Whoa! I can't believe it's already 2009! Anyways, thanks for all those who reviewed, you really helped me a lot. I took too long to update, but at least I did, right? Yes!! Let's be positive for the New Year. Hehe... BTW, if anyone ever is confused of their ages, I wanna remind you that Mikan is 13 years old here, while Natsume is 15, is it clear now? So please don't be shocked if Natsume seem so mature already. So...everything's cool? Great. Let's start!

DISCLAIMER: Duh. Just so you know, this is a disclaimer so what does a disclaimer do? Disclaim!

NatsuMikan383 signing in! [[[[optimistic mode]]]

Chapter 7

"Rain Clouds and Me"

Natsume's POV

"Since when?" she asked, but her voice seem far away.

Since when?! What kind of question is that? I told her we were--note that; 'were'--secret lovers. Oh well, might as well answer her stupid question. "Since before...until now." Her mouth agaped and I put all my efforts on composing myself from breaking into a laughing fit. Her forehead creased, an unconcious sign of stress and confusion, while she struggled to find her voice. Really, do I really surprise her that much? Tsk, tsk, tsk.

"I-I don't even know your name," she snapped but stuttered. Oh. Drat. I smiled wryly, I wasn't prepared for that sarcastic come-back. Now I'm doubting if this girl is still my Polka. Like I feel like an innocent kid that wants to go up to her and ask, "Hey, where's Sakura Mikan and what did you do to her?" How could someone so optimistic, so loud and cheerful girl, suddenly bump her head and turn into a person nearly as cold as me?

I mean, she WAS like my rain in the desert. She was rare, and so refreshing. So rare because most girls always woo themselves to me, and if not, they don't bother to approach me knowing I'll just glare at them. I do admit that I disliked her at first, but one day I just woke up and I felt incomplete without seeing her smile. Refreshing; because like rain, she continues to pour down on me, make friends with me, and I can't make her stop. No one can make the rain stop; everyone just wants it. She cleanses my once-so-lonely soul that I often almost forgot all about my dark past.

But...now, that she's like that...I started to think that I just had a mirage, and I lost her with a fierce blow of the wind. And the rain cloud disappeared; taking with it my hope, my inner peace...my love. Just like that. Just like that...

There has to be a way. No, there was a way. I'll force the wind towards me so the clouds will be dragged by it, I'll find Niji Yuuki no matter what. And I'll take my Mikan back. "I'm Natsume Hyuuga. Age 15, Alice of Fire..." Tch. Better not think about alices now or she'll throw me a train of questions! "But you really don't have to think about alices now," I quickly added, saving my butt for now. And stupidly, she nodded. Sheesh. Like she could understood what I was talking about.

She forced the words out of her mouth, "I-if we're s-secret lovers, then why did we have to hide it?" Now I was amused. Curiousity was well-concealed behind her words. This probably would be the time to tease her...

Locking my gaze with her blank coffee-brown eyes, I said bluntly, "Because you're ugly,"

Ha. Hahahahahahahah! A sudden flicker of anger in her eyes stopped me from having hysterics in front of her. She looked mad. Dead mad. Oooh, I'm scared! Hn. Sense the sarcasm? "I'm just joking, trying to make you smile..." I said lightly. "I never knew you'd take it seriously, though..." I murmured mostly to myself, full of wonder.

And her eyes suddenly came from brown to pitch black. I don't know if I was just imagining, but it's not a hyperbole either. She was trying to hold back her anger as she said a statement that really didn't match her fury. "Oh, you're joking,har har..." Silence. I expected her to sigh and just laugh it off. But no, instead she retorted, "Is that what you want me to say, huh?! Well sorry, it's NOT FUNNY!!!" Dammit! She's going nuts!

She struggled to break free from the dextrose, as I stood took an involuntary step backward. Her fists coiled into balls that can send me flying out the window. I froze in place, my eyes widening, as I tried to make my genius brain to make her calm. But then, I wasn't calm myself, too. So I put up again my cold mask and told her, "Mikan! Stop it!"

For a minute, she stared at me pleadingly. She wanted me to calm her, too. Well--at least that's in my point of view. She let loose of her clenched fists as my lips twitched upward upon seeing her gradually relax now. I brushed my lips on her forehead in a single stride, and muttered in her ear, "We hid our relationship because of some circumstances." I felt her shiver underneath me as I realized this was still all new to her. Well, me either.

I withdrew my face from hers as her forehead crumpled. "What circumstances?"

Easy. That's something I shouldn't even lie for. But if everything wasn't as messed up like this, the question would've been..."What would be the circumstances?" Honesty is the best policy, they say. I told her, "First was, I have some business that I wouldn't want you to be involve with. Some...uh,"--what do you call them? Stalkers? No? Oh...fans would be appropriate, but an understatement nonetheless--"...fans will be heart-broken, too."

Hmph. Ruka is far from a fan but he'll be broken-hearted, too. Hn. I don't have much competition, except that shadow freak that Mikan keeps hanging about. But still, Ruka..."Especially my bestfriend," I grumbled, and I don't know if she heard me or not. I looked at her face, seeking for clues that might give her away that she had heard my added statement, but she was emotionless. Just like HER bestfriend. Tch. Maybe she hadn't heard me. At all.

I went on, to cover up my sudden remark, "I just want to protect you. From Persona, from everyone...." I don't want anyone to hurt you. A sandstorm may come but I'll block it for you so just that you won't fly away. Too late, you already did. But still, from afar, I hope I can still protect the memory of my mirage.

Her eyes softened a bit, and a small smile tugged from her lips unconciously. Her eyes seem distant once again, then like she was enjoying some private joke, she giggled. Her laugh was music in my ears, and I don't want it to stop. But hey, why did she titter like that? Was it something I said?....Or I should really call the doctor to check up on her brain?

"What's funny?" One of my eyebrows pulled up.

Her face suddenly came back to her aghast expression, and icily said, "Nothing. Who's Persona?"

She changed the subject, could it be guilt? For making fun of me in her mind, at least. I've been thinking she's been making harsh remarks at me in her head, it's written all over her face! Pfft. Wait, what did she just say? She's asking about Persona?! I cautiously said, "You wouldn't want to know him..." I broke off mid-sentence when the girl of my dreams started chortling. No, guffawing. And extremely loud. I knew it, she's out of her mind already. Should I call the doctor now? Will it anger her? Why is she laughing? And why so loud, and out of place? What did I do to make her laugh like that? I was really confused. Well, not gender-confused, you dirty-minded fools!

The brunette managed to say, "Wait, you're not joking with me all this time, are you? I mean, maybe you're just taking advantage that I'm clueless." Shoot. I'm busted. I didn't know I was frowning then. I also didn't expect this from her. That kind of reaction? That would've hurt me if it was true. Well, it wasn't true so...and she's now uncaring anyways. She was laughing at me. Perhaps this was part of innocence...hmm??

She suddenly bit back her lip, so fiercely that if she pressed a little farther, it would bleed. My trademark expression suddenly crept up my expression as I processed that she was now contemplating at my role here. So she must be wondering how hurt I would be now. Oh well, let's play this game. "Do I look like I'm joking?" I crooned as I neared her lips. But with a blink of an eye, I felt a heavy hand on my cheek and it was now stinging with pain. She slapped me. The second time. I bet that wasn't too much of a good idea.

"Don't you dare, pervert. Go away," she said, authority in her voice. I was still locking my gaze with her, but then she broke away. Sure, I had nothing to do now for her to forgive me. I jerked away, positioning myself as far as I can get from her, but as close as I wanted. She was like a magnet, when I pull away, she just keeps withdrawing me in. And I can't fight it. I put my hands in my warm pockets, and wordlessly walked towards the door. Away from her.

But I can't say goodbye yet. I can't. What am I thinking? I still got to hunt down an AAO leader! Focus! I turned around to face her once again, she was in the verge of crying. "Whatever you say, Mikan..." and even though I'd be hurt to protect you, I'll do it. I promise. And behave while I'm gone, I joked in my mind. Unwillingly, I dragged myself out that room. To grasp that final straw. Still, I wasn't ready to go yet. So I remained lurking in the shadows. It was twilight now, and the moon was nowhere to be found. Maybe it was a new moon, I don't know. I don't care. To make it simpler, it was dark.

But then I saw the most person who I considered as that fierce wind that took away my rain clouds. Imai Hotaru. Blackmailer. Ice Queen. Annoying Genius. Traitor. Not to me, but to her bestfriend. She entered the room. I wonder if Mikan will relate anything to her? Maybe not. I slipped back to the entrance of the scope, leaning back to the wall.

Not so long later, the witch finally came out. The raven-haired girl seem to be in a good mood and was even smiling when she opened the door. She wasn't expecting me to see me there, as she flinched momentarily. "I found you." I mouthed. The blackmailer pulled herself together before jerking her eye brow at me. "What do you want?" she asked me straight-forwardly then paused. "And was it true? That you and Mikan already had a secret relationship before?"

Whoa. That was something. She just blew her cover because of that matter. Was she really that concerned of Polka? She better be blaming herself now because of Mikan's awful condition. Emotionally, of course. "It doesn't matter now," I hissed. "I'm gonna do something for her, this time...I've gotta find Niji Yuuki." I fervently said. Yes, I'm really gonna do that. And in case you'd burst out laughing like Polka, then I'm not joking, thank you.

She stared unbelievably at me and spat, "Are you that desperate?" Oh, and she had the nerve to question me like that. I put up a twisted expression, "You better be thanking now, Imai. I'm doing a favor for you when you should be the one finding ways to heal Polka," I retorted. I stared right through her purple emotionless eyes and harshly reminded her of the truth. "Because you're the reason of all this mess. The root of things. The antagonist. So stop going around blackmailing my bestfriend because you don't have anyone to pick on anymore. Enough." I was unusually calm.

I noticed she was affected by what I said and took advantage of the distraction. To escape any more probing questions. "Mikan...just wait for me..." I mumbled to myself before plunging myself into the treacherous forest. For Mikan.

I was jumping from tree to tree and I started thinking about the confrontations I just had, minutes ago. First was, Mikan's demanding voice, "Go away" she said. She really had that edge in her voice that made me back away. Well, not that I'm afraid of her but the way she's acting. She isn't the Mikan I know anymore. She was...turned upside down. And I know I deserve this anyway. Damn Karma.

Sudden flashbacks from the scenes before flooded my mind. I smirked, recalling her reaction about us being secret lovers and all that crap. I almost gave up my outrageous plan when she laughed at me and looked at me like I was crazy. Better thank my amateur acting skills for being so convincing. I never try it out, not like I need it anyway. Pfft. Even though she was smarter now, (and I don't know how that's related with amnesia) there was still a remnant of her old self. A memory of the noisy and whiny Mikan Sakura that I fell for. You got it right? Hn. She's a teeny, tiny bit dense. But dense enough to believe my made-up love story....

Unluckily, that Imai friend of hers...Tch...is just plain annoying. She was eavesdropping. As always. Always meddling with other people's businesses. Well, maybe that's her business.

CRACK!

I heard something cracked and before knowing it, I plummeted to the ground with a big THUD! I rubbed my sore butt as I got back on my feet. When I looked up, it was the place I was headed to in the first place; to find Niji Yuuki.

There, I stood in front of rusty gates which fenced a big, dark and eerie mansion, said to be AAO's hideout. It was located not-so far away from Alice Academy. What an irony. The haunted-looking castle-like house stood proudly in the heart of a forest of trees whose leaves have wilted, the howling of the wolves somewhere near the mountains echoing throughout the thick green haze. Skillfully leaping through a wall that served as the AAO's protection from outsiders, I didn't have a second thought of going through the thorny vines which surrounded the hedge-like structure to get was I wanted. Rather, who I wanted.

I could kidnap that Niji guy effortlessly before dawn breaks, and go back quickly to Mikan. I never even broke a sweat from my little intrusion. This was all too easy for me. My smile was smug as I jumped down to the grounds of the enemy's dark realm. Careful not to attract much attention, though people can't really help not to, I hid myself behind some bushes nearby. It was an act of cowardice, but it was the best way. From his cat-like view, he could see two bulky men in all-black clothing guarding the door like soldiers.

They're not Emo or Men in Black, right?...Right.

The probable AAO members had shot guns in their hands looked like some gangsters, ready to shoot anyone mercilessly, just to protect their hide-out. It didn't even scare me a bit. Ha. Those weapons are just so useless compared to my ever-so-useful alice. I inched forward but I heard someone gasp behind me. Before I even spun around, a strong hand covered my whole face. I couldn't see anything or who was doing this. Damn, I was spotted!

I tried making a little flame in my hand, just so my abductor would let go of me, but I couldn't. Why? There was only one person who can nullify my fire. But what would Mikan do in a place like this? Was she a...spy before she got amnesia? Huh? That doesn't make sense. Why would Reo...?

But before I concluded what was happening, my head swirled. No, I had to fight! I tried tugging my arm for the last time, but it was all futile. And my whole system shut down. Darkness enveloped me, plunging me into the abyss of unconciousness. Mikan...was my final thought before I was forced into dreamland.

Yep, yep, yep! That's all for now. Sorry for making you bored by going through the conversations again, but in Natsume's point of view. I really really enjoyed writing this. Haha. Sorry if Natsume was kinda OOC, I was thinking about Jacob Black and Edward Cullen the whole time I was writing this. I kinda mixed their characters together, it was just an experiment. Anyways, I hope it turned out right, though. I already started encoding the next chappie, and it's in Normal POV. Just a little question guys, what do you prefer? NxM's POVs or Normal POVs?

ANSWER ME IN A REVIEW! (evil laugh)

NatsuMikan383 signing out! [[[[optimistic mode]]]