Attractions
The next morning Mamoru got up early and went for his morning jog. As he was running he thought about the events that unfolded last night.
"God how could I be so stupid?" he muttered to himself. He came to the bridge where he told Usagi that he was going to United States.
"If I didn't go to school in the United States I would have been here to watch over Usagi. Then Seiya never would have had the chance."
Mamoru sighed and looked down at the water. A familiar figure's reflection appeared in the water next to his.
"Usako?!" Mamoru looked up shocked. She didn't look at him, just at the water.
"Rei told me you tried to reach me last night after the party." she replied calmly.
"Yeah, after the, well I tried to call you last night but all I got was your answering machine."
"Yes, well I didn't come home until late last night." Mamoru looked a little upset.
"Usako, it's not safe for you to be out alone late at night."
"Mamo-chan, I'm not a little girl anymore!" Mamoru took hold of her hand.
"Usako, I know you're not a little girl. I just worry about you when I'm not around to protect you."
"Just like when you went away to the United States." she muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing Mamo-chan. Can we go to my apartment and talk?"
"Sure." The couple walked off to Usagi's small apartment.
"Seiya, get up! We have a practice today." Yaten called as he banged on Seiya's bedroom door. Yaten sighs in frustration,
"Taiki you try and get him up." then stormed away. Taiki approached the door and tapped on it lightly.
"Seiya, are you awake?" No answer.
"Seiya?" Taiki slowly opened the door and walked in.
"Yaten! Seiya, he's gone!"
"What?"
"I said Seiya's gone. He's not in his room."
Usagi sat on the couch next to Mamoru. She placed two cups of tea infront of them. Mamoru sipped on his tea and waited for Usagi to start, but she was silent. He looked over to her and she was looking down at her crossed legs. A hurt expression was clearly written on her face.
"Usako?" Usagi took in a deep breath.
"Mamoru, do you know how much it hurt me to see two people I care about fighting over me?"
"I'm sorry Usako." Her head snapped up and she stared at him for a moment. 'Oh great here comes the tears.' Mamoru thought to himself.
"No! Mamoru that's not enough! I'm sorry won't make anything better."
"What?" he choked out.
"I'm sorry just doesn't cut it anymore." She stood up and walked to the window.
"But..." Mamoru started and stood up.
"No more! I'm sick of you trampling over my heart. Do you think I'll always be there? Do you think destiny binds me to you?" Mamoru was taken aback.
"But, we have to be together. Crystal Tokyo."
"It's all visions of the future. Nothing is written in stone."
"This is about Seiya isn't it?"
"Why is it always have to be about that?" She stepped past him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Do you love me?" Usagi shrugged Mamoru off.
"Yes."
"Then why are you wearing that necklace Seiya bought you?" Usagi cupped the silver heart in her hand.
"I can wear whatever I want."
"I don't want you to see Seiya anymore." She dropped her hand from the necklace. Usagi walked up to Mamoru and stared deep into his blue eyes.
"You can't tell me what to do."
"Yes I can. I don't want you to ever talk to Seiya and I want you to take off that necklace."
"No!" she yelled in his face. Mamoru reached up and grasped the silver heart and ripped the chain off Usagi's neck. He dropped the chain on the floor.
"You can't see Seiya anymore." Usagi pushed Mamoru in the chest.
"Mamoru you can't do that!"
"Oh really?"
"Yes, you can't order me around."
"Watch me." Mamoru grabbed Usagi's small shoulders and slammed her against the wall.
"You better not see Seiya or you'll regret it. Now promise me." He breathed in her face. Tears started to stream down Usagi's face. Usagi squirmed a bit.
"Promise me!" he screamed.
"I-I promise." she choked out between sobs. Mamoru grabbed her face in his hand.
"Good girl." He kissed her hardly. Mamoru let Usagi go and walked to the door and slammed it behind him. Usagi slid down the wall and put her head on her knees and cried.
Mako walked down the hall to the last apartment on the right. She was flanked by Ami, Rei, Mina, Hakaru, and Michiru. Mako raised her hand and knocked on the door. She heard some rustling inside, then silence. She knocked again, silence. She tried the door but it wouldn't open. Mako looked at the other with an unsure look.
"Usagi, it's Mako. Let me in, the others are here." There was no answer.
"Usagi, please let us in." The latch on the door opened and the handle turned and the door opened. Usagi walked away from the door.
"So what do you guys want?" Michiru shut the door behind her.
"Well Usagi we wanted to see if you were ok, are you?" Usagi sat on the couch and put her head in her hands.
"Yeah, I'll be alright."
"Are you sure Princess?" Haruka asked as she sat next to Usagi and put her arm around her. Usagi pushed Haruka off in a quick spasm of pain.
"Ow, umm yeah I'll be fine" Haruka looked concerned at Usagi.
"Usagi did you hurt your back or something?" She went to touch Usagi's back again. Usagi knocked Haruka's hand aside.
"Umm yeah I did."
"How did you manage that?" Usagi looked at Haruka with a look telling her not to ask.
"Well I was umm well I picked up this umm heavy thing and I well it was too heavy for me and I fell backwards and hit my back into the wall. But I'll be ok." The group exchanged looks, they didn't really believe Usagi's story, even if it was Usagi. Rei was the first to acknowledged the story.
"Well that was stupid of your wasn't it?" The others realized that Rei was going to play that she believed it. Usagi looked at her hands on her lap and muttered,
"Yes it was stupid of me."
Seiya walked down the street unsure of where he was heading. His memory plagued him. With memories of when he first came to Earth. When he first met Usagi, playing softball with Usagi and winning showing that he could date her, their date where he took her to the amusement park and to the disco club. He remembered fighting along side Sailor Moon and being touched by her words saying they should join forces. He pressed his hand to the spot where he took the hit from TinCat's bazooka for Sailor Moon. Seiya smiles at the thought of when he was returning to his home planet and he said goodbye to Usagi and told Mamoru to take care of her for him. He laughed at the fact that he told Mamoru, Usagi's great protector, to take care of her, for him. He recalls giving the necklace to Usagi, and remembers trying to kiss her. Trying, he was always trying for Usagi. He could win any other girl he wanted, he was a famous superstar, who wouldn't want him? Usagi that's who, Seiya sighed. He suddenly remembered something from the night before. When he told Usagi he loved her he could have sworn that he heard sadness in Usagi's voice when she told him that she was destined to be with Mamoru, forever. Maybe Usagi didn't want to be with Mamoru, maybe it was only destiny that was binding her to him, maybe if destiny didn't play a part with Usagi then she would go with Seiya. Seiya sat beside the lake at the park. He laughed and laughed. He could win Usagi, he could make all his dreams come true, he could make his destiny with her, forever.
"Oh I'm very sorry, I didn't see you there." Mamoru apologized to the woman he just hit into. He really didn't see her, he was too busy fuming at the thought of Usagi disobeying him. He extended his hand to help the woman up. She wiped herself off.
"No no it's completely my fault, I was running to catch my bus." She watched the bus pull away from the curb.
"Well I suppose I'm going to have to wait around for a while. Would you like to grab a cup of coffee?" Mamoru blinked. ~She's very beautiful, maybe I should take her up on her offer, I might be able to make Usagi jealous and then she'll come crawling back.~
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't even tell you my name, I'm Kyraka and you are?"
"I'm Mamoru, sure coffee sounds great!" Mamoru and Kyraka head off to a local coffee shop.
The group said goodbye to Usagi as she closed her door. They walked down the hall and got into the elevator. As soon as the door shut Rei turned and faced the others.
"Did any of you seriously believe her story?" They all looked at their feet and shook their heads.
"But who would have done that to her, maybe there's a new enemy?" Michiru asked.
"No, Usagi would have told us if there was a new enemy. I think this has to do with Mamoru and Seiya." Haruka said.
"You don't think one of them would have hit her in some way?" Mina asked slowly.
"Well it just seemed like something like that, I mean look at how she squirmed for an explanation." Haruka answered clenching her fist.
"I think one of us should have a talk with Usagi about this." Rei looked around, "Who wants to?" Mako stepped forward.
"I will. I'll talk to her tomorrow." The group went their separate ways.
Usagi mopped around her apartment. Her back hurt from being shoved into the wall by Mamoru. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Her Mamoru, her protector, hurt her. She could hardly bare the thought. She wondered if she should have told her friends what really happened. But how could she? They all thought Mamoru was the best for her. Destiny thought he was the best for her. None of them would believe Mamoru could have hurt her. They seemed to buy her story, it will have to do until she figured things out.
"I need to go for a walk." Usagi picked up her purse and left the apartment.
Mamoru threw his head back laughing.
"Oh Kyraka that was hilarious!" Kyraka was across from Mamoru sipping her coffee and smiling at him. She thought he was very handsome. She hoped he was single.
"Well Mamoru I better get going my bus will be here soon. Maybe we could get together for lunch some day?"
"Lunch? Sounds great, what day are you free?"
"Well Monday would be good for me."
"Then Monday it is. Do you want to meet here?"
"Sure!" Kyraka got up and placed her money on the table. Mamoru walked her out to the bus stop and waited with her until the bus came. Mamoru starting for home when he saw a familiar figure in the crowd ahead of him.
"Usagi." He breathed. "Where are you off to my dear?" Mamoru silently followed her. She appeared in deep thought and not to have a set destination. She ended up in the park walking by the lake. Mamoru kept his distance.
"Usagi!" Usagi turned around and Seiya came running up to her. Mamoru edged closer.
"What do you want Seiya?" Usagi asked not looked at him.
"Well I just wanted to apologize for last night."
"Really? Well Mamoru said the same thing and I doubt either of you regret what you did last night." Seiya was stunned as was Mamoru.
"But Usagi..."
"No Seiya don't start with me."
"Usagi it wasn't my fault. Mamoru started..." Usagi stepped closer to Seiya only inches away from his face.
"Don't you start blaming anyone for your actions. I don't want to see you again Seiya."
"W-what?" Seiya stuttered.
"I want you out of my life! Please just stay away from me!" Usagi yelled with tears in her eyes and then ran off. Mamoru chuckled in the bushes.
"Excellent!"
Mako walked into Usagi's apartment the next morning.
"So Mako what did you want to talk about?" Usagi directed Mako to the couch and went into the kitchen to make some tea.
"Well Usagi the other and I are worried about you." Usagi laughs lightly.
"Worried? Why?" She started to pour the tea.
"We want to know what really happened when you hurt you back." There was a crash in the kitchen and Mako jumped up.
"Usagi are you alright." Usagi was trying to pick up the pieces of the teapot she dropped.
"It was Mamoru."
"What?"
"Mamoru is the reason I hurt my back." Mako led Usagi to the couch who was sobbing lightly.
"Usagi tell me what happened."
"Well I met Mamoru on the bridge not far from here and invited him back here. We starting talking and it started to turn into a fight. Then he told me never to see Seiya again and I refused. He ripped off the necklace Seiya gave me the night of the party. He told me to promise him not to see Seiya and I refused and he slammed me into the wall. I was so scared that I promised him. Then he kissed me really roughly and stormed out." At the end Usagi was in tears. Mako put her arms around Usagi to comfort her.
"How could he? I mean he's your protector."
"I don't know. Then after you guys left I went for a walk and I met up with Seiya in the park and I told him to get out of my life. Oh god Mako I feel so horrible. Seiya must be so hurt right now and because of me."
"Usagi it's not your fault. We have to get you, Mamoru, and Seiya together and talk everything out."
"Are you sure that will work?"
"It'll never hurt to try."
"Thank you Mako" They hugged tightly and then Mako got up and left.
"So Kyraka where do you want to go for lunch?"
"Well Mamoru I'm not sure. Do you have any suggestions?"
"I don't really eat out much, I like to cook at home."
"You like to cook?"
"Yes, I'm said to be really good. If you want we could go back to my house and I can make you lunch."
"Do you live far from here?"
"No not really about a 15 minute walk."
"Well that sounds perfect to me." Mamoru and Kyraka walk off to Mamoru's house.
Taiki knocked on Seiya's bedroom door again.
"Seiya lunch is ready. Come on out." Nothing.
"Seiya it's getting cold." Still silence. Taiki gave up and joined Yaten at the table.
"Yaten do you know what happened? I mean yesterday Seiya disappeared in the morning and came back in the afternoon without a word. He hasn't been out of his room since he came home. I'm worried about him."
"I don't know Taiki. I could have sworn he had tears on his face when he rushed past me. It's probally something about Usagi."
"I suppose all we can do is support him."
The next morning Mamoru got up early and went for his morning jog. As he was running he thought about the events that unfolded last night.
"God how could I be so stupid?" he muttered to himself. He came to the bridge where he told Usagi that he was going to United States.
"If I didn't go to school in the United States I would have been here to watch over Usagi. Then Seiya never would have had the chance."
Mamoru sighed and looked down at the water. A familiar figure's reflection appeared in the water next to his.
"Usako?!" Mamoru looked up shocked. She didn't look at him, just at the water.
"Rei told me you tried to reach me last night after the party." she replied calmly.
"Yeah, after the, well I tried to call you last night but all I got was your answering machine."
"Yes, well I didn't come home until late last night." Mamoru looked a little upset.
"Usako, it's not safe for you to be out alone late at night."
"Mamo-chan, I'm not a little girl anymore!" Mamoru took hold of her hand.
"Usako, I know you're not a little girl. I just worry about you when I'm not around to protect you."
"Just like when you went away to the United States." she muttered.
"What?"
"Nothing Mamo-chan. Can we go to my apartment and talk?"
"Sure." The couple walked off to Usagi's small apartment.
"Seiya, get up! We have a practice today." Yaten called as he banged on Seiya's bedroom door. Yaten sighs in frustration,
"Taiki you try and get him up." then stormed away. Taiki approached the door and tapped on it lightly.
"Seiya, are you awake?" No answer.
"Seiya?" Taiki slowly opened the door and walked in.
"Yaten! Seiya, he's gone!"
"What?"
"I said Seiya's gone. He's not in his room."
Usagi sat on the couch next to Mamoru. She placed two cups of tea infront of them. Mamoru sipped on his tea and waited for Usagi to start, but she was silent. He looked over to her and she was looking down at her crossed legs. A hurt expression was clearly written on her face.
"Usako?" Usagi took in a deep breath.
"Mamoru, do you know how much it hurt me to see two people I care about fighting over me?"
"I'm sorry Usako." Her head snapped up and she stared at him for a moment. 'Oh great here comes the tears.' Mamoru thought to himself.
"No! Mamoru that's not enough! I'm sorry won't make anything better."
"What?" he choked out.
"I'm sorry just doesn't cut it anymore." She stood up and walked to the window.
"But..." Mamoru started and stood up.
"No more! I'm sick of you trampling over my heart. Do you think I'll always be there? Do you think destiny binds me to you?" Mamoru was taken aback.
"But, we have to be together. Crystal Tokyo."
"It's all visions of the future. Nothing is written in stone."
"This is about Seiya isn't it?"
"Why is it always have to be about that?" She stepped past him. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Do you love me?" Usagi shrugged Mamoru off.
"Yes."
"Then why are you wearing that necklace Seiya bought you?" Usagi cupped the silver heart in her hand.
"I can wear whatever I want."
"I don't want you to see Seiya anymore." She dropped her hand from the necklace. Usagi walked up to Mamoru and stared deep into his blue eyes.
"You can't tell me what to do."
"Yes I can. I don't want you to ever talk to Seiya and I want you to take off that necklace."
"No!" she yelled in his face. Mamoru reached up and grasped the silver heart and ripped the chain off Usagi's neck. He dropped the chain on the floor.
"You can't see Seiya anymore." Usagi pushed Mamoru in the chest.
"Mamoru you can't do that!"
"Oh really?"
"Yes, you can't order me around."
"Watch me." Mamoru grabbed Usagi's small shoulders and slammed her against the wall.
"You better not see Seiya or you'll regret it. Now promise me." He breathed in her face. Tears started to stream down Usagi's face. Usagi squirmed a bit.
"Promise me!" he screamed.
"I-I promise." she choked out between sobs. Mamoru grabbed her face in his hand.
"Good girl." He kissed her hardly. Mamoru let Usagi go and walked to the door and slammed it behind him. Usagi slid down the wall and put her head on her knees and cried.
Mako walked down the hall to the last apartment on the right. She was flanked by Ami, Rei, Mina, Hakaru, and Michiru. Mako raised her hand and knocked on the door. She heard some rustling inside, then silence. She knocked again, silence. She tried the door but it wouldn't open. Mako looked at the other with an unsure look.
"Usagi, it's Mako. Let me in, the others are here." There was no answer.
"Usagi, please let us in." The latch on the door opened and the handle turned and the door opened. Usagi walked away from the door.
"So what do you guys want?" Michiru shut the door behind her.
"Well Usagi we wanted to see if you were ok, are you?" Usagi sat on the couch and put her head in her hands.
"Yeah, I'll be alright."
"Are you sure Princess?" Haruka asked as she sat next to Usagi and put her arm around her. Usagi pushed Haruka off in a quick spasm of pain.
"Ow, umm yeah I'll be fine" Haruka looked concerned at Usagi.
"Usagi did you hurt your back or something?" She went to touch Usagi's back again. Usagi knocked Haruka's hand aside.
"Umm yeah I did."
"How did you manage that?" Usagi looked at Haruka with a look telling her not to ask.
"Well I was umm well I picked up this umm heavy thing and I well it was too heavy for me and I fell backwards and hit my back into the wall. But I'll be ok." The group exchanged looks, they didn't really believe Usagi's story, even if it was Usagi. Rei was the first to acknowledged the story.
"Well that was stupid of your wasn't it?" The others realized that Rei was going to play that she believed it. Usagi looked at her hands on her lap and muttered,
"Yes it was stupid of me."
Seiya walked down the street unsure of where he was heading. His memory plagued him. With memories of when he first came to Earth. When he first met Usagi, playing softball with Usagi and winning showing that he could date her, their date where he took her to the amusement park and to the disco club. He remembered fighting along side Sailor Moon and being touched by her words saying they should join forces. He pressed his hand to the spot where he took the hit from TinCat's bazooka for Sailor Moon. Seiya smiles at the thought of when he was returning to his home planet and he said goodbye to Usagi and told Mamoru to take care of her for him. He laughed at the fact that he told Mamoru, Usagi's great protector, to take care of her, for him. He recalls giving the necklace to Usagi, and remembers trying to kiss her. Trying, he was always trying for Usagi. He could win any other girl he wanted, he was a famous superstar, who wouldn't want him? Usagi that's who, Seiya sighed. He suddenly remembered something from the night before. When he told Usagi he loved her he could have sworn that he heard sadness in Usagi's voice when she told him that she was destined to be with Mamoru, forever. Maybe Usagi didn't want to be with Mamoru, maybe it was only destiny that was binding her to him, maybe if destiny didn't play a part with Usagi then she would go with Seiya. Seiya sat beside the lake at the park. He laughed and laughed. He could win Usagi, he could make all his dreams come true, he could make his destiny with her, forever.
"Oh I'm very sorry, I didn't see you there." Mamoru apologized to the woman he just hit into. He really didn't see her, he was too busy fuming at the thought of Usagi disobeying him. He extended his hand to help the woman up. She wiped herself off.
"No no it's completely my fault, I was running to catch my bus." She watched the bus pull away from the curb.
"Well I suppose I'm going to have to wait around for a while. Would you like to grab a cup of coffee?" Mamoru blinked. ~She's very beautiful, maybe I should take her up on her offer, I might be able to make Usagi jealous and then she'll come crawling back.~
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't even tell you my name, I'm Kyraka and you are?"
"I'm Mamoru, sure coffee sounds great!" Mamoru and Kyraka head off to a local coffee shop.
The group said goodbye to Usagi as she closed her door. They walked down the hall and got into the elevator. As soon as the door shut Rei turned and faced the others.
"Did any of you seriously believe her story?" They all looked at their feet and shook their heads.
"But who would have done that to her, maybe there's a new enemy?" Michiru asked.
"No, Usagi would have told us if there was a new enemy. I think this has to do with Mamoru and Seiya." Haruka said.
"You don't think one of them would have hit her in some way?" Mina asked slowly.
"Well it just seemed like something like that, I mean look at how she squirmed for an explanation." Haruka answered clenching her fist.
"I think one of us should have a talk with Usagi about this." Rei looked around, "Who wants to?" Mako stepped forward.
"I will. I'll talk to her tomorrow." The group went their separate ways.
Usagi mopped around her apartment. Her back hurt from being shoved into the wall by Mamoru. Tears started to well up in her eyes. Her Mamoru, her protector, hurt her. She could hardly bare the thought. She wondered if she should have told her friends what really happened. But how could she? They all thought Mamoru was the best for her. Destiny thought he was the best for her. None of them would believe Mamoru could have hurt her. They seemed to buy her story, it will have to do until she figured things out.
"I need to go for a walk." Usagi picked up her purse and left the apartment.
Mamoru threw his head back laughing.
"Oh Kyraka that was hilarious!" Kyraka was across from Mamoru sipping her coffee and smiling at him. She thought he was very handsome. She hoped he was single.
"Well Mamoru I better get going my bus will be here soon. Maybe we could get together for lunch some day?"
"Lunch? Sounds great, what day are you free?"
"Well Monday would be good for me."
"Then Monday it is. Do you want to meet here?"
"Sure!" Kyraka got up and placed her money on the table. Mamoru walked her out to the bus stop and waited with her until the bus came. Mamoru starting for home when he saw a familiar figure in the crowd ahead of him.
"Usagi." He breathed. "Where are you off to my dear?" Mamoru silently followed her. She appeared in deep thought and not to have a set destination. She ended up in the park walking by the lake. Mamoru kept his distance.
"Usagi!" Usagi turned around and Seiya came running up to her. Mamoru edged closer.
"What do you want Seiya?" Usagi asked not looked at him.
"Well I just wanted to apologize for last night."
"Really? Well Mamoru said the same thing and I doubt either of you regret what you did last night." Seiya was stunned as was Mamoru.
"But Usagi..."
"No Seiya don't start with me."
"Usagi it wasn't my fault. Mamoru started..." Usagi stepped closer to Seiya only inches away from his face.
"Don't you start blaming anyone for your actions. I don't want to see you again Seiya."
"W-what?" Seiya stuttered.
"I want you out of my life! Please just stay away from me!" Usagi yelled with tears in her eyes and then ran off. Mamoru chuckled in the bushes.
"Excellent!"
Mako walked into Usagi's apartment the next morning.
"So Mako what did you want to talk about?" Usagi directed Mako to the couch and went into the kitchen to make some tea.
"Well Usagi the other and I are worried about you." Usagi laughs lightly.
"Worried? Why?" She started to pour the tea.
"We want to know what really happened when you hurt you back." There was a crash in the kitchen and Mako jumped up.
"Usagi are you alright." Usagi was trying to pick up the pieces of the teapot she dropped.
"It was Mamoru."
"What?"
"Mamoru is the reason I hurt my back." Mako led Usagi to the couch who was sobbing lightly.
"Usagi tell me what happened."
"Well I met Mamoru on the bridge not far from here and invited him back here. We starting talking and it started to turn into a fight. Then he told me never to see Seiya again and I refused. He ripped off the necklace Seiya gave me the night of the party. He told me to promise him not to see Seiya and I refused and he slammed me into the wall. I was so scared that I promised him. Then he kissed me really roughly and stormed out." At the end Usagi was in tears. Mako put her arms around Usagi to comfort her.
"How could he? I mean he's your protector."
"I don't know. Then after you guys left I went for a walk and I met up with Seiya in the park and I told him to get out of my life. Oh god Mako I feel so horrible. Seiya must be so hurt right now and because of me."
"Usagi it's not your fault. We have to get you, Mamoru, and Seiya together and talk everything out."
"Are you sure that will work?"
"It'll never hurt to try."
"Thank you Mako" They hugged tightly and then Mako got up and left.
"So Kyraka where do you want to go for lunch?"
"Well Mamoru I'm not sure. Do you have any suggestions?"
"I don't really eat out much, I like to cook at home."
"You like to cook?"
"Yes, I'm said to be really good. If you want we could go back to my house and I can make you lunch."
"Do you live far from here?"
"No not really about a 15 minute walk."
"Well that sounds perfect to me." Mamoru and Kyraka walk off to Mamoru's house.
Taiki knocked on Seiya's bedroom door again.
"Seiya lunch is ready. Come on out." Nothing.
"Seiya it's getting cold." Still silence. Taiki gave up and joined Yaten at the table.
"Yaten do you know what happened? I mean yesterday Seiya disappeared in the morning and came back in the afternoon without a word. He hasn't been out of his room since he came home. I'm worried about him."
"I don't know Taiki. I could have sworn he had tears on his face when he rushed past me. It's probally something about Usagi."
"I suppose all we can do is support him."