Thank you for the kind reviews, and sorry for the wait! I get these intense mood swings that happen every so often…when they do occur, my bonne humeur sinks like the Titanic and my will to write gets lost in the scramble for lifeboats...but now I'm back! (Bows to scattered applause)

"I'm bored."

Natsuki and Nao exchanged glances. "Uh, okay, you want to play with this?" Natsuki offered her controller to Alyssa.

"No, thank you." Alyssa responded politely.

"I want to watch Pokemon," Nao interjected.

Natsuki gave her a strange look. "Who's the five-year-old here?"

"When it comes to Pokemon, we're all five years old," Nao said sagely.

Natsuki shrugged and walked over to a bookshelf against the side of the wall, pulling out a stack of Pokemon DVDs.

Nao pointed at her accusingly. "Ha! You actually own it; who's the five-year-old now?"

"It's Mai's!" Natsuki quickly defended.

"Yeah, if 'Mai' is spelled N-A-T-S-U-K-I."

Natsuki ignored her. "Alyssa, you want to watch it?"

Alyssa hesitated. "I don't think I should. Mommy doesn't like it if I watch television."

"What your mommy doesn't know won't hurt her." Nao smirked.

Alyssa looked torn. Natsuki smiled at her adorableness. "We don't have to if you don't want to. You want to play a game?"

Alyssa smiled toothily.

Five minutes later, Nao scowled at Natsuki from the chair she was tied up in. She tugged against the jump-rope restraining her and growled when it refused to budge. "Why do I have to be tied up again?"

"I'm the evil villain and Natsuki is the superhero. She has to save you," Alyssa explained sagely.

"What if I don't want to save her?" Natsuki questioned. Nao blew a raspberry at her.

Alyssa sighed in frustration. "Then I'll be the superhero."

"She'd do a damn better job of it too, I bet."

"Language!" Natsuki shushed Nao.

"I don't like this game." Nao frowned as she tugged on her bonds.

"Aw c'mon, how can you resist a face like that?" Natsuki gestured to the heartbreaking pout Alyssa was aiming at Nao. "She's got a little angel face. Angel Face Alyssa."

"Gah, put that away." Nao turned her face away, but it was too late. "Fine, I'll play!"

Alyssa's pout immediately melted away. "Natsuki, close your eyes and count to 20, and then you have to find me before I save Nao," she directed.

"Gotcha."

Alyssa ran off in the direction of the bedrooms, but Natsuki merely plopped down on the sofa and smirked at Nao. The redhead frowned. "Hey, you can't stay on the sofa; that's cheating."

"I just wanted to do this." Natsuki reached out and tipped Nao's chair over. Nao yelped in shock and groaned when her head bounced against the floor.

"Ouch! That fucking hurt, you jerk!" Nao glared at Natsuki and struggled against the ropes. "Just wait, when Alyssa frees me, I'm going to punch you so hard—"

"Are you really going to rely on a 5-year-old to save you?" Natsuki pulled out a permanent marker.

Nao eyed it warily. "What are you going to do with that?"

"Would you rather have a goatee or glasses?"

Nao's eyes widened in outrage. "Don't even think about it."

"Goatee it is, then." Natsuki uncapped the marker and began to draw on Nao's face.

Nao squirmed away from Natsuki's hand. "Stop! I'll sue!"

"Trust me, it's an improvement. Stop moving, you're messing it up."

Nao tried to roll away and sputtered when her face ended up in the carpet. "Ick, fuzz in my mouth."

"Always knew you were a carpet-muncher," Natsuki sing-songed.

"Fuck you, I hope your kids turn out ugly."

"If Shizuru has anything to do with them, I highly doubt that," Natsuki commented absentmindedly.

Nao stopped struggling. "Hold up, what did you just say?"

Natsuki looked at her weirdly. "I said 'if Shizuru has anything to do with them—'" Natsuki abruptly stopped speaking and looked at Nao with wide eyes. Nao looked just as stunned.

The sound of the door opening heralded Mai's arrival. The other redhead walked in and sighed when she saw Nao tied up in the chair and Natsuki drawing on her face. "Seriously? Kids, I have—" Alyssa stomped back into the room and glared petulantly at all three of them. Mai's voice squeaked. "—three of them?"

"Natsuki, you took too long to find me!" Alyssa said crossly.

"Nao, how many times have I told you? Kidnapping is a felony!" Mai looked frantic. "Return the kid to wherever you found her!"

"Gee, I'd love to, but I'm a little tied up right now," Nao said sarcastically, jerking her chin to indicate at her restrained form.

"Nao, you have something on your face," Alyssa said brightly.

Natsuki sat still with a dazed expression on her face. She hadn't moved since she realized what she had unconsciously admitted to Nao.

Nao locked eyes with Mai. "There's a slight problem."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "Slight? There's a small child who came from God knows where in my apartment, you're tied up for some reason and it looks like someone tried to draw on your face, and Natsuki's practically catatonic. 'Slight' really isn't the word I would use."

Nao mulled over Mai's rant. Which to answer first? "Well, first of all, Alyssa here came into the world because her parents loved each other very, very much—"

Mai scowled. "Please stop talking."

"Then I can't answer your question!"

"Who's the kid?" Mai began to untie the jump-rope.

"Some kid Shizuru was babysitting. Apparently she had some school meeting to go to and couldn't bring the kid along."

Alyssa latched onto Natsuki's back. "Sometimes when my toys don't work, Daddy puts in new batteries. I think Natsuki needs new batteries to make her talk."

Nao stood up and stretched when she was finally free. "Or sometimes you have to smack them around a bit. That should work with Natsuki, right?"

Mai pointed at Nao's face. "You might want to wash that off. What's wrong with Natsuki?"

"What isn't wrong with her?"

"Nothing's wrong," Natsuki snapped, shaking out of her stupor.

"She wants little Fujino babies," Nao commented.

"I didn't say that!"

"Like hell you didn't."

"Language! Shizuru will kill me if Alyssa picks up any bad habits."

Mai raised an eyebrow. "Since when were you so good with children?" She pointed to Alyssa, who was nestled on Natsuki's lap and playing with Natsuki's cell phone.

"Well, she is with Shizuru," Nao mused.

"Shizuru is not a kid." Natsuki frowned.

"Sure, sure. By the way, where is Shizuru? Isn't it past her bedtime?" Nao snickered.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Nao looked impressed with herself. "Okay, now I want a million dollars."

Mai opened the door. "Hi, I'm Mai, Natsuki's mistress. You must be Shizuru?" Natsuki gaped at her roommate.

"Ah, the infamous Mai; so we finally meet." Shizuru smile turned solemn. "Ara, Natsuki has impeccable taste. Are you interested in being my mistress instead?"

Mai looked startled before laughing. "Natsuki, I'm going to be the cliché roommate who steals your girlfriend."

"Well, I get to be the cliché best friend who runs off with her," Nao argued.

"Shizuru takes me home," Alyssa piped up. Four pairs of shocked eyes turned to the small blonde girl. Alyssa smiled back charmingly.

Nao snickered. "Smart kid."

Natsuki looked annoyed. "Shizuru's an incorrigible flirt; don't encourage her."

"I'm not the one with another woman in my lap," Shizuru teased, looking pointedly at Alyssa. "Don't I even get a proper hello?"

Alyssa squealed when Natsuki picked her up and dropped her on the sofa. Shizuru's eyes widened and she unconsciously took a small step back when Natsuki strode purposely towards her. "Natsuki?"

Natsuki seized Shizuru by the arms and crashed her lips against Shizuru's. She ignored Mai's whistle and Nao's catcalls of "Get some!" in favor of deepening the kiss, finally pulling back when she couldn't ignore the need for air.

Natsuki smirked when she saw Shizuru had closed her eyes and was panting for air. "How was that?"

Shizuru opened her eyes to reveal dazed crimson. "If that's how Natsuki says hello, I wonder how she says good-bye?"

Natsuki's smile turned devilish. She trailed a hand down Shizuru's side—

—before Nao elbowed her way in between the two and pushed Natsuki away with a cocky grin. "Hey lovebirds, make some room for Jesus!"

"You're atheist!" Natsuki protested.

"Yeah, but my mom's a nun."

Mai frowned. "There's something very wrong with that sentence."

"Hey baby, how about you and me go worship at the Temple of Love?" Nao wiggled her eyebrows at Shizuru.

Shizuru looked amused. "Tempting offer, but I would rather take Alyssa home." She winked at the giggling child.

Nao staggered backwards in mock shock. "I guess I just can't compete with Angel Face, huh? I know when I'm beat." She threw her hands up in the air and walked away. Mai nodded at Shizuru with a grin before following Nao.

"I'll see you around?" Natsuki quietly asked, leaning against the doorframe as Shizuru was opening the door.

Her response came in form of a brilliant smile and a short kiss. "Ara, careful what you wish for. Now I might never leave."

"Then I guess I know exactly what to wish for." Natsuki gave her a crooked grin.

"Bye, Natsuki!" Alyssa attacked Natsuki's legs in an exuberant hug.

Natsuki ruffled the girl's hair. "See you around, Angel Face."

Shizuru threw one last look over her shoulder as they walked towards the elevator. Natsuki gave a half-hearted wave before shutting the door.

When she turned around, the two redheads were blocking her way.

"What was that?" Mai demanded. "You were being all possessive and jealous!"

"Yeah, I'm surprised you didn't pee on her to mark your territory," Nao sardonically remarked.

"First of all, ew. What the hell is wrong with you? Secondly, I was not being possessive; you guys were just being outrageously annoying in hitting on my girlfriend," Natsuki insisted.

"Oh, so she's officially your girlfriend now? I must've missed the memo." Nao snarked.

"Well, I can't call her 'my lady friend' because we're not in the 19th century, 'my lover' would be awesome but untrue, and 'my-barely-legal-student-whom-I-plan-on-seducing' is just too damn long. Hence, 'girlfriend,'" Natsuki deadpanned.

Mai and Nao exchanged looks. Mai spoke. "Natsuki, don't take this the wrong way, but you're sort of a heartbreaker."

"What?" Natsuki's face scrunched in confusion.

"She means you're a good-for-nothing player," Nao said bluntly.

"Natsuki's not good-for-nothing," Mai chided.

"So are you, Nao!" Natsuki frowned.

"Stop it, you're making me blush." Nao pretended to look bashful.

"Natsuki, your plan has to be executed like you're ripping off a band-aid. The quicker you rip it off, the less it will hurt," Mai explained.

"Nail and bail." Nao nodded firmly.

"Natsuki, you've never been serious about anyone before," Mai reminded her gently. "If this thing with Shizuru is serious, don't fuck it up. If it's not, then get on with it."

Natsuki hesitated. "Okay."

Mai frowned. "You sure?"

Natsuki swallowed. Memories of cruel laughter, long, miserable school days, and lonely nights came unbidden into her mind. "Absolutely."

She tried not to think of how she didn't feel that way anymore ever since Shizuru.

Natsuki looked at her watch. She was waiting for Nao at the outdoors café Mai worked at on weekends, but of course, Nao hadn't shown up yet. Natsuki sighed and adjusted her sunglasses.

She quirked an eyebrow when Nao sauntered up to the table and sat down. "Wow, you're only twenty minutes late. That's a new record."

Nao waved dismissively. "I had people to see, places to go. Mai still working?"

"Yeah, but her shift ends pretty soon."

"Garcon!" Nao cried out, snapping her fingers obnoxiously and drawing the attention of surrounding tables. Natsuki sighed, glad for the sunglasses covering her face.

An irritated Mai wearing her waitress uniform appeared before them. "Unless you want to order something, go away. Don't you guys have anything better to do than stalk me at work?"

"Even if you didn't work 24/7, we'd stalk you anyways," Natsuki glibly replied.

"The last of Takumi's hospital bills need to be paid off, and you are not helping. The last time you guys came here, I almost got fired."

"Hey Mai, that guy over there has been staring at your ass for our entire conversation," Nao commented.

Mai glanced over. "Oh, he's a regular customer. The other girls love him. He probably wants a refill or something, I'll be right back."

Nao squinted. "Hey Nat, he looks familiar, doesn't he?"

Natsuki turned around and frowned at the sight. "Reito Kanzaki. He's Shiori's little pet. What's he doing?" She glared when Reito looked up at Mai with a charming smile.

Mai seemed to decline something politely, since Reito gave her a boyishly disappointed look. Mai shrugged apologetically before returning to Natsuki and Nao.

"What did he want?" Nao asked.

"He asked for my number." Mai smiled. "He's quite the gentleman."

"Yeah, he's also the asshole who was Shiori's right-hand man and is now engaged to her."

Mai's eyes narrowed. "That's him?" She turned to glare at Reito, who was staring after her. His smirk dropped when he saw Natsuki next to Mai. Natsuki waved mockingly.

Reito stood and approached their table with an apologetic smile. "Listen, Mai, when I asked for your number, I didn't mean—"

"Save it for your fiancée," Mai interrupted. Reito scowled.

"Hey, how's it going?" Natsuki asked flippantly.

Reito cocked an eyebrow. "You're Shizuru's little friend."

"Girlfriend, actually. How's the missus?"

Reito frowned contemplatively. "Natsuki, right? I think I knew a Natsuki once…"

"I'm sure it's a common enough name," Natsuki returned irritably. "Shouldn't you be with your fiancée instead of flirting with random girls?"

"It's harmless fun, as I'm sure you'd know."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Reito smirked. "I heard you have quite the reputation with the ladies. I wonder what my future sister-in-law would say about that? Poor baby Shizuru; you're practically taking advantage of her."

Natsuki's jaw tightened. "That's none of your business."

Reito continued relentlessly. "It makes one curious, don't you think? About just how many secrets a person can hold."

Nao decided to intervene, seeing as Natsuki was gripping her fork in such a way that made her worry Natsuki was going to stick it into Kanzaki's hand resting on the table. "Go back to your sleazy creeping on every girl that walks by you, Kanzaki, 'cause if I have to look at your face for one more second, I might punch it."

Reito smiled smugly before standing. "As much as I've enjoyed our chat, my ride is here. Until next time, ladies." The dark-haired man turned and disappeared into a waiting Rolls Royce.

Now that Reito was gone, Natsuki looked less angry and more concerned.

"You think he's serious?" Natsuki asked worriedly.

"That he's going to tell Shizuru? Nah, he has more to lose than you do; he's the one with the psychotic fiancée, remember?" Nao said.

"Yeah, and I'm the one with the vendetta against said psychotic fiancée."

"Reito won't tell. He has just as much to lose as you do," Mai assured.

"Hopefully." Natsuki looked skeptical.

Nao's attention was caught by a familiar figure across the street. "Hey, isn't that Shizuru?"

Natsuki's head whipped around. "Hey, yeah, it is."

Shizuru was uncharacteristically wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Natsuki felt her heart give a tiny jerk; Casual Shizuru was adorable.

Nao watched Natsuki watch Shizuru and smirked. "You wanna call her over sometime, or you wanna stare at her some more?"

"Yeah, yeah." Natsuki took out her cell phone and pressed call.

They watched as Shizuru looked at her phone and broke out into a wide grin that was visible even from across the street.

Mai laughed. "That's so cute!"

Natsuki smiled when she saw Shizuru accept the call. "Hey, what're you up to?"

"Cavorting around with my secret lover. You?" It was weird seeing Shizuru standing so far away but hearing her voice so close by.

"Watching a beautiful girl tell a lie. You should wear jeans more often, by the way."

Shizuru did a double take before looking around. "And from where is Natsuki stalking me?"

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."

Nao rolled her eyes. "Dork."

"Can I have a hint, at least?" Shizuru asked.

Before Natsuki could answer, Nao abruptly stood up and shouted at the top of her lungs. "RUN AWAY, SHIZURU, WHILE YOU STILL CAN!"

The whole street seemed to stop and look at them. Mai hissed in disapproval and dragged Nao into her seat. "God, I can't take you anywhere!"

Natsuki was speechless with embarrassment and annoyance, Shizuru with laughter. Natsuki slowly waved at Shizuru. "Yeah, just follow the sound of the moron."

Shizuru hung up and blew Natsuki a kiss. Natsuki playfully caught it.

Mai blinked when Nao snatched the spoon out of her hand. "Hey, I need that."

"I'll give it back; I just have to gouge my eyes out after seeing that disgustingly sappy display of affection."

Mai sharply elbowed Nao as Shizuru reached their table.

"Since you're here with me, does that mean I'm your secret lover?" Natsuki asked teasingly.

"Natsuki is my secret, but technically not my lover. Not yet, anyways."

Mai choked on her coffee and Nao laughed aloud. Natsuki's jaw dropped. Shizuru had never implied going further in their physical relationship before. Heavy make-out sessions and wandering hands, yes. Talking about sex? That was a no no…until now.

Natsuki cleared her throat to cover her shock. "Is that a promise?"

"Maybe." Crimson eyes twinkled.

Nao coughed to interrupt. "You should wear jeans more often, Baby Fujino, it's a good look on you. What's the occasion?"

"I'm going paintballing with my friends," Shizuru said happily. "We go once a month; it's a competition of sorts between Haruka and me."

Nao looked jealous. "Sounds cool. I've been trying to get Natsuki to go for years, but she has a phobia of fun or something."

"Ara, Natsuki has never played paintball? I would've pegged her as the type to enjoy such a sport."

Natsuki shrugged. "And I would've never pegged you as the type to enjoy it."

Shizuru raised an eyebrow. "You three should come play with us today."

"Hell yes!" Nao said excitedly, exchanging a high five with Mai.

"Uh, thanks, but no thanks. You guys have fun," Natsuki said, ignoring Nao as she coughed out "killjoy!"

Shizuru pouted. "Does Natsuki not want me to enjoy myself?"

Natsuki raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I just tell you to have fun?"

"But how can I have fun while knowing Natsuki is being all brooding by her lonesome? I'll enjoy myself more if Natsuki came along…" Shizuru cajoled.

Nao snorted. "Forget it Shizuru, if there's one thing Natsuki won't do, it's paintballing—"

"Okay." Natsuki interrupted.

"Okay?" Shizuru repeated in delight. Natsuki shrugged and nodded. Shizuru broke out into a grin and kissed Natsuki on the cheek. "I'm going in Haruka's car. I'll text Natsuki the address; see you all in an hour." She smiled at Nao and Mai and left with a bounce in her step.

Nao pretended to crack a whip. "Fwichaa! Whipped."

"I am not," Natsuki protested.

"You are. Nao and I have asked you to go paintballing with us for three years, but it only takes Shizuru five minutes for you to say yes," Mai pointed out.

"Yeah, whenever we ask if you want to go, you always shake your head and mumble something about 'Nerd-suki' and 'hunting season,'" Nao accused.

"Well, I'm going now, aren't I?"

"Quick, Mai, we have to go before she changes her mind!" Nao ushered Mai and Natsuki out of their seats. "I brought my car. Natsuki, what you're wearing is fine. Mai, you got a change of clothes?"

Mai nodded frantically. "Yep, let me just tell my boss I have to leave early. I'll say it's an emergency."

"I'll start the car!"

Both redheads rushed off in opposite directions. Natsuki shook her head. Sometimes, it felt like she were the sane one and the rest of the world were crazy.

Review, please!

Personally, I always skip ANs placed at the beginning because I'm more interested in the story itself, so I'll put mine here.

So: Thank you so much for your kind reviews! It makes me very happy to know that people are enjoying my story. It took me a while to update 'cause I was feeling blue for a while, plus I was loopy on pain killers after I hurt my knee while snowboarding. I'll try to update more quickly next time!

To those curious reviewers: I got detention for skipping class and generally being an all-around badass. (I'm quite proud of being known around school as a troublemaker, if you couldn't tell.)

About this chapter: I rewrote this chapter several times 'cause it was annoying me—still does, actually. So: I used to watch Pokemon all the time as a kid, it was great. Sometimes I still watch it haha, but it's not the same without the original 150... I go to a Catholic school, which is where the "make room for Jesus" quote comes from. I kid you not; the chaperones actually say that to us during school dances, and believe me when I say it's a very effective mood killer. Paintballing is fun, I highly recommend it. Also, may I say that some of you are a very sharp bunch? Hopefully you'll be able to discern the reason why Natsuki doesn't like to go paintballing (is that even a word?)

'Til next time, folks.