Title: Seven Minutes After Noon
Author: Amm-chan (SoulSeeker)
Pairing: Awayuki Mawata/Sasame
Fandom: Prétear
Theme: #14—radio-cassette player
Rating: For Everyone (PG)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Prétear, I am just playing 'Barbie' with them, cause god knows they're a lot more fun than real Barbies.

Whee, first one! Finally… hehe I'm a big fan of this couple, even though in the anime, Takako got him in the end. I hope you all enjoy the story!

((Mostly inspired by Candyland's Hayate/Himeno works :D Check those out too, if you haven't already!))

Wouldn't it be great to live alone? You wouldn't hurt anyone; nor would you get hurt.

That was the principle Mawata Awayuki once held, way back—back when Himeno had came into her life; back when she met him.

Sasame: friend of Himeno, elegant radio personality…and ultimately, the Leafe Knight of Sound. She loved everything about him, but most of all, she loved his ability to understand her the way no one else had. She had given him more trust than she had her own family—and he dropped it carelessly like it was nothing, leaving it to shatter on the ground.

One kiss was all it took.

But those days were over now. Yes, she still listened to Words Gate the same way she did back then, and yes, she admitted that part of her still longed for him. Regardless, however, she had moved on.

"Mawata! Time to get up dear, you don't want to be late for school, now do you?"

Natsue's voice flew threw the air and rang loudly in her ears, and Mawata got up immediately, having already been awake, almost waiting for the command.

She had just finished getting into her school uniform, when she heard her door abruptly open. She casually glanced over, seeing the short pink hair, and immediately recognized who it was. A giggle escaped Himeno's mouth, as she saw Mawata already dressed, and she excitedly ran over to her and grabbed her arm.

"Come on, Mawata, mom made your favorite breakfast today, you don't want to miss it!" she exclaimed excitedly. Himeno pulled her sister out of the room, as the comb that was in Mawata's hand dropped to the floor with a light "thump" sound.

"Wait, Himeno—"

Mawata tried to pick the comb back up once more to finish combing her hair, but she sighed, realizing that Himeno didn't even notice. She simply followed her lead until they reached the dining room where breakfast was being served, and she found that Kaoru — who she now regarded as her father — and her mother and Mayune were already there and waiting. Seeing them together, she suddenly realized what was happening.

"Hey Mawata!" Mayune greeted. Mawata waved to her sister with a light smile, as she took her seat. She looked at her breakfast, and then to everyone's face at the table, which she soon realized were all focused on her.

"Well? How do you like your birthday breakfast?" her mother sang happily. "You'd better eat fast, you've only got a little over five minutes!"

She nodded, taking a bite of the food, and strangely, she didn't feel a year older at all.

Kaoru got up and stretched, having already finished his breakfast—in fact, he woke up early to help Natsue make it. "Well, I've got some novel ideas to write down, before I forget them," he announced. "We have dinner reservations tonight to celebrate your birthday, Mawata…if you're interested, that is."

Mawata simply nodded and gave a smile. "Erm, that sounds great," she replied. She couldn't help but get the feeling that Kaoru tried too hard sometimes as a father, but she decided she didn't mind.

"Good," he said. "I'll see you later then—have a great day at school!" He gave her a light kiss on the head and disappeared out of the room.

She quickly finished her breakfast and grabbed her school things, and she rushed out to the car with Mayune and Himeno where Tanaka had been patiently waiting to drive them to school. It was a rather quiet car ride, and right before they all had to split to go to their classes, Mawata felt a light tug on her sleeve.

"Here—open it before lunch, okay?"

Himeno handed her a decently sized package, wrapped with a tiny red bow on top, and it looked like quite a bit of time had been put into the appearance. Mawata shook her head. "Oh come on, now—I don't even turn seventeen until—"

"Go on, go on, just open it, okay? See you at lunch!" Himeno lightly shoved her in the direction of her first class before running off to her own.

She shrugged, wandering off slowly to her class, and as expected, her locker was filled with several presents from her admirers at the school. Chocolates, teddy bears, hand-made cards to go with them—it was the same thing every year. She sighed, making it a point not to even look at them until after school, and with Himeno's present in hand, she finally made it to her morning class.

Her curiosity tugged at her every time she saw the present's wrapping, and half way through class she finally gave in and decided to open it. Inside—after she managed to burrow through all the tissue paper—she found something that she had always wanted, ever since her old one had broken a couple months back. She smiled—evidently, Himeno did pay attention sometimes.

"A radio-cassette player," a voice rang out from behind her. She looked back to see her teacher coming up the aisle. "Very nice, Mawata, but I'm afraid you're going to have to put that away and continue your work now. Please remember, you are in class."

She nodded, turning a faint shade of red as she looked around at all the eyes staring at her, and she sighed, continuing her assignment. She couldn't help but wonder why Himeno thought it so important that she open it before lunch; and secretly she also wondered if Sasame would remember her special day. But she shook it off, as she looked back and forth between her assignment and the clock, waiting for the bell to release them.

Minutes seemed like hours before lunchtime finally came, and Mawata looked through the crowds for the vibrant pink hair belonging to Himeno.

She came seemingly out of no where, dashing through the crowds, and finally appeared in front of Mawata.

"Hey—you opened it, right?" she asked, panting.

Mawata smiled in return. "Yeah, thanks! I lo—"

"Here, let me see it—quick!" the pink-haired girl demanded, and before she could even react, she had taken it from her hand.

"Hey! What are you—"

"Shh!"

Himeno silenced her with her finger, as she frantically pushed the buttons on the portable radio-cassette player, keeping an eye out for teachers at the same time. She looked at her watch once, and finally, she smiled.

"12:07pm, right? That's when you were born."

Mawata raised an eyebrow at her, slowly nodding. "How did you—"

"Listen," Himeno commanded. She put the headphones on her, and watched her face for reaction. Mawata's eyes widened, and she immediately recognized the voice on the radio—she would never forget that voice that soothed her so easily.

"It's 12:07pm here, and you're listening to 'Words Gate' with me, your host Sasame. But before I get started reading some of the letters I've gotten here, while it's still seven minutes after noon, I'd like to give a Happy Birthday to a Miss Silk, a loyal listener of mine, who I always took pleasure in comforting, and whether she knew it or not, she comforted me too. Happy Birthday, Mawata Awayuki, and wherever you are, I hope you're having a great day..."

Mawata looked baffled—she couldn't remember one instance at all that she had even mentioned her time of birth to him, and yet he knew; the same way he had known the anguish she felt so long ago. She looked over to Himeno, feeling hot and probably turning red, and she just smiled in response.

"Happy Birthday, Mawata."