I'm backkkk! I'm sorry for taking too long to update! I was too busy with school to write but here I am again! And as promised, this isn't a heavy chapter. :D It's long so I hope you enjoy reading! I won't keep you any longer, so dozo!

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Out For A Coffee

You don't know what you had before you lost them.

Mikan supposes that that statement was true. She inhaled the rich scent of coffee floating around her and smiled. It's been a while since she went out for coffee, alone – like a normal person.

But it's just now that she has appreciated how much better it is not to be guarded by ten men wherever you go. She felt…free.

"May I take your order, Miss?" the guy at the counter grinned at her playfully. He was good-looking, average height, has messy brown hair and an appealing smile.

Mikan smiled at him casually. "I'd like one double chocolate-chip Frappuccino, tall and a chocolate waffle, please." She replied as she stared at the menu then found the guy still smiling at her after she lifted her head up.

He continued to stare shamelessly. "You look familiar,"

The brunette's smile froze a little. Well, she was dumb enough not to disguise herself so she was just in her jeans and sweater right now, her hair done in a messy bun. People hadn't been paying much attention to her so she thought that it wasn't a problem.

"R-right," she laughed. "Well, I used to come here a lot." She smiled tightly, hoping that the guy would just buy it.

He shrugged as he grinned at her. "Well, I'd be sure to remember someone as pretty as you." He casually said, making the brunette blush uncomfortably.

Were all boys this nice? She wasn't sure. Does that mean that Natsume wasn't a boy? Well, she did think that he was gay. Mikan giggled at the memory.

The guy was looking at her expectantly.

"I'm sorry, what? I didn't hear you." She sheepishly said.

The guy over the counter simply laughed. "That would be 480 yen, Miss…?"

"M-" but Mikan caught herself. "Amanatsu."

The guy's eyebrows shot up for a bit then he eventually shrugged. "Alright then, Amanatsu-chan, please wait at the counter and present this receipt." He told her, the charming grin still on his face as he held out the piece of paper. "Or, of course," he continued just as when Mikan was about to proceed to the counter. "You can just spare me some of your precious time." He winked. "What do you think?"

The brunette found herself smiling tightly. Was she being hit on? She found the idea funny. First because, weeks ago, she wouldn't have found this possible thanks to the fact that she was about to get married which literally translates to: 'Hands off. Already committed.' And second because simply knowing that her man (Mikan gagged inwardly as she thought of this) is the Prince of the State. Who wouldn't be scared? She thought dryly. She found most men running away because of the fact.

But this – being hit on by a guy, (is this considered flirting?) just feels so wrong. She strangely feels like a fresh widow who opened herself for courting a day after her husband was buried.

"Uh, well…" she laughed nervously. She wasn't wired for this. Well, mainly because her and Natsume's relationship was more of the sour tape type, you know? Not…toblerone or some sweet candies out there. That would simply make her gag. "I'm not sure." She replied hastily, not forgetting to smile.

The guy shrugged. The brunette looked around her, hoping that an angry queue of customers would snatch the guy's attention but instead, she found a spacious view of the counter. She silently cried in mortification.

"So…" he drawled casually. "You used to come here. Did something happen?" he asked. "You know, to make you stop coming." He added.

This time, the brunette's smile widened. If only she could tell him. If only. "I was a little bit…occupied." She answered shortly.

She watched as the guy weighed her answer, possibly trying to decipher the hidden message beneath it. It would certainly make her elated if he'd guess right. But that's a little improbable.

"Hopefully not with a guy." He grinned playfully. "I would hate that."

The brunette laughed good-naturedly. "Oh, you wouldn't possibly care."

His eyebrows shot up challengingly. "Well, what if I do?"

Mikan found herself looking at the guy intensely, a small smile still placed on her face. "What's that supposed to mean?" she breathed, now seriously hoping that her order would be ready in an instant and steal her from the guy.

This time, the guy smiled cutely, making his eyes twinkle in an adorable manner. "My shift's gonna end in a few. I was wondering if you'd mind me asking you out somewhere?"

The brunette didn't answer right away. She was just so not ready for this. She's a widow, remember? Oh, wait Mikan. Were you even married? Oh whatever. But the point is that, it just doesn't feel right. But then, why can't she answer? She'd just have to say 'I'm sorry, I can't' or whip up a credible lie, yes?

Then why couldn't she do just that?

"Come on, it'll be fun. I pro - " The guy was now saying, his arm extending, about to touch Mikan lightly on the shoulder when someone slapped it off just at the same moment Mikan felt an arm rest over her shoulders protectively.

The brunette was too shocked to react. Who's this?

"She's already off-limits. Hands off," a sharp smooth male voice replied just as when Mikan was called for her order. "Is that your order, hon?" the voice asked her. It was familiar…but it couldn't be. Right?

The brunette quickly pushed the arm away and faced the mysterious guy who unnecessarily saved her. A quick gasp escaped her lips.

"Natsume?!" she cried as she travelled her gaze from head to toe. Raven hair topped with a winter cap, smooth skin (yes, she checked. Don't ask.), perfect body-build dressed impeccably in a simple but designer coat over a sweater and wool pants, and of course, that annoying smirk on his face. For one, he was wearing a pair of glasses for his perfectly fine crimson eyes. But how is this possible?!

The guy over the counter looked at both of them quizzically. "Natsume? Like the Prince?"

Mikan watched as Natsume's eyebrows hiked up haughtily, her heart beating frantically. They can't discover them here! That'll be chaotic. "Is there a problem with me and my girlfriend pretending to be the Royal couple?" Natsume smoothly replied.

Oooh…Mikan cooed to herself. Smooth move.

The guy shifted his attention back to Mikan as he wore a disbelieving expression. "Is this really your boyfriend?" he muttered, running his eyes at Natsume up and down.

Mikan was about to retort a big NO but she found herself being stirred away from the counter by her waist by (tada!) Natsume who was also carrying her tray. Willfully, he maneuvered her to the farthest corner of the café.

Just as Natsume set the tray down did Mikan start to blow her top.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here, Natsume?!" she hissed, trying her best not to attract too much attention.

The raven-haired lad looked at her stoically as his eyebrows hiked up. "Not even a thank you, huh? Nice going, little girl."

"And why did you help me?!" Mikan sputtered.

Still with the incredulous expression, he answered. "I thought you needed it."

The brunette found herself scoffing. Look, she was glad that Natsume's here and all but she knows that none of these is healthy for both of them okay? Although she is really tempted to sing praises to the all the deities right now. "I so don't need it. And are you trying to blow your cover, Natsume? Are you out of your mind?"

For some seconds, the lad simply stared at Mikan as if she were a nutcase in which she probably is but knowing Natsume, isn't he supposed to retort or something? Come on, that guy speaks fluent Royal Sarcasm. (You know, all formal and stiff but sarcastic?)

The lad looked around him, probably checking if someone was behind. "You seemed to be so caught up in the acting, hon." He countered innocently. "I was simply helping you out. I'm not Natsume."

"Oh haha." The brunette responded with equal sarcasm and jumped as she clapped. "There, a standing ovation for your marvelous skill in acting. Happy now?"

"That was…a jumping ovation." Natsume replied stupidly.

Mikan gave him a dead expression for five flat seconds then sat down on the nearest chair. Promptly after two seconds, she stood up and started to clap like a nutcase, her expression suddenly changed into an ecstatic one. Finishing her job, she said, "There. A standing ovation. Care to quit it now?"

She watched as the guy shake his head in disbelief – as from her stupidity or the absurdity of it all, she doesn't know. "I'm not joking. I'm not Natsume."

The brunette glared at the raven-haired prince. "It's not even funny anymore."

"Well that's because it's not supposed to be. I'm not kidding."

"I said quit i – " Mikan stopped as soon as she saw the look on the guy's face.

For some moments, Mikan and Natsume only stared at each other, waiting for the other one to crack up and confess that it was all a charade. Nothing happened. It was Natsume who broke the stare-off.

He sighed as he sat and arranged his food – black coffee and a muffin. Elegantly, he crossed his slim but long legs, legs not unlike the Prince's. He was about to bite a piece off of his muffin when his eyes strayed to the brunette who adopted the form of a stone. She was still staring at him hard.

This prompted him to put the muffin back and look at her. He sighed. "Look, I'm not this Natsume you think I am – whoever he is."

She pursed her lips. "You look so much like him." She whispered, not intending her tone to be sad but nevertheless, her words still carried the same tone.

The guy's eyebrows hiked up. "You mean the Prince? Yeah, I get that a lot." He smirked.

Mikan stayed silent. She looked away. This is too much for her.

"You keep on saying Natsume this, Natsume that. You that guy's concubine or something?"

Mikan almost choked. Concubine! Goodness no! She was supposed to be his Empress…now turned to his nothing. The brunette rolled her eyes at her own made-up drama. Here she goes again.

"I'm one of his fangirls." She grinned as she motioned if it was alright to share the table. Oh dear, she never thought that she'd willingly assume the annoying role. The guy shrugged in approval. He seems to love shrugging a lot.

As the guy took his mug and sipped his coffee, Mikan watched through her lashes as she also busied herself with her food, trying so hard not for her stalking to be noticed. She watched closely as the guy picked his muffin up and took a small bite to the point where she counts how many chews it would take for him to swallow the piece. Yes, she was that obsessed.

"Look," the guy began, making Mikan jump mildly. She hopes that he didn't notice. "If you want to stare at me, do it openly." He frowned. "I can practically feel your eyes on my skin."

Mikan scoffed. "One, that's gross and two, even this part of you is so like him."

"Natsume?"

"Uh-huh. My fiancé."

He scowled. "Natsume was your fiancé?"

Mikan choked on her waffle. Did she just slip? Goodness! "No. M-my dog. I have a dog named Natsume w-who likes Beyonce."

"You have a dog named after your idol?"

Mikan breathed. "Don't ask."

"I don't even want to know. Am I dealing with a psycho here?"

"Psycho's name is M – Amanatsu."

"Weird name."

The brunette scoffed. "Oh yeah? I'd like to hear yours."

He smirked. "Sadly, liking something doesn't mean that you'll immediately get it."

Mikan threw her hands up in exasperation.

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

"So," Mikan found herself asking the Natsume doppelganger. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

"Are you hitting on me?" he replied, amused.

"Ha! You wish."

The brunette has no idea where her question came from but considering the fact that both of them have been hanging out in the café for three straight hours now with each other's company surely justifies a lot. Hey. You can't blame them right? They were now in their fifth round of coffee. They have to be considered drunk by now – somewhat.

"I had one." the guy replied out of the blue after some awkward silence. "A girlfriend, I mean."

"Big surprise," Mikan replied, smirking. "She must've been blind, huh?"

That actually made the guy chuckle. "Actually, she looks a lot like you."

Glare.

"No, seriously." He laughed. It was these moments that remind Mikan that this guy was not her Natsume. Natsume wouldn't openly laugh like this, not here. The brunette watched as he smiled crookedly. "Maybe that's why I 'saved' you in the first place." He said as he made air quotation marks.

"Because I look a lot like her."

"Uh-huh."

"Well," Mikan said, sipping her coffee. "That is definitely strange. You look like my ex."

"You said I look like your Natsume-sama."

Mikan rolled her hazel orbs then smirked. "Yeah. And my ex."

"Are you sure he wasn't just your imagination?" the guy laughed openly.

"How rude!" she laughed along with him. "He is real, okay?"

He shrugged as he also took a sip of his black coffee.

"So?" The brunette prompted him to speak. "What happened to you and your ex?"

The guy smiled at her mysteriously, and then looked out the window as if he was trying to glance back to what actually happened. For a moment, Mikan thought that he'd cry. That is until his lips crooked up in a hopeful smile.

"Some family issues." He said shortly.

"Wow." Mikan can't help but remark sarcastically. "This is getting weirder and weirder. I and my ex had the same problem – his family not accepting me and all."

The guy stifled a laugh. "I can't see why not."

"Hey!" Mikan protested as both of them found themselves laughing. "Well then you shouldn't wonder why your parents had a problem with your girlfriend if I so much as look like her for you to 'save' me!"

The guy pretended to look offended. He took another sip. "Oh please. I just need to change these glasses is all. " he smirked. "Haruka's a hundred times better than you."

"Oh yeah?" Mikan countered, slightly taking offense at what he said. "Well then Ryuu's so much better than you too!" she replied, sticking her tongue out like a kid.

He smirked at Mikan knowingly as he began to prattle about his girlfriend. "Haruka's one of the most beautiful girls I know. This may sound terribly cheesy but her existence feels so much like the sun to me."

"Well then, that's where Ryuu differs, I guess." The brunette replied, remembering Natsume. "He's gorgeous, alright – like a model that I always feel inferior whenever there are other girls around. Although, even though he's so good-looking, he has some problems with his attitude." She laughed as she remembers. "But deep down, inside, where no one can easily see, Ryuu is really gentle."

The guy snorted. "If your Ryuu is all that great, he should have fought for you."

Mikan glared at the guy. "Well then if Haruka's all so beautiful as well, your parents shouldn't have had problems with her!"

"They didn't." the guy answered. "It was another member of the family. Rest assured, Haruka was better off this way. She's much too dazzling to be captured and imprisoned in my family." He said bitterly which has curiously set Mikan in irritation.

"If it were Ryuu," she said. "He'd surely fight for her! How do you even know that she wants it to be that way? Ryuu would've asked her and by all means, even if she no longer wants to, asked her to stay. He wouldn't bitterly sulk in some café, talking to a stranger and telling her about his ex and all the things he could've and should've done for her." Mikan panted. "But that's Ryuu. I don't know about you, Mr. Stranger."

The guy smiled at Mikan. "The name's Hinata. Then, what about you?" he asked.

"What about me?"

"Why did you just leave Ryuu?" he asked her, still smiling. "If it were Haruka, she wouldn't just leave Ryuu, even when his family is against them. She would've also fight for him and stay, as long as it makes Ryuu happy. If all goes well, she would be marrying Ryuu, wouldn't she? Not her family. So it shouldn't matter. If it were Haruka, she would have stayed with Ryuu."

Both of them fell silent afterwards. Mikan was too caught up in her thoughts to construct a reply. Why? Why didn't she stay with Natsume? Well, she was put in prison and was branded a murderer. But still. Natsume believed in her, didn't he? She could have stayed. She could have told him everything from the start. The outcome would have been different. But she didn't.

And it's all too late.

She heard a sigh. "Too bad that Haruka and Ryuu were stuck with us, Amanatsu-san." He smiled. "If they had met each other and fallen in love with each other instead, and if what we stand for about them is true, they would be living a happy ever after right now."

Mikan can't help but smile. "But it's us they met, and there's no helping it."

Hinata looked at the brunette mysteriously, his crimson orbs glinting with the faintest light. "Isn't there?"

The brunette's grin widened as she stuck her hand out to Hinata. "It was nice meeting you, Hinata-san." She said as she stood up with him, their hands linked into a handshake.

"Likewise, Amanatsu-san." He said as he motioned for her to go first. Approaching the door, he held it out for Mikan like a true gentleman as he called her name. "Amanatsu-san,"

Mikan looked back at him.

"You're still in love with him, aren't you?"

She smiled. "I could say the same thing for you."

Both of them stared up the sky as tiny snowflakes started to fall. The brunette looked at him once more, before she finally goes home. And as his eyes meet hers for the last time, she told him,

"Maybe it isn't too late, Hinata."

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Mikan couldn't believe that she forgot that it was Christmas today. Well, she supposes that with all the problems in her life lately, it wouldn't be that difficult to forget one holiday. Besides, it's not as if Japan celebrates it because of the birth of Christ or something. It's more of like a couple event in the country. And her being single should excuse her from the holiday, right?

She shook her head as she tried to sleep. The day had been so bizarre. She had to pinch herself as she went home to assure herself that she was really awake and that she had just poured out her love life to some Natsume-look-alike.

She must be crazy.

The brunette was about to drift off to sleep when she heard the pelting of pebbles against her window. Is there a blizzard?

Quietly, Mikan sat up and grabbed her robe to wrap herself up against the cold. Reluctantly, she opened the door to her balcony and stepped out to the cold winter air.

"Mikan!" she heard someone whisper her name. By this time, the brunette was already too scared to even check who it was. She's a scaredy cat okay? And this late at night whispering isn't helping. But something tells her that it's no ghost.

She peered down the balcony.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed. "Wait, is that even you?"

Natsume rolled his crimson eyes at her. "Um, no." he said sarcastically. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just a hologram or something? Duh, it's me, idiot." He said.

Mikan can't help but laugh with joy.

"Do you think you can save that laughing for later?" she heard him say in his deadpan voice. It really is her Natsume – her grumpy little Natsume. "I'm freezing here."

"Well, what do you want me to do? Pour you boiling water to unfreeze you?"

"Oh ha-ha. What about letting down your hair?"

Mikan glared at him. "Look, the balcony's perfect. The family feud's there too – with the whole your family hates me, my family used to rule before you and yada yada yada. Do you think you could land on the right fairy tale for once? This isn't Rapunzel, okay? And my hair won't hold someone as heavy as you."

Natsume chuckled as Mikan told him that. "Since when did Romeo and Juliet become a fairytale?"

"Since I said so. You know what? Just get up here."

The prince raised his eyebrows at her. "Or you could just go down here."

Mikan smiled evilly. "Catch me at three?"

"What?!"

"One."

"Hey, Mikan are you – "

"Two."

" – sure this is a good – "

"Three!"

" – idea – oomph!"

Mikan grinned up at Natsume as he held her, both of them lying on the snow now. "No, but I was sure you'd catch me."

Natsume nestled his head with both his hands, resisting the urge to strangle the girl beside him. His heart wouldn't stop beating. He wasn't sure if he would catch her. He lied on the snow and breathed out a puff of relief.

"You're gonna be the end of me, woman." He said as he smiled at her. She was close to tears as she flopped down beside him, both of them staring at the starry sky.

"How was your day?" she asked him as she wagged her arms and legs, creating a snow angel.

Natsume lay still. "It sucks."

"Mmm..?"

He let out another puff. "It sucked without you."

Mikan laughed out loud, her face red. "That must be the cheesiest thing I've heard the whole day!" she laughed again.

Natsume smiled a little. "What about you?"

She stole a glance at him before speaking. "I met a nice man."

"Oh yeah?"

"His name's Hinata and he's quite the hottie." She said.

Natsume didn't reply.

"I think I like him." She said quietly, waiting for Natsume' violent retorts. There wasn't any.

Instead, he stood up, scooped Mikan up from the snow and carried her princess-style.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" the brunette protested, tangling her arms around Natsume's neck to keep herself from falling. "Put me down!"

"No, you don't."

"What?"

"No, you don't like him." Natsume said as he looked at Mikan intensely, their faces only inches apart.

"How do you know?"

The Prince smirked at her knowingly right before he dipped his face to hers, kissing her.

It was the only kiss they shared after the one he stole from her when she accused him of being gay. And compared to that, both of them could say that this is infinitely sweeter, warmer, longer and most of all, it felt right.

Natsume grinned at her as they stopped kissing. "See?"

Mikan looked away in embarrassment. "Jerk."

"Mmmm," the raven-haired lad replied, still smiling smugly. "Then, Amanatsu-chan, what do you say if Ryuu decides to take Haruka out to a date tomorrow?"

The brunette looked up to her ex-fiance and smiled.

"I think she'll like it."

~(*o*)~(*o*)~(*o*)~

Ahihi. *u* How was it? How did you find this chapter?

Was it confusing? Haha. Just for clarification, Natsume was Hinata. Both of them just pretended, first for the heck of it, and second to avoid attracting attention. Just so happened that the people around them are to busy to notice them! Hahaha.

Anyway, review! :D REVIEW! TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! I'LL REPLY THIS TIME! :D