"Oh shoot," Mikan whimpered in despair as she curled her body like a fetus on her creaky bed. "Why do the gods always curse me?" she questioned rhetorically as she nuzzled closer to the pile of blankets over her body. She is having a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, which she had been feeling for the last few years but she totally ignored it until now, the pain became more frequent these days and more unbearing. Worsening it is the chills and fever she just got like two hours ago. She feels like passing out now.

Toby is by her side, watching her dejectedly and feeling helpless.

"Natsume…" She barely whispers. It is Sunday today, therefore their get-together day, and she can't come due to her condition.

She tried all her might to reach her phone from the rusty cabinet. She was thinking of contacting Natsume so that at least he would be informed that she can't come. Her dog, getting the point of his master, stood up from her side and carefully took the phone by his mouth, only to bring it to her.

"Good boy, dear." She weakly caressed his fur in reward as the dog handed her the phone.

She shakily dialed his number and on the third ring, he finally answered.

"Natsume?" she said in a soft tone.

"Where are you?" He calmly asked, hearing the change in her voice.

"…can't…come…" Just then, a strong, sharp pain was felt on her lower abdomen, "UGH!" She whimpered uncontrollably as she cuddled her lower body painfully. The phone was thrown to the floor and all the other line could hear was the sound of the dog barking.

She opened her eyes.

Her visions blurred but it immediately turned to normal. From the most comfortable bed she'd ever laid on, from the side tables with full of fruits and flowers, the dextrose which hangs at a white pole which was connected by a needle stuck inside her right arm, the spacious living room with a flat screen television, the kitchen and another door which she guess was headed to the comfort room, she can see it all. She's inside a hospital.

But whose doing is this? She shouldn't be here. Her pile of debts would be higher than the empire state if she would stay here longer. Her recent memories came back to her as she remembered can only think of him as the suspect for this sudden hospital thing. But where is he? She probably fainted, but how did he know where she is and where she lives?

It's been only a few minutes when she heard a knock on the door. The door opened without waiting for her response since she was the only one in the room. A doctor came and greeted her politely.

"How are you feeling Ms. Sakura?" The man, at about his 40's said as he scans the paper he was holding.

"I'm fine." She answered.

"That's good. We are currently performing certain tests to further know your body's condition. I've already talked to Mr. Hyuuga about this and the results will most likely come out later today. I'll be coming back around to review it for you." He smiled diligently as he scribbled something on his prescription pad. He tore it away and gave it to her.

"This is the list of drugs you should take. I'm sorry we ran out of stock on these so I'm afraid you'll have to buy it outside." She accepted it halfheartedly.

"Is there anything I could do for you?" He asked.

"Um, Doctor, when can I be discharged?"

"Well, it depends on your laboratory results, but most likely, three to four days from now you'll be good to go home." He smiled at her assuringly.

"Can I go home now?" She sighed. "I have so much work to do but I promise to be back this afternoon to get my laboratory results."

The doctor frowned at her. "I'm afraid you can't." She was about to protest again but the doctor added, "Mr. Hyuuga hired security guards for you, they are outside actually and he told me and the management of the hospital to not let you go anywhere except here."

Mikan gaped. Why is Natsume doing this? And the guards? Why would he hire them? Could it be that he knows about her sorrowful secrets? It couldn't be, right? And besides, who would tell him besides her?

"Anything else, Ms. Sakura?" He said as he scans his paper again.

"No, thanks doctor." She said and smiled at him. The doctor waved his goodbye and exited the room.

As soon as the door closed, Mikancrampled the doctor's prescription and threw it carelessly to the floor. She forced herself to stand up as she pulled off the needle from her hand and changed to her casual clothes.

"Here are all the testimonies, your majesty."Natsume left Mikan to the hospital to get the outcome of the investigation he was assigned to be conducted. He was planning to go back to her as soon as possible because knowing that girl, she would probably refuse his help and try something stupid.

At his hand is the complete biography of Mikan Sakura. He reads, he scans and reads again if the line he had read is utterly impossible to be true. In an hour, he literally knows everything about her. From her parents, her grandfather, her friends, her debts, her bank account. Everything is cleared to him in a flash.

"I want you to bring these bastards to me by all means," He ordered in fiery as he slammed the profiles of certain men on his table, "And do it as quickly as possible."

"Yes, your majesty." The investigator bowed and exited the room.

He then got up and proceeded to go to the hospital to see his little girl.

She is completely back on her casual clothes when she felt feverish and dizzy again. Her cheeks are tinted with a strong red color and her lips are pale. The doctor said the fever would last up to two days in minimum so she has to rest. She felt weak right now.

She took her wallet from her pants. She always has it whenever she goes, even when sleeping. Fortunately, he didn't throw her clothes out when the nurses changed her dress to a hospital gown.

She grabbed a piece of paper, wrote her ATM's pass code and put it on top of the neatly arranged bed with her ATM card. She left a note saying that he should withdraw all her money for the expenses she caused him.

She dizzily went to the door of the costly room and instantly turned the knob… only to find him staring straight right into her eyes.

She took a few steps back, alarmed by his presence.

"Where do you think you're going again, polka?" He stated firmly.

"Home." She simply stated as she tried to get past him.

He entered the room and shut the door. He held her protectively by the waist and escorted her back to the bed; her weak defenses were fruitless at his hold. He noticed a note on the bed and reached out for it and read it. She looked away and blushed in embarrassment.

"Stop paying me, I won't accept any money from you." He slid his hand on the pocket of her pants and fished out her wallet. When he did, he put the ATM card back and threw the paper at the floor whileMikan just seated herself on the bed, her hands supporting her head, it was throbbing a lot.

His attention was taken away from her when he noticed another crumpled paper on the floor. He took it and read it. After reading it, he ordered one of his assistants to buy the drugs that were listed by the doctor.

"Don't!" She intrudes again, "…you don't need to do this for me." Of course, he ignored her pleas.

He stared at her while she stared at the floor.

"I know why you're like this…" He started. She didn't respond. She just cried, feeling helpless with all the sorrows.

"Your parent's debt, your hard life, the wounds on your body…" She cried harder this time. She knows he can figure out something like this easily, being high and mighty and all that. She was planning to stay away from him when he discovered her wounds, but she just… can't. He's important to her. But she fears what his reaction would be when he finally knows her life. Would he accept her or reject her for having a life she herself doesn't even want?

"I know it all, Mikan." He held her closely to him as she surrendered.

"I'll save you from this." His voice was authoritative. All Mikan could do was cry.

"No… I don't want you to be pulled into my darkness." She stated stubbornly and firmly, making it loud and clear. "I shouldn't be here… you shouldn't be here. After this, we would part ways and never see each other again. You go on with your life, fulfill your dreams and enjoy it and I'll just…just keep going on with mine," Her voice was cracking from the pain.

Natsume glared at her idea as he tightly pulled his arms to hers. "I believe you heard me wrong… I wasn't asking for your permission or anyone else's…"

Mikan sobbed harder this time as he felt his heart breaking for the first time. Why did he come to her life only now? Maybe…maybe if he just came earlier, she would not be this miserable.

"I'll get you out of this, whether you like it or not." He said in a sturdy, determined voice as he kissed the top of her head.

She plunged closer to his arms, "You…" She sobbed, "…you don't know how long I've waited for you…" Her tears shed uncontrollably from her eyes. "I would give up everything, anything for you, NatsumeHyuuga."

He hugged her tighter, so tight that if they were bubbles, they would burst in together.

"It's been forever for me, and I was about to give up, but then you happened… and my world was just not the same without you. I vow to protect and cherish you with all I am, with all I'll ever be." He slowly tilted her jaw as he kissed her with so much passion as she kissed back for the first time.

The word wasn't said but everything is crystal clear.