Disclaimer: I think I drilled it into everyone's heads by now that I don't own Sailor Moon by now, so I won't go into detail about that. I neither own the song Katagoshi ni Kinsei/Venus Over My Shoulder nor its English translation, and like Sailor Moon itself, they both belong to their respective owners.

Before daybreak,

Minako studied her surroundings somberly. She noted that her overly pink room now looked extremely dark and grim, even with its bright fluorescent colors and Artemis curled up at her side. Honestly, blamed to sorrow caused by all that had happened over the past few months.

In the clouds, Venus,

You and two people,

Discovering

She buried her head into her fluffy—ironically pink as well—pillow. They had always expected her to be the positive happy-go-lucky one, the other Sailor Soldiers. It was hard for at times to go through with that though, with all the complications that was going on in her life.

Secret love, to whom I won't say,

Secretly in the sky.

Minako felt the tears begin to fall freely from her eyes. She never knew that she could ever feel such a sadness . . . such a sorrow; not even when her friends had died had she felt a pain like that. She allowed more tears to stream down her face. She knew she shouldn't have felt that miserable about it. It was just that she couldn't help it, and it was was beginning to drive her heart and friends insane.

Alas, it vanishes.

With a sigh, the winds change.

Feelings, I throw to the stars.

Minako whimpered lightly. Her love, her wonderful unrequited love, had found another. In a small place in the back of her mind, she pitied a resurrected Kunzite. It had to be saddening to him, how her heart belonged to another; he understood her pain of an unrequited, evidently. She just couldn't fight her fate though . . . her past and future . . . Crystal Tokyo and her duty.

Awkwardly, fleeting are such feelings.

Minako desperately wanted for her feelings to disappear into oblivion, but at the same time, she didn't for one second. She was terribly confused at first, but then she went to Makoto discreetly for some advice. She had been reluctantly told that she should let those feelings fade, never act on them, and to move on; that was Jupiter speaking, Minako knew, and none of Makoto, if her far-fetched assumption was to be proven correct at that time. She had a hunch that these current feelings wouldn't merely abandon her, but grow immensely, just as they had done for the few amount of years that she had known her love.

"Mina?" Artemis raised his head groggily, probably due to his hour long nap. "Are you alright? Is something wrong with your relationship with Kunzite?"

"I'm fine, Arty, really." Minako smiled, even though she knew that tears blurred her eyes, which definitely would go against her previous claim. "Kunzite and I broke up anyway, but I'm over it." She then winked. "But you know me, I'm the Goddess of Love, I'm always fine!"

"That's a horrible lie," Artemis grumbled and shook his head, but lowered it. "Mina, we're all worried about you. I hope you know that you can trust me with these things, right?"

Minako nodded. She still kept a fake happy smile plastered across her face, even though she was sure that her jig was up for her concerned feline companion to see with open eyes. "I'll be fine Arty, don't worry about it."

"Alright," Artemis grumbled once again, and closed his eyes. "But we're talking about this later when I have more energy, got it?"

"We'll talk later," Minako agreed slowly, causing Artemis to instantly fall asleep as soon as his head hit the soft blankets.

Her thoughts immediately travelled back to her melancholy. She desperately wanted her love to hold her, not that other person they constantly held. She frowned, dropping her facade. The heavy pain on her heart was so intense whenever she saw them together; it was beginning to take a toll on her daily activities. She was just happy that she was able to conceal it successfully, otherwise, she'd have a lot of explaining to do to her friends; that wouldn't have been fun.

One morning walkway, eternally

Our hands were connected.

Because I won't forget, right?

Minako sighed quietly. She wanted to forget her love easily, like it was the sand being taken back into the ocean by the waves; she wanted it gone. It helped fueled her motivation for her duty as Sailor Venus, but that was possibly it. There was nothing positive about her love but pain and heartache, like it always was due her, apparently.

Someday, you will hold me close

Always, always, so it's love.

Oh, how much did Minako want for her love to reciprocate her feelings with a fierce passion and care that only a soulmate could give? Of course, her love had already found their soulmate long ago—and it wasn't her by a long shot; she could keep dreaming though. That thought seemed to unfortunately increase the throbbing in her heart, and she began to despise the feeling. After all, who could love that wretched feeling that that occurred every two seconds, unless they were around their beloved?

My tears, I won't show

New love is possible, finding Venus

Minako was so caught up in her thoughts that she had almost missed the faint knocking of a door that seemed to originate from her bedroom's own. Why would someone be busting me this late at night? And I'm a mess for God's sake! And what if it's . . . them?

"Mina?" Rei called from the exterior side of the said door, her usually stoic voice laced with worry and concern. "Are you doing alright? I—everyone is worried about you!"

"I'm alright!" Minako stood and ran a hand through her hair nervously, which was an action she ever rarely performed in both her present and previous lifetimes alike. Rei of all people couldn't see her like this; she would blow a gasket, probably. The last thing Minako needed was an Angry-Rei at the moment, that much she was most certain of. Despite what her mind was telling her, she called, "It's open; you can come in if you want!"

The door creaked open and Rei made herself known to a grief-stricken Minako. "Mina, tell me, what's wrong?"

"I'm find Rei, really," Minako replied coolly. She wanted some consolation desperately; maybe telling Rei would be a good idea. Again, against her wishes, she said, "Don't need to worry; I'm alright."

In the window, skillfully,

I sat down.

You had a girlfriend, I know.

Minako felt the tears begin to well up again. Her love loved another, and she was well aware of the fact. Maybe they weren't soulmates, her and her love, but rather it was that she was cursed to painfully sit back and watch from a distance, just like she did in the Silver Millennium?

"Mina," Rei broke Minako out of her thoughts, shockingly soothingly, "you are a clearly not alright, so tell me what's wrong."

"You—" Minako's voice cracked, finally revealing her sorrow to the world. "—You know how I feel. I—I told you once before, remember?"

Over my shoulder, the smell of grass

Grasp tightly these feelings.

"You're an idiot to be dwelling on a love that will never be sometimes, you know that?" Rei adverted her gaze to the ground. "We don't need love . . . it will only interrupt our duty."

Painfully, irritating

Such feelings

Someday, they'll change into flowers.

"Rei, have you ever had someone you loved?" Minako asked, coming out of her silence. "Have you ever?"

"I have . . . and still do." Rei nodded slowly. "But they're to busy moping around on an impossible love to notice me. And besides, I don't need love; I have to keep my devotions solely on Usagi's wellbeing and the protection of the Silver Crystal."

"Everyone needs love," Minako said. "It just hurts the worst when they don't feel the same—or love another person completely different than yourself. But, who did you love Rei?"

"I still love them so much it hurts." Rei winced, as if thinking about something grim or upsetting. She then brought Minako into a tight embrace "You see," she whispered as she laid a light kiss on a shocked Minako's forehead, "I want to make all of your pain disappear, Mina, I want to be the one to make you happy again. . . "

In the evening you can bet on

My radiant smiling face

Regardless it goes

Tomorrow I'll smile again

Always always I'll suffer

" . . . And you're the one I love, Mina. That's why I can't have a romance or even a chance; I can't, ever."

Minako's body stiffened as she stared at a slowly retreating Rei with wide eyes. How had she missed that, Rei's love for her? Somehow, all those jabs that were aimed at seemed to take on a new meaning. "You do?"

Tears vanish

New love to discover

Seeing Venus

"Yes, I do." Rei frowned and turned to leave. "I'll be going now, I guess."

"Wait!" Minako protested. She had always found Rei very attractive, but she never knew the extent of her beauty until then, as the moonlights rays reflected off her pale skin and Raven locks through the open-curtained window. Minako felt her heartbeat increase considerably. The only time she had felt this was when she had first seen her love in their lovely royal garments on that faithful night. What was going on with her body, and why now of all times?

Awkwardly, fleeting

Are such feelings.

In the future, they will be born again.

"What is it Mina?" Rei's sultry voice asked. She looked stony, almost emotionless, at the time being, to the point where Minako began to feel her heart ache as well. "It's not like I have any reason to be here, since you're to stubborn to realize the truth."

Minako actually had the decency to chuckle bitterly. She then suddenly stood uncertainly. "You're a big hypocrite at times, you know that, Rei?"

"How so?" Rei stopped straight in her tracks and raised a curious brow.

On the morning walkway, eternally

Our hands were connected

Because I won't forget, right?

Minako didn't want to hurt Rei; she wanted to do anything but that. The throb in her heart, her thoughts, and the odd butterflies in her stomach seemed to prevail to cause her perplexities. She want her pain to go away, yes, but she didn't want to break Rei's heart. Minako sighed inaudibly, then smiled up at her dark haired companion; she had finally came to her decision.

"That you're saying that I'm too stubborn to realize the truth; I've realized it a long time ago," a moment of silence, "and that you think I won't at least give you a chance."

Rei stared at her, almost looking hopeful, and Minako continued, "But I won't be able to love you completely just yet; I want you to know that."

Someday, you will hold me close

Always always, so it's love

My tears I won't show

"I know." Rei, shockingly, went over and took her lovingly into her arms. "That's why I'm going to try diligently, if you're going to give me a chance, Mina."

New love is possible,

Seeing Venus

She frowned secretly to herself. I'm so sorry, Usagi, I will always love you, but . . . it's time for me to let go. Then, for the first time that night, Minako finally smiled a real one. She knew that she wouldn't completely forget her love in an instant, but it was time for her to move on . . . to find a new love. Minako briefly saw Venus shining brightly in the overhead, and she felt as if her past persona was content and at peace with her final decision. "Thank you Rei, for everything."

Rei and Minako both started giggling respectively, returning to their casual selves for the time being.

"God, we sound like some sort of cheesy romance novel!"

"I know right!"

A/N: So, a light-hearted ending for my first—albeit grim-themed—song-fic, since angst isn't really my style, per se. I still can't believe that I almost forgot about this story after all the work I put into it! Hilarious huh? Well anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this; please don't forget to rate and review!

~NeroJove