Summary: Join the journeys of Sakura Mikan, the heiress of Sakura Zaibatsu—the Japan's most powerful corporation—who was accidentally knows the truth behind the mask of the most world wanted international criminal thief. Mikan then made a contract between them. She'll keep his secret as long as he kidnapped her and take her to live with him. Little did Mikan knows, what'll awaits her if she get involved with the Black Cat.

Disclaimer: Higuchi Tachibana does, except for the plot and OCs.

Japanese Terms: Oku-san (Nickname addressed for women who has married)

Warnings: Please bear with the grammars! English isn't my first language, after all.

Black Cat

Chapter 2 – Hero's Comes Back: Face to Face

Sakura Residence, Tokyo, Japan, 12/31/08, 05.30 PM

6 Hours 30 Minutes before New Year

His hand raised one to knock the white door in front of her.

Before he knocked the door, he soon took it back.

He did the same thing for almost three times.

This is the first time he felt uneasy and hesitant to talks to his not blooded-related sister, ever since he came into this house. Subaru was standing alone on the edge of second floor hallway at Sakura Residence, in front of Mikan's bedroom. He sighed and felt frustrated at that time. He doesn't know what to say, but he really wants to say something after the incident at the dining room.

The girl hadn't exited her room since that morning. The only person she let enter her room was Yura, the one who brought her lunch meal. But then, after Yura finished her task, she was asked to leave the room as soon as possible.

And now, he was here, standing alone, wanted to say something to the brunette inside the room, but felt no confidence and feared at the same time.

Was it is because he felt some unpleasant aura from inside the room?

Well, it must be not.

Once again, Subaru raised his hand, and with all the courage he has, Subaru dared to knock the door. He knocked three times, but there's no answer. He knocked once again, and there's still no answer. He sighed and says, "Mikan, it's me."

Still, it doesn't make any changes. There's no answer from the brunette inside the room. Subaru felt uneasy again. He decided to left, but before he could made any way towards the stairs, he felt relief when he heard the brunette's voice. "What do you want?" She rudely asked from behind the door. Her voice was soft, but it was loudly enough for Subaru to hear.

"I... I just want to say sorry. I lied to you all this time. You might be forgiving me if I was lied for your goodness sake but unfortunately, I don't. I lied for my real sister's sake." Subaru started to spoke gently. Mikan neglected him. She just kept silent. When she heard that Subaru lied not for herself, she felt like so many knives stabbed her heart.

The glassed man sighed deeply before he continues his lines. "The first time I met you, I was really envy on you. You're given with talents. You're rich. Everyone's wanna become your friends, thought according to my opinion; you don't has any best friends, but still, you're everything my sister and I doesn't has," he confessed his hidden feelings for Mikan. "Our friends befriended us just to exploit our cleverness..."

Silence.

"But when I know the truth past about your parents, and the more I know you, the more my hatreds towards you started to soften a little. I think we're on the same boat. We also don't have parents. Our parents abandoned us when we're still kids. They left to only-God-knows-where," Subaru said, fixed his glasses as he remembered those painful memories.

He started to spoke again. "And as the time goes by, I realized that I also care for you as well as I care for my sister." Subaru ended his confession. The quiet lad hopes for a reply, but Mikan still doesn't bother to reply a little bit words.

"...Your party will start soon at 7.30 pm. Obaa-sama and I want you to be there. We'll go first to Sakura Hotel's ballroom. Obaa-sama doesn't want you to be late. I think you should get dressed now," Subaru alarmed, then sighed in frustration when Mikan still kept her mouth shut.

The lad left silently, not bother to disturb the brunette anymore.

On the other side, Mikan sat in front of her bedroom's door, her head placed on the top of her knees, while her hands both hugging it. Not just Subaru, but Mikan also felt uneasy. She was confused. Subaru told her that he was care for her as a sister, no more and no less, but why he doesn't care to refused and disagree about the marriage between them?

Oh yeah. It is because Subaru was assigned to marry her in the future.

That's why they didn't has any similarities, thought they are siblings. Mikan once thought Subaru weren't her brother, but she always disagreed with those negative thoughts. She believed the lad was truly her brother and yet, she was wrong at the same time. He is not her brother. He is another girl's brother.

She sighed before she stood up. Mikan get back to her bed, and leaned down as soon as she reached it. She was not in the mood to go to the party now, or even get dressed. But she has to, because she absolutely can't disappointed her grandmother, even though her grandmother has disappointed her so many times.

Mikan scanned her room. There was a plasma TV suspended on the wall, hung on display especially for her. It was on, and there was a soap-opera program at the moment, right in front of her king-sized bed that was covered with orange cover. The floors also covered with orange carpet. The wall was painted white, with some sakura petals as the pattern on the top side of it. She also has a white grand piano as a present from Subaru when she could finish her first Chopin piece five years ago.

There also a stairs to go up to the second floor. On the second floor of her room, there was a set of table and chairs for indoors tea party. But she never used it because everybody she knows was always busy when she invited them to hold a tea party. She could use her bathroom on the second floor to take a shower. Beside her bathroom, there was a wardrobe. Her wardrobe wasn't just an ordinary wardrobe. It was a room. It was like a boutique. There's so many expensive and branded clothes that her grandmother and Subaru or their business friends bought for her. But she doesn't want to wear it. They're the way too glamorous for a simple and cute girl like her.

Mikan doesn't has a study desk. If she wants to study or took her home-schooling lessons with Misaki-sensei, she just has to gone to the library on the third floor of her house. There's also a soundproof studio beside the library. There was a piano in there, but it was the upright one. Mikan uses it when she has a piano, singing and violin lessons. Inside the studio, there's also another studio for her so she could took ballet lesson in there.

Yuzuka once told her, that those room was built ever since Mikan's mother born into the world. Her bedroom was also her mother's former bedroom. But then, she never proud of those kind of room. She never proud of her richness. Subaru said he was envy her, but she also envy everyone who was life freely in this world. She always felt she was a bird inside a cage. Her grandmother was her owner. She'd never let her go. Her grandmother said she did it so she could be safe. But what's the meaning of it if her inner self doesn't want to take it anymore? She wants a freedom. Yeah, she really wants a freedom.

She then remembered about her about her family's motto that she heard from her grandmother not a long time ago. 'What the Sakuras wants the Sakuras gets'

An idea popped up on her mind. "I am also a Sakura, aren't I?" And a smirk appeared on her face. Something's great appeared on her mind. Mikan has a plan. A really great plan.

I want to get outta this place...!

Her thoughts slipped from her oh-not-so innocent mind, when her eyes caught the breaking news on the TV.

"Everybody! Look at the bunch of people who were in front of the Alice Academy! They're waiting for our long awaited hero!" The news reporter told enthusiastically. It was said the news was announced live from Alice Academy.

"Alice Academy? Isn't that the school where's Misaki-sensei teach at?" Mikan asked to no one in particular. The brunette increased the volume.

The news reporter on the TV pointed towards sky before the scene changes into the sky. The sky has becoming darker, though the time was still 5 pm. The sun has hide behind the Fuji Mount, as if it doesn't want to interfere the great moment that'll come a few hours later. There weren't any stars. The moon also doesn't shown up yet. But then, there was light all over the Tokyo right now. The light that was beamed from helicopters, or spotlights from the land.

"And look at to the sky! There were so many police helicopters! Not just the polices, but there also many helicopters from the soldiers Eguchi-sensei hired for searching him!"

"Him?" Mikan murmured in whisper. Who the hell is him?

"Will he really comes to us as his promised? Will he really appeared tonight? Tokyo will be the first witness of his first appearance after missing for five years!"

What the hell is he talking about? Mikan thought anxiously.

"Now, my partner, Mochiage-san, had already arrived at Eguchi-sensei's mansion. There's so many polices in there, hundreds or maybe thousands! Let's check it out."

"Eguchi-sensei? Doctor Eguchi Akihiro?!" Mikan shocked when she heard the names that the reporter said awhile ago. "Was he's captured for soiled Karino-sensei's good reputation? But why there's so many polices in there?" She lifted her eyebrows.

The brunette looked confused. "Am I missing something?"

Eguchi Mansion, Tokyo, Japan, 12/31/08, 06.00 PM

6 Hours before New Year

The almost-bald reporter, Mochiage, holding his mike tightly. When the cameraman has made a sign for him to start his reports, he soon began it. "Good evening, everybody. This is Mochiage. I've been in front of this place, Eguchi Mansion, since some hours ago. There's so many polices in here. Not just one division, but all of Tokyo Police Metropolitan divisions were here right now, just to stop him, our long awaited hero!"

The lad approach a blonde policeman near him after finished his firs report. "This is Nogi Ruka-san, a policeman from Investigative Division 02. His task was to research the target that was been aiming by our long awaited hero. So here we are, in front of Eguchi-sensei's mansion—the target he is aiming tonight. Let's have a little chit-chat."

"Nogi-san, do you think he'll ever come? And why did the police think that Eguchi-sensei is the target?" Mochu handed the microphone to Ruka.

Ruka answered it with a heavy heart. He wasn't supposed to tell the information to the public, so there will not any chaotic, but Mochiage as known as Mochu was his friends. Being a kind-hearted friend, he felt uneasy to refuse him, though he was a police and he has the right to refused. He cursed silently to the televisions, newspapers and everything that makes the public knows about the truth of this case. But since Narumi-keibu doesn't declare any prohibition to let the public knows about the truth, he bet it'll be alright. And not just him, his co-workers also told the truth to the public. They don't felt any hesitant when one or two and even more reporters asked them about the cases. Yeah, perhaps, it might be all right. But little did they know, they made the wrong moves.

"Nogi-san?"

Ruka's thought slipping out from his mind when Mochu called his name again. "Oh, yeah, what's the matter?"

His bald friend confused a little at his reaction, but didn't bother to ask about it. This is a live report, after all. "Do you think that he will ever come to us? Our long awaited hero? And why did the police believe Eguchi-sensei is his target?"

"Well, we don't know if he will ever come to us, but about Eguchi-sensei, he is the most suspicious doctor in Tokyo who was involved with a corruption case. He accused Karino-sensei for corrupting Sakura Hospital budgets but there's no evidence about it. Instead, he was the one who we should suspect to be the corruptor, because he suddenly bought so many sport cars, and some vacation house at Okinawa." Ruka said without any hesitant now.

"But he disagreed about it and kept accused Karino-sensei. He told us that the sport cars and the vacation house are all given from someone anonymous," he added. Mochu doesn't make any special expression after heard his information. Ruka didn't bother about the respond his best friend gave, since this news weren't some hot news again.

"Anonymous? Who the hell in the world would give us those expensive things freely? I think I understand why he was suspicious." Mochu replied. He sounded lazily when he spoke it, and Ruka notice it. "Very well then Nogi-san, thank you for the information."

As soon as the cameraman said "Cut", Mochu sigh in relief. His job was finally over that day. "Goddamn it, I really tired!" he growled in frustration. "And goodness, it's finally over!"

Ruka was only able to shake his head when he heard his friend's complaining. "Why can't you stop complaining, and started to works harder, Mochu?" He trying to advised him. "You've gotta thanks the God. He gave you a good job in this big metropolitan city and yet, you still complaint about it." Ruka added. Mochu rolled his eyes. "You sounded like my mother now, Ruka. But fortunately, she was worse than you if it comes into some advice. She could blabber for two hours long, for your information. "

Ruka pouted shyly at the bald lad's respond. "Well, I just tell the truth!" He replied in an irritated tone. "And why the heck I was compared with your mother?"

Mochu smirked at him. "Well then, I gotta go now. Good luck on your works! Make sure you captured him, and break the mystery behind his mask," was the only thing he says before he bit a good bye waves to the blonde.

The lad decided to enter the gates in front of him. He was permitted to goes inside the house since he also a police. The time almost comes, anyway. And he was really anxious on how will the world's long awaited hero gets the money. Wasn't the money was saved in the bank? And why didn't they go to the bank and guard it so it couldn't be stolen?

"Of course no, you idiot. The money was saved inside the safe-box, for your information," a voice suddenly popped up to answering Ruka's unspoken question. The owner of azure eyes looked back just to see Goshima already stood behind him. "Oh, Goshima-senpai. You kinda scared me," Ruka said, sounded shocked at the moment.

They entered the house. The house was built in classic western style. The floors were covered with green carpets. There was a Picasso paint hung in display on the deep blue wall. On the north side of the front hall, there was a big door leading to the living room. There also a stair at the left and right edge of the north side, to lead the house owners and their visitors to the second floor.

On the west side and east side of the hall, there were two big doors to lead them to the west and east halls. There was a glass table with two black sofas beside the west door. To freshen up the front hall, there were some green plants beside the west and east door. A big portrait of doctor Eguchi's face was hung in above the black sofas. They also suspended a big crystal lamp on the center of the ceiling.

"I never though a doctor would be this rich," Goshima comment while his eyes gazed around the room. Ruka nodded in agreement. The two of them walks towards the north door. He was amazed—no, a little bit shocked with this kind of house. "I bet he bought this house with the money he got from corrupting the hospital's budgets," Goshima added suspiciously. The blonde lad beside him narrowed his eyes. "We can't judge it before we knows the truth," he muttered quietly. The two of them reach the north door. It was surrounded by some polices. They have to confirming their identity before the guards let them enter the living room.

Once the two lads enter the room, they could hear a husky voice yelling and shouting at the blonde inspector who wore a weird costume. "Err, what's with that outfit?" Ruka inquired the handsome girl beside him. Yuri gave an awkward smile before answering it. "Keibu-san said if we want to capture the thief, we have to be well-prepared, including our appearance," she answered and heaved a long sigh. "I've suggest him to take it off, but he doesn't want to hear me," she added.

Nobody would want to wear that stupid costume when we have a task to capture someone except him, was the only thing crossed Ruka's mind the first time he saw Narumi wore the costume. Actually, the costume isn't a disgusting or a stupid costume if you wear it when you have a costume party. The costume just a brown wool jacket that has a dog-like head on it, and a simple brown wool pants which has a dog-like tail on it.

"He said the thief was a cat, so he will be a dog to capture him. But he didn't have to—" before Yuri could finish her line, the shouts and yells of the thief's target were gets their attention.

"How many times I've should told you, that I wasn't the corruptor!" The almost-bald old man shouted at Narumi. The blonde inspector narrowed his lavender eyes at the screams. He tries to calm down the dean candidate of Sakura Hospital, but he keep shouting and shouting at him. Narumi dared to speak, "Yes, but we has some evidence—" but doctor Eguchi cut in. "I'm not the corruptors! Karino is the one who stole the money! I've told you more than hundred times, haven't I?!"

"But there is evidence—"

"Evidence your ass! Those damn sports cars and vacation house were given by anonymous! And I'd never used them ever since I was told those all were belonged to me!"

"But at least, we want to guards the money—"

"NO! The thief won't come here! He'll come to Karino's house!"

"Well, we just tried to—"

"Karino might be the one who bought it to me, in order to mislead you polices for searching the real corruptor!"

"Listen up, sir, we just want to—"

"And this house, it was an inheritance from my father!"

"Yeah, but—"

"CALL MY LAWYER RIGHT NOW!"

The hysterical screams of the short temper doctor Eguchi and the replies—more like murmurs—of the patient inspector Narumi were filled the room right now. There is no one who will give up tonight. Ruka couldn't do anything except observing the two stubborn men in the center of living room. Doctor Eguchi keeps argued Narumi. Everybody inside the room would think his pride doesn't want to accept himself for being a corruptor. Little did they knows, they were absolutely wrong.

But a thought suddenly crossing a blonde cop's mind.

"Do you think that he will ever come to us? Our long awaited hero? And why did the police believe Eguchi-sensei is his target?"

"Well, we don't know if he will ever come to us, but about Eguchi-sensei, he is the most suspicious doctor in Tokyo who was involved with a corruption case. He accused Karino-sensei for corrupting Sakura Hospital budgets but there's no evidence about it. Instead, he was the one who we should suspect to be the corruptor, because he suddenly bought so many sport cars, and some vacation house at Okinawa."

"But he disagreed about it and kept accused Karino-sensei. He told us that the sport cars and the vacation house are all given from someone anonymous."

Ruka raised his right hand to hold his chin. "...Accused?" The lad narrowed his eyes.

"Karino might be the one who bought it to me, in order to mislead you polices for searching the real corruptor!"

"Anonymous? Who the hell in the world would give us those expensive things freely? I think I understand why he was suspicious."

Ruka's azure eyes suddenly wide in terror. He glanced at the watch on his left arm. The long needle was indicated to the south side of the circle, referring that the time was six past thirteen now. He growled soundlessly and dared to interrupt the arguing contest between the doctor and the inspector. "Narumi-keibu, was there any polices who guarding Karino-sensei's house?!" He asked hurriedly.

For Ruka's disappointment, his supervisor shook his head for the answer. "No, there wasn't any police because Karino-sensei told it would be unnecessary. He said all of his money was saved safely in a strong iron safe-box with a complicated code so nobody could break it down," he clearly answered.

Ruka growled again. "Damn it!" He suddenly ran out of the room, towards the exit gates. Goshima who wanted to knows what happened with his junior, trailed behind him. "What's the matter, Nogi?" He inquired the blonde lad. "We were wrong!" Ruka replied which made Goshima confused at his answer. He asked what the things that wrong is and Ruka told him about his new deduction.

"I don't think Eguchi-sensei is the thief's target or the corruptor of Sakura Hospital's budgets! I think what Eguchi-sensei said was true," he said when they reach the cars park. The two lads keep running until they reach a silver sedan. Ruka grope his pocket pants to searching the keys of the car. There was a 'beep' sound after Ruka push the unlock button on the keys.

Goshima, still confused at his junior's answer, asked him once again. "And why was that?" Ruka stopped his moves and answer his senior. "What'll you do, if you were doing bad things and at the same time, there was anyone who was fitter to do those bad things?"

"...Blamed him as the culprit?"

"Yeah, and that was the same thing Karino did to us! He bought sports cars and vacation house then give it to Eguchi anonymously in order to mislead us!"

"And there's no time for chit chatting or explain the situation to Naru-keibu now. I want to go to Karino's and stop the thief by myself!" Ruka gruffly replied. He opened the driver seat and hurriedly sat on it. But Goshima stops him before he could close the door.

"Let me drives the car, Nogi." The handsome lad staring at the azure eyes in front of him. "I know the quicker ways to get to Karino residence,"

Finally, the car was driven off from the cars park with Goshima on the driver seat less than a minute.

Sakura Residence, Tokyo, Japan, 12/31/08, 06.40 PM

5 Hours 20 Minutes before New Year

"Mikan-sama, it's the time to go," Jinno has to knocked Mikan's bedroom door three times before the door creaked open and revealing the beauty that already clad in a baby blue gown. Her brunette hair was tied into a ponytail. Mikan was really pretty tonight. She doesn't have to use a thick make-up because her face was beautiful in natural.

Jinno was amazed at the beautiful girl in front of him now, though he didn't show it up. Hi was good at controlling his emotion, after all. "What's the matter, Jinno-san?" Mikan, being a dense as ever, asked the almost-blushed old man in front of him.

"Nothing," he simply answered. Mikan stared his eyes with a suspiciously look.

The strict old man heaved a sigh. "I just didn't have any idea that you're good at make-up and things. Come on, let's go. The car already waits for us," he fixed his glasses. All of Sakura Residence's servants were also gone to their little mistress birthday party. They all were already gone, including Subaru and Yuzuka, except for Mikan, Jinno and Yura.

Mikan smiled sheepishly. "That's Sakura Mikan for you," she nodded her head. The two of them made their ways to the stairs, then get down as soon as possible. Yura already waits in front of the black limousine, one door opened just to welcome the soon-to-be-twenty-years-old brunette.

At the same time on some streets in Tokyo

'DIIIIIINNNN—!!'

Goshima pushed the sedan's horn and held it back for some seconds, before Ruka told him to stop it. Goshima couldn't help it after all; he thought this way would be away from the traffic jam. But hell, he was wrong. For such a busy city like Tokyo, there'd be always traffic jams, except if you were driving in the middle of night.

"Goddamn it!" The dark haired lad growled in anger, disappointment and frustration. Once again, the policeman pushed the horn. He pushed, pushed and pushed, but nothing changes. Goshima heaved a deep sigh. He has never been like this before. He thought he was good at controlling his anger and his friends agreed about it. But hey, nobody's perfect, you know. "I'm sorry Nogi; I thought this way was out of traffic jam."

"Yeah, it's okay," Ruka replied quickly. His words were different with his heart. The blonde lad looked up to the digital clock on the sedan's dashboard. The green lines made the numbers of eighteen past fifty three. Seems the sirens of police alarm were useless right now. Ruka pushed the window button on his left side and the window opened slowly. He held out his head, just to glance the ocean of cars surrounded them.

His dark haired partner watches him closely from the corner of his eyes, and then hurriedly looks back to straight forward. "Nogi, just go and leave me here. It only takes some minutes if you run quickly to the Karino's. I'll call Naru-keibu and told him to instruct the soldiers now."

Ruka turned his head to Goshima. "Eh? Are you sure?"

"What're you waiting for? Go!" His senior yelled at him. Not wanting to waste any seconds, Ruka hurriedly get out of the car, and ran straightly just to get to Karino Residence on time.

"I'll catch you up!" Ruka could hear his senior's voice shouted from the back. When he just running for some seconds, his attention caught up with a truck driver. "Hey, look! It's him!" The old man said to no one in particular. His hand raised up with his index finger pointed towards the purple sky.

"It's him! The Black Cat has back!"

The blonde policeman gazed up towards the sky with his feet keep on running. He cursed himself under his breath when he caught a man in black was flying with his black hang-glider smoothly to the same direction he is aiming right now.

Bloody hell. He won't make it in times.

Karino Residence, Tokyo, Japan, 12/31/08, 06.55 PM

5 Hours 05 Minutes before New Year

A pair of black eyes staring at the big and strong iron safe-box in front of him. Karino laughed with his nose as he silently took the wine glass on the table beside him. "Cheers for me..." He said to no one in particular. He smirked at himself. Oh how clever he is. Bought the expensive things and give those to Eguchi were a smart way to stays his name away from the accusation.

He never ever had been happy like this before.

Karino turning on the flat TV beside the safe-box. He chooses the channel where there was a news program aired lively from Eguchi residence. Again, Karino smirked at himself. But the devilish smirk soon disappeared from the chubby doctor's face when his black phone ringing and vibrating on the table. He took it and flipped it right away.

"Karino's speaking,"

A feminine voice coming up from the other line. "So, how was it?"

The gray-haired old man laughed with his nose again. "Amazing. The plan goes smoothly. There's no doubt the thief will come to Eguchi's house. He was the most suspicious, after all." Karino replied. "You're truly a genius, Koizumi-san," he added in amusement tone.

There were giggles sounds coming from the phone's speaker. But it soon disappeared, as the owner of the seductive voice start to speak again. "You shouldn't be happy now. If the boss knows about your failure, he won't be hesitating to kill you," she said in a threatening tone.

Karino gulped at the statement. "I-I know. That's why we blamed Eguchi for my corrupt action, right?"

"When'll you send the money? You have to pay us back because we have saved your doctor license from being cancelled, you know. We even help you to be the dean candidate," the woman remembered him.

"No worries, tomorrow I'll go to the bank and then deposit all of the money. And then, I'll transfer it as soon as possible. 1,000,000,000 yen, right?" Karino asked skeptically. "I'll wait for it." The caller replied. There was a long silent after that. "...I gotta go now. See ya,"

"W-wait!" Karino hesitantly stops the woman. "What's up?"

"C-c-can I took ten percent of the money?" He inquired her and got a no as the reply.

"You've gotta be kidding. Enough for the chit chat. I have to go."

"O-okay. Good bye."

The chubby old man put the phone back to its place. He turned the volume of the TV up when his now favorite telecast airing on the flat television. It was still the news program about the Black Cat and doctor Eguchi. A sound of giggles filled the air. It soon changes into big laughs. "You stupid Black Cat and the polices! You don't know that you're trapped in my plans, don't you?!" Karino laugh hysterically.

"You stupid, idiot! I've won this game! I'VE WO—" Karino stopped his lines when he heard the sound of broken glasses. "What the?!" He turned his head to the direction of the sound, and found a man in black who wore a black cat mask hanging in the window. He could feel a pair of sharp eyes staring at him from behind the mask.

A husky voice greeted him. "Who did you dared to call stupid, old man?"

The gates of Karino's classic mansion opened after Ruka pushed the bell about hundred times. The butler of the house greeted him with annoyed face. Ruka showed his police identity card. "I'm an officer. Can you show me the way to get to the safe-box?" He asked politely. Within more than ten minutes, they have reached the third floor. Some maids joined them when the butler escorts Ruka until they've arrived at the end of the hallway. Ruka opened the door quickly.

And there, he was, gasping with the butler and the maids when they saw the situation inside the room. The owner of the room was unconscious. Seems he was fainted when he struggled with the Black Cat, while the Black Cat himself was nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, Karino wasn't harmed. He doesn't have any single scar on his body. Ruka then looked up to the iron safe-box which was attached on the wall. It's more like a room because the safe-box was so huge. The door wasn't opened at the moment. But a big hole—human sized—was planted on the door.

Shit, I'm late. Ruka arrives at the house five minutes after he saw the thief flying over the streets. But hell, he couldn't believe the Black Cat was able to steal so much money just in some minutes. The blonde lad sighed in defeated. He peered inside the safe-box. There was some money left behind. It was some piece of ten thousand yen. Once again, Ruka sighed and the flipped his phone. The lad dialed his supervisor's number, and then told him that he was failed to stop the Black Cat's first movement.

"What in the world was happening in here?" The butler confusedly asked when Ruka had hung up the phone. The lad explained everything. The butler and the maids couldn't believe that his master was a corruptor. Karino was really good on acting, isn't it?

"Anyway, can you call the Oku-san? I don't seen her in this chaotic," Ruka said, scanned the room and get no one who doesn't wore the maid outfit. The butler gave him a sad expression. "Oku-sama, she has... died several years ago, because of an illness."

Ruka couldn't speak at the moment. "Oh... I'm sorry," he apologized. "Well, it's okay," the butler smiled weakly. "The truth is she wasn't died because of illness, isn't it?" A maid dared to speak. "I heard it from my cousin who works at the Sakura Hospital. She said Karino-sama was failed to save his own wife on a surgery. He made a mistake when he diagnosed Oku-sama's ill and that's why his doctor license almost cancelled."

"You! How dare you speak that much? Karino-sama was never meant to do it!" The old butler shouted angrily at the young maid. "I-I-I'm so sorry!" The maid stuttered.

After some minutes, so many police, reporters or paparazzi surrounded the house. Karino was arrested after he gained his conscious. The paparazzi hurriedly asking Ruka and Goshima a few questions, which they replied shortly. This time, Narumi forbid them to give any information to the outsiders.

"Goodness, Nogi, why don't you tell us soon when you'd realized our mistakes?" Narumi asked Ruka when they were inside the patrol car, with Karino who had been handcuffed. "Well, I guess I was too careless. I thought you wouldn't believe me, because I was a newbie. And I didn't have any evidence,"

Lavender eyes meet azure eyes. "What made you think I'd underestimated you? I'll believe you even if you weren't experienced yet, because we can't judge people by their appearance, right? Besides, you gave us a great and—uhm, almost correct deduction about the Black Cat's target."

Ruka smiled weakly. "I'm terribly sorry, sir."

Some streets in Tokyo, Japan, 12/31/08, 11.00 PM

1 Hour before New Year

The birthday party was finally over, though Mikan still haven't reached her new age yet. The guests have gone home or gone to somewhere else to countdown for the New Year. Subaru and Yuzuka also had gone home even when the party hasn't started yet. After all, the news of Karino has reached their ears. Mikan sighed when she remembered what was happening on the party. She, her grandmother and Subaru weren't talk much because of the incident on the morning. But for her relieved, the news of her engagement with Subaru wasn't revealed to the public yet.

"Mikan-ojousama, do you want to go anywhere first before we go back home?" The chauffeur asked his little mistress in a boring tone. Mikan shook her head in reply. She was too tired now. Yeah, too tired for everything.

The limousine driven off from the cars park when Yura and Jinno have got in the car. They were trapped in a traffic jam after some minutes passing the other cars. "Seems we have to celebrate New Year inside the car," the chauffeur said jokingly. "You're too much, Hayami-san." Mikan responded.

There was another silent after the short conservation. The limousine doesn't move from its first position. "I think my joke would become true," Hayami broke the silence. He then turned his head when he heard a creaked voice of opened door. "Mikan-ojousama?!" Jinno gasped when the brunette suddenly get out of the car. "I'll chase her," Yura also opened the door and run after her mistress.

Mikan running and running passing so many cars in the middle of Tokyo's streets. She lifted her gown and put off her high-heels so she could ran faster than before. But for her disappointment, Yura could catch her when they have reached the sidewalk area. "Ojou-sama!" She grabbed Mikan's hand. "What's the matter with you?"

Some walkers watched the two of them.

"I'm sorry, Yura-san, but please, let me go,"

Yura narrowed her eyes. "And why would I do that?"

"Because I am your mistress. Yura-san, I ordered you to let me go," the brunette jerked her hand. "I'm apologized but I have to disobey now. Let's go back, Mikan-ojousama. Jinno-san and Hayami-san waiting for us," she calmly replied.

"Please, Yura-san!" The brunette begged pleadingly. Yura stared at her for awhile, before take her to a near café who was still opened at that time. Good thing she doesn't wore her maid outfit or the situation will be kind of weird.

"So, where would you want to go?" the silver-haired girl asked to the point. "I... I want to...," Mikan was stuttered. She was hesitant to tell Yura the truth about her plan. But hey, her inner self told her to believe at Yura, the girl who has been by her side since they were teenagers. "There's a chance my mother still alive... That's why, I want to search her. I want to meet my mother..."

Yura was shocked at the moment, though her expression doesn't tell it at all. She herself never met Mikan's mother before. But then, she sighed in defeated. The girl smiled gently at her mistress. "Okay, I understand. I won't prohibit you. I've experienced so many days with you before, and I know everything about you. I've heard you said no to your grandmother so many times and now, I think she shouldn't treat you like a doll again."

Mikan's hazel eyes widened. So, there is a person who understood her feelings. She almost cried, but she has to hold back her tears. She has to be strong now. She wasn't a crybaby anymore. "I won't tell anybody about this. Please take it as your birthday present from me, Ojou-sama."

The brunette nodded. "Thank you... Thank you so much," her personal maid then handed the brunette some money. "This will help you. You don't bring any cash, right?" Yura said and Mikan shook her head. "No, I bring some cash. I've prepared, you know."

Yura sighed. "Okay then. At least, why don't you buy some clothes first? It'll be hard to moves with that dress."

"I understand. I could handle myself now, Yura-san. It's the time for you to go back. Jinno-san and Hayami-san would be suspicious if you haven't called them yet,"

Yura nodded and the two of them exit the café after paying for the coffees they ordered. Both of them searching a boutique which still opens on that midnight. Good things they found one. Yura escort Mikan to the nearby train station, and then called Hayami to fetch her. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't find her," she lied to the men inside the car.

Jinno sighed in frustration. "Get in the car. We have to get back home now, and tell Yuzuka-sama about this," Jinno said, flipped his phone and began to type a text message.

"There might be a punishment waits for you, Otonashi," he added, and then glanced the silver-haired girl from the corner of his eyes. "I'm aware of that," Yura simply replied.

When the emotionless girl just enter the limousine, a patrol car passed by with its fastest speed. The sirens rang loudly; making some walkers closed both their ears. "What in the world?" Jinno asked to no one in particular. Hayami, who scanned them with a rearview mirror, suddenly answered his question. "It's the Black Cat, he'd back, and now the polices were running after him, just to catch him and reveal the truth behind that mask."

"The Black Cat?!"

Speaking of the Black Cat, the driver of the silver sedan and his partner was trying to capture him right now. Ruka opened the sedan's window, raised his hand to the sky, right hand holding a dark brown gun while the left palm restrain the right hand. "Shoot his hang-glider, make sure you didn't hit the bundles as well as himself," his senior who was partnered with him, told the newbie seriously. "I knew it already, Goshima-senpai," the half France half Japanese police replied quickly. Goshima smiled at him, before rolled his eyes back to the paths. He changed the gear, stepped the pedal deeplier so the sedan would reach its max speed.

The dark haired-police smiled confidently. "Are you ready?"

"I always am," Ruka answered with no more hesitant. His eyes shut one.

Goshima turned the steering forcefully to the left side, causing the sedan maneuvered suddenly to the left direction when they reach the T-intersection, the direction that the Black Cat has passed by. Some walkers gasped and scream, feared to be crushing by the silver sedan. Less than a second, Ruka pulled the trigger and the bullet coming out from the revolver's snout, running faster than a cheetah, trying to pounced on its prey.

The Black Cat turned over his head, realizing a bullet was aim to his hang-glider. He turned the direction of the glider in order to avoid the bullet from perforated his black wings. Another bullet was shot, and the man in black turned the direction again. The scene was really like a slow motion at the moment.

When the eighth bullet was shot, Ruka pulled his hand back. "I don't think I will success. He quiets well," he said, suddenly felt pessimistic. The blonde lad grabbed his binocular, raising it to the dark sky and then eying the troublemaker. His right hand raised back, while his left hand still holding the dark-colored binocular. Ruka grabbed the wireless and hurriedly called the Police Headquarter through it, when Alice Academy was could be seen some miles in front of them.

The sedan overtook other cars. The pin of the speedometer didn't made any move changes. It still remains pointed to the east side ever since the driver stepped the gas pedal into its max position. Meanwhile at the Alice Academy, the poorer already waiting and cheering loudly for their long awaited hero, their savior, to come back and saved them from the poorness.

The first firework blast off to the dark sky. Another fireworks was blasted off, to welcome the New Year as well as the Black Cat. When the Black Cat himself had throw the big-sized bundle on his hands, the things from inside the bundle coming out and makes a money-rain.

The Black Cat has completed his action.

Shibuya Train Station, Tokyo, Japan,

01/01/09, 00.10 AM

"Umm... Where should I go? There's no train left except to the Kyoto station," a brunette mumbled with a hand held her chin. Mikan look confused right now. She was aimless, like a kitty that was thrown away by its owner. The brunette sighed deeply. "I guess I have no choice," she whispered to herself.

Mikan groped her wallets, searching for her credit card. "Wait. I don't think I can buy the ticket with this card," and then put it back to its place. She then grabbed some coins and put them into the coins hole. Her index finger pushed the button and then a ticket coming out from the other hole. "So, this is the ticket. It's my first time to seeing it."

The brunette glanced to her watch after put the ticket on her khaki sweater's pocket. Her eyes widened when she realized it already twelve in the morning. "Goodness! Happy New Year and happy birthday to me!" The girl suddenly said in whispers to herself.

She heaved another sigh. "Another birthday without Obaa-sama and Subaru-niisama," she mumbled again, and started to spacing out. I wonder what'll they react if I go suddenly like this, she thought, feeling guilty because running away.

Obaa-sama might be command all of our group's private soldiers to searching me, she suddenly felt fear at the moment. Maybe there's no point to search my mother.

But Mikan soon shook her head. "Hey Mikan, why you suddenly felt pessimistic? No way, I'm not gonna give up. I'll search for her, definitely."

The brunette scanned the station. There were so many people at that time. "So this is Shibuya at the night, eh?" She said to no one in particular, when she walked out of the station. The train will arrives thirty minutes again, so she doesn't has to be rush.

Mikan walked towards a nearby park. There're so many trees with no leaves on it. But one three caught her eyes. "A sakura tree?" She thought when she saw the pink cherry blossom. "It's beautiful. I've never seen an out-season sakura tree before," the girl said, climbed the tree and sat down on one of its branch.

After some minutes, she could heard someone's step, coming neared to the tree. Who's that?! A ghost?! The girl feared at the moment. She stared down, and saw a person all in black. He has legs, so he couldn't be a ghost. She suddenly felt relieve. Mikan shut her mouth, not wanting to make any sounds, trying to watch this person movements.

But when the person was finally sat with his back against the trunk, Mikan's hand was suddenly fall out from the branch, followed up by her body. The girl screams in shock with her eyes closed shut. When she opened her hazel eyes, the person was beneath her body. The person was a man. His eyes were closed, signaling Mikan that he was fainted. His eyebrows were short. His raven hairs were messed up. He is drop-dead gorgeous, even thought his eyes were closed. But heck, that wasn't the thing which has made the brunette shock at him.

There was a mask. A black cat mask beside his handsome face. "A mask...black cat... This guy is the Black Cat?!" Mikan stated. She bites her lips, hesitating to call the police or no. But then, a thought suddenly crossed her minds. A crazy thought. She has to thank the God that He let her to meet the mysterious thief face to face.

Before Mikan could move her body, the man suddenly opened his eyes, revealing a sharp, slanted, and tantalizing crimson orbs. The man changes their position, made Mikan was the one whom beneath him right now. He groped his pocket, searching a lighter. He found it less than a second, and then hurriedly pulled one of Mikan's pigtails with his right hand, while his left hand strangled the girl's neck.

His mouth opened, reveal a husky male voice. The crimson eyes glared at Mikan's widened hazel eyes. "Answer me in five seconds, if you don't want this hair burned," he rudely asked the brunette, while the brunette herself couldn't speak at that time.

"Who the hell are you?" There were no men whom ever treats her like that.

END OF SECOND CHAPTER

Author's Note: Phew! This chapter's finally over. It took me three days to finish them all. Actually, I've planned this chapter would end when Mikan asked Natsume to take her with him, but I think it wouldn't be the perfect end for this chapter, so I changed it when Natsume pinned Mikan down just like the scene on the manga's first chapter. I also changed this second chapter preview on the chapter one.

By the way, I should post this chapter when I've got ten new reviews, but hey, it's okay if I don't get them all. I don't want to makes you all wait the update for a long time, after all. I also want to thank you all who has review on the prologue and the first chapter. Anyway, tell me your comments about this chapter on your review! Do not flame!

With love,

Takaya-san

P.S. Hotaru and the others would appear on the next chapter!

Next on Black Cat, Chapter 03: Screams in the Dark

"I won't tell your secret to anybody, as long as you take me with you,"

Everybody has a journey to begin, no matter what kind of the journey it is.

"Mine is Andou Tsubasa. This is my cousin, Koko and that girl is Imai Hotaru,"

They'll meets new people—new friends and new enemies.

"I'm off to my work,"

They'll see new places—a different world, and experienced a new things.

"What the?! A pitch-dark?"

Those new things would might be as well like a

"KYAAA!"

murderer...