Mamoru swung open the door of his apartment cheerfully, having a can of ice brewed coffee in his hand. Once he had swept in, he shut the door by kicking it zestfully with his foot. He whistled happily when he took a seat at his couch, opened the can with a loud crack and while he was leaning back, he sipped his iced coffee in utter delight.
Today was a terrific day. He passed one of the most difficult exams he ever had by reaching the highest possible score. He was such a genius. The end of the semester was near and he looked forward to spend the summer break with a new job he got today at a film production company named 'Pierrot'. He enjoyed very much to do the opposite of what he was studying and also, the company was close to the Game Crown Center where Motoki ran his Familie's Business.
The last couple of months had been quite filled up with loads of stressful learning sessions, so he welcomed the upcoming slow down in his life. When he was not busy with his studies he tended to bump almost every day into a cheeky school girl who he had a first brief encounter with in front of a jewelry store, also two months ago.
Since this event, she kept appearing whenever he spent time on the streets of Tokio. She was an annoying brat but also he kind of liked to tease her, since their little fights let him forget all the pressure and loneliness he felt most of the time in his life.
However, she was not the only crazy person in this city. Some moments after he met the blonde Odango Atama for the first time he made a sudden acquaintance with an even more freaked out girl. She obviously had been lunatic and probably escaped from asylum, because she told him wacky things such as that she would be his daughter and that he should get rid of his beloved green jacket. She even knew his name which was actually the most frightening fact to him. People who lived in Tokio were more or less really strange. Lucky him, he didn't see her again. After she babbled more of even weirder stuff such as that she had to jump back to the future now, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the jewelry store again.
Thus, he definitely preferred the accidental meetings with the pigtailed airhead whose real name was Usagi he found out from Motoki once he started to spot her in the Arcade.
He was still kept in his thoughts by enjoying the bitter but also sweet beverage when a thud against his door suddenly got him back to reality.
'I do not expect any visitors today, nor I have ordered food. Maybe a neighbor?'
Mamoru got up from his couch and made his way slowly to the genkan. Before he put his hand onto the doorknob he took a look through the spyhole.
He froze.
From the bit he could spot he saw dark pink hair, fumbled together in heart shaped buns.
'It can't be! The lunatic girl? How come she knows where I live? It can't be, can it?'
His horrible assumption was proven right when he heard an annoyed voice which shouted through the door.
„Mamoru, open up! I know you are in!"
‚What the heck?!'
BOOM BOOM BOOM - loud knocks against the door made him hop backwards awkwardly.
‚No way Mamoru Chiba, this is just a little girl. You cannot let her frighten you. Be bold and send her kindly away. You are an adult. This is a school girl. Blatantly gone insane.'
He swallowed hard and by facing which was coming next, Mamoru opened bravely the door. In front of him stood the girl, he expected. Unfortunately. The lunatic one.
„Well, finally!" She looked straight into his eyes and put on a slightly annoyed face. Before he got the chance to reply to her cheeky comment, she stretched out her right hand and held the little golden key he had noticed the last time directly in his face.
„As I supposed, I've done everything correctly! I am in the right time!" She called out by grinning triumphantly.
"Hey listen...err...Usagi" - ‚was that her name?'
"It's Kousagi, Usagi is the other and dare you to put a Chibi in front of my name! I am not Chibi-Kousa for you any longer, I am 14 years old. Almost a proper woman!"
'Okay, definitely escaped from a nuthouse!'
"Right then listen, Kousagi" Mamoru knew that he should calm her down so she would perhaps accept that it was no possibility for her to run around alone in this city and bother innocent people like him but be much more better to go straight back to where she escaped from. She really should take some mental health medicine.
"I understand that you think that I am somehow important to you that is why you keep tracking me but really, this is not going to work. You do see something in me which I can not be for you I am afraid."
'Uhh, that was an adult made proper approach.' He mentally patted himself on the shoulder.
Kousagi looked back at him in complete disbelief.
„What are you talking, Mamoru? Just let me in so we can talk properly." By paddling with her right hand she tried to signal him to get out of the way.
‚Okay, this is obviously not working. What shall I do next?!'
„Err no, you definitely can not. This is my apartment and you should go back home right now" Mamoru tried to install an emphatic undertone in his request and kept blocking the entrance.
In her eyes he suddenly recognized tears and before he knew it, Kousagi started wailing.
„Uhhh how can you be soooo mean to me? This is not fair! I didn't do anythiiiing" She sobbed and when she was about to howl her head off, Mamoru pulled her hectically in. This time, he clapped himself mentally for this stupid action but it was the better decision; Alternatively the whole neighborhood would have watched Kousagi crying hysterically while he was standing right next to her by looking like a complete idiot.
,Might not make the best impression when a bun head teenage girl is sitting on the ground in front of my closed apartment door and looks utterly devastated. As if I had broken up with her! Nah, no way!'
When Kousagi had passed through his door, her crocodile tears had disappeared. Instead of whining she put her shoes off and danced happily into his living room by having now an excited expression written on her face.
„Uhh ahhh, so this is how you live!" She turned around and curiously started to inspect any detail of the room.
Mamoru was dumbfounded due to her sudden change of emotions. Never ever he had seen someone like her. Well, apart from the Odango Atama maybe who had a frightening similarity with this lunatic girl in some way. Same sky blue eyes, same funny hairstyle, same weird personality.
'They could be sisters!'
„Kousagi" he started hesitantly by carrying a warning sound in his voice. The pink haired girl turned her gaze back and showed him an sincere smile.
„What was that for?!"
Kousagi shrugged helplessly "It worked. Otherwise you wouldn't have let me in." She whirled herself in a circle again and gave him an expecting glance "Soooo, where can I stay?"
Mamoru beamed at her back in absolute disbelief. "What?" Panic started to grow in his chest 'okay, now she just went way too far. I must get rid off this strange girl immediately!'
His eyes darkened, he put on a serious and determined face and finally explained "Look, Kousagi. You cannot stay here. You are obviously insane and need help. Please go now or I have to call up the police."
"Mamoru, I am not insane. At least not more than you are. I understand that this must be a little bit confusing to you - 'a little bit?!' - but I really can explain -"
"No...just NO!" He nearly yelled at her and was close to make his threat come true when something suddenly caught his attention.
A light familiar, sad sound - neither been composed in this time, nor onto this planet - reached out for him and his heart.
After a few moments had passed, the little music had filled the entire room.
"It's the melody of the star locket!" Kousagi said while she was holding a small golden pendant in her tiny hand.
He was simply paralyzed by this lovely music.
Kousagi lifted her eyes from her hand up to his being wide opened and spoke to him.
"Regardless what time, date or situation might come. I will always and forever recall this melody since it touches my heart so deeply."
She continued with a small voice "I was just quoting you. You told Mum about this locket once."
Slowly something started to make sense for Mamoru but somehow he didn't know why. This was beyond confusion. The whole situation was totally, TOTALLY out of anything he had experienced so far. At least as he was aware of. 'Oh my God, what is happening with me?' He gave up defeated.
"Okay, you can stay...but under two conditions!" Before Kousagi could start to scream out her utter happiness, he continued harshly
One: You sleep on the couch. Two: Stay out of my business!!! Okay?"
"Awwwwww thank you thank you thank you thank you, Mamoru! Gosh this is soooo exciting!!!! Kousagi clapped her hands together enthusiastically. "Don't worry, we will have a lot of fun and spend a great time together."
With that promise Kousagi was rather alone since Mamoru was not sure if he would regret his unintended invitation immediately. He couldn't help it but the music and the girl had enchanted him.