WWWWWhiiiii! I'm finally back with the next chapter! Thank God! Thank you also for reading, liking, sending reviews and adding the story to your favorites! That's flattering and all, thank you VERY VERY MUCH!

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CHAPTER 2

Like and Love


Can't you see? I beg and plead…

Oh I'm also pleading…

'Cause when your eyes light up the skies tonight, I know you'll gonna find your way back to me…

It's not my job to light up the sky, you idiot song. "Ugh!" I whined 'brat-tily' to myself, burying my face harder onto the pillow. I'm still so sleepy and lazy to even shut the snoozing phone alarm off. And the drums started blasting…

Can't you see? I beg and plead… 'Cause when your eyes light up the skies tonight, I know you'll gonna find your way back to me. If it's me, that you don't need… Then when the lights go out tonight I know you'll never gonna find your way…

"Alright I'm getting up!" I shouted at no one since Natsume's not here beside me anymore. Maybe he's up saving his (and mine too) stomach from a possible tummy-ache so he went down to make the breakfast himself, even if it's my turn to cook today. Fine, I'm not talented in cooking so even if it's a little insulting, I'm still letting him prepare the meal. Dopey-eyed, I glanced at the wall clock to see that I'm late again for work. Anyway, it's fine. I'm on leave for almost a week now because I'm having weirdly queasy and lazy mornings like now.

I flipped my phone open to read my messages since it has been beeping nonstop. Wow, it's like Permy's playing some Text-frenzy game that she flooded my inbox.

'I'm gonna date Megane-sempai. I'm so boyless, I'm dying!' her message reads.

Really… this girl can live without a boy to play with. But to date a guy who can be as old as her father? Gross. I fingered the keypad to reply, 'You're making me puke!', and then I hit send. I don't mean that Megane-sempai's not a boyfriend-material but thinking about a candelight-dinner-with-Sumire-and-Megane's making my tummy lurch in ew-ness.

And I think, I'm really about to… crapin' vomit.

I rush to the bathroom but nothing came out from my mouth so I just proceeded with my bath. I try to think about feeling normal but the queasy feeling keeps on coming back. After dressing up, I went out of my room for breakfast, or brunch, as the girls call it.

Natsume was on the piano, playing a familiar tune but not singing. My steps became slower. I was so caught up, just staring at him like an idiot-fan who saw her music icon face-to-face for the first time. Why on earth is he so handsome!

He looked up and smiled. Kyyyaaaaaaaaa. I'm melting! "You're so ugly when you smile…" I told him. It's because I still want to live, sanely, for the least.

"You don't have the right to call me ugly. You're monstrous than I." He retorted. See? That's how the day starts with us. I think I'm already infected with Natsume's bluntness and arrogance.

I went closer to him. He's still playing the tune which I forgot the title. "What's that song again?"

"Your ringing tone…" he said as he continued, but then he suddenly sang, "...When we live between so many walls, that I can barely breathe. You say you just want someone, when I'm the only one you need…

"Can't you see? I beg and plead… 'Cause when your eyes light up the skies tonight, I know you'll gonna find your way back to me. If it's me, that you don't need… Then when the lights go out tonight I know you'll never gonna find your way…"

"You change my Thunder ringtone, you bastard! That's my love-song for Thor!" I whined, but he just glared at me and continued playing.

"Thor huh?" he eyes me on the corner of his eye. "It's like telling me that you've got a crush on Jinno."

Jinno-kokak? Ew. "I like the person, not lightning, idiot!" I snapped at him with a roll-of-the-eye.

"Snap out of your crazy fantasies, brat. He'll just mistake you for an alien and hit you on the head with that hammer because you're so ugly. And besides," he smirked, shaking his head. "I'm way hotter than that dummy-god."

"Are you now justifying yourself to me?" I asked him, chuckling. God, he's cute when he's jealous.

"Why should I? Even if you make all the blondies line-up," he shrugged, "I know you'll pick up the hottest of them all…"

"Whoa, Reddie!" I can't believe he's saying things such as those. "Or do you mean the most bastard of them all?" I teased. He replied with a smirk—his signature one—vindicating his triumph on my attention, and my, ehem, love over those guys. I can't help looking at him and admire his beauty, which happens to be one of the sources of his vainglory, or should I call it outspoken conceit. It's like I don't wanna take my eyes off him for the rest of the day or forever. I know I sound weird but I don't know… There's something inside me that makes me keep doing this.

"Would you like to explain why you're looking at me like that?" he suddenly asked, and then he touched the last note.

The truth is, like what I'm saying in my head is that… I don't know. Maybe I just want to… "I want to eat." Alright what the hell was that?

He chuckled in response, "You think I'm something you can eat?"

Of course I can eat him. He's edible, isn't he? Delicious, Yummy, hot and spicy—dang! Thank God I caught myself before my tongue spill it all. I poked my own forehead. I'm being crazy again. And since I'm being ridiculous, I don't know how Natsume got here in front of me, with his arms around me. Sheesh, I felt nausea coming back to me.

"I think I'm having a headache…" I told him, though I didn't intend to.

He immediately placed a hand on my forehead, "Your temperature's normal, what's wrong?"

I kept my eyes closed while I'm still leaning on his chest. "Don't know. It's either fatigue or that crap message Permy sent me." I said as I sniff a lungful of his scent. "She said she's gonna date Megane-senpai. What the eych!"

Reddie smirked. "Maybe she can't find any other guy. Leave her alone."

"Koko was singing something like 'I love her half to death but she's killing me…' all afternoon. I even got an LSS of that song even if I don't know what it is. Maybe we should set them up on a date, what do you think?" I asked him, looking up to see his face for an answer.

"I think we should eat first and let them work it out." He said. I replied with a glare. "Anyway, it's already stressing you. Do you want me to cancel our date with Aoi?" He said, leading me to the dining table.

"Don't!" I protested. "Your sister is like Noda-Chi or something that we'll have a hard-time to book for another appointment. Plus," I look ravenously at the bread and the strawberry jam. He handed me one and a newly brewed coffee. "I don't want to give her an I'm-nervous-so-let's-meet-her-next-time impression." The coffee was heaven, as always but my stomach seems to not like it this time.

I bet Natsume noticed since he raised his eyebrows at me. "I think I like to have milk…" Wait, did I just say milk?

"I… thought you don't like milk, as in plain milk?" he surprisingly asked. I'm surprised too. I don't like milk but I think I like it now?

Then my stomach lurched as I took a bite on the bread. "I want sweet potatoes too, boiled, and apple pie, and—"

"Mikan!" he called out. I'm fluttered again as he called my name, since it sounds to me like he called me Aphrodite or Venus but this time I didn't have time to answer, my tummy just went in circus and I felt a rush of sour taste in my mouth so I rushed to the nearest comfort room. I just vomited. Oh my God, what's wrong with me? "Mikan…" he was almost whispering. His tone was as soothing as his warm hands caressing my back. It made me feel better.

"I'm good…" I told him after gargling.

"I think you need to be checked, and then we'll find a place to rewind okay?" He was using authoritative tones but he's obviously worried. I can't go against him, now. I'll just worry him more.

So that's it. We went for a check-up first on Subaru-nii's clinic and shopped for something to give Aoi, and then we went to that restaurant where we'll have to meet her.

"That bracelet…" he broke the silence inside the car. I raised my wrist and gave him an inquisitive look. "Where'd you got that?"

"Someone gave it to me years ago…" I answered curtly. I don't want to talk more about the giver.

"Is it Kaname Sonoh?" he asked again, eyes on the road.

"Yeah, but it was just a present. Nothing more."

He nodded. "Still like him?"

"He's dead…" I said with a sarcastic, hurt smile.

"Dude's dead but you're alive. I'm talking about the…"

"The what?" I snapped when his words seem to fade like he's unsure of saying them out loud.

"That feeling." He said with some hint of jealousy. I want to giggle for some reason, though it's a little bothering. Well, Natsume's blushing as if he's forced to admit farting in public. "Now what?"

I stopped thinking about the stinky thought. "I still like him…" I paused to look at him and how he will react. HE GLARED AT ME! My goodness. "Do you know that you glare like Narumi-sensei?"

"Disgusting! Don't ever compare me to that gay!" he retorted, which made me laugh.

"WHAHAHHA, exactly Reddie, that's my point!" I clapped my hands.

"How many times should I prove to you that I'm not gay?" he mockingly asked and this time, I'm the one who blushed. "Should I prove that again?"

I swallowed a whole amount of spittle when he leaned close. We've kissed so many times before but everytime he's doing the 'slow-mo', I start to shake inside as if it's my first kiss, yeah, all-over-again.

BBBEEEEEEEEEPPPPPPP!

Aw, shit Hyuuga! "You're driving! Moron!" I shouted, pushing him away from me. He made a fast drift to avoid hitting the car in front of us since we're on the wrong lane already. Sometimes this guy can be disgustingly flirty.

He heaved a deep sigh, making me turn to look at him again. "So you still like him…" he said, more like a statement than a question.

"Yep." And just before he gay-ingly roll his eyes again I snapped, "Just like. I love someone else." I felt a little 'shy' after what I just said. Geez, I'm so crappin' CORNY! He didn't make a sound either, instead he just smirked. I reached for the stereo to shoo away the awkward atmosphere but things can't just be worse and all I can do is… face-palm, if that's how they call that gesture.

'You're so beautiful, but that's not why I love you

And I'm not sure you know that the reason I love you is you, being you, just you

Yeah the reason I love you is all that we've been through…'

"And you even added background music…" I can see him shaking his head, probably enjoying the moment. He even let out a slight grin, "Impressive creativity…" he jeeringly remarked. He finally turned to the parking space and stopped the engine.

"Shut up…" I whined and glared at him just before I slammed the door shut. I went in first since Reddie was left to fix something in the car.

On the farthest corner, facing the park, sat a black-haired girl in bob-cut. Her features seem familiar that it caught my attention. I slowly made my way to her, careful not to drag her attention.

I went closer to check but…

HEAVENS!

MY... NATSUME TURNED INTO A GIRL!


Natsume as a girl? WHOAAAA…

Ahahahhahaha, can that be real? What do you think, cute people?

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