A/N: YOOO! It's been forever! Gomenasai! Had to get new technology and word all over again...long loooong process financially if you know what I mean!
So to match my loooong absence...a looong update! I hope it's likeable pls R&R! Oh and as always, thoughts (and sometimes other stuff) are in italic.
Disclaimer: I don't own Mai-hime anymore..
"Shizuru, I-"
"Natsuki, are-" The two girls stood in front of each other awkwardly. The brunette just smiled and chuckled a bit.
Natsuki smirked. "After you."
"Ookini. I was only going to ask if Natsuki could join me for a dinner date of sorts." Good way to put it…right? She studied the contemplated look on the blue-haired kaichou's face briefly before speaking again. "..If you're free of course." Shizuru started to feel anxious. Maybe she doesn't want to go? "It's okay if you're busy you know, I won't decide to punish you for saying you don't want to." Shizuru smirked.
At the thought, the blunette quickly shook her head. "It's not that I don't want to. Actually, I was planning to ask you to come somewhere with me tonight." Natsuki leaned against the wall and smiled at the irony.
"Ara, where does Natsuki want to take me?" she asked making her way to the wall to lean as well.
"My dad..." Shizuru looked over at her girlfriend in shock. "..he texted me out of nowhere. It was after I got back to my dorm room, that night I walked you back to yours. He wants to reconcile…I guess." She finished with a sigh. Shizuru stepped in front of her and cupped her face.
"And how do you feel about that, is that something that you want?"
Natsuki wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist and sighed softly. "Mm." she hummed in approval. "Does that make me naïve?"
Shizuru pulled away and pecked her girlfriend's cheek. "That makes you sweet." The prez playfully rolled her eyes and laced her fingers together.
"So, looks like we both have plans huh?"
"Seems so, but if I could, I would much rather go with you." The blunette blushed at this and glanced to the side to avoid those intense eyes. Shizuru just chuckled. "In fact, I would do anything to get out of going to dinner with my family." Natsuki frowned. "I would even spend the entire night cleaning every dorm room and mopping down every floor by hand. Though there are worse things I suppose." Shizuru pondered off into her own thoughts, seemingly ignoring everything else.
"Well, don't I feel important." Natsuki grumbled pulling back her arms and crossing them over her chest.
"Hm?" Shizuru laughed and pulled the slightly deflated blunette into a slow kiss. "I'm just kidding sweetie." Natsuki grinned and shook her head, opening the door to the council room.
Shizuru stood in front of her full length mirror in her moderately sized single dorm. The dress she wore was black with light red trim on the chest area, and the very bottom where the dress ended at her knees. The brunette had straightened her hair a bit more, opting for an easier elegance. Her usual chestnut brown, slightly wavy locks were a bit darker looking in the dim light of her dorm. I look like my mother. Shizuru sighed to herself. Her mother always had perfectly straight hair. Her father was the one with the curly hair gene. Nobody could ever possibly know that, because he always keeps it short and slicked back like silk. When Shizuru was born, everyone expected her to be the complete likeness of Ayame. Reserved with perfect genes, born with grace automatically engraved into her DNA. Nothing less than perfect. Imagine their surprise when they saw the little curly haired screeching baby for the first time. Hair so curly it could almost pass for a mini afro, voice so loud it kept the neighbors up late on multiple occasions. Unacceptable. Over the years of her young life, her mother spent countless moments ironing, straightening, and struggling with Shizuru's imperfect hair gene. Eventually, and to her mother's relief, the years of training and ironing paid off a bit. The brunette's hair, while still thick and full, became relatively straight. The only indication of curls were at the tips of her hair, which apparently was 'manageable' by Ayame's standards.
Shizuru sighed and turned away from the mirror. She absentmindedly ran her fingers through her currently stringy, perfectly straight mane while heading over to her bed. The brunette grabbed her black clutch and slipped on some comfortable heels. She passed by the mirror once more on her way out and rolled her eyes. Some things never change.
She made her way outside into the rather surprisingly chilly night air, then checked her phone to make sure she was on schedule. Kami forbid she be late to a Fujino dinner. Just as she pulled it out, a honking sound blared loudly and interrupted.
"Fujino-sama? Fujino-sama! I'm here to pick you up." Shizuru looked up and saw a young man, probably only a couple of years older than herself, standing patiently in front of a black limousine.
"Excuse me?"
"G-Gomenasai." He bowed very low in respect and tipped his suede hat in a friendly manner. "Fujino-sama, I am Hanayuri Dan. I was hired by the Fujino family to drive you to your destination this evening." The man turned and opened the back door of the limo. "Please, after you miss."
Sent to get me huh? What, they couldn't be bothered to pick me up… Shizuru shrugged and smiled at the man in gratitude before slipping in with ease. Whatever. It's nothing new. The limo quickly began moving and the brunette buckled up. The streetlights flashed in through the window, drawing short patterns then disappearing as fast as they came. A brighter light flashed up from the somewhat thin fabric of her clutch, and she fished out her phone. A little blue monkey waved from the corner of her cell indicating a new text message. Shizuru tapped it and read it curiously.
Unknown: Hey.
The brunette frowned and quickly clicked to reply.
Shizuru: Who is this?
Why do I always get these random texts? And they usually turn out to be from some insurance company salesperson or something too. The teen gazed out the window for a minute until her phone lit up again.
Unknown: I'm sorry, this might be the wrong number…who is this?
Shizuru sighed and chuckled a little. Well at least it's someone nice.
Shizuru: You first. After all, you started this..
Unknown: Yeah well, I'm not in the habit of giving strangers my name.
Shizuru: But you're in the habit of texting them?
Long pause. The heating conversation subsided in a quiet intermission. The brunette found herself tapping on the seatbelt buckle in a bored manner. At long last, the monkey icon reappeared.
Unknown: ..Natsuki.
Shizuru stopped whatever crazy cadence she was making and instantly read and reread the message. Oh wow. Fufu I should have known…
Unknown: Still there?
Shizuru laughed and typed.
Shizuru: Ara ara, Natsuki shouldn't give her name out to strangers. That's dangerous you know. ;)
Unknown: …Shizuru?
The brunette smiled.
Shizuru: Expecting someone else love?
The phone lit up instantly with multiple texts.
Unknown: KAMI WOMAN!
Unknown: You could have said something sooner! I was going crazy over here!
Unknown: You gave me a heart attack. I'm glad I didn't send something embarrassing..
Shizuru laughed and grinned giddily at her phone as she typed.
Shizuru: Well, I had to be sure Natsuki was not a contract killer out to get me didn't I?
Unknown: -_-
Unknown: I bet you knew. I bet you knew it was me the entire time, you were just playing with me weren't you?
Shizuru: Now how could I have known that sweetie?
Unknown: …Not fair.
Shizuru: What is not fair?
Unknown: You know it's downright impossible to be upset with you when you keep calling me those names..
The brunette blushed and peeked out of the window for a second. The limo was starting to approach the restaurant now.
Shizuru: I know ;) How are you doing with your dinner? Are you there yet? Is your dad there?
The brunette hit send and added Natsuki's number to her contacts and changed the name. There we go..
Suki: Oh. I don't know yet, I'm in the cab now.
The teen frowned.
Shizuru: Are you going to be okay?
Suki: I don't know..
Suki: I mean what if something goes wrong, or something happens that's really, really bad.
Shizuru: Listen to me. Nothing is going to go horribly wrong. You are just nervous, which is by the way, entirely understandable. Okay? You're going to have a good time, you're going to eat, and you're going to text me about how well it went as soon as it's over. I'm rooting for you :)
Shizuru put her phone down on her lap. Was the smiley face too corny? Maybe I should have sent another winky one…Oh! It's not a big deal! I'm slipping… why am I worried about a little text? I am Shizuru Fujino, confident…I am! Well, right now not so much. What?! I am always conf- "Why am I arguing with myself?" Shizuru mumbled.
"What was that Fujino-sama?" Dan asked curiously. He noticed the young woman was going through several emotions, but tried his best to mind his own business. After the latest one however, followed by distant mumbling, he thought it best to make sure his employee's daughter was not going to have a seizure of sorts.
Dumb smiley face.
The brunette snapped out of her not-so-inner monologue and slapped on a smile. "Kannin na, nothing at all." The man nodded and looked back to the road. Return of the monkey icon. Shizuru clicked on it.
Suki: Thank you..
Shizuru smiled and started to type a response, but her phone monkey text icon started its motions again. The brunette hit the backspace to make the keyboard go away. Shizuru laughed again in an embarrassing kind of face-palm way and smiled as her cheeks warmed in a light blush.
Suki: :)
(Natsuki P.O.V)
The cab jerked to a halt, and Natsuki quickly put her phone away and paid the fare. Passing calmly by the valet, she made her way through the door, letting a tall man with short green hair wave her over to the hostess-patron's podium. The entire restaurant was lavishly decorated. The business obviously spared no expense, dedicating fully to the comfortable reserved-style of interior design. The inside was painted in an array of dark maroons and blacks which defined its elegant persona. Is this a meeting with someone rich, or is he just trying to show off? The blunette shrugged as she and the patron approached the awaited booth. Hiroshi looked up in no time wearing a kind smile. The woman sitting next to him scowled and continued scratching through her drink menu.
"NatBear! I'm so happy you decided to come." The dark haired man pulled his daughter into a vice grip bear hug. "I tried to get ahold of you earlier, but I must've called at the wrong time?" He asked as she released her. Natsuki looked down meeting Hiroshi's own green eyes harshly.
"I wasn't sure if I would come tonight." She folded her arms and sat down in the booth. The waitress came by quickly and dropped off a new menu before darting away to help another group. Hiroshi calmly sat and placed one hand on the top of the table.
"Well still, I'm glad you did." Natsuki's lips twitched into a small smile and she nodded towards him. "Izumi is happy as well."
The angry woman's head shot up as she glared at the blunette across from her. "After what she did to my daughter?!"
What!? Natsuki glared back fiercely. "After what I did? What about what she did! She's the one that started this whole-"
"Oh I find that hard to believe." She scoffed.
"Of course you do. Your perfect little daughter isn't as perfect as you think she is. But you probably had something to do with that huh?"
Hiroshi sighed. "Ladies please."
"Please what!" Natsuki turned around and spat roughly. "Why should I have to be the one to calm down after everything they did to me?"
Izumi rolled her eyes. "What did she do? Nothing! Nothing but attempt to help you into the student council and the honor roll, risking her own reputation in the process." The woman slammed her menu down.
"Izumi." Hiroshi warned.
"Is that what she told you?"
"Natsuki." Hiroshi spoke sternly.
The blunette broke her glare away from the woman, and directed it at her father instead. "And what did she tell you? That she was just some caring older sister trying to look out for poor little underachieved Natsuki?" Hiroshi sighed and stared sadly at his daughter who was lost in deep anger and pain.
"What happened?"
Natsuki stared blankly at him. Does he really not know? How could they have kept this so far under wraps this whole time?
"And what does she get for her kindness? Suspended from the entire school. What a disgrace."
Anger from the blunette boiled up to the ceiling. How dare she try to put this off on me, when it was the monster she raised that caused everything. "Suspended?! She was expelled! She should still be expelled!" Natsuki took a deep breath and stood up from the table. Hiroshi stood and grabbed her arm as she tried to walk away. Natsuki kept her gaze at the woman still seated in the booth. Eyes burned into intensity. "You and I both know who the problem is here…and it's you who has to live with that guilt. Not me."
"Natsuki." The dark haired man calmly broke through the argument and faced his daughter with concern. "I am aware of the need for this conversation. But tonight, I was hoping we could all put this aside and have a nice dinner. I don't really know all of the details, and honestly I can't really believe much of anything I have come to understand. Whatever happened though, I know it somehow pushed us apart with it." He stopped and frowned. "Tell me. Please."
Natsuki looked into her father's honest, pleading eyes and shook her head. She then glanced over at Izumi and then at the table. She frowned as well. It won't make it go away. It'll only make things… She looked back up at Hiroshi, and pulled her arm away. Natsuki turned and walked away towards the bathrooms silently. Hiroshi sighed and took a seat next to his wife, making a loud plop sound against the maroon cushion.
(Shizuru P.O.V)
"Shizuru, it's about time you showed up." Ayame says as she pulls the brunette to the tranquil waiting area of the restaurant. Shizuru almost rolled her eyes in annoyance before she stopped herself, knowing that if she were spotted, her mother would berate her all night. Can we just get this night over with…
"Okaasan, where is otou-san? Running late as well?" She asked impatiently. Ayame sighed and glanced at her daughter.
"Your father got caught in the traffic right off of the highway. There was a collision with a truck and a small sedan by the exit, if I am not mistaken." Shizuru nodded in understanding. "He should be here soon." She finished.
The brunette looked around apprehensively before asking lowly. "…And Tomoe?"
"Just arrived." A voice came from behind the brunette. The teal haired girl in question closed the distance between herself and Shizuru's mother.
"Marguerite-san, what kept you?" Ayame asked as she broke their polite embrace.
Tomoe smiled in apology making Shizuru nearly gag. "Gomenasai. I did the best I could do to arrive on time, early even, but due to the accident on the highway, my driver decided to take the side streets." Tomoe bowed at the woman. Ayame ate that right up and smiled. "I am very sorry. If you do not wish for my company any longer I will gladly-"
"Nonsense! We would love to have you stay. Personally, I find you to be a perfect influence on Shizuru and I'm glad you could make it." She looked towards her daughter expectantly. "Right dear?"
Having not been really paying attention to much of what was being said, the brunette was slightly blindsided. What? With her mother still apparently awaiting a response, Shizuru shifted towards the two and gave a polite nod. As soon as she had, Tomoe's grin widened discreetly, making Shizuru regret whatever she had unknowingly agreed to. Great.
Before anything else could be said however, the door by the waiting area had opened revealing a tall older man with dark brown groomed hair and charcoal gray and black business suit. The man turned to the three women in the waiting area. His red eyes firm and bold.
"Dear, you've arrived." Ayame rose from her seat gracefully and walked over to her husband. He enveloped her in a short hug that seemed almost too practiced to be real.
"Kannin na, traffic was very heavy exiting the highway. Have our guests arrived?" He asked releasing her as she straightened his black tie. Shizuru looked over at them slowly, not really caring to make herself known at all. I just want to go. The brunette looked over at the girl sitting next to her. Especially with her here. I wonder how my Natsuki is doing with her dinner… Shizuru smiled remembering their text conversation earlier. I hope she loosened up a little. Shizuru did not notice her father shaking Tomoe's hand nor heard any of the words he said before turning to her. "I wonder, what has my daughter so happy this evening that has distracted her from greeting her own father." Katashi spoke in a composed tone. Shizuru's smile dropped and was replaced with a small sneer that took everyone by surprise.
"Now why would I want greet a man who claims to be my father, when the only time he shows up is to tell me that I'm embarrassing him?" The poison that seeped from her words shocked Tomoe who was, at this point, gawking at the brunette like dead fish. Her parents remained stoic as if coming to expect this behavior which threw Tomoe once again having never seen this side of Shizuru.
After a few tense moments of glaring, Katashi scoffed turning his back to his daughter in anger. "I see you haven't changed at all, my disrespectful child."
Shizuru smirked to herself at her mother's glare. What do you think? "Mm, disappointed?"
"Silence Shizuru. We have no time for this. Our guests have been patient long enough, and a Fujino should always arrive on time." Ayame scolded dragging them along behind her a few steps deeper inside the establishment.
Shizuru chuckled to herself. A Fujino huh? Everything circles around reputation as usual. Glancing at her phone's clock, she concluded they were way past fashionably late. The patron guided the group to the far side of the restaurant which had the booths and more spaced out fixtures allowing the utmost privacy and comfort. The patron stopped and raised his arm politely, palm facing out at an occupied booth to the right. Katashi smiled and walked to the booth while Ayame stopped and fixed Shizuru with a warning glare.
"Behave yourself tonight." Shizuru slowly brought her eyes to her mother's. "I do not want a repeat of earlier, am I understood?"
The brunette adjusted her dress and flicked a few chestnut strands from her bare shoulder. "Hai Okaasan." She smiled as falsely polite as possible clearly allowing her mother to see how unwilling she was. Ayame turned and walked to the booth.
Shizuru started walking the short distance and the teal haired teen leaned in close to the brunette. "They keep you on quite a short leash…" Tomoe whispered. "I can see why you became such a rebellious little tease."
Shizuru pulled away and laughed darkly. "You know nothing."
Shizuru bowed and introduced herself to the couple in the large booth. Tomoe paused before reaching the table and smirked. She then shook her head and stealthily excused herself to the bathroom.
"Hello, I am Shizuru, it is a pleasure to meet you-"
The man smiled. "Hiroshi. My name is Hiroshi but please, don't be so formal. It makes me nervous!" Shizuru laughed. "Call me Oji, or Ojisan. It's nice to finally meet my good friend's daughter in person!" Hiroshi caught the teen by surprise when he suddenly stood and enveloped her in a warm hug.
"A-Ara of course, O-Oji-san." He sat back down to a glare from the woman next to him, who Shizuru presumed to be his wife.
"Hiroshi darling, what have I been telling you about your over-exuberant introductions? This is precisely why we don't have any adult married friends." She turned to Shizuru and smiled. "I apologize for my husband's childish actions wakai Fujino-sama, you may call me Izumi."
"Oh, it was no problem. Please don't worry Izumi-san, Shizuru is quite accustomed to childish behaviors, as she practices most of them on us." Ayame joked, and the table laughed. Shizuru plastered on closed eye smile and stayed quiet. They began making mild small talk as everyone looked at their appetizer menus. The brunette looked over at the woman with pitch black hair tied in a high bun. Izumi was a very striking woman for her age, though she did look like she had much practice with the maintenance of her beauty according to the amount of makeup on her face. She looked like she could apply it professionally, she put on so much to make it look like she put on much less. It's a talent really. She has hazel colored eyes, which matches the blouse she has on. Hiroshi laughed cheerfully, making Shizuru wonder what her father could have possibly said that was so funny. She definitely couldn't remember him ever making her laugh so much. She turned. Hiroshi had pleasing features as well, very actually. He had dark hair which was also thoroughly groomed, his suit; very expensive Armani, and his personality; refreshingly light and playful. Shizuru paused in her inspecting. There was something familiar about this man. His eyes were a vivid green, almost that of a gemstone.
Katashi voice boomed with dry humor, cutting through Shizuru's musings.
"Ara, shame about that. Though I can't say I'm surprised, Hiro has been like this since we were back in University as I recall."
The man in question just shrugged and smiled good naturedly. "So, how have you been Katashi? I hear Shizuru here is enrolled at the same academy as my own."
Own? What, child? Maybe that's why he looks familiar. Maybe I know his kid?
Katashi nodded.
"Shizuru actually came back from out of town to finish her studies here. Fuuka academy is quite formidable because of its priorities." Ayame added.
"Oh, it is fantastic!" Izumi agreed. "The only problem would be some of the staff. They are rather presumptuous."
"Oh, really?" A nod.
"Hiroshi, what year is your daughter? Is she a 3rd, or does she have another year or so? I don't remember asking." Katashi asked. The waitress brought over some water to start, but Hiroshi insisted he and Izumi, much to her disdain, wait until everyone returns to order. The Fujino's agreed and they settled back into polite conversation.
"Ah, yes. She is into her final year at the academy." Katashi nodded and was about to respond, but Hiroshi continued. "Both of my daughters actually." He looked over to Izumi and smiled. Surprisingly enough, she returned the gesture and went back to chatting with Ayame.
Shizuru, who had just recently tuned back into the conversation of her father and Hiroshi, furrowed her brows in concentration. So I do know his daughter? Or both? I knew he looked familiar! Now I just have to remember who…
"Hm, both?" Shizuru's father questioned. "I never knew you had another daughter Hiro."
He smiled and scratched his head. "Well, technically she is my step-daughter through marriage, but I consider her to be my own as well."
Chie-san maybe? They do seem to have that same wit…
"I see. Well, we must have dinner again so I can meet her. Plus, it's been years since I've seen your real daughter. I remember you showed some baby pictures of her back in our final days of grad school."
Real daughter dad…really? Offensive.
Hiroshi, however, seemed to not mind the title. He knew his friend was old-minded and fast tongued in those ways, so he simply smiled and let it slide.
"You are right it has been quite a long time since you've seen her!"
Shizuru suddenly started to feel a little antsy. No…not Chie.
"T-chan is about the same height now, she used to be taller!" Hiroshi said, clearly excited about the conversation. He sighed dramatically. "I can no longer call her my little bear, she looks just like her mother did at that age." Izumi gave him a side eye, but he didn't notice.
"Sounds like you've missed her a lot." Ayame commented as she sipped her water.
Hiroshi chuckled. "Gomen, I tend to get excited about my daughters, and it has been quite a while since I've seen Nat-bear." As if remembering something out of nowhere, the dark haired man snapped his fingers and smiled brightly. "And if you would like to meet her, she is here tonight."
The Fujino's all stopped and looked towards the proud man.
Wow. How…convenient? I wonder why he didn't mention it before, as excited as he was. He must really love his daughter. Shizuru quietly shuffled through her menu again. Kami! If she's my age mother will try to push me off on her! This is just Tomoe all over again..by the way where is she? Good influence my a-
"Then we would love to meet her. Where is she?" Katashi asked. "We actually have a guest as well tonight. Her name is..." He looked to his wife to finish.
Everyone, Shizuru included, looked to Ayame.
"Dear you are so forgetful these days, I wonder if it comes with age?" She jabbed playfully. The couple across the table laughed. Hiroshi shook his head at his old friend. Shizuru was mildly shocked at her mother's sudden appearance of humor. The brunette smirked to herself knowing that her father was acting unfazed, but inside he was equally as surprised. The green eyed man grinned.
"While I have always been overly-exuberant, Katashi has always been a sort of dimwit-"
Shizuru choked on her swallow of water and struggled to keep her laughter in check, while Katashi openly glared at his friend. Hiroshi laughed and corrected himself.
"- absent minded.." An apologetic nod. One that went barely acknowledged by Shizuru's father. "Some things never change."
Ayame smiled despite herself and the whole table joined in. All besides Shizuru's subtly seething father.
"At the risk of throwing away the chance of a lifetime, I'll leave my teasing and answer your earlier question. Before you all arrived, she decided to go freshen up. She should be back anytime."
"If she didn't run off.." Izumi sneered. Hiroshi turned towards his wife.
Quickly reading the incoming atmosphere Ayame diffused the tension building between the other couple. "Our guest did as well, maybe they will arrive together?" Obviously the woman is less fond of Hiroshi's daughter than he is.
The green eyed man smiled again. "Maybe."
Shizuru's curiosity was building intensely. Deciding to speak up before she bursted or just ran out of patience. "Hiroshi-Oji, you said your daughters go to the same school as me, would I happen to know one of them?"
He turned to Shizuru with a happy surprised face. Ara, he sure loves this topic…it's kind of nice to see a father so loving.
"Actually, you might! T-chan is kind of new again to the academy so you might not know of her yet. I've heard little bear is on a student board or council of sorts."
Shizuru perked up, and her heart began to beat faster in anticipation. So I do know her! Wait…wait a minute. He is familiar. His hair is a dark, dark shade of blue. I don't know many other people with that shade. His eyes are warm and inviting, and the color is…green. No, lime. No…it's just like..it's.. The brunette's eyes widened as she realized instantly.
"Her name is-"
..emerald.
Suddenly he stopped and looked behind Shizuru. Smiling, the dark haired man stood and walked over to whomever caught his attention. Collectively, the occupants of the booth turned to said person, and Shizuru's mask dropped.
(Natsuki P.O.V before)
The water that has stopped running, now retreats down the drain dutifully. Natsuki reaches for a paper towel to dry her face, when a hand intercepts and holds it out for her. The blunette looks up in surprise before calming down. Never been to a place that has waitresses in the bathroom handing you towels and mints. I must be in some high-class restaurant. Not that it looks any less. She accepts the towel and dries her face.
"Thank you." Natsuki nods to the woman standing by the mirror, who smiles and shakes her head.
"No problem!"
The blunette walks around the corner to the door and stops. Should I even go back? I knew this would happen! I knew it! I don't even know why I bothered to show up. Natsuki looked down at herself. Wore a dress and everything, geez I went all out. The dress was green and stopped just below the knee. She opted to wear her leather jacket. The top of the dress where the straps lay are covered by the dark leather material, and her light blue studs shined through her long combed dark blue hair. Maybe I should have drove my bike here…not in this… She raised her hand to the door reluctantly. I'll just go back. I'll eat and try again, I came all the way here. She sighed and pulled her hair back to regain some bearings. Well..it's just one night, I'll deal with the bat a little longer, could be worse. Natsuki thought about Tomoe. Could be a lot worse…
Natsuki pushed the swinging door open and walked through. A girl in some black dress walked to the bathroom door quickly, and out of habit, the blunette held the door open for her. The girl just went through and passed by.
"Well, you're welcome then."
Natsuki walked back towards the booth leisurely, not really worried about getting back too fast. By the time she has the booth in eyesight, there was other people in the booth. Have I been booted? She joked dryly. Must've really been in there for a while, the people are here now. She continued walking and slowly approached the booth again, her appearance must've interrupted some conversation because Hiroshi stopped mid-sentence and stood up to greet her. Kami, so much for a low profile. He is way too excited, must've thought I left. Natsuki shrugged and met her father's eyes briefly. Well time to play nice with the guests.
"Nat-Bear you're back!" He moved in for a hug but she was too fast for him. Natsuki eyed him warily. Not this time! He chuckled and scratched his head. "Ah, gomen gomen Nat-Bear."
She rolled her eyes at the nickname, but secretly she didn't mind. Hiroshi moved out of the way and gestured his arm to the booth to introduce the guests. As soon as Natsuki stepped forward and turned her head, emeralds met crimson.
Disbelief.
The blunette jumped back a bit in surprise and blinked rapidly. Her ears drowned out her father's introductions with the beating of her heart. "Sh-Shizuru...?"
The brunette, being her naturally teasing self, smiled as sweetly as ever and patted the seat next to her.
"Erm, have you guys met before?" Hiroshi asked noticing his daughter's instant change in mood.
Natsuki blushed much to her father's surprise. "Y-yeah." She sat down next to her very happy girlfriend. Then she stood, bowed, and apologized for her rudeness towards the guests. I never thought this would be how I met her parents! Holy crap this is just surreal! We both end up at the same restaurant on the same night meeting the same people! She looked at Shizuru who was probably explaining how they knew each other from school. Natsuki just stayed quiet and watched as her father listened, then glanced at the brunette. Oh. My. God. Shizuru looked stunning! She looked like a supermodel all dressed up and in heels. Natsuki also noticed her hair was a bit darker and straighter. The blunette was also pleasantly surprised to see that Shizuru approved of what she looked like as well, judging by the look on her face when she glanced down at Natsuki's green dress.
"That's wonderful. You must be so proud of her Hiroshi. If only my daughter was as driven as yours." Katashi beamed.
"I am! But I must say, Shi-chan here is the most respectful, good natured young woman I have ever met besides my own of course. You should be proud as well." Hiroshi smiled at his friend.
Katashi seemed to stiffen at the compliment Respectful didn't register for him. No compliments about Shizuru ever did. Doubtful man. They kept up their conversation nonetheless, and Natsuki leaned over to speak to the brunette next to her.
"Are you really here right now?" Natsuki whispered.
Shizuru smiled at this and turned to look Natsuki in the eyes. She pouted. "Does Natsuki not want me to be?"
The blunette chuckled. "Cut it out, you know I'm happy to see you."
She raised her brow. "Ara, are you?"
"Always am."
(Shizuru P.O.V)
Shizuru's pout dropped and a slight blush rose to her cheeks. There goes my composure again. The brunette looked around to make sure Hiroshi was engrossed in conversation and leaned in to peck Natsuki's cheek.
"Shizuru, your parents are like two inches away!" Natsuki whispered.
Shizuru leaned to the blunette's ear. "I don't care if they see." She honestly didn't, but she did care about what Hiroshi-Oji would do, so she made sure he didn't notice. Natsuki rolled her eyes and reached under the table to grab her girlfriend's hand. Their fingers interlaced and Shizuru pulled her head back to give the blunette a short wink before replacing her mask. Nobody saw.
Or so they thought.
Ayame put down her drink and looked away from her daughter in disgust. She could never grasp her daughter's unbecoming inappropriate actions. She never stopped her from playing around when she was away, but she'd be darned if she'd let it happen here too.
Or anymore at all for that matter.
Ayame made short eye contact with the blunette, which put shivers down Natsuki's spine. Shizuru caught that and looked over to her mother, but she was deep in conversation with Izumi, who seemed to be doing her best to ignore her Natsuki. Mother problems.
"Well well well, hello again little sister. I didn't know you would be here." A voice suddenly said beside the booth. Who else could it be besides Tomoe.
"Tomoe," Shizuru frowned. I almost forgot she was here. "Finally back from hell I see."
The teal haired girl just blew a kiss at the brunette and popped down next to Natsuki. She smiled innocently and spoke up. "Father!" Natsuki cringed. "I didn't expect to see you here either!"
Natsuki turned and whispered harshly to Shizuru. "Why is she here?"
Shizuru shrugged and pointed to her mother. "My mother invited her to keep me in line tonight." Natsuki wrenched her hand away, and the brunette looked at her alarmed. "I meant to say something, but I figured it would just upset you."
Natsuki scowled. "Well it does."
"T-chan! So you were the guest! What a coincidence." Hiroshi said happily smiling at his other daughter. "But I thought your mother and I told you we were meeting up with the Fujinos tonight?"
Ayame looked over to Tomoe, confused.
"You might have…I'm sorry father, I must have forgot! Fujino-sama, I hope that is okay?" Tomoe put on a remorseful look that made the two other teens frown.
Ayame smiled and waved her hand. "Nonsense, I am glad you are related to such wonderful human beings." She said charmingly causing Izumi to grin widely at her daughter and the Fujinos.
She knew? She knew that we were all going to be here, and when I went to my dorm, she had already known and got manipulated herself an invitation! Shizuru glared at the calm gray eyed girl beside Natsuki. What is she planning?
The adults began trading compliments and talking again, finally looking over their menu's getting ready to order. Natsuki put her menu up high like a divider and whispered to the brunette. "Did you know about this?!"
Shizuru looked mildly offended. "I knew she was coming with us because my mother pushed it on me last minute, but I didn't know that we were meeting your father tonight let alone you too!" She shout/whispered back. "How could I have known that? I'm just as surprised to see you as you are to see me."
Natsuki grumbled. "Still."
"Still what?"
"Something smells fishy. I don't like this at all."
And she thinks I do?
"How rude. Whispering at the table." Tomoe leaned in and spoke in a low voice, her own menu up and shielding as well. "Never learned any manner while I was gone, did you Nat bear?"
Natsuki growled. "Don't call me that!" She spoke a bit too loudly and it caused Hiroshi and Katashi to pause their conversation and look over. Tomoe quickly smiled and threw her arm around Natsuki.
The blunette tried to yank away, but Shizuru was right next to her so close that she wouldn't be able to without bumping her in the process.
Hiroshi smiled. He was so happy to see his daughters together again, happy. He looked back at Katashi and started talking again.
Natsuki ripped her arm away as soon as he did. Tomoe rolled her eyes.
"You didn't seem to mind me touching you a few days ago…" She whispered.
Shizuru whipped her head around. "What is she talking about Natsuki?"
Natsuki looked at the brunette. "The day this freak came back she found me and tried to touch me, but I threw her out before she could get far."
"Far, what's far?"
Tomoe laughed and clicked her tongue. "Now now, are we jealous Fujino-sama?" The teal haired girl leaned past Natsuki and closer to Shizuru. "Because I could show you better than she can tell you." She winked before she was shoved away by the blunette.
"Back off of her before I-"
"Before you what? Tell me what you'll do to me Nat-chan…will you lick my neck like you used to love doing?" Shizuru flinched. "Or will you grip my back again as I show you what you haven't had in a whi-"
"You better shut your twisted mouth, before I twist it off!"
The three went quiet again. "Better be quiet Nat-chan, you wouldn't want dad to hear you being so mean to your older sister." She smirked. "It would break his little heart."
Natsuki hissed dangerously and was about to choke the other girl, before she felt Shizuru's hand on her shoulder holding her back. Roughly too. She looked at her girlfriend whose red eyes seemed to glow.
The tension at the table was higher than the heavens at this moment…
"Hi, I am Konoha-Tami, and I will be your server tonight!" A preppy voice interrupted the entire table. May I please take your orders?"
…and the night had just begun.
A/N: Peace! Till next time I mean..hehe