A/N: Quick-ish update! You can thank Crimson Memories for that. That song she made me listen to, god I can't stop singing it! I knew that was gonna happen… But at least it got me into writing.

Though it gave me the craziest idea ever, I can't even believe I thought about...

I wonder how many of you would bash me for even considering…

Okay here goes nothing… -gulp-

H- How about… howaboutaKanameXHotarupairing?

Okay you can kill me now… I know I would. But maybe it's not THAT crazy... I mean just… read this chapter and decide, if you are all against it I guess it's a no then.

Oh yeah, so this chapter is dedicated to Crimson Memories for sticking that song in my head… Thanks for that. :D

Now yes let's get on with the chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own…

Chapter 17 First Meeting.

(Normal PoV)

"Kaname-senpai? You mean as in Sonou Kaname?" Hotaru asks mildly interested in what Natsume has to say.

"Do you happen to know any other Kaname-senpai?"

She shakes her head.

"Then that's the one I mean." Natsume hands her a soda can "Care to tell me who he is?"

"Sonou Kaname. 17 years old and like Tsubasa he's in senior year. Also known as Alice Gakuen's Ouji-sama(Prince) Where Mikan get's her popularity from power and fear he gets it from kindness and smiles. He is what you would call perfect, in every sense of the word." Hotaru pauses to take a sip from her soda.

"If you thought Tsubasa and the others were venerated at school, you have yet to know Sonou Kaname. They are nothing but shadows when his name pops up. One would think that would cause people to harbor hard feelings for him but for some reason it's not the case with him. In fact he is Tsubasa's best friend. He had to leave the country last year to get some kind of special medical treatment, and still he's the number one guy at school. Like I said, he's perfect… it's impossible for anyone not to love him." The girl stares at the soda can in her hands and sighs.

"I take it that you're not the exception then?" he asks more out of curiosity than anything else.

Hotaru looks at him from the corner of her eyes and snorts. "You think I'm in love with him?" turning back to the soda can she smiles bitterly. "Actually… you couldn't be farther from the truth." she starts gripping the can tighter "About what I feel for that person I…" her words trail off and her eyes are suddenly filled with a held back emotion he can't quite place.

"You?" he presses her to finish the sentence.

"I despise him." She states firmly.

"Why? Didn't you just say it's impossible not to love him?"

"That's what makes me despise him even more. The fact that I can't really hate him even though I try so hard to…" the soda can in Hotaru's hand starts bending under her strong grip.

Natsume stares at the girl as if she were a freak show "You're not making any sense…"

"I don't expect you to understand…"

"I can try if you let me." He takes the can from her grasp and throws it in a nearby trash bin.

"Is this how you get Mikan to open up to you? By sweet talking her into speaking?"

Natsume shrugs "Maybe…" he smiles sheepishly "Is it working?"

"Fine, but we'll talk about it over a cup of coffee and cake; maybe ice-cream and then I'd like to try that new candy everyone's been talking about… howalon or something…" she starts walking towards a coffee shop "Oh, your treat of course." She adds at the last minute before entering the store.

Natsume sweat-drops 'Even though she knows I'm flat broke now… Ah hold on, I still have the old man's credit card…' a grin finds its way to his face. "Eat as much as you want, I'll gladly treat you to anything…"

Hotaru raises an eyebrow "I was planning on it, you didn't need to tell me…" she says and continues pointing to everything and anything on the menu to the waitress.

After their orders are placed on their table Natsume decides to break the silence.

"So w-." Hotaru cuts him off.

"It's his entire fault…" she answers his yet to be asked question "That Mikan became this… popularity-hungry-abomination she is now." She takes a bite from one of the various cakes on the table.

"Why d-." again.

"At least that's what I think. Ever since he left, Mikan hasn't been the same." She continues eating whatever treat she can get her hands on.

"What could h-." and again. Why did he feel like this was a one-sided conversation? Oh right, because it was… silly him.

"Mikan… she always admired Kaname, she was the only person besides me to acknowledge her and at some point that admiration turned into love I guess…" the distant look in her eyes only told him to sit back and prepare himself for a long trip down Memory Lane…

(Retelling- brought to you by Hotaru)

Mikan and I met Kaname when we were around 10… We were playing at a park in front of this big white house and I noticed a lonely blond boy staring down at us through a window on the second floor.

That was the first time I ever saw Kaname.

When Mikan noticed I was looking at something she too looked the same way and saw him sitting by the window. She waved at him and he waved back and then a woman pulled him away and closed the curtains… I didn't see him again after that.

The next few days we kept coming back to that park and I used to stare at the closed window expecting the boy to come out, but he never did. Finally on the fifth day of waiting Mikan decided to approach the house and ring the doorbell.

One of the maids opened the door and when Mikan asked to see the little boy. She said something about him being very sick and that his mother wouldn't allow anyone into his room but before we could leave she winked and said his mother was at work and wouldn't be back for a while.

She opened the door to the gloomy room and when we walked in I saw him sitting on a chair next to the shut curtains hugging a brown homemade teddy bear. As soon as he saw the two of us standing at the door his eyes lit up and he smiled brightly.

That was the first time I ever saw Kaname smile.

That day he told us about how he had a weak body so he couldn't go out. He told us about the only friend he had, Mr. Bear he called him. He told us about how he had a tutor to teach him home school since he couldn't attend a real school. He told us how his father had passed away when he was very small and that he didn't remember him at all…

And finally he told us how we were the first real kids he'd ever talked to in his life. He told us about everything until he had nothing left to say.

That was the first time I ever heard Kaname's voice.

From that day on Mikan and I kept visiting him while his mom was gone, the same maid would always sneak us in and out of the house unnoticed. One day we were arguing about whether or not we should take him with us to the park and I called Mikan an idiot that's when I finally heard the laughter erupting from the boy sitting behind her.

That was the first time I ever heard Kaname laughing.

In the end I gave up and decided to forget about the consequences and with the help of the maid we sneaked him out with us.

While we were playing we lost track of time and before we knew it Kaname's mom was walking up to us screaming and saying that we were putting his life and danger and if we even understood the seriousness of what we'd just done. His eyes recovered that lonely look they carried that first time I saw him and his mother pulled him away and into the house.

The maid was fired after that incident and Mikan and I were never allowed to go into the house or see Kaname again. We kept coming back to the same park everyday but the curtains were always shut and as we grew up we kind of forgot all about it. At least I think Mikan did…

I often walked pass that street on my way home from school to see if the curtains were still closed, and indeed they were.

It was about three years later that I saw him again, he had changed a lot over the years but I knew it was him.

It was the first day of my last year as a middle school student, and I was walking past his house when I noticed that the window on the second floor was shot open and the curtains were being gently swayed by the spring breeze.

And there he was, his elbows resting on the window frame and his head plopped on his hands, and he was smiling. When he spotted me he quickly stood up and ran into the room. I thought it was only normal considering all the trouble we'd put him through, but I was really surprised when he came out through the front door.

"Hotaru-chan!" he called from behind me.

That was the first time Kaname ever called my name.

After reassuring me for the umpteenth time that it was okay I agreed to have tea in his house. Once again he started talking about everything until there was nothing left unsaid. He explained to me how his health had improved and that his mother had allowed him to go to a real high school, Alice Gakuen he said, and how he was really looking forward to next year when we could all be together there.

After I came back home I told Mikan all about my encounter with him and she pestered me until I agreed to take her too… A couple of days later the three of us were having tea together in the backyard of Kaname's house and he told Mikan what he'd told me over again.

Mikan said something about how she was so happy that he was okay and that all those years she'd been thinking about him and praying that he would be healthy and now that he went to school she could start calling him 'Kaname-senpai' and whatnot.

That was when I finally realized Mikan liked Kaname and that was also when I started distancing myself from him.

I didn't see much of Kaname after that day. I avoided walking by his house on my way home and I stopped visiting. I only heard from him through Mikan's incessant rambles about how he was cute, nice, cool, gentle and kind.

And then one day it happened, she saw him hanging out with some girl from school and became very jealous. She started saying how she wasn't as beautiful, sophisticated, refined or ladylike as that girl and how she would never be good enough for 'Kaname-senpai'.

The end of the year came quickly and the cold winter with it. I decided to walk by his house once more for some reason, and when I did I saw a black car parked outside. Kaname came out of the house with a grim expression on his face and holding one suitcase in each hand.

When he spotted me he walked up to me and with a serious expression he said "I have to leave."

I didn't ask for explanations or anything of the sort I regarded him with a nod and asked "Aren't you gonna say goodbye to Mikan?"

He shook his head "There's no time. It seems my condition worsened so I'm going abroad to a specialist to treat my illness." He forced a smile on his face "I'm glad I was able to see you one more time at least. It seems that you have been avoiding me since that time we had tea with Mikan all that time ago…"

I simply shrugged in response and for the third and last time I saw the same loneliness filled eyes I hadn't seen for three long years, and for some reason I felt that this time it was my fault…

"I hope to see you again some time… When I come back I'm sure we'll meet again, at Alice Gakuen…"

I looked away and nodded once. After that he got in the black car and his last words were "It's a promise…" I quickly turned my head only to see the car speeding away and Kaname staring through the back window waving at me and I couldn't help but smile a little and wave back.

That was the last time I ever saw Kaname.

When I told Mikan about his sudden departure she cried and cried regretting not being there to say goodbye. I reassured her that he would be back and that was when she decided she had to go to Alice Gakuen and become the best so that when he came back he would surely notice her and like her back.

That was the last time Mikan was her true self… and she became what I call Miss. Popularity.

(Normal PoV)

Natsume takes a while to process the whole tale and finally comes up with something to say.

"So… No intention to sound like a jerk or anything but… How is it his fault at all?"

Hotaru glares at him "If he hadn't left like that… If only he'd said something to Mikan maybe she-."

"It doesn't sound to me like he had a choice… And besides aren't you trying to put all the blame on him because you don't want to accept part of the fault?" he looks at her straight in the eyes trying to place that feeling she's been hiding since a while back.

"It's not my fault… and even if it were like that, why would I put the blame on him when I-."

Suddenly it hits Natsume what it is as he sees Hotaru's expression softening a bit. "Self sacrifice…" he mumbles.

Her face becomes serious once again as she faces him.

"You're unconsciously making up pitiful excuses to make yourself hate him for Mikan's sake, so that you don't have to face the fact that actually you… how should I say this in a gentle manner?" he taps his chin with his index finger and hums watching her all the while, waiting for her to finish the sentence he started.

"Well since you're not about to admit it I'm just gonna go right ahead and say it for you…" Natsume smirks when Hotaru's eyes narrow slightly. "You fell for him… pretty hard, and a long time ago might I add…"

Her eyes widen as if realization had just dawned on her. For the first time she couldn't object because she didn't know how. Could it be… that he was right?

"Since you're not trying to prove me wrong I guess that means I'm right…" Natsume plops his elbows on the table and intertwines his fingers and grins smugly. "I think you're taking the fool's way out if you ask me…" he mocks.

Hotaru snorts. "I don't recall ever asking for your opinion…" she replies playing along.

"Oh!" he throws his arms in the air "But you wanted to!" he sighs and composes himself before continuing "What are you gonna do now?"

Hotaru thinks about it. "Well, I still have time to think about it… Maybe it was just childish infatuation or maybe I was just idolizing him like you did to me… whichever the case, until he comes back there's no need to worry…"

"Um… yeah, about that…" Natsume starts debating with himself if it's a good idea to tell her… but she sees right through him and the dreadful question pops into her head.

"Why did you suddenly ask about Kaname when you're not even supposed to know him in the first place?"

"Err… well you see… it's a funny story actually…" he starts laughing nervously earning himself a deathly glare from Hotaru.

"SPEAK. NOW." She demands.

"Well I've got good news and bad news… The bad news is that he's back…"

"And the good news?" she starts growing impatient.

"That's also the good news…" he answers grinning.

Hotaru stretches over the table and grabs the collar of his shirt "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"In my defense I thought you already knew… You said you knew everything Mikan did…"

She gasps in shock as his words sink in. "So she already saw him?" she slowly releases him "It might be too late already…"

"Late for w-?"

Hotaru suddenly stands up and runs out of the shop.

"Wait, Imai!" Natsume is about to chase her when a waitress stops him.

"Sir, you forgot to pay your bill…" she smiles sweetly.

'I don't have time for this…' he quickly hands her the credit card "Give yourself a nice tip…" he says and runs off following behind Hotaru.

-At the Alice Gakuen School Gates-

Hotaru turns around the corner to enter the school grounds without looking and bumps into someone making her fall to the ground.

"Are you okay?" a sweet voice asks and a hand is offered to her to help her. "I'm sorry; you came out of nowhere so I didn't get a chance to move out of the way."

"Yeah…" she mumbles as she takes it and stands up.

"You should be more careful and watch where you're going…" the voice says mockingly. Wait… mockingly? No one mocks Imai Hotaru! Well, without a proper reason…

"Well you should watch it too you as-!" Hotaru's voice suddenly dies down and her mouth hangs agape when she looks up to see the person she just ran into.

"I see you kept our promise Hotaru-chan." Kaname smiles sweetly at the girl.

The younger girl looks away and shrugs. "I came here because Mikan wanted to come. It's not like I ever made such a promise anyway."

"Is that so…" he mutters, a tint of disappointment in his voice.

She closes her eyes and tries to get a hold of herself. "What are you doing here?" she asks coldly.

The blonde boy laughs. "I go to this school…"

"You know what I mean. Why didn't you say you were coming back?" her tone gets icier word by word.

"Would you have answered the phone if I'd called you?" he asks surprising her a little, she never thought he took so much notice that she had in fact been purposefully avoiding him.

"Besides I wanted to surprise everyone. But it seems that they already left, I only found Mikan-chan here but I think she's gone too..."

Hotaru stands completely still and says nothing.

"Are you ever going to answer my question Hotaru-chan? The one I asked that time…"

Apparently there were some minor "details" she "forgot" to mention to Natsume…

"Will you at least tell me why you started being this cold towards me all of a sudden?" he sounds almost like he is pleading for his life to be spared.

"You didn't say anything to her, did you?"

He shakes his head. "No… But maybe I should. I think it's unfair for her if I keep quiet…"

Hotaru nods in agreement. "But it'll be worse if you tell her now."

"Now will you tell me why you keep treating me as if I had the plague?" he manages to smile but his eyes give away that same loneliness they used to.

"I'm not sure if it's true, but I guess it's only fair to tell you…" she pauses and looks around. "Truth is I-."

"IMAI!" Natsume finally catches up to her panting "Running off like that, you had me really worried and I find you here as if nothing..." he stops midsentence 'Sonou Kaname…'

"Ah… You are a friend of Hotaru-chan? Nice to meet you, I'm Sonou Kaname." He extends a hand for Natsume to shake.

"Yeah…" and so he does. "Hyuuga Natsume, nice to finally meet you, it's good to know the guy who could sweep off her feet the great Ima-." Hotaru smacks the back of his head and scowls.

"Shut up idiot." She scolds.

Kaname starts laughing out loud. "It's good to see you are still the same, I was worried you might have changed but I'm glad to find that certain things never do."

Hotaru turns her eyes to him and bites her tongue to keep herself from smiling. (A/N: I bet that's how she manages to keep the straight face all the time.)

The blonde teen pats her head "Well, I'll be seeing you around Hotaru-chan, and I expect to get an answer to my question some day…" he turns to Natsume "It was nice meeting you." And with that he leaves them both standing there.

"What question?" the crimson eyed boy asks raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing shut up." Hotaru starts walking down the street, away from the school. "I'm going to search for Mikan, she's not here anymore."

"She probably went back home then…"

"No, I know where she is." She keeps walking with Natsume following suit.

"So… What question was he talking about?"

-baka- -baka- -baka-

Hotaru puts away her baka gun in her bag.

A/N: You see it doesn't sound like such a crazy idea after all right?

Okay it still does… But I mean… right?

I've thought up three possible developments for the story from this point, and I'm too lazy to create a poll and wait for it to be answered so if you wanna vote do so in a review:

NUMBER 1 Will probably include character death, to be honest and because it's obvious, yes I'm talking about Kaname-senpai. So there will be some crying and stuff.

NUMBER 2 Mikan finding out Kaname was actually after Hotaru and resulting in her sulking in self-pity and Natsume coming to the rescue and blah blah you know the rest.

NUMBER 3 Hotaru/Natsume walking into a Mikan kissing Kaname (or Kaname kissing Mikan? They can't really tell) so this whole misunderstanding will happen and then, well you know…

It's not like I'm going to tell which the chosen one was, or which I would chose…

And it's not like it's all gonna happen in next chapter, that's why I said development…

Anyways hope you enjoyed the chapter despite the odd pairing I just invented.

Make sure to vote which of the three developments you like better.

Ja ne minna-san!