Chapter 5

"OTOOOOOO-SAAAAN!" Mikan wailed as she opened the door of the King's room

There were a lot of people inside; servants and doctors were there to attend to their majesty's needs and they bowed down by the sight of their princess. The Queen was there as well, standing beside the King's bed where he sat there looking so pale. Yet despite of his illness, the King never failed to smile as brightly as he did, making everyone less worried. Still, Mikan couldn't stand the sight of his father looking like this. She ran inside the room and climbed on his bed and sobbed again.

"Otoooo-saaaaaaaan!" she whined as she hugged him

His father patted her cute idiotic daughter.

"Daddy's fine. Stop crying like that Mikan. I'm not yet dead."

But this made her cry even more. He smiled helplessly while Yuka glared at him disapprovingly.

"Mikan, you haven't even greeted everyone here." He said, diverting the issue

The brunette looked at him, her face was so red and tears were streaming down her face. The King's heart felt warm by this sight. He couldn't believe how his princess remained like the child she was. He beamed at her, assuring her that he felt fine.

The princess wiped her tears and climbed down the bed as she faced everyone and curtsied. Everyone bowed down as well. Then she climbed back on the bed and buried her head on her father's arm while Yuka kept arranging the sheets as well as straightening Mikan's skirt.

"I feel fine now. You can all take your leave. Thank you." The King said

Everyone bowed down and took their leave leaving the family behind.

When everyone was out, the Queen relaxed and sat on the bed as well. Then the couple looked at one another as their child wailed even more.

"Uwaaaa chi-chi! What h-h-happened to yoooou? Why do you look so sickly and ugly now?" Mikan asked in between sobs

"Oi! Oto-san still looks handsome even when sick! Even your mother thinks so!" the idiot king defensively said while Yuka rolled her eyes

"IIE! Chi-chi… you look so horrible!" Mikan wailed "But, what happened? They said you suddenly collapsed!"

"WHAAAAT?! WHO SAID THAT?" Izumi exclaimed

"Everyone did! When I was going up here they told me you collapsed!"

"They did?!" the king gasped dramatically "How could they lie to my daughter?"

"Ehh?"

"I didn't collapse Mikan. Tsk tsk. I just tripped and fell asleep that's all."

Yuka clucked her tongue as Azumi gestured his hand to keep his wife quiet

"Eeeehh? Honto?" the brunette asked innocently or ignorantly

"Yep! I just felt tired all of a sudden so I wanted to sleep on the floor but everyone made a big fuss out of it!" Azumi uttered "I was just tired. That was it sweetie…"

"Then..." Mikan looked at her beloved father "RETIRE ALREADY! I'll take your throne. Mama and I will take care of the kingdom, ne mama?" she looked at Yuka who was stroking her hair

"Hah? But your mom is still the queen Mikan…" he said

"Then I'll be a King!"

Izumi chuckled and ruffled the princess's hair.

"That's impossible." He said

"Temo…"

"Mikan." Yuka called out

The princess looked at her mother.

"We should let your dad rest."

"Do we have to go?"

"Yes."

"But no one will take care of him!" the brunette reasoned out

"Yes, yes. . Don't worry Yuka. I feel much better with you two staying here with me." The King beamed at the two girls in front of him

"Besides, there is something I would like to tell you Mikan sweetie…"

"Yuki…" Yuka complained

"Daijobou Yuka. It's better to tell her earlier."

"But… I still think it's too early for that…"

"She's a royalty Yuka. This is a normal thing for us."

Mikan, confused at what her parents were talking about, finally speak out.

"Oka-san, chi-chi, what are you talking about?"

The royal couple looked at their princess and looked back at one another as they shared a meaningful look. After a few seconds, Yuka sighed in defeat while Azumi smiled sheepishly.

"Mikan…" the queen held her daughter's hands in hers, "Please listen carefully to what we're about to tell you okay?"

"Eh? Wha-

"Sweetie…" Yuka cut her off "Please promise mommy that you'll hear us out until the end." Yuka looked deep into Mikan's eyes

"Okay. I promise." The brunette raised her right hand and grinned at her mom

"First, I'd like to ask you something."

Mikan listened

"You know that when making promises, we really have to keep it right?"

The brunette nodded

"You see… long before… your oto-san and I, have made a promise with our friends. And…"

"And?" Mikan asked

"And…"

"We want to keep that promise." Izumi continued, saving his wife the trouble

"That's great then!" Mikan enthusiastically said "And then? And then? What's it got to do with me?" she smiled excitedly

The couple looked at one another.

"I can't do this!" Yuka said "She's too young!"

"Yuka…"

"Then say it."

Izumi looked at his cute daughter "I… I…"

"See? You can't even do it."

"You're the mom, you can say it better."

"I can't."

"Yuka… we already talked about this."

"YES. BUT STILL!"

"WAAAAAIIIITTT!" Mikan halted the two "What is it?"

"…"

"…"

"Oka-san?" she turned to her mom

"…"

"Ne, chi-chi?" she look at his dad

"…"

"You said I have to listen to the end! Why are you both so silent?"

The two remained quiet.

"Mooouu!" The brunette pouted "Just what is it already?"

Silence.

Then just as Mikan was about to throw a fit from irritation, knowing how loud she is, the couple uttered at the same time,

"You're going to be married to Prince Hyuuga."

.

.

.

The prince sneezed.

"Do you feel sick your highness?" Andou Tsubasa, the personal butler of the Northern prince asked worryingly

"No." replied the royalty

"But you just sneezed, you might be fee-

The stoic prince stopped on his tracks and glared at his personal valet and said sarcastically,

"I don't feel sick. Thank you."

Then he walked ahead.

"This guy's really hard to be with."

Tsubasa thought and followed the coldhearted prince.

When they finally got to the room where our kuro neko was called, Tsubasa opened the door for him as they went inside.

"AH! Natsumeeeee!" the Queen smiled warmly, waving from her seat and gesturing her son to come in

Natsume bowed his head and went to his mother's side as Tsubasa also greeted the queen.

"You can leave Tsubasa." Natsume nonchalantly ordered as he sat down

The Queen smiled apologetically as Tsubasa bowed again and took his leave.

"Moouu Natsume! Can't you do something about your attitude? You're always so mean!" Kaoru complained

"What is it you wanted to tell me mom?" he asked indifferently

"Mooouu! Listen to what I'm saying you brat." The queen leaned in and ruffled her son's hair

"Mom!"

"Hmp! So uncute!" She pinched his cheek before sitting back properly and sighing in defeat "Okay, okay Uncute-san, I'll get straight to the point."

Natsume looking pissed, run his hair with his hand as he listened.

"In just a few months or so, you…"

Natsume sensing something stopped fixing his messed up hair as he stared at his mom who was trying to look innocent.

"What are you…" he started

Kaoru who can no longer help her excitement started to giggle and before she'll piss off her bad-tempered child… she finally gave the news.

"I'm finally having a daughter!" she said vivaciously

"…"

"Oi!"

"You're pregnant again?" he concluded with a hint of disgust

"Hey! Don't make it sound like I've given birth to twenty children! There's just your cute brother and the uncute you!" Kaoru complained in reproach of her son's revulsion "Anyhow that's not what I'm saying!"

"Then what?"

Kaoru smiled suspiciously which annoyed Natsume. He exhaled in irritation.

"Mom you're not getting straight to the point at all."

"Fine, here." She gave him a small envelope that was on the table "Open it."

Natsume opened it and took what was inside. It was a picture.

"That's Yukihira Sakura Mikan, my future daughter…."

Kaoru beamed at her son as he glared at his mom.

"Natsume, you're going to marry her!"

To be continued

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