Oh look, over 30 reviews—wait, WHAT? I've never been more flattered in my life; thank you to all those who reviewed! Also, thanks for those virtual Oreos; I love an audience with a sense of humor. As requested, I tried to update as quickly as possible. It seems there are pretty high expectations for this story, which makes me more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs—I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!
Disclaimer: I have very few possessions. Mai Hime is not one of them.
"The frontal lobe is responsible for one's emotions and personality—" Youko was cut off by the bell. Notebooks were slammed shut and chairs pushed back with noisily as the students began packing and rushed out the door, most pausing to give Natsuki lingering glances.
Youko looked cheerfully at her assistant. "How do you find your job so far?"
"I went around offering extra help to anyone who needed it before." Natsuki looked confused. "A lot of them asked to meet outside of class. Is that normal?"
Youko laughed. "I've learned a lot about hormonal teenagers after teaching them for twenty years. I have a feeling that the only biology the students are interested in is how the body works—more specifically, your body. To them, you're the best thing that's happened in class all year."
"Oh. Well, I guess it's a compliment…" Natsuki trailed off.
Youko patted her on the shoulder. "If I were you, I would plan on being the subject of the school's rumor mill for the next week or so."
High school, Natsuki mused, never changes. Whispers and giggles still followed her through the hallways, except this time, she was being showered with adoration instead of insults.
"Oh my god, did you see the new teaching assistant? So hot."
"Tell me about it! She has a motorcycle—I would kill for a ride."
"I'm so jealous! Fuck, dropping biology is the worst decision I ever made."
Natsuki smirked. Talk about ego boost; she could easily get used to this.
She heard a familiar accent and jerked to a stop. Shizuru Fujino was at her locker, surrounded by at least ten girls. It seemed that like her sister, Baby Fujino was also the most popular girl at Fuuka.
"Shizuru, how was your dinner date with Hiroshi on Friday?"
Shizuru closed her locker. "Boring. All he did was talk about himself and stare either at his reflection in his spoon or at my breasts. I finally decided enough was enough after he tried to grope me under the table."
"That pervert! What did you do?"
Shizuru laughed. "I dumped my lobster bisque into his lap and told him to keep his pervert hands to himself and out of my skirt…in front of the entire restaurant."
Natsuki raised an eyebrow. Oh, Baby Fujino was feisty.
Shizuru sighed. "It doesn't matter. He was probably all talk, no action, just like nearly everyone else in this school."
A short girl laughed. "I think you need a completely unrestrained, wild sexual fling with somebody older and more experienced."
"Yeah, like Dr. Sagisawa's new assistant. I bet she's fantastic in bed." The girls giggled. Natsuki coughed. It was one thing to plan to seduce a student, but it was quite another to hear them speculate about her abilities in bed.
Shizuru looked curious. "What makes you think that?"
"Natsuki's fingers are long and slender—the perfect combination, if you know what I mean." The short girl wiggled her fingers obscenely.
"I heard she's going to medical school. I wouldn't mind playing the nurse to her doctor."
Shizuru laughed. "You're horrible."
"Her voice is the definition of sex," another girl interrupted. "I thought I was going to die when she spoke to me. But she's kind of brooding and distant—she spoke only about five words to me."
"That just makes her all the more attractive," someone else giggled.
"Maybe," Shizuru drawled.
"Earlier, I thought I saw you blush when she spoke to you." One girl wondered. "But it was probably a trick of the light."
"Probably." Shizuru agreed and flipped her hair. Natsuki's eyes widened; Good Lord, the Fujinos even had the same hair flip!
"On a scale of one to ten, how hot do you think Natsuki is?"
"I was never good with numbers—"
At the collective groan, Shizuru laughed. "Alright, she's attractive, but so what? I know many attractive people. Mama brings home aspiring and established models for dinner all the time."
"No way, you're so lucky! You know, I heard your mom is the person you go to if you want to make it big in the fashion industry."
"I suppose."
"And your sister! Is it true that the editor-in-chief of Vogue Hommes Japan personally chose Shiori to be an assistant editor?"
"Yes, Shiori is the so-called protégé of the editor-in-chief." Shizuru looked bored.
"But she's so young! How did she get the job?"
"You'd have to ask her. Anyways, one of the main photographers, Aiko Marguerite, tried to set me up with her daughter. She was being really desperate and I almost felt bad at saying no…"
"Tell us more!" The group of girls followed the crimson-eyed beauty's every word as she continued talking.
Natsuki continued on her way, deep in thought. The good: Shizuru thought she was attractive. The bad: Shizuru was undeniably gorgeous, which meant that probably the entire student body was drooling at her feet, if that group of girls were anything to go by. Seducing the younger Fujino might take more effort than she thought.
Natsuki sighed. It looked like she would need a little bit of help.
Natsuki pushed open the door to the little coffee shop where Mai worked.
A redheaded woman was behind the counter, but she wasn't Mai. "Get out, the sign says 'No dogs allowed.'"
"Shut up, Nao," Natsuki grumbled. "That stopped being funny a long time ago."
Nao Yuuki stuck out her tongue. "You just have no sense of humor."
"Whatever. We need to talk."
Nao's lime green eyes filled with tears. "B-but Natsuki, you can't break up with me! What about our baby?" She wailed, clutching her flat stomach. The coffee shop's patrons looked startled at the outburst before they glared daggers at Natsuki. Natsuki flushed. "Shut up, moron, you're attracting attention! Get Mai, I need a favor from you both."
"What's the magic word?"
"Now!"
"Yes, that's me," Nao purred. "Can I help you?"
Natsuki swore. Suddenly, Mai seemed to materialize out of nowhere before things came down to blows. "Nao, stop antagonizing Natsuki. Natsuki, control your temper."
"Sorry, mom," the two chorused.
Mai ushered Natsuki into a booth and seated herself next to Natsuki, Nao across from them. "So what's up? Did you get yourself fired from work yet?"
Natsuki scowled at her roommate. "No, but you might be if your boss sees you slacking off on the job."
"My shift ends in ten minutes. More importantly, you never visit me at work. What's the occasion?"
Natsuki sighed. "Remember when I told you that I hated high school with a burning passion?"
Mai nodded.
"I've discovered the perfect opportunity to get back at Shiori Fujino, the girl who made my life miserable in high school."
Nao snorted. "Can you blame her? I've seen pictures of you back then."
"Nao, kill yourself," Natsuki snapped.
"How?" Mai looked skeptical.
"Nao can go play in traffic for all I care—"
"No, you idiot, how are you getting revenge?" Mai interrupted impatiently.
"Her younger sister is a student at Fuuka. I'm going to seduce her and ruin the Fujino name," Natsuki nonchalantly stated.
There was a stunned silence from both redheads.
"WHAT?" Mai screeched.
"That's the stupidest plan I've ever heard—Sleep with a young girl to ruin her 'family name'? Are we in the eighteenth century?" Nao asked sarcastically.
"Natsuki, what the hell are you thinking? There are laws against student-teacher relationships!"
"Technically, I'm not a teacher—"
"Statutory rape!"
"She's 17; the age of consent is 16. I checked," Natsuki assured.
"Getting some from a teenage girl doesn't sound like revenge to me," Nao interjected. "It sounds more like cradle-snatching—"
"Just listen, would you?" Natsuki said irritably. "Shizuru gets good grades in her classes, but once I sleep with her and word gets out, people will think that she only excels in school because she slept with me."
"I thought you were after the sister?" Mai sounded skeptical.
"Shiori was promoted to assistant editor of a huge fashion magazine, and she's only 22. If people think that the younger Fujino 'slept her way to the top,'" Natsuki air-quoted, "they'll think Shiori did the same. It's easy to believe; like my boss said, the Fujinos are ambitious. Shiori's reputation will be permanently wrecked."
Mai snorted and crossed her arms. "You've really thought this through. Is that why you came here, for an audience? Well, I hate to rain on your parade, but I think this is the worst idea you've ever had."
Natsuki looked sheepish. "Actually, I kind of need Nao's and your help with seducing Shizuru."
"Why me?" Mai said indignantly, while Nao looked intrigued.
"Baby Fujino is pretty hot and has a lot of girls and guys after her," Natsuki grudgingly admitted. "She also gets pretty feisty if someone gets too touchy-feely without permission, so that's why I need Nao's expertise on successful seduction."
Nao shrugged. "Alright, I'm in."
"You're going along with this?" Mai rounded on Nao. "You're both morally depraved! Why am I part of this?"
"Because you're the one with the cradle-snatching experience," Natsuki said cheekily. "Didn't you have a brief fling with some captain of a high school kendo club last year? I can't remember the kid's name—"
"Yuuichi, and he was in university at the time," Mai snapped. "Besides, it was only a one-time thing."
"So is this! Sleeping with Shizuru once is all it takes!"
"Natsuki, she's only 17—"
"So was I, when Shiori made my life a living hell. I'm not being melodramatic here; some days, I actually thought my life was unbearable, and all because of that girl. Please, Mai." Natsuki's eyes were pleading.
Mai hesitated. For as long as she had known her roommate, Natsuki never asked for anything. This had to be serious if she was willing to beg. "Fine, but if it backfires—which it probably will—don't blame me."
"Yes! Thank you!"
Nao rubbed her hands together. "Alright, Natsuki, listen carefully because I'm not going to repeat myself. You're going to be one of the very few privileged enough to hear 'Nao Yuuki's Rules of Seduction'. Let Operation Cradle-Snatcher begin."
Natsuki cleared her throat and adjusted her lab coat. First rule of Nao's Rules of Seduction: remember that you are in charge. And right now, Youko had left her in charge of a roomful of students working on frog dissections.
Natsuki's eyes settled on Shizuru. It was the perfect opportunity to use what she had learned from Nao and Mai.
She began walk around the room, pretending to check the students' progress. Youko had warned the students that the dissection would be on the next exam, so not even the students who were blatantly in "love" with Natsuki looked up as she passed. Natsuki stopped behind Shizuru and looked over her shoulder.
Shizuru was regarding the frog before her with distaste. Natsuki marveled at how the girl still managed to look good, despite the blocky lab coat and goggles obscuring her face.
"Need some help, Shizuru? You look confused." Natsuki smiled when Shizuru jumped at her voice.
"I'm not quite sure if this is how one goes about dissecting a frog." Shizuru grimaced.
First rule of Mai's Rules of Cradle-Snatching (name courtesy of Nao): don't patronize the target. Engage her in witty banter so she does not feel intellectually inferior or less mature.
Natsuki peeked over Shizuru's shoulder and blanched. "Oh God, no. It looks like you tried to disembowel the thing while blindfolded."
Shizuru laughed. "Ara, perfect! Exactly the reaction I was hoping to get."
Nao's Rule #5: Touch the target as much as possible without being accused of sexual harassment.
"My good student, if I may be so bold as to show you the proper way to dissect a frog…" Natsuki stepped behind Shizuru, leaving only about half an inch between their bodies, and placed her hand over Shizuru's hand that held the scalpel. She hid a smirk when Shizuru stiffened.
There was a slight pause before Shizuru returned, "By all means, my good tutor, hack away."
"Well then, you make a lateral incision here—" Natsuki pressed down on Shizuru's hand, cutting through a part of the poor frog. Shizuru audibly gagged, and Natsuki laughed lowly in her ear. "What's the matter? Can't handle it?"
She grinned at feeling Shizuru shiver.
"Cutting up a dead animal isn't my idea of a good time."
"Good thing I'm always available."
"What?" Shizuru sounded shocked.
Nao's Rule #3: Unsheathe the BLADE, also known as Bam! unLeash A Double Entendre (name once again courtesy of Nao).
"For extra help with class work," Natsuki clarified. She grinned mischievously at Shizuru. "I wouldn't say no to anything else, though."
Youko chose to walk in at that moment. "Alright, is everyone almost done?"
Natsuki spoke directly in Shizuru's ear to be heard over the din of panicking students. "Come see me if you need any help. From seeing this," she gestured at the frog, "I think you do. See you around, Shizuru."
She backed away with a flippant grin, taking in Shizuru's intrigued expression. Hook, line, and sinker.
-000-000-
Natsuki stretched out her legs and shook her cramped hand grumpily. Grading papers sucked; it was no wonder Youko pushed the grunt work onto her assistant. Most of the students were gone for the day, with the exception of those in clubs.
She jumped in her seat when the classroom door opened. Shizuru entered and looked around, seeming surprised at seeing Natsuki. "Ms. Kuga, I didn't know you were still around at this time."
"Dr. Sagisawa seems to be taking full advantage of having an assistant," Natsuki said dryly. "This is the third time she's taken a 'coffee break'—probably a euphemism for getting it on with Coach Sugiura. And call me Natsuki; Ms. Kuga makes me feel old."
Mai's Rule #2: Let there be no titles between you and the target; that only tells the target that you are in a position of authority over her.
Shizuru laughed. "Ara, I suppose Natsuki is a bit young to work here."
"Only a bit? Don't you know that twenty-two is the new seventeen?" Natsuki gave her a crooked grin. "Anyways, can I help you?"
"Mmm—no, I don't think so." Crimson eyes twinkled. "Not unless you're actually Dr. Sagisawa in disguise. The Student Council needs her approval on something."
"Well, you're out of luck in that aspect, but I've been told that I provide good company. You can wait with me until she comes back."
"What are you doing?" Shizuru walked around Natsuki to peer over her shoulder. Her breath tickled Natsuki's ear.
Nao's Rule #6: If the target initiates, play along.
"Grading papers. What do you think of Daisuke Morichi?"
Shizuru hummed in thought. "He seems nice enough, why?"
"Then I'll be lenient with his test." Natsuki wrote a dramatic '87%' in red ink on the boy's paper.
Shizuru laughed. "You grade based on whether or not you like the student? Isn't that against teaching policy?"
"Perhaps. But who's going to stop me?"
Shizuru looked at Natsuki through lowered lashes. "What grade did I get?"
Nao's Rule #11: Avoid directly answering questions.
"You got what you deserved, of course." Natsuki turned her head to look at Shizuru. She flinched in surprise at seeing the girl's face only inches away from her own.
Natsuki couldn't help but stare at Shizuru's lips. She looked so similar to Shiori, but there were obvious discrepancies between the two sisters. Shizuru's lips were fuller, for example—
Shit, she was staring. Natsuki flicked her eyes to amused crimson. Double shit, she had been caught! Quick, what was Nao's Rule #4, the Three-Second Rule? Natsuki panicked. If caught staring by the target, you had three seconds to avoid looking like a creeper. Nao had told Natsuki to keep her cool and do something spontaneous; unfortunately, Nao had forgotten that Natsuki was only a beginner in the art of seduction, and to Natsuki, doing something spontaneous meant committing a serious beginner's mistake, like pressing her lips to Shizuru's.
The kiss ended as quickly as it started. Natsuki jumped up from her seat and looked at the shocked Shizuru with wide eyes. Shit, shit, triple shit! She just broke Nao's Rule #2: The No-Gain Rule. If the seducer were to simply go up and kiss the seducee, there was a high probability that: a) the seducer is going to get smacked, and b) the seducer loses all chances of getting together with the seducee.
Natsuki began to pace nervously. It was probably time to implement Nao's Rule #8: the Re-do. Brush off the previous action like it was no big deal and think of another way to approach the target—
Natsuki stopped in her tracks when Shizuru stepped in front of her and wound her arms around Natsuki's neck before giving her a mind-blowing kiss. Natsuki's brain shut down.
Whoa, okay. Remember the rules, Natsuki reminded herself. Nao's Rule #15: Press your advantage. Natsuki immediately switched into Player Mode. Without breaking the kiss, she guided Shizuru towards the desk, trapping Shizuru between her body and the desk. Shizuru briefly broke the kiss to seat herself on the desk before dragging Natsuki down for another mind-blowing kiss.
Before both of them knew it, Natsuki had the top buttons of Shizuru's shirt open. Her hands slowly sliding up Shizuru's thigh alerted the student to her state of undress, and Shizuru opened dazed crimson eyes. "Wait—"
"Yes?" Natsuki planted a few more kisses on Shizuru's throat.
Shizuru moaned and unconsciously exposed more of her neck. "Can we take it a bit slower? I've never done this before."
"Have sex in a classroom? Me neither, but there's a first time for everything." Natsuki peered up at Shizuru with a smirk.
"Actually—" Shizuru hesitated. "I've never done it anywhere."
Natsuki's hands slowed. "Wait, you're a—"
"—virgin?" Shizuru blushed and bit her lip before slowly nodding and looking away.
The world screeched to a halt. Natsuki's jaw dropped. This was not part of the plan! This was uncharted waters! This was—"Fuck the what?"
Disclaimer: I made up Nao's Rules of Seduction and I have no idea if they'd work or not. I'd advise against using them, though, since I myself have never seduced someone.
Let's make a deal: if this chapter managed to squeeze a laugh out of you (even the barest hint of a chuckle), can I have a review? Pretty please?
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!