CHAPTER TWO
The room was shrouded in darkness. Only the soft beams of moonlight shone through the cracks of the closed blinds, hitting the wooden floors and eclipsed into nothingness. The figure carefully observing the glimmers of light lay restless in a bed that did not belong to them.
Maybe that was the reason she couldn't fall asleep, Usagi thought to herself.
But she knew she couldn't hide the true reason.
After her near-mental breakdown earlier this evening, she knew there was no way Rei and her friends would let her go back to her house alone. Although Usagi insisted she would be fine, her friends were even more obstinate in their decision. So now she found herself in Rei's bedroom, her dark-haired friend lying next to her, facing the opposite direction. And, while she couldn't see them, she knew the three remaining members of the infamous group were sleeping soundly on the floor around them.
What a night…
Usagi spent the afternoon with Rei, studying for the class they had together. She took a short break to go to the bathroom, and when she returned she was met with the deafening sound of Makoto's anger.
He was here. In Tokyo.
As an unwanted sob escaped from her throat, three sets of eyes moved to her figure in the doorway. Usagi covered her mouth in a feeble attempt to stop the well of emotions from flooding, but it was futile. Rei, Makoto, and Ami stood in complete silence, as motionless as statues, waiting for whatever reaction was to come from their broken friend. They were immediately by her side as the first crystalline drop slid down her cheek. An instant barrage of sympathetic coos came from the group of girls as they surrounded Usagi.
"Usagi, we didn't want you to find out…"
"He's such an asshole!"
"I can't believe he would even show his face!"
But the statements only fell on deaf ears. While Usagi was surrounded by the three girls, it was suddenly as if she was completely alone. Usagi couldn't see anything in front of her, and the only sound she heard was her pounding heartbeat and heavy breathing, the intensity of the actions filling her ears. In a desperate attempt to ease the pounding, she placed her hand over her heart.
He was here? In Tokyo?
She was so close to him. If she wanted to, she could find him and see him.
Then the memories of that day came back… The feelings of abandonment and utter betrayal. She had been unable to deal with those feelings before, choosing instead to quell them. She had dismissed them so long ago, praying to whatever God would listen for peace. She needed peace. She knew she would never again find happiness without him, but she at least wanted peace.
But now, confronted with her suppressed emotions, Usagi wasn't sure if she could handle their implications. The façade she carried of control was shattered.
"Usagi? Usagi! Answer me!" Hearing the voice, Usagi refocused herself, her eyes suddenly meeting with Rei's concerned look. "Usagi, are you alright?"
And that was all it took for her to break down. Usagi collapsed in a limp pile on the floor, sobbing.
What happened afterward was a jumble of emotions. After collapsing, Makoto carried Usagi to Rei's bed as Ami called Minako. The girls spent the rest of the night in a desperate attempt to assuage their best friend.
Thinking back to the events of the evening, Usagi was reminded once again how incredibly lucky she was to have the most amazing friends she could ask for. She appreciated their willingness to put up with her for the past three years. She knew, of course, that she had changed since he left Tokyo. But never once did they leave her side. They never complained when she would get lost in her own thoughts. They were always there for her when she needed them, even if she didn't seem to appreciate their presence.
Usagi sighed and sat up slowly, careful not to wake the sleeping girl next to her. She looked around the room once again, ensuring that the three forms on the floor were actually asleep, and moved out from the bed. Not having planned a night at Rei's, she was still wearing her clothes from the day, pleased that she had chosen a pair of comfortable pants and a warm top to brace herself from the cold. She softly opened the door to the bedroom, checking once more to see that the girls were still asleep, and listened as the door clicked shut behind her.
She had to get out of here.
The winter air was biting against her exposed face, the wind causing her hair to blow softly in the same direction. She placed her hands in the pockets of the jacket she found in the closet before leaving the shrine. For the first time that night, Usagi wondered what time it was. It dawned on her that she hadn't brought her cell phone with her and she certainly didn't have keys to the shrine. She just hoped the girls didn't wake up, worried that she was wandering off to do something insane. As she walked along the street, she looked for any clock that might come up. Finally spotting one in a shop window, she noted that it was past midnight. Thank goodness she didn't have classes tomorrow.
After he left, Usagi poured herself into her studies. She realized her past dreams of building a family and taking care of her children were now lost and she had to find a new path. She would be successful. She wasn't sure what success meant to her anymore. But to everyone else, it seemed as if it had to do with getting the right job and making lots of money. So that was what she would do. Classes and studying took up much of her time and didn't allow her to think about what she might be missing. It was a distraction. And, until today, it worked.
Usagi took in her surroundings once more and was pleased to see the park in the distance. She picked up her pace and moved toward the green area. As she entered, she searched for her favorite bench in the middle of the rose garden, hoping to find a pleasant solitude there before she returned to the shrine. However, as she neared the enclosed area, she noticed a large, dark figure move behind the bushes. Intrigued, and slightly frustrated that her plans had been foiled, she moved closer to inspect the intruder.
She felt the wind leave her as she quickly recognized the shape of the figure sitting on her bench. In shock, Usagi was left frozen. Had anyone else been in the park, they would have certainly mistaken her for a statue. Finally, a slight movement by the man brought the face she had etched into her mind came into view, and Usagi couldn't help but take one more step to allow the features to become clearer. What was she doing? What if he saw her?
He was so close…
His dark head was resting between large hands. Hands she knew held more strength than her entire being, but hands that could be softer and more comforting than any others. His eyes were closed and Usagi was thankful. She knew exactly what to expect if he were to open those eyes. Any control Usagi may have currently had would have been lost. As the wind continue to blow, it tousled the well-groomed black locks, moving them out of place. He was completely silent as he sat there, obviously deep in thought. Usagi would give the entire world to know what was causing his features to twist in frustration. The man finally took a deep, shaking breath, reminding Usagi that she had forgotten to breathe herself in the past few moments.
As soon as she let out the deep breath, however, she felt her heart skip a beat as a phone began ringing. Terrified that it may have been her own, she calmed after remembering once more that she left it at the shrine. She took another step toward the man as he reached into his pocket to retrieve his own phone. Usagi gasped lightly as she heard his soft, deep voice float throughout the silent night air.
"Hello?" There was a pause as he listened to the response and Usagi couldn't help but wonder who would be calling him this late at night. Her breathing stopped again as she realized it was probably his girlfriend. She was removed from her musings, however, when she heard a change in his tone. He quickly became frantic.
"What are you talking about, Motoki?"
Motoki? That was who was calling him? Usagi saw him tense up suddenly, his posture becoming rigid. "What do you mean they can't find her?"
Immediately, Usagi knew Motoki had to be referring to her. She, too, tensed, and realized she had to get back to the shrine right away. Usagi turned and began running back the way she came. She had to get away from him before he saw her. He couldn't see her! She ran at top speed, fully aware of a second pair of feet moving in the dry winter grass behind her. She finally exited the park, continuing down the dark, vacant streets.
Minutes later, and panting heavily, Usagi reentered the shrine to find the lights on. She moved through the door quietly, hoping to avoid the rampage she was sure would follow her appearance. Almost as soon as she stepped through the threshold, however, four high-pitched voices shouted her name and she cringed.
"Hey guys…" she grinned at them meekly, hoping for some sympathy.
"Where the hell have you been, Odango? We've been worried sick! We had no idea where you could have gone off to!" Rei marched toward her, stretching her taller frame to hover over the small woman.
"I just went for a walk… I hoped you guys wouldn't wake up before I got back." Usagi's eyes searched the room to see the worry, fear, and anger on each face.
"You could've told one of us! And you left your phone! How could you be so irresponsible Usagi?" Rei fumed.
"I just," Usagi carefully chose her words, "needed some fresh air. I couldn't sleep." Noticing the faces around the room easing, she added, "I'm sorry. Really. I didn't mean to make you worry."
Minako sighed deeply before walking toward the other blonde, placing her hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "It's alright, Usagi," she said softly, "We understand. It's been a hard day."
Usagi looked away from her, "You have no idea…"
Rei walked toward her phone, "I need to call Motoki back and let him know that you're alright."
The statement took Usagi back to the scene in the park. She wondered is Mamoru had seen her during her exit. When he answered the call from Motoki, it certainly seemed as if he was worried. The thought created a glimmer of hope, before another replaced it. Maybe he wasn't worried. Maybe he was angry that Motoki would call him so late. And for the first time, a very important question entered Usagi's mind.
"Why is he here?" Usagi asked with conviction.
The unexpected question took the rest of the group by surprise.
"What do you mean, Usagi?" Minako asked cautiously.
"I mean, why did he come back to Tokyo? What is he doing here?" As Usagi continued to talk, her voice began to rise in frustration.
The four were hesitant to answer. What was with the sudden curiosity? What if she didn't like the answer?
Usagi, however, knew they were resisting. This only increased her level of annoyance. Her hands formed into tight fists and she stomped one foot. "Why is he here?" she demanded.
While the sight in front of them was anything but intimidating, they knew she wanted – needed – an answer. Rei sighed, "Motoki told me he's here for business."
Usagi's expression went blank. Business. Of course it was business. It was always business. He wasn't here for her. That was merely wishful thinking. Wishes that shouldn't have been made.
It was always business.
END CHAPTER TWO
AN: Another chapter down! I'm hoping to continue with the quick updates. I still feel like I'm oozing with ideas! Hope you enjoyed the new chapter and please let me know any thoughts you might have! You reviews brighten my day!