Chapter Three
"There are certain aspects of this contract that worry me. How are you going to ensure me that your company isn't trying to sneak something past me?"
Mamoru was brought back to reality as the balding old man demanded an answer from him. Standing up to meet the shorter man, Mamoru sighed deeply, praying for patience, as well as an end to this day.
"Hayashi-kun, I assure you that we have taken your interests, as well as our ow, into consideration in the drafting of this contract. Everyone will benefit. You will see on page thirty-two, fourth paragraph, that there is an easy-out clause in case of dissatisfaction for either party involved." Mamoru could only hope that this would be enough to placate the man. Whereas he would usually throw himself into his work, he was finding that his environment was draining all interest in the matter at hand.
"I understand your position, Chiba-kun. Please excuse my hostility." The man took his seat again at the head of the long table, placing his head in his hand. "This is my life's work that we are discussing. I don't think you can understand everything I have given up to ensure the success of this company. And now it's being taken from me by a conglomeration... Just another company to chew up and spit back out."
Recognizing the distress in the man, Mamoru took a step closer to him and lowered his voice in a comforting manner. "While I may not completely understand your situation, I do understand the sacrifices you must have made for your life's work. Please believe me when I tell you that I have no interest in destroying your company or risking what I know is so important to you. You will be taken care of, your current employees will be taken care of. I do not intend this to become a hostile takeover. This is our attempt to give you the best options for your company and my own."
There was silence as Mamoru allowed him to absorb his offer.
"Could you give me just a few more days to think it over?" the man pleaded.
"Certainly, Hayashi-kun. Take your time and get back to me in a couple of days. This is a big decision." After a final pause in order to assure that nothing else would be said, Mamoru silently walked out of the conference room and toward the elevator.
At least that was over.
Usagi sat silently in the red-and-white-striped booth, her hands cupping the glass of her untouched milkshake, staring at the slowly-melting whipped cream topping, as her friends chatted happily around her.
"And it's Friday! The weekend is finally here!"
"I swear that felt like the longest week ever..."
"I can't believe my professor would give me a pop quiz on a Friday! Way harsh!"
Ami was the first to notice that Usagi was not taking part in the conversation. In fact, it seemed as if she had traveled to the moon. "Usagi-chan? Are you alright?"
The blunette's soft voice interrupted the previous chatter, creating silence as the other three girls noticed the absence of Usagi's attention. When Usagi did not immediately answer, Rei attempted to bring her back to reality. "Hey Odango! You haven't wolfed down your milkshake yet. What's wrong, someone run over Luna or something?"
Noticing the nickname, Usagi finally seemed to rejoin her body, bringing her attention to Rei. "Don't call me Odango, Pyro." She then noticed how cold her hands had become and removed them from the frozen glass, rubbing them together to regain warmth.
Five heads turned as a familiar voice was heard moving towards them, "Usagi-chan, you haven't finished your shake yet. Is something wrong with it?"
Usagi gave a half-smile to the man who always seemed to take care of her, "No Motoki-onii-san, it's fine. Just haven't gotten around to eating it yet, that's all."
"You know, Usagi, you haven't eaten much at all lately. What did you have for lunch?" Makoto asked worriedly.
Usagi turned her attention to the brunette, giving her the same empty half-smile, "Don't worry about me, Makoto. You know it's just been a crazy day. But at least it's Friday!"
"No kidding! I don't think I could have taken another day of classes!" Minako seemed to bounce in her seat slightly. "Speaking of, what are the plans for tonight, minna?"
"Movies at my apartment? We can stop by the store and pick up some snacks before we head over. Or I could cook! Which would you prefer, Usagi?" The foursome faced the blonde again, only to find her staring blankly ahead. "Usagi? Wouldn't you like me to cook tonight?" It seemed even the promise of Makoto's cooking couldn't take Usagi's attention from the front of the parlor. All emotion seemed to be removed from the blonde and the color was quickly draining from her already-pale skin.
"Usagi? What's wrong?" Minako asked worriedly. Her head whipped around, curious to find the object of Usagi's disturbed gaze. Her breath seemed to escape her as she recognized the all-too-familiar head of black hair, piercing blue eyes, and intimidatingly handsome features. The well-built figure moved from the entrance of the arcade, his hands busying themselves with the task of removing the silk tie from around his tailored collared shirt. While her booth had suddenly quieted itself, the rest of the arcade's customers continue to ramble boisterously, not recognizing the importance of this moment.
However, Minako's reverie was disturbed as she heard Rei's voice over the hum of the crowd, "What the fuck is that asshole doing here?"
Worriedly, Minako turned back to observe Usagi's reaction to the sudden appearance of the man who was never mentioned, as well as to Rei's outburst. It seemed the noise had drawn the attention of several on-lookers, but Usagi's face remained terse and unchanged. Rei suddenly moved from the booth, shaking the table as she stood, then charged toward the unaware man near the doors. Makoto quickly followed the furious woman, hoping to calm her, but also to be sure that she was in on the action. Minako was still, however, more concerned with the vacant expression on Usagi's face.
Rei wasted no time using the element of surprise to back the shocked man against the solid wall of the building. "You must have some kind of death wish to show your face here. You think witnesses will stop me from doing to you what I've wanted to do for three years?"
The man's blue eyes widened in shock at sudden attack by the smaller woman. He the noticed the amazonian woman behind her, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder, while she glared up at him in warning. "Now Rei-chan, don't do anything that you will regret."
"There's nothing I could do to this asshole that I wouldn't regret," she responded threateningly.
Motoki, reacting quickly to the disturbance, attempted to place himself between the raging priestess and his affronted friend. "Rei-chan, at least don't do this at my arcade. For my sake. And for Usagi's sake as well."
The three sets of eyes quickly turned to him. "I don't think Usagi would mind too terribly if I removed him off the face of the planet, Motoki."
"Even so, I don't think she would like to witness it, Rei," he mocked, hoping to calm her down somewhat. At that, midnight blue eyes seemed to brighten and widen, as he immediately searched for that unforgettable face.
"She's here?" He said it in a low tone, not realizing the response it would trigger from the two irate women.
He immediately felt himself pushed harshly back into the wall, his eyes cringing in pain. "Even if she was here, what makes you think we would let you near her?" The furious voice came from the brunette who had been the calmer of the two before his unintentional outburst.
"Makoto-chan, Rei-chan, let the poor man go. I think he's got the picture." Once again Motoki attempted to place himself between the feuding trio. He was finally able to remove Makoto and Rei from their hold on his friend.
"Just one hit, Motoki. Just let me have one hit!" Rei attempted to charge the man who was putting his hands up in surrender, but Motoki maintained his control over her.
"Rei! Stop it!" The four heads turned to gaze at the angry blonde across the arcade. "Leave him alone." The commanding tone in Usagi's voice gave no room for disagreement. Suddenly more subdued, Rei and Makoto made their way back to the booth they previously vacated.
As they slid in the round booth beside their friend, they observed the change in her as she seemed to adopt a regal aura.
"Usagi, why..."
Usagi interrupted Rei quickly, raising one hand in protest. "There's no reason to hurt him, Rei."
"No reason? I can give you about fifty reasons why he deserves to leave in an ambulance!" Rei shouted in rebuttal.
"Excuse me..." The deep voice caused the girls to look over at the man they never thought they would see again. They looked up at the tall man who looked uncharacteristically nervous. He could only stare at Usagi in amazement. "Would you mind if I spoke with you for a moment?"
"Over my dead body!" Rei screamed in protest.
"Rei, I don't think he was talking to you." Usagi said quietly, unable to take her eyes off of the man who broke her heart three years ago. While she portrayed an air of confidence, she was a jumbled mess of emotions. There were so many questions running through her head, demanding answers. The only thing keeping her from falling apart in front of this man was her need to get those answers. "Would you let me out, please?" She looked to the side where two bodies were keeping her from exiting the corner booth.
"I don't think so!" Rei responded.
Ami shook her head and stood up to allow Usagi to pass through the opposite side, "Rei, calm down. This isn't any of our business."
Taken aback by the Ami's unexpected statement, Rei let out a breath and crossed her arms in defiance. As Usagi slid out of the booth gracefully, her friends could only look on as she walked toward the employee-only door which led to the secluded back room of the arcade. Mamoru could only follow behind silently, wondering what she would say.
Wondering what he would say.
Mamoru quietly shut the door to the back room and turned to find the petite blonde woman facing away from him. He felt like his heart was going to fly out of his chest, the speed of its beating only increasing as he waited for any words to be spoken. As he waited to hear her voice again. He had to see her face. Wanted her to look at him in that way which always managed to make him lose his breath, wondering what good deed he had done in some past life to deserve the love of such an amazing woman.
But he lost that love. Now, he knew, he had to gain it back.
He was brought out of his reverie as he heard her question, her voice floating softly through the enclosed room, "You wanted to talk to me?"
He could only nod in response, before he realized that she couldn't see the motion, so he took a deep breath, trying to figure out exactly what it was he intended to say to her. "Yeah..." Wow, really eloquent, he thought to himself as he put his hand to his temple. There was silence before he took a deep breath, "Usako..."
His eyes doubled in size as he realized what had come out of his mouth so unexpectedly. And that was what it took for Usagi to have the courage to turn and face him. As he looked at the face he remembered as his angel, he noticed the many emotions that flew through her sparkling eyes: surprise, shock, anger, fear. Fear? Was she afraid of him?
"You don't have the right to call me that anymore." He noticed then that she seemed to be shaking, her arms sitting tightly against her small hips. "What exactly did you want to talk to me about?"
"I..." he searched for an answer he knew he didn't have, "I don't know. I just had to talk to you. I wanted to be near you again."
That was all it took for Usagi to lose any control she had and she exploded, tears pouring down her face as she stomped over to Mamoru, attempting to look as intimidating as possible, and stopping mere inches from his presence. "How dare you say something like that to me! After three years!" Mamoru could only stand silently, giving her the time he knew she needed to release her pent-up emotions. "I spent three years trying to forget everything about you! Trying to forget all of the pain you put me through! Trying to forget how much I loved you! Trying to forget how you gave up on us!"
"How I gave up on us?" he questioned, suddenly angered by her insinuation, "You are the one who broke up with me!"
END CHAPTER THREE
AN: Hello dear readers! I am back after an unexpected hiatus - and for that, I apologize. The motherboard of my laptop fried after three long years. Wow, what a coincidence... Just realized that! Ha! But now I have a MacBook Pro! (That's right, be jealous) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! And, as usual, as soon as I start writing one chapter I get the inspiration to continue writing another! So expect a new chapter within the next couple of days! Please review as I have needed encouraging words over the past few days...
Love!