Bonus Missing Scene: Four Impossible Things Before Dinner

Pure... unadulterated fluff...

A certain private women's university located in Shinagawa would never be the same again. The heavens opened, the ground shook and the earth swallowed all the inhabitants. In another universe perhaps... but in this one the inhabitants remained largely unscathed, the buildings untouched and the villain of the piece took no captives. Still, it would continue to be a topic of conversation several days later.

The commotion seemed to emanate from the canteen, judging from the crowd that was gathering within its four walls. To the casual observer, it appeared to be an event of rock star proportions accompanied by the usual screaming fan girls. But on this occasion there was no screaming to be heard. Dozens upon dozens of girls who were properly subdued, had all gathered in common curiosity of a visitor who had seemingly appeared from nowhere. No one seemed to know who she was or where she had come from. What, however, captivated the imagination of the audience was her insatiable appetite and her superhuman capacity to gorge on stuffed meat three times her body weight. For the onlookers, the grotesque spectacle they were witness to held a certain fascination. It was an event that had to be seen to be believed.

Whispers swept through the long corridors and hallowed hallways like wildfire. Early speculation suggested that a new student, with a superpowered eating capacity had invaded Seisen. Groups of gawking girls huddled in backrooms were making bets as to how long this new student would last at Seisen. A day, was the firm belief of the popular crowd. A week at most.

It was baffling, to the more discerning, that this uncouth creature had actually passed the interview. She just wasn't the usual type. The conclusion that they reached was that she had been accepted on the strength of the family fortune rather than on breeding.

Then the creature spoke. The bottomless pit did, after all, have a bottom. She had evidently reached it as she laid down the gleaming fork in her hand. This gesture was accompanied by a sigh of immense satisfaction.

"These are really great sausages. Better than the ones at Max Cafe. Actually, they're the best I've ever had."

The head chef, who was also witness to the entire event, seemed amused... and apparently gratified at such discerning appreciation of his culinary expertise.

"I'm glad to hear that. I made them myself."

"You did?" The creature was astonished. "I thought sausages come from factories."

"Pshaw... only the rubbish at the supermarkets but here, we make our own."

"And you serve this every day?"

"Absolutely."

"That's amazing. This place is amazing. No wonder you have to be from a good family to come here."

"You're not a student here?"

"Me... a student... here...?" The creature looked momentarily baffled and then she laughed, "No... no..."

"Then who are you..."

"Well... I..."

She was saved the trouble of answering when a familiar voice reverberated through the crowd, "Kotoko san..."

In desperation, the interloper rapidly scanned the hundreds of faces that were bearing down her. She had been so preoccupied with breakfast that she hadn't noticed that such a large number of spectators had grown around her. The crowd was hideously large... and she felt a great need to be rescued, lest things turned ugly in an instant.

She saw a familiar... and a not unfriendly face. "Sahoko san... I'm so glad to see you."

"Kotoko san... what are you doing here?"

"Oh... I came to see you."

"You... came... here... to see me?" Sahoko stared at her visitor in utter disbelief.

"Can we talk, Sahoko san?" said the other with a nervous yet pleading tone. "Somewhere more private?"

Oizumi Sahoko was at a loss for words. Aihara Kotoko was the last person she had expected to see at Seisen.

The crowds dissipated quickly once they realised that the sausage-eating freak show was over. The oddity in the canteen was not a student after all, much to everyone's disappointment. Several more enterprising scholars of the university bemoaned the loss of financial opportunities. Too bad the weirdo was an acquaintance of Oizumi Sahoko, who tended to be a bit of a goody-goody.

The two young women strolled across the main courtyard and into a more secluded part of the main garden. Both, not surprisingly, were preoccupied with what to say and racked with fears about how this encounter could very badly.

The visitor spoke the moment she was sure that no one was within earshot.

"I apologize for coming here like this. I... er... didn't know what else to do..." she stammered.

Sahoko was immediately concerned. "Is everything alright, Kotoko san?"

"Yes... yes... everything is fine. Really." Kotoko hastily assured the other young woman. "I... only... erm... came to apologize."

"Apologize?" Sahoko was puzzled.

Kotoko took a deep breath and continued. "I want to apologize for the way Irie kun and I treated you. We've... I've been really selfish, I know... and you were engaged to Irie kun... and... then we..." She rambled on nervously.

Oizumi Sahoko did not reply immediately, which made Kotoko feel the weight of her role in all of this more forcefully.

"You must really hate us. Not that I blame..."

"Tell me... Kotoko san..." The Oizumi heiress interjected. "Do you love him? Naoki san... I mean. Do you love him?"

Kotoko nodded sheepishly.

In certain circles it was public knowledge. It was the worst kept secret in the history of worst kept secrets.

"Have you loved him for a long time?"

Again the penitent sinner nodded, looking even more embarrassed.

"Even before Naoki san and I were engaged?"

"Yes... since high school..." acknowledged Kotoko in a small voice.

"Then... it is I who should apologize," came the surprising declaration.

"Sahoko san... " Kotoko was flabbergasted. The conversation wasn't going the way she was expecting. She had expected angry tears, recriminations and even some form of hair pulling but this... she certainly hadn't factored in this...

Oizumi Sahoko bowed respectfully, to the utter embarrassment of her already ashamed recipient.

"Sahoko san... you mustn't... you shouldn't..." Kotoko was horrified. "I came to apologize to you. Why are you doing this..."

"Don't you see, Kotoko san... I suspected... no, I knew... he was important to you and you were important to him. But I pretended that all was well... I was selfish too."

"You knew that he liked me?"

Everyone seemed to know except me...

"I wasn't sure at first but he was thoughtful and polite around me... like he was wearing a mask. With you, he could be free to be himself."

"Free to be himself... whaaaa... he was mean to me... all the time. Almost all the time. I was so sure he loved you because he was so nice to you."

"Kotoko san... you are a good person. You don't hide your feelings and you think everyone is the same. But remember what you said to me that time at the house:

Yet, if he is kind to you just a little bit... you are overjoyed and hope for something more to happen. You become the happiest person in the whole world. But, when he is cold to you again... you get scared, thinking he hates you.

"I knew then... that you cared about him and you knew him better than anyone because he let you in."

"But he chose you... Sahoko san..."

Sahoko shook her head and said bitterly. "He chose my family. Our money. Not me."

"Sahoko san..." Kotoko gaped.

"And in the end, love overcame money, which is as it should be." The young heiress managed to muster a smile. "I'm glad. Truly glad."

"But how could you be certain...?"

"That day... at Odaiba... It was the way he spoke to Kotoko san and Kinnosuke san. What he said to you two and the way he looked at Kinnosuke san."

"He was especially hateful that day." Kotoko sighed, recalling that fateful meeting.

"Yes, he was..." Sahoko had a faraway look about her as if her mind her leapt to another time and place. "But that is when I saw the thing I feared the most. I saw that he was jealous of Kinnosuke san and all those angry, spiteful words came from his heart."

"I didn't realise... I had no idea..." Kotoko was in a daze.

"For the first time, I heard Naoki san speak from the heart. I knew almost immediately that he was in love with you."

Silence was their companion for many moments. There was so much to take in but no more dread about what was to come. Silence bound them together and gave them time to ponder over words spoken and possibly a fresh start.

"I'm so stupid." Kotoko finally broke the silence and slapped her forehead repeatedly. Tears were falling from her eyes. "All that time... I really thought he didn't care about me in that way. Sometimes... I wondered... hoped but I never dared to think..."

She's so simple-minded... so transparent... Naoki san, you are so surprising in your choices.

"Thank you for telling me this... Sahoko san... You are a good person. The torture he put the two of us through... I should've hit him a lot harder on the head when I had the chance." Kotoko grimaced.

"Well, if you ever get the chance again..."

"Don't worry. Leave it to me..." Kotoko retorted, rolling up her imaginary sleeves, flexing her muscles and waving her imaginary racquet. "He won't know what hit him."

At that moment when the petite interloper turned into Sailor Moon before her very eyes, Sahoko experienced a sudden attack of the giggles which was followed by full-blown laughter.

Naoki san... I wonder if you know what you're in for.

Yes, of course you do. I expect you know full well what you've chosen for yourself.

Kotoko was surprised at yet another unexpected turn of events. At first, she stood and stared in amazement and relief. The universe, it would appear, was smiling on her with great favour.

That was the beginning of an unexpected alliance.

"What did you get up to today? Took off first thing in the morning without saying a word... and without breakfast too." The newly minted husband spoke with a nonchalance that belied a burning curiosity.

"Nothing much... I just went for a walk in the Shinagawa district."

"Shinagawa? What were you doing there?"

"Visiting..."

"Who?"

"Someone... not a man... so don't worry..." She said airily as she fell into an easy chair.

"I'm not worried." The husband responded with practiced indifference and quickly hid his desire to pursue the subject behind the latest edition of The Japan Times. "I'm merely surprised that you're not hankering for food."

"I had sausages. Lots of sausages." His young wife patted her abdominal area with a satisfied look.

"Sausages in Shinagawa?"

"Uh huh... in a canteen. They make it themselves." The young lady gave a yawn and stretched herself like a cat. "I'm exhausted. I think I might have a nap. I'll study later."

Before waiting for his reply, she dashed out the room, galloped up the stairs at top speed and the last thing the young husband heard was the sound of a door shutting behind her.

Shinagawa... why would she go there on her own... Shinagawa...

Don't tell me... she went to...

"You went to Seisen this morning, didn't you?"

Kotoko had just woken up and noticed two eyes boring down on her as she tried to regain full consciousness. She could almost make out the blurry figure of her week-old husband hovering overhead.

"What's the time?" She muttered groggily. The nap had evidently turned into an extended sleep.

"6. It's almost time for dinner."

At the mention of food, she became alert. "Good, I'm ravenous."

Kotoko had barely lifted herself out of bed only to be pounced on by the tall, slim figure of said husband. She fell back onto the bed and groaned.

"What are you doing? I'm trying to get up."

"Did you go to Seisen this morning?" Her husband was determined not to let this one go.

"So what if I did?" Kotoko said casually and then grew concerned. "Did someone ring and complain?"

"No one has rung or complained."

"Good, then let me get up and wash myself before dinner."

"Not until you tell me why you went there."

"No particular reason. I had heard a lot about the beautiful grounds."

It was a boldfaced lie and she knew even as she said it that he wasn't going to go for it.

Seeing that his usual backhanded approach wasn't getting anywhere, the young husband leaned further in and took a different tack. "Did you meet up with Oizumi Sahoko?"

"Maybe I did." She pushed back defiantly. "Now can I get up?"

Her husband made no effort to move. "Why did you do this unnecessary thing?"

Oddly enough, he did not seem angry.

"Because ... because... I felt it was necessary... to do the right thing. I felt responsible. I wanted to make things right. Happy? Satisfied?"

He maintained a steady gaze and made no effort to move. "I'm the one who was responsible... You didn't need to apologize..."

"Of course I did... She was hurt by me... by us... I couldn't rest easy until..."

The husband didn't wait to hear the rest of the explanation. He leaned forward and let his lips fall freely onto hers.

"Yuki... did you call them down for dinner?"

"Big brother and sister-in-law are... er... busy. They'll be down soon."

"What's the matter, Yuki, your face is all red."

"Nothing... nothing... I'm just feeling hot."

"Should I turn down the central heating?"

"No... no... I'm fine. I think we should go ahead. I don't think we should wait."

"I wonder what Naoki and Kotoko are doing... it's not like them to be late for dinner."