"Oh no!" Rei cursed as she quickly stood up, startling the girls.

"Rei-chan? What's wrong?" Ami asked.

"I gotta go, I have something to do." Rei left her sit, already ascending the stairs.

"Shrine duties?" Makoto asked loudly.

"Something of that sort. Bye."

"AH!!! Wait!! Rei-chan! You coming tomorrow after school?" Usagi asked.

"Not sure, I'll come if I'm free. Besides, Makoto is probably going to see Motoki starting from now on, like you would with Mamoru." Rei remarked before closing the door.

"HEY!" Usagi and Makoto protested, but Rei is already out of sight.

Ami, Minako, Luna and Artemis all laughed at Usagi and Makoto's red faces.

"Never thought Mars could be such a tease." Artemis chuckled.

"Ohhh, she could be such a meanie some times." Usagi pouted.

"No kidding." Makoto sulked.

They laughed more.

"Is she always that busy?" Minako asked, brows quirked up. She never really got to know the girls' private lives due to her secrecy and the distant she once put between them.

"Well… Yes, she is quite busy, considering the fact that she is the really one who has a 'job' at this age. Discounting you, of course. She always has chores and duties to attend for the Hikawa Shrine, but lately she would always come here with us during her free time." Ami explained.

"But I guess all of us would also be busier this year, considering we will be facing our high school exams. I have to attend cram schools as well." Ami continued, reminding them that they are now at the last year of their middle school years, going into high school in the next.

Usagi and Makoto groaned.

"Ami-chan!!! Don't remind us!!!" Usagi moaned.

"Usagi-chan, we're grade 9 students already." Ami gave Usagi a helpless smile.

Minako smiled at them sympathetically.

"Well, sorry, but I have to go too."

"Already?" Makoto asked, somewhat disappointed.

"Yeah, I promised Sacho to return work soon. I think I scared him when I said I have to leave for something super urgent back then." Minako smiled sheepishly.

"Oh."

"I'll phone you girls and come here when I'm free." Minako stood up and walked towards the exit, but not before Artemis jumped onto her left shoulder.

"Okay! Say hi for me to your Sacho-san!" Usagi called out as she and the others waved.

Minako waved in return and exited the room.

Now outside of the Crown, Minako started walking in a pace faster than her normal ones after confirming which is the direction she should go.

"Minako? Shouldn't you just call for you car?" Artemis asked.

"No, work won't start in another half a hour actually, I still have quite some time. Besides, I'm not even going to the studio later."

"Eh? Then where are we going?"

"I have a new drama role, the job is starting today. The shooting sight is near here."

"But why do you have to walk so fast?" Artemis asked, not understanding.

"You'll know soon enough." Minako winked.

After five minutes, Minako found the person she was looking for. Several meters away in the crowed streets, she found Rei walking, her back facing the idol.

Suppressing her usually shining aura, Minako slipped through people stealthily. Probably due to her natural talent as a Senshi, plus training for being Sailor V and an idol since 13, Minako could avoid people's attention as much she could drag people's attention as long as she really wishes it and puts an effort.

Minako reached and tapped the miko's shoulder on the right, startling her. As Rei turned her head to the right to see who tapped her, Minako slipped to the left.

"For a senshi, you're quite easy to trick." Minako teased.

"Ve--Minako!?" Rei turned her head so fast that her hair flew up a bit in the process.

Minako giggled at Rei's surprised expression.

"Why are you here?" Rei frowned.

"I'm on my way to work, but I thought I would walk with you for a while before that."

"For what?" Rei asked, one brow quirked up.

Minako shrugged.

"No reason really, just felt like it."

"Okay…"

"Hey, you do know that you have Japan's most famous teenage idol with you, right? Can't you look happier?" Minako nudged Rei in the ribs.

"And you know I don't care about this kind of stuff, right? I could care less." Rei retorted.

"Right…" Minako rolled her eyes. How typical of Mars, she thought.

"How did you know I'm here?"

"It's the direction to the Hikawa Shrine. Artemis took me there once, so I know."

"He did?! When?"

Rei eyed the white plush on Minako's shoulder.

"Yes, I took Minako there back whe…" Minako stopped Artemis from talking by putting her hand over his mouth, ignoring the disproving glare she's receiving.

"A secret. It's enough to know that you weren't there when we were." Minako winked.

Rei looked at the idol with skeptic eyes, but didn't comment.

"Anyway, you're lucky to catch me if that's the case, 'cause I'm about to turn left, I'm not going back to the shrine right now."

"Really? Where are you going? I thought its shrine duty related." Minako asked, curious.

"It is."

Minako continue to look at Rei, waiting for an explanation.

Rei sighed. "There will be a small play session for the kids tomorrow at the shrine. I'm responsible for organizing it, and I have to get a few toys and stuff for it. Since I know nothing of kid's interest, I asked a girl to help me. I'm going to pick her up and we're going to a toy shop."

Minako nodded. "I see. That's sweet of you."

"No, it's not… sweet." Rei grimaced. The sight of her cheek reddening caused Minako to laugh.

"It is."

"No its… argh, whatever." Rei rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop the blush under the idol's gaze. Minako laughed more, totally amused by Rei's reaction.

"If that's the case, then we're going for the same direction. I'm working outdoor today for a drama."

"Drama? I thought you only sing and do photo shoots."

"No, silly. I have roles in drama programs also. This isn't even my first role you know." Minako gave Rei a helpless smile.

"Oh. Sorry. Told you I don't pay attention to those stuff." Rei said apologetically.

Minako shook her head.

"And I thought you don't read magazines as well." Minako said, noticing the magazine in Rei's right hand for the first time. She saw Rei tensed.

"It's nothing. I was planning to throw it away just now."

Minako and Artemis looked at each other, wondering what the magazine is about to cause the reincarnation of the Martian warrior to tense up like that.

"What's it about." Minako asked, very curious.

"Nothing."

"You won't buy it if there is nothing special about it. That much I know." Minako remarked.

"… There's nothing special for you." Rei changed her phrase of words.

"Let me see." Minako outstretched her hand.

"No." Rei hide the magazine further behind her back.

"Mars."

"No."

Just like that, a glaring competition started between them.

"Uh… girls?" Artemis called nervously.

Rei broke her gaze first, walking hurriedly and turning the corner.

"Hey!"

Minako ran to catch up with her.

When she caught up with the miko, Minako started her attempt to grab hold of the magazine, in which Rei avoided and escaped instinctively.

"Hey! Stop it." Rei growled.

Despite the situation, Minako found it fun, and continued her pursue. She was so focused on the fun part that she didn't even pay attention to the content of the magazine even though she had a few chances to take a glimpse of it as Rei flung it around to avoid Minako grasp.

Finally, tired of the repetition, Minako leaped at Rei. She had her left hand on Rei's right shoulder for support, then had her right hand outstretched and grab hold of the magazine. The new position startled Rei and caught her off balance.

"Look out." Artemis called out, but too late. Rei and Minako both fell to the floor, Rei below and Minako on top.

"…" Artemis winced. He had long left Minako's shoulder and chased behind the girls when the 'game' started, since without the girls knowing, they had turned and stepped into a park, which luckily has no one passing by except them.

"You girls alright?" Artemis, now standing beside the girls, asked in a voice mixed with worry and helplessness.

"I'm fine, you?" Minako addressed the miko, half worried and half amused at how things turned out.

"I'm alright." Rei replied below her.

"Good." She reached over Rei's head to take the magazine from the floor. Rei didn't react this time, which Minako took it as a sign of surrender. She smiled smugly.

The idol turned her attention from Rei's facial expression to the magazine, flipping it upside down to see the cover. It was her turn to go speechless as she saw the content. Stunned. Her smile replaced by an expression mixed with dumbstruck and realization.

"… Could you get off of me? I would really like to stand up now." Rei said, her voice impassive but had avoided the idol's gaze.

"Oh. Sorry." Minako immediately stood up, she gave Rei her hand and helped her up.

Minako nodded as Rei mumbled her thanks, but both avoided looking at each other.

Artemis, who had also taken a look at the cover page, was also at a lost of words at the situation. It's not that there's something bad about the cover page, but there is just too much for words, too much emotion and memories provoked by it.

The largest heading of the cover page read:

Aino Minako, Cured!

Rei had caught sight of the magazine when she walked pass a small convenient store and just had to buy it to know the information.

"I… didn't know you care that much…" Minako said meekly. She's lying actually; she always knew that of all people, Rei is the one who cared for her the most, aside from her manager, Saitou Sugao and Artemis. It was always with Rei that Minako felt that she isn't the idol everyone talks about, but only Aino Minako, and she found it rare and pleasant. She only said what she said, because she wanted to break the awkward and deafening silence between them.

"Of course I care! We're comrades, you are my friend!" Rei turned her head and looked straight at the idol with honest gaze.

Friend, huh? Sounds so nice… Minako mused to herself, touched by Rei's genuine words.

"Thanks. But you could have asked me yourself." Minako said, smiling to see Rei's cheek flushing slightly again.

Rei shook her head. "I didn't thought about it too much before, since our memories are still sorting itself. You know how it is. But when I saw the magazine, I just… had to know. And it's kind of awkward, to ask you about it, I guess. Sorry."

"No, don't be."

"So… it's really over, huh? You're cured."

"Yes. In this life, I took the operation half an year ago, I'm now on remission."

"Really?"

"Yes. Really."

"That's great." Rei smiled genuinely, warming Minako's heart.

"Here." Minako offered the magazine back to Rei.

"I don't need it anymore, now that you told me." Rei said, though she did take it in her hand.

"What? You're going to just throw it away without reading it? There's more than one article in the magazine, you know."

"No. I don't care about them."

"Well, I'll have it then. I want to know what the reporters have to say about me." Minako reclaimed the magazine.

"Doesn't it feel strange to read what people write about you?" Rei frowned.

"Well, it is a bit disturbing at first, but once you get used to it, it's kind of funny to see people writing crazy things and wrong things about you." Minako giggled.

Rei could only nod, that's something she would never understand. But she joined the idol and laughed anyway, happy and relieved to know that the idol is fine.

Minako's phone rang.

"Oh, sorry. It's probably Sacho." Minako took out her Teletia S. and answered the call.

Artemis jumped onto Rei's shoulder.

"Do you think Saitou-san remembers me? Since peoples memories are now modified. For one, we know that Motoki-kun forgot about us for awhile, but then remembered us after the encounter, and he doesn't even realize he had forgotten about us once." Rei asked the white plush.

"You have a point, I'm not too sure myself. That guy at Crown surely had known you girls for a longer time, and has a closer relationship with Jupiter, but I'm not sure about Minako's Sacho."

"There's only one way to find out." Minako winked at the two, her hand covering the receiver of her phone.

Rei and Artemis looked at each other in question.

"Sacho? May I ask you a favor? Is it alright if Mars come with me for tomorrow's post-op examination?" Minako asked into the phone.

"Hey!" Rei was astounded at what Minako had just said. She tried to grab hold of Minako's phone and stop her from talking. For a change, Rei's the one trying to catch while Minako escaped, though Minako seems to be enjoying herself a lot more than Rei did.

"You know… this could serve much like a senshi training if you two keep doing that." Artemis stated from the side, amusement clear in his voice.

"Artemis, not helping." Rei glared at the sheepish plush.

While on the phone, Saitou Sugao is now answering Minako's request. "You mean Mars Reiko-chan? Of course it's alright! I have something to do tomorrow, so I couldn't be there with you. I was just wondering if there is someone who could accompany you! Nice timing, really." Sugaosaid at the other side of the phone.

"He remembers." Minako informed Rei and Artemis, before she continued her conversation.

After another few more words, Minako ended the call.

"What was that for?" Rei asked, arms crossed, irritated that Minako made decisions for her without asking.

Minako shrugged. "I have to find something to say in order to mention your name. And since you care so much, so why not have you join me for my examination. You could confirm for yourself that I'm fine now."

"Right…"

"Uh… you are free tomorrow, right?" Minako cringed as she thought of the possibility that Rei is really preoccupied already.

"Luckily, I am except for school. Though I would appreciate if you ask me before hand." Rei said, shaking her head in amusement at Minako's facial expression despite her annoyance.

"I agree." Artemis chuckled.

Minako deliberately ignored the later comment. "Good, the exam is after school time. So you're coming." Minako answered cheerfully, grinning.

"Okay." Though I will be coming anyway even if it is during school time. Rei thought to herself. She is so not going to miss the chance to confirm her friend's health status and safety, though she will never admit it aloud.

Minako checked the time from her phone, and decide that she should really run along, since the main reason Sugao phoned her is actually to remind her that she should be at the drama sight in another fifteen minutes.

"I think I should really get going now, I'm sure you have to go anyway." Minako said.

Rei nodded. "About tomorrow…"

"I'll meet you at the front of your school. T.A. Academy. See you." Minako said as she took Artemis from Rei's shoulder and walked pass her. She left without letting Rei say another word, leaving the miko speechless at the spot.

Rei sighed in annoyance, wondering why she was always so easily tricked or manipulated by the idol. But then she thought of the interaction they just have, and find Minako a lot more cheerful then she had been during the battles. Silly and childish even.

So this is Aino Minako without the presences of Venus, huh? Rei mused to herself. She couldn't help to find herself enjoying this new change. After all, this is a change for the good.

She left the park and went her separate way in a quick pace, noting that she would really be late if she doesn't hurry in the next five minutes. During her trip, her mind couldn't stop wondering what it will be like to be with the idol after school the next day.

Author's Note:

Yup, I'm a Mars/Venus fan as well. My fanfics for PGSM follows one timeline, and in this timeline, Rei and Minako's relationship happens after Special Act, so there won't be true romance here. I mainly focus on how they became best friends after the battles in this fic. I will upload the story where Rei and Minako get together later when I finish more on that fic (it's a MUCH longer one).

Thanks for reading.