A/N: Thank you everyone that have commented and like the story so far, I really appreciate you! I'm sorry I missed yesterday's upload, I work a lot and took an even longer nap. But here were are, chapter 2!

Chapter Two

The sun warmed Natsuki's leather jacket as Duran, her Ducati DRIII, zipped up a lonely village road. The GPS sounded in her helmet, signaling that she was two minutes to her destination. Natsuki hopped off her bike at the doorstep of the address, "Looks like this is the place, Duran." Natsuki unhooked her pack after a good stretch, the ride was beautiful, but long. Her wrist ached, though she tried to ride without it as much as possible. Putting on her sling, the blunette took in the surrounding scenery. This author's residence was south of Kyoto's busy tourist areas. The little renovated shophouse sat beside acres of rolling green hills, lined with bushes of aromatic teas. Charming homes and store fronts dotted the remaining acres paying homage to a traditional way of life forgotten by the cities of the future.

Her stop itself was pretty charming too. Natsuki drank in the machiya home that sported two stories painted in a tastefully dark forest green with black trim. It also sported a well tended garden, behind a gated iron rod fence. On the gate, there was a white box of an intercom. Natsuki shouldn't have been so surprised given the shroud of mystery this author liked to surround themself with, but it looked so out of place. The blunette gave Duran a quick look, then pressed the round white button and watched her face light up the screen. "Ah," The blunette realized she was at least three days early for the end of the week appointment. The email said I had until the end of the week, so…

"I'm here for the author's assistant position. My name is Natsuki Kuga."

The blunette slowly stepped back from the front entrance, readjusting the grip on her helmet with her good hand. The homeowner unlocked the gate and Natsuki slowly walked herself inside. Natsuki's eyes kept sweeping the garden and she made her feet stop a foot before the entrance. A shadow moved into view behind the door, then the door moved aside, revealing the last person Natsuki ever wanted to see again.

"You!" Natsuki took two staggering steps backward. Shizuru Fujino took a measured step outside, placing her sweaty hands within the long sleeves of her plum colored kimono. "Ms. Kuga," Shizuru inclined her head in the blunette's direction, an elegant movement along a delicate neck.

There was no smile. No warmth behind those flat ruby eyes.

"If you choose to decline, please do so now. I will compensate you for the journey. However," Shizuru turned her body halfway back toward the front door, "do it quickly. Even now, we're wasting precious time."

Natsuki staggered back once more, physically struck by iron words. This wasn't the same Shizuru from high school. The blunette's hand squeezed over her helmet. "You knew who I was when I applied. You didn't warn me when you had every chance to. You could've stopped me from selling my place, quitting my job and taking the ride up here. But you didn't, why? To think that you could still apologize for what you did?"

Shizuru turned her back then. "I'm looking for a serious worker, you met the requirements. If you can't handle the environment or the work," Shizuru tilted her head to the right, Natsuki brought her arm close to her chest, "then you should not have applied. You may leave me your financial information or send it via email. Like I said, I will compensate you for the trip. Good day."

Natsuki's grip made the hard plastic of her helmet creak. "To hell with your guilt money. I don't want it."

Shizuru sighed, turned around when back in the safety of her own home and painted on a smile. "I see. Well, it looks like we are done here then. Have a safe tr-"

"If you're all business as you claim," Natsuki a full step forward, "then, and only then, will I accept the job."

Shizuru's smile slipped from her carefully adjusted face. "...Very well. I will show you to your room. But remember," Shizuru disappeared into the dimly lit entryway, "this will be your final chance to decline."

Natsuki moved to hover by the door; she took a deep breath to puff up her chest, then she stepped inside.

Inside, Natsuki had little time to remove her shoes. "We'll start with your room, which is on the top floor. But closest to my study."

Natsuki's jaw locked, but didn't say anything. This is just a job. It's only temporary. It's just a study.

Immediately after the genkan, Natsuki followed the older woman to the stairs on the right. "This will be your room."

"Whoa."

The room was large, but the western style bed was larger. If Natsuki got to sleep in it, she was afraid she'd drown in the ocean of bed sheets. The blunette didn't have time to oogle her room, however, Shizuru was already in the next room. "And this is my work study." Natsuki managed to catch a glimpse of tasteful furniture littered with loose leaf pages, a sizeable kneeling table paired with a large violet cushion, and an ancient looking typewriter before Shizuru shut the door. "You are not to disturb me, not to go in, unless I specifically tell you too. Do you understand?"

Natsuki's jaw ached. Not trusting herself to speak, Natsuki met ruby eyes unflinchingly and nodded.

"Good. Now then, this is the only restroom on the second floor. Let's head back down. This is the second restroom," Shizuru pointed out the water closet nestled underneath the stairs. "This is the sitting room by day, and my room by night," Shizuru pointed out to the room on the left. "Back here is the kitchen and dining area. Feel free to use it whenever you'd like, but also take the time to replenish our supplies once a week. I will leave a grocery allowance either by your door or on the kitchen counter depending on your preference. Further down," Shizuru went through the kitchen, moving like a strong gust of wind, "is the final restroom, washing and drying room, and bath. There is a back door just there," Shizuru pointed to a glass sliding door with gorgeous greenery, "to the patio. While I do not expect you to cook or clean for me, please keep tidy, I make it a point to deep clean every Sunday unless there is a looming deadline."

Shizuru turned sharply toward Natsuki, the blunette wouldn't have had enough time to think if she needed to defend herself. Instead, the older woman deftly and quietly, pushed passed Natsuki toward the front of the home. "Now, if there are no other questions, go ahead and get comfortable. I will prepare dinner for tonight. You may eat in the kitchen or in the sitting room. I would prefer you didn't eat in your room."

Shizuru whisked away to her portion of the house, leaving a lost Natsuki behind her. The blunette made her way back upstairs, found the closet to leave her helmet in, and laid in the middle of the gigantic bed. "Well, alrighty then."

When Shizuru heard Natsuki climb up the stairs, the woman rested her forehead on the long golden wooden slats of her doors. She closed her ruby eyes and began counting back from ten all the while wishing her heart would stop beating excitedly. Natsuki hadn't changed at all no matter how many years had passed, but Shizuru knew that the relief she was feeling would not last past that night.