Disclaimer: I don't own Mai-Hime/Otome…
Mizuno returned her focus to the road, letting her mind wander slightly as she took the familiar turns to the apartment complex.
The Kruger Conglomerate, huh…from what Sorata mentioned, sounds like they're a sharp and smart bunch…Well…
The older woman took another glance at the blunette who had by now dozed off completely, the hints of a smile on her otherwise neutral expression.
They look like a promising bunch.
Mizuno gently called the dozing or otherwise sleeping passengers of the car as she pulled into the underground parking lot.
"Sorata, Viola-san, Kuga-san, please wake up. We've arrived."
Mizuno lifted a hand in greeting to Tessa as she passed the security checkpoint; as the CEO's executive assistant as well as Shizuru's adoptive older sister, her car had unrestricted access. The white-haired woman bowed politely in return.
Soft yawns were heard as the sleeping women slowly roused themselves. Sorata yawned, stretching her arms above her head. She sighed as she relaxed her muscles once again.
"We're there already, Nee-san?"
"Yeah. Though," The older lady glanced at the brunette then turned in her seat to look her, "we might have to assist Viola-san to her apartment. She must be exhausted."
Sorata also turned to look at the sleeping brunette, a gentle smile gracing her expression. Both sisters then turned their gazes to the blunette, who was softly stifling a yawn while gathering her surroundings.
"Did you rest well, Kuga-san?" Mizuno's clear voice quickly pulled Natsuki back into the land of the waking. She straightened herself immediately, fixing her attire. The blunette coughed lightly as she cleared the sleep from her voice.
"H-Hai. Okagesama de." [Y-Yes. Thank you for your consideration].
"That's good~ I had a nice nap as well." Sorata laughed softly, taking care to not wake the remaining sleeping woman in the car.
Natsuki glanced over at the brunette's sleeping form, her gaze soft and filled with warmth as she simply watched for a few moments. The clicking of Mizuno and Sorata's seatbelts shook Natsuki from her reverie. She hastily unbuckled her own, instinctively reaching over to the brunette's side to unbuckle her as well, when Mizuno's voice interrupted her.
"Ah, no need to wake her. Sorata and I will escort her to her apartment." Mizuno's protective tone made Natsuki withdraw her hand.
"Ah, hai…"
Sorata, not wanting the intern to misunderstand her sister, explained with a reassuring tone what Mizuno meant.
"As an intern from within the corporation, she was pre-assigned and moved into her unit so she doesn't need to check-in like the rest of the interns."
Natsuki's eyes lit up in realization and understanding.
"Ah, hai. I had almost forgotten."
"Don't worry about it. You've gone through a lot today. Check into your room and get some rest." Mizuno's tone remained flat, yet a subtle warmth was not lost to it.
"Hai." Natsuki replied firmly as she stepped out of the car, shivering slightly as the cold air enveloped her in an all but forceful hug. Her breath came out in condensed puffs as she gingerly closed the car door.
The other awake women also stepped out of the car, breaths condensing as one stretched and the other made her way to the passenger door on her side.
"Ah, Kuga-san. Room check-in is at the front desk; just take that elevator up to the lobby floor!"
Natsuki bowed slightly in appreciation. "Arigatougozaimashita, Sorata-san, Taka-san. May you have a pleasant evening."
Sorata smiled and waved her off while Mizuno acted as if she hadn't heard anything, her figure hidden as she bent over the sleeping brunette and gently unbuckled her from her seat.
The black-haired woman watched the blunette until the doors of the elevator closed before turning to her sister, who had gently lifted Shizuru into a princess hold.
She walked back to the car, softly closing the car door for her sister. Mizuno held up her keys and pushed the button to lock her car, the trio waiting until they heard the soft beeps that assured the car's security to start walking to the elevator.
Sorata grinned as she walked next to her sister, gazing at Shizuru's sleeping face.
"Kyo wa taihen datta ne?" [Today was hectic, wasn't it?]
Mizuno stifled a light grunt as they waited for the elevator to come back down.
"Was that directed towards me, towards ojousama, or even yourself?"
Sorata laughed. "Ehehe….all three of us?"
Mizuno laughed lightly as they stepped into the elevator and pushed the button for the fourth floor.
Natsuki walked briskly towards the front desk after stepping off of the elevator. She quickly pulled her completed contract and check-in form from her briefcase en route.
"I apologize for my tardiness; my name is Kuga and I'm an intern from the Kruger Conglomerate." She apologetically stated while handing the dark-haired woman her papers.
"Ahh, Kuga-san ne~ We've been waiting for your arrival." The woman spoke while she checked and sorted the papers.
"Ah, I'm Sagisawa Yohko. I'm the other landlady. You already met the other landlady when you received your contract form and keys earlier, I assume?" The dark-haired woman smiled as she placed various papers into a folder, pausing to smile at Natsuki.
"Eh, hai. I was able to briefly introduce myself to Sugiura-san after the tour."
The smile grew a bit wider as Yohko finished assembling the packet.
"You pass~Hai." She stated, handing the packet to the intern.
"Ah, domo." [Thank you]
The blunette took the packet, a bit nonplussed. I-I pass...? Pass what? I don't understand…!
Yohko laughed as she saw the confusion in the blunette's face.
"Don't worry about it." The blunette's eyes shot towards Yohko's face, surprised that the doctor knew what she had been thinking, though she kept her face relatively neutral.
"H-Haa…" [Right…]
"Anyways, Welcome to Missan Kan Mansions. Your room is on the fourth floor. Take a left once you step off the elevator and go all the way down the hall; it's the last one on the end. Your belongings have all been moved into your unit. Your roommate should already be settled as well."
The woman paused as she fixed some of the papers that were leaking from their pile.
"Oh, and my room is also located on the fourth floor; it's Unit 7, but anyways, nameplates are next to the rooms so there shouldn't be any worries there."
The woman returned her attention to the intern, leaning her elbows on the desk and resting her chin in her hands.
"Sa~te, I think that's all from me; do you have any questions for me?"
Natsuki thought for a moment as she adjusted the folder in her hands.
"I don't think so."
Yohko smiled.
"That's good to hear. You've had a long day. Go get some rest, alright?"
"Ah hai. Arigatougozaimasu, Sagisawa-san."
The intern bowed politely before making her way back to the elevator and up to the fourth floor.
Meanwhile…
Mizuno waited patiently as Sorata unlocked the door to Unit 9 and opened it, allowing her to step inside with Shizuru in her arms. Sorata stepped in after her closed the door, locking it once again. The two sisters gracefully shrugged their shoes off and stepped onto the hardwood floor, turning on a few lights on the way. Mizuno's voice spoke gently as she tried to rouse the brunette.
"Shizuru-ojousama, please wake up. We've reached the apartment. You need to remove your makeup and brush your teeth."
Shizuru murmured something unintelligible as her eyelids slowly fluttered open. She blinked a few times, gathering her bearings.
"Ah, Mizuno-neesama. Where's Sorata-neesama?"
Mizuno gently set Shizuru onto her bed as Sorata came over with a wet washcloth.
"I'm right here, Shizuru-ojousama." The black-haired woman smiled as she sat on the bed next to her, gently wiping Shizuru's face clean of what little makeup she had on and any dirt that had accumulated throughout the course of the day.
Shizuru found herself unable to resist, though she tried. She chuckled softly as she sat there compliantly. "I really must be tired. Ookini, Nee-sama."
"You're very welcome, Shizuru-ojousama." Sorata continued with a smile as she went about her task, Mizuno pulling out Shizuru's pajamas and laying them on the bed next her.
"There! All clean! Moisturizer then pajamas!"
Shizuru readily complied, letting Sorata assist her as she took off her blazer, blouse, bra, skirt, and pantyhose, trading them for a soft lavender-colored cotton shirt and a matching pair of fuzzy sweatpants. The brunette closed her eyes while Sorata gently massaged moisturizer onto her face.
"Ojousama has such beautiful skin after all; Nee-san and I would cry if anything happened to our beloved sister's lovely face."
Shizuru laughed.
"Sorata-neesama and Mizuno-neesama are such beauties; it would be such a shame if I was the cause of frowns marring your beauty."
Mizuno chuckled, straightening Shizuru's briefcase setting it beside her desk and setting an alarm for the following morning.
"Alright, next are your teeth! I trust you don't need my assistance with this one?" Sorata playfully joked as she picked up Shizuru's discarded business wear.
"Ara, a lady of the Fujino household always does things with her own power." Shizuru playfully returned, walking over to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Once Shizuru had returned, Mizuno and Sorata tucked her into bed, against the brunette's weakening protests that she should properly greet her new roommate.
"Ah, Kuga-san? She should be downstairs checking in with Sagisawa-sensei. Don't worry; it's nearly 11 pm so I'm sure she'll understand. You've had a long day, and need your rest."
Mizuno stated earnestly, gently brushing the brunette's bangs from her eyes. Shizuru yawned sleepily, pulling her covers up slightly.
"…I suppose…it will have to do…." Shizuru trailed off.
Sorata giggled as she gently stroked Shizuru's tawny tresses.
"Ojousama really is cute when she's sleepy, ne, Neesama?"
The older woman smiled as the pair exited the room, turning off the lights. Mizuno's hand slowly pulled the door closed, giving way to the soft darkness.
"She really is."
The pair of sisters had already left the lot when the blunette made her way to Unit 9 on the fourth floor. She shivered slightly as she fumbled a bit with the door. Crap…It's cold, and I'm exhausted. And it's late… She sighed contently as a warm puff of air hit her upon entering the unit. It was dark inside.
"Please excuse my intrusion~" Natsuki quietly called as she experimentally flicked on a light switch. She quietly took her shoes off, lining them up neatly before stepping onto the dark hardwood floor.
Alright, now time to find my room.
Natsuki experimentally turned on more lights, eventually finding the room that was undeniably hers. She hurriedly turned the other lights off, returning to her room and closing her door quietly. She leaned against the door for a few moments, letting out a deep sigh.
"I'll just greet my roommate tomorrow." She glanced at the clock.
Man, it's gotten late. I need to get to bed now!
And the blunette hurriedly yet quietly got prepared for bed, falling asleep almost instantly once she relaxed into the soft cotton sheets.
A/N:
Ohayou….YH desu *bows* I am veeery tired…somehow writing this took a very long time…yess…and I am super tired so I am going to go to sleep..oh this chapter is not proofread/grammar read….but I really wanted to update it so here it is. Please read and/or review? Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoyed your stay!
Matta ne,
YH
Who knows, maybe I'll read this posted chapter in the morning and decide to complete change it…o.o…