Falling into Place

"So who was that girl you were with yesterday?" Usagi inquired upon finishing her morning routine. "The one wearing all black?"

"Her name is Hino Rei," Makoto answered, flipping an omelet before wrapping it in parchment paper. "She goes to Bastyr, that school we visited. We're going to hang out this weekend."

"Oh, cool." A pause. "Why was she wearing sunglasses inside?"

"I don't know, maybe she's sensitive to light or something." Makoto sat down across from the blonde, lacing her fingers beneath her chin. "Listen, I'm sorry I was so bitchy last night. I know you can take care of yourself now." Usagi tilted her head. "It's just… you're perfectly awesome the way you are, and I don't want to see you change for anyone." She flashed a look of concern before heading to their room to change out of her jogging clothes. "You'd better eat that whole omelet!" she called.

"I will!" Usagi replied, grabbing it and her book bag as she left for class. She knew she should be grateful to have a friend as attentive as Makoto, but deep down it annoyed her to be treated like a princess in need of constant rescue. One of the main reasons they both came to America was so they could have fresh starts as they stepped into adulthood. Usagi just wanted to put the past behind her but Makoto seemed intent on dredging it up whenever possible.

Usagi had been a serial dater in high school. Most of her boyfriends were guys she actually knew, ones she grew up with who developed their own varied interests. And yeah, she had sex with a fair amount of them, but was it wrong for her to crave attention and intimacy? She knew that wasn't quite where Makoto's concerns stemmed from. Usagi had a tendency to transform into the girl her boyfriends wanted her to be, abandoning most semblances of her true self while in the relationship. But she wasn't like that anymore and never would be again.

Makoto had personal hang-ups when it came to men and dating, too; she wasn't just crusading on behalf of her best friend. When she transferred to Usagi's junior high school and had to don a new uniform, it didn't look the same on her as it did the other girls because of her tall, toned physique. Her skirt was shorter, her blouse was tighter, and most of their male peers thought she purposely wore it that way to entice them. She had to deal with lewd comments almost every day in addition to being harassed by strangers during her commute. Usagi always wondered if Makoto's devotion to karate was so she could defend herself in the event of an unwanted physical advance.

Usagi knew she would inevitably meet some new, interesting men to flirt with and date in Seattle, but this time she wasn't going to let anyone walk all over her or tone down her personality for their sake. No, everyone she encountered soon found out exactly who she was: an easygoing nerd girl whose idea of fun was staying in on the weekends, eating junk food, and having marathon sessions of her favorite video games with someone worthy of being her player two. Mamoru had that current distinction.

Makoto needed her own player two. There had to be a way to prove that not every man was out to get her, that involving them in her life wouldn't be as dramatic as Usagi unintentionally made it seem. 'Lead by example, I guess.' She had to spend more time with Mamoru so Makoto could see what a healthy relationship looked like, an idea she definitely wasn't opposed to.

When Mamoru exited his apartment building, he was somewhat amused to see a bed frame and sofa sticking awkwardly out of a tiny SUV in the parking lot. Clattering resounded in the stairwell and he rotated to see the blond guy who lived below him hefting a box of small appliances. "You must be moving," he observed.

"Yep, to Shoreline!" the guy beamed, throwing the box into his rig. "It's a little way north of here but it's much quieter. Can't beat the rent either, only five-hundred bucks a month.

"Five hundred?" Mamoru repeated in awe. That was less than what he paid for Radford Court, but he couldn't move out of the U District since he didn't have a car to commute with. "Well, I hope everything works out. Are you moving because of the people next door to me?"

"Yeah, I really need to focus on my graduate project." He narrowed his eyes. "Are you telling me you hate them, too? I'm not the only one?"

"I really do hate them," Mamoru laughed, and held out his hand. "Mamoru Chiba."

"A protector, eh? Hajimemashite." His grip was strong and his hands were calloused from manual labor. "I'm Joe Levin… You know, the place I'm moving to has three other rooms for rent. I can give you the landlord's number if you want to get out of here."

"Thank you, that would be great."

Joe scribbled it on a piece of scrap paper and slapped it into Mamoru's palm. "Take it easy, dude!" The dark-haired boy felt a twinge of jealousy. He'd lived on campus for five years and was ready for a change of scenery, but there was no sense getting his hopes up when he couldn't travel back and forth from school on his own schedule.

Once again Mamoru spent all day at Amabie but actually ordered a substantial amount of food to fuel his intense research. At 15:00 he realized Makoto hadn't come in for work and waved at the server of Vietnamese descent named Camille, who glided over with a smile. "She only works Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends because she has classes the rest of the week," she explained.

"Oh… I'm actually trying to get a hold of her friend, Usagi," Mamoru said. "Do you know her number by chance?"

Cammy put a manicured fingernail to her lips. "I think Ryo might have it. I'll get it for you."

Mamoru smiled and thanked her. Now that he'd done it a few times, talking to strangers wasn't so daunting. Cammy delivered the number on a post-it note along with his teriyaki which he devoured before editing his bibliography. He left a few hours later, heading into Montlake to look for a cell phone. There was no sense in having Usagi's number if he was unable to communicate with her.

Mina and Ami only had two early classes on Thursday, and neither desired to hang out where the other worked on campus. "We can't just sit here and rot in our room," Mina declared. "We need to get out and do something! We need to meet hot guys!"

Ami waved away the notion. "You can go meet boys while I stay here and read."

"What are you reading, anyway?" She peered at the cover. "The Last Unicorn? Isn't that a little too fantastical for your taste?"

"It's a decent representation of tropes that are now common in the fantasy genre," Ami said.

"Bor-ing!" Mina sang. "Okay, fine. You stay here and I'll go scope out the deli for hotties. I wouldn't want you cramping my style, anyway."

"That's me, the style-cramper."

She laughed at Ami's monotone, grabbed her trench coat and left, immediately texting Nicholas. With guys like him she typically established a whirlwind relationship based on mutual physical attraction, but he said he considered her a friend and wasn't looking for a hookup. "Nikko-kun, I'm bored! Wanna get something to eat with me?"

"Zach and I are just leaving to try out this sushi place nearby. I have a promo thing."

"Oh. Well, Ami and I know all about sushi, you know! Can we tag along if we chip in?"

"I just told Zach you two wanted to come and he says be outside your dorm in five."

Mina spun around and ran back to the room, earning a raised eyebrow from Ami when she burst through the door. "You found a hot boy already? It's only been two minutes."

"You know that guy Nicholas I've been telling you about? He wants us to get sushi with him."

Ami lowered her book. "I suppose it might be nice to go out for dinner…" She gave Mina a sidelong glance while putting on a few more layers. "Am I going to end up being the third wheel?"

Mina shook her head. "Not at all– Nicholas and I are just friends. But he's so hot, Ami-chan. If you're the kind of girl he likes and you don't even flirt with him, I'll be bitter toward you till the end of our days."

Ami laughed dryly. "Don't worry, it's been my experience that I'm nobody's type." They navigated the maze of hallways and staircases leading out of Hansee Hall and discovered a silver BMW sedan waiting to pick them up, but when Ami saw Zach in the passenger seat she froze. "Minako! You didn't tell me he was coming with us!"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "You know Zach? He's Nicholas' roommate."

"Do I know him?! He's the jerk who's been harassing me in the library since the quarter began!"

Mina frowned, glancing between her best friend and the blond boy as he lowered the window. "Come on ladies, it's starting to rain."

"I'm not going anywhere with you!" Ami spat.

Zach left the car and she recoiled when he approached wearing an amiable smile. "Mademoiselle Ami, I apologize for the wrong foot we started off on. I never meant any harm. If you come with us to dinner, I promise to be a perfect gentleman."

She glared. "I don't trust you."

The boy inched closer. "Come on, it'd be a good chance to get to know one another. I even learned something about you today. Your hobbies include reading classical literature and swimming, right?" The sound of disbelief she made confirmed it. "See? I'm not that self-absorbed." His smile shifted to a slight smirk without malice, his default expression. "The place we're going has tons of tea combinations, and Mina told me you really like tea."

Ami loved tea, especially citrus varieties. She released a groan of resignation and settled into the backseat since Mina had stolen the front, positioning herself as far from Zach as possible. The rain fell harder as they drove south, turning the roads reflective black. "You didn't tell me you had a car," Mina remarked as they skirted Washington Park.

"It's Zach's," Nicholas said.

"Oh." She twisted around to face him. "Then why aren't you driving?"

Zach set his chin in one hand while staring out the window. "I received some overwhelming news earlier. It's nothing bad, I'm just too jittery to focus on anything else right now."

Ami was curious but held her tongue. She fumed all the way to Amabie, hoping her aura would convey to everyone else how unhappy she was with this situation. Thankfully Mina and not Zach sat beside her in the booth they were shown to. They ordered three different kinds of tea: honey green, vanilla chai, and white peach with orange blossom for Ami. She glowered as Zach poured himself a cup. "Wow, this is way better than the liquid sugar they drink where I'm from." He chuckled when everyone looked at him in alarm. "Not literally. Southern sweet tea just lives up to its name."

"In my hometown, we drink rooibos." Mina smiled at the way Nicholas rolled the R's; even if he didn't like-like her she still thought he had a sexy accent. She reached for the stack of menus but his giant hand fell upon it. "I've got it covered," he grinned. When the server returned he handed her the promotional coupon he'd printed a few days ago.

Her attention flicked between the flyer and their group. "So which of our employees are you friends or family of? They get a little bonus when you order this."

Everyone stared at Nicholas. "Employee? Uhh…" The server narrowed her eyes in suspicion just as the kitchen door swung open and a girl holding a tray of mochi appeared. "Her!" Nicholas exclaimed, more in awe than relief.

The server relaxed. "Oh, are you Makoto's friends from AI?" They all nodded in what they hoped was a convincing manner. "All right, one matsuri special coming up!"

After she left, Nicholas blew out a nervous breath. "Eish, that was close. What's a matsuri, anyway?"

"It means festival," Ami supplied. He hummed, distracted by the girl shaping the mochi into little cups. Was it really the same Makoto he'd met at the horticulture fair? Her hair was in a neat bun instead of a messy ponytail but there was no mistaking those vibrant green eyes. She looked kind of cute in her chef's blues.

Ami watched Zach while Mina gave a lesson on Japanese dining etiquette. He listened intently, like he would take the cultural advice to heart. Was he just hoping to impress Mina? She wished she had more to go on other than what she'd overheard in the library. He was earning an MFA in Theatrical Directing, a perfect fit for his overbearing personality. "Charismatic" was the word Ami often heard other drama students use to describe him but "arrogant" seemed more appropriate. Compared to Nicholas he appeared much less traditionally masculine yet had all kinds of girls fawning over him. He was so confident it didn't really seem like anything could faze him, so what had overwhelmed him so much as to impede his driving ability? "Zach…" Ami spoke, and he instantly faced her with a hopeful glimmer in his eye. "How did you get your car?"

"It was a Sweet Sixteen present." He grumbled a little while trying to get a grip on his chopsticks. "My family is very wealthy so I had a huge birthday party. A bunch of people from my school and the neighborhood showed up. It was crazy."

Mina jumped into the conversation by asking, "If you're from New Orleans, how come you don't have one of those funny accents?"

"You're probably thinking of Cajun, easily the most renowned dialect from Louisiana. I'm French Creole and I grew up in the Garden District, so I have an Uptown accent which sounds like proper English to non-natives." He flashed his signature smile-smirk. "Ah kin talk that way if y'all really want me tuh."

Ami shook her head as the others laughed. "How did you get into theater? What made you want to be a director?"

"You might find this hard to believe, but I like being the center of attention." Nicholas snorted. "As a kid I was always singing, dancing, and making up stories for my parents. They started taking me to operas, plays, and musicals, and I fell in love with the idea of being on stage. I acted throughout middle and high school but then I became more interested in writing and design."

"Why did you come all the way to UW to pursue theater? Why not Tulane or Juilliard?"

Any enjoyment Zach had been deriving from the conversation was instantly replaced by cold indifference. He folded his arms atop the table and narrowly gazed at Ami, unnerving her with his multicolored eyes, and his words contained a harsh note. "Does it matter? Why did you come all the way here from Japan?"

"Mina and I both qualified for medical scholarships. I'm studying neurogenetics and she wants to become a physical therapist." Ami stoically met Zach's stare in order to let him know that she didn't find him intimidating. What was so offensive about her innocent question? Surely it made more sense for him to pursue theater at prestigious Tulane since it was in his hometown.

"Not to mention that Todai is closed for repairs," Mina put in. "We were going to try testing into it but then everything blew up." She resumed describing different kinds of sushi to Nicholas.

"So that's our reason," Ami said. "How come you moved twenty-five hundred miles to attend a school that probably won't give you the recognition you want?"

Much to her surprise, Zach grinned. "You wound me, Ami. It's like you don't have any faith in my ability to become famous."

"I can see you becoming infamous," she muttered.

"Mhm, that's why I left home," he retorted in a blasé manner. It pleased him to see curiosity flood her visage. He knew Ami was trying to figure him out but he really didn't want to let her, not yet anyway. "That story is better told when there's no polite company present."

Rei drove around the city when she was bored. Her Acura got decent mileage and there were still many areas she had yet to explore, but as she returned from Ballard she recalled that Makoto told her to stop by the restaurant where she worked if she wanted a taste of home. She entered Amabie into her GPS and followed the new route east, speeding along rain-slicked roads. Once seated at the bar she ordered shrimp and veggie tempura with a Ramune. There were a few other people in the bistro including a rowdy table of four; apparently, the two boys had never experienced nigiri or sashimi before much to the amusement of their dates.

"I am going home! I just have to empty the case!" someone shouted. The doors to the kitchen swung open, dispensing Makoto with a large tray balanced on her shoulder. Rei waved her fingers and she wandered over, setting it on the counter. "Hey! I thought we were going to hang out on Saturday!"

Rei's sweater-covered shoulders rose and fell. "I was hungry, and you were right. This food reminds me of a little place in Omotesando."

She grinned; that was high praise for a simple mom-and-pop eatery. The boy who had prepared Rei's dinner began his cleaning routine, whipping Makoto with his towel as she bent over to remove everything from the dessert case. "I'll hurt you, Ryo. Don't think your grandparents can save you from me." He chuckled and disappeared around the corner. Makoto tutted. "I think he likes me. He's so annoying."

Rei stopped her when she began piling fruity daifuku on the tray. "How much are those? Do you have kiwi?"

"You bet! They're only a dollar. How many do you want?"

"Just one…" Rei bit her lip as she examined the more decadent treats. "And that slice of chocolate cheesecake." She hesitated to cut into it; it just looked so pretty, but her sweet tooth won out. The first bite simply dissolved and she made a sound of pleasure. "This is the best thing I've ever put in my mouth."

Makoto ducked her head in gratitude. "I'm glad you like it. The secret is fair-trade Venezuelan cacao. That way you can feel good about eating it."

"I think I'd feel good regardless of—" Rei was interrupted by a clamor at the entrance. She turned to see Makoto's roommate and the skinny dark-haired boy both dripping wet.

"What the heck, you guys?" Makoto asked as she rounded the counter. "Did you fall into the lake or something?"

"We missed the bus here and had to walk a few blocks," Usagi answered. Her denim jacket and white pants were thoroughly drenched.

Makoto raised an eyebrow. "You missed the bus? What were you doing that made you miss the bus?"

Usagi gulped at her accusatory tone. "We were playing Smash Bros! It's easy to get sucked into that game!" Her friend's expression didn't change. "Honestly! Michiru was there the whole time. We weren't alone or anything."

Mamoru briskly nodded in agreement, but Makoto's lips curled into a sly grin. "I believe you, I just think it's funny that you were really trying to convince me." That comment earned her a light slap on the arm before the new arrivals sat down beside Rei.

"Hi!" the blonde chirped. "I'm Tsukino Usagi."

"I know, I saw you at Nordstrom," she coolly replied.

"And this is Mamo-chan! I mean, Chiba Mamoru."

Rei laughed at the cute nickname. Ryo, the sushi chef, amalgamated some leftovers into a few interesting varieties of maki with slices of fresh ginger for Mamoru. Usagi declined the offering for a hot bowl of gyudon. They chatted about their respective schools until it was officially closing time. As they gathered purses and shrugged on jackets, Rei noticed the table of four hadn't left yet, though they successfully cleared the huge platter. The pretty blonde girl looked very familiar for some reason… She suddenly lowered her glasses to examine Usagi, brow furrowed. Usagi frowned at the intensity of her russet irises. "What? Is there something in my teeth?"

"No, it's just that you look eerily similar to that girl." Rei pointed at the blonde putting on her long coat. Mamoru faced her as well, eyes widening in surprise.

"You're right, Hino-san, unless she's using contacts and hair dye."

"Is she your sibling, or a relative of some sort?" Rei queried.

Usagi stared too and slowly shook her head. "No way, I'm an only child. And I have a cousin around my age but he lives in Kyoto." The three of them looked away as the quartet headed for the exit, but then the boy in a Huskies hoodie made a detour to the dessert case and a huge grin split Usagi's lips. Her scheme had worked.

"Hi, Makoto. I thought it was you back there." Nicholas smiled at her but she only blinked in astonishment before fixating her best friend with a glare.

"Usagi! You told him where I work?!"

"How would I have done that, Mako-chan?" she asked.

"I don't know, maybe you got Chiba to find him for you! I can't believe you'd do something so… so… sneaky!" Usagi's smug little grin made her temper flare, which she directed toward Nicholas. "So your group was the one who ordered the matsuri special? I could have Jessica revoke that deal, you know. I don't know any of you!"

Nicholas raised his hands in alarm. "Hey, I didn't even know you worked here. Someone emailed that promo to me. Utsukino at…" He trailed off and looked at Usagi, everything clicking. She just stood there beaming innocently, and Mamoru felt a twinge of jealousy that someone way more attractive than him was interested in Makoto.

Zach came up behind his roommate. "Did I hear there's something wrong with the coupon he used?" He flashed a credit card and frowned at Nicholas. "I told you to just let me pay."

"No, it's fine…" Makoto sighed. She was mad at Usagi, not the patrons. "I hope you enjoyed everything. Have a nice night." Without a further word to her friends, she disappeared into the back of the kitchen.

Zach stowed his wallet and gave the trio standing nearby a quick once-over, rubbing his eyes upon seeing a short-haired version of Mina who was supposed to be outside. Her outfit was different, too. "Whoa…" he breathed in awe, stepping closer to Usagi. "Are you her twin?"

"I'm nobody's twin!" she exclaimed. "That girl you were with looks nothing like me!"

"Yes she does," Zach, Mamoru, and Rei chorused. "Hang on, I'll get her," the first added. He jogged out the door and came back with Mina.

She froze at the sight of her doppelganger. Usagi stared right back, the close-up view confirming that they indeed looked very similar. "Well, this is freaky," Mina muttered after several silent seconds.

"I know," Usagi said. "What's your name?"

"Aino Minako."

"I'm Tsukino Usagi. I moved here from Tokyo to go to school."

"Me too… How strange."

"Yeah…" Usagi examined her trendy outfit. "Do you like fashion?"

"Oh yeah," Mina smiled. "What kind of music do you like?"

"Bemani, eurobeat, that sort of stuff."

"Omigod, me too!" They grinned at one another. "Do you play any sports?"

"Not unless DDR counts as a sport." Well, it would have been really weird if they turned out to be exactly the same. Mina felt herself glowing on the inside, like she'd encountered a long-lost friend.

In order to become better acquainted, the group of eight went for a walk in Washington Park. Rei stuck with Ami at the rear so she could examine everyone's spiritual energies. Mina's vibrant yellow aura reflected her playful, outgoing personality. Zach's orange aura indicated his pursuit of perfection in creative endeavors. Nicholas' rich maroon aura told Rei that he was a grounded, strong-willed person. Ami's blue aura was tinged with darkness suggesting she currently harbored repressed thoughts or feelings. "This is so strange… I never thought I'd meet another girl similar to Mina," Ami said. "She always seemed like one in a million."

"The universe must have pushed us together for a reason," Rei stated. "What could it be if not some kind of divine intervention?"

Ami didn't want to be disrespectful of Rei's beliefs, but she laughed a little. "When you consider how many people were displaced from Tokyo and ended up in this area, the odds of running into someone you might know are favorable. But it's Usagi and Mina's genetics that have me astounded. Blue eyes are already very rare for Japanese people. When you factor in the chance of being born with lighter hair as well, the odds become astronomical. They might share a common ancestor."

"I take it you study genetics like Chiba-san?" Rei deduced.

"I'm actually planning to major in neurogenetics," Ami explained. "I'm fascinated by degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia." One of Rei's slim eyebrows rose above her sunglasses, making her blush. "My mother is a neurosurgeon so I was exposed to such things at an early age. It doesn't make sense to me why either disease can suddenly appear in people who didn't inherit it and were otherwise perfectly healthy. There must be environmental factors to consider, and there are too many research groups receiving funding from questionable sources for me to simply accept their results on the subject." She nodded matter-of-factly as Rei smiled.

"I'm studying holistic medicine at Bastyr University. If you like, I can research the history of natural remedies regarding the treatment of Alzheimer's and send you my findings. I assume that will be the subject of your dissertation?" Ami nodded again. "Most people are quick to dismiss the merits of homeopathy in this modern age, but they forget that convenient little capsules haven't been around for the majority of human history. The right blend of plants and herbs can work wonders, and they won't leave you with debilitating side effects. Well, unless you ingest something poisonous like belladonna or hemlock." This information piqued Ami's interest and she asked Rei to expound on the subject of flora Mother Nature never intended for humans to consume.

Makoto walked in a line with Mamoru, Zach, and Nicholas, listening to the nonstop chatter from the blondes ahead and wondering if she had anything in common with the boys. She sighed, breaking the silence, and said what was bothering her before she regretted it. "Sorry I threatened you about revoking that promo." Nicholas angled his head toward her. "It's just that Amabie is a family business, you know? And the matsuri special is a lot of food for fifty bucks."

"I get it," Nicholas replied. "You'd go out of business if everyone used it."

She smirked. "You're pretty smart for a jock."

"He's not just a jock," Zach cut in, "he's going to become an engineer." His remark almost sounded prideful, earning a surprised look from Nicholas.

"What kind of engineer?" Makoto wondered.

"Um, civil. Buildings, bridges, highways, things like that." Zach motioned for him to keep talking. "After getting my degree I want to return home and contribute to the mining clean-up. There was this gold rush in the eighteen-hundreds, you see…"

Mamoru found himself clinging to the story Nicholas told. He knew nothing of South Africa much less Johannesburg itself, but had heard of Apartheid which was a major reason why some of the rural Black communities were in danger of the mine's residue. Thanks to erosion, heavy metals brought to the surface along with gold had contaminated streams people on the outskirts drew water from, and there was growing concern that toxic elements would poison the rest of the city's water supply sooner rather than later. "So how are you going to stop the leaching?" Makoto asked when the history lesson ended.

Nicholas answered with a question of his own. "Do you know anything about nanotech?" Everyone shook their heads. "Picture a chain-link fence, like the one around this park, only measured on the nanoscale and made of carbon. When you use one of these things as a filter it only allows water molecules to pass through, like the world's most discerning net. Simply installing nanocarbon in Jozi's water treatment facilities would make a huge difference. And don't even get me started on what I could do with an industrial 3D printer."

"Seriously, don't," Zach commented. "It's so boring."

"Not as boring as your play," Nicholas shot back, eliciting an indignant gasp. "Anyway, if I never get funding for a filtration project there's always infrastructure to improve."

"Something tells me you'll accomplish that goal," Mamoru said kindly. "Amadare ishi wo ugatsu."

"What?" the other boys asked in unison.

Makoto laughed. "It means 'drops of water will wear down a stone', or 'slow and steady wins the race' in other words."

"Ah, right," Zach scoffed. "You Asians are just full of wisdom, aren't you?" He released an undignified squawk as Nicholas shoved him sideways and told him to quit being such an ass. Mamoru wondered how on earth these sophomores had managed to tolerate one another thus far.

After returning to Amabie where the cars were parked, Rei offered to take Usagi and Makoto to their apartment and Mina suggested Mamoru ride in the BMW since they were all going to UW. Several phone numbers, smiles, and waves were exchanged, and there was an inexplicable, mutual feeling that their meeting tonight had been some form of destiny.