Chapter 7

Rei woke up early next day. She couldn't help but think of what had happened last night. She was still confused, but not only that, she was… ecstatic, excited and hope started to rise. If Mina was certainly not interested in that boy and if what she heard was true then maybe SHE, Rei Hino had a chance to win her back. Haruka and Michiru were right, but what if Mina was not ready yet? What if everything was a dream? Was she just dreaming?? It was not just a girl, it was Minako Aino… This wonderful girl had turned her world upside down.

She kept looking to the sleeping girl. Her finger followed lightly through her eyelids, her delicate nose. Her sweet pink lips resting there, trace them out… Her mind was a whirlwind. She was thinking of her father, his past and present actions. She thought of Kat too, trying to see if she still felt something for her, if her new found love for Mina was too young… if it was a rebound kind of love or if she really was falling for this little girl, her precious Mina… She hugged her closer. Mina rested her arm above Rei's abs while her head rested between Rei's neck… Rei liked the feeling of Mina's body against her, the feel of their hearts beating to the same rhythm. She rested her head again in the pillow, never leaving the heat of her body. She felt asleep too, just dreaming about her Mina.

Mina, unknowingly to Rei, was awake too, but she didn't make a move. She loved her caresses, their closeness. She was thinking of how stupid she had been the last few months. Rei had almost declared her love for her, but no she had to screw everything… just because she wasn't ready. It was a good motive but still she was a fool to believe that her actions wouldn't leave a mark on her love. But now she was ready, or at least she thought so. No one would stop her, not Satoshi, not Akira… Rei was going to be hers no matter what… her heart, her soul… just for her… She felt asleep too as she felt Rei's steady breathe.


Next morning happen too fast for everyone, especially for Mina. She only wanted to be in bed, but they had agreed on visiting the last two temples that day. They were already in Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion Temple) and with the combined knowledge of Michiru and Ami they were starting to see the temple with other perspective, well at least the others cause Mina was still too asleep. Rei hadn't say a word. She seemed to be still angry even when she had caressed her the whole morning… She wanted soo badly to kiss those strawberry lips but no, she had to wait… or at least try to…

They followed their guide into the different sections of the temple. Everyone was too immersed in the chatting that they didn't saw Minako walking apart. Since she had her sunglasses on and her ipod almost at full volume, she didn't notice the others taking a right turn. She kept walking until she heard no sound around… She was worried, how in the earth she managed to lose them!?!? She walked and walked but she couldn't find them, it was as if everything and everyone had disappeared…She found her way out and followed a path that seemed to go to the nearest exit. But as she kept walking the trees seemed to be more and more until she reached a clearing… Even with her sunglasses the light was too bright that it blinded her for a moment… When everything became clearer she saw a young woman around her late twenties standing in front of her. She was dressed with a red hakama, a white kimono shirt and a tabi. Her raven black hair reached her waist and her eyes were just the same color. She looked like someone Mina knew but she could figure who…

"I was waiting for you… Aino-san…"

"How… how do you know my name?"

"I have my ways… but that's not the reason why I am here, nor why I was waiting for you… but come here sit down… my bad I hadn't even presented myself… I am Hino Shiori, the priestess of the temple… and I have something to tell you… Minako…"

Mina shivered. She didn't know what to do… The women seemed, no scratch that, she was different.

"I… I know I don't have any right to mess with your life nor Rei's but… I have this visions you know? And they told me what can happen if you don't act sooner enough… you have to fight for her… some trouble is coming… and if you don't get together… well… they are gonna win… and… I don't want that to happen… I want my little girl to be happy… take care of her heart… she's not as strong as she seems to be… tell Rei I said hi and that I love her, I'll always love her…" She said the last part while going into the woods…

Mina tried to follow her. She wanted to ask so many questions. It was madness, how did she know about their lives? And what did she care about her feelings?? Or Rei's for that matter…?? Did she know her? She followed her until she lost sight of her and found herself in one of the temple's gates…

"MINAKO AINO!!! Where were you?? We were so worried!?!? It was almost the hour and we couldn't find you…" Rei pulled Mina into a hug, wrapping her arms tightly around Mina's waist not wanting to leave her alone anymore… "I thought that something bad had happened to you… I was so worried…"

"I am sorry Rei… I didn't want to worry you is just that…. I got lost and then I was back here… Didn't know how I got back…" Mina wanted to tell Rei about Shiori but something held her back…

The rest of the day went by without incidents. Mina tried to test waters but Rei was being distant and she didn't know what to do. Besides she didn't have anyone to talk to they were going one place to another and she couldn't get Michiru or Haruka apart… the words of Shiori kept dancing in her mind, was all a dream?


Almost everyone woke up few hours later when the voices of a discussion started to be listened all over the hall.

"I just!!! Arg!! I can't wait!! No more… no more… it's just too hard…"

"But Mako I just… I am not ready!"

"I just want to tell our friends… they need to know… besides it's not like we're going to shout it to the whole world… they'll understand… if they accepted Michiru's and Haruka's relationship then why wouldn't they accept ours??"

"I… I… not ready…. Sorry but I can't"

Meanwhile in Mina's room, Rei stood up and walked to the door, followed by Mina… She slowly opened the door enough to look at the pair of girls. Mina put her hands on Rei's shoulders and leaned over her back until her body was slightly pressed again Rei. Her chin rested over Rei's right shoulder. Rei could feel how her body tensed up at the feel of Mina's breath against her neck plus the feel of her hard nipples pushed against her back. It was too much for her. She just wanted to turn around and devour those delicious strawberry lips of her friend, but she was Hino Rei and it was certainly not acceptable to lose control like that… even it was killing her little by little.

They stayed like that not really knowing what was going outside. Michiru and Haruka were also there looking at the display. The only one who seemed unaffected by all the shouting was Serena who was still deeply asleep.

Makoto rushed away, tears going down. They had never had a fight like this and it felt like hell. Michiru went after Ami who was now locked into her room before falling into her knees sobbing uncontrollably. Haruka went after Makoto after telling Rei and Mina to start to get ready for their next travel destination.

Rei closed the door and tried to release herself from Mina's grip but the blond didn't let her go.

"Jes Rei you're too tense…"

She started to rub Rei's back, her hands wandering freely, almost touching her butt. The hall was suddenly getting to hot. Rei's breath was becoming unsteady and Mina was delighted. She wanted to feel Rei's skin against hers so she pulled her shirt up. She embraced Rei, her hands now traveling all over Rei's well formed abs… Rei couldn't help but moan at the contact. It was too much for her, almost unbearable. She just wanted to turn around and kiss the blonde with all the passion and fire she was feeling at the moment….

"Mi… please… stop…"

"I don't want to…" She murmured against Rei's ear closing the remaining gap between them. She hugged completely Rei while moving her hand up and up… teasing, playing…. Their bodies became more and more heated until Rei lost control… She broke their embrace and turned around.

"I don't like to be teased…"

Rei lightly pushed Mina against the nearest wall. She tried to look into Mina's eyes searching for something more than lust and found herself drowning into a whirlwind of emotions. She saw uncertainty, fear, lust…. But beyond everything love… pure and undying love. She then understood that this was perfectly alright, that her feelings were not alone… that they were fully returned.

"I don't like to be teased either…"

Mina pulled Rei closer and joined their lips. They felt a heat electric rush through running through their bodies. Their hands couldn't stop wandering around, but still not daring to go any further. Rei wanted to taste, to feel everything of Mina's body but it was their first kiss and she didn't want to ruin the moment, besides the fact that she was scared… scared to see Mina's rejection written all over her face once they pulled apart… she was clearly missing the fact the she was the one being kissed.

They fell apart as soon as the lack of oxygen was becoming an issue, both with a big smile upon their faces.

"Would you… would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"I… I always thought I was going to be the one asking you that… Mi…"

"I take that as a yes then… right Rei?" Mina said biting her lip…

"Yes my love… I would like…. No… no… I'd love to be your girlfriend…" Mina hugged her leaving Rei almost without air. Both rested their chins in the other's shoulder. There were too many questions in the air, they wanted to say too many things but neither of them knew where to start… Mina wanted to know if they were going to be public… after all the shouting she had heard form Ami and Mako she didn't know what Rei was thinking. Rei was thinking almost the same thing… guess she was more worried about what her dad was going to do…

"Do you… Rei… do you know a woman named Shiori Hino? I thought that maybe she was your cousin or something… she said she was the priestess in the golden pavilion temple…"

"It's impossible… don't joke about it… I… I am going to shower… and… then… then… I'll get ready…" Rei took her things and went directly to the bathroom… The downfall water could be heard… Rei broke down… She didn't know what the reason was… if Mina… or the city… or those memories she tried so hard to forget… she had talked with Mina about her mom... but she had never said her name nor the fact that she had been the priestess in Kinkakuji…

"What did I say??" She packed her things and fell asleep… there was still time left and she wanted some rest, the last days were too much for her…


Meanwhile…

Haruka reached Makoto when she was almost at the hotel's main gate.

"Makoto wait!!"

"What do you want Haruka?" said the brunette stopping her walk. Makoto stopped completely and for the first time in a long time her tears started to flow freely.

"Just to talk, I guess… What happened back there?"

"I don't know…" Haruka knew that Makoto wasn't going to open as quickly as she would like. They were both similar in that aspect, they had a hard time talking about what they were feeling. She knew that there was no motive to rush thing, the brunette was going to talk when she was ready. She only hoped it was sooner than later…

Haruka and Makoto continued walking. Haruka lead the brunette to the terrace… They had a great view of Kyoto and it was the perfect place for this kind of chitchat.

"I don't know, we were just talking, and suddenly came the shouting… you know? I don't even know how it all started. I mean, I know that Ami wants us to be private but… come on… private can include friends right? Serena is all right with you two and I know Mina and Rei are crazy for each other… so I don't know what scares Ami…"

"Michiru was just as Ami, they acted the same. Sshe said to me that she was the one with the problem, because after all many people think I am a boy… but I just wanted to tell my parents. I knew that they already suspected that something was going on between Michiru and I. They already knew I liked girls too. But Michiru was afraid that I could expose her to the world… her image is important to her… and there is something you need to take care of too… both, Michiru and Ami, look stronger than they are… but their hearts are easily breakable… maybe it's easier for you to take the critics away but Ami… well… she has less experience in that… field Let Michiru talk to her and you see that everything is going to flow the right way… "

"Thanks Haruka… I don't know what we would do without you…" She threw her arms around Haruka and pulled her into a big hug. She hoped everything was going to be ok. She did love Ami with all her heart and she didn't want to be in constant fight with her. She just wanted to take her in her arms and kiss her whenever she wanted to…


Meanwhile Michiru was talking with Ami. It has being a little bit difficult for Michiru to come inside Ami's room, the girl didn't want to open but at the end she did. They both sat at the end of the bed. Ami had her eyes red, red, red of crying, but Michiru knew that it was better to take everything outside so she was the first to start to talk.

"I… know that you don't really want to talk with me… but… I just want to help… I don't want to see two of my favorite girls in this state…"

"I… I am afraid…."

"I know… come here…" She felt Michiru's soft arms embracing her and soothing her down… But deep inside she wished they were Mako's… She didn't want to fight but she was too afraid of everyone reactions… She knew that they were going to agree with the situation but there was the slight chance that not… and that certainly scare her…

"Haruka and I…. well… not really… I was the one who was afraid… I come from this rich family with parents who think that we need to be perfect in every aspect… they had already plans for my future… like the perfect husband… and all that stuff… at first they were angry because of Haruka's past behavior, that was when they still thought Haruka was a boy… and then… they were angry because Haruka is a girl… my mom was all…. There's not even a word to describe her… but then Setsuna appeared… like an angel… she talked with me, with my parents… you see… she told me that there was nothing to be afraid of… that love was the most important thing in the world and I was lucky enough to find it… she managed to convince my parents with other arguments though…. She told them Haruka's background and all that…. But that's not the important thing… the thing is that she showed me that there are thing that are far more important than what people is going to think…. And besides… you're not alone in this… you have all of us… and there's nothing in the world that you can't do with friends and with someone you love the way you love Mako… Your mom loves you too and she won't think less of you cause you're in love with a girl… believe me… soo…. Stop with the tears show and go get your girl… I think Haruka might have finished talking to her by now… she's kinda faster than I am…"

"You're right… Michi…. Thanks a lot… really…" She wiped her tears and ran out looking for her love…


Ami was getting desperate. She had looked everywhere but she still couldn't find a clue of her girlfriend's whereabouts. She decided to take a break and went to the terrace… But when she arrived she saw something that tore her apart. Makoto was embracing Haruka and she had such smile upon her face… Haruka slowly broke Mako's embrace noticing Ami's arrival. Makoto looked to where Haruka was looking and found herself drowning into Am's deep blue eyes…

Ami didn't hold her gaze and looked away almost immediately unable to move. She wanted to kiss Makoto. She wanted to hug her, embrace her until they were one but her fears came rushing back again one by one leaving her with the desire to run away, thing she did after little hesitance.

Makoto stayed dumbfounded. She was in complete shock. She had never seen Ami running away from her, heck from anything… Haruka wasted no time and almost shouted her to go after her. The girl left almost at the same time.

She found her almost at the same place where Haruka had found her. She was sat in a bench with her hands hiding her crying eyes… Makoto sat beside her and hugged her softly almost caressing her lover. Ami wanted to break the embrace but she couldn't resist her urges and gave up embracing Mako as well.

"Why did you run? You don't like me anymore? Did I do something wrong?"

"Don't ever think that… I love you with all my heart… I was just afraid… what if something goes wrong… what if my mom doesn't love me anymore…?"

"We'll take whatever they throw us and throw it back harder if we can… don't be afraid I am here and always be here…. And your mom loves you, and always will… she won't be angry…."

"That's all I wanted to hear…"

Makoto pulled apart and placed her hands over Ami's cheeks… Ami closed her eyes and Mako joined their lips together. The kiss was sweet and gentile…

Everything seemed to be fine right now… but it was just the calm before the storm…


"Senator, Kathleen Sanders is here…"

"Perfect, let her in…"

It was the first time Kathleen was in Hino's office. Not even when she was with Rei nor later, she had come. The office was in a downtown's building. It had a perfect view of Tokio's city. It was what every high executive could dream of. It was elegant, spacious, just perfect…

"Come in, come in girl… please take a sit…" Kat was intimidated. One thing was talking with him by phone and another was being face to face with him. He exuded such power. She took sit immediately; she didn't want to be in his bad list again…

"I know we didn't end out relationship pretty well last time but I know this time everything will go much better for both parties…Let me go straight to the point… There's this girl that's chasing my daughter and….and I already tried with this boy... but apparently he can't manage to seduce her... "

"I already told you what happened!!!!" Said a boy around her age... She didn't even bother to look at him twice.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your excuses... I hope you can help me with my dilemma your girl... Though... you don't have other option"

"You want her out of the way right?"

"Exactly… there's where you come in…"

"Just tell me what to do…" Said Kat… with a smirk in her face…


Author's note

So soorryyy for the long wait... I hope you are still reading this... I'll finish it... whatever long time it takes... but i'll finish it... please tell me your opinion about the story... see ya later!