A/N: It's been a while. Thank you for your support. Appreciate if you continue to leave a feedback.

To my bear...


Shizuru's POV

"Beep – Beep – Beep!"

The rhythmic and insistent signal of the reversing van broke the quiet peace of a beautiful Sunday morning. I cringed as I continued to gesticulate like a traffic warden, guiding the van through the narrow confines of the back entrance of the warehouse. The driver stomped on the brakes when I lifted my palm for him to stop. The vehicle lurched violently backwards as the engine was cut and I hastily leapt sideways. I immediately glared daggers at the redneck's reflection in the side mirror, while lifting my shoulders up, arms out in a "What the heck?" gesture.

"Sorry miss," the bearded man grunted as he hopped off the van, clearly unapologetic. His other passenger got off from the other side and started to unload the cargo. The driver approached with a clipboard in his hand. "Sign please." He grunted again, tapping the dotted line on the clipboard with his gloved hand.

"You could have damaged the paintings in there with your unique way of driving, sir." I chastised quietly, my eyes trained anxiously on the young man opening up the back of the van and lifting a large wooden crate out. I absentmindedly scrawled my signature on the clipboard, and the driver tipped the brim of his cap in lieu of an apology.

Waving my hands in resignation, I quickly directed them to carry the wooden crate into the store room, where it will be unpacked. The two men left soon after, eager to get away from the musky scent of wood, paint and dust.

I heaved a sigh as I placed both hands on my hips, surveying the work to be done. I had my hair up in a high ponytail, and in my paint splattered overalls and sneakers, all geared up for the rough work. It had been a crazy two weeks, preparing for this private exhibition held by Miss Maria Graceburt. First, there was the booking of the venue, arranging of the caterers and florists, and sorting through the invite list. Then the plane had been delayed due to bad weather, so there were more days of tensed nerves, and futile calls to the freight company. Maria was even on the verge of postponing the event and go apologizing to the President of Searrs Foundation. Thankfully she didn't. And now, when the shipment had arrived at Graceburt's Fine Arts and Gallery, I can finally start on my proper work.

I supposed I was naturally good at organizing things and managing logistics. My parents used to joke that my talents had already begun in my mother's womb when I timed my own birth so perfectly during the lunch break of her hectic schedule, so that she could finish her meal and still get herself to the hospital in plenty of time. Reito liked this aspect of me too, and liked to refer to me as his personal assistant, to my mild annoyance. Granted, I seemed capable enough to manage such mundane tasks like meetings and lunches, but this was not within my realm of interest.

Maria poked her head around the door as I unpacked one of the paintings from the crate, carefully peeling the bubble wrap off.

"They're here?" she asked, stepping into the dimly lit room.

"Yup," I replied, not pausing in my tasks. She hummed a little as she took a peek over my shoulder. She clasped her hands together in excitement and delight, and I couldn't help but chuckle when I tilted my head and gave her a sidelong glance.

"It's very nice of you to let me help you with your exhibition, Maria." I said, keeping up a stream of light chatter as my mind went into autopilot, unpacking the canvas. Maria smiled, "Midori speaks highly of you. And this is a rather delicate case of a budding artist's debut. I'm glad I have you to sort this out."

I smiled back at the older woman, sharing a moment of camaraderie. Both of us took a step back to examine the row of unpacked paintings propped up against the wall and illuminated by the single naked light bulb in the room.

"Hmm…" I exhaled thoughtfully as I crossed my arms, my eyes roaming the dozen or so slabs of canvas.

"Unique, aren't they?" Maria breathed. I nodded my head, a little heady from excitement, a little moved by the expressions of art unveiled and proudly standing against the wall.

"Are you sure the painter is a new kid on the block?" I asked incredulously, as I moved closer and squinted at the details. "I haven't seen anything quite like this."

"A little unorthodox in the strokes." Maria agreed, as she too stepped closer, putting on her reading glasses to scrutinize the works.

The currently unveiled painting was loud in the choice of colours. A lot of black and red tones were used as contrast, with splatters of navy blue, like runaway tears on the canvas. As I leaned sideways and cocked my head to appraise, the painting seemingly came to life and changed in perspectives. What I was looking at, was a masterpiece in 3-dimensional, where the movements of the appraiser would cast a different angle of view like an optical illusion. What was painted were golden gilded frames stacked at an angle one on top of each other, spiraling into dark oblivion, while a rivulet of garnet red streamed out of the central abyss, as if escaping from its clutches.

I crutched down to look at the scrawl of the artist's signature.

"Natalia Kruger," Maria introduced for me. "Winner of the first prestigious Fine Arts scholarship offered by Searrs Foundation."

"Searrs Foundation?" I queried. My mind automatically brought up the vision of a teenage girl with blond bangs and blue eyes, leaning into the warm fur of her gigantic pet dog. I smiled. "The one with Alyssa Searrs? I've only heard that her father is a great philanthropist."

Maria nodded, her attention now on the other canvas that I was unwrapping. "Joseph and I go way back. Before he became a successful businessman, we used to talk so much about contributing to the arts scene." She helped me to clear some of the wrapping that was trapped under the canvas. "That's why I wanted to open my gallery in New York. Back in those days, there's nothing like New York. The vibrant, exciting arts city."

We worked in silence, carefully unveiling all the eight pieces of canvas that had flown halfway across the globe to get here. Occasional gasps of surprise or awe punctuated our steady progress. When we were almost finished, I recalled what I had wanted to ask.

"I don't understand, Maria. If Searrs Foundation had wanted to offer a scholarship, they could very well pick a candidate here," I dusted myself as I stood up. "Why bother to go through the trouble to bring this girl here from Japan? And is she even Japanese?" I felt a strange bond to this faceless artist, who had come from my mother's homeland.

"This girl," Maria heaved a sigh as she stood, taking off her reading glasses and using its temple tip to point at the artist's scrawl again. "This girl is special to Joseph. He had been looking out for her for a long time. Don't ask me why, because he had always refused to say."

That piqued my interest in mystery girl. Ooh, I love a good mystery.

"She should be here anytime now." Maria continued to ramble under her breath. My head snapped up.

"Really, Maria? Like here? Now?" I asked while bouncing on the balls of my feet, feeling like a little child before Christmas. Maria looked amused as she turned to me. "You don't have to get so excited, Shiz. You have all the time in the world. Natalia's enrolled in SVA too."

"Wow." I mouthed. "I get to play senior to a mysterious celebrity."

Maria chortled, but a chime at the front door signaled that someone had entered the gallery. I gave Maria a smile as I wiped my grimy hands carelessly across the front of my overalls.

"Graceburt's Fine Arts!" I sang to the potential customer as I made my way out, stopping abruptly in my tracks at the sight of the newcomers.

A waif-like girl with dark long hair was pushing a wheelchair inside, where an older version of herself was seated. She had the most amazing green eyes, like emerald rocks glistening beneath the aquamarine surface of a still lake. Her aura spoke to me in ripples and waves, gently swirling around her like a halo.

"Green," I breathed out, without meaning to.

"I beg your pardon?" The girl asked, eyebrows raised and a hint of red blossoming across her pale cheeks.

"Oh, where are my manners," I bustled forward, right hand outstretched. "I'm Shizuru Viola, you can call me Shiz. I'm currently helping Maria out with the exhibition."

A slender, cold hand slid into mine, and my eyes made contact with the stranger's, who seemed a little shy up close. I noticed the bandages that ran up the length of her right arm, but I chose not to comment on it.

"Kruger. Natalia." She gave me a small, uncertain smile.

I held on to her hand a little longer than was polite, then broke out of my trance and clapped my hands together excitedly when I recognized the name, startling the poor girl before me. "You're that artist! The star of our exhibition!" I exclaimed, getting a little emotional. Who would have thought that this scrawny girl, dressed in a simple black dress standing before me, was the artist that Maria and I were raving about earlier?

I took a step back and scrutinized her with my finger propped under my chin. There was something strangely familiar about this girl that I couldn't quite place. My eyes took in her slender frame, her dark silky hair and features again. I seemed to make her uncomfortable, for she squirmed a little and her cheeks took on a fresh burst of pink, which I found unbearably adorable.

"Have we met before?" I found myself blurting out.

Natalia looked confused for a moment, emerald eyes darting nervously at me. Maria chose this moment to come through the back door. She too, was taken aback for a moment, before regaining her composure.

"Maria, this is our little artist, Natalia Kruger." I beamed at the girl before me.

"Welcome, welcome!" Maria said, as she greeted the girl with a hug. "I hope you had a good flight? Have you checked in to the hotel?"

"Um." Natalia cleared her throat awkwardly. "I just wanted to drop by first, and see that the paintings have arrived?" I noted that she spoke clearly, with nary an accent that I had expected for someone coming from Japan. There were so many things I wanted to know about her!

"Just so, Natalia. The paintings just arrived and Shizuru and I were unpacking." Maria assured her. "Come, is this your mother?" She asked, gesturing to the lady in the wheelchair who had not spoken through the commotion.

"Uh, yes. This is my okaa—I mean, mother." Natalia answered, and I caught the nervous look she shot at me, before turning her gaze back to Maria. The corner of my mouth quirked upwards. Does she really find me so unsettling? I wondered to myself.

"Mrs. Kruger," Maria bobbed her head at the woman, who nodded rigidly in return. Natalia returned to the woman's side, but not before I noticed that she was limping ever so slightly. The trio left me in the foyer as they ventured to the back room where the paintings were now hosted.

"Green." I affirmed to myself, exhaling softly. Green like the leaves dancing in the golden sunlight. Green like the endless grass prairie in my countryside home in Chelsea. Green like the earthy fragrance of my favourite tea, with tiny leaves floating in my ceramic cup.

How do you know someone you've never met? I mused, as I followed them inside.