CHAPTER 3

It was sunny and warm in the garden of Kuga mansion. Shizuru and Akane were helping each other watering the flowers. Akane had always been kind to her, and was the only girl who cared enough to make friend with her.

It had been four months since Shizuru was taken under Mr. Kuga's care. Four of the five girls, who came before her, had already moved out. Mr. Kuga sent them to a school called 'Garderobe'. From the look of everything, Shizuru was convinced that her fate would end up at Garderobe as well.

Shizuru glanced at her only friend. "Akane-chan…"

"Yes?" Akane smiled.

"You're watering it too much."

Akane gasped. The shorter girl panicked, but the small smile from Shizuru managed to calm her down.

"It's all right. Let me help." Shizuru picked up the flowerpot and poured the water out.

"Thank you, Shizuru-chan."

Shizuru looked up at the window on the second floor of the mansion. A maid had told her that it was Mr. Kuga's only child's bedroom, which was vacant now. Mrs. Kuga didn't budge, and until Shizuru and Akane moved out of the mansion, the woman would not move back in. But it seemed that Mr. Kuga chose to do society some good over getting his wife back.

"Akane-chan. Do we all have to go to Garderobe one day?"

"Yes, it is Mr. Kuga's dream! It is a very famous school for training Otome. Only rich girls could afford to go there."

"But we are not rich." Shizuru frowned.

Akane grinned. "Mr. Kuga is. We're under his care now."

"Uh… Yeah…" Shizuru just nodded.

Unlike what Mrs. Kuga had predicted, Mr. Kuga had treated the girls with respect as if they were his own children. Shizuru knew in her heart that she should never object any of Mr. Kuga's wishes. She would not be here if it were not because of his kindness. Most of all, she loved when he taught her how to read and write. She could write a name now. 'Kuga Natsuki' was the first name Mr. Kuga taught her. He must have missed his daughter dearly.


Years passed by so quickly. Shizuru and Akane grew so close to one another. They were like sisters now. Everyday after reading and writing session with Mr. Kuga, the girls would go out fishing or swimming together at the lake. Things had never been better for Shizuru.

But good time never lasted. It came particularly hard when Akane was finally enrolled into Garderobe, following the other girls' path. Akane had gone for a year now, and Shizuru felt lonelier than ever.

"Can I come in?"

Shizuru, now fifteen years old, was sitting on her bed with a thick book in her hands. She looked up at the voice by the door. Her expression was as void as ever.

Mr. Kuga greeted Shizuru with a small, calm smile and took the time to observe his trophy. Shizuru had grown several inches taller and acquired a full-grown woman body, completely shredding off the boyish look she had four years ago. Her blonde hair bred into a darker shade and became slightly straighter as it grew longer. Her large crimson eyes looked bright and clear. Her manner was of those well brought up girls. She could read and write faster than any girl he ever cared for, not to mention how fluent she was in English and French now. Mr. Kuga kept taking in girls, yet Shizuru was still his highest achievement to date. He was more than disappointed when she failed the exam to get into Garderobe. She had always done better than anyone else.

"What are you reading?" Mr. Kuga sat down beside her.

Shizuru shook her head slightly. "I wasn't reading—just skimming through."

Mr. Kuga surely took note how cold the girl had become recently. He hardly ever saw her out of her room these days. Oddly, she became even quieter when she entered her teenage year.

"Don't be discouraged, Shizuru-chan. There's still next year."

Shizuru just shrugged, and Mr. Kuga knew full well that the girl couldn't care less about it. The source of her seclusion was far from failing to enter Garderobe, but it wasn't his place to investigate further. What must be done must be done.

"Certainly, you do know how important an Otome is. When you become one, you'll be highly regarded everywhere in the world." Mr. Kuga carefully observed Shizuru's indifferent gaze. He wouldn't be surprised one bit if the girl would suddenly leave his care and start her own life elsewhere. But he would not allow that to happen.

"I'll be sixteen next year, and that will be too old to get in—"

"Not if I can help," Mr. Kuga interrupted, grinning and holding her hands. "You'll repeat a year, but that's not a big problem. A lot of girls have to repeat their years. That just proves how good and tough Garderobe is!"

Shizuru slowly took her hands away. "But… but I'll never fit in with the girls there… I have nothing…"

Mr. Kuga studied her with great interest. The other girls couldn't be happier when he told them that they would be sent to Garderobe. But Fujino Shizuru was different. The taciturn girl never forgot who she really was.

"You have me," Mr. Kuga said firmly. He waited until the girl looked up and their gazes met again. "I love you more than any girl I have helped. Trust me and my good will. I always wish you the best, my child." He patted her shoulder and then left the room, leaving her some space and time to think things through. But he was sure that he had already won this game.

Love…? It was the first time Mr. Kuga spoke this word. Shizuru felt a lump in her throat, unable to bring herself to object this time. All her reasons were undermined by that love she never knew.

Everything had then gone as expected. At this time next year, Shizuru was enrolled into Garderobe with the highest exam score ever. Even her lack of proper physical training was exempted by the principal. For better or worse, Fujino Shizuru was to make history, that much Mr. Kuga was certain.