Okay, and HERE we have another fanfic.  I know, it's late.  
Gomen.  I did the best I could, but my muse is such a little beast 
sometimes...ANYHOW...this is a Usagi/Mamoru songfic, of course, 
and there is no Sailor Moon in it.  I do not own these characters.  
I know, my title is less than original, but I think my brain is on 
overdrive here.  Honestly, I don't know if this is very good or not, 
so let me know one way or the other, and I'll go back and change 
some things.  =)  The song used is "The Search is Over" by Survivor, 
and I've been looking to use this song in a fic for a LONG time.  
This is the one.  Hope it works.  =)  Oh, and for those who don't 
already know, my very first book, "The Goblin King" is published 
and now available on Amazon.com.  It's getting really great reviews 
so far!  Go check it out.  =)  Well, on with the story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Search Is Over
  by Stormlight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How can I convince you what you see is real 
Who am I to blame you for doubting what you feel 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	"I can't BELIEVE it's almost Valentines Day already!" 
Tsukino Usagi exclaimed loudly as she, Kino Makoto, and Hino 
Rei sat around a table in the Crown Center arcade on Friday 
afternoon.

	"Yeah, it's just around the corner, and NONE of us have 
boyfriends to celebrate it with.  AGAIN," Makoto added grumpily.

	Rei smirked.  "Although," she began snidely, "in Usagi's 
case, that's perfectly understandable..."

	"NANI?" Usagi yelped as Makoto chuckled.  "You take that 
back, Hino Rei!"

	Rei's only reply, of course, was to stick out her tongue 
at Usagi, which naturally started one of their infamous tongue 
wars, punctuated by occasional insults...

	"Come on, minna!" Makoto pleaded as a large sweatdrop 
appeared on her head.  "Can't you two get along for even five 
minutes?!"

	The two girls immediately stopped their argument to give 
each other long, appraising looks.  Then, turning to Makoto, 
who looked back at them hopefully, they replied, in perfect 
unison, "NO!"  And went right back to bickering again as Makoto 
dropped her head onto the table with a dull thunk.  "I give up!" 
she groaned.

	"Give what up?"

	The deep voice startled all three girls into silence as 
they turned wide eyes upward to gaze at the speaker.  Immediately 
Rei's face lit up as a suspiciously bright gleam entered her eyes.  
"Mamoru-san!" she said breathlessly.  "We didn't even hear you 
come up!"

	Chiba Mamoru chuckled as he shot Usagi a sly glance.  
"Well, no wonder, what with the way Odango Atama was wailing," 
he replied with a smirk.

	Rei immediately burst into laughter while Makoto suddenly 
looked nervous.  "Um...say, Usagi, how about we go play some 
video games," she suggested.  "Come on, my treat!"

	But Usagi wasn't listening.  She jumped to her feet, hands 
fisted into little balls at her side, and glared defiance at 
Mamoru.  Of course...considering her head barely reached the 
middle of his chest, and considering she was standing so close 
to him she had to crane her neck back to even see his face, it 
was very hard to look intimidating, and the smug look on his face 
let her know she wasn't doing a very good job of it.  But that 
didn't stop her.  Not by a long shot.

	"Ohhhh!  Mamoru-baka, why can't you ever just go away!" 
she fumed.  "You are the biggest jerk I've ever met, and I wish 
I'd never hit you with that test paper!  I wish it had been a 
TEXTBOOK!"

	Mamoru, curse him, didn't appear to be at all put out.  
He just grinned that smug grin of his and reached out to pat 
her head in a playful manner.  "Awww...gee, that's a shame, 
Odango Atama, 'cause I LIKE you!" he teased.

	Makoto, fortunately, was able to step in before Usagi 
succeeded in tackling Mamoru to the floor in her fury, but all 
the same, the smaller girl managed to get in a good, swift kick 
to Mamoru's shin-making him yelp in pain and surprise-before 
Makoto finally succeeded in dragging the snarling girl away 
toward the games.

	Mamoru, for his part, could only stare after them while 
he rubbed his throbbing leg.  "Daijabu?" a worried Rei asked, 
dragging his attention away from Usagi's retreating form.  
"That odango-baka!  I can't believe how immature she is!  
Kicking you like that!  It's disgraceful!" the outraged Miko 
snapped.  "How badly did she hurt you?"

	Mamoru shook his head slightly, a smile pulling at his 
lips.  "Relax, Rei-chan," he replied with a chuckle.  "A little 
thing like her couldn't do much damage.  It wasn't any more that 
I deserved, anyway."

	Rei's mouth dropped open in shock.  "How can you say that?  
She was completely unladylike!" she huffed.  "I don't know why 
you put up with her..."

	"I thought Usagi was your friend," Mamoru cut in with a 
raised eyebrow.  "So how come you're taking MY side?  You know 
she and I never get along."

	Rei blinked.  "Well...I...that is..." she stammered, 
blushing slightly.  

	Mamoru allowed a small grin to touch his features.  He 
knew Rei had a little crush on him, like most of the girls 
he'd ever known.  She didn't do anything about it, though, as 
she was far too proud and refined to ever throw herself at him 
like many others would.  In fact, she was almost as aloof toward 
him as Usagi, only Usagi DIDN'T like him, whereas Rei apparently 
did.  He allowed himself to take a long, apprising look at the 
Miko, noting her delicate features and graceful movements, and 
the fire that burned deep in her eyes.  Yes, he suddenly realized, 
Rei was indeed a beautiful girl.  One that...maybe...he wouldn't
mind getting to know a little better.

	"Say, Rei-chan, do you have any plans this weekend?" he 
asked suddenly.  

	Rei looked at him in surprise.  "N-nani?" she squeaked.  
"Plans?  Iie, not that I know of, besides my regular temple duties.  
Doushite?"

	He shrugged.  "Oh, someone gave me two tickets to Phantom 
of the Opera at the Little Theater on Saturday, and I really 
don't want to go by myself, and I'd hate to just throw them away.  
Besides, I kind of want to see it.  So...would you like to go 
with me?" he asked.

	Rei's face positively glowed.  "Shinji nai!  Y-you're
asking ME to go to a show with you?" she gushed.  "Really?  Me?"

	She seemed so excited that he had to smile.  "Of course 
you.  Who else would I be talking to?" he teased gently.  "So 
would you like to go?"

	"YOU BET!" she shouted.  Then, quickly regaining her 
composure, "I mean...I would love to attend the show with you,
Mamoru-san."  She stood and bowed to him formally, making him 
chuckle.

	"Sou," he replied.  "I'll pick you up at the temple at 
six o'clock tomorrow evening, and maybe we can catch a bite 
to eat before or after the show.  How does that sound?"

	"Wonderful!" she breathed, her eyes glowing.  "I can't 
believe that YOU, of all people, are asking me out on a date!  
I've...had a crush on you for the longest time!"  Her cheeks 
flushed slightly when she realized what she'd just admitted, 
but he merely smiled at her.

	"Boy," Rei gushed, rubbing her hands maliciously.  "Wait'll 
I tell Usagi-chan that I've got a date with her worst enemy!  
She'll absolutely FLIP!"

	Mamoru, for some odd reason, suddenly felt something that 
felt suspiciously like guilt at the mention of Usagi.  He winced 
slightly, opening his mouth to ask Rei to keep silent about the 
date, although he couldn't for the life of him figure out why he 
cared, when a sudden sound caught both of their attention and 
caused them turn together to see Usagi standing before them.

	"U-Usagi," Mamoru stammered, startled at the sight of her 
large, shining eyes, staring at him with a curiously betrayed 
look on her pale face.  He shot an uneasy glance toward Rei, 
who was gazing at Usagi with smug satisfaction.  

	Usagi swallowed and blinked rapidly a few times, and the 
suspicious brightness of her eyes vanished, leaving them looking 
almost dull...almost lifeless.  The emptiness of her expression 
slammed into Mamoru's chest and left him breathless.  What was 
WRONG with her?  "Odango?  Daijabu?" he questioned softly, as 
though one wrong word would send her crashing to the floor.

	She blinked again, then managed a tight little smile.  
"Hai.  I...left my money in my bag," she replied stiffly, 
shoving past Mamoru and riffling around in her book bag.  
Her hands, he noted with shock, were shaking slightly as she 
pulled out a small coin purse.

	"So...I suppose you heard that Mamoru-san and I are 
going to see the Phantom tomorrow night," Rei said smugly.  
"It's supposed to be really good.  Bet you wish YOU were the 
one going, huh, Odango Atama?"

	Usagi was looking at the floor, at her hands, at the table, 
anywhere but at Rei and Mamoru.  "Iie.  I-I didn't really want to 
see it," she replied, her voice subdued.

	"HA!" Rei shouted.  "Didn't want to see it?!  You haven't 
been talking of anything else for the past WEEK except complaining 
that you couldn't afford to buy a ticket to go!  Come on!  Admit 
it!  You're jealous!  Not only 'cause I get to go and you don't, 
but I get to go with THE cutest college guy this side of Japan!"

	Usagi swallowed, and managed another small, tight smile.  
"Well...I'm sure you and Mamoru-baka will have fun, at any rate," 
she replied stiffly.  "Heaven knows, you're perfect for each other."  
She turned and, without another word, slowly walked back over to 
the games where Makoto was waiting for her.

	"Um...are you sure you should have rubbed it in like that?" 
Mamoru asked uncertainly, glancing down to the raven-haired Miko 
hanging possessively onto his arm.

	"Oh, she's just mad 'cause she can't go see the play," Rei 
sniffed, tossing her hair.  "She'll be over it by Monday."

	Mamoru frowned as he looked worriedly after Usagi.  There 
was no point in admitting that the play wasn't exactly what he'd 
had in mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was always reachin', you were just a girl I knew 
I took for granted the friend I have in you
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	"USAGI!  Sheesh, will you quit walking and tell me what 
is WRONG already?!" Makoto yelled as she pulled on the other 
girl's arm to stop her.  They were walking back to Usagi's 
house through the park to watch videos, but Makoto had a 
feeling that it was about to be put on hold until she could 
figure out what it was that was bothering her best friend so 
much.  She had never SEEN the girl looking so dejected, and 
it worried her.  

	Usagi, apparently deciding to heed Makoto's command, 
suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, her long, shining ponytails 
swinging gently over her shoulders as she looked down at her feet, 
and Makoto was forced to do a small, sideways dance to keep from 
running headlong into her.

	"Usa-chan!  Fix those break lights, will ya?" she teased.

	"Rei-chan and Mamoru-kun are going to see a show on Saturday 
at the Little Theater," Usagi said in a low voice, ignoring her 
friend's attempts to cheer her up.  "The one I've been telling 
you about, The Phantom of the Opera, that traveled over from 
Europe."

	Makoto raised an eyebrow.  "So?  What's so bad about that?" 
she asked.  "You hate Mamoru-kun, remember?  He and Rei are a lot 
alike, come to think of it."  She giggled at the thought, but 
Usagi didn't laugh with her.  Makoto sighed and led the smaller 
girl over to a convenient park bench.  "Okay, what's REALLY 
bugging you, Usa-chan?" she asked.  "And don't tell me it's 
'cause you can't see that show like you wanted to!"

	Usagi shrugged, her brow furrowed as she continued to 
look at the ground.  "I don't know," she grumbled.  "I don't 
know WHAT'S wrong with me!  I don't care about the play!  
It's...just that...the thought of Rei and Mamoru together..."  
She fisted her hands at her sides unconsciously, a gesture that 
was not lost on Makoto.

	"It bothers you?" the taller girl pressed.

	"HAI!" Usagi suddenly exploded, causing Makoto to jump 
back a little.  "Hai, it DOES bother me, but I can't for the 
life of me figure out WHY!"

	"Ahhh..."  A little light bulb seemed to click on over 
Makoto's head, and she shot her friend a shrewd glance.  "Betcha 
I can tell you why," she replied slyly.

	"Oh yeah?" Usagi snorted.  "Well, go ahead.  Enlighten me!"

	Makoto smirked.  "YOU, my friend, are jealous!"

	There was a moment of silence, during which Makoto calmly 
stuck a finger in each ear, and then... 

	"NANI?!" Usagi bellowed, leaping to her feet and turning 
on Makoto.  "ARE YOU CRAZY?!  ME?!  JEALOUS OF THAT?!  HA!  LIKE 
EVEN!"

	"I'm perfectly serious," Makoto replied with a sly grin.  
"You're jealous of Rei, all right, but it doesn't have anything 
to do with seeing the play.  It has much more to do with the fact 
that it's MAMORU who's taking her to see it!"

	"BAKA!  You really ARE crazy!" Usagi snarled, starting to 
walk again.  "I most certainly am NOT jealous that Mamoru's taking 
Rei out to see a great show...and to dinner...and will probably 
stroll along with her under the moonlight afterwards...holding her 
hand...and..."  Usagi's voice grew fainter and fainter with each 
syllable, and her eyes grew sadder and sadder as her mind conjured 
up images of Rei and HER Mamoru together, doing all the things that 
she, Usagi, would never get to do, because of the simple fact that 
the gorgeous Chiba Mamoru was her worst enemy.  Her steps faltered 
until she stood in the middle of the path, staring blankly ahead.  
"You know what?" she whispered.

	"Nani?" Makoto replied, hardly daring to guess.

	"I think I really AM jealous.  But then...that would mean..."

	"...that you don't hate him," Makoto finished for her.

	Usagi looked up at her friend with stricken eyes.  "But...then 
THAT would mean..."

	Makoto smiled and gave Usagi's shoulders a friendly squeeze.  
"That you LIKE him," she replied.  "Welcome to my world, Usagi-chan.  
Boys, secret crushes, and puppy love everywhere you go.  It's loads 
of fun, believe me."  She wrinkled her nose.

	"I wanna go home," Usagi whimpered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was living for a dream, loving for a moment 
Taking on the world, that was just my style 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	On Sunday afternoon, Usagi wandered into the arcade and 
looked around until she spotted Furuhata Motoki standing beside 
a little boy playing a video game.  "Konnichi'wa, Motoki-san!" 
she greeted, heading over to him.

	He looked over, spotted her, and smiled, his green eyes 
lighting up.  "Konnichi'wa, Usagi-chan," he replied.  "Anything 
I can get for you?"

	"How about a chocolate milkshake?" she suggested.  "I could 
use a good sugar hit!"  She smiled a little.

	"Coming right up!"  He patted the boy's shoulder with a 
final word of encouragement, then led Usagi over to the bar.  
As he fixed her a shake, he shot a pensive glance at her, noting 
that she seemed a little...unhappy.  "Usagi-chan, Daijabu?" he 
asked in concern.

	She blinked, then smiled weakly.  "Hai, Motoki-san," she 
replied softly.  "Arigatou, but I'm fine."  She hesitated, then 
asked, "H-have you...spoken with Mamoru-kun lately?"

	"Nani?"  Motoki looked at her in surprise.  "Not lately.  
Why do you want to know?"

	She shrugged, sipping at her drink.  "He and Rei-chan 
went out on...on a date last night.  I was just wondering...how 
everything had gone, is all," she replied, keeping her voice 
carefully neutral. 

	**So THAT'S why she's so moody today!** he thought to 
himself.  **She's trying to hide it, but I can tell she's a 
little upset about those two hooking up.**  "Gomen, Usagi-chan, 
he hasn't come in yet," he replied.  Then an impish grin lit his 
face.  "But I'll be sure to let him know you were asking about 
him..."

	"IIE!" Usagi nearly yelled.  "I mean...I don't really 
CARE, you know.  I just wanted to know if the show was as good 
as everyone says.  I'll just ask Rei-chan about it when I see 
her."

	Motoki's grin widened as the entrance doors slid open to 
let in a familiar figure.  "Are you sure you don't want me to 
ask for you?" he asked impishly.  "Cause Mamoru-san just came 
in, you know..."

	"Don't say ANYTHING!" Usagi pleaded.  "I don't want that 
baka to think I CARED or anything, and you KNOW he'll make a big 
deal out of it!"

	"Big deal out of what?"

	Usagi winced and shot Motoki an accusing glare for not 
telling her that the subject of their conversation was standing 
right behind them.  "None of your business, Mamoru-baka!" she 
huffed, sticking her nose in the air.  "Go away!"

	Of course Mamoru didn't go away.  He grinned and plunked 
himself right down on the stool beside her, giving her a devilish 
wink.  "So, what's got YOUR panties in a bunch, Odango?" he asked 
playfully.

	She pouted and refused to answer him, taking another 
swallow of her fast-melting shake.  He rolled his eyes and 
turned his attention to Motoki.  "Ya know, that looks pretty 
good."  He nodded toward Usagi's glass.  "Give me the same 
thing."

	"Sure thing," Motoki replied.  "Oh, and by the way, how 
did your date with Rei go last night?"

	Usagi promptly began to choke on the gulp of chocolate 
she'd just taken.  With a mix of alarm and amusement, Mamoru 
pounded her back until she could catch her breath again.  
"Better?" he asked.

	"A-arigatou," she wheezed, shooting Motoki a warning glare, 
who gave her an apologetic glance in reply.

	"Geez, Odango, don't gulp your drink so fast, then you 
won't choke!" Mamoru admonished her, not noticing the exchange 
of glances.

	Usagi's cheeks flushed dark red.  "I WASN'T gulping!" 
she protested.  "I was...Motoki just...I...oh, never MIND!"  
She slouched down and buried her face in her arms, clearly 
exasperated with the both of them.  Mamoru shot Motoki a 
confused look, but the manager merely gave a shrug in reply 
and mouthed, "Girl trouble."

	Mamoru also shrugged, deciding that his Odango just wasn't 
any fun in this state, and concentrated on the question that had 
started the whole thing.  "Rei and I had a good time last night," 
he began...and noticed that Usagi immediately seemed to perk up.  
He could practically see her ears straining to catch every word, 
and a smile touched his lips.  Hmmm....

	"We went to dinner first," he continued, watching the 
girl carefully.  "I took her to that new restaurant, the Imperial 
Gardens, and then walked to the theater a few blocks over."

	"Wow!  That place is really expensive," Motoki commented, 
obviously impressed.

	Mamoru saw Usagi squirm uncomfortably and peek out at him.  
He smiled slightly.  "Well...I like to treat my dates really well," 
he replied smoothly, and to his delight Usagi squirmed again.  
Something was obviously bothering her, and he had an idea as to 
what it might be, judging by her reaction yesterday, as well.  
It was very possible that she was...jealous.  Of Rei...for dating 
HIM... He found that the thought of Odango being jealous of her 
friend over him was strangely...pleasing.  "The show was pretty 
good," he continued.  "Rei really enjoyed it, I think.  After that, 
I took her back to the temple, and she offered me some tea.  After 
that..."  He shrugged, glancing down at Usagi again, who was now 
openly staring at him, her eyes strangely troubled.  She 
immediately jerked her gaze away from his, cheeks flushing 
pink again at having been caught staring.  Her hands, he noticed,
were tightened into little fists, the delicate nails digging into 
her palms.

	Without thinking twice, he reached out to her and unfisted 
one little hand.  "What's the matter, Odango?" he asked amusedly, 
even as he unknowingly caused strange, fluttering sensations to 
rise in her stomach as he stroked her palm with his thumb.  "You 
seem a little upset about something."

	She jerked her hand away and cradled it to her chest 
protectively, gazing at him through large, luminescent eyes 
in a way that made his breath abruptly freeze in his throat.  
How had he never noticed before just how pretty those eyes were?  
Such a beautiful, crystal blue... He couldn't help but stare into 
them, sinking deeper and deeper into her bright gaze, drowning in 
some foreign emotion...

	Usagi felt like she was floating, or maybe like she was 
drowning, as she found herself trapped in an intense, cerulean
gaze that seemed to stare straight through her into her very 
soul in a way that nobody had ever done before.  It was incredible, 
really, to think that someone could see through her that easily, 
could be connected to her so intimately... Suddenly, though, she 
remembered herself, remembered WHO it was that was staring at her, 
and her euphoric feeling left her in a rush.  Panicking, she jerked 
her gaze away before he could see into her heart; could see the 
strange feelings she was trying so hard to ignore.  It wouldn't be 
fair, really, for HIM to discover what those emotions were before 
she herself could figure them out.  Rather, she managed a little 
smirk and said, "I don't know what you're talking about.  I was 
just thinking about how you and Rei are so perfect for each other, 
since you both have the personalities of starving bears!"  

	Mamoru's mouth dropped open, but before he could come up 
with a reply, she jumped to her feet, tossed a bill onto the 
counter, and almost ran out of the arcade.  He turned toward 
Motoki, still trying to figure out what had just happened.  
His friend merely stood there and looked at him, waiting.  
Mamoru stared back for a minute, then huffed an exasperated 
sigh and shook his head.  

	"I will NEVER understand that girl!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now I look into your eyes 
I can see forever, the search is over 
You were with me all the while
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Usagi cried as she threw herself across 
her bed and proceeded to wail her eyes out.  "It's just not fair!  
All these months!  All this time of 'Odango Atama' and 'klutz' and 
'ditz' and all those other names, and never ONCE does he TRY to be 
nice to me!  You'd THINK I'd be smart enough to ignore him!  You'd 
THINK I'd be smart enough to fall for some OTHER guy, like Motoki!  
One who DOESN'T treat me like the dirt under his feet!"

	"Usagi?"  Luna approached her charge cautiously, large 
eyes fixed on the sobbing girl worriedly.  "What's happened?" 
she asked gently.  "Why are you so upset?"

	Usagi sniffed and wiped her eyes, turning her head to look 
at the little cat sitting on her desk.  "M-Mamoru-kun," she sobbed.  
"A-and Rei-chan...went to see a show last night.  Together.  Alone.  
On a DATE!"  She released another loud sob and buried her face in 
her pillow, her whole body shaking.

	Now Luna was concerned.  True, Usagi had a habit of wailing 
over the least little thing...but this was different.  The girl 
seemed truly distressed...and her sobs had never sounded 
so...heartbroken...before.  "But, Usagi, why does that bother 
you so much?" she asked in confusion.  "I thought Chiba Mamoru 
was your worst enemy.  You've told me that yourself countless 
times!"

	"I lied," she sniffled, hiccuping softly.

	"Lied?"

	"Well...I didn't KNOW it was a lie!" Usagi sobbed.  "I 
thought I really meant it...but then he asked Rei to go see 
Phantom of the Opera with him...and to dinner, too...and she 
was being so smug about it to me and rubbing it in...and I 
just...I couldn't STAND it!  Makoto-chan says it's 'cause I'm 
jealous, and she's RIGHT!  Which means I actually LIKE Mamoru!  
And now that I know THAT, I realized I've ALWAYS liked Mamoru!  
A whole lot!  But he...he HATES me!"  And with that, she buried 
her face again and proceeded to wail some more.

	Luna sighed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can we last forever, will we fall apart 
At times it's so confusing, these questions of the heart 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Mamoru was still in the arcade, absently staring out a 
window as he stirred his long-since-melted milkshake around 
with a straw.  He was confused.  Perhaps more than confused.  
And Usagi's recent and most surprising behavior was most 
definitely the source of his confusion.  He had very little 
doubt in his mind that she did not approve of him and Rei going 
out, even if it WAS only one date.  What he couldn't figure out 
was WHY she wouldn't approve of it.  This was a question he put 
to Motoki, since Motoki seemed to know about these things, 
seeing as he had a sister and all, and was much more familiar 
with the inner workings of females than Mamoru ever hoped to be.

	Motoki, however, merely gave Mamoru a hard look, and 
abruptly smacked his friend across the back of his head.  
"Hey!" Mamoru yelped, ducking away.  "What was that for?!"

	"You baka!  Are you BLIND!?" Motoki replied.  "Why do you 
THINK Usagi'd be upset that you're taking one of her best friends 
out on dates?!"

	Mamoru glared at him.  "If I knew THAT I wouldn't have 
bothered to ask you!" he snapped.  "I never understood that 
Odango!  But you seem to know so much about her.  Why don't 
YOU tell me?"

	Motoki sighed and shook his head.  "Mamoru-san...this
is something you're gonna have to figure out for yourself," he 
replied.  "Really...the answer is right in front of you, if 
you'd take the time to actually LOOK at her."  With those words, 
he stood and walked away, leaving Mamoru to sit there, as confused 
than ever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You followed me through changes and patiently you'd wait 
Till I came to my senses through some miracle of fate 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	"So...how did your date with Mamoru-kun go?" Makoto 
questioned as she, Usagi, Mizuno Ami, Aino Minako, and Rei 
sat around the kitchen table in Makoto's apartment.  Off to 
her right, she saw Usagi cringe slightly, and winced inwardly.  
"I mean..." she hastily added, "you don't HAVE to tell us, of 
course.  In fact, maybe we should get back to studying..."

	Rei grinned.  "Oh, we can study later.  I want you guys to 
hear ALL about this!" she replied.  "Especially you, Usagi," she 
added smugly, glancing toward the blond.  "Don't you want to know 
what you missed out on last night?"

	"Not especially," Usagi muttered, turning her back on them 
and picking up a history book.  In fact, she could think of a 
million other things she'd rather do--including math homework!--than 
to listen to Rei gloat about Mamoru.

	Rei shot Usagi a sly glance, then grinned.  "I KNEW it!" she 
crowed suddenly.  "You?  Not wanting to know about my love life?  
I was right!  You ARE jealous!"  She began to laugh as Usagi leaped 
to her feet, ready to protest.  "Don't even try to deny it!" Rei 
added, still giggling.  "You can't fool me, so don't even try!"

	"Okay.  I won't."

	The soft-spoken words were enough to still Rei's laughter, 
and all four girls turned to stare at Usagi incredulously.  She 
stared back for a moment, then gave a short laugh and shrugged.  
"What?  I'm not allowed to like the guy?  Is it a crime to wish 
I was the one he was taking to shows and dinners and walking with 
in the moonlight holding my hand?  Mamoru-san is...he's everything 
I always wished I could have.  A perfect dream!  But you can relax, 
Rei."  Her voice suddenly turned dark and bitter.  "I would never 
try to steal a guy away from you, no matter how much I cared about 
him.  You're my friend.  He asked you out first, so I guess that's 
that.  Besides...he hates me, anyway."

	"Usagi-chan," Minako began quietly, but Usagi merely shrugged 
and smiled back, although it seemed a little forced.

	"No sense crying over spilt milk.  Come on, Ami-chan.  I need 
help with some math if I'm gonna pass that test on Monday."

	The girls exchanged uneasy glances, not knowing what to say.  
Usagi wanting to study was a rare and unusual circumstance.  She
must really be upset, if she was using homework to get her mind 
off of the situation.

	"How about we skip studying and head out for a shopping 
spree at the mall, instead?"

	This shy suggestion came from, surprisingly enough, Ami, 
and everyone turned to give her openmouthed stares that made her 
blush.  "Well, it's obvious that Usagi-chan is upset, so I thought 
shopping might cheer her up some."

	Usagi smiled.  "Thanks, Ami-chan...but I really don't feel 
like doing much other than going home and pigging out on ice cream," 
she replied.  "In fact...I think maybe I'll do that.  I don't think 
I can concentrate on studying, anyway."  She gathered her books and 
gave them a small smile before heading out of the apartment, not 
even saying goodbye.

	The other girls watched her go, before Minako, Makoto and 
Ami turned to fix their gazes on Rei, who immediately went on the 
defensive.  "Nani?!" she snapped.  "Stop looking at me like that!  
I have every right to go out with Mamoru-san!  How was I supposed 
to know Usagi had a crush on him?  Not that it would've changed 
anything, 'cause I like him, too!"

	"But did you have to be so mean about it and rub her face 
in it like that?" Makoto yelled back.  "That was really cruel, 
Rei."

	"She'll get over it," Rei snorted.  "That Odango can't stay 
mad for long.  Just wait'll she sees some other cute guy, or Mamoru 
insults her again, and she'll forget all about him!"

	"That's the trouble with love," Minako said quietly.  "It 
doesn't always let us choose WHO we want to be in love with."

	"What do you mean 'love'?" Rei snorted.  "You're saying Usagi 
LOVES Mamoru?  What happened to 'like'?"

	Minako shrugged.  "I could be wrong, but it has to be more 
than simple like," she replied.  "I'm sure if Usagi had a choice,
knowing how you feel about Mamoru, she'd try to make herself forget 
him.  But I just don't think she's able, and that's what's upsetting 
her so much.  Not JUST 'cause it might put a strain on your 
friendship, but also 'cause she feels it's hopeless to love him."

	"But is it so hopeless?" Makoto asked, suddenly excited.  
"I mean...why does Mamoru tease her so much?  D'ya think it's 
cause he...well...likes her, too, and doesn't know how to show 
it?"

	"Hey, that's a good possibility!"  Minako replied.  "Have 
you ever watched Mamoru and Usagi together?  I mean, really!  
Sometimes the tension between those two is so thick I don't 
know if they're gonna go and spring at each others throats or 
end up sucking face!"

	"Talk about a love/hate relationship," Makoto chuckled.

	"Yeah, they love to hate each other!" Minako quipped, giggling.

	Up 'till now, Rei had been silent, but now she suddenly 
slapped her hands on the table, making the others jump.  "Hel-LO!" 
she shouted.  "Sorry to interrupt the conversation...but HAVE WE 
FORGOTTEN THAT THIS IS MY BOYFRIEND YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE?!?"

	Makoto sniffed.  "Don't have a coronary, Rei-chan!  And 
don't you think that you're getting a little carried away?" she 
asked.  "I mean, you've only HAD one date with him!  And has he
even asked you out again?"

	"As a matter of fact he HAS!" Rei snapped.  "In fact...I 
have to go meet him right now!  We're taking a moonlight stroll 
in the park.  TOGETHER!"  With that, she grabbed her jacket and 
purse and marched out the door, leaving the others to sit there 
shaking their heads after her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was living for a dream, loving for a moment 
Taking on the world, that was just my style 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Twenty minutes later, Rei was standing in the lobby of 
Mamoru's apartment complex, waiting for the elevator to arrive.  
He wasn't expecting to see her; the story she told her friends 
had been just that.  A story.  Her pride wouldn't allow her to 
admit to the fact that Mamoru HADN'T asked her out again.  But 
she felt guilty now for lying to her friends, so here she was, 
about to surprise him with a visit.  She only hoped he was home.

	She glanced at her watch impatiently-this had to be the 
slowest elevator on earth-and huffed an annoyed sigh.  "I don't 
have time to wait here all night," she muttered irritably, 
turning to head toward the stairway, determined to walk the 
fifteen flights of stairs to Mamoru's apartment.  She looked 
at the slip of paper in her hand again.  Apartment 1625.  It 
had taken a lot of pleading to get Mamoru to give her his 
address, but she'd succeeded, although he'd handed it over 
with great reluctance.  She frowned, wondering now if he'd 
only done so in the first place to get her to be quiet.  She 
could be very stubborn when she wanted something; she hoped 
she hadn't been a complete pest the night before when she'd 
asked him for the address.  

	There was some part of her that also wondered why he'd been 
so reluctant to hand it over in the first place.  True, he was a 
very private person, and his apartment was his home.  But she was 
his girlfriend!  Or...well, not really, she amended.  She certainly 
WANTED to be...but she had the feeling that it wasn't going to 
happen anytime soon...and she also had the feeling she knew why.  
Why had he asked her out, though?  She'd thought it was interest, 
and they'd certainly had a wonderful time on their date...but he 
had still been his usual withdrawn self, refusing to talk about 
himself at all.  And when he'd kissed her goodnight before 
leaving...it had been a mere peck.  Like the kind a friend, or 
even her grandfather, would give her.  When he withdrew again, 
he'd looked almost...guilty.  As though he had just betrayed 
someone by kissing her.  

	She couldn't help but wonder if it was Usagi he'd been 
thinking of in that moment.

	"Rei-chan?"

	Mamoru's voice startled her into spinning around, just as 
she was about to open the doors to the stairway.  The elevator 
had finally arrived, and he stood in it, looking over at her with 
a surprised expression.  "What are you doing here?" he asked.

	"K-konban'wa, Mamoru-san," she stammered, feeling her 
cheeks flush.  "I was just on my way up to see you..."

	"Were you?"  He glanced around, seemingly uncomfortable.  
"I was...just on my way out..." he replied.

	"Oh, gomen, I understand," she replied, although she 
couldn't keep the disappointment from her eyes.  "Well...maybe 
another time then.  Ja ne!"  She forced a smile, turning to leave.

	"Well...actually, I was just gonna take a walk through the 
park.  It's just across the street, you know.  Would you...like 
to come with me?" Mamoru asked hesitantly, not wanting her to be 
upset.

	She turned back and gave him a smile.  "I'd love to."

*	*	*	*	*
	Mamoru walked along beside Rei, who had slipped her arm 
through his and was staring up at the star-lit sky.  The air was 
clear and fresh, the trees and grass sparkled with a coating of 
frost, and the moon hung like a pure white ball against black 
velvet.  It was a beautiful night...but somehow Mamoru couldn't 
enjoy it.  

	"So..." Rei began, breaking the silence.  "I...had a really 
good time last night, Mamoru-san.  Thanks again for taking me to 
see the show."

	"You're quite welcome.  I'm glad you enjoyed it," he replied 
vaguely.  "It was a fun evening.  I haven't done anything like that 
for a long time."

	Rei frowned slightly as she looked up at his profile, 
highlighted in the moonlight and looking absolutely breathtaking.  
He seemed...distant tonight.  Not that this was anything unusual... 
"Daijabu?  Is there anything wrong?" she asked softly.

	He blinked and looked down at her, his brilliant eyes 
almost glowing in the dim light.  "Iie, why do you ask?" he 
replied.

	She shrugged.  "You just seem...quiet, is all."

	He grinned.  "I'm always quiet," he replied.  "It's my 
nature."

	She grinned back.  "Yeah, I know.  That whole aloof, 
mysterious college boy act you've got going.  It works for you."  
She giggled a little before falling silent, chewing on her lip 
uncomfortably.  For some reason, Minako's words were continually 
repeating themselves over in her mind, and she couldn't shake 
them.

	**"Have you ever watched Mamoru and Usagi together?  I 
mean, really!  Sometimes the tension between those two is so 
thick I don't know if they're gonna go and spring at each others 
throats or end up sucking face!"**

	"What's wrong?"  Now it was Mamoru's turn to be concerned, 
and she blinked up at him, before breaking into a small laugh.

	"I'm just...thinking," she replied.  "About something 
Mina-chan said.  About Usagi."

	"Must be something pretty serious to put such a serious 
look on your face."

	She smiled slightly.  "Well...I..."  She hesitated, then 
stopped walking and turned to face Mamoru.  "I was just 
wondering...what you think...about Usagi-chan," she replied, 
her voice very soft.

	"Odango?"  Mamoru was clearly surprised.  "I...what do you 
mean?  Why do you want to know that?" he stammered.

	She shrugged, jamming her hands into her pockets.  "I 
just...was curious.  You act so...different around her.  Teasing 
her and stuff."

	"Well...you tease her, too, don't forget," he reminded her 
nervously.  "You aren't gonna start chewing me out about it or 
anything, are you?"

	"Of course not!"  She laughed a little.  "I was just...well,
actually, WE were just wondering if teasing Usagi isn't your way 
of covering up some other deeper emotions..."

	"Nani?!  What are you talking about?" he asked amusedly.  
"WHAT other emotions?  And who, exactly, are 'WE'?"

	"My friends.  Ami and Minako and Makoto.  The gang, you 
know.  It's Minako's theory, but I can't help feeling that it 
might be a little true, since she's so good at guessing stuff 
like this."

	He frowned down at her.  "Odango is...just...some girl I 
know," he stammered.  "I mean...she's everything I'M not!  She's 
just a kid!"

	"So am I," Rei pointed out.  "We're both fourteen years 
old, you know."

	"Yeah, but she ACTS like it.  You don't."

	She smirked.  "Thanks for the compliment.  But...are you 
SURE it's me you're looking for?  I mean..."  She paused and bit 
her lip.  "Usagi cares about you, you know," she admitted.  "A 
lot more than she wants to admit.  And she'll kill me for telling 
you...but if there's a chance that maybe you feel the same way, I 
need to know."

	"Why ARE you telling me this?" he asked.

	She shrugged.  "Who knows?  I could be majorly screwing 
myself for doing this, 'cause I really like you, Mamoru...but 
Usagi is my friend.  My really good friend-my very best 
friend--and I can't say that about a lot of people.  As 
much as we fight...I love her like a sister, and I don't 
want to hurt her.  She already told me that she wouldn't 
come between us if we were meant to be, but I could see how 
much it hurt her to say it.  And something the others 
said...about the way you act to her sometimes, and the way 
you act other times...just kind of got to me."

	Mamoru frowned.  "Rei...what are...?"

	"What I mean to say, Mamoru-san, is that...if there is 
even a very small chance in heaven that you might feel for 
Usagi even HALF of what she obviously feels for you...then 
you need to go up to her and TELL her that.  I don't want her 
to be hurt anymore, and I don't want YOU to be hurt, either, 
by depriving yourself of someone you obviously need."

	Mamoru was stunned.  Could he be hearing right?  "Rei...are 
you sure you know what you're saying?" he gasped.  "Are you...?"

	"I have no idea what I'm saying," she replied with a short 
laugh that was half a sob.  "I'm just going on what my heart is 
telling me.  I've never tried this before, you know.  Listening 
to my heart, I mean.  But I think Usagi deserves a little 
consideration on my part.  And I would NEVER forgive myself if 
I ruined our friendship over a guy...even one as great as you."

	"So...you're saying...there will be no...Us?" he questioned 
softly.

	She looked up at him with a sad smile.  "Can you honestly 
tell me that you WANT there to be an 'Us'?" she asked in reply.  
"Minako isn't the only one who's noticed the way you and Usagi-chan 
act around each other.  I just...didn't want to think there was 
anything to it, I guess.  But the more I DO think about it, the 
more...I'm almost sure there is."  She held out a slip of 
paper--one he recognized as having given her the night before 
with his address on it--and placed it in his hand, folding his 
fingers over it.  "You never wanted me to have this, and I guess 
I can understand why.  Inviting a girl into your apartment is kind 
of a big step, especially for someone like you.  So I'm giving it 
back to you, and I want you to give it to someone...who you REALLY 
want to give it to."

	Mamoru took the paper and looked down at it before tucking 
it into his pocket.  Then he took Rei's hand and raised it to his 
lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it.  "Arigatou.  You're 
a wonderful girl, Hino Rei," he told her softly.  "I wonder if 
Usagi realizes how lucky she is to have you as a friend."

	Rei laughed.  "I rub in that fact every day," she replied.  
"And now I'll also make sure she knows how lucky she is to have 
YOU as a...friend."  She sighed and stepped back, looking at the 
ground.  "It's late.  Guess I'd better get back soon, before 
Grandpa starts to worry about me.  I'll see you around, right?"

	"We're friends, aren't we?" he replied with a smile.

	She smiled back.  "Hai.  We are.  And you know what?  
That's enough for me."  She turned and started walking away, 
before suddenly turning back again.  "Ya know what?" she called 
back to him.  "I just remembered.  Tomorrow's Valentine's Day." 
Before he could reply, she gave him a wave and turned to jog away 
again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now I look into your eyes 
I can see forever, the search is over 
You were with me all the while
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	"Wake UP, Usagi!  You'll be late for school!" Luna 
yelled in Usagi's ear, causing the girl to grumble and turn 
over, effectively knocking the cat onto the floor.  Luna 
growled and leaped onto the bed again.  "Well, you asked for 
it!" she scolded, and promptly bit Usagi on the ear.

	"YEEEOOWWW!" Usagi shrieked, sitting bolt-upright and 
glaring at Luna.  "What'd you go and do a thing like that for, 
you furball?!" she snapped.

	Luna sniffed.  "Nothing ELSE was working," she replied 
haughtily.  "Now get dressed before you're late!  And Happy 
Valentine's Day, by the way."

	"Bah humbug!" Usagi grumbled as she dragged herself out 
of bed.  "Can't I just play hooky today and sleep until it's over?"

	"Of course not!  Don't be absurd!" Luna replied.

	Usagi pouted.  "Well...don't be surprised if I come home 
early, 'cause all that mush going on is bound to make me sick!" 
she whined.

	"Usa-chan, I thought you LIKED 'mush'," Luna replied teasingly.

	"Not when I'm being left out of it," she retorted, slamming 
the door of her bathroom.  

	And Luna found herself sighing once again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now the miles stretch out behind me 
Loves that I have lost 
Broken hearts lie victims of the game 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	"How was your day today, Usagi-chan?" Motoki asked when 
he saw the odangoed teenager almost stagger into the arcade 
later that afternoon, weighed down with at least five stuffed 
animals--most of them rabbits, he noted--and quite a few boxes 
of candy.

	"Just fine," Usagi gasped, plunking her loot on a table 
and sinking down into it with an exaggerated sigh of relief.  
"Whew!  I think I need a wagon," she joked.  "But right now I'll 
settle for a glass of soda."

	Motoki laughed and shook his head as he complied with her 
request.  "That's some haul you have there," he commented as he 
set the drink down in front of her.  "Who're they all from?"

	Usagi poked through the packages, pulling out gift cards 
and reading them.  "Um...guys from school, I guess," she replied.  
"I kept finding them on my desk all day."

	Andrew face-faulted.  "You mean you don't KNOW?" he asked 
incredulously.  She giggled and blushed, shrugging slightly.

	"Oh, come on, you have to know at least ONE of them," he 
insisted.  "You can't tell me you have this many admirers and 
you don't even know any of their names!"

	"I do so know their names!" she protested.  "Right here it 
says, 'To my beautiful Usagi.  Love, Joben'."

	Motoki chuckled.  "Well...do you happen to know a FACE that 
goes along with that name?" he asked wryly.

	"Of course I do!  He's...he has...and his eyes...and...OKAY!  
So maybe that was a bad example..." she grumbled. 

	He shook his head, laughing.  "And you were in here the 
other day complaining with your friends 'cause you didn't have 
any boyfriends?" he teased.

	"Well, I don't," she replied, pouting.

	He snorted.  "Well, hate to break it to you, Usagi, but it 
looks to me like you've got your pick of potential boys right in 
front of you," he replied with amusement.

	She wrinkled her nose.  "Yeah...well...I've already got 
somebody I'm head-over-heels for, and HE causes me enough trouble 
as it is!" she sniffed.

	"You wouldn't be talking about Mamoru-san, would you?" he 
asked slyly.

	Usagi glared at him.  "Say it a little louder.  I don't 
think they heard you over in AMERICA yet," she snapped.

	"Gomen."

	The doors to the arcade slid open.  Motoki grinned.  "Well, 
speak of the devil..." he murmured.  Then, "Hey, Mamoru!  How was 
your day?"  Mamoru shot him a look, and he chuckled.  "That good, 
huh?"

	"Coffee.  Black," Mamoru replied darkly, sliding into the 
seat across from Usagi as though he had every right to be there.  
She blinked at him in surprise, and he smiled at her charmingly.  
"Konnichi-wa," he said.  "Looks like somebody's been having a good 
day, at least."

	She scowled and looked down.  "None of your business," she 
replied.  "What do you want?"

	"Right now, my coffee," he replied.  "I need a good caffeine 
hit."  

	She wrinkled her nose at him.  "You must have that stuff 
running in your veins.  Don't you know coffee can stunt your 
growth?"

	He grinned.  "Well...it hasn't affected me so far," he replied.  
"You, on the other hand..."   He reached out to pat her head.  She 
slapped his hand away.

	"Ohhh...you HAVE to rub THAT in, don't you?" she complained.  
"It isn't my fault I'm short!"

	"I know that," he replied.  "I never said it was.  Besides, 
I like it that you're short."

	Usagi shot him an incredulous glance as Motoki set a cup in 
front of him.  She immediately reached out to pull it away.  "That's 
it!  No more coffee for YOU, mister!  It's starting to kill off your 
brain cells!"

	He laughed at her and pulled the cup back again.  "So 
where'd you get the goodies?" he asked, changing the subject.  
"Secret admirers?"  He could barely mask the hint of jealousy 
in his tone.

	Usagi groaned, plunking her head down on the table.  "Do I 
have to go through all this AGAIN?!" she wailed.

	Mamoru shot Motoki, who was suddenly laughing at him, a 
confused glance.  "NOW what did I say?!"

	"She doesn't know," Motoki replied.  "Those things are from 
boys in her school that apparently think she's something special."  
At Mamoru's openmouthed stare, he leaned in and added under his 
breath, "Looks like you have some competition..."

	"What are you talking about?" Mamoru hissed.

	Motoki rolled his eyes, grabbing Mamoru's arm and pulling 
him out of the seat, walking him a few feet away.  "Rei came in 
a few minutes ago, and she told me that you two aren't anything 
more than friends," he muttered.  "She believes--and I agree 
wholeheartedly with her--that there's something going on with 
you and Usagi that needs to be resolved, and she's enlisting 
everyone we know to help her get you two together, including 
me."

	Mamoru paled slightly.  "You wouldn't dare," he hissed.  
"This isn't any of your concern!"

	"Yes, it is.  Because you're both my friends, and I hate to 
see Usagi hurting, and I hate to see YOU making a complete ass out 
of yourself because you're too scared to show her how you REALLY 
feel!" he snapped.

	"You said you weren't going to get involved," Mamoru protested.

	"No, I said I wasn't going to tell you what was standing 
right in front of your face, but I know you know who it is, 
otherwise you wouldn't have agreed to be only friends with Rei. 
Now, I feel it's my job to step in and make you let HER know it, 
too.  Usagi loves you, Mamoru.  Anyone who hasn't been blind 
since birth can see it.  So why can't you?  And why are you so 
afraid to love her back, because you DO love her, and don't you 
dare try to tell me otherwise!"

	Mamoru stared at his friend, openmouthed.  Was easygoing, 
laid-back Furuhata Motoki really speaking to HIM--his very best 
friend--that way?!  "I...uh..." he stammered, unable to form a 
coherent thought.

	Motoki sighed.  "Look, Mamoru-san.  I know how hard it is 
for you to let people in.  But...you've got to believe that Usagi 
is just what you need.  Hey, I'd be thrilled to know that someone 
like her was in love with me!  In fact, if it weren't for the fact 
that she DOES love you, and that you love her, I might even be 
tempted to go for her myself."

	"You!  But you're..."

	"Someone who cares a lot about Usagi," Motoki finished 
softly.  "But I know where my destiny lies, and it isn't with 
her, as much as I'd like it to be sometimes.  There's someone 
waiting for me, and when I find her, I'll be happier than I 
could imagine.  Usagi is waiting for you, and you've found her.  
So...don't you think it's time to make the both of you happy?"  
Without waiting for a reply, he clapped Mamoru on the shoulder 
and sauntered away.

	Mamoru slowly looked over to Usagi, who was reading 
through her cards with flushed cheeks, giggling to herself 
and shaking her head.  All those notes...from boys she didn't 
even know...not to mention the candy and gifts.  For the first 
time, Mamoru could see how desirable she really was to others.  
How her beauty seemed to radiate from her in the form of her 
laughter and her brilliant, shining eyes and her kind heart.  
**Could someone like her...really love someone like me?** he 
wondered longingly, stepping closer to her.  At that moment, 
sensing his presence, Usagi raised her eyes to meet his own, 
and he once again found himself lost in her gaze.  He stared 
down at her, mesmerized by the play of emotions flashing in 
the crystal depths, and slowly, a hand reached out to cup her 
face softly.

	It was the wrong thing to do.  Startled, her eyes widened 
and she jerked back from his touch as though he'd slapped her.  
The spell broken, he blinked and shook his head as though to 
clear his thoughts.  Then, with a last, longing glance at her 
perfect little face, he turned and walked swiftly out of the 
building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then good luck it finally struck 
Like lightning from the blue 
Every highway leading me back to you 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	**That didn't happen,** Usagi told herself yet again as 
she walked home, still lugging her gifts.  **Mamoru was NOT 
looking at me like some love-struck loon!  H-he's dating REI!  
It was just my imagination.  Just all my longings put together 
to form some cruel vision of how I always WANTED him to look at 
me!  That's all...**

	She slammed open the door of her house, kicked off her 
shoes, and ran up to her room without even saying hello to her 
mother.  Tsukino Ikuko peered out of the kitchen as she saw her 
daughter fly past.  "Did you have a good day?" she called.

	"Hai!" Usagi called back, slamming the door behind her 
and dumping her gifts unceremoniously on the floor.  She threw 
herself onto her bed, determined to take a long nap to get her 
brain back in working order.  Distinctly, she heard the doorbell 
ring, but was too put out to wonder if it was for her.

	Until her mother called her name almost ten minutes later.  
"Usagi!  There's someone here to see you!"

	Usagi turned over, frowning.  It was probably Naru.  
She really didn't want to see anyone at the moment.  "Tell 
Naru-chan I'm taking a nap and I'll call her later on," she 
yelled back.

	Ikuko's voice was highly amused as she replied, "It ISN'T 
Naru."

	She cocked her head and glanced at Luna curiously, who 
merely shrugged and curled up to sleep again.  Usagi rolled her 
eyes.  Some help SHE was.  "Well, who is it then?!" she asked 
impatiently.

	"It's a young man."  Ikuko sounded closer and Usagi could 
hear her mother coming up the stairs.  "Come on, Usagi!  Get up!  
There's no need to be rude to a guest!  ESPECIALLY one who comes
baring ROSES!"

	Usagi was up in an instant and peeked out the door, only 
to see her mother's face right on the other side, looking as 
smug as the cat who caught the canary.  "Roses?" she asked 
suspiciously.  "Who would be giving me roses?"

	"Well, come see for yourself, silly!" Ikuko replied.  
"He's quite the looker, I must say."

	"MOTHER!"  Usagi stared at her, scandalized that Ikuko 
would say such a thing about anyone other than her husband.

	Ikuko giggled girlishly and pulled her daughter out of 
the room, pushing her toward the stairs.  "Go down and say hello!  
I'll be...cleaning the bathrooms up here."  She gave her daughter 
an absolutely wicked wink and almost skipped away.

	"Now I KNOW my love life is dead when my own MOTHER tries 
to play matchmaker!" Usagi grumbled loudly as she stomped down 
the stairs.  A deep chuckle answered her complaint, making her 
yelp slightly and whirl around to face the door.  

	And that was when she finally went crazy.

	That HAD to be it, she reasoned.  Why ELSE would Chiba 
Mamoru be standing in her house, holding a dozen of the freshest, 
reddest roses she'd ever seen in her life?  She blinked, rubbed 
her eyes, and looked again, fully expecting him to be gone.  He 
wasn't.

	"Mom, you'd better call a hospital!" she called up the 
stairs.  "I think I'm sick!  I'm starting to have hallucinations!"

	Faint laughter reached her ears from above as Mamoru chuckled 
again.  "I'm not a hallucination, you silly goose," he replied 
affectionately.  "Do you mind if I come in?"

	She blinked.  "Um...I guess not," she replied hesitantly.  
"Although..."  She looked longingly at the roses.  "If you're 
looking for Rei, she isn't here.  She's usually at the temple 
this time of day."

	"I know that," he replied.  "I brought these for you."  
He held the flowers out to her.

	She blinked.  "N-nani?  For...me?"

	He cocked his head and caught her gaze.  "I noticed in 
that huge pile of gifts you collected today...nobody gave you 
any roses.  And I've always believed that roses are the only 
way to tell a girl how you really feel about her," he replied 
softly.

	There came a loud, dreamy sigh from somewhere upstairs, 
and Usagi blushed.  "Start cleaning, Mother!" she snapped.  
There was another girlish giggle, and the sound of receding 
footsteps.  "I'm crazy, and it's obviously genetic," Usagi 
muttered.

	"You're not crazy.  Why do you keep saying that?" Mamoru 
asked with amusement apparent in his voice.

	"Because you're standing here...telling me that...that...and 
it can't POSSIBLY be what I think it is..."

	"Why not?"

	She looked up at him, her brow furrowed.  "Because...you're 
in love with Rei."

	He smiled.  "I am?  Well, that's news to me," he replied 
teasingly.  "Because...if I was in love with Rei...then why am 
I standing in YOUR house, giving YOU a (rather expensive) bouquet 
of roses?"  He held out the bouquet again, and she accepted them.

	"Because I'm going crazy," she replied bluntly.  "Either 
that, or I'm comatose in my room and having a really strange 
dream..."

	He laughed again, then turned serious and took her hand, 
leading her into the living room and sitting down on the couch 
with her.  "Usagi-chan," he began softly, "Rei is a really great 
girl, but she and I...well, we're meant to be friends, and nothing 
else, and we are both perfectly happy with that.  But...lately I've 
been thinking that you and I...that maybe WE are meant to be a 
little MORE than friends.  And I don't believe you can tell me 
you haven't thought the same thing a time or two."

	Usagi stared at him, her eyes going wide and her heart 
starting to pound in her chest.  **This is a trick!** her mind 
warned her.  **He's just trying to get you to admit to it so he 
has something else to tease you about!  There's no way he would 
change his feelings for you just like that!**  "I...don't know 
what you're talking about," she stammered.  "I don't...there 
isn't anything..."

	He gazed down at her, his eyes betraying the disappointment 
he felt.  Not at the fact she was rejecting him, but at the fact 
that she was so obviously lying to him.  **But can I really blame 
her?  What must she be thinking?  Probably that I'm just playing 
with her feelings.  Oh, my poor Usako, gomen nasai...for everything 
I've done to you...**

	He raised a hand to cover her lips with his fingers, 
and his touch sent a jolt of awareness through her body like 
an electric shock, making further words die in her throat.  
"I know what you're doing, Usako," he whispered, and her eyes 
widened even further at his gentle endearment.  "I know you're 
trying to protect yourself, and I can understand why.  After all 
the torment I've given you, you have to be suspecting a trick of 
some kind."  

	She blushed, embarrassed that he'd read her so easily, 
and looked away.  He placed his hands on either side of her face, 
leaning in close to her so that she was staring into his eyes.  
"You don't have to admit to anything right now," he whispered.  
"I can wait.  I'll leave now, in fact.  But I just want you to 
know one thing before I go."  He closed his eyes and rested his 
forehead gently against her own, his thumbs stroking her face 
softly.  "Aishiteru, Usako.  You are the one I've waited for 
all my life, and never hoped to find.  But now I have found you, 
and I will still wait for you, no matter how long it takes for 
you to accept me."  

	Her mouth parted on a gasp, and her eyes grew bright with 
unshed tears.  "M-mamo..." she stammered, but he didn't give 
her a chance to finish before he leaned in and covered her mouth 
with his.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now at last I hold you, now all is said and done 
The search has come full circle
Our destinies are one 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	He'd meant to keep it simple.  Really he had.  But as 
soon as he felt warm, soft lips moving against his own, his 
resolve wavered and his hands left her face to wrap securely 
around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he leaned over 
her.  He felt her jerk beneath him, her body going stiff with 
surprise.  Slowly, though, as he began to softly stroke her 
hair with one hand, she relaxed beneath him and let heavy lids 
slip closed.  He pressed soft kisses, one after the other, 
against swollen lips before catching them again in a long, 
fervent kiss, and she shivered slightly beneath the heat of 
his touch.  She had no idea when it was that she began to kiss 
him back.  He was so warm, his kisses so soft and sweet and 
tender.  Her body was nearly exploding with sensation as his 
hands stroked through her hair and up and down her back.  She 
thought she'd die if it didn't end soon.  

	Finally, after what seemed like centuries, his kisses 
eased and his arms loosened around her as he slowly, groggily 
raised his head to look at her.  They were both breathing as 
though they'd just finished the hundred yard dash, and Usagi's 
cheeks were flushed bright red as she gazed into cerulean eyes 
that were dark with passion.  "This is going too far," he 
whispered harshly.  "I just...I wanted to prove to you that...I 
mean everything I said."

	She opened her mouth, not at all certain what she wanted 
to say, but he once again silenced her by placing his fingers 
over it.  "Don't say anything," he pleaded quietly, softly 
stroking her lips with his thumb.  "Don't ruin the moment with 
words.  Just let me leave now, and know that I really do love 
you."  He leaned in and pressed a final, tender kiss against 
her lips, then abruptly released her and stood to leave.  She 
dazedly followed him out of the room, watching as he put on his 
coat.  He opened the front door, then turned back again and 
smiled gently.  "Aishiteru," he said softly, causing her heart 
to skip a beat or two, and then he was gone, the door closing 
gently behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So if you ever loved me 
Show me that you give a damn 
You'll know for certain 
The man I really am 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Usagi leaned against the door, her eyes gazing sightlessly 
at nothing in particular, her lips still tingling from the force 
of Mamoru's kisses.  "Did that really just HAPPEN?!" she questioned 
out loud.  But she could see from where she stood the bouquet of 
roses resting on the couch, where they'd been forgotten.  A movement 
caught her eye, and she turned to see her mother leaning against the 
doorway of the kitchen.  She blushed, wondering exactly how long 
Ikuko had been standing there.  She knew she must look a sight, 
glazed eyes, flushed cheeks, mussed hair, rumpled clothes...

	"You," Ikuko began before Usagi could say anything, "look 
like a woman who has just been thoroughly and completely kissed."

	"Um..." was all Usagi could say.  Her face must have 
resembled a tomato by then...  "He...gave me flowers..."

	Ikuko smiled, her eyes sparkling impishly.  "I'd say he 
gave you more than that," she replied.  "That must have been 
some kiss."

	"Yeah..." Usagi began dreamily, before remembering who it 
was she was talking to.  "I mean...YEAH!  Who does that baka think 
he is, kissing me like that!  Why, I should've slugged him when I 
had the chance!"

	Ikuko laughed.  "Oh, give it a rest.  You aren't fooling 
me one bit," she teased.  "I know a person in love when I see 
one.  Why, you look exactly like I probably did when your father 
told me he loved me for the first time.  I was floating on cloud 
nine for weeks afterwards!"

	"But, Mom!  This is CHIBA MAMORU we're talking about here!  
My worst enemy, remember?  I CAN'T be in love with him!  We HATE 
each other!" Usagi wailed.

	"You certainly have an odd way of showing your feelings..."

	"MOTHER!"

	Ikuko laughed.  "That's the thing about love, Sweetie.  
It doesn't let us choose," she said compassionately.  "But...if 
it makes you feel any better...I bet Chiba Mamoru is going through 
exactly the same thing.  The only difference is...he's willing to 
admit it."  She gave her daughter a pointed look.

	She squirmed.  "You heard that?"

	Ikuko nodded.

	"And it doesn't bother you in the LEAST that a guy six 
years my senior just confessed his love to me?!" Usagi yelled, 
flinging her arms outward.

	Ikuko chuckled.  "Well...I admit it was a little surprising.  
But Kenji is almost ten years my senior, you know.  The only 
difference is, I was eighteen when we met.  No doubt if I HAD 
been younger, though, it wouldn't have mattered in the least.  
Love is love, after all."

	Usagi spluttered for a moment.  "But...what about Daddy?" 
she finally exclaimed.  "Don't you think HE'LL have something to 
say about all this?!"

	Ikuko laughed.  "Leave your father to me, dear," she replied.  
"I can be very persuasive, you know.  Once he realizes that Mamoru 
doesn't intend to hurt you, I'm sure he'll calm down."

	"You are so not helping," Usagi complained, pouting.

	Ikuko sighed.  "Do you know the first thing Mamoru said to 
me when I opened the door?" she asked.  "He looked me in the eye, 
and he said, 'My name is Chiba Mamoru, I am a senior in college, 
and I am in love with your daughter.  I've come here to tell her 
that, and if you have a problem with that, you can shut the door 
in my face right now.  But it won't change my feelings for her.'"

	Usagi's mouth dropped open.  "NANI?!  He TOLD you that?!" 
she spluttered.  "He's got some nerve!  And you let him in?!"

	"Hai.  Because I knew he'd find some way to reach you no 
matter what."

	"Yeah...but..."

	Ikuko looked at her daughter sternly.  "Usagi, do you love 
Chiba Mamoru?" she asked bluntly.

	Usagi flushed.  "Well...I...we barely get along..." she 
stammered.

	"But do you LOVE him?"

	Usagi fell silent, looking at the floor as she traced a 
pattern with her toe.  "Hai," she admitted softly, nodding.  
"I love him.  More than I ever loved anyone.  But...I just..."  
She shrugged.  "I'm scared.  I mean, what if he was only playing 
with me?  How am I supposed to know...?"

	"It's called trust, Usa," Ikuko replied.  "You have to trust 
him, you have to trust your heart.  For what it's worth, I trust 
that young man.  I believe, in the few minutes since I met him, 
that he is just what you need.  I believe he could make you very 
happy."

	"Really?"  Usagi looked up hopefully.  "So...if he asked me 
to...say...MARRY him...you'd give your consent?"

	Ikuko's look became stern.  "Let's not go TOO far now," she 
replied, and Usagi giggled.  "Now," Ikuko continued, standing back 
and crossing her arms.  "You just let a very handsome young man 
walk out the door, one who is clearly in love with you, and you 
are just standing here and letting him walk away.  What is wrong 
with this picture?"

	Usagi grinned.  "Everything," she replied.  "Guess I'd 
better go after him, huh?"

	"You'd better," Ikuko replied with a chuckle.  "No need 
to leave the poor boy to suffer any more than necessary."

	Usagi grinned evilly.  "Oh...I don't know," she replied 
innocently.  "A little payback for all the times he's let ME 
suffer is only fair, wouldn't you say?"

	Ikuko laughed and shook her head.  "I have raised you well, 
child."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was living for a dream, loving for a moment 
Taking on the world, that was just my style 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

	Mamoru opened the door of his apartment, sighing softly
as he stepped inside and closed it again behind him.  Reaching 
out, he flicked on the light switch...and nearly had a heart 
attack when he saw a young woman with long blond hair sitting 
demurely on his couch, hands folded patiently in her lap.  
"Usako!" he gasped, hand going up to clutch at his speeding 
heart.  "How on earth did you get in here?!"

	She smiled brightly and stood up, smoothing down her skirt.  
"Did you know that you can get here in half the time by taking a 
taxi instead of a bus?  Of course, it costs more, but it got me 
here without all those annoying stops on the way."  She shrugged.  
"I forgot to thank you for the roses, by the way.  I got a little 
sidetracked."  She shot him a sideways glance, noting with pleasure 
the faint blush that stained his cheeks.

	"Usa, WHAT are...?"

	"Your landlord is really nice, you know.  She's a romantic 
at heart, I guess, 'cause when I explained to her that I was 
trying to surprise you, she went and gave me a spare key to let 
myself in."  She held up her hand to let a silver key dangle from 
her fingers.  "I have to give it back, of course, but it was nice 
of her to let me borrow it."  She tucked the key inside her pocket 
and started walking around his apartment.  "This is a nice place, 
Mamoru-san.  Really big.  Kinda empty, but I like the furniture, 
and I bet some flowers or something would cheer this place right 
up." 

	He tossed his jacket over the back of a chair, watching her 
carefully, his heart almost roaring in his ears.  He hardly dared 
to hope...but why else would she be here?  He stepped toward her, 
a hand reaching out to her, but then stopped.  "Usako, you have 
thirty seconds to tell me why you're here before I grab you and 
start kissing the breath out of you," he warned, fixing her with 
an intent stare that reminded her of a great cat locking onto its 
prey.

	She blushed at his words, tugging on a long ponytail 
nervously.  "My mother and I had words, and afterwards she 
practically pushed me out the door, once I found this tucked 
into the roses," she replied lightly, although the tremor in 
her voice betrayed her nervousness.  She held up a slip of paper,
 which had an address printed neatly on one side, and giggled a 
little, licking her lips.  "I...um...get the feeling that she 
wholeheartedly approves of...of..."

	"Of us?" he finished softly, his eyes going warm and hazy 
as he stood before her.

	She nodded once, not ready to meet his gaze and face the 
emotions she knew she'd find in it.  "My dad is another story, 
of course, but Mom said she'll work on him.  All you gotta do 
is avoid him until she can pry the shotgun and shovel from his 
hands."  She giggled again at her joke.

	"What are you saying, Usako?" he asked, his voice soft 
yet commanding.  "I want you to tell me.  I don't want to make 
a mistake and assume something that might be something else 
entirely."

	"Fair enough," she replied, squirming slightly.  "Well...what 
I wanted to say is...that..."  She paused, suddenly losing her nerve.
**But I HAVE to say it!** she told herself.  **I can't keep lying to 
him when he's been so honest with me!**  "You know that thing you 
told me before you left?" she continued nervously.  "Well...I agree.  
Completely.  It goes double for me, in fact!  What you said...is 
how I feel, too.  I..."

	He abruptly cut her off with a gentle touch to her lips, 
smiling slightly.  "You know what?" he whispered.

	"Nani?"

	"Time's up."  

	And with that, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her 
in a way that made his other kisses seem like nothing.  She 
immediately lost all feeling in her legs as her hands clutched 
his shirt to keep from sliding to the floor, and his arms came 
around her tightly as he tilted her head back and delved into 
her mouth with all the passion he could muster, until time 
slipped away from them completely and there was nothing but 
pure emotion.

	After a long, long while, finally realizing that they 
either needed to breathe or pass out right where they were, 
Mamoru raised his head and gazed down into her eyes, his own 
dark and turbulent with emotion.  "Usako," he whispered, 
stroking her cheek.  "Aishiteru.  So much it hurts."

	"I know," she replied softly.  "I love you, as well.  
I always have and I always will."  She wrapped her arms 
around him and buried her face in his chest, letting him 
hold her as she'd always wanted him to.  They sat like that 
for a long time as the moon slowly rose over the city, content 
to just be together.  "Happy Valentines Day, Mamo-chan," Usagi 
whispered.  "Thank you for making it the best one I've ever had."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then I touched your hand, I could hear you whisper 
The search is over, love was right before my eyes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~Finis~~