Countdown in Business

Chapter 10

Let the Competition BEGIN!

"Natsuki-san, get up that is undignified for a person of your standards." The old lady said.

As if lightning struck her Natsuki jumped right up. "Yes, Ms. Maria!"

"Now, we need to talk about some things, let us be on our way." Ms. Maria said.

Ms. Maria, the old gray hair lady in a black nun-like dress, a very frightening existence was telling Natsuki that she wanted to go somewhere and talk with her.

When Natsuki fell under Mikoto's weight, luckily for Mai, Natsuki released her hand, preventing her from falling as well. Mai saw everything that happened. She was more confused than ever now. Why were Ms. Maria and the others here? Mai wondered but did not have the courage to ask while Ms. Maria was 'glaring' at her, actually she was just looking but since its Ms. Maria, its considered glaring.

"Mai-san, you are here as well. Then you may come along." Ms. Maria told the frightened orange hair girl before seeing another girl, a red head, trying to sneak her way into the crowd to escape.

"Oh, and Nao-san you may join us as well."

The little red head who was seconds away from safety was stopped in her tracks. She slowly turned her frozen body toward the authoritative intimidating voice.

"M-Ms. Maria! I didn't see you there! Ha ha ha…"

"Come along Nao-san." The gray hair woman said while taking a hold of the red head's ear and yanking it along.

The rest of the others silently followed along them, fearing that if they did not, they would be in the red head's place.


The group went into the school and entered inside the principal's office. Midori saw them enter and said nothing about it as if she was expecting it or was too scared by Ms. Maria to speak.

Once everyone was settled down the room was quiet, waiting for Ms. Maria to start her speech. The gray haired lady cleared her throat and began.

"Well, judging from Natsuki-san's reaction, it seems that she is unaware of the situation due to the fact that Nao-san had not informed her yet, is that correct, Nao-san?"

The in questioned red head was in a very tight spot judging from the tone Ms. Maria was using and the glare her cousin, Natsuki, was giving her that said 'why didn't you tell me so I could've ran away?!'.

"Ummm….. Well, I… I tried! I really did! Promise, Ms. Maria! I was going to tell her but… but… Midori made me leave! Yeah! That's it! Midori made me leave!" The red head said nervously at first but came out much more confidently at the end.

The poor unsuspecting victim of the blame game froze in place under Ms. Maria's glare and desperately reasoned. "I… I…. it's… it's only justified if students study at school right?!"

"I suppose so." Ms. Maria started.

"But now to the main problem, Natsuki-san is still unaware of what is happening correct?" She questioned the young Kruger.

Ok, this, for Natsuki was getting a little bit annoying.

She wanted to know what 'is happening' now. "No, I don't know and instead of trying to find out why I don't know why don't you just tell me!"

She exclaimed to the old lady but had to add, "Not that I'm trying to be rude but it was getting annoying with everyone talking about it…" to the end in order to avoid Ms. Maria's punishment for acting 'unladylike'.

"Well, it seems like I should tell Natsuki-san of what is happening and explain its rules.

You see, Natsuki-san, your father, Hirohito Kruger-sama, had announced practically to the world that you are looking for a fiancé and that the day of your marriage with your fiancé each of you will be given twenty-five point five percent of Kruger Corporation's stocks, meaning that the both of you basically would own Kruger Corporation because with more than half of the stocks no one would be able to oppose any decision you make.

A few…"

"WHAT?! I was NOT aware of this!!!" Natsuki shouted at the top of her lungs and was about to continue until Ms. Maria stared her down.

"As I was saying until Natsuki-san interrupted, a few moments after Kruger-sama announced this news he called Reito-san, Anh-san, and myself and asked Reito-san and Anh-san to participate due to the fact that almost no one knows of your appearance other than a few, them included, and ask me to supervise.

Oh, and Mai-san you are invite to join as well, I ask on behave of Kruger-sama."

Reito and Anh sat there with a smile gracing their faces still, though on the other hand Mai was blushing with her mouth slightly parted, trying to protest or accept, no one could tell.

Nao was fearful of what her cousin might do to her and somewhat worried about her cousin even though she'd never admit it.

Midori's eyes' were slightly widened but inside her head she stored the newly given information for future reference.

Out of everyone in the room the raven hair girl was worse off.

Her eyes were the size of plates with big circles that magicians use for hypnotism in the middle.

Her jaw dropped to the ground, though not literally because it's not humanly possible, but as close as one can get to it.

Her body was as still as a statue, not even moving to breathe.

The world was spinning around her as she tried to grasp what was happening.

She had just been told that the world knows that she'll have to get married to someone and now everyone wants a piece of her. Not only that but once she does get married she'll get to play president at her dad's company?! And, to make things worse, Reito and Anh, who both knows of this and who she is, are here.

It just keeps getting worse and worse. Now she has to deal with them too!


Well, Reito was not that bad.


They met when she was studying swordsmanship under some really famous old man and became friends with him after a few sparing sessions. He was the only one that would be able to spar with Natsuki and come out in one piece, which had not happen before so Natsuki saw him as ok in her book.


But, Anh, that was a different story.


Natsuki kept wondering why? Why was she so gullible when it came to that delicious white heavenly substance?! It started when her father asked her to go with him to France saying it would be a treat for her since it's the place where mayonnaise was invented.

The mention of mayo got Natsuki immediately interested so she agreed to go. Little that she knew she would have to get involve with the business world.

Her father did not lie when he said that they'd go to a mayonnaise factory but he did not say that it was owned by a business partner of his and that the daughter of that partner was the vice-president. When the two Kruger first arrived they were immediately greeted. Her father left to talk business with the factory owner, leaving poor Natsuki with the daughter, Anh Lu.

And the rest was history. Since Anh was a natural player, she tried to get a date with Natsuki, thinking that she would get one no matter what, but she was wrong. Natsuki flat out rejected her.

Normally when someone rejects you the way Natsuki did with Anh, a kick in the shin and sticking her tongue out to you saying 'never in a million years!' then would you get the message right? No, Anh didn't.

In fact, she tried even harder because Natsuki was the first to ever flat out reject her like that, it amazed her and so, after a lot of effort, Anh and Natsuki became friend but Anh still did not give up.

Now, since there's a competition for Natsuki's hand in marriage, Anh was sure to join.


Seconds became minutes and so on as the raven hair girl stood there in fear and shock. Eventually everyone else got over the shock and just gathered around the young Kruger, who was still stunned.

The spiky black hair girl, also the sister of Reito, poked the 'statue'.

"Natsuki? Natsuki!?" She called out to the 'statue' but since no one answered she became confused and turned to her brother. "Ani-ue, is Natsuki asleep?"

Chuckling nervously, Reito replied, "No, Mikoto. I think that she is just still shocked about the talk for her hand in marriage."

At the mention of the, now, forbidden word, Natsuki jumped. "WHAT?! MARRIAGE?!?!? NOOOOO!!!!"

The raven hair girl ran as fast as she could out the door of the principal's office and through the, what she thought to be, empty halls. That is, until she finally bumped into and knocked someone over, making the both of them land on the ground.

"Oww… My head…." Natsuki said while she used one hand to prop herself up and the other to rub her head.

The person she knocked over, still on the floor with Natsuki hovering over her, spoke.

"Ara…"


Author's Notes:

First, sorry for taking so long to update but I was really busy. Well, to tell you the truth I'm still busy but since it's been awhile I had to post up another chapter. So tell me what do you think so far? Good? Bad? Stop writing forever? Either way tell me what you think and if you have any ideas for what you want to happen before the time limit for Natsuki's marriage is up please tell me, I really am having trouble thinking of what should happen. Thanks for reading and please review.