Today is Sunday, a wonderful day off for our hardworking Mikan Sakura.
As for her, she decided to hike a deserted mountain which is a few kilometers away from her home. Besides, she needs fresh air for once in a while since the busy city she's living in causes so much pollution.
She's wearing her worn-out shorts, a fitted purple t-shirt and a pair of pink dusted rubber shoes. With her is a small backpack too, which consists of a bottle of water, extra shirt, a cellular phone and face towel.
She was halfway through the tip of the mountain when she stepped into something precious. She sighed; sweat pouring from her body like a fountain as she inspected the object.
Under her left foot, semi-covered with dried leaves is a 5-inch circular pure gold pendant. She carefully dusted the leaves with her gentle strokes and reached for the breathtaking pendant with her two hands. It was not that easy pulling it up since it weighs about 10 kilograms. With her tantalizing big brown orbs, she assesses the treasure. Embedded to the very core of the pendant is a distinguishing red beautiful stone. The gold is shining gracefully but the red stone shines the brightest. She then noticed the letters that were formally molded around the red stone. She reads it: "Natsume Hyuuga, Crowned Prince of Hyuuga Realm."
She instantly wonders what that meant; the only thing she's sure about is that whoever owns that must be so rich and powerful. But a prince? Is there a prince named NatsumeHyuuga? She never heard of it from the television or even read it in newspapers. And besides, a prince would never go to a place like this, right?
She turned the gold pendant back and saw a rough sketch of what seems to be a castle. The pendant is very finely produced, one-of-a-kind and very luring.
"Give it back." Her musings were cut off when she heard a surprisingly very beautiful yet so powerful and genuinely manly voice. She hastily turned to face him; At the moment she set her eyes to him, her mind instantly put her into another trance… little did she know that she was already gaping at the most beautiful person she could ever see in her life.
He is tall, at about 6'2" in height. His so masculine body made a good combination of his white porcelain skin. She can see his unbelievably perfect torso since he was wearing nothing but pants. His face is astonishingly dashing, and his eyes – which are made up of crimson orbs, rages with calmness that inspects her.
"I said give it back." He called, or rather ordered for the second time. Her dreamy state was finally awoken.
"Give what back?" She stated, finally getting back to reality.
"The pendant, what else idiot." He smirked amusingly at her.
"I am not an idiot, you inconsiderate bastard!" Her face fuming red in anger as she shouted at him while his smirk grew wider.
"Whatever, give it back." He stretched his big, strong hands at her, asking for the pendant.
Her angry mood changes immediately as she stares on the precious thing in her hands.
"No." She firmly stated as she hides the pendant behind her back. He returned his arm to his side and glared at her.
"Why not?" He asked demandingly.
"Because I can't be sure if it's yours until you've given me some evidence." She replied stubbornly.
"Test me," He said, challenging her.
"Okay. So what is written around the red stone?"
"My name, Crowned Prince of Hyuuga Realm." He simply stated.
"Then what is your name, may I ask mister."
"Natsume Hyuuga."
"Oh. I guess you really are the owner…" she sweetly smiled at him. "Uhm, but where is the lace of the pendant?"
"It's here." He grabs something from his pocket and shows her a thin shining gold lace.
Without asking for his permission, she quickly grabbed the lace and inserted it gently into the little hole of the pendant. After making sure it's safe in place, she reached for his neck and gently placed the necklace on him. She adjusted the pendant after she locked the lace. The lace is long, the pendant ends up on his mid-torso. She then distanced herself one meter away from him.
"Wow, perfect!" She purred innocently. "You are a prince but I've never heard of your name… " She smiled curiously at him but his emotionless eyes gave her a message that he would not respond to her statement. "And… you're not wearing any shirt…?" He smirks again then, out of the blue, there was a blue shirt on his hands. He simply put it on. Mikan just shrugged.
"By the way, I am Mikan Sakura. You should take extra good care of your belongings sir. Especially that necklace. It looks very expensive but beautiful on you..." She stared at him delightfully, but he did not say a word.
"Oh well, until we meet again. Nice meeting you, Natsume!" She smiled at him again and waved, then with that, started to go up the mountain.
Natsume Hyuuga stood there in a daze. At his place, no one dared to go so close to him. There is always a three meter distance whether it's his parents, servants or just whoever. And this girl, there is something about her… he doesn't know if it's the sadness or pressure in her eyes or her strange smiles, all he knows is that something inside of him desires to know her more.
With that thought, he ran away to where she is.
Mikan sighed in defeat as she let her body fall down to a pile of dried leaves, her whole body and clothes drenched in sweat. She got her bottle from her bag and drank it like she never had for a century. She was covered in sweat and yet she estimated that she cannot reach the mountain's peak that easily.
"Tired?" The beautiful voice was there again! Natsume appeared in front of Mikan. Her eyes widened in surprise as she pointed a finger on him…
"H…how come you've reached this far without even having a single sweat on your body?!" He smirked and shrugged in answer.
"You don't like talking that much do you?" Mikan said as she relaxed back to her place and finished her bottle of water.
"Well, you continue your hike, Natsume." She stood up and stretched. "As for me, I don't think I can reach the peak anymore, boy, I'm so tired!"
"Climb on my back, little girl." He bent on his legs and waited for her to do the honor.
"Pardon?" She asks like an idiot.
He sighed in annoyance. "Climb on my back and I'll carry you to the top."
Her mouth hung open as she processed what he said. "But I'm heavy and…"
"Just do it." And she did. She felt so light as he carried her. There was no hint of suffering from the way he conveyed her. He was like lifting a feather on his didn't know that Natsume was enjoying their skin gliding together as he hoisted her to the top.
"Wow! We're here!" She exclaimed as they reached their destination. "It's really beautiful!" Natsumejust simply stared at the view.
They sat together at the grass, overlooking the city proper. After they relaxed for some time, she started a conversation.
"Ne, Natsume…" Mikan smiled, looking directly on his eyes.
"Hm?"
"Tell me something about your desires," He looked at her doubtingly.
"Well, I know that is a strange question, but hey just answer it!" She asks pleadingly.
"Desires? Are you talking about R-rated?" He smirked lustfully as she blushed like a tomato.
"You are an inconsiderate, bloody pervert!" She shouted at him. "I don't want to talk to you anymore!" She turned his back on him, planning to ignore him completely.
"My greatest desire," Natsumesuddenly spoke. "…is to be loved unconditionally." Mikan surprisingly turned to him and she can see the strong need in his eyes.
"Oh," She looks at him, understanding that very feeling. "What's yours?" He asked in return.
Still in the world of his idea, she blurted out… "My desire is to be free from the pain that has been hunting me ever since I came into this world… and like you, I want to be loved unconditionally and to love unconditionally… I… I want to know that God hasn't still abandoned me after all this time," Her brown orbs tempting to release the glitter of tears but it was firmly held back, like it was a routine.
But he can see right through her. The great, unexplainable, excruciating pain she is holding back. There was a scar, a scar so deep that he could not understand. Her eyes – the window of her soul, says it all. Never did he see this kind of torture; it was so intense that he can feel her breaking.
A beep from her phone was heard inside her backpack. She abruptly fished it from her bag. She then hit the stop button since the phone was alarming her.
"Oh no, it's late! I better get back!" Mikan stood to bid her goodbye.
"Goodbye Natsume!" She gave him one of the brightest smiles he could ever see.
"I get to see you again this Sunday, right polka-dots?" He asked, another smirk of him was visible.
She comprehends his word on her brain as she blushes again for the second time. That's because polka-dots were the pattern of her panties.
"WHY YOU PERVERT! I REALLY HATE YOU!" She yelled at him loudly as she turned and marched away.
She was fifteen steps away when she felt a strong hand grab her wrist. She turned back to see him again.
"Do I?" He asks seriously.
"'Do I what?!" She asks furiously. "And don't hold me pervert!" He let his grip loosen.
He lifted his brows to her, as if repeating his question. She sighed in defeat. "Yes, I'll be back. See you," She confirmed to him calmly and smiled, forgetting the underwear thing.
"Good." Before she knew it, he was out of her sight.
What an arrogant, perverted man she has met. But he is unquestionably handsome and demanding. She smiles as she makes her way out of the mountain. She doesn't know why she'd agree to meet him again this coming Sunday, but something tells her that she has no choice but to see him. Well, maybe they could be the best of friends someday, or maybe, just maybe…a little more than that."
This is how the paths of Mikan Sakura and Natsume Hyuuga crossed.
