Fireborn
"Hotaru..?"
Mikan was dumbstruck when she laid eyes on the lady that stood in her room. Here she was in Alicia and there stood Hotaru, just a few feet away from her. Without a second thought, Mikan ran over and Hotaru found the Lady Summoner's wrapped around her shoulders tightly. When Mikan pulled away, she was staring into her purple eyes.
"How did you get here? Have been having the same experiences as I did? Oh my god, I can't believe it, I thought I was going mad! But now you're here! Oh my god Hotaru, I'm so happy!" Mikan rambled excitedly. But as she hugged Hotaru, she sensed something was off. So when she pulled away, Mikan was staring back into Hotaru's widened eyes. Something's not right.
She didn't break the eye contact. "I-it's you, isn't it? You're Hotaru, Hotaru Imai, right? Just because you have a different eye-colour doesn't mean you're not the same person right?"
Then Hotaru did something Mikan never thought she would do. Hotaru lifted her skirt slightly and did a perfect curtsey. Mikan could only blink in surprise. "Good day, my lady," she said, "I am your companion, Hotaru Imai. But seeing you already know my name, I assume that the Lord Servant has told you about me. Though admittedly, I never expected you to be this excited."
The Lady Summoner was frozen to her spot and a trembling hand went up to cover her mouth. The woman before her was not the Hotaru Imai she was used to. If this was indeed her best friend, she wouldn't be acting this way. The aloofness was Hotaru, but it was a wrong kind of aloofness. They have been friends since they were babies, for heaven's sake. No matter what, as cold as she was, Hotaru Imai always reserved a special warmth for Mikan.
Hotaru Imai would never have looked at Mikan with such a chilling gaze.
"You're not the Hotaru I know," she murmured. The Hotaru Imai before her looked at her strangely and very much confused.
Time seem to have stopped for Mikan before she finally came to a conclusion.
This was Hotaru Imai. But it wasn't her Hotaru Imai. This Hotaru Imai belonged to Alicia. Her Hotaru Imai was not with her.
Her head began to throb at the realisation and Mikan felt her world swaying. Her heart was aching as well. Hotaru noticed her discomfort and grabbed onto the Lady Summoner's arm before guiding her to a chair. Once Mikan was seated, Hotaru moved away, tinkering with some objects then returned with a cup of tea and teapot on a silver tray.
"Have some tea, my lady," she said while setting the cup on the table. But just as she placed it on the table, Mikan held onto her wrist.
Hotaru turned to look at the Lady Summoner with masked annoyance in her eyes. "Yes, my lady?"
"Hotaru," Mikan mumbled, "sit."
"It wouldn't be appropriate for me to do that, Lady Summoner." Hotaru answered coolly.
"It's just you and me, and I'm just telling you to sit, not kill someone for me." Mikan marvelled at the fact that she still had it in her to crack a joke. She smiled. Mikan removed her velvet mantle as well as the pin. "So, sit."
Hotaru hesitated but did at she was told. Her back was stiff straight while her fists held tightly on her lap. Mikan took in all this with a slight amusement. She picked up the teacup and took a sip and then offered it to her companion. "Tea?"
She almost burst out laughing when she saw how appalled Hotaru looked, staring at Mikan with her face blanched. Best friend or companion, Mikan figured the two had the same tendency to vehemently reject the idea of sharing. Saliva and other bodily fluid above all.
"I'm just joking," Mikan said but Hotaru still looked at her warily. "Tell me about yourself Hotaru."
Hotaru regained her composure and sat up straighter than before. Mikan wondered briefly if her companion's back would be aching later. The Hotaru she knew always suffered from a stiff and aching back, though it didn't stop her from walking tall and proud. "I am Hotaru Imai of Ice. My father is an earl of Northshire and I was sent to Kensington when I was a girl to serve the court, like my mother."
The Lady Summoner raised an eyebrow and took another sip from her cup. "Tell me more about your mother."
Hotaru looked away for a quick second. "My mother served Queen Yuka when she a crown princess before marrying my father. She—was lucky."
Hotaru's hesitation at her last statement puzzled Mikan. "Lucky? What do you mean lucky?"
Hotaru bowed her head low. "My greatest apologies for offending my lady."
"No no, Hotaru, it's fine. I'm not offended." Mikan was slightly taken aback with Hotaru's actions. Never in her life would she imagine Hotaru Imai curtseying, apologising on her own—without being threatened to do so—or being this polite. Though frankly, Mikan wasn't quite sure if it was all sincere. And that thought bothered her. "It's just, I want to know what do you mean by lucky."
They fell silent for a moment, Hotaru deliberating whether she should tell Mikan before finally settling on doing so. "Before the war, when the adultery was exposed, the Queen and all her ladies-in-waiting were killed."
No beating round the bush, zero sugar-coating, just a slap across the face with cold hard truth. Mikan closed her eyes in pain. It's a dream. Everything's a dream. Nothing is true. Do not cry. This is all a dream. When Mikan opened them once more, she forced herself to smile. "Then your mother was indeed lucky."
Her companion shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Do you have any friends, Hotaru?"
Despite the disconcerting formality, Mikan was able to tell that this Hotaru Imai was not much different from the one she knew. She could tell that just like her best friend, her lady companion was not one who enjoyed socialising.
And of course, lack of socialising meant little to no friends So Mikan already knew the answer when Hotaru replied. "No, my lady."
"Well then", Mikan placed her cup back on the table then leaned forward to grip Hotaru's hands in her. Hotaru looked up, startled. "Because of some reason, I haven't been able to make many friends myself. If you don't mind, do you think we can be friends?"
Hotaru's reply took a while. "If that's what my lady wishes."
Mikan broke out into a grin and she felt a little bit relieved. She couldn't stand having Hotaru just be her attendant. She was her best friend ever since she could remember. She couldn't bear the emotional detachment even from the Alician Hotaru. Though Mikan understood that truly befriending Hotaru wouldn't be easy, but she promised herself that she would not give up. I did it once, I'm sure I can do it again.
With Hotaru's hand still in hers, Mikan got up, pulling her lady companion with her, startling her in the process. "Where are we going, my lady?"
"For a walk," Mikan replied without looking back. "The past few days have been ridiculously hectic and it's about time I unwind. Come now."
And so poor confused Hotaru was dragged out the room by the Lady Summoner who was too busy chattering. As the door slammed shut behind them, Hotaru was certain that the new Mistress of Summoners is no doubt a bit too crazy for her liking.
…
A few stone's throws away from her apartment, sheltered by a wall of towering hedges was a beautiful garden of age-old trees and well-trimmed bushes of flowers. Growing up in Japan, Mikan has had her fair share of exquisite parks and gardens, but none of them were like what laid before her. She felt as if she had stepped into a different world—no pun intended—as she took in the amazing clash of colours from the flowers and the green background to keep everything in harmony.
As Mikan walked slowly, revelling in the beauty of everything, Hotaru followed closely behind. "This place is beautiful."
"This is nothing compared to the royal gardens." Hotaru commented. "But few can enjoy them."
"That's sad," Mikan mused. Suddenly, a cold breeze swept past her and Mikan shivered then wrapped her arms around herself, mentally chastising herself for not brining an overcoat or her travelling cloak before she left her room.
"Perhaps we should return soon. My lady needs to prepare for tonight's banquet, is that correct?" Hotaru suggested. She too had let the room without even a shawl but barely even flinched from the cold, having been born in the Lands of Ice. But she was perceptive if not anything and the slight shiver that ran down the Lady Summoner's body did not escape her eyes.
Mikan shook her head. "I want to stay here for a little longer."
"There's always another time for that, the garden will not run away." Hotaru countered. She was a little annoyed when another breeze came and Mikan shivered once more. "We should leave."
But what Mikan didn't know was that the moment she entered the garden, a pair of ruby eyes high up in the trees never left her. Natsume Hyuuga watched with a smirk on his lips as two ladies strolled unknowingly beneath him. He couldn't peel his eyes away from the girl with the luscious head of brown hair, her hips swaying from left to right as she moved. He had to admit, she was a pretty little thing.
Just when the two ladies walked past the tree he was hiding in, Natsume jumped.
"Is someone a little cold?"
The effects were instantaneous. Mikan's eyes widened, her back stiffened, her actions held in place by shock and her heart began to beat frantically. She couldn't believe her ears when she heard the voice she would recognise anywhere, but she was so shocked to the point that she couldn't find the will in her to move, to turn around and confirm the source of the voice.
She heard shuffling as heavy boots kissed the ground and soon later, a man walked into her view. Mikan lifted her gaze to look at his perfectly chiselled jawline, aristocratic straight nose and the lips that Mikan remembered were always so soft against hers. But just like when she first saw Hotaru, her memory of the man standing in front of her was shattered when her eyes met with his. Mikan felt a wave of goose bumps running up her arm, down her back at them.
His eyes were crimson instead of black; they shined like rubies instead of polished obsidian; though the stark difference was strange, a part of Mikan thought that the change made his face all the more perfect. They were like magnets, drawing her in.
Another shudder ran up her arms when he reached out for her hand. And when their hands met, Mikan felt a jolt. They were familiar, yet electrifyingly different at the same time.
Right before Mikan her boyfriend stood, yet she felt like she was a high-school girl on the very first meeting with her crush.
Or at least, she hoped this was her boyfriend.
As much as Mikan wished it was true, she didn't want to make the same mistake like what happened with Hotaru. So instead of diving straight into a conclusion, she decided to take things one at a time. "Natsume?"
Said man cocked an eyebrow and a corner of his lips curved into his notorious smirk. Mikan could already feel the butterflies in her stomach. When Natsume raised her hand and brushed his lips against it softly, Mikan felt insides dissolving into mush and her body was getting warmer by the second.
Quite literally actually. Her hands felt strangely warm in his and his entire body was radiating heat. To Mikan, it felt like she was sitting by a fire and considering the chilling breeze, she liked it.
"And how did a pretty little thing like you came to know my name?"
The smile on Mikan's face faltered when he heard her words. So this isn't the Natsume she had hoped he was. She reflexively moved her hand from him, leaving Natsume a little surprised.
"I-I'm sorry," said Mikan, "I forgot myself for a moment. Do excuse me." With a curtsey, Mikan turned around, ready to leave. Just because the man looked like Natsume, sounded like Natsume and had the same name as Natsume, it didn't mean that he was Natsume. If she just as much as held his hand, it felt like cheating on Natsume-the-Boyfriend.
Not to mention, her instincts were telling her that the Natsume Hyuuga before her was dangerous. There was just something about him that struck every single warning bell in her head.
But before she could even step away, a hand clasped onto her wrist, preventing her for leaving. She felt herself being whirled around and Natsume Hyuuga was looking at her, hands on her sides, locking her in place, leaving her incapacitated. Mikan tried to wriggle out his grasp but to no avail; Natsume was too strong.
Hotaru stepped forward. "Let her go, you don't even know who you're touching." But Natsume just sneered at her.
"And you don't know who you're talking to. You don't have a right to talk to me." He muttered. Mikan's blood went cold. This wasn't Natsume Hyuuga. It definitely wasn't him.
Mikan heard a very quiet 'swoosh' sound and the next thing she knew, Natsume had let her go, clutching a hand to his face. When he removed it to look at his hand, it was bloodied and there was a large cut right across his cheek. A quick look around told him that the cut was the product of a shard of ice crystal lying on the ground, its edges stained with blood. He whipped his head back to see that Hotaru had another sharp of ice in her hand and she was sending him a death glare.
Natsume grunted. Without another word, a ball of fire lit up in his palms and he flung it towards Hotaru, which the girl swiftly avoided. But another ball of fire was already moving towards her and Mikan yelped. "No!"
This time, the ball missed Hotaru but managed to singe her dress. Hotaru cursed then materialised three ice daggers and threw them towards Natsume. Unfortunately, before it could even hit him, a wall of fire was formed in the air before disappearing, melting Hotaru's daggers in the process.
"Damn Fireborn!" Hotaru knew that Icemen were weak against Fireborns and she wouldn't be able to hold up for any longer. She quickly ran towards the Lady Summoner and pulled her by the wrist. "Let's go."
Mikan nodded, too frightened to speak. There stood a man with the face of her beloved yet never had Mikan seen such a dark look crossed it. One look was enough to scare her senseless. But as they began to run, a fireball was already heading their way.
They two girls closed their eyes, bracing for the burning impact when it died with a 'whoosh'. They opened their eyes to see a man with greying hair standing in front of Natsume Hyuuga, his lips pulled into one taut, grim line.
Staring at the man before her, her jaw fell. Despite the beard that covered his face, she could recognise the man as Natsume's father. But just like Natsume, his eyes too were red, though a few shades darker and held much more wisdom, as compared to his son.
Mikan watched as the man gave Natsume a cold hard glare before raising an arm to slap him across the face. Both girls stared at the scene in shock while Natsume stood there, still as a statue.
Natsume's father then walked over to them and bowed. "My ladies, I am very sorry and I apologise. Do forgive my son's actions. I hope he has not caused you too much harm. We will take our leave now. Once again, I am truly sorry." With that, he left the two alone as he yanked his son away by the arm.
The fight was over and everything was at peace once more but Mikan could still feel herself shaking violently. Hotaru supported her from falling by holding tightly onto her.
"You shouldn't have left your brooch in the apartment," she chastised softly, "but come now; we have to get you ready for tonight." As gently as possible, Hotaru guided a petrified Lady Summoner back to her apartment.
…
When both father and son were safe in their lodgings, Lord Haru Hyuuga whirled around to face his son and delivered a mighty slap across his son's face. Natsume wasn't surprised by the treatment—his father was certainly severe if anything—yet the blow was enough to send him crashing into the floor. Before he could even register what was happening, Natsume felt himself being picked up by the collar and pushed to the wall roughly. His father's face was inches from his and he could feel the lord's warm, heavy breath against his skin.
"What," Haru Hyuuga muttered in a dangerous undertone, "did I tell you when we left Ederaeya Castle? What were you told? Hmm?"
When Natsume didn't reply—out of reluctance and also disorientation from his father's assault—Haru shook him and Natsume's head jerked forward before hitting the wall again. "Answer me!" The duke roared. "Did I not tell you to stay out of trouble? Was that not the reason why I brought you here to Kensington, away from home so you will stop making a fool out of yourself? Why is it that you can't remember your own identity?
"You're not stupid, that much I know; yet why are you hell-bent on embarrassing me, yourself and your family's name? Does it give you much joy to know that Natsume Hyuuga, son of Lord Haru Hyuuga, Duke of Ederaeya, is nothing but a pathetic, spoiled brat who loves nothing than to chase the skirts of airheaded hussies and wreak havoc?"
And then the duke dealt another blow across his son's face and Natsume found his nose pressed to the rug once more. He staggered to get up and when he felt for his lips, it was warm and wet; his nose felt broken as well. But he couldn't get up for Haru was already pressing a knee onto his stomach and holding him by his collar once more. "You're seventeen this year, Natsume. You're an adult now. You're more intelligent than most men your age, yet why do you associate yourselves with such foolish actions? Why do you act like you're seven? What is your motive?"
Mustering all his wits and courage, Natsume stared back into his father's crimson eyes. How he hated the colour of them. "Home," he croaked, "I want to return to Ederaeya."
The next thing he knew, his cheek was getting slapped again, twice. "Well I forbid you from returning, you insolent hellion. You will stay here, in Kensington until you know how to behave yourself. If not, you may very well rot here."
With that, the duke got up from his son and turned around with a huff. "You will find that lady you've harassed and you will go on your knees and beg for forgiveness until you are forgiven. Until then, don't even think about taking a step out of this room. You," he pointed at one of his guards who stood by the door, "guard this fool. Do not let him leave the room and keep him out of trouble."
When Natsume heard the footsteps of his father had disappeared, he closed his eyes and sighed. And here he was, anticipating all the lovely ladies he would find during the banquet tonight. No doubt that at least one of them would be more than happy to accompany him for the night and distract him from his longing to return home, where the ladies were more complacent, where the sity was his playground, where his home was and also where his sister was currently at. But all hopes were dashed now as he eyed the guard who stood stiffly by the door. Natsume groaned.
Fucking brilliant.
…
Natsume tried to kill me.
That wasn't Natsume. That was a reckless monster.
But he had the same name and the same face.
But it doesn't mean that it was him. Wake up, Mikan. That wasn't him.
Mikan's thoughts were in a chaos. She couldn't quite focus on what was happening around her, only moving without thinking when she felt Hotaru's gentle nudges here and there to guide her. Her mind kept going back to the incident that happened in the garden earlier than day. Though she had stopped shaking, Mikan was still rattled from the incident.
"My lady?"
Mikan responded with a jolt when she felt someone patting her shoulder. She turned her head around and locked her gaze with a pair of eyes that were the colour of cinnamon right below black bangs.
Mikan blinked, clueless on how to respond before finally replying with a curt nod. She had seen the just a while ago. "Lord Justice Misaki."
"Lady Summoner, are you all right?" He queried, but there was a hint of coldness in his tone. "You seem troubled."
Mikan looked away, not wanting to meet his gaze. She was tempted to tell him of what happened during her walk but a part of her was hesitant. She couldn't bring herself to give Natsume up, even if the person she met earlier wasn't the same Natsume she knew. From behind, she could practically feel Hotaru's penetrating gaze on her back of her head.
"If there's anything wrong, my lady, you may approach me." He bent his body forwards slightly, "I'm here to help."
Mikan inclined her head. "I am certainly grateful, Lord Justice."
So the Lord Justice stood there, waiting for Mikan to tell him her problems yet she kept her lips stubbornly shut. After a moment of awkward silence, Lord Justice Misaki cleared his throat. "Well, I shall take my leave now."
She nodded. "Farewell."
Mikan watched as the Lord Justice walked away from her, his back stiffer than a stick. Shortly after he was gone, another figure was seen hurrying towards her and Mikan raised a curious eyebrow when the Lord Herald came to a stop before her, his face poorly masking his worry.
"Are you well, Lady Summoner?" Concern was written all over his face.
Mikan made an attempt to put on her best smile. "Is there any reason why I shouldn't be?"
"Well, my lady, I heard something…"
"What was it that you've heard, my lord?"
Lord Herald Koko bit the insides of his cheek. He knew that the Lady Summoner was playing dumb but he didn't know why. With a sigh, he went down to one knee and knelt before Mikan who was sitting on her own chair. She stared down at him. In an undertone, the Lord Herald spoke. "My lady, I was told that you had an unpleasant encounter with someone named Natsume Hyuuga, is that correct?"
Mikan froze, not knowing what to answer. It was true, but as before, she didn't have the heart to rat him out. No matter how many times she tried to convince herself that the man she met was not the same boy she loved, it didn't work. Both her heart and mind were unreasonably stubborn.
But Mikan didn't have to reply because Hotaru Imai had enough of the Lady Summoner's indecisiveness. So she stepped forward, curtsied and began to relay every single detail on the encounter with Natsume Hyuuga. Though the Lord Herald knew that it was wrong for her to speak without Mikan's permission, her misconduct was overlooked by the information she told him.
When she was done speaking, Mikan was staring wide-eyed at her and the Lord Herald suck in a deep breath.
"I must report this to the Lord Justice, my lady. I cannot allow his crime to go unpunished."
"No, please don't," Mikan was tugging at the Lord Herald's sleeves and the latter looked at her, surprised.
"Why ever not, my lady? Natsume Hyuuga has caused enough trouble in his five-month stay in Kensington, yet because of his father, no actions have been taken against him. But he certainly can't be pardoned for what he did to you, the Mistress of Summoners."
"But I'm all right! Please, there's no need to tell."
"I'm sorry, my lady. It must be done." Lord Herald Koko gently pushed her grip away. His mind was made up and no amount of persuasion could change it.
When the Lord Herald left, Mikan cast an angry glare at her lady who stood beside her only to find that her gaze was lowered to the ground.
"You shouldn't have." She whispered darkly.
Hotaru lifted her gaze ever so slightly. "But I must."
…
Among the crowd that occupied the grand dining room was the Duke of Ederaeya, Lord Haru Hyuuga, chatting merrily with his acquaintances. While his face remained cheerful, it carefully hid the fact that he was still fuming over his son's foolishness. He knew that his son was no saint, fights and skirmishes followed him like a shadow—partly because of the fact that he enjoyed nothing more that charming women into his bed, thus engaging the wrath of their fathers, suitors, husbands and such—but never would Haru Hyuuga imagine his son getting into a fight with a noblewoman and her lady, on royal grounds no less.
Lord Hyuuga was slightly relieved when no one approached him with concerns about his son's actions. He prayed that it no one besides him and the parties who were directly involved with the incident had any knowledge. He couldn't imagine the shame that would be brought upon him if it was exposed.
The chatter in the room immediately died down when the Master of Heralds stood up from his seat at the high table and his falcon cawed. When all eyes were on him, he cleared his voice and began to speak. "My good lords and ladies, it has certainly been a while since a banquet of such grand scale was held in this very hall and first off, I'd like to thank you all, on the behalf of the Council of Eight, for being here today"
Lord Haru Hyuuga clapped his hand along with everyone else. When the applause died down, the Lord Herald continued. "As we all know, the great Kingdom of Alicia had been robbed of a wise king to lead his people, the throne has been empty ever since the passing of King Shiki, may his soul rest in peace. For the past two years, Alicia and its people have suffered greatly for we have no king to rule and the war has brought about the extinction of the Summoners. We had no one worthy enough to elect a new king for Alicia.
"But it pains Her Divine Mother Alice to see her children suffer, she weeps for the chaos and disorder that were brought about by the absence of a ruler, so she had blessed us greatly for we have found the last remaining Summoner. Alicia will finally reconcile with the peace we have lost."
The Lord Herald Koko scanned the crowd, his eyes landing on every face that was present before finally ending his speech with the kingdom's motto. "May Peace Prevail."
Only a number of people echoed the adage for everyone else—Lord Hyuuga included— was too shock from hearing the Lord Herald's announcement and when the information finally seeped in, the entire hall broke into a flurry of discussion; heads bent, whispers exchanged and allegations began to spread.
The commotion was abruptly silenced when the herald standing by the great doors bellowed, "Announcing the Mistress of Summoners, Lady Summoner Mikan Yukihira."
Nearly everyone in the room had their breaths held as the doors were pushed open to reveal a girl with a head of auburn hair tumbling down her shoulder all the way to her waist, her dress was made of lovely pick damask and was fitted in a way that accentuated her petite size as well as her slender waist. No one could miss the eight-petalled flower brooch that was pinned in front of her chest. The Lady Summoner took her time to scan the hall's interior before finally taking her first step in. The hall was deadly silent.
When Lord Hyuuga laid eyes on the Lady Summoner, his blood went cold and he couldn't move his eyes away from the Lady Summoner. His shoulders stiffened and fear made its way into his heart when he realised the identity of the girl who his son had previously assaulted.
"Heaven's no."
…
Natsume was asleep on his bed when the guards came barging into the room. He was surprised at first as he felt his body being roughly pulled out from bed and pushed onto his knees. All sleep left him when he looked up to find himself staring right at the impassive face of a head guard.
Natsume Hyuuga knew that he was in trouble and as he was dragged away by the arms, he wondered briefly if this had anything to do with the pretty auburn-haired lady from before.
…
Mikan stood in front of the steel bars, looking into the small room where a figure was sitting on the floor, his back against the wall. His eyes were closed and to Mikan it seemed like he was asleep. A flash of memory crossed her mind, where Natsume was sitting in that exact same position underneath the cherry blossom tree where they usually spent recess. She couldn't help as a smile tugged at her lips.
But when the man snapped his eyes open to reveal two brilliant red eyes that shone even in the dark, Mikan was painfully dragged back to reality. Clearing her throat, Mikan tilted her chin higher. With the help of the faint light from the torch, she could vaguely make out a smirk on Natsume's lips.
"Look who we have here."
His voice sent a chill down her spine. It was so deliciously familiar yet Mikan had to remind herself that this was not Natsume Hyuuga her boyfriend. She figured that she had already repeated that sentence in her head for at least millions of times but the fact just won't sit firmly in her mind.
What am I doing? She asked herself. She should be in her apartment, lying in bed, sleeping so that she could return to reality, back to the world where a kinder, loving Natsume Hyuuga exists.
But no, sleep eluded her and the thought that Natsume was all alone in a dungeon troubled her. So against better judgements and ignoring Hotaru's warnings, Mikan simply threw on her travelling cloak and left her room.
And so there she was, in the dungeons, standing in front of Natsume Hyuuga.
Mikan bent her knees into a crouch as she studied the man before her. Was he really not the Natsume she knew? She still couldn't quite bring herself to believe it.
So in a shaky voice, she spoke, "Do you—really don't know me?"
For a while they were silent, Natsume didn't reply as Mikan waited. Then he sat up and looked at her straight in the eyes. "What makes you think I should know you, Lady Summoner?"
Her breath hitched when his devilish smirk broadened. "I don't like associating myself with bastards, my lady. You know what you are, don't you?"
His words were like knives, cutting into her heart with every syllable uttered. Mikan's lower jaw began to tremble as she gazed into the unforgiving eyes of Natsume Hyuuga, filled with so much scorn and hatred. But as much as she wanted to, she couldn't cry. She would not cry in front of this hateful man who, despite having the same face as her dearly beloved, has done nothing but hurt her.
Finally, the idea planted itself firmly into the deepest corners of her brain.
"You're not Natsume Hyuuga." She muttered, more to herself than to him. Mikan got up and turned away before walking away, fingers clenched into fists. Natsume listened intently to the click of her shoes before it disappeared after a loud slam of the metal doors.
For the first time in a very long time, Mikan's woke up with tears in her eyes.
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