My excuses for not getting this out any earlier: after Christmas I was in Iowa and last week I worked 75 hours. Okay that's it. But, I made an extra long chapter with delicious goodness in it... I promise. READ!
My Best Friend's Brother
Written by: Jill Annette
CHAPTER SEVEN – KISSING BY NUMBERS
It was Motoki's birthday today and it almost slipped Usagi's mind completely. She had exactly four hours to find him a birthday present before his party at seven. Cutting study hall at the end of the school day, Usagi walked across the campus parking lot and onto the sidewalk in the direction leading into town.
A simple shirt would do, she thought to herself. Maybe a gift card to a gaming store. However, Usagi almost immediately dismissed that thought. Gift cards seemed to scream, "I don't know you that well to get you a real gift but here you go anyway!" Usagi sighed; she honestly had no idea what to get her friend.
As the hours passed, the blonde browsed one store after another. There had to be something she could buy Motoki that he didn't already have. She had fifteen minutes before the party started when she passed by an appliance store when a certain contraption caught her eye.
Her cell phone rang just as she finished paying for the item and was ready to leave the shop. "Hello?" she answered, shifting her bags to make walking easier as she talked.
"Where are you?" It was Rei. Of course it was Rei was probably the only person to call Usagi on an everyday basis.
"I just got Motoki's present. I'm on my way to your house."
Rei sighed audibly through the phone. "You do realize this means we're going to be late don't you?"
"Yes, but I found the perfect gift!"
Rei guffawed. "Okay, whatever. Just hurry your butt up so we don't miss the entire party."
"Yeah right," Usagi scoffed. "You know they party until all hours of the morning. Especially since tomorrow everyone took they day off from work and it's Saturday for us."
"You just might be right." Usagi could almost see Rei nodding. "Anyway, we still don't want to miss too much."
"Correction, you don't want to miss too much." Usagi sing-songed. "I'm assuming Yuuichirou will be there?"
"You have ten minutes to get here!"
"Rei, answer my-"
Usagi stopped talking once she heard the line die. She quickened her stride to get over to Rei's house so she could wrap her gift so they could make their way to Motoki's place.
- - -
Usagi and Rei walked through the hall of Motoki's apartment complex. They laughed at nothing in particular; they honestly didn't need a reason. Usagi's arms were wrapped tightly around a brightly wrapped package as Rei's gift hung in a bag at her side that, from time to time, hit the back of her calf. Rei was the one who knocked on the door to be allowed entry: bursting in uninvited was not usually her style.
"The girls are finally here!" They heard Reika's voice from the other side of the door before it even opened. When it did, they were greeted by her big smile. "Okay girls, give me your presents and pick a number from the girls' bowl."
Reika grabbed the presents from the girls and disappeared into the dining area to place the new addition of presents to that which was already piled on the table. Rei and Usagi found the glass bowl Reika had mentioned. Unsure of what it was for them and picked a slip of paper from the bowl and looked to see what they got.
"Don't tell anyone what you got either!" Motoki exclaimed from the living room.
Usagi slipped her number in her back pocket with a roll of her eyes.
"What is it for?" Rei asked, walking further into the apartment in search of her boyfriend.
Everyone seemed to already be situated comfortably throughout the living room. There were fourteen people all together, spread out the apartment. Minako stood off to the side, a person Usagi only knew because of stories from Rei, with a blond man. Reika, Motoki's girlfriend of three years, played a pretty little hostess but it didn't keep Makoto out of the kitchen to help cook. Umino and Naru had been together since they graduated from high school last year and nine months later they were still going. They sat respectively together on the love seat listening to everyone talk. Ami brought her new boyfriend Ryo who immediately fit into the group. Makoto ended up bringing her friend Nephrite she met at the arcade and the title friend is held loosely by most of the people in the group of friends though neither of the two will admit just yet to their feelings. Mamoru himself was leaning against the wall with a drink in hand.
"You guys will find out later, no one really knows what it is," Motoki stated.
"I know what it is for," Minako smirked, "but I can't exactly tell you."
Rei's eyes narrowed at the gorgeous blond who trampled her brother's heart years ago, "Honestly I don't really care."
Minako was a really good friend of Reika's. Probably the only reason she was invited to the party anyway. That was Rei's assumption. Rei glanced at Usagi with an exasperated expression. Usagi just shrugged and led Rei away from her problem.
The television was on an alternative music channel to set the mood. Most everyone was in some sort of conversation with someone else. Rei stepped away from Usagi to slip into the lap of Yuuichirou. Usagi stayed in the middle of the room watching everyone and feeling just the slightest bit uncomfortable. She nearly jumped when she felt a hand on her arm but calmed when she realized it was Mamoru.
"Come on," he said in his deep, sexy voice. "Let's get you something drink so you can loosen up some."
"I don't need-" Usagi started to protest.
"Yes you do." Mamoru insisted. "You're standing in the middle of the room like you don't know what to do."
"It's just that there's a few people I don't know. It takes me a bit to warm up."
Mamoru shook his head. He reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a beer bottle, unscrewed the top and then handed to her. "This'll help warm you up faster."
Usagi stood unmoving for a moment, holding the beer out in front of her like it might come alive and attack her.
"One is not going to do anything to you, except maybe help you socialize easier." Mamoru shrugged. "It'll take the edge off."
"And I should believe you?"
Mamoru nodded. All of a sudden he seemed to close. Usagi glanced to Makoto and Reika who were busy wrapping dough over stuffed jalapenos. They did not notice her dilemma. She looked back to Mamoru who was even closer than he was just a second before. "I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."
"Okay," Usagi said, lifting the bottle to her lips and took a sip before she accidentally tasted his lips instead.
She had been drunk before. Usagi was not unaware of the effects of alcohol, she just wanted to tease Mamoru a little bit and now she wasn't sure if she should have. Just weeks ago she had promised Rei nothing was going on between her and Mamoru and that nothing would. However, if she kept slipping up like this before she knew it there might be something between Mamoru and she that should not be.
Mamoru backed away as Usagi's sip became a gulp which became her downing the bottle. Once Usagi straightened back up, she handed the empty bottle back to the dark headed man in front of her and grinned. "I believe you."
He stared at the now empty bottle in his hands and back to the blond in front of him. "Cool," he said for lack of anything else. She blew him away. Usagi was nothing he expected, Mamoru realized that more and more every time he saw her.
"A smoothie maker?!" came a cry from the other room.
Usagi's eyes widened and ran to where the voice came from, "You're opening my present without me in here! How dare you?" She crossed her arms and pouted.
"This is so awesome!" Motoki laughed loudly.
Usagi's pout quickly became a grin. "I thought it'd be something you'd like to play with. Maybe you could figure out some new creations for the Crown."
Smiling from ear to ear, laughter still on his lips, Motoki said, "Maybe."
Reika rolled her eyes and playfully added, "Thanks Usa, now there's something else he can make a mess with that I'll have to clean up."
Everyone else laughed. Motoki continued opening his presents. A game or two here, clothes that included shirts with wicked sayings on them and passes for four free movies. All presents he complimented and truly liked. He thanked everyone. About that time Makoto and Reika announced that dinner was ready and everyone ate.
"God this stuff is good," Nephrite, the guy Makoto brought with her, announced.
"Hell yeah," the blond guy, Usagi learned to be Malachite throughout the night, Minako brought, agreed.
Once everyone was done eating, the group moved back into the living room. Conversations continued and laughter and drinks continued throughout the hours of the night. They played a round of Pop Culture Trivial Pursuit split into two groups of three and two groups of four. As the party began to wind down, Motoki decided to tell everyone what the numbers were all about.
"Before anyone can leave you have to finish the task of which your number has for you." Motoki explained. "The task for everyone is the same. Each person has a number, 1-7. The boys and the girls both. You must take out your number, look at it and find the person who has the same number as you."
"Motoki no!" Reika exclaimed, "That'll ruin the surprise if everyone did it at the same time." She cleared her throat and re-stated the rules of the game Motoki was trying to explain. "That and the rest of us won't be able to watch, which is the whole purpose." She winked. "Anyway, we'll call out the numbers in order and whoever has the number has to step forward and the couple picked by fate has to kiss on the lips!"
Makoto squealed out a laugh.
"ONE!" Motoki announced.
Reika stepped forward along with Malachite.
"No, no no." Motoki stated shaking his head, "My girl, not yours."
"It's just a game," Reika soothed Motoki. She walked over to Malachite and quickly pecked him on the lips. Then she walked up to Motoki and kissed him deeply to sooth his jealousy.
"That's not fair!" Rei exclaimed, "That can't even really be classified as a kiss."
"I never said what kind of kiss, so long as it is on the lips."
"Whatever," Rei folded her arms.
"TWO!"
Makoto stepped forward with a smile on her face. When no one got up she placed her hands on her hips. "Okay guys, it isn't nice to leave a girl hanging." She slowly scanned the faces of the guys and found her red faced victim and laughed. "I don't believe it!"
Umino shrunk back into the couch grasping Naru's hand.
"You two?" Makoto asked.
Umino slowly nodded his head once.
"Okay then." Makoto closed in the gap. She bent down until her face was even with Umino's. "Are you that repulsed by me?" Makoto asked, a smile on her lips.
"No," Umino rasped.
"Oh," Makoto said, looking back to everyone else. "A shy boy."
She turned back to her victim and placed an antagonizing kiss on Umino's lips.
He gasped for air once she parted their lips. The room applauded as Makoto bowed before she took her seat beside Nephrite once more. As embarrassing as it was to Umino, he found that the room's attention was quickly on the next couple and off of him.
"THREE!"
Nephrite stepped into the center of the circle and was quickly joined by Rei. Rei sauntered up to Nephrite and threw one arm around him and then the other before bringing his lips to hers. It was not until Yuuichirou called out Rei's name did she stop her massaging lips and turned away. She laughed and found her way back into Yuuichirou's arms.
"FOUR!"
Minako stood up from her spot on the couch and made her way to the center, her eyes stayed intently on Mamoru. This was the moment she knew would get them back together. It was something she had been thinking about ever since she saw him at the Crown when he first got back in town. But her hope was quickly diminished when a stranger stepped forward – one of the other girl's boyfriends they brought over – stepped up to her. She rolled her eyes and sighed audibly before placing a quick chase kiss on his lips and turned around and plopped back on the couch.
Ryo raised an eyebrow, shrugged and took his place by Ami again.
"FIVE!" Motoki exclaimed, keeping track of the number, "That's me!"
He took a big step into the center of the circle. Naru slowly stood up but had a hard time making her way to Motoki since Umino wouldn't let go of her arm. "It's just a kiss, besides, you kissed Makoto." Naru was saying.
"She kissed me, I didn't kiss her."
"It's just a kiss," Naru stated, "You have my heart."
Umino slowly let go of her hand and Naru was able to meet Motoki in the middle of the circle. Motoki grabbed Naru around the waist and dipped her low, bending his own body to follow her and kissed her lips with a loud smack. He stood them both back upright before he let go of her, "Perfect end-of-movie kiss."
Motoki went back to the edge of the circle before he called out, "SIX!"
Usagi's heart pounded in her chest. This was her number. There was a choice of one of two people and both were connected to Rei. She either had to kiss her boyfriend or her brother. Breathing in deeply, Usagi took a small step forward, her head bowed.
If it were Yuuichirou, it would be weird because it was her boyfriend and Rei kisses him almost everyday and well, it would be awkward to kiss the same boy Rei does. If it were Mamoru, it would be tempting the promise she made Rei when she was caught in Mamoru's bed. However, she would still rather it be Mamoru.
She slowly lifted her gaze to the face of Mamoru's grinning face. Though she knew people were watching them, somehow they fell away and it was just Mamoru and she.
"Let's show them a real kiss shall we?" Mamoru asked, head cocked to the side.
Usagi nodded, not really knowing how to say no at the moment.
From this close, Usagi realized just how tall Mamoru was, she barely came up to his shoulders. She had to bend her head all the way back and stand on her tip toes and he still had to bend down a little.
Usagi gently placed her hands on his shoulders to keep her balance and he cupped her face in the palms of his hands to guide her to his mouth. When their lips met, Usagi's eyes widened only a second before they closed on their own. A surge of energy raced through her veins and she wanted – needed – more from him.
Their lips moved together perfectly, the timing of their heartbeat the same. He slipped his tongue in her mouth to taste her and she replied slowly, not wanting to spoil this feeling no matter how great the need.
He pulled away slowly and Usagi remembered herself and where she was. She looked around the room and her eyes met Rei's for a split second before she met Mamoru's again and blushed, turning away from him.
The room was quiet and a couple mouths were open, shocked by their kiss. Motoki grinned like an excited schoolboy. Minako scowled and grabbed her partner, "We have to go," she said for the both of them. Malachite obediently followed Minako out the door.
Usagi herself did not notice much of what was going on, her head was in a haze and she could still feel the pressure of Mamoru's lips on her own.
"SEVEN!"
Leave it up to Motoki to keep the party going.
Yuuichirou and Ami stood up and quickly kissed each other, the fun of the game sucked out from the passion everyone witnessed just moments before. When Yuuichirou wandered back to Rei she kissed him long and hard. "Don't ever think about kissing another girl again," she joked.
"Don't worry about it."
Rei's eyes however were already back on Usagi and she watched as her friend walked onto the balcony to "get some fresh air," as she said to no one in particular. Rei heard however. She also noticed when after a few minutes, when he thought no one was paying any attention, Mamoru followed Usagi outside.
Most everyone had left once the game was over. In fact it was only the six of them: Motoki, Reika, Mamoru, Rei, Yuuichirou and Usagi. Rei left the living room to go to the restroom and on her way back nonchalantly walked close to the slightly ajar balcony door.
She heard a breathy, "I can't. I just can't."
Rei bowed her head and walked away from two of the most important people of her life. As she snuggled back into Yuuichirou's side, she decided she would have to fix the words she had told Usagi earlier.
She realized tonight that two people with that kind of connection should not be kept apart and she was sorry she didn't notice it before. Wondering if they even noticed it before the kiss themselves.
- - -
Okay, I have reasons for the whole Minako act. I just hope I'm playing it right. It will show it's ugly head in future chapters. I really really do love Minako. She's probably my favorite character... probably because she can pull off the roll I have for her in this story and not stray away from her real character too much. Anyway, tell me how much I made you happy in this chapter... how much I pissed you off with this chapter... and how much you want me to get the next chapter out within a decent amount of time. My hours should slow down at work now that inventory is done and the fact that school starts back up Tuesday there won't be planned vacations to take me away from writing. Just homework... but I don't do that an yway.
Seriously... did you like this chapter?
