"Mysteries" Series: Part IV

Burning Questions
#42 Desire, 920 words

Trudging back to the arcade, Usagi plopped herself on a cushioned booth feeling somewhat lonely. Something felt wrong as she wasn't running late or colliding with Mamoru, and even Crown felt emptier without his presence. Usagi didn't even want to order anything to eat. Sighing, she rested her head on her folded arms on the table and lowered her gaze to the smooth marbled surface.

Usagi lost herself in thought and didn't notice the ebony-haired man enter Crown. But he was sure to find her. With smooth strides, Mamoru navigated his way past the few arcade patrons to stand next to the absent-minded girl at the booth. A sly grin crossed his face, but Mamoru received no welcoming insult.

"Have fun on your date with Hina-san?" came a small voice from below.

Mamoru blinked and looked down at Usagi. So she was alive. Sitting in front of Usagi, Mamoru scrunched down in an attempt to be in her line of sight, but the cerulean eyes refused to look at him. "I'm surprised you know her name," he replied coolly. "Been doing a little spying instead of your homework, Odango?"

A rough sigh huffed out of Usagi. Who cares if he knew?

"Don't you want to know what she's like before you off hating her because you're jealous?" said Mamoru, arching his eyebrow.

Usagi made a face as she sat upright. "Jealous? I think not, Baka-san! I'm very nice to everyone."

"So is she."

"You know, why is it so hard for you to make conversation?" Usagi asked, crossing her arms. "More specifically, why is it so hard for you to make conversation with me?"

Mamoru crossed his own arms, and Usagi noticed the gesture looked more formidable with this thicker, muscular limbs. "Why do you want to know?"

Two pairs of blue eyes clashed in silent battle. Mamoru had no problem keeping the stony look on his face, his lips calmly pressed in a straight line and body frozen in impeccable posture. However, on the other side of the table, Usagi crinkled her mouth to the side and narrowed her eyes to the point where she was squinting, a little too much effort on her part. Then, simultaneously, the two broke out into fits of laughter.

"There it is," Usagi thought dreamily, feeling the flush creeping onto her cheeks. She heard that melodious laughter again and couldn't believe she was just as amused. Usagi watched the corners of his luscious mouth curl into not a smug grin, but that handsome smile that rarely saw itself in public. Somehow, Usagi knew she craved to see that smile, and moreover, be the reason why it shined gloriously so.

His chuckles died down, and Usagi looked at her hands now resting in her lap. "I just want to know you're in the company of a nice girl," she said quietly.

"Like I am right now?" Mamoru asked innocently, a faint trace of a smile staying on his lips.

Usagi looked at him with wide eyes for a moment, but composed herself. "Well I know she can't be as pretty as me." She raised her chin for better effect to Mamoru's amusement. "So who is she?"

Mamoru waited a moment before answering. He didn't know his visitor would cause such a stir in Usagi, but rather enjoyed her torture. "Hina is a very good friend of mine. Her father took care of me when I was younger." Mamoru's blue gaze moved to the window. "We were engaged, a long time ago…"

Usagi let out a loud cough, her eyes nearly jumping out of their sockets. Mamoru ignored her. "You Baka-san? Engaged to be married!" she choked, unsure whether to laugh or try to close her gaping mouth.

"I didn't know I was that funny."

"You're too serious to be married!" Usagi chided, waving a slender finger at him. "Girls need to be loved, cared for, and…and…kissed so well that it leaves her weak in the knees and then rocketing into space!"

Mamoru leaned close to Usagi's face, resting on his forearm in a sort of challenge. "Are you saying I can't do that?"

Usagi blinked in response, and he leaned over a little more. "Are you saying that I'm…"

He tilted his head. "…not…"

And licked lips. "…desirable?"

Resisting every natural urge to pounce on Mamoru, Usagi thrust herself from the confining, and rather hot, booth, once again crossing her arms across her chest. She could feel her heart throbbing inside her ribcage. "You're incorrigible Baka-san. Shouldn't you be worrying about what Hina-san might think?"

Chuckling to himself, Mamoru slid out of his own booth. "I haven't seen Hina in over four years, Odango. Things fizzled out between us when I decided to move here. Like I said, don't be jealous."

"I'm not, Baka! Think of it as having a desire to learn," Usagi retorted. "Why did you move here?"

A distant look washed over his steel eyes. "Let's just say I felt something bigger was waiting for me here."

Usagi bit her lip as she stared at the man before her; her view of Mamoru flip-flopped around as much as her heart did at the moment. Mamoru winked at Usagi and with a small wave of his hand, turned towards the door of the arcade. "I'll catch you later, Odango," he said like before. Mamoru was about to close the door when he flashed a brilliant smile at Usagi. "And you're right, Usako."

"Right?" she repeated confusedly.

"She's not as pretty as you."