PART ONE
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Natasha Rivers
The way celebrities climb out of their limos before non-stopflashes of paparazzi and shouts for their attention with practiced calm and picture-perfect smiles used to amaze me, and even though I go through the same stuff myself now so often the amazement is no longer there I still love seeing how each different celebrity has their tactics.
The normal paparazzi, the ones I used to shout along with, are detained by those ropes and large buff men with very attractive muscles while I, being the famous and respected individual I am, get my own space at the doors of the InternationalMusicAwards this year like last year and enjoy how celebrities stride straight in my direction with their smiles and charm, hoping I haven't dug up their dirt.
It's fucking amusing is what it is.
The first time I saw her was at that festival.
When the usual black limousine pulled to a slow stop after the last one drove away to make space and the flashes started going off even when the doors were closed and the nameless unimportant chauffeur stepped from the wheel to open them – I felt something in my soul tell me this limousine was different.
Maybe it's only my sentiments now as I reflect on the memory or maybe there was a supernatural warning that I would find someone special. I started to believe in the supernatural after I got acquainted with her, you see.
When that door opened and the person inside got out, I remember gasping.
I gasped because she was so beautiful.
Aino Minako.
The photos I had seen of her did her smile no justice: it was like everything about her was created in perfection.
Blonde, gorgeous, long legs, perfect teeth, shocking blue eyes that I swear fucking sparkled.
The clothes she wore that night I remember made a designer famous overnight from how beautiful she looked in them. Or should I correctly say, how beautiful she made them look.
I had never talked to the stunning woman before, only heard of her talents. I knew only so much that she was nominated for best debut artist of the year, born and raised in England by a Japanese mother and a Catholic white British father of nobility. She was married to a female Japanese senator or something like that which I wanted to find out about at the time of course, and was twenty-seven years old.
I was very surprised when a second lady stepped out of the car behind Aino who was too busy smiling and waving at cameras, bouncers immediately at her side more because they were attracted to her than worrying about her safety.
This lady was wearing traditional Japanese Kimono, something I looked into after. She walked in it with grace and ease, and placed a hand to the small of Aino's back.
This was the female Japanese Senator, I had realised, of whom Aino was married to.
Hino Rei.
She had natural beauty, beautiful and soft black hair, serious yet absolutely passionate violet eyes that I couldn't wait to get a closer look at.
I think... no, I know why I was first sucked in to her flame.
She never smiled when she came out that limo.
And... She led Aino right past me and straight inside without an interview or so much as a glance.
I do remember, however, Aino winking at my camera man.
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"Give it back, Minako, I'm not joking."
"Oh Reiko, why so serious? Hmmm?"
"I'm not serious, you're just immature."
The paper was shoved into Rei's arms and her back hit the wall from the rough push she got after.
"Bitch." Minako huffed and stormed off.
Rei snorted as Minako stormed off after that comment.
"Note to self," she said loudly for Minako's retreating ears, "stay away from a menstruating Aino or feel her wrath."
"Fuck you!"
Rei sighed, glaring at the wrinkled papers in her hands and smoothing them out.
She walked back to sit down at her desk, pulling out a folder full of papers and placing the wrinkled one in it.
"Minako?" She called out to the rest of the apartment.
The loud clang of a cupboard from the kitchen was her response.
She closed her folder and rested her chin in her palm staring at her reflection in the mirror to her left.
"Will you marry me?"
Silence was her answer.
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"Rei asked me this afternoon."
"NANI!"
"I want to be maid of honour!"
"Eto," Mamoru flushed slightly, "but there are two brides Usako – you would have pick Rei or Minako."
"It's a traditional Japanese wedding of the Shinto religion." Rei informed them all matter-of-factly.
"Aw, so no bridesmaids or maids of honour or anything?"
"Sorry Usa-chan," Minako smiled, "but we will have a kick-ass reception party after!"
Usagi beamed in excitement, "so when's the date? How did you guys decide?"
"We still have to decide all that," Rei said with an irritated smile.
A few hours later found Rei and Minako returning to Rei's apartment with tired feet – Minako still in a bitchy mood and Rei irritated with her mood even though she would be no better next week herself.
"All this talking about the wedding already and you only asked me today," Minako locked the door behind them and sighed, following Rei to the couch.
Rei yawned, "whatever."
"Your father is going to be so mad."
Rei smiled rather sadistically, a sudden change in mood as she thought of how angry her father would be when he heard of her plans. More like of what was going to happen in the future.
"Hmm, after you said yes guess what vision I saw?"
Minako crossed her legs on the couch and watched as Rei stood up and smirked sexily toward the fire place.
The logs suddenly lit on fire from her gaze and warmed the room as she turned her head to the side.
"You win the elections," Minako guessed.
She still did not understand much of Rei's logic – for one who despised her father and his politics she was heading down the same career with enthusiasm.
The only reason she asked Minako to marry her was because she needed to be married before she ran for her seat.
"I'll snatch his own spot right from under his nose! That bastard won't even know what will hit him. I can announce my campaign by this time next year so we should get married preferably within a month's time."
Minako stayed quiet for a few minutes as Rei continued gloating about her future win.
"I just need to know, Rei," Minako finally whispered.
"Know what?" Rei turned around now; the fireplace burned out form her confusion.
Minako cast her eyes down, biting her lip before saying, "please tell me you also want to marry me because you love me... not solely because of politics."
Rei didn't even hesitate.
"I love you," she said, smiling softly as Minako's eyes lifted form the ground to her own and the beautiful blonde's cheeks flushed. "Don't ever doubt that."
Minako smiled and got up form the couch walking over to Rei she embraced her waist and rested her head to her love's shoulder while smiling.
"Mina," Rei brought up her left hand to cradle her head and placed a kiss to her hair, "I think it's inevitable that we would marry, so why not do it sooner?"
"I know," Minako whispered back while closing her eyes, "but sometimes-"
Rei chuckled darkly cutting her off, "You cheated on me again... didn't you?"
Minako was quiet before she said, "you fucked that red-head with the pierced belly-button."
They stayed embracing each other and ignoring how fucked up their love was simply because their love was a destined one.
Nothing could tear them apart.
Destiny.
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Rei sat in her montsuki black formal Kimono with dignified elegance and grace. Her face stayed serene as the priest muttered prayers in front of them.
She twitched whenever the photographers took photos out of annoyance but kept her back straight.
A public wedding was a must after all so she could start her run for her father's senate seat.
Minako was very uncomfortable in her shiromuku, wondering how the hell Rei didn't seem to have a wedgie from her own hakama.
Of course the discomfort was nothing compared to the rapid thoughts that suddenly invaded her mind when she realised she was marrying the love of her life.
When it was time to drink sake, Minako noticed how Rei only took a small sip form their shared cup and so she greedily gulped down the rest to help calm her nerves.
She could only thank Kami that they could change their outfits for the reception and she almost squealed in anticipation to wear and party in her very expensive glittery blue dress.
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Rei sometimes hated how Mamoru and Usagi were so unbearably devoted to one another.
She would never have that, not for a while anyway.
Even though she was now married – she had progressed this solely to take a personal vengeance in a tactical way on her father.
Minako, bless her, was the love of Rei's life and past-life.
They were meant to be together and they knew it... they were supposed to be all loyal like Usagi and Mamoru but it just felt wrong.
Rei was possessive of Minako but that was the Martian warrior in her. Just as she knew Minako was jealous of any and all girls that Rei fucked because of her Venusian traits.
In reality, even though they both cheated on one another they secretly knew it was because they simply weren't ready for their eternity.
They needed that bridge in their lives to feel human, to commit sin as the glorious protectors of their princess and future queen.
They were no fucking girl scouts – they were warriors of justice in the name of Serenity.
Besides, they would never stop committing to or loving each other.
No matter what.
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Natasha Rivers
The real story about those two wasn't the fact that they were married girls, I mean, fables of prejudice against homosexuality was centuries old.
The story between these two was just, hypothetically, another most likely superficial marriage.
I was determined to dig up their dirt. In my opinion the more beautiful looking the couple, the more dark and dirtier the secrets.
From Hino's side, who wouldn't want to be married to someone as beautiful as Aino? She was probably really popular among youth and voters because of it back home.
And then from Aino's side, the fact that she was married to a Japanese Senator of great respect boosted her whole fucking image. A celebrity with a politician instead of another bimbo celebrity? And such an intelligent and respected one at that?
Why?
It was a jackpot of false shit but I already knew it would take more effort than ever before on my part.
These were my initial assumptions and thoughts, and doing my research I found that it was true. Back in Japan (and even in England) the pair was well loved for their very opposite styles.
Everything about them screamed fabricated fairytale.
You know, I was no better then everyone else at this point. There was just something about those two being so attractive, young and successful that I preferred to believe they lived a paradise.
Everyone loved the image they showed: wealthy and beautiful.
One dark and mysterious, the other light and outgoing.
But there's something about being simply in their presence that fascinated me with them.
They walked liked fucking goddesses; there was something I felt that pushed them above everyone else.
And I, being who I am, would not stop until I found out why.
Why were they so elevated?
Why were they picture-perfect? Surely, they had a flaw. Maybe that flaw was connected to why neither Aino nor Hino took the other's name when they married?
I had to know.
And so with my curiosity I began the journey to falling harder for Hino Rei, not realising what I was getting myself into.
I remember the first time I heard their voices, when I found them inside that lustrous building of famous musicians and other celebrities for an interview.
No one escaped me before, and they would not ever.
Not even these 'goddesses.'
{{}}
"Excuse me Ms. Aino may I have some of your time?"
I found her rocking her red dress next to Hino in that brilliant black and gold kimono by her side, both having champagne flutes in hand as Aino had said something that I managed to see made Hino smile a little.
In my subconscious mind I jotted this down – noticing how they were at ease with each other, clearly enough to get Hino who I heard of as an 'all-work-no-play' type of woman to smile.
Then again, they had an image to uphold in public and clearly many eyes were on them so they could very well be faking it like many others in this room.
Aino turned towards me and smiled those stunning teeth, she had a charm that I envied but loved already.
"Of course," she had said with a British edge to her vowels and no Asian accent, "I'd be honoured."
I grinned, glad to know she knew of me at least because yes darling it was an honour.
She turned to her wife whose eyes I felt on me, and I remember shivering at the time. I had never really talked with much political people in my life and I was slightly nervous.
They were cunning people.
Not to mention I wondered if she could speak English at all because Aino started talking to her in Japanese and I looked at her when her eyes left me to see her furrow her brows.
She nodded at Aino who smiled another charming smile and then turned her eyes back to me.
That was the first time we ever looked at each other.
Her eyes reminded me of an endless dark hole. You look down, see nothing but know that jumping is pointless because you'll continue seeing darkness and never end up anywhere.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Aino, and your wife, Ms. Hino."
She then took my extended hand and shook it. I held my hand out for her mysterious wife as well, but Hino only ignored it and dipped her head in a formal bow.
Aino giggled, flipping a straying piece of her natural blonde hair back where it landed exactly where it was before.
"Don't mind Reiko," she said in amusement.
I think I flushed when Reiko bowed because I felt warm in the cheeks and foolish for sticking my hand out at her.
Hino then gave me a small smirk. She was amused at me, laughing with her endless black hole eyes.
And fuck it, I felt even warmer.
Aino had downed her glass of champagne, placing the empty one on a waiter's tray as he ogled her and walked by. Hino still had pretty much her full glass and held it at waist level, taking a few sips every now and then, watching me and not saying a damn word.
My cameraman, the useless fool, was so enraptured by Aino he failed to process when an announcement was made that the awards event was starting.
I scolded him, angry that Aino and Hino escaped my questions of the evening simply because of the small time period, but knowing I would meet them again.
I was going to get them on my talk show – that was for sure.
The rest of the night was fuzzy, only one more thing stood out in my memory:
Aino won the award she had been nominated for as best debut artist of the year.
The big screen at the front showed her face brightening with uncontained joy, she hugged her composed wife next to her and Hino gave her another special smile.
If they were actors, they were good ones.
She kissed her wife with a brief peck to the cheek, and walked up to stage like a model in that fucking red dress as Hino stood with others in the hall and applauded her.
Her quick thank-you speech mentioned some people of her company, her best friends, and her wife. She had declared how honoured she was to receive the award and presented her charming smile as we all clapped enthusiastically for the pretty woman. She also said something briefly in Japanese that the media was only able to translate the next day as "especially to my fellow soldiers for everything we've been through."
That line was an enigma.
I also remember seeing her walk down the stage and back to her seat.
I saw her whisper something in her wife's ear, and when everyone else headed for the after-party they were nowhere to be found.
They were the greatest mystery yet.