I don't have much to say at the moment. Anyone who reads the author notes in my other story I'm working on will know how excited I am about this one. Unlike Melting this story has longer chapters. Something many people want. I hope you enjoy.
SOULMATES
CHAPTER ONE – Perfect Match
The day started off normal enough, just like any other day. Usagi woke up and got ready for school as she did every morning. When school was out at noon Usagi would make her way to the Crown Arcade. The arcade-slash-diner had been her and her friends' number one stop since high school and to this day remained so. However, she gave up her daily double chocolate milkshake for coffee almost two years ago, saving the chocolaty goodness for whenever she needed a bona fide pick-me-up.
While sipping her coffee alone in one of the booths, waiting for her friends, a man wearing a darker sweater and had even darker hair caught her attention. She unwrapped her light green scarf from around her neck and set it on the table beside her cup, her eyes never leaving his form. He was making conversation with Motoki, the owner of this fine establishment – and barely thirty. Usagi raked her mind to place a name with the man's face, surely someone who knew Motoki she knew. There were only a couple of people Motoki has mentioned in the years they have known each other Usagi has never met in person but she has seen in passing.
However, Usagi couldn't get past the fact that she felt like she knew the man with the ebony hair and cobalt eyes; such a deep, deep blue staring back at her, locking her eyes with his. Is this what love felt like? To be held so securely by just a look?
"Usagi!" Rei called in a sing-song voice. Her raven hair was pulled back in a clip – a definite sign of change for Rei never put her hair up. Sitting across from Usagi, Rei smiled brightly.
"Sooo?" Usagi asked, drawing out the word. She kept the man in her peripheral view, not quite wanting to let him go just now.
"Sooo, what?" Rei asked mocking Usagi's drawl.
"Why are you so, I don't know, chipper?"
Rei covered her mouth as she guffawed. She rested her chin on her hand and looked Usagi over once. "Chipper?"
Usagi sighed and shoved her hands in the air. "You know, giddy, excited… happy?"
Her friend shrugged. "Can't I just wake up happy from time to time?"
"No, it isn't allowed," Makoto stated as she walked up to the table, followed closely behind by Minako.
"Hey girls," Minako slipped into the booth beside Usagi. She snapped her cell phone closed. "Ami is on her way. Her class got out late."
"You're hair is up!" Makoto pointed out to Rei as she too sat down.
"Yeah, so?"
"You never wear your hair up?"
Rei shrugged once again in response, a smile glued to her face.
"She has a boyfriend who likes women who wear their hair in clips, you know. He thinks it's sexy whenever he can reach up behind her head as they're kissing and take her hair down himself." Minako said off-handedly as she glanced at her fingernails.
"Minako!"
Their eyes met, Rei's and Minako's, in a three second battle. Minako won when she smiled demurely and said, "What? I can't help it if I'm psychic."
Usagi glanced back at the counter, her curiosity getting the better of her once again. She barely heard Rei's response about the guy not being her boyfriend… yet, as her eyes scanned the room for the man. She found him sitting on one of the stools facing their booth. His attention however was on the book he had opened and set on the counter. She caught a flash of blue when he looked up and smiled at her as if he could feel her gaze. Usagi quickly, shyly smiled back, a blush glowing on her cheeks, before she turned back to all of her friends.
All four of them stared at her. Apparently Ami had walked in the small amount of time Usagi had looked away and pointed out the fact that Usagi was not in on the conversation with her friends.
"Welcome back," the blue-black haired friend of hers commented.
"While we can all see that he is to-die-for gorgeous," Rei said. "We are all on a schedule for lunch."
"Oh, be nice Rei!" Makoto stated, standing up to leave. "Just be glad you aren't the center of attention at the moment."
They settled for a small deli a few blocks from the arcade to eat lunch. Each girl sat at a table with their sandwiches, besides Minako who opted – as usual – for a salad. They got together at least twice a week for lunch although they saw each other almost every day. At night the group would go dancing or a movie or sometimes even shopping; at least they would gather at one of the five's houses and hang out. Their bonds to each other were deeper than any one friendship many people saw these days. Their friendship lasted the weather of time.
As they made plans for the evening, Usagi's mind drifted away again. It floated all the way back to the arcade and the man dressed in a nearly black sweater and midnight eyes. More than likely she would never see him again but for some reason Usagi could not move past him. There was an aura around him that clung to the back of her mind and quite possibly a small piece of her heart in just the small amount of time she had seen him. And she didn't even know him.
"Usagi, is everything okay?" Ami asked concern shown in her turquoise eyes.
"Yeah, I just.." Usagi hesitated and rubbed a hand at her bare neck. A thought struck her, "I just left my scarf at the arcade."
"Because you were distracted by the mystery man talking to Motoki," Rei said.
"Oh," Usagi let out a sigh and shrunk a little. "You noticed him too?"
"Only because you were ogling him!" Rei said with a soft laugh following. "Don't worry, I'm not going to make my moves on him."
"You wouldn't want to make Yuuichirou mad."
"Minako shut up!" Rei screeched.
Minako huffed. "It's not fair to keep secrets from the group." The blond squared her chin and crossed her arms testing Rei and her pulled back black hair.
"I'm dating Yuuichirou," Rei mumbled, lowering her head to avoid eye contact with the rest of the group.
"Huh," Makoto sounded, scratching her head.
"Not surprising, honestly." Ami said taking the last small bite of her vegetarian sandwich.
Usagi giggled. "About time."
"I don't want to talk about it," Rei said, facing the group again. "I want to know what Usagi is going to do about the guy at the arcade."
Usagi shrugged. "I don't know." She looked at her watch. "All I know is, I need to get back to Crown Arcade to get my scarf now so I won't be late for work." She stood and grabbed her bag from the back of her chair and waved good-bye. "I'll see you guys tonight at my apartment."
She left the deli before her friends could even say good-bye back. Usagi closed her jacket around her as the wind hit her once the door closed behind her and she started weaving her way through the people on the streets. Rounding the last corner before the arcade, Usagi ran into a warm body.
Arms wrapped around her waist to keep her steady and for a brief moment Usagi let herself lean against the man's frame, whoever he was. She felt comforted and instantly warmed. She took in his spicy scent until she felt dizzy. Bringing a hand to wipe her hair from her face, Usagi took a step back and found herself facing the man from earlier. Once he was sure she had her balance he took his arms from around her and straightened out his own clothes.
"Hi," his deep voice sounded in her ears.
Usagi smiled, "Hey."
"I hope you don't mind." He lifted his left hand and revealed Usagi's mint green scarf. "I noticed you left it. Motoki gave me a heads up on where you and your friends might be."
"Thanks."
Usagi gingerly took the scarf from his hands, their fingers brushing and sending tingles throughout both their bodies. Quickly, Usagi drew her hand away from his and busied herself with wrapping the scarf around her neck. She broke eye contact for a moment or two, looking back to the deli where her friends were still talking. When she turned her gaze back to the man his eyes were intently watching her. He moved his hand towards her, as if to caress her face, but thought better of it and rubbed the top of his head messing up his hair. Usagi stifled a smile.
"Look, I uh," he started, smoothing his hair back out with his hand. "I don't want to sound too forward or anything but do you want to do something?"
Usagi let out a breath, "Now?" She looked around the street trying to get her bearings. Oh she was attracted to him greatly and this pull, whatever it was, would not loosen its grasp on her. She would almost be so bold as to say that she needed him.
"Or later?" He continued with a short chuckle. He almost seemed as nervous as she felt.
"Yeah, later." Usagi nodded, adjusting the strap of her bag and glancing at her watch. "I have to be at work, like, now." She ran off in the opposite direction without even looking back.
It was not until later whenever Usagi was putting away one of the last books a customer had misplaced that she realized they never made plans to meet. She trailed her fingers down the binding of the book, her head resting on one of the wooden shelves. Her thoughts traveled back to the conversation earlier she had with the man whose name she never got. The man she had made somewhat of a date with and she didn't even get his number. Damn it, she thought. How could I have been so stupid?
Usagi let her eyes focus on the title of the book her fingers were tracing. Perfect Match, she read and a small laugh threatened to erupt from her mouth. As she thought about all of the events today tears pooled in her eyes but never spilled down her cheeks.
No, today was not a normal day.
