Light of Hope

Chapter 9

"Well, I must say...I didn't expect such a detailed and extraordinary answer to my question but...geez, thanks anyway."

Kenji cleared his throat and looked impressed by Mamoru's unusual behavior.

"Wow, I mean your girlfriends truly is a lucky one, Endy. You deserve nothing but the best!"

Ikuko had just come back with Shingo and carried a huge plate, piled up with snacks and bottles of juice.

Usagi didn't move at all but continued starring into Mamoru's eyes in utter disbelief. She got out of her state of shock when her mother whispered to her by winking jokingly.

"You know it's weird Usagi...as if he had described you." Finally she turned to Mamoru and lifted up a snack from the plate. "So great to hear that you have found someone, Endy. I look forward to meeting her one day. Please feel free to bring her to our home as soon as possible. She is always welcome to us."

Mamoru swallowed hard and took the offered snack without paying further attention to it.

He knew that Usagi realized that he had meant her but she seemed to be more than confused before. She didn't mention a word to him though, mainly because of the simple fact that she didn't get the chance at all talking to him alone.

This situation didn't change for the rest of the day. Also, the next days didn't grant any single opportunity for Usagi to clarify what had been started by Mamoru and he just wished that she would forget what he had told her right in front of her family...since he wasn't allowed to do this in this time.

It had been the sixth night of their holidays and Ikuko and Kenji wanted to go out for a candle light dinner in order to celebrate their marriage anniversary but got stopped by Shingo who was suddenly feeling not well at all.

"I think you just caught the flu" Ikuko said when she measured his temperature and covered her son with a blanket. With slightly worried eyes she suggested to her husband "the table has been booked already and we will not get any refund."

She frowned but her gaze lightened up when an idea came up into her mind.

"Why don't you both go instead of us?"

She beamed at Mamoru and Usagi who instantly and simultaneously gaped at the blue haired woman.

"That's a good idea, Ikuko. It is such a lovely place and you both will have a great evening while Ikuko and me will take care of Shingo and...umm...celebrate here a bit."

He stepped over and took his wife's hand gently.

When Usagi's parents gave them a deep heart warming smile, Mamoru and his fiancée knew that there wouldn't be any chance not to agree to spend a romantic candle light dinner with each other.

"Here, just take my car and have fun, children!" He threw his keys over to Mamoru who caught them by reflex. Still startled, he risked a glimpse over to Usagi who was about to freak out any moment and desperately seemed to search for a reasonable excuse not to attend the dinner...but obviously couldn't find any when she ended her internal struggle and sighed deeply.

"Thanks Mom and Dad...I'm starving." The next second she locked eyes with Mamoru when she asked him "Shall we go...Endy?"

It was weird that Usagi pronounced his name with such an ironical tone in her voice but apart from Mamoru, no one had noticed it at all except him.

After both waved good bye to her parents and the already sleeping Shingo, Usagi took a deep breath once they got out of sight and eventually started the fire by blurring out