False Pretenses
Inhaling a deep, calming breath, Rei stared into the dancing flames of the sacred fire.
It wasn't often nowadays that the fire felt it necessary to communicate any sort of message to her, especially in the years following Galaxia's defeat, but Rei had faithfully continued with her daily fire readings, using the time to clear her mind and recenter herself. Giving herself over to the comfortable warmth of the flames, she soon fell into a deep, meditative state, inviting the spirits to impart their wisdom to her if they so wished.
She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder a few minutes later, breaking her concentration.
"Grandpa!" Rei whipped her head around, glaring. "You know better than to interrupt someone's meditation."
"Sorry, I know, I know, but you have a phone call."
"Then tell whoever it is to call me back later. I'm busy," she said, wondering why he hadn't done so in the first place. That's what he usually did whenever someone wanted her attention during her meditation time.
Grandpa frowned. "I would...but I'm afraid it's your father."
Rei sighed. She should have known. Her father was never one to take "no" for an answer. "Fine, I'm coming, I'm coming…"
Reluctantly, she rose from her kneeling position in front of the fire and followed Grandpa back to the phone in the living room.
"Hello, Father?"
"Miss Rei, hello," Father said. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything too important."
Anyone else, and Rei probably would have gone on a rant about disrupting her meditation, but to be fair to her father, after years of essentially forgetting she even existed, he was trying. She supposed him calling at an inopportune moment was better than him never calling at all.
"No, it's fine," she said wearily, running a hand through her hair.
"Good. I don't have much time before my next meeting, so I will get straight to the point. The LDP is holding a fundraiser dinner next Sunday, and I would like you to attend as my guest."
"I'm afraid I already have plans for that night." She didn't, but the last thing Rei wanted to do was spend an evening with a bunch of stuffy politicians.
"Cancel them," he demanded. "There's someone I would like you to meet."
"Who?" Rei asked, curious despite herself.
"Shinsuke Yamamoto, the second son of Governor Nobuyuki Yamamoto. He's a few years older than you and is currently studying law at KO University."
Rei's eyes widened. "You want to set me up on a blind date?"
"It is merely an introduction," he said, as if that was any better. "It's not as if I am arranging a marriage for you, although I will not deny that a marriage between our two families would be advantageous –"
"I'm not some bargaining chip in your political games, Father!"
"Miss Rei, please listen –"
"No, I will not," she said, clenching her free hand at her side. Was this the reason behind her father's sudden interest in rebuilding a relationship with her, to marry her off in order to strengthen his political ties? She should have known he'd have some ulterior motive. "You do not get to do this. You know nothing about me, much less my taste in romantic partners. For all you know, I might already have a fiance, so –"
"Do you?"
Rei blinked, caught off-guard. "Do I...what?"
"Have a fiance?"
"No, not a fiance...but I am seeing someone," she said, cringing as soon as the lie slipped out of her mouth. What was she even saying? She hadn't dated anyone since her "relationship" with Mamoru back in middle school, if you could even call it that. It wasn't as if she had the opportunity to meet a ton of available guys at the all-girls' Catholic school her father had insisted she attend. She'd had more opportunities to meet men since starting her studies to become a kannushi at Kokugakuin University that spring, of course, being one of only three women in her program, but none of her classmates had caught her interest.
"Oh, forgive me, I was unaware…" Father murmured. "Well, who is this young man, if I may ask?"
Rei was tempted to reply, "What makes you think I'm dating a man?" – she had certainly received enough offers from her former classmates – but she had already dug herself in a deep enough hole without pretending to be a lesbian on top of everything else.
She mentally went through the short list of young men she knew well enough to pass off as a boyfriend. Mamoru? After all, they had sort-of dated… But Father had already met Mamoru at the stuffy birthday party he had thrown for her 18th birthday and knew he was dating Usagi, so that wouldn't work. Gurio Umino? No, he also already had a girlfriend. Any of the Three Lights would be a catch, if only they hadn't returned to Kinmoku a couple of years ago...
Her eyes wandered to the open shoji door. Her grandfather's long-time apprentice, Yuuichirou, was sweeping the porch, humming loudly to himself.
"Yuuichirou," Rei said. "My boyfriend is Yuuichirou Kumada."
"Kumada? As in the heir to the Kumada Conglomerate?"
Rei's heart sank. Yuuichirou had lived a modest life at the shrine for so long, she had almost forgotten that he actually came from an incredibly wealthy family, well-known for their soft drink business, among other enterprises.
"Y-Yes?"
"Hmm...well. This changes things. The Kumada family… Yes, they are more than acceptable…" Father seemed to be talking more to himself than her. Rei could just imagine the gears turning around in his brain, trying to figure out how he could best use her new "boyfriend" to his advantage.
Sure enough…
"Bring him to the dinner. I would very much like to meet Mr. Kumada."
"I already told you, we have plans for that night –"
"It's not a request, Miss Rei," Father said sharply, inviting no argument. "I'll send a car to pick you up at 6:30, and I expect to see you and Mr. Kumada next Sunday night."
With that, he ended the call, denying her the opportunity to protest. Rei slammed the receiver back in its cradle, growling in frustration.
What was she going to do? What else could she do? If she called back and admitted it was all a lie, then her father would just insist that she meet with Shinsuke Yamamoto after all, and Rei had absolutely no interest in that. Blowing off the event all together was an option, she supposed, but against her better judgment, she couldn't deny the small part of her that still wanted so desperately to be loved by the man who had essentially abandoned her after her mother's untimely death.
Well, it was only for one night… And perhaps if they did a good enough job at playing the happy lovebirds, her father would stop trying to set her up.
It was worth a shot.
"Yuuichirou!" Rei yelled.
Startled from his sweeping, Yuuichirou turned around to face her. "Yes, Miss Rei?"
"As of this moment, you're my boyfriend."
"O-Okay?" he stuttered.
"Good!" Rei nodded in satisfaction. "Now, back to work!"
He should have known it was too good to be true…
Of course Rei had no interest in him being her actual boyfriend. She was only using him as a pretend partner to avoid being set up by her father, as she had later explained to him and her grandfather over dinner. Yuuichirou had no qualms with helping her out – he selfishly didn't want her to be set up with another guy either – but it would be a lie to say he wasn't disappointed.
To make matters worse, Senator Hino had demanded they attend some fancy-smancy fundraiser party, certain to be attended by not only the LDP's top politicians, but their richest and most influential backers. At least his father wouldn't be one of them. His younger sister, Kyoko, who was the only member of his family he still willingly spoke to, had informed him that they were going on vacation to their chalet in Switzerland that weekend.
No surprise that he hadn't received an invitation.
With the party set to be held Sunday evening, there wasn't much time to prepare. Yuuichirou and Rei spent the rest of Friday night working out the details of their "relationship", then Saturday was devoted to getting ready for the party. Yuuichirou had left behind all his tuxes when he cut ties with his family, but luckily, Rei's best friend's boyfriend was roughly about his size and happened to own a tuxedo he could borrow for the night. Mamoru dropped it off at the shrine early that morning before heading to his shift at the hospital.
After making sure the tux properly fit – the slacks were a couple of centimeters too long, but he could simply pin up the hem – they headed out to the shopping district to buy Yuuichirou a new pair of dress shoes, since nobody they knew had shoes big enough to fit his large feet. They managed to find a decently priced pair of designer patent leather oxfords at a secondhand store thanks to Rei's spendthrift know-how.
Yuuichirou assumed that with the borrowed tux and new shoes in hand, his look for the following evening was complete, but Rei apparently had other ideas. Leading him to a more fashionable section of the shopping district, she came to a stop in front of an expensive-looking beauty parlor. The sliding glass doors at the entrance were flanked on both sides by fancy windows displays – one devoted to women's hairstyles, the other to men's – showing off the latest trends. Yuuichirou started shaking his head before Rei even had a chance to open her mouth, getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach that he already knew why they had come there.
"Miss Rei, no."
"You mean 'yes'?"
"No, I mean 'no'. I refuse."
She arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "You refuse?" It wasn't often that he defied her, after all.
"The tuxedo, I can deal with. I'll even wear one of those silly bowties if you really want me to," Yuuichirou said. "But I'm not going to cut my hair. It's part of my identity."
"It's just hair. It'll grow back."
Just hair? "Do you know how long it took for it to get to this length?" He tugged at a long strand. "I've been growing it out since I was sixteen!"
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, it's not like I'm asking you to go bald. I just want you to look...respectable, not like some psychedelic hippie on his way to Woodstock."
"Wait, you know about Wood–" No, that didn't matter. This was no time to be impressed by her knowledge of 1960s American counterculture. "You don't think I look good?" he asked instead. Yuuichirou thought girls loved rocker guys with long hair. It worked for Joey Ramone and Steven Tyler.
Stepping toward him, Rei grabbed some of his hair and brought it to the front of his face. "Look at these split ends! When is the last time you got a trim?"
Yuuichirou rubbed the back of his neck. "I dunno. Maybe...a couple of years ago?" He'd stopped cutting it at all at that point, feeling it was counterintuitive to his goal of growing his hair longer. Maybe she had a point, though. His ends were pretty gnarly.
"And these awful bangs!" she continued. "How do you even see where you're walking with them always in the way?" She pushed his bangs back. "You have such pretty eyes. Why don't you let anybody ever see them?"
"You think my eyes are pretty?" he asked, surprised.
She dropped his bangs faster than a freshly baked sweet potato, pulling her hand back and averting her gaze. "I-I mean, they're a nice enough color, I guess. And, um… You know, they're very...symmetrical."
Yuuichirou grinned. It was a rare sight indeed to see Rei so flustered. A faint blush colored her cheeks, only adding to her cuteness.
He, on the other hand… Yuuichirou turned his head to the side, his smile disappearing as he stared at his reflection in the mirror included in the fancy display. In comparison to Rei, who looked like she had just stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine even in jeans and a simple red T-shirt, he supposed he did look rather...scruffy. Nobody would ever believe a guy like him was dating an amazing girl like her – never mind the fact that they weren't actually dating anyway. The important thing was that they looked like a legitimate couple.
And if that meant getting a haircut...
"Okay, fine. I'll agree to a trim," he decided. "No more than six centimeters off the bottom, though."
"I can live with that," Rei said, nodding in satisfaction. "And the bangs?"
"Yeah, I'll cut them, too." They were getting to be a bit of a pain, anyway.
Rei clapped her hands together. "Excellent!" Grabbing him by the arm, she led him toward the sliding glass doors at the entrance. "Come on, let's go. I clipped a coupon in this morning's paper, so I already made you an appointment..."
The final thing on Rei's agenda was a visit to Setsuna's nearby boutique. Refusing to wear the modest gown her father had "helpfully" sent to the shrine that morning while Yuuichirou was trying on Mamoru's tuxedo and not wanting to spend a fortune on a dress she would certainly only wear once, she had reached out to her friends for some other options. Setsuna, now a successful fashion designer, had generously offered to loan her a dress for the night.
A bell over the front entrance rang as Rei and Yuuichirou stepped inside the stylish boutique. A young woman with a chic bob haircut at the front desk welcomed them to the shop and informed them that Setsuna was currently busy with another customer, but she would be with them in a few moments.
While Yuuichirou took a seat on the plush velvet couch in the corner to wait, Rei decided to have a look around. She browsed through the racks of designer frocks, frowning when she checked the price tag on a cute floral-print skirt that caught her eye.
"Fifteen thousand yen? Do people really pay that much just for a scrap of fabric?"
"If the fabric has the right name attached to it, they do."
Rei jumped at the sound of the familiar alto voice coming from behind her. "Setsuna!" She dropped the price tag and turned around to face the boutique's owner, immediately dropping into a bow. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean –"
Setsuna chuckled. "It's okay. I know my pieces are expensive, but they're made with the finest materials and craftsmanship. Everything here is created to last," she said, her dark wine-colored eyes widening slightly as Yuuichirou joined them by the rack. "Mr. Kumada? Oh, my, I almost didn't recognize you. That haircut suits you!"
Yuuichirou self-consciously touched his shorter strands, as he had been doing every so often since they had left the salon. "You think?"
"I told you, you look great!" Rei said. Setsuna was right. It was remarkable what a simple trim could do, and the hairdresser hadn't even cut his bangs beyond a few snips to even them out, advising him instead to use a promade to slick them back and off his face. "The girls will be falling all over you."
"Oh, well, there's really only one girl –"
"By the way, thanks again for your offer, Setsuna," Rei said. "You're a real life saver! Are you sure you're okay with me borrowing one of your dresses?"
"Yes, of course! Come this way."
Setsuna motioned for them to follow her to the back of the store, unlocking a door labeled "Employees Only" and showing them racks of gorgeous evening gowns stood in the middle of the room, along with one smaller rack that was empty. Rei assumed that one was for her use.
"Feel free to pick any of these dresses," Setsuna said. "They're just old samples I was planning to sell at a loss, anyway. You can even keep the one you choose, if you'd like."
"Oh, no, that's okay." Setsuna was already doing more than enough by loaning her a dress; Rei couldn't take advantage of her kindness any more than that. "It's not like I'll need to wear it more than once."
"Suit yourself." The bell above the entrance rang again, announcing a customer. "That's my cue to get back on the floor," Setsuna said. "I think most of these will fit you, but feel free to try on any dress you like. There should be a free dressing room right down the hall."
"Thanks, Setsuna. I really appreciate it."
Rei started rummaging through the racks. Setsuna had pulled out a great selection, ranging from sparkly cocktail dresses to elegant ballgowns, all suitable for a black-tie event. She had no real idea as to what kind of dress she wanted to wear, so Rei simply grabbed whatever caught her eye on the hanger, moving the ones she deemed a strong possibility over to the empty rack to be tried on later.
With nothing else to do, Yuuichirou joined in on the search as well, browsing through one of the other racks. In hindsight, she should have invited Minako or Michiru along to help pick out her dress. Michiru, especially, was an expert on dressing for formal events, thanks to her career as an internationally renowned violinist. Rei imagined Yuuichirou was probably bored out of his mind, but to her surprise, he seemed to be taking it seriously, occasionally holding up a dress to inspect it before shaking his head and hanging it back on the rack.
I wonder what kind of dress he'd like me to wear, Rei couldn't help but ponder after he rejected the third gown in a row, crinkling his nose in distaste. Not that she really cared what a no-style vagabond like him thought, but as long as he didn't pick out anything too ugly or ridiculous, it wouldn't hurt to try on at least one dress he liked.
"Oh, wow… Miss Rei, I bet you'd look gorgeous in this one," Yuuichirou said a couple of minutes later.
Curious, Rei, who had just placed a black sheath dress on her "to try on" rack, walked over. "Let me see."
He held up the dress in front of him, a crimson red off-the-shoulder number. Rei's cheeks burned when she noticed how high the side-slit was cut, hitting around mid-thigh. "It's a beautiful gown, but isn't it rather...revealing?"
"Oh, yeah, I guess it is," Yuuichirou said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sorry, I'll put it back…"
"I didn't say I didn't like it." Rei snatched the dress out of his hands before he could hang it back up. Though it was a little sexier than she had intended to wear, it wasn't the worst dress he could have chosen. "Since you picked it, I don't mind trying it on for you," she said, folding the gown over her arm. "It's the least I can do after making you cut your hair."
By that point, Rei had narrowed her choices down to about seven dresses, including Yuuichirou's pick, which seemed like a decent enough selection. After hanging the red gown with the other dresses she liked, she motioned for Yuuichirou to follow her down the hall with the rolling rack to the dressing room Setsuna had mentioned.
She first tried on the black sheath dress. It was the safe, conservative choice, certain to be deemed acceptable in the eyes of her father and his old-fashioned cronies, but Rei frowned, finding it rather...dull. Not even the small dashes of flair that Setsuna had added to the classic silhouette, like the lovely lace three-quarter sleeves, helped give it much pizzazz.
The second dress, a lilac ballgown with spaghetti straps and bejeweled bodice elicited the same reaction, along with the next two as well. They were all beautiful dresses – Setsuna was a fabulous designer! – but none of them truly felt like...her. They were meant for another Rei, the dutiful senator's daughter her father wanted her to be, not for the Rei she had grown to become during his long absence from her life.
Her eyes drifted over to the red gown that Yuuichirou had chosen. There was certainly nothing safe or boring about that one… Her father was liable to have a heart attack if she showed up to his stuffy fundraiser in such a risque dress, but the hell with it! She hadn't even wanted to go in the first place; if he didn't like it, well...he would just have to deal with it.
Rei quickly changed out of the navy satin A-line dress she currently had on and slipped into Yuuichirou's choice, the fabric gently hugging her curves as she pulled it over her hips. Unfortunately, when she reached behind to zip it, the zipper got caught on something only a third of the way up. Muttering some choice swears under her breath, she attempted to fix the issue, but the damn thing was well and truly stuck, not moving no matter how much she tugged and pulled on the tab.
"Setsuna?" Rei called out in a loud voice, hoping she was somewhere nearby. "I need some help in here, if you have a minute."
"Miss Meioh is assisting a customer at the moment," Yuuichirou answered back from his spot outside her dressing room. "It might be a while before she's free. Is there anything I can do?"
"Um…" Rei bit down on her bottom lip. She really would rather Setsuna do it, but if she was too busy… "I'm having trouble zipping up this dress," she said, holding the gown's bodice tightly against her bare chest. "I think it's stuck on the fabric. Could you come in here and fix it for me?"
"Are you… Are you sure? I mean, I am a guy –"
"Just close your eyes and don't look at anything!"
"Oh, um, yeah, okay…"
Rei stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror in front of her, heart pounding as the doorknob twisted open and Yuuichirou stepped inside the small dressing room. As promised, he had covered his eyes with his left hand, blindly moving forward as he held out his right.
"Miss Rei? Where are – Dammit!" He stumbled over one of her shoes in the middle of the floor, managing to grab onto the rack just in time to break his fall. "Miss Rei?"
Rei sighed once she was certain he hadn't hurt himself. "Oh, for the love of – I didn't mean it so literally!" she said. "You can keep your eyes open, just...don't stare at anything."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Yuuichirou lowered his hand, blinking his eyes a couple of times to bring them back into focus. He inhaled sharply as Rei pulled her long hair to the side, exposing her back to him.
"D-Don't just stand there, staring!" Rei exclaimed, her cheeks burning bright pink in her reflection. "Zip me up!"
"R-Right!"
It was her turn to gasp as Yuuichirou stepped up behind her, so close that his warm breath lightly tickled against her bared shoulder. Reminding herself that he was only there to help fix her zipper and nothing more, Rei kept staring straight ahead, tightening her hold on the gown's bodice so it wouldn't slip as Yuuichirou started fiddling with the zipper.
"Yeah, I see the problem," he said. "Some of the fabric is stuck in the teeth."
"Can you get it loose?"
"I think so. Let me try…" He gently worked on prying the stuck fabric out of the zipper's teeth, muttering some choice words to himself. "There, got it!" He pulled the tab up the rest of the way with no issues, Rei releasing the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"Thanks." She tossed her hair back over her shoulder and turned back around to face Yuuichirou, smoothing out a few nonexistent wrinkles in the silky fabric. "Well, how do I look?" Rei asked, expectantly. "This is the dress you liked, right?"
"W-Wow. I mean…" A flush crawled up Yuuichirou's cheeks, on full display now that he could no longer hide his face behind his mop of hair. "Um, you look beautiful, Miss Rei."
"Really?" She had yet to take a good look at herself, so she turned back to face the mirror, twisting around to study the gown from every angle. "I have to admit, it is a great dress," Rei said, liking it more every second she had it on. The slit didn't go nearly as high as she feared it might on the hanger, but it still showed enough leg to raise some eyebrows, and it fit her like a glove, not requiring any kind of alterations, which was perfect on such short notice. With some cute heels and a few pieces of jewelry… "You have good taste. I'll put it in the 'maybe' pile."
After Yuuichirou left the dressing room, Rei tried on the last few dresses she had pulled, but just as she thought, none of them held a candle to the gown Yuuichirou had selected. She was in the middle of changing out of the final dress when somebody knocked on the door.
"Rei, how are you doing in there? Did you find any you like?" Setsuna asked.
"Yes, I think I've found the one," Rei said. "Could you… Could you ask Yuuichirou to leave the store before you wrap it up, though?"
"Miss Rei?" Yuuichirou called out, overhearing her.
"I'd like to keep the dress I chose as a surprise," she said as explanation, fighting the urge to smile as she thought of the look on Yuuichirou's face when she came out of her room Sunday night, wearing the sexy red dress.
Not that she really cared what he thought. It wasn't as if they were going out on a real date. He was only helping her out, as a friend.
That's all.
"Oh, okay," he said. "I'll grab us some tea at Miss Makoto's cafe down the street, then."
"Sounds good. Get me a glass of matcha and a couple of Mako's mac–"
"–arons?" Yuuichirou completed for her. "Yuzu and lavender?"
"R-Right," Rei said, surprised he had remembered her favorite flavors. She rarely ordered the macarons, considering them a special treat. "Um, I'll meet you there in a few minutes?"
"I'll be waiting."
About an hour before they were supposed to leave for the party, Minako arrived at the shrine to help Rei get dressed. Though Rei had insisted she was perfectly capable of getting ready on her own, Minako could never pass up the chance to give one of her friends a glam makeover.
"There!" Minako said once she finished swiping a tube of ruby red lipstick over Rei's lips. "You look gorgeous, just like a Hollywood starlet. Yuuichirou won't be able to take his eyes off of you!"
Rei sighed, shifting around on the uncomfortable stool Minako insisted she sit on while getting her make-up done. "You do remember this isn't actually a date? Yuuichirou's only helping me out."
"By pretending to be your boyfriend, although we all know he'd rather be your boyfriend for real."
"Minako…"
Minako set the lipstick tube aside and reached for Rei's hair brush. "Oh, don't act like you haven't noticed he's been madly in love with you ever since the moment he first laid eyes on you," she said, brushing Rei's long hair. "The guy has it bad!"
"It's not that I haven't noticed. I'm not blind, after all," Rei admitted, fiddling with the belt of her satin robe. To be honest, she'd been aware of Yuuichirou's feelings for her for years, and it would be a lie to say they were completely one-sided, but... "It's just...complicated. We live together."
"So? Isn't that a plus? If I was living under the same roof as some hot young guy, I'd be sneaking into his room every night and –"
Rei rolled her eyes. "I get the picture."
"I'm just saying… Do you want to wear your hair up or down?"
"Down."
"Are you sure?" Minako asked, twisting Rei's hair into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. "You always wear your hair down. You'd look so pretty with an updo…"
"I like it down."
"If you insist…" Minako unrolled the bun and resumed her brushing after plugging in the curling iron. "Anyway, what's so complicated about asking Yuuichirou to be your actual boyfriend?" she asked, returning to the original subject. "You know your grandfather wouldn't object. He's been trying to hook you two up for ages!"
"Exactly! And what if it didn't work out?" Rei countered, twisting her upper body around to look at Minako. "What if, for the sake of argument, we started dating and realized it was a terrible mistake? Yuuichirou would almost certainly decide to move out, and Grandpa would be heart-broken!"
Minako's baby blue eyes softened. "Is that the reason why you've been so stubborn about keeping him at arm's width?"
"Length. It's 'at arm's length.'"
She shrugged. "Well, whatever. You know what I mean," Minako said. "But, seriously, it's not like you to hold happened to Kickass Mars, who wasn't afraid of anything and went after what she wanted?"
Sighing, Rei turned back around, staring over at the communicator laying on top of her bedside table. It had been over two years since they last transformed to battle Galaxia and her minions, yet she almost always had it close at hand, ready to go back to combat should the need ever arise.
"She grew up and realized that there are more important things in life."
"More important than love?" Minako asked.
"Usagi will always be the most important person in my life. Even if I find a boyfriend, he would have to understand that. I don't know when Crystal Tokyo will come into being, but once it does, we will have to fulfill our sacred duty as Guard–"
"That doesn't mean you're not allowed to fall in love and find happiness in your personal life, too!" Setting the brush aside, Minako moved to stand in front of Rei, hands resting on her hips. "If Usagi was here, you know she'd say the same thing. The last thing she wants is for us to devote our entire lives to her and the planet. Sure, our duty as Guardians is important, but so are our own lives."
"Then why were there no signs of us having lovers and families in the future? Chibi-Usa never mentioned them either."
"I'm sure Chibi-Usa was under strict instruction from Setsuna not to divulge too much about the future. Besides, Setsuna herself has told us multiple times that the future is not set in stone," Minako pointed out. "Even if we were all single in the future we saw, that doesn't mean that can't change."
"But –"
"No 'buts'! Let me ask you this: if circumstances were different, if you weren't Sailor Mars and had no knowledge of the future, would you see yourself hooking up with Yuuichirou?"
"I wouldn't put it in quite those words, but…" Rei's shoulders dropped. "I suppose dating him wouldn't be the worst thing in the world," she admitted softly.
Minako squealed. "Aha, I knew it! I knew you had a thing for him."
"Hey, keep it down!" Rei hissed. Yuuichirou's room was down the hall from hers, but loud voices had a tendency to carry.
"Sorry!" She dropped her voice down to a low whisper. "But it's perfect, isn't it? He likes you, you like him…"
"It's not perfect. In the real world, I'm still Sailor Mars, and I have been to the future. Nothing about that has changed."
"Only if you don't want it to. Do you really intend to be alone for the rest of your extended lifetime?" Minako asked.
"I won't be alone. I'll have you, and Usagi, and Ami, and Mako–"
"And you could have Yuuichirou too, if you would stop being so stubborn about it." Minako sighed. "Look, nobody's saying you have to marry him, but if you keep closing off your heart to romance, you could be missing out on something really wonderful, you know? At least give the guy a proper chance. As the old saying goes, 'Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.'"
Rei blinked. "That's...actually right," she said, amazed that Minako actually remembered the correct words for once in her life.
Minako shrugged it off, moving back behind Rei to resume working on her hair. "Alan was a big fan of Lord Tennyson's poems. He used to read them to me whenever he and Katarina helped me with my English studies."
Alan, Minako's first love...the older guy she had met when she was fighting solo as Sailor V in London. "And is it true?" Rei asked. "Are you glad you fell in love with Alan, even though he broke your heart by falling in love with Katarina instead?"
Minako took a long moment to consider the question, twirling a section of Rei's long hair around the barrel of the curling iron. "You know, I think I am," she said upon releasing the curl. "Learning they were a couple devastated me at the time, but looking back, I still treasure the time we spent together. That experience helped make me who I am, and while I sometimes wish it had turned out differently, it just wasn't meant to be."
Rei frowned. She got what Minako was saying. It wasn't as if she didn't know how wonderful love could be. All she had to do was look at all the happy couples around her – Usagi and Mamoru, Haruka and Michiru, Umino and Naru, and Motoki and Reika, among others – to know that true love existed and was worth fighting for, no matter the trials and tribulations they might face. But she also knew of the ugly side of love, having watched the light fade from her mother's eyes every time Father had canceled plans or broken promises due to his career.
Would she doom Yuuichirou or any other lover she might take to such a sad fate? As much as Rei hated to admit it, she feared she was more her father's daughter than she would have liked. Usagi and her duty as Sailor Mars would always come first with her, just as politics had always been the most important thing to her father. It wasn't necessarily a fear of heartbreak that prevented her from pursuing romance. If anything, she was the one most likely to be the heartbreaker, unable to commit herself one hundred percent to a romantic partner.
So, yes, she did hold Yuuichirou at arm's length. It was for the best, really. And if that meant she never got the chance to experience a passionate, romantic love like Usagi and Mamoru's or Haruka and Michiru's… Well, that was a sacrifice Rei was willing to make.
She would not repeat her father's mistakes.
Yuuichirou let out a string of swears as he unknotted and yanked off the bowtie he'd been trying to tie for the past fifteen minutes. He didn't recall them being so difficult to knot, but, admittedly, he was several years out of practice. He once again hung the satin red fabric around his neck as he heard a knock on his bedroom door.
"Come in," Yuuichirou called out, attempting to knot the uncooperative bowtie for the fifth time.
Rei's grandfather – his long-time master – entered the room. "Everything okay in here? That was quite some language you were using."
He hadn't realized he'd been so loud. "Forgive me, Master. I didn't –"
"No need to apologize," Master said with a hearty chuckle. "I had a bit of a mouth in my younger years, too. Now, what seems to be the problem?"
"It's this da– stupid bowtie." Frustrated, Yuuichirou unknotted his latest attempt, already knowing it wasn't going to work, and yanked it from around his neck. "It's been years since I last wore one, and I've completely forgotten how to tie it."
Master motioned for him to hand him the bowtie, then pointed down at the floor. "Allow me."
Yuuichirou kneeled down in front of the much shorter man, sitting straight as Master upturned his collar and placed the bowtie back around his neck. His still nimble fingers expertly knotted the tie in only a matter of seconds.
"There, that should do it."
Yuuichirou reached for his neck. The knot was perfect, not too tight and not too loose, with each side of the bow equal in size. "Thank you, Master," he said, bowing in gratitude.
"You know, one of these days, I'd love to hear you call me Grandpa instead," Master said with a wag of his finger. "I'm not getting any younger, you know, and if I'm going to meet at least one of my great-grandchildren before I kick the bucket, you and Rei need to stop all this pretense and get married already!"
As if Yuuichirou wouldn't love to do just that, but… "We aren't even dating, Master. We're just pretending so her father won't try to set her up with someone else."
"All the more reason why tonight is so important. Treat her right, show her what it would be like to actually be your girlfriend, and maybe Rei will finally come to her senses and want to date you for real."
"You think that's possible? It's already been so long… I love Miss Rei, you know I do, but I just don't think she feels the same way about me." Yuuichirou sighed, running his hand through his shorter locks. Even after a couple of days, he still wasn't quite used to his new haircut. "Maybe it's time I face facts and move on with my life..."
"No, you can't give up hope now!" Master exclaimed, grabbing Yuuichirou by the shoulders. "Rei loves you, too. I know she does!"
Yuuichirou gently pulled Master's hands away, standing back up and walking over to the mirror above his dresser. He rubbed some promade over his hands and began slicking back his bangs as the hairstylist taught him, pulling his hair into a top knot. "I can't keep believing in dreams that will never come true," he said softly, staring at his reflection in the mirror. "Maybe my father was right after all…"
"Yuuichirou?"
"No, it's nothing." Pushing bitter memories of his father away, he turned the conversation to Rei's father instead. "Is there anything I should know before meeting Senator Hino tonight? Any subjects to avoid, anything I can say or do to impress him?"
Master stood with his hands behind his back, a frown crossing his wrinkled face. "It's been years since I last spoke to my son-in-law about anything not concerning Rei's upbringing. We...never got along well," he admitted. "I don't think Takashi's a bad person, but…" Master sighed. "He's very devoted to his career as a politician."
"He's a conservative?"
"More moderate than most, thankfully, but I'd avoid spouting any of your more liberal views in front of him and his buddies if I were you. He's also very much a stickler for rules and decorum. You'll want to use proper language and avoid saying anything too crude or raucous."
Great… Senator Hino sounded almost like a clone of his own father. At least he had plenty of experience with dealing with men like him. "So, no getting drunk and dancing around in my underwear… Got it."
Master laughed, slapping Yuuichirou's lower back with a surprisingly strong force. "That's the spirit," he said. "Seriously, though, don't worry so much about impressing Takashi. It's Rei you should be focusing on. Speaking of which, it's almost time for the car to arrive. Are you about ready?"
"Just a moment." Yuuichirou grabbed his tuxedo jacket off the hanger, slipping his arms inside the sleeves, then took one final look in the mirror, smoothing down a couple of stray fly-away hairs. "Okay, ready as I'll ever be, I guess," he said, taking in a deep breath before following his master back to the living area.
Minako had done a great job with her hair and make-up, Rei had to admit, admiring her reflection in the mirror Minako handed her after she had worked her magic. Her dark hair flowed over her bare shoulders in soft waves, pinned on the right side with a beautiful hair ornament Grandpa had given her for her eighteenth birthday, and her glossy red lips perfectly matched the shade of her gown. Minako had kept the rest of her make-up simple, with just the barest hint of blush and some eyeliner and mascara to bring out her eyes.
Only one thing was missing. Rei walked over to her dresser and opened the small jewelry box on top. She didn't own much jewelry, but one of her prized possessions was the teardrop-shaped ruby pendant she had inherited from her mother. She asked Minako to help put it on, carefully lifting her hair out of the way as Minako placed the delicate gold chain around her neck and fastened the clasp.
"Stunning!" Minako declared when Rei turned back around for a final once-over. "You're gonna knock Yuuichirou's pants off!"
Rei rolled her eyes at yet another one of Minako's malapropisms. "Socks. The saying is 'knock his socks off'."
"Now what kind of sense does that make? I'd much rather knock a guy's pants off, if you catch my drift…"
Oh, Rei caught it, alright. Loud and clear. Ignoring the innuendo, she grabbed the sequined clutch Minako had loaned her for the night. "Come on, let's go. I need to make sure Yuuichirou is properly presentable."
They headed to the living quarters, where Grandpa and Yuuichirou were already waiting. Grandpa was helping Yuuichirou with one of his cufflinks, but they both looked up when Rei entered the room, Yuuichirou's mouth dropping at the sight of her.
Heat rose to her cheeks as he continued to stare, but Rei had to admit she enjoyed the effect her dress was having on him.
"So, how do I look?" she asked, spinning around in a circle. "Is it too much?"
Grandpa slapped Yuuichirou's back, pushing him forward.
"Y-You look… You look absolutely incredible, Miss Rei," he said reverently.
"Thanks." Rei took in Yuuichirou's snazzy tuxedo, smiling in approval as her eyes roamed up and down his body. It was a rare treat indeed to see him wearing anything other than his robes. "You cleaned up pretty well, yourself." Especially with his hair pulled back and his face freshly shaved. She'd always thought he was a good-looking guy, but without all that hair in the way, it was even more apparent.
"I'll say," Minako murmured beside her, low enough so that only Rei could hear. "If you don't want him, maybe I'll take him off your hands…"
"Minako!" she hissed.
"You look beautiful, Rei," Grandpa said. "So much like your mother when she was your age…"
His eyes unexpectedly went glassy. He didn't mention his daughter, Rei's late mother, very often, the memories still fresh even after so many years. Rei couldn't help but bend down and hug him, holding him tight.
"Oh, Grandpa..."
"I'm fine, I'm fine, don't mind me," he said in a hoarse voice. "Just being sentimental in my old age." He discreetly wiped away a tear as he pulled away from Rei's embrace and cleared his throat. "Anyway, you two try to have some fun tonight, okay? Since you're both old enough not to need them anymore, I won't set a curfew or anything like that, but do remember that the walls in this house are paper thin and I still have the hearing of a young man, so if you decide to –"
Rei's eyes widened in horror. "Grandpa!" she interjected before he could finish that sentence. He was nearly as bad as Minako, who she hadn't failed to notice had sneaked a condom inside the borrowed clutch. Grabbing Yuuichirou by the hand, she dragged him toward the genkan to put on their shoes. "Come on, Yuuichirou, don't listen to anything that old man says. Father's car should be here any minute."
The ride to the hotel where the fundraiser was being held was mostly silent. Watching the city lights pass outside the window, Yuuichirou took the time to silently go over their cover story one more time so that he wouldn't forget any details.
They had met a couple of years ago when he had dropped by Hikawa for the traditional first shrine visit of the year. Rei had been selling fortunes, and the fortune he received from her foretold of great luck in love. Encouraged by the fortune, he had asked the beautiful miko out on a date, but she had declined, claiming she didn't even know him. That didn't deter him, though, and from that day on, he had made it a point to visit Hikawa at least once a week, the two of them striking up a friendship. Friendship eventually developed into romance, and by Christmas that year, they had become an official couple.
If only such a fairy tale was real… Sighing, he sneaked a peek at Rei sitting on the other side of the town car. She, too, was staring out the window, her slender fingers wrapped tightly around the sequined clutch laying primly in her lap.
Yuuichirou still couldn't believe she had chosen to wear the gown he had shown her. He'd assumed that Rei had merely tried the dress on as a favor, never expecting her to actually wear it to the party. She really did look stunning in it, though, Yuuichirou biting down on his bottom lip as his eyes drifted downward to the flashof leg exposed by the slit. What he wouldn't give to have those legs wrapped –
"Yuuichirou?"
He jumped at the sound of his name. "Sorry!" he squeaked, guiltily tearing his gaze away from her legs.
"What for?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Um, no, it's nothing."
"Okay…" She turned her attention back to looking out the window, while Yuuichirou stared straight ahead, purging the improper thoughts of Rei out of his mind.
It wasn't too much longer before the town car pulled into the parking lot of a familiar four-star hotel. Yuuichirou's fingers dug into the fabric of his dress slacks. It was the same hotel where his twelfth birthday had been held, rather than the simple karaoke party with friends he had begged and begged his parents to throw him instead...
"Yuuichirou? You okay?" Rei asked.
He pushed the bitter memories away, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Yeah, just a little nervous, that's all. I'm fine."
A few seconds later, the town car rolled to a stop in front of the hotel's entrance, and the chauffeur promptly got out to open the back door. Yuuichirou fought the urge to roll his eyes, never understanding why able-bodied rich people couldn't open their own damn car doors, but didn't protest, sliding out of the backseat when the door opened, then offering his hand to Rei as he had been taught long ago.
"Thank you," she murmured, accepting his hand after a short pause.
The fundraiser event was even being held in the same grand ballroom that Yuuichirou remembered, although it had gone through a few renovations in the decade since then. Politicians and potential donors filled the room, some of whom he recognized, although most were a nameless blur. They were all dressed to the nines, but none of the women held a candle in his eyes to Rei, even draped in expensive jewels and designer frocks.
Rei slipped her arm around his, letting out a soft sigh. "Come on, I suppose we should find my father and get the introductions over with," she said, leading him through the crowd of party-goers.
Yuuichirou knew vaguely what Takashi Hino looked like, having seen him in commercials and on campaign posters and billboards around town, so he kept his eyes open as well, helping in the search.
"Is that him?" He nodded in the direction of a group of three men, one of whom looked similar to his memory of Senator Hino. He recognized one of the other men as the current governor of Tokyo, but he had no idea who the bald guy was – probably another high-ranking official or a potential donor.
"Yes, that's him, the esteemed Senator Takashi Hino," she confirmed, tightening her grip on Yuuichirou's arm as her father excused himself from the group and headed their way.
"Miss Rei, welcome," Senator Hino said, no real trace of warmth in his deep voice as he greeted his daughter. "I'm so glad you could make it."
Really? You have a funny way of showing it, Yuuichirou thought, taking an instant disliking to the man.
Beside him, Rei bowed politely, a stilted smile on her face. "Good evening, Father," she said, equally as cool. "It's good to see you, too."
"You look beautiful, although…" Senator Hino pursed his thin lips together as he took in Rei's attire. "I do wish you had worn the gown I sent you. This isn't the place to show so much skin."
"Well, I happen to think Rei's dress suits her," Yuuichirou said, speaking up for the first time. Indeed, Rei's gown was downright modest compared to some of the other dresses on display.
Senator Hino regarded him with a stern look. "And you are…?"
"My partner, Yuuichirou Kumada," Rei said. "Yuuichirou, I would like you to meet my father, Senator Takashi Hino."
Realizing that he had perhaps not made the best first impression with his comment, Yuuichirou recalled Master's advice and dropped into a deep bow. "I'm honored to make your acquaintance, Senator Hino."
"Likewise, Mr. Kumada." He returned the bow, although not as deeply. "How is your father doing? I've had the pleasure of doing business with him several times over the years."
"Father is doing well, to the best of my knowledge. He's often busy with his work, so I rarely have the opportunity to see him." Which wasn't a complete lie…
"I see…"
"Certainly you can relate, Father," Rei said.
Senator Hino brought a fist to his mouth, clearing his throat. "Indeed. A good leader's job is never done," he said, making a show of looking past Rei's shoulder. "Ah, there's Mr. Ito. I've been meaning to speak with him about the new bill I'm drafting. If you will excuse me… Let's talk some more during dinner."
Rei visibly relaxed once her father walked away, her bared shoulders dropping as she exhaled.
"You okay?" Yuuichirou asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "It's just… Things are always...awkward with Father."
Yuuichirou sympathized, often feeling the same way on the rare occasions he interacted with his demanding workaholic father. "Well, I think you handled yourself quite well."
Her stilted smile from before turned into a real one. "So did you."
"Do you really think so?" He rubbed the back of his neck. "I probably should have kept my mouth shut about the dress…"
"No, you were far more polite about it then I was about to be," Rei said, her fists clenching at her sides. "Honestly, what century is he living in? I'm hardly the only one here 'showing a little skin', and that dress he sent was atrocious! I'm a grown woman; why he thinks he should have any say in how I dress –"
"You're absolutely right, Miss Rei," Yuuichirou said before she got too worked up and started shouting her (justified) grievances for all to hear. "Hey, it seems there is still some time before dinner will be served. How about a dance?"
He tilted his head toward the dance floor. The organizers had hired a string quartet to provide the entertainment for the evening, a handful of couples waltzing around to Strauss's iconic "Blue Danube". Not exactly his type of music, admittedly – he'd rather listen to Led Zepplin or the Rolling Stones any day over Beethoven and Mozart – but his mother had forced him to take three years of ballroom dancing lessons when he was a kid. Might as well put them to good use. Though it had been years since Yuuichirou last danced, he still remembered the basic steps well enough.
"Oh, I don't know," Rei said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I'm...not the best dancer. The first and only dance class I took was a disaster."
"Everybody is a disaster at first. Believe me, my sister's poor feet were covered in bruises from all the times I stepped on them during out first lesson." Thinking back on that day, Yuuichirou couldn't help but laugh. As much as he had disliked his pressure-filled childhood, there had been some fun memories, too. "Come on, I'll teach you a few easy steps...unless you would rather socialize with the rich and powerful instead?"
He offered his arm.
Rei only took a moment to consider the alternative before linking her arm with his, allowing Yuuichirou to lead her onto the dance floor.
"We'll start with the box step," he said once they found an empty spot. "All you have to do is mirror me by doing the exact opposite of what I'm doing. For example, if I step forward with my left foot, then you…"
"Step back with my right?" Rei guessed, putting it into practice as Yuuichirou stepped forward.
"Right. Now, move your left foot so that it is parallel with your right, keeping your feet about hip distance apart."
"Like this?" She did as she was told.
"Uh-huh. Then we're going to take a step to the side. I'm going to bring my left foot right next to my right, like this, so you'll…"
"Bring my right foot next to my left."
"Yes, exactly. After that, we just do the same steps in reverse to complete the box, like this…"
It took a couple of more tries, but Rei soon got the hang of it, smiling as she completed her first box without any mistakes. "This really isn't so difficult," she said. "You're a much better instructor than that snooty countess."
Yuuichirou blinked. "Countess?" When had Rei ever met a countess? They weren't exactly commonplace in Japan.
Her cheeks going red, Rei waved her hands in front of her chest. "Oh, never mind, never mind. Just forget about it. Let's try it in hold now."
"R-Right."
Yuuichirou moved a little closer. "Here, put your left hand on my right shoulder," he said, placing his right hand on Rei's left shoulder blade. He then reached for her free hand, holding it outward and up, careful to keep their elbows around the height of her shoulders. His former teacher had always berated him for dropping his arms in hold. "Ready?" he asked once they were in the proper position. "Just follow my lead, okay?"
Rei nodded, stepping back as Yuuichirou took the first step forward. The "Blue Danube" had ended sometime in the middle of their lesson, but the string quartet had followed it up with another piece written in ¾ time, making it easy to follow the rhythm of the romantic music. While Rei started out mostly staring down at her feet, after a few measures, she found the confidence to raise her chin, looking Yuuichirou straight in the eye.
Yuuichirou took a small stumble, managing to cover it up well by turning a bit to the left. If Rei noticed, she didn't let on, simply adapting to the change of direction as if it had always been planned. Though she didn't consider herself a good dancer, she had picked the basics up fast, moving with a natural, regal grace.
Oh, God, this must be some kind of wonderful dream…he thought, staring into Rei's striking purple eyes once he regained his composure. The rest of the world ceased to exist around him, the music fading to the background. The party...Senator Hino...their fake "relationship"… None of that mattered at the moment, as long as he had the woman he loved in his arms.
A part of Yuuichirou wanted the dance to last forever, reluctant to let Rei go, but inevitably, the music came to an end, breaking the spell. Gently, he released his grip on her hand, only belatedly realizing how sweaty his palms had become. As Rei let out an amused giggle, he muttered a swear to himself, fumbling for the handkerchief he had thankfully had the foresight to stash in his pocket.
"Sorry," Yuuichirou apologized, cheeks ablazed.
"No, it's okay. I don't mind. It was fun. In fact…" Rei twirled a strand of her hair around her pointer finger. "Maybe you could teach me another dance?" she asked. "A tango, or maybe a...what do you call it? A ponytrot?"
It was his turn to laugh. "Foxtrot. And, sure, I can teach you, as long as you don't mind my sweaty palms."
"I don't mind at all," Rei said, reaching for his hands to prove it, "so teach me everything you know."
After several more dances – who knew that underneath Yuuichirou's sometimes clumsy exterior lied a more-than-decent, almost-debonair ballroom dancer? – it was time for the dinner portion of the evening to begin. It came as no surprise that she and Yuuichirou were sharing a large round table with her father near the front of the room, where everyone could see them. They were joined by two other men and their partners, leaving one chair empty.
Yuuichirou pulled out her chair, Rei murmuring a soft "thank you" as she took a seat next to her father. She should have expected it, considering his upbringing, but Yuuichirou had done a remarkable job so far playing the high society gentleman. Even her father couldn't find too much fault with his manners despite Yuuichirou's earlier faux-pas praising her dress.
"Miss Rei, Mr. Kumada… Good to see you again," Father said, nodding in approval. "My apologies that we haven't had much time to socialize this evening. Have you been enjoying the party so far?"
Rei had certainly enjoyed dancing in Yuuichirou's strong arms, being whisked around the ballroom like a princess in a Disney movie… Her cheeks warmed at the memory, but reminding herself that romance was not a part of her agenda for the evening, she pushed such irresponsible thoughts away.
"Yes, Father. It's been lovely. Right, Yuuichirou?" She reached for a distracted Yuuichirou's hand, startling him from his thoughts.
"What? Oh, yes, indeed," Yuuichirou said. "Splendid party!"
"Good, I'm pleased you two are enjoying yourselves."
"Takashi, are you to tell me this beautiful young lady is your daughter?" the gray-haired man across the table who Rei recognized as the governor of Tokyo – and a long-time supporter of her father – remarked. "Impossible! The last time I saw Miss Rei, she was but a little girl, no taller than my kneecaps."
"Time does fly, doesn't it?" Takashi said with a small, affected chuckle. "But, yes, I should make the proper introductions. This is indeed my daughter, Rei, and her date for the evening, Yuuichirou Kumada, the son of Mr. Itsuki Kumada of Kumada Industries. Miss Rei, Mr. Kumada, I'd like you to meet Governor Nobuyuki Yamamoto and his wife, Atsuko, along with Senator Koji Kihara and his wife, Honoka. The Yamamotos' son, Shinsuke, will be along later." He indicated the empty seat between the two women. "I understand he's currently stuck in traffic."
Shinsuke Yamamoto...the man Father had wanted to introduce her to. Rei suppressed a frown, but with Yuuichirou by her side, at least an introduction was all it would remain. Everyone bowed in greeting, exchanging the expected pleasantries.
"Mr. Kumada and I have actually met before," Senator Kihara revealed as a server began setting out the first course, a small ramekin of piping hot onion soup.
"We have?" Visibly shaken, Yuuichirou almost dropped his spoon, but covered it up well. "Forgive me, I'm afraid my memory is failing me."
Senator Kihara laughed. "I'm not surprised! The last time we met, you were still in middle school, I believe, about to take your entrance exams. I'm on good terms with your father, though. He's a frequent and very generous donor to my campaign." He tilted his head to the side. "I had not realized you had returned from abroad. Finished with your studies in America?"
Rei, though keeping an impassive face, mentally swore, certain that their ruse was already up. Neither she or Yuuichirou had thought to prepare for the possibility that someone at the fundraiser might recognize him, a mistake in hindsight.
"Y-Yes, sir. I graduated a couple of months ago and returned to Japan," Yuuichirou said, mostly managing to keep his cool.
"My congratulations!" The senator, sitting on the other side of Yuuichirou, jovially patted him on the back. "He's a Harvard man, you know, just like his father," he informed everyone else at the table. They all looked suitably impressed at the news, especially her father, who regarded Yuuichirou with a newfound respect. "I assume you're now employed with the main company?"
"Not at the moment, no. Father was kind enough to grant me some time off after my studies."
"A gap year of sorts, eh? Not a bad idea. I had one myself after I graduated university," Governor Yamamoto said. "Boy, the stories I could tell...but I'm afraid my lovely wife here would have a heart attack if I did."
A ripple of laughter went around the table, Yuuichirou's perhaps a touch too forced in an effort to fit in. Even the governor's "lovely wife" let out a few lady-like chuckles, although the laughter didn't quite meet her dark eyes. Atsuko Yamamoto reminded Rei strongly of her late mother, and though she knew it would never happen, that she was destined to protect Earth and the future Crystal Tokyo as Sailor Mars, it wasn't hard for Rei to imagine such a fate falling upon her in a different life if her father had his way. She reached again for Yuuichirou's hand underneath the table and gave it a light squeeze, grateful he had been willing to go along with this farce for the night.
"So, Miss Rei, I'm curious, how did you two meet?" Father asked after taking a sip of his soup. "If Mr. Kumada only recently returned to Japan, you must not have been dating long."
"Yes, it's still a new relationship. We met when Yuuichirou visited Hikawa upon his return to Tokyo in June," Rei lied, recalling that American universities usually held their graduation ceremonies in late May or early June. It wasn't quite the original backstory they had developed beforehand, but she hoped Yuuichirou was smart enough to follow her lead. "Right, dear?"
Yuuichirou smiled, a fondness in his warm eyes that made Rei's heart flutter despite herself. "Indeed. After such a long stay away from Japan, one of the first things I wanted to do was visit a shrine, never imagining the miko who worked there would be the most beautiful woman I had ever met in my life," he said, "It was love at first sight for me, although I'm afraid she needed a little more convincing before she would agree to give me a chance."
"Well, I'm not the type of woman go on a date with just any cute stranger who tries to pick me up, especially with those horrible lines of yours."
"Horrible? I thought you liked my lines!"
"I liked you...once I got to know the real you, not the lazy rich playboy I thought you were."
Even though they were only faking, Rei detected a bit of hurt in his eyes. "That was never me."
"I know," she assured him. "I know that better than anyone now."
"You two are so cute!" Mrs. Kihara said. "Reminds me of back when Koji and I first started dating. Remember those days, sweetie?"
"As if they were yesterday, dear," her husband replied, patting her hand before turning his attention back to Yuuichirou. "Anyway, back to your time in Boston, I heard..."
Things were going well, in Yuuichirou's estimation. He had feared that their secret would be discovered when Senator Kihara mentioned they had met before, but for once, he was grateful for his father's propensity to cover up any whiff of a scandal that touched the Kumada name. Not even Rei knew the real reason why he became estranged from his family, and he preferred to keep it that way if at all possible.
He was even more grateful to Mamoru Chiba, whose anecdotes about his time at Harvard helped in selling his cover story when asked for details. Though he'd always had a good memory, he had to admit trying to keep his and Rei's stories straight was starting to become a headache. Yuuichirou looked forward to returning back home, where nobody cared if he had a fancy education or a prestigious family name.
Where he could simply be Yuuichirou, caretaker of the Hikawa Shrine.
At least the food was delicious. Yuuichirou's mouth watered in anticipation as a server set down the main course – filet mignon – in front of him. There wasn't much he missed about his old life, but the rich did have access to some of the most delectable cuisine in the world – not that he didn't also love Rei's discount instant curry and too-salty onigiri.
"Shinsuke, there you are!" Mrs. Yamamoto exclaimed as a young man approached their table. "I was beginning to worry."
Looking up to greet their tardy guest, Yuuichirou's knife clattered on the table.
"Good evening, Mother, Father, everyone." Shinsuke bowed politely before taking the empty seat between his mother and Mrs. Kihara. "Do forgive my extreme tardiness. There was a terrible wreck on the highway and –" Behind his wire-rimmed glasses, his eyes widened as he looked across the table. "Yuuichirou Kumada! My word, I never expected to see you again."
Yuuichirou could say the same about him.
Shinsuke Yamamoto. The name hadn't rung a bell when Senator Hino first mentioned him, but the memories came flooding back the moment Yuuichirou saw his face. He had only known him as Yamamoto back then, an upperclassman at the prestigious academy his father had forced him to attend. They had only spoken a handful of times during his short stay at the school, but he had been well-known as the guy to turn to when you needed "help" with keeping up with the academy's advanced curriculum.
"I didn't realize you were acquainted with Mr. Kumada, Shinsuke," Governor Yamamoto said, thankfully not catching onto the tension between them.
"Oh, Yuuichirou and I go way back," Shinsuke said. "We were classmates at Kaisai Academy… Well, at least until Yuuichirou here got caught cheating on his history final and got kicked out of school."
And with that, his cover was blown.
"Surely, you must be mistaken, Shinsuke," Senator Kihara said. "The elder Mr. Kumada told me himself that after Yuuichirou's first year at the academy, they felt he wasn't being challenged enough, so they had him test out of high school and sent him to college in America, where that sort of thing is more common."
"Oh, no, I'm certain it was him. I never forget a face."
Senator Hino frowned, turning his attention to Yuuichirou. "Mr. Kumada, would you care to clarify the situation? Have you been leading my daughter on, lying to her –"
"Yuuichirou has done no such thing!" Rei jumped up from her seat, violet eyes blazing. "He's the most –"
"It's okay, Rei," Yuuichirou said in a soft voice, reaching for her hand. As much as he appreciated her standing up for him, it was his battle to fight. "Our secret has been discovered. There's no point in pretending anymore."
"But –"
"You don't have to defend me. Please, sit back down."
It was not in Rei's nature to back down – one of the many things he loved about her – but after a moment of hesitation, she let out a sigh and took her seat.
With all eyes now focused on him, Yuuichirou inhaled a deep breath. "I'm afraid Shinsuke's memory is correct," he admitted. "I was kicked out of the academy for cheating on my exam, although he conveniently left out the part where I paid him twenty thousand yen for the answer key."
"Shinsuke, is that true?" Governor Yamamoto demanded to know from his son.
Shinsuke held up his hands. "O-Of course not! Surely, you're not going to believe a man who has just admitted he's been lying to you the entire evening over your son, your own flesh and blood?
His father hardly looked convinced. "We will discuss this matter later, in private."
"But Harvard!" Senator Kihara exclaimed, still in disbelief. "Your father said –"
"My father was protecting the family's precious image, as always," Yuuichirou explained. "The truth is, I… I never even graduated high school, much less attended college."
"Never graduated…"
"I'm also no longer heir to the Kumada Conglomerate," he continued. "I know Father keeps hoping one day I will, in his words, 'return to my senses' and come crawling home, but I have no intention of ever going back to that world. I'm happy with my life as it is, living as the humble caretaker of Hikawa Shrine with Miss Rei and her grandfather."
Senator Hino had kept quiet since Rei's outburst, but his eyes widened at that piece of information. "Miss Rei, you knew –"
"As long as we're being honest," Rei said, looking her father straight in the eye, "Yuuichirou and I are not dating either. As he said, he's been living and working as a caretaker at Hikawa for the past four years. It was my idea for us to pretend to be a couple for tonight."
"I don't understand. Why go to such lengths?"
"Why do you think, Father? You wanted to set me up with that...that jerk!" She waved her hand toward Shinsuke, who let out an offended, "Hey!"
"I told you, it was merely an introduction. There was no reason –"
"Please!" she scoffed, once again rising to her feet. That time, Yuuichirou made no attempt to stop her, no longer caring if they made a scene. "You also admitted that you were hoping for a marriage between us. Well, you can forget about it. I have no desire whatsoever to become some politician's trophy wife, to live the kind of miserable life that you subjected poor Mother to. If I ever get married – and that's a very big 'if' – it will be to a person of my choosing, someone who I love and who loves me. You have no say in my love life, and if you want to have any hope of maintaining any kind of relationship with me, then you will never – I repeat, never – put me in this situation again."
"Okay, fine, fine," Senator Hino said in a hushed voice. By that time, the cacophony of the ballroom had dulled, all eyes focused toward their table. "You've made your point. Now, sit back down, and let's continue on with this lovely dinner."
"No, I'd rather not." Rei extended a hand to Yuuichirou. "Come, Yuuichirou. Let's go home. I've suddenly lost my appetite."
Yuuichirou gave his untouched filet mignon a longing look before setting his napkin aside and standing. If it meant spending one more minute in the company of people who clearly looked down on him, then they could keep their delicious food and shove it up their rich, snobby asses. "Yes, let's go," he said, taking Rei's offered hand.
"Wait." Yuuichirou came to a stop. There was something he needed to do before they left. Leaving a confused Rei behind, he headed back to the table and tapped Senator Kihara on the shoulder.
"One more thing," he said before the senator could even open his mouth. "Tell my father that I am no longer his son, and he can keep all his damn money for all I care. I don't want another yen more from that man."
"Wait, Mr. Kumada, don't be hasty! I'm sure –"
Not wanting to hear it, Yuuichirou spun around on his heel and rejoined Rei, taking her once again by the hand. She gave him a supportive squeeze, and without a word exchanged between them, they left the ballroom together.
That had felt amazing!
She should have told her father off ages ago. No matter how much he had professed to have changed, he was still the same man underneath, only caring about his image and how to use others – even his own family – to his own advantage. Rei hoped she had finally gotten through to him, that he would see the error of his ways and learn to treat her as his actual daughter instead of merely a pawn in his political games, but, honestly, she wasn't holding her breath. She was through trying to win her father's love and approval.
Rei glanced over at Yuuichirou, walking beside her. He had yet to let go of her hand, even though they were several blocks away from the hotel.
She had no idea things were so rocky between him and his family, especially his father. Yuuichirou had never really spoken much about his past before he arrived at the shrine. She'd suspected that he wasn't on the best terms with his parents, of course, but it seemed they had more in common than she had ever realized...
It was only when a boom of thunder rumbled through the air that they finally slowed to a stop. Yuuichirou's warm hand slipped out of hers as he turned in the direction the sound came from. What little stars that were visible in the city lights had disappeared behind a blanket of dark storm clouds, lightning streaking in the distance.
"Damn, it's about to rain," Yuuichirou said, turning back to Rei. "What do you want to do now?"
Rei frowned, considering the options. The smartest thing to do was probably head back to the hotel and have her father's driver take them home, as had been the original plan before the scene they had caused, but she would be damned if she relied on her father for anything more tonight. Perhaps she could contact Mamoru and have him pick them up? No, he was working the late shift at the hospital all this week, so he wouldn't be available. Neither was Haruka, who was currently overseas, accompanying Michiru on her latest European tour with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. They could try hailing a taxi, but there was no telling how long that could take, and she'd rather not spend that kind of money, anyway.
"Let's catch the bus," she decided, spotting a nearby sign with an arrow leading to the nearest bus station. "The station shouldn't be far."
They followed the direction of the sign, the bus station soon coming into view. As a light sprinkle began to fall, they sprinted the rest of the way, managing to find shelter underneath the awning right before it began to downpour.
"What time is the next bus supposed to arrive?" Rei asked breathlessly, just as another streak of lightning traversed the sky, followed by a loud crash of thunder. She hoped soon, not thrilled by the idea of being outside when it was storming.
Yuuichirou, who was standing closest to the posted schedule, ran a finger down the list until he found the next arrival time. "It says the next bus should be here at 9:00," he said, frowning when he checked his wristwatch. "That's about ten minutes from now."
Great. Maybe they should have tried to hail a taxi after all… At least the bus station afforded them some protection from the rain. Sighing, Rei took a seat on the bench and rubbed at her bare arms, wishing she had taken Setsuna up on her offer of adding a wrap. Though it was late summer, the temperature had dropped significantly thanks to the storm.
"Oh, here." Yuuichirou shrugged off his tuxedo jacket. "You must be cold," he said, placing the jacket over her shoulders before taking a seat beside her on the bench.
"Thanks," Rei murmured, pulling the jacket closer around her body. It smelled faintly of Yuuichirou's cologne, a mix of sandalwood and lavender.
Neither of them spoke for the next few minutes, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Almost unconsciously, she scooted a little closer and rested her head on Yuuichirou's shoulder, staring out at the pouring rain. He reached up to unknot his bowtie, letting out a weary sigh as he unbuttoned the top two buttons of his dress shirt.
"I'm sorry, Miss Rei," Yuuichirou said, breaking the silence between them. "I ruined everything. I should have –"
"What are you talking about?" Rei asked, sitting back up. "You didn't ruin anything. If there's anybody to blame, it's that Shinsuke guy and his big mouth." She placed a comforting hand on his knee. "I'm more concerned about you."
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"Even though I'm an uneducated failure who ran away from all my problems and will never amount to anything?" The bitterness that coated his voice surprised Rei.
"Says who?" She frowned, hating hearing him talk about himself that way. "Yuuichirou, you're not a failure. If you ask me, you're worth ten times as much as any of those men in that ballroom, including my father. No, a hundred times!"
"Thanks." He gave her a weak smile. "But your father is right about one thing. I have been lying to you this whole time."
"No, you haven't. We all have our secrets," Rei said, thinking of the transformation pen tucked inside her clutch. In comparison to the huge secret she was keeping, his failure to tell her how he came to be estranged from his family was nothing. "If I felt the need to know the whole truth about your past, I would have asked you, but I don't care about that. I don't care about the old Yuuichirou Kumada," she declared, turning so that she was more fully facing him. "I care about the person you are now, the kind, funny, hard-working man who sometimes messes things up, but who is well-meaning and always tries his best."
Yuuichirou sucked in a breath as she reached for his hands, encouraging him to turn to face her as well. "Miss Rei…"
At the back of her mind, Rei remembered the conversation she had earlier with Minako. It was probably a bad idea – quite possibly the worst idea she ever had – but she was so tired of pretending, of denying even to herself what she knew in her heart was true. She was in love with Yuuichirou Kumada, and no matter what the far future held in store, there was nobody else she'd rather have by her side.
Leaning forward, she lightly brushed her lips against his. He didn't react at first, but her second attempt was much more successful, Yuuichirou cupping her face in between his gentle hands as he kissed her back. Soft at first, their kisses soon grew more passionate, the warmth coursing through Rei's body chasing away the remaining chill. It was as if he had ignited a spark within her, the fire of her long-suppressed desire consuming her whole. Mamoru's tuxedo jacket slid off her shoulders as Rei wrapped her arms around Yuuichirou's neck, his strong arms moving to encircle her waist. The heat of his body pressing against her drew even more fire to the flames, and it took every ounce of restraint Rei possessed to finally pull away, remembering that they were still in public when the bus they had been waiting for rolled to a stop in front of the station and threw open its doors.
Oops?
"Getting on board, folks?" the middle-aged bus driver asked, the amusement evident on his face.
Rei and Yuuichirou laughed, standing from the bench. Gathering his tuxedo jacket, Yuuichirou used it as a makeshift umbrella to shield them both as they sprinted the short distance to the bus through the downpour and climbed on board.
Fortunately, there weren't a whole lot of people on the bus so late at night. A couple of the more elderly passengers shot them dirty looks as they made their way down the aisle, but Rei pointedly ignored them, keeping her head held high and tightening her hold on Yuuichirou's hand as she led him to the empty seat at the very back of the bus.
The jacket really hadn't helped much with keeping them dry. Yuuichirou started to place it back around Rei's shoulders, but realizing it was soaked through, he set it on the seat beside him. He then moved to wrap his arm around her, briefly hesitating until Rei bridged the small gap between them, snuggling up against his side.
If it bothered the elders' delicate sensibilities, well, they could turn back around and mind their own damn business.
"Miss Rei…" Yuuichirou murmured, holding her tighter.
"I think it's about time you dropped the 'miss', don't you?" Rei said with a fond smile, looking up and reaching to wipe away a bit of the red lipstick that had transferred onto his lips with her thumb. "Call me Rei. Just Rei."
"Okay...Rei."
A pleasant shiver ran up her spine. Never had her name sounded so sweet.
"So, does this mean what I think this means?" he ask, his voice barely above a whisper. "Um, I mean…"
"I love you, Yuuichirou," Rei declared. "Will you go out with me? For real, this time?"
Yuuichirou smiled. "Nothing would make me happier."
DISCLAIMER: Sailor Moon belongs to Naoko Takeuchi
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story was written for Day 5 of Sailor Moon Rare Pair Week, Theme: Fake/True. I hope you enjoyed it!
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