vii. All My Fault
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Mikan tries her hands at being Emma. Disaster ensues.
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"I bet you never thought you would fall again
So much for keeping this just friends
Shut up and kiss me now"
For Baltimore by All Time Low
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"I am so tired of being single, Mikan, like you wouldn't even belief." Sumire sighed into the receiver of her cell, and threw herself onto her mattress, or at least Mikan thought that was what she did, judging from the sound of creaking of bedsprings she could hear coming through the line.
"Then you should do something about it." Mikan advised, feeling as if she was stating the obvious, her phone squeezed between her cheek and her shoulder, her hands otherwise occupied. Namely, painting her toenails a bright orange color with the fanciful name Tango Dancing Tangerine.
"Duh!" Sumire snapped, and Mikan pictured her dark-haired friend rolling her pretty eyes. "But finding the right guy isn't as easy as all that, you know?" Mikan didn't, considering she had never had a boyfriend before, and was just about to tell Sumire so when Sumire continued. "Which, of course, you don't, seeing as you've got Natsume and all!"
Ah, Natsume, one of Sumire's favorite subjects. Natsume was a mutual friend (or rather, a mutual acquaintance, the term friend being used lightly here, as Natsume had repeatedly told Mikan he couldn't stand Sumire), and Sumire had somewhat of a crush on him. Like most people, she was deceived by the frequent misconception that Natsume and Mikan were dating, which Mikan was always fast to assure her friend was not the case. ("Promise you're not dating him? Do you swear it on your life? Nah, you're kidding right? You guys are dating! Please tell me you're not dating, because that means I might have a shot!")
Regardless of the fact that Mikan and Natsume weren't dating, but were simply the best of friends, Natsume also didn't allow any guys anywhere near Mikan. He was, much to Mikan's chagrin and everyone else's amusement, "adorably protective", as the latter called him, and "horribly bossy", as the former preferred to insist.
Of course, it should be mentioned here that Natsume was considered by many to be "one fine specimen", or more accurately "a fine piece of ass", or simply "drop-dead gorgeous". Mikan had heard it all, and her response to most of the phrases was a non-committal shrug, and sometimes she even deigned to voice a "Really? I hadn't noticed." (Which, naturally, was a lie, because it was impossible not to see how gorgeous Natsume was. Mikan was simply loath to stroke his ego and be guilty of flattering his vanity.)
Sumire liked to indulge in condescending sighs that usually went along the lines of "Oh, Mikan, you don't know how lucky you are. To have such a good-looking boyfriend, I would give both my legs!" ("Really, both your legs? I wouldn't wish for that, if I were you. Firstly, it's inconsiderate to people without legs, you know, and secondly, be careful what you wish for, or you might just get it." Mikan objected once. As per usual, Sumire settled for rolling her eyes, and drawled, "It's just a figure of speech, Mikan, jeezus. It's not to be taken seriously. Gawd!" Yes, Sumire did indeed have a mean streak.) or "Too bad Natsume is too much in love with you to realize how awesome I am." ("Yeah, admittedly, you are kind of awesome, but I think you puking all over his shoes that one time in ninth grade put him off you permanently." the brunette interjected.)
"So, basically, you just called me to whine about your love life." Mikan deduced. "My non-existent love life." corrected Sumire, not bothering to dispute the rest of Mikan's statement. "Uh-huh." Mikan said, moving on to the nails of her left foot after she was done with the right one. "Mikan, why do I get the feeling you're not really into this conversation? Being a little bit more sympathetic here wouldn't hurt you, okay? Not everyone has as easy a life as you do."
Which was ironic coming from Sumire, who was not only prettier, but also richer, and more popular than Mikan.
"I refuse to be a guest at your pity party." Mikan told her friend, her forehead creased in concentration, her tongue stuck between her lips, as she was busy painting her pinkie toe.
"You are such a bad friend." Sumire whined. "Uh-huh." Mikan said, again, not really listening. "But I thought, maybe you could ask Natsume if he knows someone he could set me up with? I mean, aren't all his friends, like, super hawt? (Not as hot as he is, of course.)"
"I don't know about that." Mikan replied, doubtful, not making the effort to specify what she didn't know.
"Come one, pretty please?" Sumire had resumed to begging, something she was usually too proud to do, which tipped Mikan off that Sumire was a) really desperate or b) really bored.
Defeated, Mikan, devoted friend she was, heaved a sigh. "Look, I'll think of something, alright?"
Sumire squealed loudly into the phone, and the gushing commenced. "Ohmygawd, Mikan. You are the best friend, like, ever. I'm serious. I owe you, big time!" That said, Sumire had exhausted the extent of her gratitude, and ended the call without bothing to say goodbye. "That's right." Mikan murmured.
Stupefied, but relieved, Mikan threw her phone onto the duvet, blew onto her toenails to make them dry faster (before she remembered that you weren't supposed to do that because that way, the nail polish didn't dry properly), and angled for her laptop that sat on the floor next to her bed.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Awesome!
Body: I just had the awesomest idea ever. Wanna hear it? Text me!
To: Mikancherry
From: Natsumehyuuga
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: No.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: What do you mean, no?
To: Mikancherry
From: Natsumehyuuga
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: No, as in, it isn't awesome. No, as in, I don't wanna hear it. No, as in, I refuse to use a polysyllable word in response to your using the word awesomest.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: Aww, you're grouchy. :( Also, how do you know it's not awesome. It totally is! Also, awesomest is a word, dude, I told you.
To: Mikancherry
From: Natsumehyuuga
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: No.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: I'm going to bug you with this until you listen. How come you are doubting my ability to come up with plans that aren't the epitome of awesome? You should know me better than this!
To: Mikancherry
From: Natsumehyuuga
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: I know you better than anyone, which is why I doubt you. Want some proof? Remember your "awesome idea" that involved throwing Ruka a surprise birthday party that ended with him being hospitalized? And remember that one time you accidentally set your house on fire when you were dead-set on learning how to be a fire-eater? Or that one time you took that hobo home and he tried to rob you? Want to hear more? Because I've got more.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: This time it's different, I swear. I assure you, you're going to love it!
To: Mikancherry
From: Natsumehyuuga
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: Okay, let's hear it.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: Sumire just called me, and she wants me to set her up with some of your friends. The problem is, none of them is good enough for her, but I've got someone who would be, idk, her equal, and I'm sure they are going to be awesome together. Remember, Yuu? The two of them would be the cutest couple since you and Nobara happened!
To: Mikancherry
From: Natsumehyuuga
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: No, absolutely not, this is bound to fail. Mikan, you do realize that Yuu is gay? Let's set her up with Koko, he likes her.
P.S: Nobara and I didn't date, okay? That was a misunderstanding.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: Pfft, fail, you don't know anything about match-making, Natsume. You need womanly intuition for that, something I have in spades. Koko is too facetious for Sumire. She needs someone who is calm, serious, and intense. Just admit it, I'm a genius.
P.S: Anyways, you guys were so cute together.
To: Mikancherry
From: Natsumehyuuga
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: Mikan, I'm calling it now, this is bound to end in disaster.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Awesome!
Body: Oh, shut up, you. This will be awesome. You'll see.
"Is he gorgeous?" Nervously, Sumire played with her dress seam, unable to sit still. She wore a green lace dress that complimented her eyes, her hair in a complicated up-do, her feet were clad in high heels. Next her, Mikan felt like she looked like a hobo, because she wore old, deliberately cut shorts and a plain, white blouse. Of course, she didn't realize that Natsume, who sat opposite her, couldn't take his eyes off her, almost like she was light and his eyes two naughty moths.
They were waiting for Yuu Tobita, a mutual friend of Natsume and Mikan's, who Natsume insisted was gay, Mikan thought was perfect for Sumire, but who was actually, and always had been, in love with Mikan. (If Natsume had known that, he would never have consented to the plan.)
"Oh, yes, very handsome." Mikan assured her nervous friend, taking the liberty to slightly exaggerate. Yuu was cute in a nerdy way. "I told you, you'll love him." Sumire looked unconvinced. Mikan decided that a little white lie couldn't hurt to reassure her friend that everything would work out for the best. "He told me he has always admired you from afar, and can't wait to meet you." Now at least, Sumire looked pleased.
Natsume, however, had decided to wait by the sidelines until the whole thing had ended and inevitably taken them to hell, where he would then make his move and fix everything, as usual.
"If he weren't so in love with you, I'd date Yuu myself." Mikan declared, beaming at Sumire. Behind her, Yuu, who had just arrived and heard her last words, blushed to the soles of his feet, and Natsume had to hide his laugh behind a cough. If he hadn't been so convinced Yuu was gay, he would probably have been jealous, but he figured that would be a waste of effort.
Sumire still looked wore a smug expression, but it only lasted until her eyes fell on Yuu, then she froze. "Is that...?" she pointed at Yuu, and Mikan turned around to see what she was pointing at. When she saw Yuu, she beamed at him, and beckoned him to come closer. Sumire looked scandalized, which Mikan failed to recognize, but which did not escape Natsume's notice. This was doomed to fail, he just knew it.
"Hi, Yuu. You look great!" Mikan squealed enthusiastically and engulfed him in a hug, which Natsume wouldn't have let slide under different circumstances. But he refrained from intervening, for obvious reasons, and because he enjoyed watching the whole shebang unfold.
When Mikan let Yuu go, he looked flushed and mumbled an intelligible hello in the vague direction of Natsume. Sumire, he overlooked completely. After the introduction, Mikan dragged her unwilling entourage after her to the cinema. Although she evidently tried to make up for the lack of excitement with bubbliness and cheerfulness, she couldn't quite cover up the feeling of unease that had settled over them. Natsume looked on amused as Mikan babbled good-naturedly, while Yuu stared at her, mesmerized, and Sumire looked pissed.
After they had picked a film, the seating arrangement were discussed (Sumire had dragged Mikan a little feet away from the boys to tell her that she wanted to sit next to Natsume if she had to sit next to Yuu as well. It completely escaped Mikan's notice that Sumire didn't seem to like Mikan's choice of boyfriend for her. And though Natsume insisted he wanted to sit next to Mikan, she talked him out of it by promising him a favor), and ending up looking thusly: Natsume (much to his chagrin); Sumire (much to her delight); Yuu (stammering upon his close proximity to Mikan); Mikan (pretty much oblivious to her surroundings).
Before the movie started, Mikan received a message, which she (tried to) read discreetly.
From: Natsume
To: Mikan
Body: You did tell Yuu that he is supposed to be meeting his future girlfriend today, right?
From: Mikan
To: Natsume
Body: Of course not, silly. He wouldn't have come otherwise, he's much too shy. I told him it was just a friendly meeting, that I wanted to meet him, and that you brought Sumire. You really have no idea about boys, do you? Thank god you are one and don't need to think about yourself and your sex too much. It isn't easy figuring out how boys think. You should be glad you have me to decode their thinking pattern for you.
From: Natsume
To: Mikan
Body: Thank God I have you to learn from, oh wise one. I bet I'd be lost without your intricate knowledge of the male psyche.
From: Mikan
To: Natsume
Body: You can put your sarcasm where the sun doesn't shine.
Looking up, Mikan saw that Yuu was watching her. She smiled at him, but noticed with concern that Sumire was chatting animatedly with Natsume. She frowned. This was not how this was supposed to work. Natsume wasn't meant to talk to her, he was supposed to stick to his part of the plan, and try to get Sumire and Yuu to engage in a witty conversation that caused them to realize they were madly in love with each other.
"So, are you and Natsume dating?" Yuu asked shyly, disrupting her thoughts. Mikan laughed loudly, earning her annoyed glances from people sitting in their close vicinity.
"Oh, hell, no. He's more into girls like Sumire, you know, high maintenance, elegance, totally pretty, all that jazz."
Yuu nodded. Then he said, very quietly "I think you are very pretty, Mikan." But before she could answer him, he continued "So, is Natsume dating Sumire, then?"
Mikan had to keep from exulting. He was jealous! After having just met Sumire! Things were looking really good, much better than she had anticipated. Leaning forward to kiss him on the cheek and putting her head on his shoulder, she gave "Oh, don't you worry about that." as an answer, meaning to dispel his worries about Natsume and Yuu's (hopefully) future girlfriend.
Yuu flushed a deep red. Two seats to the right, Natsume looked alarmed when he saw Mikan kissing Yuu. He told himself not to worry since Yuu was gay after all. At least, he had always assumed so, since Yuu had shown no interest in any girls whatsoever. But what if he had been wrong? He knew what people said about assuming, but usually his gaydar was pretty spot on.
It took some time for Mikan to realize things didn't work out the way she had planned (because they had reverted back to Mikan-Yuu and Sumire-Natsume interactions, much to Natsume's annoyance, because he would gladly disregard Sumire if he could only talk to his Mikan) but when she did, she jumped from her seat in consternation and announced loudly that she would be going to the toilet, while staring intently at Natsume and willing him silently to join her. "Okay?" Sumire said, when Mikan still stood before them several seconds later, and hadn't moved an inch. "Natsume needs to come." Mikan said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world to ask a boy to come to the rest-room with you. Even Natsume looked taken aback, and it took a lot of Mikan's antics to surprise or upset him.
Yuu stared on in dismay. "What, exactly, do you require my assistance for?" Natsume asked her, speaking slowly. Mikan rolled er eyes at him, like it was his fault that he didn't get it, while Sumire didn't even try to keep track of their usual weirdness and had started scrolling through her cell.
"To show me the way, of course." Mikan replied, rolling her eyes, grabbing his hand, and pulling him behind her out of the room. "We'll be right back, you two. Don't hold back!" she called. Yuu looked puzzled, Sumire flat-out ignored her.
"What was that about?" Natsume inquired suspiciously once they had left the room, and leaned on the walls next to the door.
"To give the two of the some privacy, silly." Mikan was surprised that she had to explain this to Natsume. "You really don't know anything about love, do you?" She looked at him pityingly. Grinning, Natsume refrained from pointing out the irony of her statement to her, who he had been in love with for years and who still hadn't grasped it and remained oblivious to his feelings.
"It's not working out the way I planned." Mikan complained, frowning. "Why is that?"
"Maybe because you couldn't have found two people who have less in common than those two?" He suggested, but Mikan didn't even consider it.
"It must be your fault. You're distracting Sumire. You know perfectly well she likes you, you should be more considerate, for Yuu's sake and hers, and leave her alone."
"You dragged me into this, Mikan." he pointed out, exasperated.
"Whatever. Yuu got jealous of you, though, that means he isn't gay, right?"
"Well, he could be in love with me." Natsume shrugged. Mikan laughed. "Don't be stupid. Who would be stupid enough to be in love with you? You're ego is too big for our universe to contain, and you're a jerk, always moody, and an unbearable know-it-all."
Overcome by a sudden burst of affection (triggered by her insulting him, which he rightfully took as a sign of affection), Natsume grabbed her hand and pulled a surprised Mikan to his chest, hugging her to him. With closed eyes, he breathed in her sweet smell of spring and the expensive cinnamon perfume he had given her as a gift last christmas (which she still mocked him for months later, but he liked the smell, especially on her). Struggling against his iron grip, she said "You're unbearably clingy lately." Stilling, she looked up to his eyes, suddenly concerned. "You're okay, right? You're not...sick or something? You know I worry about you."
"No, I'm fine, don't worry about me, polka." he murmured, enjoying her closeness to him. He relaxed completely when he felt her putting her arms around his shoulders, returning the hug.
"You're my best friend, Natsume. I'd be lost without you." Her voice was muffled by the fabric of his shirt. Forcing his face to stop smiling, he released her, and poked her in the cheek. "I know, polka. But thanks for saying it anyway. And as your best friend, I feel obliged to point out that Sumire and Yuu are not working out as a couple, and that the whole thing will backfire on you."
Mikan pursed her lips and shoved him playfully. "Yes, it will work out." she insisted, her stare challenging. "Wanna bet?"
"Sure." Natsume shrugged. "So, if I win, you'll pay for my lunch for the rest of the year, and If you win..?"
Considering this, Natsume answered "I'll think of something later. Such important decisions shouldn't be taken lightly."
"Fine, suit yourself." Mikan replied generously, misguidedly convinced of her victory and the impending vacancy of Natsume's wallet.
To: Mikancherry
From: Sumirerockz
Subject Matter: You have got to be kidding me!
Body: I can't believe you tried to set me up with a nerd! Are you for real? I asked you to ask Natsume about one of his hot friends, and you get me an anorexic geek? You're lucky I'm a forgiving kind of person, or this friendships would be over sooner than you can say "Sumire Shoda is much awesomer than I am."
Jeezus, Mikan. No way am I going out with that loser again.
To: Sumirerockz
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: You have got to be kidding me!
Body: Come on, Sumire, give him another chance. He's really into you, he told me so himself. (Kind of, you know, he's shy but he basically told me so in a roundabout way.) He's awed by your beauty, charm, and elegance. We set up another date for next Sunday. You in?
To: Mikancherry
From: Sumirerockz
Subject Matter: Re:You have got to be kidding me!
Body: No way am I gonna be there. There's no bribe grand enough to get me to come. If you like him that much, you can date him yourself. But at least he has good taste; I'm awesome, aren't I? Btw, is Natsume gonna be there too?
To: Sumirerockz
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: You have got to be kidding me!
Body: Please? You won't regret it, I swear, give him another chance. I kinda already told him you'd be there so...you don't want to disappoint Yuu, do you?
Of course Natsume is gonna be there, he even insisted on it. You know him, he's a right romantic at heart and wouldn't miss watching your budding love grow. Please, reconsider?
To: Mikancherry
From: Sumirerockz
Subject Matter: You're annoyingly persistent.
Body: Fine, I'll be there. He'd better blow my mind. Did Natsume say anything about me?
To: Sumirerockz
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: You're annoyingly persistent.
Body: Aww, Yuu is gonna be so happy! What do you mean? What would Natsume be saying about you? I guess he commented on how pretty you looked but you know him, always the gentleman. Anyway, gotta run, see you around.
To: Mikancherry
From: Yuu_Tobita
Subject Matter: Advice?
Body: Hello Mikan,
I'd like to ask you for some advice? Would you be inclined to help me out?
Yours, Yuu.
To: Yuu_Tobita
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Advice?
Body: Sure, ask away. No need for formality. What's on your mind?
To: Mikancherry
From: Yuu_Tobita
Subject Matter: Much obliged!
Body: Mikan,
I was seeking your advice in matters concerning the heart. It's about a girl, actually, she's been sending me pretty obvious signals, like initiating physical contact, flirting, etc. Do you think she's interested in me? If so, should I take initiative?
Yuu
To: Yuu_Tobita
From: Mikancherry
Subject Matter: Re: Much obliged!
Body: I bet I know who you're talking about. :) And I can assure you, she's interested. Go for it!
Don't be shy. The next time you see her, just walk up to her, and kiss her. Girls love that kind of stuff!
Love, Mikan.
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Sumirerockz
Subject:
Body: Hi, I know we'll be seeing each other Sunday anyway, but I wanted to know if you wanted to meet up beforehand?
To: Sumirerockz
From: Natsumehyuuga
Subject: ?
Body: What? No, why would I? Is this about Mikan?
To: Natsumehyuuga
From: Sumirerockz
Subject:
Body: Yeah, it is, in a way. So, you wanna drop by sometime later?
To: Mikancherry
From: Anna1234
Subject: Natsume
Body: Hi, Mikan, are Sumire and Natsume, like, dating?
To: Mikancherry
From: Nonoko_Blue
Subject: Dating?
Body: Why didn't you tell me Sumire and Natsume were dating? OMG, Mikan?
To: Anna1234
cc: Nonoko_Blue
From: Mikancherry
Subject:?
Body: What are you two talking about? Of course Natsume and Sumire aren't dating. I would know if they were. Also, Sumire happens to be dating someone else.
To: Mikancherry
From: Anna1234
Subject:
Body: Mikan, honey, someone saw them kissing.
To: Anna1234
From: Mikancherry
Subject:
Body: Impossible. I'll investigate this.
Mikan stared at her screen, shocked. Someone had sent her a picture of Natsume and Sumire. They were indeed kissing. Deeply troubled, Mikan closed her laptop, only to open it again a few seconds later. She didn't know what to feel. She was confused, because Natsume hadn't told her about it. Hurt, even, because she had always thought important things like this would be shared between them. Angry, for Yuu's sake. Angry, for her sake. Sad. And another feeling she couldn't quite place, one she always got when Natsume was talking to other girls (except Nobara, but that was a different matter entirely). Not that he did that a lot, but it happened sometimes, because, yeah, Natsume was kind of handsome, and other girls were bound to notice.
Biting down on her nails, Mikan forced herself to put her laptop away and concentrate on something different. Homework, maybe? But instead of sitting down, she began pacing her room. She should be telling Yuu about this. He was still under the impression that Sumire dated him, so he should be told. Mikan felt nauseous at the thought of Yuu being sad, and even more so when she realized she had set the whole thing in motion. Yuu was such a nice guy, he didn't deserve this.
Grabbing her jacket, Mikan left the house, heading towards where she knew Yuu lived, beating herself up over the whole thing.
She hadn't had the courage to talk to Natsume about what happened, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she got. What had he been thinking? He knew Yuu and Sumire were heading somewhere, and he decided to just go ahead and kiss her anyway? Just because he wanted to win the stupid bet?
Furious, she punched his number into her phone and waited for him to pick up. When he did, she didn't hesitate and started yelling at him right off the bat.
"Natsume, you are the biggest prick I've ever...I can't believe you...I really thought you were better than...I can't even think straight right now. But you disgust me. I'm at a loss for words, but I want you to know you're a lying, cheating son of a bitch, and you deserve all the wrath of everyone who was ever cheated on. I can't believe you'd do this too poor Yuu. I hate you!"
To Mikan's utter mortification, tears started spilling out of her eyes, and made her voice break. "You are an ass, Natsume, you just went and hurt all the people who cared about you. I hope you burn in hell. Goodbye." And without giving him the chance to reply, she hung up, and turned her phone off.
A few miles away, a speechless Natsume stared at his cell, and wondered what the hell just happened.
Sniffling, Mikan tried to repair the damage inflicted on her eye make-up without ruining it anymore than she already had, and walked up to Yuu's door, ringing the door bell. One can only imagine Mikan's surprise when Yuu, upon opening the door and spotting her, leaned forward and kissed her. Stumbling backwards, Mikan stared at Yuu, utterly confused. "Why did you do that?" she demanded, wiping at her mouth with her sleeve. If possible, Yuu looked like he surpassed even Mikan's level of confusion, and was even too surprised to blush.
"You told me to." he explained.
"What? When did I...I don't...This must be a misunderstanding. It's me, Mikan." she sputtered. "Yes." Yuu replied, slowly. "Yes, I know you're Mikan. But you told me to kiss you...in your email...didn't you?" When he saw Mikan's bewildered expression, it started to dawn on poor Yuu that he had misunderstood the situation completely. Of course, he thought, how could a girl like Mikan ever be interested in a boy like him?
Now, he did flush after all, and tried to apologize to Mikan profusely. Who still hadn't grasped what was going on. Figuring that Yuu must be devastated about Sumire's betrayal, and that was why he'd decided to kiss her, to seek solace and comfort, she flung her arms around him, which did nothing to help Yuu regain his wits.
"You're hurt because of Sumire did, is that it? I came here to tell you about it, but apparently you already knew what happened. I'm so sorry, Yuu, I didn't know she was going to cheat on you."
However, Mikan's apology was lost on Yuu, who was still blushing because he had kissed Mikan, and therefore unable to form any kind of coherent thoughts. After Mikan kept on blabbering about things he had no clue about, he decided to put both of them out of their misery and told her that it was fine, and that he wasn't broken up over Sumire's betrayal (as Mikan put it teary), because he was, in fact, in love with someone else.
"Who is the lucky girl, if I may ask." Mikan inquired, bouncing right back to being cheerful. Stunned by her ignorance, Yuu said "It's you."
Mikan frowned. "Who? Me? What? No...you can't be...you must be mistaken. You can't be in love with me!" she exclaimed.
"I am, though, Mikan." Yuu assured her calmly.
"Oh my god, Yuu, I had no idea. I'm so sorry if I...I mean, if I gave you reason to think your feelings might be reciprocated."
But Yuu merely smiled. "It's fine, Mikan. It's you and Natsume, right? You two are in love with each other."
Mikan opened her mouth to deny his statement, but then she froze. Was she...in love with Natsume? Surely not, that couldn't be it. But...what was this feeling she got when she thought about him now, this immense pain that sliced through her heart. With a start, Mikan realized that Yuu was right, she was in love with Natsume. Or something like it she found hard to label. She needed him in her life, needed him with her.
But Natsume didn't have this kind of feelings for her. He was in love with Sumire (completely out of the blue, Mikan thought, bewildered).
She swallowed, said goodbye to Yuu and felt tears rolling down her cheeks again. She would have to be strong now. She would have to stand on the sidelines while Natsume was with another girl. A girl that wasn't her.
Serves your right, she thought, for thinking you could be Cupid. You shouldn't have meddled into other's business like that. You deserve to feel like this. You deserve your heart being ripped out and crushed, for being stupid, for not realizing your feelings, for not realizing other's.
When she got home, she saw Natsume sitting on her front porch. Taking a deep breath, Mikan plastered a smile on her face and tried to look cheerful.
"Hi." she greeted him brightly, but even to herself her voice sounded fake. Natsume didn't return her smile, he merely buried his hands in his jean pockets and contented to glare at her darkly. We're off to a great start here, Mikan thought drily, and stopped a few steps away from her best friend. Even though she didn't know if she could still call him that anymore, her best friend. Within only a few hours, he had been reduced to a stranger.
An awkward silence stretched between them, either of them unwilling to break it. "So, what do you want?" she asked him at last, trying to make the question sound light, but failing.
"What's wrong with you?" Natsume snapped at her, instead of responding. Mikan took a step back. "What?"
"You can't just call me, and yell at me, and insult me, and the hang up and not answer the phone, without ever giving me a chance to explain myself. It's not like you ever make sense, Mikan, but you really took the cake here! You can't just call me and accuse me of something I have no idea about, and then expect me to make sense of that. I can honestly say, I have no fucking clue what is going on, so please enlighten me. Please tell me what I did wrong this time!"
Mikan was too exhausted to be angry at him, and the pain in her chest almost took her breath away. It almost tore her apart to open her mouth and breach the subject of his girlfriend. His girlfriend. Natsume's girlfriend. For some reasons Mikan had always thought and expected to be the only girl in his life.
"Do you even have to ask what this is about, Natsume? I'm sorry if you feel like I'm a nuisance to you. But I would rather be alone right now, okay?" She tried to push past him, but Natsume grabbed her arm and kept her from walking.
"I swear to God, Mikan, tell me what this is about. Now."
"About your girlfriend." Mikan replied. She felt numb saying the word. "Though I have to be honest, I always thought you would tell me about something as major as this. But no, I had to find out about it myself!"
"My...girlfriend." he replied, dumbfounded. Whatever Natsume had expected, this was not it. He adored Mikan, he really did, but sometimes he wondered if maybe she had been dropped on her head as a baby. "Yes, your goddamn girlfriend, Natsume!" Mikan snarled. Natsume was taken aback; he had never heard her snarl once, in all the years he had known her.
"You're so full of shit." Natsume told her, and had the audacity to laugh. Enraged, Mikan shoved him. "What the hell, Natsume? You're so immature! Of course, now you are insulting me for no reason, just because I bring something up you don't want to talk about. No, don't laugh, don't you dare. I really don't see what Sumire sees in you!"
"Sumire? What the hell, Mikan. Sumire isn't my girlfriend. Never was, never will be. I don't even have a girlfriend, okay? So, please tell me what this is about now, this conversation is getting on my nerves."
"You're lying." Mikan accused him. "On behalf of Sumire, I'm offended that you're denying her now. You're such a coward, Natsume." Natsume was growing incresingly frustrated. "Listen, Mikan, Sumire is not my girlfriend, okay? She's. Not. My. Girlfriend."
"I saw a photo of the two of you kissing." Mikan yelled, angry that he was playing dumb. Angry red splotches showed on her cheeks and made her look that much more adorable. Natsume wanted badly to kiss her. "Yes, because Sumire kissed me, and someone must have taken it. But she kissed me! I didn't kiss Sumire Shoda, okay? Did it ever occur to you that the kiss might not have been consensual? There's only one person I would like to kiss, and that's not Sumire."
Mikan mulled his words over in stunned silence. When she got to the last part, all the relief that had flooded her whooshed out again.
"So, there is a girl you like, then?" she asked, trying to hold back tears. "Yeah, there's is." Natsume confirmed, and grinned when he saw Mikan's expression. "Well, I guess we talked about our problems, so may I enter my house now?" Again, Mikan tried to unsuccessfully push past Nastume.
"No, we're not quite done here. I take it your playing matchmaker ended in disaster?" "Do you want me to admit I was wrong so badly? Yes, you were right, my idea sucked. Now, there's your chance to tell me "I told you so". Enjoy it while it lasts, another chance might not present itself again for, I don't know, twenty-five years."
Natsume doubted that considerably, but refrained from pointing out how his best friend's plans were prone to escalate, end in tears (on her part, usually), and a lot of yelling (on both their parts).
His red eyes glistening, he took pleasure in reminding Mikan of the bet they had going on. Annoyed, Mikan narrowed her eyes. "Fine." she snapped. "Let's get this over with. What is it you want? Talking about that mystery girl of yours some more, the one you're oh-so in love with?" Mikan knew she acted like a bitch, and Natsume knew why she did it. She was adorably jealous, but he felt magnanimous today and would put her out of her misery soon enough.
Leaning forward until his lips brushed her ear lobe, he whispered. "Close your eyes." Repressing a shiver caused by his proximity, guileless Mikan obliged, and waited for Natsume to do whatever he was so keen on doing.
The pair of smooth lips that was pressed on her mouth took her by absolute surprise. The brunette made a surprised sound low in her throat, and opened her eyes, gasping for air. Natsume stood so close to her that their bodies almost touched, his eyes lingering on her, smoldering in their redness. He had just kissed her. Natsume Hyuuga had just kissed her. Mikan opened her mouth, and closed it again. She was at a loss.
Wetting her lips, Mikan stared at him, trying to come up with words, but failing. "What did you...just do?" she eventually stammered dumbly, her head feeling empty, like all thoughts had taken off on a spontaneous vacation to Haiti, even though she wanted more than anything for him to kiss her again. Mikan couldn't bring herself to look Natsume in the eyes, because her pair was mesmerized by his red, supple lips. The lips that had just kissed her. That had bereaved her of her senses.
Natsume took absolute pleasure in seeing Mikan unraveling. He had been waiting for this moment for years, for his Mikan to realize that she belonged by his side. Not just as a friend, but as a partner; as his girlfriend; as his lover.
"I kissed the girl I love." Natsume replied smoothly, put his arms around her waist, and tried to resume kissing her. "You're still a jerk, though." she pouted. "Yes, and you like me better for it. Now, shut up, and let me kiss some sense into that pretty, little head of yours." Involuntarily, Mikan's arms sneaked around his neck, and she pressed herself as close to him as she possibly could, her eyes falling closed, all thoughts escaping again, already on their way back to Haiti.
It was like her body fit perfectly into the shape of his, like it was made to. She sighed happily. Kissing Natsume made Mikan feel like she was flying, like her feet were off the ground, and his embrace was all that anchored her to earth. Mikan felt completely, perfectly happy. And the only one who could possibly match her happiness was Natsume, who reveled in the smell, feel, and embrace of the girl he loved. Despite her admittedly zany schemes that had a tendency to blow up in their faces. But, the love-smitten Natsume mused, he probably wouldn't want her any other way.
A/N: This piece is inspired by Jane Austen's Emma, if you hadn't guessed. I might write one shots inspired by other works of dear Jane if I can think of a decent plot. This is longest chapter in the collection yet, hope you enjoyed. Also, the website wouldn't let me use the email-addresses I came up with for the characters and cut them of at the at-sign, idk why, so I had to shorten them.
And let it be said that I don't think it's okay for others just to sneak up on a person, girl, boy, whatever, and kiss them, without their consent. Yes, Mikan is just misguided like that, but evidently, she didn't like it either. On a different note, I don't really have a bucket list of things I want to do in life, but if I had one, saying Shut up and kiss me now to someone would be on it. By the way, Disclaimer: I don't own the song, it's by All Time Low. Reviews are greatly appreciated. And I know things just kind of escalated quickly here and the story could have been expanded on, I'm kind of satisfied with how it turned out. Also, I try to always update on the first day of the month, but I was too busy yesterday, so today will have to do.
Now, thanks to the following reviewers:
Hammsters, NV (Thanks ever so much for your kind words! They made my day!), gabsterela, Guest and Haruhi-chan131 .