Dark Hood
Chapter 11
Disclaimer: I do not own Gakuen Alice and I'm tired of saying this story is mine.
The profile laid in my locked drawer. The keys were in my pocket. No one could get it.
I kept repeating this to myself. As comfort? I really don't know. I just feel this rotten feeling in my stomach. It's worse than that 'fuzzy' feeling Ruka mentioned.
"Wow! So how about we go shopping tomorrow? I just have to go - Natsume? You alright?" asked Koizumi, furrowing her eyebrows. "You haven't been very..."
"Sorry," I muttered and gulped down the champagne that Koizumi ordered by mistake. Sure, I might not know french, but I'm pretty sure I can make out some things. For starters, I know that champagne means champagne.
"That's strange... You never apologize," Koizumi reminded me, "You aren't yourself..."
"Hn"
Was it true? Maybe I'm just cranky about not being home. Heck, I've started to miss Permy! Entering the lobby to collect some stupid letters I might never read then pestered by Permy. After that I'd enter my cozy apartment where I'd flop onto the couch and listen to what was going on around me. I'd hear the buzzing of my coffee machine, the pipes doing their jobs, the television next door blasting out the hottest music, the slamming door when Mi - Paris! I'm here in Paris; not in Tokyo.
Koizumi waved her hand in front of me, "See? You're just daydreaming now. What'll happen to you when you start working? We'll not see each other often..."
I sighed and leaned back, "Don't you understand why I'm here? I'm here to work Koizumi. I wanted to get to away from Japan."
"No you don't! Yuu told me you were forced into it. You only wanted to get away from Mikan-chan and me!" she yelled, catching the attention of quite a few customers.
"Koizumi -"
"Please... If you want me to go, just say so." She turned away from me and I frowned. Was I that difficult? Seems like Paris is revealing a lot about myself. I glanced out of the window. It was shimmering - the city, that is - and it was beautiful. Everything else was dark.
Everything looked so peaceful outside...
"Koizumi, I'm going to call someone," I stood up and exited the fancy restaurant outside that faced the Eiffel Tower.
She still didn't look, "Go ahead."
I just glided outside smoothly and sat down on the bench. It smelt rotten due the bin that was next to me, still emitting the cigerette smells.
"Hyuuga-san? Is that you?" a perky voice asked.
Even without turning, I could recognise her. "Hn"
"Are you alone?" she asked flunetly in Japanese.
"Hn"
She giggled, "Is that the only word you know? I guess you won't have trouble with french then." She seated herself beside me on the dirty bench. "Do you want to visit Paris before you start working?"
"Hn"
"I'll take that as a yes," she smiled kindly, flippng her hair back. "It's so cold! How do you sit there with only a shirt on? Do you want something to drink? There's a machine over there..." she shoved her hand into her purse for some coins. "Ah-ha! Coffee?" she offered.
Coffee... Damn it! Mind off her. Mind off her. "No."
She sighed, "Alright then." She put the coins into her jacket pocket and suggested, "Why don't we go to the Eiffel Tower? It's gorgeous at night. Although you'll be here for quite a while so you'd be able to see it everyday..."
"Whatever."
"Great!" She bounced up. "Paris isn't the city of lights for nothing. And trust me, if you have a girlfriend of some sort, Paris is the best spot for romance."
"Hn"
"So you really are alone?" She gave me a pitiful look. "Doesn't matter! Hyuuga-san, have you looked through everything?"
I nodded hesitantly only after I remembered who she was. She wasn't Mikan.
"Good. Then you can have the rest of the week relaxing! How about I take you around? It'd be good to get to know my boss before we start working. How about it?"
"Hn"
"I knew you'd say that!" she laughed. "Come on then! The night isn't as long as you think!"
I feel like I'm forgetting something... Something that's waiting for me...
Eiffel Tower. It's beautiful for sure but not when you're squashed up by tourist and such.
Apparently even though it's freaking freezing, lots of people want to come to Paris. Seriously? You can freeze your ass of somewhere else...
"Hyuuga-san?" cried out my secretary who was trying to get to me. The crowd was awful and the everlasting queue wasn't worth going up a damn elevator. I can do that at my 'penthouse' which was almost as high up as the tower itself.
"Hn"
She appeared out of the mob and gasped, "Maybe... Maybe we should watch it from a distance..."
"Whatever."
"Let's just go sit down," she pointed to the bench. So I followed her lead and we sat silently for a while then she opened her mouth again. "Hyuuga-san, do you know your way around?"
"No," I answered bluntly. It reminded me I need a new car. The car I had, is now Ruka's. But I still have the keys. And the apartment...
"Then, how about you give me your phone number? Sorry to be so straight forward but I'm your secretary," she shrugged. I sighed and scribbled the house number onto a piece of scrap paper to give to her.
"Thanks," she passed me a piece with her phone number and smiled. "So tomorrow then?"
"Hn"
"Alright! Thanks for a wonderful night! I'll see you tomorrow... unless I phone you later. Will your roommate be in?" she inquired with a concerned face.
Shoot! Koizumi! "Um... Possibly."
"Bye then!" She turned and with flick of her long hair, she had gone off with the crowd around the Eiffel Tower. I got up to return to the posh restaurant, already worrying about how to apologize when I saw a glimpse of a brunette along with a bright blond guy. This is my imagination right?
But is it?
She appeared everywhere right? She was there at the bus stop, the sushi bar, the office, right next to my apartment and then at the airport as I left. No way... Be logical, idiot! You're just trapped in a stupid crush you can get over anyday. Plus, you let Ruka have her.
No matter how I continued debating in my head, my legs had started to go over. My hand reached out to touch her shoulder when I heard her speak a line of french, I retracted and moved aside.
Je t'aime...
I may be no expert in french but I'm educated enough to have heard those words before. I understand. Even if I did talk to her now, what can I say? I like her too? But that's not true is it? Not as much as she loves Ruka. They're made for each other. Everything proves it...
"Hyuuga-san!" she screamed.
I glowered. Haven't I been annoyed enough for today? I watched the couple line up. It was them... It must've been.
My secretary appeared. "Sorry! I... I w-was just... wondering if..."
"What?" I hissed.
"Why are you so angry?" she frowned. "Being so mean all the time won't sort anything out.."
"You."
"What about me?" she placed her hands on her hips, "Hyuuga-san, you -"
I pulled her into a quick hug. "Just for now."
She didn't move. And I held that position until I came to my senses. She's not Mikan!
"Hyuuga-san?"
I moved away. "Hn. You are related, aren't you?" I stated more than asked but either way she nodded.
"You could say that. She's told me about you Hyuuga-san... But I can't tell you anything - at least not now. You'll have to be paitent... Anyway, i just came to give you this." She pushed a bunch of keys into my palm. "For now, concentrate on your job." Then she skipped off.
"Well, you're late," Koizumi huffed. She sounded so much like Mother.
"In my defence, I was at the restaurant looking for you. And also, I didn't speak any french that the waiter understood," I sighed and dropped my jacket onto the couch.
She came over and sat down on the chair. "And why do you suddenly have keys?"
"The secretary gave it to me."
"So you ran away with her?" she sighed. "Nevermind. You know it's a good thing I came back early. We've got company."
Oh no. It's not true, is it? Just some sick joke...
"Hello Natsume."
End of Chapter 11
Crimson Flares - Thank you very much! And I like you username by the way, some people are so creative with theirs! Thank you for loving this fic, it means a lot!
adrienna22 - The sweet side of her was something I really wanted to add because she just seemed so... nice in the recent chapters of the manga. True, he needs to start trusting his best friend and stop letting his emotions get to him. A character development I must develop. Thanks! I loved Paris! NxM all the way!
AnimeMango - Actually I still have to think of who I should put there. Suggestions? Sorry for the slow update! I will be faster!
kuro to Koichi - Pages? I dunno. I just kinda type and type and type until I feel it's ready. Five pages? That's a lot! Maybe the spacing? I really dunno. Thanks for bringing it up though!
gabsterela - Yes, they are related. This girl was actually nowhere in my plot. She actually just popped up suddenly... Not the best thing for a writer. Blackmail? Interesting... I never thought of it that way...
Thank you all for your reviews! I will update as soon as possible! Don't you worry! Happy Valentines' Day!