Chapter 24: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

[scene: The Midori household. Chief Midori is watching the game while Zoi comes in, slightly dazed.]

Chief Midori: Zoi?

Zoi: Yeah, dad, it's me.

Chief Midori: You're home early.

Zoi: I am?

Chief Midori: It's not even nine yet. Did you and the girls have fun?

Zoi: [still dazed] Yeah—it was a lot of fun looking at dresses.

Chief Midori: [concerned because he doesn't detect any sarcasm] Are you alright?

Zoi: I'm just tired. I did a lot of walking.

Chief Midori: Well, maybe you should go lie down.

Zoi: I'm just going to call Naru first.

Chief Midori: Weren't you just with her?

Zoi: Yes, but I left my jacket in her mother's car. I want to make sure she brings it tomorrow.

Chief Midori: Give them a chance to get home first.

Zoi: Right.

[He jumps as his phone rings]

Zoi: Hello?

Naru: Zoi?

Zoi: Hey, I was just getting ready to call you.

Naru: You made it home?

Zoi: You sound surprised.

Naru: We just got back ourselves. How did you have time to eat?

Zoi: [remembers Kunzite's crazy driving] I left my jacket in your mother's car. Could you bring it to me tomorrow?

Naru: Sure—

Usagi: [replaces Naru's voice on the phone] Oh, my god. Tell us what happened with you and Kunzite!

Zoi: Um… tomorrow, ok?

Usagi: Oh, is your dad there?

Zoi: Yeah, that's right.

Usagi: Ok…talk to you tomorrow. Bye.

Zoi: Bye, Usagi.

[The next morning, it's icy cold outside. Zoi dresses and looks for his jacket, then remembers he doesn't have it. He puts on a sweater and his army jacket and hopes it's enough. He walks downstairs.]

Zoi: Dad? [He searches but it's clear his father has already left for work. He figures he'll have to hurry to catch the bus.]

[He goes outside and Kunzite is standing in the driveway, with his arms crossed, leaning against his Maserati]

Kunzite: You father got called away, so I agreed to give you a ride to school this morning.

Zoi: [narrows his eyes] Mr. Overprotective asked the King of the Badboys to drive me to school in his fancy new sportcar?

[Kunzite smiles and nods]

Zoi: You messed with his mind, didn't you?

Kunzite: I see you're finally coming to your senses.

Zoi: [sad] I just don't want anyone messing up my dad.

Kunzite: Fine. It won't happen again. [Takes off his coat and holds it out to Zoi.] Here, I don't want you to get sick or something.

Zoi: I'm not quite that delicate. [puts on the coat anyway]

Kunzite: Aren't you?

[They get in the car and for a while they travel in silence as Kunzite drives to school and Zoi sniffs his coat.]

Kunzite: What? No twenty questions today?

Zoi: Don't my questions bother you?

Kunzite: Not as much as your reactions do.

Zoi: Do I react that badly?

Kunzite: No, that's the problem. You're taking all this a bit too well.

[They drive to school and Kunzite pulls into the lot next to a red Ferrari.]

Zoi: Whose is this?

Kunzite: Nephrite's. Ostentatious isn't it?

[They get out and meet at the front of the car.]

Zoi: Shouldn't you be trying to blend in?

Kunzite: We all like to drive fast.

Zoi: Figures.

[Behind them Usagi rises behind a park bench, staring back and forth from Zoi to Kunzite. She tried to duck before they see her but she's not fast enough. Over her arm is Zoi's jacket.]

Kunzite: [polite] Good morning, Usagi.

Usagi: Er…hi. [stares at how Kunzite's coat hangs on Zoi's tiny frame] We saw you from the bus stop and Naru wanted me to give you this…[holds out the jacket]… I guess I'll you see you in class?

Zoi: [Takes his jacket] Yeah, I'll see you then.

[Usagi ducks back down behind the bench and tiptoes away]

Zoi: [Removes Kunzite's coat and replaces it with his own jacket] Great, now the whole school is going to want to know what's going on between the two of us.

Kunzite: So what are you going to tell them?

Zoi: I could use a little help. I don't know what's really going on, so if you don't give me something plausible, everyone is just going to assume that you're gay and that we are secretly dating.

Kunzite: Hmmm… I suppose you can tell them I am, and we are. [catches a stray lock of Zoi's hair and tucks it back into place] That is, if you don't mind.

Zoi: [Weak in the knees] I don't mind.

Kunzite: [smiles and walks away] I'll see you at lunch.

[Zoi turns and notices several people are staring at him. He blushes deep red and walks to class.]

[Later, after class, Usagi and her girlfriends mob Zoi in the hall.]

Usagi: Tell us everything!

Zoi: [mortified] What do you want to know.

Rei: What happened last night?

Zoi: He bought me dinner and then he took me home.

Rei: And to think, this whole time Minako's been barking up the wrong tree.

Minako: [smiles and nods] Well if I can't have him, I'm glad he's with one of my very best friends, so we all mack on him vicariously.

Naru: How did you get home so fast?

Zoi: He drives like a maniac. It was terrifying.

Rei: Was it like a date? Did you tell him to meet you there?

Zoi: No – I was very surprised to see him there.

Minako: [dubious] But he drove you to school today?

Zoi: Yes – that was a surprise, too. He noticed I didn't have a jacket last night.

Minako: Right. He meets you for dinner last night…

Rei: …and you show up for school the next morning in his car, wearing his coat.

Minako: You know what that looks like don't you?

Zoi: Um…no.

Rei: It looks like *someone* didn't make it back to his own bed last night.

Minako and Rei: [sing] Walk of shame, walk of shame.

Zoi: [appalled] No… it's not like that.

Minako: Did he kiss you?

Zoi: [annoyed] No.

Usagi: Are you going out again?

Zoi: He's giving me a lift to Seattle next Saturday so I don't have to take a bus. Does that count?

Minako: [starry eyed] Oh, yes.

Zoi: Well, then yes.

*SQUEEEEEEE!*

Minako: Do you think, this Saturday…?

Zoi: …What?

[Minako and Rei hold hands, put their faces close together and make kissing sounds]

Zoi: [frowns] I really doubt it.

Usagi: What did you talk about?

Zoi: I don't know. A lot of stuff.

Minako: [whimpers and clutches her books] Please, Zoi. This is Kunzite we're talking about. I need details!

Zoi: [catty] Well, you should have seen the waitress flirting with him. It was over the top. But he didn't pay attention to her at all.

Usagi: That's a good sign. Was she pretty?

Zoi: Very. And probably nineteen or twenty.

Usagi: Even better. He must like you.

Zoi: I hope so, but it's hard to tell. He's so cryptic.

Naru: [mumbles] I don't see how you're brave enough to be alone with him.

Zoi: Huh? Why?

Naru: He's so…intimidating. I wouldn't know what to say to him.

Zoi: [nods] I do have a problem staying coherent around him.

Minako: Well, duh! He is unbelievably gorgeous!

Zoi: [sighs] There's more to him than that.

Minako: Huh? What more can there be?

Zoi: I don't know how to explain it… but he's even more incredible than he looks.

Minako: Is that even possible?

Usagi: [Gives Zoi a come hither look] So you like him, huh?

Zoi: Yes.

Usagi: I mean you really, really like him.

Zoi: [blushing] yes.

Usagi: [pervy faced] How much do you like him?

Zoi: [looks down] Too much. More than he likes me.

[The girls sigh sadly and give him wistful looks as they all break off to go to class]