ACT 8 – NEPHRITE, THE KNIGHT OF INTELLIGENCE AND COMFORT
Rei didn't want to be grateful to her father. She didn't want to accept any kind of gift from him, even if he was going to (accidentally) offer her something she was longing for.
Nobuo Akanishi, the son of Hideaki Akanishi, main member of the Democratic Liberal Party along her father Takashi Hino: could that guy be Jadeite? Or Nephrite? The timing of his missing and his coming back was fitting with the Shitennou's story. Or maybe it was just a generic guy casually sharing the timing with the Shitennou's missing and coming back.
She stared at the flames. She sensed that Nobuo Akanishi wasn't a generic guy, though.
Jadeite? Nephrite?
What if it was Jadeite? Was she really able to reject him as symbolic rejection of her father's plan? What if it wasn't Jadeite? How much time was she going to wait for meeting him, finally?
His grandfather entered the dark room, just the sacred fire lighting it, "Rei. Akanishi-san is here."
Rei had a sigh and stood up. She walked outside the meditation room and stopped when she reached the small yard in front of the Shrine; she half-closed her eyes, blinded by the strong and terse light of that early winter.
Her heart was furiously beating in her chest as she stared at the tall and dark silhouette at the center of the yard, trying to adapt her eyes to the strong light and focus on the figure.
Nephrite? Jadeite?
When she finally managed to recognize him, her heart wavered between two opposite emotions: disappointment (it wasn't Jadeite) and happiness (she could reject her father's plans for her with no regret).
Usagi grabbed a cookie from the big plate at the center of the living room's table and swallowed it, "Why is Rei-chan late?"
Minako rested her cup of tea on the table and answered Usagi's question, "This morning she told me she had something to do at the Shrine before to reach us. But she'll be here for dinner, don't worry."
Makoto came out the kitchen and grinned, "I am glad you all are here." She glanced at Satoru and Kazuo, "I am really glad to have you here for the first time, guys."
Satoru winked, "Ami told me you cook really well. I bet Nephrite will love it, when we'll finally find him."
Makoto blushed and laughed, "I hope to invite him too for dinner next time we'll have dinner at my place."
Kazuo nodded and smiled, "Who knows. Next time we'll have dinner here, both Nephrite and Jadeite will be with us, hopefully."
Makoto's cheeks turned red and her eyes sparkled, "Hopefully. Thanks, Kazuo-san."
Nobuo rested his cup of tea on the table of the Shrine's kitchen and stared into Rei Hino's eyes, "For starters, if I am here it's just to tell you that there's no way I am going to follow my father's plans. It isn't a secret why our fathers want us to meet, but I am not a puppet into my father's hands. I don't care about social opportunities or prestige. So, please, don't take it as personal. I prefer to talk about it to you, instead of simply refusing the meeting. I want you to know I am rejecting my father's plans and it has nothing to do with you."
Rei nodded, "We are on the same boat, here. You don't want to follow your father's plans, neither I. And I appreciate your honesty; you could simply refuse the meeting but you decided to explain me everything, thanks."
Nobuo blinked, "If you agree with me, why did you accept the meeting?" He smirked, "Were you planning to tell me the same things I just told you? You are determined, for sure."
Rei shook her head, "Honestly, I refused to meet you but I changed my mind when I knew about your missing three years ago and about your coming back some months ago. I guess you want to know what exactly happened to you, and I can help you." She slowly sipped her tea, giving him the time to absorb her words.
Nobuo stiffened and his eyes narrowed, "How do you know about it? How can you help me?"
Rei slowly stood up, "Do you want me to help you or not?"
Nobuo nodded.
"Well. Wait for me, please." She left the kitchen.
Nobuo had a deep breath and rested his hand on his closed eyes. He was confused, torn between the desire to leave that Shrine and that strange miko and the need to know and solve the mystery of his missing. Trapped in that indecision, he remained sitting at the kitchen's table until Rei Hino came back, changed from her previous miko's robes to a black long skirt and white sweater (an outfit a bit too classic and elegant for a teenager, Nobuo thought).
Rei smiled, "Please, come with me. I want you to meet a guy who can explain you everything. His name is Mamoru Chiba; he is the boyfriend of one of my best friends."
Nobuo silently followed her, walking behind her along Hikawa Shrine's yard and down the long stairway. He followed her along Tokyo's streets, observing her from behind. For sure that Rei Hino was beautiful, a refined and aloof beauty; her way of moving and talking, everything of her, showed her cold, fierce and somehow grouchy attitude. He smirked: beautiful but not his kind of woman; if someone had asked him what kind of woman he preferred, he would have answered he liked someone strong and brave but also caring and maternal. If Rei Hino wasn't his kind of girl, for sure his hot-temper and impulsiveness couldn't match her, neither; Mr. Hino's daughter was the kind of girl who needed somehow like – Nobuo giggled when it came to his mind – that strange blond guy: his aplomb could be perfect rubber for softening her sharp edges. He burst out laughing, surprised of his own silly thoughts.
Rei slowed down her pace and glanced at him, "Why are you laughing?"
Nobuo shook his head, "Sorry, just a silly thought."
Rei grumbled, "It isn't time for silly thoughts, now." She looked at the big building in front of them, "This is the place where my friend Makoto lives. She has invited me, Mamoru Chiba and the others for dinner."
Nobuo frowned, "The others? How many people?"
Rei smiled, "Don't worry. Come on." She walked to the building, entered it and walked to the stairs. When they finally reached the fourth floor, she turned to Nobuo, "Please. Wait for me in the hallway until I introduce you."
Nobuo had a sigh of disappointment, "If it's a joke, it isn't funny." He folded his arms, rested his back against the hallway's wall at the side of the door, and stared at Rei Hino knocking at the door and finally entering the apartment.
Nobuo had another sigh and listened to the voices behind the door, muffled voices:
"Rei-chan! You are late!" Childish and female voice.
"Sorry, Usagi-chan, I was busy at the Shrine. You know, at the end, I decided to meet that guy. I was with him." Rei Hino.
"WHAT? You told us you were going to reject your father's offer! Do you want to cheat on - " nervous twittering, female voice.
"Minako! Please, stay calm. Rei isn't cheating on anybody." Male voice, mature and paternal, interrupting the twittering. Nobuo wondered if it was Mamoru Chiba's voice; he felt strangely at ease, after hearing that voice.
Rei Hino, again. "That guy isn't that bad, after all. I am glad for meeting him. If you don't mind, I'd like to invite him here for dinner. Let me introduce you the son of Mr. Akanishi, Nobuo Akanishi, the guy my father hopes to become my future boyfriend." Amused laugh.
"WHAT?" Males and females voices fusing.
Nobuo snorted.
The door opened and Rei Hino peered out, "You can come in, now." She kept the door open for him, waited until he came in and closed the door, bursting out laughing again.
Nobuo's cheeks turned red for rage, "Hey! I am not here for you and your friends having fun of me! You, morons!"
Except the frantic laughing of Rei Hino, Nobuo realized the deep and shocked silence filling the room; he could sense everybody's eyes on him.
A crack.
Nobuo turned his head to the source of that crack: pieces of a plate at the feet of a tall (really tall) girl, her long brown-reddish hair in a ponytail and her green eyes staring at him; shocked eyes. He stiffened; those eyes, he had already seen those eyes.
"It's definitively him. Quick temper as usual. What a badass."
Nobuo glanced at the guy talking, a guy with long light brown hair in a loose ponytail sitting on the couch, his legs crossed and his upper leg gently swinging; the guy was staring at him with an amused smirk.
A grumble, "Satoru! Please!"
Nobuo focused on the second guy, a tall guy with long silver hair standing near the window, his arms folded.
That sense of déjà-vu, as the first time he met the blond guy, caught him when he focused on the two guys. Were those guys part of his forgotten past, all three of them?
His sense of déjà-vu was coupled with different emotions for each guy: he felt a sort of rivalry mixed with affection for the guy with long light brown hair, respect and esteem for the one with long silver hair, and protection for the blond - where was the blond guy?
Nobuo looked for the blond guy among the people in the room but, instead of the blond, his eyes met a guy with raven hair, his piercing blue eyes on him. The sense of déjà-vu became even stronger and shocking, coupled with deep emotions: total devotion and pure love.
"Nice to meet you, Nobuo."
Nobuo stared at the guy approaching and keeping on talking, his features softened by a calming smile.
"My name is Mamoru Chiba. But you knew me as Endymion. Do you remember me, Nephrite?"
Mamoru Chiba changed from his actual form to his past form. And Nobuo recalled everything of his past, his name, his title: Nephrite, the Knight of Intelligence and Comfort.
"MASTER!" He finally collapsed into his Master's arms.
Stay tuned for Nephrite (Nobuo) waking up and his reuniting with Makoto ;-)