OKAY! Here's my fourth chapter... I know, it took me long enough. I apologize for the long wait. I've been quite busy lately and I keep having writer's block every time I attempt to start writing a new chapter. Blah.
Hoppy-Chan: Haha. I'm glad I was able to make you squeal with joy. :P Hopefully this chapter will satisfy you as well.
DarkElena: At first, I was thinking of putting down something different.. but seeing how my readers were satisfied with the last line, I'm glad I decided to go with that. x3
Sayosi: Well, Shizuru is a woman of talents... so I wouldnt be surprised if she was capable of dreaming and doing that at the same time, seeing that the source of her self-satisfying is Natsuki. XP Yes, Natsuki in severe denial can get tiring.
yohdawn: ::Squeel:: Another reader! Yay. . Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Memory
After a night of unexpected twists, a glorious morning of my daily teasing torture followed suit. I swear, I will never get tired of Natsuki's blushing face. She's just SO adorable.
::Ring ring ring::
'…Unfortunately, this might be my last time I'll ever get to see her blushing face.'
A pained sigh echoed through out my apartment without a care, as if there was no one else around. There wasn't anyway. Natsuki had left no longer than a hour ago after taking a shower in my bathroom. MY bathroom… oh ho, only if I could've snuck a peek at her lovely figure. Too bad she chose to lock the door. A clever girl, she is.
::Ring ring ring::
Again, I thought to myself, that it would probably be the last time. Remembering back to what had happened earlier this morning before Natsuki left, a wry smile found itself claiming it's place across my lips.
--Flashback--
"ARGH! SHIZURU!" my emerald-eyed princess shouted out with a tomato face, causing my impish grin to grow wider.
My stomach couldn't stand it anymore as the muscles went into a spasm. Uncontrollable giggles finally broke out and rang into my own ears, drowning the sounds of stomping footsteps belonging to Natsuki starting from my favorite chair only to end a moment later. What she said next had me falling silent and staring at the now vacant doorway dumbfounded.
'So she heard me…was I talking in my sleep? Natsuki… I… No. I can't let you get too close to me again… I'd most likely end up hurting you again. I wont allow that.'
By then, I made a decision. I picked up the telephone off my nightstand and dialed a number. It didn't take long for the person I was calling to answer. I knew he'd be awake already, after all he's the president of the family's Corporation, which means he has to get up earlier than the time I get up for school.
"Hello?" the deep voice on the other end of the line warmed my heart in a way. It had been a while since the last time I spoke to him.
"Father. It's me. Can I take up some of your time to speak with you about something?" Right to the point. I didn't want Natsuki to walk in and hear what I'm going to say. Although, knowing Natsuki, she probably went back to sleep on the couch so I didn't have to worry… for now.
"Ah, Shizuru! It's nice to hear from you, sweetheart. Of course, I have time for my daughter. What is it that you need to speak about?" the joy was evident in my father's upbeat tone, I could tell that he was glad to hear from me as well.
"My room at the Fujino Residence in Kyoto… is it still my room?" Pang of pain struck my heart as my subconscious was screaming at me not to leave.
"Is this your way of telling me you want to come back home?" Ah, typical of father. Always answering questions with a question. Three guesses where I get my traits from.
"Yes. I have decided to attend that University back in Kyoto." I had spoke of this with father before, he suggested I attend one of the most popular University back in Kyoto but I had declined. This happened before the HiME Carnival, of course. After the carnival, I didn't think I'd be able to handle knowing I'm in the same state as Natsuki without my thoughts wandering off to her while I'm working in college.
"Excellent! I'm glad you came to make this decision, Shizuru. Hm? Pardon me for a minute," A long pause, "Princess, I have to go. Duty calls. Give me a call later on so we can discuss about this further more. Love you." I bid my farewell to him as well and hung up after he did.
A sense of regret swept over me. Even though my heart already holds a tremendous amount of regret. However, this was for a different reason. Leaving Natsuki.
'But I cannot keep hurting her.'
With that thought lingering within my mind, I flung the blankets off me with my foot and dragged myself out of bed. Not wasting a moment of my time, I headed straight to the bathroom to take a shower. Unknown to me, in the other room, Natsuki is awake and in deep thought.
--End of flashback--
::RING RING RING::
The source of the ringing became louder as I neared it and snatched the receiver out of annoyance. Upon realizing it'd be useless to ignore the phone since someone seems persistent to speak to me, I had placed the knife I was using to cut up green onions on the cutting board and stalked towards the phone, gritting my teeth.
'I didn't really want to talk to anyone right now except for my father…'
"Hello. Shizuru speaking," Refraining from snapping at whoever intended to call me at a bad timing, I managed a nonchalant tone as I answered the phone.
"Hey, Shizuru… umm, are you busy?" the voice on the other end of the line made my heart skip a beat.
'…and Natsuki.'
I could not help but allow a soft smile creep across my lips, "Mm, maybe I am. I could be lounging on the couch right now and watching a dirty movie, you'd never know."
"Shizuru!" I could hear my precious one practically blushing when she cried out my name. As if that's possible. Although, with Natsuki… it could be.
"Just kidding. Now, how come you're calling me… missing me much already? Hehe."
A sigh of defeat could be heard on the other end, "Umm… yes… ah! What I mean… ok look, I called to get something off my chest."
'Please… please don't tell me, Natsuki… not now…'
Inwardly, I begged to the Gods above that Natsuki's reason of calling wouldn't have anything to do with confessing her love. Even though, I'd be in pure bliss to hear that… I knew, or at least thought Natsuki would never do that anyway. However, it was just too late. She doesn't deserve me. Not after how I repaid my gratitude for having her by my side in my own little sick and twisted way that night. It was just wrong.
"Shizuru?" the younger girl was worried, probably due to my being falling silent.
"Mm?" I managed to make a small sound in the back of my throat, letting her know I'm still here.
"Actually… tell you what, meet me at the place where we first met." This surprised me, yet frightened me at the same time. I could not help but wonder if she was going to confess or say goodbye.
'Ah, why not. It wouldn't hurt to see her one last time before I…'
"Ara, this is starting to sound romantic. Is Natsuki going to pop the question? Fufu, after all these years… I never thought this day would come!" Ending that with a dreamy sigh and a fair shade of blush tainting my cheeks, I was mischievously smirking at the same time. Though, it was only to cover up my true pain… you could say this teasing of mine has turned into a bad habit for me.
"Wuh… pop the question…? AH! NO! That's not what I meant! AGH! Just meet me there in a half hour!" Before I could even throw in another remark, the other end of the line went silent after an earsplitting slam of the receiver being hung up. I hung mine up as well a moment later.
Along the way back to my kitchen, I started to wonder about the possible outcomes of this meeting. Somehow, for some reason, I felt nausea churning in my stomach while at the same time, my subconscious was telling me I didn't have anything to worry about. It didn't take me long to clean up the kitchen and putting away the food I had started cutting up for my lunch, thanks to my deft traits of a true lady. After all, it was a priority of being a Kyoto-ben to have domestic streaks.
As I opened the door to my closet to pick out a casual outfit to wear, I saw my old Fuuka Academy uniform hanging all by itself at the far end of the closet. A small smile touched upon my lips and I traced a finger down the vest of my uniform, a memory came to my mind just then. The very memory of when I first set my eyes on that girl. She was in middle school by then, looking so adorable in that blue and white uniform. I must admit though, she sure did have a nice butt by then and still does.
'Oh my. Now's not the time, Shizuru… you must get ready and go see what Natsuki wants to talk about.'
Regaining my composure, I grabbed the first pair of jeans I find and shut the door behind me. I was quick to change in my long-sleeved burgundy shirt and flared jeans. This made me chuckle… the thought of me dressing up quickly so I could go and see Natsuki sooner. I was and will always be, indeed, a fool in love. Madly in love. A fool, why? Because I let my fear of hurting my precious one again push me down incessantly when I shouldn't worry about anything.
After I put my sneakers on, I headed out to the living room, grabbed my purse and car keys off the counter adjacent to the other in the kitchen. A soft thump was heard along with a vibration caused by something fairly heavy yet light enough to pick up as if it was paper. I took a quick glance down to see what it was. What I saw on the floor, made me smile yet again. It was a picture frame holding a picture of me with Natsuki. The picture was taken on Natsuki's fifteenth birthday. Wanting to take a closer look at the picture, I bent over to pick it up and took a longer look. Natsuki's face in the picture made me giggle. Apparently, she was blushing since I decided to be sly enough to glomp her and land a kiss on her cheek just before the picture was taken.
'I'd be damned… I don't know… this seems to be a sign. I mean, first… the phone call from Natsuki regarding the meeting at our place where we first met then the uniform in my closet… now this…'
I took all this as a sign. Both of these things, the uniform and the picture along with the phone call from Natsuki, all they brought was a memory. A precious memory of my happier days with Natsuki, before all the crap with the HiME Carnival killed my sanity for a day. Perhaps it was fate's way of telling me I should reconsider the option of moving to Kyoto and stay here with Natsuki. With that kept in mind, I placed the picture back on the counter and left my apartment.
Unlocking my Eclipse 2006, I then got in and started it up. I had forgotten all about the CD I left in the CD player last time I drove back home from school. The bass and lyrics of Evanescence's "Good Enough" begun playing and to my satisfaction, I left it on.
'Under your spell again… can't say no to you. Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand. Can't say no to you…'
My lips moved in rhythm as I sang along with the lyrics softly while I took a shortcut to Fuuka Academy.
'Shouldn't have let you torture me so sweetly. Now I can't let go of this dream… I can't breathe but I feel…'
Just when I pull up in the parking lot, I was surprised to find Natsuki's Ducati999 already there, parked in it's rightful place. Usually, Natsuki isn't the one to arrive at places at precise timing.
'Must be eager to speak to me, I guess…'
'Drink up sweet decadence. I can't say no to you and I've completely lost myself and I don't mind. I can't say no to yo--'
The song stopped abruptly as I shut the car off after I parked it next to Natsuki's beloved motorcycle. I took a moment to gaze at the blue surface and the silver lettering of the motorcycle's brand plastered on the side. Obviously this took me on another stroll down memory lane, my red eyes glazed over to a more brighter shade of ruby when I remember taking long rides with Natsuki on that bike. The wind blowing in my face and the roaring sounds of the motorcycle echoing in my ears… my arms encircled around Natsuki's slender frame, just holding onto her tight. I remember how I would rest my ear against her back and I could hear her heartbeat, lulling me into a tranquil state.
The memory didn't last long, for that when I looked away from the bike and looked up ahead, I saw a uniform-clad female with cobalt blue hair leaning against a tree in the garden. As per usual, her arms were crossed across her chest and her emerald eyes gazing off in the distance as if she was in deep thought. With a gentle smile, I left my purse on the backseat and stepped out. Not wanting to snap Natsuki out of her trance yet, I shut the door softly and snuck up around the tree behind her.
"A penny for your thoughts," I finally spoke in a soft tone after a moment of looming silence and stealing glances at the younger girl's adorable thinking face.
Surprisingly enough, Natsuki didn't jump. Instead, she stood her ground and kept looking at the horizon up ahead before turning to face me. The first words that came out of her mouth shocked me so badly. Badly enough for my mind to blank out, not giving me time to react to the sight of deep emerald hues staring into mine. I could tell that my face was pale, it felt like all the blood had been drained out due to the extreme shock devouring me.
"I love you, Shizuru."