Hi everyone! I was so busy last week so I wasn't able to upload. Sorry for that. Anyway here's the eleventh in Mikan's POV. Excuse the errors if there are because I'm not feeling so well to make a re-run over the whole m.s..
THanks for the reviews! You're all so dear and wonderful, so please enjoy!
CHAPTER 11
Labyrinth
-o-
I glanced at my right side for third time now… then to my left. I found no one but I really feel that I'm being watched. I went back to my normal pace and acted as if I'm not interested anymore. And then abruptly, I turn to see who's behind me to find…
...
No one.
By the way my face muscles adjusted, I know I look stressed even without a mirror. I know someone's tailing me! I've been trained to use my senses really well, then why does it seem now that they're fooling me?
Exhausted from turning here and there just to find no one, I decided to go on, back to my room to change my clothes because I have to be in a girl's tea party. I wish I'll faint again so I can skip all these lined up events! It's really tiring. Sigh.
"WWHHHHAAAAA!"
Oh my God! I wasn't able to contain the shock so I screamed it out loud. Heavens! What is this girl doing?
"Mikan-chaaaaaaaaaan!" she said, coming closer for a hug. Seriously, I don't know who this girl is.
"It's you again!" I said, still shocked. What's wrong with this girl really? She'll just pop out of nowhere and she never did it nicely because it's always a shock and then she'll just disappear again. I'm actually traumatized. It's because the first time I met her was like this:
I guess it was early morning when I opened my eyes again. The first time I did was almost yesterday, and that's when Kaname told me that I fainted. The doctor, who introduced herself as Roslyn Imai, said that I'm fine but she also said that I should not be prone to so much stress and sports for a while now. And then she gave me another dose of sleeping pills again.
I can't feel any drowsiness anymore but I'm hungry. I got up and headed for the door. But as I reach for the knob, it twisted like magic and opened abruptly.
"WHHHAAAA!" we both screamed in surprise and the next thing I kn ew is that she jumped at me and covered my mouth with her hands. She kept on pushing me until I am seated on a cushion with her on top of me was about to perform some self-defense moves when she slowly moved away from me. "I'm not gonna hurt you, okay? So please keep quiet!" she told me through hissing. I noticed her dark hair at once… and her red eyes.
"Red eyes…" I murmured, still slumping on the cushion. She glanced down again at me with a wondering gaze and then her expression suddenly lighted up.
"Hey, hey! Looks like I know you!" she said, still in a whispering manner. I gave her the weirdest look I can manage. Gosh I think the world's going crazy. Suddenly everyone thinks they've met other guys, when I seriously believe that I haven't seen her before and I don't think I've posted my picture in any public documents or internet sites. Not even in my facebook account because my display photo is my black cat, Michi. "It's like I've seen you in… in…" she trailed off, nearing her face to mine. "In that photo?" she said. Photo? What photo? "Yes! You're that girl in my nii-chan's wallet! You're that baby, aren't you?"
"Huh?" I'm literally confused. Seriously. Me? A baby? In a photo in his brother's wallet? What on earth would I be doing there? I don't even know who her brother is.
"Nevermind." She waved her hands and then headed for the big window. "I'm going…"
"Wait!" I called for her. Don't tell me she's… "..you're going to jump from there?" I said pointing at the window which she already managed to open. She just nodded at me and then glanced back.
"Don't tell anyone about this, okay? Buh-bye!" and off she jumped… down. I unconsciously found myself going to where the window is and looking down. Oh my dear God, this room can be on the fourth floor, is that girl crazy! Not that I'm crazy because I jump from buildings too but a girl in the age of sixteen maybe? I just hope she didn't get a leg injury with that.
And after that, she showed up again as if hiding from somebody, sometimes making me her shield, and then just disappears like fart.
"Hey, hey…" I tried to pull my hand from her grip as she started pulling me with her. "Hey, what are you doing!"
"Shhh! Listen to me first okay?" she said, when we finally reached a wall of rose shrubs, occasionally peeping behind and sideways cautiously. "I need your help—"
"I don't even know you." I cut her frankly. Setting this straight, I still don't have a reason to help her.
"Right." She nodded and exhaled. "I'm Aoi Igarashi, the master-maiden of this land. Nice meeting you Mikan Sakura Azumi Yukihara." And then she extended her right hand in front of me.
My mouth dropped. Wow. Complete family name.
"How'd you know that?" I asked her, still amazed.
"C'mon! My mommy and your mother are bestfriends! And of course I have a list of the guests… I should know!" I nodded in comprehension although I really feel weird around her. "So you'll help me?" she asked with some big, wistful eyes.
"I said nothing—"
"One of my bodyguards is obsessed with me. He follows me wherever I go—"
"Aoi-chan, it's his job." I told her.
"No. He's overdoing it. It's creepy really." And she said it with such disgust as if she saw her bodyguard ate his poop. I tried not to laugh and gestured for her to continue. "And I want to get rid of him. I know it's only you who can understand this because you've experienced having bodyguards, right? You know, I just want to walk freely, eat freely, and do everything freely without anyone following me even in the comfort rooms!"
I gave her another weird stare. Even in the comfort rooms? Now I'm starting to believe that the bodyguard's really… well... obsessed. "Or maybe he's just performing his duties according to strict instructions…" I said, trying to divert the 'obsession' topic. I've been under a strict supervision too so I knew, but now I'm free of them since I've proven to my mom and brother that I can take care of myself.
"No!" she protested and all I can do is blink at her. It was obvious that she'll be sticking to her original argument until the end of his conversation. I just wonder when and how I can end this conversation because for heavens' sake, I'm already ten minutes late! I can feel my phone beeping on my pocket and I can guess it's either Misaki-sempai or Kaname telling me to hurry up.
Geez. This girl knows how to do the timing!
"Look, Aoi-chan… I'll be happy to help you, okay? But not today—"
"Okay." She slumped her shoulders in a pitiful manner that I felt guilty.
"I'm sorry… I have to attend a tea party—"
"A tea party!" She interjected again. Now I know I'm not the world's best interrupter with this girl breaking my record. I just nodded at her, my lips pursed.
"I think I know a shortcut to the venue!" she delightfully exclaimed. "Come, come!"
"I still need to change my clothes—"
"Ugh! You don't have to! They'll do!" then she started pulling me again towards…
"A labyrinth!" I suddenly stopped. "I thought it was a shortcut?" I asked her incredulously.
She gazed sideways again and then whispered, "Mikan-chan, I live here! There's a shortcut to the Pink Rose Garden through this maze, and I know just how we can get there in no time. Trust me, okay?" she said, managing to pull me with her into the labyrinth.
"You know I'm not sure if…" I hesitated, but I know I should tell her anyway. "I'm not sure if I can trust you…" I said. She stopped and turned her head to look at me in a dramatic SLOW-MO style! I can't believe this girl. Maybe if she brought a music player, she'll also manage to have some background music for that.
"Ouch." She said, blinking as if trying not to cry. "That hurts." Her voice broke… in a fake manner. I want to laugh at her obvious bluff but I contained it. "Okay… I'll leave you alone. I'm not gonna bother you anymore. Thanks…" and then she continued walking.
She must be joking, right?
I mean… She really left me here? Inside this labyrinth!
"Darn, I'm so stupid…" I told myself with a poke on my forehead. I should've realized that I'm already inside a maze that I'm not familiar with. I should've known that she's pulling me into a trap!
"Hey Aoi! Are you still there?" I called out, carefully choosing the path to take. "Look, I'm sorry! I'll help you okay? But let's get out of here first!" God, why am I so stupid? I should've trained hard on that freaking teleportation. At least I will have an option in case of stupidity-stack-overflow situations. "Aoi-chaaann!"
Finally! She showed up from behind a wall, "You promise to stick on your words?"
I gave her a curt nod since I'm really anxious about my tardiness. "Yes. Just lead me out of here in this instant—"
"Aoi-sama!" a deep, loud voice called.
"Milady!" and here's another one.
"Geez! They found me!" Aoi said, almost hissing in a tensed manner. "Hurry up, Mikan-chan, run!" I was not even able to react. What's with pulling me for an impromptu marathon!
"Aoi-chan, wait!" I yelled, panting. I want to tell her to stop because I'm wearing stilettos and long skirts aside from being totally ignorant about the reason we're running.
"Keep running! They're following us again!" she yelled back.
"Us! Or do you mean 'you'?" I retorted. I can't stop because she's really pulling me hard and fast. She expertly entered each alley as if there's installed radar on her head. She was also murmuring something under her breath… a chant maybe, or a prayer for her not to be caught.
We took another turn, and finally, as I'm hoping, it was the last. It's because I can see a wide circular area already.
"We're… here…" She panted. Oh yes, like what I was thinking.
I glanced around amidst my raged breathing. "Where's the shortcut?"
"Where is it again?"
My eyes widened. Oh no. Here we are again… "Aoi-chan! Don't tell me that there's no shortcut!" Arg! Patience, patience! Where art thou!
"Of course there is! Relax…" she said, closing her eyes. It seems to me that she's concentrating. She walked towards a wall while I stayed seated here on this rock, still catching my breath. "Here it is!" She exclaimed in excitement. She tuned to me with sparkling eyes and a gesture to come near her.
"It's a warp hole…" I said upon seeing twisting warp. Aoi nodded at me, taking my hand.
"Let's go!" and without another breath from me, she pushed our bodies inside the hole. Everything around us spins so fast and by the time we're out of here, I think I'm going to be cross-eyed. And I think I'm throwing up.
"We're here!" Aoi shouted. I think there's no need to shout, I can hear her clearly even if my eyes are still shut. She kept pushing and pulling me and if I will not concentrate, I will really puke… at her.
"Stop it Ao—"
I should've kept my eyes closed. Darn this girl.
But this time, I can't… control it anymore!
"AOIIIIIIIIII!"
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