Hello, Stranger
A/n: Hi guys! I'm trying to reply to all of your reviews starting today so if you want to drop reviews, then you're very welcome to do so because I will try to reply to all of the reviews :)
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own Gakuen Alice/Alice Academy
Chapter 5
It All Begins Here
A groan escaped from a brunette's lips as her alarm clock alarmed as loud as ever. "Ugh," she grunted as she slowly opened her hazel eyes. Drowsiness was still seen on her face but she knew how brutal her new alarm clock could be. She sat up, rubbed the tip of her eyes and yawned loudly. "Good morn—" Ring! Her eyes glared at the noisy alarm clock. "Ugh," a grunt again escaped on her lips. Her hand reached out of the alarm clock and turned it off. A smug smile flashed on her lips and she put back the alarm clock on the table beside her bed. "Good morning, sunshine!" she greeted happily the sun who was shining on the terrace.
"Rise and shine polka dots," a husky voice said. Mikan jerked her head on the doorway of her room and it was her husband. Natsume was leaning on the wall, hands crossed under his chest and a smirk was again playing on his lips. "Good you're awake now."
"Early morning and you are pestering me?" she growled on him as her hazel eyes shot him a get-lost look.
"You forgot, today is our first day of being a real married couple." He reminded her and a low chuckle escape on his lips as Mikan scowled remembering what actually today means.
Today is their first day in their condominium.
Last night, Mikan and Natsume left the Sakura mansion and finally moved in to the condo that Mikan's parents gave to her as a graduation gift, much to her disappointment though. She was actually grumbling the whole night and was even shock that when they arrived, Sumire, Nonoko and Hotaru along with Ruka was already in the condo waiting for them and actually prepared a little dinner for the couple.
"Great friends," she muttered sarcastically as she saw her friends and found out their little surprise for her and Natsume.
Yuka who was really excited on the moving in told Mikan's girlfriends and Ruka that they should leave the couple now since they need to have their own moment. "Thanks mom. Really." A sarcastic statement again was heard from Mikan. Once all of her friends left, Mikan ignored the little dinner prepared for them and arranged her clothes in their bedroom. More dismays happened because Mikan and Natsume only have one room. But Mikan, the stubborn Mikan, sent Natsume outside the bedroom and told him to sleep on the living room and shouldn't dare to step a foot inside the room while Mikan is sleeping.
"Whatever, Natsume." She grumbled as she threw the bed sheets away from her body and went down to the bed. "Get away from me."
"Na-uh." He answered. He followed Mikan on the bathroom and leaned himself on the doorway's wall. "As much as you want me away from you, you can't really get rid of me." He added.
Mikan opened the sink and washed her face and gurgled as she ignored Natsume who was looking at her and watching her as she cleanse her face and brushed her teeth. Once done, "One day, I'll get rid of you." She muttered darkly and pushed Natsume away from the doorway and went outside of the room.
He couldn't help but chuckle on Mikan's stubbornness. Two nights ago, he found it very annoying but today he decided to use it as his own amusement so at least excitement and enjoyment could be in this marriage. "How's your sleep, polka?" he asked her as he followed her on the dining room.
Their condominium wasn't big since Yuka wanted them to be close and a spacious condo wouldn't help. "Great until I saw you this morning." She grunted to him but paused when she saw breakfast on the table. Her body turned around and faced Natsume. "You cook all of this?" he nodded. "You know how to cook?"
"You still don't know a lot of things about me, polka." He answered with a little smirk playing again on his lips.
She rolled her eyes and turned around, facing the breakfast on the table. "At least you're not as useless as I thought." She walked towards the dining table and took her seat. "Hm, smells delicious." She said. Her brows furrowed when she noticed that Natsume is already sitting in front of her and smirking on how she just complimented his cook. "Stop smirking."
"It's my trademark," he simply answered.
"Change it." She responded. Then she grabbed the plate full of eggs and put one of her plate. Then she grabbed some noodles and soup and put in on her bowl. She was about to plunge the food on her mouth when she noticed that Natsume was still looking at her. "Aren't you gonna eat?"
He shrugged and grabbed some eggs and soup too and started to eat breakfast as well. Both of them started to eat breakfast silently. But Mikan, who finished breakfast, first thought of one tiny problem. "Who is going to wash the dish?"
Natsume looked at her and raised one of his brows. "I cooked the food." He had a smug smile on his face, "You wash the dishes."
Her eyes narrowed. "What?" she exclaimed. Mikan, to be honest, doesn't know any of the household chores. You can say that even fixing her bed, she still depend it on their maids. She is a girl who actually lives with a silver spoon on her mouth. "But I can't do that!"
"And why not, polka?" he asked her sensing what dilemma she feels right now. "Don't tell me you don't know how to do chores?"
Her face started to blush in embarrassment. Who wouldn't feel embarrassed? She is a girl and she doesn't even know how to wash the dishes. She looked away, "Well, if you know a lot of chores then why don't you do it?"
"I'm the husband." He stood up, put his plate one the sink as the brunette watch his every move. He faced her and smirked, "Try to be the wife today." He said and walked towards the living room and turned their TV on.
She stood up and looked at Natsume in disbelief. "But Natsume!" she protested. "I can't do this!"
"Oh," he began and jerked his head to Mikan. "Lebron is calling me." He winked and turned his attention to the NBA Playoffs.
Mikan glared at Natsume but she knew it would be useless. He is as stubborn as she is. So she just sighed in frustration and grabbed her plates. She walked towards the sink and let out a one big loud sigh. "Damn it. I hate being married." She muttered and started washing the dishes.
It did take long for Mikan to finish the dishes and once she is done she let out a deep sigh. "Finally!" she rejoiced. Then she remembered Natsume. How he ignored her even if he knew that she doesn't know any chores. She stomp her feet towards the living room and there was her husband, lying on the sofa and concentrating on the game. "The nerve of this guy." She gritted her teeth and walked towards him.
"Hey!" he reacted when Mikan was actually in front of the television, covering the game. "Polka." He called her. "Away."
"No!" she stubbornly answered. She turned around and turned the TV off earning a glare from the lad's crimson locks. "Stop glaring at me or your eyeballs will be our lunch today." She angrily said to him.
"What's your problem?" he snapped. "I'm watching the playoffs, for NBA's sake polka! And it was Miami!" he shouted slightly at him. He doesn't give a crap if it's Mikan he is talking right now. NBA Playoffs is important. He has been waiting for this ever since and it was his goddamn Miami. "Stop PMS-ing and let me watch." He grunted and stood up.
Mikan walked towards Natsume and pointed her index finger to his chest. "I don't care about your freaking Miami! Who cares about you Lebron and his monkey face! I don't give a damn if you're watching." She snapped at him making him lose his anger and stared at the angry brunette with a amuse expression on his face. "You made me wash dishes for my hand's sake! And I just had a manicure with Nonoko two days ago. She will kill me if she will find this thing out. And for my hand's sake Hyuuga, I don't know anything about chores and you're already making me do one! And I am not PMS-ing!"
"Calm—"
"I won't calm down!" she cut him off with an angry shout and added. "Unless you grabbed that freaking telephone over there," her index finger pointed the wall phone and continued. "And call a maid. ASAP." She had a good and long pant as she finished her long speech to Natsume.
"You want a maid?" he calmly asked her.
"Yes!" she exclaimed.
"Fine." He said in defeat. He walked towards the phone and dialed an agency's number. "Hire us a maid."
"Now!" the brunette angrily demanded.
"You heard my wife. Now." He added. There was a silence for awhile and then he hung up the phone. His eyes diverted to the brunette who was still angrily glaring at him. "I just got you a maid. Chill down—"
"I'm not yet finish."
"What?" he asked in disbelief. "But Miami—"
"I don't care about Miami." She gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. "We are going to the salon now and you will accompany me as I do my manicure." She demanded.
"Are you insane?" he asked her earning more glare from Mikan. "No!" he answered. "Not in a million years, polka."
"You will do as I say, Hyuu—"
"It's final." He walked past towards the brunette and sat on the sofa. "I will watch my Miami and I will not accompany you in the salon!"
xxx
"This is not happening." He muttered as he gritted his teeth in anger. Unfortunately, what he blurted awhile ago wasn't his final decision. Maybe he underestimated Mikan. Maybe he really did because right now, he is in the salon, the Fab Shup Salon, sitting on the waiting area, reading the magazine for half an hour now and wait as his wife had her manicure.
No girl has ever done this to her. No girl has made Natsume under her sleeves but no, Natsume just experienced being under for the first time in his life. Not even his dad could change his final words. Once he says final, it's final. Until now. "Ugh." He grunted as he wanted to go out of this place and just watch his dear Miami's game.
"Ma'am Sakura," he heard the manager of the salon called his wife's name. "I think your husband is started to be bored. You might want to offer him some manicure as well." Natsume put the magazine down on his lap and glare at the woman.
"Are you seriously telling that?" he angrily spat at her.
"Natsume," Mikan sweetly said and pouted. "Don't be that harsh to her. She was just concern."
"Shut up." He hissed making Mikan laugh out loud. "Stop laughing. Nothing is funny."
"Aw, I find it sweet whenever the husband is actually whipped on her wife." An old woman said to her friend. They were both having their salon time and giggled together. "They're such a cute couple." She added.
Mikan gave a warm smile to the two old ladies while Natsume just gave a quick glare and shrugged. I am not whipped! He said in his thoughts. He was never whipped. Yes, he might be under on her sleeves but that would be for now. A Hyuuga will never be whipped. Then he heard the salon's door opened. He looked up and to his dismay; he saw Nonoko and Sumire standing there.
"Mikan!" Nonoko called the brunette. The two approached Mikan. "I'm glad you called us to drop by here."
"Why are you having a manicure again?" Sumire butt in as she noticed what her friend actually did in the salon again.
The brunette gave a glance to Natsume who as actually looking at the three of them. She pouted cutely and said. "Natsume actually made me wash the dishes and made my just manicured hands dirty and it destroyed my newly nail art polished nails."
A loud gasped escaped from the two girls and louder gasped again escaped from Nonoko's lips. Her head turned at Natsume who looked emotionless. "Natsume!" she said. The lad raised one of his brows and she continued. "You don't let a girl do the dishes especially if she just did her nails! That's a big no, no!"
Sumire put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "You just broke one of the rules, Natsume."
He rolled his eyes in annoyance and answered. "He turned my television off. I was watching Miami's playoffs."
Sumire and Nonoko gasped again and now their bodies are facing Mikan again. "Mikan!" they said at the same time. "You didn't!" they exclaimed.
Mikan, who looked unaware why her girls have that kind of reaction, looked confused. "Is that a wrong thing?"
"Of course!" Sumire exclaimed making Natsume smirked. "Koko almost killed me when he was watching playoffs and it was OKC versus Lakers and I want to change the channel to watch some random shows."
"Playoffs are their life." Nonoko added as she nodded in agreement remembering how Kitsy really watch every game of Playoffs.
"But I'm not interested in those stupid games. And for the record, they all look the same." She said and furrowed her brows to the smirking raven haired lad. "Stop smirking."
"And Miami got defeated because of you." Natsume said with a little lonely tone to gain sympathy from her friends.
"That's just sad, Natsume." Nonoko said as she looked at him with her sad eyes.
She gasped on how Natsume just got her best friends' side easily. "Nonoko, how could that be sad?"
"You know," Sumire said. "Whenever I am the reason why Koko missed to watch NBA or football games, I usually take him out on a date."
Natsume smirked and eyed the brunette. "Well, it's a date then after this, polka eh?"
Her eyes widen and looked at her perm haired best friend in disbelief. "I won't take him out on a date!" she exclaimed.
"Aw, Mikan." Nonoko pouted. "You shouldn't be that mean."
"I am not mean!" she exclaimed. "He made me wash the dishes." She tried to protest. She faced Natsume and saw him smirking at her and she shot him a death glare. "He actually made me wash the dishes with my new manicured nails, Nonoko!"
"But," Sumire added. "He actually faced your wrath and brought you here in the salon and is actually waiting for you." She slowly smirked and said. "You should at least take him on a date."
Permy and her little schemes, the brunette thought as she stared at Sumire darkly. She knows what she is actually planning and Nonoko's actually on her side. But before she could react, Nonoko and Sumire walked towards the salon's door. "See you soon, Mikan!" Nonoko said with a smile on her face. "Good luck on your date!" she added then she and Sumire winked at Mikan then left the salon.
She looked dumbfounded and her mouth almost hung open. How could her girls do these things to her? They were supposed to be on her side. Ugh, Sumire. She looked at Natsume who leaned on the sofa and was still having the smirk on his face. How did he actually have her friends on his side? Natsume and his devious way. Fine, I'll let him win now, she thought and just shrugged.
xxx
"I can't believe I'm with you right now." Mikan grunted for the millionth time. They are now in the park with her beloved husband since she needed to take him on a date just because of lame playoffs. She actually wanted to go to the mall and at least do shopping but he protested, telling that there would be a lot of fan girls in the mall and might eat him alive. "Why can't we be in the mall again?" she asked him again with an annoyed voice.
"Shut up, polka." He answered.
"Actually," she said and looked up at Natsume. "I want to see how your fan girls eat you alive." She smirked. "That would be fun." She just received a dark glare from him and he shrugged immediately. A loud sigh escaped on her lips and said, "I can't believe I'm with you right now." She said those words again.
"Uh, the last time I check." He smirked. "We're in the same condo and do I have to remind you that we're married?" he looked down at her and winked again.
She groaned in frustration. "Stop winking." She said then scrunched her nose. "Not attractive."
There was a silence since he decided to ignore the brunette. They continued to walk in the park until his crimson eyes landed on a certain food stand. "Polka," he called her.
She looked up at him and noticed that he wasn't actually looking at her. Her eyes followed his daze and found out what her companion actually want. "Don't tell me you want an ice cream?"
"I want one." He said. He held her hand and dragged her towards the stand.
An old man smiled brightly at the couple as he saw that they were approaching his ice cream stand. "Hello, young lady and young lad." He greeted politely and still having the bright smile on his face. "I guess, you want an ice cream, eh?" Without receiving any answer from the two, he added. "I have a chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, what do you want?"
"Well," Mikan said.
"Strawberry." Mikan and Natsume said at the same time. They looked and each other and glared at each other. "I want the large cone." They said again at the same time.
"Will you stop copying me?" she said and crossed her arms under her chest. "It's annoying."
"The only person who is close to annoying is you, polka." He muttered.
But before Mikan could retort to him, the old man cut her off as he handed them their cone of strawberry ice cream. "Here you go." He happily said to them. "No need to start a love quarrel. You look cute together."
They reached for their ice cream and Natsume handed the old man the payment. "Keep the change old man." The he started to walk away.
"Thanks, oldie!" Mikan said joyously and flashed the man a bright smile. She ran towards Natsume who was leaving her behind. "Keep the change?" she said as she stepped beside him. "You don't need to brag that you're rich, Hyuuga."
"I'm not bragging." He muttered. "You're making it a big deal."
They slowly walked towards a nearby bench under a Sakura tree since they have been walking and walking for a couple of minutes now. They both sat quietly and ate their ice cream together.
"I didn't know you like ice creams." Mikan broke the silence and continued licking the strawberry flavored ice cream.
"You still need to know a lot of things about me." He flatly said to her as he too as well continued eating his ice cream.
"Okay then, Mr.-you-still-don't-know-a-lot-of-things-about-me." She said. She paused and munched the last piece of the cone. After she continued, "Let me ask some questions about you."
"Fire on the hole." He lazily said as he wasn't finished on eating his ice cream.
"Hm," her face looked like she was in a deep thought as if thinking what question she should ask. "Are you the only child?" she asked as she finally found a good question.
"Pfft," he whispered. The last piece of the cone was plunge on his mouth and slowly munched it as well. "I have a sister." He answered. "So that makes me not an only child." He stated.
Hearing his answer, Mikan slowly started to be curious about Natsume. "If you have a sister then why she isn't the one married to Ruka?" she asked. "As I actually remembered, the only son will marry the only daughter."
He glanced at her and realized that she as well got actually curious. This was the same feeling he felt when he found out about the death wish of his mom. Why he and Mikan when Ruka and Aoi could actually be the chosen one? "I don't know." He simply answered earning a dumbfounded look from the brunette. He sighed and answered, "I also had the same question years ago but I never got the answer."
"This is unfair." She pouted and sighed.
"Maybe." He said. "But I actually had a theory. Ruka's almost 24 and my sister are now in the age of 28. Maybe they want the boy older than the girl that's why they chose us."
"Is your sister married or was she also fixed married to your mom's friend's son?" she asked innocently.
He looked at Mikan like she was stupid then rolled his eyes. "My sister was actually a troublesome one. Though, we're both troublesome one who doesn't want our lives to be controlled by our father." He answered her question. "But I was actually married so I have to deal with it. But to my sister, she actually had this sweetheart back when she was in high school that she met again when she had her Paris trip and actually got married even if my father doesn't want it."
"She stands for herself. Wow." She said. She thought if she could just do the same. Run away and make her own future but as much as she wants to do that she doesn't want to disappoint her father and her mother. "Where is she now?"
"She is in Paris. She is living with her own family now. Married and maybe pregnant? I don't know. You guess." He looked at the brunette. "Why suddenly curious about my sister?"
"Nothing." She shrugged. "What about you Natsume?" she asked earning a questionable look from the lad. "Didn't you plan on running away and be free?"
He stared her for a second and looked away from her brown eyes. "I couldn't." he softly said.
"Why?" she asked nearing herself to Natsume.
"Natsume!" a bubbly voice interrupted their conversation. Both heads jerked to where the voice came from. They immediately stood up when they saw a pink haired girl with such wavy curls approach them. Her eyes were looking at them with delight. "Natsume!" she called Natsume again. Once she was near them, she hugged her tight making Mikan took a step backward away from them. "I'm happy to see you!" she happily said as she hugged him tighter.
The brunette watched in little shock as how the girl just popped and hugged Natsume immediately like they were close friends. She watched her petite body collided on him as she hugged him tight and tighter. Her silky wavy pink hair looked good and unique. Her eyes looked innocent and her face looks beautiful even Mikan's only looking at her on just side view.
Natsume slowly pushed the girl away. "Too much hug, Anna." He muttered emotionlessly.
The pink haired girl who was called Anna chuckled. "I'm just shock to see you here in Japan!" she said in delight. Then her eyes diverted to the brunette who looked shocked and ignorant on whom the woman is. "So this must be Mikan Sakura, your wife, eh?" she said as she smiled at Mikan happily. "You look very pretty just like what people say."
"Um, hi?" Mikan unsurely said as she doesn't know what to say or react.
"Oh, silly billy." She said and chuckled. "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm sorry I was just happy to see an old friend here." She reached her hand to Mikan and introduced herself with a smile. "Hello there, Mikan. I'm Anna, Anna Umenomiya."
Mikan accepted her hand and shook it. She smiled with delight to her as well and said. "I'm Mikan Sakura."
"Oh, I know you already." She said and let go of Mikan's hand. "You're Natsume's wife!"
"How did you know about that?" she asked as she gave a wary glance to Natsume.
"I think we had enough conversation, Anna." Natsume cut off earning a glare from the brunette. He held Anna's shoulder and pushed her slowly away. "I think you need to go now since we had to go home as well."
"Kill joy as always, Nat." she said in frustration and pouted cutely. "Oh well," she ran towards Mikan and gave her a quick hug. "Nice to meet you, Mikan. I hope we can chit chat soon."
"Nice to meet you too, Anna." She nicely said to her and flashed her a sweet smile. Then Natsume grabbed her wrist making her gasp a little and looked up at him.
"Bye, Anna. Come now, polka." He said in a no tone at all and grabbed Mikan away from Anna who bid them goodbye happily.
"Natsume, who is she?" she whispered to him as they started to walk away from Natsume's old friend.
"She is a classmate back in the university. She is quite close to Ruka but I find her annoying." He said with a blank look on his face.
"She seems nice," she answered as she remembered her happy voice and sweet smiles. "And very jolly."
"Don't judge the book by its cover, polka." He muttered.
Mikan didn't respond. She looked back and saw Anna was already leaving and walking away. Somehow Anna started to be an interest to her. Like there is something about her that makes Mikan want to know her more. She looked up and looked at Natsume who looked a little bit worried but still his face seemed stoic.
xxx
"Anna!" a girl called the pink haired girl as she saw her approaching them. She wave at her friend who looked like she just found something special. "What's up, Anna?" she asked her friend.
Anna who was feeling joyous stopped in front of her friend and smiled a little like she was planning something. "Oh I just found something special, Luna."
"And what did you just found?" a man step beside Anna who looked a little bit bald and has lean body with a tall height. He looks a little bit handsome but his face looked a little bit ragged as well.
She looked back and watched as the couple walk outside the park hand in hand. "Oh, I just found an old love."
"Natsume?" Luna said and gasped as she followed Anna's eyes. "He is here in Japan?"
"God, the conceited Hyuuga." The bald man muttered and rolled his eyes, feeling annoyed and angry.
"And I found something else." Her eyes looked at the brunette and looked back at her bald friend and she smirked deviously.
His eyes didn't stare back at Anna. He looked at where Anna just looked awhile ago and saw a very familiar brunette. A smirk formed on his lips, "Oh, Mikan Sakura."
Hello guys! Just finished another chapter as you can see! :) I hope you did like it. So you see there was a little bit NBA thing in the story. I'm sorry, I'm really a fan ever since especially in the Miami thing and got frustrated because I missed the game :( I know a lot of people hate Miami Team especially Lebron James but I love them especially him and the way they play. Oh well, Haters gonna Hate! Haha! Kidding!
So drop a review eh? I'm starting to reply to all of your reviews so keep the reviews coming and messages coming too! I'd reply now since I'm not really a busy person right now. :)
Review please. I need opinions! And help me with the Beta Reader, please? :)
Kisses!