Under the Same Roof - Chapter Five
By: Moments of Insanity
Date : 30 Jan 2006
Revised Date :
Disclaimer: not mine
Author's note: English is not my first language. I had to try my best to tackle the horrible English grammar. If you see any blatant mistake Please review, and drop a note. Also Constructive criticism will be most appreciated.
This is a "nothing-much" happens fiction, as in no enemies, no conspiracy, just a scribble about two ordinary people learning to live together.
Zale trudged back home, eyes sore from staring at the computer monitor for the whole day. Fighting a yawn and shivering from the winter chill, he fumbled to insert the key into the keyhole, while his mind miles away from reality. Once he opened the door, he frowned stupidly at a pair of leather shoes neatly placed next to the front door.
It was obviously not his.
The next thing he registered was the smell of pasta in the house, then the sounds of chairs scraping against the floor. He looked up, and saw his flat mate smiling gingerly at him.
She was wearing an apron, her hands, wrapped in a tea towel, held a small pot of pasta sauce. Strangely, the image warmed his heart as it had for the last two months.
"I'm back," words felled from his lips, a gentle smile on his face.
"Welcome back," Ami said softly. She waved the pot lightly, as if to draw his attention. "Dinner? It's just spaghetti Bolognese."
"Yes, please." However, Zale's smile slipped away instantly when he saw a stranger with his back facing him, sitting at the dinning table. He frowned lightly though he couldn't pin point the reason for the sudden annoyance.
Ami noticing his change of expression and immediately a feeling of anxiousness crept over her. Her guest stood up, hovering behind Ami, his dark locks fell over his midnight blue eyes which twinkled merrily.
"An introduction would be nice, Ami." A smooth voice with a hint of suppress mirth teased Ami while at the same time reminding her manners.
She halfheartedly glared at her guest, "Mamoru, this is my flat mate Enkai Zale. Mister Enkai, please meet my friend, Chiba Mamoru."
Instantly, the part of the tension Zale felt left. He recognized the guest as the man from the group photos, standing protectively behind a cheery girl with pigtails. Still cautious while wondering at their relationship, he extended his hand, "Please to meet you."
Mamoru in turn politely gave a firm handshake while examine his friend's flat mate. A relaxed smile hovered on his lips, "Seemed like Makoto and Rei's opinion wasn't all that exaggerated."
Ami softly released a sigh that she didn't even realize she was holding. "And what would that be?" Ami asked curiously, carefully placing the hot pasta sauce on the table then bringing the rim of her cup to her dry lips. Zale took his seat next to Ami as Mamoru had taken his usual seat across Ami's.
"That your flat mate would be a very good husband material," Mamoru calmly replied, passing the pasta to Zale. Zale startled while Ami looked at him skeptically. "Makoto's word, not mine." Mamoru defended himself while helping with the pasta sauce. "Rei simply said she managed to find another gentleman, which is a great compliment, mind you." Mamoru nodded towards Zale.
Zale surreptitiously cast a side glance at Ami who had a quirky smile on her face as if amused by some secret joke. Somehow her particular response was slightly disappointing.
"By the way, I didn't know you cook," Mamoru addressed Ami while spooning a generous amount of pasta sauce on his noodle.
"Not mine, Makoto made me a batch," Ami replied. "You all know my main staple is sandwiches." She paused a while when she sampled the dish. "THist is quite good; Makoto hasn't lost her touch yet."
"She's still honing her skill," Mamoru smiled.
"As she said, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach," Ami quoted solemnly.
Zale cracked a smile, it was seldom to see this side of Ami. Was it because of Mamoru's presence? For some reason he wanted to see this side of Ami more often.
"So did Makoto managed to get into you heart through your stomach?" Mamoru's question startled Zale out of his reverie.
Zale cast a furtively glance at Ami who was sampling the pasta dish with a delighted expression. She glanced at him, curiosity shown through her eyes as she waited for his answer. Again squashing the feeling of disappointment, "nearly," he replied with a shaky smile.
"Well, she still have some chances then," Mamoru murmured.
Ami asked curiously, "Why are you all the sudden interested in our love lives?" At Zale's questioning glance, Ami clarified, "Mamoru had been nosing about mine."
"Ah well, because I'm about to settle down myself soon," Mamoru smiled happily while munching on it. "And I would really like to see my friend also getting married and settling down."
"Marry?" Ami and Zale echoed. "How come I wasn't informed?" Ami indignantly demanded, while Zale smiled and politely offered his congratulations.
Mamoru looked shocked, "didn't Usako tell you?" At Ami's negative reply he murmured to himself, "surely Usako wouldn't have forgotten; the other girls will be screaming for our heads." He was secretly glad that Ami had a mild temper and would not blow up unlike the other three girls.
"So when is your wedding?" Ami asked.
"Next two month, she is going to be a spring bride." Mamoru replied with a goofy smile.
"We are planning to ask Makoto to be responsible for the catering of my wedding party." Mamoru continued. "I better make sure Usako did mention it to Makoto and the other girls; she is getting all starry eyes over the wedding dress magazines."
"Why don't you tell them yourself?" Ami asked curiously.
Mamoru gave Ami a deadpanned look as if questioning Ami's intelligent, "And let them grilled me over the most embarrassing moment of my life? Don't be silly."
They ended the night with small talks. Zale, being a perfect host, got along with Mamoru perfectly as if they known each other since forever. Of course the fact Mamoru getting married might add to the extra dose of friendliness. However Zale had yet to figure out the reason for his change of attitude though he had a smidgen of idea.
After Mamoru left, both began the chore of washing up. There were no need for communication Zale realized; the routine had already become a habit. She would clear the table while he washed the dishes. Humming along with the music on the radio he was obviously in a very good mood.
"Had a good day?" Ami asked as she picked up the dish towel and proceed drying the dishes Zale finished washing.
"Quite, though a bit tiring," Zale smiled contently. However he stiffened when Ami suddenly drew closer and proceed to pulled his sleeve up that had been slowly edging toward the soap suds filled water.
Ami pursed her lips at the offending sleeve that refused to stay up. "Stay still," she ordered to the offending piece of clothing while she leaned over to rolled up the sleeve. Zale unconsciously held his breath, his eyes traced over the profile of her face as if to print her image into his memory.
"There," Ami gave a small smile, and when she realized Zale in a daze, "Are you alright? Are you too tired? I could do the dishes as well." Her questioning snapped him out of his daze.
"I am fine," Zale stuttered out, "Really," he repeated again when Ami gave him a skeptical look before she picked up the dish towel again. Both worked in silence as Christmas songs played in the background. Remembering something, he asked, "Are you going back home to celebrate Christmas with your mother?"
Immediately Ami's eyes darkened, "no, she's called off to a conference in America and ..." Her shoulders sagged slightly that unless Zale was looking at her intently he wouldn't have noticed.
"What about a party here then?" Zale blurted out suddenly, the idea came out before he could even think about it. Baby blue eyes looked at him in surprise. "We could invite Mamoru and his fiancée, and your other friends," Zale rushed out hurriedly.
"It would be great!" Ami smiled enthusiastically, "Makoto and Rei are living alone so it will be great celebrate Christmas together. Minako would love to meet new people."
"And I would love to meet Miss Usagi," Zale added cheekily, "I really would like to meet the girl who had Mamoru wrapped around her little finger." Both laughed at the memory of Mamoru's besotted smile during the dinner.
"And Ryo, my boyfriend," Ami blushed lightly. "It had been a long time since I saw him."
The happiness in Zale suddenly dispersed in a whoosh as he felt something twisted painfully at the region of his heart. Ryo? The brown hair boy in the photo he saw months ago. "Yeah," he added weakly. He quickly dried his hand and picked up the garbage bag next to the counter. "I'll throw the rubbish out." He hurriedly left before Ami could response.
Heaving a great swing, he threw the garbage bag into the bins and listened to the satisfying thud, although it did not help to sooth the distress Zale was currently feeling.
He sighed dejectedly. It just wasn't his day today and the reason behind it was less hazy now. He leaned against the wall next to the dumpster and began to ponder. Both he and Ami had been flat mates for two months. Both had gotten along pretty well, well to an extent that Zale had thought of Ami as a permanent fixture of his life like Jay and the other guys. Of course the fact that Ami had been so busy with schoolwork that he hardly ever saw her socializing much less going to the date might contribute to that idea. It was the appearance of Mamoru tonight that suddenly cast a new light on Ami. She had a social circle that he had no knowledge of. And that idea rankled him, as if Ami was slowly moving away from him. Maybe that was why he suggested the idea of the party. One reason was to know her friends but most importantly because of the forlorn look on her face when she mentioned that her mother would not be in town. At that instant he had this urge wrap a comforting arm around her.
All was fine until she mentioned her boyfriend. That threw him off balance; he panicked and used the excuse of taking out the garbage to escape. His frown grew deeper as he thought about this Ryo character. He never saw her dated through out the two months. Hell, even when Ami moved in, Ryo had not lent a hand.
He sighed dejected. The moment he realized he wanted Ami more than a friend, was the moment he realized she was taken.
What a bloody day.
"Mister Enkai," He looked up and saw Ami standing at the side looking very uncomfortable. "Are you alright?" she asked softly.
"Yeah," he answered and sighed again, "I guess." He hide his frown as he looked down on the floor. Mister Enkai…even the way she called me mocked the distance between us. He pushed away from the wall. "Why are you out?" he asked as he led the way back home.
"Just to make sure you're alright? Surely taking out the garbage does not need a quarter of an hour." Ami replied gently trying to provoke a smile from the easy going guy next to her, blue eyes scrutinizing for any clue.
Leaf green eyes looked down. He inwardly smiled bitterly. At least she cares. "Yeah, just thinking. Some soul searching question." Looking back at Ami and gave her a flippant smile to pacify her concern. He mockingly frowned, "Ami, I had been thinking." Immediately Ami stiffened and looked alert. "It has already been two month since we lived together and there is something that concerned me greatly."
Ami looked at him worriedly. Zale smirked slightly inwardly, enjoying the way Ami squirmed uncomfortably, after a moment of two, just to drag out the suspense, "surely I'm not that old to have to be called Mister Enkai."
Ami rolled her eyes, her shoulder relaxed, "Surely that's not the soul searching query you had for that past quarter of an hour." She accused, inwardly somewhat disappointment that Zale did not tell her his problem.
"It is!" Zale protested.
"Next to a dumpster."
"But it is important," Zale insisted, his stubbornness astound himself. Perhaps psychologically he could be near her through the change of name.
Ami smiled sheepishly while bashfully added, "Sorry, I'll try next time."
"Good," Zale declared. "Cause I will never call you Miss Mizuno; that sounds like a spinster's name."
"Are you jinxing me?" Ami mockingly asked.
Zale simply gave her a smile. Maybe having Ami as a stepsister will not such a bad idea, At least then I am more than just a friend. At least then I could be by her side.
Okay, I just gave a new definition to slow. This took me 10 months to publish. cring I am really really sorry. I hope there are still people reading this. Again this had been in my computer for a while in half bake form until someone dropped a review and reminded me that I still owe you guys some chapters.
Please read and review. And please drop notes where my grammar had gone drastically wrong and suggestions where I could improve.