"Mysteries" Series: Part III

Detective Work
#21 Mischief, 1120 words

"…and he thought I was using C+ on my computer programming, when really I was using Java, he just never realized the difference!" Umino laughed, almost doubling over with laughter.

Usagi sighed, realizing she has stooped too low with this plan. This day couldn't get any worse. First, she accepted a milkshake from Umino, not realizing his favorite flavor were prunes. Then, he kept going on and on about his computer games and the basket weaving club and the latest Star Trek episode…Now, after walking around Juuban for two hours with the dorkiest kid at her high school, Usagi did not catch a single glimpse of Baka-san or his mysterious girlfriend.

"Not that I care," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Usagi just felt…curious.

"I know, that's what I told him!" said Umino, oblivious to his date's frustration. "I told him I didn't care about Captain Spock because Nebular 9 is where it's at. So anyway, he decided to weave a likeness of the droid from…"

The two kept walking the streets when a familiar girl exited a fashion shop ahead of them. "Oh Naru-chan, save me!" Usagi gasped, throwing her arms up in the air and around Naru's neck. She blinked before inspecting Naru at arm's length away. Her friend wore a beautiful emerald sundress. "Kawaii dress!"

Naru giggled and gave her a tiny spin. "Thanks! I've wanted to go shopping forever and saw this dress. What are you doing?"

Usagi scoffed. "I'm walking around…with…Umino…"

Her friend's eyes grew wide with surprise. Naru looked at the figure behind Usagi. There, Umino stood with his mouth slightly agape. His eyes drank in Naru from head to toe, and a heated blush spread over Naru's face. "H-hello, Naru-san," Umino said quietly. "That dress looks beautiful on you."

"Arigatou, Umino-kun," she replied, now blushing furiously.

Rolling her eyes and looping her arms through Naru and Umino's, Usagi pulled them ahead through Juuban. She was still on her mission, but for now, she could use a detour and relax a bit in the park. When the trio finally arrived at the park, however, Usagi noticed her companions were engrossed in their conversation which she somehow got left out of. Not that Usagi minded very much; she wasn't interested in discussing the advantages and disadvantages to using college-ruled paper when solving algebraic equations. Suddenly, a familiar pair strolling by the lakeside caught her eye: it was the brunette from the arcade and a glasses-clad Mamoru. The perfect coincidence!

"Excuse me guys, I'll be right back," said Usagi, eyeing a tall tree with thick branches extending high over the couple. There was no response. Usagi turned around to see Naru and Umino giggling with their heads quite close together. She cleared her throat. "I'm going to go ride a unicycle wearing a chicken suit into the lake and collect algae for dinner tonight."

"That sounds wonderful, Usagi-chan!" Naru cheered happily. She nudged Umino with her shoulder. "I think we're going to head off and get some ice cream across the street."

Her face reddening with frustration, Usagi turned on her heels and began to make her way up the tree. The rough bark scraped at her knees, but Usagi inched forward, content with her growing ability to hear Mamoru-baka's conversation.

"Oh Mamoru-kun, you're so funny!" laughed the girl, placing her hand on Mamoru's arm.

The latter grinned in response. Usagi balked; she had never seen Mamoru smile like that ever, let alone did she know he had a single humorous nerve in his tall, sophisticated, well-defined body…

"Bleh!" she spat, mentally reprimanding herself for even thinking of Mamoru as something other than 'That Baka'. Usagi crept forward, keeping her eyes on the pair now standing in front of her and looking out at the glistening lake. Usagi took in how different Mamoru looked outside of the familiar surroundings of Crown. She usually saw him hunched over a porcelain mug reading a book like an Arcade decoration. Just always there. But seeing how the lake background made his blue eyes shine like sapphire jewels behind his sleek glasses, how his ebony hair rustled carelessly in the wind, and how seeing his poised frame against someone of the opposite sex not only rebutted Usagi's refusal to believe that not only was he incredibly handsome, but that Mamoru was a handsome bachelor.

Well, sort of, at the sight of the couple erupting in another round of laughter. Usagi's ears rang with the unfamiliar sound of Mamoru's mirth, and suddenly, jealousy tugged at her from her toes to her Odangos. How come Mamoru never acted like this around her? Even if he teased her, why was it always some malicious attack instead of light-hearted banter? Perhaps she did something that caused the fall of Tsukino Usagi from Mamoru's good graces and charming smiles.

"I've missed you, Mamoru-kun," the girl said softly, almost soft enough for Usagi to miss what she was saying. "It's strange with you so far away."

Suddenly, Usagi felt alone. The feeling hit her harder than the rush of ground that poorly cushioned her fall. Usagi had leaned so far over in an attempt to hear the couple's conversation that she lost her balance and tumbled over. Ignoring the pain, she dashed behind the tree, hopefully unnoticed by Mamoru.

"What was that?" Hina asked, jerking her head at the sound of a loud crash.

"I don't know," mumbled Mamoru. He touched Hina's shoulder and led her farther along the lakeside. Mamoru glanced over his shoulder one last time; he could have sworn he saw a long golden pigtail disappear behind the thick willow tree.

Gasping for breath, Usagi hit her head against the smooth trunk. Why was she spying on Mamoru? Not only was it useless trying to understand their conversation or discover the mysterious girl's identity, the danger of certain feelings being stirred within Usagi was not only apparent, but also the reality that there was no way those feelings would be reciprocated.

Usagi let out a sigh. Her day's adventure led her to believe mischief wasn't as fun as she imagined it to be. Her curiosity killed the remaining feelings of animosity and pride Usagi held against Chiba Mamoru, not a cat. No, she would go back to a cat later that night, but for now, Usagi needed some sugar to pick her up from such an unsatisfying day. The blonde detective stood up to brush off her clothes and looked around for any sign of her friends, but knew that they too were off in their own world, having found that which eluded Usagi until this very moment: the need of having to love someone and that someone loving you back.