"No one notices your tears. No one notices your sadness. No one notices your pain. But everyone noticed your mistakes."

-Unknown

Chapter 9: Reasons

Tick Tock Tick Tock…

I involuntarily listened to the clock as I wrote down the answers in my History book… which is, very difficult. Honestly, it seems that I didn't pay attention to what Ruka-pyon taught me yesterday afternoon. It's just that because I've been daydreaming about him all the time.

Deep down, I've been feeling guilty inside. I still remembered that certain answer I gave to Ruka about Hotaru few weeks ago. I tried to help them, but in the end, I made it worse. Maybe, it's because Hotaru knew about my feelings for him. It seems that I betrayed her all along. I needed her so badly right now, but it seems she's right after all. This all because I cared for him.

In the next morning, it's seems that I've been so tired after that long homework I've done. I tried walking towards my classroom, but I halted when I saw the short raven-haired girl standing along the way.

"Hey…" I looked at her shyly, "How are you?"

She replied nonchalantly, "I'm fine."

There was a short pause after that. I struggled to find my words I can say to her next. But it seems that I'm still tongue-tied to her as I was scared to speak with her. But then she eventually became impatient,

"I'm going…" she started to pass by me, but before she could take another step away from me, I began to yell,

"W-wait!"

She stopped. She was waiting for another word coming out from my mouth.

"I-I missed you, Hotaru…" I continued. I can't hold back my feelings now. Well, she's my best friend and I want to tell her that I missed her after all.

Annoyed with my voice, she glared at me with a flash of anger, "Please don't say that."

"Why shouldn't I? We were best friends! Could you at least tell me what do you want from me?" I asked her desperately. I felt I am going to cry at any moment.

She replied, "I want you to stay away from me. We are not and never been best friends."

I begged, "Hotaru, please forgive me… I want to talk to you about him."

"Forget it." She said as she continued walking. I tried to reach my hand towards her, but someone slapped it away from her.

I took grasp of my words when Luna suddenly walks out of the shadows with a group of her blonde friends. "Hello, bitch." She greeted rudely. An evil smirk crept on the sides of her face. "We meet again…"

"W-What do you want?" I shrugged. She looked at me with those devious eyes as if she's ready to kill.

She curled a strand of her hair playfully with her finger, "Well, you're his friend again, and you know everything, right? Especially, when there is the reason why he BROKE up with me!"

I scoffed, "How should I know? All he ever told me is that he wanted to break up with you, but he never told me why he would ever do that to you."

She took a step closer, "Oh, Mikan… You're so cute yet still an idiot. You are lucky that my boyfriend is smarter and he is willing to help a pathetic loser like you. Well, I bet that it's true that he finally has feelings for you."

My eyes widened in complete surprise by her last sentence, "Wha—"

She plastered her sly smirk again, "Am I right?"

Then I denied immediately with disbelief, "N-no! W-who told you that? That's not true!"

She continued, "If that so… then why don't you try asking Natsume by yourself? After all, you're his friend. You're the reason why he couldn't pay attention to me at all! "

I averted my eyes to Hotaru standing behind the girls while turning her back on me, "Hotaru…"

She said firmly while without looking back at me, "Just do it."

I couldn't say anything. I was bit dumfounded by her reply. I was so confused that so many questions began to fill in my mind:

Why is she involved with any of these? Why is she doing this? Why is she with Luna now?

Natsume's PoV

Sigh… I'm getting bored with all of this nerd stuff that Koko and Kitsu were talking about. Tch, I never knew that I had such buzzkill friends in my entire life.

Speaking of friends, I noticed that something or rather- someone is missing at this point. I started to worry when I took a quick glance at her empty seat. Besides that she will be late again this time as usual. But I felt something making my guts churn in paranoia. Could it be that she met any worst case scenario? I have to move and find her right now.

I immediately stood up from my seat. But before I could take another step my attention darted to someone who is standing in front of me.

It's Mikan. I sighed in relief. Good thing nothing bad happened to her.

She looked at me surprisingly as she turns red for a second, but then she looked away from me while walking towards her seat.

"O-oi, polka…" I spoke up.

She didn't say anything. She was just ignoring me. Well, that's odd. Is she being rude to me right now? Why does she look so lonely at this time? Did someone do anything worse to her? She looked at me again from her seat and she looked even lonelier. Did she want something from me?

After the school hours, everyone including me stood up and left the classroom. But I noticed Mikan who stayed in her seat for too long while looking down on her table.

I turned away from the door as I approached her, "Polka?"

She suddenly stood up from her seat, "S-s-s-s-stay away f-f-f-f—"

"W-what are you—" I yelped as I took a step backward. I was surprised by her stuttering.

She looked at me with her flushed face, "N-natsume?!"

"Is there something wrong? You looked so distracted…" I asked her while holding her shoulder. Her whole face suddenly became red all over.

She pointed at me, "S-s-s-s-s-s-s-stop being so touchyyyyyyy!"

"Huh?" I looked at my hands touching her shoulder.

"KYAAAAAHHHH!"

I took a step backwards again, "Oi, what are you-"

BLAAG!

-X-

"I'm really, really, sorry Natsume!" She apologizes as she bows her head back and forth continuously.

I chuckled nervously while rubbing the bruise on my cheek, "It's okay! It's okay! Jeez… what's wrong with you, polka? If you kept yelling at me like that, some people might think I raped you."

"Sorry… I was just thinking… some stuff…" Her voice gradually trailed off while looking down on the ground.

I tilted my head in curiosity, "Then? What is this 'some stuff'?"

She suddenly yelled again as she pointed at me, "It's none of your business!"

I lowered my head while maintaining my composure, "Fine, I guess I'll just stay out of your wa—"

"W-wait!" I was about to walk away but she stopped me by grabbing my sleeve.

Without looking at her, I said, "What?"

"About that… Well, it's about you and Luna…" she answered. Her voice trailed off again.

I turned around, staring at her irritably, "I thought were through with that."

"No, we didn't, you jerk! You just yelled at me, and we just made up as friends just for nothing!"

My eyes narrowed in anger while trying to remove her hands on her sleeve, "What are you talking about? You think that was just for nothing?"

She retorted, "F-friends supposed to tell everything! Please… At least tell me why you broke up with her."

"Since when are you this spoiled, polka? You're not my boss so stop telling me what to-"

I stopped when I sensed her hands, still holding my sleeve, quivering in fear. When I lowered my head, I noticed her tears sliding down through her cheeks.

No, please not again. I gulped as the guilt painfully rises up to my chest.

"I'm s-sorry, Mikan. I-I didn't mean to-"

"Please… I don't want to lose her again…" her coarse whispers were heard through her sobs.

I jolted, "Her?"

"Hotaru…"

-X-

"So that's what happened, huh…" I deeply sighed, "I can't believe Luna knew that you and Hotaru are so close that she used her to blackmail you. That bitch…"

She didn't reply. Instead, her head lowers shyly. I can't help but to smile while looking at her shy, cute expression.

"You should tell me this in the first place before we could start an argument again." I said to her while patting her head. God, I blush like some fucking high school girl.

"I'm really, sorry." She said while pouting and then she looked at me, "But can you tell me, why?"

As she glared at me, my heart was about to explode into billion pieces. I looked at her eyes. Those deep chocolate hazelnut eyes. Those beautiful mirrors of her soul. I wish she could tell that how I wanted to kiss those soft and plush lips of hers…

Again.

MIKAN'S POV

What's this?

What's happening to him?

Why the hell is he touching my lips?!

I wanted to push him away but I couldn't. I backed away until a cold wall pressed against my back. Natsume propped one of his hands on it. The other… is still on my lips, caressing them gently. Since when did his stares and his touches get so friggin' sensual? Don't tell me… he's trying to—

"I am in love with someone else, Mikan." He whispered and I looked at him with my wide eyes, "Someone whom I wanted to pull into my arms for the long time. Someone whom I needed so badly that I might die without seeing her again…"

I gulped louder as he moved closer to my ear and continued, "I still have some unfinished business that I need to do with her…"

I was expecting worse as I hurriedly closed my eyes and held my breath. I waited any second to do his thing, but nothing happened. I opened them again and he's gone.

I let out a puff of air in relief as bent down, resting my arms on my knees.

Whew! Good thing that wasn't me he was talking about…

…

..

.

It was a GOOD thing, indeed.

A/N:

… or that's what she thought.. (silent screaming- KYAAAAAAAHHHH! /)

Yo, yo yo! Miss me? I'm back in the flesh and still alive, baby! Now, how many months (or years) is it? I can't tell. I'm really in a massive Writer's Block (and that's not an excuse anymore. God, I'm such a lazy person…) Sooooooooooooryyyy, for keeeeepping you waaaaaiiiiittiing! I know you are. Well here is the chapter nine. I hope you like it. Don't forget to review if you want. Seriously… I really need help though.

Lots of trick 'n treats,

rUbYxSaPpHire25~BOO!