CHAPTER 5

MIKAN'S POV

I woke up today with a huge smile on my face. Since its Sunday, I'll be able to see my parents and my onii-chan. Yay! I quickly jump out of the bed and take a quick shower. I changed my nightgown into a white tank top with matching gray cardigan and shorts. I also wear my gray boots. I let my hair fall down and run outside towards the gate, there I saw a black limo waiting for me. I quickly jump in and we rode off.

"Good morning Mikan-sama." the maids greeted me when I arrived. I did not forget to greet them back before I run inside to search for my parents. When I reach the living room I saw a girl, her back is facing me so I'm not able to see her face, she has shoulder-length hair that is raven. I put on my smile and didn't hesitate to approach her.

"umm. Excuse me? Uh. Who are you?" I asks her.

She turned around and I gasp. She's beautiful. Her raven hair matches her crimson eyes. Wait- crimson eyes? Hmm I think I knew someone who has the same color of eyes as her but I can't remember, so I just pushed that thought aside. But... She does really resemble someone...someone I knew.

She smiled at me. "Hi. I'm Aoi. I reckon you're Ms. Mikan Sakura?"

"Yes. Nice to meet you Aoi!" I smiled back and held out my hand and she gladly took it.

"Same here!"

"Oh uh may I ask you a question?"

"Sure what is it?"

"Uh. What are you doing here? This is the first time that I spotted you, are you a client of my parents or something?"

She opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by the cheery voice of my mother.

"Mikan sweetheart!" she ran to me and hugged me tightly. "I miss you so much!"

"Mom...you're...choking...me" I says.

She quickly let me go and I gasp for some air. "Sorry dear, I just miss you alot"

"I know mom. I miss you too. Where's Tsubasa-nii?"

"Oh. He's at the office, working with some papers." my smile faltered and my mom noticed this." But don't worry he'll come back soon." I put my smile back and nodded.

"Let's eat breakfast?" my dad offers.

We ate our breakfast with the girl, Aoi. I'm still wondering why is she here and why does I feel that she really resemble someone. After eating breakfast, Aoi left because she said she has something to do. After a while Tsubasa-nii arrived. And just like my mother, he hugged me tightly, choking me to death. We went in mall to watch a movie. We also went to my favorite shop and bought some clothes. We chat about what had happened to us while we're apart from each other.

"Mom, Dad thanks for today." I said. After enjoying the day, my brother quickly went back because he says that he has a dinner date with Misaki. My parents insisted on taking me back to the school dorms because they want to see my room. After they scan it I accompanied them to the door.

"Oh you're welcome Mikan hon-" she cut herself off. I saw her looking past me so I followed her gaze.

"That's Natsume mom. He's room was just next to mine." I said as I looked back at her. Is it just me or my mom really smiled evilly?ugh I think I'm going crazy. Before I could say more, my mom beat me to it.

"Hi Natsume-kun" my mother wave at him. Oh my gosh. Mom you're embarassing me. I turned around to see his face filled with confusion. He just nodded to my mother and went inside his room. Uh.. What was that?

"My princess we're going now" my father says as he kiss my cheek. I watch their retreating figure before I went to my room.

NORMAL POV

Meanwhile...

Natsume was wondering why does that woman, the one with Mikan earlier, was familiar. Then it hit him. She is the bestfriend of her . When he was young, Yuka often go to their house to chat with his mother, Kaoru. And she always brings with her her daughter. Natsume can't quite remember the face of the girl so he just pushed that thought aside and drifted to sleep.

The next morning…

"Good morning everyone!" Mikan greets as she enter the classroom.

"Good morning Mikan-chan!" Anna and Nonoko greeted her.

"Where's Hotaru?" Mikan asks excitedly.

Anna and Nonoko tore their eyes from Mikan and looked towards the place of Hotaru. Many students surrounded her.

"What's the commotion all about?" Mikan asks the crowd.

The students that are gathered around Hotaru parted ways as soon as they heard Mikan's

voice.

"I'm selling some of my masterpiece." Hotaru says.

"What masterpiece?" Mikan asks curiously. "Woah. You sure earn a lot of money in that business of yours." She sadded.

Hotaru held up a picture, revealing a brunette and a raven haired lad sleeping peacefully. The brunette's head is on top of the lad's shoulder while the lad's head is on top of her head. They look peaceful while sleeping. At first, she did not react. She seems to be lost in her thoughts. Her mouth fell wide open.

"Kyaaa! Hotaru! Where did you got that?" Mikan asks.

"Yesterday I found you two on that mini park." Hotaru answered boredly.

"But, why the hell did you-" Mikan was cut off when she spotted the raven haired lad entered the room.

"Na-na-na-natsu-me-me-kun" Shana,the one who was rejected by Natsume,called unto him, close to tears.

As usual, Natsume just ignored her. He started walking towards his seat until he felt the weird stares his classmates are giving him.

He turnes around to face them, "What?" he asks coldly.

Koko, one of his classmates, approach him holding a copy of the picture. when he reach Natsume, he held up the picture for him to see.

Natsume, who is irritated, shifted his glare from Koko to the picture he is holding. Natsume's eyes widened a bit for a second, then turn back to normal.

"What the hell is the meaning of this?" Natsume hissed.

"Hotaru's selling this images." Koko answers.

Natsume throw a death glare to Hotaru, but she didn't even seem to care.

"More copies of that picture here for only 100 rabbits." Hotaru announce through her megaphone that she pulled out of nowhere. More of her classmates run towards her to buy some copies.

"Stop that Imai." Natsume ordered sternly.

"What if I don't want to?" Hotaru snap.

Natsume want to punch hotaru straight on the face, but he manage to control his emotions. So he just walk away from the crowd and sat on his seat.

Shana approach him. "Natsume-sama! Are you and that Sakura bitch dating?"

Natsume didn't answer, he just continued reading his manga.

Hotaru overheard what Shana had asked Natsume and an idea pop in her head. Her eyes turned to money sign as she smiled evilly.

"That evil witch is planning something." Natsume muttered.

"Who's planning something?" Mikan pop out from nowhere making Natsume startled but the brunette didn't notice.

"Why do you care? Would you stop popping out of nowhere?"

"What? Popping out of nowhere? Oh. Okay"

"Classmates, Narumi-sensei told me to inform you that this morning all the subjects will be dropped." Yuu said.

The whole class cheered.

"But we need to study on our own because we don't know when will the teachers will give us a surprise quiz." Yuu continued.

The whole class groan.

"Natsume?"

"Hn?"

"Aren't you worried on what Hotaru is doing?" Mikan asks.

"No"

"But, what if our classmates will get the wrong idea?"

"Tch. Just let them be."

Hotaar is still selling those pictures and Natsume doesn't like it a bit.

"Stop that Imai." Natsume says as he shoot her death glares. But Hotaru just ignored him and continued selling pictures. This actions of her really pissed Natsume. He clench his fist and was about to punch Hotaru when someone grab his arm.

"Natsume" Mikan said softly.

"What?"

"Help me stop Hotaru!"

"Hn. And why should I?"

"Please?" Mikan showed him her famous puppy eyes.

Of course even the great Natsume couldn't resist this. 'Damn it. Why does she have to look cute with those puppy eyes.' Natsume thought.

Natsume didn't answer.

"Silence means yes!" Mikan cheered as she circled Natsume and clap her hands. And then, without warning, she unconsciously hug Natsume.

Hotaru caught sight of this sweet moment and quickly took pictures.

"If you really want to hug me that much, just say so." Natsume smirk at her and she quickly got off of him.

The next morning, Mikan still had no idea on what to do to stop Hotaru. This morning, Hotaru is selling another picture of them, the one where Mikan is hugging Natsume.

"This must stop!" Mikan complained.

"Shut up would you? You've said that same sentence 5 times already."

"But- Natsume why don't you just help me thinking on what to do? ugh. I've tried to pay her just to stop but she said that she'll earn more money by selling those pictures." Mikan pouted.

Natsume didn't answer. Mikan was lost in her train of thoughts, thining deeply. Then a light bulb lit up inside her brain. 'Operation stop Hotaru is on.'

"Why don't you just stop this?" asks a cold voice in a low whisper.

"No. We must stop Hotaru." said another voice, filled with determination.

"This is totally stupid." the cold voice said.

"Just stop talking Natsume would you?"

"Tch. You're the one who must stop this nonsense thing polka."

You must be wondering what the two are doing. Well Mikan had an idea, to stalk Hotaru and find some ways to turn the tables. Right now, the two of them are hiding behind the bushes watching Hotaru.

"Oh she's leaving." Mikan muttered as she grab Natsume's hand. Natsume is shock on Mikan's actions. It feels warm and secure.

Hotaru turned around to face them. Click.

"Oh great. She got another picture to sell." Natsume said irritably.

Mikan sweatdropped. "Hotaruuuuuuuuuuu!"

"You should be careful baka." Hotaru says and hurried off.

Natsume smirk. "You could remove your hand off mine now, unless you don't want to let me go."

Mikan blush at his statement and quickly let go. She spotted her car on the gates.

"I need to go now. Bye Natsume, thanks for today."

Second day of Mikan's "OPERATION STOP HOTARU"

Hotaru had left her table on her laptop, no one's in the classroom besides Mikan and Natsume, so Mikan took advantage of this. Mikan went to Hotaru's place where her laptop is and turn it on.

"Hotaru transfers her pictures on her laptop, so I'm sure that they were somewhere here." Mikan says as she scan the laptop.

Natsume, who's standing beside her, raise a brow at her. "How can you be so sure? I mean she has more that one laptop isn't she?"

"I don't now I just feel it." Mikan answers.

"Idiot" Natsume muttered.

"Hey! I heard that!" Mikan said suddenly standing up and lost her balance. He bump unto Natsume causing him to lose balance as well and they fell on the floor in an awkward position. Mikan is on top of Natsume, they were staring in each others eyes, their face were inches apart. Mikan blushed furiously.

'Those eyes... they were so mesmerizing.' Natsume thought.

"Smile for the camera Hyuuga." the two of them turned their head towards the one who own the voice and CLICK!

"Oh please. Get a room would ya?" Hotaru says as she exited the room.

"Get off polka." Natsume said and Mikan immediately pulled herself off.

"S-s-s-sorry"

It was already lunch break and the "Operation stop Hotaru" is not progressing.

Mikan doesn't have the appetite to eat so she decided to stroll around. She heaved a sigh "Instead of stopping her, it seems that we're just helping her to continue."

Then suddenly she heard voices... it seems that they are arguing. She wal closer to where the source of voice is coming. When she saw the two she gasp. It was her bestfriend with a guy. She quicly duck and hid on a bush so that she would go unnotice.

The boy has a worried look on his face while the girl has a cold expression. The girl is about to leave when the boy grab her arm to stop her from leaving. This caught the girl off guard. Mikan gasp, she quickly clasp her hand on her mouth to prevent any unnecessary noise coming out. Her bestfriend is blushing! Omg... could this boy... could this boy her boyfriend? She quickly took out her cellphone. Click! This is great. She has something to blackmail her bestfriend.

"What are you doing here?" a voice said. Startling Mikan to death. She look up to see Natsume. Mikan put a finger on her lips and pulled him down.

"Shhh." she says, as she took some more pictures.

"Let's go."Mikan said.

They went to the computer room. Natsume don't really lie to go with her but he has no choice because she suddenly grab his hand and drag him away. Mikan sat down on the nearest computer table and connected her phone in it.

"What are you doing?" Natsume raise a brow at her.

"Watch" Mian says as she smirk.

She copied and pasted the picture she took and pressed the PRINT button.

Friday morning had arrived. A certain brunette entered the classroom with a wide grin on her face. SHe went to her seat and Nonoo, Anna and Sumire quickly surrounded her.

"Why do you look so happy?" Anna asks.

"Maybe she had drunk one of Happy Potions of Nonoko." Sumire says.

"Psh. It's not like that Sumire" Mikan pouted.

"Then why are you happy?" Nonoo asks.

"It's nothing!" Mikan says.

"Look, Hotaru is selling another picture of yours and Natsume." Anna pointed to Hotaru and sighed.

Mikan stood up and approach Hotaru. She pulled her towards a corner that is isolated.

"Hi Hotaru." Mikan still have the wide grin on her face.

"What do you need idiot?"

"Would you please stop that?" Mikan said in a sweet voice.

"I don't want to."

"Really? Please stop it or else I'll show our classmate your picture with a guy."

"So, you're blackmailing me now huh?"

"Oh you now. I've learned all of this from you. What's the sense of being the bestfriend of the famous blackmailer if I myself don't know how to blackmail?" Mikan smiled wider ( if that is even possible)

"Tch. Where's the pic-" Hotaru was cut off when Mikan held out the picture she's talking about. She saw Hotaru stiffened and she smirk.

"Give that to me." Hotaru ordered.

'Don't want to."

Hotaru tried to snatch it but she failed.

Mikan sighed, "If you really want it this way I don't have any other choice." She turned around to her classmates and shouted "Guys! Look at this-" Hotaru immediately clamp her mouth just to shut her up.

"Stop it. Okay I'll stop selling your pictures if you give that picture to me." Hotaru pointed to the picture Mikan's holding.

"Sure. Deal?" Mikan says as she held out the picture.

"Deal." Hotaru says and snatch the picture.

Mikan smiled at her bestfriend and ran quickly towards her seat. Once she settled down on her seat she heaved a sigh of relief.

"Nice job Polka."

Mikan turned around to see Hotaru smiling. Wait smiling? She shook her head then look at Natsume again, the smile she thought she saw on his face was gone. Maybe she was just hallucinating or something.

"Stop calling me Pol-"

"You did really a great job. You have guts to stood up to your bestfriend, I admire that." he let out a small smile that makes Mikan's heart melt. She quickly look away to hide her blush.

This was indeed, a long chapter. hehe. Sorry if there's typographical error. So how was it? good or bad? leave a review please? please? :D