Author: Thanks for the reviews this chapter is quite long, it gave me a head ache. Chapter seven here we
Go. Enjoy :)
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Two weeks have past and Shizuru didn't receive any threats. She is starting to believe that it was just a prank from someone who has nothing to do with their lives. She presses the intercom "Ms. Agami please get me two mayo sandwich, sushi and a pot of tea. Is Ms. Kuga there? Please send her in. And hold all my calls for a few minutes. Thank you."
She heard the door opened. "You need something ma'am?" She heard Natsuki asked.
She kept her eyes fixed on the papers she's working on." Please take a seat. It will be done in a few moments."
Natsuki sat on the couch and waited for Shizuru. She looked around her office. There's a touch of elegance and the decors are very feminine. The furniture's suited the color of the office and the wide window behind her desk show the great view of the busy city. She should ask Shizuru to move her table away from the window.
Natsuki heard a knock by the door. "I got it." She saw her secretary holding a tray she check it first before taking it from her "I'll take it thank you." She brought the tray inside and put it on the table in front of the couch. "Your lunch?" she asks her.
Just in time she signed the final document for that day. She stretched her arms before she stood up and sat beside Natsuki. She took the sushi and handed her the sandwich.
"I'm on duty." Natsuki said dryly.
"Take a break. I'm your boss so when I tell you to eat, you eat." She put the sandwich in front of her.
"I'm maybe your body guard but it doesn't mean you can tell me what to do." Natsuki didn't know what happened but she just snaps. Maybe the frustrations and pain that she's been hiding all this time are starting to get hold of her. Realizing what she said she quietly stood up. She can't look at her now "I-I'm sorry."
Shizuru was a little stunned by her reaction. She felt like someone punch her really hard and she can't breath.
"Y-you better finish your lunch, I'll just be outside."
Shizuru rage rose. She tosses the sushi on the table. She cross her legs and looked at the girl in front of her. "Natsuki it's just food. I didn't ask Natsuki to drink a poison or eat nails." She spat.
Natsuki decided not to answer back, this might get into something she shouldn't get into.
Natsuki's silence just ticked her more. She stood up and kicked the table flipping everything on it. "Shit! It' just fucking food! If you don't want to eat with me just say so don't give that I'm on duty crap!"
Natsuki's mouth dropped. Did she just heard her swore???
"What?! Are just gonna look at me like that all day? Leave me alone, and do your fucking duty!" she went back to her table and started randomly opening and tossing folders all over her table.
Natsuki swallowed hard, she can't believed she's felling scared right now. She has never seen her this angry before. She could be cold but calm, not like this. She looked like a volcano exploding with all it's might.
"What are you waiting for? GO!" Shizuru almost screamed.
She looked at her and stepped back not knowing what to say she just gave a low apology "sorry." And she moved out quietly.
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The remaining of the day was like hell for the employees of Fujino enterprise. Natsuki just observe while the employees are running back and forth and listening to Shizuru's complaints and shouts. "Man why do I feel like it's my fault." She wants to go somewhere other than here but she can't leave.
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Natsuki looked at her watch 9 o'clock. "Don't she ever stop working?" last night she saw her took some work at home. "She used to leave al the dirty work with someone else…tsk…It's the second time she scared me today. I hope there's nothing left for tomorrow. She's a little creepy when she's like this."
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Shizuru felt like her head is going to explode; she leaned on her chair and closed her eyes. Her secretary left two hours ago. She was starting to relax when the phone interrupted.
"Fujino Enterprise." She answered.
"Hello bright eyes. Miss me?" The voice sounded raspy and thin.
"Who is this?" she felt her heart rose.
"Oh I just forgot to send you my love letter for the last two weeks and you forgot all about me? Tsk tsk…I'll make sure you wont. *laugh*"
In reaction her scalp tingled but she will never give in to her fear "If you have got nothing to do why don't you try jumping off a bridge." As she finished she slammed the phone down. She was not aware that she's breathing heavily when she heard the door open, she almost jump when she saw someone peeked on the door. But when she saw that it was her ever loyal body guard she relaxed.
"Shizuru are you alright? You look pale, did something happened?" worry struck when she saw how pale she is.
"No…I'm alright just some prank call that's all." she sigh.
"What? Why didn't you call me?" she moved beside her she look like a mess. "Was it a man or a woman? What did it say?"
Shizuru opened her mouth to say something when the phone rang again. This time Natsuki picked it up. "Who is this?" She was greeted by a raspy voice it's as if there's an electronic distortion.
"Ahhh…You must be the hot body guard…*laugh* I forgot to leave my message to my bright eyes. Would you please tell her that I got her a present I left it in her room. And please tell her to get a rain check. It might rain soon…With bullets *laugh*" the other end went dead.
Natsuki's pulse went frenzy. She contact the other guards and gave them instruction to check Shizuru's house. "Alert a bomb squad just to be sure, don't touch anything when you get there. " After the call she faced Shizuru "we have to go, your not going home tonight I'm checking you in a hotel."
"Wait tell me what happened. You can't just tell me not to go home and leave me blind sided about this." She pulled her off from her grip.
"Here's the thing. Your friend called back, and he said he left you a present back home it's possible that it's the same person who blew up that phone booth is the same person who' harassing you. If he can plant a bomb in a public area without being noticed why not in your house. Now if you want to blow your self up into peaces then go on ahead."
These hold her agape. She swallowed hard and shook her head.
"Good. Now let's go, before he decides to blow the whole building too." She grab Shizuru's bag and pulled her out of the office.
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"Sir the person who's after Ms. Fujino is starting to move again. He called at the office tonight, and left something at Ms. Fujino's house."
"Did you manage to recover it? What was it?"
"It's a dead cat sir, it was put in a box and was left in Ms. Fujino's bed. I found no finger prints or the usual note. I need some equipment sir, if ever he calls again I might be able to trace it."
"I'll send it right away. Where are you?"
"Sunrise Hotel. We checked in just to make sure. And sir I think his planning an ambush."
"Why do you think so?"
"He told me to. He said I should tell Ms. Fujino to have a rain check cause it might rain bullets."
"You're probably right. Just keep sharp. Got any news for the case?"
"Not yet sir I'll check if I can find something tomorrow."
"Do that."
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Shizuru wasn't in her self all day. It's been four days since that incident yet she feels like someone is watching her every minute. "Ms. Agami cancel all my appointments for the day ." She feels so exhausted.
"Ma'am?"
"Didn't you hear me? I said cancel all my appointments for the day."
"Sorry ma'am its just that, it's the first time you asked me to cancel you're appointments." Ms. Agami is a little surprise by her boss's order.
"Just do it." Shizuru said in a firm voice.
"Yes ma'am."
She looked at her door. She know that from the moment she left her office, Natsuki would follow her no matter where she go. " I need to be alone for awhile. I need to think." _____________________________________________________________________________________
"What did she say?" Natsuki asked Shizuru's secretary.
"She asked me to cancel her appointments today, is she alright Ms. Kuga?"
"Why?"
"She never asked me to cancel an appointment not even once. Sometimes even when she's not feeling well she still goes to work. Sometimes I think she's trying to kill her self with work. Such a pity I think she needs a boyfriend."
Natsuki smiled dryly. "Why? Doesn't she have one?" she scoff .
"No,I don't think so, she used to date but lately she's starting to drown her self with work again." Wondering about Natsuki's reaction but didn't voice it out.
"I'll go check on her." She saw Shizuru leaning on her desk, she left her to rest.
"Where you here even she became the CEO?" Acting subtly.
"Yes I used to work at the accountings office? Why?"
"Oh were you here when it happened? I mean when they discovered about the stolen designs?" be discreet, she reminded her self.
"Oh that we are not allowed to give any information about that?"
"I know but you see I need to know coz I believed that there's a connection between Ms. Fujino's harassment and that incident."
Ms. Agami looked a little worried but signaled her to come closer which she did.
"Promise me you wont tell anybody about this."
"I promise." She raised her hand.
Ms. Agami looked around just to make sure nobody's listening. "Ms. Fujino was working as her father's assistant during that time it was sort of like training for her. She was allowed to go over with all the details involving the business. She was checking the company's books when she noticed something peculiar. I know coz I was asked to help her. She told me the number's doesn't add up. And that was just the beginning. She discovered that aside from the missing funds some blue prints and the companies unreleased product were missing. She investigated, but she can't go far without the boards cooperation so she told her father about it. And all came out one after the other. The people involve were discovered. But they won't admit who's behind all of it. The investigation is still on going."
"So nobody knows what happened to the missing designs?"
"They had a theory. They said who ever stole it might be planning to sell it to the rival company."
This put Natsuki into a deep thought. "You see" she heard her speak again. "It happened before."
"What do you mean?" Now more curios than ever.
"Stilling and selling of unreleased designs to the other rival companies. Eight Years ago they said the company was shock to see the same design the company has developed on a rival companies brochure."
Natsuki listened intently. If only she knew she could get a lot of information from Shizuru's secretary she should have talk to her earlier.
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Home. She felt like a jelly. She changes her cloths and grab a cup of tea before she went back to her room. " Alone at last." She grab the remote on the dresser and turns the TV on. She sips her tea while watching pride and the prejudice when suddenly the channel started switching randomly. She tried to turn it off but the remote wont work. She stood up and press the power button of the TV it still doesn't work. She felt her heart rump, not knowing what else to do she pulled the plug off.
"What the hell happened?" just then her stereo turned on. It made her jump, a loud rock music ramp the entire house, same lyrics is being played over and over again saying run…run…for your life…or your dead. She didn't turn that one on. She pushed the power button when she felt a shot of electricity run through her body, she pulled her hand back immediately. She grab the plug and pulled it.
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After finding some news about the case Natsuki called her officer.
"Sir, I got an info from Ms. Fujino's secretary. I believe the equipment that where stolen has got nothing to do with the terrorist were after. She said that it happened before. Someone is selling the inventions to the rival companies. I'm going to ask Ms. Fujino to let me have a look at those documents."
"Do it soon."
"Yes sir"
"And Kruger…"
"Yes sir?"
"I gave you my word if this has got nothing to do with the case your free to go."
Natsuki is not sure of what to say, "Yes sir." She end the call.
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She can no longer wait until tomorrow for this. She went to Shizuru's office. She knocks before opening the door. "Shizuru... I need-" she stopped on her track when she noticed that she's not there. She stormed the entire office. She checked on Agami. "Did Shizuru left the office?"
"No-"
"Damn…She must have passed through the emergency exit." She grabs her phone and called Shizuru's other body guards. "Hajime, where's her car? She's not here she must have taken a cab. I told you to keep an eye on her what where you doing. Where's Yoshiro his suppose to guard the emergency exits. Fuck!" She ran towards the elevator. She just hang up her phone when it rang again she didn't even looked at the caller ID. thinking it was one of those idiot body guards. "What?!"
"N-nat-su-ki?" voice trembling.
"Shizuru? Where the hell are you. I told you not to go alone anywhere without." She was going to scold her more when she noticed something about her voice. "Shizuru?A-are you alright?" she panicked. Did he got her? God no "Tell me where you are I'm coming to get you." She decided to take the stairs the elevator is still stuck on the 5th floor.
"Natsuki I'm at home…I-someone was here, he messed with my things. I-I think he's trying to drive me crazy…"
"Alright…I'll be there, this time don't go anywhere. Wait for me lock the doors." She rushed to her bike and drive like a devil. "I'm gonna fucking kill her for this." heart is racing, she didn't care when she passed through the cars and being followed by series of yells and curses from the other drivers, the only thing that's running in her head is she needs to get to Shizuru as soon as possible.
She reached the housed in records time she jump off her bike and rushed to the door she used her own key to get inside. "Shizuru?!" she ran towards her room.
"I'm right here." She saw her standing by the kitchen door.
Natsuki was not able to control her anger, worry and fear combined. "What the heck were you thinking running away like that, look where it got you now huh?! It's a good thing he didn't blow this whole place up?!" she marched towards her.
Due to fear and frustration brought by her situation Shizuru was not able to control her own emotions as well. "Does Natsuki think I planned for this to happen? The reason why I left is because I need to think, I need to breathe. I never asked for something like this to happened, what? You think I enjoyed being followed all over, how do you suppose I sleep at night thinking that someone might just jump on me and cut my head off. And –and I just want to stay away from Natsuki for awhile coz every time I'm near you I lose all reason and it's killing me." She said the last words almost like a whisper.
"What does it has to do with me I'm here to protect you?! God!" She's starting to get frustrated by the minute this woman is driving her nuts.
"It has got to do with Natsuki. All of this is because of you, what I am, what I have become, it's all you!" she was not able to hold the sob that came out at her mouth. She covered her face with her hand, hiding the pain and tears away.
Natsuki was render speechless. Now she's really confused, not knowing what she did to her. She stepped back, all the years of pain and anger rose again, and she's finding it hard to control. How dare her blame her for everything that has happened to her. Her, whom she had given her heart, and broke it into peaces. She didn't just break her heart she also broke her spirit. "You- have no right to blame me from everything that had happened to your life." She said in a control rage "you chose your own path."
Shizuru wiped her tears away, and looked straightly at Natsuki, maybe this is the right time to clear things up between them "Natsuki is the reason why I became the person I am now. You left me when I needed you the most. You left without even telling me, or even given a simple explanation." She moved closer to her. "Natsuki left me hanging. I've waited for a long time, still you didn't ever bother calling me and maybe just say 'hey I left coz I don't love you anymore, or hey I found somebody else, take care' Natsuki had no idea how painful that was, finding you gone and the next moment I also lost my mother. It's just *sob* I needed you there." She let her tears run freely on her face.
She can't believe this why is she acting all hurt and blaming her for leaving, she's turning the table on her. So typical "Cut the drama Shizuru. For all I know I've given you a big favor for leaving."
"If this has got something to do with what my father said you should have-"
"It was more than what you're father had said, I'm more of a looking for facts kind of person and let's just say I've found enough, you-" she was about to add something else when they heard about the screeching of tires from outside.
Natsuki immediately ran and check by the window she relaxed when she saw the rest of Shizuru's bodyguard and her father. All rushing towards the house.
"I knew it. This woman is incompetent, I am going to request for a new body guard if she has guarded you well this wouldn't happened." Mr. Fujino exclaimed while pointing at Natsuki.
Natsuki took a deep breath to calm her self. There's no use talking back to this kind of person, she's just going to waste time and energy he won't listen to her anyway.
"And how dare you shout at my daughter. She's paying you for your service you delinquent! You have never change. You'll always be a trash to this society!"
Natsuki's body shook from controlled anger hand rolled into fist, she's biting her tongue hard to stop her self to say anything. First Shizuru then her father, why are they blaming her for everything?
"Stop it father. It was not her fault, I ran away and she was not shouting at me we were just talking." Shizuru move behind Natsuki she can feel her anger and this worries her more than the situation she's in right now. She know how Natsuki can be when [ushed to her limits.
Natsuki found the strength to speak. "You are right sir your daughter is paying me to do this job." She gritted her teeth. "But –you-have no right-what so ever to insult me- " she spoke slowly word for word. "Don't you worry SIR since you are not satisfied with my job I wont be accepting anything from you or you daughter. I QUIT" she walked out the door not even caring if Shizuru is running after her.
"No! Natsuki wait!" she catch up with her near the gate beside her bike, she grab her hand stopping her from mounting her bike. "Natsuki please wait don't go. We need to talk."
"There's nothing else to talk about." Pulling her hand back raring to leave that place.
"Natsuki please you don't understand we need to talk about-"
Natsuki was no longer aware about anything that Shizuru is saying she saw a black van moving fast towards the house, then she saw someone from the window holding a heavy fire arm…It was an M16 armalite rifle. Not thinking twice she pushed shizuru down and position her self on top of her. Everything was like in slow motion she can feel the bullets swishing all over the place, she can hear Shizuru shriek. When she heard that the gun shot are over she checked on Shizuru, she can feel her shaking under her, she brush some locks of hair off her face. "Are you all right?"
Shizuru just nod, she felt something warm and wet on her arms. When she lift it up she saw blood she was shock her eyes went wide, feeling no pain from her own body her eyes moved directly to the person on top of her "Nat-su-ki?" her heart drummed faster like never before.
When adrenaline worn out Natsuki finally felt a searing pain on her left waist. She pushed her self off from Shizuru. The effort she made from moving made her wound more painful she hissed trying to surpass a groan. She felt Shizuru's hand on her wound. She tried to focus her eyes on her, worry is all over her face.
Natsuki is already pale and she's loosing more blood by the second. She saw her father and his men rush outside. She's trying to calm down even if she's starting to panic but she can't control her tears "Natsuki look at me. You'll be alright." She ordered one of the guards to call for an ambulance. She lifted Natsuki's head and rested it on her lap, her hands are getting cold she must not panic for Natsuki's sake. "C'mon now my Natsuki, talk to me, no don't close your eyes."
She's finding it hard to breath but she has to endure the pain "It's a—lright…zuru…just flesh wound." She's aware that she's loosing a lot of blood, and her vision is getting fuzzy but she tried to keep it open.
"I know but you're loosing a lot of blood. It should have been me, *sob*I-I can't lost you again." She felt Natsuki's cold hand covered her hand that's putting pressure on her wound.
"C'mon-zu-ru *breathe heavily* won't die- I know- been trough this- won't let it." She said weakly.
They heard the ambulance coming, Shizuru didn't leave Natsuki side up to the emergency room, she kept on blaming her self for what happened, even her father stayed at the hospital by her side, though she didn't bother asking him why. After two agonizing hours. The doctor finally announced that Natsuki will be alright it was only then that she felt relief.
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Darn, she was on the way! It should have been my bright eyes…I should have been there at the hospital right now taking care of her, making her feel my love. That bitch ruined it all. No…there would be another chance he's got all the time he needs, a few more preparations…soon…
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Author: that's just about it, darn my head aches. Next chapter soon. Please review it's one of the things that keeps me going…Thank you.