After Minako's rehearsal they went back to the hotel that night. They had met up with Minako's make-up artists and fashion designer. They talked all night at Minako's hotel room and discussed about the look and attire that Minako is going to wear "I have brought thirty eight pairs of dress and foot wears here. All came from the clothes designers of London. They said that those newly made attires are Asian inspired, and will surely fit for your concert this Saturday" Minako's fashion designer said Minako is looking at the cabinet bag filled with clothes with excitement "They're all beautiful! How did you manage to bring all of these here?" Asked the pop star "Geez, do you know that we have to pay additional Euros for those?" Replied the fashion designer "If your concert is two and a half hours long, then you should have fifteen kinds of make-up combinations per hour" Said one of Minako's beauticians as she writes down the possible color combinations fit for the clothes and for Minako's face "Yeah, Aino's concert were a bit longer here because it's a homecoming concert" Added Wendy Rei was looking at the talking group silently a little far away from them. She was relieved that they came because that will make Minako busy enough to notice her. She takes out the paper she was reading that morning "Let's start from the first four lines..." Rei mumbled If you can read this ten times and clear And realize you are who we seek Better hush, stay beside your dear Else you'll never see her again even a single peek "Well that was pretty obvious that this letter is intending to kill someone...okay next four lines" We seek no revenge nor start chaos purposely Blame us not; you can seize this and spare one dear If you seek answers recklessly Her voice will be forgotten and death will be unclear "If you seek answers recklessly...Geez, the concert's at Saturday! One day from now...what do they think of me? Batman who can easily solve the riddler's riddles?" Rei hissed then she continued "Her voice will be forgotten and unclear...Her voice...her voice..." "Who's voice?" Minako said at her back "Eeek, Mina-chan!" Said Rei as she jumped "Rei-chan what are you doing mumbling at a paper like that?" "Er...I was just trying to entertain myself by writing a poem" Rei lied "Really? I don't know you write poems, LeMeSee, LeMeSeeee!" Minako tried to grab the paper but Rei moved it out of her reach "Unfair! There's nothing to be ashamed of when people wants to read your work!" "It's not that. You see, it's a...surprise" Rei is starting to become guilty with those lies "A surprise? Is it for me? Is it? Is it?" Minako asked "Er...Y-yeah...for you...so stop bugging me and give time for your preparations" Rei said Minako gave her a puppy look "So mean! Pushing me away again! Well, I'll be waiting for your poem Rei-chan okay?" The pop star said as she goes back to her staff "Minako-chan, is that your personal bodyguard?" Asked the make-up artist "Yes, her name is Rei. She's a little quiet but I got used to it. I'll introduce you guys to her later" Minako said as she list down the clothes and shoes she's going to wear orderly "Isn't she quite looking timid for a bodyguard?" "Well, at first I really thought of that. I really haven't seen her in action yet" Replied the pop star "It's not really important. What matters is Minako is safe right?" Said Wendy "Yeah. Okay, enough of that and let's make a beauty plan" Said the fashion designer -- Venus is the goddess of love and beauty Men unworthy doesn't deserve to lay even a single finger Since no men for her is worthy She instead seeks love from a mirror stranger "Venus...of course 'Venus' here resembles Minako in this poem...her beauty is priceless...and the 'Mirror Stranger' perhaps would be none other than me. Because when she faces the mirror, she sees her own image. She would see herself, literally. But by adding word 'Stranger' changes the literal meaning into something else. Now the possible meaning of the 'Mirror Stranger' is...A stranger with the same gender..." Now Rei is getting a bit close "But...What the hell is the sense of this? If there is no possible solution in the last four lines, then where could it be?" She mumbled The agent looked at Minako for a several minutes, thinking deep. Then her eyes went back on the paper, reading the comment given by Sanctuary after the last line of the poem. Little does she know Minako is observing her every other minute, noticing her troubled sighs We do hope you understand this, because it's useless anyway "What's the use of reading this? It's just a farewell sentence..." Rei sighed as she covers her hand on her forehead and eyes, feeling the stress and worries Then she heard somebody singing. She heard that song before, not to mention the owner of that unique and angelic voice Rei carefully takes off her hand from covering her eyes and turned to the source of the voice. It was Minako, singing her own song For an unknown reason, Rei absent-mindedly paused in thinking about the poem and spent time in listening at Minako's voice. She registered every lyric that would came out of her pop star lover's lips in her mind Your voice is like an angel Your eyes are like the sea Your hair is as soft as air Your presence is intoxicating I feel like new when I'm with you So please baby stay And I'll take care of you 'That was the song Minako sang to me last night' Rei thought 'What was the title of that again?' She sweat dropped. If she asked Minako for the title of that song she would probably yell at Rei for not remembering her songs She was silent for about ten seconds to concentrate on recalling the title of the song. Then finally a word came out of her mouth "Useless" 'That's right! That's the title of the song!' Rei thought. Her inside relieved. But then her heart stopped, she reread the last sentence she had read: We do hope you understand this, because it's useless anyway "Oh great, the conclusion" Rei whispered sarcastically 'Who knows the answer in this stupid riddle is in the line where it is easily ignored because of its simple meaning? Oh well, I need to know the rest of those lyrics. Minako is really an angel!' Rei thought as she immediately rises up and headed towards the door 'Minako's CD is at my apartment. I have to go there!' Wendy notices the agent in hurry "Ms. Hino, are you going somewhere?" Minako's manager asked Minako and the others followed to look at her Rei looked at them with eyes blinking 'Argh, I completely forgot about my job!' Then suddenly a bell sounded from the door "I-I was just opening the door" Rei said. Saved by the bell "Who's there?" Asked Rei as she peeks at the small glass hole at the center of the door to see the visitor "It's me, Hino" Rei opened the door for the head chief "Big boss, what are you doing here?" Asked Rei Minako rises up excitedly from her seat and ran towards to give the head chief a bear hug. The head chief blushed a bit "Biiig boooossss! I'm so happy to see you again! We didn't talk this morning right?" The pop star said "Uh...good evening Aino-san. I see that you are still awake. I just dropped by to make sure the agents I sent brought your staff here safely" The head chief said "Oh, they picked us right on time and assisted us safely. Thank you very much for your assistance sir" One of the make-up artists said "I'm relieved that you have arrived safe and sound here" Replied the head chief Rei waited for them to get back to their planning activities then she talked to the head chief "You could have called me to confirm that" commented Rei "You know me Hino. I'd call you first of course. But I can see that you aren't wearing your earphone hmm?" The head chief said as she looks at Rei's ears. Rei felt her ears and she felt no earphones attached. She blushed profusely "Gomen, big boss. My mind flew and I forgot my earphone at my uniform pocket" "It's alright. It's just unusual that you forget wearing your earphone though. You're thinking too much about the riddle. Just leave it to me and the rest of us, we can solve it...somehow. All you have to worry about is how to protect Aino-san okay?" The head chief said Rei didn't listen to him. She grabbed the head chief's arm and turned him against Minako and the other's direction "Big boss stay here for a while, I'll come back immediately, don't let Minako follow me, please" Whispered Rei as she opens the door and ran outside the hall. Leaving the head chief with no chance to speak "Hino! Wait--Rei!" Minako immediately stood up to catch up to her lover "Rei-chan! Where are you going again?" Said the pop star as she runs towards the door but she was stopped by the head chief "Aino-san, please don't follow. Agent Hino had some other business to deal with, she will come back shortly. Please cooperate" Said the head chief as he tries to gently stop Minako from struggling to break free from his mild grasps "B-but big boss" Minako pouted "Minako" Wendy called the pop star. In a cold voice Minako turned to look at her manager. She was silenced when she saw the mix of frown and strictness in Wendy's stare. Minako finally stop struggling and walk back at her seat and sat down weakly and stared at the window. The head chief sighed in relief and whispered 'Thanks' to Wendy, who smiled a bit Minako's staff stares from the pop star to Wendy with a silent questioning gaze. Wendy just shook her head, telling them that it was nothing to worry about -- -Outside the hotel- Rei is running at the streets, glimpsing at the road, hoping that a taxi would pass by because it was almost midnight already and there are only few cars passing by. Her loosen hair flowed with the air and it was completely ignored how messed up it is now "I need to get to my house immediately! Please Kami-sama, I really need a taxi right now" She pleaded Then a taxi almost hit her as she crosses at the road. Rei was stunned as she realized her hands were on the top of the front car cover "Hey there young lady, I almost hit you!" The taxi driver yelled Rei looked at the driver and then at his car "TAXI!" -- Rei asked the taxi driver to wait for her as she arrives at her apartment and quickly took Minako's CD in there and went back to the taxi. But when she was about to get inside she saw a familiar figure three buildings away from them It was that same young man with a feather yesterday. Rei took her gun up (my, finally firearms revealed :3) and run towards the suspicious young man, he wasn't an imagination after all The young man noticed that Rei is coming after him so he started to run away "Freeze Tokyo Police!" Yelled Rei "Hey lady! What about me?" Asked the taxi driver "I'll come back, don't you dare leave!" Warned Rei as she places back her gun in her belt case "Of course I won't leave, you haven't paid me yet! Just hurry, will you?" He replied nervously -- Rei went after the man in the dark streets of Tokyo. The young man runs fast but that won't make Rei stop chasing after him. The young man led the agent in many streets and turned left and right several times. But Rei wasn't bothered since she perfectly knew the place Finally the young man's figure disappeared from sight. Rei stopped and heaved. She breathlessly observed the place where the young man led her She was at a dead end. The place was dark and abandoned. The only light that can be seen is from the moon and stars above. She heard footsteps behind her; she moves her hand to take the gun carefully and silently out. But at the half-way of taking it out a voice talked to her "No need for that Hino-chan. I assure that you will get out of here alive and unscratched if you follow our instructions peacefully" Rei calmed down a bit and placed her gun back. She turned to look at the people behind her. She saw five pairs of feet standing in front of her a few meters away. But she couldn't recognize their faces because there wasn't enough light. She tried to move forward for a better view "Stay where you are. Remember the conditions" Another voice talked "So you had planned this perfectly, do you?" Rei said "Oh, yes. I figured you would come out every time within tonight. We know what you're capable of Hino-chan, you are smarter and a lot tougher than you look" The first voice said "Stop calling me that, I'm not your friend. Besides, you sound like gay when you do that" Rei said, judging by the accent of their voices, she figured out they're from somewhere in Europe (except for the name 'Hino-chan') "Oh Hino-chan, you are hurting my feelings. But you are right. We aren't your friends...yet" Replied the first voice "What do you mean 'Yet'?" Asked Rei annoyingly "Because we thought if we introduce ourselves to you then probably we would be friends. Then I'll call you Hino-chan again" "I don't have to because I already know you" Rei said "Then allow us introduce ourselves formally" A mild voice talked "You are totally wasting my time!" "Why? Is it because Minako Aino is waiting for you?" Asked the second voice menacingly "I'm not really surprised that you already knew" Rei replied sarcastically "Please give us time Rei-san. This might help you in saving...her" The mild voice talked again Rei, for an unknown reason calmed down and stopped talking to start listening to them. The man who first talked walked forward, enough to hide his face near Rei "To begin our meeting, we should introduce ourselves in our traditional way...Hino-chan, we are the men...called Sanctuary" -- -A short strip- (This is not included in the story...well, it was suppose to be but I just want to type this) Agent Rinka Kimimoto have done something wrong and the head chief found out and was about to fire the poor young agent when he was stopped by Rei and Minako "Please don't fire agent Kimimoto Big boss!" Minako pleaded "Rinka-chan's a great agent, we can't lose another great agent Big boss" Rei followed "Aino-san...Rei-sama..." Rinka is now teary-eyed The head chief sighed "This is a hard decision to make but...well...I guess what just happened will stand as a lesson to you Kimimoto. But I won't let you away that easily. Tomorrow meet me at my office and start cleaning everything in sight. You'll do that for three months for your disobedience" The head chief said Rinka is now crying for joy and hugged the head chief then turned to hug Minako and Rei at the same time "Thank you big bo-I mean head chief! I'll clean your office for three months-no, make it six months! I deserve that!" Said Rinka Rei groaned then sweat dropped "I don't get it, I'd rather be fired than to clean big boss' office that long" The raven haired girl commented "What's wrong with you cleaning big boss' office anyway, Rei-chan?" Minako asked Rei thought for a while "Well..." "..." "..." "Because this office smells like him, an old coconut fruit!" Said Rei as she started to run out of the head chief's office laughing hysterically It took few seconds for the head chief to register what Rei said "HIIIIIIINNNNNNOOOOOOO!" The head chief chased his niece the whole afternoon in the Tokyo Police headquarters...Minako and Rinka just sweat dropped
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