#52: Protector
Usagi forced herself to take one long breath to calm herself, as if she was preparing to dive into deep waters. She chewed on her lip for a few seconds, then resolutely strode up to the arcade counter.
"Mamoru, I need to talk to you."
The young man was caught off-guard for once. He had been sucking down a soda through a straw and in response to Usagi's comment, raised comically wide eyes to the girl. "Mff?"
"This is serious," she chided, seating herself on the stool beside him. "I need to ask you something and it's important."
Releasing the straw, Mamoru nodded mock-seriously. "You want to know how I got to be so dashingly handsome? Well, I suppose it began with my enviable genes..."
By this time, Usagi was rolling her blue eyes. "Trust me, there is no occasion to ask that."
"You mean it goes without asking."
"I mean," Usagi huffed, "I want to ask you know any cute, single college guys."
"Excuse me?" Mamoru asked in a dangerously low voice.
"I know it's a stretch," Usagi commented airily, "but hopefully even you have at least one good-looking friend who'd love to date a sweet high school girl."
There was an ominous crushing sound. Mamoru's empty Sprite can easily gave way to his grip, as if it were made of paper instead of aluminum.
"Oh, be careful with that. I wouldn't ask, but you know, there comes a time when every girl, no matter how strong, wants a man–a real man—to be there for her. To kind of be her protector, you know?" Wistfully, Usagi thought of a certain masked hero. "So, do you know of anyone?" she pressed the man before her, eyes raised imploringly to his.
Before he could bite out an unequivocal "NO ONE," a thoughtful expression crossed Mamoru's face. "You know, as a matter of fact, Odango, I know just the person."
Usagi fished a piece of paper out of her bag. "Great! Just tell him to come to this address at six o'clock Friday night! Thanks!"
If she had glanced back before she zoomed out the door, Usagi would have seen a disturbingly evil grin on Mamoru's face.
*
Usagi hummed to herself as she pranced around her room, pretending to tidy it up, but in reality making more of a mess than before. All of a sudden, the phone rang, and, seeing the caller ID, she hurried to answer it. "Hey Ami, what's up? How's your date going?"
"Usagi." Startled, Usagi practically jumped back from the phone. Had that been a...snarl?
"A-ami?" the blonde tried meekly.
"This guy is...batty. Umino's better than him." Ami shuddered as she peered over the partition separating the restaurant bathrooms from the seating area. Seated at a table for two was a nineteen-year-old with bottle-rim glasses, wearing a blue shirt with an "S" on it and a short red cape sewn to the shoulders. "He thinks he's a super hero."
"A protector," Usagi breathed.
I know of someone who wears such a shirt...they're definitely out there, lol. Please review! :)