Disclaimer: Author owns nothing. Mai-Hime belongs to Sunrise.

CHAPTER 15

JAPAN. A FEW DAYS LATER.

The young director was inside a designers' clothes section of the mall. Her manager, Mai, was busily scavenging around huge collection of dresses on displays while she just stood there, waiting for said manager to find her a dress for her interview. Their last attempt wasn't successful, no thanks to an urgent phone call received by Mai. She was never fond of the idea of shopping for dresses, though she loved shopping for a specific type of garments. Getting more bored by the minute, she casted her emerald orbs to the section's glass wall which made it possible for her to see the Victoria's Secret outlet just opposite where they were now.

"Is that…" She muttered when she saw a very familiar heavily clothed figure. Slim eyebrows were furrowing as her emerald orbs zoomed in the figure. "Why is she acting like…" Her emerald orbs looked behind when the figure seemed to check for something. "Damn nosy paparazzi!" She cursed when she saw a group of men with cameras seemed to be chasing the figure. By the look of it, these men were about to be successful in their pursuit as the distance between them and their subject was closing. Without having any second thought, she purposely strode towards the entrance.

The superstar who was clad in the same attire she had that morning, which consisted of oversized hat, fashionable cream-colored coat that flowed few inches above her knee and dark sunglasses, was walking briskly in her high-heeled shoes in an effort to lose the persistent paparazzi that spotted her. She was startled when out of nowhere a hand grabbed her and twisted her body around. In a matter of seconds, she found herself being engulfed by the strong arms of the unknown person. Her head was buried on her could-be-savior-or-capturer's lefts shoulder while her oversized hat was removed from her head, exposing her tawny mane. She was about to look up when said stranger spoke in her low volume husky voice.

"Stay still." The young director whispered as she held the superstar's head to her left shoulder, burying said woman's face therein. Her left arm was wrapped around the superstar's slim waist, the oversized hat was held in her left hand. Their height difference was aiding her greatly in hiding the superstar since, she was a good inches taller than the latter woman.

They were behind an array of clothes that were hanging on display racks. Her back was facing the transparent glass wall where the paparazzi were now passing as she saw their reflection on the glass mirror installed to her far left.

"Quite a runner, huh." She commented lightly when she felt the superstar's ragged breathing and felt her rapid heartbeats. "They're gone." She announced when she saw the last paparazzo disappeared.

"Director Kruger can release me now." The superstar lifted her head and looked at the young director.

"I will if you will tell me why you are here and alone." The young director said. Her emerald orbs were looking at those crimson orbs that were staring back at her coldly.

"My reason for being here is none of Director Kruger's concern." The superstar replied calmly albeit coldly.

"Well, it is now and I'm not letting you go until you tell me." The young director replied and as if to show her point she held the tawny haired superstar firmly, closer this time.

Right on cue she heard the woman's stomach grumbled.

"Damn it! How long have you been running from those bastards?" The young director barked in annoyance as the woman looked down in embarrassment, her face was flushing.

"Look, I found…" Mai started but wasn't able to finish her sentence when she noticed the two women. A dress was held in her hand, meaning it to be shown to the young director. "Ms. Viola?" She inquired when it finally dawned on her who the woman was.

"Mai, I'll take whatever dress you pick. For now, can you get me a hooded jacket, a cap, a pair of denim jeans, and a pair of sneakers? I'll call you for the sizes." The young director addressed her manager.

"Sure thing, Director Kruger." Mai replied using the young director's formal name as per their implied agreement whenever they were in the presence of other people. Though she wasn't a hundred percent sure for whom, she had an idea.

"I don't think you'll get her sizes by doing that, Mai." The young director commented upon noticing that the calculating eyes of her manager were starting to scan the woman in her arms like some kind of a biometric scanner. Although the woman had good perceptive and critical eyes, the superstar's state of clothing might be a hindrance for her to get the right measurement. "Mai, where are the changing rooms?" she asked as her emerald orbs glanced at the shoppers whose attention they were starting to attract.

"It doesn't hurt to try, Director Kruger. The changing rooms are in that way." Mai replied gesturing to her right.

"I'll see you in a bit. Thanks, Mai." The young director said, dismissing her manager who took the cue and went her merry way of instant full-gear-clothing shopping spree.

"Let's keep you hidden and wait for Mai to come back." The young director said while looking at the superstar in her arms.

"I don't see the necessity for the trouble. I am quite alright. Now, if Director Kruger will hand me back my hat, I wish to proceed to my next destination." The superstar answered as she took a step back.

"Oh. Are you referring to this paparazzi magnet?" The young director held out the oversized hat which was on her left hand and examined it closely. Flipping it in her hands after finally releasing the woman from her hold.

"I would appreciate it if Director Kruger will hand it to me." The superstar said, her right hand was held out. Her palm was facing up in anticipation of the object's return to her possession.

"I will if you can get it from me." The young director said before holding the hat up over the woman's head with her slim eyebrows rising in mock challenge to the superstar to reach for the said accessory.

"I don't have the time to entertain Director Kruger with her foolish game at the moment. Now, my hat please." The superstar commanded as she held out her opened palm again. Her impatience was starting to get apparent.

"Nope. Not a chance." The young director said before trotting towards the changing rooms' direction. "You want it? Come and get it." she said waving the hat in the air before entering a changing room.

"Isn't that Viola-sama?" One of the shoppers said when she caught a sight of the superstar.

"Oh, my! I think that's her. Come, let's go and take a picture with her." Another shopper said giddily.

"I want an autograph. Do you have any pen there?" a teenager shopper said, looking at her shopping buddies.

The superstar walked briskly upon hearing the conversation and in a matter of seconds, she was inside the same changing room where the young director went into. Avid fans flocking around her was the last thing that she wanted at the moment. She slid the changing room's door locked and leaned against it.

The young director was currently leaning on the far end of the spacious white changing room. Gone was all the playfulness in her feature as she got contemplative. Slim eyebrows were knitting together as she wrapped her left arm around her stomach; the oversized hat was still held by her left hand. Her right hand was cradling her chin as her emerald orbs assessed the woman standing opposite her.

"I need your pants and shoes sizes." She announced, looking at the superstar in front of her.

Suddenly, her iPhone began to ring even before her question was answered. She fished it out of her hooded jacket front pocket before sliding it to answer.

"Natsuki, I need the sizes now." The person on the other line spoke with a tone of urgency in her voice.

"Your sizes, Shizuru." The young director looked at the superstar who just stared back at her. Knowing that she won't be answering soon, the young director went to making guesses. "Pant's probably 24'. You've seen her height, Mai. Shoes, just one size smaller than mine. For the hooded jacket, I think it's the 36'-24'-36' BMI. Not that it matters. I'm guessing here. What do you think?" she asked the person on the other line for good measure without lifting her eyes from the stoic superstar who was standing opposite her.

"Exactly my thought, Natsuki. I'll be quick." The person on the other line spoke before hanging up.

"Now, I need to keep her attention from focusing on the enclosed space." The young director thought as she put back her mobile phone to its confinement and hang the oversized hat on one of the hooks installed to her left.

"Take your coat off." She commanded as she started approaching the superstar in front of her, emerald orbs were looking at the woman's seemed to be suffocating choice of clothing although in reality that wasn't the case.

"Is Director Kruger trying to harass me again?" The superstar spoke as she tried to compose herself. She was starting to feel uncomfortable inside the suffocating small cubicle. Feeling like her lungs was starting to get deprived of its much needed oxygen. As much as she wanted to address some issues about the post-concert incident, her claustrophobia seemed to be the more pressing issue at that time.

"Keep your eyes on me, Shizuru." The young director commanded as she hastily closed the distance between them after noticing the superstar started darting her eyes to and fro the cubicle.

"What is Director Kruger doing?" The superstar asked when she felt her coat being tugged before it was completely untied by the young director's expert hands.

"Freeing you from this. Need to get you some air." The young director answered as a matter-of-factly as she tried holding those crimson orbs with her emerald ones. "Eyes on me, Shizuru." She said as she removed the long coat off the superstar's shoulders and tossed it to her left. She noticed the woman started sweating and hyperventilating. "Hey, let's play a game." She whispered as she cradled the superstar's smooth face in her hands. "But you have to keep your eyes on mine, okay?" She whispered again as she started caressing the woman's cheeks gently. "We'll play creative visualization. You know that, right?" She whispered as she inched her face closer to block the superstar from seeing anything but her. She continued when the woman nodded. She started speaking in a dragging manner like she was talking to a four-year old kid and doing a late night story telling. Only this time she was whispering in her husky voice. "Good. Now, imagine you are on a hill top…green grass… on your bare feet…wind blowing…grazing your skin…clear blue sky above you…birds freely flying…a tree behind you…its shadow sheltering you… from the sunlight…you…lying on the grass…a little butterfly came…it fluttered above your face…landed on your nose…" she paused as she placed a small kiss on the woman's nose. "on your forehead…"she kissed her forehead. "on your right cheek…" she kissed her right cheek. "on your left cheek…" she kissed her left cheek. "it fluttered above you again…where do you want it to land next?" she asked as if begging for permission, her voice went huskier and sensual as she started to feel something unknown inside her.

"Where does Director Kruger want it to land?" the superstar asked in a dazed. Everything faded to background the moment she stared back on those emerald pools that made her lost in them.

"Little butterfly might stay for a while in her next landing. Are you sure you want it to land again?" The young director whispered as she pressed her forehead on the woman, her breathing started to get ragged with anticipation.

"Little butterfly has my consent." The superstar replied, knowing the unvoiced want of permission behind the young director's words.

"Little butterfly will be landing now. Here." The young director whispered before capturing her lips in a gentle kiss. She kissed her slowly and gently. The woman kissed back following her rhythm. Her hands were clutching the front pockets of the young director's jacket as she pulled her closer to her. The young director darted her tongue out begging for entrance which was gladly welcomed by the superstar's mouth. Her tongue explored the superstar's mouth as it tasted everything therein, leaving her intoxicated with the addicting taste. The kiss went on for longer than necessary until they finally decided to break it. Both faces were flushed as smiles were plastered on them. Each was gasping for much needed fuel for their lungs to function and not give up on them.

"Little butterfly loves her short trip. It wishes to land back some other times." The young director whispered as she continued gasping for air. Her emerald orbs were looking at crimson ones which were few inches away from her, giving its owner space to breath.

"Little butterfly is naughty." The superstar answered, smiling at the woman in front of her as she tried catching her breath.

"Little butterfly is sorry for what happened at the party." The young director explained as her breathing started to get normal again. The woman was really being hard during their taping earlier that day. Not a word she spoke was listened to. Add the fact that she kept ignoring her during the taping's entire duration.

"Little butterfly did not tell me she was coming to the party." The superstar replied, a small frown was on her face as her breathing finally stabilized. She was not the type to directly throw questions.

"Little butterfly is sorry about that, Shizuru." The young director said apologetically. "I wasn't planning to. I just had to return Masashi's keys. The car I used for the race was his."

"Little butterfly seems to like Giab." The superstar stated with a hint of jealousy in her voice which was almost a whisper.

"Giab was drunk, Shizuru. He is just a friend just like..." The young director began but was interrupted when the woman's stomach in front of her grumbled again in complaint. "You haven't taken your lunch, Shizuru." She stated and the woman in front of her just looked down in embarrassment as she wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"Ara, I had difficulty losing them, Natsuki. But I am fine." The superstar spoke in an almost inaudible volume. Her were eyes still down casted.

"Those fuckin' nosy bastards are really a pain in the ass." The young director grumbled, agitation and worry about the woman's current predicament getting the better of her judgment and rational mind. It was past three in the afternoon and the woman must really be starving.

"Ara, Natsuki, they are just fulfilling their job. Natsuki should not blame them. They are at no fault at all." The superstar spoke, trying to be the voice of reason.

"There's limit to freedom of the press, Shizuru. Those bastards always cross the line. They never learn their lesson. Just how many celebrities should be put to dangerous circumstances or worse die before they stop harassing them?" The young director rambled unnecessarily as she started massaging her forehead. She snapped her attention back to the woman in front of her when she heard a soft laugh filled with mirth. "What's funny, Shizuru?" She asked with a little annoyance, emerald orbs were narrowing at the superstar who was covering her mouth with her hand to hide her amusement.

"Ara, I never thought Natsuki holds such strong sentiment. I just find it endearing of her." The superstar replied, her eyes were twinkling with mirth.

And just like that the topic about the after-concert party's disaster disappeared into thin air.

A sound of a phone ringing interrupted the young director from retorting. She fished her iPhone from her pocket before hastily answering it.

"Mai." She said shortly.

"Natsuki, I'm here now. Which cubicle are you in?" the person on the other line asked.

"Mai, your background is so loud. What's going on there?" she asked, her emerald orbs were looking at the woman in front of her.

"A lot of shoppers are crowding outside the changing rooms, Natsuki. Don't worry, though. I don't think they know where she is or whether she is really in there or not. So, which cubicle are you in?" the person on the other line spoke.

"Shit! We're on the first to your right, Mai." She replied as she began to panic.

"Okay, I'm here. Open up." The person on the other line spoke.

"Wait a second, Mai." She replied before hanging up and putting back her mobile phone to her hooded jacket.

She approached the superstar who was sporting a light frown that should not belong to her dazzling face.

"You kinda' have an on the spot meet-and-greet-with-the-fans event going out there without your knowledge, Shizuru. Stay behind the door. I'll open it. You okay with that?" The young director asked looking at the woman who moved to stay behind the door.

"What the fuck!? Just how many fans are here now? How did they even get this many in just a short period of time? There's no way in fuckin' hell that they're ordinary shoppers!" The young director grumbled in her thoughts upon seeing the huge crowd outside the changing rooms.

Unfortunately, the rumor about Japan's Bewitching Smile Amethyst being inside the mall had reached the ears of the shoppers therein. The chasing incident with the paparazzi did not help in any way to dispute such rumor.

"Here are your TWIN SISTER'S clothes!" Mai chirped, emphasizing some words. Her voice was raised to an almost yelling volume, wanting all the crowds to hear her.

"Thank you. I'm sure my TWIN SISTER will really appreciate these!" The young director played along, raising her voice in the process.

The crowd talked indistinctively as they dissipated.

"Aarrgh! It's not Viola-sama."

"I thought I saw her. My mistake."

"You just wasted my time."

"Let's go."

"We'll still see her some other times."

"Enjoy your date with your 'twin sister'. I'll just send you the dress." The manager said in her normal voice volume as she held out the shopping bags to the young director.

"Thanks, Mai." The young director said before gathering all the shopping bags in her hands and retreating back inside the changing room, leaving the winking manager outside.

"Stop laughing there." The young director said, rolling her eyes upon seeing the superstar state of trying to hold her laughter but failed miserably as soft melodic sound filled her eardrums. "Here. Change into these." She offered the shopping bags in her hands.

"Ara, I never knew Natsuki is good at acting. Shouldn't she be working on screen rather than behind the camera?" The superstar commented lightly.

"Oh. I'm also good at dressing up talents, honey. Or in this case, I might consider undressing her up if she won't take these clothes from me now." The young director spoke suggestively as she inched closer to the woman in front of her.

"Ara, Natsuki has a very tempting proposition. Would she mind if I take her on that?" The superstar approached as she threw her hands around the director's neck and looked her in the eyes.

"As much as I would love to feed on you, I think we should feed that starving flat stomach of yours, honey. Now, get these clothes and change into it." The young director retorted. Her hands that were full of shopping bags were on her sides.

"Ara, I would be more than willing to satisfy Natsuki's hunger before mine." The superstar retorted, slim eyebrow rising in a suggestive manner.

"Shizuru!" The young director blurted out before she can control herself.

"Ara, is Natsuki trying to give us away?" The superstar asked.

"Shit. Just change already. I'll wait for you outside." The young director announced as she laid the shopping bags on the floor and started moving away towards the door. She was about to open the door when she felt a tug on her jacket. "Shizuru, what's wrong?" She asked when she noticed the panic in those crimson orbs.

"I will change but Natsuki has to stay with me. I will be quick. Natsuki has my word." The superstar spoke in a pleading manner as the idea of being alone in an enclosed cubicle started to make her suffocated and uncomfortable.

"Hey. I'll stay, okay?" The young director said as she held the panic-stricken woman's face in her hand, earning her a nod. "I'll just stay here." She announced as she leaned her back against the door and closed her eyes as she looked down. "I won't sneak a peek. Promise."

"Ara, Natsuki is such a gentleman. Ookini." The superstar commented before picking up the shopping bags on the floor and started changing into them.

To distract herself from visualizing what was happening in front of her, the young director went on humming a melody. Rustlings of clothes were heard as they were discarded on the floor. Sounds of paper bags opening were heard afterwards. After five minutes, the cubicle was filled with silence.

"Are you done, Shizuru?" The young director asked tentatively without opening her eyes.

"Ara, I think so, Natsuki." The superstar answered with uncertainty in her melodic voice.

"You don't sound sure, Shizuru. Is something wrong with the clothes' sizes?" The young director asked. Her eyes were still kept slid shut.

"Ara, they fit just fine, Natsuki." The superstar replied as she looked down on her feet, crimson orbs were blinking as a small frown formed on her mouth.

"Can I open my eyes now, Shizuru?" The young director asked, her growing curiosity with the woman's vague answer did not settle well on her.

"Ara, yes, Natsuki." The superstar answered.

The young director opened her eyes and took the entirety of the superstar's gorgeous body in front of her. A smile crossed her feature when she saw the light purple hooded jacket that hugged the woman's curves perfectly but not too tight as to suffocate her. Her emerald orbs travelled down and saw a pair of skinny denim jeans that flowed below the superstar's slender legs and stopped right above her ankles, emphasizing her nicely-shaped ass. Emerald orbs settled on the superstar's feet and her mouthed formed an 'O'. Her gaze travelled up and went back to the woman's troubled look. Crimson orbs were staring in confusion at the purple Chuck Taylor's poorly-done shoelaces.

"Trouble with shoelaces, Shizuru-Ojousama?" The young director taunted, a slim eyebrow was rising as she chuckled while shaking her head lightly. She approached the woman and lowered herself before her to relieve her of trouble with the laces.

"Ara, Natsuki is mean." The superstar playfully whined as her crimson orbs looked down.

"Yeah. Yeah. Put some distance between your feet." The young director instructed which was gladly obeyed with. "So, Shizuru-Ojousama doesn't know how to tie shoelaces, huh." She mused out loud as her hands expertly worked on the right shoe before doing the other one. "There, done!" She announced before standing up.

"Ara, Ookini, Natsuki."The superstar said, relieved of her little trouble. In her defense, sneakers weren't her fashion. Although it wasn't the first time that she wore one, assistance was always available to her whenever she had to wear one during her tapings.

"Yeah. Now, to complete your incognito mode look." The young director announced as she stood up and put the cap and the hood over the superstar's head to cover her tawny mane. Putting aside some misplaced tawny mane from her face. She took the dark sunglasses from the woman's hand and put it on her. "There. Perfect." She said as she took a step away and admired her little handiwork. As she regarded the woman's entirety, a grin was plastered on her face.

"Ara, Ookini, Natsuki." The superstar said before flashing a genuine smile to her.

"Yeah. Let's grab some food for you." The young director said before grabbing the superstar's left hand, intertwining their slender fingers in the process. She grabbed the paper bag containing the woman's previously discarded clothes with her free left hand and started striding forward.

The superstar was startled, not expecting the gesture but followed the young director's lead afterwards. Her crimson orbs fell on their intertwined fingers before looking up at the young director's face. A smile was on her face.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I hope this will answer the question on whether or not I will discontinue writing this fanfiction. I honor my words, my dear readers. When I say I will finish this, I will surely do. That's certain. Only its completion time is not. Have a great productive weekdays ahead.