Chapter 6: Summer Break Start
Natsume's POV
"Natsume…." I heard a faint voice calling me. I ignored that voice.
"Natsume wake up…" That voice again. Hell, disturbing my peaceful sleep!
"Oi Natsume wake up! It's already 8 o'clock in the morning!" the voice became clearer.
I woke up lazily. Then I saw Mikan. "Oh, polka dots? What the hell are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in your own room..." I said, yawning.
"Hey don't mistake me as Sakura. It's Ruka," the voice turned out to be Ruka's.
"Ruka?" I realized it really was him as I rubbed my eyes and my vision became clear.
"Yeah, it's me. Now get up," he said as he got himself up.
"I thought it was polka dots' voice…" I muttered quietly.
Unfortunately, Ruka heard me. He chuckled. "What, are you disappointed? Disappointed that I'm not Sakura?"
My cheeks flushed. I glared at him. "Shut up!"
He laughed again. "Anyway, hurry and get up, we're going to Central Town today,"
"Whatever. I'm going to take a bath first."
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
While I'm taking the bath, my mind kept replaying the incident last night….
Flashback
"N-Natsume?" I whispered his name.
"Yeah, it's me, idiot. What are you doing here---''
I cut his sentence off as I leaned down and hugged his little body tightly. I felt so, so, so relieved to be able to see him.
Natsume struggled to get out of my grasp. "L-let me g-go…"
"Natsume, I'm so relieved to see you! I thought you're gone! Where have you been?" I asked continuously in one breathe as I still didn't let him go.
"Natsume?" I began to feel worried as I didn't get any respond.
"I-I c-can't breathe…" I heard a faint voice.
I realized that I've been hugging him too tight.
End of flashback
Yeah, that time I was so shocked that she suddenly hugged me... does that mean that she finally show affection to me? I hope she is…. Her cherry-smelled body still lingered on my body….. Somehow I felt extremely happy when she hugged me….
Wh-what am I thinking?! She was just a noisy, loudmouth little girl that never stops laughing and smiling that stupid smile of her, and always wearing that childish panties! No way I'm gonna fall for that girl!
But lately, her face, everything about her kept appearing in my mind...
One thing that I'm gonna find out: What have you done to me, Sakura Mikan?
Suddenly a knock interrupted my train of thoughts.
"Hey how long are you gonna be in there?" Ruka's voice asked.
"Okay, I'm already finished!" I answered back.
I fetch the towel on the doorknob and wrapped it around my body. Then I stepped out of the bathroom, hair dripping wet with water. "Hey Ruka,"
"I know what you want. Here, you can wear my childhood clothes," he said, smiling at me.
"Thanks," I barely said.
"You're welcome,"
After 5 minutes, we went out from Ruka's room and headed downstairs. We walked down the streets heading to the bus stop. I still wore the cap that Mi—I mean, Polka Dots gave me to hide my face from being seen by other people who knew me. It would be hell if someone knew me after I became like this.
We arrived at the bus stop to wait for the bus come fetch us to go to Central Town. (You guys imagine the clothes they wear I'm weak at describing them)
Just then I heard an annoying voice called us.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Normal POV
"Natsume, Ruka-pyon!" Mikan ran towards the two happily. Oh no, she made a mistake there, again.
"Did u guys wait too long?" she asked, panting. Smile appeared on her face, glad that she made it.
Just then her both of her pigtails caught on fire. "Ahhh!!!!! My hair!! My hair's on fire!!" she shrieked, running in circles, arms flailing.
"Natsume!" Ruka panicked, trying to put out the fire. Mikan used her nullification alice and the fire extinguished.
"What did you do?!" Mikan yelled angrily at Natsume.
"It's because you're being noisy," he said, coldly.
"Hey! I'm just arrived here, and you call me noisy?!" her eyes red in fury.
"Idiot, remember, you shouldn't call me 'Natsume' in the middle of the streets here. People might found out about me," Natsume said, lowering his voice to Mikan and Ruka to hear.
"I-I'm sorry…. I forgot your body shrunk…" Mikan said in a soft voice.
"Never mind bout that. The bus has arrived," Natsume said, walking to the bus. His two friends followed suit.
Unknown to them, three pairs of eyes watching them from afar. They hid behind a bush across the bus stop to spy on those three. After the trio entered the bus that go to Central Town, the other trio went out from the bush.
"Are you sure we are doing the right thing?" Tobita Yuu asked, feeling worried.
"What are you talking about? You agreed, right?" Imai Hotaru said, narrowing her eyes towards Yuu.
"That's because you forced us!!" Yuu yelled, hopelessly. Obviously Yuu and Kokoroyomi had been fallen victims in Imai Hotaru's hands because of her blackmail.
"This would be pretty interesting," Kokoroyomi said, eyes twinkling in amusement.
"Indeed it will be interesting," Hotaru said, motioning them to follow her to the bus stop to catch another bus to Central Town. A spy camera clutched in her hands.
"What's that camera for?" Yuu asked, pointing at the camera.
"It's for spying, idiot," she said nonchalantly.
"I know, but what if they know we are following them?" he asked again, smiling nervously.
"Leave it to me," Hotaru said, eyes glinting evilly.
Kokoroyomi smirked. Yuu stammered.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
At Central Town…
"Wow!!" Mikan said, eyes widening at the sight of Central Town. Her fingers crossed in front of her chest. Her eyes scanned the beautiful sight of Central Town. The place is crowded since it was summer break already. It had been nearly two years she hadn't come to Central Town to save up her money since she became a one star student. Suddenly her eyes caught sight of her favorite shop. She dashed towards it, saliva oozed out from the left corner of her lips.
Ruka realized Mikan wasn't with them. "Sakura?" He looked around to look for the brunette.
"Natsume, where is Sakura?" he finally asked Natsume, lowering his voice.
"Probably went over to Howalon shop…" he said with a bored tone.
Ruka sweat-dropped after he saw Mikan went towards them with 2 plastic bags of Howalon in her hands. "I've been waiting to buy Howalons this much! Oh, I love Howalons!! I've been saving up money to buy this much!" she said happily, grinning like a little girl.
"So where are we going next?" Ruka asked.
"Go back," Natsume replied. Obviously he had begun feeling boring in the middle of the crowd, doing nothing. He just came along to accompany them.
"Mou, Natsume! We had just arrived here, and you wanna go back? You really are spoiling the fun!" Mikan pouted, feeling annoyed at Natsume.
"If you want to do shopping, you do that alone," he said, arms folded behind his head.
"Shopping?! You wanna go with me?" Mikan asked, eyes glimmering in the light.
"Idiot, I never said that!" Unfortunately Mikan didn't hear the words he said, and she pulled his hands to follow her. Ruka sweat-dropped, following them from behind.
Mikan and the two boys arrived in front of the shopping mall. The banner said 'Central's Best Mall for All Men and Women'. Sweat trickled down from Natsume's side forehead down to his chin. "You wanna go here?"
"Of course!" Mikan said, smiling happily.
Natsume looked up and gaze at her happy face. How I hope she would smile at me like that… always…
"Natsume? Doushita no (what's the matter)? You've been staring at me. Is there something on my face?" she asked as she crouched down reaching Natsume's level.
"Ah, nothing…." He said, turning away. His cheeks flushed seeing Mikan caught him staring at her. Ruka felt a slight jealousy.
"Hm?" she said confusedly, her right brow rose.
Hotaru, Yuu and Kokoroyomi hid behind a bush. They had been following them until the mall. Hotaru recorded the trio with her invention. Yuu sweat-dropped, seeing the Yen sign on Hotaru's eyeballs.
"This will worth it!" she said, smirking.
Koko (I'll go Koko for short) laughed.
"What's so funny?" Hotaru suddenly said coldly, eyes narrowed at Koko.
"N-nothing!" he laughed nervously after that.
"Hm.." Hotaru said, resuming her work.
"Ah, they entered the mall!" Yuu said watching them, adjusting his glasses. The three of them started following them quietly from behind.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Mikan went into a dressing shop, full of dresses from various countries. All the dresses are imported and some of them are produced in Tokyo. "Waaaa!!" Mikan exclaimed happily.
Natsume looked around him with Ruka.
"I never thought there's a place like this existed in Central Town!" she said in awe.
Mikan started taking a look at the dresses and choosing which suit her perfectly. Natsume and Ruka just stared at her.
"Oi Ruka," Natsume began.
"What is it, Natsume?" his best friend asked.
"Have you felt something strange… it feels like… something or someone… following us…"
"Really? I didn't feel anything…"
"You really don't feel anything? I felt it since before we got to Central Town, at the bus stop."
"Your intuition is really sharp after all, Natsume," Ruka teased.
"I'm serious, Ruka. I feel it too right now,"
"Really…"
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Three heads sticking out from behind the wall 15 meters away from Natsume, Ruka and Mikan.
Hotaru held the camera screen to get the image of them. "This should be okay," she smirked. The image viewed Natsume and Ruka talking, while Mikan still choosing the best dress she liked.
"Hotaru-chan, you shouldn't do that, right?" Yuu asked.
"Shut up, this is how I get money." Yuu gulped, fearing how she would deal with him if he kept asking. Hotaru is Hotaru after all. Otherwise, she will not be named Hotaru.
"But are you sure that is Natsume?" Yuu asked again, whispering.
"Of course he is," Koko replied.
"How do you know?" Yuu looked at them both, disbelievingly.
Flashback
"Hey, what are you doing, are you a peeping tom?" a female voice asked from behind Koko..
"Wahhhhhhh!!!!" Koko shouted, feeling extremely shocked. His heart beat 100 times in 10 seconds.
He turned his head around and saw Hotaru looking at him with emotionless eyes.
"H-Hotaru?" he sighed in relief.
"Get out from the bush right now. They've gone," she demanded. She got out from the bush. Koko followed suit.
"I thought a monster or a ghost just now…"
Hotaru shot him with her baka cannon. Her face showed no emotion. "Who are you calling a monster?"
"So, tell me, what you are doing here," she demanded again.
Koko still rubbing his forehead after the shot. "No, nothing's interesting," he said sheepishly.
"It's no use hiding something from me. I thought you know that after all these years," she said emotionlessly, aiming her baka cannon right in front of Koko's face.
"Okay, okay! I'll tell you!" Koko sighed in defeat. Hotaru lowered her cannon. (cannon this time huh?)
"Did you see the little boy next to Ruka?" he began.
Hotaru nodded.
"Well, that was Natsume," Hotaru's eyes widened.
"How come?" she asked, uncertainty.
"Well, I happened passing by here, and I heard Mikan and Natsume arguing about something his body shrunk and then Ruka came, hiding behind a bush, not far from where I was,"
Hotaru nodded, wanting him to continue.
"And then I heard Natsume explaining everything how he became like that was because of Nonoko's medicine,"
"Hmm… interesting,"
"Interesting, you say?" Koko turned to look at the raven-haired girl.
"Yeah, interesting. I won't let this opportunity lose out from my hands just like that," her eyes glint evilly.
"I knew something interesting would come up," she said, smirking.
"What do you mean?" Koko asked again, unsure of her motives.
"I meant about making money. You will go with me," she said, glancing at Koko.
"What?! Me too?! Why should I?!" Koko panicked, obviously didn't want to join her in her plans.
The baka cannon is back again in front of his face. Koko gulped, he knew he was being forced. "You have to go with me. I'll give you results of the sale later,"
"Aww man…" Koko hung his head low.
"Anyway, I have another assistant too,"
"Eh? Who is it?"
"Tobita Yuu"
At that name coming out from her lips, Koko sweat-dropped.
End of flashback
"That's how it is," Koko finished his speech.
Yuu sweat-dropped. "You sure are talking a lot today,"
"Would you guys shut up? I'm trying to concentrate on my work here," Hotaru interrupted.
"Okay…" both Koko and Yuu replied at the same time.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"So how do I look?" Sakura Mikan walked out from the dressing room and spinning around slowly, showing her pink dress. (u guyz imagined the pink dress of how it would like, I'm bad at describing this type of things, i'll try improving my skills of describing things)
"……" Natsume stared at her, his eyes emotionless. Well, the truth inside him, he really admired her beauty.
"Beautiful…" Ruka said, blushing.
"Eh?! Hontou (really)?!" Mikan asked happily.
"U-umm…" Ruka blushed, looking away.
"Yay! Arigatou, Ruka-pyon!" Mikan gave him a quick hug. Natsume narrowed his eyes at Ruka, feeling jealous. Ruka blushed furiously.
"So, Natsume how do I look?" she turned to him asking his opinion.
"Ugly," he said, bluntly. Mikan started to feel angry.
"Hey! Is it too hard to say something nice once in a life time?!" she snapped angrily.
"You look 1000 times uglier than normal in that dress," he said, walking away to the shop's entrance.
"Natsume!!!!!!!!!!" Mikan shouted angrily. Natsume just shrugged. All the people around looked at Mikan, shocked.
"Ruka-pyon, why is Natsume always like that?" she huffed, anger still plastered on her face.
"Ahhahaha… he's just doesn't being honest with people," Ruka chuckled.
"Eh? What do you mean, Ruka-pyon?"
"Well… the truth is he didn't really think of you as 'ugly'… he just didn't want to admit."
"…….." Mikan fell silent.
"… it's okay. Ruka-pyon please wait for a minute, okay? I need to pay for this dress," finally she spoke, smiling a bit.
"You're going to buy it?"
"Em! Since you said I look beautiful in this."
Ruka blushed.
"Okay…."
"Thanks!" Mikan went back into the dressing room to change back to her casual clothes. She went out, pink dress in her hands and paid for it at the counter.
Phew! This is quite longer than I expected…. Tq in advance 4 reviewing guyz!!
Remember: More and more reviews, more & more chapters! Jaa!