ACT 8 – TRACES OF JADEITE

"MASTER!"

After waking up, Nobuo's eyes met Mamoru's eyes. Then those green eyes.

"Jupiter!"

Lips gluing, arms wrapping around chests, hands sliding along bodies.

Hot scene provoking different reactions: Ami blushed furiously and averted her eyes, her hands on her open mouth; Minako half-closed her eyes and carefully stared at the scene with a sly smile; Usagi opened her eyes and mouth wide in surprise and happiness; Rei folded her arms, shook her head and snorted, "You should be more discreet in public." Mamoru, Kazuo and Satoru simply smiled.

Nobuo and Makoto parted, their cheeks red and their breath heavy. He smirked and glanced at Rei, "Mars! Sassy as usual! Uh, yes, I should call you Rei Hino, now."

Rei tossed her long hair behind and frowned, "And you are unable to keep your emotions under control, as usual, Nephrite. Uh, yes, I should call you Nobuo Akanishi, now."

Nobuo laughed, his laugh exploding like a thunder in the room.

"It's time to introduce our actual identities." Kazuo had a step to Nobuo, "My name is Kazuo Kitamura." He smirked, "Nice to meet you. And, yes, Rei is right; you haven't changed."

"And I am Mamoru Chiba." Mamoru pointed at the others, "Usagi Tsukino. Minako Aino. Ami Mizuno. Satoru Minami." His smile grew wider when he pointed at Makoto, "And Makoto Kino." He kept on smiling, sad smile, now, "I was looking for you, Nephrite, and I have finally found you. I have found Kunzite and Zoisite, too; only Jadeite is missing, but we are going to find him."

Nobuo slapped his forehead, "Jadeite! Damn! I should have asked his name when I met him! If I had asked his name now - "

"Asked his name? Met? … What are you talking about?"

Nobuo rubbed his hair in frustration; he had a deep sigh and finally answered Mamoru's question, "I met Jadeite, twice. But I don't know his actual name. I don't know quite anything about him."

Mamoru slowly nodded, "Tell us everything you know."

Nobuo flopped into the armchair, "I met him twice. The first time, he bumped into me while I was walking in the street. He fell on the ground and I reproached him for running and not watching where he was going. In his falling, he cut his lower lip … just a small cut, though."

Satoru chuckled, "I can perfectly see the scene, especially your grumbling against him. Moron."

Kazuo grunted, "Satoru, please," a gentle trembling of his right eyebrow revealing his amusement behind his serious tone and features.

Nobuo casted an annoyed look to Satoru and kept on talking, "A big book slipped outside his shoulder bag, so I suppose he attends University. His look hasn't changed, always boyish," he smirked, "and, that day, I could have confused him with a High School's student but since he wasn't dressed with any High School's uniform and he had that book in his shoulder bag - "

"Did you see what kind of book? I mean, the book's title. If he attends University, we should try to find what Department."

Satoru smiled sweetly at Ami, "Good point, Ami-chan. But we should try to find also what University, beside the Department."

Nobuo nodded, "I attend Tokyo University but I have never met him there. He isn't at Tokyo University. And, no, I didn't see the title of the book, unfortunately."

Satoru shrugged, "Both Mamoru and I attend K.O. University, but we haven't ever met. So, there's the chance Jadeite too is at Tokyo University, no matter if you have ever met him. Keep your eyes open, while Mamoru and I will keep our eyes open at K.O. University."

Makoto handed Nobuo a cup of steaming coffee and smiled at him, "And the second time?"

Nobuo stared at the dark liquid in the cup, "He was having lunch at Arisugawa Park; he was eating a sandwich and drinking a can of hot coffee. He had his shoulder bag with him, on the bench. He was alone and he said he likes having lunch at Arisugawa Park, from time to time." He intertwined his fingers around the cup and half closed his eyes, "He told me that he felt like if we had already met, a long time ago."

Minako opened her eyes wide with curiosity, "Really? So, you talked with him, somehow."

Nobuo shook his head, "Not very much. We would have probably talked longer if some friends of mine hadn't entered the Park and called me. He ran away and told he was late for work."

Usagi gently scratched her right temple in confusion, "Work? And the book?"

Nobuo sipped the coffee and closed his eyes. He finally had a soft sigh, "I think he has a part time job while he attends University; I got this idea of him, that day, at Arisugawa Park. Unfortunately I had no chance to ask his name 'cause he ran away soon after hinting at us having met a long time ago; I don't even know why he said it, so abruptly and with no connection with our talking ... we were just talking about his lip and then about the Park. Honestly, I was planning to go to Arisugawa Park every day, at lunch, and looking for him in order to understand what was going on and if he had something to do with my memory's loss, but you have found me and fixed my memories before I could trail him. Sorry, but I can't be more helpful."

Mamoru walked to the window, slipped his hands in his jeans' pockets and stared at the sunset, "I think everything you're saying, Nobuo, is important and helpful. For starters, we know that Jadeite is out there, somewhere; he is in Tokyo, nearby Arisugawa Park, and it means nearby this place. We know he has lunch at the Park, from time to time, and, yes, I think you should try to meet him once more in order to complete the talk Jadeite started, Nobuo. And we know he attends University, even if we don't know what University and what Department, yet. Better than nothing: we have some traces of him, now."

"And, maybe, he has traces of us. Or, at least, traces of Nobuo."

Everybody turned to Satoru.

Satoru smiled, clever smile, and kept on talking, "Nobuo, you said that some friends of yours entered the Park and called you while you were talking with Jadeite, didn't you?"

Nobuo nodded.

"Did Jadeite hear your name?"

Nobuo grinned, "I guess he heard my friends calling my surname: Akanishi. Yes. But he doesn't know my full name."

"Your surname. Perfect! Jadeite is still dealing with confusion about his past years and his memory's loss. As you wanted to trail Jadeite in order to complete the talk your friends interrupted, I think Jadeite wants to complete that talk too. He isn't stupid, he is patient and he knows how trailing traces; he knows your surname, and maybe he is going to find you before you can find him." Satoru winked.

"But there's also the chance that Jadeite is going to hide from you, Nobuo." Kazuo shook his head and had a tender smile, "Jadeite is clever, patient and he knows how trailing traces, it's true, but he is also really prudent. He prefers to study things from the distance before to come to action. If Jadeite is confused about you and about how you are involved in his past, he could decide to avoid any sort of contact with you, studying the situation from the distance. Jadeite prefers a soft and wary approach to things, not a direct and strong one."

"That apathetic guy." A whisper, the first words from her after Nobuo's revelation. Rei kept her head down, her raven bags hiding her eyes but not a soft and caring smile. Her smile faded. Another whisper, "Nobuo, was Jadeite fine? I mean, did he look happy?"

Silence.

Nobuo finally spoke, "Lonely, maybe. A bit lonely." He had a sweet smile, "But Jadeite has always been a bit lonely, fleeing, and too calm. After all, this is what you have always liked of him; if he had been intrusive and direct, you wouldn't have fallen in love with him. You are two lone wolves, though you show it in a different way."

Rei stood up and walked to the bathroom, her eyes closed, her nose up and her long hair fluttering behind her, "I asked you if he looked fine, not a psychological analysis of me and him."

Another thunder in the room, Nobuo's laugh.

Rei entered the bathroom and rested her hands on the sink; she could finally let her emotions go. She looked at her figure reflected in the mirror: she was pale and she was trembling. But she was smiling.

Jun looked at his figure reflected in the kindergarten's window.

Akanishi. Nobuo Akanishi. So easy to find that guy's name.

"Hey, I don't know why but I feel like if we have already met, a long time ago."

"You too?"

You too: the sense of déjà-vu was mutual.

He knew his name. He knew where to find him. How funny, he attended Tokyo University, like him: Nobuo Akanishi, Law Student at Tokyo University, son of the famous Hideaki Akanishi.

He started trembling.

Was he going to know what happened to him, through that guy?

Moreover, did he really want to know it?

Waiting for your opinions.