"Should you choose to study an extra year under our wing to understand your duty as a Column and accept Fumi-sama's decision, and then the recently voided Third or Fourth Column position will be given to you based on your accomplishments and talents as well as the Bewitching Smile Amethyst GEM."
Shizuru sat in her room recalling what she had been told when she was called to the Gakuenchou's office.
She sighed, about to pour herself some recently brewed tea before she heard a knock on the door.
She opened it and lost her voice.
"Hey, Shizuru..."
Natsuki Kruger stood with a pair of elegant pants, her hands almost digging holes in the pockets and a white corset underneath a matching black coat with gold trimming.
"N-Natsuki?" Shizuru cursed herself for stuttering and then smiled genuinely at the intruder of her mind.
Natsuki blushed from the smile she given and stopped fidgeting, "how are you?"
"Oh," Shizuru felt foolish and stepped aside, "please come in. You know you don't have to knock you have my key after all."
"Yes but I've been gone for a month so... "
Shizuru giggled, shutting the door behind them and then admiring Natsuki.
The attire suited the girl very well, and Natsuki's hair was longer – past her shoulders now. The same hairclip was shining the light of the room and those hands finally came out of the pockets to let the coat come off of her shoulders.
Shizuru blushed and walked forward, trying to get her mind out of the gutter.
She decided to pull one of her teases and grabbed Natsuki from behind.
"I missed Natsuki's blushes!"
Presumably, Natsuki blushed brightly and groaned.
"Shizuru!"
Shizuru giggled and grabbed Natsuki's hand after, leading her to the table and forcing her to take a seat while also stealing her jacket to toss on her bed.
"I just made tea, Natsuki has very good timing."
"I hate tea," Natsuki complained half-heartedly because Shizuru was already pouring it.
Shizuru raised an eyebrow and offered the glass. "One day Natsuki will love it, so I shall train her."
Natsuki huffed and accepted the hot cup.
An awkward silence fell upon them.
"Listen Shizuru... I was wondering if you would let me, er, stay in your room tonight?"
"Stay?" Shizuru felt her heart pound and noticed Natsuki's eyes water.
"Yes... I just..." She took a shaky breath, "I can't see Mai right now."
Shizuru felt a scowl try to etch it's way to her face but she suppressed it.
"What's wrong, Natsuki? You can tell me."
Natsuki buried her face into her palms and sniffed.
"It's all my fault!" She hissed as if she was disgusted with herself. "Mai's been nothing but a great friends and I ruined it!"
Shizuru reached across the small table tentatively, patting Natsuki's head though wishing she could hug her right now and sooth her worries away with kisses...
"Shizuru," Natsuki lifted her face, eyes laced with pain, "I... I took advantage of her kindness."
Shizuru's hand stopped its gentle caress and her breath hitched, eyes wide.
"Of course she would reject me... she doesn't – she doesn't think of me like that! I'm such a bad person for what I did."
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Rumours were wild the next day.
The top two corals who dropped from numbers one and two to nine and ten in their month of absence were back.
They were back and not talking.
They were not sitting together in class.
Natsuki was seen coming out of Viola's room in the morning.
What had happened.
Shizuru watched from her spot with a few girls of the Pearl class to where some Corals sat.
Mai seemed completely fine, but ir also seemed kind of forced. And Natsuki was nowhere in sight for lunch time.
Last night, Shizuru had asked Natsuki to tell her what happened and Natsuki had told her.
Natsuki Kruger liked Mai Tokiha as more than friends.
Shizuru had been heartbroken as she heard Natsuki's confession but at the same time so relieved that Natsuki had her own heart broken.
Shizuru let her eyes be drawn to one particular Coral with Mai – Laura or something – and let her gaze wander the girl's body.
She was Shizuru Viola; she broke hearts – not the other way around.
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"Shizuru," Natsuki handed her a box and Shizuru's heart melted, "this is for you... thanks for everything you've done. You've been a great friend."
Shizuru felt her heart melt at Natsuki's blush but it also pained at the reminder that she was only a friend.
"Sh-Shizuru-oo-onee-sama!" A blushing Coral interrupted them at the door and Shizuru cursed her little 'date' that she made with the cute Coral.
Natsuki frowned, "Lara-san?"
"N- Kruger-san..."
An awkward silence.
Natsuki shrugged, "see you later Shizuru."
She turned and went back the way she came leaving a confused Shizuru and a blushing, embarrassed, jealous and excited Lara.
As Shizuru invited Lara in and opened her present she read over the note Natsuki had written her and almost cried. She would have cried had she not had the company but Natsuki's gift of a tea set from her homeland and the sweet heart-breaking letter reinforced Shizuru's resolve.
She placed it down and walked over to Lara, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist and pulling her close.
"Lara-chan, sorry to keep you waiting."
"I-it's okay Shi-Shizuru-onee-sama!"
Shizuru,
Thank you for helping me when I was weak. I must have been a nuisance to you, but I would like to let you know that I've decided to move on.
My sister needs me to be strong and Mai and I have had a talk concerning what has happened. My father would have not wanted me to let such things get in the way, and I have you to thank for being there for me.
Whenever you need me, I shall be there.
N. Kruger.
"Ah! Onee-sama..."
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"We got back on top pretty quickly, eh Natsuki?"
Natsuki chuckled at Mai's enthusiasm.
"Of course," she flipped her hair back in a snobbish manner.
Mai laughed, grabbing Natsuki's hand and settling on the grass – ignoring Natsuki who flushed at their joint hands.
"You know, ever since you confessed to liking me I started to realise all the little glance you would shoot my way. I can't believe I never noticed before – I mean-"
"Shut up Tokiha!" Natsuki growled in embarrassment.
Mai giggled letting go of Natsuki's hand and pinching her cheeks, "Shizuru's right you know, you're incredibly cute when you blush!"
"Mai!" Natsuki rubbed her cheeks, "can't we enjoy finishing as Corals?"
"Of course we can."
"Then I think the only way I'll enjoy is if you STOP TALKING!"
"Ara ara, Natsuki is so loud on my special day."
"Shizuru!" Natsuki blushed again, sending Mai a warning glance as the number one Coral laughed at her outburst.
"Aren't you going to congratulate me? I'm sure Natsuki got me a present, hmm?"
Natsuki scratched her head.
"Eh? Present?"
Mai's laughter died down and she poked Natsuki's side. "Natsuki got you a present alright Shizuru."
"Did she?" Shizuru sat down on the other side of Natsuki and leaned close to her ear, "may I have it?"
Natsuki blushed at the breath in her ear but searched her pockets with a grumble, smiling when she finally found a slim black box tied with a ribbon and gave it to her graduate Onee-sama.
"Thank you," Shizuru accepted the box with her heart racing faster and smiled at the sight of a pure silver bracelet.
"Ara, it must have been expensive."
"So?" Natsuki flushed more, "you better accept it, unlike Mai who wanted me to return her present!"
Mai put a hand to her chest where a gorgeous necklace hung and pouted, "well you're not taking it back now! I love it."
Whatever.
Shizuru removed the bracelet and let her thumb stroke across the fine metalwork. She had always had an eye for shiny things and this was very well made jewellery.
"Natsuki, can you put it on for me?"
Natsuki blushed and put it on and Shizuru giggled, loving the cool feel of it on her skin.
"Here is your present."
"Oh no, Shizuru, I never got you anything – I only got Haruka a cake!"
"It's quite alright Mai-chan," Shizuru giggled and placed a box of candy in Mai's lap.
"Where's mine?" Natsuki pouted.
Shizuru suddenly glomped Natsuki into a tight embrace.
"Shi-Shizuru!" Natsuki squeaked.
Shizuru let go of Natsuki and then smiled at her.
"What the hell?" Natsuki growled.
"That was Natsuki's present!"
Natsuki's jaw dropped and Mai burst out laughing while Shizuru continued smiling at her before she stood up and walked off.
"Come to my room tonight after dinner, please Natsuki?"
"Shut up Mai!"
Was all Shizuru heard over Mai's obnoxious laughter as Natsuki finally understood she had been played.
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"So, you excited to be a Column?"
Shizuru shrugged, "I do not get full privileges yet, but yes, I am very excited."
Natsuki sighed, "Una wants me to consider... her position."
"Natsuki!" Shizuru gasped at this.
"I... I haven't told anyone else Shizuru, but she will probably tell you since you're to work with her."
That meant...
"Mai doesn't know?"
Natsuki shook her head.
"No, she doesn't. For some reason I don't wish to tell her either... and I think I might accept it."
Shizuru wanted to reach out and touch her hair but stopped herself.
Why was it that even after the girls she had slept with, Natsuki still was true desire?
"Since my father passed away I have no reason to return as his Otome and as Gakuenchou I'll have more power of my homeland than even the President himself in case something were to happen to my people back home."
Shizuru stayed quiet for a while before she offered her opinion.
"I think that Natsuki simply wishes to be free and strong on her own and uses her homeland as an excuse to feel unselfish. Am I right?"
Natsuki's yes widened at her before they dropped to her lap and she nodded as if guilty.
"Natsuki had no need to be guilty," Shizuru smiled at her. "If Una considers you for her position it was because Fumi-sama chose you, and if Fumi-sama chose you then it is because you are simply the one for the job. You deserve it, Natsuki. And you are not being selfish when you think of the power you will have."
Natsuki stayed quiet before a small, "Thank you, Shizuru."