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

Chapter14

When Amy arrived home, she noticed a blinking message on the answering machine. Almost automatically, she pressed the blinking button, assuming it was just her mother informing her that she couldn't make it for dinner. However, an unexpected voice greeted her on the tape – Taiki.

"Um... Amy?... It's Taiki... please call me back."

Quickly, Amy grabbed the phone and dialed the last number that had called. It rang a few times before someone answered.

"Hello, it's Kou," said an unfamiliar voice, presumably one of Taiki's brothers.

"Hi, Amy here. Taiki asked me to call him, is he available?"

"Oh, right. I almost forgot. It's Yaten speaking."

"Yaten, the one with the green eyes who was pursuing Minako," Amy pieced the information together.

There was a rustling sound on the other end. "Amy? Hello, it's me, Taiki."

"Hello, you wanted me to call you back? What's up?" Amy tried to sound calm despite her excitement.

"I wanted to ask if you've made any progress with the riddle?"

"No, I've tried a lot, but it's neither coordinates nor a conversion encryption, nor any of the other ones I could think of. The numbers are simply too large, and the colors at the ends of the rows confuse me."

"If you want... I mean, I could come over, and we can think about it together," Taiki stammered, feeling a bit shy.

A smile crept onto Amy's face. "I'd love that."

"Okay, then see you in a bit."

Bunny sat on a bench outside the hospital, waiting for Mamoru to finish work. She still tried to understand what was happening with that guy, why he had such an effect on her. After all, she didn't really know him. As a shadow fell over her face, she looked up. A pleasant tingling sensation spread through her as she felt guilty at the same time, like a stone in her stomach.

"Bunny? What are you doing here?" Mamoru asked happily and offered his hand to help her up. Bunny took his hand, feeling how familiar it was, and nestled into his arm. Mamoru put his arm protectively around her shoulders, sensing that something was wrong, but he wanted to wait for her to open up to him on her own.

"Come, let's go to my place first. Should we order something to eat, and then I'll drive you home?" Bunny was snuggled up to him, nodding as a response.

Mamoru noticed that Bunny seemed much quieter today than usual, and even during dinner, she hardly said a word. "Bunny, is everything okay with you?"

Bunny looked up from her noodles and gazed upwards, unable to meet his eyes. She fixated her eyes on a small spot on the wall next to his head.

"Yes, I just wanted to be with you. I missed you," she said, feeling the guilt gnawing at her. She wanted to tell him everything, but she was afraid of his reaction, afraid that he would leave her.

Mamoru gave her a loving smile. He stood up, took her hand, and pulled her into his arms. Bunny enjoyed the closeness; it felt so different, so tender and caring. She reached up and kissed him gently. But then she remembered that these lips had kissed someone else just moments before.

"Bunny, actually, I wanted to surprise you with this on Saturday, but since you're already here, go check under the bed in the bedroom," he said, leaning against the doorframe, observing her.

Bunny's eyes lit up. A surprise? For her? Curiously, she entered the bedroom, knelt in front of the bed, and pulled out a box from under it. Mamoru watched her.