Mamoru pulled her hair free from the hairpins that created the buns he loved so much and buried his hands into it. He marveled at the softness that he now held in his hands and could not believe that he had ever made fun of her delightful strands.
"Mamo-chan, that tickles." She giggled and he smiled at her bell-like laughter. It was a laugh that no one heard. Before this moment, he had only ever heard her laugh like a hyena. Why did it always seem as though she was hiding behind a mask?
"Usako." He murmured lovingly into her ear as he ran his fingers across her scalp causing her to shiver at the new sensation and the endearment. "There is something I need to tell you."
"Yes, Mamo-chan?"
Mamoru tilted her head to the side and closed the distance until he was a hair's breadth away from her lips. "Usako, I lo…."
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The intruding wail of his alarm clock woke him from the dream of his secret crush. "Damn it, why is it always when I'm so close to telling her I love her or about to kiss her senseless." He let out a frustrated sigh, as he was a shaky hand through his hair. "Thirty more minutes." Mamoru decided resolutely as he hit the snooze button and tried to recapture his dream.