Dark Kingdom 40
All the way she had been thinking about what exactly she was supposed to say.
The words she had laid out seemed silly and childish again after a few seconds.
When she stepped out of the elevator at the latest, she'd forgotten everything again.
Her heart was in her throat.
So she was here. For how many times actually?
"Please be there.", she pleaded softly as she rang the bright bell.
She only had to wait a few seconds for the door to open.
There he was. In its full glory.
He seemed to have just had a fresh shower, she could still smell the bitter scent of the shower gel. In addition, individual drops of water pearled from his night-black hair on his bare chest because his light shirt was not completely closed.
Usagi's knees went weak. She hadn't seen him for so long, she almost forgot how damn good he looked. She had to get a picture of him.
"Hello. I didn't want to disturb you.", she croaked and had to clear her throat quickly and inconspicuously.
"I just wanted ... is that chocolate pudding?", she recognized the small glass bowl in his hand.
Mamoru stared at her in astonishment: "Yes."
He held the bowl out to her, Usagi immediately took it.
She shoved a huge portion into her mouth and danced grinning down the hall towards the living room.
What a great day. The sun was shining, she was allowed to be with her dream man and then he even had her favorite food with him. Nothing would spoil her mood now.
"I was in my father's office and ... ", she stopped abruptly.
How was that? Nothing could spoil her mood?
Nothing but a young girl with long black hair sitting casually on the counter in the adjacent kitchen.
"Hello."
Usagi didn't answer. She just stood there, spoon in her mouth, staring at the girl like she was a ghost.
A damn pretty ghost. With seemingly endless legs that swayed gently back and forth.
What was she thinking of? How could she just sit here in her long white shirt and her beautiful, damp, shiny raven-black hair?
Stop what?
Usagi backed away in irritation, bumping her back against Mamoru.
This girl also seemed fresh out of the shower. And to make matters worse, she was also wearing one of Mamoru's shirts.
It had to be a bad joke.
"Don't you want to introduce us to each other?", asked the black-haired girl with a smile.
Usagi got sick.
"Rei, this is Usgi. She is ... ", Mamoru paused for a moment and looked thoughtfully at Usagi. "A friend."
Please what? Was he serious?
A metallic taste spread across her tongue.
She had lost her appetite for chocolate pudding. Forever.
She put the bowl in Mamoru's hand and left the apartment without looking back.
So a friend. Nothing more than a simple friend.
Usagi had to suppress her gag reflex several times.
She looked at her face in the large mirrored wall of the elevator. All color had drained from her, and there were dark shadows under her dull eyes.
"I should have known.", she whispered softly to her reflective counterpart.
She clenched her fists.
That stupid idiot!
Not only did he visit this girl, her name was Rei, in her temple. Now he took her with him too. He probably first enjoyed himself with her in every single room, and then enjoyed a shower with her.
How could she be so stupid as to believe that it might all be a big misunderstanding?
Was'nt it obviously? Mamoru had betrayed her. Certainly several times.
And for sure they were laughing at her now, only to have it all over again afterwards.
Hot tears welled up in her eyes, she tried to push them back. No, she didn't want to cry now. Not because of that, and certainly not about him. She would do a devil and to waste even a tear on a disgusting cheater like Mamoru.
"Miss Tsukino?"
Usagi turned around, startled. In front of her was an older man, smiling friendly.
"What? I mean ... yes?", she stuttered, had to swallow again and again so as not to cry right away.
The older man reached into his jacket, smiled gently, then drew a gun that he aimed at her.
Usagi backed away in shock, bumping into what, turned out to be another person. A younger man, maybe in his mid-twenties, who didn't look friendly at all.
"What's that supposed to mean?" , her voice trembled noticeably.
"I don't understand."
"Oh, that's not too tragic."
The old man smiled unmoved and took a step closer.
"But ..", she wanted to say something, but couldn't get around to it. The younger one covered her mouth with a cloth. There was something in that piece of cloth. It smelled pungent, took away the air to breathe until she finally felt a leaden tiredness and her legs became so soft that they could no longer hold the weight of her body.
Everything went black. Usagi couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. Her last thought.
Mamoru.
