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Chapter 29
To say the least, it was sparsely decorated. Rei would have called it spartan. The walls were bare, save for a few pictures, primarily of Ryan and Dana, and a few modernist paintings which clashed with the otherwise military sensibilities of the rest of the apartment. It bespoke of a man intelligent enough to buy decent artwork, but utterly incompetent when it came to arranging his life. She sighed. There had to be a catch somewhere.
'Good dresser, very smart, very cute, can't decorate for the life of him'
Ryan called out from deeper in the apartment, "Make yourself at home! I need a little bit of time to get ready." Rei rolled her eyes and then set about exploring the living space. It was a large size for a one person Tokyo city apartment, with a single bedroom, bathroom, separated kitchen and dining area, central living space, office, and den/guest room. It was actually large enough to entertain small parties and she wondered what the man needed all the space for. His sparse possessions magnified the emptiness of the space and she hugged herself as if to shield herself from the cold which the place exuded.
"I didn't think that I turned up the air conditioning that much."
Rei opened her eyes to see a smiling and newly tuxedoed Ryan Kaitou, "You didn't. It's just that your place is so sparse!"
He frowned, "I know. Originally, I believed I would be shuttling between here and California more often than I have been. I left the majority of my belongings back in California."
"That doesn't excuse it. You've had over half a year to adjust already."
"Perhaps someday you could give me some pointers."
"Indeed. But we have a party to get to."
"You always wreck my fun. But lead the way, ma cher."
The party reception was held in a country club less than twenty minutes from my home. Old, elegant convention room had been set aside for our use. Roman columns made of white marble rose up from one side, revealing a glorious view of a lake and endless greenery, only marred by the presence of some late day golfers. The ceiling was vaulted, giving it an amazing airiness that was accentuated by strategically placed pole lighting that kept the room bright.
A waiter came up to me and offered a glass of Champagne which I took gladly. Sipping it quietly, I let myself relax for the first time that day. In sense, I felt every one of Endymion's worries as vividly as my own. A simple security measure to link Endymion with his guards, we were trained to sense whether he was in danger, how he was feeling and if he needed the Silver Millenium version of a SWAT team to descend on his coordinates. I had gotten rusty over the years, but now I could turn it on and off at will.
And now he was the happiest man in the world.
I mumbled to myself, "Might as well go see the groom."
Rei, who had been at my side the entire time, looked up in surprise, "What?"
"Sorry, just talking to myself. I should probably go say hi to them. You don't have to come if you don't want to."
"Hey, I was a bridesmaid. I should be there right now."
I shook my head and walked over slowly. Mamoru spotted me and quickly disengaged from conversation to come over to me and shake my head, "Ryan, so glad you could make it."
"I would not have missed it for the world. But the day won't be complete until I get to say hello to the new Mrs. Mamoru Chiba."
Rei broke in, "That's right! Where is Usagi?"
I looked around and spotted the familiar odangoes near the hors d'oeuvres table, "Would that be her over there?"
Rei stomped over and pulled the blonde woman away from her snacks as Mamoru and I looked on in amusement.
"Ryan-san." The moon princess hugged me, "I feel like you're part of the family already."
I must have had a puzzled look on my face, because Mamoru quickly explained, "You get along with all our friends so well, her parents. It's just been very easy to hang around you."
They exchanged a look that piqued my curiosity. I sensed that Mamoru was hiding something from me and was about to speak up when Ami began calling out, "Would everyone please take their seats? Dinner is about to be served."
I shot a questioning look at Mamoru before trotting over to the first table to sit with Usagi's family. Normally the immediate family of the bride and groom would sit together and discuss their children, but as Mamoru had family to speak of and all his other close friends were in the wedding itself sitting at the front of the room, I was a natural choice. Also helping was the fact that I had proven that I could get along with Usagi's parents rather well. Truth be told, I prefered smaller affairs, quiet celebrations of home and hearth rather than the gala event which Mamoru and Usagi had planned. There were over one hundred and fifty people in the room, of which I knew perhaps twenty.
Despite it all, I made my way to the first table, where Usagi's family was seated. Kenji rose to greet me and I bowed in return. To his wife, I lifted her hand from the table to kiss it.
"Kaitou-san, you of course have met my wife. I would also like you to meet Usagi's brother, Shingo."
A lanky teenager reached out awkwardly to shake my hand, "Kaitou-san."
"Ryan. Call me Ryan. We are close enough in age for that, ne?"
He almost smiled in spite of himself, "Hai, Ryan-san."
Kenji and I engaged in some light business talk, a little chatting about college, more about philosophy and life in general. Ikuko looked on with slight amusement, every so often interjecting with an insightful point or two. Usagi clearly took after her mother in that regard. Her father was an uncessing chatterbox, a little shallow but an interesting man who never ceased to amaze me with the amount of different topics he could bring up in a single breath.
Dinner began to arrive via white coated waiters and I was spared continued conversation by the continual train of salads, soups, and pastas. Makoto had taken over catering duties for the wedding and was directing the kitchen from her position on the table. It was a massive undertaking for the amount of people involved, but she handled it well even from the confines of her emerald green bridesmaid dress. An idea popped into my head but I filed it away for later. 'In good time'
Usagi and Mamoru began their rounds of the table, making sure to meet and greet every single guest that had managed to make it. I stood up to stretch slightly, making all the necessary apologies to my table mates.
Retreating to the restroom, I intercepted Minako as she came out of the lady's room. "Hey, Mina-chan."
"Ryan-kun. How are you doing?"
"Just retreating from the party for a little while. It's been a long day."
"I hear that. I'm looking forward to sleeping tonight."
I made a goofy face, "But you have to stay for the dancing. All weddings have dancing."
"Not with the things I'm wearing." She lifted a foot and extracted a very painful looking stiletto from it. "These are not happy shoes."
Banteringly, "Come on, you mean you're not used to high heels?"
"Give me a good pair of sneakers any day." Minako wiggled her toes underneath the nylons and then regretfully slipped it back on. "Oh well, back to the party. I see that dessert is being distributed. Better go get some before Usagi steals mine."
I nodded and continued on my way to the restroom. Running a hand through my hair, I could feel the moistness which clung to my scalp. I washed my hands once, then again. For some reason, I could not capture the joy I felt at the wedding here. Out of place, disjointed, even lonely.
And even more so, I felt that something was wrong, uniquely wrong, on a much greater level. The concentration of power, malevolent instinct. A malicious intellect sat at the center of that web, carefully attuned to its every movement and vibration. Two green eyes slowly opened, gazing at me with a curiously familiar intensity and I could almost see the smile beneath them. My eyes snapped up to the heavens and I squinted. It was suppressed for now, not a danger. But it would be soon.
"Kami-sama." And then, just like that, it vanished. I blinked. 'What just happened? Was that entire thing just a figment of my imagination? I'm losing it'
I rubbed, 'This is absurd. You're going to go back out there and have a good time if it kills you'
And with that resolution I exited restroom, shaken by the terrible vision of those glowing eyes.
Rei looked around for the pale haired man, but could not see him anywhere. He had disappeared without a trace, and people were getting up to dance.
A handsome brunette led Minako away and Ami and Makoto were dancing with a bunch of friends around the bride and groom. She would have joined them, but was waiting for a particular person to show up.
A waiter passed by and she grabbed a glass of champagne from the tray and downed it quickly, adding to the collection of three in front of her. She was drunk, but did not know it. Her mind raced, worrying where the businessman was. A dozen unlikely scenarios ran through her head, each more terrible than the next. She thought he might have left early or even found another person to spend the night with. Her anger rose with every revelation.
And then, like a glimpse of the sun on a rainy day, she saw him exit the bathroom, wearing his quintessentially honest and charming facade. She slammed down the drink and slowly began to make her way towards him.
When I got back, my table had been deserted by the Tsukinos having decided to take to the dance floor instead. Even Shingo had managed to get a dance with some black haired teenager.
I shook my head and chuckled to myself. A felt a hand grab my shoulder, "Hey, handsome. Would you like to dance?"
Turning to see Rei, I was immediately clued off by the scent of alcohol on her breath. "Rei-chan, you've been drinking."
"Just a few. It makes me happy." She stood unsteadily and I carefully stood up to ease her into a seat. I had had a couple myself but was not nearly intoxicated as she was.
"Rei-chan, perhaps we should forgo the dancing tonight. You must be exhausted."
She giggled softly and stroked my cheek, "I'm feeling great. But if you insist, I'll sit out for a moment."
I smiled gratefully and I waved down Minako who immediately left her dance partner and came to my aid, "What happened?"
Rei giggled again and I sighed, "She's had a few too many. If it's alright, I'm going to take her home."
"Mamoru and Usagi are leaving on their honeymoon tomorrow, so she won't be missing anything. Be safe."
I nodded and draped Rei's arm over my shoulder, "I will. Come on Rei, we're heading home."
"I want another drink."
"You shouldn't have any more."
"Come on Ryan, it's my best friend's wedding night. If a girl isn't entitled to getting drunk at that time, then when? When does it stop?"
I chuckled, "Alright. One more. But in my apartment. I want to be able to keep an eye on you."
Rei leaned on my shoulder heavily as I fumbled with my keys. Eventually I managed to wedge the door open and half lead/ half drag her inside. I shook my head in regret, "This was not a good idea. You can barely stand on your own feet."
She mumbled into my jacket, "Come on, don't be such a spoilsport."
I lowered her gently onto my sofa and nodded, "Alright. Let me just get out of my jacket and I'll make you something."
I entered my bedroom, tossing my tuxedo jacket to a chair on the side. I pulled off the cuff links and dropped them into a box beside my bed.
A voice from behind me "Hey Ryan, forget about the drink. I think I've had enough alcohol for one night."
I smiled, "I'm glad to see you've come to your senses. You know, I-"
My voice trailed off as I turned around. Rei stood in the doorway of my bedroom, leaning heavily on the frame, dressed in a mere bra and panties. Her hair blew behind her and I could sense the carnal instinct burning off of her. I took a step back, "Whoa, what happened to the gown?"
Shamelessly, "Left it in the living room."
I tried to assume my most imperious tone, "Rei-"
She cut me off, "Look, Ryan, don't patronize me. I've given all of this careful thought. I've looked at every side of it. And I've come to the conclusion that I am deeply, desperately in love with you."
I raised my hands, "Rei, that's just the liquor talking. You're really drunk and really tired. Look, you can sleep it off-"
Rei smiled briefly and took a determined step forward, "On the contrary, I have never been more deadly serious in my life."
With that revelation, she grabbed my shirt and pulled me forward, forcing me to fall on top of her on the bed. And just like that, Rei pushed her head into mine, in a ravaging, abusive kiss. I tried to pull back, but she held on tight, forcing me to savor every moment of it.
At some point, the mechanisms in my mind began to kick in and I resigned myself to the rather enviable position of kissing Rei Hino. I closed my eyes, sampling her taste, so unlike that of other girls. Under the champagne on her breath was an undeniable sweet spiciness which wrapped around my heart and would not let go.
I kissed her back, with all the force of love long lost and regained. After I broke off the kiss, I caressed her cheek softly, "Rei-chan..."
She pulled my hand up to her mouth and kiss it lightly, "I have loved you since I can remember. Please. Just let us have tonight." I nodded and kissed her again, this time more fervently than ever. She responded by beginning to unbutton my shirt.
'Tonight.'
Chapter 29
To say the least, it was sparsely decorated. Rei would have called it spartan. The walls were bare, save for a few pictures, primarily of Ryan and Dana, and a few modernist paintings which clashed with the otherwise military sensibilities of the rest of the apartment. It bespoke of a man intelligent enough to buy decent artwork, but utterly incompetent when it came to arranging his life. She sighed. There had to be a catch somewhere.
'Good dresser, very smart, very cute, can't decorate for the life of him'
Ryan called out from deeper in the apartment, "Make yourself at home! I need a little bit of time to get ready." Rei rolled her eyes and then set about exploring the living space. It was a large size for a one person Tokyo city apartment, with a single bedroom, bathroom, separated kitchen and dining area, central living space, office, and den/guest room. It was actually large enough to entertain small parties and she wondered what the man needed all the space for. His sparse possessions magnified the emptiness of the space and she hugged herself as if to shield herself from the cold which the place exuded.
"I didn't think that I turned up the air conditioning that much."
Rei opened her eyes to see a smiling and newly tuxedoed Ryan Kaitou, "You didn't. It's just that your place is so sparse!"
He frowned, "I know. Originally, I believed I would be shuttling between here and California more often than I have been. I left the majority of my belongings back in California."
"That doesn't excuse it. You've had over half a year to adjust already."
"Perhaps someday you could give me some pointers."
"Indeed. But we have a party to get to."
"You always wreck my fun. But lead the way, ma cher."
The party reception was held in a country club less than twenty minutes from my home. Old, elegant convention room had been set aside for our use. Roman columns made of white marble rose up from one side, revealing a glorious view of a lake and endless greenery, only marred by the presence of some late day golfers. The ceiling was vaulted, giving it an amazing airiness that was accentuated by strategically placed pole lighting that kept the room bright.
A waiter came up to me and offered a glass of Champagne which I took gladly. Sipping it quietly, I let myself relax for the first time that day. In sense, I felt every one of Endymion's worries as vividly as my own. A simple security measure to link Endymion with his guards, we were trained to sense whether he was in danger, how he was feeling and if he needed the Silver Millenium version of a SWAT team to descend on his coordinates. I had gotten rusty over the years, but now I could turn it on and off at will.
And now he was the happiest man in the world.
I mumbled to myself, "Might as well go see the groom."
Rei, who had been at my side the entire time, looked up in surprise, "What?"
"Sorry, just talking to myself. I should probably go say hi to them. You don't have to come if you don't want to."
"Hey, I was a bridesmaid. I should be there right now."
I shook my head and walked over slowly. Mamoru spotted me and quickly disengaged from conversation to come over to me and shake my head, "Ryan, so glad you could make it."
"I would not have missed it for the world. But the day won't be complete until I get to say hello to the new Mrs. Mamoru Chiba."
Rei broke in, "That's right! Where is Usagi?"
I looked around and spotted the familiar odangoes near the hors d'oeuvres table, "Would that be her over there?"
Rei stomped over and pulled the blonde woman away from her snacks as Mamoru and I looked on in amusement.
"Ryan-san." The moon princess hugged me, "I feel like you're part of the family already."
I must have had a puzzled look on my face, because Mamoru quickly explained, "You get along with all our friends so well, her parents. It's just been very easy to hang around you."
They exchanged a look that piqued my curiosity. I sensed that Mamoru was hiding something from me and was about to speak up when Ami began calling out, "Would everyone please take their seats? Dinner is about to be served."
I shot a questioning look at Mamoru before trotting over to the first table to sit with Usagi's family. Normally the immediate family of the bride and groom would sit together and discuss their children, but as Mamoru had family to speak of and all his other close friends were in the wedding itself sitting at the front of the room, I was a natural choice. Also helping was the fact that I had proven that I could get along with Usagi's parents rather well. Truth be told, I prefered smaller affairs, quiet celebrations of home and hearth rather than the gala event which Mamoru and Usagi had planned. There were over one hundred and fifty people in the room, of which I knew perhaps twenty.
Despite it all, I made my way to the first table, where Usagi's family was seated. Kenji rose to greet me and I bowed in return. To his wife, I lifted her hand from the table to kiss it.
"Kaitou-san, you of course have met my wife. I would also like you to meet Usagi's brother, Shingo."
A lanky teenager reached out awkwardly to shake my hand, "Kaitou-san."
"Ryan. Call me Ryan. We are close enough in age for that, ne?"
He almost smiled in spite of himself, "Hai, Ryan-san."
Kenji and I engaged in some light business talk, a little chatting about college, more about philosophy and life in general. Ikuko looked on with slight amusement, every so often interjecting with an insightful point or two. Usagi clearly took after her mother in that regard. Her father was an uncessing chatterbox, a little shallow but an interesting man who never ceased to amaze me with the amount of different topics he could bring up in a single breath.
Dinner began to arrive via white coated waiters and I was spared continued conversation by the continual train of salads, soups, and pastas. Makoto had taken over catering duties for the wedding and was directing the kitchen from her position on the table. It was a massive undertaking for the amount of people involved, but she handled it well even from the confines of her emerald green bridesmaid dress. An idea popped into my head but I filed it away for later. 'In good time'
Usagi and Mamoru began their rounds of the table, making sure to meet and greet every single guest that had managed to make it. I stood up to stretch slightly, making all the necessary apologies to my table mates.
Retreating to the restroom, I intercepted Minako as she came out of the lady's room. "Hey, Mina-chan."
"Ryan-kun. How are you doing?"
"Just retreating from the party for a little while. It's been a long day."
"I hear that. I'm looking forward to sleeping tonight."
I made a goofy face, "But you have to stay for the dancing. All weddings have dancing."
"Not with the things I'm wearing." She lifted a foot and extracted a very painful looking stiletto from it. "These are not happy shoes."
Banteringly, "Come on, you mean you're not used to high heels?"
"Give me a good pair of sneakers any day." Minako wiggled her toes underneath the nylons and then regretfully slipped it back on. "Oh well, back to the party. I see that dessert is being distributed. Better go get some before Usagi steals mine."
I nodded and continued on my way to the restroom. Running a hand through my hair, I could feel the moistness which clung to my scalp. I washed my hands once, then again. For some reason, I could not capture the joy I felt at the wedding here. Out of place, disjointed, even lonely.
And even more so, I felt that something was wrong, uniquely wrong, on a much greater level. The concentration of power, malevolent instinct. A malicious intellect sat at the center of that web, carefully attuned to its every movement and vibration. Two green eyes slowly opened, gazing at me with a curiously familiar intensity and I could almost see the smile beneath them. My eyes snapped up to the heavens and I squinted. It was suppressed for now, not a danger. But it would be soon.
"Kami-sama." And then, just like that, it vanished. I blinked. 'What just happened? Was that entire thing just a figment of my imagination? I'm losing it'
I rubbed, 'This is absurd. You're going to go back out there and have a good time if it kills you'
And with that resolution I exited restroom, shaken by the terrible vision of those glowing eyes.
Rei looked around for the pale haired man, but could not see him anywhere. He had disappeared without a trace, and people were getting up to dance.
A handsome brunette led Minako away and Ami and Makoto were dancing with a bunch of friends around the bride and groom. She would have joined them, but was waiting for a particular person to show up.
A waiter passed by and she grabbed a glass of champagne from the tray and downed it quickly, adding to the collection of three in front of her. She was drunk, but did not know it. Her mind raced, worrying where the businessman was. A dozen unlikely scenarios ran through her head, each more terrible than the next. She thought he might have left early or even found another person to spend the night with. Her anger rose with every revelation.
And then, like a glimpse of the sun on a rainy day, she saw him exit the bathroom, wearing his quintessentially honest and charming facade. She slammed down the drink and slowly began to make her way towards him.
When I got back, my table had been deserted by the Tsukinos having decided to take to the dance floor instead. Even Shingo had managed to get a dance with some black haired teenager.
I shook my head and chuckled to myself. A felt a hand grab my shoulder, "Hey, handsome. Would you like to dance?"
Turning to see Rei, I was immediately clued off by the scent of alcohol on her breath. "Rei-chan, you've been drinking."
"Just a few. It makes me happy." She stood unsteadily and I carefully stood up to ease her into a seat. I had had a couple myself but was not nearly intoxicated as she was.
"Rei-chan, perhaps we should forgo the dancing tonight. You must be exhausted."
She giggled softly and stroked my cheek, "I'm feeling great. But if you insist, I'll sit out for a moment."
I smiled gratefully and I waved down Minako who immediately left her dance partner and came to my aid, "What happened?"
Rei giggled again and I sighed, "She's had a few too many. If it's alright, I'm going to take her home."
"Mamoru and Usagi are leaving on their honeymoon tomorrow, so she won't be missing anything. Be safe."
I nodded and draped Rei's arm over my shoulder, "I will. Come on Rei, we're heading home."
"I want another drink."
"You shouldn't have any more."
"Come on Ryan, it's my best friend's wedding night. If a girl isn't entitled to getting drunk at that time, then when? When does it stop?"
I chuckled, "Alright. One more. But in my apartment. I want to be able to keep an eye on you."
Rei leaned on my shoulder heavily as I fumbled with my keys. Eventually I managed to wedge the door open and half lead/ half drag her inside. I shook my head in regret, "This was not a good idea. You can barely stand on your own feet."
She mumbled into my jacket, "Come on, don't be such a spoilsport."
I lowered her gently onto my sofa and nodded, "Alright. Let me just get out of my jacket and I'll make you something."
I entered my bedroom, tossing my tuxedo jacket to a chair on the side. I pulled off the cuff links and dropped them into a box beside my bed.
A voice from behind me "Hey Ryan, forget about the drink. I think I've had enough alcohol for one night."
I smiled, "I'm glad to see you've come to your senses. You know, I-"
My voice trailed off as I turned around. Rei stood in the doorway of my bedroom, leaning heavily on the frame, dressed in a mere bra and panties. Her hair blew behind her and I could sense the carnal instinct burning off of her. I took a step back, "Whoa, what happened to the gown?"
Shamelessly, "Left it in the living room."
I tried to assume my most imperious tone, "Rei-"
She cut me off, "Look, Ryan, don't patronize me. I've given all of this careful thought. I've looked at every side of it. And I've come to the conclusion that I am deeply, desperately in love with you."
I raised my hands, "Rei, that's just the liquor talking. You're really drunk and really tired. Look, you can sleep it off-"
Rei smiled briefly and took a determined step forward, "On the contrary, I have never been more deadly serious in my life."
With that revelation, she grabbed my shirt and pulled me forward, forcing me to fall on top of her on the bed. And just like that, Rei pushed her head into mine, in a ravaging, abusive kiss. I tried to pull back, but she held on tight, forcing me to savor every moment of it.
At some point, the mechanisms in my mind began to kick in and I resigned myself to the rather enviable position of kissing Rei Hino. I closed my eyes, sampling her taste, so unlike that of other girls. Under the champagne on her breath was an undeniable sweet spiciness which wrapped around my heart and would not let go.
I kissed her back, with all the force of love long lost and regained. After I broke off the kiss, I caressed her cheek softly, "Rei-chan..."
She pulled my hand up to her mouth and kiss it lightly, "I have loved you since I can remember. Please. Just let us have tonight." I nodded and kissed her again, this time more fervently than ever. She responded by beginning to unbutton my shirt.
'Tonight.'