NAME: Towel (8/11/02 – 11/8/02)
E-MAIL: More Than A Woman
RATING: PG
NOTE: Yippy! Yippy! Minako and her father. Kunzite's seem kinda crazy. Just the
works perhaps.
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon 1992-2002 Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha Ltd./Toei
Animation Co., Ltd. Sailor Moon, the Sailor Moon characters, and their respective
names and likenesses are trademarks of Toei Animation Co., Ltd.
THANKS: Ms. Applegate and Naoko my two favorite authors of all centuries.
MORE THAN A WOMAN
CHAPTER 3: Sailor V's Irresistible Innocence! Hot Like Fire Kunzite… Cheap?
Minako's father was stuck somewhere deep inside his cramped office surrounded by a
stack of applications, resumes, faxed information sheets, and just general week old junk.
Sometimes it took him forever to create a path leading outside to the real world on those
occasional days when he'd go home on time or pick up his daughter. Today seemed
certainly like one of those days. One of those days he'd make it home late after
organizing the volumes of fine white and colored paper breeding around his office. Mr.
Aino sighed at his cluttered desk, a deep tired sigh as he blew his hands through his lining
thin hair taking his glasses off for a second to rub his tired eyes. He knew it'd take him
forever to get everything looked over. His secretary brought him what he needed for his
business and everything seemed to fall slowly in place dusting inside his office.
It was sometimes hard for Mr. Aino to run his own business. The late nights, the early
mornings, the frequent insanity moments. But his dream, and his father's dream was to
own a boat dealership company and he had it as head president resided his office near the
docks. It was his dream. He adored boats and money and having this business gunned
his way. The drawback of course was the papers, the meetings, the phone calls, and
something he didn't expect… the divorce. Nevertheless, Mr. Aino kept his business
booming and going since he'd gotten everything on its feet after his father passed away
ten years ago. Since then it's been in and out without the single regret or jadedness that
some people feared from Mr. Aino himself. The business was his and his only. He dared
to complain but instead suck up the drawbacks and handle them like a man and enjoy the
satisfaction of making life-long friends and selling a nice boat in it's due season.
Balancing his thick glasses back on his tiny face Mr. Aino looked around his small office
once more. He had more dreams. Dreams to move up. There was no way he was going
to stay here when city buildings with his name on them were at wake. Recently he'd
been offered a deal by another company. An extravagant sum of money to allow that
business to buy his property for their own access. Mr. Aino declined. Too risky. He
didn't exactly have another place to hone his own business yet closer to the city like he
dreamed so he couldn't take the offer, leave the place he started for some time just to find
another. Mr. Aino needed to work. It was his passion to do what he did. Not even
money enough to last him the rest of his life couldn't stop him from developing what
he'd put together. He had to keep going on and making the goals end with whatever his
credibly in his business meant.
BIZZZZZZZZZZ! Mr. Aino jumped his skin sparkling as if shocked for a second. The
buzzing continued once more as if seeping now into his brain and he pushed along a stack
of blue papers to reveal his desk intercom from his secretary in the room ahead.
Mr. Aino pressed the receiving button and a soothing soft feminine voice escaped the box
announcing the arrival of his daughter then asking would now be an okay time. Mr. Aino
looked at this watch and figured so. It really didn't matter and besides his daughter
Minako could give him a hand with all his papers. She was always useful but dwelling
uninterested in anything but driving a boat. On her own. Well with her friends. Mr.
Aino frowned upon those desires of his daughter. He was often aggravated with his
hyper activate party-girl daughter.
"Br…" Mr. Aino cleared his clammy throat and tried again. "Bring her own in."
"Sure thing," the secretary responded.
That pause between Mr. Aino's door opening was essential. He looked once again
around his room and quickly rushed to diminish the stacks tossing and flinging
everything he could onto the floor into one of his office boxes. He knew his daughter
was walking now right outside and door, he didn't want her coming into his office
worrying, thinking he was still bumped about the divorce. Mr. Aino surely wanted her
help working with the papers but surely didn't want her pity. At least three times a week
his daughter Minako would come see him with supper sometimes and always, as they ate,
gave him pitiful looks. Sometimes he'd pick her up from school when he had time and
they'd eat out while she assisted him with work. He couldn't bare to see her large almost
helpless eyes look over his office and give him a wiry smile. A smile that clearly said:
"You gave up me and Mom for this?"
Mr. Aino shivered at the thought tumbling the last bit of papers he could into a box. He
sharpened up his desk and laced his fingers together resting them in the center. His smile
huge and fake he watched the door open and there peeked the head of his gorgeous blond
daughter Aino Minako with a slim tender body dressed in her high school uniform,
amazing blazing long blond strawberry hair and large ocean blue eyes. The girl peeked
in as if only to check then slipped the rest of her body inside smiling at her father with a
"hello."
"Hey-hey," Mr. Aino forced a smiling cheer as his daughter came to sit across from him
at his desk. He flinched as she first dusted away a pile of paper to take her seat. He
noted that his daughter had no supper. Not anything but herself and a concerned look on
her face. Mr. Aino sighed. He didn't want to go through another therapeutic session
with her again. He just wanted to talk and see why she was coming in and just generally
see what's going on in her life. It was nice to have her come in and help him forget about
his problems for a while only at those instances when she'd bring them up.
Minako avoided her father's eyes for a second and cringed at the sight of his office. Ever
since she stepped into the company building she wondered if Kunzite was going to be
around since her mother said he worked there. Minako didn't want to run into Kunzite
for anything. It was late afternoon so maybe there was nothing to worry about. Minako
kept her fingers crossed anyway and started to look at her hands balled into her lap.
"How you been?" she was almost afraid to ask her father.
Mr. Aino shrugged. "Okay."
Placid talk emerged from there for a max total of three minutes until…
Minako decided to get things over with. She suddenly didn't want to be there. She
wanted to be far away and so she opened her mouth and asked her father did he know
someone by the name Kunzite with no remorse for the ideal of the relationship between
her and her father. She didn't want to play talk, she didn't want to catch up, she simply
didn't want to be there. It was too pitiful to her. Sometimes she'd suck it up and other
time she just didn't know.
There was a short pause then…
"No," her father's brows frowned as if in concentration and confusion as he leaned back
into this softening desk chair. Minako shoot her very own confused eyes up at him and
only looked into this solid face.
The blond's mouth opened to speak but nothing came out and her mind began to race.
Mamma told me she meet Kunzite through Dad's business so why didn't my dad know
anything about him? Wait a minute! I mean my Dad is the owner of this business and
yet… he wouldn't know anything about his one employee.
"Are you sure?" Minako frowned lifting up. Before her father could answer she
described those unique features of Kunzite only to remain with no information.
"Why? Is he some friend of yours?"
Minako shook from her stead less thinking and shook her head tucking her hair behind
her ears. "It's nothing, I just thought someone by that name worked here." Minako sent
bewildering looks around the room as if she was an animal trapped in a cage with closing
creaky walls. Maybe she should have asked more but in that time she didn't want to, she
just wanted to leave almost as if escaping. This is stupid, she told herself. Kunzite isn't
some kind of threat. I just caught him while he was talking to his buddies. Sure it
seemed suspicious but… that's because it's my fault. I'm a suspicious person and I got
carried away always-seeking drama and all kinds of crap to explode with. Now I'm
simply bothering my father when he already has a load of work to be working on. I'm
just in his way. Taking up his time because I'm always getting carried away.
She began to sink deeper into her thoughts to where it fouled her to think that she STILL
had so many problems. Problems, issues, Minako had issue. Hearing voices, paranoid,
freaked out all the time, hyper; it hit her that she had issues vaguely. Serious ones that
were causing her to feel… ill sometimes. Ill and withdrawn from people and yet wanting
to huddle so close.
"I feel like I'm going to throw up," Minako threw a hand over her mouth and rose out of
her seat. "I'll call you later," her muffled voice announced.
"Minako-chan!?" her father called for her but Minako was out the door and charging
toward the nearest exit.
He doesn't want me around anyway! Minako's mind screamed. He doesn't care about
me anymore just like everybody else! I hate Dad! I hate Mom! I hate my friends! Why
does everyone want me gone!? Why am I such a bother!? A bother!? Why do I make so
many big deals!? Why do I feel like I'm going insane if I continue to learn the truth!?
Learn the truth that nobody wants me around and that I'm nobody!
Maybe her father could have therapeutically spoken to her. Help break her and her issues
down instead of what she felt as him acting coldly as if she was in the way of his
business. As if he had no interest in her life or her in general. He didn't ask not a word
and they hadn't talked in three days. Parents should show a little more awareness in their
children's life… if they truly cared. Mr. Aino asked nothing.
Once Minako hit the parking lot she broke into a run, the bitter air almost stale to her
gasping lungs. Nevertheless, she just wanted to run. And run! And RUN! She couldn't
stop and she didn't want to stop! If everybody wanted her gone then she'd try to leave!
She'd try to leave far away even as her mind began to explode with tension straining her
muscles to just collapse on the pavement.
Why didn't he just tell me to leave!? Her mind screamed. Daddy had all that work piled
up and if he didn't want to be troubled with me why didn't he just tell me to leave!? I
can't keep going through this with the people in my life! If they want me to leave then
why won't they just tell me!?
The funny thing Minako didn't understand was that once again she was being dramatic
and taking it all to her heart. Her almost insecurious need to learn what people knew
consciously and yet have it rip at her very own insecurities. It was tough but she was
making it worst by never taking the time to understand. By always wanting a scene of
some sort subconsciously to escalate when there was nothing but love there. Why she
was so above reality was something she couldn't figure out nor anybody else but it was
always there crawling around her brain that her world just wasn't… perfect.
Perfect… to be loved and treasured and cherished was perfect yet Minako's nature was
too blind to see that things were perfect for her and that she really was blessed.
It was always the same. Turning back to the negativity, believing in people as if they
were lies. Minako murdered her feelings over nothing, for no reason and thought the
only way to stop the voices in her head was to find love, someone who could REALLY
make things perfect. In the meantime, it was back to the dark side of things. She
couldn't realize that a boyfriend wasn't going to make things perfect because he was a
boyfriend, someone to say she was special. If she couldn't deal with her insecurious
makeup with her family and friends then a boyfriend was hardly vital because when
boyfriend was no more then the only thing left for someone as motivated for drama as
Minako was a grave.
So she kept running. And crying. Like always on the move but never taking the time to
stop and pull herself together. To pull the puzzle pieces into the right places and -
"THIS IS ALL SO STUPID!" Minako halted, looked into the sky, and yelled. Next thing
she knew she busted into laughter gathering passing looks. Clumsily the blond stumbled
onward. "Stupid," she kept under her breathe giggling. "I'm just tripping, like always,
being a total drama queen."
Continually talking to herself she continued to surf press on manage to push her foul
thoughts aside… for now. It sometimes always happened, at the very end, right before
the detonation she'd figure out that she was being foolish and over reacting. That
everything wasn't as sinisterly conspired like she always jumped the gun to figure it as.
It made her think walking, which walking lead to window shopping and window
shopping lead to Minako going "oh what size is that outfit?" and entering the clothing
store opening up her credit card. She didn't plan on coming out of three different
clothing stores racked with clothes double outfits from each. She also didn't plan on
having the biggest grin on her face. At ease now and forgetting about all her tribulations
she headed home and figured she'd apologize to her father the next day.
Which came quickly….
"MINAKO! IT'S TIME TO GET UP!"
"Eh?" Minako lifted her groggy disheveled head from under her heavy blankets. It had
felt so good under there, nestled and cozy and in heavenly paradise. She blinked darting
off a few specks of crusty sleep from the corners of her eyes, rubbed away the blur before
her eyes and blinked again. Finally she threw herself back under the blankets smiling at
her comfort snuggling herself in as deep as her petite body could meld into the mattress
smacking her lips as she settled in. Minako didn't want to hear her mother, didn't want
to have anything to do with the middle-age woman scream and crying out her name from
as far away as downstairs. Minako didn't want to awaken to the smell of a crisp
breakfast that wafted through her vents in a slurring aroma of tasty goodness. What… no
cold cereal? She knew it was her imagination anyhow, her mother couldn't really cook
breakfast, and maybe a few here and there but since her parents' divorce breakfast
seemed well unnatural with a hyperactive "I'm-21-Again" mother. Still…
Minako sniffed her eyes close and a smile spread over her face in the heat sun blocked
comfort nest she laid in.
"Mmmmm," she began to lick her lips sucking in the smells from downstairs that
radiated through her heavy blankets. Her nose began to dissect the collect and her mouth
began to announce as if making sure it wasn't a dream. "Eggs, scrambled with cheese,"
she sniffed, then spoke eyes close and thinking perhaps it was just a dream still. She
sniffed harder. "Mmmm, sugar rice, southern hospitality breakfast?" One eye peeked
open then closed in the shading of her blankets. Minako's nose sniffed again.
"Mmmmm… bacon." She licked her lips and paused. "BACON!?" her eyes gunshot
open. "Mom can't fry bacon!"
Immediately the blankets were off, the crust from her eyes peeled, and her hair… well…
still having a mind of it's own.
Things weren't right. This wasn't a dream. There was actually a breakfast downstairs
waiting and she could smell every sizzle, drop, scrap, and bubble. Minako sat upright in
her bed and looked around her glowing room, the sun was high and shining strongly
where she had to dodge it as she slipped ineptly to the floor with an "uff," got up
adjusting to the brightness and slipped on her bunny slippers. Near the door she grabbed
a red bandana from atop her full-length mirror and tied her hair down as quickly as
possible and looked herself over in the mirror. Baby blue cotton booty shorts and a belly
reveling white spaghetti strap. At least her choice in sleepwear was acceptable she
figured. Still her hair was messed up but looking better because there was one fact stated
here… somebody was in the house.
In the back of her mind Minako had a pretty good idea as to who… then again… she was
lost.
Should I run downstairs or walk, she wondered as she gave her alarm clock a look she
still had school and it was just now 7am. One hour to eat and get ready. Take it slowly,
she declared and out she stepped into the blue carpeting upstairs hall just as the phone
rang and a figure moved at the bottom of the staircase caught Minako's eyes. Minako
caught a glimpse of white move into the dining room pass the front door then darted back
inside her room, and grabbed the screaming cordless from her nightstand angry that it had
pulled her away from her sudden investigation.
"HAI!?" she coughed desperately losing all her telephone manners. Who the hell was
calling so early?
A sobbing Usagi answered: "MINAKO-CHANNNNNN!"
Minako slumped, her eyes drooping like melting wax. She couldn't believe Usagi was
phoning her so early in the morning. It was Usagi no doubt. Crying over something once
again to where Minako had to lay her bottom onto her messy bed to listen getting grilled
up that Usagi was cutting in on her action.
"Ai! Ai! Usagi-chan," Minako tried to console to calm the girl on the other end down to
explain why she was having such a fit… then again… to explain how she was up so
damn early. "What's the problem?"
Usagi slowly sniffled away her awake tears. There was a long pause and a blond girl
with pig-tails pushed through the ear piece in heat demanding: "MINAKO-CHAN
LET'S STILL BE FRIENDS!"
Minako having well enough of an ear full pulled the phone away from her ear, cursed,
then hung up before Usagi could push all the way through the ear piece. Minako sat
bewildered looking at the phone for a minute. It rang again as she could hear a faint
waggling of Usagi going: "I know you're there!"
Minako pulled the cord out the outlet from behind her nightstand.
"Who was that Minako!?"
Minako jumped eyes pressed against her cracked door where her mother startled her at
standing.
"No one!" Minako swallowed picking herself up. "I'm going for breakfast and heading
off to school!" Minako tried to push pass her mother without another word keeping eye
contact far away and hoping the fake smile on her face was somewhat proof she was
okay… calm and well. There was no time for scolding. She knew if she'd stood around
her mother would flip the script right there and get right down to business on her. So
Minako hustled even as the phone lines across the house other than her room jingled to
Usagi's own drum. "Tell her I'm not here," Minako informed her mother and tiptoed
downstairs.
The smell was becoming overwhelming. Minako peeked into the dinning room and
nothing was there; nevertheless, it was the kitchen that Minako stepped into to find the
breakfast table scattered with an assortment of food and a pale icy blond man standing
with his back toward her at the sink. It was Kunzite. Minako kept her eyes on him from
the doorway, on the back of his head, his long icy white hair swaying as his hands
worked at washing dishes. Minako's mouth was caught open and it wouldn't close until
as Kunzite placed a mixing bowl onto the dish rack he caught her out the corner of his icy
pale eye and smirked, stopped, then turned to face her.
"Good morning," he greeted almost as if it was a fake greeting Minako picked out. She
couldn't tell whether she should remain suspicious of him or pretend as if she was happy
to see him. Pretend as if she wasn't somewhat in love with him. Minako didn't want to
do too much thinking though because it would lead to voices. She had to set the record
straight… this was her mother's boyfriend and he was here in the early morning too cook
a breakfast before school. Right?
But he's so cute in his little white apron and-!
But- Minako began to wonder then stopped. No, don't start!
"Morning," the blond took a seat hastily as Kunzite came to fix her a plate from whatever
world he felt needed to. Minako hid her nearly naked body under the tablecloth as he
stepped picking up a plate and grinned at her. She didn't want him to see her, she didn't
want him to see her body and get ideas. It was her mother's boyfriend… end of story.
Since that was the case he had no business eyeing his girlfriend's daughter. Minako
wanted to keep it that way compared to her usual flaunts and tease with boys for
attention. Kunzite's continuous smiling was sending shivers up her spine but she let him
fix her a plate for some reason. Maybe it was her strong will to not overact and let things
take their course somewhat, but she didn't reject. She just gave little ingredients to a fair
amount of her breakfast plate as he moved along the table. A little eggs, he put a little,
two pieces of toast, he gave her two. Finally her breakfast plate was complete and
Kunzite sat it before her, poured her orange juice, she smiled sideways and took a sip as
she lowered next to her onto his knees. Minako forced herself to push away with no
avail.
"You don't have to be afraid," Kunzite spoke charmingly reading her affects before the
girl could slip in a forkful of scrambled eggs. Minako just looked down at him and
wondered why was he on one knee, wondered if he was trying to touch her, look at her
body, and seduce her. Kunzite's hair seemed to sway and his alluring smile began to
churn up a seething bad girl in Minako.
Kunzite didn't make any reactions with his hands. They lay laced over his bent knee but
he continued to look at her, which felt almost worst.
Minako bit down hard on her eggs and chewed slowly keeping her eyes pierced into his.
She couldn't look away. If she looked away she'd let her guard down and he'd touch her
she plotted and at the same time as she looked at him she wanted to kiss him and she
WANTED him to touch her. Minako stopped herself. It was her mother's boyfriend she
had to remember. She had no room. No room this early in the morning to let those
voices plague her. She couldn't deal with them. Not now. But even so as she struggled
her mind began to wonder.
She just couldn't read Kunzite even as they looked eye to eye. So her suspicion grew and
her captivity to love him grew. Two overwhelming forces ready to ignite her mind into
war. But she kept hold and remembered; this was her mother's boyfriend. Not giving
too much though that the scenario was odd in itself. He was on one knee, on the kitchen
floor as if proposing to her and yet, he just looked as if almost wanting a reaction of
goodness out of the breakfast he'd prepared eyeing each muscle in Minako to find that
fulfilling serge of delight in his cooking.
Abruptly Kunzite reached out a hand and Minako jumped out of her seat scrapping the
chair legs against the floor onto her feet. It was crazy. The blond girl stood a fork in her
mouth and her looming body before him and her eyes still into his she watched as his
worked their way from her feet up to her shoulders and down again and back up. Her
reaction was strong and all Kunzite did was lifted a hand onto the table top to pull
himself up now paused in what Minako felt as awe of her body.
And somewhere behind her brain Minako wanted him to look…
"That's what you sleep in?" Kunzite seemingly joked as he got to his feet finally.
"Sure… yeah," Minako muttered as he turned his back going toward the sink. She cursed
herself for letting things get out of hand and sat back down quickly tucking her body back
under the tablecloth. Stupid, she told herself silently. He wasn't making a move on me
and I overacted and shown exactly what I didn't want him to see. Why do I get myself
into these situations?
Minako sat and ate and ate and ate and ate and ate… alone keeping all focus closed for
now. Kunzite washed dishes and cleaned up the kitchen, her mother was upstairs
dressing and the kitchen clock left her roughly thirty minutes to get dressed for school.
Finally full Minako tried to sneak out of the kitchen without being seen and stopped at
the doorway where Kunzite announced that he'd be taking her to school.
"Oh," Minako's only reaction was, her nose pressed against the wood swing door. She
didn't feel like cheering and jumping around knowing she'd pull into school in Kunzite's
beautiful celebrity car. She was almost afraid now. What did it mean now that he was
taking her to school? Another sneaky-peeky date added on the sideline perhaps in
Kunzite's agenda?
It suddenly felt cold in the kitchen. Dead cold. Maybe it was Kunzite's icy skin
radiating but it felt cold to Minako and she shivered and walked clearly in march toward
her room to organize for school but as she got to her door she passed it, kept straight pass
two more doors following her right and turned right slamming her palm into the door and
it burst open to her mother typing at her computer at her desk next to her bed quaking the
walls. Ms. Aino turned around sharply nearly spilling her cup of coffee holding a hand
against her startled chest demanding hotly why Minako busted open her door.
"Because!" her daughter ranted throwing herself on her mother's bed face down pulling a
pillow over her head like she was a child. "Because you allow that dingbat to take me to
school!" Minako proclaimed muffled by the pillow making some tired excuse up. She
didn't add the part where she might be tempted to make a move on Kunzite. She didn't
add the part that Kunzite might take her out on a date behind her mother's back. She just
added: "I hate him."
Ms. Aino sipped her coffee and turned back to her computer where she had the remains
of her breakfast plate topping her stack of papers. "Puh-leeze," Ms. Aino swished
speakingly. "You don't hate him. Maybe you're just jealous on the other hand."
"Jealous?" Minako pulled harshly from under the pillow and frowned at her mother and
to get a better understanding she sat up Indian-style on her mother's bed. "What do you
mean jealous? I hope you don't mean jealous of you? Because-"
"Mmm-hmm," Ms. Aino stood up and stretch, still undressed she pulled on her satin
bathrobe and moved into her walk-in closet. Minako fell onto the bed to watch at an
angle as her mother worked in the glowing closet. "I'm saying Minako that maybe
you're jealous that I'll be spending more time with Kunzite."
Minako rolled her eyes. That was hardly the issue and of course her mother had to rub
things in just because she could get a date. "Whatever," Minako grumbled watching her
mother pull down a shoebox from her rack. "I just don't understand why he's here all
early in the first place COOKING. And why he has to take me to school? And why…"
Minako couldn't think any longer as her mother slipped on a pair of heels. In disgust
Minako warned her not to cause a fashion-flop and scuttled herself off her mother's bed.
Apparently Ms. Aino wasn't listening nor found attention when Minako left and got
ready for school wasting time and energy.
Back to the basics. Sighing heavily Minako slammed her bedroom door shut and leaned
against it. She didn't know what to do. Should she just go with the flow? Maybe
yesterday was all out of good nature. Maybe it was just a little fun going on an ice cream
pretend date. Maybe this was all too stupid.
"And maybe I'm overacting again!" Minako started to pull out her hair. "I got to get to
school so what if I have a ride at least I won't be late!" And from there she started to get
dressed.
Minako's journey to school was without word to Kunzite. He drove. She sat. She
wanted to ask, she tried to forget. Well not exactly without words. Kunzite dove into her
sometimes and she'd give false answers or nothing at all. All Minako did was stare out
the window and nervously check if all her books were in their bookcase over and over
again.
"We need to go back for something?" Kunzite eventually asked.
Minako looked up quickly, tucked her lips to hold back from speaking and shook her
head.
Kunzite gave her a tender side look. "That's probably the tenth time you've check that
thing-"
"So?"
"So?"
"I mean!" Minako sat up. "I mean… so… so… so why were you over our house this
morning cooking breakfast?" Trying not to come off angrily.
Kunzite chuckled a little. "Well… aren't we suspicious. I just thought it'd be a generous
offer. Save a little handy work from your mom."
"She doesn't cook," Minako grumbled still eyeing the pacing scenery. She didn't want to
talk anymore. She just wanted to get to class and do whatever she had to do to survive
and hopefully her dad would pick her up. Minako also didn't want to think. If she
thought then she'd flip. If she tried to analyze, then she'd flip. Right now she just
wanted things to get back to normal. No more worrying about if people carried about her
or appreciated her or wanted her around. She missed her friends terribly and in her
struggle to keep herself away from the tempting Kunzite she would need their support.
Minako was willing now and open to continue her relationship with the other girls.
Anything to distract her from Kunzite and gab more about boys her age and so forth.
The school was starting to emerge up towards them. Minako was anxious now to get out
and find Makoto, Ami, Usagi, and catch up with Rei later. Kids were crowding the
sidewalks in uniform. It was school and Minako sighed ready to get out of her little ride
with Kunzite. Yes, yes, yes, yes, no more temptations only distractions, pure distractions.
Girl talk, lunchroom conversations, test, exams, the works. Minako continued to keep
her brain working on the possibilities.
The drop off was coming through before the school where other cars were letting students
off along with buses. Minako anticipated to find someone she knew and could run to first
outside the school, anticipated for Kunzite to stop behind the car at the rear of the drop
off but… Kunzite wasn't caressing the brakes. He wasn't slowing down.
The blond turned to the driver. "Hello! You're going to miss the stop," Minako pointed.
Kunzite didn't react. He just stared ahead and drove.
"HEY!" Minako cried not sure where her feelings were. Should she panic, remain calm,
what? "Kunzite!" she tried again. Her attention wasn't getting through and in a matter of
seconds the gas was hit and pass the drop off they went speeding.
Oh my God! Minako's mind screamed as her eyes lay on the school as it began to
steadily drown away from her sight. What the-!?
Panic! Suspicious of Kunzite!? Yes! Tempted!? NO! What was going on!? Did he
realize the school was right there! He picked up her yesterday from the same spot so
why!?
Minako charged up ready to fight or do whatever she had to do to get his attention but she
sure as hell wasn't about to let this man take control of her in any way.
And still they kept going; Kunzite wasn't slowing down whatsoever.
"HEY!" Minako tried again. "Turn around! Turn around!" She began to panic as they
were speeding pass lights breaking through the lines at an incriminated speed. Horns
began to blare, fingers flicked, and still Kunzite gunned the gas to its raw end and sent
the wheel spinning dodging the traffic going deeper into the city flying miles pass the
high school where Minako had seven minutes to get to class. The school was now miles
away and Minako could feel it like a knife in her throat taking away her security. Feeling
unsafe now. The school was safe, home was safe, alone with Kunzite in his car wasn't
safe. Yes, he'd took her to eat ice cream but that was a different Kunzite… this one…
this one just stared ahead and drove as if… dead.
Minako glared closely at Kunzite. He was the same but he wasn't… listening. She
waved a shaken hand in front of him, no reaction. Should she grab the wheel? No,
they'd die. Minako looked around and it was a blur like a messy oil painting with
glowing lights. Red and blue and red and blue and red and blue! The police! She hated
the police! What the hell was going on!?
It crept sharply in her. The fear, the nervousness as police cars from a distance where
settling into stopping Kunzite. Whether Kunzite knew or not Minako couldn't tell as she
stared deep into his unemotional looks. She screamed his name. Told him to stop.
Slapped his shoulder and it was when she made a grab for the wheel did he turn hotly at
her yet his stare was as cold as a block of ice. A look that clearly read, "keep your
distance" and possibly a curse word on the side.
Minako began to panic as he slowly turned his head back toward the road just as he
swooned pass a bus and threw a stoplight aside. She didn't know what to do. He wasn't
listening to her, ignoring her by bits. Jump the car… prepare to die and turn into
hamburger meat. Somehow get the police? How, they couldn't even catch up with the
car. Talk to Kunzite instead of panicking? Maybe.
Minako laughed nervously but hoping it'd sink into Kunzite that she… perhaps GOT the
joke. "Hehehehe," Minako forced out of herself. "It's been fun Kunzite. You really got
me here I'm scared now if that's what you want sooooo… if you could," she frowned,
"turn around I need to get to class."
Long awaited response.
Nothing.
She tried to be calm.
"Turn the damn car around!" the blond cried. "I'm scared now! Turn it around okay! I
got the point!" A massive metallic blue car came splicing near an edge with a thump as it
scrapped the side of the car where Minako sat and she looked in horror with a yelp then
Kunzite blew pass the blaring car.
"What's wrong with you!?" Minako screamed. "Slow down! STOP! STOP! STOP!
STOP THE CAR PLEASE!" No response. She looked back and prayed the police were
catching up. Kunzite has been driving straight for the last five minutes and there wasn't a
trace of a colorful siren in sight. He'd lost the police. His car was just too damn fast for
them and now they were moving into an area far from familiar to Minako. She looked
around and focus to look outside the blur for help but found nothing common.
Everything seemed rundown.
Scream for help! Roll down the window and scream for help!
Minako hit the automatic. The window didn't budge… didn't lower! She tried again!
Again! Again! Againagainagainagainagainagain!
Nothing!
She slammed a palm into and tried to pull it down manually! Jack!
The angry/frightened blond turned hotly toward Kunzite and plead once more for him to
stop. It wasn't a joke so she didn't bother with the joke part. She didn't bother trying to
understand whatever was going on. She just plea and offered whatever she could give to
him if he'd just stop the damn car and take her home.
Nothing.
She was afraid to even reach in his direction. Afraid he'd hit her. Just reaching for the
wheel proved to her that he felt authority to hit her. Wasn't happening! She didn't want
to be hit because if so it would prove everything. Prove what she'd been dreading but
trying to keep far far in the back of her mind.
Then it hit her… and it hit her hard… so hard that she couldn't keep it from mind
anymore
Maybe it was the sound of police sirens on the chase pulling in to cut Kunzite off, maybe
it was the motor, maybe it was Kunzite's heavy breathing but it slapped her in the face
like a ton of bricks.
Minako bit at her nails in thought. No wonder, she thought. No wonder he was at our
home, no wonder he was talking to those men yesterday, no wonder I'm in this position
now. He is a liar! He is messed up! He is some kind of psycho! He's going to do some
horrible to me! Why is this happening to me!? What did I do!? This isn't supposed to
happen to me! God please make him stop!
Tears welled up in frightened blue Minako's eyes and she demanded: "WHY!" and
looked sharply at Kunzite whipping her eyes. "Why are you doing this!? What do you
want!? Why me!? What did I do!?"
Kunzite looked at her again and this time filled with rage he finally had something to say.
She'd finally asked the right question in the right manner. Afraid as he reached behind
her seat Minako pressed herself against the door crying away from ever chilling wave of
Kunzite away from everything as close to him as he reached and reached blinded at the
wheel but still working his hand Minako's seat from behind. She looked frightened
afraid at what he was going to pull out. A gun… what?
"This is why… MINAKO!" Kunzite spat, pulled up and threw a newspaper into
Minako's face then followed onto his breaking the traffic.
Minako, almost too scared to look worked her fingers around the paper. Answers. She
needed answers. Why was this happening? Then she found it. Her fingers worked
around the front of the paper. The headline. It was the Sunday paper; same as Rei had,
and as she feared there was her face. Two familiar shots. One of her yelling at… at…
the robber from Saturday afternoon as he was being drawn into a police car and next to it
a clear picture of her colorful headshot. A clear picture. A clearer picture than the other.
"Oh my God," she threw a sobbing hand against her mouth.
"Ting-ting-ting! Absolutely!" Kunzite roared. "You've got it correct babe!"
Minako wanted to put two and two together but she was so afraid crying wiping her eyes
staring and staring ever so hard at her picture in the paper. The picture that graduated her
so much respect with people at school and raised her ego, her diva ship. It was a
beautiful headshot of her and no one could miss it… no one HAS missed it. Blue eyes,
blond hair, beautiful smile, button nose, and red ribbon. It was her. It was Minako there
for the world to see! Even robbers. Even burglars! Even maniacs! Even kidnappers!
Popularity now proven itself to be a bitch.
Minako looked teary eyed at Kunzite, her nails grinding into the paper. So what did this
mean!? What did it all mean now!? Was he going to kill her for saving some bank
practically by ACCIDENT!?
Kunzite could read her thoughts it seemed and he threw a finger stabbing it and stabbing
it into the paper tearing Minako up with it stab sending more frightened tears fallen. "He
owed me!" Kunzite explained all hands back on the wheel. Minako threw the paper onto
the floor and turned from him her fingers shaking. "He owed me and YOU got in the
way of my money and now-"
"I didn't mean to!" she screamed shaking terribly brushing her hands through her hair
over and over again nervously. "I didn't mean to!"
"It doesn't matter!" Kunzite responded cutting. "It doesn't matter because dead men
can't pay bills you see."
"Dead? He's dead?" Minako looked at Kunzite her tears stopping. The panic was over.
She was a fool the whole time but the panic was over and now she learned someone she
helped confiscate was dead because of her.
Kunzite nodded. "I had the job done before I realized some little schoolgirl was the
cause of all my problems and so NOW that little schoolgirl has to make up for it. I have
people I need to pay myself and you're going to help me."
"WHAT!?" The men in black.
Kunzite nodded again. "Yep. I have a job f