Red Lining

It was a long taxi ride that afternoon. The sun was setting down making the sky turn to a deep orange and a purple one.

Mikan rested the side of her head on the window of the cab. A few hours ago she had said her final goodbyes to the remaining members of the band Red Lining. Ruka, who was with her through the rest of the afternoon until their flight had been announced, comforted her as she continued to stare silently out the vast windows overseeing the airplanes taking on its flight up to the never ending sky and back at the comforts of the airport.

Ruka, being the silent and shy type guy, tried his best to put Mikan's mind away from the pain and hell she had gone through by speaking more than ever before. He was a little awkward at first but then he continued to speak and told random stories that he actually slipped and told that he was actually in a relationship with Mikan's best friend, Hotaru.

The story had finally caught Mikan's attention.

She slowly stared up at him.

He swallowed hard as he tried analyzing Mikan's face.

They stared at each other for awhile until suddenly Mikan made her first and loudest reaction that afternoon.

She laughed.

First, it was just a silent laugh then it grew louder. Then suddenly Mikan punch him on his shoulders and she said with a smug face that she knew it. Then she suddenly went back to her silent, forlorn behavior.

Ruka's shoulder throbbed in pain but he was too nervous about Mikan's reaction that he never realized it hurt until he was walking towards the airplane.

Mikan stared blankly out the window of the cab. She couldn't contain it anymore. She wanted to cry so much.

So badly.

She felt alone.

Miserably alone.

She wanted to see him, to tell him how gravely wrong she was. How she wished she could turn everything back to that night in the Music Hall so she could actually shout yes to Natsume.

She hadn't realized it before but now she knew. She had loved Natsume all along. Though they bicker and do nasty things to each other at first, she eventually felt things changing but she ignored it all. She ignored the fact that she can't stop thinking of the kiss she and Natsume shared on the parking lot or what she had felt when Natsume brought her Chinese food and sat with her on her dorm's porch. She actually felt her heart thump when she saw the pictures he had developed because it showed how they looked if ever they were to be together, perfect.

And all the times they were together came rushing inside Mikan's mind that eventually she couldn't stop it and tears suddenly fell from her amber eyes.

The driver eventually heard the sobs and looked at the rearview mirror. "Miss, are you okay?"

Mikan sniffed and responded with a nod, "Yes. Yes, I'm okay."

Then all of a sudden hard rain started hammering down against the roof of the cab. The sky's orange-purple color turned into gray and black. The driver turned the windshield wiper to wash the hard rain away and to see his way in a more clear view then he continued, "But you don't sound okay, little girl. We're fifteen minutes away from your dorm. You might as well tell me your story and wash all that sadness away. It will make you feel better, you know."

Mikan smiled a little. "Thank you, sir." Then she started the story and told the cab everything she had done and regretted until fifteen minutes after they were slowing down on the street of her dorm.

"Little girl, you have had your share of regrets and I know you do want to take all of it back... but don't be afraid because I believe that the challenge that you and that lucky guy just faced is actually just an avenue to strengthen the feelings you have for each other." The man stopped the car half the block of Mikan's dorm. "And I do believe that that this lucky guy is waiting for you, wet and cold from the rain."

Mikan didn't understand the last words that the cab driver uttered since she was still a little lost in thought. "I'm really thankful for your advice, sir. Here's the money. I... I need to leave."

The driver smiled, "Yes, yes. Do go on. But be careful, the rain is getting harder and harder and the lucky boy must get warm soon enough."

Mikan didn't hear the driver's last words as she dashed out of the pouring rain and straight towards the gate of the dorm when she finally saw the figure.

The figure of a boy who was drench in his casual attire and had his raven hair flat down on his forehead.

Mikan stopped at her tracks.

"Natsume..." She whispered. Then Mikan suddenly understood what the cab driver was saying. Natsume was really waiting for her under the rain.

Mikan started to walk towards him. She knew he was already freezing from the cold.

"Natsume, we need to get you inside. You're shivering." Mikan whispered as she was now in front of Natsume. But somehow, she was unable to touch him. They just stared into each other's eyes.

Since she couldn't look straight at Natsume anymore she looked away and repeated herself, "Natsume—"

But she soon was cut off as Natsume suddenly caught her hands and pulled her towards him into a fierce, wet hug.

Mikan was startled as she felt how cold and at the same time warm Natsume was as he enveloped her.

Natsume still didn't say anything and soon Mikan felt the tears welling up in her eyes.

"You've come back." Mikan finally whispered against his ear, ignoring the fact that the hard pounding of rain was still making them wet and cold.

Finally Natsume spoke as he buried his head in the crook of Mikan's neck. "Yes, I did come back. And you have kept me waiting."

Natsume's voice was gruff that Mikan didn't know if she was supposed to say sorry or welcome him back. But Natsume beat her at it and didn't wait for another reply from her.

"I've missed you Mikan." Natsume roughly said as he rested his head on the crook of her neck, smelling the tangerine fragrance he had grown to love. "Though it has just been two days since I didn't see you close within my range, I still missed you. I was thinking of you all the time. I was waiting for you in the airport; I wanted to see your face. I wanted to hug you like this when I heard your voice on the speakers; that was just damn stupid of you to do. I was practicing what I was going to say to you on the airport ride back here but all of it seems to be lost right now. I don't remember a thing; I just want to hold you in my arms."

Mikan wanted to cry. She was the one who was supposed to show how guilty she was of saying no to Natsume and here Natsume was showering her with all the love she could ever imagine.

"Natsume..." she whispered and then she burst out crying and shivering inside Natsume's arms, "I'm... hiccup... so... sorry! Hiccup... I never meant... hiccup... I just... hiccup... I was confused and... hiccup... I thought you were kidding me.... hiccup... but I knew that deep down... hiccup... I regret what I said as soon as I spoke it... cause... I'm in love with you already... hiccup... I can't help falling... hiccup... I... I'm—"

Then suddenly he captured her lips with his. His kiss was soft, delicate as he entered her mouth slowly with his tongue. Natsume wrapped his arms around Mikan's waist bringing her close against his body while Mikan quickly snaked her hands around the nape of his neck.

Natsume, in between kissing and breathing, whispered huskily to Mikan that Mikan knew she was going to melt right there and then.

"I love you... I love you so much."

Mikan wanted to cry longingly in his arms but she stopped herself because she wanted to say those words back at Natsume.

"I love you too, Natsume."

Weeeee. They finally are together!!! Haha.

So how was it?

Oh and please do support my other AU fic, You Can. :D

Love lots,

khostar