A prone figure stretched languidly on the bed, groaning softly. Her long bare legs peeking out from the tangled sheets, golden tresses in disarray as her heavy eyes slowly flutters open when her hand fumbled only on cold sheets and an empty pillow next to hers, causing a small frown on her fine chestnut brows. Blinking the fogginess away, she looked around the room only to see the one she's looking for sitting by the table, vibrant green eyes greeting her with a smile.
"Good morning"
Natsuki greeted and quickly clicked the shutter of the camera.
"Yes!" she grinned looking at the photo. When she saw Shizuru look, stunned gaping, she clicked the shutter again. "Now that's even better" she smirked.
"Oh No…"
"Oh yes"
"Ooh… delete that Natsuki… it's embarrassing…" Shizuru groaned groggily, burying her face in the soft pillow. Her muscles are still too stiff and pleasantly tired to get up and grab the camera from the dark- haired girl, who quickly tucked it away.
"Never" Natsuki denied, dropping on the bed to plant a soft kiss on the frowning face as soon as it peeked back out.
"Delete it"
"No"
"Delete it" Shizuru was petulant. But Natsuki remained adamant, she smiled in comfort, closing her eyes ignoring the scowling face as she snuggled even closer.
"Das kann ich nicht"
"what does that mean?"
"N.O."
Shizuru huffed in exasperation, squinting her eyes on the other girl who seems to be ignoring her.
"what do I have to do to convince you to erase it?"
Natsuki hummed, her eyelids half open as she feigns to be in deep thought.
"…There's one, actually"
"What is it?"
There was a short significant pause as dark green orbs looked straight through a pair of crimson ones. And Shizuru, for the second time in the early morning, got struck-dumb, gaping.
"Marry me"
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"Haven't you used yet what I gave you? To be honest, I'm not so fond of waiting around for this whole charade, Aldenberg-san"
"Your price is too high. I can't give what you're asking for. And besides, I'm sorry, but, why should I trust you. Shizuru wouldn't have moved to Kruger's company if your cousin really had been good to her"
"Framed" Nagi corrected, looking straight at skeptical brown eyes "you knew the deal between the Fujino's and my cousin. But the adopted Kruger had eyes for your girl, so they had to let her go. The Akiyama's are well aware of your engagement to the Fujino daughter. They were nice to her, treated her like their own daughter despite that business debacle… but I was too late to figure out the puzzle when that adopted Kruger came to the picture" he clicked his tongue, scoffing "she even had my poor cousin under her little finger"
Yasuda frowned a little, though skeptical "What do you mean?"
"Hakuto had a thing for that girl, but she was into your girl" Nagi scoffed "that trickster. Really. She was very good at orchestrating the whole thing. Got your girl really convinced. I'd like to tell you the whole story but… I don't want to repeat myself"
"What?"
"I'd like to tell it to at least a few more people. And, definitely, you'll win your girl back"
Slowly, Nagi lifted his own glass of wine, taking his time to taste it. Yasuda's manor does server first class drinks. Well, as expected of the filthy rich… he smiled sardonically at the red liquor.
"Why don't you tell me first. Let's see if it's really worth anything"
"Oh, it's a game changer. And maybe I will tell you, but you will still need me to attest the whole story"
"To who else?"
Nagi smirked, leaning forward.
"Of course, the Fujino parents"
Yasuda only stared at him, as though indifferent. But what Nagi doesn't know is that he is working various different possibilities now with Shizuru's parents in the equation.
Of course, I only have to win their favor…
He sighed, adjusting the lapels of his sleeping robe.
"No" he said bluntly.
"No?"
"I'm sorry, but this is a personal matter. I appreciate your help Homura-san, but I'd like to fix this on my own. What would Shizuru say of me if she finds out I am consulting with someone from the outside. So, no. And I'm sorry I can't agree to your terms" he stood up, an indication he is dismissing the conversation "but, again, thank you for your time though. Until next time"
He walked away, heedless of the disappointed and displeased look of his guest so early in the morning. Although Nagi has a point and could probably help him, but the bargain his asking for is too much of a gamble. He's got a plan of his own anyway, and he will make it work. He has to make it work.
Unknown to him, a pair of pinkish eyes were glaring at his back as he left. Nagi stood up as well, murmuring a threatening promise before leaving Yasuda's estate.
"Until next time?" he smiled conceitedly "we'll see…"
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Her lips opened but no words would come out. And for the first time she knew how it feels to be totally stupefied, and naked under the sheets no less. Those dark green eyes were staring back at her with absolute sincerity. What does one say or do when such proposal was thrown at you without a single warning?
Natsuki reached for her hand, squeezing it gently. Only then had she found her voice, breathless.
"What?"
"say you'll marry me, Shizuru"
And once again the chestnut-haired woman is speechless. The cogs in her mind refusing to budge.
"You must think I'm crazy" Natsuki went on, a small chuckle escaped her lips "maybe I am. And I am selfish. I'm greedy to everything that is about you. But of course, if it's too much to ask now, we can go with your pace. I only want you to know that I intend to marry you because I want to keep you with me for a very very long time"
They stared at each other, green to red. One expectant, the other still torn with kaleidoscope of emotions. And deep inside, the stretch of silence is getting Natsuki's heart sinking. Of course, she can't blame Shizuru. It's all too sudden, and she probably popped the heavy subject at the wrong time. And a wrong place. The bed is probably not a very romantic idea at all.
"Breakfast will be ready soon. Do you want anything in particular?"
Shizuru shook her head distractedly. How does one shift from thinking about a marriage proposal to thinking about choices of food anyway?
"Oh, ok… I'll just go take a shower then" Natsuki leaned up to plant a kiss on Shizuru's forehead and escaped inside the shower room, crimson eyes following her back until it disappeared behind closed door.
Shizuru shifted, lying on her back, folding her elbow over her eyes, reeling. She took a lungful of air, she would probably burst. Who wouldn't? Waking up with a marriage proposal from someone who has become someone so dear to you doesn't happen every day. If she wasn't so dumbstruck and had lost all grip of the logical part of her, she would have jumped and screamed a very big 'YES' right away. But there's too much to think about, too much to consider, and too much to fear. Too many, that she doesn't even know where to start. Her parents, her engagement, Natsuki's family, and all else that could be involved in making the decision.
But Natsuki was only asking for one simple answer. And when she thinks of it all, it only comes down to one question, could she live without Natsuki? Now that she has fallen so much for the girl? Has learned the depths of her love for her? Could she ever let her go again? The answer is simple.
"No"
She uttered, her tone carrying the weight of her answer, opening her eyes. The hand that she used to veil her eyes fell on the empty space beside her, where Natsuki had laid with her. Its emptiness looked like a bad premonition all of sudden, and she bolted up from the bed. Chest uncomfortably heavy and erratic. The muffled sound of the shower came as a welcome distraction from such disturbing portent.
She let the blanket fell as she stood, walking naked towards the bathroom door, totally ignoring the bathrobe that has been prepared, hanging by the wall for her. Her steps halted by the door when her eyes landed on the figure under the shower, the water clings and cascading down the bare, fair, skin.
Natsuki's head was tilted back, letting the fine drizzle of water sprinkle onto her face, still oblivious to the pair of dark crimson eyes staring at her with overt appreciation and longing. She reached up to comb her wet hair as she bent her neck down, wiping the water off her face, taking a breath.
Only then did she notice Shizuru from the corner of her eyes, slowly approaching her, nary a piece of cloth in her skin. Both watching each other with such intimacy reflecting in their gaze.
Shizuru stopped just a breath away from Natsuki, the warm mist and sprinkle reaching her skin. She watched as the fog escapes from a pair of water glossed lips. She reached up to run her thumb over it as she holds the side of such dear face.
"Marriage… is one very big leap" she said slowly, now gently caressing such beautiful face "I feel it could be terrifying…"
She whispered, looking into those green pools who looked back at her with understanding and resignation, and she wanted to soothe it with a kiss, but could only smile helplessly.
"…but… I like the thought of it" she went on, leaning closer to the face now slowly brimming with hope "please, give me a little more time?"
Shizuru thought Natsuki might need the time as well, although she doubted, remembering the decisive and determined look from earlier as she has spoken those words.
Natsuki beamed her unspoken exhilaration. This is good enough, for now.
"take as much as you need. I will wait…"
They met each other halfway in a kiss, sensual and passionate. Natsuki was caught off guard when Shizuru pushed her against the wall, the water now pattering on the empty bathroom floor.
"But, right now," Shizuru whispered heatedly against her lips "let me hold you as my wife"
Unknowingly, the words sounded so right in their ears and Natsuki was pinned against the wall as Shizuru showers her with heated devotion. Both getting lost in each other's touch.
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Meanwhile, somewhere in a private estate in Germany, a raven-haired woman was behind a large oak desk in her home office, checking the current standing of Frankfurt and New York stock exchange. There was a knock on the door and in came a man in suit and tie after she granted permission.
"Here is the data you requested madam"
She flipped the folder that he handed. One fine polished glittering nail tracing the edge of the photo of a certain honey-haired woman.
"So… this is she… very pretty" she noted offhandedly. Her eyes skimmed through the rest of the information making her brows lift in astonishment "and she has the brains too"
She hummed and looked back at the photo again. "Things are getting serious, you say?"
He cleared his throat awkwardly "that's how it seemed, Madam"
She looked up at him from behind her desk, raising a fine dark brow "seemed?"
"um, Natsuki's been treating her differently. That's what my sources tell me"
He fidgeted at her prolonged stare. She's one intimidating woman.
"Yes, I have heard. The private plane, the new cars, and all this largesse. Hasn't she done the same things before? Well, except for this new big enterprise she bought from her cousin, which isn't much, really. I don't think I see the difference you're telling me"
"Um…"
"And what is this I heard that this woman is… engaged?"
Now he feels the urge to fidget at her very displeased stare.
"Um… was engaged, Madam"
"Was?"
"Yes. That's how it seemed according to m—
"Seemed" she cut him off, lifting again an intimidating brow.
"Our people have seen her ignoring her fiancé, Madam ever since he arrived and—
"Her fiancé is there? Right now?" she cut him off again. The straight face marred only by a small curl of the skin in between two fine brows is now very unnerving, making him feel he made a mistake somewhere. "Where is my daughter?" she asked while dialing for her secretary, ordering her to connect a call. She looked up when she sensed his hesitation, tilting her head in cool impatience.
"Um, she's currently staying in your family villa"
Her frowned deepened, irritated at why he had to hesitate to answer. Her secretary answered from the other line awaiting orders when he finished his answer, causing her to stop.
"…with her girlfriend, Madam"
There was a long pause before she let out a thoughtful hum. Although he thought that she looked disconcerted for a moment. She leaned back on her leather seat that rocked gently, her face now unfathomable.
"…I see…" she said at length, her secretary holding on the line "thank you, Lucas. You may now go"
He left the room as soon as he was dismissed. The door gently clicking close behind him.
"Different indeed…" She murmured and called her secretary again who answered readily.
"Book me a flight to Japan"
There was a short awkward pause from the secretary causing her to raise a vexed brow at the intercom on her table.
"Ma'am?"
"Didn't you hear me?"
"I'm sorry, I mean, when do you want me to get the jet ready, Ma'am?"
"No" she said, contemplating "I don't need a jet. I think I would like to go anonymous"
There was a short pause again before she heard the answer form the machine.
"Understood. When would you like to go Ma'am?"
"In two days' time"
