II – An Unlikely Pair

"So? You did it?" Nao asked over the booming music before taking another sip of her drink.

She placed it back down in the table with a clink and leaned on the foamy back of the booth. The girl placed her arms behind her head, acting like a pillow as she relaxed and looked over at her friend. Natsuki was much tenser than Nao, even if she only showed it by solemnly staring at her half empty glass and shaking the liquid around in it slowly. Her emerald eyes radiated exhaustion. They hadn't been out for that long, but this day was one of the girl's hardest to endure.

The only thing worse was what he left us… or Okaa-san's accident…

Of course, when she subconsciously compared the situations it only served to further her depression. She sighed and placed her palm up on her forehead.

"Yeah... not like it's a big deal though... At least not to everyone else except me," she grit her teeth.

"I mean, look at me Nao, am I really the ideal person?"

"No," she responded bluntly with a grin.

"Heh, you answered that too quickly for my liking," she sighed again.

"Anyways, you're right, I'm far from it... So why is it that I seem to be the only one who treats something as sappy as marriage with any dignity? It wasn't like I planned to marry anyone else and this gets in my way, but I still feel like I have to play the role properly. That's the downside to this. I'm not getting a business partner, I'm getting a wife and therein lies the trouble, I'm not responsible enough to take care of another person and I don't even want to be!" she slammed the table.

"But I can't bail! If I do I'll be just like-"

"Like Ryuue?" Nao finished, having put her teasing aside for the time being.

"I don't blame you for feeling like that. It's pretty logical."

"This is just so... messed up... I don't want to care about this, but because of something I had no say in I'm forced to feel like my worst enemy..." she took a large gulp of her drink.

"It's not even her fault, but I'm gonna end up taking it out on her."

"Who? Fujino?"

"Yeah. I mean, okay, she's a bit... weird... her personality switches way too easily to be someone of total stability but whatever, but I can't really judge her. Still, I bet she's a nice enough person and now she's stuck with me just as much as I'm stuck with her," she called the waitress over and ordered another drink.

"Do I detect a hint of empathy?" Nao asked with a sly grin, prompting the girl opposite her to sneer.

"Don't make it sound so dumb! I'm just saying that I don't know who she is, living with her is gonna be a stretch..." she took the beverage that was delivered to her.

"She could be nice, but she could very well be a pain... And now that I think about it, it probably will be a pain. I didn't expect her to actually be looking forward to this! I think she seriously likes me!"

Nao sighed.

"That is troublesome... she knows you don't right?"

"Yeah, I told her. But it just adds to the whole mess. Not like I'm homophobic or anything, hell I'm friends with you," she chuckled at Nao rolling her eyes, "But I won't ever feel that way about her, and then it's just another loveless marriage."

"Okay, so what do you hate more? Being forced into this or the possibility of turning into Ryuue?"

"Both I guess..."

"Yeah but I said which more?"

"Turning into him, I guess is what's worse... But it doesn't justify being roped into this! I don't even know why my mother would do that without telling me. I only found out I was supposed to marry their heir after she died... and Ryuue won't answer whenever I try getting in touch with him to find out."

Nao shifted her position to lean forward onto the table, deep in thought.

"Maybe it was the only way. I'm not saying Saeko-san was able to foresee her accident, that'd be weird, but as a precaution she did this, knowing you couldn't count on Ryuue for support. This way she was sure you would be in the hands of a successful business."

Natsuki stirred her glass again.

"Maybe. Who knows? It doesn't really matter anymore since I've already made the commitment. Argh, I don't even know where the place is. Can I crash with you tonight?"

Nao nodded.

"Thanks."

-0-

"What the hell!?" Haruka bellowed as she practically kicked down Shizuru's door and ran in.

"She did what!?"

Shizuru wasn't particularly stunned by this. She knew it was only a matter of time before parents spoke to each other and Haruka would find out about Natsuki's behaviour in the office earlier. That paired with her knowledge of her friend's temper from previous experience, the girl was perfectly content sitting in her living room sipping tea and leaving the blondee standing rather anti-climactically in the foyer.

Three... Two... One...

"Haruka..." Reito huffed as he caught up, bent over and holding himself up on his knees, "Couldn't you have at least waited for me?"

"You're too slow!" she barked, playfully smacking him on the back, albeit with quite a bit of force.

"But you're getting better!"

"Now now, Haruka, it's hardly fair to leave your husband behind," Shizuru finally spoke up, looking over at her pair of friends.

"I assume you both heard about the incident at my engagement?"

"Yeah! Where the hell is this girl! I'm gonna pound her until she realizes how thankful she is to be marrying you!"

Shizuru sighed; this was clearly going to take some work.

"One, I happen to love that girl so please no beating her; and two, she isn't here yet. I assume since she left in such a huff she's spending the night elsewhere."

"Do you think she ran for good?" Reito asked sincerely as he sat down on the couch next to her. He was about to reach out to comfort her when he noticed her odd expression.

She's smiling?

"No, she'll be coming back," she said calmly.

"It might take a while, but I know she'll come around... I... trust her..."

"Trust her?" Haruka sighed and sat next to her friend.

"Really Shizuru, she announced she was straight and then stormed off to God knows where. What makes you trust her?"

"... A hunch," she took another sip of her tea, "There are many things about Natsuki that remain a mystery. She may think she's a victim because of this situation but, and while I don't consider myself a victim, I too now am engaged to a stranger. I've fallen in love with her picture and what I imagined her to be like, and now that it's different it is strange."

By now Haruka had calmed down, leaning in a more relaxed position on the sofa. Even though she didn't particularly like where this seemed to be going, she knew deep down that Shizuru was smarter than her; so if she said this would work, she would agree. Still, she couldn't help but worry about her; she was in love with someone who now they knew probably didn't exist. The Natsuki of Shizuru's fantasies wasn't real, and both Haruka and Reito could tell that this was just a mask to keep herself together.

"Would you like us to stay the night?" Reito offered.

"We'll wait with you until she comes back."

Shizuru contemplated the idea. On one hand, she would appreciate support; but on the other, she wanted to stand up to this conflict on her own. Natsuki was her issue, not theirs, and she wanted to spare them her potential breakdown. She smirked inwardly.

Or rather, it would be troublesome for me to spend the entire night keeping up this ruse...

"I'll be fine for the night, but could I ask that you come by in the morning?"

"Of course," Reito replied, smiling to comfort her as he stood up, "We'll be here first thing after breakfast."

With that, the young man got to his feet and started walking to the door. He slowed his pace gradually until coming to a complete stop. He was waiting.

"Really Haruka, I'll be fine," Shizuru said, "Go home and relax, you can check on me first thing in the morning."

Despite this, the blonde sat still, persistently pouting at the thought of leaving her friend behind. Being so caught up in her thoughts, she failed to hear the boy's footsteps grow closer and was unprepared for his arms to reach beneath her and lift her. Haruka struggled at first, trying to be put down so she could stay with Shizuru, but after a playful grin the other two flashed at each other, she sighed and gave in.

Crimson eyes watched her two friends exit in each other's arms bitter sweetly; waiting until the door was firmly shut to free her thoughts. With a dark empty stare, Shizuru fell back onto the couch and sighed.

"... Cruel child..." she muttered, a lone tear sliding down her cheek, "... Making me worry about you when you've shown me nothing but malice... How can you? How dare you? Breaking my dreams like that..."

She sighed.

"... Truly a harsh teacher in the lesson of my greatest weakness."

She laid down on her back, clinging to a pillow.

"You've thrown me into confusion and I've only myself to blame... It was wrong to put so much emotion into this... but I couldn't help it," something sparked her, and she smiled again with hope, "I thought it was the way you blushed when you were nervous near me... but no... I've known it since long ago that we were soul mates... And I'm not going to let you slip away."

She fell into a whisper, even though no one else was present, as if she was talking to the biker herself.

"I'll let you know a secret Natsuki..."

I need you.

And she drifted off to sleep.

-0-

The next day came faster than expected. Shizuru had fallen asleep on the sofa and was uncharacteristically awoken by the sound of the doorbell with Haruka and Reito outside. The girl scrambled to her feet and tried to smooth out her clothing as best she could, but was still clearly disoriented. As soon as she let them in, despite her usual polite smile keeping her normal, her ruffled hair was not able to escape merciless teasing from the blonde.

"Seriously Shizuru, I've only seen you with messy hair once, and that was an accident..."

"Ara? What should I do then?"

Haruka sighed.

"Either be more careful... or lighten up and let it get messed more often... I vote for the second one by the way."

"Me too," Reito said, smiling despite Shizuru's groan and face palming.

"At least give me a few minutes to change-" she was cut off by the sound of a roaring engine.

Turning around, the girl was caught off guard by the sight of a midnight mane falling out of a helmet.

"Natsuki..."

Said girl hadn't yet looked in the direction of the house, but judging from her expression was none too thrilled about it. A part of Shizuru had hoped her mind would change overnight, but she was too logical to realistically expect that of her fiancée. Natsuki clasped her helmet back onto the bike and lifted a medium sized duffel bag off the back and over her shoulder. She still hadn't even gazed up at the house yet, even as she walked forward, putting her keys in her pocket; it was clear she was purposely trying to avoid the eyes that watched her intently. Gritting her teeth as she finally made it to the top of the porch stairs, now a mere foot from Shizuru, who was partially blocking the door. Wincing, she finally looked up and stared her destiny straight in the face, then pushed it aside rather roughly to get inside and find her room.

Just as Natsuki thought she was safe, a loud annoying yell hit her like a sledgehammer.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" Haruka barked.

"Treating Shizuru like this! You should be-"

"What?" the navy-haired girl asked bluntly; the part of her that wanted to run had run, and now all that was left was her instinct to fight.

"Tell me. What should I be doing? You don't even know who I am so don't try to tell me what to do!"

"That's fine because I don't give a damn who you are!" Haruka retorted.

"I don't care who it is, anyone who hurts Shizuru is gonna have to deal with me!"

"Hurt? Don't you tell me about hurt!" Natsuki screamed, now in full rage, having been prodded too many times in the past two days.

"Haruka please..." Shizuru tried to enter the fray but was ignored.

"I don't care if you're hurt by this, but so is she! And she wasn't even the one who hurt you! If you're gonna be shouting at anyone it should be your mother for getting you into this-!"

Emerald eyes shot wide open and Natsuki's body reacted purely in instinct; reaching out and grabbing the blonde's shirt collar and dragging her closer. The navy-haired girl bore her fangs as she spoke.

"Don't you ever... speak about my mother," and without another word she let go and turned away from Haruka, leaving her to be collected on her own.

The blonde wasn't one to be easily intimidated, especially by someone she already deemed inferior to herself. In any case, Natsuki retreated to the upstairs where she found a small bedroom; clearly for guests. She shut the door in anger and threw her bag across the room, letting it hit the wall and land on the bed. Natsuki paced around her room, looking for something to hit, or trying to find the courage to scream no matter who would hear. The girl had intended for a quiet return, hoping to slip between the cracks.

"But no! She had to gang up on me! Bring over her friends! Damn it, what is this? An intervention?" she finally swung herself around and delivered a clean back-kick to the chair in the corner.

Its back shattered and the rest of the pieces rolled across the floor, leaving Natsuki to breathe in silence.

Apparently this was all it needed to calm her to a stable mentality. She was able to breathe slowly now, losing the energy to fight and sinking into the floor.

-0-

"Haruka please, stop fuming," Reito begged, holding his wife by the shoulders to keep her from chasing after Natsuki, "Give her some space."

"Tch!"

"You were also out of line," he said, "Bringing Kuga-san's mother into this wasn't fair."

"I know okay I know! It just... gets me so angry!"

These two continued to wrestle verbally, gradually becoming quieter, while Shizuru was still standing off to the side. Her friend had fought a battle for her, but somewhere she wondered if there would have been one. Maybe if she had gotten to the girl first there wouldn't have been such an explosive conflict.

"I think it's best if you cleared your head Haruka," she finally said, "As grateful as I am that you stepped up for me, it is not good for anyone when you get so excited."

"I agree," Reito said with a nod, "We'll come back another time and leave Kuga-san to you. I'm sorry about this Shizuru."

"It's not a problem; I simply fear it may become one if they were to butt heads again."

Against her initial will, Reito managed to bring Haruka back to the driveway and drive back home. Shizuru watched as they sped off, calculating that the time it took for them to be out of hearing range would be enough quiet time for Natsuki. As soon as that moment came, she climbed the stairs to the second floor and walked down the hallway to the master bedroom.

The girl opened the door slowly, surprised to find it empty. She gave it a quick glance and also noticed that Natsuki's bag wasn't in here either, meaning that she had never come to the room in the first place. Leaving that area behind, Shizuru moved down the stretch of floor space until she came upon the only guestroom was a closed door.

She took a deep breath and reached out to the handle, but stopped herself as soon as she touched it. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all. If Natsuki needed her space it was probably best to not push her luck, being the source of the girl's stress in the first place. Shizuru's head dropped sadly, sliding her fingers away from the brass and turning to head down the stairs.

This act didn't go unnoticed by the navy-haired girl inside the room. Ever since she heard the car drive away and the footsteps coming up towards her she expected some grand heart to heart chat about romance or whatever. It made her wonder what it was that stopped Shizuru from entering.

"I guess I'll have plenty of time to find out..."