Author's Note 10/22/2006 – Another update. Please be patient because I might not update as quick since exams are coming up and I have to study. I hope you like this chapter! Don't forget to review, please
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Chapter Five: Moving In?!?!
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Mikan's POV
Mikan's Apartment
10:29 am
-Ding Dong-
I woke up, finding myself on my couch. I must've been too tired from yesterday. I stood up and lead myself to the door. I opened it, I smelled the aroma of coffee and donuts. Who could this be? It couldn't be Natsume – if it was she'd belch because of his acrid scent of cigarettes and alcohol.
"Mikan Sakura?"
"Yes, that's me"
"I'm Officer Kuragami. You haven't been paying the electricity and water bills, yes? And that bank loan you got before, you haven't even paid it and it's been one year"
Uh oh.
"I'm sorry. I've been trying to get a job but nobody would accept me…since I'm you know…blind…"
"I don't care if you're the Queen of England, but you must abide to the rules"
I heard men walk in and out. What the hell was happening??!? She heard the apartment empty, and echoes getting louder and louder.
"What the hell are you doing to my apartment?" I screeched.
"We're taking your stuff temporarily until you've managed to pay for the loan you borrowed from the bank, in the meantime – you have to find somebody you can stay over at. Thank you, Ms. Sakura and good day"
"You can't just take my stuff!!! Just because I'm blind doesn't mean you can walk all over me!!"
The door slammed shut.
Damn it.
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I ran to where the phone was to phone Hotaru. At least she'd take me in. I felt for the phone. Oh great!! They took the phone, the only thing I felt were the wires. Damn it!!
I was in my night gown. I can't go into the streets wearing this, they might think I'm some lunatic. I went to where my bedroom was and opened my closet, they have left one jacket inside. Thank God! I slipped the jacket on and felt for shoes. They left bedroom slippers for me. Ugh. I put on the bed room slippers, I felt the fluffiness warm my toes and I sighed with unsatisfactory. Oh God. This was going to be one of the most embarrassing days of my life.
I went out of my apartment. I memorized where the elevator was so it was no big deal to go to it. I entered the elevator, somebody was with me. I could hear him breathing.
"Hang over?" he said. Oh please. Just because I look like this doesn't mean I spent last night drinking the hell out of myself.
The elevator stopped and I ran out. I could feel people's eyes stare at me. I hope nobody I knew was in the lobby. I ran out of the apartment building and whistled for a cab. A cab came and I went inside.
"Hang over?" the cab driver said. I grunted. "Where to?"
"Hyuuga Clinic, please" I said. "And step on it. I don't want people to see me in this"
"Okay then"
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Luckily, there was no traffic jam. We arrived at the Hyuuga Clinic in five minutes. I paid the cab driver and ran out of the taxi. I entered the clinic and sat down. I could feel the stares of people glue on my appearance. Well, it isn't everyday when you see a girl run into the clinic wearing a silk night gown, velvet jacket and bed room slippers. Thank God I'm not famous. If I was, paparazzi would be making me look like some hung-over loony.
"Mikan?"
It was Dr. Hyuuga.
"Dr Hyuuga! Thank God you're here! You see, I wasn't able to pay my bank loan, electricity and water bills. So I was kicked out of my apartment!"
"Come in"
I entered the clinic, he lent me his cordless phone. I dialed Hotaru's land line.
A voice recording answered my call.
"You've reached Hotaru Imai's line. I'm in the United States right now. Please leave a message after a beep, although it will be useless. BEEEPPPPPPPPPP"
I wanted to cry. Hotaru was the only person I knew that lived in Tokyo. The rest of my friends were either in different countries or I haven't kept in touch with them since high school. Grandpa was dead…my parents were dead…ugh…this day couldn't get any worse.
"It's okay, Mikan. You can stay in Natsume's apartment."
I felt my cheeks flush. "Oh, Dr. Hyuuga. I couldn't. Ugh. It would be awkward. And I'm sure Natsume wouldn't like it either" I said, my voice quivering.
"Oh, he wouldn't mind. And plus, his sister used to live with him. I'm sure she's left some clothes that you can borrow in her room"
Oh God. I'd rather live in the trash dump than be with Natsume.
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Dr. Hyuuga drove me to Natsume's apartment. He was in the fourth floor. We didn't ring the doorbell since Dr. Hyuuga had the keys to his apartment. We entered it. It smelled like cigarettes and beer. Yeah, it was Natsume's apartment alright. It also smelled like unwashed clothes. Ugh. He was such a pig.
We walked to Natsume's sister's room. It smelled much cleaner than the living room. Dr Hyuuga took out clothes for me that belonged to Natsume's sister. "I'll tell Natsume that you'll be staying in his apartment. Anyway, make yourself at home. You can take a bath. I have to get going now"
"Thanks, Dr. Hyuuga! You don't know how much this means to me!!" I said, sarcastically. I hate to stay with Natsume but I guess I don't have much of a choice.
I opened different doors, I found Natsume's room. It smelled like beer and I could hear soft rock music play on his stereo system. I walked out of the room and found myself in the bathroom. It smelled like Winter Fresh air freshener and shampoo. I felt my way to the bath tub and opened the shower faucet. Warm water came pouring out. I undressed and entered the bath tub. I sighed and felt for the shampoo. I got hold of an "Apple Mint" shampoo (judging by the smell) and lathered it in my hair. I sighed and relaxed into the bath.
Natsume's POV
I entered my apartment. The door was halfway open. Did someone break in? I rushed inside. I smelled the scent of Apple Mint shampoo. I ran to the bathroom and I heard the pitter-patter of water. I turned the doorknob. It wasn't locked.
This must be one of my loony neighbors. I opened the door slowly, the bathroom was fogged up with warm water. Who the hell was in here?
I saw a shadow behind my bath tub curtain. I could feel scarlet rise up to my cheeks. Who was this person?
"GET OUT OF HERE!" I shouted, opening the shower curtain. Coming to find…
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?"
"YOU PERVERTED FREAK, GET OUT OF HERE!!" Mikan screeched, standing up and throwing the shampoo bottle at me.
By the look on her face, she must've realized that she was standing up and the bathroom curtain was moved. She fell back into her bath, her face red.
"Did you see anything?" she muttered.
I turned my back. "No" I said, man. This was awkward.
"How can I believe you?!?! She said, her voice shaking.
Silence.
"You saw something didn't you?"
"I didn't see anything, damn it!" I said, losing my patience.
"Tell me why you're in my apartment"
"Okay I will. But just get out of the bathroom first and let me take a bath"
I grunted and left the bathroom.
Mikan's POV
I didn't believe Natsume when he said that he didn't see my body. I sighed in embarrassment and put on his sister's clothes. They were comfortable. I exited the bathroom and followed the scent of cigarettes, coming to find Natsume watching TV in the living room. He was drinking again.
"Why are you wearing Hikari's clothes?"
"Oh, Hikari is the name of your sister?"
"Stupid"
I told him the story of why I ended up taking a bath in his bathroom.
"So… I hope you don't mind…"
"Damn you" I muttered and went to the refrigerator to get another bottle of beer. I saw her face fall, god. She's such a goody-goody…
"Stay in Hikari's room" I whispered. Her face lit up. "OH THANK YOU, NATSUME!!" She said, standing up – opening her arms for a hug. "Oh stop it. I don't want to hug some idiot. I might get germs all over me"
All she did was smile.
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I left the apartment at lunch onwards. I went to work. Yeah I work, but it's a damn job I tell you. I came back around dinner time, drinking another bottle of beer – smelling like motorcycles. I opened the door with my key, coming to find the 'enticing' smell of…PERFUME?!?!
"What the hell did you do to my apartment?" I asked, staring at the apartment which was swimming in the scent of perfume.
"Well, I can't stand living in some place that smells like drugs. So I made it much more suitable"
I stared at what she was wearing. It was a white sleeveless dress that had floral embroidery on the bottom. I'm not saying she looked hot but…whatever. She looked dumb.
"What are you wearing?"
"Oh. I felt through Hikari's closet and found this dress. I'm not sure what color it is but I could tell that it was nice…wait…what happened to Hikari? Why isn't she living with you?"
"She got married, dummy"
"I would like to get married, someday"
"Oh shut up"
I turned my back on her, I heard a loud 'thump' behind me. I looked back, I saw Mikan on the floor breathing heavily. What was wrong now?
"Hey…what's wrong?"
"I spent…the whole…day… cleaning up…this place…it's quite…tiring…you know…what I mean… I can't see and…I'm so…tired…" she said, her eyes shut.
I couldn't leave her on the floor. I picked her up and carried her. She wasn't that heavy. I brought her to Hikari's room, I opened the bedsheets and put her in. She was asleep. She did look tired. Her hair curled in a nice way when she lay down and…shut up, Natsume.
But I REALLY, REALLY hate to admit that she looked kinda okay under the dim light that the lamp was emitting. I watched her breathe.
I don't know how long I watched her sleep.
Before I knew it…
Damn it…
I fell asleep as well…
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End of Chapter 5