Hi guys, thanks for the reviews. I hope this chapter won't disappoint.
Disclaimer: Mai Hime and it's lovely characters are not mine.
Metamorphosis
Natsuki remembered it well, when she was 17, she faced another heart break. She remembered her ex-best friend's sudden decision to study in Ivy League instead of Fuuka University. Shizuru's reasoning for her choice was not at all convincing.
"Investment banks usually only hire applicants from Ivy League. Besides, getting an offer from these universities is a dream come true, Natsuki."
"Shizuru, even Hime, the largest Japanese investment bank, requires only top Japanese University graduates. Unless you wanted to join highly prestigious foreign banks such as Goldman Sachs or JP Morgan, Ivy League education was not necessary."
"Ara, could Natsuki please tell me why she has such knowledge? Could she be interested in working in investment banking?" Natsuki, unable to tell Shizuru the reason she obtained those information, felt herself at lost for words. For best friends, they sure kept a lot of secrets from each other. But Natsuki had to, Shizuru was too important to lose.
"It didn't matter Shizuru. I don't get it, you've never shown any interest in banking, then why?"
Natsuki was a highly observant individual, despite looking like she didn't give a damn about the world, she did care. To outsiders, the conversations between her and their lovely Kaichou were usually awkward as it seemed like Shizuru-sama was conversing with a nodding statue. Little that these nosy little stalkers and Shizuru herself knew that Natsuki paid attention to every single thing the brunette said. Natsuki was often mesmerised by the Kaichou's soothing Kyoto-ben.
"I guess working as a student council president changes people, my Natsuki."
Nope, it was not convincing. Natsuki remembered the brunette's rants about how amazing Van Gogh was, how his art style captured her heart. She remembered her sparkling crimson eyes when the girl talked about Art, her extreme focus whenever she painted. If there was anything that could completely capture Shizuru's soul, it would be Art. The brunette was lazy alright, but she could spend days painting without any rest.
The younger girl was able to see through the illogical reasons Shizuru gave her. Shizuru never lied, not really. She'd never said that she liked investment banking nor it was her own decision to go to the State. Natsuki could only assume that her parents may have forced her into this.
"Stay for me Shizuru…I need you." she didn't believe that she had resolve to begging. Natsuki could not handle abandonment. She had just discovered a dark secret of her family, a secret that left her feeling lost and completely empty. She needed Shizuru, she needed the kind and calm presence of the brunette that always managed to ease her heart. Although she had never told the girl anything about her complicated past, the brunette's company was more than enough. She knew it was selfish to ask her friend to stay, but Shizuru had always supplied Natsuki unlimited amount of favours. She was once again taking advantage of the older girl's kindness, unsuccessfully, she might add.
"I'm sorry, Natsuki. As much as it is difficult for me to leave Fuuka…to leave you, I have to. But I promise Natsuki that I will email her every day. I'll come back every holiday, and it will feel like I'm never gone." The brunette said in her melancholy Kyoto-ben. For some reasons, the promise didn't feel genuine to Natsuki, but her sadness was true, at least that was what Natsuki believed.
It was the first time Shizuru had ever lied to her.
And it was the first time her best friend had ever broken her promises.
The tawny tresses' abrupt departure hit her hard. The Kyoto born girl disappeared from her life without a trace. No one, not even Shizuru's other best friend Reito Kanzaki, knew her number and the university she attended. Natsuki, in her desperation, asked the then Kaichou, Kikukawa-san, to search for Shizuru parents' phone numbers from the school's database in hope that they would disclose her contact details. It was more like threatening than asking, since Natsuki wasn't friend with the timid Kaichou. All efforts were in vain as Shizuru parents' lips were tighter than shrunken leather pants. Well, at least Natsuki had learned where Shizuru's skill in avoiding uncomfortable questions came from. Can't beat the masters of the master. She could ask Yamada to look for her, but she decided to give up trying.
In Shizuru's absence, Natsuki had realized that the brunette was more than a best friend to her. Nao was a friend, Mai was her best friend. But her relationship with Shizuru was a lot different than Mai's. There was more uncomfortable teasing involved when she was with Shizuru. Scratched that, Natsuki secretly enjoyed the mischievous girl's teases, but she would never ever admit it, afraid of much much more embarrassing teases. When Shizuru was still around, Mai was only an acquaintance to her. But with Mai's ever forceful invasion to a depressed Natsuki's personal bubble, she started to warm up to the fiery orange haired. As Natsuki trusted the girl enough to consider them as best friend, she started to note the dynamic differences in her friendships.
'What was Shizuru to me?'
The fact that Shizuru cut their ties as if Natsuki was never once her friend left the midnight blue tresses felt utterly hollow and betrayed.
Fate brought them together, once again. This time, fate wasn't so kind.
Shizuru was two grades a head of her even though she was only a year older. It wasn't because the brunette skipped grade, Natsuki had to stay behind a year after a car accident. Natsuki might have anticipated the girl to work for Hime, but it wasn't the reason she accepted Hime's job offer. Their first meeting after six years apart however, shocked her to the core.
Shizuru was introduced as one of her team member, a two-year Analyst. Realisation hit her hard: Shizuru was back in Japan for two years without even bothered to contact the younger woman. What really surprised her were the brunette's eyes that void of affection when they met her emeralds. Her fear came true in the most brutal way: Shizuru had looked at her as if she was just another stranger.
"Well, nice to meet you Kuga-san, it's a pleasure that you decide to join our team." said Fujino Shizuru with a plastered business-like smile. If it wasn't for a slight hint of surprise in the older girl's eyes, Natsuki would have assumed that Shizuru'd lost her memories.
'She knew who I am, and yet…'
Natsuki merely nodded, she masked her anger well because Shizuru clearly didn't notice it.
'Kuga-san. So that's all I am to you now huh?' She thought bitterly.
Shizuru wasn't her boss then, but she surely liked to give the younger woman hell. The brunette was exceptional as always, so she was assigned to supervise new team members. Natsuki barely recognised the kind friend she once had, as Shizuru always tried to undermine and criticize the ice princess' works. At first, Natsuki tried to reconnect with her old friend, but with the intense animosity from the said girl, she decided that they stayed better as enemy.
If it wasn't for Mai and Nao, she didn't think she could ever trust anybody again after Shizuru had left. She had trusted the brunette with all her heart, only to be left utterly shattered, over and over again. She'd had enough. If Shizuru decided to treat her like a bitch, then so could Natsuki. Although with her limited powers within the team, the ice princess could only do so much as using vulgar languages at the two-year Analyst. Unfortunately for Natsuki, Shizuru had the upper hand in this game.
It had becoming a usual habit for Shizuru to change her mind about a certain valuation methodology an hour before the presentations with clients. It was even more often for her to order a particular Analyst to redo her works, from scratch. And guess who that poor soul was? Natsuki, of course. Normal people would have given up and quit the job or worse, they would have been fired. But Natsuki wasn't normal. She was stubborn, arrogant and more importantly, she was so damn good at her job for a rookie. Sometimes, all Shizuru could complain was the wrong font, margin, or commas used in the presentation slides. Even if Shizuru, in her PMS, decided to order Natsuki to make last minute changes, it would not frazzle the said girl. Natsuki had great reflex and apparently, efficient problem solving skills.
Now, Shizuru was her boss and she would likely to create much, much more trouble for Natsuki. The emerald eyed woman thought of changing to a different team, but that only work when she had proven her worth to the bank. She'd only worked in Hime for three months which was too short for the Vice President to take her request seriously. Besides, Shizuru was promoted to the Associate role at the age of 25, which was almost impossible. Shizuru was obviously the bank's golden child, so who in the right mind would want to transfer out of her team? So what was the possible lie she could come up now?
Shizuru was perfect for her job, which included checking Analysts works, performing technically difficult valuations, and most importantly, dealing with clients. Her natural charisma could easily manipulate people. Sometimes, all she needed to do was flashing those perfectly white teeth to her bosses and clients. The brunette could be bipolar sometimes, but this was the secret only Natsuki knew, something she did not wish to share.
'There, my desperate attempt to feel like I'm still special to her.'
Then why the hell did she got slammed against the wall, kissed so eagerly by the brunette? Natsuki had concluded long ago that Shizuru did not harbour any romantic feelings towards her, was it normal to shut people up by kissing them? They were supposed to hate each other, were they not?
'Is it an American custom Shizuru's got used to?'
'Or was it just another mind game she likes to play?'
Her anger flooded back at the latter thought. She wanted, no, needed a punching bag. 'Where is Takeda when you need him? No wait! He's a friend now, a friend now.'
Natsuki needed this job but Shizuru was giving her a hard time. She must come up with a plan to get out of this problem, fast. Her stream of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist.
"Natsuki, honey?"
"Huh?" She looked behind her shoulder, emerald met worried hazel eyes.
"You seem worried."
After having dinner with Saito, she sat on her desk finishing up her presentation slides. It was unusual for her to be home this early, but her supervisor was quite lenient today, due to a certain crimson eyed woman's celebration. She realised that even though she was spending time with her boyfriend, all her thoughts were occupied by the older girl.
"I'm alright. I just have a rough day at work." She gave Saito a reassuring warm smile.
All the doubts quickly disappear from his concerned eyes. Saito kissed her tenderly as he gently pulled her into the warm embrace.
The hazel eyed architect seemed to love her. They met during a college party when Natsuki was in her final year, he was her second boyfriend, and her first being a random childish filler relationship she had after Shizuru's departure. He had managed to creep into her harden heart. Although she was still an enigma to him, he was able to uncover a piece of her. He understood that Natsuki, despite her aloof behaviours, was a kind girl who only afraid to get hurt. He was good to her, too good.
'Sometimes I wonder if I deserve his love.'
Saito Kotaro was a dreamer, an idealist, was someone Shizuru used to be, someone Natsuki had lost. She could vaguely remember the eighteen year olds girl who dreamed to be a painter.
The crimson eyed beauty was an enigma. Natsuki was a little proud that she understood her much more than anyone else, and that she could see through the well create mask Shizuru wore. But just when she thought she got the brunette, she was wrong. Now, the twenty five years old Shizuru was no different than a complete stranger to Natsuki.
'Was any of it real, Shizuru? Was our friendship so superficial that it could be this easily broken?'
'Damn it, I'm thinking of her once again.'
A sudden pang of guilt flushed in her heart. She still remembered the taste of Shizuru's sweet lips, the lavender aroma of her hair, the intense crimson eyes that seemed to see only her. She had momently forgotten about Saito as she was losing to the guilty temptation. She found Saito lips on her. The sensation was different from Shizuru's as there was neither electricity nor fireworks. Pushing those thoughts aside, she found herself gently kissing him back.
"I love you, my darling Natsuki." He said in between their kisses.
"I love you too." She lied.
Natsuki pulled away from Saito's embrace as he drifted to sleep. She changed into her red and blue form fitting biker suit. She walked out of her apartment complex with only one thing on her mind: revenge.