Ai: I have started yet another FanFiction. (^-^)

Natsume: I don't get what's so hard about staying on one story.

Ai: You wouldn't understand. I mean, this story has been nagging at me for days!

Natsume: The only thing I don't understand is stupid people like you.

Ai: Keep in mind, I write the story.

Natsume: But we all know that you won't do anything to me.

Ai: Maybe not physically, but I can make Mikan fall in love with someone else.

Natsume: ...

Ai: Quiet now, are we?

Natsume: Ai will never own us.

Chapter 1:

My face was flushed with happiness at the sight of Kei, my boyfriend, walking towards me, his hands in his pockets. However, I soon noticed that he was different today; he wasn't exactly grinning as per usual, and his steps for whatever reason were slow and heavy.

My smile faded. Somewhere deep down, my intuition was telling me that something was wrong.

"Hey, Mikan," he greeted as he stopped in front of me.

The moment he said that, though, it had only added on to my previous suspicion. His voice was flat and monotonous; it wasn't the fruity voice I had grown to love. Now that I think about it, his voice didn't sound too cheerful when he called earlier and told me he had something to say.

Bracing myself for any bad news that might come, I faked a laugh, trying to sound casual, "H-hey. What's up?"

His deep dark eyes fixed deeply onto my chestnut brown. They used to be as clear as crystal, but right now, what I saw were eyes clouded with secrets, mysteries, and worst of all, disgust.

Kei took a deep breath, a sign that he was going to say something serious.

My heart sunk as realization hit me. I gulped and licked my dry lips, preparing for the worse. I probably knew what was coming next, but I just didn't want to admit it.

No, I refused to admit it, until...

He told me the words I dreaded hearing the most. "I've found someone else... We've been dating for two months now, and I love her a lot." My eyes widened with alarm as I hear him continue. "We should break up."

For the longest time, I stood there completely speechless, unable to comprehend what I had just been told. Time seemed to have stopped there and then. And in the reflection of his eyes, I saw a girl; a girl who had a lost expression that masked an interior that was dark with pain.

It just couldn't have been true... We had dated for four years now, and just the other day, he was hinting at a wedding. He was not even flinching when he said those words, as if he had long wanted to break up with me.

How could he?

But I swallowed a bitter lump in my throat, along with my pride and gave him the sweetest smile I could manage. "Is this what you really want?"

"Yes," he replied plainly.

"Alright. I guess… we're over. I hope you're happy with this decision."

I turned around and straightened my back, trying to ignore the tears that were threatening to spill. I refused to look weak in front of Kei. No more. I departed without a single word of farewell, officially ending the relationship.

In the end, however, I still lost couldn't keep my emotions locked up; my face quickly glistened with water. I just couldn't contain my sorrow any longer. With each step I took, more liquid blurred my vision. I knew I was attracting attention to myself, but I didn't have the energy or mood to hide my feelings. He never actually loved me, did he? To tell the truth, I sort of knew that Kei had been cheating. He stopped acting like his loving self long ago, and kept on pressuring me to do it. When I refused, he would get angry and leave. Sex was all he wanted from me. I was just too blinded by love to see it. Now I realized this, and my heart felt like it was being burned.

Through my tears, I could make out the sidewalk across the street. The traffic light was still flashing green, so I decided to cross.

Without warning, though, something big slammed into me. Air rushed out of my lungs and I felt myself flying through the air, ultimately landing limply and rolling along the concrete road. My vision was fuzzy, and my ears were ringing. Everything went pitch black as darkness took over. My eyes closed shut and I finally allowed a sob of pain and sadness to escape me.

I wasn't good enough.

Pain. So much pain.

XXXX

There was a stinging ache at the back of my head. I groaned and opened my eyes, vision bouncing blurrily as they slowly adjust. I didn't know why, but I felt as hot as hell. Glancing down, I knew the reason. There were around twenty layers of blankets wrapped around me. Annoyed, I started to wriggle my way out of this death trap.

Slipping one leg out of the cocoon, I saw from the corner of my eye a girl looking a few years older than me come in, shrieking, "Lady Misaki! Lady Misaki! She's awake!"

The girl was gaping with obvious disbelief, but I probably had the same look on my own face anyway; she didn't look like a nurse in any way, shape, or form. Her dark hair was bundled up into one of those simple, Japanese hair buns, while a plain green yukata was wrapped around her body. I mean, it wasn't that uncommon to see people in yukatas. After all, it is summer right now, and many people like to wear traditional Japanese clothing instead of modern ones.

I took in my surroundings and grew even more curious. I was in a wooden room that was lavishly furnished with antique furniture and fancy cloth. The whole set up of the place reminded me of… something that came out of my history textbook. Either that or I was in a temple. I was going to go with the latter.

Right as I finished making my conclusion, another woman's voice disrupted the quietness in the room. "Mikan! You're really awake!"

I looked up and gasped. "Aika? Is that… is that you?"

The woman seemed taken aback by my words. She paused for a second before frowning. "W-what? Mikan, i-it's me… Misaki."

Now it was my turn to frown. This "Misaki" girl looked just like my sister, Aika. But she claimed that she wasn't. In that case, how did she know my name? "I'm sorry, but I don't think I know you."

Perplexed, she had a somewhat befuddled look on her face. Her eyes were already moistening as she rushed to the bed and tackled me into a tight embrace. I awkwardly hugged her back, still confused.

When she released me, I finally got a good look at her. She really did look like Aika. Her pink hair was neatly braided and pinned into a loop near the bottom of her head. Instead of a plain green yukata, she was dressed in a dark midnight blue one, with white flowers decorated at the bottom.

"Ai- I mean, Misaki... I'm really sorry, but I really don't know who you are."

She stared at me with her tear-streaked face. "Mikan... I'm your sister, Misaki."

XXXX

I blinked continuously. Was this a joke? I didn't even know anymore. I was on the verge of cursing at the world. What the hell was going on?! I chose to put this odd declaration aside for the moment since I still had no idea where was I. A part of me was beginning to think that I had been kidnapped and was now being held captive by some psychopath. "Okay, so where am I?"

Misaki's face paled even more. She asked ruefully, "You don't remember this place either?"

I shook my head.

"This is your home, Mikan. Our home," she said this as if she was pleading for me to remember something.

I was starting to get annoyed with all these nonsensical things. I narrowed my eyebrows. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I really need to go back to my own house. Can you show me the way out?"

"Please! Mikan, don't do this! I-I won't force you to do anything, but please don't leave!" she begged, grabbing my wrists furiously.

I was startled by her strong reaction. The sight before me just tugged at my heartstrings. Misaki really did look like Aika, and the thought of my dear sister being so panicked and frightened just made me worry. I supposed I could stay for a while… After all, I still need to figure out what had happened to me. Sighing inwardly, I told her, "Okay, Misaki, I'll stay for a while. But can you please explain to me what happened?"

This seemed to cheer her up a little. She released her grip and recomposed herself, sitting down on one of those cushion things.

"I guess you really forgot everything then."

I nodded, not wanting to end up in another argument.

"Alright. I'll explain to you whatever you want to know. Let's start from the beginning. Our father was General Izumi Sakura, and our mother was Yuka Azumi. Father was a very good general, and he was one of Emperor Rei's favorites. That is, until Mother fell in love with Father. You see, even though Mother was a peasant, she was really pretty and Emperor Rei wanted to marry her. Of course, that didn't go as planned. Mother and Father had a forbidden love. Not long after, Emperor Rei found out about it and he was furious. As revenge, he sent Father to the frontlines of the battlefield where," she paused for a second before continuing, "he was killed... Mother was heartbroken and died shortly after. I was seventeen then. You were eleven. The two of us wandered the streets for a while before Emperor Rei decided to marry me to his eighth son, Tsubasa. We've been living here ever since. We were happy and prosperous, but then last year, you suddenly became terribly sick. No one knew what sort of disease you had, and you were growing weaker each day. We all thought" she lowered her gaze and sniffled, "we all thought you were going to die. You hadn't opened your eyes for two weeks. Of course now you seem to be recovering..."

I paid attention to every single word she had uttered, my expression incredulous. Listening to "my" family history felt weird and, honestly, kind of perplexing. It was even enough for me to forget about my grief over my earlier breakup with Kei. Well, almost.

But it couldn't possibly be true...

When she mentioned Emperor Rei, I tried to piece together what had happened. It was crazy.

No one could just… time travel.

But if what Misaki said was true, then I should be somewhere in the Shokuho Period...

My mind was a complete mess and beads of perspiration trickled down my face. This couldn't be happening; it was just too sudden...

Discarding all the blankets that were still wrapped around my body, I headed for an exit as fast as my legs could carry me. I could hear Misaki and that other girl calling for me to get back into bed, but I drowned out their voices. I had to see for myself whether what she said was true or not.

However, I found myself running straight into someone instead, falling flat on my butt as I lost my balance. I winced slightly and glared up at whoever caused my fall.

It was a guy around my age, an especially arrogant one.

I could tell just by looking at the way he dressed. A traditional robe undoubtedly made out of expensive silk. I could feel his ego radiating off his body like a heater and I took an immediate dislike to him.

Something that looked like relief flickered in his mahogany eyes as he peered at me. It was gone in a second though, only to be replaced by annoyance.

I heard Misaki called to me, "Mikan! Bow down!" She and the other girl had already bent over with their heads down.

I scoffed. Me bow down to that arrogant jerk? No way!

Seeing that I wasn't going to bow anytime soon, the guy furrowed his brows and scowled, "You stupid little girl."

Excuse me?!

~!~

Ai: I feel like this plot may be confusing for some people.

Natsume: Oh really?

Ai: No need to be so sarcastic. Geez. But for those people who don't understand the plot, Mikan goes back in time after getting hit by a car and she wakes up as an old incarnation of herself. The rest will be unfolded later. (^_^)

Mikan: That's so cool!

Ai: Yup. I still need to get all the terms that the ancient people used and stuff, but I think that I am satisfied with this chapter.

Miakan: I am too. Please review, everyone and tell Ai what you think!

Natsume: I think this story is stupid.

Ai: Go die in a hole, Natsume.