Author's notes: I'm really sorry for updating really late….. I was suppose to update the story last Sunday but I had an entrance exam and that's why I wasn't able to update the story…. Sorry again

I'm so grateful for those who reviewed…. It's really great that I have received that much review for the chapter two…. Hope you'll like this chapter too…. Please send your review… tell me if it's lame or bad…. And I'm sorry for updating late again…

For those who don't know their age here it is:

Mikan Sakura: 15 yrs. Old

Natsume Hyuuga: 16 yrs. Old

Ruka Nogi: 16 yrs. Old

Jacques Andrew : 16 yrs. Old (pronounced as jacks)

Freyer Malory: 16 yrs. Old (pronounced as Fre-yer)

CHAPTER 4: MUSICAL CARDS: THE QUEEN OF HEARTS AND THE JACK OF SPADES

There is a time for every thing….

A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,

A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

A time to scatter stone, and a time to gather them,

A time to embrace and a time to refrain,

A time to search and a time to give up,

A time to keep and a time to give away,

A time to tear and a time to mend,

A time to be silent and a time to speak,

A time to love and a time to hate,

A time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil?

"Hey, what's wrong" Natsume voiced out coldly but his voice seemed placid as he walked towards the pianist

As soon as she heard him speak she immediately stopped playing the piano. She was shocked that some one was there listening to her and watching her cry…

"How long have you been there listening?" She asked him but in a very low voice that you can merely hear

The pianist didn't face him; instead she turned her back from him. She was still sobbing he can hear her.

"Not that long" Natsume answered as he was walking in the middle but stopped on the foot of the stage

"I see, did you liked the song" she said but still her voice was sad

Natsume didn't bother to reply.

She knew what the answer was, there was no need to voice it out, so she didn't questioned him.

He placed his hands on the platform of the stage and pulled himself up, and sat on the middle front edge of the stage. He leaned his body backward and looked up at the lights….. He then tilted a little to see a greater view of his pianist….

"Her features seemed familiar" he thought as he gazed upon her

"I must be going now" She said and stood up but still she didn't face him

"Wait…. Can you tell me your name?" He asked her out of no where

There was a deafening silence….. Nothing can be heard, not even a single sound was heard

She smiled a little, he knew it even though she hid it; he can feel it for some reason.

She didn't give him a reply instead she angled her head a little but still her face was unseen but she was able to see his face and smiled again………

"Have we met" he said it not a question but a statement but still his way of speaking is the same, no trace of emotion can be heard; maybe there is one, sadness or loneliness was it. He stated every word coldly….

"We might have…. It's better to keep it this way… sooner you'll find out" She said and walks off from him… There was a mystery on her last statement…..

Her foot steps echoed through out the room, she left him clueless. She left exiting through the back stage door…

"Typical" was all he said in his whisper as her return his look up on the lights

After she left and heard her close the door he stood up from his position and went towards the main door and left….

Meanwhile on the other side of back stage door a girl was leaning on it…..

"That was close…. I wonder if he recognized me" the pianist said in relief

"Mikan are you finished practicing?" a boy wearing eye glasses with blonde hair asked her

"Yuu it was just you… I thought it was somebody else" Mikan replied

"Why? Is someone here with you?" Yuu asked her

"Yeah… ummm let's say he is a friend of mine… sort of like that" Mikan replied

"I see…. So let's begin your practice again…. Your recital is nearing… you must practice really hard" Yuu reminded her

"All right let's go back to the piano…" She said

With that, both of them entered the room once again…. And Mikan began playing the same piece she played before, but this time she wasn't crying she was more of concentrating…..

Outside, the auditorium…

"So she didn't left" Natsume said as he heard the same piano piece was being played… he was on his way back to the waiting room… he didn't mind going back… he still needs to chill out a little because he is going to sing 10 songs consecutively……..

Arriving at the meeting place….

"Natsume, what took you so long?" Jacques said

"I forgot the time" was all he said

"We need to hurry up…. The show's about to start" Ruka said as he took his blue electric guitar

"Whatever… aren't you used in this kind of stuffs" Natsume stated to them

"We are and you should know how time is precious for us" Freyer told him as he picked his black electronic guitar….

"hn…" was all he said

They positioned themselves, Jacques was already sitting by the drums, Ruka was standing on the left holding his blue electric guitar while Freyer was standing on the right holding his red guitar. Natsume then stood in the middle; he was playing with the Mike.

Inside the stadium…..

"Folks, the time you've waited has arrived…. Let's welcome…. The Black Fire!" The announcer said as the whole audience started to scream and shout……

As the Name black fire was called smokes of red and black began to emerge the stage…. The spotlights were on; it was focused on the middle part…. Suddenly a part of the stage began to rise up…… revealing the band….

The guitars started playing…. The drums began thrashing…..

(A/U Song: Numb by Linkin Park)

Numb

(Natsume) I'm tired of being what you want me to be
feeling so faithless
lost under the surface
I don't know what you're expecting of me
put under the pressure
of walking in your shoes

Ruka began walking towards Natsume….

(Ruka) caught in the undertow / just caught in the undertow
(Natsume) every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Ruka) caught in the undertow / just caught in the undertow

Natsume gestured his hands and he jump and he landed really hard making a thud on the stage at the same time with the hit of the drums….

(Natsume) I've
become so numb
I can't feel you there
become so tired
so much more aware
I'm becoming this
all I want to do
is be more like me
and be less like you

Natsume's eyes were scanning the audience…..

"Where the hell is that girl" he thought as his eyes were scanning the audience and he closed it feeling the song's lyrics

can't you see that you're smothering me
holding too tightly
afraid to lose control
cause everything that you thought I would be
has fallen apart right in front of you

(Ruka) caught in the undertow / just caught in the undertow
(Natsume) every step that I take is another mistake to you
(Ruka) caught in the undertow / just caught in the undertow
(Natsume) and every second I waste is more than I can take

Natsume then angled himself a little…. He was walking towards, nearing the audience….

The audience shouted…

"Where is she now" Natsume thought

I've
become so numb
I can't feel you there
become so tired
so much more aware
I'm becoming this
all I want to do
is be more like me
and be less like you

Natsume began scanning the audience again looking for a certain girl…

And I know
I may end up failing too
But I know
You were just like me with someone disappointed in you

Natsume then walked back from his original position… he gestured his hands and jump again together and landed hard on the platform together with the hit of the drums but this time fountain fireworks appeared on the stage creating bright lights……

I've
become so numb
I can't feel you there
become so tired
so much more aware
I'm becoming this
all I want to do
is be more like me
and be less like you

I've become so numb
I can't feel you there
Is everything what you want me to be
I've become so numb
I can't feel you there
Is everything what you want me to be

When they've finished the first song, Natsume was beginning to be irritated…

"Tsk… she's suppose to be watching here…"Natsume said to himself

"Thank you…. Thank you… Now the Next song is "Why worry"…" Natsume said to the audience as he picked a bottle of water and began drinking it, to avoid any soreness of his throat….

The guitars started strumming again and the drums were thrashing again…. Another song began to play….

Natsume was scanning the audience through out the whole song until to the last song come…..He was already irritated then but somehow it doesn't affect his singing….

"For our Last song…… From the inside" Natsume said as he was slightly panting due to his singing

And for their finale the guitars and drums started playing again…. The disc jockey played the song…. The audience clapped their hands and shout….. Smokes began emitting through out the stage….

"She isn't still here" Natsume thought as his eyes scanned the crowd "What the hell is she doing… we're almost finish here… damn it"

(A/U Song: From the inside by Linkin Park)

From the Inside

Natsume held the mike with both of his hands and closed his eyes

(Natsume) I don't know who to trust your surprise

"Something's wrong… Natsume he looks all irritated" Ruka thought as he began grabbing on of the mike and play his guitar

(Ruka) (Everyone feels so far away from me)

Natsume then walked towards the edge of the stage and put his left foot in front as he leaned on it slightly for support……

(Natsume) Happy thoughts sift through dust and the lies

(Ruka) (Trying not to break but I'm so tired of this deceit)

(Every time I try to make myself get back up on my feet)
(All I ever think about is this)
(All the tiring time between)
(And how trying to put my trust in you just takes so much out of me)

"Bull shit… I'm loosing all my patience… where the hell is she…has something happened to her" Natsume thought as he walks backward

(Natsume) Take everything from the inside and throw it all away
Cuz I swear for the last time I won't trust myself with you

Tension is building inside steadily

"He really is not in the mood" Ruka thought as he grabs hold of the mike again

(Ruka) (Everyone feels so far away from me)

"Where the-." Natsume thoughts but his thoughts were cut off when he saw a brunette girl running towards another girl with pink hair…. She was panting and as if apologizing to her friend

(Natsume) Happy thoughts forcing their way out of me

"Something's going on" Ruka thought as he watched his best friend's action

(Ruka) (Trying not to break but I'm so tired of this deceit)
(Every time I try to make myself get back up on my feet)
(All I ever think about is this)
(All the tiring time between)
(And how trying to put my trust in you just takes so much out of me)

"She's here" Natsume thought and his façade began to change…… he smiled and his made the girl's in the audience shout…… his way of singing started to change into a much more good……

(Natsume) Take everything from the inside and throw it all away
Cuz I swear for the last time I won't trust myself with you

I won't waste myself on you
You
You
Waste myself on you
You
You

"Huh? what could've happened… one moment his irritated and the other he is smiling…. What's going on with him" Ruka wondered because he saw his best friend's actions were quite awkward….

I'll take everything from the inside and throw it all away
Cuz I swear for the last time I won't trust myself with you

Natsume looked up and closed his eyes…… he held on tight on the mike with both of his hands… his put his foot on the edge of the stage again and leaned forward as he was singing……

Everything from the inside and just throw it all away
Cuz I swear for the last time I won't trust myself with you
Everything from the inside and just throw it all away

He then stepped backward; standing in the slightly in the middle of the stage…… the hitting of the drums was hard……

Cuz I swear for the last time I won't trust myself with you
You
You

Natsume then turned his back from the audience as he made his last gesture

The whole crowd were screaming and clapping….. Natsume went back to his first position…… smoke's of red and black started to come out of the stage and together with the part of the stage where Natsume and his band were standing…… started to went down…..

On the room where the black fire band was asked to rest….

The band entered the room…. The door slammed open and closed as they enter it….. Natsume then threw himself towards the sofa and sat there comfortably……

"Nice going there Natsume" Freyer said as he sat on one of the sofa and grab hold of a bottle of water and threw one of it to Natsume

"No need to tell me" Natsume said still with no trace of emotion

"Natsume… it's the first time I've heard you sang like that especially on the last part…" Jacques said to him

"Really" was all he said

"Yeah and Natsume can I asked you why are you act-." Ruka said but was cut off when someone knocked on their door

Jacques stood up and went towards the door and opened it… when he opened the door he saw….

"Hey… Mikan did you liked our mini concert?" Jacques asked her as he opened the door for her letting her in but she wasn't alone…..

"Ummm…. It's-" Mikan said but she was interrupted

"She can't answer that… she just arrived when our last song was about to finish" Natsume said with a hint of irritation… his words has acid on it…

"Now that's the reason why" Ruka said all of a sudden as for the answer for his question was answered

"What are you saying" Freyer questioned him

"Nothing" was all he said

"Yeah… ummm sorry if I wasn't able to watch your concert" Mikan said as she bows her head as a sign of apologizing

"Where have you been" Natsume said but it wasn't a question more of a statement

"I was just… hey, I'm not obliged to tell you anyway" Mikan reasoned out

Natsume's eyebrows frown a little and then he stood up and gave Mikan a very bad glare but it wasn't a death glare… it's more like a glare due to jealousy …

"What are you looking at" Mikan said to Natsume as she folded her arms and titled a little

Natsume just gaze on her… he didn't answer her question instead he walked out from the room… he slammed the door really hard creating a huge thud…

"What's his problem?" Mikan asked the band as she was staring at the door

"Who knows" Ruka said with an enigma with his words

"Huh?" Mikan said as she can't understand what her cousin just told her

"Mikan aren't you going to introduce us with your little friend back there?" Freyer said to her

"Oh yeah I almost forgot… guys this is my friend Anna… Anna well you already know who they are" Mikan said as she introduce Anna to the band

After she has introduced her to the band both of them sat on the empty seats and they chatted for a long period of time until their topic was centered towards Mikan….

"Hey…. Mikan aren't you going to invite them for your up coming recital?" Anna said out of the blue

"Recital… you never mentioned that" Ruka said to her

"Well… I'm not planning of mentioning to you since Anna opened it… I want to invite you to my recital… here the place is already attached on the ticket hope you'll make it" Mikan said as she handed them four tickets

Ruka then took it from her and after a short while they left and so is the band…

At Ruka's pad

"Natsume why did you walked out" Freyer asked him

But Natsume didn't reply he was still irritated and all….. After that tiring concert the whole band rested for that day….

Time flew quickly… it was already Wednesday…. The recital of Mikan….

Time: 6:30 pm

Ruka, Jacques and Freyer were all getting ready to dress up for the recital…

"Hey what's up?" Natsume asked them as he was sitting comfortably on the sofa drinking some soda

"What kind of question is that…?" Freyer said

"It's a questioned asked by somebody who doesn't know what's going on" Natsume said coldly

"Don't tell me you forgot… its Mikan's recital today remember?" Freyer told him in sense of reminding him

"Hn… sorry for forgetting something I really don't know" Natsume said sarcastically

"Hey… Ruka, Jacques didn't you mentioned it to him" Freyer shouted as he grab his black shirt and a white tuxedo vest…

"Nope... did you Ruka?" Jacques shouted as he wore his jeans, red shirt and black tuxedo vest

"Nah… I thought you did" Ruka shouted back as he was looking at his image in the mirror… he was wearing black jeans, a blue shirt and a black tuxedo vest

"Thanks for your concern" Natsume said ironically

"Hey don't say that…" Freyer told him "You should prepare now, that is if you want to come"

"Hn… mellow music... too boring… where will be the venue" Natsume said as he stood up from his seat and walked towards his room… it is his way of saying yes even though it wasn't directly

"It will be at her school at their main auditorium" Ruka said

"What ever" Natsume shouted

"Never mind, so are you coming or not" was a defeated answer from Ruka

"I told you that I'll be bored there" Natsume shouted

"If that's your decision, I wont argue anymore" Ruka said as he walked towards the together with Jacques and Freyer

"Anyway, If you change your mind I'll be leaving the ticket here, the program will start at 7:00" Ruka said emphasizing the word change as he put down the ticket on the table near the door along with a car key then shuts the door

Outside Ruka's pad

"Hey you think it's all right not forcing him to come?" Jacques asked

"Yeah it'll be fine" Ruka said confidently as they walk towards the elevator

"Are you sure... won't Mikan be disappointed" Freyer added

"She won't be disappointed even a bit" was Ruka's confident reply as the door of the elevator opens

"How can you say that?" Jacques asked him as the three of them entered the elevator

"Because I know that he'll be coming" Ruka said

"How sure, are you?" Freyer asked him then the elevator rang telling them that they are already on the ground floor

"Hundred percent" Ruka said as he steps out of the elevator

"Any proof" was Jacques dare

"He did ask for the venue… it only means his interested he just doesn't want to admit it" Ruka said as they walk towards their band's limousine

"Hn… I guess you have a point" Freyer said as they entered the limousine and closed the door telling the driver to drive them towards Mikan's school

Meanwhile inside Ruka's pad…….

Natsume was still inside his room…

He opened his closet and took out his gray tuxedo vest and a brown suit jacket…

He was wearing black jeans with 6 pockets and all of the zippers were silver, he has a chain on his belt, he wore a black shirt with a skull pirate printed in it….

After finishing getting dressed he ran towards the door and checks the time in his watch… It was already quarter to seven…

"Better hurry" Natsume told himself as he grab the ticket and car key quickly

"Ruka you're the best" Natsume said as he ran towards the elevator in a hurry

He then went to the basement and searched for Ruka's car… It was a black convertible Mercedes Mc Larren…. Natsume started the engine and drove the car recklessly

"I'm going to be late" He said when suddenly on his way he saw something…. He then hit the brake and went inside the shop and after a few minutes he was holding something…. Then he started the engine and again he recklessly drove the car…….

At the recital Venue

It didn't take Ruka, Jacques and Freyer a very long time to arrive at the venue…..

Upon entering the auditorium, they were already center of the attention, many students and other people surrounded them, and some were taking picture and asking for their autographs… Finally a group of guards shove off the crowd so Ruka, Jacques and Freyer can go to their seats…. They were waving at their fans as they walk towards their seat….

Their seats were at the front where you can really see the one who is going to be playing……

Time: 7:15 pm the recital isn't still starting

"Isn't it suppose to be starting" Freyer said as the crowd behind them starting to make a fuss

"Yeah… supposed to be fifteen minutes ago…" Jacques said as he put one of his fingers on his left cheek

On the back stage….

All of the students and people back there were in a panic

"Hey have you found her yet?" Yuu said in a very worried tone

"No… she's No where to be found" A crew shouted

"Mikan where can you be at a time like this" Yuu said as he sigh

Outside the auditorium……

"Geez, I'm so late" Natsume said as he was running towards the auditorium when suddenly stopped as he heard someone out breath as if that some one is having a problem….

Natsume being curious walked towards that person, he found himself in the middle of a flower garden, but there was no flower, there were just dried leaves and a cold breeze of wind…. He saw a small fountain with blue lights on it….. He gazed up on the sky; the moon was shining brightly creating a romantic ambience, there were lots of stars pinned in the sky, twinkling like little diamonds…..

"hn…Must be imagining" Natsume said as he turned his back from the garden but before he could make a step heard another piercing sigh…..

He then turn around and looked at the source of the deep exhalation….. He scanned the whole place when suddenly his sight laid eyes on somebody…..

"What is she doing here" Natsume thought

"Hey aren't you supposed to be inside?" Natsume told the person he saw as he walked towards her

Author's notes: Sorry for another long chapter…. Hope you didn't got bored reading…. Please tell me if it's lame or good or something else…. Please review…. Flames and comments are accepted