4 days of no internet connection resulted another story.

This takes place after the carnival and it's after 10 years.

It's un-beta so if there's mistakes in my grammar and spellings just say it to me.

It's been ten years since the carnival. Everybody moved on including her. She is now a child psychologist, living in a two story house with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths in the suburbs of Tokyo and a beautiful partner that loves her dearly.

Her friends at Fuuka tried to contact with one another but lost in touch these last few years because of their busy lives. After the carnival, they tried to rekindle their friendship so they took a one week vacation to all the people that pretty much involved in the carnival. It's a painful process most especially from Nao, Haruka and Yukino. But after their vacation they pretty much got civil with each other and tried to be friends.

After her graduation she moves to Tokyo to at Tokyo University despite being accepted at Kyoto University and topping the entrance examination at Fuuka University. She saw the opportunity to study at Tokyo and grab it immediately to start a new life. And the new life that she wishes in Tokyo had been fulfilled. Now she is one of the top child psychologists at Tokyo.

"Honey, I'm home" the newcomer of the house said.

"I'm in the kitchen" she is drinking tea after her long day at her office assessing a child with ADHD.

"How's your day?" while kissing the top of her head and going to the refrigerator getting a bottle of water.

"Good but one kid wore me out. He is just so hyper." Coming to her partner at the fridge and giving her a soft kiss at the lips. "How about you?"

"I'm actually great. I'm nearly finished of my design of the restaurant."

"Good for you. I hope I have a wonderful day as you."

"I can make your day wonderful." Her partner said while kissing her neck but then the phone rings.

"Damn. I'm getting on the good part. I'll get it." Her partner said walking out of the kitchen.

"Ok. I'll just take a shower. Feel free to join me." Shizuru teased her partner.

After 30 minutes they are now cuddled talking their respective day while watching TV.

"So the owner of the restaurant will come tomorrow at my office and look at my design."

"Do you know who the owner is?"

"My boss just said that she's from Fuuka but I never got a chance to ask for the name. He said that the atmosphere should be lively and a karaoke stage should be place"

"Ara, it could be Mai-san. Do you remember her? I think I introduced her to you a couple of years ago when we went to Fuuka to visit."

"Is she the orange head that owned a ramen house in Fuuka? Yeah, I remember her most especially her rack."

"Hey, does my boobs not enough for you?' She playfully hit her partner.

"You know that you have the nicest rack that I ever see and of course it's nicer while I hold it and…."

"I'll cook dinner now before it gets more heated. You can hold it later at bed."

"Come on Shizuru, I'm getting worked up here. We can just order take out."

"You know that I hate take out food. We'll finish it later, Kana-chan." Walking out at the living room and going to the kitchen and starts cooking their dinner.

She and Mizuno Kana had been together for almost 4 years now. They met at a function for the alumni of Tokyo University. Kana saw Shziuru drinking wine at the corner of hotel where the function is being held. She approach Shizuru and offer her another glass of wine in which Shizuru gladly accepted. Kana introduced herself to Shizuru and she did the same. They talk about their lives and gave each other's phone numbers and agreed that they'll continue to talk at lunch in another day. The next day, Kana called her and invited her for lunch. Shizuru learned that Kana is an interior designer specializing at designing restaurants. At that time Shizuru is working at a school working as a guidance counselor while taking up her master's degree in psychology at Tokyo University. After that day, they take lunch everyday until one day Kana asked Shizuru for a date. At first Shizuru was hesitant to accept Kana's invitation because she Natsuki is still in her heart and still hopes that Natsuki will return her feelings. But she is losing hope so she decided to accept Kana's date. After a few dates, Kana asked her to be official and Shizuru accepted. And after two years of being together they decided to move in together in a two storey house and Shizuru has never been happy.

Kana is very beautiful with a black hair and light brown eyes. She is taller than Shizuru and she loves her very much. But she knew that Shizuru does not love her as much as she did but at least she knew that Shizuru cares for her deeply. If not they will last that long and lives together. Kana knew about Natsuki but has never met her. She met Shizuru's other friends from Fuuka when they visited them a couple years ago. She learned that Natsuki is traveling around the world and has not been in Japan for a while. So she had no chance of meeting her.

"Shizuru, do you want to take lunch with me tomorrow?" Kana asked while eating her dinner.

"I thought you'll have a meeting with the owner of the restaurant tomorrow?"

"Yeah. But I think it's good for you to be there tomorrow. You know to reacquaint with your friends."

"I think it will be good to just invite here at our house and have dinner with us." Shizuru suggested to Kana.

"That will be a nice idea. I'll invite her to dinner tomorrow."

"Okay. I'll make dinner tomorrow."

After eating their dinner, Shizuru went to her file of paper to be ready for her patients for the next day. She had her own office after achieving her PhD at Tokyo University. Kana in the meantime is taking double check of her designs that she will present to Mai tomorrow at her meeting. She is very confident that she will approve of her design.

"Fujino-san, you have a phone call at line 1. It's Mizuno-san." Shizuru's secretary told her the next day.

"Ookini, Tomiko-san." Shzuru told her secretary and picking up her phone. "Hello Kana-chan, how are you?" she told on the other line.

"I'm good. I told Mai about dinner and she agreed immediately. She told me that she'll bring Mikoto-chan and her husband Yuichii-san. Is that okay?"

"Of course. I'm actually very glad that she'll bring them along. I'll takeoff early so that I can start preparing dinner early."

"Okay. I'll see you at dinner. I love you."

"Love you too. See you tonight."

Shizuru goes to supermarket first to buy her needs for the dinner later that night. She decided that she'll cook something western and pasta will be great. She'll double her cooking because she knows that Mikoto has a bottomless stomach. She mentally laughs at this thought. Some things have never changed from her friends. Mai is still cheerful as ever and Haruka is still considers as her number 1 rival. And Natsuki, she doesn't know what is happening with her now. They lost contact with each other after Natsuki graduated from college and decided to travel. The last time she knew where Natsuki is she's in the U.S visiting her father and that was 2 years ago.

"Shizuru, I'm home" Kana called from the front door.

"Welcome home." Greeting Kana at the front door and kissing her softly at the lips.

"What will you cook for dinner?" Kana asked.

"Pasta. I know it's your favorite and Mai is your one most important client and I decided to cook pasta. Is that ok?" Sitting at Kana's lap and kissing her at the lips.

"That's great. For once you'll cook western food."

"I'll continue cooking now and take your shower before they come."

"You don't wanna take your shower with me? I think it will be great if we take shower together." Kana teased while kissing and putting her hands under Shizuru's shirt.

"Mmm, I don't think so. I'll not finish cooking if we take shower together and I think they will come here in 2 hours. Take your shower now and if you behave we'll see what happens tonight." Pulling Kana out of the sofa and pushing her towards their bedroom.

"Okay, okay. I'll take my shower now. But tonight you're all mine."

"Just take your shower now before I change my mind." With one last kiss, Kana headed for the bathroom and take her shower.

A couple of hours later, Shziuru have finished cooking the food and Kana has already taken her shower. And then they heard that someone knocking on their door.

"I think that's them. I'll answer the door." Kana said and then walked at the front door.

"Welcome." Kana greeted the newcomers.

"Thank you for inviting us Mizuno-san. It's really a great a pleasure for inviting us." Mai said and then bowed at Kana.

"You're welcome, Mai-san. I think you should just call me Kana since you're one of the good friends of Shizuru. How are you Mikoto-chan, Tate-san" She let them in at the house.

"I'm good." Both Yuichii and Mikoto said at the same time.

"Kana-san, where's Shizuru-san?" Mai asked while sitting at the sofa.

"She is preparing our dinner. I'll just call her. Do you want any drinks?"

"I'll have water." Mai said.

"Coffee will be good." Tate said.

"I'll just have juice" Mikoto said.

"Okay, make yourselves at home."

"Shizuru, they're already here."

"I'll be there." And then she walked out of the kitchen and greeted the newcomers. "Ara, Mai-san you're big."

"Hello to you too, Shizuru-san." Mai greeted Shizuru while blushing. "I'm 6 months pregnant Shizuru-san and you have to blame Yuichii here or making me pregnant again." Mai said glaring at Yuichii.

"Mai is not that I 'm the only who make that." Yuichii said blushing.

"Ara Yuichii-san, I think you should wear chastity belt now so that you could not get Mai pregnant again." Yuichii only blushed. "Hello Mikoto-chan, how are you?" Shizuru greeted Mikoto.

"Hi Shizuru, I'm good. How about you?" Mikoto said.

"I'm also good Mikoto-chan."

"So what did I miss?" Kana said entering the living room and giving the drinks to the visitors.

"I'm just complimenting Mai-san here. She is 6 months pregnant"

"Congratulations Mai-san, Yuichii-san." Kana said.

"Thank you Kana-san. I hope when the baby come out, Mia will not be jealous."

Mai said.

"If you explain it to her that she'll be having a sibling and she is not going to be an only child anymore, she'll understand it. Just tell her that she'll be a big sister now and she'll going to have a playmate now." Shizuru advise the couple.

"That's the psychologist in Shizuru will advise to you. But since you're a friend it's free." Kana said.

"Ara who said it's free." Everybody laugh at this. "Where is Mia staying now?"

"She's staying with Takumi and Akira. She wants to come with because she doesn't want to be away with her Aunt Mikoto. But she had school so we did not let her come with us."

"It's great to have children at the house." Kana said. "I hope one day I can have my own children."

"You want to have children?" Shizuru asked Kana.

"Yes. I want to have children with you. We have stable jobs and our own house. I think it's safe to say to have children now." Kana said.

"Oh." That's all Shizuru can say.

Everybody fell silent until they heard a grumble of a stomach.

"Mai, I'm hungry." Everybody laugh at Mikoto.

"I think it's time to have dinner." Shizuru said not looking at the direction of Kana.

Shizuru and the others fell to comfortable conversations with each other while eating dinner. After eating their dinner they move again to the living room drinking tea while Mikoto eating her cake.

"The food's delicious, Shizuru-san. I think I should hire you as one of my chefs." Mai joke at Shizuru.

"Ara, it's a great compliment from a chef like you. Ookini, Mai-san but I love my job very much that I can't squeeze my schedule to be your chef."

"You can be a good chef, right Mikoto?" Mai asked Mikoto still eating her cake.

"Hmm." Mikoto answered Mai. "Shizuru can rival Mai's cooking but Mai's still the best."

"Thank you Mikoto but you're right Mai's still the best." Shizuru counter Mikoto. "It's good that you decided to open a restaurant here at Tokyo. It's a big risk." Shizuru said.

"I know that it's a big risk to open a restaurant here in Tokyo. But I think I'll just take that risk." Mai said.

"Good luck to your restaurant. I hope it will be a success as your restaurant at Fuuka." Shizuru said.

"I hope so too, Shizuru-san."

"But I think your biggest attraction in your restaurant is your karaoke stage."

"You're right Shizuru-san. My customers really like my karaoke stage."

"Yeah. If you let them sing Mai, they really like restaurant." Yuichii tells her wife. "She actually doesn't let them sing because Mai is always at the stage singing.

"Yuichii, if you don't want Mikoto to sleep with at our bed, you should keep all that to yourself. Is that alright, Yuichii?" Mai threaten Yuichii.

"You'll let me sleep at your hotel bed, Mai? You're not sleeping with Tate?" Mikoto asked.

"That's right Mikoto. You'll sleep with me at my bed tonight. Tate will sleep at the sofa."

"Pregnant women and their hormones." Yuichii sighs.

"Tate Yuichii!" Mai scolded Yuichii. "If you don't keep quiet I'll let you sleep outside our room."

"Okay, okay. I'll keep my mouth shut." Yuichii said.

Shizuru and Kana laughed at the bantering couple,

"I'll start working your restaurant next month after I re-check my final designs. Thank you for choosing me Mai-san." Kana said.

"I heard you're one of the best interior designers in Tokyo. Who will I choose? You." Mai complimented Kana.

"Thank you, Mai-san. It's a pleasure designing your restaurant."

"Actually it's not only about the restaurant that we come here at Tokyo." Mai said.

"What else did you come here at Tokyo?" Shizuru asked.

Mai is thinking twice if she will tell Shizuru. But since they are friends, there is nothing wrong of telling her.

"Actually we're here because I'm meeting with Natsuki." Mai said looking at the expression of Shizuru.

"Oh!? Is she staying here for good?" Shizuru asked not knowing what she felt about Natsuki in Tokyo.

"I don't know. But I think her having thoughts of staying here at Tokyo for good."

"Tokyo? Not in Fuuka?" Shizuru asked once again.

"Yes. She is staying here at Tokyo for good not in Fuuka if she decided to stay."

"Oh." That's all Shizuru can say with all this new information about Natsuki.

Kana in the mean time is just listening between friends. She knows that Natsuki is Very close to Shizuru's heart. And she also knows that deep inside Shizuru, she still loves Natsuki very much. But she is with Kana now and thay've been strong for 4 years so she did not have to worry about Natsuki. She knows that Shizuru loves her and will not break her heart.

"I think it's time for us to go." Mai said. "It's getting late. I hope we'll have a get together with all of our friends someday. Thank you for the dinner again, Shziuru-san, Kana-san."

"It's our pleasure, Mai-san. If we don't have busy schedule I think we'll visit you someday at Fuuka." Shizuru said.

"I'll expect that. Thank you again."

"Goodbye Shizuru, Kana." Mikoto saying goodbye at the couple.

"Bye Mikoto." Kana said

'Thank you for the dinner. It's really delicious." Yuichii said.

"Thank you, Yuichii-san."

"If you change your mind about being a chef at my restaurant, just give a call." Mai joked at Shizuru.

"Ara, I'll make sure at that." Shizuru said at the retreating group. "Ookini for inviting them, Kana." Shizuru turning to Kana and then kissing her softly at lips.

"I'm really glad, Shizuru. I really like your friends." Kana said putting her hands at Shizuru's hips. "How about we go to bed and make way to you?"

"Yeah, I'm kinda beat. I really want to take a rest a now." Shizuru teased.

"But you said you're all mine this evening."

"I'm just teasing you. Get ready for bed I'll be there in minutes."

"Okay. Hurry up." Kana said going to their bedroom.

Shizuru goes to the bathroom and gets ready for bed. She is thinking about Natsuki being back in Japan and the possibility of staying here at Tokyo. She has not seen Natsuki for a long time. After the carnival, they rekindle their friendship with the hope of returning her feelings. But they are not as close before the carnival. Natsuki have new friends and started to hang out with Mai and Mikoto. She even room with them while Natsuki's apartment is being fixed. Their together is much less. But Shizuru continue to help Natsuki with her studies even though that Natsuki never really needs her help because Natsuki is very smart, she doesn't like going to school. But after the carnival, Natsuki became more interested going to school because of her new friends. But studying together is their time of being together. After her graduation and moving to Tokyo, they tried to contact with each other but their busy schedules keep them apart and becoming less and less. And then after Natsuki graduating college they completely lost contact with each other, she just heard from Mai that Natsuki visits her father in U.S. and plans to travel. And Natsuki being back in Japan really shakes her up. She's happy with Kana already and lost hope of being with Natsuki. But she knows deep inside her that she wished Natsuki is the one waiting for her in the bedroom.

"Shizuru, aren't you ready yet?" Kana asked from their bedroom.

"I'll be there in minute." Shizuru said.

"Okay. Hurry up."

After they made love, Shizuru snuggled with Kana and put her head at the crook of Kana's neck.

"Kana-chan, are you serious of having children." Shizuru asked Kana.

"Um yeah and I'm hoping it to be with you. I think you'll be a great a mother. Don't you like that?"

"I like to have children someday. And I also like it to be with you. But I think it's not yet the right time. It's going to be big adjustment for us."

"I know that but we have stable jobs and our own house. I think it's the right time. And besides we're not getting anymore younger."

"I'm already tired Kana, I think it's not the right time to talk about it tonight. We'll talk about it next time. Okay?" Shizuru said kissing Kana at her lips and snuggled deeply with her.

Kana just nods her head and hoping someday that they will take that next step of having a family with Shizuru.

"I love you, Shizuru." Kana said at the slow breathing sounds of sleeping Shizuru.

I hope you like the first chapter.

I'll try to post the second chapter find out what's up with Natsuki.

Thanks for reading