My Best Friend's Brother
Written by: Jill Annette
CHAPTER ONE – BEST FRIENDS
"I didn't know you had a brother!" Usagi exclaimed, throwing herself on her friend's bed.
Rei rolled her eyes before looking at Usagi with an un-amused look. Usagi threw her head back as she laughed.
"You know I'm kidding," she sighed, rolling on her stomach so that she could rest her chin in her hands. "I just, can't believe we've been such good friends for – how long? – and I've never met your brother?"
"Four years," Rei deadpanned even as a smile played on her lips. "And he's been at school the entire time."
Usagi reached over the bed to grab a magazine off of Rei's nightstand. As she flipped the glossy pages searching out the latest fashions, Rei sat down at her desk and pulled out a Chemistry textbook. Silence fell between the two but was accepted. It was more of a comfort, knowing that they could just be together and do whatever they wanted without worrying what the other was thinking. Besides, Usagi knew that Rei was pretending that atoms and moles and the periodic table were flying through her head when in reality Yuuichirou was blocking the entrance. Rei knew that Usagi was wondering why she could never find snake-skin shoes like those in the magazine for a decent price at Kohl's or some other decent department store.
After Rei slammed her textbook shut, Usagi lifted her head and asked, "If it's that big of a deal, just ask him."
"Because I'm afraid he doesn't like me," Rei replied, her violet eyes highlighted by tears.
Usagi chucked the magazine on the floor and sat upright, swinging her legs, her heels dragging across the dark carpet. "You won't know unless you ask. He seems to have the same feelings for you. I mean, if it wasn't for me being so needy and cling to your side you would hang out with him a heck of a lot more."
"What if we do start dating," Rei suggested, "and then things go bad."
Usagi threw her head back, "God, Rei!"
"Well, I have to think of every possibility because I want to be ready if it doesn't work out." Rei bowed her head letting the dark strands of her hair hide her face.
"Honey," Usagi cooed; her voice soft as velvet. "You can't set yourself up for disappointment unless you want it." She stood up and took the three steps it took to get to Rei and kneeled on the floor. Here, Usagi could look up and see her friend's face clearly. "All you're doing is asking for him to rip your heart out when you think of all the wrong outcomes in a relationship. If you really care for him then go for it because honestly, if you put your whole heart into it, you'll never know what will happen."
"That didn't get Makoto very far."
It was Usagi's turn to roll her eyes. "That so was not right!" Usagi screeched. "I am so telling her what you said tomorrow!"
Laughter filled the room. They referenced a mutual friend who got pregnant at the end of last summer after she swore she found the man of her dreams. She had her baby shortly before the Senior/Junior prom and found out the person she loved most at the time left her because she could not fit back into a size three. Devastated, Makoto took her heart back and cared it back to health much the same way she cared for her baby, Raiu. For a while, Usagi and Rei noticed the spark missing from their friend's eyes but later a flame became apparent. The love of Makoto's life became Raiu and she would honestly do anything for him.
At eighteen the girls were in the last stretch of their senior year and the possibilities seemed endless to them all. Makoto, after school hours, stopped by to check on her son before leaving him once again with her mother so she could go to work without having to worry about him too much. Her dream was to one day open her own place much different than Motoki's arcade-slash-ice cream shop. Sometimes, Usagi and Rei would visit her at the arcade so that Makoto wouldn't be the last to hear the juiciest bite of gossip. Or they would just sit at a booth waiting for time to pass as they sipped their shakes, just enjoying each others' company.
"She's living her life the best she can!" Usagi pointed out. "She'd never wish for anything to turn out differently than it has."
Rei shrugged, "You're right."
"Besides, this has nothing to do with you." Usagi stated. "Unless you want Yuuichirou to screw you over royally, which you don't."
Rei scooted off her chair and met Usagi down on the floor. "How'd I ever get so lucky to get you as such a great friend?"
Usagi lifted a finger to her temple as if truly contemplating this question before she smiled and reminded her friend, "Well, it all started when you called me Odango Atama! So I knocked over your milkshake – on purpose! – to make sure it hit you." Usagi tilted her head as if the memory was a foggy one. "Then you started yelling at me, saying something about how much of a stupid, ditzy klutz I was." Usagi shoved Rei when the dark headed girl started to laugh to quiet her down so that she could finish her recap. "I guess I proved you right when all I did in response was stick my tongue out at you."
Rei burst into laughter. "I was thrown for a loop! Of course, then we were – what? – fourteen. All I could do was stick my tongue right back out at you!"
Usagi lay on the floor and rolled towards Rei, causing her to fall down onto the floor herself. They laughed until tears seeped from their eyes and they couldn't catch their breath. "I sat down at that booth with you and just laughed."
"If you were anyone else I would have killed you." Rei stated, completely serious. "For some reason though, all I did was laugh too; then apologized."
"Yeah, me too," Usagi sighed at the memory.
Rei lifted her head into her hands and watched Usagi. "That seems like such a long time ago."
Usagi shrugged. "Four years is a long time."
Rei folded her arms across each other and lowered her head to them. Usagi curled on her side so that they looked like a misshapen L if anyone were to look at them. Their faces stayed a couple feet from each other as they continued to converse.
"So, anyway," Usagi started, ready to change the subject. "When's your brother coming?"
"Wondering if he's cute?" Rei said; her voice in a sing-song tune.
Usagi shook her head, "I already know what he looks like, I mean, he looks like someone who loves video games a little too much."
Rei gasped. "I can't believe you even noticed that picture." She laughed. "I'm so glad I never had to wear coke-bottle glasses like that."
Usagi giggled. "Maybe I would have called you four-eyes that day."
"Whatever Odango," Rei smirked.
Usagi pulled her friends hair, "Four-eyes."
"Not!" Rei exclaimed. "Anyway, he doesn't look like that anymore."
"Is he hot?"
"I don't know! He's my brother." Rei argued.
Usagi immediately put up a defense, "You could rate your brother on looks, you know, to help a friend out."
"You're not going to try to get with my brother."
"I never said I was!" The blond shrieked, standing up again, and paced the floor. "I was just asking."
"Good, because best friend's brothers are off-limits," Rei informed.
"Says who?" Usagi asked and crossed her arms.
"Me," a deep voice greeted the two.
The girls turned their heads to the newcomer. Usagi took in this guy's appearance, from his tennis shoes to his casual blue jeans and maroon sweater. Quickly her eyes took in his lean form and the muscles that were apparent underneath, his white smile and clear blue eyes and jet black hair. Only her best friend could catch the look on Usagi's face for a split second that read: shit, he's hot.
After Rei ran up to hug her brother fiercely and with a wide, knowing grin, she introduced Usagi and Mamoru. Mamoru held out his hand and Usagi took it even though her stomach flipped from the feel of his hand in hers. She pushed the feeling aside, blaming it on the fact that she was not expecting him to appear in the doorway just then when they were talking about him.
Mamoru graduated a little over four years ago and left home to study abroad in North America. In the entire time Mamoru was in America, he had only come home to visit once and that was just because their grandfather passed away. He always claimed to have so little time in the states to do much of anything else than go to work, school and then study when he was home. He told Rei everything about his experience there and Usagi listened politely.
They were still standing in Rei's room, when she clapped her hands together as an idea hit her, "Oh my God! Mamoru, you have to go see Motoki."
Mamoru and Motoki had been fairly good friends growing up. Honestly, Motoki probably knew more about Mamoru than a lot of other people, save his family. He nodded and turned to leave and the girls followed in tow. Mamoru opened the front door for the two girls as they quickly moved passed him and down the sidewalk without stopping to wait on him.
Rei and Usagi barged into the arcade when they arrived, automatically calling for Motoki rather loudly to get his attention before Mamoru caught up with them. Makoto smiled as the girls entered and went to the back to fetch Motoki in hopes to quiet them down. Once he emerged from the back, the girls ran up to him.
"Motoki, I have a surprise for you!" Rei exclaimed.
The blond man raised his eyebrows, "What would that be?"
"A very good friend you haven't seen in a while." She explained. Rei looked over at Usagi and grinned before looking to the double doors to find her brother.
About that moment, Mamoru entered the arcade, cool, calm and collected. Rei shoved Usagi down into the booth next to where they were standing and then sat down with her. They watched the exchange between the two. A firm handshake held between a quick, one-armed hug and then Mamoru followed Motoki to the bar and sat down on a barstool. That way he could talk to Motoki as he worked.
A few moments later, Makoto joined the girls sitting in the booth across the room. "Who's the hottie?" She asked as she sat down across from them and set the girl's usual orders in front of them.
"My brother," Rei gleamed. She stirred the contents of her raspberry malt.
"I didn't know you had a brother," the brown headed girl said.
"That seems to be the topic of today," Usagi smirked and took a sip of her double dark chocolate shake.
Elbowing her friend, Rei explained to Makoto how he had been away for four years going to school in America. Now that he had graduated, he was back to find a job and eventually a place to live outside of his mother's home. Rei pouted at this but shrugged all the same, "At least he isn't moving halfway across the world again."
"You'll get to see him more often," Usagi agreed.
"Makoto!" Motoki yelled as a group of customers entered the double doors, "Get to work!"
"Aye, aye, Cap'in!" Makoto mock saluted him, standing up from her seat and sighed. "Sometimes he can be so demanding." She walked off, laughing, to take the other customer's orders.
Mamoru took the place Makoto had vacated just a minute before. "I forgot how good a friend Motoki is." He reached over the table and mussed Rei's hair. "Thanks for reminding me."
Straightening her hair back out, Rei shrugged. "Sometimes you need a sister to help open up your eyes."
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You don't have to tell me that I need to chill out with the ideas for the stories that I'm coming up with. I know. But. I. Can't. Help. It!
I'm thinking about taking From One Broken Heart to Another down again, re-writing it and then posting it back up. Or maybe I'll leave it up, re-write it... finish it... then take it down and start reposting it. Eh, let me know. The next Echo chapter is on it's way out too.
Anyway, this is another story that I'm putting my everything into. I really really really love the idea behind this. eh. Whatever. lol. It's been a long day and I have school in the morning.
