"We could kidnap him and force him to kiss Usagi…" Minako said casually.

"That's illegal." Ami countered.

The four girls all stood around the small ladies room, contemplating how they were going to get out of this seemingly no-win situation.

Rei's phone beeped.

"Mako suggested we bribe him," Rei said looking up from the text she had just received.

Makoto was the only one to not retreat to the restroom after the terms of the bet had been laid down. Instead she had volunteered to hold down their side of the booth against the Evil Three while the rest of them had dragged a very ashen-faced Usagi to the bathroom to think of a game plan.

Minako shook her head. "Nah...I doubt he needs the cash. Pretty sure the guy is loaded."

"Says who?" countered Rei.

"Says the Omega watch he always wears and the British motorcycle he gets around on. Keep up!"

"And...paying someone to kiss you is technically prostitution," Ami said in the same voice she used when explaining math equations to the middle school students she tutored.

Usagi, the only one of them who was sitting in the corner of the bathroom with her face buried in her hands, shouted a muffled, "We are not paying Chiba Mamoru to kiss me!"

Minako waved her hand as if dismissing the idea. "He obviously doesn't need the money, so that plan wouldn't work anyway."

Usagi shot an irritated look at her clueless friend before letting her head fall against the tiled wall. "Could this be more desperate?!"

"We could blackmail him!" Rei continued on as if Usagi hadn't spoken.

"With what?" Ami deadpanned. "And….that's also illegal!"

There was a pause where no one could seem to come up with any other suggestions.

"The library really isn't that bad — I think it could be a good alternative to the Crown," Ami said earnestly.

Minako, who was in the midst of texting, looked up from her phone with a disgusted look.

"Don't be ridiculous! What are we going to do — talk in whispers for the rest of the summer?" She pouted as she leaned against the stall door in a dramatic fashion, "Plus there are no hot guys there!"

Almost in response, Minako's phone beeped.

"Mako agrees with me!"

"Why are we even debating this?!" Rei shouted. "Mako was right. Chiba is hardly a ladies man and I doubt Natsumi is going to change that before the night is over."

Minako snorted.

"Natsumi is a horrific human being, but do not underestimate her. She's hot and despite how evil she is, many a boy has fallen under her spell." She then looked thoughtful, "Plus, I know we all think Mamoru is a monk...but the guy is super private and he has had people throwing themselves at him for years. It's entirely possible that he's just really good at keeping his secret life as a man-whore, a secret."

Usagi felt her stomach twist at the direction the conversation had turned.

"Secret life as a man-whore?" Rei repeated skeptically.

Mina looked at Rei seriously and began ticking off her fingers, "The guy is better looking than most models, he's got that sexy mysterious lone-wolf thing going on, and he's studying to be a doctor. I rest my case!"

Ami took on the look of what her friends recognized as utter concentration as she contemplated the problem at hand. After a moment she looked over at Usagi.

"Have we considered that maybe Chiba would actually kiss Usagi?"

The three girls would have likely laughed at the suggestion if the circumstances weren't so dire.

Although, Mina was looking at her in a curious way that made Usagi feel a bit exposed...

"Ami, that is probably the craziest thing you have ever said. Get Chiba Mamoru to kiss...me?! Literally every other woman, including Motoki's elderly grandmother, has a better shot at getting Mamoru to kiss them."

The Evil Three knew what they were doing, Usagi thought bitterly.

"These are the same two people who got banned from Lawson for a year because they decided to have a throw down in the middle of the ramen aisle." Rei piped up in agreement.

"It was a three month ban and it was in the check-out line!" Usagi retorted.

"The point remains..." Rei said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"All I wanted was one last summer with you guys!" Usagi whined pitifully against the wall. "And now we're not going to get that because it's too hot to go anywhere else and I can't get double chocolate milkshakes the way Motoki makes them." She was losing it fast and she knew it and she didn't care. It had been awhile since she had had an epic meltdown and now seemed an appropriate time.

But per usual, Rei wasn't having it.

"Snap out of it!" Rei pulled Usagi up from the floor. "Tsukino Usagi, you are NOT breaking down right now!"

Usagi looked into the violet eyes of her utterly pissed off friend.

When Usagi didn't say anything, Rei shook her until she shouted, "Okay! Okay!"

"Good!" Rei took a breath and let go of Usagi. "Now, remember what they said. Whoever gets Mamoru to kiss them first, wins."

Minako looked at Rei like she was crazy. "Yeah, Rei! We ALL HEARD THAT PART!"

Rei pinched the bridge of her nose as she not so subtly took a few calming breaths in the face of Mina's outburst. "Yes…"

"…so all we have to do is keep Mamoru from kissing Natsumi," Ami said, catching on.

"Can we do that?" Usagi asked

"Technically it would force a stale-mate," confirmed Ami.

Mina slumped to the floor, "But, we would have to keep doing battle with those psychos for the rest of the summer!"

"It's better than the alternative!" Rei said with a finality in her voice.

"I think the best course of action is to tell Mamoru about the whole idiotic bet and ask that he just steer clear of Natsumi," Ami said resolutely.

"Yeah….wouldn't put it past her to try and get him drunk and then strip in front of him," Minako mumbled under her breath.

But even though she wasn't trying to be serious, the three others looked at each other worriedly.

"Usagi…" Ami began in a gentle tone. "I think you should talk to Mamoru."

"WHAT?! No way!" Usagi shouted.

"I know it's not ideal, but think of the Crown!" Rei said.

"Fine! But, why do I have to be the one to tell him?" Usagi said, horrified.

Ami looked at her sadly. It was obvious, the girl genius felt guilty about putting them all in this situation.

"I know you don't get along with Mamoru, but the rest of us are barely acquaintances with him. It's more likely to work if it comes from someone he knows." Ami said.

"But…this is so unbelievably humiliating! It's not like I don't give him enough ammunition on a regular basis," she whined.

Usagi felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see Mina at her side.

"Well, the alternative is we chance losing the Crown."

Usagi felt trapped looking at three of her closest friends in the world staring at her with wide-eyes.

Usagi sighed. "I'll try."

The four friends slowly made their way through the thick crowds of customers back towards the booth feeling somewhat resolved about the situation.

But, as they drew closer, it became clear something wasn't quite right. Makoto gave them a worried look as they approached.

"What's wrong, Mako?" Usagi asked, concerned. Yet, as the words left her mouth...she realized Natsumi was missing.

"Looks like we aren't going to have to wait too long to see who wins this bet, Tsukino." Anzu said in a sickeningly sweet tone.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rei said, stepping towards Anzu.

Makoto wordlessly gestured towards the front of the cafe.

Usagi had to practically stand on the very tips of her toes to see over the crowds of people. But upon getting a vantage point, she gasped.

Mamoru was still sitting at the bar, but he wasn't alone. Natsumi was huddled in close to him, laughing at something he had obviously said.

She didn't have a good view of Mamoru's face to see if he was laughing too. But, as she watched Natsumi lightly touch Mamoru's arm, she felt her stomach twist in panic.

There was no way Mamoru would go for her. It was like Rei said, so many people had tried to get Mamoru's attention for years and no one had succeeded.

Yet, as she watched Natsumi inch closer to Mamoru, Motoki's words began to echo in her head.

"Heatwaves always seem to make people do crazy things. Inhibitions get lowered, people take more chances and there is a lot more…hooking up."

And...what did she really know about Mamoru? What if he was a secret man-whore?

Before she knew what she was doing, she began to push her way towards the front of the cafe. All the anxiety and nervous energy that had been building up in her for the last twenty minutes seemed to be what was driving her. She had no idea what she was going to say. Maybe something like, "Hey Mamoru, that super hot girl who is all over you? Can you please not stick your tongue down her throat? "

Yeah, that would go over well.

Usagi reminded herself to breathe as she slowly pushed through the sea of people, many of whom were all significantly taller than her. She nearly tripped a few times over other people's feet and if she had, she doubt she would have hit the floor given the density of the crowd.

She finally made it to the bar and let out a huge sigh of relief as she spotted Natsumi walking away from Mamoru.

Maybe there was hope. Maybe her summer was saved, because Mamoru really was the white whale or whatever. Yet, just as she started to feel a little lighter over the situation, she caught Natsumi's malicious amber eyes...and that was when the figurative 'knock-out' punch was delivered.

"I'll meet you outside, Mamoru! Let me just run to the ladies room and then we can head out!"

Usagi went rigid.

"Looks like it's game, set and match to me, eh, Tsukino?" Natsumi said as she walked by.

Just like that, it was all over. Mamoru was leaving with Natsumi. Was there even any point in warning him or trying to stop him? It would just be added embarrassment.

"Back for another milkshake already, Odango Atama?"

Usagi looked up at Mamoru who was gazing at her with his usual self-satisfying smirk.

"Um…no," she replied, not knowing what she was even doing.

It wasn't going to be summer without this place. Hell…as much as she hated to admit it, it wasn't even going to be summer without running into Mamoru and trading barbs with him.

But, then again...what did she have to lose? If she warned him about the bet and he still kissed Natsumi, she would lose the bet and therefore not be around the Crown for him to lord it over her.

Plus, it would only prove that he really is a selfish, horrible jerk.

Okay. Deep breath. So long, dignity.

"Mamo…"

"Hey, stranger."

Usagi turned at the interruption and found herself face-to-face with none other than Seijuro Ginga.

Talk about great timing.

"Sei...Seijuro. What a surprise!" she said, trying to focus her thoughts.

The tall boy laughed a little sheepishly. "Well, I can't lie, I was hoping to run into you here at some point. How are you? How has your summer been?"

Mamoru, who had been preoccupied with trying to flag Motoki down for the bill, was now frowning at her and Seijuro.

That's weird.

"Um...it's been good. Just trying to enjoy as much of it as I can before the start of September."

She peaked around Seijuro and made eye contact with the girls, who were all watching the scene unfold from across the cafe. "Help" she screamed with her eyes and hoped against all hope that for once telepathy worked.

"That's right! I heard you got into Tokyo Poly. Congratulations!"

Usagi felt herself snap to attention.

"Th..Thanks! Yeah….just managed to get in by the skin of my teeth."

Usagi shook her head and tried to refocus on the situation at hand.

"What about you? Any plans before you start at Waseda?" she asked politely while keeping an eye on Mamoru, who still looked focused on her and Seijuro.

"Believe it or not, I actually have to write an original composition before the start of term. But, I've been told that's not uncommon, especially in the arts. Do you have any summer projects you have to work on for your program?"

Usagi barely caught Seijuro's question as she tried not to think about how much time she had left until Mamoru and Natsumi left.

"Um yeah….I have a...photo project...I have to put together. Listen...Seijuro it was really great to see you. But, I have to go…"

"Actually, um…" the tall strawberry blonde boy nervously stuffed his hands into the pockets of his chinos, "while I have you...I was hoping to see if you might be interested in…"

"Seijuro! Oh my gosh, it's been ages! How are you?!" Makoto appeared at the handsome teenager's side and wrapped a long arm around Seijuro's bicep, gently turning him away from Usagi.

The attractive brunette girl looked over at Usagi and gave her a wink before continuing with her ogling of Seijuro. "Wow, have you been working out?"

Usagi let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding.

But, when she turned back to where Mamoru had been sitting, all she found was an empty stool. Anxiously, she turned towards the entrance and caught sight of his trademark messy black hair as he exited through the sliding glass doors.

Picking up her feet, she quickly made to follow, but once again found herself pushing and angling through the sea of sweaty and hungry cafe goers.

"Ugh, the downfalls of being short!" she angrily muttered under her breath as she tried to weave her way through the crowd as best as she could.

Natsumi would probably be heading out any second and then her and Mamoru would be heading off somewhere…

No! Can't think about that right now.

Usagi finally saw a break in the crowd and managed to push through. She hurried through the exit and immediately was taken aback as the night time humidity hit her like a wall.

Breathe. This is almost over! She thought as she inhaled the hot air in through her nose and out through her mouth a few times.

Mamoru was walking towards his motorcycle, which was parked in front of the Crown.

Just say something.

"Leaving already?" she called out.

He stopped and, after a second, slowly turned around.

"I need to get an early night, Odango Atama," he said annoyed. "Not all of us get a summer break...as you will soon learn."

As she closed the distance between them, she found herself unable to look him in the face.

Mamoru had always been a full head taller than she was, even when they had been younger.

She shook her head and tried to concentrate on talking, focusing on his collar bone and the way his adams apple seemed to move nervously as she stood about half a foot away.

"For a guy who is so interested in getting an early night, seems a little counterproductive to be spending it with some girl you just picked up."

Usagi's eyes widened as the words left her mouth.

What the hell was that?!

Even to her own ears, that sounded jealous and spiteful! She was trying to convince the guy to help her out and she still couldn't manage to be nice to him.

"Wow, Odango…'counterproductive'…I had no idea you were capable of using big words."

Usagi let out an exasperated sigh and managed to look up at his face, "Seriously...?!"

Standing at his full height, she watched his hand clench and unclench around the strap of his messenger bag on his left shoulder.

"Didn't you literally just get asked out by some guy who's been mooning over you for months?" There was nothing dry or sarcastic about his tone of voice this time. "But, you're coming out here and pestering me about who I'm taking home?!"

She had obviously found a new button to push and rather than feeling her usual sense of triumph, she took one look in his eyes and knew she preferred that punched in the gut feeling she had just had a moment before when she thought Natsumi had won.

"Mamoru…I…I'm sorry. That didn't come out right and it's…" she said, stumbling over her own words. "It's none of my business what you do in your personal life…but…but…"

God, this is going to be embarrassing.

Mamoru looked at her impatiently,"...but?"

Usagi looked away and started addressing his collarbone again. Yet, that presented a whole other issue. Far from looking put together now, he was already sweating bullets through Motoki's t-shirt, which was making it easier to see the outline of well formed muscles in his chest.

Motoki may have had a point about the heat…

Focus, Usagi. You need to get this out.

"But...there is something you should know…" she said, finding her resolve.

Surprisingly, she managed to get through the explanation of the bet with the Evil Three with minimal trouble. However, she knew most of this was down to the fact that she was cowardly telling this story to his upper chest, rather than looking him in the eyes.

She finally finished the tale by saying, "So…could you just please…not kiss Natsumi…even if she somehow manages to work some voodoo seduction on you or get you wasted in a game of strip poker...or something?"

Usagi braced herself for the laughter or the mocking that was sure to follow on how ridiculous and immature this entire situation was. Perhaps even a rapid-fire insult? But, nothing came.

After what felt like a very long moment, Usagi finally forced herself to look up into his face to find him staring at her curiously.

"Just so I understand," he began slowly, "two groups of recently graduated high school girls are fighting over a booth."

"…actually, the right to hang out at the Crown for the rest of the summer…with the other group forfeiting that right."

"…and the way to settle this was to see which one of two girls could get me to kiss them first?" Mamoru said, taking a step closer to her

"...before the...end of the night...yeah" Usagi said as she found herself trying to keep focused on the conversation and not his closer proximity.

"Why not a round at Sailor V? Or darts?" Mamoru asked while pushing his messy black hair from out of his eyes "Or, hell...flipping a coin?"

"You did hear the part where I explained their known as the Evil Three, right?"

"Still, why this…?" He asked, catching her gaze.

He seemed intent on getting an answer and he was close enough now that Usagi could feel his breath on her forehead.

"More specifically…why me?"

She found herself looking at his mouth as he asked that last question. She was so focused on the curve of his lips and how near they were that she didn't think about the words that seemed to easily trip off her tongue in an automated response.

"Because you're practically a monk who considers sexual interest beneath him."

Mamoru jerked back as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown in his face.

"Wait…WHAT?!"

Usagi was quickly back peddling. "I mean…you have never looked twice at anyone...ever! But despite that, Natsumi…while horrible…had most of the male population at our school wrapped around her finger…so she probably figured...she would have a better chance... than I would."

Smooth Usagi...that'll win him over.

"You…who thinks I'm a monk?!" Mamoru gestured to Usagi, his voice rising.

"It's not that crazy of a theory!" Usagi shouted indignantly.

It had already been a long night. She didn't want to be having this conversation with Chiba Mamoru of all people where she had to convince him to not kiss another girl. Now, he was trying to make her seem like she was totally wrong. Like she didn't know anything.

She found herself backing him towards his bike with her finger indignantly pointing at his chest. All the embarrassment and awkwardness she felt over the conversation had disappeared.

"All you do is read books, drink coffee and ignore everyone…except when you're being an ass to me!" He was back up against his bike and couldn't go any further. His eyes were dark and there was something unreadable in them as she spat, "So...SUE ME FOR THINKING THAT YOU'RE A MON…"

Usagi didn't get a chance to finish her rant because at that moment Mamoru pulled her towards him and captured her lips with his.

Her eyes stared wide open in shock. Mamoru was kissing her. Chiba Mamoru was kissing her.

His soft lips moved on hers and before she knew it, she had closed her eyes and was leaning into him. She didn't know if it was the heat or the anger of the argument, but this felt like no other kiss she had experienced before. She could feel his hair tickling her forehead; his thumb running circles on her bare shoulder that caused shivers to run up and down her spine.

"Ah!" a loud gasp tore through the moment.

Usagi and Mamoru snapped apart and looked at each other wide eyed before turning around to find a furious looking Natsumi gaping at them in pure anger.

Usagi's head was swimming. She felt as though she couldn't quite process what had just happened. She looked back up at Mamoru, who had already taken a step away from her. He was once again all stoic and unreadable.

"Oh, hey, Natsumi. I take it you don't need a ride anymore?" Mamoru asked casually.

Natsumi, for her part, was cursing fluently under her breath. She turned and went back inside the cafe, not even bothering to acknowledge the question. Usagi could spot all four of her friends jumping up and down in excitement through one of the windows.

She felt herself blush deeply.

What the hell had just happened?

"You...you kissed me," she said, dumbly stating the obvious.

Mamoru opened his mouth to say something but seemed to rethink his words. Instead, he stepped closer to her once again and leaned in close. But instead of a kiss...he reached down to her shoulder, where the thin strap of her dress had fallen down, and gently pulled it back into place.

"You owe me one, Odango Atama," he whispered in her ear.

Her eyes widened as she took on the meaning of his words. But before she could retort or argue, he'd already hopped onto his bike and started the engine, drowning out all sound around them.

Just before his eyes disappeared under the viser of his helmet, she caught his gaze one last time. He wore that same expression she had seen earlier when she had caught him staring.

The viser flipped down and Mamoru revved the bike into gear. She watched as he went down the road into the night and her brain finally caught up with the rest of her. As she processed everything that had just occurred, that familiar irritation that followed every encounter with Mamoru crept in.

Realization finally dawning on her, she yelled into the night.

"What a jerk!"

Authors Note:

Hope you all enjoyed the second installment! Thank you so much for all your unbelievably kind reviews. Special thanks to FloraOne for providing endless support and Ninjette Twitch for being my beta! You guys are incredible!