"You'll write, won't you?" Came the almost pleading question from the blue haired girl as she reclined against her motorcycle. In front of her, a black limousine sat idling, a crimson eyed beauty standing almost regally beside the open door.
"Of course, Natsuki." She replied, a gracious smile crossing her lips which caused the blue haired girl to grimace somewhat. It had been one month since the conclusion of the Hime Festival, and only a brief week since graduation had occurred. "I will miss you, you know..."
That was exactly what Natsuki hadn't wanted to hear. Having Shizuru preparing to leave after hearing how the girl truly felt about her was a hard realization to accept. Down inside she knew this moment would come. Shizuru was the Student Council President as well as a very important person in society, she was a Fujino after all.
That meant opportunities galore, but with opportunity came expectation, and she was of course expected to go back to Kyoto and attend a most distinguished college. Natsuki bit the inside of her lower lip and adverted her eyes before offering a soft spoken reply. "I know."
Shizuru let a silent sigh escape before she ducked down into the awaiting limousine, the door being shut behind her. What could she have expected from Natsuki? A hug goodbye...? No, her Natsuki didn't convey that type of emotion, still yet a pang of hurt flooded her heart as her journey home began.
For a long moment Natsuki stood and watched while the limousine became a tiny dot on the horizon, only when she could no longer see the dust trails left behind did she take off on her bike. Unsure of where she was going, she simply sped along the coast trying to sort through the jumbled mess of emotions ripping her heart and mind to shreds.
--
Nearly half a year passed since seeing Shizuru off that day, the Kyoto woman had kept her promise to write though, and Natsuki had quite a collection of letters sitting on her desk. However she had been slipping with replying to the letters, and soon the ones from Shizuru came few and far in between until eventually they stopped coming at all after one letter in particular simply read "Natsuki... I miss you."
--
"How about you come by the diner after school and keep me company?" The orange headed Mai smiles sweetly, turning in her chair to check out the blue haired girl sitting behind her. Natsuki looks up from a doodling on the upper corner of her notebook and shrugs.
"Isn't that code for 'Will you watch Mikoto for me, Natsuki?' "She looks up and a little smirk turns the corner of her mouth. Mai looks dejectedly to the floor and nods once. Natsuki leans back in her chair, expelling a deep breath while running a hand through her shimmering locks. "Fine, but I expect a free burger out of this, and don't skip out on the mayo either!"
At the mention of the sticky off-white concoction Mai's stomach churns and she pulls a disgusted face. "Yech, I don't understand how you can stomach that stuff Natsuki. You know if Kaichou found out you were still eating that as much as you do she'd have a fit. Probably spank you or something." Mai grimaces, preparing for the inevitable slap but to her surprise it never came.
She blinks and looks over to Natsuki, the girls demeanor had completely changed. She now looked distant, staring blankly out of the classroom window. Mai feigns a concerned look and lays a hand on her friends shoulder. "Hey... What's up? Are you and Shizuru fighting or something?" Natsuki shakes her head and then lets out a low chuckle.
"On the contrary I still haven't written her back..." Natsuki looks down after her confession, suddenly feeling a knot in her throat. Mai was utterly shocked, she knew that Kaichou had been writing Natsuki religiously and thought for sure her friend had been diligently responding. The day Shizuru had left for Kyoto Mai had sat with Natsuki for over three hours and during that saw the girl cry for the first time. "Natsuki..." Mai says but before she can get into it the bell sounds.
"I'll meet you later, at the diner... For Mikoto." The blue haired girl says before slinging her bag over her shoulder and heading out the door without so much as a second glance. Mai sits a moment after the bell, shaking her head with a sigh before taking her leave.
--
"I'm not sure what's going on. I thought for sure she was writing Kaichou, why wouldn't she? She took her leaving so hard..." Mai says, her hand tucked under her chin as she sits in thought. Her bento box was sitting beside her, untouched and being eyed heavily by the little yellow eyed monster sitting opposite of her.
The said monster creeps forward on her hands and knees, licking her lips. "Mai..." She says just as her stomach lets out a horrendous growl. Mai blinks, coming back to reality with her eyes now on Mikoto who was nuzzling under her breasts. A soft blush comes to her cheeks as she pats the girls head innocently. "Go ahead, I'm not hungry anyway Mikoto." The little menace squeals and immediately devours the bento, rice and meatballs flying everywhere in the process.
Mai laughs, shielding herself from the air born lunch. "You're a mess!" Mikoto looks up from her meal and smiles, melting the older girls heart immediately. Her expression turns from loving to shocked as she leans back against the tree she was sitting under... Suddenly everything made sense to her. "Natsuki, you're such a bone head." Mai reaches into her back pocket and pulls out her cell phone, punching in some numbers.
--
It was five p.m. and Natsuki was walking into the diner as promised, immediately being tackled by Mikoto who for some reason had grown rather attached to her over the past months. Natsuki gives the girl a pat on the head and then slides into a nearby booth. Mai is over to them a moment later, passing a burger to her friend as payment for her being here. "Extra mayo..." She says while sticking out her tongue.
Natsuki on the other hand eyes the burger with her tongue practically hanging out. She sets in on it, relishing the taste of her sweet addiction in surplus on the hunk of cow. Mai shakes her head, Westerners and their strange menu. "So Natsuki, I managed to get some of the group together for this weekend, Saturday to be precise. We're going out for old time's sake. You know this means you have to come."
Natsuki stops chewing and looks up; swallowing down the huge bite she'd just taken and then wipes her mouth with her sleeve. "No good for me, I have plans already." Mai looks at her unconvinced. "I do!" Natsuki exclaims but Mai simply stands there with her arms across her chest. Finally with a huff Natsuki rolls her eyes and nods. "Fine, what time and where?"
Mai hands Natsuki a slip of paper that had directions and underneath 9pm circled in bold black ink. After examining it a moment Natsuki raises a brow in a questioning manner and cocks her head up toward Mai. "This is a night club; you want to go to a night club to catch up on old times?" Mai simply smiles and nods. "I figured it would be a change of pace seeing as how we kind of wore the Karaoke bar out before graduation."
"Who all did you con into coming?" Natsuki asks with narrowed eyes. Mai taps her chin and looks off toward the ceiling. "Midori and Nao,... I believe that's all." Her voice trails off as she smiles down to her friend, giving a rather mischievous wink. "What?!" She asks while getting a questioning look from Natsuki. "Yukino is busy as ever helping Haruka with Student Council work and well Haruka is Haruka." A subtle shrug is given.
Natsuki eyes Mai for a moment but the girl was playing innocent quite well tonight. Rather than argue, she nods and stuffs the paper into her left pocket. The remainder of the evening was spent watching Mikoto play video games, hell she even joined in now and again and showed the little monster how it was really done.
Her mind was elsewhere though, mainly on whom all she would be seeing this weekend. She didn't much care for any of the others, Mai of course, but the others... She sighs and falls forward onto her bed, snuggling down into the soft blankets. No use fretting about it, Saturday would be here soon and she already promised she would go.
--
"So Natsuki I was thinking you should wear those tight biker pants you have, you know, the black ones. And then a white button up, maybe the tight one I gave you a while back, you know, the one that pushes your..." Mai receives a growl from the blue haired girl sitting on the edge of the bed. She had barged into Natsuki's dorm room over an hour ago and was hell bent on fixing her up in something sexy this weekend. The reasons were unclear for Natsuki but she figured it was Mai's acute awareness to the fact there would probably be cute guys at the club.
"Mai..." She starts but her orange haired friend cuts her off, holding up a hand to stop her from continuing. "Natsuki, listen... Ever since Kaichou left..." Natsuki stands abruptly, causing Mai to step back and let the girl pass. "Natsuki!" Mai calls out but it was too late, her friend was out the door and already downstairs. With a confused sigh Mai takes a seat on the bed and shakes her head. This was worse than she thought. "Oh Natsuki, are you that blind to your own feelings? I know Kaichou loves you. You love her too, it's so clear. Why can't you see when everyone else can?"
Her question remains unanswered in the empty room. Outside Natsuki storms through the gardens, stopping in a familiar place and letting out a sigh of frustration. Her hands go into her hair, tugging slightly. "Dammit, why did she have to bring her up?" She furrows her brows deeply and crosses her arms over her chest. When Shizuru left so many things remained unexplored, so many unanswered questions and feelings left unexplained.
Shizuru had confessed how she felt to Natsuki during the Hime Festival, despite having forgiven her friend; Natsuki hadn't disclosed how she truly felt. Now all of the pent up feelings were ravaging her on the inside. On one hand she knew she felt something strong for Shizuru, hell she would have done anything for that damned girl, she still would... But the pain of having lost her without ever being able to come clean about her own feelings was too much.
Why was she even fighting with herself about all of this? Shizuru was gone, off in Kyoto with her studies. The letters had stopped coming, she had probably forgotten all about her stupid Fuka Academy crush. The thought of Shizuru forgetting all about her sends a sharp pain through her heart, like a hot knife. A soft gasp escapes her lips and the faint signs of tears well in the corners of her eyes. All of those feelings were threatening to spill out, but like the distant shell she was she pushes them back down inside, bottling them effectively... But for how long?
--
Saturday arrived quickly, and as much as Natsuki wanted to skip out she was keeping her promise to Mai. Deep down she agreed with her friend, perhaps she did need to get out and loosen up a bit. She had arrived a little later than the appointed time, but fashionably late always suited her better anyway. After a brief moment spent looking for the group she spots her companions and heads over.
"Natsuki!" The group calls out, all but Nao of course. Even after the Festival she and Nao were not able to reconcile, despite efforts on everyone else's parts. The blue haired girl strides over to the group, taking a seat next to Mai and Midori who had by the looks of things already settled into a bottle of sake... Or two. Mai lays her head atop Natsuki's shoulder after looking her over effectively. "You went with the biker pants and the button up I see... Sexy, sexy." Natsuki's face immediately goes red, threatening to drain the blood from the rest of her body, especially with Mai now making those kissing faces at her. She shoves the annoying girl away and huffs, crossing her arms over her chest.
Nao smirks and leans back in her seat, shaking her head at the irritating behavior being displayed at the table. "Disgusting." She says with a snort, turning her head to avoid the daggers coming from both Mai and Natsuki's eyes. "Pay her no mind, she's sour as ever." Mai says, her eyes darting to the table as her phone lights up and begins vibrating. She quickly scoops it up and peers down to the text message she'd just received. Her eyes widen some and she puts her phone away, leaning back while Natsuki eyes her questioningly. "What's up?" The blue haired girl asks but Mai simply licks her lips and coolly replies. "I invited someone else along..." Mai nods toward the direction of the door and Natsuki's head turns slowly. "And she just arrived."
Suddenly it felt like a two ton weight had fallen on Natsuki's chest. All breath leaves her and her eyes widen, straining in shock to take in the visage of Shizuru that had just materialized in front of her. The Kyoto girl was as beautiful as ever, striking even... A new side of her was shown tonight, a side dressed in a form fitting black dress and heels to match. With her milky flesh and long, toned legs she was awe inspiring, and almost too much to take, especially for one Natsuki Kuga who was having a hard time rolling her tongue up off the ground. Nao chimes in; helping Natsuki put her tongue back into her mouth. "Better roll that thing up before it gets stepped on, pervert."
Unfortunately for Nao her comment was simply ignored, someone with more command over Natsuki's attention was at the table now. "Shi...zu...ru..." Natsuki says softly under her breath, her eyes still looking to the woman in front of her while her face remains red as ever. Shizuru allows a coy smirk to cross those perfect lips as she approaches her blue haired angel. "Ara... does Natsuki like the way I look tonight?" She asks, her thick accent accentuating each syllable beautifully, making the simplest question sound like music rolling off of her tongue. The smirk she was wearing turns into a grin when Natsuki turns her head to ineffectively hide the blush beaming across her cheeks. Mai stands and makes her way around Natsuki, enveloping Shizuru in a huge hug which is returned ten fold. "Ah, Kaichou it's been a long while!" Mai says with a smile, bowing her head ever so slightly.
Suddenly Natsuki felt a little double teamed, her head turns slowly so she can monitor the two girls closely. She looks to Mai but gets no answers; she doesn't even bother to look to Shizuru... The girl could keep anything secret so long as she wanted to. Rather than ask questions and get no where she pours a cup of sake and downs it, then one more for good measure. Her heart was a thick lump in her throat as Shizuru takes a seat across from her. She felt her body shaking, and silently hoped no one else could tell. Shizuru smiles toward her, the Kyoto girls own heart racing but she would never let on. "Natsuki..." She says softly. "It's been a while, how have you been?"
Natsuki bites her inner lip but then goes to respond, to her surprise her mouth opens but nothing comes out. Apparently she was still suffering shock; she shakes her head and tries again this time with success. "I've been... Busy." She lies. Well it was better than blurting out 'Miserable without you!', or something equally pitiful. The neatly trimmed brows of Shizuru furrow into a crease, the nervous actions of Natsuki catching her a bit off guard. "Ah, I see." Was all the Kyoto girl said before turning to Mai and smiling. "It's been too long, we should plan these little get togethers more often." Mai nods and goes to agree but Natsuki, with her arms crossed and her eyes adverted to the floor interjects. "Well some of us had to move away.."
The statement was made softly and somewhat hesitantly. Shizuru's head snaps to Natsuki but she couldn't get the girl to meet her eyes. Was Natsuki speaking about her? Surely so, it was more than obvious.. "Natsuki.." Shizuru says but her blue haired counterpart stands and pushes through the crowd to the bathrooms. Mai looks to Shizuru but the always calm Kaichou simply offers a reassuring smile to the group.
--
"Damn it, Kuga... Just jump all over her why don't you?" A deep breath is pushed out while Natsuki stares at her ragged reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes close and her mind speaks up. 'That's what you want to do anyway, isn't it? Take her by the face and kiss her...' Natsuki slams her hand down on the counter with such force it shakes. "You're no better than the perverts here!" Angrily she stares into the mirror, her intensely green eyes shining back at her. Slowly her anger dissipates and turns into frustration and sadness. With Shizuru here there was no guarantee she could keep her feelings bottled inside, she had to get back out there before they came looking for her. She couldn't handle it if the Kyoto girl showed up in the bathroom, it would be too much. She darts back outside and quickly returns to the table only to find Shizuru missing. A ball of panic rises into her stomach and she looks to Mai frantically.
As if able to read her friends mind Mai looks past Natsuki to the dance floor, the blue haired girl following her lead. "Kaichou is out there,.." She looks to Natsuki. "With Nao." Natsuki's head snaps to Mai, her eyes wide with shock. She turns back toward the dance floor and begins scanning the bodies until her eyes settle on the form of Shizuru with Nao's body pressed tightly against her. There were no words to describe the feeling of jealousy surging throughout every nerve on Natsuki's body. Her fists clench involuntarily at her side and she takes her seat.
Two songs pass before Nao returns to the table, knocking back a cup of sake while sitting with a huff. "So... Hot.." She whines, helping herself to another cup of the harsh tasting liquor. Natsuki watches her with narrowed eyes, shooting imaginary daggers at her red headed enemy. While she's busy mentally ripping Nao apart Shizuru arrives back at the table, her eyes on Natsuki but she's not yet noticed. When she does though she sinks down into her chair somewhat dejectedly but before she has a chance to sulk and show her disappointment in Shizuru's choice of dance partners the Kyoto girl reaches for her hand. "Ara,.. Natsuki... Dance with me, please?" Those pleading crimson eyes left no room for arguments, even so Natsuki felt hesitance. Noticing the unease in her friend's body Shizuru offers a sweet smile while stepping back and gently pulling her up from the chair.
Mai watches along with Midori and Nao, all of them curious as to how this was going to play out. "Did that dog Natsuki lose a bet to Shizuru too?" Nao says in an irritated voice, remembering her little wrong call on a cute guy at the bar. She had a mind to track him down and tell him he shouldn't dress gay if he truly wasn't...
"Nope.." Mai says with a smirk, sitting back and folding her arms across her ample chest. Nao raises a brow and then chuckles while turning her attention back to the dance floor. Shizuru had already pulled Natsuki toward the back of the moving crowd, keeping them somewhat hidden from everyone around them. The beat coming from the twenty something speakers was a slow and sensual trance mix, the dance floor flooded with deep blue and purple strobe lights. It was quite the mood being set, but Natsuki was looking at the floor and stumbling a bit over her own two feet due to her nervousness. It wasn't all nerves though, a lot of it was the fact this was Shizuru and so much was between them yet so little had been touched upon.. Another cause of her jitters was her jealousy over Nao. 'Damn that bitch!' She screams mentally but warm contact against her body causes her to snap out of her daze.
Natsuki does so to find Shizuru pressed firmly against her body with her head gently resting on her shoulder. An imaginary vice tightens around her heart but she manages to remain calm. Looking upwards the Kyoto girl smiles softly and wraps Natsuki's arms around her lower half. "Put your arms like this, and move with me.." She says in a longing, sultry tone that sends a shockwave of goose bumps all across Natsuki. At this very moment the blue haired girl could have died and she wouldn't have minded one bit.. The feeling of having Shizuru pressed so tightly against her, each curve matching perfectly to her own. She breathes out slowly, nodding while holding Shizuru's gaze.
'Natsuki,..I have you now, here in my arms and this time I'm not going to let you run from me..' Shizuru says to herself as her cheek nuzzles against Natsuki's throat. Natsuki was frozen, she was dancing to Shizuru's movements but mentally she was frozen. The warm feel of Shizuru's breath against her neck and throat, the tickle of her words as they brushed against the tiny hairs on her flesh... It was maddening.
"Shizuru..." Natsuki says softly. That was all Shizuru needed to hear before assuming a more dominant role in this tango taboo. She slips behind Natsuki and presses her body against her back, wrapping her arms around her Natsuki's waist and letting fingers trail patterns over her somewhat exposed mid-section. A sharp intake of breath is taken and Natsuki's eyes close tightly, her brows furrowing. What was Shizuru doing!? This was too much, way too much... Way too fast. She moves to pull away but before two steps are taken toward the table Shizuru spins her around right back into her arms, facing her and holding her eyes intensely. Her own crimson orbs dance with the fires of passion, reflecting the uncertainty but hunger inside Natsuki's. Before a word can be spoken Shizuru pulls Natsuki up slightly as she leans down, crushing her lips to those of her blue haired Hime.
At the table Mai, Midori, and Nao all gasp, their eyes surely deceiving them. "Holy...!" Midori's sentence was cut off by the loud strumming music but the feeling was not lost on the other two girls at the table. Mai falls back in her chair, her jaw somewhat slack. "Wow, Kaichou really did mean business." She says, her words a little slurred from the sake. Nao was too dumbfounded to say or do much, instead of talk she downs another cup of sake and reclines. Midori was staring intently, grinning from ear to ear. "It's about damn time someone got a kiss between those two!" She says, laughing as she looks to Mai who simply wears a contently drunken smile.
On the dance floor Natsuki pulls away from Shizuru, her eyes wide with shock and her hand now covering her lips. 'Did that... really just happen?' she questions herself while staring at Shizuru who was blushing slightly. "Um,... Um.." She stammers, looking everywhere now but at Shizuru. "I'm sorry Natsuki, I couldn't help myself." Shizuru begins, looking down. Natsuki wasn't sure at the moment what she should do, or even what she should feel so she bolts, clear off of the dance floor and back to the haven of the bathrooms. Mai stands, about to go after her but before she can Midori pulls her back. Mai huffs but takes her seat. "Damn that bone head is going to ruin her shot here!" She shouts, her eyes falling on Shizuru who was staring off toward where Natsuki ran from. 'Go after her, Kaichou..."
As if some form of telepathy had occurred Shizuru follows suit behind Natsuki. Inside of the bathroom Natsuki slams her fist into the side of one of the stalls, sighing heavily as her head drops. What the hell just happened? Her jaw visibly clenches as she closes her eyes. The bathroom door swings open and Natsuki's head jerks toward the sound. Her eyes widen but then just as quickly they soften.. It was Shizuru. "I didn't mean to startle you by running away.." Natsuki says while looking away again.
Shizuru walks to Natsuki and turns her around, running a hand down her jaw while leaning in for another kiss. Natsuki turns her head and extends her hands enough to distance Shizuru... The Kyoto girl frowns and looks up with a frustrated expression. "Why do you turn away from me?" She asks, her voice wavering slightly. Natsuki furrows her brows and looks away with a sigh. "I can't Shizuru... I can't feel the way you do."
The feeling of rejection and anger swells inside of Shizuru as she pulls away from Natsuki and takes a step back. She was shocked to hear something such as that from the girl,.. How could she.. "How can you stand there and say that to me when I know you're lying, that you have been lying to me and to yourself this entire time." Natsuki looks up shocked, but Shizuru continues. "You can't hide from me, you never could. I knew how you felt but I left anyway because I didn't want to make you feel forced into anything.. But I can't anymore, Natsuki. I can't take the lies; can't you see how you break my heart...?" With her last words two tears slide down Shizuru's cheeks on either side causing Natsuki's resolve to seriously begin crumbling.
She takes Shizuru's cheeks into her hands and uses her thumbs to brush away the fallen tears. "Shizuru... I.." She begins but before anything further can be said she finds Shizuru's lips back against her own and this time her heart responds faster than her brain can by leaning into it and deepening it slightly. This simple act causes a soft moan of pleasure to come from Shizuru, which makes Natsuki's knees weak. The Kyoto girl quickly wraps an arm around Natsuki and turns her until her back is against the counter. She's slid up onto its edge with Shizuru now pressed between her thighs. Natsuki gasps against the soft lips of her Kaichou, groaning at the feel of her this way.
The wall she had put up was dissolving quickly and Natsuki wasn't sure she could say no should things be allowed to continue further. Mustering the last shred of fight she had left inside of her she slides her hands between herself and Shizuru, pushing the older girl back just enough to effectively end the kiss. A soft gasp comes from Shizuru, those crimson orbs locking with Natsuki's. Before a look of rejection or hurt can register in her Kaichou's eyes Natsuki takes hold of her and pulls her forward, wrapping her arms around her and resting her head in the crook of her neck. "All of this time I was lying to myself, to you... And all along you knew what was truly inside of my heart. You were right when you said I couldn't hide it anymore, the truth is I have been missing you since the day you left. I just never had the courage to come forward and spill everything that was threatening to burst out."
Natsuki pulls away slightly and looks to Shizuru who was somewhat shocked to be hearing this confession. A few stray strands of straw colored hair are brushed behind Shizuru's ear before Natsuki leans down and tenderly kisses her. The gesture was sweet but brief as the blue haired hime slides off of the counter and against Shizuru. "Making you wait in doubt for so long, only giving you enough to keep you around me.. It was a cold and uncaring thing to do, but then.. That was who I was. I can't apologize enough for that Shizuru, for the pain I caused you. However, I need for you to give me a little more time."
Before Shizuru can get the wrong idea Natsuki leans in and kisses her softly one more time, afterward brushing her fingertips over the woman's lower lip. "This whole thing, letting my feelings show freely in front of you and others, it's going to take some getting used to,... But Shizuru, if you will he..." She pauses, her jaw clenching somewhat. "Help.. Me overcome my own fears of.. Losing you..." Shizuru watches the varied emotions making their way across her most precious ones face and she moves forward, wrapping her arms around the troubled girl. "Natsuki.. I'm here."
The embrace between them seemed to last forever, but eventually they had to take their leave from the bathroom. One could only take being walked in on so many times in various compromising situations before their resolve would give out! That night they left the night club together with many things still uncertain.. But one thing was for sure; now their relationship had a fighting chance and hopefully with the right button pushing from Shizuru Natsuki would finally open up completely...