Hey, welcome back~ I'm not exactly too happy with this chapter but the next one should be better
"Ara Natsuki, you have to stop staring at me. You're making me blush…" Shizuru teased as she skillfully stepped on the clutch, shifted gear, and swiftly drifted on a sharp turn past the leading Corvette.
Natsuki's eyes widened and blood rushed to her face so quickly she suddenly felt slightly dizzy. "I..I wasn't staring!!" She lied. Wasn't Shizuru concentrating on the road?? How'd she know I.. Wait. I wasn't staring…was I?? Natsuki couldn't help it. Shizuru's driving hypnotized her. She watched Shizuru's feet as they expertly step on a combination of gas and break, occasionally both at the same time. Watched her long, beautiful fingers strongly grip the wheel and turn it just so. Watched her hand shift between gears, fourth to fifth and back to fourth. Watched her eyes—
"Ara Natsuki, you're still staring."
Crap. Natsuki quickly swung her burning face completely toward the windshield. Shizuru smiled. She rather liked Natsuki paying such close attention to her, so much so that she was having trouble focusing. Racing aside, she had to concentrate to breathe evenly. Her heart was beating so hard, she was slightly afraid Natsuki would hear. She allowed herself a few stray glances at Natsuki now and again, but each time she did, she found it harder and harder to turn back to the road.
"Uh…Shizuru.."
"Yes, Natsuki?" You're calling me Shizuru again…Shizuru consciously restrained herself from clinging to Natsuki right then and there.
"Uh…the Corvette..seems rather close behind us." Indeed it was. Shizuru couldn't even see its headlights from her rearview mirror. Ara, how did I let that happen?
"Hold on, Natsuki." Shizuru reached for the gear stick, stepped on the clutch and floored it. Using both hands, she deftly maneuvered the Ferrari around corners and turns. Her eyes constantly moved between the rearview mirror and the windshield. She gave the Corvette no room to advance in front of her. Even at Shizuru's break-necking speed, she managed to cut turns as sharply humanly possible. But the Corvette was not giving up. It sped up and made a wide turn while Shizuru switched gears and braked into a sharp turn. The Corvette was almost side-by-side with the Ferrari at the edge of the turn, but Shizuru swiftly changed gears again and smashed the gas pedal. Thrown back against the seat, Natsuki gaped at Shizuru's skills. In no time at all, they were already skidding to a halt at the foot of the mountain.
The crowd cheered and celebrated as Shizuru and Natsuki stepped out of the Ferrari. The announcer congratulated them and handed them their winnings which Shizuru promptly handed to one of her guards to be distribute among the bikers.
"Thank you," Natsuki said when she saw the transaction, "I'll pay you back as soon as I can."
"Ara Natsuki, did you not hear what I said earlier?" Actually Natsuki was too busy gazing up at her back then to listen to what she was saying to the mob. "I said if you can be responsible for Nao as a boss, then I can be responsible for you as a friend." Shizuru smiled. Then she hesitantly said with puppy-dog eyes, "…unless, Natsuki doesn't think of me as a friend."
"What? Of course I think of you as a friend!" Natsuki surprised even herself at her quick, sure answer; but she couldn't stand seeing Shizuru's begging eyes like that. Just like she couldn't stand how Mai use to shower her with kisses. Mai…where are you? What are you doing right now? "But I make Nao pay me back. That's the sole reason why she's working at the garage with me—to pay off her debt."
Smiling at the idea of meeting up with Natsuki again, whatever the reason, Shizuru agreed, "If Natsuki insists then I guess I must relent." Her heart soared from just seeing her Natsuki's emerald eyes smile back at her. Ara…how did I fall so deeply already? Her hands rose to her chest to catch her heart in case it did fly out of its cavity.
"Natsuki-chaan!" Midori called from afar. Covering her face in embarrassment, Natsuki looked over to a waving Midori. She had Nao in her car and Natsuki's bike beside her. Natsuki looked at her phone to check the time—3:00 AM. Dang.
"I guess, I should get going. I'll call you when I have the money." Natsuki turned to leave.
Shizuru clutched her hands tightly to her chest to keep them from stopping Natsuki from leaving. "Ara, Natsuki is certainly welcome to call me for other matters as well."
Natsuki instantly froze and her whole body turned beat red. "Wha..what exactly do you mean?" Natsuki stuttered.
Raising one eyebrow, Shizuru teased, "Hmmm? Is my Natsuki thinking dirty thoughts? I only meant to have lunch or dinner, of course. Though if my Natsuki wants to do something more…intimate, then…"
"THAT WASN'T WHAT I WAS THINKING OF!!" Natsuki lied, "AAh, goodbye!" She hurriedly stalked off to her bike.
*Sigh* What a long night, Natsuki mused as she rinsed shampoo out of her hair. Midori was nice enough to take care of Nao because Natsuki wasn't sure she wouldn't choke the red head to death for the stunt she pulled tonight. Turning off the water, Natsuki grabbed a towel from the rack and wrapped it around her body. Padding her bare feet over to the living room she proceeded to look for her PJs in the piles clothes that were scattered all over the room. No…this is the dirty pile, she thought as she looked elsewhere. Going from pile to pile, the bluenette was getting more frustrated by the minute. She was about to give up when…"THERE!"she said excitedly when she spotted her comfy blue shorts and her puppy-patterned tanktop hiding in the corner near the couch. Natsuki rushed to the other side of the living room, but in her excitement she stepped on something cold and hard and heard it crack under her weight. What the…Ow! She sat down from the sudden pain shooting up her foot. A small piece of glass had partially cut its way into the sole of her right foot. Blood slowly trickled down from her wound. "Great. Just great." She said sarcastically. Then she noticed the picture frame she had stepped on. The glass was broken into pieces now, but she can still make out the two people lovingly holding each other in the picture. Standing one in front of the other, an attractive girl with carrot-colored hair had her arms possessively around the waist and shoulder of another pretty girl with a china-doll face who awkwardly held onto the arms of her captor. Mai…this was the last picture we took together, wasn't it? Natsuki's walls crumbled under the swell of pain from her chest. Silent tears fell uncontrollably and like an avalanche, sweet memories flooded her mind and threatened to shatter her already broken heart.
They were strolling at the park, surrounded by other loving couples. The sun shined brightly overhead and the trees blossomed with hundreds of different scents.
"Suki-chan, there's no need to hold my hand so tightly. I'm not going anywhere." Mai whined playfully.
Natsuki's eyes widened at the realization that she was gripping Mai's hand rather firmly, but she attempted to save herself anyways, "W-Well, t-that's for making me h-hold your hand in public." Despite saying this, Natsuki didn't want to hurt Mai so she loosened her grip.
Smiling slyly Mai asked, "Ne…Suki-chan, what exactly were you thinking about when you were holding my hand so tightly?"
Eyes bulging from the question, Natsuki face turned so red she looked like a pomegranate. "No-Nothing, what are you talking about!?" with that, Natsuki hurriedly stalked further ahead. She WAS thinking about something, but it was definitely not something she was willing to admit to Mai about, especially when they were in public. All the loving couples around her had made her think of last night when Mai and her shared a passionate kiss, well many passionate kisses. The kisses led to touches which led to clothes flying in every direction, hands roaming in the most sensitive, tongues….well, you get the point. It was Natsuki's first time and she couldn't help living through it again in her mind as she strolled through the park with Mai.
Running to catch up, Mai nudge Natsuki playfully and said, "Stop being mean to me, Suki!"
Bewildered and beginning to panic that she'd gone too far, Natsuki apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Then Suki-chan should stop keeping secrets from me and tell me what she was thinking about just now." Mai pretended to wipe tears from her eyes.
Feeling trapped, Natsuki reluctantly whispered in Mai's ears.
Mai's face reddened from hearing the truth but she quickly got over it and was using her all her will power and her hands to keep herself from laughing to death. "Natsuki, HENT—"
Instantly covering Mai's mouth, Natsuki pleaded urgently, "SHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhh, I'm sorry I won't do it again. I'll do whatever you want, just SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH."
Mai's eyes gleamed wickedly which made Natsuki almost want to take her plea back. Nodding and kissing Natsuki's hand that was covering her mouth, Mai gently removed the hand and said, "My Suki-chan can think and do," Mai suggestively winks, "whateeeeever she wants if she does this ONE, SMALL, TINY, ITSY favor for me."
"And what would that be..?" Natsuki asked cautiously.
Grinning, Mai whoops out a disposable camera from nowhere. "WHAT!? NO! You KNOW I hate taking pictures!"
Ignoring her, Mai went up to an old couple nearby and asked them to take a picture for her. When they nodded, Mai danced back to Natsuki who was still grumbling, but she can only begrudgingly obliged when Mai lovingly grabbed her from behind and pulled her into a possessive hug.
"Smile." The old couple said.
"MAAaaaaiii…" Natsuki sobbed painfully into her hands. Even when Mai left her, she didn't shed a single tear, but now…it's like the tears, the pain, and the memories were all coming back with a vengeance. Her wall was down, crumbled into little bits and pieces just like the glass that use to protect what little she had of the past. But exactly when did Natsuki start building this wall…?
I should be able to solve your questions about Mai and Natsuki in the next chapter. So be on the look out!
And now you've spoiled me cuz i'm just lovin the reviews!