A/N: Another update so soon? Yes, believe it. :]
The trains were the same as they are in Fuuka. A little less crowded, a little newer, the people a little nicer. Natsuki had some time before checkout when she knew that Mai would be there so she decided to walk instead of taking a taxi. Her mind was filled with so much that she couldn't concentrate on just one thing. What time would she be going back to Shizuru's place? How long was she welcome there? Is it her place to ask for her forgiveness? Was Mai upset? Does she have to explain everything to the other girl? One question led to another, to another, to another, but none had a reasonable answer, none provided any comfort.
The confused biker grabbed a bottle of water from the convenience store in the lobby before making her way to the room. Empty. She threw all her clothes into the open suitcase and made sure she had everything before throwing herself on the bed, resting her eyes. She'd just have to answer each question as they came to her.
Time to face the first. Natsuki could hear the electronic beep and the loud click of the door when Mai got there a few minutes later. The green-eyed girl couldn't be bothered to peer at her as she kept her arm draped over her face. "I'm going to stay here," Natsuki called out, not moving.
"I know, you told me." Mai double-checked the room and bathroom before straightening out the bed a little.
"I mean, I'm going to stay here for a while." Natsuki clears up, hoping that Mai doesn't over react.
"Huh?" Mai asked, confused. "Like, a month?" Moving to sit at the end of the bed that Natsuki's lying on.
"No, like a long time." Natsuki moved her elbow a bit so she could peek to gauge a response from her best friend. "I'm going to move here."
"What?" Mai got off the bed looking down at her, "What do you mean you're moving here?"
Natsuki was forced to sit up to address the inevitable conversation. "I'm going to stay here. I'll find a job and then start school down here in Kyoto."
"Because of Shizuru." Mai stated plainly. "I know you guys were close, but don't you want to think about this? Come back with me first and you can move here when you're ready. Maybe after you finish school." Mai tried her best to reason some sense into the confused girl.
"We were more than close." Natsuki skimmed the room, when everything looked clear she threw her packed bag on the bed, ready to go. "You know that she liked me. Well, more than liked me and that I was her 'precious person.' That's why when we battled, I disappeared as well when I won." She took a audible breath before continuing, "But, whoever won that fight, we both would've been gone. She was special to me, too. I just didn't know it. That's why I could summon Duran again after..." She paused remembering the facts about her mother and First District. She cleared her throat and continued, "That's why his size changed dramatically. I loved her, too." Mai sat there dumbly, her mouth agape.
"Well, stop looking at me like that," Natsuki spat as the realization hit her of what she just confessed. A blush warms her cheeks, "Whatever. So, I have to stay."
With a sharp turn of her head, her hair flowed behind her as she threw her duffle bag over her shoulder and walked towards the door. "Let's check out and grab lunch before you have to head out." She walked out of the door, not bothering to hold it open.
When she heard the door slam, Mai finally registered what was going on and got off the bed. She gave one last triple check of the room before rushing and stumbling out of the room behind Natsuki. They caught up with each other at the elevator, neither finding anything to say, the heavy weight of silence eating at them both.
"So that's why you didn't like Takeda." Mai interjected playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
"TOKIHA!" Natsuki yelled after her, only to be muffled a bit by the chime of the elevator doors opening.
Unfortunately for Natsuki, there were people in the elevator, she couldn't kill the busty girl right then and there, nor could she swear her profanities. She entered the small enclosure, gritting her teeth, stomping on the other girls foot as the door closed. Mai cried in pain silently to herself before letting out a small chuckle, 'totally worth it.'
Shizuru made her way back to her house. Letting out a sigh of relief once the other girl was gone. There was a underlying pressure to be the perfect person she wanted Natsuki to see her as. It had been tiring to put up the façade, it had been several years, but after a while it just came naturally again. Yet now, there was added difficulty came from her handicap.
It started to drizzle lightly as she made her way home, gradually picking up. She was more than happy to be in the warmth of her own house but could only roll her eyes when she found out her door was unlocked. Great.
She made her way to the kitchen where she knew the uninvited guest waited. As usual, at the same time everyday, in the same spot, watching the same news program, drinking the same coffee, there was Shinichi.
"I see she's finally gone." Shizuru could hear the sound of a picture frame being placed down, no doubt the one that Natsuki was just holding the other day.
"She'll be back." Shizuru took a collective breath, putting down her purse and keys on the counter before making her way to sit across from her visitor. There was a small, exasperated sigh from across the table and a clink when he turned the photo face down.
"She's not good for you." He stated cool and collected. "She'll pull you along and you'll end up in the same place you were before."
"Please don't speak as if you know her." Shizuru interjected, cutting him off before he could say anymore. "You don't know who she is or what she's like. You also have no say in my decisions. You're not my father, you're not my brother, and you are not my boyfriend."
The last statement ticked off the dark-haired boy, placing his palms flat on the table trying to calm himself. "No, I'm not. But I am your friend. I'm looking out for you. Do you want to be thrown into that loop again?"
"I think I'm old enough to make my own personal decisions. I can handle myself." Shizuru tried to keep everything from falling apart. Shinichi was her knight in shining armor. He helped her and was there when she needed him. But he wasn't want she wanted. She knew what she wanted and he wasn't it. Natsuki was.
Shinichi gets up from his spot, "You weren't able to before."
Shizuru copies his gestures and starts walking him towards the door. "Well, we all learn from our mistakes. I know better now."
Shinichi put on his shoes at the entrance and opened the door himself. "You better." He stated impudently, letting the door close behind him without saying bye.
Shizuru locked the door behind him, making her way to the couch to lie down on. She was glad that was somewhat taken care of and which it went a little better, but she would have to take care of it when the time came. Neither of them had the resolve to settle the matter in a civil manner. It's her choice. She can make her own decisions. She shouldn't have to shut everything and everyone out of her life just because she was blind. Shinichi would have to understand that she needed more than the life she had grown into. She wanted more than the life that she had grown into. She just hoped that she knew what she was doing and that he wasn't right. That things would turn out the way she wanted them, not the way that he expected them.
A/N: I want to thank you all for the reviews. I try to reply to all of you but a lot of you are guests or don't allow messaging, but thank you so much for reading and your input! I'm glad you guys are enjoying it and sticking with me! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and hopefully I can get another one out for you soon again. :] Read and review and I'll do my best to get another update ASAP. Please and thank you!