Hey guys! I want to thank you for your support so far! I hope you all stay until the end :) Please enjoy the chapter!
"Oi."
I twitched.
"Wake up."
All of a sudden I felt like I couldn't breath.
"Wake up already."
I snapped my eyes open reluctantly at the voice, only to get blinded by the sunlight streaming into the room. I shut my eyes again, before slowly opening them and blinking a few times to adjust my sight.
Someone was pinching my nose painfully. I tried swatting whatever it was away.
As I slowly adjusted my eyes, I found myself staring right at Natsume Hyuuga's face, which was less than three centimeters away from mine.
I blinked.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty." He grinned.
Then it clicked.
And I screamed.
"WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED!?" I yelled in panic, throwing the covers off and jumping away from him, covering myself with my arms.
"I was just waking you up." He stated simply before yawning and stretching on my bed.
"You could've gotten Nobara or another maid to do that." I narrowed my eyes suspiciously on him.
"Don't wanna." His eyes trained on me, making me nervous. On a closer look, he was wearing what looked like a uniform. It was a simple white collared long-sleeved shirt, an umber cardigan with gold trimmings worn over it, an emerald tie, matched with plaid khaki pants.
Wait.
This was my school's uniform!
"W-Why…" I started, my face growing pale, my finger pointing at him accusingly. He merely looked at me with his alluring eyes and gave me a charming smile.
Then, in my surprise, he sat up, held my hand, and brought it to his lips.
I pulled my hand back and curled up against the wall in alarm.
He merely laughed at my reaction.
"Alright, get ready. I'll barge in on you in ten minutes even if you're—" He didn't have to say that twice. I kicked him right out of my room and got ready at top speed. Surprisingly, I found my usual school uniform folded neatly in my bathroom. Sure enough, after exactly ten minutes, he barged into my room without a single knock. Thank god I was almost ready, just tying my hair up.
"Wow. You were faster than I expected." He commented, leaning against the doorframe.
"Like hell I'll let you barge in when I'm changing." I stuck my tongue out at the infuriating guy.
"Or you could have just locked the door." He smirked and I froze. I hadn't thought of that! "Oh, but I would've found another way in."
"You pervert." I hissed, preparing to grab my bag… "Crap! I didn't bring anything here!"
"You looking for this?" He threw me something, and when I got a closer look, it was my bag with all my folders inside.
"How—" I started, shocked.
"I had Nobara take a look in your room and see if anything was necessary to bring." He explained casually. He took a look at his watch. "Ah, we're going to be late."
I quickly made my way over and grabbed his hand, taking a look at his watch as well. Shit! We only had about five minutes before class starts!
I grabbed my bag and rushed out the room, Natsume casually following behind (god, can't he walk faster?) passing Nobara in the hallways.
"Mikan-sama, what about breakfast?" She asked as I hurriedly passed by.
"No time!" I answered as I ran out the front door, before coming to a sudden halt. Crap…I completely forgot that this wasn't my village. In fact, I didn't even know where I was. Which way is school…?
Before I could think, someone grabbed my waist and lifted me off the ground. When I blinked, I found myself soaring through the air, with Natsume carrying me.
"Wha—"
"You can't get to school by normal means." Natsume answered, his wings flapping rhythmically before opening wide and just gliding through the air. We passed through the familiar grey fog, and I automatically shut my eyes. When I opened my eyes, we were flying over my village.
"This is…!" I said out of surprise as we continued flying without a care in the world. "Wait! They'll see us!"
"Don't worry." Natsume answered simply. "Trust me."
He glided in the air gracefully, and oddly enough, I felt strangely comfortable flying and his arms around me made me feel secure.
No.
Erase that thought.
I will never be safe in the arms of this guy.
We landed softly at the back of the academy I've been going to since I was in first grade. Gakuen Alice. Suddenly, I felt very nostalgic. Even though it's only been a night, it feels so long since I've been somewhere I recognize.
"Ok, let's go." Natsume's wings disappeared into his back once we touched the ground and he walked on without waiting a beat.
"Wait!" I called frantically, trying to catch up with his long strides. We both made our way into the school building, and the sight of all the familiar students made me feel at peace.
"What class are you?" I asked, curious, earning a small glance from the male beside me.
"What class are you?" He asked me back teasingly and I growled.
"I asked you first." I stated stubbornly.
"I know." He merely said. "But I want you to answer first." I ground my teeth in annoyance.
"2B." I spat. "Now what's yours?"
"2B." He answered and opened the door to the classroom. I hadn't even realized we were already there.
"Ladies first." He winked and I walked in, letting out a small huff. He merely chuckled.
"Mikan!" I brightened immediately at the sight of my best friends, Anna Umenomiya, Nonoko Ogasawara (I usually just call her Nono for short) and Sumire Shouda (we all agreed that her nickname should be 'Permy' because of her permed emerald hair).
"Morning guys!" I greeted, making my way over and setting my bag down next to my seat. To my surprise, Natsume followed me over and sat in the seat next to me.
"Who's that?" Nono whispered, leaning over and the other two leaned in as well to hear our conversation.
"Um…" I glanced at Natsume who was scanning the room, looking absolutely impassive. "He's a friend from aboard, and just got here." I lied, my palms sweating like mad. I heard him let out a soft snort. I glared at him, using my eyes to threaten him into playing along.
"Oh!" Their eyes immediately sparkled; especially Permy. "That's so cool!"
"Hey," Permy immediately made her way over, batting her long eyelashes flirtatiously. "My name's Sumire Shouda. What's yours?"
"Natsume Hyuuga." He let out a charming smile. "Nice to meet you, Shouda-san."
"Oh please!" She giggled. "Call me Sumire!"
"Call her Permy." I butted in, much to her dismay. "That's our nickname for her."
"Hey!" Permy whined. "You know I hate that nickname."
"Why?" Natsume asked with a small, amused smile. "Permy is cute." Permy's face went completely red.
"I-If you say so, Natsume-kun." She giggled to herself and we gagged, excluding Natsume who merely watched us in amusement.
"Alright class, go back to your seats." Our homeroom teacher, Narumi L. Anju walked in with his usual cheerful grin. "Today we have a transfer student!"
The class broke into murmurs and squeals.
"Would you please come up, Natsume-kun?" He asked and Natsume got up from his seat, making his way to the front of the room.
"I'm Natsume Hyuuga, seventeen, and…" His eyes flashed to meet mine, and I gulped nervously. What on earth is he going to do? "…I'm Mikan Yukihira's friend from aboard. I just got here. Hope we all get along." Then he winked, and the girls in the class went absolutely wild.
D-Did he just use my words against me? I have a feeling I'll be surrounded by girls that want me to hook them up.
"Great!" Narumi clapped happily. "And I see you've already got a seat. You can just sit there." Hearing this, my body just automatically stood up, and before I knew it, the words tumbled out of my mouth.
"Why do I have to sit with him!?" The class went silent at my outburst; even Narumi was a little taken aback.
"Isn't he your friend?" Anna asked with a brow raised, and I started sweating.
"Of course he is!" I started waving my hands frantically. "I mean, I thought he wouldn't be able to meet new friends if he sat with me."
"Don't worry about me, Mikan." He had a disgusting smirk on, and I wanted to so badly slap it off his face. "I'll make plenty of friends, so it's ok even if I sit next to you." The girls squealed again and I swallowed a grumble.
I tapped my fingers impatiently against my desk as I stared at the clock hanging over the whiteboard. Three…two…one…
And first block ended.
Before my friends were able to open their mouths, I had already pulled Natsume out the classroom and into an abandoned part of the hallway.
"Why are you in my school?" I hissed venomously, but Natsume just stared at me like I was a joke.
"Because you're here." He answered simply and I almost choked him.
"That's not an answer!" I threw my hands up exasperatedly.
"Of course it is." He gave me a gentle smile, much to my surprise. "You are all that matters to me now."
My face flushed and I took a step back. "W-What are you—"
"I am in charge of you until you choose a suitable husband for you." He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips again. Somehow, I stood frozen and could not pull away. "This is my duty, and of course, I am also trying to win you over."
Oh god, I can feel my face become hotter by his sweet words and actions.
"I'm actually quite glad." He let go of my hand and his eyes softened on me. "I get to have an advantage in this month."
Then without another word, he walked away. I was rooted to the ground.
For a brief second, I saw a pained expression on his face.
"Welcome home, Mikan-sama." The second I opened the front door, I was greeted by Nobara and numerous other maids that stood in an arrow formation.
"Oh, are you guys starting already?" Natsume asked casually as he walked into the house without a second glance.
"Yes, Natsume-sama." Nobara turned towards him and bowed. "We thought it would be best to start right away."
"Do what you deem fit." Was his usual half-assed answer, and I stood frozen in front of them, having no idea of what was going on.
"Now then." Nobara gave me an eery smile. "I will explain what will happen to you in this month before your sixteenth birthday, and until you find a suitable husband."
I gulped and backed up, but the door was already shut and the maids had already surrounded me.
"You will be going to your usual school in the morning, and when you come back," she took out a teaching stick somehow and started tapping it against her palm in the creepiest way, "the other house maids and I, personally, will be teaching you all you have to know about our world and our rules. We will be extremely strict."
"What?" I blurted, absolutely shocked with this development. "I don't understand why I have to be taught—"
"Of course you do." Nobara intervened. "Once you marry, your husband will automatically become the new ruler and you, naturally, the queen. Your child will become the next ruler, and the most powerful being of the next thousand years." She started. "Thus, if you are going to become queen, you must learn how to properly act like one. Of course, we will also be teaching you skills to attract the opposite sex, as not all demons are actually going to be interested in taking you as a bride, and how to be a good wife."
I'm getting dizzy. This is not happening.
There are classes on how to be a good wife? The hell?
"Oh, and also," Nobara smiled sweetly. "There are times when you will need a practice partner, so Natsume will play that role. Please be prepared."
I sweat dropped at her excited expression. "You have an ulterior motive."
"My, what could you be possibly talking about?" She pressed a finger against her chin and tilted her head sideways cutely, feigning innocence. "I totally do not want to secretly have you and Natsume-sama spend more time together so you'll fall for him and marry him. Oh, there's no way I'd do that."
Ulterior motive completely revealed. Heck, now I want to take these after-school lessons even less.
"Now then, Mikan-sama," Nobara struck the stick down against her palm again, all the maids looking at me like hungry wolves. "Shall we start?"
Hehe, it's getting a bit more interesting! I'm in Chicago right now and going to summer school next week! And I'm starting IB in about 6 weeks so I'm going to be SUPER busy and may update EVEN slower. So sorry :'(
Anyways, comments, critics and suggestions are always welcome! Please tell me your thoughts! And also, if you're going/in IB or summer school, please tell me how it is/your opinion. So nervous about school. X_X