Chapter 12: A New Beginning

"You have really nice friends Natsuki," Jaime remarked. He smiled at the thought of Natsuki's friends – Mai, Nao, Mikoto, Haruka, and Yukino – who all went to the airport to see Natsuki off. Jaime, on the other hand, was unaccompanied. In an hour, the plane will land in New York. Natsuki was sleeping so she didn't hear Jaime at all.

--

"Wake up Natsuki!" Jaime yelled. He shook Natsuki twice and then he thought of playing a joke on her. "Natsuki, you're drooling!"

"Wha--" Natsuki sat straight and then she realized that Jaime was kidding. "Baka!"

They got off the plane and picked up their luggage. Natsuki was suddenly nervous when she finally got a good look of the surroundings. She knows what to expect but now that reality is in front of her, she realized that it's going to take time get accustomed to the new environment. When she turned her head on the crowd of waiting people, she saw a placard with her name. She beamed and motioned Jaime to follow her. They pushed through the crowd until they reached the person holding the placard.

Komari was pleased to see Natsuki. Indeed, she has strong features and she's a looker. While assessing her appearance, she noticed that Natsuki wasn't even greeting her even if she's carrying the "Natsuki-placard". Obviously, she was looking for Shizuru. Komari turned her eyes to Jaime who played the part of the guy with good manners. Komari assessed him as well and she was completely taken by the warm smile.

"Hi, this is Natsuki," Jaime offered as he pulled Natsuki like a puppy and forced her to look at Komari. Komari offered her hand and introduced herself.

"I'm Komari Anderson*, it's nice to see you guys" She smiled as she shook their hands.

[*A/N: Komari's biological father is Japanese and her mom is from of Ohio. Her parents separated and her mom remarried a Swede who loved both of them dearly.]

"I'm Jaime Allen. It's my pleasure to meet you," Jaime replied with his usual smile. Komari was suddenly intrigued at the idea that Natsuki is comfortable to be around a super clean man. To Komari, Jaime looked like the perfect big brother taking care of his young, rebellious sister.

"I'm Natsuki Kuga. Shizuru has told me about—Whaa" Natsuki felt someone hugged her from behind and she backed away. When she turned around, she saw a hurt Shizuru.

"Sorry Natsuki. I just got excited--"

"Shizuru," Natsuki mumbled. She closed the distance between them and she hugged her tightly. Jaime looked at Shizuru, who was suddenly squeezed by Natsuki, and he got her attention. Shizuru expected a different guy. Jaime just didn't fit the image that she had in her head. Natsuki called and told her that she's with another scholar but she definitely didn't expect a guy like Jaime. Shizuru thought that Natsuki would be coming with a nerdy guy with glasses and a protruding stomach.

Natsuki pulled away from the hug. She was so happy and her anxiety due to the new environment completely vanished now that she had seen Shizuru. "It felt like…"

"Welcome home, Natsuki," Shizuru said softly.

"Exactly" Natsuki thought. "It felt like home."

"Hey, Shizuru," Komari interjected. Shizuru pulled away from the hug while holding Natsuki's arm. She raised her brows at Komari. "Is it okay for you two to use Nihonggo when Jaime and I are around?"

"Why, I'm surprised Komari. You mean you can't understand Nihonggo then?" Jaime asked innocently. Komari then realized that she'd be the only one who would grapple with Japanese words.

"Don't tell me…" Komari's eyes widened at Jaime.

"Uh huh. I'm Japanese, you know" Jaime smirked. Natsuki cupped her forehead and sighed at Jaime's usual behavior.

"Oh my, this is so unfair," Komari sighed in defeat while Shizuru chuckled and then she remembered that Natsuki was still holding her hand. "She must have forgotten to let my hand go," Shizuru thought.

"Are you tired, Natsuki?" Shizuru asked while pressing Natsuki's palm to remind her of their locked hands.

"No, I was just t thinking what weird friends we have here. One can't speak Japanese but absolutely looks Japanese. The other one speaks Japanese but doesn't look like a Japanese," Natsuki explained. Shizuru and Jaime chuckled at her comment.

"I can't believe your doing this to me!" Komari complained. "Natsuki you have to speak in English now that you're here." Natsuki stared blankly at her for a moment. Shizuru thought that Natsuki would blurt out something like "Who are you to order me?" but she was surprised when Natsuki calmly answered, "Okay."

Acting as the eldest in the group, Komari walked ahead while Jaime volunteered to carry Natsuki's luggage with his own. All the while, Shizuru was calculating the guy's actions toward Natsuki. They seemed too close to each other and she felt uneasy about it. But then she couldn't hate the guy because there's nothing unpleasant about him. He exudes an aura that can attract people and his gentlemanly manners are definitely a plus. She thought that Natsuki might fall for him if they spend more time together and then she unconsciously tightened her grasp of Natsuki's hand.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki asked when she felt the pressure from Shizuru's hand. Shizuru released Natsuki's hand and she wrapped her right arm around Natsuki's left arm. Natsuki welcomed her action.

--

Shizuru liked driving her car most of the time but now she hated it so much. While she drives, Natsuki and Jaime are sitting together at the rear seat while Komari takes her usual place in front.

It was a good thing that Jaime and Komari are both noisy people who could talk just about anything else. Shizuru tried listening to them while driving but she couldn't control herself from looking at the mirror to see Natsuki who's head was tilted on one side. She looked sleepy. Shizuru was downright worried that Natsuki might totally lean on Jaime's shoulder. She wasn't able to notice the detour board until she heard Komari shouting "Look out!"

Shizuru's adrenaline pumped double time as all the passengers in the car held on to their seats. She quickly steered to the highways' shoulder and thankfully, she missed the manhole by a meter. Everyone was dumbfounded when the car stopped. They were lucky that there wasn't a police officer on patrol.

Komari eyed Jaime and tried to send a mental message to him but he wasn't picking up. Natsuki stood up from her seat and checked on Shizuru.

"Shizuru, are you all right?" Natsuki asked with concern.

"I'll drive Shizuru. You seem a bit dizzy" Komari declared. "Hey Jaime, sit here in front and let Shizuru rest at the back with Natsuki." They quickly changed positions and Natsuki sat close to Shizuru. She wrapped her arm around Shizuru's waist and motioned her to lean her head on her shoulder. Shizuru knows that she isn't dizzy at all but then she continued acting the part just to feel Natsuki close to her. She relaxed, closed her eyes and focus on Natsuki's smell and warmth. "She's being so nice to me," Shizuru thought and then she drifted to sleep.

--

Komari pretended that she had something to do and excused herself from helping Natsuki unpack while Jaime went to Dorm 3. Shizuru was inwardly happy that the two finally left her with Natsuki. She was smiling and humming and didn't mind pulling a heavy luggage bag.

Natsuki was surprised at the rowdy crowd of students in the huge dormitory's lobby. Natsuki would be staying at the fourth floor of Dorm 2, left wing. The right wing is occupied by male students. Natsuki remembered her good days at the apartment with Mai and Nao. The three of them hated the university dormitories because most students are just so noisy. But since Shizuru is around, she felt that there's nothing to be worried about.

"I'm glad they placed you in Dorm 2." Shizuru said.

"Yeah, me too. Where's your room by the way?"

"First floor, Room 22."

"Got it." Natsuki acknowledged with a huge grin. Shizuru was eyeing her all the while. "Natsuki seemed so…grown-up."

They got off the elevator at the fourth floor and walked to the far end of the hallway to Room 37. Natsuki used the key given to her and she slowly opened the door. She was greeted by a tall and lithe woman with long waves of dark tresses. She was barefoot and she was holding a sketch pad.

"What a surprise, Shizuru!" The woman pressed her cheek on Shizuru's and then she looked at Natsuki. "And you are?"

"Natsuki Kuga. Your roommate." The woman stared at her from head to toe and then she turned Natsuki around with one hand. Natsuki was clueless about the woman's intention. Shizuru absolutely didn't expect that Natsuki would fall to the lair of the tigress, Natalie Cruz.

Natalie is a Fine Arts student and Shizuru met her when their art club started offering lessons in painting a few months back. Shizuru participated to break away from her humdrum daily schedule.

"This is so nice. Natsuki, huh? Welcome!" Natalie gave the shocked Natsuki a big hug. "The goddesses of art brought you here in my doorsteps to be my partner!"

"Pardon?!"

"Natalie and Natsuki Exhibit! For the love of art, we can do it Natsuki!"

"No, Natalie!" Shizuru interjected, "You are not involving her in any of your art projects."

"That's not for you to decide," Natalie slyly replied while smiling at Natsuki.

"Natalie, could you let us in so that I can fix my things?" Natsuki requested.

"Of course!" Natalie happily led them inside. The room was filled with oil paintings, portraits. Apparently, Natalie's main interest is painting a human's naked form.