Death by Xbox!

Same night – Same time - Shizuru's dorm

Natsuki had just ran out of Shizuru's dorm room.

Mai turned to Shizuru. For once, she was ready to give the other girl a piece of her mind. "KAICHOU-SAMA! YOU IDIOT!" she yelled.

"That was a dick move Fujino," Nao agreed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Haruka smacked Shizuru's arm, earning a disconcerted look from the latter.

Shizuru rubbed her arm gingerly. "Yes, I acted like a jerk. It's all my fault. I admit it. Now, could you all just leave?" she said in a bored tone.

"No! I KNOW you acted like a jerk! I saw it all!" Mai snapped. "What I want to know is WHY you acted like one!" she demanded.

"The raid was interrupted," Shizuru answered as if that answer alone explained everything.

"Raid?" Mai echoed.

"It's our computer game," Yukino explicated further.

Mai was baffled. "You did all that for a computer game?" She couldn't believe it. She thought Shizuru was more mature than that. "Natsuki did the same thing and you got mad at her! Something doesn't add up here!"

Chie also expressed her confusion. "Yes, I also find it hard to believe that you acted the way you did just for a computer game Kaichou-sama."

Haruka chipped in her two cents. "Bubuzuke, I know you and Yukino are crazy about this computer game crap but I know you're not THAT crazy," she said. "You're head over heels for Kuga so why were so mean to her?"

Shizuru shrugged her shoulders. "Ara, did you not hear the way Natsuki talked to me? She's so rude and disrespectful. Why shouldn't I be mean to her?"

"Kuga's always been that way! Why are you complaining now?" inquired Haruka.

"Maybe I'm getting tired of her," Shizuru retorted.

"Oh, cut the bullshit Bubuzuke!" Haruka snapped. "That was some really good acting just now but I know you. I know how far you would go for this girl. Yukino and I tasted that first hand remember? Don't expect me to believe that you're mad at her for something as petty as a computer game because I don't buy it! Don't tell me you're tired of her like she's some passing fancy. We both know that's not true! What you did to Kuga just now was uncalled for. So cut the damn act and tell me what the hell is going on with you!"

Shizuru bristled when she heard Haruka's implicative words. They all knew that anything related to the Hime Carnival was a sore subject for Shizuru. The said girl looked like she wanted to argue but she didn't. Instead, Shizuru sighed deeply and started pacing while exuding an air of quiet distress.

"You better start talking Bubuzuke because I'm not leaving until you do," Haruka persisted.

Mai was also adamant. "That's right! We're not going anywhere until you explain yourself."

Shizuru still remained silent. Nao rolled her eyes. "Jeez, what's the big deal? Just tell us already."

Haruka was getting impatient. "I know how you can be borderline introverted Bubuzuke but you're going to tell me what's going on whether you like it or not!"

Shizuru stopped pacing. She breathed out another sigh while wearing an anxious grimace on her face. "Very well. I will explain but only if you all promise that this conversation doesn't leave this room."

"Fine," Haruka agreed and the others nodded hurriedly. They were all eager to hear what Shizuru had to say.

"There is a reason why I was a bit harsh to Natsuki," Shizuru said. She took a breath before she spoke again. "You are all aware of my affections for Natsuki, yes?"

Everyone nodded and Shizuru continued. "Well, I don't stand a chance with her. She had said so herself but she still wanted us to be friends ... ... That is something I absolutely cannot do. Maybe in the near future but not right now. I still harbor ... romantic feelings for Natsuki. I need to get over her but I can't do that if I'm around her every day. I thought of telling Natsuki about this but I know she won't have any of it. She'll probably find a way to keep me around. Every single day I thought about how I should solve my predicament and a few weeks ago I had an idea."

Shizuru went on. "My idea was that ... if Natsuki and I were to fight then she wouldn't want to be around me. She'd hate me and who'd want to be around someone they hate? So ... I decided to go ahead with this idea …" Shizuru rubbed her neck. Her uneasy demeanor showed how uncomfortable she was. In her own way, Shizuru was as bad as Natsuki when it came to expressing herself.

Chie was the first of the stunned group of girls who found her voice. "So your plan was to make Natsuki-kun hate you so that she doesn't want to hang out you?" she asked in disbelief.

Shizuru nodded.

Nao let out a loud snort. "What kind of stupid ass plan is that?" she said.

Shizuru gave a small huff. "I thought it was a very good idea. Did you not see how much Natsuki despise me now?"

Chie scratched her head. "Kaichou-sama, have you ever considered that you might be hurting Natsuki-kun in the process?"

Shizuru smiled bitterly. "In order to make Natsuki mad at me, I had to hurt her feelings somehow. It was inevitable. I tried not to be so cruel. I just took the video game issue and blew it out of proportion. As you all know, it's rather easy to get Natsuki worked up," she said with a small fond smile. "I ... I just need some time to myself. The sooner I get over Natsuki, the sooner I can be a good friend to her."

Shizuru went on. "I also hope that this will give Natsuki the opportunity to reach out to other people ... like Masashi-san. From what I gather, he is quite taken with her. He's a a good man. Natsuki deserves someone like him. If I'm around her, I'll only get in the way. Nothing good will come out of mine and Natsuki's friendship for now ... ... So I think this is the best."

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Chie asked.

"Until I can get over her," Shizuru answered simply. "I can also come up with more excuses to fight. Then there's graduation ..."

"Why can't you just tell Kuga that you want to be left alone?" Haruka asked.

Shizuru shook her head. "Because I know Natsuki. She would try to go out with me ... out of pity. That's the last thing I want Suzushiro-san," she said.

"Ooooo! I want to be so mad at you!" Mai snapped. She took a menacing step towards Shizuru while doing a strangling motion with her hands as if she was trying to wring an invisible neck. Surprised and a bit scared, Shizuru took several steps back from Mai. Haruka, who stood next to Shizuru also mimicked her actions. "I want to be SO mad at you," Mai continued. "But I can't because you're going through your own problems! ARRGH! Kaichou-sama you're such a big BIG idiot. Natsuki and you, you're both SO FRUSTRATING!"

Shizuru nudged Haruka, "Why is Tokiha-san so mad?" she whispered.

Haruka shrugged.

"O-Oi Mai, calm down. You're scaring us," Nao said.

Mai was still not done. "She likes you Kaichou-sama! There! I've said it. Natsuki likes you! She might even love you and I'm not talking about love between friends. I'm talking about the kind of love that's between the sheets!"

"She wants to be sex friends?" the confused Haruka asked.

Shizuru yelped in shock. "N-Natsuki wants to be friends with benefits?"

Mai slapped her forehead. "NO! Were you not listening at all! Natsuki loves you Kaichou-sama! LOVE! It's the intimate kind! Like love between Romeo and Juliet. It's a boyfriend-girlfriend kind of love! Natsuki WANTS to be your girlfriend!"

Shizuru still appeared skeptic although Mai just spelled everything out. "That's simply ... impossible," she said.

"HERE!" Mai shouted. She threw something in Shizuru's direction.

The other girl caught the object with ease. "What's this?" she asked.

"I took it from Natsuki's book bag. I brought it with me just in case something like this happened," Mai said. "It's Natsuki's notebook. Turn to the last page."

Shizuru did as she was told.

"Do you see it?" Mai asked.

Shizuru stared at the page briefly before replying. "Ara, yes. I don't know what point you're trying to make here Tokiha-san but this just proves that Natsuki hates me," she said.

"WHAT?" Mai squawked. "Are you serious?! Can you not see what's on there?!"

"Ah yes, I do see it," Shizuru reaffirmed. "I see several sentences in Natsuki's handwriting where she repeatedly establishes the fact that I am an idiot," she elaborated.

Mai walked over to Shizuru with a miffed grunt. "Not that! Here!" She jabbed her finger on a sketch located on the lower part of the book page. It was a heart with Shizuru's name inside it.

Shizuru stilled when she saw the rough drawing. Mai kept quiet and didn't disturb the frozen girl anymore. She knew Shizuru needed a moment to absorb everything.

Shizuru was staring at the image on the page. She stared hard at it. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. After a moment, Shizuru's intent gaze shifted from the page to Mai. She looked at the younger girl searchingly. "T-This is my name. It's ...written in Natsuki's handwriting," Shizuru uttered.

"Yes, it is. I caught her doodling that in class today," Mai explained.

"Kaichou-sama," Chie started. "This last few weeks has been hard for Natsuki-kun. She is very upset about this whole fight between you two."

"Oh, come off it, Chie! The mutt's more than upset," Nao growled. "Fujino, we all saw you in school today. You were walking down the hallway with your fan girls slobbering all over you. The mutt almost cried when she saw that! No ... scratch that! She DID cry! She looked like she just got done crying when we got to her house this evening! Isn't that right Mai? You were with her the whole evening weren't you?"

Shizuru's red eyes bore down on Mai. It was a silent request for an affirmation.

"W-Well … she ..." Mai was reluctant to say anything. She knew Natsuki wouldn't like it if she told anyone.

But Nao wasn't going to give Mai a chance to back out. "Don't make me get you banned from the Karaoke bar! Tell the truth dammit!" It might have been an empty threat from Nao but Mai didn't want to take any chances when it came to Karaoke.

"Yes she was. I walked back with her after school. Natsuki was in tears as soon as we got to her apartment."

Shizuru face became ashen when Mai confirmed. "I made Natsuki cry?" she croaked. "I never intended to make her cry. I wanted to make her angry but I never thought I'd hurt her to the point that she would-"

"Kaichou-sama, she is IN LOVE with you. How would you feel if the person you love is being really mean to you?" Mai asked. She wanted to get her point across but took pity when she saw how stricken Shizuru looked. "Your so-called 'plan' had one big flaw ... You mean more to Natsuki than anything so no matter what you do, she'll never hate you."

Mai could see a lot of emotions passing through Shizuru's face. The older girl was shocked, sad, hurt, aggravated and finally, it all settled to anger. Shizuru rolled her hands into fists. She brought one up to bludgeon her own forehead. "I'm so stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How could I make Natsuki cry!" she berated herself.

"Erm," Nao spoke. "Actually, Kuga looked like she was about to cry when she ran out of here. Maybe one of us should follow her."

"She was about to cry again!?" Shizuru exclaimed. She groaned and hit her head with her rolled up fist once more. "It's because of what I said, isn't it? … Oh! How could I do this to her? I'm such an insensitive idiot!" Then, without a warning, Shizuru bolted from her spot and out through her room entrance.

"Where are you going?" Mai asked but Shizuru was already gone.

"I'm going after her," Haruka said and ran out of the door-less entrance.

Nao followed suit. "Me too. I'm worried about the mutt," she said.

"Let me and Yukino-kun fix this door. You go after them Mai-kun," Chie said.

Mai could only give a small nod of acknowledgment before running after her troublesome friends.


Same night – Fifteen minutes before - Natsuki's Apartment

Natsuki finally let her tears fall when she got to her apartment. She closed the door and slumped to the floor for the second time that day.

Natsuki felt so incompetent. The rumor about Yukino and Shizuru dating weren't true. Things should have gotten better after that but instead, everything went straight to hell and it was all her fault. She was supposed to tell Shizuru about her feelings. She was supposed to reconcile with Shizuru but she ended up making things worse. She let her anger get the best of her again. Not only did she lose her chances of being together with Shizuru, she also lost the older girl as a friend. The thought of it made her heart wrench, the thought of losing Shizuru forever ...

Only now, Natsuki's mind was coming up with all the things she could have done to prevent this problem. If only she held in her anger. If only she wasn't so childish about her video game. 'That stupid video game!' Natsuki was reminded of the cause of all this. She didn't even want to look at her Xbox360 console. Ever since that fight with Shizuru, she hadn't touched it. This whole disaster started because she was addicted to her Xbox360. If she didn't have that in her life, this fight would have never happened and Shizuru would still be here.

With a determined grunt, Natsuki got off the floor and headed towards the TV station. She picked up her game console that was sitting next to the TV. The Xbox360 still had some wires attached to it but she roughly yanked them out. She walked to the window while holding the Xbox360 over her head.

'If I didn't have this thing … if this thing didn't exist in my life then I would still have Shizuru with me!' With that thought, Natsuki flung the Xbox360 out the window. Then she slammed her windows shut. She lived on the top floor of a two-story apartment so she was confident that the Xbox360 would shatter from the impact with the ground but she didn't care. That was the idea after all. She wanted to destroy the thing because of what it made her do … "I never want to see another Xbox ever again. Good riddance!" she declared.

Feeling minutely satisfied, Natsuki decided to head for her bedroom. The Xbox360 had done its damage. All there was left to do was cry herself to sleep and hope that she will feel better the next day. However, Natsuki didn't know how that was going to happen yet because right now, she felt like she could never find happiness again if there was no Shizuru in her life.


Same day – Around the same time - on the road to Natsuki's Apartment.

Haruka, Mai and Nao figured Shizuru would go to Natsuki's apartment. They were currently having a small problem with chasing down Shizuru ... they couldn't catch up to her.

"D-damn … that Bubuzuke ...why the hell … does she have ... to run so damn fast!" Haruka wheezed. She was jogging after Shizuru along with Mai and Nao. They had been running like their lives depended on it but Shizuru was still nowhere in sight. They were getting close to Natsuki's apartment. They just had to turn one corner and they were there.

"I see her!" Mai said

Haruka couldn't but she kept running anyways. They finally turned a corner. The three of them were now heading down the street towards Natsuki's apartment. Then Haruka saw her. Shizuru was zooming in the direction of the two-story building where Natsuki lived. Haruka was almost relieved until-

"What's that?" Nao asked. Haruka squinted. A square looking box seem to appear out of thin air. Haruka couldn't make out what it was but to her horror, Shizuru was going to run right under it.

"BUBUZUKE! WATCH OUT!" she yelled but it was too late.

She heard a loud metallic clunk. Haruka winced. She closed her eyes, not daring to watch. When she opened them a second later, she saw a crumpled heap of a human form lying in front of Natsuki's apartment building.

"KAICHOU-SAMA!"

"BUBUZUKE!"

They all dashed towards the injured girl.

"BUBUZUKE! ARE YOU- AHHHHHH!" Haruka was about to bend down and inspect Shizuru when the said girl's limp body sprung back to life. It nearly gave the blonde a heart attack. Shizuru was quickly back on her feet again.

In spite of the quick recovery, Shizuru's body was wobbly. "Bubuzuke! Are you alright?" Haruka held Shizuru's shoulders to keep her steady.

The other girl shrugged off Haruka's hands. "Ara, I'm quite all right Suzushiro-san," she insisted nonchalantly.

"Like hell you are! You just got hit by … by … what was that thing that hit her?" Haruka asked her two companions.

"It's an Xbox360," Nao said.

"Say what now?"

"You heard me. It's an Xbox360," Nao repeated. She picked up the broken console and held it up for Haruka to see.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Haruka asked.

Nao shook her head. "Heck if I know."

"Are you sure you're all right Kaichou-sama?" Mai asked worriedly.

Shizuru smiled at the three concerned girls. "Ara, it's kind of you all to worry but I'm quite fine."

The others were not convinced. "Does it hurt anywhere?" Mai inquired.

"Ara, I feel no pain whatsoever!" Shizuru said, backing up her statement with a thumb up. As if on cue, blood started to drip down between her eyes. While still holding her thumb up, Shizuru's body began to tilt backwards. Then, much like a cardboard sign being knocked down by the wind, Shizuru hit the ground with an audible thunk.

"AHHH! SHE FEEL DOWN!" Mai screamed.

"More like passed out! Oh man, she's bleeding like crazy too!" Nao jittered.

"DO SOMETHING!" Mai turned to Haruka who finally snapped out of her stupor. She was the only person around who could take charge and so, she did exactly that. Haruka assessed their situation. Shizuru was wounded so the hospital was their destination. Fuuka City didn't have an emergency hot line and Haruka didn't know the hospital or police station phone numbers. She doubted that the other two girls did. However, the blonde was able to come up with a quick workaround.

"We need to take her to the hospital. NOW!" Haruka instructed. "Tokiha, call Youko-sensei! She can pick us up here. She also has doctor friends at the hospital. She'll know what to do!"

"R-right," Mai said.

"Yuuki, help me carry Fujino," Haruka ordered and Nao unwillingly obeyed.

Shizuru let loose an agonized moan when Nao and Haruka propped her up. "No no … I must … Natsuki. I love …," she mumbled.

Mai stopped what she was doing. "Awwwww," she cooed, smiling affectionately at the semi-conscious Shizuru.

"What?" Nao and Haruka asked at the same time.

"Even when she's bleeding half to death, she's still thinking about Natsuki. That's so sweet!" Mai explained.

"THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE AWWING" Haruka hollered.

"Yeah! Go make the damn phone call already!" Nao groused. The red-head yelped when Shizuru's limp head suddenly came to rest on her shoulder. "Ewww, she's bleeding on me. Eww, blood! Blood! Oh, fuck … *burp* I think I'm gonna puke," Nao said. Her face was starting to turn an eerie shade of green.

"Are you for real?!" Haruka exclaimed. "What the heck, Yuuki. You beat people into bloody pulps but you choose THIS moment to be faint-hearted?"

Nao glared at the blonde. "Hey! I'm not used to this much blood, okay? And I'm certainly not used to someone bleeding on me! … Damn ... M-my uniform is getting soaked. T-The blood's getting on my skin *hic* *burp* *gulp*."

"Ewww," both Haruka and Mai grimaced. Nao had stopped herself from barfing by swallowing her own vomit.

Haruka held up her hands. "Alright alright, don't throw up!" she said. "Tokiha, you help me carry Fujino instead. Yuuki, you go call Youko-sensei!"

Nao didn't complain. She was glad to be relived of that duty. She walked as far away as she could from the bleeding Shizuru. She didn't want to smell the blood but it was no use. Shizuru's blood had soaked through Nao's clothes and the smell of iron was making her nauseous. She wanted to throw up, bad. Nao was having to fight whatever that was attempting to make its way back up her throat. It was giving her the crazy hiccups. Despite feeling sick, she took out her cell phone and dialed school nurse's number. It was almost midnight so she had to wait a while before someone finally picked up.

"What?"a gruffy voice answered.

Nao frowned. The voice didn't sound like Youko. "Err, is this Youko-sensei?" she asked.

"No. Who is this?"

"The name's *hic* Yuuki Nao. I'm a student from Fuuka Gakuen?"

"Eh? Nao?! Why are you calling Youko so late?" Nao finally recognized the owner of the voice."Midori? Why the hell *hic* are you picking up *hic* Youko-sensei's phone?"

"Why are YOU calling her in the middle of the night?"

"No time to explain. Just put *gulp* Youko-sensei on the phone!"

She heard a sigh from the other side. "Look Nao, Youko had a pretty busy day. Can I help you with whatever you're calling?"

"No! Just *hic* get me Youko-sensei!" she demanded but rolled her eyes when she heard another sigh from Midori.

"You're obviously drunk, Nao. I'm sorry but Youko's too tired to be listening to your drunken rant. You can talk to her tomorrow."

"I'M NOT *hic* DRUNK *hic*" Nao shouted angrily.

"Don't lie. I can hear how drunk you are. Heh, I can practically smell the alcohol through the phone."

"Then you *gulp* have a friggin fucked up *hic* nose because I ain't *hic* drunk!"

"Yuuki! What's the hold up?" Haruka yelled. Nao growled. Stupid Midori was getting her sidetracked.

"Look Midori, this is important *hic*. I have no *hic* time to argue with you!" Nao said.

"Fine. If your phone call is so important then tell me what it's about. Just give me a quick summary of it. Come on, Nao. You can summarize everything in one sentence. It's easy! When I say 'go,' you're going to tell me everything in just ONE sentence, okay? Ready? GO!"

Nao didn't have the patience to play Midori's games but if that was the only way to get through to Youko then she had no choice. "An Xbox fell from- ... from somewhere! It hit Fujino's head! She's bleeding really bad. We need a ride to the hospital stat!" Finally, Nao had said it. Hopefully, Midori would now realize the urgency of the situation-

"That's not in one sentence ..."

Nao slapped her forehead. "DIDN'T YOU HEAR WHAT I JUST SAID!"

"I heard ya … and I gotta say, that was the lamest excuse I've ever heard!" Nao's jaw dropped. "You guys are probably out partying at the Karaoke bar. No use lying to me. I know Suzushiro's there, too. I heard her. You guys want a ride home so you're calling Youko, aren't you? You probably want her to come get you from the bar so she can pay your tabs AND drive you back to the dorm! Heh, well, not tonight kids!"

"That's not it *hic* you damn moron!" Nao objected but Midori wasn't listening anymore.

"Heh, Xbox fell on Fujino's head. Yeah right." With an infuriating snort, the line went dead.

"Damn it!" Nao dialed the number again but this time, the call wouldn't go through. "Shit! She turned the phone off!" Irritably accepting defeat, Nao walked back to her three companions.

"What's going on Yuuki?" Haruka asked.

"You don't *burp* want to know," Nao murmured. "Bottom line, she's not coming *hic*."

"We need to get Kaichou-sama to a hospital, soon," Mai said anxiously. "She's losing a lot of blood."

"Damn!" Haruka cussed. "All right, forget about Youko-sensei. Yuuki, hail us a taxi. We'll take Fujino to the hospital ourselves. We'll just have to figure everything out on our own once we get there."

And the three girls braced themselves for a long night ahead.