Hi guys.
It's been almost two months since my last update and I am so sorry for taking too long. I've been so busy with school that I didn't have time to update at all and left everyone hanging.
I received a lot of reviews and am completely happy for your support! Also thanks for the message you sent asking me to update. :) So here it is!
This is more like a fluff and the serious parts will come later but still, I hope you enjoy and like this chapter! :D
~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~
Eighth Letter (Part II)
"Be my girlfriend - for at least this day,"
Mikan caught her breath. She stared at him for a couple of seconds which seemed to stretch to eternity - at least, maybe for her. They just stayed like that, her hazel eyes connected to his crimson ones, full of sincerity. He was serious. RIght now, she expects him to burst out laughing anytime and make fun of her, say that it's all a joke and she's too stupid believing in it. She hopes he'd do that - really. But instead, he just…stared at her. With those eyes.
She was speechless. But she had to say something - anything.
She laughed. "What are you talking about?" she said nervously but her voice was even. Thank goodness. "In as much as I was so unfortunate to receive such title, Natsume…you're already my fiancé. We skipped the whole girlfriend-boyfriend thing remember? Or do you want to go back and do things normally? Not that I am willing."
Natsume just paused there, still looking at her which is making Mikan feel antsier per second.
"I know that." he breathed, as if struggling inside. The brunette didn't notice though. She was too preoccupied with her own predicament. "But either way, you still have repay me," he hiked his eyebrow up smugly.
The brunette frowned. Darn. "I still don't understand. Why this?"
"Because," he paused. "You don't have any choice. Either this, or you," he smirked. "kiss me."
Mikan rolled her eyes in mockery, tapping her foot impatiently on the perfectly polished marble floor. "Seriously, Natsume," she muttered. "If your lips itch that much for you to crave a kiss from me, I'd gladly buy you a cow and let you kiss it all day okay? Do you have a fever or something? You're not in the brink of death to be hallucinating are you?" she frowned worriedly as she stepped towards the teenage boy and planted her warm hand gently on his forehead.
Natsume looked at her helplessly, and in an instant, pulled the hand away from his forehead so that they were consumed in an intimate kind of hug - or more like, Natsume's arms were draped gallantly around Mikan's whole frame, capturing her which obviously restarted the wild pumping of the mass of cardiac muscles in her ribcage. The prince hugged her so tight she thought that there was something incredibly wrong with him and indeed there must be.
Because with just one word escaping from his luscious mouth, everything in Mikan's world turned upside-down, shaking all her insides into submission. With a shaky breath and a voice clearly on the brink of cracking, that word sent shivers up the brunette's spine, rendering her rational part into sheer dumbness. Simply because, with all that he has, one of her most treasured ones said that one word that he would rarely say:
"Please,"
~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~
"Mikan-chan?" a familiar voice sprung out from the silence as the brunette swiveled her head to the source of the voice. "What are you doing there? Aren't you supposed to be with Natsume-kun?"
The brunette flinched at the sound of his name and looked away. Then, deciding after two seconds, mentally smacked herself. She was such an idiot, as always.
Okay, so what do you do when a guy who sends your heart beating so fast like a mouse chased by a cat proposes you guys become lovers? Especially if that guy is the Natsume Hyuuga, any girl would say 'yes!', yes? Okay, then descending down to the not so Natsume fangirls out there, it would probably be a blunt 'no'. But clearly, as Mikan realizes now, she's just too special for those kinds of stereotypic circumstances. I mean, hello? She's that one heap of a lucky girl who gets to marry him - or at least, close to that.
So as expected, she did something as different and as unexpected and of course Mikan-ly stupid for her response.
She ran away.
And now her good old cousin who sent her away with her stupid fiancé in the first place pops out of nowhere huh? Mikan sighed. Her luck is as golden as ever.
Shuu sat down beside her. They are currently by the poolside with Mikan's feet dangling over the edge so that her legs were dipped in the chlorine-filled water.
"Hmmm," Shuu muttered quietly, gazing at the blue sky. "I never thought I'd see my little Mikan-chan look so troubled over her love life."
Mikan choked as Shuu chuckled. "W-what made you think that?"
The blond male simply glanced at his cousin and smiled. "So I'm right," he said coolly. "Based on your reaction. Ahh, Mikan-chan, you're too readable."
The brunette crossed her arms in reply and pouted, sulking. "Well, I'm sorry for being an open book, Shuu-chan. You've always been a bookworm anyway." she harrumphed.
"And?"
Brown eyebrows knitted in confusion. "What do you mean and?"
Shuiichi shrugged. "Other than the fact that just awhile ago, you were like a baby monkey clinging to me and now you act as if I was with you the whole time and you don't miss me, my dear little cousin, you mentioned something about a family's secret remember? So, what about it?"
Mikan looked at him hopefully and waddled her feet, a clear sign that she is nervous. As to what, she doesn't know. Perhaps it's because she's come so close to the truth? She breathed in deeply.
"What do you know about our family, Shuu-chan?" she asked, staring at the water.
"What do you know about our family, Mikan-chan?" he threw back, smiling calmly which made Mikan frown. She hates it when he does this Socratic way of talking. Asking questions until you yourself find the answers to your question and realize that you've been such an idiot for not noticing earlier.
"We," she started, her voice quivering. "We were the reigning monarch before Natsume's family."
The moment the words escaped her lips, a heavy load was released from Mikan's frame. In fact, she felt too light all of a sudden that it took her faster to fully digest the idea that she really is, not by marriage, but by blood a Royal. It felt weird thinking that blue blood is running through her veins and that she's not just any Cinderella picked out from the rags out there and polished to fit in with the posh people; that in a parallel universe, had their bloodline not been dethroned, she would have been a real princess and one of her male cousins, possibly Shuu is the Crown Prince.
But where would Natsume be in that parallel universe?
Mikan felt a dull ache course through her body.
Her cousin cocked his head sidewards, considering the situation. "You would have known this sooner or later - I guessed that right and you were, of course, correct. We were the reigning Royal Family years ago. As to how we were dethroned, why and because of who and as to how much our connection is to the current Royal Family, I do not have the right to tell." he said.
"But - " Mikan started to protest.
"But it's about time you start paying more attention to your fiancé, am I correct? After all, he might get snatched by other kittens." Shuuichi smiled mysteriously and stood up, leaving Mikan by herself again. But he knows quite certainly, just like how he knows a lot of things, that after a few minutes, she'd be doing as he suggested and come running to Natsume's side. Such love - so innocent and oblivious, he smiled.
Subaru stepped out of the darkness and looked at his best friend, joining him in his walk.
"So you've told her," he said.
"No, I didn't," the blond denied. "I simply confirmed. She knew beforehand,"
Imai sighed. "You know how Yuka-san would react when she knows of this,"
"And you both should know how to keep secrets more discreetly," a voice echoed, catching both in surprise.
"Hotaru,"
~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~
Natsume was having a bad day.
First of all, he was kidnapped by his own men. Secondly, his mother is trying to launch the third world war. Thirdly, his fiancée is surrounded by stupid hormone-driven males related to him and fourthly, he just indirectly confessed to her and was right out declined. He cursed.
Well, she ran out of the place all to quickly. Isn't that what you call being disapproved of? She could have just said no. Does she dislike him that much? For her to run out of the room going perhaps to the restroom to vomit? Natsume just wanted to punch someone hard on the face. Well, he does have a lot of choices around him.
They were currently in the beach his grandmother owns exclusively for high-class people, which means that they, the Royal Family, aren't the only ones enjoying the service. Some other prominent people are around so yeah, Tsubasa's having a really good time ogling some while Misaki wasn't around. Youichi meanwhile, was busy with his PSP while Ruka for once was reading a book. Tonoiuchi on the other hand was with some girls, flirting. And of course, as usual, a flock of girls were surrounding him, trying to flirt as he pretended to sleep.
Noisy.
He stood up, glared at the girls and walked away. They followed closely. Damn it. Where was Mikan?
He stopped and kick some sand then walked again. This is all too stupid. How can most of the girls around usually fall so hopelessly for him except the girl he likes? Okay. So yes, he admits that he likes her. He loves her actually. He blinked. Wow, that sounded so good. He loves her. He loves her. He loves her. How did he realize this? It just felt so…right. He…loves….her. He, Natsume, is in love with Mikan Yukihira, the densest woman on the planet. He wanted to laugh out loud.
Natsume stopped on his tracks to concentrate, forgetting the stupid girls approaching him. He's in love with his fiancée. What could go wrong?
Everything.
"Hi," one of the girls greeted, batting her fake eyelashes. Natsume didn't even look at her. "You look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?"
Natsume smirked. No shit, Sherlock. He's just been on TV a few weeks ago. Of course, she'd see him somewhere. He's also on the cover of magazines. People should start using their heads. Thinking is the new sexy. Of course, that doesn't apply on Mikan, he amended. She's…different.
"Yeah, you look familiar," her friend supported. "Perhaps we've met somewhere?" This amused Natsume more. What idiotic girls. Met somewhere? Hah. Maybe she's one of those trespassers in the Palace.
Nevertheless, he decided to play along. What's the harm in doing so right?
"Oh, perhaps," he replied. "I have."
"Really?" they perked up. This is going too nicely.
He shrugged cockily. "Sure," he smirked. "Weren't you two of the cheap girls in the cabaret last night?"
"W-what - "
"Don't be absurd!" the other girl remarked, obviously offended but isn't willing to back off. "We haven't even entered a nightclub in our lives!"
"Interesting," Natsume said. "And yet supposedly high-class ladies like you know what cabaret means."
"W-well," the first girl struggled. "Why do you, Your Highness, know such things? Have you been in one?"
Natsume smirked more. "Have I now," he muttered. "So you do know who I am in the first place. Perhaps you should stop yourself from slipping next time you try and fail to flirt with me," Natsume turned to walk away.
"But, Your Highness - "
"So, there you are Natsume. I've been looking all over the place for you," Mikan emerged in Natsume view, almost making his eyes jump out of their sockets and his mouth to hang open. Thankfully, they didn't. She was showing a damn good lot of skin today, wearing a good two-piece suit with a translucent dress over it and as much as he likes to look at her, is much too selfish to share her with other men. A sense of overprotectiveness overwhelmed him as he walked over to her and pulled her to him, his left hand on her waist.
The girls were clearly melting with jealousy and he was enjoying it.
"And here you go flirting with other girls," Mikan pouted cutely. Natsume wanted to kiss her so hard. Damn.
He pulled her closer. "Of course not. They were only asking directions, am I right?" the raven-haired lad glanced at the girls.
"Y-You're Mikan Yukihira, the one arranged for him to marry," one of them said.
Mikan smiled sweetly. "That's one way of putting it," she replied. "But for today, I'm his girlfriend so you can't play with him, right sweetie?" she looked at him.
"Mmm," he dipped his head lower to her neck and smelled in her tangy fragrance before planting a smooth kiss on her neck.
"That's right,"
~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~
Mikan cupped her neck and shrieked.
"Damn it you pervert! Why did you have to kiss me on the neck?" she screeched as she and Natsume made their way to the Beach bar.
Natsume raised his eyebrows. "Oh, so it would have been okay if I kissed you not on the neck?"
"What? No!" she screeched again, going all tomato red with Natsume acting so cool. "You can't kiss me, darn!"
"But I thought you were my girlfriend for today?" he asked innocently.
"That was acting sheesh!" Mikan muttered. "Have some gratitude, I saved your neck from the girls earlier."
"No, you didn't."
"Did so,"
"So I can kiss you now?"
"What the…where did that come from?" Mikan cried in frustration. What has gotten into Natsume and his excessive bullying today?
"Not my girlfriend for today means you'll be kissing me, remember?" he smirked, putting his hands in his shorts' pockets.
The brunette cursed again. "Fine, fine. I'll be your girlfriend today, freak-o. Sheesh, you're so weird,"
"So I can kiss you whenever I like," he smirked more.
Mikan wanted to smack him. "No! We made a deal!"
"Yeah," he replied. "But girlfriends and boyfriends kiss every time,"
"Then I refuse to be your girlfriend,"
"So you should kiss me now,"
"…"
Smirk.
"Argh! Fine, girlfriend!"
"Still a kiss,"
"I hate you! Pervert!"
"No you don't."
"You're right."
"Of course,"
"Conceited jerk,"
"Yeah, but you love me,"
"Uh, no I don't?"
"Is that a question?"
"Yes, I mean, no. It was a fact."
"Uh-huh,"
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"Yes."
"Absolutely?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Great."
"Yes."
"So…you're sure?"
"Yes."
"Really, really, really certain - "
"Yes."
"-that you love me?"
"…"
"Great." Natsume smirked. "I love you too,"
~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~
So, hey guys! How was it? :) Didya guys like it? hehe. Too much fluff I guess but meh.
This is just the second part and the next chapter will be the last so it will be including the eighth letter so please watch out for it. I'll try to update when I can but it might or might not take long. Still, I hope you guys wait for it. :D
Please review and tell me what you think of this chap! :D REVIEW!