Of course, life, as they say, goes on. As the fall comes, election season ramps up and I'm so busy with that plus school that I hardly have time to think at all, let alone grieve the demise of my not-a-relationship with my snarky former barista.

My awesome friends are also there whenever I need cheering up, Mako-chan with food, Minako with jokes, Ami with distractions and Rei with tough-love. Instead of going to another place for chai latte, I get by with black tea I make at home - not as good, sure, but cheaper.

The only thing is, every freaking day on the way to Haruna's HQ I pass that damn coffee shop. And every day I know Motoki would cheerfully update me on how Mamoru is doing, or even give me his contact info in I asked (or at least pass mine along to him). At first I resisted out of pride, but as time went on I stopped even being tempted to ask.

The last thing I want to hear about is Mamoru and his new British girlfriend making out at Big Ben or something. I don't know. I try to stop thinking about him, because I know he isn't thinking about me.

Election night is one of the most intense things I've ever been a part of. The HQ turned into party central, balloons and punch and cookies and tons of champagne toasts - after the results were announced. It wasn't unexpected that Haruna won, but it was all kinds of awesome. Our hard work paid off, and, despite her hard outer shell, Haruna has principles - she'd be good for our community.

I get tipsy but not drunk, and make it home in the wee hours, exhausted and happier than I'd been for a long time.

The next day I'm nursing a slight hangover but I rally and head to the old HQ, to start take-down. Naru texted me she was already there, and to come by asap because if she has to be up this "early" than I sure as shit better be, too. And I can't really argue with that.

I walk to the HQ building, ready to go inside and join Naru, but there's someone there sitting at one of our small tables outside. I stop walking and let my mouth fall open a little.

Mamoru smiles and I'm so out of my element because as much as I thought I remembered every little damn thing about him, the reality of seeing him in person still throws me. His hair looks a little longer, but surely his eyes could not have gotten even more blue.

"Congratulations on the win," he says. He has two coffee cups beside him on the table, both with the logo of his former place of employment. "Just so you know, I did vote, by absentee ballot."

"What-"

He holds out a coffee cup like a peace offering. "The usual," he says, and I take it, making damn sure my fingers brush against his. The cup is lukewarm and I wonder how long he's been waiting.

"So, has it been six months already?" I say lightly, as if I didn't know full well it hadn't been. As if I hadn't been counting the days, even if I didn't want to be.

"Two and a half," Mamoru says, with a smile that says he knows exactly what I'm thinking. He is still looking at me, like he can't take his eyes off me and I'm not sure how I feel about it. For a long moment we just look at each other.

"I want to apologize," I say, finally. "I was so mean to you when you left. That wasn't fair."

"No, you were right to be angry," He said, looking at his hands. "I should have controlled myself better around you."

Um. "Or you know, just been honest with me," I say. "That you weren't looking for anything real, since you were leaving-"

"I almost didn't go," he says, abruptly. That brings me up short. "So don't think this wasn't 'real', okay?"

I'm about to ask why, but he looks at me in a way that answers my question already. I take a nervous sip of my tea and, damn, even cool it's really delicious. I'm sure Mamoru would make a good doctor but he may have really missed his calling.

"I like having plans, Usako," Mamoru is saying. "And I had a plan, a good one, set up from day one." He pauses. "You really kind of messed that up."

"Gee, so sorry," I mutter with sarcasm but no venom. I know what he means.

"I originally thought I'd stay overseas for quarter break, but-" he trails off.

"You came back just to see me," I say it as a joke but he looks at me and gives a nod. Oh.

I am again brought to silence. Suddenly, after almost three months of convincing myself that what we had was a silly flirtation that meant nothing to him, he's here to completely rewrite everything.

He says he's in town for a few days, and won't be back for good until he finishes his research, he thinks around wintertime. "I don't want to go back to England without talking to you, without figuring this all out," he said.

And for a second he looks embarrassed, and does that terribly unfair thing where he rakes his hands through his hair, "Because I can't stop thinking about you."

Oh my god.

"Mamoru, I want to stay and talk but... I have a job," I cringe and point to the HQ. "Naru is already glaring at me from in there." If by glaring you mean eagerly spying on, that is. But I need a break, I need air - I need to process all of this before I completely break down and propose marriage or something.

So, Mamoru stays and helps us and the other interns and volunteers with the take down, and he's really handy to have - especially since he's a head taller than me. A few times Naru eyes him behind his back and then looks at me with raised eyebrows and a cheeky smirk. 'So...?' she mimes, looking eager. 'Later,' I mouth to her. She gives me another pointed look and finally lets it drop.

So, after we are done for the day, Mamoru and I break off from the crowd and just aimlessly start walking down the street. For a while we just talk, banter a little... despite myself I am so happy to be in his company again. Because I really did miss him.

We end up tucked into a corner table at small cafe for dinner and it's over quiche and salad that the conversation finally turns toward us.

"Usako, I just. I don't know what we are," Mamoru admits, with a slight sigh. "I know I messed everything up by leaving the way I did. And I don't blame you if you want to just get closure and move on. You don't owe me anything." He looks at me and he's so sad and I just want to die, or kiss him, or both, I don't even know. "I just had to see you, at least one more time."

On one hand, it's true - if he hadn't left we could possibly have just seen how this turned out organically. But that's not what happened, and now to be honest I'm not sure what to feel.

Except, dammit, I really do want him. Even now.

My mind begins to lecture me in tired circles like I've been doing for the past few months 'it was nothing, it was a fling, it means nothing, let him go', but now everything is different.

Because he came back for me.

He came back for me.

"Jeeze, Mamoru, it's only until winter," I say, "I can totally hold on until then." I scooch a little closer to him, until our arms are brushing and I can smell his scent and have to remind myself we are in a crowded cafe in the middle of the city. "Provided, of course, you make these next few days count."

And, what the heck, I do it. I kiss him right there, in the cafe.

And I don't just kiss him, I do the whole pulling on his shirt collar to bring his head down to my level, open mouth, lean up and into, movie-style kiss. It's awesome. And I'm totally rewarded with a sound from deep in his throat, and those beautiful hands back in my hair, just for a moment, before he pulls away (with obvious reluctance). Well, I guess we are in public.

We pay the check and he takes me back to his hotel - I know, I know, it sounds totally racy but he's literally staying in a hotel - his apartment is still being sub-let during his absence.

So it's not like it sounds. I mean, there are lots of things you can do in hotel rooms - we could've gotten cake from room service and watched an old movie on television. It's not as if we went and had crazy, no-holds-barred, mind-blowing sex, okay? As far as you know.

Still, in any case, there was definitely cake from room service, though, and that's the god's honest truth.

The next few months go faster, with texts from Mamoru who - at my insistence- mastered the tourist-selfie to a delightful degree (my favorite is the top half of his face, as he awkwardly posed by the Eiffel Tower on a trip to France), and late night phone calls. He has a really nice sleepy voice, and an even nicer 'I wish I was touching you right now' voice. It's so bizarre to have a long-distance flirtation that isn't a relationship but isn't... not. I worry a little about beautiful, smart, put-together girls at his school but not too worried, I realize. Pretty girls come into the coffee shop all the time, and Mamoru only ever flirted with me. Somehow, I just brought out the worst (best?) in him.

Before I know it, it's winter and I'm waiting at the stupid airport like I'm in a movie, two coffee cups in my hand. One vanilla chai extra whip (that's half empty) and one mocha extra cream with 'Mamo-chan' scribbled on the side of the cup.

But as soon as he comes through from baggage claim, he lifts me up into this simply phenomenal, totally soul-searing kiss, and both cups end up falling to the floor. Best laid plans, right?

Oh well. I know a good coffee shop in town.