The day of the party finally arrived and Usagi and her mother sat in the food court of the mall, eating a light lunch. Mrs. Tsukino was reading the newspaper and turned the page. "Oh, Usa-chan, dear, look at this. They found a lead to the heir of Chiba International..." Mrs. Tsukino's eyes returned to the paper once mroe as she read aloud. *Fourteen years ago, Chiba Masusru and wife were killed in a horrible car crash. Their six year old son was also thought to be dead from the car crash explosion, until recently. It was found out that young Chiba-san was sent to a hospital with severe amnesia and soon afterward placed in an orphanage. Chiba-san's brother has made it his duty to find young Chiba-san before the 15th anniversary of the Chiba's deaths. Computer and Science Technology has made it possible to confgure what young Chiba-san would look like today if indeed, he is still alive. He would stand at 6'3" tall, would most likely have raven or deep midnight blue hair. His eyes would also be deep blue or raven. A skilled artist has put together a likeness of what young Chiba-san would look like today.* Mrs. Tsukino stopped to look at the photo and looked up to Usagi. "Usa-chan.. that young man who came to visit you... what was his name?" She asked. "Which one mama? The blonde?" "NO dear, the raven haired man. Momara? Momora?" "Mamoru mama... What about him?" Mrs. Tsukino continued to stare at the paper before whispering to Usagi. "Come look, Usa.." Her mother said turning the paper so she could read it. Usagi quickly scanned the artcile until her eyes fell on the *very* familiar picture and the name beside it. *Young Chiba-san was born Chiba Mamoru.* Usagi gasped covering her mouth. 'Mamo-chan! That was you! Oh kami-sama!' She thought as tears came to her eyes. She then knew what she had to do. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mamoru look at his reflection once more in the mirror. He sighed as his shoulders slumped. "Usagi will never fall for me. who am I kidding?' He knew he looked good, in his black tuxedo, but he knew Usagi wasn't the kind of person to fall over looks, but rather fall in love over personality. And he knew his was NOT the best. He sighed and re-tied his tie for the twentieth time and sighed. 'This will have to do... I gotta go or I'll be late!' And with that thought Mamoru grabbed his keys and rushed out the door. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Usagi stood nervously by the punch bowl watching the door, her eyes growing wide, but then falling when someone who wasn't Mamoru walked in. She poured her third glass of punch and soon afterwards realized that wasn't a wise idea. She hurried quickly to the bathroom as a slower song came on, hoping Mamoru wouldn't walk in until she came back. Farther Down-Matthew Sweet *In tears so far words go* *So much clearer than you hear* *Into you goes everything I know* *No one else knows how I feel* Mamoru walked into Mina's, slowly scanning the room for his little odango. He had to tell her, now or never. He spotted many blondes, but none wore his familiar *dumplings*. He stood by a wall as the words of the song slowly filtered into his ears. *Farther down I'm desperate for you* How he wanted to just tell Usako he was crazy for her. He just wanted to blurt it all out. He wanted to yell to the world he loved her. *Where you never have to know* But he couldn't. She'd laugh, or worse, she'd shun him. She'd hate him even more for loving her. She'd never even look at him again. *Farther down I'm still without a clue* Usagi could never return his feelings, she thought. She was too good for him, in his own eyes. He didn't deserve her. *Coz Something, something takes my pain away* But Usagi was his light. His world. She took all the darkness and pain from his life with just a single smile. Her smiles could make his day. Usagi walked back into the living room and she saw him. Leaning against a wall, his eyes scanning the room. She remembered the picture likeness of Chiba Mamoru. Mamo-chan and that man must be the same, she thought. She looked at him for a moment and suddenly his gaze lifted to meet hers. Her world came crashing down. The room spun and the others disapeared, making it seem as if she and Mamoru were the only ones in the room. He smiled. *Only chance can change my fortune* Usagi gulped nervously as she stared at Mamoru. She was slightly blushing at the handsome sight he made and the way he smiled at her. She slowly took two steps towards him, as Mamoru did the same until they finally met, no more than three inches apart. Each was thinking if the other could love them back. *So I'm not sure why I try* Usagi almost laughed at the lyric. Why DO I try? Mamo-chan doesn't feel that way does he? *As if I could swim the ocean* If Mamoru had gotten to chose at that moment what his favorite memory was, he decided it was this one. This memory would determine his life, whether good or bad. Whether he would stay in Usagi's shadow or walk beside her. *As if you could start to fly* Usagi was about to open her mouth to tell Mamoru her discovery when quickly his lips were on hers. The kiss was so soft, genlte. His warm lips carressed hersshe nearly fainted. 'Mamo-chan!' Her mind screamed. Her defenses were slowly caving in. Why was he doing this? Is he trying to embarrass me? Is he trying to tease me?' With that thought a crystalline tear flowed down her cheek. "Mamo-chan.." she whimpered. *Farther down I'm desperate for you* The words coming from Usagi's mouth only made him kiss her deeper, he murmured agianst her lips. "Usako.." *Where you never have to know* His lips slowly urged her apart and when she relented to him he began to explore her mouth tasting her. *Farther down I'm still without a clue* No more pain he begged..... After tonight I can't have anymore pain, for I will remember this always. *Coz Something, something takes my pain away* The room spun around her. Her knees buckled but his strong arms held on tight. He was never going to let her go. Not now. *Someting takes my pain away* *Someting takes my pain away* *Farther down I'm desperate for you* Usagi realized how much she needed Mamoru. She loved him, she needed him. This was the moment she dreamt of forever. *Where you never have to know* Why hadn't she told him? She should tell him... He deserved to know. *Farther down I'm still without a clue* Usagi finally realized what was happening. He wasn't using her. He... he actually liked her. Instead of crying she just held on tighter, let herself drown in him. *Coz Something, something takes my pain away* Mamoru never realized how mmuch he needed Usagi till now. She took all the hurt away. She gave him so much warmth he could cry with joy. *Something takes my pain away* *Something takes my pain away* *Something takes my pain away* Usagi took his pain away. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ When the song ended, Mamoru slowly pulled his lips from Usagi's, smiling as he rested his forehead agianst hers and pointed up. "Mistletoe... I thought it was a sign I should finally tell you, Usako.." He whispered, looking down at her beautiful face. "Usako?" She asked quietly. He nodded, now slowly losing his courage, before he could pull back, her arms tightened around his neck as she hugged him. "Oh Mamo-chan I've waited to hear you say that for ages. I've felt the same way for a while now." She said and looked up into his midnight blue eyes. He smiled and placed a light butterfly kiss on his lips. Usagi smiled and suddenly remembered her reason for wanting to talk to Mamoru. "Mamo-chan?" She whispered and pulled a the newspaper clipping out of her purse."Read this, please?" He complied and quickly scanned the article, his eyes growing wide as he read it. He looked up at Usagi and then back down at the paper. "Usako..." he whispered disbelieving. "D-Do you really think that I could be HIM?" he asked. She nodded. "He looks just like you Mamo-chan. He even..." she stopped and covered her mouth before she said something she'd regret. Mamoru looked down on her in curiosity. "What Usako? He even what?" He asked. She sighed deeply. "Mamo-chan... I know. About the...hospital, and amnesia... and the orphange." Mamoru's eyes grew wider in questioning. She sighed and continued. "I was there mamo-chan. I remember when my mother had my little brother. I met a little boy and I gave him-" "A rose." He finished for her. She smiled. "Do you remember Mamo-chan?" "You were the only ting I've remembered all my life Usako. You were my angel." He whispered and hugged her tightly, burying his face in her hair. They stayed like that most of the night. "Usako?" He finally broke the comfortable silence. "Hmm?" She asked looking up at him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the locket. "You dropped this in the park." She smiled and kissed him. "Thank you, Mamo-chan. Beisdes you, this is the most important memory of mine." He nodded and looked down at her beuatiful face, unsure if he should say his next planned words. He tried to take a calming breath. "Usa..." She looked up at him. "Ai..." He took a deep breath. "Aishiteru." Usagi smiled brightly at him and kissed him. "Aishiteru, Mamo-chan..." She smiled and whispered. "You'll always have a home for the holidays.." She said and once again they kissed beneath the mistletoe.