As always, thanks to Irritiablevowel! not just for beta'ing but for everything else, too. She knows.

When Usagi leaves the house the next morning it's so early that the ground clings to the morning chill, the heat of the sun not yet melting it away. She twists the last half of her hair up into her usual knotted pigtail, a piece of toast secured in her mouth. It's the earliest she's ever been up on a Saturday in recent memory, and her body isn't quite awake yet.

"Good morning," a familiar baritone startles her so much her toast falls from her lips to the ground.

Both she and Mamoru slowly look up from the ruined breakfast to meet each other's eyes. Mamoru smiles, holding out a Mister Donut bag. "Luckily, I came prepared," he said.

They walk in step, taking the roundabout way to school through the park. The only sound is Usagi's chewing on the chocolate-iced donut he brought her, (she's trying to chew quietly- it seems so, so loud in the morning stillness - but Mamoru doesn't seem to mind) as she thinks desperately of what to say. They haven't spoken - really spoken - since their kiss yesterday and her confession. She's sure his mind is occupied with the logistics of the school festival and all he is responsible for that day and yet he made time to stop by her house to walk with her to school and bring her breakfast and...

She licks the icing off her fingers without thinking and then flushes deep red as Mamoru wordlessly hands her a napkin. His expression isn't judgmental, though, as she cleans her hands and throws the napkin in a nearby trashcan.

"So, um...," she starts, running her now icing-free fingers through the ends of her hair nervously, "Listen, about yesterday..."

"Usako-"

She stops suddenly on the deserted walkway and faces him. "I understand if... if you want to pretend I never said it or if you..., I mean you are graduating and... you have so many things going on at school..." Suddenly her hand flies to her mouth in consternation. "I'm sorry! You probably don't even want to think about this now and here I am bringing it up right before the school festival and..."

"Usako." He takes her hands in his, stilling her nervous fidgeting. His hands are warm, and bigger than hers. When they were children, they always held hands - and his were always bigger than hers, and always warm. But as she looks at them now, his long, tapered fingers brushing her wrists, it hits her again how he'd grown up so, so beautiful and how surreal it seems that he'd still be there - solid and real, hands in hers. "I want to apologize."

The words hurt, she's not going to pretend they don't.

But she can't be angry at him. Not at him, never at him.

She shakes her head, looking at him - the midnight blue of his eyes framed with dark lashes, the eyes of the hurt little boy and the confident upperclassman, her best friend and lost love. There is no need for him to say sorry. She shouldn't have confessed to him, they'll always remain friends. One day, she'll watch him get married (to an intelligent, accomplished beauty) and hopefully the days she harbored unrequited feelings for him would be a distant, nostalgic memory. "You don't have to-"

"I want to apologize for not confessing properly," he insists, and her mind resets so suddenly she almost stumbles backward and he grips her hand a bit firmer to steady her. There is a tightening around his eyes that Usagi recognizes and it hits her with an affectionate twist of her heart: he's nervous. "Usako, when we were little - what I said to you, the promise I made - it hasn't changed. I never forgot you and when you showed up here at Azabu, still the same silly little bunny -"

"-not exactly the same," Usagi grumbles under her breath, and Mamoru grins.

"No, not exactly the same," he agrees, tugging her hands a bit. Then he sobers and looks at her seriously. "Tsukino Usagi, I ... I have always... loved you, too," his voice catches and she squeezes his hands tightly, as hard as she can. Before her is the same scared little boy, and she isn't going to make him continue alone.

Usagi pulls her hands from his and leaps into his arms, throwing her arms around his shoulders, feet leaving the ground as he stumbles back, returning the hug as best he can while holding her up. She peppers his face with kisses.

"I'm not going to ever leave you again, Mamo-chan," she says. "You'll never be alone again."

There is a little commotion when Mamoru and Usagi enter the schoolyard hand-in-hand.

"Chiba-sempai! We need you for...," the 1st year girl (Azusa, Usagi thinks her name is) trails off as her eyes land on their intertwined hands. Then, embarrassed, she shakes her head and distractedly continues her request to Mamoru. Koizumi comes up with a clipboard and pauses only momentarily before handing the clipboard to Mamoru with a no-nonsense attitude, ignoring the chatter and murmurs as the crowd gathers around them.

"We only have a couple hours so let's get things set," Koizumi says, and Mamoru nods.

"I'll see you later?" he says to Usagi, who nods. Mika is waiting for her at the art club booth, along with some other art club students (who look eager for gossip). As Usagi walks away, she hears Koizumi ask "Are you two... together?" And Mamoru's affirmation, and the squeal and groans of the gathered crowd. Flushing, she brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, before Mika grabs her arm and pulls her into the art club booth to be interrogated there.

Minako manages to corner her later, and gather as many details as possible while squealing happily. She had pulled Ami along with her, and Usagi is eternally grateful for the calmer presence of the other girl, who just smiles kindly at Usagi's news while Minako excitedly and loudly considers future baby names.

The school festival opens to crowds, including Makoto and Rei, both of whom Usagi is thrilled to see (and she insists on painting their faces).

Minako drags Usagi over to the dunking booth, announcing loudly to all gathered that Usagi should get the first chance to dunk the class president "since she IS his girlfriend!"

The students who weren't there that morning react with surprised murmurs, and members of the local community who aren't privy to the ins and outs of Azabu Tech gossip look curiously upon the pigtailed girl who has the honor of dating the class president of such a prestigious school.

Unfortunately, Usagi wasn't lying about being a terrible throw, and misses dunking all three times. Makoto, however, has much better aim.

When Mamoru comes up, sputtering, Makoto saunters over, leans over the glass says, "Treat her right, or you know what's coming to you." But then she smiles and winks, leaving Mamoru slightly bewildered.

All in all, it's an exhausting, busy, but successful day.

Usagi finds Mamoru putting the last of the chairs away in the storage shed as the setting sun turns the sky behind the sports field a brilliant orange. Although he's changed into drier clothes, his hair is still damp from the dunk tank. When he sees her, he smiles.

"It went well!" Usagi says, rubbing at the paint she knows is splattered all over her face. "Sorry about Minako earlier..."

"That's okay," Mamoru says, his hand going to the back of the his neck sheepishly. "It was kind of nice to get the news out I guess."

"Yeah..."

"Hope you weren't too hassled," he adds.

"No, no," she says, waving her hand. "Luckily the school festival kept everyone pretty busy. It was good timing actually..."

"I wanted to tell you," he says. "I got into Keio."

She gasps. "Mamo-chan! That's great!" She runs in for a hug, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her cheek against his chest. "I'm so proud of you! I knew you would!"

"Heh, thanks," he says, the sheepish tone creeping back into his voice.

"And that's right here in Tokyo," she breathes out, pulling away just enough to look up at him. He takes a strand of her hair in his hand, letting it slide between his fingers dreamily.

"But you still have graduate, Odango Atama," he says finally, a smirk pulling on his lips as she scrunches up her face in annoyace.

"I plan to!" she says. "I'll have Ami to help me anyway..." she trails off, pouting a bit. "I'll miss seeing you around the halls..." For a moment she feels a lump in her throat at the thought of how different it is going to be in the new school year, with the current 3rd years gone and a new set of 1st years. Her eyes tear up despite herself.

"Don't worry, Usako," he says, his hand sliding from her hair up to brush against her cheek, "I'm not going to ever leave you again." His lips brush against hers, warm and tingly, his damp hair brushing against her forehead. She curls her hands into his t-shirt, bracing onto her tip-toes as her lips move against his, her tongue teasing his mouth just enough that he barely stifles a groan and pulls away with an admonishing look in his eyes. It is school property and he is class president after all.

But it is just a few short days until graduation and school break.

It seems so long ago that the gates of Azabu Tech had intimidated Usagi. Now, as a newly minted 2nd year, she walks down the steps with confidence, waving to Minako, Ami and her other classmates as she leaves.

As first days go, it went well, she reflects, although the school does seem a bit emptier without Mamoru. And the commute home will certainly be a lonelier without him to walk with her to the bus stop like always.

Suddenly a loud engine sound pierces the afternoon, as a motorcycle pulls up to the sidewalk alongside the exiting students. Usagi watches with curiosity that turns to surprise as the driver takes off his helmet and Mamoru grins at her.

"You got a motorcycle!" She half-exclaims, half-scolds, and he just laughs.

"I'm a college student now," he says. "And this is very convenient for getting around. Especially considering my girlfriend goes to school all the way in Azabu."

"Oh?" Usagi is eyeing the bike with slight suspicion and interest.

Mamoru produces a pink helmet and holds it out to her. "Want a ride?"

"But Mamo-chan! My reputation!" she says, pretending to be scandalized and glancing behind her at the gathering crowd of students - both new and returning. Ami looks impressed. Minako looks delighted. Some of the girls in Mamoru's former fanclub look rather green. But Usagi focuses on Minako's wink, and takes the helmet.

She climbs behind Mamoru on the motorcycle, wrapping her arms around his leather-jacket clad waist. "Where are we going?" She asks into his ear, as the starts the engine again, weaving them out into Tokyo traffic. The beach? The park? Out to eat?

He turns slightly to answer, "Keio," he shouts over the wind. "I thought I'd show you their library."

Usagi laughed, tightening her hold on Mamoru's waist. No, some things never change.