HI AGAIN

Anyway, here's another chapter for you all. Love you lots! I hope you enjoy and leave a review. :) You have no idea how happy it really makes me feel. :)

Hope you enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for the plot. :)

Protect Me Not
Chapter 14

Mikan Sakura

I've always been known for my impecable memory.

But this was the one time where I wished it wasn't.

The minute I woke up from the knocking-out incident with Narumi (which I still CANNOT BELIEVE HE DID), I knew that they were outside talking. I could hear the whispers and the murmurs and the occasional shouts, but that was as far as I went. I couldn't make out anything.

I wanted to scream in annoyance and bang my head. I run a hand through my messy hair but that was when I felt it. My coms unit. I WAS ON COMS! YES!

I immediately pressed a finger to the button and sat up, closing my eyes as I tried to listen to the conversation outside.

"Start again. From where Mikan's involved." I heard Ruka say and I froze. Why were they talking about me?

As I continued to listen to their conversation, especially when Mr. Yukihara, Persona and Narumi started talking, I felt chills coming up my spine. Their words... They were facts. They were things I know. They were all true.

I knew for a fact that YTech was a world-reknowned security company. All the presidential houses I've been to had the security cameras they manufacture.

I knew that the owner of YTech was the Yukihara family, and that they did have the key to confidential government secrets.

I knew that Izumi Yukihara's family had all the knowledge about it. From he himself, to his wife Yuka to his daughter whose name was never released to the public.

But I knew that was impossible. Narumi, Persona and Tsubasa would have told me. They would have...

Wouldn't they?

I rested my elbows on my knees and craddled my head. I closed my eyes. This couldn't be true. I am not Mikan Yukihara. I don't remember any of those happening.

But it could have and you just don't remember?

No. Nothing like that ever happened to me.

But you're not even trying to remember! Why don't you put some effort into it first before you actually say there's no chance?

Okay. Jesus. I'll try.

I closed my eyes and bit my lip, something I always did when I tried to remember. I started to think about myself, about what really did happen. What happened before I met Narumi, Persona and Tsubasa. What really happened when I was a kid.

I thought back to the dream I had in hospital. What was happening there? What-

And that was when my blasted memory decided to be a bitch.

I saw the dream I had once again, with the tea party and burning house. I saw that after I was brought to some kind of underground room, I had a companion. It was Natsume Hyuuga, my best friend. I remember him telling me it would be just fine and that our parents would find us. I remember him being cut by a blade at his side when he told me to not give up anything during the interrogation. I remember the door bursting open and Tsubasa coming to get me. I remember telling him to get Natsume first, who was profusely bleeding. I remember fighting with him before he ran out after promising to come back for me. And then I remember being brought away before he could return.

Then I saw myself hugging a man and a woman who were both crying as they held me. I remember thinking that I needed to hide away. That I needed to go away to protect them. I remember wanting nothing like what happened with Natsume to happen to them and others as well.

I remember meeting Narumi for the first time introducing himself and Persona as my mother's best friends. I remember going with them to Spain, learning Spanish, training to defend myself and lastly, meeting Natsume yet again.

I remember crying when I saw him for the first time in 4 years, two years after I came to Spain. I remember ranting to Persona over a cup of hot chocolate and caramel. I remember him telling me to follow what I thought was right, and that I could be friends with him just as look as it was discreet. I remember always sitting in the room of some building at dusk, reading a book as I waited for him to arrive. I remember being friends with him, falling for him and later on, having my real first kiss with him.

Then I remember getting shot, hitting my head and waking up to see a man who looked crazy familiar. He kissed me on the forehead but I told him to go away. I remember him saying that I knew him but I shook my head and told him that I didn't.

And then I remember Narumi and Persona entering the room in disguise, telling him to go away and never come back. I remember meeting them again as my legal guardians and I remember getting into the agency.

And that was my first memory and my last time seeing Natsume Hyuuga until now.

And all of a sudden, everything made sense. Why Narumi and Persona never answered my questions about what happened before that, about my real parents (Because I'm pretty sure I did not come from the love of Narumi and Persona... Ew.) and about my name. I remember looking at them strange as they took about 5 minutes to give me my name.

When I opened my eyes and sat up, I took a breath. No, it couldn't be true. They were just twisting the story. They were making it into something that they knew would fit my memory.

Yeah, that's probably it.

"...You made my baby cry?" I heard Mr. Yukihara-whoever he really was- ask in a murderous tone and I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand.

Oh shit. Everything was true.

I was Mikan Yukihara.

I didn't know when the waterworks started but suddenly I was on my feet, running towards the other side of the room. My fingers quickly found the doorknob and I pulled it open.

The second I did, it was like everything stopped. Natsume and Mr. Yukihara were on the floor fighting while Hotaru and Ruka were trying to break it up. Persona, Narumi and Tsubasa were the first to notice my presence and when they did, Persona stood up.

"...Mikan?" He asked hesitantly, as if he was scared. Without responding, I made my way to him, my hands clenching into fists.

When I was right in front of him, he opened his mouth to speak but I hit him straight away in his stomach as hard as I could. He cruppled to the floor, holding his stomach in pain. Next to him, Narumi shot up and began to run away but before he could get too far, my hands found their way to Tsubasa's sunglasses and I flung them towards his head, hitting him square in the face. He stepped backwards and fell, his foot getting caught up in some wires.

I then went to Tsubasa and before he could do anything else, I jumped on him, making both of us and the couch fall to the floor.

"YOU ASSHOLE! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!" I shouted before I could even register what I was doing. I pounded on his chest and with each punch, he winced. His face contorted to one of pain but he did nothing to stop me. Rather, he accepted them all.

"HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME ANYTHING? I THOUGHT YOU WERE MY BROTHER! BIG BROTHERS DON'T TREAT LITTLE SISTERS LIKE THEIR DUMB ASSES WHO CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER ANYTHING!" I stopped pounding on him and slapped him in the face. My tears were falling on him but he didn't wipe them away. All he did was grab my face and bring it down to his level. He kissed my forehead before sitting up and hugging me.

He rested his chin on the top of my head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I just... I didn't know what to do. You had no idea how hard it was to see you cry yourself to sleep when we were still in Spain. I wasn't sure if you would have wanted to live in pain again, or start over." He moved his head and kissed my forehead again. "I'm sorry. I'm a bad brother. Sorry."

I hugged him. "You're not a bad brother. But that doesn't mean I'm cool with you already."

He flashed me a sheepish grin. "I know. I know."

"How about me, Mi-chan?" I heard Narumi ask from behind me but I closed my eyes and took a breath. I wanted to cry all over again but I knew I shouldn't. They were the ones I was most disappointed at. I trusted them like parents and yet... Here I was. Finding out that everything was a lie.

Without looking at them, I stood and walked to Izumi, where he was looking at me with glassy eyes. I smiled a little and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hi dad, I missed you and mom," I whispered before he enveloped me in a hug. I hugged him back before letting go and facing the raven looking at me with such puzzlement I giggled.

"Hey, Natsu," I smiled before kissing him on the cheek again. He was still looking at me but I walked away, toward the door. When I was leaning on the doorframe, I turned and smiled a weak smile.

"I'm making dinner, since you all just don't seem to be in the mood to go out and discuss whatever. Be downstairs by 7:00 and don't be late." I turned to my real dad. "Real dad, call real mom and tell her to come over. It's been so long and even if we'd be hurt now, I can kill their sorry asses."

And with that, I left the room.

-(( ))-

Normal POV

"OMIGOD my baby girl hates me." Were the first words uttered in the penthouse after Mikan had left. All eyes flew to the blonde with watery purple eyes and before the others could even register what was happening, he ran out to the balcony and lifted one foot up to the railing.

"GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD!" Narumi shouted at the top of his lungs before he started to tilt himself forward. He was stopped, thought, by none other than Persona. A second after, Narumi was in Persona's arms, wailing like a baby while Persona hushed him.

All the other occupants in the room stared at them from inside with different expressions. Natsume was blank, while Ruka was blushing. It was only Izumi and Hotaru that actually seemed to be amused by the whole thing. Discreetly, Hotaru took out her phone and snapped a picture. Beside her, Izumi let out a cough to disguise the laugh he was holding in. When he was composed, he stood up and took out his phone. With a flick of his finger, he dialed the one person he just has to talk to.

It took four rings for her to finally pick up.

"IZUMI YOU ANNOYING TWIT!" His wife shouted, her voice so loud it left his ears ringing. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Great. The two most important women in his life were shouting at him. All in one day.

"Yes honey, this is the twit. Why are you shouting?" He answered, exasperated as he walked away to another room. He was careful enough to send Hotaru a signal saying 'keep an eye on all of them.'

"WHY AM I SHOUTING? Well, here's why," He closed his eyes, awaiting the worst.

He did not expect: "YOU LEFT FOR PARIS WITH MY BAG OF TWIX!"

He opened his eyes and laughed a wholehearted, belly-aching laugh. He remembered stealing it from her chocolate stash this morning before he left; he had totally forgotten about it because of all the drama that went on.

His wife's annoyance to his laughter was as clear as day. "Don't you dare laugh at me, young man. This is NO JOKING MATTER. I saved those so that we could eat them together when you came back!"

He rolled his eyes at her excuse. "Well, if you were saving them, then why were you looking for it today?"

Silence. Then, "I bought it. I think that's enough."

He let out a chuckle at his wife's antics. He closed his eyes and let out an exhausted sigh. "Yuka. I miss you."

Her voice was worried. "Is something wrong?"

"Can't I just say I miss you for no reason?"

"No. You're not the type," she paused. "Tell me what's wrong honey."

He sighed before leaning on the hallway's walls and closing his eyes. He took a breath, trying to gather his thoughts. He just... He can't believe he found her. His daughter. His Mikan. And she remembers.

"Babe?"

He let out an exhausted smile. "I found her."

She was silent. And then, "Izumi Yukihara. Stop joking around."

"Yuka, I'm serious."

"And so am I."

"No, really. I found her. She kissed me on the cheek."

"Izumi, unless you want me to castrate you in your sleep and hang your balls on the front door, you better stop joking with me."

He sighed. "No, I really am serious Yuka-"

"That's it. I'm flying to France. Don't you move that pretty arse of yours until I get there."

His eyes widened. "Wait, slow down sweetheart. What?"

He wasn't answered. Instead, all he got was the sickly sweet voice of his wife as she left with an ultimatum.

"Better sleep with one eye open, darling."

- (( )) -

Ruka pinched the bridge of his nose as his best friend stood up from his spot on the floor, a pissed off expression on his face. He knew the raven was up to no good and with all the drama that had been going since he woke up this morning, he didn't want to deal with his tantrums.

He walked to the nearest wall so fast that even Hotaru didn't see his fist shoot out and punch the wall. There was a dent where his fist had hit, but the furious raven couldn't have cared less. He was tired of not knowing, of being kept in the dark. Hell, even Mikan, who wasn't in the room during the discussion, remembered.

He hit his head yet again and pulled at his hair, cursing under his breath. He closed his eyes and tried to think back to the very beginning. He remembered everything that involved Akira, from the part that they only met at dusk all the way to the end, where she woke up not knowing who he was. Now that he knew that Mikan and Akira were one in the same, he figured that the two men who talked to him then in Spain were both Narumi and Persona in disguise. He cursed himself for not realizing sooner. Heck, all he wanted to do was to remember.

But then a question came into mind and immediately, his head turned towards the two men in question.

He shook his head. "Despite all the bullshit being explained and all, I still don't understand something. Why would you assign Imai and Mikan to both Ruka and I if you knew we had a past together? Didn't you think we'd remember at a certain point?"

Persona opened his mouth to speak, "Well-"

"Actually-" Tsubasa cut in.

Persona groaned. "Jesus Christ! Would all of you just please let me finish at least once freaking sentence. Seriously!"

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Okay, Persona. After Tsubasa."

Persona threw his hands up in exasperation while Tsubasa smirked at Hotaru.
He then turned back to Natsume, who was rolling his eyes. The blue-headed idiot cleared his throat before raising his hand casually. "As I was saying, that would probably be my fault."

Ruka raised a brow. "And what possibly stupid thing your moronic mind come up with as a reason?"

Everyone in the room saw the smirk grow in Hotaru's face before patting the young blonde on the back. "You did good, my student."

The blonde, in a once-in-a-blue-moon moment of confidence, tipped his imaginary hat at her. "Well, I learned from the best."

"ANYWAY," Natsume popped in, a hint of annoyance in his tone. He slapped Ruka at the back of his head before gesturing to the Hawaiian shirt clad adult to continue.

Tsubasa did so,"Well, it was kind of a spur in the moment thing, really. Before Reo met up with Persona and Narumi, he gave me call and asked me for the names of the best agents in our agency. Naturally, I told him the truth: that it was Mikan and Hotaru. And that was really why he requested for them both. So yeah... My fault."

When he had finished, all eyes were on him. Everyone was silent when Natsume abruptly got up and left the penthouse. At the sound of the door slamming shut after him, everyone except Ruka and Hotaru let out a breath.

It was then followed by a silence.

It wasn't long after that Persona stood up and threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. "Well, that went well! Now we have to deal with a probably giddy Izumi, a royally pissed Hyuuga and a cooking Mikan! A COOKING Mikan!"

Ruka raised a brow. "So what if Mikan's cooking? Is she bad?"

Narumi shook his head. "No, she's great in fact. It's just that the last time she was cooking, it was when she almost failed a mission and she was stressed."

Hotaru sighed. "So?"

Tsubasa let out a humorless chuckle. "So, when she was cooking while muttering to herself, she just suddenly threw a knife she was using to the wall, nearly hitting Narumi on the nose. And that was only when she was stressed."

Hotaru let out a snort. "As expected from that idiot."

After she said that, yet another silence ensued. All exhausted, no one seemed to care.

But then Narumi suddenly sat straight and grinned at the dark man beside him. He pinched the man's cheeks.

"Aren't you happy, Persona? You finally, finally finished a sentence!"

Please review! :)