CHAPTER 5: HE HAS HIS REASONS
"Mikan, could you get the box of detergent powder from the storage room?"
I licked the cheese on my fingers and stood up, leaving the television open with the sound of Spongebob's voice booming out of the speakers.
It's been three days since I got back home. And, I could say I missed it – especially my mom who likes to tell me to get this and that every now and then.
Nobara has called me and apologized for being so childish two days ago. Of course, being compassionate ol' Mikan, I forgave her. Who wouldn't when the person is serious in rushing all the way to your house just to beg for forgiveness? Moreover, her house is 10 hours away!
I walked my way towards the storage room. I twisted the knob and pushed the door open, automatically turning on the light. Then, a huge wave of shock came over me. The old flickering light bulb has been replaced; the boxes were stacked on top of each other in an organized manner; there were neither dust nor cobwebs on the corners and the household tools are nicely arranged in a neat fashion.
Still surprised, I picked up the box of detergent on one of the cupboards, walked out and closed the door behind me. "Mom, did you have a fever or something?" I asked her as she emerged from the kitchen.
My mother was simply stunning – unlike me. We share the same Auburn hair and docile hazel eyes. However, we differ in the way we carry that look. She exudes an appearance of confidence and elegant beauty while I display the opposite - plain and uncharacteristic.
"Well, no," she answered as she threw the paper towel in the trash bin after wiping her hands. "I just realized it's time for things to change around here. You know what I mean, darling."
"Yeah, I do," I replied with a small smile tugging at my lips. I'm glad that mom has finally realized what she needs to.
A bowl of ramen was placed on the table. It's delicious smell whiffed all around the house, making my stomach grumble in defeat. I picked up my chopsticks and started eating.
Delicious as always. I eyed my mom on the far other end of the table. She was removing her apron as she put away her mittens and comfortably sat on the chair. I noticed her smiling at me with her eyebrows raised, waiting for me to say something.
"Still the best, Mom," I said, giving her a gentle smile.
I heard her let out a soft laugh as her chopsticks hit her own bowl which was half the size of mine. Since I was six, I've always wondered why the heck I had the bigger bowl and my parent's used bowls half of mine. Well, sometimes I'd like to think of it as my mom wanting me to grow up healthy and strong and not turn me into a completely corpulent or obese girl at age of 9.
"Mikan, you haven't told me of your exciting school adventures. I don't want to miss out all on the details of your super fun life at Gakuen Alice while I was sulking here at home." I almost spat out the noodles inside my mouth. Out of all times my mom had to be random like this, she had to pick the time I was enjoying my food.
"W-Well," I swallowed the lump in my throat. "It's good. School's pretty much what you expect it to be. Chemistry's a language I don't really understand; Geometry's a subject I will never probably prove to be useful – well, I'm not going to be an engineer or something; English is being easy on me with Pride and Prejudice as our topic for the whole year – not as hard as good ol' Shakespeare; and Physical Education is still the best – and also Art class!" That came out pretty natural, didn't it?
My mom's eyes were sparkling with a hint of amusement in them. I gulped. That look means she's feeling something is wrong with me. Oh no. "Mikan honey, something is wrong with your story. I asked about the fun happenings – not how you describe your subjects in personal point of view." She smiled at me as she waited for my awesome, much-awaited story.
"Well, everybody's doing fine." The word 'everybody' came out through gritted teeth. I know – I'm screwed. "Mom, do I really need to tell you every single detail?" I asked, trying to change the topic.
She put down her chopsticks quietly and picked up her napkin to wipe her mouth – the usual gesture of hers when she wants to say something serious. She figured it out already, huh?
I took a deep breath and waited for the question that would make my heart skip a beat.
...
1
...
2
...
"It's that dashing young boy, isn't it?" One blow.
"I've always thought Natsume would be somehow attractive in your eyes." Second blow.
I felt like I was dying – that the air suddenly became poisonous to inhale. I shouldn't be acting like this since there was nothing between us back then. We were only...
"You two are the best of friends, right?" Mom asked as if continuing the trail of thought inside my head. Not anymore.
"Are you two together now?" Third...What?
I was practically stunned by what Mom said. Natsume and I were – I don't want to even talk about it. I wish it worked that way. But, we are far from together and closer to separated. If only I didn't go to Gakuen Alice, I would never have to see his crimson eyes that I have always thought to contain hidden mysteries. They were like an enchanted book that needs a rare spell to be opened or a cave with no light to guide you.
"Oh come on, honey, tell me how he courted you?" My mom, batting her eyelashes at me, had her chin rested on her right palm as her arms were propped up on the table.
Oh God. Help me.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself from the excitement that thought gave me.
Now, Mikan.
"Mom, it's nothing like that."
I couldn't help but cry when I closed the door to my room after I explained to my mother. I told her everything – from the part he suddenly stopped talking to me up to the weird, profound silence that always seemed to hang above us whenever we are in the same room.
I walked over to my bed and turned on the radio that was on top of my bedside table. Yes, I still have one of those out-of-season radios. No matter what I do I can't seem to throw it away. I guess it's because it's the last gift my father gave me before he died.
Music filled my room. The song didn't help that much in comforting my shattered being.
Come on, come on
Don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Something's gone terribly wrong
You're all I wanted
Is this a ploy or something? Did T-Swift write this song to make me more miserable? Why am I sobbing again? What the hell?
Come on, come on
Don't leave me like this
I thought I had you figured out
Can't breathe whenever you're gone
Can't turn back now
I'm haunted
"What is wrong with this radio?" I commented after I turned it off. I slammed my face on my pillow. Gosh, it sure sucks to be me.
A stream of new hope seemed to hit my closed eyelids. Yeah, I was alive.
"Mikan, don't sleep on the couch. There's a thing called bed, honey," I heard my mom say.
I opened my eyes and saw a ceiling with a small chandelier hanging above. I sat up and looked around the living room. It was a total disaster. It looked like it survived ten consecutive hurricanes or to describe it as a garbage dump would do as well. The television was still playing the movie "A Walk To Remember" and that certainly explains the pile of tissues covered with tears and snot altogether on one corner of the room.
"Mikan, come over here! It's time for breakfast," My mom shouted from the kitchen – maybe.
I stepped up from my comforting garbage dump and into a world of delicious-smelling pancakes and toasts. My mom was seated at one of the chairs near the counter. I took the empty seat next to her as she began talking while I keep my eye on the food next to her.
"Mikan, it's been five days since you came back and all you did for the past two days was to make yourself more depressed than ever. Honey, watching these sad chick flicks will only bring you to be deduced into this." I know, right? It's sort of comforting on my part though. My mom always makes problems sound a lot harder.
"Mom , I kno-"
"Look at yourself, honey. You look like a poor little puppy that was left by its owner to die on the streets," she continued once more. "I get it. He's handsome, intelligent and has been your friend for the past few years. No wonder you would fall for him." She just reminded me of things that made me like the bastard.
"Mom, you see i-"
She cut me off again. I should remember to talk first than let my mother do the first talk and finish the rest.
"Natsume is just a boy. And it's not right to grieve over the loss of him. He's not worth it. He's just a friend whom you have developed a little crush on over the years of being all close. You don't have to cry over him and deprive yourself of happiness." Okay, that hit me. It was all true. Is this what they call the point of realization? I seemed to lose all my ability to speak. Things that happened recently flashed in my mind.
I missed classes and stayed the most of my class hours in the clinic.
I lost all my happiness.
"Forget him. It's for the best," Mom said as she handed me over a plate of pancake and toast.
I don't know why. But, I smiled. Maybe, it's due to the delicious plate of food my mom's offering or it could be that my mother's words made its way into my heart.
"Thank you, Mom," I said as I put my hand over my mom's. I started eating and I felt new. Her words healed me somehow. I think this is the first decent conversation I had with my mother. Usually, she makes me more depressed whenever she comforts me.
"You're welcome, honey. I know the feeling of losing someone that handsome and smart," My mom suddenly replied. Okay. Maybe – it's not that all healing.
It's now the last day of vacation and Mom went to the salon to have her haircut and her nails bedazzled with nail polish. Being a not-a-fan-of-salons person, I forced her to let me stay home. After five hours of begging her, she finally gave in and instructed me to guard the house well. Yeah, it sounded like I was the dog who needs to keep an eye on burglars.
It's been three hours since my Mom has left. Here I am, in my room, playing the music in maximum volume as I surfed the net. Yeah, I know that I must have my ear drums shattered right now. I guess, God made mine too thick.
I signed in my yahoo messenger account. I scrolled down my messenger list and saw everyone was online even the bastard best friend of mine.
Then a conference invite from Nonoko popped up the screen. It said, 'Boredom strikes and the fire ignites'. Seriously, I thought that was unusual. But, I still accepted it.
MiiBerry has joined the conference.
NobaraIsEvil has joined the conference.
Pinkitanna has joined the conference.
PermyWasHere has joined the conference.
MadScientist3.14 has joined the conference.
NobaraIsEvil: Hi human friends. :-h
CyanBorg: I've got something important to tell you guys.
Pinkitanna: Spill it.
MiiBerry is typing something...
MiiBerry: What's it about, Nonoko? :)
PermyWasHere: ... seriously, weird confe message, Noko. :/
MadScientist3.14: Get on with it. I still have to finish my new experiment.
CyanBorg is typing something...
CyanBorg: Ok. Ok. It's about Hyuuga.
Okay. That made me freeze and stare on my screen.
PermyWasHere is typing something...
PermyWasHere: What? Did he jump off a cliff already? :
Pinkitanna: Did he kill himself to suffocation? :)
NobaraIsEvil: Is he in the hospital or at a funeral parlor? :)
MadScientist3.14: Mikan, are you still breathing?
Then, I realized I was holding my breath for about a minute now. Sheesh. I forgot about him, didn't I?
MiiBerry is typing something...
MiiBerry: Yes, I am, Hotaru. I don't care about him anyways.
MadScientist3.14: Good. Nonoko, what is it?
CyanBorg: I chatted with Tsubasa and Misaki-chan yesterday.
CyanBorg: And, Misaki-chan mentioned something about a dare that happened between Hyuuga, Tsubasa, Ruka and Misaki before Hyuuga started ignoring Mikan.
Pinkitanna: So, that could be one of the reasons why Natsume's like avoiding Mikan?
PermyWasHere: Maybe.
NobaraIsEvil: That's it! Hyuuga was dared to break all ties with Mikan!
MiiBerry: That's too simple a reason, Nobara. It's not like Natsume.
CyanBorg: There's more. Misaki was about to tell me the whole story when Tsubasa stopped her. He said that Misaki was just joking about that. Weird, isn't it?
MadScientist3.14: There is definitely a connection with the dare and how Hyuuga's behaving. My instincts tell me so.
NobaraIsEvil: Genius instincts. :P
NobaraIsEvil: If Hotaru says so, then I agree.
PermyWasHere: Me too!
Pinkitanna: Count it three!
Miiberry: Uhm. Maybe?
CyanBorg: Make it four!
MadScientist3.14: I have to go through investigation of this case. I gotta go. Bye.
MadScientist3.14 has left the conference.
PermyWasHere: I need to go as well. My mom's shouting for me to get dress. I guess... we're going somewhere again. See you guys tomorrow!
PermyWasHere has left the conference.
Pinkitanna: Bye too! Got to go now! Have to watch Yumeiro Patisserie.
Pinkitanna has left the conference.
NobaraIsEvil: Sheesh. Leaving as well. Gotta go to my evil mob. XD
NobaraIsEvil has left the conference.
CyanBorg: So, Mikan, are you alright? :)
MiiBerry: Yeah! Of course!
But somehow worried again. Who wouldn't be?
CyanBorg: Sure? I gotta sign out as well. Bye, Mikan! See you!
CyanBorg has left the conference.
I closed the conference window and stared at the monitor for a while. Then, suddenly, an IM was sent to me by Ruka. I was surprised. We were just talking about the dare they had before. And, now, he IMs me.
FrenchCarrot: Hi Mikan! :)
MiiBerry is typing something...
MiiBerry: Hello Ruka-pyon!
FrenchCarrot: So, how's vacation?
Okay, this is definitely strange.
MiiBerry: Good. Yours?
FrenchCarrot: Boring. Uhm... can I ask you something?
MiiBerry: Sure. What is it?
FrenchCarrot: Is Imai-san mad at me? She keeps on blackmailing me. You're her best friend you should know that, right?
Ohhh. That's what it is about? Funny, Ruka-pyon.
MiiBerry: Haha. No, that's normal for Hotaru. You would be shocked if she doesn't act like that.
FrenchCarrot: Oh. Mikan, I wanted to tell you that Natsume isn't angry with you.
FrenchCarrot: He has his reasons why he's avoiding you.
MiiBerry: What reasons?
FrenchCarrot: And, it's not about what Tsubasa has said to him. I know you've heard of that.
FrenchCarrot: I'm sure Imai would've told you about that.
MiiBerry: What reasons, Ruka-pyon?
FrenchCarrot: I can't tell you. It's against my promise to him.
MiiBerry: I understand. You don't have to. Thanks.
FrenchCarrot: I'm sorry, Mikan. I just needed to tell you this. Even if it's not the whole story.
MiiBerry: Thanks, Ruka-pyon. I have to go now. Bye!
I signed out of yahoo!messenger. I just couldn't take all these information in one sitting. Just when I got over him – Natsume. I started to have that high hopes of him being my best friend again. I just look silly right now. Tomorrow, I promise to not let myself be carried away with what Ruka-pyon has said.
But, somewhere in my heart, something tugged at it and said that it's true and I must believe it. He has his reasons. What could be those reasons? If I could only name one.
I closed my laptop and just stared at my disastrous desk. Then, my eye caught a notebook – it was all too familiar. I opened it and saw my handwriting when I was in 5th grade at the first page.
5th Grade || XoXo
His name is Natsume Hyuuga.
He has red eyes.
He likes to read comics.
He's like a statue in a museum.
He doesn't smile nor laugh.
He's super smart!
He's observant.
He has a fan club! :O
He looks like a monk sometimes. I wonder why. But, he isn't human. I think. XD
HE'S NOT A STATUE BUT AN 11-YEAR-OLD PERVERT. THEREFORE, HE IS HUMAN
Yeah, it sucked. What I wrote and how I had written it. I can't believe I actually made a notebook of what I knew about Natsume since I met him. I must have looked like I was the President of his fan club rather than Koizumi. Seriously. I'm now thinking that I must be more of a fan rather than a best friend.
"This is so embarrassing," I whispered as my jaw dropped.
The last entry was about three months ago! And it's about how hot he looked under the cherry blossom tree. God. I must have myself killed.
"Mikan, are you still alive and breathing?" Mom shouted.
Why do people always ask if I'm alive these past few days? Sheesh.
"This is really embarrassing," I said once more as I took a last glimpse of my notebook before I went downstairs to show my mom how alive I am.
I'm very sorry for not updating for the 6 or 7 months. I have a lot of school work and I find time once in a while to write a piece of this chapter.
But, I only got the time to finish it today since it's Christmas Vacation. But, we still have lots of projects to do. Yeah, it sucks. It's been
frustrating this school because of the new curriculum and all. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter.
I made Mikan less emo here and almost on the verge of recovery.
She falls then stands then falls midway again.
Please do review! Thanks so much!
singwithme; Dreamy Drizzles; katielicious: Thanks for the review, guys! and sorry for the late update - too late. :)
ProxySoul29: I'm sorry I took too long to update. Even when you said it many times in your review. :)
Kylee-Cat: Thanks so much for the review. I hope you review this chappie as well. ^^
yExhina_sAkUrei: Thanks! And I apologize for not updating earlier. But, I promise to update this again sometime this week or next week.
TheHeideePayas: Haha. Yeah, it's quite confusing. :)) Thanks!
XxblackwingsxX: Sorry for making you cry, Lulu-chan! :)
krizka fierce: Yo! Krizka! :)) Here it is again! :)
anim3gurl: I agree! :)) No girl deserves that. Anyways, thanks for the review!
XxMidnightPrincessxX: Yeah, maybe he is. :) Sorry for not updating soon. :)
Kuroichibineko: It will eventually unfold in the next chapters. :) ;)
23 DECEMBER 2010
3:58 PM
(: nineprincess :)