AN: Okay, minna, so here's the deal. I'm just a tad frustrated with you readers, so I've decided to pull out the big guns. I've been saving/working on this story for quite awhile, now. I didn't really want to post it yet - I wasn't sure if I wanted to post it at all. But, you bastards forced me into it. Kuso! So, here's my opus, which may be subject to revision in the future. This is just the first part, I'll ONLY post the rest if you people are good to me (HINT HINT) so onegai, READ AND REVIEW! I'm not just kiddin' around here. I suppose I'm done with my ranting... for now, but be forewarned. If I don't get any reviews, I may have to go bitchslap each and every one of you for lack of something better to do with my life, or I may just sulk on the couch with a tub of cookie-dough ice cream and a pile of anime videos. At any rate...JUST READ THE FREAKIN' STORY! Jeezlousie, the things a writer goes through these days...
PART 1: "Enter Rain"
A figure sat at the end of the counter sipping a bottle of soda. "Hey, Motoki-kun," said Mamoru, "Who's the newbie over there?"
The manager of the Crown Game Center looked to where his friend was pointing. "I dunno, man, he just showed up today. I guess he's new in Juuban. I'll go introduce myself." The tall blond walked over to the quiet figure. "Hey, you must be new in town," he said amiably, "My name's Motoki, I'm the manager." He paused, waiting for a reply.
"I'm Apey," said the figure. Motoki couldn't really see his face because it was hidden under the bill of a baseball cap. He was pretty sloppily dressed with loose jeans and a big T-shirt on with a baggy old dress shirt over it with a sort of plaid or checked stripe design. Figuring the guy wasn't going to say much more, he prodded further. "So where do you go to school?"
"Azabu U," said the figure, "But I just moved here from America."
Motoki smiled inwardly. Now he was getting somewhere. "Dude!" he said, "Mamoru goes there, too. He's a med. student. C'mon over, I'll introduce you two." He led Apey over to where Mamoru sat. Mamoru nonchalantly turned and looked at them. Motoki smiled. "Hey, Mamoru-kun! I'd like to introduce you to Apey. Apey-kun, this is Mamoru."
"Ohayo, Apey-kun," said Mamoru. Apey held out his hand to shake American-style, and Mamoru obliged. When he held out his hand, one of Apey's small ones shook it. He was surprised at the force in the handshake. When Apey let go he stared at him. "Wow," he said, "For such a small guy you sure pack a punch. Where are you from?"
"America, I'm a writer," said Apey. He sat down and took another swig of soda. "But don't think of me as the American. I'm just another one of the guys." Right then he looked up at them and winked, the hat bill no longer blocking his face. The guys looked shocked.
After a moment, Motoki found his voice. "Apey...you're...a GIRL?!"
Apey smiled. "Think nothing of it boys. Like I said, I'm just another one of the guys. That's the way it's always been and I'm comfortable with it."
"Really?" choked out Mamoru.
"Hai. Back home I hung out with guys all the time. I mean, I'm strait, it's just that everything non-physical about me is guy-oriented. Excluding my strength of course." Apey smiled again. "Don't let it bother you."
Motoki and Mamoru looked at each other, then back at Apey. "Its cool with us," said Motoki.
"Do you want to come over tonight?" asked Mamoru, "We need a fourth for poker."
"5-card draw or 7-card stud?" she laughed.
************
"Read 'em an' weep guys, straight in spades," Apey declared triumphantly.
The three she addressed didn't look so pleased. "I can't believe it!" exclaimed Reika, "She won again!"
"I told you I'm good, Reika-chan," said Apey her voice dripping with false sweet innocence, "But did you believe me? Nooooo." She pulled her winnings over to her side of the table.
Reika crossed her arms and blew air through the gap between her clenched teeth. Motoki desperately tried not to laugh at his sulking fiancée as he dealt the cards again. "C'mon guys, settle down," he said, "Let's just do one last round in honor of my moving in with Reika. Jacks are wild."
"I'm sure gonna miss you, Motoki-kun," said Mamoru, "You're the only person I know that can manage to be organized and a slob at the same time. Along with always being annoyingly energetic."
"Hey," said Motoki with mock hurt, "I resent that. I like to consider myself an optimist with my own personal style."
"Yeah, well I'll work on that 'style' of yours later," teased Reika, "Now shut up and play already."
Motoki just stuck his tongue out and looked at his hand. He had to use all of his willpower to refrain from making a face at his awful hand. He just sighed and switched all five cards for five new ones. "Anyone else want?" he asked.
"I'll take two."
"I'll take four."
"I don't want any."
Everyone looked at Apey. "None?" asked Mamoru.
"Nope, I'm fine," she replied smiling. They all shrugged it off and exchanged their cards. After a second round of card exchanges they started the betting. "I'll start the betting at $10," said Motoki.
"I'll see your $10 and raise you another," said Reika. And so the betting began. The pot just kept getting larger and larger. Eventually, Motoki folded, but he only had a pair of threes to boast so it was better he did. Then, Reika grudgingly admitted defeat and folded as well. It was finally it down to the end. "Tell you what, Mamoru-kun," said Apey, "If I win the pot, I'll let everyone have their money back on one condition."
"And what's that?" he asked curiously.
"You let me be your new roommate - in place of Motoki-kun," she smiled.
Everyone looked at her in shock. "You...want to be my roommate?" asked Mamoru in disbelief.
"And why not?" asked Apey, "I'm staying in a hotel right now, I'll need a place to stay, and you seem like a pretty cool guy, so why the hell not?"
Mamoru thought for a minute, and then looked at Apey again. "Alright, if you win, you can move in the day after tomorrow."
Motoki and Reika gaped at Mamoru and Apey smiled really big. "Cool! Now, show your cards." He set down his hand, revealing a straight in diamonds. Apey set down her hand, a full house. "Ha! I win!" she exclaimed triumphantly.
Mamoru started to chuckle and then shook his head. "Day after tomorrow, eh? Where are you staying now?"
************
"Here we are," said Mamoru, "Home crap home." He dropped Apey's trunk on the floor.
Apey walked in behind him with the rest of her stuff, smiling. "I take it you've seen the movie 'The Money Pit'?"
Mamoru turned to look at her as she shut the door. "Who hasn't? They showed that movie all the time on t.v. when I visited Harvard."
"You went to see Harvard?" asked Apey, "That's cool! I used to live right by Harvard when I was little."
"Really?" asked Mamoru, "Oh, I just went to visit Harvard over the summer. I may spend a year of college studying out there, if they accept me."
"They probably will, you seem like a smart guy," said Apey. Then she looked around. "Cool apartment, it needs some work, but I imagine it was worse before Motoki left yesterday. Where's my room?"
"Follow me," said Mamoru and lead her through the living room and down the hall. They passed Mamoru's room and Apey glanced inside, noting how disgustingly neat and tidy it was. Then she followed Mamoru to the next room. "This is it," said Mamoru, "Where do you want the trunk?"
"Drop it at the foot of the bed," she said and then walked over there herself, setting her luggage on top. Mamoru gratefully dropped the trunk and then sat down on the bed to rest his back. Apey started to unpack her clothes and put them into the closet and dresser. Mamoru watched with mute interest as she unceremoniously flopped everything into a drawer or threw it on a hanger. "Wow," commented Mamoru, "You know what drawers and hangers are for, that's more than Motoki ever accomplished in his life."
"Well, don't get your hopes up," laughed Apey, "I guarantee you that in a week this floor will be covered with stuff. My morning habits for getting dressed involve grabbing some undies out of the drawer, the first shirt I touch out of the closet, and the pair of jeans off the floor that smells the best."
"Well, there goes that thought."
Apey finished and looked around the room. It was pretty bland, with plain white walls, a wood closet door, a bed with black sheets, and a basic dresser. "Man, this place definitely needs some redecorating," she said to herself.
Mamoru overheard her comment at looked around the room himself. "What's wrong with it?"
"Its too drab," she replied, "There's barely any color and the only furniture is the bed and the dresser." She started to walk around the room making verbal mental notes. "Let's see, I'll need to find an old chair to recover for this corner, and I'll need a nightstand for right here. Some new sheets would be nice on this bed, and I think these walls need some color - but my pictures should cover that." A couple minutes later, she turned back to Mamoru, "Hey, Mamoru-kun, you up for a project?"
************
"Hmm, this one looks nice," said Apey. She sat down and a large smile spread across her face. "Ooh, this one's really nice. C'mon, you try it Mamo-chan."
"But it looks like shit!" said Mamoru, "It's the sorriest excuse for a chair I've ever seen!"
Apey jumped up and grabbed his arm. "Oh, c'mon, Mamo-chan! Sit in it! It's very comfy. Even without the cushion."
"But it's a hunk of junk," said Mamoru.
"You don't get it, do you?" sighed Apey, "Its supposed to look like shit. That way you can gut it and recover it. Like guys and cars. Some guys buy crap cars, gut them, and rebuild them. Some people buy crap furniture, gut it, then repair it. We can make this chair look like something brand new. Once its all fixed and the slipcover is on, it'll be beautiful. C'mon, sit."
Mamoru sighed with resignation and sat down in the chair. He was blown away. "Wow!" he said, "This is the most comfortable chair I've sat in in awhile. You were right."
"Cool, let's get it," smiled Apey, "Grab an end and let's go."
************
"Hey, Mamoru-kun, hand me the staple gun, will ya?"
"Here you go, Apey," said Mamoru, "I'll hold this end down."
"Gotcha," said Apey. There was a ker-chunk sound as the staple gun did its work. A minute later, she was done and stood up. "There we go," said Apey, "The last staple. Hand me the slipcover."
Mamoru handed her the slipcover, Apey pulled it over the top and tugged it down. She was proud of the decent job she did on it. Once it was all zipped up, she looked at Mamoru. He definitely looked impressed. "I can't believe it," he muttered, "This chair looks perfect."
"I know, I'm good," smiled Apey, "And it only took a couple weeks to make this room look decent. Thanks for letting me move in here, man."
"Thanks for letting me help you work on the room," said Mamoru, "I had a lot of fun doing it. You're a really fun person to hang with."
"Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment," joked Apey. She looked around the room. It was s lot better now. The black background with red rose motif she had used looked wonderful. And the walls looked so much brighter and less dismal with her anime and manga character pictures hanging everywhere. Even the closet doors looked better with her collection of quotes written all over them. It was perfect. "Its beautiful."
Mamoru looked down at Apey. "It certainly is," he thought. She looked so good tucked under his arm with her hair loose about her face and bright blue eyes visible without a baseball cap in the way. He also had to admit that she looked pretty damn good wearing jeans and white tank top. Then he got an idea. "You know what, we've worked pretty hard on this room, why not go out tonight?"
Apey looked up at him. "Go out?"
"Yeah," said Mamoru, "Let's go out for dinner. My treat. What do you say?"
"I say," said Apey, "Let's go! Just let me get changed."
************
A little while later, both workers emerged from their rooms. Mamoru was wearing a black dress shirt and dress pants, while Apey was wearing a black half-sleeve shirt with khakis. "You ready to go?" asked Mamoru.
"Sure," said Apey, "What are we taking?"
"I'll drive," said Mamoru, "Let's take the motorcycle." They walked to the parking garage and hopped on the cycle. After putting their helmets on, they pulled out of the garage and sped down the road. Apey couldn't help but think how great it felt to hold onto him as they went down the bust streets. She wondered where he was going to take her. He'd been so nice to her ever since she came to live with him. The thought was actually creeping into her mind that he could have the capacity to love her. But no, that would never happen. Guys never showed any interest in her, no matter how well they knew her. It was a true shame, though, because she truly thought she was falling for the guy. Oh, why did she do this to herself?
They arrived at the restaurant, and hopped off the bike. When Apey looked up at the sign, her face lit up. "Oh, Mamoru!" said Apey, "You remembered! Oh, thank you so much, hon!" She gave him a big hug.
He chuckled at her enthusiasm and hugged her back. "Oh, c'mon, Apey," he said, "How could I not remember? You're the first person in a long time that told me they love French food."
"Ah, mais oui, Monsieur Mamoru," she smiled, "J'adore le cuisine de France. Et, je parle parfait francais."
"Tres bien, Mademoiselle," laughed Mamoru as she took his arm, "Allez viens." They walked into the restaurant, her hand tucked in the crook of his arm, and waited to be seated. Apey was impressed. It wasn't exactly easy to find a casual French restaurant in Tokyo - no matter what district you're in.
The place was nice. It had a cozy atmosphere, nice overstuffed booths to sit in that were tucked away. The music was soft, but she could recognize the music of Kaiou Michiru's violin anywhere. It was soft and delicate, spinning a web around her. She knew which piece this was, it was a duet between Kaiou-sama and her girlfriend, the famous F-1 test driver, Tenou Haruka. Apey was so absorbed in the music that she didn't even realize she was being led to a table. She snapped back to attention as they slipped into the booth. The waiter handed them their menus and scurried off. Mamoru looked across to Apey in curiosity. "What are you thinking?" he asked.
She stared at him blankly for a moment, and then laughed as her mind returned to her. "Oh, I was just listening to the music. It's a beautiful piece."
He looked at her incredulously. "You listen to Kaiou Michiru?"
"Oh, yes," she replied, "Isn't it lovely? Her music always reminds me of water. You know, the ocean, or a rainstorm, or a gentle stream. Its wonderful. But, this piece is different. It's one of the duets she did with Tenou Haruka, whose music reminds me of the sky. This piece is kinda like a thunderstorm, as if the heavens opened up and its just pouring down onto Earth. Don't you just love it?"
Mamoru did love it, but nevertheless, he ignored her question. "That analogy was beautiful, Apey," he smiled, "You must be a wonderful writer with beautiful thoughts like that."
Apey looked up abruptly and blushed. "Really? Oh, I guess I never thought of it that way. Thank you."
"You know," said Mamoru, "I was curious, what is your real name?"
"Oh, you don't want to know," she replied shyly, "Its silly." But then she looked up and could tell already that he honestly wanted to know. "Alright, I'll tell you. Its April Rain."
"Il est un joli nom, Avril," he said, "You should use it more often." Then he started to peruse his menu. Apey looked over hers as well, glancing up at him every few minutes. When the waiter returned, they placed their meal orders, as well as an order for some Beaujolais.
They were still both rather quiet until the food and drinks came. After a glass of Beaujolais, however, Apey started to loosen up. After that the meal went smoothly, and the two got along really well. By about mid-meal, Apey knew for a fact that she was falling for Mamoru. He was handsome, charming, intelligent, and they had similar interests. She couldn't imagine anything else that she wanted in a man. Oh, but this could only end in heartbreak.
Meanwhile, Mamoru was fighting feelings of his own. The only person he'd ever really opened himself to was Motoki, who was like a brother to him. Sure, he had other friends, too. He hung out with Reika sometimes, and then there were the people he talked to at school, usually girls that were fawning all over him. Oh, who was he kidding? If there were two things he wasn't really accustomed to, it was friends and family. True, Motoki and Reika were his friends, and Motoki and his little sister Unazuki were like family to him, but he still wasn't used to the whole experience. He'd grown up in an orphanage, friendless and alone with only his studies to keep him occupied. Yet here, here was this odd little American girl that just showed up in his life and won the right to be his roommate in a poker game. And he didn't know what it was, he just seemed to click with her. There was something about her that was, well, special. She was an intelligent girl interested in all sorts of things with a spirit that made him feel like a little kid again. Also, he had to admit that when she wasn't in her guy disguise she was fairly pretty. But what was he thinking? He didn't like Apey. He was in love with another girl. His darling little bunny. The blond enchantress that he always seemed to run into, as if by fate. Odango-atama.
After awhile, they finished their meal and decided to head back home. When they got back to the apartment, Mamoru could tell that Apey was tired. After a few minutes of protest, she gave in and Mamoru carried her into her room and tucked her in bed. She fell asleep before they even got to her room, and so he slipped off her khakis and shirt for her, put on her pajamas, and tucked her in. When he was done, he looked down at her angelic face and smiled. She certainly was beautiful when she was asleep. Her light brown hair was spread wildly about her face and her stormy blue eyes were closed. As he moved down to her lips, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss her. But he quickly pushed that thought away when his arcade angel's face flashed through his mind. He sighed, then gently kissed her forehead and retired to his own room.
************
The early morning light shone through Mamoru's bedroom window as he slept the morning away. He was reveling in his snug slumber under the soft comforter that Apey made him buy, for which he was now grateful. In fact, he was sleeping so soundly that he didn't even notice as Apey crept into his room and over to the bed. She stealthily climbed onto the bed until she was directly over him, an arm and a leg on either side of his sleeping body. Then she leaned over to his ear and started to whisper in a husky voice. "Mamoru," she said, "Mamoru, honey, get up. C'mon, Mamo-chan, its time to wake up."
Mamoru turned his head. "Princess?" he said as he tried to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight.
Apey leaned really close to his face. "Nope, guess again cutie," she giggled.
"Apey?!" he exclaimed as his eyes shot wide open. "What the hell?"
She just laughed and climbed off the bed, pulling the covers with her. "C'mon, sleeping beauty! Its time to rise an' shine! It's a bea-U-tiful day!"
Mamoru groaned and hid his head under a pillow. "Hachi more minutes, onegai," he muttered.
"I don't think so, Mamoru-kun," replied Apey, "You are going to get up this morning, even if I have to drag you out of bed myself."
"No way, not happening," came Mamoru's muffled response.
"I made breakfast," she said, "Your fav."
"Chocolate chip pancakes and blueberry muffins?"
"Ditto."
"I'm there," he said and sat up abruptly.
Apey faked a scream, "Aaaaah!! Master, the monster, he wakes! Its alive!"
Mamoru hit her in the head with a pillow and moved toward the shower. "If Reika or Motoki calls, tell them she left her insect diagram in the café and I'll drop it off later. If Dr. Mizuno calls, take a message, I'll get back to her-"
"And if 'princess' calls?" asked Apey mischievously.
"Ha ha," he grumbled and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Apey waited until she heard the water running and went to get dressed. While she was still in her underwear, the doorbell rang.
She muttered something under her breath and threw on her baggy dress shirt, doing up enough buttons to look modest. When she opened the door, a blonde girl with pigtails to the floor stood there, looking rather shocked. "Umm. Is this Chiba Mamoru's residence?"
"Hai," replied Apey.
"Who are you?" asked the girl perplexedly.
"I'm April. Mamo-chan's in the shower right now, do you want me to give him a message?"
"Um, lie, no thank you, I've got to go anyway. Ja ne."
Apey watched as the girl hurried down the hall and shrugged. Whoever it was, it didn't matter at the moment. She had other things to think about. She closed the door and headed back to her room to finish getting changed. Muttering under her breath that she hated getting up any time before noon on a free day, she threw on some clothes and then headed to the kitchen to make herself a plate of food. When Mamoru walked in, he found her sitting on the counter with a plate of pancakes in front of her, a newspaper section in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She nonchalantly looked up and smiled. "Oh, so you decided to grace me with your presence after all, eh?"
He shot her a look and walked over to make himself a plate of food. Then he stared into the pot of coffee. "This isn't decaf, is it?" he asked cautiously.
"Nope, its straight caffeine in a mug," she replied.
"Good," he said and poured himself a cup of coffee - black. He took a sip, stared at the mug, and then at Apey. "Damn, girl," he said, "This shit's strong!"
"Why thank you, I try," she smiled.
"Man, this stuff's better than Motoki-kun's," he said and took another sip.
Apey simply laughed and went back to her reading.
************
Later that morning, after both had eaten, Mamoru left to do some errands and drop off Reika's insect diagram for her entomology class. Thus, Apey was left alone in the house to work on her book. It was actually the first time she'd been alone in the house, so she was enjoying the quiet time while she had it. She put on her headphones to her Discman and sat typing happily at her computer. That's when the phone calls started. It seemed every time she sat down the phone rang. The first one was her editor wanting to know what the time looked like on her book. The second was Dr. Mizuno saying that he had to come in tomorrow because they were going to be shorthanded. Then came her occult dealer saying they got the book she wanted in and were holding a copy for her and so on until the worst. Her sisters called. One by one, Ivy, Oralee, and Ella each called to drive her nuts. They asked all sorts of questions, too. Where she was, how she got there, who she was with, what he did, why she hadn't called, if she was going to come see them anytime soon. She told them all that she missed them terribly and promised she would keep in touch, then hung up. "Finally," she thought, "some peace and quiet."
When Mamoru got back, she had finished a fair amount of her book, all things considered. She left him at the house and took her Jeep Sahara out to do some errands of her own. The first thing she did was stop by her regular anime and manga store in Juuban's shopping district to pick up some new stuff. Her friend, Momoko, was waiting for her at the counter. "Hey, Apey-chan," she said, "You here to pick up the new shipment?"
"You bet, Momo-chan," said Apey, "Its number one on my errand list today!"
Momoko smiled and turned around. A moment later she walked back to the counter carrying a shoebox. "There you go, Apey-chan. Two DVDs and three manga. Enjoy."
Apey smiled back. "You know I will, Momo-chan," she replied and handed her some yen, calling over her shoulder, "Give Kyusuke my love!" and taking the box with her back out to the Jeep. She loaded her loot in back and drove over to the far side of Tokyo.
Way far out in the outskirts of Tokyo, Apey came to her occult supplier's store. "Occult Unlimited" was a run-down looking old store that Apey made frequent visits to. It didn't look like much from the outside, but inside it was full of all the occult materials any enthusiast would ever need. The air was dense with the smell of incense and the doors and windows were covered with heavy curtains. Shelves and shelves of books and assorted things covered the floor and walls and in the back, a raven-haired woman sat at a table in front of a large curtain, reading. "Ohayo, Rei-sensei," Apey called as she wandered back to the woman.
The woman looked up. "Ohayo, April-san," she replied, "Phobos and Deimos missed you." She indicated the two ravens perched beside her.
Apey approached the table and petted the ravens. "They look happy today," she commented.
"They had better be happy," said Rei gruffly, "I just fed them." She made a face at the birds then turned back to Apey. "You've come for the book, ne?"
"Hai, Rei-san," nodded Apey, "I would've come sooner, but I had to work on my writing."
"I see," Rei replied, studying her carefully. Then she reached underneath the table and pulled out the book. "This one is free of charge today, and I want you to take this as well," She handed her a cherry blossom, "You shall need it for protection, I feel something bad coming your way. Stay wary, girl, and don't do anything rash or foolish unless your heart and mind agree."
"Hai, sensei," nodded Apey as she took the gifts. "I shall go now. Ja ne."
"Ja ne, April-san," said Rei as she left, "And take these words to heart: nothing is more amazing than rain on a clear day."
"Nothing is more amazing than rain on a clear day?" Apey repeated.
"You heard me, girl!" said Rei, "Now go! And don't you dare forget my warning!"
************
Apey sighed and sat down at the arcade with her soda. Motoki had just listened to her spill her frustrations about all the phone calls that morning when she was trying to work, and now she just wanted to relax. However, that wasn't going to be happening, because someone tapped her shoulder. Turning on the stool, Apey came face to face wit the same girl from that morning. "Hai?" she asked.
"Umm, hi! I'm Tsukino Usagi. You must be new around here. Where do you live?" she asked cheerfully.
"I'm Apey Rain from America. I live in the Azabu district with my roomie, Chiba Mamoru. He comes around here a lot, so you might know him..."
Usagi's eyes widened. "Your roommate is Mamoru-san?" she asked.
"Oh, so you do know him?" asked Apey, "He's a great guy, isn't he?"
"I'm not sure where my opinion stands on that," said Usagi, "But I must say I'm surprised that Mamoru-san already has a new roommate. I mean, it took him years to even make a good enough friend like his first roommate, Motoki-san."
"Actually, we became roommates the first day I met him," said Apey, "I won the right in a poker game. Which reminds me, never play poker with Motoki's fiancée, Reika. She hates losing."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Usagi thoughtfully twirling one of her pigtails around her finger. "Well, I guess I'll see you around sometime. Maybe we could play some Sailor V or something."
"Yeah, well, alright," said Apey, "I had better get going now, I've got some more stuff to do."
"Alright, ja ne!" she smiled and hopped back over to her group of friends.
"Ja ne, Usa-chan," said Apey, then threw some money on the counter and walked out. "Gee, that wasn't awkward at all," she thought sarcastically, "I wonder what fun's in store for me next." She rounded the corner and walked toward the busy streets of downtown Juuban.
************
AN: This is all my NOTEBOOK program would let me put up, so, for now, this is all ya'll get. For the love a kami, TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!
WARNING: If I ever post this whole story it will be VERY VERY long. Ja ne.
PART 1: "Enter Rain"
A figure sat at the end of the counter sipping a bottle of soda. "Hey, Motoki-kun," said Mamoru, "Who's the newbie over there?"
The manager of the Crown Game Center looked to where his friend was pointing. "I dunno, man, he just showed up today. I guess he's new in Juuban. I'll go introduce myself." The tall blond walked over to the quiet figure. "Hey, you must be new in town," he said amiably, "My name's Motoki, I'm the manager." He paused, waiting for a reply.
"I'm Apey," said the figure. Motoki couldn't really see his face because it was hidden under the bill of a baseball cap. He was pretty sloppily dressed with loose jeans and a big T-shirt on with a baggy old dress shirt over it with a sort of plaid or checked stripe design. Figuring the guy wasn't going to say much more, he prodded further. "So where do you go to school?"
"Azabu U," said the figure, "But I just moved here from America."
Motoki smiled inwardly. Now he was getting somewhere. "Dude!" he said, "Mamoru goes there, too. He's a med. student. C'mon over, I'll introduce you two." He led Apey over to where Mamoru sat. Mamoru nonchalantly turned and looked at them. Motoki smiled. "Hey, Mamoru-kun! I'd like to introduce you to Apey. Apey-kun, this is Mamoru."
"Ohayo, Apey-kun," said Mamoru. Apey held out his hand to shake American-style, and Mamoru obliged. When he held out his hand, one of Apey's small ones shook it. He was surprised at the force in the handshake. When Apey let go he stared at him. "Wow," he said, "For such a small guy you sure pack a punch. Where are you from?"
"America, I'm a writer," said Apey. He sat down and took another swig of soda. "But don't think of me as the American. I'm just another one of the guys." Right then he looked up at them and winked, the hat bill no longer blocking his face. The guys looked shocked.
After a moment, Motoki found his voice. "Apey...you're...a GIRL?!"
Apey smiled. "Think nothing of it boys. Like I said, I'm just another one of the guys. That's the way it's always been and I'm comfortable with it."
"Really?" choked out Mamoru.
"Hai. Back home I hung out with guys all the time. I mean, I'm strait, it's just that everything non-physical about me is guy-oriented. Excluding my strength of course." Apey smiled again. "Don't let it bother you."
Motoki and Mamoru looked at each other, then back at Apey. "Its cool with us," said Motoki.
"Do you want to come over tonight?" asked Mamoru, "We need a fourth for poker."
"5-card draw or 7-card stud?" she laughed.
************
"Read 'em an' weep guys, straight in spades," Apey declared triumphantly.
The three she addressed didn't look so pleased. "I can't believe it!" exclaimed Reika, "She won again!"
"I told you I'm good, Reika-chan," said Apey her voice dripping with false sweet innocence, "But did you believe me? Nooooo." She pulled her winnings over to her side of the table.
Reika crossed her arms and blew air through the gap between her clenched teeth. Motoki desperately tried not to laugh at his sulking fiancée as he dealt the cards again. "C'mon guys, settle down," he said, "Let's just do one last round in honor of my moving in with Reika. Jacks are wild."
"I'm sure gonna miss you, Motoki-kun," said Mamoru, "You're the only person I know that can manage to be organized and a slob at the same time. Along with always being annoyingly energetic."
"Hey," said Motoki with mock hurt, "I resent that. I like to consider myself an optimist with my own personal style."
"Yeah, well I'll work on that 'style' of yours later," teased Reika, "Now shut up and play already."
Motoki just stuck his tongue out and looked at his hand. He had to use all of his willpower to refrain from making a face at his awful hand. He just sighed and switched all five cards for five new ones. "Anyone else want?" he asked.
"I'll take two."
"I'll take four."
"I don't want any."
Everyone looked at Apey. "None?" asked Mamoru.
"Nope, I'm fine," she replied smiling. They all shrugged it off and exchanged their cards. After a second round of card exchanges they started the betting. "I'll start the betting at $10," said Motoki.
"I'll see your $10 and raise you another," said Reika. And so the betting began. The pot just kept getting larger and larger. Eventually, Motoki folded, but he only had a pair of threes to boast so it was better he did. Then, Reika grudgingly admitted defeat and folded as well. It was finally it down to the end. "Tell you what, Mamoru-kun," said Apey, "If I win the pot, I'll let everyone have their money back on one condition."
"And what's that?" he asked curiously.
"You let me be your new roommate - in place of Motoki-kun," she smiled.
Everyone looked at her in shock. "You...want to be my roommate?" asked Mamoru in disbelief.
"And why not?" asked Apey, "I'm staying in a hotel right now, I'll need a place to stay, and you seem like a pretty cool guy, so why the hell not?"
Mamoru thought for a minute, and then looked at Apey again. "Alright, if you win, you can move in the day after tomorrow."
Motoki and Reika gaped at Mamoru and Apey smiled really big. "Cool! Now, show your cards." He set down his hand, revealing a straight in diamonds. Apey set down her hand, a full house. "Ha! I win!" she exclaimed triumphantly.
Mamoru started to chuckle and then shook his head. "Day after tomorrow, eh? Where are you staying now?"
************
"Here we are," said Mamoru, "Home crap home." He dropped Apey's trunk on the floor.
Apey walked in behind him with the rest of her stuff, smiling. "I take it you've seen the movie 'The Money Pit'?"
Mamoru turned to look at her as she shut the door. "Who hasn't? They showed that movie all the time on t.v. when I visited Harvard."
"You went to see Harvard?" asked Apey, "That's cool! I used to live right by Harvard when I was little."
"Really?" asked Mamoru, "Oh, I just went to visit Harvard over the summer. I may spend a year of college studying out there, if they accept me."
"They probably will, you seem like a smart guy," said Apey. Then she looked around. "Cool apartment, it needs some work, but I imagine it was worse before Motoki left yesterday. Where's my room?"
"Follow me," said Mamoru and lead her through the living room and down the hall. They passed Mamoru's room and Apey glanced inside, noting how disgustingly neat and tidy it was. Then she followed Mamoru to the next room. "This is it," said Mamoru, "Where do you want the trunk?"
"Drop it at the foot of the bed," she said and then walked over there herself, setting her luggage on top. Mamoru gratefully dropped the trunk and then sat down on the bed to rest his back. Apey started to unpack her clothes and put them into the closet and dresser. Mamoru watched with mute interest as she unceremoniously flopped everything into a drawer or threw it on a hanger. "Wow," commented Mamoru, "You know what drawers and hangers are for, that's more than Motoki ever accomplished in his life."
"Well, don't get your hopes up," laughed Apey, "I guarantee you that in a week this floor will be covered with stuff. My morning habits for getting dressed involve grabbing some undies out of the drawer, the first shirt I touch out of the closet, and the pair of jeans off the floor that smells the best."
"Well, there goes that thought."
Apey finished and looked around the room. It was pretty bland, with plain white walls, a wood closet door, a bed with black sheets, and a basic dresser. "Man, this place definitely needs some redecorating," she said to herself.
Mamoru overheard her comment at looked around the room himself. "What's wrong with it?"
"Its too drab," she replied, "There's barely any color and the only furniture is the bed and the dresser." She started to walk around the room making verbal mental notes. "Let's see, I'll need to find an old chair to recover for this corner, and I'll need a nightstand for right here. Some new sheets would be nice on this bed, and I think these walls need some color - but my pictures should cover that." A couple minutes later, she turned back to Mamoru, "Hey, Mamoru-kun, you up for a project?"
************
"Hmm, this one looks nice," said Apey. She sat down and a large smile spread across her face. "Ooh, this one's really nice. C'mon, you try it Mamo-chan."
"But it looks like shit!" said Mamoru, "It's the sorriest excuse for a chair I've ever seen!"
Apey jumped up and grabbed his arm. "Oh, c'mon, Mamo-chan! Sit in it! It's very comfy. Even without the cushion."
"But it's a hunk of junk," said Mamoru.
"You don't get it, do you?" sighed Apey, "Its supposed to look like shit. That way you can gut it and recover it. Like guys and cars. Some guys buy crap cars, gut them, and rebuild them. Some people buy crap furniture, gut it, then repair it. We can make this chair look like something brand new. Once its all fixed and the slipcover is on, it'll be beautiful. C'mon, sit."
Mamoru sighed with resignation and sat down in the chair. He was blown away. "Wow!" he said, "This is the most comfortable chair I've sat in in awhile. You were right."
"Cool, let's get it," smiled Apey, "Grab an end and let's go."
************
"Hey, Mamoru-kun, hand me the staple gun, will ya?"
"Here you go, Apey," said Mamoru, "I'll hold this end down."
"Gotcha," said Apey. There was a ker-chunk sound as the staple gun did its work. A minute later, she was done and stood up. "There we go," said Apey, "The last staple. Hand me the slipcover."
Mamoru handed her the slipcover, Apey pulled it over the top and tugged it down. She was proud of the decent job she did on it. Once it was all zipped up, she looked at Mamoru. He definitely looked impressed. "I can't believe it," he muttered, "This chair looks perfect."
"I know, I'm good," smiled Apey, "And it only took a couple weeks to make this room look decent. Thanks for letting me move in here, man."
"Thanks for letting me help you work on the room," said Mamoru, "I had a lot of fun doing it. You're a really fun person to hang with."
"Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment," joked Apey. She looked around the room. It was s lot better now. The black background with red rose motif she had used looked wonderful. And the walls looked so much brighter and less dismal with her anime and manga character pictures hanging everywhere. Even the closet doors looked better with her collection of quotes written all over them. It was perfect. "Its beautiful."
Mamoru looked down at Apey. "It certainly is," he thought. She looked so good tucked under his arm with her hair loose about her face and bright blue eyes visible without a baseball cap in the way. He also had to admit that she looked pretty damn good wearing jeans and white tank top. Then he got an idea. "You know what, we've worked pretty hard on this room, why not go out tonight?"
Apey looked up at him. "Go out?"
"Yeah," said Mamoru, "Let's go out for dinner. My treat. What do you say?"
"I say," said Apey, "Let's go! Just let me get changed."
************
A little while later, both workers emerged from their rooms. Mamoru was wearing a black dress shirt and dress pants, while Apey was wearing a black half-sleeve shirt with khakis. "You ready to go?" asked Mamoru.
"Sure," said Apey, "What are we taking?"
"I'll drive," said Mamoru, "Let's take the motorcycle." They walked to the parking garage and hopped on the cycle. After putting their helmets on, they pulled out of the garage and sped down the road. Apey couldn't help but think how great it felt to hold onto him as they went down the bust streets. She wondered where he was going to take her. He'd been so nice to her ever since she came to live with him. The thought was actually creeping into her mind that he could have the capacity to love her. But no, that would never happen. Guys never showed any interest in her, no matter how well they knew her. It was a true shame, though, because she truly thought she was falling for the guy. Oh, why did she do this to herself?
They arrived at the restaurant, and hopped off the bike. When Apey looked up at the sign, her face lit up. "Oh, Mamoru!" said Apey, "You remembered! Oh, thank you so much, hon!" She gave him a big hug.
He chuckled at her enthusiasm and hugged her back. "Oh, c'mon, Apey," he said, "How could I not remember? You're the first person in a long time that told me they love French food."
"Ah, mais oui, Monsieur Mamoru," she smiled, "J'adore le cuisine de France. Et, je parle parfait francais."
"Tres bien, Mademoiselle," laughed Mamoru as she took his arm, "Allez viens." They walked into the restaurant, her hand tucked in the crook of his arm, and waited to be seated. Apey was impressed. It wasn't exactly easy to find a casual French restaurant in Tokyo - no matter what district you're in.
The place was nice. It had a cozy atmosphere, nice overstuffed booths to sit in that were tucked away. The music was soft, but she could recognize the music of Kaiou Michiru's violin anywhere. It was soft and delicate, spinning a web around her. She knew which piece this was, it was a duet between Kaiou-sama and her girlfriend, the famous F-1 test driver, Tenou Haruka. Apey was so absorbed in the music that she didn't even realize she was being led to a table. She snapped back to attention as they slipped into the booth. The waiter handed them their menus and scurried off. Mamoru looked across to Apey in curiosity. "What are you thinking?" he asked.
She stared at him blankly for a moment, and then laughed as her mind returned to her. "Oh, I was just listening to the music. It's a beautiful piece."
He looked at her incredulously. "You listen to Kaiou Michiru?"
"Oh, yes," she replied, "Isn't it lovely? Her music always reminds me of water. You know, the ocean, or a rainstorm, or a gentle stream. Its wonderful. But, this piece is different. It's one of the duets she did with Tenou Haruka, whose music reminds me of the sky. This piece is kinda like a thunderstorm, as if the heavens opened up and its just pouring down onto Earth. Don't you just love it?"
Mamoru did love it, but nevertheless, he ignored her question. "That analogy was beautiful, Apey," he smiled, "You must be a wonderful writer with beautiful thoughts like that."
Apey looked up abruptly and blushed. "Really? Oh, I guess I never thought of it that way. Thank you."
"You know," said Mamoru, "I was curious, what is your real name?"
"Oh, you don't want to know," she replied shyly, "Its silly." But then she looked up and could tell already that he honestly wanted to know. "Alright, I'll tell you. Its April Rain."
"Il est un joli nom, Avril," he said, "You should use it more often." Then he started to peruse his menu. Apey looked over hers as well, glancing up at him every few minutes. When the waiter returned, they placed their meal orders, as well as an order for some Beaujolais.
They were still both rather quiet until the food and drinks came. After a glass of Beaujolais, however, Apey started to loosen up. After that the meal went smoothly, and the two got along really well. By about mid-meal, Apey knew for a fact that she was falling for Mamoru. He was handsome, charming, intelligent, and they had similar interests. She couldn't imagine anything else that she wanted in a man. Oh, but this could only end in heartbreak.
Meanwhile, Mamoru was fighting feelings of his own. The only person he'd ever really opened himself to was Motoki, who was like a brother to him. Sure, he had other friends, too. He hung out with Reika sometimes, and then there were the people he talked to at school, usually girls that were fawning all over him. Oh, who was he kidding? If there were two things he wasn't really accustomed to, it was friends and family. True, Motoki and Reika were his friends, and Motoki and his little sister Unazuki were like family to him, but he still wasn't used to the whole experience. He'd grown up in an orphanage, friendless and alone with only his studies to keep him occupied. Yet here, here was this odd little American girl that just showed up in his life and won the right to be his roommate in a poker game. And he didn't know what it was, he just seemed to click with her. There was something about her that was, well, special. She was an intelligent girl interested in all sorts of things with a spirit that made him feel like a little kid again. Also, he had to admit that when she wasn't in her guy disguise she was fairly pretty. But what was he thinking? He didn't like Apey. He was in love with another girl. His darling little bunny. The blond enchantress that he always seemed to run into, as if by fate. Odango-atama.
After awhile, they finished their meal and decided to head back home. When they got back to the apartment, Mamoru could tell that Apey was tired. After a few minutes of protest, she gave in and Mamoru carried her into her room and tucked her in bed. She fell asleep before they even got to her room, and so he slipped off her khakis and shirt for her, put on her pajamas, and tucked her in. When he was done, he looked down at her angelic face and smiled. She certainly was beautiful when she was asleep. Her light brown hair was spread wildly about her face and her stormy blue eyes were closed. As he moved down to her lips, he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss her. But he quickly pushed that thought away when his arcade angel's face flashed through his mind. He sighed, then gently kissed her forehead and retired to his own room.
************
The early morning light shone through Mamoru's bedroom window as he slept the morning away. He was reveling in his snug slumber under the soft comforter that Apey made him buy, for which he was now grateful. In fact, he was sleeping so soundly that he didn't even notice as Apey crept into his room and over to the bed. She stealthily climbed onto the bed until she was directly over him, an arm and a leg on either side of his sleeping body. Then she leaned over to his ear and started to whisper in a husky voice. "Mamoru," she said, "Mamoru, honey, get up. C'mon, Mamo-chan, its time to wake up."
Mamoru turned his head. "Princess?" he said as he tried to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight.
Apey leaned really close to his face. "Nope, guess again cutie," she giggled.
"Apey?!" he exclaimed as his eyes shot wide open. "What the hell?"
She just laughed and climbed off the bed, pulling the covers with her. "C'mon, sleeping beauty! Its time to rise an' shine! It's a bea-U-tiful day!"
Mamoru groaned and hid his head under a pillow. "Hachi more minutes, onegai," he muttered.
"I don't think so, Mamoru-kun," replied Apey, "You are going to get up this morning, even if I have to drag you out of bed myself."
"No way, not happening," came Mamoru's muffled response.
"I made breakfast," she said, "Your fav."
"Chocolate chip pancakes and blueberry muffins?"
"Ditto."
"I'm there," he said and sat up abruptly.
Apey faked a scream, "Aaaaah!! Master, the monster, he wakes! Its alive!"
Mamoru hit her in the head with a pillow and moved toward the shower. "If Reika or Motoki calls, tell them she left her insect diagram in the café and I'll drop it off later. If Dr. Mizuno calls, take a message, I'll get back to her-"
"And if 'princess' calls?" asked Apey mischievously.
"Ha ha," he grumbled and walked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. Apey waited until she heard the water running and went to get dressed. While she was still in her underwear, the doorbell rang.
She muttered something under her breath and threw on her baggy dress shirt, doing up enough buttons to look modest. When she opened the door, a blonde girl with pigtails to the floor stood there, looking rather shocked. "Umm. Is this Chiba Mamoru's residence?"
"Hai," replied Apey.
"Who are you?" asked the girl perplexedly.
"I'm April. Mamo-chan's in the shower right now, do you want me to give him a message?"
"Um, lie, no thank you, I've got to go anyway. Ja ne."
Apey watched as the girl hurried down the hall and shrugged. Whoever it was, it didn't matter at the moment. She had other things to think about. She closed the door and headed back to her room to finish getting changed. Muttering under her breath that she hated getting up any time before noon on a free day, she threw on some clothes and then headed to the kitchen to make herself a plate of food. When Mamoru walked in, he found her sitting on the counter with a plate of pancakes in front of her, a newspaper section in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She nonchalantly looked up and smiled. "Oh, so you decided to grace me with your presence after all, eh?"
He shot her a look and walked over to make himself a plate of food. Then he stared into the pot of coffee. "This isn't decaf, is it?" he asked cautiously.
"Nope, its straight caffeine in a mug," she replied.
"Good," he said and poured himself a cup of coffee - black. He took a sip, stared at the mug, and then at Apey. "Damn, girl," he said, "This shit's strong!"
"Why thank you, I try," she smiled.
"Man, this stuff's better than Motoki-kun's," he said and took another sip.
Apey simply laughed and went back to her reading.
************
Later that morning, after both had eaten, Mamoru left to do some errands and drop off Reika's insect diagram for her entomology class. Thus, Apey was left alone in the house to work on her book. It was actually the first time she'd been alone in the house, so she was enjoying the quiet time while she had it. She put on her headphones to her Discman and sat typing happily at her computer. That's when the phone calls started. It seemed every time she sat down the phone rang. The first one was her editor wanting to know what the time looked like on her book. The second was Dr. Mizuno saying that he had to come in tomorrow because they were going to be shorthanded. Then came her occult dealer saying they got the book she wanted in and were holding a copy for her and so on until the worst. Her sisters called. One by one, Ivy, Oralee, and Ella each called to drive her nuts. They asked all sorts of questions, too. Where she was, how she got there, who she was with, what he did, why she hadn't called, if she was going to come see them anytime soon. She told them all that she missed them terribly and promised she would keep in touch, then hung up. "Finally," she thought, "some peace and quiet."
When Mamoru got back, she had finished a fair amount of her book, all things considered. She left him at the house and took her Jeep Sahara out to do some errands of her own. The first thing she did was stop by her regular anime and manga store in Juuban's shopping district to pick up some new stuff. Her friend, Momoko, was waiting for her at the counter. "Hey, Apey-chan," she said, "You here to pick up the new shipment?"
"You bet, Momo-chan," said Apey, "Its number one on my errand list today!"
Momoko smiled and turned around. A moment later she walked back to the counter carrying a shoebox. "There you go, Apey-chan. Two DVDs and three manga. Enjoy."
Apey smiled back. "You know I will, Momo-chan," she replied and handed her some yen, calling over her shoulder, "Give Kyusuke my love!" and taking the box with her back out to the Jeep. She loaded her loot in back and drove over to the far side of Tokyo.
Way far out in the outskirts of Tokyo, Apey came to her occult supplier's store. "Occult Unlimited" was a run-down looking old store that Apey made frequent visits to. It didn't look like much from the outside, but inside it was full of all the occult materials any enthusiast would ever need. The air was dense with the smell of incense and the doors and windows were covered with heavy curtains. Shelves and shelves of books and assorted things covered the floor and walls and in the back, a raven-haired woman sat at a table in front of a large curtain, reading. "Ohayo, Rei-sensei," Apey called as she wandered back to the woman.
The woman looked up. "Ohayo, April-san," she replied, "Phobos and Deimos missed you." She indicated the two ravens perched beside her.
Apey approached the table and petted the ravens. "They look happy today," she commented.
"They had better be happy," said Rei gruffly, "I just fed them." She made a face at the birds then turned back to Apey. "You've come for the book, ne?"
"Hai, Rei-san," nodded Apey, "I would've come sooner, but I had to work on my writing."
"I see," Rei replied, studying her carefully. Then she reached underneath the table and pulled out the book. "This one is free of charge today, and I want you to take this as well," She handed her a cherry blossom, "You shall need it for protection, I feel something bad coming your way. Stay wary, girl, and don't do anything rash or foolish unless your heart and mind agree."
"Hai, sensei," nodded Apey as she took the gifts. "I shall go now. Ja ne."
"Ja ne, April-san," said Rei as she left, "And take these words to heart: nothing is more amazing than rain on a clear day."
"Nothing is more amazing than rain on a clear day?" Apey repeated.
"You heard me, girl!" said Rei, "Now go! And don't you dare forget my warning!"
************
Apey sighed and sat down at the arcade with her soda. Motoki had just listened to her spill her frustrations about all the phone calls that morning when she was trying to work, and now she just wanted to relax. However, that wasn't going to be happening, because someone tapped her shoulder. Turning on the stool, Apey came face to face wit the same girl from that morning. "Hai?" she asked.
"Umm, hi! I'm Tsukino Usagi. You must be new around here. Where do you live?" she asked cheerfully.
"I'm Apey Rain from America. I live in the Azabu district with my roomie, Chiba Mamoru. He comes around here a lot, so you might know him..."
Usagi's eyes widened. "Your roommate is Mamoru-san?" she asked.
"Oh, so you do know him?" asked Apey, "He's a great guy, isn't he?"
"I'm not sure where my opinion stands on that," said Usagi, "But I must say I'm surprised that Mamoru-san already has a new roommate. I mean, it took him years to even make a good enough friend like his first roommate, Motoki-san."
"Actually, we became roommates the first day I met him," said Apey, "I won the right in a poker game. Which reminds me, never play poker with Motoki's fiancée, Reika. She hates losing."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Usagi thoughtfully twirling one of her pigtails around her finger. "Well, I guess I'll see you around sometime. Maybe we could play some Sailor V or something."
"Yeah, well, alright," said Apey, "I had better get going now, I've got some more stuff to do."
"Alright, ja ne!" she smiled and hopped back over to her group of friends.
"Ja ne, Usa-chan," said Apey, then threw some money on the counter and walked out. "Gee, that wasn't awkward at all," she thought sarcastically, "I wonder what fun's in store for me next." She rounded the corner and walked toward the busy streets of downtown Juuban.
************
AN: This is all my NOTEBOOK program would let me put up, so, for now, this is all ya'll get. For the love a kami, TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!
WARNING: If I ever post this whole story it will be VERY VERY long. Ja ne.