A/N: HELLO IMPORTANT! That meaning you are all important and that this is an important authors note ^^. So you should probably know that this story is set before the prologue, and let me explain. The rest of the story from here on out, is from our OC's POV, and she needs a chapter or two to introduce herself, and its gonna be time that people get their minds from thinking with Hiei to thinking with her. So this is set, lets say, a week or two before the prologue? Well its before yukina and Kazuma get engaged, and that's what matters, I need to figure out how far ahead it is as a right; no more then a month though. So keep that in mind, Yukina and Kazuma not engaged yet, Hiei is still away, and now we are gonna get to know our woman-female-lady-original-character-person! OC POV starts now!
::Show You How::
I gotta tell ya
I'll make it better
But I know there's somethin' I needed to say
When I was out, though
Maybe you were better alone
I know I'll make it home
"mm..mm. thang, run a -mm.. Touch me- waaah!" Sitting up straight, still half mumbling words in English. Reaching over and turning up her 'alarm' she nodded her head along to the words she couldn't really follow. Sitting up in her bed for a few moments just listening to the music and clearing her head, she allowed her mind to relax while trying to wake up; she found it was the best way to prepare for the day. As the song came to an end and the next one started up, she gave a stretch and ruffled her already messed up blond curls. Falling to the side, letting her head hit the pillow once more she kicked her legs in the opposite direct so they would find the ground. With a soft mewl she was out of bed,
"A good morning so far, no doubt thanks to a great night." she grinned to herself at the thoughts of the night previous, but her grin dropped a little at the sight of the clock.
"Well, it would be a great morning if that thing was set just a few hours later." sticking her tongue out at the flashing 8:00AM numbers, she turned up the volume on the clock hoping it would bust the speaker so she could take revenge by getting a new clock.
With music filling her apartment she nodded her way to her bathroom, not bothering to close the door seeing as how that would muffle the loud music. She glanced at the mirror and let out a burst of laughter. She caught her pale green eyes gaze in the mirror and silently apologized to them under the sound of her giggling. They were slightly red where normally white and they were smeared with all sorts of make-up; glitter stuck in the corners of her eyes, eyeliner making dark circles, colorful mascara lines staining all around her optical area and even her cheeks, not to mention the other colorful shadows smeared up to her brow. Her small, lightly tanned hands covered her ajar laughing mouth, but she dropped them noticing the smeared red lipstick she had to also forgotten to take care of, and she grimaced at the sore feeling around her ears as she noticed all the dangling earrings she left in over night. She rubbed her forehead smiling,
"Nina, you didn't even intoxicate yourself last night. You aren't even old! You should know better; you are such a mess right now!" she wagged a finger at herself's image in the mirror, but couldn't keep her straight face.
She noticed her usual curls that she had fun 'bohging' fell flat and lost their spring. She praised herself quietly for not growing them out like she was always told to, because she would have needed to chop them off anyhow with how messed up her hair seemed at this moment.
"Yes, I think it's about time for a shower." nodded in agreement with the mirror, she went to strip, but noticed she was already nude. She let out a giggle looking back into her room noticing the strewed clothing on her floor, laughed, and stepped into her shower.
Sitting on her counter in a towel, Nina hummed along to the CD, still playing away, filling her small apartment with happiness. She was munching on a bagel, contemplating her day; She had to go into the shop sometime and work on the bangles someone commissioned her for, which wouldn't take so long since they weren't complicatedly designed. She also had to instruct a few lessons at the studio, but that was later in the afternoon. She could teach from two until five then grab a bus over to the warehouse where she could work on the jewelry.
"But what to do until then.." she pondered to herself allowed.
She then looked down at herself and snickered. She decided to get dressed before she came up with something and darted out of her apartment in only a towel. She could get a way with it once or twice or five times but she wasn't going to risk a sixth time. Nina hoped of the counter and bounced back into her room and grabbed the first shirt and pair of pants she could find. She stepped out of her room clothed, and realized she forgot a bra, but shrugged when she saw she had pockets on her pants.
She contemplated fixing her hair for a moment, but grabbed a bandana that was laying on a table and hoped it would keep her hair from frizzing to much. She didn't pull all her hair back with it so it unintentionally left her hair still falling around her face, but it also exposed her 13-place-pierced ears. Before she forgot, she quickly filled up the metal watering tin and made a round of her apartment feeding all her hungry flowers. She stood next to one of the window sills for a moment just admiring as the soil hungrily sucked up all the hydrating goodness she gave them. With that at ease on her mind, she was making her way out the door when she actually paused to decided what heals she wanted, but settled quickly on black ankle boots.
Nina locked the door to her home and clicked her way down the hallway of the apartment complex to the stair well which she quickly clicked down five flights and burst out the exit door. She took a big breath and exhaled. She was suddenly thankful for her wardrobe; it was only spring, but Nina was not one that was use to heat so the cut off tee she was wearing gave her a lot of room to breath, even if the buttons on the back were annoying to do up. The small floral pattern was just a plus for syncing nicely with the season.
With her hands in her pockets she made an audible sigh and sauntered down the side walk toward the flower shop she was found of. Smiling at the few strangers that gave her disapproving looks, she laughed inwardly as she kept walking.
"People can be so judgmental," she thought to herself shaking her head,
"I'm not dressed to obscenely; granted the shirt could be seen as slightly scandalous since it doesn't cover any of my stomach, and granted my plaid green pants were a smidge on the very tight side, can't they just admire my cute shoes?" she giggled allowed, "Maybe they don't like a girl hiding her height." she shrugged at that thought and just kept smiling at the strangers.
On her way to the flower shop she couldn't keep herself from buying a snow cone, or 'sweet ice' as the people here called it. It was by far the best thing she discovered that was legal since she came to Japan. It came just before the flower shop she stood in front of. Tossing the empty paper/plastic cone into a disposal, she wiped her hands on her jeans before opening the door that said 'Welcome' on it.
"Hello!" she greeted the owners of the shop when she entered.
The owners were an old couple; Ichigo and Mina Sano. The two were in their 60's and they were the proud parents of one son, a fine young man named Sasuke, who married, a lovely young lady named Amaya, and Ichigo and Mina were now proud grandparents of a beautiful little girl Nina got to meet on occasion whose name was Hana Mina Sano.
"Hello my dear, its been a while since you stopped by" Mr. Sano happily commented as he stepped from behind the counter putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Ichigo she was here last night before closing." Ms. Mina corrected her husband and moved to give Nina a hug, "How was your night dear?" Ms. Mina asked her, ignoring her husbands commenting on how it had to have been longer.
Nina smiled, "It was a lot of fun! It had been a while since I had a working gig at the clubs so it was quite exhausting."
"Oh that's right! You were all dolled up last night! To much make up if you ask me, but I suppose that's how the kids wear it these days." Mr. Sano quipped thoughtfully, looking at Nina with a slight sternness.
"Oh dear, she wasn't all hussyed up, in fact she looked almost ethereal with all the colors around her eyes like that!" his wife fussed at him, but smiled as she complimented Nina, who tried to thank her but was cut off by Ms. Mina's husband-
"Well there is no denying that the little Miss is a looker, blossom, but she is so naturally exotic that she shouldn't distract from her natural appeal." Mr. Sano tried to sweeten up to his wife, "She might make her future husband to shy to approach her!" he concerned looking to meet Nina's gaze.
"Non-sense! She needs a man who is strong enough to approach her with all her wildly antiques! If he can't handle a little crazy make-up, how could he handle her strong will and wonderful high energy life style?" Ms. Mina crossed her arms at her husband giving him a stern look.
Nina grinned at the sight of the two before her. They did this often around her; talking of a man for her, how fond they were of her, how strong they thought she was. Nina was always very flattered at their complements and fine thoughts of her. But however cynical it might seem, she loved to see them communicate like they do in front of her. To most it looks like they are bickering, but with every word they utter you can tell there is no ill-will between them.
Both of them were quite tall, and in excellent condition. Mr. Sano was a broad shouldered man, very angular in his face, and his chestnut brown that was just starting to grey hair was always tied back into a small pony tail . He wore large black framed spectacles that often shaded his light brown eyes, and his smile lines were the most defined wrinkling on his face, they were almost the only wrinkles to be spoken of really. He really wouldn't be someone most people would associate with the handling of delicates such as flowers, but all that need be would be to look at how he interacts with his wife and they would see how gentle he was.
Ms. Mina was slightly shorter then her husband, but she still had a good four or five inches on Nina even when she was wearing her heels. Ms. Mina had great posture for a woman in her age, it might have been better then Nina's. She too had very defined smile lines like her husband, but her forehead was also lined with, no doubt, years of worry; of what Nina couldn't speculate. Ms. Mina had very good vision, aside from her reading glasses she needed that hung from her neck, but you could always see the liveliness that danced in her honey colored eyes. She too only recently began to grey in her hair, but it only highlighted her very dark raven hair.
Nina kept smiling at the two as they discussed her in front of her, but snapped out of it when she heard the bell ding signaling there was a costumer. She cleared her throat and the couple broke out of their conversing and looked over at Nina. She smiled and pointed her thumb at the door where the other two looked over at. The happy couple smiling in unison greeted the costumer by name;
"Good Morning Mr. Shuichi!" the couple exclaimed.
Nina looked over her should to see who the man was that caught the couples affectionate attention, and her eyebrows rose a bit at the sight of him. He was tall, about as tall as Ms. Mina maybe, so about 5'9". He stood tall too, his shoulder back, but his presence calming and not threatening. His features were puzzling, his face was distinctly Japanese, but his hair was vibrant and red. It reached down his back, and he had it contained, pulled back at the moment. But his eyes, they were a deep green, darker then hers, but she could have seen eyes that green in Russia any day.
"Mr. and Mrs. Sano, a pleasure to see you." and the way he spoke was so formal and elegant.
Nina could tell that Mr. Sano and Ms. Mina were friends with the boy, "Boy we haven't seen you in what feels like years!" Mr. Sano exclaim, putting his fists to his hips trying to be stern.
"Well not years honey, but maybe about a year." his wife corrected once more, looking over the young man worriedly.
"Maybe that is where she gets the worry lines on her forehead from, this man?" Nina thought to herself looking up and down at this Shuichi that was walking toward the three of them now.
"Yes, I don't mean to make you worry Mrs. Sano,"
"Mina dear, call me Mina. With how long you have known me for young man, you could be calling me grandmother." Ms. Mina cut him off, lovingly nudging his shoulder.
"Yes Mrs. Mina" the young man said in response causing a small pout from Ms. Mina and a burst of laughter from Mr. Sano.
"But as I was explaining, I was very busy. But I should be back now for some time, and I wanted to bring my mother flowers. I would have gotten a bouquet from our garden, but I supposed that she would like the sentimentality of a bouquet from your hands."
Mr. Sano put an arm around the man's shoulders and clasped a hand on the opposing shoulder. "Right this way son!" Mr. Sano exclaimed and they were off to select a bouquet for this man's mother.
Nina was chatting with Ms. Mina and they got on the topic of the 'young lad'.
"So you've known him since his was a young boy?" Nina asked Ms. Mina.
"Oh yes dear. He was always in here with his mother, until she got ill, then he would come by himself for tips on gardening. He grew a rose garden by himself when he was just a boy, because he hoped it would cheer up his mother so she would get better."
"Well that adorable." Nina giggled, and Ms. Mina nudged her shoulder.
"Careful deary, no doubt if Shuichi is single Ichigo will try to set the two of you up." Ms. Mina warned, at which Nina laughed. But before she could counter that comment Mr. Sano waltzed over to the two women, his arm around the other man's shoulder, grinning.
"Well I got Shuichi all set with a lovely bouquet for his mother, and I think that I am just about famished! Aren't you honey?" Mr. Sano tried to prompt his wife.
She gave him a subtle look, but smiled, "Honey, we just ate."
"That was hours ago blossom, besides, we could treat these two young ones to an early lunch! They've got to be hungry by now."
"Its only 10:30 honey."
"That is time enough for brunch! If I know Shuichi he probably didn't eat much this morning, and hey! I bet Nina didn't either. By the way, Shuichi this is Nina, Nina this is Shuichi."
Ms. Mina sighed heavily, and Nina laughed softly. She looked up and caught Shuichi's gaze. He wasn't laughing, but his eyes sure were.
"It's nice to meet you Mr. Shuichi." Nina extended a hand in a greeting.
Shuichi took hold of her hand gently, "It is a pleasure to make your aquatints Ms. Nina."
Nina smiled sheepishly, "Hey pleasures all mine."
Shuichi smiled at her and they release their hands. Mr. Sano managed to shuffle them out the door but he was stopped from leaving by his wife.
"Well at the very least you two should grab something to eat, why not go together?" Mr. Sano insisted, his eyes pleading. Nina smiled when she caught Ms. Mina's exhausted gaze.
"I think that's a good idea Mr. Sano. Shuichi shall we?" Nina linked arms with Shuichi who seemed slightly confused, and she managed to sneak a peak at the gleaming look that over came Mr. Sano's face when he realized his plan 'worked'. When she was sure that they were no longer in sight of Mr. Sano she stopped.
"Sorry about that Mr. Shuichi, but I think Ms. Mina was about to get a migraine from all that energy Mr. Sano was putting into getting us to leave together." Nina explained hand twisting her curls behind her back.
Shuichi smiled at her. "I was about to do the same Ms. Nina, no worries."
Nina laughed and relaxed. "Well," she started looking down the street, "we could actually go and get something to 'brunch' on. That way if we see them later we won't have to lie to them."
Shuichi paused for a moment, and she corrected herself; "It isn't a date."
He laughed at her sudden correction. "Well Ms. Nina I suppose that is just fine."
"Great!" she began down the sidewalk but stopped before he could pick up his feet, "What about your flowers?"
"Mr. Sano is going to deliver them with his wife at their lunch break, he wanted to say hello to my mother."
"Well, that's lovely." Nina smiled slightly tilting her head.
Shuichi smiled back, "Shall we?" he said playfully extended his hand forward.
Nina laughed, "We shall good sir. Let me show you how to eat well around here."
A/N: So that is chapter one! Thank you everyone who has been commenting please keep it up! Sorry if it is to short _ I felt like I was getting repetitive. Next one will pick up right at their lunch brunching I thinks. But I just thought that was such a good place to end on. I really wasn't planing on including the title in the story but hey, it just flowed I thought.. If I am wrong let me know now!! Please review this in every way you can think of, more I hear the more I will write!
Its not a threat it's a promise x3
