AN: Not your traditional stab at a song fic...let's just say the muse (well, okay, Minako) was begging me to please put this character study in fic form. There are some English songs, there are some j-pop songs. there's one k-pop songs. Nothing's sung all the way through and all the Japanese and Korean is written in Romaji because I'm assuming the majority of you will appreciate at least being able to read how they sound (and I'm assuming as well that the roman script is more internationally friendly). Enjoy, tell me what songs you'd pick for each of them if you could (also remember these are Minako's choices. I have several of my own).
Disclaimer: Is this really necessary...Clearly I don't own...sigh...fiiiiine. I solemnly swear I will not: change a few names add terrible, controversial sex scenes, and sell this on Amazon...unlike some other people... ;)
The Contact List
Rei's first impression of Minako's new phone is that it is obnoxious - first of all, it is an iphone. Second of all, the Venus symbol is bedazzled on the back in orange sequins. "Could you be more obvious about it." she once complains to Mina.
"Puh-lease," Minako scoffs. "I don't know if you noticed, by we are the height of pop-culture. Everyone wants to dress like us" She winks at Rei. "I could go to school as Venus and they'd just reprimand me for not having the right uniform."
"I still can't believe you bedazzled your phone."
"Hey hey - no mocking the smartphone," she says putting a finger to Rei's lips and silencing her since the touch leaves her too flustered to talk. "After all, it needs to live up to my fabulousness."
~ttwwstw~
Her second impression only cements her opinion. They're in the middle of a study session - and they only just got Usagi to freaking focus on her maths work, when a loud melody makes them all jump. She's got her Sailor wand in hand before she realises it's a song.
"dakara motto motto motto haruka kanata
fumikomu ze akuseru kakehiki wa nai sa sou dayo"
"Sorry!" Minako says, scrambling to get her phone out of her bag. "It's Haruka - Hello. Yes, yeah. yeah. I'll be there. On time. Okay." She says, hanging up. "Sorry...she's teaching me to drive and wanted to tell me when to meet."
"What was that ringtone?" Makoto asks. "The tune's familiar…"
"'Haruka Kanata' Asian Kung-Fu Generation" Minako says. "It was...fitting."
"You have a personal ringtone for Haruka?" Usagi asks.
"I have one for everyone," Minako asserts. "Everyone gets a song."
And suddenly Makoto and Usagi are reaching for their phones aiming to call Minako's but the Scout of love immediately turns her phone off.
"Uh-uh...you're all just going to have to find out what they are - or guess and I'll tell you."
"Why couldn't you just put it on vibrate like a normal person?" Rei sniped.
"Oh come on, Rei." Minako grins as she reaches over to push her lightly on the arm. "Ringtones are fun! And people love figuring out what they are. - In fact," she declares, "the first person to figure out which song everyone has - I mean the sailors of course - that person gets a prize!"
"Prize!" Usagi grins, clapping her hands. "What prize?"
"If you guess them all - whatever you want."
~ttwwstw~
She isn't even planning to compete...until Makoto comes to the shrine to talk about it.
"Rei...you're good at English right?"
"Sort of," she shrugs. Sure, she has the highest marks in her class, but that doesn't mean she's good in practice. "Why?"
"Because that's what Setsuna's song is in," Makoto complains, lounging on the temple steps. "She called Minako today about whether she could watch Hotaru and Chibiusa...and the song was English. I was so gonna guess it otherwise - But here she says, reaching into her pocket for her own phone. "I got Mina to play it again so I could record it - If you help me, and I win, we can split the prize."
"I wasn't even playing," she complains to Makoto. But she accepts the phone anyway and plays the recording.
"I've been looking through my window
At somebody else's world
And you let me fall
Right through your open door
You came and saved me you saved me from myself"
It takes her a few listens to understand the words, and when she does it's a little unsettling...why is this Setsuna's?
"I have to look it up later," Rei says to Makoto.
The song bugs her for the rest of the day, and since the temple does not have a router installed, she goes to a nearby Internet Cafe to look up the lyrics.
She's calling Minako as soon as her search is up.
"Skunk Anansie's 'You Saved Me'" she says without preamble.
"Oh, so Mako-chan came to you about Setsuna's," Mina chuckles on the other end. "Isn't it a beautiful song?"
It is. "It's sad," she tells Mina. "Why would you pick that one for Setsuna?"
"I won't call it sad per say….okay so it's a bit melancholy. I don't pick them cause they're happy songs Rei-chan. I just pick them cause they fit."
"And it's also kind of…" she scans the lyrics on the PC screen again. "Romantic."
"Well duh." Mina chuckles on the other end. "Have you seen her around Haruka and Michiru lately. She could give Makoto's lovesick glances a jog for their cash."
"Run for their money," she corrects Mina gently, smiling.
"Oh you know what I meant..."
~ttwwstw~
The next one she hears is Michiru's and entirely through her own manipulation. She's ahead of everyone else by a song and is starting to feel a bit too invested to back out now.
So she texts Michiru one Friday afternoon to ask if she could please call Mina.
Kaioh M: all right, speaking of, you're watching Hotaru next weekend...I have plans...
A second later Minako's phone is blowing up, not with lyrics, but with violin music. The tune is familiar….from back when her mother was alive and she'd listen to this music whenever her father brought the cassettes or CD's back from trips.
"I swear that's Freddie Mercury….as a violin cover." she tells Mina.
"Yes…" Minako nods to her as she listens to Michiru talk. "Wait - what...uh." she holds the phone away from her as Michiru hangs up. "Aparently I'm babysiting Hotaru with you." Minako sighs. "Whatever, do you know the Freddie Mercury song?" she asks Rei.
"It's..." she checks her phone...a new text from Michiru. "'I Was Born to Love You.'" she says, blushing.
Kaioh M: You're welcome ;)
~ttwwstw~
Minako has no choice but to reveal Ami's - she loses her phone while they're out shopping one day and Ami's the first one to call it.
"Sairen ga hibiite
toozakatte kieta
tekagami ni utsutta"
"SNoW!" Usagi shouts at the same time as she and Makoto say "'Bleach!'"
"That was an easy one," Minako huffs as she digs her phone out from under the Ice Cream Bar. "Makoto and Rei get it."
"That's an...interesting choice for me," Ami says.
"I guess my reasons are entirely my own," Minako winks.
~ttwwstw~
Afterwards, Mina's very careful when they're all together to leave her phone on silent. "It would be way to easy otherwise." But she does leave the ringtones enabled during school hours and Rei's just caught up with she and Usagi for lunch when a new ringtone bursts to life.
"Some people talk about you
Like they know all about you
When you get down they doubt you
And when you tipping on the scene
Yeah they talkin' about it"
"Hey, Mako-chan...uh huh. uh huh. Actually, you gave it away to Rei and Usagi… haha. Oh my god tickets to - yes, YES! Sign me up!" She giggles as she pulls the phone away from her ear and stuffs it in her pocket. "Three words: Music. Festival. Tickets." She grins. "And we're all going - I love the school raffles."
Rei laughs quietly, then hums the tune of the ring tone so she's sure she'll remember it later.
"Why do you have so many English songs?" Usagi asks.
Minako ponders, twirling her hair as they walk. "Dunno… It's half and half, actually. I have a couple favorites from my time in England. Setsuna's was new when I lived in London - loved it...and this one is from a girl I found online - on one of those "recommended artists' lists. And!" Minako declares clapping her hands together "All her music is amazinggg!"
Usagi beats her to the Internet Cafe on their way home after school, but she gets the song first, smirking as Usagi spells the English lyrics wrong for the fifth time. She texts Minako
Hino R: Janelle Monae, "Tightrope"
Aino M: Damnit. I thought that one would be hard!
Hino R: Not with the internet...why did make you pick that one?
Aino M: You got what it's about. Right?
Hino R. Um…. not caring what anyone else thinks. Which is just like Makoto.
Aino M: Exactly. lol. Sometimes i pick them cause i like the songs. But sometimes i chose the ones that...reflect traits i see in people...or how i feel about them.
Hino R: And what about me?
Aino M: Ha! Nice try ;) guess you'll have to hear your ringtone to find out.
~ttwwstw~
She keeps the list of them in her pocket just to see if there's any kind of pattern
Haruka - ASIAN KUNG-FU GEN. "Haruka Kanata"
Setsuna - SKUNK ANANSIE "You Saved Me"
Michiru - FREDDIE MERCURY "I Was Born To Love You" violin cover
Ami - SNoW "Bleach"
Makoto - JANELLE MONAE "Tightrope"
Chibiusa - ?
Hotaru - ?
Usagi - ….Mina's "Route Venus"
Me - ?
There is no pattern to discern, but she's sure Usagi's has to be Mina's own hit single "Route Venus." after all, Minako had written it to express her choice of duty over love. And Usagi was her duty. Plus it was so upbeat, perfect for the Bun-head. She grew more sure whenever she looked at the list that she'd at least know that one without having to hear it.
She's got the list in her hand and is pondering any kind of pattern when Usagi pops her head into the shrine.
"I found out Chibiusaaaaa's!" she squeels. "Tell me mine - I know you know - I'll trade you."
"You first," she challenges Usagi. "So I can check if it's right."
"Fiiiine." Usagi sighs, "Momoiro's "Mirai he Susume."
"Mina's 'Route Venus' song." she mumbles, flicking out her phone at the same time Usagi does so that she can check with Mina.
Aino M: Mirai he Susume is right - & stop tricking Usagi XD
"Hey," Usagi pouts. "She says you're wrong."
Rei frowns. "I...I mean I guessed, but..."
"Guessed!" Usagi cries. "But I want the pwiiiiize."
Rei placates her by offering her tea and cookies, even though her mind is elsewhere. Why wouldn't Mina assign "Route Venus" to Usagi?
ttwwstw
The night they babysit Hotaru is also the night Hotaru calls ahead to ask if she can please bring over her new favorite movie. They're cooking dinner in Mina's kitchen when she calls.
"Barami jangnaneul chil ttaemyeon nareul kkok butjabajwoya hae tto naraga beorilla
Geureoke gugimyeon keunil na nan mareopgo chakhae boyeodo jajonsimi senikka"
"That's K-Pop!" she laughs as Minako talks to Hotaru. "You hate K-Pop."
"I know," Minako sighs as she hangs up the phone. "But it's Hotaru's favourite band. I tried to give her j-pop. I swear. but the songs. just. wouldn't. fit."
"And it's "Paper Heart" by f(x)."
"Damnit!" Minako curses. "You've gotten nearly all of them now haven't you."
"Well not Usagi's...and not mine." She grins back. "Speaking of...did you give anyone songs that you wrote."
"Uh…" Mina hesitates, eyes trained intently on the sauce she's stirring. "Only one in the entire phone, I think."
"Is it...one of ours."
"Mayyyyybe." she smirks. "Not. Telling."
~ttwwstw~
She's sure "Route Venus" is Usagi's. Maybe Minako had only lied to Usagi to throw her off the trail. There's no way her biggest hit isn't someone important.
But the phone rings shortly after Mina arrives for study time one day, and she jerks her head up at the lyrics coming from the speakers.
"Moon Pride!
Anata no chikara ni naritai"
"Uhuh," Minako says as she answers, Rei staring up at her intently. "Yes...yes I have a copy. yeah. haha. No problem."
She sighs and hangs up the phone, trying to pass it off as nothing "Just...someone asking if I have a copy of the homework."
"It was Usagi asking," Rei says cooly, "I can't believe I didn't guess it before - the tribute song Momoiro did to us - "Moon Pride.'"
"You've caught me," Minako sighs, plopping down next to the coffee table. "There it is you've gotten all of them."
"Not mine,"
"Well…" Minako grins. "I think I can amend the rules. You don't need to know yours."
Rei frowns "Well I still get any prize I want, right?"
"Uhhh..." Minako stammers, looking all around the room as if there's anyone else around to get her out of this. "You already know what you want."
"Yes." Rei demanded. "I want to hear mine.
Minako stares at her for a very long minute, and the whole shrine is eerily quiet, before sighing and sliding her phone into the middle of the table.
Rei wastes no time calling it.
"ono doa akete"
She freezes because that's Mina's voice coming through the speakers. "'Route Venus" is mine?"
"Nokori jikan ga
Suikomareteku
Hitomi wo agete"
But this is...different from the version she knows (laughing and bubbly in the face of eternal duty). This version has no upbeat, poppy tune in the background. It's only Minako's voice: rawer and more regretful than she's ever heard in one of her songs.
"Massugu mitsume
Saigo no kisu wo shite
Arukidashite ne"
The ringtone cuts off in the middle of the song, and Rei's already staring at Minako.
"Why am I the song about duty over love?" she asks quietly.
Minako clears her throat. "Because...I picked duty," she says meeting Rei's eyes. "And thus, I can't have love. It's a distraction." She swallows hard. "The song...is a reminder."
Her hand goes to her phone to take off the table.
But Rei reaches out, and stops her, grabbing Mina's hand in her own.
"I think… you're forgetting," she whispers to Mina. "We have the same duty...the same fears, goals, responsibilities. It -" she stammers "When two people have the same duty...they aren't distractions to eachother...they can be support."
Minako's hand is too warm in her own, and sweaty...or perhaps that's hers. Her heart's pounding a bit too loudly in her ears. Minako's eyes are so blue...
The kettle shrieks in the kitchen, and she bolts up to get it, rushing from the room.
Usagi and the others have arrived by the time she returns, separating she and Mina with books, pens and laptops spread over the table. But occasionally she'll catch Mina's gaze as she looks up and she knows: they won't be sweeping what was said under the rug for long.