For the One I Love

Chapter Sixteen: Mysteries of Time

Carefully, Rei and Minako led Usagi down the staircase from her bedroom, across the hallway and into the living room. The room was crowded with people; some sitting, others standing, or leaning against the wall. It was silent, and the pizza sat on the dining room table getting cold.

A young woman Usagi had never seen before sat in the middle of everything. Upon seeing Usagi, she rose from the chair where she'd been sitting and bowed. She had brown eyes and her matching brown hair touched the center of her back, curling slightly outward at the tips. She wore a frilled baby blue shirt, white belt with white shorts and black knee-socks.

"Tsukino-san." She smiled. "You probably don't remember me, we only met a few times and it's been a while, but, it's nice to see you again."

"Hitomi, right?" Usagi asked. Rei and Minako stood by as Usagi hesitantly bowed, then sat down on the couch across from where Hitomi stood. Hitomi took the initiative and sat back down.

"You do remember, that makes me happy." She said. "I'm sorry." She added, frowning slightly. "I didn't know you were getting over being sick, but I wouldn't have asked for your time if it wasn't important. I'm happy to see you have so many friends to help you though."

"Er, it's alright." The truth was Usagi didn't really remember the girl at all, she was just repeating what Makoto had said. "You said... you have a message from Seiya?"

"Yes. Actually..." The girl frowned a little with her eyes but retained her smile, a soft pink appearing on her cheeks. "It's silly I guess, but I made a promise to him when he quit his job at the clothing store, a promise I would read the letter he left me and do what it had asked."

"Clothing store?" Minako questioned.

"That's how I knew Seiya. We were co-workers. The letter-" She continued. "It asked me to deliver a message to Usagi the day after he quit, three years in the future."

"And that's today?" Usagi asked slightly stunned.

"I have a quick question." Haruka interrupted. "You say you knew Seiya three years ago? And I'm assuming you met Usagi through him?" Hitomi nodded. "You must have only known him for a short period, so what exactly prompted you to honor such a thing? Following the instructions of a letter that had you wait over three years by someone you barely knew?"

"Oh! Ah-" The soft pink on her cheeks turned to a deep red. "It was my promise, as a goodbye gift. Not just for him, but for me too. I figured if I honored it, I- I could say goodbye myself- I uh- I loved Seiya." She looked up at Usagi. "The night you turned him down and left, he wrote the letter and left too, even after I confessed myself- all he thought of was you."

"I left him?" Hitomi looked at Usagi curiously. "Oh, right I remember." She lied. "Sorry, it seems like... a long time ago."

"I understand." Hitomi fiddled with her purse, opening the clutch and pulling out a small piece of paper. "Here, this came with the letter he left me; it's the message for you." Usagi reached out and took the small paper from Hitomi. She turned it over in her hands and her heart gave a small thud when she saw the word, "Dumpling" written on the front in Seiya's handwriting.

Usagi unfurled the paper and read aloud, "I've failed here, but I know why. To prove to you things can change, I'll go to a true time where I can win. Seiya." Usagi put the letter down in her lap and looked up, frightened. She looked around at the faces of her friends, who wore the same expression.

"What-"

"He never told me anything, I don't know what it means or the story behind it." Hitomi answered before Minako could finish asking. "I just promised to deliver that, and I have, so-" Hitomi grabbed her purse and stood up. Before reaching the door, Hitomi turned and looked back to Usagi. "Tsukino-san, a quick question of my own? Do you still keep in touch with Seiya? Did uh, did it ever work out between you two?"