A/N: okay sorry for the VERY late update of this story... its just hard on what to add here... and i don't want to update this with rubbish story flow right? anyway i hope you guys forgive me... i am kinda busy since i'm already in my 4th year college and programs are starting to pile up.
to all who reviewed: i know it was short.. i;m very sorry.. but thanks for giving your time and reading it.. i promise to think of a nicer update when the idea smacks my face....
oh and to those who knows my number, i lost my phone... please leave me a pm of your numbers so that i can text you my new one...
Chapter 18: tears under the starry sky
"tough day?" Nanaho asked. She was sitting by one of the sofas and currently reading a book when she heard Natsuki and Shizuru. she had closed her book with her right thumb acting like a bookmark to indicate the page she was reading.
Shizuru gave her a smile and asked if she can join the fuukukaichou. With Nanaho giving a smile back, Shizuru sat beside Nanaho and calmly rested her body onto the comfort of the sofa. She rested her head at the soft cushion of the sofa's back.
Nanaho closed her book and intently gaze on the Fuuka exchange student. She knows who Shizuru was and how the Fuuka seitokaicho was related to their seitokai bodyguard. She wondered, how Shizuru can still maintain a smile despite of everything.
Shizuru smiled when she realize that Nanaho was staring at her. "are you liking what you see?" Shizuru asked, cutting Nanaho's gaze and made her blush. She giggled seeing that Nanaho blushed and she opted to stop with the teasing to the assault fuukukaichou. She has to admit; whoever blushes infront of her can't be compared to how cute Natsuki's blush was.
"idiot!" Nanaho replied with a frown and a slam of her book to the coffee table. she slumped back and gave Shizuru a glare she usually gives out to her assault members. But seeing that the brunette's smile was not fading, nor cracking a single bit, she sighed in defeat. "You're the second one who didn't flinch with my glare." She said with a weak smile.
"Ara, and you're not the first one who gave me a glare aswell as a blush. Your blush is cute but Natsuki's blush is much cutter." Shizuru giggled a little making Nanaho blush yet again.
Nanaho couldn't comprehend how Natsuki was able to put up to Shizuru's teasing. She rubbed her temples to calm her nerves and to subside the blush she just receives from Shizuru. "I wonder how Natsuki was able to put up with you back in your school." she asked with her brows furrowed. She just received a thick Kyoto-ben apology and another smile. "you never ceases to amaze me in how you can smile there. Anyway, why don't you just tell Natsuki about your feeling so that her anger can be lessened." She stated. She took her book and leaned back to continue reading it.
"she is angry huh? I can't blame Natsuki. I was too blind and took her for granted in the past." Shizuru leaned back to the sofa and sighed a little. "And now she found people who care for her as much as-"
"trust me, all that girl thinks about is you. You should ask Kanade, she knows a lot more of Natsuki since she did took care of her." Nanaho interrupted. She wasn't even looking at Shizuru since she doesn't want to fall victim of the Fuukan student's dangerous teases. 'if I let her tease me, I might end up ordering the assault to seize her. And if that happens, Natsuki would assassinate them.' she mentally said and shivered. She would make sure of her team's safety even if it cost her health.
"oh my, I never thought of hearing the dense Nanaho give advice. Or is it because she's jealous that kaichou's having her time with Rino and Natsuki-san more."
Both Shizuru and Nanaho looked at who just spoke and saw Kuon smirking lightly behind them. Kuon had stood and heard Nanaho's advice to the Fuukan exchange student and she couldn't help but to tease her co-fuukukaichou.
The tease of Kuon took a little time before Nanaho comprehend and reacted. And when she did finally comprehended Kuon's tease, her only reaction was bolting up from her seat and gave Kuon a menacing glare. This however, didn't affect Kuon and the fuukukaichou just sat beside Shizuru and gave her a warm smile.
The smile was returned by Shizuru but unlike to Kuon, her smile was a simple façade. She immediately processed what Kuon said to Nanaho and she understood that the assault captain has some 'feelings' towards Kanade.
With a low huff and continuing to read her book, Nanaho sat back to the sofa and ignored Kuon's previous tease. "What are you doing here anyway Kuon? Aren't you supposed to watch over the covert since Siena had gone out, buying her sister's medicine?" Nanaho inquired as she turned the page of her book.
"well Rino is playing with one of my covert while the other is on a mission. I have time. How about you? Aren't you supposed to be with kaichou instead with Fujino-san?" she grinned and gave Shizuru a knowing wink. She giggled when Nanaho's response was a grunt and hid her face with her book. "Fujino-san, aren't you supposed to be with Natsuki aswell? she is your guard and it would deal her punishment if you were to be harmed without her to protect you." ending her sentence with a chuckle, she merely pointed the outside of the living area in which Natsuki was pacing back and forth.
Shizuru followed what Kuon pointed at and smiled upon seeing a flustered Natsuki, walking around the hallway as if she's lost or looking for something. She chuckled aswell since Natsuki looked like a lost puppy. "ara then I must go back to Natsuki before Nanaho-san realizes to punish her." she stood up and left to follow Natsuki who had decided to take the stairs up and back to their room.
"why don't you just go and tell kaichou how you feel?" Kuon suddenly said with both eyes closed and a soft smile. She didn't bother to look at her co-fuukukaichou since she knew that Nanaho would not respond at all.
Nanaho just closed her book and stood up from the sofa and motioned into exiting the room. "if proposing to a Jinguuji is easy, I've done it a long time ago…" Nanaho said softly but audible enough for only Kuon to hear. Waiting no response, she continued her way out of the living area in which Kuon was left alone.
"Kaichou and Fujino-san… you guys know how to tame such rabid wolfs but those wolfs are having a hard time with the whole situation." Kuon whispered to no one.
0-0-0
The breeze from the balcony gently touched Natsuki's face and the slow setting sun gave out the scenery effect to which all paaser-bys below her blush upon seeing how beautiful Natsuki is. How perfect the setting sun's rays illuminate to her porcelain skin, how the cold air play with her blue locks and how emerald eyes stare at the horizon with deep thought being seen through those emerald pools.
The blunette was indeed deep in thought. She knew she shouldn't have left Shizuru but it was her only way on not to burst out in tears infront of her most important person. Her heart almost felt like being ripped to shred as she imagined Reito pretending to be her. 'But if Shizuru had seen my last drawing back in Fuuka she must've have known I'm 'K' and not Reito. But if she did then… no… she said awhile ago… ARGH!' she sighed and scrunched her hair at the confusion of her thoughts. She leaned forward to the balcony bars and frowned.
"ara, ara, you shouldn't frown. You will grow wrinkles on your cute forehead." A female thick Kyoto-ben accent said from behind Natsuki. Natsuki pouted when she turned around and saw Shizuru with a smile on her face. "Where were you? You scared me half to death when I didn't see you."
Shizuru toddle her way beside Natsuki and offered her one of her genuine smiles. She reached out to touch the blunette's cheek and caress it softly. "kannin na Natsuki if I made you worried about me. I just wanted to give Natsuki space."
A blush crept to Natsuki's face and even if the orange sky that illuminates to her face hid the red shade, Shizuru could see it clearly. "baka…" Natsuki mumbled. She averted her eyes away from shizuru and removed the hand over her cheek. She gaze back into the horizon and remained silent.
Shizuru followed Natsuki's action. She looked at the orange horizon which slowly turned darker as the minutes pass by. She looked up and saw a lone star up in the dark sky. She smiled knowing that even if it's a lone star, soon there are more stars that would accompany it. 'kinda like Natsuki…' she thought.
"You see that star?" Natsuki spoke out and pointed the same star that Shizuru was looking at. Shizuru nodded and looked at Natsuki who has a small smile on her face. "That star looks lonely." Shizuru said, pointing out that it was alone at the moment.
With a nod, Natsuki turned around and leaned her back to the railings of the balcony. "maybe it's lonely. But look again…" she raised her index finger and pointed at the slow shining star beside the one she mentioned earlier. "That star always comes for the one that is alone. Do you think it applies to us?" she asked.
"yes, I believe so. We all deserve to have someone beside us." Shizuru replied with a meek smile. she looked up and saw the lone star wasn't alone anymore.
"no matter how far we are apart, we all look up on one sky." Natsuki moved her hand in the air, tracing an invisible line away from the lone star and onto the new stars that appeared. "I learned a lot here in Miyagami. Shizuru I will always be with you, even if Reito would be your lover, I'll be here for you." Natsuki spoke with seriousness. Her bangs covered her eyes and a smirk formed on her face as she pushed away from the railings again and started to walk towards their room.
She didn't know why her body froze when she heard what Natsuki said to her. 'no… stop her!' Shizuru's mind shouted. Quickly, the brunette turned around and unconsciously ran and hugs Natsuki from the back to stop her from leaving. "IKEZU!" she said with her head buried at the tensed back of Natsuki.
The blunette indeed stopped and tensed up when she felt Shizuru hugged her. she looked down to her stomach where Shizuru's hands clasped together like a vice and she didn't tried to remove herself from the grip. She felt hot tears slowly forming in her eyes but she fought hard to stop them.
"Ikezu… ikezu… ikezu…" Shizuru said, pulling herself closer to Natsuki and shaking her head. Tears were slowly trailing down to her cheeks and staining Natsuki's clothes. "Natsuki ikezu! She doesn't listen to me…"
"Shizuru…" Natsuki sighed and remove herself from Shizuru's grip. She turned around and saw the tears fall from Shizuru's crimson eyes. She hated to see Shizuru cry. It is her weakness. She wiped Shizuru's tears away with her fingers but Shizuru held her hand and placed it over her cheeks to feel the warmth.
"I told Natsuki many times… I told Natsuki that Reito isn't the one I love." The brunette said with both eyes closed. She bit her lower lip to prevent herself from crying. She feared Natsuki would ignore what she was saying again and would end up leaving her alone. "I didn't say and I NEVER said I liked Reito… I just…" she sniffled and again tears flowed down from her eyes.
"shizuru…" Natsuki couldn't help but soften up and pull her friend to a hug. She stroked Shizuru's hair, comforting her from all of the sadness she's feeling. "shh… I'll believe you so stop crying now." She said softly. She felt Shizuru hugged back and sniffle some more. 'seeing her like this, makes the idea of her and Reito being together false. She never cries about these things.' She mentally noted. Part of her jumped for joy on her mental note and the other made her feel nervous.
Just below the balcony, a pale violate haired kaichou smiled as she looked up to the balcony and saw both Natsuki and Shizuru. 'no matter how many times you give up, love will make you go and fight.' She chuckled and looked up to the starry sky. "A pretty sky don't you think?" she asked.
Just beside Kanade, the assault captain was holding a cream colored coat and had placed it on Kanade to prevent her from catching a cold due to the cold wind the night had been brewing. She looked up to the sky and saw the stars shining all together. "Yes… as if they are happy that each star have company every night kaichou." She looked at Kanade and blushed a little seeing that Kanade was smiling at her. "now put that coat on before you catch a cold."
Both of them were taking a stroll on the garden that was just beside the Miyagami seitokai dorm. It was Kanade's request that they take a short stroll before eating dinner and going to sleep. Tonight was one of those nights that the moon was round and a clear view of the night sky and stars could be seen. Nanaho, being Kanade's friend aswell as one of her fuukukaichou, can't say no to her. and since Kanade puts up an innocent-sad expression, Nanaho couldn't do anything else except to take a stroll with her.
"Nanaho, how was your day? I'm sorry if I didn't get the chance to see you since I was a bit of occupied." Kanade asked with a soft smile that made Nanaho blush a little.
The fuukukaichou lightly scratched her blushing cheek and looked at the rose bush that's being lighted by the lamp posts. "well, I had a talk with some of the clubs worries and I asked Sayuri to take it up together with the other two brats so I didn't mind if you were busy." She laughed a little. But deep inside, she knew that Kanade was playing around with either Rino or teasing Natsuki.
Kanade chuckled aswell and she offered if they could sit down by the bench and rest for awhile before they went back and eat dinner with everyone. With the nod of approval from Nanaho, they walked towards the green bench under a lamppost and Kanade giggled when Nanaho asked her to sit first.
"my, Nanaho is being a gentlewoman on me." she teased a little, earning another blush from Nanaho. She patted the empty side of the bench and asked if Nanaho could sit beside her and not just stand up. This offer had been taken and the assault captain sat beside her and leaned back to the bench. She then decided to lean her head onto Nanaho's shoulder and closed her eyes, calmly feeling the quietness of the night. "it's been awhile ne Nanaho?" she asked sweetly.
"I told you it's okay." Nanaho knew that Kanade was referring about the two of them having a short bonding moment. Then she remembered what Kuon said to her back at the dorms. 'stupid Kuon! If what she's thinking is easy I would've done it a long time ago! ' she sighed and shook away Kuon's idea.
"Nanaho, are you still thinking that it's your duty to be with me?" Kanade asked. She looked down to the cobbled ground and let her hair fall to the side of her face to hide a small hurt expression. 'please say no'
Nanaho felt cold blood rush through her veins. She honestly wasn't thinking about that. The word ;duty' was just her stupid declaration of covering her true feelings on the pale-violet haired friend of hers and somehow it worked. But hearing her friend ask and waiting for answer, her mind panicked.
A moment of silence, mental panic, sighed of hope filled the garden and the two occupants still hadn't spoke. Kanade felt her heart become heavy when Nanaho gently pushed her back and stood up from the bench. She knew that her friend's answer would be yes and even if it would hurt her, she still looked up to Nanaho with a small smile. "Are we going back to eat now?" she asked kindly with a smile.
With her back facing Kanade, she nodded and walked ahead of her kaichou hastily with the whisper of 'I'm sorry' drifting with the breeze. 'can't possibly say the truth and I can't lie to her. argh this is stupid!'
Following her fuukukaichou disappear through the glass door, she let out a heavy sigh and looked up to the stars. "were both on the same boat Natsuki." she stood up and followed Nanaho back to the dorm dinning hall.
"KAICHOU-SAN!" Rino yelled. She immediately bolted off from her chair when she saw Kanade entered the dinning area.
Kanade smiled when she saw Rino running to her and giving her a hug. she crouched down to level herself to the young puppeteer and tenderly crease her hair. "is there a problem Rino?" she asked with a small kind smile.
"Rino's feeling a bit down Kaichou. she was saying that you are looking sad when you entered the dorm." the puppet commented, flapping its cottony mouth from Rino's hand.
Hearing the reason, Kanade gave Rino a smile and hugged the young Jinguuji. (A/N: yes Rino is a Jinguuji. Her mother was part of that family and I'm not saying anything more since it's a spoiler…) "'m fine Rino, now why we go back to you seat so that we can eat?" she took Rino's free hand and she stood up as they went to the dinning table and sit on their respective seats.
The Miyagami kaichou scanned around. Siena and her little sister was staring to eat their food, Rino was offering Puuchan some of her vegetables which made her chuckle, Rein was being scolded by Sayuri and saying that she should keep her gambling cards away from the table, Mayura was calculating the day's budget, Natsuki was having her puppy look onto her mayo-filled dinner and Kuon and Shizuru were calmly sipping their tea. 'Nanaho?' she wondered. The land lady alced her food on her plate and she looked at the child. "where's Nanaho?"
"if you're looking for her, I bet she's in her room." Kuon replied, placing her tea cup to the side of her plate. "she said, and I quote: 'Shut up Ginga and I'm not hungry'. Something like that and she just stormed off to the second floor with a loud slam of her door." She said, remembering the scene of Nanaho passing by her with an unexplainable expression in her face.
"I see. Landlady, can I use the kitchen later?" she plans on making dinner for her friend and even if Nanaho said she wasn't hungry, she definitely knew her friend too well.
"ehe!" the landlady nodded in approval and went back into serving the others their food.
Smiling back at the landlady, Kanade slowly ate her food. She had her usuala playfulness towards Rino and gives Natsuki a sweet smile when their eyes meet. 'we are in the same boat Natsuki, we differ not when it comes to our most precious persons. And we tend not to give up on what we feel' she said to her mind upon seeing Shizuru teasing Natsuki and Natsuki grumbling and blushing.
OMAKE:
Zaki-kun: O_o coffee….
Natsuki: oi zaki! Why the hell did you made them wait for so long to this update?!
Zaki-kun: … O_o
Kanade: oh my, Natsuki should forgive author-san. She did updated it now. *gives Zaki-kun coffee*
Shizuru: Kanade's right. now Natsuki should come here and give me another hug. leave Zaki-kun alone.
Natsuki: *grumbles, gives Shizuru a hug* I still don't get it why Zaki didn't updated this.
Zaki-Kun: *drank coffee in one gulp* ^w^ ahh! Whew! Thanks Kanade! ^w^
Natsuki: now will you answer my question? Shizuru not here! *stopping Shizuru from removing her clothes*
Zak-kun: oh that? Its simple. I have no idea and I want that when I update this, everyone won't be disappointed! Now as payment, Shizuru you can ravish you pup, Kanade I'll treat you to a cake at red ribbon! *pulled Kanade out of the scene*
Shizuru: fufufu! Zaki-kun indeed didn't made me disappointed. *evil smirk*
Natsuki: *gulp* help? _''