Chapter 24

Minako burst into the Crown Arcade Centre with Usagi in tow. Usagi had just had all plaster casts and the sling taken off her healing body. She still carried a slight limp due to her hip needing further rehabilitation but all bruising had visibly gone from her skin. She felt lighter, more herself and thrilled to be able to take part in the karaoke with all of her friends. Both blondes bounded over to the Crown counter and flashed their pearly whites at Motoki.

"Hey, girls - what's going on?" Motoki asked. He paused and spoke again before the girls could reply. "Usagi-chan, you look great!"

Usagi's smile got brighter and thanked him. Minako smiled at Usagi and turned to Motoki. "Do you mind if we hang this poster in your window?" She held up a massive poster, bringing anyone within a 2-mile radius to take a mental note that in another 6 hours, the karaoke is happening at the Crown.

Motoki looked taken aback. "Wow, um, sure. Take down the old advertisement in the window and throw it over here."

Both girls snatched the Sellotape off the counter side and ran over to the window, not noticing that Mamoru was passing them on his way in. He raised his eyebrows at the pair causing everyone in their path to dive for cover. He chuckled as he sat in front of Motoki at the counter and ordered a coffee. Motoki brought the coffee over to Mamoru and gave him a knowing smile. Mamoru stared at him innocently.

"What?"

Motoki rolled his eyes. "I know what you did, Mamoru-kun."

"I did nothing," Mamoru held in a laugh.

"As manager of the Crown Arcade Centre, I get to see the setlist and singers!"

"Calm down, Motoki-kun! It'll be good," Mamoru smirked.

"You know Seiya is singing, right?" Motoki raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm well aware," Mamoru frowned. "Do you have an idea of who will be singing when?"

"Actually, I'm shuffling it. I wouldn't think it would matter so much, right?"

Mamoru sat silent and turned to look at the two blondes at the window, currently arguing over how much Sellotape is needed. He and Motoki sweat dropped.

Elsewhere, Rei was sitting alone in the library. She was feeling grumpy, knowing that later in the afternoon, she would be forced to see Jadeite. She didn't know why but something about him just sent her into a frenzy. She just felt annoyed because she felt like she had to pander to his puppy dog eyes. It didn't help that she could hear giggling behind her and it was really irritating her. She had never been an open person, even with her grandpa. She lost her parents after they divorced and left her. She didn't have any siblings and she never made friends easily, until she met Usagi. She had always had a volatile temperament and that usually kept her from having a successful relationship. Knowing that somebody was interested in her so much fed into her fears because she saw love fail in the two people that were her role models for love.

Suddenly, her irritation grew and she turned around so fast that her long purple tresses blew a breeze across the pages of the book she was pouring over. She was about to yell at the two giggling fools behind her but what she saw stopped her. In front of her sat Ami and Zoicite. They looked up and stared at the fiery dark-haired girl, not knowing how to react.

"Gomen, Ami-chan. I didn't know you were here," Rei apologised. Though, in retrospect, her surprise was idiotic – Ami practically lived here.

Zoicite sat back, looking a little awkward. He had heard all about Jadeite's failed attempts to get Rei's attention and her cold resistance towards his good friend. He had also heard how much Jadeite idolised her, but personally, he failed to see why. Standing in front of him, despite her apology, Rei's eyes were full of annoyance and it only made the violet in her eyes look closer to a deep plum.

Ami was blushing slightly and Rei then turned to look at Zoicite to see that he had a perfect pale pink lipstick imprint on his cheek. So, it seems that the library wasn't just for perusing books anymore.

"Gomen, Rei-chan. We shouldn't be so loud in the library," Ami reciprocated an apology. "What are you doing here?"

"Just reading a book to improve my English," Rei stated. "I'm off for a drink – see you at the karaoke later!" Rei waved, leaving Ami and Zoicite looking a bit perplexed.

Rei walked out of the library after taking her book under her arms and walked into the nearest café. She ordered a chamomile tea, sat down and opened her book again. She managed to read a chapter until she was interrupted again, this time by a can-I-have-your-attention cough.

She looked up and into the eyes of, to her horror, Jadeite. Of all the things to occur, she was hoping this would not be it.

"Konnichiwa – I was hoping I could join you?" Jadeite asked.

She immediately frowned and went back to her book, blanking him. He sighed heavily, sat down and pulled her book away from under her nose.

"What?" she snapped.

"Can we not be friends?" he asked, looking a little hurt.

"How can we be friends considering you've already skipped to the wedding?" she snapped, again.

Jadeite heaved another sigh and sat forward. "Look, I know I've come across a little… persistent. But honestly, you wouldn't even let me take you out for a date, a real date. You kept ignoring me like I'd fallen out of existence. I did more and more outrageous things to get you to notice me. At the dance, I just fell for you. You're beautiful in every single way. The guys see an arrogant, mean, grump with an ego that needs some serious soothing. But that's a cover up for the real Rei. I just want to get to know you and for you to take that leap of faith!"

Rei looked at him through her lashes over firmly folded arms. "Do you hear yourself? You're acting like you know me. We had one night together, at the dance! You don't know who the 'real Rei' is at all," she said with finality.

Jadeite raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you don't know the 'real Rei' either." He flicked his blonde locks, got up and left the café.