Lovely Days: Usagi/Mamoru Drabbles Collection

100 Themes Challenge

I decided to get in on the 100 Themes Challenge, mostly because I find it easier to write about topics that are given to me than coming up with my own, but I hope people enjoy them all the same.

Chocolate & Valentines

First year high school student Tsukino Usagi, with as much stealth as she could muster, quietly entered the locker area of Juuban Municipal High School with a small heart-shaped box in her gloved hands. To avoid the chance of running into any classmates or teachers, she had waited two hours after school let out before going back to deliver her gift.

She glanced around just to make sure she was alone, took in a deep breath, and then slowly approached locker 17. Before she could open the small metal door with her shaking hand she heard footsteps coming down the hall. Thinking quickly, Usagi decided to make a run for it and try again later, knowing she couldn't face the embarrassment of someone catching her in the act of delivering chocolates for her crush Furuhata Motoki.

Outside, the cold February wind seemed colder as Usagi made her way across the deserted schoolyard. The sun was beginning to set and its waning rays cast a deep orange glow on the scenery. Usagi thought about how her plan had been foiled most likely by some sort of custodial worker making his rounds. And it had been such a perfect plan! After Motoki discovered the chocolate with a note attached professing her admiration, he would pull her out of Geometry class just to tell her he felt the same way, and then the two of them would go for chocolate sundaes at the Crown Fruits Parlor.

Instead, here she was walking to the bus stop with her gift still in hand and a frown creasing her face. This was not the way to spend Valentine's Day.

Usagi continued to wallow in her misery as a bus pulled up. She reached down to pick up her schoolbag and was surprised to discover it wasn't sitting next to her feet. In fact, it didn't look to be anywhere in the vicinity. Usagi's stomach churned as she frantically thought of all the places she could have left it. It didn't take long for her to come to the conclusion that she must've left it in the locker area back at school.

With an apologetic bow to the bus driver the teenager twisted on her heel and was about to rush back towards the high school when a familiar brown schoolbag invaded her line of sight. Accompanying the bag was a young man very familiar to Usagi because he was the close personal friend of her crush Furuhata Motoki.

"Tsukino Usagi, grade 10, class 1-A. I believe this belongs to you," Chiba Mamoru said. Just as she reached for the bag the tall, dark-haired young man brushed past her and stepped onto the bus. Usagi stood on the sidewalk, not exactly sure of how to react to the situation.

"Oi, are you coming or not? Buses don't wait around all day you know, Odango Atama."

The blonde fumed at the nickname and quickly got on the bus, exactly sure of how to react to the situation. She quickly sat down next to Mamoru who had a smirk on his face as was his custom. "Listen, jerk," Usagi began, "I don't know if you thought this would be amusing to steal my bag from me, because that's exactly what you're doing--taking my personal belongings with not the slightest intention of giving them back--but if you plan on getting off this bus you can give it back right now."

The thief simply watched the scenery go by as he responded, "Maybe you shouldn't be so careless with things you claim are so important, but I suppose you were so preoccupied with delivering Valentines that even your most valued possessions seemed of little importance."

Usagi paled at his comment, realizing it had been he who had come walking down the hallway at school.

"You won't...tell anyone what I was doing, right? Especially not Motoki!" The girl looked pleadingly at Mamoru who was almost moved to sympathy by her pitiful expression. Almost.

"Well," he began still watching the scenery, "that all depends, you see. Motoki is my close friend, and it wouldn't be right of me to stay silent on the matter." He glanced at the blonde out of the corner of his eye and delighted in seeing her horror-stricken face.

"I'll do anything!" she beseeched as she gripped Mamoru's sleeve.

"Anything?"

"Anything!!"

He sat for a moment in silence, obviously turning this proposal over in his mind; meanwhile, Usagi was feeling a bit nauseous about what he might require her to do in return for his confidence.

"In that case, give me the chocolates instead," the dark-haired upperclassman said finally.

"What?" she wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly.

"I said give me the chocolates instead, Odango Atama."

Ignoring the despised nickname she looked at the box of chocolates in her gloved hands. 'I don't have the courage to give these to Motoki now anyway so I might as well not let them go to waste,' she reasoned with herself.

"Listen, I'm not happy about this whole situation but I guess I can't do anything about it. So here, Happy Valentine's Day," Usagi said drably and handed him the gift.

Mamoru accepted the chocolates without so much as a nod of thanks. He opened the heart-shaped box and looked at the selection before picking out one with 'Be Mine' written across its chocolate exterior. Depositing it into his mouth he savored the flavor for a few seconds.

"It's really a good thing you didn't give these to Motoki. They're bitter."

Usagi could feel the steam pouring out her ears, "Who asked you anyway?! Just hand me my bag so I can get off!" She ripped the schoolbag from his grasp and stormed off the bus.

Later that evening a very bemused Usagi examined the little card she'd found in one of her notebooks. It read: To Odango Atama, Happy Valentine's Day.

End.