Disclaimer: I don't Mai-Hime/Otome…
"Natsuki~! The last shuttle for the evening is going to leave soon!" The orange-haired woman called out worriedly as she waved her hand to detain the soon-to-depart shuttle.
The blunette glanced back towards the double doors of the corporation. "But she hasn't come out yet…." Natsuki called back from where she stood near a street lamp.
"Natsuki, aren't you coming?" Mikoto called curiously from where she sat on the commuter shuttle.
"Ma'am, I'm afraid I have to leave soon." The bus driver called out to the pair still standing outside.
"This is the last shuttle for the evening, isn't it? One of the interns hasn't left the building." Mai explained apologetically as she walked towards the van.
"But, Viola-san hasn't gotten on any of the other shuttles!" Natsuki called slightly irritated, unmoving from where she stood near the building.
"Want me to stay and wait with you?" Mai offered, walking over to Natsuki as the driver shut one of the passenger doors.
Natsuki sighed, chewing her lip lightly and letting out a loose chuckle. "Not stopping me, huh? Nah, it's fine. You go ahead. I'll stay and wait for Viola-san in the lobby. Besides, Mikoto would be crushed if you didn't go."
The blunette playfully gestured towards a Mikoto whose eyes were brimming with worry.
"Mai?" The girl called fearfully as she tugged at her seatbelt.
"Ah," Mai glanced back at Mikoto with a reassuring wave as the driver called out to her. "Ma'am?"
She turned back to the blunette with a sigh. "You seem awfully concerned about Viola-san…you that stricken with her beauty?"
"M-MAI!" Natsuki exploded as the orange-haired woman lightly jogged towards the bus.
"I'm just kidding~! Text me when you get back, alright? I'll be expecting a full report!" Mai shouted cheerfully as she jumped into the van, where the driver finally slammed the door shut with a relieved sigh.
"B-baka!" Natsuki muttered under her breath as she sent the shuttle off with a wave, a smile on her face.
She left her hand suspended in the air mid-wave as the vehicle disappeared into the darkness, sighing softly as she stepped back into the building. The blunette walked up to the front desk, leaning her frame against the countertop as she waited for the brunette. She sighed lightly and closed her eyes, seeing that the receptionist had already left for the evening.
She pinched the bridge of her nose, massaging the spot lightly. If memory serves me right…the only way…her emerald eyes snapped open as she briskly headed towards the elevators. Isn't through the front doors…aargh I'm so stupid!
Natsuki mentally berated herself as she quickly reached her destination.
She pulled her tie loose as she waited tersely in front of the guard, who regarded her with a stoic expression on his face.
"I'm waiting for Viola-san." She sighed with a tired edge in her voice.
The guard remained silent without shifting from where he stood in between the elevators.
Shizuru took a final sweeping glance around her office before she switched the lights off with the push of a lighted panel. It looks like everything is in order.
With a satisfied sigh, she turned on her heel and made her way to the front desk. She smiled as her adoptive sisters came into view.
"I apologize for the wait, Mizuno-neesama, Sorata-neesama. Are we all ready to leave for the evening?"
The sisters looked up at the melodic voice, both in their coats. "Ah ojousama, good timing! I was just straightening up some papers." Sorata smiled as she finished putting some papers into a stack.
Mizuno waved as she lounged in one of the couches in the reception area.
Sorata smiled cheerfully as she remerged from behind the front desk. "Mizuno-neesama, ojousama, let's head home, shall we?"
"But really, today was a really busy day, huh?" Sorata commented softly as she locked the doors to the office complex.
"It indeed has," Mizuno added softly, chuckling lightly as she saw Shizuru stifle a yawn as they waited in front of the elevator.
"What time do you need to be in the office tomorrow, ojousama?"
Shizuru softly rubbed her eyes as the trio boarded the elevator and made their descent. She paused before answering. "…I believe I have to be in the office around…." The brunette massaged the bridge of her nose lightly as she pondered her answer….what time did I need to be in the office…? She frowned. "…around …7:30…perhaps?" Shizuru finished dumbly.
The pair of sisters both quirked an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic display.
"The interns don't have to be in until 9, right? I'm probably coming in at 8:45 tomorrow morning myself, ojousama." Sorata stated simply as they continued their descent.
"And as an intern of the Fujino Corporation, you don't need to be there until the interns need to arrive." Mizuno continued smoothly as they reached their destination.
Shizuru blinked as she processed the information. She blinked as the doors to the elevator opened to the lobby, her eyes meeting a visually appealing sight as she stepped off the elevator. "Ara….I guess you're right…"
Natsuki looked up from her blank stare at the floor upon hearing the elevator approach the ground floor. She stared blankly at the person she'd been waiting for.
The other women followed Shizuru's glance to the worn intern. The pair exchanged a look, smiles both gracing smiles as they smoothly stepped out of the elevator.
"Kuga-san, isn't it?" Sorata interrupted the silence as the four of them congregated near the elevators.
The blunette shook herself from her thoughts at the mention of her name. She turned to look at the black-haired woman.
"Taka-san. Konbanwa." She bowed her head slightly in a respectful greeting.
"Konbanwa…Was there…something you needed?" Sorata greeted in return, slightly confused.
At this, a slight blush graced the blunette's face as she fell into a somewhat sheepish smile. She lightly scratched her cheek.
"Ah, not really…the last shuttle left earlier and I hadn't seen Viola-san board any of the other vehicles, so I wanted to wait for her…and I figured I'd call a cab or something back to the apartment address…" Natsuki trailed off softly, feeling slightly intimidated by the auras of the three rather attractive women standing in front of her.
"Ah! I apologize for my state of undress…" Natsuki thought to fix her loosened tie.
Shizuru's lips curved up in a smile as she resisted every urge to hug the adorable and attractive blunette.
"Arara, that is awfully thoughtful of you, Kuga-san~." She added with a playful lilt.
Natsuki coughed into her arm, fighting back another blush. "I-I ah, just wanted to make sure you made it back safely."
Sorata blinked hard, swearing she saw fluffy bubbles of happiness surrounding her little sister's face. Ojousama must be really tired…we need to get her home soon…
Mizuno, who had up to this point simply observed the interaction between the intern and her younger sisters, decided to spare the blushing intern…for now.
"Well, we still have room, don't we, Sorata?"
The black haired woman broke herself from staring at Shizuru's face as the blunette glanced at the new face. "Eh? Ah, yes, I suppose we do. Would you like to join us, Kuga-san?"
"J-Join?" The blunette stuttered uncertainly.
"Sorata-san was kind enough to offer to drive me to the apartment seeing as I, as you already know, missed the last shuttle for the evening. Since Kuga-san was kind enough to wait for me and Sorata-san was kind enough to offer, would you like to join us?"
The brunette seemed to have regained some of her usual clarity. The blunette looked down, debating for a moment.
"I really do insist. After all, it'd be silly for Kuga-san to call a cab when Sorata-san has kindly offered to drive us to the same destination, wouldn't it?"
"Maa, since we've all had a rather long day, I would please ask you to take Taka-san's offer. I'm sure Viola-san would be relieved too."
Mizuno stated in a flat yet polite tone. The blunette looked up at the older woman's voice.
"Eh, ah, hai. I will most gratefully take you up on your offer, Taka-san. Arigatougozaimasu." Natsuki finished softly, slightly abashed at her thoughtlessness.
Mizuno smiled. "It's no problem at all is it, Sorata?"
"Iie. It would be my pleasure, Kuga-san. Let's head to the parking garage, shall we?"
"Ah, hai."
"Did we work you too hard today, Kuga-san?" Sorata joked playfully as the four of them boarded onto the olive-green luxury sedan. Natsuki stifled a small yawn while the silver-haired woman unlocked the doors.
"Ah, iie…tondemonai desu." [It was nothing like that]
Sorata laughed as she slid into the passenger seat, shutting the door behind her.
"It's alright; even I thought it was too much."
"Haa…." Natsuki replied softly as she buckled her seatbelt, fixing her attire.
"Even I am quite tired." Shizuru chuckled lightly as she did the same, setting her briefcase onto her lap.
"By the way, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Kuga Natsuki. I am one of the interns from the Kruger Conglomerate." Natsuki respectfully addressed the stoic silver-haired woman as the car pulled out of the employee lot into the dark street.
Mizuno glanced back at the intern through the rear-view mirror. "It's nice to meet you; my name is Taka Mizuno. I'm Sorata's older sister, and an executive assistant at the Fujino Corporation."
Natsuki stifled another yawn with her arm. A look of understanding flickered in Mizuno's amber eyes as she glanced at the two women in the backseat. Her eyes returned to the road. "Feel free to rest. Sorata and I will be sure to let you know when we arrive."
"Ah, hai. Arigatougozaimasu." The blunette replied softly, leaning back to look out of the window silently.
"Okotoba amaete." [I will gratefully indulge myself on your kind words]
Shizuru murmured softly as she leaned back against the headrest, settling into the leather seat.
Mizuno smiled to herself lightly as she drove the remainder of the trip in silence, catching the sporadic glances the blunette stole at the dozing brunette next to her.
She glanced warmly at her dozing sister as the black-haired woman leaned gently against the car window.
A/N: Konbanwa, oyisashiburi desu….*bows* it's been a while…hai. There's been some crazy weather these past few days and the semester has been rather interesting also, so I haven't written much lately. Mental…exhaustion? So yuu koto kana….? [is it something like that?] Anyways, I've gotten some reviews saying that this story is progressing slowly; well, it is technically, but that is how it seems to unfold, this USN…so it'll likely stay that way. Weell, maybe I'll do some more writing…who knows? Hope you enjoyed your stay! Please read and/or review?
Matta ne~
YH