TITLE: Tasting Snowflakes Author: Nishi E-mail: webmaster@u... or nishirajan@h... or be83398@y... - whichever decides to work at that given moment Usagi's face was pressed up against the glasspane of the small cafe in downtown Tokyo. A small boy of 5 who dared to venture in front of the cafe was scared quite out of his knickers by Usagi's smushed nose. "WHY won't it SNOW!!!!!!!?" Usagi whined in that super-sonic voice only those who loved her could bear. She turned around, rubbing her cold nose, and marched in front of her friends who were sipping hot cocoa on the cafe couch. "Usagi...you should know a watched pot never boils." chirped Minako. "The weatherman said it should snow any day now." said Ami. "The temperature is just right, humidity is rising, the coming cold front and high pressure and the barometric pressure readings all say.....Usagi? Usagi???" Usagi had fallen asleep standing up. Ami's voice had faded once her words got bigger and bigger, making Usagi one very sleepy girl. "USAGI!" they all chorused. "Causing mischief and mayhem as usual odango aatama?" came a cool voice from the front door. Usagi rolled her eyes, now completely awake, and turned her back upon the dark haired and handsome man. "Mamoru why are you always everywhere I am?" Mamoru chuckled. "Hate to shatter your illusions odango but my world doesn't revolve around you." He turned his head in the opposite direction. "I'm here to meet a friend." From the opposite side of the cafe walked up a tall and beautiful redhead. Usagi took her in with one glance. Smooth complexion, pretty emerald green dress, black suede boots, and carrying a heavy blackbag with books - must be a college friend. "Well have FUN." she sneered. "Oh I plan on it." Mamoru smiled cheekily as he and his friend sat a table in clear view of Usagi and her friends. "I bet Mamoru-san can get any girl he wants." sighed Makoto with a dreamy expression. "I wish he'd look my way." "Oh come off it Mako-chan, I thought you were in love with Motoki!" grumbled Usagi. "There's room in my heart for many Usagi-chan!" joked Makoto. "I have to agree with Mako-chan." Piped up Rei. "I know several girls who like Mamoru but he never goes out with them. They all say he only ever wants to be friends." "Well I don't care. Mamoru can be "friends" or whatever with carrot- top there." Usagi further grumbled. "Waiter I want some cocoa!" "Usagi...." Minako looked at her friend with an all-knowing smile and twinking eyes. "Are you...could you be....jealous??" "WHAT?!" Usagi's eyes widened. "Me? Jealous over HIM? Mina I think you have your love-arrows in a knot. You're wrong about that. I could never like Mamoru. He's stuck up and rude and a jerk!" And with that Usagi stood up and left the cafe. Her friends called after her, "Hey we were just joking!" but Usagi ignored them. Bundling up she walked past the street lamps. As she walked it grew darker. "When did I....when..." Usagi's face was buried in a comic book and she was laughing when suddenly she bumped into someone. "Gomen- OH it's YOU!" She looked up into blue eyes. "Odango you never watch where you're going do you?" Mamoru chided her. "Oooghh! I said I was sorry!" Usagi scowled and walked faster away from him. "Hey Odango Aatama! You'd be cute if you just smiled more at me!" Mamoru called after her laughing. "Why should I smile at you!" Usagi yelled back, walking away crimson faced. His laughter rang in her ears and she couldn't get his blue eyes out of her mind. She felt herself blushing. "When was it....that he crept into my heart....." Usagi is crying on her way home from school because she has failed another exam. "Mom will send me to Tibet now with these grades." Up ahead she sees Mamoru walking right towards her. "Oh no! If he sees me crying I can't bear it! He'll just make more fun of me!" Usagi hides her face and attempts to walk by unnoticed. "Why if it isn't Odango!" Attempt fails. "Is walking like that the new fashion?" Usagi lifts her face to yell a smart reply but only reveals her tear- stained face. Mamoru looks a little shocked at first and then smiles warmly. He takes out a hankerchief from his pocket. "Here. You're smiling face is the prettiest." Usagi takes out that hankerchief from her pocket. "When did I start to care for him this much?" She came to a stop. Around her, lamp poles lit the streets and in their beams she saw it - the first snowflake. It came down softly and then slowly, one by one, they fell. Usagi stretched out her hands to catch them. "Trying to catch the first snow Odango?" Usagi whirled around. The snow was coming down heavier now, collecting on the streets and roads. "Mamoru! When did you?" "I saw you leave and you seemed upset so I decided to come and see how you were." His face was turned away from her and was gazing up at the sky. The snow collected lightly on his dark hair and jacket. "Well you saw. I'm fine. You can go back to your friend now." Usagi turned around and stared ahead. "Guess so." Came Mamoru's voice. "Alright then, I'll go. See you around, Odango." Something....something in his voice.... "Mamoru-san!" He turned around. "Have you ever tasted snowflakes?" "Tasted snowflakes?" "Yes...like this..." And Usagi proceeded to demonstrate...with her arms held out at her side, her head tilted up and her tongue sticking out. Mamoru started laughing. Usagi stuck her tongue back in her mouth and scowled which made Mamoru only laugh harder. "Usagi, you never fail to make me laugh." "Oh really? Do I? Does this make you laugh too?" And she went over and pushed him into the snow which had magically collected 3 inches high in the time they spoke, courtesy of your friendly author. Mamoru landed with a soft thud and had such a look of surprise on his face that Usagi burst out laughing. Suddenly she felt him grab her by the hand and yank her down next to him. She felt the cold snow against her ankles. "Mamoru!!!" "Shhh!" He quieted her lips with his fingers and then he looked up at the sky and started catching snowflakes. "So this is how you taste snowflakes huh?" Usagi watched him. "Don't you have to go back to your friend?" She asked. "Who, Sayo-chan?" Mamoru shook his head. "No, I met her to just get back some books from her." He looked at Usagi for a brief second before gazing back at the sky. "In truth, she asked me there as a date, but I told her I couldn't stay long." "Why Mamoru? Why would you not want to go on a date with a girl as beautiful as her?" Mamoru turned his blue eyes upon Usagi. "Because I've been waiting to date someone who I think is even more beautiful, and fun, and lively. Someone who actually means something to me." "Oh." Usagi looked down. "Well I'm sure you'll find her one day. Any girl would be lucky to have you...I mean when you're not an obnoxious jerk and all...." Her voice faded. "Would you feel that way?" "Huh?" "Would you feel that way? Lucky...if I told you I liked you?" Usagi felt her face turning fire engine red. "Uh...UH...." she looked away, unable to answer. "I'm just joking Odango..." Mamoru chuckled a little uneasily. "I'll get going now..." He made as though to stand up but Usagi yanked him back down. "Yes." she muttered. "Huh?" "Yes....yes, I'd feel lucky." Usagi whispered softly. Mamoru took a few seconds before speaking. "Odango....I mean...Usagi....would you like to meet me tomorrow....to..taste snowflakes? We wouldn't have to do just that, I mean...we could maybe catch a movie...or I know a nice sushi place or...or...." Usagi watched as Mamoru became more and more flustered and it finally hit her. Grinning from ear to ear and with mirth in her eyes she asked, "Why Mamoru-san, are you trying to ask me on a date?" "Um..uh..well..if you..." He then just looked at her so hopefully with such cute puppy dog eyes that Usagi couldn't resist. "YES!" "Yes?" "YES! YES! I'd love to!" Mamoru smiled and leaning back on his hands proceeded to catch snowflakes with his tongue. Usagi followed suit, also smiling. And they sat there for a while - two silly little soulmates with their mouths wide open tasting the first snow. ====================== Hope you liked :D Nishi