Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the delay, but THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I really appreciate them all! If only I have all the time in the world, *sigh, I'm really itching to write everything that's on my mind.
I can't thank you all enough for being kind ^_^ God bless you all... more and more.
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20
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Hyuuga stayed still as a rock with his head on his knees. The ring on my finger loosens little by little and I can't help but pity him for the pain that he's enduring. Actually, I even want to bully him (back) because it was his fault that he's got a massive earthquake happening inside his thick skull, but I kept my mouth shut, afraid that I'll sound like a nagging... wife. Yeah so better forget that I have a mouth and shut up.
I stifled a yawn for the third time as I wait for him to recover. Darn, I'm still so sleepy and another darn because I always forget his first name. And realizing that, I smiled to myself. God, this guy is "courting" me and I can't even remember his first name!
Wow, unbelievable. The world has gone nuts! Or maybe its just me... and him.
But since I decided to stick with his idea, maybe I'll get some knack in memorizing his name. And since I'm going to ride on, better be friends with him just like what Kaname-sempai suggested.
"Okay so let's be friends…" I awkwardly proposed, breaking the silence. We're not yet friends if I can remember. To be honest I don't know what to call us. We could be wearing identically designed rings but I STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD NOT CALL OURSELVES MARRIED, for sanity's sake, right? And I strongly doubt that. Also, we're not friends. If you can call bickering-almost-all-the-time people as friends then I can consider that. "So?" I nudged him. He turned at me and WHOA! He glared. Now we can't be friends!
"I don't like to be friends with you…" he said wearily.
"Fine with me then." I held my head high and allowed my pride, dressed in glittering gold, to parade in my head.
"I want to be more than friends… with you."
"SAY WHAT!?" My pride disappeared and a girl with a big AWKWARD tattoo on her forehead replaced her. Sheesh.
"I'm not sett'ling for anything less, polka."
"Don't call me polka!" I protested but he ignored.
"Whatever. I've got my goals and priorities straight, you know..." he said and heaved a heavy breath as he stood up, a hand of his stretched in front of me. I hesistate to take it. The last time I remember taking his hands, I was molested... and I tried breaking his uhm... ugh! balls...
Ew.
But I think I sat too much and it's just now that I felt some pins and needles-like running and numbing my legs. Hotaru calls this paresthesia but I refuse to refer to any scientific terms because it makes it sound malignant. I tried to stomp my foot, enduring the tingly feeling which is so disturbing. In a quick glance I saw Hyuuga looking down at me with his usual non-chalant expression, his hand still stretched out. I had no immediate choice but to take it.
And just like how I thought it would be, he pulled me way too strong so that I'm standing hip to hip with him in front of me. My face heated up, my hands feels cold and sweaty and my breath became ragged in an instant. Oh my gosh, he's too close. He's too close that I can smell his breath-damn the smell of menthol; He's too close that my nose is already brushing his and our lips are almost touching. A flash of vision crossed my consciousness-the same scene of me with him as he leaned to kiss me- and it was then that i realized that he's following the pattern of the memories.
No! Good heavens, I cant be kissed! I can't be kissed! Adrenalin rushed through me and I was able to push him away.
"Wha- what the heck... just what do you think are you doing!?" I gasped, catching my breath.
"Experimenting..." he said, fixing a stray hair into place behind his ears. His earrings sparkled a bit, distracting me with bits of memories again. And it distracted me more because I've never found a guy with an ear accessory... attractive-not until now.
"Thi.. this is not something you can experiment with!" I retorted as I point my trembling finger on my lips. "Not my lips, not my kiss!"
Both his eyebrows rose, "Oh really?" he asked mockingly.
"Yes, because you're not entitled to it..." I calmly replied.
"And who's got the right on it?"
"The guy I'm going to marry..."
And with that... he lifted his right hand with its back facing me.
*flashbacks
"Shut Up! That wasn't for you to take, you idiot! I can't believe you took almost everything my husband-to-be should have! You stole that kiss, and now, my marriage! You're a moron, idiot! Idiot!" I said shaking in anger.
"What are you saying, little girl? That kiss was for your husband?"
"Yes!"
"Then what do you call me?"
Oh. My. God.
Where's my jaw!? Damn I think they fell. Just... damn.
And when did I start cussing so often!?
"Now you can bring me to any court so we can examine the evidences..." And darn he smirked. And twice the darn because he can smirk that Ian Somerhalder smirk, I wanna die.
I supressed the butterflies in my tummy. "No thanks. I'd better go than continue this nonsense argument with you." Yeah because with this stupid ring stuck on my hand, I'm sure I have the slightest chance of winning a debate with a guy who keeps on suggesting that he's my husband!
I started to walk away, ignoring him. I continued to thread the long hallway until I stood face to face with the woman's portrait which Hyuuga mentioned a while ago. Wow, she's so pretty. She's got this japanese white skin, dark hair and european nose and lips, and her eyes are breath-takingly beautiful red... just like... Hyuuga's eyes. Actually, Reddie looks almost like her.
"Hi mom, meet my girlfriend..." his voice just popped out again. So she's his mother.
"I'm not your girlfriend."
"My wife then..."
I think I can lose my patience anytime now, "Will you stop it!?" I glared at him but he just ignored me and looked back at his mother's portrait.
"She'll soon be..." he smirked.
I chose to ignore him and turn towards the direction he gave me earlier when he's still having that headache. This time, the path was surprisingly short. A guy in navy blue and gold uniform opened the door for me as he mutters some italian greeting, but I wasn't able to pay attention as my thoughts were swept away by the mere sight of sempai.
He was sitiing there, fresh as sunshine with his blonde hair swaying with the breeze, looking like a sunflower in that mint green long-sleeved shirt. My heart flutters as he looked my way. Damn. He's so cute.
"She said you're so cute..." it was a woman's voice. My face felt as if it was inside an oven as a figure of a girl walked past me to join sempai on the table. Aish, it's Konan again. Sempai smiled at her and even chuckled.
"Amuse me," he said, then looked back at me. "Are you going to stand there forever, Mikan?"
"Uhm, no." and then I proceeded to the table. I was about to take the seat next to Sempai but then Hyuuga just appeared and sat on where I'm supposed to sit. "What the-"
"Mikan, take the seat next to Natsume." Konan said just before I finished what I was saying. Sempai nodded, chin on his folded hands and smiled at me, so I have no choice but to sit there, and kick Hyuuga's feet hard enough to make him hiss and tighten his jaw.
The servant started fixing the utensils infront of us and placing freshly baked breads, a basket of jams, egg dishes and variety of garden salads and fruits. Soon there's a cup of cappuccino in front of me and it sure smells like heaven. I did a mental prayer and took a sip from the cup. Uhm, heaven... like howalons.
"What took you so long?" Sempai asked.
I had no choice but to say some truth. "He had some headache on the way so we waited until he had recovered and my room's a little far from here-"
"Your room is five rooms from here." Konan interrupted.
"I... WHAT!? FIVE ROOMS FROM HERE!?" I immediately gave Hyuuga the evil glares. "I went all the way walking through that long, cold corridor, why didn't you at least text me?" Alright, I was totally annoyed!
"I texted you..." Kaname calmly said. And then I noticed that I don't have my phone with me. To my total irritation, I kicked Reddie's feet again, harder.
"That's for making a fool of me!" I yelled at him through telepathy but instead of giving me back the glares, he even smirked! Darn, I wanna crush his pretty face on this table!
I... mean, his ugly face!
"You describe boys in a weird way, Kaname as cute and Natsume as pretty..." Konan just piped in. I know I'm badly blushing by now. Its not fair! One shouldn't just broadcast someone's thought just because you can hear it! Kaname is now giving me an innocent questioning look while Hyuuga seem to don't mind. But I mind, I damn, freaking care because its embarrasing! "Ugh, get over it will you?" She snorted, and then tapped on her gadget. I was left appalled and silent with my mouth open.
"So the thing that we want to have is..." Konan paused, picking up the pad and making it face us, "this-" The screen flashed a violet crystal-like thing with a glowing green light inside it. "...the healing alice stone of the Imai's which is confirmed to be in the Igarashi's possession... and what makes it exceptional is the nature alice's healing property. So that is all that I know..." and then she eyed Kaname.
Sempai leaned on his sit and crossed his fingers above his knee, "Plan A: We ask Lady Kora where is it and luckily we'll get an instant answer, proceed to acquiring it."
"Ha! Easy as that! Then let's make Hyuuga ask his grandma!" I peeped in excitedly. Surely, this is a piece of cake. But Konan let out a deep sigh and Hyuuga glared at me.
"No one knows where my grandmother is." Hyuuga said, "What you see is her thought projection..." he added.
Creeps. "Her... spi... spirit?" I nervously asked, whoa... she can send her spirit away!? Her own spirit!?. Reddie once again rolled his freaking bloody eyes.
"No, for heavens sake. It's her alice to send her whole body projection in anyone's thought and make it appear that she's around even if she's not." He explained, stirring his drink.
"And no one knows where is she by now..." Konan added.
"Oh, so Reddie is useless..." I almost choked containing my laugh. Reddie glared at me.
"Nice try to bully me but no." he sighed. "I'd love to burst your bubble, brat so to tell you something awesome..." he paused and sipped at his cup, "among the folks in here, I'm the only one who can track her so far."
What a braggart!?
"Yep and you're going to do it now, right on this breakfast table." Konan said.
How on earth can he do that anyway?
Konan's eyes turned to me, "Mental thing." she said, tapping a finger on her temples. Oh, of course, she heard my thoughts. "Some weirder alice he inherited from her mom, only works on people possesing his alice stone and Kora's got one of the stones on her jewels, well, unconsciously."
I was left in awe. Wow, these guys are more talented than I thought.
"So?" Konan interrupted the silence.
"Monaco." Hyuuga sighed and rolled his eyes. I'm starting to think that its his hobby, or maybe he's really gay.
"Oh, pretty close..." Sempai commented. Pretty close that he's gay? Konan, hearing my thoughts suddenly chuckled. "Maybe she's going to be physically present at the Duchess' daughter's wedding." Sempai added. Oh, what he meant with 'pretty close' is the distance. Haha, I thought it was Hyuuga.
"Okay... gear up, you two are heading to Monaco." Konan said, two fingers pointed at Hyuuga and my direction.
"We?" I repeated... stupidly. Konan nodded and my eyes instantly darted to sempai. "You. Are. In-Charge. Of. Me." I told him. No way, he's not letting me go alone, especially with this guy!
"Your mother won't actually mind if it's Natsume..." Konan intercepted, stupid Sempai nodded again and I can feel my eyes swelling. Hyuuga's leaning at his seat, busy with his phone as if he doesn't care and not even protesting! I thought he doesn't like me so he should be against this idea.
I let out another hopeful breath, "My mother would mind-"
"No she won't." Konan... er... declared. She sure can sound scary if she wants but I'm not giving up easily. "Oh of course you're hard-headed." Darn, she's spying on my head. "Yes I am. And to tell you, Yuka won't mind because Natsume is Kaoru's son, who happens to be her beloved bestfriend."
Yeah, what the hell, I forgot!
"But Kaname's gonna come with me wherever I go-"
"We need to attend to the events and obligations where you're supposed to come." Kaname said.
"Okay, why don't we put it this way..." I took in a lungful of air and then exhaled slowly, trying to calm down my system. "Sempai and me will fulfill my obligations and you two go find the lost grandmama..." I hopefully suggested. Smiling the most convincing smile I could make.
But instead of nodding heads, a cold sweep of breeze blew as silence filled the room. Bad omen.
"Uhm... No." It was Hyuuga who talked this time. "The old lady is not stupid and will not give out any piece of information easily... Not even to me."
"She must understand the situation, Mikan. It's only you among us who can use telepathy and we need it to explain to the Lady why we badly need to know the whereabouts of that stone." Konan added.
Sheesh. They got me cornered again. "Alright, alright... Whatever!" I glared at the sky. No one loves me in heaven I guess, not even my freakin' deceased father. What's worse is that I have to spend days with the blood-shot-eyed bastard.
"You'd have to leave later. My dad's private plane was reserved for the flight, you'll stay at Hermitage." Really? She's declaring stuffs while in the process... just like Hotaru!? "Kaname, can we get extra invitations to the wedding?"
"Sure..." and just that Sempai's on his line. "Hi Gretta, this is Kaname, how are you?" Darn Sempai, he started speaking in French so I can't understand him well and I can't say if he's just speaking the French accent or he's already flirting. Whoever Gretta is, I hate her already. But at the same time I feel bad for her because I know Sempai is just using his charms to get an invitation to that wedding.
"Yukihara, you have to see Roslyn before you leave this afternoon." And that was before I can heave a sigh.
Hyuuga finally looked up from his phone. "Why, isn't she fit for the mission?"
Me? To see a doctor? "Yeah, is there something wrong with me?"
"Nothing... Maybe her cousin's got a message for you..." she said nonchalantly. And that thrilled me. Wow! Hotaru! or maybe Hotaru from the future, what I mean is the... er... present. Reddie doesn't seem convinced by her and he maintained that scary, mind-digging stare at Konan. "Kaname, are you done flirting with Gretta?" And yeah, Konan just... ignored him.
From Konan, my eyes darted to Sempai's direction. Darn, he really was flirting with her!
But Kaname just chuckled and kept his phone. "C'mon, don't give them the wrong impression. I just did what you wanted me to do and... I... got it!"
"Good." Konan did that boss-like-smile and consumed all the contents of her cup. "Okay, so let's keep moving now?"
"Sure. I'll bring Mikan to Roslyn..." Kaname stood up, and offered a hand to me. I took it and we started to leave but Hyuuga caught my hand. Suddenly, there's an electricity flowing through my body and its making me chill. My thoughts were scrambled again and I bet he's got a clue about how I feel.
"Later then, polka..." it was almost a whisper, he smirked and then he let go.
CREEEEEEEEEEEEPS! But... That feeling... What was that!?
.end of chapter
yow guys! I'll do my best to update but I won't promise to be soon.
-Konan
