Sorry for the late update. This story's going to be long. [sighs but waves arms enthusiastically in excitement]

Her Favorite Boy

By Y. M. H.O

Chapter 5: In All Of My Tomorrows

A fuming brunette stomped her way along the corridor. Students made way for her and teachers stared at her with utmost horror and astonishment. No one can blame them for there was fire in her eyes, and people carefully avoided her line of sight, afraid to be frozen with the dangerous, cold fire.

Stomp.

Stomp.

But one person was walking closely behind her, with a safe distance, wearing a stoic expression that matched but didn't compete with the fury of the girl that was walking, er, stomping ahead of her. Mikan walked carelessly, without having an idea of where she was heading to. After a few minutes, they reached a part of the school where most students have no knowledge of.

Mikan sat on the grass and leaned on the tree, whereas Hotaru just stood there with her back to the trunk. The brunette took a swig of water and let out a very audible sigh. There was silence, and they could only here the faint sounds of birds chirping nearby.

"Being angry doesn't solve anything. Maybe it'd satisfy you, but really, you look like an idiot." Hotaru was the one who spoke first, startling Mikan who turned her head towards her companion's direction.

"I should've punched that guy, a lot of times." She replied and groaned. "-and I am not an idiot." She continued. Hotaru sighed and sat down beside her with a roll of her amethyst eyes.

"It was your fault that you kissed-"she started and Mikan's face heated up.

"It is not a kiss! He was standing so close to me and when that bastard called me and I turned, it was an accident!" She defended herself and the other girl couldn't help but snort at her reaction.

"So what's up then? If it's an accident then what are you mad about?" She asked with an amused glint in her eyes, expecting Mikan to defend herself and confirming her earlier suspicions. But the latter just nodded in realization.

"You're right. It's pathetic, but he took my first kiss!" She covered her face and cried waterfalls. It wasn't a pretty sight and she laughed out loud and her new friend looked up in surprise. Hotaru Imai doesn't laugh, much less out loud.

"Seriously. You yourself said it was an accident. Then don't consider it as a kiss. Let's just call it a peck-" She stood up and offered a hand to Mikan when the bell rang, signaling that their classes would start already.

"or a smooch, or a doody-doo-"

"Hey!" Mikan protested and Hotaru grinned mischievously at the reddening cheeks of her friend.

"Let's just forget it, come on." She suggested and they ran towards their classroom when the bell rang for the second time.

People still avoided her gaze, but it was clear that Mikan "The girl whose eyes were on Fire", has cooled down when she grinned at everyone and they didn't vanish in the face of the earth. Suddenly the room brightened and flower petals showered everywhere.

"Betcha by Golly Wow..

You're the one that I've been waiting for forever

And ever will my-"

"Shut it Narumi." Sumire threatened the poor-looking teacher who immediately stopped and pouted. His long, brushed hair was in a careful pony tail, and for the first time in the current month, he wore jeans, but the purple blouse he was wearing was stunning. It still didn't erase the fact that he was quite attractive, although people may not know if it's in a manly or a feminine way. But for Hotaru Imai, he was a sight for sore eyes.

"Dear, you need not say it that harsh." He told Sumire calmly but the latter just turned away and looked back at the novel she was reading.

"And… I have a sweet surprise for you… especially for you girls." Narumi continued and immediately the feminine population's attention was caught. But someone didn't mind the news and continued staring at Mikan. 'What the hell is wrong with her?' He glanced at Narumi and groaned. Now the female population was going crazy.

"So we have a new student." Natsume declared and swept his bangs from his forehead. Mikan just rolled her eyes and stared ahead.

"Yes, Natsume dearie. You're very, very right." Narumi replied and offered his blinding smile. Natsume dodged his flying kiss and just glared. Mikan glanced at Hotaru who was staring.

"A new student? Have you got any idea?" She asked her seatmate but Hotaru just shrugged at her and continued staring. Murmurs were heard all around and the class was almost insufferable that Narumi just stood there and tried to calm the class.

"Hotaru are you even listening to me?"

".."

Mikan sweat dropped and sighed. It was clear that her new-found friend wasn't paying attention to her and was focused on someone else. She followed her gaze and gasped. It was Natsume she was staring at! 'Could it be…' she thought. It was of an unfortunate event that Natsume somehow noticed the intensity and turned his head towards them and immediately caught their eyes.

"Am I that handsome?" He asked with a smirk. Meanwhile Mikan gaped in astonishment and Hotaru turned away to hide the blush that made its way into her pale cheeks. Mikan rushed forward and kicked Natsume's leg and the latter groaned but didn't regret what he said.

"Pain in the ass narcissist." Mikan muttered in a Snape sort of way and he just grinned at her. Mikan attempted to kick him again but he caught her leg and held onto it tightly.

"Let me go bastard." She hissed and tried to pull away but he held on and smiled innocently.

"Where's the ten years of friendship?" He asked and smoke came out of Mikan's ears. She stomped her other foot and tried to kick Natsume. She smiled triumphantly at a cowering Natsume.

"That's what you get." She laughed and freed her leg from him. Everyone watched them in fascination, although the scene wasn't that strange as they have seen much harsher and worse fights that show their friendly 'affection' towards each other. No one suspected and their fan groups didn't find the two of them a nuisance since where one is hiding, you find the other one. It was like that until a few days ago when Hotaru Imai and Ruka Nogi came along and the turn of events was unexpected when the best friends Mikan and Natsume steered away from each other and hung out with different friends.

"Now, now dears. Let's get back to business shall we?" Narumi cut in and everyone looked towards the door in anticipation.

"I won't let you wait much longer as we have wasted enough time bickering." He explained tiredly and raised his left arm.

"Come in." The door opened and silence ensued among the class. A lad walked in with midnight blue hair and mesmerizing gray eyes that uninterestingly grazed upon the petrified students. Narumi waved his arm and got hold of the boy, who immediately pulled away as though Narumi was an electric eel he can't stand.

"He's Dylan Miyazawa. Age 17. Male." Narumi announced and Dylan glared at him in disgust.

"Obviously." He muttered and his cold voice resonated around the room. Girls squealed in delight. Sumire raised her hand, being an ultimate fan girl for ages, and almost jumped up and down her seat.

"Yes, Sumire?" Sumire stood up and glued her eyes to the new student at the front.

"Is he single?" She asked in anticipation and a few girls nodded in agreement. Their palms were sweaty and their middle and index finger were protesting from the strain of being entwined so hard. Narumi himself looked genuinely interested and turned his head towards Dylan who looked around the class indifferently.

"Yes."

There was a chorus of squeals and the class was once again in chaos. Many tried to have a close distance with him but Narumi held a protective arm before him and they backed off, afraid of his overwhelming cologne that could stick to them for ages.

"Go back to your seats." He told them icily and the students submitted. There were mutterings everywhere but one was so distinct that they stopped and looked for the source.

"The sky is blue, the universe is vast, birds sing, dogs bark, planets revolve around the sun, Narumi isn't gay-" There was a collective gasp from the room.

"- Roses are red, Natsume cried before-" Louder gasps were heard as people turned their heads at the raven-haired lad that was frozen and petrified.

"-chocolates are sweet, Kanye West is a girl…. Harry Potter's the best." Mikan finished and opened her eyes only to be faced by shocked students and a crying teacher. Her calming chant did its job, and she secretly thanked her Grandma for teaching her. 'Just say simple and random things that you believe continuously until you get your mind off the irritating object". Dylan smirked and was the first one to react.

"So it's you." Mikan fiercely raised her head and glared at the person that caused her anger.

"Yes, it's me." she glared and he smirked, instantly making him remember what had happened before.

…She turned around and met the lad's lips. Silence and Hotaru was frozen in her place as well as the other staff of the store. He was the first one to recover and immediately pulled back only to catch Mikan from collapsing to the floor.

"She's fainted. Drive her car and bring her to the damned hospital." Hotaru commanded and threw the keys at him. He carried Mikan to the car, noticing her short-cropped hair and her unnatural angelic face with sharp features. He turned away, feeling warmth spread onto his cheeks that made his finger tingle and-

"You both have kissed." Koko interjected out of the blue and soon everyone's mouths were agape in astonishment. Mikan was frozen like a stone, Dylan turned away in embarrassment, Ruka's mouth hung loose and his cheeks warm, Hotaru had her hand covering her mouth and Natsume… Natsume's expression was indecipherable. Even Narumi's eyes were wide like saucers. There was silence; the only sound that was heard was the clock ticking continuously and the other rooms' noise.

No one knew how to react to the revelation of that memory, whether to be angry, astonished, to feel faint or to just watch the world go by without doing anything.

There was a cold aura emanating from the back of the classroom and they turned, only to see something as intriguing as what they had just witnessed. They watched Natsume get up from his seat and with one stride land himself in front Mikan. Mikan don't know how in the whole wide world did this happen to her. Sure, she killed a cockroach that threatened her the night before; it's true that she got jealous of other people with loving parents, sure she has prayed to God to give her another dad, she can handle other situations but this was way out of her league. With her best friend standing in front of her, with eyes like stone and expressionless face, her thoughts had short circuit.

There was no way her lips would be able to form a syllable, much less a word.

Natsume himself was confused of the reason as to why he was acting like that. It was as though an unknown force wiped the smirk off his face and led him to stand up and corner the girl that was the culprit of all the forces, or feelings that were working their way into his chest. He stared at her for what seemed like eternity before grabbing her arm and dragging her outside.

He couldn't feel anything, except for the overwhelming desire to wring the bastard's neck. When Koko spoke out loud, the statement was a huge slap in the face already, but Mikan's reaction to it was unbearable. He dared not believe it until he saw her face turn red with embarrassment as she stared across the room, at the stranger, who was turned away with similar embarrassment.

They stopped at the place where Mikan hung out earlier. There was silence again; the only sound heard was their continuous pants and the trees that swayed with the rushing wind.

"Why… did you drag me here?" She found her voice and turned her head to look at him but he was looking at the other direction, avoiding her piercing gaze.

"Hey." She tried again and noticed that he still had his grip on her arm. She pulled but he wouldn't let go, instead he tightened his grip that it stung.

"What the hell is your problem?" she exclaimed and gave up on pulling her arm back. It was obvious that he was much stronger than she is.

"Did you kiss him?"

Mikan's head snapped to the other direction and she blushed at his question.

"It was an accident. I didn't mean-" but she was cut off when she was pulled and the next thing she knew, a pair of strong arms have encircled her waist and she was forced to face Natsume. He held her and buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent.

Mikan was stunned. It was completely a different circumstance that she was into. She tried to pry his arms off her but he was immovable. She felt his heart, beating steadily in his chest and he seemed to relax slightly.

"Don't move. Just now, please." He breathed and she shuddered because of his warm breath. Then she started to notice the smallest things. The fall and rise of his chest, the smell of his Armani perfume… Why does she call herself his best friend?

Minutes passed without them moving an inch, and her arms were limp by her sides that she had the sudden urge to wrap them around….. but before she could even try to do that, he released her and pushed her away slowly while holding both of her shoulders. His crimson eyes were smoldering and it was the first time she has seen them that way that Mikan couldn't help but stare back at him.

"Promise me you'll forget this." He said, tightening his grip on her shoulders.

"Yes."

He crashed his lips into hers, but he didn't make further movements. He just stood still with his eyes closed while Mikan's eyes were wide, but his cool, soft lips was like an addicting wine she couldn't seem to get tired of.

A tear dropped from Hotaru's amethyst eyes, and although it was excruciating to watch, she couldn't take her eyes off the scene in front of her. She wiped the fluid and turned away. 'I should've known'.

It felt like an hour, but in fact in the kiss only lasted for just a couple of seconds. Natsume lset go of her and suddenly walked away, leaving Mikan speechless.

"Promise me you'll forget this."

"Yes."

Mikan sighed. It was the only promise she couldn't keep.

I don't have beta. Please forgive me for the grammatical and typographical errors. Please wait for the next chapter! Give me ten reviews and I'm updating on Saturday or Sunday. Haha, kidding. But maybe My Life Against handsome bastards will be first. Hey, check that out! I edited the first chapter.

Please review,

YourMouthHangingOpen