Author's Note:

Whoops. I deleted the last document that I published. It had A LOT of grammatical errors due to lack of sleep these past few days. A new college semester is starting, so from now on updates to my fics will be sadly reduced to a 'once a week' rate. -sigh-

Twenty points to those who could name the poem before the chapter ends. :)

-----

"Haruka! Faster! We're getting late!"

Rei was sitting impatiently on the bed, along with Ami and Makoto, all dressed up for the formal gathering that we were about to attend. I was checking out myself in the mirror for the tenth time already, wanting to find out if there was something lacking on my attire. "So...how do I look?" I twirled around to face my friends.

"Cool."

"Handsome."

"Can you be more narcissistic?"

Two gave me a thumbs up, while the other just shook her head in disbelief. I was wearing a white tuxedo that belongs to my father, along with a white cape to finish the appeal.

We left for the Kaioh mansion and arrived with only a few minutes to spare before the party began. The dress code was formal, and I was glad that I took the time to make myself appear decent enough to stand out from the rest. This night is special. I wanted to impress her so badly.

My friends also did not manage to look ordinary. Rei sported a red gown, complementing Usagi's silver one. And Ami was just charming in her long blue dress, the same style as Makoto's. Once we entered the huge living room area, they left me alone at the bookshelves, to dance the night away by themselves.

"Argh. Some friends you are," I muttered under my breath. Someone chuckled behind me.

"Oh, don't worry dear. You'll get your turn soon," Minako placed a light arm on my shoulders. I returned her smile just as when the music stopped and a loud voice called for our attentions.

The noise faltered to give a quiet sense of respect. A guard motioned to everyone on the room. "May I present to you, the Kaioh family!"

The large golden doors parted to reveal a sight no mortal is worthy to behold. She stood there, gazing down at us, with a low-cut white dress, hair pinned up behind her back, aqua curls framing her angelic face. She descended the carpeted stairway along with her parents who looked equally stunning, and without a second too late, men swarmed up before her to ask for her hand. But she politely declined all offers, preferring to just sit down and observe the gathering on a chair, a few steps away from me.

Across the dance floor, I met Usagi's eyes, and gave her a signal. She in turn, nudged her younger brother to initiate our plan. Shingo walked briskly towards her and coughed softly.

"M'lady, this is for you." She took the white rose in her hands and smiled charmingly at him.

"Who is this from?" she asked, but he just bowed down and left without a word.

She searched the ballroom for any sign of the perpetrator, but I had already hid myself in the shadow of a rather huge cabinet before she glanced at my direction. Step one, done. Now for step two…

Seconds later, Setsuna, who was seating beside her, offered her another one. She replied with a quizzical stare. "What's this for?"

My green-haired friend just shrugged her shoulders and resumed her reading. Her eyebrows were still raised when she felt a tap on her shoulders. There stood Minako, grinning widely and dropping again, a white rose, on her lap.

"Minako! You don't have to throw it at her, she might get hurt by the thorns," the ever-caring Ami came near her and handed her a fourth rose, towing along Makoto who did the same.

"Sorry! I'm just excited about this!" Minako formed a peace sign on her fingers and skipped away giggling, like a school girl. Talk about creepy…

She scratched her chin and looked down. I couldn't see her eyes, they were concealed by her bangs, but I knew that she was deep in thought. I could almost cackle madly from the anxiety, but no, not now, I restrained myself.

"Bah. What do you expect from her?" Rei came from the opposite direction to stop in front of them, giving her a warm smile, before pulling a rose behind her back. "She's as bad as Usagi." She accepted the rose, as well as the one from Usagi, who blew a raspberry to Rei.

Seven roses, she counted by her hand. -But who did they came from?- I heard her thinking.

"Sorry, we're late. Something came up." Hotaru popped up behind me with Chibi-usa, both of them smiling sheepishly.

"Better late than never." I patted their heads and waved them over to her location. "She's right there."

The two ran towards their fellow senshi's. "For the lady in white," the raven-haired girl presented two roses and a white envelope to her. "From the most handsome person in the universe," the smaller one of the two piped in. After which, the pair disappeared amongst the crowds to get Chibi-Usa some cookies.

"Nine roses?" She inquired quite loud and opened the envelope. Just then, a slow instrumental music played on the background…

"I do not love you as if you were a salt rose, or topaz
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body…"

She trailed off, feeling tears in her eyes. Once again, she scanned the room in front of her, and frowned when she saw that no one was paying her any attention.

"…I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
So I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep."

I finished the poem for her. She turned around to face me, her eyes wide with surprise.

I gave her the last three roses. "May I have this dance, princess?" She smiled though she was crying.

"I'd love to."

----

On the rooftop of a building, somewhere far away, two silhouettes can be seen talking under the light of the full moon.

"The dreams are starting."

"Yes. I know."

"And you also know that once she remembers, she can't lead a normal life anymore."

"I know." An exasperated sigh. "But someday, we're going to have that…"

----

We were the envy of almost everyone. Men were throwing daggers at me with their eyes. While women stared at her with spite, evident in their faces.

The song ended, but was quickly followed by another mellow one. "Would you like for us to go back to our friends?" I asked her, never wanting to let her go, never wanting for this night to end.

God, please let her say no…

She cupped my face in her hands. "And waste a chance like this? Never." She released a contented sigh, her head resting once again on my chest.

With every step, with every sway, our bodies moved in rhythm. It was like we were made for other. How I wish we could stay this way forever.

-I love you, Uranus.- She looked up and I saw the same longing I felt inside, right in her very own eyes.

-You know I suck at confessions…but…I love you too, Neptune.-

Suddenly, as if gravity was making fun of us, our faces were getting closer to each other with each passing second. I felt her breath on my neck. We were so close, her lips so near. She closed her eyes, and I did the same.

My blood was rushing in my veins, my heart beating so wildly in its ribcage. I held my breath, as my lips met…

…the hard wooden floor of my bedroom…

"Wha…?"

I stood up groggily on my two feet when I realized that someone was banging heavily on the door.

"Haruka! Open the damn door!" My older brother's voice was fuming. I cringed in fear, thinking hard on what made him so angry. I stepped aside as I opened the now damaged door. I then made a mental note to myself to replace it with a metal, or a stone, one the next day.

"Mom told me about your small escapade yesterday. Beating up perverts like that…what in the world were you thinking, Haruka?" Hisoka, the ever so flawless head of the family paced around my cramped area.

"What was I thinking? They were snooping around on my friend! They deserve it!" He ruffled his own hair and looked away, trying to calm down.

"Look, Haruka…as much as I'd like to get my hands on assholes like those, you're still my little sister. I don't want you to get hurt. So please, the next time that happens, think of another way to deal with it. In a non-violent kind of way," he paused to pat me lightly on my back and smiled dearly. "But still...a vile deed should be punished. You will be grounded for one month."

"But…-"

He cut me off. "No but's. You should be well aware enough at your age to know the consequences of your own actions. Bye now. I'll be off to work." He waved before closing the door behind him, leaving me alone in the confines of my sanctuary.

"Damn it." I dropped myself on the bed unceremoniously. I felt tired. From that confrontation or from my dream, I did not know. What was it about again? Uranus? Neptune?

Stupid planets…

I closed my eyes and drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

----

Meanwhile, on Room 202 of the College of Music of the University of the Philippines Manila…

"Ms. Kaioh, could you recite to us, lines from your favorite poem?" Ms. Oreta called on one of her students.

"It will be my pleasure, ma'am," she nodded to her humanities professor. She smiled sadly as she spoke words that have been engraved in her own soul…

"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way…"

The girl paused, reminiscing that special moment with her beloved.

"…than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep..."

The rest of the class stared in awe as they felt a deep sorrow tugging in their own hearts.

Reference:

The poem I used is Pablo Neruda's Love Sonnet XVII.

Disclaimer:

Haruka, Michiru, and the rest of the BSSM gang belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I'm just borrowing them for a little while.
And Mr. Neruda, who, by the way, is one kickass writer, owns the poem. (Though I wish I do. Lol.)