Circle of Friends
zagogay
Day of publication: November 13, 2011
(New Zealand time)
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It's been three months since Mikan's accident. Slowly, things started getting back to the way they were – before she entered Natsume's world. Her friends understood and took on the task of pretending nothing had happened. They pretended that the breakup never happened. They pretended that everything was all right. Slowly, they weren't even pretending anymore. Slowly, everything really started to be all right. Slowly, it was like as if everything was really back to normal. That was what everyone liked to think.
"I can't believe I missed prom," Mikan huffed as she sat down on the table in the cafeteria next to her friends, who suddenly stopped talking as soon as she appeared. "I mean, hello, it's been my life-long dream to attend prom."
"Well hello to you too," Sumire said, raising her eyebrows.
"Permy, how did I look?" Mikan asked, resting her cheek on her palm.
Without missing a beat, Sumire smiled at her close friend. "Of course you looked beautiful. Duh, I dressed you up. As long as it has something to do with me, you'll always look beautiful."
"You made every man out there jealous, Mikan." Koko said. "And of course, excluding me, since you know, I have my love right next to me. Wouldn't wanna get in trouble, you know?" he winked. He laughed as Sumire hit his arm. Playful or otherwise – no one was sure.
"What happened during, though?" Mikan asked, smiling ear to ear upon hearing compliment after compliment being thrown upon her.
Silence fell upon them. Not a word was spoken in response. Anna and Nonoko lowered their heads to avoid eye-contact with Mikan. Kokoro pretended not to know anything while Sumire snapped her head towards Natsume, who has been quiet this whole time. He didn't want to get involved.
"It was wonderful, Mikan," Sumire said through gritted teeth, her gaze not leaving Natsume even for a split second. "It was so much fun."
"And…?" Mikan laughed, oblivious of the tension in the air.
"Tell her, Natsume. How was it?" Sumire asked, cocking her head to the right, as if genuinely curious. "I mean, after all, it was you who was with her the whole night, right?"
Mikan giggled. "I almost forgot. Of course it was Natsume who was with me during prom." She hugged the boy next to her as he wrapped his arms around her delicate body.
"We were crowned King and Queen of prom, Mikan." He said, his eyes digging a hole in Sumire's face, who just smirked in return.
Mikan gasped. "Really?" she beamed, holding him at arm's length. "I've always seen them on television! I've always wanted to be crowned Prom Queen! Only popular girls get to be Prom Queens."
"Yeah, you were Prom Queen and I was your King," Natsume's gaze returned to her as he kissed her temple. "We danced, we talked, and you looked really happy." He lied.
Mikan pouted. "I feel even more upset now. How come no one took pictures? Hotaru," Mikan turned to her best friend. "How come you didn't take pictures? I mean, it was a great and easy way to make money!"
Hotaru dragged her eyes to look at Natsume. "I don't know, Mikan. What was I thinking?" she said, her voice laced with sarcasm.
Natsume looked away. He had ordered Hotaru to get rid of the pictures she took, as soon as she found out about Mikan's amnesia. He set her camera on fire after she refused to do so. He wasn't being selfish, was he? If Mikan saw those pictures, she would be wondering why she was crying in almost every shot. It was for her own good that she didn't know, right? It was better this way. He was happy that things were back to normal. He was glad to be back together with Mikan. He would let absolutely nothing to get in the way of keeping everything as it was.
Mikan huffed and crossed her arms, mimicking what a five-year-old would have done if things didn't go their way. "I've been robbed of the best night of my life."
Natsume smirked. "That's not true," he said, placing his arm comfortably around her shoulders. He leaned his head on hers and closed his eyes. "Your happiest night would have to be on our honeymoon, right?"
Koko laughed. "Oh my god, wow. That has got to be one of the cheesiest things I've ever heard."
"Isn't it sad how an emotionless man is more romantic than you, Koko? And this is coming from your girlfriend." Sumire said as she crossed her arms in annoyance.
"Just this once, Shouda, I'm going to forgive you for calling me emotionless." Natsume glared.
"What are you talking about, baby?" Koko smirked. "I represent love itself. Like, literally," he laughed. "Kokoro means heart, doesn't it? I believe that you've hit the jackpot, baby boo."
Sumire rolled her eyes. "Why must you keep reminding me what a fail job your mother did at naming you? Obviously her Alice isn't something that allows her to see into the future, seeing that she couldn't predict her son turning out like…" she paused. "… you."
"But what about me?" Mikan frowned. "Do I look like a tangerine to you?"
Sumire squinted her eyes. "Now that I think about it…"
Mikan laughed and hit her arm from across the table. "Well it seems like Natsume's the only one that was properly named. 'Natsu' meaning summer. Fits you perfectly, Natsume." She smiled.
Natsume shrugged. "I guess so."
"Hotaru's one is pretty," Anna exclaimed. "I mean, I love fireflies."
"They're pretty," Nonoko agreed. "You're lucky, Hotaru-chan."
Hotaru shrugged. "I guess so."
Mikan smiled. "You guys are so cute," she beamed.
It was a normal day, after all. They talked and laughed, enjoying each other's presence. They joked and teased, not caring how loud their voices have become. They didn't care about what other people thought of them. They didn't care that people were stopping in their tracks just to see a group of loud students in the middle of the cafeteria. They were having fun. They were Mikan's circle of friends.
As Natsume looked around him, scanning each person's face and expressions, he couldn't help but feel happy that he was hanging out with this bunch of people, rather than the 'friends' he regarded as his closest acquaintances for so long.
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"Don't forget to do your homework, everyone."
They groaned in response as everyone started packing up upon hearing the bell to dismiss them. Mikan picked up her books and rushed out the door. It wasn't until a couple of steps later that she felt herself being hauled back into the classroom. Bewildered, she frantically looked around to see the culprit.
"Mikan-chan," it was a girl's voice. She held Mikan by the shoulders and spun her around so they were facing each other. "Hi."
Mikan raised her eyebrows. "Hello?"
The girl laughed. "I'm Koizumi. Koizumi Luna. You don't remember me, right?"
Mikan cautiously shook her head, wary of the stranger. "I'm sorry. I was hit by a car and now I have amnesia."
Luna frowned. "Aw, poor thing. I heard about that. Are you okay now?"
Mikan chuckled. "Yeah I guess I'm all right now." She smiled. "Listen, nice to meet you and all, it really is, but my boyfriend is waiting for me and –"
"You mean Natsume-kun?" Luna interrupted.
Mikan widened her eyes. "You know him?" she gasped. It took all her might not to smack herself as soon as she said it. Of course she knew Natsume. Who didn't?
"Of course I know him, silly. He sent me a text a couple of minutes ago and told me to tell you to meet him somewhere else. I'm his friend, by the way." She smiled.
Mikan's face brightened. "Oh, I've never met any of Natsume's friends except Ruka-kun!"
"Well," Luna smiled. "Taa-daa," she laughed. "We've met before, but you just don't remember. But c'mon, I'll lead you to where Natsume-kun is. He's probably bored from waiting by now. You know how he is," she winked.
Mikan smiled and nodded. Luna linked their arms together and walked towards their destination. She was one of Natsume's friends, right? She should be trustworthy. Why would Natsume befriend her if she wasn't? Mikan nodded. She was safe.
Mikan was too occupied to wonder why Natsume didn't text her himself. Suspicion was written all over Luna's face, but Mikan didn't know any better.
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Until next chapter.