Kiss of Fate

By: Esa MaRie

Chapter 10

"Mikan-chan!"

Mikan turned and was surprised when Anna and Nonoko hugged her.

"Congrats!", they chorused.

"Huh?"

"Nee, it's true, isn't it? You're Souma-kun's girlfriend?", Anna asked excitedly.

"Yeah, admit it. You're always together and always acts so sweet to each other.", Nonoko gushed.

The other girls in the room also began to join the conversation.

"Oh, you're so lucky Mikan-chan. Akira-kun is such a gentleman."

"And he's cute."

They giggled. Then Anna leaned closer to her. "So, did he give you your first kiss?"

Mikan blushed red. "I… well…"

"Tch.", came a grunt from her left. "First kiss, eh?"

"Nee, Natsume-kun.", Sumire called out sweetly. "Who was your first kiss?" 'I'm going to kill the girl!'

The girls squealed with excitement wanting to know the lucky girl who was able to steal Natsume's first kiss. They leaned closer curious of his answer.

But Koko, who was just behind Natsume, choked at that at looked nervously at Mikan.

Mikan paled when she heard Sumire's question. 'Natsume…' Natsume turned his head and looked straight at her.

A smirk came to his lips. "An idiot girl.", came his reply.

"Eh?", came the disappointed remarks from the girls.

"Idiot?", Anna wondered out loud. "You mean Aizawa-sempai is an idiot?"

"Hmm… I think so.", Kaoru laughed as she answered. "I heard she's quite dumb but her looks compensates for that."

"Oh really? I never knew that."

And the girls began to gossip again from one topic to another.

"Idiots.", muttered the annoyed Natsume.

Mikan sighed in relief then glanced back at Natsume who seemed to be reading the manga on his hands. He has a serious look on his face that tells he is deep in thought. 'What is he thinking?'

"You really don't know what you're getting into."

Akira turned and faced his friend then smiled. "Don't worry Taki. I know what I'm doing."

"Tch. You always say that.", Taki snapped. "I've been observing Natsume Hyuuga ever since you and Mikan Sakura got together. He seems to be indifferent but he's really angry and jealous."

"Having an alice to feel other people's emotions is really tough for you, Taki-kun.", Akira teased him.

"I know that you love Mikan-chan. But there's something to it, right?", Taki asked him.

'What a troublesome alice.", Akira muttered. He placed his hand over his friend's shoulder. "I told you not to worry about it."

"You're no match against him, Akira.", Taki simply stated. "He's dangerous."

Akira just smiled. "I know that."

"Natsume, what's wrong with you these days?", Ruka asked as he walked behind him. They followed Natsume as he walked into the back of the school building. Normally, it means that Natsume wants privacy but he's a little worried of his friend's attitude for the past days. Natsume remained silent, not answering his question, so he turned to Koko. "Hey Koko, you know something, don't you?"

Koko sighed. "Better ask him. I don't have any plans to be toasted alive."

Suddenly, Natsume stopped. Curious, Ruka walked in front to see what had stopped him and saw Akira Souma and another guy talking to each other. He glanced at Natsume and saw him clenched his fists. Ruka heard Koko groaned.

"Damn, this means trouble.", Koko whispered.

Akira Souma noticed their presence, so he turned around and his green eyes met the fierce crimson eyes of the fire caster. But he doesn't seem to mind the murderous aura that is coming out of Natsume.

"Yo Hyuuga-kun!", Akira called out cheerfully. His friend, on the other hand, looked stricken. He began pulling Akira's sleeves as if stopping him from whatever he was planning to do.

"Tch.", Natsume grunted as he walked forward until he was a few feet away from Akira Souma and his friend.

"What do you want, Souma?", Natsume asked coldly.

"Nothing much. I just want to know how you're holding up.", Akira replied cheekily. "By the way, Mikan will be my date on the upcoming dance."

"Akira, stop it.", Taki hissed.

Natsume gritted his teeth. "So?"

"I just want to let you know in case you have any plans to ask her out.", Akira snickered.

Natsume glared at him and instantly a ball of fire appeared on his sleeves. But to Natsume's surprise, the fire doesn't seem to have an effect. It died out.

"What the…!"

Akira smirked. "You thought I was just walking around unprepared, didn't you? I'm wearing a fire-proof uniform, courtesy of Hotaru Imai."

"Tch.", Natsume grunted in irritation. Suddenly, a fire appeared on Akira's head but then, it also died out.

Akira smirked again and reached for his hair. "Fire-proof gel. Pretty convenient. I'm a chemist you know."

Natsume was really irritated this time. A ball of fire then surrounded Akira.

Surrounded with the heat of Natsume's flame. Akira took a small bottle from his pocket and threw it on the ground. The blue liquid broke out from the bottle and seemed to extinguish the fire surrounding him.

Akira taunted him even more. "My, my. The fire was put out. Liquids are really useful, don't you think so Hyuuga-kun?"

Before Akira could react, Natsume had closed the distance between them and punched him squarely on the face, slamming his body hard against the tree making him fall on his butt.

"Natsume!", Ruka and Koko called out in surprise.

"Akira!", Taki rushed to his friend.

Akira wiped the trace of blood on his lips as he raised his head and gave Natsume a mocking smile. "Tch. Got annoyed because I rendered your alice worthless, didn't I Hyuuga?"

Natsume lifted his hand and a ball of fire emitted from his palm. "Worthless, eh? How many bottles of that do you still have left, Souma?", he asked sarcastically.

At that, the smile left Akira's lips. His eyes narrowed as he glared back at Natsume. "You don't deserve her. A cold bastard like you will never deserve her.", he sneered at him.

That stung. Yes, he was a cold bastard. Maybe, he really doesn't deserve her. She was the light… and he was the darkness. They could never be compatible. What's the point of interfering between their relationship when he knew he could never have her? His bloodied hands will only extinguish the brightness within her. He will only cause her pain and suffering. No, he doesn't deserve her. He has no right to claim her love. And that makes him disappointed and angry. He struggled to keep his emotions in tow but… he couldn't help it. He loved her for 6 years. Six damn long years… and the thought of her being with another man is just… so frustrating. He bent his head, letting his raven locks cover his eyes, then he clenched his fists never realizing that his alice seemed to have activated and flames began to surround him; which seemed for the people around him, he's preparing a deadly blow against Akira.

"Stop it, Hyuuga!", Taki yelled at Natsume. "You've done enough. You don't have to burn him like what you did to Kagu-sempai!"

"Don't interrupt Taki!", Akira bit out furiously.

"Shut up Akira!", Taki shouted. "You don't know him. He almost killed Kagu-sempai because of Mikan Sakura!"

"Natsume did not burn him without reason!", Ruka shouted at him in Natsume's defense. "That Kagu-sempai tried to rape Mikan!"

Everyone paused and stared at Ruka. Natsume just stood there, his head down and his bangs covering his face. The flames slowly fading.

"Yes, Mikan and that Kagu-sempai dated but Mikan already told him that she does not share his feelings. Sempai was secretly angry at being dumped and he requested for one last date which Mikan agreed. During their dinner, Kagu-sempai placed a sleeping pill on her drink and took her to a secluded area. It was fortunate that I saw them leaving that restaurant and I was able to read his mind. I immediately told Natsume and Ruka and we found them before sempai could do his evil intentions on Mikan. Natsume was not able to hold his anger and he ended up using his alice against him.", Koko explained what happened.

"Mikan doesn't have any idea what had happened before.", Ruka said. "The academy covered that incident and made it known that Kagu-sempai had an accident. But whatever injuries that bastard experienced, he deserved it. So stop…!"

"That enough, Ruka, Koko.", Natsume interrupted.

"Akira-kun!"

They all turned and saw Mikan drop her bag in shock. She then rushed to Akira's side. "Akira-kun, what happened? Are you hurt?"

She turned her furious glare at Natsume and went to face him, then gave him a hard slap. "You've gone too far Natsume! What did Akira do to you to deserve this?!", she yelled at him.

Natsume raised his head and her eyes met his crimson orbs. In his eyes, she saw a mask of hurt, disappointment, and frustration. Mikan seemed to have realized that she had just made an unjustly accusation without asking the facts first. "N-natsume… I…", she called out softly as she lifted her hands to touch the face that she just slapped.

But Natsume caught her hand. "Don't bother.", he said quietly, then he turned around to leave.

"Coward.", Akira said in a low voice, then he winced at the pain on his back.

"Akira-kun!", Mikan tried to help him out. Taki also kneeled and tried to help him get on his feet.

But Akira ignored them and called out to Natsume. "You're a coward Hyuuga. Nothing will work out if you won't do anything about it. You wanted to protect her? You think you're a hero or something? That won't help if the person you care for doesn't know about it."

Natsume stopped just for a second, then continued walking away. Ruka and Koko just shook their heads and followed him.

'The person he cares for? What does he mean?', Mikan thought as she stared at Natsume's retreating back. 'Natsume…'

"Confused, aren't you?"

Mikan turned her confused eyes to Akira. Akira sighed. "You're dense as ever."

Gomen… Gomen… Gomen!

I know it took quite a while for me to update this, but blame it to writer's block. I actually drafted this a week ago but I just couldn't finish it. :-(

Anyway, the previous chapter seemed to have gotten a lot of reviews. Arigatou gozaimasu minna-san! I'm so happy:-)

(-sigh- I knew I should have made this into a humor story rather than an angst/drama story).

So what do you think? After a humor chapter, it's back to drama...-sigh- It's drama…

Anywayz, hope you'll still like it. If you don't like it… well… bah! Just review, ok? Luv ya all!