THANK YOU FOR THE WAIT!
Disclaimer: Sailormoon and all its characters do not belong to me. Any resemblance to any other story is coincidental and not intentional.
This story happened after the senshi defeated Beryl and deviates from the original version. It is a continuation of my other story, Failure.
I'd like to apologise for my mixing up of the –chan, - kun, -san's. I don't speak Japanese so I've no idea the proper way of using them. If anyone is willing to let me know what the protocol is for each of the suffix, then I would really appreciate it!
CHAPTER ELEVEN: SURPRISE APPEARANCE
Usagi looked at the man exiting the doors in disbelief. "Mamo-chan?" she tentatively asked.
With a slight glance at the Usagi who was now unable to move at all and after a double take on the person standing just behind his friend, Motoki stepped forward with a giant smile on his face. "Mamoru-kun!" he said as he slapped the man on the back in greeting. "Good to see you! Come on over, Usagi-san has been waiting so long for your arrival! So," Motoki paused slightly, "So…Who's this?"
"Oh!" Mamoru turned slightly to bring the girl standing behind him to the front. "Say hello to Sally Towers. She's an exchange student to Tokyo this year. Since I was coming back, the professor thought it might be better if she came with me." Mamoru then faced Sally and said in English, "Sally, these people are Usagi-chan and Motoki-chan. I told you about them, remember?"
Sally smiled brightly and replied "Oh yes, Mamoru," then she bowed slightly to Usagi and Motoki and spoke in stilted Japanese, "Konichiwa, minna."
Changing back to Japanese for the benefit of Usagi and Motoki, Mamoru explained, "Sally was originally from Japan but her family moved to the States when she was young. So her Japanese is only basic but she can understand quite a bit."
Usagi, still shocked with the appearance of this very pretty girl who had spent hours on the plane with her Mamo-chan, suddenly felt a slight push on her back from Motoki. She cleared her throat and walked straight up to Mamoru, hooking her arm around his. "Uh yeah, Hello Sally. It is very nice to meet you," said Usagi slowly and then looked up at her boyfriend. "Mamo-chan! I'm so glad you're back!".
Mamoru smiled as he looked down at her. "Hello Usako" and mindless to everyone around them, bent down to kiss his girlfriend.
After long moments, Motoki could not take anymore of this scene. He looked around in embarrassment and saw some people staring and smiling at the two.
A few metres away, a little boy pulled at his mother's skirt while they walked past and pointed towards them. "Mommy, why are those people stuck together? Did they use super glue wrongly? Like I used it and my finger got stuck in my nose? Did they…" The voice of the little boy trailed off as his mother pulled him away form the scene.
Motoki cleared his throat loudly at this comment and nervously asked, "Uh… Mamoru-kun? Usagi-san?"
Slowly, the two separated and looked around. Sally smiled at the couple while twin cheeks blushed at the same time as they realised where they were. Embarrassed, Mamoru and Usagi separated from each other and looked guiltily at Motoki.
"Uh… sorry, Motoki-san!" Usagi apologised. "We kinda forgot where we were." She looked up at Mamoru.
Mamoru cleared his throat nervously and looked away. He rubbed his hand against his head. "Yeah, sorry, Motoki-san. Sally."
Motoki smiled at the bashful couple. He just could not keep in the giggles any more and started to laugh out loud. "Ha ha ha! You should see your faces!" He bent over in the effect to contain his laughter.
"Motoki!" scolded Usagi. "Umm… we couldn't help it…"
"Neh, don't worry, Usagi-chan. And you too, Mamoru-san. Stop blushing!" Motoki laughed at the sight of his friend's red cheeks. They started to move towards the airport's exit with Motoki pushing Sally's trolley. Trying to give his friends some time to compose themselves, Motoki started to have a conversation with Sally, "Anyway, Sally, how long will you be staying in Tokyo?"
Sally answered, "I'll be a student at Tokyo university for a year."
"And where will you be staying?" Motoki asked and then looked back at Mamoru, "Where's she staying, Mamoru? Not with you, right?"
Usagi looked in horror, she did not even think about that! There is no way Mamoru will be living with Sally. Motoki saw this on her face and smiled reassuringly.
Flashback
Usagi looked up from her position at the bench at the Crown Arcade, her eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears, "Do you think I'm being too unreasonable?"
Motoki frowned, "What do you mean, by unreasonable?"
Usagi placed her chin on her hands, "Well, by making Mamoru finish the course so quickly, he must be swamped with all those extra courses he has to take. And also for him to be loyal to me while he's there."
Surprised at the question, Motoki quickly reassured her, "No it isn't. You know just as well as I do that Mamoru hate being separated from you. He's doing this for himself as well as for you."
Usagi sighed once again and looked down at the counter where her hands were wringing each other.
Motoki sighed as well and pushed the ice cream in front of her. "Here, I hope this will cheer you up! It's on the house."
Usagi looked up with great glee. "Thanks! And she started to dig into the dessert.
End of Flashback
Mamoru shook his head, not noticing the sigh of relief from his girlfriend by his side, "No, the professor organised a room with a Japanese family. All I do is drop Sally off as soon as we arrive. Isn't that right, Sally?"
Sally nodded as she followed Motoki out to the car park. "Mamoru has been very kind to me. He tried to explain about what I should do when we got here and where to buy stuff."
"Oh yes!" Usagi confirmed as she hugged Mamoru's arm even tighter. "Mamo-chan is the nicest guy in the world." She shot daggers with her eyes at Sally's back.
Motoki nodded, "So I guess, we'll drop Sally off before going to your place, Mamoru-san."
"Yeah," confirmed Mamoru.
--- After dropping Sally off ---
"So, Sally, I'll come pick you up on Monday around 8.30am?" asked Mamoru as they all walked towards Sally's new home's door.
Sally nodded, "Yes, I will be ready for you outside, Okay?"
"Alright, anyway, I'll see you in a few days!"
Bowing, Sally faced Motoki and Usagi, "It was very nice to have met both of you. Mamoru-san was correct when he described the two of you. I hope we will be good friends and see each other again."
Usagi smiled even though she still did not like the idea of Mamoru getting too friendly with another woman. "Oh yes, come by to Motoki's icecream parlour when you have a chance! Well, then, we'll see you later!"
Then the three of them walked towards Motoki's car, parked on the sidewalk. Sally stood at the front door waving, with her host family behind her.
"Oh yeah! I just remembered!" Usagi suddenly exclaimed as they settled into the car. "Mom would just love to have you over for lunch, Mamoru! And you too, Motoki-san! You will come to lunch with us, won't you?" asked Usagi sweetly, her eyes pleading at Motoki and Mamoru, who was sitting beside her in the backseat.
Upon hearing this, both of the men's faces showed horror. The thought of going to Usagi's house for lunch or any other reason with her family still scared Mamoru even after all this time. Motoki, on the other hand, has had heard of the infamous grilling Mamoru had received and was not looking forward to it at all. However, he was only a guest and a just a friend, so Motoki's face relaxed into an easy grin when he realised he would be present for another meeting between Usagi's father and Mamoru.
"Sure, Usagi! I'd love to come!" said Motoki with a grin and a slightly evil chuckle.
Usagi beamed, while locking in her seatbelt. "Great! I told my mom that both you guys love to eat, so she's going to prepare a lot!" She leaned towards her boyfriend, who was staring straight ahead. "Oh, and Mamo-chan, don't worry about Daddy. He won't do too much to you this time."
Mamoru's face went from bad to worse. He was not looking forward to this. He remembered what had happened that first time.
Flashback
Usagi's mother came out of the kitchen, taking her apron off and brushing down her dress. She walked towards the couple.
"You must be Mamoru," said Ikuko, holding out her hand. "I've heard so much about you from Usagi."
Mamoru looked at Usagi then back at Ikuko. He took her hand and bent to kiss it. "And you must be Tsukino-san. Now I know where Usagi gets her lovely looks from."
Ikuko giggled at the showing of a gentleman.
"Why couldn't Kenji be like this?" she thought to herself. "Usagi is very lucky to have caught the eye of this tall, dark and handsome man."
A loud clearing of the throat from the living room door way suddenly made the three look up.
"So this is the young man I have been hearing about," stated Kenji, scanning Mamoru from head to toe. He only stopped when his wife elbowed him.
Mamoru shifted slightly on the spot then walked over to him while everyone else followed. Usagi whispered to her mother, "Did you hide all the shot guns, Mom?"
Her mother replied, "Yes, don't worry, dear. There will be no shootings this evening."
Usagi sighed, relieved that no one will be hurt physically, but still…
End of Flashback
"And we can go back to your house after. Mom has let me have dinner with you!" Usagi continued. "Isn't that good, Mamo-chan?"
Upon hearing that, Mamoru's face relaxed as he thought about the 'alone' time he would have with his girlfriend after months of separation. "I guess it's o.k." replied Mamoru.
Motoki clapped his hands together and started the car. "Great! Let's get your stuff to your apartment and then let's go to Usagi-chan's house! I'm starving!"
"Yeah!" cheered Usagi.
Sorry for the wait, I'm finally on holidays! So maybe some more chapters will come out over the next few weeks!