My Candy: Chapter 4

#08: Gakuen Alice (Natsume & Mikan)
...xXx...

The branches rustled in answer to his question.
It's no use at all, huh? Natsume looked up at the sky before saying, "Forget it. Keep it to yourself."

He rose from his comfortable seat against the tree.

When he was a foot away, she said, "Would you believe me if I told you the truth then?"

He stopped in his tracks and turned around. While looking into her golden eyes, he asked back, "What do you think?"

"Then please be my guest. I'll summarize everything for you." She closed her eyes.

He stayed still for a few minutes before walking back to her.

She began, "A lab exploded near my house years ago. Don't ask me why, but every full moon, I will turn into this form."

"The candy you always eat is what kept you from changing to your other humanoid form," he continued for her.

Looking at him in surprise, she sighed. "I guess I don't have to explain everything then."

"You don't have to. I just want to confirm that the night when you came a month ago was not a dream."

"I had to do it so that I wouldn't be transferred to another branch of Gakuen Alice," she reasoned as if she knew he would ask her why she tried to erase his memories.

I chose to stay here so I can be with you, Natsume…, she added mentally. After she breathed in the scent around her, she muttered, "It's going to rain soon…"

He smiled inwardly as he remembered the first time he heard her say the same thing.

Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted into the air. Her eyes widened. "W-what are you doing, Natsume?"

"You said it's going to rain, shouldn't we go back to the dorm now?" he inquired back.

"You're right…"

He hugged the golden cat as he walked back to his room. Upon arriving in his room, he placed her on the bed. "Wait here."

She laid her head down on the bed lazily and closed her eyes. After a few minutes she felt herself being lifted again and was placed on the dining table. As he pushed a bowl of fresh milk to her, she sweat dropped. "You treat me like a pet."

He smirked. "Aren't you?"

She started fidgeting as she didn't like his smirk.

"You will do as you are told."

"What!" Her eyes widened in disbelief.

He smiled evilly. "As your owner, don't you think it is appropriate for you to do so?"

"Since when did you become my owner? You do not own me, Natsume!" she said furiously.

He ignored her. "Finish your milk now."

As usual, he was ignoring her comments. She huffed but did what she was told.

He smiled inwardly as he petted her head. "Good girl."

"Jerk," she muttered.

He smirked. After she finished her milk, he asked, "When will you turn back into your humanoid form?"

"After midnight," she answered shortly.

He nodded and closed his eyes. "You will stay with me from now on."

"What!"

"This is your punishment for making me go insane for a month."

She shut her mouth as she did feel guilty for hurting him. Trying to make it up to him, she agreed, "As you wish, Natsume."

"Yes. You will do as I wish," he said.

A vein popped out on her forehead as she twitched.

He chuckled. "Be a good girl; then I will consider to play with you."

"You… JERK!" she exclaimed in fury.

The rest of the day was like hell for her as he made fun of her by acting like a "nice" owner.

He stared at the sleeping girl beside him. She had changed back into her humanoid form in her sleep. She must be exhausted from keeping her anger in check.

As he caressed her cheek softly, she moaned in her sleep. He instantly withdrew his hand and cursed himself for being careless. Looking at her naked form, he couldn't deny that she was what he had desired for a long time. To clear his clouded mind, he closed his eyes. She had trusted him with her secret, so he wouldn't take advantage of her.

...xXx...

"Wake up, little girl," Natsume said as he gently nudged the sleeping girl.

Said girl mumbled incoherent words as she slowly opened her eyes. When her vision was clear, her eyes widened. She gasped and jumped out of the bed in half a second.

"You! What are you doing here?" She pointed a finger at him.

He raised an eyebrow. "Don't you remember what happened yesterday?"

"Huh?" She tilted her head cutely.

His hands twitched as he had the urge to kiss her cute face.

"Breakfast is ready. Come," he said and walked to the dining room.

Still in a dazed state, she followed him and ate her breakfast obediently.

"After this, get ready for school. Your uniform is already in the bathroom," he said again, and she stopped eating.

She swallowed the breakfast with difficulty as she just realised she was fully dressed in her pajamas. How?

"Imai," he stated shortly before Mikan could open her mouth to ask.

She sighed in relief. It was Hotaru who dressed me.

"What do you want?" Amethyst eyes glared at him.

He glared at her equally. "Mikan changed back into her humanoid form."

The glaring contest was immediately dismissed as the raven-haired girl became silent.

"I need your help to dress her."

She smirked. "I didn't know the famous Natsume Hyuuga would come and beg me to help him dress the girl he loves."

"Mind your own business, Imai." He glared at her.

Her smirk grew. "Since you're not denying it, I will take that as a 'yes'."

"Wait here," she said again as she walked inside her room.

They went to Mikan's room to get her uniform.

After dressing Mikan in her pajamas, Hotaru spoke, "Take good care of her, Hyuuga. I'll make your life a living hell if you hurt her."

I would rather kill myself than hurt her, Imai, he replied mentally as he stared at the girl who was eating her breakfast.

"I did see your naked form before she dressed you though," he said with a smirk.

She dropped the fork she was using. "What!"

"Finish your breakfast," he said instead of answering her.

He was ignoring her, again. She grabbed the fork and pointed it at him. "You! I can't believe this!"

"You're impossible! Can't you act like a gentleman for once?"

He narrowed his eyes. "We're going to be late."

"Jerk," she said and stomped to the bathroom. After a few minutes she came out fully dressed in her uniform.

"Good girl," he said as he got candy for her. Knowing she would try to snatch the candy from him, he held her hands. He stared at her, but she looked away, muttering another "jerk" for him. He sighed mentally. I'm sorry for being selfish and keeping you for myself, Mikan.

Even if she didn't like it, she let him feed her the candy.

After a few seconds her appearance changed back to the real Mikan. Bringing his hand to her nape, he pulled her closer and whispered, "Whether you like it or not, I will be your owner from now on."

Before she could push him away, he hugged her tightly. "Be a good girl. Then I will love you, Mikan."

She froze instantly, and her mind went blank. Love? Did I hear what I think I heard?

No, I didn't hear anything,she denied as her mind chanted "impossible" countless times.

"Let's go," he said after inhaling the scent of her hair. After releasing her, he dragged her out of the room.

Mikan started sweating mentally as everyone stared at her and Natsume. Of course, he paid no mind to them. It was Sumire, who stared at her with great intensity. She gulped nervously. With her sensitive nose, she could tell that Natsume's fan club was beyond angry at her. Unconsciously, she clutched his hands tightly to calm her nerves. Of course, they couldn't scare her. She was just trying her best to keep herself from hurting them. Lately, she couldn't control her animalistic mind. For the past few months, she had been trying to suppress the feeling to hunt someone. It seemed like her candy couldn't hold it any longer. The professor who was giving her the candy had told her once that she would lose her rational mind if she couldn't control her animalistic side. The candy could only hold for 60% of it, and the rest would be up to her. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest, and she started sweating.

Natsume, who finally realized her odd behaviour, pulled her closer to him immediately. As she clutched his shirt tightly, he looked up at Narumi-sensei, who also realized Mikan's behaviour.

"Natsume-kun, will you take Mikan-chan to the infirmary?" Narumi-sensei said with a hint of worry.

The class started whispering to each other. Hotaru looked at her best friend worriedly through her amethyst eyes. When Natsume carried her bridal style, most of the class gasped as no one had expected that from him.

Natsume quickly made his way to the infirmary as she closed her eyes tightly.

"C-candy, please…" she muttered, and he walked faster.

The nurse who saw Mikan guided him to the bed. As her hair started changing colours, he slipped the candy into her mouth immediately, and after a few seconds, her breathing was back to normal and her hair turned back to the original brown colour).

Slowly, she opened her eyes.

"How are you feeling?" a voice asked.

"Natsume… I'm fine." She turned to her side. With a weak smile, she softly added, "For now…"

He looked at her weirdly and leaned closer.

Being so close to him made her blush crimson.

"Your eyes…" he murmured quietly.

Quickly, she moved aside and asked the nurse to give her a mirror. What she saw in her reflection made her gasp. The colour of her eyes was still hazel, but it was filled with golden flecks. Horrified, she muttered, "No… It can't be happening now…"

The infirmary door was opened and revealed none other than Hotaru. When Mikan started crying, she quickly approached her.

"Hotaru, what should I do?"

"Ssshhh, please calm down, Mikan," Hotaru whispered while hugging her. She glanced to the nurse, and the nurse nodded. Softly, she said, "You must rest now."

The nurse injected her with a sleeping drug afterwards. Mikan slowly fell asleep, and they put her down on the bed.

"What was that about?" Natsume asked.

Seconds passed before Hotaru started, "I guess it's time for hunting."

He stayed silent, and she continued, "You know the candy she has taken was to hold her transformation, right? It also suppresses her animalistic side. I don't know why it's happening now… The last time she lost control was three years ago."

"Lost control?" he repeated in confusion.

She sighed mentally. "Mikan will lose her rational mind if she can't control her animalistic side."

"Something must have challenged her other half…" she muttered to herself, but Natsume heard her clearly.

"What can we do to stop her?"

For a few minutes, she remained silent before looking into his eyes. "Nothing can stop her until she finishes with her hunting."

Prev Chapter 1—The Transformation Chapter 2—The Golden Cat Chapter 3—The Truth Chapter 4—The Other Half Chapter 5—The Release Chapter 6—The Silver Cat Chapter 7—The Battle of Love Chapter 8—The Seal of Fate Chapter 9—The Curse Chapter 10—The Wolf Chapter 11—The Candy Next