Writing (also emphasised words)
Story narration
10. Sweet Sixteen
The blank paper mocked Mamoru. He knew what he wanted to write, but how could he get it down in ink? Frustrated, he tapped a pen against his bared teeth. After many painstaking minutes of the face-off, he wrote:
Reasons Why I Don't Like Tsukino Usagi
"This list will prove once and for all that I do not like Odango!" Mamoru said, although he knew he was the only one who needed the proof. It's not like he would ever show the list to anyone! They would think he was obsessed! It was all too obvious to everyone else around him what he thought of his odango-haired temptress.
Her hair looks like two odangoes accidentally got stuck on top of her head
She's a cry-baby
She's failing all of her classes
She eats too much
She teases me
She's a klutz
She steals Motoki's attention
She always runs into me
She never apologises when she runs into me
Instead of apologising, she tells me I should watch where I'm going
Her smile makes me want to smile back
When she's sad she makes the day seem duller
She's not Sailor Moon
She's not my Princess
She glares at me
Every time I see her, my mouth goes on autopilot so that I say things I don't mean
Embarrassed to have even thought about writing such a list, Mamoru shoved it into his underwear draw. "The only place where I know no-one will accidently stumble upon it" he muttered as he condemned his suspicious list to a lifetime of solitude...
A month later, Mamoru had forgotten all about the list. Digging around in his underwear draw, he couldn't believe that he had run out already! "There has to be a pair in here somewhere!" he said to himself, digging into the back reaches of the drawer.
"Success!" He cried jubilantly, pulling out a pair of blue boxers. But what was the strange solid-feeling item inside them?
Pulling it out, he found he was holding a piece of paper, folded tightly. Frowning, he opened it. It appeard to be...
"An old shopping list? How did that get there?" Mamoru wondered aloud. But the heading said... Reasons I don't like Tsukino Usagi? Interested, Mamoru read on.
After he had finished reading the list, Mamoru realised that there were 16 points written. "Sixteen is the number of sweetness. I cannot allow you to taint it with bitterness!" Embarrassed, Mamoru realised that he had just made a Tuxedo-Kamen-style speech. Interestingly, his Tuxedo Kamen music played, even though he was still in civilian form. "Hey, this music is pretty good!" Mamoru exclaimed, and started dancing to it.
When he was done, he looked back at the paper in his hands. Reflecting on all that had changed in such a short amount of time, Mamoru got out a pen and started correcting the list.
Reasons I Love Tsukino Usagi...
Once he was done, Mamoru smiled, thinking "now that is a Sweet 16!"