punching or pulling each other's hair out," he said drily.

"Ruka, I caught him," Hotaru announced with a flat tone. Her stare didn't leave Youichi.

Ruka was too amused to say anything right now. The whole scene was just too funny for him. Hotaru with her amethyst eyes sparkled, looking like she finally and successfully caught a sacrificing lamb and the lamb with his tired looking eyes, looked like he didn't give a shit anymore. "Against his will, I'm sure," Ruka commented.

She glanced at Ruka. "It's because he was running away." She threw a look at the silver haired lad who was now looking as close as blowing up.

"Because you were chasing me!" he growled. He fixed his collar and dusted his shirt. "Your aura could pass off as a serial killer, of course I would run."

"I'm close in being one right now," she muttered darkly. She took a few steps forward and poked a slender finger on his chest. "Start talking, Youichi." When she sensed that he was about to twist a question around, she immediately cut him off. "I suggest you not to wriggle your way out of this. You know what I mean so don't pull my leg right now," Hotaru warned him. Her face grew serious. "Why isn't anybody at home? Where's Mikan? Did she get sick so bad that she has to be hospitalized?"

"Ah." Youichi' chuckled, suddenly remembering it. "That was actually me. I called the school and told them that." Because no one bother to so he had to do it for her. Oh well, he had fun doing it.

Hotaru blinked her eyes then a furrow followed after on her face. "She's not sick?" Although she should be asking why Youichi did that in the first place—calling the school and pretending to be a guardian.

Youichi shook his head. "She's healthy as a horse even."

"Then where is she?" Hotaru narrowed her eyes suspiciously when she sensed Youichi suddenly became silent. The movement was barely visible but it didn't go pass her eyes, not when she's finally getting back in her zone. Her hearing and eyesight could be shaper than a kitchen knife right now. Her gaze turned smoldering and sharp. "Start talking," she growled.

Youichi turned his head around. "She's scary," he commented drily. Hotaru Imai is like the combination of a human and a medusa—but without the hair and a little expressionless. Oh how he thought it was just a myth right before his sister became friends with her.

"When isn't she?" The way Ruka said it made it sound more like a statement rather than a question, which he didn't mind either way because really, when isn't Hotaru Imai not scary. She even scared him sometimes.

Ruka put the plastic bags on the ground and leaned against the wall besides Youichi. He leaned in closer to whisper in his ear, "She has crazy eyes right now too," he added teasingly.

Hotaru glared. "I heard that, Nogi." She tapped her foot impatiently. "So? Are you gonna start talking now?"

Youichi sighed. "That baka," he halted when he realized he was about to spill it out just like that. Her sister who was the one responsible for the mess he's in now in the first place—even tho she's a baka but still, he loved her dearly obviously—decided to leave just like that, not even bothering to tell her own best friend about it, clearly meant she just simply didn't want anybody to know. So why would he opened his own damn mouth?

But then again, this is Hotaru Imai he's facing. His life might be in jeopardy if she doesn't get what she wanted. Youichi frowned, looking at the person who didn't look like she enjoyed the silent stare he was giving her for she was actually glowering at him suspiciously. He mentally shrugged. No matter, it's already been a week and she still gonna find out about it sooner or later. But now, he's certain he didn't want to be Hotaru Imai's blackmailed victim.

"She's not in Japan right now," he said flatly. There, he laid it out straight on the table for the two. And he waited for their reaction.

Hotaru was the first to respond. She furrowed her brows, contrast to the clouded face she had right now. "That's ridiculous," her voice sounded flat. Her eyes started to give this dark, smoldering look. "I told you not to kid around." She was not in the mood for any kind of joke right now.

"I am not," Youichi spoke with a vacant look. He thought for awhile then he held out his hand. "Lend me your phone. I'll show you something." He thought this was supposed to be quick trip to the supermarket so he didn't bring his.

Ruka was dubious at first but he lent it to him still. He watched as Youichi dragged his finger swiftly on the smooth flat surface, typed here and there on the keyboard before holding the phone up, with the screen facing the two, for them to see. "My baka sister is currently in Brazil."

Despite being in disbelief, Hotaru leaned in for a closer look as Ruka squinted his eyes a little to get a clearer picture. On the screen of the phone was Narumi's instagram account. Youichi was showing a picture of his blonde-haired brother with a girl by his side. Above the picture stated the location; international airport somewhere in Brazil.

Below the picture at the caption, Narumi put a very stupid-looking heart emoticon next to a Brazil national flag at the end of it. In the photo, Narumi was beaming with his eyes twinkling bright looking at the camera, while the girl next to him was looking elsewhere. It didn't seem like she noticed he was taking a picture of them together—wefie. The picture only showed her face from the side and she had a cap on, along with a gladiator shades. "What is she doing there, that baka?" Frowning, Hotaru muttered with a slack jaw.

But there's no mistaken it. With that brunette hair, it's definitely Mikan. Ruka had known her for three years, he would be dumb not to know it's her even from a side view. But wait… Ruka's brows drew together. He stared at the name of the instagram owner. Narumi Anjou? Why is she with Narumi Anjou?! What is she doing in Brazil with Narumi Anjou?!

"What happen is," Youichi continued, "Baka Mikan followed Narumi-nii to Brazil," he added like a statement. "Scroll to his other pictures if you may." He handed the phone to Hotaru and Hotaru, now had lines forming between her eyebrows, mouth turned downward, silently staring hard at each of the pictures now appearing on the screen one by one as she clicked.

Stood by her side, looking dazed was Ruka Nogi. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, looking at the photos Hotaru was looking on Narumi Anjou's instagram account. His mind had finally connecting the words he's hearing and the things he's seeing. "Anyways, I'm sure if you googled Narumi-nii up, you will find Mikan's photos are all over the net as well. Some paparazzi went crazy and follow him there. People are going crazy trying to figure out who the girl Narumi-nii took to Brazil with."

"Narumi Anjou is your brother?" Ruka thought he heard his voice cracked but that could be his imagination alone. He didn't feign the shock he's feeling in his voice. Hell, he didn't see that coming at all.

Youichi turned to look at Ruka. He gave the blonde quite a long stare as if he was thinking deep about something, before he tilted his head to the side and spoke, "First day I transferred in GA, people were gushing of how close you four are to each other. Does that mean the rumors were just rumors after all?" There was a slight change in his expression. He snickered in a disbelief tone, "Are you sure you guys are really friends with my sister?"

He quirked one brow at Ruka and a very cunning smile curled up at the corner of his lips. "So she didn't tell you either that Rei Serio is our older brother as well?" His eyes had this dark glint in them as they twinkled with amusement.

Ruka didn't even try to cover his shock—even more to say that his shock had now doubled. Mikan Sakura had two older brothers? He bet Natsume didn't know that. Hell, he bet Nasume didn't know either that the brother he was telling him about was actually that Narumi Anjou. If he knew, he would had told him as well. Natsume was only aware of a single older brother in Mikan's life and to think that infamous Rei Serio is her other older brother, Ruka dreaded Natsume's reaction when he heard the news. And to think that they both thought Mikan was the only child in her family until Youichi came transferring in.

He gave the silver haired boy an incredulous stare as he gaped in stunned silence. "But their family names are different?" He tried to make it sound as a statement—because, really, Rei Serio and Narumi Anjou both didn't have Sakura as their family name. Even a small kid can point that out!—but since he was so bewildered, it came out as more of a question from a dumb person rather than a smart statement from an intelligent person. And Ruka Nogi was never a low IQ kind of person.

Youichi gave a dismissive wave and chuckled. "That's just their stage names. When he first started, Narumi-nii said he needed stage name if he wants to make it big in the entertainment industry." And he did become a big shot in that world. He became so famous that he even had to hide his family background to keep away nosy people from poking in.

Youichi shrugged, "Rei-nii on the other hand, doesn't want to have his work mixed with his private life. So he separates them." His other brother, Rei-nii was as big shot in the law industry as Narumi-nii in then entertainment world. Though Youichi personally thought that recently Rei-nii's popularity had grown to surpass Narumi-nii's since he now also become a part of the entertainment industry—and it's not really entertainment world for Rei nii's case and though he was so against it but alas, his boss forced him too—when he decided to become one of the panels for a serious talk show along with other renowned lawyers. They discussed about the crimes that happened in Japan and such.

"If I'm being honest here, if you found Rei Serio very intimidating on screen, trust me, his annoyance overpowers his menace so he isn't that all petrifying," Youichi added with a roll of his eyes. Of course he knew; he lived with the said person. Turning his attention back to Hotaru, he asked, "Believe me now?" He halted as if thinking of something before continuing, "Though I'm surprised Hotaru-nee also didn't mention anything about it to you." He glanced at the two back and forth. A challenging smirk appeared. "Aren't you supposed to be engaged to each other?"

"It's not mine to tell. It's Mikan's," said Hotaru in a clipped tone. Her fingers stopped scrolling and she was giving Youichi the cold look now as her stare became harden.

"And it's not mine to tell either, on why she's there," he gave a quick reply with a challenging look and a direct probing eye contact. "…or what she's doing there," he added with a lofty expression. He's not opening his mouth about it and he's making sure he made it crystal clear to the two.

Hotaru was about to counter Youichi's words when she decided against it. Instead, she threw the phone back and Ruka and ordered, "Get Hyuuga on the line. Since he didn't come to school too, maybe he has the idea on what happen."

"Aaah, don't bother." Youichi gave them another dismissive wave of his hand. "I'm bloody sure Natsume Hyuuga doesn't know," he said with disdain. Hotaru was a bit surprise when she saw the slight look of distastes Youichi had on his face at the mention of Natsume Hyuuga's name. She thought Youichi was quite fond of Hyuuga. "But go ahead and call him. I'm sure he has something to say," his words purposely trailed off, like he was implying something. That glint in his eyes, Hotaru noticed. Was it, despise?

"Bullying people in broad daylight huh?"

A head poked from behind the corner of the café, halting them in the middle of her interrogation. The said person walked out and stood behind Hotaru, two head taller than her, making her turn around. Gone his spiky hair, it was instead a mess on top of his head, and his skin was so pale, it was as though he was having a deathly sickness.

"You guys are disturbing my day." His voice was deep and grouchy. He spotted Hotaru in front of him and he grinned. "Oh, little Hotaru." That dark grinned that was supposed to scare people shitless, but not to the object of his current attention now for Hotaru didn't even flinch under that ominous stare Rei was giving him. "I see you're alive."

"I see you're barely not," Hotaru retort smartly, motioning for his entire physical state.

A dark laugh escaped from Rei's lips, making Ruka flinched silently. He nervously stood straight in front of the said person whom he only saw in TV before. His aura in Tv was overwhelming enough but meeting him face to face like this was even more alarming. Sporting a short and a sleeveless t-shirt—probably because it's hot Ruka assumed, he didn't look like Persona whom he portrayed as Rei Serio that Ruka saw on Tv. But the aura was intimidating still. "Forgive me. Mikan rarely mention you lately so it was just a thought," he explained.

He shifted his gaze to the stiff Ruka. "Friends of Mikan?" He had never seen the boy before.

"My fiancé," Hotaru responded while crossing her arms on her chest. Ruka felt a slight boom of proud when he heard Hotaru announced it like that.

Ruka thought he had seen Rei Serio's eyes had widened a little but he quickly dismissed that idea when a slow small smile appeared on his pale lips. "Ah I see," Rei spoke. He gave Ruka a long thoughtful stare before continuing again, now looking at them both. "If you're done taking my little brother as a hostage, may I have my slave back? I don't have all day for this, you know." But then he leaned in and lowering his voice, he sneered, "Though I don't mind having a smart brain and a French ikemen work for me on Youichi's behalf."

Hotaru wasn't eaten by such words. In fact, her mind was whirling with thoughts. "So he's working for you this summer?" Hotaru raised her brows.

Rei chuckled at the sight of her who was the least bit intimidated by his playful threats. He straightened himself back. "I'm paying him to." He nodded his head towards the silver haired lad who was in return, giving him a scowl.

"With food, I assumed," Hotaru concluded. She still remembered a little how Rei-nii was like. His way of bribing them ever since they were little was always food. She heard a low mutter of "Obviously" from her back. Seemed like Youichi was very dissatisfied with the payment.

At that time, they all heard something vibrated. Rei took something out of his pocket. It was a buzzer. He stared at it as the red button kept on lighting up. "I forgot I ordered a drink." He turned around and began walking. "Wrap things up here quickly, Youichi. We still have mountains of work to do."

"What 'we'?" Youichi's eyebrows lowered, drawing together. "Those are your work," he pressed while grinding his teeth. "And why the hell you bought a drink?" His face flushed with indignation. "It's Ice Americano, isn't it?! Why did you buy one when we only came here to restock your coffee supply in the first place?!" He snapped as his head jerks.

"Because it's hot outside," Rei answered leisurely, throwing a dismissal wave from his back. By now Youichi's lips were already pursed with suppressed fury. "Insensitive stupid brother," he hissed. Good lord, Rei-nii was the one who rushed him to the supermarket because they ran out of instant coffee at his place. He still gotta lots of works to settle and he couldn't work without caffeine. It's what made him keep going since he didn't sleep for three days in a row.

Youichi only lost sight of him for two minutes and he already wandered off buying an Ice Americano. Who the hell said they had to be quick in buying the coffee supplies since they have to rush home? The one's who's happily walking away to get his Ice Americano right now. Yeah, his stupid insensitive airhead of a brother. He even had the nerve to leave him behind when he knew why he got cornered in the first place? That baka sister is his sister too! How tactless can he be?!

"And to answer your previous question," Youichi suddenly spoke back, bringing the attention of the two back to him. "Otou-san and kaa-san went for a trip. Mikan with Narumi-nii and since I got basketball practice during summer, I was left under Rei-nii's care so I'm living at his place for the time being. That's why the house is empty," he explained. Although his voice sounded a little strained. "I have answered all your questions so now please excuse me. I'm gonna go and drag my tactless brother home."

As she passed Hotaru, making his way towards the café, he heard her muttered, "She isn't like this before." It was barely inaudible but he had heard it and he knew she didn't have the confidence to actually ask it out loud. Her head was hanging low; her bangs were covering her eyes.

"What do you mean before? My sister has always been like that right from the start."

Ruka had thought he saw the small smirk curled at the corner of Youichi's lips when he said that before he left them two alone and headed for the café. He thought it looked kinda cynical but it somehow looked shallow and shady as well. He stared at his retreating figure. Youichi Sakura is one odd character, Ruka perceived. He's usually nonchalant or impassive but he could be friendly and innocent in some circumstances. However, had he always been challenging and dark? Even his aura felt ominous for a second just now when he passed them.

He didn't know Youichi for long since only recently he transferred in and since he's Mikan Sakura's brother, they just happened to get along well. So he didn't bother much about anything else. Plus, they rarely met too so he didn't notice these traits of him before.

But then again, Mikan Sakura also had different character at times. And now that he had met Rei Serio face to face, he would never had thought that he could also be simple-minded and a little bit tactless—which was a bit odd because Ruka had always imagine the man to be intimidating. Narumi Anjou on the other hand, Ruka had heard he was full of characters, that man.

He tapped his chin lightly, thinking. He's starting to think that all Sakuras are just a bit different compared to normal people.

TBC.

A/N: This chapter is previously taken down and now it's re-written and re-uploaded. I apologized for the inconvenience.