Natsume stayed home all day until his college friends gatecrashed when evening came. They invited him to celebrate the success of the exhibit and for a little reunion as well. He refuses to go, however they had already put on their clothes, giving him no choice but to come as well. They went into a bar downtown. Clinking of bottles are heared.
"Ahh... Just what I need", Mochu Mochiage said.
"Why aren't you drinking Natsume? Is something wrong?" a concerned Ruka Nogi asked.
"Live a little!", Kokoro Yome said, giving Natsume a pat in the back.
Natsume brought a bottle of beer to his mouth to stop them from bothering him.
"They said there's gonna be some live show or something like that", Tobita Yuu interject.
A guy with a star tattoo on his eye grabbed a microphone and began to blabber. "Good evening everyone! The night is still young. I'm Tsubasa Andou, not that it's important. Anyway, we have some bands that we'll jam and rock with us tonight! Here they are! Hit it!"
Koko, Mochu, Ruka, and Yuu seemed to enjoy the live rock band show except Natsume so he decided to go to the comfort room. He need to get 'her' off his mind. While the last band playing, a blonde bartender, Kaname, whispered to Tsubasa.
"Woah! You guys totally rock! Now, now, before we end this rocky evening, I think we have someone with us to soothe our messed up minds. Let's hear it!"
A brunette holding a guitar came up to the stage and tapped the microphone, earning a loud-piercing sound. She mouthed a 'sorry', feeling uneasy.
"Hey, uhm... A pleasant evening to everyone. I'm Mikan Sakura and I'm gonna sing you a... song. Hope you guys enjoy", Mikan said.
I wake up in the morning
Put on my face
The one that's gonna get me
Through another day
Doesn't really matter
How I feel inside
'Cause life is like a game sometimes
Natsume who was seriously pissed off with the breathy noises on the other cubicle made by two people making out, went out of the comfort room. Hearing a familiar voice, Natsume had his eyes wide open and slowly stride to see the female singer on the stage.
But then you came around me
The walls just disappeared
Nothing to surround me
And keep me from my fears
I'm unprotected
See how I've opened up
Oh, you've made me trust
Because I've never felt like this before
I'm naked
Around you
Does it show?
You see right through me
And I can't hide
I'm naked
Around you
And it feels so right
I never felt like this before
I'm naked
Around you
Does it show?
You see right through me
And I can't hide
I'm naked
Around you
And it feels so right
I'm naked
Oh oh yeah
Does it show?
Yeah, I'm naked
Oh oh, yeah yeah
Everyone applaud, even Natsume's friends.
I'm so naked around you
And I can't hide
You're gonna (you're gonna) see right through, baby
You're gonna see right through,
I'm so naked around you,
And I can't hide,
You're gonna see right through, baby
Before Mikan ended her performance, she gave the crowd a touching message. "Sometimes, you confined yourself in these thick walls and then someone comes and that person makes you vulnerable. When you're with them, you can totally let loose and be yourself. You can let our your true emotions. You don't have to hide everything. Whether you're sad or happy, they can see right through you and whatever they discover about you is not a reason for them to not love you and that's why you love them too. You can just be naked around them."
Mikan bowed her head, telling 'thank you's' to different directions. She went down from the stage and exited the bar, making her way on the back part of it.
"Natsume's taking too long," Ruka pointed worriedly.
"Ruka, man. Stop acting like a worried sick mother. He's a grown-up man. He's just probably...jerking off," Mochu replied, laughing at his own joke and earning a playful punch in the arm from Yuu.
"He should've seen that singer!", Koko commented enthusiastically.
•••
Mikan was stuffing her guitar on its case when her phone ring, receiving a call from an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Mikan?"
"Yup, that's me."
"Who's this?"
"Mikan..."
Sensing someone's presence, Mikan turned and her eyes widened in surprise.
•••
A/N: Now you guys know why the artwork's title is 'Naked', the same with Avril Lavigne's song which I used in this chapter. :)