Love in Turmoil; A Secret is Revealed

A bitter wind brought great gray clouds from the sea, filling the beautiful azure sky with its gloominess. Even with the grayness all about the park, the fountain sprinkled water as if it was the brightest day of summer. The park was oddly silent, except for the fountain. No bird sang, and even the wind seemed silent. Kaichuu pulled her jacket closer about her, her thoughts drifting toward Kumori. She wondered why he wanted to meet her here. Her legs were getting stiff from standing, so she sat down at the fountain. It was the same spot she had sat when she had met Kumori, and she smiled at the quirk of fate. She figured that Kumori had thought that this was the perfect place to meet because it was Valentine's Day. Kaichuu smiled; she finally had someone to share the day with.

Then she saw him walking towards her, and she smiled again as she got to her feet. "Kumori!" she said as if the word filled her with joy. "Happy Valentine's Day!"

"Kaichuu," Kumori greeted in reply, but he did not wish her the same. He had an odd expression in his face that Kaichuu couldn't name. The smiled faded from her face. She could feel his uneasiness.

"What is it? Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked, frowning at his silence.

"Kaichuu-I..."

"Is something wrong Kumori?" Concern suddenly filled her eyes. Kumori shook his head. "I don't understand, Kumori. You look troubled..."

"Kaichuu, we've been seeing each other for a while now, and I enjoyed the time we spent with each other, but..."

"But?" Kaichuu frowned, not liking where the conversation was going.

"We can no longer see each other as more than friends," Kumori stated flatly, and he looked away. The world felt to Kaichuu as if it had suddenly stopped, and her heart had been ripped out at the very words. She shook her head and looked at Kumori with despair.

"You don't mean that," Kaichuu whispered. "Do you?" Kumori didn't answer. Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. Her hurt shone in her eyes. "What could make you say this, Kumori? Was it something I did? Is it because I annoy you, or because I'm not as smart or as pretty..."

"Stop it, Kaichuu," Kumori snapped. "Don't hurt yourself over such nonsense."

Kaichuu had never heard that tone in his voice before. She recoiled from him, trying to hold tears back unsuccessfully. "Don't do this, Kumori. Please, don't go."

"I have to go now, Kaichuu," Kumori said bluntly. "Forget about me. Find someone better for yourself. I'm not the one for you."

"Kumori," Kaichuu pleaded.

"Good bye, Kaichuu," Kumori murmured as he walked away, not looking back once as he left. Kaichuu stood shocked and confused. Her heart was shattered. Her dreams of a future with Kumori vanished.

Laughter that was mocking and cruel rang in her ears. She found that she had been staring at a person standing before her without even realizing it. Shaking her head clear of her grief, she found that it was Kerai, a look of contempt on her face. "Kerai?"

"That's right, Kaichuu," Kerai sneered. "It's always about you, isn't it?"

Kaichuu fingered her transformation bracelet. "The ugly green giant has finally reared its head, I see," Kaichuu replied. "Or were you always that hideous?"

Kerai's face went the color of scarlet. "Sure, I can see why you're so jealous. It's not everyday you get dumped by a guy," Kaichuu continued, her loneliness turning to hate, and making her feel reckless. Kerai's presence made Kaichuu feel that everything that had happened was all her fault. "You wouldn't know about that though because no guy in their right mind would go out with a hideous witch like you!"

Outraged beyond her senses, Kerai made a peculiar gesture with her hand, and the fountain had suddenly exploded behind Kaichuu. Kaichuu screamed and jumped out of the way as water and stone flew in all directions. Chunks of marble and rock fell to the ground heavily with great clamor around Kaichuu. She looked up hesitantly, and rebuked herself for insulting Kerai when she wasn't transformed. It was better not to provoke Kerai at a time like this. However, just as she was about to get up, she saw that Kerai was aiming a blow right to her head.

"Enough!" a voice cracked through the air like a whip. Kerai's hand froze in mid-punch, a hand gripping her arm firmly. "Kerai, get away from her, now!" Kaichuu recognized the voice after a moment. As she looked up, she saw the owner of the voice towering above Kerai. His anger was noticeable. He literally threw Kerai across the park when she made no move. He looked down at Kaichuu and offered her his hand. "Are you alright?"

Kaichuu stared at Kaboku, and slapped his hand out of her way as she got to her feet on her own. "You Dark Realm people are something else, you know that?" Kaichuu replied coldly. "Don't joke around with me with all your fake kindness. It makes me sick."

Kaichuu's heart leaped when she saw Sailor Phoenix coming up from behind him.

"Twisting Flame Encounter!" She crossed her arms in front of her and set off two flaming orbs flying towards Kaboku. He had no time to react, and they hit him with a resounding whack that caused him to soar a few feet in the air and land with a crunch on the ground. Kaichuu flinched and then grinned at her companion.

"What took you so long?" she asked, running to Sailor Phoenix's side.

"Ran out of Lysol," Phoenix replied shortly. "And you accidentally left Hades still sticking to the wall with duct tape after you left."

"Accidentally?" Kaichuu frowned, "that can't be right... I was sure I had done that on purpose..." But Sailor Phoenix wasn't listening. Her icy glare was directed at Kaboku, who was recovering from the blow. Kaichuu saw her face and went silent, staring at Kaboku as well.

"You're really pushing it, yam head," Sailor Phoenix mocked. "You wouldn't want your secret to suddenly slip would you?" Kaboku looked fiercely back at Sailor Phoenix, his cheeks turning red. Sailor Phoenix smiled tauntingly. "Are you blushing?"

Kaboku went beat red. "Keep that tongue in your mouth, or you'll find it suddenly missing someday," he threatened.

"Empty threat," Sailor Phoenix smirked. "You'd be too busy blushing and explaining to Kyuuteki about this secret loving affection you have for Kaichuu anyway."

"What?" Kaichuu blinked in confusion.

"Kaichuu, Kaboku loves you," Phoenix explained to her. "He has for a while now."

There was a shocked silence as Kaichuu stared in horror at Kaboku, and Kaboku went from red in the face to a deathly pale stare with dread at the look on Kaichuu's face. After a moment, Kaichuu shook her head, and she glared at Kaboku. "Don't tell me this is true," she barely whispered. Kaboku's head hung as he was unable to look at the shorter girl, and that's when she knew that this was no joke. Angry and disgusted at the fact that a minion of the Dark Realm could love her, did love her, a person who was against everything a part of the Dark Realm; she gaped at him in revulsion. After a while, her expression changed, and she suddenly remembered that she was alone. There was no more Kumori to cheer her up, and brighten her heart after all this. A great depression filled her then. "This- this is too much!" She turned and ran, trying to hide her tears as she went.

"Wait! Let me explain!" Kaboku yelled after her, and he went to catch up to her, but Sailor Phoenix stepped in then to stop him.

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Get out of my way!" he yelled furiously at her. When she didn't move, he tried to go around her, but he was denied once again.

"Kaichuu doesn't need you," she told him in a low, hard voice. "And if you ever go near her again and try to talk to her about this, I promise you, I'll make sure that your ass will get some major third degree burns. ¿Comprendes?"

Kaboku spat on the ground, glared back with undisguised hatred, and then turned and left Sailor Phoenix standing threateningly in the ruined park.

When Sailor Phoenix was sure he had left, she turned her eyes on Kerai, who was still standing to one side, glaring at nothing in particular with green-eyed jealousy and loathing.

"Shouldn't you be on your way now?" Sailor Phoenix asked.

"Humph!" Kerai growled as she crossed her arms and vanished.

***

Shakaku had gotten the guardians to assemble the senshi and the Constellations at the ruined park, where Kumori had only an hour ago broken up with Kaichuu, and was revealed the secret of Kaboku's love for her. Phoenix let out a deep breath, and she told herself that Kaichuu had to find out sometime. She only regretted that she had told her now of all times.

"So what's going on?" Usagi asked curiously. "Is it about the Dark Realm?"

"Something like that," Shakaku answered vaguely. "Kaboku's deeply guarded secret has just been revealed to Kaichuu. I'm afraid it may have crushed her."

"What?" Hades cried, looking sharply at Shakaku. The Constellations knew exactly what she was talking about.

"How?" Enzeru frowned although she was shocked. All of the girls except Kaichuu had known this secret for a long time, and they had all promised to keep it a secret to protect Kaichuu.

"Uh- What secret are we talking about exactly?" Makoto asked, just as confused as the other senshi.

"Kaboku has this certain thing for Kaichuu," Shakaku told them a little awkwardly. "He, well, I guess you could say he loves her, if it's possible for someone like him to do such a thing. It's been going on for quite a while now. We promised not to tell Kaichuu about it."

"We thought it would sicken her and distract her from fighting when we go up against them, so we decided to keep it a secret," Hoshi finished. "I guess she was bound to find out sometime."

"How though, Shakaku?" Enzeru asked again. "Kaboku couldn't have told her."

"No," Shakaku replied, and there was a pause, "I did."

"Shakaku!" Hades admonished. "I thought you would have been more careful!"

"I know, Hades, but Kaichuu had just got dumped by Kumori, and then I saw Kerai blast this fountain to pieces," she nodded at the chunks of rock all around them, "Then Kaboku showed up, and I just had to say it."

"I always figured as much," Ami said then. "That Kaboku had this certain fondness for her. He never did attack her, did he?"

"No," Shakaku admitted. "And since Kaichuu has just found this out, and at the same time was broken up with her boyfriend, I think we should all go easier on her. Comfort her, but don't bring up the subject."

They all nodded their agreement. "At least Kaichuu is still loved though," Minako pointed out.

"She was loved by one who doesn't know how to love," Enzeru said coldly. "People of the Dark Realm are incapable of such emotions. That's why Kaichuu is so disgusted."

Minako didn't reply.

"But it's love," Usagi continued on Minako's first question. Shakaku took a sideways glance at Usagi, and the other senshi followed suit.

"No, it's not. That's the problem with it, and Kaichuu realized that from the very beginning," Hoshi explained to the senshi as calmly as she could.

"I don't see why it would matter. Shouldn't we be happy that someone evil actually discovered that emotion?" Rei questioned the senshi.

"No," the Constellations all replied in unison.

***

Hades stared down in silent pensiveness at the busy city upon his perch on the balcony; Artemis sat beside him with his tail waving slowly from side to side. They had been sitting there ever since they got to the apartment from the meeting about Kaichuu and Kaboku, and now the grey clouds that had only been scattered across the sky this afternoon, had filled the entire sky and had completely hidden the sun.

Hades closed his eyes as he saw a small line of lightning travel through the sky, and he opened his eyes once again when he heard the rumbling thunder.

"It's a good thing everybody is working together now," Artemis remarked as he tried to get Hades to think about something other than what Shakaku had done and how bad Kaichuu must feel at the moment Thank goodness Shakaku wasn't at the apartment, otherwise she would be getting a good, long lecture from him. Artemis was oblivious to the fact that Hades wasn't listening, so he continued, "we can get a lot more done this way."

Hades didn't reply at first. There was a long moment of silence and then, "Yes. I suppose you're right," he agreed; however, he just couldn't take his mind off of Kaichuu. "I just wish there was something I could do for Kaichuu."

"She would have found out eventually, you know," Artemis said in an effort to comfort the dragon. "Even if Shakaku hadn't told her, sooner or later Kaboku would have mustered enough courage and told her himself." When Hades didn't reply, he continued. "She has to learn to live with the truth, Hades. We can't protect her from things like this forever."

Hades nodded. "You have a point, Artemis. She has to grow up sometime."

***

All the lights were off, the blinds were closed tightly, and the only thing that was open was the door to the balcony overlooking the city, and everything in the apartment was silent. Kaboku stood at the balcony door, his arms crossed, and his eyes were full of fire. Sailor Phoenix leered at him in his mind, strengthening the burning hatred he had for her.

"The cat's out of the bag, Kaboku," Kerai's voice loomed into his thoughts as she appeared suddenly behind him. "All the little senshi know your secret."

"I don't care whether or not they know," he sneered. "It's Kaichuu that I'm worried about."

"So why didn't you tell me sooner?" she asked. "You're my partner, Kaboku. We don't hide secrets from each other."

"This is different, Kerai. You would have looked at me different," Kaboku explained. "You think me a fool now for loving her. I know you do." There was a pause, "I know she does."

"You've always been a fool, Kaboku," Kerai responded unkindly. "The question is though, what are you going to do now that you've made a clown of yourself in front of Kaichuu?"

Kaboku turned and walked towards the door, "One of the senshi needs to know how pain feels," he replied. "Particularly in the ass," and with that, he left the apartment with Sailor Phoenix still on his mind.