The Client

Summary: Makoto is Minako's new client and hopes to be with Mizuno Ami. Will Minako fall in love with her client? Probably.

Disclaimer: I own nothing that is mentioned in this fic.

Chapter Four: Knowing Each Other

So a week has gone by and everything has been fine for the most part. Rei has passed her test (with flying colors, I might add), and no one has tried bothering me for a while (especially guys). Only one thing was amiss: Ami. My calculations were off about her; I thought she and Makoto would get together on their own by the end of last week, but I was wrong. Ami hadn't said anything to Makoto for a while now, though I didn't mind entirely. That gave me more time to spend with the brunette, which I gladly savored. Makoto had talked to me about this before, and I told her to give Ami some time to come to her. Ami was stubborn, but she would break down eventually.

Aside from all of that, everything is fine. I guess you could say I've gotten closer to Makoto, which isn't necessarily bad. She is a happy person, and she is fun to be around. It's kind of weird, since I originally didn't want to be anywhere near her during my free time. Now, I hung out with her for two major reasons: 1) I needed Ami jealous for her future emotional breakdown and 2) I felt like it. Being anti-social wasn't as fun as I made it seem, so Makoto was like a surprising breath of fresh air.

Of course, I tried not to show it. Before, I rarely talked to her. When she became my client, I expected the worst. However, she went way beyond my expectations. Talking to her now was enjoyable, and joking around with her was fun. I can see why Usagi made friends with her a long time ago. Well, I guess this means you can't judge a movie by its reviews.

However, despite Makoto being cheerful most of the time, today was rather different. She was very quiet, more so than she had been on any other day. She didn't really talk to Usagi or me at lunch. Without anyone in Makoto's class to give us a status report on her behavior, we could only assume she daydreamed throughout class. Usagi and I were worried, but I worried the most. I tried to think of a reason for her to be unhappy, but nothing came up. Of course, Ami had been a suspect – the very first suspect. Naming her the reason for Makoto's depression made sense, considering the current situation. Yet, there was only one reason why I had written Ami off my mental list of causes: Makoto hadn't been too fazed by Ami ignoring her. Sure, it had gotten to her after a while, but she learned to ignore it herself (for the most part).

Towards the end of the day, Makoto's depression was becoming more and more of a guessing game. It started when Makoto, Usagi, and I walked home together. I walked in the middle while the other two were on either side of me. Usagi glanced at Makoto for a moment when we heard a sigh come from Makoto's mouth. I looked at Usagi for a second and looked back to Makoto. She didn't seem to be bothered by us staring at her with the utmost confusion. Usagi suddenly nudged me, silently telling me to figure out what was wrong with the taller girl. I stared at her blankly, wondering why she chose me immediately for this. This action was in no way a complaint, but Usagi had automatically chosen me for this job, not giving me much time to react.

Receiving another nudge – this one was much more impatient than the last – I decided to make a move. I hooked my arm around Makoto's and frowned at her playfully. Holding her like this was kind of weird – weird in the sense that I wanted to do this all the time. Makoto stopped walking for a moment to regard me, surprised by my bold gesture. Once the surprise faded from her features, she continued walking, and I went with her.

"What's wrong, Mako-chan?" I asked. She grunted in response. I figured she was trying to show amusement, but whatever was bothering her wouldn't let her. "That's the first time I've heard that from you," she said softly. I smiled excitedly, happy to know the brunette still knew how to speak. I squeezed her arm a little tighter and pressed my cheek against her shoulder.

"I think we're close enough to skip formalities," I responded, earning a weird look from Usagi. I ignored her and tried not to think about what she was probably thinking. "So, what's wrong, Mako-chan?" Usagi asked, moving things along. Makoto inhaled deeply and held her breath for a moment. Then, she let it out quickly, as if to show frustration. I gave her a curious look; it seemed innocent enough. Our eyes met for a second – just that one second. I was disappointed that I didn't have any more time to study those emerald orbs. I ended up staring at the ground, having nothing else to look at.

"Well, it's just Ami…"

What?

"She refused to tutor me today to avoid me…"

Ami, who had been my number one suspect from the start, was the reason for Makoto's depression? I couldn't believe this! I had been right all along!

"I can't stand this! She hasn't talked to me for a week now!" Makoto exclaimed, clenching her fists. In an attempt to make her relax, I grasped her hand tightly and tried to smile. "You've been doing great, though!" I said. "You can't give into her now."

There was silence for a little while until I came up with an idea. The mere thought of it was strange at first, but I figured it would be fun, considering I would be with Makoto.

"How about I fill in Ami's spot until things between you two get better?" I proposed. "I know I can't be exactly like her, but maybe I can cheer you up a little." Makoto stopped in her tracks and stared at me blankly. I felt Usagi's eyes burning a hole through my head. Apparently, my idea was a little too radical. I returned Makoto's gaze and asked, "Come on, it wouldn't hurt, would it?"

For the first time all day, Makoto smiled. Not only that, but she laughed, too! "So you'll tutor me today?" she asked skeptically. I shrugged and smiled. "Sure. Why not?" Laughing again, she continued walking with me right beside her. I looked at Usagi and gave her the thumbs up, silently conveying my victory. She cracked a small smile and shook her head.

Once again, our walk continued in silence. Somewhere during the walk, Makoto whipped out her cell phone. It looked as though she were texting someone. Then, a vibrating noise could be heard shortly after. It couldn't have been my cell phone because mine was charging at home. Usagi took her cell phone out and starting texting, too. Secret conversation or coincidence? I didn't like this at all.

When we were somewhat close to my house, we stopped. Usagi announced she would walk home by herself, which was rather puzzling. She warned us not to have too much fun without her and skipped off. "I wonder why she would leave now," I said thoughtfully. Makoto began to laugh nervously, which prompted me to look up at her. "Actually, I want us to go to my apartment," she explained. "You know, so you wouldn't try charging me for anything." So the texting had been a secret conversation!

I stuck my tongue out at her in response. She laughed and continued walking, dragging me along with her. It was then that I had realized that I hadn't let go of her hand after I tried calming her down. In fact, our fingers were now intertwined.

"Never thought you were so good at English, Minako-chan."

"Well, I'm full of surprises, huh?"

Makoto patted my head and laughed. "Whatever. Would you like a snack or something to drink?" she asked as she stood up from her seat on the floor. I frowned slightly as I stared at the books and papers scattered across the table. "What about the rest of the homework?"

"That can wait! We've been working hard for a while!" she exclaimed. She held out her hand, which I accepted, and pulled me up. I sighed and shrugged, figuring there was no arguing with her. Besides, she had been the one working hard; I mainly watched. During that time, I memorized her study habits. When she tried to produce an answer for any kind of question, she tapped her cheek with her pencil as she tried to figure it out. When she didn't understand something, she would glare at the problem before asking for my help. There were so many things she did as she studied. After I had caught on to most of them, I made soft noises of amusement. Makoto would look up at me and smile, and she would either go back to what she was doing or let me help her. It made me wonder if Ami had picked up on any of these traits or not.

"I guess," I said finally. "So, what do you have?" Makoto grinned, happy I let her off the hook. She motioned me to follow her into the kitchen as she answered, "Well, I made cookies the other day, but I can't guarantee they'll be as good as before…uh, I have instant ramen, and juice." She groaned and slapped her forehead. "I need to go to the grocery store soon," she muttered. Giving me a little smile and patting my head, she said, "Thank you for reminding me." I nodded slowly as I sat at the table.

"You said you made cookies. Are these legit cookies, or is it just cookie dough you got from the store and put in the oven?"

"By 'legit' you mean 'made from scratch,' then yeah, they're legit."

Suddenly, I felt my heart skip a beat at Makoto's statement. Perhaps I was faking this, but at that moment, I had a panic attack. Now would be a good time to state my 'legit' cookie obsession. As a child, I loved eating cookies, especially when my mother made them. As I grew up, she stopped, leaving me with only cookies from the store. They didn't taste like the ones my mother made, so I stopped eating cookies unless she made them herself. Now, if anyone made cookies, I'd jump them and demand cookies.

Makoto rushed to my side and asked if I was okay, if there was anything she could do. I grabbed her shoulders and stared her down, my panic attack apparently over.

"Cookies. Now."

Makoto gave me a questioning look, surprised by my behavior. I let her go and told her to get the cookies. She asked me why I had changed all of a sudden as she walked to the counter. I eyed her movements as I told her of my legit cookie obsession. She had picked up a box – hopefully the cookies were stashed in there – and walked back towards me. She simply shook her head at my explanation, finding it ridiculous. She placed the box on the table and told me to open it. Sure enough, the cookies were there. I grabbed one and put the whole cookie in my mouth. Chewing them quickly like a starving orphan, my eyes grew wide in shock. They tasted better than I had expected! This was no ordinary cookie; it was pure gold!

"Uh, Minako-chan, are you okay? It's just a cookie."

Swallowing the deliciousness, I glared at Makoto. "It's not just a cookie. It's a homemade cookie."

"So?"

"So, it should be valued more and seen as more than just a cookie."

"Whatever."

I stared at the brunette with disbelief. I shook my head and shrugged hopelessly. "Bah, you don't understand – not that I'd expect you to anyway," I sighed. She nodded to agree. Taking another cookie from the box, I asked, "You really made these? They're awesome."

"Yeah, I did."

"What's the occasion?"

"There is none. I just felt like it."

I laughed. "If I knew how to make cookies, I probably wouldn't even bother," I said. "My mom doesn't do much anymore, so I have to get stuff from the drugstore." Suddenly, I received a glare from Makoto, which made me frown. If I hurt her feelings somehow, I don't know how I did. Before I could even ask, she got up and said, "You should appreciate her, Minako. I'm sure she does much more than you think." Then, she walked out the kitchen, leaving me there by myself.

I mentally chastised myself for making Makoto mad. Quickly, I went after her and grabbed her hand. She slipped out of my grip and turned to me, a little angrier than she was moments ago. "Makoto, I'm sorry for what I said," I apologized quickly, but she ignored my apology. "You know what? You, Ami-chan, and Usagi-chan are lucky; you just don't know it. Don't complain about your parents, just be happy they're there." Then, she laughed an angry laugh, trying to get her thoughts out. "How can you even fathom the thought of taking them for granted? Using them for your own needs only to rebel against them later? What are you thinking?"

As Makoto kept talking, I grabbed her shirt and called her name. She calmed down a bit as she touched my hands. "I think you should go," she whispered. She left me dumbfounded as she gathered my stuff for me. "Mako-chan…"

"Thanks for your help," Makoto sighed as she gave me my bag. "I'm sure I can finish the rest." As I stared into her eyes, I knew there was no changing her mind. There was no way I could find out what was wrong with Makoto now, so maybe I could figure it out later.

"I'm glad I could be of assistance," I smiled. When I got to the door, I stopped, and my smile disappeared. I turned around, and Makoto was still staring at me. "If you want to talk, you know my number," I said. She made an attempt at a smile and nodded. Flashing a smile in return, I began my trek home.

I woke up the next day at the usual time, six-thirty. My daily routine got off to a weird start. The first thing I thought of was Makoto. She hadn't called me yesterday like I had hoped. Perhaps she was the kind of person who kept her feelings to herself. If she didn't want to talk about what happened, it was understandable. I was like her once, though that phase had ended years ago.

By the time I was ready to get dressed, I heard the sound of my cell phone's ringtone. I picked it up from my desk with confusion. Who would call me at such an hour? Usagi was definitely sleeping and wouldn't wake up until it was too late. The answer didn't hit me until I heard the voice of the caller.

"Hey, are you ready for school yet?"

I would have replied right away, but my voice was stuck in my throat. It was surprising to hear Makoto's voice so early in morning – actually, it was surprising to hear anyone's voice so early in the morning. (Mom usually sleeps in, and Dad goes to work before I get the chance to see him.) If that wasn't enough, Makoto sounded like her usual self! As if nothing had happened yesterday, she sounded like the same old Makoto. Maybe she was trying to forget about it and move on – who knows?

"Minako, don't space out on me!"

"O-oh, yeah, I'm almost ready…why?"

"Hurry up then! I'm waiting for you outside."

Hanging up, my heart raced. The whole room seemed to fade to black as I imagined Makoto standing in front of me, leaning against the wall and tapping her foot impatiently – that was probably what she looked like outside, and she looked so cool. I didn't even try to question why Makoto had been waiting for me; I accepted it. Had I been thinking rationally, I would have questioned my body's response.

As quickly as I could, I put on my sailor fuku and made sure I had everything together. I checked the clock, and I noticed I had to leave in five minutes – ten if I wanted to get to school a few minutes before the bell rang. Even so, I panicked. How long had I kept Makoto waiting already? This wasn't good. I grabbed my bag, my cell phone, my brush, and my red bow and dashed out of my room. I brushed my hair hastily and ran into the kitchen. Placing my bag on the table, I put hair into its usual style with the bow. Now that my hands were free, I was able to go through the fridge and take out lunch, which was in my awesome bentou box. After putting that in my bag, I was ready.

Swiftly, I made my way to the door and put on my shoes. With a sigh, I put on a playful face and opened the door. Makoto was waiting for me just like she said she was. She smiled and motioned me to hurry. I closed the door behind me and walked towards her. "Didn't you ever think of waiting for Ami to get ready for school?" I asked. She nodded a little and shrugged. "Yeah, but I didn't want her to think I was creepy."

"And you don't think that I think this is creepy?"

"Nope."

I sighed and walked away from the house, Makoto right behind me. "Actually," she said with a serious tone, "I wanted to talk…about yesterday." I nodded, but I didn't say anything. Perhaps I would understand what I said to get Makoto upset.

"Getting mad at you like that…it wasn't fair of me," she muttered. "You didn't deserve it."

"Maybe I did," I objected. "If you tell me why you got upset, I'll understand I was the one in the wrong." Makoto let out a groan of disagreement. "But you weren't," she explained. "I was. I should have kept my feelings in check."

"Maybe that's the problem," I said as I looked into her eyes. I was desperately trying to figure out what was going on in Makoto's head. I wanted to learn more about her. Surely there was more to her than her happy schoolgirl persona. "Keeping your feelings to yourself isn't healthy."

Makoto stared down at me, her eyes curious. Perhaps she was wondering why I was pursuing the matter. Besides wanting to know her better, why was I? I hadn't acted this way in front of Usagi when we had first met – in fact, Usagi had been the nosy one. There was something different about Makoto, and it was fascinating. On the outside, she was just like everyone else. However, there was something else that interested me, but I didn't know what it was.

"What?" I breathed, the silence between us becoming more unbearable with each second. Makoto blinked, her thoughts interrupted. She tensed up, blushed, and looked away. I thought of teasing her and seeing what her reaction would be, but I decided against it. Instead, I waited patiently for her to answer if she gave me one.

"No one has ever tried to figure me out like this before," Makoto said. Then, she laughed and shook her head. "No, that's wrong," she corrected herself. "Usagi-chan and Ami-chan have tried but not as quickly as you." She looked at me and crossed her arms. "I'm either a delinquent or a good person in everyone else's eyes," she continued, "but it's like you're trying to see beyond all of that."

I smiled a little and shrugged. "We're friends, right? Your reputation means nothing to me; only our friendship matters," I explained. As if I had said exactly what she wanted to hear, her face lit up, her smile wide. Even though I still wanted to know what I had said to make Makoto mad in the first place, I was glad to know that she was happy now.

I held her hand in mine and began swinging our hands in the air like children. She didn't seem to mind the contact. We did this until we got to school. Our merriment came to an abrupt end when we saw Ami and Usagi. (Apparently, Usagi made an effort to wake up today.) Once they spotted us, everything stood still. If Ami hadn't burned a hole through our heads with her glare, we probably would have kept walking.

After looking at Usagi for a moment, who nodded, Ami came towards us with a determined expression. I laughed nervously and released my grip on Makoto's hand. "I think I'll leave you two alone," I said. Makoto gave me a look of disapproval as I left her to face the unknown by herself. Usagi wasted no time and grabbed my wrist, practically dragging me into the school building. "You know how Ami-chan feels about Mako-chan," she said. "Why would you do that?"

"If everything turns out okay, it would be thanks to me, wouldn't it?"

Usagi didn't have a comeback. She knew that what I said was true. Though, if things got worse between Makoto and Ami, then that would be thanks to me as well. "Usagi-chan, I'm helping Makoto out," I sighed. "I wouldn't try to do something stupid that would hurt her rather than help her." Usagi let go of my wrist and stared at me. "Please…make sure you don't," she murmured darkly.

She turned and left me standing there. I was pretty confused for a moment. Did Usagi really think I would do something like that? Why? It wasn't like I had feelings for Makoto or anything…nope, not at all!

There was no way I could hurt Makoto's chance with Ami – not intentionally, at least.

To be continued…

And that is chapter four! I'm happy that I finished this before '09 came along XD Well, this could be the last update for the year, but I'll be back in January (hopefully). Til next time

Serenity101