Sitting in class, Shizuma felt her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. Carefully and slowly, she pulled it out and read the text message.

Can I see you tonight? Miyuki

Quickly, she typed an answer.

Sure. Can you come over at 8?

Impatiently waiting for an answer, Shizuma doodled in her notebook. Finally, her phone vibrated again.

I'll be there.

Smiling happily, the young woman stuffed the phone back in her pocket and tried hard to concentrate on her class.

Several classes and a study group later, Shizuma unlocked her door. It was already 7:45, the study group having taken much longer than she had expected. She considered calling Miyuki and asking her to come later, but decided against it. Miyuki would have already left her house.

Only ten minutes later, a soft knock came from the door. Shizuma opened the door and pulled Miyuki into a hug.

After their hello's and how are you's, Shizuma offered her friend a glass of wine before they moved to the couch and sat down.

"Shizuma…I've been thinking…I mean, I can't…"

The green eyed woman took Miyuki's hand. "What is it?"

Her friend took a deep breath. "I can't stop thinking about Friday night. I dream about you, I wake up and still feel your hands and lips on my body. And I've thought about what you said. I don't want my life to continue like it is." A pause.

"When I was with you, I felt alive again for the first time since leaving Astrea Hill." She turned to look at the other woman.

"And now I'm here to find out if you would…if you want…" Helplessly, she broke off.

"Now you want to know if we could continue this…affair or whatever it'll turn into?"

"Yes. What do you say?" A worried expression crept onto Miyuki's face.

Smiling, Shizuma took the wineglass out of Miyuki's hand and placed both glasses on the table. She leaned forward and softly kissed her friend…her lover.

"Yes. I want to be with you." She whispered when their lips parted.

Miyuki pulled her close, kissing her deeply. Hands began to roam, clothing slipped and shifted, until the brown eyed woman suddenly pulled back.

"Let's go to your incredibly sexy bedroom", she suggested quietly.

"Okay. But let me light the candles and the incense first. I'll get you in a minute."

Miyuki patiently sat on the sofa, until Shizuma came back and held out her hand.

"Come along, beautiful."


"It's wonderful, Hiro. We meet whenever we can manage. It's been going on for months. I don't think Asuna suspects anything."
Shizuma and Hiro were walking through the park, each of them licking an enormous ice cream cone.

"I saw him two days ago. He said his marriage was going along fine and he hoped to get his wife pregnant soon. An hour later, he had some blond American woman hanging onto him."

"Do you think he sleeps with all of them?"

"I don't think so…He invited me to a dinner party at his house next Wednesday. I'm looking forward to meeting Miyuki."

"How about we go together? I've been invited, too."

"How come you were invited?"
"I don't know. Asuna's secretary called a few days ago and asked me if I wanted to come, to keep Miyuki company, considering both of us have nothing to do with business."

"Well, I'd be honored to go with Tokyo's most beautiful woman."

"Hiro, you're going to make me blush."


The following Wednesday, Hiro came by Shizuma's place, dressed in a black tuxedo. He parked his car and entered the foyer, where Shizuma was waiting for him. He whistled when he saw her, dressed in a silver gray ball gown, with a corsage top, decorated with rhinestones, and a flowing skirt.

"You look gorgeous, honey."

"Thanks. You don't look bad yourself." She smiled.

"Let's go, we don't want to be late."

When they arrived at the Toyotomi villa, Daiki showed them to the drawing room.

Shizuma soon spotted Miyuki, greeting the guests, dressed in a peach sleeveless gown, with a v-neckline and a flowing skirt, gathered at the waist and held in place by a flower ornament. Around her upper arms was a stole, made from the same material as her dress.

Soon after their arrival, dinner was served. Shizuma found herself and Hiro sitting rather far from Asuna and his wife, those seats close by reserved for very important business partners. The meal seemed to go on forever, the waiters serving course after course. Shizuma suppressed a yawn, feeling extremely bored. Hiro was busily chatting left and right, acting as if he was having a great time.

Finally, Asuna stood, signalling the end of dinner.

"My dear guests! I hope you enjoyed your meal. I would like to invite you to our garden, where drinks will be served. You're welcome to come back to the drawing room later on, but please give the staff the chance to clear the tables."

Relieved, Shizuma pushed back her chair and followed the crowd into the beautifully landscaped garden. Benches and little clusters of chairs throughout the area invited people to sit and chat.

The silver haired woman wasn't interested in chatting with anyone but Miyuki. Impatiently, she waited for a chance to talk to her friend alone.

Hiro came over, sensing her frustration.

"Look. Miyuki's the lady of the house. I expect she'll be busy for a while. Let's get a drink and then you can join me on one of these nice benches, from where we can keep an inconspicuous eye on your lady." he said quietly.

"Okay." Shizuma grumbled.

Minutes later, she found herself sitting on a bench next to her friend, sipping a cosmopolitan, watching Miyuki.

"You know, I can understand what you see in her. She is gorgeous. But I can also understand what you meant when you said that she seems broken." Hiro said quietly.

Shizuma didn't answer, too distracted by keeping her eyes on her lover.

"I'm going over to her, I'm sick of waiting."

"Shizuma, wait!"

But the green eyed woman had already stood up and was walking toward Miyuki. Hiro sighed and followed her. Just as he reached her side, Asuna stepped in front of them.

"Miss Hanazono, Mister Chikamatsu. It's a pleasure to see you…together. Mr. Chikamatsu, I congratulate you to your beautiful companion."

"Thank you, Mr. Toyotomi. And thank you for inviting us to your home."

"Yes, thank you." Shizuma meekly added.

"Oh, don't mention it." Asuna chuckled. Taking Shizuma by the shoulder, he moved a few steps toward Miyuki. "My dear, why don't you go chat with Miyuki? She's been looking forward to seeing you."

"I'll do that." Hurrying away from the hand on her shoulder, Shizuma went over to her lover.

"Hello Miyuki."

"Shizuma! I'm glad you're here." A warm smile spread across the brown eyed woman's face.

"How are you?"

"I'm…fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"When can I see you?" Shizuma asked quietly.

"I don't know. Maybe on the weekend."

A voice called Miyuki's name and she waved, causing her stole to slip. Shizuma gasped and grasped her lover's arm.

"Miyuki, where did those come from?" she asked sharply, indication the bruises on the other woman's upper arm.

"Oh, those…I…I hit my arm on a doorpost. It's nothing."

With a quick flick of her hand, Shizuma pulled down the stole on her lover's other arm, revealing matching bruises.

"How did you manage to run into a doorpost with both arms? Don't lie to me, Miyuki!"

Miyuki took Shizuma's hand and pulled her into the house.

"Miyuki, what happened?"

"Asuna came home late Monday night and wanted…wanted me. I didn't want to. I just couldn't, not after the weekend spent with you. He…grabbed me hard on the upper arms, shaking me and yelling that I would comply, that it was my duty as his wife and he wouldn't have a mere woman disobeying him. Then…then he took me."

"Good God, Miyuki!" Shocked, Shizuma pulled the other woman close to her, hoping that her trembling would stop.

"Can't you talk to someone? Your mother, maybe?"

"Oh, my mother came to visit me on Tuesday. Asuna had called her and told her that my behavior was becoming troublesome. She lectured me about how a woman must obey her husband and give him what he expects. When I showed her the bruises, she went on, telling me that I should be grateful he only bruised my arms."

"Miyuki, you have to get away from him."

"I can't, Shizuma. I just can't. My family would disown me, I have no proper education, couldn't find a job and I'd have no money."
"Screw your family, they aren't doing you any good. I have enough room and money for both of us. Come live with me, Miyuki."

"I'll think about it. But leaving everything behind, cutting off all my ties…It's too scary at the moment. I cherish the time I spend with you. I'll bear life with Asuna some longer. Somehow, I'll manage."


"God, I feel so damn helpless!" Shizuma yelled as she and Hiro were driving home.

After admitting Asuna's abuse, Miyuki had gone back outside and avoided her lover for the rest of the evening.

"I can imagine. But there's really nothing you can do. If you call the police, it wouldn't make it any better for Miyuki."

"There has to be something we can do. He hurt her! And he raped her! There's no telling what he'll do next."

"He may not do anything else to her. Maybe it was a one-time experience. Let's hope so. All you can do is continue to be there for her."

Shizuma sighed. "You're probably right."