hello everybody! here's the update like i promised, sorry its a little late. but here it is! just letting you all know i'll be gone again for about 2 days so after those 2 days i will upload the next chapter. so like always just enjoy and hope you all are enjoying the summer as well. XD oh a little fair waring about something. . .don't wanna tick off ShizNat fans that's why i'm giving the ends up. but just realized if i do that i'm giving away the story sort of . . .so just read and enjoy! (please do not strike or perform any other harmful attacks) :?C :?D
I sat at the kitchen table sipping my cup of coffee. I was just waiting for the aspirin to kick in. My head's throbbing so much I must finally be getting a hangover. (Rubs head)
(Man this really sucks. That last thing I need is a hangover. But still . . . is Nao really this angry with me. Hmm but on the other hand . . . she did seem quite happy about something. What was it anyway? Does it have something to do with her being with Reito last night? Reito. I, I have to go and find him. I have questions that need answering and the only way I'll get those answers is from him.)
I pushed out my chair and got up and headed into the bedroom. I went over to my dresser and pulled out a pair of black jeans and a long sleeved blue shit. I went back into the livingroom and went over to the door and put on my sneakers that I had left there last night. I then went searching for my keys. I went back into the kitchen and looked around. On the table, the floor, the counter top, even the shelves. So then I went back into the living room and looked around on the coffee table and even tore up the couch.
(Shit. What did I do with my keys? They have to be around here somewhere. Come on think! I can't go nowhere without them. Maybe I should check in the bedroom.) So I went back into the bedroom, I looked on the bed on top and under and in between the sheets. I looked on the dresser and even inside the drawers, last thing I did was get down on my hands and knees and crawl around on the floor looking.)
"Damn. Where are my stupid keys?"
"Looking for these, Kuga?" I looked up and saw Nao who was wrapped in a towel and still dripping wet. She had my keys and was dangling them of her hand. I stood up and walked over to her.
"Yeah. I was. Thanks for– – I went to got reach for my keys but Nao pulled her hand back from me.
"Not so fast. Where were planning on going?"
"Nao come on just give me the keys." Nao shook her head.
"I wanna know where your gonna be going to. Tell me or you won't get your keys." (Is she serious? I don't have time to play around!)
"Nao just give me my keys." I went to got reach for them again but she moved back. She put her hand behind her this time.
"Dammit Nao! Come on! What's with you?"
"Why can't you just tell me where your going?"
"It wouldn't make a difference." Nao glared at me.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"You know what I mean. Now just give me my keys. Please Nao, I'm asking nicely." Nao sighed and finally handed me my keys.
"Thank you."
"Whatever. Are you going to be staying out for long today?"
"I don't plan on it. Why?"
"Just asking." (Just asking? No. I won't even bother answering. We'll probably just end up in another argument. I hate having fights with her but, she never tells me anything anymore and I just get so frustrated.)
"Nao."
"Yes?" I grabbed Nao by her arm and pulled her into a hug. I held onto her tightly.
"K-Kuga?" Nao sounded shocked and, surprised by my sudden impulse of just hugging her like that. (I don't really remember why I did it. I guess I just wanted to or maybe I just wanted her to know that I was still here for her. At least at that time.)
"Nao. I'm sorry. Just know that . . . I still love you. Even though we have our differences, especially now. I just need you know that I still love you." (What is that? W-why do I feel so sad all of a sudden. As if . . . I'm saying goodbye to her or that I really . . . )
"Natsuki." Nao hugged me back. And after a few moments she looked up at me and gave me a kiss. She then let go of me, I waved goodbye to her as I left the room. I grabbed up my helmet and left went downstairs and got on my motorcycle and went on my way. The only thing now is where can I find Reito?
All the while, while I was riding along, I couldn't help but think about what I was felling back then when I was holding Nao. (Why did I feel . . . so sad? Why? Maybe I'm still upset about the fact that she's lying to me. Or maybe because I feel like I'm losing her. It's not the same anymore with us, we've both changed and we both have different goals now. And right now the only goal I have is to find out what the hells going on and it starts with Reito Kanzaki! But . . . where do I even find this guy?!) So I decide to go over to Shizuru's. I just figured he might be there. I got over there right quick and in a hurry. I parked my bike right out front, took off my helmet and placed it in the seat.
"That's funny. No ones around? I wonder where everyone could be?" As I was walking up to the entrance of the house I noticed no one was around. I found it very strange since they had to get ready for that stupid Gala thing. I got up to the door finally and knocked.
"Hello? Anyone home? Hello?" (No answer? What is everyone on vacation now?) I knocked again, but when I just barely touched the door when it opened.
"Well isn't this interesting. We really need to stop meeting like this." It was Reito. I couldn't believe this. This guy just doesn't go away. And still with that stupid smirk on his face. But at least I didn't have to go too far to find him.
"Yes it is. Why do you keep hanging around here huh?"
"I was going to ask the same of you. You keep coming around here all the time Ms. Kuga. What for? I mean I have a reason to always be here as you very well know." He smiled wickedly. (Keep talking you punk. I'll wipe that stupid smile off your face soon enough.)
"I'm guessing you're here to see Shizuru. But– –
"Hold it right there. I'm not here for her. (Not now anyway.) I'm here to see you." Reito's eyes widened. He looked rather terrified once I said that. It actually gave me a really good feeling to strike some terror into this dirt bag. (Smiles)
"We need to talk."
"Sorry I have to decline. I'm very busy, I —
"I wasn't asking if you could or couldn't talk Kanzai. I was telling you." Reito put his hand to his chin. He looked at me questionably.
"Can I ask whatever for?" I shook my head.
"I'm not telling you a thing. Not until you tell me what's going on between yourself, Nao and Shizuru. And don't even act like you have no idea what I'm talking about. That day you came out of Shizuru's room she acted like a different person. I wanna know what it was you said or did to her. And I need to know why it is you need Nao for your twisted plans whatever they may be." I stood there looking straight into his cold eyes. We continued to stare at each other for a little while longer. I was waiting for Reito to come up with one of his snide remarks or for his goons to come and gang up on me again. But instead he acted civil.
"All right, Natsuki. I'll tell you what you want to know." (WHAT!? What did he just say!? No way it's a trick I know it.) I started to rub my ear.
"Sorry I had something stupid stuck in my ear. What was it you were saying?" Reito chuckled.
"Natsuki, you're so very amusing. That's what I liked about you." (Wait. Did he just say liked?)
"Don't you mean like, Kanzaki?" Reito raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry. Isn't that what I said?"
"Look forget it. Just tell me."
"Oh right. Well if you must know . . . there's really nothing going on."
"That's a lie! Just freaking tell me!" I grabbed him by his collar and pushed up against the door.
"I'm sick and tired of this! You better tell me what's going on right now! Or else I'll—
"You'll what? You can't do anything remember? Once you do something to me those pictures will end up plastered all over the newspapers, internet, magazines, and to whoever wants them and whoever will pay a good price for them. I mean who wouldn't want to see the beautiful Shizuru Viola making out with some street urchin." I released Kanzaki. I didn't care about myself but . . . I didn't want him to do anything to hurt Shizuru. And this would cause a big problem for her.
"More blackmailing Kanzaki?" He shook his head.
"No. I detest blackmail. I rather call it insurance." He smiled wickedly again.
"Insurance?"
"Yes. To in-sure that I get what and whom I want. See you can't win."
"What the hell is wrong with you? (Well besides the obvious) How you use people for you only personal enjoyment its sick! How can you do that?" he put his hand on my shoulder.
"Easy. Because I have something, they need. And it helps since I don't need anything in return, unless I need or want something. Like from your girlfriend . . . and Shizuru." I removed his from my shoulder and moved back from him.
"What do you mean? What is it you need or want from Nao?"
"You should know that. Come on Kuga, I know you're not that dense." I punched him hard in his face. He fell over onto the ground. I kneeled down.
"You really think I'm going to let you touch her! Over my dead body! I won't let you do that to her or Shizuru!" I stood up. I saw him wiping the blood from his mouth. He stood after.
"Big mistake."
"No. The only mistake here is yours! You better start talking."
"You can't do anything."
"Wanna try that again. If I'm not mistaking I just knocked your butt to the ground. And I will not hastate to do it again."(And I won't, I don't care anymore at this point. I don't care what he does to me, but I won't let him do this anymore.) Reito glared at me. He then dusted himself off.
"You know what Ms. Kuga? I think I'm going to tell you something very interesting about both Nao and Shizuru. Shizuru's nothing but a liar and user. She's playing you Kuga for a fool, which isn't hard to believe seeing in how you act. And Nao your so-called-girlfriend is the same. You want to know what she was doing last night? Well I can't tell you that because I wasn't the one who was with her last night. I did meet up with her after, but do you really want to know the details of what me and Nao did—
"Stop it! Stop your lying! How can you even be saying such a thing?!"
"I'm just telling you what you need to hear. To be honest Natsuki, I'm not the enemy here. Think about it. Think about how either of them have a slight change in additude. Whenever you try and get some information out of them. They're just buying time. They'll twist your words around and act dumb, like they have no clue what your're talking about. Or they'll try a more hands on approach, you know what I mean by that."
"No! There's no way!" I looked down on the ground. In a way . . . I wasn't at all having a hard time believing him. Because some of what he's saying is the truth, but all of what he saying couldn't possibly be true. Right?
"If you still don't trust in what I'm saying ask Shizuru. Although she won't tell you anything different or perhaps she won't tell you anything at all, depends on her mood at the time." I looked back up at Kanzaki. And he just looked back. I didn't even know what to say anymore, I seem to have found answers then or at least some. But in the end I just ended up with some more questions.
"If what your saying is true . . . then why not just tell me?"
"Hm, I wonder. For you see I don't know myself." Reito started to walk away but I stopped him.
"Wait. Tell me something."
"Yes?" He said with his back turned to me.
"If you weren't with Nao all last night . . . then who was?" Reito shook his head. He turned his head and looked back at me.
"You don't want to know. Trust me." (Yeah right! Like I would really trust you. I can only trust you as hard as I can hit you . . . and that's really hard. But I still can't trust a word this guy is saying and yet . . . I'm finding truth in what he's saying.)
"Find then. Can you at least tell me where Shizuru is?" Reito fully turned around.
"She's not here. In fact no one is besides her father anyway. I finished talking with him just a while ago. That is until you assaulted me." (Freaking jerk! Is he kidding me with that? Me assault him? Well . . . I did smash in his face really good. Heheheh.)
"Her father sent everyone away for the day and night including her. He's giving them a break a rest for all their hard work. Everyone's going to be back tomorrow night actually. If you want to see Shizuru I'll tell you where she is." (Yeah I'll bet. He'll probably send me to some place where I fall into a volcano or get attacked by rabid wild animals knowing him. He won't help me.) Reito walked over to me and handed me a piece of paper.
"Here. You can find her at this address. Sorry it's a little out of the way, I hope you don't mind." (Reito's being nice?)
"Um, thank . . . you. Okay what do you want?"
"What?"
"There's no way you'd ever be this nice to me for no reason. It doesn't suit you Kanzai." Reito laughed and waved to me. He walked over to his limo and got in. The driver soon took off after that.
"Damn moron. How does he expect me to find this place? It's all the way up in the freaking mountains! Don't think this makes us even or anything Kanzaki. I'll find out soon enough what you're up to and what your holding over Nao and Shizuru's heads." (Sighs)
"Well guess I'll make my way up there then. Hope it won't take too long." I ran over to my bike put on my helmet, got on and quickly sped off.
Three hours later . . .
(She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes. She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes . . .okay need to stop singing that. I'm driving myself nuts. I wonder how much longer till I get there. I hope I'm not lost. She'll be riding six white horses when she comes . . .enough!) I didn't even know what time it was or how long I've been riding for. I just kept making my way up the long winding road, I only wish this place Shizuru was at wasn't so far away. now I get why Reito apologized. I kept riding and somehow stumbled upon a dirt road. It seemed the road I was taking just connected to it, maybe I was finally almost there. I drove a few miles more and pulled up to a nice (reasonable sized) house. I pulled up just in front and got off my bike. I walked up to the front door an knocked.
"I hope this is the right place cause if not Kanzaki is dead. Making me drive all the way out here I swear I'll —
"Natsuki?" Shizuru opened the door.
"S-Shizuru. I uh . . ." I couldn't finish I looked away. (Good thing I have my helmet on, I feel my face heating up. I can't believe she's just standing there like that with what she's wearing.) Which was practically nothing from what I saw. All Shizuru had on was a short sleeved light pink shirt on.
"Natsuki what's wrong?"
"Your really asking me what's wrong? Look what you have on." I said with my head still turned.
"I'm sorry. I just got out of the shower. If this bothers you I'll go put something else on. But in the meantime come in. I don't want you to get cold."
"O-okay." I went inside. I took off my helmet, I wasn't able to see clearly with it on.
"Hey this place is cool!" (Least it's not humongous like her other house. It was really nice though. Nice big fireplace and a really neat looking tiger pattern print on the carpet. Over the fireplace was a large portrait of three people. I'm guessing it's a family portrait.)
"Hey Shizuru? It that your mother in the picture?"
"Yes. Its my mother, father and I. That picture was painted over ten years ago." (Wow ten years.)
"She's beautiful. You look like her."
"Thank you Natsuki. I think if my mother were still here she'd like you."
"Oh how so?"I asked as I scratched my head.
"Because your so honest and sweet." I felt my cheeks burning again. (No! Come on! Every time, whenever she says something so nice about me. But she sounds so cute all time.)
"Oh I'm sorry Natsuki. How rude of me. Would you care for something to drink?"
"No I'm okay."
"Well at least make yourself comfortable. Why don't you sit down on the couch." She pointed over to the couch. And to my amazement it was the same (puke) green color like the chairs at her house. (Now I know Shizuru couldn't have pick this out. She has way to much good taste for that. I bet it's her father's doing.) I sat down, but it was very comfortable. I placed my helmet on the table that was in front of me. I hopped up and down a little on the couch. I couldn't get over how soft it was.
"I'll be right back I'll go change."
"Wait a minute Shizuru." I got up from the couch and walked over to her.
"Listen you don't have to actually, I can't stay long. You see Reito was the one who believe it or not told me how and where to find you. See he gave me this." I pulled out the piece of paper from my pocket and showed Shizuru.
"So I came up here. I thought I was lost though and I thought maybe Kanzaki was tricking me. But I wanted to see you and since you weren't home I decide to take my chances. I really needed to speak with you, it very important and it couldn't wait till you get back so I just made the trip up here. I do however wish you were closer to the city." Shizuru giggled. She handed me back the piece of paper and I placed it back in my pocket.
"I'm sorry Natsuki. If I knew you would be looking for me I would have stayed home. But my father was insistent that everyone leave, he said that everyone needed a rest so I drove up here to our cottage. I haven't been here in years and I figured I could use some peace and quiet."
"I see. Well I'm sorry for just coming here unannounced but—
"It's fine Natsuki I'm glad you're here. To tell you the truth I was getting lonely."
"Y-y-you were?" (Gulps) Something about the way she said that made my mind kick in to overdrive. But I shouldn't be thinking about stuff like that not with her. I can't.
"Uh, Shizuru. Listen I need to ask. And please just tell me its really important that I know. Are you and Reito . . .I mean did you and Reito . . ."
"Did me and Reito what Natsuki?" (Damn why can't I just ask. What's wrong with me? And why does it feel so hot all of a sudden? It has to be because of the fireplace. Yeah that's all.)
"Natsuki are you okay?" Shizuru moved closer to me and put her forehead against mine. (Oh man! Now what? S-she doesn't have to do that. I'm fine.)
"S-Shizuru. I'm okay really. I'm . . . just fine." Shizuru stepped back and shook her head.
"No your not really. You seem to have a slight fever. Hold on I'll be right back." (Dammit no way! She's not getting out of this one, not like Nao did. I'm going to get to the bottom of this.) As Shizuru started to walk away, I grabbed her arm and pulled back toward me. But I pulled her back a little to hard as she fell into me knocking us both down on the floor.
"Natsuki! Oh my. Are you all right? Your not hurt are you?" I rubbed the back of my head. I had hit the back of my head on the floor, least it wasn't too bad since the carpeting coushined the blow.
"No. Just my head hurts." I had my eyes closer so I hadn't realized the way Shizuru fell on top pf me. Because our legs were entangled with each other, when I went and shifted my body I tried moving my leg. But because of that I made Shizuru topple over me. So by now if I hadn't realized what awkward position we were in before I was aware of it now.
"S-Shizuru. I'm sorry. I didn't hurt you did I."
"N-no. No you . . .didn't hurt me at all." My heart was beating so fast that I could hear my hear beating so fast. She was looking down at me and I was looking up at her. Our eyes locked and it seemed nothing could break that. My whole body felt like it was on fire just then. Soon I noticed that the (very small) distance between us was lessening. I was able to feel her breath on me. Her eyes slowly closing and I closed mine, I felt her lips graze mine.
"Shizuru. Stop." I felt Shizuru pulled slight back from me.
"But . . .what's the matter?"
"I can't. I'm sorry. Maybe this was a bad idea coming up here. Maybe I should just go." (STUPID FREAKING IDIOT!! I blew it! I just totally blew it! I'm a freaking coward man!) Shizuru got up off of me and put out her hand to help me up. I couldn't even look at her. I was so afraid to kiss her thinking about where it may lead to. And I couldn't just to that, not to her . . .and not to myself.
"I'm sorry Shizuru. I'll go I'll leave you alone. I'm sorry again for coming up here."
"Natsuki. Natsuki please don't go." I shook my head. I walked over to the table to get my helmet. I picked it up and walked over to the door. The last thing I did was look back at her, she looked so sad and confused and I knew that was my fault. I closed the door behind me and went over to my bike. (Although I didn't get what I came her for it was still nice to see her. But what was she thinking? It was like a repeat of last night with Nao. Is she also avoiding my questions? Maybe I'm not being forceful enough, or maybe I'm directing my questions wrong. Shit. I'm such a loser!) I placed my helmet on the seat of my bike and walked back over to the house. I knocked on the door. Shizuru opened it rather quickly, she must have been standing right there.
"Uh, Natsuki. Um, did you forget something?"
"Yeah I did." I placed my arms around her waist and kissed her passionately. She kissed me back. She placed one hand on my shoulder and her other hand on the back of my head, deepening our kiss. I pushed her back in the house and I kicked the door closed with my foot.