DISCLAIMER: Nuh.
A/N: *sweatdrop*
Chapter 2
Natsuki didn't get to complete her mission the next day. Once again, she was up, showered, dressed and ready for school. She caught the lift with Takeda, met up with Mai and her new group of - dare she say it - friends, milling around with them before school began.
Only, when the bell did sound and everyone started to move, she opened up her timetable to find that she didn't have history at all that day. Not again until wednesday, in fact.
Damn.
Although that dismal fact forced Natsuki to temporarily put a hold on her plan to interrogate the strange Kanzaki she shared a desk with, it did nothing to stop her from seeing the girl around campus all day. And how could she not? The Kanzaki girl and her boyfriend were like a giant walking beacon around the school - when they weren't huddled together in their secluded little family group the attractive pair were walking to and from the Student Council Office, almost always shadowed by a covert group of girls with camera phones and the like.
Natsuki voiced her frustrations with that at lunch.
"Why do those people constantly stalk the Kaichou and her vice-president? I mean, I barely ever see the executive Kanzakis get followed around like that..."
Aoi giggled into her food at this and Natsuki blinked, wondering what she had said to cause such strange little smirks to appear on everyone's face at the table. Mai leaned towards Natsuki's ear.
"That's because everyone is scared of Suzushiro."
"Huh? Why is she so scary?"
Chie whipped out her phone and showed a certain picture to Natsuki. The new student had to exert an extreme amount of self-control in order to stop her mouth from dropping open.
There, on the screen, was Suzushiro Haruka lifting a lunch table above her head as a bunch of students cowered before her on the lawn.
"And I swear to you, Kuga-san, this wasn't photoshopped!"
"Eh?! How the hell did she manage to lift that thing?!" Natsuki didn't bother to hide the shock in her voice.
"Nobody knows," Chie shrugs.
"It was a new bench at the time and those boys there had been carving their names into the surface so she just strolled up to them and threatened to throw the whole table at them! I witnessed the entire thing!"
Aoi wrapped her arm around Chie and nodded, as if to confirm Chie's story. Natsuki didn't think it was even possible for a girl of Suzushiro's height and stature to lift a school desk, let alone a lunch table. As if to confirm her own thoughts, she looked over her shoulder at the Kanzaki table so she could have a good look at Suzushiro. What she didn't expect though was the Kaichou's eyes already fixed on her, the rest of her table including Suzushiro engaged in conversation while she alone had her head turned facing Natsuki, playing with a lock of her hair.
Another unexpected occurance was the quick action the Kanzaki girl took. Instead of blushing and looking away quickly like Natsuki did when she was caught staring the previous day, she straightened up her posture and purposely turned back to her table, fully ignoring the raised eyebrow Natsuki had sent her.
Although Fujino was no longer paying her any attention Natsuki continued to stare over her shoulder at the Kanzaki table, feeling a strange twinge of satisfaction when she saw the girl discreetly glance at her out of the corner of her eye before striking up a conversation with the Kikukawa girl.
"Oi, Kuga. What're you doing?"
At Nao's question, Natsuki turned back to her table to find that they had all been watching her the entire time she was occupied with the Kanzaki table. She shook her head and smiled somewhat weakly, coming off as more of a shy grimace.
"Uh, sorry.... what were we saying about Suzushiro?"
Nao continued to eye Natsuki suspiciously. Luckily for Natsuki, stare-downs were something she happened to be gifted at. She glared right back at Nao, causing the redhead to lift an eyebrow questioningly and lean back in her seat. She furrowed her brow and spoke,
"Don't get so fascinated with the Kanzakis, new girl. They're a bunch of complete weirdos, and they never let anyone close enough to their group anyway. If you're still so deperate, go and join that pathetic fanclub and you can stalk the freaks all day without shame."
Natsuki lurched forward and smacked her palms down against the benchtop.
"What the hell makes you think I want to stalk them?!"
"Tch, you've been staring at them ever since you first got here yesterday. It makes me sick."
Natsuki had her mouth open, ready to either snap a retort back to the now-smirking Nao or punch the smirk right off when Mai quickly leaned forward to block her view of the enemy girl.
"Hehe, now now Natsuki! That's quite the temper you have!" she laughed nervously, waving her hands as a sweatdrop made it's way down the side of her forehead. Natsuki glared at Mai for a moment, biting back an insult, before sighing with frustration and looking off to the side of the room.
Then, deciding that she needed to be away from Nao in order to cool down, the raven-haired girl stood up abruptly and gathered her rubbish, squeezing it into a ball within her tight fist.
"Be back in a minute," she mumbled under her breath, slinging her bag over her shoulder and proceeding to make her way over to the rubbish bin at the far end of the quad. As she walked away from her table, she could hear Mai, Chie and Aoi reprimanding an annoyed Nao for provoking Natsuki. It made her smile.
I couldn't punch her out, but at least I can get some comfort knowing she's getting nagged about it by the others.
Now in front of the trash, Natsuki threw in the foil and paper of her sandwich wrapper while casting another glance over to the Kanzaki table. Only to find that the object of what Natsuki worried was fast becoming an obsession, wasn't sitting in her spot anymore.
Where'd she go...
"Looking for me?"
Natsuki yelped and spun around, the sudden accented voice making her nearly jump out of her skin.
The oh-so-famous idol of her new school stood with a bright smile smirk? on her face, hands clasped behind her back politely and head tilted to the side in an amused, inquisitive fashion. Natsuki hastily regained her composure and adjusted the shoulder strap of her bag, willing her face to sink into it's visage of cool indifference when in actual fact her heart was still racing from the embarassment and suprise of being caught by the very girl she was looking for.
"Er - No. I was just putting my rubbish in the trash... what's it to you anyway?"
Smooth, Natsuki. Just bark right at her, why don't you. Baka!
"Ara, you're quite the guarded one. I do hope my presence isn't intimidating you?" Here, the girl ended her question with a drawn out inflection and a cheeky smile prompting Natsuki to snort and frown.
"I'm not intimidated."
"Well, then. I don't think I got to tell you yesterday, but I am actually the Ka-"
"I know. Fujino Shizuru, kaichou."
Shizuru let out the breath she'd been going to use for her introduction into a steady exhale, polite smile still fixed, but those eyes looking so amused. She studied the underclassman before her.
Natsuki continued to stand straight and gazed nonchalantly back at the Kanzaki, but her resolve was beginning to slip as she once again felt small and weak against those deep garnet eyes that were ruthlessly taking in every part of her. She barely noticed that as the awkward silence stretched on for a few more moments she began nervously digging her fingernails into her thigh.
".... Oh my, so you have been stalking me then?"
"Nani?!"
"I caught you staring at me yesterday, and now all of a sudden you seem to know my name. Ah, to think that even a girl who has only been here for a day and a half has already become one of my obsessive fans..."
Natsuki made a few choked sounds for a second before managing to defend herself with,
"But you're the Kaichou! Everyone told me who you were as soon as I got here! And I was only looking at you because I wanted to ask why the hell you had that... that panic attack thing in class yesterday..."
At this, the Kanzaki diverted her eyes off to the side and she straightened up somewhat uncomfortably before replacing the smile and looking back into Natsuki's eyes once again.
"...Fufufu, Kuga-san is quite easy to rile up. And you're very entertaining once you get going! Really now, I was not serious when I suggested that you were a stalker, although if I can get this kind of reaction out of Kuga-san every time I say so, then I think I'm going to enjoy sitting next to you for the remainder of the year, Mm?"
Natsuki's guard dropped as more embarassment finally overloaded her ability to mask her expression and filtered through onto her face, staining her cheeks in a mild flush. Her momentary weakness was immediately forgotten however when she saw the look that crossed the older girl's face upon seeing the blush.
It was the same one she had in class just before she left the room; Dazed, feral and hungry?
Before Natsuki could question it, the Kaichou blinked and raised her hand to her face, raking her fingers through her fringe as those inexiplicably darker eyes fixed themselves onto a spot beyond Natsuki's shoulder, a quick glance behind showing Natsuki a table full of solemn-faced Kanzaki's gazing right back at her and Shizuru.
Spinning her head back around to face Shizuru, she saw that the girl's eyes never once broke contact with the stares of her 'family members' as she began to move past Natsuki.
"It was very nice chatting to you, but I'm afraid I have to be going now. Lunch is almost over and I have a school meeting to attend"
Natsuki shuffled to the side as the taller girl brushed past her and rested a hand softly on her shoulder, against her neck, as she was passing her.
"See you in class next time, Natsuki~."
Then the hand was gone and the girl had moved off towards her table. Natsuki swallowed and felt a mild shiver travel down the length of her spine as she recalled the strange feeling that had come over her while the Kaichou's eyes had been boring her own. It wasn't... fear, to be exact. It was more like.... well, not bewilderment either. Natsuki identified it as being similar to the feeling one gets when they are exhilarated - heart rate accelerates and a surge of adrenalin rushes through the veins.
And why was that hand so cold?
Shaking off these thoughts, Natsuki heard the shrill cry of the bell signalling the end of lunch for everybody. Straightening her skirt as she walked towards her next class, her mind once again drifted back to the short conversation she'd had with the popular yet weird girl. And the way that her name had rolled off of the girl's tongue wrapped in that sultry accent...
Wait. When did I tell her my name was Natsuki...?
Once again rudely interrupted from her thoughts. This time because an arm was slung across her shoulders and she was forcefully pulled face-first into a large bossom.
"Natsuki! We have this next class together!"
"Gahh- No touching, Tokiha!"
"Hahaha, Natsuki are you blushing? Natsuki? Aww Natsuki, wait up! Don't walk so fast!"
She leaned against Takeda's jeep as she waited for him to come out of the gym hall. Class had ended just a short while ago, and the car park was rife with students conversing and piling into their vehicles. Natsuki sighed in frustration as one of her earphones fell out of her ear, roughly sticking it back in and fiddling a little more with the volume on her mp3 player. She never was a patient girl, even though she came across as so detached from other people.
Even amongst her new friends, she was still a tad shy and it came off as coldness. She just hoped that they chalked it down to new school nerves and didn't mistake her social awkwardness for being a frigid bitch.
A chorus of swoons and cheerful greetings floated over the volume of her music and caused her to look over towards the commotion. It was the Kanzaki group, all striding with their trademark confidence and sync towards their car. They nodded and smiled at the trail of students bidding them a goodbye, but didn't stop long enough to provide anyone with anymore attention than a fleeting glance and emotionless curve of the lips.
Tch, and I thought that I was detached.
It was enough to satisfy the fangirls and boys though, and no-one dared to venture any closer to the group who now hovered around their flashy car. The adoring students all turned their attention back to the conversations they were having beforehand and Natsuki was the only one left scrutinising the family. Well, specifically one tall and gorgeous girl from aforementioned family.
In that second, Natsuki accidentally managed to brush her wrist across the screen of her iPod touch and cause the volume to skyrocket. Jumping in suprise and wincing at the unbearably loud drums crashing in her ears, Natsuki swore and ripped the earbuds out before proceeding to adjust the volume back to a decibel level bearable to the human species. Hoping no-one had witnessed her embarassing mistake, she quickly swept her eyes across the car park and then back over to the Kanzaki car to once again fall upon.... huh? But she was right there...
"Ara, it's just too fun to sneak up on Natsuki like this."
A girlish yelp. Again. A pivot on the heel and once again a red-faced student faces a red-eyed Student Council President.
"H-how'd you get there?!"
"Hmm? I saw Natsuki in a violent tussle with her monstrous earphone tentacles, so I came over to check that she didn't need assistance."
Natsuki's eyes flitted from the girl, to the Kanzaki's car across the parking lot, then back to the girl.
Bullshit. She couldn'tve gotten over here so fast. It's.... it's impossible. But then how else....?
There really was something weird going on with this girl. Natsuki just couldn't put her finger on it. The girl put her finger on Natsuki, though.
The cold fingertip trailed down the side of Natsuki's porcelain face and down towards her collarbone before Natsuki freaked and jumped backwards. Eyeing the girl with bewilderment, Natsuki's hand shot to her neck where the perfectly-manicured index finger had just been.
The familiar rush of warmth. Her cheeks burned. Damn, why couldn't she control her blushing?!
The Kaichou, still leaning forward and with her finger outstretched, smiled cheekily at her.
"Ah, you fazed out for a second there, I was merely regaining your attention."
"O-okay..."
A moment of silence whilst Natsuki wallowed in her blush and Shizuru stood back to full height, leaning back against Takeda's car mirroring Natsuki at her side. Black locks were tucked behind an ear as a shy individual clutched at her mp3 player, arching an eyebrow at the Kanzaki now casually resting against the car beside Natsuki like she was some kind of close friend.
"So you just transferred here yesterday, ne?"
"Yeah..."
"And how are you enjoying the school so far?"
"Umm... I guess it's ok...." Why is she talking to me?
"Ah, good to know. Most of the students are rather friendly, so I shouldn't expect anyone to bother Natsuki too much."
How does she know my name?!
"I read it in your file before you transferred."
Viridian eyes widened and she snapped her head around to stare incredulously at the girl who looked quite suprised and guilty herself after the last statement. Slightly panicked ruby eyes met hers as she voiced her next question.
"How... how did you hear that? I didn't say that aloud"
A nervous smile and an attempt to feign humour.
"Fufufu, yes you did. Maybe you didn't realise it, but you definitely asked me how I knew your name."
For a split second, Natsuki doubted herself. No, no... she definitely did not ask that. She thought it.
"No I didn't, you... I didn't ask you that!"
A glint of something a tad more serious in those blood-coloured eyes.
"What are you suggesting then, Natsuki? That I read your mind or something similarly ridiculous?"
The accompanying smirk hid that moment of panic from the Kanzaki's eyes and her confidently amused look replaced it. Natsuki didn't know how to respond. How exactly did she think the girl could've heard her then? Mind reading is totally out of the question, so...
Natsuki shrugged. Shizuru's smile brightened. The tawny-haired Kaichou let out a short breathy laugh.
"Good."
After a moment, Natsuki dropped the wary gaze she had set upon the Kaichou. She was probably being overly defensive and strange towards the Kanzaki because she felt so nervous around her. She was still curious about the classroom incident. Ah, that's right. This is the perfect opportunity to question her.
".... Kaichou-san?"
"Shizuru." a bright smile.
"Heh... Shizuru... umm.... in class yesterday, you...."
A look of apprehension crossed the older girl's face. She sighed hesitantly, and Natsuki glad that the Kaichou understood her question without her having to describe exactly what she saw. What did she see, anyway? The Student Council President scenting her with a ravenous look across her face and a hand clamped over her mouth as if she was going to be sick.
Heh. Talk about mixed signals.
"Natsu-"
"Get away from her."
Both girls jumped slightly at the deep, threatning command that came from Takeda, who was striding towards the jeep with a stony expression on his face and a death glare directed right at Shizuru. Natsuki was taken aback - she'd never seen a side of Takeda that was anything more than mildly irritated, and even that was more of an embarassment thing because Tate had made a perverse joke that morning about Takeda "undressing Natsuki with his eyes" while Natsuki was in earshot and the class had swimming practice.
But now... now Takeda's expression was one of pure, unadulterated loathing.
And it was directed at the idol of the school.
Feeling the body shift beside her, Natsuki turned to see a grim-faced Shizuru push off from against the car and take a few steps backwards. She broke her staring match with the approaching Takeda and looked towards Natsuki while summoning one of those emotionless smiles she had so many times offerered to the other students.
"Kanin na Natsuki, but I must be going again. See you around."
By this point Takeda was already standing beside Natsuki and glaring at the back of the girl who had turned and was gracefully making her way back to the car of Kanzakis, all of which were looking very serious as they watched what had taken place between Takeda and Shizuru.
A click, and the passenger door Natsuki was standing next to was pulled open by Takeda.
"Come on Natsuki. Let's go."
Without waiting for her to climb in so he could shut the door behind her like he normally does, Takeda just left the door open as he silently marched around to the driver's door and climbed into the jeep. That serious look, one that was now quite similar to the one he had when Natsuki queried about his father's injury, was still frozen in place on his face as he turned on the ignition and roughly pulled his seatbelt across himself. Natsuki, strapping herself in, chanced another glance out of the car window and saw the tail lights of the Kanzaki's sports car disappearing down the road.
Now.... what the hell was going on with these people?
A/N: Terribly, terribly sorry for the lateness. Once again, I blame work. *points to work*
Please let me know if this chapter is up to scratch or if you think I'm heading in a direction you don't like and would like me to change it. Is the ShizNat interaction OOC? Is the chappie too short?
I value your feedback :)
Thanks!
