Disclaimer: As usual, the characters of Mai HiME and My Otome are owned by Sunrise. Shizuka Fujino, Ayate Fujino and Shinichi Fujino are characters taken from my demented brain, which means they're mine!

Summary: "What? You can cook… but during the cooking contest at Fuuka all you did was sip tea!" Ah yes, this story is about Shizuru, cooking and mischief! One Shot (I hope).

A/N: Gomen! I said I was supposed to update Cheers and post the last chapter. I was updating it, then this afternoon before I went down to cook our dinner, the sudden thought of Cooking Shizuru style enter my head, so I made a detour and decided to write this. This is the third entry to my CnR series. You may or may not read the predecessors (From Mint-san's Departure to my Twins Effect), some of the details in those stories may or may not be mentioned, but of course the characters (original) will always be there.

Rating: M

What Balls?

"Shizuru honey, I think your onee-chan is right. If you are ready to take your's and Natsuki's relationship into the next level, you need to experience everything that is needed to be in a relationship."Shinichi Fujino said smiling. He was sitting on his chair in his study/office in their mansion, and he was looking lovingly at his youngest daughter who was frowning at him. His eldest Shizuka was sitting at the couch at one side of the room and his wife was nowhere to be found.

"I think I got that under control and who says anything about taking our relationship into the next level?" Shizuru replied defiantly.

Shinichi eyed her oldest daughter who was doing the same before shaking her head. "Well Otou-san, we both know how stubborn Ru-chan is." She stood and stepped slowly close to the office door, "I don't see what Natsuki really saw in Ru-chan, from what I heard, Natsuki is such a responsible person, she actually manage to work and study. I guess Ru-chan can't do that."

The frown in the younger chestnut haired woman deepened, "You've only met Natsuki once, and it seemed to me that YOU were the one out of her league, so how could you say such thing?"

The older chestnut haired woman stopped mid step and turned back fully to face her younger sister, "I got my way." She said smirking evilly…

Long silence except for their father's loud gulping sound. Shizuru caught it and turned her head to look at her father, "What is it now that you two are planning? Or IS it the THREE of you again?"

Shinichi was grateful to the world that he is the father of these two young women, he and his wife probably would have been dead a long time ago if looks could kill. "What? I didn't do anything this time."

"Why don't I believe that?" she said before returning her gaze on her older sister, "So Nee-chan, care to tell me why you are suddenly so interested in my Natsuki?" The evil grin on her sister's face suddenly dropped, replaced by Shizuka's cheeks reddening. "Oh kami… don't tell me…,"

"Don't tell you what?" Shizuka asked but her crimson orbs didn't meet Shizuru's.

Shizuru this time smiled with evil undertone, "You are taken to MY Natsuki! Onee-chan!"

Shizuka dropped her shoulders, a scowl formed on her face, "WHAT?!"

"When… I mean how… oh come on Shi-onee-chan!"

The older woman sighed and looked at her father for help, but her eyes rolled when the Fujino pillar just shrugged his shoulders and raised both hands in the air that means, "I'm at a lost here too,"

"Nee… don't tell me that you're the one thinking about me and Natsuki taking our relationship to the next level, were you?" The silence told Shizuru the answer, "What… are you curious how it will go?"

Shizuka's eyes enlarged.

So does their father.

Shizuru frowned, "You didn't bug my apartment at Fuuka, did you?"

"Hey!" Shizuka replied hastily, "I maybe crushing on your Natsuki, but I'm not EVIL to do such thing." Then she deflated, "Besides it was her fault anyway that I feel different recently…,"

"Different? How different?" Darker crimsons softened at the admission.

"You're sister started checking out women's asses a lot… and legs… and…,"

"Otousan!" Shizuka called out in alarm

"Nee-chan, you're…,"

The older woman stepped back close to the couch and sat once again, "I don't know but I suddenly got interested with girls, at work…,"

"My secretary actually came to me asking if your sister was a lesbian or not, so I asked…"

"Otousan!" Indignantly said once again, "Would you mind not sharing those things?"

"But I'm your little sister and I got the right to know. Besides which, you said that it was my Natsuki who made you suddenly that way." Shizuru can't decide if she'll laugh or cry so she just decided not to do either. "So what, Armina caught you checking her out?"

"Are you trying to make fun of me? Armina is ancient!" Shizuka replied with a huff.

"…Checking Armina's daughter," Shinichi sighed, "I need to do some damage control because the old woman was livid. I don't even get it why she would be that angry when your Onee-chan haven't even touched her daughter's rump…"

"So what? You'd rather Nee-chan touch Armina's daughter's ass?"

"I'm not going to do that, not gonna touch that woman's ass even with a ten foot pole! I still got taste!" Shizuka said, her ire hitching up.

"That bad huh?" Shizuru asked and shook her head when both her sister and dad nodded their heads, "Hey… are you saying that you did check out the same ass too?" she asked her father.

"The woman is waving them like a flag." Shinichi said smiling.

"There's nothing to wave," Shizuka argued.

"Oh yeah you're right." He sighed again, "I am worried though, you know that gender isn't really a problem to me and your mother. But if both of you decided to want women in your lives, what would happen to our dream of having grandchildren in the near future?" he asked a bit dramatically.

Two crimson eyes rolled, "Look Otousan, I still am not sure. Yes I find myself checking women a lot now but that doesn't mean I don't like men anymore." Shizuka sighed, "And I still got high hopes that what I'm feeling now is nothing but after effects of our vacation…"

Shinichi looked at her eldest, "The vacation was two months ago Shizuka."

"I know," then she looked contritely at her younger sister, "That's why I thought it would be a blessing if you and Natsuki level up."

"Huh?" The younger one asked with a frown, "How does my relationship with Natsuki leveling up help in your dilemma?"

"Natsuki then will be unreachable and…,"

"You'll lose interest in her and by association, then, you believe that you'll lose interest with other girls too, right?" Shizuru made a very intelligent guess. Her older sister nodded her head.

"If you want me to go down my knees and beg…"

"Nee-chan!" Shizuru called out loud, "No need to be dramatic. We both know that that sentiment will benefit me more than you, but the problem is… I don't think Natsuki is ready to be at that level yet. We've only been together two months as a couple; she hasn't even asked me if I want to live with her…,"

"That's why you need to contribute in the relation, find a job!" Shizuka blurted out.

"What would me finding a job got to do with taking our relationship to the next level?"

"Well…," Shizuka took a deep breath, "Natsuki is the independent type right?" Shizuru nodded at this, "She had lived alone most her life, and her parents didn't left her that much, if they did, she spent almost everything paying some guy who gives her reports regarding people involved in the Carnival…,"

"Wait!" Shizuru interrupted, "You knew of that?" she also looked at her father.

"We all knew Shizuru," Shinichi smiled,

"Why didn't anyone tell me anything?" Shizuru frowned, "I was beating myself up because I can't get to tell you about that part of my life, and here you all are aware?"

The handsome man raised one hand to stop Shizuru, "We are a family honey; we keep tabs with each other. We didn't get any report regarding your relationship though. We may be family, but relationship and sexual frustrations of my daughters aren't something I should spend money to snoop on. What you do with your love life is your problem; we'll just be here to support the two of you when you both get hurt."

Silence

"That was too profound of you honey!" three sets of eyes looked at the door where Ayate Fujino now stands, "Did I hear right that my Shizuru is looking for a job?" she asked smiling. She was wearing an innocent smile but knowing her mother, Shizuru knew she is part of this plan too. She did inherit her mother's cunningness after all.

"I'm not looking…,"

"We're trying to open her mind to the benefit of finding 'one', when you are in a relationship, mother." Shizuka explained.

"Oh, I never did get to find a job before I met your father though."

Shizuru smiled, "See?"

"That's why you're father never gave me a second look." Ayate sighed, "I have to flirt openly for him to give me the attention I wanted!" the woman who shares her children's eye colors winked at her husband suggestively, earning her a blush from the man behind the office table.

Shizuru sighed, "Okay, I know you three are into this. I'll give, I probably could ask Fumi-san to hire me part time at Fuuka…,"

"There's no need for that Shizuru." Ayate said smiling,

"But it's the only place I know in Fuuka who would hire me without too much hassle."

The Fujino matriarch smiled, "Ara, I may have talked to someone in Fuuka who was in dire need to hire people. I could pull a string and have him hire you, he owes your grandparents a lot you know; he was able to build his establishment because of them."

"I'm not even sure if my skills would qualify in that establishment okaasan, since you seemed to be mystifying this job description, and I don't like it one bit." Shizuru said in alarm.

"Oh, your father and sister may trick you Shizuru, but would I do that?"

Three sets of eyes rolled.

"Yes."

"Ara, Ikezu Shizuru. And here I thought you were my tag in a team." Her mother started doing those dramatic flair.

Shizuru's eyes were wide, Shizuka's and Shinichi's didn't change but there were smiles on those eyes. "Alright! Stop the drama already Okaasan, I'll see this establishment you're talking about and apply,"

The sudden shift in her mother's facial expression indeed tells her that she'd been be had. "Anyway, you don't need to fret darling daughter, we didn't enroll you under Chen-sensei for nothing noh?"

"Chen… chen… sensei?" Shizuru's expression was that of shock, "Are you saying…,"

"I'm sure you'll be fine in this job." The smile on her mother's face oozes with mischief.

Shinichi smiled nervously at the twitching of brows of his youngest and Shizuka just bit her lower lips. When her mother plans, she really throws everything off their right set of mind.

-maiuniverse-

Natsuki was sitting on the couch of Mai's living room. Mikoto was still at school, helping Takeda in the Kendo class. The red head woman was sitting on the large couch, both legs under her. On her right was the cobalt haired woman, and on Natsuki's right , which was the solo couch was Nao, eyes red rimmed and nose stuffy.

"You've faced every thugs down town, got hurt, wounded, and here you are crying over Munakata?" Natsuki asked in her most disbelieving tone.

"I do love Tako (1) damn it!" Nao retorted angrily, and then she blows her nose on a tissue once again.

"We all know from the start that Shiho is meant to be with Tate." Mai sighed, "Okay, so she might have lost her interest in him, but Shiho's family had already promised her to Tate. She can't fight family and tradition."

"Fuck tradition!" Both Natsuki and Nao bellowed.

"Hey, I'm not the enemy here." Mai said with raised hands.

Loud sighs were heard in the apartment.

"So now Munakata doesn't want to even see you?" Natsuki asked again and was rewarded by a nod of head. "Did you asked her why?"

"Yeah," Nao sniffed, "She said it was better that way, besides like you and Shizuru, we've not been dating long, she said it's better we end it while we're still not too deeply involve." Another sigh, "She do loves Tate still you know, maybe not as much as before but still..." Then she looked at the fiery haired woman, "If you'd just accepted Tate's love, I would have gotten Shiho all to myself!"

"Hey, it's not as if I didn't try. He was just not the one for me." Mai said frowning, "So what are you planning to do? Please don't say you'll commit seppuku (2) over this!"

Nao glared at Mai, "I'm not that stupid," she said before looking at Natsuki meaningfully.

It was like there was a thick translucent barrier in front of Natsuki that the hidden message didn't cross, "Well, I agree with you." Natsuki said nodding and then her green eyes met that of Nao's and Mai's who both had incredulous look on them. "What?"

"Nothing," the two women replied together.

"Is there some hidden joke there?"

One set of purple and one set of green rolled.

Nao shook her head and sighed for the 'nth time. "I probably need some distraction, I'll go look for a job to occupy my time, I got a lot of that now outside of classes." She said, "I just have no clue where to start…,"

"Hey if it helps, Linden had opened a lot of vacancy, servers, cleaners, cook… you name it!" Mai said excitedly. "I think they want to give the young people a chance to experience working in a real world."

Silence

"Do you think they have any position other than those you mentioned? As you see, I have no idea how to cook, I'm not cleaning someone's floor especially rest rooms…"

"And you don't have a courteous bone in your body." Natsuki added for Nao,

"Hey!" Indignant response by Nao,

"Don't get pissed Nao, Natsuki here knows since you share the same kind of courtesy." Mai laughed.

"I thought only Shizuru get to tease me," Natsuki pouted.

"It's unfair, she can't monopolize the teasing." The fiery haired countered. "But I know they were also looking for security guards, they prefer male but I think once you show them your bad side, they'll pick you over any men."

"You've been getting cocky Mai, are you sure it's Mikoto getting influenced and not you?" Nao said flatly, despite the teasing content.

"Serious face doesn't suit you Nao." Natsuki said smiling.

"Isn't there any vacancy in the garage pup?" Nao asked the woman on her left,

"I would have told you if there were." Natsuki shrugged her shoulders, "Oyabi (3)is trying to cut on budget I guess."

"You're just working damn hard, you're working like there's three Natsukis in that garage, so I understand him if he doesn't need to hire anymore." Mai explained.

"I need more pay. I can't ask Shizuru to move in with me with nothing. I almost spend everything in my personal savings because of this damn Carnival and vendetta." Natsuki frowned, probably reminiscing her dark past a bit.

"Why not tell Shizuru the problem? I'm sure she'll be willing to share the rent with you." Mai reminded.

"What? No way Mai, I'm the one who thought of this so I will be shouldering that."

"Don't act so macho, it doesn't suit your princess aura." Nao huffed after.

"Fuck you Nao," As usual, Natsuki's colorful vocabulary resurfaced,

"You're kissing Shizuru with that foul mouth of yours?" Nao retorted, getting the cobalt haired woman riled up.

Natsuki just harrumphed and ignored the brick red haired woman.

"Children…," Mai interrupted as usual, then she looked at Nao, "Interested? I'm sure Tanakasan would agree with me in hiring you."

"Security?" Nao asked and Mai nodded, "Am I getting a gun?" Mai shook her head no, "Knife?" another shook of her head, "Samurai?"

"The heck Nao, samurai? For real?" Natsuki asked in astonishment

"Well, I need to have something to fight off the bad guys don't I?"

The other two women nodded their heads. "I'm sure you'll have handcuffs, as in real handcuffs and a baton."

"Baton?" Both Natsuki and Nao asked with wide eyes

"Yeah, isn't that great?"

"What will I do with a baton? Stuck it up the bad guy's asses after I handcuffed them?" Nao asked frowning.

Mai's eyes widened, "Accckkk… the image Nao! You' just scarred me!"

"You're fucking screwed Nao." Natsuki said laughing and shaking her head.

The depressed woman huffed, "Well, wait 'till you get screwed yourself!"

-maiuniverse-

[One week later]

Natsuki entered Linden with the intent of eating a ramen. She had heard from Chie and Aoi who visited the establishment often now, that the new cook responsible for the ramen was great. As a matter of fact, the cook had given Mai the run for her own money.

"Ohayoo Natsuki!" Akane greeted the somber looking woman, "What's with the long face?" she asked.

Natsuki forced a smile, "I don't see Mai," she said to the serving woman.

"Oh, Mai is helping in the kitchen now. I got Kazu-kun and Tate-kun helping in here now." The cheerful woman said.

Natsuki nodded and that's when she noticed Mikoto sitting seriously at a stool at the entrance of the kitchen, "Oh, that's why Mikoto is there?" Akane nodded her head.

"Do you want something?"

"I like one beef ramen." Natsuki frowned, "I'll have the medium size for now."

"Okay," Akane said before going behind the cashier, punched the order and talked over a microphone. "Ten minutes Natsuki,"

"Okay!" the green eyed woman sighed and tried to focus on the table while waiting. Her bored contemplation was cut short by the voice of Mai going out of the kitchen.

"Natsuki!" Mai smiled, "I knew it was you, I heard you loud and clear inside." She said before taking Mikoto from her wrist and dragging the cat girl off the stool and to Natsuki's table. "This one is being a pain,"

Mikoto's pout intensified, "I'm not leaving your side with that Tate here!" she harrumphed and crossed her arms on her chest.

"I thought Tate is engage now with Shiho?" Natsuki asked.

"Will be engage Natsuki," Mai smiled, "And this one is being threatened for nothing." The fiery haired woman shook her head, "Plus add the fact that Nao works here too, I'm now pitying Tate."

Natsuki laughed, "It seems he was cornered here, he can't possibly even talk to you without getting the death glare from Mikoto, and if he goes out, Nao's glare probably would kill him." Natsuiki looked outside, "Speaking of Nao, where is she?"

"Oh, her shift starts at 10, she'll be here any moment now."

Silence

"I heard from Chie and Aoi that the new cook did a great job with the ramen," The cobalt haired woman started.

"Oh Natsuki! The RAMEN is great! But I still like Mai's ramen, nothing beats that!" Mikot said grinning, "But I like the new ramen too!"

"Well, the new cook surprised me, really…," Mai heard the bell from the kitchen rung, "And she's fast and efficient too." Mai smiled then she turned her head to the door that opens, revealing a woman wearing a floral, purple colored apron over a blue and white, below the knee dress.

Natsuki looked up to find a pair of crimson colored eyes focused on her, a smile etched on the woman's lips, the woman's chestnut hair pony tailed and covered by a purple bandana, "Shi…Shizuru!" Natsuki gasped and stood abruptly.

"Ara, isn't Natsuki so eager to eat her ramen?" The older woman said smiling, "Good morning Natsuki, it's nice of you to visit our place." She looked at Mai, "Oh, and please Mai-san, this one is on my tab?"

Mai nodded.

"What…what the hell are you doing here…," she looked Shizuru up and down, "… and why the hell are you dressed up like that?!" she said pointing a finger at her girlfriend.

Shizuru put the hot ramen down and slide it in front of Natsuki, "I thought you knew?"

"I… what?"

"I thought Natsuki knew that I'm working here now, for almost a week as a matter of fact." She looked at Mai who was snickering behind her, "Ah, I see Mai-san forget to tell you about my working here."

"Work here… you?" Natsuki can't form any long sentence at the moment. "What work?" she said then looked down at the hot ramen.

"Try it now Natsuki, it will be a waste of my effort if that becomes cold." The chest nut haired woman said smiling, "Anyway, I work here now as a cook, and Mai-san here is really a great help." She looked at Mikoto who pouted, "And Mikoto too." That earned her a grin from the cat girl.

Natsuki's eyebrows twitched and then she looked at Shizuru accusingly, "What? You can cook… but during the cooking contest at Fuuka all you did was sip tea!"

"Ikezu Natsuki!"

Then to Mai, "You have a lot of things to explain Mai," she growled.

"Oh… look at the time," she smiled and looked at Shizuru, "I'll man the kitchen for now Shizuru, go entertain Natsuki." She smiled again, and without waiting for response, she left, Mikoto following suit.

Natsuki remained silent but started eating her ramen. The first three spoonful of the soup made her smile. She stopped sipping and eyed her girlfriend, "Why are you working? Don't tell me your parents suddenly got bankrupt?" she asked seriously,

"Ikezu, nothing like that happened Natsuki," Shizuru said before getting a table napkin and wiping Natsuki's left side of her lips, "wet," she explained in one word when Natsuki looked at her with a question: What the heck was that?

"So why are you working here?" she looked around, "I'm not a snob, but okay, let's say you want to work, why here? Aren't there other jobs you can take? Like, I know Fumi-san will be ecstatic to have you working for her part time!" she was saying this while she keeps on eating the ramen.

"I know, I did told my father that, but well… you know my mother got this bizarre way of thinking and arranged this job for me even before I said yes." The older woman explained.

Natsuki stopped eating, "You mean your parents arranged for you to work?" she watched the other girl nod her head, "What the fuck… why would they want to make life hard for you? I don't get your parents… the vacation farce , and now this? What the hell?!"

"Oh, don't be angry with my parents, you know they mean well."

"How do they mean well hm?"

"Well…" Shizuru grinned, "… they want me to experience having a job so I can be worthy of you?"

"What? How could they think that? You are WORTHY…" the younger woman sighed, "Sometimes I feel that it's me who isn't worthy of you at all."

Shizuru turned Natsuki's face towards her, "Don't ever say that, you are most worthy." She smiled, "Plus my parents and nee-chan thought that I need to do this job thing so I can at least save some money that came not from my parent's wealth, you know, independent money."

"That's a valid point,"

"Plus…," Shizuru's head bowed down and Natsuki got intrigued.

"What?"

The older woman sighed, "Nothing…"

"Oh come on Shizuru, you can't say something like that and left me hanging!"

Silence

"Well… they were pushing me to take our relationship to the next level…" Shizuru watched as the other woman suddenly stopped eating, and her jaw seemed to lock. "Natsuki?"

"Next level?" Natsuki's cheeks flushed, she smiled sheepishly and eyed Shizuru, "So you want us to…,"

"Look, I already told them that you are not ready, I told them you may not want this next level thing yet since we've just been a couple for…" Shizuru's tirade was halted when she was pulled forward, and Natsuki's lips connected to her own.

"I wan't Shzuru! I want… but I don't see why you need to work hard like this, you shouldn't be…," Natsuki said happily once she released her girlfriend's lips

Shizuru frowned, "But they said the reason why you don't want it to happen was because I got no job!"

"What? That's insane!" Natsuki pecked Shizuru's lips again before returning to eating, "And you're a good cook! Plus, I don't see you in a job like this. Mai? I can get that, but you?" she smiled and took Shizuru's hands in her to inspect, "I know you're good with knives, but this isn't you."

"But…," Shizuru scowled, "My mother made it seemed like, you'll rather be with someone who could do jobs like this cause you'll always be the man of the house-"

Natsuki smiled and shook her head, "Maybe, it would be nice to go home to cooked meal or two, but if you can't cook, it won't matter, just being with you is enough, besides there's always telephone and I can have Mai's help."

"Natsuki…,"

The cobalt haired woman sighed, "I'm trying hard on my job, I needed to save cause I've spend a lot of my trust funds on Yamada's information, I could still get a bigger apartment with it, but I don't want my money to be depleted completely… I was meaning to ask you to live with me as soon as I get everything arrange…"

Shizuru's smile widened and she felt her chest burst in happiness. She stood and stepped close to Natsuki before sitting and hugging the woman. "I'm glad you ask," she whispered.

Natsuki nodded and returned to eating, "I guess you were conned by your family again."

Shizuru laughed, "I guess, but you know… I'm tired of getting played at, perhaps, there's a need for revenge."

Natsuki looked at her girlfriend who had an evil aura on her crimson orbs, "Oi, I don't like that look of yours…"

-maiuniverse-

[One month later]

"So are you saying that we can finally meet your Natsuki?" Ayate Fujino's voice could be heard over the speaker phone at Fumi Himeno's office.

"That's just what I said right? I mean you and Otousan had wanted to meet Natsuki in person for months now, and I'm sure Nee-chan will be happy to see the fruit of her labor." Shizuru grinned, "You'll also be meeting my other friends here, the girls and women of Carnival as Otousan refers to them."

"That would be nice Shzuru, and where will this banquet be held?"

"I thought to have it at Linden at first, but Natsuki said since we have officially move in together, we'd like to show you our house." The younger crimson eyed woman smirked, "Besides, between me and Natsuki, I don't have any idea about decorating it."

"Why not hire an interior designer?"

"Okaasan, you know very well that Natsuki and my salary wouldn't be able to afford that. That's why I'm counting on your great eye to help us out." Shizuru knew her mother well, this will absolutely put a shine on her mother's crimson pairs.

True enough, the ecstasy did not just shone on Ayate's eyes, but to her voice as well, "Oh I'm not that good Shizuru, but If Natsuki also likes it, I'll help you out in decorating."

'hook, line and sinker!' Shizuru thought, "I'll see you, Otousan and Nee-chan then this Saturday?"

"Count us in…," There were little more chat here and there, before the topic regarding food came, "So who's going to cater?" the older woman asked worriedly.

"That isn't a problem, I do have experience in cooking remember, and I got training from Chen sensei is it not?" she asked in a voice dripping with sweetness.

-maiuniverse-

Natsuki and Shizuru's apartment at Fuuka is a modern style Japanese house. It was painted in white outside. There were three bedrooms in the house. One large master suite which Natsuki and Shizuru shares, and two medium sized rooms for guests. The Main door leads to a small space adorned by beautiful flowers, at the back of the inside garden was a fountain. At the right of the said garden was a door leading to the main living room, dining area and kitchen. On the left was door leading to the three bed rooms. The master suite situated at the end of a small hall, if you will turn left as soon as you enter this room.

The guests were now occupying the living room, with the Fujino's happily ensconced on the large, black leather couch, happily chatting with Natsuki's friends namely: Chie, Aoi and Mai. Mikoto was at a solo couch at the right of Shizuka staring at the older woman before eyeing Shizuru kaichou who was standing behind her father. Natsuki was sitting at a bar stool at the back of the large couch where a bar was located.

"Is Shizuru done with her menu already?" Ayate asked her youngest,

"Almost, I'm just letting some soup simmer," Shizuru said smiling.

Whatever it was Ayate was adding was interrupted by the door of the living room opening, and came in Nao, still in her guard uniform…

"What the…" Natsuki's eyes widened, "Nao!"

Everyone's eyes were on Nao but one pair of crimson seemed to be hypnotized. Nao was wearing a white blouse that was one size smaller, the blouse has blue stripes on her shoulders and a white chord was hanging on them. The upper buttons were undone revealing a lot of Nao's cleavage, the middle was buttoned but it was obvious that the material was stretched to its maximum, showing Nao's well toned abdomen. She was wearing a black, fitting… very fitting leather skirt and from the looks of, Nao was either not wearing anything under or she was wearing a tong. She finished her ensemble with a two inches high stiletto shoes. Beside her waist were cuffs and a baton.

"What are you wearing Nao?" Mai asked incredulously.

Nao frowned, "Don't give me that tone Mai! Oyabi called me to take over Yumi's shift this morning because the girl have an exam, and guess what? My uniform is still in the laundry and this is the only pair he could provide! He wouldn't agree to me just wearing my street clothes!"

Natsuki slapped her forehead, "Then why come here in that? Why not change on your street clothes? Damn it!"

The Fujino's eyes rolled at the cursive language.

"You think I like coming here in this?! My damn clothes were stolen!"

"WHAT?" every voice asked.

"Who would…," Natsuki asked then something clicked, she looked at Shizuru who was looking at Nao with sympathy etched on her face, but her eyes says differently.

"Maybe… uhhh… Natsuki here have…, ah… what?" Shizuka was really at a lost for words.

This didn't go unnoticed by Shizuru and her parents. Natsuki suddenly got a blush on her face and Nao grinned.

"I don't really like borrowing pup's clothes," she said before she sat beside Chie, which makes her directly in front of the blabbering Fujino. She smiled at the older sister, watched intently as the older woman eyed her and made a basic instinct move, which earned her a jaw drop from the gawking woman in front. "So Shizuru kaichou's twin is here, nice seeing you again." She smiled.

"Ah… no…," The blush on Shizuka's face intensified.

-maiuniverse-

Shizuru entered the kitchen after having enough of seeing her sister get flustered often, this time by Nao, who was getting back to her old self. She opened the soup she was simmering and her eyes widened, the soup wasn't there anymore… or to say accurately, the soup disappeared. She looked around and saw Mai smiling while stirring the ramen soup.

"Mai-san, have you seen the soup here?" Shizuru made that soup a special one for her parents. It was a mixture of foods and condiments that affects the brain's production of dopamine and ergots (increase to be exact), and she's using it as a vengeance for her parents teasing. And now it is gone?

"Oh the mixture there?" Mai said with a blush, "I… isn't it to be injected to those Ika balls?" she asked, "That soup really feels nice Shizuru… san,

"Mai…did you…?"

"Oh I tasted a bit, just one spoon…"

15 ml of this… Kami-sama… "So you injected…"

"I thought 1 ml for every ball will suffice, I tried and…" Mai shivered, "It was great and it feels good."

Panicked, Shizuru moved, "Mai-san, where are the Ika balls?"

"I put it on that sauce we made for it and served it at the bar… appetizer!" Mai said before blowing air from her mouth, "It's kinda getting hot in here. Is the aircon busted?"

Shizuru's eyes were wide.

-maiuniverse-

To Shizuru's surprise, the people at the living room were already served with the 'balls from heaven' and it seemed that the people were alright. Unless you disregard the hungry looks they were giving their partners or another person with no one in particular in mind. She inspected every saucer, each saucer has ten pieces of white balls and everyone seemed to have consumed only two at this time.

"Damage control…" Shizuru thought. So she went first to her mother's and tried to pry the saucer away, but her mother resisted and glared at her.

"What are you doing?" Ayate asked

"This is the wrong appetizer…" She said a bit loudly,

"The fuck this is?!" Nao said with a blush, "This is the best one I ever had in years!"

"I… I agree with Nao san," Aoi seconded and the rest of the people in the room nodded their heads, including her Natsuki.

"But…,"

"Come on Shizuru, I am enjoying this balls you made! Mai san keeps on complimenting it too! I think you bested Chen sensei with this one!" Shinichi Fujino said giggling.

"Kami sama, kill me now…" And her reverie was cut short by a hand snaking around her waist.

"This is the best ika balls I ever had," Natsuki breathed in her ears, before planting a kiss and nibbled the lobe.

"Natsuki…" Shizuru was defeated,

-maiuniverse-

Shizuru had put into research the amount of the chemicals she will need. The start of elation beginning after giving .5 ml of the mixture, and to reach the desired orgasmic effect, an amount that total to 8 ml is needed; the start and duration of the effect varies wherein, the efficacy period is from two to four hours, depending on the body's metabolic action, ergo, the faster the body metabolizes, the shorter the duration. The higher the metabolism, the earlier it starts. The potency also increases with the amount taken, without taking into consideration the first pass effect.

So one ball would mean that the bombarding of the brain with the reward chemicals starts, and in each bite, the elation increases, the brain and body desiring for more, hence, like a narcotic drug, the body craves for it… again and again.

Shizuka had eaten the 5th ika ball that night. She closed her eyes as the feeling of euphoria grasped her very soul. She made a loud moan as her body was rocked inside by tempestuous feeling. She held on to the couch arm rest as she started panting. She then opened her eyes to meet the green of Nao who was wearing the same expression.

She looked around and her eyes found her parents actually making out on the couch beside her. The taller woman she recalled as Chie was dragging her partner, Aoi she guessed, outside the living room and into one of the guest chamber. Mai was nowhere to be found as well as the little cat girl she knew to be Mikoto. Shizuru, her evil sister was standing at the back stopping Natsuki from undressing her there and then.

She looked at each saucer, and everyone had eaten their share of appetizer…she was the last one with Ika balls…

"Ara, Shizuka, are you not interested in those balls? I…" her mother said in between pants. She wanted to be disgusted and run away but where will she go? "…I may have a need of that…"

Should she give the balls up? She frowned, "This is my share okaasan!" she said and started eating the 5 balls left one after another. The last ball did it. She felt like something painful descended upon her, but it was pain not to shy away from instead, it was a pain that needed some relief, and it sends tingles down her spine and wreck havoc in her body…

'Kami… I'm going to…" She thought and closed her eyes as she felt the wetness in between her legs intensified. Still aware of where she was, she ran out and hid somewhere private but close. "Kami…" she panted as she tried to sit on the lavatory. Her reverie though was cut short when instead of cold, hard surface, she felt soft, hot one. She looked back to see green eyes looking at her with lust, "Kami…"

"So Shizuru's twin needs to get privacy too huh?"

-maiuniverse-

[Six hours later]

Chie, Aoi, Shinichi and Ayate Fujino, along with Mikoto were already sitting on the couch at the living room. Mai was sitting on one of the bar stool, to her right was Shizuru and to Shizuru's right was Natsuki who was still blushing.

The Fujino parents were not talking. They did have sex on the very couch they were sitting and though, everyone they think did the same, they feel angry that they gave in to it when they should be the one to stop it.

"Gomen…," Shizuru said, "I didn't mean to make a spectacle of this,"

"What were you thinking?" Shinichi asked her daughter irately, it was the first time Shizuru heard her father make that tone on her.

"The mixture I made was meant for you and okaasan only, I forgot to remind Mai." She sighed, "I was meaning to get you two for always playing on me, but… as I said, Gomen. I didn't mean for it to happen like this."

"Gomen," Mai said as well.

The two Fujino's sighed, "Well what's done is done." Ayate said looking at her youngest who was wearing a tattered dress, "So I guess you two did level up your romance huh?" that earned her a deep blush from Natsuki. Ayate smiled at the cobalt haired woman, but then she started looking around, "Ara, didn't you say that the concoction lasts up to four hours maximum?"

Shizuru nodded her head.

"Yes, I was wondering too…" Shinichi interjected, "Where is your sister? It's been more than six hours now?"

They got their answer from the sudden scream inside the living room toilet, "Ah… Nao…damn it, Shizuru… pants… unngh… I will kill you… ahhh, Naoooooo…"

Everyone in the living room eyed each other.

"Oh…" Ayate and Shinichi shrugged their shoulders.

-END-

I was thinking of writing a side story to this, M rating, what happened inside the lavatory room? LOOOL.

1 octopus (I think Ika is squid… )

2 Gut wrenching way of Japanese suicide, I think gut wrenching suffice the characterization of this word since it involves putting a knife in your gut and twisting it again and again until your intestines oozed out of your abdomen leading to your death. And take note, ANESTHESIA is prohibited! LOL

3 boss (I think? Correction please?)