First of all, I want to thank everyone for the great feedback on this on EMSiT Day. You made
me feel so good! And second, to Stef who continues to threaten, suck up and beg... how can I
say no to that?
Love is Never Silent 3/7
by Elysia
PG
Usagi stopped beneath the weeping willow at the edge of Juuban Park. She huffed angrily and
stomped her foot, annoyed that Mamoru was being so persistent to pry into her personal life.
Why wouldn't he just go away?
Her head came up and she noticed a tall figure across the street, making a beeline straight for her.
"Speak of the devil," she muttered and rolled her eyes. When Mamoru was within hearing range,
Usagi called out, "I don't know why you bother to keep trying."
Coming to where she was under the tree, he stopped and stood in front of Usagi, reached out,
held her arms firmly to her side and looked her in the eye. "Let's get one thing straight, Usagi. I
never give up, no matter what it takes. I've been trying to be patient while I wait for you to open
up to me, but my patience has worn thin with the way you keep brushing me off. I won't give up."
Mamoru removed his grip and dropped his gaze from hers. "I thought we were friends now.
Aren't friends supposed to tell each other what's on their mind? Why does your brother being
deaf seem to bother you so much?"
Usagi whipped around wildly and shushed him, looking for any one who might be listening in on
the conversation. "Jeez, not so loud! The whole world doesn't need to know!"
Throwing up his hands in the air, Mamoru sighed in exasperation. "That's just it. Do you think that
I, or anyone else would think less of you and your family just because of your little brother? If
anything, that makes him all the more special. I know that you love him by the way you stick up
for him. I can only imagine that he's extremely proud to have you for a sister."
At that moment, something remarkable happened. Usagi's stone façade crumbled, and it wasn't
long before the sobs started and the tears began flowing. "You're right," she sniffed. "Why do you
always have to be right?" She slid down the trunk of the tree, and leaned back against the rough
bark, hugging her knees close to her body. "He's taught me so much, and I want to share that
with everyone, but I don't know how."
Mamoru crouched down, trying to give her a little support. Usagi wiped the tears from her face.
"I guess the reasons for my actions are mainly because of my father. As my mother and I learned
to understand Shingo, my father was just the opposite. He went into a state of deep denial,
refusing to believe that this had happened to his only son."
Usagi sighed deeply as her sobbing subsided. "Sometimes I think that he goes back into that state
every once in a while. My father acts as if nothing is wrong with Shingo, and insists on speaking
to him, while the three of us are used to signing. He'll just ignore whatever Shingo signs until he
says it out loud. I hate it when he does that. Sometimes he makes me so angry."
Mamoru turned away for a moment, and stared at his hands. Then he looked up. "Usagi-chan...
well, that is... would you teach me to sign?"
Usagi gasped. "You mean, you'd actually like to learn?"
He nodded. "If you ever give me a chance to meet your brother, I'd like to know how to talk to
him."
With widened eyes, Usagi stared at the young man sitting next to her, discovering something new
about him every time they were together. "All right, Mamoru-san. If you really want to learn to
sign, I'll teach you. Meet me here tomorrow afternoon."
Mamoru was surprised to find Usagi waiting for him at their designated waiting place the next
afternoon, but then again, a lot of things Usagi had done lately were surprising. Crossing the
street, he waved to the pig-tailed blonde sitting beneath the shade of the large oak tree, with a
small stack of books at her side.
"Have you been waiting long?" he asked as he sat down on the soft grass beside Usagi. She
shrugged. "I got out of school early today, so I just came straight here." She pointed to the books
lying on her school bag. "I needed some extra help, since it's been so long since I've had to teach
sign. You sure you still want to learn?"
Mamoru nodded eagerly. "Where do we start?"
Shoving the books aside, Usagi shifted into a more comfortable position and turned to face
Mamoru. "Simple. The basis of any language is the alphabet, right? It's the same with signing.
Most signs require finger-spelling, so this will come in very handy to you until you become more
advanced. You can say just about anything if you know how to finger-spell." She held up her fist
with her thumb on the side. "This is the letter 'a'."
Holding up his fist, Mamoru imitated what Usagi had done. "Like this?"
She smiled brightly. "Perfect. Now to 'b.'" She held up her hand again, this time her palm facing
him with the thumb tucked in. Once again, Mamoru copied her with very little trouble. One by
one, they went through the entire alphabet, having hardly any problems. Well, almost.
Blowing a stray hair out of her face, Usagi continued to teach Mamoru. Her patience was
beginning to wear thin, but she refused to let it show. "Here, let me help," she responded finally,
taking his hand in hers and shaping it to form the letters.
Mamoru slowly brought his other hand up and covered hers. Startled, she looked up to see what
was the matter. Their gazes met and time seemed to stand still as he explored the depths hidden
within her dark blue eyes.
"Usagi-chan..." Mamoru whispered, suddenly wanting to say more but she pulled out of his grasp
and turned away before he got the chance.
"You're making progress, Mamoru-san," Usagi mumbled quietly. "But it's getting late, and I
should get home. I want to tell my brother all about my day before my dad gets home," she
sighed, gathering up all her books and shoving them into her backpack. Mamoru shook off the
strange feeling he felt and walked the opposite way to his apartment.
me feel so good! And second, to Stef who continues to threaten, suck up and beg... how can I
say no to that?
Love is Never Silent 3/7
by Elysia
PG
Usagi stopped beneath the weeping willow at the edge of Juuban Park. She huffed angrily and
stomped her foot, annoyed that Mamoru was being so persistent to pry into her personal life.
Why wouldn't he just go away?
Her head came up and she noticed a tall figure across the street, making a beeline straight for her.
"Speak of the devil," she muttered and rolled her eyes. When Mamoru was within hearing range,
Usagi called out, "I don't know why you bother to keep trying."
Coming to where she was under the tree, he stopped and stood in front of Usagi, reached out,
held her arms firmly to her side and looked her in the eye. "Let's get one thing straight, Usagi. I
never give up, no matter what it takes. I've been trying to be patient while I wait for you to open
up to me, but my patience has worn thin with the way you keep brushing me off. I won't give up."
Mamoru removed his grip and dropped his gaze from hers. "I thought we were friends now.
Aren't friends supposed to tell each other what's on their mind? Why does your brother being
deaf seem to bother you so much?"
Usagi whipped around wildly and shushed him, looking for any one who might be listening in on
the conversation. "Jeez, not so loud! The whole world doesn't need to know!"
Throwing up his hands in the air, Mamoru sighed in exasperation. "That's just it. Do you think that
I, or anyone else would think less of you and your family just because of your little brother? If
anything, that makes him all the more special. I know that you love him by the way you stick up
for him. I can only imagine that he's extremely proud to have you for a sister."
At that moment, something remarkable happened. Usagi's stone façade crumbled, and it wasn't
long before the sobs started and the tears began flowing. "You're right," she sniffed. "Why do you
always have to be right?" She slid down the trunk of the tree, and leaned back against the rough
bark, hugging her knees close to her body. "He's taught me so much, and I want to share that
with everyone, but I don't know how."
Mamoru crouched down, trying to give her a little support. Usagi wiped the tears from her face.
"I guess the reasons for my actions are mainly because of my father. As my mother and I learned
to understand Shingo, my father was just the opposite. He went into a state of deep denial,
refusing to believe that this had happened to his only son."
Usagi sighed deeply as her sobbing subsided. "Sometimes I think that he goes back into that state
every once in a while. My father acts as if nothing is wrong with Shingo, and insists on speaking
to him, while the three of us are used to signing. He'll just ignore whatever Shingo signs until he
says it out loud. I hate it when he does that. Sometimes he makes me so angry."
Mamoru turned away for a moment, and stared at his hands. Then he looked up. "Usagi-chan...
well, that is... would you teach me to sign?"
Usagi gasped. "You mean, you'd actually like to learn?"
He nodded. "If you ever give me a chance to meet your brother, I'd like to know how to talk to
him."
With widened eyes, Usagi stared at the young man sitting next to her, discovering something new
about him every time they were together. "All right, Mamoru-san. If you really want to learn to
sign, I'll teach you. Meet me here tomorrow afternoon."
Mamoru was surprised to find Usagi waiting for him at their designated waiting place the next
afternoon, but then again, a lot of things Usagi had done lately were surprising. Crossing the
street, he waved to the pig-tailed blonde sitting beneath the shade of the large oak tree, with a
small stack of books at her side.
"Have you been waiting long?" he asked as he sat down on the soft grass beside Usagi. She
shrugged. "I got out of school early today, so I just came straight here." She pointed to the books
lying on her school bag. "I needed some extra help, since it's been so long since I've had to teach
sign. You sure you still want to learn?"
Mamoru nodded eagerly. "Where do we start?"
Shoving the books aside, Usagi shifted into a more comfortable position and turned to face
Mamoru. "Simple. The basis of any language is the alphabet, right? It's the same with signing.
Most signs require finger-spelling, so this will come in very handy to you until you become more
advanced. You can say just about anything if you know how to finger-spell." She held up her fist
with her thumb on the side. "This is the letter 'a'."
Holding up his fist, Mamoru imitated what Usagi had done. "Like this?"
She smiled brightly. "Perfect. Now to 'b.'" She held up her hand again, this time her palm facing
him with the thumb tucked in. Once again, Mamoru copied her with very little trouble. One by
one, they went through the entire alphabet, having hardly any problems. Well, almost.
Blowing a stray hair out of her face, Usagi continued to teach Mamoru. Her patience was
beginning to wear thin, but she refused to let it show. "Here, let me help," she responded finally,
taking his hand in hers and shaping it to form the letters.
Mamoru slowly brought his other hand up and covered hers. Startled, she looked up to see what
was the matter. Their gazes met and time seemed to stand still as he explored the depths hidden
within her dark blue eyes.
"Usagi-chan..." Mamoru whispered, suddenly wanting to say more but she pulled out of his grasp
and turned away before he got the chance.
"You're making progress, Mamoru-san," Usagi mumbled quietly. "But it's getting late, and I
should get home. I want to tell my brother all about my day before my dad gets home," she
sighed, gathering up all her books and shoving them into her backpack. Mamoru shook off the
strange feeling he felt and walked the opposite way to his apartment.