The next day, the Three Lights actually showed up at school. It had been a mighty long time since they decided to show their faces in the classrooms, ever since they found out who the senshi really were. It seemed as if their plan with finding Princess Kakyuu was much more important than anything else. It might have been, but Usagi and company still felt slightly neglected. However, when they saw their faces at school, their spirits lifted immediately. Out of the three, Seiya looked the most happy to be back. In fact, he turned around to look for Usagi, only to find her right in front of him. "Odango," he sighed under his breath.
Her hair was flowing in the wind, her bangs framing her ever so petite facial structure, her hands clasped together peacefully. There was a weak smile on her face, as she mumured, "Seiya." She ran to him, and placed herself in his arms, not really being conscious of what she was doing. Seiya held her softly, as the world around them seemed to disappear. "Shall we go to more of a quiet place?" he asked. Her warmth was calming, and she simply nodded. Seiya and Usagi left the two Taiki and Yaten bewildered and confused. Girls were starting to swarm around the two campus idols, while Yaten groaned at his fans.
Usagi and Seiya rested at a spot under a peaceful weeping willow. Usagi lay in Seiya's arm, as she leaned back on him, and his back was against the tree's thick bark. For a while, they said nothing, as Seiya stroked her hair, and Usagi played with his resting hand. "What am I doing?" she thought, as she felt at ease with him. "Almost like.. Mamo-ch.. Mamoru.." she wondered, as, for the first time, she didn't feel guilty with Seiya.
Seiya wondered to himself, "I still like her, despite Chibiusa." He chuckled to himself, thinking of the little spurt. Usagi looked up at him with questioning eyes, but he just smiled back. "No," he thought, "I don't like her." He carassed her hair once more. "I love her."
"Seiya," she murmured, almost sensing his thoughts.
"Hai, Odango," he responded absent mindedly.
"Seiya, I think I have something else to tell you," she whispered so quietly, Seiya had to strain to her hear.
He chuckled as he replied, "Oh, another secret?"
Usagi sat around, facing him seriously. The sun was just above them, sending down warm rays of light. There was a light breeze, giving just the perfect temperature. "I'm serious."
Seiya crossed his legs, and listened intently. "Go ahead."
Usagi looked down at her hands, and at the ring that Mamoru gave her. It was still resting on her finger, but it didn't feel right there. She slowly slid it off, and laid it beside her. "Seiya," she started. "I think I'm.." she hesitated, not knowing what she was doing. "I think I'm.. I'm falling in love with you."
Seiya looked up at her, his eyes starting to glisten. "Did you say what I think you said, Odango?"
She looked up at his face. "His eyes," she thought. "So beautiful."
Seiya smiled a very relaxing smile, and held her hands. He opened his mouth, about to send a reply, but..
"-- Seiya," a voice said behind him.
Seiya looked behind him, only to find Taiki and Yaten. "We have to go."
Seiya sighed and looked at Usagi thoughtfully. Her eyes were welling up with tears, as she saw him get to leave. "Ja ne, Odango. Don't shed any tears for me," he said, as he walked off with his friends regretfully.
Usagi watched as Seiya went off with Taiki and Yaten. "I'm not crying for you, Seiya," she thought, as she picked up the ring and held it in her soft hands. "How odd," she thought to herself, as she swirled the ring in her hands. "The ring seemed to have lose it's shine." A tear dropped onto the ring, and several more came after that, as she stayed seated near the forever weeping willow tree.
"Gomen, Seiya-san," Taiki said, as they left Usagi behind. "You talked to her, like you said you needed to, and we should leave before classes start."
Seiya nodded, as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. He was still in shock of what he just heard from his Odango's sweet lips.
"Taiki-san!" a voice called behind him. He wasn't quite sure if he heard his name, but he looked back just in case. It was Ami. "Do you mind if I talk to you for a second?"
Yaten and Seiya looked at their friend, and moved from hearing distance of the two.
"You better make this quick, I have an awful lot to do and --"
"-- I think I love you."
Taiki stared at this little girl in front of her. He was nearly towering over her, but she wasn't scared of him, but rather of his reaction. He saw her blue hair move softly in the breeze, as she held her back in her hands, her fists tightly clenched. He slid his finger across Ami's cheek, as she looked up anxiously. "Don't cry." He turn and left her there, unanswered and frankly, mad that he would leave her there, without an answer, but Taiki just joined up with his other two friends.
"What was that all about?" Yaten inquired, straightening his shirt out from the wind.
Taiki had an urge to turn back to steal a glimpse of the Mercury Princess, though he didn't dare to. "Nothing," he replied, as he stared off in the distance.
- - - -By nightfall, the Three Lights had prepared a new single to release soon, perhaps the greatest one yet. They were determined to reach their beloved princess, that they loved perhaps even more than themselves. Yaten sighed and stepped away from his keyboard, and slouched on the couch. "Good work, minna. We've acomplished a lot in one day."
Suddenly, the door bell rang. They all looked surprised, not expecting any visitors. Seiya answered the door, revealing a soaked Rei with a note.
Seiya grinned, and invited her in. He grabbed a towel nearby, and offered it to the cold and drenched Rei. "Arigatou," she said, and Seiya merely nodded.
Yaten was in his room, but she didn't have the intention to talk to him much. She was there to talk to Seiya and Taiki. As Seiya was about to get Yaten, she stopped him. "Actually, I came here to talk to you two."
They looked slightly shocked, but sat down on the opposite couch to listen in any case.
She cleared her throat as she looked at the two very calm men. "Seiya, Taiki, two of my closest friends are in love with you." They tensed up, feeling automatically uncomfortable with the subject. "I only hope that you feel the same way about them." She looked in Seiya's direction. "Seiya, I understand that you like Usagi-chan. I don't know if you actually love her, but you wouldn't believe how much she went through. I understand that you're still confused about Chibiusa, so that's what I'm here to clear it all up."
"Did she send you here?" Taiki piped up, curious as to who would put her up to this.
"No. I came here on my own," she replied calmly. "Seiya-san, as you already know, our Usagi-chan is the Moon Princess. All the senshi, including me, are her Princesses. However, on the Moon, a grave situation occurred." She looked down in shame, as memories came flooding back to her. "The Dark Moon Kingdom attacked with all their force and might. Our Queen Serenity, Usagi-chan's mother, sent all of us to the future, where we were to be reborn and without any memory." She looked up at the two men, her eyes glossy eyed. "Gomen, it's hard to talk about it.."
Seiya smiled at her, "I understand."
"Here, just think of your loves.. Ami-chan.. Usagi-chan.. And you'll see." Rei closed her eyes, focusing her energy towards the horrible situation. Taiki and Seiya did the same, and they saw the vivid battle. Prince Endymion and his generals, against Queen Beryl. They saw Queen Serenity, and how she gave her loved ones up selflessly. Then they saw how they all became senshi and found each other. Then how Chibiusa was sent from the future, and then the Wicked Lady stage; and still more, up to the present. Everything was from Rei's perspective, as she sobbed when seeing everything once again.
When the memory was all done, she slowly opened her eyes, seeing Seiya and Taiki with tear stained eyes. "It's like our planet," Taiki commented, suddenly feeling closer to Rei and the other senshi than he ever could've imagined before.
Seiya wiped his tear, as he understood as well. He could he ever doubt Chibiusa and Usagi, now that he saw everything? And how could Usagi forget her Mamoru, after all he's done for her, and replace him with himself, Seiya?
Rei understood what Seiya was thinking and said quietly, "She loves you, Seiya-san." She got up to leave, as the two gentlemen did as well, feeling drawn to her, after all she went through. "Please give this to Yaten-san, if you don't mind," she said, as she handed Seiya a sealed letter.
Seiya smiled and nodded. "For sure, Mars."
Rei grinned, and wiped the last of her tears. "It's been hard, but it'll all be for the best, right?"
Taiki nodded, and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We'll let Yaten know all about everything."
Little did they know, that Yaten was crouched in a dark corner, listening and seeing all they did. He too, cried, which was shameful for him, as he wished he could've seen Rei one more time.. Strangely enough, when Rei had told Seiya and Taiki to think of their loved ones, Yaten automatically thought of Rei. "Does this mean something?" he wondered, as he drooped his head, and wiped his tear from his face. "I haven't cried for anyone but my princess," he whispered quietly. "You are a special one, Hino Rei."