@TWILIGHT@
A Monogatari by Hikari.
E-mail: <Machi_NO_Tenshi@Excite.Com>
Genre: Alt.Reality
Rated: PG-13


Chapter 8:

	With a sure hand, he picked up the receiver, cutting 
off the annoying ring of the phone.  "Moshi-moshi?"

	"Ohayoo, umm..." It was a woman's voice.  "Is Sagai 
Kaoru-san there?"

	"You're speaking to him...  Hanako."

	He heard her started gasp.  "How... how did you know 
it was me?"

	"I- " His eyes lowered onto the three-legged round 
table the phone was placed on top off.  His lips curving into 
a sour/sad smile.  "I'd recognize your voice anywhere."

	There was a moment of silence before Usagi could bring 
herself to speak again.  Her heart ached with remorse, but 
she had to do this...  she had to fix what she had screwed-up.  
'Remember,' she told herself.  'This is all for Mamo-chan.'  
"Kaoru-san, I wish to speak to you in person.  I have a very 
interesting proposition to make to you."

	"Alright."  He said, noting the change in her voice 
from that of a sweet girl... to a professional businesswoman.  
"When and where?"

	"At the hotel you're staying at.  I can be there at 
five o'clock today."

	'This is too weird.' Kaoru thought.  "Ok, I'll be here."  
He immediately heard Usagi sigh in relief.  "But first, answer 
me this:  How did you know I was at this hotel?"

	She cleared her throat as she prepared herself to lie, 
"Fubioka Satoshi-san informed me on where you were staying."


		*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


	Four o'clock at the park.  There was no better time 
to be there if you were with the person you loved.  'But not 
today.'  She thought.  'Any day but today.'

	Mamoru lowered his head to look at her face.  "Are 
you alright, Usako?"

	She lowered her eyes from the lake to stare at his 
arms.  They were wrapped around her waist tightly and as she 
laced her hands on top of his, caressing his skin with her 
soft fingertips... she thought.  'In a couple of hours, I will 
lose the privilege to be within his embrace.'

	He felt the tightening of her hands on his and began 
to worry.  "Usako, are you sure you're alright?"  He spun her 
around to face him.  "Come on.  Let's go back to the apartment 
and I'll fix us dinner."

	Untangling herself gently from his arm, she took a 
step back.  His eyes were filled with worry, but she could 
not explain... he would soon find out.  "I'm sorry Mamo-chan." 
She began, savoring what would probably be one of the last 
times she'd be allowed to call him that.  "I can't.  I have 
an appointment tonight that I can't miss."  Usagi brought 
her hand up and traced the curve of his jaw.  Then, standing 
on tiptoes, she placed a light butterfly kiss on his cheek 
and turned to leave.

	"Wait."  His hand had launched out to stop her by 
grabbing her wrist.  He swiftly reeled her in, placing one 
arm around her waist- the other holding her face steady.  
He looked into her eyes and lowered his lips to hers.

	Her moan was a cry of rebellion against what she was 
fighting not to feel.  And the urgency with which he was 
kissing her struck fear into her thoughts.  For a moment, 
she felt as if he knew that this might be their last kiss.  
As if, he knew, that he might never be able to forgive what 
she was about to do.

	So, for what would be the last time, she gave into 
her feelings and let the sensation of Mamoru's lips on hers 
ignite the fires that lay beneath.  His hands tracing on her 
body the known pattern that he usually traced over with his 
lips every night.  Every night... but tonight, and the nights 
which were to come.

	She felt a drop of water hit her cheek and thought 
it had begun to rain.  Still kissing Mamoru, she opened her 
eyes and looked at his face. That little crystal water drop 
was not rain... it was a tear.  His eyes were closed shut 
in a pained expression as the tears ran from his eyes, down 
to his lips.  She could taste their salt... their sadness.  
That was when she too began to cry.


		*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


	At five o'clock sharp, Usagi stood at one of the many 
blue doors of the Kakurega Hotel.  She was on the fifth floor 
and in front door number 504 just as Suzuki Makoto-san had 
told her.  "Well," she took a deep breath.  "This is it."

	~Ding*Dong~

	"Konbanwa, Hanako-san."  Kaoru said, bowing slightly 
after the door had opened.

	As he raised his head, Usagi almost gasped in shock.  
'He's changed!'  His dark-green eyes were glazed over with a 
cold crystal-type expression making them appear a light 
green/gray.  The angles on his face seemed sharper, almost 
older.  "Kaoru-san..." She whispered.

	He moved inside.  "Come in."  Then, pointing to a chair 
said, "Sit down."

	Usagi entered and closed the door behind her.  As she 
turned, stopping to look around the room.  There was a simple 
queen size bed at the far right end of the room, next to the 
window.  To the left, two arm chairs and in between them, a 
wooden three-legged round table with a black phone.  It was 
one of those cheap hotel rooms, but then, what did she expect 
when the name of the hotel was the "Hideout."

	She sat in the chair he told her to, then, asked him 
to sit across from her.  "What I came here to tell you, was 
this:" She licked her lips in a nervous reaction as she stared 
at the white linens on the queen size bed.  "I will sleep 
with you if you return to your apartment and treat Mamoru-san 
as if nothing between you and him had ever happened."



To be continued...
=====  =====  =====  =====  =====  =====  =====  =====  =====

How's THAT for a clifhanger?!

Well, write to me and tell me if I should even bother writing 
up the next chapter.

JYA NE!  -> Hika-chan ;P