Chapter five

It was rare for Tomoe Hotaru to have a night of peace and quiet to herself, and that was why she valued them so much. Curling up with a good novel was just something that most people took for granted, but not Hotaru, and that was why she was so pleased to have some time to herself for the first time in months.

That was also part of why she was so irritated when her phone went off just as she was getting into her book. Most of the time Hotaru would have ignored it, but there was just something that was bugging her, telling her that she had to answer, and when she did she knew that the situation at hand was more important then her getting some time to herself.

The one who had called was none other than Aino Minako, who was probably Hotaru's closest friend, however unlikely that may have seemed to the public; after all the two were about as different as two girls could possibly get. But friends they were, and that was why Hotaru became extremely concerned when she realised that Minako was crying.

"What's wrong, Minako?" Hotaru asked, frowning as she thought about what could have caused the girl to fall into a state like this. She would have bet her last yen that it had something to do with Ten'oh Haruka; Minako had never been like this at all until Haruka arrived on the scene; she never got anywhere near this bad when she was with Yaten or anyone else, Hotaru mused, so it had to be something to do with Haruka.

"I can't tell you over here," Minako said eventually. "Would it be okay if I came round to yours or you came to mine? I just really need to talk to someone right now."

Had it been anyone else then Hotaru would have sighed and mourned the loss of her rare night of peace, but this was Minako, and Minako was far more important than any peace and quiet, romance novel or no.

"I'll be right over now," Hotaru replied. The phone went dead and Hotaru hurried out of her house. She had to get to Minako quickly when she was in this sort of mood; the blonde may have appeared cheerful and stable on the outside, but when she got like that then there was no telling what she'd do.

It didn't take too long for Hotaru to arrive at Minako's, and when she got there the other girl answered the door immedeately. Hotaru was understandabley startled by Minako's appearance; she looked so tired and worn it was hard to believe she was the same old Minako.

Minako pulled Hotaru inside and locked the door behind her then the two girls retreated to Minako's sitting room, like they always did whenever Hotaru came there. Hotaru was surprised to find the place in a state of utter disarry; something was most definitely wrong. Even though Minako was a domestic disaster her place always looked fine, but not then.

Hotaru cleared some magazines from one of the chairs and put them on the floor. Minako on the other hand collapsed onto a chair without even seeming to realise what mess was around her. The blonde covered her face with her hands and promptly started crying again, startling the other girl.

"I'm an idiot," she whispered, her words catching Hotaru by surprise; she hadn't expected her to say anything so soon, especially not considering the state she was in. "I'm a complete and utter idiot; I should never have done it."

"If you mean telling Haruka you like her then I fail to see why you shouldn't have," Hotaru replied.

Minako didn't appear to have heard her, "I never should have gone through with it; I never should have listened to him."

"Him?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow. Minako knew fullwell that Haruka was a girl, and she doubted that she would have moved onto another person so quickly, no matter what the media tried to paint Minako as.

"You were right, 'Taru-chan; he really is a complete bastard," Minako cried. It was then that realisation sunk in.

"Minako, what's Chiba Mamoru been doing to you?" Hotaru asked, 'And what does Haruka have to do with this, if anything at all?' she wondered.

"Please don't judge me for telling you this," Minako whispered, sitting up and looking directly at Hotaru for the first time since she had arrived.

"I won't," Hotaru replied, wondering once again what had caused the other girl to fall into such a state.

"It was his idea, this whole affair," when Minako spoke, her voice was barely audible. "I don't know whether to hate him or thank him though; I'd never have got the courage to go up to Haruka and tell her otherwise. But it's just turning into a game, a sick, twisted game, and I don't know what to do anymore. I love her, I really do, but all I seem to be doing now is hurting her and I hate myself for it!"

Hotaru stared at the other girl in shock, realising what this meant, "You were just using her all along."

"It looks like that doesn't it?" Minako sighed, "I wasn't… but I love her… I never meant to do this to her… and Mamoru… he… I… Haruka… this wasn't supposed to happen damnit!" she screamed, slamming her fists into the floor. "Miss groupie supreme, that's what she called me. But I'm not obsessed with her because of the way she looks… I'm obsessed with her because of her!"

Hotaru just sat there, shocked. It was completely unlike Minako to get at all like this. She was in such a state that Hotaru would usually feel pity for her… but not now. It was her own fault for believing anything Mamoru told her.

"Minako," Hotaru began, but she saw that the other girl wasn't listening, just wallowing in the misery she'd brought upon herself.

"Minako!" Still no reply. Well there was only one thing to do. Hotaru stood up, grabbed Minako by the shoulder and slapped her. The girl stopped crying instantly, instead looking up at her friend with shock written all over her face.

"Minako," Hotaru sighed, "You have to calm down. Haruka doesn't hate you: and even if she does then it's all that bastard Mamoru's fault for using you. I reckon you just need to talk to her, to clear all this up before you really do ruin your chances."

"You think I still have a chance with her?" Minako whispered, her eyes regaining their old shine.

"You just have to stop wallowing in misery, get out there and do something about it," Hotaru replied.

"But what if she…" Minako began but Hotaru cut her off before she could say anything else.

"No, you are going to see her and explain all of this," Hotaru stated firmly in a tone of voice she very rarely had to use.

"Alright," Minako sighed. "It's my own fault if she hates me anyway."

"For goodness sake Minako, she doesn't hate you," Hotaru snapped, 'And even if she does it's nowhere near as much as I hate Mamoru for forcing you into this.' "Now get some rest; you'll have to be up early to see her, won't you?"

Minako finally nodded, giving in to Hotaru's common sense. After all, what with all that was happening she felt like she honestly didn't have anything more to lose.

Minako took a deep breath and began to calm her nerves as she stood outside the front foor of Haruka's apartment. She couldn't believe that she'd let Hotaru talk her into this, she really couldn't… but she was there, and she couldn't exactly back out could she? She was in far too deep for that to even be an option now.

She knocked on the door then stood back and waited for Haruka to show up, if indeed she was even in at all. Part of Minako honestly wished the Haruka wasn't in, that she didn't have to face her and explain everything she'd done… but then again, she mused, she had to get this over and done with sooner or later didn't she? She just wished it could have been later rather than sooner.

Minako jumped, startled, when the door finally did open, revealing a rather annoyed looking Ten'oh Haruka.

"Look, if you're here asking about all those rumours then you can get stuffed! I've had to deal with so many paparazzi lately I swear I'm going to hurt someone one of these…" she trailed off, her expression becoming one of even greatr irritation upon having seen that it was

Minako standing there. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to explain…" Minako began, the words barely audible.

"Well you can forget it!" Haruka snapped. "I don't have time to listen to whatever bullshit you're spouting now."

"This isn't a load of lies this time, okay?! I came to tell you the truth, just the goddamn truth, but if you don't want to listen then fine!" Minako found herself yelling. She didn't care how much sense Hotaru's advice had made at the time; she couldn't stand here and tell Haruka anything. It was just too humiliating, no matter that this time she was really telling the truth, just like she should have all along.

She had turned to storm off when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Look, Aino, if you're going to make such a big fuss about it then you should just come inside and tell me. Come on," Haruka grabbed the smaller girl and dragged her inside, feeling momentarily guilty at the look of pure hurt in Minako's eyes.

Shaken, Minako followed Haruka inside and sat down in the living room. It was so impersonal, nothing at all there to indicate that it was someone's home. So distant and impersonal… just like Haruka herself was.

"Now why don't you tell me whatever it was that was so important? What is the truth behind this whole affair?" Haruka asked, leaning closer to Minako, who blushed somewhat and looked away.

"Well you heard everything Chiba Mamoru said, didn't you?" Minako whispered. "The bastard tried to convince me to seduce you, said something about publicity."

"If that's all you want to tell me then you can sod off," Haruka muttered. "The bastard's my uncle, I know exactly how his twisted mind works. Married my mother's sister for her money, but he's never around for her or her daughter; prefers to screw around with girls about our age." At this her expression changed to one of complete disgust.

"He's your uncle?" Minako was completely shocked by this.

"Yeah, now get back to what you were saying, I don't have much time to waste."

Minako sighed and continued, "Well you know I went through with Mamoru's plan. Thing is I really do like you, Haruka; all Mamoru's idea did was give me the confidence to go up and speak to you. I may appear really confident but that's just an act, you know it is. I love you, Haruka… I love you."

"You know what? I don't have time to listen to this," it was obvious to Minako that Haruka was completely exasperated. "Get out."
Minako's eyes grew wide with shock; surely she didn't mean it? What had she done

wrong? All she had done was tell the truth, but perhaps the truth had come too late.

"I thought I told you to get out!" the anger in Haruka's voice was now clear.

Minako sighed and stood up, "I'm sorry," she whispered as she left. Shutting the door behind her, she tried not to let the tears fall from her eyes, but fall they did, and this time the tears were real.