"I'm home!" Usagi called, entering her home.
"Welcome home, Sweetie!" Ikuko happily greeted.
"Mom—why are you looking at me like that?" Usagi asked, slightly afraid.
"You had me so concerned this morning. Your principal called me this morning to tell me you were late, but you were helping a new student. And that for the first time in a long time, you didn't have detention—and that you got your summer homework done! I'm so proud of you, I made your favorite for dinner! And I went out and bought an ice cream cake!" Ikuko happily exclaimed, hugging her daughter—desperately hoping it wasn't a fluke. However, somewhere deep down, she knew better.
"Yay!" Usagi happily exclaimed.
"Yeah. Yay." Shingo sarcastically mumbled.
"What's with you?" Usagi questioned, annoyed.
"Oh. Our neighbor got someone else to take care of things around their home—a family member, I do believe." Ikuko answered for Shingo.
"They stay away this long. Why now do they have to come back?" Shingo grumbled.
"I think it's nice for them to have a family member there. Aside from you, they've been alone. And who knows why this family member moved back now, after all this time? It's their business, not ours." Ikuko firmly told Shingo.
Knock. Knock.
"I'll get it." Usagi insisted, heading to the door.
However, before she could move a muscle, the door opened, and in walked Kenji.
"Dear, you didn't knock on the door, did you?" Ikuko questioned, watching her husband.
"Oh, no. Come in. Don't be shy. Hikaru and Izumi sent over cookies with their new roommate." Kenji replied with a smile. He also spoke to the person, insisting they come in.
"Sakura!" Usagi excitedly greeted.
"Great." Shingo muttered.
"What brings you by?" Chibiusa asked, walking downstairs.
"Grandma wanted me to bring over cookies—and said I should meet the neighbors. And Grandpa wanted to know where his little rascal was." Sakura softly spoke.
"Why? They have you, don't they?" Shingo questioned, watching Sakura.
"Shingo! That was very rude. You need to apologize." Ikuko strictly scolded Shingo, shocked.
"Oh, no; it's ok. I wasn't aware anyone was helping them when I moved in with them. I was always told they were alone and couldn't do things on their own anymore. Which isn't all that true: Grandpa still tinkers on his things in the basement and does the dishes. And Grandma still cooks, bakes, and sews. It's just other housekeeping they seem to have troubles with. I missed and wanted to come home, so I figured I would ask if they wouldn't mind me moving back; I could help them with whatever they needed. But umm… I'm sorry if I made you feel unneeded. There are still things I can't do: Grandpa said you're the best lawnmower he's met—except for when he used to mow. And if you wish to continue to vacuum and cleaning the bathrooms. I can take care of sweeping, mopping, dishes, and whatever else they need. And they both miss talking with you and something about a model train." Sakura insisted before speaking to Shintaro, shocking him.
"So, they're not trying to get rid of me?" Shingo questioned, shocked.
"No. If anything, I'm a bit shocked they allowed me to move in with them; I haven't really spoken to them except so send them mail. But I suppose when you live in a different country, it's not very easy to keep in contact." Sakura replied with a hint of sadness in her tone.
"Oh, how rude of me. Here, let me takes those off your hands." Kenji insisted, taking the plate of cookies from Sakura.
"Are you hungry? Would you like to stay for dinner?" Ikuko offered as Kenji took the cookies.
"Oh, no; I ate a little bit ago. But thank you anyways. I should get back; I have homework. I just came over to deliver these cookies for Grandma. And I also wanted to speak with Grandpa's little rascal. Shingo, was it?" Sakura politely replied before asking Shingo.
"Yeah, that's me. And I suppose I could still come around and help." Shingo replied with a smile.
"Oh, before you go… Just stay there for a few minutes." Usagi urgently told Sakura before dashing upstairs, followed by Chibiusa.
"I wonder what that was all about." Kenji wondered out loud.
"Who knows with those two?" Shingo replied.
"Oh. Umm… Grandpa tells me you like video games." Sakura slowly started speaking.
"Oh, yeah. Do you play video games as well?" Shingo excitedly questioned.
"Oh, well… Not really. But when I was younger—my brother—he gave me this handheld game system and some games. I really have no use for it as it's been sitting in a shoebox for the past few years. I figured as long as it was ok with your parents, and you'd like it; you could have it. I have more games, but I haven't gotten them unpacked yet—which is another thing I need to finish. But right now, it has a "Mario" game in it. And then I have two more games with it. I'd love to just give you the stuff, but I don't know what your parents would think." Sakura informed Shingo, Ikuko, and Kenji, trying not to become too upset.
"Are you sure about that?" Ikuko questioned, concerned as Usagi and Chibiusa ran down with shoes.
"Yes. As long as it's ok with you that is. Like I said, I have no use for it or the games. I haven't played video games in years. I never got into them in the first place, but my brother—he liked playing them. So, I played. All I ask is that it gets taken care of." Sakura continued, getting Usagi and Chibiusa's attention.
"Well, if you're sure… Shingo's grades have been good pretty much all last year. Shingo, you have to take care of whatever she gives you." Ikuko replied before firmly telling Shingo.
"Yes, of course. But are you sure? You seem upset." Shingo questioned after promising his mother and Sakura.
"Oh, yes. He knew I didn't like games, so it was kind of a prank gift, I think. He wouldn't want it to sit in a box, collecting dust. So, here." Sakura insisted, holding a bag to Shingo.
"Thank you. Oh, my God! It's a 3DS. Thank you so much!" Shingo excitedly thanked Sakura after seeing what kind of handheld gaming system and games were in the bag. He was honestly expecting it to be an old Gameboy system or something.
"Remember to take care of that!" Usagi yelled up the stairs.
"Don't start playing now; dinner is going to be ready in five minutes!" Ikuko yelled after Shingo.
"You have shoes for me?" Sakura softly asked Usagi and Chibiusa. She knew they knew something about her brother; she was sure Mamoru or Setsuna had told them.
"Yes. But take all the time you need." Usagi replied, handing Sakura her shoes.
"Yes. We live next door, so there's no real rush." Chibiusa insisted, handing Sakura her shoes.
"Thank you. I should be able to get to them this weekend. But I should be headed back." Sakura replied with a small smile.
"Oh, and Grandma said you could keep the plate if you want. Or throw it out; she got it and many others from the dollar store. She uses them to deliver cookies and other good without the worry of her good plates not being returned." Sakura added when she thought of something.
"Ok. Tell your grandmother thank you from us. Have a safe night. I know you're just across the road, but you just never know." Ikuko told Sakura.
"Thank you. And I'll tell her." Sakura replied before heading out.
"Wait. Would you like to walk to school together? You know, seeing as we're neighbors, and we go to the same school together." Usagi requested, watching Sakura.
"I'd like that. Thank you." Sakura replied with a smile before leaving.
"Kenji, go out and make sure she gets home safely. With all the crazy stuff happening as of late; you just never know." Ikuko instructed her husband. Kenji did what he was told and went to watch Sakura make it home.
"You'd better be able to get up in the morning and not keep her waiting." Shingo condescendingly told Usagi, walking into the kitchen.
"Shut it, Twerp!" Usagi shot back.
"Why did you girls give her your shoes?" Ikuko questioned as Kenji walked back inside.
"She made it home just fine." Kenji informed Ikuko.
"She offered to make me some skating shoes like she has. This turd butted in and asked for some as well. She's just going to put some wheels in the bottoms, and we'll have skating shoes." Usagi answered.
"But don't forget she said they weren't easy to make." Chibiusa added.
"Now, don't start you two. Sakura seems nice, yet sad." Ikuko noted.
"She must not see her brother much." Kenji spoke, helping Ikuko get dinner around.
"Umm… Mamoru was friends with Sakura's brother. And one of our friends used to date him. They both told us that her brother was killed in a freak car accident. From what we understand, Sakura was close with her brother." Usagi told her parents.
"That's so sad." Ikuko sadly replied, setting the table.
'You have no idea just how sad. And you probably don't want to know.' Usagi and Chibiusa thought to themselves as they all sat at the table for dinner.
"Did they like the cookies?" An older woman asked Sakura as soon as she walked through the door.
"They say thank you. I don't think they'll eat them until after they have dinner. And Shingo will start coming over again to help around the house." Sakura replied.
"Is everything ok, Dear?" The woman questioned, concerned.
"Yes, Grandma. Or it will be. I gave Shingo that gaming thing Satoshi gave me, along with some of the games. It's just a bit difficult. But I know he wouldn't want it sitting in a box; he'd want it to be played. Besides… Even if I did play video games, I wouldn't deserve that system or the games. I really don't deserve anything he's given me." Sakura answered as tears started falling from her eyes.
"Don't do that to yourself, Sakura. It wasn't your fault." Sakura's grandmother tried insisting.
"Thank you, but we all know it was my fault." Sakura replied before running to her room.
"Oh, Hikaru: what are we going to do? It really wasn't her fault." Sakura's grandmother sadly spoke to her husband, Hikaru.
"I don't know, Izumi. The real question is where did we go wrong with our children—her so-called parents? They had two children, not just Satoshi. I don't remember treating any of our children any differently than the others." Hikaru replied, holding his wife's shoulders.
"I blame her mother's parents; they spoiled that woman rotten. She got everything she ever wanted." Izumi angrily insisted.
"I know. But even so, she doesn't treat Sakura like her mother treated her. Yes, her brothers got all the attention and trainings to be an overachiever. But Sakura's mother was not by any means neglected. And our son—he just fell for her whatever it is she had. I know we didn't raise him like that. But let's get ready for bed. We'll watch "Wheel of Fortune" before the news." Hikaru calmly spoke before suggesting.
"Ok. I just hope that girl makes at least one friend—aside from her cats." Izumi agreed, following her husband.
"You and me both. But Sora and Riku have been good for her. That is their names, right?" Hikaru agreed before stating.
"Yes, I believe so." Izumi replied, shutting the door behind them.
Meanwhile, in her room, Sakura was doing her homework with tears in her eyes.
"Hi, Mamo." Usagi happily greeted Mamoru over the phone.
"Hi, Usako. What is the meaning for this call—at this time? Don't you have homework?" Mamoru suspiciously questioned.
"Nope. Ami and Rei helped Minako, Makoto, and Me with all of our homework after the meeting." Usagi replied with somewhat of a smile.
"Really, now? That doesn't sound like you. How did they get you to study and do your homework?" Mamoru questioned, teasing Usagi.
"Ami, Rei, Haruka, and Michiru dragged us to the library." Usagi replied in a grumble.
"Hahaha. Well, good for them. You need to do well this year." Mamoru replied, chuckling a little.
"I'm back!" Ryou called in the background.
"Hold on a second, Usagi. Any luck?" Mamoru told Usagi before asking Ryou.
"No. Well, yes, but not in my price range. I'll set out again tomorrow. Is that your girl?" Ryou replied before inquiring.
"Yeah. Usagi just called a few minutes ago." Mamoru replied.
"I'll let you be. It was nice kind of meeting her and her friends. One of these days, we'll have to sit down and actually talk. You talk about her enough; I feel like I know her already. But I'm going to take a shower and head to bed, so that I can start all over tomorrow." Ryou replied before walking away.
"He seems nice." Usagi noted with a smile.
"Yeah, he's cool—and smart. He's smarter than I'll ever hope to be." Mamoru replied.
"Thank you!" Ryou called. Usagi figured he must've been walking past or something.
"Did you meet him in med school?" Usagi questioned, curious.
"Yes. But that's not his passion." Mamoru replied.
"Oh. What is his passion?" Usagi questioned, interested.
"Between archeology and architecture. He's not good at building things but designing them is an entirely different story. But he does have a medical degree in case those don't work out. But what is the real reason you called me? It's getting late and I know your parents—especially your mother won't want you up too much later." Mamoru answered Usagi before interrogating her.
"You're so mean to me. I called to talk and say how much I loved you." Usagi pouted.
"Uh-huh. Well, you know I love you and Chibiusa very much. Is she ok? Is she why you're calling? You didn't get into another argument with her, did you?" Mamoru replied before teasing her.
"No. She's sleeping right now. We actually got along pretty well tonight. No, I suppose I was actually calling to let you know I found out that Sakura is my neighbor now; her grandparents have lived across the road from us for years now. I guess Shingo has been helping take care of their house or whatever for a while now. But when Sakura moved in, he thought she was replacing him. But she settled that when she came over with cookies her grandmother baked us. Her grandparents just wanted her to meet us. But she talked for a little bit, and Chibiusa and I gave her our shoes so she could make us those skating shoes when she had time. And she gave Shingo a 3DS and some games her brother gave her years ago; it's almost new. We're going to walk to school together tomorrow." Usagi rapidly informed Mamoru.
"Well, that's good. I'm sure she could use a friend like you. I somehow don't think she has many—if any. But don't push her into talking about her brother. I have a feeling, with her reaction to Setsuna and me earlier, that any discussion of her brother, until she's ready, will just upset and push her away. And make sure Chibiusa knows that as well." Mamoru firmly told Usagi.
"Yes, of course. She seems very nice." Usagi replied, promising not to push Sakura.
"I had seen her a few times when she was younger, when Satoshi was tutoring me at their place. She never said much. Satoshi said Sakura has always been shy and quiet—and not very healthy. Or something along those lines. I don't exactly remember what he said was up with her—if he ever did." Mamoru explained, sighing a little.
"Usagi, get off the phone this instance! It's time for bed so you can get up tomorrow and not be late!" Ikuko yelled.
"Yes, Mom!" Usagi called back.
"Go to bed, Usako. I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow sometime. You just make sure you can get up to walk with Sakura to school. Love you." Mamoru calmly told Usagi with what sounded like a smile.
"Ok. I love you, Mamo. Night." Usagi replied before hanging up for the night…