Enjoy reading this chapter, readers!
MY FOE IS MY FIANCE?
Chapter 4 Mikan is my partner now!
Written by Sarah Patrick
The last school bell rang as the unusual students of the unique Gakuen Alice poured out into the corridor. No matter how ordinary they may look, never judge the book by its cover. They are special for they possessed special power called Alice. Among the 300 students in the academy, they are four out of seven known Alice Master walked with their status hold them high to be greeted from the crowd.
Usually, the students would greet fearfully when they greet the stoic vicious Master of Element Alice, Natsume Hyuuga… but today… they had to be careful with another master, the half-French half-Japanese; Prince Ruka Nogi. His face creased with anger. His once-charming blue eyes narrowed with his lips thinned in irritation…
Never in their entire life had they seen the master of Pheromone Alice in this situation. By his looks, he was ready to kill anyone who blocked his way. Students of the academy found themselves giving way to the rage prince with worrisome slapped on their chest.
"What happened to ooji-sama (prince)?" asked a girl to her friend. They then shrugged.
"Something bad must have happened to cause him like this…"
"Oh gosh, he look so handsome when he look so angry like that…"
As he stormed towards the dorm, a voice was still ringing in his ears ever since he left the class… just to hear it, it was annoying… but the part which angered him the most was what the voice said.
"Mikan is my partner now,"
"Mikan is my partner now,"
"Mikan is my partner now,"
The voice echoed in his mind with the annoying French accent. And he was half-French himself. His father, who was initially the second line generation to become the crown prince, got married with a French lady he met when he was studying in France, causing him to become the fifth and last line generation to receive the throne for his mother was not formerly royalty. Anyway, that was not the problem now. That voice—troubled him dearly.
"Mikan is my partner now,"
WHAM!
His fist throbbed painfully on the creamy-white painted wall of the dorm. He massaged his forehead with his free hand to calm himself down. He was angry. 'How could Natsume let his brother to let Mikan to be his partner?! No, wait… Natsume doesn't know that I love Mikan…' and his breathing slowed down a little as he let go a deep sigh. He leaned against the wall and slowly sat down with his head hung low.
"Ruka?" said the same voice which had echoed in his head since early morning… 'but thank goodness it has no French accent in it' The blonde look up only to be greeted by the familiar crimson eyes.
"Are you alright?" asked Natsume coolly. Ruka chuckled.
"Yeah… I'm fine, buddy. Just a little moody, that's all," said Ruka with a smile. Natsume knew that smile was fake as Natsume trusted him a hand which Ruka took and he stood up at once.
"Tsk… Don't let everyone get worry about you. That polka kept on badgering me about you. It's annoying," snapped Natsume quietly as he slipped his hand into his pocket. Ruka gasped upon hearing about Mikan. He felt his anger disappearing by the second—like running sand in the hourglass. He felt touched to know that she cared for him. A smile... a real smile carved on his gentle features. He took Natsume by the arm and started to run towards the canteen.
"Com'mon, Natsume. Mikan-chan might be waiting for us in the canteen," he said happily and that smile had answered the doubt which Natsume was keen to know earlier…
'He does love her…'
FLASHBACK
When the class door slid opened, Natsume was shocked to see a 'replica' of him was standing in front of the door. But then, he felt happy inside… 'So, Natsumi had decided to transfer here at last...' he thought to himself. He watched carefully at his twin brother who smiled at the class… 'Tch… stop smiling Natsumi. Oh god, he's ruining my reputation!' Natsume glared at him when he saw Natsumi bowed politely to Sumire. 'This guy seriously is spoiling my reputation!'
BANG!
His eyes darted towards the door again… revealing the pretty auburn who was panting hard…and his eyes widen… for eleven years being Mikan's partner and classmate… he had never seen the girl let her hair down… her auburn hair lay loose as she bend herself to catch some breath. He was blushing lightly. 'But wait… didn't Mikan let go her hair yesterday too…?' thought Natsume. He then realised that he wasn't paying that much attention on her at all. He had never paid attention to anyone because it doesn't really matter much. Somehow… today… on that very moment, he saw Mikan for the first time… see her wholly for who she really was… a girl...yet a pretty one too…
"Gomenasai, sensei!!" cried Mikan Sakura as she bowed continuously at the teacher.
"Mikan!" called Natsumi… and now all eyes darted to both of them.
"Eh? Mikan-chan… you know him?" asked Ruka in 'amazement'.
Natsume was shocked too. Mikan knew my brother? It was a mystery for Natsume as he saw the both of them talked happily as if they had known for ages. Somehow, he felt jealous…but then he snapped out of it as he remembered that Mikan was supposed to be his enemy… and also the fact that he has a fiancée…
"R—" began Natsume as he turned to talk to Ruka. He was shocked to find him glaring hard at Mikan and Natsumi. Natsume crimson eyes narrowed slightly in curiosity. The way Ruka was staring at them was full of a kind of aura which Natsume himself was surprised to know that he has it burning in him too—jealousy. But Ruka was even worst. He looked like he would eat Natsumi alive. 'But why would Ruka stare at my brother like that?' Asked Natsume to himself… 'Unless…' and Natsume darted to look at Ruka and Mikan and then back to Ruka again… 'Does he love her…?' this discovery was a like a comet impact to Natsume.
"Who's your partner, Natsumi-kun?" asked Mikan happily.
"Partner? Ah… I have none yet… but," began Natsumi.
"It seems like everyone here has a partner, Natsumi-kun," said Narumi-sensei gently. "Demo… if anyone would want to trade their partner… you can do so," chuckled the teacher gleefully as he found it amusing to say 'trade partners'. His student looked at him displeasingly. But then, the thought of being Natsumi's partner, seemed to please all the girls in the class for they had their hands up high and giggled that they would volunteer. Natsumi bit his lips.
"Mikan-chan…" said Natsumi quietly as he took Mikan's arm. Mikan was surprised.
"I-Is it okay if you… if you would like to be my partner?" asked Natsumi seriously. Mikan hazel eyes widen.
"A-Ano(Err)… I-I…" but Ruka cut her off.
"Ask Natsume… Natsume is her partner too… why don't ask him for his opinion too?" suggested Ruka sternly.
"N'stume…," called Natsumi. Natsume turned to look at his brother. For a funny reason, the class become silently still. It felt like Natsumi was asking Natsume if he could have her as a girlfriend or somewhat like that.
"Hmm,"
"Is it okay if Mikan becomes my partner?" asked Natsumi as he smiled at him. Natsume hesitated. It's not that I don't want to… he turn to look sideway at Ruka a little. Ruka was staring at him seriously. This was a hard decision. If he said 'no', others might think that he liked Mikan. For eleven years, Natsume and Mikan had known as enemies. If he said 'no', it would spoil his reputation. However, Ruka might be happy as it was already a norm to see Natsume and Mikan together forcefully as a partner and masters. If he said 'yes'... 'Would it affect my friendship with Ruka?'
"Hmm," was all he could say with a little nod.
Natsumi smiled at him happily. "Thanks," and turned to their homeroom teacher. "Mikan is my partner now," he said to the teacher. Ruka calm and charming mood turn to the worst raging storm at once. He couldn't believe that Natsume would actually said 'yes'. But that very voice of Natsumi, the way he said that 'Mikan is his partner now' was like haunting yet teasing him.
"Mikan is my partner now,"
"Mikan is my partner now,"
"Mikan is my partner now,"
Those five words echoed in his mind… till the very last school bell rang…
END OF FLASHBACK
Natsume and Ruka were now standing in the canteen as they stood a few metres away from a table where Mikan had sat. Even though Mikan and Natsume were enemies, they had always do things together as the masters of Alice's have their own special table and services from the academy. Luckily for the masters, they were only four available in the academy. So the academy could concentrate on these four masters without further delays in their services. The four masters were Mikan Sakura, master of Rare and Special Alice; Natsume Hyuuga as the master of Element Alice, Ruka Nogi as the master of Pheromone Alice and Hotaru Imai as the Technical Alice. The special table made for the masters were also allow to be used by the master's family. So that's the reason why Natsumi Hyuuga was sitting together with Hotaru and Mikan. Ruka azure eyes squinted in anger.
"Ruka," called Natsume quietly. Ruka startled.
"Oh yeah… let's go, Natsume," said Ruka cheerfully as they approached them. They took their seat and the specially hired waiters gave them their lunch. It was luxury—roasted chicken, caviar, mushroom soup… and few more dishes which look delicious yet foreign. As masters, they have to show their manners… even though if they found them annoying and pathetic.
FLASHBACK
"Manners are manners and you masters have to show them to your people… give them trust and be their example," said the Elementary School Principle when they were seven. The principle's dark hair dance fiercely along the wind as the green grass whistled with the wind.
"If you disobey this rule, you know what would happen to you. I hope this punishment would remind you of your silly mistakes again. Even though it is other's mistake… you as masters will have to suffer the consequences," said the seven year old principle darkly.
He smirk at them and left the four masters behind to do their first ever punishment for the mistake of others. The little masters stayed still under the hot burning sun which was modified by one of Mikan's Rare Alice to radiated its harder for the whole day since the sunrise till the sunsets without any drink or food to eat…
END OF FLASHBACK
"Pyon," chirped a sweet voice in a little worried tone. Ruka looked at Mikan who was smiling at him. "Are you alright? You seem to have such bad mood for the whole day in class," Ruka blushed.
"Ano… I w-was only having a little cold, that's all, Mikan-chan…" Ruka lied at once. He turned to look at his food and played with it with his fork.
"Mikan-chan… what happened to your annoying ponytails?" asked Hotaru monotonously as she took a large gulp of crab soup.
"Ze ponyz'ails?" wondered Natsumi. "What ponyz'ails?" he asked as he ruffled her auburn hair a bit. Surprisingly, he received a sharp slap on his hand by Ruka.
"It's not nice to touch a girl's hair without her permission," he said curtly. All eyes were on Ruka for that act was way out of character for him. His princely face creased a little as he ate a small piece of chicken; ignoring their stare. A silence of awkwardness lingered in the air. Natsume cleared his throat significantly—breaking the stillness.
"Sore throat," he muttered quietly. Everyone at the table could only choked and cough.
"Anyway…" began Mikan loudly as she blushed for she then knew why Ruka acted that way (chapter 2). Mikan somehow felt guilty for she has not yet replied his proposal yet (not marriage… but boyfriend-girlfriend thingy). "I have decided to change my hairstyle… that's all…" muttered Mikan in as-a-matter-of-fact tone. Hotaru chuckled a little.
"Are you sure it's not because that Hyuuga always burn all your stuff and also your ribbons?" she asked again. Mikan choked on her chicken porridge.
"Natsume Hyuuga? HA-HA… as if," she laughed shakily but deep inside her, it was partially the truth. She had to give up her ponytails due to Natsume always burn them to crisp. However, it was also because she felt like letting her hair down too. She flunged her hair a little as a few stain of her auburn hair fall on her face.
"Ano(err)… Mikan-chan… don't mind if I ask something?" asked Natsumi as his French accent suddenly disappeared; now sounding like Natsume himself. Mikan, who was taking another spoon of her porridge, nodded her head as she looked at him across the table.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" asked Natsumi innocently. Mikan choked on her porridge again. She knew that Natsume and Natsumi were completely different in behaviour… but she never thought that Natsumi was also innocent and straightforward—just like her… unlike his brother, Natsume.
"I-I…" began Mikan as she blushed more furiously. "I have a fiancé," she said quietly as she heard a loud gasp from Ruka. She knew that he was surprised for she didn't tell him that earlier… Mikan couldn't look up at him.
For Ruka, it was as though his world had shattered into pieces. He couldn't believe his ears. It was like a bad dream. The girl whom he had love since elementary Class A… The girl who had changed his once-wild personality to a charming person… he was speechless…and devastated.
"You have a fiancé, Mikan-chan? I didn't know that," stated Hotaru emotionlessly; sound not bothered about it but when Mikan turned to look at her to answer, she shot death glare at her which read: 'You have a fiancé and you never told me about it? I thought I'm your best friend?!'
A pang of guilt slapped on Mikan's chest.
"Gomenasai (sorry), Hota-chan!! I didn't mean not to tell you! It's just that…" began Mikan, practically wailing as she pouted adorably at the girl. Hotaru ignored her and looked away. Mikan felt so upset that her precious best friend was no longer talking to her.
"Who's your fiancé? Is he from here too?" asked Natsumi interestedly. However, Mikan didn't realised his tone was not as cheerful as before.
"Ano… I don't know…" said Mikan quickly as she didn't take her dewy pitiful eyes from Hotaru who now noisily sipping on her crab soup out of annoyance.
"Eh? You don't know?" asked Ruka as he inwardly prayed to god that the fiancé thingy was just a joke.
"I don't know his name…" said Mikan as he looked at the two boys. Disbelief was written on their faces. Even Natsume found it weird and slightly suspicious.
"Oh well… even Natsume too doesn't know who his fiancée too…" shrugged Natsumi as he returned to his roasted chicken.
"Eh? Hyuuga too has a fiancée? HA-HA… if his fiancée knew about his irritating behaviour… I bet she would go GAGA!" mocked Mikan with a satisfying smirk.
"Shuttup, polka dots," snapped Natsume, rasping. Natsumi chuckled.
"HA-HA… polka dots eh?" laughed Natsumi in silent… but not quiet enough for Mikan shot him a glare too.
"Both perverts!" she snarled in annoyance. Curiosity made Ruka to ask more about Mikan's mysterious fiancé. He wanted to know if he actually had a chance to become Mikan's boyfriend.
"You don't know anything about your fiancé, Mikan-chan? Not even a bit?" asked Ruka. Mikan shrugged at him with an apologetic smile.
"Gomen ne, Pyon… I truly don't know…" said Mikan. "But all I know is his nickname is Crimson E," she finished. This time, Natsume choked on his food, even Natsumi too.
"Crimson E?!" asked Natsumi half-shouting as he punched his chest hard in shock.
"WHAT THE HELL?! YOU'RE TANGERINE R?!" growled Natsume in disbelief as the noisy canteen now become silent at once. Mikan stared at him in horror as both of them pointed their index finger at each other.
"YOU'RE MY FIANCÉ/E??"
TBC!
Ruka really is half-French half-Japanese in the manga and anime. His mother is a French lady. That explains why he has blonde hair with blue eyes because Japanese don't have those traits! I just know that!! Wow!! But isn't it pathetic to know that now…? I bet you readers know this long time ago… T…T I am sooooooooo slow…
Thanks to those who review… I hope you like this chapter…
CherryBlossomSakuraPetals(kawan!!)
Minahoru(BUDDY!!)
animefreak94296929
cutiebear14
fjords(Do you still like Natsumi?? Is this how you like him to be??)
defianceobjectivity99
truc.mi (BUDDY!! HEY NATSUMI!! HEHE!)
Lady-Von-Bielefeld (BUDDY AND FIEND!! LOL! 1 percent for you, 99 percent for me)
hanaler87
lady kaname kuran(my grammar does suck... T...T)
Yuki's-lil-sis(anyhow related to Yuki Souma?? LOL)
BlackFlameLady
flor-desu(glad you found two Hyuugas amusing... yey)
lilmissmex3
crimsonfire3(BUDDY!! glad you said that... yeah... I also thought that only Mikan is mysterious and has twins...)
BloodyHolly
mookiee
dominiqueanne
arya21 (lol.. funny for you to say that... anyway.. actually Natsumi want to surprise Natsume about him coming to Japan... that's all... :-)
Caritate(BUDDY!! lol... I do have author block... but this story is not as amazing as yours... I'm a big fan!! yey!)
-kennex-
Now, review!
--Sarah Patrick