91Act 1:
Mikan Yukihira and Mikan Sakura
"I, Mikan Yukihira, solemnly swear to take over the Yukihira Corporation from this day onwards. I swear on my father's great name that his efforts will not be wasted even when… he… passed… away…" Mikan choked on her last words, but she tried to remain calm. She had her composure until the very end of the funeral. She knew that she had to be strong for her mother, Yuka Azumi Yukihira.
Izumi Yukihira was a successful business person first known for Alice suppressant, of course that was just inside the Academy. The Yukihira Corporation was also known for their airline companies and charities. They were considered as one of the best companies in the world. Mikan, the only heir to the Yukihira throne, with a petite body and her long brunette hair that rested on her shoulders, she had a flawless porcelain skin fit for princess and her chocolate-brown eyes complimented her face. Any girl who was not her wanted to be her or would just worship the ground that she walked on.
"Mother, shall we go home?" Mikan rubbed the back of her mother. They were the only ones left in the cemetery. The skies turned grey, and it was as if they were giving Mikan and her mother their condolence. It was about to rain on a Sunday evening.
"Y—yes… we should," Yuka wiped her overflowing tears away. She was a woman in her 20's going on 30's on the year her husband died, although she was still beautiful for a woman in her age. Her skin remained flawless, and no wrinkles could be found on any part of her body.
The ride home was silent. Yuka still sniffled while Mikan looked blankly at the roads they passed. She held her mother's hand in order to console Yuka, but in the end each other's presence and touch consoled not only Yuka, but also Mikan.
The Yukihira household had been very silent ever since Izumi died. Mikan did her best to bring back the old Yuka, but she failed every time. Mikan cooked for her mother, gave her breakfast in bed, and spared some time to do things like gardening and painting.
One sunny afternoon, Mikan and Yuka were outside the balcony, having some tea. "I'm glad I have you as my daughter Mikan," Yuka suddenly said while smiling. Her smile was so sincere that Mikan's heart skipped a beat. Her mother started to be more energetic once again. "I really am."
...
"Hey Mikan, are you feeling fine?" Hotaru asked. She was the only girl who knew Mikan Sakura's secret. They had been together for ages. The secret had been going on for some time now. Mikan Sakura was in fact Mikan Yukihira because pretending was Mikan's only way to relax. She had been home schooled since she was young, but she wanted to experience going to school thus the reason for entering the Academy.
In order to disguise herself, she wore her hair as two pigtails and black contact lenses masked her eyes. No one could tell that she was Mikan Yukihira, but apart from the disguise, it may also be due to the fact that their personalities were different. The Yukihira image was elegant, sweet, modest and smart. The Sakura image was care-free, boyish, brisk, pretty much average and sort of stupid.
"Mom's almost fine now…" Mikan smiled. She felt so refreshed. "She finally smiled yesterday."
"That's great," Hotaru nodded. "Should I visit her sometime? It's been a while since I saw her. I could bring mom and dad so that they could chat."
"That would be great," Mikan thought for a moment. "Saturday would be fine."
"It's a Satur-date then," Hotaru noted on her latest invention.
"Watch out Sakura!" Mochiage shouted. A ball passed inches away Mikan's head then it hit the wall behind her.
"Darn it Mochiage!" Mikan shouted. "Be more careful next time!"
"Your head was in the way," Mochiage shrugged, and turned his back. Mikan was infuriated. She was not Mikan Yukihira now, so she could be as brutal as she could be. She walked towards Mochiage, made him face her, pinned him on the nearby wall, and gave him a piece of her fist, literally. She punched the wall near his face with all her might. "Your face was in the way of my fist." She growled.
Mikan had the highest rank in judo, karate and taekwondo. No one knew that except Hotaru, of course, however, everyone knew Mikan had a bad temper and an incredibly huge amount of force. The people around them gasped. Then someone shouted, "That's for messing with Sakura!" and then people laughed nervously.
"Geez, I'm sorry okay!" Mochiage said after he fell on his trembling knees. Who knew what could have happened if her fist came in contact with his face.
"Then it's fine," Mikan smiled, and tried to help him up.
"I can stand on my own," He looked away while standing up. People could tell he was embarrassed, and he was holding back on punching back Mikan. The students knew she had a Nullifying Alice so it was no use to send her flying with his Alice.
"Geez, poor lad," Hotaru clicked her tongue.
"He started it first," Mikan rolled her eyes.
"He didn't hit you," Hotaru stated as a matter-of-factly.
"I said I was sorry," Mikan crossed her arms and sighed. She hated how Hotaru would always be right. She was like a second mother who cared and not cared about Mikan at the same time. It would always end up Mikan contemplating about her actions and Hotaru without really scolding her.
"Oi, out of the way," Mikan looked at her side and saw a raven haired boy with ember eyes and a fierce face. It was Natsume Hyuuga along with his best friend Ruka Nogi who had golden hair and his blue eyes looking straight towards Mikan's way.
"Geez, so not a gentleman," Mikan rolled her eyes as they moved out of the way.
"Geez, so unlady like," Natsume retorted when he passed Mikan and Hotaru.
"What's the matter with these people?!" Mikan hissed. "I should be relaxing, but they couldn't just stop pissing me off!"
"Well, you should get going," Hotaru motioned to the wall clock. "You're going to be late. My father is waiting for you."
"I'm sorry to leave so early," Mikan smiled apologetically as she ran towards the locker area. Hotaru constructed a teleportation device inside Mikan's locker which would lead to her to the wardrobe inside the Yukihira mansion. She was thankful for a friend like Hotaru, but it wasn't cheap though since she had to pay Hotaru, and treat her at the same time.
Mikan had to rush in preparing herself because she had to take a shower first. She dressed herself in suitable corporate attire. The black long-sleeved jacket showed her body curves and her perfectly brown hair. The combination of her black pencil-skirt and black cigarette heels made her legs look longer. She looked reserved yet beautiful. Despite of being tired, she shouldered every meeting and gatherings in order to prevent her mother from stressing.
"Are you ready to go?" Yuka knocked on her daughter's room.
Mikan opened the door and smiled as naturally as she could, masking her tiredness unnoticeable. "I'm ready, you know mom, you should go out and take a breather, you're always checking up on me."
Yuka just chuckled and then kissed Mikan on the forehead.
…
"Good evening mother," Mikan greeted as she entered the vast balcony. "The meeting went well with the Imai Corporation. It wasn't that hard because Hotaru's family is close to ours," She smiled at her mother. Mikan was wearing her hair down and her contact lenses were off of her eyes. Her mother never knew about her life inside the academy. She thought it would worry Yuka, since began to be protective around Mikan due to the fact that there were only the two of them.
"That's good to hear," Yuka nodded. "I wish Izumi was here," She sighed, "if only he could see you now. He would be so proud."
"Mom…" Sadness filled Mikan's chest. Would her mother be alright?
"It's okay Mikan, he may be gone but he'll always look after us. He'd never leave us," Yuka sighed with contentment. Mikan was relieved to hear her mother say things like that. "You know Mikan, I've been thinking… Not only me, but also Mr. and Mrs. Imai…"
"What is it?" Mikan asked nervously. She was scared whenever her mother was thinking, not in an insulting way. Yuka was known for her creative ways, or maybe the close description was unique ways like the time when she suggested octopus fishing for their family vacation.
"We saw each other earlier, before your meeting with them," Yuka continued to hold Mikan with a kind of anticipation.
"And?" Mikan looked at her mother without blinking an eye. The suspense was killing her figuratively, and it might kill her literally if her mother doesn't spill the beans soon.
"Maybe we should go set you up for an arranged marriage?" She giggled like it was an exciting thing to do. It was nothing like octopus fishing; and octopuses weren't even considered as fishes. Mikan's eyes widened as she heard the words arranged and marriage. She'd give the octopus a second thought being a fish if only her mother takes back what she had just said. Heck, she'd even go Kraken hunting!
...
