Turn the Music Up
Written by: Aminatsu032

-xx-

Natsume paused again, as if thinking. While waiting, I thought of some things in my mind; teddy bear, necklace...boxers - nah! I doubt he'll like any of those.

"Are you free tomorrow?" he finally asked.

"Well yeah, I guess—"

He didn't let me finish. "I'll pick you up at seven."

Before I could object, he had already hung up. It took me a while to realize what he's been telling me. A date?!

-xx-

VERSE TWELVE:

I quietly opened the door to my house. It was a little past seven—that meeting took longer than expected—and the whole time after Natsume's declaration, I just couldn't concentrate.

It wasn't anything like I didn't know what to wear and stuff. It was mainly because I've never been on an actual date before on my whole life—or maybe because I was going to go on a date with him. Either way, I wasn't prepared…and to think that this date was tomorrow.

I stepped into the door when I noticed someone sitting on the couch. I nearly jumped when I saw her face.

"Mom?!" I said breathlessly.

Mom stood up, smiling. "Haha. Sorry. Did I scare you? I didn't get a hold of your phone so—"

I didn't let her continue when I jumped to her arms.

She patted my back gently. "Aw, honey. Did you miss me?"

My sight blurred for a moment when I answered her. "Of course, I did! I thought you weren't going to be back `till next week!"

Mom laughed. "What kind of mother would ever leave her daughter alone for so long?"

I didn't answer her back. I just hugged her tight. One thing about Mom was that she knew exactly if you were sad or happy even how much you hide it.

"Dear, what's the matter?" she asked, her voice softened.

I let go of her and calmed myself in the couch.

"It's that…" I trailed of, thinking of the words I should be using. "What if someone asks you for a date?"

Mom raised her eyebrow at my tone. "Someone asked you for a date?"

I chewed on my lower lip for a while before I answered. "Well, not really. Just…"

Her lips twisted into a small smile as she sat behind me. "Do you want to go?" she said, patting my heart once.

I looked away. I didn't know how broken my expression would be when I looked at her. "I dunno," I murmured.

Mom laughed softly. "Tell me…who is it?"

I pursed my lips. I don't know how she would react when she finds out I was going with Natsume Hyuuga.

Mom shrugged. "I guess I'll be seeing tomorrow, then."

I eyed her questionably. I guess she really have figured out that Natsume would be picking me up tomorrow.

Mom clapped her hands once after a long moment of silence. "Oh, that reminds me! I brought some clothes with me."

She jumped out of the couch and headed to the large pile of bags huddled up on one corner of the living room. She shifted from bag to bag, until she found it. I eyed her suspiciously.

She gasped softly when she found what she had been looking for. Obviously, she didn't mind the large havoc she has caused in her search.

She lifted the brown clothing and showed it to me. "Like?"

I held my breath. It was perfect, but I didn't think it would fit me. I wouldn't even be compared with the beauty of the person I was going with, even in this dress.

It was chocolate brown—the color that matched my eyes. Its sleeves started from shoulder to wrists. Above it was another type of clothing. The strap was thin that wound to the back of the neck. The color was slightly lighter than the previous brown and the laces in the middle and below it were brownish-peach. The other ends of it were connected by a small ribbon.

Mom grinned, reading my expression.

I quickly composed myself. "I'm not wearing that," I snapped.

Mom pouted. "Oh, come on, Mikan! You have that black skirt, right? It fits perfectly—"

"No!" I interrupted, though I felt bad when I did.

Mom's expression didn't change. I could see she wouldn't give up that easily. "You would want to look good in front of him, would you?"

"No…" I said, much softer this time.

Mom rolled her chocolate eyes. "Just bite on it!"

My brows furrowed, but I considered her suggestion in the end. I could just "bite" on her ranting to see how Natsume would react.

-xx-

I was jumping on my seat as every second ticked by. I couldn't stand this—just waiting and waiting and waiting. Of course, there would always be a thought of someone standing you up at the back of your head.

Mom was smiling sheepishly across of me. I was afraid to know what she was thinking now I was about to be picked up by her 'mystery guy'.

DING.

I froze. Oh God, oh God, oh God. He was here.

Mom was suddenly so excited. "Mikan, Mikan, Mikan! He's here!" she kept on repeating. "Do you want me to get the door for you?"

I nodded. Then shook my head while lifting my shoulders slightly. Was I going crazy now?

Mom stood up and skipped to the door. When she reached for the doorknob, I suddenly jumped out of my seat and stopped her, my eyes bulging out.

"So does that mean you want to open the door, instead?" she said in a mocking tone.

I rolled my eyes and twisted the knob. Outside, Natsume was waiting. He wasn't wearing anything too casual. Just his black jeans and long sleeved olive green shirt. Suddenly, I felt overdressed.

"Good morning, Mrs. Sakura," he said in a polite tone. I was so surprised in his sudden change of attitude that my jaw locked wide open. My mind was now playing hallucinations at me. Odd.

Mom stood straight. "Well, hello there. You're Natsume Hyuuga, are you? You're famous."

My eyes narrowed. Does my mom even know how to answer the unusual politeness?

My heart bumped when Natsume let out a low chuckle. Not only my mind was playing tricks on me—my ears were, too!

"Yes. I'm sorry to snatch her from you so early. I promise I'll give her back just in time for dinner," he said as he flashed a small smile and turned away; I followed.

Mom waved frantically behind us. "Have fun, you two!" She said some words after that I didn't hear, but who cares. I was so dazed that I didn't want to think about anything now—that aside from Natsume's change of heart.

He led me to a black Mercedes that parked along the road. He held the door out for me and I got in.

"You're unusually overdressed," he commented in a low voice.

I rolled my eyes. "That's because you never actually told me where we're going."

Natsume didn't look at me; he kept his eyes on the road. "Tch. As if you'd come if I told you."

I gritted my teeth. "I knew it! You were just acting!"

Natsume didn't answer, and that was good. If he did, I'd be shooting curses at him right at this moment. That fake, unbelievably gorgeous devil!

It took me some time to realize we were taking an unfamiliar route. I examined every place and observed the houses and stores were now further and further apart. I looked around, it looked like the road we were taking was surrounded by a forest.

"Where exactly are you taking me?" I said in a whisper, loud enough for him to hear.

Natsume didn't answer as he concentrated at the route. I kept my breathing steady to control my fury—and at the tiniest point...fear.

Natsume suddenly hit the break. I looked at him, my eyes curious, as I waited for him to speak.

"You said before," he started, "that you were to do any condition I ask you to."

I bit my lips and thought thoroughly of the words I had said before. "What are you getting at?"

Natsume fell silent again. "I need you..." he said, now facing me. "I need you to pretend to my girlfriend."

I tilted my head. What did he just say? Something about...me. Being...his girlfriend?!

"No!" I suddenly boomed.

Natsume pursed his lips and accelerated again. He didn't look at me, but I could see a flash of fury in his ruby-red eyes.

"Why?" I paused analyzing every word I would say. "Why do you need me to do something like that?"

Natsume kept his eyes on the road, keeping calm. "I just need you to pretend. It's over once its sunset and I'll never talk anything about this day again," Natsume breathed. "I promise."

I was dumbfounded to how he said his words. He used a tone he never used with me before—something gentle...so...irresistible...

"Until sunset..." I murmured. It wasn't really for him. There was a part of me that kept convincing my mind that I should say yes. Well, mainly because he had done so much for me and all.

Natsume nodded, still not keeping eyes on me.

"Only...until sunset..." I crooned to myself.

We were silent again. I didn't know what to tell him. What if this was a stupid joke? Like if I say yes, he'll start laughing and say, "Oh, look! Mikan Sakura said yes when I asked her to be my girlfriend," or something like that.

"Why?" I asked again, looking at him.

I wasn't really paying attention to where we were until he hit the breaks again. I looked at the direction he was looking.

My eyes suddenly widened. Before me was a huge black and gold gate that entered into a mansion—a huge mansion. There was an expensive-looking fountain at the lawn of the marble house. I examined further when I suddenly noticed a gold plate board at one of the posts supporting the gate.

HYUUGA, it said.

I leaned forward, making sure I had not made any mistake. Yes, carved on it was the name 'Hyuuga', Natsume's last name!

I turned to him immediately. "This is your house?!"

Natsume grinned, his first positive emotion during the whole trip. "It was before."

My jaws locked open. Natsume was so rich! Even before he entered showbiz!

"For my mother," he murmured.

My brows were raised. "Huh?"

"I want you to pretend so that at least my mother wouldn't worry more," he said in a low voice.

I blinked. "But I thought..." I paused. "I thought your mother was...gone."

Natsume didn't answer, so I continued. "I mean, when you talk about her…" I trailed off. I felt so insensitive. "Sorry," I whispered.

"You have to see for yourself," he said flatly as he pressed the round button in the middle of his steering wheel.

Slowly, the gigantic entrance opened. As we drove to the mansion door, I couldn't help but notice each of the people we passed through greet Natsume.

He parked in front of the huge wooden door. Before I could open the car door, Natsume tapped my shoulder and signaled me to wait. He got out of the car and walked to my side to open the door for me.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked in a low voice.

Natsume just shrugged and slipped the car keys in his pockets.

"Good morning, Sir," one of the persons standing by the doorway said, gesturing to Natsume. And then she turned to me, "Good morning, Ma`am."

I just nodded at her, hiding my face. I felt completely awkward being addressed so differently.

We both walked in silence for a while when a familiar voice called from upstairs. "Natsume!"

I looked up and saw Tsubasa-sempai's gleaming face. "Oh look, there's Mikan-chan, too!"

Sempai rushed downstairs and elbowed Natsume. "You and Chibi, huh? Huh?"

Natsume just rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

I was biting my lips to prevent me from blowing up that I was not his girlfriend when Natsume grabbed my hand.

"This way," he said as he led me to the intersecting stairs. When we reached a white door, he stopped and carefully opened the doorknob.

Inside was a big window. Aside from the portion of the room lighted by the sun, everything was dim and shadowy.

I looked around the room and saw a figure at one corner.

"Mother," I heard Natsume say.

My eyes followed him as he walked to the figure. I was surprised to see it was a woman. She had long wavy hair flowing to her waist. I couldn't see her face clearly but I could guess she was really pretty—she was Natsume's mother after all.

Natsume knelt in front of her. "Mikan, do you mind turning on the lights?"

I nodded and looked for the switch near the door. When the light flickered on, I quickly put my stare at Natsume's mother again and as I guessed, she was very pretty.

My heart skipped a beat when she looked at me. Her blue eyes matched all her features as perfectly as her gray hair did.

When her gaze went back to Natsume, she silently stretched her long, pale hands at his face. She didn't speak and her expression was blank but I could feel every bit of love in her.

Natsume stood up, touching her hand once more and walked towards me. "Let's go."

I followed him immediately, only staring at his face. I was looking for any expression in him about seeing his mother again.

"She hasn't gotten better," a small voice said from behind. I almost jumped in surprise.

Natsume just turned at the small boy with gray hair of the same shade as Natsume's mother.

"Worse," Natsume said. That wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"She was very depressed you left," the boy continued, carrying the same expression as Natsume did—nothing. It was then I caught the color of the boy's eyes. It was as blue as Natsume's mother...and he looked so much like her, too!

He looked at me and nodded once, respect to my presence and walked away as Natsume continued to his previous direction.

"Your mother—" I said after some time, hesitating. Natsume paused, waiting for me to continue. "She's very beautiful," I said in a low voice.

Natsume put on a small smile. "You think so?" he said.

I gasped involuntarily, feeling my heart race. His face looked like an angel.

I was a glued to my place for a while as he continued walking. He stopped at one door and went inside—that was when I kept up to follow him.

"She was a very good musician," he said when I stepped inside. "She taught me everything."

"And what happened? Why—" I paused, "why did was she like that now?"

"An accident," Natsume's tone changed, "and my father couldn't care less."

Natsume sat at the sofa near where he was standing. It took me only now to notice it was a bedroom.

"That was probably why Ruka and I became friends," he continued. "We both hated our fathers."

I walked nearer to him and stopped halfway. "And that boy?" I asked.

"My younger brother, Youichi."

"And Tsubasa-sempai's your older brother?"

"I am not related to him in any way!" he said immediately as if it was a reflex action; I stepped back in surprise.

We both fell silent for a while. "I'm sorry," I said quietly.

"After the accident, my father remarried—it was Andou's mother," Natsume told me. I could hear the anger in his voice.

I hesitantly walked towards him.

"I was in that accident, too, and she saved me." I stopped walking.

"All I received was something so minor, but due to her sacrifice, she couldn't play anymore. And for some strange reason my father—" Natsume gritted his teeth "—remarried and my mother didn't speak or eat anything."

I hastily looked for another topic. "You were injured during the accident?"

Natsume smirked, and that made me relieved. "Would you believe me if I told you my left eye couldn't see?"

I blinked twice before I could absorb it. "You're half-blind?!"

Natsume shrugged and closed his eyes.

During that moment, I didn't know what came to me. I suddenly felt the urge to walk to him—to touch him...

My hands reached out to his face and felt his soft skin. I just couldn't believe one of his eyes were sightless. And at that moment, I don't know what had occurred to me. I wanted to touch him—to reach out for him but he was so distant.

Distant? I was right in front of him…

My face drew nearer and nearer to his, filling the gap, enclosing everything. I loved Natsume and there was nothing to deny about that.

• turn the music up verse 12 / END •

Author's notes—

Sorry if I cut it there, guys. I had to update. And yeah, it was getting too long. YEEEHEE! MxN fluff? :DD

Yeah, someone asked where Sumire was? Stay tune for the next chapters... Hahaha!

Ninjah Keewi: Sorry I had to post this ahead, I'm really so sorry. Maybe in the next chapter? I might not be online tomorrow at all and I just sent the connection in docx now. Sorry again.

Readers: Yeah, your songs in the next chapter. :D