"This is Shizuru, She's the same age as you. And now you have someone to play with!" Natsuki's mother exclaimed!
Natsuki eyed the other girl, quirking an eyebrow at the girl's appearance. Natsuki turned to her mother "…She's the same age?" The dark haired girl asked sceptically.
"Yes of course dear, she's just small for her age, be nice" Saeko spoke.
Natsuki glared back at the smaller girl. Who had a huge smile plastered on her face. "Fine." She grumbled
Natsuki lets go of her mother's hand and stomped off to the playground. The dark haired girl looked back to see her small playmate giving her own mother a large hug, before sprinting in her direction.
The other girl stopped just before ramming into Natsuki. Shizuru smiled again. Natsuki stared at her with a confused expression. "W-why do you keep staring?"
Shizuru smiled again before speaking. "Natsuki is very cute. I can't help but stare"
Natsuki felt her cheeks begin to burn. "I am n-n…not Cute! I'm taller, which makes you cute!" Natsuki said, having felt like she won.
Her smug grin fell slightly when she saw the mischievous twinkle in the other girls red eyes. "You think I'm cute!" Shizuru squealed, flinging her arms around Natsuki's waist.
"Get off! That isn't what I said" Natsuki growled while attempting to pry the smaller girls arms from around her waist.
"Yes, it is." Shizuru giggled.
Natsuki finally managed to stumble out of Shizuru's hold. "No, I didn't," She said, sticking her tongue out at the other girl. Spinning around Natsuki raced to the ladder of the jungle gym. About half way up she glanced back.
Shizuru was still standing at the base of the ladder looking up at Natsuki. Placing her hand on the lower rungs Shizuru called up to the other girl. "Wait, don't run away!"
Shizuru watched the smile as the other girl began climbing again. Right before reaching the top she called over her shoulder. "Hurry up Shizuru. You're it! And you'll never catch me if you keep standing there!" Natsuki raced along the equipment, followed by her new friend.
Shizuru fell to the ground. Reito stood above her smirking.
"So the red-eyed demon can't fight back! Come on, where are the horns" he sneered.
The tawny-haired girl could feel the prick of tears beginning. When she'd seen Reito walk up to her she hadn't thought he'd go this far…but than again Natsuki was always with her. Reito kicked her bag into a puddle. He turned but before he could start walking away a figure slammed into him.
Reito hit the ground, Natsuki hitting him with closed fists.
"Don't you dare hurt Shizuru!" Natsuki yelled.
Shizuru leapt up, reaching for Natsuki's hand. She began to pull the other girl off him. "Natsuki you need to stop. I don't want you to get in troubled"
Natsuki allowed herself to be pulled off of Reito. The dark haired girl glared at him cowering on the ground. "Don't ever lay a hand on her or say anything like that again or I'll end you!"
Natsuki linked her fingers with Shizuru's, bent down and grabbed the other girl's book bag and walked off.
"Natsuki you didn't have to do that. You'll get detention again" Shizuru spoke quietly, looking up into Natsuki's face.
Shizuru felt the dark haired girls hand tighten. " I do have to. No one should s-say things like that to you" As Natsuki spoke a light blush began to adorn her cheeks. "Y-y…" Natsuki clenched her jaw "You don't look like a demon. You're beau-...Pretty, you're pretty. And When he said it I g-got angry."
Shizuru stopped walking. She could see the frustration on her friend's face. Natsuki's stutters only came out when she was nervous, but Shizuru didn't know why she would be.
Natsuki stopped when she felt her hand tugged. She turned her face bright red. "I care about you" Natsuki spoke, her eyes pointed toward to the ground.
Shizuru had to hold back her aw, Natsuki could be so adorable sometimes. Shizuru stepped forward. Wrapping her arms around the dark-haired girl. "I care about you to Natsuki. More than you know." She whispered the last part into the other girls shoulder.
Natsuki lay on her bed, staring at the clock. Shizuru was coming back from summer vacation today. Shizuru's train boarded at 3pm and then she was taxing from the station to her home. So Natsuki had decided to surprise her.
Shizuru had been gone for 3.5 months and Natsuki couldn't stand to wait for another minuet. Jumping out of bed the dark haired girl raced down the stairs, almost missing the last step and face planting into the ground. Collecting herself she quickly sprinted outside and leapt onto her bike and peddled off to Shizuru's as fast as possible.
Pulling to a stop outside the gates Natsuki buzzed and waited for a response. When Mashiro finally answered Natsuki couldn't contain herself. "Let me in Shizuru will be back soon!" She spoke in one breath.
Mashiro chuckled to herself. "Of course Natsuki."
Natsuki impatiently waited for the gates to open wide enough for her to ride through. She raced up the driveway. Stopping she laid her bike down beside the steps before plopping herself at the top. "Now, only 2 hours to go!"
The sound of tries crunching against gravel woke the dark haired girl up. Natsuki pushed herself into a semi-sitting position while she rubbed her eyes. Her head began to droop, causing her to lurch upright.
"My-my I didn't know Natsuki found my arrival so boring that she would fall back asleep…" Shizuru spoke in a sad tone, her hand coming up to cover her smile.
Natsuki's head snapped up. Springing to her feet she charged at the other girl. "Shizuru!" She yelled flinging her arms around her.
Shizuru laughed, wrapping her arms around Natsuki's waist affectionately.
Natsuki moved forward so she could hold Shizuru tighter, but when she stepped forward her foot slipped off the last step. 'I was on the steps still?' She thought.
She pushed Shizuru back by the shoulders so she could have a better look at her. And instead of looking down like she usually did she was staring up at the other girl, who clearly found something amusing.
Shizuru had changed she looked more mature. The baby fat had left her face. And as Natsuki's eyes trailed down she blushed a bright red when she noticed her chest had filled out quite a bit more than her own.
Shizuru grinned at the other girl. "When did my Natsuki get so small?" She questioned while attempting to hold back her laugh, when Natsuki's ice queen glared was directed at her.
"I didn't get small!" She said indignantly.
"So does this make Natsuki cute now?"
"N-No, I'm not cute!" She denied.
Shizuru placed a finger on her chin, pretending to mull over what had been said. Looking back down at her friend she spoke. "But, your logic clearly states that you weren't cute since you were taller. But, that no longer applies", Shizuru enjoying watching the blush that darkened Natsuki's cheeks.
"Shizuru!" Natsuki whined.
Laughing softly the tawny-haired girl stepped towards Natsuki, and pulled her into a tight embrace. She felt hesitant hands wrap around her and the dark head being laid on her shoulder.
"This isn't so bad with me being taller is it?" Shizuru questioned.
"No…" She heard the other girl say softly. Shizuru smiled, placing her cheek against soft dark hair.
"I missed you" Natsuki spoke.
"I missed you as well."
There was a calm silence between the two until Natsuki pulled out of the embrace. Natsuki looked up into red orbs, 'you can do this, you've been planning this all summer!' Natsuki said to herself.
Natsuki brought her hand up to cup Shizuru's cheek. "You are so beautiful Shizuru. And I love you. I'm in love with you." Natsuki watched as a blush rushed into Shizuru's cheeks.
The dark haired girl moved her free hand in a beckoning gesture. "I didn't think I would need your help for this," Natsuki spoke quietly.
Shizuru leaned down slightly, her face a full of confusion. "What do you m-"
Natsuki had raised herself onto her toes and pressed her lips gently to Shizuru's.
Lowering herself off her toes she saw Shizuru's eyes had closed. Natsuki chewed on her lip. Worrying that she had gone too far. Quickly pulling her hand away from the other girls face she stepped back.
"No!" Shizuru exclaimed grabbing Natsuki's retreating hand. "Don't run away…" Shizuru stepped forward closing the distance that had opened up. She smiled at Natsuki. " I love you to Natsuki… I love you more than you know" She spoke.
Leaning down she pressed her lips against the dark haired girls. Moving her hand to the small of Natsuki's back she pressed her closer to her own body. Natsuki responded to the more forceful kiss.
Finally, the two broke apart, huge smiles on both their faces.
Shizuru broke the silence. "I'm so happy Natsuki. I had worried that if you knew my feelings you'd have run away. But, now I'm so glad. Thank you!" She leaned in pressing kick kisses to the other girls cheeks, noes, forehead, and mouth before the other girl pulled back. Her face flushed bright red but adorned with a huge smile.