Earth Guardian Prince Endymion
By Senshi
of Ruin and Mizu no Senshi
Act Fifty-Two Recap:
(Masaki’s POV)
“How can it be? How can it be perfect if we don’t make the
decisions together? If you didn’t want to marry me then you should have said so
from the start!”
“I do want to marry you. Usagi--”
“Well you have a funny way of showing it!”
After Usagi and Mamoru’s argument, none of us were sure
that there would be a wedding at all, but luckily Mamoru managed to make
amends.
“I’m sorry” he whispered, standing up to draw her into an
embrace, “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too” Usagi nodded, tilting her head back to
look him in the eyes, “If you think the dresses are too much then we can--”
Mamoru silenced her by placing a finger to her lips, “No.
If that is what makes you happy, then that is all that matters.”
Usagi brushed his hand away and shook her head, “No. Our
happiness is what matters. I want us to make decisions regarding the wedding
together. That’s all I wanted.”
“Then we will” Mamoru answered her, “We’ll plan the rest
of this wedding together.”
We would have all been sorry if they had cancelled the
wedding, especially as, over the last four years, it has become obvious to
everyone that they were meant to be together.
Now that the wedding was back on, we all met in Club Atom
in Shibuya for Mamoru’s stag night.
“Seiichi? Was Mamoru here when you woke up?”
Seiichi shook his head, hurriedly going from room to room,
calling for their friend. During this time both Taro and Kisho came back into
the front room and Masaki explained the situation.
“He’s not here,” Seiichi confirmed as he hurried back into
the front room.
“Then where the hell is he?” Taro demanded.
It went pretty much as I suspected it would, despite
Minako’s warning, and we woke up the next morning feeling very much the worse
for it, but the wedding is in less than an hour and Mamoru’s disappeared.
******
Act Fifty-Three:
“Are you sure?” Taro asked in seemingly disbelief, “He has
to be here.”
“Well he’s not” Seiichi confirmed a little irritably.
Kisho frowned as they continued to speculate Mamoru’s
whereabouts. After leaving Club Atom everything was a blur. He could vaguely
recall them heading back to Motoki’s but what happened on the way there and how
they had come to lose the groom had completely gone.
Think he ordered his already pounding head. Where did
we go?
When his mind again drew a blank, Kisho demanded, over the
others, to know what they each remembered.
“I can remember talking about Mamoru being nervous about
today” Masaki said, “We were then discussing how best to calm his nerves before
the wedding.”
“Then Motoki suggested that we had a bottle of vodka” Taro
interrupted, “So we did.”
“Kimi-kun, don’t you try to blame this on me” Motoki
snapped, “I suggested that Mamoru have some before he went into the church. You
were the one who started that stupid contest.”
Ten seconds later, Kisho slammed his glass down on the
table a few seconds ahead of him.
“I win” he smirked.
“I wasn’t ready” Taro protested, also never being one to
admit defeat, “I demand a rematch!”
“And you wanted a rematch” Kisho accused him.
Seiichi nodded, “I remember that.”
“This isn’t all my fault” Taro shot back, “You could have
said ‘no’”
“No one’s blaming anyone” Kisho said, impatiently, in an
attempt to avoid a confrontation “We just want to find out what happened to
Mamoru after we left the club.”
“Instead of standing here debating it, then why don’t we
go and look for him?” Taro grit out.
“And look where?”
“I thought we might start at the club, baka.”
“What about calling his phone?” Masaki suggested, sounding
almost as annoyed as Taro.
“Tried that a moment ago” Motoki shook his head, “It’s
switched off.”
“Great” Taro shouted, “We have less than an hour before the
wedding and Mamoru is no where to be found!”
The thought that perhaps Mamoru had, had second thoughts
crossed Kisho’s mind but he decided not to voice these thoughts and said
instead, “We should go and look for him though I suspect he’s most probably
sleeping off his hangover at home. I’ll check there. Taro and Masaki can check
around Shibuya. Seiichi can look around Juuban and Motoki can wait here in case
he shows up.”
“What about Usagi-san?” Masaki wanted to know.
“Do you really want to tell her that we’ve lost her
husband-to-be?” Kisho asked and when Masaki shook his head, he added, “I’m sure
Mamoru is making his way here as we speak.”
The others nodded, not convinced, but none of them wanted
to tell Usagi and the other girls the truth anyway and were content to leave
the house as per Kisho’s instructions.
Kisho himself, as he left, found himself growing more and
more anxious by the minute.
Forcing himself to react, Kisho went to the nearest pupil
and gently touched her arm.
“Morita-san?” he said softly, shaking her a couple of
times and gaining no response.
He hadn’t expected one in any case. The aura, still heavy
in the air despite the creature long departing the school, was real and not a
figment of his imagination as Kisho had hoped.
Although it should be impossible, there was no denying it.
This was the work of a Dark Kingdom Youma.
If anything had happened to Mamoru because he had kept
these latest events to himself, Kisho knew that he would never forgive himself,
especially as this was what had divided them over the mission to start with.
Was it? Was it really?
******
The first thing that Mamoru was aware of when he woke, was
the cold stone beneath his cheek and the dampness that clung to his clothes and
caused him to shiver as his senses finally came back to him. He could still
smell the alcohol in his breath and in the room around him as he groggily
pushed himself up onto his knees, wondering what exactly had happened after
they left the nightclub. He could
hazily recall Motoki suggesting that they went to another bar, but after that
he drew a blank.
Sitting up, Mamoru brushed his hair back from his eyes and
glanced around him. As he did so, his heartbeat began to quicken. Lying on a
bench with just a blanket over him, Mamoru hadn’t at first realised where
exactly he was but now, as he took in the one window with bars across it and
the solid metal door in front of him he knew all too well.
Shimatta he cursed to himself. He was in
a police cell and… he glanced down at his watch and his heart almost stopped
altogether. Not only was he in a police cell, but he was supposed to be
marrying Usagi in half an hour!
Lurching to the door, Mamoru banged loudly on it,
horrified at both the situation and the fact that he had let Usagi down
already.
“Let me out!” he shouted when no one came, his throat dry
and thus his voice was dry and hoarse and it hurt to shout for too long and he
broke off in a coughing fit.
Drawing a harsh breath, Mamoru resumed banging on the door
until, finally, someone came.
“What is it?” he heard a tired male voice from the other
side of the door demand wearily.
“You have to let me out!” Mamoru demanded, desperately.
“My wedding’s in half an hour!”
The guard considered this and then answered, “No, I’m
afraid I can’t do that.”
“Why the hell not?”
“You need someone to sign release papers. After all you
came in here completely off your face we can’t just let you go.”
“I don’t remember what happened last night! All I know is
that I’m getting married in half an hour. I haven’t got time for this!”
“Those are the terms” the guard shrugged, “It’s up to
you.”
Mamoru sighed, “Fine” he grit out, “Then let me make a
phone call.”
The guard was in agreement to this and, seconds later, the
cell door was unlocked. Eagerly Mamoru allowed him to lead him down the
corridor to the payphone. Handing him some change, the guard told him to ‘hurry
it up’.
Picking up the receiver, Mamoru considered his position
for a second. He certainly couldn’t call Usagi or the girls. Minako would be
furious and Usagi would never forgive him if their wedding day were ruined.
Taro or Kisho wouldn’t let him live this down and Mamoru
did not want all of them to know what exactly had happened to him. He could
hardly imagine that they would have left him and none of them were here with
him so he could only assume that they had somehow become separated.
“Hurry up” the guard griped and Mamoru hurriedly made his
decision, deciding to call the only one of them who could get him out of this
mess, whilst being discreet about it, and get him to the church on time.
Dialling the number, for a tense few seconds the phone
simply rang and rang before his friend finally answered.
Without giving him time to say anything, Mamoru said:
“Seiichi, its Mamoru. I need your help.”
******
Seiichi sighed to himself as he leaned forward in his
seat, as the Mercedes drove slowly up and down the streets of Juuban, searching
in vain for any sign of Mamoru. Every now and again he thought he saw him and
demanded that the chauffer pull over only to find that the person he thought
was his friend turned out to be a complete stranger.
The aspirin he had taken for his headache seemed to be
working and, now that his head felt a little clearer, Seiichi was starting to
recall exactly what happened when they left the club. They had, indeed gone
back to Juuban. Seiichi wasn’t sure how much Mamoru ended up drinking, it was
probably more than him, but as they had all had enough to give them temporary
black spots in their memories he supposed that it didn’t matter. Checking his
watch again, Seiichi’s anxiety increased. He now had half an hour before Mamoru
was supposed to be marrying Usagi and there was no sign of him anywhere!
Again, trying Mamoru’s phone and gaining nothing, Seiichi
quietly requested to the driver that they continued their search. He had called
the studio as soon as he left Motoki’s apartment as he felt that he could cover
more ground quickly this way and, because of his fame, he lessened the chance
of being spotted. The studio, also, could be depended upon to keep this mess
discreet, which was also what he would prefer and was sure that Mamoru would
too.
So, Seiichi said to himself, they had come back to Juuban,
but then what? He vaguely recalled them going into another bar, but… he didn’t
think Mamoru had been with them at this point. Why the hell had they let him
wander off on his own? Again, he cursed his own stupidity at this. He at least
should have stayed sober, but… he shook his head slightly. He had been away for
so long, and Seiichi had to admit he had been a little apprehensive and it was
a stag night after all.
He jumped slightly as his phone started to ring. It was
lying on the seat beside him and, at that moment, the car went around a corner
and it fell onto the floor and under the seat. Cursing softly, Seiichi told the
driver to pull over before leaning down to get it.
Frowning, he didn’t recognise the number, but answered it
anyway.
“Seiichi, its Mamoru. I need your help.”
Mamoru didn’t even give him a chance to answer properly
and the tone of his voice gave Seiichi even more cause for concern.
“What is it? Are you alright?”
“I’m fine” then he hesitated slightly and Seiichi had to
prompt him to continue.
“What is it?”
“I’m… I’m at the police station.”
“What? How?”
“I don’t know” Mamoru snapped, “I can’t remember, but I
need your help. They won’t let me go unless someone comes down here and signs
the release papers. Can you get here as soon as you can?”
“Which police station are you at?”
“The one in Shibuya”
“Taro and Masaki-kun are in Shibuya. Would you like me to
call them? They can probably get there quicker than I can.”
“No!” Mamoru all but shouted and then thought better of
it, “I’m sorry, but… I don’t really want this getting back to Usagi. I called
you because I knew I could rely on you to be discreet.”
Seiichi nodded to himself and then, for Mamoru’s benefit,
said, “I understand.”
Checking with the driver, Seiichi told Mamoru that he
could be there in five minutes before hanging up.
Seiichi sighed to himself, even more furious now that
Mamoru had managed to get into this mess. Looking at his watch, Seiichi saw
that they now had twenty minutes before the wedding.
He leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes. He
just hoped that they could get this all sorted out in time.
******
Masaki sighed to himself as they, once again, walked up
and down the streets of Shibuya in search of Mamoru. They had been back to the
nightclub and spoken with the owner, but he had no idea where any of his
patrons had gone after they left Atom, as Masaki had suspected, but Taro had
insisted that they give it a try anyway.
Now, with twenty minutes until the wedding, Masaki’s
stomach had tightened into painful knots as he thought of how furious and hurt
Usagi would be if Mamoru wasn’t at the church and, the obvious, that this was
their fault.
“Let’s try this way again,” Taro said, indicating back the
way that they had just come.
“Why?” Masaki made no attempt to hide the irritation in
his voice, “He’s not here.”
“We have to try” Taro snapped back, “This is our fault,
remember?”
“I know, but he’s not here.”
Taro muttered something incoherent under his breath and
turned away. Masaki resisted the urge to retaliate, knowing that Taro was just
as angry and frustrated as he was.
Taking out his phone, he was about to suggest that they
try calling Mamoru again, when phone started to ring, almost causing him to
drop the handset in surprise. Recovering himself quickly and catching the
slight smirk on Taro’s face out of the corner of his eye, Masaki answered.
“Masaki? It’s Seiichi. I’ve found him.”
“Where?” Masaki demanded, making no secret of his relief.
Seiichi paused slightly before answering, “I’m just going
to get him now. Can you call the others and tell them to meet us at the church?
We need as much time as possible.”
“You want me to stall the wedding?”
“If you can.”
Masaki sighed, he had a feeling that he didn’t want to
know what exactly had happened and agreed. Seiichi thanked him and hung up.
Masaki then repeated what he had been told to Taro.
“Didn’t you ask where he was?”
Masaki shrugged, he had the feeling that Seiichi didn’t
want to divulge this information, or that Mamoru had asked him not to tell
them. Either way, that wasn’t important. All that mattered was that Mamoru got
to the church on time and married Usagi. He said as much to Taro, the latter
being a little disappointed, but hurriedly agreeing that the wedding was more
important.
“Wherever he is” Taro said as they started to make their
way back towards Motoki’s apartment, “I hope he gets there on time or there’s
going to be hell to pay.”
******
Seiichi walked into the police station, appearing
outwardly calm as he stepped up to the reception desk and stated his reason for
being here, but inside he was a little apprehensive to say the least. The
journey to Shibuya Police Station had taken a little longer than he had
anticipated owing to some roadwork’s taking place in some parts of Tokyo. Of
course the traffic was always bad and, as the Mercedes was a big car, the
driver had found it difficult to navigate the quickest possible route.
Still, he tried not to appear as concerned as he felt when
the policewoman on the reception took her time in getting him the release
papers before going off to notify the guard. Seiichi inwardly groaned at the
paperwork but calmly started to hurriedly fill in the relevant sections as the
policewoman came back again, stating that they were just getting Mamoru’s
things together.
“Where did you find him?” Seiichi was curious to know
this, despite the urgency.
“My colleagues picked him up in Ueno Park” she answered,
“He was completely out of it and had fallen into the water fountain.”
“I see” Seiichi smirked slightly, “Did he break anything?”
“No.”
That’s something at least, Seiichi
thought.
“Seiichi!” he looked up as the door swung open and Mamoru
was ushered through, looking more than a little angry, “Where have you been?
You said five minutes!”
“The traffic was bad” Seiichi answered calmly, taking no
notice of the state Mamoru had obviously got himself into.
“I see” Mamoru leaned over his shoulder to see where he
was with the paperwork.
“Hurry up” he grit out after about thirty seconds, “We
have to go. I have ten minutes to be at the church.”
“I know” Seiichi answered, as he scribbled his signature
and then handed the paperwork back to the policewoman. She thanked him and
then, somewhat nervously, handed him a notebook, “Can you sign this, too?”
“We don’t have time for this” Mamoru snapped.
Seiichi ignored him and gave her his autograph before
Mamoru’s patience completely ran out and he all but dragged him from the
building.
“Is this the car?” he demanded when he saw the Mercedes,
but not waiting for an answer he climbed in. Seiichi sighed and followed suit.
Mamoru gave the driver the directions to the church, but
Seiichi cut in and instructed him to go to the studio instead.
“What are you doing now?”
“You can’t turn up at the church in those” Seiichi
indicated Mamoru’s semi-dry clothes, “What would Usagi-san think then? The
studio’s going to sort you out with a suit. We’ll be as quick as we can.”
Mamoru nodded, calmer now and obviously feeling a little
bad at his reactions, “I’m sorry” he murmured, “I shouldn’t have snapped at
you, especially as you’re doing all this to help.”
Seiichi shrugged, “I’d probably be the same if I were you,
but you don’t have to worry. Usagi-san won’t hear of any of this from me.”
Mamoru laughed softly at this, “You wouldn’t have got into
this mess to start with.”
Seiichi shook his head; “You weren’t the only one who was
off his face last night.”
Nodding, Mamoru anxiously checked his watch again and,
again, Seiichi found himself reassuring him. It would be all right, he said,
or, he added to himself, at least he hoped it would be.
******
Usagi chewed nervously on her lower lip as she stepped out
of the car that her father had hired for the big day. She looked apprehensively
up at the church and clung tighter to her father’s arm. Now that she was here…
the butterflies in her stomach had decided to multiply further and she felt a
little nauseous as she started to slowly walk towards the church.
“Usagi-chan” Ami smiled encouragingly, “Gambatte.”
As she said this, Usagi stepped back slightly as the
church door was thrown open.
“Taro?” Ami asked, taking a step back in surprise as her
boyfriend barred Usagi’s way.
“You look beautiful” he said, “Both of you.”
“Arigato” Usagi said, a little shyly, she often felt a
little apprehensive, even now, when speaking with the former Shitennou. After
all, in the past life, they had disapproved of her relationship with Mamoru. In
this world, also, it must be a little difficult for them, she reasoned.
Again, she went to enter the church but Taro still barred
her way. “Are you nervous?” he asked.
Usagi shook her head and the hesitated, “Just a little”
she admitted, the butterflies increasing as she saw the apprehension in Taro’s
eyes.
Behind her, the other girls started to become impatient,
and Usagi felt Rei nudge her gently forward again.
“It’s a lovely day” Taro commented, still blocking her
entrance to the church.
Usagi nodded again and glanced helplessly at Ami. Her
father, also, was starting to become annoyed.
Stepping forward, Ami said sweetly, “Taro, Usagi-chan
would like to get married now.”
“Now?” he balked slightly, “Don’t you want to savour your
last few moments of freedom?”
“No, she doesn’t” Minako snapped from behind them,
definitely irate now.
Usagi felt her heart start to hammer loudly in her chest
as Taro made no move from the door, glancing at his watch and then again
commenting about mediocre topics.
“Why don’t you want me to go inside?” she asked softly.
“What?” Taro jumped, “What do you mean?”
“Why don’t you want me to go inside?” Usagi repeated,
clutching her bouquet tightly as her hands started to tremble.
“You… you can go inside” Taro stammered, “I just thought
you might want a few minutes to reflect first?”
“There is nothing for Usagi to reflect on,” Makoto
growled, the brawny young woman stepped forward after speaking and forcefully
pushed Taro aside and entered the church. Usagi heard a gasp of dismay escape
her lips, even as Makoto called out:
“Usagi, stay there.”
Shaking free of the grip that her father had on her arm,
Usagi ran forwards and inside.
There she stopped dead. Her gaze taking in the family and
friends who were seated, filling up every row, as they waited for the wedding
to begin. They were all now, however, staring at her expectantly and Usagi’s
gaze travelled from them to alter. The vicar stood there, alone, as Masaki,
Kisho and Motoki had already began to make their way towards her in a bid, she
assumed, to somehow rescue the situation.
“Mamoru?” Usagi whispered, searching each and every face
as she silently pleaded for this to be a dream… a nightmare from which she
could wake.
“Usagi-chan” Ami said gently, but the pity in her voice
was too much.
Before the tears could fall, Usagi turned and fled the
church, her heart breaking as the silence of the crowds broke into confused chatter
as they, too, tried to understand what exactly had gone on here.
*******
When the Mercedes finally pulled up outside the church,
Seiichi’s heart sank. Already people were leaving and those who weren’t were
all clustered around a very distressed Usagi. Glancing at his watch, Seiichi
saw that they were only fifteen minutes late but evidently; the others hadn’t
been able to stop Usagi from entering the church.
“I knew we should have gone straight here,” Mamoru hissed
as the car slowed to a stop.
“Her day would have been ruined either way” Seiichi
pointed out quietly, “At least this way you have a chance to give her a less
embarrassing version of events.”
“Lie to her?”
Seiichi didn’t answer this and thus infuriated Mamoru
further.
“You may as well admit it” Mamoru snarled as he shoved
open the car door, “You never wanted me to marry her anyway.”
Stunned, Seiichi was unable to answer him straight away
and, nevertheless, Mamoru did not await a response and climbed out of the car.
Hurrying towards Usagi and calling her name as Seiichi, also, got out of the
Mercedes, very hesitantly as all eyes were on them both now.
He got out just in time to see Mamoru gently touch Usagi
on the shoulder, causing the young woman to turn around. The pain in her eyes
was evident and dry tears stained her cheeks. However, as soon as she saw
Mamoru, hot rage flared up and, with one deft movement, she slapped him round
the cheek.
Mamoru, being taken completely by surprise, stumbled
slightly. Even the former Senshi appeared shocked at this reaction.
“H-h-how could you leave me standing there?” Usagi cried,
even as Rei placed a hand on her shoulder in an effort to calm her.
Usagi shook this contact off and continued, “You left me
to face all those people! If you didn’t want to marry me, then why didn’t you
say so before?”
“Usagi” Mamoru protested, “I do want to marry you. You
have to understand that--”
“I don’t want to hear it! You lied to me! The truth was
that you didn’t want to help with the preparations because you don’t want to
marry me!”
“Usagi, we can still get married.”
“No” Usagi shook her head, “We can’t.”
A gasp rose up from the Senshi when Usagi threw the
bouquet at the ground at Mamoru’s feet and fled the church grounds.
For a second or two no one spoke and then Rei broke the
silence by calling Usagi’s name and then racing after her.
“Mamoru” Seiichi started, wondering what exactly he could
say to rescue the situation. There wasn’t anything, he realised, and lapsed
back into silence.
“Excuse me?” the vicar called loudly, as he came out of
the church, “Is there going to be a wedding or not? I have another service
booked at 1.00pm.”
“No” Mamoru whispered, this, obviously, being the most
painful thing he had ever had to say, “The wedding’s off.”
Then, without even gazing in their direction, he got back
into the Mercedes and quietly requested for the driver to take him home. The
man glanced at Seiichi and he nodded, giving his consent for him to do this.
Mamoru just needed to be alone at the moment.
The rest of the Tsukino family were next to leave. Ikuko
leading a furious Kenji away whilst Shingo simply followed in silence stunned
and confused by the day’s events.
Now, Seiichi found that his friends and the girls were
turning to him and demanded to know what exactly happened.
“The car broke down,” Seiichi answered with at first, but
the girls looked unconvinced and Minako said quietly:
“That suit that Mamoru-san was wearing wasn’t the one that
Usagi showed us last week.”
All eyes were upon him again and Ami, sensing that Seiichi
wasn’t the only one to blame for this, turned to her boyfriend and quietly
requested that he enlighten them as to what happened.
Taro, very humbly, explained about the club and the fact
that they woke up this morning with Mamoru missing.
Ami’s expression was one of disappointment, but, torn
between him and her friend, she failed to say anything at all. Makoto, too, was
quiet, but Minako said what the girls were all thinking:
“Idiots” she snapped, “All you had to do was get him to
the church on time and you couldn’t even do that!”
“Minako--” Seiichi started and then thought better of it
and let her go. Makoto followed suit and Ami, casting an apologetic glance at
Taro, hurried after them.
For a moment or two no one spoke. Motoki clearing his
throat nervously as though to speak, but no words passed his lips.
“I suppose this is our fault” Taro sighed at last.
“You think,” Kisho countered sarcastically, “Baka.”
“This is you’re fault, too” Taro snapped back.
“Where did you find him?” Masaki asked Seiichi, in a bid
to quell the arguing between the other two men.
“Wandering around Tokyo” Seiichi said, keeping Mamoru’s
true whereabouts guarded as his friend had requested.
“I would have thought you of all people would be able to
get him here quickly” Taro half sneered as he turned his back on them.
“You were the one who started that stupid drinking game
last night” Motoki called out, but Taro ignored him and started to leave the
church grounds.
“Just leave it” Masaki advised him softly, “It was all of
our faults,” he added in for Seiichi’s benefit.
Seiichi hadn’t really taken much notice of Taro anyway. He
had known his friend long enough now to know that Taro was just lashing blame
out at anyone within reach.
“There’s no point in reflecting on things now” Kisho said,
as though guessing his thoughts, “I’m sure that they can patch things up.”
“I hope so,” Masaki murmured as they all went their
separate ways, “For our sake as well as theirs.”
******
“Kill the Princess. Kill the Princess and bring me
Endymion.”
“So” Mio observed quietly, as the Shitennou made their
leave, “For once they are working together with me rather than against me.”
A sly grin flickered across her lips as she said this, her
right shoe prodding distastefully at the unconscious vicar at her feet, the
Youma now dispelled from the man’s body.
Although she had almost been unable to contain her delight
when Usagi left Mamoru, tears building up in her eyes, Mio still felt as though
she had been cheated, for she, and she alone, wanted to be the cause of the
Princess’s suffering.
Still, this hadn’t been a complete waste of her time and
energy. With them all at each other’s throats it could even make her life
easier. Mio had no need to split Usagi and Mamoru up, not when the Shitennou
had appeared to accomplish this for her!
Endymion had yet to belong to her, but with Usagi now out
of the picture, Mio was confident that she could do whatever was necessary to
make him hers, as he should have been.
Then, Usagi-chan, it will be you who will be forced to
watch from a distance… as I have been before.
Usagi would suffer, but yet more desires burned in Mio’s
soul. The only things that had kept her going were revenge and Endymion.
They would suffer, Mio vowed furiously, the Shitennou’s
torment would make up for her years of agony and bitterness ten times over.
One by one they would suffer for her pain.
******
After leaving the church, Taro had walked around Shibuya,
not wanting to go home and face Ami straight after the wedding fiasco and
certainly not wanting to be found by any of his friends.
When he left the churchyard, Taro had been feeling a wild
mixture of emotions. One was fury at himself and his friends for allowing
things to go wrong like this. For this he found himself lashing out, wanting to
pinpoint a person to blame and let them feel the full extent of his wrath. This
had not worked, as Taro was unable to truly blame any of them, not when he knew
that it was his stupid idea to have the drinking contest to start with! If
anyone was to blame then it was himself, thus his second emotion of guilt. He
also felt terrible for Usagi and Mamoru and this overwhelmed most of the other
emotions, except the shame and the feeling that he had completely let everyone
down and destroyed what should have been the happiest day of their lives.
Taro had gone back to the club that evening before finally
plucking up the courage to face Ami. He knew that she would be equally furious
with him, which was unusual as they rarely argued and, in any case, it was not
in Ami’s nature to do so.
Still, after a beer, Taro felt that it was time to face
her and the consequences for the stag night.
The apartment was quiet when he entered it; Ami was curled
up on the small red sofa in the front room reading through her college notes.
She had changed out of her bridesmaid’s dress and now wore a long pale blue
skirt with a slight ruffle at the hem and a baggy white T-shirt. She peered at
him almost sleepily and took off her glasses and set her notes down when he
entered, standing hesitantly in the doorway.
“Where have you been?” Ami asked softly, “I tried to call
you. I was worried.”
Taro shrugged, “Around” still unsure of where he stood
with her he added, “I know what you’re thinking and I’m sorry--”
Ami bit her lip, “It is not your place to apologise for
Mamoru’s behaviour today and last night.”
“It was our fault. We took him to that nightclub.”
“You didn’t force him to drink. He could have declined at
any time.”
“What about getting him lost?”
Ami shrugged, “It happens when you are drunk. I only wish
you had told me, and Usagi, it would have saved a lot of heartache today.”
Taro nodded, “I’m sorry. We thought that we could rescue
the situation.”
Ami looked away when he came to sit down on the sofa
beside her, “Have you heard from Usagi?” he added.
Ami shook her head, “Nor Mamoru. I think it would be best
to let them sort things out in their own time.”
Taro was content with her answer, but still had the
feeling that something was troubling Ami. They had been together for over four
years now and Taro felt as though there was nothing that he didn’t know about
her. He had helped her build a proper life out of the one that the Ginzuishou
created for her and watched this flourish.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked at last when she did not
willing divulge any further information as to her discomfort.
Again, she didn’t reply verbally and curled up closer to
him, resting her head on his chest and wrapping an arm around his waist as she
closed her eyes.
Taro sighed, always hating secrets, especially if they
were secrets that Ami kept, but he could understand that she needed her
privacy, just as everyone else did, and he held his tongue, instead running a
soothing hand through her dark hair, forcing himself to be patient on the
matter.
This patience was, almost ten minutes later, rewarded. Ami
pulled out of his embrace and peered up at him through half blurred eyes and it
took Taro a moment or two to realise that they were tears.
“What is it?” Taro said, a little louder than intended and
caused Ami to flinch slightly. Cursing his impulsiveness, Taro lowered his
voice again and asked: “Why are you crying?”
“I--”
“Are you sick?” he enquired, recalling the muffled sounds
of retching that had been coming from their bathroom first thing for the past
week or so.
Ami shook her head, chewing on her lower lip so hard that
she drew blood. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?” Taro answered, still forcing himself to keep
the burning questions from passing his lips. He had long since learned that Ami
was a very private person and would confide in him eventually. She just needed
to work things through at her own pace that was all. “You can tell me
anything,” he added as encouragement.
“I know” she paused and drew a sharp breath before saying,
“I’m pregnant.”
******
“You left me to face all those people! If you didn’t want
to marry me, then why didn’t you say so before?”
“Usagi” Mamoru protested, “I do want to marry you. You
have to understand that--”
“I don’t want to hear it! You lied to me! The truth was
that you didn’t want to help with the preparations because you don’t want to
marry me!”
“Usagi, we can still get married.”
“No” Usagi shook her head, “We can’t.”
“Baka” Mamoru whispered fiercely to himself, slamming a
hand down on the coffee table that he was sitting in front of to accentuate
this as he constantly repeated the events of yesterday over and over in his
mind.
“You may as well admit it” Mamoru snarled as he shoved
open the car door, “You never wanted me to marry her anyway.”
He had been up all night, unable to think of anything
else. Their big day… the wedding that would signal the start of his life with
Usagi and Mamoru had completely messed it up. There was no one else to blame,
but himself. He shouldn’t have drunk so much. He wished he hadn’t had that
stupid stag night altogether.
Mamoru hadn’t even attempted to call Usagi. How could he?
What would he say to her? What could he say to her that would make her feel any
better? He had destroyed her dream. Nothing could make amends.
“Perhaps our love’s fated after all” Mamoru said to
himself as his phone started to ring.
Glancing down at it, the caller ID said that it was Kisho
and Mamoru paused, unsure of whether to answer it or not. He already had
various messages from Motoki and had ignored all of them, not wanting to talk
about yesterday at all, but for some reason he found himself answering this
call.
“About time” Kisho started, his voice containing a little
anger, but, more prominently, concern, “We were getting worried.”
“Why?” Mamoru sighed wearily.
“Because Usagi isn’t the only one who is hurt by all of
this” Kisho answered, then his tone softening slightly as he added, “I’m sorry.
We all are. This is our fault as much as it is yours.”
“Some friend you are” Mamoru griped, “You are supposed to
be telling me that I couldn’t help what happened and that everything will work
out in the end.”
“Why?” Kisho answered matter-of-factly, “It was partly
your fault and everything is not going to work out if you simply hide in your
apartment for the rest of your life.”
“Thanks” Mamoru snapped, “This is really making me feel
better.”
“Baka. You and Usagi went through hell and back to be
together. Do you really think we’re going to sit back and allow you to throw it
all away?”
Mamoru chuckled softly, “I had a feeling you would say
that.”
“So” Kisho said, “Are you going to talk things through
with Usagi or not?”
Mamoru hesitated, “She won’t see me.”
“She will. She’s at Crown now.”
“Thank you. Where would I be without you guys?”
Kisho laughed, “Probably happily married.”
Mamoru sighed and shook his head. After all that had
happened, it greatly surprised him that Kisho would be the one to try and get
him and Usagi back together. How things had changed in the last four years, he
thought to himself and said as much to his friend.
“They have” Kisho said quietly, his voice suddenly taking
on a slightly serious tone, “Do you ever miss it?”
“The battles? No. Do you?”
“Occasionally” Kisho admitted. Then there was silence for
a moment, Mamoru not knowing what to say to this, which Kisho sensed as he
added, “You should go to Crown. Usagi won’t be happy if you stand her up
again.”
“I know. Thank you.”
“Thank me when you’ve made up with her.”
Mamoru shook his head, “I only wish it was going to be
that easy.”
******
There she stopped dead. Her gaze taking in the family and
friends who were seated, filling up every row, as they waited for the wedding
to begin. They were all now, however, staring at her expectantly and Usagi’s
gaze travelled from them to alter. The vicar stood there, alone, as Masaki,
Kisho and Motoki had already began to make their way towards her in a bid, she
assumed, to somehow rescue the situation.
Usagi bit her lip, tears welling up in her eyes once again
as she relived that moment in the church. The deepest humiliation… that cut
right through her heart and left it bleeding from a wound that, she was sure,
would never heal. Her one fear and Mamoru had made it into a terrible reality.
But after all that we have been through, I should at least
hear him out or so Makoto had insisted. Usagi hadn’t wanted to speak to
Mamoru at all, not whilst the pain was still raw, but her friend had been
adamant that she met Mamoru in Crown, thus Usagi was sitting in the former
meeting room, chewing her lower lip nervously as she looked at the clock on the
wall over the door. Mamoru sat opposite her; his hands tightly clasped in front
of him, the remorse and pain also clear in his expression no matter how hard he
tried to hide it from her.
Then, at last, Mamoru spoke: “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry” Usagi repeated softly, a tear slipping free
to run down her cheek as she was forced to again relive those painful memories,
“For jilting me at the alter? For humiliating me? How could you? How could you
do that to me?”
“Usagi. I would never hurt you, you know that!”
“But you did!” she sprang up from her chair and made to
leave, until Mamoru also leapt up and grabbed her arm:
“Don’t you even want to know why I did it?”
“Because you don’t want to marry me. You were too
frightened to tell me the truth so you just left me there.”
“Baka. Then why did I bother showing up at the church at
all?”
Usagi paused, “I don’t know,” she admitted.
“Then let me explain,” Mamoru requested softly as he
released his hold on her arm, “Please. For us.”
A part of Usagi didn’t want to hear him out as she was
still in so much pain, but this was Mamoru. She had loved Mamoru in two lives
now and they, or so she still felt, were destined to be together. Makoto was
right. She couldn’t just throw all that away. Not until she had heard him out
at least.
Sitting back down, she went back to worrying her lip and
nodded for him to continue.
“I spent the night before in a police cell.”