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Watashi wa min'na o aishiteimasu 3
Xoxo Lexi 1989
Chapter 5: THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE
HOTARU'S POV
**FLASHBACK MAY 2018**
Judge: Ms. Imai and Mr. Hyuuga, you are in this case, free to go.
I gave Natsume a hug and thanked the judge. At last, we were free from the bonds our scheming family had imposed on us. Natsume helps me out with my coat and notice Kazumi at the back of the courtroom talking to a pale faced Narumi and a familiar looking guy in a hoodie. Kazumi catches me looking and dismisses his company. Narumi and the guy in the hoodie hurriedly left the courtroom. I walk towards him with Natsume in tow.
"Yukihara-san, a word?" Natsume looks at me questioningly. I tell him it's ok and he strolls out with his hands in his pockets. Kazumi looks at me expectantly.
"I know she's alive." I said, glaring at him.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Don't play fucking games with me Kazumi. Don't tell me you forgot who you're talking to. I'm an Imai for fuck's sake. I know how and where to get information." I hissed.
"I don't know what you are talking about Imai-san. We won this case because we proved that Mikan was murdered. If you are somehow implying that she is alive, you do know that it will reverse this court's decision, and put us back at square one, correct?" Damn it. He has a point. Himemiya and Luna will temporarily get released and a retrial will be placed for attempted murder only if Mikan steps up and files a case. Otherwise, Himemiya and Luna will go free.
"I know the truth Kazumi. You can bet your company's stock on it." I muttered and left.
Natsume is waiting for me outside. We got in his car and he drove towards my apartment on the other side of town. He is lost in his thoughts as I am in mine. Thinking of that day 3 years ago. The day that I learned the truth.
FLASHBACK NOVEMBER 2015
About a month after Mikan's death, I was approached by a blonde guy with eyes as purple as mine. He had a familiar voice, but I don't remember where.
"Imai-san. Please come with me." He was alone.
"How do you know me and why the hell would I go with you?" I glared at him.
"Because, if you don't, I will die with my conscience dragging me down to hell. I've let Yuka down already, turning my back on her when she needed me the most. I don't want to do that to Mikan too." He said sadly. He mentioned Mikan and I knew I couldn't turn him down. He gestured me to follow him and reluctantly I got in his car.
"Mikan is dead." The words cut the silence like a sharp knife. He said nothing for the remainder of the ride but I noticed he was taking me to a hospital. Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. He parked the car and opened the passenger door for me.
"Why are we here?" I asked him. He says nothing and continues to walk while glancing around the corridors.
I follow him into the hospital and he pushes the elevator button for the 6th floor. We walk around the hospital corridors and stop at room 658.
ROOM 658
Patient: AMANATSU HINATA
VISITORS RESTRICTED TO FAMILY
He opens the door and the room is dark. The curtains were tightly closed. The only sound I hear is the beeping of a heart monitor. He softly pushes me into the room.
"I will be outside to stand guard. She is heavily sedated so she will not wake. I will come get you in 5 minutes."
I walk slowly to the bed and my eyes fill with tears. I couldn't see her face, but the brown wisps of hair peeking from the bandages on her head gave her away. It really was Mikan, she is alive. Her breathing is even and she looks peaceful sleeping. All this time, we had thought she was gone forever. But she was here all along. I sit down next to the bed and take her hand in mine, careful not to wake her.
"I'm sorry, baka. I'm sorry you had to go through this." I whisper to her quietly. My sobs cause my breathing to go ragged and I fight back the huge wave of tears threatening to pour from my eyes.
"If only you had let me explain." But I knew it didn't matter now.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and look up to see the blonde stranger looking at me.
"We need to go now." He said. I stood up but held my ground. "I won't go without an explanation."
"I will tell you, but not here. This is not the place. Kazumi and Youichi will be here shortly." He said in a panicked voice.
I let him take me out of the hospital and he took me to an obscure café downtown. He ordered two coffees as I sit in silence, glaring at him all the while.
"Talk."
"My name is Narumi Anjou. If you recall, I called you after the Grammy Awards a few months back and spoke to you about Mikan. (refer to Sakuras & Swords Chapter 10) I used to know Mikan's mom. But our history is not important now. Mikan's life is more important. Like what Kazumi has told you. She will be in even more danger if we let the public know she is alive. We faked her death so Himemiya would not really kill her. And you must tell no one. Even Natsume should not know. Kazumi-kun has no idea I am talking to you right now. I am only doing this for Mikan. Because somehow I know, it would be better this way."
"How is it better? And how were you able to fake her death? That call from the hospital. No trace of a body. Even Kazumi denied having claimed it. I knew something was fishy."
"Youichi Hijiri is a brilliant man at his young age. He was able to produce a history for Mikan with a new name. Amanatsu Hinata. He is under Yukihara's employment and is now assigned to become a companion of Mikan while she recovers. Beyond that, only time will tell. I implore you to keep this to yourself Imai-san. Right now, Mikan is laid to rest, at least in the eyes of the world. And we must let her lead a new life, as Amanatsu Hinata. She still has her memories, but I will do my best to ensure she does not hate you."
"Why?"
"She has told me everything Imai-san. There was a time shortly after her surgery where she was awake and she has told me of what happened that day. At first, I did not believe. Natsume was my student after all and you were her best friend. I know this is a lot to take in in just a few hours but it is imperative that you keep this a secret. Mikan has decided to stay here in LA despite attempts from her uncle to take her back to Tokyo. If Kazumi finds out that somebody else knows of her identity, he will forcibly take her back to Japan. As much as I would love to be near her, I know she will not be happy there."
"I've heard enough." I stood up to leave.
"Please, promise me you will not tell." He was panicked. He held on to my arm tightly.
"I appreciate you telling me the truth, and for that, I give you my word. But I also promise you this. I will be looking over her as well. I will not make my presence known. But sooner or later, you will not be able to stop the red strings of fate. I believe it is their destiny that she and Natsume will be together. And I will make damned sure before I leave this earth that they will find each other again." I shrugged his arm off and left. I called a cab and barely got to my own apartment with shaking knees. It took all my strength to walk from the front door to my own bedroom. And it was then I collapsed on the bed that I let go and let my sobs and screams wail into the night.
NATSUME's POV
'What did I just do?' I stare at the flushed face of Amanatsu. I had just kissed this stranger while thinking of Mikan. She gently placed her fingertips on my lips and stood up. I saw that the door connecting the live room and control booth was now open. Before I could make a move, Amanatsu was already running out the door and leaving the studio. I run after her outside but she is nowhere to be found. Instead I ran into Tono and Shiki.
"Nattie, are you okay? why are you running?" Tono asked me.
"Ama-*pant-pant*-natsu *pant*" I was breathless from all the running.
"What happened to Amanatsu?" Shiki was now on alert.
"I *pant* can't find *pant* her." I know I'm not in the best of shape but I was having trouble breathing.
"What do you mean she's gone? What did you do to her?" His hands are now on my shoulders shaking me. I brush off his hands and shove him aside.
"She ran out *pant* the door when the lights *pant* came on. I tried to run *pant* after her but I lost her." My breathing slowly returned to normal but I was still confused. Why would she run away after kissing me like that?
Shiki started to dial on his phone. "SHIT!" he cursed. We all looked to him. "She's turned her phone off. I can't track her. Tono, call the driver, she may have gone back to the apartment."
"I'll take you there. My car is faster." I found myself saying. I feel guilty thinking of Mikan while kissing her. Maybe I hurt her feelings. But what puzzles me is that when I kissed her, I felt like I was kissing Mikan. When I whispered Mikan's name, she said my name back. But, it just isn't possible. Mikan is dead. She's been gone for 3 years.
We pile into the car, me, Tono and Shiki. "Where are you two staying?"
"Eastown apartments." Shiki said.
"That's where I live." I said. Not knowing why I had to volunteer that fact. I drove to the apartment as fast as I could. I was well over the speed limit and ran a red light but I didn't give a damn. All I know is that we had to get there fast. When we got to the apartment, I jumped out of the car, leaving it with Tono. Shiki jumps out of the passenger seat and heads to the entrance.
"Park it then come up Pedo!" I shouted to Tono as we ran to the bank of elevators.
Shiki presses the button for the top floor and we sprinted for their room. Shiki takes forever to get the key into the lock and I was tempted to just break down the door. He finally gets the door open and proceeds into the room.
"AMANATSU! Are you here?" he shouts. "AMANATSU!"
"Amanatsu?" I called out while searching the rooms. Her apartment had the same layout as mine, though mine was on the opposite side of the building.
"DAMN IT!" I heard Shiki scream. I ran towards the direction of his voice and found him in a bedroom. Judging from the things inside the room, I made a safe guess it was Amanatsu's.
"What?" I asked him.
"Her passport and documents are gone."
"So? Do you think she will skip the country? I don't understand." I honestly don't understand why she would behave that way.
*Sigh* "Tell me what happened in the studio." I hesitate. This guy might be Amanatsu's lover for all I know and he might beat the living daylights out of me. I can hold up fine in a fight but not with a man who clearly has been working out.
"I- well – when the lights went out, we sat down and she seemed cold so I asked her to come closer and lean against me so I could keep her warm."
He raises an eyebrow and urges me to continue. "Go on."
"So she leans against me, then suddenly asks me if the person I love makes me happy." His expression changed from worried to surprised.
"And what did you tell her?" he was curious now.
"I said she did, well, the person I loved once did, I told her that she looked a lot like that person except for her hair and eye color. And then she asked me for the name. And when I told her, she kissed me. " I looked sheepish and guiltily at him.
"What was the name?" he asked quietly.
"Excuse me?" it was my turn to cock an eyebrow at him. What business did he think he have with my lovelife?
"What was the name you told her, smartass?" He was pissed now.
"Mikan." He sighed and just took out his phone, dialing a number and walking away.
"Hijiri, try to track her. Something happened and I lost her. Her papers are not in the apartment." He murmured into the phone. He listened to the other end and suddenly went back to the bedroom. Shiki rummaged through a drawer and found what he was looking for after a couple of minutes.
"Well wonderboy, obviously it will show she is here because her tracker is here. She left it in here." He was holding up a small bracelet. The voice on the other end was faint and I couldn't hear it. This situation is definitely getting weirder and weirder. Why would they need to track her?
"Don't alert them yet. They don't need to know. Yet. Let's see if we can find her by sundown. Then we will discuss what we need to do." He ends the call and turns to me. He opens his mouth but before he can speak, my phone rings.
It's Ruka.
"Ruka, I'm very busy right now, I've got a situation." I said, not really wanting to brush him off but being very concise. I was about to end the call when he shouted.
"Natsume, wait!" he shouted.
"This had better be important Ruka." I growled into the phone.
"It's about Hotaru!" Well that certainly caught my attention.
"What happened to Imai?" I feel worried now.
"She's gone."
Another cliffhanger. I know, I know. XD
So, to sum it all up:
Hotaru has known the truth about Mikan all along.
But now both Hotaru and Amanatsu have gone missing. What happened to them?
Natsume feels guilty about kissing Amanatsu while thinking of Mikan but he wasn't able to explain himself.
Stay tuned to find out what happens next!
Derp1Derp2 - thank you for following. And yes, I'm fond of cliffhangers LoL XD
Anilissa – We'll all have to wait to see what they both have to say, that is IF they ever see each other again ;)
chewybillabong – It would be the former. He's confused right now. It's a bit OOC but I like him that way. XD
Nikinora96 – I made it that way since Shiki was a party-pooper in the manga as well (Balcony scene) lol
xNatsuMikanx – Well, I already told you via PM but I am still writing it as I go, so we'll see ;)
RavenAcA3 – Ally-chan hope u enjoy this chapter lol.. and it ends with another cliffhanger lol XD
frozenbutterfly – well, she's gone now so let's see what happens next?
THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL OF YOU FOR FOLLOWING!
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Xoxo Lexi1989