"You can't say that; you don't know him!"
"No. I don't. But I know you."

She had me there. We sat in stifled silence for a moment as we both contemplated the last few minutes of conversation.
I was, and always had been, in awe of Rei. For someone so fiery [and excuse my irony there], she could still often be so calm and collected. Even with me.

A small smile came to my lips. Rei looked at me with a single, perfectly raised eyebrow; a technique she had no doubt mastered over the years.

"What?"
"I love you Rei-chan."

The other eyebrow rose in surprise, and after another moment of silence she began to laugh.

"Oh Usa-chan," her arms wrapped around me in a friendly, comforting embrace; the kind only a best friend, or sister could give. She was like my sister in a lot of respects. All the inners were, but she more so.

"I love you too Usa-chan."

"And I know Mamoru-san does too."