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

Chapter 16

Mamoru entered the temple grounds, and then he saw Bunny rushing out of the door, closely followed by a dark-haired man. A sense of unease spread within him. He was sure she hadn't seen him; otherwise, she would have come running to him for sure. She seemed upset, and who was that man chasing after her? Mamoru decided to follow them, just in case Bunny needed help. 

At first, he kept some distance and only observed them talking, but when he saw the man getting closer to her, he wanted to know what was going on. Why was she alone with him out here? He crept closer, staying hidden in the bushes. His curiosity grew, and he wanted to know what they were talking about. From Bunny's body language, he could tell she was uncomfortable.

 Finally, he was close enough to hear something, but what he heard sent chills down his spine. The young man's voice said, "... that's why I'll fight for our love, even if you don't remember everything anymore." 

What did that mean? Our love? Bunny was his girlfriend, and they had been together for several years! His hands clenched into fists with tension. He wished he could get even closer to understand more, but unfortunately, it wasn't possible. Mamoru watched as the guy stroked Bunny's face and whispered something to her. He felt every muscle in his body tense up. He almost jumped out of his hiding spot to give the guy a piece of his mind, but he held back, too curious to see her reaction and perhaps learn more. Bunny opened her mouth, but if she said anything, it was too soft to hear from that distance. Suddenly, Mamoru froze. His whole body tensed up, and his stomach clenched in pain as he saw Bunny reach up to the man and kiss him on the lips. He had seen and heard enough. 

Quickly, he found his way through the bushes; he needed to get away from there. He ran along the road, until he finally sat down on a small bench. This couldn't be true. What he had just seen and heard... Within seconds, his world shattered. Still clenching his fists in anger, he suddenly felt the wetness on his cheeks. 

Bunny... His Bunny. How could she? Why did she kiss that stranger? Who was that guy anyway, making moves on his girlfriend? Mamoru stopped his train of thought. The guy said he would fight for her, which meant Bunny had let him know that she was taken. But then, why the kiss? In his mind, it all made no sense. If that guy wanted to fight for her, then he could have her. A burning jealousy ran through him, and the fact that Seiya kept glancing over at Bunny only intensified that feeling. Mamoru noticed that Bunny was still tensely leaning against him. 

"Bunny, I still have two hours before I have to go back to the clinic. How about we get some ice cream together before that?" he asked. He needed to get away from there, to put some distance between himself and Seiya, or he couldn't guarantee what he might do. Bunny forced a smile, trying to sound as normal as possible. 

"Ice cream sounds great." Slowly, she stood up, feeling Seiya's gaze on her. As soon as Mamoru stood, he put his arm around her waist. 

"Amy, if everything is settled here, we'll take off. I'm really happy for you," Bunny said, nodding in Taiki's direction. Amy blushed slightly. 

"Thank you," she murmured. Bunny also said goodbye to Rei and Makoto. Minako and Yaten had not returned from their walk yet, leaving only Seiya and Taiki. Bunny considered whether to go over, but she felt Mamoru gently nudging her toward the door. On the way to the ice cream parlor, they didn't speak to each other, but Mamoru kept her firmly in his arm. That gave Bunny strength. His hugs were one of the most beautiful things she knew; they gave her an indescribable sense of security. Bunny ordered a large ice cream sundae, and Mamoru got an iced coffee. The silence still lingered. 

Bunny couldn't bear it any longer. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow. What time will you pick me up?" Mamoru was still lost in his thoughts, needing a moment to realize she was talking to him. "The ball starts at 6 PM, but I'd like to take you out for dinner before that. It should be worth it if we're going to dress up like this," he said, giving her a loving smile, which she returned.

 "Where are we going?" she asked curiously. 

"You'll see. Let yourself be surprised," he said with a grin. He dipped his spoon into his iced coffee and playfully stole some of her ice cream. Playfully shocked, she pulled her ice cream a little away. 

"Hey, that's mine. If you don't like yours, you'll have to pick something else." Then she stuck her tongue out at him. 

Mamoru chuckled. Yes, this was the woman he loved. "I'm just making sure you'll still fit into your dress tomorrow," he replied cheekily and dared to take another bite of her ice cream. Bunny couldn't help but laugh too. "Mamoru, that was a nice idea. We haven't done something like this in a long time." 

He looked deeply into her eyes, and before Bunny realized it, a third spoonful of her ice cream disappeared into his mouth. "Hey! That's enough now," she scolded right away. He put some of the whipped cream from his iced coffee on his spoon and held it teasingly in front of her mouth. "Mine is definitely better," he said confidently. They sat together for a while, joking with each other like they hadn't done in ages. Bunny feared she might get a stomach ache from laughing so much. 

It felt like it did in the beginning of their relationship. "As much as it pains me, I have to get back to the clinic. My shift starts soon," Mamoru finally said. "Then I'll at least walk you there," Bunny decided. She didn't want to say goodbye to him just yet. She wanted to stay close to him for as long as possible. Besides, she couldn't risk seeing Seiya again. If she stayed near Mamoru, he would probably keep his distance. Mamoru gladly accepted her suggestion. He paid and took her hand. He would make sure that other guy knew he didn't stand a chance. 

Bunny was his girlfriend, and that's how it would stay.