A/N:

Hi Ho~

In honoring and courtesy to Guest22 who point out the mistake and the good will from he/she had reached me, its my pleasure to edit this chapter again. Thank you for a very good review and constructive criticism, Guest22. Also to other reader, i'm sorry if the reviews had ruined your day, so I decided to delete 'those' review that dare to insulted you all, rather than point out the mistakes as a matter-of-factly. To those who wish to critic the story in the future, I do hope that you don't insult other readers whether they are anonymous or having an account. Please, appreciate their efforts to encourage the authors even if their review just 1 word. If you so desperate that you can't stop yourself from insulting other as you are as sadistic as me, then just insult the author herself, not the other reviews. Please, respect them.

So, to Guest22...This is for you.

well, then, happy reading ( ^.^~)

To my love, Frau-san;

"Hito wo suki ni naru, riyuu wa tte nai"

"There are no reason to fall in love"

-Kataomoi finally, SKE48

Chapter 6 - Deal

The smooth romantic music resound in the dinner hall. The restaurant was so luxurious in its awake shining with bright golden light. Peoples delighted having their meals, some excitingly talking and laughing loudly, few lovely couples dancing in the middle of the dance floor.

Shizuru calmly sip her wine and again look at her guests opposite the dining table. Young man age of 27, quiet handsome, rather nervous and fidgeting in his seat but trying to look high and mighty in her presence. Next to him, are his parents. The mother fanciedly wrap herself in expensive kimono of black color and yellow lily flowers decorating its front, while the husband, like his son, in their formal suit attire. Shizuru's parent although, prefer to present themselves in all formal traditional dress themselves. The statute and pride of Kyoto man and lady. That makes her out-of-place here somehow as she only in her all day simple working cloth, minus the lab coat. Not to mention, the fainted smell of drugs and antiseptics still lingered on her cloth. The meeting was out of her plan and she admit, she hates the idea. But, her mother forced her to come as she would press that the matter is very important for her future. She hate it, and she regret for coming to this "Omiai". Arranged marriage... when will her mother change. She wish that her page or her cellphone will start ringing. Much to her disappointment, neither of them are budging at the moment. What a bad luck she had tonight. She prefer spending her time with some patient in the ICU hearing them screaming of agony and pain. That like a more refined music to her ears. More beautiful than the musician play now. With the self monologue in her mind, Shizuru refrained herself from sighing. It is rude sighing during formal meeting as it show bored and not being respectful to their guest. Her mother had taught her that. Refine prideful Kyoto ojou-sama cannot sighing in the formal present of the guest, must sit straight as if a pole stick behind their back, must smile politely, not to wide showing teeth like a gleeful child, and not to slow and small indicating not interested. The professional smile she had to practice all through her child life now engraved deeply into her roots. It has become her second nature, the everyday mask she wear where ever she goes. She only slip out of the masked when she alone in her bedroom. Even though she crazily bored now with all the talk about business, merging company, future plan for the company, all she can hear is a faraway murmur. None of them registered in her mind for all she could think right now is her schedule for tomorrow, why haven't her cells ringing, how her patients condition right now or if they need immediate surgery and certain green eyed beauty. The beast that come suddenly to her hospital, barking a few puppy-like yelp, look so cute that she have to resist kissing her everytime and then, the hot temper beast leaving like a lone wolf. Oh, the lone wolf she was...leaving alone quietly. quite... I miss the wolf. A lonely sad smile crept upon her face.

"Ara, Shiz-chan. You like the idea too?" her mother chime into her attention.

"Ara, Okaa-san. I'm only interested in it but I like to know more detail about it" again, a polite smile grace Shizuru's lips.

"Oh, if you may Ogura-san. Shizuru seem interested to know more on your planned date."

Aa...so that what they were talking about. Shizuru mused in her awareness. Looks like her guest talking about future plan from their omiai. The next date.

"Y-you s-see. I plan on taking you oversea for two or three days. Is there anywhere you'd like to go?" her guest ask expecting an answer from her.

"Ara, Ogura-san. Wherever you like to go. I do not mind at all." Shizuru smile. But right now, I want to go back to my house and have a good night sleep for tomorrow I don't know when the emergency call knock on my door.

"I-if you don't mind, Paris is a nice place. We could take my private jet there and.." Ogura trailed off but he was stop when Shizuru phone ringing.

Shizuru didn't silence her phone, giving an excuse that her duty need her. And truth to her words, finally, her duty called her. She could feel relieved. The screen show unfamiliar number that it's not even in her phonebook registry. Part of her feel disappointed that its not from her hospital but she answered the call nonetheless.

"Hello..." silence greet her on other line. She wondered and tried again "He.."

"Help..." and the line went silence but still not hang up.

The deep husky voice on other line seem familiar to her. She could feel desperation in her heart to know who the caller is. "Hello! Who..." but before she could finish her question, an image of certain lone wolf came into her view. NO! It couldn't be. but...

Abruptly Shizuru stand, phone still in her hand.

"Ogura-san, Oka-san, Otou-san, I'm afraid I need to excuse myself for now. I deeply apologize for my untimely leave as my patient need me now. It's a nice dinner. Therefore, Ookini for the meals." Shizuru bow and walk away without looking back.

Upon outside, clearly the other line is still on.

"Kuga-san!" she raise her voice a little, but no answer came. Panic struck her.

Her finger fast but accurately opening the GPS application to track down the calling number. As her car reach in front of her, she leap into the driver seat, connect her phone GPS to the car and with that she race to her destination.

Still tried to talk to the caller, desperately hope nothing happened. "Kuga-san! hear me, I'm on my way now. So, stay with me!" the other line still silence.

Damn it! she curse silently in her mind.

"Kuga-san...Natsuki-san! please...be strong!" without turning off her engine or even closing the car door, she leap out of her car, grab her phone and run to her destination.

The room in front her was deemly lit. From the small opening of the door, a single light shine from the table lamp at the corner. She push the door quietly and the view in front of her startle her. If only she could see herself in the mirror now, all she see is her face white and pale drained of blood. There, Natsuki lay with the phone still on in her hand. No movement from the...body.

Shizuru lung forward and crash herself near the patient. Moving the patient so that she could lay on her back and flat on the floor, Shizuru start to examine her patient's condition. There was no breath or chest movement from her patient, but the heart beat is still there, although, it is faint and slow. Too slow to her liking. She must commence CPR here and now even without any medical help and equipment. It is a gamble. Gamble for one life she will not giving up on.

Natsuki-san...Natsuki. she called in her mind. The name without the suffix feels more comfortable to roll on her tongue.

I'm sorry for letting you go. Therefore, come back to me. Please. She could feel desperate, but she didn't know why she so desperate with this patient. what's the difference? maybe, this is the first time she failed in her diagnosis, and its fire her back. Its her fault after all and she feel guilty. that what her conscience told her. thats what her mind convinced her. she feel guilty. she had failed as a doctor when she let go her patient and leaving them to struggle. Alone.

A beads of sweat drop to her patient bared chest leaving a trail of moisture and her shirt already soaked when finally her patient coughing fiercely. ending the cough, the patient again fall into unconscious, but this time, the breathing is even and slow. Shizuru feel tired and her body feel heavy as she slumped next to the sleeping figure to rest. But inside, she feel relieved. Looking at the white ceiling she now realized where she is now. She is in her patient's office. Nat...Natsuki's office. A fainted fragrance of ocean and dry leaves float in the air. The smells of summer. Although it is a fall season now in Japan, here, in this room, it is still summer. the only missing is the sound of cicadas, the dampness and heat of summer day, the cold wind in the night. Inhaling the scent, she feel peace. She decide to ask her later about the fragrance. She want to buy it too and put it in her office. It immediately become her favourite.

Raising up, she pick her patient bridal style and proceed to bring her patient to the hospital.

Feeling rather tired, Shizuru decide to go to the hospital canteen to drink some tea. Lots of event happening and she already exhausted. Her mind and her physical, she didn't know which one worst. Going back home was out of question, for now, she had decided she would wait for Natsuki to awake. Her condition much better than when she arrive at her office, but she had giving her a drug to keep her sleep for more hours. Natsuki...such a one side selfish decision to called her patient first name basis without any suffix. Her patient herself had told her to called her by name of Kuga-sensei. And since when did it turn out to be different in her case. Maybe the long run reputation as a womanizer make her that brave. or more to say, its given her auto-allergic to a surname term. Womanizer is such a chronic disease in her case. she couldn't last long without some flirting with woman. Flirting, nothing more. No body contact or the disease will spreading and it become deadly worst. She didn't want to going back to hell. Hell she been live in her teen year and left when she decided it was enough. she must moving on, and her mentor had help her more than she ask. Now her mentor is not here to control her. She had going on long vacation to Egypt with her lover, a history teacher from Fuuka High School. Her mentor not with her here when she need it the most. The walk to the hallway was quiet and lonely. There are no nurse walk by. Her lone step resound in the hall.

"Shizuru..." a suave voice invade her peaceful tour.

"Ara, Reito-han.." although the invader shocking her at the moment, Shizuru indifferently look at him.

"I heard from the ICU room..are you fine?"

"No need for Reito-han to worried about me. I'm a doctor, I know when I'm not fine."

"Shall we have some tea together. I'm on my way to canteen now." the offer sound kind to Shizuru ears, but who know the motives behind them.

Still not believing in Reito for the past incidents, Shizuru raise her brows at the offer.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything to you." Reito raise her hand shielding himself from the stare.

Sighing, Shizuru agreed to fancied the offer. With that they both continue to walk silently to the canteen.

As both reach the table with tea, they sit still. No words from Shizuru as he just looking sideways, her mind still picturing the evening event like a movie in slow motion.

"Shizuru..."

No answer from the brunette. Maybe she didn't even listen to the call.

"Anoo...Shizuru." the voice raise much louder and Reito hand reach for Shizuru sleeve tucking it gently.

"Ara..." Shizuru retract her hand from Reito range, feeling uncomfortable.

"She will be fine." a sympathy voice from Reito seem fake to her ears.

"Hmmm..." and Shizuru dismiss the sympathy like it was just an empty words.

As there only a simple answer from Shizuru, the table again fall into silence.

...

"You seem so worried about this patient."

"It's nothing." Shizuru tried to avoid talking about the topic. It make her anxious.

"Really, Shiz. I've known you from childhood. I know when you are worried."

"What's make you think you know me much? Only a few months ago, you were shock to know that you're childhood friend is a lesbian." Shizuru snickered.

"Hahahah...I never thought you to be one. You never seem to be like that when I last seeing you before." Reito hand reaching behind his head and scratch it like a foolish.

"You never knew...and that last seeing is 16 years ago, when I still 10"

"...ne, Shiz. Is there nothing we can do about us?" there were no mistaken for a glint of hopeful in Reito pupils.

"by us..you mean you and my father company?"

"That's...not what I mean."

Shizuru sigh. "Reito, why would a well-known playboy like you want a steady relationship with a lesbian like me? I'm not interested in you, or any man"

"Oh, so the womanizer accuse the playboy now?" Reito snickered back.

"Whatever. I like the way I am now. I know you only want to have steady marriage with my father company." Shizuru arms raise to her front and hugging herself. Her lab coat ruffling from the action.

"and you want to have steady relationship with that patient when you already have lots of "girl" friend every where?"

"I don't have any." Shizuru looking sideways avoiding stare from Reito.

"You were saying, with all those flirting, no girl "befriend" you?" now Reito start to make her angry.

"Stop making it sound...fake. Do a lesbian must have girlfriend?."

"Guest you are not meant to be womanizer..maybe no women will truly fall in love with a lesbian like you. They also want your fortune"

"Stop it."

"Shizuru...I love you. The love you want, you can already have it in me. Just give me a chance" again with the hopeful tone. Shizuru hate it. Man only know how to talk sweet.

"And I don't love you. I'm not interested with man. You're lucky that I don't hate you like other men as I still consider you to be my childhood friend, so I forgave many things you do to me. So, don't ask the impossible from me"

"Then, how about this...I will give you six months. Six months to hook that patient. If you fail to make that patient fall in love with you, that prove that you are not meant to be a lesbian and you will give me chance after that. Deal?"

What? The deal is so one sided. I have to do something and he do nothing? This is a stupid deal. But... Shizuru mused.

"..and if I can do it?"

"If you can, then I will not disturb you again, or even asking love from you. I will forget about you, quit being playboy and find my own true love. Do you want anything else from me?"

"Hmmm...it sound interesting to me. I want you to parade in hospital with only a spender and wearing a bra."

Now, that make a great deal for me. You'll see Reito, I will not lose to you. I never lose in dealing.

"What!...grrr..okay! deal!"

"Deal" Shizuru take the extending hand with a wicked smile on her face.