[Scene: Friday afternoon. The Midori residence. Zoi teleports home to fix his father a quick ham and cheese panini. He sets it in front of his father who is watching TV.]

Zoi: Bye, Dad. I'm off to see the Sailor V movie with the rest of the gang.

Chief Midori: Be careful. And stay out of the woods. We've got another missing hiker. The rangers found his camp early this morning, but no sign of him.

Zoi: [giggles] You don't have to worry about me. I'm sure I'm more than a match for anything out there.

Chief Midori: Well, be careful anyway. And keep an eye out for your friends.

Zoi: Sure, Dad. I will.

[Zoi teleports away in a flurry of petals and reappears at the Crown. The others have not arrived yet, and Motoki is off in the corner, flirting with a young woman with a brown topknot. She seems rather plain to Zoi, but Mokoti has a slight flush on his cheeks and seems a little more giddy than usual. If Zoi didn't know any better, he'd think he was drinking on the job. Then again, Zoi isn't really the best judge of women and what makes them attractive]

[He sits down at the Sailor V game and starts playing. His Shitennou reflexes are lightning fast, so it's not long before he gets the high score.]

[The game pauses and he hears a thunk. He looks down and sees a cheap pink plastic pen studded with rhinestones. He puts it on the console for later.]

[The game resumes, and he continues on]

Motoki: You're really good at that.

Zoi: I've been practicing.

Motoki: I can tell. I remembered when you first came in here…now look at you, winning prizes and everything.

Zoi: So when are the others going to get here?

Motoki: Reika's sick with the flu, and so is Umino. Usagi's grounded, so when Naru's mother found out it was just her going with three teenage boys, she made her cancel. So we're just waiting for Mamoru.

[Zoi goes back to his game while Motoki stands behind him and watches. Out of the corner of his eye, Zoi sees the door open and Mamoru enter, but Zoi's smile vanishes when he sees Mamoru's face is contorted with fury to the point where his face is barely recognizable.]

Mamoru: WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!

Zoi: [shaken] Um, just playing Sailor V-

Mamoru: I'M NOT TALKING TO YOU! I'M TALKING TO THE SICK CREEP STANDING BEHIND YOU!

[Zoi turns and Motoki jumps back with his hands up]

Motoki: I have no idea what he's talking about.

Mamoru: BULLCRAP! I SAW YOU! YOU WERE TOUCHING HIM IN AN INAPPROPRIATE MANNER!

[Motoki looks around nervously at all the parents with younger children who are staring right at him]

Motoki: [chuckles nervously] Mamoru. That's not cool. You can't come into my place of business and make jokes like that.

Mamoru: [advances on Motoki] It's not a joke! I saw you! You were touching his ponytail!

Zoi: [giggles] Oh, is that all?

[The parents of the little kids heave a sigh of relief and go back to playing their games]

Motoki: [mortified] Yeah….well… So what? I was just curious. Don't tell me you've never wondered what his hair felt like.

Mamoru: [to Zoi] He kept tugging on one of your curls and watching it snap back into place

Zoi: Mamoru. It's ok. Everyone wants to touch my hair. It doesn't mean anything.

[Mamoru gives him an incredulous look]

Zoi: Mamoru. YOU'VE touched my hair. Remember?

Mamoru: When?

Zoi: Back when you first started dating Usagi. I was sitting outside, writing a paper and you pushed a stray lock of hair away from my face and tucked it back behind my ear?

Mamoru: Yeah, well… that's how I know it's wrong.

[Zoi's jaw drops]

Motoki: [grabs Mamoru by the back of his jacket and hustles him out the game center] Ok, fruitcake. Let's get out of here before someone calls 911 and Zoi's father ends up shooting us both.

[He gives Zoi an apologetic look and Zoi just shrugs. Mamoru yanks himself free from Motoki. As the three walk through the parking lot toward the van, Mamoru is scowling, with his hands in his pockets and his shoulders slumped.]

Zoi: [falls in beside him giggles to lighten the mood] Mamoru, lighten up.

Mamoru: [sullen] I can't believe you're taking HIS side after he touched you like that.

Zoi: I'm not taking anyone's side. There shouldn't even be a side. It's NOT that a big of a deal.

Mamoru: [sneering] Oh, really? It's not a big deal, is it?

[Zoi shrieks as Mamoru lunges at him with hands hooked into claws. Zoi jumps back and Motoki tackles Mamoru and locks him in a wrestling hold.]

Mamoru: Let me go! I want to play with his hair! After all, it's not a big deal!

Motoki: Stop it! You're scaring Zoi.

Zoi: [rankled] I'm not scared.

Motoki: Zoi! Get back in the game center. Call your father to come pick you up. I'll deal with this lunatic.

[It bothers Zoi that his friends still see him as a delicate little flower in need of protecting.]

Zoi: Don't worry. I'll be fine. Let's go see the movie.

[Motoki ponders this, then looks down as Mamoru]

Motoki: Are you going to behave yourself?

Mamoru: I'm not the one going around molesting people.

Motoki: ARE YOU GOING TO BEHAVE YOURSELF?

Mamoru: YES!

[Motoki shoves him away]

Mamoru: Just try not to molest anyone.

Motoki: You're riding in the back. I don't want you near either one of us right now.