CHAPTER 3 revision done!

This chapter has actually one of my fave scenes from this story! I remembered how excited I was while writing it.

So here it is.

READ. READ. READ.


She was supposed to go meet the school principal for her job interview yesterday but Mikan was told to go today instead since there some changes to the principal's schedule. So she's going to meet her today at 10 am.

"Mikan, you are going to meet the principal today so don't be late. I'll be coming with you. Just let Ruka take care of Natsuki for a while." Hotaru told her when she informed Mikan of the changes.

So taking her friend's suggestion, Mikan gave Ruka a call and since Ruka as he is can't say no for it was his beloved girlfriend who recommended him. And even without Hotaru's recommendation, he would gladly take care of Natsuki while Mikan would go to the interview.

After Ruka had agreed, she told Natsuki about her meeting and told him that he would be staying with Ruka for awhile. And he was nothing but ecstatic about it. "Mommy! Faster! We can't let Uncle Ruka wait so long." Natsuki shouted as he was heading out the door.

"Yes. I'm coming." Mikan said while hastily putting on her shoes. She sometimes couldn't keep up with her son's enthusiasm. Well, she had the same energy when she was younger.

Natsuki was already waiting just outside the door, leaving it open for his mom to go out. Mikan made sure she locked the door and took Natsuki's hand as they headed to Ruka's place.

They arrived at Ruka's condominium and it was nothing like their apartment. The building had a 24 hour security service and a waiting lounge as you go in the entrance door. Mikan had to go give Ruka a call before they were given permission to go up.

They got out of the elevator and Ruka was already waiting for them there. "Hi Mikan." He greeted as he led them to his unit.

Mikan didn't go in and left some quick instructions for Ruka and some firm commands to Natsuki to behave and not cause trouble. After she had said her goodbyes and take cares, she headed to the school where Hotaru was already waiting.


Natsume was on his way to the office when he decided to stop by at his friend's house, Ruka. He hadn't seen him yet, since he had returned to Japan. As he was parking his car, he noticed a brunette girl come out of the building. He paused for a while and thought that it was his mind playing tricks on him once again. And it was probably cause by the dream he had last night. So he parked his car at the lot in front of the building and went inside, casually.

He rang the doorbell. "Ruka, it's me, Natsume." He said loud enough for Ruka to hear. Sometimes, Ruka had this tendency to not hear doorbells and only hears if that someone actually speaks right in front of his door. Natsume doesn't know if that was intentional or that was just the way he was.

Ruka opened the door with a somewhat shocked or troubled look. "Natsume, what brought you here?" Ruka said stuttering a little. He wasn't really company today and especially not Natsume's.

"Just nothing." Natsume replied, still standing in the hallway. "I was on the way to the office and decided to stop by and see how you're doing." he stopped. "Won't you let me in?"

"I wonder why Ruka is acting like his hiding something from me and didn't even let me in." Natsume wondered, suspicious of his friend's actions.

"Oh. I'm fine and the date was great too." Ruka answered faster than normal. "Is that all? Aren't you going to be late for work?" he asked, acting concerned.

"I'm the boss and no one cares if I am going to be late." Natsume just replied. "You won't let me in?" he asked, this time with a hint of irritation.

"Uncle! Uncle! Look. I learned how to make a plane." Natsume heard a little boy's voice, shouting from behind the door.

Then, he gave Ruka a "who's that" look as he has never seen a child ever before in Ruka's flat or unless he adopted or had a hidden child. Ruka could no longer escape, only smiled wryly. "Uhmm…Come in, Natsume." Ruka said, widening the opening of the door and hoping that Natsume wouldn't ask questions.

Closing the door behind them, Natsuki stared curiously at the man who just entered. "Uncle? Who is he?" Natsuki asked, glancing at Ruka then back at the guest.

Ruka patted his head and introduced him. "He's Natsume. He is my bestfriend." He smiled at the little boy. "Why don't you say hi to him?"

"You have another bestfriend?" Natsuki smiled and waved at Natsume, "Hi!" he cheerily said with a big grin.

Natsume just watched the little boy and noticed a resemblance he couldn't place where. And that kind of grin too was quite familiar to him. He felt a connection but he didn't know why.

"I think, you should go play some more while I and Natsume talk, okay?" Ruka ruffled Natsuki's hair. He had to let him go before Natsume will be able to get a closer look. "I'll come play with you after." Ruka said to the little boy.

"Okay." The boy happily obeyed, skipping on the way to the room.

Ruka was really worried. Natsume and Natsuki being here together was really bad timing. How could he allow their first meeting to be like this?

"I am not going to tell him anything." He thought to himself. "It is Mikan's job to tell him not mine. Be careful not to slip your tongue." Ruka kept reminding himself.

"So, you became a babysitter?" Natsume asked him as they sat at the nook.

"You could say that." Ruka gave a nervous chuckle. "A friend of mine has just something to do and she can't bring the child along with her. It's like a favor." Ruka said, carefully choosing the words he was saying. He didn't want to cause trouble for Mikan or Natsuki and if he messes this up and he was sure Hotaru would not talk to him for a really long time and it was no exaggeration.

"Anyway, how did the party go?" Ruka asked him, changing the topic before he could ask more about the boy or the friend.

They talked for about a couple of minutes, mostly Natsume sharing his disgust and boredom. Ruka relaxed when Natsuki was never brought up again into their conversation.

Then, Natsume left, for he has a company that needs to be managed.


The meeting went well and she could start teaching in the preschool as soon as the school starts. It was all great timing that the previous teacher had to leave because she was giving birth next month and wanted to take a year off to take care of her baby. Mikan was happy because it seemed like, the heavens was trying to help her out.

It was about noon when they finished and so they headed to Ruka's to fetch Natsuki. They, more like Hotaru, decided that they would have lunch as soon as Natsuki's with them.

They picked him up at Ruka's condo and invited Ruka for lunch as well, which he gladly accepted.

"Ruka, I hoped Natsuki didn't give you a hard time." Mikan said, on their way to lunch. "He can really be quite energetic."

"No. It was fun taking care of him than by just being at the office." Ruka admitted.

"Who said you're not going to the office today?" said a demanding voice who was now looking at his boyfriend seriously. Ruka just gulped and nodded.

They arrived at the fast food that Natsuki requested and ordered their meals. With meals on tray, they went to the empty table Ruka had already reserved for them.

Before they ate, Natsuki wanted to pee so Mikan excused themselves and brought him to the comfort room.

While Mikan was away, Ruka decided to tell Hotaru. "Hotaru, Natsume came by today."

Hotaru looked at him and asked "Really? So, does he know?" She felt a little worried.

"I don't think so." He replied. "I'm just worried that Natsume might realize that I am hiding a secret. You know how well he reads me."

"Well, you are hiding a secret." Hotaru said frankly, munching on some fries.

Ruka just sighed and took some fries too.

"Auntie" Natsuki came running back to Hotaru's side. "Mommy won't believe me that you told me that we are going to see the toy you made at the store later." He complained. "She thinks I am lying." Natsuki said, while giving his mommy a grumpy look.

"Of course." Hotaru reassured him. "We are going and your mother is fine with that, right Mikan?" Hotaru gave her a weirdly scary smile.

"Aa…of course." Mikan agreed. Hotaru can really be scary and she has never gotten used to it despite the many year they had known each other.

They proceeded to eat their lunch and Natsuki constantly reminded them to eat faster. He was too excited to see Hotaru's new toy invention. It sometimes worries Mikan that her son always seemed to have a way with Ruka and Hotaru.


Natsume was driving around the streets, looking for a decent place to park so he can have his lunch somewhere within the area. Just then, he noticed a familiar car parked in front of the toy store and realized it was Ruka's. That was when he noticed that Ruka was talking to some woman he couldn't recognize since her back was facing him.

"It is not Imai. Who could it be?" he thought, curious he stopped and went down to approach them.

As Ruka was talking to Mikan, he saw Natsume approaching them. "Mikan, don't turn around." He warned her and Mikan as oblivious as she can be, turned around and saw why Ruka had a shock face.

It was too late. There was no turning back. He had seen her and she had seen him. They were now face to face. There was no denying that this moment was purely unexpected.

They were silent. No one could think of a quick response. No one could utter a word. After three years of no contact, here they are. They were both stunned.

Until Ruka had the courage to break the silence. "Natsume. What are you doing here? You are supposed to be at work, right?"

Mikan, decided to speak too."Hello, Hyuuga. How have you been?" She looked at him, giving him a tiny smile.

"Really? Three long years and she asks me how I've been?" he thought as a pang of hurt crossed his chest. "Hyuuga? That's what she calls me now? She used to repeat my name over and over until I get annoyed. But, Hyuuga?" he thought sadly can't hide the hurt from his face.

"How about you, Mikan?" he asked her back without replying to her question. Seeing her right now made Natsume just want to hug her but he couldn't do that anymore, things have changed.

But as if fate hadn't played enough with them, Natsuki came out with a toy in hand, grabbing Mikan by her pants. "Look, Mommy. Auntie bought me a toy." He happily said, waving the toy to Mikan. When he didn't get a reaction, he looked at the man across and remembered who he was. "I know you." He proudly announced, pointing a finger at him. "You are Uncle's bestfriend. Hi." He waved sloppily.

Hotaru, who just came out from the store, stopped in her tracks as she saw Mikan, Natsume and Natsuki in one picture. She knew that this was an inevitable situation but it was too soon. Mikan and Natsuki hasn't been home for more than a week. It was all too soon and she feared Mikan would disappear once again.

"Ruka, isn't he the boy at your place?" Natsume asked, confused. Ruka stared at him blankly, not really knowing what to say. But instead, Mikan took Natsuki to her arms and carried him.

"So, the friend was Mikan?" he looked at Ruka, feeling betrayed for hiding such information. He couldn't look at Mikan nor the child. "He's really you're child?" Natsume asked, to confirm and hear it from Mikan's lips.

"Yes." She spoke. "His name is Natsuki and he is three years old." Mikan said with confidence.

Natsume couldn't say a word and glanced at Mikan and the boy. Then, he noticed the little child much more clearly now than at the morning he saw him. He could see it now, the resemblance and he wasn't dumb and he knew exactly what this all meant.


I'm just grateful that Natsume is not as dense as other people. HAHA.

How was it? I'm having so much fun doing this revisions and it's 1 am but I'm not a bit sleepy.

Well, aside from writing, I also will have a lot of fun reading your reviews so please do make time for one. Thank you.

-ECO