Disclaimer: Sailormoon universe belongs to Naoko Takeuchi.

"How are you feeling?" Usagi sat on the chair beside Hotaru's bed.

"Good. Like, really good." Hotaru replied. "I don't understand why I'm still here. It doesn't hurt anywhere at all now." She did a few stretches as she sat on the bed to show Usagi.

"Doctors just want to be sure about this, Hotaru-chan. You'll be out tomorrow."

When Usagi had checked Hotaru's chart on her first day at the hospital, she had multiple muscle damages from the upper midsection on her left side down to the muscles on her left thigh. The part of her body that had taken the most damage when she had been hit by the car. Though she didn't have any bones broken, she shouldn't have been able to sit up yet, much less walk around. She would have needed at least two weeks of therapy. Three doctors were now consulting on her case, the last one being Dr. Fukuoka. The latter had given the release order for the next day after spending 3 nights in the hospital.

"If it was me," Usagi went on. "I'd have preferred to be released on Friday instead of the middle of the week."

"I'd rather be in school than stay at home," said Hotaru. "Only the maid will be there during the day. Aunt Michiru and Haruka are usually out with friends."

"Friends like Setsuna Meioh and the Three Lights?" asked Usagi. "Dr. Chiba told me that he saw her and Seiya Kou visit you yesterday."

"Setsuna Meioh, mostly," replied Hotaru. "I don't really know the Kou brothers. And I'm not really a fan like Seiji is."

Usagi smiled, trying to imagine how Seiji probably tried to convert Hotaru to become a full-fledged groupie.

"But Seiya is a nice guy," Hotaru went on. "He seems to be a different person than the last time I saw him."

Usage's throat went dry. "Really?"

Hotaru nodded. "We'd only arrived in town a few days, and then he and Setsuna-san came to the house for a visit. His hand was all bandaged up. He'd been in an accident."

Usagi's heart raced but tried to maintain calm expression. "So you uh.. talked to him?"

"Yeah. I mean, it was kind of awkward not to," Hotaru replied. "One minute we were all there in the living room, and then they were gone. Just me and him sitting there."

"Setsuna Meioh," Ami said as she gazed at the setting sun while leaning on the rails at the rooftop. "She knows something. She's the connection, that much is clear, at least."

"Now I have to find out from Seiya," said Usagi.

They were standing by the rails on the rooftop. Hotaru had been released two days ago, and Usagi had just finished relaying to Ami her interesting conversation with her.

"Are you sure you want to go through this again?"

"What do you mean?" Usagi frowned as she looked at her friend.

"Using him," Ami replied. "Sort of. To get something."

"It's not like I don't care about him, Ami-chan," said Usagi. "I really do. But we need answers, don't we? At least until we understand what's happening. Why all of this all of a sudden?"

"Usagi-chan," Ami put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm more worried about you than Seiya. In the end, you always end up caring too much."

Usagi smiled and put a hand over her friend's on her shoulder. "Thanks, Ami-chan. I know it's useless for me to tell you not to worry about me, but I'll be

careful. I'll be fine."

"And what's this, Saori-chan?" Dr. Kanzaki called to the front desk receptionist who was stapling a poster on the bulletin board. Standing beside him was Mamoru who also looked on. Both men had just finished rounds with the chief resident.

"Only the most awaited event of the year." Saori punched the last staple on the lower right edge of the large flyer before turning to them and moved to the side to let them have a better view.

"Azabu General Hospital Annual Charity Ball." Mamoru read.

"Yup," Saori beamed. "And this year-"

"They finally let you join the organizing committee?" Dr. Kanzaki asked before she could finish, grinning at her.

She narrowed her eyes at him before turning to Mamoru. "Yes. And, we have great lineup for this year's entertainment. But I'm not telling you any more than that."

"Translation: Please, please, ask me more." Dr. Kanzaki whispered to Mamoru.

"I'd advise that you check your schedules as early as now," Saori went on. Still ignoring Dr. Kanzaki's antics. "Or better yet, start looking and asking for your dates." And with that, she left the two men.

"She's right you know," said Dr. Kanzaki. "Especially for you, Chiba-san."

Mamoru turned to him and frowned. "Are you serious? That's like, two months away. I don't even know if I'm going yet."

"You try to play it cool, Dr. Chiba. But everyone knows that you only have eyes for Nurse Tsukino."

"We're just—"

Dr. Kanzaki put a hand."But speaking for the single un-attached—and attached, male population of this hospital, she's still fair game. And we've been here longer than you have."

"She and I started here on the same day."

"The guys here have been asking her out since she started doing volunteer work here 5 years ago, and then when she became an intern."

Mamoru turned his eyes back to the poster. "Did she ever go? With any of them?"

"Last year," Dr. Kanzaki replied. "But she came with her friend, you know, Dr. Mizuno's daughter. The year before that she came with that guy from radiology, Keisuke."

"Keisuke," Mamoru repeated, turning to Dr. Kanzaki. "Saori's Keisuke?"

"I know, right?" Dr. Kanzaki shook his head. "We all knew that guy liked Saori. Turns out, she came just to play matchmaker or something like that."

"Hey Usagi, wait up."

Usagi turned around to see Mamoru walking out of the hospital doors with his sling bag on his shoulder. His shirt sleeves were folded up to his elbows, and tie most likely tucked away inside his bag.

"Where's your car?" Usagi asked when he caught up with her.

"Shop. Yours?"

"I don't drive when I'm on this shift," Usagi replied. "Traffic coming from home, and traffic going home. Not worth it."

"So you're going home?" Mamoru asked, walking alongside her when she resumed her walk.

"Yeah."

"Perfect. There's this Indian shop that I wanted to go to that's near your place."

Usagi frowned. "Indian shop?"

"Yeah. It's like 2 blocks-"

"I know where it is," said Usagi. "Are you buying spices or something? They're mostly selling food stuff there."

"Yup," Mamoru replied. "There's this recipe I wanna try."

"Really."

He turned to her. "What's so strange to you? That I eat Indian food, or that I cook?"

"Both."

He smiled. "There you go. That's two more things you know about Mamoru Chiba. He likes Indian food, and that he cooks."

Usagi snorted. "Whatever gave you the idea that I was interested in knowing about Mamoru Chiba at all?"

"So that you don't think I'm following you home like some stalker." He gave her a smug grin.

"Wow," she deadpanned, looking ahead. "I think you should stop overanalyzing what I think of you. Save yourself the pain of a wounded ego."

Mamoru laughed. "I just want things clear, between us. You know."

Usagi smiled at him widely. "Oh, Mamoru-san, you needn't worry about that. Far be it from me to give you any kind of misconception or breed any kind of misunderstanding between us."

Morning shifts were usually the most troublesome for Nurse Tsukino. For one thing, she had to get up early because she shared the common bathroom with Rei in their apartment. Only Makoto's room came with an ensuite shower, and neither of them had the heart to walk into her room while she was still asleep just to take a shower. The brunette usually came in late from work and was a light sleeper. And in the rush hour commute, Usagi had to fight her way most of the time into the train to work with the other commuters. She found that most of her energy for the day was spent just for those first two hours of the day when she was not even through the hospital doors yet.

When the elevator doors opened to her floor, she rushed to her station short of breaking into a run. She had less than 5 minutes to reach it before her shift started, and then she still had to go through the handover notes. Her heart sank when she saw a woman with long hair wearing a lab coat looking around at the empty nurses station.

"Good morning." She called when she was within earshot. When the woman turned to look at her, Usagi eyes had to zone in onto her name tag to see the name of the unfamiliar, and yet very pretty face that Usagi felt a bit starstruck. "Dr. Sato?"

The doctor, who seemed to be only a few years older than Usagi, smiled at her. "And you must be Nurse Tsukino?"

"Yes." Usagi's hand went to the side of her chest were her name tag was usually pinned. She glanced at it and saw that it really wasn't there as she hadn't had time to put it on yet.

"I know who you are," Dr. Sato went on. "Sort of, anyway. Dr. Chiba has told me all about you when we came by here yesterday. Though you were not around at the time."

"All about me," she repeated. "Really." She fought back the urge to say 'He hasn't mentioned anything about you' and smiled back. "I'm sorry, I haven't had the pleasure. Are you new here?"

"Yes. My name's Ayumi Sato. Mamoru-I mean, Dr. Chiba and I worked together at Mt. Sinai Hospital. In the US."

"Oh. I see." Usagi couldn't shake off the uncomfortable feeling of hearing Mamoru's name from the lips of the woman in front of her. "Can I help you with anything, Dr. Sato? Were you looking for someone?"

"Yes, actually," Dr. Sato replied. "I need Mr. Hagimi's chart. Dr. Chiba and I are checking on him. But he's busy at the moment, assisting in surgery."

"Okay." Usagi smiled at her and then went over the patient charts. "Here you go."

"I see you've met the new doctor." Nurse Fujiwara said as she went inside the station. Her eyes, just like Usagi's, were on Ayumi Sato's back who was walking away. "Things are about to get more interesting around here."

Usagi turned to her. "What do you mean?"

"Your rival, what else?"

"My what?"

"She's always saying 'Dr. Chiba and I this', 'he and I that'. You better watch yourself, girl. Or better yet, watch her, and your-"

"Dr. Chiba and I are not—he's not… he's my friend. Okay? And she's been here a few days, and you're already spying on her?" Usagi turned her attention to the handover log.

"She kept asking about you."

She turned to look at Akemi. "She asked you about me?"

"Not me, personally," Akemi replied. "The other nurses. Don't tell me you don't find that weird. But don't you worry, Tsukino-san. We got your back."

Around lunchtime she was hoping to get some answers from Mamoru himself about the new doctor. But they would have to wait as Dr. Chiba was currently doing rounds with Dr. Sato, according to Dr. Urawa who joined her and Ami usual, or at least whenever Ami was around. It didn't register to her when Dr. Urawa mentioned that Dr. Chiba was actually with other residents and the chief resident.

"Hey."

Usagi turned to see Mamoru coming out from the men's locker room. He walked in pace with her to the hospital doors.

"I forgot something at the Indian shop yesterday," he said to her. "Got the wrong spice."

"Your car's still in the shop?"

"Yup. Missing parts that they need to order."

"I met Dr. Sato today."

"What?" Mamoru turned to her for a moment, before turning his eyes back on the road as Usagi was still facing forward and not stopping.

"Dr. Sato," she repeated. "I met her today. You and her have a patient on my floor."

"Oh. Yeah. Mr. Hagimi. He might be up for surgery-"

"How come you never mentioned her?"

"Wha—Ayumi? Dr. Sato?"

"Yeah." Usagi turned to him.

He thought for a moment. "I don't know." He shrugged. "Didn't come up. Nothing to tell, I guess."

"Nothing? Really? For someone whom you've supposedly told 'everything about me'—her exact words, don't you think I need to know a little something about people you tell my life story to?"

"Well—"

"Something like," Usagi went on. "you and her went to the same hospital while you were in America? That you recommended her to Dr. Mizuno, which is how she ended up here as well? Because of you?"

Mamoru studied her face for a moment, and a slow smile formed in his lips.

"And what's so amusing now?"

"Wasn't it you who said not more than 24 hours ago that you weren't interested in the life of Mamoru Chiba? Anyway," he added before she could reply. "She was exaggerating. I didn't tell her everything about you. Just things she's bound to find out for herself while she's here."

"Such as?"

"Such as how you and I met when we were just kids, basically. See? I'm conceding you that point." He added quickly. "And how we didn't get on much then. Then there's things in the hospital that she's bound to see for herself: how popular you are with everyone at work, you caring and giving more to your patients than usual or what's required, and how they all love you, you know, stuff like that."

They had reached the train platform and Usagi turned to study Mamoru's face for a moment, and then narrowed her eyes. "I know what you're doing."

Mamoru turned to her. "What am I doing?"

"You're trying to flatter me so that I can overlook the fact that you told a perfect stranger—to me, about me, that had nothing to do at all with work." She knew she was being petty, almost like jealous-girlfriend-petty. But she couldn't very well tell him that it unnerved her that this "stranger" had now taken to asking other people about her behind Mamoru's back as well. He was likely to think that she was just being silly, paranoid, or both.

"Ayumi has been a friend of mine since my university days in America," Mamoru explained. "Went to med school together, then worked at the same hospital." He let out a sigh. "I guess it just occurred to me, then, to tell her about my life in Japan before I left. And you were a part of that."

They locked eyes for a moment before Usagi quickly turned away to face the direction of the oncoming train. Somehow, she didn't trust what was showing on her face at that moment.

After a few days, Mamoru saw that what Dr. Kanzaki meant. He hadn't realized just how popular Nurse Tsukino was to the male population until he heard the laments of the guys she had turned down when they'd asked her for the Azabu Charity Ball. Twice he even got to witness them.

"What did she say?"

Mamoru listened as one of the doctors asked the latest rejected candidate. His back towards them with his eyes ostentatiously on the chart in front of him.

"She just said she wasn't sure if she was going. Or, that she might even be working that night."

The doctor who had asked the question patted his companion's shoulder.

"I feel for you, man. She told me the same thing."

The other man sighed. "It would have been easier if she'd said she was going with someone else. But with an answer like that, it's like she's waiting for the right pickup line, you know? And unfortunately, you've already lost your turn."

"Or, she's waiting for someone else to ask her. I'm talking about you, Chiba." He called out to Mamoru who then turned to them.

"What?"

"So have you asked her yet?"

The two men looked at him, and not sensing any male territorial hostility, he answered them. "No. It seems to me she's not even interested in going. So why bother?"

"Maybe she would be, if it was the right guy," the other guy answered. "And you just might regret it for the rest of your life if she'd said yes to someone else because you never bothered."

And with what the two doctors left him standing by himself, thinking about the right pickup line when he asked her later today.

"Your car's still in the shop?" Usagi asked as they both headed towards the hospital doors. "How bad is it?"

"It's safely tucked away in the garage at this moment," he told her. "I've decided to go green. Do my part to help the environment, you know?"

Usagi raised an eyebrow at this. "Right."

"Yeah, really." They stepped out of the doors, and Usagi stepped to one side and he followed. "Hey, how about we stop at Motoki's for coffee or something? It is Friday. And like most young people... what?" He stopped when he noticed that Usagi's expression had changed.

"Uh.. nothing." She looked away for a moment, and then turning back to face him. "I.. I'd love to. But, I can't. Today."

"Oh." He straightened up and re-adjusted his sling bag. He shrugged. "It's okay. I'll just-"

A black sports car stopped in front of them just then. Whatever it was Mamoru was going to say died in his throat when the driver's window rolled down revealing Seiya Kou wearing dark sunglasses.

"Hiya Doc!" He called to Mamoru and then turned to Usagi. "All set?"

Usagi turned to Mamoru. "I.. I'll see you around? Another time? For coffee, I mean."

"Yeah," Mamoru replied giving her a curt smile and walked away.

"You know, one day she just might get tired of waiting for you," Motoki told Mamoru who sat across him in one of the booths inside the coffee shop.

"The guy keeps on showing up, Motoki," Mamoru replied. "What do you expect me to do, challenge him to a duel or something?"

"Yeah," Motoki replied. "Something like that. Don't keep on backing out."

Mamoru let out a sigh. "It's not like I could have just asked her to ditch him, like this afternoon, to come and have coffee with me. He'd already asked her first."

"Then let that be the last time," Motoki said more firmly. "What are you waiting for, really?"

"We just started talking again, Motoki. I don't want to rush her.. into anything, just yet."

"Unfortunately, my friend, time is running against you. Due to initial setbacks, set by you—"

"Yes, agreed," said Mamoru. "I was stupid. Going back to that is not really helping to speed up things for me, you know?"

Motoki shrugged. "Anyway, when are you gonna ask her to the ball?"

Mamoru ran a hand through his hair. He had been waiting for the right time to do just that. Building up the courage by walking home with her for the past few days. Only to come to a grinding halt when Seiya Kou again made his appearance.

"You're not asking her to marry you, man." Motoki said after some time when he remained quiet. "You're just gonna ask her to go the hospital ball, with you. Maybe the word 'date' doesn't even have to come up. If you're careful."

He would just ask. Mamoru thought to himself as he watched Usagi from the corner of his eye while she did her checks on his patient. Just go ahead and do it, nothing fancy. Just as soon as he could manage to find a time to catch her alone.

"Hey, Usagi," He said to her as soon as they were both out in the hallway again after exiting out of the patient's room. "I was—"

His beeper sounded, making both of them look at it and then at each other.

He let out a sigh. "Later. I'll catch you at lunch?"

Usagi nodded. "Sure."

Forty five minutes later, Mamoru went back up to Usagi's floor. It was 10 minutes to Usagi's lunch break. And even though he was past thinking of a perfect timing or setting to ask her, he didn't think a packed cafeteria during lunch hour was exactly appropriate either. When he rounded the corner to where her station was, he stopped in his tracks as he watched a familiar scene take place.

Usagi was just outside the nurse's station, her companion was inside ostensibly going over some kind of report and oblivious to what was happening on the other side of the counter. A male nurse was talking to Usagi. Even though he towered over her, almost a full head taller, his slumped shoulders showed the telltale signs of what they were talking about. Or rather, what Usagi's answer had been. The latter was looking up at him, with an embarrassed expression on her face. Mamoru waited for a few more moments until the male nurse walked away. And as soon as he was out of earshot, the other nurse inside the nurse's station suddenly jumped from her seat and started talking to Usagi. He stepped back and turned towards the direction of the elevators. He would have to wait at least until after lunch hour to give her time to recover from the latest episode.

"Dr. Chiba."

Mamoru stopped a few steps from the cafeteria doors when he heard his name called. Nurse Fujiwara, who was on the same station as Usagi walked towards him.

"Nurse Fujiwara, what can I do for you?"

She smiled at him. "You can call me Tamiko, if you want to." There was a hint of embarrassment mixed with boldness in her voice.

He nodded and returned the smile. "What can I do for you, Tamiko-san?"

"The charity ball this year," she gestured to the bulletin board which was just beside Mamoru. "are you going?"

Mamoru turned to look at the big poster, not realizing where he had stopped.

"I'm told it's going to be the best ever," she went on. "big name celebrities coming to support and all that."

He turned to face her again. "So I've been told as well." He kept the smile on his face, although he feared where this conversation was probably going. "But I'm not sure if I can go, yet. Schedule and all, you know?"

"I know," she replied. "But if, you would be, do you want to go together?"

"Um..." His eyes made a quick scan any curious eyes and ears that might be within range. And of all people, they landed on Usagi's who was walking in their direction, on her way to the cafeteria. Her eyes went from his to Fujiwara standing in front of him, waiting for his answer. "Save me a seat, Usagi." He called out to her when she passed by them, making Fujiwara look to her as well who seemed to exchange knowing looks with her.

"I think," he went on. "it wouldn't be fair to you if I'm still a 'maybe' on going to the ball. You should keep your options open."

"Oh, I do have options," she said to him. "I just thought I'd let you know that you're my number 1 option." She winked at him.

"Oh." Mamoru let out a nervous laugh. "Uh.. thank you. I'm.. flattered. Well, I.. see you around then."

Usagi had already started on her food by the time he sat down with his tray. Dr. Urawa had also started eating.

"Ami's not here today?" He asked the two.

"Doing rounds with the other interns," Dr. Urawa answered. "Your friend is with them, I think. Dr. Sato."

His eyes met Usagi's for moment, and she turned back to her food in silence.

"She's already quite popular," Dr. Urawa went on. "The other doctors seem quite impressed with her."

"Was Fujiwara-san asking you to go to the ball with her just now?" Usagi suddenly spoke up, making the two men turn to her.

He had already sensed the tension when Urawa opened up the topic about Dr. Sato, but Usagi's choice topic for conversation wasn't exactly better for him either. And he knew he might as well tell her exactly how the conversation had gone, as Nurse Fujiwara would no doubt be telling Usagi anyway.

"Yes," he replied and started on his food.

"And?"

He took his time to swallow his food and take a sip of his drink before replying.

"I told her I wasn't sure if I was going. So she should keep her options open."

Usagi frowned. "What kind of an answer is that?"

"Isn't that what you say?"

Dr. Urawa who had somehow become very engrossed in his food, kept making side glances at the two of them who sat on either side of him.

They had a staring contest which lasted for a few seconds before Usagi returned to her food. "You should go," she said to him. "since it would be your first and all. It's the biggest gathering in Tokyo for people in the medical field."

"Sometimes other famous doctors from out of town come to grace the event as well," Dr. Urawa said, finally finding his voice.

"And interns too, I'm sure," Mamoru teased Urawa who then started to blush like a schoolboy.

When they were finished, he let Dr. Urawa go on ahead as he told Usagi that he would instead accompany her to her floor to check on one of his patients there.

"What was it that you wanted to tell me earlier?" Usagi asked him as they walked towards the elevator.

This was it, now or never he told himself. His eyes made a quick scan of where they were and saw that the waiting area was nearly empty. Seeing his expression, Usagi copied his actions. He ushered her gently to the side so that they weren't in the way of people coming from or going to the elevator.

"What is it?" Usagi asked, with a tinge of concern on her voice. "Something happened?"

He shook his head. "No. Actually, I wasn't being totally honest earlier. I-"

"There you are!"

The two of them turned towards the direction of the voice. Dr. Sato was walking towards them coming from the elevator.

"Sorry," she said when she reached them. "am I interrupting something?"

Usagi looked up at Mamoru, the expectation not lost on him to give the answer.

He looked at Usagi, and let out a sigh before turning to face Ayumi. "What is it, Ayumi?"

"I'm really sorry," Ayumi replied. "I tried to page you a couple of times."

Mamoru reached for his pager on his belt and his frown deepened when he saw that it was off.

"I should get back to my floor." Usagi spoke up.

"Usagi..."

"Coffee after work at Motoki's?" She said to him and gave him a reassuring smile. "That invitation's still open, right?"

He returned the smile. "Yeah. I'll see you there."

When Usagi got out of the women's locker room, she found Mamoru standing in the hallway, his bag on his shoulders and ready to go.

"I thought we were gonna meet at Motoki's?" She asked him when he walked up to her.

"I just want to make sure you don't run out on me again." He smiled at her.

"Me? I'm not the one who's getting chased by doctors and nurses all day."

"Are you sure?" He challenged. "I'm willing to bet that if I hadn't come to pick you up here, another unwitting victim or two would be stopping you even before you got out of the hospital doors to ask you to the ball."

It was quick, but he caught it all the same. Alarm and anxiety crossed her features, after which she quickly plastered a light smile and looked to the bulletin board they passed by. Not a good start to a conversation for the topic he had in mind. In particular, a question he planned to ask at the end of it. He turned the conversation to a lighter note. "I'm here to save you, and them, from the embarrassment. And you'd do the same for me."

The smile turned to amusement as she cast him a sideways glance. "You should just pick someone and get it over with. Then they'll stop bugging you."

"Speaking from the voice of experience?"

"You can say that."

"Can we stop here, for a minute?" He told her when they were a few shops away from Motoki's coffee shop. He gently pulled her to one side so that they weren't blocking other people on the street and wouldn't be disturbed. What he wanted to tell her wasn't something that he really wanted to say in Motoki's place. Especially if Motoki would be there. He didn't need the additional pressure.

"What?" Usagi asked, looking around her. They had stopped in front of a flower shop and she could smell the scent of the fresh roses just behind her. This was not lost to Mamoru as well, and it somehow strengthened his resolve.

"Do you want to go to the ball with me?"

Usagi blinked. "What?"

"The charity ball," said Mamoru. "do you want to go?"

"I.. I thought you weren't sure if you wanted to go?" She looked down, and he could see the familiar traces of embarrassment on her part. He felt as if a small vacuum had just opened in the cavity where his lungs should have been.

"Because… I wasn't sure yet if you'd want to go with me."

She still wasn't facing him and it dawned on him that his fate might not be that far off from the 'hapless victims' he'd seen.

"Usagi?"

"I'm sorry." She looked up at him. The expression in her eyes almost made him feel bad at having asked. "I'm so sorry. But... I'm already going with someone else." She looked down again.

"Okay." He straightened up, tried to keep a neutral expression and forcing air into the black hole where his lungs used to be. He shrugged his shoulders. "There, at least you're safe now. I was hoping I could use you as my excuse."

In silence, they continued their walk towards the Crown Cafe, both trying to appear that the conversation they just had was not as bad or awkward as it really was, and trying to just brush it off. So in consequence, it became an unspoken agreement that none of it would be breathed to the rest of their friends. Minako, Ami, and Rei were at the coffee shop when they arrived. Mamoru was thankful that at least Motoki wasn't around.

"You what?!"

"Shh! It's supposed to be a secret," came Usagi's hushed voice.

Mamoru stopped in his tracks on the way to the men's bathroom of the coffee shop.

"But I thought-"

"It's not like I planned this, Ami-chan. And besides, this could work in our favour, you know?"

"Usagi-chan, don't you think you're taking things a little too far? I don't think it's fair to him."

"In the first place, I didn't even want to go with him, okay? But he kind of cornered me until I couldn't really say no. I'd call it blackmail but I'm trying to look at it from another angle and take advantage of the situation."

Ami let out a sigh. "Well, I hope it works out for you. And that nobody ends up getting hurt in the end."

Mamoru heard movement and he quickly ducked into the men's room. He leaned back against the wall trying to replay the conversation he just heard in his head. What with the events of the afternoon still fresh in his mind, the first thought that came to him was the Ball he just asked Usagi to. But somehow he couldn't fit into the equation the part where Usagi, and her usually quiet friend Ami, taking advantage of anyone, for anything. What bothered him most of all, however, was the part about Usagi possibly getting hurt in the end. The end of what?

"Mamoru-san, are you doing anything Sunday afternoon?" Minako asked Mamoru as he sat down on his chair from his trip to the men's room.

"No, should be free," he replied. "What's happening?"

"We were thinking of going to this new amusement park that just opened, and take Seiji there for his birthday," Usagi replied. "If you're there, at least he wouldn't feel a bit overwhelmed or too outnumbered by the number of females."

He studied Usagi's face for a moment before replying. "Sounds fun."

He dissolved into the background again as the conversation that was as usual dominated by the women went into the details such as where to meet and what time. He kept stealing subtle glances in Usagi's general direction seated almost opposite of him. While he wasn't really surprised that Ami was back to her usually reserved demeanor, it surprised him to see that he couldn't find traces on Usagi's face of the conversation he overheard just a few minutes ago. Usagi, who usually showed what she felt on her face. All he could see was the excitement of going to the amusement park and the anticipation of the fun they would all have, and no other care in the world. That was the Usagi he knew.

AN: My IQ (and patience) drops drastically whenever I try to figure out separating the paragraphs on this site. I still haven't, obviously. So, apologies for the formatting. I'm using the single horizontal lines to separate paragraphs. Advice welcome, needed. Help, please. ^^

On a lighter note, hopefully, yes, I am still working on this story. I get mixed feelings whenever I see new reviews. Mostly guilt because I haven't updated in over a year. That I've let readers down. But it's a kick in the butt as well to keep at it. So yeah, keep ... kicking. I need that.

The next few chapters won't be long in coming, I promise. As for the end, I'm hopeful it's not far off as well. That is, I know how it ends, but the getting there is the challenge.