If the Future May Fade Ch. 06
. . .
"Oh really, Mamoru-san? Is that a way to treat a group of Ladies?" Yua volleys back, her left eyebrow arching and her arms crossing over her chest. The girls mimic her stance and each stare down the ebony haired boy in front of us.
That's strange. I would have expected them to react like Usagi's friends would: At full blast with flushed cheeks and raised voices. But these girls...they act almost regally. Even Mama would be jealous of their grace.
"It's only wrong if the little girls in front of me were actually ladies," Mamoru smirks with a smug grin taking over the lower half of his face. It's hardly attractive. But the smoothness of this conversation leads me to believe it's happened often before, perhaps even often. "And you four are not ladies."
Four? Oh, right. Me included. Heat rises in my cheeks as I try to keep up in the conversation.
Midori steps forward next, flicking her green hair behind her shoulders in single swipe. "What a kind thing for a king to say to his subjects," smiles as she falls into a deep bow. It's almost...mocking.
The final bell rings. We're officially late. But it's not important right now.
My heart skips a beat. Can they know? That they're talking to a future king? It's not possible they know unless they are...Unless they are either an ally or an enemy of the senshi. But even then they wouldn't know his identity yet. Minako isn't here yet. It's impossible.
I think.
Mamoru narrows his eyes. "Your sarcasm is not appreciated," he states bitterly. As if he accepts the title without hesitation. "Otaku like you should never be allowed to speak to people like me."
"We're not Otaku-if you would just listen to us maybe you would learn something as simple as that!" Hana grits between her teeth. Narrowing her eyes, she looks the couple up and down. "Remember, Mamoru that sometimes love is just an illusion waiting to be shattered. An life is more than a silly high school relationship." Hana looks pointedly at the red head.
Both parties fall silent. Mamoru's arm tightens around the girl beside him who just looks at us with eyebrows furrowed. It's practically certain we look absurd in a clashing group of pink, purple, green, and orange, but the words that came from Hana's mouth strike a chord with me. She's right about something. I'm just not sure about what.
"What I have with Mamoru is special!"
Yua smiles. "I'm sure it's enchanting." She gives the couple a dazzling smile before turning back to the rest of us. "Come on girls, we're late."
Two arms link with mine and pull me forward. Reluctantly, I follow Midori and Hana into the school building. Taking my chances, I take a look behind me. Mamoru is consoling the furious girl-holding her from attacking us. How calm and collected he looks... it reminds me of how patient he was with mama. It makes my heart twinge. Mama never said Papa was with a girl like this. She didn't mention any exes, period.
But Beryl, I know that name. I don't know why but it doesn't feel good.
"Nyanko-chan, you okay?" Midori asks, bringing me out of my thoughts. The whole group stops with us.
Blinking, I nod. "Y-yeah. I'm okay. Just dazed off. That guy just rubs me the wrong way."
The girl nods. "Good. He's Chiba Mamoru, the biggest jerk on the face of the planet. Most popular boy in school as well as boyfriend of Juuban's new "it" girl, Tsuchi Beryl." Her face shrivels in disgust. "Though I do hate her more."
"That's only because she made him that way," Hana interjects. She turns to me as she rolls her eyes. "Mamoru-san wasn't always like this, he used to be really nice. He even had a crush on a cute little girl-"
"In Junior High," Midori adds.
Pausing to glare at her friend for the interruption, Hana sighs. "Anyway- all of a sudden Beryl moves to town and is latched to him at the hip." Her nose shrivels up. "Now he only tortures the girl he liked. It's so sad."
Brainwashing. That clicks immediately. But who does that mean Beryl is in the grand scheme of things? In the stories I've heard Mamoru is only brainwashed, though, after he finds out Usagi's identity and vice versa. I was right when I thought something was seriously different. "The girl he liked-it was Tsukino Usagi, wasn't it?"
They look at each other awkwardly. Almost as if they weren't expecting me to know a thing. "How do you know Usagi-chan?" Yua whispers. Her hands fidget around the handle of her briefcase. She's hiding something.
"Usagi is my cousin."
The girls gasp but before they can ask any questions a head pops in from around the corner. "You girls should be in class! Wakahisa-san, you of all people should know better! You and you friends should know be-" Looking over the group, she pauses when her gaze meets mine. "And who are you?"
Yua, quickly smiles and looks her in the eyes with determination. "Oh! This is Tsukino Nyanko, surely her aunt called you about her transferring?" The girl's smile is blinding and Midori and Hana quickly join in. They must be really good at brown nosing.
The woman's eyes glass over and she smiles blindly. "Ah, Tsukino-san. Yes, I was informed of you arriving today." She looks into her empty hand before looking back to me. "Your classes will be in 1C with the rest of these girls." Nodding to herself I can't help but notice she seems to pulling things out of her ass.
"Yay! How great of a coincidence you are in class with us!" Midori claps and the other girls laugh at her mock happiness. The feeling around them, it's not what I am used to. An energy surrounds them that I cannot place a finger on.
It is not bad. But I don't know if it's good.
I smile. "I suppose we should get to class then, huh?" They nod and once again to pull me as opposed to letting me walk alone. I guess I'm officially their property now. It's meant to be I guess.
Just as we approach 1-C, I hear the woman's voice once again.
"Chiba-san! Tsuchi-san! Don't think you can hide your tardiness from me! To the office, now!"
A smile crosses my face. Somehow knowing Mamoru will have detention seems to the icing of this hateful cake. He always mocked Usagi for her detention tendencies and now he gets a taste of his own medicine.
The door slams behind us upon our entrance to the classroom. My stomach drops and my smile fades from my face before I quickly try to replace it with a false one. Dozens of unfamiliar faces stare at me with curiosity. The new girl in an already established group of friends.
My eyes scan over the students, not expecting much. But obviously that was a fault on my part because what I see next causes my heart to plummet.
First, Hotaru-chan, looking at me with her wide purple eyes.
Second, a gentle face, pale with golden eyes and white hair.
Helios?
. . .
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