Chapter 18
The ride to the restaurant was an uneventfully slow one, with the cramped roads of the inner city providing no relief. For a city which prided itself on easily accessible and available mass transportation, Tokyo had a surprising amount of cars on the road.
Kevin hammered his fist on the window absentmindedly, before glancing at his watch. Minako had long since abandoned him to gossip with the other girls, who were now clustered at one end of the car. Their dates sat uncomfortably across from them, likely wondering what they were talking about.
The whole situation was reminiscent of a middle school dance where prepubescent teens would stare at each other moodily from across the room, struggling between hormones and lingering fears of cooties.
Kevin chuckled a bit at that thought, then contented himself with looking out the window again. They had finally managed to fight their way through traffic, and the restaurant was coming up quickly on the side. He popped his seat belt and stepped out as soon as the limo stopped.
He milled around the door for a bit until Minako appeared. Kevin extended his hand to help her out, to which she responded with a sprightly smile.
The evening air sent a quick chill through his flesh; he hugged his jacket around him a little bit more. But, gentleman that he was, he immediately shrugged it off and swept it over Minako's shoulders without further thought.
It looked fairly ridiculous on her as though it were a tent rather than an article of clothing. But, she smiled all the same, this time grabbing Kevin's hand and giving it a thankful squeeze.
Kevin squeezed back, wondering what other pleasures the evening might bring.
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Famous for its faithful reproduction of French cuisine, Le Gourmet D'Argent was typical of the new wave of Tokyo restaurants providing expensive international fare. The chef and sous-chefs who manned the kitchen were top graduates of the finest culinary academies in France. The décor was curiously chosen and moodily lit, with dozens of tables scattered around the room. Partitions made each space into a miniature private dining area, complete with candles at the table. All in all, a place created with the specific purpose of romance in mind.
The choice of the restaurant hadn't been Minako's, but Usagi's, who had insisted that they sit separately couple by couple. Minako assumed that it was so she could get more time with her Mamo-chan, a thought that she sympathized with but didn't understand. If they weren't going to hang out together, there wasn't much of a point getting a limo together.
Kevin's hand closed around her waist, and he spoke very softly. "Our table is ready."
"'Kay." She assumed a stately posture and followed the waiter, who silently awaited to guide them to their seats.
He rolled his eyes slightly and followed dutifully.
The starchy waiter led them to a dark niche along the side. Minako thought she could detect a hint of surprise and vague discomfort in Kevin's eyes, evidence that he hadn't really expected the restaurant to be like this either. That in itself was curious. She filed away that information for later.
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The soldier blinked with surprise, then coughed into his hand. He gazed at the liveried servant. "I did not arrange for this."
"Yes, sir. Her Majesty requested that you be seated at her private dining table."
"I see." The soldier winced slightly. "May I ask who my tablemates will be?"
"Her Majesty stated specifically that you would be seated next to Lady Windsor of Mars and her father, Lord Windsor."
The soldier rubbed his forehead. So, that was what the queen had been grinning about during the carriage ride down.
It was a ploy that had been tried before. In her more honest moments, Serenity had stated that she thought himself and Lady Windsor would make a perfect match. According to her Majesty, they shared the same interests, were of the correct age, and would make very beautiful babies.
The soldier grimaced again. The fact that she was right in every respect annoyed him greatly. Until now, Serenity had not been actively interventionist in his personal affairs, giving him a modicum of control over his situation. She had hinted, had cajoled, had begged him to consider this girl or that. It had been all too easy to reply that his duties prevented him from pursuing a liaison or relationship of any sort.
That she was now willing to go over his head set a somewhat difficult precedent for the future.
The Retainer steeled the icy cold that gripped his gut. "Please send my regards to Her Majesty, but relay to her my message that I will be seeking alternative seating arrangements tonight."
The servant replied with a bland smile. "Her Majesty anticipated that you might say that and has instructed me to reply that the seating chart is compulsory. She will not entertain any alternatives."
"Then tell Her Majesty that I will not be attending dinner this evening."
"Attendance is also compulsory."
The soldier fumed and turned around to stomp away, when a soft hand landed on his shoulder.
"Sir Retainer, where are you off to such a huff?"
He turned to see the kind and concerned face of Princess Venus grinning at him. "Nothing, Princess. Just a few inconveniences with my seating arrangements for dinner this evening."
"Ah." The princess glanced at the seating chart laid out by the servant then smiled slightly. "There seems to have been a mistake."
"Oh?" The servant stiffened quickly. "Where is that, milady?"
"The Retainer of Serenity's family will not be seated at the Queen's table this evening. He will be seated at my table, next to me."
The servant paled considerably. "But I received orders from Her Majesty specifically regarding this situation--"
Lady Venus smiled kindly, but spoke with an undeniable steel beneath her voice. "Her Majesty has informed me otherwise. Will it be necessary for us to take this up with Queen Serenity personally?"
"No, milady. I'll fix this error immediately!" The man fled in terror, leaving the pair alone where they stood.
"My gravest and most sincere thanks, Princess." The soldier sighed in relief. "You have my eternal gratitude."
"It is a favor that will be paid back in good time, Sir Retainer. You once stated that you had no intention of getting married. I only sought to help you continue that situation."
The soldier chuckled. "It is no great secret that I have no great desire to marry. I feel that it would interfere with my duties to Her Majesty and this kingdom."
"It is an admirable attitude." Lady Venus's voice turned jesting. "Certainly you have considered marriage? I feel like it is something that you will not be able to avoid."
The Retainer smiled, this time genuinely and not painfully. "If I find the right girl, then I suppose it will make it easier to justify."
The princess threaded her arm through his. "Any likely candidates?"
"Perhaps one or two." The soldier allowed with a tiny chuckle and a twinkle of the eye. "But it's not a particularly immediate concern."
Venus squeezed his arm and laughed. "You are a most mysterious fellow, I'll give you that. But let's go get a drink. Perhaps a glass or two of wine will loosen that padlocked tongue."
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Minako's eyes flicked across the table to her date, who was poking suspiciously at the piece of meat advertised as swordfish. Kevin prodded the whitish meat, as if he expected it to move, then gingerly speared a piece and brought it to his mouth before downing it with a final gulp.
The expression on his face was priceless. Minako chuckled quietly and stared down at her pasta. Kevin shot her an accusatory glance and she subsided into a fit of giggles, momentarily breaking the uncomfortable silence that had reigned over the table for most of the evening.
Unlike in their normal interactions, Kevin was terribly uneasy, barely able to respond with more than a terse word or two. Not that she was helping the situation. Normally able to babble on about any topic under the sun, Minako herself was oddly tongue tied. It didn't seem right to talk about school or work or anything vaguely productive like that.
She inhaled, then let her breath come out in a hurried puff. "So tell me about yourself!"
He shot her a somewhat confused glance, but managed to cover that lapse up quickly. "What, are we on a date or something?"
Minako reached across the table and punched him lightly on the arm. "Come on!"
"What is there to tell?"
She coughed delicately into her hand. "Well, I feel like I hardly know anything about you. I mean, I've told you my entire life story several times, I feel like you ought to return the favor."
Kevin chuckled slowly, then deliberately placed his fork aside. "What can I say that won't bore you? I'm just an American college student studying abroad."
"Fine, make it difficult. I'll ask you the questions. Where are you from originally?"
"Boston, Massachusetts. I've lived there my entire life."
"And how is Boston?"
"Smaller and colder than here." Kevin said with the trace of a smile. "It's a strange city, one of the very oldest in America. Nothing compared to anywhere in Japan, mind you...but it's got a sense of where it has come from and where it's going."
Minako coughed again, louder this time. "And here I was under the impression that you Americans were just the new kids on the block."
"Oh. we are. We just pretend that we aren't."
"Hmm." She mulled over that again before clearing her throat. "So, what do the parents of my favorite American do?"
"Ooh, personal questions now?"
"The best sort."
"What about my reputation as mysterious foreigner who all the ladies would like to know?"
Minako placed a hand on her heart. "On my honor, I won't tell a soul."
Kevin languidly reached out to take a sip of water and grinned. "I guess being secretive wasn't in my nature anyway. My dad is a businessman. He is the vice president of engineering at a medical device manufacturer--"
Minako suddenly broke out into a fit of uncontrolled coughing, doubling over the table in pain. Her throat felt like it was seizing up and she could barely breathe. She could feel Kevin's concerned hand on her shoulder, then felt him help her up and usher her quickly out of the restaurant.
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She tested the air gingerly, taking in short breaths before allowing herself the luxury of fully inhaling the sweet outside air. Again, Minako was wrapped in Kevin's coat which billowed about her like a great balloon.
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah. Thanks." Minako brushed a strand of hair from her face. "I don't know what caused that."
Kevin's reassuring smile turned darker for a moment. "The couple next to us had been chain smoking cigarettes since they sat down."
Minako coughed lightly. "Strange. I've never had quite that violent a reaction to cigarette smoke."
"Bad luck, I guess."
She smiled at him, before letting a frown mar her features. "We ran out of there without paying. Did they--"
The American half smiled. "I gave them my credit card before we sat down. It's all taken care of. Before we leave, I'll go in and settle everything."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Minako nodded, then let the conversation trail off in silence before speaking again. "It hasn't been the most idyllic of dates, has it?"
Kevin smiled slyly. "Better than some I've been on, I can tell you that much."
She laughed loudly, attracting the stares of passersby, before clamping her hands over her mouth. "You're terrible!"
He winked at her. "Besides, the way that I see it, this is a pretty unfortunate set of coincidences. It can only get better from here on out."