Disclaimer: The usual.
A/N: Keep the reviews coming! Oh the drama is close to come I can feel, hehe I must know I am the author lol. And yes this chapter might be a lot about Mizuki and Shizuka but I think it is because I want deep character development for my villains this time, our cute heroines will have their development as well but, I don't want to focus my attention on them 100%. Flat villains are not as fun as dark tormented ones don't you think? Anyways review if you want more!
Forget me not
By Auraluna 7
Chapter 10: Business and Pleasure
They had agreed to meet at a small luxurious lounge in the Shibuya district. Mizuki walked through the front door wearing a black two piece suit and stiletto heels, the pencil skirt fit to perfection, her short black hair framing the intense violet eyes. She spotted Haruka on their usual table and smiled, she walked behind the blonde and wished she could bring herself to be familiar with her, to just touch Haruka's skin and kiss her, but instead she walked past her and sat across the table. "Hey stranger"
"Mizuki, you look ravishing, as usual." The black haired woman smiled, the waiter poured her a glass of wine and she took a sip allowing herself to examine the blonde, the mere presence of Haruka always made her feel flustered. "I apologize for calling you with such short notice."
"Oh I was not busy, just doing business, you know…business."
"Anyways I'm happy to see you."
"I was surprised to receive your call Haruka, I haven't seen or hear anything from you in quite some time, too much work I assume?"
"Well not exactly, I've been spending lots of time with Michiru." Mizuki's face was a perfect mask. Michiru, how she even hated the name, what was so special about her? From Claire's story she could guess Michiru was a push over naïve girl with dreams of the idyllic 'freedom' written all over her. Freedom, what was freedom anyways? Life was full of commitments and ties, those running around free of anything and anybody could not be truly happy in Mizuki's opinion. And yet Michiru had Haruka wrapped around her pinky.
"Of course, how is she?" Every time Haruka mentioned Michiru her face seemed to light and Mizuki found herself divided between the happiness it gave her seen Haruka so beautiful and the hatred she felt for the cause of that glow; as Haruka started telling her all about the love affair she'd been having for the past weeks Mizuki tried hard not to burst into laughter or tears, ridiculous little girl Michiru, playing adult games while being nothing more than a child. She sipped her wine again swallowing the words she truly wished to say regarding Michiru and remained quiet listening to the blonde. Like she needed any details about their dates and Michiru's white fair skin and deep sea blue eyes…
"…and just there out the blue Mizuki, really I didn't plan it, I just told her I loved her."
The words crashed against Mizuki like small glass shards piercing her skin. "You did what?"
"I had to, I love her, I do. This time I have no doubts."
This was a catastrophe! Like things were not complicated and hard as they were. "I don't know what to say."
"That has to be a first time! " Haruka laughed, as she held Mizuki's hand gently. "Say you are happy for me."
"Of course, I'm just worried you might be going too fast, I mean she sounds wonderful but how can she love you all so suddenly and you as well, perhaps you guys just got caught in the spirit of Valentine's day…" Haruka frowned, she let go off the hand but Mizuki held her hand back. "I am, I am happy for you."
"She didn't say it back."
"What? You mean… " Oh-oh-oh the ray of light through the clouds. Could it be? "She said something like Thank you ?"
"No. I know she loves me back, she's just adjusting. Too many things happening all so fast."
"Of course, I understand." Mizuki forced herself to let go off Haruka's hand, she licked her lips and picked up the glass of wine just to find an excuse to fill her idle hands. "Well it's unfortunate for sure, but I have the feeling things are going to change for the best really soon. For both of you."
Haruka smiled. "See? You always know what to say Mizuki, I just feel happy again by you cheering me up. Before I forget there is something I need to ask you."
"Anything"
"I was wondering if you will mind having a look at Michiru's work."
"Work? Some sort of waitress demonstration?" Haruka laughed.
"Don't be ridiculous, those that even exist? No, I meant art work. She wants to be a professional artist and I was wondering if you could give her some input, you know maybe buy a couple of her pieces, motivational stuff…"
For real? The little Disney Princess was an artist too? And what else? Did she have a tiny magic mirror in her pocket or a fairy hiding on her underwear? "Well…I don't know… it might not be such a great idea."
"Mizuki, I wouldn't ask you something like this if I was not sure she has talent."
"Well, I don't want to be rude but if every girlfriend of a friend of mine was a talented artist I will be quite rich. I don't want to mix business with pleasure."
"Like you've never done it before? I know you love mixing business and pleasure. Come on; just have a look at them. I am worried Michiru will just fall back on the routine she had before we met, she told me she wanted to be a professional artist but the fact that she had no where to begin exhibiting and selling her work set her back and she ended taking the first job she could find that paid the rent."
Mizuki sighed. How badly she wanted to tell Haruka all about Claire and Michiru but as a good chess player she knew she had to wait a few more turns to make her final move. "I am quite busy this week but I will try to clear some time to go see this talented girlfriend of yours."
"Thanks Mizuki, you're always there for me."
-0-
Shizuka heard the doorbell rang and looked at the clock on the nightstand, it was almost 2 a.m., who on earth will come see her at this hour? She wrapped herself in a silky robe, her hair down to her back. There was soft knock on her bedroom door and the maid announced Mizuki was at the door asking for her. With tiredness she indicated the maid to show Mizuki to the living room, she looked at herself in the mirror before leaving the bedroom, without make up or surrounded by accessories she looked really young, her eyes stopped at the portrait laying on her vanity waiting to be framed, she opened a drawer and put it away before leaving the room.
"Mizuki, you better have a fantastic excuse to get me out of bed, I have a very busy day tomorrow."
"I had to talk to someone." The blonde sat next to Mizuki, she could smell the alcohol in Mizuki, she looked pretty drunk.
"Coffee?" Mizuki nodded and Shizuka ordered a coffee tray. "You look …well, terrible."
Mizuki sighed, it was hard to believe that besides Haruka, Shizuka was the closest thing to a friend she had, quite frankly she had spent the last year sabotaging Shizuka every time the blonde confided on her, yet here she was. "I'm worried about Haruka."
"And what's new? You live worried about Haruka, you probably worry about Haruka more than her own mother, what did she do this time?" Mizuki picked a cup of coffee regretting being here already, how can Shizuka be so freaking perky after Haruka left her? If it had been the other way around she would be devastated. "So? Did she buy Michiru another million dollar violin?"
Coughing, Mizuki looked at Shizuka. "She got her a million dollars Violin!" The blonde nodded and poured herself a cup of coffee. "How do you know this?" Shizuka shrugged and carelessly bitted a cookie.
"A friend of mine was at the auction. And quite honest it is not such a big deal, remember when she got me a Ferrari just because I said I liked cars? I should have said I liked diamonds…"
"Are you joking? Why are you not upset?"
"I can't be upset every time I hear something about them… besides I'm dating again. But let's get back to the whole you are worried thing, I have the feeling it is not violin's that upset you."
"Haruka told her the L word."
"Lesbian?"
"What?"
"That is the L word isn't it?" Mizuki felt the urge to slap Shizuka but placed her cup making the china on the tray clink against each other.
"She didn't call her the L word; she told her the L word! Love, not lesbian don't be stupid. Why would lesbian matter anyways, like it's not an understanding."
"Oh…true. Well it is the middle of the night, sorry if I am not sharp as tack at the moment. And she did? Hmmm."
"It's preposterous, not only that now Haruka wants me to go and buy her bimbo's paintings, they should be on the door of a fridge not on a gallery."
Shizuka smiled with the thought and patted her friend's back. "Now, now, Michiru is not that young. And her portraits are nice."
"You have seen them?"
"It is not a big deal; quite frankly I don't get why are you so upset. Michiru hasn't done anything, she was just in the right place at the right time, humor Haruka, go buy one of her paintings."
"The hell I will. Shizuka, you should have your father examine that head of yours, this girl stole your girlfriend and you are being all nice and crap."
"Ha-ha make fun of the psychiatrist daughter. I am trying to be mature, maybe you should follow my example, look at yourself you are always so put together and today you come into my house in the middle of the night, drunk and raging. Michiru is not a problem for anyone but you, what's wrong with you ah? You don't have to fight any battles for me, I've told you I am over it."
For Shizuka. Ha, right. Mizuki got up; she was shorter than Shizuka but looked taller in the high stilettos. "You are a lost cause. I am going home."
"Fine, I will pretend this didn't happen because you are drunk. Good night Mizuki…"
Mizuki got in the car, her driver closing the door for her. She was mad at herself, she should get a grip on herself, once Claire and Michiru cross paths again things were going to start turning her way, they had to. "Million dollar Violin…seriously."
-0-
Michiru lay face down on the bed, her head resting on the palm of her hand while she scanned the newspaper in front of her. "Morning." She looked up to find the green eyes of her lover and smiled.
"Morning Ruka." The blonde leaned and kissed her.
"What are you up to this morning hum?"
"Looking the wanted ads." Haruka frowned.
"Again with that, didn't I tell you I spoke to Mizuki?" Michiru went back to scanning the paper.
"Mmmhmm."
"So?"
"That was 3 days ago, and well I should not have high hopes for it anyways, she is a busy person."
Haruka picked up the paper and threw it away. "I will call her again today." Michiru got up and picked the newspaper.
"Hey, that was rude. Why are you so testy with this?"
"I'm sorry. And I don't know, I just am. I don't want you out there when you can achieve what your heart desires right here. You can work on your paintings and anything you want here."
Michiru sighed. "Does it bother you that much that your girlfriend can work as a waitress? Is that it? Are you being snob?"
"No." The blonde held the soft hands on her own and kiss them softly. "I will die if anything happens to you at least wait until your headaches are gone, please. Then you can be a waitress, a pirate, a street mime…whatever you please. Just wait for now."
"Fine. But then I will be a famous pirate street mime and you will have to deal with it." Laughing Haruka pulled Michiru to the bed and kissed her.
"I love you." Michiru kissed her back hard, trying as every time Haruka tell her she loved her to show the blonde with her body what her mind couldn't speak.
-0-
Etsuyo showed Shizuka to Michiru's sitting room, which was gradually turning into a studio. The aqua beauty was sitting down in front of a canvas looking very concentrated, she had a smudge of blue paint on a cheek and was wearing what Shizuka will describe as the ugliest pair of denim overalls ever made in woman size, yet Shizuka wished she had the natural youthful beauty Michiru had.
"Ehem…"
"Oh Shizuka." Michiru wiped her cheek and walked to meet her. "Haruka is not home, but she should be here shortly, she knew you were coming."
The tall blonde nodded, she walked around the room looking at the pictures around it. "You've been busy ah? I know Haruka should be here soon but I was meaning to ask you if you thought about signing in for the 'Rose Garden Ball'"
"Oh I did, but I don't think I can, I'm not that kind of girl…not that it is a bad thing! I'm just…"
"I understand. I actually have a better opportunity for you to participate in the event. A little job if you want to call it that"
"Oh?"
"I need you to make me some portraits, of the past winners of the 'Garden Rose Ball' and then of this year winner once it's selected, of course. I asked Mizuki about it but she must have forgotten and well, whatever perhaps you don't have the time for it…"
"No! No I do! I mean yes, I'll do it." The blonde girl nodded and kept looking at Michiru's drawings, she spotted Michiru's violin and she gave it a curious glance. "Hmmm, I don't get it." She muttered to herself.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh nothing, I was just wondering why somebody would buy an old violin when new ones are so much prettier."
"Old violins are one of a kind, they have a soul of their own, they were crafted as a unique piece, tuned with love and devotion. New violins are made by the dozen, some are really good but I guess they don't have the imprint of love in them." Shizuka nodded and touched the violin with her long manicured fingers.
"Love. Perhaps you are right. Anyways I will wait for Haruka on the living room and I will send you the photos to base your portraits on, and put some of that love and devotion on them will you? I intend to pay you handsomely for them so it is the least you could do."
Why had she asked Michiru for those portraits, Shizuka thought to herself while waiting for Haruka, she tried to be cold and distant around Michiru but it was hard, the girl had no malice on her and truthfully neither did she, she had told the small girl once that they were never going to be friends and perhaps it was true, but that didn't meant they had to be enemies and after all Shizuka told to herself, she was doing it to please Haruka because she knew Mizuki will find an excuse not to come see Michiru's paintings.
-0-
The dark satin of the black sheets of Mizuki's bed contrasted against her soft milky skin, she laid on her side partially covered by them while Claire painted her image. Mizuki loved to be painted, she had made every artist she ever sponsored paint a portrait of herself, it was one of her guilty pleasures. "I don't see it. She is pretty but nothing out of this world, and that ridiculous hair of hers."
"Don't frown; I am trying to paint your face Mizuki." The dark beauty tried to smile, but her head was a mess and she was so pissed.
"What is it? Tell me, what is it with you and Haruka that make you drool over her?"
Claire shrugged. "I liked her because she was innocent, natural, you know naïve. But to be honest right now I don't care anymore what she does or with whom."
"Oh you shut that mouth of yours, you have to care, you and I are going to find a way for you to get between her eyes again so Haruka can dump her, and then and only then can you stop caring and throw her to the wolves for what I care." Claire smiled and went back to her canvas.
"If that is what you want."
"It is, and you will play your part perfectly. Now put that pallet down and come here I'm bored."
"I am not a trained dog Mizuki, you want your damn portrait or not?" Mizuki's violet eyes glared at her.
"You are whatever I want you to be hmm?" She dropped the bed sheet aside her body exposed to the soft light. "I will reward you generously for doing so…" Claire placed down her pallet and pinned the smaller girl in bed.
"If you weren't so damn pretty…"
"If you weren't so damn greedy…" They kissed fiercely and Claire looked into the violet eyes with lust. "You know, Haruka was right about something… I do like mixing business with pleasure."