Hi there everyone! I know it's been months but don't worry I haven't forgotten about this story yet. I've just been busy with college and all. I only have 2 semester left before I'm free with life. For now, please bear with my slow updates. I'll try to at least update as soon as I can. Thank you for your patience.
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and the two guests Marichitt and Bleh
Thank you to the people who also followed and favorite-d this story. You guys give me inspiration to continue writing.
Chapter 11: Small Hints
Hotaru and I walked together towards the cafeteria. "Argh, I seriously hate law classes. I mean, the topic itself is interesting but I could never get used to how monotone and boring Atty. Jiro teaches," I said as I fixed my bag. "It's seriously hard to concentrate and listen to him when any minute now all I can think of it to drift to sleep."
"You always say that after every law class Mikan," Hotaru said in an exasperated tone. "It's not like you actually listen in class. Most of the time you ended up sleeping."
I felt myself blush. "I couldn't help it! His voice is a lullaby," I complained. "I always ended up working extra hard at home to catch up on the discussion part where I ended up sleeping."
"And whose fault is it?" Hotaru asked in her usual cold tone. If I didn't know her any better, I would have flinched. But since I'm used to her cold tone, I'm sure that she was only looking after me.
I was about to say something else to her when the sudden crowd at the cafeteria caught my attention. Hotaru too seemed distracted by this since she stopped in her tracks. "What's going on?" I asked as I looked at the cafeteria to Hotaru.
Hotaru shrugged her shoulders. "Beats me," she said. "I don't really care much as long as they stay out of my way." She has a deadly aura to her by now as she reached towards her bag. I let out a nervous chuckle and was dreading what would happen next.
I was watching her nervously as she brought out a gun like thing out of her bag when I felt a hand tap me on my shoulder. "What's going on here?" I heard a familiar annoyed tone. I didn't need to turn around to see who it was. I felt myself instantly relax. "Not sure," I said. "But if they keep blocking the cafeteria entrance something bad might happen." I added as an afterthought before looking at the owner of the voice.
Natsume stood beside me. He was clearly annoyed at the scene and I felt myself sweat drop. It was one thing to handle an annoyed Hotaru who was ready to blast her gun at the people, but to handle an annoyed Hotaru and Natsume at the same time is a different matter. I was about to say something to Natsume when I heard a loud crashing noise. Hotaru has unleashed her latest creation on the people who were blocking the entrance. "Hotaru!" I said in horror.
"What? They were blocking the way," she said nonchantly as she put the baka gun back in her bag. I let out a sigh before following her inside. Natsume and his friend followed suit.
We immediately went towards the counter. Hotaru and the rest were focused on getting their food while I look around trying to figure what caused the commotion. Soon, my eyes found Tsubasa who was comfortably seated in a table near the table Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire were occupying. And as I look around, almost everyone, especially the girls were looking at him. I could not blame them, Tsubasa-nii is a very handsome guy. He has always been famous in his school before.
I fell in line behind Hotaru and shifted my gaze to the food they were serving today. They were serving two of my favorite dishes and I can't seem to decide which one I'd rather have today. The cafeteria staff waited patiently as I made my decision, but I can't seem to decide. I'm completely aware that I'm taking a lot of time. Even Hotaru has finished getting her food.
"She'll take gyudon and I'll have tonkatsu," I heard Natsume say beside me. I looked at him with a confused look. "By the rate you're going you won't be able to finish before lunch ends."
I felt myself blush as I took the plate of gyudon given to me and was about to put it on my tray. But instead, Natsume took the plate from me and put it on his tray, got his tonkatsu plate before going to the table where Hotaru and the rest are sitting. I quickly followed him and gave him a pout. "I might not have been thinking of getting the gyudon," I said, and he looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "And I thought you prefer curry than tonkatsu. Why did you get tonkatsu instead of curry?"
Natsume shrugged. "I just felt like eating tonkatsu than curry," he said simply.
When we were almost near the table Hotaru and the rest were occupying, I heard Tsubasa call me. I look at his direction and gave him a small smile and waved. He was giving me signs offering me to have lunch with him. I looked at Natsume and he seemed to be more stoic than before. I hesitated going by Tsubasa for a minute. "I…" I started but was instead cut off by Natsume. "I'll put this at your table," he said before going towards Hotaru and the others.
I watched him before letting out a sigh and turned to Tsubasa. "Mind having lunch with me?" he asked with his usual bright smile.
I shook my head and politely declined. "Maybe next time," I told him before pointing one table beside his. "I'm with my friends now."
He looked at where I was pointing. His expression became unreadable for a second before turning back to their usual carefree self. And for a moment I wondered if I just imagined it. "Maybe next time then," he said with a smile.
"Enjoy your lunch," I said before turning around and going back to the table where my friends were.
I immediately noticed that Natsume and his friends were in our table. Yuu and Koko were having a conversation with Anna, Nonoko, and Sumire. Ruka was trying to have a conversation with Hotaru but he seemed to be failing. Once I reached the table, I immediately took a seat between Hotaru and Natsume. "This is different than usual," I noted in hopes of getting Natsume to talk. But instead, he just remained quiet.
I looked down on my food and noticed that my gyudon is already mixed well and there were slices of tonkatsu on top. I let out a small smile and looked at Natsume. "Thank you," I said. He just shrugged his shoulders and gave out a "hn" as he continued to eat.
"How'd you know that cute new professor, Mikan?" Sumire asked once I was settled down.
"Tsubasa-nii?" I asked. "Or does he go with Andou-sensei here?"
"Yes! Him," she said. "He's been the talk of the students all morning. I actually thought they were exaggerating when they said that he was handsome and hot. But damn… he even looks young."
I let out a nervously laugh. "He's a few years older than us. 4 years I think." I said in reply. "And to answer your question. He's my childhood friend."
"You should introduce us sometime," Nonoko butted in as well. "I mean, he really is handsome and with only 4 years of age."
"I wouldn't mind having a relationship with a professor if he's handsome as Andou-sensei is," sighed Anna which made me a bit uncomfortable.
I've always known Tsubasa-nii is very popular with the ladies but I've never seen him like that. He was always like a brother to me, and older brother that I never had. Feeling a bit uncomfortable with my friends ogling at Tsubasa-nii, I tried to change the topic. And thankfully, it worked.
Minutes later, I was laughing at a joke Koko said when I felt Natsume move closer to me. I didn't mind it much. I've been used to Natsume doing this every now and then but what caught me off guard was that he took my bowl and got some of my food. I looked at him bewildered. "Hey! That's mine," I said which caught our friends' attention.
"I felt like having gyudon," he said in a matter-of-fact tone as if it's the only explanation there is. I let out a small pout as he continued to eat another spoonful. "I gave you some of my tonkatsu," he said after I kept on whinning which shut me up.
"But I didn't ask for you to give me some," I said.
"You still ate it," he said with a smirk. "So, inexchange I'll get some of your food."
I let out another pout and was about to say something, but I found myself unable to since Natsume fed me a spoonful using his fork. I immediately felt myself blush. Our friends who were watching our exchanged laughed. "Seriously, you two look like a couple," Koko said as he laugh and I felt myself blush a deeper shade of red.
I moved a few inches away from Natsume and looked away from him. I could not say anything in return but I just kept quiet. It was a bit embarrassing but at the same time I felt happy. 'Natsume and I look like a couple,' I can't help but repeat over and over again in my head. Curiously, I took a peak at Natsume who also fell silent. 'Was that a small blush I'm seeing?' I asked myself.
"Are you sure you two are just friends?" Yuu added after. "You guys are acting more of a couple each day."
I blushed and looked at Yuu. "I-I-It's n-not l-like t-that," I said stuttering. "We-we're g-great f-friends. Right Natsume?"
Natsume looked at me then at the rest of our friends. He didn't reply but he just gave us a shrug before turning back to his food. His friends kept on teasing us after. And I was blushing all throughout lunch period not knowing that my little groups' exchanges were carefully being watch by Tsubasa.
He watched as I Natsume steal some of my food. He watched as Natsume fed me with his own spoon. And he watched as my friends teased me and Natsume.
That's it for now. I just really want to post at least one chapter to let you guys know that I am alive, well, and I haven't forgotten this story yet. I hope you guys liked it.
As always, I would like you guys to please leave a review. It would be really appreciated. Thank you!
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