A Second Chance At Love
Chapter 5: Couldn't they?
By: Minako-chan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to say Sailor Moon belongs to me,
it doesn't. *shoulders sagging*
Author's Notes: Just a fic inspired by a short Chinese series.
E-mail me! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com ^_^
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recap of Chapter 4: The Kiss Meant Nothing
"I'm so glad to hear that, Mamoru-san!" She said, her voice muffled
when she buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around
his waist.
Mamoru hesitated, but slowly he brought his hand lovingly to pat her
head gently, noticing for the first time since Usagi had last visited
his apartment, that his hands had stopped trembling. But his heart
seemed to have stopped beating the moment those words came out of his
mouth.
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Chapter 5: Couldn't They?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Moshi moshi." Mamoru yawned as he picked up the phone.
"Mamoru-san?" He heard Usagi's voice on the other end, and he sat up
on impulse, clasping the phone tightly.
"Is that you, Usagi?" He smiled and rubbed his eyes.
"I was wondering if you want to come out with us. The girls have
been so great, they have organized this trip." Usagi explained, excited.
"A trip?" His pulse quickened. Usagi wanted him to come along on a trip?
"Yes. Minako was discovered by this modelling agency, and she's going
on tour in Paris." Usagi laughed. "So, she's invited all of us to come
along. She's got tickets already for the fashion show, and because it's
not a busy time of the year, we managed to get plane tickets."
"All of us, meaning..." He paused.
"The other girls, and you." Usagi finished the sentence for him.
"God, that's great! I could use a break." He stretched and rolled
onto his back.
"Better pack up then, mister, we're leaving tomorrow night." Usagi
tried to stifle a giggle, knowing how panicked Mamoru would be, being
the organized person that he was, never wanting to leave everything
at the last minute.
Mamoru's eyes widened. "WHAT???????" He cried out as he tried to sit
up again, only to bump his head onto the headboard painfully in the
process.
The last thing he heard before Usagi hung up was her laughter, echoing
in his room long minutes after he himself hung up. He smiled and knew
that with Usagi, he would do anything out of his character.
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Rei leaned onto her elbow as she peered up at Minako.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Minako-chan? After all, it's only
been a short while since Motoki...you know..." She asked, hesitant.
"Of course it is. It'll be good for her to be away for a while."
Minako tossed her hair.
"Yes, that's true, but out of all places, you had to choose the
city of love?" Makoto sighed. "I don't know...what if...what if
she gets worse?"
"She can't get worse. She's been doing so well for the past two
weeks, right? Sure, there have been times when her eyes would
water up, but that's only natural, right?" Minako replied with
confidence.
"You still haven't answered Mako-chan's question. Why the city of
love?" Ami inquired.
A glint of mischief appeared in Minako's bright blue eyes. "That,
my dear friends, is where my genius comes in." She grinned. "Have
you noticed how much closer Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san have become
during the past few weeks?"
The other three girls exchanged looks and nodded in unison, smiles
making their way to their faces.
"Exactly. And did anyone else wonder why they both happened to
be depressed at the same time two weeks ago? Usagi-chan refused
to speak unless it was necessary, and Mamoru refused to meet any
of us." Minako smiled in triumphant. "They are closer than we all
think."
The girls' mouths all held an 'O' shape.
"But, maybe...maybe it's because Usagi and Mamoru were the ones
closest to Motoki, and now that he has passed on they have become
closer to hang onto his memory." Ami pondered, scratching her chin.
"Maybe. But either way, they have grown closer together, and I'm
hoping Mamoru can help Usagi break down the walls that she's built
around herself, to show her that she can love again. And of course,
Mamoru can benefit from this too. I've always seen the way he looks
at her, even when Usagi and Motoki were together."
"You've seen it too?! I thought I was the only one to notice!" Rei
threw her arms in air in frustration. "I thought I was imagining
things!"
"Oh, the way they always fought in the arcade, always flirting with
each other! When I first met them, I thought they were a couple
more than with Motoki..." Ami gushed. The other girls stared at her
in disbelief, and she was quickly covered in a shade of red.
"But let's be serious here. What if the plan doesn't work? What if
they don't fall in love? They might be too awkward around each other
and might probably stop being friends too..." Makoto stared into a
distance.
"That's a risk that we all are going to have to take, not just Usagi
and Mamoru. Mamoru is a good man. He's already head over heels in
love with her, I'm sure he will treat her well. As for Usagi, she's
our best friend. She's young. She deserves a second chance at love."
Rei whispered as her eyes welled up with tears.
"We only have a time limit of three weeks to make them fall in love.
That's a little quick, isn't it?" Ami said in a worried tone.
"Nothing is impossible for love. Trust me on that one." Minako looked
away, remembering her unrequited love for Motoki long before Usagi and
Motoki became a couple. "If it's meant to be, they will be fine."
"Hey, Minako-chan, you never did tell us how you're going to get out
of the lie of being in a fashion show." Makoto suddenly realized. Minako
was never 'discovered' by any agency. There was no way she could appear
in a show.
The girls' heads perked up for Minako's answer. The girl only turned
red and laughed, with a hand behind her head. "Let's just hope that
those two will be too in love to even notice."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Usagi sat on her suitcase, attempting to shut it completely so she could
zip it up and go to bed.
"ARGH! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STAY INSIDE THE SUITCASE!" She yelled in
frustration at a piece of clothing sticking out.
Shingo poked his head into her room. "Hate to tell ya, sis, but it might
help if you fold up the clothes neatly instead of throwing them in as
a ball."
A pillow flew across the room immediately into his face. He laughed
whole-heartedly before closing the door again. It had been a while to
get Usagi to become 'normal' again, he realized, and instead of the cruel
fights they used to pick on one another, the fights they had now were
more like jokes. They never took them to their hearts, and knew that they
cared about each other.
Usagi lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, panting from fatigue from
stomping on her suitcase. The moonlight made its way into her room, and
a photoframe caught the moonlight, glaring brightly at Usagi. She got
up and walked over, picking up the glass frame gingerly, her fingers
on the cool surface.
Her favourite picture again, of herself, Motoki, and Mamoru.
But somehow, her heart skipped a beat as she looked at Mamoru's handsome
face in the picture. Her hand rested on her lower lip, and she blushed
at the memory of their kiss, as inappropriate as it was.
Hands trembling from feelings of betrayal toward Motoki, she dropped the
frame to the hard floor below with a loud clash, some broken pieces of
glass cutting into her delicate flesh. A drop of blood landed onto the
picture. Sighing sadly, she realized her love had left her, and she had
pushed away a man who might have loved her. Maybe, she thought to herself,
maybe she was meant to be alone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 6: City of Love
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 5: Couldn't they?
By: Minako-chan
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to say Sailor Moon belongs to me,
it doesn't. *shoulders sagging*
Author's Notes: Just a fic inspired by a short Chinese series.
E-mail me! cupid_teacup@hotmail.com ^_^
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recap of Chapter 4: The Kiss Meant Nothing
"I'm so glad to hear that, Mamoru-san!" She said, her voice muffled
when she buried her face into his chest, wrapping her arms around
his waist.
Mamoru hesitated, but slowly he brought his hand lovingly to pat her
head gently, noticing for the first time since Usagi had last visited
his apartment, that his hands had stopped trembling. But his heart
seemed to have stopped beating the moment those words came out of his
mouth.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 5: Couldn't They?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Moshi moshi." Mamoru yawned as he picked up the phone.
"Mamoru-san?" He heard Usagi's voice on the other end, and he sat up
on impulse, clasping the phone tightly.
"Is that you, Usagi?" He smiled and rubbed his eyes.
"I was wondering if you want to come out with us. The girls have
been so great, they have organized this trip." Usagi explained, excited.
"A trip?" His pulse quickened. Usagi wanted him to come along on a trip?
"Yes. Minako was discovered by this modelling agency, and she's going
on tour in Paris." Usagi laughed. "So, she's invited all of us to come
along. She's got tickets already for the fashion show, and because it's
not a busy time of the year, we managed to get plane tickets."
"All of us, meaning..." He paused.
"The other girls, and you." Usagi finished the sentence for him.
"God, that's great! I could use a break." He stretched and rolled
onto his back.
"Better pack up then, mister, we're leaving tomorrow night." Usagi
tried to stifle a giggle, knowing how panicked Mamoru would be, being
the organized person that he was, never wanting to leave everything
at the last minute.
Mamoru's eyes widened. "WHAT???????" He cried out as he tried to sit
up again, only to bump his head onto the headboard painfully in the
process.
The last thing he heard before Usagi hung up was her laughter, echoing
in his room long minutes after he himself hung up. He smiled and knew
that with Usagi, he would do anything out of his character.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rei leaned onto her elbow as she peered up at Minako.
"Are you sure this is a good idea, Minako-chan? After all, it's only
been a short while since Motoki...you know..." She asked, hesitant.
"Of course it is. It'll be good for her to be away for a while."
Minako tossed her hair.
"Yes, that's true, but out of all places, you had to choose the
city of love?" Makoto sighed. "I don't know...what if...what if
she gets worse?"
"She can't get worse. She's been doing so well for the past two
weeks, right? Sure, there have been times when her eyes would
water up, but that's only natural, right?" Minako replied with
confidence.
"You still haven't answered Mako-chan's question. Why the city of
love?" Ami inquired.
A glint of mischief appeared in Minako's bright blue eyes. "That,
my dear friends, is where my genius comes in." She grinned. "Have
you noticed how much closer Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san have become
during the past few weeks?"
The other three girls exchanged looks and nodded in unison, smiles
making their way to their faces.
"Exactly. And did anyone else wonder why they both happened to
be depressed at the same time two weeks ago? Usagi-chan refused
to speak unless it was necessary, and Mamoru refused to meet any
of us." Minako smiled in triumphant. "They are closer than we all
think."
The girls' mouths all held an 'O' shape.
"But, maybe...maybe it's because Usagi and Mamoru were the ones
closest to Motoki, and now that he has passed on they have become
closer to hang onto his memory." Ami pondered, scratching her chin.
"Maybe. But either way, they have grown closer together, and I'm
hoping Mamoru can help Usagi break down the walls that she's built
around herself, to show her that she can love again. And of course,
Mamoru can benefit from this too. I've always seen the way he looks
at her, even when Usagi and Motoki were together."
"You've seen it too?! I thought I was the only one to notice!" Rei
threw her arms in air in frustration. "I thought I was imagining
things!"
"Oh, the way they always fought in the arcade, always flirting with
each other! When I first met them, I thought they were a couple
more than with Motoki..." Ami gushed. The other girls stared at her
in disbelief, and she was quickly covered in a shade of red.
"But let's be serious here. What if the plan doesn't work? What if
they don't fall in love? They might be too awkward around each other
and might probably stop being friends too..." Makoto stared into a
distance.
"That's a risk that we all are going to have to take, not just Usagi
and Mamoru. Mamoru is a good man. He's already head over heels in
love with her, I'm sure he will treat her well. As for Usagi, she's
our best friend. She's young. She deserves a second chance at love."
Rei whispered as her eyes welled up with tears.
"We only have a time limit of three weeks to make them fall in love.
That's a little quick, isn't it?" Ami said in a worried tone.
"Nothing is impossible for love. Trust me on that one." Minako looked
away, remembering her unrequited love for Motoki long before Usagi and
Motoki became a couple. "If it's meant to be, they will be fine."
"Hey, Minako-chan, you never did tell us how you're going to get out
of the lie of being in a fashion show." Makoto suddenly realized. Minako
was never 'discovered' by any agency. There was no way she could appear
in a show.
The girls' heads perked up for Minako's answer. The girl only turned
red and laughed, with a hand behind her head. "Let's just hope that
those two will be too in love to even notice."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Usagi sat on her suitcase, attempting to shut it completely so she could
zip it up and go to bed.
"ARGH! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STAY INSIDE THE SUITCASE!" She yelled in
frustration at a piece of clothing sticking out.
Shingo poked his head into her room. "Hate to tell ya, sis, but it might
help if you fold up the clothes neatly instead of throwing them in as
a ball."
A pillow flew across the room immediately into his face. He laughed
whole-heartedly before closing the door again. It had been a while to
get Usagi to become 'normal' again, he realized, and instead of the cruel
fights they used to pick on one another, the fights they had now were
more like jokes. They never took them to their hearts, and knew that they
cared about each other.
Usagi lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, panting from fatigue from
stomping on her suitcase. The moonlight made its way into her room, and
a photoframe caught the moonlight, glaring brightly at Usagi. She got
up and walked over, picking up the glass frame gingerly, her fingers
on the cool surface.
Her favourite picture again, of herself, Motoki, and Mamoru.
But somehow, her heart skipped a beat as she looked at Mamoru's handsome
face in the picture. Her hand rested on her lower lip, and she blushed
at the memory of their kiss, as inappropriate as it was.
Hands trembling from feelings of betrayal toward Motoki, she dropped the
frame to the hard floor below with a loud clash, some broken pieces of
glass cutting into her delicate flesh. A drop of blood landed onto the
picture. Sighing sadly, she realized her love had left her, and she had
pushed away a man who might have loved her. Maybe, she thought to herself,
maybe she was meant to be alone.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 6: City of Love
------------------------------------------------------------------------------