Rei was seated quietly inside the penthouse. She just heard Minako get off the phone with Usagi and winced when she heard a very distinct squeal from the other line. The idol then walked back into the living room with a smile on her face.
“They’re on their way now.”
“Hm. So what have you been up to these days?”
“Other than touring? Well, I have been thinking about taking a break.”
“So, you’ll be staying here for a while?” There was a slight bit of curiosity in the miko’s voice.
“Yes, I’ll be around more often. I can’t seem to stay away from home so long. I always find myself being drawn back.”
Rei felt something build up inside of her. She wasn’t quite sure if it was a sense of feeling excited, or the fact that she was also nervous. Having Minako back in her life brought back so many memories that she tried so hard to erase, but at the same time the miko couldn’t help but think that maybe this was a good opportunity for her.
“Minako I…” before Rei could even finish her sentence there was a knock on the door. She could hear the muffled voices of Makoto, Ami, and especially Usagi. Minako stood up and answered the door, only to be tackled by Usagi.
“Oh I am so glad we are all together again! Rei-chan!” exclaimed Usagi as she ran to her friend and gave her a big hug. The miko did not brace herself from the impact and ended up feeling suffocated from nearly being hugged to death.
“Great…to….see…you…too…Usagi,” she said between gasps of breaths. Usagi finally let go of Rei and jumped around the room in excitement. Everyone stared at her, knowing fully well that she would eventually settle down.
“I’m so hurt that you didn’t even tell us about you returning here!” exclaimed the odango-haired girl.
“Gomen. I wanted to settle down and get my things in order before calling.”
“So how long will you two be staying in Tokyo?” asked Makoto.
“Oh… I’m thinking about hanging around for a while here. Taking a break from the tour,” replied Minako.
“Really?! Plan on doing any concerts in the near future?!” exclaimed Usagi.
Minako laughed at Usagi’s excitement, and nodded.
“Hai, maybe a few events here and there, nothing too big. I really just want to relax while here. You know, actually get to hang out with you guys and live a normal life for a change.”
“You know that’s impossible Minako. With your popularity soaring, you’re bound to be trampled by fans, if not by Usagi.”
“How about you Rei?” asked Ami.
The miko slowly looked up at them, and didn’t know how to answer. In fact, she was completely unsure of her plans at the moment. Her sensei simply commanded for her return, but never specified the length of time she was to stay.
“I’m not sure, really,” she answered. I’m not even sure why I here, she thought quietly. The room began to feel awkward when she realized that everyone was looking at her. They held unsure looks on their faces that were easily dismissed.
“Well, these two just got back. We really should start worrying about when they’re going to leave,” said Makoto finally.
“Anyway, are we going to do anything tonight?” asked Ami.
“I really just wanted to see everyone again, that it completely slipped my mind on the plans after meeting up!” replied Minako.
“There’s this new place in town that we could all go to. Motoki and I were scouting areas for a new shop, and we discovered this cute little restaurant nearby.”
They all nodded in agreement and slowly made their way downstairs. Since Makoto was borrowing Motoki’s car, there was barely enough room for the girls to squeeze in. Usagi had already called shots for the front seat, and Ami insisted on sitting nearby the window. Rei was sitting uncomfortably next to Minako, that the idol's familiar scent drifted into her nostrils. She couldn’t help but sneak in small glances while the idol was looking out the window.
“Rei-chan. So how are things in Kyoto?” asked Makoto when she noticed Rei’s behavior from the rear view mirror. The miko snapped back into reality, obviously surprised, and stuttered a bit until she finally got her words right.
“Oh. Well...it’s very serene. Nothing like how it is here. You guys should come and visit sometime.” Rei secretly cursed herself for saying that, knowing fully well that such a suggestion would be carried out.
“Aw. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Mamoru and I could make a getaway to some place so romantic?” Usagi was now spacing out, and Makoto threw a handkerchief at her face. The odango haired girl literally hissed at her, which caught everyone off guard and made Rei laugh a little.
“What was that for?” she asked.
“You were starting to drool,” answered Makoto as she kept her eyes on the road for there was less streetlight now. The restaurant was becoming a bit difficult to locate.
“I swear it was around here somewhere. Oh. There it is!” exclaimed Makoto as she took an unexpected turn. Everyone was caught in surprised from the sudden jerk of the car. Ami grabbed hold of something to keep her from sliding towards Rei. However, the miko being seated in the middle had nothing to hold on to, and her body flew over towards Minako. The idol turned to Rei and was suddenly pinned against the window with their faces inches away. Minako closed her eyes, and from Ami’s point of view the very sight looked like the two girls were making out.
“Gomen, I didn’t realize that I was going that fast,” said Makoto, finally gaining control of the car and checked to see if everyone was not hurt. She saw the sight of Rei still pinning the idol against the window and her eyes widened. Minako slowly opened her eyes only to find herself staring at a pair of familiar fierce ones. She could feel Rei’s longhair tickle her ears, and was unable to move having the miko’s body pinned against hers. Feeling herself begin to blush, the idol tried to look away.
“Rei…I think it’s okay to sit down now,” she finally said. The miko snapped out of her daze and was frozen in her position. She knew that she was able to sit back into her seat. She was very aware that perhaps her friends were looking at them awkwardly, but she couldn’t find herself moving away. The miko could feel the warmth of Minako’s breath against her skin, and it made her palms sweat and heart beat faster. Why…why do I feel like this?
Finally getting back into her senses, the miko quickly jerked away from Minako, slightly flushed from what just happened. Embarrassment began to grab a hold of her, and Rei slowly started to slouch down in her seat. Only to feel a pang of surprise, when her leg accidentally brushed Minako’s. She was now inwardly cursing herself, Baka! Nearly two years of training, and I can’t even get full control of these emotions!
Usagi was too busy trying to calm herself down from the suddenly turn that she was the only one who had not taken notice of what had just happened between Minako and Rei. The two were now facing opposite directions and Rei caught a glimpse of Makoto on the rear view mirror. She had an evil smirk plastered on her face, and the miko cursed at herself even more.
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