Overcoming the Past: Chapter 5
Charlyne
charlyne_o@hotmail.com
07/16/03

Usagi looked at herself in the mirror for what felt like the hundredth time during the last hour. Wide blue eyes set in a too-pale face stared back at her. A light coating of blush gave some color to her cheeks and she wore lip gloss in a light shade of coral pink. Her long blond hair was up in its traditional style.

"Should I wear my hair down?" Usagi asked the four girls who were sitting in her living room as she fiddled with one of her buns. "Maybe he thinks this hairstyle is too odd."

"Your hair is fine," Rei replied, her voice sounding exasperated. Usagi had been stressing out more and more as the time of the date came nearer. They'd all tried to calm her down and reassure her that she looked fine and everything would be all right but as soon as she looked at the clock it would start all over again.

"What about this dress? Is it too casual? Maybe I should wear something else." Usagi smoothed her hand down the fabric of her dress, which was light pink with small white flowers all over. "What if the dress is too short?"

Makoto rolled her eyes. "It's down to your calves, Usagi-chan. There's nothing wrong with that dress."

Usagi bit her lip and looked in the mirror again. "Maybe I should wear something with sleeves."

"You're bringing a sweater," Ami reminded her.

"I don't know about this, you guys," Usagi said. She heard all four girls sigh, each with a different degree of annoyance. Usagi knew she was probably acting like a baby, but it had been so long since she had last went out with a guy. Well, with a decent guy. And they'd all assured her that Mamoru was a decent guy. Maybe she had been too quick to judge him last night when he'd offered to take her out to dinner, but could anyone truly blame her for that? She had to be careful, it wasn't just herself she was looking out for, she also had the responsibility of Nariko. There were predators out there, preying on young women. Predators like Nariko's father. A wolf in sheep's clothing. Men that would find someone to support them, then leave when either they'd bled the woman dry or things got too tough. Things had gotten too tough for Yukio when he'd found out about Nariko.

"Usagi-chan, it's only a dinner date. Relax. Mamoru's a good guy, and if he tries anything, he'll have to deal with us," Minako told her.

Looking over at the four girls sitting on her couch, Usagi saw all of them nodding in agreement. She wasn't sure what a group of teenagers could do to a twenty year old man--other than manipulate him rather easily--but she was almost certain that whatever the girls came up with wouldn't be good news for Mamoru. Usagi felt warmth fill her at the thought of them helping her out. She'd never had friends like this before. Most of the girls she'd known had been shallow and Usagi was ashamed to say that she had been too, before Nariko. Any true friend she might have made she had driven away with teasing and laughter, though she had never thought of herself as mean until the day she'd seen a classmate crying because of the harsh words of herself and her "friends". Usagi frowned slightly. What would everyone think of her if they knew how she'd once acted?

That's in the past. You've changed and become a different person, a better person, the little voice piped up.

You're right, I have, Usagi agreed, then shook her head. She barely restrained the urge to cover her face with her hands. Oh Lord, I'm talking to myself again. I must be going insane.

A soft knock on the door made Usagi forget about her inner debate and caused her anxiety to raise another notch. Mamoru was here to pick her up. She stood, frozen, staring at the door. The knock sounded again.

"Well, answer it!" Rei called. "Don't just stand there."

Walking to the door and slowly opening it, Usagi forced and smile when she saw Mamoru's face. "Let me say good-bye to Nari, then we'll go," she said. Mamoru nodded. Usagi turned around, knelt, and held her arms open for the toddler. Nariko ran to her, gave her a hug and a quick kiss, then hurried back over to her new "sisters." Usagi was glad to see that Nariko had taken to the four girls quickly.

"We'll take good care of her, Usagi-chan," Ami said. "We know your cell phone number and all the emergency numbers. Don't worry."

Usagi took and deep breath and stood. She could handle this. It was only a date, no big deal. People went on dates all the time. She felt Mamoru take her hand and lead her towards the door. They walked down to his car in silence. He opened the door for her and she slid into the passenger seat. While Mamoru closed her door and went around the car to enter on the driver's side, Usagi tried to calm herself down.

"So, where are we going?" Usagi asked as Mamoru started the engine and pulled out of the apartment complex.

"It's called Higo-no-ya. I've been there a couple times and the food is pretty good," he replied.

Silence descended. Usagi shifted nervously in her seat, then turned to stare out the window. It didn't take long for them to reach the restaurant. Mamoru had made reservations and they were quickly shown to a table. The smiling waitress took their drink orders, then left while they perused the menu. After deciding what she'd like to order, Usagi let her gaze wander around the restaurant. Black painted wooden beams stretched across the ceiling and paper lanterns dangled above each table. Some sections of the room were separated by paper screens to make them more private. Usagi's eyes wandered back to her dining partner and she found Mamoru watching her. Usagi blushed lightly.

"Er, so, Mamoru-san, tell me about yourself. Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Usagi nervously questioned.

Mamoru shook his head. "No, my parents died when I was young. I lived in an orphanage most of my life."

"Oh." Usagi sighed. "I'm an orphan, too. My parents died a couple years ago. I went to live with my sister after that. She died last year."

That answers my question about why her parents aren't helping her out with Nariko, Mamoru thought.

Usagi chewed on her lower lip. How were they supposed to have light conversation if both their lives had been so depressing? She didn't want to go into detail about her sister Aneko or her death, or talk about Nariko's father, or even her parents. And she could tell by the tone of voice he'd used that Mamoru didn't have fond memories of his upbringing. This date was going to be a disaster.

Mamoru wracked his brain for something to talk about. "How are you doing in school, Usagi? Have you thought of what you want to do after you graduate?"

Usagi shrugged. "Maybe teach. I heard that you are studying to be a pediatrician."

"Yeah."

Silence fell once again. The waitress returned and wrote down their orders, then walked away.

"Usagi? Why didn't you want to go on this date?" Mamoru asked softly.

"Because I have Nariko to look after and you're an attractive, single man. I figured you wanted what most guys your age want."

Mamoru held back his grin. She thought he was attractive? That was a step in the right direction. "Which is...?" He raised one ebony eyebrow.

Usagi blushed deep red. "You know what it is."

"Right." Mamoru wondered what else they could talk about. "So, how do you think the girls are doing?"

_________________________________________

"Want choc-it!"

"You're not allowed," Minako told the little girl.

"Want! Want, want, want!"

Ami covered her ears. How was she supposed to get any studying done when she couldn't even hear herself think?

"P'ease, Mina'to-on'san?" Nairko looked up at the blond with tear-filled eyes.

Minako shook her head. "No, Nariko."

The two year old screamed in anger and threw her cup of juice across the room. Makoto ducked the flying object and hurried to get a towel to clean up the mess. How had Mamoru dealt with this? A headache was already pounding behind her temples and Rei looked like she was ready to leave.

"Maybe she's tired," Ami suggested. "Lay her down on the couch and put in a movie."

Minako picked up the squirming toddler and carried her over to the sofa. She held the child on her lap while Rei turned on a cartoon. Nariko wriggled around, trying to get free, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked pitiful but Minako refused to give in. If Usagi said no sugar, then the little girl wouldn't get any sugar. Nariko began to hiccup, her sobs lessening a bit as the show caught her interest.

Thank God, finally some quiet, Rei thought. I will never baby sit again.

_________________________________________

"I'm sure they're fine," Usagi replied.

The date was not going how Mamoru had envisioned it. They were supposed to be laughing and having a good time, not shifting between stilted conversation and silence. "You know, I think it's wonderful that you still go to school. I knew a girl in high school that got pregnant, she dropped out."

"I moved around a lot this last year because of things people say to me when they find out about Nariko. I thought about dropping out, but my trust fund wont last forever. I need to be able to get a good job." Usagi cursed inwardly. She never, ever, ever mentioned the trust fund her parents had left her. Trust funds drew unsavory men like honey drew flies.

"Just this past year? No one mentioned it before that?" Mamoru thought that was a little odd. Wouldn't the teasing start the minute they found out she was pregnant, not when the baby was a year old? He put the information about the trust fund in the back of his mind to ask about later.

Usagi closed her mouth. She was saying too much, giving out too much information. She and Nariko were no one's business but her own. It wasn't that she was hiding, the staff at her school knew the whole story, and she'd tried to give out all the facts at two of the other schools she'd gone to, but no one cared. So she'd decided that no one needed to know. If they could accept her for who they thought she was, then she'd tell them everything. She'd already decided to tell Minako, Makoto, Rei, and Ami, but she'd make them swear it to secrecy. She just needed to choose when she would to tell them.

"Nariko told me that she likes you a lot," Usagi commented, changing to subject. "She keeps asking me if you'll come over." She grinned. Mamoru suddenly looked very nervous.

"Er, well..."

Usagi laughed. It was fun to tease Mamoru and see him start to stutter. Maybe if she kept him off balance for the rest of the night he wouldn't ask any more probing questions.

The waitress brought them their meals and while they ate Usagi told Mamoru about how Nariko had brought her the cell phone and demanded that she call him. Then, when Usagi had said that he was busy, Nariko had thrown a fit.

Mamoru could tell by the way Usagi talked about the little girl that Nariko was her pride and joy. Dinner passed quickly as he asked her to relate stories about the toddler. Usagi told him about the finger paintings Nariko made, how smart she was, the friends she had made in daycare, and all the amusing things she did and said.

The silence on the drive home was less oppressive than it had been before and as they walked together up to their apartments he could see that she was smiling. "Do you think that you and Nariko could come over to my apartment sometime for dinner?" he asked.

Usagi was still a little uneasy about Mamoru's motives in getting involved with her but she had no evidence that he was untrustworthy. "Perhaps next weekend." They stopped outside her door, Mamoru not sure if he should give her a kiss goodbye, Usagi not sure if she should accept one. Her dilemma was, she wanted one.

Mamoru didn't want to frighten her away by moving things too quickly. She'd obviously been hurt by Nariko's father leaving her and he didn't want her to think that he was anything like that man. Taking one of her small hands in both of his large ones, he leaned down and gently kissed it. He glanced up and caught the look of surprise on her face.

"Good-night, Usagi."

"Good-night, Mamoru-san."

Mamoru entered his apartment, holding his grin until the door was closed.

Usagi pulled her door open, then leaned back against it when she was inside. She looked down at the hand he'd kissed, dazed. It had certainly been an interesting night.


Author's Note:
Honestly, I don't really like how this chapter turned out. I wasn't really sure what to do with it. I'll either revise it (if I get some good suggestions) or keep it this way. What do you think?

Higo-no-ya is a real restaurant in Minato-ku. I like to stick to reality as much as possible. I would have had Japanese children's books instead of American in the last chapter if I could find any but, oh well, no one's perfect. :-)

The title "onesan" (in Nariko's words, "on'san") means older sister.

Chapter 6: Enter Yukio. Here comes trouble...

Yay, I love all the reviews I'm getting! Keep it up, everyone.


Sailor Moon is copyright © 1992 Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha, TOEI Animation. English Language Adaptation copyright © 1995 DiC Entertainment.