Wheee, two updates in one day, thanks to the many reviews (within my school day, might I add)

This is a longish chapter, twice my usual (which are pitifully short... sorry) and this is also to make up for me not being able to update tomorrow because I'm extremely busy.

I have been dropping a lot of bombshells haven't I... well there's more... this chapter especially (that's all I'll say)

Enjoy!

CHAPTER 14: FAMILY MATTERS

I was on my way to Aoi's shop. It was a Saturday and I didn't have any plans in particular, not even with Natsume. This was a surprise since, lately, he'd been vying for all my spare time. I didn't mind of course, it was just strange. The surprises came even more frequently, and I tried to match them... failing of course. He seemed to be holding on to me very closely. I wouldn't call it controlling, but it was verging on overprotective. As far as I knew, he had no reason to be anymore.

It was both Natsume and my tutoring lessons that were keeping me very busy as of late. Souma-kun had booked me in for more lessons during the week. It was probably because he had a lot to teach me, and one session per week simply wasn't enough. We had been making an awful lot of progress, though. I was already about to start High School Maths. He really was a miracle worker.

His methods of teaching seemed to be the most appropriate approach for me. We'd pretend to be knights, monarchy, thieves, spies and everything else. I guess there was a large part of my ten-year-old self that I still hadn't let go of. How he managed to relate those things to maths, I had no idea. He always seemed to have something figured out before the lesson. Somehow, I'd always end up being the princess.

Natsume, however, seemed unsettled about the tutoring program. Ever since I first mentioned it all those weeks ago, he had never brought it up. I thought it was strange how he reacted to it the first time, but I let it go. Every time I mentioned it, he would only reply with a 'tch' then look away or change topic. This actually really annoyed me. I had wanted to tell him how good I've gotten, I wanted him to be proud.

On the other hand, Souma-kun never failed to praise me. He would always be beside himself every time I accomplished something, no matter how small. I kept implying that I didn't need all the praise, that it was his good work that got me this far, but he'd always shake his head and say, "A teacher is only as good as his student."

To be honest, I actually enjoyed it. He filled the gap that Natsume left in the area of my academic achievement. It's not like Natsume ever failed to tell me how 'amazing' I was in everything else, but it was nice to have someone acknowledge me for trying my best in a subject I wasn't good at. It felt really good every time Souma-kun would pat my head and tell me, "Good work!" He was like the kind big brother I never had.

I concluded in counting myself lucky. Lucky that I had Nastume for a boyfriend and Souma-kun for a tutor. I couldn't have asked for better. I then found myself wondering whether Natsume and Souma-kun knew each other. If they did, I'm sure they'd be best friends.

The bell rang as I opened the door to the trinket shop in which Aoi worked. I hadn't seen her since the weekend I came back because I had been so busy. Now that I actually had some spare time, I thought that it was best to pay her a visit. I was sure that she didn't lack company though. I caught Ruka-pyon sneaking off to see her many times. They were just too cute.

When I entered, however, my eyes greeted a scene that my brain seemed to reject automatically. It simply didn't make sense. I had walked in to find Aoi sitting at the table, conversing with a boy. Three things hit me. The first was that she seemed very friendly with this boy. The second was that it wasn't Ruka-pyon. Third and foremost was well...

"SOUMA-KUN?" I yelped. It didn't make sense, none at all. Could Souma-kun and Aoi be... never. But how could this be explained?

I looked from Souma-kun to Aoi and back at Souma-kun. The situation wasn't registering properly. What about Ruka-pyon, how could this be happening?

"You-bu-wha-Ruka-huh?" I stuttered badly.

Souma-kun seemed to be just as confused as I was, "Mikan?".

Aoi seemed to figure out my assumption the quickest, "Calm down, Mikan, it's not what you think."

I looked at her questioningly and tried to control my breathing, it better not be.

"I am most definitely not cheating on Ruka-pyon," she assured. "I'd never do that to my sweet boyfriend."

"Oh, ok," I calmed down. It wasn't what I thought. That was good. But, then I realised what she said, and once again, I began to hyperventilate, "Boyfriend?" She nodded.

As far as I knew, Ruka-pyon hadn't had the guts to ask her out yet. I sure have missed a lot the past few weeks. I guess that explains Ruka's more frequent visits.

Now it seemed, Souma-kun knew the nature of my outburst, "No, no, it's nothing like that. Aoi and I were just talking."

Ok. That seemed strange to me, "Aoi? Souma-kun? You two know each other?"

They started laughing. I was confused, again. "I guess my dear brother hasn't told her," Aoi giggled. Natsume didn't give a damn thing about anything or anyone to do with my tutoring. I was missing something important, thanks to him.

"Know each other?" Souma-kun sniggered. "We're cousins!"

…

I looked from one to the other in utter disbelief. Aoi and Souma-kun... cousins? But that means that Natsume is his cousin too! I analysed their faces, the resemblance was apparent. I couldn't believe I didn't notice this before. I stared hard at Souma-kun and I noticed something that was enough to make me uneasy. He was actually the spitting image of Natsume.

I suddenly recalled the first time I met him... messy brown hair and a friendly, playful face that was so new, yet so familiar. It was familiar because it looked like Natsume. I, for some idiotic reason, never realised due to the different hair and eye colour. I gulped. My stomach churned. I was beginning to feel a little light-headed. A feeling I didn't want to attempt to explain swept over me. Why did I suddenly feel so bad? This was really awkward.

I guessed Souma-kun had sensed the weighty atmosphere because he stood up and said, "Well, I guess I better be going. It was great to talk to you, Aoi."

"S-souma-kun," I choked. Could it be...?

"Honestly, Mikan," he said as he walked towards the door, "I've been teaching you for a couple of months now, just call me Kiseki."

As he was about to walk past me and through the door, he leaned towards me and whispered in my ear, "Besides, even if Aoi wasn't my cousin, why would I like her when I like you."

After hearing that, I just wanted it to stop. I was already feeling sick to my stomach. He left us; me leaning on the counter for support and Aoi, silently observing, not knowing what to say. Aoi beckoned me to take the seat next to her as I choked out another sob. She tried her best to silently comfort me.

It was all just too much. "A-aoi-chan?"

She lent me her ears. Through sobs I managed, "I'm sorry, it's just, a lot for me to process right now."

"Don't worry about it," she said sympathetically, "just tell me what's wrong. Aoi will listen."

"I-I love Natsume, very much," I started. "But then K-Kiseki," it felt so strange to use his first name, but right at the same time, "he came along.

"He was so nice, an amazing teacher and j-just like the b-big brother I never had. I thought that was all, until you told me that they were cousins. I r-remembered when I first saw him, how familiar he looked and at the same time... so new, refreshing. I realised just then how similar he looked to Natsume and for some reason my emotions went haywire.

"Maybe, I think I have feelings for Kiseki. I-I don't know, I just, when I found out, something just rushed through me. That in itself is horrible, but then, what if I don't? What if it's just because he looks like him, and he's nice and he's new and he's an excellent tutor?" I realised how silly it was to be telling all this to Natsume's sister. But she only looked at me with understandingly. For some reason, I didn't need to explain that he was my tutor or anything of the sort, she just knew.

"Then, he goes and tells me that he likes me," I continued, my voice rising a tad. "It's too much, it's all too much. What's wrong with me? I'm supposed to only love Natsume, he's done so much for me. He loves me so much, I can't do this to him!" I put my face in my hands. Aoi patted my back.

"I feel so dirty, liking two people at once. It's not even like I wanted to, it's not fair," I concluded.

Aoi waited for my tears to dry out before saying, "Come on, Mikan. I know you're overwhelmed but you shouldn't be in tears like this. The Mikan I know endures, she is strong. You told me that you love onii-san, and that's all he needs from you. You even said so yourself, you may not even really like Souma-pyon. It might be because he looks like Natsume, and to me that sounds like the problem is you liking Natsume too much!" She smiled.

That was true, I still wasn't sure whether I liked him or not, it was just so sudden. My breathing felt easier now. I was glad that I was in Aoi's company.

"But he likes me," I said rather shakily.

"And so what?" Aoi asked. "A billion people can like you, but you can only like one of them, and we both know who that is for you. You don't have to treat Souma-pyon any differently that you did before, same goes for onii-san. Once Souma-pyon realises that you love my brother, he'll be happy for you and move on, I know it." Aoi knew exactly what to say. I was feeling a whole lot better.

"Just take a look at Ruka, wasn't it the same situation back then," she chirped. My sweat dropped, I found it astounding that she could say that with no hesitation whatsoever.

I got up, "Thank you so much, Aoi, for listening to my pointless tears. You really made me feel a lot better."

She smiled, "My pleasure, and tears aren't pointless. They help you relieve yourself. It's ok to cry sometimes, just not all the time." I remembered what everyone used to tell me about my crying face. Back then, I used to cry over the smallest matters. Now those matters seemed to be a lot more trivial.

I was about to walk out when Aoi said, "Keep being strong Mikan, this is hardly over." I turned around to shut the door in time to see Aoi wink at me. What exactly had she and Kiseki been talking about earlier?

Phew, I just scrolled down and discovered it IS an acceptable length. And yes... they are cousins (bwahaha, I planned this ever since I introduced his character). Sorry about the random waterworks... I wasn't planning that, it just happened, does that happen to you?
Anyway, can't update tomorrow but will the next day. I'd really love reviews for this chappie (the reactions are great =])