Minako was waiting beside the entrance to Game Center Crown.

Her attire consisted of a white T-shirt, blue overalls that stopped just below her kneecaps, and red strappy sandals. As she waited, she turned towards the window and checked herself in the mirror, making sure that nothing was out of place.

"There's no denying it. I'm looking cute and adorable," Minako thought to herself while smiling with confidence. She also looked at her wristwatch. "I've also managed to get here half an hour early, but Harusuke could still show up early, so I got to be ready. I can't wait to see what he's got planned for today."

As she waited, she looked at herself in the window one more time, adjusting the red bow in her hair to make sure it was straight. But as she did so, she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"Hey! Minako!"

Minako looked up just in time to see Harusuke approaching. He was wearing a gray T-shirt with a gold design, some blue pants, and white sneakers.

"Hey there, Harusuke," Minako greeted with a chuckle. "You're here a bit early."

"I could say the same about you," said Harusuke. "You did mention to expect your date to arrive before you a while back, but I guess you're more of an early bird than me."

"Well, to be honest, I kind of got impatient waiting for the appointed time," said Minako. "That and I wanted to get out of the house before Artemis noticed. You know how nosy he can be."

"Don't I know it," agreed Harusuke. "The same could be said for the others, too."

"Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing what you got planned," said Minako. "Remember, this is your chance to show me what you learned, but let's also have a good time, so no pressure."

"You got it," nodded Harusuke. "I've already got an idea of where to go first."

"Then, lead the way, my star pupil," winked Minako. "I look forward to being dazzled."

The two then set off together, heading further into Downtown Juuban.

Eventually, Harusuke and Minako came to a small building in the corner of a street. It had a flashing light shaped like a microphone and a sign that read, "Karaoke Crown."

"A karaoke bar, huh?" hummed Minako. "I gotta say, that's a pretty interesting pick for a first top, Harusuke."

"Well, I figured since you love idols and stuff, you'd like something like this," said Harusuke. "Not to mention, I'm kinda curious to hear how you sing, if you don't mind me saying so."

Minako giggled. "Careful. As the saying goes, cats will get smacked by curiosity," she said. "But now that you mention it, it's been a long time since I've sung, and it's a pretty popular dating spot. Way to do your research."

The two then went inside and rented a room while ordering some drinks. They soon made themselves comfortable and then took their time deciding on some songs to sing. However, Minako sang most of the first few songs while Harusuke sat and watched, which didn't take her long to notice.

"Hey, Harusuke! How come you're not singing?" Minako asked. "Don't tell me that you're shy."

"Well, I'm not much of a singer," said Harusuke. "Plus, I don't know that many songs, so I don't know which one to sing. But don't worry. I don't mind hearing you sing. You've got a lovely singing voice."

"Yeah, but it's no fun if you're not singing with me," Minakao pouted. "Otherwise, it wouldn't be much of a date."

She then looked through the logbook, flipping through the pages until she stopped on a particular page.

"Hey, let's do this one!" she said while pointing to a page. "Even you know this song!"

Harusuke looked at where Minako was pointing, and when he did, his face lit up in surprise while going red.

"W-Wait, this song?" Harusuke stammered. "I didn't know they had this one!"

"Then, let's sing this one as a duet!" urged Minako. "Pretty please? I really want to hear you sing!"

Harusuke was a bit hesitant but then gave in. "All right then. I'll sing," he conceded. "But don't hold it against me for being a crappy singer if I am. And you better not tell the others."

"I won't," winked Minako. "Now, come on! Let's do this thing! The one with the lowest score has to pay for lunch and ice cream!"

"H-Hey! You can't slap on a bet like that!" Harusuke quickly objected

But Minako didn't pay attention as she selected the song, and after a few seconds, the song began to play with Minako, starting with the first verse.

It's holding me back like the wind
And tearing me all up inside
We must go our separate ways
Because the stars have decided our fate

Harusuke followed up with the second verse a bit awkwardly.

But look at you
You chose this path
While I move the stars
The future looms and calls our name
No need to hesitate

The two then sang in unison for the chorus.

That blue sea is stretching out now
The wild wind is starting to blow hard
It's so cold, how can I go without you
I will forever run on

As they continued to sing, the two gradually grew more in sync and put more passion into their voices as they sang together.

Please remember that I
I will never forget
you're the one that I love
though it's painful
But I'll be watching you from here
The dawn of the desert

Later, after spending a couple of hours singing karaoke, Harusuke and Minako went to a cafe for lunch and drinks. After quenching their thirst and appetite, they went browsing inside the mall, checking out all sorts of clothes.

Minako had Harusuke try out all sorts of men's clothing, and Harusuke picked out some women's for Minako. They then modeled for each other with the clothes they picked, sometimes finding some that were perfect while others were just plain silly and goofy. But whatever they wore, both Harusuke and Minako had a great time.

Harusuke was just putting away some clothes Minako had asked him to wear and was waiting for Minako to return from the fitting rooms. As he waited, he aimlessly looked around, not thinking much while watching people walk around or checking out clothes.

Then, his eyes fell upon an accessories section, where they had an assortment of hair clips, keychains, and many other things. Feeling curious, Harusuke went over to inspect. Then, he picked up a particular item and rushed over to the cashier to buy it. But as the cashier had just finished ringing up and bagging this item, Minako came scampering up to him.

"Hey, Harusuke. Watcha buy?" she chirped curiously.

"Oh, nothing," said Harusuke. "Just a little something that caught my eye, is all."

"What is it?" asked Minako.

Harusuke then winked. "You'll find out a bit later," he said. "Let's make it a surprise."

"Aw, come on! Tell me!" Minako pressed. "Now I really want to know!"

"Now, Minako, you know the old saying," said Harusuke. "All things come to those who wait. Trust me. You'll love it."

Minako pouted before conceding. "Oh, all right. But you know how impatient I can be."

Harusuke could only chuckle. "You're a lot more patient than Usagi is," he quipped. "Even though you tend to act like her twin half the time."

"I do not!" protested Minako.

The two then left the mall and started off toward their next stop on their practice date. But as they walked, Harusuke couldn't help but look at Minako, particularly at the red ribbon in her hair.

Minako happened to notice. "What's up? Is there something in my hair?" she asked.

"No, it's just… I was wondering about something," said Harusuke. "It's about that ribbon in your hair. I'm just realizing that you're always wearing it. It's got me curious. Is there something significant or special about that ribbon?"

Minako flinched while her right hand instinctively reached up before hesitating at the top of her head.

"O-Oh! Sorry! If it's too personal, you don't have to tell me," Harusuke apologized, sensing discomfort. "I didn't mean to ask such a question."

"N-No, it's fine," said Minako. "It's just that nobody's ever asked me about that before." She paused before taking a breath. "Well, to put it simply, it's a keepsake from my first crush, who… was also my first kill."

Harusuke looked at her. "Wh-What do you mean by that?" he asked tentatively.

"O-Oops, sorry. That kind of came out wrong," relented Minako. "To keep the story brief, I got this ribbon to get the attention of an old schoolmate who was my first crush. His name was Higashi. As you would expect, he was one of the cutest boys I've ever met. He was actually the one who told me I should wear a ribbon in the first place."

"But…" said Harusuke knowingly.

"He turned out to be working for the Dark Kingdom and was a youma," said Minako. "And because he turned out to be an enemy… I had no choice but to take him down. I knew he was a monster and everything, and if Artemis hadn't shown up and given me my powers on that day, I would have died. But needless to say, that whole experience was a little…traumatizing."

"I'm sorry that happened to you," said Harusuke. "I'd say I can relate to having your first day as a guardian, but I can't imagine having to take out someone I liked."

"O-Oh no! Please don't worry about it!" Minako squeaked while waving her hands. "I've had many crushes, so I got over it! And ironically enough, I ended up liking a ribbon in my hair, so it worked out. Besides, it's not just because of Higashi. I think of it as my signature characteristic. So it's nothing to get depressed about. I'm OK."

Harusuke said nothing more as the two continued walking.

After a while, Harusuke and Minako came to the Juuban Museum and went inside. When they came to the gems and minerals exhibit, Minako's eyes went wide with wonder and sparkled with excitement.

"Oh, wow! Look at all of these gems and stones!" Minako squealed as she looked at one display after the other. "I heard from Rei that place was amazing, but I didn't think it'd be like this!"

"I hoped that you'd like it," said Harusuke. "To be honest, I didn't think you would like this kind of stuff."

"Of course, I would! Almost every girl would go crazy with a bunch of gems!" laughed Minako. "Myself included! But somehow, I get the feeling that there's more to this, am I right?"

"You'd be correct," said Harusuke. "As I'm sure you know, we need a name for our fusion, and this place is perfect inspiration."

"Aw, come on. What's wrong with Sailor Venus De Milo?" Minako complained with a pout. "I thought that was a pretty cool name."

Harusuke stared dubiously. "Please tell me you're joking, Minako," he said flatly. "I already said I was against it."

Minako then giggled. "I know, I was kidding," she said. "Even I'm not that pretentious to want a name like that."

The red-bowed blonde then looked around at the displays, admiring the many stones as Harusuke watched her. As he did, he started thinking about what he experienced with Rei.

"I wonder if what I felt on that day will happen again?" he thought. "And for that matter, I hope Minako doesn't pick a stone with a random name."

Then, as his eyes wandered around through the displays, he heard Minako.

"Hey! Harusuke! Come here!"

Harusuke looked up and saw Minako standing in front of a particular display of a gemstone. It was resting on top of a rock, as big as a small boulder and in the shape of a prism, and was colored in yellow-orange that glistened under the light. He couldn't help but be amazed.

"Whoa… That thing's huge," Harusuke murmured.

"I know, right?" agreed Minako. "I don't know what it was about this particular one, but for some reason, I felt drawn to it."

Harusuke then looked at the info that stood beside it on a card. "It says here that this is Topaz, a gemstone that's coveted by its warm glow that can come in many colors, but this one is the rarest, giving it the name Imperial Topaz. And for those who have struggled with friendship or love in the past, this stone is helpful for anyone who dares to love again and live with an open heart."

Minako's eyes went wide as her heart skipped. "Th-That sounds like me!" she gasped.

"It also says that it's a birthstone for those born under certain constellations in different cultures, including Libra, which is your sign," Harusuke continued. "Its powers are also considered to be linked to the moon while capturing the essence of sunlight, celebrated from its energy and clarity."

"You know, I've read some things about this kind of stuff in magazines, but I never thought the info would hit so close to home," said Minako, her eyes wide with wonder. "And I'm all for it!" She looked at the stone again. "And Topaz sounds awesome for a name!"

"It does, doesn't it?" agreed Harusuke. He then teased her with a grin. "But are you sure it's better than Sailor Venus De Milo?"

Minako scowled. "Oh, haha," she said with some sarcasm. But then she chuckled. "Yes, I'm sure."

Harusuke then held up a fist. "Then that's what our fusion name will be," he decided.

Minako held up her fist, too. "Yeah. And that name is…"

The two then bumped each other's fists as they spoke together. "Sailor Topaz!"

At that moment, just like last time, Harusuke felt a powerful current of something shoot through his body, as did Minako. In addition, a brief yellow spark crackled from their fists.

"That feeling again!" Harusuke thought as he looked at his hand. "Just like with Rei!"

"OK. What was that?" asked Minako. "It felt like I just got some major static shock or something. Only… it feels like something's changed. Between us."

"Y-Yeah. It happened to Rei, too," said Harusuke. "It's pretty safe to assume that what happened was normal and we picked the right name."

Minako didn't say anything more as she stared at her hand, but as she did, a smile tugged at her cheeks.

After that, evening came, and Harusuke walked Minako home to her house. As they approached, Minako stretched her arms while letting out a satisfied grunt.

"Man, I had a great time today, Harusuke," she said. "Thank you so much for the fun! You get top marks on this date!"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," said Harusuke. "I had a lot of fun, too."

"But it is kind of depressing to have it end," said Minako. "I only wish there was something to commemorate today."

Harusuke then smiled as he presented Minako with a bag. "Will this be commemorative enough?" he asked.

Minako blinked before smiling and taking the bag. "Well, well. Trying to add more bonus points?" she teased with a wink.

"You could say that," said Harusuke. "Plus, I saw this earlier today, and I thought of you and figured you'd like it. Just make sure to open it when you get to your room."

"I will," said Minako. "Make sure you get home safe, OK?"

Harususke answered with a wave as he left for home.

As he did, Minako went inside her house and up to her room. When she entered, she found Artemis resting in his bed sleeping. Not wanting to wake him up, she kept quiet and silently shut the door. She then sat down on the bed and opened the bag. Inside it was a small decorated box, which she also opened, and her eyes widened.

Inside the box was a red ribbon lined with yellow stars that glistened under the light. Minako then took off the ribbon she wore and tried it on before looking at herself in the mirror. As she looked at herself, a warm smile crossed her face, and she couldn't help but lightly chuckle.

It was then that Artemis woke up. "Oh, hey there, Minako," he yawned. "I didn't hear you come in."

Minako came over to her feline friend. "Heya, Artemis," she greeted. "Sorry if I woke you up."

Artemis then noticed the ribbon. "Hey, where did you get that pretty ribbon?" he inquired. "It looks cute on you."

Minako smiled. "You think so?" she said. "I'm glad you like it. Harusuke gave it to me."

"Harusuke did?" said Artemis. Then he remembered. "Oh, yeah. You went on another practice date with him. I gotta say, he's got good taste."

Minako chuckled as she touched the ribbon. "Yeah. He does."