A/N: For a very special occasion, i'm updating both Chapter 13 & Chapter 14 in a row. Enjoy.

14 Library Confessions

"Don't forget the paper you threw before, Kitsu." Ruka scornfully reminded Kitsu who looked at him in disbelief.

"I'm getting on it, man." Kitsu responded, scowling at his friend who now had his kaichou mode on. Kitsu bent and picked up the crumpled paper he threw at Ruka before and threw it in a nearby dustbin. Picking up his stuff on the table, he headed for the door. Followed behind him was silent Koko—he got a good reprimand from Natsume about his previous act—and Yuu with his lethargic body and barely opened eyes.

"Alright, the academy bell had rung so I believe it's time for all of us to return to our classes," Ruka announced, indicating that everyone should return back to their respective classes.

Ruka sent a look to Natsume, who was comfortably sitting on a chair—asking what the hell he was still doing there—and he shrugged it off before telling him to go ahead first.

Youichi, who happened to see Natsume Hyuuga sitting ever so comfortably and didn't look the slightest like he would follow the others back to class as well, started to frown. He knew what that meant. Natsume Hyuuga's planning something. And that very something certainly had something to do with his sister.

When Youichi lingered around his sister more than necessary even after the bell rang, Mikan started to catch things up, especially when Natsume Hyuuga was openly looking at them both. The man knows no shame, Mikan had decided. And he knew damn well Youichi was fully aware of his crimson stare. Hence, the reason her brother was terribly distraught.

"Quickly go back to class, You-chan." Mikan gave his back a push. But Youichi didn't plan to move. No, he didn't plan to leave his sister alone here—and certainly not in the presence of Natsume Hyuuga.

Mikan pushed again, this time adding more force. "I swear to God, Youichi, just effing go back to your class!" Mikan snapped. "Jinno's not gonna let you off that easy for coming late to his class."

Youichi unexpectedly became rigid. Mikan hide her smile. So You-chan had finally heard stories about Jinno-sensei. She wondered where he had heard them from; she might have to thank whoever told him that. If he knew how the stories go, he should be running towards his class right now—probably running to save his life as well.

Mikan yelped in surprise when Youichi abruptly turned around and engulfed her in a warm body hug. She was drowning in his arms—and in her brother's affection. Mikan smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be alright." She wrapped her arms around his waist.

Youichi pulled away a little but his arms were still around her body. "If anything happens, scream. Or better yet, run."

Mikan laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

But Youichi, he was still concerned. His troubled face said it all. Nonetheless, he forced himself to just drop it at that. His sister can take care of herself—she deserved that much trust. And she even knocked down Ruka Nogi, so Natsume Hyuuga won't be much of a problem to her if he suddenly attacked. Youichi's face darken at that very thought. He would have to kill him if that ever happen.

He sighed and pulled away. His arms fell to his sides. Giving his sister a final look, he frowned and shook his head in disapproval. "Your skirt is too short." He took off his sweater and tied it around Mikan's waist. "Guys here are hormonal wolves, stop wearing something that give them stupid ideas, baka."

Mikan stared at him before raising her brows high. "Your definition of too short is, without bending down, people could already see my arse." Mikan retorted, "bending down or not, this skirt is certainly not that short."

"Just wear pants next time," he growled. Gathering his stuff, he picked up his books. Placing a soft kiss on his sister's forehead, he reminded her, "I'll wait for you at the gate after school." After seems like a second of contemplating, he finally disappeared through the door, leaving a somewhat flustered Mikan. So You-chan has no issues with PDA now?

Mikan shook her head and glanced around the room. It was empty. The students had gone back to classes, but, she grimaced, Natsume Hyuuga was still in the room. He was sitting on a chair, three desks far from where she was. She glowered at him defiantly. "What are you still doing here?"

The corner of his luscious lip curled up. "So I take it that we're back to the hostility stage then?"

'I can be nice when I want to.' Mikan let out a small groan. She remembered they had somehow melted the ice down a little. They weren't technically friends or acquaintance yet but they're no longer on bad terms either. She helped him in the infirmary before, though that didn't turn out well at the end of it when a ludicrous question slipped out of his mouth. Intended or not, she didn't know, much care less. But she really can be nice when she wanted to.

Mikan cleared her throat before asking again, this time, a bit nicer. "Why aren't you going back to class yet?"

Sensing the change in her tone, Natsume grinned. She's trying, he could see that. "I'm tired so I'm just gonna take a nap here."

Mikan raised one brow at him, though she doubted he could see it when they're sitting that far from each other. "I don't see why you bother yourself to sleep here when the infirmary has comfortable beds." She watched as he laid his head on his arms on the table. Well, he did look tired. He didn't answer her question so Mikan just decided to drop it at that. He did say he wanted to get some sleep. Maybe that's why he came to the library. It's quiet here after all.

But Mikan, her mind was still thinking. "So you're skipping class then? You sure that's okay?" She couldn't help herself from asking. AA was straight with students' truancy. If this is his casual habit, he might need to change it before he really get kicked out of the academy later on.

"My grades are good, I don't see why they would want to kick me out from the academy," Natsume replied with a muffled voice. He had answered what she had thought. Though she didn't actually voice it out loud. She was caught off-guard by him with his answer. Again, Mikan decided not further the topic any longer.

She busied herself with her work; picking up books scattered on the students' table, re-arrange them on the shelves, update the list of books in the school system, whatever work she could find herself to do. Uncle Kazumi had told the previous librarian to take a week off, so she was given a list of work of what to do. There wasn't that many work to do, except for the arranging books back to the shelf. That was hard work because there's too many of them! And AA library wasn't really a small room and they've got like tons of shelves with different sections.

So for the past one hour, she was arranging the books. Running here and there, carrying books piled on top of each other like a mountain, climbing up and down the stairs of the shelves. She had thought Natsume Hyuuga was deep in slumber so she was trying her hardest to make less sound as possible. She didn't want to wake him up. Yes, she could be nice when she want to. *Roll eyes*

On the contrary, Natsume Hyuuga didn't fall asleep at all. The part where he said he was tired, it's wasn't a lie but a nap here? Certainly a lie. She was right; if he wanted to take a nap, he would definitely go for the comfortable beds in the infirmary. For the past one hour, he watched her work, bustling here and there around the room, carrying tons of books at the same time like she's an ironwoman. It struck him that she wasn't aware that he's not napping. She was so engrossed in her work that he found amusingly cute, especially when she was concentrating; her brows would mashed up together and her small nose would sometimes be scrunched up. It's a habit of hers that he realized she didn't realized.

He also perceived her extra efforts in working as silent as possible. He recognized her integrity there. He actually felt at fault when he heard her silently sobbing, holding in her cry of pain when a book stumbled on top of her head, resulting in her falling off the stairs and onto the floor. But she was back on toes a second after that. Natsume smiled. She's ironwoman alright.

Natsume slowly pushed back his chair, avoid any possible sound from being heard. He got up. With both his hands in his pockets, he made his way to where Mikan Sakura was. As much as he enjoyed watching her, he needed answers. He had his limits after all. And that limits were breaking little by little.

Mikan forced herself to stand on her toes to reach up for a book on the most top shelf. And that shelf was higher than her head. She groaned when her fingers barely touched it. Well, no much improvement there because she couldn't see which one was the book either. Her hand blindly grabbed whichever she could. She looked at the one in her hand after that and nearly her eyes widen with awe. So they have these type of materials in the library?

Curiosity got her on the spot so she flipped the pages. Her face blushed red all the while whenever an image popped out.

"I don't know you read such materials."

Mikan yelped in surprise and reflectively threw it away. She looked at Natsume with a bright red face. "Y—you surprised me!" She held on to her chest, calming her speedy heart that was thumping like mad right now.

Natsume casually leaned his side on one of the shelves. "You looked as if you got caught red-handed for doing something bad." He smirked. "I'm surprised you are so engrossed in it."

Mikan's red face deepened. "Of course not!" She retorted, "I don't even know how it got here!" She quickly picked up the material but was at loss of what to do with it. Should she put it back on the shelf or should she just throw it away?

Natsume looked at her contemplating some sort of decision. And by the look of it, she didn't really know of what to do with the material. So he decided to lend her a hand.

"Just put it back. The guys would be searching like mad if the November issue got lost," he said.

"The guys?" Mikan quirked her brows, a little baffled by his words. "The guys? Who are you referring as 'the guys'?" She asked again. Then it clicked. She looked at him, dreaded. "You guys put that thing there?!" She pointed a finger at him accusingly.

"Don't label it as a gender group act when I'm not even involved. A certain group of the guys did," Natsume corrected and shrugged. "They sometimes need release. Why do you think it's placed in the Sex Education section?"

Mikan made a disgusted face. "Well, you guys are jocks after all. Let's not set the satiety bar too high." She rolled her brown eyes mockingly. "But I thought this library was a ghost town!" She exclaimed. "They would come here just for that?"

"Even more reason to place it in the library." He grinned tauntingly. "Because no one comes."

Which made sense. The perfect place to read it without getting caught. Damn, these jocks are not just jocks.

"Even when we're stressed out, we don't sneak in a porn magazine to the library," she mumbled under her breath in disbelief. She doubted there was only one hidden up there on the shelves but she rather not asked because hell, she didn't want to know at all. She didn't want to get involved. November issue? So like, they have every issue of every single month?

Mikan turned around and stood on her toes again, attempting to place the November issue on top of the shelf back. She reached up. Crap, she needed a bench for this one.

She gulped when she felt a sudden presence looming behind her back all of a sudden. It was terribly warm and yet, spine-chilling. Natsume Hyuuga was standing behind her back and by the smell of his cologne, she could sensed the distance was very, very close indeed. She fought the urge to squeal in surprised when his front shirt swiftly brushed a barest hint of touches on her back, took her aback. Immediately she went rigid. What's he doing all of a sudden?

Natsume took the magazine from her reaching hand and placed it on top of the shelf to save her from straining her muscles too much. Relief washed over her entirely. He was just helping her. God, she's thinking too much just now. She mentally laughed at her own stupid assumptions.

She was about to thank him when suddenly, the words were gone and her voice just died out. Because. Instead of turning around and leave her some space—hell, she needed her space back— Natsume Hyuuga placed both of his palms on the shelf, each on her side. He was caging her. And by the look of it, he's not planning to let her go anywhere.

Mikan gulped.

He wasn't helping her at all.

This definitely meant something else.

"Hyuuga, you're too close." Damn, she hated her squeaky voice right now.

"Why aren't you turning around?" She heard him asked.

"Because you're too close, damnit!" She bellowed.

"You didn't turn around yet, so how do you know I'm so close?"

"I just know!"

"That's not convincing enough." He was mocking her.

Her veins twitched irritatingly. "Do you think I'm that stupid?" She snapped and spun around.

Shit.

She shouldn't have.

Instantly, she backed off as far as she could in reflex. But sadly, it didn't make any difference because her back was already flat against the shelf. She's not moving at all. Hyuuga got her completely cornered. And he was close. So close. Shit.

"You're not stupid." Leveling his face to hers, he commented, "but you're certainly gullible enough." A satisfied smirk crept on his face.

Mikan said the first thing that popped in her head; possibly the first thing that she thought that could save her.

"You know I learn self-defense right? If I can take down Ruka Nogi, I can also do the same to you," she warned him.

But then, she was completely baffled when Natsume Hyuuga just nodded his head. Is he actually agreeing with her? For real?

"I know." He answered. Okay, this guy totally gets it! So he's gonna let me go and this will all be over an we can all go home quickly after this. His short answer actually got Mikan's hope high—before it got crushed again entirely.

He arched a brow. "But you do know, I'm still a guy?" That clearly wasn't a question. He was making a statement. Mikan scowled. Natsume continued, "My strength could be twice, thrice more than you. And I'm far more stronger than Ruka when comes to physical strength." A scheming smile slowly formed on his lips. "If you decide to get aggressive, I can easily hold you down."

Mikan looked at him in disbelief.

"That thought suddenly intrigues me though," he added with a smirk. "I'm looking forward in holding you down."

A scoff escaped from Mikan's mouth. "Yet you told me not to group you with those guys who come looking for November issues." She gave him an eye roll with the emphasize of the porn magazine she had found before. "But you obviously have something in mind that correspond with theirs."

A slow sly smile crept on his lips of his now devious looking face. "You wanna try and see?" His voice dropped into a low, seductive tone. He neared his face to hers.

Mikan gasped and pushed him away. Though it was really futile cause the man wasn't moving at all. Let alone, thrown away. He wasn't kidding. He really is strong.

"That's enough, Hyuuga," she snapped, palms flat on his firm chest. "What the hell do you want with me, really?" She sent him her daggers glare. "It's getting on my last nerve that you keep toying with your words an—"

She froze, suddenly remembered something.

"Hyuuga wants you."'

Wait. Is that.. Oh god.

Natsume Hyuuga wanted her.

Shit. She had forgotten what Youichi had told her before.

No wonder You-chan was so reluctant to return back to his class! And here she thought he was just pissed at Hyuuga for punching him before.

Mikan let out a heavy sigh. This had been going for quite some time already. She needed to end this. Youichi would continue be restless if this keep on going. She'd put and end to this chase.

Guys like Hyuuga, they would stop after they got what they want. And in Hyuuga's case, he wanted her. If that's what Hyuuga wants, then that's what he would get.

Instead of pushing like what she did just now—and hoping that it would at least make a change, she surprised him when she abruptly reached behind his neck and pulled him down towards her before smashing her lips with his.

To be honest, Natsume Hyuuga was stunned.

He certainly did not expect that.

But obviously he's not gonna say anything about it. Or refused it.

The kiss was not long, yet it wasn't short either. It wasn't a peck yet it wasn't a deep kiss either. Their lips had touched more than one minute, that was for sure. Just when Natsume was about to get into the heat of the moment, hands slowly falling down before they settled around her waist, she pulled away.

He did not expected that either.

He was hoping the kiss would go for another one minute. Since it lasted for one minute, why don't just prolong it to another one minute?

So now he was looking at her dumbfounded. What the hell had just happened? Why did she kiss him? More importantly, why the hell did she pull away?

"You've got what you want now," she started.

Natsume found it hard to focus on what she was saying when all he could see and imagine right now was her lips. And the feel of it against his. And the taste. Ah, the taste. It was spectacular. And they didn't even use their tongues yet, but he already became this addictive.

He definitely enjoyed kissing her lips.

And he certainly wanted to do it again.

"So now, would you please stop whatever game you're playing and leave Youichi alone?" she finished off.

What?

Natsume blinked.

He straightened his posture and stood straight. He looked down at her. "You thought I was playing a game?"

Mikan crossed her arms on her chest. "It makes no sense if you weren't."

"Did Hijiri tell you that?" His face turned dark. His stare turned ominous.

"No. But he certainly told me something."

"What?" He was gritting his teeth.

Mikan looked up and met his crimson eyes dead on. "That you want me." Her brown gaze was fixed and unnerving.

"Is that why you kiss me?" He fisted his hands. "You clearly misunderstood my definition of want."

"I gave you what you want so you should st—umph!"

Her back was roughly pushed against the hard surface of the shelf. Both of her hands were clasped on top of her head with his left hand, gripping both her wrists. And his right hand was holding her neck, forcing his tongue down her throat. Mikan was too flabbergasted to even cry in horror and pain. Her back was hurt but that's all. She didn't get what was going on. Her mind was clouded because it all happened too fast.

When Natsume bit her lips for an entrance, she gasped and immediately taking the chance, his tongue dived in. Mikan's eyes widen. Eventhough she couldn't grasp the whole scene right now, this is too much. Went as far as shoving his tongue in, he was mad. And she's even crazier for letting him!

As Mikan started to struggle to let her hands free, Natsume tightened his hold of her wrists. When Mikan decided to lift her leg to give his ball a kick—or at least she thought she could aimed his shin—he placed a leg between hers, and on top of her skirt so she couldn't move. And he had her face in his hand as well.

Panic came over her because she soon found out that she couldn't do anything at all. And that shocked her down to the core. She learned the art of self-defense for god's sake! Even hapkido. Yet she couldn't do anything right now! He wasn't lying when he said he's strong. His physical strength was something to be cursed at right now!

She thanked all the angels and god when Natsume finally broke the kiss off. She took all the air that she could get, breathed as deep as her lung can take. Her lung was lacking oxygen and the man didn't even know about it! Doesn't he need to come up for air too?

Wait, that came out wrong.

They should not be kissing in the first place!

A yelp was heard before a soft cry of pain replaced the sound soon after.

Mikan bit her inner cheeks to withstand the pain.

Natsume Hyuuga was biting a small part on her shoulder. His hand had tugged at the open collar of her t-shirt soon after she realized what was he about to do. He had bitten her exposed shoulder just before she could finally level her breath due to the lack of oxygen previously.

Because of the pain, Mikan struggled once more with her hands. And again, his hold of hers tightened.

After what seemed like a thirty second of pain, he was back to kissing her. Letting go of her shirt, his hand was back to holding her face firmly in his hold. This time, it wasn't as long as the previous one. And also, tongues no longer involved.

"This is what I meant when I said 'I want you'." He breathlessly said after finally breaking the kiss.

She should be flipping mad right now. She ought to, shouldn't she? Screaming in anger, cries in pain. She should be doing that right now. But.. she was too flabbergasted to even think of what she should do right now.

Truth be told, Mikan didn't know of what to feel. After she saw the look on his face with his misty crimson eyes and swollen lips and unlevelled breaths, she had finally concluded that she was indeed, crazy.

"I'm marking you as mine," he added. His stare was fixed and penetrating. He was serious.

But then his gaze softened like the ice melted under the sun. "Get your definitions of 'I want you' right first," he said in a gentle voice.

Mikan stared at him. Her brain was still working out of what was happening.

She watched in awe as Natsume touched her lips with his thumb and slowly, gently caressed it. He did it for a few seconds, like he was thinking about something at the back of his mind. She watched him stare unfocusedly at her lips before he leaned down, once again to claim it. It was a soft peck this time. It was not sensually aggressive like the first one and the make-up-kiss-for-the-hickey like the second one. It was just a touch from both lips.

"I really want you, Mikan Sakura," he softly said."I really do."

Now as Mikan slumped down on the floor in the library room, she was utterly confused. Shocked, still. But thoroughly confused.

After he said those two sentences—which clearly meant as confessions, right? Wait, does it considered as confessions at all? Though he certainly didn't say the 3 words but those words were close enough to a confession, right?—he walked out, leaving her in her confuse state and a heart and a mind to mend to. Is he giving her an option at all? It didn't seem like that to her.

But.

He didn't kiss her once, but thrice!

And left a bonus gift as well. Mikan frowned.

Her hand reached for her shoulder. It was still throbbing.

The hickey he left her, he said he's marking her as his.

What does that mean?

'Does he sensually desire me? Is that what he really meant when he told me to get my definition straight?'

TBC.