Hello! Here is chapter 8! Before I continue, I would like to apologize if there were any big typos in the last chapter—I'm not really sure what happened, but I generally put all my chapters through an editing tool as a precaution before uploading. For some reason, the editor totally spazzed out on me and added/took things away without my knowledge! It made me a bit upset, but I think it should be ok now! *Fingers Crossed!*
As always, I don't own Gakuen Alice, Kitchen Princess or Yumeiro Patissiere! Especially not in this chapter, where I *ahem* used quite a few recipes from the latter two franchises. Although it was a great excuse to rewatch some Yumeiro Patissiere haha!
Finally, a huge huge huge bouquet of thanks to everybody that read, reviewed, and followed/favorited this fic! I get super super happy whenever I get an email notification pertaining to FFN to be honest! :D
I do hope you enjoy the next installment of Rekindling the Past!
Flashback POV: Mikan (Switches to Natsume though)
Present POV: Natsume to Mikan
Also: When Mikan sees the memory from her past, it's narrated from the older Mikan's POV. As though she was watching the scene play in front of her.
(Yeesh, I sure switch views quite a bit in this chapter! Sorry…*sweatdrops*)
FEAR
KABOOOM! I winced, pressing my hands tighter against my ears in a meager attempt to block out the sounds. Darkness. That's all that surrounded me, the only sounds being the thunder and my whimpers. Along with the occasional laugh outside as the people responsible for trapping me enjoyed my suffering.
KABOOOM CRACK! I let out a shriek this time and tears coursed down my cheeks faster. I had never been scared of thunder as a child, but it was quickly soaring above my other fears to become one of my worst. I let out a choked sob as the room flashed briefly from the lightning outside and pulled my knees closer to my chest in my crouched position. The light illuminated the silhouettes of the objects cluttering the shed and I gulped. As more and more time passed, the objects began to resemble horrifying monsters and less like tools. The thought made me shudder and I tucked my head into my chest, scared out of my mind.
"Hey, bitch, you still alive in there?" I let out a whimper, unable to respond whatsoever to my kidnappers, my tormentors, my enemies. "Bitch? I asked you a question!"
"Tch, let it go Rika. I'm sure she's too busy sniveling, hoping to be rescued by Natsume-Sama probably. Well, it's too bad for her that the entire school has lost electricity. Nobody's going to be searching at this rate. Especially because the boss took out the backup generators as a precaution earlier. This storm is only helping fuel the boss' plan; clearly fate wants this girl to pay for her sins too."
"You're right. There's no way she could have possibly escaped. Especially because the boss still has to teach the girl a lesson for getting so close to our Natsume-Sama. In fact, she's probably on her way here right now."
I sniffled, trying to calm myself down. If what those two terrible people outside said was true, then that meant whoever was responsible for this was coming here to hurt me. I had to think of a way out of this room, quickly. I groaned, cursing my stupidity for falling into their trap in the first place. It was earlier in the school day that they got me. During my first class, with that old meany Jin-Jin, I was called up to the main office for some task. They didn't specify for what reason, but I left the classroom anyways. The main office was actually in one of the other buildings on the Academy's grounds, and I remember walking through the gardens to get there as that was the fastest route and it appeared a storm was on its way from the color of the sky. Halfway through I felt like someone was following me and the feeling creeped me out. I started running towards the office, but before I made it even halfway through the garden I was captured. They put a blindfold on me, led me somewhere and threw me in the room I was currently locked in. When I finally took off the blindfold, I had to force down the panic and look for a light switch. My deepest fear was being alone in the dark; thankfully fortune smiled down upon me when I was able to light the solitary bulb in the room. There were gardening tools everywhere and I figured they had thrown me into the gardener's shed. Unfortunately, the shed was located in an area hardly anybody knew about—I'd only chanced upon it myself in the past because it was near the greenhouse with fresh fruit which I often visited for baking purposes.
I wasn't sure how long I had been locked in the shed, but some time ago the storm finally started, bringing lightning and thunder along with it. At least I finally understood why my light had gone out: if what those girls outside were saying was true, then the whole school is under a blackout and the electricity wouldn't be coming on anytime soon.
KABOOM! I jumped at the loud sound, all my fears coming back to me at once. There was a small window at the top of the shed but there was no way I would be able to fit through it. I tried and failed earlier when the bulb was still working. There was absolutely nothing that I could do...nothing. A bout of fresh tears made their way through my eyes, and I wondered not for the first time who was behind all of this.
"AH! Rika, look alive, the boss is finally here! It's time for the wench to pay, and pay she shall." I gulped and pressed closer to the shelf beside me in hopes of hiding. My breaths were still ragged as a result of my tears, and I quickly clamped a hand over my mouth in order to dampen the sound.
SLAM. I held my breath for a moment, shoulders knotted with tension, as footsteps entered the shed. There was a flash of lightning, and for just a moment everything behind the intruder lit up. I caught a flash of strawberry blonde hair, and it was all I could do to not gasp.
Luna? It...can't possibly be... But the Luna from my very first day at school matched the height of this person. I suddenly recalled her parting words that day.
"Stay away from my Natsume, or else you'll regret it." I had been worried at first, but quickly cast the threat aside when I pondered her words, realizing that I would never want to get close to a jerk like Natsume. But after we had helped each other out a few times now, staying away from Natsume was no longer possible. So then...this girl...kidnapped me for this reason?
"Mikan? Oh, Mikan? Where are you hiding?" I winced, verifying my suspicions when I recognized her voice. The person in front of me most definitely was Luna Koizumi. I further compressed myself into the corner when Luna turned on a flashlight and began sweeping it about the shed. The light passed over me and I remained as still as possible. A few moments later the light finally moved on and I let out a very soft sigh of relief. Only to be blinded seconds later when Luna shined the light directly into my face.
"Well, here she is. The girl who ignored my warning and went after my Natsume. Bitch, you should have feared me more. You're going to pay for your sins, Mikan." I let out a whimper as Luna stalked over to me slowly with the eyes of a predator. And I was the prey. All I could think about was trying to convince her that I didn't possess the feelings she thought I did for Natsume.
"L...Luna," I croaked, before clearing my hoarse throat. "I think there's been a huge misunderstanding. I don't think of Natsume in the way that you think I do at all! In fact, I can hardly tolerate his company—we're just barely frien-"
"SHUT UP! Did you actually think there was even a chance that Natsume would want to associate with someone like you? There's no WAY Natsume would become friends with you, Mikan Sakura. Don't you dare insult my Natsume with your pathetic notions." I gulped, realizing Luna was beyond reason; nothing I said would register for her. Which meant that this situation is only going to get worse. Luna came over and stood right in front of me. I tried to back away, only to fail because I had backed myself too much into the corner earlier. Luna crouched before me with cruel eyes before fingering a lock of my hair.
"It's a shame, really. I had been hoping we could be friends. But then, I could never befriend someone who tried to take my Natsume away from me," Luna casually said. She slapped me across my cheek then yanked my hair suddenly and I let out a whimper of pain as she dragged me out from the corner by my hair. I tried to scratch at her hands in desperation but Luna was surprisingly strong. She tossed me into the middle of the closet and I knew my fall would leave bruises. Luna kicked me in the back once before finally backing up. With a malicious grin and crazy look in her eyes, she turned to me.
"I suppose I'll let you off with one last warning. That is, assuming you ever get out of this shed alive. Stay away from my Natsume." Luna finally left the shed, slamming the door shut behind her and I heard the distinct click of the door being locked. I slowly got up, wincing at the fresh stabs of pain Luna had induced with her violence, and crawled back to the corner I had been in.
KABOOOM! The thunder was the final straw and the dam on my tears I had been so carefully holding during Luna's presence broke. The thunder continued and I cried, fearing for my life, fearing the dark, fearing the thunder and most specifically fearing a girl with strawberry-blond hair and eyes that resembled ice.
I'm...Scared. Is anybody….there? Natsume….I'm scared….
Natsume's POV (Still Flashback)
"MIKAN! MIKAN! WHERE ARE YOU, YOU STUPID POLKA-DOTTED PANTIES GIRL?" It had been far too long since the girl went to the main office, and with the sudden blackout there was no telling where she was. There's no way she could have gone home—all her stuff was still here. If it had been an emergency she would have found a way to tell us, or at the very least tell Imai. I had been troubled by Mikan's sudden summoning to the main office, especially when that irritable teacher wasn't even sure of the reason. It looked like my bad feeling was right, as the worried look on the Ice Queen's face was enough to tell me that Mikan was definitely in some kind of trouble. Imai had once told me that Mikan was scared of the dark and I refused to let that stupid girl go into the darkness. Once the blackout started, Ruka, Imai and I split up to try and find Mikan. I was to search the pathways all leading to the main office, Ruka was to search the dorms and Imai the building with our classes. Although the storm was making the task significantly more difficult, I kept searching. It had been nearly an hour and I knew that clumsy oaf must be crying somewhere.
"MIKAAAAAAAN!" I had finally reached the gardens and was desperately searching, ignoring the angry wind and harsh rain. There was no way Mikan would be stupid enough to stay outside during this kind of weather, so I resolved to head into the main office; perhaps she had decided to stay there to avoid the storm. I began heading towards the office when suddenly Mikan's voice popped into my brain.
"Natsume! Natsume! Guess what? Did you know there's a gardener's shed in the far corner of the gardens? It's hidden pretty well, so I guess you could say it's like a secret hideout!"
She couldn't possibly...why would she head towards that old shed? But this feeling—it's too strong to ignore. I'm probably going to regret this.
I whirled around and dashed for the corner of the gardens. I had crossed the shed once before when I was trying to hide from that bastard Narumi. If I remember correctly, it was past the bright red flowers. I continued running before the shed finally stood right in front of me. I took a moment to collect my breath before pounding on the door.
"MIKAN? MIKAN!? ARE YOU IN HERE?" I finally glanced down, seeing the lock on the door, and felt stupid. The shed was locked—there was no way Mikan was in here. I turned around, disappointed and frustrated, deciding to head back to the main office.
"Natsume…." My eyes widened, and I turned back to the shed. Was that Mikan?
"MIKAN?! ARE YOU IN THIS SHED?"
"N...Natsume! Natsume, I'm here. Please…." My eyes narrowed in anger. Someone had locked her in this stupid shed, and now the once cheerful girl had produced a tone of desperation. Whoever was responsible for this would pay dearly. I glared at the lock for a few moments before seeing that I didn't have the correct tools on me to pick it. I concentrated all of my power before kicking the lock as hard as I could.
TING! The lock broke and plummeted to the floor and I quickly kicked the rusty door open then headed inside.
"MIKAN? Are you in here?" There was no response, and I glared angrily. Did I just hear her voice earlier in my head? Was I really that desperate to find the girl? I scoffed in irritation before heading back for the door. That's when I heard it. A soft whimper. It was barely audible, but that one sound assured me that Mikan was definitely in this shed.
"OI, POLKA? WHERE ARE YOU?" There was still no response and I couldn't see anything in the dark. I heard another whimper and a broom suddenly fell near the back corner. I quickly ran over there, scanning for the figure of a girl.
KABOOOM! I heard a shriek and suddenly lightning illuminated the room for a brief second. A brief second was all I needed though, as I saw a figure hunched against the corner.
"Mikan…" I softly muttered before racing to her side. Her hands covered her ears and she was trembling in fear. I gritted my teeth in righteous fury, promising vengeance upon the person that put her in this state.
KABOOOM! Mikan let out another screech and I was quickly brought back to the shaking girl. I reached my hand out to touch her when Mikan suddenly slapped my hand away.
"Don't...come near me. PLEASE! Please...don't...hurt…" Mikan broke down into tears and I stared at the girl in shock. What did those bastards do to her? I softly reached my hand out once more before lifting her chin up. Her eyes were glassy and they darted around everywhere in fear before finally settling on my own. They filled with shock, then relief and I let out a deep breath of relief myself.
"N...Natsume?" Mikan hoarsely whispered.
"I'm here. Who did this to you?" I softly replied, trying to keep the venom out of my voice so Mikan wouldn't get more scared.
"Natsume...You...Came….You…." Mikan started crying even more and tried to wipe her tears away with her hands. My eyes softened and I uncharacteristically grabbed her, pulling her into a hug.
"I thought nobody would find me here. Natsume...I was so scared." Mikan sobbed into my chest, grasping my shirt softly. In this condition, she wouldn't be able to go anywhere.
KABOOOOM! Mikan flinched and I hugged her tighter. So, the girl was scared of thunder too.
"Polka. Quit being so scared—it makes you look ugly," I softly muttered, hoping it would quell the girl's tears. Mikan let out a strangled laugh before hugging me tighter and crying harder. Great, that plan backfired. With a sigh, I settled myself next to her and waited for the storm to pass. If I took her outside in this weather anyway, she would probably get sick or something. Especially in her already weakened state. I glanced down at her once more, wondering for the nth time who did this to her. I glared at the wall before pulling Mikan away from my chest and looking at her.
"Polka. Who locked you in this shed? Who gave you these bruises?" I asked, fingering her swollen right cheek gently. My fingers trembled and I recognized the sheer rage pooling in my stomach. Mikan looked away softly, trying to dodge the question. But I wasn't having any of that: I gently turned her face back towards mine, staring into her eyes. Mikan's eyes softened and she finally shut them, succumbing to my will.
"Luna." It was one solitary word, but it incurred my desire for revenge. Luna...It must have been Luna Koizumi. That was the only Luna I know at this school. Although I didn't want to dredge up the horrid memories again, I had to verify.
"Luna Koizumi?"
"...Yes."
"Why would she do this to you, Polka? What did you do to her?"
"I...I...I don't know Natsume. Maybe Sakura corp did something to her family's company?" I rose an eyebrow at Mikan. It was obvious she was lying about Luna's motives, but I couldn't begin to comprehend why.
"Polka. Don't lie to me. Why did Luna target you?" I carefully observed Mikan's face, catching the tears that dripped from her eyes.
"Natsume...Please...I...I can't tell you." I narrowed my eyes at Mikan, watching the anxiety seep into her own hazel orbs. What did Luna say to her to make her this scared?
"Mikan. Please." Mikan's eyes widened in shock from hearing her name come from my lips, and I gave her a determined look. She looked away shyly, as though debating whether or not to tell me. I placed a palm on her cheek and she turned back to me with resolve in her eyes.
"She did this...as a punishment and as a further warning."
"Why?"
"Because I got too close to you Natsume!" Mikan burst out. Shocked, I dropped my hand from her cheek. The reason that Mikan got hurt so badly was me? I started to back away from Mikan, not sure how to face her. Before I could let go, however, Mikan grabbed the front of my shirt and brought me closer to her. I glanced at her face, surprised to see forlorn eyes staring back at me.
"Natsume! Please don't leave me. I know that you're blaming yourself for this now—this is why I didn't want to tell you. But...I...Please, Natsume! I don't want to lose you! I need you! Please don't back away. Please…." Mikan pleaded, misery in her tone. This girl...even knowing how dangerous it could be...still wants me to be with her? I scoffed—it was just like her to insist upon being friends. I should stay away from Mikan, she doesn't deserve to live in a dark world and by staying with me that's exactly where she will end up. Yet I found myself unable to avoid her, just as a plant that has been living in the dark cannot move when the sun finally shines down upon it. Tch, that sounded ridiculously sappy. Ah well, I'm sure I could handle someone like Luna Koizumi. If anything, I'll just bankrupt her company if she ever threatens Mikan again. Heck, if Luna so much as looks at Mikan I'll make her pay.
"Fine. But I don't want anything to do with a crybaby, so you'd better fix that or else I really will leave." Mikan gave another soft laugh before hurriedly wiping at her eyes to diffuse her tears. My eyes softened as I looked at her and before I could control myself my arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace once more.
"Na...Natsu—"
KABOOOOM!
"AHHH!" Mikan screamed before burying her face deeper into my chest. I could feel a bit of heat rise to my cheeks as I realized the position we were in.
Damn it! Why am I thinking of such stupid things? This is Mikan we're talking about, a stupid, childish, pigtailed idiot. I quickly shook my head as though shaking my thoughts away and pushed Mikan back just a little bit. She looked at me, fear in her eyes, and I could still see her trembling from the lightning and darkness. I sighed before grabbing her close again. This was no time to be embarrassed by stupid thoughts.
"Polka. You're scared of the thunder aren't you?"
"Y...Yes…And the...dark..." Mikan meagerly replied. I rolled my eyes, unable to believe that I was actually about to do this. I pressed my hands tightly to her ears to block out any sound, then grabbed her and pushed her head into my chest.
"There. Now you can't hear the thunder or see the darkness. So quit crying." I felt Mikan smile into my chest and I looked away. Once the storm clears up, we'll get the hell out of this stupid shed. Then I've got some revenge to take. Luna Koizumi, you've messed with one of the very few people that I've accepted in my life. Prepare to pay dearly.
Mmmmm something smells good. Like honey. Those were my first thoughts as I finally emerged from my room. I had woken up maybe ten minutes ago, and was on my way to brush my teeth, when an especially delicious smell caught my attention. I smirked, realizing the source was coming from the kitchen, before quickly heading into the bathroom to brush. I snuck towards the kitchen once I was done and watched from the entrance as Mikan hustled around the kitchen. She had batter on her nose as usual and appeared to be deep in thought.
"THAT'S IT! If I use a citrus extract, it should complement the Marronnier perfectly!" Mikan suddenly burst out, before dashing over to one of the cabinets and grabbing a small bottle with an orange-colored label. After removing some batter from the main vessel and putting it into a smaller bowl, Mikan enthusiastically added a few drops from the bottle into the bowl. She punched one of her arms up into the air before jumping up and down in excitement. The corners of my lips shifted upwards as I observed the slightly cute girl. Only Mikan Sakura could make me feel even remotely like this. A cunning smirk graced my face as I thought of a wonderful idea. I slowly approached the girl, who now had her back facing the kitchen's entrance and therefore me, before wrapping my arms around her waist and tugging her close. Mikan stiffened in shock and I leaned down to blow gently in her ear.
"Good morning," I growled, purposely adopting a lower tone. I suppressed a laugh as Mikan let out a soft shriek and almost dropped the bowl in her hands. She slowly turned her head, most likely to berate me for startling her. Mikan's eyes widened in shock, and her face began turning the color of a tomato. I smirked, realizing she wasn't expecting my face to be so close to hers. I pressed my nose against her hair and inhaled deeply. Mikan always smelled good, both when we were kids and even now. She usually smelled like whatever she was baking in the kitchen and today was no different. I smelled the rich aroma of honey, tantalizing and sweet, before groaning and quickly removing my face from her hair. It was getting harder and harder to control myself around the girl and I could only imagine the retribution Imai and Ruka would give me if I scared Mikan again like I did that first night. Not that I really cared—those two couldn't actually hurt me if they tried. I glanced at Mikan and smirked at the sight of her face now completely flaming. She caught my stare and turned away in a poor attempt to mask her blush.
"G...G...Good M...Morning, N..Natsume," Mikan stubbornly replied. She couldn't hide how affected she was by my closeness, though, and my smirk grew at her stuttering.
"Hnnn? Why are you stuttering, little girl? Do you need me to pay for some speech therapy? I don't think the wife of Natsume Hyuuga should be heard stuttering in public, do you?" I teased, observing as Mikan processed my words and proceeded to glare at me in response. She pushed me away angrily, before issuing out a threat.
"I'm not your wife just yet, Hyuuga. Plus, I don't plan on going out in public with an arrogant jackass like you. In fact, just for that, I think you don't deserve any waffles this fine morning. At least, it was fine till you showed up and opened your mouth." I cocked a brow at her in challenge—was she really threatening to take my breakfast away? Well, two can play at that game. If cruel retribution is what she's looking for then cruel retribution is just what she's going to get. I calmly surveyed the counter before finding the exact tool for my revenge. Nobody takes food away from Natsume Hyuuga.
"Oi, Polka-Dots," I called, reaching for the object that would assist me. Just as I planned, Mikan immediately whirled around.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT, YOU PERVERT! NOW YOU'RE DEFINITELY NOT GETTING ANY WAFFL—Mmmfffgh." As soon as she turned around I shoved one of the waffles lying on the plate nearby into her mouth. Mikan pouted at me and I stared back, amused. Her pout was ruined by the half of the waffle sticking out of her mouth. Mikan removed the remainder of the waffle protruding from her mouth before quickly chewing and swallowing the piece that had broken through her lips.
"NATSUME!" I smirked at her, anticipating her outburst. Let's see, in about a few seconds she'll probably start.
"YOU JERK! WHAT IF I CHOKED OR SOMETHING?" I let out a soft chuckle before brazenly retorting.
"Don't worry, Polka. Your mouth's too big for something like that to choke you." Mikan turned red with anger, and I waited for her next big comeback. I narrowed my eyes when she suddenly deflated, all the anger gone from her within seconds. This was certainly...a new reaction. Mikan looked up at me defiantly and I warily observed her.
"How rude of me. You were just trying to be romantic and feed me some waffles, weren't you?" I rose an eyebrow at her in confusion; that definitely wasn't my intention and I'm pretty sure she knew it. What game was this girl playing now? Mikan sent me a bright smile and I quickly glanced away before it could affect me.
"Well, do allow me to return the favor." I glanced up, shocked by her sudden change in tone and met with a handful of batter. Mikan smeared it all over my cheeks and mouth before tapping me in the center of my forehead mockingly. When I turned towards her to send a glare her way, I was met with a victorious smirk. My eyes widened slightly at the sight before narrowing. This meant war. And this little girl just picked the wrong opponent. Mikan sent me a cheeky grin before resuming her breakfast activities. She glanced back at me curiously a few moments later, clearly wondering why I hadn't moved yet.
"Sorry, Natsume. But that's what you get for shoving a waffle in my mouth while I was speaking. Don't be mad, k?" Mikan winked at me and I rolled my eyes at her insincere attempt at an apology. Mikan grabbed the rag on the counter and approached me with a slight look of guilt a beat later, clearly wondering if I was mad at her and whether she had crossed a boundary. She wiped the batter off my face delicately, with the touch of a person who was scared to set off a bomb. I opened my eyes after she finished wiping, my strategy for the next attack ready. Although I was still debating whether or not the Baka deserved it, seeing how she did wipe off the batter. The debate was quickly over, however, when the idiot opened her mouth.
"Still, the look on your face when I nailed you with the batter was so worth it! Dang, if only Hotaru was here—I'm sure she could have sold that photo to the magazines and made a huge profit!" A wicked grin spread slowly on my face as Mikan blabbered on and I slowly reached for the smaller bowl of batter, the one she had added the citrus extract to.
"Oi, Polka." Mikan turned to face me, a look of irritation etched on her face.
"DON'T CALL ME THAT, YOU PER—" Checkmate, the final winner is: Natsume Hyuuga.
"What was that dear? You might want to close that mouth, Polka, else something flies in. Or worse, gets stuck; I've heard waffle batter is supposed to be pretty sticky," I smirked at the dumbstruck girl before casually turning around with a hand raised in goodbye. I took one last glance behind me at the speechless girl now covered in waffle batter and stuck my tongue out at her before leaving the kitchen for a shower.
"NAAAAATTTTSSSSUUUUUMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEE!"
Mikan's POV
Mille crepe. I smiled down at the old recipe, recalling the very first time I made the dessert. I was perhaps ten years old and I completely burned the individual crepes the first time, not to mention my fingers as well. Hmmmm...maybe if I added a chocolate cream to it, and used a strawberry filling? No, that was nowhere near advanced enough to score high marks in the competition.
It also doesn't really match the theme of reflection. Yes, I could make the crepe now without burning it or myself. But other than that it doesn't mean anything.
I sighed before flipping past a few more recipes that were equally as unsuitable as the mille crepe. The competition was getting closer with each passing day, yet I still couldn't think of anything to make for it. I know Natsume advised me to relax and let the idea come to me, but there wasn't enough time for that!
Speaking of Natsume...he and Ruka have been in the living room all day working.
I let out a sigh as I recalled how Ruka and Hotaru unexpectedly showed up at the cabin after breakfast. Well, during breakfast actually since Natsume and I both had to take showers before we could eat the waffles. I was surprised, albeit happy, to see them when Natsume revealed that he was the one that called them over in the first place. He said he had to work with Ruka to figure out a stronger strategy for overtaking Serio Industries. Something about how unnecessary complications have arisen because another company has suddenly decided to back up Serio Industries. Ah well, I never really understood all this taking-over-a-business and investment stuff. Though I'm sure Serio Industries would soon be acquisitioned, considering the fact that Natsume and Ruka were teaming up to take it over. When it came down to business, well, let's just say they weren't ranked on the list of worldwide top CEO's for nothing. Along with Hotaru's company, of course. Subaru Nii-chan ran the company, but Hotaru was head of the R&D branch of Imai Innovations. She was always tinkering around with some sort of new invention; it wasn't any different now. While Natsume and Ruka occupied the living room, Hotaru was at the dining table working on her latest invention, though I wasn't really too sure about the details of the invention. I knew she would show and explain it to me when she finished, so I didn't interrupt her while she was hard at work. I glanced back down at the recipe book and groaned. Everyone was busy working and I felt that I was the only one in the cabin who had made no progress in these last few hours. There were just a few more pages left in this recipe book from my childhood—if I didn't find anything in this, then it would have been a huge waste of time.
Not to mention the fact that I'm fresh out of ideas for how else to inspire myself. Ugh, I'd love to meet the person who came up with the theme of reflection, I'm sure he'd be pleased to note that he's made my life a living hell.
I stared at the page in front of me with frustration. Blueberry polka-dotted pancakes? This really was a childish recipe book; there's no way I would get any good ideas from this. I huffed before slamming the book shut, irritated when it shut for a second but immediately opened to the last page from the force I used. I threw a cursory glance at the page and stopped short at the contents. A….rainbow cake? When did I come up with this idea? I glanced at the page further, my own handwriting staring back at me. This was one of the only recipes without ingredients or steps, it was just a handful of ideas thrown together onto the page. On the side, however, there was a drawing of what the cake should have looked like. It was circular, made of multiple rings with each layer encasing the next. Each ring was a different color and it appeared that each one was to be a different flavor too. The cake really did resemble a rainbow. A rainbow. My eyes widened as a memory flashed in front of me. A kitchen of some sorts...no it was my kitchen! I'd recognize those yellow walls anywhere. I could see myself baking something, with a little Youichi at the table. Along with….a girl that looked to be around the same age as Youichi and...a boy? No. It couldn't possibly be the same boy that I saw earlier. He suddenly looked up and I recognized his crimson orbs. It was the same boy! The one who I fell on top of! The one that...looked like...Natsume. I could hardly breathe as I watched the memory unfold in front of me, as though I was some sort of passerby observing the entire experience. It was almost like watching a movie play right in front of me.
"Uwaaaahhhhh! "Neh, Neh! Onee-Chan! How do you make such delicious cakes? This one is soooo good!" The little girl cried out ecstatically.
"Oh, it just takes a little bit of practice, that's all!" I watched curiously as the mini version of me sent a grin towards the little girl who was now eating my cake. Youichi and the other boy were silently listening to the conversation and eating cake as well. From the looks of it, the cake appeared to be chocolate, with a ganache to top it off.
"That means you can make any cake in the whole wide world, right Onee-Chan?" I continued watching, a feeling of anxiety creeping in as I realized I didn't know what my younger self would respond with.
"Of course! Although...there is this one cake that I don't know how to make. I've had the idea for a while, but I'm not really sure how to make it." Youichi looked up at the little girl then, who stopped eating suddenly and stared at my younger self in shock.
"WHAT? There's something you don't know how to make? What is it? What is it? What is it? Maybe I can help you for once, Onee-Chan!"
"Tch, can you even make a simple batch of cookies yet?" Youichi coolly asked the little girl, who immediately deflated at his words. I scowled: why did Youichi have to be so mean to that poor girl anyways?
"YOUICHI! Quit being mean to her right now!" I let out a slight chuckle; I guess some things just didn't change.
"What's it to you, Polka? Youichi has a point—Buriko can't do anything in the kitchen." I gaped at the crimson-eyed boy. He even called my younger self Polka...just like...Natsume. As more and more time passed I was beginning to feel that this boy was Natsume. Except that was impossible. He was appearing so much lately; if it really was Natsume then why wouldn't I have recognized him? Hmmm...maybe...Natsume has a twin brother! But then why didn't I remember his twin brother either? I peered closer at my younger self—it looked like I was around 11 years old. Which...was right around my accident! I remember that I had lost all my memories of the past year, could it be that Natsume and I...knew each other in the past? That would make sense because he seemed to know me at the airport. But why couldn't I remember him? I decided to continue watching the conversation before me; all this thinking is giving me a huge headache.
"That doesn't mean she can't learn! Sheesh, why do you have to be so mean, you perverted fox? Anyways, here's the recipe idea I had. It's a rainbow cake! There are seven rings, together making up a shape like a bundt cake. Each ring, or layer, is a different color and a different flavor to represent the rainbow! I thought I would top it off with some icing or something to complete the look!" I let out a smile as I saw the little girl start jumping up and down in excitement!
"WOOOOOW! THAT SOUNDS SO AMAZING!"
"Actually, it sounds disgusting Buriko. Think about it—each flavor would clash with the next and it would be gross to eat," The crimson-eyed boy pointed out. I stared at the boy closer; he even had the same dialogues and vocal tones as Natsume! There's no doubt about it—this boy has to be Natsume! I groaned, realizing that even in the past he harassed me. Although he did have a point: the flavors would probably clash. It appeared that my past self agreed with Natsume as she sent him a weak smile.
"NATSUME! QUIT BEING SO NEGATIVE! IF ONEE-CHAN WANTS TO MAKE THE CAKE THEN SHE CAN! I KNOW SHE CAN! NOBODY IS BETTER AT BAKING THAN ONEE-CHAN!" I gasped at the little girl's words. She had referred to the boy as Natsume, confirming all my doubts and at the same time creating new questions. Questions that didn't have answers. I peered closer at the little girl, noting that she had eyes equally as crimson as Natsume's. This must be his little sister he mentioned earlier, Aoi. She was certainly a very kind individual, the complete opposite of her jerk of a brother. I watched as Youichi pulled on one of her braids teasingly, while Aoi yelled at him, and rose an eyebrow. It looks like she was very close to my little brother, yet I've never even seen him communicate with her.
"Arigato, Aoi! You're such a sweet person—I love you so much!" My eyes widened: was I really that close to this girl in the past?
"Awww, I love you too Onee-Chan!" I let out a giggle as both Natsume and Youichi simultaneously stuck their tongues out in disgust. If Aoi was like me then Youichi had almost the same personality as Natsume.
"Oi, Baka. Why'd you decide to use a rainbow for this cake anyway?" Natsume asked curiously. Although if you looked at his facial expression you wouldn't know he was curious. I rolled my eyes—Natsume hasn't changed a bit.
"Eh? Oh, that's easy Natsume—and don't call me a Baka! It's because rainbows represent so many wonderful things! A rainbow is what results when the sun comes out after the rain! A rainbow is what comes when sorrow turns into happiness! Most importantly, however, a rainbow is the bridge between the Earth and the sky. Between those watching us from Heaven and the rest of us here. I wanted to show that just as there are many different colors in a rainbow, there can be many different co-existing flavors in a cake that work together to complement each other. Just like there are so many different flavors of people!"
"WOW! WOW! WOW! THAT'S SO AMAZING ONEE-CHAN! ONEE-CHAN, I WANT TO BE JUST LIKE YOU WHEN I GROW UP!" I smiled softly at Aoi's words, she really was such a wonderful person. Youichi suddenly pinched Aoi's cheeks together.
"Shut up, Hag. You're being too loud." Youichi let go of Aoi's cheeks, and she sent a glare at Youichi before beginning to cry. I sweatdropped as my younger self tried to calm Aoi down while simultaneously berating Youichi to make him apologize. Natsume watched the scene unfold before him before finishing his slice of chocolate cake and letting out a rare smile. My younger self may not have caught his words in all the noise, but I did, and his words put a smile on my face.
"Only a Baka like her could come up with an explanation as amazing as that.
BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA BAKA! I groaned, holding my head to try and reign in the pain. I glanced around, realizing that Hotaru's Baka gun had me sprawled over the kitchen floor. I was surprised to realize Hotaru had a worried look on her face that matched the looks on Natsume's and Ruka's faces as well. When had they all come into the kitchen?
"Hotaru? Ruka? Natsume? What are all of you doing here?"
"YOU IDIOT!" I looked up, shocked to see Hotaru yelling at me. Hotaru almost never yells, especially not with such an expression.
"Hotaru? What happened? Why are you so upset? Did Natsume do something to you?" Natsume glared at me in response.
"No, Mikan. Natsume didn't do anything to Hotaru. We all came into the kitchen to check on you because you were being really quiet-"
"Speak for yourself, Ruka. I came here because I wanted some coffee," Natsume interrupted.
"Whatever, Natsume. Either way, we came to the kitchen and you were staring at the recipe book like it had possessed you or something. Hotaru called your name so many times but you didn't even acknowledge her until she shot you with the Baka gun." My eyes widened, and I looked down at the recipe book in front of me. It was still open to the page with the rainbow cake and I bit my lip before finally summoning enough courage to ask. I stared straight into Natsume's crimson orbs.
"Natsume. Did we...know each other? As kids?" It was only for a split second, but I watched Natsume's eyes widen. I glanced over at Ruka and Hotaru, who also looked a bit shocked at my question. Natsume didn't say anything for a moment before finally answering in a cold tone.
"Why do you ask that, Polka?" Their reactions were beginning to alarm me, as I realized they were evidence enough that my suspicions about knowing Natsume in the past were indeed true. I decided to play dumb, partly not wanting to scare my friends like this and partly scared myself of the truth.
"Never mind. I just was remembering how we met and how you accused me as though you knew me from the past." I let out a slight laugh, trying to slice the tension in half. "Why do all of you look so shocked?" I pretended to turn back to the recipe book, secretly watching for their reactions. A small sigh of relief escaped after the three shared a look and immediately relaxed.
"Because you're asking such stupid questions, that's why Baka. Now come on, we're all a bit hungry—make us a snack or something," Hotaru casually threw out. I let out a small giggle at Hotaru's "request" for a snack and shut the recipe book in front of me.
"Of course! I'll whip something up in a jiffy! Why don't you guys wait at the dining table, I'll be right out and we can eat together." I exited a while later with a plate of fresh shortbread cookies and four cups of dark roast coffee.
"Oi, Polka. Did you come up with a recipe for that competition you were freaking out about?" Natsume queried as I took a seat. I looked up with a slight smile, recalling the scene from my childhood that I had somehow forgotten.
"Yes, actually! I'm going to make a rainbow cake; the idea for it was in my old recipe book. There are seven rings, each representing a different color of the rainbow and with a different flavor. I think rainbows are the perfect thing to represent reflection: they're a result of the sun's light reflecting off of raindrops after all!" I paused, remembering the exact words I had said as a kid. "Plus...a rainbow is the bridge between the Earth and the sky. Between those watching us from Heaven and the rest of us here." I glanced up shyly, curious to see what the others thought of my plan. Hotaru rolled her eyes but gave me a small smile of approval, while Ruka sent me a thumbs-up and a grin. I turned to Natsume and was surprised to see his eyes wide. He looked like he had seen a ghost. Natsume stared at me for a while and I found myself getting lost in his gaze again. He narrowed his eyes before suddenly standing up.
"How do you know those words? Do you...remember?" Natsume asked bitingly. I gasped at him, a bit surprised and confused to see him this hostile because of a few words. Clearly II wasn't the only one, as Ruka stared at his best friend like he had grown another head and Hotaru narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Before I could respond, however, Natsume sat back down and ran a hand through his hair. I shrank lower into my chair, feeling a bit guilty for upsetting Natsume even though it was an accident.
"Forget it," Natsume muttered, before reaching for a cookie. I continued staring at him, confused by his reactions.
"Mikan. Who gave you a piggyback ride when you fell from the apple tree?" I stared at Hotaru, trying to understand her question. Apple tree? Why would I have climbed up high enough to fall from a tree when that was such a stupid thing to do?
"What apple tree? Hotaru, what are you talking about? Don't you think I would remember if I fell from an apple tree?" Once the words were out a sudden doubt crept into my mind. Was it possible that that was another thing I didn't remember? I suddenly felt extremely anxious at the thought of not remembering many things and it took a lot of effort to calm myself down. I didn't want to worry my friends over something I wasn't even confident I could phrase into a question properly. A silent communication seemed to pass between Ruka, Hotaru, and Natsume and I cocked an eyebrow expectedly. Ruka shrugged before going back to his coffee and I glanced away, unable to shake the feeling of deja vu. The feeling that I had forgotten something very important.
OMG! So I was listening to Yumeiro Patissiere's soundtrack on Youtube while writing this (since this chapter had some recipe stuff, I figured it would help). For a while, all the videos of the first opening theme of the show were taken down or blocked, but today they all suddenly appeared again! I think it's a sign—it's gotta be! What are the chances that they came back right as I was writing the part with the Mille Crepe?
Anyways, I think some progress was made in this chapter—Mikan's starting to realize that she's missing some memories, and strangely most of those have to do with a certain crimson-eyed male. Also, this chapter has quite a few recipes! The honey waffles are the same kind that Tennouji and her group make in the cake grand prix in Yumeiro Patissiere—honestly, those waffles looked soooooo good! Though I did add the part with the citrus extract tee hee. Then Mikan later looks through some childhood recipes and the rainbow cake plus the blueberry polka-dotted pancakes are from Kitchen Princess! Honestly, the issue with the rainbow cake and how all the flavors would clash is something I've always wondered from Kitchen Princess! Hopefully, I've come up with a decent solution to that problem though, which you'll see later on! Oh, and I guess the Mille Crepe was from Yumeiro Patissiere—little shout out to when Ichigo totally burned the crepes!
As for the flashback, I tried super hard to write it without switching POV's. Ultimately, I found that it just sounded awful in completely Mikan's POV and switched to Natsume's POV at the end. I hope that part turned out alright!
As always, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please let me know if you did (or if you hated it yikes)! Arigato!
~ Breezylyn