Unedited (as usual)
Lucky Suki 8
Kanzaki Reito was sprawled on the floor when Shizuru, Mikoto, Mai and Chie entered the man's room. Fumi was cradling the man's head and Reito was grimacing from pain.
"Nii-chan…" Shizuru and Mikoto called out, they're eyes were wide as they looked at their fallen brother, "What happened?" Shizuru asked and Mikoto nodded her head in ascent, "I'm not sure why you're having all these bad luck Nii-chan," Shizuru looked at Fumi who smiled and just shrug her shoulders.
Reito relaxed his expression and slowly held up one unharmed arm holding the opened red envelope, "Received this and forget about my sprained ankle, I stood up too fast I fell." He said and then he groaned, "Kami-sama…my body hurts everywhere!" he said before exhaling a large breath.
"Come on, I'll help Fumi-chan with you," Chie said hurrying beside Reito and helping Fumi with Reito. "Do you need Yohko here?" she asked
"Yes please, I think my broken arm hit the ground first, it hurts too badly now that I think I might have broken it again." Reito said while grimacing in pain as Fumi and Chie led him to his bed. Reito saw Mai stepping closer to him and his eyes widened, "Don't step closer Mai-san!" he shouted
"What?" Mai frowned, "I just want to help,"
"Fumi could help me for now, maybe you should just call Yohko and tell her what happened here." He grimaced.
"You still haven't forgotten that one little accident?" Mai asked her frown deepening.
"My ankle still stings Mai-san, it makes a good reminder all the time." He said trying to smile at the red headed woman,
Mikoto looked at Mai and smiled, "I'll go with Mai and call Yohko-chan!" she said happily
"That would be nice Mikoto," Reito said. Fumi and Chie were finished arranging Reito on his bed and the Gambler was trying hard not to wince too much from the pain in his arms,
"I probably should leave you and Fumi-neechan, I'll be back when Yohko…"
"No Shizuru please stay," Reito said and then he looked at Chie, "You too, I need to talk to both of you."
Shizuru and Chie looked at each other.
XXX
Mai was frowning when she and Mikoto went out of Reito's room, the read head bustier woman was complaining to the smaller one, "I don't get that brother of yours! It was an accident and he can't forgive me for it!"
Mikoto laughed, "Well…they were scalding cups of tea,"
"Mikoto!"
"What?" The younger woman bumped shoulder with Mai and the taller one looked down at Mikoto smiling face and made her smile as well, "Nii-chan was just being careful you know…"
Mai tussles the smaller woman's spiky hair, "I know," she smiled at the smaller woman and when she look up she saw Aoi and Natsuki coming their way, "Natsuki, Aoi!" Mai called out and waved her hand.
"Mai-chan," Aoi called out, "Did you come from Kanzaki-san's room?"
"Yes, we are to call Yohko-sensei." Mai said smiling at the two,
"We…" Natsuki frowned, "We heard screaming so we thought something happened to Kanzaki-san,"
"Oh, nii-chan fell again…"
Natsuki's eyes widened, "Oi…I wasn't there!"
Mai, Mikoto and Aoi looked at Natsuki, "We know?" the three said in unison
Natsuki realized what she just blurted out and she smiled sheepishly, "He-he, yeah I was not there, hehehe,"
Mai shook her head, "Anyway, Kanzaki-san thought he might have broken his broken arm…again, so he wants us to call Yohko-sensei." The red head said smiling while stroking Mikoto's back."
"Do you need us to go with you?" Aoi asked
"No, I'll go with Mai." Mikoto said grinning.
"Ano," Natsuki looked down at her feet while asking Mai, "E…Shizuru…"
"Kanzaki-san told her and Chie to remain in the room; you could go in there if you want." Mai answered before she looked at Aoi and smiled, "I'm sure Shizuru and Chie will be glad to see both of you there." She said before she tapped Aoi's shoulder with one free hand and moved forward. "See you later,"
"See you later Aoi-chan, Natsuki-chan!" Mikoto called out
Natsuki turned to look at Mikoto, she has a frown on her face, "DON'T YOU DARE CHAN-CHAN ME!" she said and her eyes widened when she realized who she was talking too, "Oh…gomen…"
Mikoto and Mai laughed and shook their heads as they continue walking pass the two.
"Come on Natsuki, we should see what we could do to help." Aoi implored the blue haired woman and the two continued their path to Reito's room.
XXX
"So this envelope caused Nii-chan to fall on his broken arm again?" Shizuru asked frowning, "And what pray-tell is inside this to cause him that?" she follow up,
"It was a letter from the International Gambling Competition," Fumi answered in Reito's stead, "Do you want to read it?" Fumi said giving Shizuru permission to open the envelope and read the letter inside.
Shizuru did while Chie read on her shoulders.
"A Friendly Poker game for Charity?" Chie asked and looked at Reito, "So what's the big deal?"
Reito winced, "What's the big deal?" he tried to sit up but Fumi stopped him. Fumi looked at Reito chastising.
"Let me explain that one to you Shizuru-san," Fumi said smiling, she looked at Reito and smiled when the man nodded his agreement to Fumi's idea.
"Go on…"
"The friendly poker game is not supposed to be a big deal, the players will play on who will win the jackpot money on the poker table, the winner will get 10% of the jackpot price and the rest will go to different charitable institutions. It isn't much, the money I mean but that's not what matters, what matter is that the players that will be playing are the same players that played on the Poker Championship."
Chie and Shizuru contemplated… "So?" Chie
"So?" Reito shouted,
"Hush darling!" Fumi said and Reito bit his tongue once again, "Usually, the players during this event will exact their revenge on whoever wins at the championship; you know…males and pride thing."
"Ahhhh," the two said in unison.
"I can sense a 'but' here," Shizuru said smiling.
"There is a 'but'; the damn charity was moved to the date of the championship game which means it will be played first before the championship is played."
"So what's the problem with that?"
Reito growled and pointed one finger from his unharmed arm to his broken one.
"Ooohhhh," Shizuru and Chie exclaimed in understanding while Fumi smiled.
That's when the door opened and Aoi and Natsuki looked in sheepishly
"Ano…" Natsuki gulped when all eyes in the room turned on them, "Ano…we heard screaming…"
"Oh Natsuki," Shizuru smiled at the blue haired woman and nodded for the two to come in, "Brother just got his broken arm broken again," Shizuru said before looking at her brother mischievously.
"Oh," Natsuki said and the two opened the door all the way and went in,
"Can we do anything to help?" Aoi asked, she stepped closer to Chie was just happy to have her future wife by her side
"Mai is calling Yohko at the moment, aside from that there's nothing much to do here but know what made my brother so concern with this charity poker competition."
"Oh…well players tend to exact revenge during those competitions, you know…males and their pride," Natsuki said frowning. Shizuru, Fumi and Chie looked at Natsuki as if she had grown another head, "What?"
Chie chuckled, "You just said the same thing Fumi-san did," Chie said and laughed.
Natsuki smiled sheepishly, "Oh…"
Reito's grimace died down and he looked at Natsuki, "You can play poker?" he asked.
Natsuki looked at Reito and nodded her head.
"How good are you?" Reito asked
"Well…if you're talking about winning…I never won really…"
Reito's eyes widened, "As in never?" Natsuki nodded. And Reito's eyes gleamed at Natsuki.
Shizuru noticed her brother's look in her Natsuki and she didn't like it one bit, "Ara…Is my brother thinking something perverted with my Natsuki?"Shizuru said menacingly.
Fumi looked at Reito, frowned before she looked at Shizuru, "Well he is thinking about Natsuki but I don't think you have to go ballistic on your brother."
"Okay…what are you planning brother?"
Reito grinned for the first time despite the pain, "Well…I can't play on that game, in a month this will not heal yet but I can't forfeit the game,"
Everyone except Fumi frowned, "Why not? It's not as if this is important?" Chie questioned the grinning man.
"Let me explain this," Reito said, taking a deep breath to control the pain in his arm, "The charity game is always played after championship…and I mean always." He said then looked at the envelop in Shizuru's hand, "Something must have happened for the committee to make the competition ahead of the championship, as to what actually happened I don't know and I don't have any plan to know it." He grimaced and took a deep breath again, "I'm worried because I can't play on that game and I need to be in that game…my title as Gambler Kami is in the line,"
"I thought this was just a charity game?" Natsuki
"True, but I have a reputation plus…the players that will be playing in the Charity will be the same players that will be playing in the Championship…which was re scheduled 2 months after the charity game."
"And Reito needs to be in the game to qualify," Fumi said smiling
"Or if not me…a representative that will bear my title," Reito said before looking at Natsuki.
Natsuki's eyes widened, Oh no…there is no way I'm going to play in the Gambler Kami's stead….this is not in my plan and there's no way I'm gonna have a chance to win…Damn, Takeda will run away with everything if that happens!
And then Reito's eyes turned to Shizuru and he smiled.
Natsuki followed the man's gaze and found herself looking at Shizuru, Oh my God…he'll chose Shizuru…and…oh no…no…no…
"You will have to play for me," Reito said while looking at Shizuru, "I chose you to be my assistant before all these happened, and now I'm asking you Ru-chan, play for me." Reito's eyes were begging.
"But…"
"Shizuru has no knowledge of the game!" Chie said and looked at Reito, "Let me play in your stead!"
Reito grinned and shook his head no, "That's why I'm glad to hear Natsuki here could play the game."
Silence
Shizuru smiled and took a breather, "Okay…with you and Natsuki's tutelage, I'm sure I'll get to play in no time…" looked at Natsuki, "Are you okay with teaching me my…Natsu…ki?" she said causing the blue haired woman to blush
"Ha…hai!" Natsuki said while trying hard not to look on Shizuru's face,
"Very well…" Shizuru stood up, "It's just a Charity game, in two months it will be…"
Natsuki closed her eyes, oh kami kill me now…how am I gonna tell this to her?
"Ah…that's the worry part enters Ru-chan," Reito said to his sister's retreating form.
Shizuru stopped mid way and looked at Reito, "What?"
"Since the Charity game comes first, the player in here will have to be the player in the championship," Reito said
"Which means, Shizuru, if you play here you have to play for the championship even if your brother is healed during that time. It's the rule of the competition." Fumi said at the now frozen woman.
Oh god…what have I done…I cursed Kanzaki-san and now…I'm going to give Shizuru bad luck! Natsuki wanted to cry…if she could. She breathed in determination, damn you Takeda…there's no way I'm putting Shizuru in this, no way!
"So…"
"Yes…you will play in my stead all the way Shizuru and you know what's in stake…you know why I wanted to be in this game."
"Takeda Masashi…" Shizuru said
"He was the cause of Mashiro's predicament…and you know, no one hurts family and gets away with it." Reito said seriously and then he bowed down, "I'm sorry I have to put you into this…"
It wasn't you Kanzaki-san…it was all me…me… Natsuki thought, I have to tell Shizuru and leave her…I've done what Takeda wants…
"I understand Nii-chan," Shizuru turned to look at her brother and smiled her usual cunning smile, "Well perhaps we should start working ne?" she said and then pulled on Natsuki's arm, "Natsuki and I will have some private tutoring then…we'll see all of you later," she grinned at Natsuki who nodded her head and blindly followed the chestnut haired woman.
"Shizuru, don't you make Kuga faint again!" Chie shouted at the retreating duo.
Chie, Aoi and Fumi looked at Reito who was in deep thought, "Yen for your thought?" Fumi
Never won a single game huh… Reito smiled and looked at Fumi, "Nothing worth your yen hon," He grimaced, "You think Mai and Mikoto called Yohko?"
"Well…" Chie shrugged her shoulders, "Unless the two get carried away…perhaps they did.
Aoi laughed, "I'll go check on them," she volunteered
"I'm coming with you," Chie said
"Won't you two get carried away too?" Reito asked shaking his head
"Hon, at least we know Aoi could still do whatever she needs to do even if she's being kept busy by Chie-chan."Fumi said smiling at the two women, "Unlike Mai…"
"You can't fault Aoi for being a multitasker…AW!" Chie grumbled after Aoi hit her, bowed to Reito and Fumi and dragged the tall woman out of the room.
"Kids…"
XXX
Shizuru is watching her Natsuki, the blue haired woman was led to Shizuru's office and she made the smaller woman sit on the couch in front of Shizuru's desk. The blue haired woman was unusually quiet and follows Shizuru's command blindly. Something is bothering my Natsuki…but what? "Natsuki…"
Green orbs looked at her, "Shi…"
"You're very quiet, do you want to tell me something?" the older woman asked, "You know you can tell me everything right?"
Tell her everything? Can I really tell her…then what?
-she'll kicked you out here so fast you never know what hit you- Nao's voice in her head once again
But…I have already done Takeda's bidding so it's alright…I don't owe him anything anymore
-yeah true that, but how will you live again? In that dumpster? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,-
But I don't want to hurt Shizuru with my bad luck! I rather live out there, die in cold and hunger than hurt her! Can't you see?
-you're falling for her-
I am?
-well whatever…I'm just some voice, you can just ignore me and do what you want-
"Natsuki?"
Natsuki was startled and was taken aback when she found herself face to face with Shizuru. She could feel the heat going up her face and could even feel smoke coming from her ears, "Shi-Shizuru!"
"Oh," Shizuru stood up, her hand clasped in her chest, "I thought Natsuki fainted again, you weren't answering me and I got worried…"
Natsuki looked at Shizuru, and then it happened…Natsuki started crying, "Shi…Shi…"
Shizuru's eyes widened, "What is it?" The taller woman hurriedly sat beside the crying one and held Natsuki in embrace, "What's the matter?"
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…"Natsuki chanted as she continued crying
"Sorry? I don't get it Natsuki, why are you saying sorry to me, what did you do?"
"Everything! I did everything!"
"Everything?"
"I'm sorry!" The blue haired woman cried so hard it was hard for Natsuki to say anything comprehensible.
"Natsuki you're not making any sense…"
"Nao…Nao…"
Shizuru frowned, what did she do to my Natsuki? She could feel the vile rising in her mouth, "What did she do to you?" she asked sternly
Natsuki shook her head causing said head to bump on Shizuru's chest. The action made the older woman grin, "Nao…here…"
Shizuru deflated, "You want Nao here?" and at Natsuki's nod, Shizuru can't help it but feel insufficient, can't you tell me?
Natsuki looked up, her green orbs red from crying, "Please…explain…please…"
"Okay," Shizuru said before pushing Natsuki lightly until the younger woman lay on her couch, the taller woman stood up and reach her telephone to call on Nao.
XXX
Nao was livid, she feel like she was conned by no other than Takeda Masashi. Well it's not as if Takeda really knew her, but she fears that Takeda will back out on his promise to Natsuki, and the blue haired woman might be bad luck and annoying as hell, but she's one constant in her life and she has treated Natsuki as friend and vice versa. So upon learning of Kanzaki's injury through Miyu, she knew that she should go to Takeda and close the deal. Natsuki has done her part, there's no way Kanzaki would go to the game in a month so she decided to go to Takeda and inform him and make sure that he do his end of the deal. But as it turned out, Takeda didn't meet her instead this green haired woman show up and told her that she will tell Takeda…but what about his promise? He said he will absolve Natsuki from her debt! What about it! So now she was seething in anger inside her small barber shop and was angered more when the phone rang.
"No one calls me unless its trouble!" Nao grumbled before she reached out and get the phone., "Helllllo!" she answered.
"Ara…is this Nao-san?"
Nao's eyes widened, Fujino? What the hell does she want now? Did Natsuki do something wrong again? "Fujino-sama?"
"Oh come on Nao-san, you and Natsuki are friends, there's no need for such formality."
"Ah…okay…is there something wrong with Natsuki?"
There was silence in the other end
"Fujino-s…I mean Shizuru?"
"Well yes something…After we left my brother's room, she has been quiet and then suddenly she started crying and then saying things I don't get and now she's asking for you. She said about explaining something…"
"Fuck…"
"Nao-san, language please…"
"Oh sorry Fu…Shizuru, I'll be there, I need to speak to her anyway."
"Oh…I'll try to pacify her while waiting for you."
"Thank you, I'm off now." Nao said before hanging up and hurriedly walking out. Locked her barber shop and waved for a taxi, "Jeez Natsuki, you're costing me too much!"
XXX
Shizuru was content watching her Natsuki lay on the couch. The crying stopped but the blue haired woman was still quiet. Shizuru shook her head and took the cup of tea she was drinking.
"I shouldn't be lying here," Natsuki said
Shizuru smiled over the cup, "Why not?" she said after putting the cup down, "You broke down you need to rest,"
"I…" Natsuki breathed and then sat up, "I'm sorry if I seemed like a puppy whining…"
The chestnut haired woman laughed out loud, "Oh you have no idea how that image you planted in my head affects me so Natsuki." She said when she was able to control her laugh.
Natsuki frowned, "Good thing I be of an entertainment to you now."
Shizuru smiled and looked at Natsuki, "Well…you do entertain me a lot but don't get so mad about it. I never felt this happy before in my life."
Natsuki blushed but still looked at the smiling woman before her, "Well…after what I'll say when Nao comes here, perhaps you won't be that happy and you would want to kick my ass out of here."
Shizuru looked bewildered, "What would you have done that will make me kick you out of here?"
Natsuki didn't answer she just bowed down her head. That's when the door to the office opened and Nao entered.
"This has got to be good Natsuki, that taxi just cost me 400 yen!" Nao spat as she stood beside the couch. She then looked at Shizuru. "Shizuru," she nodded towards the sitting woman.
"Have a seat Nao-san." Shizuru said pointing at the chair in front of her, not on the couch where Natsuki was.
"Okay…so what happened here?"
Shizuru started the story after they hear the scream at Kanzaki Reito's room until the two left and make their way to the office and up to Natsuki's breakdown.
Nao looked at Natsuki, "What are you doing?" she asked
"I…"nervously Natsuki glanced at Shizuru then hurriedly turned her focus on Nao, "I…I think I need to tell Shizuru everything…"
"But…"
"I'm done with Takeda!" Natsuki spat.
"Wait!" Shizuru looked at the two, "What is this about Takeda? Are we talking of the same Takeda Masashi?"
Both women nodded their heads.
"Natsuki… that's also one reason I came here…" Nao
"Nonononono…you will explain to me what this is all about!" Shizuru said standing and slamming her hands on the table. This caused the two women to be startled and the two started narrating the story at once…in their own version…
"STOOPPPPP!" Shizuru screamed, "Can you two please stop," she said before sitting at her chair once again and looking at Natsuki. "Let me hear your version Natsuki."
And Natsuki did.
When the blue haired woman was through she looked at Nao…
"Well…what she said…"
Silence
"So you…"
"I didn't mean to hurt you Shizuru, I didn't know that it's too important for Kanzaki-san to win this game and I was desperate…"
The two women were startled when Shizuru started laughing hard, "Shizuru?" Natsuki called out
"Kami…" Shizuru said after laughing, "And you thought that it was you who brought this bad luck to my brother?" she laugh again.
"It's a known fact…I'm the bringer of bad luck to anyone near me." Natsuki said pouting.
"Really? Then how come I never had bad luck when you're always near me…you're my girl Friday and that's a requisite."
"Rek-rek what?" Natsuki and Nao
Shizuru smiled, "Don't bother and for your information Natsuki, I don't believe whatever you say. I don't think you have anything to do with my brother's accidents."
"Believe me Shizuru!"
"I will if I could see it in my own two eyes." Shizuru then looked at Nao, "You've been with her far longer than I am, have you had bad luck or accidents that happened to you?"
Nao thought, "NO not really…but she not on me but on my patrons…"
"Hmm? Like what?"
"Like falling from the chair or hitting their head with my blower or cutting a chin with my blade…"
"Circumstances…"
"Every time Natsuki was around but nothing like that happens when she's not in my shop."
Shizuru looked at the two, "Why don't we make an experiment then and see if it's true?"
Nao was stunned, "You will subject yourself to that just to prove us right?"
"Or to prove you wrong?"
Natsuki and Nao looked at each other, "Don't blame us if something bad happened, Natsuki told you, I vouched for her…"
"Believe me, I won't blame anyone. Shall we?"
The two nodded their heads.
-End Chapter 8-
See you next time…and I promise Nao Miyu but sorry it didn't happen in this chapter.