A/N: This is just a short and sweet Rei/Minako friendship fic. I liked the chemistry and bond between them in PGSM. Enjoy
Rei had swept the stairs for the fourth time today. She had nothing else to do except... well, sweep. All of the other chores around the Shrine were completed earlier on in the day, and Rei always wants something to do that will keep her preoccupied. Fortunately, Rei was really going to be preoccupied with something other than sweeping today. Because that's when a limo drove up in front of the Hikawa Shrine, causing the miko to furrow her eyebrows in confusion. The passenger door swung open swiftly, revealing a tall, lanky man in a black suit, scurrying over to the back door to open. A girl about in her early twenties stepped out of the limo with sparkling sunglasses and a black leather jacket that read 'Rock n' Roll' on it, with a plain black shirt to match. Black jeans and boots also went with the ensemble.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Rei heard the tall man ask.
The girl looked at her surroundings, then peered over to where Rei stood, dumbfounded. She smirked. "I'm sure."
With that, the man bowed and slammed the door behind her and staggered back into the passenger's seat. The girl began to walk up the many flights of stairs towards her destination.
Rei tried to swallow, but nothing would go down her throat. "What the hell...?"
The girl finally made it up the last step, making her way over to Rei with a huge smile on her face.
Rei blinked.
"Surprise?" the girl said while taking her sunglasses off, revealing chocolate-brown eyes.
Rei smiled a little. "Hi, Minako."
Her smile grew brighter. "Wow, I thought you forgot me! The way you were looking at me the whole time coming up the stairs was making me nervous! I wasn't gone for that long, was I?"
Rei shrugged. "Long enough."
"I missed it here. London was okay, believe me, but I just wanted to go back to my own environment I guess you can say. The concert went great by the way. My music is being spread all over Europe, so things have been going smoothly lately. Shacho hasn't been bugging me since I got back--"
"Wait--since you got back? How long ago did you come back?" Rei interrupted.
"Oh, just a few days ago..."
"A few days ago? Why didn't you call me? Or...or I could've met you at the airport?"
"Well, I had to unpack and get everything back to normal. I've been gone for how long...? Three months...?"
"What about Usagi and Makoto and Ami? You called them, right?" Rei asked.
"Actually, I did call them this morning. But I couldn't really talk to Ami much since she was busy with a patient again. But I plan on seeing them later on today as well. Usagi's having a 'welcome back' party for me. Of course, you know Usagi and her last minute arrangements..." she half-smiled.
"Yeah, Usagi told me we're having a party for you later on so..." Rei trailed off. "Why didn't you call me?" she suddenly asked.
Minako smirked. "Do I sense a hint of jealously in your voice, Ms. Hino?"
Rei rolled her eyes. "You're not the physic here, Minako." She sighed. "But really, why didn't you call me?"
Minako shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I just wanted to see you face-to-face, that's all."
Rei merely nodded, eyes locked on the ground as she moved the broom back and forth slowly on the hard cement. She had nothing to sweep up, and Rei knew that as well as Minako.
She chuckled. "Is that a habit?"
Rei looked up. "What is?"
"Sweeping nothing? Is that your new habit? What else happened in three months that I don't know?" Minako's eyebrow rose each second.
Rei grunted. "It's not a habit. And no, nothing else happened as far as I know."
"Oh."
The only sound that could be heard were the crows that squawked in a nearby tree. All was quiet for a little while until Minako spoke up:
"So... it's all the same, huh?"
"Hm? Oh... yeah, I suppose so," Rei muttered.
"It's just... ever since we stopped being Sailor Senshi, we've all split up. We've all gone in different directions. We've... matured and grown up. Some days I wish we were still kicking some Youma's ass," she laughed a little. "...We've all changed."
Rei paused and absorbed everything Minako had said. It took her a few seconds to muster something up. "Have I changed?"
"Have you changed?" the singer repeated thoughtfully. "Well, not necessarily changed, but I guess Kyoto really made a difference for you. A good one, mind you," she smiled. "But you're still the stubborn Rei that I know and love!"
Rei snorted and grinned goofily. "Yeah, yeah, I didn't let you stay just so you could be cheesy, Minako."
She laughed. "Okay, sorry, sorry," she glanced at her watch. "Well, I better get going. It's already getting late, and before you know it, we'll be at the Crown for that party. I'll see you later, right?"
"Sure, sure, I'll see you later."
She smiled broadly. "Bye!" and she bounced down the steps blissfully towards the limo that still sit in front of the Shrine. She waved one last time before stepping in the back seat and finally driving off. Rei chuckled and shook her head and headed back into the Shrine, trying to find something else to preoccupy her for the time being.