This story is inspired from Anime/Manga Ouran High School Host Club's Haninodzuka Mitsukuni and Morinodzuka Takashi's wonderful cousinly love relationship who once were Master and slave, before they became cousins through relative's marriage. So, now you readers know where the idea came from…-grin- but of course, the plots here are my own.

Read, Enjoy and Review. Sorry for the late update. This chapter is dedicated to my youngest sister, Shireen. Happy belated birthday! I love you.

Hope you understand Akira twins more, Buddy Di / Caritate! Thank you so much for putting them in your story. The Akira twins are also main supportive characters in this story starting in this chapter. OOC ALERT!!

Hyuuga Natsume X Sakura Mikan

MY FOE IS MY FIANCÉ?!

Chapter 12 Master Hyuuga Takashi

Written by Sarah Patrick

Rivulets of sunlight shone through the small gap in between the two thick blood red satin hung over the long windows, casting faint glowing spots on the shadow carpeted floor of the library. The library air was stuffed overnight with the smell of the dried parchment and fresh books thickened dramatically with the tense emitted by three males. Their eyes were upon a certain brunette who stood rigid on the doorway. Worrisome panged on their chest, guilt engulfed them deeper. She exhaled for a moment to loosen up and bowed.

The raven haired boy with crimson eyes went flabbergasted when he saw her act like a servant. He stood still, frozen on his ground. He tried to say something but nothing came out. He closed his eyes and pursed his lips. Gulping bitterly, he blamed everything to himself for what had happened to his beloved fiancée.

"The master wishes to see you," chimed the brunette, Sakura Mikan. For a moment, the devastated boy felt as though he was melting on his feet, his problems laid forgotten after hearing her sweet voice--the music to his ears…but he quickly recovered, remembered in chagrin that she was no longer his…

"All three of us, Mikan-chan?" asked Hyuuga Kyoya, the twin's father, as he fixed his askew glasses. He too seemed unhappy that Mikan was acting this way. He can't say it out. It was the command from the new Hyuuga Master, the very tradition which he had tried so hard to get rid off. The situation Mikan in now had reminded him resentfully how much he hated the tradition….

"All three of you," she nodded with a smile wiped across her pretty face. "I'll escort you to him," Hyuuga Natsume was crestfallen.

'Him,' he noted. 'The new master is a guy,' No matter what, he had trained since little to always mask on a stoic facial expression despite what kind of situation he had encountered. If he didn't and if he wanted to, he would be more likely to be on his knees, his hands on his face, crying as hard as he could, wishing desperately that he could turned back the time.

How the reality bit.

It was not fair to him. Was this the punishment he should receive for being a jerk to Mikan ever since they were little? He swore that if he had known that Mikan was his fiancée when they were little, he would definitely treat her better… because he loved her.

He used to teased her to hell for those cute childish ponytails, and pull them whenever someone complimented her 'cute' and she bounced frenziedly upon those comments. He used to let her tripped on her feet, exposing her childish underwear and then called her with nicknames according to the panties she wore for the rest of the day until she had decided to change her underwear every three hourly--much to his reasons to let her knees get bruise even more. He used to force her becoming his slave for a week or two whenever she lost their bets she made with him, and enjoyed every moment tormenting her life with his chores and all. When he realized that he was falling for her, he quickly hid away, unsuccessful at times to his annoyance, but he tried so hard, by hook and by crook, because he can't bear to be unfaithful to his mysterious fiancée whom he loved so dearly…

"Natsume," Mikan's voice was pinched in a slight worrisome. Natsume crimsons met the hazel ones. He realized that his father and his twin, Natsumi was already at the doorway, standing there together with her.

"Ah, sorry," he muttered quietly and followed them. The silence was deafening--eating him alive. He could feel every bit of his flesh, ripped off from his skin in vain; the pain he endured was terrorizing. He was completely drenched in pain; his heart was brutally wounded the most. He felt so lifeless without her by his side. His life was too grey and quiet…

A burst of giggle exploded merrily suddenly, startling him. It was as though splashes of colors were drabbling on along his pavement before him, dazzling him completely. His eyes darted to her; she was talking to his father cheerfully, as though everything that had happened to her was just a game. That was the very thing that he loved about her the most. Although even in the darkest moment, she could even release a smile easily and radiate her jolly mood to others around her. She had never failed to amaze him.

Oh, how he longed to reach her. That beautiful long auburn hair danced along with the little wind as she walked gracefully leading the way, walking together with his father. Her light gold dress, clad her perfect frame, echoed the color of her beautiful butterscotch eyes. Her sweet perfume which he knew she sprinkled on her gentle neck and delicate wrist trailed behind her scented his way to the hall.

If the guilt didn't drown him, he would have embraced her off-guard, he would have touch her cherry lips with the tip of his finger before he taste them with his own, he would have caress those fair tender skin of hers; from her cheek bone to her chin and trailed down to her delicate neck, with those dazzling russet eyes of hers staring back at him. He wouldn't care the gasp or the look or the thought of others to have her in his arms, he wouldn't give a damn. As long as he had her, his life, his world… was complete.

He sighed exasperatedly, rubbing his temple in vain. Who said life was going to be like a bed of roses? Life had never been fair from the start. The fact that he just known that Sakura Mikan, his greatest childhood foe, was his fiancée was still a shock to him. But he thanked god that the girl whom he had secretly stole her first kiss and also wasted his first one, was the very same person whom he loved since his childhood.

And now… this?!

He couldn't believe how stupid he was, how reckless and careless he had been last night. His stupid lust for her to own her so badly and his unconditional love for her which was so overwhelming, she was his ecstasy! It was his entire fault to make her like this. If only he could give a little thought on what the consequences of his action might be, if he didn't gave up his stupid conscience advice and didn't let his feet to drag him to her room that night, if he didn't practically crashed on her and--

Natsume clenched his jaw. Perhaps… if all those 'ifs' were obeyed, Mikan would still be his. His own, alone--and no one else!

"You're being too hard on yourself, N'tsu-e," Natsume startled upon the familiar name address to him, he darted to the voice. The comforting cerise eyes of his twin were staring back at him. "It's not your fault," he smiled apologetically at him.

Natsume hesitated and hugged his body for a minute before he let go another silent sigh. To acknowledge that Natsumi knew how he was feeling was not a mystery to him. They are twins after all; they could feel each other's presence without looking at each other, knowing each other feelings without being told to one another, sometimes it felt like Natsumi was his childish self while he was his serious self. One soul separated into two different bodies with one facade… except for their eyes; one light red (cerise), another darker (crimson), and their hair style, one straight (Natsume), another slightly wavy (Natsumi)…

"I don't know, Tsumi, I just--" Natsume wavered and shook his head in disappointment. He gulped in the bitterness into the pit of his stomach. His head felt heavy, spinning in agony. He could feel his head devoid of blood. If it wasn't for Natsumi who suddenly took him by his arm to support him, he would have crash on the floor and dived into oblivion.

"Master," Mikan voiced piped up after they entered the splendid hall. Natsume eyes quickly darted to the mentioned figure. There were three people in the middle of the hall; all has variety blend of crimson eyes with different hair color. The darkest pair of red eyes was the youngest person among the three, a teenager. He was gorgeous, charming and no less at the same age as he was. His claret hair glowed under the shower of sunlight like a Greek God. He was staring at them with a smile--smirking in Natsume's point of view. He doesn't like the way his obscenely shimmering blood red eyes were staring at Mikan. He hated it. That boy's stare was as though Mikan was something he could devour and savor to. Natsume suppressed a shiver that ran down his spine and the temptation to punch his stupid eyeballs off his sockets.

"Welcome new master, mother, cousin," gestured Kyoya politely, and was about to kiss his mother on the cheek but the elder woman shoved him away.

"Don't touch me," she snarled. "We are only here to meet Natsume and that's that." Kyoya lips pursed. He was not his mother's favorite, nor had he been acknowledge as her own son since little. The very thing that raged her even more than his belief of releasing the curse and the Sakura Clan; was the wedding Kyoya had with his beloved girlfriend, Hikaru.

"Natsume," Kyoya called out quietly at his first-born son. His eyes lay on his mother's face without shifting away to call him. Natsume stepped forward, letting the elder woman to have a better view of him. His hand fastened in his pocket to hide the fist he had balled over, and also the disgust he felt for his grandmother.

"Grandmother," Natsume gushed dispassionately as he kissed her wrinkled hand. He was, and to his surprise, still was his grandmother's favorite grandson. The fact that he represent greatly of their first ancestor, Hyuuga Ryuu's-- from his appearance to his Fire Alice, disgusted him more to hell. Ancestor Assassin Hyuuga Ryuu was their pride, but to him, it was his abhorrence. He hated to bear the name Hyuuga too. But then, without it, he wouldn't have met Mikan. Appreciation washed over him to be able to meet her because of he was from the Hyuuga Clan which has great yet terrible history with the Sakura Clan, got betrothed with her to break the curse in their blood. The woman caressed the only living Fire Caster's hand tenderly. Her gentle bright cherry eyes laid on his perfect feature in faithful sorrow for his misery.

"Don't worry dear, it's not p--" began the old woman but the new master cut her off.

"Grandmother, you've promised!" he barked at her angrily, his velvet voice was harsh. The room suddenly became windy. The expensive Chinas fell from the tall cupboards and shattered into pieces on the highly polished mosaic floor, the long grand curtains dance fiercely on the window sill with the wind, papers circling the room like flying daggers slicing through the air, and the blustery weather died off instantly after that.

Everyone stood unharmed, but in a little mess. The elder woman merely glared at him as she fixed her hair. If he wasn't the new master, she would have canned him for being rude to her. She pursed her lips for a second, her gaze shifted back to Natsume, and then to Kyoya. Natsume was curious to know what his grandmother wanted to say to him that would outrage him so.

"Anyway," began the woman as she cleared his throat, "Under the request of the--" she threw an unpleasant glare at the handsome teenager at the corner of her eyes through her neat silver fringe, "New Clan Master," her voice sounded restrained, "I, Hyuuga Akiko, would give permission for the grandchild of my care, Hyuuga Takashi to stay here until Natsume's seventeenth birthday. He's your responsibility now, Kyoya,"

Kyoya nodded and smiled, "Yes, mother," The woman rasped and glanced away.

"And you… err… ex-master Hyuuga twin…" called Akiko uncertain; she rubbed her head, trying to recall his name. Natsumi was used to this. He had always known by his family as 'The Master Hyuuga Twin'. And just as he had suspected, none of his family members except for his own brother and parents, could even remember his name.

"Natsumi, grandmother," replied Natsumi gently with a smile.

"Err… yeah, Narumi. Congratulation for being the Alice Master, I'm proud of you," said Akiko impassively, not sounding pleased at all. Natsumi merely chuckled quietly. He was addressed 'Narumi' by the woman, he didn't care about it though. He nodded and smiled at her.

"M'am, it's Na-tsu-mi," corrected Mikan, almost at once. Natsumi glanced at her fearfully. Mikan shouldn't have done that… especially to that old lady Hyuuga. Akiko swiftly turned to look at her and glared at her a death glare.

"How dare you servant--!" she screamed in disgust and swung her hand to slap her with her might… Mikan defended her face with her arms in reaction and closed her eyes frightfully.

Smack!

Akiko froze; her bright cherry eyes dilated in horror as she stared down at the person whom she had slapped.

"No…" she whimpered. That was definitely a hard, powerful slap, especially with a boost of her speed-wind Alice which Takashi and a number of the Hyuuga members had had inherited. Natsume was thrown to a side, blood spat out of his mouth. The Akira twins immediately came to his aid, but he rejected them.

"Natsume," gasped Mikan, tears loyally ran down her pink cheek as her butterscotch eyes stared miserably at him. Natsume turned to look at her, meeting her eyes again. She jerked forward to reach him, but then… she backed away and stood far corner behind Takashi. Her eyes were on her feet, driblets of tears wet the golden carpet she stood on. Natsume forehead creased in bewilderment as his probing eyes were on her. He blinked for a couple of times, disbelief panged on his chest, until a figure stood in front of him to block his view from his beloved fiancée.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, you shouldn't do that Natsume. She's a slave, remember. Grandmother has the right to slap her," Takashi chuckled as he laid a hand on his knee and smirked down at him. Natsume's crimson met the maroon ones. Natsume's eyes were violently smeared with anger. His jaw clenched tight to suppress the fury within him. 'Stupid brat,'

"Natsume, I am so sorry dear…" began Akiko apologetically but Takashi held his hand up to stop her.

"He's fine, it was nothing for him," gushed Takashi casually and stood up right again. "Am I right, Natsume-kun?" His tone was mocking. Natsume wiped the blood stain off his lips with his sleeve and got on his feet.

"Tch, whatever," he retorted and sank his fists in his pocket, glancing away. Takashi curved a twisted smile on his absurdly beautiful face. His smirk was even more handsome than Natsume's.

"Good," he whispered loudly and turned to look at Mikan. "Oh, Mikan-chan… I'm tired. Can you and Natsume-kun send me to my room?" Takashi flashed her, his charming smile.

"Yes Master," she chirped, almost dazzled momentarily by his smile. She looked away at once and led the way again, the Akira twins followed devotedly behind her. Takashi walked after them with Natsume at his back.

"See you soon, grandmother, uncle," Takashi bid the grownups who bowed at him in reply. Natsumi was left behind together with his father. An emergency assembly between all seven Alice Masters was going to be held soon, Mikan's late attendance had been excused before the meeting would even start.

"Take care Master," they chimed in unison. Soon, the teenagers disappeared from the hall and into the lighted hallway again.

They walked in silence. Only the tapping sound from their shoes echoed the splendid hallway. Arata Akira and Arisu Akira, Natsume's personal maids when he was once an Alice and Clan master slowed their paces in unison and soon walked side by side with the new Hyuuga Master. Takashi glanced at the silver-head twins curiously, noticing their silver iris were on him at the corner of their eyes.

"What?" retort Takashi quietly. Again, his velvet voice was harsh and icy. Arata, the stoic looking twin chuckled quietly upon his remark, but the adorable looking twin Arisu was the one who answered him with her chiming sweet voice.

"What Master Natsume doesn't know, we know it well, Master Takashi," giggled Arisu, whispering and blinked her glittering silver eyes innocently at him. Takashi merely glared at her before he rasped and turned to look at Mikan's back.

"I don't understand what you are talking about, servant," he snapped coolly and slipped his hand in his pocket. Arata cleared his throat significantly.

"We are not your servant, Takashi," whispered Arata at once, without addressing him 'Master'. Takashi choked angrily.

"How dare you--" began Takashi angrily as he raised his voice but Arisu quickly interrupt him.

"Hush, Master," Arisu's voice echoed in his head. Takashi maroon eyes met her silver ones in a flash. He was sure that she didn't say it out loud; it was as though she had said it in his head. She cast a smirk. "We are from Akira clan, Sakura Clan's warrior since the day the Alice Flames are created. Back then, Sakura Clan was the leader of the Alice Flames until your ancestor came and enslaved our, your leader…"

Takashi went speechless. She was talking through his mind. The way she said it with her unbelievable cheery voice was as though she was threatening him. Arata chuckled.

"I am not as polite as my sister, Takashi… but under Master Mikan's father request--the former Sakura Master, we were told to guard and take care of Master Natsume alone… not you." He glared at Takashi at the corner of his eyes, pointing his finger in between his eyes, leaving a dot of ice layer on the spot he touched on his face. His gaze shifted to the grand chandelier above them. His face glowed under the soft shower of the lights. "Truthfully, it was a disgrace for us to work under the Hyuuga at first, but after knowing Master Natsume, we would only serve for him and his family… not you," Arata didn't bother to linger beside Takashi anymore. He found the conversation with him was useless. He slowed down his pace again and let Natsume to walk in front of him. He greeted Natsume on the process, who nodded casually.

"We are once Sakura Clan's warrior for incredible good reasons, Master Takashi. If you do something not nice--" Arisu chuckled darkly, the glint of her adorability disappeared in a second, replacing a death-threat aura before she stared at him with a smile and act lovable again. She just let her sentence incomplete as she nodded at him knowingly. "Have a good day, Master Takashi, it's really nice to know you," chirped Arisu loudly and skipped beside Mikan. Not before long, both of them then engross in their merry conversation. Takashi, on the other hand, was wavering in shock... and then stained with pure rage, burning in his soul.

"Tch, you don't know me at all, servant,"

TO BE CONTINUED

Hope you enjoyed that! Now, please review! XDD

Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter. Too many flames about the new Hyuuga Master before he could even make any appearances, you readers really protest about it, huh? I know, it's a pain for me too, but without that kind of twist, where's the story?

Akira twins Alices will be informed in the future chapter, perhaps next-- to those who didn't read 'The Ugly Duckling'.

I have to admit that this is the most difficult and challenging story I have ever written, there are too many twist in the future, with so many tragedy between our favorite couple, so bear with me. I once encountered a moment where I would just let this story end without all those, but it would be a waste. Don't forget to read my other ongoing GA stories too. Thanks.

--Sarah Patrick