Chapter 52
Makoto beamed at the small shop space, clasping her hands in front of her with nervous excitement.
It was perfect. She could just picture all of her cupcakes and cookies on display in the smaller case, and all the show-stopping goodies she'd showcase in the large, refrigerated case.
She had no idea what the rent would be, and that bothered her. She turned, biting her lip and looking at Seiji. He raised an eyebrow at her where he stood casually, one hand in his pocket, as if daring her to ask.
She was up for that dare.
"So uh…what's this place going to cost?" she said into the awkward silence between them. The fact that Seiji had just…handed her the keys probably didn't bode well for her getting a straight reply.
He shrugged lazily, as if he didn't know or care. "Shuu, Touma and have it covered," he replied.
Yeah. That wasn't the sort of answer she was looking for. "You guys can't be serious," she argued crossing her arms. "This is an entire shop. That's a major investment, and we haven't even talked about that level of commitment together."
Seiji fixed her with an intense stare, and she tried not to fidget. He raised his eyebrow again. "After everything you've been through, the least we can do is help you get started here. Trust me, we can handle this."
Makoto sighed running her fingers through her bangs and looking around the space again, taking everything in. "Seiji. This is a little more than a place to crash. This is…an entire business. I am completely fine with getting work at someone else's shop," she tried.
"I'm pretty sure Touma mentioned a lot more than just someone else's shop," Seiji replied. His gaze softened.
"Makoto. Stop worrying about it. You're a talented chef, and we already know you'll do well. If you really feel that strongly about it, we can discuss…investment terms. Later. Get your business off the ground first, see where it goes. I think you'll surprise yourself with how well you'll do," he encouraged her softly.
Makoto sighed, giving him a grateful smile. "It's kind of hard to argue with that I guess." She turned, looking at the space again and then looking back at him. "I guess I'd better be careful what I say huh? You guys might take me at my word," she said with a small laugh.
He frowned at her, looking confused. She laughed. "Sorry. Just personal humor, I guess. A girl tries to earn her dreams, you know? That's all I meant."
Seiji tilted his head at her. "Are you saying you haven't earned this one?" he asked calmly, without a hint of judgement in his tone. She fidgeted again, and then shrugged.
"Um, I haven't though. I mean look, I hadn't even hit that dream in my last life!" she said honestly, scratching at the side of her nose nervously. Something about the way his stare seemed to see…everything about her made her feel…unsettled. "Now you're just giving it to me…"
She didn't ever want to be a burden on anyone, and the list of people she'd needed to rely on for basic survival was already long enough. This just seemed…over the top.
"We're not giving you a successful business Makoto. Just a start," he insisted. "It's up to you to make it successful."
Makoto sighed, interlocking her fingers behind her head as she looked around and tried not to feel the excitement that wanted to overtake her completely. She needed to make them understand. She didn't need handouts. She'd done fine on her own her whole life.
"I'm not afraid to work hard, you know? I don't need a lot. I'm really good at making a little bit go a long way, and I'd be fine just starting at the bottom and working my way up like everybody else, right?" she told him.
She didn't want him to think she wasn't grateful – she really, really was, but this felt like too much. Like she was a completely different kind of burden now.
"Makoto." He moved in then, putting a hand on her shoulder and drawing her undivided attention. "Why should I stand by and let you struggle? Maybe you did that in your last life, but that doesn't mean you haven't earned your dream. You lost…everything. If we can give you even one reason to be happy, why shouldn't we? What would you do if our positions were reversed and you had the means to do the same for me?" he asked.
She didn't even have to think about it. "I'd do it. Of course I would," she said. She huffed a short laugh then. "I get it. I guess it's just…going to take some time to process," she admitted. "I've always done everything on my own, since I was a kid. This is…really new to me."
He bobbed his head at her. "I understand. You already know you're independent. Maybe now you can learn how to lean on others when you need to," he replied, smiling at her gently.
She laughed again, wiping quickly at the tears that escaped her eyes, and nodded at him. "Yeah. I guess that's a good thing to learn, right?" she said. He smiled at her, then gestured at their surroundings.
"Go take a look around. We grabbed this space because it's a popular spot and it would have gone quickly. But if this isn't the right place, we'll keep looking," he reassured her. She gave him another watery laugh and turned, taking everything in once more as the giddiness inside of her rose rapidly.
She was going to have her own bakeshop.
She squealed, spun in a circle, and ran back to investigate the kitchen, Seiji's rich chuckle echoing behind her. A small envelope lay in the center of the spotlessly clean stainless steel prep table, and Makoto blinked, approaching it.
Her name was on the front, printed carefully with a small heart next to it, and Makoto felt her own heart start to pound in response.
"Mako-chan, I got a page from Shuu, I'm just running to the phone outside!" Seiji called from the front of the shop.
"'Kay, I'll be right here!" she called back absently, scooping up the envelope and running her fingers over it carefully as she turned it to open it. She untucked the flap with gentle fingers, smiling, as she pulled out a short, neatly written note.
Dear Mako-chan,
I hope you like the shop. If you don't, that's ok, we'll find you the perfect space.
Don't argue with Seiji. I know you can take care of yourself, but I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy.
I can't wait to see you turn this place into an amazing bakery. Everyone is going to love your stuff.
See you tonight.
Love,
Touma
P.S. I'll eat any leftovers, so please bring them home
Makoto laughed even as she cried, dashing her fingers beneath her eyes and clutching the note to her chest.
She stood silently for a moment, grateful Seiji had needed to step outside just in time to give her a bit of privacy. Or…maybe that was why he'd really stepped outside. Sniffling, she folded the note precisely and tucked it carefully back into its envelope, sliding it into her purse. She was going to have it framed and hang it in her kitchen, so she could see it any time she looked up and remember what a precious gift she'd been given.
A shadow moved in the depths of the prep area, and Makoto snapped her head up, scanning the still and silent space. Had Seiji come back in? Was someone else here?
"…Seiji?" she called quietly.
The hair on her neck went up when she heard a small noise near the double-doored fridge but no one answered her. She was tempted to take a moment to appreciate the incredibly sleek and modern appliances in the space – the boys had apparently gone all out – but whatever the noise and shadow was, it felt like too much of a threat to ignore.
Makoto took silent, slow steps toward the back of the space, fists clenched, as she tried to search quietly for the culprit. The kitchen was too new, too modern, to make any sound unless there was something making the sound.
She reached out, grabbing a heavy pan from a rack near her head as she moved, tensing and battle-ready as she approached the doorway at the back of the room. She put her back to the wall, her eye on the entrance, and paused, listening.
And then she heard it. In the silence, the slight rustle of clothing from just around the corner.
Makoto snarled, moving, whirling and lashing out with the pan. Someone howled when she made contact, flying backwards. Makoto braced herself angrily, turning to face her opponent, brandishing her pan threateningly in their direction.
"I don't know what you think you're doing creep, but I'll break your face if you-" her growl trailed into a gasp when she realized she was staring at Nephrite. He shot her an angry glare, wiping the blood from his chin, and then lifted a hand, blasting her backwards into a concrete post. Makoto groaned, coughing and tasting metal in her mouth.
Hell. She'd forgotten he packed a punch.
Without thinking, she raised her hand, emerald electricity dancing over her fingers, and let the energy fly in his direction. He cried out when he was hit, dropping like a rock, and she transformed as quickly as she could. She ducked as soon as she finished, watching with dismay as his strike took out a shelving unit.
"Hey, this is my shop dammit!" she growled, coalescing electricity into a pressurized disc. "Sparkling Wide Pressure!" She released, and even though he dodged, she still managed to land a hit. He yelled, hitting the ground.
He retaliated almost immediately, without getting up, and she didn't anticipate the attack going wide, following her dodge.
She cried out when it hit, flying back through the doorway and into the kitchen, slamming to a stop in the stainless-steel prep island. It bent around her, and the sight of more damage to her space fanned the flames of her rage. This was supposed to be her shop, a precious gift given to her by people who cared.
And some Nephrite clone was not going to destroy it. Not on her watch. Makoto gripped the edges of the table and launched herself back at her opponent. She hammered him across the jaw with a hard left cross, watching with satisfaction as he hit the same post he'd knocked her into earlier. She didn't give him time to recover, leaping after him lashing out hard with a series of jabs.
He retaliated with a kick that sent her sailing through the air and into the wrecked shelving.
Makoto groaned again, pulling herself out, grumbling over the numerous hard and pointy things that seemed to be hanging out in the storage room. She dodged a fist, ducking and coming under her opponent's defense with a hit to the ribs that doubled him over.
He managed to grab her arm before she could get far enough away, and she took a hit of dark energy at point blank range, crying out as she landed on the floor, sliding. She panted, trying to keep herself sharp as her focus began to pull away.
That attack felt familiar in a way that raised the hair on her body. She'd felt that energy before, and being on the brunt end of it again shook her up. She turned more slowly, getting her hands and knees underneath her even as she coughed again.
She heard his approach and whirled, still on the ground, electricity in her fingers. They released their attacks at the same time, and Makoto felt herself hit a wall.
Man.
She was starting to feel the toll of this fight. She pulled herself out of the crater she'd made and forced herself up. No way was some Nephrite clone dragging her off anywhere. He snarled at her from across the room, looking worse than she did.
Take that, she thought.
"Mako-chan?!" Seiji's voice sounded far away, even though he was only in the front of the shop. Makoto didn't dare take her gaze off her opponent or make a sound. She and Nephrite stared each other down, waiting for the other to flinch.
So Nephrite was completely unprepared for the Korin Ken as it struck him from behind. He dropped, hitting the floor without a sound, and then Makoto found her gaze locked with Seiji's fierce one. The Bearer of Korin sheathed his sword and made his way toward her cautiously, looking ridiculously large in the small storage area in his full armor. He cast the unmoving Nephrite a final look before putting his hands on her shoulders and stooping to look in her eyes.
"Makoto. Are you alright?" he breathed, searching her for signs of serious injury. Makoto nodded, but couldn't help rubbing her chest absently, nervous and sore. Now that the battle was over, the energy from those attacks were triggering bad memories. She shivered.
Seiji frowned, stepping back to take her in.
"Where were you hit?" he demanded, looking her over completely now. Makoto smiled up at him absently.
"We brawled a little," she reassured him with a shrug. "It was nothing I couldn't handle." He surveyed the damage and then looked back at her with a pointed expression. She sighed. "Yeah, I'm a little pissed he picked my brand new cake shop to do it in. He could have waited until I was outside or something," she muttered. "Look at this mess." She gestured, the movement taking everything in.
"This can be repaired. It's not permanent. I'm more worried about you," Seiji answered her. She shrugged again.
"I'm all right," she said peaceably. A hot bath might be nice though, she added silently.
Seiji frowned at her, absent concern in his gaze. "That was Shuu that paged. Apparently Zoisite and Jadeite attacked them at the house. I don't think this is a coincidence. We need to get back there," he said, still giving her a wary look.
Makoto nodded, alarm making her heart pound. She hoped everyone was ok. She turned, taking in Nephrite's fallen form, making sure he was really down for the count. She felt spooked as she stared at him. It was difficult not to remember how they'd parted ways. They'd turned good at the last moment, the second time the Senshi had all battled Metalia. But honestly, she didn't have a ton of good memories around him.
She also didn't harbor any sentiments toward him either, so if he so much as twitched, she'd fry him.
"Makoto?" Makoto shifted her gaze, blinking at Seiji. Who was now looking at her with concern and anxiety. "Are you sure you're ok?" he asked her. She flushed.
"Sorry, just making sure he's down. Yeah, we should go," she replied contritely. Then gasped, her eyes widening as she turned back to Nephrite. Seiji moved faster than she could track. She blinked, and she was behind him, pressed against the wall, as he put himself between her and the enemy.
A Nephrite that had dissolved into a grainy black mist. Makoto watched the mist exit the room via an air circulation vent, curling a fist over her heart. A cold chill moved through her. She had a feeling that he'd be back.
Seiji let loose a string of curses in a low voice. She blinked at him, surprised at the uncharacteristic display, and even more surprised when she took in the enraged expression on his face. He turned to her then, the expression softening.
"We'll get him, Makoto," he said firmly. She nodded, and he let go of Korin, but stayed in his undergear. Makoto closed her eyes and released her transformation. She nearly groaned again once it was gone.
Man, was she sore.
"C'mon. I think we should let Ami and Nasuti at least look you over," he murmured, gesturing her out the door. Makoto nodded, picking up her purse and walking out into the main shop floor, heading for the entrance. She locked the door behind them with shaking fingers, and let Seiji escort her to the train, feeling numb.
"Are the others ok?" she fretted as they moved down crowded streets. He nodded.
"Shuu says they're all fine," he said, and she felt weak as relief moved through her.
"Thank goodness," she breathed. She worried then about the other Senshi and Troopers that hadn't been at Nasuti's. If Nephrite had come after her and Zoicite and Jadeite had gone after Ami and Usagi, what about Kunzite? She bit her lip.
They stepped onto the train, and Makoto caught the worried look Seiji was leveling in her direction. She smiled apologetically. "Sorry, I'm just worrying about the others. I hope they're ok," she tried to reassure him. He nodded, gesturing her into an empty seat. Makoto sank into it carefully, unable to contain her wince at the impact. Seiji took the handhold in front of her, standing politely.
And watching her like a hawk.
Feeling flustered, Makoto cleared her throat and tried to change the subject. "You did pretty good with that giant sword inside that tiny space," she said, smiling at him. He shrugged.
"I've been using it for awhile, so it's a bit of second nature to me. You didn't do too bad yourself," he replied casually. Makoto laughed a little.
"Right. I just completely obliterated my new commercial kitchen," she said, her laugh ending with a sigh as she looked out the window.
"Makoto. I meant what I said. All of that can be easily repaired, so don't get discouraged. It wasn't like you had a choice of arena. The battle came to you and you did what you had to," Seiji replied kindly. She flushed, nodding.
"Touma's going to be pissed," she muttered under her breath, mostly to herself.
"I'm not exactly relaxed either," Seiji replied. "I'd much rather confront this enemy head on than play games."
Makoto frowned, regretting vocalizing her thoughts. She was still struggling with having someone like Touma be so invested in her wellbeing, but she wasn't going to explain that to Seiji.
"It's always been like this for us. Like a slow burn. We're always racing to figure things out before the enemy can get the drop on us," she said with a guilty shrug. "Guess we didn't figure it out in time the last time," she added softly, feeling the weight she still carried on her shoulders acutely for a moment. She tried to keep it to herself – she didn't want to burden anyone else with her feelings – but sometimes it seemed to just…slip out.
Seiji sighed, looking out the train window over her head. "Neither did we," he said simply. Makoto frowned, looking up at him.
"But you guys didn't – "
"What? Don't say this had nothing to do with us. It did. It does," he cut her off, countering her protest. Makoto furrowed her brow at him, studying his expression, trying to understand what was going on in his head. It was crazy to her, that the Troopers should feel any guilt.
"How were you supposed to know?" she said quietly. "You got dragged someplace awful, met people from another dimension, had a big battle, and then when it was over, you got sent back home. That seems pretty cut and dry to me. What reason would you have to assume the same hadn't happened to us?" she asked, needing him to understand there was nothing the Troopers might have done. "I'm not really getting this guilt you're all carrying around," she added gently.
Guilt was a burden the Senshi carried, but that was different to her. It'd been her world that had suffered in her absence. Her friends that had been lost because she hadn't been there to help. It was difficult for her to believe that she hadn't even thought, the entire time she'd been in the Underworld, about what might be happening back home.
How could she be so oblivious? She'd been too busy crushing on Touma and trying to prove that she could beat any odds that she'd lost sight of what had been important. What if the Outer Senshi or Luna or Artemis had tried, somehow, to signal them all, and they just hadn't been paying attention?
Had they perished believing the Guardian Senshi had abandoned them?
It made her sick to think about it. She fisted her hands in her lap, trying to get her emotions under control.
She wasn't going to be oblivious now.
The Troopers had taken them in, given their world a second chance, and she would fight to the end to ensure everyone here, the Troopers included, had a future worth looking forward to.
A calloused hand covered her own suddenly, gently prying the fingers of one fist open. Makoto blinked up at Seiji, not understanding the soft expression on his face.
"How were you supposed to know?" he parroted back at her gently. Makoto bit her lip, unable to maintain eye contact with him. She shrugged, swallowing her tears, not wanting to have a breakdown on a subway train in front of Seiji Date. She'd been weak enough to last her a lifetime at this point.
"I don't know. But I feel like we should've," she whispered back. "Just thinking about how my friends must have died….They must have been so scared. They must've thought I abandoned them…" she choked on the end of her sentence and put a hand to her face. She was not going to cry again.
She'd spent entirely too much time crying.
"Makoto," Seiji said quietly. Startled by the seriousness of his tone, she blinked up at him. When he had her attention, he smiled softly at her. "I can't imagine anyone who knew you well enough to call you a friend would think that about you."
Her eyes filled again, and she blinked furiously to clear them, snapping her gaze back down to her lap. That was probably one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to her. Especially someone she respected as much as Seiji. She forced herself to calm, and looked back up at him with a grateful smile.
"Thanks, Seiji," she replied.
They passed the rest of the train ride in comfortable silence.
When they arrived at Nasuti's, a tense silence greeted them when they opened the door. Seiji angled himself in front of her, entering the house without making a sound, and Makoto followed his lead. They peered into the living room with trepidation, relaxing when they noticed Shuu and Usagi locked in a video game battle.
Makoto chuckled as they moved on to the kitchen with a normal gait.
"Whew. That had me worried for a second there," she said, rubbing the back of her head. Seiji nodded. Makoto put down her purse with a sigh and moved to the refrigerator, opening it to take stock of their supply and what they might need for dinner.
Hmm. She could probably throw together some kara-age. A hand on her shoulder had her straightening, and she turned to take Seiji in with an inquisitive glance.
"Let's go see Ami," he said. Makoto sighed, but nodded reluctantly, closing the fridge and following him. She might as well get it over with so no one had to worry about her.
They made their way into Nasuti's office, and Makoto gasped when she caught sight of Ami.
She'd sustained enough damage that she was sporting numerous bandages. Makoto immediately felt guilty for not being around to help. Mercury was working furiously at her computer, Nasuti beside her, occasionally commenting. Ryo was seated in a nearby wingback chair, his face a mask of dark brooding.
And there was a giant white tiger just…snoozing under his chair. Makoto froze in the doorway. When Seiji turned, raising a curious eyebrow at her, she gave him a wide-eyed stare, pointing to the giant tiger everyone else in the room seemed not to notice.
Seiji chuckled. "It's ok. It's just Byakuen," he reassured her.
Oh right. Just Byakuen. Just a giant white tiger. She looked at Seiji.
"There is nothing just about a giant tiger," she muttered. "Are you sure he's not gonna eat somebody?" Ryo looked up then, an insulted scowl on his face.
"It's all right Mako-chan," Ami said, turning from her computer with a smile.
"Byakuen would never hurt anybody," Ryo grumped. He paused then, looking thoughtful. "Unless they deserved it, I guess," he added with a shrug. Makoto tried not to let her exasperation show on her face.
"Uh. That's not reassuring," she told him. The tiger's ears twitched then, and it lifted its head, giving her an intense stare that made her want to run from the room. She forced herself to hold her ground as the animal rose, approaching her. Cautiously, she held out a hand.
It sniffed at her, and then gave her a giant lick. Makoto let out a relived breath, feeling herself relax as the cat sat at her feet expectantly. Hesitantly, she reached out, giving it a scritch around the ears. It made a groaning noise, leaning into her touch, and she put more effort into the stroke, then gave his head a gentle rub down.
"Aw. He's cute," she said after a moment, feeling trepidation morph into affection. The tiger made another noise, then sighed, padding back to Ryo's chair and sprawling beneath it again to resume its nap. She looked at Ryo. "I didn't know you had a pet tiger," she said. "Where've you been keeping him?"
She tried to imagine Ryo living in a tiny apartment in the city with a giant tiger and almost giggled out loud.
Ryo and Seiji chuckled. "He's not really a pet," Ryo said, voice laced with affection. Seiji nodded.
"I'm pretty sure he keeps us in line," he added warmly. "Byakuen kind of does his own thing, but he hangs around Ryo most of the time. He's always around when we need him."
Oh. That made sense actually. She wondered if that was anything like Luna and Artemis. Seiji turned then, catching Ami's attention as he gestured at Makoto. "We had a run in with Nephrite," he explained. Ryo's expression went dark again as Ami rose, moving toward her.
"Mako-chan, are you all right?" she breathed.
"You're hurt," Ryo growled, a statement, not a question. Makoto flushed, hating the attention. Seiji nodded at Ryo, his face somber.
"Nephrite attacked when I went outside to call Shuu," he answered. Rekka's face darkened further and he looked back at her.
"You're ok?" he asked, echoing Ami. Makoto put her hands up.
"It's really fine. Just a couple hits. I shook 'em off," she tried to reassure them. Ami sighed.
"I'll just take a look," she said warily. Makoto frowned, but nodded, figuring it was best to get it over with.
Seiji and Ryo left the study, giving them privacy, and Ami bid her to sit while she and Nasuti gave her a quick once over. Makoto flinched once or twice as they examined her, unable to help it, feeling sore. Finally, Ami rose.
"You might have aggravated some older wounds, and I can see some additional hematoma forming, but nothing seems too grave. I'm not going to bandage anything but I want you to take it easy for a few days. No heavy lifting, no bending, no workouts. I mean take it easy," she intoned firmly. Nasuti nodded.
"I'll be cooking this week," she added, giving Makoto a no-nonsense look.
Makoto pouted then, wheedling. "Aw come on. I can definitely cook!" she protested, the idea of doing nothing for an entire week already making her antsy. Nasuti eyed her but sighed.
"Fine. But you let me do any heavy lifting," she conceded. Makoto beamed at her, feeling relieved.
"Totally!" she promised. Ami shook her head but began packing the contents of the first aid kit away.
The door swung open almost violently then, and Touma pushed in, looking upset. His shoulders stooped in relief once he caught sight of her, and then he turned his gaze to Ami and Nasuti.
"Is she ok?" he asked. They both nodded. Makoto scowled. She was right here. He could just ask her.
"Yes. But she's supposed to take it easy and relax the rest of the week or she's going to aggravate her injuries," Ami told him. When Touma shot her a determined, narrow-eyed look, Makoto groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"You guys," she tried. Ami simply shook her head again, raising a hand to express that she wouldn't argue further. Makoto sighed, following Touma out of the office.
As soon as they entered the hallway, she found herself wrapped in his arms.
"Are you really ok?" he asked her in a low voice, resting his lips against the crown of her head. Makoto forgot about her irritation, hugging him to her and burying her face in his shirt. She felt herself relax, finally, as his warmth and scent surrounded her. It was a little scary how much he could affect her already – how much she needed him, but she couldn't say she minded.
"I'm ok Touma," she whispered, turning her head and laying it on his chest so she could listen to his heartbeat. Its lullaby soothed her while he held her close. They were quiet for a moment, soaking in each other's presence.
"Oh hey. What'd you think about the shop?" he asked her, pulling back after a few moments, his expression a mix of eagerness and anxiety. Makoto didn't keep him in suspense, throwing her arms around his neck and launching herself to her tip-toes so she could kiss him full on the mouth.
"It's amazing! I love you so much!" she gushed, hanging around his neck and smiling up at him with a mushy expression. He chuckled, a light shade of pink dusting the bridge of his nose and the crests of his cheeks. He was so cute. She frowned then.
"It got a little wrecked today though," she said guiltily, looking down and playing with a button on his shirt.
"I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle," he replied gently, lifting her chin and giving her a quick peck on the forehead. She smiled at him, moving her arms to his waist and burying her face in his chest again, trying to ger her emotions under control.
It was a huge, what they'd done for her. And to treat what had happened like it was no big deal…Makoto took a deep breath, trying to force herself to be the same way. If they weren't getting worked up about it, she shouldn't either.
"Hey…are you sure you're all right? You seem a little shaken," he murmured, gently lifting her chin and studying her face. His gaze was sharp, but serene, his blue eyes searching her own for signs of discomfort or anxiety. She tried to bear herself up beneath the scrutiny and put on an unaffected face, hoping to keep her disquiet to herself.
"It's ok to be scared, Mako-chan," he whispered, pulling her close again.
She melted against him.
"Thank you," she whispered, not really sure what she was thanking him for, but knowing the gratitude she felt went deep.
"Heh. Well hey, it wasn't just me - it was a joint effort with Shuu and Seiji. They'll probably be able to help you get the business part of it going. I don't really know much about it, honestly, but Seiji and Shuu both run their own businesses technically," he replied, shifting the tone back to something lighter. Makoto beamed at him, leaning up to peck his cheek.
"You're all amazing, seriously. I can't believe you guys would do something like this for me!" she gushed again with a happy laugh. Touma gave her his own mushy smile, pulling her close and leaning down to kiss her like he meant it. When he pulled away, it was Makoto's turn to blush.
"You're worth it," he murmured softly.
He smiled at her tenderly, then scowled abruptly. "Just don't thank Seiji or Shuu with that much enthusiasm or I'll have to punch them," he grumbled. Makoto laughed.
"Mmm. You get special privilege," she agreed, leaning up to peck him on the cheek again.
"I wouldn't say no to a job as a taste tester either," he grinned, scratching the back of his head. He was absolutely too cute to resist, so she leaned up and kissed the grin right off his mouth. He deepened the kiss, and for a few moments, Makoto forgot her name.
"Mako-chan?"
Hmm. Right. Her name was Mako-chan. Makoto reluctantly broke the kiss, turning with a dopey expression still on her face. Ami was bright red, she noted, and then blinked, her own face turning red. Touma just looked put-out.
"Err, did you need something Ami?" she chuckled nervously, feeling warm from head to toe.
The warmth of her cocoon broke when she took in Ami's nervous smile.
"That was Rei just now on the phone. They ran into Kunzite," Ami replied, looking worried. Makoto frowned, the warm haze completely dissolved now. She'd figured Kunzite would have turned up elsewhere. Her heart began to pound in her chest.
"Is everyone ok?" Touma asked, his tone urgent. Ami nodded.
"Yes, it sounds like there were only minor injuries," she replied. "They'll be arriving in about half an hour."
Makoto and Touma nodded. "We'll tell the others", she replied to Ami, pulling away from Touma and grabbing his hand.
They rushed downstairs, meeting Seiji in the kitchen, mid-sip of water. Makoto frowned, trapped in her own thoughts as Touma broke the news. She agreed with Seiji – a direct confrontation would be best, and if they headed to the bogus Point D, they'd probably have that. She'd agreed at first that waiting was the best plan but…was it?
What if waiting ended up giving the enemy exactly what they were looking for?
