SunTzu had been one of the last ones to congratulate his protege but he made it up with inviting her to dinner. Of course he asked her mother to join as well but Setsuna had politely declined.
Standing beside them, both Hotaru and Minako couldn't help themselves but notice that both Setsuna and SunTzu were acting kind of strange with each other, even more than usual. Suspicious glances were shared between the two of them although both didn't ask what was wrong.
Minako took a stand though and asked to accompany SunTzu in Setsuna's place, while Hotaru already asked the other attendants of her ceremony if they wanted to join in as well.
In the end SunTzu had to pay dinner, of course fast food, for Hotaru, Haruka, Minako, Chibiusa, Helios, Luna and Diana. Although Chibiusa had asked her beloved Puu again to join them the doctor had declined again. She'd love to but she had too much work waiting for her, she had said. But she would love to have Chibiusa over in the next few days she consoled the teenager.
Michiru had excused herself as well, she had something important to take care of, although not even Haruka knew what that was.
And while it was unbeknownst to SunTzu and Haruka why Michiru hadn't come along, she had met with Setsuna after the later one's request. She needed her best friend to talk, and so, shortly after the sun had gone down over the Tokyo Bay, Michiru and Setsuna had met in the Meiou's household.
"It sounded like there's something really heavy going on with you so I brought a bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape with me." The teal-haired said as she took off her shoes in the foyer.
Setsuna didn't reply but just gave her single nod, making Michiru ask herself what had happened that her best friend was so besides herself.
She followed the emerald-haired woman into the kitchen, where Setsuna fetched two red wine glasses from a cabinet while Michiru settled down on one of the high chairs at the kitchen counter, noticing that Setsuna grabbed the large glasses. She really was distressed.
Setsuna produced a bottle opener from one of the drawers and opened the bottle before she filled up the both glasses more than generously.
Michiru followed the act, getting more and more worried and surprised.
"Okay Cherie. What happened? It's rare to see you that fretful. And I've been knowing you for half my current life."
"He told me."
Michiru needed a moment and still looked at Setsuna with a questioning look on her face when Setsuna continued.
"He told me about his feelings for me."
"He? Wait… SunTzu?! SunTzu told you about his feelings for you?"
Michiru was processing the information and about to jump up and hug her friend. This was great news, the two would be such a nice couple.
"And I told him I can't be with him. Not like that."
With this sentence the joy and enthusiasm Michiru felt, immediately died down and she stopped dead in her motion of getting up. Of course.
Setsuna took a large sip as she let the information settle. Michiru looked at her for a moment and then took a sip of wine as well.
"So, you knew as well."
Silence filled the room for a long moment before Michiru spoke again.
"How did he react? Did you just…"
"Tell him I'm not interested?" Setsuna closed her eyes and let out a big sigh.
"In retrospective, maybe I should have done so. But no, I let him know that I have feelings for him as well."
Michiru began to internally scream. It was times like these she felt anger towards that man that once laid the foundation to Setsuna's trauma when it came to love. Last time had been a struggle already but now, after loosing the second man she ever had really loved in all these thousands of years, it was almost impossible for Setsuna to bond in a romantical way. SunTzu and her would have made such a great couple but no, Setsuna couldn't push away her fear.
"How did he react?"
"Broken, until I got his hopes up again." Another large sip. "I shouldn't have." With worry in her eyes she looked straight in Michiru's. "What if I can never bring myself to really and without fear love again and make him try to win me over for nothing. I don't want to hurt him."
Michiru got up, rounded the counter and stopped beside Setsuna, laying a hand on her sister of choice's shoulder and leaned her head against Setsuna's.
"Alone the fact that you don't want to hurt him, speaks for your feelings."
"He always acts so tough but there's a very sensitive side in him."
"I know. SunTzu is like Haruka in this regard. But if someone should understand about trauma than him. And give you your time."
"I want him. But I can't make myself fall for him just like that. I'm too afraid of it. And he still isn't the man he should be. A thing that is more important than our feelings."
Michiru sighed and then took the wine bottle and filled their glasses again.
"Let's have another glass. And you'll tell me everything in detail."
The group around Hotaru left the restaurant they had been at, a great burger spot in Crystal Tokyo and one of the three teenager's most favorite, when it was already dark. Luna, Diana with her, gave Helios and Chibiusa some privacy, as she entered the SUV with the Close Protection Team, that of course had followed the princess and the others. Both the black SUV and Helios's car, a racy Japanese one, would head to the Palace. Hotaru would drive along with Haruka as the later would pick her girlfriend up at the Meiou's place as she had received a text message from Michiru that she definitely was not able to drive anymore.
As everyone else had left, SunTzu who had said his goodbyes inside the restaurant already and had than stayed behind to pay the bill, finally left the building as well and found Minako standing in front of the door of the restaurant.
"Hey, you didn't need to wait for me."
"Oh, I was asking myself if I could catch a ride home with you."
"Uhm…"
"Others would break their necks to take this blonde bombshell home. Plus I have something to talk about with you."
"Do you?"
"Yes." Her glance gave away that he wouldn't come out of this so he shrugged and walked over to where the car was parked.
He opened the car with it's remote control and then slid open the door of the black super sports car on the passenger side for her to enter.
Although wearing a dress she entered the car like a lady, while he helped her with one hand.
He closed the door of the Lamborghini after she was sitting sound, earning him a honest smile from the blonde beauty.
SunTzu rounded the car and got inside himself.
"Your place in Juban, right?"
"Mhm."
"So, what is it?" He asked with a glance over to her before he started the powerful engine, which roared to life immediately.
"What did you do to Setsuna-San?"
The German's eyes widened.
"Something was really off with her after I found you guys had been talking."
For a few moments SunTzu didn't say a word as he weaved his Lamborghini through the evenly traffic in Tokyo. At a red traffic light SunTzu began to speak.
"You saw us dancing."
"Yeah. You guys seemed to be enjoying it. And the company of the other."
"I sure did. Setsuna… I told her that I have feelings for her today, Minako."
"Wait. You just assailed her and told her that you want her?"
"Yeah."
SunTzu shrugged, what was wrong with being honest. Woman always wanted that man talk more about their feelings, no?
"Oh god." Minako facepalmed. "How many people did tell you that she needs time?"
"Well… Rei. Michiru. The Neo Queen. Oh."
Minako shook her head, shifting around in her leather seat, her yellow dress, red bow with matching jacket and blonde hair a stark contrast to the black of the car.
"Men… No wonder she was so off."
SunTzu shot her a sceptical glance and she continued.
"What did she say? Hard pass?" Minako didn't show but she actually was afraid that Setsuna had opted for a complete and utterly no to SunTzu to protect herself.
"No. She said she has feelings for me too. But she can't be with me, at least now. Or in my current state. Whatever she meant with that."
"Well, that's actually better for you than I expected." The memories of the last time Setsuna had fallen in love and how hard it was already back then for her to let it happen shot back into her mind.
SunTzu's lip twitched while his gaze stayed on the street after he heard what Minako just had said.
"God, SunTzu. Next time talk with me before you sabotage yourself."
Another quick side glance from him. He didn't know it was so bad what he had done. Minako took a big breather to collect herself.
"That she didn't completely rejected you speaks volumes for you. But don't ever do something like that again, especially if you really want her. We're not talking about that she had a bad breakup once, Setsuna has been through so much pain that you can't even imagine how hurtful it must have been."
"I… I didn't know. I just… I wanted to let her know how I feel. And see if I have a chance at all."
"Let alone that she has feelings for you, and actually admits it, is something that should make you feel blessed. But you have to give her the space and time to fully develop, and allow herself, these feelings."
They had arrived at Minako's house and SunTzu parked his Aventador in front of it.
Minako seemed to be in thought as SunTzu turned off the engine. And then he leaned back in his seat and looked at her, head resting on his right hand, which in turn rested on the car's interior. The talk with Minako had made him insecure. Gone was the high that he at least had a chance with the tall, tan, gorgeous, emerald-haired goddess.
"I think the best course would be to give some distance to her, to not pressure her anymore. Which reminds me…" SunTzu's eyebrow went up "… I'm leaving for Coruscant tomorrow to get some work on my album done. And I wouldn't mind some company." She shot him her trademark wink.
Wait, did she actually plan that to make me come along all along?
SunTzu was on the brink of asking her if she had planned that when he remembered, that he probably was the only one she could ask.
"Fine. When shall AICA and me pick you up?"
"Oh, don't worry about playing taxi. We got tickets for an afternoon shuttle. We'll meet at 1 PM in the studio, part of my team is coming along as well. AICA can stay here with Hotaru. A few paparazzi scoops on the airport will be good for PR also." She began to smile from ear to ear. "And here I thought I'd need to make Catdad order you to tag along. Great!"
SunTzu just had to glance at her and she understood, although still smiling she opened the door and got out. Accompanying her was the one thing but being with a whole group of people he didn't know was the other.
"See you tomorrow then. And thanks for the ride."
As soon as the car's door was closed again, SunTzu sighed loud and his head slumped on the steering wheel. What had he gotten himself into now again?
The next day came and SunTzu got up early and went to the base. As soon as he could he applied with Artemis. The Admiral already knew that SunTzu would accompany his former partner and had everything initiated, even the other Senshi had already been informed. And although the Admiral seemed content that someone was accompanying Minako, he still made sure to let SunTzu know to behave towards the First of the Senshi. Not that it usually was Minako flirting with him and not the other way around.
After leaving the Palace, SunTzu went to the studio where Minako's record label produced, engineered and recorded most of her music.
A small army of people was there, beginning with her manager Sugao Saitou, who, although he was the head of the management company that managed the idol, also was considered a sincere friend from Minako, over to the whole staff of the music studio to Minako's glam squad.
SunTzu definitely felt out of place when he arrived in the lounge of the studio.
As Artemis had told him to keep an eye out for Minako he treated the whole thing as a bodyguard job. He even was wearing a suit, although without a tie this time. And this time he had an official allowance to carry his gun along. The rule still stood, no more traveling without proper armament.
Minako, sitting on a chair in the middle of the room, was dressed in a flashy colored and bodyhugging track suit and as he entered she was getting the last touch of her make up and hair from her MUA and her hairstylist while her regular stylist twitched around at her clothing.
Only moving her eyes she shot the unknown man which made everyone else turn around towards him a glance.
"If that isn't the Knight in shining armor. Ohayo, SunTzu."
SunTzu, not knowing how to take all the curious eyes on him just nodded into the room with a forced smile.
"Take a seat. I'll be done here soon. Golly, you can't imagine the work that is behind looking casually but breathtaking. You want anything? Yuki can you bring him a water please?"
A minute later SunTzu had a bottle of Perrier and a glass on a small table in front of his place on one of the sofas in the room.
Some people were still observing him, although secretly.
Letting his senses lash out in the Forces he didn't feel any real hostility but tons of curiosity. And he heard how Minako's stylist asked who that hottie was, he seemed somehow familiar. Minako had to giggle and clued them up that SunTzu was the ex of Rei and that they might know him from pictures with her. For the following "Ah, yes!" SunTzu didn't need the Force to hear it.
Fourty five minutes later they left the studio and went to the building's underground garage.
SunTzu's bodyguard personality took over as he left the elevator as the first person and immediately began to check the surroundings of the garage.
As soon as he was done he took a step aside, only for Minako laying her arms around one of his arms.
"You'll come along with me. And stop being so stiff. We're not on the battlefield."
She pulled him along her into a large van, spacious leather seats and multimedia entertainment ruling it's inside, not visible from the outside because of it's tinted glasses.
In front of them Minako's manager was sitting, talking vividly on the phone.
"Listen, I'm gonna listen to some music and zone out for a bit until we get to the airport, I hope you don't mind." Minako announced and put her wireless earbuds in, before she set the seat back and closed her eyes.
SunTzu was observing her.
"That's her way to relax before she has to be the professional she is." Her manager said, the man had ended his phone call and had turned around.
"Sugao Saitou." The man introduced himself and offered his hand to SunTzu. SunTzu took the hand and shook it, immediately recognizing that the man had come around and knew his ways around foreigners.
"SunTzu."
The man shot him a smile.
"I know. Minako and Rei told a lot about you." A glance from head to toe. "And Darling, they didn't lie when they said your quite the hunk." He then said with a disarming smile.
The rest of the way the two men talked about Minako and her career and how Minako and Sugao had met and became friends. And how surprised Sugao was to find out that Sailor V, respectively Sailor Venus, were one and the same person. He laughed as he told, stating that this had explained a lot.
SunTzu was glad to find out that Minako's manager genuinely cared for her and not only her record sales and career.
When they arrived at the entrance of the air- and spaceport the older man leaned down to Minako and gently stroked over her shoulder, which made Minako almost instantly open her eyes.
"Are you ready Mina-P?"
"Sure thing Sugao-Sugar." The blonde's lips grew into a poise grin and she shot him a wink.
The group left the cars and gathered their luggage. SunTzu, having only light luggage with him, they were going to Coruscant after all, where one could buy whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, took over carrying Minako's huge suitcase from the young woman named Yuki, apparently the personal assistant of Minako, earning himself a bright smile from the small brunette.
SunTzu stayed in the middle of the retinue as Minako strutted into the airport like it belonged to her. And assuming from the hordes of paparazzi already waiting there someone had tipped the media off, totally not planned as PR of course, and a large crowd of fans, mostly teenage girls, one could really believed Minako owned the place. While it had been fun and thrilling the first time he experienced this along Rei, this here was just plain crazy. Airport Police had to show up and shield Minako from the crowd to not completely get her overrun. Nonetheless the First of the Senshi obviously enjoyed the interest on her person. She casually talked with fans, took selfies, signed autographs, pictures and even arms. Of course there were posed photos taken for and from the paparazzi, while some people asked her questions.
"Minako, how long will you stay on Coruscant?"
"Until my work is done. I'll have to give my fans my best album yet."
"What's with the rumors about the collab with Blackpink?"
"Oh, I can't wait to show you guys what we came up with!"
More questions followed, until an unkempt middle aged journalist with a recorder asked how being in War was, which made Saitou walk up and pull a hand around Minako to lead her away.
"Sorry people, but we have a flight to catch."
SunTzu, whose glance had darkened so much that Yuki besides him was getting afraid of him, was asking himself if breaking the journalist's nose would bring him into the brig or if his Admiral would understand.
Minako stopped Saitou from dragging her away and faced the journalist.
"Why you don't join us and get a first hand look? I'm sure our Queen wouldn't mind more coverage from the media for what we're doing out there in the Galaxy, protecting the people on this planet with it. And don't worry if you'll get shot, all of us at the med bay do an outstanding job."
The whole crowd fell silent and looked at the journalist who had posed the inadequate question while Minako turned around and walked towards the security check, but not to stop behind the human wall made up by the police men of the airport to exchange a few nice words with some fans and give a young fan, a girl, maybe ten years old, a peck on the cheek, making the girl giggle in happiness.
SunTzu had frozen for a moment, that had been one hell of a comeback and comment and he had to nod in approvement.
One hour later the whole group had just gotten onboard the late afternoon flight to the Galaxy's Capital Planet.
Not all of them sat together of course, as only Minako, Satou, one of the producers and, to his surprise, SunTzu had seats in the first class. He hadn't known before because Minako had his ticket.
"Small gift from me." She had told him with a smile after seeing his dumbfounded face at the check-in. Not that her face was equally dumbfounded as he took longer in the security check as the dutiful police custom officers there checked his documents for carrying a gun with him and he had told her that after she asked what took him so long there. But she understood fast, although Earth and Coruscant felt safe, they all still had to look out.
Minako made SunTzu sit next to her and a minute later a steward brought them a glass of champagne each.
Minako clinged her glass with SunTzu.
"To our little trip to Coruscant. And to working my ass off there."
She took a sip and then observed the glass in her hand, while SunTzu didn't drink yet.
"Why Coruscant? You could finish everything on Earth."
"One word. Reach. I have two feature guests, Quilo Til from Coruscant and the band Syl from Corellia meeting me there, the features meaning that I will open a bigger interstellar market. The band and Til are great artists though."
SunTzu was still looking at her, he had expected more than the need for fame.
"I know what you think now. Minako needs the attention and the applause. And although I have to admit it's incomparable to have thousands of people cheer for you and scream your name, it's more for me. For me music is also love and healing. And therefore I want to reach as many people as possible."
SunTzu nodded, that's more like he knew Minako. With a smile he clinged his glass on hers again and she reciprocated the smile as she lifted her glass to her mouth. Both took a sip and then Minako leaned to SunTzu again.
"I'll tell you a secret. I'm also doing it for the money."
SunTzu eyebrows furrowed in confusion, that was something he wouldn't had expected but Minako began to giggle.
"God, I love how easily one can get to you. No wonder, Rei was so infatuated with you."
SunTzu didn't say a word, his look just got more grim.
"Awww, cheer up, it's not for my personal needs tho. Rei told me a lot about her work for the refugees of the Shadow War. And we all have seen our share already as well of course. When all this mess is over, and I got my PhD, I want to open a NGO and help the victims of this madness. Unfortunately you cannot save the universe with endless love and ineffable beauty alone." She sighed. "My dream lover would be the one who would help me set this up. A rich pilot for example. Too bad you're more or less already gone from the market." Minako joked with SunTzu, grinning. "But hey, maybe Setsuna-Nee-Chan and you are still up for helping me, you know after the kid left the house and this War is over, you'll both probably be bored anyway."
She emptied her glass and sat it down, in that moment the shuttle's captain began his address.
"Perfect, timing. Now if you'd excuse me, this lass needs her beauty sleep before I pull a few all-nighters on the Galaxy's Capital." She stretched her neck and made herself comfortable, SunTzu helped her with the blanket of her seat.
"You know what I don't like about flying first class? There's no way for some intimacy with your seat neighbor." She giggled again as she fished out the sleeping mask from a bag that had been provided by the shuttle.
"Too bad, I would have been open for everything from cuddles to the Mile High Club." She mocked him with a shrug and then put on the mask.
"Good Night and good flight, SunTzu."
"Sleep well, Mina." SunTzu replied with a soft voice, looking at his friend, thinking about that the blonde whirlwind might have been way more complex than everyone gave her credit for.
Four hours later they were in the studio in Coruscant, half the planet away from the Senatorial District, not that it mattered as the shuttle from the spaceport to this part of the planet-wide City only took twenty minutes. Commuters on Earth would have been delighted SunTzu thought.
Immediately Minako, who had taken pictures with a few fans waiting at the spaceport when they had arrived, was in working mode. The fans at the spaceport actually had surprised SunTzu, nonetheless it was great to see that Minako was known interstellar already. Earth's culture was still so popular he had thought and smiled to himself.
It didn't take long for SunTzu to see that just like in the med bay or working with patients, Minako's demeanor was completely different while working on her music. She became a professional, not necessarily quiet but her sometimes very lax ways were gone. She was friendly with the crew and the other musicians but she also had a distinct no-bullshit-attitude.
And she hadn't lied when she had said, she would pull a few all-nighters. In three days Minako only had slept a single digit amount of hours while unfatiguingly working on her music. Half of the album's songs, the two songs with Syl, an uptempo pop song, and Quilo Til, a romantic duet, were new songs while with the other half of the album she honored the divas of pop she adored so much.
And vocally she could very much keep up with them.
One time SunTzu had been sitting on something similar to a bean bag in the studio, it was in the middle of the second night, at least he had thought so, as he had already lost his sense of time, and had been watching Minako finish another recording. Apart from one of the producers and a sound engineer everyone else was gone. He had been tired and it wouldn't had taken long before his eyes would have closed as Minako joined him on a seating bag next to him, a cup of Matcha Tea with honey and ginger inside to help her voice keep up.
She took a sip and cleared her throat.
"You should get some sleep, SunTzu. Get a cab to the hotel as well."
The crew had rooms in a luxurious hotel nearby but Mina hadn't spent more than the time to change clothes in the bed room of her suite at all.
"Nah… I'm good. What about you? You must be shortly before passing out."
She answered with a faint smile.
"It's okay, I'm used to this. I can tap into my powers if I really need to."
"I think some sleep would be better."
"As aspiring doctor I guess you're right. But as musician I see that different. Studio time here is obviously very limited and I want to get shit done. My last album Tokyo Bae went platinum and I need to beat that with this album. I told you why."
"Ganbare Mina-P."
Her smile widened although she looked to the floor for the moment, apparently assessing something before she looked at her phone.
"Three fourty six. Maybe you are right and a itty bitty power nap wouldn't be the worst." That said she fought against a yawn and SunTzu and her smiled at each other as she did so.
"I'll fetch a blanket for you."
She nodded as SunTzu got up.
Two minutes later SunTzu was back with a blanket he had found in the lounge of the studio and Minako was already sleeping.
With a smile he put the blanket around Minako before he took off his jacket and then sat down slowly, to not make any loud sounds, on his bag again. A minute later he had fallen asleep as well. When he woke up two and a half hours later, Minako was already in the record booth again.
Minako finished the work she had gone to Coruscant to do in the late evening of the third day. Right in time as the team had come to it's physical limits, but knowing what kind of smasher this album would become had driven them to endure it. To celebrate and say thank you Minako invited everyone into a BBQ Restaurant in the nightlife district of this part of Coruscant. SunTzu kept himself in the background again, as he hadn't done anything productive for the album. And while he observed the people he began to ask himself why Minako had taken him along at all.
Most of the crew left for the hotel after dinner, tired and exhausted as they were, just a few hard-bitten members pushed along into the nightlife.
Minako was among those going to the hotel, as was SunTzu.
A few speeders got them back to the hotel and SunTzu, having been in one of the last ones, soon was also the last of the group in the elevator as he didn't went to his room but up to the roof terrace of the hotel to have a last cigarette before sleeping. Ignoring the indoor bar on the same floor, he headed for the outside smoking area.
It was a windy and cold night, the clouds felt heavy and if one could almost touch them from the top of the skyscrapers, much to SunTzu's delight, the signs of rain would highly probably ensure that nobody else would frequent the outside area as well.
He entered the terrace and was surprised to see that nonetheless another person was here. The woman greeted him with a smile.
"If I were Ami, I'd say smokers are calculable people. And apart from that, smoking is unhealthy."
A wry grin scurried over SunTzu's face.
"A certain someone always tells me that."
"And rightly so." She replied, earning her a wheeze.
"What are you doing here, Mina? It's too cold." He stepped next to her in her light jacket and knee-length skirt, to the ceiling of the terrace, the lights of the night visible until the horizon.
"Maybe I was waiting for you to tuck me into bed." She turned to him, crossing her arms. "To be honest, I wanted to take a breather in peace. Reflect a bit."
"Are you okay?"
"I guess. Just a bit thoughtful, if I'm doing as good as I want to be."
"Minako, i've been there the last four days, you gave your all and it was truly outstanding. You're such a great singer." A chuckled. "This professionalism is a completely new side I'm seeing on you." He told her jokingly, trying to light up the blonde's mood.
"Yeah, guess I'm better with other things than leading." Minako said and turned around, back at the ceiling.
She said after a moment, one arm closing around her elbow, gaze falling to the floor.
"Hey… that's not what I meant. You know you're so great at so many things."
"I might be. Although I sometimes wish I wouldn't lack in the two most important ones. Love and Leading." Her gaze stayed on the floor. "You know people always say, she's so lucky, she has everything. As if."
Her eyes met his.
"This is something only a handful people know about me but there is not only happy, joyful Minako. There's also this vulnerable side in me. And sometimes, when I hold in to reflect, it breaks out. Back when I was younger I had major problems with anxiety and depression because my, or rather our destiny. And because what we went through. But as leader I couldn't open up about it as I thought I had to be the one everybody else looked up to. I couldn't allow myself to show weakness."
SunTzu kept silent, his eyes on the city below his feet, listening close.
"It was Rei that saved me. The only one that ever loved me like I have loved her. But she's bound to Yuichiro. And if it wouldn't be him, it would be you."
"It's hard to be the reincarnation of the Goddess of Love and to be alone sometimes. The heartbreaks don't make it better." A crooked smile betrayed her heavy eyes.
"Not everyone gets the hot Laid-back-samurai-dude-billion-dollar-empire-heir-adonis right after dumping the Pilot-millionaire-poster-boy-hottie."
"You forget mass murderer and personification of war." SunTzu chimed in, any indication of smile had vanished from his face.
"And also savior of millions and guardian of a bunch of lunatic magical girls."
And then she turned to him.
"I look up to you. And Artemis. Mamoru. Setsuna. It looks so natural to all of you, while I still totally fuck up being the leader I'm supposed to be."
"That's not true, I saw that here…"
"But it's something different within the Taskforce. I saw how the people looked at me on the Starstruck."
"You brought everyone home, without a scratch, even when one of them acted out of impulse and went to do something risky on her own. Matter fact you immediately made sure a search and rescue mission got on the way. I might not be a grunt but just an entitled pilot with an amazing snub doing most of the work but that sounds pretty much like the commander I want to serve under."
She looked at him for a moment, while his words sank in.
"It's moments like these that make me jelly of Rei and Setsuna."
His eyebrow shot up.
"Oh don't worry, this also goes for Mako, Ami and Usagi and their stupid awesome husbands and their stupid perfect marriages."
"Yeah, you know I'm not making points in love lately as well. If you remember that was the reason you brought me along."
"Actually, it was just one of them."
"I was already wondering why you really brought me here."
"Guess, I wanted to let you know that I can do better than on the Starstruck."
"I already told you, that you did your job well."
"You know, no wonder you fell for the end boss of falling for someone else. You're pretty good at this. I should know as you know."
Both shared a hearty laugh.
"Yeah, well. Guess it's easier if you're rightfully meant to be for someone like Ryu or Yuichiro. And not just be a guy without a past, that someday, somehow stumbled into everyone's lives."
"There's more to that than the soul bound. You cannot imagine what these guys did for the girls."
"I heard about it. Rei did well in choosing Yuichiro, you can see she's everything for him."
"I think it actually would be a close tie between you two putting one's life at stake for her safety. But his commitment for her beats everything. Before she was with me she was basically chaste. Of course she liked kissing and all that stuff but I guess because of her being as priestess she always wanted to be pristine. And this although Shintoism is all about fecundity. Yet he never pushed her. This guy, he became such an awesome man, yet he never thought to be worthy of her. No wonder I didn't have a chance."
"Hey Minako. I lost her as well."
"And you came to terms with it. And maybe you don't know yourself how deep it really is but with my powers I do know how much you love Setsuna."
A short pause, he never had let someone know how hard he actually really had fallen for the Senshi of Time, not even himself if he was honest to himself, as he glanced at her. How did she know?
"Last time I checked the scars on your back in the med bay."
Ah yes, the powers of the Goddess of Love, being able to tell the feelings of a person for another from just a touch.
"Don't worry, I'll keep it secret. And you know that I'm on your side. For the sake of the both of you."
Their eyes met again as did small smiles.
"It's cold, we should get inside. And you need your beauty sleep my dear Aphrodite."
Her smile grew and as he turned around to walk to the door which lead back inside, she laid a arm around his waist and linked herself in onto him.
"I'm sorry. I'm confident and loving myself nowadays, at least most of the time. But sometimes the dark thoughts still creep into my mind. I'm glad I got to let them out. Thank you." She pressed herself onto him to show him her affection and gratitude.
"Nothing to thank me for, that's what friends are for." SunTzu gave her a warm reply.
"Good thing I devoted my life to the kingdom and my Queen. If she stays bringing people over like you I might have the chance to meet my soul mate too, one day."
"I'm sure he'll be better than any of us other guys. Because you deserve it my little blonde whirlwind."
"He has to be. After all I was born to love, so this lass needs someone that is worth it."
Both friends laughed as he opened the door for them to get back inside, completely having forgotten about the cigarette he wanted to smoke.
Once more in what seems to have been an endless circle of interruptions of his sleeping cycle SunTzu was awoken by banging on his door the early next morning.
Barely able to walk he arrived at the door and opened it.
"Gosh, I could get used to see THIS every morning." Minako commented his shirtless, half-naked appearance at the door, letting her eyes roam over him.
SunTzu finally managed to fully open his eyes and kickstart his brain.
"Why are you wearing uniform?" He asked, yawning into his hand.
"I'll tell you later. Get done in fifteen Captain, your starfighter is coming to pick us up."
And then she was gone again, leaving a surprised and baffled SunTzu behind. At least she seemed to be joyful, so probably it meant that they weren't heading directly for combat.
Exactly fourteen minutes later SunTzu appeared on the landing platform of the hotel, his phone in his hand and his protégé on the other line. Hotaru had flown AICA from Earth to Coruscant but AICA had dropped her in the Senatorial District. Minako, dressed in her grey Medical Corps Uniform, was already waiting at the landing platform for him. Over the night it had rained but now the first rays of the sun were breaking through the clouds.
"How you'll get home, Hotaru-Chan?" SunTzu asked the teenager.
"Oh, I'll fly home with a regular shuttle on sunday. Rei-Onee-Chan invited me over to stay the weekend with her and Yuichiro-kun. And to going shopping tomorrow. She said a good big sister has to spoil her little one when she's doing such great work."
"Okay, have fun. But don't forget, I'm your superior, not Captain Kumada. Even though he has these cool swords."
SunTzu couldn't see how the teenager's eyebrows furrowed and how she formed a silent "Really?" with her mouth.
"I gotta go now. See you and AICA on monday. Oh and Mom is also not on the base this weekend if you wanted to visit her in the med bay."
Yeah, no. I don't think she'd like that...
"Goodbye Hotaru. Have fun, and give my regards to Rei and Yuichiro."
As soon as SunTzu ended the call, Minako bursted into laughter.
"You're jealous of Yuichiro becoming a role model for Hotaru?"
"Hey. He knows her longer than me. And both of them are good with blades."
"Oh SunTzu, you're cute when your worrying that your little Hotaru-Chan will neglect you for another father figure."
His worried look let her know that it really affected him. From above the sound of AICA's engine came in. Minako was still laughing.
"Oh c'mon she would never. Cheer up."
A moment later AICA broke through the clouds and descended on one of the landing spot.
"Oh and put your flight-suit on, we need to fly over to the Headquarters of the Forces." Minako let him know.
He shot her a questioning look.
"Don't worry, we have a landing permission."
He kept staring at her, awaiting a torough answer.
"Fine, since you just can't settle to wait for a surprise. I organized a PR-… no wait, the correct term in the Military is Propaganda, photo shoot. I might not be the best Commander but I do know how to look good on pictures.
SunTzu shook his head, Minako was always good for a surprise.
AICA landed and greeted both enthusiastically, asking Mina if SunTzu had behaved well or already was working on her nerves.
Three minutes later, SunTzu now in his flight-suit and with his pilot helmet on, they were inside the cockpit.
Before SunTzu could lift off, Minako on the backseat leaned forward and her phone appeared in front of SunTzu's face to take a selfie of the two of them.
"You know what we didn't for far too long? Smile, SunTzu!"