Disclaimer: Mai-Hime does not belong to the Author but to Sunrise. Author owns nothing.
CHAPTER 2
JAPAN: DAY 1; 10:00AM
A red haired young woman clad in a black mini dress that flowed down few inches before her thigh was standing before a freshly covered grave. A pair of dark colored sunglasses was concealing her eyes as they longingly stared on the encryption of the gravestone. A barely noticeable frown was marring her delicate and young face. Her facial expression remained stoic as condolences were offered to her by the few souls who came to mourn for her loss. But just like any other funeral, the living souls will continue to live their lives while the dead one will be left to its eternal sleep thus, the people eventually went their own ways leaving her to her much needed privacy.
"Mama, you are fine now. No more pain. No more suffering. You are finally free from your boring white hospital room. I am sure you'll have a better view there. I heard heaven is beautiful. I'm sure that old man in white robe with divine light behind him will allow you entry there. You know, the man who looks like Dumbledore of Harry Potter. If not then, I don't know what level of righteousness people must have to gain entry there. You can take a stroll. You love taking me to one when I was a small brat, remember? I'm sure Pops will be there to be your tour guide. I'll give him a good kick in the ass if he won't when I'll meet him. I just don't wish it to be too soon. I love you, Mama. I will miss you. Me? Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll manage. You know your Nao-chan is a big girl now. Just go wherever it is that you must be." The red haired young woman spoke to the soul resting in the grave.
She closed her eyes as a lone tear finally slid down her beautiful and delicate young face. For a moment she thought that she felt someone engulfed her in a cold embrace and lightly pecked her right cheek. She felt goose bumps when she heard a hollow fainting voice calling her name. It sounded like her mother's voice four years ago before the woman went into comatose.
She quickly wiped the lone tear away when she heard the very familiar roar of a motorcycle before it came to a complete halt and the engine was finally turned off.
Natsuki dismounted her personalized black Ducati bike which was now in the private cemetery's parking lot. She immediately proceeded there right after her private airplane had touched down Japan. Fortunately, her mother knew the details of the funeral which was willingly given to her after a short phone call. With a bouquet of white flowers that she fortunately acquired from a flower shop on her way to the cemetery, she started treading towards the lone figure standing before a grave. She went on placing the bouquet of white flowers on the foot of the gravestone before standing closely beside the lone figure clad in black attire.
"Hey. I didn't know. I'm sorry for your loss." Natsuki said softly as she regarded the grave before her with a forlorn look.
"People die. That's how life works." Nao muttered, her eyes still glued on the encryption. She wore a sad smile when her gaze went down to the dates of birth and death written below the name of her deceased mother. "Those two sets of years do not matter. It is the bar between them that matters most. Living a short life free of suffering is better than living one full of it." Nao finished as she cannot anymore control the stream of tears that came flooding down her cheeks. For whatever reason beyond her comprehension, she suddenly felt vulnerable being in the presence of the raven haired woman. The tears that she forcefully encaged inside her came rushing forth like a dam overflowing with high pressured water. She felt like she can bare her soul to this raven haired woman despite the fact that she considered that raven haired woman as her sworn enemy.
The raven haired woman seeing the current state of the red haired woman, did what she thought was best without spurting out words that she might later on regret. She herself was never good with matters concerning emotions let alone to comfort a distraught soul with soothing words. She pulled the slightly shorter than her red haired woman towards her. Her right hand holding the red haired woman's head as she buried it on her strong left shoulder. The redhead woman gasped with the unexpected gesture as her body stiffened. But the raven haired woman kept her in place as she eventually relaxed to the warm embrace. Soft sobs reached the raven haired woman's ears as she started caressing the red haired woman's back soothingly in an up-down motion with her left hand.
"Don't worry about her Yuki-san. I'll stick to her no matter what. You have my word." the raven haired woman spoke in her mind as her emerald orbs regarded the gravestone before her.
After a few minutes, the sobs subsided. The raven haired woman decided to speak to lighten the mood before it will turn into an awkward silence. "Hey, Nao. Why don't you just marry me? You know, you can live with me. We can make little Naos together. How does that sound?" the raven haired woman said softly with all her faux seriousness as she looked down at the red haired woman in her warm embrace.
The red haired woman abruptly withdrew herself from the raven haired woman before glaring at the raven haired woman. Well, it did not get its desired effect since she was still wearing her dark sunglasses on.
"Have you fuckin' lost what stupid little brain you have there, mutt!? I lost my Mom and not my brilliant mind. Last time I checked, I don't freakin swing your twisted way. And if ever I do, which is very impossible by the way, I'd rather be forever Virgin Mary or enter a god damn convent and be a freakin' holy nun than be with you!" the red haired woman fired with her voice laced with incredulity. Her slim pointer finger directed towards the raven haired woman's face.
" . So, Nao-chan is still a virgin huh?" The raven haired woman taunted, her slim eyebrows wiggling as a grin was plastered on her face.
"I'm still nineteen! I'm not you, old perverted sexually frustrated granny!" the red haired woman retorted, smirking when she saw her opponent starting to get flustered.
"Oi! I'm not that old. I'm still twenty one!" the raven haired woman huffed crossing her arms.
The red haired woman's eyes had a glint of mischief upon seeing another opening. "So, you are not denying that you are like an old perverted sexually frustrated granny?" the red haired woman inched closer as she drawled each word she spoke. She straightened up when she heard no retort before speaking like the raven haired woman in front of her just won a million dollar lottery."Congratulations, mutt! You passed the overrated denial stage of your pathetic life! That's quite a feat for someone stupid like you." Nao finished with a feline smile splitting her lower face.
The raven haired woman opened her mouth in an attempt for a retort but then closed them again before opening them but eventually decided to shut them closed for no rebuttal came to her mind. She proceeded on smiling instead when she once again saw her 'frenemy' bounced back to her old self.
"What? Why are you grinning like a perverted old geezer there? Completely lost it, mutt?" the red haired woman tried to fire up their conversation when she noticed that their word battle was soon over when she was just warming up.
"Oh, nothing really. I just thought that you look ugly when you cry. You know." The raven haired woman said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulder in the process.
"That did not happen! Here me, Kruger?" The red haired woman punched her left shoulder in a not so gentle way.
"Ow! Ow! Yes, Ma'am!" the raven haired woman relented as she nursed her abused left shoulder. "And Nao, you're welcome." She added before smiling, knowing the reason why she was punched in that area. That was the red haired woman's way of showing her gratitude though she will never say it out loud even if you will throttle her slender neck.
The red haired woman turned on her heels towards the private cemetery's exit without saying a word. She paused on her track, her back was turned towards the raven haired woman, before speaking. "I'll take over the project after a short break. Don't screw up before then."
"Don't worry about it. Slack off as much as you want." The raven haired young woman replied, without lifting her emerald orbs from the grave stone.
The red haired young woman smiled before continuing her strides out of the cemetery's vicinity.
STARBUCKS COFFEE SHOP, TOKYO, JAPAN: 12:02PM
A raven haired woman clad in white v-neck tee paired with denim jeans and black boots was queuing for her much needed daily dose of highly addictive caffeine. One more person in the line and it will be her turn.
"Finally." The raven haired woman heaved a breath of relief when her turn came. She was in the queue for a good ten minutes. For whatever reason, the coffee shop was crowded than it should normally be on ordinary days.
"Welcome to Starbucks Coffee! May I take your order, Ma'am?" the beautiful brown haired attending crew greeted, words spurting from her mouth with ease expertise. She looked up and took the entirety of the beauty before her. Her cheerful demeanor suddenly shifted into a seductive one as she leaned forward her lithe figure and fluttered her long lashes slowly before speaking. "Actually, I don't want to take your order, Ma'am." She leaned a little bit closer before whispering seductively towards the raven haired woman whose hands were planted on the counter as she also leaned closer to the attending crew. "I want to take you." She finished hotly, biting the bottom of her lips as she undressed the raven haired woman in front of her with her lustful eyes.
"I like it dark hard fast." The raven haired woman whispered seductively in her husky voice, drawling each word painstakingly slow. She looked down at the brown haired woman's well-endowed chest before speaking continuing again. Still in her seductive husky voice. "and big." She looked up and inched her face closer to the brown haired crew's face until their lips where inch apart that they can feel each other's breath. The sexually excited brown haired crew was about to close the gap between their awaiting lips when the raven haired woman changed the course of her head and instead whispered hotly to the brown haired crew's left ear. "Caffé Americano. Venti." She finished, blowing hot air to the brown haired woman's left ear before abruptly pulling her body away from the frustrated brown haired crew and from the counter.
"Ahem! Ahem!" a dark haired handsome man clad in gray business suit coughed to get the attention of the two young women. "If you don't mind the interruption ladies, some of us here need to get our coffee." The handsome dark haired man clad in gray business suit spoke, a smile adorning his face. His impatience and irritation were well masked behind his charming smile. Not even perturbed with the event that recently transpired before him. He brought his left arm and looked at his wrist watch, a small frown was on his handsome face. "Fast." He finished looking at the clerk who went back to her normal professional behavior.
"I apologize, Sir." The brown haired crew bowed to the handsome young man before turning her attention back to the raven haired young woman. She retrieved a cup and a marker. "What shall I call you, Ma'am?" she asked professionally this time, looking at the raven haired woman. Her right hand holding the black marker ready to write the name of her customer on the cup held in her left hand.
"N.K." the raven haired woman replied shortly.
"Alright, it's Venti Caffé Americano for N.K. Please make yourself comfortable. It will be ready in a minute." The brown haired attending crew wrote the initials on the cup.
"Thanks!" the raven haired woman turned on her heels in hope of finding a vacant spot where she can lounge for the mean time. The coffee shop was unusually crowded that even before she found an unoccupied plush sofa, she heard her name being called. She started treading towards the claiming area when a heavily covered woman suddenly appeared in front of her.
The woman was sophisticatedly dressed in cream hue. Long cream jacket covering her entire body matched with a huge cream hat. A pair of dragonfly-eyes-like dark glasses was concealing her eyes. Only a few loose strands of tawny mane were visible. She stuck out like a sore thumb in that crowded coffee shop. She looked like someone who just came out from a Parisian fashion show.
"What the hell!?" the raven haired woman screamed in her thought when she felt cold liquid splashed on her v-neck white t-shirt. "Cold. Cold .Cold."She immediately held the wet part of her shirt out with her right hand to avoid further contact from her skin. She looked up at the offending figure with freezing glare.
Despite her almost mummified body due to heavy clothing, the raven haired woman can't help but noticed that the woman was beautiful. That was based from the seemingly kissable soft pink lips she was currently staring at. The woman had porcelain face that looked soft and delicate and her defined facial feature adding to her beauty.
"Out of my way." The sophisticatedly dressed offending woman barked. Her head held up high as she brushed the raven haired woman's left shoulder off to remove her from her path. Effectively dismissing the raven haired woman quickly like she was an appalling creature. She proceeded towards the coffee shop exit like nothing happened.
"Sorry for spilling your iced black tea on my shirt, Ojousama!" the raven haired woman yelled sardonically at the retreating offending woman, effectively halting the woman in her track for a moment but she unrelentingly continued her strides out of the coffee shop. Leaving the raven haired woman grumbling to herself.
"Beautiful but a stuck up bitch. Shame." the raven haired woman mumbled as she went on to the claiming area when her name was repeatedly called for several times. She looked down at her black tea-stained white v-neck t-shirt with a defeated sigh. "What a waste. Now, it's ruined." She grabbed her coffee before going to her next destination. "Better get my ass there on time." She did not have the luxury of time to enjoy her much needed caffeine dosage inside the comfortable and relaxing coffee shop for she had a quite long drive ahead of her.
The raven haired woman was traversing a long wide hallway inside an entertainment company in Tokyo, Japan. Pictures of famous stars flashing a pose in beautiful frames were decorating both sides of the hallway. She was a few more steps from reaching the conference room when her emerald orbs spotted a very familiar figure.
A busty orange haired young woman was leaning beside the entrance of the conference room. Her arms were crossed below her well-endowed chest as she purse her cherry lips. Her eyes found the white floor more interesting than anything else at the moment. A soft humming sound was heard from her. The sound of approaching boots as they met the floor broke her out of her bubble. She turned her head to her right and a spark of recognition crossed her feature. "Natsuki!" She greeted before enveloping the raven haired woman in a bear hug.
"Mai." The raven haired woman shortly replied as she tried to distance the cup of coffee in her right hand to avoid another accident involving spillage of coffee to innocent shirt. She returned the gesture using her free left arm, embracing the other woman in the process. "What are you doing here?" she asked the orange haired woman not expecting her to be there.
"Good to see you too, Natsuki." The orange haired woman released the raven haired woman from her almost suffocating embrace. "I'll be working with you." the orange haired woman replied with gladness in her voice.
"Huh? As what? Aren't you supposed to be out there doing talent scouting?" the raven haired woman asked wondering why the Head of the Talent Management Team will be working with her.
The 22-year-old orange haired woman was known for her uncanny ability to see through anybody. She was very efficient in selecting promising stars. She had her so called "star-radar" that helped her determine when she met a raw talent awaiting to be harnessed into a bright shining star. Just one look at a candidate and it was like she can foresee that candidate's future. She had an unexplainable and mysterious instinct that contributed greatly to the success of the company where she was currently employed in sorting out future successful stars to be introduced to the limelight. She was a prodigy in her own way.
"Well, that's exactly why I'm here, Natsuki. To scout a talent. Nope. Actually, to convince a talent to join us in Hollywood. But I can't tell you that yet. Sorry. Ms. SK's order. I can't go against the order of the Big Boss now, can I?" the orange haired woman replied in her mind but since she cannot divulge such information she went on telling what she was told to say.
"As your Manager, Natsuki!" the orange haired woman clapped her hands together in front of her as she beamed at the raven haired woman.
" . I am not a talent. I am a director. I don't need a manager." The raven haired woman retorted, her brows knitting together at the incredulity of the idea.
"Then, I will be your P.A. As in your personal assistant. I'll manage your schedule and your accommodation while you work on the movie project here. I'll be with you 24 hours seven days a week." The orange haired woman added, her eyes looking expectantly at the emerald orbs in front of her.
"Oi! You're making it sound like a babysitter's job. There's no need to stick that much to me. I can manage myself. You can go back to New York and do your stuff." The raven haired woman snapped her head back to the orange haired woman in front of her after drinking from her cup of coffee.
"But Ms. SK sent me here to help you, Natsuki. She might fire me if you'll not accept my assistance." The orange haired woman said in a faux panic-stricken voice like the end of the world was coming imminently. Her eyes darted to and fro like she did not know what to do anymore as her head snapped from left to right in a dangerously quick motion that she might snapped her neck for real. The orange haired woman went for her plan B since her original plan failed miserably. "Poor me. I'll be denied of my employment and my glamorous life. Oh! Where will I get the necessary finances for my dear brother's hospitalization? Director Kruger is awful." The orange haired woman said in her best actress award winning act. Her right hand was placed above her agonizing heart as she pulled out her act of faux distress as she took a step backward.
"Oi, Ms. Tokiha! Firstly, Mom will never fire you. Secondly, if she finally lost her mind and decided to kick you out of the company, a lot of companies are waiting for you. Oh, don't even think for a second that I don't know about our competing firms' dirty tactic of pirating you to join their lousy companies. Thirdly, you're not that broke. You can live for another century even without working. Lastly, what the hell is with your brother's hospitalization? Takumi caught a fever not some terminal illness!" the raven haired woman barked as visible veins popped out from the side of her head.
"Well, I think it can't be helped then." The orange haired woman relented. She sighed dejectedly as she straightened up and started walking towards the direction where the raven haired woman came from.
The raven haired woman just stood there, slim eyebrows knitting together in wonder of what the orange haired woman was doing. She knew how the woman can be so persistent and her giving up easily just like that. "She's giving up already? Eh? Something's not right." She mused in her head. Unable to keep her curiosity, she spoke. "Where are you going, Mai?" the raven haired woman asked when she was shoulder to shoulder with the orange haired woman. Each facing the opposite direction.
"I'm going back to New York. You want me to do my stuff, right?" the orange haired woman turned her head to her right to face the inquiring emerald orbs that were focused on her. A pointer finger was tapping her chin like she was trying to remember something."Well, my next assignment from Ms. SK is to look for your future groom...or bride." She paused when she noticed emerald orbs bulged before continuing. "I was given the honor to do the job. Ms. SK was quite sure that you will be fooling around last time we talked." Her eyes flickered to the raven haired woman who stood there frozen, mouth slightly ajar. "Hmn… I guess you're right. I need to start my assignment immediately. I have a deadline to meet after all." She said nodding her head in agreement to herself. "See you in a few months, Natsuki. Bye!" She started moving but was immediately halted by a firm grip on her right arm.
"Like what I said where are you going, Tokiha?" the raven haired woman said through clenched teeth as she willed every ounce of control in her body to restrain herself from going berserk. "Aren't you going to be my Manager?" Her emerald orbs squinting as she coldly asked the unperturbed orange haired woman to her right.
"Oh. Almost there, Natsuki. But not quite. Your Mom is way way way scarier than you." the orange haired woman spoke in her mind. Her heart was filled with butterflies when her last resort plan succeeded.
"Alright! Now, let's get inside. You're the only one they're waiting for." Mai beamed as she flashed her ear splitting grin.
The raven haired woman released her hold on the orange haired woman and sighed. "What's with Mom and her minions always blackmailing me?" she grumbled in her thoughts.
The orange haired woman started her way towards the conference room entrance when she noticed that the raven haired woman wasn't moving. "Natsuki? Are you coming?"
"Yeah." The raven haired woman started trotting towards the orange haired woman with the coffee still held in her right hand.
"Natsuki, what happened to your shirt?" the orange haired woman inquired when she noticed the ruined innocent piece of clothing.
"Ah. This?" The raven haired woman glanced at the stain on her white v-neck t-shirt. The memory of the earlier unfortunate event came rushing to her as well as the feeling of irritation. "I bumped on some snotty bitch with iced black tea."
"Natsuki, maybe it was unintentional." The orange haired woman tried to offer a perspective, trying to appease the now irritated raven haired woman.
"Unintentional? That woman is so fucked up. Did not even say sorry. Tch!" The raven haired woman snapped her head towards the orange haired woman.
"That's bad." The orange haired woman commented with a small frown on her beautiful face. "Well, let's not cry over spilled milk or in this case not fuss over spilled iced black tea, right Natsuki?" the orange haired woman smiled at the raven haired woman who just huffed in response.
The two women went inside the conference room.