Chapter 7: Accomplishing the plan

As the door slowly opens, Natsume was shocked to see the whole gang standing in front of him and all of them wide-awake. He stood up as the whole gang enters. "Glad you found her, but where?" asked Hotaru who is pretending not to know anything but in fact they know every single detail that happened in that evening. Natsume replied, "I found her at the Central Town drinking some kind of a wine with a group of boys." All remained silent after the reply; however, Sumire broke it, "What time did you arrive here at the dorm?" "At around 12 midnight." Natsume answered. "Oh, so why is it that you didn't even inform us?" Mucho frankly questioned him. Natsume didn't answer then Ruka said, "Uhm, by the way, someone wants to talk to Mikan but I guess she's still asleep." "Who is it?" Natsume calmly asked. Aoi, hiding behind all of them, revealed herself. "The girl doesn't deserve any talk but a sincere apology." Natsume insulted said. Aoi bowed down and said, "Don't worry brother; I'll make it up to her." After she said that, Natsume headed for the door and went out. "He did get really mad at Aoi." Anna concluded. "Yeah, I didn't think that he'll get so boiled up of what had happened." Nonoko agreed. "Well, that's what a person can do if someone, even a family member, hurt the one he love most." Yuu said to the two girls.

After the short conversation, all of them went outside except for Aoi. Aoi sat on the chair where Natsume was sitting a while ago, staring at Mikan. She observed her room with a study table near the door and a sofa across her bed. It was a girl's room; obviously, it can be clearly seen with her baby pink wallpaper. It was about 6:30 when Mikan slowly opened her eyes and sit and said, "Where am I?" "Oh, you're awake now. Good Morning!" Aoi gladly greeted her. "Oh, good morning to you also." Mikan replied with a completely what-happened tone. "You're at your room, Ms. Sakura." Aoi said.

"Oh yeah. I forgot. But why are you here?" Mikan asked. "I just want to say sorry about what happened yesterday evening. I didn't mean to say those words to you. I swear. Please believe me, cross my heart, hope to die." Aoi said with her hand on a promise-position. Mikan laughed because of what she said and just said, "Ok. It's not a problem." And then Mikan's smile suddenly turned into a frown. Aoi noticed this and said, "Is there a problem, Ms. Sakura?" Mikan, astounded, just replied, "Of course, none." Then she smiled a fake smile. "By the way, how did I get here?" she asked. "My brother saw you in the Central Town drank with a group of boys that's why he saved you and brought you here." Aoi said as she stood up and went near Mikan's study table while Mikan said to herself, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot…. Actually, it wasn't because of you that I cried that hard and drank last night. It's just that Natsume…"

Mikan ran away, crying. She ran and then slowly walked, she was about to go to the Sakura Tree when she saw a figure of a man talking on the phone. It was Natsume saying, "Yes, I didn't forget all about it. How is it going?" Then the man on the other line replied and then Natsume said, "Ok, that's good. Be sure to tell me the plan of that proposal. Be sure that she will be able to like it." Mikan's tears rolled down her face as she heard the word and then she said to herself, 'PROPOSAL', and then she ran away, crying on her way to the Central Town, "It can't be! You're getting married already! How can you do this to me?"

She came back to her senses when Aoi called her and said, "Ms. Sakura, are you okay?" Mikan then answered, "Yeah, and by the way, you can address me by my first name only because you sound too formal, thanks." Aoi nodded in agreement and said, "Can I read this scrapbook of yours entitled, 'Still Loving you…'?" Mikan was shocked because she didn't think that Aoi would find that scrapbook of hers, so she just nodded for approval. Aoi then commented teasingly as she was staring at the cover, "Looks like this is dedicated to someone very special, a guy perhaps." Mikan just giggle a bit, trying to hide something. Then as Aoi open the scrapbook of pink cover, she saw this:

Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.

If dreaming is the only way to be with you, then I'll never open my eyes.

Did you ever fall for someone you know you shouldn't? Try hard to fight your feelings, but you just couldn't? You fall deeper with each passing day, but try to hide it in every possible way. He's only a friend, and nothing else-- that's the lie you keeping telling yourself. You keep on saying he's just a bud, but deep inside, you're falling in love. You get so giddy when you meet his eyes, but keep reminding yourself it isn't right.
A simple glance turns into a stare, but you pretend that you don't care. It's "not right" for you two to be. Is that why you hide it so no one can see? But how long will you pretend? Keep lying that he's just a friend? Perhaps your feelings you can never show. Perhaps it's "wrong" for him to know. Your friendship can't be risked over this, so being his girl is an impossible wish...

I'm going to smile and make you think I'm happy, I'm going to laugh, so you don't see me cry, I'm going to let you go in style, and even if it kills me - I'm going to smile.

As soon as forever is through, I'll be over you.

A heart breaking isn't always as loud as a bomb exploding...
Sometimes it can be as quiet as a feather falling...
And the most painful thing is, no one really hears it, except you...

I'm afraid to close my eyes cause I might think of you.
I'm afraid to open them cause I might see you.
I'm afraid to move my lips cause I might speak of you.
I'm afraid to listen cause I might hear my heart fall for you

I always wonder why I can't just forget you and move on. Then I realize... I don't want to

Should I smile because you're my friend, or cry because that's all we'll ever be?

I'm not supposed to love you, I'm not supposed to care, I'm not supposed to live my life wishing you were there, I'm not supposed to wonder where you are and what to do, I'm sorry I can't help myself, I'm in love with you. You learn to like someone when you find out what makes them laugh, but you can never truly love someone until you find out what makes them cry.

It was full of heart broken quotes. "Woo! She was sure hurt about what happened to her and my brother to have these sad love quotes." she said to herself. "Can I borrow this book first?" Aoi asked Mikan. "Why, sure!" Mikan replied gladly. "By the way, the others are downstairs fixing some pending that is going to be used for the party tonight. So, you wanna help?" Aoi asked her. "Sure, let me just fix myself." Mikan said as she stood up and took a bath. "Oh my! I almost forgot!" Aoi said to herself as she rush into her room and get a dress. A plain blue, below-knee length dress with white collar and a dark blue belt with matching handbag, shoes, and ribbon. This dress was the one Hotaru told Aoi to let Mikan wear. Of course, the dress was still part of the plan. Handing it on to Mikan, Mikan exclaimed, "Is this what I'm going to wear? It's very nice! I like it! Thank you very much, Aoi!" Aoi just smiled and said, "Dress up and I'll just fix your hair. We've have a very long day!" Mikan dressed up and the dress suit her very well and so her hair that Aoi made – her hair flowing down but there's a small ponytail at the back. Mikan and Aoi, then, ate their breakfast quickly and it's almost 8:00 when they finished.

After taking breakfast, Aoi and Mikan went to the front of the Northern Forest where the party that night will be celebrated. There, the gang fixes many things and including Natsume who is a bit far from the others. Aoi approached Hotaru and asked, "Hey, everything's all right now, what's the next step?" Hotaru answered, "I'll take care of it, just go with the flow when I say so." Hotaru then went near Mikan and said, "Are you all right?" Mikan replied, "Yeah and sorry for the trouble yesterday and thanks for the concern." "It's okay, just make sure, you're not gonna repeat that again idiot!" Hotaru said harshly as she hand her a paper. It's a list of all the things that should be bought in the Central Town. "Hey, so I'm going to buy this all? Can I ask for a companion?" Mikan asked pleasingly as she was skimming a floor length shopping list. "Ok" Hotaru said as she held her wrist and pulled her to Natsume, and so Aoi follows them. Hotaru then said, "You're going with Mikan in the Central Town, and since it's still early the bus is not yet available until 9, just use your car Natsume. I already gave Mikan the list of things that you two should buy. If it happens that you're going to finish early, just stay there 'cause we're also going there to do our last minute shopping of our gowns for tonight." Natsume, who is just staring at Mikan, was shocked by her beauty – having the dress fit perfectly to her. He then just nod to Hotaru. (I hope he understands!)

"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Hotaru yelled at Natsume and continued, "Are you sick? You're just staring at Mikan like there's no tomorrow! My best friend might melt any minute now!" Natsume upon hearing this, turned back, walked and said, "Why should I stare at her?" Then turning his head back, checking if the brunette is already following him, he continued, "Hey! Polka Dots! Coming or not?!" Mikan was astounded, "polka dots," she hasn't heard that word yet for quite some time, she was happy but then she remembered what she was hiding. She yelled still standing at her place, "Natsume!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My morning's so fine yet you're ruining it!" "Woo! So you already know what 'ruining' means? Huh?!" Natsume said teasingly as Mikan ran after him. "Why you idiot?! What do you think of me? Stupid?!" Mikan said as she tries to catch up with him. "The answer is already obvious, little girl!" Natsume replied. Mikan then just kept her mouth shut. "This man is so so so… GRRRRRRR! It's just a very big mistake falling in love with him!" Mikan said in her thoughts. They walked into Ruka's car because he left his car in their mansion.

With Mikan's voice, no wonder the others are alarmed and saw their unending fight. "A moment I've missed a lot!" Ruka suddenly said as he heard their quarrel. "Yeah, I just hope our plan really works. But I know it will surely will!" Yuu said. Hotaru smiled and announced, "Hey guys! In ten minutes, we will leave for the Central Town. A documentary must be done."