And like Natsuki's words has been predictive, or maybe her actions must have been well calculated, Shizuru walked into the auction venue with less focused mind. She tried to appreciate the beauty of the doric styled entrance with artistic lightning effects as they walked into the exhibition hall, her hand smoothing non-existent wrinkles of her gown, when it was actually the clammy feeling between her legs that she wants to… what exactly? Oh how much she wants to have the relief for this new pulsing ache. Now.
Her other hand was hooked on Natsuki's arm when they spotted Chie who waved at them while talking to a middle-aged man, a shrewd businessman, negotiating for SRV's Fender Strat from 1980's. But before they could meet one of the host of the night, an old friend has crossed their path.
"Shizuru?! Is that you?! Heavens! It has been so long!"
"Ahn!" Shizuru greeted back, surprised. They shared a quick embrace and a kiss on the cheek.
"Oh, it's so lovely to see you! You're even more beautiful than last I saw you!" Ahn said in glee. Her taaffeite eyes glances idly to Shizuru's right, a pretty dark-haired girl linked in her arms.
"Ahn, this is Natsuki" Shizuru made a beaming introduction "My girlfriend"
Blood rushed through Natsuki's face and Ahn was slightly taken aback, not sure how to react at such peculiar way Shizuru has introduced her company. Surely, it's probably a jest? And last she knew of her friend, she is still engaged to the Miyazaki heir, a perfect Adonis of every girls' wet dreams, although now carrying a new family name due to his mother's new marriage, which soon Shizuru will be carrying herself. Oh… such a dream couple!
She absently took Natsuki's stretched hand and shook as they exchanged greetings, temporarily awestruck when the dark-haired girl smiled. Well, not only pretty, but charming too
Shizuru and Ahn chatted for a while, catching up on old times when suddenly someone hollered for Natsuki's name before the unsuspecting brunette was hauled and buried between a very healthy pair of bosom, making her stagger for balance because her vision has been so suddenly pushed through a soft rounded darkness. Mai was smothering her tightly from excitement that Reito had to remind her fiancée to let her friend breathe.
The busty friend did let her go, smiling in apology. Natsuki had to gasp back for air, staggering back for balance, the same time a monkey clutched on Shizuru's side. Mikoto was grinning from ear to ear, looking up at the honey-haired woman.
"Good evening ladies. It's nice to see you again Ahn" Reito greeted warmly, looking so clean and handsome in his evening suit and bow tie. Ahn gasped and greeted back, leaning towards him for a short embrace.
Mai, on the other hand, has been aching to steal her friend to have a quick talk. She has been dying to squeeze out an explanation from her friend. Her eyeballs almost popped out of their sockets when she saw her socially allergic friend openly seen in a social event, hooked in the arm of beautiful woman, smiling and shaking hands with a new acquaintance. She even had to pause to wonder if the earth is really on its right axis tonight.
She finally had the chance to steal Natsuki when Shizuru, Ahn, and Reito fell into a friendly chatter. Mikoto suddenly disappeared following a server that passed by holding up a tray of confections for the guests.
"Okay, so what alien dish did you eat tonight? And where is Natsuki? And who are you?" Mai assailed with unrelenting questions after she managed to pull her to a corner where an L'Incomparable diamond necklace is beaming on top of a three-inch high clear acrylic riser.
Quite dumbstruck at this sudden assault of questions, Natsuki only blinked and came up with a non-so eloquent "Huh?"
"Don't you huh me! You ditched me before when I asked you, practically begged you before to be my date on a school conference because Reito was sick. And I know it was not just me who got stood up. There were many of us. Even the most kind and beautiful poor Sei-san who has never done anything wrong to you! And now I see you, beaming all teeth with Shizuru-san?!"
And like Mai's words were on cue, Sei materialized from behind her, looking so refined in her black racer front gown, her hair tied in a lose pony tail with a few lose strands framing a side of her face.
"Oh how my poor heart has been wounded and battered to the ground that night, Mai-san. You were so cruel Natsuki. Why were you so heartless to me when all I ever did was love you?" Sei declaimed, placing a palm upon her chest for effect. Some eavesdropping guests gasped in chorus, eyes wide in disbelief.
Natsuki's face lit up, impervious of the other guests eyeing her with growing displeasure, and a lethal pair of crimsons from a distance. She jumped towards Sei for a quick embrace.
"Sei!" Natsuki greeted, surprised and so glad to see her friend again. She had met the surprisingly bubbly dark blond girl in a business meeting with Sei's step sister who also owns and manages a hotel chain in Brooklyn. "You scamp! Why didn't you tell me you're back here in Japan?! Sorry we didn't get to catch up last time. You messed my office!"
"Ah, because you never asked. You never check on me anymore. After all the we've shared, here you are, in the arms of another" Sei fake out another heart-rending confession again, sighing with the most convincing gravity of sadness. The gossip mongers around them were now bawling over. Mai and Chie who had just got there after finally managing to cut a deal with one of the guests, were trembling with stifled laughter, holding their mouths, their shoulders trembling. The look on those people around them and the whole scene is just too amusing.
"Give it up Sei-san. You know how our friend doesn't like too much attention" Chie rejoined after recovering some voice. They look around and finally noticed the people staring at them, or particularly to their raven-haired friend, who only rolled her eyes at the played out sympathetic guests. She already got used to her blond friend's tendencies to get her into trouble.
"Really, Sei. You haven't changed at all. And by the way, I'm already in college now, so don't ever think about bugging to get into Lilian again" Natsuki half-mockingly warned.
"Yeah, but I can always try to convince you to transfer to mine. I'm in college too you know" Sei said self-assuredly. She dipped her head and curled an arm around Natsuk's shoulder, prompting Mai and Chie to huddle close as well. They looked like a group of girls whispering about a conspiracy. "So… how did it go? Nao told me you seem to be rolling in the deep with that exquisite woman you got there Natsuki. Although I can understand your fascination" Sei stole a furtive glance to where Shizuru is. She almost winced to see a dark look from said woman boring through her skull, so she quickly docked her head again to their small circle, although she couldn't get rid of the ominous tingle in her back "So, tell me already. I'm dying to know! Did we manage to push the right button, or we royally messed it up?" she asked in an almost hush-hush tone, Mai and Chie doing the same.
"How did go what?" Mai asked, not sure what Sei was talking about.
"Yeah. I want to know too. And is this a date with Shizuru-san, Natsuki?" Chie couldn't help throwing in as well.
"What the hell is up you three?! Why are you cornering me? Can we talk about this later?!" Natsuki strained, trying to escape from Sei and Mai's grasp, and she hasn't got an iota of why she is hushing as well.
"ah come now. Spill it already" Sei insisted, tightening her hold on the young brunettes' shoulder, Mai instinctively doing the same. The trio looked expectantly at Natsuki who's growing uncomfortable under her friends' scrutiny. She felt trapped, but she knew these three will never drop it until she gives them something.
So she sighed in defeat, suddenly feeling embarrassed, she felt she owe it to Sei and Nao after all, whether the surprise at the office was deliberate or not. She chewed on her lip and very timidly looked up to Sei with eyes that says it all.
Sei gasped audibly, catching again the curiosity of the others nearby, her eyes dancing. "wu-wu-wait! wait! please do say you mean what I think you mean?"
For the first time, they saw their friend looking like common teenage girl, a love-struck fool.
"What else do you think I mean? Why else would we be dating tonight?" the said girl mumbled, frowning.
This time multiple audible gasps were heard. Takeda and Nao has just arrived and now standing behind Natsuki. The former was totally floored, while the latter was smirking.
"told you it'll work" Nao told Sei "Chie, pop a bottle of Henri, the princess finally got laid"
Chie and Sei hooted in cheers, Mai squealed in delight, death hugging her friend again, Takeda patting her back, while Natsuki was so red in the face, trying to hush them up and escape Mai's breast.
"They seem to be having fun" Reito noted, eyeing the cheering group his fiancée is in.
"Indeed" Shizuru said, her eyes shooting daggers to Sei and Takeda's arms on Natsuki's shoulder. She turned to Ahn and Reito, smiling too chillingly sweet "Would you excuse me for a moment. I just need to take back my Natsuki"
There it is again, Ahn thought, the peculiar way Shizuru claims her friend. She awkwardly nodded while Reito smiled, amused.
Shizuru strides with purpose, emitting a baleful specter around her, that the people felt the urge to flee out of her way. Soon she reached her destination and simply called for Natsuki's name, her tone effectively emancipating her girl from her friend's clutches.
"You seem to be having fun" she noted snaking an arm on Natsuki's waist, pulling her girl close. Her not so amicable eyes landed on a pair of supercilious blue with a trace of impishness. Natsuki hastened to introduce the two.
"Um, I think you've met before but Shizuru, this is my friend, Sei. Sei this is Shizuru"
"Her girlfriend" Shizuru cut in, holding out a hand to Sei. Nao was smirking, while Natsuki and the rest are speechless.
Sei however, only regarded Shizuru shrewdly. Although there is something in her eyes her friends knew so well.
"Well, are you now?" Sei smiled, her soft voice arrogant, taking Shizuru's hand in a firm shake "I'm sorry but I'm not easy to deter, Miss Fujino. I wouldn't be too complacent if I were you"
"Oi! Will you knock it off already?" Natsuki tried to tell Sei off. The air was getting uncomfortable. But her words fell on deaf ears as both women kept eyeing each other, haughty.
"Oh, I don't intend to, Miss Satou, you can count on that" Shizuru shot back, disturbingly amiable.
Lightning sparks crickle between two stiff-necked women. No one backing down.
Sei's haughty smiling face fell into a smirk. "Let's see about that" she leans to kiss Natsuki's cheek, the side where there's no Shizuru, for safety measures. "I'll see you around Natsuki" she whispered on small ear, her voice audibly sweet.
Just then one of the servers arrived holding a bottle of Henri. He noticed the chilling silence within the group and he awkwardly handed the bottle to Chie and scuttered away.
"I think we better have a drink now. What say you, Sei-san?" Chie proposed. She also attempted to invite Shizuru but was politely declined, saying she and Natsuki still has to talk. So they left silently, walking with casual ease. Nao sidled close to Sei as they neared one of the white canopies set outside, out of earshot.
"For a moment there I thought I have to be ready for a brawl" she murmured.
They broke into snickers, Sei rubbing off the prickling discomfort left at her nape. "I was actually checking the nearest exit" she chuckled.
Fiery crimsons still fixed on the back of the blond head walking away, unconsciously tightening her grip on Natsuki's waist.
"ow…"
The weak moan snapped her out of the seething mood and abruptly let go of Natsuki. She intended an apology but the amusement in those pair of emeralds brought back the full-scale crabbiness. The bloody glare is back. Almost growling, she stomped away from the crowd, tugging Natsuki along, turned to quite a secluded corner at the back of a fifty-inch plasma TV mounted on a wall flashing the items for sale with its impressive details and description presented accordingly with the asking price. They took a short flight of stairs leading a very cozy timbered floor roof-deck with a few tables and chairs set up to give space to whoever wants a stroll or lean on a gothic carved stone balustrade. They stopped on a corner with a lucky bamboo swaying from the evening breeze.
Natsuki was a mixture of amusement and an ounce of fear even as she was yanked to that corner, trapped between the balustrade and the smoldering temptress.
"What are you smiling at?!"
"Nothing. What are you yapping about?" Nasuki asked, tickled. She thought she could almost hear Shizuru growling and wondered for a second why she wanted to laugh at it when she should probably run and hide.
"Yapping?! Does that woman wanted to feed you with girls again?! And how dare she challenge me! Doesn't she know how to respect boundaries at all?!" Shizuru was smarting, failing to notice the amusement fell from Natsuki's face "doesn't she have the decency to back off?! The nerve of that woman! how dare she make a pass on you in front of me!"
Natsuki only watched her in silence, her face unreadable as she regards Shizuru's temper. Her eyes cast down.
"You mean…" she spoke, paused and gather her thoughts again, not really sure where to start "I mean… um… Sei was just trying to get rise out of you, though I don't know why. But she's just a friend, Shizuru. We're friends. They were just a little surprised to see me with you, to see me with a date"
"Then shouldn't she have realized her place by now?!"
Natsuki opened her mouth, hesitated, and closed again.
"Her place?"
"Oh don't play dumb with me Natsuki! If you don't know how to draw the line, then I will!"
Natsuki fell silent, pensive. She took a moment, pondering. She let out a breath and her hand slowly reached for a flittering young leaf with a knuckle and smoothing its surface with her thumb. It looked like she was trying to soothe a quivering young thing between her fingers.
"You don't like it then?..." Natsuki asked calmly. Shizuru was ready to throw sarcasm but Natsuki spoke again, her tone disconcerting "…when someone tries to make a move on one who already belongs to another?"
Shizuru's blazing temper suddenly hit a mountain of glacier, feeling her stupidity fell on her like a ton of bricks. Now she's struck dumb watching the guilt in those green eyes.
No… ugh! Really Shizuru, very tactful!
"You know that's not what I mean" she said, quiet and petulant.
"It is how I understand it" Natsuki looked at her, giving a small smile with apology "I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry though. Please don't hate me"
Shizuru let out a frustrated sigh and crashed her lips towards the dismal looking face. Their teeth clashed and Natsuki almost reeled over. Shizuru grabbed a fist of midnight hair, tugging it to keep Natsuki's face up as her lips impel for reciprocation. Her other hand on the small of Natsuki's back, holding against her as their tongues are heated with passion, dispelling the tension of the body in her arms.
"You're mine, Natsuki. That's what I wanted to say" she panted on Natsuki's lips.
"Mm… I am" Natsuki smiled, dazed, though her eyes were amused "I just have to be careful with that capricious temper. But damn, you look so hot when you're pissed Fujino"
Shizuru frowned but the corners of her lips were quirking. Was that a tease or a compliment? How does Natsuki make it sound so… sensual? Making her feel sexy? She wondered as she let herself be pulled close, standing in between the girls' legs who is now leaning her behind against the balustrade while embracing Shizuru from the waist.
Both of them visibly relaxed, the tension dissipated.
"Gome ne…"Shizuru muttered, cradling the navy head against her bosom "Seeing someone else touching you makes me peevish, Kruger-sama"
The arms around her waist tightened and eased up again. She smiled.
"I want to say the same thing, one day" Natsuki murmured, sighing as she rests the side of her head on Shizuru's chest.
"What is?"
"That you're mine" emerald eyes glanced up to a pair of crimsons, yearning "all mine, as I am to you"
Shizuru's smile slipped, suddenly feeling the biggest hypocrite. Here she was throwing tantrums with unreasonable jealousy when Natsuki most probably have gone through the same feeling, the same situation, or even worst. Her gut twisted and she wants to slap her own self, utter a thousand apologies and offer a promise just to take the anxiety away from those lovely greens but a finger was gently pressed against her lips. Natsuki's words were bittersweet, a direct plea to her heart.
"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you"
Oh Natsuki…
A rush of emotions swell through her heart, overwhelmed, gazing down upon honest greens. Her tongue stuck on her throat, her eyes stings.
I really am falling for you… but I feel so underserving
Lost for words, she dipped her head as they meet in gentle kiss, her tongue seeking out Natsuki's and soon melted from the fervent caresses and the sensual synchrony of their lips. Nudging deep, hungry. Her eyes were dazed when they parted, her breathing shallow. Natsuki brings out a stark realization in her, long been denied, avoided. But this need and wanting is too raw. It is frightening.
How did you do this to me…
She gazed upon the face held between her palms like the most precious treasure she has ever held in her hands, mystified, yet she's bursting with pride.
"I didn't know Natsuki is a fan of novels? Jane Austin?"
Natsuki grinned. "I'm still a girl Shizuru. Romance is not too far from my genes" she wiggled a dark brow "have you chosen an item yet to bid for tonight?" she asked, effectively shifting the subject.
Shizuru placed a chaste kiss on Natsuki's, her hand gently digging through silky straight midnight tresses.
"hmm… no. I think I'll go with whatever you choose. How about you? Anything interested in?"
Natsuki thought for a moment, frowning. "Nothing really. I was thinking I should leave it all to you. Your device is already connected to the bidding system, right?"
Shizuru pursed her lips "Natsuki, I think you should decide about the item. It's your money"
Natsuki let out a heavy sigh, speaking at Shizuru like to a child "Shizuru, we worked for it, we earned it, it's our profit. How many times must I tell you? And besides, I'm really bad at shopping"
This time it was Shizuru who exhaled audibly. "Somehow, I feel like your mistress"
Natsuki gave an ear-splitting grin "Oh, I'd love you to be"
"Your only mistress" Shizuru stipulated, despotic.
"Yes ma'am" she took Shizuru's hand placed kisses on her knuckles "Now I think we need to head back downstairs. See if there's anything you'd like"
They stood, holding hands as they walked towards the stairs they took before. Natsuki paused when she felt her phone buzz on her pocket, marring her face with a frown at the interruption as she held it against her ears, her tone was crisp.
"Yeah?... what's the progress from the R&D?... hmm… rerun all prototypes then. Send me the new layouts and all the mechanics. I want the presentation on Monday, 2 p.m. JST… Good… I'll be online. I also want the overhead estimate."
Shizuru paused in her tracks as well, transfixed as every second ticks by just watching the young navy-haired girl. This is, admittedly, one of the things she secretly finds oddly captivating about her, how Natsuki swiftly and naturally switches into someone very smart and sharp, holding total authority in a bat of an eyelash then switches back into any regular teenage girl, carefree. In the H.K. hotel, Natsuki lets her take over, refusing even to make an appearance on important meetings that needs her vote to reach a consensus. So she seldom see's this side of her. And now that she thinks about, she only gets to witness this side of the youngest Kruger when she's on the phone, talking to probably one of the associates from their other firms or commerce, Shizuru really doesn't know. She never pried. It's already way more than enough to be trusted to manage a company with a ridiculous amount of venture capital.
She's totally a different person yet the same…
She thought, silently admiring the sight. She finds it… charming.
"What is it?" Natsuki asked, ending the call "what's so amusing?"
"You"
"Me?"
"Yes. I like watching you like that"
"What?" Natsuki chuckled "like what? On the phone?"
"No" Shizuru tugged her close, tilting Natsuki's chin with her index finger, planting a chaste kiss "You looking so striking and gorgeous. Who were you talking to?"
"A project manager from Honkong technolab" Natsuki murmured, enthralled. Her phone buzzed again and she let out another exasperated sigh, checked the caller ID, her stance professionally sharp again. "Jim… m… what's the standing?... how much per share?... OK… No. check either Italian or German engines…. Send the index report before Tuesday"
Shizuru smiled again, shaking her head. She wanted to enjoy the view, however, her bladder is protesting. She leaned to kiss Natsuki's cheek and whispered that she'll be in the powder room.
"Hold on.." Natsuki paused, covering the phone, giving Shizuru a quick kiss "I'll follow you shortly" she told Shizuru, who squeezed her arm before leaving.
Trying to contain her goofy grin, Shizuru made a beeline to the nearest powder room. The thought of leaving Natsuki alone and vulnerable to someone else's paws and not so discreet ogles is vexing. And that Sei – the name alone makes her claws itch. She shook the thought and made haste of her purpose and soon found herself back again in the crowd, searching if Natsuki had already come down. Finding her girl is not among them, she intended to head back upstairs but a call from a familiar voice halted her steps. She turned around and tensed.
"Yasuda…"
Oh no… Natsuki…
Her eyes frantically searched around for the familiar raven head. This would be such a very unwelcome coincidence.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to argue. I only want to talk, please?" Yasuda said, his tone soft, his face despondent.
Shizuru couldn't find the heart to be uncongenial. There was plea and sadness in his eyes, something she hasn't seen before, and somehow it twist some guilt in her. But she can't let Natsuki see this. Why is he here anyway? Aoi couldn't have invited him?
Yasuda let a sigh "It already hurts too much to have to ask permission just to talk to the woman who I thought is still mine. Please, Shizuru. Just a talk?"
He reached for her hand, circling his thumb on her knuckles soothingly. He's eyes imploring on hers.
Shizuru opened her mouth, but hesitated, and searched around again. She's uneasy, her stomach floating, silently praying that Natsuki is still at the roof-deck, on her phone.
"Yasuda… I… I also have to talk to you, but… I really don't think tonight is the right time. I'm sorry…" she tried to take her hand back but his hold tightened.
"Are you with her?"
"Yasuda… please" she repressed a sigh, tearing her eyes from him to the stairs. No Natsuki still.
"You're afraid to hurt her… but not me? What did I do Shizuru?"
She was stopped by his words. It was like a slap. And she realized with mortification that this is still, in any angle, an act of infidelity. It gets there again. They're engaged, or was. She promised. They made a promise, and she used to love him then. And now….
Yasuda held her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles while Shizuru was a little lost.
"I'm sorry… you're right" his tone placating "Now may not be a good time. Will you come to my place tomorrow then?"
"what?"
"Just a talk, Shizuru. Please" he let out a bitter sigh "since I came back, I really haven't had a chance to have time with you" he soothes a thumb on her knuckles again.
Shizuru looked at him, he looked so defeated. But there's also something she can't point her finger on. Before she could give an answer, Ahn approached.
"there's a lovely couple!" she exclaimed "Yasu-kun! Handsome as ever! Where were you?"
"Oh, I was just wandering around Ahn" he said, smiling as he simply eased beside Shizuru.
Shizuru was taken by surprise. He felt his hand tightened around her shoulder, as though asking a silent plea. But plea for what? She frowned, looking at him, then to Ahn. He's keeping her still. And it dawned on her. He wants her to play along.
No… no... I can't…
She tensed, her heart thudding with anxiety. She needs to pry away from Yasuda without being rude to him or to Ahn. She needs to see Natsuki before any misunderstanding could happen.
"Oh! Searching for a gift for your fiancé?" asked Ahn.
"That's the plan" he beamed, burying his nose on chestnut hair and lovingly planted a soft kiss on her crown.
Shizuru's gut did a somersault, her discomfort growing as she tries to come up with an excuse to escape Yasuda's grasp. And for a moment she felt it ironic that she would, one day, feel such detachment. Her mind working overtime, and finally manage to make an excuse. Her tone almost curt. She rushed upstairs and blanched to find Natsuki's no longer there. Oh no… could she have seen us? She rushed back through the crowd, searching through the throng of guests watching the bidding going on flashed on every flat screen mounted. Her heart thudding, anxiety kicking high. She decided to searched outside, near the garden water fountain. Water were spouting out of carved golden red arwana's mouth as she trails along the edges.
When her eyes finally caught sight of what it was searching for, her steps halted. Everything stopped. Crimson meets emeralds, and another familiar face. And for the second time that night, Shizuru wants to shoot someone.