DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN GAKUEN ALICE.
Rent a Girl
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I don't have the right to steal your dreams.
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"Are you sure you haven't heard from Natsume, Mom?" Mikan inquired as she paced back and forth in their living room.
Yuka sighed and looked at her daughter. "You've asked me that for about fifty times already since you've come home. Listen to me, I haven't heard from Natsume or Youichi. I'm sure those two will be back soon. Now stop pacing before you put a hole on my favorite carpet."
"I'm sorry Mom. I'm just worried. Where on earth were those two?" Mikan said, continuing to pace on the living room.
"Stop worrying, dear. I'm sure they're quite fine," Yuka told her.
"But Mom..." Mikan trailed off.
"Dear, please stop. He'll come back, don't worry." Yuka smiled to her daughter.
Mikan glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "I can't wait for him any longer. I'm going to be late for the school tea if I don't leave now."
Yuka frowned. "You...You're not going to dressed like that, are you dear?"
Mikan stopped for a minute and looked at her clothes in surprise. She wore a gold lace tea length dress fell in fluttery folds around her ankles and high-heeled sandals matching the color of her dress. Her chestnut hair was fastened with gold combs. Her school's teas were formal affairs and Mikan felt that her dress was stylish for the occasion.
"Dressed like what, Mom?" she asked.
"Dressed in that shabby old thing," Yuka answered.
"Mom you know very well that our school's teas are formal affairs..." Mikan explained exasperatedly.
"Formal affairs," Yuka scoffed, looking over her daughter. "My dear, forget the school and just wear cheerier outfits."
"Please mom," Mikan sighed, pressing a hand on her forehead. She was so worried about Natsume and Youichi and in no mood for Yuka's gibes, or even the school tea.
Her mother stood up from the couch. "You don't want to borrow my shoes?" She showed her daughter her neon-yellow glow-in-the-dark shoes. "It would surely add life in your outfit."
Mikan forced a smile on her face and picked up her bag from the table. Her mother was unruly but she loved her very much. "Thanks mom, but no. I think I'm going to go with my plain gold shoes."
"How about wearing my colored beads tonight? Narumi seemed to like them." Yuka smiled at her daughter.
"Narumi?" Mikan frowned. "Mom," she said slowly, "Who is Narumi?"
"Narumi," she repeated, waving her hand back and forth as if explaining.
Mikan's eyes widened as she understood what her mother was trying to convey. "Don't tell me it was Governor Narumi?" she shouted.
"Of course dear," her mother replied. "He really liked my beads. We're going to a date tonight, we're going bike riding." She winked at her. "He loves hearing the sounds of my beads. I promised I'd wear them for him tonight." Her mother day-dreamed and Mikan just smiled. Her worrying about the governor sending her mother to the mental hospital because of her talk about redecorating the prison was all for nothing. Natsume had been right, the governor would loved her mother.
"Mom, I'm leaving. Please, please, please stay out of trouble," Mikan said.
"Is it my imagination or you'd repeated the word 'please' three times?" Yuka asked.
Mikan smirked and kissed her mother's forehead. "If you hear anything from Natsume, please let me know." She sighed. "I'm really worried about him." Mikan smiled softly. Her mother's eyes and hers met for a moment, and her mother smiled back.
"Don't worry Mikan," she uttered, draping a comforting hand on her daughter's arm. "Everything will be fine."
Rent a Girl
How could all be well? She mused as she rode on a taxi towards her school. She hadn't seen Natsume or Youichi in almost twenty-four hours.
Last night, she cried on his shoulder and she had admitted that she deliberately find faults with all the women they had interviewed. Had Natsume decided to find a woman on his own? The thought caused Mikan heartaches and fear. She had so much to tell him and every moment without him seemed so dull. She had to find Natsume, had to tell him what she had decided after mulling over everything last night. She was ready to let heart rule over her head.
"This is the place, stop please." She watched as the taxi driver stopped in the side. She gave him the payment and stepped out of the taxi. She trudged the way towards the school, her mind full of Natsume.
"Mikan!" her friends shouted. Mikan stifled a groan and turned around, forcing a smile in her lips. She moved through the crowded room and went to her friends.
"Mikan, we'd like you to meet Ruka Nogi-san," Anna said. The said man was handsome in his black suit and combed blonde hair. But for her, nothing can be compared for Natsume's unruly raven haired and tantalizing crimson eyes, he was just the epitome of gorgeousness. Mikan shook her head and told herself to focus.
Mikan smiled and extended her hand. "Nogi-san, it's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Mikan Sakura. You're quite handsome in your suit tonight."
"Thank you Sakura-san," Ruka uttered politely, taking her hand on his and kissed it lightly. Mikan blushed upon contact and hurriedly took her hand away.
"Sakura-san, I understand your reputation here is so credible. So if you ever decide leaving your school, feel free to contact me. I'll be happy to welcome you to our school." Ruka gave her a sneaky grin.
"Stop harassing her Nogi." A pretty girl with short, violet hair and lovely amethyst eyes appeared beside Ruka and placed her fingers on his left ear. She turned the poor blonde's ear and he yelped in pain.
"Aw Hotaru, stop it!" Ruka hissed and smiled apologetically to Mikan.
"So if you'd excuse us Sakura," Hotaru bowed and pulled Ruka by the ear.
"Please consider transferring to our school," Ruka hollered and sent a flying kiss towards Mikan.
Hotaru punched Ruka's jaw in annoyance.
Mikan pulled a handkerchief from her bag and wiped a sweat trickling down at the side of her face. What was wrong with those two? She mused as she watched Ruka being dragged by Hotaru.
"Mikan," Nonoko draped a hand on her arm and steered her towards another guest. "We'd like you to meet Shichiro Takayama."
"Ah, Takayama-san," Mikan said slowly. "I know you. You're the president of the Literature Club."
"Sakura-san," he uttered, "I'm glad you know me. I heard many good things about you."
"I'm happy about that," she muttered. "I heard you wanted to be an English professor in our school one day."
"Yes! Language is my passion." His eyes widened with delight. "Language is a formal system governed by grammatical rules combining particular signs with particular meanings."
Mikan nodded her head blankly, glancing around the room as the man went babbling on.
"...don't you agree?" the man finally said.
"E-Excuse me?" Mikan stammered, looking at the man again. Was this how she wanted to spend the rest of her high school life? Surrounded with intellectuals who compete with each other to see who could be the most boring? Living her life under rules and regulations?
"Are you listening to me?" the man asked sternly.
Mikan looked up at the man in front of him with a bright smile. She knew it that it was not the life she wanted, bless the man's unromantic heart that she could see through all this.
Her school was a wonderful place but it was not for her. Natsume and Youichi was waiting for her. Her school was her past and they were her future.
"Thank you Takayama-san!" Mikan bowed. "Thank you!" she repeated.
The door suddenly opened and the crowd was silenced. It was like watching a slow motion movie as all eyes turned towards the door.
"Mikan," Natsume came in with Youichi in his arms and her mother was on his heels.
"Natsume," Mikan pushed through the crowd. "Where have you been?" she asked.
Natsume and Youichi exchanged glances.
"Onee-chan!" Youichi wriggled against Natsume's arms to get to her.
"Natsume! Youichi!" Mikan cried and threw her arms around them, completely ignoring the people behind them. "I'm so glad to see the both of you."
"Onee-chan," Youichi said, clinging to Mikan's neck. She gave him a kiss on the cheek.
"Youichi!" Mikan said, giving him another kiss on the cheek.
"I told you all is well dear," Yuka smiled to her daughter.
Mikan's eyes widened as she saw her mother's attire. She had aviator cap on her head with goggles on it. She was wearing her neon-yellow glow in the dark shoes and Narumi's favourite beads on her neck.
"Nice outfit mom," she commented.
"Mikan!" her friends shouted. "Who are these people? What on earth are they doing in our school tea?"
"Mikan," Natsume leaned down to her ear and whispered, "We need to talk now. It's important." He grabbed her elbow and guided her toward the door but Anna held her other arm.
"What's the meaning of this Mikan? Where are you going? Who on earth are these savaged people?" Nonoko asked as she also went towards Mikan.
Natsume stopped and turned his attention towards Mikan's friends.
"You must be Mikan's friends!" he said, grabbing their hands and pumping wildly. "I'm Natsume Hyuuga. I'm sure you lot heard about me. It's a pleasure to meet you guys. I'm going to borrow Mikan for a moment but we'll come back." He plucked Youichi from Mikan's arms and gave it to Nonoko. "This kiddo's name is Youichi. Please take care of him while we're gone."
Before Nonoko could answer, Natsume dropped the squirming Youichi to her arms.
"W-What?" Nonoko gasped.
"Let's go Mikan," he spun her around and walked out of the place.
Rent a Girl
"Where have you been all day?" Mikan asked. "I was so worried."
"That's what I want us to talk about," Natsume replied, slowly backing Mikan up against the dimly lit stone wall of the school. "I missed you." He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the lips.
"Natsume," Mikan murmured.
"Mikan listen." Natsume put his hand on her face. "You don't have to worry about finding a woman for me."
"I know," she said with a smile.
"You know?" he frowned. "How do you know?"
"Because," she wrapped her arms in his torso and looked up, "I'm going to accept the award for you."
"What?" he gaped on her.
"I'm going to accept the award for you," she repeated.
"You can't do that," Natsume said.
"I can Natsume." Mikan pressed her face on his chest. "I've got so much to tell you. I've done a lot of thinking and realized you were right. Since I met you and Youichi, my life changed." Mikan momentarily stopped and looked up to Natsume, "Both of you were so important to me."
"What about your duties as the president of the student council?" he asked.
"I realized that it's not the most important thing in my life anymore," she answered. "You've taught me so much Natsume. You've given me confidence. I was hiding behind my position in the student council. I don't want to do that anymore," she muttered, tears sprang in her eyes.
"Mikan, that's not true. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I had no right." Natsume shook his head.
"You have Natsume, if it wasn't for you I..." her voice trailed off.
"Mikan," he hugged her. "Last night when I how pained you were about finding me a woman, I finally realized it's been difficult for you. I realized that you loved your mom very much that it's the only reason you helped me."
"That's not true. That's not the only reason I helped you," Mikan mumbled.
"That night, when your mom and I got arrested, I should have gone home with Youichi. But I couldn't. I was so attracted to you the moment I saw you. I can't bear to see you torn like you were last night. I knew you thought what I wanted do wasn't rational. I knew last night I couldn't hold you to a promise that goes against everything you believed it. It was so unfair of me and—" he was cut off by Mikan's finger on his lips.
"Natsume," he cupped her face with her hands.
"No," he turned around sharply, pulling away. "Let me finish Mikan. I've never done something rational in my life. But it's not too late to start. I can't let you throw away everything you've work hard for. Mikan, being the president of the student council was your dream. I don't have the right to steal your dreams. If I let you do this for me, you'd only regret this. I'm grateful for the offer. You never know how much it means to me."
No, her mind was screaming in pain. Her stricken eyes met his.
"I appreciate all you've done for me and Youichi. Mikan, kiddo loves you more than anything in this world." He messed up his hair and sighed. "I can't let you accept the award for me Mikan. You deserve so much more."
Mikan's eyes were blinded by tears and she blinked them back, refusing to cry in front of him. Natsume didn't love her. He was grateful but it wasn't love. Not the same way she loved him. She was so blind.
She expected him to jump with joy with her offer but he wasn't. He was grateful but she didn't want that, all she wanted was his love.
Humiliated, she stepped out of his embrace. She was such a fool. She was willing to sacrifice everything for him. Her status as the president of the student council, the admiration from her friends, heck she's even willing to drop out of the school and transfer to a new one. She let her heart rule her head but he turned her down, rejected her. She loved him so much but she couldn't get her love returned. He couldn't love her and hurt her at the same time.
"Mikan, Youichi and I are leaving tonight. That's what I came here to tell you. I hired Luna and she's going to accept the award for me. We've got a lot to do for the ceremony tomorrow. I just came back to get our stuff." He clutched her around the waist and hugged her. "I want you to come to the award ceremony. Promise me now," he whispered. "Promise me."
"I promise," she whispered back. She hugged him back, trying to memorize the feel of him in her arms.
"Mikan," Natsume said, releasing her. "I have to go now." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Are you alright?"
She looked at him and frowned. He's asking her if she's alright when he's about to walked out of her life. Nevertheless, Mikan nodded.
"Good. Mikan, I'm sorry, I got to run. Do you want to come and say goodbye to Youichi?" he asked.
Mikan shook her head. "I'll see him tomorrow." If she said goodbye to both of them, she'd fall apart.
"Bye Mikan," he whispered and kissed her in the forehead again.
She watched him turning his back on her and started to walk away. Natsume and Youichi were gone as swiftly as they entered her life. Mikan sagged in walls and let her tears fell down her cheeks.
Sobs racked her fragile body. How ironic, she thought, the first time she'd let her heart rule over her head, she'd experienced hurt for the first time.
Perhaps it was better this way, she mulled, stifling a fresh flood of tears. Natsume had found the woman he needed and his reputation as a bad-ass adventure manga artist was kept. All of his problems were solved. He would go back to his own world and she's going to be left with hers.
Pulling herself upright, she'd stared at the familiar grounds of her school. Back then, all of that had been enough but that was before a gorgeous, outrageous rogue had drowned her in his charms and stolen her heart.
I don't have the right to steal your dreams, was what he said. But without knowing it, that was what he'd done. He was her dream.
"I love you Natsume," she whispered into nothingness, knowing he wouldn't hear her. "Natsume, I love you."
Rent a Girl
Author's Notes: Uwah! I finally finished this chapter. Only two chapters to go. Stay tuned. Thanks for reading and drop a review. Let me know your thoughts.