Alrighty people. Got an announcement to make.

Just in case something ever happens to this story, like getting deleted for whatever reason I started uoloading this story to my DeviantArt account, you can find the link to that in my profile.
That's all.

Chapter 34

"How can I help you Miss?" the attendant asked her, a polite smile on her face. Hitomi wasn't really in the mood to smile back though.

"Hitomi Buchfink. I'd like to check up on my savings account. I've recently made a large transfer and to be honest I'm kinda not sure how much money I still have." she told her, a little embarrassed by the fact.

"Do you have your ID and bank card with you?"

"Yes." Hitomi handed the young woman both and she checked them, then went and typed something on the keyboard. She did that for a few more moments before turning back to her, handing her a small pad.

"Please enter your PIN code here." she told the Karateka. With a smooth movement she entered her code and handed the pad back to the woman. The woman nodded and handed her ID and bank card in return.

"One moment please." she told her and pressed the enter button on the keyboard. "Your current account balance will be displayed here." she pointed at a small display where the numbers appeared.

Still a lot of money. Good, so her calculations weren't wrong.

"Thank you, that would be all."

"Have a nice day."

"Likewise." she said and left the bank building. It had been a few weeks now and the charges against her had been dropped by now so she had wanted to check how her account was doing, what with her having raided it for her stay in Hong Kong as well.

Some people would say she got off the hook scot-free and she was inclined to agree. It didn't feel like she deserved it though, so she made a decision the other day.

She would earn all that money back somehow. She would probably have to take on an additional job to do that, but she could live with that. She made a mistake and it was time that she rectified that mistake.

Time to call an old friend.

Leifang walked along the streets humming to herself a song that she had heard in the radio. She was wearing a red-brown coat over her clothes since it had gotten a bit fresh these past days.

It was Saturday and the Chinese wanted to spend some quality time with her girlfriend today; something they weren't able to do the last few days since Hitomi had been busy with something other than her football training and working at the dojo. So they didn't have much time other than lunch to talk with each other.

To be honest she was a bit worried, they couldn't even talk in the evening because Hitomi had been rather tired when she got back and Leifang didn't want to bother her.

But today she decided on asking her what the matter was. She was her girlfriend after all. I think I deserve to know.

Walking towards the door of the German's apartment building she passed a couple in their late forties, smiling at them in recognition, as they knew each other from meeting in the hallway for a few times now.

Just when the door was about to close the man pressed his hand against it, holding it open for her.

"Thank you." she said politely, her German having gotten better by now. It gave her a good feeling to see that her practice was paying off. All these hours she spent at night over a book and listening to lesson tapes weren't for nothing. But she also had a certain someone that gave her extra motivation of course.

She walked up the stairway, her heels making a fine clacking sound on the floor and stopped in front of Hitomi's apartment. She rang the doorbell.

She rang it again.

And another time when there still wasn't an answer. Her hand went to her bag to get her cellphone when the door behind her opened up and Viktor stepped out, dressed against the chilly air as much as she was. He stared at her for a second before simply walking off.

"Hey!" she called after him and she was surprised when he actually stopped.

"Yes, your highness?" he said to her as he turned around. Normally it would have been a joke but while his face was neutral she could see the annoyed look in his eyes.

Ignoring his comment she asked him. "Do you know where Hitomi is?"

Now he looked actually amused. "Sure. What's wrong, did your dear girlfriend not tell you what she's up to?"

That took her by surprise. She told Viktor but not her?

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of showing how surprised she actually was so she kept her face neutral as well. "Looks like it, so where is she?"

"Why should I tell you?" he crossed his arms in front of his chest, making Leifang sigh. She wasn't in the mood for this.

"Just tell me, alright?" but he simply stood there not saying anything. "I'm worried about her. We couldn't spend time with each other and whenever she gets home she's way too tired."

The look in his eyes changed for a brief moment before he turned away. "She's at the local Oktoberfest offshoot, working off the money that she used to pay those fuckers. Beats me why she does it, but if someone can talk her out of that nonsense it's probably you."

"...Thank you." she said and he simply waved her off, huffing.

"I only told you because of her." he said and walked towards the stair. Leifang knew she should leave it at that, but now that they were talking she simply couldn't.

"What's the deal with you?" she asked and noticed too late how she sounded while saying that. He stopped again and looked over his shoulder.

"What?" he asked.

"I asked what your damn problem is!" she said, her anger now finally surfacing, and took a few steps towards him. He whirled around and met her halfway.

"I don't think I have to justify myself to YOU of all people."

Her eyes widened in realization as she finally got what his problem was.

"So that's how it is, huh?" she said and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You have feelings for Hitomi!"

Viktor blinked a few times then threw his hands up in the air. "Are you out of your fucking mind!?"

"What else can it be, huh?" Viktor stepped up to her and she realized only now how tall he actually was. But she had beat up people that had been taller and stronger than this. If he tried anything he would regret it.

"God, are you even listening to what you say? 'You have feelings for Hitomi'," he mimicked her with a falsetto voice. "As if I SHOULD be jealous of you. Ever realized that not everything has to revolve around you?!"

She was about to retort but Viktor snapped at her, beating her to the punch. "But fine, you want to know what my problem is? That you left her! That you simply ran off and left her here to deal with everything herself. While you were away I had to watch my friend pretend that everything was okay until she simply couldn't take it anymore." he all but shouted and ran a hand through his hair. "And then a month later you come back, prancing around like nothing happened, like you owned the place, and all of a sudden you're a couple! If you ask me, she should've kicked your ass back to China!"

"Now if you excuse me, I have better places to be than in your vicinity." and with that he stormed off, leaving Leifang standing there, silently fuming. How dare he?!

He didn't know anything. He didn't know how confused she had been at the time. He didn't know how much pain it had caused her, how much it still did, of having left Hitomi here. And of all things he didn't know that Hitomi had forgiven her.

She knew that Hitomi must have had a hard time as well, and she didn't have any illusions about her not having been hurt by the whole thing. But Hitomi had forgiven her and that was the important thing. The Karateka wanted them to make a fresh start, looking forward instead of looking back.

Leifang clenched her fists, shaking with fury, and hurled her back against the wall. "Stupid asshole!" she shouted.

It took every bit of willpower not to storm after him and beat him into a bloody pulp. She stood there for a few minutes, inhaling and exhaling in deep breaths, until she finally calmed down and walked over to her bag. Gathering up the things that had spilled out she slung it back over her shoulder and walked towards the door.

She had to find out where that Oktoberfest was.

An hour had passed but she had finally found her destination. At first she tried guiding herself just with some flyers but she only managed to get to the general area it was being held, after that she had asked around and after being ignored a few times she finally had gotten someone to tell her where she needed to go.

It looked...quite charming she supposed? Like a fun fair, only with much more tents. She passed a lot of people as she walked across the stony walkway, young and old, some of them even Chinese tourists. And here she thought they would have been in Bavaria.

She walked over and greeted them in their native language, asking them politely if they had seen a young, pretty brunette with a bright disposition, about a few inches smaller than her.

"You mean the waitress? Yes we did, just follow that route, she's there." one of them told her.

"Thank you." she bowed politely, leaving them a bit baffled since they didn't expect such courtesy, and did as she was told. A few more minutes of walking and she could already hear Hitomi shouting "Coming!" and with a few more strides she came into view.

The Chinese couldn't stop herself from smiling as she saw her girlfriend running around among the tables, dressed in a cute red and white colored uniform dress adorned with a green colored sash around her waist. What were they called? Dirndl?

Hitomi had just delivered four large beer mugs to a table when Leifang sat down at another one outside of Hitomi's view and started to simply watch her. The smile on her lips faltered though. So she was really working to earn back all that money.

Why are you doing this?

Her gaze turned downward to the wooden table and she trailed her fingers across the rough wooden surface, lost in thought. She didn't know how long she had been that way when she was shaken out of her revery.

"Hi what can I get- Leifang?" Leifang's head snapped to the voice and Hitomi stood there blinking in confusion. "W-what are you doing here?"

Leifang remembered why she was here and huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "Checking up on you. I wanted to spend the weekend with you, but apparently you're too busy earning back money."

Hitomi let out a sigh and looked around. There were still a lot of people that wanted to get their drinks served. Looking at her girlfriend with guilt in her eyes she said. "I-can you wait for a little bit? I have my break in a few minutes and then we can talk, alright? I wanted to tell you anyway."

The Chinese wanted to retort with something rude but the look on the brunette's face combined with that uniform made her so damn cute!

"Alright." she said and uncrossed her arms, giving her a kind look now. She couldn't stay mad at her for long.

"Thanks." Hitomi walked off to work until it was time for her break. She didn't plan on Leifang appearing here of all places, she actually wanted to tell her about the work tonight. Oh well can't change it now she thought, then smiled and made a playful curtsy at an elderly gentleman who gave her a generous tip.

Walking back into the tent she told her boss that she was taking her break and headed to where Leifang was sitting. She had her legs crossed and looked at everything with interest in her eyes. It didn't surprise her, it was the first time she saw the Oktoberfest after all. Well an offshoot anyway.

Though she was the quiet the sight too, with her elaborate hairdo, as some of the customers were looking at her curiously.

Here goes nothing. Hitomi sat down opposite of Leifang. "Ok we can talk now."

Leifang fixed her gaze on the girl and found herself looking her up and down. Her gaze was drawn to the brunette's ample cleavage, which the dirndl was showing off rather nicely. Not now! She forced herself to look Hitomi in the eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Viktor told you, right?" Leifang didn't answer that and Hitomi let out a deep breath. "Figured as much. Listen, I swear I was going to tell you tonight. I didn't tell you at first because the first few days I was just helping out, but one of the girls has gotten sick and said that she wouldn't be able to do it this year so I was asked if I could fill in for her. So please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad," Leifang said. "Not really anyway. But I think I deserve to know why my girlfriend isn't able to spend time with me. Why do you want to earn back that money anyway? You said yourself that it wasn't that much of the prize money."

Hitomi placed her elbows onto the wooden table and rubbed her hands together. "Yes it wasn't that much. But you have to understand that I've sworn never to use that money unless it was necessary and I already violated that rule back when I went to visit you."

"It was necessary for that if you ask me."

"Maybe," Hitomi shrugged her shoulders. "But I could've avoided having to pay the money in the first place. So that's why I decided to earn it back in any way I can. Maybe it's not logical for you, but that's what I've decided."

Leifang looked at her, then grabbed one of her hands and held it in her own. "So what you're saying is that you want to punish yourself?"

"No. Well maybe a little. But I didn't earn and save this money so that I could buy myself out of something, I want to use it for the future. Maybe open up my own dojo or buy me a house of my own as provision for old age. And now I'm missing fifteen-thousand on it, and that could already make a difference in that. If I do a good work and the tips are decent I can make five thousand here."

"I see." Leifang caressed the back of Hitomi's hand with her thumb, their eyes never leaving one another's. The next words were a whisper. "But does it have to come at the cost of us?"

"I-" Hitomi didn't know what to say and suddenly her plan of earning that money back ASAP had hit a roadblock. A roadblock in form of her girlfriend.

"This Oktoberfest is about two weeks, right? And you'll be here pretty much non-stop from afternoon onward. And after that, are you simply going to look for the next job? You already work in your father's dojo, you're in the university's female football team and if you work all the time to earn back that money where does that leave us?"

Hitomi hadn't thought about what she realized now. It had only been a few days thus far, but it could very well end up so she would be neglecting her girlfriend not even a month into their relationship. I'm so stupid.

"I-damn I didn't think of that. I'm sorry!" Hitomi said and enclosed their hands with her other one. She wanted to earn that money but not at the cost of their relationship. Thinking for a moment she came up with something that might satisfy them both. "Ok listen. I've already signed up for this job so I can't leave, and even if I could I wouldn't. And you're right I probably would've jumped right into the next job. But not anymore, so let us compromise."

"I'm listening." Leifang said.

"I'll work here until the end and after that I won't take other jobs. I'll take the cash I make here, put it in my savings account and leave it at that for now. But next year I'll work here again so that I earn that money back in two years from now. Can we agree on that?"

Leifang turned her gaze sideways for a moment, then locked them with Hitomi's again. "Two weeks, you promise?"

"Two weeks, nothing more. And you can come by as much as you want."

Leifang shook her head. "Sometimes you're so stupid." she said and smiled at her. "Alright."

"Thanks, Leifang. I appreciate it."

"Got to ask though, isn't the Oktoberfest in Bavaria?"

"Actually yes." Hitomi chuckled and started to explain. "This was a different festival a long time ago, but ever since the Oktoberfest got so popular they decided, since it takes place at the same time, to just name it that way to get some more tourists here. There's a lot of small 'Oktoberfests' all over Germany actually," she pointed at her outfit. "Was my idea to wear those to give it a more authentic touch."

"I see." The couple fell silent for a moment, looking intently at each other.

"I know this is important to you." The Chinese finally said.

"Important, yes." she glanced at their joined hands. "But not as important as this."

Leifang gave her the most brilliant of smiles.

Isn't Hitomi just awesome? Getting herself a Dirndl just so that people in Baden-Würtemberg could get some real Oktoberfest feel. That's some grade A waifu material right there, Leifang. Just sayin'

And man does Leifang come off as bitchy here.

Now you gotta excuse me if that isn't entirely accurate to the customs down there, my knowledge of that is a little bit lacking since I'm actually from way up north in Germany and we actually have a small Oktoberfest here

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, since I'm SO looking forward to post the next few chapters.
Well see you all next week. :)