Break It Off

This can't go on forever; I need to break this thing off. I need to stop this or I'll never be with her. I don't care if they cut me off; I'm ready to begin anew. This agreement I gotten myself into, I just said yes with the company in mind. I was ready to forget everything and lose myself, but she appeared making me run after her. I'm chasing after her and she's running away. Am I being ridiculous over this just one girl? Yes I am, I know what they will say and I'm prepared for it. I'm on my way to my father's office right now, to tell him I can't go on much longer. Following Mikan on her date yesterday was fun; I got to prevent a lot of things. Mikan…I'm getting more comfortable saying that name again and again. Mikan, Mikan, right now all that's in my mind is one name, Mikan.

I walked to my father's office and knocked on the door.

"Come in Natsume" he was expecting me, its natural since I called him beforehand. I opened the double doors and saw my father sitting at his grand desk. He looked a bit worn out yelling stress just by looking at his face. I'm sorry for what I'm about to do father.

"So what do you need to see me for?" I sat myself in one of his leather chairs, he noticed my intent seriousness. Took off his glasses and looked at me straight in the eyes, he always does this when I ask for something serious.

"I'm not ready to be engaged" I said flatly, he still put on a straight face.

"And why is that?" he asked.

"I don't really see Nishima in that way" I answered, his face didn't even twitch.

"Natsume, you eagerly agreed to this arrangement before, why now?" he asked.

"I wasn't that thrilled I was thinking about the company"

"So you blame the company for your indecisiveness?" he asked, I furrowed my eyebrows.

"No I'm not, I just don't like Nishima" I said with my voice having some slight anger.

"I don't think you should jeopardize the bond between two companies merely because of your own personal feelings, an agreement is an agreement and you have to honor it" he said with his business-like tone, I always hated it.

"No, you just don't want to lose the partnership! You only think about the company, you never thought about my well-being, you just used me as a pawn in your game" I said raising my voice, when I heard that tone I always snapped. It was true, he was never at home. He always went on business trips and stay in late at the office. I never experienced that father-son bond even when I was little. When my mother died in middle school he never went to her funeral, it was only Aoi, me and a few relatives. I always resented him for that, for not even showing any sadness, he just worked and worked himself in the office. I became sort of a rebel during those years, before I met Mikan. I would always break the rules and thus I had a bad reputation, even when the school tried to notify my father he didn't really care. The more he didn't care the more I felt like being a bad-ass. Yes this does sound like I just wanted attention from him, maybe I did. Maybe I just wanted him to somehow acknowledge me as a son and not a successor. When I entered high school he would take only thirty minutes to talk to me on the weekends. During those thirty minutes all he kept blabbing about was the company and how I should succeed it. To me it just sounded like air passing through a tube which was my head.

When I met Mikan I somehow toned down. The people who knew about my bad reputation were shocked and even tried to hit their heads against the wall to see if it was all real that they weren't imaging the Natsume Hyuuga being a behaved boy instead of a hot-tempered dangerous guy.

"There are only two possibilities why you want to break off this engagement. One, you decide to run away from the pressure not caring if you don't get a single cent or two, which is quite simple…you're in love with somebody else" that last sentence hit me like hurricane, they are both correct but the second one was more than that, it was the truth "Now I won't let you explain neither of them but if your rebellion against me is how you truly feel then why don't I make you a deal?" I gulped, whenever my father makes deals there is usually something behind it. Just hearing him say the word 'deal' has sent a chill down my spine.

"I will let you work in the company provided that you get the girl within a month. If you do every penny that I would have given you when I retire is all yours" Did I hear right? My father who is usually so stingy is giving me everything? "But, if you are not successful I will demote you and have you married to Nishima"

"Whatever happened to my first option?" I asked.

"I know a Hyuuga well son, the only way they would give up everything is for the one they love" I think I might just be hallucinating but my father's usual stone hard face had softened a bit only by a second. I think that was the first time I ever saw him like that, for years I always thought he was a cold fish but I guess he has some emotions too. (Like father like son)

"You are dismissed" I stood up from my chair and approached the door "Remember, I will be watching"

Break It Off

Comments: Well I guess I have to give a reason as to why I took so long. My self-proclaimed martial artist brother forgot to pay the internet bill when I came to stay at his place for a few weeks of vacation, yeah I know, it's ridiculous.

Listening to: The air coming from the electric fan and my mom's footsteps and some water.