Every year I do a fluff piece just for Christmas, to say thank you to all you guys out there for reading my stories and making my year a little more wonderful with your comments and criticisms. Enjoy it and have a merry Christmas with all your family and loved ones!

*hugs*

After school had ended, the five girls sat together in their regular booth at the Crown, not as usual dressed in their school uniforms, but that did not matter, for today there were a lot of things far from the usual.

First of all they had met up here in the evening instead of late afternoon, behind the glass-front, down on the street it was dark already and the street lights had lit up shortly ago. Their uniforms were left at home together with their diplomas. And instead of usual loud chatter, which at times tended to entertain half the café, an air of silence hung over the table, each girl quietly sipping on her milkshake.

It was an evening of lasts, upcoming but yet unknown firsts and most of all of goodbyes.

Sure, they would met up again to send each of them off properly, but this was the last evening they could all be together like this, until the time came where they had to take up their posts as guardians to the future queen once more.

'Let's pretend to be normal school girls one more time', Minako had said when she had suggested they meet up at the Crown - this coming from a girl who had worked as an idol even during school. Rei then had taken her hand, not letting go until they had to separate for the way home, knowing or sensing the implacated unwillingness of Minako to let go her friends.

Ami would be the first to leave, boarding a plane tomorrow to Germany where her mother had an offer from a hospital and where Ami would study medicine at the nearby university.

Usagi was anxiously awaiting the end of the week when she would fly to live with Mamoru in America until he finished his further education, leaving only Rei, Makoto and Minako back in Japan – Minako who had a career as an idol in the whole of Japan to pursue, Makoto who had announced her plans to become a chef in Kyoto at the restaurant of an old friend of her parents and Rei, who would stay at the Shrine.

As happy as some, most of all Usagi, were, that they had succeeded in completing school and decently at that, the sense of parting dulled the happiness somewhat.

"You now have a few years of freedom to enjoy," Setsuna had announced as she had showed up unexpectedly at the school gates. "The time-stream for the near future appears calm, that is all I am allowed to tell you. Use the time." And with that she had left, as swiftly as she had appeared, before they could even think of questions to ask her.

In a few years, or a few more – who knew, and for that matter who cared when one knew you were most likely going to live at least one millennia – they would all be together again, a little older, maybe a little wiser. So not one girl shed tears saying goodbye, still the parting embraces lasted longer and were tighter than usual.

Rei and Minako walked home together, hands tightly clasped to one another. Spring wind at this time of the night was chilly, especially high atop the stairs of the Hikawa shrine. They stood as close as possible, for warmth as much as for comfort. Minako brought their entwined fingers up to her lips, kissing them. In response Rei sighed. She sought Minako's eyes, two dark blue pearls in the night.

"Do you really have to go?" she asked, despite knowing the answer already.

"Do you really need to stay?" Minako replied.

Rei leaned her head heavily against her shoulder, letting go of her hand to circle them around Minako as if that would impede the inevitable. They had been over this many times before.

"I can't leave Grandpa alone, nor can I abandon the shrine and my duty."

Minako sighed, playing with a lock of black hair. "I know, still I wish you'd come with me. This second chance at life is something I can't let go to waste and I'd love to share every moment of it with you."

Minako felt Rei's grip around her tighten for a moment, then loosen as she pushed, forced herself away, a little. Tears Rei had kept at bay all evening now slowly trickled down her cheeks. "Go and take your chance for all it's worth. I don't want to hold you back. I love you too much to ask you to stay and be unhappy for me." As if given permission Minako's eyes welled up too. "Damn you!" she whispered, pulling Rei back into her, pressing their lips firmly together. "I love you." Another feverish kiss, "I won't be happy without you either." In between her whispers she sought Rei's lips again and again. "I'll come back, each year, as long as it takes. One day just for the two of us."

"Promise?" Rei breathed against her love's lips.

"Scout's honour," she whispered back.

She had sent Yuuichiro home to visit his parents, saying he owed it as a good son to return home for a few days every now and then. Temple chores were all taken care off and Rei had taken the miko robes off.

Just in time. As soon as she had changed into casual clothes, the sound of the doorbell ringing jolted Rei out of her room, but not before she quickly switched off the stereo. Now she had no need to listen to that CD anymore.

A blur of blonde hair was all Rei saw, when she opened the door, before she was tackled and locked in a crushing embrace. An embrace Rei returned, even before shutting out the cold evening behind the door.

"Missed me?" Minako breathed into Rei's ear. In reply Rei softly took her face in her hands and kissed her long and deeply.

Minako smiled sheepishly, when her lips were released. "I'll take that as a 'yes'," she grinned. "What are your plans for this evening, Reiko?"

Rei took her hand, leading her to the kitchen. "I'm not Makoto, but I thought we could cook a nice dinner and then watch a film in my room."

She started to pull out pots and plates from the cupboards. Minako tied her hair back, moving to help. "No going out then?" she asked as she put water for the rice on the stove.

"No, tonight I want you all to myself. I'm not sharing you with anyone."

All of Japan had been buzzing the year round, talking about the number one idol Aino Minako who's fame seemed to rise evermore. The public couldn't get enough of her, her third and fourth album were top sellers and news had been spread that she had been offered the leading part in a film next year.

And now, as half of the Japanese people spend their Christmas eve glued to the television Aino Minako was the only one of the famous idols not to appear on any live broadcast. Her manager was just as clueless to the star's whereabouts as her fans, even the most adamant ones who defied the cold wind outside Minako's apartment building didn't catch a glimpse of her.

While her fans wondered where she was and her manager only hoped she would be back by the time her next recording session was scheduled, the idol in question was sitting happily in a restaurant in the middle of Tokyo, enjoying dinner with her girlfriend.

"Good thing Usagi let me borrow the transformation pen, wasn't it?" she grinned.

Rei only half agreed, she slowly nipped at her wine glass regarding Minako, before responding. "Did you really have to transform into a man? You could've have stayed a woman and still be unrecognisable."

"But it's fun, this is better than any special effects they could ever provide. Think of it as an exciting date with a stranger, and a damn handsome one at that."

Despite herself, Rei had to chuckle. Seeing Minako's bubbly behaviour displayed by a man was funny, still a bit unsettling at the same time. Minako, fuelled by Rei's amusement, was getting into character, reaching over the table to take Rei's hand, which she now could fully cover. Her voice, deeper already to fit her appearance, she made sound comically deep on purpose.

"Miss, I just have to say this, you're the most beautiful woman I ever had the chance to enjoy dinner with." Minako made to kiss the hand she was holding, but stopped in the middle of the motion, when Rei drew back her hand.

"Please don't. That's for the real Minako only." Rei sighed. "I wish we could go out without bothering with such a disguise."

Minako nodded, returning to her meal. "Don't worry Reiko, once we're back I'll be anything you want tonight," she winked.

"You didn't have to come all the way from America," Rei said, pulling the covers up a bit higher. "Not when you have so much work and jet-lag and all."

Minako shook her head. "Of course I had to come. After all I made a promise that this would always be our day."

She nuzzled closer to Rei, resting her head on her lover's chest, where she could listen to her steady, comforting heartbeat. No matter how many times they would lay together, Minako was amazed every time how perfectly their bodies fitted together. To her it was another sign that this was meant to be.

Rei placed a soft kiss atop Minako's head, trying to suppress the small tears that had sneaked out of her eyes. It was good that Minako couldn't see them. Rei was ashamed of them.

All year round Minako had been spotted at each official event with a different companion thus numerous were the rumours concerning the star's love life, and while she knew for certain Minako would never cheat on her Rei couldn't help feeling a little forgotten and set aside in her temple.

"I love you", Rei murmured. Maybe she couldn't express how much it meant to her that her lover had come, that she was still keeping their promise, but maybe Minako knew it nevertheless. The way she kissed her breast right then, just above her heart, told Rei she probably did.

The sweeping broom in her hands paused, as she saw who had walked up the stairs. Rei would have recognized the figure, the face even before she had removed the large sunglasses, everywhere. The autumn leaves littering the path to the temple were forgotten as Rei stared bewildered at her lover. "Minako what are you doing here? Christmas isn't for another month."

"I'm back." Minako simply said and put her suitcase on the ground.