It was an autumn afternoon in Juuban. Leaves were changing color and the air was getting crisp and cool. Tsukino Usagi was packing a few things into a suitcase, preparing to go on a weekend trip up to a ski lodge with her friends. It may have only been fall in her city, but up on the mountain, there was a fresh snowfall from the week before and the trip was promised to be a once in a lifetime experience. Usagi had a lollipop in her mouth and was enjoying the strawberry flavor of it as she threw in the last of the products she required for her nightly hygiene ritual.

Usagi heard her mother call for her. "You almost ready, dear?"

Usagi quickly pulled the lollipop out of her mouth and yelled, "Hai! Coming!"

She zipped up the bag and carried it with her downstairs.

Ikuko smiled at Usagi. "You all ready to go?"

Usagi nodded, took out the lollipop, and kissed her mother on the cheek. "Bye mama. I'll see you on Tuesday!"

The school had established a four day weekend for the holidays and Ami's mother had booked a cabin for the girls to enjoy after their hard work in finals. Usagi had squeaked by with a B in almost every class, so her mom had let her go. They were all going to meet at the Cherry Hill Temple and take the train up to the cabin. Usagi had her bag in tow and was walking down the streets of Juuban with her lollipop in her mouth. She had brought a multitude of other snacks as well, not entirely sure what the food was going to be like up on the mountain. You can never be too prepared… As she was deep in thought about how the weekend would go and how much she was going to LOVE being away from that brat Shingo, she turned the corner and hit a familiar hard surface. With her hand on her lollipop stick, panic overwhelmed her; she pulled out her lollipop to brace herself on falling backwards. She hit the floor on her butt and back, her bag falling off to her right and her lollipop hitting the floor and shattering as her hand collided with the sidewalk. The feeling of loss for her strawberry flavored lollipop and the pain on her backside overwhelmed her. "Ughhh! You BAKA! Look what you made me do!"

Chiba Mamoru looked at the sight before him. The Odango Atama was sprawled out along the sidewalk, a large bag was off to the side of her. Pieces of broken candy were on the opposite side of her and her long blonde hair was all over the place. Same old Odango…

"Oi, Odango. Are you ever going to look where you're going?" Mamoru knew that he was just as much at fault for their collision as she was. He was reading a text from Motoki about some sort of weekend getaway with his girlfriend. Normally reading a text and walking wasn't a difficult task for Mamoru. The distraction came from the context of the text. Mamoru was dumbfounded. Motoki has a girlfriend? Since when? Mamoru and Motoki had been friends since childhood. Never had he ever kept anything from him before. He wasn't just puzzled. He was a little hurt. Motoki even knew about Mamoru being Tuxedo Mask. They were practically brothers. Mamoru looked back down at the fallen Usagi who was now cursing his name. He let out a chuckle. Poor Odango. She could never absorb an impact like he could. No matter how fast Usagi ran into him, it was always her who fell and him who would just stand there like he had just been bumped into by a bug.

Usagi was finished up her array of insults as she grabbed her bag and continued onto Rei's temple. Mamoru watched Usagi walk away until she turned another corner. He turned his attention back to the broken lollipop on the floor. She still had quite a bit left and he smirked a little as he associated the bright pink color with the Odango's personality. Mamoru shook his head slowly and continued to the Crown where he was supposed to meet Motoki and find out more of this girlfriend business.

The girls met up at Cherry Hill Temple. Their excited chatter was building as they were waiting for their last friend, Minako, to show up. Rei had started to look concerned. "When does the train leave?"

Ami looked at her watch. "In about 2 hours. I hope she is here soon…we really should be going. We still have to walk to the station."

Mamoru walked into the Crown and saw a startling display. Motoki…and Minako…fingers interlaced and talking over a chocolate shake. Mamoru slowly walked up to them, one eyebrow raised higher than the other. "Uhhh, what's going on?"

Minako and Motoki happily looked up at the shocked Mamoru.

About 20 minutes later, the girls saw three figures walking up to them. Two of the figures holding hands and one straying behind lugging a large duffel bag.

Makoto's brows furrowed. "What's going on? Who's that?"

As the three got closer, the girls were able to see that it was Minako, Motoki, and Mamoru.

Usagi crossed her arms in a huff when she saw Mamoru and was slightly hurt when she saw the two holding hands. Hiding her discomfort, she asked, "Minako…what's going on? This is supposed to be a GIRLS weekend!"

Minako was all smiles and didn't seem to see her friend's upset demeanor. "You guys! Motoki and I are dating!"

Rei and Makoto looked down at their linked hands, smiled, but then quickly shook it off. Makoto raised her hand to her forehead. "That's all well and good, Minako, but can you please explain why you were late, which is making US late, and why Motoki and Mamoru are here when it's supposed to be just us?"

Motoki chimed in, a little uncomfortable at making the situation difficult. "Uh, Mamoru and I are going to be in a different cabin on the resort. We figured we'd ride the train up together. Is that…ok…with you guys?"

Realizing that their girls weekend wasn't going to be completely ruined, Makoto, Rei and Ami smiled and nodded. Usagi remained stoic looking at Mamoru. The group started to walk towards the direction of the train station as Usagi stood there staring at Mamoru and he back at her. Usagi picked up her bag, eyes never leaving Mamoru, turned on her heel and said, "You owe me a lollipop!"

Mamoru smirked and followed the group. At first he was dreading the idea, but maybe this trip won't be so bad after all…

The train ride started out rather uncomfortable. Minako and Motoki were almost inseparable and the group could not figure out how this came about, including Mamoru. When Mamoru showed up at the Crown, Motoki had pulled out an already packed duffel and told him that they were going on a trip. Nothing more. It was only sheer curiosity that made Mamoru come. That and…the presence of a certain Odango.

Makoto had been staring at the couple for the last 10 minutes with confused eyes. She was absent mindedly sipping her soda through a straw while they giggled and smiled at one another. Rei and Ami came back to the table with trays of food and it snapped her out of her daze. Makoto slammed her hand down on the table and yelled, "That's IT!" Shocked, everyone looked at her in surprise and wonder on what she was talking about. Makoto raised her finger and pointed it at Minako and Motoki. "What the hell is going on? I'm sick of just sitting here like this is normal! Now SPILL!"

Minako started to laugh. "Well it's about time! I was waiting for one of you to ask!" She straightened herself up in her seat and cleared her throat. Motoki laughed and turned his head to the side as if to hide his enjoyment. Minako began. "It all started about 3 months ago."

Infuriated that she had no idea, Makoto blurted, "3 months ago?!"

Minako shook her head at her. "Sh sh sh. Don't interrupt." Another giggle from Motoki. "Anyways, I started leaving notes for Motoki to find. Notes that complimented him, flirted, and said some other things that I won't utter here." All the girl's faces turned red. Mamoru put his book down. This is getting interesting.

"I always signed them 'secret admirer' and never really planned on getting caught until this afternoon. I was packing for the trip and it dawned on me what a terrific and romantic first date it would be to go skiing and play in the snow together, SO I made another one of the notes and slid it across the counter to him. We started talking, one thing led to another, and here we are!" Minako ended with a sigh, a smile, and a wink.

Usagi's right eyebrow was slightly twitching. "3 months?"

Minako looked at their leader and nodded proudly. "Mhmm!"

"3? As in 1, 2, 3?"

Everyone was looking at Usagi like she was retarded. Minako started to get uneasy. "Yes, Usagi. 3 months!"

"Are you KIDDING me right now?"

Now it was Usagi's turn to get looked at like she was nuts. Ami looked across the table, worried. "Usagi-chan, are you ok?"

Usagi put her hands in her hair and looked down at the table, slowly shaking her head. She started to laugh. Not joyfully, but cynically. "No. No Ami-chan. I am not ok. I am NOT ok."

Minako's eyes widened in realization. "Usagi, no. Usagi it is NOT what you think." Minako looked at Usagi pleadingly and then looked directly at Mamoru. Mamoru had been watching the scene develop in confusion, not really believing that Usagi would be this hurt over Minako and Motoki's relationship, but when Minako gave a direct look over at him, his confusion deepened. What do I have to do with this?

Usagi shook her head, tears in her eyes, and got up from the table. "You and your selfishness, Minako have really pushed it this time around." Usagi walked to the back of the train towards the café.

Minako's eyes became frightened. She had never seen Usagi so upset except for one other time and as she remembered it, a sick feeling rose in her stomach.