It started out a normal day, just like any other Thursday. Usagi and her best friend, Minako, headed over to Motoki's arcade after school to have a milkshake and play a game or two of 'Sailor V'. Walking inside, she had noticed her worst enemy, Mamoru Chiba, on a stool by the counter chatting with Motoki. Usagi and Mamoru had been enemies since they were children. They were always constantly arguing with each other, even now that their best friends were dating. But last year Usagi turned fourteen and started noticing boys in a new light. She had to admit that eighteen-year-old Mamoru was rather handsome with his raven black hair and ocean-blue eyes... but he was still an annoying jerk and her arch nemesis.
"Hey Odango Atama." Mamoru greeted her as she grabbed a seat next to him, referring to the round buns on either side of her head that her blonde pigtails were suspended from.
Usagi stiffened at the old nickname that she hated, but let it pass. "Konnichiwa Mamoru, Motoki." she greeted the college guys.
"Hey Mamoru." Minako said, walking behind the counter and sliding her arms around Andrew's neck. "Hello Moto-chan." she murmured, her voice taking on a silky tone.
Motoki grinned and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. "Hello, Mina-chan." he grinned, then lowered his head to capture her lips in a kiss.
"So, Odango." Mamoru said, turning his gaze away from the couple. "You're here early today. What did you do, skip out on detention?" It was a well know fact that Usagi was always late to school so her homeroom teacher always gave her detention.
She gave him a look. "As if." she answered. "I got to school early today. Haruna-sensi was so shocked, I thought she'd faint."
Mamoru's eyebrow raised. "I wouldn't blame her." he replied, humor coloring his voice. "You going to school early is right up there with Godzilla storming downtown."
"Or catching aliens walking among us?" Usagi laughingly agreed, not noticing Mamoru suddenly stiffen slightly beside her.
Mamoru forced a grin on his face and a laugh out of his suddenly dry throat. "Yeah." he replied, his laugh falling flat but luckily Usagi didn't notice.
Minako and Motoki finally came up for air, and continued their conversation. "Lovely weather we're having." Minako said, grinning at the boring conversation.
Motoki smiled. "Yes, quite." A customer at the other end of the counter signaled for service, and he reluctantly separated from Minako. "I'd better get back to work."
Minako pretended to pout, "Oh, alright. Usagi and I will check out the new Sailor V game."
Motoki gave her one last quick kiss. "See you soon."
Minako grinned as she left, then grabbed Usagi's hand and dragged her over to the game console. Usagi frowned at her best friend. "Just what has you so excited about an arcade game? It's usually impossible to get you to leave Motoki-kun."
Minako's grin grew wider. "What do you think about Mamoru?"
"What?" the pigtailed blonde was caught off-guard. "Mamoru-san?" she said, thinking for a moment. "He's okay, I guess. Even though he's a creep and a baka."
Minako shook her head in exasperation as she dropped a coin into the game. "You can't see it? He's totally gone on you!" she said, blasting a few monsters as the superheroine, Sailor V.
Usagi sat on the chair next to her. "No way is Mamoru crushing on me. We're worst enemies! He hates me. And he's four years older than me."
Minako sighed. "You know that if a guy hates you as much as Mamoru hates you, it really means he likes you. It's basic kindergarten psychology. And anyway, there's the same age difference between me and Motoki that's between you and Mamoru, and you don't see that putting a damper on our relationship, do you? Trust me, Mamoru is totally into you. He's always staring at you when you're not looking."
Usagi glancing at the dark-haired guy at the counter. It didn't look as if he was always watching her. "Minako, that is so in your imagination."
Minako smiled mischievously. "Why don't you go and get our milkshakes then? I dare you."
"Fine." Usagi turned and stalked away, slipping behind the counter to grab a large milkshake glass. She ignored Mamoru as she started making Minako's shake, filling the glass with thick, dark strawberry syrup before setting the glass near the edge of the counter in order to grab a second glass for her own shake.
"You know, if you leave the glass there, the next person who walks by will knock it off." Mamoru drawled, also noticing how close the glass was to the edge of the counter.
Usagi mildly glared at him as she paused, setting down the second glass next to the chocolate syrup container. "No they won't, and I'll be moving it in a minute anyway."
Mamoru shrugged. "I'm just warning you, Odango Atama."
Usagi's glare turned lethal and she promptly forgot Minako's revelation of a few minutes ago. "Stop calling me that." Jerk, she added mentally. Mamoru just grinned at Usagi's annoyance.
"But you're so cute when you're angry. I can't resist," he said.
Usagi fumed mentally, and resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him. "Baka." she muttered, and he laughed.
Just then, two masked men ran into the arcade, both holding guns. "Everybody down! This is a robbery!" one yelled as the other one pointed his gun at Usagi, thinking that she worked there.
"Empty the cash register." he ordered, his finger on the trigger. Usagi froze, her eyes glued on the gun aimed straight at her.
Mamoru crouched on the floor, his mind working out the statistics. He could easily jump the guy threatening Usagi and probably get the gun away from him. The second guy was busy collecting valuables from the people in the arcade section of the store, so that made it a matter of getting the gun away from the first guy before the second guy realized what happened. Fear for Usagi clutched at his heart, motivating Mamoru to risk it. Jumping up, he threw himself at the first robber, yelling at Usagi to duck down behind the counter.
"What th--" was all the guy could say before Mamoru was on him, reaching for the gun. The two struggled for the weapon, drawing the second robber's attention. The second guy brought up his gun, aiming at the guy attacking his partner.
"Let him go!" the second robber yelled, firing once. Mamoru and the first robber both tensed at the sound of the gunshot, but neither of them had been hit. Sirens sounded in the distance, growing louder as they got closer. Realizing that this gig wasn't going to be pulled off as swiftly as he had thought, the first robber decided to retreat. Both guys ran out and Mamoru relaxed.
"Usagi!" Minako screamed. She had run next to him and was leaning over the counter, eyes wide at what she saw.
Mamoru's heart stopped as he looked too. On the floor behind the counter Usagi laid, a dark red stain blossoming like a maroon flower over her stomach.
"Oh Kami, no." Mamoru murmured as he understood. Usagi had been shot...
