Hi! Hello! Wassup awesome peoples! :D
I can't believe this story has already reached 70k and 100+ reviews. (ﾉ O AO)ﾉ
Thank you so much for the feedback and your kind words. Ahaha I feel like tearing up right now. ;w;
Feeling kinda guilty for getting distracted by *cough* rizzles *cough* but it did help me finish this. Well, sorta... so...
Hope ya enjoy this next chapter!
I stare at her and she stares right back at me. Our eyes meet for just a second before I forced mine down and broke contact. Slowly, a smirk begins to emerge on her face as I tried not to focus my view on those pink – soft- lips and remember that brief contact we had shared at the tea party thingy.
"Wuh – w-hat are you doing here-?"
"I could say quite the same to you. What are you doing on that tree, Natsuki? Spying on me, hmm?"
'What is Stranger-san doing?'
Huh? What was that?
"I did no such thing!"
"Then what could you be doing? Imitating an orangutan? Ara, Natsuki has such interesting hobbies."
"I was not! Hmph. I just…ah…wanted to take a look at the view around the house."
I wasn't lying. I really did want to take a look- just not on my side of the property. She tilted her head as she gave me a sort of skeptical look but did not say a word. Her lips were tight as I scratched lightly at my cheek; my fingers unable to stay still. After awhile I faltered under her mesmerizing gaze and took to lightly tracing the lines on the bark below me. She gave no indication of seeing my obvious attempt to avoid her piercing eyes and instead continued on with the conversation.
"What is Natsuki's relation to that house? I heard that it has been unoccupied for quite some time."
"Ah, you see, my sister and I got it as an inheritance of sorts from my mother's side."
"Ara, so that means Natsuki is my new neighbour? That is wonderful news!"
With her hands clasped together like that and her lips smiling so widely she looked like an angel before me. Is it me or is her eyes sparkling? Wait, did she just say neighbour? OH MONA LISA.
"This is your house Shizuru?"
"Well, technically it is my family's house; not only mine and I don't stay here all the time. I have a condo nearer to the city, the one you sent me to after the woods incident. My stay here is usually during the weekends or when I have days off."
Releasing a breath I did not know I was keeping in, I see her eyes watching me. Suddenly (or was it just that I didn't notice before?), the temperature around me seems to escalate and I find myself sweating profusely, the shirt clinging oh so slightly to my skin. Not exactly a comfortable feeling I tell ya.
When she sees me wiping my forehead with the back of my arm, she invites me to her side of the fence.
"Would Natsuki like to join me for tea? I was just about to have some chrysanthemum."
'Let's have a tea party!'
Strange. Was there a voice just now? Shaking her head, Natsuki looked to where Shizuru was.
"Sure. Just let me get down from this tree."
"Would you like a ladder then, Natsuki?"
"Ah, no need."
Before Shizuru had anytime to blink, Natsuki lands with a thud onto the grass right in front of her with a gigantic smirk upon her beautiful – sexy – face. Caught by surprise, her eyes had widened without her knowledge; her breath caught in her throat. It took some seconds for her to remind herself to breathe again.
"Ara, I don't know whether to be impressed by your skill or be alarmed by how easily you have managed to get into my family's garden. I would assume father might consider getting a guard dog if he hears of this."
It was such a mess of butterflies fluttering about in her tummy. Her chest throbbed just the slightest. She frowned mentally, her hands tensed behind her.
'What is the matter with me?'
"Hey, you already have a cup ready for me. What, so sure I would say yes?"
Natsuki had grinned but it was interrupted by the shock the quickly passed through Shizuru's face. One she did not think she would catch if she hadn't been staring at her at that exact moment. Her thoughts stumbled and paused for a second, unable to comprehend what had happened. What was with that reaction?
"Were you expecting someone else, then? I can just go back if that's the case. Don't want to interrupt or anything."
"No! It is nothing like what you are suggesting. To be honest, I don't exactly know why either. Perhaps it comes from a force of habit."
A sheepish smile fought her lips as she waited for the woman's reaction. She hadn't planned to be honest but the words just flew right out of her mouth. There were two cups because her hands placed them like that without her noticing. It had happened just as every other time it had happened. Unconsciously and without her knowledge. Many times before she would pour herself a cup of tea and when she sat down, there it was, a steaming hot cup staring right back at her.
Actually, she hadn't really noticed it much. Each time she did it, she would reason it as a byproduct of her stressed out mind or she was really not paying attention – absent-minded if you will. As she continued to think about it however, it seemed like it was occurring way to often that it seemed a bit unsettling. Before coming to this house it barely happened so she could just let it pass off as something insignificant. But after…it noticeably became worse. And Natsuki's mention of it made it all the more glaring; so much so that she couldn't ignore it like she always did.
By now her belly was a raging storm; a strange injection of nerves floating around and making a home for themselves inside of her. The appearance she let on was nowhere near to what she was feeling. Swallowing what felt like a melon (which was actually nothing at all but her nerves playing on her), she inconspicuously smoothes her fingers on her skirt in an attempt to throw said nerves away.
Deciding that she needed to focus on something else, she beckoned the woman to sit whilst she poured them their brew. As Natsuki took her seat, she watched her going through these motions and never once did Shizuru look up at her. Perplexingly, she found it bothering, a dull ache passing through her just as quickly as it appeared. She did not dwell on it for longer than a second but in the back of her head a tiny haze settled; confusion deeply rooted in the recesses of her mind.
Tucking a stray lock behind her ear, she took a sip of the warm yellow beverage.
"How do you find the tea? Would you prefer some sugar or is it fine as it is?"
"Ah, it's okay. I'm more used to the bitter stuff anyway so it's alright."
A peaceful silence settles between them, only interrupted by the sounds of china clinking against each other. Soon enough, Natsuki gets tired or rather, bored of looking around from where she sat; curiousity getting the better of her.
"Hey, hey, was this where you grew up?"
"Once upon a time. Before my fifth birthday. Strangely, I don't remember much of those times."
"Eh. Then where'd you go after that?"
"Our official residence had changed to Tokyo and we stayed there until recently. My parents only decided to come back after they retired not too long ago."
"Why didn't you stay in Tokyo? Last I heard, Fujino Corp. headquarters was there, Miss President."
"Ara, Natsuki doesn't want me here? Huhuhu."
She thought she saw tears there. The woman was a very good actor but she knew better. Though it was not enough to prevent herself from reacting way before her mind came to its conclusion. Unconsciously, she bends forwards, nearer towards Shizuru and lays a hand on her shoulder to calm her.
"You know that was not what I meant."
Time seemed to stand still, Shizuru found it hard to move her eyes away from the body brought closer to her. Hearing more words coming out of her companion's mouth, she forced them upwards to look into her eyes. Manners ingrained within taught her to always look at the person who was talking to her - despite how great of a distraction it was disturbing her concentration.
She could see the sincerity in there and she felt a pinch of guilt which led to the death of her tease. Not a response she planned for, she answered the question to avoid addressing what Natsuki had said to calm her crocodile tears.
"I needed a change of scenery."
It felt like a lie. There was some truth in that statement but she couldn't say it; the real reason she decided to move from the home she had for a number of years. Shizuru figured she wouldn't even believe her if she told her. Some things in her life recently were done on impulse; on that sudden feeling in her that screamed that it was the truth. That she needed to do it. That it was meant to be.
If she hadn't, would she have met her? Dear, dear Natsuki who seemed to haunt her thoughts and make her chest hurt. She was beginning to realize that this was simply not lust and for once, maybe, just maybe, she could even be falling for her.
Was she really?
"Is this your first time here in Fuuka?"
"As in are we new to this beautiful town? Hardly. My family and I have already been back here quite a few times already. Though, you could say this is the first time that we decided to stay here permanently."
"After such a long time."
"Took you quite some time to decide, eh?"
"Yes, a really lengthy time."
"I know the feeling. Decisions like these needs some serious discussing. Me and my wife also took quite awhile before we finally decided that this place was the one."
"I see."
"I'll tell ya, you won't regret choosing Fuuka. The wife and I have spent some wonderful years here. Did wonders for our little girl too. The whole reason we moved was because of her. But it was a good choice. Definitely. And now we have a grandkid growing up wonderfully."
"A grandkid? Congratulations. We are still waiting on our girl to get her one and only. I conjecture it'll probably be a few years before we catch a glimpse of one of our own."
Chuckling, the man's hand went to that of his wife's, sharing a look before continuing,
"Is it a boy or a girl?"
"A sweet little girl. Would you like to see a picture?"
A friendly nod was given, his wife accompanying it with an enthusiastic smile; their fingers entwining in between them, only to come untangle when the man got up to receive the photo from their companion sitting behind the dark wooden desk.
"She's four, just started attending preschool."
They seemed to have their breaths caught in their throats as they look along the length of the photograph with big curious eyes.
"Cute."
The wife suddenly spoke with a squeal to her voice, snatching the picture from her husband's hands to take a closer look.
"She is, isn't she?"
A warm smile pressed on his lips, Gensou laced his fingers on the desk, his eyes flickering to a photo frame placed delicately on top of his desk.
The chimes from the grandfather clock were loud enough to travel to the ears of the garden occupants and for once, since meeting the brunette earlier, Natsuki is made conscious of the time. And boy, did the time flew by for her. Realizing what time it was, she released a sharp cry from the shock.
It was past 4 o'clock. Much too late for her to reach Fuuka Kindergarten in time to pick Shizuka up without inconveniencing the teachers. The house was way on the opposite side of town; distance between here and there a little over an hour at best without traffic.
She had no choice but to call Emiko. Excusing herself from the table after startling Shizuru with her sudden outburst, she walked a distance away towards the shrubs of azaleas; clusters of white, pink, red, and fuchsia blending together to form a sea of flowers. Appreciating the sight as she listened in on her phone for the person on the other end to pick up, she bent down to feel a petal between her fingers.
When Emiko's voice flowed through with a "Hello, dearie", she lets a smile touch her lips for a second at the endearment. Explaining her situation, she nods as Emiko gives her a mild scolding even though she could not see, providing grunts as a voice of her understanding at what she was trying to say. She did feel guilty for being unconscious of the time and for a second forgetting her duties so she let her lecture on without a grumble.
Shizuru watched her from the table, nearly drooling at the sight of her bending over, accentuating her very sexy ass. When Natsuki stood up and looked to be about to finish her call, she quickly averted her eyes, feigning interest at her empty cup. Reaching for the tea pot, she did not look up as Natsuki made her way back to the table.
"Hey, remember what I said at that diner the other day? I'm heading to Kaya's parent's house to pick Shizuka up. You wanna come along?"
Cradling the cup in her hands, meeting her gaze as she looked up, Shizuru grinned up at her, a "yes" not even needed to answer the question.
"Where's mama?"
The little girl held tightly to her backpack, a frown not even bothered to be hidden. She ignored the sheepish look her grandmother was giving her as she strode pass her, away from her peers and teachers towards the hallway. Seeing no sign of dark hair distinctively of that of her mother's, her frown widened and she huffed in a disappointment. She had been feeling a bit off the whole day and this only served to make her feel an anger she didn't know she possessed. Maybe it was wrong to call it anger, because she was not angry at her mother or anything else at the matter. But still, she did not possess the knowledge on what she could call the emotion building up inside of her. She could only frown in a way she knew was totally uncharacteristically of her, a bitter feeling climbing up her stomach.
Today was just not her day.
Stomping did not make her feel any better. Neither did fuming in her seat and refusing to speak. Emiko's soothing voice and hand did not quell it completely but it was enough to prevent her from self destructing; hold her back from dwelling on these thoughts of needing to be upset. Biting at her lip, her eyes narrowed at nothing in particular outside her window, the wind beating at her face.
She needed her mother. That was what it was. The feeling would go away once she saw her, she was certain. Why couldn't she just come like always? Waiting was horrible. Feeling like this for so much as a second longer was horrible. She felt horrible.
Climbing out of the car, she swallowed the uncomfortable feeling, reminding herself that she was among her grandparents; people who love her and were not the cause of her ire. Mama was coming soon. It would soon go away. Just bear it. Bear it.
Pushing herself closer to her grandmother, she let her hand soothe her; the kiss on her temple a cooling balm. She needed to stay by her side she reckoned- to feel some reprieve- holding tightly onto her skirt wherever she went, always in step with her movements. If left alone, she could not guarantee that she could be calm and non-destructive; so unlike herself.
They went through the hallway connecting the house to Gensou's office next door, a tray of refreshments waiting to be delivered. She had a cookie in her hand, her teeth sitting on the edge of it, gently nibbling without thought. The grip on Emiko's skirt never relented but she was mindful not to slow her down or accidentally trip her. Matching her pace, Emiko hummed an old folk song, her voice cheery and pacifying.
"Jii-chan is busy with a patient today. We're going to serve them some refreshments so they feel more comfortable, okay?"
"Un."
"Remember to greet them properly."
"Un."
She still didn't feel like talking, giving short responses that sounded more like grunts. Emiko did not say anything else but the air around her did not seem to have any presence of displeasure, she noted. When she looked up at her eyes, she saw the emotions of understanding swirling in them; not an ounce of anything otherwise. Taking long, deep breaths, the gratitude in her voice after was very clear and put a smile on the matriarch's face.
"It's okay, pumpkin."
After knocking gently on the door, Gensou happily called her in the room. His face welcomed her and lit so much more brightly at the sight of the child next to her. The two other occupants slightly turned their eyes towards them, mirroring his expression. Setting the tray down, Shizuka helped her place the cups on the table as she placed the plate of cookies in the middle. Never once did Shizuka lift her eyes.
"May I introduce to you my wife, Emiko and our granddaughter, Shizuka."
Pulling the girl next to her for a polite bow, Emiko greeted them cordially. Putting a hand onto her shoulder, she urged Shizuka to do the same.
"It is a pleasure to meet you."
And when she met their eyes, a cold frost seemed to settle in her body; goose pimples rising on her skin, a shiver passing through her spine.
"Ara, so polite. It is nice to meet you too, little Shizuka-chan. I am Taka-chin and this is A-chan."
She lowered her head back down in haste. The urge to cry suddenly overwhelming her. Nodding her head so she did not seem rude by not acknowledging what they said, she bit her lip in an effort to calm the shaking she seemed to feel crawling across her body. Shizuka was glad Emiko was preoccupied with the conversation between her husband and his patient because had she known of the discomfort she was displaying, she would have asked and she really didn't want the spot of coming up with an answer.
"Aww, ain't she a shy one."
"Strange, she normally d-"
She could feel their eyes on her. It felt somewhat heavy. Weighing down on her. She needed to get out of there.
"Umm…Nana? Can I - head out first? Mama is going to come soon so I'd like to wait for her in the living room- if that's alright with you?"
"Of course, sweetie."
Squeezing her hand tightly and forcing an amicable expression, she hoped she quelled the disturbance inside her enough to look convincingly normal. Once behind the door, she hastily ran –quietly- before anyone could unexpectedly come through the door and see her tears.
Curling on the couch, face buried in her knees, she let herself go for a moment of reprieve. About five minutes later, she wiped furiously at her face, getting up to go to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Taking a tissue as she passed the living room table, she blew her nose into it and tossed it into the waste basket. After quenching her parched throat and washing her face, she went back to the couch and laid down, closing her eyes as she waited for sleep to take her.
Sleep did claim her but it did not take her away from her troubles as nightmares seemed to plague her; whimpers escaping her lips now and then.
"Mama."
Suddenly, she was wrapped in warm arms; cradled in the safe, protective arms of her mother. Shizuka did not wake but her dreams calmed at once in the familiar embrace of her mother's.
"Oh my poor baby."
Kisses were peppered onto her cheeks, a lullaby hummed into her ears.
"I'm so sorry."