Disclaimed
=pRiCe RaNge=
MIKAN
'After the black out and back in the mansion'
I can't seem to get rid of the thought that Natsume could somewhat care. I know that to some level he does care about me because he took me in after THAT incident. He avoids me in every way after that and now that he did those things yesterday. He keeps telling me that I'm some sort of attention seeker. I mean is it wrong to look like a girl? I shouldn't care about what he thinks of me anyway. I carried the cat near the window. I saw Natsume and Ruka walking back to the mansion. "Hmph." I couldn't care less about the guy, I thought while walking the opposite direction.
During lunch I sat with guys who I met during the ball. They seemed nice enough so I let them sit with me. We were going to a hot spring right after so I was wearing a bikini and a sarong. It seemed that our table was a bit crowded, because their arms and hands seemed to brush across my arm or face. Their faces seemed to get closer to mine by the second. I ducked and just ate my food. I could feel the blush in my face. Then suddenly two guys grabbed me by my arms. The guys at the table seemed like their eyes were throwing daggers at the guys who were dragging me out the door. I wanted to break their hold on my arms before they break them but the guys were too strong. I was being dragged to the gardens. Suddenly I was facing Hotaru and the two guys who were actually Ruka and Natsume. They let me go and helped me stand up. "Why all this drama?" I asked. Natsume's face seemed to be filled with anger and so did Ruka's but not us much as Natsume's. Hotaru had a mischievous look on her face. "I think you guys should talk." Hotaru said looking at Natsume and me. "I don't have anything to say to him." I said not looking at all of them. Natsume just makes me feel so confused and angry. I don't like it when he gets mad at me. It makes me feel rejected all over again. "But he does." Hotaru said leaving Natsume and I alone.
I sat at the trunk of an apple tree. "What?" I asked staring at him from head to toe. He didn't say a word, he didn't even look at me. "Why did you drag me out here?" I asked again. Still no answer. "Look, we're about to leave for the hot spring and I promised some guys that I would ride with them. I said ready to get up. "Do you have to?" He said finally speaking up. "Those guys are waiting for me." I said standing up. "Is your self-worth really that low that you have to have those jerks around you?" He said with disgust in his voice. I was fuming with anger. Who was he to judge me like that? I just wanted things to be normal again. He doesn't know anything about me. NOTHING AT ALL. I spun around to face him and slapped him in the face. I hit him and it felt so good to get my anger out. He caught my hand though, right after I hit his face. I pulled and he spun me around and held me. I wiggled and jerked to get free from his hold. "Let me go!" I screamed, my elbow hitting him in his gut. He didn't budge. "Despicable, judgemental, JERK!" I yelled as the tears burned my eyes as I kept them from falling. Every time we were together he would only hurt me. "I can't stand the sight of you with those bastards." Natsume said into my ear, his voice seething with anger. "I hate you." I said. Then he pinned me on the ground and kissed me. It seemed like my mouth had a mind of its own because I was responding to his kisses. Natsume raised his head. "I don't." He said and ready to kiss me again. I covered his mouth with my hand. My sarong came of and I was only wearing a bikini. He picked it up and gave it to me. "Pervert." I said as he handed me the sarong but he suddenly pulled me ad kissed me square on the lips. Why did my eyes have to close? I thought. I broke the kiss and said, "That meant and felt like nothing." I said walking away without looking at him because I knew my face was lit up like a ripe tomato. "You're right it meant and felt like nothing I've ever meant and felt before." Natsume said loud enough for me to hear. "You are a disturbed person Natsume-kun." I said walking farther and farther away from the guy who stirs my emotions into a heart full of emotional turmoil. I reapplied my lip gloss. "Damn him." I could barely feel myself walking. Was I in a state of bliss? For him? No, no, no this is not happening. That jerk face can't steal my heart. Because I just know he's going to break it. Dang all this ranting and complaining! It just tells me that its too late. My heart has already been stolen and its going to get broken for sure. I saw Hotaru approaching me with a camera in hand. "Hotaru-chan why didn't you leave with the others for the hot springs?" She showed me a picture from her camera. "AH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.
RUKA
I feel sorry for Mikan. I thought as she screamed and tried to reach for that camera. "Please, please, Hotaru-chan DELETE those photos." Mikan begged. But Hotaru has a heart of stone when it comes to things she has her mind dead set on. The photos in that camera weren't just photos. They were a slide show of the 'things' that happened when they took a 'walk'. Hotaru dragged me in with her spying and prying. I was stupidly curious and didn't argue with it.
After a few minutes of listening to Mikan argue with Hotaru, Natsume finally came. His look was mysterious as well as mischievous. He's planning something. When Mikan saw him coming she ran to the mansion immediately. I completely understand why. No 'friend' is going to appreciate you kissing them ferociously and without their consent.
When Hotaru and I were alone in the gardens I spoke up. "Aren't you afraid that Natsume will only hurt Mikan. Not that I don't trust Natsume but his previous relationships haven't exactly worked out." I said lamely. She shrugged. "I can't protect her forever. She has to make her OWN choices and not just do what WE want her to do." She said viewing the photos. "Why do I have such a cruel girlfriend?" I said teasingly. She looked up and smiled, her smile seemed to say, 'Because you love me' Yes, I do love her. I placed her between my arms as she continued to look at her blackmail photos.
MIKAN
I rode to the hot spring with Misaki-sempai and the others instead of those guys. They just remind me of that. "Ew." I unknowingly said aloud. "What's so gross?" Tsubasa-sempai asked from the driver's seat. "Nothing." I said smiling my brightest.
In the hot spring I could hear the guys on the other side of the fence. There was silent chatter on both sides. After ten minutes the girls left and I was alone. I enjoyed the serenity. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the relaxation of my tense muscles. When I closed my eyes a picture of Natsume-kun popped in my head. Then...
I felt like I was floating...
Floating...
Then I was suddenly lifted...
Why did the freedom of floating stop?...
My lungs were drowned in air...
One thousand...
Two thousand...
Three thousand...
Four thousand...
...
...
"Natsume-kun?" Was I dreaming?...
I touched the worried face...
Then emptiness...
NATSUME's POV
When I was heading out of the hot spring I head a splash in the girl's side. What are they doing in there that would cause such a ruckus? I bumped into Misaki-sempai running inside the hot spring. "What's the matter?"I asked not really caring. "Mikan's still in there!" She said. I sprang into the girls area and grabbed a towel. "Idiot." I said running. I saw her sinking to the bottom, her hair barely there. I jumped and caught her with the towel. I carried her out of the pool. She wasn't breathing so I gave her CPR.
One thousand...Two thousand...'breath dang it!'...Three thousand...Four thousand...
"Natsume-kun?"She said touching my face gingerly.
"I'm here." I said pulling her into a tight embrace.
MIKAN
'beep...beep...beep...'
The sound rang in my ears when I woke up. 'Was I in a hospital room?' I thought looking around then saw Natsume-kun sleeping on a chair in a corner. Knowing he was there I was able to go back to sleep with those vague but treasured memories.
I woke up in the moringing with Natusme's face staring into mine. "Good morning." I said and gave him a smile. He enveloped me in his embrace. "I'm fine now." I said reassuring him. "I know." He said not letting go. Then a mouth water smell reached my nose. "Is that ramen?" I asked in a whisper. "You just needed to ruin the moment." He said teasing me. "But I'm hungry." I said patting my tummy. My stomach worked with me and growled for attention. He stood and got the two bowls. "Here." He said placing the tray on the table. "Thanks." I said. "Itadakimas ." We said together. He smiled. Oh dang! I know who you are!
He's that guy on all those commercials! And no I'm not stupid for not recognizing him. E never smiled before and that's how I see him on TV. Besides I couldn't afford cable and he was well known in the...STATES. He's handsome and all that and I'm nothing. I'm worth nothing than his fans. Everyone loves him and adores him. What's the difference if I have feelings for him. Every other female has feelings for him too. I suddenly lost my appetite. "Natsume-kun I'm full." I said pushing the barely touched ramen away from me. He looked at me weirdly "Are you sure?" He asked looking concerned. I don't deserve this treatment from him. I really don't. I'm just a girl with a less than normal life. A broken family, a motorcycle, a small apartment and a job that sustains me enough to have money to survive. And he's, well he's above all that. But I don't just want him in my life, I need him. I freakishly need him.
After we left the hospital Natsume brought me to a women's department store. "Why are we here?" I asked confused that we aren't going back to the mansion. "We'll e going back to the city. The activities they have for the last day are too active for you." He said. "That doesn't explain the department store though." I said. "Well, I doubt that you want to wear those clothes any longer. You've been wearing them since you came to the hot spring" He said leading me inside.
After he got me clothes we went to the jewellery section and approached a lady who had the tag as manager. "Hyuuga-san?" She asked for confirmation. She obviously knew who he was she was fluttering her eyes like there was dust in her eye. Natsume's famous. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle that. "Yes, I came to do the selection." He said obviously not caring about the probably-almost-thirty-flirt of a girl. "Right this way sir." She said leading us into an exclusive showroom at the back of the store. We were asked to wear gloves, the minute we walked in I was thinking, "This isn't my scene." She brought out a box and opened it. It showed a necklace for a guy. It was silver chain that reached mid chest has a dog tag. Weird I thought it would be more 'high-class'. The woman started speaking. "This chain if touched or clearly examined you will notice it has the engraved pattern of winding sakura blossoms, leaves and branches. The silver in the tag has infused diamond particles in it and also plate on the other side is white gold. The inscription may vary in the style you prefer but since you already paid for this one I will show the next one. She brought out what seemed to be a box for a ring. When she opened I gasped. "This is the first time these designs have been asked for. This is a hair pin with the sakura branches done in the same silver in the tag. Silver infused with diamonds. And the Blossom petals are done in pink diamonds and the centre is crystal." The woman looked at me with a snobby look. "I'll be getting that one too." Natsume said then left the small showroom.
Natsume wore his dog tag right after buying it and he bought the pin for me which I wouldn't wear there. I didn't agree to it but he didn't want to hear any of it. I heard some clerks saying that Natsume design these himself. The dog tag was already paid for so I don't know the price but the price for 2 hair pins would surprise you. He got me 2 hair pins one with white petals and the one with pink petals. Well they cost fifty grand. I mean why would you spend that much money?
When we were walking back to the parking lot it felt so weird to be holding this kind of thing. I realized his tag had an 'MiSa' on it. The small pins had his initials engraved on them too. "Natsume this is too much." I said trying to give it back. He sighed and said "I just want you to know that your value to me is worth more than billions of dollars or whatever." He said looking shy. I laughed. "You know you look like a little boy giving his 'love' a flower or something." I kissed his cheek. "Thank you. For everything." I said my heart filled with love and gratitude.
NEW SCHOOL SEMESTER
WELCOME BACK STUDENTS
I was wearing leather tights, a pink oversized shirt with a thick brown leather belt, nude wedges, oversized sunglasses and my pink hair pin. Natusme picks me up because he doesn't think the motorcycle isn't safe enough and I agree on him with that. He wore a plain black shirt over a grey jacket, a pair of jeans, vans, his 'cool guy' shades and his dog tag. We were walking in the middle of the corridor hand in hand. Cheesy right? I know. Everyone tells us that. When light hits my hair pin it gains a lot of attention because it creates small rainbows. We were to engrossed in talking with each other to realize the devilish stares the girls were giving me and the envious stares the guys were giving him. He dropped me off in my first class, gave me a quick hug and an "I'll meet you later". A girl was waiting for me in the front of the classroom. "Sakura-san?" She said pushing up her glasses. "Yes?" I said removing the sunglasses and putting them in my bag. "We would like to request you as the leading role for the spring play." She said shyly. "Sure. I'll check with the production later for the script and rehearsal details." I said flashing her my biggest smile.
End of chapter
What do you guys think? What do you think will happen now that they're together? Hmm... Review it and give your ideas I might use them. Thanks Guys!
Pain can also be an expression of love.
-X.W.W