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"What happened to you?" Ikuko asks staring as Mamoru helps Usagi get inside the residence. Usagi just chuckles helplessly and looks away somewhat embarrassed. Mamoru nods his head toward her parents and keeps his arm tightly around her to help her walk.
Both Ikuko and Kenji were watching one of Ikuko's soap operas when they heard a vehicle pull up. Ikuko was the first to the door and shock does not adequately describe her facial expression. What came over Usagi who had been annoyed with Mamoru days ago and now he's providing her assistance.
"A chair broke with me." Usagi explains. "I barely wiggled and it crunched underneath me."
"How much do you weigh?!" Ikuko asks rather concerned and annoyed.
"Pardon, I don't mean to butt in." Mamoru responds watching a very faint twitch at the corner of Usagi's eye. He knew that would only lead to trouble. "The chair was not properly cared for and they put us in the room to wait on the baker. Usagi really isn't to blame here."
Kenji just sighs and returns to his spot on the sofa muttering a few words that nobody understood.
"He's not lying." Usagi adds standing a bit straighter and trying not to lean so much on Mamoru. "Ujiki was more worried about us suing than me not having broken something."
"Did you break something?!" Ikuko asks suddenly more worried than she was before. "Mamoru, does she need x-rays? I can get my coat, and we get to the hospital quickly."
There is no stopping Ikuko's overprotectiveness of her children and Usagi is seeing that all too well at the moment. She probably should have gone elsewhere to avoid this but all she wanted was to lay down and rest. This is all too much.
With a more authoritative tone, because otherwise Mamoru is not sure Ikuko would listen he responds to her woes, "No, Usagi does not need x-rays. She needs rest and probably a heating pad. If the pain in her lower back does not subside, she might need medical attention but from what I can see, nothing is broken."
That's right, Mamoru is a doctor. Um, maybe a heart doctor but all the same!
"So, Mamoru can either help me to my room or you can." Usagi states knowing that little remark would test her mother's patience.
Becoming red in the face with no words to Usagi's quip, Ikuko just stands there looking between the two before finally telling them, "No funny business."
"Do I look like I am capable of this so-called funny business? Besides I'm not a child." Usagi retorts with annoyance. Mamoru sighs and shakes his head as he pulls it together and once again helps Usagi walk. As they climb the stairs Ikuko crosses her arms and watches them carefully.
"Ikuko, she's right, she isn't a child." Kenji chimes in from the other room.
"I know."
"He is not going to take advantage of her either. He's too gentlemanly for that."
"I know." Ikuko walks away from the foyer and back to the couch, plopping down beside Kenji and resting her head on his shoulder. He reaches across them for her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze with reassurance.
"Interestingly enough, she's allowing him to help her instead of beating him to a pulp don't you think." He points out curiously.
"Kenji, that does not stop me from worrying they're about to practice making babies!" Ikuko says warily and pokes his ribs.
"They aren't doing that. Gentleman, remember?"
Ikuko stops arguing and returns her attention to the television without so much as another word. Surely Rei could've returned their baby girl back home instead of Mamoru. Usagi put up all that fussing against him and now they're chummy. What happened?
"Your mother is very loud." Mamoru comments as he backs away from Usagi's bed. He couldn't keep the chortle from escaping his mouth as they climbed the stairs to get Usagi into her bedroom. He could also hear Usagi mumbling language he dared not repeat. He watches as she sets her phone on the bedside table before settling on her bed.
Yes, and Ikuko is also embarrassing. She has no sense of just how loud she is. Usagi's face is more likely than not, red as a tomato.
"Ignore her." Usagi says as she leans back against the mountain of pillows on her bed. "She speaks out of her butt sometime." Usagi turns and looks out of her bedroom window trying to ignore the situation. She never thought Mamoru would be in her own bedroom after all these years.
Mamoru smirks playfully and crosses his arms at her antics. He did not expect to be in Usagi's bedroom. He had so many things he could tease her with if he wanted to test her patience. He dared not when she's already in pain. "On a more serious note, how do you feel?"
"My back will be fine. I've taken falls before."
"You were a real klutz back in the day."
Whipping her head back around, she glares at him coldly. "Come again?"
"There were so many times you tripped over your own feet."
Usagi wastes no time and reaches for the nearest small, blunt object and throws it with all her might at Mamoru who shrinks against the wall. She growls and watches as he smirks again. Just when she thinks he is finally tolerable, he opens his mouth and shit comes out.
"You can go now, baka."
"Hey! I made sure you got home safely." He reminds her sternly pushing himself away from the wall and getting serious. "Imagine if you fell again after that chair incident. Where would you be?"
"Thank you for your help."
"You're welcome."
"Now you can go jump off a cliff."
Mamoru sighs and turns toward her bedroom door. One step forward and two steps back. He walks out and to the stairs where he makes his descent. He stops by the living area and gives her parents a respectful bow and then walks out to his own vehicle. He does not want to overstay his welcome any longer.
Ikuko stands the window and watches him drive off. "He looked disappointed."
"You're reading too much into it Ikuko." Kenji says with a sigh and shakes his head.
They weren't the only ones who were watching Mamoru make his exit. Usagi watched him from her own bedroom window, hopefully without him knowing. She removes her fingers from the blinds and leans back against her mattress.
"I should not care if he saw me watching him leave."
I obviously do if I'm being sneaky.
Troubled by her thoughts and actions, Usagi closes her eyes as she tries to relax. Finding no inner peace, she stretches her arms over her head and reaches for her phone. She unlocks the device and saw she had a missed call from Makoto. Quickly she returned the call.
"Hey Usagi!"
"Hey!" Usagi says into the receiver with a wince.
"I'll be arriving tomorrow afternoon in Juban. You sound in pain, did something?" Makoto asks with concern.
"A chair broke with me earlier today. Mamoru helped me home." Usagi explains.
"A chair? Did Mamoru make you sit on a wobbly chair?"
"No, I chose the chair myself." Usagi hurries and speaks. She must've spoke so ill of Mamoru to Makoto too long. She'll have to correct it. "Mamoru is not an asshole."
"At least not anymore. I'll kick his ass if you want me to, you know." Makoto tells Usagi confidently. Something about her tone left no doubt in Usagi's mind that she would indeed fight with him.
"The gesture is appreciated. I don't think you'll need to." Usagi reassures her friend. She props herself with one arm and manages to get more pillows behind her upper back so she can sit comfortably. "Were you able to find a place to rent?"
"Yes actually! I grabbed a two-bedroom apartment. Never know when someone needs a place to stay for the night and rent is so much cheaper!"
Usagi healed fairly quick and with Makota moving to Juban, it was right on time. She was not sure she could handle Ikuko bringing her more soup and acting as though she was handicapped. That got old fast.
She squealed with excitement when Makoto and she reunited after being apart for a while and they took a taxi to her apartment to meet the moving company that was also set to arrive.
Makoto met with the landlord and signed her lease, paid rent, and grabbed the keys. The two girls headed over to the apartment just as the moving company van arrived. Three men climbs out of the van and introduces themselves. Makoto's face flush as she observes all three as being very attractive.
"Makoto Kino?" One asks the tall brunette with a smile plastered on his face.
Usagi smirks at her friend and nudges her causing Makoto to blush and stammer as she introduces herself.
The bedrooms were separated by the bathroom down the hall from the living and kitchen area. First, they maneuvered Makoto's couch somewhat in the middle of the room to divide the kitchen form the living space and placed her small table behind the couch. Once all the boxes were crammed inside the apartment, the men in uniforms left the two women to their task.
"Are men in Juban cursed with good looks?" Makoto asks as her green eyes follow the last man out the door.
"You should have asked for his number." Usagi says with a giggle.
"I should have." Makoto groans and rolls her eyes before grabbing the box labeled 'dishes' and walks over to the kitchen. There really is a lot of drawers and counter space which she is excited about. She loves cooking and baking.
"You brought a lot of books." Usagi says as she opens boxes filled with books. Some were series, some were standalones. There were at least two boxes.
"Those are classics. I was not about to leave Pride and Prejudice or throw it out." Makoto says shrugging as she grabs a box cutter and begins opening the box containing her bookshelf. Usagi purses her lips at their predicament. They were nowhere near being finished unpacking her belongings and her stomach is growing. She surely is not about to suggest Makoto cooks for them. That would be awful of her.
"Do you want to take a break and meet my friends?"
Makoto stops and considers the idea. Truthfully, she's becoming famished as she only had breakfast and a few pieces of lemon candy. "I'm starving."
Usagi pulls out her phone and sends a mass text to her friends suggesting they all meet for lunch and meet Makoto. "Let's go! We can introduce you to Motoki."
"Who is Motoki?" Makoto asks curiously grabbing her purse.
"A very single and attractive friend of ours."
"Of course he's attractive." Makoto chuckles reminded of the men who carried in her furniture.
"We are so happy to meet you." Rei says introducing herself to Makoto.
The girls pile into their usual booth and get comfortable.
"Very nice to finally meet you all." Makoto responds happily. "Rei, congratulations on your engagement."
"Thank you!"
"Have you picked out your wedding cake and everything?"
Usagi's eye twitches and shrinks in her chair.
"I definitely had ideas but when we went to taste cake, it was not a good experience. Usagi's chair broke, and we cut it short."
"I still cannot believe the chair broke and she fell." Minako leans back slightly exasperated. "You are not heavy enough to break a chair, Usagi."
Ami giggles and Usagi slumps forward. "It had nothing to do with being heavy."
"Oh." Minako says sheepishly.
"Let's not forget, Mamoru helped her back to her parent's house."
"We are not doing this."
Makoto perks up at the mention of Mamoru. She cannot wait to personally meet him after all the stories she's been told. Then add in all the recent developments after Usagi returned home, she isn't sure what to make of him. "He took you home, Usagi?"
"He did and my mom couldn't be quiet to save her life. It was so embarrassing."
"What did she say?" Ami asks.
"She accused us of doing the 'you know what'." Usagi explains through gritted teeth trying not to be loud enough for everyone to hear.
The girls burst out laughing after a minute of silence once they realized what Usagi was referring to.
"Leave it to Ikuko." Ami says.
"How red did your face turn?" Minako asks between her gasps for air because she was laughing so hard.
Usagi gave them all a very well-known look and silently promises revenge later.
"What are my favorite customers laughing about today?"
Makoto turns, her eyes landing on the dirty blonde-haired man approaching their booth. He has his handy notepad in his hand and a smile across his face. A faint blushing once again adorning her cheeks. He is really cute.
"Hey Motoki. Just laughing at Usagi. This is Makoto, she just moved here. She will be working with Usagi in their new office."
"You aren't leaving Juban?" Motoki asks Usagi with surprise.
"No. They offered me a position here. I took it on the condition they offer Makoto a position here as well."
"That is awesome!" He says and politely bows to Makoto, "Any friend of Usagi's is a friend of mine."
"Thank you." Makoto says happily. She cannot believe how friendly everyone is being with her. "Oh that reminds me, I bake a lot of cakes and pies, Rei. If you'd like, I can whip up a sample of what you're thinking about and if you like it, I can fix a much bigger cake."
"Oh, that is right!" Usagi stops planning revenge silently and smiles at Rei. "She really is a great cook. You won't find anyone who can fix delicious cakes like she can."
"Oh stop, Usagi. I just love being in the kitchen." Makoto says.
"I can definitely get you, my ideas. This sounds so much better than some overpriced chump." Reis whole face lights up at the suggestion and she immediately pulls out her phone to take Makoto's number and begins texting her the pictures and recipes that accompany them.
The girls then proceed to order their usual milkshakes and lunch platters.