Usagi walked into the crowded cafeteria. She scanned the room for Mamoru, but she didn't see him sitting at their usual spot. Normally the two of them sat in one of the corners, sort of hidden from the rest of the room. They liked their privacy and didn't want people to join them anyways, so it had always worked for them. Either that or the two of them would go outside and sit under a tree while they ate their lunch. But today Mamoru wasn't at either of their spots, as she could also see through the large paned window that displayed the courtyard. Usagi sighed, her spirits instantly falling from the excited state it had been just moments before in the anticipation of seeing her best friend.

"Usako!"

The voice pierced through the noise. Usagi's eyes shot to where the wonderfully comforting voice had come from. Joy filled her once again as her eyes found his through the crowd. He was staring at her waving his hand. She knew her cheeks were pink as she smiled and started walking over to him. He'd called her by her special nickname that only he'd ever called her. To say it so openly in public and even more so to call it out to her in such a crowded room made her shy.

She made her way through the crowd of people still chattering on loudly and too busy with their own friends to notice the embarrassment she was in. Stopping beside Mamoru, only then did she realize that he was sitting with a group of his classmates. Usagi looked at them, them staring back at her, and then returned her gaze to Mamoru, getting increasingly shy by the moment. Didn't they think it was weird that Mamoru, after all this time, was finally joining them for lunch? Never before had he done that. But they didn't look to be over thinking it like she was; rather they looked happy and enjoying themselves.

"Usako," Mamoru repeated the nickname, his eyes never leaving hers as he reached for her hand.

"Sit. Let me introduce you to my classmates."

He helped her gracefully sit down at the picnic-like table being overly protective knowing her tendency to be clutzy. She smiled at him thankfully and then waited as he introduced her to her classmates. Each one smiled warmly at her as they were introduced much to her surprise. She had expected them to be as harsh and unfriendly as the girls in her class even more so perhaps because they were in the smartest level their grade offered. But then again she should have known better than to judge, after all Mamoru was the sweetest guy ever and he was in their class.

"So when did you guys start dating," one of the guys asked after a few minutes of eating in silence.

Mamoru turned and stared at Usagi whose eyes were focused on her food. "Actually, we only officially started dating yesterday but we've known each other since we were kids."

"That's so romantic," one of the girls from the group said in a dazed voice. "Tell me… how did you guys meet?" she asked, eyes focused on the two of them.

Usagi's head jerked up at this and stared at Mamoru not sure if he wanted them to know about the day she had met him. He smiled back at her and nodded, gently rubbing her hand that lay hidden between them on the bench.

"Why don't you tell them?" he said encouragingly. Usagi nodded. She really did need to start talking if she wanted to sell that they were a couple, if not simply to gain friends.

"Well," Usagi started softly, lowering her utensils and bringing up their joined hands and resting them on the table.

"We were five… my mother had just had my baby brother and I was in the hospital getting her roses that my father had given me to give to her. I saw Mamoru inside a room all by himself so I walked inside. He was crying so I asked him what was wrong. He told me that his friend was moving away and that he had no one. So I handed him a rose and told him he had me. Ever since that day we have been inseparable."

The two girls squealed when Usagi finished the story. Mamoru stared seriously at Usagi. "She captured my heart that day and never returned it since."

Usagi's heart raced. For some reason she didn't think his words were for the benefit of their charade. They were too sincere, too serious, to not be coming straight from his heart. Usagi had felt the same way of course, but his choice of words made her heart skip a beat in her chest.

"Mamo-chan," she said breathlessly, caught up in the moment, the rest of the world fading away as she stared into his midnight blue eyes. They stared back at her so much unsaid hiding in them.

"Ahem," one of the guys said loudly and then the rest started laughing uncontrollably. Usagi shot away from Mamoru and quickly refocused on eating her lunch. She didn't dare look at Mamoru's face. If she had she would have seen that he matched the same color on his cheeks as hers.

Mamoru didn't know what had happened as he watched Usagi quickly jerk away. He had said the words so truthfully, forgetting that they had an audience. The way she had rested her head on his knee and comforted him… she really had captured his heart even at that age. He loved her so much.

"You guys coming to my party tonight?" one of the guys asked, staring at the two of them. Mamoru looked over at Usagi whose eyes were surprisingly back on his.

"How about it, Usako?" he asked, his voice purring out the words. Usagi blushed but nodded. Why was he calling her that in public, it sent shivers up and down her spine.

"Yeah sure, that would be great," she said, smiling at the rest of the group. She had to avoid those eyes… they were making her turn into mush right before him. How was it that all of a sudden everything he did everything he said to her made her feel so different and excited?

"Great," the host said and then focused on Usagi. "Bring any friends you want."

"Thanks," Usagi replied gratefully, then forced herself to smile at Mamoru. He smiled back at her and her heart melted. Things were going well, she had to admit, if only she could keep up the pretences and ignore the strange feelings she'd been getting.

After lunch, Mamoru walked Usagi back to her classroom. They made it appoint to get there a few minutes early so that she could talk to the girls. Saying goodbye, Mamoru left her and Usagi walked into class. She walked right up to the girls and said her hello bravely. They glared at her for a moment and didn't respond.

"You know Mamoru right?" she asked arrogantly, knowing very well they did. "He's my boyfriend now."

The girls looked at each other and then their expressions changed instantly; talk about being fake. As soon as she said that, they looked at her kindly and as if she had always been part of their group.

"You guys kiss yet?" one of them asked, being nosy.

Usagi shook her head. "We only started dating yesterday… but who knows tonight, right? There's this big party we're going to… some guy from Class A is throwing it," she said feigning indifference. The girls sighed excitedly.

"Want to come?" Usagi asked as if the idea had just suddenly popped into head. She asked the question as if she could care less to go or not. They quickly said yes. Usagi told them the time and the place and then turned in her seat to hide the smile on her face. The girls were too predictable. It was working perfectly.