When Past Meets Present
Chapter 11: Different, Yet Still The Same
A/N: Ok, this will probably be my last chapter for this particular story so yeah let's just get started.
It had been eight years since the fateful day, when these four people were ripped from the person whom they had loved. This year Usagi was turning 24; she was celebrating her birthday with her closest friends and her boyfriend, Kintaro, she had started dating him for quite a while and little did she know that he was going to ask her something that would change her life. Meanwhile Ren had already gotten married the previous year, she married Maro, a handsome, kind man who she met in culinary school. He and her were also attending Usagi's birthday party.
All: Happy birthday Usagi!
Usagi: Thank you, I'm so old now…like Ren!
Ren: Haha, just hurry up and blow out your candles, cause I'm not going to eat no waxy cake!
Usagi blew out her candles and made her wish, she knew that she was already planning to wish many more happy years with Kintaro, but at the last moment she instead wished to see Neji again. She had no idea what made her do that, it just happened.
Ren: Yay! Now let's cut the cake shall we?
Ren handed Usagi a box that contained the same knife that her parents had used to cut their wedding cake, Usagi opened it and instead of seeing the knife she saw a ring box. Usagi's breath caught in her throat as she opened it, it was a beautiful expensive looking ring Usagi was shocked, but instead of seeing Kintaro's face she instead saw Neji's face, she winced and pushed his face out of her mind, and turned her attention to Kintaro, he looked so hopeful, Usagi couldn't bear to say no…
Usagi: Yes.
Kintaro: Thank god! You have no idea how happy you've made me!
Kintaro lifted Usagi off the ground and spun her around a few times before going to have a celebratory beer with his friends.
Usagi: I can't believe it, I'm engaged…
Ren: You don't sound too happy…
Usagi: That's because Neji popped into my head as I saw the ring!
Ren: Ooh…
Usagi: Did you have to deal with you know…seeing Shikamaru's face?
Ren: Yes. But I rationed that the one time, I find a guy who loves me, and is willing to spend the rest of his life with me, I'm not going to throw that away for a hope that an old flame will come back.
Usagi: Do you think I made the right decision?
Ren: Yes, I honestly think you did, who knows when Neji is going to come back? Don't wait for something so long that you waste away alone, so yes you made the right decision unless you don't want to marry him at all…
Usagi: I do, it's just…
Ren: He just isn't Neji…
Usagi: Right.
Ren: Well, he loves you, and there aren't many guys that are in love with you right now…
Usagi: Says who?
Ren: Haha, come on, let's get back to the party…
So Ren and Usagi started to plan the wedding shortly after, and the time just flew by, they were just so busy, finally it was time for the wedding rehearsal, they had decided to do that in Usagi's living room.
Ren: Wow, it looks so pretty, it's perfect.
Usagi: Yeah, we had a lot of good times in this living room; remember when we used to hang out here with Ne—
Ren: Haha…remember when there was the portal right here?
Usagi: Yeah, good times…
Ren and Usagi finished with the final touches early, about three hours early to be exact. Ren stood back and admired the decorations, and Usagi stood next to her.
Usagi: Imagine if there were to be a portal right now…
Ren: You and your imagination…
Ironically enough the wall was starting to pulse with odd colors, Ren and Usagi stared for a moment then walked over to the wall and Usagi tentatively touched it, and to her surprise her fingers penetrated the wall, at that moment a foot protruded out of the wall and then three more feet showed up, and out stepped to handsome men, Usagi and Ren looked at each other to make sure that they both saw the same thing, normally they would have relished the idea that there were two handsome guys in their living room but Ren was married and Usagi was at her wedding rehearsal. The handsome men looked really familiar, one of them had fairly long hair, not down his back more like slightly past his shoulders but he had silvery gray eyes, the other had a ponytail that was not very bushy but still a little frizzy, and a bored expression.
Usagi: Shikamaru, Neji?
Neji: Usagi, Ren.
Ren: Shikamaru, Neji.
Shikamaru: Troublesome, troublesome.
Ren: It IS you! You look so different!
Shikamaru: I could say the same for you two…
It was true, Ren and Usagi had changed, Ren was a little taller, she finally learned how to walk in high heels and she wore them constantly to compensate for her lack of height, she kept her long black hair pulled back in a bun, away from her face, she wore only name brand clothing that was crisp and clean, she was after all a successful businesswoman and she couldn't run around looking sloppy. Meanwhile Usagi had toned down her rebellious style since high school, she still chose the same color choices, but instead of casual looking clothing, she instead dressed like a jetsetter, radical and edgy clothing is what I mean, and she kept her hair immaculately styled and basically stayed well groomed all the time.
Neji: Any news?
Usagi: YES! You guys have to hide, no one knows who you are! And we have guests due in a few hours!
Neji: For what?
Usagi: My...um…uh…wedding rehearsal…
Neji: Are you serious?
Usagi: Yeah…
Shikamaru: What about you Ren?
Ren: I'm uh…already married; I've been married for a year already…
Shikamaru: What? How did this happen?
Ren: I have a new life now Shikamaru. I've got a successful line of restaurants, I'm a respected businesswoman, I'm not the high school girl that you went out with…
Neji: I refuse to believe that…
Usagi: I'm sorry Neji, but now I'm a professional chocolatier, I travel constantly, and I'm getting married soon…
Neji: Look at me, I've changed but you can see for yourself that I'm still very much the same…
Usagi: I'm sorry, but look at me, I've grown up, I've got a job, a fiancée, and a new life…
Neji: Why do you keep on saying that? You are still Ren and Usagi…
Usagi: Look, can we talk later? I'm happy to see you again, but now is not the appropriate time…
Neji: When will it be the right time? After you're married?
Usagi: Well this is convenient isn't it? You get to blame us for everything, we can't help it that we moved on with our lives…do you honestly expect me to throw away everything I've worked for on a whim?
Neji: I missed you…does that even mean anything to you anymore?
Ren: Look you guys, you're breaking my heart right now…we're sorry…but this just isn't the time or place…
Shikamaru: Who are you? You look like Ren but you don't act like her…you told me that you loved me…and now you are the wife of some stupid guy…
Ren: Shut up! He loves me…
Shikamaru: I love you too…
Usagi: We can't discuss this right now!
Neji: Fine…we'll leave you alone! Bye!
That's when Neji and Shikamaru hopped out of the window and went off somewhere…Usagi and Ren could feel their hearts being broken again, but it was much worse this time…their hearts were still shaky and Ren was reduced to taking out her handkerchief and wiping away tears in an attempt to make them seem like tears of joy while Usagi bit her lip and took deep breaths, she couldn't believe that she had said the things she did, but she felt her heart tearing in two, she loved Neji, but she knew that Kintaro loved her a lot, so much. And for the second time Usagi wished that she could just sleep and forget about everything. But it was that moment that Kintaro and his family walked in.
A/N: Heh I guess I'm not ending it, well this is a terrible chapter…it really is, but I promise that my next one will be good, and oh yeah I'm leaving for roughly a week for vacation so I'll try to update as soon as I get back…