The Lady of My Heart: Chapter 7

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

Natsume stared at his father, dumbfounded. He couldn't believe his hearing. Well, he didn't want his father to object his choice, but he still couldn’t believe it.

Tsubasa smiled at Mikan. He took her hands and kissed them. "Nice to meet you, Mikan."

Mikan smiled back. "Nice to meet you, too, Tsubasa-nii-sama."

Tsubasa let go of her hands and turned to look at his nephews. "I felt blessed to have twin nephews."

The twins grinned at their uncle.

"What are you waiting for, Natsume?" Lord Hyuuga asked after instructing all the servants to prepare a celebration.

This was what Natsume couldn't believe. His father wanted to have a big celebration right away. Was he really that eager to have a daughter-in-law? Suddenly, his mother's face flashed in his mind, and he sighed mentally. Obviously, his father missed his mother. He wished his mother could be with him right now. He was sure that she would be happy to meet her twin grandchildren.

That night, everyone in the hall became silent when Lord Hyuuga stood up from his seat. "Thank you for coming with your blessing for my second son Natsume and his wife Mikan, the Princess of the Northern Lands."

The guests replied him with a smile.

"Right now, I would like to introduce my twin grandchildren, Ryusuki and Ryusuke."

Ryusuki and Ryusuke stepped forwards. The guests stared at the twins curiously and started whispering to each other. Everyone was curious as to why the prince already had twin sons before the blessing of their union with his wife.

Mikan became more nervous as she clutched her kimono.

Natsume, who sat beside her, held her hands to ease her worry. He had decided that if his father's lands didn't approve his twin sons, then he would give up the title of the Prince of the Eastern Lands. His father had known this, and of course, his father didn't like it one bit.

Lord Hyuuga's smile faded and declared, "They are my precious grandchildren, so please take good care of them in the future."

The whisperings stopped almost instantly. They knew their lord was serious with his declaration. It was to warn them. If something happened to his grandchildren, they would pay dearly with their lives. They all nodded with each other before bowing at their lord.

Ioran smiled. "I thank you for your cooperation. We shall begin the celebration now and please enjoy yourself."

Mikan sighed in relief and smiled at Natsume. She was glad that the lands accepted their twin sons.

...xXx...

"Kisa-chan!" a 5-year-old blond boy called out as he ran after the brunette girl who ran faster to get away from him.

"Hide me, Ryusuki-nii-sama!" Kisa said at once when she came across with her eldest brother. She absolutely couldn't differentiate her older twin brothers with one glance, but she could do it now because her eldest brother Ryusuki had agreed to use his reading glasses around the castle, so the people wouldn't mistake him with her second older brother Ryusuke.

Ryusuki smiled at the blond boy who approached him.

"Greetings, Ryusuki-nii-sama." The boy gave Ryusuki a small bow, and Ryusuki nodded in acknowledgment.

"Did you happen to see Kisa-chan, Ryusuki-nii-sama?" the boy asked with his amethyst eyes that was staring up at him.

"Hm… why are you looking for her?" Ryusuki inquired back.

"She's taking my invention again," the boy replied without hesitation.

"Again?" Ryusuki raised an eyebrow.

"Yes."

Ryusuki sighed. "Kisa, what have I told you about taking Kōtarō's inventions?"

Kōtarō Nogi, the eldest son of Ruka Nogi, the Prince of the Western Lands and Hotaru Imai, the Princess of the Southern Lands. The prince, or the new Lord of the Western Lands, had come to visit his father Natsume, the Lord of the Eastern Lands, at the moment.

Kōtarō looked up at Ryusuki in confusion and looked around but couldn't find Kisa.

Ryusuki turned around and looked down at Kisa.

Kōtarō gasped when he realised Kisa was hiding behind his eldest brother.

"I'm so sorry, Ryusuki-nii-sama. I was bored since Kōtarō-kun won't play tag with me," Kisa said, pouting.

Kōtarō blushed instantly and looked away from them.

Ryusuki, who noticed the boy's red face, chuckled. "Why don't you ask Ryusuke to play with you?"

Kisa turned away from him. "Ryusuke-nii-sama is a meanie. I don't want to play with him."

"I see…" Ryusuki replied calmly. Of course, he knew that Kisa was more attached to him than Ryusuke.

"Meanie?" Ryusuke asked out loud.

Everyone turned to look at him.

Kisa gasped and hid behind Ryusuki again.

"Greetings, Ryusuke-nii-sama," Kōtarō greeted with a small bow.

Ryusuke nodded his head in reply and turned to look at Kisa. He stared at his only sister. "Does that mean you like Ryusuki more than me?"

"It's not like that, Ryusuke-nii-sama. I’m just…" Kisa tried to think of some reason but found none.

Ryusuke raised an eyebrow. "You’re just?"

Kisa laughed nervously. "Hee-hee… I don't know."

All of them fell to the ground mentally.

"Since you're here, we have to go then?" Ryusuki asked with a low sigh.

Ryusuke grinned at his twin. "Ah, yes. Everyone, except for Otou-sama, is already in the gathering party."

With that said, three of them joined the family.

"Okaa-sama!" Kisa called out as she ran full speed towards her mother and hugged her legs.

Mikan petted her little head. "Where were you, Kisa-chan?"

"Playing with Kōtarō-kun and Ryusuki-nii-sama," she replied brightly.

Mikan glanced at her eldest son, who nodded at her. She turned to her daughter. "I see."

"Kisa-chan likes Ryusuki more than me, Okaa-sama," Ryusuke reported with an annoyed look.

Mikan turned to look at Kisa, who smiled shyly. "Ryusuke-nii-sama is a meanie."

"You see! It's not fair, Kisa-chan! It was me who took care of you ever since you were a baby!" Ryusuke reasoned out, and Ryusuki shook his head with a sigh.

"It was true, but you started making fun of her after she turned four," Mikan replied chuckling slightly.

"Not you, too, Okaa-sama?!" Ryusuke exclaimed in disbelief. Obviously, everyone believed what Kisa had told them.

Kisa poked out her little tongue at her second older brother.

A vein popped out on Ryusuke's forehead and started chasing after her.

Kisa screamed happily as she ran in circle of the people she came across with her, including Youichi. "Protect me, Uncle Youichi!"

Kisa ran around, and finally, hid behind her mother's twin brother Akira with her Teleportation Alice. When Ryusuke found her, she ran again and laughed all the way while teasing her second older brother. Everyone who saw her would either smile or chuckle and the cold temperature around them gradually turned warm because of her.

Hotaru stood beside Mikan. "Kisa looks so happy."

Mikan nodded with a hum.

Ruka approached them and hugged his wife. "Lady Mikan, Lord Natsume demands your presence."

"Eh?" Mikan titled her head slightly. "Why? I thought he’ll be joining us here."

"Maybe he wishes to talk something important with you," a voice supplied.

Mikan smiled at the person and gave a small bow. "Lady Kaoru."

Lady Kaoru looked healthier than before. With Hotaru's help, they successfully placed Lady Kaoru’s soul, which was taken by Mikan many years ago, into an artificial body. They finally made it on the coronation day of Natsume as the new lord of the eastern lands. Of course, her husband was beyond happy that day.

"Guys always like that," Tsubasa piped in.

Misaki, Tsubasa's soon-to-be wife, rolled her eyes. "That's including you."

The others chuckled when the couple started arguing again. Even though they always argued, everyone knew that they really meant for each other. Tsubasa met Misaki while travelling to the Southern Lands. In fact, Misaki had the same home town like his sister-in-law Mikan.

"Just go, dear," Yuka said.

Mikan smiled at her mother as she joked, "Yes, yes. It looks like everyone is trying to chase me away now."

Soon, she reached the study and knocked on the sliding door.

Natsume smiled and put his reports down on the table. Knowing it was probably his wife, he asked her to join him. The shoji door slid open.

"Lord Ruka said you demanded my presence, My Lord," she said while approaching him with a smile.

He nodded and motioned her to come closer. As she sat on his lap, he hugged her tightly and inhaled her flower-scented brown locks.

Smiling, she hugged him back. However, no longer than a minute, she broke the hug. She looked at him and kissed his left cheek.

"I suggest you to do it properly." He smirked.

She blushed and looked away from him.

He shook his head mentally at how shy his wife was. Even though they were already together for twelve years, she was still the same Mikan he knew. He made her faced him with his forefinger and kissed her lightly. He started nibbling and kissing her rosy lips. Seconds passed as they fought for dominance with their tongues. They were playing, teasing and trying to gain control. Before they become breathless, they broke the kiss slowly.

He rested his forehead on hers and closed his eyes. "My Lady."

With closed eyes, she replied, "Yes, My Lord?"

He opened his eyes and moved an inch away from her face. While staring at her, he said, "Nothing."

She gazed at him in disbelief before looking at him suspiciously. "What do you mean by nothing? Are you hiding something from me, My Lord?"

"I don't know. Maybe," he replied with a smirk.

Knowing that he was teasing her, again, she rolled her eyes. "We should go now. You, as the lord of this land, should be present in the gathering party."

He looked at her in the eyes. "I thought the lady of the land could handle it well without me."

"That's true, but it would be treated as an insult if you don't greet the guest properly even though the said guest is my best friend."

"Ruka is my best friend, too," he added.

"Then you should go down now," she replied eagerly.

"Don't tell me you feel lonely when I'm not around?" He smirked.

She blushed and moved away from his lap. "Say whatever you like, but you still need to go down."

"Hn," he replied while watching his wife stomping away from his study. Teasing his wife was one of his hobbies.

Needlessly to say, the gathering party went well, and the bond between the four lands was strengthened.

"My Lord, please say it again…" Mikan pleaded with puppy eyes. They were currently in their bedroom.

Natsume kept his face emotionless, unaffected by her pleading eyes. "Say what?"

"I remember you said something after you told me that I'm the lady of the east. I wish to hear it again."

He stayed silent.

"Please, My Lord, I want to hear it again."

"I didn't say anything," he denied.

She looked at him with blank face. "I didn't know that you would lie to your wife, My Lord."

A moment later, she looked away from him, disappointed. She walked to the balcony of their room. The black sky was filled with millions of smiling star.

He let out a soft sigh and approached his wife. Hugging her from behind, he leaned his chin on her right shoulder. "You're the lady of the east."

She stayed still, and he continued, "I won't repeat myself again, so listen carefully."

After getting a nod from her, he leaned down to her ear and whispered the words.

She turned around with a bright smile. "I'm honoured, My Lord."

"You must," he replied almost immediately.

"You're really no fun, My Lord."

"No fun, huh?" He smirked.

Her eyes widened in disbelief and muttered, "Pervert!"

He shook his head. "Tch, tch, tch, I didn't know you will think that, My Lady."
A vein popped out on her forehead, but she remained silent as she knew that her husband was teasing her again, like always, but either way, she was happy when he whispered those words. She was grateful that she could make him felt that way. A smile made its way to her lips as the words rang in her mind. "You're the lady of my heart."

The End

Thanks for reading.

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