Liar, Liar!

by Crystal Saturn

Thanks to Usagi, Mamoru suffers a blow to the head that wipes his memory clean. Feeling guilty and pressured by Motoki & her own closest friends, Usagi is forced to stay by Mamoru's side under the guise of being his girlfriend in order to help rehabilitate him. But what happens when his memory returns sooner than expected and he decides to turn the tables on their little plan? [AU]

Hi everyone, CS here! This is what I get up to on my summer break. I put off writing chapters for my existing stories, opting to start a new short story instead. Chronic procrastinator at work here! It's a real problem, I tell ya! So, by definition, this is a short story… by my standards, it's about half the length of one of my usual 'epic' sagas. I opted to post it in a single chapter though, because knowing me, if I broke it down into smaller chapters, it would take me a year to post it all. Sad, I know. Slack… I know!

Anywho, I hope you enjoy it. As always, please read and review, and I'm off to finally post a new chapter of Summer Rain.

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Title: Liar, Liar!
Author: Crystal Saturn
Rated: T 13+
Word Count: 14,600

"Motoki-oniisaaaaan," Usagi bounced up towards the two men standing by the front door of the now closed Crown Arcade. The taller of the two keeled over, pretending to gag as he rolled his eyes with disgust at her shameless flirting. Usagi pouted, ignoring him as she turned to the blond man beside him. "Was it this shade of blue that you wanted on the far wall or was it the orange?"

"Yes, 'Toki-onisaaaaan" Mamoru interrupted, tugging on his best friend's sleeve as he bat his eyelashes repeatedly and pouted until he almost duck-faced. "Was it this shade of puke that you wanted on the arcade floor over here?"

"Shut up, Chiba!" Usagi spat, her patience evidently frayed.

"Make me!" Shot his child like response. Usagi reached down to remove one of her shoes, hoping to hurl it at his face. Thankfully, Motoki stepped in and interrupted the two before it got too violent. Out of all the different shades of colour paint that he picked out at the hardware store, bloodshed red was not one of them.

"Usagi-chan, please just ignore him. He hasn't had his morning coffee," The reasonable one of the trio began to explain. "That, and he has a crush on you."

"She wishes." Mamoru rolled his eyes once more, taking the blue paint tin from Usagi's hands, figuring it would probably be best for everyone involved if he simply removed himself from the conversation and started painting.

"As if, creep!" Usagi called from over her shoulder, she turned to face the man as he climbed a ladder near the closest wall and balanced himself and his bucket of paint on the scaffolding. "And besides," She began once more as a knock on the glass doors signaled the arrival of her friends to help Motoki with his redecoration of the Crown Arcade. The blond game keeper unlocked the front door, letting the four girls in with a weary smile as Usagi continued on her tirade. "You'd be lucky to have a beautiful bombshell of a babe like me as your girlfriend!"

"They're at it again, huh?" Rei shot Motoki a sympathetic look as he nodded his head slowly. He raised three fingers, indicating the number of times they had bickered that morning alone.

Mamoru threw his head back and with one hand placed against the wall to steady himself, he let out a full hearted roaring laugh. His other hand wiped a mirth-fuelled tear from his eyes before clutching at his abdomen, indicating that he had laughed so hard at her comment that it was starting to hurt his muscles. "Oh, Odango Atama, you're such good value for money." It was at this comment that her eyes narrowed. She stalked over to the platform Mamoru was standing on and gave one of the ladders that it was balanced precariously on, a mighty kick.

Fortunately, Mamoru's balance was impeccable and he managed to stay aloft. The same couldn't be said for the can of paint though, and it wobbled unstably on the scaffolding, threatening to tip its contents all over Usagi's head and down her golden silky locks. Mamoru instinctively reached out to stabilize the paint tin, but as he did, he lost his footing and he tumbled sideways off the elevated platform, his head hitting the tiled floor with a sickening thud.

"Usagi! What have you done?!" Minako called out in shock. They had all witnessed the spectacle and were now rushing to the unconscious Mamoru's side.

"I… I didn't think that…" Usagi's small frame began to shake like a leaf in the wind. She was too young to go to jail for murder.

"Call an ambulance." Motoki ordered as he turned to Makoto. She nodded and swiftly made her way to the counter, reaching for the Arcade phone. Ami instructed Rei and Minako to assist her in gently rolling Mamoru to inspect for any spinal damage. He seemed to be fine, save for the growing lump on the side of his head.

"Ugh…" As they waited for the paramedics to arrive, Mamoru began to stir. "What happened?" He groaned. "I feel like I'm going to be sick." Motoki instructed for his friend to stay still and not to move until the ambulance arrived. It was then that Mamoru's royal blue eyes focused on the man before him and he furrowed his brows. "Who are you?" He blinked a few more times with confusion spreading across his features. "Wait, who am I?"

---

"It's not uncommon for those who have suffered a blow to their medial temporal lobe to have some post-traumatic amnesia." The doctor explained to Motoki. "We've done some scans, at it seems that no real injury to the brain has occurred. There's no swelling or bleeding that we could find, but it's still quite early, so I recommend someone stay with him to continuously observe his state. If confusion increases during the day then there may be swelling on the brain, and that could be serious."

"Sure thing." Motoki nodded in understanding. He turned his attention to the dark haired man sitting in the wheelchair beside him, staring curiously at the back of his left hand.

"Other than that, he might have trouble remembering things and difficulty forming new memories. I can't tell you how long it will last but I doubt it will be for any longer than 24 to 48 hours."

"That's great." Motoki let out a sigh of relief. "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"Just keep him well rested and happy. He should be fine to go." The doctor placed a reassuring hand on Motoki's shoulder and smiled before leaving to check on another patient. Motoki glanced down at the man beside him once again. Mamoru was quietly picking his nose.

"Wait here for a moment." Motoki instructed firmly before striding out the door of the recovery room. As he emerged down the hallway, Usagi and the girls each rose to their feet, anxious for an update on Mamoru's status.

"How is he?" Ami asked.

"Is he going to be okay?" Added Makoto.

"You!" Motoki temporarily ignored all questions directed at him as he pointed a finger directly at Usagi, a stern expression on his usually chipper face. "You're going to act like his girlfriend, and you're staying with him tonight."

"I'm what?!" Usagi bellowed, her shrill shriek echoing down the hallway of the hospital. "I don't think so!"

"Usagi, this was all because you kicked the ladder holding up the platform he was standing on." Rei crossed her arms. "Take some responsibility."

"I don't see why I have to!" Usagi shook her head, her face growing redder and redder from a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance at the fact that her friends were turning on her. "He was the one who provoked me!"

"But you took it a little bit too far, don't you think?" Motoki retorted. "You're lucky he only has temporary amnesia and a mild shoulder injury. It could have been a lot more serious."

"But…" Tears began to well up in Usagi's cerulean blue eyes. "I don't see why I have to act like I'm his girlfriend."

"The doctor said that if we keep him happy and content, then he'll start to regain his memories faster." Motoki altered the truth to cover up his scheming. "And he can't be alone tonight in case there is undetected swelling in his brain from his fall. There needs to be someone at his apartment to watch him at all times, and guess who it's going to be, Usagi-chan?" Motoki tilted his head to the side slightly. He struggled to suppress the playful smile from his lips.

"I can't!" Usagi protested once again. "My parents would never allow it."

"I'll cover for you, Usagi." Minako piped up, noticing the slight deviant glint in Motoki's eyes. "I'll tell them you're staying at my place to study."

"Minako!" Usagi hissed loudly, elbowing her friend in the arm for her betrayal.

"See? No excuses." Motoki grinned as he tugged the petite blonde's arm, dragging her down the hallway until they both stood at the door of the recovery waiting room. The other girls followed closely, wanting to watch this historic, momentous moment in the Usagi/Mamoru relationship.

It had been widely known that the bickering and teasing between the two was merely a guise for their true feelings for one another. Like children on the playground, the only way they dared to communicate with one another was to mask their affections with animosity and by having long, drawn out verbal duels of witty poison coated sarcasm, the occasional raspberry and masses of unresolved sexual tension. This time, their jig was up. Motoki was putting an end to it once and for all. The stalemate of stubbornness and denial had gone on for too long. He was going to throw them both into the deep end.

Opening the door to the waiting room, Motoki gave Usagi a quick shove, gaining the attention of Mamoru who frowned slightly. "Who are you?" He stared up at the girl with the streams of golden flowing hair, pinned up into two buns.

"I-I'm Usagi." The teenager wrung her hands together. For some reason, she felt nervous. It was almost like she was being set up on a blind date, or even worse, an arranged marriage.

"She's your girlfriend." Rei added quickly, gaining a glare from Usagi for her interference.

"She's here to take you home." Makoto continued the charade much to Usagi's despair. The dumpling headed blonde lowered her head, almost expecting Mamoru to burst into a fit laughter at the mention of her being his girlfriend. Instead, he smiled gently and nodded his head, seeming to understand.

"Okay," He slowly stood up from the wheelchair. "Let's go home, Usagi."

"I'll drive." Motoki beamed, happy that his plan had gone so well.

The drive back to Mamoru's apartment was spent mostly in silence. Motoki was silently praising himself for his ingenious plan and cunning prowess, Usagi was dreading the idea of having to babysit the man she despised most on the whole face of the planet, and Mamoru simply sat, staring at Usagi. After about ten minutes into the trip, Usagi finally realized that the man sitting in the back seat beside her was staring at her face.

"What is it?" Usagi lifted a hand up to her cheek, suddenly feeling a little self conscious. "Do I have something on my face?"

Mamoru simply reached over and squeezed one of her hair buns. "Your hair looks like dango dumplings." He smiled, a wave of familiarity and nostalgia overcame him, yet he still couldn't pinpoint why.

Usagi resisted the urge to slap him as she spotted Motoki's glee filled eyes looking back at them from the rear view mirror. "Yes, I know." She turned her attention indirectly toward Mamoru as she grumbled through clenched teeth. "You tell me that all the time." Shooting Motoki an evil glare from where she sat, Usagi pouted and crossed her arms. Another moment passed and she could feel Mamoru's eyes on her once again.

"What are you staring at?" She snapped, still a little peeved from his last comment. Even with his mind as a clean slate, he still managed to somehow inadvertently call her by her despised nick name.

"You're my girlfriend?" He asked casually and watched as she nodded slowly, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of crimson. "Are you sure?"

"Am I sure?!" Usagi turned her body to look at the man beside her incredulously. "I'm not the one with amnesia, you know."

Mamoru chuckled. "I know, it's just… you're not really the kind of girl I ever imagined I'd be dating. You're not really what I expected at all." Usagi bit her tongue, holding back her strong desire to give him a verbal lashing for being so incredibly rude. Was he always like this to the girls he dated? She could hear Motoki's muffled chuckles from the driver's seat. He was obviously enjoying this to no end.

"What do you mean 'not the kind of girl you'd ever imagine dating'?" Usagi continued to cross her arms in annoyance, bracing herself for the deluge of fat jokes and 'Odango Atama' comments that would surely ensue.

"You're beautiful." Mamoru replied simply, reaching his hand over and placing it over Usagi's. Her heart leapt in her chest at his touch and her blue eyes met his.

"I'm sorry, what?" She could feel her face growing hotter and redder by the second.

"You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." Mamoru paused for a moment, letting his backseat confession sink in. Motoki snorted with amusement. He knew it! Who would've known that it only took a mild concussion, amnesia and a bruised shoulder to get Mamoru to realize his feelings for a certain dumpling headed blonde teenager. "And you have the cutest expressions." Usagi's jaw dropped in shock. "But I'm sure I tell you that all the time too…" Mamoru let his voice trail away slightly. A look of mild amusement crossed his face as Usagi shuffled uncomfortably in her seat, evidently blushing out of embarrassment.

"Not really…" Usagi raised her hands to cover up her blushing cheeks. "Not ever, actually."

"Really?" Mamoru's expression instantly turned to one of confusion and disbelief.

"You're surprised?" Usagi raised an eyebrow curiously, once again forgetting that Mamoru couldn't recall anything about their relationship with one another.

"Well," Mamoru swallowed the lump of disappointment in his throat. "I just… I didn't think I'd be such a horrible boyfriend." His eyes stole one last look at the blonde angel before him before he turned his face to stare out the window, ashamed and avoiding her gaze, clearly upset at the revelation.

"No no, it's not like that." Usagi's heart sank within her chest as she picked up on the misunderstanding and his clear disappointment. She had never seen Mamoru upset like this, ever. It was a little unnerving. He was showing a fragility and sensitivity that she never knew he had the capacity to possess. "I mean… it's just that, we have a strange kind of… thing… going on between us. It's difficult to describe, I guess."

"What kind of relationship do we have?" Mamoru waited to hear her response. Usagi frowned in thought for a moment before chuckling quietly to herself.

"Dysfunctional, I guess." She finally stated, a small smile playing on her lips. "I mean, it works for us… We do dysfunctional well." She watched as the frown on Mamoru's face deepened. "What I mean is that some might call our relationship…"

"Tumultuous." Motoki interrupted, finishing Usagi's thought. "Disruptive, boisterous, messy, chaotic, the epitome of love-hate, spiteful, unruly, noisy, disruptive to the general peace of the public-"

"Motoki-oniisan!" Usagi pouted. She noticed the look of confusion and uncertainty displayed on Mamoru's face. "Stop!" He was obviously unsure about the health of their relationship, and probably doubting their happiness as a couple. If Motoki wasn't careful, their rocky faux relationship would soon end as swiftly and spontaneously as it had begun.

"Sorry." Motoki held back a small playful smile. "What I meant to say was, 'passionate'." He winked at them both through the rear view mirror before pulling over in front of an apartment block. "We're here. You live up on the-"

"Eighth floor." Mamoru looked up at the building. Something felt familiar and clicked in his mind. "Room 8-21."

"You remember!" Usagi beamed with excitement.

"Well, most things are still pretty foggy. I don't remember everyth-" Mamoru began before being interrupted by an overly enthusiastic Usagi.

"That's great! I guess you won't be needing me anymore th-"

"Usagi…" Motoki shot her a fierce look, ensuring she knew her part in the deal. "Brain swelling? Who's fault was that again?" He reminded, and the petite blonde lowered her head.

"Come on…" She sighed in resignation, slipping out of the car before pulling the tall, dark haired man out of the vehicle, behind her.

"Have fun!" Motoki hollered from the driver side window. "Minako will be back later tonight with a bag of clothes and supplies, after she's helped me finish painting the Arcade."

"Wait, clothes? As in, more than one set?" Usagi stopped dead in her tracks, spinning around so swiftly on the balls of her heels that her hair whipped violently across her body. "How long am I going to be here for?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Andrew shrugged, feigning innocence. "They say that low trauma amnesia can typically last anywhere from a few hours to a month."

"A month?!" Usagi screeched. "I can't be here for a month! What would my parents say? What about school?" Motoki smirked and waved, taking that as his cue to leave, and quickly at that.

"Is there a problem, Usa?" Mamoru watched as Usagi's shoulders slumped and she sighed, looking and feeling rather deflated.

"No…" She groaned. "Let's go inside." Taking Mamoru by the arm, she dragged him inside the apartment building.

Looking around the lobby, it took Usagi a moment to find the elevators. For Mamoru though, it was a walk in the park. The automatic implicit memory centres of his brain kicked in and without knowing it, he recalled exactly how to get to his apartment without any extra effort.

"Are you sure you've been here before?" Darien tilted his head to the side slightly, watching as Usagi took her time to observe her surroundings. It all seemed new and unfamiliar to her.

"Umm… yeah." Usagi hopped into the elevator as it opened, trying to act as cool and casual as she could. She paused for a moment, trying to remember which floor Mamoru stated he lived on. She pressed the number 6. The dark haired man leant in closer, pushing the button for level 8. "Are you sure you have amnesia?" Usagi turned to her companion, eyeing him down suspiciously.

"Second nature, I guess." Mamoru shrugged. "It seems to be one of the few things I remember."

The elevator doors shut behind them, and after a temporary stop at level 6, it continued to their destination. Mamoru stepped out and almost immediately turned left, walking toward his apartment door; number 8.21. Digging into his pockets, he pulled out a set of keys. Finding the square gold coloured key, he slotted it into the lock and turned the handle with success. Swinging the apartment door open, he let Usagi in first before following behind, completing his usual daily routine by locking the doors behind him.

"Phwoar…" Usagi let a small gasp escape her lips as she looked around the apartment. It was minimally furnished, but immaculately clean. Almost immediately, the sight of a huge flat screen television hanging on the far left corner of the room caught her eye. Beside it were shelves and book cases of antique books and medical textbooks. As Usagi's vision panned across the room, her attention drew to the balcony view of the city.

"Just how many times did you say you've been here before?" Mamoru kicked his shoes away, slipping into a pair of slippers before shuffling into his kitchen area to pour himself a glass of water.

"I…" Usagi promptly shut her gaping mouth as she too changed into house slippers. Mamoru reemerged from the kitchen to find Usagi removing her shoes. The memory of a shoe hitting him on the head flashed in his mind, accompanied with a mild headache, and he frowned slightly. He took a moment to look around the apartment. It was just as he remembered it. Not a feminine touch in sight. No photographs or mementos. No sign that he had a girlfriend.

"Usagi, I'm a little cold. Could you get a sweater out of my closet please?" Mamoru slowly made his way to the sofa in the open plan living room area and took a seat. A momentary look of panic flashed across Usagi's features as she glanced about the apartment.

"Your closet…" Usagi repeated dumbly, unsure of where to begin looking.

"Yes, Usa… the one in my bedroom." Mamoru wondered how long the strange girl would keep this charade up, and why she was even lying about being his girlfriend in the first place. It had to be for a good reason if Motoki was going along with it.

"Right." A look of determination graced Usagi's features as she pointed down the hallway. "Your room's that way." She deduced, realizing that there were no other doorways that lead to rooms from the main living area. "See, I've so been here before!" The bubbly blonde winked.

Fifteen minutes later, Usagi was now very acquainted with where the store room, study room, linen closet and bathrooms were. She emerged down the hallway holding a black sweater, a victorious smile displayed across her face. By this time, as Mamoru relaxed on his couch, random flashbacks and memories had begun to come back to him slowly. As soon as his eyes caught a glimpse of the familiar looking dumpling headed blonde, he instantly remembered everything about his relationship with her; she was his Odango Atama.

It all became quite clear why she had no idea where anything was in the apartment. She had never been there before. What was still not so clear though, was why she was pretending to be his girlfriend.

"Usa-ko…" Mamoru purred affectionately as he cast his sweater aside, opting to take her hand in his instead. To his surprise, as his fingers made contact with hers, life seemed to surge back into his body, reenergizing him instantly in a way that he had never felt before in his life. "If we're dating, then why do you never call me anything cute, like 'honey' or 'sweetheart'?" With a quick tug, he pulled her to sit beside him on the couch. Usagi's eyes grew wide with alarm at the close, intimate proximity of her arch nemesis turned beau.

"Uh, because…" Usagi stuttered momentarily as she felt him wrap his good arm around her shoulders. His body was warm around hers, making her shudder slightly. Although she would never admit it out loud, at that moment, she felt comfortable. "Because you don't like to be called anything sappy." She nodded, sticking to her argument. "You're totally against it. You think it's gross and that public displays of affection are also super gross and unacceptable social behaviour." Lifting her hand up, she tentatively brushed Mamoru's fingers away from her shoulder.

"But we're not in public right now." A sly smile spread across Mamoru's lips as he leaned his body against the timid teen's slightly. "We're alone, in my home." He winked playfully as he licked his lips, pursing them ever so slightly, wanting to know how far he could push her before she cracked and revealed everything.

Just at that moment, the apartment door bell rang.

"Oh, how about that," Usagi leaped up out of her seat and raced toward the door. "That must be Minako!" She struggled with the door locks nervously until Mamoru rose to his feet to help her. Minako turned the apartment door handle to see the sight of Mamoru standing behind Usagi, her hand beneath his as he explained how to unlock the door.

"You have to lift the latch before sliding it, Usako." He smiled down at the blushing blonde. His eyes were a gentle shade of azure blue, very much in contrast to their usual icy tone. "Oh, hello, Minako." Mamoru shifted his attention to the visitor at the door. "It's always nice to meet one of Usako's friends, even if we've already met before." He grinned a little too happily before slinking back to his seat on the couch.

"What have you done to him?" Mamoru could hear Minako whispering as she shuffled into the entranceway of the apartment.

"What have I done?!" Usagi hissed back quietly.

"He's calling you Usako!" Minako retorted with astonishment. "What are you telling him? You really shouldn't be taking advantage of his weakened state by seducing him, you know. By the way, have you guys kissed yet?" She fired a quick round of questions at Usagi, barely indulging in a breath between each one.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Usagi pouted, her cheeks still stained with an almost glowing shade of scarlet. "He's brain damaged. I'm not going to take advantage of a cripple."

"But you want to, right?" Mina grinned, lowering her eyelids in a shady sort of manner.

So that was it. Mamoru mused to himself as his ears strained to listen in on their conversation. It seemed as though Motoki and the rest of the girls had somehow convinced Usagi to stay with him while he was recovering. But why the girlfriend story?

"Aino Minako!" Usagi slapped her devious friend across the shoulder. "Get your head out of the gutter! There won't be any of that." The dumpling headed blonde grabbed the bag of belongings from her friend. "I'm only here because you guys and Motoki-oniisan guilt tripped me into babysitting him to make sure he didn't drown in his own drool while sleeping, and because making him happy will 'apparently' bring back his memories faster."

Ah, that was why she was pretending to be his girlfriend.

"I heard he said you were beautiful." Minako couldn't help but giggle as she sighed wistfully. Mamoru cringed slightly. That's right, he did say that, didn't he?

"That's…" Usagi pouted once more. "That's irrelevant."

"Usagi-chan, you're blushing!" Minako let out another quiet chuckle. "You like him, don't you?"

"No!" Usagi spat, a little too quickly. "I mean…" Her expression softened a little as she recalled the affectionate look in his eyes as he called her 'Usako'. "Maybe in another life… if he wasn't actually such a complete jerk…" She began. "Maybe, and ONLY maybe, I might just have found him slightly attractive… you know, but only in one of those 'right sort of light' situations." She lifted her hands up to cover her burning cheeks as Minako wolf whistled in excitement. "But in this life he's still a jerk and I'm only doing this out of the kindness of my own heart." Usagi corrected quickly. "Not because I have any feelings for him."

"Oh, Usagi, you're so totally already in love without even knowing it." Mina grinned. "But don't you think-"

"Thank you for bringing my things over, Minako!" Usagi interrupted rather loudly, not wanting to hear any more of her friend's matchmaking theories. Minako had a way of getting people to confess hidden feelings that they never even knew they had. It was rather confronting, and Usagi didn't feel as though she could get away with anything tonight. "I'll see you later." And with that, Usagi pushed her friend back into the hallway and shut the door in her face.

"Oh, I see how it is!" Minako yelled out from the other side of the door. "Wanting to spend all your time with lover boy huh? OOooOOooh!" Mina laughed out loud, listening for Usagi's groan of frustrated annoyance from the other side of the door, before leaving.

"She seems lively." Mamoru smiled gently as he held his arms out, signaling that he wanted Usagi to come closer so he could give him a hug. She hesitated, staring at his arms as though they were poison drenched pincers of death. "What's the matter, Usako?" Mamoru frowned at her expression.

'No no no no… you need to make him happy.' Usagi thought to herself, noticing the look of disappointment on his face. 'His expression is the opposite of happy.' She shook her head as she plastered her best reassuring smile across her face and sat down beside the tall man, briefly and awkwardly wrapping her arms around his torso. In a heartbeat, she tried to pull away, but he wouldn't have any of it. Instead, wrapping his arms around her body tightly, he leaned back against the couch and pulled her back with him so that her body lay pressed against his as they casually snuggled.

Usagi's heart began a new type of acrobatic repertoire within her chest at their intimate position. Ever so slowly, she lifted her head up curiously and her eyes clashed with his midnight blue ones. They were so close. As she held his gaze for a moment longer, she could feel his warm breath dancing across her lips.

"You're so cute when you're blushing, Usako." Maybe it was the concussion, or the pounding headache he was currently suffering as his mind swam with disjointed memories and strange feelings. Whatever it was, it was making Mamoru's mouth run on automatic mode, without any censorship, in an uncontrollably honest way. Something clicked within his mind, and somehow, Mamoru felt as though he wasn't playing around anymore.

As if it were even possible, Usagi began to blush even more profusely than before and she nuzzled her face against his chest in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. She listened to the rapidly pounding heartbeat within his chest and felt a little relieved. It seemed that she wasn't the only one feeling a little bit giddy at that moment.

"Uh, Mamoru…" Usagi watched as he involuntarily licked his lips. Just that one simple act seemed so incredibly intoxicating and alluring. "It's getting kind of late and I think I'm just going to go to bed…" She wriggled out of his grasp and rose to her feet, absentmindedly straightening out the crinkles in her shirt with the clammy palms of her hands.

"Are you not going to have any dinner?" Mamoru inquired and watched as Usagi shook her head slowly.

"I'm not really hungry…" Her voice trailed away as she seemed to be momentarily lost in thought, reminding herself of why she was there in the first place. "Did you want me to make you something to eat?"

"I had something at the hospital." Mamoru shook his head. "I might just come along to bed if that's ok with you." He suppressed his urge to laugh at her mortified expression. "I think a bit of sleep will do me some good."

"You don't mean… in the same bed, right?" Usagi shifted her weight uncomfortably onto one leg. On her search through the apartment earlier, Usagi had only come across one bed, and it was in Mamoru's room. Why hadn't she thought about this before? Of course the sleeping arrangements were going to be extremely awkward! She was going to murder Motoki for putting her in this predicament.

"Of course." Mamoru shrugged casually. "You are my girlfriend, aren't you?"

"But, you don't remember me." Usagi argued. "Wouldn't it be incredibly uncomfortable for you to be sleeping in a bed next to someone you don't even remember?"

"Usako, you're my girlfriend." Mamoru's eyes softened as he gazed at her affectionately. "Nothing would make me any happier than waking up with you by my side." Another small sigh escaped from Usagi's lips as she nodded and lowered her head in defeat, shuffling her heavy feet toward the bedroom. Mamoru bit his lip to stop himself from laughing out loud as he followed closely behind.

It took Usagi an hour and a half to get ready for bed. She tried her hardest to stall, refusing to leave the ensuite bathroom until absolutely necessary. She had hoped that by taking her time, Mamoru would soon fall asleep and she could sneak her way back to the couch in the living room area to sleep. She had no such luck. Mamoru patiently waited for her, opting to read a book until she finally came out of the bathroom.

She was dressed in an oversized shirt and pink bunny print shorts, piquing Mamoru's interest. It wasn't exactly Victoria's Secret, but it was definitely far from frumpy. Who knew that the casual look could be so alluring? Her hair was released from her usual buns, cascading an extra hand span lower than it normally sat. Usagi meekly lifted her eyes up toward Mamoru, who lay back comfortably on his bed, clad only in his boxer shorts.

"I need a drink." Usagi immediately maneuvered around the Queen Size bed and stalked toward the bedroom door, but not before Mamoru could stop her. He lunged forward and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her closer toward his body. She froze at the feeling of his touch, refusing to turn her head to face him.

"Usako," Mamoru whispered against her neck, his voice quiet and low. He was enjoying his little game of cat and mouse with her. She had started it first, but he knew that it wouldn't be long until he won. "Are you trying to avoid me?" She could feel his warm breath against the sensitive skin of her neck and she shivered visibly, goosebumps racing down her spine and across her arms. She shook her head slowly, still refusing to look at the almost naked man. "Usako," Mamoru released hold of her wrist. "No more excuses. Come to bed." And with that, he shuffled back onto his side of the bed, slipping his legs beneath the sheets.

Usagi drew in a few deep slow breaths in order to try to regulate her heartbeat and breathing once more. How could he be so composed and comfortable around her considering he couldn't even remember her? She was completely shaken and quite self-conscious, not sure how to behave or whether she could continue her charade for much longer. Mamoru seemed to be quite comfortable with the idea of sharing a bed with her, but it was not an idea that she had ever entertained. What was she to do?

Slowly and ever so cautiously, Usagi shuffled toward her side of the bed and sat down on it. Slipping her feet from her slippers, she lay down on the very edge of the bed and pulled the sheets right up to her chin. Mamoru watched her with immense enjoyment at her discomfort. She squeezed her eyes shut and hoped that he wouldn't be tempted to come any closer.

"Usako," Mamoru leaned back to turn his bedside lamp off, plunging the room into complete darkness. She whimpered slightly, afraid of having to fend off his advances on his territory, in the dark. Surely he didn't expect her to become intimate with him considering the circumstances, did he?

"I feel as though I should tell you that our relationship is not at all like how this seems right now." Usagi blurted out, her voice filled with the slightly shaky tone of fear and anxiety. "I mean- we've never… we don't usually do anything like this, but with your accident, I thought I'd-"

"Usako…" Mamoru began again, ignoring her protests. Within the darkness, Usagi felt his fingers graze gently against her cheek and brows as he brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "Good night." He whispered simply before pulling his side of the sheets up to cover his own body and turning over to get some sleep.

Needless to say, Usagi struggled to gain a wink of sleep that night. Her restless heart simply wouldn't allow her body to relax. Not only was she constantly checking up on Mamoru to make sure he was still alive and breathing, but her mind continuously ran internal commentary on the fact that she was in bed with a man who she barely knew, and for the most part, was adamant about despising. So she lay there, on her back, staring at the ceiling as slumber continued to elude her.

A gentle purr escaped from Mamoru's lips as he quietly began to snore, comfortable in his own world of dreams. Usagi turned her head to stare at the sleeping man. She could easily make out the details of his features, illuminated by the pale light of the full moon, rising in the night sky outside his bedroom window. Mamoru's previously rhythmic, heavy breathing suddenly stalled mid snore. Usagi lifted a finger and held it just below his nose to check if he was still breathing. Nothing. Ever so gently, she placed her hand over his chest to check for a pulse. Mamoru snorted as his breathing resumed once more, causing his whole body to twitch and jolt him awake.

"Usako, if you want to cuddle, you'll have to come closer." Mamoru noted the presence of her hand on his bare chest and as he yawned comfortably, he reached out and pulled the blonde girl closer to him, wrapping his arms around her tightly. She let out a yelp and pushed against his chest in an unsuccessful attempt to distance herself from him, but before she could verbalize a threat or protest, Mamoru began to murmur into her hair. "Mmm… being close to you makes me feel happy." He silently grinned, knowing that she wouldn't be able to see him from her angle, and he felt her body begin to relax. If only she knew that he had now regained all his memories.

Usagi's heart began to pound wildly in her chest. What was he doing? Was he ever going to let her go? Were they supposed to sleep like this? Where was she supposed to put her own arms? God, he was incredibly well toned. As she listened to the gentle, husky tones of his voice near her ear, she realized that even though this position was completely unnatural for her, he was happy, and she needed him to be happy. Slowly, one limb at a time, she began to relax. To her surprise, it seemed as though her body molded perfectly against Mamoru's. She could feel the warmth of his hands, tingling her skin from through the thin fabric of her shirt. His arms gently wrapped around her body, making her feel strangely protected.

"Mamo…-chan." Usagi quietly mused to herself.

"What was that, my little bunny?" Mamoru picked up on her barely audible whisper and his heart couldn't help but skip a beat.

"What?" Usagi looked up at the man before her startled, not realizing that he was still awake.

"Did you say something?" His voice cracked slightly as he tried to sound as cool and unaffected as possible.

"Nothing." Usagi shook her head vigorously, thankful that the darkness of the room probably veiled the ruby red colour of her cheeks. "I'm glad you're happy." She shot him a quick smile before lowering her head and averting her gaze once more.

"I am…" Mamoru whispered, his lips relaying a sincerity and honesty that he hadn't realized he let slip until it was too late. "Thanks to you."

"Good night," Usagi nibbled on her bottom lip nervously as she contemplated whether or not she should, or if she even could, complete the sentence in her mind. Mamoru needed to remember again, and with that thought Usagi resolved to help him, no matter what. "Sweetest of dreams… honey."

A gentle smile danced across Mamoru's lips as he squeezed her gently in response.

---

The next morning, Usagi awoke only to have a miniature heart attack. She was in a foreign room, lying in a bed that wasn't her own. After a few moments, she eventually recalled the crazy events of the previous day and turned her head to the empty space on the bed beside her. A tinkering noise outside the bedroom gained her attention, and after brushing her teeth and checking her appearance in the mirror, she slowly made her way down the hallway and into the larger part of the apartment.

"Usako, you're awake." Mamoru smiled as he called to her from the kitchen. She walked over to see that he was making pancakes. Her stomach grumbled loudly as the sweet warm scent wafted around her.

"Good morning." She smiled back shyly. "I hope you're feeling better." She added and she watched him nod his head as he flipped another pancake. He was still wearing the boxer shorts from the previous night, with an old shirt thrown over his body. His jet black morning hair was tousled about in an endearing manner. Usagi couldn't suppress her sudden urge to reach up and brush his messy bangs away from his eyes while he cooked. It was an intimate gesture that took them both by surprise.

"I-" Mamoru struggled to think of something casual to say to break the sudden wall of tense silence between them. "I hope you like blueberry pancakes." She nodded silently. The look on her face indicated that she was still lost in thought, probably wondering what in the world possessed her to touch him. A moment later, she shook all thoughts out of her head and moved toward the fridge. Opening the door, she pulled out a carton of orange juice and looked around the small kitchen. "Glasses are in that cupboard, Usa." Mamoru instructed.

"I know…" The petite blonde nodded her head once again as she reached for two glasses and poured juice for them both.

Strangely enough, it all began to feel kind of natural. It was an odd thought that crossed both their minds as they silently moved around the kitchen, preparing breakfast together; they were both comfortable. It was a ridiculous thought, considering they had only spent 24 hours together, but a thought that made them reconsider the dynamic of their relationship.

They had known each other for a year now, and Mamoru couldn't help but wonder what their relationship would be like if he hadn't felt constantly compelled to make fun of her from the very beginning, or what would have happened if his teasing had ended long ago. Would they have drifted apart? Or maybe they would be closer and more intimate than they were now. Was there a possibility of them ever transforming their 'passionate' quarrelling into a different kind of passionate relationship? She was vivacious, there was no doubt about that, but it wasn't until he was knocked out and couldn't remember a thing about her that Mamoru came to realize the extent of the magnetism she held. He couldn't quite point his finger at what it was about her that demanded his full attention every time she walked in the room, but there was no denying it now, he was attracted to her.

Mamoru handed Usagi a plate. She noticed that he had given her the freshly cooked pancakes, taking the cooler ones for himself. Silently, she sat down adjacent to him on the dining table. She stared at the plate before her for a moment, before reaching for her knife and fork. Glancing up at Mamoru, she watched as he lifted his head up from his breakfast, his mouth full of pancakey goodness. She caught his eye and he smiled warmly in return. He was being so nice to her that it almost made her cry.

Ever since the accident, he was a changed man. He was nothing like the old Mamoru, the one who would tease her mercilessly, and occasionally steal her chocolate milkshake. He criticized her on her grades, often haughtily pointing out the errors on her exam papers, and never missed an opportunity to call her 'Odango Atama'. This Mamoru was different. He was warm, considerate and affectionate. He shared his food and opened up his apartment to her. He seemed so caring and happy to have her around. He was trusting and at times, vulnerable. In all the time that she had known him, she had never seen him smile at her so much, and it wasn't that snarky, sly, self-satisfied, smug sort of smile that she was accustomed to seeing after he shot her down with a snide remark. It was a genuine all-over-glow sort of smile. One that melted her heart and crumbled her defenses, no matter how hard and fast she tried to rebuild them. Usagi had always thought of Mamoru as being physically quite handsome, but now that he wasn't picking on her or calling her names, she had somewhere along the line, forgotten how to hate him. In fact, she mentally berated herself for thinking such thoughts, but a part of her wanted him to never regain his memory. She had fallen for the new Mamoru, and didn't want things to go back to how they were before.

"Usako?" Mamoru noticed the contemplative look haunting Usagi's face. She seemed lost, drowning in her own thoughts. "Usako…" He called out again. When she finally snapped out of her reverie, she glanced up to find him staring at her.

"Sorry?" She shook her head to clear away her scattered thoughts.

"Is everything alright?" He asked quietly. She nodded, a gentle smile gracing her features. He returned the smile happily and took it as a positive sign for him to continue. "Do you have any plans for today? Because I'd like for us to go on a date."

"A date?" Usagi's smile faltered once again as her heart sank in her chest. It wasn't fair. She had never been asked out on a date before, and her first one would be with a man who she was only pretending to date in order to help him regain his memories, which would then inevitably result in him remembering that he actually hated her, and them both going their separate ways.

"I just thought it might be nice to do something together." Mamoru placed his knife and fork down on his now empty plate as he waited for her reply. "You know, it might trigger some memories." He added, trying to hide his deceit. "Failing that, it wouldn't hurt to make some new ones."

"Okay, sure." Usagi nodded slowly, finishing the last of her pancakes.

"Great. I'll clean up while you go take a shower." Mamoru rose to his feet, taking both his and Usagi's plates back to the kitchen. "I'd like to see Motoki first though, if that's alright with you."

"Sure, we'll stop by at the arcade." Usagi agreed pushing her chair back under the dining table as she finished off the last of her orange juice.

---

As the couple strolled down the streets of Tokyo, Usagi fell behind Mamoru, opting to walk two steps behind him. They had both agreed that Mamoru was probably still in no shape to be driving, and that they would have to walk down the road to the arcade, and then to wherever Mamoru decided their date would be. Their extended travel time wasn't helped by the fact that Mamoru had to continually slow down for Usagi to catch up. After the third time of him stopping to wait for her, he realized that she was falling behind him on purpose.

"Usako, we'll never get anywhere if you keep walking so slowly." Mamoru reached over, taking Usagi's hand in his as he resumed their casual stroll with their fingers interlaced and her by his side. Usagi gasped slightly before turning her head away, looking as though she was glancing into passing shop windows, trying to hide the evident blush that spread across her cheeks.

As soon as they turned the next corner and the Crown Arcade was in sight, Mamoru immediately released hold of Usagi's hands and grabbed hold of his left knee, groaning something about being in pain and being unable to walk any further. "The arcade's just up ahead." Usagi immediately brought herself closer to the tall man, letting him place an arm around her shoulders for support.

"I guess I hurt that when I fell yesterday too…" Mamoru played the sympathy card as he limped toward the arcade, an arm still draped around Usagi's shoulders. "I think it's getting better though." He began to carry more of his weight on his supposedly injured left knee with every step until they reached the arcade, where the doors slid opened and the sight of Usagi walking in with Mamoru shocked almost all regular and occasional customers and patrons. All buzz and activity stopped as all eyes were firmly fixed on the infamous anti-couple, making a grand entrance with Mamoru seemingly casually strolling in, his arm around the petite blonde. "I think I'm ok now, thank you, Usako." Mamoru smiled down warmly at the girl beside him, reaching over to affectionately squeeze one of her hair buns. The clatter of arcade tokens falling to the ground pierced the almost deafening silence as one patron found Mamoru's use of the new nickname to be too shocking to bear. He lowered his arm from around Usagi's shoulders and headed over to the counter, where even Motoki stood, seemingly dumbfounded.

With a quick yank of the arm, Usagi found herself violently dragged into the nearby booth. She let out a squeal before coming face to face to face to face to face with a collectively shocked looking Minako, Rei, Ami and Makoto.

"I told you guys!" Minako quipped. "I didn't mishear anything. It was 'Usako' that he called her."

"So I'm guessing he still doesn't remember a thing then?" Ami questioned.

"You two look incredibly cozy now." Rei noted, winking playfully.

"I'm so jealous." Lita added, sighing wistfully.

"Did you sleep in the same bed?" Mina blurted out, wanting to get all the juicy gossip. The still hum of the arcade allowed Mamoru to listen in on the conversation, and he couldn't help but smirk as he walked toward the counter.

"Mamoru, I'm glad to see you energetic enough to be up and around, but shouldn't you be taking it easy and resting?" Motoki glanced about the arcade, watching as each of his customers slowly continued back to their previous activities.

"Motoki, I need your help." Mamoru shook his head, changing the subject as he leaned his elbows against the counter and spoke with his most serious, hushed voice. There was an urgency in his tone that drew the blond man's attention immediately.

"Sure buddy." Motoki nodded. "Anything."

"Where would one normally take a girl out for a date?" Mamoru watched Motoki's blank expression, obviously taken aback by the seemingly random question. The Arcade owner's line of vision turned to the blonde teenager, sitting in a booth with her head hanging low, currently being interrogated by her friends.

"A date, you say?" Gradually, a small smirk began to spread across Motoki's lips. "Tell me, Mamoru, Do you remember the show I told you I went to see last week?"

"Sure, but the music concert sold out quite some time ago, didn't it?" Mamoru shrugged, not too sure where this conversation was headed.

"Yes, yes it did." Motoki grinned. His suspicions had been confirmed. He had only told Mamoru about his concert date with Reika the day before, and the concert itself was the previous week.

"I fail to see where you're going with this point then." Mamoru frowned slightly.

"You've got your memory back, you sly dog!" Motoki let out a slight chuckle as the colour drained from Mamoru's face. Almost instantly, he shook his head quite vigorously, denying the accusations.

"No it hasn't." He retorted. "I've known you for a long time, so it's only normal that when I hit my head, my older memories came back first, making you the only person who I remember."

"That doesn't explain how you can recall the conversation that we had yesterday, but not the arguments that you had with Usagi before and afterwards." Motoki crossed his arms, leaning back.

"We argued?" Mamoru continued his charade of denial. "That doesn't sound like something a couple who are dating should be doing a whole lot of." He stressed, lowering his eyes into a slight glare, knowing that this scheme for Usagi to pretend to be his girlfriend reeked of Motoki's planning.

"Fine fine," Motoki raised his hands up in defeat. He figured that arguing with Mamoru would be pointless anyway. Considering he had some to ask dating advice, the man was clearly already smitten. "If we're going to keep playing these games, then in reply to your initial question, I'm pretty sure you once told me that for your first date together, you took Usagi to La Luna Café for lunch then sat by the lake at the park for a little while to digest. You both explored the park a little, and then you asked her if she wanted some ice cream, to which she vehemently exclaimed 'I'd love some!' so you sourced your ice cream to go from a parlor near your apartment," Motoki pointed to the ceiling, indicating that the Fruits Parlor Crown upstairs might be a good suggestion. "Then you walked back home while slowly eating your sundaes, finishing them off as you watched the sun set from your apartment balcony."

Mamoru blinked as he strained to remember all the details of the elaborate date. "Wow, I'm good…" He whistled. "Thanks for helping me… you know… remember." Mamoru hesitated for a moment.

"Man, you're hopeless." Motoki let out a small chuckle. "You should've just asked her out a long time ago."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mamoru shot his best friend a look that stated otherwise. "We've been dating for some time now, right?" He shrugged, eyes filled with a sort of mischievous gleam.

"Good luck." Motoki tapped his wrist watch, signaling that time was ticking. "I hope you know what you're doing." He shook his head, glad that his plan was working. "And you're welcome, by the way."

"Thanks, Motoki." Mamoru smiled appreciatively before he pushed his weight off of the counter and headed back over toward Usagi and her friends.

"Sorry to interrupt, girls." Mamoru cleared his throat as he approached the group of loudly whispering teens. Usagi's eyes snapped up toward him as she shot him a grateful look, happy he was there to drag her away from her gossipy friends. "Usako, are you ready for our date?" Usagi smacked the palm of her right hand against her forehead in frustration. He wasn't helping the situation at all.

"A date? That's so sweet!" Lita sighed, clasping her hands together as a dreamy state overcame her.

"Oh, Mamoru-kun, doesn't having a girlfriend just make you feel so happy?" Minako beamed cheerfully and all parties watched as Mamoru nodded, a slightly bashful smile tugging at his lips.

"Ugh… you guys…" Usagi let out a whiney sigh, slowly standing and sliding out from the booth. She secretly glared at Lita and Mina for their part in this farce. "Let's go… honey." She slipped her hand into Mamoru's as she dragged him out of the Crown Arcade and away from her group of friends who were noisily wolf whistling and letting out a collective cheer as the faux couple left for their date.

Once outside and safe from prying eyes, Usagi released her hold of Mamoru's hand. "I'm sorry about my friends." She apologized, feeling a little flustered. "They can be a little bit… stupid."

"It's fine." Mamoru reassured. "So… I was thinking that we could go to La Luna Café for lunch, if you'd like."

"Lunch sounds nice." She nodded, suddenly feeling a little nervous once again. At this point in time, it didn't matter so much how or what had gotten them both together, but more so that they were actually about to do this. Whether she had lied about being his girlfriend or not was irrelevant now. They were about to go on a date. A real date.

The couple continued to walk a little further toward Tokyo city, before turning left near the city municipal park. There, near the next street corner, sat a quaint little café, wedged and almost hidden between an antique book store and a trinket gift shop. La Luna Café was a French influenced Japanese coffee shop which specialized in cakes, pastries and desserts. The décor was modest and intimate, with a mixture of wrought iron and contemporary designed pieces.

Usagi's eyes lit up at the sight of the cozy café. "So…" She began, a slight pang of jealousy causing her heart to drop in her chest. "If you remember this place, then I guess you would have taken a lot of girls here on dates before, hmm?"

"Is that jealousy I detect in your tone, Usako?" A playful smile tugged on the corners of Mamoru's mouth. She frowned, a small pout crossed her features as she struggled to keep her composure and her cheeks from flushing in embarrassment. "I've never taken anybody here before, Usa." Mamoru confessed. "I've always wanted to, but with all the studying that I do, I rarely have any time to be dating." He explained. "But that bookstore is my favourite in all of Tokyo."

"Oh…" Usagi nibbled on her bottom lip, feeling a little foolish for even bring it up.

"But Motoki did mention that I have brought you here before, for our first date. I'm surprised you don't remember." Mamoru added, trying to sound serious and sincere.

"Motoki…" Usagi hissed under her breath. The current state of their relationship and the situation between them both was precarious enough without the need for Motoki to complicate things by meddling.

"Miss Usagi! And Mamoru, is that you?" The café owner smiled warmly as the couple entered, startling them both.

"Uh…?" Usagi blinked a few times, the blank expression on her face said it all.

"It's been such a long time since you've both been here." The café owner continued, ushering them both to a quiet little table in the corner of the café. "Oh, you two love birds were completely adorable and smitten with each other when you came in a few months ago. Of course, it would have been your first date now, wasn't it?"

Mamoru rolled his eyes as he muttered under his breath. "Way to overkill, Motoki…" He watched as Usagi simply nodded dumbly in response, and wondered if Motoki had somehow managed to befriend every rival café or arcade owner in town.

Evidently, through Mamoru's well timed first date comment, and the store keeper's set-up first date scenario, to Usagi, this seemed to be Motoki's way of playing a bit of a practical joke on her. Not only did it keep her on her toes, but it seemed to add another depth and dimension to the Usa/Mamo dating back story. It also served a dual purpose for Mamoru though. Since Usagi felt as though she was the only one to know the store keeper had been tipped off by Motoki's preplanning, it would seem to cover up any suspicion of Mamoru having actually regained his memories. As long as Mamoru continued to feign innocence and naivety, everything would play out just fine. Well played, double agent Motoki, well played.

"Well, I'll let you two love birds order in peace," The store keeper smiled warmly. "But Usagi-chan, I do believe we have that strawberry cake you dearly loved the last time you were here."

"Oh… thank you." Usagi smiled, almost sheepishly. It would have been nice to have gotten some warning that Motoki was going to plan ahead.

After a slightly awkward start, the two ordered light meals, with Usagi finishing with a slice of strawberry cake. Just as the cake was placed down before the wide-eyed girl and she was about to dig in, Mamoru reached his teaspoon over and nabbed the first bite, right at the very tip of the slice.

"Mamoru!" Usagi pouted. "I was saving that bit for last!" She swatted at his arm lightly and he chuckled, stealing her strawberry garnish. "Mamo-chan! You said you didn't want any cake! Why are you eating mine?" Usagi continued, not realizing her slip up. Mamoru, on the other hand, had picked up on it as soon as she said it. His laughter gradually died down to a contented smile as he watched her happily devouring her slice of cake, savouring every little bite.

"Usako, call me 'Mamo-chan' again." Mamoru murmured quietly, sliding closer to the petite blonde. She glanced up at him from her slice of cake, slightly alarmed.

"What? Why?" She swallowed the growing lump in the back of her throat, her voice quivering with embarrassment.

"Because I heard you say it before, and I like it." Mamoru leaned his arm against hers.

Usagi continued to slowly play with her cake, pulling away smaller and smaller bits as she hesitated. A vivid shade of crimson stained her cheeks as she nibbled on her bottom lip. "I think you must have misheard me…" Usagi slumped her shoulders, trying to hide her face as Mamoru continued to stare adorably at her. With every moment that passed, she was finding it more and more difficult to remain objective about her role. Every time he called her 'Usako' with his deep husky voice, she felt as though she was going to melt.

"I don't think so…" Mamoru drawled as he gingerly lifted one of Usagi's hands, pressing it gently against his lips. "But that's okay, Usako. I'm just glad to see you happy."

Her heart stopped beating for a whole three seconds before kicking into overdrive and thumping wildly in her chest like she had just run a marathon. Did he just say that? Did the great, haughty, self-centered, heartless jerk, Mamoru, just say that he was glad to see the target of his long-running verbal abuse, happy?

'Wow…' Usagi mused to herself. 'He must've hit his head harder than I thought.'

"Usa, once you've finished your cake, I'd like to go for a walk in the park, if that's alright with you." It was a strange feeling for Mamoru. One moment he was clueless, yet smitten for the blonde who was allegedly his girlfriend, the next, all his memories has returned and yet, his initial attraction to Usagi still lingered. Sure, he remembered all the times he had made fun of her and teased her. He remembered all the play fighting they did, and the thrilling feeling of mischievousness that overcame him every time he called her 'Odango Atama' and had to dodge some sort of makeshift projectile, but things were different now. He didn't feel satisfied with just teasing her anymore. He had seen her repertoire of tongue pulling, raspberries, scowls and pouts. Now he wanted to see her smile.

What made his heart soar was knowing that she was warming up to him. Twenty-four hours ago, she would have strongly protested any sort of contact between them both, but now she seemed quite comfortable to have his fingers intertwined with hers. She wasn't repulsed at all. He liked that. It made him wonder how long he could go on like this; pretending like he had lost all his memories and didn't know any other relationship with Usagi, other than a positive, affectionate, loving one.

"I'm ready." Usagi placed her fork down on the empty plate before her and pat her stomach in contentment.

"Great," Mamoru smiled, paying the bill on the table before reaching his hand out for Usagi to take. "Let's go."

With an arm casually draped around Usagi's shoulders, Mamoru led her across the road and into the nearby park. The warm glow of the autumn sun pierced through the canopy of overarching Japanese maple trees, illuminating the scarlet foliage whilst creating patches of golden beams and spotlights on the pebble path. Crimson leaves withered as the gentle northerly breeze whispered a song that carried them, flittering to the ground below. Mamoru guided Usagi through the path of blazing maples, toward the rows of beautiful late blooming roses.

Feeling his arm move away from her shoulders, Usagi left Mamoru's side to explore the well manicured garden at her own pace, weaving through the hedges as she gently observed, smelled and caressed each coloured bloom with admiration. It took him a little while, but after quite some time scouring the garden, Mamoru eventually found what he was looking for; a budding red rose. Taking his key chain out, he snipped the stem of the rose and hid it behind his back. As Usagi admired the last of the white roses, Mamoru approached her from behind, presenting the blossoming crimson red rose for the petite blonde to take. Her eyes glimmered appreciatively as she gingerly accepted the rose from Mamoru's fingers.

"It's perfect." She smiled happily, raising the rose up to inhale its scent. Usagi gently caressed the bud as she admired the shape of the petals. "Although, I don't think you're supposed to pick the flowers here." She motioned toward the sign beside them. Mamoru took a moment to read it before looking about uneasily. It was the line in red that stated 'Penalties Apply' that caught his attention. At that point, he spotted the groundskeeper heading toward them.

"Run…" Grabbing Usagi by the elbow, he burst out into a short sprint towards the trees.

"What? Mamoru!" Usagi shrieked in alarm. "I've never been in serious trouble in my life!"

It wasn't until they had emerged from the other side of the tree cluster that Mamoru's sprint slowed. "It's okay." Mamoru's face beamed a cheeky grin as he turned back to Usagi, slowing his pace down to a stop. "I know him. He lives across the hall from me."

"Mamoru!" Usagi swat him across his shoulder. "You gave me a heart attack!" Grasping at her chest, trying to settle her pounding heart, Usagi sat down on a nearby swing.

"Chicken." Mamoru teased, still laughing at the panicked teen. As she gently swung back and forth on her swing, Mamoru reached up on the nearby monkey bars, lifting his body to casually do a chin up.

"You're strong…" Usagi admired quietly.

"I have to be." Mamoru shrugged. He watched as Usagi's expression turned to one of curiosity, as though she were silently asking him to continue. "To protect you, of course." A small smile played across his lips. He reached his hand out for Usagi to take. "I'll guide you through a chin up."

"No, I don't think I could." Usagi shook her head vigorously. "I have really scrawny arms. In fact, I can't even do a push up properly."

"I'll help you." Mamoru placed his hands gently on her hips as Usagi stood below the bars. With her back toward him, Usagi braced herself, becoming quite tense as Mamoru placed his hands on her body once again. The wind picked up briefly and Mamoru inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet scent of Usagi's vanilla scented shampoo. It took all his self restraint not to nuzzle his face against the nape of her neck. "Ready?" He asked and she shook her head. Suppressing a light chuckle, Mamoru lifted the girl up and she grabbed hold of the bars above her head. He released his hold of her and she hung there, desperately gripping onto the bars.

"Mamoru, don't let go." Usagi pouted.

"I'll see you later, Usa." Mamoru walked past the hanging girl and waved his hand casually.

"Mamoru!" Usagi hollered, looking down at the ground. "I can't get down!"

"I'm just kidding, Usako." Mamoru grinned as he returned to her side. "I'll support you while you lift yourself up. Alright?"

"I don't know how much longer I can hold myself up for." Usagi warned, feeling her fingers slipping already. She kicked her feet slightly to gain some momentum to keep herself aloft.

"Usako, stop kicking." Mamoru tried to stabilize the girl by holding her waist. At the gentle touch of his hands, Usagi released hold of her grip and fell on top of poor Mamoru. She cringed momentarily before offering a stream of apologies.

"I'm so sorry! I told you I didn't have any upper body strength!" Usagi clambered off the squashed man, bracing herself for his onslaught of roaring insults. "Mamoru, are you alright? Did you break anything?" To her surprise, after a while, he began to laugh.

"I'm fine, Usa." He slowly stood up, patting his body down, cleaning the dust off of his shirt and pants. "But next time, don't kick so much."

"Next time?!" Usagi's eyes shot up to look at the man before her. "No no no no no, I don't think there will be a next time, Mamoru."

"Of course there will be." The tall dark haired man suddenly moved to pull Usagi in close, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he held her. "We'll do this again soon." She froze, feeling his body pressed up against hers. "Even after I get my memory back, I won't let you go." He promised. "We'll do all the things that we did on this date all over again."

"Mamoru?" Usagi pulled away slowly as she looked up at him. His smile was so warm and sincere that although she doubted that they would ever do anything like this again once jerk Mamoru got his memories back, she couldn't deny him. There was just something about the way he stared down lovingly at her, that made her feel incredibly giddy and happier than she had ever felt before. It's true what everybody says, love is a drug, and they were both hooked. "Shall we go for a walk?" Usagi changed her mind about telling him the truth. He was right; she was a chicken.

"Sure, Usako." Mamoru nodded as he felt Usagi's hand slip into his without the need of his own coercion. She led them both to the lake at the centre of the park, where they slowly strolled toward the end of the pier. Usagi was the first to sit down, letting her legs dangle over the edge, dipping into the water ever so slightly. Mamoru sat himself down beside her, but before she could move to lean her head against his shoulder, he bent over to rest his head on her lap, letting out a long contented sigh.

"Usako," Mamoru eventually broke the peaceful silence between the two. She hummed in response. "Are you happy right now?" He looked up at her. Silence overcame the couple once more as Usagi took her time to contemplate his question and her true feelings.

"Mamoru, there's something I should probably tell you…" Usagi began. The closer they became, the more guilty she felt.

"Another day, Usa." Mamoru picked up on her intentions. "I want to hear it all one day, but today, right now, I just want to know whether you're honestly happy or not." Another moment of silence lapsed.

"I…" Usagi hesitated. "I'm not." She confessed even though her mind screamed that she was. How could she be happy living a lie? The relationship was a sham and although she was beginning to love spending time with him, Mamoru was not really her boyfriend, and he wasn't really in love with her.

"I see…" The tone in his voice dropped, and so did Usagi's stomach.

"It's not you." Usagi cringed at her use of the extremely cliché line. Slowly, Mamoru sat up, brushing his fingers through her hair. "I promise." She reached her hand out to stop him from leaving. A look of disappointment was evident all over his face. Of course twenty four hours was not enough time for him to change her mind. They had too much bad history. There was no way that she could fall for him in such a short space of time. Rising to his feet, Mamoru brushed his fingers through his jet black hair and averted his attention to the horizon, unable to face her.

"We should probably head back to my apartment so you can gather your things." Mamoru spoke coolly, trying to keep his emotions in check. "I don't want to keep you against your will."

"Mamoru, you're not giving me a chance to explain." Usagi swiftly hopped to her feet as she tugged on his shirt in an attempt to gain his attention. "I really like spending time with you, and I've found that being around you lately has made me extremely happy. It's just that, I don't think you understand what you're getting yourself into. Heck, I had no idea that I would end up falling head over heels for-" Usagi gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth as she realized that she was rambling. A look of realization overcame Mamoru as he slowly began to understand her conflicting feelings and what she was trying to get at.

"Well…" Mamoru cleared his throat as he glanced over at Usagi, her hands still clasped over her mouth, but her cheeks growing ever redder. "Do you want to get some ice cream?" He watched, trying to remain cool and collected as she slowly nodded her head. Today had been a rollercoaster of emotions, and Mamoru didn't know how much more torture his poor heart could take before he would develop chronic cardiac arrhythmia.

"I'd love to." Her response was slightly less enthusiastic than Motoki had predicted, but still right on the money.

Walking past the Crown Arcade to get to the Fruits Parlor Crown, Mamoru subtly made a point of walking a little too close to the entranceway, causing the electronic doors to slide open. This drew Motoki's attention, and as Mamoru walked past with Usagi by his side, the dark haired man secretly gave his best friend a thumbs up.

"That sneaky bastard…" Motoki laughed as he crossed his arms, shaking his head slightly. "I never would've thought he'd get this far."

"Hey there you two love birds!" Motoki's sister beamed as the two entered the Fruits Parlor Crown.

"You too, Unazuki?" Usagi sighed under her breath. It seemed as though Motoki knew no bounds when it came to his jokes.

"What can I get you two?" The chipper teen beamed. As Usagi looked over the ice cream selection in the freezers before her, Unazuki motioned to Mamoru, hinting that he should stand closer to her. Mamoru picked up on the tip-off and edged toward Usagi's side. Ever so casually, he placed an arm around her waist and she turned to face him.

"Mamo-chan, I don't know if I should get Tutti Frutti, Cotton Candy or Cookies and Cream ice cream in my sundae…" Usagi tugged on Mamoru's shirt, obviously too caught up in the moment of trying to make a decision that she didn't even notice her name slip. Unazuki had to turn her head, stifling her chuckles into her sleeve as she watched Mamoru's flustered reaction.

"Uh…" Mamoru cleared his throat. "Pick the two which you think would go best with one another and get one scoop of each."

"Oh, but they also have Strawberry Cheesecake and Vanilla Mango and-"

"Just two for now, Usako." Mamoru smiled as Usagi pouted. "We'll come back another day."

"Well, in that case…" Usagi hummed with indecision. "I'll get a Choc Chip Cookie Dough sundae with a scoop of Cookies and Cream ice cream please, Unazuki-san."

"And I'll get a scoop of Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownie please." Mamoru added before being interrupted.

"Oh, and can I please get extra chocolate sauce on mine?" Usagi piped up. "And…" She began slowly, noticing Mamoru's slightly concerned look out of the corner of her eyes. "Can we get that to go please?" Unazuki nodded happily before beginning to preparing the orders. Usagi turned to the man beside her and pulled away slightly. "It's getting a little late, and I have school tomorrow. I just figured that I should probably think about getting home soon." She explained. "I don't think Mina can cover for me being away on a school night."

"I understand." Mamoru nodded his head before tilting it to the side, leaning it against one of Usagi's hair buns. It was strange how precise Motoki's 'predictions' of their first date ended up being.

Once equipped with their chilled desserts, Mamoru and Usagi slowly made their way back down the stairs and back onto the streets of Tokyo. Mamoru strolled closely beside Usagi with one hand in his pocket and the other holding his ice cream cone. He contently licked away at it with ease. Usagi, on the other hand, was having problems. Every now and then she would become deeply distracted by her sundae and stopped walking in order to dig in a little further into her take away cup, wanting reach the Cookie Dough ice cream without spilling the toppings everywhere.

"Having issues eating while you walk, Usako?" Mamoru playfully teased as the two of them slowly strolled back to his apartment. Usagi frowned, smacking Mamoru's elbow with the palm of her hand in retaliation, causing it to bump up into Mamoru's face and ice cream to drip from his nose. She 'hmmphed' triumphantly as the dark haired man chuckled and wiped his nose with a spare napkin. Just as Usagi reached for her sundae spoon again, Mamoru grabbed hold of her hand and lowered his head, devouring the scoop of hard-earned Cookie Dough ice cream before Usagi could even figure out what he was doing.

"Mamoruuuu!" Usagi pouted, taking two steps forward before stopping in her tracks once more, digging around the side of her sundae cup to reach the Cookie Dough flavor.

By the time the two had reached the apartment, Mamoru had long finished his icy treat, and Usagi was not too far behind. She scraped the last dregs of chocolate sauce from the sides of the cup as Mamoru led her out onto the balcony to watch the sun begin to set. As the bright smoldering orb sank lower and lower, melting into the horizon, the sky blazed with incredible shades of fuchsia, golden orange and dusky red. Long shadows cast by buildings set a cool contrast to the warmth of the strawberry sky.

Mamoru gently wrapped his arms around Usagi's waist and she leaned back against him. "You're more beautiful and radiant than the sunset, Usako."

"Mamoru…" Usagi felt her heart ache as she listened to his words, knowing that he had no idea that they were actually enemies. It jabbed violently at her heart to think that in an instant, he could regain his memories and this game of hers would all fall apart.

"Mmm?" He murmured gently into her hair as he held her from behind.

"This has been such a wonderful day…" Usagi's voice faltered and cracked as she struggled to hold back her tears. She couldn't believe that she was about to ruin the most beautiful, incredible moment of her life with something as trivial as the truth. The sound of her soft sniffles caught Mamoru's attention.

"Usa, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Mamoru turned the girl around to face him.

"I've had such an enjoyable time with you…" Usagi continued on her same train of thought. She had attempted to avoid his gaze all day, but right now, she couldn't. Staring straight into his clear midnight blue eyes, Usagi decided that this had to end now. She had to tell him the truth about their relationship. "Mamoru, we're not actually… I mean, you and I… when you finally get your memory back, you'll realize that I'm really not as beautiful as you think I am now…"

"Of course you are, Odango." Mamoru placed his hands gently on her shoulders. Her head snapped up at the mention of his nickname for her. "I really liked spending time with you. I had a really good time on our date today, and through all your polite excuses and cliché lines, I think you honestly enjoyed yourself too, am I correct?"

"Wait," Usagi felt as though she was suddenly suffering from vertigo. The way he had just called her by that name was a little too familiar to just be by coincidence. "Are you… do you… remember?"

"Usagi, my memory came back early last night." Mamoru confessed and Usagi's breath caught in the back of her throat. She felt as though a rug had just been ripped from under her.

All this time, he knew that she wasn't actually his girlfriend, but he played along anyway. Instead of being truthful from the start, he played his own game, manipulating her to see how far she would take her role. Somehow, somewhere along the line, he made her fall in love with him by turning the tables and taking advantage her ignorance. Usagi nibbled on her bottom lip nervously. Suddenly, she felt as though she had been a pawn in a game begger than she had initially imagined. Sure, she had lied to him about being his girlfriend, but that was only to get him to remember again. She had nothing but noble causes. What was his excuse? What was his motivation? All this time, she had thought that she was the one in control. Clearly, that wasn't the case.

"I- I have to go." More than anything, Usagi was embarrassed. She hadn't bet on being the one to be deceived. She wasn't prepared for a turn of events like this one.

She had put her heart out on the line only for Mamoru to toy with it, and toy with it he did by planning out the most romantic date that Usagi had ever dreamed of. She needed to get out of there before he could inflict any more damage. Although she desperately wanted to, there was no way Usagi was going to let herself cry in front of him. She would never give him the satisfaction of sticking around for long enough for him to watch her heart break in his hands.

"Odango, please don't-" Mamoru reached for her hand, grabbing hold of it to stop her from leaving. "Let me explain."

"If you remembered everything last night, then what was today?" Usagi's humiliation turned to anger as she seethed, feeling as though she had been taken advantage of for the jerk's own amusement. "Why didn't you just…" Her strength rapidly dissolved and her delicate voice quivered with a frailty that she never even knew she could ever display. "Was this all some sort of game to you? Did you plan on making me fall for you, just so you could laugh in my face and embarrass me in front of everyone?" Usagi struggled against him, trying to pull her hand away from his grasp, but Mamoru refused to let go. Instead, he tightened his grip.

"Usako, it's not like that at all." Mamoru gently whispered as he tugged at her arm, and in one swift movement he pulled her body in closer toward him, wrapping his other arm around her waist. For a moment, he simply held her. "Usako…" Mamoru repeated, liking the way that her new pet name rolled off his tongue like velvet. She remained cautiously still against him. Silent.

Ever so gently, Mamoru reached his hand down, lifting her chin up so she would face him. Licking his lips enticingly, he slowly lowered his head. Usagi's eyes involuntarily fluttered shut as Mamoru closed the gap between them, capturing her mouth in a delicate quiver, his lips barely grazing against hers at first. Eventually, with each subtle touch of their lips, their gentle kisses soon grew into a slow passionate hunger that left them both almost breathless and craving more.

After a moment or two, Usagi realized the insanity of the situation and she struggled against the dark haired man, managing to break the kiss and push him away slightly. "Are you crazy?" She barked. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

"Maybe…" Mamoru's heart pounded in his ears and his mind clouded over with a fogginess that came with the complete and utter surrender of one's own heart.

"I don't think you've fully regained your memories yet." She looked up at Mamoru, lips still tingling. They burned with an unquenchable desire and her whole body protested the absence of his warm lips against hers, feeling as though she was going through some sort of sudden withdrawal. "We were only pretending to date."

"I know, Usako." Mamoru continued, interrupting the confused teen. "I just… I don't want to pretend anymore." A moment of silence passed as Usagi let his words sink in.

As she contemplated the meaning behind his statement, she relaxed a little, letting her hands rest gently on his chest. Mamoru took this as a sign that she was still cautious, but not completely resistive. Slowly raising a hand, he tentatively cupped Usagi's cheek, gently caressing her petal soft skin. She was receptive to his touch, tilting her head back slightly as a silent invitation for him to continue. Mamoru closed the gap between them once again, lowering his lips to lightly nibble hers tenderly.

This time she was responsive. Mamoru felt his heart skip a beat as the fingers of Usagi's left hand curled slightly, clutching at his shirt as she pulled him in closer. A surge of adrenaline flooded her senses and all she knew was that she wanted more. Snaking her right hand up across his collarbone, Usagi endearingly brushed her fingers across the nape of his neck, causing Mamoru to moan slightly and she took the opportunity to boldly deepen the kiss. Even if this was just some sort of strange, twisted prank, after that first kiss of his, Usagi had made her mind up. There was no way in hell she was going to leave empty handed, not without another soul blazing kiss to remember him by.

Eventually pulling away slightly, Usagi stared up into Mamoru's eyes. Content that she could see no malice or insincerity in his deep puddles of midnight blue, she continued with her train of thought. "You're an ass for lying about having amnesia, Mamoru."

"You started it by lying about being my girlfriend in the first place." Mamoru retorted.

"So after everything… today, just now, me being your girlfriend… It's all still just a lie?" Usagi nibbled on her bottom lip nervously. She could still feel the warmth of his breath dancing across her lips as he attempted to gain control of his erratically pounding heart.

"Of course not." Mamoru responded almost immediately. "No, you're definitely my girlfriend now. You don't have a choice in the matter anymore." His voice sounded deep, slightly raspy, and seductively low as he practically growled in a possessive manner that sent shivers down her spine.

"I never had a choice to start off with." Usagi frowned slightly. A small smile crept across Mamoru's lips and she gently toyed with the collar of his shirt.

"I promised that even after my memories returned, I wouldn't let you go, and I don't intend to go back on my word." The dark haired man leaned forward, nuzzling his nose gently against hers in an endearing Eskimo kiss. "And besides, we have to go back to the Fruits Parlor Crown so you can try all the other different ice cream flavours, right?" He watched as Usagi nodded her head slightly, a rosy hue kissing her cheeks.

"How long do you think we can keep pretending that we're dating, while actually dating, before the others find out?" Mamoru grinned at her devious plan before briefly pressing his lips against hers once again.

"I told you Usako, I don't want to pretend anymore." Mamoru flashed her his most charming smile. "I want the world to know that you're my 'Odango Atama', and mine by choice, not because of any guilt that you may have had from trying to kill me." He poked his tongue out, earning a playful smack for his cheekiness. "I want everyone to know that you were swept off your feet; perfectly incapable of resisting my debonair charm, witty sense of humour and my infinite overabundance of sexiness."

"Now I know why your bout of amnesia was so brief." Usagi rolled her eyes at her cheeky boyfriend. He grinned, waiting for her inevitable smart-ass remark. "Your enormous ego cushioned the impact."

Fin.

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. . .

There you have it! What I've been working on for the past week or so, in amongst all the crazy howling storms and floods that we've had here in Aussie land. Let me know what you thought by clicking that little review button down there! Until next time, take care!

Crystal Saturn