A/N: Sorry for the late update! I've been really busy at school because of a summer workshop. Gomen!! Anyways, here is Chapter One! I hope you all like it!! Thank you to the people who have reviewed!! Thanks a lot, I appreciate the reviews you sent!

anime-fangirl-o.0-vm, Elaine, Lee Anne, Chokoreeto-Hime, CrystalKitteN-MeW, sherea, glenda23, deynaz, -Shoujo-Renku-, manimefrances, Sakura2838

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CHAPTER ONE

FIRST IMPRESSIONS?

Tomorrow was the big day for Mikan. She could see that everyone in the whole Alice Kingdom was very happy and excited. She could already feel that lovely atmosphere hovering in the palace.

The maidservants were arguing on what color the balloons should be and what flower petals will they use for showering Natsume and Mikan after the engagement party.

The butlers were very panicky. They were putting up some new golden chandeliers in the main hall and scented candles. Some were busy putting up white and pink ribbons along the banisters.

The main cooks were busy in the kitchen, preparing the recipes they would cook up tomorrow for the grand dinner with Natsume's father and other royalties from the Ecila Kingdom.

The long grand staircase was carpeted in red and there were people who were holding glowing white orbs.

Meanwhile, in the palace garden, the gardeners were already prettying the place up. They watered plants and pulled some weeds. Some were tidying up the Castle Maze. One time, Mikan got lost inside. It took about two hours before she managed to get out.

Mikan wondered if she was really in her right mind to agree to such a sudden decision made by her father. She was only 17 years old but at least it wasn't a marriage. But she haven't even seen that Natsume Hyuuga, not once! And she doesn't even love him, for Pete's sake!

Her father told her that this was to help Natsume. Mikan always loved cheering people up in any way possible. She makes people laugh when she tells a corny joke or fall down on the ground.

She just wondered that after this engagement, could love blossom between the two of them?

That was the question running in Mikan's head last night. She doesn't even know what true love is!

"Am I really going to be engaged tomorrow? Bu-but…I don't know how to be engaged!! What's an engagement, anyway?! I need my Hotaru!!!" wailed Mikan. The gardeners looked at her.

One of them walked towards Mikan and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Princess Mikan? Are you alright?" asked the gardener.

Mikan looked up with teary eyes and answered, "Oh..Sorry! I'm okay. I-I'm going back to the castle now! Thanks for your concern!"

Mikan stood up and dusted her pink dress. It was a gift from her father when she turned sixteen years old last year.

When Mikan was about to open the oak doors to the castle, she decided to ponder on her thoughts in the Castle Maze. She turned around and walked for about 5 minutes until she reached the Maze.

She grasped the wooden handle and pulled it and went inside the maze.

Mikan looked around for awhile. No one was inside anymore; the gardeners might have already finished patching this place up to its natural beauty.

She skipped merrily to her left and proceeded to the right. There was a wonderful fountain in the middle of the maze. She loved looking at the birds who take a morning bath there.

After a few quick turns, she reached a dead end.

"Oh no……It's happening again!!" yelled Mikan. She pulled her pigtails and jumped around.

"I mustn't panic!!! Bu-but…What if no one notices I'm not in the castle?! And what if I end up sleeping here? Or worse, what if I miss the engagement?! Dad will be disappointed and Jii-chan too!" said Mikan panicky.

She inhaled and exhaled a lot of times. The Maze was really big; it almost took up everything in the back of the castle.

Mikan turned back to find another way out. But instead, she tripped on a rather large rock that was in her way. She hit the ground hard. Her dress was dirtied with dust and she got a little scratch in her cheek.

Suddenly, a strong wind passed by. Her dress lifted upwards; Mikan quickly pressed it down.

Mikan carefully dusted her dress. She looked at her elbow and saw a small scratch.

"No!! Mom, Dad and Grandpa wouldn't be pleased!" said Mikan to herself.

"Your soon-to-be husband will not be pleased, either," said a voice from the corner Mikan just came out from earlier.

Mikan's eyes widened. She could've sworn she was the only one who entered the Maze just now. She hastily picked up a rock and said, "Who's there? I have a rock and I'm not afraid to use it!!"

Mikan ran into the corner and found out that mysterious person have already ran around another direction.

She followed the direction she could hear the hurried footsteps went. After about 12 minutes, Mikan reached the fountain.

She put her hands on her knees and breathed heavily. She was too tired of chasing this person spying on her. Then, she stood up straight and held her head high. Mikan gazed at the one who got her involved into this wild goose chase.

She saw a tall raven-haired boy with ruby-red eyes. He was wearing normal clothes, just like the villagers wore. And he wore a cap turned the other way around.

"Who are you? And why were you spying on me?" asked Mikan, pouting.

The boy merely smirked.

Mikan tapped her right foot on the ground hardly, waiting for an answer from the boy. "Aren't you going to answer me? Who are you?"

Mikan pouted again and said in defeat, "I'm going to push you into the fountain if you're not going to give me an answer!!"

The boy groaned and rolled his eyes.

Mikan's hands curled into fists and trudged towards the boy. Little did Mikan know there was a rather large rock in the way so….

BOINK!

She fell hard on the ground on her face twice in one day!

"Look what you made me do!" complained Mikan as she cleaned herself up.

The boy sighed and said, "You're such an idiot. Blaming an innocent person for the accident you got into by yourself."

Mikan burst into tears and said, "I have so many scratches now!!! What would my parents think? And what if I don't make a good first impression to that Natsume I'm going to be engaged with tomorrow?! And if he rejects me, no one would want to marry me anymore! "

The boy raised his eyebrow and smirked. He slowly made his way to Mikan who was hopelessly crying on the ground. He lent out his hand.

Mikan wiped her tears and grasped his hand.

All of a sudden, when Mikan was in her full-height already, the boy lightly pushed Mikan into the…

SPLASH!!!

Mikan fell onto the crystal-clear water in the fountain! Her pretty dress was ruined and her hair was in a completely wet mess.

"Gaahhhh!! What did you do that for?!" exclaimed Mikan.

"If I were that Prince Natsume you were talking about, THAT would be your first impression to me," said the boy as he walked away.

"You're going to pay for this….ummm…What's your name?" shouted Mikan, struggling to get out from the water.

The boy turned around and said, "You don't need to know. Well, goodbye Princess Polkadots."

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Well, that's Chapter One! I hoped you all liked it! I promise that the next chapters would be longer!!