Title: Riding the Roller Coaster (Part XV)
Author: ficeler37
Note: Don't own Mai-Hime. I'll let Sunrise take the credit.
Rating: PG
Word count: 1317

Summary: The inverse correlation between cotton candy and money.

A/N: Writer's block is evil. EVIL I say. Here's the long (?) awaited chapter. Thank you all for your patience with me.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Someone once said that having money does not solve all your problems, but without it, you are screwed. Fujino Shizuru knows this saying well. Being blessed with a great family fortune since her birth, Shizuru never questioned the power of money. On the other hand, she also knows that there are some things that money cannot buy, like love. But it doesn't hurt to use money to indulge your love once in a while, right?

"Natsuki, I need to make a business call before we head over to the magic show. Do you mind giving me a moment?" Crimson eyes look over to the blue haired beauty apologetically.

"Yea, of course. Take your time. I'm just going to take a look at … uhm … THERE! The candy store at the corner." Good job, Natsuki. Of all places, you have to pick the candy store. You don't like sweet stuff, remember?

Seeing the regret in the green eyes, the chestnut haired girl chuckles to herself softly. Some things never change. Always hiding your true feelings. Admitting to what you really want doesn't make you weak, you know? Natsuki … "Great. I'll come get you when I'm done. Would Natsuki mind buying some candies for me so that we can share them at the magic show?"

"Okay, see you in a bit." Natsuki turns around abruptly and walks away quickly to hide her blush. What is wrong with me? It's just sharing a bag of candies with Shizuru. Friends do that. Goddamn this blush! Images of their finger tips touching inside the candy bag and the heated gazing that follows, rush into the blue haired girl's mind. Someone needs to stone me to death to get rid of all the weird ideas in my head!

With a swift movement, the elegant woman flips out her Razor phone and calls her chauffeur's number on speed dial. "It's me. Find out who is performing a magic show at xxx amusement park at four today, and give me that person's phone number and dig up some dirt. Call me back in five minutes." Unbeknownst to most people, all of the Fujino family chauffeurs are college graduates with martial arts background and work experience in the detective field. With all the kidnappings going on these days, one can never be too careful. Maybe five minutes are a bit of a stretch. But I don't want my dear Natsuki to wait too long. Ho ho, she has never been a patient person.

A couple minutes passed, and Shizuru picks up the phone again. "Hello … Good job. Father will surely hear about this." Or not … "I will contact you if I need anything else." The end of one phone call means the beginning of another. "Hello, is this Honda-san? This is Fujino Shizuru, the Vice President of Fujino Corporation speaking. I have a proposition for you …"

Over at the candy store, Natsuki is overwhelmed by all the different kinds of colorful candies displayed neatly in front of her. Ahhhh, I don't know what Shizuru likes. And yet …she seems to know everything that I like. The girl who was once brainwashed by the strange allure of revenge is now mentally kicking herself for not paying more attention to the chestnut haired girl who had always been by her side. I swear, from now on, I'm going to get to know Shizuru so well that I will be able to list every single piece of lingerie she owns AHHHHH I mean, every single kind of tea she drinks.

"Excuse me. May I help you with anything, miss?" A courteous voice appears behind the blue haired girl. "We have a special on cotton candies today. Buy one get one free."

A special, huh? It'd be nice to be able to save some money. Hmm …money …MONEY! An imaginery brick hits Natsuki on the head and reminds her that she is almost out of cash after the arcade fiasco. "Uhm, how much do two bags of cotton candies cost?"

A couple minutes later, Natsuki finds herself staring at the lone 100 yen coin lying in her right hand outside the candy store. Finally, the very last one. I really should have brought more cash …What an awesome idea not to bring your ATM card, Natsuki. A sudden gust of wind blows dust into the clear green eyes. Ow …When the blue haired girl opens her eyes again, the only things that are still in her hands are the two recently purchased bags of cotton candies. "Nooooooo!"

"No what, Natsuki?" Crimson eyes glance curiously at the tomato-colored face of the now broke younger girl.

Shocked by the sudden sight of her Kyoto friend, Natsuki can only mumble something unintelligent at first. "No … uhm … ah ha ha … that was funny, Shizuru. Let's go get ourselves some nice back row seats at the magic show!" The ill-at-ease girl quickly presses her hands against the back of a very confused Shizuru and pushes her towards the amphitheater where the show will take place. There is no way in hell I'm going to tell Shizuru that I ran out of money for the day.

Ho ho, Natsuki is hiding something from me. The scheming chestnut haired girl suddenly dashes forward, only to turn around abruptly to catch an off-balanced Natsuki in her arms. "Does Natsuki have something to tell me?"

Every fiber of the blue haired girl's body is electrified due to the close proximity of the older girl. Struggling to regain a moment of coherence, the younger girl takes long deep breaths to slow down her wildly beating heart. "Uhm, do I?" There is nothing she can do that can make me tell the truth.

Still not giving up, huh? Can't blame me if I do this …Slender fingers find their way under the blue haired girl's shirt, and begin to trace the outline of the hidden purple rose.

"Ah!" An uncontrollable moan escapes the younger girl's lips as Natsuki shudders involuntarily in the arms of the Kyoto woman. "Shizuru!" Afraid of embarrassing herself any further, Natsuki backs away rapidly so that she is out of reach from Shizuru's wandering hands. Why is it so easy for her to make a fool out of me? A blue pony tail swings freely in the air as its owner turns her head in defiance.

Crimson eyes scrutinize green eyes carefully to detect any signs of disgust and fear, but instead they find merely embarrassment. My Natsuki is always so shy. Another reason that I'm so crazy about her. Seems like you are not afraid of my touch anymore, Natsuki … even if you have forgotten about that fateful night at my tea ceremony student's place, I just …can't … Unknown to the green eyes that are not facing the older girl, crimson eyes dim tremendously to mirror the horrible flashback. Nevertheless, Shizuru quickly shakes herself out of her self pity. Not right now, Shizuru. Not today, at least.

The older girl extends her hand gingerly towards the blue haired girl's hand that is not holding the cotton candy. "C'mon. Don't be mad. Is one of the bags for me?"

Looking down at the linked hands, if Natsuki had any feelings of discontent towards Shizuru before, now those feelings are all gone. "Yea, this is for you. Let's hurry to the magic show before the kids force us to sit on the floor in front of the stage. I heard that those damn magicians like to pick people that sit close to the stage. Argh. " Unwilling to let go of the slender fingers in her hands, Natsuki starts pulling the older girl towards their destination again.

Admiring the beautiful view of the slim blue haired figure from the back, Shizuru lets an evil smirk creep to her face. Ho ho, aren't you in for a big surprise …

TBC.