A/N: This is set three months after the previous chapter.
9.
Natsuki was roused from sleep by a sharp knocking at her apartment door. Shizuru was still deep asleep. It was a small wonder, really.
The night before, Haruka had called up and asked them to meet her and Yukino for dinner. At which point, Yukino informed them that she'd been talking with Mai, and had learned that she'd had the facts of what she'd witnessed during the Festival wrong.
"I figured out that you pretty much felt guilty about what you had done," Haruka had said to Shizuru, "And us catching you in the act of kissing Kuga again had only made it worse. So you didn't bother to correct us because you felt like you were guilty, anyway."
"When Mai told me," Yukino said, "I was horrified. I mean, I had been so sure, and to learn that I was so far off…"
"I fueled that assumption with my own words," Shizuru had replied, a light smile on her face, "And Natsuki knows that truth, now, too. I've had…issues…about who I am. And coming to accept myself has been challenging. But I hold no animosity to either of you for what you believed. I actively encouraged those beliefs, in my own sense of shame."
"I'm actually relieved that it turned out not to be true," Haruka smiled, "It makes you a much more worthy rival."
Shizuru had chuckled warmly at that, "I find myself agreeing with you there, Suzushiro-san."
The two older girls had spent the rest of the night singing karaoke songs together, while Natsuki and Yukino just sat and watched.
So, now, Shizuru was sound asleep and practically dead to the world. Natsuki threw on a nightgown and robe and walked to the front door, as it became apparent that the pounding wasn't going to let up. She opened the door, too tired to even check the peephole.
"Kuga! This is all your fault for getting kidnapped!" Nao Yuuki stormed into Natsuki's apartment past the bleary-eyed girl.
"Good morning, Nao," Natsuki spoke into the empty hallway, "Come on in, Nao. Make yourself at home, Nao."
She turned around, shutting the door. Nao was wearing the Fuuka high school uniform, and she went to the bedroom and sat on the foot of the bed.
"What's going on?" Natsuki asked Nao, "And please remember that it's Saturday, and it's the most ungodly hour of 7a.m., and I've not had coffee yet, so please speak slowly."
"It's just like I said!" Nao yelled, "It's all your fault!"
"What's going on?" Shizuru sat up in the bed, "Yuuki-san?"
"Fujino! You're naked!"
"Ara, I feel that Yuuki-san would have much more validity in her complaint if I were in HER room at this hour," Shizuru yawned.
"We have a serious situation here, and it's all because your girlfriend got herself kidnapped four months ago!" Nao screeched, "Wait, Kuga, if Fujino is naked, why aren't you?"
"I thought I'd get dressed before I answered the door for a change," Natsuki deadpanned, "Disappointed?"
"Ara, that was well done, Natsuki," Shizuru beamed, stretching her arms.
"What does me being abducted have to do with a current crisis involving you?" Natsuki sighed, "And again, remember that we're both half-asleep."
"When you got kidnapped, Alyssa revealed to us that due to the way laws work in the United States, she, as a minor, couldn't run her company, and while most of the executives were still eager to stay in her good graces, others weren't. So your Dad went and adopted Alyssa to gain control of those elements and shut them down."
"Yes, I remember all of that. So far not seeing why it necessitates you barging in on us on a precious day we could be sleeping in."
"Before your father adopted Alyssa, Mama was looking after her," Nao explained, "She was happy to do it. She missed a few years of me growing up, and so, while she was happy to catch up with me, it helped her to feel more normal to be taking care of Alyssa-chan."
"Still waiting on you to connect the dots," Natsuki motioned with her hand for Nao to speed it along.
"Mama went to meet with your Dad. She wanted to make sure he wasn't just going to take over her finances and run her life for his own ends. She wanted to make sure that he was genuinely looking out for Alyssa's interests.
"And he set her up as Alyssa's caretaker and set up a sizeable trust fund for Alyssa."
"Not seeing the problem, yet," Natsuki pointed out.
"Mama and your Dad hit it off, and are going out on a date, tonight!"
"Well, your mother has been a widow for many years now," Shizuru pointed out, "It's good for her to find someone to share her life with, isn't it?"
"You're not getting it. Kuga's father, a known philanderer, is dating my Mama!"
"I feel like I should take offense to that," Natsuki yawned, "But I don't have that kind of energy right now. Nao, Dad's been single for five years, now. And they're both grown adults. I'm not seeing it as being any of our business."
"Not even if they get married?" Nao demanded.
"Nope."
"Ara, I just had a delightful image of Natsuki braiding Nao's hair as her big sister," Shizuru smiled happily.
"Okay, now I'm seeing the problem," Natsuki groaned.
"Ikezu."
"After the image you put in my head? I think that's my line," Natsuki retorted, "Nao, you're supposed to be a nun, now. It might not be in line with your religious teachings or duties to keep eyeing my girlfriend."
"What are we going to do about this, Kuga?" Nao demanded, standing up.
Natsuki walked over to her and began pushing her to the door, "You're going home, and I, hopefully, am going back to my bed."
"How can you be okay with this?"
"Nao, I haven't had a family in ten years. Honestly, close to eleven, now. Now, I've got a little sister, I'm rebuilding a relationship with my Dad, and I've got Shizuru by my side. I don't know much about your Mom, but she must be a very nice person, because she's one of the only people in the world I've ever seen you give a damn about. So, in the unlikely event that our parents get married, I wouldn't really mind."
Shizuru rose from the bed, holding a sheet, though not actually covering anything, "Natsuki, why don't you take Nao out to the kitchen and make her some tea. I'll join you after I get dressed."
"Fine," Natsuki grumbled, "Come on."
Natsuki motioned to the table, and Nao took a seat while Natsuki filled the kettle.
Something on the table caught Nao's attention.
"Wait! This is the new novel by that author everyone's talking about. Kreuger! This isn't even in stores yet. How'd you get an advanced copy? Fujino's connections? But wait, does she read things like this?"
"Kreuger? What's it about?" Natsuki was looking for tea.
"The released the first chapter as a preview in last month's Dankasha-Shan," Nao said, "The main character's family was killed when she was a kid, and her little sister kidnapped. And she trained in various martial arts to try and track down the people responsible, but just when she's about to give up hope, her college roommate turns out to be a sharp as a tack brilliant detective, and decides to help her on the case. You've got a copy right here. You should read it!"
"Ara, Natsuki doesn't need to read it," Shizuru said as she joined them, wearing a light skirt and a camisole.
"Of course she needs to read it! It's amazing! How'd you get an advanced copy?"
"Well, the publishers often send advanced copies out to select readers, as well as to the author," Shizuru replied.
"And you're a selected advanced reader?" Nao was amazed.
"In a manner of speaking," Shizuru replied, "Natsuki let me read it while she wrote it."
Nao's jaw dropped, "You're…"
"Kreuger? Yep," Natsuki grinned, "But go on and tell me how brilliant I am."
She walked over and kissed Shizuru.
"Ugh. Why do I have a sinking feeling that I already know how it ends?" Nao groaned.
"Well, no," Natsuki said, "I have to save something for the sequel."
"But…you write?" Nao was incredulous, "I was under the impression that you couldn't even study!"
"There's a huge difference between being too busy to study and not being able to," Natsuki replied, "And it turns out that when you no longer have a secret cabal guarding an ancient conspiracy to fight, you end up with a lot of free time. I picked up all sorts of skills during my training for revenge, and I saw lots of things around me. So, I figured, why not earn some extra money on the side and put pen to paper."
"As it turns out," Shizuru added, "She's got a real knack for it. Though I did have to help her with the romance scenes, in the beginning. She had the general idea, but lacked personal context."
"Hmmm. Maybe my Mama and your Dad going out isn't such a bad idea," Nao looked thoughtful.
"Yes, Nao, I'll sign a copy for you. They come out next month. Do NOT tell anyone else. Especially not Chie."
"I don't know, Natsuki," Shizuru replied, "It might help with the royalties if the whole school bought them."
Natsuki picked up the book on the table, flipped a few pages around, and then set it in front of Shizuru, pointing to a particular passage, "Do you want our classmates to know that this is based on us?"
Shizuru read the passage in question, then quietly closed the book.
"Yuuki-san, you mustn't tell anyone that Natsuki is actually Kreuger."