Epilogue
-Two Weeks after Concert Night-
“You see anyone?”
“Well it's pretty early...”
“The coast seems clear, right?”
“What are you, paranoid? That's supposed to be my job.”
Minako paused, looking over at her companion. Then, smiling, she leaned over and gave Rei a sound kiss, which instantly silenced the woman with a medium flush. It wasn't so much the act that embarrassed her, but all the things that had happened up to this point, especially in the last fortnight, that every gesture of affection from the long-time idol now reminded her of.
Minako, used to this, laughed and squeezed Rei's hand for a moment before moving to get out of the car. “I suppose you're right- we don't have a whole lot to be conservative about now, do we? Though the privacy idea is nice...”
Rei snorted, getting out of the car. “Even if we are seen, we might just end up giving her more business.”
Minako nudged Rei playfully as they walked together towards the quiet little store, jewelry sparkling in the early morning light. “Play nice, Rei-chan”
Rei only rolled her eyes, not saying anything, absently opening the door for Minako. It was kind of fun, mimicking how a guy should be, Rei had realized, all the while enjoying the benefits of being female.
The telltale bell rang their presence, summoning someone from the back room.
It wasn't who they were hoping for though.
Rinka smiled as she walked over to them, or rather, the singers had moved to the counter by the time she had come up behind it. “Good morning, you two. I trust you've been well?”
Unconsciously, the two young women glanced at each other, a shy smile that whispered of more on both sets of lips. “Very,” they answered in unison.
Rinka's smiled changed to a more knowing one, as if she had expected as such. “Are you here to see Eika, or were you looking for more companion pieces to the rings? If I may add, I had no say in the selection of them whatsoever, but I do think they look nice on you.”
Minako smiled back. “Thank you. I think so too. But, um, yes, we were hear to see Eika... is she around?”
Rinka closed her eyes for a moments, adjusting herself so that she was more comfortably seated. “I'm sorry, but Eika is out on business for a while yet. I'm not actually sure when she'll be back. I can pass on a message if you like though. I'm sure she's also sorry that she can't be here when you two are obviously taking the time out of busy schedules to visit...”
Perhaps only Rei noticed, but as the lapidary's hands drifted over the edge of the counter, Rinka pressed a small button.
Rei shook her head. Eika had been strange enough- there was no point in asking for her partner to explain likely yet another quirk. “We aren't that busy. I made sure of that. Well...” Rei coughed. “Sort of.”
Minako smiled reminiscing. “Ah... that was a long night, figuring out our basic plans together... it'll be a while before we can completely assimilate into it though.”
Rinka had stood up to fetch tea, though she inquired pleasantly, keeping to herself that she doubted plan-making was what really made it a long night, “And what are those plans, if you don't mind my asking?”
Minako sighed. “I'm switching my main audience, I guess you could say. Instead of targeting the able-bodied people who can afford to go out and buy my CDs or attend my concerts, I'll be going to them, visiting hospitals, day cares, senior centers, that sort of thing.”
Rei added, “And I'll be going with her, doing prayers and a little fortune-telling censored for the true good things rather than blatant lies... We'll be staying in the area still though until I find someone who I know can properly take care of the shrine. But then we'll go around Japan- with far less guards and superiority atmosphere, and maybe, every year, go someplace different for a special concert...”
At this point Rei stopped and looked down, the blush returning.
Minako continued, “Since the concert was on Rei's birthday, and our most important anniversary, it'll be an annual tribute to it. I, of course, intend to fully take Rei-chan's singing under my wing and practice singing with her. Karaoke style instead of studio.”
Rinka blinked in surprise, partially in wonderment that the idol had decided to downgrade the fluff of her luxurious life so quickly. Maybe it really had been a long night of going back and forth... “Karaoke you say?”
Rei nodded, mumbling, “It's cheaper.”
Minako leaned over for a momentary hug, “And our Rei-chan needs a lot of practice just to see how much fun singing is. What better way than an informal Karaoke place?”
Rinka smiled softly, amused at the casual air of their relationship after only two weeks of being together. They must have worked fast... or maybe they saw each other as a couple subconsciously and didn't need much to work it into their daily attitude. She brought the tea tray over, complete with sugar packs and stirring sticks. As Rei and Minako accepted their cups, each adding their own amount of sugar or lack thereof to their portion, Rinka asked, “Your fans really don't mind? I haven't been able to watch the news too often, but I hear you have had a lot of press conferences and interviews and the like?”
Rei answered, “They, err, admire um... us, I guess, even more... just for a slightly different, um... reason.” She scratched her cheek, which was only slightly pink. “They um, keep saying things like being... um... romantic inspiration, I guess...”
Minako nodded. “It's not too bad, the ones who oppose though. We made it clear that if we were to 'poison the minds of the innocent fans' we would only do so in a love-conquers-all way. And being-proud-of-your-love. I'm used to the workload of covering something momentous, but at least, this time, it's a good thing despite being personal. And it definitely pulls over better with Rei next to me.”
Rinka nodded understandingly. Some of the customers she'd had since then had mentioned something about that- so it was making a productive difference now. Beginning to, at least. “Rei-san... how did your father take it?”
Rei half scoffed, half snorted at it. “I had two meetings with him. One before all the other press dealings with Minako, and one just the other day alone. He objected at first, both to my liking another woman and to being a singer and to be involved with a singer... and he tried to dissuade us, but he knew no one would believe them if they tried to announce it was all fake- because it wasn't. The second time... he'd seen the effect we'd had on the fans... even the non-fans... and well... he told me that he wouldn't say anything against it as long as we took care of each other. Which, we, of course, intend to.”
Rei paused, and then laughed. “It just so happens that before the concert, my father had sent me yet another present, a bit earlier than usual for my birthday, and it had been- I didn't open it until after Minako realized it was there- a really... really good quality silk wrap, two actually. One deep red, and one gold. I asked just in case, and he said he wouldn't be bothered if I gave the matching gold one to Minako so that... well... yeah...”
Minako purred, after having taken a sip from her tea, “It was received well when we wore them to a dinner party last week. Though I think it may have been a bit more due to the dress Rei wore that night...”
Rei's blush completely returned as she clarified, “You made me wear it! If I'd known... I would've objected sooner.”
Minako pouted, like she had that night. “You didn't like it?”
Rei snorted. “That has nothing to do with it.” In a mumble, “I would have preferred that others didn't like it so much... I almost thought I'd never get to actually spend time with you, what with all of them in the way all the time.”
At Minako's giggle, Rei flushed deeper into herself. The last two weeks had been full of such embarrassing admissions, in retribution for all the years before when they had both held it in. Thus, Minako felt Rei needed to be rewarded for her effort and gave her a neat peck on the cheek.
Which, of course, kept that blush on longer.
Rinka chuckled inwardly. “Ah, was there anything in particular you wanted to tell Eika?”
Remembering that that had been the original idea, Minako started. “Well, we both kind of wanted to thank her. We told each other what had been Eika's doing as opposed to our own, and well, she didn't actively do a whole lot. I've only really talked to Eika on the phone, but I have been since before I arrived in Japan. I wanted to find something nice to give to Rei on her birthday, and somewhere along the way she called me on my love for her... and from there, we kept up a regular acquaintance, and I'd update her on what happened...”
Minako sighed. “I was really dubious when she said that no matter what happened, I couldn't do anything until she gave me a sign based on her observations that Rei was ready for it... she never said it, or implied that it was a sure thing, but there was something about the way she talked, as if she was so certain that everything would work out the way I wanted... I don't know how she did it, but the more I talked to her, the more I wanted to do something, and the more I wanted it, the more she pressed that I couldn't do anything. It was... Wednesday I think? I really didn't like having to turn Rei away, but I happened to be talking to Eika at the time and... well... yeah.”
Rinka couldn't help but smile and shake her head, sipping peacefully from her cup. She only ever caught glimpses of Eika's work until the end, but like clockwork, she got to hear it like this every time. This time, she had manipulated a reversal of their attraction-action emotions, doggedly showing Rei how to be more forward, all whilst pressing on Minako to restrain herself until Rei could handle it, all the while building up pressure inside her. In essence, it was like trying to force Rei up the long ladder, but have her go the rest of the way in jumping off the diving board, into the waters down below where Minako was waiting, like a shark, highly anticipating but restrained to her pool.
Horrible in a way, and yet effective.
Especially if they both secretly wanted it.
Taking a casual sip from her cup, Rinka murmured, “I see... Well, I'm glad that you don't have to worry about that anymore.”
Rei nodded, albeit limply. It was obvious without her saying that taking down her barriers had gushed forth more than she had originally imagined. Twas taxing, surely. Satisfying, but taxing.
Minako added out of the blue, after a pleasantly small silence, “I'm glad that Mako-chan and Ami-chan have found their happiness together too. They said we were their own inspiration, but I think they had a bit of a head start on us.”
Rei nodded in a simple agreement. “What did they say it was? A job in Holland?”
Minako nodded in affirmation. “Ami-chan is a doctor friend of ours, and when one of her medical school associates called her telling her that he had recommended her to a friend of his in Holland who was looking for able staff members for his new hospital... she accepted. But not before she learned that Mako-chan had an offer there and used that to ask if she wanted to leave at the same time, conserving money (not that Ami really needs to, but out of force of habit) by living in an apartment complex together there.”
Rinka slowly frowned. She had heard snippets here and there of those two but... “Isn't this... Mako-chan married? Or did I hear wrong?”
Rei shook her head. “They'll still be married under law. But Mako-chan decided to train Motoki's recently discovered lover and friend to take care of the shop with him, and she'd start a new branch shop in Holland, and see where that took her. They're still on good terms though.”
Rinka paused, enough to hesitantly verify, “And these two... Mako and Ami... have they confessed to loving each other?”
Minako nodded. “Mako-chan did it first, before she found out about Motoki, but Ami-chan did it after, the same day she told Mako-chan about Holland. They're still nervous, but they'll see where their relationship goes from here.”
Rinka nodded understandingly. “So I take it they are also happy with their arrangement?”
Rei and Minako looked at each other, and then looked back. “Yes, I'd say so.”
Rinked clasped her hands together. “That's good then, definitely good. So, you two, when's the wedding?”
This time, Minako joined Rei in her blushing.
Minako murmured, head slightly bent, “Um... We haven't... decided yet...”
“Soon though,” Rinka prompted.
Rei took a deep breath and answered, “We'll know when we're ready, whether it's sooner or later. And if you could, we'd really like it if you and Eika could attend...”
Rinka smiled. “I'll see what we can do. Thank you for the invite.”
Minako shook her head. “If it weren't for this place, and Eika being the way she is, I don't know if either of us would have had the nerve to take the chance of being rejected.”
Rei suddenly remembered something, but she hesitated to share it. Then, figuring that Rinka already knew, she asked, “Once, Eika told me she had someone she loved for a long time, and she confessed then, but... she gave me the impression that... um... it didn't work out. Is... is Eika... Is she really happy, these days?”
Rinka was almost literally floored by Rei's statement. In all the time that she had known Eika, which was quite a while, she had never heard of such a thing. But she knew the answer to the latter. Not that she would say so. “She's always happy to know that her good deed of the moment is done and a couple finds love as a result. She's fine.”
Rei hesitated again. “You... do you know who she loves? She said... she said 'they disapprove of my hobby quite a bit, but not in the way you think'. Do you... know anything about that?”
Rinka paused now. Minako waited patiently, seeming curious about this as well. Could it be...?
A small smile crossed her lips. “To be honest, she never told me about it, and I've never noticed. I'm sure she's gotten over it by now if it was unrequited though, she's good at that. So you don't have to worry about her.”
Rei nodded limply. She didn't quite believe it, but she didn't object to it either. She couldn't. Eika, for all her advances and talk, still seemed like a stranger to her.
Suddenly, Minako's cell phone beeped.
And then started to trill.
Minako quickly fetched it and snapped it open. A moment's talk and a groan later, she looked over at her companions. “Rei-chan... they're calling us back...”
Rei also seemed worn for worse. “Again? Where now?”
“Um... to the office. To sign papers.”
Rei sighed. “I signed papers yesterday! And the day before that! And a whole bunch of them before that. What could these possibly be for?”
Minako giggled, standing up. “Practicing your autograph. Come on; it'll only get worse if we try to delay it. It was nice talking to you, Rinka-san.”
Rinka shook her head. “The pleasure is mine, I assure you. Don't work yourself out too much, you hear?”
Rei nodded, standing, and bowed in agreement. “Don't worry, we won't. And we'll advertise some for you too.”
Rinka smiled. “Thank you. But do feel free to drop in yourselves if you ever have time.”
Minako smiled back. “We will. Take care! And make sure to tell Eika, thank you, for us.”
Rinka waved as the pair reached the door. “I'll be sure to.”
And with that, the duo left.
Rinka sighed, flipping the switch off again with a last whisper, “That's another one for the Wall, isn't it Eika? Congratulations.”
-.-.- Several hours later, aka that night...-.-.-
Rinka made her way up the apartment steps, not particularly caring to be quiet or disruptive. Slipping her key into the appropriate slot, she slipped into hers and Eika's apartment.
As she expected, the light was off.
She closed the door behind her, using the moon's light to guide her change of footwear, entering the living room, knowing without a second's thought what she would find.
Sure enough, she was there, lying on the sofa, eyes open and vacant, the blanket tucked around her body marginally hiding the small, ragged, stuffed bear.
The one Rinka had given her after Eika's parents had passed away.
Rinka sighed, weaving around the small mountains of videos and DVDs, all some form of great romance stories of any time, ignoring the blank blue screen of the TV, skipping past the remains of half eaten instant food, and cleared a space for herself in front of the sofa.
Sitting down, she started her night's work, taking a clean tissue and wiping the stray food particles from marring Eika's otherwise unmarked, jaded face.
The life didn't come back into those eyes, but Rinka knew that her heart was still beating. So she simply talked, to herself, and yet to Eika as well.
“You took it especially hard this time, didn't you? You've never seen anyone as dedicated as them, even after you paired them up. I know you were watching today. They really are happy. And they want you to be happy too.”
Eika didn't respond.
“You know, I always wondered why you became so depressed after every project was completed. You know you have visitors, especially right after, because you never fail. But you never see them. Why? I wondered why you couldn't stand to see others happy, even though you worked to make them so.”
Eika's body went a little rigid, and when Rinka had turned to retrieve something nearby, she closed her eyes. Hugging the bear closer to her.
“But then,” Rinka continued, “Rei came along, and told me and interesting piece of information, which I'm sure you caught today. She said you love someone, but it's unrequited. I never know who you fall in love with, you know, because you're always flirting with someone- especially customers.”
As Rinka lightly combed through Eika's hair with her fingers, eventually pushing the strands away from her face, Rinka murmured, “You know... I do recall telling you that I didn't like you doing this to yourself. Being honest with your own feelings wouldn't hurt. And if you found someone you loved... When Rei said that last part, and I thought about it, I started to realize what it was. Eika... you haven't been holding back because I'm an old friend, are you?”
The teddy bear went up to cover Eika's mouth.
Rinka smiled softly. She then bent forward, whispering into the woman's ear, “You don't have to be afraid. I will always support your feelings as a part of you. And, Eika, I want you to know... Aishiteru (I love you).”
The eyes snapped open, the surprise evident.
Rinka leaned back a little to see, and smiled at the innocent sight.
It came out like a croak at first, as if Eika hadn't used her voice in too long. But after clearing her throat, she was able to distinctly whisper, “Really? Do you mean that?”
Rinka let their noses touch. “When have I ever lied to you? And when have I ever really not given you a place to return to?”
Eika looked down, mumbling like a chastised child, “Never...”
Rinka smiled. “Do you love me?”
Eika nodded her eyes on her bear.
“Enough to say it?”
Eika hesitated. Then, finally, she whispered, the smallest of blushes tinging her cheeks, “Ai...shiteru.”
Rinka broke into another smile. “Good girl.”
With that, Rinka let her lips touch Eika's.
Owari
Back to Adjunction to Love Index - Back to Sailor Moon Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction