A/N: Hehehe yes about that previous chap..erm..you see I had 7 lemons in one hand and I tilted the hand to put ONE in the story buuut... 5 went in instead... so yeeah.

Disclaimer: I do not own Mai hime people!

As Natsuki jogged the last little bit of the way to her home, she got this deafening feeling. Whoa.. That feeling you get when you can feel thickening, hostile, tension. The blunette tried to shake it off but the uneasy smothering feeling lingered in her chest.

What the heck is up!? I feel all…like jittery. Is it because of last night? Her cheeks lit up at the picture memory of the activities, and as a result her heart beat decided to attempt an escape from her body.

Natsuki placed her hand on her front door, gathering her bearings and took a few calming breaths. Eventually the nervousness subsided. She smiled as she took out her keys and opened the door to see Shizuru..

On the couch.

Glaring

Like a hydra.

Natsuki couldn't figure out why, but that feeling she had outside increased tenfold as soon as emeralds met darkened crimson, and suddenly she couldn't find words.

"Natsuki." Shizuru spoke with practiced venom making the blunette flinch at the tone.

Crap. What happened? What'd I do?

"Sh-Shizuru…I-I'm sorry..?" Instantly after apologizing she regretted it. That sounded totally insensitive… But just as she was about to try again the velvety Kyoto-ben shot through the silence.

"Ara, and what does Natsuki have to apologize for I wonder?" Shizuru cocked her head to the side in a faux thinking position.

"Well I-" Natsuki started.

"Would it, by chance be because Natsuki wasn't there when I woke up?" The brunette rose slowly from the couch and picked up the phone receiver.

How did that get on the floor anyways? The blunette thought before she gathered up her nerve for the second time that morning.

"Oh! I-I'm sorry about that Shizuru I really was just-" The blunette was again cut off.

Shizuru hummed in a dangerous tone. " Or maybe it is because Natsuki left just as her phone began to ring waking me, and causing me to come down to try to silence it?" The brunette kept her eyes glued to the phone in her left hand as she stalked over to the rest of the machine.

It did? I wonder who it was? Did Shizuru not like to be woken up early in the morning or something? She'd have to remember that..this woman is downright scary if that's why…

"I'm sorry.." Dumb telemarketers. "I'll tell them not to call again I promise-" Natsuki assured before she was interrupted ..again. She's pissed.

"Or…" Her voice darkened as she passed the machine and slowly walked over to the blunette. Natsuki instinctively took a step backwards at the look she was getting. Crimson eyes never once faltered. "-Is Natsuki sorry for last night?"

What!? The blunette, being blindsided for words once more, shook her head furiously to emphasize she did not regret it.

Shizuru's laugh was low and was followed by the scariest smirk Natsuki had ever seen on anyone before. She gulped and tried not to be the one to break eye contact.

"Oh, no of course not…because since when does the winner apologize for having won?" The brunette walked up and cupped Natsuki's cheek softly, but the blunette felt anything but calm.

W-What? "Shizuru what's going on?" I really have no idea what's happening right now. "What did I do?"

The brunette's hand snapped away from the cheek and anger flashed in her eyes making them shine. "You won. According to your friend here." She gestured towards the messaging machine.

My friend the home phone? The blunette gave a puzzled look. The only people that would dare call me in the mornings would be Mai and Mom. Everybody else knows that I like to sleep in mostly and I can get grumpy. Now that I think of it there was that time that Chie called because Nao was drunk on her porch and needed….Oh God….no..was it?

Right then Natsuki did the one thing she knew she should never have done…she lied.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She deadpanned.

Then. Rage.

"You don't!?" In a flash, the usually calm and collected executive brunette stomped and slammed the receiver down on its connecting machine making a loud crack and nearly shattering the device altogether. Shizuru all but hit the voicemail and found the one from earlier.

"Shizuru what are you-" Natsuki was silent as soon as the message began, praying that somehow her friend had used a code of some sort…anything at this point would be helpful.

"Aye yo mutt, word on the street is you finally got your panties in a bunch. Don't expect my congratulations, you just barely won this one Kuga! To be honest, I never thought you'd EVER be able to get someone like THE Shizuru Fujino into your bed…but as per the bet..you are a better player than me yadda yadda I beg forgiveness and all that so…yeah bye." The message said.

*Beep*

No. Natsuki didn't move for fear of catching the attention of a closed eyed brunette. Shizuru had her hands holding her elbows, and a light scowl across her face as if she'd eaten something displeasing.

After a long bit of quiet fear the blunette finally moved, letting out a breath she'd been holding.

"Well." A cold voice said, Shizuru opened her eyes and instantly looked devoid of…any emotion..at all.

They stared for a while. Natsuki herself was fighting back several apologies. She wanted to smash the machine, she wanted to kill Nao for her terrible timing, but most of all she was angriest at herself for that stupid, dumb, idiotic bet. I have to explain! I have to tell her that…that…

"Shizuru…" she whispered not knowing what else to say, eyes dropped away from the cold gaze towards the floor.

"If that is all, then I shall get going." Shizuru said as she walked back to the bedroom to grab her things that were carelessly thrown around the room. Natsuki finally snapped out of her paralyzed state and ran after her, tripping over a candle.

Once she reached the room the brunette was already trying to pass through the doorway. Natsuki blocked her. "Shizuru! Wait, let me explain!" She yelled, as the brunette shoved her aside. The blunette kept yelling for her but she kept her direction, only stopping to find and put on her shoes.

"Shiz..SHIZURU! WAIT, PLEASE!" Natsuki grabbed Shizuru's arm, making her drop her jacket.

SLAP!

Natsuki stumbled back a bit, but did not let go despite her surprise. Shizuru..just slapped me..

"I-"

"Let go of me! Let go Natsuki! NOW!" Tears burst through stinging eyed of the brunette as she screamed.

"No, just let me explain first please!" Natsuki now had tears of her own fighting to escape and blurring her vision, but she never left Shizuru's angry watery orbs.

"Explain what Natsuki. The fact that this whole thing between us..*breaths* was just because of some sick bet? A twisted way of amusing you and your friends from boredom? How you used me just so you can get some recognition from this..this Yuuki Nao?!"

"No Shizuru I-"

Another bitter laugh. "To think, I was about to end it with Tate, my family's favorite future son-in-law, for a woman..who never even cared for me at all." The brunette said scornfully shaking her head and wiping tears.

She..She was? That would have been the happiest moment for the blunette, had it not been for the current situation.

"Shizuru, I do care for you! A lot, I-I can never stop thinking about you. I only see you." Natsuki pleaded.

The brunette scoffed. "No. You are a player. I will not be one of your toys, I am not foolish..I refuse to be played any further than I already have." A look passed over Shizuru's face, hurt. So much it made Natsuki cringe in sadness. "Why even take me to see your mother? I thought… Was that just part of your plan?!"

Natsuki's eyes widened. "No! I never really had much of a plan! Yes, it was a bet but..I really don't care Shizuru. I want to be with you! I swear!"

Shizuru yanked away her arm, turned and walked towards the door. Apparently she had called a cab because there was one on the curb waiting for her. Shizuru didn't bother turning back around and instead grabbed at the doorknob.

Natsuki had streams going down her face like a baby, yet she still dashed after the brunette.

"Shizuru!" She grabbed tightly onto the woman's hips, not caring if she sounded desperate, because frankly, she didn't want to let go.. "I care *sniff* I do! Don't go. Please...don't leave me. I promise I'm not acting! I..dont go back to Tate. He...you don't even love eachother!"

"Neither do we." Natsuki stiffened at Shizuru's words, and the brunette took this opportunity to remove the arms from her waist and turn the knob opening the door.

Natsuki started to run after her again but a quick glare by the brunette caused her body to freeze and go limp and she leaned heavily on the doorframe.

Shizuru got into the cab, shut the door and the vehicle sped off down the road.

She allowed her legs to take her back into her home and plop down on the sofa not bothering to lock the front door.

Natsuki looked around the room in a blank looking stare not really seeing anything but a blur. The dried tear stains on her cheek became wet again as she replayed the events. Up until now, Natsuki had felt full, whole, and suspiciously content. She looked to her tv seeing a sad reflection looking back at her in regret.

Never in her life had she felt so..alone.

I know I know, not the happiest chapter ever but you know :) Also...Im a few minutes late but HAPPY BIRTHDAY FUJINO SHIZURU! YOU ARE AWESOME! R&R Guys!