Disclaimer: Same as before except for some implied sexual activity.

Chapter 10:

"SHIZURU!" Natsuki's voiced cried out as she used all her might to fling open the downstairs closet's door. Inside were various contents that one would usually find in a closet. Her parent's numerous coats, or rather just her father's now, were neatly hung up on a thin metal bar that stretched across the top of the closet. Reaching in, Natsuki brushedff against the black trench coat her father wore that day he took them to the park. The fabric felt comforting, causing her to temporarily forget her grand search for the missing Shizuru. Instead, the eight-year-old girl reminisced about how she once refused to listen to her mother's advice about bringing a jacket on their trip to the zoo. Once there, Mutsumi scoffed as she watched her poor daughter shiver due to the windy weather. And as much as Natsuki pretended that the cold didn't bother her, Ryo noticed and like a gentleman offered his coat to his daughter. Smiling at the memory, Natsuki reminded herself why she loved her daddy so much.

There were some boxes containing things that her family didn't need anymore, but didn't have the heart to throw afway. Things like old gifts or what her parents referred to as past relics. Natsuki, too, had a box, but it was smaller in size and didn't contain as much. She didn't really have a problem with throwing away things she didn't need. Rarely was she ever so fond of an object that she'd want to keep it, and even if she did why put it in a box? Special things deserved to be showcased in her room like her toy motorcycles.

After scanning the closet three times, Natsuki still could not see any obvious sign of the doll. The blue-haired girl fgrowled to herself in frustration, unwilling to believe that Shizuru wasn't hiding in this closet either. With nimble fingers, she went through each and every article of clothing – just in case Shizuru was using the coats to conceal herself. When Natsuki was finally convinced that the Kyoto doll wasn't in there, she ran to the kitchen in hopes that her friend might be there.

"Stupid Shizuru, where are you?" She felt lucky that her mother wasn't home at the moment because it'd be hard for her to explain why she was opening all the cabinets. Natsuki always believed that Shizuru had an advantage at these sorts of games; because of the older girl's natural ability to transform back to her doll form, it gave Shizuru the possibilities of hiding in places where children her age usually couldn't fit into. Thus, the youngest Kuga always had to be extra creative in thinking where her friend could be hiding.

"Shizuru… where could you be?" the emerald-eyed girl whispered, now with a little more desperation. She had looked everywhere! She knew all the best hiding spots in the house, all the possible spots there were, not to mention she was the self-proclaimed Hide-and-Go-Seek champion. A strange feeling of worry began to envelope Natsuki. It was as though Shizuru had vanished – nowhere to be seen or found.

Running to her father's office, which she had already checked twice, she took a blank piece of white paper from the printer. She sat herself down in her father's large, comfortable office chair and placed the paper flat in front of her. With the clutter of her father's documents and whatnot, Natsuki sensed her playful imagination taking over. Feeling a bit like a corporate executive herself, she sat up as straightly as she could and borrowed one of her father's fancy Montblanc writing instruments.

"Our meeting has begun; today we are here to discuss Fujino Shizuru's possible whereabouts. Does anyone have any suggestions on where Fujino-san could be?" She spun her chair to her left, looking at a stack of manila folders.

"Make a map and cross out the areas you've been in," Natsuki whispered, trying to act as a ventriloquist for the folders.

"Excellent idea, Machida-kun!" And with that, she uncapped the pen and drew a childish imitation of her house's blueprints. She crossed out every single room except the garage, since there was no way Shizuru would hide in an open area like that. Or would she? Circling the garage room, Natsuki then thought of any other potential areas.

"The only place I haven't checked besides the garage is …" Natsuki's mouth formed into a small "o" as she realized another location – a much more likely location. There's no way she'd hide there; it's so cold… Standing up, she bowed to her "fellow staff members" and dashed out, leaving an out-of-place chair, a poorly drawn illustration, and an uncapped pen as evidence that she'd been in her father's office.

"She'd better be there," the young girl whispered to herself as she opened the sliding door that granted access to the backyard. In the sky, a large, looming, grey cloud made its way into the center of the sky, nearly overwhelming the once bright blue color. The grey cloud was accompanied by light breezes which would have been considered a relief if it had only been summer. Instead, the wind caused her to shiver, her blue hair tossed wildly in the air.

"SHIZURU!" She was still wearing her pajamas, which didn't supply very much warmth against the wind's increasing speed. Slipping into some sandals, Natsuki made her way to the middle of her backyard, her arms wrapped around her body to stop her shivering.

"Found you!" Natsuki shouted, jumping behind the large tree, only to find no one there. Suddenly, the game wasn't that fun anymore. Could this even be considered a game? A game of Hide-and-Go-Seek wouldn't take someone over an hour to play, especially when it was just two people. This was becoming serious. Using the tree as a shield against the wind, Natsuki continued to call out Shizuru's name. The shouts eventually developed into concerned screams. If Shizuru was really here she'd freeze! She can feel the cold right? If she can feel pain, she can certainly feel this!

"Shizuru! Please, come out! I giv–" Despite her apprehension, Natsuki wouldn't allow herself to surrender. "SHIZURU! This isn't fun anymore, let's play something else! Shizu – "

Clunk! The blue-haired girl furrowed her eyebrows as her hand automatically went to touch where her head had been hit. On the ground near her lay the object: a formal black evening shoe, which had so wrongly attacked her. She lifted her head upwards, green eyes searching for the perpetrator.

"Ara, sorry Natsuki, it seems that my shoe magically slipped," a familiar, yet annoying, voice stated. And surely enough, there was the doll, sitting on one of the higher branches of the tree with one of those I-didn't-do-anything-Natsuki grins. The doll's legs dangled above Natsuki while her hands gripped the branch tightly to maintain her balance. "I hope it didn't hit you."

The younger girl smirked at her friend's obvious lie; a sense of relief flooded her now that she had finally found her friend. Reaching down, she grabbed the shoe by its width and threw it in Shizuru's direction.

"Hey!" Shizuru involuntarily closed her eyes as the shoe zipped right past her and fell once again onto the soft grass of the backyard. This time, however, Natsuki didn't bother to try again and instead decided to join her friend up in the tree. Climbing trees had never been an issue for Natsuki, though she found it a little difficult this time due to her current attire. When she finally reached where Shizuru was, she was cordially greeted with a smile. The dress Shizuru wore had been slightly ripped by the tree's rough exterior. Her chestnut hair, which the older girl prized and would groom until perfect condition, was tangled and at the moment seemed to have lost its luster. Shizuru would be – should be – appalled by her own appearance. At that thought, Natsuki threw her head back in laughter.

"What's so funny? What if you actually hit me and I fell?" the doll asked in a somewhat serious tone. She had the misfortune of thinking that her owner was laughing because of her reaction to the shoe being thrown at her. But then again, Natsuki found that hilarious as well.

"I'd… let you fall. Besides, it's your fault for dropping the shoe on me in the first place!" The blue-haired girl began to laugh again as she saw Shizuru's offended expression. She wasn't sure whether it was because of her first or second comment, but nevertheless Natsuki was amused by the older girl's display of funny faces. Who knew the other girl could be so expressive?

"I had to stop you from screaming my name. You sounded like you were going to cry! 'Shizuru! Shizuru!'" the red-eyed girl teased, enjoying the fact that her owner was now the one being laughed at.

"Well, it was as though you vanished into thin air! I-I… was scared," the younger girl whispered as a shudder ran through her body. Perhaps it was due to the cold weather that she shivered, but Natsuki knew it was because of the thought of her friend disappearing. Luckily for her, this was just a game and Shizuru couldn't really disappear. She'd be with her always. Forever.

"Haha, I don't even see why I was so scared. You'll always be here with me, right?" Like gems, Natsuki's emerald eyes sparkled with such childlike openness that Shizuru felt herself being torn apart. Suddenly, the doll was devoid of her previous cheerful, mischievous self. Her red eyes became a dark scarlet as the storm cloud above them consumed the entire sky, leaving no sign of the sun's glow.

"Of course," Shizuru said in a hushed voice.

"Promise?" Natsuki asked with such need of reassurance that Shizuru had to smile. Over the past months with Natsuki, the older girl watched as her friend changed from a cold and uncaring meanie to a more open, uncertain, and friendly meanie. The cobalt-haired, jade-eyed girl with the adorable growls and twitches was her best friend, so why was Shizuru so hesitant about the promise?

"Promise," the older girl said, putting on her most credible smile.

"Hm?" The younger girl brought her pinky up while leaving her remaining fingers locked loosely into a fist.

"What?" Shizuru didn't understand why Natsuki would be showing her her pinky. Was there something on it?

"Geez Shizuru! It's a pinky promise; it means that you won't break the promise ever! And if you do then I get your pinky! Everyone knows that!" For some reason, the last comment brought a strange, yet satisfied smile to Natsuki's lips. Shizuru could only imagine what gruesome interest her friend would have in owning her right pinky. This promise seems a bit scary… does she really get to have my pinky? How come I've never heard of this? Maybe it's something that kids in Tokyo do. What would she do with it… put it on display in her room? The image of her pinky being framed atop Natsuki's desk did not seem aesthetically fpleasing to her.

"I pinky promise," she said, copying Natsuki's actions so that their smallest digits crossed over each other like an x. Natsuki then took the liberty of completing the promise by hooking her pinky around Shizuru's. Once content that the promise was secure, she changed the topic to one that didn't involve as much mushiness. Then again, today was a special day.

"Good! So about today…" Her younger companion began babbling about something – probably Christmas – but Shizuru heard nothing but mumbles. Her mind was set on something else. Always Natsuki… but just because she said it, promised it with all her heart, it didn't mean it would necessarily come true…

December 19th

"Natsuki, please don't let them take me away," she mouthed, hoping – and at the same time not hoping – that her beloved roommate would hear her. And though she used as much willpower as she could to resist trembling, her body was acting on its own accord. Tears, now uncontrollable, cascaded freely down her pallid cheeks, causing her entire face to flush with heat. Natsuki's pillow, where the aroma of her owner's shampoo could be easily smelled, now had an ever-growing spot of dampness caused by Shizuru's tears.

The light sounds of Natsuki's snoring were a clear indication that her owner had fallen fast asleep – completely oblivious to Shizuru's pleading murmurs. And at that very sound, Shizuru cried harder, because all she wanted to do at the moment was wake Natsuki up and tell her. To tell her… what a concept that would be. But Shizuru knew the rules and also knew to abide by them, for to break a rule would always yield dire consequences. With no one to listen to her wishes, she leaned her warm forehead against Natsuki's back and waited for her time to come.

Tick. Tick. Tick. Because Shizuru lacked an internal clock, and because she didn't bother to count down the exact seconds, she had no idea what time it was. And as much as the chestnut-haired girl would've loved to just watch Natsuki, there were things in the room that she wanted to see one last time. Yes, Shizuru wanted to memorize Natsuki's room exactly how it was. Gently retreating from the warmth of her friend, Shizuru picked up the alarm clock that always seemed to bother Natsuki and read its time.

"11:49, I still have some time." So with the noisy instrument in one hand and Duran secured by her other arm, Shizuru walked around Natsuki's room, committing everything to memory. Usually, Shizuru understood the importance of privacy, but at this point, it didn't really matter to her anymore. Opening Natsuki's drawers, she looked at the various pieces of clothing her friend had. The loose, solid-colored T-shits, the cargo pants used for climbing, Natsuki's favorite blue hooded jacket, her… underwear. Slam! That wasn't something Shizuru needed to memorize, though she did note that the first one she saw had a pink heart on it.

"Oh Duran, I'm going to miss you. Will you promise to look after Natsuki when I'm gone?" Tonight, the stuffed dog's eyes seemed to lament, as though they were saying "I will miss you, Shizuru. Thank you for everything." She laid her lips, which were moistened with salty droplets, on the dog's nose as a final affectionate kiss to the plushy. Looking at the remaining time, Shizuru then grabbed the letter Natsuki wrote for her and inserted it into a convenient pocket on her dress. She couldn't read it because then it would be harder to leave, harder for her to accept her cursed fate.

There then came a point when no more tears escaped from Shizuru's eyes, not because of her acceptance of "the end", but rather due to the inability to produce anymore tears. She never thought it could be possible to cry to point that there was nothing left to cry. Sighing to herself, she sat down on her familiar couch and decided the last five seconds she'd count down. It'd be like New Year's, only without the fun of being with her friend.

"Five…" An image of a smiling Natsuki entered her mind.

"Four…" In her mind, an image of Natsuki was saying something, "Shizuru…"

"Th-three..." she stuttered at this point. Her body was shaking in fear. Subconsciously, she closed her eyes tightly. Is this how death feels like? Natsuki was still speaking to her. "You're my…."

"Two…" Here it comes… "best…"

"One!" She inhaled a decent amount of air, creating a loud gasp, and all at once, her body tensed. The Natsuki in her mind seemed to be mouthing something… "friend…"

Shizuru opened her eyes to see if her surroundings had in any way changed, but to her surprise, nothing had. She was still in Natsuki's room, still on that couch with the neglected bear, still with Duran in her arms, STILL WITH NATSUKI! In disbelief, she checked the clock again and read that it was indeed twelve o'clock. It was the next day, so why wasn't she gone?

"Maybe Natsuki's clock is fast." So she waited, staring at the clock. Her heart beat erratically at the possibility that her birthday wish might have come true. She watched as the time changed from 12:00 to 12:26 to 12:46. There was no way that Natsuki's clock could be that much faster, could it? Or perhaps she had misinterpreted the riddle and it wasn't yet her time to leave? But she had researched so much, it had to be! Or… maybe… just maybe her birthday wish had come true. Exhausted from constantly checking her condition and the time, the nine-year- old eventually passed out on the sofa she called her bed.

"Shizuru! Shizuru!" Wearily, pale eyelashes lifted to reveal beautifully haunting red orbs. Natsuki's own stunning green gems seemed to be looking at her awkwardly.

"Natsuki?" she asked, not sure if this was a dream of if she really was still with her beloved friend.

"I thought I said you could sleep with me, what are you doing back on the sofa?" Shizuru detected a hint of offense in the younger girl's tone. Or was it worry? Natsuki didn't want to let Shizuru know, but secretly she feared that her snoring bothered the doll or that moved around too much.

"Natsuki!" the Kyoto girl shouted, suddenly wrapping her arms around Natsuki's neck. The blue-haired girl, now even more puzzled by Shizuru's actions, just allowed her friend to indulge in the hug.

"Er…what are you doing?" What was she supposed to say to this?

"You… kicked me off the bed and grumbled about conquering the world! I was so scared that I ran back to my own bed," the older girl teased happily, watching in content as her friend's face became flushed.

"Wha – "

"Just kidding," the older girl said, making a silly face at her younger roommate. Natsuki was always easier to tease in the morning.

"Ah! Stupid! Why do I always fall for…" Shizuru's free laughter prevented Natsuki from finishing her sentence. So instead, she had to take matters into her own hands. "You'll pay for that!"

"Oh no, the big bad Natsuki is coming!" the older girl sang as her blue-haired owner chased her.

"Shut up! It's not your birthday anymore, so I don't need to be so nice to you anymore!" the younger shouted back as she lunged forward in an attempt to collide into Shizuru and bring both of them down.

"Does that mean Natsuki doesn't like me after all?" Shizuru turned to face Natsuki and gazed at her with hurt eyes. Although she'd often feign this emotion, it amused her how the younger girl would fall for it each time.

"Wah Shizuru.. you know I –"

"Ha, got you again!" and knowing Natsuki's reaction, Shizuru took shelter under the Tokyo girl's sheets.

"SHIZURU!!"

"Shizuru? Oi, Shizuru, are you okay?" Snapping out of her flashback, Shizuru shook her head as though to clear her thoughts. She turned her head in her friend's direction and noticed that familiar perplexed expression.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Good, Natsuki's words were coherent to her again.

"I said that we should probably get going. The stupid Christmas Eve party is starting soon… you know how mom is with these things." The cobalt-haired girl looked down at her now dirty pajamas. Her mother wasn't going to be happy about that or that her doll's dress, which was just as filthy. The younger girl heaved a sigh at the thought of being pampered by her mother, who had returned yesterday from her absence.

"Your mother's back already?" Mutsumi had gone to the grocery store earlier in order to prepare this year's delicious Christmas dinner. Natsuki swore that it was one of the better aspects of her mother. These Christmas dinners, including Christmas chicken and a Christmas cake, were one of the few parties her parents threw that Natsuki enjoyed. Of course, the other obnoxious, unwanted children of her parent's co-workers would be there, but that was something the eight-year-old always dealt with. However, this year would be a bit different because she'd actually have someone she wanted to talk to: a friend.

"Shizuru, are you deaf? She's been nagging me to go inside for the longest time! Are you sure you're okay?" At the genuine concern, Shizuru's cherry lips smiled. She was probably getting the green-eyed girl into trouble, so she swiftly maneuvered around Natsuki, climbed down the tree, and stood at the bottom, beaming up at the other girl. The younger girl, on the other hand, could only twitch in response. Was Shizuru showing off? Gripping the branch tightly, Natsuki then dropped her body so that she was now lying on the branch. Shizuru's eyes widened in horror as she watched her friend do a spin on the branch, swing her legs onto the trunk of the tree, and after scaling down halfway, jumped.

As Natsuki leaped, a drop of liquid fell onto her nose. After landing, she straightened herself up, glancing above at the darkening cloud now making angry, grumble-like noises. Shizuru, who was retrieving her shoe, was suddenly pulled in the opposite direction. Luckily, she was just able to hook her index and middle finger into the heel of the shoe and thus successfully recovered her shoe. The younger girl, who had her hand tightly gripped around Shizuru's wrist, tugged with such ferocity that the older girl was helpless but to follow. Although her foot touched the cool blades of the grass and was poked by miniscule pebbles in the dirt, she ignored it all. The feeling of running with Natsuki in the rain felt absolutely invigorating.

"Natsuki…" The way Mutsumi dragged out her daughter's name nearly always meant that the younger Kuga did something wrong. The young mother felt a sense of déjà vu at the sight of Natsuki covered in dirt and before a party. She sighed as she quickly went to grab a towel from the laundry room so that when her daughter walked she wouldn't leave behind puddles of potential slips.

"Dry yourself off, then go shower, but no soaking in the tub today because we're short on time," It bothered her that the doll was also dirty. Knowing how attached Natsuki had recently become to that doll, Mutsumi figured it would be a good idea to clean the doll as well. Having her daughter carrying a dirty doll wouldn't leave a good impression; not to mention doing such an act would probably render Natsuki covered in dirt all over again.

"May I have your doll while you wash?" The older woman extended her hand, expecting her daughter to obey the simple request.

"Why?" And in Mutsumi's eyes, there was Natsuki, holding the doll possessively against her chest. But this was just a disguise caused by Shizuru's bizarre magic. What Natsuki was doing would be, in fact, considered much more adorable. Sometime when Natsuki was pulling the sandy-haired girl, her hand moved from the doll's wrist to the doll's hand. The blue-haired girl stood protectively in front of her older friend – a knight in shining armor defending his princess from an evil dragon.

"She's dirty, I was just going to clean her up." Mutsumi eyes briefly met the clock; the longer she had to convince Natsuki, the less time she had to prepare the Christmas dinner for today's guests.

"What's wrong with being dirty?" Shizuru asked Natsuki in jest, knowing perfectly well all the reasons why being covered with dirt was wrong.

"Yeah, what's wrong with being dirty?" Natsuki repeated with slightly more pizzazz. Mutsumi raised an eyebrow at her daughter's strange response.

"Because, dearest," she said, putting emphasis on the last word as she pushed her daughter in the direction of the stairs, "your father and I would prefer that you and your doll appear like two lovely angels for our annual Christmas Eve party."

"Lovely angels? We're going to dress up? You didn't tell me we'd be dressing up today!" Shizuru's eyes glistened with such luminosity, it frightened Natsuki. Of course, she didn't tell her; the older girl would use every opportunity to see her friend wearing pretty clothes. Great job, Shizuru got lured to the dark side. And now Natsuki was in the midst of a major internal conflict. One on side was her parents and her best friend on the other side was her freedom, her hatred for dresses, and not to mention her pride!

"Your father even picked out a dress for you to wear today, so you don't have to wear the red one anymore. It's midnight blue," Mutsumi tried. If the "your father wants you to" card didn't work, perhaps the young mother could make the dress seem more appealing.

"Natsuki! Hurry up and go shower! The guests are going to come!" the doll pressured her friend, who in return threw a very nasty glare.

"What happened to not wanting to be clean?" the blue-haired girl inquired, a bit irritated that her friend had turned against her.

"Well…" the doll started, before her smooth cheek was suddenly pinched by her owner.

"I thought you were on my side, traitor." The blue-haired girl's fingers squeezed even harder causing Shizuru to whimper in pain.

"Natsuki is such a meanie, what's wrong with wearing a dress? I always wear a dress, I'll be wearing a dress with you," the doll reminded her as she tried to break free from her Natsuki's cruel punishment for her "betrayal."

"Natsuki?" interjected her mother's voice. Natsuki quickly turned her head in her mother's direction to find the woman now looking very, very confused. Uh oh…

"Yeah?" the eight-year-old asked nervously while removing her hand slowly from Shizuru's cheek. The doll, on the other hand, was beginning to feel very sorry for her dear friend.

"What are you doing?" There was just something really, no extremely, odd in seeing your daughter pinch and yell at an inanimate object. Sure, Mutsumi was aware of the concept of imaginary friends and an overactive imagination, but at this she was speechless. There were times when Mutsumi heard Natsuki talk to the dog plushy, Duran, but the interaction her daughter had with the doll was beyond that. It was as though Natsuki was really talking to the doll and in response, the doll would reply. Maybe this was a part of the curriculum in third grade these days. Yeah right… maybe it's because she barely has any friends and has to resort to using the doll… Mutsumi sighed at her own thoughts.

"Um, I'm going to go wash now." Awkwardly, Natsuki pushed Shizuru toward her mother. "You can go clean Shizuru up. Bye-bye!" And within the blink of an eye, the tomboy was gone.

"Shizuru?" Mutsumi looked down into the porcelain doll's red orbs and a sudden epiphany hit her. Natsuki mentioned a "Shizuru" before. A friend. The friend she went shopping for! The friend that we baked that cake for! "Oh dear…" She rubbed her temples as the missing pieces came together.

"Mutsumi, the decorations are done," Ryo announced as he dusted his hands off. While Mutsumi was preparing for tonight's dinner, Ryo had been busy setting up decorations for the cheery event. There was a possibility that the chairman would be stopping by and he wanted to leave a good impression. Both Mutsumi and Natsuki enjoyed the colorful lights and the fake pine tree, and nothing says a perfect man like a happy family.

"Ryo, have you ever heard Natsuki talking about this doll?" the young woman asked, pointing at the doll.

"Yeah, she seems to like her a lot." The comment was so obvious that Mutsumi rolled her eyes at the lack of detail in her husband's answer.

"She talks to it a lot, thinks it's real," Ryo explained further after noticing his wife's annoyed expression.

"Do you think it's weird? I don't recall ever being like that –"

"Don't worry, Mutsumi. Just because you were popular as a child doesn't mean we all were. Some of us prefer the company of just one person and if in Natsuki's case that's a doll, then just let it be. It can be creepy at times, but all I know is that she laughs and smiles a lot more in the presence of that doll, and that's all that matters." Ryo was unsure of how much of what he just said he actually believed. Truth be told, he was also concerned, but who didn't have a good imaginary friend at that age? He, too, was alone in his younger years because of his previously chubby appearance. At least a doll can't hurt your feelings…

"Ryo, I'm impressed. What a very fatherly thing to say." The young man wasn't sure how he was supposed to take that comment; was it sarcasm or a genuine compliment? "Let's just hope you continue acting out this family man performance." With nothing left to say, Mutsumi walked to the washroom to clean the doll. Over the woman's shoulder, Shizuru watched as Ryo stood silently before muttering a barely audible curse word.

After returning to his sofa to recline after hard morning's work, his phone vibrated in his pocket. Digging it out, he proceeded to read the text message from a certain bunny.

"Shinichi,

It's almost Christmas, I miss you. I hope you visit me tomorrow during work, it'll be free.

With much love,

Usagi."

December 20th

"This can't be the right place…" Ryo looked down and checked the address he had written down and the store's address number for the third time. During his phone call with Masami, she had asked him to pick her up from work for dinner tonight. Everything was correct. Perhaps he had heard wrongly or written it wrongly or… Nervously, he reached to adjust his tie when out of nowhere, a middle-aged man slumped onto his shoulder.

"I like this place, the girls are very pretty, very, very pretty." The man slurred his words together in a singsong tune, his breath reeking of alcohol and cigarettes. In disgust, Ryo detached himself from the man, who then continued to stroll down the streets of Shinjuku tipsily.

The area before him was a club, its name glowing in neon blue and red. "Selene," he read aloud, trying to get a good view of the interior. The loud music of an unidentifiable singer was blasting, and there were barely any lights turned on. Ryo fidgeted as he contemplated the name. Selene – was it the misspelled version of the English word "serene?" He knew that many Japanese still had trouble distinguishing the "r" and "l" sounds and would sometimes use them interchangeably when writing in English. If it did mean serene, it would suggest the club was calm? A place where people could enter and be at ease? Or perhaps it referred to the Greek goddess Selene, who was infamous for her love affairs. Neither reason seemed to comfort him.

"I'll just enter and ask. Surely it will be a mistake and I'll just call Takano-san later and apologize." Hesitantly, Ryo made his way into the club, covering his ears as the deafening music overwhelmed his sensitive ears.

"Excuse me?" he asked the host, a handsome young man with his hair stylishly slicked down.

"How may I help you, sir?" the host asked, using a very polite method of speaking. Ryo observed the differently colored lights coming from the rooms in the back.

"Yes, I'm looking for a Takano Masami? Does she work here?" he asked cautiously as his eyes noted all the beautiful women sitting with different types of men – mostly businessmen like himself.

"Ah, you mean Usagi? How long would you like to book your session – "

"Hiro!" Ryo turned his head in the direction of the familiar voice. A woman wearing a low-cut black dress with light makeup came up beside the host named Hiro. She put her hand down on the schedule book and smiled in relief at Ryo's face.

"He's my client. Schedule already made." And with that, she grabbed Ryo's hand and led him into one of the many colorfully lit rooms. His eyes had to adjust to the intrusion of sudden bright lights. The music became softer, more soothing. There was a black sofa surrounding a small table.

"Please sit," she said shyly, her eyes gazing pleadingly at his. How Ryo missed those sky blue eyes. Ryo took a good rundown of his lady friend's outfit. It only seemed to amplify the woman's sexual appeal. Without thinking, he moistened his dry lips.

"Erm – "

"You must think I'm horrible!" She threw herself into his arms as she began to bawl. Ryo hissed at the thought that she was staining his suit, but held her protectively in his arms.

"No – " he started, but was once again cut off.

"You hate me now don't you?" she cried, her tears mixing with the mascara and eyeliner. Ryo's heart broke at the sight of the black streams. Lifting his finger to caress Masami's face, he traced the tear then tenderly wiped it away.

"Shh, don't cry, you'll ruin your makeup, or what's left of it," he said, giving her a smile. He wasn't angry. He didn't hate her. How could he when she clearly was seeking someone to comfort her? Weakly, she returned his smile and laid her head on his chest.

"I'm so sorry, you must think so lowly of me…" She hiccupped, taking a deep breath to calm her sobs.

"Never," he stroked her head like a father would to a child. "But…where's Yusuke?"

"Yusuke?" Masami asked in confusion before suddenly correcting herself. "Yusuke. He's at home, he's sleeping. I… I took this job because of him. I was raped and… " she started to wail once more.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry about that, shhh, don't worry I'm not here to judge." The memory of a woman's vulnerability was returning to him. Masami was everything Mutsumi wasn't, but how he wanted her to be. So fragile, so in need of someone to care for her.

"I needed the money, so I got a job here. The pay is good and quick, but these days things have been a little slow," she explained as she removed herself from Ryo's body. His hands for a second, just a brief second, reached out as though missing the contact.

"Slow?" he questioned, moving closer to Masami, only to have her move even further from him.

"Yes, it's probably because I'm not pretty enough. There's a new girl, that stupid Yuki, and she's taking all my customers," Masami whined. Her personality seemed to be so different from how he remembered her at the park. Nonetheless, he felt a strange feeling flowing through his body just being near her – a flame that he had thought long extinguished.

"No, you're gorgeous," he complimented her, hoping to bring her spirits up again. He loved her smile.

"Thank you. But when no one comes to me, I can't make any money. And Yusuke, he grows weaker and hungrier, did I tell you he was… was born premature? Ohh, Kuga-san!" And dramatically she collapsed against Ryo's shoulder. Her perfume, Anna Sui, was intoxicating.

"Perhaps I could help," Ryo said, pulling out his wallet from his back pocket. It was strange for him to help a stranger, but he felt drawn to her. They had been given such troublesome dilemmas from the gods – he with his marital problems with Mutsumi and Masami's desperate need for money to support not only herself but a baby boy.

"No, I… I couldn't ask for you to do that," she lifted her head, which was becoming increasingly close to Ryo's. He gulped as he reminded himself that he was a married man, not to mention his promise.

"I could just give you the money – "

"No! I could never accept that. The only way for you to help me is… if… if you become my client. A regular. Mine and only mine," Her hands, smooth and gentle, cupped Ryo's clean shaven face, her blue eyes hypnotizing him, seducing him. "We… we need each other, we can complete the other. I can help you."

"I'm married," he said, trying to uphold his promise. I love my wife, I love my wife, he repeated in his head.

"She doesn't need to know. Please, please, please, you're my last chance. If I don't pay off the next fee for my apartment I'll be evicted!" She needed him, unlike Mutsumi. Masami was beautiful, like Mutsumi, but at the moment more sexually pleasing. Mutsumi didn't need to know… besides he was just helping a friend. Anyone would do the same. Right?

"Okay," he replied, watching as a huge smile graced Masami's face.

"Really?" she said in disbelief, those blue eyes brightening and sparkling with excitement. In her sudden thrill, she jumped into his lap and subtly straddled Ryo's waist.

"Really," he affirmed and as soon as he said those words, Masami's painted red lips met with his.

"Oops," she apologized, her hand touching her mouth innocently in acknowledgement of her mistake. It worried Ryo that when her lips left his, his face moved toward Masami's as though to initiate a kiss.

"It's fine, Usagi-chan," he teased, watching the girl on his lap blush an adorable shade of red.

"It's just a nickname Kuga-san. We all have one here in Selene, part of the job description." She tilted her head, an action Ryo found very endearing.

"Ryo, call me Ryo," he said, taking off his jacket. It was starting to become very warm in the room.

"Then call me Masami, except in the club, call me Usagi. That way they won't know that we know each other," she whispered into his ear, her fingers tickling his neck.

"Ah..." He cleared his throat at the close proximity.

"Perhaps you should have a nickname here in Selene as well," she said, her lips touching his ear every now and then. Was she purposely trying to seduce him?

"Okay," he said, now completely lost in Masami's light touches.

"Shinichi," she declared in a husky tone. Shinichi, Ryo pondered, if written in Kanji… "new one."

"There we go," Mutsumi wiped once more along the doll's forehead and cheeks. With the dirt eradicated, the gift was once again restored to tip-top condition. Mutsumi had to admire her own handiwork, but then again a doll was different from a real person. No fussing, no moving, sometimes the young mother wished her daughter could be so obedient

"Now, what dress for you to wear," she spoke to the doll, suddenly feeling nostalgic. In front of her lay the many different garments the doll came with. In the end, the young mother was stuck between two choices. There was a gorgeous white dress, its top trimmed with soft white fur. The dress was decorated with elaborate embroidery of snowflakes and sweet flowers, most likely a winter dress. It would be the most fitting for the occasion. However, there was also the dark blue dress. Natsuki might feel more comfortable if she and her doll had matching outfits especially considering the young girl's connection with the mere toy.

"If only you could really speak, but then I fear I might need to take you to a temple," The woman laughed at her own words. As Mutsumi's body shook, she tilted the doll, the red irises moved to the direction of the blue dress.

"Oh?" Her own actions had caused the movement of the toy's eyes, and yet… "The blue one then? It'd be my pleasure."

The previous dress had already been removed so that Mutsumi could stitch the tears later and probably sfenfd it to the dry cleaners. Left in her painted-on underwear, the doll seemed to smile at finally being able to wear clothes. Carefully, the young mother raised the arms of the doll as she would to a baby and slipped the dress over the doll's head. Adjusting the dress in the final step of the process, Mutsumi took the doll into her arms and sat her at the bottom of the stairs.

"You may wait here for your friend, she'll be down soon," The talking to an inanimate object was starting to become rather addicting. It made her feel juvenile and silly, just a small indulgence when no one was watching. "You'll keep this little chat a secret right?" And with a wink, Mutsumi returned to the kitchen to make tonight's dinner.

"I hate wearing dresses!" cried a voice at the top of the stairs. Twisting her head in the direction of the angry voice, Shizuru grinned before suddenly becoming a deer in the headlights. Natsuki… Natsuki… you're so pretty, no, beautiful, stunning, gorgeous…

But the only thing the doll could do was mutter a breathless "Ara."

Author's Note: First off, thanks as always to my amazingly talented beta, Olivia, who catches my errors and always teaches me something new. So, Shizuru doesn't disappear after all; sorry if I worried anyone. Oh Ryo, there's still hope for him... and his marriage... maybe. Next chapter will be the Christmas Eve party one - Takeda makes an appearance as well as some other kids. Thanks for being so patient, hope you enjoyed this chapfter.