Yo! Here is chapter 9 of Rekindling the Past (finally)! Sorry if it's been awhile since the last update; my brother was here all of last week and we pretty much spent most of it playing Persona 5! I have to say, that really is one of the best video games I've ever played in my life. And I've played a lot of games…
Thank you to everybody who followed/favorited, reviewed and read the last chapter! I really appreciate the support-it makes me want to write more! Alrighty then, I'll keep this note short so you can get reading! As usual, I don't own Gakuen Alice, Yumeiro Patissiere or Kitchen Princess!
Flashback POV: Natsume
Present POV: Natsume (the last part is Mikan though)
FAILURE
"NATSUME?! WHERE ARE YOU?" I scoffed before settling into the branches of the sakura tree. They really were idiots; if I wanted to be found then I wouldn't be hiding, now would I? I could hear Ruka's voice enter the mix as he also joined the search for me. A slight spark of guilt wormed its way into my heart, but I quickly set it aside realizing what would happen if I succumbed to it. Sure, my friends would be a little relieved to have found me. In return, however, I would have to go home and face my parents' wrath. I knew that if I stayed away my parents wouldn't torture Aoi too much. They were sadistic, sick people and preferred to torture her for my mistakes only if I was there to see it happen. If I stay here, in this tree, then Aoi would be safe for the time being. I had to come up with a plan quickly though, in order to appease their anger and protect my sister, before I could leave this tree's refuge.
"NATSUME?!" I scowled, this time recognizing Polka's voice. Only she could scream in such a high-pitched tone. High-pitched enough to pierce through all my thoughts and strategies, unfortunately. I let out a soft chuckle when I realized that this situation was very similar to the incident with Luna, with our roles reversed. This time she was trying (and failing) to find me. I glared at the blossoms in front of me, remembering the torture Mikan underwent at the hands of Luna Koizumi. At least Luna was no longer a problem—Imai and I made sure of that when we both threatened to bankrupt her company if she or her people so much as glanced at Mikan again. Well, I threatened to bankrupt her; Hotaru blackmailed her using the footage from the security camera in the gardener's shed. Who would have known they'd installed a camera in such a run down closet?
"NATSUME! WHERE ARE YOU? I KNOW THAT THE EVENT DIDN'T GO VERY WELL, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU RUN AND HIDE FROM THE PEOPLE WHO CARE FOR YOU!" I grimaced slightly, the girl's words affecting my resolve to stay in this tree. But what does she know, anyway? It's not like she has to live with the pressure of parents like mine. Her parents are very kind, always giving her freedom and most importantly loving her no matter what mistakes she may make. Mine are the opposite—cruel retribution was the price for a small mistake. Up until now, I had never committed anything more than a small mistake, so I could only imagine the horrible punishments that would result from my biggest blunder yet. I sighed looking at the branch beside me, wishing for some kind of miracle.
No, I know better than anyone else. There's no such thing as miracles. Especially not for people like me.
"NATSUME!?" Her voice was getting louder, which meant she was getting closer. I relaxed, realizing there was no way she would find me here. Even if she did check the sakura tree, the chances of her climbing to my height were more than slim to say the least, whether she was a monkey or not. Simply put, it would take a miracle for her to find me up here. I ran a hand through my hair, focusing my thoughts back to discovering a solution for my situation. Maybe if I overtook Karino Industries, they would accept it as an apology for my disgrace earlier? No, there's no way that would work. Even if I somehow managed to buy up all their shares, it wasn't likely to impress my "parents." Not to mention the fact that overtaking Karino Industries would take more than a few days, and not revealing my whereabouts for that long would exacerbate the situation and worry Aoi.
Along with Ruka and that stupid little girl too.
"NATSUME! YOU'RE IN THIS TREE, AREN'T YOU?" I jerked up, slightly surprised that the Baka had managed to decipher my location. A smirk graced my face as I heard her mutter curses at me. Good—there's no way the girl would find me all the way up here. I closed my eyes, deciding a nap might do some good in terms of brainstorming solutions.
"AHA! I knew I'd find you up here!" I let out a sigh, concealing my shock at hearing her voice right next to me. I popped one eye open, glibly gazing at the girl as she struggled to get onto the adjacent branch.
"Sheesh! Natsume, do you have any idea how—AHHH!"
"You can open your eyes, Polka." Mikan finally opened her eyes I and let out a grunt of pain at the uncomfortable position I was now in. She had slipped off the branch and I barely caught her arm in my own, lunging across the branch I was on, before she fell all the way. Honestly, this girl was building a bad track record for climbing trees. I swiftly pulled her up and plopped her on the branch next to mine, making sure she was steady before letting go of her. She took a deep breath, a single hand on her heart, and looked up at me with a sheepish grin.
"Thank you, Natsume." I rolled my eyes, tempted to throw a scathing remark her way.
"You're able to climb trees like a monkey, yet can't stay on them for longer than ten seconds. How disappointing." Mikan sent a glare at me.
"If climbing a tree makes you a monkey, then what does that make you since you've been up here all day? A superior monkey?"
"A superior human being," I casually remarked. "Only you can qualify as a monkey. Apart from climbing trees, you have to look the part too. That's where I didn't quite make the cut, although I'm sure the monkey community would be pleased to hear you're perfect for them."
Seriously, Natsume? What the hell are you doing, arguing about monkeys with this idiot? There's a reason you're in this tree in the first place, so quit wasting time.
I scoffed at my "inner voice," although it did have a point. I, quite frankly, didn't have time to deal with this little girl. I leaned back in the tree, deciding to resume my original plans of a nap. Only to be awoken by endless shaking from the girl.
"What the hell do you want, Polka? Just leave me alone in peace," I grumbled, irritated that she didn't get the idea that I didn't want her around right now. Her presence not only distracted me from my objectives but also reminded me of my original failure in the first place.
"What are you getting short with me for? I'm the one who should be angry—you just suddenly up and disappeared and all of us have been searching for you for the past few hours Natsume!"
"Did I ask you to waste your time searching for me? No. Did I ask you to climb this tree? No. Did I ask for you to do anything? No. Now that that's cleared up, you can leave. I trust you know how to climb back down a tree, Polka?"
"Well, yes, but I—"
"Then off you go. Your loud voice is disrupting my peace." I relaxed back against the branch and closed my eyes once more. It was silent for a while, so I figured the girl must have climbed back down and left.
"Natsume…" Mikan began, ignoring my grunt of disapproval at her decision to stay in the tree. "You do know that it's not your fault, right?"
"And exactly what are you referring to, little girl?" I asked, a warning note entering my tone. She had better not bring up the Company Fest.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. The Company Fest." Mikan paused at my growl of anger before brazenly continuing. "Natsume, I know you think it's your fault. But it really isn't! Nobody's going to think less of you for what happened!"
"It's not my fault? Well, then, would you like to enlighten me on what you saw at the Fest, 'cause here's what I saw. I completely failed Hyuuga Corp! I fainted during my speech, completely let down the company by being taken out of the competition and woke up to find that the winner was the son of a family my parents detest. You're right, Polka, nobody's going to care. Including the press that the winner hired to pretty much disclose my failure to the entire public, right?" I was panting by the end of my tirade and avoided the shocked look Mikan gave me at my sudden, very vocal behavior.
Great, let's add the fact that I just lost it in front of a stupid little girl to my list of failures. What's another thing on the list of shame?
I let out a sharp laugh, though there was nothing remotely funny about the entire situation. It was silent for a while, and I briefly reveled in the fact that I had managed to make Mikan, of all people, speechless. Gods, I'm pathetic.
"Is that really what you think, Natsume?" Mikan finally chimed in with a timid voice. I pinched the bridge of my nose, disgusted at the fact that I had just snapped at the one person who scaled the tree to try and help me.
"It doesn't matter what I think, Polka. What matters is the fact that, at the end of the day, I failed."
"Natsume... NATSUME HYUUGA!" I sharply looked up, slightly surprised by Mikan's loud voice. "QUIT BEING SO SELFISH! IS THAT REALLY WHAT YOU THINK ALL OF US THINK ABOUT YOU? YOU...YOU...YOU IDIOT!" I stared at the girl, who was trying hard to hold in her tears.
"Why the hell are you crying?"
"I...I...I'm not crying," Mikan simpered, her voice breaking a bit. I let out a sigh of frustration.
"Yes, you are."
"FINE! I'm crying, ok? And it's all your fault!"
"My fault? What did I do?"
"You're acting like an idiot! A selfish, sulking jerk!" I rolled my eyes.
"Why don't you tell me how you really feel, Polka?" I asked sarcastically. This was pointless—why couldn't the girl see that? Better yet, why couldn't I just leave her alone? I sighed before reaching over and patting her on the head. I didn't meet her surprised gaze, instead staring at the sakura flowers blooming in front of me.
"Sorry...You're not those things I called you…I mean, even if you are arrogant and a jerk you're still my friend." I glanced over finally, pleased to note that Mikan was wiping her tears away. Her friend...well, I suppose after all this time she had managed to become a close friend herself. Somehow this little girl had wormed her way into my heart, as cheesy as that sounds.
"Natsume...None of us think that you failed, or anything like that. If we did, why would we be searching so hard for you?" Mikan asked. She waited for a response, but when she was met with silence, continued her petition. "You can't change the fact that you fainted, Natsume. It's not like you threw the competition to go eat Howalons or something like that." The corners of my lips lifted at her last statement; ditching a competition for Howalons was more Mikan's style.
"I still fainted, didn't I? Don't even try to convince me that wasn't my fault: it's not like anybody made me faint."
"That's true. Actually, now that I think about it, it probably is your fault. After all, you only fainted because you didn't take care of yourself." I flinched. Even though I had already acknowledged what she accused me of much earlier, it still hurt to hear it come so bluntly. Especially from someone like Mikan, who was probably the most forgiving person to exist.
"That's what you wanted to hear, isn't it Natsume? Well, that's such a stupid thing to believe." Mikan gave a snort before tugging on my arm to catch my attention. I set my eyes on her face, annoyed at her constant pulling, and was met with her sincere gaze.
"Natsume, I'm not going to argue with the fact that you need to take care of yourself more. But...in a way I get it. You told me this once before, that the reason you work so hard is for Aoi. I bet this Company Fest was for Aoi too, wasn't it? You were just trying to protect her by doing a good job, right?" Mikan's gaze softened, and I blinked before tearing my own away. I only mentioned Aoi once to her, from that incident with the account books. She still...remembered that?
"It doesn't matter, Polka. I knew that I had to win this, so I spent hours preparing for every possible situation. Yet I still failed—in the end, I couldn't protect Aoi."
"That's why you ran away, isn't it? But don't you see? Running away is never a permanent solution; it's only going to make things worse. You can't change the fact that you fainted during the competition, and that as a result that other guy won, but that doesn't mean that you hide in the branches of a tree!"
"Don't you think I know that?" I snapped, irritated at the girl for hitting the nail on the head. "I'm only going to stay here for a little while; I'm trying to think of a solution to this entire situation. If I can somehow bring home a huge achievement, then maybe they won't be so angry."
"Have you thought of what achievement you're going to be able to do in the next, oh what is it—four hours? 'Cause there's no way you're going to be able to stay in this tree for the whole night Natsume! You'll freeze to death!"
"Well, that's not necessarily—"
"DON'T YOU DARE FINISH THAT THOUGHT! YOU ARE NOT EVER GOING TO CONSIDER DYING AS A SOLUTION, DO YOU HEAR ME?"
"...That's not even what I was talking about." I let out a soft smile as Mikan visibly relaxed, relief filling her face.
"Oh. Good. Then...what were you saying?"
"I was going to say that that's not necessarily my plan. All I know is that I have to come up with something before I go back home."
"No, you don't. Just go home and explain the truth to your parents!"
"They already know I fainted, Polka-Dots. After all, their entire reason for cutting their business trip short and coming back to Japan was to watch the Company Fest."
"Well, yeah, they probably do. I meant you should tell them why you fainted. That you barely got any sleep these past few days because you were planning for every situation imaginable to win." I looked up, my eyes slightly widened.
How did she know that I wasn't sleeping?
Mikan giggled, seeing the expression of curiosity on my face. "You're wondering how I knew you weren't sleeping, right? I had a bit of a suspicion because you were looking very pale these last few days and there were bags under your eyes. I've seen Hotaru with that same appearance when she forgoes sleep to work on an invention. So I asked Ruka, who also looked worried about you, and he told me Aoi told him that you were holed up in the study working for the past few nights. Regardless of how I found out, I still think that if you tell your parents you fainted because you didn't sleep due to preparing for this competition they'll understand!"
"Please, spare me the baseless optimism. You clearly don't know my parents very well; they don't care if or why I fainted. All they care about is the fact that Hyuuga Corp lost and that too to the son of my parents' rivals," I scoffed. Mikan just looked at the blossoms for a moment, processing my words.
"You're right, Natsume. I don't really know your parents. But either way, they're still parents! The most important thing to them should be the fact that their son fainted, not that Hyuuga Corp lost some stupid competition."
"That might be the way your parents think. It most certainly isn't the way mine think, though. Tell me this: if you ran away, would your parents freak out and search for you?"
"Well, yes, of course, but I don't really see how that relates."
"Simple. Did you see my parents searching for me, Polka?" Mikan frowned in response and I realized that was her way of saying no.
"That's what I thought. The fact of the matter is, little girl, that my parents don't care for me at all. To them, I am just a tool for enhancing the business. Just as people get angry when their tool fails to work and toss it in the garbage, my parents become cruel when I fail. That's just the way reality is, Polka-Dots." I focused my wistful gaze at the sakura blossoms before me, unable to look at Mikan's reaction. Nobody knew about the way my parents treated me besides Aoi and Ruka. I guess that pathetic bastard Narumi had an idea too. I gritted my teeth in frustration at the thought of Aoi being hurt tonight when Mikan placed her hand on my arm. I glanced at her questioningly, watching carefully as she leaned towards me. Mikan wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close into a gentle hug. It was awkward to say the least, considering we were balancing on tree branches, yet I couldn't help the happiness I felt.
She's so...warm…
I immediately banished the foreign thought and was about to pull back when Mikan gripped me harder and spoke.
"Natsume. Take me with you." I froze, confused by her words, and rose an eyebrow at her. What the hell was she talking about? Mikan glanced down at my face and I was shocked at the blaze of determination alight in her eyes.
"Take me to your house. I'm sure your parents won't do anything if I come along with you. Especially because our families are close friends and business partners—they wouldn't dare to do anything horrible to you or Aoi in front of me." I scowled. Did this girl really think I was willing to use her as a shield? That was not only ridiculous and pathetic, but also a blow to my pride.
"Please. I'm not a coward, Baka. I don't need you there to protect me or any other nonsense like that. Besides, what good are you going to do? They'll just unleash their anger when you leave." Mikan let out a sigh, unhappy with my response. She removed her arms from around me and placed them on her hips.
"Look, Natsume. If I come along then I can convince them to calm down about this! I know that they'll listen to me; I'll explain to them that you fainted and tell them my parents sent me with you to make sure that you were taken care of or something like that. Also...I don't think you're a coward and I never will. You are an egotistical idiot, though. Are you seriously letting your pride get in the way?"
"I still refuse."
"FINE! If not for yourself, at least think about it for Aoi's sake. If I come then they won't say anything to Aoi either! Sheesh! You're such a bullheaded, daft twit!" I rolled my eyes at her "insult" before considering her words. As much as I hated to admit it, the girl had a point. My parents detested ruining their reputation in front of other people; they wouldn't dare to hurt Aoi (or me) in Mikan's presence. I let out a reserved sigh and swallowed the remainder of my pride.
"Fine. But only for Aoi's sake." Mikan sent a grin towards me before staring down at the ground and letting out a meek laugh.
"Also...do you know how to get down from this tree?"
"What's the matter, Polka? Scared to go inside?" I mocked amusedly, noting her hesitance in knocking on the door. We were currently standing in front of Imai and Ruka's cabin and the snow was cascading down lightly. I was hoping the storm wouldn't get worse since we decided to walk to their cabin. Walking back in a blizzard sounded god awful.
"Of course not! Why would I be scared to go inside my best friend's house?"
"Because you know we're going to be watching a scary movie tonight and somehow you strike me as the type to get nightmares."
"You don't know that! We haven't even picked a movie yet, Natsume! Besides, I...I'm not scared of scary movies! Sheesh!" Mikan puffed out her cheeks and I wouldn't be lying if I found the action a bit cute. She then pounded on the door angrily and was about to knock again when the door swung open to reveal an irritated Imai.
"Are you trying to break my door Mikan?" Imai coldly asked. I snickered at how Polka-Dots was now resembling a fish with her mouth opening and closing like that.
"H-H-Hotaru! Oh! Sorry for knocking so hard," Mikan finally replied, sending a glare my way as though she was blaming me for making her friend annoyed. I scoffed before pushing past Imai and heading into the house. I wasn't too far away, though, to hear Imai's heavy sigh and her warning to Mikan.
"Next time you get angry at my idiot of a cousin, knock hard on his head instead of on my poor door. Now come on, you're letting the snow in." I smiled at the thought of Mikan trying to land a hit on me, imagining the scenario in my head. I would make her mad, she would try to punch me and proceed to trip right on top of me.
She's way too clumsy to land a punch on anyone, let alone me. I smirked and walked further into the cabin to find Ruka in the living room trying to set up the DVD player to the giant TV. Mikan and Imai followed after me and I went over to help Ruka set up for the night.
"DAMMIT! How does this fit into the TV? Sheesh, Hotaru, why did you have to put so many complicated panels on this TV anyway?"
"Need some help, Ruka?" Ruka looked up from behind the TV in surprise at my voice.
"Natsume! When did you get here?"
"Just a few minutes ago. Polka and Imai are grabbing all the movie options right now, I think."
"Ah, gotcha. I really hope Mikan can persuade Hotaru to give us options that don't include horror. Especially because the only two people who can sit through the horror movies Hotaru picks are herself and you. Those movies are damn scary. Disturbing too, actually." I smirked at Ruka. He was just like Polka-Dots when it came to movies: both hated horror. We used to have movie nights when the four of us were younger, with Imai always being the one to pick. It never bothered me, since she actually had pretty good taste when it came to movies, but Mikan and Ruka would be so scared by the end. Those nights were some of the most amusing and relaxing memories of my childhood.
"What's the matter, Ruka? You're not terrified of a slightly-scary horror movie, are you?" I taunted, well aware that Imai's horror movies surpassed "slightly-scary" for most people, bordering closer to the "psychotic-breakdown-due-to-fear" level. Ruka sent me a glare in response and turned back to the mess of cables in front of him. I rolled my eyes at the lack of progress with the DVD player and tapped Ruka on the shoulder, gesturing for him to give me space with my hands. He rose an eyebrow at me and shrugged before scooting over.
"I hope you can figure out this mess," Ruka began, clutching a tangle of wires in his hand, inspecting it with disgust. "'Cause if not, Hotaru's going to shoot both of us. I smirked at the wires before glancing up at the panel flush with buttons.
"Not a problem."
"Maybe for you it's not! You're fast enough to dodge all of her bullets! Unfortunately, just when I think I've gotten good enough to dodge them all, Hotaru comes out with a new, faster model of the Baka gun!" I chuckled softly under my breath at the fact that Ruka completely misinterpreted what I was referring to.
"Actually, Ruka, I was referring to hooking up the DVD player. You have to unplug these wires right here and then replace them with the ones you're holding."
"Oh."
"Although you are right; Imai's stupid gun isn't any match for my skills." I unplugged the wires and looked back at Ruka, catching the end of his eye roll. He handed me the new wires, which he had successfully untangled, and I swiftly inserted them into the slots that were now free. A quick glance at the DVD player revealed our mission a success, as it was now lit up and ready to go. I got up from my crouched position on the floor by the flat screen and walked over to the couches.
If there's one thing my cousin's good at, it's inventing things. These couches are really comfortable. I let out a soft smile before lounging deeper into the cushions and placing my hands behind my head. I closed my eyes, wondering when Imai and Mikan would be back with the movies. My curiosity was soon answered when I heard Polka's loud voice.
"BUT HOTARU! ALL OF THESE ARE SO SCARY! Can't we pick some other genre for a change? PLEASE?!" I smirked knowingly; I had predicted this would happen from the moment Imai and Ruka invited us over for a movie night. I heard Ruka groan and my smirk widened. Looks like nothing's really changed from when we were kids in terms of movie preferences. I waited for Imai's threat that would surely shut Mikan up.
"Mikan. Stop complaining or I'll shoot you." And there it is. Mikan immediately shut her mouth after that warning, instead grumbling under her breath. I opened my eyes and met Ruka's smirk with my own before turning towards the doorway where Imai and Polka were standing. They came inside the room and Imai turned towards us with two DVD's in her hand.
"Let's start out with a light one. Coraline." I glanced at Mikan and chuckled at the look of sheer terror on her face. Honestly, the movie wasn't that scary at all. Although I would admit the button eyes were a bit disturbing. Polka clearly disagreed, however.
"BUT HOTARU! THAT'S SUCH A—" Mikan cut off her complaint when Imai raised her Baka gun.
"Don't be such a scaredy-cat, Polka. How about we strike a deal—if you really get scared I'll let you hold my hand," I offered, immediately knowing the girl would never agree to my offer due to her pride.
"I AM NOT A SCAREDY-CAT! AND I DON'T NEED YOU TO COMFORT ME!" Polka yelled, turning around and heading to the recliner chair on the other side of the room. I swiftly grabbed her wrist and tugged the girl towards me before she had taken more than three steps. Mikan fell back with a plop on the cushions right beside me in shock. She immediately began struggling against my arm, which I used to prevent her from escaping, and glared.
"LET ME GO! I DON'T WANT TO SIT NEXT TO SOMEONE LIKE YOU!" I winced a little before masking it with a blank look. As ridiculous as it was to admit, the comment bothered me.
Does she really dislike me so much she won't even sit beside me?
"Just sit down," I whispered softly, looking away from the girl and releasing my arm. Mikan immediately looked at me with faint surprise, most likely at my tone of voice, before smiling softly and settling down into the cushions.
"Fine."
"If you two idiots are done with your lover's quarrel, I'd like to start the movie now," Imai interjected. She was cuddled next to Ruka, who had his arm around her shoulders, and rested her head against his chest. I scowled at the two-foot distance between Polka and myself before looking at Imai and gesturing she start the film.
At least she's sitting next to me. Imai promptly started the film and I relaxed back into the sofa. I scoffed at Mikan, who was sitting rigid and on the edge of her seat with eyes darting about frantically, before lazily reaching towards her and yanking her right next to me. She let out a slight yelp and flinched, not expecting me to pull her closer. I met her glare with a challenging smirk that only grew when she succumbed to my will and cuddled a little closer to my chest.
That's much better.
"Mom? What are you doin' here in the middle of the night?"
"You're just in time for supper, dear."
Mikan shrieked at the sight of the hag's button eyes and grabbed my arm. I rolled my eyes and noticed she was trembling. We were hardly 15 minutes into the movie and the girl was already scared to death. She whimpered and tucked her head into my chest. I smirked, greatly enjoying the girl's reaction to the movie more than the movie itself. Actually, the movie sucked. It was boring, to say the least, and if Mikan hadn't been here to entertain me with her ridiculous reactions I would have left. Even though she probably wasn't aware of how physically close we were, it felt right having the girl in my arms. I decided to pull her closer to me, draping an arm around her crouched figure in a half-hug. I saw Ruka send me a huge grin from the corner of my eye and felt a small smile come onto my face.
"Hello, Coraline! Wanna hear my new song?"
"NO NO NO! WHY THE HELL DOES THIS GUY HAVE BUTTONS TOO? WHERE ARE THEIR EYES!?" Mikan jumped up from the couch and I felt the loss of her warmth instantly. Imai let out a huge sigh before pausing the video and raising a brow at Mikan.
"Seriously? We've barely even started the movie and you're already this scared?"
"I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE HOTARU! THIS IS TOO SCARY!" I scoffed, irritated by the fact that she wasn't in my arms anymore. Not that I was going to admit that aloud.
"Just shut up and watch the movie, Polka. This isn't scary at all."
"YES IT IS!" I was beginning to get irritated with her loud voice.
"No, it isn't. Quit being such a baby."
"IT IS TO ME YOU JERK! I CAN'T WATCH THIS ANYMORE!" I pinched the bridge of my nose and slowly counted to ten to try and diffuse my anger. It didn't really work, but Imai saved me from bursting out.
"Mikan. If you're really that scared of this scene then go fill up the snack bowl and come back when it's done. Or when you've calmed down; whichever comes first."
"Snacks?"
"Didn't you say you were going to make snacks and bring them?" Mikan stared blankly at Imai for a few moments before widening her eyes in realization. I rose a brow at Mikan, knowing that she had made the snacks earlier. After all, I helped her pack them into containers. Both of us came to the same realization simultaneously.
"OH MY GOD! I TOTALLY FORGOT TO BRING THEM! WE—"
"Left them back at our cabin," I finished, standing up from the couch. Now that Imai had mentioned snacks I was actually kind of hungry. Judging by Ruka's loud stomach growl, I wasn't the only one. Well, the cabin was only about a ten-minute walk from here. Might as well get the snacks since this movie was boring as hell.
"Natsume, Ruka, Hotaru, why don't you guys keep watching? I'll just run back to our cabin and grab the snacks."
"I'll come with you," I quickly threw in.
"Oh, that's alright Natsume! I know you like scary movies after all. You guys continue the movie—I don't really want to watch too much of it, to be honest. I'm sure by the time I get back I won't be as scared, so it all works out!"
"I'll come anyway. You probably would get lost in the dark, little girl. Besides, I don't think you could carry all those snack containers back by yourself." I intoned. Mikan bit her lip as she glanced at the screen where Coraline was currently paused. She then shook her head at me and sent me one of her blinding grins.
"Really, Natsume! You don't have to worry! I promise I'll be back before you even know it; it's hardly ten minutes away if I run. As for the many containers, there's no need to worry. I'll take the car back from our cabin, so I can keep all the food in the back. This job really doesn't need more than one person, so you guys keep watching. I insist!" I sighed. There was no convincing someone like Mikan once she set her mind on something. Dammit, I didn't want to watch this dumb movie if she wasn't going to sit next to me.
"Look, Hyuuga. Whatever you guys decide doesn't matter to me whatsoever, but you'd better decide quickly. The storm looks like it's coming down a little harder than earlier, so quit wasting time. Whether you drive or walk, getting caught in the storm isn't a good idea. Besides, I'm hungry." Imai interrupted, gazing out the window and pointing towards the light snow visible under the porch light. She was right, it had picked up a little bit. I finally conceded, realizing that the faster Mikan got the snacks the faster she would be on the couch, next to me, again. With a quick wave and a huge grin, Mikan dashed out the living room and we resumed the movie after the hearing the front door slam shut.
"She hates cats and tries to keep me out. But she can't, of course. I come and go as I please."
"The other mother hates cats?"
I narrowed my eyes at the screen before snatching the remote and pausing the DVD. Just as I thought, this part was around one hour into the movie. Which means it had been about 45 minutes since Polka left and she still wasn't back yet. Imai seemed to be on the same wavelength as I was, based on the worried gleam that broke her normally emotionless facade.
"Hey, Natsume. Why did you pause the movie?" Looks like Ruka wasn't, on the other hand. Hotaru gave him a single look after pointing at the "54:39" on the screen and Ruka immediately understood the predicament.
"You're right. If we've already watched this much of the movie then Mikan should have been back about 15 minutes ago at the latest. You don't think she...got stuck in the storm, do you?"
"No that can't be it, Ruka. She would have called us if she got stuck."
"Called? But if the storm is blocking the signal then how would she—"
"I gave her one of my signal-proof gadgets. It might not be able to carry complete conversations, but if Mikan was stuck or something I would know."
"Then what do you think happened, Imai?" I asked, worry creeping in quickly.
"How should I know, Hyuuga? It's not like I've been in this room the whole time or anything." I glared at my cousin to let her know I did not appreciate the sarcastic jibe. She only glared back, while Ruka tried to defuse the tension.
"Seriously? You guys can glare at each other later—we have bigger problems to deal with. Namely where the hell Mikan is! Hotaru, can you contact her through the device?"
Dammit! I should have gone with her! I let out a sigh, realizing this wasn't the time to glare at irritable Ice Queens. Ruka was right, Mikan was the first priority right now. Hotaru fiddled with the device now in her hands before tossing it on the couch in frustration.
"Crap! Mikan isn't responding."
"Maybe she left the device in the cabin by accident and is on her way here now, or something like that," Ruka contributed hopefully, though the anxiety that tinged his tone revealed he didn't believe his own words. I let a string of curses out before snatching my jacket and heading out of the living room.
"Natsume! Where are you—"
"Hyuuga." I turned back at Imai's tone. She tossed me some sort of device which I caught in my right hand while simultaneously shoving my boots on.
"The arrow on the screen acts like a compass that is honed in on your cabin. If you get lost just follow the direction of the arrow and you'll be on the right path again. Press the blue button at the bottom once you've found Mikan and then head back to our cabin. If you need to contact us for some reason, press the purple button. I don't know how long the signal will last, but it should be enough for you to get a quick message to us," Imai explained. I looked down at the device, noting the instructions she had just given. I noticed a fairly large red button in the center of the device and stared at it curiously.
"What's the red button for?" Imai was silent before she finally looked up, a haunted sort of expression glimmering in her eyes.
"If you can't find her…." I stared at my cousin for a few moments before sending a slight grin her way.
"It's a good thing I've never been fond of big red buttons then." I immediately held a hand up in goodbye and ran out the front door, just catching Ruka's parting "Good luck!"
It was a bit rough running to the cabin because I could barely see anything in the darkness. The snow wasn't helping either, as it was not only cold but impeding the speed at which I could run. No matter what direction I set my gaze, a blank, white backdrop met me. I glanced down at the device Imai had given me and noted that the arrow was pointing slightly to the left, indicating a curve up ahead. Based on that, the lake was probably turning a bit, and from my memory, the cabin was near a slight curve. Which meant I was nearing Mikan now.
That is, assuming she's even in the cabin.
I sighed, noting that there was no way I could tell if Mikan had gotten stuck somewhere along the route between the cabins. I couldn't see a damn thing; even if I used a flashlight it wouldn't be easy searching for a person in this storm. All I could do was hope and pray that Polka was safe in the cabin. I made up excuses for the girl as I dashed towards the cabin as fast I could in these weather conditions. Maybe Mikan decided to stay in our cabin so she could avoid the horror movies. No, she would have alerted us if that was the case. Maybe she lost the device on her way to the cabin and then decided to stay there after seeing the storm pick up. I groaned, realizing that while that might have been the case—Polka-Dots was super clumsy after all—it was unlikely. There's no way Mikan would lose a precious gadget given to her by Imai, especially not on accident. Nobody wants to face Imai's wrath for losing one of her precious inventions after all.
The arrow curved a little more and I increased my pace. Based on the angle, the cabin should be coming up soon. I ran a little bit further and was quickly awarded by the sight of wooden logs stacked up into a building. There it is. I immediately headed towards the front door only to be impeded by a large tree branch. I glanced up, barely making out the rest of the tree, then stared at the branch before me.
It must have broken off due to the weight of the snow accumulating on top of it.
There was a part of the branch that appeared to be elevated, making it slope overall. There had to be something underneath to make it raised on one side and the worst thought crept into my mind. What if Mikan….No, that was impossible. There's no way a branch would have fallen on top of her. Then again, the girl never did have a good track record with trees. I pushed at the branch using all of my weight until it finally creaked off and resonated with a huge thud as it fell flat on the ground. I peered at the object it was resting on and let out a sigh of relief. It appeared to be some sort of box. My relief was short lived as I soon realized the box, which now had a large dent in it, was the backup generator for the cabin. Imai's backup generator had turned on a while ago based on the alert Imai got on her phone, meaning the main power would have been off in both of our cabins. If the backup was broken, then there would be no heat or electricity in our cabin. Which meant it was unlikely that Mikan would still be in the cabin; the conditions weren't practical to stay in. I let out a grunt of frustration, ran a hand through my hair and ultimately decided to call Imai and Ruka. Desperate times called for purple buttons that could only be used once.
I pressed the button and rose an eyebrow at the ridiculous screeching sound that resulted. Ruka's voice proceeded to come through the receiver, although it was hard to hear, most likely due to the worsening conditions of the storm.
"Natsume! What's wrong? Did you find Mikan?"
"No, Ruka."
"Then why are you wasting this call, Hyuuga?" A feminine voice coldly queried. I glared at the receiver before proceeding to inform Ruka and Imai about the generator situation.
"I'm right next to the cabin now. There's a huge tree branch that was slanted, and I moved it in the off chance that... Never mind. Either way, I moved the branch and found out that the box holding the backup generator has been severely damaged."
"What? Why are you telling us this information, Natsume? It has nothing to do with—"
"Are you sure the generator isn't working, Hyuuga?"
"Yes, Imai. The box is completely dented. I almost didn't recognize what it was."
"Damn. This isn't good news, Hyuuga."
"Will someone please tell me what the heck a broken generator has to do with Mikan?" I sighed. Ruka clearly didn't understand the significance of this discovery.
"Ruka. It means that Polka isn't inside the cabin—it's too cold for her to possibly stay in there. Not to mention it's also completely pitch black."
"...Pitch...Black…Hotaru!"
"What, Ruka? Hyuuga's already explained that it's not working. Obviously the cabin would be dark."
"Don't you guys see? The cabin is pitch black. Didn't the electricity for the main power system go down about 15 minutes after Mikan left our cabin?" My eyes widened as I put together what Ruka was saying. Mikan used to be deathly afraid of the dark, after that incident with that bitch Luna when we were kids. But...was she still scared of the dark?
"Imai, is the idiot still scared of the dark?"
"...Yes, she is. Hyuuga is the car at the cabin still?" I trudged through the snow a bit more before catching the shiny metal of the car by the garage, where we had left it hours earlier.
"It's still there. Then...Mikan must be...DAMMIT!" I swiftly ran over to the front door of the cabin and found the door unlocked. All my doubts flew out the window—Mikan was definitely in the cabin.
"She's definitely here. I've got to go now." I hurriedly affirmed, pushing the door open.
"Fine. Natsume, once you find Mikan bring her back to our cabin. You guys can take the other bed for the night since your cabin doesn't have any heat. Also, Hotaru's saying that if you press the knob on the side of the communication device then it will act as a flashlight."
"Right. Thanks."
"Hyuuga. Find her." Imai suddenly cut in. I could hear the tinge of worry in her voice, which only served to hasten my search.
"I will." With that last promise, I disconnected the call and converted the device into a flashlight. A quick sweep of the living room revealed nothing and I headed into the kitchen only to come up empty-handed there as well. I ran past my bedroom towards Mikan's room and grew frustrated when the girl wasn't there either.
The bathroom. Maybe she's in there? I backtracked to the bathroom and paused in front of my room when I heard a strange sound. I neared my door and the sound grew loud enough to morph into whimpers. There. She was in there.
CRASH! I kicked the door open and anxiously surveyed the room with the light. Nothing by the dresser, nothing by the closet, nothing on the bed, nothing by the floor of the—wait! I could faintly see the outline of a person huddled by the end of my bed with their hands wrapped around their ears tightly. I focused the light on the bundle and found Mikan staring blankly at the floor, trembling and silently sobbing.
There. There she is. There's Mikan.
"Mikan. MIKAN!" I yelled desperately, fearing the frozen look on her face. This wasn't how she was supposed to look. Polka-Dots was supposed to be the perpetually caring, annoyingly optimistic, clumsy Baka. Not this scared little girl rocking on the floor in fear. She looked up at the sound of my voice blankly. She stared for a few moments at me and something seemed to register in her amber orbs. Something akin to relief.
"N...N...Natsu...me—" Mikan whispered brokenly before closing her eyes. She started falling towards the ground and I dropped Imai's gadget in my haste to reach the girl before she hit the floor. I barely caught the unconscious girl and crouched on the floor with her secured in my arms. She was still trembling and I could see tears leaking out the corners of her eyelids. There were streaks going down her face and I fleetingly wondered how long she had been crying in the cabin, alone. This was all my fault; I knew I shouldn't have let her go by herself. I adjusted the girl in my arms, wiping the stray tears off her cheeks softly. I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and placed my lips on her forehead gently.
"N...Natsume?" Mikan murmured curiously, finally awake. I gazed into her tired eyes and sent her a small smile before grabbing her close and wrapping my arms around her. She was still trembling, although she was rigid in my embrace.
"I'm here."
"Natsume!" Mikan finally broke down into tears and clutched at my shirt fiercely. All of her fear swept over me and I berated myself for once again leaving her alone in this vulnerable state. "Natsume! The power-hic-went out so-hic-suddenly and I-hic-was so sc-hic-ared and I-hic-didn't know if you-hic-would find me and I-hic…" Mikan trailed off, trying to suppress her hiccups. I held her tighter and stroked her back lightly.
"I will always find you. No matter what darkness comes your way. I promise." Mikan continued crying in my arms after my promise and it was all I could do to comfort the girl. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she gradually fell asleep. I placed another kiss on her forehead before hoisting her up into my arms, bridal style. Even though I always teased her about her weight, she was actually quite light. I headed out the bedroom door towards the cabin's exit. It was high time we went back to Ruka's cabin.
Where...am I? Goosebumps prickled down my arms as I whirled around and was met with darkness at every angle. Wherever I was, I sure didn't like it. I walked aimlessly in one direction, hoping there would be some sort of light or a way out of this pitch black scene. I rubbed my hands up and down my arms in an attempt to make the goosebumps flee and immediately stopped the action when I heard what sounded like a whimper. I glanced in the direction of the sound and was met with a figure, huddled and shaking next to what looked like...a rake? She appeared to be whispering something and I cautiously approached the little girl to hear her words.
"...cared...Natsume..I'm scared...Natsume…" Natsume? Why would this little girl know who Natsume is? Better yet who was this little girl? I kneeled before the girl and slowly moved a hand towards her. It went directly through and I leaped back with a gasp of shock. I tried to touch her again, only to watch as my arm slid through the image of the girl. I held my shaking palm up in fear when the girl suddenly looked up. She stared at me, rather right through me, almost like I wasn't there at all. It was unsettling.
"Luna...Luna...she...she's going to…" The little girl hoarsely whispered, a fresh bout of tears sprouting from her amber eyes. I watched the girl in shock as recognition dawned. Those eyes...I had seen them plenty of times before...they mirrored the exact pair on my face.
Then...This girl...is me? Is this another flashback? Another memory that I…
My thoughts were quickly broken by the sound of a door splintering as it met the wall with a large force. Both the little girl and I faced the door and my mouth dropped open at the sight of the boy with crimson eyes. He was here...again. He was here in my vision again! He was panting hard and frantically darting his eyes about, searching for something.
"Natsume!" I glanced down at my younger self before me with a grim look. Then it really was Natsume...why was I suddenly watching so many visions, or memories, or whatever they were lately? All of them involving Natsume too? I placed my hands around my ears to try and block out the memory along with the searing headache cropping up.
"Mikan. MIKAN!" My head shot up at the voice. It didn't sound like a little boy's voice... it sounded exactly like the adult Natsume that I had come to know. I fixed my gaze on the door in shock. The little boy was no longer there and neither was the girl next to me. The only one there was Natsume, the Natsume that tortured me then befriended me. The Natsume that was beginning to mean a bit more than I hoped. He sent me a soft smile and my breath froze at the sight. Why must he affect me like this?
"I will always find you. No matter what darkness comes your way. I promise." I gasped in shock at the sweet words, at the gentle expression in his eyes. Was this the real Natsume? Somehow...I found...that he didn't scare me anymore. No. Natsume had never scared me, not even the first time I met him. Not really, at least. For some reason, he was always there. Always there to protect me, to save me. Maybe that was why I nodded and walked toward the Natsume before me, holding his hands out. Maybe that's why I felt so warm just from being near him. Why I was starting to care for him more than I thought possible. I smiled and finally opened my eyes, grabbing the warm object beside me and pulling it closer. I snuggled into it and heard the resounding thud of a heart.
A...heart beat? The thought immediately snapped me out of my dream and I whipped my eyelids open. The sight that met me was blurry for a few moments but it finally settled down to reveal Natsume right beside me with his eyes closed and his breathing relaxed.
Natsume?!
And...it's done! Phew! Once again Mikan finds a situation from her past coming back for a repeat! Looks like Luna's scarred her for life...although Mikan's fear of the dark isn't the only wonderful present from Luna! *Winks.* Also, this is a total side note, but I really hate Coraline. I had to watch a few of the scenes from the movie to get the lines right, and the whole time I was almost as scared as Mikan ahahah… *sweatdrops.*
Anyways, the next chapter is going to be pretty fluffy (hopefully)! After that, though, the plot should be picking up for sure. There are still a few things about Mikan's accident that need to be revealed, after all. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Do let me know what you thought about it, please!
~ Breezylyn