Chapter 1

She knew it was wrong. Having feelings like this, so strong was wrong, it was incensing, unnatural. If anyone got wind of their relationship they would be mocked. They would be looked down upon. But she couldn't help it. Yes she loved him, more than platonic.

It took her a while to even realise what she felt for him wasn't normal. She thought everyone felt that way for their brothers. Didn't find it strange that she liked him to that extent. They had been together a lot, always close. She felt comfort with him that she didn't find it with anyone. It wasn't until she met other siblings had she realised what she felt for Mamoru was not normal or natural. That's when she realised she had a problem.

So she had tried to stay away from him, tried to stop being that close to him. Even attempted dating a year ago but that ended up in a disaster and blew up in their face. She shivered just thinking about that day.

Suddenly she was snapped out of her reminiscing when she felt someone elbow her wrist. Blinking in surprise, Usagi turned to her left and noticed that Naru was looking at her intently.

"What?" she whispered, wondering why her best friend was staring at her with such wide eyes. She subtly pointed with her fingers to the front and she reluctantly looked where she was pointing. Immediately she felt like groaning. Miss Haruna was staring at her with a smirk. She looked pleased, having caught her daydreaming. At this she gulped. Perhaps she shouldn't have been daydreaming.

She swore Miss Haruna really had it in for her, why she didn't understand.

"Miss Tsukino, care to tell me what the answer to this problem is?" she pointed at the board which consisted of bunch of alphabets and numbers. Biting her lip she reluctantly picked a number from her mind and blurted out.

"42?" she took a shot in the dark.

Miss Haruna did not look amused and blankly looked at her. Usagi knew what was coming and placed her head on her hand, waiting for the inevitable.

"Detention!"

As if satisfied with that result, she turned back and Naru looked at her disapprovingly.

"Why did you zone out? You know she watches you like a hawk for an opportunity," hissed Naru but Usagi smacked her head on her desk groaning in despair.

"I know I know, I just got lost in my thoughts."

Naru only shook her head and looked away from her best friend. Finding her strength Usagi pulled up and then looked at the board, determined to pay attention now, to not give Miss Haruna any more reason to drag her detention longer after school. That was the plan but then the hair in the back of her neck stood up. For some reason she felt as if she was being watched. She felt a powerful gaze on her. Rubbing her neck, she looked out the window to see who was giving her that feeling. But to her surprise she didn't see any person looking at her. No person was there, just a stray black cat. Shaking her head she looked back from the window and looked ahead.

Mamoru glared at the clock in anger. It was 3'O clock so Usagi should have been in the arcade by now but she wasn't. Only one thing could keep her away from her routine. Detention. He didn't understand how she always ended up getting detention. He only groaned and glared at his coffee. While he knew that it wasn't a good idea to always meet at a public place like this after school, he knew it would raise eyebrows if he didn't show up here, Motoki would notice. Not to mention he needed to see her and be near her one way or another. Even if he had to keep a façade around people, he wanted to be near her, where he could keep eye on her.

Lately he had been having dreams, dreams which made him shiver and dread. In the dream it was him and Usagi, although they were always in a medieval costume of sorts. While this fantasy crap would usually not be worthy of his attention at all. But this dream made him shiver, because it always ended with Usagi being stabbed and dying in his arms. And the worst part was it had been recurring for six months straight.

The repetition had caused a fear to take root and whenever she was out of his gaze the fear intensified. Knowing her detention routine pretty well he knew she should appear in the next fifteen minutes so he tried to keep himself calm. If she didn't show up then he would try to track her down.

"You stare at that coffee any harder and it will explode," Motoki's voice cut through his haze.

He looked up and stared at him, masking his emotions, slipping into the mask he had perfected by now.

"Hey Motoki" he smiled, hoping it worked. It seemed to have because Motoki didn't look at him suspiciously anymore. Instead he looked at the empty seat beside him and voiced what had been worrying Mamoru.

"So where is Usagi-chan?" he asked with a smile on his face.

He fought the urge to punch his best friend, knowing Motoki really did see Usagi as his surrogate sister, and put up the scowl face which Motoki seemed to expect now.

"Why should I care where the irresponsible Odango is, probably running late because of detention again."

He should have won an Oscar for this performance. It was far from truth, he cared too much for her, which was the problem.

Motoki looked at him with disappointment in his face, clearly not liking him insulting Usagi. At this he was blessed. Motoki was godsend, he knew if Usagi ever needed help Motoki would be there.

"Dude, she is your sister don't say that!"

"Believe me I am trying to forget that" and this time Mamoru did mean that

"Why do you tease her so much? In fact why do you fight so much? You guys used to be so close and inseparable. I used to be jealous of the bond you and she had, what the hell happened?" Motoki looked at him sadly, while Mamoru only sighed.

He hated picking on Usagi in public but after their relationship developed they both agreed that they needed to put up a façade, show scorn so no one can suspect the truth. Usagi had to beg and convince him, because he didn't like the thought of insulting his angel. But the die was set and now the lifelong façade began, sucked in the tangled web they wove.

"Life happened Motoki, life" he spoke in a casual tone.

Motoki didn't like that answer though, he opened his mouth obviously to ask more but he was saved from that when he felt someone tapping on his shoulder. For a moment he was glad for this distraction but as soon as he turned around that relief vanished when his eyes fell on brunette in front of him.

He inwardly groaned while Saori only smiled back.

"Saori, hi. What a big surprise," he spoke in the most uninterested tone he could muster.

"Oh, I was just passing by, and wondered if you would be interesting in a cup of coffee or something?" she bit her lip, her violet eyes trained on him with high hopes shining in there.

"Oh no thanks, I am already drinking a coffee and Motoki's are to die for," he smiled while he continued drinking the said coffee. At this Saori frowned, glaring at him for a moment, but he looked at the coffee. He wasn't stupid, he knew she had been trying to get his interest for a while but he had been feigning ignorance and aloofness. It seemed to have worked so far but he had a feeling that his luck was about to run out soon.

"No I meant, together, somewhere else?" she persisted.

"I don't understand what you mean," he shrugged on, hoping she would be embarrassed and walk away. But when she didn't move, instead she grabbed his hand and looked at him intently, causing Mamoru to inwardly curse.

"Look Mamoru, we are perfect for each other, you just don't know that yet. Why don't you give it a chance by going on a date with me?" She looked at him with a proud smirk in place. His temper was ticking off when suddenly he heard noise of footsteps running and the door-bell dinging. Immediately Mamoru looked towards the door and noticed that Usagi's best friend Naru was standing near the door appearing confused while the door was still open.

Realisation hitting him, he cursed once again and pulled his hand from her grasp.

"Look Saori I am not interested, the sooner you realise that the better."

After snapping at her, he abandoned his coffee and stormed his way out of the arcade, leaving a bewildered Motoki and Saori in there.

He hadn't had to walk far. Merely thirty feet in front of him was Usagi walking away with her fists clenched. In a few strides he caught up with her and pulled her inside the nearest alley. Once secluded he pushed her against the wall while looking at her crystal blue eyes. It made him want to curse at Saori even more. Her eyes were lacking the usual spark which she had.

"Usako…"

She didn't say anything. Instead she grasped his shirt and pulled him forward and kissed him with her might. He groaned in delight, never getting enough of her and kissed back, tangling his fist in her silky locks. After seconds, which seemed to span an hour, she pulled away, her eyes dazed but had unshed tears.

"Usako, look she doesn't mean anything you know that" he caressed her cheek lovingly, sighing in relief when she leaned against his touch.

"But there will be someone one day Mamo-chan who you will fall in love with and it won't be me," she muttered in a tremulous voice, as if that idea just had occurred to her now.

Just hearing those words was enough to make his eyes dark.

"How can you even think that Usako," but she wouldn't look at him, her eyes downcast. Growling, he caught her legs and wrapped it around his waist. She instinctively tightened them and then keened when he pushed her hard against the wall.

"There will never be anyone else for me and I can guarantee that, even if you change your mind" he whispered that in her ear, causing her to shiver in delight at the proximity. Looking at him teary eyed she sighed and pulled him into a kiss which he happily obliged too.

Neither of them noticing the black cat with unusual mark on its forehead observing them.