CHAPTER 11 - Choices
Minako entered the room and closed the door behind her back, slowly leaning against it. Her eyes were staring at the ground, not at the girl half-lying on the bed, who was looking at her curiously.
The idol opened her mouth, but no words came out. She sighed, frustrated at herself, but she really didn't know what she was supposed to say. Should she introduce herself? Should she act like Rei losing her memory wasn't a big deal?
Meanwhile, Rei adjusted herself on the bed, her eyes never leaving Minako. The girl looked so fragile, so hurt... But maybe seeing her in that state was what gave Rei the push to make the first move.
"Minako?"
Minako raised her head quickly as she heard Rei calling her by her first name. There was a glimpse of hope in her eyes at the thought that Rei had regained her memories, but as soon as she spoke again, Minako's hope vanished completely.
"Doctor Mizu- uh, Ami," Rei corrected herself, reminding that Ami had asked her several times to call her by the first name since they were close friends, "she told me about... about... us. Uh, about you and me, I mean. She told me that we were- we are... married."
Rei stumbled over the words, feeling her cheeks burn as she said the last word. She avoided Minako's eyes for a moment, completely embarrassed by the realization she was staring at none other than her... wife.
How awkward that could be?
"Yes... we are." Minako muttered somewhat disappointed, her eyes again on the ground and a barely noticeable sigh escaping her lips.
"That explains... the kiss." Rei added shyly, willing to break the uncomfortable silence that had again filled the room.
As she heard that, Minako became even more embarrassed than Rei was.
"I'm- I'm sorry. I wouldn't have done that if I knew... if I knew you didn't remember... me." Minako's voice faltered at the end of the sentence. The fact that Rei didn't remember her was even more painful when said out loud.
"Oh, no. That's okay." Rei answered quickly. She didn't mean to make Minako feel bad... or worse than she was already feeling. "I understand. If I were you, I guess I would have done the same thing."
She gave Minako a shy little smile, which Minako didn't catch because her eyes were again on the floor.
"So... how- how are you?"
Minako asked, realizing that she still didn't know the extent of Rei's damages. After she ran away from the room, she had kept herself away from everyone. She only came back hours later, after Usagi found her hiding in one of the restrooms and dragged her upstairs to talk to Rei.
"Except for the memory loss, I think I'm okay..." Rei answered with a shrug. "I'm feeling oddly tired, though; a few minutes ago I tried to walk to the bathroom, but I lost my balance and Makoto ended up helping me. Ami said this is expected because I spent about a month lying unconscious on a hospital bed, so maybe I'm going to need physiotherapy to strengthen my muscles. But... I think I'll be alright."
"This must be hard on you..." Minako commented quietly.
"It is." Rei stared directly at her as she answered. "But I can see this is as hard for you as it is for me."
Minako could only nod in agreement. Going through this could be compared to living a nightmare. She knew it was written all over her face, so there was no point in denying it.
"I'm sorry for causing you all this trouble." Rei said apologetically.
Minako parted her lips in surprise. She couldn't believe Rei was apologizing for something that really wasn't her fault. But before Minako could say anything, she and Rei heard a commotion outside.
"I'm her father! I have the right to see my daughter anytime I want!"
A masculine voice spoke firmly and soon Hino Takashi unceremoniously burst through the door.
Vehemently ignoring Minako, he quickly walked to the bed where an utterly shocked Rei was gawking at him.
"Rei." Takashi breathed emotionally, holding Rei's hand in his. "I had faith you would wake up! God wouldn't punish me by taking away my precious daughter from me."
Minako narrowed her eyes incredulously at him and then she bit her lower lip, refraining herself from asking why he hadn't bothered to visit his precious daughter not even once over the past month.
"I'm- I'm sorry. I don't remember yo-" Rei tried to explain, but Takashi cut her off.
"I know, I know. Doctor Ueno has updated me about your condition. He told me about the memory loss, but that's okay, Rei. Soon you will be discharged and you will have a lot of time to get to know me again when you come back home."
"Just wait a minute." At that absurdity, Minako immediately stepped in. "What exactly do you mean by come back home?"
Finally Takashi stared at Minako as he answered.
"She's coming to my house. And before you say anything, Miss Aino, I suggest we have a little talk. Just the two of us."
"I can't believe you are taking advantage of her memory loss." Minako hissed once she and Takashi were alone in the conference room. "You never wanted to live with her, so why would you change your mind now?"
"I've been blessed with the chance to make things right for my only daughter. I won't waste this opportunity!" Takashi raised his voice slightly, annoyed by Minako's reprimand.
But Minako was even more annoyed than he was.
"You never really cared about her! You ditched her in the shrine when she was just a little girl! She had just lost her mother and you took away the only thing she had left: you!"
"Watch your words! You don't have the right to judge me!"
Takashi roared at her, but it didn't intimidate Minako. She took a step forward and stared at him defiantly.
"Do you have any idea what you put her through? She has suffered her whole life because you abandoned her! Where were you when she needed you the most?"
"And where exactly were you when she was shot?" Takashi retorted.
As she heard that, Minako's bravado faltered. Takashi easily noticed how much his words had affected her and he decided to go on.
"We both know why she is lying in a hospital bed. We both know whose fault this is! I may have made some mistakes a long time ago, Miss Aino, but I've never risked Rei's life!"
Minako's lips formed a thin line, her eyes narrowing at him while she was fighting back her tears.
"What will Rei think of you once she hears that you are the reason she was shot? Don't you think she's going to hate you after she learns that you've ruined her life?" Takashi asked, an eyebrow raised questioningly at Minako. "So don't waste your time: Rei is going with me!"
"No, she's not!" Minako gathered all her strength to face him again. She would never let anyone take Rei away from her. Ever. "Rei will stay with me! I have been taking care of her and I will continue to do so, whether you like it or not!" Minako stated firmly, while brushing her tears away. "She may have lost her memories, but she's still my wife!"
"By the Japanese laws she is certainly not!" Takashi's declared, making Minako widen her eyes in surprise. "You were living together, indeed, but right now Rei can't make decisions of her own. And as her father, I'm her legal representative. By the Japanese laws, you and my daughter are not related, so even if you tried, Miss Aino... you couldn't take her out of this hospital without my permission."
"W-What?" Minako couldn't believe what she had just heard. "No! This is not fair!" She cried out indignantly. "Legally married or not, Rei sees me as her wife!"
"Actually, right now, she has no idea of who you are."
At Takashi's cold statement, Minako even took a step back, feeling like she had been punched in the stomach.
"You can't- you can't do this to me!" Minako cried out. Then, noticing Takashi's impassive stare, she lowered her voice, putting her pride aside, ready to beg if she needed to. "Please, Mr. Hino, I-"
Takashi turned on his heels and walked towards the door, ignoring Minako's words as well as the tears that now were falling uncontrollably down her cheeks.
"After Rei leaves this hospital, I'll make sure you never get near her again. You are a terrible influence to my daughter."
He added before exiting the room.
Her vision was blurry, so Minako heard rather than saw the door closing with a loud bang, falling on her knees with her heart broken in a thousand pieces.
Apparently things could get even worse than they already were.
Immediately after he left the conference room, Takashi went to see Rei's doctor. He was not willing to wait any longer. He wanted his daughter out of that place and out of Minako's life as soon as possible.
Much to his content, the doctor had said they would run some tests and, if everything was okay, he would let Rei go home on the following day.
So Takashi ran to his daughter's room with a smile on his face to tell her the good news.
"Listen, Rei." Takashi said as he effectively entered the room. "I think I can take you home tomorrow! I was talking to your doctor and he said he just wants to run some tests to make sure you are ready to be discharged."
He was waiting for Rei to say something, but she remained silent. Her eyes were on Minako, who had arrived in time to hear Takashi's words.
Rei wondered why her eyes were red and swollen like she had been crying. She felt the urge to ask what had happened, but maybe it would be better if she talked to Minako when Takashi was not around. Rei had noticed the awful atmosphere between them.
Meanwhile, Minako was trying to hold back her tears as she stared at Rei. She simply couldn't believe the woman she loved was about to be taken away from her.
How could she be strong when her whole world was falling apart?
"Rei?" Takashi frowned at her, who was still staring at Minako. "You won't say anything? I thought you would be happy to get out of this hospital."
Rei finally turned her face to him and she spoke a little hesitantly. "I am happy, but... Isn't it too soon?"
"Don't you worry, Rei." He took a step forward and held her hand. "Everything is going to be just fine. I'll take good care of you as I always have."
As she heard those words, Minako hurriedly left the room. She didn't want Rei to see her crying, but those lies… and the thought of being away from her… that was too much for Minako to bear.
As for Rei, she was feeling a little strange. She didn't know what to expect from this man who had simply walked into the room, claiming to be her father. She couldn't feel a connection between them, at least not like the one she had felt with the girls... Usagi and Minako specially.
Minako...
Since they were married, Rei had presumed she would go home with her, but when her father declared she would go with him instead... Minako didn't stop him.
Rei was wondering why.
Maybe Minako didn't want to be with someone who couldn't remember her. Probably she didn't even resemble the girl she used to be before she lost her memory. And Minako loved that girl... not this new one.
She sighed as she recalled how disappointed Minako had been when she heard about the memory loss. All that love overflowing from her eyes had instantly turned into sadness. For some reason, that sight was still burning painfully in Rei's mind.
But her memories could return, right? Then maybe everything could go back to the way it was before the... accident?
Had it really been an accident? A stray bullet?
Rei still didn't know how that had happened. That was one of the many questions she wanted to ask Minako when they got home, but it seemed she had no home to go back to anymore.
That thought made her sad.
To make things worse, she didn't like the idea of going home with her father. She couldn't quite explain, but... she felt she didn't belong with him. Whenever Rei looked into his eyes, she could see guilt and regret.
But not love.
Something was tickling her right arm.
Her eyelids were heavy, but Rei forced them open to see what was disturbing her sleep.
Her sight was blurry and the dim light couldn't help much. She blinked a couple of times and noticed a figure dressed in white, standing right beside her bed.
"I'm terribly sorry for waking you up, Miss Hino." A soft, feminine voice was heard and Rei tried to focus on her face. "I'm Nurse Nanaki. I was just checking your IV line before administering the medication."
"Oh. Thank you."
Rei murmured as she pushed herself up on her elbows, her eyes finally adjusting to the light. She was surprised at how young the nurse looked, but refrained herself from commenting about it.
"So… do you need anything, Miss Hino?" Nanaki asked with a smile.
"Um, no. Just... what time is it?" Rei asked, still feeling a little sleepy.
"It's past midnight." The girl spoke quietly. "I'm almost done so you can go back to sleep."
Rei nodded and turned her face to the side to wait for the nurse to finish her task, but soon she noticed someone lying on a couch a few meters away. Rei frowned in disbelief.
Minako?
She hadn't seen Minako all day, so Rei thought she had already gone home.
"What is she doing here, sleeping on the couch?" Rei asked stunned.
Nanaki smiled as she glanced at Minako, then she turned her face back to her patient.
"She's always here." Nanaki answered softly, without stopping what she was doing. "Ever since you were admitted, she has been sleeping here."
"She spent a whole month sleeping on this couch?!"
Rei's voice was louder than she had intended, so instinctively she covered her mouth with her hands. She let out a sigh of relief when she noticed Minako was still sound asleep.
The nurse giggled at Rei's reaction, but suddenly she stopped laughing and seemed thoughtful.
"What's wrong?" Rei asked as she noticed the change in her expression.
"Um..."
Nanaki took some time to think about Rei's question. She knew that was none of her business, but if she were on Rei's shoes, she definitely would want to know everything that happened while she was unconscious.
"She didn't spend the whole month sleeping on the couch. Actually, when you got off the respirator, she started to sleep on the bed... with you."
Rei parted her lips in surprise.
"Here... with me?" She asked weakly.
"Yes. Doctor Mizuno didn't approve that, of course, but Miss Aino never listened to her. She said she didn't want you to feel cold nor lonely, so every night she would come to your bed to sleep with you."
Rei felt a lump forming in her throat as she heard those words. So Minako really cared about her that much?
"Can I- Can I ask you a question?"
Nanaki gave Rei a soft smile. "Sure."
"You said Minako has been here ever since I was admitted, right?"
Nanaki silently nodded in agreement.
"But what about my father?"
"Well..." Nanaki shifted on her feet, feeling a little uncomfortable, "to be honest, Miss Hino, today was the first time I actually saw him here."
She mistook Rei's thoughtful expression as sadness and so she quickly added.
"But I've seen his assistants here before! I think your father is probably a very busy man and that's why he-"
"That's okay." Rei said softly, cutting her off. "Thank you for telling me truth."
Nanaki nodded and, once again, Rei turned her face to Minako, contemplating her.
"She is such a sweet girl." Nanaki absently commented as she noticed Rei looking fondly at Minako. "She was always helping the nurses to take care of you, you know? Who would have thought a girl like her would do something like-"
"A girl like her?" Rei repeated her words with a frown. "What do you mean by a girl like her?"
Nanaki gasped, realizing that maybe she had said something she shouldn't have. But how was she supposed to know no one had told Rei just who Minako was?
"Uh... what I mean is..."
She was aware she wouldn't be able to come up with a plausible lie, so Nanaki shrugged and decided to tell Rei the truth, but not before adding a mental note to try and keep her mouth shut from now on.
"I don't know why they haven't told you yet... it's not like you won't find out sooner or later."
Nanaki saw Rei was growing impatient, so she hurried to go on.
"She's Aino Minako!" Nanaki stressed her name, careful enough not to sound too loud. She didn't want anyone but Rei to hear her.
That meant nothing to Rei, so she just kept staring at the nurse, waiting for her to clarify.
"She's Japan's biggest idol! A singer famous worldwide! She's a phenomenon!" As one of Minako's greatest fans, Nanaki could barely hold her excitement whenever she talked about her idol.
As Rei heard those words, her jaw dropped and she turned her face, staring incredulously at Minako.
So that girl... that girl who had kissed her... that girl who was sleeping uncomfortably on a hospital couch... her wife!... was a pop star?!
"No way..." Rei breathed, stunned.
"It's true! She has one of the most successful careers in the show business." Nanaki nodded repeatedly to emphasize her point, but then she added in dismay. "Or at least... she had."
"She's not famous anymore?"
"No, she still is, but she decided to quit singing after... after…" Nanaki bit her lower lip. So much for keeping her mouth shut, she thought.
"After what? After what happened to me?" Rei asked, but for the look on the woman's face, she already knew the answer. "She quit singing because of me?!"
"You should be sleeping, Rei, not interrogating a nurse."
A playful voice was heard, making both girls turn their faces to the door.
Makoto smiled as she walked towards the bed. Following her, Ami entered the room and gave Nanaki a stern look. The nurse turned pale and lowered her head guiltily, bowing to the young doctor and her friend.
"Are you done, Nurse Nanaki?" Ami asked in a disgruntled tone.
"Y-yes. I was just about to... to leave." Nanaki faltered under Ami's stare. "Please let me know if you need anything, Miss Hino." She bowed to Rei and quickly made her way out.
Rei just nodded and waited until the nurse left the room.
"What are you doing here? It's past midnight." Rei grumbled at Ami and Makoto, annoyed at the interruption.
"Makoto was nearby and she offered me a ride, but I wanted to check on you before leaving." Ami explained and then tried to change the subject. "So... is everything okay?"
"How could it be?" Rei snapped, narrowing her eyes at them. "You were supposed to be my friends, but I've just found out that you are hiding things from me. How can I trust you if you are not telling me the truth?"
Ami and Makoto glanced at each other, then quickly lowered their heads, feeling a little ashamed.
They seemed to be mulling over Rei's words, but a few seconds later the taller girl nodded to herself and took a step forward.
"You are right, Rei. We shouldn't be hiding things from you. I'll tell you everything now."
"Makoto, first we should discuss this with-"
Shamelessly ignoring the young doctor's warning, Makoto went on.
"As you heard, Minako is one of the most famous singers in the world. And answering your question... yes, she decided to end her career after what happened to you."
"Makoto!"
"No, Ami. Rei is right. She needs to know." Makoto stated firmly, leaving no room for Ami's protests.
Defeated, Ami sighed and then shrugged. If Makoto had decided to tell Rei everything, she knew she wouldn't be able to stop her. Besides, Ami also thought it was the right thing to do. She just didn't want to risk making things worse for Minako.
"But why did she quit singing? Couldn't she just take a break while I was in the hospital?" Rei asked.
"It's complicated." Makoto's voice was somewhat somber as she answered. "The man who shot you, Rei... he was one of Minako's fans."
As she heard those words, Rei's lips parted in shock. She felt her stomach twist and instinctively she glanced at the girl sleeping on the couch.
"One of her... fans?" She asked weakly with her eyes still on Minako.
"Yes. He was obsessively in love with Minako, so he tried to kill you because-"
"-because he wanted me out of his way." Rei finished Makoto's sentence, much to her surprise.
"Yes. And needless to say, she feels guilty for what happened to you." Makoto added, studying Rei's face. "That's why she decided to end her career."
"Just..." Rei paused with a hurt expression as realization started to dawn on her, "just how long was she intending to keep this from me?"
"Well... she was just waiting for an opportunity to talk to you about it..." Ami finally joined in the conversation, trying to pour oil on troubled waters.
"She had plenty of opportunities to talk to me today. I was here all day. But where was she?" Though Rei was keeping her voice low, she was almost crying out of frustration. She could even feel the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
"She was with her lawyers, desperately trying to find a way to take you home with her!" Makoto simply blurt out. She knew Minako didn't want Rei to find out what her father was doing, but Makoto would never allow Rei to think less of Minako.
"W-What?" Rei muttered, stunned. "She wants to... take me home with her? But I thought- I thought she didn't-"
"Your father won't let Minako take you home with her." Ami explained. "It's clear that he doesn't approve of your relationship, so he doesn't want Minako anywhere near you."
"But... isn't she my wife?" Rei seemed utterly confused. "So why can't I go home with her?"
"The Japanese laws don't recognize same-sex marriage… yet." The young doctor added quietly.
Rei lowered her head and took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts.
So she had awakened from a coma, after lying in a hospital bed for a month. As soon as she opened her eyes, she realized she had lost all her memories. But before she could absorb that, a girl burst through the door and kissed her. That was okay, though; after all… they were married! And that girl, her wife, was one of the most famous singers in the whole freaking world! Not to mention that the man who had tried to kill her was one of Minako's crazy fans.
Rei felt her head was about to explode.
"Could you leave me alone?"
"Rei..."
"Please?" She insisted, rubbing her forehead. "I need to think."
Ami and Makoto nodded quietly. They knew that was too much for Rei to handle at once, so it was natural she would want to be alone for a while.
As she was walking towards the door, Makoto sighed, wondering if Ami was right. Maybe she should have kept her mouth shut. She was pretty sure Minako would never speak to her again if-
"Makoto?"
Rei's voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned on her heels and stared at Rei with a curious expression, waiting for her to go on.
"Thank you." Rei said with a barely noticeable smile.
Makoto let out a sigh of relief and she smiled back at Rei. But, before she left, she felt the need to say one more thing.
"She loves you." Makoto stated softly and she noticed how those words seemed to affect Rei, who was silently staring at her with lips slightly parted. "Please keep in mind that she would never do anything to hurt you, Rei. Ever. You mean the world to her."
Rei swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat as she listened to Makoto's words and she just nodded weakly.
"Have a good night, Rei."
With that, Makoto left the room, feeling incredibly lighter.
So maybe… just maybe… she hadn't ruined it all.
When she found herself alone, Rei turned again to Minako with an incredulous expression.
A pop star.
Famous worldwide.
Rei huffed and shook her head in disbelief.
Then, after a brief moment, she chuckled quietly as she found herself curious about what Minako looked like on the stage.
What kind of music would she sing? Would she also be able to dance? Minako looked so fragile... Rei couldn't picture her singing and dancing in front of thousands of people. That was surreal.
Distractedly, Rei ran a hand through her hair and her fingers found the scar on her scalp. Tears instantly brimmed in her eyes. She couldn't believe a man had ruined her life only because he wanted Minako.
That wasn't fair.
She felt the tears running down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away. Rei knew crying wouldn't help.
She sighed, still staring at Minako, but then she frowned as she noticed the girl was lying awkwardly on the couch. How could someone sleep in such uncomfortable position?
Yet... there she was. And there she had been for the past thirty days.
She didn't want you to feel cold nor lonely.
Rei recalled the nurse's words and her heart ached. She was in a coma, so she couldn't remember anything that had happened... but Minako could remember it all. These past weeks must have been a living hell for her, Rei thought.
Quietly, she rose from the bed and took small steps, still feeling a bit weak. She slowly approached the couch and knelt in front of Minako.
Rei realized they had never been so close before... at least, not that she could remember.
She cocked her head to the side, intently observing the girl in front of her. She was captivated by Minako's perfect skin, delicate features and abundant dark hair.
Rei could understand why her "past-self" had felt attracted to Minako: the girl was truly beautiful.
No, Rei shook her head as she corrected herself, not beautiful. She's stunning, actually.
She wondered how they had met, how they had gotten together... There were so many things she wanted to know about herself, about Minako, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember anything.
Rei sighed frustrated as she stood up.
She was halfway to her bed when she stopped and turned to Minako again. Lying in that awkward position, Minako would probably wake up with a stiff neck in the morning.
So without hesitation, Rei walked to her bed and picked up her own blanket and one of her pillows. Trying not to wake Minako up, she delicately placed the pillow under her head and covered Minako's body with the blanket.
The idol shifted slightly in sleep and snuggled into the pillow, her facial expression gradually relaxing.
Rei smiled contently at that sight and returned to her bed. Then, feeling lighter, she closed her eyes and soon she fell asleep.
Minako's eyelids parted slowly, flinching at the daylight with a weak wince. She grumbled and lazily put the pillow over her head, blocking the light that insisted on disturbing her sleep.
From the bed, Rei was watching her, amused.
It took Minako ten seconds so her brain started to function properly and she sat up in a jolt. She blinked a couple of times, staring at the pillow in her hands, which wasn't there last night when she fell asleep, and she also noticed she was wrapped in a blanket that belonged to... Rei?
She sharply turned her face to the bed and unwittingly let out a sigh of relief when she saw Rei staring curiously at her.
"Good morning." Rei said, trying not to laugh at Minako's dumbfounded expression.
"Good... morning." Minako answered feebly. She silently chided herself for taking the sleeping pill Ami had given her the night before, which apparently had knocked her out.
"So... did you sleep well?"
Rei asked, noticing that, for the way Minako was looking back and forth between the pillow and the blanket, she was still wondering where those had come from.
"Yeah, I guess I even overslept." Minako answered as she glanced at the watch hanging on the wall. She silently lamented the fact she had slept for so long, because she wanted to be with Rei as much as she could before-
"Minako!"
Ami cried out her name and Minako quickly turned to the door. For the look on the young doctor's face, it was clear something bad had happened.
Hot on her heels, Makoto and Usagi entered the room with anxious expressions on their faces.
"Rei's father is-"
"Rei!"
Takashi simply ignored the girls and walked inside with a huge smile directed at Rei. Miss Nishizaki, his assistant, and Doctor Ueno also entered the room.
"I came to take you home. Miss Nishizaki will help you get ready." Takashi said in his usual commanding tone and his assistant bowed politely.
"Eh?!" Rei gasped. "This is so sudden; I haven't even been discharged!"
"And that's why Dr. Ueno is here." Takashi declared and the doctor took a step forward, bowing to greet Rei.
Minako lowered her head and bit her lower lip, fighting the urge to cry, but she already could feel the tears welling up in her eyes.
That didn't go unnoticed by Rei, though.
"Is it true, Dr. Ueno? Can I really go home?" Rei asked him, glancing at Minako as she did so.
"Your recovery was impressive, Miss Hino. I don't believe in miracles, but the fact that you are here, breathing and talking, proves me wrong." The doctor said in awe. "All the tests we ran yesterday came clear, so there's no point in keeping you here. You are ready to be discharged."
Even before he finished the sentence, his phone started to vibrate in his hands.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to take this call. I'll come back later to check on you and sign your discharge papers, okay?"
Rei nodded in silent understanding. She waited until the doctor left the room and stared at her father as she spoke.
"Okay. If the doctor says I can go home, then I want to go home."
Takashi smiled brightly at her. "And I'm ready to take you-"
"No." Rei interrupted him. He frowned at her, confused, but before he could say anything, she added. "Not with you."
As the silence fell upon the room, Rei turned to Minako, who was staring at her with eyes and mouth wide open.
"If you don't mind, Minako, I would like to go home with you."
As she registered Rei's words, Minako's shocked expression slowly turned into a smile. The tears that she had been holding back finally started to run down her cheeks, but now for a completely different reason.
"You… you want to go home… with me?" She asked in a mixture of surprise and elation, watching as Rei nodded and smiled back at her.
Makoto, Usagi and Ami were grinning at them, but Takashi, on the other hand, seemed about to have a stroke.
"You can't possibly be serious!" He snorted. "You won't go home with her! I won't let you!"
"This is what I want." Rei stated firmly.
"What you want doesn't matter! I'm your legal representative, so I make the decisions for you!"
"My legal representative?" She frowned in disbelief. "Why would I need that?"
"Because you were brain damaged!" Takashi answered sharply. "You can't answer for yourself anymore!"
Rei narrowed her eyes angrily at him, but before she could retort, Ami stepped in.
"Actually," the young doctor took a step forward as she started to speak, "Rei has lost her memories, but she has shown no signs of mental incapacity. All the tests came clear; she's completely healthy. So… she can make decisions of her own."
Takashi glared at Ami. "Nobody asked your opinion, missy. Stay out of this."
"It's Doctor Mizuno, not missy, sir," Ami clarified, trying to hide her amusement as she saw him gawking at her, "and I strongly recommend we take in consideration what the patient wants. Miss Hino's only damage consists in memory loss, but maybe coming back to her own house can help her recover her memories."
Takashi's lips were quivering in anger as he faced Ami, but he decided to ignore her and turned to Rei.
"I'm your family!" He cried out furiously, then he pointed at Minako. "You can't choose this woman over your own father!"
Rei raised her head proudly as she corrected him. "This woman… is my wife. And I expect you to show her some respect."
Minako's lips parted in surprise at Rei's statement.
"Wife." Takashi huffed ironically. "This is an affront to God! Two women can't be married! I didn't approve of it before and I will certainly not approve of it now!"
Rei felt her blood boiling inside her veins, but she kept her tone nonchalant.
"So you don't approve of my marriage? Well, I can't remember ever caring about your opinion anyway."
At Rei's deadpan statement, Makoto had to muffle a giggle.
"What? That was funny!" Makoto said in her defense as Takashi glared daggers at her.
"Maybe you will change your mind after you find out that this woman is the reason you are lying in a hospital bed!" Takashi finally exploded. "She is responsible for what happened to you!"
"It was not her fault." Rei replied with an irritated look on her face.
"No, Rei…" Minako took a deep breath and stared at her wife. "Actually, your father has a point. The man who shot you… he was… he was somewhat related to me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this before, but I was afraid you would-"
Rei raised one finger in the air and Minako abruptly stopped talking.
"I said it was not your fault." Rei cut her off sharply, but her expression softened as she stared Minako in the eyes. "Please stop blaming yourself. You may be the reason he shot me, but he only did that because he's sick. There was nothing you could do, Minako."
"You…" Minako muttered, stunned, "...you knew."
"Yes. And I do think you should have told me before, but... it doesn't matter now. I gave it a lot of thought and I've come to understand your reasons."
"I see you are still the same stubborn girl who never listens to me." Takashi grumbled, turning on his heels, knowing that he had lost the battle. "I hope you won't regret your decision, Rei."
He added bitterly as left the room with his assistant.
"I won't." Rei answered him, but staring at Minako instead.
As soon as Takashi exited the room, Makoto, Usagi and Ami let out small cries of joy, drawing Rei's attention. She stared at the trio and when her eyes met Makoto's, she gave her a conspiratorial wink, which the other girl promptly returned.
Then Rei heard a sob and she turned her face back to Minako, who was smiling through her tears.
"I think we should leave them alone." Usagi whispered to Ami and Makoto, who nodded happily and followed her outside.
With their eyes locked together, Rei and Minako barely noticed the other girls leaving the room.
"I... I don't even know what to say…" Minako breathed, trying to brush the tears away with the back of her hands.
"Say that you will take me in, because now I don't have any place to go."
Rei answered playfully and a laugh escaped Minako's lips.
"Of course I will take you in, Rei. It's our home. Mine and yours." Minako answered, staring lovingly at her.
Rei sighed contently. Home. It was so good to listen to this word.
"Uh, Rei?" Minako called her and inhaled deeply before she tried to explain herself. "I know I should have told you the truth from the beginning, but… you woke up and you had no idea who I was; so I... I wanted you to like me before I said something that would make you hate me."
"I don't think I could ever hate you. Besides, as I've said before, it was not your fault." Rei reassured her. "I know you would never let anything happen to me, right?"
Minako took a step forward and held Rei's hand.
"I would have taken the shot myself, Rei." She stated sincerely. "If I were there, I would have done anything to protect you. Anything. Even at the cost of my own life."
Rei's heart raced, but she wasn't sure if it was because of Minako's words or because she was still holding her hand like that. ABe Rei couldn't help but notice how Minako's touch was so delicate. So warm.
"You wouldn't have taken the shot. I would have thrown myself in front of you anyway."
At Rei's unexpected reply, Minako blinked, stunned.
"Reiko…" She breathed emotionally.
Then, she blushed as she realized she had just called Rei by the pet name she hated. She lowered her head, but her blush only intensified as she spotted their clasped hands.
Timidly, Minako let it go and took a step behind. She didn't want to make Rei feel uncomfortable again. Kissing a girl who had just awakened and couldn't remember her had been embarrassing enough.
"I- I'll go get you some clothes. After all, you can't go home wearing a hospital gown, right?"
Minako laughed nervously, changing the subject, but Rei just ignored the comment and stared at her with a slight frown.
"Reiko..." Rei repeated after a brief moment of thought. "Is that the way you used to call me?"
"Y-yes. I'm sorry. It just slipped out, but I promise I won't call you Reiko agai-"
"No." Rei cut her off and smiled. "That's okay. I like it."
"What?!" Minako almost choked. "You said you like it?! I can't believe it! You hated this pet name!"
Rei laughed and shook her head. "I honestly don't think so. Maybe I just didn't want to admit that I actually liked it."
Minako's stunned expression slowly turned into a wide smile.
"O-Okay. So... I'll be back soon... Reiko." Minako said as she walked backwards, unable to take her eyes off the girl on the bed.
Rei returned her smile. "I'll be waiting for you."
As she watched Minako leave the room, practically bouncing around, Rei felt her heart warm. Then she adjusted herself on the bed and closed her eyes for a moment, feeling completely at peace.
It was good to be going home, but… deep inside, Rei knew the reason she was feeling so happy was because, for the very first time, she had seen Minako smile.
Author's note:
Hello! Thanks for everyone who has been reading this story and sharing their thoughts with me. ^_^
In the next chapter we will see Rei and Minako trying to get to know each other... again.