"Peeping Toms"
by S. Schumaker

Standard Disclaimers Apply

(AN: All right! Funny thing is, once I finished up chapter three I immediately started working on chapter four. I rarely have the inspiration to do that, but for some reason, today I did! So, yay! Now we have Mamoru's day! I hope you enjoy it! Remember to check my profile page often for update information and also leave reviews so I can comment you back! Also, I'm not sure what happened when I uploaded chapter three...whether it was my mistake or if fanfiction DOT net was just having issues, but a lot of you emailed saying you couldn't access the new chapter...I hope it all got figured out for you and I hope you can access this one! Enjoy! Thanks a bundle!!)

Chapter Four – A True Interaction

BANG!

I sprung up in bed. What on earth was that? I laid there panting for a minute, ears at the ready to pick up any further sounds, head whipping around my small bedroom, eyes searching for an intruder. Glancing over at the clock, I saw the red blinking numbers torturing me. 6:58 Am. I could have screamed. It was the one day a week I could actually sleep in. I didn't have to be at the university until one o'clock to meet Dr. Takahashi, and the only 'class' I had today was the weekly meeting with my lab partner to discuss our results. We usually met in the science computer labs to chart our weekly data, and not until real late in the day.

But, I guess, fate wasn't going to grant me a chance to catch up on some much desired sleep. I waited, poised for any sounds of movement within my apartment, but heard nothing. As my breath started slowing again, I allowed myself to begin sinking back into the comforts of my bed. Just as my head hit the pillow and my eyes started getting heavy with sleep once more...

BANG! BANG! BANG!

This time, I jumped out of bed in a flash, pulled a robe on and raced out into my living room. I looked around for the source of the disturbance. BANG! My head whipped toward my front door. Who could that be? At this hour? I walked up to the door, pressing an eye against the peep hole. Whoever it was would be getting an earful from me! That was for sure!

As I adjusted my eyes gazing through the small hole, I nearly choked on my own tongue when I saw Souta once more standing before me. My face paled as I backed away from the door, trying to tiptoe away quietly. Man, this guy was persistent!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Standing back from the doorway a bit I tried to force myself to relax. Sure this guy was strong enough to knock all my teeth out in one blow, and he could certainly rip my front door off its hinges, but that was no reason to be scared, right? Wrong! I was terrified. Now, I consider myself a pretty fearless guy. I mean, with my childhood and growing up in an orphanage, I had to be fearless, but standing up to a guy like Souta was down right insane.

Swallowing a lump of nervousness in the back of my throat, I inched softly back toward the door, once more catching a glimpse of Ayaka's stalker. His head whipped to the right, something catching his attention there. I shuffled over; straining my eyes to see what distracted him. One of my neighbors, old crab-ass Mr. Tanaka, had popped his head out into the hall checking for the source of the noise. "Son! What on God's green earth do you think you're doing at this hour? You're waking up the entire building!"

I winced to myself; Mr. Tanaka was in for it now. What kind of fool would ever start an argument with a man the size of Souta? And, Mr. Tanaka... He's barely five feet tall, 120 pounds! He's certainly the last person I expected to be challenging him.

As Souta stomped his way over to my enraged neighbor, towering over his small form, I cringed for poor Tanaka's sake. "What'd you say, old man?" Souta's angry tone was extremely clear through the door as he gazed down hard on Mr. Tanaka's face.

However, Tanaka didn't back down from him. He was certainly showing more courage than I ever would. He stayed planted where he was, straining his neck to look up into Souta's eyes. "I said, you're waking up the whole damn building! What on earth are you thinking?" He raised his hands in annoyance at the youngster before him.

"I have to speak with the guy that lives here. Mamoru Chiba. It's... urgent." Souta continued, throwing a thumb over his shoulder toward my door, toward me. I gulped.

"Well, you're not going to get that chance if you keep coming here pissing everyone off! I guarantee that! He's probably down at that Crown Arcade anyway…works there a lot. Go pound on their door." Tanaka glared up at Souta, shuffling back inside his house, slamming the door shut behind him.

Great! Now the guy who wants to kick my ass knows where I work! Thanks a bundle, Tanaka! Souta turned back toward my door, his eyes held laughter behind them. "Gotcha now, Chiba!" Souta thrust a fist up in the air in glee before skipping away down the hall and disappearing from sight. I turned my back to the door, falling back against it in defeat. Thankfully, I don't have to work at the Crown until the weekend, so maybe I can avoid Souta for a while longer. I really needed to call this whole charade off with Ayaka, before, well, before I got hurt!

After Souta's departure, I sighed to myself. Sleep would be impossible now, so I decided to get ready for the day and maybe do a little extra studying to hopefully catch up on what I missed the day before. I hopped into the shower, relief flowing over me in the form of hot water. Soothing as it was, my fingers and toes started to prune up and forced me out; I dressed myself in a black tee-shirt, my favorite green blazer and tan trousers. Afterwards, I proceeded to the kitchen, flicking the start button on my coffee machine. Breakfast of champions. With the machine buzzing softly in the background, I walked over to my window, taking in the sight of the beautiful morning.

When my coffee had finished brewing, I poured myself a cup before sitting down on the couch in my living room. Taking a long swig of the dark liquid, I felt my stress start to fade away. Coffee sure is grand, isn't it? My eyes drifted over the coffee table, a grin spread over my features. The binoculars I had used to peep on my neighbor last night rested innocently on it. Maybe I could get one more glimpse of her, you think? Setting my coffee down, I grabbed the binoculars and walked to the window, my smile never fading. Pressing them to my eyes, I gazed over into her apartment. Dodging the boxes and furniture, I scanned the room in search of her sensual figure.

As my gaze reached the kitchen, my heart sank in disappointment. She was nowhere in sight. I started to drop the binoculars before my eyes noticed a flurry of gold rushing past. I swiftly pressed them back into place, scanning around for the source of the movement. And, that's when I saw her. She was currently hopping around on one foot, her face twisted with pain. As she continued hopping along, I began to laugh at the cuteness she portrayed. She must have just stubbed her toe because she held her foot in her hand as she continued jumping around like a bunny.

The pain she felt must have subsided because she soon stopped and grabbed something on the floor, a cell phone. She opened it quickly before slamming it shut almost instantly. Setting the phone back down, she proceeded to reach her arms up over her head in a stretch while her mouth opened wide to release a yawn. My eyes widened when I realized that her stretch caused her pajama top to rise up, revealing her toned, tan stomach stopping just beneath her breasts. I felt my pulse begin racing as my neighbor unknowingly tortured me with her beauty. My body temperature started rising steadily as I imagined myself grasping the bottom of her shirt, bringing it slowly up and over her breasts. I saw myself lean down, taking her into my mouth, liking and caressing her sensitive skin.

Before my fantasy could escalate further, she released her stretch, dropped her arms back to her sides and forced the shirt to drop down over her exposed skin. Sighing to myself in disappointment, I shook my head of the lingering desire within me and continued spying on her. She began walking toward her window, looking out at...me! I dropped the binoculars in fright, flustered I slipped and slide over to my couch before catapulting myself over it, landing with a loud thud!

My face burned with humiliation that she had caught me peeping on her, just as my leg started twinging with pain from my fall. I slowly lifted my head, letting my eyes barely peek over the top of the sofa. I squinted my eyes in her direction, watching as she smiled against the morning rays. She turned and headed down a hallway, leaving my view. I stood, brushing myself off, and walked back to the window. She didn't see me? How could she not have seen me watching her? I glanced from the window, back to the couch I had just flipped myself over. All that for nothing? Damn!

I rubbed my sore leg, laughing at my situation. Shaking my head at my crazy antics, I walked over and grabbed my backpack, grabbing a book out. I slipped on my dorky reading glasses and starting to peruse the book.. As I tried to forget my humiliating leap over my own sofa, and my even more humiliating peeping hobby, I forced myself to get lost in my chemistry book. I read for what seemed like hours, wishing that I could read enough to cover what I had missed.

Pretty soon, however, I felt the familiar pangs of hunger and had to take a break. I headed to my kitchen, stealing a quick glance at the golden haired beauty's residence, before I made myself a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Once I had finished, I realized that time really had flown by, it was nearly 11 am!

Just as I swallowed the last delicious morsel of my sandwich, the shrill ringing of my phone hit my ears. Dusting the leftover bread crumbs off my fingers, I strode over to my cordless. Pressing the talk button, I lifted the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Mamoru-chan!" I groaned.

"Ayaka." I paused, this could not be good. "What do you want?" I huffed out, my annoyance clear to both of us.

"Well, since we're technically going out, I thought we should go on a date together. Now. Besides, if Souta is going to believe this charade, we have to be seen together in public, right?" If I still had been snacking on that pb & j, I would have been choking on it right about now.

"First of all, we're not technically doing anything, Ayaka, and certainly not together. Secondly, this whole farce is ridiculous and well, I'm pretty much calling it quits. You can deal with this Souta character on your own."

"What?!" I groaned again, here it comes. "Mamoru..." I could hear the strangled tone in her voice, the whimpering of oncoming tears. Great, just great!

"Ayaka, don't cry." I was annoyed. I really was! This girl is so selfish, so self-centered, so egotistical.

"I'm going to cry if I want to cry, Mamoru!"

I flinched.

"I thought you were going to help me with this creep! I thought I could trust you. I thought you were a sweet guy, that you'd put other people's problems before your own. I guess I was wrong!" I could hear her moving the phone to hang it up, and that's when it hit me. The guilt. The undeniable guilt I always felt with Ayaka. Don't ask me where it came from, don't ask me how it always affects me. It just does. And, Ayaka, she knows exactly how to use it against me.

"Ayaka! Wait a minute." I felt like suffocating myself. I'm such an idiot, such a softy, such a coward.

"What?!" She nearly screeched out. I shook my head at my upcoming words before I said them. I just know I'm going to regret this...

"Where did you have in mind for our date?" As the word date rolled off my tongue, I slapped a palm hard against my own forehead, my own stupidity. Her happy shriek nearly deafened me as she howled out a café name and I somehow agreed to meet her there. Slamming the phone back down into it's cradle, I gave an angry, whimpered groan. As it echoed inside my apartment, I walked, slumped over, to my backpack, lifting it over my head to rest on my shoulder. Grabbing my forgotten chemistry book and tossing it my bag, I headed toward the door.

Standing in the door frame, I looked from my safe, secure apartment, to the damned, loathsome hallway that would lead me to my date with Ayaka. Releasing another long groan, I stepped out into that hallway of doom, sealing off my sanctuary behind me.

Walking out of my building, I took a quick glance up at the apartment with the blond beauty. "I'd give anything to be meeting you on a date today..." I whispered under my breath. Sighing, I turned away, and started the long walk to the café.

By the time I had gotten to Café Rouge, Ayaka was already seated inside. Spotting me through the window, she stood at the table and sent me a wave. Grudgingly, I headed inside, hanging my head in inner shame.

Once inside, I made my way over to her. Big mistake. When I got within two feet of her, she leaped at me, tying her arms around my neck. Planting a quick kiss on my cheek. I struggled with myself not to throw her off, before she pulled herself away. Sitting down together, she whispered to me. "Souta's outside, hiding behind that building. Don't look!" She nearly screamed at me as I attempted to turn my head.

"All right, so, he's really stalking you, huh?" She nodded in response. "Okay, let's do this date thing already and get this whole thing over with." I groaned out, standing up and taking her order. I headed to the barrista counter and ordered Ayaka's latte and my black coffee. Handing the girl behind the counter a couple bucks, getting the drinks in return, I turned and made my way back to Ayaka. Only to run into Souta, who had somehow ran across the street and into the café while I waited for the coffees.

I gulped. "Hi." I greeted.

"Mamoru Chiba?" He asked me. I pretended to be shocked, internally realizing I wouldn't make it as an actor.

"Uh...yeah." I glanced over to Ayaka, who had mysteriously disappeared from our table. I stepped past Souta, continuing toward the empty booth. Setting the drinks down, I turned back to my tormentor.

"Souta." He placed a finger on his chest. I nodded awkwardly. "You datin' Ayaka?" And there it was, the moment of truth. All right, I had three possible options here. I could tell me the fabrication that Ayaka and I were indeed seeing each other, and simply bolt after my confession so he couldn't kick my ass. Or, I could tell him the truth and have Ayaka pissed at me, making me revisit Guilt Lane. Or lastly, I could tell him the fabrication about the two of us, have him beat the snot out of me, and pray that I wouldn't end up six feet under because of it.

Standing there, beside our table, my eyes traveled over his beastly form, his thick arms, his expansive chest, his true ability to beat the crap out of me. So, I chose option four. Run away! I grabbed my bag once more, and bolted as fast as my legs could take me out of that café. Surprisingly, Souta was too stunned by my maneuver to follow after me. I raced to the nearest metro station, darting down into it. Skipping steps on my way down the escalator. I jumped over the ticket meter and raced inside the station, hopping on the open subway waiting at the platform.

Once inside the train, I slumped down into a seat, hoping to catch my quickened breath. As the journey continued on, I stood and strode over to the nearest subway map, trying to figure out where I was headed. Eventually, I realized I was heading away from the university and that I'd need to eventually turn myself around. Glancing down at my watch, I discovered that it was almost noon leaving only an hour to get to my meeting with Dr. Takahashi.

At the next stop, I exited and headed back up to one of the ticket counters. Buying a standard ticket, I searched down the train I needed to take and discovered when it would be arriving. I walked back to the platform, and sat myself down on one of the many benches littering it. Pulling out one of my textbooks and slipping on my glasses, I started to study once more as I waited for my train to arrive.

About fifteen minutes later, I heard the familiar shrieking of brakes and looked up to discover my train coming into the station. Standing, I shut a finger into my book and walked inside the opening doors of the subway. I took a seat next to a woman holding a fussing baby and continued to read. I had about a twenty-five minute ride to the university, which left me with plenty of time to make it to my appointment.

I continued reading as the train journey forward. Every stop or two, I'd look up from my book to be sure not to miss my stop. As the train started filling up more and more, I noticed all the seats taken and an elderly man standing near one of the doorways. He was clutching desperately to his sweater, coughing horribly into a handkerchief in his palm. Feeling guilty for sitting as this weak man stood before me, I offered my seat to him, which he readily took. I smiled down at him as I took his place near the door. Holding on to one of the poles, I continued reading.

A few minutes later, after a couple more quick stops, the train slowed down at my destination. I shut my book, placed my glasses back into my jacket pocket and turned toward the door. As it opened, I felt a strange twinge on the back of my neck, the tiny hairs standing up there. I shrugged off the feeling and stepped off the train, making my way to the streets above.

Walking down the street toward the Faculty of Medicine, I got a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, as if someone were following me. My head itched to turn back and see, but I shook the desire away. Someone probably was following me from the subway! Numerous people in the city took the subway, including university students. I smiled at my paranoia before stepping up and into the building.

As I walked the hall, searching for the office of Dr. Takahashi, I started getting nervous. What if I couldn't get this scholarship? What if he turned me away? How would I pay for the semester? Would I be able to? Taking in a deep breath, I found myself standing before his office door, a bulletin board next to it. I looked over, spotting his office hours posted on the board and I quickly checked my watch, thankful that he would be in even though I was fifteen minutes early for my appointment with him. But, punctuality is a virtue, right? So, I knocked softly on the door, seeing who I assumed was the doctor behind it. He nodded me in and I softly entered his office, shutting the door behind me.

"Mr. Chiba, welcome!" He greeted, holding a hand out for me to shake which I did readily. "Take a seat, son." I complied, sitting in a large chair before his desk. He stood and sat on the edge of the desk before me, smiling down at me.

"I'd like to preface this meeting by saying thank you so much for allowing me to give this interview after the due date. I really appreciate it, Dr. Takahashi." My words came out in an even, respectful tone even though I was practically shaking from head to toe in nervousness.

"Well, from what your guidance counselor told me, you're quite the student. It was my obligation to meet with you before I made my final decision."I could feel my face heat up with his compliment.

Takahashi lifted his gaze toward the door, silence filling the small office. He stood and walked toward it. I followed him with my eyes, wondering where he was going. "Hang on a minute, Mamoru." He opened the door, talking to a young woman standing in the hallway. My eyes lazily drifted over her. With a flash of blond pigtails, I settled my eyes back on the desk in front of me. Wait a minute! Was that...? I whipped my head back to the door, only to see Dr. Takahashi shutting it once again, smiling over at me. I strained my head to the side, trying to see out of the small window in the wooden door, but the hallway was already empty.

I shook my head. "Geez, Mamoru, got the girl on your brains or what?" I whispered to myself as Dr. Takahashi took up his seat behind the large desk.

"What was that?" He asked, placing a pair of glasses over his eyes. I shook my head at him.

"Nothing, sir."

"All right, well, why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself, Mamoru. Why do you think you deserve this scholarship?" He leaned back in his chair, linking his fingers together.

So, I told him. I started discussing my difficult childhood. The death of my parents at age six, the amnesia, the numerous orphanages and foster homes I was bounced around in. Then, I started telling him of my love for medicine. "There's just something about helping people when there's no one else that can that really fuels me. I find it rewarding, soothing. I almost wish the doctors who patched me up after the car accident had felt more of those feelings back then. Maybe my experiences wouldn't have been so...empty, so lonely. I want to become a doctor in order to give something back, to give back the compassion that I wish I had received."

I sat back, trying to think up more convincing arguments to support my case, more feelings I could share. As my mind started coming up with numerous reasons why I needed, why I deserved the scholarship, Dr. Takahashi held up a hand, halting me. "Mamoru, that's all I need to hear. Thank you." He dropped his head, scribbling something down on a legal pad before him. I nodded slowly, feeling like I'd blown my chance. I grabbed my bag and started heading toward the door. "Wait a minute, son!"

I turned back, spotting Dr. Takahashi coming from around his desk toward me, holding an envelope out to me. I instinctively grabbed it, looking down at it. "Give this to your financial counselor. You got the scholarship. Congratulations, Mamoru Chiba."

"What?! I got it!" I smiled bigger than I ever had before. I couldn't seem to control myself as I grasped the doctors hand, shaking it about quickly. "Thank you so much, doctor, really! You don't know how much this means to me!"

In a daze, I stumbled out of his office, not hearing him mumble. "No, I think I do know." I sent a smile behind me toward his closed door as I walked the halls; I let out a giant leap, simply elated.

"I got it!" I shouted to no one, students roaming the halls looked at me with worried gazes, but I didn't care. I had got the scholarship that would keep me in school, keep me working toward my ultimate goal. I immediately headed to my counselor's office, dropping the envelope in her mail slot.

Just as I was about to leave the financial aid office and head back home in my delighted state, I ran right into my lab partner Ryo Urawa. "Oh sorry." I apologized quickly, before noticing who it was. "Ryo! Hey man, what's going on?" He smiled up at me.

"Hey Mamoru! I was just about to call you, try and convince you to come down here a little earlier than we usually meet."

I smiled back at him. "Really?"

Ryo walked over to a different mail slot, sliding a large manila envelope into it before turning back to me. "So, is it all right if we do our weekly lab meeting now, or are you busy?"

I shook my head: "Nope, I'm not busy at all. We can do all the data pooling now."

"Great!" We walked out of the office together, taking the familiar paths down to the science computer labs.

"So, why the change in schedule?" I questioned, my snoopy nature once again breaking free.

"Actually, I have a date with my girlfriend, Ami, tonight and I didn't want to keep her waiting." As we talked, we came upon the familiar labs, looking inside to find two free computers next to each other. At the back of the room, we spotted a couple and made our way toward them. As we sat down at the desk, we each pulled out our lab books, getting ready to compare notes.

We started discussing our findings on our current project. We were supposed to observe and document the changes in behavior of cichlid females as their environments were altered. Pretty boring stuff, actually. But, it was all for the grade. So, we shared the different alterations we performed and how their behaviors changed because of those alterations.

After discussing for about thirty minutes, we started to create a chart on the computer. Ryo, a computer genius, was given that particular task. I sat back, trying to offer suggestions, but mainly just watching the master at his work. As Ryo got more and more detailed in his chart, I started to zone out. To be honest, I had no clue what he was doing, and I simply started staring off.

I moved my stare around the room, looking at the other students, watching what they were doing. But then, the most peculiar thing happened. I thought I saw my sexy, golden-goddess standing in the doorway through the corner of my eye. I lifted my gaze, zipping it quickly toward the door, and there she was! She stood with another girl our age with dark blue hair, chit-chatting away. My jaw fell open in shock! I dropped my head down below the computer, hiding myself from her. Here she was!! Right in front of me! I peered over the computer, watching as the blue hair girl started leading her toward... me. I dropped down again, too embarrassed to look at her. I turned my head away toward the wall as the two girls inched closer to me.

"Hi sweetie." A soft, gentle voice said. I turned around slowly at the words. Ryo stood up beside me.

"Hey, honey." He leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on the blue haired girl's cheek. Ryo knew those girls? "Ami, this is Mamoru, my lab partner." He pointed behind himself to me. Gulping I stood, desperately trying not to look at the gorgeous blond beside them. I reached out a hand, taking Ami's in mine.

"Nice to meet you." I replied, my arms darting quickly over the blond beauty. I scanned her face, giving her a small smile. Did she look...nervous?

"Ryo, dear, this is Usagi Tsukino. I just hired her to be the new computer lab technician. Usagi, this is my boyfriend Ryo Urawa." I watched as Ryo took Usagi's hand, shaking it politely. A sudden anger came over me; I wanted to punch him for touching her. I shook my head of the thoughts, where did this possessive nature come from?

"Usagi, this is Mamoru." Ryo introduced, elbowing me in the side. I licked my lips, clenched and unclenched my fist, before bringing my hand out to meet hers. As our hands joined, a pulsing sensation seemed to flow through my body. I found my knees going weak, shaking slightly with that simple touch.

"It's nice to meet you, Usagi." I said, barely above a whisper. She blushed at my soft tone before replying: "Nice to meet you too... Mamoru."

To Be Continued...