You guys are absolutely the best! So many reviews and follows , not to forget the faves, for this story, I'm jumping in joy. So, an extra special long chapter for you guys to read! I found a beta reader. However, it would be from the next chapter on that this will be beta read.

Note that I edited this chapter on my own FOR THE FIRST TIME! That's a great achievement. Sorry for the long wait. Things happened and well, anyways, the chapter is up, you guys go ahead and read it. Replies are way down once you finish reading the chapter.

I do hope you'll be surprised at who the medical student is…

Disclaimer:- FT belongs to Mashima sensei. The Highest Debtor belongs to me. Mind it!

I'll give you an idea of the formatting in this chapter:

The Highest debtor – normal tone

The Highest Debtor – Flashback

The Highest Debtor - Conscience speaking

'The Highest Debtor' – Thoughts

The Highest Debtor – Assume them as whatever you want

The above formatting options should make it easier for you to understand. Happy reading!

The Highest Debtor

Summary: Natsu took a large amount of money as loan from Heartfilia Finance. When the time of payment drew near, he found himself kidnapped by the President's men. Threatened by the President, Natsu agreed to a deal to date his daughter till she grows tired of him. He assumed her to be stuck-up rich brat and found the chances of falling for her low. However, his opinion of her changes as the time progresses. He finds her mysterious, hiding things so minute from everyone. What is she hiding? Will he ever find out? Will she ever find out what he is hiding?

Chapter-3

Hide and Seek

Why do you hide

Behind those wings?

Come forth and seek

The happiness within

I opened my petals for you

Be unsure, uncertain but do be true

"What is happening to me?" He messed his pink locks. His eyes were directed at the floor before finding them on a name plate that read 'Gray Fullbuster'.

"Damn you, Gray. I'm glad I'm graduating. You'd probably rot in these four walls. Ha ha!"

"I'm glad too Natsu that I don't have to run into you or see you every lunch. Makes me wanna-"

"Eh uhm" they heard a cough- even signal that they should stop their fight if they ever valued their lives. Pressurised by a glare, they pulled each other closer, hugging sideways and muttered, "Aww… how I'll miss you, good friend! Hope to see you soon"

"That's better. That's a proper farewell now" They gulped under that red haired demon's smile. Like they'd ever step into each others' life ever again…

But they did. That was why Natsu was standing in front of the medical student's apartment. He didn't know why he was the first one he remembered about this. He could've asked, Wendy, his cousin, who was also a wanna-be doctor, two years younger than Gray and him. No, he had to come all the way here (To go to Wendy would've been a longer trip) and get the blonde's elbow inspected by him.

He wouldn't get why he bothered with her pain or injury. In the end it was all for a stupid deal because he needed money badly. If he had left her in pain, she might have called off the deal. He wasn't the right person for her anyways. He was a poor man, maybe insensitive while she was rich and ki-

'Stop right there. Remember the deal' He reminded himself like he had ever forgotten it. He rolled his eyes at his own stupidity and went back to his previous trail of thoughts as to why he brought her here. His inner voice bugged him with question he was not sure how to answer.

'Why? '

'Because I couldn't leave her in that condition.'

'Why can't you? Can't you act cold and distant?'

'How can I do that? I'm no insensitive jerk!'

'But didn't you admit the same to yourself a minute ago? '

'That was different! I was… I..'

'Don't tell me you're falling for her already. If so, you won't get your money.'

'Tch. I'm not falling for her. Besides….'

"Hurry up. He's bleeding. He can die! Hurry up, damn it!"

A voice jolted out of his reverie. His head turned to the door which was now open, revealing the blonde. A tight bandage was present around her elbow. He found his eyebrows relaxing when he saw her smile. It didn't stay for long for the reason to stress them came free with a raven haired man, popping from behind her.

He took off his coat, handed her a cover and a paper. Natsu guessed it to be the prescription and medicine. He smiled at her and asked her to go and sit in the car. He backed his statement by adding that he didn't trust her company of the kind to be careful with her elbow. The comment made the pink head sulk, glare setting the stage for a fight with the medic.

She looked at Gray and then at Natsu who nodded in approval. Talk about the confidence he had in himself! He would've grabbed her hand and dragged her along if that guy didn't irritate him.

When he noticed she was out of ear-shot, he broke the silence.

"I'm glad it is over now"

"I'm glad too that you can get out of my house"

"Hey, I never stepped in it in the first place! Besides, you didn't do anything with the girl right? She seemed a little scared"

A smile played on Gray's lips on the twisted way of how Natsu asked how she was. Playing along with his old rival, he replied "Apart from bandaging her elbow and prescribing her medicines and rest as a part of it, I didn't do anything"

"Ja!" Natsu waved and was about to leave. "Will you still not spill it?"

"Spill what? Tabasco?" Gray said, waiting for a reply.

"Whatever you wanted me to hear but not Heartfilia-san, ice freak" There he goes again. It was useless trying to make proper conversations with Gray.

"My my, here I thought your brain's all rusted with your debts"

"You ice-"

"Lucy-san…" Natsu stopped whatever he was thinking at the mention of her name and a change in Gray's tone, "Take care of her. Call me if there is any problem, immediately."

Gray paused, unsure of what to say next. He opened his mouth and closed it before the words made it out. So most of what he wanted to say was conceded.

"You won't understand the technical details, no use telling you. Her elbow took a bad damage. She is a strong girl for being able to handle such pain."

Gray admired her strength. Natsu was getting irate. What happened to Gray? Did he get smitten by the beauty too much? He could have her if he wanted. It's not like he was interested in her. He was positive he was not.

"Don't get too close to her", Gray finished, closing the door on his face.

~0~

'Don't get too close to her'

Gray's words played themselves over and over in his mind. If it were a CD, it would've been all scratched up by now. He couldn't understand the meaning behind his words. Did he mean 'Take care of her'? Or 'I've fallen for her. Stay away you creep'? Or was it something else?

While Natsu tried to decipher the confusion behind that medic's words, Lucy suffered in her own confusion.

'That's not the right way'

'I know but…'

'Don't…'

'I don't want to either… But it's late… He fell for it'

'He's innocent. You shouldn't be…. You know he can fall for you. That's the greatest risk in this deal' Her conscience chipped in.

'It's hard not to fall in love with you, Lucy'

'But still… I can't get him to hate me, now can I? Can I?' Her eyes glowed, sorrow evident. One step and she can turn the situation upside down. A few minutes of acting and she can pull off something she'd never want to do. She can even save a life. Was her happiness important? Or was Natsu-kun important?

The question wasn't difficult to answer for she could already make a choice.

"Ne, Natsu-kun?" she said in a voice so low that it mixed with the car's music. She asked her driver to stop the car out of blue which he did, bringing the car and Natsu's thoughts to a halt. He looked around here and there, wondering if something happened. Finding nothing special, he glanced at her with a question mark on his face.

"Natsu-kun.." He heard her voice carefully. Something's fishy here. Something just changed. He just wasn't sure what.

"Don't… Don't do this…."

"Natsu-kun!" she raised her voice, surprising him. He never knew the blonde was capable of doing that- raising her voice that is.

"Take me to the beach" she said, more like an order. "I want to eat an ice cream"

He wouldn't have minded with that. It was such a simple wish that he can comply with. However, the change of tone- he couldn't shrug it away. He had never heard her ordering anyone around. Despite having known her only for a few hours, he could tell that from how the people around her reacted. Why is she doing this then?

He stole a glance at her who was gazing outside the window. He wanted to test her, if there was any truth in her intent. He prolonged the conversation, hoping she'd give away the act she was putting up.

"You don't have to go to the beach, Heartfilia-san. There is a shop right here" he pointed out the window to a shop on the road.

"No, I want to go to the beach and eat the ice cream," she whined like a brat.

"How is it different from the one here?" he asked.

"Trust me it is," she replied. "Don't tell me you can't…"

A challenge is it? Backing down? That can never happen, right?

~0~

He wondered what has gotten into the Heartfilia. She was acting so high and bossy. First she made him get her to beach. Then, she took an hour creating a trouble choosing the ice cream. She made him carry her on a piggy ride. Doesn't she realise she wasn't a kid anymore?

He frowned. He didn't like one bit of what was happening. It felt like he was looking after a kid. A kid baby-sitting a kid (yeah, he agrees he acts like a kid at times)- how odd does that sound? What else could he do? Talk back to her, treat her bad, torture her if possible.

To any of the above listed things though, she should be present. Now that it clicked his mind, he realised the blonde to be missing. His onyx eyes searched through the crowd- was it crowded from the start? How did he not notice? The pressure of the orders might have gotten to him.

"Heart-" he was about to shout out her name but stopped when he saw her helping a blind lady crossing the road. She chuckled and laughed as the old lady mumbled something. Does she realise she may need some help with that arm of hers? Gray did warn him to be careful. He might have realised the nature of the girl- kind and not wanting to be a burden to anyone. He must have spouted that non-sense because of that.

Done with the helping, she glanced around not noticing those onyx pairs on her. She saw a man painted in gold, standing in the sun, trying to earn a livelihood. She slipped a few Jewels into his hat that was laid down.

"Ah, Natsu-kun" she recognised her company and returned to his side.

"Why did you slip only a few jewels in his hat? You could've given him a little more. You have a lot pent up anyways," he asked, curious of her answer.

"That's indeed true. But he's working hard, standing in the sun. I know it is tough but doing that, giving a lot more jewels I mean, will only be my pity for him and not a result of his effort. I wonder how he'd feel but if it were me, I'd…."

This was the girl he thought he'd talk back to or treat bad or torture to free him from the deal.

She spaced out before changing the topic. She nagged him about trying to be statue right in middle of the beach. "That way maybe you could repay the debt you own"

That dialogue rubbed him the wrong way. He retorted back, tired of being bossed around.

"For once, I thought you were different. Even for you, it comes down to money, huh?"

The tone he used was not friendly. Neither did he intend for it to be. He knew she would be offended but hey, she was the one to start it in the first place.

"My my, you're speaking as if you understand me," she replied, a sinister smile on her face that didn't quite sit right. "Money is everything ne?"

"Then you wouldn't have hired me to play your boyfriend?" This hurt her, worser than she thought. She turned her back to him, muttering words that he couldn't understand.

"Don't talk to me that way!" A low shout from her came, not wanting to catch the attention of the people around. "If it wasn't for money, then why did you even accept the deal?"

She didn't find the words to express what she was feeling now. She was hurt to hear those word from him- the one whom she thought she'd love. She knew better. She had hurt him too, more than she was supposed to. She will continue to hurt him if the deal was to go on any longer than this. It was better this way. If it's in the start, she might get over him quick as she didn't fall for him yet. She thought she didn't fall for him. If only it were easy, she would've had a lot of boyfriends and wouldn't have had to pay someone to act like one.

So she used the camouflage of being snotty at heart and only kind on the surface. She'll get rid of him. She'll say those magical words which will remove all troubles from his life. She'll say 'It's over'. She'd add he was not worth it, only to preserve his impression of her – the rich and snobbish kind. She'd do that all with a frown and unkind remarks. That was the only way of hiding what she was feeling now.

It was fake. No one had to tell him that. He knew it. He just knew what she was hiding. Why she was doing that he didn't understand. She couldn't fool him. She couldn't deceive anyone's eyes even if it were the first time they met her. And he met her a long time….

Forget it! It was no time to reminisce. She just couldn't act. She was aware of the fact, that was all. That was why even a brown haired girl who was a stranger to him stopped to ask her if she was okay.

He saw it then- the genuine smile on her face, the sigh that escaped her mouth, the serenity that claimed her face once she heard what the girl had to say, her eyes that sparkled with kindness when she talked to the girl whose name he learned to be Lyra. Her father seemed to be in a fix with being injured in an accident. Lyra was thanking her again and again, bowing her head to the woman whom he had been keeping company for the past few hours.

That girl's smile cheered the blonde up despite the trouble she was in. No one knew. No one saw. She was playing hide and seek again- hiding her pain that coursed through her elbow, depicted by the almost invisible twitching of her lips. Every time it shot, her smile would only grow wider. Why was he the only one who could see? Why was he the only one who could feel? The blonde wasn't complaining. Then why was he the only one bothered by it?

The brunette left, not before thanking her again. She turned her back to him with the conversation over. She wanted him to get angry with her, say something mean and not agree on whatever she's deciding for the both of them. He's been quite obedient for all those petty things she commanded him to do. She didn't like the way things were going, opposite of her agenda for the day. Why did she have to agree to what her dad had to say? Why did she not do as she planned? Why did she accept to love any guy he'd bring for her? Why did she want to love? She was already so pampered and loved by all. Was it not sufficient? Love could've as well remained a foreign feeling to her.

She was not so strong. She didn't know when she'll break up. She had the car ready via an SMS to the driver. She'll conclude the deal for the better and run into her car where no one would notice her. Even though it was not real, a break up would still hurt, right?

He approached her, hesitant of what he would say or do. He watched her stiffen- she was aware of his presence. Silence took them before it was broken.

"Don't do this to him."

"What's the matter? Changed your mind" she said in that foreign tone that was tearing her apart. He should hate me. He must hate me. I know he will. No one will ever lo- No, I don't want that to happen. He must hate me. She chanted in her mind.

"It's wrong. You know it too, right?"

"Heartfilia-san, why are you acting like this?"

"Hah! I'm always this way," she said, chuckling at her own acting skills. She could feel it coming- he would be fed up and leave her. That's what happens in the stories right? Who would like a brat?

"No, you're wrong. You're not… I know…" 'you a long time before than this for me to believe' Some words were said, some were hidden.

"Lucy! What happened? You're- We need to get you inside, right away!" he heard a voice, broader than the one he had been hearing for the past thirty minutes.

"Hang-g-g, in-n there, mister" he heard it yet again.

"Lucy, are you even listening? Where's Yukino?" he sounded frustrated.

"Sting-sama, you called for me? Ah, Lucy-sam-"

"Yukino, get him to the emergency ward. I'm fine. He's bleeding,"

"But you're bleeding too," he heard the other woman speak.

"I'm fine. Don't worry, Please… Sting… Save him," The voice broke up , followed by a thud.

"Lucy!" he heard the man shout. "Yukino, arrange for an emergency room. And… and take this man in and start the treatment. I'll ask Minerva-san to treat him. I'll go with Lucy!"

"Hai!"

"I don't know how you are but you're not the way you treat me. I know it's hurting you deep"

It made sense now. Why he was trying to help her despite his urge to get away from her, why he could see her pain, why she was acting that way- adding all the pointers together, he understood. She was acting like he was for this thing to get over… quicker at that.

Such a good person…. Yet she cannot be his friend…

"Natsu-kun…" he grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her around to face him. A determined look met her vulnerable form. His hand could feel the trembles her body passed on.

"It's not. I'm fine. Let go of me" She half-yelled. Her wall was crumbling before she knew it. She tried running away but he grabbed her free hand, robbing her of the chance.

"I can relate. Even I tried to act like someone I am not"

"No, you were good. We weren't supposed to be friends anyw-"

"I can understand. It's hard,"

"No you don't. You don't!"

"Such a kind person as you… it's difficult to imagine you to be hated… Please, have mercy on him"

"I don't need to, then. But you don't have to also"

"Natsu-kun… Natsu-kun…"

"Don't act someone you're not. Even I can't do it… it's hard" he said, "We'd rather be ourselves and be loved or hated for it. So you don't have to act anymore… You're bad at it anyway"

She looked up at him, her eyes hurting her to stay open. So he understands… How good of him…

He wiped the tear that Lucy herself was unaware of. All she knew was the warmth of his chest she felt when she hid her face in it. She was glad love was never a foreign feeling for her.

A/n: That is it for now. Do remember how this ended. It is very important… A hint is in this chapter on what the next chapter will be.

You guys might think it's slow and all. But trust me, it's better this way. No one would fall in love with anyone right away, especially because they signed a deal to act. They have their own confusion, doubts and troubles. Natsu and Lucy are still are in that phase. I'm trying to build up their relation you see (it being the first time I'm consciously doing it. Yes, I'm awake. Going to bed now) So, this just might be a little slow paced story. :D

And ya, you got that right, Gray was the medical student, not Wendy like many of you thought. Why? You'll find out sooner or later. Wendy too, is his cousin. I like her last name, Marvell that is. I like how it sounds. So, I prefer to keep her as a cousin rather than a sister in most stories because she'll have her name guys! Here are replies and special thanks to everyone who supported me and motivated me to write this chapter:-

mooney-96 : It's going.. going… although at a snail's pace, maybe?

H. : I was really worried that the intro was not catchy because a lot of people didn't review. I'm glad to know it was catchy. I don't know what 'Velvet Kiss' is so I'll look up and let you know. If you think there is any similarity, let me know. I might as well credit it but that would again be a coincidence.

TheUnicorn: I'm glad you understand Lucy's personality. 'Amazing'? Why, thank you. *blushes in the corner*

TheCaptainOfShips: Sorry to disappoint you there, although she still is a medical student.

N.B.I.C: Sorry for the delay but here it was anyways.

Disney lovers 101: Glad you love this! I'll send you the copy of next chapter when I'm done. It would be nice working with you. (She volunteered to be my beta reader for this story btw)

Igohi13: You did have to wait but I hope this chapter was worth it! XD Happy you like the twist!

bookwurm247: Well, let's see what Lucy is upto in further chapters. Thanks for the review. It was quite a motivation.

JackFrosty: OMG! Thank you so much for loving it!

Mechanical-Rose-sama: I'm so glad you love this story. Sorry though I had already chosen my beta reader. I'd consider you the first when I'm choosing one the next time. ^_^

Now that you're through this part, why don't you leave a review? Pretty please, with a new chapter on the top! (I have to survive an exam next week, so cheer me up by reviewing, will you?)