Eyes for Jupiter

Chapter 12

Everyone had made it to Haruka's home for the dinner party. They were all waiting on Miss Sinsuifu to arrive. The atmosphere was tense, but not unhappy. It wasn't long before she arrived. She came alone, much to every ones relief. They didn't want to get anyone else involved.

Michiru greeted the last guest and offered to get her a cocktail. "Thank you for inviting me. I've sort of been out of touch with my friends for a while." said Yukara. She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Like an immense sadness kept her true happiness at bay.

Michiru handed her, her drink and then started the introductions. After finishing, she said, "Dinner should only be a few more minutes."

The group was quietly talking with one another, about insignificant things like the weather and the new pop idols out verses old ones.

Yukara was on the outside and Usagi made a move to include her in the conversation about the pop idols. "Yukara-san, do you like any current pop idols?

"Not really." She replied. "Ever since the Three Lights went away, there really hasn't been anything as spectacular as they were."

"You were a Three Lights Fan?" asked Minako.

"Mmh. I was actually a Fan club chapter president."

"Wow, who would've thought that you liked the Lights." replied Haruka.

"There are a lot of things that no one realizes about me." said Yukara as she gently smiled.

Mamoru chimed in, "I expect there were a lot of closet fans of the Three Lights."

"Including Ami-chan." jokingly replied Minako, as she elbowed Ami in the side while she blushed.

Soon a bell was heard. "ah, dinner is ready." said Michiru. "Shall we?"

Everyone proceeded to the dining room where they were served a very posh five course meal. When they were finished, they all went to the terrace to enjoy the evening.

"Michiru-san. Why did you ask me here?" asked Yukara.

"You caught on fast. We did have something very important to speak to about."

All eyes were on Yukara. She was beginning to feel frightened. Usagi saw this and moved forward. "Don't worry. We don't want to hurt you. We just need to ask a few questions for a friend."

Feeling the warmth radiate form the small blond girl in pigtails, Yukara smiled and sat down. "Okay. If I know the answer I tell you."

Mamoru began by handing her a picture of Rein. "Do you know who this is?"

Her face went pale. "Oh my god." she whispered. "Where did you get this?"

"So you do know who this is?" asked Mamoru.

"Mmhn. He was my fiancé." she said as tears began to fall.

"What happened?" asked Usagi as she laid a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"He saved me."

"I think you may want to start from the beginning." said Michiru.

Yukara nodded, and took a shaky breath then began the story.

"I met him a little over a year ago. He was working for my father's company as an intern. He was very intelligent and got noticed by my father very quickly. He moved up in the company within weeks. My father was hosting a dinner party for some prospected business partners. I was asked to be Monty's date, since everyone else was bringing their spouses. I didn't want to at first but, my father never asked me for much so I agreed to it anyway."

After Yukara took a drink, she continued. "Monty actually arrived for the dinner party a full hour before the guests were to arrive. My father thought of this, so we could get to know each other a bit to avoid any awkwardness at the party. I liked him right from the start. I didn't even know he was an American, his Japanese was so good. The party came and everything went well. He actually asked to see me again and I agreed. We started dating and everything was wonderful. A few months later he asked me to marry him and I agreed. My father was overjoyed. He really liked Monty and was actually training him to take over the company one day.

Well, then my parents died. I was a wreck. Monty helped me pull everything together. I was actually in charge of my father's company, but I'd really never had any interest in running it. That's when the trouble really began. I began receiving strange letters and phone messages. At first they weren't specific. Just threats that the company will collapse. I didn't think anything of it until the first death threat arrived. I was so shaken up that Monty finally cornered me and demanded to know what was going on. I told him about all the letters and phone calls. He immediately said he would handle it. I didn't think about it much after that day. Monty stopped the letters and phone calls from coming in. But then, about a month after I told him, he disappeared. I didn't know what happened to him. I went to the police and they couldn't find him either. They closed the case, saying he probably just went back to the United States. I never gave up looking for him, until I received a package at my office. I opened it to find an urn. Inside the urn were ashes and a picture." Yukara began sobbing, but continued. "It was a picture of Monty in a casket in a Crematory, being put into the fire. That's how I knew Monty was gone from me forever."

Yukara continued to cry. "I feel so lost without him. but a few days ago I thought I saw him, but it couldn't have been him…it couldn't have been him."

"It wasn't him." replied Haruka. "It was his twin brother Rein."

"Twin!?" exclaimed Yukara. "I didn't know."

"Yukara-san, Do you still have this picture that was in the urn?" asked Ami.

Yukara nodded and pulled the photo out of her purse and handed it to Mamoru.

"What are you going to do?" Yukara asked.

"Monty's brother is searching for answers as well and we're helping him." said Ami.

Yukara suddenly stood up and looked at Michiru and Haruka. "Do you think he's alive?"

"We don't know. All we have to go on is this picture and what you've told us." Haruka replied.

Yukara fell to her knees and began to cry again covering her face with her hands. Mamoru decided that she had had enough and picked her up. Haruka-san, can she stay here tonight? She shouldn't be left alone like this."

Haruka nodded. "Let's get her to a bed. Follow me."

"Ami, what do you make of this picture?" asked Michiru.

Ami quickly took out her computer and began her analysis of the picture. "It's not a phony. I can't detect any photo shop errors in it. But hold on a second, I don't think this is a real crematory. The color of the fire isn't right for that. It's not hot enough. I'll have to take more time to do a more thorough scan of the picture to see if I can get any of the other background details to come out."

Mamoru and Haruka soon reappeared. "Keep us informed if you do find something." said Haruka.

Ami nodded and put her small computer and the picture away.

"Well, how do you think Makoto's evening went?" asked a winking Minako.

"I'm sure she is in absolute heaven right now." laughed Rei.

"I wonder what she had for dessert?" asked Usagi.

"Leave it to my Usako to always think of the most important part of the night." said Mamoru.

With that everyone began to laugh.