The Lady of My Heart: Chapter 5

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

"Akira," Hotaru called out.

Akira looked at her with a smile.

"You planned it." It was a statement rather than a question.

"I'm not. I'm just using the chance that was given," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I wonder if Mikan realised her mistake by now."

"Oh, she realised it by now."

Disbelief was clear on her face.

He grinned. "I'm her twin brother, remember?" Before leaving her, he said, "Someone wants to talk to you."

Hotaru blinked, puzzled. Not long after that, someone greeted her from behind, "Excuse me." She turned around and instantly noted, Ruka Nogi, the Prince of the Western Lands.

"Yes, Prince Ruka?"

"C-can we talk, Princess Hotaru?"

She almost rolled her eyes. "Aren't we talking right now?"

He blushed scarlet. "R-right."

"What is it you want to talk about, Prince Ruka?"

Quickly, he gained his composure. "It’s about someone."

She hummed quietly.

"Actually, I'm looking for someone. Well, it's not me, but I'd like to help. He's been looking for her for years now. I'm wondering if you will help us get this information of the person he's been looking for."

She stared at him. He must be talking about Hyuuga, who was currently looking for Mikan.

"Princess Hotaru?" he asked, slightly impatient.

"I don't have to help him."

"Huh?"

"I'm sure he can find her by himself."

When he was about to ask why, he saw Natsume, who walked joined them with Ryusuke in his arms.

"Have you had fun with Uncle Natsume, Ryusuke?" Akira asked with playful tone.

Natsume threw him a hard glare.

"Yep!" Ryusuke replied before reaching out for Akira.

Akira gladly gathered the boy into his arms with a smile and gave him his treats. Turning back to Natsume, he asked, "Are you done, Natsume?"

Natsume smirked. "Not quite."

"I see…" Akira replied with a meaningful look.

The reunion party went without a hitch. During the gathering, all that Natsume could think of was Mikan. He was pretty sure that Ryusuke’s mother was none other than Mika, the woman he had fallen in love with.

"Will I see you again, Uncle Natsume?" Ryusuke asked after the end of the party.

"Sure thing, Ryusuke. I will visit you soon…” Natsume replied with serious tone that went unnoticed by Akira, Hotaru and Ruka.

Akira nodded at Natsume. "Until then, Natsume."

Natsume nodded in reply as he watched them went back to their own dimension with Akira's power.

Ruka looked at him curiously. "Natsume…"

"There’s something I have to do. Let's go, Ruka."

Ruka mouthed an 'o' before they, too, went back to their dimension with his power.

As soon as Natsume returned to his own palace, he started investigating this Mikan. Needlessly to say, he was pleased with the result he had gotten after a few days. The only thing left was to see her and confirm her true identity himself.

"Everything is ready, Prince Natsume," a servant informed him.

Natsume nodded and got up from his seat to make his way out of his room. A few servants followed him when he went to the stable, and his father was there, too.

"Where are you going, Natsume?" his father asked curiously.

"My deepest apologies, Otou-sama. I will not explain my action for now."

"Very well," Lord Hyuuga said calmly before adding, "I hope you will find a wife on your journey, Natsume."

Yes, I will bring her back as my wife, Natsume replied his father mentally.

Within two days, he reached the main town of the Southern Lands and found an acceptable inn and got some rest. On the next day, he started exploring the town. It was when he reached the market that he saw a 5-year-old boy in kimono but wearing a blue cap. He looked at the boy suspiciously. Not many people have a cap to wear in this world. Secretly, he followed the boy until he reached the east region of the town.

Ryusuki got the feeling that he had been followed, and he determined to catch this stranger that had been following him from the market. When he was sure the stranger was right behind him, he stopped and turned around quickly.

Natsume was speechless as he couldn't believe that the boy he had been following had caught him.

They couldn't look into each other eyes because one was hidden by the cap and the other was by the hood. Suddenly, a gush of wind came. Because of the wind, Ryusuki's cap loosened and revealed his face.

Natsume stared the boy wide eyes when he realised the boy he had been following was Ryusuke. Unfortunately, he guessed it wrongly when he saw his hazel eyes suddenly turned sapphire.

Ryusuki caught his cap in time before it started flying away with his power that could control the wind and put the cap back. He glared at the hooded man, silently warning him to stay away from him. After a pregnant silence, he continued his walks.

Natsume snapped out his train of thoughts. Somehow, he had to make this boy agree to talk to him, so he called out, "Ryusuke!"

Ryusuke? Ryusuki froze. Turning around, he asked the stranger, "Who are you? How do you know my twin's name?"

I have twin sons! Natsume's heart skipped a beat. "I'm sorry. I thought you were Ryusuke." Slowly, he opened his hood and smiled at the child. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Ryusuki's eyes widened. A red phoenix symbol was visible on the man's forehead. The Prince of the Eastern Lands… He was the one that Ryusuke was talking about. For a while, he studied the man before him. His eyes slowly widened as he made the connection and whispered, "Otou-sama…"

Even though it was just a soft whisper, Natsume heard him. He looked at the child in disbelief. Did he just call me...? "What did you say just now?" he asked, hoping the child would say it again.

Quickly, Ryusuki replied, "I didn't say anything. You must be the Prince of the Eastern Lands. I've heard a lot of you from Ryusuke. I'm Ryusuki."

The flashback of his mother's reaction made him clenched his little fists. "What are you doing here?"

Natsume was slightly taken back by his voice that was filled with venom. "I came here to visit Ryusuke, and if possible, to meet your mother."

Ryusuki glared at him. "Why? Are you going to hurt Okaa-sama?"

Natsume's eyes widened in disbelief. "What? What are you talking about? Of course not! Why would I hurt your mother?"

"What are you planning?" Ryusuki’s eyes narrowed.

"What are you implying, Ryusuki?" Natsume countered back.

"You will hurt Okaa-sama by taking both of us away from her!" Ryusuki exclaimed.

Natsume was speechless. The child thought he would take them away from their mother. He tried to approach Ryusuki, but Ryusuki would take a step back each time he stepped forward. He sighed. "Please Ryusuki… I only want to meet your mother so that I know if she’s the one I'm looking for."

Ryusuki's eyes widened in surprise and stuttered out, "Y-you've been looking for Okaa-sama?"

Natsume slowly approached Ryusuki as he smiled. "I don't know if she's the one, but yes, I'm looking for the woman I love. I was quite mad, you know. She left me before I could tell her that I love her." He knew that he sounded like an idiot for confessing his feeling to a 5-year-old boy, but he had the feeling that this boy was his, so it was alright. He couldn't hold his feelings anymore and hugged Ryusuki tightly but not so tight. As Ryusuki hugged him back, he smiled to himself and asked him softly, "Will you help me, Ryusuki?"

Ryusuki nodded. "Yes… Otou-sama."

The last part was more like a soft mutter, but Natsume heard it nonetheless. He smiled mentally. He then held Ryusuki’s little hand while he guided him to his mother's hut. After a few minutes of walking, they reached their destination. From the outside of the hut, Ryusuke's voice could be heard and followed by the laughter of two women. His heart beat faster when he heard the laughter, he recognised one of it. It was his love's.

Ryusuki walked inside the hut. "I'm home, Okaa-sama."

Mikan ran out from the inner hut while smiling. "Welcome home, Ryu—" She couldn't continue her sentence as she suddenly felt she lost her voice.

Silence filled the hut as the crimson stared at the hazel.

Hotaru walked out from the inner hut with Ryusuke to check Mikan. Her eyes widened when she saw Natsume, who stood in front of them.

Ryusuke, who saw him, smiled. "Uncle Natsume! You finally come to visit me!"

Natsume broke the eye contact and smiled at Ryusuke. "Yes, Ryusuke. It's been a while, how are you?"

Ryusuke ran up to him, and before the boy could hug his leg, Natsume crouched down and welcomed him into his arms.

"I've been well, Uncle Natsume!" Ryusuke smiled and turned to his twin. "I see that you already met him, Ryusuki."

Ryusuki grunted an answer, "Hn."

The silence returned.

Hotaru cleared her throat. "Both of you, come with me now."

Confused, Ryusuke looked at Hotaru. "Huh?"

Natsume released Ryusuke. "Thank you, Imai."

When Hotaru and Ryusuke were almost out of the hut, she called out to Ryusuki, who didn't follow them.

Ryusuki sighed. He approached his mother and hugged her stiff form. "See you later, Okaa-sama."

Soon, both of them were alone. For a few minutes, neither made a move nor spoke.

Mikan closed her eyes and broke the silence. "Please have a seat inside."

Natsume replied by following after her to the inner hut and sat down on the tatami floor.

Mikan went into her small kitchen and brew some jasmine tea. A few moments later, she approached him again with a tray with two cups of warm tea. Sitting down on the tatami floor, she set the tea on the low table while he watched her intensely. For six years, he missed the woman before him. For six years, the woman had haunted his dreams every night.

Feeling his intense eyes on her, she gulped and started fidgeting. She knew she couldn't run away now. He had found her and their twins.

"You left me." It was more like a statement rather than a question.

Closing her eyes, she replied, "I have to."

"You thought I don't love you."

She felt herself being stabbed by a dagger.

"You lied to me."

Another dagger stabbed her, and she clutched her kimono tightly. "I'm sorry, Natsume."

She didn't realise he was coming towards her until he brought her into his arms.

"Stupid Mika," he whispered.

Tears started forming in her eyes, and she slowly hugged him back.

He closed his eyes and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Mikan."

Her eyes widened and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I love you, too, Natsume."

She had been waiting for those three words all this time, and now, she regretted for leaving him.

"I'll never let you go anymore," he said, breaking the hug. He then kissed her on the lips.

Prev Chapter 1—The New Assistant Chapter 2—The Disappearance Chapter 3—The Invitation Chapter 4—The Reunion Chapter 5—The Truth Chapter 6—The Meeting Chapter 7—The Lady of My Heart Next