Chapter III
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(Present)
"Good morning, mama!" Natsumi greeted, bolting out from her high chair in front of the island table to embrace her dark haired mother tightly.
"Ara, my baby only see her mama not me" Shizuru said sadly, obviously just teasing her daughter though Natsuki, who released a sigh, saw right through her. "My baby don't love me anymore" she added with a fake sob.
Seeing her mother 'crying' because of her actions, Natsumi paled and panicked. She released her hold on Natsuki and hugged Shizuru instead. Her eyes too started to water as Shizuru continues to sob behind her hands. Natsumi pinched her forearm as a punishment for making her loving mother cry. "N-natsumi is sorry kaa-san.." she said loudly as few tears started to leak from her eyes. "I love Natsuki-mama but I love Shizuru-kaa-san as well.. Forgive me kaa-san!"
Shizuru felt her heart warmed especially when Natsumi holds her and kissed her cheeks. She felt guilty though for teasing her daughter, enough to make the little girl cry. "I'm sorry Natsumi. Kaa-san is just teasing please stop crying."
Natsuki watched at the sidelines as the mother of her child and her daughter stayed in their embrace for a full five minutes before they eventually let go to have breakfast. Shizuru was seated at her daughter's right side while conversing with Natsuki at the other side. They often hold each other's hand and steal kisses from the other if they had a chance. The two young mother then laughed as their four year old daughter scolded them to stop flirting in front of their food. It made the couple wonder where and who taught their baby such word but dismiss the thought after a while as Natsumi talked about the boys and girls in her class.
Since there was a storm the night before, the brunette decided to not open the restaurant and give her employees a special day-off. Natsuki too cannot go to work since the streets are either blocked or damaged so she would just have to work in her small office. If she wants to work, that is.
They rarely have family time nowadays since Natsuki often busy with her work at the company so whenever they had a time like this, they made sure to make the best out of it.
Throughout the day, Natsuki played with her daughter anything the child's wanted to play, though it is limited to indoor games since it's still raining outside. They played house with Shizuru as well as tea ceremony in which the two brunettes deeply enjoyed.
After that, Natsuki watched as her four year old daughter scribbled and draw stuffs on a clear white pad. The little brunette clearly had a talent in drawing that even surpass Natsuki who at her age can only draw a basic stick house with minimum details whilst her daughter already know how to do proper outlining and shadowing.
It was just midafternoon when Natsumi fell asleep due to exhaustion. Natsuki deposit the child into her bedroom and tucked her in. She kissed the girl on the forehead, made sure that the blanket is covering her little feet before closing the door and started to look for her wife.
She found Shizuru seating on a recliner chair near a window, a small blanket on her lap, and seeping a steaming cup of tea. Her crimson eyes are staring outside and watching as the rain drops dripped down outside the window. "Deym! I'm so lucky I have a beautiful wife" Natsuki thought as walks closer, her eyes scanned the figure of her wife.
When she heard a footstep coming closer, she turned and smiled at the newcomer. "Natsuki" she speaks slowly. Her voice is soft that it brought tingles on the raven-haired's spine. She put down the cup on a table, extended her hand and motioned for her wife to come closer.
Natsuki felt herself fall under the spell of her crimson eyed goddess. She took the offered hand and without hesitation, stooped down so her face are leveled with her wife, then kissed Shizuru senselessly. It took the brunette by surprise so she didn't response at first but when she did, she didn't let Natsuki have the lead.
As her tongue fight for dominance, the brunette didn't even noticed that Natsuki already scooped her body from the chair and now carrying her body like how the raven-haired did after they got married.
Shizuru only noticed that she was not on the chair anymore when Natsuki parted and lips so she can see her foot step on the right place as they climbed on the stairs.
"Ara, my Natsuki is eager.." Shizuru whispered next to her love's ear. She snaked her arms around her lover's neck and buried her head below Natsuki's head. The dark haired beauty always managed to smell so nice even after a tiring activity. She then started to plant butterfly kisses on the creamy neck in front of her, successfully eliciting a throaty moan from her dark haired muse.
"Well of course," Natsuki said in her husky voice as she crooked her head sideway to give Shizuru more access to her neck. "With us busy with our works, we barely had a time for each other. It's only right to enjoy the pleasure this day had to offer, yes?"
Shizuru, who no doubt agreed to that, giggled as Natsuki speed their way to their bedroom.
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The moment Natsuki carefully laid her on the bed, Shizuru felt her body heated with so much desire. Her eyes follow Natsuki as the woman locked their bedroom doors and slightly dim the lights so it will give a sultry look to the room. Sometimes, they liked it when the lights are on so they can see each other's face clearly but for a reason, whenever it rains or the weather is not fair outside, they do it this way.
Shizuru didn't wait any time to waste to be right next to Natsuki. She flung her legs over the side of the bed and walked towards her unsuspecting wife, who at the moment closing the blinds of the window.
The brunette laughed a little when Natsuki squeaked when she felt an arms embracing her from behind. She then leaned her head on her lover's back, savoring the sweet scent that Natsuki's body emitting.
Natsuki slowly turned around so she too can embrace the brunette. They stayed like that for a moment before Shizuru lifted her head and Natsuki cupped her cheek.
They started it with a kiss. Just a simple but meaningful kiss on the lips.
The raven-haired's hands unbuttoned Shizuru's blouse one by one while the brunette is doing the exact same thing on Natsuki's blouse. After reaching the last button, they both pushed it off on each other's shoulder and slowly walked backwards towards their bed.
Shizuru groaned in frustration as her fingers fumbled Natsuki's jeans shorts button before the raven-haired decided to help her lover then open her fly.
Soon their cloths scattered carelessly around the room. Some are on the bed, some was thrown on a nearby night desk and chair but most are on the floor.
Natsuki's hands started to make their way lower, just below Shizuru's panty clad rear. She massaged the twin plump ass of lover as Shizuru moved her arms to encircled Natsuki's neck once more.
The brunette moan to their kiss as Natsuki keep kneading her ass. She felt herself being lifted to the ground when Natsuki grabbed the back of her thigh with ease. Instantly, her legs placed themselves around the emerald-eyed beauty's waist.
"Ahhh!" Shizuru moaned loudly when their lips parted to take the air that their body needed. She can feel the moist in between her thighs grew as Natsuki carry them to their bed. She then smiled at Natsuki as the woman hovered above.
"Doesn't this remind you of something?" Natsuki suddenly asked. Her voice is deeper than usual, sexier than usual. Shizuru tilted her head sideways while it leans on the pillow. "I'll give you a clue.. Italy..five years.. ago.." Natsuki uttered as she showered her wife's face with light kisses.
Shizuru tried to think what her lover meant but cut offed when Natsuki dived for her parted lips. She felt it again. The electricity that seems to flow down all over her whole body whenever her Natsuki is touching her or when she is near. The satisfaction it brought was so addicting.
"Na..Natsuki.." Shizuru called as Natsuki's mouth sucked on her erected nipple while her hand massage the other breast. Her eyes involuntary closed as another wave of pleasure hit her body. She unconsciously parted her legs wider and arched her back to offer more of herself to her lover. Shizuru can hear herself heavy pants like she had just run a thousand miles.
After some time, Natsuki's mouth switched her target and gave equally amount of attention to the other breast. Her right hand lightly pinched Shizuru's nipple, making the woman screamed her name once more. Her face then moved up to pay same attention on her wife's flawless neck, alternating in between licking, biting and sucking.
"Aah..Ahhngg..!" the brunette groaned as Natsuki sucked on her joint. She felt her body erupted when she noticed that her wife's hand are no longer on her breast but instead on hips, massaging it sensually and other are nearing her parted center. She lifted her hips lightly when Natsuki tugged her damped underwear of her body and throw it on the floor.
Natsuki mouth swallowed another moan from her lover when her fingers pressed on her lover's hard clit. It was hard as a seed but she knows the taste is sweet. She rubbed it slowly, then faster to tease her wife. Up, down, circle then press, this is how her Shizuru wants it.
When Shizuru's love juice oozed from her fingers, Natsuki moved her face down, placing wet kiss on her trails until her lips was on Shizuru's womanhood. She looked at her wife's lusty eyes and darted her tongue out to take a taste. Another moan echoed around their room as she licked the brunette's slit, sucking and nibbling her wife's precious nub.
"Nat…suki!.." Shizuru said panting as her dark haired lover assaulted her heated center with her tongue and fingers at the same time. The pleasure she's getting is too much but she shamelessly wanted to have more. She widen her legs again, slightly embarrassed as Natsuki lifted half her body from the bed without losing the connection they have. Even if the room is dim lighted, she can feel her face erupted as she see Natsuki's mouth next to her leaking groin.
She thank the gods that there's a storm outside the house and Natsumi's room is down the hall for she knew that her moans are getting out of control and getting louder and louder every time her wife's tongue force it's way to her dripping entrance.
She found her release not a moment later when Natsuki's put two fingers inside of her while her tongue continued it ministration to her throbbing clit. She watched as Natsuki clean her inner thighs with her own tongue instead of using a cloth or a tissue. It was sweet and quite endearing if you asked the brunette.
When Natsuki was done, she placed Shizuru's hips down on the mattress again and positioned herself above her wife.
Shizuru pulled Natsuki's face down to kiss the love of her life, tasting her own essence on the woman's mouth as she did so. She can feel Natsuki's erect member near her center when the she leaned her body lightly to Shizuru.
When they ended the kiss, they pressed their forehead together and smiled, as if to say that they are both ready.
Natsuki then straightened her back and placed her member next to Shizuru's entrance. She playfully moved the tip up and down, earning herself a smacked on a shoulder when the brunette suddenly bolted up before laying back down again, asking for Natsuki to just stick it in or she won't see her mayo collection again. Natsuki laughed nervously before placing a hand on Shizuru's hips while the other holds her rod. Then with a smirk on face, she slowly pushed her way inside the tight entrance.
"Aaaah.." came another moan from the brunette. She feels herself instantly full as Natsuki's thick member continued to push its way inside until it tip hits the entrance of Shizuru's womb. She didn't need to give permission for her wife to start moving since Natsuki knows that the brunette is also at her limit. Shizuru had to bit her lower lip when Natsuki pulled out only to ram it in again slowly.
Natsuki saw how her wife bit her lovely lip so she leaned down and kissed Shizuru passionately. They both moaned and groaned as she continues to pound in her lover. Natsuki did it slowly at first before picking up the pace when she felt a familiar pressure down at her stomach. Shizuru's walls are starting to tighten too, an indication that they both nearing their peaks.
"Natsuki..! more..faster..! aahhgn!..nngh.." Shizuru demanded. Her legs found themselves encircling Natsuki's waist while her arms are around her wife's shoulders. Her nails digs deeper on her lover's back as Natsuki did what she was told and thrust faster and harder. Now, Shizuru's moans are not the only ones that echoed throughout their room as their hips slammed on each other's hips.
"Aaah..zuru!.. I'm..close.. !" Natsuki groaned as she continuously shoved her member deeper into Shizuru's moistened cave. Her hands intertwined with her wife's as she pulled their body closer.
"Me..too!" Shizuru said in between a pant and a moan "I'm ..cu..mm..!.. Natsuki!." The brunette shouted as her body finally caved into the pleasure and released her sweet nectar.
Not a second later, Natsuki too found her release and loaded Shizuru's hot cavern with her seeds. Her body shook lightly as her member continuously filled her wife to the core. She then kissed her panting wife on the lips before slowly pulling her member out.
Natsuki laid beside her wife, who instantly leaned on Natsuki's shoulder. They are both exhausted but beaming with delight nonetheless. She encircled her wife's shoulder then placed Shizuru's head directly on her fast beating heart. She smiled as she felt Shizuru's hand started to caress her inked skin. Her wife, ever since she saw the tattoo, always caress it lovingly especially after their love making.
"Natsuki?" Shizuru suddenly called, her hand still touching her wife's toned stomach.
"Hmm?" the dark haired one hummed as she waved her hand on her lover's honey hair. She closes her eyes listened to her heart thumping and the rain pouring outside. Her member started to twitched again when Shizuru's hand dipped a little lower, just below her belly button.
Shizuru took her time to reply, indulging herself to the comfort that her wife's touch gives. She noticed Natsuki's body shift lightly, evilly smirking as her eyes stared at the awakening member of her wife, when her hand hit a sensitive weak spot near her belly button. After a minute or so, she finally asked what's on her mind. "What name would you like if we were to have a second child?"
Natsuki stopped her movement and opened her eyes. Blinking repeatedly as she thought if she just heard her wife's question right.
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(Five Years Ago)
The joy painted on Shizuru's face while she held her new born child burned deeply to her parent's memory. Both Masao and Setsuko stood beside their daughter's bed, silently weeping and thanking the god up above for giving Shizuru the strength to make it through.
"She's so.. little" Haru commented peeking at the pink robe protecting adorable niece. He meant to say the baby was so cute, so fluffy and huggable looking but he was rather shy uttering the words. Plus, he believed that it will ruin her cool and bad ass image if he say words like that.
"Of course she is, Haru." Her mother laughed, making the wrinkles around her mouth and eyes she acquired through the years visible. "Come closer and meet your niece."
Haru did what he was told and stood closer to the bed. He smiled as her sister touches his hand and placed it on top of her niece's covered head. "Hey there," he greeted, silently observing the pink tint adoring her niece cheeks as well as her tiny nose and lips. Too bad they can't see the color of her eyes yet but he silently hope that it will be the same as her sister. He's not complaining about the color of his eyes, since his mother and him have identical ones, but he would've like it if the baby had their father's red eyes.
"By the way, the bill have already been settled so we can leave any moment Shizuru desires to." Masao says while sniffing. This of course was noticed by his wife who giggled at him.
"Ara, Masao, are you crying?" Setsuko teased as she grabbed her husband's face when Masao averted his gaze.
"N-no! Of course not!" Masao silently roared since he didn't want to wake his sleeping granddaughter. "It's just allergies.." he additionally explained though it was useless since his love ones already laughed at his expense.
Thankfully, a soft knock on the door cut their mirth. The door slowly opened and came in the doctor who assisted Shizuru is giving birth. A good, calming vibe is emitting from her body as she closed the door and stood there for a while. She wasn't the doctor that was supposed to do the delivery, but since Shizuru labored earlier than expect, plus the fact the her original doctor is on temporary leave, the hospital called for a substitute.
"I see your having your family moment" the doctor said with a detectable foreign accent. She puts a hand inside her coat while the other holds a patient chart. She then smiled lightly at the family on front of her. "I'm sorry for intruding."
"Ah, no no doctor. You don't need to apologize, if anything, we should be the saying 'thank you' to you. Thank you for taking care of my daughter and granddaughter" Masao said as he bowed his head deeply.
"No need for that, Fujino-san. It was my job after all." The doctor said, bowing her head too as a sign of equal respect. She was still getting accustom to this tradition of bowing so she took longer to get herself right back up. When she finally does, her blue eyes found Shizuru's red-ones before walking towards the girl. "How are you feeling, Shizuru-san?"
Shizuru didn't mind the good doctor calling her by her first name so she smiled and said, "I'm feeling good. Thank you, "
"Oh how rude of me, I never said my name yet I tried to get familiarize with you" the blue-eyed doctor said to Shizuru. She already met the girl's parents after the delivery so this time she present her name to the young brunette, bowing her head a little before lifting the name tag sticking on her white coat. "My name is Alexa.. Dr. Alexa Searrs. I just transferred here last month from a different hospital." The doctor stated with a smile.
Shizuru smiled brightly at the blonde doctor. Somehow she felt comfortable talking to the doctor like they were friend before. She would have offered her free hand for a hand shake but then little Natsumi stirred on her sleep before crying. "Ssshh, there there.." the young mother cooed weakly, but the little child still cried. She looked at her mother, who understands her and took baby Natsumi from her grasp but the child still didn't stop.
"Can I hold her?" Alexa suddenly offered. She herself was shocked at her words but it somehow just flowed out. When Setsuko nods her head, she carefully reached for the baby and cradled the girl into her arms. Her hearth instantly warms as her eyes trace every inch of the new born's face. Looking at her made the blonde doctor remember when she first hold her daughter Alyssa. Her baby, just like Natsumi, cries like there's no tomorrow. Just then an idea popped to her head, she tried to do what always made Alyssa stop from crying. She hummed a song.
A hummed that instantly brought Shizuru down to the memory lane. It was the same song Natsuki hummed that night in Italy. "A-ara.. coincidence?"
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"Okay, careful now." The golden-eyed man said as he holds Shizuru's hands and help the girl to sit comfortably on her bed. He had just drive for thirty minutes from his work after learning that his friend will be discharge from the hospital. Naturally, Reito offered his assistance and drive the whole Fujino family back to their house.
"Thank you, Reito" said Shizuru. Her child is not in her room right now since Setsuko and Masao decided to keep their granddaughter for a while.
"Shizuru..I know that this is probably not the right time to ask this but..have you considered my proposal?" Reito asked from the other side of the small room. His eyes are pleading for the brunette to say 'yes'.
Shizuru whipped her head to the side to look at her best friend's golden-eyes. Like what her father said before, they had been friends since they were kids and by then she already knows that Reito harbors romantic feelings for her. If he would have just directly asked this before they went to college, before they went to Italy, and before she met Natsuki.. "No..I can't think of her now.."
Seeing the troubled expression on Shizuru's face, Reito inwardly sighed. His hands that was placed on his laps clenched into a fist. "Are you thinking about Natsumi's father? Don't tell me you're still hoping for him to come back to you?" he asked. He didn't have to hear the brunette answer verbally, her shocked face says it all.
Shizuru averted her gaze and fall on the floor between them. "I'm sorry, Reito.." she later said.
Reito shook his head. "No, Shizuru. I wouldn't give up easily on you.. I may not be Natsumi's father but I am willing to be a good one for her, if you would just,"
"I can't do that to you. You deserve better than me.."
"Just let me prove myself to you, Shizuru!" Reito almost shouted in frustration. Why is it so difficult for Shizuru to accept his proposal? He love her with whole of his heart, dammit. Besides, it's not like he would mistreat her daughter even if Natsumi is from a different guy, which by the way he still didn't know the identity. He tried asking the brunette about the father but Shizuru always evade the question. He thought of secretly going to Goriza and investigate but he doesn't know where exactly to start. "Shizuru, who is Natsumi's father?" he asked once more, feeling threatened and agitated about the current status of their relationship.
"Reito, I am feeling tired. Can we not discuss this? Also haven't I already told all of you to think of ..him as dead." The brunette said, glaring a little with Reito for being persistent. She leaned her head on the pillow and proceed to close her eyes.
"Alright. I'll let you rest now but please keep in mind that I'm still not giving up." Reito declared as he stood up and walked to open the door. He turned his head over his shoulder and flashed a smile at Shizuru, even if the brunette has her eyes close. "Rest well, Shizuru"
After hearing the door closed, Shizuru opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. She honestly thinking about accepting Reito's offer. She of course didn't want to let her daughter grew up without a father and she is sure that her best friend would be a great one, if given a chance. But then again she couldn't think of her falling in love with him. She doesn't love Reito romantically, that's for sure. The one she love, or loved as she convince herself, is miles away from them studying abroad and kami knows what else she had been doing for the past months.
Her eyes closed once more as tears started to fall from her eyes. The agony she felt when Natsuki left her that day at the train station, the pain she had when those painful words finally sink in, all of it came back to her mind. "I hate you … yet deep inside .. I still love you.. Natsuki"
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As if someone called out her name, Natsuki stopped on her tracks and looked back. Her eyes scanned the crowds, looking to particularly no one.
"Hey, Natsuki! Are you coming?" One of her classmate called. She waved her hand at the confused raven-haired, waiting for a response from the girl, before started to walk again when Natsuki nodded her head.
The dark haired beauty sighed inwardly as the thought of someone dear to her are on the arms of danger. She would just have to call her sister later.
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Months and months had quickly passed for the Fujino's and before they actually notice it, their little Natsumi is now turning three year old in just a few days. The child can be describe into many words, adorable and genius is one of just the few. The little brunette was able to walk, with small help from the others, when she hit her seven month. Not to mention her ability to remember things and faces she liked or not fond of. She also can utter some small words, words that she just heard from any one around the house or heard from the television, but still having some hard time in delivering it promptly.
Though what really amazed Shizuru the most is how her daughter looks. The little girl, even when she was a brunette like her young mother, looked like a carbon copy of her father. They have the same smooth curved cheekbones, small pointy nose, pale colored skin, pink pair of lips and shining emerald eyes.
Shizuru herself was shocked when her daughter first open her eyes. Innocent and pure emeralds gaze at her surprised crimson orbs. The father of her child was the first things she thought when little Natsumi stared at her and blinked.
She sighed inwardly as she pushed another thought of Natsuki to the back of her mind. She had moved on and she doesn't need the raven-haired on raising their daughter. Shizuru had done it for the last three years of her life and she would do it for the next years to come.
Since Shizuru never got the chance to finish college, she had work part time jobs, after part time jobs, just to make sure her daughter wouldn't suffer and had a comfortable life. She can't just rely on her parents knowing that the two cannot work like they've used to when they were younger. Haru also needed some support for his study since he decided to take medicine as he apply for college. Her brother, though a little troublesome as he is, had actually manage to get himself in a good college with a scholarship. He can't work on a part time job since his schedule wouldn't permit him so Haru had to ask for his parents some money to pay for the books and fees that the scholarship didn't covered.
"Kaa-san!" her little daughter called happily as Shizuru entered their house.
The young mother, though exhausted and tired, smiled brightly upon seeing her daughter make her way towards her. "I'm home, my Natsumi" she said as he embraced the child.
"Welcome home!" Natsumi beamed before kissing her mother on the cheek. "Uncle Reito is here!" The kid said before grabbing her mother's hand and led their way to the living room where a handsome golden-eyed man is seated in front of Masao. They both have pause their conversation as they sense a new presence near them.
"Oh, good you're here." Masao greeted her daughter and point at Reito "He wanted to offer you something"
Shizuru raised a quizzical brow and looked at her friend.
"Don't worry, I'm not here to propose to you again." Reito said when the brunette looked at him. "I'm here to offer you a job."
"Job?" Shizuru repeated, quite intrigue about the offer.
"The restaurant that I'm working will open a new branch. Though a smaller one. Anyways, they are looking for a female chef with great potential, creative and hard-working, so of course I had to recommended you." the handsome man explained before taking a sip on his tea.
"But I'm not even a chef-" the brunette reasoned but Reito countered her.
"But you are truly a talented one, Shizuru. You surely didn't finish culinary but we both know that the passion you have for cooking is even beyond my talent." Reito said, laughing a little as he mocked himself. "You're even better than me in cooking."
"Why don't you give it a try, Shizuru" Masao said, placing a hand on her daughter's shoulder and give it a comforting squeeze. "I say it's worth the try."
Shizuru stayed silent as she looked at Reito, then to her father who smile reassuringly at her. She then looked down when she felt a light tugging on the hem of her shirt.
"You can do it kaa-san!" Natsumi cheered as she smiled brightly at her mother once more.
"Ara, then I guess I should give it a try since my baby is cheering me on." The burgundy eyed brunette said as she lifted her daughter and kissed Natsumi on the cheek.
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"Welcome home, Natsuki-sama!" the servant of Kuga mansion greeted at the same time as a dark haired figure walked her way inside the house. The new servants immediately swooned as they take in the perfect image of their new master.
"Nee-chan!" a blonde girl suddenly shouted from above the stairs. The girl quickly scurries her way towards her older sister and almost tackle the woman to the ground "I missed you! Welcome back!"
"I missed you too" Natsuki said as she hugged her sister back. "Where's your mom?" she later asked as they separated.
On cue, the madam of the house emerged from the stairs where Allyssa came and embraced the dark haired woman tightly. "Natsuki! Welcome home!"
"Geez, you guys.." Natsuki whispered, embarrassed as their servants stayed to looked at their little reunion with hearts on their eyes as they stared.
Alexa kissed her adoptive daughter on the cheek and ushered the girl to sit down on their living room but halt on their steps when her husband's secretary called for Natsuki's attention and asked if the dark haired woman would kindly follow him to her father's study room.
Though irritated about the disruption, Natsuki obliged and followed the guy silently.
"Natsuki-sama is here now, Kichirou-sama." Her father's secretary announced before leaving the room and closed the door behind him.
Natsuki stayed silent as she looks around the room that didn't changed much after the years she had gone. She waited for her father to finish whatever the hell he's reading before walking closer to the wooden table.
"I want you to start working in three days." Was the first thing that her father said when he looked up to meet her eyes.
Natsuki inwardly snorted. She didn't expect much but it's still pissing her off when her own father didn't gave a single proper acknowledgment.
"You will be working as the new general manager of Rising Centre Shopping Mall for five months and if you succeeded bringing more profits, you can choose whatever position you wanted within the Kuga Corp."
"Rising Centre Shopping Mall?" Natsuki repeated.
"Yes, is there a problem with that?" Kichirou asked with a raised eyebrow. His eyes behind a pair of glasses bore to her daughter.
"I already have checked the stocks and analyzed the data about that mall and I must say that that mall should have been closed two years ago." Natsuki said plainly. "The location is no good. The shops current allotment is unwise. Hell, the structure of the mall itself is stupid.. Making a new campaign for a mall that's not even profitable anymore will only waste my time."
"Are you saying you can't pull it back up again?" her father challenged but inwardly pleased by her daughter's answer. He actually predicted that Natsuki would accept the challenge since she wanted to prove herself but Kichirou might have misjudge his daughter on this one. Apparently, Natsuki did some research about the company's assets.
"No, I'm saying I won't waste my time on something that considered a lost cause."
They both silent for a while, one thinking of another smart-ass retaliation and the other are thinking how much his daughter matured, business-wise of course.
"Very well." Kichirou said after a while. "I will give you list of projects that you can choose from later. You can freely choose whatever business you wanted may it be supermarket, shipping or food chain. You can leave for now."
Natsuki however stayed on her spot. "I wanted to handle food chain. A restaurant, if possible."
"A restaurant?"
"Yes"
"Are you going to build a new label?"
"No, I will reopen a Maiden's Den branch and make the business boom within a year-"
"Six months" Kichirou interrupted. He was a little bit pleased to see the fire in her daughter's eyes as she said this words. "I will give you six months to reopen that restaurant."
Natsuki nods her head to accept. "Six months it is then. Though I have another condition or rather conditions to add on our agreement since I think it's only fair for me to do that. You yourself add conditions on your convenient." she paused to smirk at her father's twitchy eyes. "You have to let me go and do what I want after I made it successful. No more blocking my communications with my mother, no more guards secretly following me around wherever I go, and definitely no more rich woman to date just to secure the future of the company."
Kichirou silently cursed his daughter. He removed his glasses and leaned his back on his chair to think about the condition Natsuki laid in front of him. It's not that much bad of a deal but if Natsuki did managed to pull up a dead restaurant label on ground, he will lose his heir. The confidence on Natsuki's emerald eyes somehow scares him. He doesn't know exactly why but he felt that Natsuki is playing him into accepting something that's utterly ridiculous but also possible.
"I accept." He said as he inwardly sighed. He just have to plan ahead if Natsuki actually made the restaurant alive again. He didn't stood up from his chair but he extended his hand for a handshake.
Natsuki looked at the offered hand but shook it after a while. "I know you would, father..I know you would." The raven haired already celebrates inwardly as she exits the room. "Well I already had a help from a friend. Now all I had to do is interview the chef she said she recommends."
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A/N: Just always, excuse the errors. I really tried my best to post it earlier than expected since lot of people like the story and left a review. Especially after chapter 2, where a smut scene is written (You bunch of perverts! LOL). It really gave me some motivation though! I'm still not used in writing smut scenes so if you find it poorly written, well, I guess I'm sorry?
Anyways, see next time. Review if you must!
PS: Difficult Decisions Chapter 14 might take time to be publish. After making over half of it, I thought I saved it properly but imagine my horror when I saw I didn't saved it at all and all that's was saved was the first three sentences. ( ) I'm still upset about it so I decided to put it on hiatus. Sorry guys.
