Disclaimer: I do not own Mai Hime
MEMORIES
A violin, crimson pair of eyes, and a gentle teasing voice calling her.
'Na-tsu-ki'.
A familiar name.
"Shizuru…" she muttered in her sleep.
The sound of the name made her smile. She stirred when she heard a stifled laughter. She realized she was not alone in bed.
"W-What are you doing?" she snapped.
Mai was very close to her face, amused by her reaction. "I should be the one asking that since you were the one crushing me against your body for a kiss calling out to your mysterious lover."
Natsuki only then noticed her arms wrapped around her friend's waist. She jerked her hands away, scowling, feeling her face burn. Mai laughed louder this time teasing the blue haired lady. "Aw. You were so cute a while back, puckering your lips, trying to kiss your one and only ShizuWho?"
"Just stop!" she shouted vexed by the orange haired girl. She got off the bed, almost stumbling when her foot got stuck on a girl sprawled on the floor. The girl snapped her eyes open ready to protest but she just happily grinned when she saw Natsuki. "Good morning, Natsuki!" she greeted and pounced on the blue haired lady.
The girl with cat eyes wasn't that clingy to her before. She was more like a feral animal not wanting to be tamed. Luckily, Mai was there before the rabid looking creature could shred her to pieces. She was able to befriend the girl when she gave her share of roasted sweet potato, which the girl loves to eat when they visit the island every end of the month.
Mai was born on that island but due to her job in the city, she can only visit her home once a month.
As for the girl clinging to her, she works as Mai's delivery girl in her restaurant. Her boss is very fond of her because she leaves her plate sparkling clean and the fact that Mai longed so much for a younger sister.
Natsuki looked back at Mai asking for help. The latter smirked but obliged before she got kicked out of the house. " Mikoto," she called sweetly.
Mikoto looked her way immediately and clung to her arm." Mai, you going to cook breakfast now?" the girl asked with twinkling eyes.
Mai looked at Natsuki's direction, politely gesturing if it's okay.
"Fire away," Natsuki said simply and entered the bathroom to wash her face.
Natsuki packed her bags. She sighed.
"Finally taking the big steps, huh?"
She glanced at her friend then continued packing. " Yeah. Now that I'm finally sure who I'm going to look for."
"But you only have a name. Who knows who this person is or where does this person live."
Natsuki stopped folding her clothes. She had thought of that looked back at her friend.
"Well, at least I have to try no matter how many Shizurus are there. The old hag would come back from the dead if she learns that I'm already giving up without even trying,I'm sure if I met right one, the certain familiar feeling would come to me."
She remembered the old hag, Nao, telling her that sometimes small things turn out to be the big ones. The memories she only had about her past is enough to swallow the fears she had had for almost three years.
"That's Natsuki I know; stubborn as a wild grass!" Mai cheered.
She grimaced at her friend's remark, though she felt secretly happy about it.
Then suddenly, there was doubt in her eyes. She zipped the last bag and slumped herself on the floor.
"But I am also afraid. What if this person is not what I expect her to be? That really bugs me."
"You just have to see for yourself and then decide afterwards, ne Natsuki?" Mai answered with a smile. She smiled back grateful that she had a friend like Mai.
Natsuki double checked if the door was locked. Seeing that everything is set, she turned to face her friends. " I'm going to miss this place…" she muttered to herself.
"This place will always be here Natsuki. We'll be back soon," Mai said with a sweet smile then let her eyes wander at the beauty of the island.
"Y-Yeah…" Natsuki answered flushing; realizing that Mai heard her.
"Ne, can Mikoto and I stay here again next time?" Mai asked after a while.
"Sure. But next time, you sleep in the next room."
"So mean! What if Aunt Nao suddenly appears?" her friend said in horror.
"You have Mikoto to accompany you."
"She sleeps like a rock! I wouldn't be able to wake her up when the ghost appears!"
"Then better stay in your house."
"What? Come on Natsuki, have mercy please, please…" Mai begged.
"Yada, after what happened earlier. No freaking way will I letting you stay in my room ever again."
Mai looked at her with puppy eyes. Natsuki smirked.
"It's either you sleep in a place with eerie noises or a place with sexualnoises. Choose."
Mai flushed. Her younger brother just got married a month ago and they're still at 'that' stage of married life.
"O-okay. I don't have much of a choice. But if I saw a ghost, I'll rush to your room no matter what," her friend answer in defeat.
Natsuki just laughed at what she said. There was really nothing paranormal in the house. It's just the people coming over spooking themselves. 'Why would she stay if the person she loves is already on the other side?' she thought. She remembered the day when Nao gave her the most precious thing the old woman ever had. They were letters from a person named Alyssa Searrs. What intrigued her were the pictures of a new born baby. It felt so familiar yet so unexplainable.
Her train of thoughts faded when Mai called her. She turned to where the ship was docked and swallowed hard.
'Oh, boy, here we go.' She thought nervously.
Crimson orbs stared blankly from the window to the great blue sky. "Today is the day, huh?" she muttered. Those sad eyes spilled drops of sorrow for a dear person long gone from this world.
She quickly wiped her tears when she heard a knock on the door. "Shizuru-sama, the car's ready," one of her maids called. She opened the door for the servant to get her things in her room. She held the purple comb with sculpted white flowers to her heart. 'Just wait for me, Natsuki. We'll be together soon…'
