Chapter 17

Saturday afternoon Mamoru and Usagi walked into the bowling alley to find Kobayashi, Saori, and Yuji already waiting for them. Mamoru opted to reserve 3 lanes due to the number of people coming. It would be the last thing they could all do for awhile due to holidays, school, work, and internships so he splurged. He knew Usagi was looking forward to it as well. She ran right over to Saori, and starting talking animatedly. Mamoru smiled as he reached Kobayashi, calling Yuji over.

"Yuji, this is my friend Kobayashi. We go to college together. His girlfriend, over talking to Usako, is Saori. She also goes to college with us. Kobayashi, this is Yuji. He is captain of the football team at Usako's high school." Mamoru said.

"Was. The season's over, and I graduate this year. It's a pleasure to meet you Kobayashi." Yuji said as he bowed to Kobayashi.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well. What are your plans after high school?" Kobayashi questioned.

"I'm going to college. I want to be a lawyer, like my father." Yuji responded.

Yuji and Kobayashi quickly got into a conversation about college, and football. Mamoru looked up to see Motoki, Rei, and a slender, dark skinned young lady walk in. Mamoru smiled as they approached. He almost laughed when he heard Yuji stop speaking mid sentence, and utter "wow". Mamoru shook Motoki's hand then greeted Rei, who introduced him to Alana. Mamoru did chuckle when Yuji walked up, and sputtered thru introducing himself to Alana.

Once Naru, Umino, Ami, Makoto, and Minako arrived, everyone got their shoes, bowling balls, and went to the lanes Mamoru had reserved. Yuji, and Alana hit it off instantly, and she seemed to connect with everyone in the group quickly. Of course Usagi made absolutely sure Alana felt welcome, and accepted instantly.

It didn't take long for the entire group of 12 to fall into conversation, laughing, and joking around. There was some friendly ribbing between people as the games were played. At one point everyone stopped long enough to eat the pizza that had been preordered. Motoki, Kobayashi, and Yuji, each slipped Mamoru money to help cover the expense of the day. He tried to wave them off, but got only a stern look in return from Motoki. That was one the most serious moments of the day.

The other instance was Mamoru seeing a guy with long brown hair, who looked like Seiya, approach Usagi while she was at the snack counter getting a drink refill. He watched closely as she spoke to the brown haired guy. He saw her shake her head, say something, wave, then return to their group. When she reached Mamoru's side, he put an arm around her shoulders.

"Who was that Usako?" Mamoru asked quietly.

"That was Seiya's brother Taiki. Taiki said that he and their brother Yaten are looking for a tutor for Seiya. Seiya suggested me because Seiya said I'm the smartest in the class. Taiki was asking me to tutor Seiya. I told him no, and that Seiya's problem isn't that he doesn't understand the work, he's just lazy, and refuses to do it. I also told Taiki I will NOT tutor Seiya as I want nothing to do with him after the last three months of harassment from Seiya." Usagi explained.

"Well you are very intelligent so I can see someone wanting you as a tutor. You should feel proud of yourself for that because it's all you." Mamoru said then kissed her temple.

"Thank you Mamo. I really am." Usagi tip toed up, and kissed his check.

They quickly got back into bowling with their friends, stress from anything long forgotten. By the time they all left the bowling alley, Yuji had a date planned with Alana, and she had a standing daily invite to join the girls at the Fruit Parlor. Mamoru, drove Usagi home, and enjoyed her chatter about how much she fun had, and they needed to do things like that more often. Mamoru readily agreed, especially if it made his Usako this happy.

He did want more one on one time with her so they started planning dates, just the two of them, for after the holidays. At dinner her parents invited him to spend the night, ON THE COUCH, her father said firmly, for Christmas eve. Mamoru agreed immediately. To wake up Christmas morning to Usagi being there would mean the world to him. He looked forward to it.

Christmas morning at Usagi's was the best he ever remembered having. He woke up early with Ikuko, and helped her make breakfast, after having a cup of coffee with Kenji. By 7:00 Usagi, and Shingo were barreling down the stairs. They inhaled their breakfast then everyone moved into the living room for gifts.

Usagi loved the charm bracelet he got her from the planetarium, as well as the new scarf and head band set he gave her. She especially loved that she could put something on her head to keep her ears warm, that didn't require modification for her buns. She was also really excited for the new, professional drawing kit her parents got for her, as well as the sketch pads from Shingo.

Mamoru couldn't wait to check out the book Usagi got him. Some how she had found an antique copy of medical practices from the late 1800s. Kenji gave him a new leather messenger bag, with Mamoru's initials monogramed on it. From Ikuko he received a cookbook of easy, quick meals to use during finals weeks. From Shingo he got a soccer jersey he had wanted.

While the gifts were great, what meant the most to Mamoru was feeling like part of a family. Not just any family, his family. Yes a family that he kind of created by being with Usagi, but his family none the less. He felt like he belonged. He felt settled, and happier than he ever remembered being. When Rei, her grandfather, Ami, her mother Dr. Mizuno, and Makoto arrived for Christmas dinner, that feeling of family grew.

He realized, as he sat at the dinner table surrounded by his family, that one of the reasons he had been jealous of, and felt threatened by Seiya was that he could have not only lost his love, but his family had Seiya taken Usagi away from him. The thought of being alone again scared him. He never could have handled going back to that again. Seiya coming into their lives made him appreciate Usagi, and all she brought to his life all that much more. In the beginning he probably could have handled it a little better on some things, but the fact still remained that he found himself holding onto Usagi more, and appreciating her even more than he already did. She gave him so much, and he hoped, that in the future he would give just as much back to her. He already planned to start on her 18th birthday, this summer.