"Rei-chan?" "Yes?" Rei turned to face the pop star "I'm glad your big boss sent you here. I won't be able to meet you if he didn't" Minako smiled, so as Rei "I'm glad he did. I never seen anyone as beautiful and as kind hearted as you, Minako" Then Rei continue walking without looking back. Minako blushed; Rei thinks she's kind-hearted, not just beautiful. She even called her Minako. "Thanks Rei-chan" Minako whispered As they went downstairs back to the living room, they saw Wendy, Mr. and Mrs. Aino laughing. They must have enjoyed each other while talking. Then Wendy noticed them "Oh there you are, time's up. We better go, better say goodbye to your parents Aino. They're as nice as ever" Said Wendy Mr. and Mrs. Aino approached and hugged Minako "Good luck to your upcoming concert Honey" Said Mrs. Aino "We'll be there, Wendy-san already reserved tickets on the front seat for us" Said Mr. Aino "I'll miss you again Mom, Dad. I'll always call you guys" Said a teary Minako They bid farewell to Minako's parents. Rei drove them to the Gendou-Takasama Studio and Theatre where Minako will meet her staff and practice their additional dance steps for the concert this Saturday. As they have expected, there are once again media men waiting outside for the pop star. The head chief of the Tokyo National Police Headquarters called Rei through her earphone and instructed her to drive their way at the secret back entrance of the studio to once again avoid the media Minako and the others have made their way inside the studio and the head chief himself approached and greeted them "Good morning Aino-san, I'm Hino Namada, head chief of TNPH. We are here to secure the whole area while you and your staff practice your rehearsals here" Said the head chief enthusiastically as he shook hands with Minako and Wendy "Oh, so you're Rei-chan's Big Boss! Pleasure to meet you, big boss!" Minako was excited that she finally met Rei's Uncle The head chief got confused then turned his head to find her niece Rei desperately hiding behind Wendy "Is agent Hino guarding you well? Is she making any trouble? I'll replace her right away if you—" "No! Of course she's guarding us very well! You don't have to replace her, please don't big boss" Minako pleaded "Very well, the concert director awaits you. You may all proceed there" They proceeded inside the studio. It's like a huge parking space made for rehearsing dance and other stage performances. As Minako saw her staff and fellow dancers, she immediately ran and greeted them, they greeted her back merrily. Rei found Wendy a seat near the director's chair. There are Rei's fellow agents walking around and checking the whole place every minute, and as they pass in Minako's direction they take a very slow glimpse at the pop star. But they were distracted by the ever strict head chief and telling them to stop staring at Minako and do their job. Rei helped her fellow agents in checking and rounding the whole area, she's sure it's safe enough to leave Minako for a while and check the whole area with the other agents As she walks to check some areas the head chief called behind her "Hino, come here" Said the head chief "What is it sir?" Rei asked as she approaches the head chief. The head chief seems to be making sure no one is looking at them when... "Ooooouuuuccchh!" Rei screamed softly as the head chief lightly twisted Rei's left ear "Are you really doing your job Hino Rei? Your job is to protect Aino-san remember?" Hissed the head chief "Come on big boss, I swear I'm doing my job as you instructed me to do so. Don't you believe on what I can do until now?" Explained Rei The head chief sighed and put his strong hands on top of Rei's small but slightly broad shoulders "Rei, I know Aino-san is making friends with you. I can feel that you also wanted to be her friend. But Rei, she's a Pop Star, a very busy person," Then he continued even Rei was starting to frown "Once she finishes her concert here in Tokyo, she'll go back to Europe and continue her career there for about five years or so. Do you think she will still remember you after that time?" The head chief stated. Rei looked down, it was true perhaps. Who is she kidding? Minako probably befriended her because she's a pop star. That's supposed to be her personality, to be friendly "I just want you to realize that this is the life of being a bodyguard. You have to push your feelings aside and do your job. I just don't want you to be upset when she does that Rei" Explained the head chief Rei raised her head and turned to looked at Minako who started rehearsing, then Minako looked at her and smiled. Rei can never ever see a lie behind those charming smiles Minako is giving for her; she looked directly at the head chief "Minako is different big boss. Don't compare her to the other stars you have guarded once. And even if she did forget me, I'll do everything to make her remember me" Said Rei, feeling certain on what she is saying. The head chief was stunned, they were both silent for a while "You're as wise as your father Rei" The head chief said as he kissed Rei's forehead. Rei smiled and continued checking the area of the studio As Rei checked the whole area, she glimpsed at Minako, who is dancing together with her back up dancers. She is now wearing a white tube and black jugging pants and plain rubber shoes, her hair is single braided. Rei paused from walking and checking the area and watched Minako dance in the rhythm of her own song Rei knew that Minako is a good dancer, but she never thought Minako was this excellent in dancing "She's good, isn't she?" A voice talked to Rei. She noticed she's in front of Wendy "Oh, I'm sorry I blocked you Ms. Wendy" Said Rei as she approaches Wendy "You didn't answer my question, Minako's good isn't she?" Wendy asked again "In fact she's great" Said Rei absent-mindedly to Wendy who smiled "Minako wanted to be a star so bad, that she practice every day when she first came in Paris. Do you know that she couldn't dance when she came there?" "No, I didn't" Replied Rei as she still stares at how Minako danced gracefully "Minako only knew singing that time. I told her if she only knew how to sing and don't know how to dance, she'll never be a brighter star. She'll just become an average singer just like the others" Explained Wendy "She said it was one of the things she had always wanted to be" Said Rei "It was her dream so she did everything she can do. Now her effort had been rewarded" "She's worth it" Rei said as she took a last look at Minako and continue walking to check the area with her fellow agents in the studio After two long hours of rehearsing their performance, Minako and her dancers finally took a break and she approached Wendy "Ms. Wendy! Let's eat, my stomach's already empty!" Minako said as she skip-run to Wendy. She noticed Rei is nowhere to be seen "Where's Rei-chan?" Asked Minako as her eyes searches the whole area for a certain raven-haired girl with cerulean eyes "She's patrolling the whole area with the other agents, she'll be back. What do you want to eat?" Asked Wendy "I'm not eating without her. Rei-chan? Rei where are you?" Minako said as she started to walk and search for Rei. Wendy growled and stood up to follow Minako "Minako, don't you want to rest and eat? I'm sure agent Hino will be back immediately" Wendy tried to stop Minako but the pop star continued walking and searching for Rei "If I find her, I'll torture her for leaving me-—I mean us without my permission" Minako searched for ten minutes but still couldn't find Rei. She was now stomping her feet heavily on the floor as she walks and still searching for her bodyguard. She saw the head chief talking to one of his men, she immediately approached him "Big Boooossss!" Yelled Minako, ignoring the look of other people The head chief noticed Minako is approaching to him, and her face doesn't look friendly. He gulped, what did he do? "WHERE-IS-REI-HI-NO?" Asked Minako hoarsely hissed that head chief got startled. Minako could nearly asked him: 'tell-me-where-Rei-is-or-die' "Uh...I think she's re-checking the back of the props room" The head chief pointed to Minako's left, then Minako stomped her feet again as she walk. Wendy apologized and smiled at the head chief and followed Minako again. The head chief sighed in relief "Rei is sooo dead" Minako whispered as she gets nearer to the direction where the head chief had pointed her to Finally, she had found her victim in the hall...alone. " Agent-Rei-Hino-What-are-you-doing-here?" Minako yelled at Rei's back in whole English. Rei jumped in surprise and shock "M-Ms. Aino? W-what are you doing here?" Rei's obviously sound afraid "Why did you left us inside?" Minako's eyes darted her bodyguard "There are lots of agents around so I thought I'd go and help my fellow agents check the area because you'll be practicing here for two days" Explained an embarrassed Rei, but Minako don't want to hear any explanations "Your job is different from them right? Don't you want to watch over me?" Minako suddenly frown as she soften her voice "I-I'm sorry, I should've not done that" Rei looked down "It's alright; let's eat there at the end of the hall!" Minako suddenly came back to being lively and cheerful Minako grabbed Rei's black necktie and pulled her towards the end of the hall where there is a table and four chairs placed before it. Wendy sighed and followed as she called the utility to bring them their lunch As they finished their lunch, Minako rested for about an hour then continued their rehearsal. She checks out on Rei every minute and makes sure she's beside Wendy Rei sighed; Minako is now watching my every move. That was her job right? For the rest of the afternoon, Rei stood still beside Wendy. As Minako finally finishes their rehearsal for that day, she ran her way to Wendy and Rei. Wendy gave Minako a mineral water while an assistant provided Minako a face towel. Minako managed to grab both then thirstily drank half of the water, after that she wiped her face with the face towel then proceeded wiping her sweaty body Rei is staring at her while she does that, her eyes blinking then she woke up from her dreams and blushed. Did Minako affect her that bad? 'Argh wake up Hino, you're not doing your job lately' Rei thought Then suddenly Minako called her "Rei-chan" "Yes Ms. Aino?" Said Rei as she approaches the pop star "I need to take a shower" Minako whispered "Okay" Rei simply said, but Minako seems to be waiting something for Rei to say "You're coming right? You're my personal bodyguard" She whispered again "Well yeah, that's my job" Rei gulped then looked at Wendy for support 'Please come Ms. Wendy' Rei pleaded in her thought "I'll be staying here to talk to the concert director about Aino's schedule. Please watch her for me Ms. Hino" Said Wendy with an odd smile Rei's inside shrinked while Minako's rejoiced "S-sure thing...are you going to be alright here Ms. Wendy?" Said Rei "I'll be fine, there are lots of agents around here so don't worry" Said Wendy as she pushes Rei to Minako's direction
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