Here is the new chapter, minna! The big one! So here goes! Enjoy!
Secret Santa
---------------
December 22, Monday Night
-----------------------------------
"Usagi, darling, you look gorgeous!" Ikuko exclaimed happily as her daughter walked down the stairs.
Usagi smiled. "Arigatou. I just hope Mamoru thinks so." She reached the bottom of the stairs and took a final quick glance in the mirror on the wall in the foyer. The dress she had bought accentuated her curves perfectly. She was very proud of the white, glimmering dress. She adjusted her new high-heeled shoes quickly before reaching up and fixing her hair ever so slightly. She had bounded it all on the top of her head, and held it in place with crystal rose pins. She had left several strands to hang down in the back, and curled it ever so slightly. She sighed happily at her appearance. "For once in my life, I feel beautiful."
Ikuko laughed. "Hon, you are beautiful! Knock him dead!"
Usagi nodded. "I hope so. Now, if only he would get here. I'm dressed on time, for once. He had better not be late."
Usagi's father walked in the room. He smiled at her appearance. "You look lovely, Usagi. Just promise me that you will be careful with this boy."
Usagi giggled. "I wouldn't exactly call him a boy, but anyways, I promise, everything will be fine. Don't worry, Daddy."
He nodded. "I'll try not to."
The doorbell rang. Usagi took a deep breath as her mother opened the door. Mamoru walked in, smiling and looking incredibly handsome in a classic tuxedo.
Ikuko grinned at him. "You look very handsome, Mamoru-san."
He blushed slightly and stepped inside. "Arigatou, Tsukino-san…" He noticed Usagi and smiled. "Konbanwa, Usagi-chan."
"Konbanwa…." She replied quietly. She noticed his hands were behind his back and gave him a funny look. He grinned and pulled the bouquet of roses he had hidden and handed them to her.
"These are for you, Usagi."
She gasped delightedly, accepting the dozen red and white roses. "They're beautiful, Mamoru-san! Arigatou!"
Ikuko took the roses from her daughter lightly. "I'll put these in some water for you, dearest. Now you two get going and have a wonderful time."
Usagi blushed as Mamoru extended his arm to her. She tentatively took it, mesmerized by his smile, only stopping briefly to grab her silken wrap.
They stepped out into the cold, and Usagi was glad she had remembered the wrap. She clutched it around her shoulders as Mamoru put his hand on her back and ushered her towards his car, parked in the Tsukino driveway.
Usagi frowned. "What happened to your Porsche?" She asked, looking at the sleek, black Ferrari before her eyes.
Mamoru laughed. "It…well, it's…it's at home, shall we say? I just didn't want to drive it."
Usagi slid into the passenger seat gracefully as Mamoru held the door open for her. "How many cars do you own?"
He didn't hear her, for he had shut her door and was going around to the driver's seat. She took a moment and looked in the car. Exquisite leather seats and space were two pluses, in her opinion, to this car. She saw the extensive music and traffic alert devices in the front, and thought that that must have been the reason Mamoru loved the car.
He got in the car and cranked the engine. She repeated her question as he backed out of the driveway.
"Oh, how many do I own? Well, there's my Porsche, this one, my motorcycle, and my BMW Z-8."
Usagi blinked. "Wow, a BMW, too?"
He nodded, looking quite uncomfortable. "Yeah, anyways, I made reservations at Italianos for 6:45, but if you would like to go anywhere else, that's fine with me."
She gasped. "Italianos sounds fantastic. But…how on earth did you get reservations? My friends and I have tried countless times to get reservations to Italianos for our parties and such."
He grinned. "Italianos wouldn't be on the map without my business. I take several of my very important clients there for lunches, and I thought you might like it."
Usagi nodded happily. "Hai, it sounds wonderful."
He smiled. "Good."
When they arrived at the restaurant, Usagi was amazed at how many people were there.
"Mamoru…why are these people doing here like this, standing out in the cold?" She asked when he opened her door and extended his hand to help her out.
Grasping her hand, he laughed. "These people? Reporters. They know it's the night of the Chiba Corporations Winter Ball, and knowing them, they still want an interview with me. Don't mind them, though." He wrapped his arm around her waist and started walking toward the entrance of the fabulously decorated restaurant, gently prodding her along.
"Chiba-san, could we get an interview?"
Chiba-san, who is the beautiful girl with you?"
Chiba-san, will you be merging companies with the American company Microsoft or have you decided against it?"
Usagi watched Mamoru's calm face as he made his way past the reporters, totally unaffected by their questions.
They walked quickly inside, happy to be away from the reporters.
The mait'red instantly recognized Mamoru. "Chiba-san, how wonderful to see you again. Your table is ready."
Mamoru smiled. "Arigatou."
The couple was shown into a private dining area, separated with a thick velvet curtain from the rest of the restaurant. Usagi stood marveling at the expensive candle lighting, china, upholstery, and other furniture in the room. Mamoru beamed with pleasure at the look on her face, and instantly pulled out a chair for her to sit.
A regal-looking waiter came up to them. "Would you like to start off with a bottle of Champagne, perhaps?"
Usagi gasped. "Oh, no, arigatou. I'm underage. Tea will be suitable for me, arigatou."
The waiter nodded. "And for you, Chiba-san?"
"Same, Fredrick." Mamoru grinned at Usagi's blushing face
"Hai." He nodded and left the room quickly, making sure to pull the curtain closed.
Usagi turned to Mamoru. "Why did you look at me like that? I am underage!"
He laughed and noticed her tiny hand was resting on the table. He laced his fingers with hers, and smiled. "Well, it's very seldom that they ask for I.D when you order champagne. I just love your honesty."
She blushed at their joined hands. "You seem to come here, often. Everyone knows you by name."
He noticed the envious tint in her voice. "Well, hai, actually I do. I told you earlier that I bring my best clients here. I have lunch frequently with them. If you're worried that I bring other girls here often, drown that fear. This has been the first actual date I've been on in…" He paused, "three years."
She blinked. "Are you serious?"
He nodded. "Hai, I am. I…well, let's just say that I never really had the time to think of romance or love when I took on the responsibility of Chiba Corporations. It occupies much of my time." The waitor walked back in with their drinks and quickly took their orders before leaving again.
She tilted her head to the side and looked at him strangely. "You're so…sophisticated and well-known, and yet you spend your free time at the arcade. Why?"
He laughed. "Somehow I knew you were going to ask me that. Motoki is a very dear friend of mine. I met him the first day I started college at Azubu. We were paired together as science lab partners, and we had a great time together. We became fast friends, and later on, he told me of the arcade, and how he worked there everyday. I told him I'd stop by, and I did the next day. I loved it there. It was so fun, and everyday since then, when I have time, I still stop by. Then….a little while after I met Motoki and began going to the arcade to talk with him, I…met you." She blushed, but he continued. "When I first saw you, I thought you were the most amazing girl I had ever seen. I tried so hard to get to know you, but every time a word came out of my mouth, it seemed to be cruel. I hated it every time, seeing your beautiful face so full of hurt. But I was afraid. I've never been that close to anyone, and I, though I have dated once or twice, I've never let anyone get close to me. I see the question in your eyes, and I know what you're thinking. Hai, I am close to Motoki, but it's different in that sense. First, we're best friends, but it's not exactly the same as if I had…a romantic interest…but when I met you…." He paused and looked away out the window to his side, staring at the soft snow petals that fell from the sky. "When I met you, I felt….different. I've never felt this way before about anyone, and I've been scared that if I get close to you, you'll break my heart…" He closed his eyes. "You're so free, so full of life. I'm afraid that I couldn't give you what you would really need in life, and even if we did date and get close, it wouldn't be enough for you, and you would leave. I couldn't bear that." He didn't dare look at her, but opened his eyes and stared out at the snow, watching as a couple walked through it, enjoying one another's company.
Usagi looked out her own window and noticed them. "Mamoru…is that why you…were so mean to me?"
"Hai." He said softly.
She turned to him, her eyes glimmering with tears. "Mamoru, would you look at me?"
He turned his head ever so slowly and looked at her teary eyes.
"Mamoru, do you have any idea what it was like, running into the arcade everyday, just excited because I would get to see you, and then have my dreams crushed when you were so mean to me? In case you didn't notice, I was…quite taken over you. I just had to…shut myself up to you because I thought you hated me." He started to speak, but she took her hand that wasn't entwined with his and put a gentle finger over his lips. "Iie. Shush, because it's my turn. I've been looking forward to this night ever since you asked me to come, but I had no idea that you would tell me the kind of things that you just said. So, I think I deserve to tell my side." She pulled her finger from his lips as the waiter came back and placed their dishes in front of them. Both left the food untouched, and the waiter quickly left, sensing an uneasy atmosphere in the room.
Usagi took a breath, Mamoru's eyes glued to her. "Mamoru…I spent hours doing my hair for tonight, and went to have my nails perfectly manicured, and I even spent an hour exercising, hai, I exercised, just to look perfect. Not because of the people who we'll se at the ball, but because I wanted to look special, for you, because I really feel that you're something special. You really are. When I first met you, I thought you were absolutely…perfect. You were this gorgeous guy, and I thought you had to have the best personality in the world, to be friends with Motoki! But then…you weren't what I expected. You were mean to me, like you despised seeing me. Don't say anything. Listen. Later, I got to know you more and more, and I realized you were really the most adorably sweet guy on earth, inside the wall you have built around you. You tried your very best to help my mother and me out when our car broke down, though you knew you knew nothing about cars. You took us home, made fast friends with my mother, which is a very good thing to do, and you were kind to me, for once. Then, I saw you the next day at the arcade, and it was cruelty again. It was…like the wall had fallen the day before, but millions of emotions built it back right in place. I hated that! I wanted to know you, oh, so much! And then…you asked me to come with to the ball, and I was speechless. I didn't know what to think. I was happy, amazed, thrilled! Then I found the perfect gift for you in Secret Santa, and life got better and better….now my heart is soaring because I know for sure that the only reason you were mean is because you were afraid of me getting close to me." Tears brimmed in her eyes, and she quickly brushed them away, smiling. "I would never break your heart, Mamo-chan. I can swear that to you. I'm not free like you say I am. I've been chained to you since the day I met you, and the chains aren't in any way easy to be broken. They're indestructible. Maybe you think I'm doting on you, and you know, hai, I am. But you're just going to have to deal with it, because I'm going to get past those walls, no matter what." She smiled once again at him and turned to her plate of fettuccine alfredo and began eating.
Finally, he spoke. "Usagi-chan…where on earth…did you get such a name for me?" He released her hand gently, and turned to his food, smiling to himself.
She looked up and blushed. "It just came to me one day." She turned back to her food, and the rest of the meal dwelled in happy silence.
They arrived at the ball soon afterward. Again, they had to break through crowds of reporters, but Usagi just beamed and allowed Mamoru to weave their way. When they were finally inside the grand hall, Usagi relaxed against Mamoru, taking off her wrap and letting his hand rest comfortably on her bare back.
Several dignified men came up to them as they walked into the ballroom. As Mamoru had some words with them, Usagi let her eyes wander over the decorating of the room. It was a great room, with a large orchestra playing soft melodies that people were dancing to. Off to the side there was an incredibly tall Christmas tree, adorned with golden globed ornaments. Ribbons of gold and silver weaved around the many grand pillars of the room, making the room seem quite picturesque.
"Chiba-san, who is this gorgeous young woman you have with you tonight?"
Usagi reverted her attention from the room as Mamoru squeezed her waist, smiling. "This, Tomoro-san, is my lovely date, Tsukino Usagi. Usagi, these are several of my associates, Tomoro Takuii, Hichani Kenji, and Mizaki Finya."
She shook hands with all three of them, smiling at their compliments.
Mamoru sensed that she felt bored and turned to his employees. "We'll see you gentlemen a bit later, but right now I think I'll have a dance with my date. If you'll excuse us…"
He nodded to them and turned to Usagi, who offered him her arm, and together they danced through several songs, Usagi beaming with pleasure.
During one very slow song, she looked up at him, taking her head off its comfortable position on his shoulder. "Tell me Mamo-chan, do all these people really work for you?"
He laughed. "Hai, most of them. Many others are from our affiliating companies."
"I still find this all so astonishing." She smiled at him
He looked down at her with a charming smile. "Usagi…what is your favorite love song?"
She blinked. "Huh? Oh…um…Just To Hear You Say You Love Me, by Faith Hill. Why?"
He led her off the dance floor, and made her sit at a small table to the side. "Wait here, for just a moment. "
She nodded and watched him make his way through the people, being stopped several times by several people. Finally he made it back to her, and reached for her hand.
"What's going on?" She asked as he led her back to the dance floor.
"You'll find out in just a minute, when this song ends."
She gasped. "You didn't…"
A slow, soft melody of her favorite song came on, and a singer came on and slowly sang the lyrics as they danced.
"If I could win your heart,
If you'd let me in your heart,
I'd be so happy, baby, ooh.
Just for these arms to be,
holding you close to me.
There's nothing in this world I won't try
No limit to what I'd do
to make you mine cause
I'd climb right up to the sky
Take down the stars
just to be in your arms, baby
I'd go and capture the moon
that's what I would do
Just to hear you say that you love me
Just to hear you say that you love me.
If I could taste your kiss
there'd be no sweeter gift
Heaven could offer, baby, ooh
I want to be the one
Getting to give you love
I'd walk across this world just be
Close to you cause
I want you to beclose to me cause, yeah.
I'd climb right up to the sky
Take down the stars
just to be in your arms, baby
I'd go and capture the moon
that's what I would do
Just to hear you say that you love me
Just to hear you say that you love me
For the rest of your life
Love me
for the rest of all time
Just say the word
and I'll give you my world
There's nothing I won't do
Baby, just to be with you!"
A roaring blast of a guitar solo filled the room, and the audience began to clap. Mamoru and Usagi just looked and each other for a long time, barely moving to the music, caught up in their own world.
"I'd climb right up to the sky
Take down the stars
just to be in your arms, baby
I'd go and capture the moon
that's what I would do
Just to hear you say that you love me
Just to hear you say that you love me, baby
Just to hear you say that you love me
Oh I need to hear you say that you love me, baby
Just say…
Just to hear you say that you love me……"
Mamoru gently pulled away from Usagi, taking her hand and leading her out onto the balcony.
She looked at him strangely and shivered when the cold night air hit her skin. He removed his tuxedo jacket and placed it around her shoulders, bringing a smile to her face.
He laughed. "First, I need something in that jacket. Can you hand me the box in the left inside pocket?"
She tilted her hear, but reached in his pocket and pulled out a long jewelry box and handed it to him, looking at him with intense curiosity. "Mamo-chan…what are you doing?
He grinned at her. "Impatient, ne?" He opened the box and showed it to her. "Remember this?"
She peered into the box and saw the moon and rose necklace she had been gazing at days before. "No way!" She looked up and searched his eyes."Mamo-chan…"
"It was going to be your Secret Santa gift, but I thought it was more fitting for tonight. You didn't think that I was going to leave you with just a stuffed bunny? I think I like you a little more than that." He winked at her and set the box down on the balcony rail, gently lifting the necklace. "Turn around."
She obeyed like a zombie, dazed. He snapped the necklace around her ivory neck, placing a small butterfly kiss on her skin. She felt her neck, stroking the necklace. "Mamo-chan, I can't take this. It cost you a fortune!" She turned around to face him.
Mamoru grinned. "To you, maybe, but me…four hundred thousand yen is barely what I call a fortune."
She looked in his eyes. "Why me?"
He gently wrapped his arms around her, pulling her. "Because…you're the only girl to make me feel this way. You light up my life with your smile, beauty, humor, laugh. I don't think I can live without you any longer. Aishiteru, Usako." He leaned down and placed his lips on her jaw, leaving a trail of kisses up to her forehead.
She grasped at his shirt, pulling close to him, burying her head in his neck. "Mamo-chan…" She breathed. "If only you had any clue how much I love you…I don't think in a million years I could tell you how much...it would take an eternity."
He laughed lightly, kissing the tip of her nose. "Then prove it."
She looked up and saw the humor in his eyes. She grinned and reached her arms up to tie around his neck. He leaned down, and captured his lips with hers.
It was a little after midnight when Mamoru pulled into the Tsukino driveway. He helped Usagi out of the car, and walked her to the steps of her house. She finally surrendered his tuxedo jacket back to him, instantly missing the warmth and woodsy, sweet-smelling scent of him that it possessed.
He kissed her lips again gently. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
She nodded. "And the day after that, and after that, and after that…"
He chuckled lightly and placed one last kiss on her lips before making his way to his car.
"Mamo-chan!"
He turned and looked back at her. "Usako?"
She grinned. "Tonight was…amazing…arigatou…"
He grinned and nodded at her, then turned to make his way to his car.
"Mamo-chan!"
He turned again. "Hai, Usako?"
She smiled softly. "Aishiteru. You will be here Thursday for Christmas dinner, hai?"
He nodded. "I promise. Aishiteru, Usako. Good night, love."
She smiled and opened the door to her house, and finally left him alone.
Turning back to his car, he walked down the snowy path, a light in his heart. "Aishiteru, Usako…forever and always."
THE END!!
WOOT! Tis finished! I hope you enjoyed it! Now remember to leave me a review, and check out some of my other stories! Thank you all so much for reading this, I appreciate all the wonderful advice and reviews I got! Thank you all! This story is a complete work! Totally finished!
But that doesn't mean there isn't room for sequels! I swear to you all, one day I plan to do a Minako and Motoki story! It's going to be grand!
Well, this is it for now!
God Bless and Merry Christmas to you all!
LunaGirl