Once in a Blue Moon

Chapter 7:

SLAM! The door to Hotaru's office slammed open wide, revealing an out-of-breath Mikan. Natsume, seeing her, calmly stood up and made his way to the doors. And as he passed Mikan, he smirked and said, "Good luck finding another job, Polka."

She stiffened and Natsume passed her, with that arrogant smirk still on his handsome lips. The moment Natsume was out of sight, Mikan had to grit her teeth and control herself on not following the arrogant guy outside and smack some sense into him.

She nearly succeeded too.

The moment she saw Hotaru, her anger came rushing back together with the sharp pain of betrayal. Hotaru knows her condition more than anyone. So why would she do something like this now?

She pouted, wanting to cry but Hotaru hates seeing her crying more than listening to her gossips. She stared at Hotaru and became frozen again when she saw her merely ignoring her dramatics.

A vein popped out of her forehead and she couldn't keep it in anymore.

"H-O-T-A-R-U !"

"What now Baka?"

"How could you do this to me?!"

"Shut up and vacte your locker immediately. I need to hire another one to replace you as soon as possible."

Shocked, Mikan can only stare at her, tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. She quickly turned around, planning to escape immediately to not let her tears show in front of Hotaru. Before she could escape, Hotaru called her out.

"Mikan."

"Yes?" she asked, still not turning around.

"Bring this with you." Hotaru said and threw a folder at her.

Out of reflex, already used to Hotaru throwing things at her, she caught the folder. Then she stared at it for a long time.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"HOTARU! Is this really how you are going to treat your bestfriend that you just fired?!"

Baka!Baka!Baka! went Hotaru's Baka gun.

"Open the folder you idiot."

Still dizzy from the shots, Mikan obediently opened the folder and took out the papers inside.

WANTED:MAID

As she held up the papers, Mikan felt as if the heavens were once again shining down on her. She sniffed, realizing that Hotaru would never fire her and leave her out on the streets without first making sure that she is still going to be able to live.

As she jumped up in joy and ran towards Hotaru for being such a life-saver, Hotaru immediately shoved up the Baka gun in her face and Mikan stopped. She values her life after all.

But it doesn't stop her from looking at Hotaru gratefully, and she smiled at her knowing that Hotaru does love her after all.

"Your papers are already set. Tomorrow, I am going to pick you up and drive you to your new job. I also found out about the details so you have to pack every possession that you have because you are going to live with your new masters."

"W-what? I am going to live with them? But what about you? I won't be able to see you anymore?!"

"I know the place, remember. I can just drop by anytime."

Suddenly, Mikan shows real panic, her eyes similar to a cornered animal. The wild look that Hotaru despises. She knew exactly what the idiot was thinking.

"You'll be safe. Don't worry."

And although Mikan remained a bit skeptical, she still continued to smile and hugged Hotaru without a protest from the Ice Queen.

'Hyuuga, you'd better treat her well or else...'

When Mikan finally left her office and started vacating her locker, Hotaru immediately started working on what had been bothering her the moment Hyuuga showed interest in Mikan.

She took out the copy of the video of the moment Hyuuga walked inside her restaurant and every single moment that Natsume was in, even the parts where they were in her office.

As she reviewed the tapes and watched Hyuuga's expression closely, she wondered once more what made Hyuuga so interested in Mikan of all people.

And as she watched their interaction and conversation, she saw Hyuuga slightly soften his attitude towards the girl. Only those as expressionless as her can read his face and know what he could be thinking, but Hotaru knew that Hyuuga had never met a girl like Mikan before.

Hyuuga had never tolerated such insolence from anyone, much less a girl. And Mikan, with her roundabout answers and constant mood swings, should annoy him most of all. And yet,he dared to even keep a conversation with her and follow her. He even wants her to be his maid!

As she remembered Mikan, she frowned as she thought about her condition today. Although leaving that demon's house for good was part of the reason why she accepted Hyuuga's offer immediately, she couldn't help but worry about her.

Leaving that house would cause a lot of problems but if it's for Mikan, Hotaru would do anything. Anything at all, just to get Mikan away from that demon.