She is My Master
Chapter 15
"Hmm!" Erstin Ho hummed quietly as she hugged the other woman to her chest.
"ACK," Nina tried to get free, her face mushed to her breasts.
"Good morning...," Arika started then saw what was happening. "Oooh. Snuggles!" she beamed and jumped onto the pile of people.
"Ooof," Erstin grunted and (thankfully) woke up a bit. "Oh! Nina-chan, are you all right?" she asked worriedly.
"GASP!" Nina got some air.
"You okay?" Arika asked.
"I thought I was going to DIE," Nina yelped.
The three top employees (Well, only employees. Still.) of 'Fantasy Costumes' were renting an apartment nearby together. They had known each other before coming to the big city, they wanted to save money and it was near to work.
"I'm so sorry," Erstin sighed sheepishly as she got out of Nina's bed.
(Not for the reason you'd think. Erstin had her own bed, but was a bit of a sleepwalker. She tended to randomly end up in either Arika's or Nina's bed. Thankfully both girls were usually good sports about it...)
"Breakfast!" Arika reminded them.
Irma Vandervelde looked up as they came downstairs, "Morning!"
Ever since she broke up with her bitchy girlfriend Una, Irima had been renting the rooms upstairs. She also cooked breakfast which was a treat.
"Thanks for the food!" the three chorused.
"So good," Nina sighed.
"You were living with your Uncle before this," Irima noted, "bad cook?"
"God yes. Sergei could burn water," Nina shuddered.
"Doesn't he teach nearby?" Arika asked.
"I'm SO happy I'm no longer in school," Nina added.
"More juice?" Irima said cheerfully.
"Please!" Erstin beamed.
'Too bad none of these girls are close to their families,' Irima thought a bit sadly.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Mikoto? Isn't she the hyper shorty who's into kendo?" Natsuki asked as they got ready for school.
"Yeah. She asked me out," Mai beamed cheerfully.
Natsuki blinked, "I thought you were straight."
"Now, now," Mai chided cheerfully, "everyone's a little bit gay."
"Okay, point," Natsuki conceded.
"Did Ah hear that right," Shizuru noted, already dressed and ready to go.
"Mai has a date," Natsuki agreed.
"With a girl," Mai added.
"I want to hear more," Shizuru grinned as she grabbed her briefcase, "but later." With that she hurried off.
At a somewhat more relaxed pace Mai finished up their boxed lunches. "Are you going to be okay?" Natsuki asked.
"Huh?" Mai blinked.
"Women can be weirdos too," Natsuki pointed out.
"It'll be fine," Mai waved it off as she finished. "Here. Miss Fujino forgot hers again," she said as she passed Natsuki two boxes.
Natsuki sighed, "YOU bring it to her."
"You have a class with her nearest to lunch," Mai noted smugly.
"Yeah, yeah," Natsuki sighed. Getting back to Mai's date she asked, "Are you at least having someone along, just in case?"
"One of the kendo guys?" Mai said a bit tentatively.
Natsuki growled, "That's it, I'm following you on the date."
"Well, I appreciate the concern at least," Mai sighed.
"Come on, let's go," Natsuki slipped into her shoes at the door.
"Coming!" Mai followed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Shizuru was lightly connected to the school gossip network. It helped that all the boys would probably do anything for her... some girls too. So it wasn't hard to find out what was going on with Mai and her date...
"You realize the kendo club is trading Mai Tokhia for a new member?"
"What?" Midori blinked,
Shizuru explained the situation as she understood it. "Admittedly Mai appears to be fine with it," she added.
"Oh god this screams lawsuit," Midori groaned.
"Mai wouldn't sue," Shizuru said confidently. "She might slap Mikoto if she gets handsy, but..."
Principal Maria Graceburt looked up from her paperwork as she said, "I will admit, I don't like the precident this sets."
"I'll talk to Takeda about never doing this again," Midori noted.
"Appreciated. I'd also like a teacher to keep a eye on this date, since it's technically connected to a school club," Maria said.
There was a beat of silence, then everyone looked at Shizuru.
"Ara ara," Shizuru gave in politely, "I guess I'm shadowing them, then."
'Thank you,' Midori mouthed.
'You owe me,' Shizuru silently answered.
"All right, anything we need to bring up before class?" Maria addressed the men and women in the shared office.
Mr Wang cleared his throat, then wilted as everyone glared at him.
"All right everyone, hope you have a great day," Maria smiled saintly.
Everyone filed out to their first classes, some chattering as they went.
"Poor Mr Wang," Midori giggled.
"I am NOT putting up with another lecture on us being 'soft' on the kids," Shizuru shook her head firmly.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"This is really, really silly," Natsuki noted as they followed Mai and Mikoto.
She had met with Shizuru for lunch, as usual. Both had brought up Mai's planned date, and Shizuru mentioned Maria wanted her to keep a eye on it. As Natsuki was also planning that, they decided to go together.
"Well, yes," Shizuru willingly conceded.
They ended up at the local bootleg 'Anna Millers' where they watched Mai and Mikoto be seated. They hesitated...
"Welcome!" the waitress beamed at them.
'She's not reacting to it being a woman in a suit and a school girl. Clearly a pro-waitress,' Natsuki found herself thinking.
"Table for two," Shizuru said cheerfully, corner, maybe?" She waved to a area they could see Mai from.
"Follow me," she sat them down then set out menues. "I'll be back with water."
"Can we go dutch?" Natsuki asked a bit nervously. She was not exactly rolling in cash.
"I'll cover it," Shizuru smiled wryly.
Natsuki gave Shizuru a suspicious look, wondering what was going through her head. "Well, they look like they're having fun," she noted.
Mai was, indeed, listening to Mikoto, chatting back, and both seemed to be having a reasonably good time.
"Here are your drinks," the waitress dropped off iced tea for Shizuru, pop for Natsuki. "Are you ready to order?" she asked.
"Daily special," Natsuki decided, while Shizuru picked a salad and entree.
"Be right back," the waitress twirled off, her apron like skirt swirling.
Keeping a half eye on Mai Natsuki noted, "A salad?"
"Ah must watch my weight," Shizuru said demurely.
"You really don't need to," Natsuki said without thinking. Then blushed.
"Ara ara," Shizuru purred.
To be continued...
Notes: Yes, Nina's uncle is also the Mr Wang who's such a shit teacher he pisses Shizuru off.