Disclaimer: Its been disclaimed, several times.

Lack of sleep along with longer periods of work and study have made today 'tomorrow' on my screwed up calendar. So technically, if you're going by the three hours of sleep I've gotten this weekend its only been about a day since I last updated.

:P

"Don't waste your time on me, you're already the voice inside my head."

- "I Miss you" Blink 182

May 6

day 4

Decisions

"What kind of a question is that?" Mai demanded, and with no one to hold her back she poked her finger in to Naru's chest. "Naru, after all this time, honestly? Can't you answer that yourself?"

Looking away from him she began to push the cart away, the rubber wheels shrieking against the linoleum tiles.

"I'm sorry." Naru said with some difficulty.

Appropriately astonished Mai turned around to see Naru, with his arms crossed, and a strange contemplative look on his face.

"I'm sorry if what I said...hurt you. After the accident. If it helps I didn't mean it." Naru admitted emotionlessly.

Mai met his eyes with a smile. "I know."

Fact: It's a good thing Mai's so understanding.

"That's your brilliant plan?" Monk said in disbelief, he was staring at the white board Yasu had written on, no one spoke a word.

Tapping his pointer on the board Yasu smiled, "Of course, what do you think?"

Ayako was the first to respond.

"It sucks." she said simply. But Yasu's smile didn't waver.

"If talking to her could change her mind Ayako and Masako would have succeeded by now." John contemplated Yasu's strategy.

"But this isn't just talking!" Yasu insisted, enthusiastically he thrust his pointer at Masako's chest, stopping a fingers width from her skin. "Besides we have our secret weapon right here."

-_-"

Laden with bags Naru and Mai walked towards Natsume's black Jeep so that they could deposit their purchases and shop some more. With a groan Mai heaved the bags in to the backseat, breathing heavily as she did so.

Instantaneously Naru's hand was on hers and the weight receded until all she could feel was Naru's skin and the warmth of his touch. She blushed.

"Naru, what are you doing?" she inquired. Secretly disheartened when he let go of her hand.

"Don't take what you can't carry." he reminded her. "I'll take care of this."

With a sigh and nod she leaned against the cold metal of the car while Naru hefted the bags inside. They were in a general parking area for the island's boardwalk. Little shops dotted along the street and straggling civilians window shopped and sipped tea at cafes.

It was peaceful.

"It's been a very long time." Naru said, startling her out of her reverie.

"Since what?" she managed to compose.

"Since we've been alone together."

Embarrassed, she tried to force down the images that kept reappearing in her head. "No, we were alone the other night. In the kitchen."

If Mai wasn't mistaken she could've sworn she saw a faint blush creep across Naru's normally placid features.

"Mai, about the other night..." Naru began, but then a certain dark haired boy caught his eye. "Natsume?"

Mai seemed to jump, startled. "Natsume? Where? He wouldn't be out, would he?"

But there he was, Natsume, walking across the boardwalk like he couldn't even see they were there. He paused, looking out over the ocean and smiled, running a hand through his soft hair.

"Natsume?" Mai said softly, a smile showing up on her face. And Naru stuffed his hands in his pockets, wondering why she never seemed that happy to see him. But she wasn't just happy, she seemed ecstatic, like she hadn't seen him in ages.

"Natsume!" Naru called out suddenly, the boy turned to look at him in confusion, "Over here!"

Mai reeled back. "What? Naru don't-"

But Natsume was walking towards them, seemingly confused about this sudden turn of events, and then he saw Mai.

"Mai!" he exclaimed, "It's so good to see you! And uh-" he said, turning to Naru, "Who is this?"

Mai tensed, "Natsume, what are you talking about this is Naru? Remember?"

Natsume stood still in front of them for a moment and then he smiled, "Oh yes, Naru, sorry I really couldn't see your face for a moment. Hey-" he said, leaning in closer, "I didn't know you were so handsome! No wonder Mai-"

Natsume tripped, accidentally, on to the pavement.

"Ouch." he said sorely.

"Oh, Natsume, let me help you up!" Mai said in false concern. "What are you doing here anyway? Were you getting something for the house?"

Natsume met her eyes with suspicion. "Oh yeah, I have to be going. Nice to see... you two."

And with that Natsume walked away, hands in his pockets, like had no connection to the people he had just been talking to. Once or twice he'd turn to look at Mai, but those glances went unnoticed. Naru turned on Mai, suspiciously.

"Mai...." but she turned on him, a smile on her face.

"Never mind him, let's finish our shopping!" she insisted.

"But Mai..." he said more sharply, but she turned, a deadly fire in her eyes.

"Seriously Naru, don't ask."

"We have to tell them soon or they'll ruin the whole wedding!" Madoka hissed in to Lin's ear. The two were sitting at the dining room table, having lunch with their co-workers.

"I bet you don't know what we're planning do you Lin? Cuz its gonna rock!" Monk said loudly, raising his right fist in to the air.

Ayako whacked him in the head. "Shut up you old goat, you'll give away our plan."

Lin looked from Madoka to Yasu and back to Madoka. He gulped, seriously considering giving away their secret. "Maybe you're right-"

"Ayako! Takegawa! John! Yasuhara! Masako! I haven't seen you all together in ages!" Luella announced as she flamboyantly entered the room. "Madoka, Lin, it's wonderful to see you!"

Martin walked in behind his wife, an amused smile flitting across his face.

"Those two are more excited than I thought they...would.....be." Madoka said, her words falling out with a sudden realization. "Oh no."

Lin and her shared look.

"We're telling Martin and Luella first right?" Lin agreed.

"Because they are so up to something." Madoka said with a nod of suspicion.

Mai licked her vanilla ice cream dejectedly as she and Naru walked down the pier in silence.

"Naru....Naaaaaaruuuuu.........Na-ru....NAR-" but Naru cut her off.

Placing a hand on her shoulder he peered at her over the top of his chocolate waffle cone. "What?" he asked sharply.

"Why are you so quiet?" she asked, biting in to her cone.

Naru raised his eyebrows. "I'm always quiet."

She blushed instantaneously. Suddenly very aware of his hand on her skin. "Oh, well yeah, I just thought maybe, you were mad at me?"

With a sigh Naru continued walking, forcing Mai to power walk to catch up, "And why would I be mad at you?"

So surprised by his question Mai tripped over a crack in the sidewalk and felt her entire body hurtling towards the ground. Her ice cream, pushed in to motion by her hands, hit her nose with a crunch.

Her cone smashed on to the pavement as it slipped from her hands.

She closed her eyes but she never fell.

Looking up she met Naru's eyes, his hands held her elbows to prevent her from falling.

It had all happened so fast that Mai was too stunned to speak, she didn't notice as Naru leaned forward until his lips were on hers, and by then it was too late to do anything about it.

She felt weak, melted under the insurmountable power he held over her. Her will torn to shreds by his touch or his very presence.

She cursed herself for sounding so dramatic, for being so caught up in the moment.

She should have been mad at him for what he did to her that night in the hospital. She should never have spoken to him again. But after so long apart, she couldn't stay away.

She had some faint hope, that he might want her too but she knew that it was just a dream. A fantasy.

She pulled away from Naru, who only watched her in confusion. The vanilla ice cream on her face dripped down her neck and on to her shirt. He reached forward to wash it off but she stepped away from him, staring at him with hurt, distant eyes.

'Tomorrow, he won't fight for me. I know Naru. Even if he did love me, even if he truly had feelings for me, he would never compromise a situation for himself. He would never try to win me back. This is all a mistake.' she thought, these feelings transferring through her mind in only an instant. 'I have to marry Natsume. To end this.'

"Mai-"

"I'm getting married tomorrow Naru. Its too late for your games." she whispered.

He stopped cold, his entire body freezing over, the warmth that was there seconds ago was gone, replaced by shock.

Before he could stop her Mai spun on her heel and hurtled down the boardwalk, tears washing away the vanilla from her cheeks.

And Naru didn't follow her.

Thank you for your reviews. I'll be updating soon but I'm rewriting several chapters so I'm thinking maybe Monday.

Oh and Family Pains, for all those who care, won't be updated until Monday and I'll explain why in the update. Its nuthin bad, no worries.

Stay sane.

Au revoir.