Hi everyone! I just wanna thank you all first for reading... and reviewing too! I've been so DELIGHTED with your reviews, you're all so wonderful!

And... I just want to plug Going Under's FB Page again and those who threw some questions last time, I posted something on my blog here: konanigarashi.( )/post/24669514326/going-under-ii-explained-part-1. Please just put tumblr-dot-com inside the parenthesis. Please keep reading. I promise I'll make it moooooooooore interesting :)

Enjoy!


CHAPTER 6

An Autumn Affair


-o-

"You have to pick a red one…" I heard a voice—a very familiar voice. "Mikan…" he called out again.

This voice… I know this voice…

"Mikan…"

I opened my eyes and blinked. "Oh", I moaned with my obvious sleepy voice. "I'm sorry…" Right. I was dreaming. And waking up is better than dreaming this time because… I'm in the car with the most charming guy in whole world. And I'm shrieking in my head .

"You must be very tired…" he remarked with a gentle gaze. "Gus," he called at the driver, "Bring us directly to the hotel." He instructed him then turned to me. "I'll just call Lady Kora and then Misaki, so she can bring the clothes to your room. This is a black and white party, so you only have to choose between black and white, or both…" he kept talking as he types on his laptop. He's a very busy buddy.

"I thought I have to choose red?"

"Red?" he asked as he looked up from his gadget.

I gave him an I-don't-know look with a shrug. "Maybe in my dreams…" then I look out of the window. It's autumn now here in Turin. I can see the leaves as they dramatically fall on the ground. I'm here to represent my family in the welcome ball that was hosted by the former president's family to welcome the international guests who will attend a summit in France.

But actually, I don't want to come, I just don't have a choice. Mom's in France, Sakurano was designated as the OIC in the meantime and Tsubasa is in a mission. If it were not because of this guy, I will not be convinced to come here to attend that ball and all the activities that will happen this week. Crap. I hate formalities, I suck at manners and dressing-up, and now I have to choose ball gowns and walk in heeled shoes. Ew. "I'll look like a zebra if I choose both…" I murmured and rolled my eyes. "Can't I just attend with my coat and my jeans and my Vans?"

Senpai shook his head and I let out a loud 'pssshhh' as a protest. "You're a grown-up lady, the black one will d—"

"No!" I cut him, "I'll look older! Maybe I'd look like a widow, or a witch or whatever! I'll wear white!"

"And your taciturnity returns…" He chuckled. "You'll look like a bride in white—"

"A bride?" I repeated excitedly. Oh my gosh. He's now looking at me like a… a bride!

"A corpse bride." He teased :3. I pouted at him as the picture of a cute lady in a bridal gown shatters into pieces over my head, cuts my skin and all my lovey-dovey fantasies with him dies. Sorry. I can't help over-thinking when I'm with him, and I know almost girls do, too. "Promise me that you'll let the one you're talking with to finish what he or she is saying before snapping okay?" He half-chuckling told me.

Yeah, fine. Anyway, what do I care if it's a white or black, or stripe or polka do—

"Polka…"

I winced when my head suddenly hurt. It was all do sudden, as if I heard a voice calling… me.

"Mikan…" I heard sempai called. I try gathering my thoughts back but… goodness! What was that! "Mikan…?"

"Yeah." I tried to sound normal, but instead I sounded like a rubber ducky.

"You're a little disoriented…" he remarked.

I cleared my throat first. "Always am…" when I'm with you…ayyyiiiieee

"A little bit… weirder today, don't you think?"

"Senpai! Don't you have any good comment about me?" I snapped. Really, even if I like him a lot, he keeps getting on my nerves with his teasing.

"Yes I do have…" he said. I acted as if I'm annoyed and not interested but the truth is, I'm waiting for the next words to come out of his mouth. I want to know if it's really a compliment… or just another joke. "Those three years gave you so much improvement. You're better now than the last time we're here…"

Everything stopped while Senpai was talking. It's not that I saw moe-moe background and twinkling lights around him, but instead, it was a blank and creepy background. I'm sure I heard everything he said, and the look on his face tells me that he meant everything he said.

"Señor, we're here now…"the driver stated in his accent.

"Mikan, we're here…" he said, gathering his things. It's weird. "Hey… Mikan?"

Right I'm still dumbfounded. Why… suddenly he acts like he said nothing? Like I heard nothing…?

"Mikan!" he called a little louder now.

"Yeah?"

He smiled at me, "Where on earth did you leave your brain? You're so out of yourself… C'mon…" he took my hand and led me out of the car and we entered the hotel.

"Those three years gave you so much improvement. You're better now than the last time we're here…"

I poke my head. Geez, I need to get my sanity back. It's just that… what does he mean? Ok, relax Mikan, it's just an imagination. I concentrated on rational thinking while senpai finishes signing papers on the front desk. He went to my side when he's through and handed me a key.

"Where exactly is Roseville?" I asked him. Roseville is venue of the party, but it's not in the map. All I know is that it's here in Italy.

"Uhm…" he started. "So we're in Turin… It's in the west from here, in Moncenisio… actually the north part of Mont Cenis on the border with France." He said while we're walking to our rooms.

"I bet the Igarashis have a major identity crisis with their nationality." I commented.

He let out a chuckle in response. "Maybe they do, but mi lady…" he started again. Here we go again with the sermon, aish. My theory about him entering priesthood creeps back to my head. "If ever you'll get loquacious tonight, I hope you'll avoid mentioning funny stuffs like that. Kay?"

"I know… Rich people are crazy, they hate humor…" I murmured. Senpai stopped in front of a door and knocked. An attendant opened it courteously with a bow. I gaped at the room. "Whoa, this… is… big…"

"You deserve to have this." he said. No I don't deserve this. I only need this because I'm Azumi Yuka's daughter.

If I were to choose, I'll not stay in this room. I can stay in a smaller room where I can feel my body moving with my soul. I bet I'll even stay here alone, so what are those fluffy sofa chairs doing when there's a carpeted floor and a vast bed where you can perform acrobatics without falling? Ugh, why can't my life be simple as want it to be?

You guys know why I hate this life? Because I only want simple things, I ask for simple things, but they give great things. It's not that I'm ungrateful for that but duh—they're asking for so many in return! Like my time, my way of living! I can't even decide what to wear, I can't say what I want; I can't go to places where I want to go. Sigh.

I don't like this life. I swear I'll live on my own after this year.

"Mikan-channn!" I turned to see who it was and found Misaki-sempai coming with arms open to me. She gave me a hug and kisses on both cheeks. "Oh poor little girl, you look so tired…"

"I'm… actually tired." I told her.

"Well, well… you have to rest so we can get rid of those dark circles around your eyes, my God, you look like a Nightmare before Christmas stuff and you should look fresh tonight, okay?" she blabbered. I just nodded at her, turning to senpai who's comfortably seated on a couch with a cup of something steamy.

As I look at him, my reasons of coming here comes running back on my head. "Of course I need to be beautiful…" I said, blankly as I look at him. Who would want to stand ugly next to a guy who nullifies all the loveliness around when he's there? I need to be beautiful. I need to look more like a grown-up and then he'll realize that he's got no right to tell me over and over again that I'm still too young. "I have to…"

We'll… I didn't notice that Misaki senpai's cheerfully clapping her hands up in the air. "That's the spirit!" she keeps on saying. Kaname-senpai looks up at us and grinned, then he got up on his feet.

"I need to prepare too…" He said, and then turned to Misaki-senpai. "I'll entrust her to you okay?" and he winked. Even if I'm not the receiver of that wink, I think I'm gonna get unconscious! Gosh, he's soooo handsome! "Look, she's lost again…" I heard him say.

I blinked. "Why are you two looking at me like that?"

Misaki-senpai chuckled, "C'mon blondie, she's just excited! Now shoo, shoo! Go away so she can rest too!" she told him while his eyes are on… me.

Stop, stop, I'm gonna melt, right here, right now.

"Seven, okay?" Kyaaaaa… he smiled at me 3

"I won't make you wait…" Oha! That's a line I got from the internet. Whahahah. They said you should give nice impression on a guy on your first date! I know this isn't a date but whatever. It'll count when he becomes my boyfriend.

But senpai seems to be surprised. It was as if he can't believe what I just said, but still, he smiled. "Alright then…" he said, placing a hand on my cheeks. "Be prepared…" then he walked away…

I placed my hand on that cheek of mine that he just touched. Omigosh, I think I'm blushing now! He did that? He placed a hand on my cheek, omigosh that's soooo sweet!

"Be prepared…"

Wait.

My world stopped spinning again. I turn at once to the door but Senpai was already out. Why he is saying such weird stuffs lately? Add to it the creepy tone that he's using.

"Your bath is ready Mikan…" Misaki-senpai told me. Even I'm still absorbed by my thoughts, I went to the bathroom and relaxed at the bath tub. "Mikan-chan, I'll be on my room, just next to this room, okay? You can call me if ever you need something, and the attendant will be on your aid too…"

"Yeah, thanks." I told her. She need to prepare herself too even if she's in-charge of my wardrobe and appearance. Kaname is in-charge too when it comes to my lessons and my manners. I just wish he'll also be in-charge… of my heart.

Wow, I'm so dramatic. I smiled at myself. I'm such a silly girl, really. How many times should I tell him about how I feel? Well, if that quote saying "try and try until you succeed" doesn't exist, maybe I've given up. But since it exists, (hahahaha) I have a reason to go on. Besides, I know senpai likes me too

And before I fall asleep on the bath tub, I got up and dried myself. I'm still sleepy so a nap could help. But then, as I lay here on the bed with my eyes on the ceiling, my mind suddenly worked on its own. I mean… You know that moment when you suddenly remember something so out of the topic, so out of what you're actually thinking about? And what's weird is that I can't… just… exactly remember it.

Now that I remember that I forgot something, I can't remember what that 'something' is. How crazy!

I closed my eyes, thinking of a song to lull me to sleep. Maybe I can just play it on my head.

Uhm… Avril, Britney, MLTR, Lifehouse—

You and Me…

I played the song in my head but as it goes on, everything becomes white, and I think I'm panting as if I just finished running. Am I dreaming? If yes, I just wish that this is not a nightmare because I can't move. I can't speak. I can only see are rose petals, red and white, scattered everywhere. The sunset, then the city lights—

"Mikan… wake up now…" My eyes opened at once. It's a relief that I'm awake now. Misaki's talking with a lady who's holding some brushes on her hands. "Okay. You should start now…" I heard her say. I'm right. She's the one who's going to paint my face. It took us some minutes for the make-up, then the hair-do, then the dress. They all insisted on black, so I'm wearing black now.

I gaped at myself in front of the mirror. "What have you done to me!" I said.

The make-up artist face suddenly went pale. "What, m-mi lady?"

I looked at her with jaw dropped, "I'm a human being!" I exclaimed. Then they all laughed. What's so funny? Oh gosh, I've never seen myself this… beautiful before!

"Of course you're a human being… Don't believe Hotaru when she calls you an alien or a monkey…" Misaki said, still laughing. She too is beautiful in a black gown with white chiffon details. "Oh look who's here, ahaha…" She looked pass me, who's standing with my back on the door.

"I come to fetch the girl who will not make me wait…" his voice said. I froze in my place, I'm nervous.

Misaki placed both her hands on my shoulder then made me turn about face like a stiff doll and now I lost it—my breath, my heartbeat, my sanity—he took them all away. And as he came nearer… "Water!" I suddenly said. I think I'm dying.

I hope you get the feeling. That feeling when the guy you like so much stand in front of you like a superstar shining in his beauty. I'm star-stricken. It's like a prom experience where you can't wait for him to ask you to dance and you want to grab his hand and runway. I'm wonderstruck. It's like…

"Trying to get your thoughts back?" he whispered. He didn't read my mind, I know. I'm just too obvious.

"Exactly…" I blinked and took the glass of water from a girl's hand and consumed all its content in a gulp.

He chuckled, and then offered his arms where I wrapped my arms on. "Let's go…"

-o-


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