KING

The following day after her dinner with the king, she immediately wrote up her resume and went to find a certain Dr. Nonoko Ogasawara. She was escorted towards the medical wing of the palace and was then welcomed by a woman with jet black, pin-straight hair, who looked like she was just Mikan's age. The woman wore a very timid smile and quietly asked for her resume. Mikan gave a million thanks to the king in her mind. He really kept his promise!

They already started with the interview, asking Mikan where she found her passion for nursing, and then followed by trivial questions that the brunette actually found friendly. They conversed like they were just friends catching up, and it wasn't until the middle of Mikan's story about her mother when the woman suddenly exclaimed that she hasn't introduced herself yet.

"Oh, goodness me!" The woman quickly retrieved her white coat and wore it. "I'm not usually like this, I promise. I just got excited when I heard the king sent in a referral since he rarely pays a visit to the medical wing. I'm Nonoko Ogasawara, the head doctor of the castle's medical staff. King Natsume has referred you to me."

Mikan couldn't hide her surprise as her eyes widened in shock and her lips parted and closed, almost akin to a fish. "But you're so young! I mean, no offense."

The young doctor merely giggled. "Yes, uhm, I've been told I was one of the smarted kids in my town, but I never really knew it was such a big deal until I was offered a scholarship by the department of education when I was fifteen."

"When did you graduate med school?" Mikan asked, shaking in her seat like an overly excited puppy. It was just so fascinating for her, that someone her age is actually such a distinguished doctor.

Nonoko bit her lip and looked down, her cheeks reddening in shyness. "Just three years ago. I'm still fairly new so I don't know if I really deserve my position."

"Nonsense! Of course, you do!"

The doctor's cheeks warmed. She bowed her head in hopes of hiding the reddened color of her face. "You're too kind."

"Kind? Doctor, it's the truth!"

There was a pregnant pause after Mikan's exclamation. After a moment, Nonoko laughed quietly and shook her head.

"You may just call me 'Nonoko,' Nurse Mikan." The raven stood up and extended a hand.

Mikan beamed as she shook hands. "You may also just call me 'Mikan.'"

And just like that, Mikan's first twenty-four-hour shift will start tomorrow at eight.

-;-

It has been two weeks since Mikan was employed as a medical staff at the palace. And since she's now officially, and technically, King Natsume's employee, she requested to be transferred to the employees' quarters near the medical wing, just like where the other medical staffs were residing. King Natsume, however, declined. He never really gave an alibi, and just told her that she will remain in the room where she is currently staying.

They have dinner together whenever Natsume finds time, and their conversations are ever so indulgent. They have little debates about whether or not the smaller forks are necessary in their now-simple dinner. They sometimes fight over potatoes. Natsume would insist that Mikan did not need to wash the dishes, but the latter would pretend not to hear him. In that case, the king would just sit back and sip on the tea Mikan brewed for him and watch as she washed and rinsed the glassware and utensils. Mikan would then pretend that he wasn't staring at the back of her neck, and will herself not to turn red.

By now, it wasn't only the handmaids and the kitchen staff who were noticing the sudden changes in the king's aura. Before, he was all intense heat. Come inside his ten-meter radius and you will feel the burning sensation that may singe the small hairs on your skin. But now… now you will notice the light step in his walk. The small, yet questionable smile on his lips. The humming that may occur every time he was on his way to attend his casual dinners with Miss Mikan.

It was almost worrisome that he hasn't burned anyone yet since Miss Mikan resided at the palace. Not that they wanted someone to get burned. It was just they weren't used to it. They weren't used to someone playfully bantering with the king, especially with his temper. They weren't used to anyone opposing him. They weren't used to anyone who could actually make him apologize. Yet here is this foreigner, Mikan Sakura.

This Mikan woman from the South was actually doing him good.

The older staff smile wistfully whenever they hear her giggles in the kitchen. They sometimes peep as to see what was happening, only to see their king uncharacteristically so close to a woman, well, at least publicly, and whispering in her ear, touching her elbow or her lower back or her hip. And sometimes the touch lingers more than what was considered to only be friendly.

They thought it might stay that way for good. They thought Miss Mikan could never possibly be angry at the king again. But they have never really met a woman from the South, have they?

-;-

Third week into Mikan's employment, and she could never be better. She felt like she had the most productive month in all her career history. True, all her patients were palace employees, but the place was too big and the staff were too many.

She already made friends with some of the soldiers that she always sees on guard outside the medical wing, the young stable boy who liked to give her flowers whenever he comes back from school, the head chef who always cuts her fingers, and some others.

Out of all of them, Mikan could say that she had the most progress with Anna, the head chef. Anna is a cousin of Nonoko, therefore they always indulge Anna's cooking every lunch. Anna would sometimes joke that she rarely ever cooks the king's dinner now that Mikan was there, to which the latter would just blush and change the topic.

Mikan beamed, returning to present, when she heard the sound of running feet. The boy was running towards her, so she leaned down and spread her arms, catching the boy in time. The child laughed and buried his face on her shoulder. Who would have thought that this boy actually hated her when they first met?

Youichi Hijiri is the son of one of the king's trusted generals. He had no mother as she died due to reasons she wasn't comfortable in asking. Mikan understood and did her best to gain his trust. Now, the six-year-old doesn't want to be separated from her. The boy was actually quite talkative, telling her so many stories about his friends and classmates in the school he was attending. Sometimes he tells her about secret passageways on the palace walls, and now he made it as his own personal mission to look for all of them.

Youichi giggled as Mikan squeezed him in a tight hug. "Nurse Mikan! I have news for you!"

"Have you found another 'secret passageway' again?"

"Yes!" Youichi enthusiastically replied. "It was one near the pavilion, and it was so dusty, but I still went in! And it led me to a princess's room!"

Mikan acted shocked, smiling when she ruffled his hair. "A princess's room! My, what a surprise! Are you sure it wasn't just a random room? The palace's bedchambers all look like they could be a princess's room."

"I'm sure, Nurse Mikan!" Youichi insisted. "The princess told me, herself!"

"Really? What was Her Highness's name, then?" Mikan prodded.

"Promise me you will not tell anyone?"

"I promise," Mikan giggled.

"Even the king?"

"Nope," she shook her head. "Not even the king."

"Aoi!" Youichi grinned, "She said she is Princess Aoi, and that she can't see me."

-;-

Mikan carried on her usual duties when she dropped Youichi off to his father. She doesn't really want to think much of it, but the young boy's information about this blind girl was nagging at her. Perhaps she can ask Nonoko if she knows anything about it?

She smiled widely as she entered the infirmary. She quickly made her way into the storage to check inventory.

"How was your day, Nurse Mikan?" Nonoko asked with a smile, not bothering to look up from the chart she was studying. "Did that boy come running towards you again?"

Reaching the medicine room, the brunette giggled and shook her head. "Yes, he came to report to me that he found another one of his passageways."

Nonoko gave a small, fond laugh. "You know how energetic kids can be. It's really good news for us that he's starting to socialize again. Especially after his mother…"

Mikan paused from checking the inventory. "If you don't mind my asking… what really happened to Youichi's mother?"

Nonoko sighed and stood up from her chair. "After you hear this, please promise me you won't let You-chan know that you know."

Sensing the seriousness of the topic, Mikan stopped and faced the doctor.

Seeing that all the nurse's attention is on her, Nonoko leaned on the wall, swallowing thickly to find the words to say. "Youichi's mother was executed."

"I'm sorry?" Mikan stepped forward, not sure if she heard correctly.

"Youichi's mother was… executed." Nonoko rasped, as if it was a very painful memory. "I never really knew her personally, she had been Anna's colleague in the kitchens, but just imagine the pain her husband and her son had to go through."

Mikan ran her tongue on her bottom lip. "What… what crime did she commit?"

The doctor's eyes flicked towards the door, making sure no one was passing by. "She was a spy. She stole records of the royal family from the archives, but thankfully they were intercepted. She was executed at the Grand Plaza, where everyone, including her son, watched as she confessed to her sins before she was shot. She said she worked for the West; that she was instructed to infiltrate the North as a refugee, get as much information as she can; seduce one of the king's closest friends if needed. And she did just that. Got close to one of King Natsume's Royal Guards, General Hijiri was only a Colonel then, and seduced him. When they asked her if she regretted any of this… she said her only regret was loving an enemy, but never for the records and information she had almost provided for the West."

Noticing the brunette's discomfort, Nonoko decided to provide the last information, "This happened three years ago. So just imagine young Youichi witnessing the execution of his own mother, approved and signaled by his own father."

Mikan's hazel eyes can see the slight shaking of Nonoko's shoulders.

"Ever since then, Youichi has never really talked to his father. He had always looked up to the king, but after what happened, he made it his duty to ignore the king. After all, to the boy's eyes, our king was the one who ordered` his mother's death. And his father didn't even try to stop him." The doctor smiled. "General Hijiri has been miserable since then. Only focusing on work, giving so little time and affection for You-chan. And Youichi… I feel like he has been traumatized. He didn't even like us palace workers. His young mind couldn't comprehend why his mother betrayed the land that housed her and provided for her."

Nonoko chewed on her lip before looking at Mikan in the eyes. "I feel so bad for this, but we almost started to give up on him. He wouldn't trust any of us, wouldn't talk to any of us, wouldn't eat anything unless it was Anna who gives him his food. Annas is one of the people you just never could hate, even if you're a brooding emo-child. But then you came. And I'm telling you, Mikan, I've never been more grateful in my life. You're just… you're like sunshine!"

Mikan teared up but laughed. "You're making me blush!"

"I mean, look at the boy! He's exploring the palace on his own now. He talks to the gardeners, asking for flowers so he could give you some."

"Yes, and going to a 'Princess Aoi's' room." Mikan jested, but Nonoko froze.

"Mikan, promise me you would never say that name in the presence of King Natsume."

"What? Why?"

Nonoko grabbed her shoulders gently, but her hands were shaking. "Just promise me, please. If you don't want to lose both of our heads. You would never say that name—"

"So there really is a Princess Aoi?"

The two women didn't hear any footsteps. They did not hear the opening and closing of the door. The doctor was too busy panicking, and the nurse was too confused by the doctor's actions that they did not even feel his presence until they heard the growl in his voice.

"How did you know that name?"

A/N: SURPRISE! (?) DEAR LORDE DON'T STONE ME TO DEATH! I REALLY HAVE A VALID EXCUSE/S FOR GOING MIA FOR NEARLY TWO/THREE MONTHS. OKAY, FIRST, COLLEGE IS SHIT AND SOME OF MY PROFESSORS ARE SHIT. TWO, I WAS HOSPITALIZED BECAUSE I HAVE CHRONIC BACK PAIN, AND WE JUST IDENTIFIED IT NOW AS AS HERNIATED DISC. APPARENTLY, I GOT IT FROM MY CHEER DANCER DAYS DURING HIGH SCHOOL WHEN I FELL AND I WASN'T CAUGHT ON TIME BY MY SPOTTERS. THREE, SIZ CLOWNED HERSELF BC HER 'RELATIONSHIP' DIDN'T LAST LOLZ I WAS MOURNING FOR MY LITTLE HEART. AND FOUR, MY LAPTOP IS FUCKED UP. IT WON'T COOPERATE WITH ME AND I'M GETTING HELLA FRUSTRATED. IT SERIOUSLY MAKES ME WANT TO RIP MY HAIR OUT! BUT HEY I'M HERE WITH THIS CHAPTER (WHICH IS BASICALLY JUST A FILLER CHAPTER FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER) AND IT'S NOT BETA READ, SO EXPECT LOTS OF TYPOS BECAUSE THIS WAS WRITTEN WHILE I WAS ON SUGAR HIGH AND HIGH DOSE OF RED BULL (WHICH IS REALLY BAD BECAUSE I'M CAFFEINE INTOLERANT, BUT HEY A COLLEGE KID'S LIFE IS ALL ABOUT RISKS AND SHITTY LIFE DECISIONS).

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU GUYS! :*

REVIEWS!

DalagamPilipinye: YES SIZ BUHAY PA AKO! MAHAL KO RIN KAYO!

Tiffany19: thank you so much! i really, really appreciate long reviews like yours because it makes me feel like i'm able to converse with you guys. i hope you like this chapter as well! ^_^

IrohaUta: thank you so much! i hope you like this one even though it's just literally a filler chapter.

: you're one of my most loyal readers and i couldn't be more than happy to see that you would rush to read this as soon as you got the notification ^_^ your reviews are very fun to read because you basically tell me your theories as to what will happen next and it's really entertaining :D

mikan's slippers: your name is hella funny hahahhaha but i gotta admit that i think i got so fed up with serious Natsume that i wanted to see a boyish Natsume so i could share him with you guys haha

Natsumemikan123: ugh girl you're one of my readers whom i love so muchhhh you've been here since the beginning and i just gotta tell you that i appreciate you so much!

SunBabyBoss: hunny thank YOU for reading this story even though i miss my update schedule because i have so many things to do T.T but i do appreciate your little comments :*

layliaman98: the positivity in this comment is giving me all the UWUs! i'm gonna take all the kisses and love thrown my way so it could energize me to quickly write the next chapter :*

silent reader: thank you for reading this bby even though i always update late ugh i really want to just write so that i can keep on updating for you guys

newroz: thank you so much! i hope you enjoy this (filler) chapter this time too ^_^

Boo: gurl! I was back but not for long hahahaha and now i'm back again but i don't know when the next update will be huhuhuhuhu i do hope you will stay tuned tho! such drama in the next chapters ;)