Rose Earrings
By: Makoto Almasy
Rating: PG
Summary: WK/SM. One shot fic. Makoto reunites with the red-haired boy who gave her those favourite pair of rose-shaped earrings she loves wearing. Yes, you've guessed it. This is a Fujimiya Ran/Kino Makoto fic.
Disclaimer: Weiß Kreuz belongs to Project Weiss and Koyasu Takehito ~ I love this guy (possibly my 2nd fav Seiyuu) and wouldn't steal his characters. SM belongs to Takeuchi Naoko, as you all should know.
AN: I don't know why but I just felt like writing this fluff ^_^;; and TBH I've always wanted to write about this pairing :D Oh and understandably this is AU because the whole idea on Mako's earrings in the story comes from MY brain.
AN#2: Please don't give me comments such as how you believe this pairing sucks and you think your favourable pairing is better. Don't want to be a meanie or anything by repeating this over again in other chapters of my stories. I just need to get my point across ^_^;; Thank you and commence forth on the reading if you want to.
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Makoto hummed a gentle tune while she brushed her loose brunette locks, staring into the bathroom mirror to smile at her reflection. She seldom smiled at herself like that. And this only ever happened if she were in a thoroughly good mood. The truth was, she hadn't been this happy in a while. Her senses could tell she was in a different mood today. Why else did those jade eyes glow more brightly in the mirror? Her auburn strands that moved around her shoulders appeared to be unusually smooth and shinier this morning. It was like being in heaven.
With easy strength, she stretched her hair back into its ordinary ponytail. As she did this, Makoto noticed how the mirror showed the rest of her skin on her lower neck and also took her ears out from underneath its hiding place. The jewellery that clung to her ears sparkled vibrantly in the light and seemed to be communicating with its owner spiritually. Each time it reflected beneath the light, it meant one specific word to Makoto. And whenever those earrings sparkled magnificently in front of those pools of emerald, she couldn't help putting on an innocent smile as a reaction. It triggered a wonderful memory of her past, especially her first love.
Makoto couldn't believe that the recent things she had been doing never faltered once. It was as though her day had become a very lucky day (literally). And all this had started when she met a particular someone yesterday. This someone happened to be from her past and he had appeared out of the blue in Juuban, meeting Makoto down the street out of pure luck. Makoto was beyond shock when she saw he hadn't changed by much since they last met six years ago. Her first love was still amazingly gorgeous on the outside.
Charming as his exterior may look, Makoto noticed he had become sterner than before. His violet eyes had turned more serious and defensive in his surroundings and his smile only came out as a very tiny grin, which could only be seen if you zoomed in closer to his face. However his quiet voice remained within him and this was something other than his looks that hadn't changed by much in Makoto's opinion. Besides, she liked it when he was quiet. It probably meant he was shy around girls. But Makoto didn't mind one bit. She herself could be quiet around boys she was attracted to, which was considerably normal.
Her first love's name still rang joyfully in her eardrums whenever Makoto said it out loud. She remembered his full name as Fujimiya Ran. It had such a lovely sound when it came out from her mouth. And to give her a reason to be happier, he once told Makoto how HER name had a wondrous sound as well. At first Makoto thought he was joking when he said that for the first time back then but it eventually came out as a truthful statement from his heart when he continued to say how brilliant her name was during their intimate moments together. Well it wasn't just her name that Ran liked. It was Makoto in person. And on her fourteenth birthday, he had given her a present (probably one of the best gifts in her life). Makoto loved the deep red-coloured earrings so much she couldn't bear to buy any other ear jewellery from that day. Ran's birthday present was too irresistible to be left sitting in her accessory box for many months and years.
Makoto couldn't help the thrill jolt in her body whenever she looked at her rose earrings. Because each time she looked at them through the mirror, she pictured Ran's profile in an instant. It just showed how this amazing gift he had given to her had touched her heart so deeply inside. However her happiness did break away once Ran told her he had to move to the main centre of Tokyo and said he would never come back to Juuban. He didn't exactly tell her why he was leaving though the only sufficient excuse he had given to her six years ago was because of his father's job. Oh yes.
Makoto remembered that Mr Fujimiya worked in a top bank. When she spoke to Ran yesterday about how his family was, Ran suddenly became quieter during the conversation and Makoto decided that it would be best to leave this till another time. Perhaps he wasn't ready to tell her the latest news of his new life quite yet. Then again, Ran was most likely not ready to hear what kind of life she had had since they broke up. Time was needed between these two. After all, they only bumped into each other yesterday and Ran said he was in a bit of a rush and had to go to back to work at the florist that was two streets down from where her apartment was.
Wow since when did Ran like flowers? And when did he work at the local florist. Didn't he say he moved to another part of Tokyo with the rest of Fujimiya family? That was a new discovery for Makoto. No wonder he smelled of flowers when he spoke to her. If she wasn't mistaken, his clothes had the scent of a freshly bloomed rose. Roses were his favourite flower and Ran had occasionally complimented to Makoto on how roses brought out a stronger beauty from her in body and spirit when they were next to her. This would explain why he bought her a pair of rose earrings for her birthday. His instincts on Makoto were right for one thing. Roses did suit her. The earrings were the proof, weren't they? Even Makoto agreed with him personally.
Yesterday, Ran had given the number to the florist shop before speeding away and told her to call him and pass a message on arranging a meeting with him. Makoto did call the florists this morning as soon as she woke up and something strange occurred when she called. The person on the line hesitated a little when she mentioned that she wanted to speak to Ran and five minutes later, the male voice then said, "Oh *Aya-kun.* Oops sorry about that. It's hard getting used to his real name." What did this guy mean, getting used to his real name? Ran was always Ran. Aya was his younger sister's name. Makoto recalled Aya's happy-go-lucky personality very well from the one time she met her at the Fujimiya house. She met Aya once because she had spent most of her time with Ran on private walks and dates.
Whatever the guy on the phone meant with the 'getting used to his real name' point, Makoto was sure she would find out later on when she would meet Ran for a long talk. They needed it after being away for so long. At first she thought Ran wouldn't recognise her after spotting him outside a clothes shop. But those violet eyes toned down a little from its seriousness once it came into contact with Makoto's green irises. From the moment those violet pools became softer, Makoto immediately knew it was the same Ran who moved away to another part of Tokyo with his family. She could tell he was starting to remember who she was as well and the first thing he said from recognising her was, "Kino Makoto."
He said it in the same way as before; slowly and sweetly. This was definite proof it was her first love. Makoto wanted to hug him tightly and cry freely but Ran insisted she should save the hug for tomorrow. That was a sign to say he was preoccupied with other things and that was acceptable. Of course she would make her hug wait. She had been holding the urge to hug him for six years. Well today she could hold him for hours once she went to the outdoor café any time now. She wanted to look her best for him. The rose earrings clung onto her ears securely and reflected brightly. Makoto's clothes simply involved a sleeveless white shirt and blue jeans.
She raced down the stairs after slamming her apartment door and skipped the last two steps to land on the ground in front of the entrance to the main apartment building. There was only one outside café that opened till late and it was the best place that made the top cappuccino and cakes. It was also the place where Makoto and Ran occasionally went to eat their lunch during the weekends back in the old days. Every morning the smell of syrup would diffuse outside whenever they both sat in their chairs to eat their breakfast. Most customers loved to order pancakes with syrup for their breakfast. It was a popular dish for this time of day.
Makoto strolled past the bakery and Italian restaurant, admiring the delicious smell of fresh food. As she walked further down, she started to catch the odour of sweet syrup in her nostrils. This meant one thing. She was nearing the well-known café most youths her age loved to visit. In the past she once overheard from one person that it was the place where lovebirds went to dine every summer's day. Well Makoto could definitely relate to that fact. She and Ran sometimes stared at each other from both sides of the table for hours; until they could feel the burning rays of the sun hit their head from their still positions.
The café was still empty outside from what she could see. The cluster of white chairs had nobody sitting down on either side of the tables, which meant it was still early in its opening hours. Most customers loved to come here in the afternoon for their lunch but Makoto had decided that she would rather come in the morning to be in time for the pancake with syrup dish. Hopefully Ran wouldn't mind her excuse. Well it was her idea to come at this time and he didn't seem to have a problem with it when they spoke on the phone. So where was he then? Makoto was here at 9 o'clock sharp. That was the time she chose and Ran confirmed that he would make it here no problem.
Surely he wasn't busy at his job. Maybe she ought to go the florists and hunt him down. But then…she'd still be on an empty stomach, wouldn't she? This morning she had been craving for those pancakes. When she smelled the syrup at a distance, she knew the pancakes would be fresh. Her cooking nose was trustworthy enough to inform her on that. Makoto's eyes inspected the quiet streets on the other side, hoping to find a certain guy with red hair walking towards her. On her fourteenth birthday, Ran had arranged to meet her and she thought at the time that he had forgotten about their date. But it turned out to be another scene. He had surprised her from behind with a birthday kiss and had given her those precious rose earrings. Surely he wasn't planning on doing that again, was he? He just seemed too serious yesterday.
Makoto gasped shortly when she felt another set of fingers interlock the gaps of her left hand. A strong hand had gripped her palm and her head automatically turned behind. The first thing she saw was a huge bouquet of bright red roses. She knew the roses had been taken cared of so well from the powerful scent each individual flower released into the air. The bouquet then lowered down to reveal a more familiar face she had been waiting to see all morning. Ran had arrived – in a similar way to her fourteenth birthday. Except this time he had presented her with gorgeous roses.
"Oh Ran, they're wonderful," Makoto could only say as her emerald eyes sparkled joyfully. Ran's hand released itself from Makoto's left palm and stroked her right cheek.
"Not as wonderful as you," Ran replied. The red roses he held by her face created a stunning portrait of Makoto and it was improved by the view of those classic earrings he had given to her on her birthday. He knew more undoubtedly that roses fitted well with Makoto. He could see it with his own eyes. Out of nowhere Makoto wrapped her arms round his neck into a tight hug. Finally she could hold onto him after so many years. She had missed the freedom to hold her arms onto him and feel his warmth against her and she didn't know how Fate had granted her long-term wish to come true. Maybe it was because Makoto deserved it for the work she had done as a fighter.
She pulled away and then saw that Ran's smile was small again, just like yesterday. Makoto wondered if he was trying to make her happy to merely impress her. But she kept this thought quietly as she looked into his violet orbs. After staring at each other for five long minutes, they both seated themselves to an empty space.
"Ran," Makoto said and watched him place the bouquet of roses on the table silently, "none of our friends are here so…so we can talk privately. Like we always did, you know. Um…how's life been?"
"It's been getting better," Ran replied softly, longer strands of burgundy dangling over his shoulders as his head lowered. Somehow Makoto could see this wasn't like him to be VERY quiet around her. Or maybe he just wasn't used to seeing her for so many years and couldn't think on what to say appropriately. She was glad to hear a little more enthusiasm in his voice when he replied to her just now. So he must have gotten out of a recent problem and his life was back on track to a happier path, starting with this reunion.
"You're surprised to see me again after a long separation, aren't you?" Makoto asked curiously, her hands reaching across the table to touch the back of Ran's palms. It was nice to cling to each other's hands. It created a sense of security. "Ran, you can tell me anything. You know that, right?" His fingers tightened around hers as his head ascended to her eye level. Well that was a good response to her last comment.
"Makoto, when you asked me how my family was," Ran began, "I couldn't help remembering the grief I had to put up with two years ago." He watched her eyes move attentively, as though they were urging him to keep on explaining. "My parents were murdered and someone ran over my sister, putting her into a coma for two years." Makoto knew he was crying inside of him. She could empathise him deeply in this condition. This was what made him so serious yesterday and today. She must have accidentally struck a delicate nerve in his system. "The man who was responsible is suffering in hell right now…and Aya is alive."
A hint of triumph spread across his fingers. Makoto could see the sudden switch in emotion here. He must have been fighting non-stop to exact revenge. She would have done the same thing if she found her parents murdered in her kitchen. She would break the murderer's neck if she had to in order to satisfy herself.
"I only took Aya's name temporarily to keep her anger and grief alive in me. That's why you heard Omi stammer briefly on the phone. He and the others aren't used to calling me by my real name now that Aya is alive," Ran explained. "Makoto, you don't know what I've done ever since I kill…"
"It's okay, Ran. I can work it out. What you did was for a good reason. Me, I'd have done something identical," Makoto admitted honestly. Ran smiled widely for the first time in the morning. It wasn't the same smile grin he had shown when he first arrived. It was a real charming smirk. One that she always loved seeing when they were alone together. "So you've been fighting all this time, have you?"
"Dark beasts," Ran replied quietly. Makoto let out a 'Huh?' abruptly. Didn't he mean bad people? Well she guessed it made sense. Criminals were dark and full of evil so dark beasts were appropriate as their nicknames. It seemed he had had a worthwhile reason to be absent in Juuban for many years. He had been fighting against evil, or in his words, 'Dark Beasts.' Makoto on the other hand, had Youmas from another universe to destroy. She was on the other side of Tokyo dealing with her enemies whilst Ran was doing his job somewhere else. Ran mentioned that his friends at the florist were in the same job as him. Didn't this sound very similar to Makoto's life? Her friends were the legendary Sailor Senshi. They fought against evil forces since an early age.
Makoto thought it was necessary to tell Ran who she was at this rate since *he* had told *her* the truth on how his new life had operated these days. Yes! She could tell him who she was. She could trust him well enough. But first…she wanted today to be like old times. Happy. Alone. Private. She wanted to be beside Ran and rekindle their bond.
"How long have you been working in the florist?" Makoto asked. "How come I never saw you in there?"
"I was always on the move EVERYDAY," Ran answered. "But these days, things have been quiet and now I'm just sticking to my job as a florist." Makoto moved to the chair nearest to Ran's left side to lean across the table, stroking his left sided strand then his cheek softly. Ran reacted in the same form and did the same action as her, stroking her cheek as well.
"Does this mean…?" She paused uncertainly, wondering whether it was okay to say what she wanted. The burgundy haired Bishounen took both her hands and placed them gently into his palms as he nodded clearly and said, "I'm staying here for real, Makoto. I'm staying here with you." Cheering happily, Makoto's hands cupped his pale face and kissed him. Ran moved his hands to stroke the top of her brunette head to relax in the enjoyable moment. He withdrew his lips from hers to move his fingers downward till they met stroked her cheeks. His fingers then moved to find her rose earrings.
"They suit you perfectly, Kino Makoto," Ran murmured.
"Thanks to you, Fujimiya Ran," Makoto replied in a similar tone. Saying each other's full names gave them a sense of pure satisfaction as their hands held together and their faces stood very close. Makoto realised that they were in public and not in a bedroom and if they decided to go further into their intimacy it would cause a huge audience to form outside the café. She remembered that she was here to catch up with Ran. He too understood her body language and let her slide back into her chair as though they were talking normally.
"So, what have you been up to, Makoto?" Ran questioned formally.
"The same thing as you," She answered straightaway. "Fighting."
"Really? Well let's hear it then. I've told you a bit of my story. It's your turn now," Ran stated. Makoto laughed at his desperation urge to hear her side of life these days. This reunion today was just a dream come true. She had been able to hug Ran, kiss him and feel the softness of his hair between her fingers. How could she not say this was a perfect day? What would be more perfect would be to tell her what she had been doing over the years. It would mean that both their lifestyles were similar in terms of awkwardness and they could understand each other much more than before.
"It's going to sound weird at first," Makoto warned. Ran whispered into her ear, "It's okay. I've got all day to hear your story."
And so her story telling began – over pancakes with syrup and hot cappuccino.
END.
Yes Ran is a truly nice guy here, which obviously means he is OOC ^_^;; But I'm certain that deep inside, he is a great person (even before joining Weiß as well). I salute him all the way :D Please review constructively and thank you for reading this ^_^.