[O.S. and S. S. Collections] Kissing Galore (Kai x Acchan)

[anonymousstalker]

A/N: Since MaYuki got the highest vote for this week… I decided to make it a little longer and will have a fast update before the next voting is up. And the idea came up from a visual novel I played long time ago… Enjoy MaYuki Shippers Good Job Pickachu 

The Black Thieves

It was dark. I couldn’t see anything and the rest of my senses were overwhelmed. My ears were intensely aware of the sound of footsteps moving steadily toward us from the outside. Feeling as though I had been blinded in the sudden onslaught of darkness I held my breath and waited. The sole light coming from the laptop had been eliminated at the first sounds of someone approaching and now I could only feel her warm breath on my neck as her body pressed against mine. The weight of her on top of me forced my back down on the hard, severe floor of the van making my shoulder blades ache with a sharp pain. A muted whimper escaped my lips.


“Quiet.” Mayu ordered me in a low voice. I felt her lips descend to the base of my throat where she placed a light kiss before I felt a more intense pinching sensation. Even as a strong sense of déjà vu gripped me, I suppressed the urge to cry out with surprise as she dared to give me a hickey at a time like this.


WHOOSH! The side door to the van slid open in a flash and I let out a startled yelp. “Aack!”


“What the hell, guys?!” Jurina’s irritated voice filled the interior of the van and Mayu rolled off of me just as everyone began piling in.


“Can’t you save that stuff for later?” Rena complained.


Yuko laughed. “Maybe going on missions turns her on. Right, Shiriri-chan?”


Mayu shot her an icy glare. She had long since righted herself and opened the lid to her laptop, tapping away as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened, whereas I was scurrying clumsily into a sitting position trying to fix my hair and pull the neckline of my shirt up to cover the mark I’d just been given.


“Shut up,” Mayu said coldly. “We thought you were cops.”


“That’s a good one!” Yuko exclaimed, still amused by the situation. “You’re lucky this was only a scouting run.  Bakamina would be pretty upset if she knew you two were fooling around on the job.”


I didn’t say anything, but blushed madly at Yuko’s teasing. Mayu had in fact told me she thought the approaching footsteps might be cops, but now I was starting to get the impression she knew it was the girls all along. Stealing a glance at her, I thought I saw a faint smirk of satisfaction on her lips.


When we arrived back to the hideout, Takamina-san was reclining at a table reading a fortune-telling book as she awaited our return. “Hey! Welcome back! How’d it go, everyone?”


Jurina was quick to respond. “It was a cinch, of course.”


“There are four security cameras on the outside; one on each corner of the building,” Rena began reporting. “The interior is protected by simple motion detectors. Nothing Mayu-chan can’t handle. Right?”


“No problem,” she agreed.


Jurina smiled. “See, Takamina-san, this’ll be our easiest job yet. Piece of cake!”


Mmm…I thought to myself. “Strawberry short cake,” Mayu and I both muttered absentmindedly under our breath at the very same time. It was hard to tell if anyone else heard us, but it hardly mattered if they did. We’d been having the same cravings at the same time for so long now that no one batted an eye when we jinxed each other anymore. Still, that little quirk of ours never failed to tickle me with amusement. I smiled to myself as I knew what Mayu and I would be having for a midnight snack tonight.


“Hey!” Yuko suddenly exclaimed. “Does anyone know what tomorrow is?”


We all stopped to look up at her. “Monday?” Rena offered.


“No. Well…yes, but that’s not what I mean. Tomorrow marks one year since we stole the first painting by Japan’s Leonardo DaVinci!”


This realization slowly began to sink in with everyone and then another thought seemed to dawn on them. “That means that it’s been one year since we met…”


Oh, no…here it comes. They all turned to look at me and I knew what Takamina-san was going to say.


“We should celebrate!” I rolled my eyes in un-surprised at Takamina-san’s happy shout, but I knew it was no use trying to stop her from bringing out trays of snacks and endless pitchers of alcohol.


One year already? Time had really flown. I could hardly believe that we’d been at this for a whole year. As it turned out, Gramps had actually left twelve works of art in total. In addition to the dolphin painting that led to the clues about the cell group X project, we had recovered ten of his other works. There was still one piece left and we were hot on its trail.


The girls all filled their glasses and began guzzling the beer and sake like there was no tomorrow, but I sat quietly in my seat mulling over this sudden realization Yuko had brought to light. If tomorrow marked one year since the day we recovered Gramps’s first painting then that also means…


“Whoa! Wait a minute!” Rena spoke out above the din, interrupting my train of thought. Her cheeks were already slightly flushed from the alcohol and she looked square at me and Mayu as she wondered, “Doesn’t that mean your anniversary is coming up?”


Catching on to what Rena was alluding to, Takamina-san asked the first thing that sprang to her mind. “So are you two going to do anything special to celebrate?”


Mayu automatically scrunched up her nose at someone else making suggestions in front of everyone that she would typically deem as ‘lovey-dovey,’ but I found myself extremely curious to know her answer to that question. The redness started seeping into her cheeks and the tips of her ears as she gave a derisive snort, but before she could truly respond to Takamina-san, Yuko interjected. “That’s amazing! I can’t believe she’s actually stayed with her that long.”


“Hey!” cried Mayu in sudden protest, her attention being easily diverted from the previous question. “What’s that supposed to mean?”


Yuko then reached over and grabbed my hand, pulling me up out of my seat and drawing me near her. With a mocking gleam in her eyes, she looked down at me as she still spoke to everyone in the room, saying suggestively, “Hmmm… maybe I should show her a good time then.”


I was suddenly jerked away from Yuko as someone else pulled my other arm. “If you’re talking about a good time, Yuko-san,” said Jurina, as she stroked my hair, “that’s my area of expertise.”


“Cut it out,” I heard Mayu snap at them irritably, but it didn’t stop Rena from joining in their fun.


Laughing, she said, “If she were with me I’d make sure it was a night to remember for sure.”


“Aren’t you going to tell them to stop, Takamina-san?” I pleaded.


Takamina-san was laughing heartily along with the rest of them though. “Ah, this is way more fun rather than reading manga…”


You too, Takamina-san? -.-


“Whatever I’m leaving let’s go, Yuki” Mayu quipped.


She finally grabbed my upper arm and yanked me back to her side as she glared at all the laughing Thieves around us. She locked her arm around my waist, holding me protectively to her. She didn’t typically show her affection or possession in front of the others and I started to blush as I felt myself being pressed against her.


“Come on,” She said, still holding on to me tightly.


As we started to move away from the group I could hear Jurina calling after us, “Hey, where are you two going? We weren’t being serious.”


“They’re probably going to go make out somewhere,” Rena said.


“No, we’re not,” insisted Mayu with a harsh tone. “I’m going to get the program ready to override the security system tomorrow night and I don’t trust leaving her alone with a pack of idiots like you.”


“We’re not idiots!” Jurina called after us. “We’re the black thieves!”


Their teasing laughter followed us down the stairs until we reached the darkened basement of the bar. Instead of being used for typical storage, the basement was furnished with all kinds of computers, high tech equipment, and other media. So of course when Mayu had said we were going down there so she could work on overwriting the security, I had no reason to think otherwise.


Though when we got down there and Mayu closed the door, I was met with surprise when she suddenly pushed me up against the wall, planting her palms on either side of me. The lighting was sparse, but I could still see the shadow of a mischievous grin on her face as she leered at me.


“M-Mayu, what are you doing?” I asked slightly worried since the girls were just upstairs.


In response to my question, she pressed her body against mine, pinning my hips to the wall with her. “What’s up with them,” she scoffed lightly. “They’d better learn to keep their mitts off of you or else there’s gonna be hell to pay.”


“Mayu…”


“I’m the only one who’s allowed to touch you,” she breathed near my ear. At the same time her one hand left the wall and began travelling over my clothing as she planted heated kisses along my neck and jawline.


“Mayu,” I said again, with a little more force. My heart was pounding in my ears.


Her amorous assault didn’t stop though. I felt her fingers gathering up from the hem of my shirt until they were tickling bare flesh. Her lips were drifting lower as her hand wandered higher and she mumbled in between kisses, “That’s it, keep saying my name. Just don’t let them hear you.”


“Mayu!” This time I placed my hands on her shoulders and pushed her off of me. She relinquished easily enough, taking a small step back, but continued to smile naughtily. I turned my face away and my fingers automatically flew to my burning cheeks. Thank goodness it was so dim; I must have been red as a stoplight. Whenever she looked at me like that she had an uncanny way of making me feel as though she was stripping me naked with her potent gaze.


Still unable to look at her, I cleared my throat. “This is so unlike you to want to do this with them just right upstairs.”


Mayu gave a slight shrug and started to wander over toward the main computer. “Relax. I wasn’t really going to do anything.”


Tell that to my racing pulse! I went over to where it looked like she really was going to start working just as she said. I guess she was only messing with me. In any case, I couldn’t stop thinking about Takamina-san’s question. I wanted to know the answer to that, too. Sometimes it was so hard to know what Mayu was thinking when it came to our relationship because she didn’t really verbalize her feelings very well.


What should I do?


TBC

[anonymousstalker]

A/N:  The idea came to me…When Aki-p had finally agreed about Yuko’s possible graduation…soon… I think  and also dedicated these to my two good friends whose celebrating yesterday or is it the day before… er… I don’t know anymore -.-


Happy Seventh 

Only for a Day

From: Oshima Yuko


Subject: We Did It!


Date: Sun, 11/03, 07:03



Good morning!


Seven months today, Nyannyan! When you look at it like that, it doesn’t seem too bad, right? We’re doing really well so far.


So how was everyone doing…? I hardly get any email from them lately. Except Bakamina, but only when it’s 5am and she’s a little loopy from writing all night. I don’t know what she’s talking about. I don’t even know if she knows what she’s doing either!


Hey, you’ve been counting the days too, right? Tell me it’s not just me.



Love,


Your Yuu-chan.

 


To: Oshima Yuko


Subject: Re: We Did It!


Date: Sun, 11/03, 07:16



There’s not too much news over here only Yukirin had a bit of an argument over Mayu falling asleep again one night after promising a good dinner date, and now Yukirin’s doing some kind of silent protest. Or, well, I think she is. It’s Yukirin, so it’s hard to tell.


If Takamina’s bothering you at 5am, I’ll tell her to stop. You need to get your rest! I’m sure you’re already working too hard as it is.


Well, I’d better get ready for work. I love waking up to your emails! It really encourages me to do my best every day.


It’s 11pm there, so I guess you’ll be going to bed soon, if you’re not asleep already. Good night!



Love,


Your Nyannyan





It wasn’t until after I just had pressed the send button that l realized my mistake. If Takamina was sending Yuko her messages at 5am Tokyo time, then Yuko would be getting them at 6, 7, 8… 9pm Paris time. It wouldn’t be a bother to her at all. Ugh…this is really annoying I just waste a precious text talking about something irrelevant, I thought. Letting it go I tried to shake it off out of my head and instead set myself to get dressed for work.


As the day passed in a blur, as it always did. My mood seems kind of improving, and the atmosphere during practice were as fun and stimulating as ever, but of course as always my mind is still fixed from the cell phone in my pocket, heavy and silent. I came to wish fervently that Yuko would have a sleepless night and email me to work through her insomnia. Then I would feel guilty, and chide myself for my selfish childishness, though I wouldn’t take back the wish.




From: Oshima Yuko


Subject: Whoa!


Date: Mon, 11/04, 07:22



One day I’ll take you to the Arc de Triomphe! It’s shameful, but today is the first time I saw it up close since I’ve been here. It was really cool! We shot some footage right underneath it. I don’t know if I gave it my best, since I was too busy staring!


So, hey, tell me about work. Did you know that French people like cheese so much too xD? Ha ha! But of course I’d rather eat your special homemade omurice every night! Because I know it’s only made just for me!


It’s really weird though, emailing each other when it’s so late for me and so early for you. I feel like we must be in such different worlds… Ha ha ha.


You’re busy, getting ready to go to work. And I’m just here in my room, with nothing to do.


I miss you, Nyannyan. Do you miss me?



Love,


Your Yuu-chan




To: Oshima Yuko


Subject: Re: Whoa!


Date: Mon, 11/04, 07:56


Sorry, Yuu-chan! I was in the shower. I thought I had my phone volume up really loud, but I must’ve forgotten to turn off the silent mode, I hope this isn’t going to wake you up.


I’m so jealous that you get to see all of these amazing things! One day you have to show me all of the sights, okay?


Work is going well, thank you! Takamina is a little harsh to me during practice again, but I know she only does that because she wants me to become a good senior. I’m just happy that she has faith in me.


Sleep well tonight, Yuu-chan. It’s good that we can say good morning and good night to each other.



Love,


Your Nyanyan




Running a little late this morning, I rushed off to work with that last email fresh in my mind.


I wished I could go and see Yuko, the way we casually talked about yet never actually discussed. But we  both knew that there were too many barriers. I would have to get that time off work, which was difficult enough. And even if I did manage it, she wouldn’t be able to do the same. And then I would just be bothering her while she was supposed to be working.


Yuko always asked these little questions: Have you been counting the days? Do you miss me?


And I always ignored them, and replied as if they had never been said at all. Because how could I answer truthfully? Yes was too small and too weak a word to fully express the extent to which I missed her, the obsessive counting and re-counting of the days in any spare moment of my time. The truth was a much bigger, tangled, ugly thing, and something that I absolutely could not share. Yes was meaningless.


So I said nothing.



 
From: Oshima Yuko


Subject: Nyannyaaaaan!


Date: Mon, 11/04, 22:38



Surprised? Ha ha!


In a lunch meeting right now, though I’m starting to suspect that it was just an excuse to get drunk in the middle of the day! The French really know how to live, right? Ha ha ha!


Are you at home right now? Are you free? Would it be okay if I called you? I bet I can slip away for a few minutes. These people won’t even notice!


You know, you’ve been a little cold lately. Don’t you think? Why don’t you email back and tell me that you love me? Say, “Hello, my name is Kojima Haruna and Oshima Yuko is the most awesome girlfriend in the world.” Ha ha! Then I can show it to these people and make them all super jealous!


Wow, I am really tipsy.


It’s kinda




To: Oshima Yuko


Subject:  Re: Nyannyaaaaan!


Date: Mon, 11/04, 22:47



Ha ha, Yuu-chan! I think you hit the send button too early.


Looks like meetings in France are way more fun than in Japan, huh? Be careful not to drink too much, though it might be too late to say that!


We’re working for another concert right now, so I can’t really talk on the phone. Not without an audience. Maybe some other time?


Everyone says hi, by the way!



Love,


Your Nyanyan




I sighed and put the phone down, turning my attention back in mixing my drink.  That had really thrown me off, getting an unscheduled email from Yuko in the middle of the night when I was most desperately trying not to think of her.


Cold, she had called me. Maybe that was true. But then what was the alternative? An outpouring of pathetic emotion that would only make her felt guilty or annoyed or otherwise distracted from her job.


No, better to keep going forward as I had been. Keep everything inside, where it couldn’t hurt anyone.


Be positive, be there for her, and be strong. That was the mantra.




From: Oshima Yuko


Subject: Re: Re: Nyannyaaaaan!


Date: Mon, 11/04, 23:01



Seriously, so cold! -3- Right now I need you to be like Okinawa, and you’re being like Hokkaido! Oh well, I’ll forgive you, since you’re my cute wife Nyannyan.


I’d better get back to the “meeting” anyway.


You know, you don’t have to let Bakamina drag you into something you’re not! You’re already working so hard so that’s fine. I can’t help feeling a little worried about you. But I trust your judgments, Nyannyan. As long as you’re happy!



Loooooooove,


Your Yuu-chan




I didn’t even realize I had another email until I had left the bar for the night after practice and was walking towards the train station.


It was a fairly innocuous message, but, by the end of it, I felt something inside me - something strained and brittle…

.


.


.


*SNAP*




To: Oshima Yuko


Subject: [no subject]


Date: Mon, 11/04, 23:48



You asked if I was counting the days…? The answer is NO! No, I don’t count the days. I count the minutes, I count the seconds, every FREAKING one of them, because I can’t help it, I can’t escape them.


Do I miss you? I can’t STAND thinking about you. Yet it’s all I can do. As long as I’m happy, you said? I’m NOT happy, Yuu-chan. I’m miserable, and angry, and alone. I hate talking to people, to anyone, because I only want to be talking to you.


But you think this is easy?  Those seven months just flew by? Whatever world you’re living in, I want to live there! I want to be able to go about my life, just only for a day, and not think about you at all. I want to forget you. Only for a day. Just a day when I can breathe again. A day. That’s what I want. That’s all I want.




She hasn’t replied.


The next morning, I woke up with a feeling in my gut far more nauseating than any hangover. I hadn’t been drunk - I ’d only had a couple of drinks at the end of the night; I hadn’t said anything wrong -  I had just reached my limit and lashed out at her for no reason.




To: Oshima Yuko


Subject: Hey..


Date: Tue, 11/05, 06:00



Good evening, Yuu-chan


Ugh. I’m up so early, even though it’s a Tuesday and it’s my Day Off! It’s nice to be able to relax sometimes, huh? Are you free today, too? Or I guess I mean tomorrow. You’re Tuesday. Maybe we could try that phone call?



I love you.


Your Nyannyan




To: Oshima Yuko


Subject: By The Way


Date: Tue, 11/05, 07:03


I’m sorry about last night. I must’ve had waaaay too much drink at the bar. I think I said some weird stuff, but you can’t trust what a drunken person says, right? Anyway, you should just ignore all of it.



Love


Your Nyannyan




To: Oshima Yuko


Subject: An Idea!


Date: Tue, 11/05, 10:36



Sorry, I know it’s really late over there. I just feel weird about last night still….


I had an idea how I can make it up to you, though. How about a Punishment Game? You can tell me what to do… anything - Anything - and I have to do it! Go ahead, Yuu-chan! Do your worst! Hee hee!



Love


Your Nyannyan




Seven unanswered emails later and I’m beginning to feel like a stalker.


When I tried calling Yuko on the pretense of being able to say good morning at her local time of 9am, I was met with nothing but a beeping tone and the message that her phone was currently unavailable; the fluttering nervousness in my stomach turned to a cold, quiet terror.


Dialing another number, I got through to her manager, who was out in Paris helping Yuko with some show negotiations right now.


"Good morning! It’s Haruna. Um, sorry to bother you, but… is Yuko working today, by any chance?"

.


.


.


There was a long pause. “Yes, She is.”


"Can I speak to her?"


"…Hang on a minute, please."


It wasn’t just my imagination. Yuko’s manager sounded uncomfortable and maybe even a little worried.



After a while, he returned. “Are you still there?”


"Yes." I breathe caught in fear and anticipation.


"I’m sorry, but Oshima-chan is… unavailable at the moment."


Did he say she didn’t want to speak to me? …I wanted to ask.


"Oh, I see. Well, thank you anyway. Sorry again!" I said instead, and hurriedly hung up the phone.


I sat on the sofa, unmoving, for a long time. I felt numb. I felt… so angry at myself, for messing up everything I’d been working so hard to keep safe. I’d wanted to be Yuko’s support. I’d wanted to make sure she never had to worry about me, that she’d never have a chance to regret graduating and going to Paris. I didn’t want to do anything to push her off-course or make her come to resent me. I didn’t want to ruin her dream. And I didn’t want to ruin our relationship.


And I had the terrible feeling that last night I’d managed to do both.


Eventually, as the light shining in through the apartment windows faded, sensation began to bleed back into my world. I was hungry.


In an act that could only be labeled as pure self-indulgent pity, I  made an omurice for dinner and placed it down on the table. I had only managed to take one joyless bite, when the doorbell rang.


I padded over to the door on bare feet and opened it.

.


.


.


Yuko.



It was Yuko.


I tried to open my mouth as if to say something. Maybe something cute and wittily casual like…


“Hey. Can I come in?” Yuko said cutting my reverie.


Still confused of what’s happening I simply said nothing then pulled her closed inside as I slid my hands into her hair, pulling her close for a messy, graceless kiss. It was desperate, and unreal, and I was aware that she was making noises, little embarrassing noises of confusion and relief and want.


We fell to the floor together, my underneath. But Yuko soon pulled me up so I was atop her, straddling her thighs while she leaned back against the wall. We pulled at each other’s clothes, although we couldn’t manage to get fully naked before the need was too much, and we were abandoning everything right there in the hallway. Decency, logic, words - all rendered pointless in the face of this all-consuming passion.


Afterwards, we remained like that, me sitting on top of her, my arms tight around her neck, her face buried in my shoulder. Our breaths were ragged, our limbs trembled.


"Nyannyan," Yuko said, and it broke the spell. "That was… really HOT!"


We laughed, both shocked and increasingly embarrassed by our own actions. Pulling away and straightening our clothes until we looked semi-decent, we migrated naturally to the living room where we both stood, staring at each other, unsure what to say first.


Yuko’s eyes flicked over to the long-forgotten dinner on the table.


"Did my manager give it away?" She said, there was an edge of annoyance in her voice.


It took me for a moment to work it out, but suddenly the events of the day - the distressing silence from Yuko and the nervous avoidance of her manager - began to take on a much less awful meaning than before.


"Oh!  No, actually, that omurice was… for me." Well, that was an embarrassing admission. “I had no idea…”


A slightly pained look came over Yuko’s face, and she took a step closer. “I’m sorry. You must’ve thought I was ignoring you or something.”


Or something. I choked on the words before they could make it out of my throat.


"I booked a flight half an hour after your email, you know." Yuko said, scratching the back of her neck. "But it got cancelled, so I had to fight a hundred other passengers to get on another one. And then that one was delayed. And then there was all this trouble at the Narita Airport train station. And my phone battery died, so I couldn’t even… ugh. My plan was to arrive waaaay earlier, before you drove yourself too crazy with worry. Sorry.”


"I- I wouldn’t say I drove myself crazy,” I replied, hedging. “…How long?”


Yuko paused for a moment, wincing. “I got my manager to agree for three days. But now I’ve wasted so much time… I have to catch a flight back tomorrow night.”


Only for a Day.


"I’m so sorry." Yuko then came in close, wrapping her arms around my waist. "I know it’s not much."


Only for a Day.


Yuko peered into my eyes, guilt plain on her face. “I’m really sorry.”


I smiled.


"I get a whole day?" My eyes were bright, and not just with tears.


"Uh, yeah." Yuko began to smile, too. "A whole day, just for us."


Suddenly I pitched away, my mind buzzing and unable to focus. “We- we should tell the others.”


When I reached for the phone, Yuko suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me into a tight hug. “Don’t you Dare!”


"B-but, they’ll want to see you…" I said.


"It won’t hurt them if they didn’t know I’m here, right?" Yuko grinned, leaning in for a firm hard kiss. "I mean, I came to see you. I was kind of hoping… if I could monopolize you for the next twenty-four hours. But I guess… I guess that makes me a really selfish, huh?”


"…Maybe." I smiled, pressing a kiss onto her jaw. "But I must be just as selfish, because that’s what I want too."


"Well, then." Yuko returned the kiss, just beneath my ear. "Let’s get started."


Then the kisses were numerous, uncountable, like drops of water passing over cracked and long-dry lips.


-000-


Just over twenty-four hours later, there was a very familiar scene in the departure area of Narita Airport. I and Yuko clung to each other as we said our goodbyes.


"Listen, don’t keep it all inside, okay? I know it’s hard for you, because it’s so hard for me too. So tell me if you feel lonely. Tell me if you’re angry, or upset, or hurting.”


I nodded, though I wasn’t sure I could promise to do that. But I did feel strong - truly strong, this time. Like seeing Yuko had given her back something that I had lost in these past seven months.


When I thought about the remaining time that we would have to be separated, it no longer felt like a lie to say that I knew we could make it.


Because she had come all this way for me. She had felt my pain from thousands of miles away and came to soothe it. If she could do that, then I could wait just a little longer.


And as Yuko started walking away, I watched her with tears in my eyes and a real smile on my face.


Then suddenly she stopped, and I saw her fumble her cell phone out of her pocket then start typing.



My own phone pinged.





From: Oshima Yuko


Subject: [no subject]


Date: Wed, 11/06, 19:14



I love you.




To: Oshima Yuko


Subject: Re: [no subject]


Date: Wed, 11/06, 19:15



I know.





-END-


You Want More???

[imteedee]

so I asked the Pediatric Department about this concern, thankfully Nurse Kashiwagi is on-duty... STERILE WATER is diffrent from sterilized water  I hope this settles it.

Charmander >.<

[Seigus]

seryoso sa buhay nga naman nung nasa taas ko 

As I believe this comment refers to me, I feel compelled to make some sort of response.

imteedee, I'm like this because I was inspired by the Majisuka Gakuen way of life
/ends conversation so as not to go off-topic


Back on topic... Oh yes! We've got ourselves another MaYuki story!

[anonymousstalker]

The Black Thieves

*Part 2*


What should I do?


I watched her typing furiously on the keyboard; windows popped up and disappeared in sequential fashion on the screen. Watching her work was nothing new to me, but I still didn’t fully understand what exactly she was doing or how she worked so quickly.


When I couldn’t stand the suspense any longer, I finally said, tentatively, “Hey, Mayuyu?”


There was a pause before she responded, fingers still typing away, probably as she was so deeply concentrating on what she was doing. “What?”


“About what Takamina-san asked you earlier…what were you going to say?”


“Hell if I know.” Her speed on the keyboard decreased a bit.


Ignoring her insolence, I said, “I know we haven’t talked about it much, but wouldn’t you like to do something to celebrate? A year is pretty significant.”


I watched her profile and she frowned. Lifting her fingers from the keyboard for a moment, she said flippantly, “I’ll take you out for ice cream.”


She resumed tapping away again. “That’s it?”


Finally turning to face me, she grinned teasingly and said, “Yeah. I’d take you out to dinner first, but I don’t think my pocketbook can handle your appetite.”


“Mayu, that’s mean!”


She suppressed a chuckle at her own wit and turned back to the computer. I got the feeling that she was purposefully trying to avoid making plans with me for our anniversary. I was more hurt by that than I was by her teasing remark about how much I eat. Just as I was about to prod her to discuss this with me some more, Jurina called down the basement steps.


“Hey guys! You better get back up here.”


I could hear Yuko’s voice faintly in the distance. “Make sure you put your clothes back on first!”


“What the hell do they want now?” Mayu huffed grouchily. She grabbed my hand and began pulling me toward the stairs. “Come on. Better see what they want before they send Jurina down to get us.”


Upstairs we were met with four somber faces all looking expectantly at us. A different atmosphere had taken over the prior carousing and celebrating just moments before. Even Mayu’s irritation seemed to vanish upon seeing their serious expressions.


“What’s going on?” I asked.


Rena held up a scrap of parchment paper. “This was slipped under the door for us just now.”


Yuko frowned. “We were too busy drinking so we didn’t notice when exactly it was delivered.”


“What’s it say?” demanded Mayu, cranky after having been called back upstairs in the middle of her work.


Rena handed her the note. “A counter group claims they’ve learned the location of the final work of the Japanese Leonardo DaVinci. There’s another trigger that requires Yuki’ s fingerprints to unlock.”


“My fingerprints are needed again?!”


Mayu crumpled up the paper Rena had handed her. “It says if we don’t hand her over quietly they’re going to kidnap her and reveal our identities to the authorities!”


“Don’t worry, Shiriri-chan,” assured Yuko. “We’d never consider handing Yuki over to bad guys.”


I shot Yuko a cynical look. The fact that she actually had to spell it out like that made me think they had probably considered it, even if only for a moment. She caught my dark look and blanched before recovering to give me a light shrug.


“What are we going to do then?”


Calm and self-assured as always, Rena explained, “They’ve given us some time to consider. So I say we try to figure out where this location is and get the last treasure ourselves before they kidnap her.”


“Is this last piece really that valuable?” I asked, my curiosity bubbling to the surface.


Takamina-san looked at me. “They say it’s your gramps’s most precious masterpiece.”


“The most important thing he left behind,” added Jurina.


My mouth gaped slightly open in awe. “Even more important than any of his work?”


Rena nodded. “That’s why we can’t let anyone else get it before we do.”


“Or let anyone kidnap her,” Jurina reminded.


Mayu had been silent at my side the whole time as we took this information in. As the gravity of the situation was being revealed to us I felt her stiffen and tense where she stood beside me.


Turning to me with a fierce look in her eye, she said definitively, “You’re staying with me until we find this thing. Knowing you, you’d probably get yourself kidnapped on your way home tonight.”


“But I thought Rena said they were giving us some time before—.”


It was no use. Mayu was already dragging me forcibly toward the door. So I turned back and simply waved good-bye to the guys before we left the hideout.


It wasn’t completely inconvenient spending the night at Mayu’s house. Over the course of the past year she’d slowly allowed me to leave a few essentials here and there for those rare occasions that I did stay overnight. It didn’t happen very often, usually because she was working all through the night or because she would just crash at my place since I was the one who had to get up for work in the mornings.


Staying at her place out of necessity was a strange feeling though. It made me nervous and uncomfortable, like I was being held there against my will. Which, technically I was. Even when the Black Thieves first kidnapped me and I was made to be babysat by Mayuyu, I was at least allowed to return to my own apartment at night.


The atmosphere was a little stressed and the silence only made it worse. “Do you really think someone’s going to kidnap me?” I asked tentatively, just to break the quiet.


For the first time since Rena told us about the note, Mayu looked at me gently. “Are you scared?”


“Pfft! No!” I sputtered.


With a teasing half smile, she came over and took me in her arms. “Stupid. Don’t lie to me. Your emotions are written all over your face.”


I turned away, blushing twice as much at her accusation in addition to the feel of her arms surrounding me so securely. I leaned into her chest slightly. “When will I stop causing problems for the Black Thieves?” I sighed miserably.


“Probably never,” she said matter of fact. “But look at the bright side.”


I gazed back up at her questioningly, waiting for her to enlighten me as to the positive of this situation. Then she smirked devilishly and blushed slightly as she said, “You have no choice but to spend the night with me tonight.”


“Ma—Mn.”


Sealing my mouth with her, she nimbly steered us toward the bedroom. Letting her guide me as I walked backward with her lips still locked with mine, I realized just how well I knew this house on my own. It was comforting being here with her when all of this was so familiar. Maybe everything would be all right. They were the Black Thieves after all. I would just have to trust them like always.


-000-


The next morning, Mayu made sure to walk me all the way to museum. She insisted it was for my own safety, but I highly doubted anyone would try to kidnap me in the middle of the morning commute. ‘See ya,’ was all she had said with her hands thrust deep in her pockets before she simply turned and left. Sometimes I wished she could express herself better, but after being with her for so long it didn’t faze me near as much as it used to. I went inside and threw myself into my work, keeping busy in order to keep my mind off of recent events.


I was in the storage room cataloging a few pieces that had just arrived when a sudden firm voice caused me to jump in surprise.


“Ma’am, are you authorized to be back here?”


Spinning around, the first things that filled my vision were the lapels and nameplate of a security guard uniform. Then I saw a pair of familiar smiling eyes. “Yu-Yuko! You scared me!” I stuttered, throwing a shaking hand to my chest in an effort to hold my heart in place. “And yes, I am authorized to be here, but you are not.”


Yuko laughed gleefully. “I am today! See?” she said, gesturing to her uniform.


“Did Mayu tell you to watch me at work?” I asked suspiciously. Honestly, wasn’t this going a little overboard?


“Nope. Bakamina did.”


“Oh.” I felt my minor irritation vanish and get replaced by disappointment. Maybe she wasn’t all that worried about me after all. I kind of wished she was. Masking my sadness, I smiled at her. “Well, just try to stay out of my way, okay? I can’t afford to get fired for goofing off with you.”


“No problem-o! You won’t even know I’m here,” she promised me with a grin.


Then she sauntered out of the storage area leaving me to my work. It wasn’t until the end of the work day when she mysteriously resurfaced to tell me it was time to meet at the bar for the mission.


When we arrived at the hideout, everyone else was already there waiting. Yuko led me into the bar with her hand at my back and I caught Mayu scowling at us, but she didn’t say anything. I went over to her and…


TBC

[rhin12]

OMG! That KojiYuu is so good!      My  gahd... I love it!!!!!  As expected from you, charmander! you're really good! I am so glad that you are back on track! 

ps. gonna add more comment later. nagnakaw lang ako ng oras ngayon

[ptrd3009]

kojiyuu is so good 
i really really love your fic. thank for kojiyuu

[Tam_atsu]

the kojiyuu was so great ugyeah!! more!!!    

[Kiri-el]

I'm glad that it's a MaYuki again, but I really wanted to read a YukiRena from you...

[clubhappy]

The Black Thieves is so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   
Mayuki is so cute in there!!!
Thank you for updating it!!

[miayaka]

You Want More???

OF COURSE!

all hail KojiYuu! 
so they're into LDR thingy, Yuuchan in Paris Nyaro still in AKB but I'm glad Taka didn't graduate yet.
the last message nyan nyan just replied I know!
I wanna know the part what did they do in their one whole day together.
HNNGG I'm imagining because I know this otp is smexy

Haruhi must read this :3
Keep the updates and your friends were lucky 

[Zita]

And................?????????????????
What is next?!
I want to know please.

[Kirozoro]

I love Mayuki story so much

So much romance setting 

I want to know what happen next about

 Mayuki

Please update!!

[creamcracker]

First of all, i would like to thank you for writing "black thieves" since it's mayuki 

I like this kind of genre so it really caught my attention. The story is nice and well-written. Hoping for your next update. Now back to being a lurker ^_^ .

P.s sabi ko di ko magaling magbigay ng comment hahaha but i tried so update na.

[kiruchi]

Got only two things to say...
1. Moooooooooooore updates!!!!!!!
and
2. Creamcracker-san's alive!!! Update too please!

Thats all! 

Ja ne~

[anonymousstalker]

Thanks for the wait everyone here's the next part... of MaYuki (The Black Thieves) enjoy 

The Black Thieves

*Part 3*


Yuko led me into the bar with her hand at my back and I caught Mayu scowling at us, but she didn’t say anything. I went over to her and…


…and just to be a pest… I kissed her on the cheek before sitting down. Honestly, if she was going to get in such a bad mood over something as stupid as me showing up with Yuko then she should learn to take some PDA from me. Either that or I was just going to have to use my affection to punish her for being such a dumbass about it.


“Hey!” she exclaimed irritably as she wiped her cheek on her sleeve. “Don’t slobber all over me like some mangy Dog!”


I chose not to respond, but merely folded my arms over my chest and rolled my eyes exaggeratedly not caring that we were making a scene in front of everyone.


“Oh Baby, don’t listen to her. You can slobber on me any time you like,” Yuko smirked with a wink.


I shot her a sharp look. After all, it was essentially her fault that Mayu was in a bad mood. Or was it? Maybe Mayu was just going overboard as usual. In any case, Yuko and I were friends, nothing more and Mayu should understand that by now. Though, it didn’t help that the girls still liked to flirt with me for the sole purpose of pushing her buttons.


“Then get your own pet, Oshiriko-san,” Mayu snapped back at her.


Pet? I was used to her callous teasing, but pet? For some reason that struck a nerve with me. Maybe it was because she hadn’t seemed all that thrilled to celebrate our one year anniversary with me, but her comment was enough to make me start doubting my importance to her. It was like the tipping point on a scale.


Did she really just think of me as some pet that tagged along with her on missions?


Come to think of it, perhaps I was more like a pet than I thought. I was usually the one in our relationship waiting patiently for her to toss me a few crumbs of affection here and there, and when she did, I happily lapped it all up practically begging for more.


I crossed my legs and sulked as these thoughts darkened my mood further. Rena started speaking, going over the plan for executing this mission, but I wasn’t listening. I was suddenly too distracted by my own thoughts and emotions.


Later, during the mission, I found myself in the darkened van alone with Mayu as usual. Only this time, there was a bitter atmosphere that swirled about the van’s interior with us. I watched her profile, but it didn’t seem that she noticed the tension.


She was watching the split screens on her laptop as the guys moved through the building. Rena’s voice came through, breaking the silence. “Mayu, disable the alarm on the east entrance.”


“Roger.” Mayu’s fingers worked swiftly over the keypad.


A small sighed escaped my lips before I realized it was me who’d made the sound. Once she finished disabling the alarm for Rena, she only half turned to me before asking, “What’s with you tonight?”


“What’s with me?” I repeated defiantly. “What’s with you?”


At this she turned away from the computer screen to look at me with a heavily creased brow, her mouth turned down in frustration.


“What?” she demanded.


Well, this was a productive conversation. -.-


I sighed exasperatedly this time. “I don’t know what you want anymore.” I practically threw the words at her, exhausted with her unreadable, unmanageable behavior in our relationship.


She only stared back at me, her forehead still drawn down with irritation to match my own. Impossible. That’s what she was. It appeared I was going to have to explain myself in depth.


“You don’t like it when the girls pay me any attention or even friendly affection. And yet, you won’t step up and give me the attention I need from you. Hasn’t it ever occurred to you that maybe I have needs?”


Mayu stared back at me for a moment, the look on her face unchanging like a statue. Then her expression broke as she started to turn back to her laptop. “Tch. …Are you on your period or something?”


My annoyance flashed over to astonishment at her accusation, but in a split second, the anger came flooding back with double force. How annoying! Hell no, I wasn’t on my period! She should know—especially after last night. Ooh, her smart mouth made my blood boil.


“That’s it,” I declared, yanking the earpiece from my ear and tossing it on the floor. “I’m out of here.”


With that I flung open the back door of the van and stormed out. I could hear Mayu curse and call after for me to stop, but I didn’t even spare her a glance. I walked away at a deliberate pace, knowing that she couldn’t leave her post to come and try to stop me.


I had just turned the corner at the end of the block when I felt someone approach me from behind. I spun around just as they were about to touch my arm and I opened my mouth to scream. A black gloved hand swiftly covered my mouth and nose.


“Uhko?” I mumbled with surprise into the leather glove.


.


.


.


“Hey Cutie,” Yuko greeted with a cheerful smile.


I smacked her hand away; my annoyance returning. “What are you doing here?”


She looked hurt by my tone and reaction. “Hey, what gives?”


My mouth twisted with reluctance. I suppose I shouldn’t blame it all on her. After all, Yuko was just being Yuko back at the bar. She was only being nice to me.


“Sorry, Yuko,” I sighed. “I just…”


I paused. I wasn’t sure if I should say what I was really feeling or just keep it to myself. Then again, it wasn’t like everyone else didn’t just hear through their receivers the conversation Mayu and I just had in the van. My cheeks started to flush red with embarrassment as I recalled the last thing Mayu said to me.


Oh, gosh. They all heard.


“I just don’t feel like being stuck in the van right now,” I fibbed.


Yuko gave me a sidelong glance with a half smirk. She knew I was lying, but she didn’t say that she knew. She only put her arm around my shoulders and said, “Come on. I’m supposed to walk you home so you don’t get kidnapped. Remember?”


“Pfft. I have a hard time believing Mayu asked you to come walk me home,” I commented, recalling her bitter expression upon seeing Yuko walking into the bar with her arm around me then.


I felt her chuckle in my closeness to her and she said, “Nope. She actually asked Jurina to do it, but Rena couldn’t spare her. So Bakamina sent me.”


We walked in silence for most of the way before Yuko spoke up again. “Shiriri-chan’s been pretty moody, hasn’t she?”


“Well she’s always moody  ,” I responded, rolling my eyes.


“No, that’s not what I meant. I mean that she’s seemed particularly touchy since she got that call from her company this morning saying that she had to go to New York.”


“What?” I was shocked. This was the first I was hearing of this.


“You didn’t know?”


I gave her a pointed glare. “No, I didn’t know. And how do you know? I thought you were at the museum all day with me.”


Yuko dropped her arm from my shoulders and looked at me confused. “She stopped by the museum late this morning and told me. I thought she was coming to tell you then, too.”


I felt strange. I wasn’t even sure what emotion I was feeling. Betrayal? Insecurity? Resentment? Some head-spinning cocktail of all three? Why would Mayu come all the way down to the museum to tell Yuko and not me? Was that why she was in an especially prickly mood this evening? I just didn’t understand why she wouldn’t tell me.


Back at my apartment, Yuko had fallen asleep on my shoulder after we sat talking on the couch. She told me she wasn’t allowed to leave because of the threat about kidnapping me and then proceeded to fall asleep. I sat there wide awake, fretting in my thoughts, feeling restless and exhausted all at once.


It was late when the door to my apartment opened and I heard a familiar, laidback gait coming down the short hallway. Mayu appeared in my little living room with her signature, irritated expression. Without a word, she strode over to where we were situated on the couch and kicked Yuko’s leg none too gently.


“Come on, get up,” she snapped. “Time for you to go home.”


Yuko slowly opened her eyes and gave a tired yawn. “Hey, Shiriri-chan,” she said sleepily, squinting up at her. “How’d it go?”


“How do you think it went? Same as always.”


Geez, she did seem grouchier than usual. Maybe Yuko was right about the call to go to New York making her grumpy. I waited for Yuko to leave before I decided to say anything. I wanted to know what was going on, but I wasn’t sure she would appreciate me bringing up the phone call this late.


She looked exhausted, as usual, but I had to say something to break this awkward silence between us.


As I watched Mayu toe out of her shoes and cast her socks aside before pulling her shirt over her head. The harshness in her expression had faded, but only slightly and I couldn’t tell if it was because Yuko had finally left or simply because she was too exhausted to stay so cranky.


As tempting as she was standing in my living room with only her bra and bare-footed in her jeans, I couldn’t deny that I was still irked myself. It was difficult, but I managed to control my voice enough to make it not sound like I was trying to pick a fight when I asked, “When were you going to tell me that you had to go to New York?”


I was honestly hurt that she hadn’t told me yet, even after she had apparently told Yuko. It was as though I was seeing where I fit on her totem pole of importance.


She had been about to head down the hall, probably to take a bath, when she turned around to look at me questionably. It didn’t take much deductive reasoning to figure out how I found out about the trip because she immediately shot back with, “Did Yuko-san tell you?”


I nodded. No point in lying about it, especially when I just wanted her to be honest with me. A frown twisted her features and she became visibly exasperated again. “That old- perv…” she groused under her breath.


“What’s the big deal anyway? Are you keeping it a secret from me for some reason in particular? I thought I was someone important to you, but lately it feels like I’m just some pet that hangs around at your house or that you come to visit over here every now and then.”


“That’s not true,” she grumbled, starting blush standing there in front of me half undressed.


“Then what is it?”


“Can I go take a bath?”


“Mayu!”


She smirked, giving me a challenging look. “Come take a bath with me, and then maybe I’ll talk.”


My eyes widened in shock as my lips parted with surprise. Her smirk deepened as I’d probably just given her the very reaction she had expected from me. Determined not to let her off the hook so easy, I set my mind and glared at her obstinately.


I grabbed the hem of my shirt and began pulling it over my head. The fabric muffled my voice, taking some of the tenacity out of my response. “Fine! If that’s the way you want to play…”


My hands moved to undo the button at the top of my jeans. They were shaking a little with a combination of nervousness and determination as my fingers worked to draw my zipper down. I continued to glower at her even as she stared at me.


I flushed red when I went to plant my hands stubbornly on my hips and they were met with my exposed flesh. I glared at her through my embarrassment, fighting the urge to cover up or run away. Her face was bright red and bewilderment amplified in her eyes.


Is this what it had come down to? Threatening and challenging each other standing in the living room half naked?


At the exact same time, our resolve cracked and we both started laughing at our own absurdity. I was laughing so hard that tears began to obscure my vision and it wasn’t until I felt her rough hands sliding around my waist that I’d realized she’d closed the distance between us.


“W-what are you doing?” I asked startled, suddenly taking a step back; the laughter and comical tears vanishing in an instant.


At first she frowned, but then reached for me again locking her hand around my wrist so that I couldn’t get away. A mischievous smirk reappeared on her face. “I thought you wanted to talk, so let’s go talk.”


Mayu suddenly grabbed me and pushed me hard down the hall towards the bathroom, I then shrieked with embarrassment. “Eek! Mayu, stop this right now! I wasn’t serious!”


“Too late,” was all she said before closing the bathroom door behind us. She set me on my feet, but kept hold of my wrists with one hand anticipating my attempt to flee while the other began turning the knobs for the water.


Letting the water fill the tub, she turned back to me and pulled me against her. Then she claimed my mouth with her, kissing me deeply. The sound of rushing water was starting to diminish, alerting us that the tub was getting full, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she thrust her tongue in my mouth, desperately searching for a way to consume me.


“Mm…Mayu,” I beseeched her, not wishing for my bathroom to get flooded.


Reluctantly, she pulled away, but only to stop the flow of water. Then she returned to me, picking me up into the tub with her, clothes and all. It was so brash and bold…so unlike her. I liked it when she surprised me.


“D-does this mean we can talk?”


She just stared back at me, my question seeming to bring her back to reality. Mayu stood up suddenly, her jeans hanging heavily off of her hips with all the water they’d absorbed. We looked at each other in our soaking wet, clinging clothes and immediately started laugh at the same time.


Eventually, our ridiculous laughter ceased as the water calmed our tensed nerves. Peeling off the rest of our clothes, we settled into the tub together, taking turns washing each other.


“Mayu?” I asked, rinsing the soap suds down the expanse of her back. “Why didn’t you tell me about New York when you told everyone else?”


Her back slowly expanded and contracted under my hands as she took a deep breath. “Because I leave next Wednesday.”


My hand holding the washcloth over her back stilled. That was the day before our anniversary. I felt crestfallen.


As I ceased to wash her, Mayu slowly turned around and a frown darkened her features. “And I didn’t want to make you look like that,” she added.


I just stared at her, feeling the disappointment pulling down my own expression. I tried not to look so pathetic, but I couldn’t help it. She wasn’t going to be here for our anniversary. Even if she was only going to take me out for ice cream it still would have been special because it was with her.


“Stop looking like that,” she ordered. “Geez! I was still trying to think of a way to tell you so this wouldn’t happen.”


“It was going to happen no matter what,” I told her. “I’m really sad that I’m not going to be with you on our anniversary.”


She stood up and got out of the tub, wrapping a towel around her. Then she grabbed a towel for me and gestured for me to stand up. I absently obeyed, turning my back to her as she draped the towel around me.


“The girls will still be here,” she mumbled quietly to herself.


“So you want me to celebrate our anniversary with one of them?”


“No!” She scowled at me with slight irritation. “I just mean that if Rena hasn’t found out where this last treasure of your gramps’s is then one of them is going to have to make sure you don’t get kidnapped.”


“Oh.” I followed her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where we began to change for bed. “So who’s going to be staying with me?”


“I dunno. I don’t really care,” She said, trying to sound aloof about it. But I knew she probably hated the thought of any of the other girls staying the night at my place even if they stay in another room.


“Then should I ask…”



TBC




A/N: creamcracker: Finally YOU DID It!!  kaya mo nman pala eh...ahahaha.... balik nlng tyo sa pigi2ng lurker ulet after nito

and I'll second kiruchi-san how about an update on you're fic as well 

[anonymousstalker]

A/N: 2nd to the last update Dedicated this to all my friends in Pinoy Alliance Happy Anniversary to us: 7sam14,alexiel17,Amakuchi, Almirathegreat,Cessy10, cheesybits, Chichay12 ,ChuuPuffs, creamcracker, , FlameHazeKatsu, freakymonday, gibson-mayulover, GinkoX,imteedee, Karomuwi , karupin12, Keisthename, kenjoy12shiruba_rein, kimcoton, kiruchi, korin48, leipyon,Mai-chan, maku,mayuyuxlyukirinlover13, miayaka,Minamiyuki, p-o-p-e-y-oppa, pen-pen-chii, riderchick,rhin, tam_atsu, WMatsui22 

The Black Thieves

*Part 4*


“Then should I ask…”


.


.


.


“Yuko?” I suggested indifferently.


Mayu, however, did not seem to think my proposal was so casual. She turned sharply to face me. “Why Yuko-san?” she demanded frantically. “Has she tried anything with you? That goodfornot—!”


“Mayu! You know she hasn’t made a move on me,” I chastised her hotly. Honestly!


I crossed my arms over my chest and she seemed to get that I was becoming annoyed again. So she sighed and glanced away before coming back over to me. Pulling me close, I still remained rigid in her arms even as she whispered in my ear, “You’re right. I should trust those them. But even so, I trust you more.”


My stern look began to melt as her breath tickled my neck and my ear. To hear her concede so easily like that, my heart lightened with hope that she wasn’t always going to be a stubborn fool.


“Really?” I asked brightly.


“Sure,” she said, sounding perfectly natural as she headed over to the bed and lifted the covers. Settling herself in, she said, “I’ll let Jurina know she’ll be watching you while I’m gone.”


With that said she flicked of her light and lay down. I could sense her smug smirk filling up the room and I only sighed exasperatedly as I slipped under the covers beside her. There was no changing her and it seemed I was never going to win.


“Good night,” I said into the air, and I almost thought I felt the mattress jostle slightly as though she were chuckling wickedly to herself.


---000---


The following Wednesday came and went all too soon. Rena had given Mayu and me a lift to the airport where I was able to see her off before her trip. I watched with a glum heart as she disappeared through security to her gate. Of course, she hadn’t let me kiss her good-bye in public and so I was left with only the lingering feel of an awkward half hug she gave my shoulders just before departing.


I had been standing there, trying to absorb every last tingle and sensation of Mayu’s parting touch when Rena suddenly disrupted my efforts by placing her own arm around my shoulders.


“Come on,” she said, giving me a little squeeze. “I’ll treat you to breakfast on the way to work.”


I knew she was only trying to make me feel better, but I was even further depressed now that the feel of Mayu had been exchange for her.


After Rena dropped me off at the museum, it was a little easier to move forward through the day by distracting myself with as many tedious tasks as possible. Then Thursday was also the same. I was even expecting things to be a little bit easier throwing myself into a routine without my girlfriend being in town, but the fact that my one year anniversary with Mayu was on Friday just ended up making it worse.


My less than enthusiastic expression at the hideout Thursday night seemed to make the girls a little apprehensive. Jurina and Yuko were glancing at me with concerned brows drawn over their faces even as Rena began detailing out the plans for the mission that night. I sighed thinking how it just didn’t feel right without Mayu there.


I was suddenly roused from my contemplation by a light rap on the head. “Cheer up,” Rena ordered me. “It’s not like you’re never going to see her again.”


“Aw, Rena-chan, be nice,” said Yuko, putting her arm around me. “Her heart is thousands of miles away on another continent.”


“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to keep you good and distracted tonight,” Jurina promised with a kind smile.


Yuko gasped. “Jurina, that sounds kinda dirty!”


I gave the girls a wry smile. “I know it’s not forever,” I said in response to Rena’s comment. But our anniversary was going to come and go before Mayu returned. Even if she was only going to buy me ice cream I had still been looking forward to it.


“All right,” said Rena. “Time to focus. Let’s get a move on.”


I started to leave with the three of them when Rena suddenly stopped and turned to me. “Where do you think you’re going?”


I glanced around, puzzled by her unexpected question. “I’m…coming with,” I said. I always went with them on missions.


“Oh, no you don’t. We can’t leave you in the van all alone.”


Oh, that was right. Mayu wouldn’t be there tonight.


“Yeah, you’re staying here with Bakamina,” Yuko told me.


“Why? Why did I even have to come tonight if you were just going to leave me behind? Can’t I just go home?”


Jurina gave a light chuckle and ruffled my hair. “We still need to make sure you don’t get kidnapped. Takamina-san will babysit you until it’s my turn to take over.”


Oh, yeah. There was that, too. Why did I keep forgetting about this whole kidnapping thing?


“We’ll have fun. I can read your fortune for you while we wait for them to get back.” Takamina-san smiled enthusiastically and I groaned internally.


A short while after the girls left, Takamina-san and I went down to the basement to keep an eye on their progress. We heard them over the radio before the monitors came to life.


“Mayu-chan, are you there?” I heard Rena ask.


“…Yeah, I’m here.” I smiled instantly being able to hear Mayu’s voice on the radio. I guess she really was going to be a part of this mission…just remotely.


Glancing up, I caught Takamina-san staring at me with a warm smile on her face and I realized that I had started beaming brightly when I heard Mayu’s voice. I stayed silent even though I wanted to call out and say hello to her; I knew they had to concentrate.


Yuko’s voice was next. “Good to hear ya, Shiriri-chan. Wouldn’t be the same without you.”


“All right. Disable the security cameras and change the feed,” Rena instructed.


“Twenty seconds,” came Mayu’s reply. “…Done. Dummy feed on. We now have control.”


The monitors honed in and images began popping up on the screens in front of me and Takamina-san. We watched as Jurina and Rena moved through what looked very similar to the usual kind of location, but somehow different. It was a wide, clean space filled with rows and rows of glass cases. Only the buildings back-up security lights were on and so it was difficult to see exactly what was going on.


After a short while, we heard Jurina come over the radio again. “Target acquired. Package has been dropped.”


“We’ll be out in one minute. Mayu-chan, re-enable the security in two,” said Rena.


Nothing but smooth sailing it seemed for the Black thieves. As they were in transit to their next location I turned to Takamina-san and asked, “What exactly are we after this time? It’s not usual that we have two targets in one mission.”


Takamina-san cocked her head to the side and smiled as she reclined in her seat. “Oh? Weren’t you paying attention when Rena was detailing the mission?”


I frowned and shook my head. Truthfully, I had been daydreaming and feeling sorry for myself instead of paying attention. Perhaps it was a good thing that I was forced to stay behind at the bar tonight since I hadn’t been listening to instructions.


Takamina-san just laughed. “Want me to read your fortune while we wait?”


I shrugged. Saying no wouldn’t stop her anyway. “Sure, why not.”


Takamina-san suddenly turned serious as she began pulling out her cards. One by one she laid them out and then began to frown. “Hm…”


“What is it?” I asked, suddenly worried despite the lack of stock I usually put into things like fortunes and readings.


She looked up at me as though debating how to phrase it. Quirking a brow she said, “I don’t know how to tell you this, but it says that you’re going to find true love before the new moon.”


“Huh? But the new moon is tomorrow night,” I reasoned. “That’s just silly because I’m already with Mayu.”


She was silent for a moment as she contemplated this. Then she asked softly, “But is Mayu-chan your true love?”


My lips parted slightly, but I realized then that I was unsure of the answer myself. Takamina-san nodded fractionally as if she understood this and added, “Not to mention… she’s away in New York until next week.”


“What are you saying, Takamina-san?”


Gathering up her cards she merely shrugged. “I only read the cards. If you’re serious about Mayu-chan, I suggest you be careful about who you’re spending time with between tonight and tomorrow night. Love can strike at any moment.”


My eyes flitted back to the lifeless screens where I had just seen the images of all the Black thieves except for Mayu.


Be careful about who I spend time with for the next two nights?



But, I was supposed to be watched by Jurina while Mayu was away.


---000---


I couldn’t help thinking about Takamina-san’s fortune, even though I knew they almost never came true. When they did come to fulfillment, though, it was usually because of a likely coincidence with really good timing. So when the girls came back from their second location and Jurina was making ready to leave, I only hesitated because something seemed out of the ordinary.


“Where’s the stuff?” I asked, seeing them stroll back into the museum empty-handed.


The three of them exchanged looks and Yuko finally smirked at me. Pointedly, she asked, “What stuff?”


Ugh. She was teasing me because she probably figured out I wasn’t listening during Rena’s recap of the mission and wanted me to admit it. Was it a painting they were after this time? Jewels? A sculpture? I felt the embarrassment rising in my cheeks and I shook my head.


“N-never mind,” I stammered. “Are you ready to go, Jurina? I’m tired and I want to go home.”


“Sure thing,” she said, throwing her arm casually around me shoulders. “See you guys later!”


Not only did she walk me out to the car with her arm around me, but she also made sure to open the car door as well. Before getting in, Takamina-san’s fortune still fresh on my mind, I stopped to squint suspiciously at her face in the darkened night. It was just a friendly gesture, right? Jurina was always doing stuff like that.


Pushing the thought to the back of my mind, I slid into the front seat and he closed the passenger door behind me. She came around and flashed me a grin before inserting the key into the ignition and pointing the car in the direction of my apartment.


We rode in silence most of the way as I looked out the window at the moon sailing across the night sky. It saddened me to know that Mayu was so far away that there was no possibility that she could be looking at the same moon right now. It would be closer to noon where she was. The sun would be shining down on her.


I sighed lamentably.


“Is everything okay?” Jurina asked, breaking the silence. “You’ve been more quiet than usual since we finished the mission. Usually, you’re all chatty and excited after.”


I glanced over at her, her profile intermittently hidden in shadows as we drove under the passing street lamps. “I’m fine.”


She seemed to accept this at first, but after a beat, she noted, “You weren’t paying attention when Rena-chan was detailing the mission, were you?”


“How does everyone know that?” I demanded.


Jurina chuckled. “You look so lost without Mayuyu around. Maybe she’s the one who keeps you in line all the time.”


I sank deeper into my seat at the mention of his name. It was true; I felt lost without Mayu. Tomorrow was our anniversary and my heart squeezed sourly at the thought. I glanced at the digital display on the dash and saw that it was past midnight. Our anniversary was actually today. I pondered picking up my phone and calling Mayu just to hear her voice, but thought better of it. It was the middle of the work day where she was and she was on a business trip. I shouldn’t interfere.


Attempting to distract myself, I tried picking up the conversation with Jurina. “All right, you got me. I wasn’t paying attention tonight,” I admitted, ruefully. “So what was it that you girls were after this time anyway? It’s very strange that you had to make two stops.”


There was something in the silhouette of Jurina’s faint smirk that seemed a little off to me. Though, all she said was, “You’ll find out soon enough.”


We arrived at my apartment and I was about to go in first when Jurina stopped me by placing her hand on my shoulder. I turned to look at her questioningly and saw a rather serious expression had smoothed her features. Her eyes were stern as she told me, “I should go in first. You know, to check it out…just in case.”


I only nodded, feeling a sudden sense of dread come over me. I hadn’t thought about anyone lying in wait for me at my home, ready to ambush me upon arrival. Jurina held me back as she slipped in through the front door. I listened intently, but heard nothing as she moved about my apartment soundlessly. It was rather impressive for her to move so stealthily. Then again, what kind of Black thieve would she be if she couldn’t move around undetected?


Breathless and straining to listen, I waited anxiously for a sign. Waiting for Jurina to call out to say everything was all right or for the normal sound of her footsteps returning, but I heard nothing besides the thump-thump of my own impatient heartbeat.


She had left the door cracked open, but the lights were all still off inside. All I could see was a sliver of darkness beyond the threshold. Unable to
contain my worry and curiosity any longer, I slowly reached out to press my hand against the door to push it open a little bit more. My fingers tips had only just touched the panel when suddenly it disappeared from my touch and a shadowy figure took its place to stand before me.


“Boo!”


“Kyaaaah!” I shouted, automatically jumping backward.


.


.


.


Jurina’s laugh hit my ears before my brain registered that it was her who was standing in my doorway. My fright turned to minor annoyance as I shoved past her to get into my apartment.


“Very funny, Jurina,” I grumbled as I took my shoes off and began flipping on the lights here and there.


“You have got to see the look on your face,” she chuckled, holding her stomach.


“That’s totally something Yuko would do. I never expected it from you.”


“Aw, U mad?”


I pursed my lips and calmed my frantic pulse. Sighing, I admitted, “No, not really. I’m just tired and a little cranky that Mayu’s not here.”


She reached out and pulled me into a big bear hug. “Well, I can’t do anything about Mayuyu not being here, but if you’re tired we should get to bed.”


Releasing me, she grinned and asked, “Where do you want me?”


I couldn’t help but blush a little at the way Jurina asked me where I wanted her to sleep tonight if only because of Takamina-san’s fortune. “O-on the couch if you don’t mind.”


“Don’t mind at all,” she said easily, and I realized how silly I was being.


Stupid fortune telling! Nothing was going to happen between me and Jurina tonight.


We took turns using the bathroom getting ready for bed and then I closed the door to my bedroom. Turning off the last light on my bedside table, I snuggled under the blankets and sighed with relief. Safe and sound. Jurina was probably already asleep away out on the sofa after spending a late night working on a mission.


Just starting to feel myself drift, I was startled out of my dreamy haze and back to reality when I heard a sudden shout coming from my living room. It sounded like Jurina! Jumping out of bed, I could hear sounds like a close scuffle just outside my door.


Throwing open the door, I was about to run to Jurina’s aid when I was suddenly grabbed from behind. My arms were effectively restrained and a large hand covered my mouth even as I tried to call for help.


“Mnff!” was the only sound that came out.


In the darkness I couldn’t see a thing. I only heard Jurina call my name just before there was a loud crack followed by the heavy dull thud of a large body slumping to the floor. Jurina!


Even as my eyes adjusted I couldn’t see much of anything, just a dark, shadow of a figure ghosting toward me from about where the couch and Jurina were. Although, she was probably lying unconscious in front of the couch right now.


Writhing and kicking, trying to extract myself from my captor’s hold, the other figure that had been wrestling with Jurina came in front of me and flicked my forehead, shocking me enough to cause me to stop my struggling. My eyes had adjusted only fractionally, but I could see that these intruders were dressed all in black from head to toe. Faceless, hooded masks cloaked their features and when the one standing before me spoke, they must have been using a voice enhancer because it sounded distorted and demonic in a most unsettling way.


“It will go well for you if you don’t resist,” the one said with a bizarre, too-deep-to-be-real voice.


With my wits scattered about me and my heart pounding with fear, I could only whimper and nod in agreement. Feeling as though they had my cooperation, they tied a black scarf over my eyes and led me out of my apartment.


Completely blinded and at their mercy, I found myself being shoved into a van before they sped off into the night with me. We had been driving for quite a long time before I finally felt as though they were driving around in circles, purposefully trying to disorient me. It had worked, somewhat.


When the van finally stopped and they hauled me out, they steered be along a short concrete walkway before guiding me through a door. I only tripped a little on the step up, but whoever was holding onto my arm managed to keep me upright. Wherever I was, it felt slightly familiar. I had no reason to believe that except that I felt it deep in my bones. Only…the smell was off.


There was a distinct smell of vegetation, strongly floral. Was I in a garden? No, I was indoors. An arboretum perhaps? A greenhouse? I breathed in the heady scent, noting that it was actually rather pleasant despite the disagreeable situation that I found myself in.


“Wait here,” the horridly distorted voice commanded me. “Do not move until instructed to.”


Even though they hadn’t bound my wrists I felt compelled to obey and kept my hands stiffly against my sides. I felt the openness as my kidnappers positioned me in the middle of whatever room I was in despite the suffocating fear that gripped my throat. As their presence faded from beside me, strangely I felt even more on edge than when they were close beside me.


Still blindfolded, feeling utterly alone and terrified, I…?



TBC

[rhin12]

Yuki got kidnapped!    

Can't wait for the next update!  update more!  Thanks anonymousstalker-san! 

[anonymousstalker]

The Black Thieves

*Part 5*


Still blindfolded, feeling utterly alone and terrified, I…?



I couldn’t stand the suspense any longer. Slowly, almost tentatively, I began moving my hand upward with caution, waiting for impending punishment for disobeying orders. Nothing was happening yet and so I moved my fingers to the heavy material of the blindfold.


Before I could really move the covering away I felt something cold at my throat. It was thin and strong.


Maybe a flexible wire? Were they going to strangle me?!


“Ungh!” I started to panic as my breaths came in rapid, shallow waves.


The thing at my neck pulled just a little tighter than was comfortable before finally disappearing, but not completely as I felt a delicate foreign weight at the base of my neck. A familiar voice whispered roughly in my ear, “Can’t you ever just do what you’re told?”



“Mayu!” My relief was apparent and tears sprang to my eyes. My hand moved automatically to the blindfold again, but it was quickly wrenched down to my side and captured forcibly behind my back with my other to prevent another attempt at removing my covering. My relief soon turned to confusion and bafflement.


“Mayu?” I asked into the darkness, a little hesitantly. I could feel the warmth of her presence behind me, even as she held tight to my wrists.


“I thought you already established it was me,” I heard her say, the familiar edge of annoyance cutting through her voice.


Why was I here? Why was she restraining me and not letting me go? I’d just been kidnapped!


Then a sudden thought struck me. “What’s…going on?”


I could almost feel her smirking from where she stood behind me. Finally she spoke again, saying, “It’s about the final piece left behind by Japan’s Leonardo DaVinci.”


Okay. So had I just been kidnapped over that now? Did the Black thieves come to save me? What was happening? I wanted to ask all these questions, but strangely my voice had left me.


I felt Mayu’s lips near my ear as she spoke a little quieter. “Do you remember how we were saying it was the most important piece of his legacy that he left behind?”


I nodded faintly.


“Well, we found it.”


My blindfold was loosened and fell away, my sight returning more swiftly than I had expected. The room was completely dark except for a dim halo of light over where we stood. I wanted to turn to her and throw myself in her arms, but something in front of me caught my eye making me stop. The soft light glinted off of the simple gold frame of a cheval glass mirror positioned before me. Mayu was mostly hidden in the shadows and so I couldn’t make out expression.


“What do you see?” she asked.


I blinked at my reflection perplexedly for a moment before finally answering uncertainly. “I…I see m-me?”


She looked at me through the glass of the mirror, her eyes finding mine. As she came closer to awkwardly wrap her arms around my waist from behind I could start to see the redness that was seeping into her cheeks.


“I don’t understand,” I whispered.



“It’s you,” Mayu said, giving me a gentle squeeze. “You’re the most precious treasure your gramps left behind.”


The pleasant sting of happy tears infiltrated my eyes and their warmth began running down my cheeks. As I turned to her and threw my arms around her neck I found that the surge of emotion had completely swallowed all my words. I could hardly believe that she was here with me when I had been so resolved to miss her all this time while she was away on her trip.


She let me embrace her for a long moment before finally reaching around to unhinge my arms so that she could pull back to look at me. Her grin was off-centered and a little embarrassed as she looked away shyly.


“And well, you know…as a thank you,” she was saying, sounding as though she was stumbling over her words a bit. “Since you let me have this…*cough*…uh, last treasure of his…”


Her words trailed off and her hand dropped from around my waist as her eyes searched the floor for nothing. Stepping back into the shadows she seemed to finally be able to finish saying what she seemed to want to say.


“I, uh…I did this for our anniversary. I hope you like it.”


I was expecting her to add on her trademark ‘and if you don’t like it I don’t care’ at the end, but she didn’t. The lights faded up just a little more, not to their full strength, but allowing enough glow to illuminate most of the room. It was her living room, but it looked completely transformed. Pansies of every different variety and color filled the room covering all that I could see. It was like a midnight garden created indoors just for me.


Clearing her throat abruptly, and pulling her brows down into her trademark scowl as she shuffled back toward me, she looked down at her shoes. “I read pansies were the flower for a first anniversary. …Geez, they have such a stupid name.”


I laughed a little, hearing how embarrassed she was just to say the name of the flower. She looked up at me sharply and I stopped my giggling. “Mayu,” I finally said. “This is amazing. I can hardly believe you did this all for me!”


“Yeah, well, the girls helped.”


“They helped? How?”


She looked at me as though I was dense. “Tonight’s mission. They got the flowers and…that.” she reached up and touched that thing at the base of my throat. My fingers followed and I lifted the necklace up to see that it was a pearl pendant on a gold chain and I gasped.


“Mayu, you didn’t!” I cried mortified.


“Didn’t what? Of course I did!”


My surprise changed to anger and I immediately began trying to unhook the necklace from around my neck with shaking fingers. My fury only made it that much more difficult to open the clasp and I struggled. Mayu watched puzzled for a moment before grasping my hands and pulling them back in front of me.


“What are you talking about? I thought you liked this kind of sissy stuff,” she said, offering me a look of confusion.


“I can’t believe you stole all of this! How could you?”


I tried wrenching my hands from her, but she only held tighter, our struggle bringing us closer together.


“Hold on,” she commanded, trying to control me. “We didn’t steal anything. Everything was paid for…with extra to cover the cost of surprise when they found all this gone.”


I stopped trying to fight her and looked up. “What do you mean?”


“I mean, we left more than enough money to cover the cost of the jewelry and flowers and a police investigation if they decided to go that far.”


I stared at her and said nothing, trying to comprehend what she was telling me.


She gave me an annoyed look and said, “Close your big mouth. Or you’re bound to catch a dozen flies like that.”


“Wait, wait, wait!” I shook my head as though it would help shake all the pieces of the puzzle into place. “Let me get this straight…tonight the Black thieves went to a jeweler, broke in and stole—.”


“What the hell! Weren’t you listening! None of it was stolen!”


“Okay…took a necklace. Then left money behind to pay for it. After which they went to a florist and did the same thing?”


Mayu shrugged one shoulder as if to simply say: yeah, so?


“Why didn’t you just go buy all of this stuff like a normal person?”


She crossed her arms over her chest and glanced away, her face beet red. “Tch! Like I would be caught dead walking into either of those places.”


I was finally starting to understand what she had done for me. This stupid, intelligent, too-cute-to-admit-it woman really did love me deep down. It was just that the shy girl inside of her sometimes made it hard for her to express it, but I loved that about her. Her actions always spoke louder than her words and I was so overwhelmed that I simply took her face in my hands and turned her so that I could kiss her full on the lips.


I felt her surprise in her initial stiff reaction, but soon her lips melted against mine. Her slimmed arms hold on me as she pulled my body against her’ s and kissed me back. All the things she felt she couldn’t say she seemed to transfer into the energy of her kiss, pressing urgently against mine.


We stood there for minutes in each other’s arms, kissing and holding onto one another. Finally, I pulled back to look at her, smiling with all the love and affection I felt filling my heart.


“Happy anniversary,” I whispered to her.


She flushed red to her ears and glanced away. But returned to look me in the eyes as well before saying, “Anything for the girl I love.”


A smile gently stretched my lips and I felt whole and complete. It was the best first anniversary ever, and the last one I would ever have. I leaned in to kiss her again, knowing there would be no one else for me but her.



-END-




A/N: Finally finished  for now voting for Week 2 will resume momentarily and again it's only valid for 24 hours thanks everyone

[imteedee]

Mayuki +1....

OH I forgot It's not up yet  I ALWAYS VOTE MAYUKI every week  whether I cast or not 

c'mon people this thread needs more SayaMilky now