Shaken
I stared at my reflection in my full length mirror. The woman staring back at me was wearing almost five thousand yen worth of clothes, make-up and accessories. Shopping with Hotaru was always the most exhausting thing anyone can do. It was strangely nice of her to buy me all these expensive stuff that I wouldn't even wear again ever. I just grabbed my coat and starting heading to the elevator to catch a taxi outside. I went out of the elevator and found Serina sitting at her usual desk.
"Mikan-chan! Going out?" asked Serina, I nodded.
"I'm going to a party where Hotaru invited me" I answered.
"You want me to call a cab for you?" she asked about ready to dial on her phone but I stopped her.
"No need, I'm just going to the nearby taxi stop" I said.
"Okay, take care of yourself Mikan-chan" said Serina.
"Sure, bye Serina-san!" I said taking off, sometimes Serina acted like a family member to me. She was always so warm and gentle yet scary when you get on her bad side. You wouldn't want to deal with her when she's in a bad mood.
I left the apartment building and started walking towards the nearest taxi stop which was near a KFC restaurant. I checked my watch and it was already late.
"Darn it!" I muttered under my breath and started running, Hotaru would kill me if I show up very late. I almost reached the taxi stop and saw only one last taxi about to leave. I waved my hands like an idiot and yelled for the driver to wait. I lost my balance as I rushed and almost tripped on my shoes, I cursed and hoped the heels weren't broken, they cost a lot of Hotaru's money. The taxi started driving towards my direction and stopped in front of me. The window of the passenger seat rolled down and I saw a guy, quite a cute one too. He had this really big smile.
"Need a lift?" came his smooth deep voice; he had dark brown hair and the most clear green eyes I ever saw. I nodded slowly out of breath "Hope in" I almost limped to the car door and went inside.
"So who's first?" asked the taxi driver.
"Um, I'm going to Seitei hotel" I said looking at the cute guy; I noticed he was wearing a suit.
"What a great coincidence, me too!" he said smiling radiantly, who the heck dropped him from heavens? He was so hot! I think maybe I have become too desperate for a guy and somehow imagined him.
"You both are in luck" said the taxi driver as he started driving.
"My names Karashima Ryuji, what's yours?" I smiled brightly at him.
"Sakura Mikan" I answered.
"That's a cute name" he commented, I felt my face forming a rose garden.
"Um, could you perhaps be attending Ruka Nogi's party?" I asked trying not to act stupid.
"Yes, he's my colleague" he replied "We get together a lot in the veterinary business" So he works with Ruka huh? Ruka became a very dedicated vet after college, he and Hotaru, the famous genius inventor, have been going out for almost five years now. I wonder if there was an occasion for this party.
"Are you perhaps related to Ruka?" he asked.
"I'm the best friend of his girlfriend, Hotaru Imai" I said proudly, I wasn't afraid to tell everyone that Hotaru and I are close, yet she always hits me whenever I make a big fuss over it.
"I see, so Imai-san has been able to have a friend like you" said Karashima-san.
"We've been together since we were kids" I said lying back on my seat. I checked my heels to see if they were okay.
"Are you okay? You were running and suddenly tripped when I saw you so I decided to see if you were okay" said Karashima-san.
"I'm fine; thanks for letting me ride Karashima-san!" I said cheerfully, somehow my reluctance earlier has disappeared, I was just happy talking to Karashima-san.
"Its no big deal, I just couldn't let a young lady such as yourself be out in the cold" he was such a gentleman! Someone pinch me right now! I'm so happy I decided to walk outside today!
"So you work in the same place as Ruka?" I asked.
"Yes, have you visited the place yet? It's Shoujankuu Veterinary near Cherry Park"
"Well no, I haven't really got up the chance to visit. I mean I have been really busy these days" I said, maybe I should visit. It wasn't that far and it was just near Ruka's place so I could make up an excuse.
"Ah really, what is it that you do?" he asked, I told him about the travel magazine business, how it doesn't really pay much but I get a lot of traveling benefit.
"Amazing, I wish I could travel like you. It's nice to see something new and exciting once in awhile. But not that being a vet is not exciting, sometimes I get to examine exotic creatures like snakes and iguanas" I widened my eyes, snakes? How does he handle those? I never heard of Ruka having any dangerous patients with scales, claws and fangs, those just creeps me out…a lot.
"How dangerous, how do you handle those?" I said with uneasiness.
"Oh I'm sorry do you have herpetophobia? I didn't realize" he said with a worried look on his face.
"Oh no! It's okay! I just can't handle being with them with a childhood trauma and all" I said remembering the incident when I was ten I got scratched by a giant lizard that escape from the zoo. They called it a something-dragon but I could never forget its icky thin forked tongue and those threatening glaring eyes. I never wanted to see another lizard thing again.
"I'll just have to keep note of that then" he said chuckling, the fan girl inside me squealed like she just saw her favorite pop idol live in a concert. Of course I had to remain calm outside, I mean I am already an adult and I can't scream like a fourteen year old.
"Oh we're already here" said Karashima-san as we stopped in front of Seitei. I was about to take out my wallet when he stopped me.
"Consider this as a treat for letting me talk to you" he said, I didn't argue anymore as I let him pay for the cab. He quickly got out on the other door and I was about open my door but he instantly appeared and opened the door, offering out his hand. I think I'm melting right now; I was always such a sucker for the gentlemanly type. I gladly took his hand and it felt really warm. Even though it was about seventeen degrees outside, I felt really warm.
"Should we go inside?" he said, I nodded. We both went in and immediately spotted Ruka outside the party hall.
"Ryuji! Mikan-chan, you two know each other?" he asked as he immediately saw us together.
"We just recently met in the taxi" I explained.
"We had a very nice chat" I heard Karashima-san say. Ruka looked at us skeptically; I had a feeling that Ruka was somewhat disappointed.
"Well let's go inside and enjoy the party, there's going to be a surprise later" he said winking at us. I raised an eyebrow, what could the surprise be?
"Mikan" I turned around and saw Hotaru in her purple dress.
"Hotaru!" I said hugging her.
"Good thing you're not late" was all she said, typical of her to worry about that.
"Hey Hotaru, do you have any idea about the surprise that Ruka said?" I asked her getting real curious.
"No, for the last time I don't know what that Nogi is up to. He's been teasing me a lot lately and I feel like using my cannon on him" said Hotaru rather irritably; I'm guessing that a lot of people had been asking the same question since the party started.
"I see you and Karashima met huh?" said Hotaru eyeing the two of us, I blushed and Karashima-san just smiled.
"Would any of you ladies like some drinks?" he asked.
"I already drank" replied Hotaru.
"I'll just have some champagne" I told Karashima-san, he nodded and went towards the bar.
"I see you got the hots for Karashima" said Hotaru, I looked at her in shock.
"Hotaru!" I started to stutter nervously.
"It's fine; at least you're not miserable like a few days ago. Karashima might even be good for you" said Hotaru obviously not knowing about the return of that jerk. I decided to keep quiet about that for now.
Shaken
I was at the party for awhile now; Ruka just came back with a giant grin on his face that made him look like his face froze which was really creepy to look at.
"Ruka, could you please stop looking like a plastic Barbie doll with one of her creepy smiles?" Ruka relaxed his muscles a bit and chuckled.
"Hotaru's getting pissed" said Ruka, he's happy about that? I can't believe it, after years of being blackmailed by the sadistic Imai, Ruka has finally become a masochist "She's gonna be so surprised later"
"Yeah it depends, she might blast you with one of her cannons" I said getting a glass of martini from a passing waiter "You make her wait any longer she's gonna claw your eyes out"
"Just a little more" chuckled Ruka, but his expression suddenly got replaced by worry "Natsume, do you still remember Mikan-chan?" Remember her? I just met her a few days ago!
"Why? What about her?" I asked pretending not to be interested.
"Do you still have feelings for her?" he suddenly asked, I almost choked.
"W-what? Why are you asking that now? That was years ago!" I said almost raising my voice, but Ruka wasn't convinced.
"Well right now she's here with some other guy" So? Wait…she's here, with a guy? "My colleague, he's actually a real good guy so I don't have the heart to break them off"
"So? I don't really care" I said sipping my martini, Ruka looked at me with his eyes widened.
"Are you sure?"
"Look, I don't think I told you yet but I'm engaged" I said and his eyes became even bigger.
"Why didn't you tell me? I mean you had a lot of opportunity, we talked on the phone and we've been here for hours and you just tell me now you're engaged?" he said sounding like an angry girlfriend, sometimes Ruka would act gay if he was fussing over something.
"Don't you read the newspapers or watch TV? My engagement was all over the media" I answered.
"I was busy planning MY proposal!" how much time does he need just to propose to Imai? "You could have brought your fiancé here! Why did you just bring it up after I talked about Mikan-chan? Are you sure you don't have feelings for her anymore?" Ruka was getting more annoying by the second so I decided to tell him the whole story, how this whole arrangement was for the benefit of my company. Ruka just shook his head patted me on the shoulder like a mother disappointed in her son for failing a test.
"Natsume, are you sure you even want to go through this? Do you even know her?"
"I just know what she looks like" I said not really caring.
"Natsume, think about it carefully, your going to be tied down your whole life!" said Ruka nagging me, he sounds like such a girl.
"There's always divorce" I just simply said, Ruka looked like he pitied me. There was some guy that came and whispered something in Ruka's ear and Ruka's eyes glimmered.
"I gotta go its show time" he said as he walked away, that Ruka never changes. I wonder how their marriage life will be like. I looked around casually just looking for something to occupy my mind. There were a few girls smiling and giggling at me and I just gave them my killer smile until my eyes landed on her. She was in a pink dress with her long curly brunette hair down in a headband. She was standing beside Imai chatting and I could tell you she looked adorable. Those pink lips, those brown eyes, if I was to describe her she's a real angel (got it from a song) at that moment I didn't care about the conversation I had with Ruka earlier, I just walked towards her like a magnet pulling me to her. I heard my steps echo quietly as I silently walked to the other side of the room while soft string music played. After I was near her, she turned her head and showed me that angelic face of hers yet with a hint of surprise.
"Hyuuga" said Hotaru at least acknowledging my presence.
"Imai" I nodded, she didn't even greet me. She looked a bit fidgety though, like she was looking for someone. She shifted her eyes from me to somewhere else.
"You two haven't seen each other in awhile right?" said Hotaru, awhile depending if it's only a few days ago.
"Yes, it HAS been awhile" she said emphasizing the word 'has' with a hostile tone. Somehow I felt a bit of sarcasm there, nothing like a daily dose of irritation and bitterness.
"Ms. Imai" said some guy who came to her.
"What is it?" she asked rather sternly, the guy whispered something and Hotaru nodded "I have to go, it seems that Ruka wants me to go somewhere" she said in a very bitter tone. I wonder if she knows that Ruka is going to propose to her, probably not which makes some very good entertainment.
"So" I tried starting a conversation with her, she seemed very disturbed by my presence but I just kept pushing it "How are you enjoying the party so far?"
"Its fine" she said with an obvious fake smile, and then she shifted her gaze somewhere else. Is she trying to look for a unicorn or something?
"Are you alright now? You know since you just recovered from fever and all-"
"Healthy as a horse" she said interrupting my concern; she's not even looking at me!
"Finally did some grocery shopping? I recommend pasta since you just boil it" I could tell my attempt in annoying her was very much accomplished, she looked so vexed just seeing me standing near her. I was about to talk more when some guy handed her a drink.
"Here's your champagne" said Mr. Gentleman-with-a-to-die-for-smile-which-I-also-admit-is-model-material. He had this nice guy air around him, probably the kind that likes the outdoors and does a lot of different sports. Not that I'm jealous or anything, so what if he looks like a model and could probably substitute for Matthew McConaughey? I'm not threatened by this guy, not at all! I mean I got self-confidence and chicks throw themselves at me, yeah every chick except…
"Thanks Karashima-san" she said giggling as she took the glass from him. Like I said, I am not threatened.
"Oh, are you a friend of Sakura-san's?" asked the guy, I glanced at Mikan and found her trying to hide her face so I just smiled.
"Yeah, a very old friend, we go way back" I said "I'm Natsume Hyuuga"
"Ryuji Karashima, oh I know you! You're that business big shot!" he said snapping his fingers as he remembered.
"Yes, your right" I said shaking his hand.
"So you must be also friends with Imai and Nogi" he said with a very cheerful smile, I just gave him a fake smile.
"I'm Ruka's childhood friend" I said.
"I see, I work with Ruka in the clinic" he replied, Ruka's colleague huh? He seems like a fun guy to work with, might also be very funny too. Yeah this guy's no harm but as of this moment I don't care, I don't care if he's a real gentleman. I don't care if he probably helps old ladies in carrying groceries and I most certainly don't give a crap if he rescues little kittens from trees, I do know is that, he's not good enough for her!
"And now ladies and gentlemen…" we turned our heads towards the stage and saw the same guy that was talking to both Imai and Ruka "We shall now launch the real reason for this occasion!"