Mai HiME
Lost & Found
Chapter XXI
Mai held out a set of tie, a black and a white one as both had the shape of a cat embroidered onto it at the tip end of the tie. Mikoto stared at it for a very long time without saying anything, making Mai extremely nervous as she thought the feral girl didn't like her present. With sharp eyes, Mikoto could tell that those ties weren't made by machines or mass produced, because the way it was made have a very homey touch to it.
"How many nights did you go without sleeping to get this done?" Mikoto asked looking back at those amethyst eyes. If this was showing to the others, they would be fooled to think that it's factory-made especially Nao, Shizuru on the other hand would be able to tell immediately since she is in the clothing industry. Mai didn't answer but only looked away from those prying eyes, while blush a deep shade of red because Mikoto seemed to found out that those ties were made by her. "It's lovely, I love it. Thank you," Mikoto said as she accepted the ties and has a closer look at it. Though Mai knew that Mikoto never lacked in anything and the mansion was the proof of that, but she had to make something by herself because she wanted it to be special and have some kind of meaning to her gift and not just a gift.
"Would you come by my room after you get dress? It's almost time for the annual party to start," Mikoto said with a warm smile as she turned to leave the room. Just as she opened the door, the others fell in landing one on top of another and all laughed nervously looking up at Mikoto. "I hope you guys have a good explanation as to why you're eavesdropping in on us," Mikoto said with her arms crossed and her foot tapping patiently on the carpet floor. Luckily, Shizuru decided to stay behind with the very pregnant Fumi to keep the woman company. Everyone got up and scattered rather quickly to get away from Mikoto's wrath; Mai was standing behind the feral girl and giggled at the sight.
Mikoto showered and got dressed fairly fast, dressing comfortably in her white suit with the new tie that Mai just gave her making her look all the more handsome. She decided not to put her jacket on, the girl usually prefer to go without the jacket as much as possible though at the meetings she got no choice but to put it on. The light knocking sound on the door emitted before Mai opened it, upon entering she noticed Mikoto was wearing the white tie she had given to her earlier. Of course, the strawberry orange top looked every inch gorgeous herself, dressing in a nice silky black dress that hugged the curves of her luscious body coloring every features that was left unnoticed before.
"You look delicious," Mikoto commented as she licked her lips unconscious. "Thank you," Mai blushed from the compliment. Mikoto turned away long enough to retrieve a small black box hidden in a drawer by her bed, smiling still as she looked at Mai longingly. "Merry Christmas," Mikoto said as she opened the box, showing a pair of ruby earrings in a shape of a teardrop. Mai was shocked and touched by the gift, knowing that money is no object to Mikoto it is still an expensive gift nonetheless. "Well, I didn't know what Mai like, so I just go with my hunches and hope that Mai would like it." Mikoto said scratching her head innocently. Mai couldn't say anything but nodding her head to tell Mikoto that she loved the present, that only lasted for a minute or two and Mikoto quietly put the earrings on Mai.
Everyone was already mingling with each other when Mai and Mikoto come down the stairs, Nao whistled at the sight of a very sexy Mai earning herself a pinch from Shiho. "Nao-chan, it's best for you to not flirt with Mai-san," Reito whispered to Nao. "Pshh… I'm sure Mikoto already got her anyway, so what's the harm right?" Nao rolled her eyes. "Perv," Shiho murmured as she pinched Nao's side yet again causing the red head to jump from the pain. "Ara, ara, I didn't know Yuuki-han got a crush on Mai-han…" Shizuru chimed in. "Hey, you trying to get me into hot water or what?" Nao snapped at Shizuru. "Whatever do you mean?" Shizuru play coiled. "Argg… I hate you," Nao growled decided to give up instead of continuing on because there's no way to win against a Fujino as her cousin put it.
Everyone talked about things, but mostly Natsuki and Shizuru talked about their honeymoon as the others listened and Nao interjected from time-to-time. Mai and Mikoto sit quietly next to each other, holding hand just smiled feeling each other's warmth. Minagi Miki observed the scene from the second floor, seething with anger at the sight while his mind started to formulate a plan to bring his daughter to her knees. But first he must figure out how to get the others away from her, Reito and Shizuru would proven to be difficult to remove.
"Miki-san, may I suggest that you return to your room?" Haruka asked calmly standing behind the man with a gun pointing at the back of his head. She noticed he was standing there for a while now, mostly glaring at his daughter and Mai so she politely excused herself to use the bathroom to see what the man was up to. From what she heard about them, Haruka wondered why Mikoto didn't kill them already and faking an accident but she doesn't question the girl. She vowed to not let anyone or anything ruin the new family that she'd become part of. Even though they're a bit nutty and sometimes overly crazy, they give her a sense of belonging and love.
"How dare of you to point a gun at me?" Miki scowled at her. "Scoundrels like you are poisoning my daughter," he continued. "Save it old man," Nao said coldly. She surprised both people for being there suddenly, and what's more surprising was how she managed to escape Shiho's iron grip. "Scoundrels like us made her into a kind and loving person she is today, instead of money driven and heartless like you. I don't know why you're still a Minagi, you're a disgrace to the family's name." Nao said mockingly. "I know that brain of yours is trying to find away to get rid of the people that are important to your daughter, but if you keep on doing that you will only make her hate you even more than she already is. You still have a place to call home and money to last you a life time, why through it away when your daughter still respect you enough to give you all that? Your wife seemed to see it, yet you're still too stubborn to see the fact that your daughter still respects you enough to talk to you." Nao sounded serious and mature suddenly.
"I'm sure you would hate your father too, if he used you like a lab rat to taste all kind of chemical medicine on you. Though I'm sure you would probably kill him given the chance," Nao paused looking at the man calmly with her emerald eyes. "Though I wouldn't mind giving you a taste of your own medicine so that you could feel what Mikoto feel years ago when you inject all those drugs into her frail body," Nao said with an impish smirk on her face. "I wouldn't mind seeing him bleed a little," Haruka interjected. Yukino was kind enough to sit down and talked about Mikoto's past with Nao and Haruka, it is why they knew so much even though they didn't meet her when she was a child.
"They're right dear; we should've reached out to her, instead of treating her badly." Minagi Mira said softly. She really took no part in injecting drugs into her daughter's body, but the fact that she was always away on business put her in position of a neglecting parent. She was never used to the idea of her having a baby, and being a business woman was demanding her to be away from home almost all the times. "Either way, just give her some times because she's not ready to deal with you people yet. The pain is still there and still fresh in her mind, so please go back to your room and think things over." Haruka sounded soft and honest. The couple said nothing but nodded their head in agreeing with her, Nao's words really make Miki think and tried to imagine about what he would have felt if his father did the same to him as he did to Mikoto.
"I didn't know you can give such heartfelt speech," Haruka said sarcastically at Nao once the couple left. "Please, I just want them to make amends for what they done to her. My mother always said it's easy to hate but hard to love, and she hoped that one day Mikoto would forgive her parents." Nao scuffed. "Wouldn't it be hard to let go though?" Haruka asked as they walked down the stairs together. "For her? It's extremely hard, but we can only hope for the best outcome." Nao grinned over at the blonde. "Agree," Haruka nodded as they went their separate way, each to their date.
Author's Notes: Woo... no updates for two days… shame on me, not really. But my brain died on the weekend, because I'm currently addicted to an online game while waiting for Eternal Poison to come out. Anywho, nothing really exciting going on in this chapter… It's getting closer and closer to a new boiling point for Mikoto and Mai by now, I think? Not sure 'laughs', hope y'all enjoy.