OK. Here it is. I'm not sure I'm doing justice to Shizuru's character, please give me your thoughts.
"I'm sorry to bother you-"
"That's alright; I haven't seen you in ages!" Mai smiled, "But it's 15 minutes until my break, do you mind waiting?"
"No I don't, thank you Mai."
"Um, would you like to order something while you wait?" Mai asked, always the good waitress.
"Something with mayonnaise, lots of mayonnaise." Natsuki replied.
Shizuru paced around her office. The boy Natsuki had beaten up had left moments ago. He had ice on his swelling eye, and was a bit dazed, but he told her what he remembered to have happened.
"It was like this: I was leaving class, and I saw a really pretty girl, and my friend bet me I wouldn't have the guts to ask her out, so I did. She smacked me. I…...well...she hit me really hard! I, uh…I fell. She started screaming, I don't know what, 'cause I was kinda out of it. Then she flipped me the bird and ran away." He paused, and then asked, "Is she going to be suspended for this?"
"Suspended for what?" Shizuru asked politely.
"For uh, hitting me." He replied sheepishly.
"No, but I can assure you; she will be punished. You might do well not to take bets from your friend, this is a bad sign." She gave him a big smile.
He asked her out? It seems she really cares for me, why else would she hit him? But, she's confused about it at the moment. I'll give her some time, but while I do that, I need more information…
"Thanks Mai," Natsuki said as Mai sat down 15 minutes later.
"You keep saying that, but like I said, it's good to see you." Mai smiled again. Her smile was different than it used to be; it was real now. With Takumi's surgery a success, a great burden had been lifted off of Mai, and she seemed truly happy.
"Well, the reason I wanted to talk to you is, I need some advice, and I didn't know who else to ask." Natsuki confessed.
"Really? You though of me," Mai seemed puzzled, "Why not Shizuru?" Natsuki tensed, but Mai didn't notice and continued, "I mean, I don't mind, but aren't you and her best friends? I'd have thought you'd go to her." Mai looked up, "Oh…"
Natsuki's face was scrunched up, and turning a rather deep shade of purple.
She doesn't know! Oh, Hell! This is going to be even harder than I thought. Deep breaths, deep breaths!
Slowly, her face returned to its normal shade.
"That's…actually, what I wanted to talk to you about…" Natsuki began.
"Yeah I saw it, it was hilarious! She beat the crap out of that kid! Then she started yelling something about '…you sick little pervert! Why the hell would you ask me something like that! I hope you burn in hell…!" Chie smiled, "It made my day, I got a pic of it; do you want to see?"
"No thank you, Chie-san, I saw for myself." Shizuru replied.
"I wonder what he asked her, that's unusual behavior for Natsuki; it must have been something sick and perverted…" Chie wondered aloud.
It was.
"Thank you for your valuable time," Shizuru thanked her.
After Chie left, Shizuru pondered what she had learned from the four bystanders she'd managed to dredge up.
Maybe, she was thinking about me… Maybe she didn't mean he was sick and perverted…Maybe she was thinking I am…OR maybe she was thinking he was…Maybe…Maybe…Maybe; I'll probably never find the conclusive answer.
"Oh, I see…" Mai seemed very embarrassed, "Um, I'm not sure if I'm the best person to help you with relationships, I mean, well with Tate and Reito…"
"That's alright; I just need your opinion." Natsuki told her.
"Well, if it were me, I think I'd take the tutoring." Mai told her.
"Really?!" Natsuki had been sure Mai would say it was a bad idea, and that would have been enough to convince her to repeat.
What do I do?
"I mean," Mai continued, "That it would be a good chance for you to dissuade her from…...You could tell her you just want to be friends. If you don't do it, she'll still pursue you…I think."
"I suppose," Natsuki considered Mai's point, "Thank you Mai" She abruptly rose and left the restaurant, Mai still sitting at the booth, her mouth slightly open.
She was driving faster than she normally would have, but she didn't have much time left to decide.
Could I face her everyday? After what happened?
For the second time, the memory flashed before her, but this time, she couldn't stop it.
Shizuru sat down on the couch next to her, a little too close for comfort.
"Um, here's to you Shizuru Fujino" She said, raising her glass, "For graduating, top of your class even." Natsuki proceeded to down the whole glass in one. She gagged. "Oh, wow, that's strong stuff." She looked up.
Shizuru hadn't taken a drink yet; she was sitting there, with her eyes closed, a soft smile on her face.
"Natsuki," She leaned forward.
"Aaaaaaah!" Natsuki hit a pot hole that sent her swerving.
Oh shit!
Her bike overbalanced and fell onto its side, skidding across the pavement at high speed.
Ouch!
It's getting late. I wonder if she's even going to show. Maybe she decided to run away and not finish school rather than choose. Or she's decided just to repeat and not talk to me. Oh dear. My thoughts are, unusually random. I must get it together.
Shizuru's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. "Please come in," She said.
The door opened and Natsuki walked in. Her left arm and leg was bleeding, and there was a bump on her head.
"Natsuki!" Shizuru rushed forward to help her, but Natsuki pulled away, wincing in pain.
The silence stretched far beyond uncomfortable into something more along the lines of unbearably awkward. Finally Shizuru managed to speak.
"What is your choice?" She asked.
Though I already know the answer.