Sorry for the long update…
I was too lazy and was making the best of summer.
AKA sleeping from 7 am – 1 pm and from there, doing everything I want like watching on Mysoju some Asian dramas. Or just simply watching horror movies, learning new songs and such on my guitar, and most of all, just watching my friends' gigs. Oh ehm gee… I can't believe school's starting next week! :((
I regret spending so much time on the internet rather than seeing my friends.
Anyway… thanks to
Mikiramen
kikolita716
2Lazy2MakeAnAccount
Sakoshi Choco
XxiLovecutestuffxX
crimson-diamonds-823
tAnGeRiNe-jUjUbE08
Luckystar222
ShoujoAnimeFanatic13
Bunny-Nikee13o4
Animechicki
yhuraddictionx3
Okay… so the song I used was Jon McLauh.. something's So Close. I remember asking my friends "What is the best slow dance song?" and they all said "Ooh! The one in Enchanted! The one where in they were dancing…" and I was like… okay?
CHAPTER 17
Someone knocked on my door at exactly 3 PM the next evening while I was playing my guitar.
"Who is it?" I asked as I hurried to open the door. It was a deliveryman carrying a golden 12 inches box on his hands. "Delivery for Ms. Mikan Sakura. Is she here?"
"Yes. I'm Mikan!" I said cheerfully.
"Well, just sign here… and here… and here…" He prodded on as I signed papers. "Who is it from anyway?" I asked.
"From someone." He said with a wink.
"Com'on, tell me…" I begged him.
"Sorry, strict orders!" Then off he went.
I looked at the golden mystery box as I entered my unit. I opened it, and it was a dress with rectangular neckline. It was dived in two by a black ribbon located just below the bust. The upper half was white. And below the black ribbon was a drapery of gold-yellow. I squealed in the dress's beauty. I hurriedly searched for a clue on who might have given it. And there, I found a card.
Be ready by 7
It's probably from Hotaru. Maybe she's making up for not being with me? Well, who else could it be? And besides, it sounded like a command.
I kept the box and the dress in my bedroom and started to play a song that has been stuck in my head since last night's ride home with Ruka-pyon.
Ah Ruka-pyon.
I always find myself sighing internally when I think of Ruka-pyon. Ruka-pyon. Ruka-pyon. I giggled. I must be insane.
I was singing and playing the guitar when someone came knocking on my door after an hour.
"Who is it?" I asked as I lay my guitar on the sofa.
The door revealed Hotaru with a lot of entourage, who immediately sat me down on the sofa.
"It's 4:30." Hotaru told me blankly.
"So?" I asked. Then I remembered the note. "It's not yet 7!" I said.
"What?" Hotaru asked, confusion written on her face.
"Well, you told me to get ready by 7 right?"
"When?"
"In the box you sent me! Written on the card remember?"
"I didn't send you a box."
"You didn't?" I asked, shocked. "I received a box with a dress." I explained
"Why would I send you a box? These people were sent by Anna and Nonoko, who are on the other room and also getting made up." Hotaru said.
"Then if it's not you then…" I thought hard on whom could it be.
"Where's this thing you're talking about?" Hotaru asked me.
"On my bed…" I said as the beauticians dragged me to the bathroom to bathe my hair.
"Is this it?" She asked with the dress and box in both of her hands. "Yes."
"I didn't send it. Looks like you have a date." She replied as she exited my unit.
And I can't help but be anxious on that "date", dreading for the clock to strike 7 PM.
"Now Ms. Sakura… Behold!" One of the beauticians said as she hand me a mirror. I examined myself. I had a little hint of pink on my cheeks, some gold eye shadow, and pink lips. My hair was let down, twirling around my shoulders.
"Thanks for making me feel beautiful!" I exclaimed.
The beauticians left at around 6:45 PM. Just then, I remembered, "I don't have any shoes!" I exclaimed as I ran towards Anna and Nonoko's room.
"Hey. Do you have some shoes I can borrow?" I asked them.
"Mikan!" The both of them exclaimed in unison, "you look so pretty! OMG OMG OMG!!! Ruka Nogi will surely fall inlove with you!" I blushed at their remark. "Come on guys, don't be silly. I need shoes." I said lamely.
"Sorry, we don't have any extra pairs." Anna said, clearly sorry for me.
"That's alright." I said as I returned to my room.
"What are you doing running around undone?" I suddenly heard Hotaru's voice from behind me as I was opening my unit's door.
"Hotaru! DO you have any-"
"Shoes?" She asked, finishing my sentence for me, holding a pair white wedge on her hands. "I bought you some decent shoes aside from your snickers when I saw your dress." She said as we entered my room.
"Aren't you supposed to go there with Yuu?" I asked her as I slipped on my dress.
"I am. But I need to know who this mysterious person is." She said, "It'll be heavy on my conscience to know that you'll be wondering around there with someone I don't know."
"That's so sweet Hotaru! And you bought me a pair of shoes!" I exclaimed as I tried to hug her, but she held out her arms to avoid me.
"If you weren't so dressed up, I would have shot you with my idiot gun." She said coldly as she sat on the sofa. I smiled as I sat myself beside her and tried on the shoes. "And besides, you need to pay me with the shoes."
"What!?" I exclaimed.
"That's $500." She said plainly.
"I don't have $500!" I exclaimed. "I sent my first salary to my mom!" I told her.
"You're so thoughtful, Mikan." Hotaru said, giving me a very small smile. I smiled.
"Thank you."
There was a knock on my door. I looked at my wall clock. It was seven. My heartbeat started to rise.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"I'll get this." Hotaru said as she beat me to the door. She opened it as she opened the door only enough for her to see who was behind it. They were talking. I can hear mumblings. Arguments? Agreements?
"Mikan." Hotaru said, opening the door widely, revealing Ruka-pyon. In a white long sleeved polo, with hard folded cuffs, black vest on top of it. A black tuxedo pants and a blue neck tie. He was handsome. I can feel myself turn red. My heart was beating fast. And faster it went when he smiled at me.
"I thought that dress would look good on you." He said with a smile. "Yuki Aoi also thought so."
"Shall we go?" He asked me with a beautiful smile on his face, offering me his arm.
"Oui." I said as took it.
"Nogi." Hotaru said with a warning. I tried hard to not to giggle. Hotaru's gestures are so sweet! I smiled at Ruka.
"Imai." He replied, as an assurance, with that, we headed on to the Plaza Hotel, using his Saab's convertible.
There's something in him that I can't keep my eyes off him. I beamed at him as his eyes were kept on the road. He is handsome. And the air adds to his looks. I blushed as I looked away.
When we arrived, the valet parking boy (or whatever you call him), came to Ruka's door and grabbed his keys. Ruka then opened my door for me, holding his hand out after.
"Thank you, mister." I said, mocking a seventeenth century manner of speaking. He laughed.
"You know, this is like only the second time I've ever attended a dance." I said, amazed at the Plaza's ballroom. It has that vintage motif for its design. It was like I'm back in the 50's where in Elvis Presley would just suddenly dance on the wooden stage with that orchestra looking band.
Ruka and I headed to one of the tables located at the side. He pulled out a chair for me, I laughed as I took a seat. He took the opposite seat, and as if on cue, a waiter arrived and served us the appetizers.
"Ruka-pyon," I started, "Thank you for this wonderful dress." I said happily.
"Well, I-I-I… I just thought you'd look good with a yellow dress. And I wanna give you something." He said. I sensed that there was a combination of shyness and nervousness in his voice. I smiled at him.
"Thank you so much!"
The rest of the evening passed us by. We were just chatting and telling stories of our childhood. I eventually learned that Ruka is an only child of a French model and of a Japanese- American businessman. Who would have thought that this hardcore bassist was from a very conservative background? I laughed when he told me about it. He got pretty upset and it made him blush. I laughed more.
"You guys seem happy." It was Yuu and behind him is Hotaru. He was wearing a black tailcoat, black slacks and a white polo underneath with a canary tie and Hotaru was wearing a black tube dress and white 3-inches stilettos.
"Yuu! And Hotaru! Both of you looks so nice!" I exclaimed as I gazed at them. "Well, we need to look presentable right?" Yuu said, half joking as he turned a semi-circle to show us his tailcoat. I laughed.
"I'm so sorry, we need to go now. Hotaru and I need to…" Yuu said with a nervous facial expression. He glanced at Hotaru nervously. She sighed. "We need to dance now." Hotaru continued his sentence. He sighed happily. "Don't fuss about it Yuu. I told you it's fine since it's part of the job." Hotaru said as she walked towards the dance floor where a lot of straight faced and plastic smile people were dancing. Totally business like, I noted.
I scanned the dance floor. I saw Anna and Kitsuneme dancing happily to the old song. And beside them were Nonoko and Koko, laughing and dancing ever so happily. I wanted to dance too! But no one would ask me. I sighed.
I wonder where Natsume is.
I was shocked at my own thought. Why would I wonder where he is?
"Mikan are you alright?" Ruka's voice shot me back to reality.
"OH!" I said a little too loudly over shock. "Oh! I'm fine!" I said, as I gave him a smile.
"I wonder where Natsume is." Ruka said, clearly worried for his best friend. We were thinking of the same thing? I chuckled. He noticed.
"Why?" He asked.
"Nothing." I said, smiling. I turned and watched my friends who were still dancing to the old jazzy tune.
"Would you like to dance?" Ruka said unexpectedly. For a moment, I just stared at his inviting smile dumbly. I felt my mouth hang open and I quickly closed it when I realized.
"Or not. If you don't like." He said with a sigh, his face dropping.
"Nobody has ever has ever asked him that." I told him quickly, alarmed at his reaction when I didn't reply.
"Really?" He asked surprised.
"I was never even asked on a date before." I said as sudden realization hit me. "This is my first date!" I suddenly exclaimed, shocked.
For a second, we just stared at each other's eyes.
"Me too." He said softly, a mix of shyness and shock evident in his voice. After a few more seconds, we ended up laughing.
"Anyway, let's dance. For the break of the record." He said as he stood up. Abandoning our table, I gave him my hand and we walked towards the dance floor and we danced on to The Beatles' "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You".
Two minutes later, we were doing the twist, like in those old 60's movies.
As the song shifted into another one of those blues, someone suddenly tapped me. I turned, it was Kaname wearing a black slacks, white polo and an open cream vest.
He turned to Ruka, smiling as he asked him, "May I have the next dance of this lady?" I laughed at his formality.
"I'll go look for Natsume." Ruka said as he smiled at me, just as Kaname danced with me. After that, Tsubasa also asked me to dance with him, so did Yuu after he and Hotaru did. Mr. Narumi was also there and he asked me to dance with him too.
"Such a weird guy." I murmured to myself after he left me. He was wearing a black polo inside a purple tailcoat and purple pants and a black hat.
"He reminds me of Willie Wonka." Ruka suddenly said from behind me, shocking me.
"Ruka-pyon!" I exclaimed.
"I can't find Natsume." He said plainly. "He probably went to Central Park." He said.
"Oh." And with that, we fell silent, staring at each other's eyes. Awkwardness fell upon us. And the change of the happy jazz tune to a softer one did not help.
We both were silent for a moment. I examined the floor to avoid the awkward silence. I suddenly became aware of everything. Of people dancing around us happily, of the clutter of their feet tapping on the marble floor. I can hear my heat beating faster and faster. I turned red.
You're in my arms
And all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two
So close together
"W-w-would you like to dance?" He asked. I looked up at his face, and he was turning a shade of red. I can feel myself in the same situation.
"Oh-o-okay." I stammered.
And when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive
A life goes by
Romantic dreams will stop
So I bid mine goodbye and never knew
So close was waiting, waiting here with you
And now forever I know
This was a different time of dancing. I can see the people around us swaying slowly. There was no more business like dancing. Everyone looked so romantic. Leaning on each other's shoulder. It was like prom again.
I raised both my hands and half way through, I realized I don't know what goes where. I stared at them alternately, examining what's the proper position.
I can feel Ruka watching my indecisiveness and suddenly he grabbed both my arms.
"I- I think it's like this…" He said as he placed my right hand on his left shoulder and he held the other. I blushed, as I realized we were so close. I held my breath.
All that I wanted to hold you
So close
So close to reaching that famous happy end
Almost believing this was not pretend
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far we are so close
"Oh." I said dumbly, and next thing I knew, I was laughing already. "I'm sorry, I really don't know how to do this." I said, embarrassed at myself.
When he laughed, the atmosphere became lighter. I was relieved. And yet, I wont deny the butterflies in my stomach.
How could I face the faceless days
If I should lose you now?
We're so close
To reaching that famous happy end
And almost believing this was not pretend
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are
So close
So close
And still so far
The song ended. But we were still hand in hand, together. I can smell his strong manly perfume. Or was it his natural scent? I t smells like fresh laundry with a hint of Calvin Klein's. I don't know.
"Ruka." Natsume's cold and hard voice interrupted us. We quickly pulled away from each other. I turned and I saw Natsume's deadly stare. For the first time, I was scared of him. He looks capable of killing. His eyes were glaring at me even if they have that far away look.
"Natsume." Ruka said softly. Natsume then turned around and headed towards the exit. His back was very straight. A symbol of arrogance, that's what I saw in him.
"I wonder what happened." I said worried. Why is he in such a foul mood? Everybody was happy! "Where is he going?" I said, not really waiting for an answer, if I don't have a date with Ruka, I would have followed him for I have this very strong urge to.
"He's going home." He said sadly. He murmured something like "dammit" under his breath. I'm not so sure. But Ruka looks sad too.
"Has something happened to him?" I asked Ruka.
"Probably just hated the party." Ruka said with a sigh.
"Do you wanna follow him?" I asked. We just stared at the entrance. Then he looked at me, torn. "Don't worry, Hotaru and the others are just there. I can always, you know, chit chat with them."
"Oh no, that's bad. Imai will kill me. I told her you'd be in your unit by 12." He said with a sigh. "I'll talk to Natsume later, when we return." He said as he led me to the tables.
"Uh, Ruka-pyon?" I told him, before we sat down. "I think you should talk to Natsume. He needs a friend!" I reasoned. "Let's go home." I said, pleading.
"Are you sure?" He asked, shocked. "You seem to be having a good time? Are you sure?" He asked me, worried. I smiled at him.
"Natsume needs a friend. He's far more important. Let's go please?" I begged him.
"Okay." He said with uncertainty. I smiled. And with that, we went out of the party.