Chapter 1

Today is just like every day Natsu have in the office. He comes to the office early, with his assistant greeting him and reminding him about his scheduled meetings and appointments. He would have his usual coffee, which his assistant has brought in, a black coffee with cinnamon.

"Daichi, what's my schedule for today?" Natsu asked as he took the coffee sitting in his table before grabbing his chair in front of his wide desk

"You have a 9:00 am meeting with Mr. Kaito Dragneel (A/N: name of the grandfather), then at 1:00 pm you have an appointment with the art directors for the upcoming exhibit of Ms. Shizoka. At 3:30 pm, you are to-"

"Okay Daichi…I'm good." Natsu cuts off as he realized his schedule didn't sound humanly, "What can you say about my schedule Daichi, for real?"

"Uhh…like hell." The brown haired assistant hesitantly answered then gets surprised when Natsu clapped his hands and started pointing at him, "Exactly! So what can I cancel?"

"Well, everything scheduled today is important. They are all meetings…with the chairman, art directors, marketing head" Daichi said before trailing off when he noticed that his boss exhaled resignedly, "But I guess we can ask for a reschedule with Mr. Mishato about the marketing plans."

"No, your right…Cancel nothing." Natsu just looked down at his closed laptop before looking back at his assistant, "Alright, you can go." And with that, his assistant left and closed his door.

Once he was alone in his office, he stood up and walked towards his ceiling to floor window, viewing the busy city of Magnolia. He crossed his arms across his chest and contemplated on his current situation. He was getting tired of being a busy man, he felt like he was beginning to be a robot. Ever since his father told him about being the new heir for the company, most of the workload has been given to him. And in everything he do, he must prove to his family that he was worth being the new heir.

As Natsu, continued to think to himself, a knock suddenly came making the pinkette surprised. But as soon as he got his composure back, he called out to the person to enter.

"Hey there…" A short silver-haired lady called as she peeked inside

"Lissana, what are you doing here?" Natsu then walks towards the lady to meet and hug her as a greeting.

"Well, I'm here to visit my friend." Lissana hugs him back before heading towards the comfortable couch, "So, what are your plans for today?"

"I got a full a schedule of meetings…and nothing else." Natsu replied while heading towards his chair, "Why? What do you have in mind?"

"Natsu…You don't sound like yourself anymore. You sound like a…I don't know, a man who has no time for life. What's happening to you?"

"I know…I just, I can't afford to disappoint my grandparents and dad, especially otosan (dad). He expects a lot from me." Natsu shook his head as he felt sad about his own situation

"Yeah he expects a lot because he was a failure as well to Ojiichan (grandfather). Having an illegitimate child before your parents had you?"

"Lissana"

"What? I'm just stating a fact. Since Igneel can't control your brother, he is controlling you."Lissana then stands and walks towards Natsu's table and stood across from him, "Natsu, you're a playful and fun kid. You're not your dad. Remember that."

Before Natsu could even answer back, Lissana has turned and left the room. And with that, he was alone again to reflect on his life once more.

Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and searched for a name. And when he found it, he pressed the call and waited for it to be answered.

"Natsu…"

"Hey."

"Why'd you call?"

Natsu was silent for a second before answering back honestly, "Just want to ask how are you?"

"I'm good. Are you?"

"…Yeah of course."

"Try convincing yourself first Natsu before telling me that."

"Zeref…Dad wants to see you. He didn't tell me but I know that dad has been trying to contact you. Give him a call." Natsu started pacing in his office as his habit when he gets uneasy

"So what? He could tell me to work in his company and start acting as his son? That ojichan is fine with the idea that his son has another child from another woman? No Natsu, I'm good."

"But-"

"I'm good…But in time, I'll try to call him."

"Alright. See you soon." Natsu answered after being silent for a second

"Bye."

And the call ended when Natsu softly answered back, "Bye."

"Tell me the story now!" A voice bellowed that surprised Lucy from her morning coffee as she sat down outside the coffee shop near her work place

"Cana…" Lucy remarked as she finally recognizes the person who sat instantly in front of her, "Before you say anything again, loudly, good morning Cana." Lucy greeted but was then dismissed by the brunette, "Oh skip that! Tell me the story."

"Won't you ever greet me first before asking me to tell you a story?" Lucy asked smilingly as she ignored what her friend has asked her to do, "No. There is no good in mornings. Alright, now tell me-"

"How did you even know it was me? What if you shouted at the wrong person? I mean, I'm just ordinary I could be anybody." Lucy then smirked as if she won a debate. But was taken a back later when Cana flicked her hair back and gave an intense gaze

"Hey Blondie, I'm not your friend for nothing. I know you, you got this bright blonde hair, straight posture, a book in the hand while holding a Grande coffee. I know you…"

"Are you mocking me?" Lucy slightly laughed as she knew that what Cana said was true after all

"Oh dear no…just stating a fact." Cana then laughed along with the blonde woman who couldn't help but to shake her head in astonishment.

"Now will you tell me the story already?" Cana said impatiently as she grabbed a bite from Lucy's dessert in front of them

As Lucy calmed down, she closed her book and rested it next to her drink. She leans back and stares at her friend, "What story?"

"Oh come on Lucy! You know what I'm talking about!" Cana answered as she pointed the fork to the blonde woman

"I don't know…" Lucy shook her head as she tried to suppress her smile and laughter while trying to piss off the brunette who just gave a pouting look

"You're mean, you know that…" The two just chuckled at their selves before a short silence passed by. But Cana cuts off the comfortable silence when she puts down the fork and sat up straight and looked at her friend, "But seriously, what's the story?"

"I don't know…all I can say is that I don't know him, I don't know his name, I just recognize his face. That's it." Lucy suddenly starts to clean up the table by wiping the table, which is her habit whenever she gets nervous. And this behavior is very familiar to Cana that she suddenly gets a weak point of Lucy in their conversation.

"So why are you nervous?" Cana remarked as she continued to observe Lucy who kept on cleaning as well but when the act has been noticed, Lucy let goes of the tissue and sat up straight more.

"I am not…okay, maybe a little, I don't know… Its just weird, umm, I never talk about him. The first time I saw him was when I was a high school student, okay? It's just surprising that I saw him again."

Lucy then shrugs as she recalled the first time she sees the guy she has met recently. Cana just smiled furtively as she observed Lucy's actions.

"What does he look like?"

"Hmm…if you'd think about it, he actually looks very different. He has, pinkish hair, wears a white scarf? Umm, he has very dark eyes, tan skinned."

"Is he tall? Buff?"

"He's tall, but not buff…but toned, I think…I don't know, its not as if I saw him naked." Lucy started to put colors to her cheeks when a dash of red ran across her face

"But you'd like too-!"

"No I don't! stop making up stories Cana! That's not true. But I believe he is very attractive." Lucy then grabs her drink and shoulder bag before standing up. As Cana followed her gesture, the two started heading towards their building, the Magnolia Arts Institute.

"Well, someday, you'll see him again and this time, you'll know his name." Cana commented back to Lucy before they crossed the street towards their office.

As the time for that day pass by, Natsu was just focused to his meetings that he barely recognized that the day has finally ended.

"Mr. Dragneel, its past 6 already…I just… wanted to-" Daichi trailed off when the man looked up to him from his laptop

"Really? Its past 6?" Natsu took off his eye glasses then checks his wrist watch and sees that it was already 6:20 in the evening, "Alright Daichi, you can go. You should have told me earlier, your off was at 5 pm right?"

"Uh, yes sir. But I couldn't-"

"I can handle myself Daichi. Now go home and spend time with your family or friends. You can come tomorrow at around 8 am."

"But sir-"

"No buts. Now go, take care." Natsu cuts of his assistant for the last time before signaling for him to go. And as soon as his assistant moved away, he wore his eye glasses back and looked down at his laptop.

Minutes gone by quickly as Natsu just kept his attention to his work when suddenly the doors to his office opened up.

"You can clean the office tomorrow. I'll be working overtime…" Natsu stated as soon as he heard the doors. But then he was too busy to even look at the person. So as soon as he heard a man's chuckle, he tore his gaze away from his computer and looked at the individual.

"I wouldn't clean your shit hole, ash-brain." The male said as he kept walking near towards the young heir

"Gray, what are you doing here?"

"To fucking check up on you because Lissana told me so." As soon as Gray stood before him, the guest leaned forward and tried to glance at the work of the heir, "Until now your still working?"

"Yeah, unlike you who doesn't do their job properly" Natsu then smirks as he leans back to his chair and shared a silent laughter with his friend

"Shut up. At least I have a life. Unlike you…you look like shit." Gray then moves away and invited himself to seat in the comfortable couch

"Well who wouldn't after having 4 meetings in one day…" feeling his own exhaustion, Natsu rests his forearm to his eyes and relaxed himself. But took it off quickly and started to work again.

"So now that you have checked on me, you can go. I got to finish this…" Natsu started to type once more in his laptop but Gray ignored the pinkette's command.

"You can finish that tomorrow, look its five minutes away from 7 already." Gray then walks up to Natsu's table and sat to the chair in front

"So?" Natsu replied without looking up

"So, its time to go and leave this place. And besides, Jellal invited us to have some drink in Blue Pegasus."

"Why?" Natsu asked still not looking up

"'Cause Erza's back from France."

Hearing the name made Natsu tense and slowly looked up to check if Gray was lying but then he held a serious look, "Seriously?"

"Yeah, and Erza expects us to be complete. So you have to come." And with that the ink-black haired man stood up and shoved his hands to his pants' pocket

"Tell her I owe her next time. I really-"

"Natsu!" a new voice came which made the two look at the door and there they saw a chestnut haired woman.

"Miranda?" Natsu suddenly stood up from his seat

"Yes. Oh, hello Gray." The woman called Miranda walked closer to the two males

"Well, that's my cue. I'll just advice them." And with that Gray moved away from Natsu and just gave a small irritated smile towards to woman, "Bye Miranda."

"Gray! Wait!" Natsu called out but then the man just continued and closed the doors

"What is it?" Miranda asked as she settles her handbag to the long table, "What were you two talking about?"

Natsu's back was facing the woman, so he was not afraid to make an irritated facial expression when Miranda just kept on talking.

"Well, do you know that I had this new handbag? This was made for me and no one-"

"Miranda." Natsu cuts off the woman as he turns himself and walks back to his seat, "What are you doing here? Its late."

"Well I happen to pass here so I thought of giving you a visit. Since I knowing you stay here late because of work, I decided to keep you company." Miranda said as she sits to the chair

"No!"

"What?!"

"I mean…I'm not staying late. Cause I was planning to attend Jellal's welcome back party for Erza. She's back, from France." Natsu started to turn off his laptop, clean his table and grabbed his bag, "So no need to keep me company."

"Then I'll come."

"What?!"

"why not?"

"I mean…sure but…aren't you and Erza not in good terms? She practically despise you" Natsu swings his bag to his shoulder as he hoped that his fiancée would not tag along

"Well, I hate her too. But I will be there for you" Miranda finally stood up and started fixing her long curly hair

"Miranda, its Erza's party not mine. So…"

"I-don't- care" Miranda replied emphasizing each word before grabbing her bag and headed towards the two large doors, "Well, lets go."

As soon as his fiancée was out of sight, he gave a scowling look and started stumping his feet in annoyance.

"Natsu!" Miranda called out

"Coming…" Natsu replied unenthusiastically as he walked towards his doors

This is one hell of a night, Natsu thought as he walked along the curly haired woman.

To be continued…