"Oh, hello, Serena."said Darien. "Hi, girls. Ami, you're better!"
As soon as he mentioned Ami's name, they heard the sound of glass breaking. Darien was about to think that Serena had done it, when he remembered that Serena was in front of him at the door.
"Zoisite?"he asked.
Ami almost dropped the book she was holding.
"He's here?"she asked in a distressed whisper.
"Uh, yeah."Darien said. "He's studying with me."
"I…had no idea."said Ami, blushing to the roots of her hair.
"But come in."he said, pleasantly.
"I really can't stay long, actually."she said. "I simply wanted to…give this…to"
"To Zoicite."Mina finished eagerly, and pushed Ami in. "Who'd have thought we'd find him here!" Matchmaking was something she loved, especially her friends.
"Oh, hello."said Zoicite. "It simply slipped."he said, attempting to clean up the mess, but only making it bigger by stepping on the glass.
"I'll do that."Darien said, taking the broom from Zoicite.
"Um, it's a good thing I don't take off my shoes, isn't it?"he said, realizing there were shards of glass stuck to the bottom of his shoe.
"Well, since Ami couldn't come by herself, we had to come with her."said Mina making herself at home.
"Oh, yes!"Serena added.
"She's too shy, but she was saying about how you've been so nice to her, and all that, and she decided to buy you a gift. It's something very special. It'll definitely make you think about Ami every time you see it."she added eagerly, picking up a cup of tea Darien handed her.
"Wow. Now even I'm curious. What could it be?"asked Darien.
"It's nothing."said Ami quickly.
Mina grabbed the bag from Ami's lap. Ami tried to seize it back.
"It's not much, but it's very romantic, I'm told."said Mina, eagerly.
"It sounds like a very nice story."said Zoicite, reading the cover. "I like the names in it."he said. "Thank you very much. I really will think of you every time I read it."
Ami blushed, wanting to disappear. Mina would certainly hear her when this was over, and there was no audience except for the other girls.
"Well, why don't you start reading it?"demanded Serena. "I love romance!"she took Darien's hand, and snuggled closer to him.
"I'll read it."offered Lita. "I love to read aloud."
She took the book from Zoicite, and began on the first chapter, about the Oblonskys. While she read, she had a little trouble with some of the names, but did the character's voices splendidly.
"I never knew you had such a talent for reading aloud."said Rei.
"Oh, I hardly have anyone to read to, so sometimes I read to my flowers, or just for myself."said Lita, beaming, as she reached the part where Levin would be meeting Oblonsky's sister-in-law at the lake.
"I don't get it."said Serena, disappointed. "There was hardly any romance in it."
"Well, the story's just starting, isn't it?"said Mina. "But I can already tell it's going to be very romantic. It sounds like this Levin really does love her. Just from the way he thinks about her, and describes her."
"I certainly know how he feels."said Zoicite.
Darien nodded.
"Yes."he looked at Serena. "It's a very wonderful description. It's almost reading my mind."he said.
Zoicite nodded. That was exactly how he felt. He identified perfectly with Levin. He hoped that perhaps he could learn something from the character. If Levin had the same problem he did, perhaps he figured out how to solve it.
"Well, I'll certainly read it! Now I must finish the whole thing. The story has intrigued me completely. I can't wait to see what happens next!"
"Ah! That'll have to wait until tomorrow."said Mina cheerfully.
"But Mina, the book belongs to him. Ami gave it to him."said Lita, handing the book to Zoicite.
"But he'll have to tell us everything!"
"Or we could just check it out at the library."
"Normally, I'd let you borrow it."he said. "But I have to finish it first."