I Like You, Natsume-oniisan

'The way you look at me now is different from before.
You ask, what was I expecting for?
The truth is...'

Chapter 17: Bachelor Blues

"Is that your answer?"

"Yes."

"Then... Eww... You're disgusting too. But that's fine. As long as you do what I say, she would definitely leave you."

"What is it?"

"I love you, Andou-kun."

"What are you..."

"Let me be yours..."

"Natsume-oniisan!" Mikan shouted as she barged into Natsume's room rudely. "I need your help!"

Natsume put down his book and looked at Mikan who was wearing a green kimono with a red shaft around her waist and her hair was tied into two pigtails. She looked very adorable in it.

"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.

"Do I look okay? Hotaru rented me this kimono for today's festival and I was afraid that my hairstyle doesn't suit the kimono," Mikan rattled and checked her shaft.

"It looks fine to me," he replied. "How much did you have to pay her?"

"One hundred yen but it is already very cheap! You know, she had once rented me a disc and I had to pay up to six thousand yen!" Mikan winced at the thought of losing her money. "I wonder if Hotaru is renting Ruka-pyon a bunny suit."

"Ruka-pyon?" Natsume raised his eyebrows and then immediately replaced them with a frown.

"Yes, he's that new guy but he has been absent for many days so I'm not sure if he will turn up for today's festival," she sighed and then looked at Natsume again. "Onii-san, are you coming for the festival?"

"Nope. I'm on leave," Natsume replied and shifted his gaze back to his book. "Anyway, don't let Dad hear what you call that Nogi guy. It sounds like you two are pretty close..."

"Yeah," Mikan chirped. "We are actually quite close. We have known each other for more than two years. He's a great person like Hotaru."

Natsume accidentally dropped his book and coughed.

"About you and Nobara."

Mikan tilted her head and asked, "Yes?"

He turned around again and he softened his gaze at her.

"Thank you."

Mikan held her breath as he had never said that two words to her for so long. Ever since he got a girlfriend, he had been treating her like a bad person. Moreover, those words warmed her heart and soon, a smile spread across her face.

"You're welcome. As long I am going to honour Onii-san, I will do it with pride," Mikan said enthusiastically. "Well then, I will be leaving!"

Mikan ran towards the door and then stopped to look at Natsume once more. He was still looking at her without any emotion shown on his face.

Mikan asked again, "Natsume-oniisan, Dad and Mum will be back home late today. Do you need me to buy you dinner? I can buy some food at the festival."

"It's okay. I don't need your help," he replied.

"Are you going out with Ibaragi-san tonight?"

"Nope. She said she has something on tonight."

"Hmm... But you will be very hungry by then. Oh yeah, Ruka-pyon told me that if he were to attend the festival, he will buy some food back home to eat. Maybe I will tell him to help me to buy some for you. It's convenient this way."

"Seriously, it's fine for me to starve for tonight. I'm lazy to eat," he scoffed.

"Whatever it is, I will buy some food back so please wait for my return!" Mikan said loudly and ran away before he could say anything.

When Mikan stepped into the campus, the first thing she saw was Hotaru standing next to the school gate. She hurriedly rushed to her side and waved frantically to her.

"Hotaru!" Mikan called out and stopped right in front of her. "You're early!"

Hotaru looked up and commented with a smile, "Of course, and you look good in this kimono. We can pass as sisters."

"Haha! Hotaru looks great in it too," Mikan cooed.

Both of them were wearing kimonos of the same design and colour. Both were green with red shafts around the waist area. Hotaru even tied two small ponytails, just to be the same as Mikan. Though she disliked having long hair, for this time, she wished she had allowed her hair to grow a little longer so she could successfully tie two cuter and longer ponytails.

"Is Ruka-pyon here already?"

"Nope, not yet." Hotaru put on a face of disgust. "Stop calling him that name. It sounds so girlie. Oh, you like him, do you?"

Whenever Hotaru teased Mikan about this liking Ruka thing, she would poke Mikan's flustered cheeks and laughed like a witch while Mikan would deny the fact that she liked him and even tried to poke Hotaru back. From an outsider's point of view, they did not seem like high school students but more like elementary school children teasing and poking each other.

"No, I don't like him like that!" Mikan defended herself and succeeded in poking Hotaru's hip.

"Denial!"

Mikan pursed her lips and cupped her face. She looked around her and luckily, no one was paying attention to their little poking game. Then, she looked back at Hotaru and leaned closer to her ear.

"Maybe," she whispered. "I think I like him... only a little."

Hotaru's mouth formed into an oval shape as she was surprised by her sudden answer.

"Really? Not as friends but something more than that?" Hotaru whispered back into Mikan's ear.

Mikan nodded bashfully and closed her eyes. Her face was totally red which made a deep contrast with her green kimono.

"Don't tell anyone about it, not even Ruka-pyon," she mumbled.

Hotaru smiled and patted Mikan's head while saying, "Whatever it is, I'm very glad that you've move on after all these years. Like I have said a few times before, I don't mind you and that idiot get together as long as he doesn't bully you, although I don't really like him."

"I don't know what he think of me and I think he only regards me as a friend or so."

"He obviously likes you. It's you and your thick head don't realise it."

"Well, I will put that aside first. For now, I want to think about Onii-san's wedding. I'm not sure what I can do for him, other than being the bridesmaid. Ever since last week after he punished us for talking in class, he began to open up to me a little and he doesn't look too well either. He has that worried and stressed look, and it somehow worries me too much. He would usually spend a lot of time with Ibaragi-san after his working hours and during weekends but recently, he seems to prefer to stay at home while Ibaragi-san spends time with herself. It's too weird. Don't couples spend more time together before their wedding day?"

"Stupid, your brother must be experiencing what most people called it- the bachelor blues," Hotaru sniggered. "He must be thinking to spend his last two weeks as a bachelor all by himself. He is going miss his twenty-four years on Earth as a wonderful bachelor. Don't worry too much, Mikan. It's pretty normal for him to behave like that as most men have experienced it before."

Mikan heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing that. She thought that he was being too stress about work as she had once heard before that besides political parties, schools had their own politics too and he might not be able to cope with it. But after hearing that he might be having bachelor blues, she guessed that he should be fine.

"Hey!" a voice called out which made Mikan and Hotaru look up.

They saw Ruka in his school uniform running towards their direction. He was carrying a little slingbag with a water bottle in his hand. Mikan waved to him happily while Hotaru kept eyeing at his attire.

"Ruka-pyon, how are you?"

"I'm feeling much better now. Thanks," Ruka replied with a warm smile and looked at their kimonos. "Wow! The two of you really look like twins!"

"Of course," Hotaru said with an arrogant smile. "And look at yourself. I should have lent you that bunny suit. Nobody wears a uniform to festivals."

"Geez! I'm not interested to dress up or wear whatever bunny suit!" Ruka shouted and crossed his arms. "So, where do you want to visit first?"

Hotaru's eyes sparkled and answered gleefully, "The mini-casino!"

"Oh my goodness! Are you serious?" Ruka sighed and smacked his head.

"Yes, I am."

Mikan thought for a while and replied, "Why don't we visit the haunted house? I heard that it is organised by the second year students."

"I think that's fine," Ruka said and looked at Hotaru expectantly.

"If Mikan says so, then I agree with it."

Then, they followed the signs which led them to the haunted house. However, there was only one person standing outside the entrance and he happened to be a regular of the mini-casino. Upon seeing Hotaru and Mikan, he had the greatest shock of his life as he pointed to them accusingly.

"Goodness me! It's the Twin Masters of Gambling!" he cried. "I won't let you guys in!"

Hotaru smirked and said, "Let us in or leave it, but I would prefer the latter."

The boy ruffled his own hair in annoyance and grumbled some low and inaudible words. He stuck out his hand and the three of them paid him the money before he allowed them to enter into the haunted house.

'... that I don't know
what I am expecting for either.'

Hi guys, thanks for reading up to Chapter 17.

Next, I would like to thank those who had reviewed Chapter 16. Thanks for all those encouragements. Hope to hear more from you again! :D

Here are the reviewers:

- Vega Asteria
- Vegie-1526
- Vehemens Ford
- Scarlet Ammo 19
- aurora0914
- Sariko-chan723
- Coldheart12
- nerdyanime123
- sakura-san29
- jennifer8-Mikan Hyuuga
- ACuteChibiNeko
- Celloid
- meLOVES'NATSUME
- Sia
- Mirai
- curo neko
- lisaOpine

Lastly, I would also like to thank those who had story alerted and favourited this story. :)

Preview of 'Chapter 18: Fun in the Festival'

"We... we aren't... tasty," Ruka stuttered in fear.

Truthfully, he was afraid too and Mikan's sharp piercing cries scared him further.

Sadako snickered and grabbed Ruka's wrist. "All virgins are tasty..."

Without further ado, Sadako pulled Ruka closer to her, together with Mikan who was wrapping her arms around Ruka's waist. Then, it was Ruka's turn to scream loudly, even the person who dressed as Sadako had to cover her ear with only one available hand.

"This couple," Hotaru finally spoke after enjoying the scene. "They definitely aren't tasty."

Sadako turned to looked at Hotaru and growled, "What did you just say?"

"I said that those two aren't tasty," she replied with a smirk. "Because they are no longer virgins."

Okay... I'm a spoiler for giving this preview of the next chapter, but I find the 'virgin' part funny. And there will be small hints of RukaXMikan in the next chapter too. Do look forward to it!

Don't forget to leave a review! Thanks! :)