MOONLIGHT

GAZE

A dark and empty haunted house was not the place I thought where I would have spent my today's evening. A foreboding place where I could hardly see anything, where I keep constantly feeling that there was something touching my shoulder, only for me to turn and be met with nothing. One would believe that being friends with a ghost and a bunch of aliens would make me immune to such irrational brooding, but I guess that I was simply that much of a scaredy cat.

No wonder I can't tell my feelings…

"Momoka? Is everything alright?"

I craned my neck when I heard his voice. His boyish-cute-concerned voice. A voice concerned, exclusively for me. He cast me with his dark blue eyes, and for a second I saw my reflection in them. This sent a shiver down my spine, not due to fear, but due to the thought that this meant that he was truly looking at me. No one but me.

"Momoka?"

I snapped from out my trance state. I heard him repetitively echoing my name.

"Oh. Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Are you sure? We can leave now if you're feeling uncomfortable?"

Oh how I could feel myself almost fainting by just learning that he was worrying about me. However, I have to shake it off, aware that if I were to accept his proposal to depart for home, would also mean that this moment that which we shared would cease. And I didn't want that.

The house definitely wasn't my nice cup of warm tea, but its one saving grace had made it all worth it. Alone. With only my Fuyuki. No Tamama. No Paul. None of Keroro and his crazy shenanigans. No bodyguards. Simply just the blissful presence of him and me in our little club-related expedition. True. It wasn't a real date. However, it was good enough for me at least.

"Um…Momoka?"

Shoot! He caught me staring. NICE GOING YOU IDIOT! QUICK! SAY SOMETHING BEFORE HE THINKS OF YOU AS A FREAK!

"Umm… Hey, Fuyuki. Isn't that the rare cursed relic we saw in the internet right there?" I pointed with my finger towards a table that was standing right under a great window.

NICE GOING YOU AIRHEAD!

"Wah! Really?! Let me see!"

NICE JOB!

He went to the desk, but was disappointed when he couldn't find.

"I-I'm sorry. I guess I was just mistaken, that's all." I explained.

"Ah. Yeah. I guess that is to be expected." He feigned a smile, rubbing the back of his head because of embarrassment. His blush is so cute! "It wouldn't make much sense why a cursed item would just conveniently appear where we're at, you know?"

The laugh which he produced after was as adorable as ever. I couldn't help but just be mesmerized by his person. I was gushing. I couldn't stop keeping my eyes off from him. Oh, I hope he doesn't view me as some sort of creep. But, for just a little while longer, even for just this moment. Please, I beg and pray to whomever may be listening out there. Please, allow this moment, with only me and Fuyuki to last a tiny while more…


I can't believe that I might have dragged Momoka all the way here just for nothing. I hope she doesn't get too upset with me. But I really was sure that my research was valid. That there truly was a ghost haunting this building. However, we've been here for about an hour and a half now, and yet even a single sign couldn't be found. I've checked the electrometer from out of my pocket to see if there was a disturbance within the local magnetic field. Needless to say, no results.

Alas, this was a disaster. All I've wanted was to host a nice outing for the Occult club. Yet, all I ended up doing was wasting the time of my only sole co-member. I can see her as she looked uncomfortable. Being around an environment opposite from her usual-preferred setting.

I really am the worst. How inconsiderate of me for not thinking about how she would feel. If I really wanted us to study about ghosts, then I could have just asked Ghost girl instead.

I should apologize. Yeah, that's right. it was due to my arrogance and gullibility that she was suffering right now. There was also a more 'selfish' reason why I took her with me, and that only made me feel terrible even more.

I ceased my investigation, lowering my flash light and walked to her. Poor girl. She really does seem horrified by this whole thing. I definitely am the worst.

"Momoka? Is everything alright?"

She craned so fast that I nearly mistaken that she would have ended up snapping her neck. Her eyes did as they would most often. Stare. Stare as if she were a deer in the headlights. She had this tendency, it was hard not to notice. Though, I can never seem to find out why. My best hypothesis was that it may have simply been a habit she'd grown used to. She did say on how she rarely left her mansion prior to meeting me and Sarge. I can definitely sympathize. Cause I too had a difficult time making friends before the Keroro Platoon arrived and moved beneath our house.

"Momoka?"

I called her, but she was not responding. This too wasn't new, she often dazes off or blanks out for some reason. Standing steel like a statue. It was something hardly to be worried about, though worried I was even still whenever she does this.

I could see myself reflected into her violet eyes. They were so clear that it felt like I was gazing into a mirror. Are you mad at me, Momoka? Is that what you want you say?

"Momoka? Momoka?" I kept on with her name until she finally snapped out from her trance. She shook her head.

"Oh. Yeah. Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Are you sure? We can leave now if you're feeling uncomfortable?"

I offered, not believing her words. She may say she's alright, yet her face betrayed her tongue. She was not. Which means that she might have caught another fever again.

She was always like this. It was frustrating! Does she not know that catching something like a cold this often couldn't possibly serve her health any purpose? I appreciated her kindred passion and determination for the supernatural, however, if anything were to happen to her under my watch - I could never forgive myself.

I shifted my attention at her once more, seeing her silent and stiff yet again.

"Um…Momoka?"

Her eyes widened, and she grew even redder! She must be burning hot! It's a good thing that I came prepared and brought some medic-

"Umm… Hey, Fuyuki." I was interrupted before I could reach into my bag. "Isn't that the rare cursed relic we saw in the internet right there?"

"Wah! Really?! Let me see!"

I followed to where her finger was pointed. Dashing my way to a table located right under a great window. My excited eyes searched everywhere. A vase, some kind of fancy box, a comb and some other dusty things.

But no cursed relic.

I sighed in disappointment.

"I-I'm sorry. I guess I was just mistaken, that's all."

Feeling embarrassed for my sudden childish behavior, I couldn't help but rub the back of my head.

"Ah. Yeah. I guess that is to be expected." I replied to the best that I could. "It wouldn't make much sense why a cursed item would just conveniently appear where we're at, you know?"

I laughed, nervously. Feeling stupid about myself. How I felt so awkward, but that was until I managed to have accidentally stolen a glimpse of her smiling figure just within the gentle moonlight.

I stopped laughing. Stopped being nervous. And, for a second it felt like time itself had halted from its operation.

I gazed at her as she stood right where I could see. Silent. Quiet. Just enjoying this sight that I was seeing before me.

This moonlight gaze.

Was it really selfish of me if I said that I wanted to stay here just a bit longer. Just a bit more. Was it really selfish of me if I say on how I anticipated this. Anticipated seeing her in this fashion. This light. It wasn't my primary objective for bringing her along, but it was one that I was excited for nonetheless.

Just seeing her, like this…

Man, she's beautiful.

But, shh…

Don't go telling anyone I said that.


Author's Note:

Just a random one shot I conjured. Hope you all liked it.

Sergeant Keroro belongs to Mine Yoshizaki, I own nothing but this story.

See ya'!