xxx

"But mom…" Mamoru Chiba whispered softly, tugging on his mom's skirt.

"Ssshhh… It's okay, Mamoru," his mother soothed.

They were at the doorway of the daycare center. Mamoru's mother looked around, and seeing the attendant, walked directly to her. As they talked, he looked around the room, and saw the other children peering curiously at him. Mamoru's tiny hands clutched tighter on his mother's skirt.

Presently, Mamoru's mother kneeled. Looking at her son face-to-face, she spoke. "I'll come back for you in four hours, alright?"

Mamoru sniffed, and then nodded. He knew the drill. His parents usually leave him at a day care center or a playground in the town where they have their appointments and then pick him up after a few hours or so when they're done. Bringing him on their trips was the only way they could spend time as a family. Mamoru understood, but it was never easy when they leave him even for those few hours.

"Be brave," his mother whispered to him softly, and kissing him on the cheek, she left.

Mamoru stared at the door, and as it closed softly, he trudged off to one corner of the room and sat down.

"Hi!"

Mamoru looked up, surprised. Standing over him was a tiny girl with blond pigtails. She was around 4 or 5 years old, younger than him. Mamoru looked down again.

"Hi!" The little girl said again, this time a little louder. Mamoru ignored her.

"Hi!" She went again, her voice rising almost to a screech.

"Ow!" Mamoru groaned, covering his ears. When he felt it was safe, he put his hands down and looked away. The little girl immediately went to where he was staring.

"What's your name?" She asked cheerily, as though the past few minutes hadn't happened.

"Leave me alone," he muttered, looking down again. Undeterred, the girl stood right beside him and started poking him.

"What's your name?" she asked again, emphasizing her question with pokes.

Poke.

Poke.

Poke.

"Alright!" Mamoru finally said. "I'll tell you if you stop poking me!"

"Yay!" She immediately plopped in front of him, waiting.

"It's Mama… Mamow… Mamo…" he said, stuttering.

"Hi Mamo!"

"No! I mean, my name's…"

"I'm Usa!"

"Er… Hi." Awkward silence.

"So… You want to play?" Usagi asked him, twirling one of her pigtails with a finger.

"Urm… I don't really…"

"Come on! It'll be fun!" Without waiting for his answer, she grabbed him by the hand and pulled him to the play area.

xxx

Mamoru never had that much fun, not even with his parents. As they played, Usagi asked him one question after another, and while he pretended to be annoyed with them, he actually enjoyed answering her. It was a novelty, having someone listening to him. Without even realizing it, he'd told her about how his parents are always going on business trips and how they'd always bring him with them, and how he'd never really made friends because of that.

"I'll be your friend," Usagi had said immediately, after hearing Mamoru. He could only nod happily.

"Mamoru, it's time to go."

Mamoru looked up. It was his mother, ready to pick him up. He didn't realize the time.

"I'd better go," Mamoru told Usagi, his tone sad. His lower lip puckered into a pout, he said softly, "Goodbye."

"No," Usagi said. Surprised, Mamoru looked at her. Grinning widely, she said, "See you later."

His eyes widened, and then he smiled as well. "Yeah, see you later."

Putting his hand into his mother's much bigger palm, they left the day care center. As he walked, he looked back, and saw Usa waving at him. He smiled softly to himself.

Yep, he had a feeling they'd be seeing each other later.