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Strange Interludes
Chapter 4

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do."
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

…

Interlude 1: Partners

I never understood feelings.
I fell in love with you even though I know you couldn't love me back.
I was here beside you, yet there was no way to reach you.
How could I comfort a heart as broken as yours?

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Natsume watched the cherry blossom petals as it slowly fell from its tree. It such a wonderful and relaxing scene scene. He was now on his way to the Sakura mansion, due Mikan's paperwork. He knew he could help her someway, and maybe, just maybe, this was one of that ways. He arrived in the front of the door and it automatically opened.

A tall man with dark blue hair and eyes greeted him. It was Tsubasa.

"Hey man, who are you?" Tsubasa asked. He eyed Natsume from head to toe.

He doesn't look like those perverted guys. Something new?

"I'm Mikan's partner in school. I'm here to help her in her paper works." Natsume answered politely.

"Oh, is that so?" Tsubasa called a maid and instructed her to call Mikan. "Just wait here, kid."

The maid made her way to the second floor of the mansion, where Mikan's room was located. After few minutes, she returned.

"Tsubasa-bocchama, Mikan-bocchama said that she's expecting him. He can meet her now on her room." The maid said.

"Her room? Hell no! Maybe this guy looks harmless, but Mikan herself is harmful!" Tsubasa whined while throwing his fist in the air which made Natsume to sweat drop. How childish.

"Are you saying something, Tsubasa?" they heard Mikan's voice from the second floor. She was leaning on the handrails, looking bored as ever.

"Mikan, just do those bloody paperwork in the living room." Tsubasa seriously commanded.

Mikan rolled her eyes and stared at Tsubasa with disgust. "You don't have the right to command me, Emi-san, guide him to my room."

"Mikan!"

"Shut up."

Natsume had no choice but to follow the maid. He glanced at the sad yet concerned face of Tsubasa for the last time. What was wrong with this house?

…

Natsume looked around her room. Everything was neat, clean and organized. Then he saw her, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at him with her usual playful smile.

"How are you, partner?" Mikan asked. Natsume walked closer to where she was while his eyes wondered around the room.

"I'm fine. Who's the guy a while ago? You're so mean to him." Natsume asked, now his gaze was fixed to her.

"He's just someone in the family. Don't mind him. Or maybe you thought he's someone I'm playing in my hands right now?"

"That's a possibility. Anyway, where are the papers? Better to start it now." Natsume replied straightly.

Mikan chuckled. "You're really a straightforward guy."

Natsume shrugged. He needed to be serious now or else, their meeting might lead to something bad again. He wished that she wouldn't do something silly again or else, he might lose control. He was still a guy after all.

Mikan stood up and walked to her study table. She opened a drawer and pulled out something. Moments later, Mikan threw an envelope on the bed.

"There. Let's do it here." Said Mikan and her finger pointed the bed. Natsume just sat in the edge of the bed and opened the envelope.

"These problems are easy. We can finish it all today." Natsume said as he scanned the papers.

"That's good. I hate papers." Mikan started as she moved closer to Natsume. "All I like is you."

He gulped. She was really enticing.

"Please, we need to finish these papers first." Natsume clearly stated, pleading, as he moved backwards the bed. His crimson eyes stared at her hazel ones. Mikan rolled her eyes and snatched the papers then threw it on the floor. The paper went flying and was now scattered all over the floor. Everything happened so fast that Natsume didn't notice that he was already lying on the bed with Mikan on top of him, straddling him.

Mikan stared seriously at him. "I started to hate hard-to-get guys. It's making me look weak."

Natsume stared seriously back at her. "What's really your problem? Why are you doing this?"

"Why don't you just get along and enjoy?" Mikan said in commanding tone. Her eyes were seriously fixed to him.

"I don't like this." He said wryly.

"Huh?"

"I don't like what you're doing!" Natsume pointed out, almost yelling.

Bad move, Natsume. Bad move.

Mikan suddenly kissed him passionately, without any warning. Natsume didn't expect that coming so there he was, wide-eyed. He felt her arm came around his neck and body and he could feel the warmth of her fragile body pressing against his. Natsume felt a very weird and strong sensation when she bit his lower lip which gave him no choice but to open his mouth. He could feel her tongue playing inside his mouth. This made his mind turn blank and kissed her back pulling her by the neck to deepen the kiss. She could feel his tongue wedge his way through to her and finally she could taste him, for real, and boy it was good. Natsume felt a hand unbuttoning his polo which made him snap back to reality.

"D-don't do it." Natsume said while panting as he broke the long and passionate kiss.

"Why not? Tell me." Mikan challenged. This guy gave her a new feeling that she never felt to those she kissed before. She could even feel how fast his heart pound together with hers. It was weird, yet so good and amazing. She was totally lost to his kiss and she almost went out of her senses. She almost gave it to this guy which she only for a short period of time.

"I said I don't like this." Natsume repeated.

"But you enjoyed it, you even kissed me back this time. Now, I take back my words about you being a bad kisser." Mikan teased with a playful smirk. Natsume sighed.

"This is not right. You shouldn't do that to tease a guy. It's dangerous. What if someone take advantage of you?" He said in concern tone, but Mikan didn't bother to notice.

"Oh, you care that much? I'm doing this because you're playing hard-to-get."

"I care. We don't have any formal relationship to do this."

Is this guy from the 80's?

Mikan release a toneless laugh. "You're my partner. I'm your responsibility."

"That's not enough."

"Then be my boyfriend."

Hell, Mikan, are you that desperate?

Natsume stared at her unbelievingly, he liked the idea of him being her boyfriend, but not in this way. Not because of this game of hers.

"No. Stop doing this to please yourself. It's not good at all."

Mikan sighed in frustration. This guy was making everything hard. He always rejected her demands. She didn't like that. She stared at him with determination on her hazel eyes.

"Then tell me what you feel about me." Mikan demanded. Natsume stared at her, his crimson eyes widen behind his spectacles. He turned his head, avoiding her gaze.

". . ."

Mikan sighed outwardly. "Tell me honestly then I'll stop."

Natsume hesitated. It was hard to confess what you feel to a girl that only met you for the short period of time. But hearing the words that 'she will stop' gave him the courage to say it, to say what he felt for her. The truth he hid and kept for a two long year. He looked at her again, just to see her determined face. He could feel his heart pounding fast, and his cheek heating up.

He averted his gaze away from her again. He took a deep breath. "I love you." He whispered. He hid his eyes under his long forelock.

Mikan frowned. She heard nothing. "What?"

"I said I love you." Natsume said, his voice was still low yet, it was finally audible. Mikan was stunned. She was expecting him to say that he wanted her or need her now. Love. Heh, what a trash. She mentally laughed after absorbing the thought. She shook her head; Natsume didn't even look at her when he said that. Who would believe him?

Figures.

"I wonder why all guys I encounter tell me that they love me, need me, want me. You're no different from them after all." Mikan said, narrowing her eyes to him.

"No! It's not what you think!" Natsume retorted. He turned his gaze back to her again. As he expected, this wasn't going to be easy.

"Then can you tell me why you love me? For I never knew what the meaning of that stupid word." Mikan demanded.

". . ." Why?

"See? You can't even answer me. So stop playing this hard, you will be with me for the rest of the year."

Natsume took a firm grip on her shoulders.

"I'm serious. I love you. It's you and not this stupid game of yours." Natsume cleared, his voice was serious and confident, looking straightly at her widely opened hazel eyes. He didn't let the moment to pass by. He took all his confidence to admit what he felt for her. He wanted her to feel it, that someone truly and deeply care for her. Even if she couldn't return those feelings back.

Mikan gawked at him. He was serious. Deep down she wanted to believe him but then what? She didn't even feel the same, love was not in her vocabulary, and she didn't even know what that was. For Pete's sake, they only meet three days ago… But hearing him saying that, gave her a tingling feeling on her chest, unlike those previous guys… but she totally ignored it.

Mikan sighed. "Love is just a meaningless word, it doesn't exist. Hell man, you're a good actor."

Natsume sighed.

"Wrong. Love exists, that's why you're here, in front of me." Natsume explained which made Mikan to scowl. This guy was becoming cheesy, it made her want to be sick.

She got off him and sat on the bed, her legs crossed together. "Let's stop this foolishness." She started. She stared at him, with unreadable expression on her face. "Well then, can you prove it to me? That love does exist?" Mikan challenged.

Prove it, partner.

Natsume beside her, his face full of determination.

"I will try, but promise me one thing, you'll stop this." Natsume softly requested. Mikan wanted to go insane now. Why did he badly need her to change?

"Why should I follow you?" She asked in irritated tone.

"Just because." Natsume simply replied.

"Just because? What kind of reason is that? Mou! I can't promise anything to you. You're the worst."

Natsume flashed a small smile at her. With him, looking like that at her, she couldn't help it, but to smile back at him.

He always rejects me. He's too confident. He's too different. Making me feel and think like this. You're really the worst, partner.

"It's a deal then. "

She's right, love is just a word, no meaning at all… but not until someone comes along and give it a meaning. And she… gave its meaning to me.