Strange Interludes
Chapter 6

"Don't wait. The time will never be just right."
-Napoleon Hill

…

Interlude 3: Family

It was saddening how a simple lie could break your life.
Why do people have to lie anyway?
Fear of losing someone they love, apparently.
These things really didn't bother me before...
Until it happened to me.

.

.

-Break-

Her eyes snapped open because of the sound of a glass breaking. She looked at the watch at the nightstand and it read 2:45am. Due to curiosity, she stood up and went out of her room. She saw light coming from the study room of her father. She slowly walked to the particular room, her heart beating fast as she saw the broken glass outside the study room. Feeling anxious, she peeked inside the room, which she wished, she never did.

"Who is that Andou?" Mikan heard his father asked sternly.

"Izumi…"

"How many years have you been betraying me,Yuka?"

"I'm sorry, it's not like what you think. It's an accident."

"Accident?" Izumi asked and sighed outwardly. "You've been with many guys before and I understood that because I love you but, Yuka… this is too much to be an accident."

"Izumi, let me explain…"

"You made me believe that Tsubasa is my son? For 17 long years Yuka! How could you take that?"

"Otou-san, we're sorry." Tsubasa butted in. Izumi shot him an angry look.

"Don't get into this Tsubasa. You knew this all along and still didn't tell me about it?"

"Izumi, Tsubasa is innocent, I told him to hide it," Yuka intervened and turned her gaze to Tsubasa. "Leave now Tsubasa, we'll talk about this."

Tsubasa left the room and didn't expect what happened next.

Mikan was glaring at him, angrily.

"Mikan…"

"Liars."

…

Mikan opened her eyes from her nightmare. Those events which happened two years ago suddenly flowed back on her head. She sat up and held her temple.

"Curse it. Curse them!"

…

Morning came and Mikan started to do her daily routine. She wore her academy uniform and stared at the mirror. Her brows furrowed as she noticed something. As day passed by, she was becoming to look like her mother. She hated that fact. She hated it a lot.

Shooing away all her thoughts about her mother, she left her room and went downstairs. She rolled her eyes as she saw Tsubasa smiling at her.

"Morning, Mikan." Tsubasa replied merrily but Mikan ignored him. She went to the dining room and started to eat her breakfast. Tsubasa followed her and sat in the opposite chair facing her.

"Mikan, Mom and Dad are going home today."

Mikan eyes twitched after hearing those words. "Well, that's very good news." She replied, her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Forgive us already Mikan, we didn't mean to do that."

"Oh yeah," Mikan stood up and left Tsubasa alone. The blue-haired teen sighed in frustration.

…

Alice Academy, Girls Locker Room…

"Mikan, it's already two years, I think you should already forgive them." Hotaru advised after hearing from Mikan about her parent's arrival.

"I already did if I can."

"You can't because you're not listening to their explanations. Don't you think that's idiotic?"

"I don't care. They'll just say lies anyway."

"She's still your mother, Mikan and Tsubasa is still your brother."

"...and that's such a shame." Mikan finished and started to walk away. Hotaru remained emotionless but her eyes showed nothing but concern.

Mikan was on her way to their classroom when a familiar guy blocked her way. The man flashed a meaningful smile and then winked at her.

"Hi, Sakura-san."

"Don't block my way, Hayato." Mikan commanded.

"What's happening to you? We missed you, it's been a week since you started attended your classes and ignored us. That hurts you know."

Mikan smirked and walked toward the guy. She gently pulled his necktie and moved her face closer to him. The guy named Hayato smirked back as he felt her warm breath touching his face.

"I'm just busy," Mikan started sweetly and stared at Hayato. But the smirked in her face quickly vanished as he stared at him. Her mouth opened slightly as another face formed in her head. Her heart skipped a beat and felt butterflies in her stomach. She roughly pushed him away and ran without saying anything.

"What the hell?" Hayato cursed as he watched the running figure of Mikan.

On the other hand, Mikan couldn't believe what just formed in her head. She slapped her forehead in confusion. It was too much to bear.

That messy raven-haired guy with those sincere crimson eyes. 'Damn it.'

…

As soon as she reached the classroom, Mikan started to walk towards her seat, feeling uneasy as she saw him, reading a book. Never in her life had she felt like this.

Natsume raised his head and met the gaze of the hazel-eyed teen. He smiled a little and greeted her, "Morning."

"M-morning t-too." Mikan wanted to smack herself for stuttering. She avoided his gaze and just sat beside him. Natsume became puzzled at her actions. Normally, she would approach him and tease him. But now, she didn't.

'What's wrong with her?'

The day passed just like that, Mikan would avoid Natsume's gaze and tried to focus on other things. Natsume wanted to know if he did something that made her mad at him. But whenever he tried to talk to her, she would excuse herself and then go away from him.

He had to know what's wrong with her.

Mikan couldn't understand what was happening to her. His image wouldn't leave her head and it was driving her insane.

…

After Class, Sakura Mansion…

Mikan entered the large oak door of their mansion and this time, the maids welcomed her. She went to the living room just to see her parents sitting in one of the sofa. Her mother and father turned their heads and saw her.

"Mikan… my daughter." Yuka said with mixed emotions in her voice.

She totally forgot that her parents would arrive today. Thanks to that uneasy feeling that her partner gave her. She ruffled her hair in annoyance and glared at her mother.

Feeling disgusted, she scoffed and replied, "Oh hi, slut."

"Mikan, watch your mouth! Yuka is still your mother!" Izumi shouted angrily. Mikan scowled and rolled her eyes.

"I couldn't understand you Dad, after that slut betrayed you, you still forgive her? Funny." She said sardonically.

Yuka started to sob, small tears rolled out her eyes. "Mikan, please forgive me…"

Mikan released a toneless laugh. "Oh I have forgiven you a long time ago." She said mockingly. "…and because I really idolized you, I even followed your step, aren't you wondering if my chastity is still with me?" She paused dramatically and with a wide smirk in her face, she continued, "I'm also wondering who will get it first. Aren't you proud of me? Boys are swooning over me, just like what happened in your teenage years."

"Mikan, you didn't understand, please listen to me – " Yuka said pleadingly but was cut when Izumi stood up and dashed to Mikan's position.

"MIKAN!" Izumi growled and slapped her hard.

It happened so fast that Yuka didn't get the chance to stop Izumi.

"Izumi!" Yuka yelled and held Izumi's hands. "Don't hurt Mikan!"

Izumi snapped back to reality. He stared at her daughter who was looking at the ground, her eyes hidden with her bangs. "Mikan, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that." he said, his voice of regret.

Izumi tried to touch his daughter's shoulder but she slapped his hand away.

Mikan touched the side of her mouth and saw blood in her hand. She wanted to cry because her own father slapped her like that. But she tried her best to resist it and instead, she laughed out loud.

"Wow, thank you and another thing, go to hell." She said irreverently and stomped angrily out of the house.

…

She walked in the side of the street, not knowing where to go. After few moments of walking, she found herself in one of the most memorable place in her life. She sat in a bench and stared at the sky. The tears she was controlling a while ago finally slipped out of her eyes.

"Here." A familiar voice said. Mikan raised her head and saw this someone offering a handkerchief to her.

"Why are you here, partner?" She asked between sobs and took the handkerchief he offered her. Natsume shrugged his shoulders and sat beside her.

"Did you already forgot that this is my favorite place? I should be the one asking you that." Natsume pointed out. He watched Mikan wiped the tears in her eyes and stared at the sky again.

"I feel at ease at this place." She breathed out.

"Me too. Now, mind to tell me why are you crying?"

"No."

"Is it about your mother?"

Mikan turned her gaze to him, eyes wide. "How the hell?"

"I was worried so I asked Imai about it. I didn't mean to meddle with your family problems."

"You're really a certified stalker." Mikan jested despite of the pain she was feeling. "That mother is a slut."

Natsume knitted his eyebrow. "You shouldn't call your own mother as a slut. She's still the one who gave you life."

"There are many mothers in the world, why does it need to be her?"

"You know, Imai is right, sometimes you need to listen in order to understand things. Open up your mind."

Mikan shook her head and heaved a deep sigh. Not long, she felt a hand touched her chin and lifted her face up. "What happened to this?" Natsume asked worriedly, gently caressing the bruise in the side of her lips.

"My dad slapped me. When I was still a kid, he always said that he would protect me, but in the end, he was also the one who hurt me. Lies are great, right?" She told him, tears were threatening to fall once again.

"I know he will not do that without a reason."

The next thing happened was something that Mikan didn't expect. His face moved closer towards hers and in a split second, she felt his lips touched the bruise in her lips.

Her heart beat fast. She knew it. She knew it all along. No guy had made her feel this way. Back then, she was the one who made the guys feel breathless and yearning. Now, she was the one who felt those emotions. She closed her eyes and gently wrapped her arms in her neck. She gladly returned the kiss, feeling the passion and sweetness of it.

No more forced kisses. No more kissing game. No more faux pas.

Natsume pulled back and stared at her eyes lovingly. Mikan stared back at his sincere crimson pools and she didn't expect the next thing he said.

"I will be always here… to protect you." He paused and smiled at her. "I love you, Mikan."