Chapter 8 "Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like it's heaven on earth."

"Anna!" Mikan exclaimed as she spotted her one and only true friend. She plans to resign all her works today as Natsume said and of course, she wants to bid farewell to all her acquaintances today.

"Mikan-chan!" They embraced each other tight as if they did not see each other for years. "Come on and take a seat, I'll serve you your favorite!" They are at Anna's fancy bakery and it was a sunny morning.

She did not know the reason behind Mikan's absences but hell, she's just glad to see her again. She looks wonderful and she's sure there's a very good reason behind her disappearances.

"Here's your ice cold choco latte, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies and chocolate cake!" She presented delightfully as she put each carefully on the table. Mikan's mouth watered as she saw the pastries.

"WOW. How do you know I love chocolate, Anna?" She questioned as she started munching her meal.

"Of course I know, Mikan! Everytime I ask you what flavor shall I try, every time I invent new recipes, you'd always answer with 'chocolate it is.' The ladies both laughed when Anna demonstrated her usual response.

"So… how have you been Miss-suddenly-disappearing?" She questioned smiling at her.

Mikan stopped eating and turned to her friend in a serious manner, "I finally found him, Anna." She said it as her voice quivered in delight and joy.

" .GOD! Congratulations Mikan! I know you will, I'm very happy for you!" They embraced each other warmly. "Thank you, Anna." She responded.

"But I guess Ryouma wouldn't have a chance right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Ryouma Saitou. You don't know him? He's your co-worker at the bookstore, remember?" True. The one she's referring to is her co-worker, he's maybe three years older than her and a gentleman. He always helps her with her job, like lifting heavy books for her and there's a one-time that he escorts her home. He's really kind to her.

"I know who he is, but what's the 'chance' thing you're talking about?" She asks in wonder.

"Well, while you're gone for the week, he constantly goes here, with a bouquet of flowers and chocolates, looking for you. He actually thought you'd be disappearing forever."

"Are you kidding me?!" Mikan half-shouted as the news broke to her.

"Actually, no… I'm saying the truth. You'll see later." Mikan just continued to fill her mouth with food as she continued to process her friend's words.

"Hey, why don't you tell me about this boyfriend of yours?" Mikan blushed hard hearing the word 'boyfriend'.

Anna observes her reaction, "Come on, girl. It's normal." She reassured her. Mikan swayed her head, not wanting to tell the story.

"As I thought so, come out of your shell for sometime will you?" She touched her arm to get her attention.

"I don't know anything about this man but I'm sure you're being very well taken care of…" She smiled at her. "I know because you look a hundred more times livelier than I last saw you. Please take care okay?"

"Thank you, Anna." She smiled gratefully at her too.

"And Mikan, you do know that I'll always be your friend right?"

"Of course you are. Thank you so much for everything, Anna. I love you so much!"

"Awww. I love you more!" And they both embraced each other again.

All through the day, Mikan accomplished her resignation from all her jobs. Some of her employers got angry while some bid her a happy good luck. It was a fulfilling day for her. Her acquaintances were regretful for they would lose such a diligent worker like her, it was a sad farewell but well, it goes and it comes…

It was night when she was walking down the well-lit streets as she enjoyed the moment. She plans to go back to her little home to sleep there once last time.

"Mikan! Wait up there!" Someone shouted from behind. She turns to where the voice was coming from.

"Hello Ryouma-senpai. How have you been?" She greeted him as she smiled at the approaching person.

He stopped running as soon as he reached her.

"Are those for someone special?" She pointed at the life size teddy bear with a big heart shaped of chocolates in its hands that he was carrying and the fresh red bouquet of roses. "Who's the lucky girl, senpai?" She asks innocently as she winks at him.

The guy blushed hard when he saw her winked.

"You're the lucky girl, Mikan." He confessed as she became speechless. "These are for you…" He proceeded to offer to her his gifts.

"Senpai… I can't." She said in a sad tone, feeling guilty for rejecting the guy.

"Please accept it. The week that you're gone, I grew crazy. I thought you'll never go back so that's why I keep checking your presence at your friend's bakery and your home. But you're not there. And now you're here, I can't waste the chance… Please give me a chance to be together with you, Mikan. I really like you…" The guy kneeled, offering her his gifts.

Mikan quickly tried to make him stand up as he does so. "Senpai, I don't know how to say this but please understand that there's someone else…"

The guy lifted his face to face her beautiful one. "Mikan, don't. I'm begging you. Please give me one chance, please?"

"Ryouma-senpai, I can't. I love him too much." Though she knows his breaking him to pieces, it would be easier this way for both of them than to make him believe that he has a chance, which he totally doesn't.

He was silent for a while as she waited for his response. In a minute, he was smiling sorrowfully at her. "He's really lucky, huh?" Mikan nodded.

"Okay, I'll try to accept it."

"Thank you, senpai."

There was suddenly a limousine that stopped from the side of the road, two uniformed men got out as they approached Mikan.

"My lady, your majesty's waiting for your return as soon as possible. Please board the car or else I'm afraid we'll have to carry you from here." The man whispered in a good amount of distance that he's not too close to her and he's not heard by the strange guy. It was one of Natsume's household keepers.

No wonder they ordered him that. He thought she was walking away from him because she didn't ask permission when she left the Chateau earlier this morning. Of course if she did, he would not let her go by herself, there will be sure chaperones and body guards around if he isn't available for the day. Of course she doesn't want that.

"Ryouma-senpai, I need to go. Please don't give up searching for your other half. I know you'll find her in time." She smiled and hugged him farewell. "Goodbye."

"Mikan… please take these. I don't have anything to do with these anymore. Keep it as a remembrance, okay?"

She was about to argue but she can't help but feel sorry for him. If it's the last thing she'll do, she's going to do it.

"Okay."

"Where in hell have you been polka?!" Natsume greeted her angrily as she entered the chateau. "Why didn't you let me know that you'd be going somewhere?! You just left unnoticed!" He screamed.

Natsume's assistant entered the house holding the life sized teddy bear, the roses and the chocolate that Ryouma had given Mikan. Natsume's fiery spirit went to it's full level seeing those.

"Where in hell did that come from?!" He shouted as he approached her. Mikan got terrified by his actions.

"It's… it's from Ryouma-senpai,"

"Who's this bastard you're talking about and why in hell are he giving those to you?!" He lightly pulled her arm to make her eyes contact with him. Mikan saw nothing but anger.

"Sorry I left without your consent but Natsume I did not do anything wrong! I swear! I just resigned from all my work today and bid my co-workers a farewell… Please don't be angry…" But he wasn't listening.

He shook her hard. "You haven't answered my question! Who's this bastard you're talking about?!"

"He's not a bastard! He's my friend!" He shook her more. "Natsume! Please stop! You're hurting me!"

"You were gone for a day with a man? How dare you?!" He shook her again.

"No! You get it all wrong! It wasn't like that! Please, please let go! You're hurting me!" She was now sobbing endlessly.

"I don't care! You pay me now, polka!" She was trying to get away all her might but his grip is too strong.

"What are you talking about Natsume?!" She shouted.

"You owe me a lot of money right? Pay me now. Pay me with your damn body…" He kissed her roughly as Mikan objects helplessly. With all her might, she breaks away from his hold. "HOW DARE YOU JERK!" She shouted at him as she slapped her hard then turned to leave the mansion.

Mikan sobs hard as she sits on the familiar dirty floor. She's back at her house again. Her whole body is soaked with droplets of rain. It is pouring hard outside.

She grabs a knife as the tears continue streaming down her face.

She began to cut her flesh. First lightly, but as she goes, it went deeper to her skin. Blood trickled down her snow-white skin as she continued to cry.

She made a few cuts on her left and right arm, and then she proceeded to place the knife over her heart. But she didn't stab as she touched the heart shaped white diamond he had given her. It is his symbol of love for her. But why?

She threw the knife at the corner as her arms prickled with pain and blood. There's too much blood.

In five minutes, she lay sobbing to the cold floor. She wants to die right here, right now. The pain's too much. Just as she thought she had found her joy…

She was now losing a lot of blood as her skin pales.

In another minute, the door bursts open as a man enters.

He was horrified at the sight. There's so much blood in the room and she…she looks dead already.

"MIKAN!" Natsume screamed frantically. He was also drained with rain.

She doesn't have the strength to look at him but she speaks, "Le…let…me…die…I…want…to…rest…already…" She slowly closes her eyes as he goes to her as fast as lightning.

"DON'T YOU DARE CLOSE YOUR EYES! YOU'RE GOING TO LIVE, FOR ME! KEEP BREATHING! I AM SO NOT GOING TO LET YOU DIE! " She can sense the un-humanly pace of his, they were running, more like flying, she can feel the air.

"…love…you…Natsume…" With that, she closes her eyes and her world turns blank.