Title: Roommates Diary II - Double Date In Hell (Part II)
Author: ficeler37
Note: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.
Rating: PG
Word count: 1285

Summary: Natsuki finds Shizuru with the fangirls.

A/N : Thanks for all the friendly comments after my hiatus. Hopefully you guys will be thoroughly entertained by my latest story. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. At the same time, I feel kinda bad that I got so sucked into a certain scene which causes me to not move fast enough with my plot line. (Sigh) If you guys want to make me feel better, just laugh at some point of the story. (Grin)

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In order to save time, Natsuki decides to skip changing into the biker uniform and just rides to the destination in her high school uniform. It is not a surprise that her arrival at the gate of Fuka University creates quite a commotion. Male and female students alike swoon and faint at their spots as Natsuki jumps off her motorcycle in one fluid movement then tosses her hair back casually with one hand. Ignoring all the admiring glances being thrown her way, the girl with sharp emerald eyes marches into the campus with only one person in mind – the Kyoto-born newly elected FU student council president.

After walking along the main university road for three minutes, a thought suddenly strikes Natsuki like a lightning bolt out of the clear blue sky. Shit, I have no idea where Shizuru is. Natsuki, why did you never bother to figure out her class schedule? Think hard. If you were Shizuru, where would you go after class? Hm … The more Natsuki tries to put herself in Shizuru's shoes, the more she realizes how little she knows about her best friend. I vowed to get to know her better and what have I been doing for the past week? How does Shizuru put up with me?

"Hello, Kuga-san. What a surprise to see you here. Are you lost?"

Natsuki turns around and finds a familiar beaming face. "Hey Reito, do you know where Shizuru is?" No formal pleasantries, no informal hellos. But that's how Kuga Natsuki treats people that she can care less about. At the moment, only a certain chestnut haired beauty matters.

Reito merely smiles at her directness. After all, it's the people who do not speak their minds around whom he needs to be cautious. "Sadly I don't have the answer to your question. But I do have ways to find out. My advice is … follow the fangirls." He nods towards a group of girls running towards a far off crowded fountain with excited grins plastered on their faces.

"… Shizuru-sama is giving out midterm tips …" "… she is sooo beauti …" " … if only I can be …" "… I wish I am her …"

Bits and pieces of their conversations flow into the ears of Reito and Natsuki as a small fraction of Shizuru's fan club jogs past them. As a layer of dark mist overshadows the blue haired girl's twisted facial features, Reito only shakes his head, partially for the childish behavior of those girls, but most of all for the stubbornness of the girl in front of him. It is so obvious. Can't she see? Shizuru-san certainly has my sympathy.

"Time for me to follow the white rabbit, or should I say howling hyenas? See ya, Reito." Not even recognizing the hint of jealousy in her tone, Natsuki begins to head for the fountain in quick steps. Geez, finding Shizuru was easy. Why can't fangirls be one of those things that go away after graduation? (Sigh) Some things just never change.

Somehow the crowd seems to triple in size as Natsuki gets close enough that the tip of Shizuru's head is now visible from the edge of dense cluster. Amid the high-pitched screams, the Kyoto woman's melodious voice flows out like a cool stream under the heated sun and brings a smile to her face. But as she tries to make her way towards the girl who has been occupying her mind all morning, an even greater force seems determined to shove her back. Tired of continuing this push and pull muscle game, Natsuki decides to stand still and attempt to outscream everyone around her.

"OI, SHIZU … OW!" Before the lone girl in a high school uniform can finish her sentence, an unexpected elbow knocks the wind out of her lungs and disrupts her balance. Normally with Natsuki's excellent athletic ability, a little push like that will not even make her flinch. However a conveniently located rock under her right foot surprises her and causes her to fall on her back.

A harsh whisper resonates above Natsuki. "Go back to Fuka High School, come back in line when you've graduated and learnt some manners." By the time she looks up to see who the hell was bitching at her, nobody seems to be paying attention to her anymore. This is insane! Shizuru has to deal with these banshees everyday?

While Natsuki is lifting herself off the ground, the mass of people part like the red sea from biblical times and a slender figure emerges. Just as she pats her bottom to get rid of the dust, Shizuru pulls the younger girl into a fierce hug, which elicits audible gasps from the crowd.

I knew I heard your voice. Nobody says my name the way you do. "Are you ok, Natsuki?" The Kyoto woman in a sleeveless summer dress whispers into the long blue slightly tousled hair which smells of her favorite green tea shampoo. These girls have gone too far this time …

Wow, it's a miracle that she heard me. "I'm alright. Everyone is staring at us, Shizuru. You can let go now." Feeling uncomfortable under the dagger-liked glares coming from all directions, a blushing Natsuki squirms lightly against the warm embrace.

Shizuru tightens her arms. "Let them stare." Now I'm angry. Nobody messes with MY Natsuki in my presence. In slow motion, she twists her head around and takes off her mask in front of her fan club for the first time. Everyone is shocked to sense the killing intent behind that elegant smile that they habitually love and adore.

Now that Shizuru is doing exactly what I have always wanted her to do, why do I suddenly feel bad for the girls? "Hey, are you sure you want to alienate your fangirls like that?"

Returning her attention to the girl in her arms, Shizuru replies with a smirk. "Give them a day or two. They'll recover just fine."

Natsuki leans closer to the other girl's ear and speaks in a conspiracy tone. "Oh right, fangirls never die."

A lighthearted chuckle later, Shizuru lets go of Natsuki and turns to the petrified girls, this time with her usual graceful smile. "It breaks my heart to cut our time together short today, but unfortunately I have some prearranged obligations to attend to." Given the current state of the crowd, a stray dog catcher might mistake the girls as lost puppies and ship them to the city pound.

I gotta breathe some life into those bodies. "Ara, if it isn't Reito-san by the academic building." With their new target in mind, sparks rekindle in the eyes of fangirls. Everyone says their goodbyes to their beloved kaichou and rushes off towards a building not too far away.

"Poor Reito." Not an ounce of sympathy in Natsuki's voice.

"Don't worry about him. As my second in command, this is part of his job description anyways." An equally apathetic tone.

"Ha ha ha …" The two girls share a sweet moment of laughter, smiling and basking in each other's presence.

TBC.

----Omake begins----

Fangirls: ... ... ... ... ... ... Reito-senpai!!!

( , ) ( , ) incoming dust clouds ( , ) ( , )

Reito's spider-sense ... (cough) I mean, fangirl alarm system goes off with a blaring siren.

Fangirls: ... ... ... Reito-senpai!!!

Reito: If Shizuru-san could do it, I can do it, too. Greetings, oh gentle and beautiful ladies. Ara, if it isn't ...

Reito's inconvenient truth –

Body Location: Currently surrounded by a sea of unattractive individuals.

Reito: Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Fangirls: Reito-senpai!!! Catch us!!!

Reito's body flattens with a bone-crunching thud underneath the deadly combined weight of health-conscious fangirls.

----Omake ends----