The mind can forget... but the heart never!

Chapter 12

Makoto heard Yaten hastily say goodbye to Minako and leave the restaurant with the other person. She quickly grabbed her bag and took the empty seat at her friend's table. "What just happened?" Minako still looked at the door. "I don't know. The tall one was apparently his brother, and he urgently wanted to talk to him. Then they disappeared for a while... when he came back to the table, he was very brief, saying that he's sorry and will explain everything to me eventually. He grabbed his jacket and left me sitting here." "Weird," Makoto said, looking thoughtful as she gazed outside. Then she spotted Bunny passing by the window. "Mina, look." Both of them jumped up and followed her. They called out to her, but Bunny didn't react, lost in her thoughts, blocking out her surroundings. It was only when Makoto put a hand on her shoulder that she snapped out of it. "What happened, Bunny?" Minako asked with a concerned look, seeing her friend's tear-streaked face. But Bunny couldn't find the words; she just hugged her friends and burst into loud sobs.

"Where were you?" Taiki hissed at Seiya as he approached him and Yaten from the other side of the street. Seiya had a wide grin on his face and a dreamy look in his eyes. "I was taking a walk," he replied to his brothers, but Yaten felt he was a bit too cheerful. "And who were you walking with?" Yaten asked.

Seiya didn't hesitate for long; his heart was overflowing with happiness, and his brothers deserved to know. "With Bunny." Taiki and Yaten abruptly stopped in their tracks. His brothers thought they must have misheard. Both stood there with astonished faces, staring at their brother. "Say that again," Yaten asked, struggling to keep his composure. Seiya put on his cheeky grin. "You heard correctly. I was walking with Bunny." Taiki tensed up. "Can you please stay away from the girls until we know what's going on here? Is that too much to ask? Seiya, you know she doesn't remember. What was the point of that?" The three of them started moving again, and Seiya put his hands behind his head, continuing to grin contentedly. "Oh, my dear Taiki, I wouldn't be so sure about Bunny." "Why? What happened?" both brothers asked curiously, speaking in unison. "A gentleman enjoys and keeps silent," he replied, leaving his brothers in suspense.

Makoto and Minako took the completely distraught Bunny home. They accompanied her upstairs to her room, and throughout the whole way, Bunny could only produce sobs. Now, her friends wanted answers. "Bunny? What happened?" Makoto asked, handing her a tissue. Bunny blew her nose vigorously. She didn't know where to start; her thoughts were still spinning. The events felt like a dream to her. She looked at Minako with heaviness in her eyes. "He was there, standing in front of the restaurant." She didn't need to say more; Minako immediately knew who she was talking about. "What did he want?" she blurted out. Makoto didn't know what the two were talking about, but she listened intently. "He ran away when he saw me... and then I followed him," she clutched her wrist as he had done and looked down thoughtfully. Her friends eagerly waited for her to continue. "He wanted to know why I followed him... and... and then..." she hesitated and pressed her lips together. She still felt his lips on hers. "He kissed me," she said, dazed. Her friends looked shocked at her. "He did what?" Minako asked, even though she understood perfectly well what Bunny had said. "He pulled me into his arms, pressed me against the wall, and kissed me," Bunny repeated, feeling paralyzed. "And then?" Makoto wanted to know. Bunny took a deep breath and stared at a spot on the wall. "Then he left and just left me standing there." "What did he say? Did he say anything at all?" Minako asked in disbelief. "Darling," echoed in Bunny's ear again, but she shook her head. Bunny pulled her legs close to her body and wrapped her arms around them. "Should we stay here tonight?" Makoto suggested, as she saw how Bunny was feeling and didn't want to leave her alone. Bunny forced herself to look up. "No, don't take it the wrong way, but I think I'd like to be alone right now." Minako and Makoto nodded and bid her farewell.

Bunny lay in her bed, her feelings in turmoil like never before. She wished Mamoru were here right now, holding her in his strong arms. Just being here and comforting her so that she could wake up from this nightmare.

Seiya also lay on his bed by now, and just like Bunny, the memory of the kiss wouldn't leave his mind. But unlike her, he had a broad grin on his face. Even though it was brief, she had returned his kiss, and that was more than he had dared to dream of in the past few weeks. He didn't care what Taiki said; for Seiya, it was certain that he had to see her again and talk to her, and as quickly as possible.